Daily GK Update- 25th Nov, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Amit Shah lays foundation stone of Rani Gaidinliu museum: Union Home Minister, Amit Shah laid the foundation for ‘Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum’ in Manipur, through video conferencing. The museum will be set up at Luangkao village in the Tamenglong district of Manipur, which is the birthplace of freedom fighter Rani Gaidinliu. The proposed museum is being set up at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Such a museum in honour of the freedom fighters would imbibe a sense of nationalism among the youths. About the Rani Gaidinliu:

(1) Rani Gaidinliu was born on January 26, 1915 at Nungkao village in Tamenglong district of Manipur. She was a spiritual and political leader who belonged to the Rongmei tribe of Manipur.

(2) At the age of 13, she joined the freedom movement and later spearheaded the socio-political movement to drive out the British.

(3) In 1932, she was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. She spent 14 years in jail and was released only after India’s Independence in 1947.

 

2. India & World Bank inks $250 million loan agreement to improve quality of learning in Andhra Pradesh: The Government of India has signed a legal agreement with the World Bank worth $250 million for a project to improve quality of learning in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Over 50 lakh students from all grades and stages of school education will benefit from the project, titled “Supporting Andhra’s Learning Transformation Project”.

 

3. CII to organize 20th edition of ‘Connect 2021’ in Chennai: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will organise its flagship event ‘Connect 2021’ from November 26 to 27 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Connect is an international conference and exhibition on information & communication technology (ICT). Theme: “Building a Sustainable Deep T’ech’N’ology Ecosystem”. About the ‘Connect 2021’:

(1) The main focus of ‘Connect 2021’ is to take the state’s GDP to US$ 1,000 billion by 2030.

(2) The event will be inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on November 26, 2021. Australia and the United Kingdom are the partner countries for the event.

(3) The flagship event of CII is hosted by the Government of Tamil Nadu and co-hosted by Software Technology Parks of India and the Union Ministry of Electronics and Telecommunications.

 

4. Ban Ki-moon released his autobiography “Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World”: A book titled ‘Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World’ is an autobiography of the Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. It consists of life experiences and challenges that the author faced in his life & elaborates his tenure in the United Nations (UN). He served as the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations for a two 5-year term (2007-2016).

In ‘Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World’, published by HarperCollins India, Ban goes on to describe how he became a “man of peace” from a “child of war”. Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon’s first diplomatic posting was in India and he developed such a special connection that even 50 years later, he tells the Indian people that half of his “heart belongs in their country”.

 

5. Abhijit Banerjee authored a book titled “Cooking to Save your Life”: Indian-born American economist & Nobel laureate, Abhijit Banerjee has authored a new book (cookbook) titled “Cooking to Save your Life”. The book illustrated by France based illustrator Cheyenne Oliver is published by Juggernaut Books. He won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2019 along with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Abdalla Hamdok reappointed as Sudan’s PM: Sudan’s removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was reappointed after signing a political declaration to end the current political crisis by Hamdok and Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, general commander of the Sudanese Armed Force. Before becoming prime minister, Hamdok worked for the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank and as a special adviser at the Trade and Development Bank in Ethiopia.

Note: Sudan Capital: Khartoum; Sudan Currency: Sudanese Pound.

 

2. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: 25th November: The United Nations designated International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is celebrated worldwide on November 25. The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the fact that women around the world are subject to various forms of violence and the true nature of the issue is often hidden. This year’s theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”.

History of the day: In 1981, activists at the Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encuentros marked November 25 as a day to combat and raise awareness of violence against women more broadly; on December 17, 1999, the date received its official United Nations (UN) resolution.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Finals: Tamil Nadu defeats Karnataka: In cricket, Tamil Nadu has lifted the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy defeating Karnataka after chasing 152. Batsman M. Shahrukh Khan smashed a dramatic last-ball six to help Tamil Nadu defend the T-20 title with a thrilling four-wicket win in the summit clash in Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. This is the third time that Tamil Nadu has won the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, having previously won it in 2006-07 and 2020-21. The side had also made it to the finals in the 2019-20 season and ended up suffering a loss against Karnataka.

 

2. 2025 Asian Youth Para Games will be hosted by Tashkent, Uzbekistan: The 5th edition of the Asian Youth Para Games 2025 will be hosted by Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, and the approval given by the Asian Paralympic Committee’s (APC) Executive Board. For the first time, ‘Asian Youth Games 2025’ and ‘Asian Youth Para Games 2025’ will be hosted in the same city & in the same venues.

