Daily GK Updates – 24th Feb, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Cabinet approves production-linked incentive scheme for telecom sector: The Union Cabinet approved a production-linked incentive scheme for the telecom sector. The Electronic and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, the production-linked incentive worth Rs 12,195 Crore has been cleared for the telecom sector. He said, this will create 40 thousand direct and indirect employment. Production Linked Incentive Scheme intends to promote manufacture of Telecom and Networking Products in India and proposes a financial incentive to boost domestic manufacturing and attract investments in the target segments of telecom and networking products in order to encourage make in India. The scheme will also encourage exports of telecom and networking products ‘Made in India’.

 

2. Govt approves proposals worth over Rs 363 cr to increase level of processing & value addition of horticultural & agricultural produce: Food Processing Industries Ministry has approved proposals worth over 363 crore rupees to increase the level of processing and value addition of horticultural and agricultural produce. This will result in increase in income of the farmers and create employment at the local level. The approval was given in the two Inter-Ministerial Approval Committee meetings, which were chaired by Minister of Food Processing industries Narendra Singh Tomar. The proposals were received under the Scheme for Creation for Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Cluster and the scheme for Creation and Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation.

 

3. 3 crore 53 lakh rural household provided tap water connections under Jal Jeevan Mission: The Jal Jeevan Mission has reached a new milestone by providing three crore 53 lakh rural household tap water connections. The mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 with the aim to provide tap water connection to every rural household by 2024. Jal Shakti Ministry said, as on 15th August 2019, out of 18.93 crore rural households, only 17 per cent had tap water connections. The Ministry said, the untiring efforts of States and Union Territories have helped Jal Jeevan Mission to reach this milestone.

 

4. Actor Darshan roped in as Agriculture Ambassador by Karnataka Govt: Actor DarshanToogudeepa has been appointed as the ambassador of Agriculture Department to populariseprogrammes meant for farmers’ welfare. His work would involve creating awareness among farmers about the programmes taken up by the department and also to inspire farmers. Incidentally, Mr. Darshan is also the ambassador for the Forest Department.

 

5. Vice President releases ‘Maverick Messiah’, a political biography on NTR: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has released “Maveric Messiah”, a political biography on former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao authored by senior journalist Ramesh Kandula. NTR was ranked among the top pioneers of ‘alternative politics’. His entry into politics and ‘dramatic’ success within about nine months of floating a regional party gave a new direction to national politics.

 

6. Central Excise Day: 24th February: Central Excise Day is celebrated every year on February 24 across India. The day is being celebrated to honour the service of the Central Board of Excise and Custom (CBEC) to the country. The day is celebrated to commemorate the legislation of the Central Excise and Salt act on 24 February 1944.

About Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs is formerly known as the Central Board of Excise and Customs. The Customs and Central Excise/ Central GST department was established to administer customs laws. Now the department is under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance which deals with the policy formulation concerning levy and collection of Customs, Central Excise duties, Central Goods & Services Tax and IGST, prevention of smuggling and administration of matters relating to Customs, Central Excise, Central Goods & Services Tax, IGST and Narcotics to the extent under CBIC’s purview.

Note: Chairman of Central Board of Excise and Custom: M. Ajit Kumar; Headquarters of Central Board of Excise and Custom: New Delhi; Central Board of Excise and Custom Founded: 1 January 1964.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Jean-Michel Sama appointed new PM of Congo: Congo’s president has appointed a new prime minister, further strengthening his control of the government over which his predecessor used to hold considerable influence. President Felix Tshisekedi appointed the 43-year-old Jean-Michel SamaLukondeKyenge to be the new prime minister ay. Lukonde had been head of the state mining company. Lukonde succeeds SylvestreIlungaIlunkamba, who resigned on Jan. 28 after a no-confidence vote in the parliament. Ilunkamba was a close ally of former president Joseph Kabila, the strongman who governed the impoverished Central African nation for 18 years.

 

2. Gallantry Award Recipient Siddharth Chatterjee Takes Over as Top UN Diplomat in China: Senior UN official Siddharth Chatterjee of India has formally taken over as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, a key posting of overseeing the work of 27 agencies, funds and programmes of the global organisation in the world’s most populous country. He will be UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s senior-most UN Representative in China as the UN Resident Coordinator. Chatterjee, whose early career was in the Indian Army, was decorated for gallantry by the President of India in 1995.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka wins Australian Open 2021: In tennis, Japan’s Naomi Osaka won her fourth Grand Slam title, after she beat American Jennifer Brady in the women’s singles game of the Australian Open final 2021. The four Grand Slam title for Osaka comes two Australian Open titles (2021 and 2019) and two US Open title (2018 and 2020). In Men’s singles final, Novak Djokovic claimed his ninth Australian Open crown and the 18th Major Grand Slam overall, as he defeated Daniil Medvedev.

