Daily GK Update- 29th Sep, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. CBI raids nationwide against Child Abuse material under Operation Megha Chakra: CBI hunts for Child Sexual Abuse Material Online Circulation Cases in 20 States & UTs. As part of Operation Megha Chakra, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) searched 56 locations across 20 States and Union Territories in relation to cases of the internet distribution of child sexual abuse material. Cloud storage was used to perform searches against sellers of Child Sexual Abuse Material on the Internet after obtaining input from Interpol and intelligence gathered during Operation Carbon last year.

In November 2021, the CBI carried out Operation Carbon, which involved conducting raids at 76 different locations around the nation and making multiple arrests.

Note: Director General of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): Subodh Kumar Jaiswal; Headquarters of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): New Delhi

 

2. Indian government introduces “Sign Learn” smartphone app: The Center released the “Sign Learn” smartphone app, a 10,000-word lexicon for Indian Sign Language (ISL). Pratima Bhoumik, minister of state for social justice and empowerment, introduced the app. The 10,000-word Indian Sign Language Research And Training Centre (ISLRTC) lexicon serves as the foundation for Sign Learn. All the terms in the ISL dictionary can be searched using Hindi or English on the app, which is accessible in Android and iOS versions. Key Points:

a)      Notably, on October 6, 2020, ISLRTC and the NCERT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the conversion of NCERT textbooks from classes 1 through 12 into Indian Sign Language (digital format) in order to make the textbooks accessible to children with hearing impairments.

b)      The official said, that ISL e-content for class 6 NCERT textbooks was introduced this year.

c)       A few volumes from the National Book Trust’s “Veergatha” series had ISL translations released by the Center as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

d)      ISLRTC and NCERT collaborated to launch 500 academic words in Indian Sign Language for the“Sign Learn” smartphone app.

e)      These academic terms, which are frequently used in history, science, political science, and mathematics, are utilised at the secondary school level.

 

3. Arogya Manthan 2022 launched by Mansukh Mandaviya: Arogya Manthan 2022 event was officially launched by the Union Health Minister in Government of India, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to commemorate four years since the launch of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and one year since the launch of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). More than 10 crore impoverished people are intended to benefit from the programme, which offers vulnerable families a five lakh rupee health subsidy each year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2018 announced its debut.

About the Arogya Manthan Event:

a)      This two-day Arogya Manthan 2022 event covered a total of 12 sessions.

b)      Day 1 of Arogya Manthan 2022 featured a number of sessions on topics like Universal Health Coverage in India, Promoting Interoperability in Digital Health, Improving PM-JAY Efficiency, Adoption of Digital Health, Health Technology Assessment for Evidence-Informed PM-JAY Decisions, and Privacy and Security Issues Related to Digital Health.

c)       Day 2 feature sessions on Best Practices by States Implementing ABDM, Digital Health Insurance in India, PM-JAY Best Practices by States, International Best Practices in Digital Health, Ensuring Access, Affordability, and Quality in Healthcare through PM-JAY, and Way Forwards for Digital Health in India.

 

4. Appointment of Sanjai Kumar as new Chairman & MD of Railtel: As the new Chairman and Managing Director of RailTel, Sanjai Kumar is in charge. Sanjai Kumar previously held the position of Director (Network Planning & Marketing/NPM) at RailTel, along with the added responsibility of Director (Project, Operations & Maintenance/POM). The University of Allahabad awarded Kumar a Bachelor of Technology in Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, while the Management Development Institute in Gurugram awarded him a Post Graduate Diploma in Management.

 

5. Dr. M Srinivas named as new Director of AIIMS Delhi: The dean of Employees’ State Insurance Company (ESIC) Hospital and Medical College, Hyderabad, Dr M Srinivas has been appointed the director of New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), nearly six months after the tenure of the previous director, Dr Randeep Guleria, formally ended. The appointment is for a period of five years with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post, or till attaining the age of 65 years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest, according to the order.

Note: AIIMS Delhi Established: 1956; AIIMS Delhi First Director:  B.B Dikshit.

 

6. Jagdeep Dhankhar released a book titled “Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay – Jeevan Darshan Aur Samsamyikta”: The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has released the book titled “Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay – Jeevan Darshan Aur Samsamyikta” (five volumes) in New Delhi and on this occasion highlighted the importance of Pt Deendayal’s thoughts in contemporary times. The Vice President appreciated the efforts of the Chief Editor of the book, Dr Bajrang Lal Gupta and his team for coming out with these well-researched five volumes on one of the foremost leaders of modern India. He also thanked Shri Rajnath Singh and Dr Murli Manohar Joshi for their insightful speeches on the life and work of Pt Deendayal Upadhyay on the occasion.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Palm oil Alliance formed by 5 South Asian Countries: Edible oil trade associations from five palm oil importing countries in South Asia – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, announced the setting up of Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA). The idea is to gain collecting bargaining power and make imports sustainable. According to the APOA statement, the alliance would work towards ensuring that palm oil is recognised as a high-quality, economical, and healthy vegetable oil and to change the negative image of palm oil. Chaturvedi said that membership of APOA would be further expanded to include companies or industry bodies associated with production or refining of palm oil across the continent. The next meeting of APOA is expected to be held in Indonesia early next year. Key Points:

a)      India’s annual imports of edible oil is around 13-14 million tonne (MT). Around 8 MT of palm oil is imported from Indonesia and Malaysia, while other oils, such as soya and sunflower, come from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia.

b)      Asia accounts for around 40% of the global palm oil consumption while Europe accounts for 12% of palm oil trade.

c)       Indonesia and Malaysia are the biggest palm oil exporters in the world.

d)      India is the largest importer of palm oil in Asia, accounting for 15% of global imports, followed by China (9%), Pakistan (4%) and Bangladesh (2%).

