Daily GK Update- 19th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India re-elected to UN Human Rights Council: India has been re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for a sixth term on October 14, 2021, with an overwhelming majority. The new three-year term of India will be effective from January 2022 to December 2024. India received 184 votes of the 193 votes cast in the election. The elections were held for a total of 18 seats and countries needed a minimum of 97 votes to get elected to the 47 UN member council. The headquarters of the UNHRC is in Geneva, Switzerland.

Note: United Nations Human Rights Council President: Nazhat Shameem; United Nations Human Rights Council Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; United Nations Human Rights Council Founded: 15 March 2006.

 

2. India Needs 5630 GW Installed Solar Capacity to Become Net-zero Nation by 2070: Report

India should increase its solar power capacity to 5630 gigawatt in order to become a net-zero emissions nation by 2070, according to a study. At present, India has 100 GW of installed renewable energy capacity, of which solar comprises 40 GW, the study released by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) said. The government has set an ambitious target to scale up its total renewable energy capacity to 450 GW by 2030. India’s total installed solar power capacity would need to increase to 5630 GW if it were to commit to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emission by 2070,” the study titled ’Implications of a Net-zero Target for India’s Sectoral Energy Transitions and Climate Policy’ said.

 

3. App Launched To Spread Awareness About Maintaining Oral Hygiene Among Children: A bi-lingual mobile application ‘Healthy Smile’ has been launched to spread awareness about maintaining oral hygiene among children, the AIIMS said. The initiative of the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, through the AIIMS intramural research grant, aims to spread awareness about maintaining oral hygiene of children right from infancy, and also motivate them to brush thoroughly twice a day. The app has a musical two-minute brushing timer with child-friendly colourful panels, motivational songs, preventive dental care tips for all age groups of children, brushing demonstration videos, FAQ’s and oral care tips during pregnancy.

 

4. Delhi Govt Launches ‘Anganwadi on Wheels’ for Children: The Delhi government launched its ‘Anganwadi on Wheels’ initiative aimed at fulfilling the nutritional and health needs of children. The initiative will reach those children who were not able to reach anganwadis due to any reason and will provide them nutritious food as well as fulfil their educational and health-related needs. Under the initiative, the aim of the Delhi Government is to reach even those children who are unable to reach the anganwadi due to any reason. “Children up to 0-6 years of age will be able to access early childhood care and education by trained anganwadi workers through these buses.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Jonas Gahr Store becomes Norway’s new PM: Jonas Gahr Store, the Leader of the Labour Party in Norway, has assumed the charge of the Prime Minister of Norway with effect from October 14, 2021. In September 2021, Store’s Labour Party won the parliamentary elections, following which incumbent Prime Minister Erna Solberg and her government stepped down. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, the leader of Norway’s centre-left Labor Party, stood outside the royal palace with his 19-member team — 10 women and nine men — that includes the leader of the euroskeptic Center Party, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, who becomes finance minister.  Emilie Enger Mehl became Norway’s youngest-ever justice minister at age 28, while the foreign minister portfolio went to another woman — Anniken Scharning Huitfeldt.

 

2. India and US to raise $100 billion per year to fight climate change in developing countries: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her American counterpart, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, participated in 8th U.S.-India Economic and Financial Partnership on October 14, 2021. During the meeting, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to raise $100 billion annually for developing countries from public and private sector sources, to tackle climate change. The India-US Economic and Financial Partnership was launched in 2010 as a framework to strengthen the economic bonds and build greater cooperation and economic growth in the future, between the two countries. The 8th U.S.-India Economic and Financial Partnership was organised on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington.

 

3. Russian team back on Earth after filming first movie in space: A Russian film crew are back on Earth after wrapping up scenes for the first movie shot in space. Klim Shipenko and actor Yulia Peresild left the International Space Station and landed in Kazakhstan – to be met by a crew filming touchdown scenes. The movie has been in its own kind of space race – with Tom Cruise. He is apparently part of a Hollywood filming-in-space project involving Nasa and Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The filmmakers had blasted off from the Russia-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan earlier this month, travelling to the ISS with veteran cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov to film scenes for “The Challenge”.

Note: International Space Station Launch date: 20 November 1998.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ICC & UNICEF to Partner for Mental Wellbeing of Children & Adolescents: Ahead of the 2021 men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and UNICEF have that they would partner to help break the stigma around mental health by raising awareness about the issue amongst children and adolescents. The ICC and UNICEF are aiming to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing amongst children and adolescents and encourage greater conversation and understanding of it throughout the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 beginning.

