Daily GK Updates - 15th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Captain Tania Shergillbecomes 1st Woman to lead Republic Day contingent:Indian Army Officer Captain Tania Shergill will be the 1st woman parade adjutant for the Republic Day parade 2020. Tania Shergill commissioned in March 2017 from the Officer Training Academy, Chennai. She is electronics and communications graduate.

Note:A parade adjutant is responsible for the parade.

In last year's Republic Day parade, Captain BhavnaKasturi was the first woman officer to lead an all-men contingent.

2. World Bank & ADB Approves Rs 14000 crore to enhance road safety in India: According to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Transport ministry has firmed up a Rs 14,000 crore state support programme for strengthening road safety in India, which will be funded by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).The road transport and highways ministry will fund half of the `14,000-crore programme while the World Bank and the ADB will equally contribute the remaining half.According to the World Road Statistics, India recorded the highest number of road accident deaths across 199 countries in 2018.

3. Center to set up 11-member Committee on royalty rates revision of minerals:  The central government has decided to set up an 11-member committee to look into the issues related to the revision of royalty rates for minerals other than coal, lignite, sand for stowing and minor minerals. The committee will be headed by K. Rajeswara Rao, the additional secretary of the ministry mines. Mines secretaries of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha will be the members of the committee. The committee will submit its report within 1 month to the ministry of mines.

4. Indian Railways signs MoU with RailTel for Phase 2 of e-office Execution: After the successful completion of the Phase 1 execution of NIC e office for 50000 users in 58 units, Indian Railways has signed MoU with RailTel, a miniratna PSU under Ministry of Railways, for the phase 2 of the project. In phase 2, RailTel will register 39000 users over 34 Railway divisions on NIC e office platform by 30th June 2020. The phase 1 of NIC e-office execution started with a mandate to complete the work by March 2020. But with a lightning speed of execution RailTel completed the work way ahead of time and successfully created 50000+ users in 58 units of Indian Railways and trained the executives to handle the platform in a span of mere 6 months’ time. MoU was signed by Executive Director (ED/TD), Railway Board, Shri Umesh Balonda, and General Manager (GM)/Information Technology (IT) project/RailTel, Smt. Haritima Jaipuriar.

5. 6th Island Development Agency meeting held in New Delhi: 6th meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was held New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by Union Minister of Home Affairs (MoHA) Shri Amit Shah. The meeting focused on “Green Development in the Islands to reach new heights”. The Island Development Agency (IDA) has taken up scientifically assessed sustainable development goals in order to improve growth of the Islands. This is the first time such an initiative is being implemented.

6. The Government of India launched the Integrated Road Accident Database (IRAD): The government of India (GoI) has launched an Integrated Road Accident database. It is a central accident database management system that will help in analysing causes of road crashes and in devising safety interventions to reduce such accidents in the country. This IT tool has been developed by the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) and will be implemented by the National Informatics Centre. The project costs ₹258 crore and is being supported by the World Bank. The system will be first piloted in the six States with highest fatalities from road crashes- Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. It was launched during ‘Road Safety Stakeholders’ Meet held in New Delhi.

7. A P Maheshwari appointed as the new DG of CRPF: Senior IPS officer Anand Prakash Maheshwari has been appointed as the director-general of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Maheshwari, a 1984 batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been appointed to the post up to February 28, 2021. He took the charge from Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) DG Surjeet Singh Deswal who was given an additional charge as the head of CRPF after the retirement of DG Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar on December 31, 2019.

Note: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is India's largest Central Armed Police Forces.It functions under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Government of India.

8. Lt General Girish Kumar appointed as the Surveyor General of India: The government of India has appointed Lt General Girish Kumar as the Surveyor General of India in Survey of India on contract basis for a period of one year. Appointment Committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal from re-appointment of Kumar on the post for one year with effect from January 1, 2020. It further mentioned that "necessary communication in this regard has been sent to the Department of Science and Technology.”Earlier, Kumar was appointed as Surveyor General of India on September 30, 2017, under the Survey of India, the national survey and mapping organization of the country.

9. Indian Army Day: 15 January: Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country and its citizens. This year 72nd Army Day is being celebrated across the country.On Army Day, General Bipin Rawat (Chief of Defence Staff), General Manoj Mukund Naravane(Army chief), Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Air Force Chief)and Admiral Karambir Singh (Navy Chief) paid tributes at the National War Memorial Ground in New Delhi.

Note: The day is also recognised as it was on 15 January 1949 that Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa’s (then a Lieutenant General) took over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India.

10. IMD celebrated its 145th foundation Day on 15 January: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is celebrating its 145th Foundation Day on 15 January. It was established in 1875. The day will be celebrated by Ministry of Earth Science under which IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) functions.

Note: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is work under the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology. IMD is headquartered in Delhi and operates hundreds of observation stations across India and Antarctica. Recent Achievements of India Meteorological Department

Director-General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department: Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Ministers’ Meet 2020 held in New Delhi: India and Bangladesh signed some of the key agreements in the field of Information and Broadcasting on 14 January 2020 during the Information and Broadcasting Minister’s meet 2020 held in New Delhi.Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Prakash Javadekar and his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhammad H Mahmud were representing their respective countries in this meet.MoU for the co-production of a film on “Banga Bandhu” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (first President of Bangladesh) was also signed.The film will be directed by Indian director/producer Shri Shyam Benegal. It is proposed to be released in March 2021, as part of centenary celebrations of Banga Bandhu.