Winners of Australian Open 2021:

Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) defeated Daniil Medvedev (Russia)

Women’s Singles: Naomi Osaka (Japan) defeated Jennifer Brady (US)

Men’s Doubles: Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Filip Polášek (Slovakia) defeated Rajeev Ram (US) and Joe Salisbury (UK)

Women’s Doubles: Elise Mertens (Belgium) and ArynaSabalenka (Belarus) defeated BarboraKrejčíková (Czech Republic) and KateřinaSiniaková (Czech Republic)

Mixed Doubles: BarboraKrejcikova (Czech Republic) and Rajeev Ram of the US defeated the Australian pair of Samantha Stosur and Matthew Ebden.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Mastercard and Razorpay partner to make digital payments more accessible for MSMEs and startups: Mastercard and Razorpay have launched a strategic partnership to drive digital payments acceptance by small businesses and startups in India. This combines Razorpay’s payment processing capabilities with Mastercard’s digital banking solutions and card services. The partnership will enable Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in digitising their operations, maintaining business continuity in the challenging environment and preparing for the future beyond cash.

 

2. ADB, Medanta sign debt financing to support Covid-19 response: Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed aRs 100 crore debt financing agreement with Global Health Private Ltd (Medanta) to provide essential health care services and medical equipment to help combat the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. The project will support the purchase of personal protective equipment, basic hygiene products and patient care equipment like ventilators and beds. It will also support staff training programmes on infection prevention and control.

 

3. Bank credit growth at 90% of FY20 level: RBI: Bank credit growth in FY21 so far (up to January 29) has reached about 90 per cent of the year-ago level, going by the Reserve Bank of India’s data on Scheduled Banks’ Statement of Position in India. This is probably an indication that credit demand is limping back to normalcy after the economy was ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic in the first six months of FY21. Year-to-date (YTD) credit growth of all scheduled banks at ₹3,39,147 crore was about 90 per cent of the year-ago YTD credit growth of ₹3,74,938 crore.On a year-on-year basis, credit growth has slowed to 5.92 per cent as of January-end 2021 against 7.41 per cent as of January-end 2020.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s GDP to grow 13.5% in FY22: Nomura: Japanese brokerage Nomura said that economic activity is on the ‘verge of normality’ after being severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The firm said that India GDP will grow at 13.5 per cent in FY22. Nomura’s estimates are higher than the growth rate pegged by the Reserve Bank of India. The apex bank expects GDP to jump by 10.5 per cent in FY22, after contracting by 7.7 per cent in FY21. The brokerage said that it expects real GDP to contract by 6.7 per cent in FY21 and grow by 13.5 per cent in FY22.

 

2. Tata Communications announces partnership with Google Cloud to ‘Transform’ Indian Businesses: Tata Communications announced partnership with Google Cloud to drive cloud adoption and transform Indian businesses. The partnership will enable organisations to deploy and access Google Cloud services through Tata Communications’ IZO managed cloud. As a Google Cloud India Partner, Tata Communications will support organisations with services across infrastructure modernisation, data centre transformation, application modernisation, smart analytics, multi-cloud deployments and more.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. ‘Meesha’ Wins Best Novel at Kerala SahityaAkademi Awards: The Kerala SahityaAkademi awards for the year 2019 were announced, and author S. Hareesh’sMeesha (Moustache) has won the best novel prize. The awards carry prize money of Rs 25,000, a citation and a certificate.Other awards:

(1) RathriPandrandaraykoruTharattu (A Lullaby at 12:30 in the Night), written by P. Raman, won the award for the best poetry.

(2) Ramachi by Vinoy Thomas has bagged the award for the best short story.

(3) Noted actress SajithaMadathil bagged the Akademi award for her contribution in the drama ArangileMatsyagandhikal.

(4) The Akademi announced that fellowships have been awarded to writers P. Valsala and N.V.P. Unnithiri. The fellowships carry a cash award of Rs 50,000, a two sovereign gold locket, a citation and a certificate.

 

2. Ministry of Tribal Affairs bags Award of Appreciation in the 18th CSI SIG E-Governance Awards 2020: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs bags the prestigious Award of Appreciation in the Project Category-Central Government Entity – in the 18th CSI SIG eGov Awards 2020 for their ‘Performance Dashboard Empowering Tribals Transforming India through various ICT initiatives.

