Daily GK Update- 23rd Oct, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Hardeep Puri inaugurated Asia’s largest Compressed Biogas plant: Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated Asia’s largest Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant in Lehragaga, in Sangrur, Punjab. The plant has been commissioned with a foreign direct investment of approximately Rs. 220 crores by Verbio AG, one of Germany’s leading bio-energy companies. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and senior management from Verbio India Private Limited were also present at the inaugural ceremony. Key Points:

a)      The CBG plant at Sangrur is spread across an area of 20 acres. The plant’s present production is about six tonnes per day but soon it will process 300 tonnes of paddy straw per day to produce 33 TPD of compressed biogas using eight digesters of 10,000 cubic meters.

b)      The CBG plant, are a huge leap in arriving at a win-win situation for farmers and the environment.

c)       The plant will consume 100,000 tonnes of paddy straw, which will be procured from six to eight satellite locations within a 10km radius of the plant.

d)      There shall be daily production of about 600-650 Tons of FOM (fermented organic manure), which can be used for organic farming. The CBG plant will also help provide direct employment to 390 and indirect employment to 585 people.

 

2. Mallikarjun Kharge Elected as The New Congress President: Veteran Karnataka leader Mallikarjun Kharge defeated his rival Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years, and the first Scheduled Caste chief of the grand old organization in four decades. Kharge polled 7897 of the 9385 votes cast while Tharoor garnered a meagre 1072. Sources said 416 votes were invalid.

He is the first non-Gandhi to head the Congress in 24 years, after Sitaram Kesri was unceremoniously ousted in 1988 through a Congress Working Committee resolution that invited Sonia Gandhi to become the party chief. Sonia had become a primary member of the Congress only a year ago at the AICC Kolkata plenary in 1997.

 

3. ICAS Bharati Das named as the new Controller General of Accounts: The government of India has appointed Bharati Das, an officer of the Indian Civil Accounts Service of the 1988 batch, as the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. She is the 27th Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.

She has served as the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts at the Central Board of Direct Taxes, at the Ministry of External Affairs and at the Ministry of Home Affairs. She has also served as the CCA at the Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Director at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways.

 

4. India Gate Basmati Rice Recognized as World’s Number 1 Basmati Rice Brand: India Gate, the flagship brand of KRBL, has been recognized as the world’s No. 1 Basmati Rice Brand in a market study conducted by a leading global research company. The quantitative study by Mordor Intelligence covers research of White and Brown Basmati Rice Category across continents like the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. The research has been done using methodologies like Primary & Secondary Research, Data Triangulation, and Insight Generation. History of India Gate Basmati Rice:

a)      Since its introduction in 1998, India Gate Basmati Rice has been working continuously to deliver its purpose of enriching lives through Basmati Rice, a nutritional wonder of nature.

b)      Over the years, India Gate has developed a successful global consumer franchise, as evidenced by the fact that it is exported to over 90 countries and sells 8+ cr. packs annually.

c)       The grains of India Gate Basmati Rice is aged to perfection, which makes them longer, fluffier, non-sticky, and full of beautiful aroma, setting them apart from the others.

d)      This latest study recognizing India Gate Basmati Rice as the World’s No.1 Basmati rice brand is testimony to our unwavering commitment to get the best quality basmati on consumer plates across the world.

e)      Products in the India Gate Basmati Rice portfolio are available across leading e-commerce platforms as well as offline modern trade and general trade stores.

 

5. Geographical Indication tag sought for nihonshu from Japan: This is the first time a product from Japan has filed for a tag at the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai. The Embassy of Japan, New Delhi, has filed an application seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Nihonshu/Japanese sake, an alcoholic beverage. It is learnt that this is the first time a product from Japan has filed for a tag at the Geographical Indication Registry here. About Nihonshu:

a)      Nihonshu is regarded as a special and valuable beverage made from fermenting rice. People traditionally drink nihonshu on special occasions, such as festivals, weddings or funerals, but it is also consumed on a daily basis. Thus, it is an integral part of the lifestyle and culture in Japan.

b)      The sake market (almost all are nihonshu) is the second largest brewed liquor (such as beer) market in Japan. For making nihonshu three main raw materials – rice, koji-kin (a type of fungal spore) and water – are required.

c)       The production of nihonshu follows an alcoholic fermentation method called parallel multiple fermentation and involves raw material treatment, koji making, starter culture making, mash making, pressing, heat sterilisation and bottling. The rice and koji used should originate in Japan.

 

6. IRS officer Sahil Seth launches his book ‘A confused mind story’: Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Joint Commissioner GST, Custom & Narcotics and youth influencer, Sahil Seth launched his book titled ‘A confused Mind story’. The book was launched, and the first look was Unveiled in the presence of Union Health Minister Shri Mansukh L Mandaviya.

The book was published by Blue Rose publication house, one of the top fiction, nonfiction, and poetry book publishers in India. The book is based on the contrast between the spiritual and material world. The book depicts the answers behind the confusion of the common man in day-to-day life and explains the rationale behind the meaning of life and belief system.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Apoorva Srivastava named as India’s Ambassador to Slovak Republic: Indian Foreign Service, Apoorva Srivastava has been appointed to serve as India’s Ambassador to the Slovak Republic. An officer of the 2001 batch, she currently serves as Consul-General at the Consulate of India in Toronto. Prior to this, she served in various positions in the Ministry of External Affairs and has been posted in Kathmandu and Paris, among other locations.

