Daily GK Update- 5th Sep, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Tata Steel and Punjab govt inked an MoU to establish steel facility in Ludhiana: Tata Steel and Punjab Govt signs an MoU: The Tata steel company and the Punjabi government have agreed to establish a 0.75 million tonne per year (MnTPA) long products steel facility with an electric arc furnace (EAF) powered by scrap. Tata Steel’s decision to build the Greenfield facility at Kadiana Khurd in Ludhiana’s Hitech Valley is a part of the company’s commitment to investing in a circular economy and switching to low-carbon steel making through steel recycling. Key Points:

a)      According to the company, it is a step toward its objective of having Net Zero carbon emissions by 2045.

b)      Tata Steel’s flagship retail brand, “Tata Tiscon,” would be produced by the cutting-edge EAF-based steel mill, allowing the corporation to significantly expand its market share.

c)       The Tata Group’s investment in Punjab’s steel industry will spur industrial development in the province.

d)      The Company wants to reduce its CO2 emissions in India to 1.8 tCO2/tcs by 2030 and to 2 tCO2/tcs by 2025.

e)      Tata Steel is effectively utilising the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to comprehend and enhance the environmental performance of its products in order to accelerate its efforts to ensure product sustainability.

 

2. Alappuzha Declared as the Fifth Full Digital Banking District: Alappuzha has become the fifth fully digital banking district in the state. A declaration was made by the Reserve bank of India Kerala and Lakshadweep Regional Director Thomas Mathew regarding this. As a part of the initiative at least one digital transaction facility, such as a debit card, Internet banking, mobile banking, a unified payment interface, and many other facilities, has been enabled 26 lakh savings or current bank accounts in 29 banks in the districts.

The places where banking services became digital before Alappuzha are Thrissur, Kottayam, Palakkad, and Kasaragod. The initiative of this project was taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with the support of the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) and respective districts administrative as part of the Union Government Digital India Project.

About Alappuzha: Alappuzha is also known by its former name Alleppey. Alleppey is the administrative headquarters of the Alappuzha district in Kerala. The district was formed on 17th August 1957 and the name was changed to Alappuzha in 1990, it is the smallest district of Kerala.

 

3. Andhra Pradesh signs MoU with Parley for the Oceans: Andhra Pradesh government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ‘Parley for the Oceans’, a U.S.-based company that works for plastic-waste management. The minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Audimulapa Suresh, MAUD Principal Secretary, Y.Sri Lakshmi, and Founder of Parley for the Oceans, Cyrill Gutsch were present. The MoU was signed under the presence of Chief Minister of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and an event was held at the AU Convention Centre in Vishakhapatnam. Key Points:

a)      Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister says that in the coming six years ₹16,000 crores will be invested in the state.

b)      The program also brings employment for more than 20,000 locals with a minimum of at least ₹16,000 per month.

c)       The recycling and upcycling of plastic waste will be done in the “Parley Super Hubs” set up by the Parley for the Oceans.

d)      The MoU between Andhra Pradesh and Parley for the Oceans aims to improve the sanitation and waste management system and deploy AIR (Avoid Intercept & Redesign) plastic stations in 500 places.

 

4. Vasudha Gupta named as DG of News Services Division of AIR: Indian Information Service officer, Vasudha Gupta was appointed as the director general of the news services division of All India Radio. Gupta, who was director general in the Press Information Bureau, assumed charge of her new post immediately. All India Radio Director General N Venudhar Reddy superannuated.

Another appointment: Rajesh Malhotra, Director General in the Press Information Bureau (PIB), was promoted to the rank of Principal Director General. Malhotra will continue to look after the publicity works of the finance ministry in the PIB.

Note: All India Radio Founded: 1936, Delhi; All India Radio Founder: Government of India; All India Radio Headquarters: Sansad Marg, New Delhi; All India Radio Owner: Prasar Bharati.

 

5. A book titled “Science Behind Surya Namaskar” unveiled by Dr Kalubhai: Minister of State for AYUSH, Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai has released a book titled “Science Behind Surya Namaskar” a collection of evidence-based research on one of the most well-known Yoga asanas. The book was compiled by the All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) department of Swasthavritta and Yoga, at AIIA.

