Daily GK Updates – 26th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Uttar Pradesh Govt launches unified portal ‘U-Rise’: The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath has launched a unified portal called ‘U-Rise’. Uttar Pradesh is the first state to launch such a unified portal along with the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020.  About ‘U-Rise’: The U-Rise portal would empower the students by providing them with practical and technical knowledge ranging from online exams, digital content, digital assessment, digital examination papers, webinars, internship, e-library, recorded video content to employment. The U-Rise portal will guide around 20 lakh students, in learning, career counselling, and getting employment in the state. The e-content, e-library, and online courses available on this portal will be accessible by students even in the most interior areas of the state.

Note: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Aditya Nath; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

2. Assam Govt launched “Mukhyamantrir Grammya Paribahan Achoni Yojana”: The Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal has launched the “Mukhyamantrir Grammya Paribahan Achoni Yojana” of the state transport department. Under the scheme, Light Motor Vehicle Service would be launched in all the villages of the state to improve rural connectivity and generate employment in the villages. One vehicle would be provided to one beneficiary per village. In the first phase of the scheme, 10,000 villages would be covered with a financial outlay of Rs 100 crore. The state government shall financially assist the eligible entrepreneurs with 25 per cent of the cost of the vehicle or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is less.

Note: Chief Minister of Assam: Sarbananda Sonowal; Governor: Jagdish Mukhi.

 

3. Rajasthan CM approves ‘Moksha Kalash Yojana-2020’: The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot has approved the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation’s scheme called ‘Moksha Kalash Yojana-2020’. This Moksha Kalash Yojana aims to allow free bus travel to two members of the family of the deceased to immerse ashes of their loved ones in the Ganga in Haridwar. The state road transport corporation would be the nodal agency to run the scheme and the expenses would be borne by the Devasthan Department. Passengers will be required to register for availing the facility by providing details including about the dead person. A copy of related documents will have to be kept with those carrying the ashes. RSRTC will provide an interface for online registration, make arrangements for transport to the destination, and other facilities during the journey.

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

 

4. ‘Saubhagya’ scheme completes three years of inception: The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -“Saubhagya Scheme” has completed three years of inception on 25 September 2020. The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25th of September, 2017 with an outlay of Rs. 16,320 crore Saubhagya scheme aims to achieve universal household electrification by providing last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all households in rural areas and all poor households in urban areas across the country.

 

5. Bollywood actor Aamir Khan becomes Brand Ambassador of CEAT: A tyre company of RPG Enterprises (Rama Prasad Goenka Group), CEAT Limited has signed Indian Actor Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador for 2 years. As part of an integrated marketing campaign, he will feature in 2 commercials during the on-going Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in Dubai to promote CEAT’s SecuraDrive, a range of mass premium tyres. CEAT has been associated with cricket since 1995 with CEAT Cricket Ratings.

 

6. Acer India signs Sonu Sood as brand ambassador: A leading Personal Computer(PC) brand, Acer India has appointed actor Sonu Sood as its brand ambassador. As the brand ambassador of Acer India, Sonu Sood will support the range of innovative products of Acer over the social media and campaign on the commitment of Acers in improving the lives of the people through technology.

Note: Acer India President & Managing Director: Harish Kohli; Acer India Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UN and United Kingdom to co-host Global Climate Summit 2020: The United Kingdom and the United Nations are going to co-organise a global climate summit on December 12, 2020, to mark the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will co-host the event. The summit will increase the momentum ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) to be held in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2021. The Summit will invite National governments to present more ambitious and high-quality climate plans.

Note: United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA. It was founded on 24 October 1945; Mr Antonio Guterres is the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Prime minister of United Kingdom: Boris Johnson; Capital of the United Kingdom: London.

 

2. Mohamed Hussein Roble appointed as new Prime Minister of Somalia: President of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has appointed Mohamed Hussein Roble as the new Prime Minister of Somalia. He will replace former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, who was voted out of office by parliament in July for failing to pave the way for fully democratic elections due before February 2021. All the 215 MP’s who attended the session chaired by President Farmaajo voted in support of the appointment of Hussein Roble as PM.

Note: Somalia Capital: Mogadishu; Somalia Currency: Somali Shilling.

 

3. India ranked 89th in World Risk Report 2020: According to the World Risk Index (WRI) 2020, India has been ranked at the 89th spot among 181 Countries. WRI has been developed in cooperation with the United Nations University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNUEHS) and calculated by the International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV).  India is behind Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives in terms of abilities to cope with extreme disasters, lack of adaptive capacities and the preparedness to deal with extreme events. The Pacific island state of Vanuatu leads the index as the country with the highest disaster risk (49.74). Qatar has the lowest risk (0.31). In terms of the continents, Oceania ranks first in terms of highest disaster risk, followed by the Americas, Asia and Europe.

The World Risk Report is released annually since 2011 by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and Bundnis Entwicklung Hilft, in cooperation with the University of Stuttgart in Germany.

