Daily GK Update- 29th Nov, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India Wins Vice Presidency of International Electrotechnical Commission: India wins the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Vice Presidency and Strategic Management Board (SMB) Chair for the 2023-25 term. Shri Vimal Mahendru will be the IEC Vice President representing India. By securing over 90% of the votes cast by full members of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) during its General Meeting held recently in San Francisco, USA, India’s representative, a member of the Indian National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and various technical committees of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS-India), was elected.

Significance Of this: Representation of BIS (India) in policy and governance bodies of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and IEC ensures that Indian viewpoints on the important strategic and policy matters are put forth and it also provides opportunities to align the national standardization priorities with International best practices.

About International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC): International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is an international standard setting body that publishes international Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.  Standardization Management Board (SMB) is an apex governance body of IEC responsible for technical policy matters.

 

2. Railways Plans to Export Vande Bharat Trains by 2025-26: The railways are looking at becoming a major exporter of Vande Bharat trains by 2025-26 to markets in Europe, South America and East Asia, a senior official said, adding that the latest version of the indigenous trains with sleeper coaches will be operational by the first quarter of 2024.

He also said the railways is planning to clock 10-12 lakh kilometers on 75 Vande Bharat trains over the next few years, for these to be export ready. “The ecosystem to export trains has to be created over the next two to three years. We are on track to manufacture 475 Vande Bharat trains in the next three years and once they run successfully, there will be confidence in global markets about our product.

The Union Budget for 2023-24 will likely announce 300 more Vande Bharat trains to provide further fillip to the indigenously built semi-high-speed trains. If budgetary support comes through, the country will produce 800 trainsets in the next five years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Railways to produce at least 75 Vande Bharat trains by August 2023 to launch the services connecting 75 key cities as part of the central government’s plans to celebrate 75 years of Independence.

 

3. AYUSH Grows from US$ 3 Billion to US$ 18 Billion: Union Ayush Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal informed that AYUSH has grown by 17 percent in 2014-20 to reach US dollars 18.1 billion. The Minister was speaking at the inauguration of ‘AYUR-UDYAMAH’ at New Delhi, where he also released the RIS report titled ‘AYUSH Sector in India: Prospects and Challenges.

Key Points:

a)      On the occasion, the All-India Institute of Ayurveda – Incubation Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AIIA ICAINE) the first-of-its-kind incubation center under the Ministry of Ayush to promote Start-ups was also launched.

b)      AIIA ICAINE was launched by the Union Minister of Food and Processing Industries Shri Pashupati Paras Ji.

c)       As per the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) report, despite a slump in economic activity in 2020 due to the pandemic, the industry is projected to reach US$ 20.6 billion in 2021 and US$ 23.3 billion in 2022.

d)      In terms of the global share, India has grown faster in the AYUSH market as compared to the world and accounts for about 2.8 percent of the market, which is likely to hold even though disruptions in production are not ruled out.

 

4. JNPA Launched Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in association with the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, developed a Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station (CMWQMS). The monitoring station and vehicle were inaugurated by Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA, in the presence of Shri Unmesh Sharad Wagh, Dy. Chairman, JNPA, along with all the HoDs of JNPA. Key Points:

a)      JNPA is committed to achieving leadership in sustainability and creating value for the trade – depicted across the economic, social, and environmental parameters.

b)      The Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station and launch of E- Vehicles is yet another step towards commitment to sustainable development.”

c)       The Continuous water quality system and electric monitoring vehicle will assist in managing the marine water and air quality in the port area, regulating the environmental quality within the port area.

d)      JNPA will be able to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of vehicles, in addition to checking compliance with Environmental Quality around the port estate through water quality stations data, such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, conductivity, nitrate, salinity, turbidity, and TDS of marine water a database on marine water quality is essential for maintaining hygienic standards in the marine environment.

e)      The E- Vehicle also substantiates the ongoing ambient air and noise monitoring activities at JNPA.

 

5. Lieutenant Governor Inaugurates ‘Sonzal-2022’ at Kashmir: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the Annual Youth Festival ‘Sonzal-2022’ at the University of Kashmir. The Lt Governor said that the annual festival is a great opportunity for young artists to showcase their talents and ‘Sonzal’ provides them a much-needed platform to achieve the dream of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. Key Points:

a)      Sonzal means rainbow, which is a symbol of hope, inspiration, and good fortune.

b)      The Lt Governor entrusted on the Educational Institutions to discharge their responsibility to ensure freedom, creativity, and engagement for them to become multi-achievers, and acquire knowledge & skills to thrive and shape their future.

c)       The University of Kashmir has been transformed into a center of excellence and promoting scientific research, new ideas & knowledge, and adapting to rapid change across the world in fundamental aspects of the educational landscape.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UN Human Rights Body Launches Iran Human Rights Probe: The U.N. Human Rights Council voted to condemn the bloody crackdown on peaceful protests in Iran and create an independent fact-finding mission to investigate alleged abuses, particularly those committed against women and children.

The session in Geneva is the latest international effort to put pressure on Iran over its crackdown, which has already drawn international sanctions and other measures. A resolution put forward by Germany and Iceland was backed by 25 countries, including the United States and many European, Latin American, Asian and African nations. Six countries opposed the move — China, Pakistan, Cuba, Eritrea, Venezuela and Armenia — while 16 abstained.

