Daily GK Update- 14th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Health benefit package under Ayushman Bharat revised: In a first of its kind move, Ayushman Bharat, the health insurance scheme, will now offer a healthcare cover to transgender people and support sex-change operations. The addition is part of the National Health Authority’s (NHA) revised Health Benefits Package, or HBP 2.2.The HBP 2.2 is expected to be rolled out from November, 2021.

Under the revised HBP 2.2, rates of health packages have been increased by 20 per cent to 400 per cent. Rates have been revised for radiation oncology procedures, management procedures for dengue, acute febrile illness, black fungus, heart catheterisation, PDA closure, arthrodesis, cholecystectomy, and appendectomy. Rates for ICU with ventilator are revised by 100 per cent, ICU without ventilator by 136 per cent, HDU by 22 per cent while prices for routine ward changed by 17 per cent.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) gives a medical cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for free treatment at all public and empanelled private hospitals for 53 crore beneficiaries. This benefit will now be extended to transgender people under the government’s new scheme, Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE). The health cover will include medical support and medical intervention for transgender persons.

 

2. GoI launched ‘My Port App’ for digital monitoring of port operations: The Centre government has launched ‘MyPortApp’ in Kolkata for digital monitoring of port operation. It has been launched for promoting transparency and to provide port-related information. The app has been launched for those port users who want to use various port services. It includes all facts about the port digitally. The app incorporates information related to Vessel Berthing, Rake & Indent, Rake Receipt, Container Status, Tariff, Bills, Port Holidays and can be accessed anywhere 24×7.

 

3. Tamil Nadu’s ‘Kanniyakumari Clove’ gets GI Tag: The unique clove spice grown in the hills of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu has been awarded a geographical indication (GI) as ‘Kanyakumari clove’. In India, the total production of cloves is 1,100 metric tons and of this, 1,000 metric tons is produced in Tamil Nadu every year while 750 metric tons of cloves are produced in the Kanyakumari district alone. Apart from this, the traditional dye-painted figurative and patterned cloth called Karuppur kalamkari paintings and the wood carvings of Kallakurichi from Tamil Nadu have also received GI tags.

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

 

4. Eight High Courts to get new Chief Justices: The Government notified the appointments of eight and transfer of five chief justices of high courts. Eight High Courts will get new Chief Justices, and five Chief Justices have been transferred. The clearance in the 13 High Courts was considered crucial as some of them have been making do with Acting Chief Justices.

Five Chief Justices have been transferred:

(1) The government cleared the transfer of Tripura High Court Chief Justice A.A. Kureshi to the Rajasthan High Court.

(2) Justice Indrajit Mahanty, Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, would take over as Tripura Chief Justice.

(3) Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq of Madhya Pradesh has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

(4) Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder of the Meghalaya High Court has been transferred as the Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court.

(5) Justice A.K. Goswami has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court. He is presently the Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court.

 

Newly appointed Chief Justice:

(1) Justice Rajesh Bindal, Acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.

(2) Justice Ranjit V. More has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.

(3) Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court.

(4) Justice Prakash Srivastava, a Madhya Pradesh High Court judge, has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.

(5) Justice R.V. Malimath has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

(6) Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court.

(7) Justice Aravind Kumar has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court.

(8) Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra would take over as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

 

5. Railways launch two long haul freight trains ‘Trishul’, ‘Garuda’: The Indian Railways has launched two long haul freight trains “Trishul” and “Garuda” — which are twice or multiple times longer than the normal composition of freight trains. These long haul trains provide a very effective solution to the problem of capacity constraints in critical sections. These trains are twice or multiple times longer than the normal composition of freight trains and provide a very effective solution to the problem of capacity constraints in critical sections.

About the Trishul: Trishul is the first long haul train of South Central Railway (SCR) and consists of 177 wagons, or equal to three freight trains. It was launched from the Kondapalli station of the Vijayawada division to the Khurda division of the East Coast Railway.

About the Garuda: The train ‘Garuda’ was launched from Raichur of Guntakal division to Manuguru of Secunderabad division. Both the long haul trains had empty open wagons to be used to load coal meant for predominantly thermal power stations.

Note: Union Minister of Railways: Ashwini Vaishnaw.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Participates in G20 Extraordinary Summit on Afghanistan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has participated virtually in the G20 Extraordinary Summit on Afghanistan. The Meeting was convened by Italy, which currently holds the G20 Presidency, and chaired by Italian Prime Minister, Mario Draghi. Issues under consideration at the meeting related to the humanitarian situation; concerns relating to terrorism; and human rights in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister welcomed the initiative of the Italian G20 Presidency in convening the meeting to take stock of the current situation in Afghanistan.

