Daily GK Updates - 16th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurates ‘Indian Heritage in Digital Space’: The Union Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel launched a month-long special exhibition 'Indian Heritage in Digital Space' and a first international heritage symposium at the National Museum located in New Delhi. IHDS, an initiative of Department of Science and Technology has created the models of Heritages with the help of holographic projections, AR and 3D fabrication and 3D LASER scan data. Visitors will be able to see the recreations of the socio-cultural life and traditions of Hampi, architectural and conjectural reconstructions of several important structures.

2. Lucknow hosts the 7th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference 2020: The 7th Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in the Vidhan Bhawan, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on 16 January 2020. During the two-day event, Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon will address the inaugural session, while Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel will address the valedictory session on 17 January 2020. The main theme of the conference is ‘ROLE OF LEGISLATORS’ and during the Plenary Sessions spread over two days, delegates will discuss the Capacity Building of Legislators for Scrutinizing Budgetary Proposals and Enhancing Focus of Legislators on Legislative Business.

Note: CPA India Region conferences are held once in two years and the 6th conference was held in 2018 in Patna.

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

3. Mega fuel conservation campaign ‘Saksham 2020’ inaugurated in New Delhi: The one-month long mega fuel conservation campaign named Saksham-2020 was inaugurated in New Delhi on 16 January 2020. Saksham (Sanrakshan Kshamta Mahotsav) is an annual flagship event of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt. of India. The Saksham campaign aims at creating mass awareness among public about conventional fuel conservation, for health & environment protection and simultaneously help in reducing India’s dependency on import of crude oil.

4. 5th Science Film Festival of India 2020 Begins in Goa: The 5th edition of Science Film Festival of India, SCI-FFI 2020, has been started in Panaji, Goa. The four-day-long festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister, Dr. Paramod Sawant and will end on 18 January. The festival that will take place at the Inox Complex and Maquinez Palace in Goa, aims at instilling the knowledge of science among the youth with the help of exhibitions, masterclasses, workshops, and other activities. Besides, Goa Government and Government of India, the event is being supported by Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAR). Films that have been selected to be screened at the event are 'Mission Mangal', 'Antariksham 9000 KMPH', 'Everest', 'Aamorie', 'Terminator: Dark Fate', 'Geostorm' and, 'Virus' among others. A special workshop titled 'Million SoUL' will also be conducted by IIT Bombay on training about making solar lamps. The workshop is aimed at empowering people from backward communities.

5. Ladakh hosts the first ever Food Processing Summit: Union Territory Ladakh is hosting the first ever Food Processing Summit to attract investors to the region. With the help of Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the UT Administration of Ladakh is organizing the Summit. Ladakh region has vast scope for investment in food Processing Industries in horticulture products like Apricot, SeabuckThorn, Apple and agricultural produce like buckwheat and barley.

Note: Ladakh Capitals: Leh, Kargir; Lieutenant Governor: RK Mathur

6. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched the 7th Economic Census process: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has launched the 7th Economic Census process in the state. Economic Census process is carried out by Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with the help of Common Service Centres. It will continue till 30th June 2020. The entire data will be compiled on 30th September 2020. The data of this Economic Census will be classified into the village, taluka and district-wise to be developed into a National Business Register.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Submits Resignation: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as well as the entire Russian government submitted resignation to President Vladimir Putin, after President announced a range of constitutional changes. Putin thanked Medvedev for his work and appointed him as the deputy head of the presidential Security Council. Russian President asked Medvedev's Cabinet to keep working until the new Cabinet is formed.

Note: Russia Capital: Moscow; Currency: Russian ruble; President: Vladimir Putin

2. US signs first phase of trade deal with China: The US has signed the first phase of a trade deal with China, concluding more than a year of tough negotiations including several months of suspension of talks between the two largest economies of the world. In his remarks, President Donald Trump called the trade agreement signing a momentous step to a future of fair and reciprocal trade. The first phase of the trade deal includes Intellectual Property (IP) Protection and Enforcement, rebalancing the US-China trade relationship and effective dispute resolution. The deal was signed by President Trump and Chinese vice Premier Liu He in Washington.

However, President Trump has refused to roll back the massive tariff imposed on the import of Chinese goods. During a signing ceremony at the White House, Trump said he will roll back the tariffs only if the second phase of the trade deal is signed between the two countries.

3. India and Finland ink MoU to enhance bilateral defence cooperation: Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Finland Mr Jukka Juusti signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further defence cooperation between India and Finland. The MoU on co-operation in the field of Production, Procurement, Research and Development of Defence related Equipment and Industrial cooperation has been inked on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2020. Under the broad ambit of the MoU, cooperation between Finnish companies and Indian Defence Public Sector Undertakings could be explored.

