Daily GK Update- 12th Feb, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s first biomass-based hydrogen plant to come up at Madhya Pradesh: India’s first commercial-scale biomass-based hydrogen plant will come up at the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. Every day this plant will produce one tonne of hydrogen, from 30 tonnes of biomass feedstock. The plant is being put up by a joint venture of Watomo Energies Ltd and Biezel Green Energy with an investment of Rs 24 crore.

The company owns the technology for a ‘thermally accelerated anerobic digestion (TAD) reactor’ that can produce hydrogen, methane and biochar from biomass. Biezel Green will own 50 per cent in the yet-to-be-named joint venture; the other 50 per cent will come from interested farmers.

 

2. Gujarat unveils new IT/ITeS policy to generate 1 lakh direct jobs: Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel has announced a new IT/ITeS policy for the next five years. This policy will provide financial incentives up to Rs 200 crore to the entities willing to incur capital expenditures. It will also generate employment of about 1 lakh youths. It also seeks to increase IT-ITeS exports from the current Rs 3000 crores annually to 25,000 crores over the next five years. Its operative period will start from the day of notification to 31st March 2027.

About the policy: The policy launched at a formal event at a club in GIFT City in Gandhinagar replaces the 2016-2021 policy that had set an ambitious target to increase exports up to USD two billion (Rs 13,000 crore), IT turnover to USD 15 billion (Rs 75,000 crore) and create 10 lakh direct jobs. The policy provides support for both capital (CAPEX) and operational (OPEX) expenditures. “This is a unique model that gives flexibility to industries to plan their expenditures and addresses the viability concerns.

Note: Gujarat Capital: Gandhinagar; Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat; Gujarat Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel.

 

3. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launches Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0 virtually. The IMI 4.0 will be conducted in 416 districts across 33 states/UTs. The programme will be implemented in three rounds, of 7 days each. The first round will begin from 7th February 2022, second round from 7th March 2022, and the third round from 4th April 2022. In the first round 11 states will be covered. These are Assam, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura and Chhattisgarh. Till date, ten phases of Mission Indradhanush have been completed covering 701 districts across the country.

 

4. J&K becomes the first Union Territory to be integrated with National Single Window System: Jammu & Kashmir has become the first Union Territory to be integrated with the National Single Window System (NSWS). National Single Window System (NSWS) was launched in September 2021 by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. It is a digital platform that serves as a guide for investors to identify and to apply for approvals as per their business requirements. NSWS will eliminate the need for investors to visit multiple platforms/offices to gather information and obtain clearances from different stakeholders. As on date 14 States/UTs have been onboarded on NSWS These are- Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

 

5. Power Minister R K Singh launched Powerthon-2022: Union Minister of Power, R K Singh has launched Powerthon-2022, a hackathon competition to find technology-driven solutions to solve the complex problems in power distribution and to ensure quality and reliable power supply. The competition will bring together qualified mentors with TSPs, innovators, and other participants to create teams for efficient electricity networks. He also encouraged technologists to come forward not only with solutions to existing problems but also with other problem statements and ideas for reliable power supply.

In this hackathon:

(1) Technology Solution Providers (TSPs), start-ups, educational institutions, research institutes, equipment manufacturers, state power utilities and other state and central power sector entities, shall be briefed on the current challenges/ problem statements faced across the power distribution sector and invited to showcase their technology-driven solutions to solve the complex problems.

(2) The hackathon will task participants to find innovative solutions based on advanced emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain and the Internet of Things on nine themes that have been identified after various discussions with 14 discoms across nine states.

 

6. Senior bureaucrat S. Kishore appointed as new SSC Chairman: According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Kishore to the post in the rank and pay of Secretary to Government of India by temporarily upgrading the post and keeping the Recruitment Rules of the post in abeyance. Presently, he is serving as Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

 

7. Sanjay Malhotra named DFS Secretary in Finance Ministry: Sanjay Malhotra has been named as Secretary in the Department of Financial Services in the Ministry of Finance. He is a 1990 batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre. Before this, Sanjay Malhotra was Chairman and Managing Director of REC Ltd. He has succeeded Debashish Panda, who completed his term as DFS Secretary on January 31, 2022.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Narendra Modi address high-level segment of One Ocean Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the high-level segment of the One Ocean Summit. The high-level segment of the summit will also be addressed by several other heads of states and governments including Germany, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan and Canada.

About the summit: The One Ocean summit is organised by France from 9-11 February in Brest in cooperation with the United Nations and the World Bank. The objective of the summit is to mobilise the international community to take tangible action towards preserving and supporting healthy and sustainable ocean ecosystems.