The United Nations’ top human rights official had earlier appealed to Iran’s government to halt the crackdown against protesters, but Tehran’s envoy at a special Human Rights Council on the country’s “deteriorating” rights situation was defiant and unbowed, blasting the initiative as “politically motivated.” The protests were triggered by the death, more than two months ago, of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police for violating a strictly enforced Islamic dress code.

 

2. 22nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers’ Meeting: India participated in the 22nd Council of Ministers’s meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) held at Dhaka in Bangladesh. The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.

India’s Approach: During his remarks, Mr. Singh reaffirmed the country’s strong commitment to strengthening IORA to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region as well as in the Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the country’s contributions as coordinator of the IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management and Science, Technology and Innovation towards capacity building and strengthening of IORA Secretariat. On the challenges posed by climate change, the Minister highlighted the initiatives of LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment and International Year of Millet in 2023.

The COM adopted the ‘IORA’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific’ (IOIP) which would guide enhancement of IORA’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. India led the process of development of the IOIP. Dhaka Communique was adopted as the Outcome Document of the 22nd COM Meeting.

About IORA: The idea for IORA first surfaced during the late South African President Nelson Mandela’s 1995 visit to India. IORA is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to fostering regional cooperation and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean region through its 23 Member States bordering the Indian Ocean and 10 Dialogue Partners. It is a regional forum that is tripartite in nature and brings together representatives of Government, Business, and Academia, in order to foster cooperation and closer engagement among them.

It’s Members: Commonwealth of Australia, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Union of Comoros, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Madagascar, Malaysia, Republic of Maldives, Republic of Mauritius, Republic of Mozambique, Sultanate of Oman, Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Singapore, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of South Africa, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, United Republic of Tanzania, Kingdom of Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Republic of Yemen.

 

3. Europe announces name of world’s first disabled astronauts: The European Space Agency has named the first ever “parastronaut” in a major step towards allowing people with physical disabilities to work and live in space. The 22-nation agency said it had appointed British Paralympic sprinter John McFall to take part in a feasibility study during astronaut training to assess the conditions needed for people with disabilities to take part in future missions.

Notably: McFall, who lost his right leg due to a motorcycle accident at the age of 19, won a bronze medal in the 100 metres at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

Note: European Space Agency Headquarters: Paris, France; European Space Agency Founded: 30 May 1975, Europe; European Space Agency CEO: Josef Aschbacher.

 

4. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People: 29th November: November 29 is marked as the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People every year. Since 1978, the United Nations has commemorated the day as a way to express solidarity with the people of Palestine while the peace and resolution process remains stalled. The day aims to spread more awareness about the issues faced by the Palestinian people along with promoting a peaceful Palestine-Israel resolution.

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People History: In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine (resolution 181 (II)). On 1 December 2005, the Assembly requested the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights, as part of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November, to continue to organize an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights or a cultural event in cooperation with the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the UN.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Axis Bank, Flipkart to Launch ‘Flipkart Axis Bank Super Elite’ Credit Card: Axis Bank, India’s third largest private sector bank, and Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace have partnered to launch the ‘Super Elite Credit Card. To scale the Flipkart SuperCoins reward program and enhance the customer shopping experience, this card will serve extensive value to shoppers. Key Points:

a)      Following the three million milestones recently achieved for the existing Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card, this partnership enables yet another avenue for customers on the platform to unlock and enjoy unique rewards.

b)      The Super Elite Credit Card will offer an activation benefit of 500 Flipkart SuperCoins with 4X SuperCoins earned for every transaction and rewards up to Rs 20,000 across Flipkart, Myntra, etc.

c)       SuperCoins are rewards that customers can earn on each purchase across Flipkart, Myntra, and Cleartrip.

d)      The loyalty program was created with a vision to nurture customer relationships, enhance the digital shopping experience and deliver increased value.

e)      The unique rewards portfolio will serve the nuanced needs of Flipkart’s registered and burgeoning customer base of over 450 million across the country.

 

2. Airtel Payment Bank launched face authentication-based savings account: Airtel Payments Bank has launched a face authentication-based savings bank account opening for customers. The facility will further ease the account opening process making it seamless & convenient for customers. Airtel Payments Bank is the first Payments Bank in the country to offer this facility. The new facility will help Business Correspondents (BCs) of the bank to open an account just by undertaking face authentication e-KYC The authentication is processed by using a newly developed mobile application by UIDAI.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s Unemployment Rate Eases to 7.2% in July-September 2022: Unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above in urban areas declined to 7.2 per cent during July-September 2022 from 9.8 per cent a year ago, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said.

Key Points:

a)      The unemployment rate in current weekly status terms for all ages in the September quarter (second quarter or Q2) of FY23 is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in more than four years, from the time the NSO launched India’s first computer-based survey in April 2017.

b)      The unemployment rate among men and women has been estimated at 6.6 and 9.4 per cent, respectively. It has been showing continuous decline since the April-June quarter (first quarter, or Q1) of 2020-21, when it was estimated at 12.6 per cent.

c)       Labour force participation rate in CWS (Current Weekly Status) in urban areas for persons aged 15 years and above increased to 47.9 per cent in the July-September quarter of 2022, from 46.9 per cent in the same period a year ago. It was 47.5 per cent in April-June 2022.