Note: Asian Paralympic Committee Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab; Asian Paralympic Committee President: Majid Rashed; Asian Paralympic Committee CEO: Tarek Souei.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank launches online platform ‘Trade Emerge’: Private sector lender ICICI Bank has launched an online platform called ‘Trade Emerge’ for Indian exporters and importers to offer them digital banking and value-added services. The cross border trade will become hassle-free, expeditious and convenient with Trade Emerge because an array of services are being offered in one place so companies will not require to coordinate with multiple touchpoints. The exporters and importers who are not customers of ICICI Bank can also avail the benefit of this platform.

Note: ICICI Bank MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi; ICICI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Bank Tagline: Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka.

 

2. BOB Cards tie-up NPCI for RuPay credit cards: BOB Financial Solutions (BFSL), a subsidiary of Bank of Baroda (BoB) has partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch BoB Credit Cards (Easy and Premier variants) on the RuPay platform. Both Easy and Premier variants of BoB credit cards have been launched on the JCB International network and both cards support global acceptance. About the card:

(1) Both Easy and Premier variants of BoB credit cards have been launched on the JCB International network and both cards support global acceptance.

(2) These cards come with benefits such as 5X reward points on select merchant categories, fuel surcharge waiver, pre-and post-purchase EMI offers, up to three complimentary add-on credit cards for family members and several exciting merchant offers enabled both by BFSL and NPCI.

Note: Bank Of Baroda Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat, India; Bank Of Baroda Chairman: Hasmukh Adhia; Bank Of Baroda MD & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. EAC-PM projected India’s GDP growth at 7.0-7.5% in FY23: The meeting of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) members was held in New Delhi to examine the Indian economic growth in 2022-23 (FY23) and further. There, EAC-PM members projected India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 7-7.5% and a nominal rate of growth of more than 11% in FY23. They also projected growth of 5% in the current fiscal year (FY22) from a record contraction of 7.3% (-7.3%) in FY21.

About EAC-PM: Chairman: Bibek Debroy

Part-Time Members: Rakesh Mohan, Poonam Gupta, T.T. Ram Mohan, Sajid Chenoy, Neelkanth Mishra, and Nilesh Shah

 

2. Goldman Sachs projects India’s GDP at 9.1% in FY22: Wall Street brokerage, Goldman Sachs in its recent Macro Outlook 2022 note revised upward its projection for the gross domestic product (GDP) to 9.1 per cent, from the earlier estimate of 8 per cent for the calendar year 2022. For 2021-22 (FY22), it pegged economic growth at 8.5 per cent. For one, Goldman Sachs expects a rise in core inflation as manufacturers pass on input cost increases to consumers. As a result, the global research and brokerage house has pegged the headline consumer price inflation in India at 5.8 per cent year-on-year in 2022, from 5.2 per cent in 2021.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. President Kovind presents Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra: President of India, Ram Nath Kovind presented Gallantry Awards and Distinguished Service Decorations in Defence Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Gallantry Awards have been instituted by the Government of India to honour the acts of bravery and sacrifice of the officers/personnel of the Armed Forces as well as other lawfully constituted forces and civilians. The order of precedence of these awards is Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.

Vir Chakra: Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was accorded the Vir Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind for his role in pushing back Pakistan’s fighter jets in February 2019. Abhinandan Varthaman was Wing Commander then. In the ensuing aerial dogfight, he shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft on February 27, 2019.

Kirti Chakra: President Kovind accorded the second-highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra (posthumously) to Sapper Prakash Jadhav for neutralising terrorists in an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. His wife and mother received the award.

Shaurya Chakra: (1) Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal was accorded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for his role in an operation where five terrorists were eliminated and 200 kg explosive material was recovered. His wife Lt Nitika Kaul and mother received the award.

(2) Naib Subedar Sombir was accorded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously for killing an A++ category terrorist during an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. His wife Suman Devi and mother Rajendra Devi received the honour.

(3) The President also conferred the Shaurya Chakra to Major Maheshkumar Bhure who is an alumnus of Sainik School Satara. According to the citation, Major Bhure led an operation in which six top terrorist commanders were killed.

About the Gallantry Awards: The prestigious awards are usually conferred to the awardees/Next-of-Kins (NoKs) by the President at the Defence Investiture Ceremony held every year at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. The gallantry awards are announced twice a year first on the occasion of Republic Day and then on Independence Day. The order of precedence of these awards is Param Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 37th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) held in Indian Ocean: The 37th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) is being held in the Indian Ocean region on November 23 and 24, 2021. The indigenously built Indian Naval Ship (INS) Khanjar and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft is participating in the CORPAT). Khanjar. From Indonesia, Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin, (376) is participating.

The Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy is conducting the CORPAT between the two navies along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2002. CORPAT is held twice in a year to ensure safety and security in the region for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate maritime activities.

Daily GK Update- 24th Nov, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Education Minister launches Centres For Nanotechnology at IIT Guwahati: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the state-of-the-art Centre for Nanotechnology and Centre for Indian Knowledge System at IIT Guwahati. He also released a book on NEP 2020 implementation. Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu was present on the occasion. IIT Guwahati has achieved excellent rankings in the various national and international ranking systems. Centre for Nanotechnology and Centre for Indian Knowledge System:

(1) The Centre for Nanotechnology will work towards meeting future challenges and augmenting academic partnerships with industry in Nanotechnology.

(2) The Centre for Indian Knowledge System (CIKS) will focus on preserving, documenting and sustaining the knowledge that is unique to India, such as Indian classical music, Yoga, Sanskrit, traditional medicines, temple architecture, ceramic tradition and special agricultural practices of North-East India, among other things.

(3) The funding for the Centre came from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

 

2. Odisha celebrated ‘Boita Bandana’ Festival on Karthika Purnima: On Karthika Purnima, which is also known as Boita Bandana is celebrated at various water bodies of Odisha. The festival is the maritime tradition that is celebrated as a testament to the maritime trade history of Kalinga, tradesmen and mariners known as sadhabas travelled on boitas (boats) to trade with distant island nations that share borders with the Bay of Bengal like Indonesia, Java, Sumatra and Bali.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik and Governor is Ganeshi Lal.

 

3. Andhra Pradesh Bags Best Marine State Award: Andhra Pradesh has been named the best marine state in the country by the Department of Fisheries. The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying awarded best performing States for 2021-22 on 21 November 2021 on the occasion of the ‘World Fisheries Day, to recognise their accomplishments in the field and their contribution to the growth of the sector. The awards were announced by the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala in Bhubaneswar.

Top States:

(1) Marine states: Andhra Pradesh

(2) Inland states: Telangana

(3) Hilly and North East states: Tripura

Top Districts:

(1) Best Marine District: Balasore in Odisha

(2) Best Inland District: Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh

(3) Best Hilly and NE District: Bongaigaon in Assam

 

4. A new book “India vs UK: The Story of an Unprecedented Diplomatic Win” by Syed Akbaruddin: Senior Indian diplomat, Syed Akbaruddin has authored a new book titled “India vs UK: The Story of an Unprecedented Diplomatic Win”. The book features the behind-the-scenes details on India’s victory against the United Kingdom in the elections to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2017. Syed Akbaruddin, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN at the time, presents a behind-the-scenes account of India’s coming-of-age in world affairs through the prism of this momentous election.

 

5. Assam Celebrates Lachit Divas on 24 November: Lachit Divas (Lachit Day) is celebrated annually in the Indian state of Assam on November 24, to mark the birth anniversary of the legendary Ahom army general Lachit Borphukan. Lachit Borphukan was born on 24 November 1622 in Charaideo and is known for his military intelligence in the Battle of Saraighat. Every year, since 1999, the ‘Lachit Borphukan Gold Medal’ is awarded to the best cadet passing-out from the National Defence Academy. The ‘Mahabir Lachit Award’ is given by the Tai Ahom Yuva Parishad in Assam to notable personalities. The cash prize of Rs 50000 and a sword is presented under this award.

About Lachit Divas: The Battle of Saraighat was fought between the Ram Singh-led Mughal army and the Lachit Borphukan-led Ahom army in the year 1671 on the banks of the Brahmaputra river. Chao Lachit was the Borphukan (Army general) of the Ahom army. Ram Singh, the elder son of Amber ruler Mirza Raja Jai Singh, was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to invade the Ahom kingdom. The Mughal army was larger and powerful than the Ahom army, but Lachit, with his powerful use of terrain, leadership skills and Guerrilla warfare saved Saraighat from the Mughal invasion, present-day in Guwahati. He died a natural death in April 1672 in Jorhat, and his remains are present in the Lachit Maidan near Jorhat.