 

2. World Maritime Day: 29th September: The International Maritime Organization observed World Maritime Day on the last Thursday of September. This year, it will be observed on September 29. The day focuses on drawing public attention to maritime safety and the marine environment. The World Maritime Day 2022 Parallel Event will be organized in Durban, South Africa from 12th to 14th October 2022. The theme for World Maritime Day 2022 is ‘New technologies for greener shipping’ – which reflects the need to support a “green transition of the maritime sector into a sustainable future while leaving no one behind.”

World Maritime Day History: In 1948, an international conference in Geneva passed a specialized convention that established the IMO, an agency under the United Nations. It was established to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping. World Maritime Day was celebrated for the first time on March 17, 1978.

Note: International Maritime Organization Headquarters: London, United Kingdom; International Maritime Organization Founded: 17 March 1958; International Maritime Organization Founder: United Nations; International Maritime Organization Secretary-General: Kitack Lim.

 

3. International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste: 29th September: On 29 September 2022, the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste is observed globally. Reducing food loss and waste is of significant importance as it contributes to the realization of broader improvements to agri-food systems toward achieving food security, food safety, improving food quality and delivering on nutritional outcomes. The theme for International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 2022 is “Stop Food Loss and waste, for the people, for the planet”.

International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste History: In 2019, the 74th United Nations General Assembly designated 29 September as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, recognizing the fundamental role that sustainable food production plays in promoting food security and nutrition. The UN Environment Program (UNEP) and the Food and Nutrition Organization of the UN (Food and Agriculture Organization) will work together to support the Day’s observance.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Founded: 16 October 1945, Québec City, Canada; Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General: Qu Dongyu.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Jhulan Goswami Retirement: Indian Legend retires from all Formats: The legendary Women’s Cricketer, Jhulan Goswami announced her retirement from all forms of the game in a touching farewell statement on September 25. Jhulan played her last international game at the Lord’s on the 24th, and she went out on a high note by helping India women defeat England women 3-0 in an ODI series. Jhulan secured two wickets in her final match for India, which saw them defeat England by 16 runs while holding them to a 169-run goal. Jhulan Goswami sent a parting message on social media, expressing her contentment with her lauded career. She participated in 204 ODI games, claimed 255 wickets, and now holds the record for most wickets taken in women’s ODI cricket.

 

2. 2022 Berlin Marathon: Eliud Kipchoge breaks the world record: Eliud Kipchoge shattered his own world record, with a time of 2:01:09 to win the Berlin marathon. It’s the second time the Kenyan runner has set the official men’s world record at the race in the German capital. Kipchoge’s previous best in an official 42.2km race was 2:01:39 set on the same course in 2018. Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa won the women’s race in a course record of 2:15:37, the third fastest time in history.

Kipchoge has long been dubbed the world’s best marathon runner. In 2019, he ran a marathon in Vienna in under two hours, a milestone long thought impossible. The result wasn’t official because he ran it under laboratory conditions, but the result made him an icon in and outside the running world.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. S&P retains FY23 growth forecast at 7.3% & OECD at 6.9%: Amid slowing external demand for Indian goods and services, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and S&P kept their growth forecasts for India unchanged at 6.9 per cent and 7.3 per cent, respectively, for FY23 while highlighting growing downside risks. S&P in its latest outlook for Asia-Pacific said it saw a strong rebound in India as services consumption continued to recover and investment grew robustly.

 

2. Amazon tie-up with Amp Energy to establish its first solar project in India: Amazon said that its first solar farm would be located in India. Three solar power plants with a combined capacity of 420 megawatts (MW) will be built in Rajasthan by the largest e-commerce company, Amazon. Along with Amp Energy, Amazon has also contracted to 210 MW and 110 MW projects with ReNew Power and Brookfield Renewables, respectively. Key Points:

a)      Amp Energy India, a producer of renewable energy (RE), has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to sell RE to Amazon from a 100 MW solar power facility in Rajasthan as part of Amazon’s plans for India.

b)      By the end of 2023, the facility at Bhadia, Rajasthan, will be completely operational. One gigawatt (GW) of utility size projects are also being developed by Amp. 1,13,645 tonnes of hazardous CO2 emissions will be reduced thanks to this solar power facility.

Amazon other plans:

a)      Aside from Amp Energy, Amazon has also agreed to a 210 MW project with ReNew Power and a 110 MW project with Brookfield Renewables.

b)      These solar farms can produce 1,076,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of RE yearly, which is enough to power more than 360,000 average-sized homes in New Delhi.

c)       Additionally, 23 new solar rooftop projects worth a combined 4.09 MW have been launched by Amazon for its fulfilment centres spread across 14 Indian cities. As a result, India now has 41 solar rooftop projects with a combined renewable energy capacity of 19.7 MW.