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

UNICEF Headquarters: New York, United States of America; UNICEF Executive Director: Henrietta H. Fore; UNICEF Founded: 11 December 1946.

 

2. Rahul Dravid appointed as Team India head coach: Former Indian batter, Rahul Dravid has been appointed as Team India’s head coach and he will be succeeding Ravi Shastri, whose tenure at the helm ends after the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup in the UAE. As per reports, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and honorary secretary Jay Shah had a meeting with Dravid in Dubai and pleaded with him to take charge of the national team. As per reports, Dravid, also known as ‘The Wall’ of Indian cricket, has been roped in on a two-year contract and he will draw a salary of INR 10 crores. Team India has also appointed lieutenant Paras Mhambrey as their bowling coach, replacing Bharat Arun. Even as Vikram Rathour has been persisted with as the batting coach, the decision on who should replace fielding coach R Sridhar hasn’t been made just yet.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Saraswat Bank ties up with Axis Securities to integrate banking with investing: Saraswat Bank has tied up with Axis Securities to offer its customers investing services through a 3-in-1 account. The facility will integrate savings bank account maintained by the co-operative bank with the demat and trading account offered by Axis Securities, which is a subsidiary of Axis Bank, Saraswat Bank said. This 3-in-1 account will make it easier for customers to transfer funds quickly, reduce paperwork and provide a comprehensive platform to invest in various investment instruments like stocks, derivatives, currency, commodities, mutual funds and IPO, the bank said.

 

2. Bharti AXA Life Launches “Bharti AXA Life Unnati”: Bharti AXA Life Insurance, a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises, one of India’s leading business groups, and AXA, one of the world’s largest insurance companies, announced the launch of a new participating savings product – Bharti AXA Life Unnati. This plan is designed to provide long term financial stability to individuals with the dual benefits of savings and protection in one single plan. Bharti AXA Life Unnati is a comprehensive product that offers four plan options, flexible premium payment terms and multiple add-ons in terms of riders. This allows customers to customize the product as per their needs and life goals.Bharti AXA Life Launches “Bharti AXA Life Unnati”

 

3. India Post launches e-PLI bond/ digital version of PLI policy bonds: The Department of Posts launched a digital version of the postal life insurance policy – ePLI bond, which subscribers can access through Digilocker. The Postal Life Insurance (PLI) and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) policy bonds are available in the ‘electronic form’, and the digital copy will be treated as a valid policy document by the department for all transactions, the Department of Posts (DoP) said. ePLI bond is the department’s first digital integration with Digilocker, which will facilitate citizens in a meaningful way by providing ease of access and quick claim settlements.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Indian Army wins gold medal in the Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2021: A team from 5th Battalion-4 (5/4) Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) representing the Indian Army won the gold medal at the prestigious Cambrian Patrol Exercise which was held in the United Kingdom. The Indian Army team took part in the event and competed with a total of 96 teams including 17 international teams representing Special Forces and prestigious Regiments from different parts of the world. The Indian Army team received rich accolades from all the judges. The team was praised for their excellent navigation skills, overall physical endurance and delivery of patrol orders.

About Cambrian Patrol Exercise:

(1) The exercise was held from October 13th to 15th 2021 at Brecon, Wales in United Kingdom.

(2) Exercise Cambrian Patrol was organised by the UK Army.

(3) It is considered as the ultimate test of human endurance and team spirit.

(4) It is sometimes also referred as “Olympics of Military Patrolling” among militaries of the world.

(5) Out of 96 participating teams, only three international patrols were awarded a gold medal this year, till the 6th phase of this Exercise.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Gulabo Sitabo and Sultan Actor Farrukh Jafar passes away: Veteran actor Farrukh Jafar, known for her performance in films “Gulabo Sitabo” and “Sultan”, died at a hospital. She was 89. Jaffer, who was one of the first radio announcers of Vividh Bharti Lucknow in 1963, began her on screen journey with the 1981 classic “Umrao Jaan”, in which she played Rekha’s mother. She later appeared in some TV shows but found further acclaim with the 2004 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “Swades”.