 

2. Tata to Acquire Packaged Water Giant Bisleri for About ₹7,000 Crore: Tata Consumer is set to acquire India’s largest packaged drinking water company, Bisleri, for an estimated Rs 6,000-7,000 crore. Chairman Ramesh Chauhan is aiming to disinvest Bisleri International to Tata Consumer Products three decades after selling soft drink brands Thums Up, Gold Spot and Limca to Coca-Cola. The current management will continue for two years as part of the deal. Chauhan’s ill health and daughter Jayanti’s lack of interest in the business is driving him to sell off the company. There have been other interested parties such as Reliance Retail, Nestle and Danone.

About Tata’ Consumer Group: The Tata Group houses its consumer business under Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) which also sells packaged mineral water under the brand Himalayan and with brands as Tata Copper Plus Water and Tata Gluco in the hydration segment. The deal would provide the Tata group FMCG arm a larger play into the fast-growing bottled water segment.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Garuda Shakti 2022: India-Indonesia joint exercise kicks off in Karawang: The Special Forces of India and Indonesia commenced the joint military exercise Garuda Shakti. The exercise is currently underway in Indonesia at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang. The eighth edition of Exercise Garuda Shakti focuses on enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies. The goal of the joint exercise is to advance the special forces’ skills. It also aims to share information on new weapons, equipment, tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as lessons learned from previous operations. Focus of the exercise:

a)      Focusing on a high level of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques, and procedures, both armies have planned a 13-day comprehensive training schedule for joint training. The bilateral exercise will culminate with a 48-hour validation exercise.

b)      The bilateral exercise also covers strikes on terrorist camps, training for special forces operations in jungle terrain, and a validation exercise that combines basic and advance special forces techniques.

c)       Additionally, this Special Exercise also provides an opportunity for soldiers of both armies to explore each other’s culture and lifestyle to strengthen the defence ties.

Note: Indonesia Capital: Jakarta; Indonesia Currency: Indonesian rupiah; Indonesia President: Joko Widodo.

 

2. Indian Air Force Commenced Joint HADR Exercise Samanvay 2022: Indian Air Force is conducting the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’ from 28 November 2022 to 30 November 2022 at Air Force Station Agra. To assess the efficacy of institutional Disaster Management structures and contingency measures, the exercise will comprise a seminar on Disaster Management, a ‘Multi Agency Exercise’ involving static and flying displays of various HADR assets, and a ‘Tabletop Exercise’.

Key Points:

a)      Along with the involvement of various stakeholders from the country, the exercise will see participation by representatives from the ASEAN countries as well.

b)      Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will be Chief Guest for the Capability Demonstration events planned during the exercise on 29 November 2022.

c)       Samanvay 2022 will promote a synergistic approach towards HADR by various national and regional stakeholders involved in Disaster Management including the Civil Administration, the Armed Forces, NDMA, NIDM, NDRF, DRDO, BRO, IMD, NRS, and INCOIS.

d)      This multi-agency engagement is expected to contribute in the evolution of institutional frameworks for effective communication, interoperability, cooperation, and their application for the successful conduct of HADR.

e)      The exercise also aims to provide a unique platform for the exchange of domain knowledge, experience, and best practices with the participating ASEAN member countries.

 

3. INS Mormugao: Second Ship of Project 15B Delivered to Indian Navy: INS Mormugao is the second ship of Project 15B stealth destroyers being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). INS Mormugao was delivered to the Indian Navy on 24th November 2022. Project 15B was signed on 28th January 2011, which is a contract of four ships. This project is a follow-on of the Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers Commissioned in the last decade and the lead ship of the project-INS Visakhapatnam had been commissioned into the Indian Navy on 21st November 2021.

About the INS Mormugao: INS Mormugao was designed by the Warship Design Bureau, the Indian Navy’s in-house organization, and M/s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai. The four ships are named after four major cities in India, which are Imphal, Surat, Vishakhapatnam, and Mormugao.

Specifications of INS Mormugao: The INS Mormugao is 163 meters long and 17 meters wide. INS Mormugao displaces 7400 tonnes when fully loaded and has a maximum speed of 30 knots.

Daily GK Update- 28th Nov, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian Govt Announces Strategy for Suicide Prevention: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare unveiled the National Suicide Prevention Strategy— the first-of-its-kind policy formulated by the government to prevent suicides as a public health priority. According to the ministry, the policy that will set the stage for promotion of mental health and prevention of suicides in the coming decade. The goal of the strategy is to reduce suicide mortality in the country by 10 per cent by 2023. The strategy provides a framework for multiple stakeholders to implement activities for prevention of suicides in the country. It’s Features:

a)      First, it seeks to establish effective surveillance mechanisms for suicide within the next three years.

b)      Second, it seeks to establish psychiatric outpatient departments that will provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Programme in all districts within the next five years.

c)       Third, it aims to integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next eight years.

d)      The fourth objective of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy is to strengthen surveillance of suicide and further generation of evidence through evaluation, that will ensure improvement in the programme quality.