The award was received by the joint secretary of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Dr. Navaljit Kapoor from the honorable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Yogi Adityanath Ji in Lucknow. These awards have been conducted by CSI-SIGegov. The awards are given for recognizing the efforts made in the e-Governance area at the State, Department, District and Project level.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy gets third Scorpene submarine, to be commissioned as INS Karanj: The Indian Navy has got its third Scorpene-class submarine, which will be commissioned as INS Karanj. The submarine, which is docked in Mumbai’s Mazagaon, was launched in 2018 for sea trials. The fourth such submarine – Vela – is currently undergoing sea trials, while Vagir – the fifth – has just started harbour sea trial. The sixth one is still being worked upon. All  six submarines are being constructed under Project P-75. With these, India will be further strengthening its position as a submarine-building nation.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Music Director Issac Thomas Kottukapally passes away: Music director Issac Thomas Kottukapally passed away in Chennai. He was 72. Kottukapally had received the National Award for Best Background Music for Malayalam film ‘AdaminteMakan Abu’ in 2010.He had also received the State Film Awards for Best Background Music for four films — ‘Bhavam’ (2002), ‘Margam’ (2003), ‘Sancharam’ and ‘Oridam’ (2004). He composed music for many films including ‘Sancharam’, ‘KuttySrank’, ‘Swaham’, ‘Bhavam’ and ‘KunjananthanteKada’, among others.

Daily GK Updates – 23rd Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. CSIR inks MoU with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to promote health research: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the development, conduct and promotion of health research in India. Gates Foundation and CSIR will work together to identify opportunities to initiate scientific and technological collaborations. These will focus on developing and testing new preventions, therapies and interventions that can help to solve major health concerns that affect India and other developing countries.

Areas of research collaboration: (1) Genetic diseases that impact infant and neonatal mortality;

(2) New diagnostics and devices for infectious disease and environmental surveillance; (3) Development of cost-effective processes for drug, vaccines, biologics, and diagnostics manufacturing; (4) Novel microbiome-directed foods; (5) Socio-economic impact of science and technological tools; (6) Other areas of health and development.

Note: CSIR Head: Shekhar C. Mande; CSIR Founded: 26 September 1942; CSIR HQ: New Delhi.

 

2. Prakash Javadekar inaugurates Atal ParyavaranBhavan in Lakshadweep: The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, inaugurated the Atal ParyavaranBhavan at Lakshadweep. Prakash Javadekar is on a four-day official visit to Lakshadweep from February 19 to 22, 2021. During the visit, the minister attended high-level meetings with the Secretaries of various departments in the Lakshadweep administration, participated in various official programmes at Suheli, Kadmat and Bangaram islands. The minister will also evaluate the major innovative initiatives of the Union Territory’s Forest and Environment Department, so that Lakshadweep undergoes comprehensive development, without compromising it’s commitment to nature.

Note: Lakshadweep Capital: Kavaratti; Lakshadweep Administrator: Praful Patel.

 

3. Kerala Government sanctions Rs. 9 crore to build 48 ‘Smart’ Anganwadis: The state government of Kerala has sanctioned Rs. 9 crores to build ‘smart anganwadis’, by converting the conventional anganwadis into “smart” structures with better amenities. The state Department of Women and Child Development has given permission for 48 anganwadis in the state to construct new buildings under the Smart Anganwadi scheme.

About the smart anganwadis: These smart anganwadis are being designed and constructed as part of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). These ‘smart anganwadis’ will provide early childhood care by making the facility more child-friendly to nurture the mental and physical development of children. It is expected to have various amenities, ranging from study hall, kitchen, dining area, storeroom, creative zone, garden to swimming pool and outdoor play area as per the availability of land.

Note: Kerala CM: PinarayiVijayan; Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

 

4. Family pensions upper ceiling raised from Rs 45,000 to Rs 1,25,000 per month: In a bid to bring ‘ease of living’ to the family members of deceased government employees, the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has decided to raise the upper ceiling of family pensions from ₹45,000 to ₹1.25 lakh per month. The amount of both the family pensions will now be restricted to ₹1,25,000 per month, which is over two and half times higher than the earlier limit. In accordance with sub-rule (11) of rule 54 of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules 1972, in case both wife and husband are government servants and are governed by the provisions of that rule, on their death, the surviving child is eligible for two family pensions in respect of the deceased parents.

 

5. Assam CM lays foundation of first skill university of eastern India: The Chief Minister of Assam, SarbanandaSonowal has laid the foundation of the first Skill University of Eastern India in Darrang district in Assam. The state-of-the-art skill university would be built with a financial outlay of Rs 1,000 crore. It will impart training to over 10,000 students in 12 disciplines. The university is expected to be completed by 2026. It will have “understandings” with countries like Germany, Taiwan, South Korea, Israel, Japan, and England.

Note: Assam CM: SarbanandaSonowal; Assam Governor: JagdishMukhi.