Daily GK Update- 18th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. MoRTH launches “Rewarding Scheme for Grant of Award to the Good Samaritan”: The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has launched a “Rewarding Scheme for Grant of Award to the Good Samaritan”. The scheme aims to motivate the general public to help the victims of road accident in emergency situation, as well as inspire and motivate others to save innocent lives on road. Under this Good Samaritan scheme, a cash award of Rs. 5,000 per incident will be given to those who save the life of a road accident victim by administering immediate assistance and rushing him/her to hospital within the ‘golden hour’ of the mishap, i.e. within 60 minutes of the incident, to provide medical treatment. An individual Good Samaritan can be awarded maximum 5 times in a year. The Scheme would come into effect from October 15, 2021.

 

2. Varanasi to become first Indian city to use ropeway services for public: Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh will become the first city in India to use ropeway services in public transportation. Overall, Varanasi will be the third city in the world after Bolivia and Mexico City to use ropeway in public transportation. The total cost of the ropeway project is Rs 424 crore. The total distance of 4.2 km will be covered in just 15 minutes. The project will be executed on a public-private partnership model. The cost of the project will be divided between the Centre and the state government at 80:20. Four stations of the ropeway services pilot phase will be at the height of above 11 meters.

Note: UP Capital: Lucknow; UP Governor: Anandiben Patel; UP Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath.

 

3. Telangana develops India’s first smartphone-based eVoting solution: Telangana has developed India’s first smartphone-based eVoting solution considering the Covid-19 pandemic. The system will undergo a dry run in the form of a dummy election being conducted in Khammam district with the registration on the application open from October 8-18 and the dummy voting on October 20. The eVoting solution has been developed by Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) with the implementation support of the Emerging Technologies Wing of the IT Department of the State and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).

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

 

4. Department of Biotechnology launches India’s first ‘One Health’ consortium in post-COVID times: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science and Technology has launched India’s first mega consortium on ‘One Health’, in post-COVID times. The ‘One Health’ project was launched by Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary, DBT through video conferencing. The Consortium comprise of 27 organisations, and will be led by DBT-National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad. The ‘One Health’ is “where man, animal, plants and environment are considered complimentary to each other for maintaining ‘health of all’”.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Russia-China holds naval drill “Joint Sea 2021” in Sea of Japan: The Russia and China joint naval exercises “Joint Sea 2021” has kicked off at Russia’s Peter the Great Gulf, in the Sea of Japan, on October 14, 2021. The exercises will culminate on October 17, 2021. During the war game, the combined force would practice shooting at targets designed to imitate enemy surface ships and hold air-defence drills. The drill is being carried out as part of ‘Joint Sea’ 2021, the series of bilateral naval exercises that have been taking place between the two services since 2012. The exercise is being held from 14–17 October, Russian state news agency TASS reported. The PLAN is participating in the exercise with the Type 052D destroyer Kunming

 

2. Reliance Industries tops in Forbes World’s Best Employer 2021 Ranking: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has topped the Indian corporates in the World’s Best Employers 2021 rankings published by Forbes. Globally, Reliance is placed at 52nd position among 750 global corporates. South Korean giant Samsung Electronics has topped the overall ranking as World’s Best Employers 2021, followed by US giants IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Alphabet and Dell Technologies.

About the World’s Best Employers 2021:

(1) The World’s Best Employers 2021 has been prepared by Forbes in partnership with market research company Statista.

(2) The ranking is based upon surveying 1,50,000 full-time and part-time workers from 58 countries working for multinational companies and institutions, where employees rated their employers on numerous points.

(3) Parameters used during the survey for the ranking include the image, economic footprint, talent development, gender equality and social responsibility.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Divya Deshmukh becomes India’s 21st Woman Grand Master: 15-year-old Divya Deshmukh became India’s 21st Woman Grand Master (WGM) after achieving her 2nd International Master (IM) at Grand Master (GM) in Budapest, Hungary. He scored five points in the nine rounds and ended up with a performance rating of 2452 to secure her final WGM norm. Divya also secured her second IM-norm and is now a norm away from becoming an International Master. Apart from three wins, she played out four draws while losing two games in the tournament.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI constitutes 4-member high powered advisory committee on settlement orders: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has constituted a four-member “high powered advisory committee on settlement orders and compounding of offences”. The Chairman of the committee will be Vijay C Daga, retired judge of the High Court of Bombay. The terms of reference of the Committee will be as per “Securities and Exchange Board of India (Settlement Proceedings) Regulations, 2018”.

