Tuesday, 23 March 2021
GK Update of nineteenth March 2021 masking the next information headlines: Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation, Awaam Ki Baat, World’s Largest Floating Solar Farms, Stop TB Partnership Board.
National News
1. J&K Govt approves organising of JVC “Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation”
- The Jammu and Kashmir administration has accepted the incorporation of a three way partnership firm (JVC) beneath the identify “Ratle Hydro-electric Power Corporation”. To implement the 850 MW Ratle Hydro-Electric Project (HEP) on river Chenab within the Kishtwar district of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).
- The JV firm has been included between the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and J&K State Power Development Corporation Ltd (JKSPDC).
- The fairness contributions of NHPC will likely be 51 per cent and for JKSPDC will likely be 49 per cent.
- The proposed JVC could have an authorised capital of Rs 1,600 crore with preliminary paid-up capital of Rs 100 crore.
- The 850 MW Ratle HEP will likely be developed at an estimated value of Rs 5,281.94 crore.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir: Manoj Sinha.
2. J&K LG Manoj Sinha inaugurates challenge “Awaam Ki Baat”
- Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, initiated the challenge “Awaam Ki Baat” – a Radio program by launching its web site at Raj Bhavan, Jammu.
- The half-an-hour lengthy Radio program to be aired each third Sunday of the month (to begin from April), is among the many sequential steps of a broader program geared toward disseminating the progressive steps taken by the federal government and offering the general public with a platform to talk, write and work together with the administration, thereby voicing their options, concepts and inventive proposals.
- Awaam Ki Baat is the novel initiative of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir which goals at disseminating the progressive steps taken by the administration and seeks public suggestions to make the method interactive, participative and people-centric. The platform appreciates the heterogeneity of our Union Territory.
International News
3. World’s Largest Floating Solar Farms being in-built Singapore
- The largest floating photo voltaic farm on this planet is being in-built Singapore. The nation has resorted to arrange vitality vegetation off the coasts and reservoirs throughout it.
- This floating photo voltaic farm is being arrange within the mild that regardless of being one of many smallest nations the world over, it is among the greatest per capita carbon dioxide emitters in India.
- Thus, to cater to the difficulty of local weather change and to chop the greenhouse fuel emission it’s constructing the floating photo voltaic farm. This challenge is being constructed by Sembcorp Industries.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Singapore Currency: Singapore greenback.
- Capital of Singapore: Singapore.
- PM of Singapore: Lee Hsien Loong.
Appointments News
4. Dr Harsh Vardhan appointed as chairman of ‘Stop TB Partnership Board’
- Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan has been appointed because the Chairman of the worldwide physique Stop TB Partnership Board.
- He was appointed in recognition of his excellent contribution to the motion to eradicate Tuberculosis from India by 2025. He will serve a three-year time period, commencing from July this 12 months.
- The Stop TB Partnership is a novel worldwide physique with the facility to align actors everywhere in the world within the battle towards TB.
- The participation of a variety of constituencies provides this world physique the credibility and the broad vary of medical, social and monetary experience wanted to defeat TB.
- The Partnership’s imaginative and prescient is a TB-free world.
- The appointment of Dr Harsh Vardhan because the Chair of this prestigious world physique is a proud recognition of India’s political dedication to the eradication of TB.
- Established within the 12 months 2000, the ‘Stop TB Partnership’ is remitted to remove Tuberculosis as a public well being downside.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- World Tuberculosis Day, noticed on 24 March.
5. Ajay Mathur takes over as Director-General of International Solar Alliance
- Dr Ajay Mathur has assumed workplace because the Director-General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) with impact from March 15, 2021. He has been appointed for a interval of 4 years which could be renewed for a further time period.
- Dr Ajay Mathur has changed Upendra Tripathy, who accomplished his time period on March 15, after serving because the Director-General since 2017.
- Mathur brings a wealth of management and experience throughout all key areas of the vitality transition, from coverage, analysis, and expertise commercialisation to financing, worldwide cooperation and institutional improvement.
- He is a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on local weather change.
- He had additionally served because the Director-General of TERI and likewise a key Indian climate-change negotiator. He was additionally the spokesperson for India in the course of the 2015 local weather negotiations in Paris.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- ISA Headquarters Location: Gurgram, Haryana.
- ISA Established: 2015.
Agreement News
6. SBI and IOCL to ink India’s First Libor Alternative Rate Deal
- The State Bank of India (SBI) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) will signal the primary Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) linked exterior business borrowing (ECB) deal.
- The deal will likely be signed as a result of the de facto worldwide benchmark reference charge referred to as the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) will not work because the benchmark after December 2021.
- The state financial institution of India highlighted that it will likely be arranging $100 million linked to SOFR for 5 years.
- The LIBOR will not work because the benchmark after December 2021. Thus, the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) and Sterling Overnight Interbank Average Rate (SONIA) are probably the most potential options.
- But only some swap offers are linked to those options on the worldwide stage. Libor continues to be used extensively particularly for loans which can be getting matured throughout the 12 months.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara.
- SBI Headquarters: Mumbai.
- SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.
7. Italy indicators International Solar Alliance amended Framework Agreement
- Italy has signed the amended Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) with India. The framework settlement was signed by the Italian Ambassador to India Vincenzo De Luca. ISA is an alliance of over 121 nations which were initiated by India.