Whom To Implement: The implementation framework of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy envisions five key stakeholders responsible for realising the objectives. These include national-level ministerial stakeholders, state-level governmental stakeholders, district-level governmental stakeholders, NIMHANS-Bangalore and other top mental health institutes, and strategic collaborators. How It Will Be Implemented:

a)      Reinforcing leadership, partnerships and institutional capacity in the country

b)      Enhancing the capacity of health services to provide suicide prevention services

c)       Developing community resilience and societal support for suicide prevention and reduce stigma associated with suicidal behaviours.

 

2. Uttarakhand: Nainital High Court bans beautification works of Sukhatal lake: The Uttarakhand high court has banned all construction activities in the dry area around the Sukhatal lake, a rain-fed water body that recharges the Naini lake. A division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice R.C. Khulbe imposed the ban while hearing suo motu a PIL against the beautification and rejuvenation work going on around Sukhatal.

The State Environment Impact Authority and the State Wetland Management Authority have also been made parties and notices have been issued to them in this regard. During the hearing, amicus curiae (friend of the court) Kartikeya Hari Gupta told the court citing hydrological studies that the Sukhatal lake recharges the Naini lake up to 40% and 50%.

Note: Uttarakhand Governor: Gurmit Singh; Uttarakhand Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami; Uttarakhand Capitals: Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer).

 

3. Mumbai Becomes the First City in South Asia to Top CDP’s Climate Action List: Mumbai has become the first Indian city to be added to the A-list in the 5th Annual Cities Report published by CDP, a non-profit organisation that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states, and regions – recognises the important role that cities play in taking bold actions to mitigate and adopt to climate change. 122 cities across the globe have been named as leaders in environmental action and transparency in 2022 by CDP. For the first time, this includes cities from several countries in the Global South, including Mumbai; cities that are often among those most affected by the impacts of climate change.

Mumbai is the most populous city in India, and, globally, the 7th largest in terms of population. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Mumbai is separated from the mainland by Thane Creek and Harbour Bay. The city is vulnerable to climate change-induced hazards, such as sea level rise, heavy rainfall, storm surges, increasing heat, and tropical cyclones. It is also susceptible to landslides, due to heavy rain that causes many fatalities and physical damage each monsoon season.

 

4. IIT Guwahati director T G Sitharam named as chairman of AICTE: Professor TG Sitharam, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) has been appointed as the new Chairman of the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The Ministry of Education has approved the appointment of Professor Sitharam as the new AICTE Chairman for a period of three years. Professor Sitharam will take charge from UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar, who has been holding interim charge of the post of the Chairman of AICTE after Anil Sahasrabuddhe retired on attaining the age of 65 years.

Note: All India Council for Technical Education Founded: November 1945; All India Council for Technical Education Headquarters: New Delhi; All India Council for Technical Education Parent agency: Department of Higher Education.

 

5. IRSEE Vinit Kumar appointed as CEO of KVIC: Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), Vinit Kumar takes over the charge of CEO, KVIC Central Office, KVIC Mumbai. He is appointed as CEO, Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVlC), Mumbai under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. He was welcomed by Shri Manoj Kumar, Hon’ble Chairman, KVIC at Central Office, Mumbai. Vinit Kumar, an IRSEE officer of 1993 batch, has served as the Chairman of Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port, Kolkata (erstwhile Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port, Kolkata) before taking over as the Chief Executive Officer of Khadi and Village Industries Commission and also served as Chief Electrical Engineer in Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd. and looked after World Bank funded MUTP project before joining as CEO, KVIC.

Note: Khadi & Village Industries Commission Founded: 1956; Khadi & Village Industries Commission Headquarters: Mumbai; Khadi & Village Industries Commission Agency executive: Manoj Kumar (Chairperson)

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Qatar signed world’s ‘longest’ gas supply deal with China: QatarEnergy announced a 27-year natural gas supply deal with China, calling it the “longest” ever seen as it strengthened ties with Asia while Europe scrambles for alternative sources. The state energy company will send four million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually from its new North Field East project to China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec).

Asian countries led by China, Japan and South Korea are the main market for Qatar’s gas, which is increasingly being sought by European countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Negotiations with European countries have struggled as Germany and others baulked at signing the type of long-term deals made with Asian nations. North Field is at the centre of Qatar’s expansion of its liquefied natural gas production by more than 60 percent to 126 million tonnes a year by 2027.

Note: Qatar Capital: Doha; Qatar Currency: Qatari Riyal; Prime Minister of Qatar: Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz Al Thani.

 

2. Nepal: Sher Bahadur Deuba elected for consecutive 7th time from Dadeldhura district: In Nepal, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has elected for the consecutive 7th time from the home district of Dadeldhura. The counting of votes continues for parliamentary and provincial elections in the country. Senior Nepali Congress leader, Mr. Deuba defeated an independent candidate Sagar Dhakal by a margin of over 12 thousand votes. The 77-year-old Nepali Congress president Deuba is currently holding the post of Prime Minister for the fifth term.