Note: United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security Director: Shen Xiaomeng; Headquarters of United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security: Germany.

 

4. World Environmental Health Day: 26th September: World Environmental Health Day is observed globally on 26th September every year. This day is celebrated to shed the light on important work of environmental health around the world. The Theme for the 2020 World Environmental Health Day: “Environmental health, a key public health intervention in disease pandemic prevention”. It has been targeted towards preventing the disease and creating health-supportive environments. In 2011, the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) declared to observe World Environmental Health Day on 26 September.

Note: International Federation of Environmental Health Established: 1986; Headquaters: London, England.

 

5. International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: 26th September: The United Nations observes 26 September every year as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. The day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority. It provides an opportunity to educate the public and their leaders about the real benefits of eliminating such weapons, and the social and economic costs of perpetuating them. The General Assembly declared the International Day in December 2013, in its resolution 68/32 as a follow-up to the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament held on 26 September 2013, in New York.

Note: Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945; Secretary-General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI publishes “’Technology Vision for Cyber Security’ for UCBs: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will implement the “Technology Vision for Cyber Security’ for Urban Co-operative Banks (2020-2023) to enhance the IT security system of Urban Co-operative banking to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from cyber-attacks. The Technology Vision Document aims at enhancing the cybersecurity posture of the Urban Co-operative banking sector against evolving IT and cyber threat environment. RBI will achieve this objective using its five-pillared strategic approach ‘GUARD’. GUARD denotes:

G – Governance Oversight,

U – Utile Technology Investment,

A – Appropriate Regulation and Supervision,

R – Robust Collaboration

D – Developing necessary IT, cybersecurity skills set.

To accomplish the five pillared approach, RBI has established 12 specific action points spires to:

Involve more Board Oversight over Cybersecurity. Enable UCBs to better manage and secure their IT Assets. Implement an offsite supervisory mechanism framework for UCBs on cybersecurity-related controls. Develop a forum for UCBs so that they can share best practices and discuss practical issues and challenges.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikanta Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Kerala wins UNIATF award for prevention and control of NCD 2020: Kerala has won the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases Awards 2020 for its “outstanding contribution” towards the non-communicable diseases-related sustainable development goals. Kerala has been awarded for the tireless service of the state in the health sector. This is the first time for Kerala to be recognised by this annual UN Award and along with Kerala 6 other health ministries across the globe have won the 2020 UNIATF Award.

About UNIATF Award 2020: The 2020 award recognises the contributions and achievements of the year 2019 on the multisectoral actions in the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, Mental Health and other SDGs related to non-communicable diseases. The award also recognised the state of the art lung disease control program, cancer treatment program and paralysis control programme of the state.

Note: WHO Director-General: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

Chief Minister of Kerala: Pinarayi Vijayan; Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Shivangi Singh set to become India’s 1st woman fighter pilot to fly Rafale: Flight Lieutenant, Shivangi Singh to become the first woman fighter pilot of India to fly the Rafale combat aircraft that was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force(IAF) September 10, 2020.  She is one of the 10 Indian women fighter pilots in IAF. Five Rafale Aircraft were formally inducted into the IAF’s 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’ on September 10, 2020, at a function held at Air Force Station, Ambala (Haryana).

About Shivangi Singh: Shivangi hails from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Shivangi Singh was among the 2nd batch of women fighter pilots who were commissioned in 2017. After joining IAF, she has been flying the MiG-21 Bison aircraft. Currently, she is undergoing training and will soon join Golden Arrows.

Note: Indian Air Force Chief of the Air Staff (CAS): Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Sekhar Basu passed away: Veteran Indian nuclear scientist Sekhar Basu (68 years) passed away due to COVID-19 in Kolkata. He was the chairman of Atomic Energy Commission and as the Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). He is known for building the nuclear reactor for India's first nuclear powered subnarmine INS Arihant, nuclear power plants in Tarapur and Kalpakkam, and the Indian Neutrino Observatory in Theni, Tamil Nadu. He also served as the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). He was honoured with Padma Shri in 2014. 

Daily GK Updates – 25th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. National webinar on “Curriculum Reforms & NCF and Pedagogy”: A National webinar on “Curriculum Reforms & National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and Pedagogy” was organized under Shikshak Parv initiative. The webinar was organized to highlight the salient features of the New Education Policy (NEP 2020). The targeted beneficiary group for this session were: Pre-school & Lower Primary Teachers, Heads of Schools, Parents, All States/UTs Education Department. Shikshak Parv is being celebrated from 8th September- 25th September, 2020 to felicitate the Teachers and to take New Education Policy 2020 forward.