- The European nation signed the ISA framework settlement after an modification to the Framework Agreement of the ISA entered into drive on January 08, 2021, opening its membership to all member states of the UN. The amendments of the ISA framework settlement permits all of the member states of the United Nations to hitch the ISA grouping, together with these mendacity past the tropics.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- President of Italy: Sergio Mattarella.
- Capital of Italy: Rome; Currency of Italy: Euro.
- Prime Minister of Italy: Mario Draghi.
Defence News
8. KRAS releases the First batch of MRSAM Missiles
- The Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS), which is a three way partnership between the Kalyani Group of India and Rafael Advanced Defence Systems of Israel, have launched the primary batch of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) kits.
- The missile was launched for the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. The launch of the MRSAM Missile additionally marked the KRAS’ dedication to delivering greater than 1000 MRSAM missile kits to India in close to future.
- These missile sections will then be despatched for additional and future integration to Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). The Kalyani Group has infused the “State-of-the-art expertise with engineering excellence within the firm.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Israel Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Israel Capital: Jerusalem.
- Israel Currency: Israeli Shekel.
9. INS Jalashwa Arrives at Port Anjouan as a part of Mission Sagar-IV
- As a part of Mission Sagar-IV, Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa arrived at Port Anjouan, Comoros to ship 1,000 Metric Tonnes of rice. An official ceremony for handing over the meals help from the Government of India to the Government of Comoros. INS Jalashwa, the biggest amphibious ship of the Indian Navy, has been specifically despatched to Comoros as a consequence of its giant carrying capability.
- This consignment of 1000 metric tonnes of rice as meals help was flagged off to Comoros within the mild of a promise made by the Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu throughout his transient go to to Comoros within the month of October 2019. This is the second go to of an Indian Navy ship to the island nation inside a span of 1 12 months.
- Earlier, as a part of Mission Sagar-I, in May-June 2020, the Indian Navy had delivered important medicines to the nation and had additionally deployed a specialist medical crew to work alongside their counterparts and to render help for dengue fever-related emergencies.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.
- Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950.
Summits and Conferences News
10. sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Women’s Forum held Virtually
- The Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Women’s Forum assembly was held just about. The Forum mentioned key points that contribute in the direction of the transformation of ladies’s lives.
- At the tip of the convention, a joint declaration was additionally issued highlighting the shared IBSA objectives and commitments for attaining gender equality in all spheres of life.
- The India-Brazil-South Africa Trilateral Cooperation Forum is a novel platform that brings collectively India, Brazil and South Africa, three giant democracies and main economies from three totally different continents.
- The assembly was led by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India.
- IBSA is dedicated to inclusive sustainable improvement, in pursuit of the well-being of its residents and people from different creating nations.
- The rules, norms and values underpinning the IBSA Dialogue Forum are participatory democracy, respect for human rights, the Rule of Law and the strengthening of multilateralism. IBSA lays efforts in South-South cooperation past the standard areas of alternate of consultants and coaching.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Minister of Women and Child Development: Smriti Zubin Irani.
Sports News
11. Hashmatullah Shahidi turns into 1st afghan participant to attain Test double century
- Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi grew to become the primary batsman from the nation to register a double hundred in Test cricket. He bought his first double century on Day Two of the second Test towards Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi. He made 200 not out off 443 balls with 21 fours and one six as Afghanistan put up a mammoth 545 for 4 of their first innings.
- Shahidi has performed 5 Tests and 42 ODIs for Afghanistan since making his worldwide debut in an ODI towards Kenya. He made his Test debut in Afghanistan’s first-ever Test, towards India in Bengaluru in 2018. The 26-year-old left-handed batsman has 347 runs from 5 Tests and 1155 runs from 42 ODIs to his identify so far.
Important Days
12. Ordnance Factories’ Day in India: 18 March
- The Ordnance Factories’ Day is noticed on the 18th of March yearly. The manufacturing of India’s oldest Ordnance Factory, which is at Cossipore of Kolkata, was began on the 18th of March, 1802. OFB is the thirty seventh largest defence tools producer on this planet, 2nd largest in Asia, and the biggest in India.
- The day is widely known by displaying the rifles, weapons, artillery, ammunition and so forth in exhibitions throughout India. The celebrations begin with a parade and the exhibition may also show the pictures of assorted mountaineering expeditions.
- OFB was based in 1775 and its Headquarters is in Ayudh Bhawan, Kolkata. OFB consists of 41 Ordnance Factories, 9 Training Institutes, 3 Regional Marketing Centres and 5 Regional Controllerates of Safety, which is unfold throughout India.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Director-General & Chairman of Ordnance Factories: C S Vishwakarma.
- Headquarters of Ordnance Factory Board: Kolkata, West Bengal.
Obituaries News
13. Tanzanian President John Magufuli passes away
- The President of Tanzania, John Magufuli has handed away following a coronary heart ailment. Popularly nicknamed the “Bulldozer”, Magufuli served because the fifth President of Tanzania from 2015 till his demise in 2021.
- He first received the presidential election in October 2015 and was sworn in on 5 November 2015. He was re-elected in 2020.
Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:
- Tanzania President: Samia Suluhu.
- Tanzania Capital: Dodoma.
- Tanzania Currency: Tanzanian shilling.