 

6. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath launches Abhyudaya scheme: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Abhyudaya scheme via video conferencing. Under the Abhyudaya scheme, free of cost coaching centres for the preparation of competitive government exams will be provided by the UP government. The coaching institutions are especially aimed at providing assistance to those candidates who are not able to take coaching for the exams due to their financial problems.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. United States officially re-joins Paris Climate Agreement: The United States has officially rejoined the Paris Agreement, under the Presidency of US President Joe Biden. Earlier, in November 2020, the US had officially exited the agreement on the order of then-President Donald Trump. The landmark Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015, as per which countries are expected to enhance their commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions every five years. The goals of the global pact are to limit global warming to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.

 

2. India signs trade deal, $100 million defence agreement with Mauritius: The Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar was on an official visit to two key Indian Ocean region countries- Maldives and Mauritius. The External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar visited the Island nation Mauritius to review the comprehensive and important bilateral relationship between the two nations. India signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Partnership Agreement-(CECPA)) with Mauritius. About the agreement:

(1) The FTA or CECPA is the first such pact with any African country, and will help Mauritius to emerge as a “hub of Africa”.

(2) India has also offered a USD 100 million Line of Credit (LoC) to Mauritius to facilitate the procurement of defence assets.

(3) Apart from this, an agreement has also been signed between the two countries to provide a Dornier aircraft and an Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv on lease to Mauritius on a gratis basis for 2 years, so that the country can carry out patrolling activities and monitor its vast maritime domain more effectively.

(4) India delivered 100,000 doses of Made in India COVID-19 vaccines to the country. It had supplied 100,000 doses earlier. Both the countries also signed MoU on Consumer Protection and a Contract for an 8 MW solar plant.

Note: Prime Minister of Mauritius: PravindJugnauth; President: PrithvirajsingRoopun; Mauritius Currency: Mauritian rupee; Mauritius Capital: Port Louis.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Ravichandran Ashwin becomes first bowler to dismiss left-handers 200 times in Tests: In Cricket, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has become the first player in the 143-year history of Test cricket to take 200 wickets against left-handed batsmen. He achieved the feat during the second day of India’s second Test against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, his home ground. Fast bowler Stuart Broad was the 200th left-hander to be dismissed by Ashwin. Ashwin has picked 391 wickets in his career so far and 51.2 per cent of his scalps have come against left-handers.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Kotak Mahindra Bank launches Kotak Remit on mobile to send money abroad directly from phone: Kotak Mahindra Bank launched its outward forex remittance service, Kotak Remit, hence allowing its users to directly send money abroad from their phones. The feature is already live on the Kotak Mobile Banking App. For the first time, Kotak customers can conveniently transfer money internationally to their beneficiaries straight from their mobile. It is an industry-first move, and customers will not have to furnish any physical documents for transactions up to $25,000 or equivalent seamlessly to permissible geographies across the world.

 

2. Mastercard Launches Priceless India to Showcase Rich Heritage to Domestic, Global Travellers: Mastercard announced the launch of its flagship Priceless program in India. The program – known as Priceless India – will enable domestic and global travellers who are Mastercard cardholders to attain unique insights and exclusive access to several unparalleled experiences in the country. The program will roll out in two phases. In the first phase, Mastercard will launch 16 short films that will introduce several unique aspects of India’s most iconic cities and destinations for tourists. In the second phase Mastercard cardholders will get a chance to partake in these experiences in real-time through curated packages that can be purchased online. The multi-phase campaign aims to rekindle Indian consumers’ desire for the most unique travel and entertainment experiences

 

3. ESIC join hands with the National Health Authority: In a big leap taken by Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to ensure better accessibility of medical facilities for its beneficiaries, the corporation has joined hands with the National Health Authority (NHA) to leverage the medical infrastructure available under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (AB PM-JAY) in the state of Maharashtra. The tie-up with PM-JAY was initially implemented on a pilot basis in Maharashtra in the district of Ahmednagar and now has been extended to the entire state sans the south Mumbai region, Pune and Kolhapur districts. With hassle-free procedures, this convergence is expected to provide doorstep access of medical facilities to the beneficiaries.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Amazon to start device manufacturing line in India: Amazon is setting up its first device manufacturing line in India to make Fire TV sticks locally and has partnered with Cloud Network Technology, a subsidiary of Foxconn, to begin producing the device at its Chennai plant later this year. The e-commerce giant claimed that the production line will have an annual capacity of “hundreds of thousands” of units, and will also continuously evaluate manufacturing capacity based on domestic demand for its devices. It reiterated its commitment to invest $1 billion into the country to digitise 10 million small and medium businesses by 2025 and create 1 million additional jobs by then.

 

AWARDS

 

1. Bhim Army’s Chandra Shekhar Azad named in TIME’s list:Bhim Army Chief Chandra ShekharAazad and five Indian-origin personalities have been featured in the 2021 TIME100 Next. TIME100 Next 2021 is the second edition of the annual list of Time magazine’s 100 ‘emerging leaders who are shaping the future.’