 

6. Martyrdom Day of ‘Guru Tegh Bahadur’ observed on 24 November: Every year, November 24 is celebrated as Martyrdom Day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhs of Sikh religion. The day is celebrated as Shaheedi Divas of Guru Tegh Bahadur across the country. It was on 24 November 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life for the sake of people who did not even belong to his community to protect religion, human values, ideals and principles.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. US, Australia and UK signed MoU in Nuclear Submarine Alliance: Australia officially became a part of the new Nuclear Powered Submarine defence alliance with the United Kingdom and the United States after signing a deal with the countries in Canberra, Australia. Under the AUKUS deal, Australia will be provided with 8 nuclear-powered submarines capable of stealthy and long-range missions. It is the first agreement on technology signed by the three countries after the formation of the defence alliance AUKUS (Australia-UK-US).

About the AUKUS: AUKUS is a trilateral security pact signed between Australia, UK & USA in September 2021. The first major initiative of AUKUS would be to deliver a nuclear-powered submarine fleet for Australia.

Note: Australia Capital: Canberra; Australia Currency: Australian dollar; Australia Prime minister: Scott Morrison.

 

2. 8,573 Venezuelan musicians set world’s largest orchestra record: Venezuela has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest orchestra with 8,573 musicians playing together for more than five minutes. The record was set by the country’s National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras, known as “El Sistema”. The previous such record for an orchestra was made by Russia when 8,097 musicians played together in St. Petersburg. The broadcast included a recording of Guinness World Records expert Susana Reyes announcing that the Venezuelan musicians had been successful in setting a new record after they played LaMarche Slave by Pyotr Tchaikovsky for more than five minutes.

Note: Venezuela Capital: Caracas; Venezuela Currency: Venezuelan bolívar; President of Venezuela: Nicolás Maduro.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Kento Momota and An Seyoung wins 2021 Indonesia Masters Tournament: In badminton, Kento Momota of Japan beat Anders Antonsen of Denmark 21-17, 21-11 to win the men’s singles title at the 2021 Indonesia Masters Super 750 badminton tournament. The US$600,000 tournament was held at Bali in Indonesia from November 16 to 21, 2021. In women’s single, An Seyoung of South Korea defeated top-seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-17, 21-19 to win the title. List of winners of 2021 Indonesia Masters:

Men’s Single: Kento Momota (Japan)

Women’s Single: An Seyoung (South Korea)

Men’s Double: Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi (both of Japan)

Women’s Double: Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida (both of Japan)

Mixed Double:  Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai (both of Thailand)

 

2. Geoff Allardice appointed as Permanent CEO of ICC: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has appointed Geoff Allardice as the permanent CEO of the International Cricket governing body. He was serving as interim CEO for more than eight months. He replaces Manu Sawhney who officially resigned from his position in July 2021. Allardice, a former Australian first-class cricketer and administrator, was the ICC General Manager, Cricket for eight years. He had previously held a similar role at Cricket Australia.

Note: ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates; ICC Founded: 15 June 1909; ICC Deputy Chairman: Imran Khwaja; ICC Chairman: Greg Barclay.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI authorized RBL Bank to collect Direct Taxes: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) authorized RBL Bank to collect direct taxes on behalf of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) based on a recommendation from the Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance and Government of India. Now, the customers of RBL Bank could pay their direct taxes through RBL Bank’s mobile banking or net banking platforms or through branch banking networks.

About the Bank:

(1) RBL Bank is one of India’s leading private sector banks with an expanding presence across the country.

(2) The Bank offers specialized services under five business verticals namely: Corporate & Institutional Banking, Commercial Banking, Branch & Business Banking, Retail Assets and Treasury and Financial Markets Operations.

(3) It currently services over 9.97 million customers through a network of 445 branches, 1,435 business correspondent branches (of which 271 banking outlets) and 386 ATMs spread across 28 Indian states and Union Territories.

Note: RBL Bank Founded: 1943; RBL Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; RBL Bank CEO & MD: Vishwavir Ahuja; RBL Bank Tagline: Apno Ka Bank.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SBI Ecowrap report projects India’s GDP for FY22 between 9.3%-9.6%: State Bank of India (SBI) economists in its research report “Ecowrap”, has revised upwards the GDP growth projection for India to the range of 9.3%-9.6% for FY22 (2021-22). Earlier this was estimated in the range of 8.5%-9%. The reason for the upward revision is a decline in the number of COVID cases. The analysis suggested that “India remained unscathed in Q3 from the global situation, which is marred by supply disruptions, stubborn inflation and surges of infections during Q3 2021.” As per the report, India has recorded only an 11 per cent increase in Covid-19 cases during Q3 this year the second-lowest among the top 15 most affected countries.

