Daily GK Update- 6th Sep, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh embarked on five-day visit to Mongolia & Japan: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh embarked on a five-day visit to Mongolia and Japan starting September 5th. This will be the first ever visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Mongolia. Defence Minister to hold bilateral talks to further consolidate defence cooperation between the two countries. He will also travel to Japan for the 2+2 Ministerial dialogue. In a first, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit to Mongolia from September 5 to 7.

Agenda In the Meeting: During the visit, Mr. Singh will hold bilateral talks with his Mongolian counterpart Lt Gen. Saikhanbaya and also call on the President of Mongolia, U. Khurelsukh and Chairman of the State Great Khural of Mongolia, G. Zandanshatar. “During the bilateral talks, the two Defence Ministers shall review the bilateral defence cooperation between India and Mongolia and explore new initiatives to further strengthen bilateral engagements. The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest,” the Ministry said. India and Mongolia share a strategic partnership with defence being a key pillar. The bilateral defence engagements with Mongolia have been expanding over a period of time to include wide ranging contacts between the two countries, including Joint Working Group meeting, military to military exchanges, high level visits, capacity building and training programmes and training bilateral exercises, the statement added.

In The Last Leg of Visit: In Japan, Mr. Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will join their Japanese counterparts under the framework of ‘2+2’ foreign and defence ministerial dialogue, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday. The dialogue is taking place over five months after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited India for the annual India-Japan summit. In the 2+2 dialogue, the two sides are expected to deliberate on ways to further expand bilateral cooperation in the areas of defence and security besides taking stock of the developments in the Indo-Pacific, the people cited above said.

 

2. Karnataka introduces the VentuRISE Global Startup Challenge: The Karnataka government announced the worldwide startup competition VentuRISE Global Startup Challenge, which aims to aid entrepreneurs in the manufacturing and sustainability-related industries. The global startups will give business owners from all over the world a stage to present their cutting-edge goods or solutions and make connections with potential investors. Key Points:

a)      The Global Investors Meet-Invest Karnataka 2022, which takes place from November 2 to 4 in Bengaluru, will include VentuRISE as a participant.

b)      The challenge’s winners will get a cash prize of USD $100,000.

c)       They will get access to clients, special pitching opportunities at Invest Karnataka, carefully arranged investor meetings, and mentoring sessions.

d)      The goal of the VentuRISE logo unveiling ceremony was to promote Karnataka as the top location for startups in the manufacturing and sustainability sectors.

Note: Karnataka Chief Minister: Basavaraj Bommai; Karnataka Capital: Bangaluru

 

3. IILM University: Law School is India’s 1st NEP 2020 compliant Law School: IILM University launched the first National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) Complaint Law School in the Country. The IILM University also got the approval of the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the recognition of the Bar Council of India (BCI). The IILM Law school is also known for its state-of-the-art infrastructure. The IILM University’s interdisciplinary teaching and training techniques comply with NEP 2020 which directs the IILM Law School to achieve its goals and planned experiential learning through various practical initiatives.

It offers a conducive study environment powered by well-designed Moot Courtrooms, e-conference and Seminar halls, mock-trail events, counseling chambers, and medication and arbitration practice centers. Its core assessment policy is a ‘Credit Based Choice System’. The students have a broad self-selective and self-monitored learning opportunity. The students get internship opportunities in the 5 years course in NGOs, Law firms, Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts, and Corporate Houses. The major aim of IILM is ‘To produce skillful law practitioners to complement a strong legislative, executive, judicial system and corporate and social sectors making them deliver the best for India’.

 

4. CERT-In conducts exercise Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy”: Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, in collaboration with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, successfully designed and conducted the Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy” for 13 Countries. The Group is being led by India under the leadership of the National Security Council Secretariat. The theme of the exercise was “Building Network Resiliency to counter Ransomware Attacks”. The exercise scenario was derived from real-life cyber incidents, in which a domestic level (limited impact) ransomware incident escalates to a global cyber security crisis.

About the Exercise “Synergy”: The Exercise “Synergy” was hosted by CERT-In on its exercise simulation platform. Each State participated as a National Crisis Management Team having composition from different government agencies. The specific objective of the exercise was to Assess, Share and Improve strategies and practices among Member-States to build network resiliency against ransomware & cyber extortion attacks. The exercise scenario was derived from real-life cyber incidents, in which a domestic level (limited impact) ransomware incident escalates to a global cyber security crisis.

