DAILY GK: 28,29,30 MAR 2021

 DAILY GK: 28,29,30 MAR 2021

1.CITY-SPECIFIC ACTION PLANS IN 132 CITIES UNDER NCAP

•      Representatives of State Pollution Control Boards, Urban Local Bodies & Institutes of Repute (IoR) for 132 identified cities signed a MoU for implementation of city specific action plans under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

•      NCAP, a national level strategy aims to tackle air pollution by achieving 20%-30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations (i.e. PM2.5 and PM10) in at least 102 cities by 2024 (with 2017 as base year).

 

2.     A&N ATTAINS 100% FUNCTIONAL HOUSEHOLD TAP CONNECTION

•      Lt. Governor of Andaman & Nicobar, Admiral D K Joshi, announced the Union territory (UT) as 100% Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

•      With this Andaman & Nicobar becomes India’s 1st UT and the 3rd state/UT to achieve the target (only after Goa & Telangana).

•      Target of JJM-Tap Water connection to all rural households by 2024.

 

3.TB SUMMIT 2021

•      Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan virtually addressed the India TB Summit 2021.

•      The theme for the summit is “Reimagining TB Care in India“.

•      The Summit was organized by Survivors Against TB & Pi Consulting & hosted in partnership with The Indian Express.

•      Note – World TB Day is observed on 24th March, 2021.

•      Target- India targets to eradicate Tuberculosis by 2025, five years ahead of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals target – 2030.

 

4.JNPT SIGNED RS 100 CRORE PACT WITH CNB LOGITECH

•      Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with CNB Logitech of Rs 100 crore per annum to monitor, track and optimise the movement of 50 lakh containers in EXIM trade.

•      This MoU will help to achieve India’s maritime vision of 2030 by enhancing efficiencies.

•      With this MoU, CNB Logitech will be able to monitor over 50% of India’s container movement in EXIM trade.

•      Note – JNPT also known as Nhava Sheva Port, is the largest container port in India

 

5.     WORLD’S 1ST SHIP TUNNEL

•      The World’s 1st Ship Tunnel, ‘Stad Ship Tunnel’ is to be constructed in Norway.

•      The tunnel will run underneath the mountains in Norway’s Stadhavet peninsula and will help ships to cross the Stadhavet sea.

•      It will be constructed by Norwegian Coastal Administration.

•      The works on the bridge will commence in 2022 and are expected to get completed by 2025-26.

 

6.SAURABH GARG APPOINTED AS CEO OF UIDAI

•      As a part of the Bureaucratic reshuffle, the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of  Saurabh Garg, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

•      Sanjeev Kumar appointed as Chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI).

•      Atish Chandra appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Food Corporation of India(FCI).

 

7.BACTERIA NAMED AFTER INDIAN SCIENTIST AJMAL KHAN

•      New bacterial strains were found in different locations on the International Space Station (ISS).

•      The new species is named “Methylobacterium ajmalii” to honour the renowned Indian biodiversity scientist, Dr. Ajmal Khan, a former professor at Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu.

•      The genome analysis of Methylobacterium ajmalii revealed the presence of genes that are involved in promoting plant growth.

 

8.2020-21 ROAD SAFETY WORLD SERIES

•      India Legends cricket team won the 1st Edition of the 2020-21 Road Safety World Series T20 tournament against Sri Lanka Legends in the Finals.

•      Tillakaratne Dilshan, captain of Sri Lanka Legends won the Player of the series.Sachin Tendulkar was the captain of India Legends.

•      7 Countries Participated in the series viz, India Legends, Sri Lanka Legends, South Africa Legends, West Indies Legends, England Legends, Bangladesh Legends, Australia Legends.

 

9.WORLD THEATRE DAY 2021

•      World Theatre Day is annually observed across the globe on 27th March.

•      The first World Theatre Day was celebrated on 27th March 1962.

 

10.‘WORLD’S FIRST MOBILE WATER-FROM-AIR KIOSK’

•      Maithri Aquatech, a startup, formed under the initiative ‘Make in India’ has set up the ‘World’s First Mobile Water from Air Kiosk and Water Knowledge Centre’ with the use of its ‘MEGHDOOT solution’ in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.MEGHDOOT means ‘Messenger of the Sky’s.

•      This initiative is supported by GVMC (Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation) and project SEWAH (Sustainable Enterprises for Water and Health)

 

11.PRESIDENT RAM NATH KOVIND GIVES ASSENT TO 3 MAJOR BILLS

•      President Ram Nath Kovind gave his Assent to 3 Major Bills passed by the Indian Parliament.

•      They are National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) Bill, 2021, The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021.

NATIONAL BANK FOR FINANCING INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT (NABFID) BILL, 2021

•      It aims to establish the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NBFID) as the principal Development Financial Institution (DFI) for Infrastructure financing in India.

•      To be set up as a corporate body with authorised share capital of One Lakh Crore Rupees & INR 20, 000 crores as equity & INR 5,000 crore as grant.

•      It will provide grants worth INR 5, 000 Crore to NBFID by the end of the first financial year.

