Monday, 4 January 2021
GK Update of third and 4th January 2021 overlaying the next information headlines: Asia Protected Areas Partnership, RBI-Digital Payments Index, GRSE, Bharat Electronics Limited.
National News
1. India turns into co-chair of Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP)
- India has been chosen because the co-chair of the IUCN-supported Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP) for a interval of three years until November 2023. India will change South Korea, which held the put up for 3 years till November 2020.
- As a co-chair, India can be accountable to help different Asian international locations in managing their protected areas.
- The APAP is chaired by IUCN ( International Union for Conservation of Nature) Asia and co-chaired by an APAP nation member on a rotational foundation.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- International Union for Conservation of Nature Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature CEO: Grethel Aguilar.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature Founder: Julian Huxley.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature Founded: 5 October 1948.
Banking News
2. RBI introduces the RBI-Digital Payments Index
- Reserve Bank of India has launched a Digital Payments Index (DPI) to seize the extent of digitization of digital/digital funds throughout the nation.
- This RBI-Digital Payments Index (DPI) has 5 broad parameters that will probably be used for the measurement of deepening and penetration of digital funds.
- The RBI-DPI contains of 5 broad parameters that allow measurement of deepening and penetration of digital funds within the nation over completely different time durations.
- These parameters are – (i) Payment Enablers (weight 25%), (ii) Payment Infrastructure – Demand-side components (10%), (iii) Payment Infrastructure – Supply-side components (15%), (iv) Payment Performance (45%) and (v) Consumer Centricity (5%).
- The base interval for RBI-DPI is March 2018. This implies that the DPI rating for March 2018 is about at 100. RBI has calculated the DPI for March 2019 and March 2020 at 153.47 and 207.84 respectively, indicating considerable progress. RBI-DPI shall be printed on a semi-annual foundation from March 2021 onwards with a lag of 4 months.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- RBI twenty fifth Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.
Defence News
3. GRSE delivers eighth touchdown craft utility ship to Indian Navy
- Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) has delivered the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK IV class vessel ‘IN LCU L-58’ (Yard 2099) to the Indian Navy.
- The amphibious ships, to be primarily based within the strategic location of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is shut to varied routes resulting in the South China Sea.
- LCU L-58 is the ultimate ship within the sequence of 8 LCUs being manufactured by GRSE for the Indian Navy.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- GRSE Chairman & Managing Director: Rear Admiral V K Saxena.
- GRSE Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal.
4. BEL and Indian Navy inks pact for preliminary provide of Laser Dazzlers
- The Indian Navy has signed a contract with the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), to obtain Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation Dazzlers (Laser Dazzlers).
- Initially, settlement has been signed for 20 Laser Dazlers. The Laser dazzler expertise has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and can be manufactured by BEL, Pune plant.
- It is the primary time that this distinctive product is indigenously designed and developed for the Armed Forces.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Bharat Electronics Limited Chairman & Managing Director: M V Gowtama.
- Bharat Electronics Limited Headquarters: Bengaluru.
- Bharat Electronics Limited Founded: 1954.
- Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.
- Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950.
Ranks and Reports News
5. Mukesh Ambani ranked twelfth within the Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2021
- India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) dropped right down to twelfth spot within the Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2021 (as on 2nd January 2021).
- The web price of Ambani dropped from 90 billion USD (round Rs. 6.62 lakh crore) (in early 2020) to 76.7 billion USD (round Rs. 5.6 lakh crore).
- The drop within the web price of Mukesh Ambani was as a result of correction within the shares of RIL which has fallen to Rs.1995.50 on thirtieth December 2020, which is 16% from its all-time excessive of Rs 2369.35.
- Zhong Shanshan, known as “Lone Wolf”, has changed Ambani as Asia’s richest particular person, he is without doubt one of the quickest within the historical past to realize the feat.
Top 3 within the Bloomberg Billionaires Index:
| Rank | Personality | Net price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Bezos | 190 Billion USD |
| 2 | Elon R Musk | 170 Billion USD |
| 3 | Bill Gates | 132 Billion USD |
Science and Technology
6. DCGI provides remaining approval for Covid-19 vaccines of SII, Bharat Biotech
- The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has formally introduced the ultimate approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca “Covishield” and Bharat Biotech “Covaxin” vaccines towards the coronavirus illness (Covid-19) for emergency use.
- CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) accepts the topic professional committee reform rations on Serum and Bharat Biotech Covid vaccines.
- The topic professional committee (SEC) beneath CDSCO had advisable Oxford-AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) as Covishield, for emergency use and Covaxin for restricted use.
- Covaxin is the indigenous vaccine being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Serum Institute of India CEO: Adar Poonawalla.
- Serum Institute of IndiaFounder: Cyrus S. Poonawalla.