 

2. UNDP Releases 2021 Multidimensional Poverty Index Report: The 2021 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Report was jointly released by UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI). The report provides estimates on multidimensional poverty across 109 developing countries (with data from surveys ranging 2009-2019/2020); These include 26 low-income countries, 80 middle-income countries and 3 high-income countries. The index measures each person’s deprivations across 10 indicators divided into three equally weighted dimensions.

About the Index:

(1) The finding is based across 109 countries and 5.9 billion people. of this, 1.3 billion people are multidimensionally poor (or 21.7%)

(2) About half (644 million) are children under age 18.

(3) About 8.2 per cent (105 million) are age 60 or older.

(4) Nearly 85 per cent live in Sub-Saharan Africa (556 million) or South Asia (532 million).

(5) 84 per cent (1.1 billion) live in rural areas, and 16 per cent (about 209 million) live in urban areas.

(6) More than 67 per cent live in middle-income countries.

(7) In India, five out of six multidimensionally poor people were from lower tribes or castes.

 

3. International E-Waste Day: 14th October: The International E-Waste Day (IEWD) is celebrated on 14 October every year since 2018, to promote the correct disposal of e-waste throughout the world with the aim to increase re-use, recovery and recycling rates. 2021 is the fourth edition of the International E-Waste Day. This year’s International E-Waste Day will focus on the crucial part each of us has in making circularity a reality for e-products. The theme for 2021 IEWD is “Consumer is the key to Circular Economy!”. The day was developed in 2018 by the WEEE Forum, an international association of e-waste collection schemes, with the support of its members.

 

4. World Standards Day: 14th October: World Standards Day or International Standards Day is observed globally on 14 October every year. The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of standardisation to the global economy among consumers, regulators and industry. World Standards Day 2021 theme is “Standards for sustainable development goals – shared vision for a better world”.

History of the day: The date was chosen to mark the first gathering of delegates in 1956 from 25 countries in London who decided to create an international organisation for facilitating standardisation. The ISO was formed a year later in 1947. However, the first World Standards Day was celebrated in 1970.

Note: International Organization for Standardization Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; International Organization for StandardizationFounded: 23 February 1947, London, United Kingdom; International Organization for Standardization President: Ulrika Francke.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. FIFA unveils “Ibha” mascot of India’s 2022 U-17 Women’s World Cup: World football body, FIFA has unveiled the official mascot of the U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2022 “Ibha” an Asiatic lioness representing women power. The tournament will be held in India from October 11-30 next year. The announcement coincided with the International Day of the Girl Child. According to a release issued by the global body, Ibha aims to inspire women and girls across India and around the world to realise their potential. Ibha is a strong, playful and charming Asiatic lioness that aims to inspire and encourage women and girls by using teamwork, resilience, kindness and empowering others.

Note: President of FIFA: Gianni Infantino; Founded: 21 May 1904; Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI grants banking licence to Unity Small Finance Bank: The Reserve Bank of India has granted a banking licence to Unity Small Finance Bank Ltd (USFBL), which was established jointly by the Centrum Financial Services Ltd (CFSL) and Resilient Innovations Private Limited (BharatPe), to carry on a SFB business in India. It is the first time ever that two partners are uniting equally to build a Bank. The proposed business model is one of collaboration and open architecture, uniting all its stakeholders to deliver a seamless digital experience. RBI had accorded “in-principle” approval to CFSL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centrum Capital, on June 18 to set up a small finance bank (SFB). Centrum’s MSME and Micro Finance businesses shall be merged into Unity Small Finance Bank.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Adani Group takes over management of Jaipur International Airport: Gautam Adani-led Adani Group has took over the responsibilities of the Jaipur International Airport from the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The airport has been leased out to the group by the government of India for a period of 50 years. For the last two months, officials from Adani group have been observing operations at the airport. Airport director J S Balhara handed over a symbolic key of the airport to Chief Airport Officer Adani Jaipur International Ltd Vishnu Jha in the presence of other officials.

About the Jaipur airport: Jaipur airport is the 11th busiest airport in India in daily scheduled flight operations. Located in the southern suburb of Sanganer, the airport was granted the status of the international airport on 29 December 2005. The civil apron can accommodate 14 aircraft and the new terminal building can handle up to 1,000 passengers at a time.