Note: Finland Capital: Helsinki; Currency: Euro; Prime minister: Sanna Marin

4. Guatemala swears in conservative Giammattei as president: Guatemala swore in Alejandro Giammattei, a conservative physician opposed to gay marriage and abortion, as its new president. Giammattei won the presidency on his fourth attempt in August for Vamos, a party founded in 2017 by politicians, businessmen and military officers on promises of battling poverty and providing better opportunities.

Note: Guatemala Capital: Guatemala City; Currency: Guatemalan quetzal

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. World Bank & GoI signs MoU for loan of Assam Inland Water Transport Project: World Bank & Government of Indi signs MoU for loan of $88 million of Assam Inland Water Transport Project. The loan agreement seeks to modernize the Assam’s passenger ferry sector by improving the infrastructure and its services. The government ferries are operated by the Assam Shipping Company (ASC) while the terminals and terminal services are provided by the Assam Ports Company (APC) in the state of Assam. The $88 million agreement will provide technically better designed terminals and energy-efficient vessels to make the ferry services more efficient, modern and safe mode of river transport system.

Note: Assam Capital: Dispur; Chief minister: Sarbananda Sonowal

2. South Central Zone of Indian Railways Signs MoU with SBI for Doorstep Banking: The South Central Zone (SCR) of Indian Railways and State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for ‘Doorstep Banking’ to enable direct pickup of cash earnings from all 585 Railway stations on SCR Zone. The direct pick up of cash from all the railway stations on SCR by SBI will save the tedious and complex activity of movement of cash earnings through ‘cash safes’ by trains. The door step banking will increase the pace of financial transactions and digitization of remittance of cash earnings of the Railways into accounts.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos commits USD 1 bn investment in India to digitise small businesses: Amazon.com Inc chief Jeff Bezos has announced USD 1 billion (over Rs 7,000 crore) investment in India over the next five years, to bring small and medium businesses online. The initiative will help to digitise micro and small businesses across India, and help them reach more customers than ever before. The company is also committed to exporting USD 10 billion worth of India-made goods by 2025.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. ICC Awards 2019: ICC Annual Awards list has been declared by the International Cricket Council (ICC). With the list, ICC has also honoured the biggest names in men’s and women’s international cricket. Some key awards are:

ODI Player of the Year: India opener Rohit Sharma won the ODI Player of the Year award. He has five centuries in the 2019 World Cup and seven ODI centuries to his name.

Spirit of Cricket Award: India skipper Virat Kohli– who had swept the Player of the Year, Test Player of the Year and ODI Player of the Year last year– won the Spirit of Cricket Award. The award is given for his gesture during the World Cup game when he asked the crowd to support Steve Smith and not boo him.

T20I Performance of the Year: India seamer Deepak Chahar won T20I Performance of the Year. This award comes for his 6/7 against Bangladesh.

ICC Player of the Year: England all-rounder Ben Stokes won the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Player of the Year. He is awarded for his decisive role in England’s dramatic victory at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 along with a host of other memorable performances.

Test Player of the Year: Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has been named the Test Player of the Year. Pat Cummins grabbed 59 wickets in 12 Test matches during the period and finished the year as the top-ranked bowler in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings.

Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne has been named as Emerging Cricketer of the Year. Labuschagne scored 1,104 runs in 11 Tests, which saw him zoom in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings from 110 at the start of the year to fourth by the end of the year.

Associate Cricketer of the Year: Scotland’s Kyle Coetzer is the Associate Cricketer of the Year. Coetzer in ODIs has 880 runs in 18 matches and also aggregating 702 runs in 22 T20Is.

2019 Umpire of the Year– Richard Illingworth

2. 10 Districts Gets Swachhata Darpan Awards 2020: The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, organised the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Sustainability workshop in New Delhi. As a part of the occasion the Swachhata Darpan Awards 2020 were presented to the top 10 performing districts at national level on key Swachhata parameters. The awards were presented by Aamir Khan, Actor and Founder, Paani Foundation. Swachhata Darpan Award has been instituted under Swacha Bharat Mission to encourage the states and districts to focus on Open Defecation Free (ODF) sustainability and social and liquid waste management. The top 10 winning districts are:

East Godavari (Andhra Pradesh), West Kameng (Arunachal Pradesh), Bemtara (Chhattisgarh), Diu (Daman and Diu), Panipat (Haryana), Vadodara (Gujarat), Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Moga (Punjab), East Sikkim (Sikkim) and Pedappali (Telangana).

Apart from this, 4 districts were awarded for innovations and initiatives for Plastic Waste Management. They are: Dibrugarh (Assam), Sirmaur (Himachal Pradesh), Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha).