Note: Slovak Republic (Slovakia) Capital: Bratislava; Slovak Republic (Slovakia) Currency: Euro; Slovak Republic (Slovakia) President: Zuzana Čaputová.

 

2. Pakistan May Take Out off FATF Grey List: Pakistan is likely to exit the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) after it was placed in the infamous category since 2018 for failing to check money laundering and terrorist financing, a media report said.

Pakistan was included in the increased monitoring list in June 2018 for deficiencies in its legal, financial, regulatory, investigations, prosecution, judicial and non-government sector to fight money laundering and combat terror financing considered serious threat to global financial system.

Pakistan has made high-level political commitments to address these deficiencies under a 27-point action plan. But later the number of action points was enhanced to 34. the country had since been vigorously working with FATF and its affiliates to strengthen its legal and financial systems against money laundering and terror financing to meet international standards in line with 40-recommendations of the FATF.

 

3. Dr Prashant Garg elected as member of Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis: Dr Prashant Garg, executive chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute, has been elected as a ‘Member’ of the prestigious Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis (AOI). Dr Garg becomes the fifth from India to ever receive this honour. His tenure as a Member of Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis will formally commence next year during AOI’s next General Assembly meeting.

About the Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis (AOI): AOI is a university-centred international organization committed to excellence in education, research and culturally appropriate medical services to preserve and restore the vision of people of the world. Its membership is limited to 100 active members, and they represent the most eminent academicians in ophthalmology in the world, each holding a chair of this prestigious body. Dr Garg becomes the fifth from India to ever receive this honour.

Note: Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis President: Marie-José Tassignon; Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis established: April 10, 1976.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Irish prof Bernard Dunne is Indian boxing’s new high-performance director: Former Irish professional boxer Bernard Dunne has been named the high-performance director (HPD) for Indian boxing. Dunne, who had a five-year (2017-2022) stint with the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, replaces Santiago Nieva. During Dunne’s tenure with the Ireland team, Kellie Harrington emerged as World (2018, Delhi) and Olympic (2021, Tokyo) champion, while Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke won golds at this year’s World Championships in Istanbul and Aidan Walsh secured a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics. About the Bernard Dunne:

a)      The 42-year-old Dunne, who has bagged 13 national titles, has joined the Indian boxing elite programme at Patiala. He has won the WBA World Championship (2009) and the European Championship (2007), will take over the position which was left vacant after Santiago Nieva’s departure.

b)      During Dunne’s tenure with the Ireland team, Kellie Harrington emerged the Olympic champion in Tokyo as well as the world champion in 2018. He also guided Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke to gold medals at the last World Championships and Aidan Walsh to a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.

c)       Dunne led the Irish high-performance boxing team from 2017 to 2022, and under his leadership they performed at the highest level, winning European, World and Olympics gold medals. Dunne, who has 13 national titles to his name, has joined the Indian boxing elite programme at Patiala.

 

2. Qatar to host AFC Asian Cup 2023: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee has confirmed the Qatar Football Association (QFA) as the host association for the AFC Asian Cup 2023. The 11th AFC Executive Committee meeting was chaired by AFC President Shaikh Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. Key Points:

a)      Qatar is the reigning AFC Asian Cup Champions and will be hosting the most prestigious men’s tournament for the third time.

b)      The AFC Executive Committee also deliberated upon the bidding proposals for the AFC Asian Cup 2027.

c)       It shortlisted the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Saudi Football Federation (SAFF) as the final two bidders.

d)      Football Australia withdrew from the AFC Asian Cup 2023 bidding process on 1st September 2022.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. BookMyShow and RBL Bank collaborate to offer the “Play” credit card: The launch of a new credit card called “Play” by RBL Bank and BookMyShow will significantly increase the entertainment value for Indian consumers. RBL Bank and BookMyShow collaborated to offer the Fun Plus credit card earlier in 2016. Customers will be able to follow the full procedure on BookMyShow, a first for any entertainment platform in India, from application to delivery of the “Play” credit card. Key Points:

a)      Select BookMyShow customers will have access to the “Play” credit card, which will enable them to take advantage of lucrative offers on movie tickets, live entertainment purchases (both online and offline)

b)      The customers will also have access to binge-watching movies and TV shows on BookMyShow Stream by renting or buying a title, all while earning rewards with each purchase.

c)       While consumers of BookMyShow can acquire the “Play” credit card for an annual price of 500 rupees, BookMyShow Superstars will have free access to the exceptional offering.

d)      Customers will be able to follow the entire process from application to delivery of the “Play” credit card on BookMyShow, which will be a first for any entertainment platform in India.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Former Infosys President Ravi Kumar joins Cognizant: Former Infosys president Ravi Kumar S, who resigned from the Bengaluru-based IT company last week, is joining as president of Cognizant Americas. Kumar will take on the position from January 16, 2023, and will be reporting directly to Brian Humphries, chief executive officer (CEO) of Cognizant. Kumar succeeds Dharmendra Kumar Sinha who retired from Cognizant last year. At present, Sinha is the president of the public cloud business unit in Rackspace Technology. Surya Gummadi will continue to hold the post of interim president for Cognizant Americas till Kumar joins, after which he will move to lead Cognizant’s $5-billion health sciences business.

