Daily GK Update- 27th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Narendra Modi launched development projects in Goa: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several development projects worth over 650 crores rupees in Goa. He felicitated freedom fighters and veterans of ‘Operation Vijay’ at the function. He appreciated Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for keeping the pace of development up in the state.

Some of the major projects Modi will inaugurate are:

(1) The re-development of Aguada Fort Jail Museum at a cost of over Rs 28 crore.

(2) A super specialty block at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, which has been constructed at a cost of over Rs 380 crores.

(3) The New South Goa District Hospital, built at a cost of around Rs 220 crore.

(4) The Aviation Skill Development Centre at the upcoming Mopa Airport, built at a cost of around Rs 8.5 crore.

(5) A gas-insulated substation at Davorlim-Navelim, Margao, was constructed at a cost of around Rs 16 crores.

Note: Goa Capital: Panaji; Goa CM: Pramod Sawant; Goa Governor: S. Sreedharan Pillai.

 

2. Punjab CM gave tag of ‘state festival’ to Jagannath Rath Yatra: The Chief Minister of Punjab, Charanjit Singh Channi has declared Lord Krishna Balram Jagannath Rath Yatra as an annual state festival. The announcement for the same was made during flagging off the 25th Shri Lord Krishna Balram Jagannath Rath Yatra. He also announced a grant of Rs 2.51 crore for the Iskcon Temple in Ludhiana, Punjab. Notably, Punjab Government is also developing the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana Research Centre on a 20-acre land in Patiala. This was not the first time that the Rath Yatra of Ludhiana set the stage for the elections. Ahead of the 2017 Punjab elections, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia of AAP participated in the yatra. He also performed ‘Maha Aarti’ from the stage with party candidates.

Note: Punjab Capital: Chandigarh; Punjab Chief minister: Charanjit Singh Channi; Punjab Governor: Banwarilal Purohit.

 

3. International Arbitration and Mediation Centre inaugurated in Telangana: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice NV Ramana, and Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrasekhar Rao has inaugurated India’s First International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC) at Phoenix VK Tower at Nanakramguda, Hyderabad, Telangana. Those who empanel the centre include internationally acclaimed arbitrators and mediators from countries such as Singapore and the UK.

About the IAMC: IAMC has been established to quickly resolve the issues that arise due to the Lack of sufficient judges. IAMC will settle commercial disputes and it will also look into the disputes of ordinary people.

Note: Telangana Capital: Hyderabad; Telangana Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan; Telangana Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao.

 

4. Atul Dinkar Rane appointed as BrahMos Aerospace CEO & MD: Atul Dinkar Rane has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the BrahMos Aerospace Limited that manufactures the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. His pioneering contributions and techno-managerial leadership has been transformative for the successful development and induction of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile into Armed Forces.

Rane is renowned for his decades of sustained R&D contributions in the indigenous design and development of mission-critical Onboard Computers (OBC), hardware in loop simulation studies, systems analysis, development of mission software and avionics technologies for defence applications. His pioneering contributions and techno-managerial leadership has been transformative for the successful development and induction of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile into Armed Forces.

Note: BrahMos Aerospace Limited Founder: A. Sivathanu Pillai; BrahMos Aerospace Limited Founded: 12 February 1998; BrahMos Aerospace Limited Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

5. Tusshar Kapoor released his debut book ‘Bachelor Dad’: Tusshar Kapoor has written his first book titled ‘Bachelor Dad’. The actor became a single father to son Laksshya Kapoor via surrogacy in 2016. He has shared his journey of being a single father in the new book. The actor has shared his journey of the ‘slightly unconventional road to fatherhood’ in his debut book, Bachelor Dad. On the cover of the book, he can be seen carrying his son. Announcing the book, Tusshar wrote, “I WROTE A BOOK! Becoming a father has been one of the most cherished moments of my life and my first book, Bachelor Dad, talks about how I took a slightly unconventional road to fatherhood.”

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. WADA report: India among world’s top three dope violators country: India is among the world’s top three dope violators country in the world. Indian athletes were involved 152 times in dope-related activities in the year 2019. The report has revealed the latest report published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), which has put India into the top-three of the world’s biggest violators behind Russia (167) and Italy (157). Brazil (78) is at fourth and Iran (70) fifth positions.

In 2019, 152 (17 per cent of the world total) Anti-doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) were reported in India. The maximum dope offenders are from bodybuilding followed by weightlifting (25), athletics (20), wrestling (10), and boxing.

About the report:

(1) A total of 278,047 samples were collected by Anti-Doping Organisations worldwide in 2019, and subsequently, analysed by WADA-accredited laboratories. Of these samples, 2,701 (1 per cent) were reported as Adverse Analytical Findings.

(2) Based on a compilation of the information received by WADA till January 31, 2021, 1,535 samples (57 per cent) were confirmed as ADRVs (sanctions), the world anti-doping watchdog.