Note: Amazon Founder: Jeff Bezos; Amazon CEO: Andy Jassy

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India’s first avalanche-monitoring radar installed in Sikkim” The Indian Army and the Defence Geoinformatics and Research Establishment (DGRE) have jointly installed the Avalanche Monitoring Radar, the first of its kind in India, in north Sikkim. Besides being used for the detection of avalanches, this radar can also be employed to detect landslides. The avalanche radar was made operational by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s wing DGRE, which is involved in forecasting and mitigating of avalanche hazards faced by the Indian Army in the Himalayan region. About the radar:

a)      The radar, which can permanently scan the targeted slope for avalanche release and track its path and its size in case it is triggered, can “see” through snow, and fog as well as in night, making it an all-weather solution and covers an area of two sq/km obviating the requirement to place additional instruments in dangerous avalanche prone areas.

b)      The radar is also linked to an alarm system enabling automatic control and warning measures in case an avalanche is triggered. Images and videos of the event are automatically recorded for future analysis by the experts.

c)       In an area where frequencies of avalanches are high, the radar will go a long way in safeguarding the life of troops deployed in hostile terrain and sub-zero temperatures while at the same time limiting damage to vehicles and equipment at such snowbound high-altitude area.

Note: Sikkim Capital: Gangtok; Sikkim Chief Minister: Prem Singh Tamang; Sikkim Governor: Ganga Prasad.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Oscar-winning actress Louise Fletcher passes away: An Oscar-winning actress, Louise Fletcher from the USA has passed away at the age of 88 in France. She was awarded the Oscar in 1976 for her role as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975). She was also a recipient of the BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award. She was nominated for two Emmy Awards for her roles in the television series Picket Fences (1996) and Joan of Arcadia (2004). Her final role was as Rosie in the Netflix series Girlboss (2017).

Fletcher began her acting career in the late 1950s on episodic TV shows such as Lawman, The Untouchables, and 77 Sunset Strip and lasted for more than sixty years in films and television with a recurring role as the cunning Bajoran religious figure Kai Winn Adami on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Daily GK Update- 28th Sep, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India to invest $30 billion for 4G, 5G Connectivity to Every Village: IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the government is investing nearly $30 billion to ensure last-mile network accessibility for 4G and 5G in every village across the country and build a robust digital infrastructure in the rural areas. So far, the government has reached out to over 1.5 lakh gram panchayats. The govt is currently looking at 3-4 legislations cumulatively inclusive of the new telecom bill, the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, and the IT Act of 2000 to create an interactive framework.

 

2. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel launched ‘Hamar Beti Hamar Maan’ campaign: Chhattisgarh government has decided to launch a campaign on women’s safety titled ‘Hamar Beti Hamar Maan’ (our daughter, our honour). The focus of the campaign is creating awareness on safety measures among school- and college-going girls and prioritising registration and investigation of women-related crimes. The launch of the campaign was announced by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. ‘Hamar Beti Hamar Maan’ Campaign:

a)      Under the campaign, lady police officers and personnel will visit schools and colleges in the state to hold discussions and give guidance on legal rights, good touch-bad touch and preventive measures against sexual harassment and exploitation, cybercrime and social media-related crime, to girl students.

b)      A helpline number will also be issued under the Hamar Beti Hamar Maan campaign. Details on the women’s safety app and its use will also be shared with the school- and college-going girls.

c)       Special women patrolling will be ensured at girls’ schools, colleges and public places. A special ‘Hamar Beti Hamar Maan’ helpline will be launched and a mobile number shared in public domain for women and girls to report their complaints or problem regarding any misbehaviour or crime against them.

Note: Chhattisgarh Capital: Raipur; Chhattisgarh Chief Minister: Bhupesh Baghel; Chhattisgarh Governor: Anusuiya Uikey.

 

3. ESSCI partnered with Samsung India to train Indian youth: The Electronics Sector Skill Council of India (ESSCI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Samsung India to empower the youth with industry-relevant skills. It will be a part of the government’s ‘Skill India’ initiative that aims to empower the youth with industry-relevant skills in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Big Data and Coding & Programming, in a bid to enhance their employability. The MoU was exchanged by Ken Kang, President and CEO of Samsung Southwest Asia, and Abhilasha Gaur, COO, ESSCI.

About the programme:

a)      The programme, ‘Samsung Innovation Campus’ aims to upskill over 3,000 unemployed youth from 18-25 years of age in future technologies, in partnership with the government’s Skill India initiative.

b)      The programme will be executed by ESSCI, which is a National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) entity through its nationwide network of approved training and education partners.

c)       Those opting for the AI course will undergo 270 hours of theory training and complete 80 hours of project work while those doing the IoT or the Big Data course will undergo 160 hours of training and complete 80 hours of project work.

 

4. Veteran swimmer Elvis Ali becomes the oldest Indian to cross North Channel: Veteran Assamese swimmer, Elvis Ali Hazarika has become the first from the North East to cross the North Channel. The North Channel is the strait between north-eastern Northern Ireland and south-western Scotland. Elvis and his team clocked a timing of 14 hours 38 minutes to achieve this feat. With this, Elvis has become the oldest Indian swimmer to cross the North Channel.