The other members of the panel include:

Former law secretary in Ministry of Law & Justice: PK Malhotra

Ex-Chairman of Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP: PR Ramesh

Advocate, Partner, Raval & Raval Associates: DN Raval

 

2. UCO Bank chief A K Goel elected as Chairman of IBA: A K Goel, managing director and chief executive (MD & CEO) of UCO Bank has been elected as the chairman of Indian Bank’s Association (IBA) for 2021-22. He has replaced Rajkiran Rai G, MD & CEO, Union Bank of India. IBA is a representative body of management of banking in India operating in India and is headquartered in Mumbai.

Note: Indian Bank’s Association Headquarters location: Mumbai; Indian Bank’s Association Founded: 26 September 1946.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. BPCL launches automated fuelling technology UFill: The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has launched an automated fuelling technology called “UFill”, to provide a swift, secure and smart experience to its customers at outlets by providing them with control of fuelling. The new digital technology obviates the need to look at zero or final reading or any such offline manual interventions, to give complete control to customers over Time, Technology and Transparency in fuelling experience.

What is Ufill: (1) The UFill functionality can be used with any payment app like GPay, PayTM, PhonePe etc as well as offers real-time QR and voucher codes through SMS.

(2) Additional if customers make payment in advance, and the amount paid in advance is partially used, the balance amount is immediately refunded to the bank account of the customer.

(3) The UFill technology has been launched in 65 cities across India and will soon be launched in the rest part of the country.

Note: CMD of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd: Arun Kumar Singh; Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai; Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd Founded: 1952.

 

2. Airtel, Ericsson conducts India’s first rural 5G trial: Bharti Airtel and Ericsson conducted India’s first 5G network trial in a rural location in the first week on October 2021. The trial run was done in Bhaipur Bramanan village on the outskirts of Delhi-NCR using 5G trial spectrum allocated to Airtel.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Microsoft team wins 2021 C.K. Prahalad Award: Indian American Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella has won the prestigious C K Prahlad award for Global Business Sustainability Leadership for the year 2021, along with three other top leaders of Microsoft. The four top Microsoft leaders have received the Award for their collaborative leadership to transform Microsoft into a carbon negative company by 2030 and remove all its historical emissions by 2050.

Apart from Nadella, Microsoft’s President and Vice-Chair Brad Smith, Chief financial officer Amy Hood and chief environment officer Lucas Joppa have shared the award for Global Business Sustainability Leadership.

About C K Prahlad Award: The award was created in 2010 by the Corporate Eco Forum (CEF) in honour of its founding Advisory Board member C.K. Prahalad. The award recognizes winners for exemplifying the fundamental connection between sustainability, innovation and long-term business success in a globalizing world.

Daily GK Update- 17th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Narendra Modi dedicates 7 new Defence PSUs to the nation: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated seven new Defence PSUs, carved out of OFBs, to the nation. These 7 new companies have been formed following the dissolution of the 200-year-old Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) w.e.f October 01, 2021. Under the OFB there were 41 factories and 9 ancillary bodies. Now, these factories will be distributed among the seven newly created companies. Also, the 70,000 employees of these OFBs will be sent to the seven new entities, with no change in the service condition of the employees.

The seven new defence PSUs includes: (1) Munition India Ltd; (2) Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd; (3) Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd; (4) Troop Comforts Ltd; Yantra India Ltd; (5)  India Optel Ltd; and (6) Gliders India Ltd

 

2. Union Minister Anurag Thakur launches MyParkings App: The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the ‘MyParkings’ app. The IOT technology-enabled app has been developed by Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) with South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to digitize all authorized parking under SDMC municipal limits.

About the facility: The facility will be subsequently rolled out in other municipality divisions across India. The main objective of the app is to help reduce pollution by minimising the time spent searching for parking spots. The MyParking App will offer an effortless solutions to users for hassle-free parking and booking of online parking slots to park their vehicles without inconvenience.

 

3. India Ranks Third in 2021 EY Index: India has retained the third position in the 58th Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) released by the consultancy firm Ernst & Young (EY). According to the report, the US, mainland China and India continue to retain the top three rankings and Indonesia is a new entrant to the RECAI. The 2021 RECAI ranks the world’s top 40 global markets (nations) on the attractiveness of their renewable energy investment and deployment opportunities. With the environment, social and governance (ESG) measures soaring to the top of the agenda for companies and investors, RECAI also highlights that corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) are emerging as a key driver of clean energy growth.