Note: Union Minister for Education: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

 

2. PM Modi launched ‘Fit India Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the ‘Fit India Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols’ at Fit India Dialogue. These fitness protocols have been prepared with the help of fitness enthusiasts for fitness and good health. It has been prepared for three age categories which include: 5-18 years category; 18-65 years category; 65 plus age category. The Fit India Movement was envisioned and launched by PM Modi on August 29, 2019. The Fit India Dialogue is another effort to involve citizens of the country to draw out a plan to make India a Fit Nation. PM Modi interacted with fitness experts, citizens and influencers from across the country during a nation-wide online Fit India Dialogue on 24 September 2020, to mark the one-year anniversary of Fit India Movement. Cricketer Virat Kohli, model, actor and runner Milind Soman, and nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar were among the various fitness influencers who participated in the event.

 

3. Government Increases SDRF Spending Limit by States from 35 percent to 50 percent to tackle COVID situation: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual meeting with chief ministers of six states and one Union Territory on 23 September 2020. These states and UTs are those where the coronavirus cases are higher. They are: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. During the meeting, PM announced that for these 7 states and UTs, the  limit of using the State Disaster Response Fund is being increased from the current 35 percent to 50 percent to help them further strengthen health infrastructure to tackle COVID.

 

4. AYUSH Ministry partners Industry Bodies for Medicinal Plants cultivation: The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH has signed an MoU with the major AYUSH and Herbal industry bodies to promote medicinal plant cultivation. Through this, Ministry of AYUSH would provide the sustainable supply of quality raw material to AYUSH, Nutraceutcial and Herbal industry. The industry assured the NMPB that they will provide the buy-back guarantee to the farmers / gatherers on the NMPB supported medicinal plant cultivation and collection programs.

The industry bodies which signed the MoU include ADMA (Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturer’s Association), Mumbai; AMAM (Association for Manufactures of Ayurvedic Medicines), New Delhi; AMMOI (Ayurvedic Medicines Manufacturers Organization of India), Thrissur; AHNMI (Association for Herbal and Nutraceutical Manufacturers of India), Mumbai; FICCI (Federation of Indian Industries), New Delhi and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry), New Delhi.

Note: Minister of State (I/C) of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH): Shripad Yesso Naik.

 

5. EESL appoints Rajat Sud as its new Managing Director: A Joint Venture (JV) of Public Sector Undertakings, under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has appointed Rajat Sud as its new Managing Director from immediate effect. He takes charge from S Gopal, director (commercial), who was given the additional charge as interim MD. Prior to joining EESL, he worked as an executive vice president at Sterlite Power Transmission Ltd.

Note: Energy Efficiency Services Ltd HeadQuarters: New Delhi, India; Energy Efficiency Services Ltd Chairman: Rajeev Sharma.

 

6. Antyodaya Divas Observed Across India on 25th September: Every Year on September 25 India observes Antyodaya Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. The day was declared by the Modi Government on September 25, 2014. Antyodaya means uplifting the poorest of the poor. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, born in Mathura in 1916 was one of the key leaders of Bharatiya Jana Sangh from which the BJP later emerged. He was the leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh from 1953 to 1968.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India-UK sign MoU on Water Partnership through video conferencing: India and the United Kingdom held a virtual Water Partnership meeting on 22 September 2020 to discuss ways to work together on issues pertaining to water conservation and building better water infrastructure. The programme was inaugurated by the Indian High Commissioner to UK, Gaitri Issar Kumar with the Ministry of Jal Shakti Secretary UP Singh. The delegations from both the countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic water partnership to develop better water infrastructure in India. Several issues which were discussed during the meeting included India’s water conservation schemes like Namami Gange programme, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Swachh Bharat Mission.

 

2. EAM Dr S Jaishankar attends Special Ministerial Meeting of FMs of CICA: The Union Minister of External Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar participated in the Special Ministerial Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the CICA on 24 September 2020. CICA stands for the ‘Conference on Interaction & Confidence Building Measures in Asia’. CICA is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. The Secretariat of CICA is based at Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. It has 27 member states including India; 8 observer states and 5 observer organizations.

 

3. India helds Webinar with Israel on Defence Industry Global Outreach: A webinar was held between with India and Israel, under the aegis of Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence through SIDM. The Theme of webinar was “Indian Defence Industry Global Outreach for Collaborative Partnership: Webinar and Expo”. During the webinar, a Sub Working Group (SWG) was created on Defence Industrial Cooperation between India and Israel with the main objective of Transfer of Technology, Co-development & Co-production, Artificial Intelligence, Innovation and Joint Export to friendly foreign countries. Defence Secretaries and other senior MoD officials from both the countries participated in the webinar and deliberated about enhancing the defence cooperation between both the nations. This webinar is the first in the series of webinars which will be organized with friendly foreign countries in order to boost defence exports and achieve defence export target of $5 billion in the next five years.

Note: Israel Capital: Jerusalem; President: Reuven Rivlin; Prime Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu; Currency: New shekel

 

4. Alexander Lukashenko sworn in as President of Belarus for 6th term: President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko has been sworn in for a sixth term on 23 September 2020. The 66 year-old authoritarian leader won 80% of the vote in the presidential election to gain another 5 year term. Lukashenko is serving as the President of Belarus since the establishment of the office 26 years ago, on 20 July 1994.

