DAILY GK: 6 MAR 2021

 DAILY GK: 6 MAR 2021

1. N-LRSI INDEX 2021

•      In accordance with the 2nd edition of NCAER Land Record and Services Index (N-LRSI) 2021, almost 32 States and Union Territories (UTs) have shown an improvement in their effort to digitise land records.

•      Notably, Madhya Pradesh topped the list for the second year in a row and followed by West Bengal (2nd), Odisha (3rd), Maharashtra (4th) and Tamil Nadu (5th).

 

2. EASE OF LIVING INDEX 2020

•      Hardeep Singh Puri released the Final Rankings of Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020 & Municipal Performance Index (MPI) 2020 through an online event.

•      For the purpose of ranking, both EoLI 2020 & MLI 2020 categorized the rankings of Cities  (including cities under Smart Cities Program) & Municipalities under 2 categories based on their population – Million+ Category & Less than Million Category.

Rank      Ease of Living Index 2020

        Population Million+                                                  Population Less than Million

        City                                                                Score                                     City                                                                        Score

1      Bengaluru (Karnataka)                              66.7                        Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)                                              60.9

2      Pune (Maharashtra)                                    66.27                      Bhubaneswar (Odisha)                                                       59.85

3      Ahmedabad (Gujarat)                                                64.87                      Silvassa (Dadra & Nagar Haveli)                                     58.43

 

3. QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKING 2021

•      QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings by Subject 2021 was held virtually which was addressed by Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Ministry of Education (MoE).

•      Notably, the number of Indian Institutions in the list of top 100 has increased to 12 from 8.

•      These are IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IISC Bangalore, IIT Guwahati, IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, JNU, Anna University, University of Delhi, and O.P Jindal University.

 

4. EPFO RECOMMENDS 8.5% INTEREST RATE

•      Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) announced to retain 8.5% annual interest rates on provident fund(PF) deposits for the financial year 2020-21.

•      The decision was taken during the 228th meeting of Central Board of Trustees, EPF chaired by Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of Labour and Employment, held in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.

 

5. INDIA’S LARGEST TRADING PARTNER

•      Despite the bloody border conflict in 2020, ban on hundreds of Chinese mobile apps and restrictions in investment, China with $75.9 billion regained its spot as the Largest Trading Partner of India.

•      China is closely followed by the USA and UAE as the 2nd and 3rd largest Trading Partners of India.

•      51% of the total imports from China were accounted for by the purchase of Heavy Machineries.

•      It is to be noted that in 2019 China was India’s largest trading partner with $85.5 billion trade and slipped to 2nd spot only in 2020 with $77.7 billion trade.

 

6. UN FOOD WASTE INDEX 2021

•      According to ‘Food Waste Index Report 2021’ compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) & WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) found that around 931 Million Tonnes  (1.03 Billion Tons) of Food waste was generated in 2019.

•      It equals to  17% of food produced globally.

•      At the Global level,  74Kg per capita of food is wasted each year.

•      In India the per capita food wastage is 50 Kg (at the household level) & it is estimated that India generates 68, 760, 163 tonnes of food waste each year.

 

7. FREEDOM IN THE WORLD 2021 REPORT

•      According to the ‘Freedom in the World 2021’ released by US based Think Tank Freedom House, India has scored 67 and its position has been downgraded to ‘Partly Free’ from ‘Free’ in 2020.

•      India’s ranking has also fallen to 88 (from 83) out of 211 countries.

•      The ‘most free countries’ with a score of 100 are Finland, Norway & Sweden.

•      This is the 1st time since 1997 that India has been downgraded to ‘partly free’.

•      India’s score has decreased from 71  (in 2020 ).

 

8. UNFCCC REPORT

•      UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has stated 2021 is a ‘make or break year’ to confront the global climate emergency.

•      The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has released the Initial NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) Synthesis Report which measures the progress of Climate Action Plans of Countries under the Paris Agreement.

•      In order to achieve the targets, countries must cut global emission by 45% by 2030 from 2010 levels.

 

9. BOOK “ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF POWER: 5 BATTLEGROUNDS”

•      Acclaimed Author Rajiv Malhotra, a Physicist and Computer Scientist specializing in Artificial intelligence(AI) has authored a new book titled “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Power: 5 Battlegrounds”.

•      The book features both the positive and negative impacts of AI.

•      The book is published by Rupa Publications.

 

10. NATIONAL SAFETY DAY 2021

•      National Safety Day is annually observed across India on 4th March to create awareness about the safety and hygienic measures which should be inculcated in the lifestyle of the general people.

•      National Safety Day 2021 is observed under the theme “Learn from Disaster and Prepare for a Safer Future”.

 

11. NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN COMMISSIONED IN LADAKH, J&K

•      Newly formed Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir Union Territories will have a separate cell in National Commission for Women (NCW).

•      The Commission’s Chairperson Rekha Sharma said that by the end of this month, separate cells for the new UTs will be created.

 

12. BIHARI PURASKAR 2020

•      The 30th Bihari Puraskar for 2020 will be given to Mohankrishna Bohara for his Hindi book of Criticism, titled Taslima: Sangharsh aur Sahitya.

•      The K.K. Birla Foundation announced this in New Delhi.

 

13. CABINET NODS MOUS WITH FRANCE, FIJI

•      The agreements are in the fields of renewable energy and agriculture. The Cabineton approved two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with France and Fiji.

•      The MoU with France is on renewable energy (RE) cooperation, and was signed in January.

 

14. ISL LEAGUE WINNERS’ SHIELD

•      Mumbai City FC beat ATK Mohun Bagan 2-0 and finished at the top of the ongoing Indian Super League, thereby clinching the ISL League Winners Shield and securing a spot in the 2022 AFC Champions League.

•      The finals of the ISL was held at the GMC Stadium in Goa.