Cognizant has also announced the appointment of former Bain executive Prasad Sankaran as head of the software and platform engineering (SPE) service line.

Note: Cognizant Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Brian Humphries; Cognizant Headquarters: New Jersey, United States of America (USA).

 

2. Kaustubh Kulkarni elevated as JP Morgan India head: JP Morgan has announced the appointment of its new Country Head of India, Kaustubh Kulkarni. Madhav Kalyan the current country head of India will be serving in the Asia Pacific Payments Division from 1st November 2022. Kaustubh Kulkarni is currently serving as the head of investment banking in JP Morgan India and also as the Vice-chair of Asia Pacific for the bank and also as the co-head of investment banking for Southeast Asia.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Alexia Putellas, Karim Benzema win 2022 Ballon d’Or awards: Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, a professional French footballer, has won the Men’s Ballon d’Or (Golden Ball Award) 2022 and becomes the 5th Frenchman to win the prize. Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas, a Spanish professional footballer, has won the Women’s Ballon d’Or award or Ballon d’Or Féminin Award for the 2nd time. The 66th edition of the Ballon d’Or Ceremony (2022) was held 022 at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Paris, France. Karim Benzema becomes only the 2nd player aside from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award since 2008.

Notably: The most number of Ballon d’Or was received by Lionel Messi. He tops the list with 7 awards followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 5 awards.

The Ballon d’Or: Awards and Winners:

Award	Winner
Ballon d’Or (Men)	Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema
Ballon d’Or (Women)	Alexia Putellas(Barcelona)
Kopa Award	Gavi (Barcelona)
Gerd Muller Award	Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
Yashin Trophy	Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Club of the Year Award	Manchester City
Socrates Award	Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

About the Ballon d’Or: The Ballon d’Or is annually presented by the French magazine ‘France Football’, since 1956. The inaugural Ballon d’Or was presented to Stanley Matthews of Blackpool in 1956. This is one of the oldest and most prestigious individual awards for a football play. The Women’s Ballon d’Or was introduced in 2018.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Naval Academy to conduct Indian Navy Sailing Championship 2022: Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala to conduct the Indian Navy Sailing Championship 2022 at Marakkar Watermanship Training Centre in Kerala. The Indian Navy Sailing Championship 2022 is the largest intra-Navy sailing regatta in which nearly one hundred yatchpersons from all three Indian Naval Commands will participate. The sailing championship is one of the events being conducted by the Indian Navy to commemorate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and Khelo India.

About Indian Naval Academy: The Indian Naval Academy (INA Ezhimala) is the defense service training establishment for the officer cadre of the Indian Naval Service and the Indian Coast Guard which is located in Ezhimala, Kannur district, Kerala. The Naval Academy (NAVAC) was established in May 1969 and training of Orientation courses commenced in August 2005. It was formally inaugurated on 8th January 2009 and the name was changed to the Indian Naval Academy.

Daily GK Update- 22nd Oct, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Cabinet Approves MSP Hike for All Mandated Rabi Crops: The Union Cabinet approved an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all Rabi Crops for the Marketing Season 2023-24. The highest increase has been cleared for lentils with a hike of 500 rupees per quintal. The MSP on wheat has been hiked by 110 rupees and barley by 100 rupees.

Information and Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Singh Thakur said that the increase is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of a minimum of 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average Cost of Production.

MSP: The MSP is the rate at which the government purchases crops from farmers, and is based on a calculation of at least one-and-a-half times the cost of production incurred by the farmers. MSP is a “minimum price” for any crop that the government considers as remunerative for farmers and hence deserving of “support”.

 

2. PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 Launched by PM Modi: The PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi. More than 13,500 farmers from all around the country and about 1,500 agri entrepreneurs attended the two-day event. Key Points:

a)      The Prime Minister officially open 600 Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSK) under the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers.

b)      PMKSK provide agri-inputs like fertilisers, seeds, and implements; testing facilities for soil, seeds, and fertilisers; awareness-raising activities for farmers; details on various government programmes; and regular capacity building for retailers at block/district level outlets.

c)       In the country, a progressive conversion of more than 3.3 lakh retail fertiliser stores into PM Kisan Samman Sammelan Kendras (PMKSK) is envisaged.

Other Inaugurations

a)      During the occasion, the PM also introduce the One Nation One Fertilizer initiative, Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana.

b)      In order to assist businesses in marketing fertilisers under the single brand name “Bharat,” he introduced Bharat Urea Bags.

c)       Direct benefit transfer will be used to distribute the 12th instalment payment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) for the welfare of farmers.

d)      Additionally, the PM opened the Agri Startup Conclave and Exhibition, where about 300 firms presented their cutting-edge farming innovations.

e)      The occasion also saw the launch of the fertiliser-focused e-magazine “Indian Edge.”

