Daily GK 09 Oct. 2020

1. FIRST-EVER BRAND & LOGO FOR INDIAN COTTON

•  Union Minister for Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani launched First-Ever Brand & Logo for Indian Cotton through virtual mode on occasion of World Cotton Day on October 7, 2020.

•  India’s Premium Cotton is set to be known as ‘Kasturi Cotton’ in World Cotton Trade. 

•  It will represent Whiteness, Brightness, Softness, Purity, Luster, Uniqueness and Indianness. 

 

2. ‘JAN ANDOLAN’ CAMPAIGN FOR COVID-19 APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR

•  PM Narendra Modi launched ‘Jan Andolan’ (People’s Participation) campaign for following COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour. 

•  The awareness campaign will promote COVID-19 behaviour ahead of the upcoming festive season and the reopening of the economy.

•  Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the citizens to “Wear Mask, Wash Hands, Follow Social Distance and Practice ‘Do Gaj Ki Doori’ (a distance of two yards)”. 

 

3. COVID-19 TO PUSH 150 MILLION PEOPLE INTO EXTREME POVERTY

•  According to the report ‘Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2020: Reversals of Fortune’ released by the World Bank Group around 150 Million People will be pushed into Extreme Poverty by the end of 2021 due to COVID-19.

•  This is the first rise in Extreme Poverty Percentage in 20 years.

•  The report analyzes three aspects which are driving the increase in global poverty – COVID-19, Armed Conflict and Climate Change.

•  The pandemic is expected to push 88 Million-115 Million people into extreme poverty in 2020.

•  The World Bank highlighted the lack of data in India as a hindrance for monitoring Global Poverty.

•  Government of India has not released 2017-18 All India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey Data due to which there is lack of data.

 

4. CONCESSION AGREEMENT WITH UP GOVERNMENT FOR JEWAR AIRPORT

•  The Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and the Zurich Airport International AG (ZAIA) signed a 40-year concession agreement which grants license to Zurich Airport for designing, building and operating the Noida International Airport(NIA) (also known as Jewar Airport) at Jewar, outskirts of Delhi.

•  The concession agreement was signed with the Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) a special purpose vehicle incorporated by Zurich Airport for this project.

 

5. M RAJESHWAR RAO AS THE NEW DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF RBI

•  Government of India appointed M Rajeshwar Rao as the new 4th deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) responsible for financial regulations.

•  He will succeed NS Vishwanathan, the former 4th Deputy Governor of RBI, who resigned in March 2020 before the completion of his term (June 2020).

•  M Rajeshwar  Rao is currently serving as the executive director of RBI.

 

6. ASHWANI KUMAR, PASSED AWAY AT 69

•  Ashwani Kumar, the former Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and former governor of Manipur and Nagaland committed suicide and was found dead in his residence in Shimla.

•  He was born on 15th November 1950 in Nahan, Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh.

•  He was currently serving as the vice chancellor of a Private university in Shimla.

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Daily GK 08TH Oct. 2020

 Daily GK 08TH Oct. 2020

1. 42ND GST COUNCIL MEETING

•  In the current fiscal (FY21), the states are facing Rs 2.35 lakh crore Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue shortfall, out of which, Rs 97,000 crore is on account of GST shortfall, while Rs 1.38 lakh crore is due to COVID-19 pandemic.

•  It was decided that this year’s compensation cess collected amounting to Rs 20,000 crore will be disbursed to the states.

•  The transition period of five years for levy of Compensation Cess will be extended i.e. beyond June, 2022.

 

2.  ‘INDIA PV EDGE 2020’

•  NITI Aayog, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) and Invest India jointly organized a Global Symposium ‘India PV Edge 2020’ virtually. It was organized to inform global Photovoltaics (PV) about opportunities in India.

•  Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge) for New and Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, Managing Director (MD) & CEO of Invest India Deepak Bagla attended the session. 

•  India is the third largest solar capacity country in the world.

•  It has set an ambitious target of 450 GW of renewable capacity by 2030, which includes 300 GW of solar capacity.

•  India’s renewable capacity installation has increased by 2.5 times and solar capacity has increased by 13 times in the last six years.