About Bhim Army: Bhim Army is a Dalit rights organisation based in Uttar Pradesh to help Dalits escape poverty through education. It was founded by Satish Kumar, Vijay Ratan Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad in 2015.

The five Indian-origin persons in Time100 Next list are:

(1) Twitter lawyer: VijayaGadde

(2) UK’s Finance Minister: Rishi Sunak

(3) Instacart founder and CEO: Apoorva Mehta

(4) Get Us PPE executive director and doctor: Shikha Gupta

(5) Founder of nonprofit Upsolve’s: Rohan Pavuluri

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India successfully test fires Helina, Dhruvastra anti-tank guided missiles:Defence Research and Development Organisation has successfully carried out joint user trials of indigenously developed Helina and Dhruvastra Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) from the Advanced Light Helicopter at the Pokhran deserts in Rajasthan. Helena is the Army version and Dhruvastra is the Air Force version of the ALH. The missile systems have been designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Key Features: The Helina and Dhruvastra are the third generation, “Lock-on-Before-Launch (LOBL)” fire and forget ATGMs that can engage targets both indirect hit mode as well as top attack mode. The missile systems have all-weather day-and-night capability. They can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as with explosive reactive armour.

It is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world.

Note: Defence Research and Development & Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi; DRDO Established: 1958.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Carlos Menem, former President of Argentina, passed away: Argentina’s former President Carlos Menem has died at age 90 in Buenos Aires. Menem, who served two terms as president from 1989 to 1999 during which he pursued an aggressive privatisation policy. He served as governor of La Rioja from 1973 to 1976 before being arrested following a 1976 military coup and imprisoned for five years. 

Daily GK Updates – 22nd Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone of key power and urban sector projects in Kerala: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of key projects in the state of Kerala via video conference. Projects inaugurated includes:

(1) 320 KV Pugalur- Thrissur power transmission project, built at a cost of Rs 5,070 crore. The project is a Voltage Source Convertor (VSC) based High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Project and has India”s first HVDC link featuring state-of-the-art VSC technology.

(2) 50 MW Kasaragod Solar Power Project, developed under the National Solar Energy Mission

(3) 75 MLD (million litres per day) Water Treatment Plant at Aruvikkara under the AMRUT Mission.

(4) Apart from this, PM laid the foundation stone of Integrated Command and Control Centre and Smart Roads Project in Thiruvananthapuram.

 

2. Prime Minister launches ‘Mahabahu-Brahmaputra’ initiative in Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually launched ‘Mahabahu-Brahmaputra’ initiative in Assam. He laid the foundation stone for the DhubriPhulbariBridge. PM also perform the bhumi puja for the construction of Majuli Bridge in Assam. PM has announced the details stated that the landmark day in the development journey for Assam as Mahabahu-Brahmaputra initiative is going to be launched.

About Mahabahu-Brahmaputra initiative: Mahabahu-Brahmaputra initiative is going to be marked with the inauguration of the Ro-Pax vessel operations. The Ro-Pax vessel operations will be launched in between the Neamatighat&Majuli, Dhubri-Hatsingimari and North-South Guwahati. This initiative also includes the inauguration of the Inland Water Transport Terminal at Jogighopa. The initiative will also be marked with the inauguration of various tourist jetties at four locations in order to promote the river tourism and employment across the state.

Note: Assam CM: SarbanandaSonowal; Assam Governor: JagdishMukhi.

 

3. ‘Snakepedia’ mobile app launched in Kerala: A team of scientists, doctors and photographers in Kerala have launched a mobile application named “Snakepedia” that will present all relevant information on snakes, to help the public as well as doctors in treating snake bites.

About the app: The main aim of the app is to help the public identify snakes, avail proper treatment on time for snakebites, bust myths about snakes, and protect snakes as well as snakebite victims. The android mobile application documents information on snakes with the help of pictures, infographics and podcasts and analyses its first aid, treatment, myths and superstitions.

Note: Kerala CM: PinarayiVijayan; Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

 

4. Odisha Govt announced Development Package for MaaSamaleswari Shrine: The state government of Odisha, under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has launched the development work for the SAMALEI Project (Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economy Initiatives), to offer the divine experience to tourists & devotees. The project involves the development of 108 acres of land in & around the 16th-century shrine of MaaSamaleswari, the presiding deity of western Odisha.Odisha Government has announced a package of Rs 200-crore for 2021-22 fiscal for the implementation of the project. The project will be implemented under MoSarkar5T and will focus on the beautification of the temple & economic development of local people. It will include the development of amenities for devotees inside the 12-acre temple premises and development of four tall heritage welcome gates.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Odisha Capital: Bhubaneswar; Odisha Governor: Ganeshi Lal.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India-Australia circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE): The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the valedictory function of the India Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE) via videoconferencing. A circular economy implies reusing waste back into the production cycle to make new products instead of wasting such materials with embedded resources. The I-ACE was jointly organized by Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Government of India and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia. More than 200 participants in 39 teams from India and 33 teams from Australia took part.