According to the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association, the distance of the route recognised as a North Channel swim is 34.5 km (21.4 miles). It is known for fickle weather, rough seas, tough currents and an abundance of jellyfish. As it is, over the past four years especially, the ace Assam swimmer has been pushing his limits, persevering and raising the bar from time to time to create significant records, also making Assam and the country proud.

 

5. Dr. Rajiv Bahl named as Director General of ICMR: Dr Rajiv Bahl has been appointed as the new director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-cum-secretary of the department of health Research for a period of three years. Bahl currently heads the research on maternal, newborn child and adolescent health cum-newborn unit on maternal, Department of Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva.

Note: ICMR Headquarters: New Delhi; ICMR Founder: Government of India; ICMR Founded: 1911.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. New York hosts the 10th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission conference: In New York, the 10th Trilateral Ministerial Commission conference of the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum (IBSA) was conducted. Dr. S. Jaishankar, the minister of external affairs, presided over the meeting. Additionally present during the conference were Dr. Joe Phaahla, South Africa’s Minister of Health, and Carlos Alberto Franco França, Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Ministers went over every aspect of IBSA collaboration. Key Points:

a)      They held conversations about topics of mutual interest, including as South-South cooperation, UNSC reform, the 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals, climate change, terrorism prevention, and funding for developmental operations.

b)      Regional topics like the African Union, the Middle East peace process, and the situation in Ukraine were also discussed.

c)       The Ministers agreed that African nations should be represented on the UN Security Council permanently.

d)      Additionally, they supported Brazil’s and India’s campaigns for permanent seats on the Security Council.

e)      Alongside the G20 Summit in November of this year, India will host the 6th IBSA Summit.

 

2. World Rabies Day: 28th September: World Rabies Day is celebrated each year on September 28 as a tribute to Louis Pasteur – the inventor of the first effective rabies vaccine in the world. The day is observed to promote the fight against Rabies, raise awareness of its prevention, and celebrate the achievements the world has made against this deadly disease. According to the World Health Organisation, the theme of World Rabies Day 2022 is ‘Rabies: One Health, Zero Deaths.’ The theme is to emphasize the connection between the environment, people, and animals.

World Rabies Day History: The first-ever World Rabies Day campaign took place back in 2007. The campaign began as a partnership between many organizations including the Alliance for Rabies Control, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. This was headlined by the co-sponsorship of the World Health Organization, the World Organisation for Animal Health, and the Pan American Health Organization.

Note: World Organisation for Animal Health Headquarters: Paris, France; World Organisation for Animal Health Founded: 25 January 1924; World Organisation for Animal Health Founder: Emmanuel Leclainche.

 

3. International Day for Universal Access to Information: 28th September: UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has declared 28 September as International Day for Universal Access to Information. The 2022 edition of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) will be an opportunity to discuss e-Governance and Artificial Intelligence with a view to assuring the Right to Access Information. The theme of the Global Conference on Universal Access to Information in 2022 is “Artificial Intelligence, e-Governance and Access to Information”.

International Day for Universal Access to Information History: On 17 November 2015, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared 28 September as International Day for Universal Access to Information. Considering that several civil society organizations and government bodies in the world have adopted and currently celebrate this observance, the UN General Assembly also adopted 28 September 2019 as the International Day for Universal Access to Information.

Note: UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945; UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Members: 193 countries; UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Former Indian captain Dilip Tirkey elected as President of Hockey India: Former India captain Dilip Tirkey, who was the front-runner for the post of Hockey India president, was elected unopposed for the top job. He was elected after Uttar Pradesh Hockey chief Rakesh Katyal and Hockey Jharkhand’s Bhola Nath Singh, who were in the fray for the president’s post, withdrew their nominations. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has approved Tirkey and his team’s appointments. Bhola Nath has been elected unopposed as secretary general.

The other non-contested members of Hockey India are Asima Ali (vice president) of Hockey Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka’s SVS Subramanya Gupta (vice president), Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu’s Sekar J Manoharan (treasurer), Hockey Rajasthan’s Arti Singh (joint secretary) and Hockey Haryana’s Sunil Malik (joint secretary).

Note: International Hockey Federation President: Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra; International Hockey Federation Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland; International Hockey Federation CEO: Thierry Weil; International Hockey Federation Founded: 7 January 1924, Paris, France.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Leh achieved 100 percent digitization of banking operations: The highest-located district in India, Leh has achieved 100 per cent digitization of banking operations. Union Territory Level Bankers Committee Ladakh, the Reserve Bank of India has felicitated the bankers of the district. Leh district has completed the digitization of all the operating banks in a short span of a year.

Digital Banking refers to the electronic banking service provided by a bank for its financial, banking and other transactions through electronic devices online. In 2019 RBI put forward a proposal to make at least one district of every state in the country have 100 per cent digitization of banking operations.

Notably: Thrissur district of Kerala became the first fully digital banking district of the country in August 2021. Kerala is also the first state in India to achieve the target of Financial Inclusion of having at least one bank account in a family.