Note: Adani Group Headquarters: Ahmedabad; Adani Group Founder: Gautam Adani; Adani Group Founded: 20 July 1988.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Prof Eric Hanushek and Dr. Rukmini Banerji awarded the 2021 Yidan Prize: Professor Eric A. Hanushek and Dr Rukmini Banerji have been awarded the 2021 Yidan Prize for Education Development for improving learning outcomes in schools at scale. Yidan Prize is the world’s highest education accolade, in recognition of their ground-breaking work addressing a crucial piece of the education puzzle: improving quality of education and outcomes for learners at scale. The Yidan Prize was founded by Charles Chen Yidan in 2016 to create a better world through education. Yidan Prize Laureate receives a gold medal and a sum of $3.9 million.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. National Award-winning actor Nedumudi Venu passes away: National Award-winning actor Nedumudi Venu has passed away. He won three National Film Awards, and six Kerala State Film Awards for his performances. Nedumudi Venu began his career as a theatre artist with the plays of Kavalam Narayana Panicker. He made his debut in films with Thambu, directed by G Aravindan in 1978. Known for his work in Malayalam and Tamil movies, Venu acted in over 500 movies. 

Daily GK Update- 13th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Finance Ministry releases Rs 40,000 cr to states, UTs to meet GST compensation shortfall: Finance Ministry released 40,000 crore rupees to the States and UTs with Legislature under the back-to-back loan facility to meet the shortfall in GST Compensation. Earlier on 15th July this year, 75,000 crore rupees was released to the States and UTs with legislature. With the current release, the total amount released in the current financial year as back to back loan in-lieu of GST compensation has reached to 1 lakh 15 thousand crore rupees. This release is in addition to normal GST compensation being released every 2 months out of actual cess collection.

 

2. Adani Group takes over operational control of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport Guwahati: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has handed over the operational control of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati to Adani Group on October 08, 2021. This means that the operations, management and development responsibilities of the airport will now be in the hands of the Adani Group. It must be noted that in 2018, the Central Government had listed group of six airports for privatisation of its operations, management and development (OMD) for a period of 50 years. These airports included Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangalore, Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati. The Adani Group had emerged as the successful bidder for all these six airports.

 

3. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurates greenfield Sindhudurg airport in Maharashtra under UDAN scheme: The Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, virtually inaugurated the greenfield Sindhudurg airport in Maharashtra recently, under the RCS-UDAN (Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme of the Government of India. The minister also flagged off the first flight from the airport, taking off from Sindhudurg to Mumbai. Sindhudurg Airport (also known as Chipi Airport) is in Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra. With this, 381 routes and 61 airports including 5 heliports and 2 Water Aerodromes have become operationalized under the UDAN scheme.

 

4. In a first in India, Telangana develops smartphone-based e-voting app: The country’s first smartphone-based e-voting solution has been developed by the Telangana government and a dry run will be held in Khammam district soon. The software helps some voters, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, those employed in notified essential services, polling personnel, and patients who can’t vote physically. Technical support for this project was provided by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC). The development has also been guided by an expert committee comprising professor Rajat Moona, director of IIT-Bhilai and technical advisor to the Election Commission, and professors from IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India announces $200 million line of credit for Kyrgyzstan: India announced a $200-million line of credit for Kyrgyzstan and signed an agreement to carry out small but high impact projects for community development in the Central Asian state. The two initiatives were among several measures announced by external affairs minister S Jaishankar at the end of a two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held “constructive” talks with the top Kyrgyz leadership to boost bilateral ties, including defence cooperation and discussed global issues like Afghanistan. Jaishankar, who arrived as part of his four-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia with an aim to further expand bilateral ties with the three Central Asian countries, called on Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and discussed with him expanding economic between the two countries.

Note: Kyrgyzstan Capital: Bishkek; Kyrgyzstan Currency: Kyrgyzstani som; Kyrgyzstan President: Sadyr Japarov.

 

2. International Day for Disaster Reduction: 13th October: The United Nations International Day for Disaster Reduction is held annually on 13 October since 1989. The day is celebrated to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction and also celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face. The theme of the 2021 International Day for Disaster Reduction is “International cooperation for developing countries to reduce their disaster risk and disaster losses”.

History of the day: The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was started in 1989, after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction. Held every 13 October, the day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Valtteri Bottas Wins Turkish Grand Prix 2021: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-Finland) has won the F1 Turkish Grand Prix 2021, held on October 10, 2021. This is his first title of this season. Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) came second while Sergio Perez (Mexico- Red Bull) finished third. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton finished fifth.

