Friday 20 November 2020

Real Life

100 கருப்பு எறும்புகளையும்
100 சிவப்பு எறும்புகளையும்
சேகரித்து.....
ஒரு கண்ணாடி ஜாடியில் வைத்து அமைதியாக விட்டால்
எதுவும் நடக்காது...ஒரு பிரச்சினையும் வராது.
ஆனால், நீங்கள் அந்த ஜாடியை எடுத்து பலமாக குலுக்கி, ஒரு மேஜையில் வைக்கிறீர்கள் என்று வைத்துக் கொள்வோம்....அடுத்தது என்ன நடக்கும்?
நீங்கள் குலுக்கிய வேகத்தில்,
ஒன்றும் புரியாத அந்த எறும்புகள்
ஒன்றுக்கொன்றுத் தாக்கி....
ஒன்று மற்றொன்றைக் கொல்லத் தொடங்கும்.
சிவப்பு கறுப்பை எதிரி என்றும்
கருப்பு சிவப்பை எதிரி என்றும் நம்பும்....
ஆனால் உண்மையில்....எதிரி
அந்த ஜாடியை அசைத்தவர்....யார் என அதற்கு தெரியாது...தெரியவும் வாய்ப்பில்லை.
அப்படி செய்தவர்...
ஹாயாக ஒரு நாற்காலியில்
உட்கார்ந்துக் கொண்டு 
அந்த ஜாடியை ஆனந்தமாகப்
பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருப்பார்.
இந்த சிக்கலான சமுதாயத்திலும் 
இதே நிலைதான்.
#சாதி_மத_அரசியல்_மதவெறியர்கள் குறிப்பாக #மதம்_சார்ந்த அரசியல்கட்சி & இயக்கங்கள் பதிவிடும் பகிரும் எதையும் நம்பிவிடாதீர்கள்.
எங்குப் பார்த்தாலும் வதந்திகள். வதந்திகள் மட்டும்தான்...
பற்ற வைக்க ஆளாளுக்கு அலைந்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள்.
எந்த விஷயத்திலும் 
பொது புத்தியோடு அணுக வேண்டாம்.
நாம் ஒருவருக்கொருவர் சண்டையிடுவதற்கு முன், 
நம்மை நாமே 
ஒரு கேள்வியை 
கேட்டுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.
அந்த ஜாடியை உலுக்கியது யார்?
#உழைத்து வாழ இயலாதப் பலர் சமூகப் புரட்சி என்ற பெயரில் தன் சொந்த சமூகத்தையே ஏமாற்றும் ஆயிரக்கணக்கான நபர்கள் நம்மைச் சுற்றி உள்ளனர்.  கவனமாக இருங்கள் மக்களே.!
நன்றி..

Daily updates 19 November 2020

International News

1. Japan & Australia signs defence deal to counter China

  • Japan and Australia have signed a ‘landmark’ defence pact in a bid to counter China’s growing influence in the South China Sea and over the Pacific island nations.
  • The deal called Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) was signed between Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison.
  • RAA will allow Japanese and Australian troops to visit each other’s countries and conduct training and joint operations.
  • The treaty will strengthen its security ties and facilitate cooperation between defence forces.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Japan Capital: Tokyo.
  • Japan Currency: Japanese yen.
  • Japan Prime minister: Yoshihide Suga.
  • Prime Minister of Australia: Scott Morrison.
  • The currency of Australia: Australian dollar.
  • Capital of Australia: Canberra.

2. Maia Sandu Wins Moldova Presidential Election

  • Maia Sandu has won Moldova’s presidential election after a run-off vote against the incumbent Igor Dodon.
  • Ms Sandu has won 57.7% of the vote compared to Mr Dodon’s 42.2%. Sandu is a former World Bank economist who favours closer ties with the European Union. Mr Dodon, meanwhile, is openly backed by Russia.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Moldova Capital: Chișinău.
  • Moldova Currency: Moldovan leu.