The parliamentary and provincial elections were held on 20th of November in Nepal. It was the second general election since the promulgation of the constitution in 2015. Deuba secured 25,534 votes against his nearest rival Sagar Dhakal, 31, an independent candidate who received 1,302 votes. Deuba has never lost any parliamentary election in the five decades of his political career.

Note: Nepal Capital: Kathmandu; Nepal Currency: Nepalese rupee; Nepal President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

 

3. Lt General Asim Munir Appointed as New Army Chief of Pakistan: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Lieutenant General Asim Munir as the new army chief of the country, replacing incumbent General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced the appointment on Twitter ending weeks of speculation over what some call the most powerful position in the South Asian nation. Key Points:

a)      Pakistan’s military has directly ruled the country of 220 million people for nearly half of its 75-year history.

b)      Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad will take charge as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

c)       Munir is currently posted at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. He has served briefly as chief of the country’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Tamil Nadu batter Narayan Jagadeesan breaks world record for highest ever List A score: Tamil Nadu batter Narayan Jagadeesan broke the world record for the highest individual score in men’s List A cricket by hammering 277 off 141 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Chinnaswamy in Bangalore. Tamil Nadu became the first team to breach the 500- mark in List A cricket before winning the Group C match by 435 runs, making it the highest victory margin at this level. The previous record was Somerset’s 346-run win over Devon in 1990. This was after the 26-year-old Jagadeesan became the first-ever player to score five consecutive centuries in men’s List A cricket. He also went past Alistair Brown and Rohit Sharma to set a new record for the highest individual score.

 

2. Telangana’s Bhukya and Odisha’s Patri Held National U-13 Badminton Titles: Telangana’s Nishanth Bhukya and Odisha’s Tanvi Patri became the boys’ and girls’ singles’ champions at the 34th Under-13 National Badminton Championships, notching contrasting wins at the UP-Badminton Academy. Fourth-seeded Bhukya came from behind to beat Andhra Pradesh’s Akhil Reddy Boba 19-21, 21-12, 22-20 in 44 minutes whereas Patri took just 22 minutes to brush aside local challenger and 15th-seeded Divyanshi Gautam 21-7, 21-10.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC Bank, Flywire Collaborate to Offer Edu digital Payments: Payments software company Flywire has teamed up with India’s Largest private sector giant HDFC Bank to help students in India pay education fees at institutions around the world. By integrating with HDFC Bank’s banking platform, Flywire gives Indian students fully digital checkout options for uses ranging from application fees to tuition payments. Meanwhile, schools accepting these payments will get their payments on time and in their local currencies, “as well as full transparency into the transaction history, which eases their reconciliation processes and streamlines operational efficiencies”.  The company said that the integration streamlines payments for students and families while also making sure they comply with international translation guidelines.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s Current Account Deficit Pegged at 3-3.2% of GDP in FY23: Robust domestic economic activity and an uptick in oil import bills, India’s current account deficit is expected to be 3-3.2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) for FY23, according to Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran. India’s current account balance recorded a deficit of 1.2 per cent of GDP in 2021-22, against a surplus of 0.9 per cent in 2020-21. The Reserve Bank of India expects CAD to have widened modestly in the first half (April-September 2022) but shrink in the second half (October 2022-March 2023). Overall, CAD is expected to be under 3 per cent of GDP for FY23.

According to the RBI’s assessment (in the state of economy report), India’s foreign exchange reserves at $ 530.0 billion, as on November 4, covered 8.6 months of imports projected for 2022-23. The foreign exchange reserves’ cover of imports (on a balance of payments basis) declined to 10.4 months at end of June 2022, from 11.8 months at the end of March 2022.

 

2. Suryakumar Yadav named as brand ambassador of UrbanGabru: Men’s grooming brand UrbanGabru announced the star India cricketer Suryakumar Yadav as its new brand ambassador. He joins the brand to endorse UrbanGabru’s grooming range. Suryakumar Yadav, fondly known as SKY, is currently ranked second in men’s T20 International batting.

About the UrbanGabru: UrbanGabru, part of GlobalBees’ house of brands, offers high-quality, affordable men’s grooming and personal care products. The wide range includes facial, hair, beard, body, intimate area products, and more. UrbanGabru is a men’s grooming brand from the house of GlobalBees Brands Pvt. Ltd.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. India’s Purnima Devi Barman is one of UNEP’s ‘Champions of the Earth’ for 2022: India’s Purnima Devi Barman, an Assam-based wildlife biologist, is one of the five ‘Champions of the Earth’ for this year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced. The annual awards are the highest environmental honour that the UNEP confers on individuals and organisations whose actions have a “transformative impact” on the environment. She has been honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category. The other honourees include Arcenciel (Lebanon); Constantino (Tino) Aucca Chutas (Peru); Sir Partha Dasgupta of the United Kingdom and Cecile Bibiane Ndjebet (Cameroon). About the Purnima Devi Barman:

a)      Barman has been working with local communities – women, specifically – in Assam for more than a decade now to conserve the greater adjutant stork, an endangered wetland bird whose numbers have been declining due to habitat destruction and cutting down of nesting trees.

b)      Barman won the award this year in the ‘Entrepreneurial Vision’ category, for her trail-blazing work in protecting the greater adjutant stork, called ‘hargila’ in Assamese. Hargilas are five-foot-tall birds that dwell in wetlands in some parts of southeast Asia including India and Cambodia.