Note: Belarus Capital: Minsk; Currency: Belarusian ruble

 

5. World Pharmacist Day: 25th September: World Pharmacist Day is observed globally on 25th September every year. This day is celebrated to create awareness about the role of a pharmacist in improving health. The day was an initiative of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) along with the council of this organization. This year’s theme is “Transforming global health“. The organization announces a different theme every year so that associations and individuals in the pharmaceutical industry can organize national campaigns or local projects to showcase their outstanding work in helping improve the health of people around the world.

Note: International Pharmaceutical Federation Headquarters location: The Hague, Netherlands; International Pharmaceutical Federation Founded: 25 September 1912; International Pharmaceutical Federation President: Dominique Jordan.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. IDFC First Bank to launch “SafePay” contactless debit card facility: IDFC First Bank will launch “SafePay” a contactless debit card-based payment facility. This payment facility will allow contactless debit card payments by simply waving one’s smartphone against a Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled POS terminal.

About “SafePay”: SafePay embeds Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the IDFC First Mobile App to enable secure payments using a debit card issued by the Bank. A social distancing-friendly way to pay, SafePay completely does away with the need to hand over the card to a merchant or even carry it in the wallet. SafePay enables contactless payments of up to Rs 2,000 per transaction and up to a limit of Rs 20,000 per day, making everyday purchases easy.

Note: MD & CEO of IDFC First Bank: V. Vaidyanathan; Headquarters of IDFC First Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Govt extends term of Uday Kotak as Chairman of Debt-ridden IL&FS by One Year: The government extended the term of Uday Kotak as non-executive chairman of debt-ridden IL&FS group by one year with effect from the 3rd day of October 2020. Kotak was appointed by the Government as the head of the lender”s board in 2018 to help the troubled company come out of difficulties, after the state took over the board.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. President Ram Nath Kovind confers NSS Awards for 2018-19 to 42 Awardees: The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind conferred the National Service Scheme (NSS) Awards for the year 2018-19 trough videoconferencing from Rashtrapati Bhawan on 24 September 2020. The 2018-19 NSS Award has been given to 42 awardees in three different categories which are: University; NSS Units and their Programme Officers and NSS Volunteers. It and consists of prize money, certificate and trophy/ silver medal.

Inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, the NSS is a Central Sector Scheme which was launched in the year 1969 to develop the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service. The NSS Award is conferred every year by the Department of Youth Affairs to recognize and reward outstanding contributions towards voluntary community service such as literacy and education, health, family welfare and nutrition, environment conservation, social service programmes, rescue and relief during calamities.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Legendary singer S.P. Balasubramaniam passes away: National award-winning singer SP Balasubrahmanyam (74 years) passed away due to COVID-19 at MGM Health Care hospital in Chennai. He worked as a singer, actor, music director, dubbing artist and film producer in multiple languages. He has sung over 40,000 songs in as many as 16 languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. S.P. Balasubramaniam bagged his first national award for Sankarabharanam. The second time he won the National award for his first Hindi song, Tere Mere Beech Mein in the film Ek Duuje Ke Liye. Also won Guinness World Record for recording the highest number of songs. He was also honoured with Padma Shri Award in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2011.

 

2. Former Australian Cricket Legend Dean Jones passes away: Former Australia cricket commentator, coach and legendary batsman Dean Jones has passed away on 24 September 2020 after suffering a heart attack. He was 59. Jones was in Mumbai as a commentator for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and was in a bio-secure bubble in a seven-star hotel in Mumbai. Jones had represented Australia in 52 Tests and 164 ODIs. He was also part of Australia’s 1987 World Cup-winning squad. 

Daily GK Updates – 24th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Government unveils YuWaah, a multi-stakeholder platform to prepare young people career ready as per 21st century: The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) have signed a “Statement of Intent” to establish YuWaah-Generation Unlimited (GenU), a global multi-stakeholder platform in India, to equip young people in India with the skills they need to fulfil their potential and lift up their communities. The YuWaah initiative is linked to the global Generation Unlimited (GenU) movement of UNICEF, which began in New York in September 2018. Basic objective of YuWaah project: Support young people by providing entrepreneurship classes (online and offline); Upskilling of young people on 21st century works and skills; Create linkages with aspirational economic opportunities; Providing career guidance support to young people.