 

2. TerraPay partnered with NPCI to enable cross-border transactions via UP: TerraPay, a Dutch payments infrastructure company has joined forces with India’s NPCI International Payments (NIPL) to facilitate cross-border transactions for Indian consumers and merchants. Indian consumers and merchants who have an active Unified Payments Interface Id (UPI Id) will be able to transfer money abroad. This service will utilize TerraPay’s infrastructure and the UPI network. Key Points:

a)      The UPI-enabled QR code-based service will allow Indian customers with active UPI IDs to make transactions through 350 million bank accounts across the globe.

b)      The firms seek to expand the use of UPI payments and QR for international transactions by merchants.

c)       The customer-initiative UPI payments and QR transactions require two-factor authentication.

d)      The two-factor authentication is capable of minimizing disputes and issues related to grievance redressal.

e)      TerraPay also expects to create interoperability among different financial instruments it drives as well as offer digital payments.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. REC Ltd becomes 12th company to gets ‘Maharatna’ company status: Power sector-focussed non-banking finance company (NBFC) REC Ltd. has been accorded the status of a ‘Maharatna’ Central Public Sector Enterprise, thus providing it with greater operational and financial autonomy. The granting of ‘Maharatna’ status will impart enhanced powers to the company’s board while taking financial decisions. REC Ltd. is the 12th company to be given the Maharatna Status.

REC has played a key role in the success of the flagship schemes of the Government of India such as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) and SAUBHAGYA and has contributed towards achieving village and household electrification in the country. REC is currently playing the role of nodal agency for Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), for revamping the distribution sector to alleviate the financial & operational issues.

Maharatna’s Status: Introduced in 2010, the Maharatna status is given to the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) by the Central Government to make these enterprises global giants. This status is granted to CPSE which recorded more than Rs. 5,000 crores of net profit for three consecutive years, an average annual turnover of Rs.25,000 crore for three years and recording an average net worth of Rs.15,000 crore for three years. It should also have a footing in the international market and be listed on an Indian stock exchange.

 

2. Adani & family top IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List: According to the IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2022, Gautam Adani and family have topped with an estimated wealth of Rs. 10,94,400 crore. His daily wealth creation was estimated at Rs. 1,612 crores which showed 116 per cent growth as compared with the 2021 list. Mukesh Ambani and family have been named as the 2nd richest in India with an estimated wealth of Rs. 7,94,700 crore and a growth of 11 per cent compared with the 2021 list. His daily wealth creation velocity is Rs. 210 crores.

Nykaa Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Falguni Nayar became India’s richest self-made woman by surpassing Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw in net worth. She is also the richest female in India, followed by Rekha Jhunjhunwala of Rare Enterprises. Falguni Nayar & family’s wealth rose by Rs 30,000 crore during 2022 and her cumulative wealth increased 345 per cent and stood around Rs 38,700 crore.

Note: IIFL Wealth MD & CEO: Karan Bhagat; IIFL Wealth Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Indian author & poet Meena Kandasamy won German PEN award: Indian author and poet Meena Kandasamy has been announced as this year’s recipient of the Hermann Kesten Prize by the PEN Centre in Germany’s Darmstadt. The Hermann Kesten Prize honours personalities who, in the spirit of the charter of the PEN association, stand up for the rights of persecuted authors and journalists. The PEN Center, Germany, will present the award to the Indian author at a ceremony in Darmstadt on November 15 this year. The winner will receive an amount of €20,000 ($19,996) as prize money. This year, the PEN Center is also honouring the website “Weiter Schreiben” (German for “Keep writing”) with a special award for encouragement, for giving authors in exile and writers from conflict zones a platform to express their thoughts.

 

2. Breakthrough Prize 2023 awarded: The 2023 winners of the Breakthrough Prizes, dubbed the “Oscars of Science,” were announced and will split a total of more than $15 million. 2023 Breakthrough Prize laureates, recognized for their game-changing discoveries in Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences and Mathematics, along with early-career scientists who have made significant contributions to their fields. Full citations for all the 2023 laureates:

2023 Breakthrough Prizes in Life Sciences:

a)      Clifford P. Brangwynne, Princeton University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Marine Biological Laboratory and Anthony A. Hyman, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (For discovering a fundamental mechanism of cellular organization mediated by phase separation of proteins and RNA into membraneless liquid droplets.)

b)      Demis Hassabis, DeepMind and John Jumper, DeepMind (For developing a deep learning AI method that rapidly and accurately predicts the three-dimensional structure of proteins from their amino acid sequence.)

c)       Emmanuel Mignot, Stanford University School of Medicine and Masashi Yanagisawa, University of Tsukuba (For discovering that narcolepsy is caused by the loss of a small population of brain cells that make a wake-promoting substance, paving the way for the development of new treatments for sleep disorders.)

2023 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics: Charles H. Bennett, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center and Gilles Brassard, Université de Montréal and David Deutsch, Oxford University and  Peter W. Shor, MIT (For foundational work in the field of quantum information.)

2023 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics: Daniel A. Spielman, Yale University (For breakthrough contributions to theoretical computer science and mathematics, including to spectral graph theory, the Kadison-Singer problem, numerical linear algebra, optimization, and coding theory.)