 

3. India Lifted 415 million out of Poverty in 15 Years: UN: The number of people living below the poverty line in India decreased by 415 million between 2005-06 and 2019-21, according to a new Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) released jointly by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford.

The index has stated that India still has the world’s highest number of poor at 228.9 million, followed by Nigeria (96.7 million projected in 2020). The report found that across 111 countries which were assessed using the most recent comparable data available, 1.2 billion people (19.1 per cent) live in acute poverty and almost half of these people (593 million) are children under the age of 18 years. The developing region with the largest number of poor people is Sub-Saharan Africa (nearly 579 million), followed by South Asia (385 million), the report highlighted. About India:

a)      According to the report, India had 97 million poor children in 2019-21. This translates into more than one in five children (21.8 per cent)–more than the total number of poor people in any other country covered by MPI.

b)      According to the report, India is the only country in South Asia where female-headed households are poorer than male-headed households. About 19.7 per cent of people living in female-headed households live in poverty compared with 15.9 per cent in male-headed households.

c)       Bihar continues to be the poorest state in the country. Others among the top 10 poorest states were Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. West Bengal was the only state among the top-10 poorest in India in 2015-16, and not in 2019-21.

d)      The poor in India remain vulnerable amid rising food and fuel prices, the report said.. About 18.7 per cent of people in India were found to be vulnerable to poverty because their deprivation score ranges from 20 per cent to 33 per cent. A person with a deprivation score of 50 is considered to be poor.

 

4. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Inaugurates India’s First Aluminum Freight Rake at Bhubaneswar Railway Station: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s first aluminium freight rake — 61 BOBRNALHSM1 — at Bhubaneshwar Railway Station. The rake’s destination is Bilaspur. As per reports, the aluminium freight rake wields the capacity to carry 180-ton more goods as against the traditional rake. Moreover, it is 180 tons lighter than the traditional steel rake. Features of This Rake:

a)      Fully Lockbolted construction with no welding on superstructure.

b)      The tare is 3.25 tons lower than normal steel rakes, 180 ton extra carrying capacity resulting in higher throughput per wagon.

c)       Higher payload to tare ratio 2.85.

d)      The reduced tare will reduce carbon footprint as lower consumption of fuel in empty direction and more transport of freight in loaded condition. A single rake can save over 14,500 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime.

e)      80% is resale value of the rakes.

f)        Cost is 35% higher as the superstructure is all aluminium.

g)      Lower maintenance cost due to higher corrosion and abrasion resistance.

 

5. Home Minister Amit Shah Launches First Hindi Version of MBBS Course Books: Home Minister Amit Shah launched the MBBS Course books in Hindi version at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. It is the first ever Hindi version of the MBBS course books in India. The book launch event was felicitated by the Bhopal state education minister Vishvas Kailash Sarang and Bhopal CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The book launch was announced to make education easily accessible for those students who have not studied in English Medium schools.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Partha Satpathy appointed as next Indian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina: Partha Satpathy has been appointed as India’s next ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is currently the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Hungary. On 3rd November 2022, Parth Satpathy was appointed as the Ambassador of India to Hungary. He served as the Hungarian Ambassador for 11 months and then became the Ambassador of India to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

About Partha Satpathy: Partha Satpathy was the Ambassador of India to Ukraine from 2018 to 2022. Before that, he served as the Head of the Division in the Ministry of External Affairs. He has also served as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Senegal with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Cape Verde, the Republic of Guinea Bissau, and the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of the Gambia from 2012-2015.

 

2. Ulf Kristersson Elected as Sweden’s new Prime Minister Backed by Far Right: Sweden’s parliament elected Moderates leader Ulf Kristersson as the country’s new prime minister. A total of 176 members of the Riksdag voted in favor of Kristersson, while 173 members voted against him.

The Sweden Democrats were the big winners in the closely fought September 11 general election. They emerged as the second-largest party with a record 20.5 percent of votes, trailing only the Social Democrats, who have dominated Swedish politics since the 1930s. The right-wing bloc now has 176 seats in parliament, to their left-wing rivals’ 173. Kristersson’s four-party alliance unveiled a 62-page roadmap heavily influenced by the far-right agenda. It promises major crackdowns on crime and immigration and the construction of new nuclear reactors.

 

3. International Stuttering Awareness Day: 22nd October: International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) or International Stammering Awareness Day is celebrated on October 22. The day creates awareness about the speech disorder known as stuttering or stammering. Stuttering refers to disruptions in the fluency of speech. Its symptoms include involuntary repetition of words and temporary inability or difficulty to utter sounds or words, among others. The theme for 2022’s International Stuttering Awareness Day is “Being seen, being heard: Representation and normalisation of stuttering in the mainstream,”. The theme highlights the fact that stuttering is something that affects many in society and is nothing abnormal.

 

4. Bob Dylan’s latest book, “The Philosophy of Modern Song,” released soon: A new book titled “The Philosophy of Modern Song” authored by Bob Dylan, Nobel laureate and published by Simon & Schuster will be launched in November 2022. The Philosophy of Modern Song contains the artistic journey and achievements of Bob Dylan.