 

2. India ranked 46th in EIU’s Democracy Index: India has ranked 46th position in the 2021 Democracy Index’s global ranking, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit. With the highest score of 9.75, Norway topped the Democracy Index 2021 by Economist Intelligence. The list was published on February 10, 2022. India scored 6.91 to rank 46th on the list. Our neighbour Pakistan has been placed further below in the hybrid regime with a rank of 104.

Top 10 countries in the list:

1. Norway: Overall score of 9.75.

2. New Zealand: Overall score of 9.37.

3. Finland:  Overall score of 9.27.

4. Sweden:  It had an overall score of 9.26.

5. Iceland: Overall score 9.18.

6. Denmark: Overall score of 9.09.

7. Ireland:  Overall score of 9.

8. Taiwan: Overall score of 8.99.

9. Australia: Overall score of 8.90.

10. Switzerland: Overall score of 8.90.

Note: Economist Intelligence Unit Headquarters: London, United Kingdom; Economist Intelligence Unit Founded: 1946; Economist Intelligence Unit MD: Robin Bew.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI restructured Advisory Committee on Investor Protection and Education Fund: Securities and Exchange Board of India has restructured its advisory committee on Investor Protection and Education Fund (IPEF), under the chairmanship of G Mahalingam. The advisory committee on IPEF is an eight-member committee that will take G Mahalingam, former Whole Time Member of SEBI, as its new Chairperson. Members of Committee: Vijay Kumar Venkataraman, Mrin Agarwal, A Balasubramanian, M G Parameswaran, GP Garg, N Hariharan and Jayanta Jash.

About the committee: In 2013, the committee was established by the SEBI to find out ways and means to best utilize the investor protection and education fund. Earlier the committee was headed by Abraham Koshy, former professor of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Gujarat. The committee is mandated to recommend investor education and protection activities for the utilization of the SEBI Investor Protection and Education Fund (IPEF).

Note: Securities and Exchange Board of India Founded: 12 April 1992; Securities and Exchange Board of India Headquarters: Mumbai; Securities and Exchange Board of India Agency executive: Ajay Tyagi.

 

2. SEBI directs AMCs to set up audit committee with minimum three directors: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has directed the mutual fund (MF) industry to set up an audit committee at the asset management company (AMC) level. The audit committee will require a minimum of three directors and at least two-third of them shall be independent directors of the AMC. Currently, such a committee is set up by the trustee of a fund house.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Bloomberg Billionaires Index: Gautam Adani overtook Mukesh Ambani: In accordance with the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Gautam Adani net worth reached $88.5 billion overtaking Mukesh Ambani’s $87.9 billion becoming Asia’s richest person as on 8th February 2022. With a nearly $12 billion jump in his personal wealth, he has become the 10th richest person in the world. Globally Elon Musk was named as the world’s richest person with a total net worth of $235 Billion. He was followed by Jeff Bezos with a total net worth of $183 Billion & Bernard Arnault with a total net worth of $168 Billion.

 

2. L&T and Microsoft ink partnership to develop regulated sector cloud offering: Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Microsoft India have announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a regulated sector focused cloud offering to empower customers with the cloud computing and infrastructure services. Under the MoU, the two companies will setup a joint governance group to define future platform designs, investments, and commercial/business models to service the regulated sectors’ emerging technology requirements. Senior leadership teams of both the organizations will be engaged collectively on this as the association evolves.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India’s Goa Shipyard Ltd delivered the 5th vessel ICGS ‘Saksham’: India’s Goa Shipyard Ltd delivered the 5th and final vessel of the 5 Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vehicle (CGOPV) Project ahead of contractual schedule. The vessel was named ICGS ‘Saksham’. The point to be underlined- all 5 vessels have been delivered before time to the Indian Coast Guard. The contract for 5 CGOPVs was signed by GSL with the Ministry of Defence on 26 August 2016.

About the vessels: All the five CGOPVs will be the most advanced patrol vessels in service with the coast guard. Also, the 2,400 tonnes vessels are fitted with additional features including quick response boats for rescue and anti-piracy and gunnery simulators. The hull is designed to provide fuel efficiency, crew comfort and enhanced sea keeping qualities. With computerised control systems, they are the most advanced patrol vessels in service with the Coast Guard. It has an indigenous content of about 70% and weighs around 2400 tonnes.

Daily GK Update- 11th Feb, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NITI Aayog and USAID annouces tie-up under SAMRIDH initiative: Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have announced a new partnership under the Sustainable Access to Markets and Resources for Innovative Delivery of Healthcare (SAMRIDH) initiative. It aims to improve access to affordable and quality healthcare for vulnerable populations in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and rural and tribal regions.  It aims to mobilize a capital pool of $100+ million from the private sector and bilateral organizations. It leverages this fund to offer both grant and debt financing provision to support the expansion of market-based health solutions.