 

5. Kartik Aaryan-starrer ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ is getting a comic book adaptation: Kartik Aaryan-starrer “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2” will be adapted into a comic book series. Production houses T-Series and Cine1Studios have teamed up with Diamond Comics, India’s iconic comic book distributor and publisher, to bring ‘Rooh Baba Ki Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, based on Aaryan’s character, to the young audience.

The comic book’s key visual features Kartik Aaryan as Rooh Baba. The poster also stars the iconic characters from Diamond Comics. Shaktimaan and Chacha Chaudhary can be seen on the left side of Rooh Baba, while on the right side, Sabu is also illustrated on the comic book cover. Motu and Patlu are also showcased in the key visual.

 

6. Rajesh Kumar Srivastava, Interim New Chairman of ONGC: Rajesh Kumar Srivastava has been appointed as the interim new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) by the Central Government. Rajesh Kumar Srivastava is the third interim Chief who has been appointed, as the government has not made any full-time appointment yet in 17 months.

Srivastava has been entrusted with an additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director for 4 months with effect from 1 September 2022 to 31 December 2022 or till the appointment of a regular incumbent to the post or until further orders of the Government. He is currently the Director and will take over the additional charges from incumbent Alka Mittal, who was also an acting chief. Since April 2021, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd has been functioning without a regular Chairman and Managing Director.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Dubai hosts the first Homeopathy International Health summit: The first Homeopathy International Health summit hosted by Dubai aimed to teach and promote a homeopathic system of medicine, medications, and practices. Burnett Homeopathy Pvt Limited, a company that deals with homeopathic dilutions, mother tincture, lower trituration tablets, unique medicines including drops, syrups, skincare, hair care, and other homeopathic remedies, organised the summit. Key Points:

a)      Homeopathy is one of the greatest techniques to treat any sickness or ailment because its negative effects are so minimal in comparison to others.

b)      The first global homeopathy health summit was also attended by a large number of top doctors from both India and throughout the world.

c)       One of the largest health risks to people worldwide is climate change.

d)      By 2030, it is predicted that the health industry will need to spend between 200 and 400 crore rupees annually due to climate change, as discussed in the first global homeopathy health summit.

e)      The issue poses a threat to reverse the fifty years of progress made in reducing poverty and improving global health, as well as to exacerbate already-existing health disparities across and within communities.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Apeksha Fernandes Becomes 1st Indian Woman to Reach WJS Championships Final: Apeksha Fernandes became the first Indian woman to make the Junior World finals by finishing eighth overall. Apeksha Fernandes sets a new national record with a time record of 2:18.18. She finished eighth in the women’s 200m butterfly finals by clocking 2:19.14 at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships 2022. The previous National record was set in June 2022 at 2:18.39 which was set by Apeksha Fernandes. She has one of the fastest reaction times of 0.65s.

In men’s 200m freestyle heats, Vedaant Madhavan was disqualified due to a false start. Sambhavv Rama Rao also did not qualify for the eight-man final, he finished 27th overall in 1:55:71. David Popovici from Romania has crowned the junior World champion in 200m freestyle.

 

2. Former goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey elected as new AIFF chief: Kalyan Chaubey, who was a goalkeeper with the storied Mohun Bagan and East Bengal football clubs in Kolkata, was elected president of the All India Football Federation. Choubey got 33 votes in the 34-member electorate comprising representatives of various state associations. His opponent and former East Bengal teammate Bhaichung Bhutia, also 45, had to be content with a solitary vote.

Note: All India Football Federation Founded: 23 June 1937; All India Football Federation Headquarters location: New Delhi.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. All-India House Price Index rose by 3.5% in Q1 of 2022-2023: All-India House Price Index of Q1, 22-23: The all-India house price index (HPI) increased by 3.5% year over year, during the first quarter of 2022–2023 according to information made public by the Reserve Bank of India. The HPI increased by 1.8% between January and March and by 2% between April and June of 2021–22. Key Points:

a)      According to the RBI, there were significant differences in the year-over-year movements of the HPI among the cities, ranging from a growth of 16% in Kolkata to a contraction of 4% in Bengaluru.

b)      In the first quarter of 2022–2023, the all-India HPI climbed by 2.2% sequentially.

c)       The indicator sequentially decreased in Delhi, Kolkata, and Jaipur, while it increased in all other cities.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Forbes Asia 100 To Watch 2022: Indian start-ups features in the list: Forbes Asia released the 2nd edition of the list titled ‘Forbes Asia-100 to Watch 2022’. The list highlights small companies and startups on the rise across the Asia-Pacific region. The list for 2022 featured 11 start-up companies from India along with 19 companies from Singapore, followed by 16 start-ups from Hong Kong, 15 from South Korea, and 13 from China. According to Forbes, 15 countries and territories are represented across 11 categories that include biotechnology and healthcare, e-commerce and retail, and finance. Eligibility criteria:

a)      Companies had to be headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, Privately owned, for profit.

b)      Companies have not more than USD 50 million in its latest annual revenue and have not more than USD 100 million in total funding through 1 August 2022.