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurates ‘Indian Heritage in Digital Space’: The Union Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel launched a month-long special exhibition 'Indian Heritage in Digital Space' and a first international heritage symposium at the National Museum located in New Delhi. IHDS, an initiative of Department of Science and Technology has created the models of Heritages with the help of holographic projections, AR and 3D fabrication and 3D LASER scan data. Visitors will be able to see the recreations of the socio-cultural life and traditions of Hampi, architectural and conjectural reconstructions of several important structures.

2. Lucknow hosts the 7th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference 2020: The 7th Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in the Vidhan Bhawan, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on 16 January 2020. During the two-day event, Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon will address the inaugural session, while Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel will address the valedictory session on 17 January 2020. The main theme of the conference is ‘ROLE OF LEGISLATORS’ and during the Plenary Sessions spread over two days, delegates will discuss the Capacity Building of Legislators for Scrutinizing Budgetary Proposals and Enhancing Focus of Legislators on Legislative Business.

Note: CPA India Region conferences are held once in two years and the 6th conference was held in 2018 in Patna.

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

3. Mega fuel conservation campaign ‘Saksham 2020’ inaugurated in New Delhi: The one-month long mega fuel conservation campaign named Saksham-2020 was inaugurated in New Delhi on 16 January 2020. Saksham (Sanrakshan Kshamta Mahotsav) is an annual flagship event of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt. of India. The Saksham campaign aims at creating mass awareness among public about conventional fuel conservation, for health & environment protection and simultaneously help in reducing India’s dependency on import of crude oil.

4. 5th Science Film Festival of India 2020 Begins in Goa: The 5th edition of Science Film Festival of India, SCI-FFI 2020, has been started in Panaji, Goa. The four-day-long festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister, Dr. Paramod Sawant and will end on 18 January. The festival that will take place at the Inox Complex and Maquinez Palace in Goa, aims at instilling the knowledge of science among the youth with the help of exhibitions, masterclasses, workshops, and other activities. Besides, Goa Government and Government of India, the event is being supported by Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAR). Films that have been selected to be screened at the event are 'Mission Mangal', 'Antariksham 9000 KMPH', 'Everest', 'Aamorie', 'Terminator: Dark Fate', 'Geostorm' and, 'Virus' among others. A special workshop titled 'Million SoUL' will also be conducted by IIT Bombay on training about making solar lamps. The workshop is aimed at empowering people from backward communities.

5. Ladakh hosts the first ever Food Processing Summit: Union Territory Ladakh is hosting the first ever Food Processing Summit to attract investors to the region. With the help of Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the UT Administration of Ladakh is organizing the Summit. Ladakh region has vast scope for investment in food Processing Industries in horticulture products like Apricot, SeabuckThorn, Apple and agricultural produce like buckwheat and barley.

Note: Ladakh Capitals: Leh, Kargir; Lieutenant Governor: RK Mathur

6. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched the 7th Economic Census process: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has launched the 7th Economic Census process in the state. Economic Census process is carried out by Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with the help of Common Service Centres. It will continue till 30th June 2020. The entire data will be compiled on 30th September 2020. The data of this Economic Census will be classified into the village, taluka and district-wise to be developed into a National Business Register.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Submits Resignation: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as well as the entire Russian government submitted resignation to President Vladimir Putin, after President announced a range of constitutional changes. Putin thanked Medvedev for his work and appointed him as the deputy head of the presidential Security Council. Russian President asked Medvedev's Cabinet to keep working until the new Cabinet is formed.

Note: Russia Capital: Moscow; Currency: Russian ruble; President: Vladimir Putin

2. US signs first phase of trade deal with China: The US has signed the first phase of a trade deal with China, concluding more than a year of tough negotiations including several months of suspension of talks between the two largest economies of the world. In his remarks, President Donald Trump called the trade agreement signing a momentous step to a future of fair and reciprocal trade. The first phase of the trade deal includes Intellectual Property (IP) Protection and Enforcement, rebalancing the US-China trade relationship and effective dispute resolution. The deal was signed by President Trump and Chinese vice Premier Liu He in Washington.

However, President Trump has refused to roll back the massive tariff imposed on the import of Chinese goods. During a signing ceremony at the White House, Trump said he will roll back the tariffs only if the second phase of the trade deal is signed between the two countries.

3. India and Finland ink MoU to enhance bilateral defence cooperation: Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Finland Mr Jukka Juusti signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further defence cooperation between India and Finland. The MoU on co-operation in the field of Production, Procurement, Research and Development of Defence related Equipment and Industrial cooperation has been inked on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2020. Under the broad ambit of the MoU, cooperation between Finnish companies and Indian Defence Public Sector Undertakings could be explored.