Under this partnership:

(1) AIM and SAMRIDH have announced a Call for Proposals for healthcare innovators and entrepreneurs in India. Through this initiative, they will focus on innovations across the healthcare landscape.

(2) This new partnership announced will enhance SAMRIDH’s efforts to reach vulnerable populations, leveraging AIM’s expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship.

(3) The collaboration would focus on innovations across the healthcare landscape with the common goal to mount an effective response to the ongoing third wave of COVID-19 and build health system preparedness for future infectious disease outbreaks and health emergencies.

 

2. Amazon India signed MoU with Karnataka to turn rural women into entrepreneurs: Amazon India signed an MoU with Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (KSRLPS) to support the growth of women entrepreneurs. Amazon India will launch ‘Sanjeevini-KSRLPS’ in its platform and extend benefits of the ‘Saheli’ Programme to train and empower thousands of rural women entrepreneurs and also provide online access to a wider market for their products. The Saheli Programme offers training and skill development workshops to help women entrepreneurs. Through this, Amazon and the government bodies will come together to assist and empower lakhs of women entrepreneurs associated with them from the four states to register their business with Amazon India and access a wider market base.

About the Amazon Saheli programme: Amazon Saheli programme will offer extensive training and skill development workshops for its participants to help women entrepreneurs associated with them understand the nuances of online selling and develop skills and capabilities necessary to grow their business on Amazon.in. These training workshops comprise sessions on the listing of products, imaging & cataloguing, packaging and shipping, inventory and account management, and customer servicing.

Note: Amazon CEO: Andrew R. Jassy; Amazon Founded: 5 July 1994.

Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru; Karnataka Chief Minister: Basavaraj S Bommai; Karnataka Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot.

 

3. Akshay Kumar named as brand ambassador of Uttarakhand 2022: Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami has appointed Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand ahead of the 2022 Assembly Elections. In 2017, Akshay Kumar was appointed as Uttarakhand’s brand ambassador for ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’. Akshay Kumar, is a Canadian-Indian actor, a film producer who has acted in more than 100 films.

In 2021, Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant, who hails from Roorkee, Uttarakhand was appointed as the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand. Indian field hockey player, Vandana Katariya was appointed as the brand ambassador of the women and child development department of Uttarakhand as well as the brand ambassador of the Centre’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme for Haridwar district.

 

4. Kerala signed an MoU with Social Alpha to develop clean energy tech: Kerala Government has signed an MoU with the Social Alpha’s Energy Lab – “Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC)” to support innovative and clean energy technology programmes in Kerala. The Government of Kerala signed this agreement through Kerala Development & Innovation Strategy Council (KDISC) and Energy Management Centre (EMC). The EMC Kerala represents the Power Department agencies including the Kerala State Electricity Board, Electrical Inspectorate and ANERT (Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology). To establish a clean energy incubation centre to boost green energy development and energy conservation activities in Kerala.

Note: Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram; Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan; Kerala Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan.

 

5. Ex-consultant to World Bank Pradip Shah named as Pfizer India chairman: Pfizer India has appointed Pradip Shah as the chairman of its board following the resignation of RA Shah. He is the ex-managing director and a founding member of Crisil. Prior to founding Crisil, he assisted in founding HDFC in 1977. He has also served as a consultant to USAID, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.

 

6. Disha Patani named as Brand Ambassador of Bata India: Bata India Limited has appointed Bollywood actress, Disha Patani as it’s Brand Ambassador. She will promote the brand and strengthen the youth connection to enhance footwear fashion among them. Previously, Bata has associated with celebrities including Kriti Sanon, Sushant Singh Rajput, and cricket player Smriti Mandhana for promoting various labels under Bata.

Note: Bata India Limited Founded: 1931; Bata India Limited Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana; Bata India Limited CEO: Gunjan Shah.

 

7. Amitabh Bachchan named as brand ambassador of MediBuddy: MediBuddy, one of India’s largest digital healthcare platforms, has signed legendary Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan as the official brand ambassador. As part of the deal, Bachchan will be seen endorsing various services available on the platform, while highlighting the need to prioritise one’s health. With the deal in place, MediBuddy is looking at further amplifying its reach across India. Leveraging the veteran actor’s popularity, especially across tier II and tier III cities, the brand aims to position itself as a household name.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. TomTom Traffic Index Ranking 2021: Mumbai 5th most-congested city in the world: As per the TomTom Traffic Index Ranking 2021, Mumbai has been ranked at 5th, Bengaluru at 10th in terms of the most congested cities in the world in 2021. Delhi and Pune ranked 11th and 21st among 404 cities across 58 countries, according to TomTom Traffic Index’s global top 25 lists. Istanbul, Turkey has been declared as the most congested city in the world as per the ranking. while Moscow came in second.