Bangladesh will celebrate the ‘Mujib Year’ from March 17, 2020 to March 17, 2021 to mark the centenary year of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

2. Japan Coast Guard Ship ‘Echigo’ arrives in Chennai: The Japan Coast Guard Ship ‘Echigo’ has arrived in Chennai on a five-day goodwill visit.It will be participating in the Annual Joint Exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’ with the Indian Coast Guard off Chennai. This is the 19th such exercise being conducted between the two Coast Guards since 2000. Four Indian Coast Guard ships, their aircraft and a vessel from the Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology - NIOT are participating in the exercise along with the Japanese vessel.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India Finish 2019 as No. 1 Shooting Nation in World: ISSF: Based upon the International Shooting Sport Federation’s (ISSF) overall rankings of Nation for 2019, India finished the year as the top shooting nation in the world leaving behind China and USA. In terms of overall medals, India’s tally stood at 30 medals overall consisting 21 gold, six silver and three bronze as India topped all the Rifle-Pistol World Cups and Finals. China was second with 44 medals overall, including 11 gold, 15 silver and 18 bronze.The USA stood third with 15 medals including six gold six silver and three bronze.

National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President: Raninder Singh.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Retail inflation jumps to about 5-yr high of 7.35 % in Dec 2019: Retail inflation rose to about five-and-half year high of 7.35% in December 2019, mainly due to the rise in prices of vegetables as onions. Now, it is surpassing the RBI's comfort level. As per the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the spike in inflation in the vegetable segment was 60.5% during the month compared to December 2018. The overall retail inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 2.11% (in December 2018) and 5.54% (in November 2019). The previous high in retail inflation was witnessed at 7.39% (in July 2014).The Central Government has mandated the Reserve Bank of India to keep inflation in the range of 4% with a margin of two per cent on either side.

Note: Retail inflation means the increase in prices of certain products or commodities compared to a base price.In India, retail inflation is linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which is managed by the Ministry of Statistics.

AWARDS AND HONOUR

1. M S Swaminathan Honoured with ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award’: Eminent Agricultural Scientist Dr M S Swaminathan was presented the ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence’ for his distinguished contribution to the field of agriculture. He becomes the first recipients the award presented by the Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu during the Pongal Celebrations held at Raj Bhavan in Chennai. Swaminathan is known as the “Father of the Green Revolution in India and the Doyen of Agricultural Science”.

Note: The Award instituted by the Muppavarapu Foundation was announced recently during its 10th-anniversary celebrations in Hyderabad.It carries a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakhs and a citation.

2. Nitin Gadkari presents National Highways Excellence Awards 2019: The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and MSMEs Shri Nitin Gadkari presented the ‘National Highways Excellence Awards 2019’ to 12 outstanding performers in NH sector on 14 January 2020 in New Delhi. National Highway Excellence Awards were instituted in the year 2018 to recognize the well-performing companies in the field of construction, operations, maintenance, toll collection and road safety on National Highways.

The award is given in seven categories namely: (1) Excellence in Project Management; (2) Excellence in Operation and Maintenance; (3) Excellence in Toll Management; (4) Excellence in Highway Safety; (5) Innovation; (6) Outstanding Work in Challenging Conditions; (7) Green Highway

3. Ishwar Sharma wins ‘Global Child Prodigy Award’: Indian yoga boy Ishwar Sharma, a 10-year-old British wins Global Child Prodigy Award. He was chosen from the UK for the awards which honour child prodigies from across 45 countries and 30 different categories such as palaeontology, biking, choreography, fitness and martial arts etc.Ishwar Sharma also has the skill to chant up to 50 shlokas from the Vedas and ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and practices yoga. Sharma, originally from Mysore, has participated in over 100 yoga events across the UK and worldwide.

Note: Global Child Prodigy Awards is A Global Talent Recognition for Child Prodigies. One hundred Global Child Prodigies will be recognized and will be featured in the Global Child Prodigy Award Book 2019.

4. Himachal creates Guinness World Record by preparing the largest quantity of Khichdi: Himachal Pradesh has made the Guinness Book of World Records for preparing the largest-ever quantity of ‘bean and rice’ dish (khichdi) on 14 January 2020 at Tattapani in Mandi district.Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur accepted the certificate on behalf of the state’s Tourism and Civil Aviation department. A team of 25 chefs from Holiday Home hotel in Shimla, cooked 1995 kg of the dish in a vessel weighing 270 kg, with the dimensions of four feet depth and seven feet diameter, that was specially acquired from Jagadhari in Haryana. The chefs’ team took five hours, 4 AM to 9 AM, to prepare the stew. The khichdi container was too heavy to be carried that a crane was used to tilt out the khichdi from the enormous container for serving khichdi to devotees at Tattapani.

Note:Earlier, the record for making the largest amount of khichdi (918.8 kg) was held by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor when he represented the Indian ministry of food processing industries at an event in New Delhi on November 4, 2017.

OBITURIES

1. Filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra passed away: Veteran filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra passed away at the age of 69 in Bhubneshwar. Manmohan Mohapatra was an Odia filmmaker considered as the ‘Father of New Wave Odia Cinema’ and won eight national awards consecutively for ‘Best Feature Odia film’.

Daily GK Updates - 14th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Statue of Unity included in ‘8 Wonders of SCO’: The Statue of Unity at Kevadia, Gujarat has been included in 8 wonders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The Statue of Unity is the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of independent India. The 182-meter tall statue is the world’s tallest statue that was inaugurated by PM Modi on the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in October 2018. The statue was inaugurated on the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 2018.

2. Income Tax Department launched 24×7 control room: Income-Tax Department was launched 24×7 control room to monitor black money and illegal inducements in poll-bound Delhi. This facility will also host a toll-free number (1800117574). People can inform the department about any activity of use of money power, illegal distribution of cash etc.

3. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu to inaugurate “Classical Telugu Centre” in Nellore: Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate a new Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Telugu on January 21 in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. The center will facilitate to focus its activities for the development of this rich classical Telugu through Research, seminars, debates and various activities. The Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Telugu (CESCT) came under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL). Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhrial 'Nishank' is also set to attend the event.

Note: Andhra Pradesh governor Biswabhusan Harichandan; Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

4. PM Modi attended the inaugural session of Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi: India's flagship global conference on geopolitics and geo-economics Raisina Dialogue has begun in New Delhi on January 14, 2020. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inaugural session at which seven former heads of state or government will share their views on important challenges facing the world. This is the 5th edition of the prestigious Raisina Dialogue, jointly organized by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation. 700 international participants from over 100 countries are expected to participate in the dialogue. 12 foreign ministers, including from Russia, Iran, Australia, Maldives, South Africa, Estonia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Latvia, Uzbekistan, and the EU will participate in it.

5. Dharmendra Pradhan launches Mission Purvodaya to develop Eastern India into Integrated Steel Hub: The Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan ‘Mission Purvodaya’ during an event in Kolkata to strengthen steel sector in the Eastern region. Mission Purvodaya is aimed at accelerated development of eastern India through establishment of Integrated Steel Hub. The proposed Integrated Steel Hub, encompassing Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Northern Andhra Pradesh, would help towards socio-economic growth of Eastern India. The Minister informed that the eastern belt has the potential to add over 75 percent of the country’s incremental steel capacity envisioned by the National Steel Policy. The Integrated Steel Hub would thus enable swift capacity addition, improve the overall competitiveness of steel producers both in terms of cost and quality, growth of steel industry along with employment opportunities across the entire value chain.

6. Michael Patra appointed as fourth deputy governor of RBI: The central government has appointed Michael Patra as the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a three-year term. At present, he is serving as an executive director at the Reserve Bank of India. He replaces Viral Acharya, who left office on July 23, 2019. He will take over as the fourth deputy governor at the Reserve Bank. He was in charge of the central bank’s monetary policy division until now.

7. Indian Space Research Organisation to launch GSAT-30 satellite: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch GSAT-30 satellite onboard Ariane-5 launch vehicle (VA 251) from French Guiana, overseas department of France. This satellite will launch on 17 January 2020. The GSAT-30 is a communication satellite of India and configured on ISRO’s enhanced I-3K Bus structure to provide communication services from Geostationary orbit in C and Ku bands.

8. Armed Forces Veterans Day: 14 January: 14 January celebrated as Armed Forces Veterans Day every year. Armed Forces Veterans Day is being celebrated since 2017. This day is observed to mark the respect and recognition of the services rendered by Field Marshal KM Cariappa. He was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, retired on 14th January 1953.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Treasury Department of USA removes China from “currency manipulator” list: The Treasury Department of United States of America has been removed China from the designation as “currency manipulator“.

2. Robert Abela Sworn in as New Prime Minister of Malta: Lawyer Robert Abela (42 years) was sworn in as the 14th Prime Minister of Malta. He replaced ruling PM Joseph Muscat, who resigned amid accountability over the murder of an investigative journalist. Abela is the son of former President of Malta George Abela. Robert Abela secured a surprising victory in Malta’s governing party’s internal leadership contest to be elected as the new leader.

Note: Capital of Malta: Valletta; Currency: Euro

3. Nearly 8,000 Philipinos evacuated as Taal volcano erupts near Manila: Around 8,000 residents were evacuated after a small active Taal volcano near Manila spewed a massive cloud of ash. Experts warned of another possibility of "hazardous explosive eruption." Taal (one of the world's smallest active volcanoes) sits in the middle of a lake about 70km (45 miles) south of the center of Manila. There was a risk an eruption could cause a tsunami in the lake. The Philippines lies on the Ring of Fire, a belt of volcanoes circling the Pacific Ocean that is also prone to earthquakes. Taal has erupted more than 30 times in the past five centuries, most recently in 1977.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Japan's Kento Momota wins Malaysia Masters: Japanese badminton player Kento Momota (World number-1) has won the Malaysia Masters 2020. He defeated Denmark's Viktor Axelsen 24-22, 21-11. Momota, currently the best player on the planet, won a record 11 titles last year.

Note: The 2020 Malaysia Masters was the first tournament of the 2020 BWF World Tour. It is also part of the Malaysia Masters championships, which had been held since 2009. This tournament was organized by the Badminton Association of Malaysia and sanctioned by the BWF.

2. Novak Djokovic Leads Serbia to win inaugural ATP Cup with 2-1 victory over Spain: Serbia has won the inaugural 2020 ATP Cup tennis tournament, defeating Spain 2–1 in the final in Sydney. Novak Djokovic (from Serbia) was the key performer in the tournament. Djokovic (World No. 2) claimed a straight-sets victory over Rafael Nadal (World No. 1) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) in singles. In doubles, Djokovic and Viktor Troicki claimed 6-3, 6-4 straight sets victory over Feliciano Lopez and Pablo Carreno Busta.

Note: ATP Cup was the opener for the 2020 ATP Tour, as well as the first ATP team tournament since the last edition of the World Team Cup in 2012.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SEBI defer deadline to April 2022 for split “Chairman and Managing Director” post: Market Regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has extended the deadline given to companies to separate the roles of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) post by two years to April 2022. Under Sebi’s norms, the top 500 listed entities by market capitalisation need to comply with the requirement of separation of the roles of chairperson and MD or chief executive officer (CEO) with effect from April 1, 2020. This deadline has now been extended till April 1 2022. The norms were part of the series of recommendations given by the Sebi-appointed Uday Kotak-led committee on corporate governance.