 

2. Indian Shooters win 43 medals at ISSF Junior World Championship: The 2021 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Championship Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun was held at Lima in Peru. The Indian shooters claimed a historic win with 43 medals to stand atop in the medal table. These included 17 Gold, 16 Silver and 10 Bronze medals. The USA finished second on the medal table with 21 medals including six gold, eight silver and six bronze. Meanwhile, Manu Bhaker created a milestone record of becoming the first Indian shooter to win the highest number of medals in a single edition of the ISSF Junior World Championships, with as many as five medals. These included 4 gold medals and a bronze.

Note: ISSF Headquarters: Munich, Germany; ISSF Founded: 1907; ISSF President: Vladimir Lisin.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI superseded the board of directors of SIFL and SEFL; appoints Rajneesh Sharma as administrator: The Reserve Bank of India has superseded the Board of Directors of Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited (SIFL) and Srei Equipment Finance Limited (SEFL) under Section 45-IE (1) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. These both are NBFCs.

Reason for superseding: This decision has been taken by RBI owing to governance concerns and defaults by these two NBFCs in meeting their various payment obligations.

New Administrator: RBI has appointed Shri Rajneesh Sharma as the Administrator of SIFL and SEFL under Section 45-IE (2) of the RBI Act. He is Ex-Chief General Manager, Bank of Baroda. The administrator in such cases has the power to act as the Board of Directors. RBI would also apply to the NCLT for appointing the Administrator as the Insolvency Resolution Professional.

Apart from this, RBI has formed a three-member Advisory Committee to assist the Administrator. The members of the Advisory Committee are as follows:

(1) Shri R. Subramaniakumar, Former MD & CEO, Indian Overseas Bank

(2) Shri T T Srinivasaraghavan, Former Managing Director, Sundaram Finance Limited

(3) Shri Farokh N Subedar, Former Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary, Tata Sons Limited

The administrator i.e. Shri Rajneesh Shamra, along with the advisory group, shall facilitate the reconstitution of the Board of Directors of the Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited (SIFL) and Srei Equipment Finance Limited (SEFL). RBI will also initiate the process of resolution of the above two NBFCs under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. FICCI projects 9.1% GDP growth for FY22: India’s GDP is expected to grow at 9.1 per cent in 2021-22 as the economic recovery, post the second wave of the pandemic, seems to be holding ground. The survey was conducted in September 2021 and drew responses from leading economists representing the industry, banking and financial services sector. FICCI’s Economic Outlook Survey also noted that the ongoing festive season would support this momentum.

Note: FICCI Founded: 1927; FICCI Headquarters: New Delhi; FICCI President: Harshavardhan Neotia; FICCI CEO: Sangita Reddy.

 

2. WTO raises 2021 global trade volume forecast to 10.8%: The World Trade Organization (WTO) upgraded its forecast for global merchandise trade volume to an increase of 10.8% in 2021 from the 8% increase projected in March -followed by a 4.7 per cent rise in 2022. Growth should moderate as merchandise trade approaches its pre-pandemic long-run trend and supply-side issues such as semiconductor scarcity and port backlogs may strain supply chains and weigh on trade in particular areas, the WTO said.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Astronautical Society of India Confers Aryabhata Award to G Satheesh Reddy: Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy has been conferred the prestigious Aryabhata Award by the Astronautical Society of India (ASI) for his outstanding lifetime contribution to the promotion of astronautics in India. Dr Reddy is a pioneer in the area of R&D of advanced avionics, navigation, and missile technologies. Dr Reddy has contributed immensely to strategic and tactical missile systems and helped the country become self-reliant in critical defence technologies. He is an institution builder and has set up mechanisms to establish robust defence development and production ecosystem.

About the ASI: The ASI is engaged in the dissemination of technical and other information related to astronautics by conducting technical meetings, bringing out technical publications and organising exhibitions.

Note: President of Astronautical Society of India: Dr K Sivan; The Astronautical Society of India (ASI) was set up in 1990; Astronautical Society of India HQ: New Delhi.

 

2. Malayalam writer Benyamin bags Vayalar Award: Well-known Malayalam writer Benyamin has bagged the 45th Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Literary Award for his book “Manthalirile 20 Communist Varshangal”. The prestigious award, instituted by the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust, comprises a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a sculpture designed by renowned sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman and a citation. A political satire, the novel revolves around a nondescript village called Manthalir and the influence of religion and politics in its culture in two decades. It was chosen for recognition by an expert panel comprising writers K R Meera, George Onakkoor and C Unnikrishnan.