The ranking covers 404 cities across 58 countries. The report said India’s congestion level in 2021 was 23% lower than pre-Covid times, with a decrease of 31% specifically during peak hours. In 2020, the traffic congestion in three Indian metros- Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi – made it to the top 10 list.

 

2. World Unani Day: 11th February: World Unani Day is observed on February 11 every year to mark the birth anniversary of “Hakim Ajmal Khan”, an eminent Indian Unani physician. The first Unani Day was celebrated in 2017 at the Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine (CRIUM), Hyderabad. The main objective is to spread the awareness in masses and action about healthcare delivery through the Unani system of medicine worldwide through its preventive and curative philosophy.

About Hakim Ajmal Khan: Hakim Ajmal Khan was an eminent Indian Unani physician who was a versatile genius, a great scholar, a social reformer, a noted freedom fighter, an Unani medical educationist and founder of scientific research in Unani System of Medicine. He was one of the founders of the Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi.

 

3. International Day of Women and Girls in Science: 11th February: International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed globally on 11 February. The 7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly, taking place on 11 February 2022, aims to recognize the role of women and girls in science, not only as beneficiaries but also as agents of change, including in view of accelerating progress towards the achievement of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The Day is implemented by UNESCO and UN-Women in collaboration with institutions and civil society partners that aim to promote women and girls in science. The 2022 theme of the Day is “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us”.

History of the day: In December 2015, the United Nations adopted a resolution to celebrate February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In 2016 is the first time it was celebrated. The idea behind this day is to ensure equal participation and involvement of women and girls in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI Monetary Policy: RBI keeps Repo Rate unchanged at 4.0 per cent: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) headed by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das kept the repo rate unchanged at 4 per cent for the 10th consecutive time while maintaining an ‘accommodative stance’ as long as necessary. The reverse repo rate will continue to be 3.35 per cent. The central bank had last revised the policy rate on May 22, 2020, in an off-policy cycle to perk up demand by cutting the interest rate to a historic low. Reserve Bank of India conducted the 6th and the last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting for 2021-22 between February 8-10, 2022. The next meeting of the MPC is scheduled during April 6-8, 2022. The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and bank rates remain unchanged:

Policy Repo Rate: 4.00%

Reverse Repo Rate: 3.35%

Marginal Standing Facility Rate: 4.25%

Bank Rate: 4.25%

CRR: 4%

SLR: 18.00%

RBI Monetary Policy Highlights & Key Decisions:

(1)    The MPC decided to continue with the accommodative stance.

(2)    RBI has projected the real GDP growth for 2022-23 at 7.8 per cent.

(3)    For the current fiscal year, RBI projected real GDP growth of 9.2 per cent and expects that it will take the economy above the pre-pandemic level.

(4)    For the current fiscal year, RBI retained its retail inflation projection at 5.3 per cent.

(5)    MPC has been given the mandate to maintain annual inflation at 4 per cent until March 31, 2026, with an upper tolerance of 6 per cent and lower tolerance of 2 per cent.

The composition of the Monetary Policy Committee is as follows:

(1)    Governor of the Reserve Bank of India – Chairperson, ex officio: Shri Shaktikanta Das.

(2)    Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, in charge of Monetary Policy– Member, ex officio: Dr Michael Debabrata Patra.

(3)    One officer of the Reserve Bank of India to be nominated by the Central Board – Member, ex officio: Dr Mridul K. Saggar.

(4)    A professor at the Mumbai-based Indira Gandhi Institute of Developmental Research: Prof. Ashima Goyal.

(5)    A professor of finance at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad: Prof. Jayanth R Varma.

(6)    An agricultural economist and a senior adviser with the National Council of Applied Economic Research in New Delhi: Dr Shashanka Bhide.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SBI tie-up with NSE Academy to launch five online courses 2022: The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced a partnership with NSE Academy to launch five online courses that promote financial literacy as a necessary life skill. The courses curated by SBI are a good blend of theory and operational aspects which will enable learners to have a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of banking, compliance, lending norms and a host of other topics. Learners can enrol for five inaugural Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) of SBI on the NSE Knowledge Hub platform as a part of this strategic association. NSE Academy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India.

About the courses: These courses have been designed and developed by practising bankers possessing rich experience and excellent academic credentials. The courses are suitably enriched with real-life case studies and scenarios, thus offering experiential learning for working professionals and learners. The following five courses will be offered with an aim to provide an understanding of different aspects of banking-to-banking professionals, students and other learners.

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

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Nitin Gadkari received 18th Late Madhavrao Limaye Award: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari will be facilitated for the first time with the 18th late Madhavrao Limaye award in the category of Karyakram Khaasdar (Efficient Member of Parliament) for the year 2020-21. This award will be facilitated by Nashik Public Library, Sarvajanik Vachanalay. Earlier, the award was given to Karyaksham Aamdaar, an efficient Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Maharashtra.