(3) Among Olympic sports worldwide, athletics leads the number of dope offenders with 227 (18 per cent), followed by weightlifting with 160. Bodybuilding leads overall with 272.

Note: World Anti-Doping Agency Headquarters: Montreal, Canada; World Anti-Doping Agency President: Craig Reedie; World Anti-Doping Agency Founded: 10 November 1999.

 

2. International Day of Epidemic Preparedness: 27th December: The United Nations and World Health Organization marked December 27 as the International day for Epidemic Preparedness. Battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, humans have learned about epidemic preparedness the hard way. In a bid to prepare for future outbreaks and sensitise people about epidemics on all levels. The day was first observed last December when the United Nations General Assembly had emphasised on the need to advocate the importance of the preparedness for, prevention of and partnership against epidemics.

Significance: As per a WHO statement, the need of the hour is to invest in systems that can help detect, prevent and respond to outbreaks that have the ability to disrupt health systems, supply chains and livelihood of especially the poorest countries. The UN also aims at popularising the One Health approach that fosters the integration of plant health, human health and animal health along with other relevant sectors.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. BWF World Championships 2021: Loh Kean Yew won Men’s singles: The 2021 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World championship (officially known as the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2021), an annual tournament was held between 12th December 2021 and 19th December 2021 in Huelva, Spain. Loh Kean Yew of Singapore won the Men’s Singles title and Akane Yamaguchi of Japan won the Women’s Singles title of BWF World Championship 2021.

 

Winners of BWF World Championship 2021:

 

Category	Winner	Runner
Men’s Singles	Loh Kean Yew (Singapore)	Srikanth Kidambi (India)
Women’s Singles	Akane Yamaguchi (Japan)	Tai – Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei)
Men’s Doubles	Takuro Hoki & Yugo Kobayashi (Japan)	He Jiting & Tan Qiang (China)
Women’s Doubles	Chen Qingchen & Jia Yifan (China)	Lee So-hee & Shin Seung-Chan (South Korea)
Mixed Doubles	Dechapol Puavaranukroh & Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Thailand)	Yuta Watanabe & Arisa Higashino (Japan)

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. State Bank of India acquired minority stake in JSW Cement for INR 100 crore: State Bank of India (SBI) acquired a minority stake (less than 50 per cent) in JSW Cement Limited for an investment of INR 100 crore through Compulsory Convertible Preference Shares (CCPS). The SBI is working as a strategic investor at JSW Cement and has invested in the company through CCPS. The conversion of such CCPS into common equity of the company will be linked to the JSW Cement’s business performance and valuation at the time of the proposed initial public offering. The SBI transaction with JSW Cement comes close on the heels of the Rs 1,500 crore investments made by two global private equity investors, Apollo Global Management Inc. (through its investment entity in Singapore) and Synergy Metals Investments Holding Ltd earlier this year.

Note: SBI Founded: 1 July 1955; SBI Headquarters: Mumbai; SBI Chairman: Dinesh Kumar Khara.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. GoI & German Bank signed Euro 442.26 mn loan for Surat Metro Rail Project: Government of India and the Germany Development Bank- KfW (Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau) signed a 26 million euros loan for a 40.35 km Surat Metro Rail project in Gujarat. The total cost of the project is Euro 1.50 billion, out of which KfW is financing Euro 442.26 million. The project is co-financed by French Development Agency, AFD (Agence Française de Développemet) with Euro 250 million. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-II and the Surat Metro Rail Project in January this year. The project is aimed at reducing traffic congestion and long delays on major travel corridors in Surat city and urban areas.

About the Surat Metro project: The 40.35 km Surat Metro project aims to strengthen the transport infrastructure of the urban part of Surat. It comprises two corridors. While corridor-1 is 21.61 km long and is from Sarthana to Dream City. Corridor-2 is 18.74 km long and is from Bhesan to Saroli.

 

2. PM Jan Dhan Yojna accounts surpass the 44-cr mark: The total number of beneficiaries under the Centre’s financial inclusion scheme, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), has crossed the 44 crore mark. The total number of accounts opened under PMJDY stood at 44.05 crores, with a total balance of ₹1,47,812 crore as on December 8. Uttar Pradesh tops the list with the highest number of accounts followed by Bihar. Since its launch in 2014, the scheme has been steadily expanding its base.

The PMJDY was launched on August 28, 2014, with an aim to provide universal access to banking facilities to the people in the country. According to the Reserve Bank of India’s guidelines, savings and current accounts will be classified as dormant if there are no transactions in the account for two years. The average balance in Jan Dhan accounts hovers at about ₹2,700 across banks.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy’s 2nd indigenous stealth destroyer ‘Mormugao’ sailed: Indian Navy’s indigenous stealth guided-missile destroyer ‘Mormugao’ went for her maiden sea trials. This second indigenous stealth destroyer of the Project 15 B (P15B) class, is planning to be commissioned in mid-2022. Mormugao is being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd as part of Project 15B destroyers and incorporates several indigenous technologies.