The book was released during the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programme 2022 organised by the departments of Swasthavritta, Panchakarma, and Darvyaguna in association with Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth (RAV), New Delhi. The book is a collection of evidence-based research on one of the most well-known Yoga asanas at the AIIA. Dr Kalubhai also inaugurated the new Panchakarma Room in the Hospital block and flagged off an e-rickshaw and a public ambulance for AIIA.

 

6. National Teachers’ Day: 5th September: Teachers’ Day or Shikshak Divas marks the birthday of the country’s first Vice President (1952–1962) who went on to become the second President of India (1962-1967), a scholar, philosopher, Bharat Ratna awardee, Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. He was born on September 5 in the year 1888. But teachers’ day was first observed in the year 1962 on his 77th birthday. He was a teacher who turned out to be a philosopher, scholar and politician. He dedicated his entire life to working towards the importance of education in people’s lives. The theme for this year’s teachers’ day is ‘Leading in crisis, reimaging the future.’

National Teachers’ Day History: When Dr Radhakrishan took office of the second President of India in 1962, his students approached him to seek permission to celebrate September 5 as a special day. Dr Radhakrishnan instead made a request of them to observe September 5 as Teachers’ Day, to recognise the contribution of teachers to the society.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. International Day of Charity: 5th September: The International Day of Charity is observed on September 5. On this day, philanthropic and humanitarian efforts of any kind are honoured. September 5 was chosen to celebrate the day because it is Mother Teresa’s death anniversary. She devoted her life for charity and helping people in need. Her compassion and giving nature had made her a revered figure worldwide. Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for “work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.”

International Day of Charity History: September 5 was declared as the International Day of Charity, by a resolution adopted by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on December 17, 2012. The resolution was co-sponsored by 44 UN member nations.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup: VAR technology to make debut in India: The upcoming Under-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 in India will see the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology making its debut in the age-group showpiece, world football governing body FIFA announced. The prestigious tournament, which was given the go-ahead by FIFA after lifting the 11-day-long suspension of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), will be held in Bhubaneswar (Kalinga Stadium), Margao (JLN Stadium) and Navi Mumbai (DY Patil Stadium) from October 11 to October 30.

About the VAR technology: The VAR technology supports the decision-making process of the referee in four game-changing situations: goals and offences leading up to a goal, penalty decisions and offences leading up to a penalty, direct red card incidents, and mistaken identity. Throughout a match, the VAR team constantly checks for clear and obvious errors related to these four match-changing situations. The VAR team communicates with the referee only for clear and obvious mistakes or serious missed incidents.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Finance Ministry: GST collection rose 28% in August to Rs 1.43 trillion: The GST collection remained above the Rs 1.4-trillion mark for the sixth straight month in August and the ensuing festival season will help continue the trend. The gross GST revenue collected in August 2022 is Rs 1.43 trillion of which CGST is Rs 24,710 crore, SGST is Rs 30,951 crore, IGST is Rs 77,782 crore (including Rs 42,067 crore collected on import of goods) and cess is Rs 10,168 crore (including Rs 1,018 crore collected on import of goods).

The revenues for the month of August 2022 are 28 per cent higher than the GST revenues of Rs 1,12,020 crore collected in August 2021. The collection in August is, however, lower than Rs 1.49 trillion collected in July. The mop-up was at a record high of Rs 1.67 trillion in April.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SBI Report: India’s GDP growth in Q1 of FY23 anticipated to be 15.7%: India’s GDP Growth in Q1 of FY23: India’s GDP is expected to rise by 13% in Q1 FY23, according to rating agency ICRA, 15.7% in Q1 FY22, and 16.2% in Q1 FY23, according to State Bank of India (SBI Report). Even though the gross domestic product (GDP) data for the April–June 2022 quarter (August 31), analysts’ growth projections range from 13% to 16.2%. According to SBI Report:

a)      India’s GDP growth in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2022–23 (India’s GDP growth in Q1 of FY23) is anticipated to increase by 13% due to a low base and a strong recovery in the contact-intensive sectors as a result of increased vaccination coverage.

b)      The services sector will lead the way in terms of growth for the quarter ending in June 2022 (+17–19%; +5.5% in Q4 FY2022), followed by the industry (+9–11%; +1.3%). Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries might see a drop in GVA growth to 1.0% in Q1 FY2023 from 4.1% in Q4 FY2022.

c)       India’s GDP is anticipated to rise by roughly 15.7% in Q1FY23, according to SBI Report (SBI Research’s study “Ecowrap”), with a strong likelihood of an upward bias because various indicators have shown the Indian economy to be making solid progress.