 

2. Museum maker AP Shreethar awarded Economic Times Inspiring Leaders Award 2022: Museum maker AP. Shreethar was honored with Economic Times Inspiring Leaders Award 2022 in Delhi. The award was presented by Actress Mrunal Thakur in the capital city, Delhi. AP Shreethar is a self-taught artist and museum maker. He is known to have conducted over 72 shows and exhibitions around the globe. AP Shreethar is additionally credited as the creator of the world’s first Live Art Museum.

As a recipient of the famed Lenin Muzem Award, AP. Shreethar specializes in capturing the essence of his subjects with photo realistic renditions, gaining favour in the eyes of celebrities such as actor Amitabh Bachchan, Padmashree Dr. Kamal Hassan, Sachin Tendulkar, A.R. Rahman, Padmashree Dr. Bala Murali Krishna, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, Former French President Mr. Francois Hollande, Former Prime Minster of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, and many more. Francois Hollande, Former President of the French Republic, is personally noted to have penned a letter of appreciation in recognition of Shreethar’s mastery.

 

3. Matrix Awarded Partner of the Year 2022 by Procter & Gamble: Chennai-based Matrix Business Services India Pvt. Ltd., a leading Business Assurance Services Company, part of the UDS Group, was recently recognised and awarded “Partner of the Year 2022” by one of the world’s most valuable companies, Procter & Gamble (P&G) at a recently held event in Cincinnati, USA, for their contribution in transforming their business processes.

Matrix was among the 11 external business partners (EBPs) chosen from a global network of over 50,000 for the year 2021 – 22. This is a wonderful acknowledgment of Matrix’s expertise in running an end-to-end business process in such a complex and niche area like Trade Fund Management, that too across several countries. It is the hard work and dedication of team Matrix that has paved the way to achieve this feat, which is the highest honour a P&G partner can get.

 

4. Prodapt won the Prestigious Salesforce Partner Innovation Award 2022: Prodapt, a leading global consulting, technology & managed services provider with a singular focus on the Connectedness industry, has been named a recipient of the Salesforce Partner Innovation Award in the “Communications” category. The prestigious award recognizes Prodapt’s contributions to Salesforce-driven digital transformation programs and the development of specific solution accelerators for the communications industry.

Each year, the Salesforce Partner Innovation Awards recognize the significant contributions Salesforce partners have made across clouds, industries, and the broader partner program – including consulting firms, digital agencies, resellers, and ISV partners. IDC, a global provider of market intelligence and advisory services for the IT, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets, facilitated and judged the nominations.

Daily GK Update- 27th Nov, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 Begins in New Delhi: The three-day apex-level regional strategic dialogue of the Indian Navy, the fourth edition of “Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022” (IPRD-2022) began in New Delhi. The theme of IPRD-2022 is “Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)”, which was articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 14th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok on November 4, 2019, the defence ministry said.

Inaugural session of the event kicked off with Adm Karambir Singh (retd), the incumbent Chairman of the National Maritime Foundation, and former Chief of the Naval Staff, welcoming all present and highlighting the importance of the Indo-Pacific in the prevailing geopolitical scenario, focusing specially upon India’s maritime policy encapsulated by the acronym SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) and the first-order specificity provided to SAGAR by the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). About IPRD:

a)      The IPRD is an annual international conference that seeks to foster exchange of ideas and promote deliberations on maritime issues relevant to the Indo-Pacific which, for India, stretches over a vast, predominantly maritime expanse from the eastern shore of Africa to the western shore of America.

b)      The IPRD is an apex-level international annual conference of the Navy and the principal manifestation of the Navy’s engagement at the strategic level.

c)       The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) is the Navy’s knowledge partner and chief organiser of each edition of the event.

 

2. Govt Unveils Framework to Curb Fake Reviews On Ecommerce Platforms: Aiming to guard customers from fake online reviews of products, the Union government on released a comprehensive set of guidelines which would come into effect from November 25 and would be voluntary in nature. IS 19000:2022 is the standard that the BIS [Bureau of Indian Standards] has formulated for us, in consultation with us and the industry. Public consultations have taken place. Now, this is launched on 25th November. The guidelines titled “Indian Standard (IS) 19000:2022 Online Consumer Reviews – Principles and Requirements for their Collection, Moderation and Publication”, will be applicable to every online platform which publishes consumer reviews.

“Taking cognizance of the impact of fake and deceptive reviews and protection of consumer interest in e-commerce, the Department of Consumer Affairs constituted a committee to develop a framework on checking fake and deceptive reviews in e-commerce on 10th June, 2022. The committee included various stakeholders including e-commerce companies, industry associations, consumer organizations and law chairs,” the statement said.

The secretary said that companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Reliance Retail, Tata Sons, Amazon, Flipkart, Google, Meta, Mesho, Blinkit and Zepto were part of the consultation process and they have assured compliance with these standards.