State News

3. Madhya Pradesh govt announces ‘Gau Cabinet’ for protection of cows

  • The Madhya Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has decided to set up a ‘Gau Cabinet’ for the protection, conservation and promotion of cows in the state.
  • The Cabinet will comprise of the departments of animal husbandry, forests, panchayat and rural development, revenue, home and farmers welfare.
  • The first meeting of the Cabinet will be held at 12 pm on ‘Gopashtami’ on November 22 at the Cow Sanctuary in Agar-Malwa district named ‘Kamdhenu Gau Abhyaranya ‘.
  • It is India’s first cow sanctuary which was set up by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Madhya Pradesh government in September 2017.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

Banking News

4. Karnataka Bank launches CASA campaign

  • Karnataka Bank launched CASA (current account, savings account) mobilisation campaign which will run from November 17 to March 4, 2021.
  • The bank stated that it intends to mobilise over 4.10 lakh current and savings accounts with an accretion of 650 crores of business.
  • With this campaign, the bank intends to introduce its attractive and superior line of digitally powered savings and current account products to its customers.
  • To enable the basic banking services to the unbanked(not use banks or banking institutions) sections of the society.
  • To popularize bank’s digitally powered CASA products to the next level of customers on the basis of their requirements.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Karnataka Bank Limited Headquarters: Mangaluru(Mangalore), Karnataka.
  • Karnataka Bank Limited MD & CEO: Mahabaleshwara M.S.
  • Karnataka Bank LimitedIncorporated: February 18th, 1924.
  • Karnataka Bank Limited Tagline: ‘Your Family Bank Across India’.

Agreements News

5. DIPAM inks agreement with World Bank

  • Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has signed an agreement with the World Bank, to provide advisory services to DIPAM for asset monetization.
  • DIPAM is mandated with facilitating monetization of non-core assets of government CPSEs under strategic disinvestment or closure and enemy property of the value of 100 crore and above.
  • DIPAM has a framework for monetizing non-core assets.
  • The World Bank advisory project, approved by the Finance Minister, is aimed at analyzing public asset monetization in India and benchmarking its institutional and business models against international best practices as well as supporting the development of operational guidelines and capacity building for their implementation.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Headquarters of World Bank: Washington, D.C., United States.
  • President of World Bank: David Malpass.

Ranks and Reports

6. India’s Param Siddhi ranked 63rd in most powerful supercomputers

  • According to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Indian supercomputer, Param Siddhi has achieved 63rd rank in the list of 500 most powerful supercomputers in the world.
  • Param Siddhi is the high-performance computing-artificial intelligence (HPC-AI) supercomputer established under National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) at C-DAC.
  • The Top 500 project which ranks the top 500 non-distributed computer systems in the world is published twice a year.
  • The first of these updates always coincides with the International Supercomputing Conference in June, and the second is presented at the ACM/IEEE Supercomputing Conference in November.
  • The supercomputer with Rpeak of 5.267 Petaflops and 4.6 PetaflopsRmax (Sustained) was conceived by C-DAC and developed jointly with the support of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under NSM.

Sports News

7. Sudeep Tyagi announces retirement from all forms of cricket

  • Indian cricketer, Sudeep Tyagi has announced his retirement from all forms of the cricket.
  • The 33-year-old had played for the Indian national cricket team in four ODIs and a lone T20I as a fast bowler.
  • Apart from this, the right-arm medium-fast bowler had also featured in 14 games in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

8. FIFA U17 Women's World Cup 2021 cancelled

  • The 2021 U-17 Women's World Cup, which was scheduled to be held in India, has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
  • It has also been decided that India will host the 2022 edition of the World Cup.
  • The tournament was supposed to be held in November 2020 initially, only for the pandemic to force a postponement.
  • FIFA then revised the schedule and the tournament was to be held in February and March in 2021 in India.
  • The 2020 U20 Women's World Cup has also been cancelled along with the U17 edition.
  • While Costa Rica will get the chance to host the 2022 U20 Women's World Cup.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Headquarters of FIFA: Zürich, Switzerland.
  • President of FIFA: Gianni Infantino.

9. BCCI announces MPL Sports as Official Kit Sponsor

  • The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced its partnership with Mobile Premier League (MPL) Sports, the athleisure wear and sports merchandise brand from Mobile Premier League, India’s largest esports platform, as the new kit sponsor and official merchandise partner for the Indian Cricket Team.
  • MPL Sports has entered into a three-year agreement from November 2020 to December 2023.
  • MPL Sports’ association with the BCCI begins with upcoming India’s tour of Australia, 2020-21, which will see Team India sporting the new jerseys.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • President of BCCI: Sourav Ganguly.
  • Headquarters of BCCI: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Founded: December 1928.
  • MPL Founded: September 2018

  • Headquarters of MPL: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

  • Co-Founder and CEO of MPL: Sai Srinivas Kiran G.

Important Days

10. World Philosophy Day: 19 November

  • World Philosophy Day is observed on the third Thursday of November every year.
  • This year World Philosophy Day falls on 19 November 2020.
  • The Day encourages academic exchange and highlights the contribution of philosophical knowledge in addressing global issues.
  • In 2005 the UNESCO General Conference proclaimed that World Philosophy Day would be celebrated every third Thursday of November.
  • In establishing World Philosophy Day UNESCO strives to promote an international culture of philosophical debate that respects human dignity and diversity.