 

2. Reliance Industries to build world’s largest carbon fibre plant: Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has announced to build of India’s first and one of the world’s largest Carbon Fibre plants at Hazira, Gujarat. The plants will have a capacity of 20,000 MTPA based on Acrylonitrile feedstock. Overall, in the Oil to Chemical segment (O2C), Ambani Ambani announced an investment of Rs 75,000 crore over the next five years to expand capacities in existing and new value chains. These value chains are – Polyester value chain, Vinyl chain, and New Materials. The first phase of the plant will be completed in 2025.

The company will further integrate its composites business with Carbon Fibre to produce Carbon Fibre composites. Apart from other applications, Carbon Fibre composites are also used to meet the rapidly growing light-weight requirements of Mobility and Renewable Energy. Thus, Carbon Fibre promises to be a multi-decade growth engine for O2C, Ambani highlighted. Reliance has commenced its journey to becoming net carbon zero by 2035 with a set of concrete actions.

Note: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Founded: 8 May 1973; Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Founder: Dhirubhai Ambani; Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) CMD: Mukesh Ambani; Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Director: Nita Ambani.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Hardeep S. Puri presents Smart Solutions Challenge & Inclusive Cities Awards 2022: The Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri presented Smart Solutions Challenge & Inclusive Cities Awards 2022. These awards are an initiative of the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and the United Nations (UN) in India to address city-level accessibility and inclusion challenges faced by persons with disabilities (PwD), women and girls, and the elderly. The top 10 technology-based solutions were awarded the Inclusive Cities Awards 2022:

Category 1: Early-stage Innovations

a)      Fifth Sense by Glovatrix Pvt. Ltd

b)      Digital Mobility Subsidy by Ola Mobility Institute

c)       AxcesAble Places by AxcesAble Designs LLP

Category 2: Market-ready Solutions

a)      Mouseware by Dextroware Devices

b)      Signer.AI by Incluistic Pvt. Ltd. / Friends for Inclusion

c)       IncluMaps by Vikas Upadhyay, Research Scholar, IIT Delhi

Category 3: Implemented Solutions

a)      Multi-Dimensional Inclusiveness: Using Advanced Technologies for Education and Literacy by Belagavi Smart City Ltd.

b)      myUDAAN by Tekra Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

c)       ‘Moving with Pride’ (Mo Bus and Mo E-Ride) by Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), Odisha

d)      Nirbhaya App by Sagar Smart City Ltd.

Daily GK Update- 4th Sep, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s First Vaccine against Cervical Cancer Launched: India is set to launch its first indigenously developed Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (qHPV) against Cervical cancer with the help of the Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). The vaccine for Cervical cancer “CERVAVAC”, will be launched by Union Minister of State Science and Technology Jitendra Singh. The vaccine is likely to cost around 200-400 per dose.

As per the government data, cervical cancer ranks number 2 for most prevalent cancer in India and also accounts for one-fourth of the world’s cervical cancer deaths. Approximately 1.25 lakhs women are diagnosed with Cervical cancer and over 75 thousand females die from the disease in India. The Union government plans to target the age of 9-14 years of girls for vaccination against cervical cancer. Before the rollout of the vaccine, a sensitization program will be organized by the government to educate parents and school authorities. The government also said that CERVAVAC is an outcome of the partnership of DBT and BIRAC with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

 

2. 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022 celebrating from Sep 1 to 30th September: Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022 across the nation from 1st September till 30th September. Rashtriya Poshan Maah serves as a platform to bring focus to the discourse of nutrition and good health. In the 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah, the aim is to convert Jan Andolan into Jan Bhagidari to fulfil the Prime Minister’s vision of a Suposhit Bharat. The Central Theme of Poshan Maah 2022 is “Mahila aur Swasthya” and “Bacha aur Shiksha”.  Poshan Maah is being celebrated as part of the POSHAN Abhiyaan, the Central Government’s flagship programme which aims to improve nutritional outcomes for children under 6 years of age, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

The activities will be organised with the following key objectives:

a)      Spreading Awareness about Nutrition at the Grassroot level

b)      Conduct Sensitization Drive to make citizens aware of the importance of nutrition

c)       Identification and Outreach programmes for pregnant and lactating women

d)      Awareness Drives, Camps and Fairs for children below six years and adolescent girls

e)      Highlight objectives of ‘Swasth Bharat’ and plan activities to sensitize citizens about it

