Daily GK updates 09 January 2020

National News

1. CCEA approves disinvestment of 4 CPSEs & 2 State PSUs in NINL

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its 'in principle' approval for strategic disinvestment of 4 Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) & 2 Odisha State PSUs in Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL).
• NINL is a Joint Venture company in which 4 CPSEs & 2 State PSUs have equity shareholding.
• The 4 CPSEs includes Minerals & Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC), MECON, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) and National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC).
• 2 Odisha State PSUs includes Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) and Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).
• The advances from the disinvestment are expected to finance the development programmes of the Govenrment launched for the public.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the Chairman of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

2. Institutions at GAU to get status of Institution of National Importance

• The union cabinet granted the approval making the status of Institution of National Importance to a cluster of Ayurvedic institutions at Gujarat Ayurved University in Jamnagar.
• With the (INI) status, Jamnagar Ayurveda University will become the first Ayurveda institute to join the ranks of the IIT's and AIIMS.
• The status of the institution will provide it with the autonomy to upgrade the standard of Ayurveda education, frame various courses in Ayurveda as per national and international demand.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Gujarat: Vijay Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat.

3. Government authorizes Rs 5559 cr for Indradhanush gas grid project

• The Union Government has authorized the amount of Rs 5559 crore for 1656 Km long Indradhanush Natural Gas Pipeline Grid project.
• The amount will be provided as Viability Gap Funding (VGF).
• The amount will be used to set up Natural Gas Pipeline Grid connecting 8 North Eastern states.
• The 8 North Eastern states includes: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
• The total expenditure of the project is estimated as Rs 9,256 crore and the above sanctioned amount is expected to cover 60% of the project.
• The Indradhanush Gas Grid project is expected to provide natural gas to different types of customers and will also reduce the dependence on liquid fuels.

International News

4. US Armed Forces & Pentagon designated as ‘terrorist entities’ by IRAN

• The Iranian parliament has designated US Armed Forces & Pentagon as ‘Terrorist Entities’ with a motion passed at an open parliament session.
• It also seeks the allocation of 200 Million Euros to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.
• The allocation to the IRGC Quds Force could be used avenge the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, Iraq's Popular Forces Commander Abu Mahdi al-Modandis and eight other military men.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Capital of Iran: Tehran; Currency: Rial; President: Hassan Rouhani.

5. Former PM Zoran Milanovic wins croatia presidential election

• Former Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic belongs Social Democratic Party(SDP) won Croatia’s presidential election.
• He defeated centre-right incumbent Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who was the first female president of Croatia.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Capital of Croatia: Zagreb.
• Currency of Croatia: Croatian Kuna.
• Prime Minister of Croatia: Andrej Plenkovic.

6. Ukrainian aircraft boarding 176 people crashes in Iran

• The Ukrainian aircraft "Boeing 737" boarding 176 people crashed in Tehran, Iran.
• The aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport located in Tehran, Iran.
• Flight data from the airport indicated the obstruction in communication with the aircraft as fire strucked one of its engines and pilot lost the control of the aircraft.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Capital of Iran: Tehran; Currency: Rial; President: Hassan Rouhani.

State News

7. Maharashtra CM to inaugrates "Advantage Maharashtra expo 2020"

• Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will inaugurate "Advantage Maharashtra expo 2020" in Aurangabad.
• The Exhibition has been organised by the Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture (MASSIA).
• This Exhibition showcase the growth of Marathwada industries in technology and innovation and the products produced and exported from the region will be showcased in this exhibition.
• This exhibition will provide an opportunity for businesses and will serve the platform for small entrepreneurs.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray; Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

Appointments

8. A Sakthivel appointed as the new chairman of AEPC India

• A Sakthivel has been appointed as the new chairman of Apparel Export Promotion Council of India (AEPC) for the period 2020-21.
• He will replace HKL Magu. He is also the first person in the history of AEPC, who is sworn-in for the fourth time as Chairman of the AEPC.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• AEPC Founded: 1978; Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana.