2023 New Horizons in Physics Prize:

a)      David Simmons-Duffin, Caltech (For the development of analytical and numerical techniques to study conformal field theories, including the ones describing the liquid-vapour critical point and the superfluid phase transition.)

b)      Anna Grassellino, Fermilab (For the discovery of major performance enhancements to niobium superconducting radio-frequency cavities, with applications ranging from accelerator physics to quantum devices.)

c)       Hannes Bernien, University of Chicago and Manuel Endres, Caltech and Adam M. Kaufman, JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado and Kang-Kuen Ni, Harvard University and Hannes Pichler, University of Innsbruck and Austrian Academy of Sciences and Jeff Thompson, Princeton University (For the development of optical tweezer arrays to realize control of individual atoms for applications in quantum information science, metrology, and molecular physics.)

2023 New Horizons in Mathematics Prize:

a)      Ana Caraiani, Imperial College London and University of Bonn (For diverse transformative contributions to the Langlands program, and in particular for work with Peter Scholze on the Hodge-Tate period map for Shimura varieties and its applications.

b)      Ronen Eldan, Weizmann Institute of Science and Microsoft Research (For the creation of the stochastic localization method, that has led to significant progress in several open problems in high-dimensional geometry and probability, including Jean Bourgain’s slicing problem and the KLS conjecture.)

c)       James Maynard, Oxford University and Institute for Advanced Study (For multiple contributions to analytic number theory, and in particular to the distribution of prime numbers.)

2023 Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize:

a)      Maggie Miller, Stanford University and Clay Mathematics Institute (PhD Princeton University 2020)(For work on fibered ribbon knots and surfaces in 4-dimensional manifolds.)

b)      Jinyoung Park, Stanford University (PhD Rutgers University 2020) (For contributions to the resolution of several major conjectures on thresholds and selector processes.)

c)       Vera Traub, University of Bonn (PhD University of Bonn 2020) (For advances in approximation results in classical combinatorial optimization problems, including the travelling salesman problem and network design.)

Daily GK Update- 27th Sep, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s under-5 mortality rate declines by 3 points; largest drops in UP and Karnataka: According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2020, India’s under-5 mortality rate has dramatically decreased from 35 per 1,000 live births in 2019 to 32 per 1,000 live births in 2020, with the largest fall observed in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Karnataka. Towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets by 2030, the country has been experiencing a progressive decline in infant mortality rate (IMR), under 5 mortality rate (U5MR), and neo-mortality rate (NMR), according to a report released by the Registrar General of India, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Performance of the States:

a)      According to the research, Kerala (6) had the lowest IMR while Madhya Pradesh (43) had the highest.

b)      According to the report, eleven states and union territories (UTs) have already met the SDG target of U5MR (less than or equal to 25 by 2030): Kerala (8), Tamil Nadu (13), Delhi (14), Maharashtra (18), Jammu and Kashmir (17), Karnataka (21), Punjab (22), West Bengal (22), Telangana (23), Gujarat (24), and Himachal Pradesh (24)

c)       The national Crude Birth Rate (CBR) for 2020 is 19.5, representing a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from 2019. The survey noted that among the larger states/UTs, Kerala (13.2) had the lowest CBR while Bihar (25.5) had the highest.

d)      The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for the nation decreased from 2.1 in 2019 to 2.0 in 2020, per the data. The greatest TFR in 2020 was reported by Bihar (3.0), while the lowest TFRs were reported by Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal (1.4).

 

2. Nation gets its first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu has notified the country’s first ‘Dugong Conservation Reserve’ in Palk Bay covering the coastal waters of Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts with an area of 448 square kilometres. In September 2021 Government of Tamil Nadu (GoTN) initiated the idea of the ‘Dugong Conservation Reserve’ to be established in the Palk Bay region, in order to protect the endangered Dugong species and its marine habitats in Tamil Nadu. At present, there are around 240 Dugongs in India and a majority of them are found in the Tamil Nadu Coast (Palk Bay region).

About the Dugongs: Dugongs are the largest herbivorous marine mammals in the world thriving primarily on seagrass beds, a major carbon sink of the oceans. Dugongs are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Conserving dugongs will help to protect and improve seagrass beds and sequestering more atmospheric carbon. Seagrass beds are also the breeding and feeding grounds for many commercially valuable fishes and marine fauna. Hence, thousands of fisher families directly depend on dugong habitats for their income.

Note: Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai; Tamil Nadu Chief Minister: MK Stalin; Tamil Nadu Governor: RN Ravi.

 

3. Nirmala Sitharaman to launch e-learning platform Bharat Vidya: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman will launch the Bharat Vidya, which is an online learning platform for Oriental and South Asian Studies. The Bharat Vidya is designed and developed by the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI).

Bharat Vidya is a first-of-its-kind online platform, which will offer both free and paid courses covering various aspects of Indology about art, architecture, philosophy, language, and science. The Bharat Vidya will have six courses at the beginning including Veda Vidya, Bharatiya Darshanshastra, Sanskrit learning, 18 Parvas of Mahabharata, Fundamentals of Archaeology, and Kalidasa and Bhasha. BORI will collaborate with Indian and Foreign universities for awarding credits for its courses. During the inaugural event, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman announced that the courses offered complied with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

 

4. VP Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated Lok Manthan programme: Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the third edition of the Lok Manthan program at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The event was facilitated by the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sharma. This year’s theme for the Lok Manthan is Lokparampara (Lok Traditions) which will emphasize that the Lok Traditions have kept our culture and heritage alive and intact, and has strengthened our feelings toward National Selfhood.