The collection of essays is Bob Dylan’s first book of new writing since 2004, when he released ‘Chronicles, Volume One and since winning the Nobel prize for literature in 2016. Bob Dylan released thirty­nine studio albums. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature and was also awarded the French Legion of Honor, a Pulitzer Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom etc. The most prominent books of Bob Dylan are ‘’The Lyrics 1961­2012’’, ‘’Tarantula (1971)’’, ‘’Younger Than That Now’’ etc.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Jyothi Yarraji becomes first Indian woman to run sub-13s hurdles: Jyothi Yarraji, an Indian Sprinter made history in the women’s 100m hurdles as the became the first Indian woman to run a sub-13s time to win the gold medal at the Nation Games 2022. Jyothi Yarraji broke her national record representing Andhra Pradesh by running the final in 12.79s. Earlier, Jyothi Yarraji won the women’s 100m gold, leaving behind Sprinters lime Dutee Chand and Hima Das.

National Open Athletics Championships 2022: The National Open Athletics Championships 2022 is the last senior domestic competition of the season which is held at the Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore. There are more than 800 participants from across the country to compete in 47 medal events at the five-day meet. On 19th October 2022, the competition will be concluded. The events include race walking (men’s and women’s), pole vault, discus throw, long jump, shot put, heptathlon, hurdles, javelin throw, etc.

 

2. Serbian scientists name beetle after country’s tennis star Novak Djokovic: Serbian scientists have named a new species of beetle after the tennis player Novak Djokovic, a Serbian tennis player due to its speed, strength, flexibility, durability and ability to survive in a difficult environment. The new species of beetle belongs to the Duvalius genus that is present in Europe. It was discovered several years ago in an underground pit in western Serbia. The insect is a specialised underground Coleoptera beetle, a predator which lost its eyes living deep underground.

The insect, which belongs to the Duvalius genus of ground beetles that are present in Europe, was discovered several years ago in an underground pit in western Serbia. It is named Duvalius Dokovici, the Tanjug news agency quoted researcher Nikola Vesovic. A new species was a specialised underground Coleoptera beetle, a predator which had lost its eyes living deep underground.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. KBL Centenary Deposit Scheme launched by Karnataka Bank: KBL Centenary Deposit Scheme launched: Karnataka Bank has launched a term deposit scheme named the KBL Centenary Deposit Scheme with effect from October 17, 2022. In order to honour the amazing journey towards its Centenary and to thank its customers, the bank has created a special term deposit programme with a higher rate of interest. Key Points:

a)      For a period of 555 days, the KBL Centenary Deposit Scheme will enjoy an interest rate of 7.20% p.a. Senior citizens will pay an interest rate of 7.60% annually.

b)      Customers have a great chance to save money and invest it to make more money.

c)       In order to recognise the great progress made toward the centennial, it offers a higher rate of interest.

d)      The Karnataka Bank will join the elite group of banks that are now providing the highest rate of interest on term deposits in the banking market by implementing this deposit programme.

Note: Headquarters of Karnataka Bank: Mangaluru, Karnataka; Chairman of the Karnataka Bank: P Pradeep Kumar

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s foreign exchange reserves increased by USD 204 million: The Reserve Bank reported an increase in the value of gold assets caused India’s foreign exchange reserves to climb by USD 204 million to USD 532.868 billion for the week ended October 7. The total reserves decreased by USD 4.854 billion to USD 532.664 billion during the previous reporting week. Key Points:

a)      The aggregate foreign reserves decreased to USD 532.664 billion from USD 4.854 billion the previous week ending September 30.

b)      The foreign reserves have been declining for several weeks as the central bank uses its funds to protect the rupee against pressures mostly brought on by international events.

c)       India’s foreign exchange reserves hit an all-time high of USD 645 billion in October 2021.

d)      In the week ending October 7, Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs), a significant portion of total reserves, decreased by USD 1.311 billion to USD 471.496 billion, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Weekly Statistical Supplement.

e)      The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) grew by USD 155 million to USD 17.582 billion, while the gold holdings rose by USD 1.35 billion to USD 38.955 billion.

f)        According to data from the apex bank, the nation’s reserve position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased by USD 10 million to USD 4.836 billion during the reporting week.

 

2. Adani Airports appoints Ericsson veteran Arun Bansal as CEO: Adani Airport Holdings has again rejigged its top management, naming Ericsson veteran Arun Bansal its chief executive officer. Bansal, who spent 25 years at the Swedish telecom network company, was most recently its president for Europe and Latin America. The appointment will help strengthen digital transformation and the business growth agenda.

Note: Adani Airport Headquarters location: Ahmedabad; Adani Airport Founded: 2 August 2019; Adani Airport Parent organization: Adani Group.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Prakash Padukone, Badminton Legend awarded with SJFI medal: The Sports Journalists’ Federation of India medal (SJFI medal) for 2019 was presented to badminton legendary star Prakash Padukone during a cordial ceremony at the Karnataka State Cricket Association. Vijay Amritraj was the inaugural recipient of the award, which was established in 2018. The COVID-19 outbreak caused a delay in the 2019 award ceremony. In his remarks, Prakash Padukone discussed how badminton rose to become the “second most popular sport” in India.