About the ‘Mormugao’: The destroyer is expected to add significantly to the capabilities of the Indian Navy, which got a major booster in the form of INS Visakhapatnam’s and the fourth stealth scorpene class submarine INS Vela’s commissioning. INS Vela was also constructed at MDSL Mumbai in collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France, and was delivered to the Indian Navy on November 9, 2021. A total of six submarines are to be built under the project.

Daily GK Update- 26th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Haryana launches new Integrated Command and Control Center in Karnal: Haryana chief minister, Manohar Lal Khattar has opened the new Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC) under the Karnal Smart City project. The new Command and Control Center will enable the functioning of advanced systems such as adaptive traffic control, automatic number plate recognition, detection of red-light violation and speed violation. With the inauguration of ICCC, a slew of smart traffic management systems in the city went alive. Over 500 CCTV cameras at various locations now enable the functioning of advanced systems such as adaptive traffic control, automatic number plate recognition, detection of red-light violation and speed violation.

The inauguration also marks the rolling out of the public address system, various web and mobile apps related to the city administration, building management systems, environmental management systems, among others. Integrated with IT systems of different government departments, ICCC would act as the city’s emergency and disaster management centre enhancing safety, security and providing better public services in the city. It will also help the police in maintaining law and order.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Haryana Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya; Haryana Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar.

 

2. GACL, GAIL team up to establish bioethanol plant in Gujarat: Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL) and GAIL (India) Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for setting up a bioethanol plant with a production capacity of 500-kilo litre per day (KLD) in Gujarat. This MoU was signed on the lines of the roadmap launched by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi for 20% Ethanol Blending in Petrol by 2025 in order to reduce the import of crude oil. The estimated project cost is Rs. 1,000 crores and it is expected to generate annual revenue of approximately Rs. 1500 crores. An estimated savings of USD 70 million per year in Foreign Exchange is also expected through this project.

Note: GAIL (India) Limited Founded: August 1984; GAIL (India) Limited Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi; GAIL (India) Limited CMD: Manoj Jain.

 

3. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade launches LogiXtics: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has launched the Unified Logistics Interface Platform’s (ULIP) hackathon – ‘LogiXtics’ to crowdsource more ideas that will benefit the logistics industry. The Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) Hackathon – LogiXtics is being organised by NITI Aayog and Atal Innovation Mission.

About the ‘LogiXtics’:

(1) It is supported by National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) and NICDC Logistics Data Bank Services Limited (NLDSL).

(2) ULIP has been designed to enhance efficiency and reduce logistics costs in India by creating a transparent platform that can provide real-time information to all stakeholders.

(3) The cost of logistics in India is about 14% which is higher than in other countries in the world. National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) was mandated by NITI Aayog in January 2021 to develop ULIP.

 

4. UP govt launched ‘Free Smartphone Yojna’ on Dec 25: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh launched the ambitious ‘Free Smartphone Yojana on December 25, which is the birth anniversary of senior BJP leader and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Under the scheme, the state government will distribute smartphones and tablets to final year students of graduation and above. On December 25, the chief minister distribute 60,000 smartphones and 40,000 tablets to the youths. More than 38 lakh youths have registered themselves on the Digi Shakti Portal. Further registration is going on.

Eligibility:

(1) The candidate must be a student and an Uttar Pradesh resident.

(2) Final year students of MA, BA, BSc, ITI, MBBS, MD, BTech, and MTech, among others, will be given preference.

(3) Students with 60 per cent and above can apply for the scheme.

(4) The annual income of the family should not be above 2 lakh per annum.

Note: Uttar Pradesh Capital: Lucknow; Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath; Uttar Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

5. Rishabh Pant named as Uttarakhand’s brand ambassador: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced that Indian wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the state. The 24-year Pant, who was rested for the New Zealand Tests, is currently in South Africa as the Indian Team is all set to face Proteas in the three-match Test series, starting December 26.

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

 

6. A book titled “India’s Ancient Legacy of Wellness” by Dr Rekha Chaudhari: A book titled “India’s Ancient Legacy of Wellness” authored by Dr Rekha Chaudhari was launched in the presence of the Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari. It was launched on the occasion of the World Digital Day (WDD) celebration. The book highlights how important it is for human beings to be close to nature which helps to revive and recharge to do productive work.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Wizikey Report: Reliance is India’s most-visible corporate in media: Reliance Industries Ltd, India’s largest corporate by revenues, profits and market value, topped the 2021 Wizikey News Score ranking as India’s most-visible corporate in the media. State Bank of India is a close second on the ranking, followed by Bharti Airtel, Infosys and Tata Motors.  Others on the India list include HDFC at the sixth spot, followed by HDFC Bank, TCS, Maruti Suzuki India, Vodafone Idea and ICICI Bank.