Daily GK Update- 12th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia flags off the Doon Drone Mela: Union Minister of Civil Aviation,  Jyotiraditya M. Scindia has flagged off the Doon Drone Mela 2021 in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Minister flagged off the event with a paragliding demonstration and also interacted with the drone companies exhibiting their prototypes at the Doon Drone Mela. The day marked the demonstration of the Drone & Aerosports Demonstrations that included a paragliding demonstration by the Border Security Force, a Paramotor demonstration by Harsh Sachan, and an agriculture spraying drone demonstration by IoTechWorld Aviation & Dhaksha.

Furthermore, the event also included an emergency search & response drone demonstration with an indigenously 3D-printed drone by the Drone Application and Research Centre (DARC) & State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). It was followed by a brief survey drone demonstration by the Aarav Unmanned Systems (AUS) under the SVAMITVA Scheme along with a training drone demonstration by Sqn Ldr Varsha Kukreti (Retd).

 

2. ICMR releases MUDRA Toolbox in five Indian languages to diagnose dementia: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has released the Multilingual Dementia Research and Assessment (MUDRA) Toolbox in five Indian languages – Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The toolbox includes various cognitive tests to assess different domains of cognition such as attention and executive function, memory, language, and visuospatial functions. MUDRA Toolbox is an initiative undertaken by ICMR Neuro-Cognitive Tool Box (ICMR -NCTB) consortium to transform India’s dementia and mild cognitive impairment research and clinical practices. It is a collective effort by seven leading centres in India NIMHANS (Bengaluru), AIIMS (New Delhi), SCTIMST (Thiruvananthapuram), NIMS (Hyderabad), Apollo Hospital (Kolkata), Manipal Hospital (Bengaluru) and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College.

 

3. Govt to set up 75 Science Technology and Innovation Hubs exclusively for SCs & STs: Union Minister Jitendra Singh: Union Minister Jitendra Singh has said that the government will set up 75 Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Hubs in different parts of the country. These hubs will be exclusively for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) and will not only promote scientific talent, but also contribute to socio-economic development of these communities. The STI Hubs will develop, nurture and ensure the delivery of appropriate and relevant technologies for creation of sustainable livelihoods for the SC and ST population.

 

4. 40th-India International Trade Fair 2021 will be held at Pragati Maidan: The 40th edition of the India International Trade Fair (IITF) is scheduled to take place at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from November 14 to 27, 2021. The theme of the 14-day IITF in 2021 is ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. The mega event is organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) annually. The IITF was held for the first time in 1979.

 

5. Ministry of Textiles approves continuation of Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 160 crore: Ministry of Textiles has approved the continuation of the Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) up to March 2026. The total outlay of CHCDS will be Rs 160 crore. The objective of the scheme is the upliftment and development of handicrafts artisans. Under the scheme, Infrastructural support, market access, design and technology up-gradation support will be provided to handicrafts artisans. The mega handicraft clusters having more than 10,000 artisans will be selected for overall development under this scheme.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India and Croatia enters into agreement for academic research and competency building in traditional medicine systems: The Embassy of India at Zagreb, organised the first International Conference on Yoga and Ayurveda in Croatia in October 2021, with the support of the Ministry of AYUSH. The conference was held to present the scientifically validated benefits and mechanisms of Yoga and Ayurveda practices, promote its application and proper validation in society to ensure the optimal development and propagation of AYUSH systems of health care.

The six-member Indian delegation was led by Special Secretary Ayush Shri Pramod Kumar Pathak. As a part of this conference India and Croatia signed a Memorandum of Understanding for academic collaboration in India’s traditional medicine systems, especially in the field of Ayurveda. This will promote academic research, clinical and educational activities, medical education, training, and competency building. The MoU was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Ayush and Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster, Croatia.

 

2. World Arthritis Day: 12th October: The World Arthritis Day is observed every year on October 12 to raise awareness about arthritis, an inflammatory condition that causes pain and stiffness in joints that can worsen with age. This day was started by Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI) in 1996 in order to spread awareness about arthritis and encourage policymakers to help reduce the burden of arthritis. The World Arthritis Day theme 2021 is Don’t Delay, Connect Today: Time2Work.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ISSF Junior World Championship: Manu Bhaker, Naamya Kapoor, Rhythm Sangwan Win 25m Pistol Team Gold: Indian women’s trioka of Manu Bhaker, Naamya Kapoor and Rhythm Sangwan claimed the gold medal in the 25m Pistol team event at the ISSF Junior World Championships. The Indian women’s team defeated the USA team comprising Abbie Russell Leverett, Katelyn Morgan Abeln and Ada Claudia Korkhin 16-4 in the final.