 

3. Railways top CVC’s list for rejecting directives to punish corrupt officers: The Railways Ministry tops the list of government agencies that ignored the CVC’s recommendations against corrupt officers and employees and resolved matters in accordance with their own disciplinary procedures. 55 similar occurrences were discovered across government agencies in the annual report for 2021, 11 of which were in the Railways. Key Points:

a)      Along with Railways, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Bank of India, and Delhi Jal Board each had four cases, and according to CVC, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited protected three of its workers in such situations.

b)      The Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Madras Fertilizers Limited, Indira Gandhi National Open University, and North Delhi Municipal Corporation (which is now a part of the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi) were listed as two of the institutions involved in these cases, according to the report.

c)       The CVC claimed to have discovered some “severe and major errors and lapses.” These include disregard for or ignorance of rules, as well as the disciplinary authority’s failure to follow procedures for consultation with the CVC and/or the Department of Personnel and Training in cases of disagreement or delays in seeking guidance.

d)      Another issue that was brought up included SIDBI and led to huge financial losses.

 

4. NHAI Organizes Workshop on Global Navigation Satellite System-Based Tolling: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), organized a stakeholder consultation workshop on Global Navigation Satellite (GNSS) based tolling in India. The main objective of the day-long workshop was to seek input and suggestions from various industry experts and stakeholders on different aspects of the GNSS-based tolling system. Also, this workshop will work as a guide to help strategies and design the future roadmap for free flow rolling systems in India based on GNSS technology.

Various stakeholders were invited for deliberations on GNSS based tolling system including government departments, ISRO, NIC, and industry players such as Vehicle Manufactures, AIS-140 On-Board Unit (OBU) manufacturers, Global GNSS service providers, Banks, and Payment Aggregators/Gateway service providers. The discussions for GNSS based tolling system were held on the findings of the pilot carried out by the NHAI in Delhi.

 

5. NCRB published a report titled Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2021: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released a Accidental Deaths & Suicides report, as per the number of suicide-related deaths in India reached an all-time high in 2021. In 2021, 1.64 lakh people committed suicide, a 7.2% rise from 2020, when 1.53 lakh people had done so. Since 1967, the first year for which statistics are available, there have been more suicide-related fatalities than ever before. 11.3 suicides per 100,000 individuals have been reported up to this time, as per the Accidental Deaths & Suicides report. Key Points:

a)      As per the information on accidental fatalities and suicides given by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in Accidental Deaths & Suicides, this number was around 1.39 lakh in 2019.

b)      The suicide rate, or the number of suicide-related deaths per one lakh people, was 12 in 2021.

c)       This is the highest rate of suicide-related deaths since 1967, the first year for which statistics is available. Up until this point, 11.3 suicides per 100,000 people have been recorded.

d)      The year 2010 had the highest reported suicide rate in the nation up until this point (11.3), as per Accidental Deaths & Suicides report.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India to Host Quad Senior Officials’ Meeting: The Quad group meeting will be hosted by India in New Delhi with Japan, U.S, and Australia in the coming week. The Quad meeting is the first such “Senior Officers Meeting” (SOM) to be held after tensions rose between China and Taiwan. The Quad SOM meeting is one of several meetings to be held between India and Indo-Pacific Partners.

The Quad SOM meeting is going to be held anytime between 5th-6th September. The SCO summit in Uzbekistan in mid-September is ahead of the Quad SOM meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the important leaders of Russia, Iran, China, Pakistan, and Central Asia will attend the SCO Summit, as it is the first such in-person meeting since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

The officials of the Ministry of External Affairs will follow the Quad meeting with an India-US 2+2 “inter-sessional” meeting, with U.S Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu leading the American delegation to discuss bilateral issues. The meeting will also be attended by officials of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Direction General of the Foreign Policy Bureau from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Amlan Borgohain breaks 100m national record at All India Railway C’ships: Amlan Borgohain, who holds the 200m national record, has now added the 100m record to his name. The 24-year-old from Assam clocked 10.25s (wind speed +1.8, legal) to break the six-year-old national record of Amiya Kumar Mallick (10.26s) at the 87th all-India inter-Railway athletics championships in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. Borgohain’s previous best, 10.34s, came at the National Open in Warangal last year. He is the reigning national champion in the 100m and 200m. Amlan Borgohain holds the 200m national record of 20.52s, set in April this year at the Federation Cup.