State-owned firm: The highest-ranked state-owned firm is National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), at rank 13.

On a global level:

(1) On the global rankings chart for top Multinational Corporations(MNC), Facebook tops the index, followed by Google’s Alphabet Inc.

(2) Amazon is ranked third, followed by Apple Inc, Samsung Electronics, Netflix and Microsoft.

(3) Notably, Reliance is ranked eighth on global rankings for top MNCs.

(4) Tesla is ranked 12 on the list with a news score of 82.3, while TATA Motors makes it to rank 18 with a news score of 80.26.

About Wizikey News Score ranking: Wizikey’s News Score is the industry’s first integrated metric that measures news visibility. The ranking is based on Wizikey’s news score of each brand that analyses the volume of news, headline grabs, the unique reach of media publications, and readership.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Harjinder Singh named India’s Chef de Mission for Beijing Olympics: The Indian Olympic Association of India (IOA) has appointed the Ice Hockey Association of India’s general secretary, Harjinder Singh, as the Chef de Mission of the country’s contingent for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Singh was the Chef de Mission of the Indian contingent for the 23rd Winter Olympic Games too, which was held in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018. Harjinder Singh is the general secretary of the Ice Hockey Association and has also led the Indian contingent at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where India had two representatives – cross-country skier Jagdish Singh, and six-time Olympian luger Shiva Keshavan.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Equitas Small Finance Bank became Partner of Maharashtra state govt: Equitas Small Finance Bank has empanelled as the banking partner of the state government of Maharashtra with an aim to offer its services to employees of the State Government. The Bandhan Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, and the South Indian Bank have been assigned the role of distributing salaries and allowances to the government employees.

This partnership will enable the ESFBL to distribute salaries and allowances to the existing employees apart from making provision of pension to pensioners. The state government has authorised the Equitas SFB to open salary and pension accounts for the existing and retired employees across 58 branches of the bank across the state.

Note: Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Founded: 2016; Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd MD & CEO: Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan; Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Tagline: It’s Fun Banking.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India registers highest-ever annual FDI inflow of 81.97 bn dollars in 2020-21: India has registered the highest ever annual Foreign Direct Investment inflow of $ 81.97 bn in 2020-21. FDI inflows in the last seven financial years is over $ 440 bn, which is nearly 58 % of the total FDI inflow in the last 21 financial years. The top five countries from where FDI Equity Inflows were received during 2014-2021 are Singapore, Mauritius, USA, Netherland & Japan.

 

2. CCI approves acquisition of shareholding in Air India by Tata Sons: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of a shareholding in Air India by Talace Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons. The regulator also approved stake acquisition by Talace in Air India Express and Air India SATS Airport Services along with the acquisition of shares in Air India. Currently, Air India is wholly owned by the government.

Key Points: Air India SATS Airport Services is engaged in providing ground handling services at airports in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Thiruvananthapuram. It also provides cargo handling services at Bengaluru airport.

Air India, along with AIXL, is primarily engaged in the business of providing domestic scheduled air passenger transport service, air cargo transport services and international scheduled air passenger transport service.

Tata’s Bid: Tata Sons’ subsidiary Talace emerged as the highest bidder for AIR India, under the divestment process. Talace had quoted an enterprise value of Rs 18,000 crore for 100 per cent equity shareholding of the Centre. Out of 18000 crores, Telace will retain Rs 15300 crore while the rest will be paid to the Central government as a cash component.

 

AWARDS AND HNOURS

 

1. IIT Roorkee bags first position among most innovative institutions by CII: IIT Roorkee has been selected by the prestigious Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the Industrial Innovation Awards. IIT Roorkee bagged the first position under the Most Innovative Research Institutions category this year. Last year, IIT Roorkee was adjudged as ‘The Most Innovative Institute of the Year’ for its innovation quotient.

The following innovations have contributed to IIT Roorkee being selected for this award

(1) Visco-elastic Energy Dissipating Link Elements for Earthquake resistant housing construction by Prof. Pankaj Agarwal, Dr Amit Goyal, Dr Nidhin and Mr Naveen, all from the Department of Earthquake Engineering.

(2) Nitrogen-Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (N-rGO) for High-Performance Supercapacitor from Prof. Anil Kumar and Dr Sahil Thareja from the Department of Chemistry.

(3) Novel hybrid adsorbent for simultaneous removal of arsenic and fluoride from contaminated water by Prof. Prasenjit Mondal, Dr Vineet, Rahul, Hemant, Dr Lokendra and Shubhi, all from the Department of Chemical Engineering.

 

2. PV Sindhu among 6 appointed members of BWF Athletes Commission till 2025: Former world champion PV Sindhu has been appointed as a member of the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) Athletes’ Commission, along with five other people. The Chair and Deputy Chair will be decided among the six members. The Chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission, following a vetting process as required for all Council members, will become a member of the Council until the next elections in 2025.