 

2. Department of Biotechnology launches Programme for Clinical Trial Research: The Department of Biotechnology has launched the programme for “Strengthening Clinical Trial Research Capacity in Neighbouring Countries”. The programme will help neighbouring countries, and LMICs (Lowand Middle Income Countries) to build capacities for Covid-19 vaccine trials. Through this training program and knowledge sharing efforts, Government of India is fulfilling its commitment of building various technical capacities in its neighbouring countries. The Department of Biotechnology has initiated the first phase of the training program in partnership with Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

 

3. Central Pollution Control Board celebrates 46th Foundation Day: The Central Pollution Control Board celebrated its 46th Foundation Day. The CBCB was established on September 23, 1974 under The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 as a technical arm of Central Government for environmental research, monitoring, regulation and enforcement in the country. Since its inception, CPCB is working towards environmental protection in the country. Some of its pro-active actions include setting sector specific standards; real time surveillance of more than 5,000 industries; river basin studies, which led to genesis of Ganga Action Plan; multi-city source apportionment studies; establishing extensive monitoring network and data management for public dissemination; setting national ambient air quality standards; and fixing water quality criteria.

 

4. ‘Kritagya’ Hackathon by National Agricultural Higher Education Project of ICAR: A hackathon named “KRITAGYA” has been planned by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP). This hackathon has been planned to promote potential technology solutions for enhancing farm mechanization with special emphasis on women friendly equipments. Students, faculties and innovators/entrepreneurs from any university / technical institution across the country can apply and participate in the event in the form of a group. “KRITAGYA” will give an opportunity to the students, faculties, entrepreneurs, innovators and other stakeholders to showcase their innovative approaches and technology solutions to promote farm mechanization in India. It will also help in enhancing the learning capabilities, innovations and disruptive solutions, employability and entrepreneurial drive in Farm Mechanization sector.

 

5. Railway plans 100% of its broad-gauge routes by 2023: Indian Railways has planned for 100% electrification of its broad gauge routes by 2023. Around 63% broad gauge lines have already been electrified out of a total 63,631 route kilometers and total of 23,765 route km lines are yet to be electrified in the country. Vacant land of Railways which is not in immediate operational needs will be utilized in the interim period for commercial development to mobilize additional financial resources. This information was stated by the Railway Minister Piyush Goyal in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 23 September 2020.

 

6. Centre sanctions Rs. 108 crore under UDAN scheme for three Airports in Chhattisgarh: The Central Government has sanctioned Rs. 108 crore under UDAN scheme for upgradation of three Chhattisgarh Airports. Out of the total amount, Rs. 48 crore have been sanctioned for Jagdalpur, Rs. 27 crore for Ambikapur and Rs. 33 crore for Bilaspur under UDAN scheme for up-gradation and development of these Airports. The Airports Authority of India has planned for the investment of about 900 crore rupees to develop and expand Raipur airport which includes expansion of the terminal building.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Former rebel leader Ishmael Toroama elected Bougainville president: Former rebel military commander, Ishmael Toroama has been elected as president of Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea. This was the first general election since Bougainville voted overwhelmingly to separate from Papua New Guinea in November 2019. Bougainville is a mineral-rich and lush group of islands in the South Pacific.

Note: Bougainville Capital: Buka Island; Bougainville Currency: PNG kina.

 

2. PM Modi in Time Magazine’s ‘100 most influential people of 2020’ list: Time Magazine has released the TIME 100 Most Influential People List 2020. Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi is the only politician on the list. He has been named in this for the fourth time since coming in power in 2014. The List has named people in five categories: Pioneers, Artists, Leaders, Titans, Icons. The following Indians have also been named in this list:

(1) Professor Ravindra Gupta (Pioneer), is a Professor of Clinical Microbiology and has worked for the cure of HIV.

(2) Ayushmann Khurrana (Artists).

(3) Bilkis (Icons), the ‘Dadi from Shaheen Bagh’.

 

3. India’s Khushi Chindaliya appointed as UNEP regional ambassador: A 17-year-old girl, Khushi Chindaliya has been appointed as Regional Ambassador for India by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)- Tunza Eco-Generation. In her new role, Khusi will raise awareness about climate change and the importance of environmental conservation and the need to safeguard environmental treasures. She will work with the TEG on various environmental awareness programmes till February 2021.

Note: UNEP Headquarters location: Nairobi, Kenya; UNEP Head: Inger Andersen; UNEP Founded: 5 June 1972.

 

4. World Maritime Day 2020: 24th September: World Maritime Day 2020 is observed globally on 24th September in the form of an online event. The exact date of celebrating World Maritime Day is left to the individual governments but is usually celebrated during the last week in September. The theme of World Maritime Day 2020 is “Sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet,” which provides an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to showcase the work that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and its Member States are undertaking to achieve the targets. The theme will provide opportunities for leaders from various sectors, including shipping, to both reflect on the work done and the urgent steps they further plan towards a sustainable future.