Four key themes for the hackathon: (1) Innovation in packaging reducing packaging waste; (2) Innovation in food supply chains avoiding waste; (3) Creating opportunities for plastic waste reduction; (4) Recycling critical energy metals and e-waste.

Objective: To enable the students and startups/MSMEs of both nations in fostering innovative solutions for the development of a circular economy across the food system value chain with the aim of increasing the long-term health and resilience of our planet, through innovative technology solutions. I-ACE aims to accelerate the development of young and promising students and startups/MSMEs working towards the creation of a sustainable future.

Note: Prime Minister of Australia: Scott Morrison; The currency of Australia: Australian dollar; Capital of Australia: Canberra.

 

2. Perseverance rover has successfully landed on Mars: The NASA Perseverance rover safely landed on Mars after its 292.5 million-mile journey from Earth. The rover has been on a nearly 300 million-mile journey since it left Earth more than 6 months ago. Perseverance and her teams lived up to the namesake, overcoming the challenges of preparing for the journey’s final stages during a pandemic. The attitude control system is responsible for pointing the rover in the direction it needs to be and also helps figure out where the spacecraft is oriented in space.

Indian-American named Dr Swati Mohan, who first confirmed that the rover had survived a particularly tricky plunge into the Martian atmosphere. Mohan, who successfully spearheaded the development of attitude control and the landing system for the rover, was among the team of scientists behind the historic mission.

Note: Acting Administrator of NASA: Steve Jurczyk; Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States; NASA Founded: 1 October 1958.

 

3. World Thinking Day: 22th February: World Thinking Day, originally known as Thinking Day, is celebrated annually on 22 February by all Girl Scouts, Girl Guides and other girl groups worldwide. The day is observed to think about fellow brothers and sisters around the world, address their concerns and understand the true meaning of guiding. The theme for World Thinking Day 2021 is peacebuilding. Peacebuilding is at the heart of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting and is as vital and relevant today as for the last 100 years. By completing the steps in the Stand Together For Peace activity pack, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts will; Stand Strong, Stand up and Stand Together for peacebuilding.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ManikaBatra Wins Singles Title at 82nd National Table Tennis Championship: India’s top-ranked table tennis player ManikaBatra beat Reeth Rishya, 4-2, in the women’s singles final, to win the 82nd Senior National Table Tennis Championship, at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula, Haryana. It was Manika’s second Nationals title. She won her maiden national title in 2015 in Hyderabad.

 

2. Sri Lanka pacer Dhammika Prasad quits international cricket: Sri Lanka fast bowler Dhammika Prasad has announced his retirement from international cricket. He represented Sri Lanka in 25 Tests and 24 ODIs, bagging 75 and 32 wickets respectively. He also played alone T20 International against Australia in 2011. Prasad last played a Test match in October 2015 against the West Indies.

 

3. South Africa’s Faf du Plessis retires from Test cricket: Former captain of South Africa, Faf du Plessis has announced his retirement from Test cricket. The 36-year-old made his Test debut in November 2012 and played a total of 69 games in the longest format. He scored 4163 runs in his Test career, at an average of 40.02, with 10 centuries and 21 fifties.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Hyundai Develops Ultimate Mobility Vehicle ‘TIGER X-1’: Hyundai Motor Company has launched a Transformer-like robocar dubbed as TIGER X-1, that can travel over the most challenging terrains on the Earth as well as on other planets. TIGER stands for Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot, and the X-1 denotes its experimental status. Key Features:

(1) The Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV) TIGER is being developed by Hyundai in partnership with Autodesk and Sundberg-Ferar.

(2) Tiger is designed as a battery-electric vehicle, comprising of a small pod with four wheels on extendable legs. it will be able to operate as either a four-wheel-drive vehicle or four-legged walking robot.

(3) The vehicle is unscrewed, meaning that its, main use will be to carry payloads over remote and inaccessible locations, and not the people

(4) It will help in search and rescue, scientific research, military, or exploratory missions (even on new planets).

Note: Hyundai Motor Company Founder: Chung Ju-Yung; Hyundai Motor Company Founded: 29 December 1967, Seoul, South Korea.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Hyderabad Recognised as ‘2020 Tree City of the World’: Telangana’s capital, Hyderabad has been recognized as a 2020 Tree City of World, by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation, for its commitment to growing and maintaining urban forests. Hyderabad is the only city from India to have been recognized as a Tree City, to date. With this recognition, it has joined a network of like-minded global cities that recognise the importance of trees in building healthy, resilient and happy cities. 2020 Tree Cities of the world recognition is the second year of the programme, which features 120 cities from 63 countries. Most of the cities were from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Head: Qu Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Established: 16 October 1945.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy Ship Pralaya Participates in NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21: Indian Naval Ship Pralaya reached Abu Dhabi in UAE to participate in the Naval Defence Exhibition (NAVDEX 21) and International Defence Exhibition (IDEX 21) from February 20 to 25, 2021. NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21 is one of the leading international naval and defence exhibitions of the region. Participation of INS Pralaya will showcase the strengths of India’s indigenous shipbuilding, in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat’.