 

3. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurates the UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon 2022: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has inaugurated the UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon 2022 at the Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The Hackathon has been organized by the Union Ministry of Education and students from 22 African countries are participating in the Hackathon. The UNESCO India-Africa Hackathon event is seeing the participation of 603 students who will engage in coding for 36 hours non-stop to find technology-based solutions for issues prevailing in the field of education, agriculture, health, energy and drinking water, among others.

The U.P. CM also invited participating African students to travel to ancient cities like Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and others in the state. Students from Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe will take part in the event.

Note: UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945; UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Members: 193 countries

 

4. ISRO set to Launch PSLV-C54/EOS-06 Mission in November: The Indian Space Research Organization is set to launch PLV-C54/EOS-06 Mission with Oceans-3 and eight nanosatellites on board from Sriharikota spaceport. The PLV-C54/EOS-06 Mission includes EOS-06 (Oceans-3), plus eight nanosatellites which are BhutanSat, ‘Anand’ from Pixxel, Thybolt two numbers from Dhurva Space and Astrocast-four numbers from Spaceflight USA. Key Points:

a)      The Indian Space Agency’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has conducted the Integrated main parachute airdrop test (IMAT).

b)      The parachute airdrop test was conducted in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh

c)       The Gaganyaan deceleration system consists of three main parachutes, besides smaller ACS, pilot, and drogue parachutes.

d)      Two of the three main chutes are sufficient to land the astronauts on earth, and the third is redundant.

e)      The IMAT test is the first in a series of integrated parachute airdrop tests planned to simulate different failure conditions of the parachute system.

f)        The design and development of the parachute-based deceleration system is a joint venture of ISRO and the Defence Research and Development (DRDO).

 

5. National Cadet Corps celebrates 74th Anniversary day: National Cadet Corps (NCC), the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world raised in 1948, will celebrate its 74th anniversary on November 27, 2022. To mark the occasion, Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane laid a wreath and paid homage to the fallen heroes on behalf of the entire NCC fraternity at National War Memorial, New Delhi on November 26, 2022.

Notably: NCC Day is observed on the fourth Sunday of November. The NCC was raised on 15th July 1948 in New Delhi, which was the fourth Sunday of the November month in 1948. For this reason the NCC raising Day is observed every year on the fourth Sunday of the November Month.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Canada’s Brampton city gets first turbaned Sikh Harkirat Singh as deputy mayor: Brampton city in Canada got its first turbaned Sikh deputy mayor with the appointment of Harkirat Singh. Harkirat Singh, who represents wards 9 and 10, has been appointed deputy mayor from 2022-26. The deputy mayor presides at council and other committee meetings and assumes ceremonial and civic event duties on behalf of the mayor if the mayor is absent or unavailable.

In the present Canadian Parliament there are 18 Sikhs members. Currently Harjit Sajjan, Bardish Chagger are the two Sikhs who are ministers in the Justin Trudeau government in Canada. Prior to his role as councillor, he served a four-year term as school trustee at the Peel District School Board.

Note: Canada Capital: Ottawa; Canada Prime minister: Justin Trudeau; Canada Currency: Canadian Dollar.

 

2. Anwar Ibrahim Sworn in As Malaysia’s New Prime-Minister: Malaysia’s veteran opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been sworn in as the country’s new prime minister, after several days of post-election deadlock. The new leader was appointed by King Sultan Abdullah, after elections over the weekend resulted in an unprecedented hung parliament.

Neither Mr Anwar nor ex-premier Muhyiddin Yassin had won the simple majority needed to form a government. Mr Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) party, which won the biggest share of seats in this election, does not have enough seats on its own to form a government.

About Long Career of PM Anwar: The decision brings to an end a remarkable political odyssey for Anwar Ibrahim, a brilliant orator and, 25 years ago, a fast-rising star everyone expected would replace then-prime minister Mahathir Mohammad. It was not to be. He and Mr Mahathir fell out over the handling of the Asian financial crisis, and he was jailed on what were widely believed to be politicised corruption and sodomy charges. His conviction was overturned in 2004, and he returned to politics, leading his own reformist party close to defeating the UMNO party in the 2013 election, only to have new sodomy charges filed against him, and being sent back to jail in 2015.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Army Red Team Won 72nd Inter Services Volleyball Championship 2022-23: The Army Red Team has won the 72nd Inter Services Volleyball Championship 2022-23. The Army Red team emerged victorious with a set score of 3-1. The closing ceremony of the Championship was organized at Eagles Indoor Volleyball Stadium in Secunderabad. Key Points:

a)      Two teams of the Indian Army, Red, and Green beside one team each of the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force participated in the event.

b)      The event provided an opportunity for outstanding sportsmen for getting selected for the Services Volleyball team.

c)       Telangana and Andhra Sub Area officiating GoC, Brigadier K Somashankar presented the trophy.

d)      The closing ceremony of the 72nd Inter Services Volleyball Championship for 2022-23 was conducted at Eagles Indoor Volleyball Stadium

e)      The event provided an opportunity to sportsmen for getting selected for the Services Volleyball team. The Army Red team emerged victorious with a score of 3-1 (25-21, 19-25, 25-17, 26-24).