The Sarvajanik Vachanalay annually selects one of the members of Vidhan Parishad (Lok Sabha), Vidhan Sabha (Rajya Sabha) for the Efficient MLA or Member of Parliament (MP) Award. The award has been instituted in the memory of Limaye by his daughter Dr. Shobha Nerlikar. The award consists of Rs 50,000 in cash and a memento.

Daily GK Update- 10th Feb, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PMKSY extended till March 2026 with an allocation of Rs 4,600 crore: The ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)’ has been extended till March 2026 with an allocation of Rs 4,600 crore. The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. The scheme aims for the overall growth and development of the food processing sector. In May 2017, the Central Government had launched SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) with an allocation of Rs 6,000 crore. The scheme was renamed as PMKSY in August 2017.

About the scheme: The scheme will boost the growth of the food processing sector but also help in providing better prices to farmers and creating huge employment opportunities. PMKSY is an umbrella scheme incorporating ongoing schemes of the ministry like Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation /Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities and Operation Greens.

 

2. J&K topped in India Press Freedom Report 2021: The India Press Freedom Report 2021 was recently released by the Rights and Risks Analysis Group. According to the report, 13 media houses and newspapers were targeted in the country, 108 journalists were attacked, and 6 journalists were killed. Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tripura topped the list of States and Union Territories where journalists and media houses were targeted in 2021.

24 journalists were attacked physically, obstructed, threatened, and harassed for doing their work. All these attacks were made by public officials. This includes police attacks as well. 17 of these attacks were police attacks. 44 FIRs were registered against journalists in 2021. Of this 21 were registered under Section 153 of IPC.

India Press Freedom Report 2021: The highest number of journalists or media organisations targeted was in J&K (25), followed by Uttar Pradesh (23), Madhya Pradesh (16), Tripura (15), Delhi (8), Bihar (6), Assam (5), Haryana and Maharashtra (4 each), Goa and Manipur (3 each), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (2 each), and Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Kerala (1 each),” the report stated.

 

3. Salesforce Global Index: India leads in digital skills readiness: Salesforce, a leading player in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), published the Global Digital Skills Index 2022 which highlights the growing global digital skills crisis and the need for action. India has scored 63 out of 100, leads the digital skills readiness, and has the highest readiness index among the 19 countries. The average global readiness score was 33 out of 100.

About the Global Digital Skills Index 2022:

(1) The 2022 Global Digital Skills Index, is based on a survey on around 23000 workers across 19 countries about digital skills, including their impact on the future of work, concerns about job readiness, and the significance of continuous learning.

(2) Three major skills gaps were identified in the 2022 global index: The everyday skills gap, The generational skills gap, and The leadership and workforce skills gap.

 

4. S R Narasimhan takes additional charge as CMD POSOCO 2022: S. R. Narasimhan, Director (System Operation) has assumed the additional charge of the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO) w.e.f. 1st February 2022 at New Delhi. He has a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) in Finance. He has over three decades’ experience in Power System Operation spread across CEA, POWERGRID and POSOCO after an initial stint with BHEL.

SR Narasimhan has contributed to several Expert Committees at the Government and regulatory levels in different areas ranging from system operation, grid integration of Renewable Energy (RE) resources and optimization to institution building.

Note: POSOCO Founded: March 2010; POSOCO Headquarters: New Delhi, India.

 

5. Dr Unnikrishnan Nair named as New Director of VSSC: Scientist and launch vehicle specialist, Dr S Unnikrishnan Nair took charge as the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). VSSC is a keyspace research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and specialises in rocket and space vehicles for satellite programs. Nair, who started his career in VSSC Trivandrum in 1985, has made significant contributions in launch vehicle mechanisms, acoustic protection systems and payload fairing areas during his tenure.

Note: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Founded: 21 November 1963; Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Parent organization: ISRO; Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

 

6. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit named as first woman Vice Chancellor of JNU: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has appointed Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as the new Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). She is the first women Vice-Chancellor of JNU. The 59-year-old Pandit has been appointed for a period of five years. Pandit replaces M Jagadesh Kumar, who has been appointed as Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Before this appointment, Pandit was serving as the Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule University in Maharashtra.

 

7. National Deworming Day: 10th February: National Deworming Day is observed on February 10, to make people aware of the importance of deworming, particularly for children from 1 to 19 years of age, who are the most vulnerable. The Day was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2015. The main aim of the Day is to raise awareness on intestinal worms and to attain complete eradication of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in children. Around 24% of the world’s population is infected with soil-transmitted helminths (worms).