 

2. Hockey India withdraws from 2022 Commonwealth Games in England: India pulled out of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games’ hockey competition stating the risk of contracting COVID-19 and the discriminatory quarantine rules by the United Kingdom (UK) for travellers coming from India. The UK has refused to consider India’s COVID-19 vaccination certificates and imposed a 10-day quarantine on travellers coming from India even if fully vaccinated. India has also imposed reciprocal rules on all UK nationals arriving in the country following UK’s discriminatory quarantine rules.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ESAF Bank launches ‘Supreme’ current account product for NRIs: ESAF Small Finance Bank has launched ‘Supreme’ a Current account product for Non – Resident Indians. The bank provides various features with this account, such as hassle-free banking, enhanced ATM cash withdrawal limit of Rs 50,000 per day in India, point of sale (POS) transaction limit of Rs.80,000 per day in India and e-commerce transaction limit of Rs 20,000 per day in India. The exclusive service for NRI’s are available at 277 branches across Kerala out of 550 branches pan India. The bank now has over 17940 Non-Resident Savings Bank accounts from 121 countries globally.

 

2. RBI grants permission to Emirates NBD bank to open two more branches in India: Amid growing business ties between India and UAE, the Reserve Bank of India has granted permission to Emirates NBD, the government-owned bank of UAE, to open two more branches in India, visiting trade minister Piyush Goyal informed the 9th meeting of the High Level Joint Task Force on Investments held in Dubai. Emirates NBD has maintained a representative office in India since 2000 and got permission from RBI to open its first bank branch in Mumbai in 2017.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Reliance New Energy Solar acquires REC Solar Holdings: Reliance New Energy Solar Ltd (RNESL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), has acquired 100 per cent shareholding of REC Solar Holdings AS (REC Group), a Chinese state-owned solar power company. RNESL has acquired the REC Group from China National Bluestar (Group) Co Ltd., for an Enterprise Value of $771 million.

About the acquisition: This acquisition will enable Reliance to move closer to achieve the goal of generating 100GW of solar energy by 2030, and in turn, support the country’s global goal to produce 450GW of renewable energy by 2030. REC Group has three manufacturing facilities, two in Norway for making solar-grade polysilicon and one in Singapore making PV cells and modules. With this acquisition, RNESL will become the owner of REL’s three manufacturing facilities.

Note: RNESL Headquarters location: Mumbai; RNESL Founded: 2021.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2021 announced: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2021 with one half to David Card (University of California, Berkeley, USA) “for his empirical contributions to labour economics”. The other half jointly to Joshua Angrist (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA) and Guido Imbens (Stanford University, USA) “for their methodological contributions to the analysis of causal relationships”.

This year’s Laureates – David Card, Joshua Angrist and Guido Imbens – have provided us with new insights about the labour market and shown what conclusions about cause and effect can be drawn from natural experiments. Their approach has spread to other fields and revolutionised empirical research.

About the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences: In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) established the Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize. The Prize is based on a donation received by the Nobel Foundation in 1968 from Sveriges Riksbank on the occasion of the Bank’s 300th anniversary. The first Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to Ragnar Frisch and Jan Tinbergen in 1969.

The Prize in Economic Sciences is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden, according to the same principles as for the Nobel Prizes that have been awarded since 1901.

 

2. Telugu Filmmaker B Gopal Chosen for Satyajit Ray Award: Well-known Telugu filmmaker B Gopal, alias Bejawada Gopal, has been chosen for the fourth Satyajit Ray Award for his overall contribution to Indian cinema. Gopal has directed 30 films Telugu films and two Hindi movies. He was selected by a panel comprising Malayalam filmmaker Balu Kiriyath, music director Perumbavoor G Raveendranath and others. The award is instituted by the Satyajit Ray Film Society Kerala, a state-based organisation, the award comprises Rs 10,000 cash prize, a memento, and a plaque.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Abolhassan Banisadr, Iran’s first president passes away: Abolhassan Banisadr, Iran’s first president after the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution who fled Tehran after being impeached for challenging the growing power of clerics as the nation became a theocracy, died. He was 88. He was elected president in 1980, Banisadr was impeached 16 months after taking office for challenging the growing power of clerics. Banisadr then served as Iran’s minister of economics and foreign affairs and, with the help of the Islamic clergy, became president. He faced huge difficulties from the start, including the US embassy hostage crisis and the Iran-Iraq war but, above all, the opposition of fundamentalist clerics.