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank Launches New Products for NRIs at Its GIFT City Branch: Private sector lender ICICI Bank has launched two new products – loan against deposits (LAD) and dollar bonds – for non-resident Indians at its GIFT City branch in Gujarat. The bank is the first to offer these products in GIFT City. Key Features of these offers:

a)      Loan against Deposits (LAD): LAD resembles a loan in foreign currency against a deposit in India (including Rupee NRE FDs). The customers can avail LAD for their short-term cash requirement without having to prematurely close their Term Deposits and thereby avoid paying a penalty for breaking the deposit. They can avail up to 95%* of their deposit value. With a simple documentation process, customers can get flexible tenure with fixed or floating interest rates.

b)      Dollar Bonds: It is an alternate investment option for NRIs, where they can book dollar bonds through ICICI Bank in GIFT City. The Bank offers a cohort of over 50 marquee issuers/companies for these bonds.

The other key offerings at GIFT City for the NRI customers:

a)      Global Current Account: This is a non-interest-bearing account which does not require any minimum balance. It helps NRIs to deposit money in India in foreign currencies such as USD, EUR, GBP.

b)      Global Savings Account: NRIs can deposit money for short term and earn interest in this savings account.

c)       Term Deposits: They are similar to Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) deposits with minimum lock-in period of seven days compared to one year for FCNR in India. Customers can deposit in currencies such as USD, EUR, GBP.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Ministers’ Panel May Recommend 28% GST on Online Gaming: The panel of state finance ministers is likely to recommend a uniform GST levy of 28 percent on online gaming irrespective of whether it is a game of skill or a game of chance. Currently, online gaming attracts 18 percent GST. The tax is levied on gross gaming revenue, which is the fees charged by online gaming portals.

More About The Development: The Group of Ministers (GoM), chaired by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, had in its earlier report submitted to the Council in June suggested a 28 percent GST on the full value of the consideration, including contest entry fee, paid by the player, without making a distinction such as games of skill or chance. However, the Council had asked the GoM to reconsider its report.

Following that the GoM took the views of the Attorney General and also met stakeholders from the online gaming industry. Although the GoM deliberated on separate definitions for ‘games of skill’ and ‘games of chance‘, it finally decided to tax both as demerit goods attracting a 28 percent GST.

 

2. National Payments Corporation of India in Talks with RBI on Volume Cap Deadline: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which runs the UPI digital pipeline, is in talks with the Reserve Bank on implementation of its proposed deadline for limiting the volume cap of players to 30 percent. NPCI runs the UPI digital pipeline. Currently, there’s no cap on volume and Google Pay and PhonePe hold the market share of about 80 per cent.

Back in November 2022, the NPCI had proposed a 30 per cent volume cap for third-party app providers (TPAP). The proposal was made to avoid concentration risk. However, the existing TPAPs such as PhonePe and Google Pay were given two years more to comply with the orders.

Currently, the NPCI is evaluating all the possibilities and no final decision has been taken to extend the December 31 deadline, adding that the corporation has also received proposals from the stakeholders to extend the deadline.

 

3. India, China Leads as Global Intellectual Property Filings Reached New Records in 2021: Global intellectual property filings- of patents, trademarks, and designs-reached record levels in 2021 driven largely by increases from Asian countries of India, China, and South Korea according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Strong growth in local patent filings in India (+5.5 percent), China (+5.5 percent) and the Republic of Korea (+2.5 per cent) drove the global growth in patent applications in 2021, propelling the share of Asian filings to cross the two-thirds threshold, the report said. Local patenting activity in the U.S. (-1.2 per cent), Japan (-1.7 per cent) and Germany (-3.9 per cent) declined in 2021.

About The Report: The WIPO’s World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) report showed that innovators around the world filed 3.4 million patent applications in 2021, up 3.6 per cent from the previous year with offices in Asia receiving 67.6 per cent of all applications worldwide.

Note: WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization Formation): 14th July 1967; Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2021 Announced by GoI: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India announced the National Adventure Award called “Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award” (TNNAA) for the year 2021. The award is given in four categories which are Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure, and Life Time Achievement. Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards are given annually to praise the achievement of persons in the fields of adventure. The award encourages people to develop the spirit of endurance, risk-taking, cooperative teamwork, and quick reflexes.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award Winners:

 

Sl. No.	Name	Category
1	Ms. Naina Dhakad	Land Adventure
2	Shri Shubham Dhananjay Vanmali	Water Adventure
3	Group Captain Kunwar Bhawani Singh Samyal	Lifetime Achievement

 

2. Ravi Kumar Sagar honoured with the prestigious Dr. Kalam Seva Puraskar: Ravi Kumar Sagar, one of the youngest founders and CEO of RK’S INNO group was conferred with the most prestigious Dr. Abdul Kalam Seva Puraskar. The award was presented to him for his persistent service to society and is one of the youngest entrepreneurs in India. A young entrepreneur from the twin Telugu states, Ravi Kumar Sagar also known as RK’S nailed it as a budding entrepreneur during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

When other businesses suffered huge losses due to the lockdown and the spread of the pandemic, Ravi Kumar Sagar started his entrepreneurship journey by selling PPE kits, sanitizers, and face masks to medical stores and hospitals. With the initial investment of Rs 50,000, Ravi Kumar Sagar was a success in generating his business turnover to a whooping Rs 2 crore.