The Lok Manthan is an occasion where artists, intellectuals, and academicians from different parts of the country converge and brainstorm on the topics that come out of the society to reshape the narratives of people and lead the nation to play its civilizational roles. The Lok Manthan will be a three-day event, and then it will focus on serious discussions, seminars, cultural events, and exhibitions that showcase the rich diversity of the nation.

 

5. NCC and UNEP sign an agreement in presence of defence minister: Rajnath Singh, the defence minister, saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). A Memorandum of Understanding was inked to use the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge programme and the Puneet Sagar Abhiyan to combat plastic pollution and achieve the objective of clean water bodies. It aims to coordinate initiatives to involve young people in promoting clean water bodies.

NCC and UNEP sign an agreement: Key Points

a)      The Puneet Sagar Abhiyan was introduced by the NCC on December 1st, 2017.

b)      The campaign’s objectives are to rid seashores of plastic and other trash and raise public awareness of how important cleanliness is.

c)       More than 12 million NCC cadets, alumni, and volunteers have collected over 100 tonnes of plastic debris from approximately 1,900 places since the start of the Puneet Sagar Abhiyan.

d)      The Resident Representative of the UN World Food Programme, Bishow Parajuli, and Director General of the NCC, Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh, signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

 

6. M Venkaiah Naidu released a book on PM Modi’s selected speeches: Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu released a collection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s selected speeches at Akashvani Bhawan in New Delhi. The book titled “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas” Prime Minister Narendra Modi Speaks (May 2019-May 2020)’ was released in the presence of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan at a function here organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The essence of the book: The book focuses on 86 speeches of the prime minister on various subjects. The book portrays the prime minister’s vision of a ‘New India’, which is self-reliant, resilient, and capable of converting challenges into opportunities. The book that goes by the same phrase serves as an example of hope and aspirations of 130 crore Indians for building a New India through ‘Jan Bhagidari—Taking All Together’.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Chinese Scientists create world’s first cloned wild Arctic wolf ‘Maya’: A wild Arctic wolf was successfully cloned for the first time in the world by a Beijing-based gene firm. The cloning of the Arctic wolf, also known as the white wolf or polar wolf, which is native to the High Arctic tundra of Canada’s Queen Elizabeth Islands, is considered a milestone achievement in conserving rare and endangered species through cloning technology.

According to the company, the wolf named “Maya” is in good health. The donor cell of the wolf came from the skin sample of a wild female Arctic wolf and its oocyte was taken from a female dog. According to the Global Times report, Maya’s surrogate mother was a beagle, a dog breed. The dog was selected as the surrogate as it shares genetic ancestry with ancient wolves and hence, ensures success in cloning.

According to Zhao Jianping, the company’s deputy general manager, the process began with constructing 137 new embryos from enucleated (process of removing the nucleus from a cell) oocytes and somatic cells followed by the transfer of 85 embryos to the uteri of seven beagles, of which one was born as a healthy wolf.

 

2. World Environmental Health Day: 26th September: World Environmental Health Day is observed on September 26, every year. The goal of observing the day is to increase public awareness of the environment’s condition and encourage people to take the required steps to stop it from getting worse. World Environmental Health Day is a day dedicated to informing people about the health of the environment and preserving it. The theme for this year’s World Environment Health Day is “Strengthening Environmental Health Systems for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”.

World Environmental Health Day History: The day has its footprints in the year 2011 when the environmental summit and International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) met in Denpasar, Bali and Indonesia. IFEH is an organisation that works for the protection of the environment and its health. The aim of marking this day across the world is to aware people of their well-being and health.

Note: International Federation of Environmental Health President: Dr Henroy Scarlett; International Federation of Environmental Health Founded: 1986; International Federation of Environmental Health Headquarters: Chadwick Court.

 

3. World Tourism Day: 27th September: World Tourism Day 2022 is observed on 27 September globally. This day is celebrated every year to focus on promoting tourism in various parts of the world. It is celebrated to promote tourism and understand its importance. World Tourism Day aims to make people understand the joy of exploring the world. It is an extremely important event. The theme of World Tourism Day 2022 is ‘Rethinking Tourism’. Everyone will focus on understanding the growth of the tourism sector and reviewing and redeveloping tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.

World Tourism Day History: The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) started World Tourism Day in 1979. The celebrations for the same officially began in 1980. It is celebrated on 27 September every year because the date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Statutes of UNWTO. In 1997, UNWTO decided that the day would be celebrated in different host countries each year.

Note: World Tourism Organisation Founded: 1946; World Tourism Organisation Headquarters: Madrid, Spain; World Tourism Organisation Secretary-General; Zurab Pololikashvili.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ICC announced “Oval and Lord’s” to host World Test Championship finals: The International Cricket Council has announced that the World Test Championship 2023 Final will be hosted by The Oval in June 2023 while the 2025 final will be played at Lord’s. The two venues in London will succeed Southampton, which hosted the inaugural final between New Zealand and India in 2021. New Zealand emerged as the victors in the first edition. Key Points:

a)      The top two teams from the World Test Championship standings will make it to the finals with Australia and South Africa currently leading.

b)      Australia and South Africa will also clash against each other in a three-match series in the current cycle in December-January, which could have a big bearing on the final points table.

c)       Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan round up the top five in the rankings.

d)      While the venues have been announced, the dates for both the 2023 and 2025 ICC World Test Championship Finals has not been confirmed yet.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. UCO Bank becomes first lender to get RBI’s approval for rupee trade: UCO Bank has received the approval of the Reserve Bank of India to open a special Vostro account with Gazprom Bank of Russia for trade settlement in Indian rupees. UCO Bank which is a Kolkata-based lender is the first bank to receive the regulator’s approval following the decision of RBI to allow Indian Banks to settle trade in Indian currency in July.