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Instagram encourages people to ‘Take a Break’ from social media: Instagram has announced the launch of ‘Take a Break’ in all countries, including India, to empower people to make informed decisions about the way they are spending their time. This feature will be promoted in India through a campaign, in partnership with ‘We The Young ’, called ‘Break Zaroori Hai’. ‘Take a Break’ was first launched in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, and it is now available for everyone globally.

What is ‘Take a Break’:

(1) Take a Break’ is a feature that will show up for people, as they have been scrolling for a certain amount of time. They will be asked to take a break from Instagram and suggest that they set reminders to take more breaks in the future.

(2) They will also be shown expert-backed tips to help them reflect and reset. To make sure that young people are aware of this feature, they will be shown notifications suggesting they turn these reminders on.

(3) The ‘Take a Break’ reminders build on Instagram’s existing time management tools including Daily Limit, which lets people know when they’ve reached the total amount of time they want to spend on Instagram each day, and offers the ability to mute notifications from Instagram.

Note: Instagram launched: 6 October 2010; Instagram Owner: Meta; Instagram Founder Kevin Systrom.

 

2. World Pulses Day: 10th February: The United Nations designated World Pulses Day is observed every year on 10 February. The day has been established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to recognize the importance of pulses (dry beans, lentils, dry peas, chickpeas, lupins) as a global food. This year World Pulses Day’s theme: “Pulses to empower youth in achieving sustainable agrifood systems”.

History of the day: In 2018, the UN General Assembly decided to mark 10 February as World Pulses Day. The first WPD was held on February 10, 2019. On 20 December 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/68/231) proclaiming 2016 as the International Year of Pulses (IYP). The celebration of the year, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), increased the public awareness of the nutritional and environmental benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production.

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. Gujarat Titans unveiled as name for new Ahmedabad IPL franchise: Gujarat Titans is the official name of the new Ahmedabad franchise owned by CVC Capital as Hardik Pandya is all set to lead the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The naming of the Ahmedabad franchise comes days after Lucknow, owned by RPSG Group, announced its official name as Lucknow Super Giants. The Lucknow team will be led by KL Rahul.

Key points:

(1) Debuting in the 15th season of the IPL, the Gujarat Titans will pay tribute to the state’s rich cricketing legacy, which has seen it produce countless Indian international cricket legends over the years.

(2) The franchise is inspired by the opportunity to represent and build on this deep cricketing heritage, as well as build on its future success on the pitch.

(3) Gujarat Titans drafted in Hardik Pandya as their captain for Rs 15 crore and Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan for Rs 15 crore. They also got young India opener, Shubman Gill, for Rs 8 crore.

(4) The Titans will head into the mega auction with a budget of Rs 52 crore. The Gujarat Titans brought on board former England cricketer Vikram Solanki as the Director of Cricket.

(5) Ashish Nehra will be the head coach of the franchise while former World Cup-winning coach and South Africa opener Gary Kirsten will be the Head of Cricket Operations and the batting coach for IPL 2022.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI reopens Voluntary Retention Route with investment limit of Rs 2,50,000 cr: The Reserve Bank of India had introduced the Voluntary Retention Route (VRR) for investments by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) in debts in 2019 with an investment limit of Rs 1,50,000 crore. Out of this, around Rs, 1,49,995 crore have been availed so far in three tranches. Now RBI has increased this investment limit in VRR from Rs. 1,50,000 crore to Rs. 2,50,000 crore.

The increased investment limits shall be open for allotment from April 01, 2022 as per the following details:

(1) The investment limit under VRR has been increased to Rs 2,50,000 crore.

(2) The investment limit available for fresh allotment shall accordingly be Rs 1,04,800 crore (net of extant allotments and adjustments); and shall be allotted under the VRR–Combined category.

(3) The minimum retention period shall be three years.

(4) Investment limits shall be available ‘on tap’ and allotted on a ‘first-come, first-served basis.

(5) The ‘tap’ shall be kept open till the limit is fully allotted.

(6) FPIs may apply for investment limits online to Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL) through their respective custodians.

(7) CCIL will separately notify the operational details of the application process and allotment.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. RBI 2nd largest buyer of gold in 2021: The largest buyer, the Central Bank of Thailand, bought 90 metric tonnes of gold while RBI bought 77.5 metric tonnes taking its total gold reserve to 754.1 tonnes at the end of December 2021. When it comes to gold buying, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) emerged as the second-largest buyer of yellow metal among the world’s Central Banks in 2021. As per Goldhub, India’s official gold reserves is the ninth-largest in the world. Goldhub is the official website of the World Gold Council that maintains all the data regarding precious metals. At the end of December 2021, RBI gold reserves stood at 754.1 tonnes, which amounts to 6.22 per cent of India’s forex reserves. As per RBI data, India’s total reserves at the end of December 31, 2021, stood at $633.61 billion, including gold reserves worth $39.405 billion.