 

4. Ritesh Chauhan named as CEO of PM Fasal Bima Yojana: Senior bureaucrat Ritesh Chauhan has been appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Joint Secretary, Agriculture under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. Chauhan will have a combined tenure of seven years up to September 22, 2023. He is a 2005-batch IAS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre. He will succeed Ashish Kumar Bhutani, who was appointed in 2018.

 

5. Vishwakarma Vatika to be set up at Hunar Haats: The Government of India has decided to set up a “Vishwakarma Vatika” at every “Hunar Haats” to protect, preserve and promote India’s glorious legacy of centuries-old skills of artisans and craftsmen. The first such “Vishwakarma Vatika” has been set up in “Hunar Haat” at Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, organised from October 16 to 25, 2021.  The name is derived from the Hindu deity “Vishwakarma” who is worshipped as the God of architects.

About the Vishwakarma Vatika: The “Vishwakarma Vatika” will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan on October 16, 2021. The new initiative will provide a single stop place to proficient craftsmen, sculptors, stonemasons, blacksmiths, carpenters, potters and other artisans from across the country, to give live demonstrations of how India’s traditional art and craft and elegant indigenous handmade products are made.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India ranks 101 in Global Hunger Index 2021: India’s rank has dropped to the 101st position among 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021. In 2020, India was placed at 94th spot, out of 107 countries. The 2021 GHI score of India is recorded at 27.5 out of 50, which comes under the serious category. Neighbouring countries like Nepal (76), Bangladesh (76), Myanmar (71) and Pakistan (92) are also in the ‘alarming’ hunger category but have fared better at feeding its citizens than India, according to the report.

Top countries in the Index: A total of 18 countries, including China, Kuwait and Brazil, shares the top rank. The GHI score of these 18 nations is less than 5. This means that these countries suffer very less from hunger and malnutrition.

About the Global Hunger Index: The Global Hunger Index (GHI) measures and tracks hunger at global, regional, and national levels. The index is published jointly by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and Concern Worldwide. Based on current GHI projections, the index states that the world as a whole will not achieve a low level of hunger by 2030.

GHI scores are determined based on values of four indicators:

(1) Undernourishment (share of the population with insufficient caloric intake),

(2) Child wasting (share of children under age five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition),

(3) Child stunting (share of children under age five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition), and

(4) Child mortality (mortality rate of children under age five, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments).

 

2. Global Handwashing Day: 15th October: The Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is observed on 15 October every year. It is an international handwashing promotion campaign to motivate and mobilize people around the world to improve their handwashing habits. The day was established by the Global Handwashing Partnership (GHP) (formerly called “Public Private Partnership for Handwashing” (PPPHW)) in 2008. Theme of GHD 2021 is “Our Future Is at Hand – Let’s Move Forward Together”.

 

3. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: 17th October: The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed every year on 17 October across the globe. The day aims to raise awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution around the world, particularly in developing countries. 2021 Theme: Building Forward Together: Ending Persistent Poverty, Respecting all People and our Planet”.

History of the day: This year marks the 28th anniversary of the declaration by the General Assembly, in its resolution 47/196 of 22 December 1992, of 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. This year also marks the 32nd anniversary of the Call to Action by Father Joseph Wresinski — which inspired the observance of October 17 as the World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty — and the recognition by the United Nations of the day as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. India beat Nepal 3-0 to win 2021 SAFF Championship: India beat Nepal, 3-0, to win the 2021 SAFF Championship final title, held on October 16, 2021, at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives. This is the eighth SAFF Championship title claimed by the Indian men’s national football team. Previously the team had won the title in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015. Sunil Chhetri, Suresh Singh Wangjam and Sahal Abdul Samad were the goal scorer for the Indian team in final. Top Scorer in the championship Sunil Chhetri (Captain) – 5 goals. Meanwhile, Sunil Chhetri scored his 80th international strike at the championship to equal his score with iconic Lionel Messi and became the second-highest goal-scorer in international football among active players.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Kotak Mahindra Bank launches Micro ATMs across India: The private lender Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd has announced the launch of Micro ATMs across the country. Customers of all banks who possess a debit card can use a Kotak Micro ATM for key banking services such as cash withdrawals and checking account balances. A mini version of an ATM, micro ATMs are small handheld devices. The bank will use its extensive Business Correspondents (BC) network to launch micro ATMs.