2. RBI restricts cash withdrawals up to Rs 35,000 in Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has put restrictions on cash withdrawals for the account holders of Sri Gururaghavendra Sahakara Bank. As per the RBI directions, the bank will not be able to grant or renew any loans and advances, make any investment, incur any liability, including borrowing of funds and acceptance of fresh deposits. This has been done after finding alleged irregularities in transactions. The bank’s savings and current account customers and depositors can, however, withdraw cash up to ₹35,000 only till further notice. The directive will remain in force for 6 months from January 10 and is subject to review,” added the official.

Note: Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank Niyamitha is an urban cooperative bank and the RBI has issued directions in the exercise of powers vested in it under subsection (1) of Section 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

3. Former Flipkart CEO Sachin Bansal acquires DHFL General Insurance: Sachin Bansal (Flipkart co-founder and former CEO) has acquired DHFL General Insurance from Kapil Wadhawan-led Wadhawan Group Capital (WGC) for around Rs 100 crore. WGC is the parent company of debt-laden Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) and this deal is seen as a distress sale. Now, Bansal has entered the insurance business, and the investment is also seen as part of his strategy to enter into the financial services industry. Earlier, Bansal had done multiple investments in the insurance business to increase his portfolio of firms in the sector.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Infosys signs five-year deal with a European firm to digitize global operations: The Global software major Infosys signed a 5-year deal with leading European automotive logistics firm GEFCO to digitize its worldwide operations. Infosys is partnering with the Paris-based GEFCO to digitize its multi-modal supply chain solutions and support its digital transformation over the next five years. The 70-year-old GEFCO has a presence in 47 countries and serves about 300 destinations worldwide with 15,000 workforces. As a technology partner, Infosys will help transform GEFCO's business application management services, leverage its live enterprise suite to evolve into a digital native organization.

Note: The 4.6-billion-euro GEFCO designs smart, flexible solutions to meet supply-chain challenges in every industry sector.

DEFENCE

1. IOC launches special NATO class diesel for Indian Navy: State-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has developed a special class diesel conforming to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO grade for use in ships and vessels of the Indian Navy. Vice Admiral G S Pabby launched the Upgraded High Flash High-Speed Diesel (HFHSD- IN 512) in New Delhi. The fuel possesses the best rheological and detergent characteristics validated against most stringent military specifications. It also has a lesser environmental impact due to low Sulphur content and would result in better performance of engines. This fuel will facilitate the Indian Navy to enhance its global footprint and will allow India to fuel the vessels of friendly foreign countries at places where fuel conforming to NATO grade is supplied. The changeover to the upgraded HFHSD- IN 512 has been done without any additional cost to the Indian Navy.

2. India to acquire 200 fighter jets for Air Force: According to Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, the Union government is in the process of acquiring around 200 aircraft to cope with the depleting aerial inventories of the Indian Air Force. The contract for HAL-manufactured 83 LCA Tejas Mark 1 A advanced fighter jets are in the final stages. Apart from these, Expression of Interest has been floated for another 110 aircraft, based on which Request for Proposal will be floated. The Air Force has Sukhoi 30 MKIs, Mirage 2000s, Mig 29s, and the aging Jaguars and Mig 21 Bisons in its inventory of fighter jets at present. The last fleet of seven swing-wing MiG-27 fighters, which played an important role during the 1999 Kargil war, was decommissioned on 27th December 2019.

OBITUARIES

1. Raj Kapoor’s daughter Ritu Nanda passes away: Ritu Nanda, entrepreneur, and daughter of late Bollywood actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor passed away on January 13, 2020, in New Delhi. Ritu Nanda is the sister of Rishi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor. She was suffering from cancer.

Daily GK Updates - 13th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi Launches Projects worth Rs 600 crore in Kolkata; Renames Kolkata Port as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port: The Kolkata Port has been renamed as Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port on 12 January 2020, on the occasion of 150 years of operation of Kolkata Port. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata to celebrate 150th year of celebrations of the port. PM Modi also launched several Port led development projects worth Rs 600 crore as a part of the celebrations. Some of the projects launched include:

(1) Released a commemorative stamp on 150th years of the Kolkata Port Trust

(2) Upgraded Ship repair facility at Netaji Subhash Dry Dock

(3) Upgraded railway infrastructure of Kolkata dock system of the Kolkata Port for smooth cargo movement and river front development scheme

(4) Mechanization of Berth No. 3 at Haldia Dock

(5) Launched the Port Anthem

(6) Inaugurated the Kaushal Vikas Kendra and Pritilata Chhatri Avas for 200 tribal girl students from Sundarbans.

(7) Honored two oldest pensioners of the Port Smt. Nagina Bhagat (105 years) and Mr. Naresh Chandra Chakraborty (100 years)

2. Lt Col Yuvraj Malik appointed director of NBT: Lt Col Yuvraj Malik has been appointed the Director of the National Book Trust (NBT) on deputation from the Indian Army. He replaced Sahitya Akademi-awardee writer Rita Chowdhury. Malik has also served with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Raj Bhawan in Jammu & Kashmir, United Nation Missions in Africa and several operational areas in administrative and operational assignments including Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Punjab and Rajasthan.