 

2. EPFO gets permission to park 5% of annual deposits in InvITs: The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) have approved that up to 5 per cent of the annual deposits can be invested in alternative investment funds (AIFs) including infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs). This investment will offer diversification to the EPFO’s investment basket. The Finance Investment and Audit Committee (FIAC) have been tasked to decide upon the investment options, on a case-to-case basis. However, the board has also decided to focus only on government-backed alternatives, which are category one funds like public sector InvITs and bonds. The AIFs are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Pratham NGO won Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2021: Pratham NGO has been awarded the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 for its work on expanding the scope for education in India. Its pioneering work for more than a quarter-century in ensuring that every child has access to quality education. Its innovative use of digital technology to deliver education. Its regular evaluation of the quality of education. Its timely response in making children learn amid Covid-19 restrictions.

About Pratham NGO: Pratham NGO is an innovative learning organization, which was created to improve education quality in India. The NGO was co-founded by Farida Lambay and Madhav Chavan in 1995. It is one of the largest non-governmental organisations in India. It focuses on high-quality, low-cost, and replicable interventions for addressing the gaps in the education system. It was established in 1994 in Mumbai to give pre-school education for children in slums.

About the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize: The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual prestigious award. It has been named after former prime minister Indira Gandhi. It is conferred every year since 1968 by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.  It consists of a monetary award of ₹25 lakh along with a citation.

 

2. Anita Desai awarded Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award: India’s one of the best-selling authors, Anita Desai has been conferred with the Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021 to recognise her long literary career which spans over 50 years. Meanwhile, the Poet Laureate award for 2021 has been conferred upon Indian poet Adil Jussawala. Both these awards are presented to recognise exceptional work which has made a significant impact in the Indian literary field.

The Twelfth Edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest was organised from November 18th to 21st 2021. She has received several awards and honours in the course of her long-spanning literary career, including the Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award and later Fellowship, and the Benson Medal of the Royal Society of Literature.

Daily GK Update- 23rd Nov, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. AYUSH Minister announces expansion of NEIAFMR in Arunachal Pradesh: The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has announced expansion of the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Folk Medicine Research (NEIAFMR) in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh by developing new infrastructure within the campus. The initiative is line with the vision to develop the AYUSH sector in the state and the entire northeast region. The additional infrastructure development at NEIAFMR will require an investment of around Rs 53.72 crores. Under this, a new Ayurveda College with 30 seats and a new Ayurveda Hospital with 60 beds will be established. For this, direct employment for 86 posts will be created. NEIAFMR is an autonomous National Institute under the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.

 

2. PM Narendra Modi attends 56th Conference of DGPs and IGPs in Lucknow: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended the 56th Conference of Director Generals of Police (DGP) and Inspector Generals of Police (IGP) organised at Police Headquarters in Lucknow on November 20, 2021. The two-day meet has been organised by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in hybrid format. The conference culminated on November 21, 2021. The conference was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Over 250 officers in the rank of DGP and IGP of all states and UTs and Heads of Central Armed Police Forces and Central Police Organisations are taking part in the meet. Some important issues that will be deliberated at the conference includes cyber crime, data governance, counter terrorism challenges, left wing extremism, emerging trends in narcotics trafficking, prison reforms among others.

 

3. Andhra Tops IPF Smart Policing Index 2021: Andhra Pradesh Police has topped the ‘IPF Smart Policing’ Index 2021, among 29 states and Union Territories, released by the Indian Police Foundation (IPF). Andhra Pradesh has secured the first rank with an overall score of 8.11 out of 10. Telangana Police is in the second position with 8.10 points while Assam Police has secured the third position with an overall rating of 7.89. With a score of 5.81, Uttar Pradesh is ranked at 28th position and Bihar has occupied the last position with 5.74 points.

IPF SMART POLICING SURVEY 2021: The SMART Policing idea was envisioned, articulated and introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Conference of DGPs of State and Central Police Organizations, held at Guwahati, in 2014 and it envisaged systemic changes to transform the Indian police to be strict and sensitive, modern and mobile, alert and accountable, reliable and responsive, techno-savvy and trained.

 

4. MHA ranks Delhi’s Sadar Bazar police station as best police station: The Sadar Bazar police station in Delhi has been ranked as the best police station of India for the year 2021 by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The list of the top 10 police stations in India is released annually by the Ministry of Home Affairs to rank the police stations in terms of the services and facilities available at the police station. The performance review of police stations were carried out by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD).