About the Micro ATM:

(1) The micro ATM is a simple, innovative and highly effective solution to deliver essential banking services such as cash withdrawals in a convenient manner to people residing in relatively remote locations.

(2) It is a viable alternative to a regular ATM, allowing for faster expansion and increasing banking touchpoints for consumers. Kotak’s network of micro ATMs across the country will help customers of all banks (Kotak and non-Kotak customers) get easy access to their bank accounts and promote financial inclusion.”

Note: Kotak Mahindra Bank Establishment: 2003; Kotak Mahindra Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Kotak Mahindra Bank MD & CEO: Uday Kotak.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. ADB Raises 2019–2030 Climate Financing Goal to $100 Billion: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced an increase in its climate financing goals 2019-2030 for developing member countries (DMCs) by $20 billion to $100 billion. Earlier in 2018, ADB had announced an $80 billion goal for climate financing for developing countries in Asia during 2019-2030. The additional $20 billion in financing support will be used for climate mitigation efforts including low-carbon energy sources, climate adaptation projects and private sector projects. The fight against climate change will be won or lost in Asia and the Pacific, and we are committed to serving as a climate bank and a long-term climate partner for our region. The Manila-based lender will plan for climate adaptation financing of $34 billion, including agriculture, urban and water adaptation projects.

Note: President of ADB: Masatsugu Asakawa; Headquarters: Manila, Philippines.

 

2. OYO appoints Paralympian Deepa Malik as independent director: Hospitality firm Oravel Stays Ltd (OYO) has appointed Deepa Malik, an Indian athlete and a silver-medalist at the 2016 Paralympic Games, as an independent director on the company’s board of directors. Malik’s experience and her passion for travel and adventure would be invaluable for OYO for years to come. Malik joins the board of OYO that has three other independent directors and one nominee director, besides Ritesh Agarwal being the chairman.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 37th Raising Day of National Security Guard: The National Security Guard (NSG) force, popularly known as Black Cats, observes its Raising Day on October 16, every year. The year 2021 marks the 37th anniversary of the establishment of the NSG. NSG is an elite counter-terrorism unit under the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.

About National Security Guard (NSG): The NSG is a Federal Contingency force to deal with anti-terrorist activities. The NSG is a force equipped and trained to deal with the specific situation and is therefore used in exceptional circumstances to thwart serious acts of terrorism. It was established in 1984, NSG is popularly known as the Black Cats. It is an elite striking force in the country trained and equipped to handle situations like a terrorist attack, hijacking, and hostage captivity.

Note: National Security Guard Headquarters: New Delhi; DG of National Security Guard: M A Ganapathy; The motto of the National Security Guard: Sarvatra Sarvottam Suraksha.

 

2. Second Phase of Exercise Malabar 2021 organised in Bay of Bengal from Oct 12 to 15 2021: The second phase of Exercise Malabar 2021, between the Quad countries, conducted in the Bay of Bengal from October 12 to 15, 2021. The Phase 1 of Exercise Malabar 2021 was conducted off the coast of Guam, in the Philippine Sea, in the Western Pacific from August 26 to 29, 2021. Exercise Malabar 2021 is the 25th edition of MALABAR. The Indian Navy participated with INS Ranvijay, INS Satpura, P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a Submarine. Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the United States Navy (USN) are the other participants in the exercise.

The Exercise Malabar was first held in 1992 as a bilateral drill between the Indian Navy and the US Navy in the Indian Ocean. Later in 2015, Japan became a permanent member of the exercise.

Daily GK Update- 16th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurates Rs 100 lakh crore PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan: With the vision of holistic and integrated infrastructure development in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan, from Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The Rs 100 lakh crore PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan aims to provide multi-modal connectivity to economic zones in the country.

Under the new project: A centralised portal will be set up to bring together the infrastructure schemes (which are to be completed by 2024-25) of as many as 16 Ministries & State Governments on a common platform, for integrated planning and coordinated implementation, instead of planning & designing separately by each ministry and department. Through the PM Gati Shakti campaign, the government aims to lend more speed (Gati) and power (Shakti) to infrastructure connectivity projects by connecting all concerned departments on one platform. PM Modi also inaugurated the new exhibition complexes of ITPO and reviewed the model of the new exhibition complex at Pragati Maidan.

