Saturday, 2 January 2021
GK Update of 1st and 2nd January 2021 overlaying the next information headlines: Light House initiatives, Income Tax Returns, ADB, Deputy election commissioner.
National News
1. PM Modi lays basis stone of Light House initiatives (LHPs)
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the inspiration stone of Light House initiatives (LHPs) at six websites throughout six States by way of video convention on 1st January 2021.
- The LHPs can be carried out at Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh).
- The undertaking is being constructed below the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC)-India. It has been conceptualised by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
- Under the programme, over 1,000 homes could be in-built every of the six cities in 12 months together with allied infrastructure services.
2. GoI extends Deadline to file Income Tax Returns to January 10, 2021
- The Central authorities has additional prolonged the deadline to file an earnings tax return (ITR) for FY 2019-20 by 10 days, as much as January 10, 2021. Earlier this deadline was December 31, 2020.
- This extension of the deadline is for these people whose accounts will not be required to be audited and who normally file their earnings tax return utilizing ITR-1 or ITR-4 kinds, as relevant. This is the third extension of the deadline to file a tax return.
- The first extension was given from the traditional deadline of July 31 to November 30, 2020, after which to December 31, 2020.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs: Nirmala Sitharaman.
- Union Minister of State within the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs: Anurag Singh Thakur.
State News
3. ADB to offer $231 mn mortgage to reinforce energy technology capability in Assam
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a $231 million mortgage with the Government of India to enhance electrical energy technology capability within the state of Assam.
- This is the third tranche mortgage for the ‘Assam Power Sector Investment Programme’ that was accredited by the ADB Board in July 2014.
- Under the undertaking, 120 megawatts (MW) hydroelectric energy plant could be constructed. The programme focuses on enhancing the capability and effectivity of the power technology and distribution techniques in Assam to enhance the supply of electrical energy service to end-users.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Chief Minister of Assam: Sarbananda Sonowal; Governor: Prof. Jagdish Mukhi.
4. ADB and India signal $10 million mortgage to assist horticulture in HP
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a $10 million undertaking readiness financing (PRF).
- This settlement goals to assist finance piloting actions, and design and capability constructing for an ensuing undertaking that goals to increase horticulture manufacturing and farm family earnings within the hill state of Himachal Pradesh.
- The PRF undertaking will assist advance actions to attain a excessive stage of undertaking readiness by way of detailed design actions, capability constructing of state-level businesses, and creating an enabling surroundings for subtropical horticulture improvement within the state.
- The PRF undertaking goals to make sure implementation readiness with prior testing of latest manufacturing applied sciences and advertising techniques in order that the following undertaking is cost-effective and will get accomplished in a well timed method to reinforce farm profitability.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Chief Minister of HP: Jairam Thakur; Governor of HP: Bandaru Dattatraya.
Appointments News
5. Umesh Sinha named deputy election commissioner
- Umesh Sinha has been named because the deputy election commissioner within the Election Commission of India.
- Sinha, a 1986-batch IAS officer (retired) is at current serving as secretary-general within the fee.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet cleared the extension within the time period of reemployment of Sinha as deputy election commissioner on contract foundation for a interval of six months past December 31, 2020.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Chief Election Commissioner of India: Sunil Arora.
- Chief Election Commissioner Formed: 25 January 1950.
- Chief Election Commissioner Headquarters: New Delhi.
6. ISRO Chairman K Sivan will get one yr extension as much as 2022
- The Central Government has accredited the extension of the time period of ISRO Chairman K Sivan, for a interval of one yr. He was on account of retire on January 14, 2021.
- Sivan will now proceed as ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space as much as January 14, 2022. He joined ISRO in 1982, has been the chairman of the area company since January 2018.
- ISRO chief has imminent information in Aerospace engineering, Space Transportation Systems Engineering, Launch automobiles, mission simulation software program design and lots of different operations associated to Space packages.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan.
- ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- ISRO established: 15 August 1969.