Note: Headquarters of NBT: New Delhi; Chairman: Govind Prasad Sharma

3. ‘Wings India 2020’ to be held at Begumpet Airport Hyderabad in March 2020: Biennial International Exhibition and Conference on Civil Aviation Sector, ‘Wings India 2020’ will be held at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, Telangana from March 12-15, 2020. The theme of the exhibition is “Flying for all”. The exhibition will be jointly organized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce And Industry (FICCI), Airports Authority of India (AAI). It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in presence of Minister for Civil Aviation. During the event first-ever “Wings India Awards’ for Excellence in the Civil Aviation Sector will be announced that will be conferred upon the Aviation-related Companies.

Note:  Ministry of Civil Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri; Ministry of State for Civil Aviation: Suresh Prabhu; Director-General of Directorate General of Civil Aviation: Arun Kumar

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Haitham Bin Tariq Al -Said becomes new Sultan of Oman: Haitham bin Tariq al-Said took over as Sultan of Oman after the death of a long-time ruler Qaboos bin Said Al Said. Late Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed had ruled Oman since 1970 as the 8th Sultan of the House of Al Said. The late sultan had himself chose Haitham Bin Tareq Al Saeed (cousin of late Sultan Qaboos) as his successor, as the Sultan had no children. He was the longest-serving monarch among the recent Arab rulers.

Note: The Sultan of Oman is the highest decision-maker and holds the parallel position of the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Finance Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

2. Indian Scientist Bipul Behari Saha elected as IUPAC Bureau member: Bipul Behari Saha, a noted chemist has been elected as a bureau member (2020-23) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) for the period 2020-23. Bipul Behari Saha is the second Indian after CNR Rao (former Director of the Indian Institute of Science and Bharat Ratna) to be elected for this position in a century. Founded 100 years ago, IUPAC is the largest global organization of Chemistry professionals.

Note: IUPAC has the responsibility of naming all new elements and compounds, declare atomic weights and physical constants, update Periodic table and carry out research projects.

3. 18th Dhaka International Film Festival begins in Dhaka: The 18th Dhaka International Film Festival was inaugurated in Dhaka, Bangladesh by the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen. The festival kicked off with the screening of the Spanish-Greek film Window to the Sea, directed by Miguel Angel Jimenez, at Bangladesh National Museum (BNM). During the festival, 220 films from 74 countries will be screened across various venues in Dhaka between 11-19 January. More than 100 filmmakers and other personalities from the movie world are participating in the event over the next eight days. The theme of the festival is ‘Better Film, Better Audience, and Better Society’.

4. World Trade Organization set up a dispute panel over India’s duty hike on 28 American goods: The World Trade Organization (WTO) has set up a panel to examine complaints filed by United States (US) against India for hiking customs duties of 28 American goods in July 2019. The US had dragged India to the WTO by filing a complaint against New Delhi's move to increase customs duties, alleging the decision as inconsistent with the global trade norms. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is a WTO pact, signed by all member countries of the multi-lateral body, aims to promote trade by reducing or eliminating trade barriers like customs duties. The US had also alleged that the duties imposed by India appear to be inconsistent with the two norms of GATT. The US rolled back export incentives from India under its GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) programme and New Delhi has imposed higher customs duties on 28 American products such as almond, pulses, walnut, chickpeas, boric acid, etc. India’s exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at $47.9 billion, while its imports were at $26.7 billion. The trade balance is also in favour of India.

Note: Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; Founded: 1 January 1995; Director General (DG): Roberto Carvalho de Azevedo.

5. World Future Energy Summit begins in Abu Dhabi, UAE: The World Future Energy Summit 2020 begun in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi. The four-day annual Summit is dedicated to advancing future energy, clean technologies, and energy efficiency. Held annually at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the 2020 edition includes exhibition and forum programs across five main pillars: energy, solar, water, waste and smart cities, hosting an unrivaled gathering of top-level government and business leaders. The theme for this year's summit is "Rethinking Global Consumption, Production, and Investment." World Future Energy Summit is the Middle East’s largest future energy and sustainability event. 33,500 participants from 170 countries participated in the summit. The Summit will conclude on 17th January, 2020.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. BCCI Annual Awards 2018-19: Jasprit Bumrah Receives Polly Umrigar Award: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Annual Awards for 2018-19 were presented on 12 January 2020 in Mumbai. Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah (world’s No. 1 ODI bowler) will receive the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s Polly Umrigar Award for his super performance in international cricket in the 2018-19 season.  Some list of winners:

Award	Name
CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award	Krishnamachari Srikkanth
BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award For Women	Anjum Chopra
BCCI Special Award	Dilip Joshi
Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Men)	Jasprit Bumrah
Best International Cricketer (Women)	Poonam Yadav
Best International debut (Men)	Mayank Agarwal
Best International debut (Women)	Shafali Verma
Highest run getter in women’s internationals	Smriti Mandhana
Highest wicket taker in women’s internationals	Jhulan Goswami
Best Umpire	Virender Sharma
Best Performance in Domestic Tournaments	Vidarbha

2. Two-day ITTF Executive Committee Meeting Begins in New Delhi: The two-day Executive Committee meeting of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) began in New Delhi. This is the second time that India is hosting such a meeting. Previously such meeting of the ITTF was held in New Delhi in 1987. The EC meeting is being chaired by ITTF President Thomas Weikert to discuss the development of table tennis in India, among other issues. The other members in the Executive Committee of the ITTF comprises deputy president Khalil Al-Mohannad, Secretary General Raul Calin, seven executive vice-presidents and CEO Steve Dainton.