 

2. Haryana bans govt employees from participation in politics, elections: Facing farmers’ protests over new farm laws for over a year now, the Haryana government has banned the participation of its employees in politics and elections. A notification has also been issued from the office of the chief secretary in this regard while implementing Haryana Civil Services (Government Employees Conduct) Rules, 2016. The administrative secretaries, heads of department, managing directors, chief administrators of boards, corporations, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners of Haryana, registrar of universities of Haryana and registrar (general), Punjab and Haryana High Court have been directed to ensure compliance of Rules 9 and 10 of Haryana Civil Services (Government Employees’ Conduct) Rules, 2016 in letter and in spirit. Any violation of the same should invite immediate and strict disciplinary action.

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

 

3. Amit Khare appointed advisor to PM Modi: Former bureaucrat Amit Khare, who last month retired as higher education secretary, has been appointed as advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for two years on contract basis. Mr Khare, a 1985 batch (retired) IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, had superannuated on September 30. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Khare as advisor to the prime minister in Prime Minister’s Office, in the rank and scale of secretary to government of India.

 

4. India’s first Atal Community Innovation Center launched in Jaipur: India’s 1st Atal Community Innovation Center (ACIC) was inaugurated at Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur (VGU). It will be the first centre in the country to be set up by the Government of India, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and NITI Aayog.

About the ACIC: ACIC aims to support and nurture innovative ideas that can take the shape of big ideas and help transform society for a better tomorrow. This center, started under the joint aegis of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog and VGU, will benefit the hardworking, passionate and courageous businessmen of Rajasthan who want to take their business towards heights.

 

5. EESL appoints Arun Kumar Mishra as CEO: Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of Public Sector Undertakings under the Ministry of Power has announced the appointment of Arun Kumar Mishra as chief executive officer (CEO) on deputation. He will be responsible for EESL’s operations across the nation.

About the EESL: EESL, an energy service company (ESCO), is among the earliest entrants in India’s energy efficiency market estimated at around ₹74,000 crores and is presently running the world’s largest domestic lighting programme. With India rolling out the world’s largest electricity smart metering programme, EESL and IntelliSmart, its joint venture with India’s quasi-sovereign wealth fund National Investments and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), have been present in India’s smart meter programme space.

Note: EESL Headquarters location: New Delhi; EESL Founded: 2009; EESL Chairman: K.Sreekant.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Germany launches World’s First Self-Driving Train: German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn and industrial group, Siemens launched the first automated & driverless train of the world. The self-driving train was launched in the city of Hamburg. This project is being developed by ‘Siemens and Deutsche Bahn’. It is being dubbed as “world-first”. The project is part of a 60-million-euro modernisation of the rapid urban rail system of Hamburg. These automated trains will offer a reliable service without laying a single kilometre of new track.

Note: Germany Capital: Berlin; Germany Currency: Euro; Germany President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier; Germany Chancellor: Angela Merkel.

 

2. Sajjan Jindal appointed chairman of World Steel Association: World Steel Association (WSA) has elected Sajjan Jindal, Chairman and Managing Director of JSW Steel Ltd, as Chairman for the year 2021-22. Jindal is the first representative from India to serve as Chairman of the WSA.  JSW Steel is the flagship business of the diversified $13 billion JSW Group and engaged in the manufacturing of iron and steel products in India and across the globe.

About the World Steel Association: Worldsteel acts as the focal point for the steel industry, providing global leadership on all major strategic issues impacting the industry, particularly focusing on economic, environmental and social sustainability. Worldsteel members represent approximately 85% of the world’s steel production, including more than 160 steel producers, national and regional steel industry associations and steel research institutes.

Note: World Steel Association established: 1967; World Steel Association headquartered: Brussels, Belgium.

 

3. World Food Day: 16th October: World Food Day (WFD) is celebrated every year on 16 October across the globe to eradicate worldwide hunger from our lifetime. WFD also commemorates the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945. Theme 2021: “Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow”.

History: The main focus of this day is that food is a basic and fundamental human right. WFD commemorates the day in 1945 when the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was founded.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Head: Qu Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Established: 16 October 1945.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. IPL 2021 won by Chennai Super Kings: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has defeated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the finals to win the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) title. This was the 14th edition of IPL which is an India-based Cricket league in 20-20 format. This was the 4th win of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL, having previously won the tournament in 2010, 2011, and 2018. About IPL 2021:

(1) M.S. Dhoni is the captain of CSK the winning team.