Note: Finland Capital: Helsinki; Currency: Euro; Prime minister: Sanna Marin

4. Guatemala swears in conservative Giammattei as president: Guatemala swore in Alejandro Giammattei, a conservative physician opposed to gay marriage and abortion, as its new president. Giammattei won the presidency on his fourth attempt in August for Vamos, a party founded in 2017 by politicians, businessmen and military officers on promises of battling poverty and providing better opportunities.

Note: Guatemala Capital: Guatemala City; Currency: Guatemalan quetzal

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. World Bank & GoI signs MoU for loan of Assam Inland Water Transport Project: World Bank & Government of Indi signs MoU for loan of $88 million of Assam Inland Water Transport Project. The loan agreement seeks to modernize the Assam’s passenger ferry sector by improving the infrastructure and its services. The government ferries are operated by the Assam Shipping Company (ASC) while the terminals and terminal services are provided by the Assam Ports Company (APC) in the state of Assam. The $88 million agreement will provide technically better designed terminals and energy-efficient vessels to make the ferry services more efficient, modern and safe mode of river transport system.

Note: Assam Capital: Dispur; Chief minister: Sarbananda Sonowal

2. South Central Zone of Indian Railways Signs MoU with SBI for Doorstep Banking: The South Central Zone (SCR) of Indian Railways and State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for ‘Doorstep Banking’ to enable direct pickup of cash earnings from all 585 Railway stations on SCR Zone. The direct pick up of cash from all the railway stations on SCR by SBI will save the tedious and complex activity of movement of cash earnings through ‘cash safes’ by trains. The door step banking will increase the pace of financial transactions and digitization of remittance of cash earnings of the Railways into accounts.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos commits USD 1 bn investment in India to digitise small businesses: Amazon.com Inc chief Jeff Bezos has announced USD 1 billion (over Rs 7,000 crore) investment in India over the next five years, to bring small and medium businesses online. The initiative will help to digitise micro and small businesses across India, and help them reach more customers than ever before. The company is also committed to exporting USD 10 billion worth of India-made goods by 2025.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. ICC Awards 2019: ICC Annual Awards list has been declared by the International Cricket Council (ICC). With the list, ICC has also honoured the biggest names in men’s and women’s international cricket. Some key awards are:

ODI Player of the Year: India opener Rohit Sharma won the ODI Player of the Year award. He has five centuries in the 2019 World Cup and seven ODI centuries to his name.

Spirit of Cricket Award: India skipper Virat Kohli– who had swept the Player of the Year, Test Player of the Year and ODI Player of the Year last year– won the Spirit of Cricket Award. The award is given for his gesture during the World Cup game when he asked the crowd to support Steve Smith and not boo him.

T20I Performance of the Year: India seamer Deepak Chahar won T20I Performance of the Year. This award comes for his 6/7 against Bangladesh.

ICC Player of the Year: England all-rounder Ben Stokes won the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Player of the Year. He is awarded for his decisive role in England’s dramatic victory at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 along with a host of other memorable performances.

Test Player of the Year: Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has been named the Test Player of the Year. Pat Cummins grabbed 59 wickets in 12 Test matches during the period and finished the year as the top-ranked bowler in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings.

Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne has been named as Emerging Cricketer of the Year. Labuschagne scored 1,104 runs in 11 Tests, which saw him zoom in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings from 110 at the start of the year to fourth by the end of the year.

Associate Cricketer of the Year: Scotland’s Kyle Coetzer is the Associate Cricketer of the Year. Coetzer in ODIs has 880 runs in 18 matches and also aggregating 702 runs in 22 T20Is.

2019 Umpire of the Year– Richard Illingworth

2. 10 Districts Gets Swachhata Darpan Awards 2020: The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, organised the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Sustainability workshop in New Delhi. As a part of the occasion the Swachhata Darpan Awards 2020 were presented to the top 10 performing districts at national level on key Swachhata parameters. The awards were presented by Aamir Khan, Actor and Founder, Paani Foundation. Swachhata Darpan Award has been instituted under Swacha Bharat Mission to encourage the states and districts to focus on Open Defecation Free (ODF) sustainability and social and liquid waste management. The top 10 winning districts are:

East Godavari (Andhra Pradesh), West Kameng (Arunachal Pradesh), Bemtara (Chhattisgarh), Diu (Daman and Diu), Panipat (Haryana), Vadodara (Gujarat), Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Moga (Punjab), East Sikkim (Sikkim) and Pedappali (Telangana).

Apart from this, 4 districts were awarded for innovations and initiatives for Plastic Waste Management. They are: Dibrugarh (Assam), Sirmaur (Himachal Pradesh), Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha).

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.