 

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Daily GK 07 Oct. 2020

 Daily GK 07 Oct. 2020

1. MY GANGA MY DOLPHIN CAMPAIGN

•  On the occasion of Ganga River Dolphin Day i.e. on October 5, 2020, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Forest Department launched a Dolphin-based ecotourism programme namely “My Ganga My Dolphin campaign” at six sites across the states of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Bihar and West Bengal (WB).

•  During the campaign, Dolphin census will be conducted in the 250 km stretch from Bijnor (UP) to Narora (UP), many community awareness campaigns will be carried out and young volunteers will be encouraged to enrol as Ganga Mitras.

 

2. 5TH SPECIAL SESSION OF THE WHO EXECUTIVE BOARD

•  Dr Harsh Vardhan, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) virtually chaired the 5th Special Session of Bureau of the Executive Board as Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO).

•  The objective behind this session was to ensure the full and effective implementation of the terms of resolution WHA (World Health Assembly) 73.1 on COVID-19 response.

•  It should be noted that Harsh Vardhan is the chair of the WHO Executive Board.

 

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Daily GK 6 Oct. 2020

 Daily GK 6 Oct. 2020

1. INTERNATIONAL WEBINAR ON TEXTILE TRADITIONS

•  PM Narendra Modi addressed the first of its kind International Webinar on Textile Traditions organized by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Uttar Pradesh Institute of Design (UPID). 

•  The theme of the International Webinar was “Weaving Relations: Textile Traditions”.

•  The webinar was held to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi.

 

 2. “DALLEKHURSANI” EARNS GI TAG

•  On the basis of an application filed by the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC) on behalf of Sikkim, the red cherry pepper chilli of Sikkim, “DalleKhursani” earned the geographical indication (GI) tag from the Union Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

•  It is considered as one of the hottest chilli in the world with medicinal values.

 

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DAILY GK 4, 5 OCT 2020

 DAILY GK 4, 5 OCT 2020

1. FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION (REGULATION) AMENDMENT ACT, 2020

•  Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has redefined guidelines on how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can accept, transfer and utilise foreign donations and contributions by amending the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) with Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020 which has come into force w.e.f. September 29, 2020.

•  The decision regarding its commencement was taken by the Centre in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020 (33 of 2020) to maintain transparency in NGOs.

 

2.  ‘ATAL TUNNEL’- WORLD’S LONGEST HIGHWAY TUNNEL

•  PM  Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Atal Tunnel’ – World’s Longest Highway Tunnel in Manali, Himachal Pradesh.  The 9.02 Kilometre Long Tunnel has been constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of INR 3, 300 crores.

•  It connects Manali and Lahaul-Spiti Valley.

•  The Tunnel is built in the PirPanjal Range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 Meters (10, 000 Feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL).

•  The Tunnel is 9.02 Kilometres Long and connects Manali and Lahaul-Spiti Valley all over the year.

 

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DAILY GK 2 OCT 2020

 

DAILY GK 2 OCT 2020

1.  NITI AAYOG AND THE NETHERLANDS SIGNED SOI

•    India is committed to reduce carbon emissions’ intensity by 33%–35% by 2030 and for this nation is collaborating internationally to achieve the ambitious sustainable targets.

•    In this regard, a Statement of Intent (SoI) was inked between NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog and Embassy of the Netherlands in New Delhi, to combine the expertise of both nations (Indo-Dutch) in supporting the decarbonization and energy transition agenda for accommodating cleaner and more energy.

•    It was signed by NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amitabh Kant and Ambassador of the Netherlands to India Marten van den Berg.

 

2.  “AMBEDKAR SOCIAL INNOVATION & INCUBATION MISSION (ASIIM)”

•  Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot virtually launched “Ambedkar Social Innovation & Incubation Mission (ASIIM)” under Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes (SC)(VCF-SC).

•  It has been launched to promote innovation, enterprise among SC students in Higher Education Institutions and to help them become Job Givers.

•  Minister of State (MoS) for Social Justice & Empowerment, Rattan Lal Kataria,

•  Deputy Managing Director (MD) of Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI), Sunil Kumar Bansal were present during the launch.

 

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