Daily GK Update- 11th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Maharashtra Government launches ‘Mission Kavach Kundal’: The state government of Maharashtra has launched a special Covid-19 vaccination drive named as Mission Kavach Kundal, with the target of inoculating 15 lakh people everyday. The week-long drive has been organised from October 08 to October 14, 2021. The drive is in line with Centre’s target of reaching 100 crore vaccination mark till 15 October 2021. Meanwhile, the country reported 22,431 new cases in the last 24 hours. The active caseload is presently 2,44,198, which is the lowest in 204 days. Maharashtra reported 2,876 new Coronavirus positive cases, 90 fatalities and 2,763 discharges, a state health department bulletin.

Note: Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari; Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai; Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray.

 

2. India’s Newest Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh: National Tiger Conservation Authority has approved the Chhattisgarh government’s proposal to declare the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park & Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve. It is located in the northern part of the state, bordering Madhya Pradesh & Jharkhand. This is the 4th Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh (Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar, Indravati).

Note: CM of Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel; Governor of Chhattisgarh: Anusuiya Uikey.

 

3. UNESCO launches 2021 State of the Education Report for India: On the Occasion of the World Teachers’ Day, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched its 2021 State of the Education Report (SOER) for India: “No Teacher, No Class”. This publication is the annual flagship report of UNESCO New Delhi and it is based on extensive research. This third edition of the State of Education Report focused on the theme of teachers, teaching and teacher education. Access to the internet in schools is 19 per cent all over India.

Key Points of the reports:

(1) The Higher proportion of women teachers: Chandigarh, Delhi, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu

(2) The lower proportion of women teachers: Tripura, Assam, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar.

(3) Increase the number of teachers and improve working conditions in North-Eastern states, rural areas and ‘aspirational districts.

(4) Increase the number of physical education, music, art, vocational education, early childhood and special education teachers.

(5) Provide teachers with meaningful Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training.

(6) Develop teaching governance through consultative processes, based on mutual accountability.

 

4. Bathukamma festival begins in Telangana: The nine-day floral festival has begun in Telangana. The festival began with excitement as the women were dressed in traditional clothes and colourful processions were carried out in Telangana, the Bathukamma festival is celebrated during Durga Navratri. Bathukamma festival begins on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya and the festival continues till nine days, ending on the day of Durgashtami.

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

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. First Malaria Vaccine Approved by W.H.O.: World Health Organization (WHO) is recommending widespread use of the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission. The recommendation is based on results from an ongoing pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya & Malawi that has reached more than 800 000 children since 2019.

The vaccine is developed by British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Many vaccines exist against viruses and bacteria but this was the first time that the WHO recommended broad use of a vaccine against a human parasite. The vaccine acts against Plasmodium falciparum, one of five parasite species and the most deadly. The symptoms of malaria are fever, headaches, and muscle pain, then cycles of chills, fever, and sweating.

Note: President of the World Health Organisation: Tedros Adhanom; Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland; WHO founded: 7 April 1948.

 

2. International Girl Child Day: 11th October: Every year on 11th October we celebrate the International Day of the girl child. This occasion is remarked to highlight the importance of a girl child and also to identify their potentials by opening a new door of opportunities for them. The United Nations declared 11th October as International Day of the girl child to recognize the voice of young girls around the globe and to increase awareness regarding the issues faced by them. According to the UN there is a neglection being faced by girl child everywhere. The UN also points out a gender divide within the digital divide. The reason behind celebrating this day is to give thorough education, social well-being, learning, healthcare, and opportunities to young girls and women around the globe.

The theme for International Day of girl child 2021 is “ Digital generation“. The reason behind this theme is that girls are more likely to be cut off within the digital divide. This year this theme will focus on empowering girls and women towards a digital revolution where people use technology in various ways to learn new skills and earn revenue.

International Girl Child Day History: The United Nations declared October 11 as the International Day of goals child on December 19, 2011. this decision was taken in contrast to the initiative that began in 1995 as a non-government international plan of action to address the challenges being faced by young women.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Wrestler Anshu Malik becomes 1st Indian woman to win World Championships Silver: At the 2021 World Wrestling Championships, Indian wrestler Anshu Malik created history as she became the first Indian women finalist at the World Championship, and also the first female player from India to claim a silver medal. The 19-year old Anshu settled for a silver medal after losing to 2016 Olympic champion Helen Lousie Maroulis of the United States in a 57kg freestyle bout.