•      The Central Government will own 100% shares of Institution which will subsequently be reduced up to 26%.

THE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2021

•      It amends the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.

•      The Bill provides that the term ‘Government’ referred to in any law made by the Legislative Assembly will imply Lieutenant Governor (LG).

•      It gives power to the LG to make rules in matters which fall outside the purview of the elected government in Delhi.

THE MINES AND MINERALS (DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATION) AMENDMENT BILL, 2021

•      It amends the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (which regulates the mining sector in India).

•      The act provides for removal of distinction between captive and merchant mines.

•      It empowers the Central Government to issue directions regarding composition & utilization of funds maintained by the District Mineral Foundation.

 

12.  SUH WOOK’S 3-DAY VISIT TO INDIA

•      South Korea’s (officially known as Republic of Korea) Minister of National Defence, Suh Wook visited India.Suh Wook & Rajnath Singh jointly inaugurated India’s First Indo-Korean Friendship Park at Delhi Cantonment.

 

13.‘NATHEALTH’ 2021

•      Dr Harsh Vardhan virtually addressed the 7th Annual Summit of ‘NATHEALTH’ organized by NATHEALTH – Healthcare Federation of India in a virtual format.

•      Theme of 2021 Annual Summit – ‘Indian Health System Expansion in Post-COVID Era’.

•      Health sector was identified in Budget 2021-22 as one of the 6 main pillars to drive growth.

•      It was allocated INR 2, 23, 846 Crore in the 2021-22 Budget, an increase of 137% over the previous year.

•      Government is taking steps to increase health expenditure as a percentage of GDP to 2.5% by 2025.

 

14.MERGER/AMALGAMATION FOR URBAN COOPERATIVE BANKS

•      Reserve Bank of India(RBI) issued RBI (Amalgamation of Urban Cooperative Banks) Directions, 2020, guidelines for merger/amalgamation to all Primary/Urban Co-operative Banks(UCBs) to place them in the public domain.

Three circumstances under the Directions:

Proposals for merger and amalgamation among UCBs will be considered under three circumstances

1.when the net worth of the amalgamated bank is positive, and the amalgamating bank assures to protect the entire deposits of all depositors of the amalgamated bank.

2.when the net worth of an amalgamated bank is negative and the amalgamating bank on its own assures to protect deposits of the depositors of the amalgamated bank.

3.when the net worth of the amalgamated bank is negative, and the amalgamating bank assures to protect the deposits of all depositors of the amalgamated bank, with the financial support from the State government, extended upfront as part of the process of merger.

•      Co-operative banks in India are registered under the States Cooperative Societies Act and they are regulated by the RBI and governed by

•      Banking Regulations Act 1949 and,

•      Banking Laws (Co-operative Societies) Act, 1955.

 

15.DEVLOPMENT OF GIFT CITY AS A WORLD-CLASS FINTECH HUB

•      Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry(FICCI) and International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for collaboration and co-operation for the development of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (‘GIFT’) IFSC.

•      The MoU will lead to future collaborations and cooperation between IFSCA and FICCI for the development of a world-class FinTech Hub in GIFT IFSC.

 

16.RBI IMPOSES 15-LAKH PENALTY ON FEDFINA

•      The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹15 lakh on Fedbank Financial Services Ltd (Fedfina), Mumbai, for non-compliance with certain provisions of the central bank’s directions on monitoring of frauds.

•      This penalty has been imposed by RBI under the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

 

17.INTERNATIONAL RANGER AWARD

•      Ranger Mahendra Giri of Rajaji Tiger Reserve(RTR) became the only ranger from Asia to win the prestigious New International Ranger Award for his efforts towards reducing the human-wildlife conflict in and around the RTR and his role in trigger translocation exercise from Corbett Tiger Reserve to RTR.

 

18.SOMA MONDAL ELECTED AS NEW CHAIRPERSON OF SCOPE

•      Soma Mondal, Chairperson of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) was elected as the new Chairperson of Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE). She has been elected for a 2 year term with effect from 1st April 2021.

•      Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) has been elected as the Vice Chairman of SCOPE.

 

19.INDIA BEATS ENGLAND IN 3-MATCH ODI SERIES

•      In the recently concluded 3-match One Day International (ODI) Series between India & England which was hosted by India, Indian Cricket team under the captaincy of Virat Kohli won the series in a thrilling 2-1.

•      England opener Jonny Bairstow was awarded the Player of the Series.

•      India also won the 5-match T20 International Series with England in the same tour with a 3-2 victory.

•      In this match, Virat Kholi became the 3rd Indian Captain to lead Indian side in 200 International matches.

•      [MS Dhoni in 332 matches & Mohammad Azharuddin in 221 matches]

 

20.EARTH HOUR 2021 – 27TH MARCH

•      Earth Hour is annually observed across the globe on the last Saturday of March as an symbolic gesture towards the commitment to preserve the Earth and to support actions against Climate Change.

•      The theme of Earth Hour 2021 is “Climate Change to Save Earth”.