Key Features of INS Pralaya:  It is the second ship of the indigenously built Prabal Class Missile Vessels, built indigenously at Goa Shipyard Limited. The ship was commissioned in the Indian Navy on 18 December 2002 to perform a wide variety of surface warfare missions. The 56 m longship, displacing about 560 T is capable of speeds in excess of 35 knots. It is fitted with an impressive array of weapons and sensors, like 76.2 mm medium range gun, 30 mm close-range guns, chaff launchers and long-range surface to surface missiles.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh; Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950.

Daily GK Updates – 21st Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Cabinet approves PLI scheme for telecom sector worth Rs 12,195 crore: The Union Cabinet approved aRs 12,195-crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for domestic manufacturing of telecom and networking products such as switches, routers, radio access network, wireless equipment and other IoT access devices. Through this decision, the government aims to offset the imports of telecom equipment worth more than Rs 50,000 crore and reinforce it with “Made in India” products both for domestic markets and exports.

About the PLI scheme: The support under the PLI scheme will be provided to companies manufacturers of specified telecom and networking products in India like Gigabit Passive Optical Networks (GPON), base routers, Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS/ IPMPLS) and 5G/4G radios. The government will soon come up with a PLI scheme to encourage the production of laptops and tablet PCs.

 

2. PM Modi dedicates to the nation and lays foundation stone of key projects of oil and gas sector in Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation of key projects of the oil and gas sector in Tamil Nadu via video conferencing. PM Modi laid the foundation stone of Cauvery Basin Refinery at Nagapattinam. It will have a capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum, and will be set up through a Joint Venture of IOCL and CPCL at an estimated project cost of Rs. 31,500 crore. PM Modi dedicates to the nation and lays foundation stone of key projects of oil and gas sector in Tamil Nadu.

Among the projects dedicated were:

(1) 143 km Ramanathapuram – Thoothukudi natural gas pipeline of ONGC laid at the cost of about Rs. 700 crores. It is the part of the Ennore- Thiruvallur- Bengaluru- Puducherry- Nagapattinam- Madurai- Tuticorin Natural Gas Pipeline.

(2) Gasoline Desulphurisation Unit at Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL), Manali – constructed at the cost of about Rs. 500 crore.

 

3. PM Modi lays foundation stone of Maharaja Suheldev Memorial and Chittaura Lake Development Work at Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Maharaja Suheldev Memorial at Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, via video conference. PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of the development work of Chittaura Lake in Bahraich. A medical College building named after Maharaja Suheldev was also inaugurated by Modiji. The 2021 event marked the 112th birth anniversary celebration of Maharaja Suheldev. Maharaja Suheldev was the ruler of Shravasti in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, who ruled in the 11th century.

 

4. SpaceKidz India-built Satish Dhawan Nanosatellite to be launched on Feb 28 along with Bhagavad Gita, PM Modi’s photo & names of 25,000 individuals: The Chennai-based SpaceKidz India, has developed the nanosatellite called Satish Dhawan Satellite, or SD SAT. The SD SAT, a 30x10x10cm cuboid, is an experimental communication satellite, to test the capabilities of LoRa(Long range) technology in Space. The indigenously designed and developed miniature spacecraft, will be launched on February 28 by the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV), C51 rocket of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization). Besides its scientific payloads, the nanosatellite will also carry a copy of Bhagavad Gita, a photograph of Prime Mister Narendra Modi, and names of 25,000 common individuals to space. SpaceKidz India is an organisation dedicated to promoting space science among students.

 

5. India accounts for 11% of global death in road accidents: World Bank Report: The World Bank has released a comprehensive report  titled ‘Traffic Crash Injuries and Disabilities: The Burden on Indian Society’  in association with the SaveLife Foundation,  an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to improving road safety and emergency medical care across India. The report was released by Union transport minister, Nitin Gadkari. The report is based on the data for the year 2019. The World Bank-SaveLife Foundation report highlights the disproportionate impact of a road crash on poor households that pushes them into poverty and debt. It sheds light on the links between road crashes, poverty, inequality, and vulnerable road users in India. Key takeaways from the report:

(1) India has only 1 percent of the world’s total vehicles. However, the country accounts for 11 percent of the global death due to road accidents. This is the highest death rate in the world because of road accident.