11. World Toilet Day: 19 November

  • World Toilet Day (WTD) is observed globally on 19 November to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.
  • World Toilet Day celebrates toilets and raises awareness of the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation. It is about taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
  • The day was established by the World Toilet Organization in 2001 and officially declared by the UN General Assembly in 2013.
  • This year the theme remarks on the importance of "Sustainable sanitation and climate change".

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • World Toilet Organization Headquarters: Singapore.
  • World Toilet Organization Founder and Director: Jack Sim.
  • World Toilet Organization Founded: 19 November 2001.

12. World COPD Day 2020: 18 November

  • World COPD Day is observed on the third Wednesday of November every year to raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and improve COPD care throughout the world. World COPD Day 2020 falls on 18 November 2020.
  • The day is organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) in collaboration with health care professionals and COPD patient groups throughout the world.
  • The first World COPD Day was held in 2002. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that blocks airflow and makes it difficult to breathe.
  • The 2020 theme: Living Well with COPD-Everybody, Everywhere.

Obituaries News

13. Former Goa Governor Mridula Sinha passes away

  • Former Governor of Goa and veteran BJP leader, Mridula Sinha passed away.
  • She was the first woman Governor of Goa. She was also a proficient writer, making extensive contributions to the world of literature as well as culture.
  • She has served as the head of the BJP’s women’s wing and Chairperson of Central Social Welfare Board in the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
  • A native of Muzaffarpur, Sinha will be remembered for starting cultural events called ‘Chaand ke Saath’ in the lawns of Governor House.
  • She had also opened a cattle shed inside the Raj Bhawan.

Daily updates 20 November 2020

National News

1. Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurates capacity building component of PM-FME

  • Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Narendra Singh Tomar has virtually inaugurated the capacity building component of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises scheme (PM-FME Scheme).
  • PM-FME Scheme has been launched with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore for a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25. He also launched the GIS One District One Product (ODOP) digital map of India.
  • It provides details of ODOP products of all the states and facilitates the stakeholders to make concerted efforts for its value chain development.
  • The digital map also has indicators for tribal, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and aspirational districts.

2. CBIC Chairman Ajit Kumar inaugurates GST Bhawan

  • Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Chairman M. Ajit Kumar, along with members of the Board inaugurated the GST Bhawan, Panchkula, Haryana.
  • The state of the art building will house the offices of Central GST at Panchkula. It has been built at a cost of about 31 crores rupees.
  • This is the first major infrastructure project of CBIC completed in these times of COVID. The building is a fully air-conditioned three-storied building built on a plot of about 1.4 acres with 7600 square metres covered area and seating capacity of about 200 persons.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • CBIC Founded: 1 January 1964.
  • CBIC Headquarters: New Delhi.

3. World Bank Signs $120 Million Project to Improve Connectivity in Meghalaya

  • The Government of India, the Government of Meghalaya and the World Bank has signed a $120-million project to improve and modernize the transport sector of Meghalaya.
  • This will help Meghalaya to harness its vast growth potential for high-value agriculture and tourism.
  • The $120 million loans from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a maturity of 14 years including a grace period of six years.
  • The International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is a development bank administered by the World Bank.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Meghalaya Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma.
  • Meghalaya Governor: Satya Pal Malik.
  • Meghalaya Capital: Shillong.

4. Ravi Shankar Prasad releases “My Stamp on Chhath Puja”

  • Union Minister of Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad has released a “My Stamp on Chhath Puja”.
  • My Stamp is an innovative concept initiated by the Department of Posts. Any common person or corporate organisation can now book order and get a personalised photograph or an image of a Postage Stamp.
  • My Stamp is one of the unique products being offered by India Post, which has gained its popularity in the customised gifting category.
  • My Stamp on Chhath Puja is available in all Philatelic bureaus and major post offices across the country. A special cover on the theme "Chhath-A symbol of Simplicity and Cleanliness" was also released.

5. Dr Harsh Vardhan addresses 33rd Stop TB Partnership Board meet

  • The Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has addressed the 33rd Stop TB Partnership Board meeting in New Delhi through Video Conference.
  • During the meet, the minister has stressed on the need to create a mass movement for the elimination of TB with strategized advocacy, thought leadership, disruptive social entrepreneurship, powerful, societal and political commitment.
  • It must be noted that India is running the “TB Harega, Desh Jeetega” campaign that targets to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target related to TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target of 2030.