About Gazprom Bank: Gazprom Bank is a Russian lender, which was set up by World’s largest gas producer and exporter Gazprom to provide banking services for gas industry enterprises. The Gazprom Bank has been operating since 1990. It is one of the top three banks in Russia. It offers a whole range of banking and investment services to over 45,000 corporate and three million private clients.

 

2. RBI canceled licence of Maharashtra-based Laxmi Cooperative Bank: Reserve Bank of India has canceled the license of Solapur-based The Laxmi Co-operative Bank Limited as the lender does not have adequate capital and earning prospects. The Laxmi Co-operative Bank Limited submitted the data, which shows more than 99 percent of the depositors are entitled to receive the full amount of their deposits from Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC). Key Points:

a)      The DICGC has already paid Rs 193.68 crore of the total insured deposits on 13th September 2022.

b)      The Laxmi Co-operative Bank Limited has failed to comply with the requirements of the Banking Regulation Act 1949.

c)       After the cancellation of its license, Laxmi Co-operative Bank Limited is prohibited from conducting the business of banking, which includes acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits, and others.

d)      The Commissioner for Corporation and Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Maharashtra has also been requested to issue an order for winding up the bank and appoint a liquidator for the bank. On liquidation, every depositor will be entitled to receive a deposit insurance claim amount of his/her deposits up to Rs 5 lakh from DICGC.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India Inc Expects 35-50 bps RBI Rate Hike, After US Fed: The global economy has been rattled by scorching inflation and geo-political tensions, forcing more central banks to join the US Federal Reserve in raising interest rates. The Fed set the pace with a 0.75% rate hike to a range of 3% to 3.25%. That is the fifth rate hike this year and up from zero at the start of the year. According to market experts, India could see an aggressive rate hike by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in coming week. The RBI’s policy decision is due on 30 September, with most market participants expecting it to hike rates by 35-50 basis points.

 

2. Max Life Insurance named cricketer Rohit Sharma & Ritika Sajdeh as brand ambassadors: Max Life Insurance Company Ltd has announced Rohit Sharma, sports icon and captain of men’s Indian Cricket team, and his wife Ritika Sajdeh, as its brand ambassadors. Max Life has signed a two-year partnership with the cricketing star and his spouse, who are making their debut onscreen together.

The collaboration will increase the awareness of life insurance among the younger generation and help the company grow further. With the partnership, Max Life Insurance targets the millennial audience and conveys the importance of having life insurance. The aim of the company is to promote the Max Life brand ethos of valuing the ‘self’ to determine the right financial value to protect themselves and their family.

Note: Max Life Insurance MD & CEO:­ Prashant Tripathy; Max Life Insurance Establishment:­ 2001; Max Life Insurance Headquarters:­ New Delhi, Delhi.

 

3. Hero MotoCorp tie-up with HPCL to set up EV charging infrastructure: Hero MotoCorp has joined hands with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd to set up charging infrastructure for electric two-wheelers in the country. As a part of the initiative, the two companies will first establish charging infrastructure at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation’s (HPCL) existing network of stations, with the likelihood of subsequently broadening the collaboration for supplementary business opportunities. In the first phase:

a)      The charging stations will be set up in select cities, which will then be expanded to other key markets with the aim of establishing a high-density of EV charging station network across the country.

b)      The two-wheeler major will lead the infrastructure development for the charging network with each charging station featuring multiple fast chargers, including DC and AC chargers that will be available to all two-wheeled EVs.

c)       The entire user charging experience will be controlled by a Hero MotoCorp Mobile App, based on a cashless transaction model.

Note: Hero MotoCorp Founded: 19 January 1984; Hero MotoCorp Founder: Brijmohan Lall Munjal; Hero MotoCorp Headquarters: New Delhi; Hero MotoCorp CEO: Pawan Munjal.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy launches 2 Diving Support Vessels (Nistar & Nipun) in Vizag: Two indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessels (DSVs), Nistar and Nipun were launched by the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam. The vessels, built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., were launched by Kala Hari Kumar, in the presence of Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, who presided over the ceremony as chief guest. This project was executed with the support of the Indian industry, primarily MSME firms who have supplied yard material, equipment and services. More than 120 MSME vendors across India actively participated in the project. About the Project:

a)      The first of the two DSVs (Nistar and Nipun), each with a displacement of 9,350 tonnes, is likely to be delivered to the Navy by July 2023. They are the first of their kind ships to be indigenously designed and built for the Navy.

b)      The vessels, which are 118.4 metres long and 22.8 metres wide, will be deployed for deep sea diving operations. ‘Nistar’ and ‘Nipun’ were launched by achieving approximately 80 per cent indigenous content, a major step towards ‘Self Reliance’.