Till date, Indian women wrestlers Alka Tomar (2006), Geeta Phogat (2012), Babita Phogat (2012), Pooja Dhanda (2018) and Vinesh Phogat (2019) have been able to win a bronze each. Wrestler Sushil Kumar (2010) is the lone wrestler from India to win World Championship till date. Besides this, Sarita Mor claimed her maiden medal by winning bronze in the 59kg category at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships being held at Oslo, Norway from October 02 to 10, 2021.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. PNB launches ‘6S Campaign’ under customer outreach programme: Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched ‘6S Campaign’ under a customer outreach programme to extend financial services at a concessional rate during the festival season. The ‘6S Campaign’ encapsulates different schemes such as – Swabhiman, Samruddhi, Sampark and Shikhar, Sankalp and Swagat. The objective is to drive a special awareness campaign for the development of financial services in the country and to accelerate credit growth, improve penetration of social security schemes and drive digital banking push.

About the ‘6S Campaign’ programme:

(1) Through Swabhimaan, the Bank aims to aggressively push the financial inclusion agenda by deepening penetration of the three Jan Suraksha or Social Security Schemes pertaining to the insurance and pension sector namely, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, and Atal Pension Yojana.

(2) Under the Samruddhi scheme, Bank aims to drive credit outreach for the agricultural sector which is the cornerstone of the Indian economy.

(3) Under Shikhar, Sankalp and Swagat schemes, the Bank has devised special rates of interest to drive credit offtake in the retail and MSME sector. In addition, focussed products and customer segments have also been identified for targeted outreach in line with the Bank’s broader strategic agenda.

(4) Within the ambit of Digital Outreach and Service Delivery, Bank would run a Sampark campaign, aimed at driving penetration of its flagship mobile application, PNB One.

Note: Punjab National Bank Headquarters: New Delhi; Punjab National Bank MD and CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao; Punjab National Bank Founded: 19 May 1894, Lahore, Pakistan.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Tata Group wins bid for Air India: Tata Group, the progenitor of the Air India airline, reclaimed it, nearly 60 years after it was nationalised. Tata Sons bid ₹180 billion for the government’s 100% stake in Air India. The government is seeking to sell 100 per cent of its stake in the state-owned national airline, including Air India’s 100 per cent shareholding in AI Express Ltd and 50 per cent in Air India SATS Airport Services Private Ltd. The stake sale process, which begun on January 2020, faced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In April 2021, the government asked potential bidders to put in financial bids.

History of Air India: JRD Tata founded the airline in October 1932 and it was at that time called Tata Airlines. This marks the return of Air India to Tata fold after 68 years. The government nationalised the airline in 1953. With this, the airline will go back to the Tatas who have a long history with the national carrier.

Reason the government want India sell Air India: Air India has been in losses ever since its merger with domestic operator Indian Airlines in 2007. The airline, which was formed by the Tatas as a mail carrier in 1932, will give the successful bidder control of 4,400 domestic and 1,800 international landing and parking slots at domestic airports, as well as 900 slots at airports overseas. Besides, the bidder would get 100 per cent of the low-cost arm Air India Express and 50 per cent of AISATS, which provides cargo and ground handling services at major Indian airports.

 

2. IFSCA launches Global FinTech Hackathon Series ‘I-Sprint’21’: The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has launched the global FinTech Hackathon Series ‘I-Sprint’21’. The first Sprint of the series is “Sprint01: BankTech”, which focuses on FinTechs for the Banking sector. Sprint01: BankTech is organised jointly by IFSCA and GIFT city in collaboration with NITI Aayog. The Partners to the Hackathon are ICICI Bank, HSBC Bank, iCreate, Zone Startups and Invest-India. The hackathon will be conducted virtually and is open for all eligible FinTechs from across the Globe. The Price money for this hackathon is Rs 24 lakh.

About IFSCA: IFSCA was established by the Ministry of Finance on April 27 2020, as a unified regulator of all financial products, financial services, and financial institutions in the International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in India. It has its headquarter at GIFT city in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India-UK Joint Company Level Military Exercise ‘Ajeya Warrior’ begins: The 6th Edition of India–UK Joint Company Level Military Training EXERCISE AJEYA WARRIOR has commenced at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand. The exercise is part of an initiative to develop interoperability and sharing expertise with friendly foreign nations. Armies would familiarise themselves with each other’s weapons, equipment, tactics, techniques, etc. The troops of the two countries will also share the experiences that they have learnt during the conduct of several military operations in their respective countries and overseas engagements. The exercise will conclude with a gruelling 48 hours exercise to validate the performance of both armies in conducting joint military operations in a semi-urban environment.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. ‘Father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb’ A. Q. Khan passes away: Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the man regarded as the “Father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb”, has passed away, He was 85. The atomic scientist, Dr Khan was hailed as a national hero for transforming Pakistan into the world’s first Islamic nuclear power and for his contributions in enhancing the country’s defence capabilities.