Other members: Iris Wang (USA), Robin Tabeling (NED), Greysia Polii (INA), Kim Soyeong (KOR), Pusarla V Sindhu (IND) and Zheng Si Wei (CHN) are the ones appointed as members of the BWF Athletes’ Commission.

About PV Sindhu: Sindhu, who won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016, created history by bagging the bronze medal in the Tokyo Games earlier this year. At the prestigious world championships, Sindhu has won two silvers, besides two bronze and the coveted gold in 2019.

Daily GK Update- 25th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Nagaland creates 3 new districts Niuland, Tseminyu, Chumukedima: Nagaland government has announced the creation of three new districts, namely Tseminyu, Niuland and Chumoukedima. This comes less than a year after the 12th district of the state—Noklak—was inaugurated. With the addition of the three new districts, Nagaland will now have 15 districts. While the Tseminyu sub-division in Kohima district has been upgraded to a district, Niuland and Chumukedima have been carved out of Dimapur district. Though there were demands from at least 11 tribes for the creation of new districts, the Cabinet could consider only three of them as some districts are inhabited by only one tribe and those cannot be divided.

Note: Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: Jagdish Mukhi.

 

2. Haryana launched ‘Khel Nursery scheme 2022-23’ to promote sports: Haryana’s Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, Sandeep Singh launched ‘Khel Nursery Scheme 2022-23’ to promote sports in the state. The players of Haryana have given a new identity to the state at the international level with their sports talent. The state government is always striving to develop new sports talents in the state. The scheme promotes sports nurseries that will be started in government, private educational institutions and private sports institutions. The sports nurseries are being opened for the sports included in the Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Haryana Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya; Haryana Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar.

 

3. Tamil Nadu announced ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ as state song: Tamil Nadu government has announced ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ as the state anthem. It should be sung before the start of any functions in all educational institutions, universities, government offices, and public sector undertakings. The decision comes in the wake of the Madras High Court recently ruling that ‘Tamil Thai Vaazhthu’ is a prayer song and not an anthem. Government Order to this effect has been issued, mandating that all barring the differently-abled persons should remain standing when the 55-second long song is sung. The ‘Tamil Thai Vaazhthu’ enjoy official status since 1970. It is the official song of the union territory of Puducherry as well. Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate is the official state anthem of Karnataka and Bande Utkal Janani is the official state anthem of Odisha.

Note: Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai; Tamil Nadu Chief Minister: MK Stalin; Tamil Nadu Governor: R.N.Ravi; Tamil Nadu State Dance: Bharathanatyam.

 

4. A book on Yogi Adityanath “The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh” released: The book titled “The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh: How Yogi Aditynath Changed UP Waala Bhaiya’ abuse to a Badge of Honour”, authored by Shantanu Gupta. A new book chronicles how Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath transformed the state in various aspects like law and order, connectivity, education, health infrastructure, and overall growth. The book underlines the journey of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, from being born in Uttarakhand to becoming a Nath Panthi saint, to CM of Uttar Pradesh.

 

5. Good Governance Day: 25th December: In India, Good Governance Day (Sushasan Divas) is observed annually on 25th December. On this day nation celebrates the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna and former-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In keeping with this principle, Good Governance Day has been declared to be a working day for the government.

Significance of the day: The aim to observe this day is to let the students and citizens of the country know about the duties and responsibilities of the government they need to fulfil. Good governance day acts as a reminder to the government about their responsibilities, and the government should be unbiased, transparent, and development-oriented.

History of the day: On 23rd December 2014, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya were announced to receive the highest civilian award of the nation, Bharat Ratna. After the announcement, the newly elected prime minister Narendra Modi has announced 25th December to be celebrated and observed as the Good Governance Day.

About Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India for three times. His first term was for only 13 days in 1996. He served his second term for a period of thirteen months from March 1998 to April 1999 and then a full term from 1999 to 2004. His first entry into parliament was in 1962 through the Rajya Sabha. He was elected to the Lok Sabha seven times. In 2015, Mr Vajpayee was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Gabriel Boric elected as youngest-ever President-elect of Chile: 35-year-old, Gabriel Boric, has won Chile presidential elections, to become the youngest-ever President-elect of Chile. He defeated his opposition Jose Antonio Kast in the elections. Gabriel Boric will assume office in March 2022, will become the youngest president in Chile’s history. Official results gave Mr Boric 56% of the votes against Mr Kast’s 44%. Mr Kast conceded defeat barely an hour-and-a-half after polls closed, and with around half of ballots counted.

The president-elect also promised to block a controversial proposed mining project which he said would destroy communities and the national environment. Chile’s currency, the peso, plunged to a record low against the US dollar after Mr Boric’s victory. Stock markets fell by 10%, with mining stocks performing particularly badly.