Banking

9. State Bank of India has announces RBBG scheme

• The State Bank of India has announced 'residential builder finance with buyer guarantee' (RBBG) scheme.
• The aim of the scheme is to giving a push to residential sales and improve homebuyers' confidence.
• The SBI will issue a guarantee for completion of select residential projects to customers who have availed home loans from it.
• The scheme will focus on affordable housing projects priced up to 2.50 crore rupees in 10 cities initially.
• Under this scheme, the guarantee would be given by the bank until the project gets the occupation certificate (OC).

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chairperson of SBI: Rajnish Kumar; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 July 1955.

Awards

10. Jasbinder Bilan wins 2019 Costa Children's Award

• Jasbinder Bilan has won the UK based Costa Children's Award 2019 . She has won the award for her debut novel 'Asha and the Spirit Bird'.
• She will receive 5,000 pounds as prize money associated with the award. Jasbinder's novel "Asha and the Spirit Bird" was shortlisted from 144 other entries.
• The Costa Children's Award is awarded annually in 5 categories: First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book.

Summit and Conferences

11. India hosts 5th Asia Pacific drosophila research conference in Pune

• The 5th edition of the Asia Pacific Drosophila Research Conference (APDRC5) held in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The conference is being conducted in India for the 1st time.
• It is organised by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER).
• The aims of the conference are to promote the interaction of Drosophila researchers in the Asia-Pacific region with their peers in the rest of the world.
• It will bring together scientists from all over the world who use the fruit fly, Drosophila, as a model organism to address basic and applied questions.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray; Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

Ranks and Reports

12. Deutsche Bank projects India's economy to reach $7 trillion by 2030

• Deutsche Bank has projected that Indian economy will reach $7 trillion by 2030.
• The estimation was stated by Deutsche Bank in its research report "Imagine 2030".
• According to the report, India will grow with the Nominal GDP growth rate of just over 10% in the next decade.
• Indian economy is presently valued at $3 trillion.

13. India listed as 5th biggest Geo-political Risk of 2020

• India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been listed as the 5th biggest Geo-political Risk of 2020.
• The listing was done by Eurasia Group in its report.
• The report states ‘Top 10 Risks’ of the year 2020.

The Top 10 Risks of 2020 are as followed:

1. RIGGED!: WHO GOVERNS THE US?
2. THE GREAT DECOUPLING
3. US/CHINA
4. MNCS NOT TO THE RESCUE
5. INDIA GETS MODI-FIED
6. GEOPOLITICAL EUROPE
7. POLITICS VS. ECONOMICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
8. SHIA CRESCENDO
9. DISCONTENT IN LATIN AMERICA
10. TURKEY

• The Eurasia Group releases its ‘Top 10 Risks’ of the Year report annually considering one of the principal geopolitical indicators among global investors, multinational firms and various financial and business consultancies.

Important Days

14. 16th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas: 9 January

• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January every year.
• This year the 16th edition of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is celebrated across the country.
• The day is celebrated every year to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community in the development of India.
• It also commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on 9 January 1915.
• The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conventions established in 2003. The celebratory event is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs every year.
• In this occasion, President of India conferred Pravasi Bharatiya Samman to NRIs or PIOs (Person of Indian Origin) or an organization established by NRIs or PIOs, who have made a significant contribution in supporting, promoting and building India’s links overseas.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Union Minister of External Affairs: Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Miscellaneous

15. Women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur banned for 4 years by NADA

• Indian women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur has been banned for 4 years from the sport by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA).
• This ban was imposed on her for involving in doping violation.
• The sample of Sarbjeet was collected during 34th Women Senior National Weightlifting Championship held at Vishakhapatnam.
• The Agency found her guilty of anti-doping rule violation.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• CEO of NADA: Navin Agarwal.
• NADA founded: November 24, 2005.
• NADA Headquarters: New Delhi.