Note: World Gold Council CEO: David Tait; World Gold Council Headquarters: London, United Kingdom; World Gold Council Founded: 1987; World Gold Council President: Kelvin Dushnisky.

 

2. Razorpay buys majority stake in Malaysian startup “Curlec”: Razorpay has expanded into South-East Asia with the acquisition of a majority stake in a Malaysian fintech firm Curlec, valuing the company between $19-20 million. Razorpay expects to complete the full acquisition in the next one-and-a-half years. The Kuala Lumpur-based, Curlec builds solutions for recurring payments for businesses. This marks Razorpay’s fourth acquisition overall and its first in the international markets. This acquisition will allow us to quickly ramp up and start scaling in Southeast Asia as a market. Curlec has been powering recurring payments for multiple companies in the Malaysian market. With them as part of this team, we will have a local team that understands the nuances of the market in Malaysia and Southeast Asia at large.

Note: Razorpay CEO: Harshil Mathur; Razorpay Founded: 2013; Curlec was founded by Zac Liew and Steve Kucia in 2018.

Daily GK Update- 9th Feb, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. RPF launches nationwide “AAHT operation” to curb human trafficking: Indian Railway Protection Force has launched a nationwide operation to curb human trafficking. As part of “Operation AAHT”, special teams will be deployed on all long-distance trains/routes with a focus on rescuing victims, particularly women and children, from the clutches of traffickers. The Railways, which operate about 21,000 trains across the country daily, is the most reliable mode of transportation for the traffickers who often moved their victims on long-distance trains. The RPF that rescued more than 2,000 women and children between 2017-21 from the clutches of traffickers intensified the crackdown on human trafficking with the increasing number of cases. The National Crime Records Bureau registers about 2,200 cases of Human Trafficking cases on an average each year.

Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking, especially of women and children, for sexual exploitation, forced marriage, domestic servitude, organ transplant, drug peddling etc is an organised crime and the most abominable violation of human rights. Thousands of Indians and persons from neighbouring countries were trafficked every day to some destinations where they were forced to live like slaves. “They are also being trafficked for illegal adoptions, organ transplants, working in circus, begging and entertainment industry.

Note: Indian Railway Founded: 16 April 1853, India; Indian Railway Headquarters: New Delhi; Minister of Railways: Ashwini Vaishnaw.

 

2. India becomes first country to administer COVID-19 DNA vaccine: India has become the first country in the world to administer a DNA vaccine against COVID-19. The ZyCoV-D which is the World’s first plasmid DNA vaccine has been produced by Ahmedabad-based vaccine manufacturer Zydus Cadila and it was administered for the first time in Patna. It is a Painless and Needleless vaccine given at intervals of 28 days and 56 days. It is the second India-made vaccine to get emergency authorization in India after Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

The Indian government approved emergency use authorisation for Zydus Cadila’s DNA vaccine earlier this year, citing initial results from Phase III clinical trials that showed approximately 66 per cent efficacy for symptomatic cases.

 

3. Centre extends Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme for five years from 2021-2026; Total Outlay: Rs. 1700 crore: The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) for five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The total financial outlay approved for the programme is Rs. 1700 crore till March 31, 2026, or till further review, whichever is earlier. The purpose of IFLDP Programme is to develop infrastructure for the leather sector, which can address environmental concerns specific to the leather sector, facilitate additional investments, employment generation and increase in production. The scheme is implemented by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

 

4. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw kicks Off NITI Aayog’s Fintech Open Summit: NITI Aayog, in collaboration with PhonePe, AWS and EY, has organized a three-week-long virtual summit, ‘Fintech Open’, from 7–28 February. The summit was inaugurated by Union Minister for Railways, Communications, and Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw in the presence of NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar. A first-of-its-kind initiative, Fintech Open will bring together regulators, fintech professionals and enthusiasts, industry leaders, the start-up community, and developers to collaborate, exchange ideas and innovate.

An open platform is created using public investment, wherein numerous private entrepreneurs, start-ups and developers can join to create new solutions. For example, today, 270 banks are connected with the UPI and many entrepreneurs and start-ups have provided solutions that have helped increase the country’s fintech adoption rate—which is the highest globally at 87%.’

 

5. Kanchoth festival celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir: The ancient festival of Kanchoth is annually celebrated, mainly by the Nag followers, during the Shukla Paksha of Magh month which usually falls in January or February. The festival is celebrated with religious fervour across the Chenab valley region of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The 3-day festival is celebrated by married women who pray for the long life of their husbands. Kanchoth or Gauri Tritya is widely celebrated in hilly kishtwar, Ramban and Doda of Jammu province. The festival is celebrated across Bhaderwah (also known as mini-Kashmir), Kotli, Mathola, Ghata, Khakhal, Gupt Ganga, Chinnote, Kapra, Bhalra, Bheja, Chinchora and other regions.