 

2. Former Leg Spinner Rahul Sharma Announced Retirement: Indian Spinner Rahul Sharma has announced retirement from international and domestic cricket. In 2011, the tall leg-spinner came into the limelight where he represented Pune Warriors in IPL. Rahul Sharma made his ODI debut against West Indies in 2011 under Virendra Sehwag’s Captaincy. He made his T20 debut in 2012 against Australia under the Captaincy of MS Dhoni. Later that year, he played his final series on the Sri Lanka tour. The former cricketer wrote an emotional post on his retirement from all forms of cricket.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank and NMDFC ink an Agreement for development of banking software: ICICI Bank and NMDFC ink an Agreement: The National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) announced that it had entered into an agreement with ICICI Bank for the creation of mobile applications and financial accounting software. According to a formal announcement, ICICI Bank will develop, construct, and deploy the application for NMDFC in addition to giving source code and executable database data, among other things. Key Points:

a)      The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) calls for the creation of loan accounting software for the receipt and processing of loan applications as well as the accounting of beneficiary repayments, as well as financial accounting software for NMDFC and State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs).

b)      In addition to providing source code and executable database information, among other things, ICICI Bank will design, build, and deploy the application for NMDFC, according to an official statement.

c)       The NMDFC and SCAs’ loaning and accounting processes would be more transparent and swift thanks to the customised banking software.

d)      The targeted recipients will be able to submit their applications more easily by doing this.

e)      The organisation claimed that automating its operations by creating software and a mobile app would be a huge step toward realising its purpose of “Development with Dignity.”

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Bloomberg Billionaires Index: Gautam Adani becomes world third richest person: India’s Gautam Adani is now the third richest person in the world. The rankings by Bloomberg Billionaires Index come as business conglomerate Adani Group’s chairman overtakes Louis Vuitton chairman Bernard Arnault. With a total net worth of USD 137.4 billion, 60-year-old Adani is now just behind business magnate Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in the ranking. This is the first time an Asian person has broken into the top three of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Key Points:

a)      In the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Reliance chief Mukesh Ambani is at number 11 with a total of USD 91.9 billion worth.

b)      The net worth of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos is currently at USD 251 billion and USD 153 billion, respectively.

 

2. Aadhaar Ventures fined by SEBI for violating industry standard: Aadhaar Ventures India Ltd. (AVIL) and its directors were fined a total of Rs 25 lakh by the capital markets regulator SEBI for breaking the listing requirements and insider trading laws. Aadhaar Ventures India Ltd. (AVIL), its directors Jils Raichand Madan, Somabhai Sunderbhai Meena, and Jyoti Munver, and the regulator each received a fine of Rs. 10 lakh (to be paid jointly and severally) for disclosure violations. Key Points:

a)      It fined Aadhaar Ventures India Ltd. (AVIL) and Meena Rs. 5 lakh (to be paid jointly and severally) for breaking the rules on insider trading.

b)      Aadhaar Ventures India Ltd. (AVIL), Madan, Meena, and Munver had violated disclosure lapses by failing to disclose the information to the stock exchange.

c)       Additionally, Munver violated PIT (Prohibition of Insider Trading) regulations by failing to ensure that AVIL had complied with continuous disclosure obligations while serving as the company’s compliance officer.

d)      It assessed Aadhaar Ventures India Ltd. (AVIL) a 5 lakh rupee fine.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 64th Ramon Magsaysay Award 2022 announced: The Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation (RMAF), which is widely regarded as the “Nobel Peace Prize of Asia,” recently announced this year’s awardees in a global announcement ceremony. The 2022 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees are Sotheara Chhim (Cambodia), Bernadette Madrid (Philippines), Tadashi Hattori (Japan) and Gary Bencheghib (Indonesia). Recipients Ramon Magsaysay Award 2022:

a)      Sotheara Chhim-> He is a mental health advocate from Cambodia. He is a leading voice in Cambodian trauma syndrome. He is being recognized for “his calm courage in surmounting deep trauma to become his people’s healer”. As a child, he was forced to work in Khmer Rouge camps for more than three years until their rule ended in 1979.

