DAILY GK : 12,13 DEC 2021

 DAILY GK : 12,13 DEC 2021

1.       STATE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EV) IN INDIA

·         As per the data , India has a total of 870,141 registered EVs, with Uttar Pradesh (UP) holding the top spot with 255,700 registered EVs. 

·         UP is followed by Delhi (125,347), Karnataka (72,544).

·         The Central Government of India has reduced the Goods & Service Tax (GST) on Electric Vehicles & related products.

·         GST on EVs – 5% (previously 12%).

·         GST on EV Chargers & Charging Stations – 5% (previously 18%).

 

2.       INDIA RANKED 66TH AT THE GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY INDEX 2021

·         As per the Global Health Security (GHS) Index 2021, the world’s average overall GHS Index score was reduced to 38.9 (out of 100) in 2021, from a score of 40.2 in the GHS Index, 2019. 

·         India ranked 66 out of 195 countries with an overall Index score of 42.8.

·         The United States of America (USA) ranked 1st on the index with a score of 75.9 followed by Australia and Finland.

·         It is an assessment and benchmarking of health security and related capabilities across 195 countries.

 

3.       INDIA RE-ELECTED TO INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION COUNCIL

·         India has been re-elected to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for the 2022-2023 biennium under category B states.

·         Candidates for IMO Council in Category (b) -India, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates.

·         IMO is the United Nations’ specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.

 

4.       PM NARENDRA MODI ATTENDED THE C1ST SUMMIT FOR DEMOCRACY

·         Prime Minister Narendra Modi has participated in the closed-door virtual Summit Session of the 1st summit for democracy which was convened by United States President Joe Biden.

·         India was among the 12 countries invited to attend the Summit for Democracy Leaders’ Plenary Session.

 

5.       RAMANUJAN PRIZE FOR YOUNG MATHEMATICIANS

·         Professor Neena Gupta, a mathematician at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata, West Bengal has been awarded the 2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians from developing countries.

·         The award recognized her outstanding work in affine algebraic geometry and commutative algebra.

·         Established in 2005, it is administered jointly by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI), and the International Mathematical Union (IMU).

 

6.       UN APPOINTS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNICEF

·         The United Nation (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Catherine Russell as the Executive Director of United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

·         Catherine Russell is an assistant to US President Joe Biden and she also heads the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.

·         UNICEF  Establishment – 11 December 1946,Headquarters – New York, United States

·         India Representative at UNICEF– Dr Yasmin Ali Haque

 

7.       DRDO SUCCESSFULLY TESTS EXTENDED RANGE PINAKA

·         The Extended Range Pinaka (Pinaka-ER) Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher System was successfully tested at Pokhran Range, Rajasthan.

·         The system has been designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) laboratory, Pune (Maharashtra), and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.

·         The new Pinaka ER gives it a range of around 70 km, over the 45 km existing range of the missile which has been with the Indian forces for nearly a decade.

 

8.       WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2021

·         Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, the defending Champion won his 5th World Chess Championship after defeating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2021’s World Chess Championship that was organised by FIDE (the International Chess Federation) at Dubai, UAE.

·         Magnus Carlsen has been holding the Championship since 2013, when he defeated India’s Viswanathan Anand in the 2013 Championship finals.

·         Magnus Carlsen is also the FIDE World No.1 Chess player since 2011.

 

9.       BOOK “WATERSHED: HOW WE DESTROYED INDIA’S WATER AND HOW WE CAN SAVE IT”

·         Book  is authored by Mriduala Ramesh, the founder of Sundaram Climate Institute, which works on water and waste solutions and the angel investor in cleantech start-ups.

·         Mriduala Ramesh is the author of “The Climate Solution” and she writes regularly on climate issues.

 

10.    INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN DAY 2021 – DECEMBER 11 

·         The United Nations (UN)’s International Mountain Day is annually observed across the globe on 11th December to create awareness about the importance of preserving the mountains across the globe.

·         The theme of International Mountain Day 2021 is “Sustainable mountain tourism”. 

 

11.    UNICEF DAY 2021 – DECEMBER 11 

·         The UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) Day is annually observed across the globe on 11th December to create awareness on saving children’s lives, defending their rights and helping them to fulfil their potential from childhood to adolescence.

·         The UNICEF Day 2021 marks the 75th anniversary of the foundation of UNICEF.

·         In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent member of the UN system and was renamed to United Nations Children’s Fund” but the original acronym UNICEF was retained.