- Serum Institute of IndiaFounded: 1966.
- Serum Institute of India Headquarters location: Pune.
Sports News
7. Leon Mendonca turns into India’s 67th Grandmaster
- Goa’s 14-year-old Leon Mendonca has turn out to be India’s 67th chess Grandmaster by successful the third and remaining norm at a event in Italy.
- Mendonca, who achieved the feat at 14 years, 9 months and 17 days, is the second GM from the coastal State. Chennai participant G. Akash, had in July, turn out to be the nation’s 66th Grandmaster. He turned the twenty ninth Youngest GM on this planet. The 1st GM from Goa is Ivana Maria Furtado, she achieved it in 2011.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- International Chess Federation President: Arkady Dvorkovich.
- International Chess Federation Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.
- International Chess Federation Founded: 20 July 1924.
Important Days
8. World Braille Day: 4 January
- World Braille Day is noticed globally on 4th January since 2019. The day is widely known to lift consciousness of the significance of Braille as a method of communication within the full realization of the human rights for blind and partially sighted individuals.
- The day is marked remembering the delivery anniversary of Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille – for individuals with visible disabilities. Louis Braille was born on 4th January 1809 within the city of Coupvray in northern France.
Obituaries News
9. Former Union Minister Buta Singh passes away
- Former Union Minister and senior Rajasthan Congress chief Buta Singh handed away.
- The veteran politician Buta Singh served as Home Minister of India within the Rajiv Gandhi authorities from 1986 to 1989.
- Buta Singh had additionally served because the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. He was a four-time MP from Jalore-Sirohi Lok Sabha constituency.
- He served because the Chairperson of the National Commission For Scheduled Cast from 2007 to 2010.
10. Ace mountaineer Colonel Narendra ‘Bull’ Kumar passes away
- Ace mountaineer Colonel Narendra ‘Bull’ Kumar, who helped India safe the Siachen Glacier, handed away.
- He was chargeable for the success of Operation Meghdoot in 1984. He was the primary Indian to climb Mount Nanda Devi.
- He climbed Mount Everest in 1965, Mount Blanc( highest peak within the Alps), and later Mount Kangchenchanga. He earned the nickname ‘Bull’ for relentlessly charging into every little thing he did.
- Col Kumar, who was awarded the Kirti Chakra, Padma Shri, Arjun Award and the McGregor medal, carried out a number of expeditions within the Siachen glacier space within the late Nineteen Seventies and early Eighties.
Miscellaneous News
11. Delhi authorities units up Tamil Academy
- Delhi authorities Department of Art, Culture, and Language has set-up a Tamil academy to advertise the language and tradition of the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
- Delhi has a big inhabitants of individuals from Tamil Nadu and we wish to current a platform to the individuals of Delhi to get a style of the artwork and tradition of Tamil Nadu.
- The Delhi authorities has appointed a former councillor and member of Delhi Tamil Sangam N Raja because the Vice-Chairman of the academy.
- The Department of Art, Culture, and Language of the Delhi govt has determined that the brand new academy will introduce numerous awards to advertise and reward the nice works of individuals in Tamil language and tradition.
- The authorities may also present language programs by way of this academy. The Delhi authorities may also have fun and organise cultural festivals for the individuals of Tamil Nadu.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Chief Minister of Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal; Governor of Delhi: Anil Baijal.
- Delhi Minister of Art, Culture, and Language: Manish Sisodia.
12. Oscar nominee ‘Another Round’ to be opening film at 51st IFFI
- The 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will open on sixteenth January, with the Indian premiere of the film ‘Another Round’ by Thomas Vinterberg.
- The film starring Cannes Best Actor Award winner Mads Mikkelsen is amongst a star-studded line up of films being showcased at IFFI.
- The film can also be Denmark’s official entry to the Oscars. The pageant may also witness the World Premiere of ‘Mehrunisa’. The movie by Sandeep Kumar will premier mid-fest.
- The pageant will shut on twenty fourth January with the India Premiere of the historic drama ‘Wife of a Spy’ by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
13. Amit Shah launched the inaugural situation of “National Police K-9 Journal”
- Home Minister Amit Shah has launched the inaugural situation of the National Police K-9 Journal in New Delhi. It is the primary such publication within the nation with reference to Police Service K9s, Police Dogs.
- This is a novel initiative that can additional enrich the topics associated to Police Service Dog, K-9, PSK groups within the nation.
- A particular Police K9 Cell was established in November 2019, beneath the Police Modernization Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs with the mandate of Mainstreaming and Augmentation of Police Service K9s within the nation.
- The publication of the Police K9 Journal is one other step in creating an ecosystem within the nation to coach and be taught on augmenting this important useful resource.
- The journal contains completely different sections in Hindi and English. It is a biannual journal which will probably be launched in April and October yearly.