List of Top 10 Police Stations in India:

Sadar Bazar police station: north district of Delhi

Gangapur police station: Ganjam district of Odisha

Bhattu Kalan police station: Fatehabad district of Haryana

Valpoi police station: North Goa

Manvi police station: Raichur district of Karnataka

Kadmat Island police station: Union Territory of Lakshadweep

Shirala police station: Sangli district of Maharashtra

Thottiyam police station: Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu

Basantgarh police station: Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir

Rampur Chauram police station: Arwal district of Bihar

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. El Salvador Plans to Build World’s First ‘Bitcoin City’: El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has announced that the country is planning to build the world’s first “Bitcoin City”. The new city is planned to be developed in the eastern region of La Union and will be initially funded by bitcoin-backed bonds. It would get geothermal power from a volcano. Bitcoin City will not levy any taxes except for value-added tax (VAT). One half of this VAT levied will be used to fund the bonds issued to build the city and the next half would be used to pay for services such as garbage collection.

Note: El Salvador Capital: San Salvador.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Lewis Hamilton wins 2021 F1 Qatar Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain), has won the 2021 F1 Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) came second while Fernando Alonso (Alpine- Spain) came third. With this win, Lewis Hamilton has become the first driver to have won at 30 different circuits in Formula 1. After the Qatar 2021 F1 Grand Prix, the 2021 Drivers Standings is as follows: Max Verstappen (351.5 Points) is on top followed by Lewis Hamilton (343.5 Points) on second and Valtteri Bottas (203 Points) on third. Two more Grand Prix events are to be held in 2021.

 

2. AB de Villiers announces retirement from all forms of cricket: Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He had already retired from international cricket in 2018. However, AB de Villiers was still playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), ever since joining the franchise in 2011. The 37-year-old made the announcement, ending a 17-year career, which saw him play in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is for the Proteas. AB de Villiers has played 156 matches for RCB and scored 4,491 runs. He is the second all-time leading run-scorer behind Virat Kohli and holds the second and third-highest individual run total in RCB history with 133* against Mumbai Indians (in 2015) and 129* against Gujarat Lions (in 2016).

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI released report of Working Group on Digital Lending: The Working Group on Digital Lending including Lending through Online Platforms and Mobile Apps, which was constituted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has submitted its report. RBI had set a WG on Digital Lending including Lending through Online Platforms and Mobile Apps, with Jayant Kumar Dash, Executive Director, RBI, as the Chairman to study all aspects of digital lending activities in the regulated financial sector as well as by unregulated players.

In the near term, the WG suggested setting up a nodal agency in consultation with stakeholders to verify the technological credentials of the Digital Lending Apps (DLAs) of the balance sheet lenders and Lending Service Providers (LSPs) operating in the digital lending ecosystem.

 

2. HDFC Bank launches micro-credit facility for PM SVANidhi scheme: HDFC Bank announced the launch of micro-credit facility for street vendors, PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), with common service centres (CSC). HDFC Bank would facilitate PM SVANidhi for its village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs) on the digital sewa portal where vendors can complete the entire process online. It is a collateral-free affordable loan of ₹10,000 with an interest subsidy of 7%. The bank said that VLEs must understand the loan application requirements, ensure the mobile number is linked to the Aadhaar and check the eligibility status of their application as per the scheme rules.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Jason Mott won 2021 National Book Award for fiction: The 72nd edition of the National Book Award was organized as a virtual event by the National Book Foundation. Jason Mott won the 2021 National Book Award for fiction for his novel “Hell of a Book”, a narrative about a black author’s adventure while travelling around in a book tour.

Winners of 2021 National Book Awards:

 

Category	Book	Author
Fiction	Hell of a Book	Jason Mott
Non-Fiction	All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake	Tiya Miles
Young People’s Literature	Last Night at the Telegraph Club	Malinda Lo
Poetry	Floaters	Martín Espada
Best Translated Literature	Winter in Sokcho	Elisa Shua Dusapin and translator Aneesa Abbas Higgins (translated from French)

 

2. President Ramnath Kovind Presents Swachh Survekshan Awards 2021: President of India, Ram Nath Kovind presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2021 at the Swachh Amrit Mahotsav organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in New Delhi. 2021 is the 6th edition of Swachh Survekshan awards in which as many as 4,320 cities were surveyed. The cities are ranked based on three parameters, which are service level progress (SLP), certifications and citizen’s voice. Once again, Indore has been adjudged as the cleanest city of India for the fifth consecutive year. Indore is followed by Surat in Gujarat at second place and Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh in the third position.