b)      Tadashi Hattori-> He is a sight-saving humanitarian from Japan. He is being recognized for his simple humanity and extraordinary generosity as a person and a professional. He decided to become a doctor at age 15 when he witnessed the rude treatment that his cancer-stricken father received in a hospital.

c)       Bernadette J. Madrid-> She is a children’s rights crusader from the Philippines. She is being recognized for “her unassuming and steadfast commitment to noble and demanding advocacy. Since 1997, she has led the country’s first child protection centre at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. It has served more than 27,000 children as of last year.

d)      Gary Bencheghib-> He is an anti-plastic pollution warrior from Indonesia. He is being recognized for Emergent Leadership for “his inspiring fight against marine plastic pollution.

About Ramon Magsaysay Award:The Ramon Magsaysay Award, established in 1957, is Asia’s greatest honour and distinction. The award is managed by RMAF. It is named after Ramon Magsaysay, the third president of the Philippines. The award is regarded around the world as ‘’Asia’s Nobel Prize’’. The prize is annually presented in a ceremonial ceremony in Manila, Philippines on August 31. The first Ramon Magsaysay Awards ceremony was held on 31st August 1958.

Daily GK Update- 3rd Sep, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. University Grants Commission to launch ‘e-Samadhan’ portal for resolving grievances: University Grants Commission (UGC) will now monitor and resolve all grievances of students and staff in varsities through a centralised portal called `e-Samadhan`. This platform ensures transparency, prevents unfair practices in Higher Education Institutions and provides a time-bound mechanism for redressal of grievances, according to the UGC. The commission has merged its existing portals and helplines except for the anti-ragging helpline and developed the new portal. About UGC e-samadhan:

a)      UGC e-samadhan, a step forward for the service to stakeholders which would be a single Window system for all the stakeholders for registering their complaints/ grievances on the portal which would be available all the time at the click of a mouse.

b)      A toll-free No. 1800-111-656 will also be available on the UGC website 24×7 for lodging complaints by the stakeholders on any issue faced by them. Nearly 38 million students are expected to be benefitted from the e-Samadhan portal.

c)       University Grants Commission has vast and wide stakeholder composition which includes 1043 Universities, 42343 Colleges, 3.85 Crore Students and 15.03 Lacs Teachers ( AISHE 2019-20).

Note: University Grants Commission Founded: 1956; University Grants Commission Headquarters: New Delhi; University Grants Commission Chairman: Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.

 

2. Rajasthan govt introduce ‘Mahila Nidhi’ to help women entrepreneurs: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has launched ‘Mahila Nidhi’, a loan scheme for the social and economic development of women through loans. Under the scheme, apart from everyday necessities, easy credit will be available to women for business expansion and starting new businesses. In the budget 2022-23, the government said it will establish ‘Mahila Nidhi’ through Rajasthan Rural Livelihood Development Council. Rajasthan is the second state in the country after Telangana, where Mahila Nidhi has been established. About the Mahila Nidhi scheme:

a)      Mahila Nidhi has been established to help women self-help groups get loans from banks, increase the income of poor and marginal women, and social and economic progress of women through skill development.

b)      The scheme will facilitate crediting of loans up to Rs 40,000 within 48 hours, and above Rs 40,000 within 15 days.

c)       At present 2.70 lakh self-help groups have been formed in 33 districts of the state connecting 30 lakh families.

d)      In 2022-23, 50,000 self-help groups are proposed to be formed, connecting six lakh families.

e)      A total of 36 lakh families in the state will get benefits from Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi in a phased manner based on their needs.

Note: Rajasthan Governor: Kalraj Mishra; Rajasthan Capital: Jaipur; Rajasthan Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot.

 

3. Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal launched virtual school: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has launched a virtual school and students from across the country will be eligible for admission. The application process for the Delhi Model Virtual School (DMVS) began on August 31. The school is for Classes 9-12. Admission to the schooling platform will be open for students across India and they will also be prepared by experts for entrance exams like NEET, CUET and JEE along with skill-based training. Virtual school:

a)      The first virtual school in the country will prove to be a milestone in the education sector. The classes will be online and recorded lectures will also be uploaded online.

b)      This school is inspired by virtual classes that had been necessitated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

c)       The virtual school will be affiliated to the Delhi Board of School Education Board.

d)      Any student aged between 13 and 18 years who has cleared class 8 from any recognised school can apply for admission to DMVS.