Note: Chile Capital: Santiago; Chile Currency: Peso;

 

2. Pradeep Kumar Rawat appointed as India’s new envoy to China: Senior Indian diplomat Pradeep Kumar Rawat, who is well-versed in negotiating with Chinese diplomats, has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to China. Rawat’s appointment comes amid the lingering border stand-off in eastern Ladakh. Rawat is currently the country’s envoy to the Netherlands.

The career of Pradeep Kumar Rawat: An Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1990 batch, Rawat is currently the country’s envoy to the Netherlands. He was joint secretary (East Asia) in the MEA when the Doklam border stand-off took place in 2017. He was involved in the negotiations during the early days before he moved to Indonesia as ambassador.

Rawat served as India’s envoy to Indonesia and Timor-Leste from September 2017 to December 2020. He had earlier served in Hong Kong and Beijing and speaks fluent Mandarin.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. ICICI Pru Life Insurance became first insurer to sign UNPRI on ESG issues: ICICI Prudential Life Insurance became the first Indian insurance company to sign United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), to demonstrate commitment towards the environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. In order to promote sustainability, IPRULIFE is integrating ESG factors into its investment management framework. The UNPRI is an investor initiative in partnership with the two bodies of the United Nations – the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative and the UN Global Compact. Climate change is impacting lives and livelihoods around us and as one of the largest domestic financial institutions in the country, it is incumbent on us to act proactively and responsibly on ESG factors to save the planet.”

Note: ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Established: 2000; ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Prudential Life Insurance CEO & MD: Narayanan Srinivasa Kannan.

 

2. Truecaller: India fourth most affected country by spam calls in 2021: Spam call rates in India have spiked again, with the country moving up in global rankings from 9th position to 4th position owing to a significant in sales and telemarketing calls in 2021, according to the latest insights by callerID, spam detection and blocking company, Truecaller. The upward movement is a direct result of a significant increase in sales and telemarketing calls, which in India make up about 93.5% of all spam calls. The report also showed that one particular company, the identity of which Truecaller did not reveal, was responsible for making over 202 million spam calls in 2021, which translates to about 27,000 calls on an hourly basis.

Top 3 countries: The top three countries in the world with maximum spam based calls were Brazil, Peru and Ukraine. Interestingly, the USA dropped from 2nd place in 2020 to 20th in 2021, owing to stringent government regulations.

Note: Truecaller Established: 1 July 2009; Truecaller Chairmen: Bing Gordon; Truecaller Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Emma Raducanu wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021: Tennis star Emma Raducanu is the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year for 2021. She beat Tom Daley(diver) and Adam Peaty (swimmer) into second and third place, while England’s men’s footballers were named team of the year and Gareth Southgate the coach, as a triumphant period for British sport across the board was commemorated at a ceremony in Salford. Tom Daley won gold for the first time at his fourth Olympics in Tokyo.

Other award winners at Sports Personality 2021:

Categories	Winners
Helen Rollason Award	Jen Beattie
Coach of the Year	Gareth Southgate
Team of the Year	England men’s football team
World Sport Star	Rachael Blackmore
Lifetime Achievement	Simone Biles
Unsung Hero	Sam Barlow
Young Sports Personality of the Year	Sky Brown

 

2. SAIL honoured Golden Peacock Environment Management Award 2021: Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), under the Ministry of Steel, has been awarded with the prestigious Golden Peacock Environment Management Award 2021 for successive three years. The Award is given to organizations for significant achievements in Environment Management by Environment Foundation (WEF) since 1998. The company’s environmental protections measures are focused on adopting various environmental measures including, upgrading of pollution control facilities, water conservation efforts with the aim to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge, efficient handling of different solid wastes (viz. process waste, hazardous waste, canteen/township waste), carbon sequestration through afforestation, eco-restoration of the mined-out area and etc.

Some of the major initiatives undertaken by SAIL in this area: Carbon footprint reduction has become an integral part of the company’s corporate policies and operations. Deployment of state-of-the-art environment-friendly technology, R&D initiatives in association with academic institutes of repute for resource efficiency, creation of carbon sinks by massive plantation drives, gradual shift to LED lighting, enhancing the share of renewable energy etc.

Note: SAIL Founded: 19 January 1954; SAIL Headquarters: New Delhi; SAIL CEO: Soma Mondal.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former SC Judge Justice GT Nanavati Who Headed ‘2002 Godhra Riots’ passes away: Former Supreme Court judge, Justice Girish Thakorlal Nanavati who headed two inquiry commissions formed to probe into the 2002 Godhra Riots & 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots, passed away. Justice Girish Thakorlal Nanavati was 86. He was elevated as the Judge of the Supreme Court of India with effect in March 1995 and he retired as an SC Judge in February 2000.