Here is the complete List of Award-Winning Cities:

Cleanest City: Indore

Cleanest Ganga town: Varanasi

Cleanest State (with more than 100 urban local bodies): Chhattisgarh

Cleanest State (with less than 100 urban local bodies): Jharkhand

Cleanest City (with less than one lakh population): Vita city of Maharashtra

Cleanest small city (1-3 lakh population): New Delhi Municipal Council

Cleanest medium city (3-10 lakh population): Noida

Cleanest big city’ (10-40 lakh population): Navi Mumbai

Cleanest cantonment board: Ahmedabad cantonment

Cleanest District: Surat

Fastest Mover small city: Hoshangawad, Madhya Pradesh

Best Small City in Citizens’ Feedback: Triputi, Maharashtra

Top city in Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge: Navi Mumbai

 

DEFENCE

 

1. INS Visakhapatnam commissioned into Indian Navy: INS Visakhapatnam, a P15B stealth guided-missile destroyer has been commissioned into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. This is the first of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers. It has been designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organization Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. INS Visakhapatnam measures 163m in length, 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes. It was commissioned in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Punjabi Folk Singer Gurmeet Bawa Passes Away: Renowned Punjabi folk singer Gurmeet Bawa has passed away following a prolonged illness. She was 77. Gurmeet was best known for her long ‘hek’ (Breathless opening of a Punjabi folk song calling “ho” to create a melodious voice with an unbreakable wave) that she could hold for about 45 seconds. She came to fame after she started performing on Doordarshan and thus became the first Punjabi female singer to appear on the national television channel.

Daily GK Update- 22nd Nov, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi visits Mahoba and Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the Nation various developmental projects in Mahoba and the Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. At Mahoba, Prime Minister inaugurated multiple projects with a cumulative cost of more than Rs. 3250 Crore, related to alleviating the issue of water shortage in the region. These projects include Arjun Sahayak Project, Ratauli Weir Project, Bhaoni Dam Project and Majhgaon–Chilli Sprinkler Project.

The key point of the visit:

(1) In Jhansi, Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of 600 MW Ultramega Solar Power Park at Garautha, constructed at a cost of over Rs 3000 crore.

(2) He also inaugurated Atal Ekta Park in Jhansi, named after former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

(3) The park has been built at a cost of over Rs 11 crore across an area of about 40,000 square metres.

(4) It also has the statue of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, built by the renowned sculptor Shri Ram Sutar, the architect of the Statue of Unity.

(5) PM also attended ‘Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv’ organised by the Ministry of Defence at Jhansi Fort.

 

2. AIIB approves USD 150 million loan for implementation of Sustainable Urban services program for Chennai Metropolitan Area: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved USD 150 million loan for the Government of India for the implementation of the Sustainable Urban services program for Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA). The CMA project will cover the core urban services, including water resource management, water supply and sewerage, urban mobility, solid waste management, and public health. India is the largest beneficiary of AIIB receiving loan of around USD 6.8 billion for 29 projects.

 

3. Centre extends Sanjay Kumar Mishra’s tenure as ED Director for one year till November 2022: The Ministry of Finance has extended the tenure of Sanjay Kumar Mishra, the Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED), for one year until November 18, 2022. Mishra’s extension comes following the introduction of The Central Vigilance Commission Amendment Ordinance 2021. This is the second extension being given to Mishra. His first extended tenure was ending on November 18, 2021. Mishra was first time appointed as the ED director for a period of two years on November 19, 2018.

 

4. Smriti Irani authored her first Novel ‘Lal Salaam: A Novel’: Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani is set to release her first novel titled “Lal Salaam: A Novel” in November 2021. The novel is inspired by the killings of 76 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel during the Maoist attack in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh in April 2010. This book is a tribute to the people who have given their lifetime service to the nation.

 

5. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu released the book ‘Srimadramayanam’: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has released the book ‘Srimadramayanam’ in Hyderabad. It has been written by Sasikiranacharya. It is about the leadership, good governance, and rule of law of Lord Rama. He also underlined the need to popularize literary works and poetic works of various Indian languages among the youth.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Russia successfully tests fired Hypersonic Cruise Missile ‘Zircon’: Russian Navy successfully test-fired the ‘Zircon’ Hypersonic Cruise Missile from Frigate – Admiral Gorshkov warship, which rightly hit the test target placed in the Russian Arctic waters. Russia destroyed its own satellite in low-earth orbit using an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile named ‘Nudol’, which led to the formation of a cloud of space debris that could potentially destroy other orbiting satellites & the International Space Station (ISS).

Note: Russia Capital: Moscow; Russia Currency: Rouble; Russia President: Vladimir Putin.