 

4. Jammu and Kashmir Police launched online Mobile app ‘JK Ecop’: The Jammu & Kashmir Police has launched an online Mobile application “JK Ecop”. The App enables the common citizens to use a host of services ranging from registering a complaint to downloading a copy of an FIR. A citizen can also make requests like obtaining a character certificate, employee verification, or tenant verification through this App. Details about missing persons and unidentified dead bodies etc. can also be obtained through this portal.

Other services regarding the traffic police are also available to the citizens through this App. These services range from reporting a traffic violation to reporting an accident. Information about the Highway status in the app will help the citizens to plan their travel. Paying a challan online through this app will not only help the citizens but will also ease the burden of the department.

Note: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha.

 

5. Cybercrime against Women up 28% since 2019: The number of cybercrimes has climbed up to 18.4 percent in 2021 and there is a rise of 28 percent of such cases against women in the report released by the National Crime Records Bureau. Cybercrime against women includes cyber-threatening and blackmailing, cyber pornography, posting obscene material, stalking, defamation, morphing, etc. The top three states that account for 61 percent of the share in Cybercrimes against women are Karnataka at number one with 2,243 cases in 2021, Maharashtra with 1,687 cases, and Uttar Pradesh with 958 cases. Telangana accounts for the highest share of all cybercrimes including cyber crime against women, which has increased to 282 percent from 2,691 in 2019 to 10,303 in 2021.

Other states that rank after Telangana are Uttar Pradesh with 8,829, Karnataka with 8,136, Maharashtra with 5,562, and Assam with 4,846. Among all the states, eight states recorded a decline in Cybercrimes in 2021 compared to 2019 including Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. An average of 87 percent of cases were trail at the end of the year compared to 94.9 percent in 2019. The conviction rate increased from 35.5 percent in 2019 to 42.5 percent in 2021.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. IFS Nagesh Singh named as India’s ambassador to Thailand: An Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1995 batch, Nagesh Singh has been appointed as India’s next ambassador to Thailand. He will replace the incumbent ambassador Suchitra Durai. 

About the Nagesh Singh: Nagesh Singh is a 1995 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) who has served as Consul General of India in Atlanta. He holds a master’s degree from the Delhi School of Economics.  He is presently working as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

Note: Thailand Capital: Bangkok; Thailand Currency: Thai baht; Thailand Prime Minister: Prayut Chan-o-cha.

 

2. Jhansi BJP MP Anurag Sharma Elected As World Body CPA Treasurer: Member of Parliament from the Jhansi-Lalitpur parliamentary constituency, Anurag Sharma has been elected as the International Treasurer of the Parliamentary Association Conference (CPA) at the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in Halifax, Canada. He will now be on the main Executive Council. Sharma will be handling annual funding of millions of pounds and the trust funds, ensuring their smooth and effective utilization. He is all set to add that extra mile of ROI (return on investment) and showcase the Indian effectiveness of India in this global responsibility.

About the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association: The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) was founded in 1911 and links parliamentarians and parliamentary staff from over 180 national, state, provincial and territorial parliaments and legislatures from 55 countries of the Commonwealth through its network. Its mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance, youth engagement in democracy, gender equality and equal representation.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. AFI and HSBC India collaborate to support future female athletes: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced its collaboration with HSBC India in order to support Indian women athletes, particularly the young ones. Under the terms of the cooperation, talented girls will be chosen from the Under-14 and Under-16 National Inter District Championships and trained to compete on a worldwide scale. Athletics Federation of India (AFI) President Adille Sumariwalla promised that “special coaching camps would be set up for the selected athletes and all their needs would be taken care of.”

 

2. New Zealand’s Colin de Grandhomme retires from international cricket: New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has announced his retirement from international cricket. The 36-year-old cricketer made his decision after discussions with the country’s cricket board and hence, has been released from his central contract. Career of Colin de Grandhomme:

a)      He represented New Zealand in 29 matches, scoring 1432 runs at 38.70 and picking up 49 wickets. He featured in 18 wins, playing a key role in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship campaign against India in Southampton.

b)      The all-rounder also proved his mettle in the ODIs, scoring 742 runs in 45 games and scalping 30 wickets at an average of 41.00. He also played in 41 T20Is, scoring 505 runs at a strike rate of 138.35 and taking 12 wickets at 38.41