State News

6. Vijayanagara becomes 31st District of Karnataka

  • The world heritage site of Hampi, the erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar empire, will soon be part of a new district.
  • The Karnataka Government has approved to carve out Vijayanagara as a new district of the state.
  • Vijayanagara will be the 31st district of the State. The new district would be carved out of Ballari and named after the Vijayanagara empire that ruled from this region.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chief Minister of Karnataka: B.S. Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala.

Economy News

7. Moody’s projects India GDP at -10.6% for FY21

  • Moody’s Investors Service has revised India’s GDP growth forecast to -10.6 per cent for the current fiscal 2020-21 (FY21), in its November 2020 update, from its earlier estimate of -11.5 per cent in September 2020.
  • For next fiscal 2021-22, Moody’s projected India to grow at 10.8 per cent, as against the previous estimate of 10.6 per cent.

8. Barclays Projects India’s GDP at -6.4% in FY21

  • Barclays has revised down its GDP forecast for India in the current fiscal year 2020-21 (FY21) to - 6.4% from its earlier estimate of - 6%.
  • However, Barclays has raised its FY22 (2021-22) growth forecast to 8.5 per cent from 7 per cent.

Summits and Conferences

9. 1st India-Luxembourg Virtual Summit

  • The Prime Minister of India,  Narendra Modi, and the Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, held the first-ever India-Luxembourg Virtual Summit on 19 November 2020.
  • Both countries have friendly relation of over more than seven decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1948. 
  • During the Summit, both parties agreed for enhanced cooperation in areas of trade, finance, steel, space, ICT, innovation, manufacturing, automotive, sustainable development, including through renewable energy, and the fight against climate change. Prime Minister welcomed Luxembourg’s announcement to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and invited it to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Ranks and Reports

10. India Ranks 77 in TRACE Bribery Risk Matrix 2020

  • India is placed at 77th position in the TRACE Bribery Risk Matrix 2020. India has achieved a score of 45 in a global list that measures business bribery risks of 2020.
  • India’s rank stood 78 positions in 2019. It was a better performance than neighbouring nations such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and China. But, Bhutan scored better than India and got 48th place in the list.
  • North Korea, Turkmenistan, South Sudan, Venezuela and Eritrea had the highest commercial bribery risk. Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and New Zealand showed the lowest bribery risk.
    The TRACE Matrix list is released by TRACE International, an anti-bribery standard-setting organisation, which measures business bribery risk in 194 countries, territories, and autonomous and semi-autonomous regions.

Awards News

11. Dr Pokhriyal to be conferred with Vatayan Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ will be conferred with the Vatayan Lifetime Achievement Award.
  • This award will be conferred to the Minister for writing, poetry and other literary works.
  • The Minister has penned more than 75 books on wide-ranging issues, which have also been translated into many national and foreign languages.
  • Vatayan International Awards given by the Vatayan-UK organization in London honours poets, writers and artists for their exemplary work in their respective fields.

Books and Authors

12. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveils two books

  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has unveiled two books ‘The Republican Ethic Volume III’ and ‘Loktantra Ke Swar' which are a collection of selected speeches of President Ram Nath Kovind during the third year of his presidency.
  • Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar unveiled the e-book versions of the two books.
  • Mr Rajnath Singh stated that the President’s speeches depict his concern towards issues such as girls education, empowerment of women, and welfare of the weaker sections.
  • All the speeches in this book reflect on the self-confidence in this country.
  • This book comprises speeches on the country's efforts to fight COVID19, where India is faring much better than other countries, to bravely defending its borders. This compilation of speeches of President Kovind presents a comprehensive picture of his work, personality and values.

Important Days

13. World Children's Day is celebrated on 20 November

  • World Children's Day is observed globally on 20 November every year.
  • The day is celebrated to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.
  • November 20th is an important date as it is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
  • World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year.
  • It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

14. Africa Industrialization Day: 20 November

  • Africa Industrialization Day is celebrated on November 20 each year. It is a time when governments and other organizations in many African countries examine ways to stimulate Africa’s industrialization process.
  • It is also an occasion to draw worldwide media attention to the problems and challenges of industrialization in Africa.
  • Theme 2020: “Inclusive and sustainable industrialisation in the AfCFTA era”.
  • Within the framework of the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the United Nations General Assembly, in 1989, proclaimed 20 November “Africa Industrialization Day”.
  • Since then, the United Nations System has held events on that day throughout the world to raise awareness about the importance of Africa’s industrialization and the challenges faced by the continent.