Indian start-ups ‘Forbes Asia-100 to Watch’ list:

 

Company	CEO	Founded Year	Category
TartanSense	Jaisimha Rao	2015	Agriculture
Gramheet	Pankaj Prakash	2020	Agriculture
Bijak	Nakul Upadhye	2019	Agriculture
Animall	Neetu Yadav	2019	Agriculture
Agrostar	Shardul Sheth	2013	Agriculture
Pocket FM	Rohan Nayak	2018	Entertainment & Media
Euler Motors	Saurav Kumar	2018	Logistics & Transportation
Park+	Amit Lakhotia	2019	Logistics & Transportation
FRND	Bhanu Pratap Singh Tanwar	2018	Consumer Technology
Bijnis	Siddharth Vij	2015	E-commerce & Retail
GoKwik	Chirag Taneja	2020	E-commerce & Retail

 

2. LIC out of list of Top 10 valued Indian Companies, Replaced by Bajaj and Adani Transmission: Life Insurance Company (LIC) is out of the top 10 companies by market capitalization as it has been replaced by Bajaj Finance and Adani Transmission. LIC has dropped to 11th position in the list, Bajaj Finance at 10th, and Adani Transmission at 9th position. Adani Transmission entered the top 10 list with a market value of ₹4.43 lakh crore on the BSE, which is higher than Bajaj Finance’s total mcap of ₹4.42 lakh crore and LIC’s ₹4.26 lakh crore. Key Points:

a)      The LIC share prices have fallen sharply since its listing on the stock exchange and LIC shares will be allotted to the investors at ₹949 apiece.

b)      LIC, which is a state-run life insurance behemoth has reported a multifold jump in its June quarter net profile at ₹682.9 crores.

c)       It also reported 20% year-on-year growth in the net premium led by 35% growth in the new business.

d)      Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is on the top of the list of valued Indian Companies with a market capitalization of ₹17.8 lakh crore, followed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HDFC Bank, Infosys, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), ICICI Bank and State Bank of India (SBI).

 

3. Jasprit Bumrah Face of New-Age, Eco-Friendly Luggage Brand “Uppercase”: Jasprit Burmah has been signed as the Brand Ambassador of the “Uppercase” eco-friendly luggage brand. Jasprit Bumrah is managed by RISE Worldwide which is a Reliance Initiative and India’s largest sports, and entertainment Company will lead the D2C brand’s ‘Never Ordinary’ campaign. The campaign ‘Never Ordinary’ is a series of creatives that tells the features and USPs of the Uppercase bags. The film showcases the Uppercase bags as a perfect choice that is eco-friendly in nature. Key Points:

a)      The film highlights that Uppercase bags are Global Recycle Standard certified sustains travel gear.

b)      It makes Uppercase one of the first travel accessories brands in India to meet international product standards and recycled content certification.

c)       Uppercase gears are not only fashionable but also provide rainproof zippers, 3X more water resistance material, and premium recycled fabrics.

d)      These bags are handcrafted and right sized for different needs.

e)      The brand also provides a 2500-day international warranty.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Former US president Barack Obama wins Emmy award for his narration in Netflix documentary: The former President of the United States Barack Obama won Emmy Award for his narration in the Netflix documentary “Our Great National Parks”. Obama already has two Grammys and is now halfway to an EGOT- the achievement of having won all four of the major American entertainment awards i.e. an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.

The five-part Netflix documentary produced by “Higher Ground” productions, Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, features national parks from across the globe. Barack Obama has previously received Grammy Awards for the audiobook readings of his memoirs “The Audacity of Hope” and “A Promised Land.” Michelle Obama received her own Grammy in 2020 for reading her audiobook. Obama was the biggest name in a category that was full of celebrity nominees including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Attenborough and Lupita Nyong’o.

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.