 

2. Former Union Minister R L Jalappa passes away: A veteran leader of the Indian National Congress (INC) and the former Union Minister of Textiles, RL Jalappa has passed away. RL Jalappa was founder and Chairman of Devaraj Urs Medical College in Kolar and RL Jalappa Institute of Technology, Doddaballapur. In 1979 he quit Congress to form the Karnataka Kranti Ranga with former Chief Minister D Devaraj Urs and he again joined congress in 1998.

Daily GK Update- 24th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi lays foundation stone of Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. PM Modi also addressed a rally at Railway Ground, Rouza on the occasion. After completion of work, it will become the longest expressway of Uttar Pradesh. It will connect the western and eastern regions of the state. It starts near the Bijauli village in Meerut. It will extend till near the Judapur Dandu village in Prayagraj. About the Ganga Expressway:

(1) Ganga Expressway is a 594 Km long Expressway. It will be built at a cost of over Rs 36,200 crore.

(2) It will pass through Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Budaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj districts.

(3) 35 Km long airstrip for emergency take-off and landing of Air Force planes will also be constructed on the Expressway in Shahjahanpur.

 

2. Union cabinet approves Rs 76,000 crore push for semiconductor manufacturing: Union Cabinet approved a Rs 76,000-crore production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for boosting semiconductor and display manufacturing in India. With this, the total amount of production linked incentive (PLI) announced for the electronics sector increase to Rs 2.30 lakh crore.

About the scheme: This scheme was approved in order to position India as a global hub for hi-tech production, as well as to attract large chip makers. It would also strengthen India’s ambitions to be self-reliant in electronics manufacturing and bring huge investments. The government will also set up an independent ‘India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)’, for driving the long-term strategies to develop a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in India.

Under Semiconductor Scheme: Under the scheme, the government has lined up incentives for companies engaged in silicon semiconductor fabs, compound semiconductors, display fabs, sensors fabs, silicon photonics, semiconductor packaging and semiconductor design. With the launch of this scheme, the government expects investments of about Rs 1.7 lakh crore and 1.35 lakh jobs in the upcoming four years.

 

3. ISRO signed six agreements with four countries for launching foreign satellites: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed six agreements with four countries for launching foreign satellites during 2021-2023. About 132 million Euros would be earned through the launching of these foreign satellites on a commercial basis. The ISRO-Indian space agency, founded in 1969 to develop an independent Indian space program. Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh has said that ISRO has launched a total of 342 satellites from 34 countries since 1999. ISRO through its commercial arm, New Space India Limited (NSIL), has been launching satellites belong to other countries from Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Total 124 indigenous satellites have been put into Earth’s orbit including 12 student satellites.

Note: ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan; ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; ISRO established: 15 August 1969.

 

4. A book title “Rewinding the first 25 years of MeitY! by SS Oberoi: The book titled ‘Rewinding of First 25 years of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’ authored by S S Oberoi, the former adviser at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) was launched by Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary of MeitY. The book consists of life experience, challenges working as an advisor under the MeitY. He was the first head of the Software Development Agency and the first adviser of Information Technology.

 

5. Venkaiah Naidu released Telugu book titled ‘Gandhi Topi Governor’: Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu has released the Telugu book titled ‘Gandhi Topi Governor’ by Padma Awardee Dr Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, Chairman, Official Language Commission, Andhra Pradesh. The book chronicles the life of Barrister Idpuganti Raghavendra Rao. I R Rao was a prominent freedom fighter, Legislator and the Governor of the Central Provinces in the British Administration.

 

6. National Consumer Rights Day: 24th December: National Consumer Rights Day is observed every year on December 24. On this day in 1986, the Consumer Protection Act 1986 received Presidential assent and thus came into force. The Act aims to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types of exploitation, such as defective goods, deficiency in services and unfair trade practices.

World Consumer Rights Day: People often get confused between World Consumer Rights Day and National Consumer Rights Day. While both have the same purpose, they are observed on different dates. World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated annually on March 15.

History of National Consumer Rights Day: The National Consumer Rights Day was observed for the first time in 1986 under the Consumer Protection Act. It’s different from World Consumer Day, which is celebrated annually on March 15. The Consumer Protection Act came into force in 1986. In 2019, the Consumer Protection Act 1986 was revised. Later, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution announced the CPA 2019 bill put to effect on July 20, 2020.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Karl Nehammer sworn in as Chancellor of Austria: Karl Nehammer was sworn in as new Austria’s chancellor by Alexander Van der Bellen, President of Austria in a ceremony in Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria. He is succeeding the career diplomat Alexander Schallenberg who took charge as chancellor in October 2021. He is the 3rd person to hold the role of Austria’s Chancellor in the last two months. Nehammer, from the ruling conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), was formerly the country’s interior minister.

Karl Nehammer: The Vienna-born Nehammer worked in the army for several years. He then started working as a communications adviser before becoming a politician in 2017. He was made interior minister in January 2020. While he was in office, Austria experienced its first Islamist terrorist attack, in which four people were killed last November.