Note: International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) headquarter- Lausanne, Switzerland.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI allows e-mandate on UPI for recurring transactions: Reserve Bank of India has allowed the Processing of e-mandate for recurring transactions for UPI transactions. This functionality will allow UPI users to bypass additional factor authentication (AFA) every time a payment is made to a regular merchant by giving a one-time instruction to the UPI service provider. The maximum permissible limit for a transaction under this arrangement shall be ₹ 2,000/-. No charges shall be levied or recovered from the UPI User for availing the e-mandate facility on UPI for recurring transactions.

2. Central govt raised India Overseas Bank’s authorized capital to Rs 25,000 crore: The Union government in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced an increase in the authorized capital of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) to Rs. 25,000 crores from the previously authorized capital of Rs. 15,000 crores. The authorized capital of a company/bank/institution is the maximum amount of share capital a company is authorized to issue its shareholders.

Note: MD and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank: Shri Karnam Sekar; Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. PayU to acquire PaySense for $185 mn: Payment and Fintech Company PayU has decided to acquire a controlling stake in digital credit platform PaySense in a deal valued at $185 million. After that PayU has also decided to merge its consumer lending businesses, LazyPay with PaySense. , will merge their business operations to build a full-stack digital lending platform in India. Also, the founder and CEO of PaySense Prashanth Ranganathan will lead the PayU’s credit business in India as the CEO of the new venture

Daily GK Updates - 12th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Amit Shah Inaugurates first-of-its-kind ‘CYBER AASHVAST’ and VISWAS projects: The Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated various people centric projects at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. Some of the major projects inaugurated includes:

Video Integration and State Wide Advanced Security (VISWAS): It is a first of its kind project in the country launched for major e-governance initiative. It aims at improving Law and Order Management, Proactive traffic management and control, Crime detection through video analytics and Post incident Investigation and video forensics.

Cyber Crime Prevention Unit-AASHVAST Project is a first of its kind unit launched by Gujarat Police to make cyber-space safe for common man through a dedicated helpline service for victims of cyber crimes to provide cyber-security solution.

2. Government to Set up 1023 Fast Track Special Courts under National Mission: The Central Government has started a scheme to set up 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) across the country as a part of National Mission for Safety of Women (NMSW) amid the growing offences of rape and gang rape of minor girls below age of twelve years and similar heinous crimes against women. FTSCs will be set up in different states based on pendency of subject cases obtained from various High Courts for fast and time bound trial and disposal of pending cases related to rape and POCSO Act. Out of 1023 FTSCs, 389 Courts have been proposed to be set up exclusively for POCSO Act related cases in Districts where pendency of such cases is more than 100. 24 have joined this scheme so far and 216 numbers of POCSO courts have already been operationalized in 12 States under the scheme.

3. Union Minister Smriti Irani launched 3 schemes in Goa: The Union minister for women and child development Smriti Irani launched 3 welfare schemes for women in Goa. The schemes are Yashaswini Scheme for Women Entrepreneurship, Swasthya Sahayak Project and breast cancer screening initiative handheld device facilitating detection of cancer.

Under the Yashaswini Scheme for Women Entrepreneurship, the state government provides interest-free loan up to Rs 5 lakh with tenure of 5 years to self-help groups with repayment starting from the second year and the loan to be paid in four instalments.

Under the Swasthya Sahayak scheme, a diagnostic kit will be supplied to primary healthcare workers and Anganwadi workers in the state to help them conduct basic diagnostic tests at people’s doorstep so as to bring an affordable and convenient solution to the common man, who had to stand in queues and wait for days for getting basic diagnostic tests done. The diagnostic kit has been developed by the Public Health Foundation of India, which has partnered with Procter and Gamble to manufacture and supply the kits using corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund.

Under breast cancer screening initiative the handheld devices the Anganwadi and healthcare workers will screen women for breast cancer, reaching out to the women in rural parts of the state. With the help of such a device, the delivery of health services will become more accessible and affordable, he said and added that 20,000 women would be screened for breast cancer.

4. ISRO Planned to Launch IDRSS Satellites for Seamless Communication with Space Crew: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch its own satellite communication system called Indian Data Relay Satellite System (IDRSS) for tracking and communication of its space assets. The IDRSS will have a constellation of two geo satellites, which will be deployed in phases. The first satellites will be launched into low-Earth orbit by the end of 2020, ahead of the unmanned Gaganyaan test flight, while the second satellite will be launched in 2021, before the manned mission is embarked in 2022. IDRSS will help ISRO’s ground control room to uniformly monitor India’s spaceflights and communicate with them at any given point of time, and can be used in both low orbit missions and farther missions such as those to the moon, Mars and beyond.

5. National Youth Day: 12th January: National Youth Day (Yuva Diwas) is celebrated every year on 12 January. On this day Swami Vivekananda was born. He was one of the greatest social reformer, thinker, and philosopher of India.

On the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, 23rd National Youth Festival 2020 started with a grand inauguration ceremony in Lucknow. The National Youth Festival 2020 is organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and State Government of Uttar Pradesh. The theme of the 23rd National Youth Festival 2020 is “FIT YOUTH FIT INDIA”.

Note: Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th January 1863 in the Pausha Krishna Saptami tithi and died on 4 July 1902. He was the chief disciple of the 19th-century saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission. He was one of the most prominent figures of India who introduced Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the 'Western' World. The day was declared in 1984 by the Government of India and held annually since 1985. January 12, 2020 marks 157th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tsai Ing-wen wins Taiwan presidential election: Tsai Ing-wen has secured a second term in office in Taiwan after winning the presidential election with 57.1 per cent of the votes. Tsai won 8.17 million votes, while her main rival Han Kuo-yu bagged 5.52 million votes (38.6 percent). Her Democratic Progressive party retained control of the legislature, according to final results. 63-year old Tsai was the first female leader of the country, when she assumed charge for first term in May 2016.