(2) 70 percent of the fatalities are the age group of 18 to 45 years, impacting the country as a whole.

(3) Road crash deaths among poor households accounted for 44 percent in rural areas compared to 11.6 percent in urban areas

(4) In India, Low-income household (LIH) spends about 7 months of its income, while a high household income (HIH) spends less than a month’s salary in post-road crash care.

(5) More than 75 percent of poor households in India reported a decline in their income as a result of a road traffic crash.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia resigns: The Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Gakharia has announced his resignation. The 45-year-old Gakharia served as the Prime Minister from 8 September 2019 to 18 February 2021. He was stepping down because of disagreements within his own team over the decision to arrest Nika Melia, chairman of the United National Movement opposition party.

Note: Georgia Capital: Tbilisi; Currency: Georgian lari.

 

2. Ajai Malhotra becomes first Indian chairperson at UNHRC advisory:Ajai Malhotra became the first Indian to be elected as the Chairperson of the United Nations Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council. He has been on the Indian team negotiating issues such as biological diversity, climate change, desertification, education, energy, forestry, health, human rights, human settlements, intellectual property, international law, labour, ozone depletion, sustainable development and trade.

About the Ajai Malhotra: Malhotra first joined the Indian Foreign Services in 1977. Malhotra has previously served as ambassador to Russia, Kuwait, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York and Romania.

Note: Human Rights Council Founded: 15 March 2006; Human Rights Council President: NazhatShameem; Human Rights Council Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

 

3. International Mother Language Day: 21th February: The International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is observed annually on 21 February to raise awareness regarding linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism. The theme of the Day this year, “Fostering multilingualism for inclusion in education and society”. International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. The UN General Assembly welcomed the proclamation of the day in its resolution of 2002.

Note: UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay; UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Chris Morris becomes IPL’s most expensive player: Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) superstar and South African all-rounder Chris Morris shattered all records at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 auction in Chennai. Rajasthan Royals went all-out for the South African all-rounder Morris, buying him for a whopping INR 16.25 crore. Morris, who was declared surplus to requirement by the ViratKohli-led side after the conclusion of the IPL 2020 last year, turned out to be the most expensive player bought in the history of the cash-rich tournament.

 

2. Vivo is back as title sponsor for Indian Premier League 2021 Season: The Chinese mobile and technology company brand Vivo has returned as the title sponsors of IPL for the 2021 edition. This was informed by the Indian Premier League Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel at the IPL 2021 Auction in Chennai. In 2018, Vivo acquired the IPL title sponsorship for Rs 2,199 crore in a five-year deal. However, military clashes at the India-China border in June 2020, led VIVO to pull out as sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL). VIVO was then replaced by Indian online gaming platform Dream11 in 2020 season.

 

3. Kings XI Punjab renamed as Punjab Kings ahead of IPL auction: The IPL Franchise, Kings XI Punjab has formally been renamed as Punjab Kings ahead of the Indian Premier League auction. The new brand name and logo of the team was officially released by the management. The Punjab-based IPL franchise ‘Punjab Kings’ is co-owned by Bollywood actress PreityZinta, along with businessman Ness Wadia, Mohit Burman and Karn Paul. The side is currently led by batsman KL Rahul, with former Indian captain Anil Kumble as its head coach.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI permits residents to make remittances to IFSCs under LRS: The Reserve Bank of India has permitted resident individuals to make remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) to International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in the country. The decision of the RBI is aimed at deepening the financial markets in the IFSCs and providing an opportunity for resident individuals to diversify their portfolios. The RBI has reviewed the extant guidelines on LRS and decided to permit resident individuals to make remittances under LRS to IFSCs set up in India under the Special Economic Zone Act, 2005.

The remittance shall be made only for making investments in IFSCs in securities, other than those issued by entities/companies resident (outside IFSC) in India. Any funds lying idle in the account for a period up to 15 days from the date of its receipt into the account shall be immediately repatriated to domestic INR account of the investor in India.

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

India’s first IFSC: Gujarat International Finance Tec-City.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Oxford Economics Revises India’s GDP to 10.2% for 2021: The global forecasting firm Oxford Economics has revised India’s economic growth projection for the Calendar year 2021 to 10.2 per cent, compared to a previous estimate of 8.8 per cent. The reason for the upward revision is the receding COVID-19 risks and the shift in the monetary policy outlook. Oxford Economics is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom and has 6 office locations across 5 countries. It provides global forecasts and analysis to predict and manage economic risk.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Union Minister Captain Satish Sharma passes away: Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Captain Satish Sharma passed away. He served as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas from 1993 to 1996 in the Narasimha Rao government. Captain Satish Sharma was a close aide of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He was a three-time Lok Sabha MP, representing Rae Bareli and Amethi constituencies and Rajya Sabha member for three terms representing the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.