Note: Austria Capital: Vienna; Austria Currency: Euro; Austria President: Alexander Van der Bellen.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. India won 16 medals in Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship 2021: India concluded the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2021 with 16 medals – 4 Gold, 7 Silver, and 5 Bronze, held at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Bindyarani Devi was India’s only medallist at the World Weightlifting Championships 2021, that was also held parallelly at Tashkent.

South Korea’s Son Young-hee won the gold medal at the world championships with an overall lift of 282kg (122+159). New Zealand’s David Liti won the gold medal for a total of 407kg (176+231) followed by Pakistan’s Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt, who lifted 390kg (165+225).

India’s Medal Winners:

 

Gold medal		Silver medal
Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67kg) (Men)		Guru Raja (61kg) (Men)
Achinta Sheuli (73kg) (Men)		Lovepreet Singh (109kg) (Men)
Ajay Singh (81kg) (Men)		Jhili Dalabehera (49kg) (Women)
Purnima Pandey (+87kg) (Women)		S Bindyarani Devi (55kg) (Women)
		Hazarika Popy (59kg) (Women)
		Harjinder Kaur (71kg) (Women)
Bronze medal		Punam Yadav (76kg) (Women)
Vikas Thakur (96kg) (Men)
Gurdeep Singh (+109kg) (Men)
Lalchhanhimi (71kg) (Women)
R Arockiya Alish (76kg) (Women)
Anuradha Pavunraj (87kg) (Women)

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI allowed SFBs as Agency Bank to conduct Govt Business: Reserve Bank of India, in consultation with the Department of Financial Services, the Ministry of Finance, has decided to make the Scheduled payments banks and scheduled small finance banks (SFBs) eligible to conduct Government agency business. In May this year, RBI has revised the existing guidelines on ‘Appointment of Scheduled Private Sector Banks as Agency Banks of RBI’ for authorising Scheduled Private Sector Banks as agency banks of RBI for conducting govt business (Central and/or State). Thus, any payment bank or small finance bank which intends to undertake govt agency business could be appointed as an agent of RBI only upon execution of an agreement with RBI and also in compliance with the regulatory framework prescribed for those banks.

Note: Reserve Bank of India Founded: April 1, 1935; Reserve Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Reserve Bank of India Governor: Shaktikanta Das.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Unsoo Kim appointed as MD of Hyundai Motor India Limited: Hyundai Motor Company has appointed Unsoo Kim as the Managing Director (MD) of Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), starting from 1st January 2022. He will replace Seon Seob Kim (SS Kim), who will lead the Global Operations Division in Hyundai headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. HMIL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of HMC is India’s first smart mobility solutions provider and the number one car exporter in India. He played a key role in positioning the company as a smart mobility solutions provider and bringing Internet-enabled connected cars and kick-starting the electric mobility journey in India with the launch of Kona, an all-electric SUV.

Note: Hyundai Motor Company Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea.

 

2. Mohit Jain Elected As New President Of Indian Newspaper Society: Mohit Jain of The Economic Times has been elected President of The Indian Newspaper Society for the year 2021-22. He succeeds L. Adimoolam of Health & The Antiseptic. The 82nd Annual General Meeting of the Indian Newspaper Society – an apex body of Publishers of Newspapers, Magazines & Periodicals in the country, was held through Video Conference. While K. Raja Prasad Reddy (Sakshi) was elected the deputy president, Rakesh Sharma (Aaj Samaj) was the vice-president and Tanmay Maheshwari (Amar Ujala) was elected the honorary treasurer of the Society for 2021-22.

Note: The Indian Newspaper Society Founded: 27 February 1939; The Indian Newspaper Society Headquarters location: New Delhi.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India successfully test-fired the ‘Agni P’ missile off the coast of Odisha: The nuclear-capable ballistic missile ‘Agni Prime’ was successfully tested off the coast of Odisha by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Recently, DRDO has successful test-firing of the air version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on December 7 was a “significant milestone” in BrahMos’ development.

About the Missile: Agni-P is a new generation upgraded version of Agni class missiles. It’s a two-stage canisterized missile with a range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometres. The ballistic missile is half the weight of the Agni 3 and can be launched from the train or road. It can also be stored for longer periods of time and transported throughout the country as per operational requirements.

Note: Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi; DRDO Established: 1958.

 

2. HAL signed contract with BEL for 83 LCA Tejas Mk1A fighters: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a Rs 2,400 crores contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the development and supply of 20 types of systems for 83 LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft programme. The duration of the contract is 5 years i.e., from 2023 to 2028. Notably, this is HAL’s biggest order on any Indian company thus boosting the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign. The order for the supply of these systems will be executed by two units of BEL at Bengaluru (Karnataka), and Panchkula (Haryana).

Note: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Founded: 1940; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Headquarter: Bengaluru, Karnataka; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited CMD: R Madhavan.