7. Soma Mondal takes cost as new SAIL Chairman
- Soma Mondal has taken over as the brand new Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) with impact from January 01, 2021.
- She is the first-ever women-head of the physique. She replaces Anil Kumar Chaudhary, who superannuated on 31 December 2020. She joined SAIL in 2017 because the director (industrial).
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- SAIL Headquarters: New Delhi.
- SAIL based: 19 January 1954.
8. Suneet Sharma takes over as new Chairman & CEO of Railway Board
- The appointments committee of the Cabinet has accredited Suneet Sharma appointment as Chairman & CEO of Railway Board, Ministry of Railways and ex-officio Principal Secretary to Government of India.
- He took over in his new function with impact from January 01, 2021. The prolonged one-year tenure of Sharma’s predecessor, Vinod Kumar Yadav, who additionally turned the restructured Board’s first CEO, ended on December 31, 2020.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Railway Board Founded: March 1905.
- Headquarters of Railway Board: New Delhi.
Agreements News
9. UNDP and PCMC be part of fingers for ‘first social impact bond’
- Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, Pune has not too long ago signed an MoU with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India to co-create India’s first Social Impact Bond (SIB).
- This is the primary time {that a} authorities physique will act because the ‘outcome funder’ in a bond, whereas historically most government-funded public initiatives require giant and early investments by the federal government with a considerable gestation interval of outcomes and contain varied sorts of dangers.
- A Social Impact Bond additionally referred to as pay-for-success bond or pay-for-success financing or just social bond is mainly a contract with public sector authority, the place it pays for higher social outcomes.
- This bond is a type of outcome-based contracting and goals at enhancing social outcomes for a selected group of residents.
- The PCMC administration will bear the prices of a public welfare undertaking related to the bond if the pre-defined undertaking targets are fulfilled.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- UNDP Headquarters: New York, New York, United States.
- UNDP Head: Achim Steiner.
- UNDP Founded: 22 November 1965.
Books and Authors News
10. A guide titled “Vahana Masterclass” launched by Italian Writer Alfredo Covelli
- Alfredo Covelli, an Italy based mostly writer has launched his new guide Vahana Masterclass for youngsters and Young Audience.
- The books can be illustrated and printed by Scholastic India. Alfredo had a eager curiosity in our Indian tradition and mythology which impressed him to put in writing a narrative on Lord Ganesh for youngsters.
- The guide narrates the story of the Ganesha on the lookout for a brand new vahana to accompany him to all the good adventures across the cosmos.
Important Days
11. DRDO Celebrates 63rd Foundation Day on 1st January 2021
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) noticed the 63rd Foundation Day of its institution on January 01, 2021.
- DRDO was established in 1958 with simply 10 laboratories to reinforce the analysis work within the Defence sector. At that point, it was tasked with designing and growing innovative defence applied sciences for Indian Armed Forces.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Secretary Department of Defence Research and Development & Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy.
- DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.
- DRDO Established: 1958.
Obituaries News
12. Legendary Music Director Shantanu Mohapatra passes away
- Legendary Odia musician, Shantanu Mohapatra handed away. He was the primary Odia music composer to work with legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey and Md Rafi and likewise the primary to work in Hindi, Bengali, Assamese and Telugu movie industries.
- Mohapatra has composed music for lots of of Odia movie songs and Jatra (opera) reveals in a profession that spanned over three a long time.
- Mohapatra, who retired because the Director of Odisha Mining Corporation, obtained a number of awards together with the Odisha Film Critic Award for his contribution to Odia music.
Miscellaneous News
13. IFSCA turns into Associate Member of IOSCO
- The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has develop into an Associate Member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). The Headquarter of IOSCO is at Madrid, Spain.
- The IOSCO is the worldwide group of the world’s securities regulators, overlaying greater than 95% of the world’s securities markets, and can also be the worldwide standard-setter for the securities sector.
- With this new membership, IFSCA will get the platform to trade info on the international stage and regional stage on areas of frequent pursuits and assist to be taught from the experiences and greatest practices of the regulators of different nicely established monetary centres.