(2) Eoin Morgan is the captain of the Runner up team i.e Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He is from England

(3) The first half of IPL was played in India, while the second half was played in UAE. The finals were held at Dubai International Stadium.

(4) Player of the Tournament: Harshal Patel (RCB)

(5) Highest Run Scorer (Orange Cap): Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK) (635 runs)

(6) Highest Wicket Taker (Purple Cap): Harshal Patel (RCB) (32 wickets)

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. IndusInd Bank gets authorised by RBI to collect Direct and Indirect Taxes; IndusInd Bank has announced, that it has been authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the collection of Direct and Indirect Taxes, on behalf of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). With this, its customers will be able to pay their Direct and Indirect taxes through ‘Indusnet’ and ‘Indusmobile’ platforms.

The authorization has been awarded basis a recommendation from the Controller General of Accounts as well as the Ministry of Finance (Govt. of India), and comes close on the heels of the Bank being appointed as an ‘Agency Bank’ of the RBI to conduct government business. With this, IndusInd Bank customers will soon be able to pay their Direct and Indirect taxes through the Bank’s state-of-the-art digital platforms such as ‘Indusnet’ – its net banking platform and ‘IndusMobile’ – its mobile banking application.

Note: The IndusInd Bank CEO: Sumant Kathpalia; The IndusInd Bank Headquarters: Pune; The IndusInd Bank Owner: Hinduja Group; The IndusInd Bank Founder: S. P. Hinduja; The IndusInd Bank Founded: April 1994, Mumbai.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. IMF Projects Indian Economy to grow at 9.5% in FY22: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has estimated the Indian economy to grow by 9.5% in the current fiscal year, i.e 2021-22 (FY22) and 8.5% in FY23 (2022-23), in its latest World Economic Outlook report, released on October 12, 2021. Meanwhile, IMF expects the global gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 5.9 per cent in 2021 and 4.9% in 2022.

In its World Economic Outlook (WEO), the IMF has maintained India’s gross domestic product (GDP) estimates for next financial year at 8.5 per cent, unchanged from its July projections. The WEO, titled ‘Recovery During a Pandemic Health Concerns, Supply Disruptions, and Price Pressures’, has forecast world economic growth at 4.9 per cent for 2022, the same as earlier.

Note: IMF Headquarters: Washington, D.C. U.S; IMF Managing Director and Chairman: Kristalina Georgieva; IMF Chief Economist: Gita Gopinath.

 

2. Fire-Boltt ropes in Virat Kohli as new brand ambassador: Indian wearable brand Fire-Boltt has named cricket captain Virat Kohli as its new brand ambassador. The skipper will participate in different marketing, ad and endorsement campaigns of the homegrown brand. Fire-Boltt had a few months earlier brought on board actor Vicky Kaushal as its first brand ambassador. Fire-Boltt is a wearable, gaming, and audio brand offering a bouquet of premium quality audio, fitness, and fashion products. The products by Fire-Boltt include smartwatches, Bluetooth earphones, Bluetooth headphones, true wireless earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, lifestyle shoes, among others.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 17th Edition of Indo-US Joint Military Exercise “Ex Yudh Abhyas 2021: The 17th edition of the Joint Military Training Exercise “Ex Yudh Abhyas 2021” between the Indian Army and the United States Army, is scheduled to take place from October 15 to 29, 2021 at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska in USA. The Indian contingent will comprise of 350 personnel of an Infantry Battalion Group. About the exercise:

(1) The exercise will further enhance understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two Armies. The previous version of the exercise was held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Bikaner, Rajasthan in February 2021.

(2) The exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between two Armies.

(3) The joint exercise will focus on Combined Arms Manoeuvres in cold climatic conditions and is primarily aimed at sharing tactical level drills and learning best practices from each other. The exercise will culminate after a 48-hour long validation.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. IFFCO chairman Sardar Balvinder Singh Nakai passes away: Fertiliser major IFFCO’s Chairman Balvinder Singh Nakai has passed away. He was an eminent farmer – cooperator and was deeply involved in providing strength to the Indian cooperative movement for the last three decades. He made pioneering contributions towards empowering farmers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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