 

2. Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka won Britain’s Booker Prize 2022: Sri Lankan author, Shehan Karunatilaka has won Britain’s Booker Prize 2022 for fiction for his work “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida”, about a journalist murdered amid the country’s sectarian strife. The judges praised the “ambition of its scope, and the hilarious audacity of its narrative techniques”. Karunatilaka’s second novel, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida comes more than a decade after his debut, Chinaman, which was published in 2011.

Notably: Karunatilaka, 47, is the second Sri Lankan to win the award, following Michael Ondaatje’s victory in 1992 for “The English Patient”. Aside from the £50,000 ($56,000) prize, winning the Booker can provide a career-changing boost in sales and public profile.

The essence of the book: The Booker-winning novel tells the story of the photographer of its title, who in 1990 wakes up dead in what seems like a celestial visa office. With no idea who killed him, Maali has seven moons to contact the people he loves most and lead them to a hidden cache of photos of civil war atrocities that will rock Sri Lanka.

 

3. American historian Barbara Metcalf conferred Sir Syed Excellence Award for 2022: Noted American historian Prof. Barbara Metcalf was awarded the Sir Syed Excellence Award 2022 by the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on the 205th birth anniversary of its founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. Prof. Metcalf has written extensively on the history of the Muslim population of India and Pakistan.

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (17 October 1817 – 27 March 1898; also Sayyid Ahmad Khan) was a South Asian Muslim reformer, philosopher, and educationist in nineteenth-century British India. Initially espousing Hindu-Muslim unity, he became the pioneer of Muslim nationalism in India. Born into a family with strong debts to the Mughal court, Ahmad studied the Quran and Sciences within the court. He was awarded an honorary LLD from the University of Edinburgh in 1889.

Daily GK Update- 21st Oct, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Total Balance in PM Jan Dhan Accounts Crosses ₹1.75-Lakh Crore Mark: The total balance in the basic bank accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has crossed the ₹1.75 lakh crore mark. As per the latest Government data, the total balance stood at ₹1,75,225 crore as on October 5, 2022, as the total number of beneficiaries touched 47 crore.

National Mission for Financial Inclusion completes eight years of successful implementation. More than 46.25 crore beneficiaries banked under PMJDY since its inception, amounting to Rs. 1,73,954 crore. FM Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman Said: Financial inclusion is a major step towards inclusive growth which ensures overall economic development of marginalised sections of society. PMJDY has become the foundation stone for the government’s people-centric economic initiatives: MoS Finance, Dr. Bhagwat Karad. PMJDY Accounts grow 3-fold from 14.72 crore in Mar’15 to 46.25 crore as on 10-08-2022.

56% Jan-Dhan account holders are women and 67% Jan Dhan accounts in rural and semi-urban areas. 31.94 crore RuPay cards issued to PMJDY accountholders About 5.4 crore PMJDY account holders received direct benefit transfer (DBT) from the Government under various schemes in June, 2022.

 

2. Goa to host 9th World Ayurveda Congress & Arogya Expo: The 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) and Arogya Expo, will be held in Panaji, Goa from 8th to 11th December 2022. The 9th World Ayurveda Congress aims to transformationally push Ayurveda to bring it into global focus. The 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) is going to be hosted in Goa and it aims to create an accessible and affordable healthcare system that is in harmony with modern medical practices. Key Points:

a)      The theme for the 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) this year is ‘Ayurveda For One Health’.

b)      The event is going to be a four-day event that is supported by both central and state governments.

c)       The event is going it be attended by more than 4,500 delegates. The program will start with seven plenary sessions, 16 themes for oral presentation, a string of associated events, and public outreach program.

 

3. Haryana topped the Public Affairs Index 2022 in big states: Haryana has bagged the top position in the category of big states in the Public Affairs Index-2022. The state has emerged at the forefront in social, economic and political justice themes. It has topped among the major states with a score of 0.6948, followed by Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Karnataka among many other states.

In PAI-2022, Sikkim has retained its position as the best-governed small state in India. The index, prepared by a Bengaluru-based non-profit think tank Public Affairs Centre (PAC), was released. In the report, economic justice was measured on indicators such as labour productivity, assurance of standard of living to wage workers, public expenditure on development, coverage of social safety net, and employment opportunities.

Note: Public Affairs Centre Headquarters location: Bengaluru, Karnataka; Public Affairs Centre Founded: 1994.

 

4. Logistics Performance Index 2022 lists: 15 States as achievers: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Gujarat are three of the 15 States and UTs that are categorised as achievers in the logistics index chart for 2022, according to a study released by the commerce and industry ministry. The logistics performance Index 2022 measures the effectiveness of the logistical services required to encourage exports and economic expansion. Key Points:

a)      The other States listed in the ranking of the logistics performance index 2022 as rapid movers include Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Puducherry, Sikkim, and Tripura.

b)      Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh are among the 15 States and UTs rated in the aspirers category.

c)       Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are among the other States and UTs in the achievers category.