Note: Capital of Taiwan: Taipei; Currency of Taiwan: New Taiwan dollar

2. India invited as guest of honour at Paris Book Fair 2020: India will be attending the Paris Book Fair 2020 as the guest of honour country. The annual fair will be held in March 2020. This will be the third time that India would be the guest country at the fair after 2002 and 2007. To continue the cultural exchange, France is expected to be the guest of honour at the New Delhi World Book Fair 2022.

3. Om Birla attends CSPOC Standing Committee Meeting in Ottawa: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended the Standing Committee Meeting of the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in the Canadian capital Ottawa. Birla is leading an Indian Parliamentary delegation- comprising of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh and Lok Sabha Secretary-General Snehlata Shrivastava- to the 25th CSPOC being held in Ottawa from January 5 to January 11.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Kento Momota of Japan Wins 2020 Malaysia Masters Badminton Tournament: World number one Kento Momota of Japan won the 2020 Malaysia Masters defeating Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen 24-22, 21-11 on 12 January 2020. The 2020 Malaysia Masters was the first tournament of the 2020 BWF World Tour.

2. Karolina Pliskova Claims 2020 Brisbane International Tennis Tournament: Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova defeat Madison Keys of United States 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to win 2020 Brisbane International Tennis Tournament held at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. This was Pliskova’s third Brisbane title in four years and her 16th on the WTA tour. In doubles category, Hsieh Su-wei and Barbora Strýcova defeated Ashleigh Barty and Kiki Bertens. Brisbane International is a WTA Premier tournament of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. HDFC Bank Acquires majority stake in Apollo Munich Health Insurance for Rs 1,495.81 crore: The mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) has announced the completion of the acquisition of majority stake (51.16%) in Apollo Munich Health Insurance Company for Rs. 1,495.81 crore. The acquisition was approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRADI) by 01 January 2020. Subsequently, the Apollo Munich has been renamed as HDFC ERGO Health Insurance and will operate as a subsidiary of HDFC. MD and CEO: Anuj Tyagi, Executive Director and Chief Business Officer at HDFC ERGO Health Insurance has been appointed as the new MD and CEO of the new entity HDFC ERGO Health Insurance. However, the appointment is subject to approval of IRDAI. Future plans: HDFC will merge HDFC ERGO General with ERGO Health and will soon apply to seek approval for the same to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Post merger, the merged entity will be the second largest private insurer in accident and health segment in the country.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Andhra Pradesh Government signs Rs 711 cr MoU with German development bank: The German state-owned development bank, KfW has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government for Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) Under the MoU, KfW will provide Rs 711 crore loan to Andhra Pradesh for expanding the climate-resilient Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in the state over the next five years. Additionally, the state government will spend another Rs 304 crore on the project. Around 2.39 lakh farmers in 591 village panchayats of the state will be encouraged to take up ZBNF under the project.

2. IBM announces appointment of company veteran Sandip Patel as new India MD: Global tech major IBM announced the appointment of Sandip Patel as the new managing director for India and South Asia. Patel, who has been with the US-headquartered company since 2002, succeeds Karan Bajwa who has decided to pursue opportunities outside of IBM.

DEFENCE

1. India deploys INS Vikramaditya in Arabian Sea amid China-Pak naval drill ‘Sea Guardians’: China and Pakistan are conducting their nine-day mega naval exercise ‘Sea Guardians’ in the North Arabian Sea from 06 January 2020 to increase inter-operability and strategic cooperation between their two navies. On the other hand, India Navy too deployed its aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya in the Arabian Sea, to send a clear strategic signal to them about its operational readiness and combat capability in the maritime domain. Top officials of the Naval headquarters are personally keeping close watch on the ‘Sea Guardians’ from the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya deploying MiG29K fighters on board.

Daily GK Updates - 11th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. “Paperless Licensing Process” launched for Petroleum Road Tankers: The “Paperless Licensing Process” has been launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), for Petroleum Road Tankers. DPIIT has launched the process through Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). The process has been launched under the Petroleum Rules, 2002. The “Paperless Licensing Process” will led to online filing of the applications including the fee payment and thus heading towards digitisation. The applicants will be intimated through email and SMS. Under the above process, the license would be authorised by the concerned officer and would be electronically dispatched to the applicant.

Note: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry: Piyush Goyal.

2. Union Home Minister inaugurates I4C & National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: Union Home Minister has inaugurated the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) located in New Delhi.

The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal is a citizen centric vision which enables people to report cyber crimes online. The NCCRP will also provide access of cyber crime related complaints to the law enforcement agencies of the states and union territories to take action according to the law.  It will also increase the coordination among the law enforcement agencies of the states and union territories in investigation of cases and resolving them. Presently, 3900 police stations and 700 police districts have been linked with the portal “www.cybercrime.gov.in”.

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) will manage all kinds of cyber crimes comprehensively in coordinated manner. At the Home Ministry’s initiative, 15 States and UTs have cleared the setting-up of Regional Cyber Crime Coordination Centres.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

3. Union Budget to be presented on 1st Feb & Economic Survey on 31st Jan: Union Budget will be presented on the 1st of February and the Economic Survey on 31st January 2020. The Budget Session of Parliament will begin on the 31st of this month.

Note: Economic Survey of India: The Economic Survey of India is the flagship annual document of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance presents the Survey in the Parliament every year, just before the Union Budget. It is prepared under the guidance of the Chief Economic Adviser attached to the Ministry of Finance.