Note: International Maritime Organization Headquarters location: London, United Kingdom; International Maritime Organization Founded: 17 March 1948; International Maritime Organization Secretary- General: Kitack Lim.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Former cricketer Ash Barty wins Golf Club Championship: The top-ranked Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) player in the world and a former professional cricket player, Ashleigh Barty has now added another feat in her sporting list by winning Brookwater Golf Club women’s championship. The 24-year-old Australian, who famously played professional cricket during a year out from tennis, decided not to leave home for the U.S. Open or her title defence at Roland Garros because of the pandemic.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI forms technical committee on social stock exchange under the chairmanship of Harsh Kumar Bhanwala: SEBI has constituted a Technical group on the social stock exchange (SSE) to develop a framework for onboarding non-profit organizations (NPO) and for-profit enterprises (FPE) on SSE. The technical group would be chaired by former chairman of NABARD, Harsh Kumar Bhanwala. The committee would be required to: define for profit social investing /enterprises; prescribe disclosure requirements relating to financials, governance, performance etc.; dwell upon aspects related to social impact, social audit, information repositories etc.

About social stock exchange (SSE): The Social Stock Exchange (SSE) was proposed by Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in July 2019 Budget Speech for social enterprises and voluntary organisations to help them raise capital through debt, equity and mutual funds. An SSE will allow the listing of non-profit or non-government organisations on stock exchanges and provide them with an alternative fund-raising structure.

 

2. RBI appoints AK Dixit as new administrator of PMC Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed AK Dixit (ex-general manager at Union Bank of India), as the new administrator of the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank. He has replaced JB Bhoria who has stepped down from his role as the administrator of the bank due to health reasons. In September 2019, the RBI had superseded the board of PMC bank due to fraud and financial irregularities in the PMC bank.

Note: PMC Bank Founded: 1984; PMC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. UNCTAD projects India’s GDP at -5.9% in 2020: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has predicted that the GDP of India will contract by 5.9% in the year 2020. For the year 2021, UNCTAD projects the Indian economy to grow by 3.9%. The projection was made in its Trade and Development Report 2020. The baseline scenario is a sharp recession in 2020 as the stringent lockdown measures, to prevent the spread of the virus have halted, many productive activities across the country. Global economy will contract by estimated 4.3% in 2020, while South Asia’s economy will contract 4.8% in 2020 and recover to 3.9% in 2021.

Note: UNCTAD Headquarters location: Geneva, Switzerland; UNCTAD Head: Mukhisa Kituyi; UNCTAD Founded: 30 December 1964.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 72nd Emmy award 2020 announced: The 72nd Emmy Awards 2020 marks the beginning of Hollywood’s first major show in the times of COVID-19. The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel at an empty theatre in Los Angeles with cutouts of the nominees placed in the audience. Here’s some of the winners’ list of the Emmy Awards 2020:

Drama Series: Succession

Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Zendaya, Euphoria

Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Jeremy Strong, Succession

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Succession

Limited Series: Watchmen

Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie: Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True

Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie: Regina King, Watchmen

Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special: Unorthodox

Comedy Series: Schitt’s Creek

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Schitt’s Creek

Competition Program: RuPaul’s Drag Race

Variety Talk Series: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Outstanding Television Movie: Bad Education

 

DEFENCE

 

1. DRDO successfully test fires ABHYAS from Odisha: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted a successful flight test of ABHYAS, a High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from the Interim Test Range, Balasore in Odisha. ABHYAS can be used as a target for evaluation of various missile systems. ABHYAS has been designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of the DRDO.

The air vehicle is launched using twin underslung boosters. It is powered by a small gas turbine engine and has an Inertial Navigation System (INS) along with a Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control. The vehicle has been programmed for fully autonomous flight. The check out of the vehicle is done using laptop-based Ground Control Station (GCS).

Note: DRDO Chairman: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi passes away: Union Minister of State for Railways, Suresh Angadi has passed away after he contracted coronavirus disease. He is the first member of the Union Cabinet to die due to coronavirus. Suresh Angadi was a four-time Lok Sabha MP from Karnataka’s Belagavi constituency. He was elected in 2004, 2014 and 2019.

 

2. Bollywood Actor Bhupesh Pandya passes away: Theatre and Bollywood actor Bhupesh Pandya passed away due to lung cancer in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He is known for his role in Ayushmann Khurrana’s debut film ‘Vicky Donor’. He also played the role of supporting actor in movies like Gandhi to Hitler (2011), Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran (2018) and Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi. He was an alumnus of National School of Drama (NSD) 2001 batch. 

Daily GK Updates – 23rd Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Dr. Harsh Vardhan chairs ‘Aarogya Manthan’ 2.0: Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare chaired ‘Aarogya Manthan’ 2.0 celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). During the event, he also presented awards to the winners of the Ayushman Bharat PMJAY Start-up Grand Challenge to support the implementation of PM-JAY. The Union Health Minister launched the AB PMJAY Joint Certification Programme. This programme will develop the skills and knowledge of relevant stakeholders in medical audit and health insurance for accurate and efficient processing of claims and prevention and detection of fraud and abuse. The “AB PMJAY Anti-Fraud Framework: Practitioners’ Guidebook” was also released and will serve as a useful tool for the States as it is a repository of the anti-fraud guidelines, techniques, advisories along with legal remedies/course of action presently available under applicable Indian laws.