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI Card launches ‘cashback SBI Card’ in India: Indian credit card issuer SBI Card has announced the launch of the ‘CASHBACK SBI Card’ in India. As the company claims CASHBACK SBI Card is the industry’s first Cashback-focused credit card that enables cardholders to earn 5 per cent cashback on all online spending without any merchant restrictions. Consumers across India, including tier 2 and 3 cities, can easily get CASHBACK SBI Card instantly through the digital application platform ‘SBI Card SPRINT’. Benefits of CASHBACK SBI Card:

a)      Cardholders can avail of four complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per year (one visit per quarter) on the card.

b)      “The card also offers a 1 per cent fuel surcharge waiver which is valid for transaction amounts ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3,000, with a maximum surcharge waiver limit of Rs 100 per billing statement month for each credit card account.

c)       The annual renewal fee of the card is Rs 999 plus applicable taxes. CASHBACK SBI Card users can enjoy renewal fee reversal on reaching the milestone of Rs 2 lakh annual spending during the card membership year. CASHBACK SBI Card is available on the VISA platform,”.

Note: SBI Card Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana; SBI Card Managing Director & CEO: Rama Mohan Rao Amara; SBI Card Founded: October 1998.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Beijing Tops, Bengaluru 2nd In Asia-Pacific in Tech Hubs: Bengaluru ranks second in the Asia Pacific region in the top tech hubs list and is only behind China’s Beijing, according to a report by Cushman and Wakefield. The report, called ‘Tech Cities: The Global Intersection of Talent and Real Estate’, studied as many as 115 different ‘tech cities’ across the globe. After Beijing and Bengaluru, the list has three other Indian cities, Chennai, Delhi and Hyderabad. Mumbai and Pune also made it to the top-10 list with eighth and ninth position in a list of 14 cities from the APAC.

The study considered factors such as talent, real estate and business environment to assess and evaluate the cities. Stating that Bengaluru is home to India’s largest Grade A office market, the report called the city one of the largest contributors to office space leasing with an average share of 25-30% in annual pan-India leasing activity from 2017 to 2021. The tech sector has accounted for an average 38-40% share in annual leasing activity (2017-2021) in the Bengaluru office market, which is higher than the national average of 35%, the report added.

 

2. IndiGo joins WEF’s “Clear Skies for Tomorrow” sustainability campaign: Clear Skies for Tomorrow: IndiGo, the largest airline in the nation, announced that it has joined a sustainable effort led by the World Economic Forum (WEF). IndiGo airline has joined the Clear Skies for Tomorrow, India Coalition initiative as a signatory. IndiGo’s dedication to deploying sustainable initiatives would help to achieve a substantial scale for SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) to attain a critical mass and bring in cost-efficiency for wide adoption in India. Key Points:

a)      On February 18 of this year, IndiGo flew its brand-new A320 neo aircraft with a 10% SAF blend from Toulouse, France, to New Delhi.

b)      A meaningful and proactive path for the industry to achieve carbon-neutral flying is provided by ‘Clean Skies for Tomorrow’, which was launched in January 2019.

c)       Clear Skies for Tomorrow offers a crucial mechanism for top executives and public leaders, across and beyond the aviation value chain, to align on a transition to sustainable aviation fuels.

d)      To support aviation’s overall net-zero pathway by 2050, the objective of ‘Clear Skies for Tomorrow’ is to establish commercially feasible SAF production (both bio and synthetic) at scale for industry adoption by 2030.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. INS Vikrant, an Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Commissioned by PM Modi: INS Vikrant, India’s first homegrown aircraft carrier, to the Indian Navy at the Cochin Shipyard commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The nation’s largest warship, weighing 45,000 tonnes, has finished a year of sea trials. The warship’s construction cost Rs 20,000 crore. The new Naval emblem was also revealed by the Prime Minister. INS Vikrant:

a)      Vikrant, the largest warship built entirely in India, would fly 30 fighter planes and helicopters.

b)      The aircraft carrier, which was built at the Cochin shipyard and will provide the Indian Navy with a third aircraft carrier, has a crew of more than 1,500.

c)       The 262 m long and 62 m broad INS Vikrant, the largest warship ever constructed in India.

d)      The warship is 18 stories tall and as large as two football fields when laid end to end, to better convey its enormity.