Union Budget: The Union Budget of India is the Annual Financial Statement in Article 112 of the Constitution of Republic of India. The Government presents it on the first day of February so that it could be materialised before the beginning of the new financial year in April. The first Union budget of independent India was presented by R. K. Shanmukham Chetty on 26th November 1947. Until 2016, the budget of the Indian Railways was presented separately to Parliament and dealt with separately.

4. Union Government unveils State Energy Efficiency Index 2019: The Union Government has released the “State Energy Efficiency Index 2019”. The index was released during the ‘Review, Planning and Monitoring (RPM)’ meeting held in New Delhi. The index is developed by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) along with Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE). The SEE Index 2019 traces the expansion and achievements of Energy Efficiency (EE) drives running in 36 states and union territories. The SEE Index 2019 constitutes quantitative, qualitative and outcome based 97 indicators to check energy efficiency initiatives, programs and outcomes in five distinct areas: transport, industry, agriculture, buildings, municipalities, and DISCOMs.

State Energy Efficiency Index 2019 has divided States/UTs into 4 groups on the basis of Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) desired to meet the State’s/UT’s actual energy demand through electricity, coal, oil, gas, etc. across all the sectors. The 4 groups are: ‘Front Runner’, ‘Achiever’, ‘Contender’ and ‘Aspirant’.

Key results of SEE Index 2019: The State Energy Efficiency Index 2019 was topped by Haryana, Karnataka and Kerala while Manipur, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand and Rajasthan performed worst in their respective groups. The states of Haryana, Karnataka and Kerala were in “Achiever” group and there was not a single state in the “Front Runner” group.

5. Pulses Conclave to be held in Lonavala: India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) has announced the fifth edition of the Pulses Conclave, will be held in Lonavala, Maharashtra from 12-14 February 2020. IPGA expects close to 1500 trade stakeholders from India and key pulses exporting countries like USA, Australia, Canada, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi. The conference aims at increasing exports, processing efficiencies, protein extraction, value addition and post-harvest management.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Second largest Muslim Congregation in the world Bishwa Ijtema begins in Bangladesh: The first phase of the world’s second-largest Muslim congregation after Haj began on the outskirts of Dhaka. Thousands of devotees from Bangladesh and abroad are thronging the bank of river Turag at Tongi near Dhaka to participate in the congregation called Bishwa Ijtema. Noted scholars give a religious sermon to the devotees on this occasion. The Ijtema began with the ‘aam bayan’ and will end on January 12 with the final prayers ‘Akheri Munajat’. The second phase of Bishwa Ijtem will take place between January 17-19. Bishwa Ijtema has been taking place on the Turag riverbank in Tongi near Dhaka since 1967. In 2011, the congregation was split into two phases to ensure better management. Bishwa Ijtema draws in Muslim devotees from about 150 countries.

2. Israel unveils revolutionary laser-based air defence system: According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Israel has successfully developed a laser-based air defence system. The system is meant to intercept aerial threats ranging from as mortar fire, drones, medium-range Grad rockets, anti-tank missiles as well as long-range missiles. The technological development will enable the long-range targeting and stabilization of laser beams, allowing them to intercept targets at great distances. The system is set to be tested in six months' time at an undisclosed location in northern Israel. If the interception test is successful, the laser-based system will be dispatched for field use along Israel's border with the Gaza Strip.

3. Pedro Sanchez Takes Oath as the Prime Minister of Spain: The leader of the Socialist party in Spain, Pedro Sanchez, took the oath as the prime minister of the country, after winning confidence vote by an extremely tight margin in 350-seat chamber, with 167 votes in favour and 165 against. With this win, he has become head of Spain’s first-ever coalition government since the dictatorship ended in 1975.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI releases “National Strategy for Financial Inclusion” report: The Reserve Bank of India has released a report “National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI): 2019-2024“. The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion for the period 2019-2024 has been formulated by RBI under the aegis of Financial Inclusion Advisory Committee (FIAC). The report has been ratified by the Financial Stability Development Council (FSDC). As per the official statement, “the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2019-2024 sets forth the vision and key objectives of the financial inclusion policies in India to help expand and sustain the financial inclusion process at the national level through a broad convergence of action involving all the stakeholders in the financial sector. The strategy aims to provide access to formal financial services in an affordable manner, broadening & deepening financial inclusion and promoting financial literacy & consumer protection.”

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

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Prof. MS Swaminathan & Dr. G Muniratnam Selected for First Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Awards: Eminent Agricultural Scientist Dr M S Swaminathan and veteran social worker, Dr. Gutta Muniratnam have been chosen as the first recipients of ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence’ and ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service’’ respectively. The announcement for the awards was made during the 10th Anniversary Celebrations of Muppavarapu Foundation and Sankranthi Sambaralu (festivities) organized in Hyderabad.

Note: The Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence is instituted by the Muppavarapu Foundation. Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service has been launched by the Swarna Bharat Trust. Each award carries a cash prize of Rupees Five Lakh and citation.

OBITUARIES

1. Ruler of Oman Sultan Qaboos bin Said passes away: The longest serving ruler of Oman Sultan Qaboos bin Said passed away due to years-long struggle with an illness. He was a charismatic and visionary leader who transformed Oman into a modern and prosperous nation. He was ruling Oman since 1970. The Sultan is the prime decision-maker in Oman and also holds the portfolio of Prime Minister, supreme commander of the armed forces, minister of foreign affairs, minister of finance and minister of defence. The written constitution Qaboos introduced requires the ruling family to choose a successor within three days of the throne falling vacant.

Note: Capital of Oman: Muscat; Currency: Omani rial.