Note: CEO of National Health Authority (NHA): Dr. Indu Bhushan.

 

2. Gujarat Chief Minister announces subsidy schemes for e-scooters, rickshaws: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced an assistance scheme to encourage use of battery-operated two-wheelers and three-wheelers in the state. Gujarat Government will provide subsidy of 12,000 rupees to school students studying in Standard-9th to colleges for battery-operated two-wheelers. Government is targeting to provide such subsidies for 10,000 such vehicles. Similarly, a subsidy of 48,000 rupees will be given for three-wheeler e-rickshaw for individual and institutional beneficiaries. This subsidy will be given for 5,000 e-rickshaw.

 

3. ITBP ties up with Uttarakhand govt to promote adventure tourism: The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote adventure sports activities at Tehri Lake in the state. According to the MoU:

(1) ITBP along with the department will now work on the building of adventure sports activities like land base adventure centre, water base adventure centre, aero base adventure centre at Rajiv Gandhi Adventure Sports Academy situated at Tehri Lake.

(2) It will train over 200 candidates selected by the state government or tourism department every year free of cost. All arrangements and expenses for the operation of and training in the academy will be borne by the ITBP.

(3) The ITBP has prepared the road map for development and taking over of the water adventure facility near Tehri Lake and submitted to the state government for finalising a tie-up for the project to bolster tourism in Uttarakhand.

(4) It would use the training infrastructure built by the state government for training and sporting purpose for all types in areas surrounding Tehri Lake, following security and other norms stipulated by the state.

Note: Chief Minister of Uttarakhand: Trivendra Singh Rawat; Governor: Baby Rani Maurya.

Director-General of ITBP: Surjeet Singh Deswal.

 

4. MCA extends the tenure of Company Law Committee by 1 year; Head- Rajesh Verma: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has extended the tenure of the Company Law Committee by one year until September 2021. Corporate affairs secretary Rajesh Verma is the present chairperson of the committee. The committee has a total of 11 members. It was set up to: (1) suggest measures to improve functioning of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), and
(2) make recommendations on issues pertaining to implementation of the Companies Act and Limited Liability Partnership Act.

 

5. A book titled “Kitchens of Gratitude” authored by Chef Vikas Khanna: Star chef Vikas Khanna has authored a book titled “Kitchens of Gratitude” in which he has written about his Feed India initiative. Feed India initiative is one of the largest food drives in the world, serving meals to the underprivileged. The book will be released in 2021. He will also be honoured with the 2020 Asia Game Changer Award in October.

 

6. A book titled “Voices of Dissent” authored by Romila Thapar: A new book titled “Voices of Dissent” authored by Historian Romila Thapar will be jointly published by Penguin Random House India and Seagull Books. The book is set to publish in October 2020. The book is a historical essay that explores dissent, including its articulation and public response to its forms, with a focus on the recent protest in India against the citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens. Romila Thapar hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Her works include A History of India (1966), Interpreting Early India (1992), Early India: From the Origin to AD 1300(2003). She received the Kluge Prize in December 2008. She was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 2005 which she declined stating that she made a resolve not to accept any “State Award”.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India extends USD 250 million support to the Maldives to overcome the economic impact of Covid-19: India has extended financial assistance of USD 250 million to the Maldives to help it mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The budgetary support of USD 250 million has been extended without conditions. This financial assistance is being routed through the State Bank of India (SBI), Male so that it does not reflect in the external borrowings of the Maldives. Indian government has provided a sovereign guarantee to SBI for this financial assistance.

 

2. Bah Ndaw named Mali’s interim president: Mali’s former defence minister, Bah Ndaw has been named as Interim President of the country’s new transition government. He will take the charge of the office with effect from 25 September 2020. On 19th August 2020, Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita announced his resignation with immediate effect following a military mutiny in the Republic of Mali. Colonel Assimi Goita, the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) which overthrew Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was appointed vice president.

Note: Republic of Mali Capital: Bamako; Currency: West African CFA franc.

 

3. Simanchala Dash appointed as advisor to IMF Executive Director: The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved the proposal to appoint Simanchala Dash as an advisor to Executive Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington. He has been appointed for a period of three years.

Note: Headquarters of IMF: Washington, D.C., United States; Managing Director of IMF: Kristalina Georgieva.

 

4. International Day of Sign Languages: 23rd September: The International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) is celebrated annually across the world on 23 September to raise awareness on sign languages and strengthen the status about sign languages. The theme for the 2020 International Day of Sign Languages is “Sign Languages are for Everyone!”. Also, the last full week of September is observed as International Week of the Deaf. 23 September has been chosen to mark IDSL as it commemorates the establishment of the World Federation of the Deaf on 23 September 1951. The International Day of Sign Languages was first celebrated in 2018.