 

5. IInvenTiv, an all-IITs R&D showcase launched by Education Minister: At the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT Delhi), IInvenTiv, the first-ever all-IIT R&D exhibition, was officially inaugurated by Union Minister for Education and Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan. The Education minister claimed that IITs are now used as catalysts for change. They serve as both a bridge to the future and a storehouse of information. Key Points:

a)      Pradhan continued by saying that the Covid epidemic has demonstrated the effects of technology-driven research dedicating itself to the benefit of humanity.

b)      In accordance with the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” programme, the R&D Fair is being held in remembrance of the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.

c)       More than 300 industry representatives attended the IInvenTiv.

d)      IInvenTiv event will feature 75 projects, including 6 Showcase projects, on a variety of topics.

e)      The initiatives support the Make in India, Digital India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat visions.

 

6. National Solidarity Day: 20th October: India observes National Solidarity Day on 20th October every year. This day is observed to honour the Armed Forces. In the wake of the mortifying military thrashing because of China, India had started observing National Solidarity Day on October 20—the date on which China began the assaults in 1962. The purpose of the day is to celebrate the memory of the solidarity, unity, and integrity of our people during the war in order to protect the nation.

 

7. National Police Commemoration Day: 21st October: October 21 commemorates the sacrifices of ten CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. On October 21, 1959, ten Indian policemen were killed during an attack by Chinese troops in the Hot Springs region close to Ladakh after an argument between the troops. Since that day, 21 October has been observed as National Police Commemoration Day in honour of the martyrs.

National Police Commemoration Day History: This incident started on October 20, 1959, when the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was in charge of patrolling the 2,600-mile border between India and Tibet. Three units of the CRPF’s 3rd Battalion were dispatched on separate patrols to a location known as Hot Springs to keep an eye on the Indo-China border in North Eastern Ladakh. However, one of the three contingents, which consisted of two police constables and a porter, did not return.

On October 21, a new contingent that comprised all available personnel led by DCIO Karam Singh was mobilised to search for the lost troop. As they approached a hillock in Ladakh, the Chinese Army opened fire at the Indian soldiers. Seven Indian police officers were taken as prisoners by the Chinese and ten of them were killed while on duty. It was almost after a month, on November 28, 1959, that the Chinese troops handed the bodies of the martyred police officers to India.

As a result of a resolution made at the Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories in January 1960, October 21 is now recognised as Police Commemoration Day or Martyr’s Day. A parade is held on October 21 at the Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri, Delhi every year since 2012.

Note: Central Reserve Police Force Headquarters: New Delhi; Central Reserve Police Force Formed: 27 July 1939; Central Reserve Police Force Director General, CRPF: Dr Sujoy Lal Thaosen, IPS.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Japan to Scrap Remarriage Restrictions on Pregnant Women: Japanese cabinet ministers approved the scrapping of a law that stipulates women pregnant at the time of a divorce must wait 100 days before marrying again. The law, in place for more than a century, does not apply to men and was originally intended as a way to aid the identification of the father who is financially responsible for a newborn baby.

Critics have campaigned for a withdrawal of the 1896 law – which had banned remarriage for six months until being revised in 2016 – calling it outdated and discriminatory. The change will also remove a rule that grants parents the right to “discipline children to whatever necessary extent”.

 

2. US Congressmen Introduce Resolution to Recognise Pakistani Atrocities During 1971 as Genocide: Two American congressmen have introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives urging the Biden administration to recognise the Pakistan Army’s atrocities against ethnic minorities during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh.

Who Brought The Legislation: The legislation was brought by Congressmen Ro Khanna and Steve Chabot, calling on the Pakistan government, among other things, to apologise to the people of Bangladesh for its role in the genocide of ethnic Bengalis and Hindus during the war.

Why The Resolution: The resolution “condemns the atrocities committed by the Armed Forces of Pakistan against the people of Bangladesh from March 1971 to December 1971; recognises that such atrocities against ethnic Bengalis and Hindus constitute crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide; calls on the President of the United States to recognise the atrocities committed against ethnic Bengalis and Hindus by the Armed Forces of Pakistan during 1971 as crimes against humanity war crimes, and genocide.”

Bi-Partisan Support: Chabot, a Republican Party member, confirmed of bringing in such a resolution jointly with another Congressman Khanna, a Democrat and the US Representative from California’s 17th congressional district, to commemorate the 1971 Bengali Genocide.

 

3. International Chef’s Day: 20th October: Every year on October 20th, International Chefs Day is observed to honour the culinary masters who have protected the value of food and are passing on the same message to future generations. This day celebrates the culinary arts and recognizes the hard work and dedication that chefs put into their craft. The theme for this year is “Growing A Healthy Future.” The idea behind this theme is to ensure a healthy and sustainable planet for future generations. This can happen when we teach them the value of food and its impact on the environment.

International Chef’s Day History: International Chefs Day is celebrated annually on October 20. The day was established in 2004 by the World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS) to recognize the contributions that chefs make to society. The history of International Chefs Day can be traced back to the early days of the WACS, when the organization’s founders recognized the need for a day to honour chefs and showcase their talent to the world. In 1974, WACS held its first International Congress of Culinary Professionals in Geneva, Switzerland. During this congress, it was decided that an International Chefs Day would be held each year on October 20th.