Note: J&K Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha

 

6. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit named as first woman Vice Chancellor of JNU: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has appointed Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as the new Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). She is the first women Vice-Chancellor of JNU. The 59-year-old Pandit has been appointed for a period of five years. Pandit replaces M Jagadesh Kumar, who has been appointed as Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Before this appointment, Pandit was serving as the Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule University in Maharashtra.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Sri Lanka to buy fuel from Indian Oil to tide over energy crisis: Sri Lanka has decided to purchase petrol and diesel, 40,000 metric tonnes each, from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), according to a Cabinet note, as part of the government’s bid to tide over the current fuel and energy crisis faced by the island nation. The move came weeks after Power Minister Gamini Lokuge said that Sri Lanka will hold talks with the Indian Oil Corporation’s local entity, amidst a severe foreign exchange crisis. The Lanka IOC, the Sri Lankan subsidiary of India’s oil major Indian Oil Corporation, has been in operation in Sri Lanka since 2002.

 

2. Bangladesh signs agreement to purchase 420 broad-gauge railway wagons from India: The Bangladesh railways will procure 420 broad-gauge wagons from India. The agreement was signed in Dhaka between the project director of Bangladesh railways Mizanur Rahman and the Hindustan Engineering and Industries Limited.

The agreement worth Tk. 231 crore will be implemented within 27 months of the signing of the contract. This project is being implemented with the joint funding of the Government of Bangladesh and Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the Rolling Stock Operation Improvement Project. These  are high speed bogies with automatic air brake systems so that the general and specialised products like various food grains, fertilisers, stones, wood etc. can reach the destination safely at low cost and in less time. The wagons are equipped with a stainless steel body.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. China wins AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 Football Tournament: China PR (People’s Republic) defeated South Korea (Korea Republic), 3-2, to win the AFC Women`s Asian Cup India 2022 final title at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This is the record-extending 9th AFC Women`s Asian Cup title won by China. India is hosting the 20th edition of the football AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 from January 20, 2022, to February 06, 2022. China now qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand.

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:

Most Valuable Player: Wang Shanshan (China)

Top Scorer: Sam Kerr (7 goals) (Australia)

Best goalkeeper: Zhu Yu (China)

Fairplay Award: South Korea

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. PM CARES Fund corpus triples to Rs 10,990.17 crore in FY 2020-21: The total corpus under the PM CARES Funds in 2020-21 was Rs 10,990.17 crore. While Rs 3,976.17 crore was spent from the fund in 2020-21, according to the latest audited statement of PM CARES Funds. As on March 31, 2021, the Fund had an unspent balance of Rs 7,013.99 crore. The government has used a part of the money to buy medical equipment, including ventilators, to boost the battle against the COVID-19 and has also provided relief to migrants.

The highest amount was spent on Procurement of 6.6 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine i.e. Rs 1,392.82 crore. The Fund was established on March 27, 2020. PM CARES fund is a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of the PM CARES Fund.  The fund was set up as a public charitable trust “keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected”.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Sonata Software tie-up with Microsoft for its launch of ‘Microsoft Cloud’: A global IT Services, and Technology Solutions Company, Sonata Software has announced its partnership with Microsoft for its launch of ‘Microsoft Cloud for Retail’. The company has been a partner with Microsoft for over three decades. The ‘Microsoft Cloud for Retail’ collaboration is expected to further strengthen the relationship. Sonata Software delivers solutions for retailers worldwide, leveraging world-class IPs, in-house migration and modernisation tools.

About the partnership: The partnership with Microsoft Cloud for Retail will further enhance our capabilities, with its emphasis on leveraging data, elevating the shopping experience, building real-time, sustainable supply chains, and empowering store associates. The Sonata Connected Retail solution is available through Microsoft AppSource. Sonata Software is a Microsoft Gold Partner and is a member of the Microsoft Inner Circle for Business Applications.

Note: Sonata Software Headquarters: Bengaluru; Sonata Software Founded: 1986; Sonata Software MD & CEO: P. Srikar Reddy;

Microsoft CEO and Chairman: Satya Nadella; Microsoft Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. ‘Mahabharat’s Bheem’ actor Praveen Kumar Sobti passes away: Actor-athlete Praveen Kumar Sobti, best known for playing Bheem in the TV series “Mahabharat” and for winning an Asian Games gold medal, passed away. He represented the country across various athletic events in hammer and discus throw and even won four medals at the Asian Games, including two gold medals in 1966 and 1970. Praveen Kumar Sobti also won a silver medal in Hammer Throw during the 1966 Commonwealth Games. The athlete gained further popularity after he began his acting career and was featured as Bheem in BR Chopra’s classic “Mahabharat” in 1988.