 

2. WB Report: India became World’s Largest Recipient of Remittances: According to the latest report by the World Bank titled ‘World Bank’s Remittance Prices Worldwide Database’, India became the world’s largest recipient of remittances by receiving USD 87 billion in 2021. The United States (US) was its biggest source, accounting for over 20% of these funds. India is followed by China, Mexico, the Philippines, and Egypt. In India, remittances are projected to grow 3% in 2022 to USD 89.6 billion.

Note: World Bank Founded: July 1944; World Bank Headquarters: Washington DC, USA; World Bank President: David Robert Malpass.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. India ends with 7 medals at 2021 Asian Archery Championships: The 2021 Asian Archery Championships was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Indian archers bagged seven medals at the competition to occupy second place in the medal table. This included one gold, four silver and two bronze medals. South Korea won 15 medals to top the medal table, while the host Bangladesh settled at third place with 3 medals.

List of Indian medal winners:

Gold medal

Women’s individual compound event: Jyothi Surekha Vennam

Silver medal

Men’s team recurve event: Pravin Jadhav, Kapil, and Parth Salunkhe

Women’s team recurve event: Ankita Bhakat, Ridhi and Madhu Vedwan

Men’s individual compound event: Abhishek Verma

Mixed Team compound event: Rishabh Yadav and Jyothi Surekha Vennam

Bronze medal

Mixed team recurve event: Ankita Bhakat, Kapil

Men’s team compound event: Aman Saini, Abhishek Verma and Rishabh Yadav

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. IndusInd Bank launches a one-stop mobile app for merchants: IndusInd Bank, announced the launch of ‘Indus Merchant Solutions’ a comprehensive mobile application to enable merchants, retailers and professionals to carry out banking transactions digitally, on a single platform. The all-new application will enable merchants and retailers to undertake an array of activities such as accept instant cashless payments on mobile phones from customers through multiple digital modes, track inventory via in-built dashboards, apply for an exclusive Point of Sale (PoS) machine to facilitate card-based payments, as well as avail small ticket business loans from the Bank in a completely digital & paperless manner, without having to visit a bank branch.

 

2. SBI signs pact with U Gro Capital for co-lending to MSMEs: State Bank of India has entered into a co-lending agreement with fintech firm U GRO Capital to offer financing solutions to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the lender said. Through this collaboration, SBI and U GRO Capital aim to disburse up to Rs 500 crore by March 2022 to provide credit to MSMEs. The agreement is in line with Reserve Bank of India guidelines. The co-lending agreement aims to enhance last-mile connect, financially empower MSMEs and further drive financial inclusion in the country.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Beryl Thanga receives Manipur State Award for his novel: Novelist Beryl Thanga has received the 12th Manipur State Award for Literature 2020 for his book – Ei Amadi Adungeigi Ithat’ (I and the then island). Manipur Governor La. Ganesan conferred the award on the 65-year-old writer for his novel published in 2015.  The award carries a plaque, citation, Rs. 3 lakh (in cheque) and a shawl. The awardee (Beryl Thanga) was selected for the year 2020 by a Board of Eminent persons set up by the Government. The Governor said that the Manipuri language is one of the 22 scheduled languages under the Constitution of India. It is regarded as the most advanced of the Tibeto-Burmese languages spoken in India.

 

2. BWF gives Prakash Padukone lifetime achievement award: Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone has been selected for the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021 by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Council. The former world no 1 has already been honoured with the Badminton Association of India’s (BAI) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. Padukone is the first-ever Indian to win a medal at World Championships in the 1983 Copenhagen tournament.

Note: Badminton World Federation President: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen; Badminton World Federation Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Badminton World Federation Founded: 5 July 1934.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. PM Modi hands over Light Combat Helicopters to IAF chief: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed over the indigenously built light combat helicopters (LCH), developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, to the Indian Air Force chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari. The Light Combat Helicopters which incorporate advanced technologies and stealth features for effective combat roles are expected to boost India’s ability to remain self-reliant. The LCH is the only attack helicopter that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 m with a considerable load of weapons and fuel.

The Prime Minister will also hand over ‘Made in India’ drones to the Indian Army which would be using them for different requirements all across the country. For the Navy, PM Modi would hand over the DRDO designed Advanced Electronic Warfare suite for naval ships including that for Indian Aircraft Carrier Vikrant.

Note: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Headquarters: Bengaluru; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Founder: Walchand Hirachand; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Founded: 23 December 1940, Bengaluru.