Note: World Federation of the Deaf President: Joseph J. Murray; World Federation of the Deaf Founded: 23 September 1951, Rome, Italy; World Federation of the Deaf Headquarters location: Helsinki, Finland.

 

5. UN marked its 75 anniversary on 22nd September: United Nation marks its 75th anniversary on September 22, 2020 at a time of great disruption due to unprecedented global health crisis with severe economic and social impacts. For the first time, pre-recorded video statements will be delivered at UN General Assembly event. UN appealed to preserve 2020 as the longest period without a military confrontation. United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945.

Note: General Secretary: Antonio Guterres

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Colonel Dr Girija Mungali named in AFC task-force: Retired Colonel Dr Girija Shanker Mungali has been appointed as one of the seven members of the Asian Football Confederation’s task force. The taskforce will regulate the football clubs in Asia and Australia. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Club Licensing Committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The appointment of Dr Girija Shanker Mungali to AFC was made by Dato’ Windsor John, the General Secretary of the Asian Football Confederation. The retired Colonel will be on the panel till 2023.

Note: Asian Football Confederation is the nodal governing body of football in Asia and Australia.

Headquarters of Asian Football Confederation: Malaysia.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC Life & YES Bank enters into partnership to sell insurance policies: HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation) Life and Yes Bank entered into a Corporate Agency Arrangement (CA). As part of the arrangement, HDFC Life will provide a diverse range of insurance products to customers of Yes Bank. HDFC Life’s wide range of life insurance products includes solutions for protection, saving and investment, retirement and critical illness. It will be available to customers of Yes Bank through the Bank’s branches which are spread throughout the country.

Note: HDFC Life MD & CEO: Vibha Padalkar; HDFC Life Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

YES Bank MD & CEO: Prashant Kumar; YES Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

2. Google Pay, Visa partner for card-based payments with tokenization: Google Pay has partnered with VISA for the rollout of tokenization across its platform that will enable users to safely transact with their debit or credit cards. Through tokenization, Google Pay users can make payment by using the debit or credit card without physically sharing their credit or debit card details through a secure digital token attached to their phone. About Tokenization feature:

(1) The feature will also facilitate the use of the tap-to-pay feature on near-field communications (NFC)-enabled point of sale (PoS) terminals and online merchants.

(2) The feature also works with online merchants, delivering more native and seamless OTP experiences without any redirects to 3D secure sites.

(3) This feature is now available to all users of Axis, SBI Card and Kotak.

Note: CEO of Google: Sundar Pichai; Headquarters: California, United States.

India & South Asia Group Country Manager of Visa: TR Ramachandran.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. CCI approves acquisition of 100% equity shares of Medlife by API Holdings: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of 100% equity shares of Medlife International Private Limited (“Medlife”) by API Holdings Private Limited (“API Holdings”). It also approved the acquisition of up to 19.59% equity share capital of API Holdings by Medlife’s shareholders under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.

API is a private company, incorporated in 2019. API directly or through its subsidiaries carries out various business activities including wholesale sale and distribution of drugs; transportation and delivery services primarily focused on pharmaceutical sector; owning technology and intellectual property for developing e- commerce platforms. Medlife is primarily a healthcare company engaged in the wholesale sale and distribution of drugs.

Note: Chairperson of Competition Commission of India: Ashok Kumar Gupta.

 

DEFENSE

 

1. Indian Navy conducts Passage Exercise with Royal Australian Navy: The Indian Navy (IN) has commenced a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in the East Indian Ocean Region. The exercise would involve participation of HMAS Hobart from the Australian side and Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Karmuk. The Passage Exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices from each other. The exercise will also involve advanced surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firings, seamanship exercises, naval manoeuvres and Cross Deck Flying Operations. PASSEXs are regularly conducted by IN with units of friendly foreign navies, whilst visiting each other’s ports or during a rendezvous at sea.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

Australia Prime Minister: Scott Morrison; Australia Capital: Canberra

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Marathi actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar passes away: Renowned Marathi, Hindi films, and stage actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar (79 years) passed away due to COVID-19 in Satara in Maharashtra. She played the role of Revathi in play Sangeet Senshaikolol and Marathi drama Matsyagandha. The actress had worked in many Bollywood hits including 'Apne Paraye', 'Zanjeer, 'Namak Halal', 'Sharaabi', 'Shaukeen' and Marathi movies like 'Maherchi Sadi', 'Vahinichi Maya', 'Umbartha', 'Sutradhar', 'Navari Mile Navryala' etc.

 

2. Veteran Congress minister Zakiya Inam passes away: Former Congress Minister of Rajasthan Zakia Inam (71 years) passed away due to coronavirus at Rajasthan University of Health Sciences Hospital in Jaipur. She was three times MLA from Tonk constituency and was the only woman candidate who became MLA three-times in Rajasthan. She contested election as a Congress candidate in the year 1985, 1990, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013. Her portfolio with Rajasthan govt includes health, women and child welfare.