Note: World Association of Cooks Societies Headquarters: Paris, France; World Association of Cooks Societies Founded: October 1928.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. D Gukesh becomes youngest to beat World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen: India teenager Donnarumma Gukesh scripted history in the ongoing Aimchess Rapid online tournament as he defeated Magnus Carlsen, thereby becoming the youngest player ever to beat him as world champion. The 16-year-old Donnarumma defeated Carlsen with white in the 9th round and hence he defeated the Norwegian during his reign as world champion.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India may draw $475 billion in FDI in next 5 years: Report: India may draw $475 billion in FDI: India has promising growth prospects for foreign direct investment (FDI) and has the potential to draw $475 billion in FDI flows over the next five years, according to a CII-EY report. Despite the effects of the pandemic and geopolitical developments, foreign direct investment (FDI) in India has steadily increased over the past ten years, reaching $84.8 billion in FY 2021–22. Key Points:

a)      71% of multinational corporations (MNCs) with operations in India view it as a key market for their international expansion. Prospects for the long run and the short term are what are fueling the optimism.

b)      According to the report titled “Vision – Developed India: Opportunities and Expectations of MNCs,” the majority of MNCs believe that the Indian economy will perform significantly better in the next three to five years.

c)       With 96% of respondents being optimistic about the overall potential of the country.

d)      The robust momentum in India’s domestic consumption, services, digital economy, and infrastructure is dictating the country’s growth trajectory.

e)      Behind only the US and China, the forecasted actual growth in consumption is the third greatest, and by 2025, the rapidly growing digital economy is predicted to reach $1 trillion.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India’s Defence Exports at Rs 8000 Cr in H1 Of FY23: India registered defence exports worth Rs 8,000 crore in six months of the current financial year and aims to achieve the annual export target of Rs 35,000 crore by 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said. He was speaking at the curtain raiser event of DefExpo, scheduled to be held from October 18 to 22, in Gandhinagar.

“Before 2014, we used to achieve (defence) exports of Rs 900-1,300 crore. After all these years, we have achieved exports worth more than Rs 30,000 crore to date. We can add another Rs 8,000-9,000 crore of the export target (this year),” Singh said. “We target to achieve (annual defence) exports worth Rs 35,000 crore by the end of FY 2025. We have achieved exports worth Rs 8,000 crore in six months (of FY 2022-23),” Singh said.

Defence Exhibition: Gandhinagar is hosting India’s biggest-ever defence exhibition to date – DefExpo 2022. This 12th edition of the event has been organised on the theme ‘Path to Pride’. Singh said India in the last few years covered a transformational journey from a (defence) importer to an exporter. DefExpo will add pace to this journey, he added. “India which was until a few years back considered the world’s biggest (defence) importer is now standing in the queue of 25 top exporting countries,” the defence minister said in his address. He said more than 13,000 companies are participating in the DefExpo. “India had achieved exports of defence items and technology worth a record Rs 13,000 crore in 2021-22, which is likely to rise to Rs 17,000 crore in 2022-23,” Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar said. Officials said so far 451 agreements related to the defence sector with proposed investment of Rs 1.50 lakh crore have been signed in run up to the DefExpo. Of these, Gujarat-based companies have signed MoUs with an investment pledge of Rs 5,000 crore, they said.

Kumar said the ‘Bandhan’ event at the expo is about signing business agreements. In the last DefExpo held in Lucknow, 201 agreements were signed. This time, so far 451 agreements have been inked committing Rs 1.50 lakh crore investment, he added.

 

2. DefExpo 2022: India-Africa Defence Dialogue held in Gandhinagar: India-Africa Defence Dialogue held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The dialogue aims to explore new areas of convergence for mutual engagement, including areas like capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security, and counter-terrorism. Key Points:

a)      The theme of the India-Africa Defence Dialogue is India-Africa: Adopting Strategy for Synergising and strengthening Defence and Security Corporation.

b)      Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hosted the Defence Ministers of African Nations.

c)       India and Africa share close historical relations. India’s approach towards Africa is guided by the Kampala Principles enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.

d)      The first ever India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in 2020, in conjunction with DefExpo.

e)      In continuance of the ‘Lucknow Declaration’ and in consultation with stakeholders, IAAD has been Institutionalised to be held once every two years on the sidelines of DefExpo.

 

3. “PowerEX-2022” joint Cyber Security Exercise conducted by CERT-IN and Power-CSIRTs: PowerEx-2022: 193 invited Power Sector Utilities to participate in the Cyber Security Exercise “PowerEX” that was successfully designed and carried out by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) and Power-CSIRTs. On the exercise day, the CERT-In team collaborated with the Power-CSIRT authorities’ Exercise Planner Team as Exercise Coordinators. Key Points:

a)      “Recognize, Analyze & Respond to Cyber Incidents in IT & OT Systems” was the exercise’s stated goal.

b)      “Defending Cyber generated interruption in IT & OT infrastructure” was the exercise’s objective.

c)       CERT-IN hosted exercise “PowerEX” on its platform for simulating exercises.

d)      A total of 350+ representatives from different power sector utilities took part in the event.

e)      The “PowerEX” exercise was successful in achieving its goals and assisting the participants in understanding, practising, and responding to cyber security problems.