Daily updates 28 September 2019

National

1. First Indigenous Fuel Cell System launched on CSIR Foundation Day

• The President of India Ramnath Kovind unveiled the first Indigenous High-Temperature Fuel Cell System.
• This system is developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Indian industries under India’s flagship program named “New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)” on the occasion of CSIR Foundation Day in New Delhi.
• The 5.0 kW fuel cell system generates power in a green manner using methanol / bio-methane, with heat and water as bi-products for further use; amounting to greater than 70% efficiency, which otherwise may not be possible by other energy sources.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• Director-General of  CSIR: Shekhar C. Mande.

State News

2. CM Kamal Nath announces Bhopal metro will be named Raja Bhoj

• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath announced that the metro rail in Bhopal will be named for Raja Bhoj.
• Raja Bhoj was an 11th-century ruler from the Parmar dynasty which once ruled the area.
• CM Kamal Nath laid the foundation stone of the Bhopal Metro Rail Project to be built at a cost of about Rs 6,941.4 crore rupees.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• Governor of Madhya Pradesh: Lal Ji Tandon.

Agreement

3. PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd. ties-up with Religare Health Insurance

• PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd. has tied-up with Religare Health Insurance to offer a product which covers health, death and illness.
• The tie-up will offer additional earning opportunity for the life insurer’s distribution channel partners. The product will be a seamless integration exercise to ensure that it comes as a single policy to a customer.

4. DRDO and CUJ sign MoU to set up Kalam Centre for Science and Technology

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence and Central University of Jammu (CUJ) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of Kalam Centre for Science and Technology (KCST) at the university.
• The main objective of the MoU is to undertake and facilitate multidisciplinary directed basic and applied research and technology development in the identified research verticals namely Computational System Security and Sensors.
• The centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment leading to an increase in research scholars in these areas.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• Union Minister of Defence: Raj Nath Singh.
• Chairman of DRDO: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy; Headquarters: New Delhi; Founded: 1958.
• Motto of DRDO: “Strength’s Origin is in Science.

Appointments

5. Air Marshal HS Arora appointed new IAF Vice Chief

• Air Marshal HS Arora has been appointed as the Vice Chief of Indian Air Force. He will succeed Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria who will take over as the Chief of Air Staff.
• Air Marshal Arora is currently heading the Gandhinagar headquartered South Western Air Command of the Air Force. He was also deputed as Defence Attache at the Embassy of India, Bangkok, Thailand from 2006 to 2009.
• In another re-shuffle, Air Marshal B Suresh has been appointed as Western Air Commander of the Air Force, in New Delhi. Suresh will succeed Kargil war hero Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar.

Awards

6. Cochin International Airport wins award for passenger satisfaction

• Airport Council International has recognised Cochin International Airport Limited as the best airport in terms of services offered to passengers.
• As per the annual Airport Service Quality survey conducted by the ACI, CIAL was ranked amongst the best airports in the 5-15 million category in the Asia Pacific region for the year 2018.
• The award was presented to the authorities of Cochin International Airport at the second Annual ACI Customer Experience Global Summit held at Bali, Indonesia.
• ACI ASQ survey is world-renowned and established airport service quality benchmarking programme measuring passengers' satisfaction.

7. Infosys Bags UN Global Climate Action Award for 'Carbon Neutral Now' Category

• IT major Infosys has received the United Nations Global Climate Action Award in the 'Climate Neutral Now' category.
• Infosys is the only corporate from India to earn the recognition for its efforts to combat climate change.
• The announcement of the winners was made after the UN Climate Summit in New York convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
• The award will be presented to Infosys at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Santiago, Chile (December 2019).

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys: Salil Parekh.

Ranks and Reports

8. India ranked 44th in world digital competitiveness rankings

• India was ranked 44th in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2019 produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Center.
• The US was ranked as the world's most digitally competitive economy, followed by Singapore in the second place.
• The center measured the capacity and readiness of 63 nations to adopt and explore digital technologies as a key driver for economic transformation in business, government and wider society.
• To evaluate an economy, WDCR examines 3 factors: Knowledge: the capacity to understand and learn the new technologies; technology: the competence to develop new digital innovations; and future readiness: the preparedness for the coming developments.

Sports

9. Rupa Gurunath appointed as first woman president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association

• Rupa Gurunath was appointed as the first woman president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) at the 87th Annual General Meeting of TNCA in Chennai, TamilNadu.
• With this appointment, she also became the first woman to head a state-level cricket body in the country.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• BCCI President: C.K. Khanna; Headquarter of BCCI: Mumbai.

Obituaries

10. The Owner of Britannia & Co Boman Rashid Kohinoor passes away

• Boman Rashid Kohinoor, senior partner at the iconic Britannia & Co restaurant (Mumbai) passed away. Boman Kohinoor’s father Rashid Kohinoor, a Zoroastrian immigrant from Iran started this restaurant on the south Mumbai, in the year 1923.

Daily updates 27 September 2019

National

1. Exhibition of India Tourism Mart 2019 inaugurated

• The Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge), inaugurated the exhibition of India Tourism Mart (ITM) 2019 in New Delhi.
• The Ministry of Tourism and the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) have jointly organized this Mart. Over 240 international delegates from 51 countries and 160 exhibitors from across the country are taking in the part in the second edition of ITM.
• The Mart will provide a platform at the national level for trade and hospitality service providers in the country to interact and conduct business with their counterparts from overseas.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge): Prahlad Singh Patel.

International

2. Japan Launches "World's Biggest Transport Space Ship" For Space Station

• Japan launched an unmanned H-2B rocket towards the International Space Station.
• The H-2B rocket lifted off with cargo vessel Kounotori8, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
• The launch took place from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan.
• This Rocket is considered as the world’s biggest transport spaceship. It intends to deliver about 5.3 tonnes of supplies to astronauts at the ISS.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• Japan Capital: Tokyo, Currency: Japanese yen, PM: Shinzo Abe.

State News

3. UP govt. announces ₹6,000 annual aid for triple talaq victims

• Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath announced an annual support of ₹6,000 to the victims of triple talaq till their rehabilitation and they will get free legal aid.
• The victims of triple talaq came under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) and govt also gives rights over waqf properties and also called for several welfare measures that should be undertaken for their rehabilitation.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• Governor of Uttar Pradesh: Anandiben Patel.

Agreement

4. Airtel Payments Bank partners with HDFC ERGO, launches innovative (MDPP)

• Airtel Payments Bank has joined hands with India’s leading private sector general insurance company, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company to offer unique Mosquito Diseases Protection Policy (MDPP) to protect against mosquito-borne diseases.
• Mosquito Disease Protection Policy offers cover against seven common mosquito-borne diseases - Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar, Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) and Zika virus.
• The product, which is a part of the 'Wallet Insurance Portfolio' of HDFC ERGO, will be offered to the remittance customers of Airtel Payments Bank at a nominal cost of Rs 99 per annum.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• MD & CEO of Airtel Payments Bank: Anubrata Biswas.
• Headquarters of Airtel Payments Bank: New Delhi.

5. Facebook bags digital content rights for ICC matches in South Asia

• The International Cricket Council has inked an agreement with Facebook, under which the social media platform will get exclusive digital content rights for select cricket matches in the Indian subcontinent including the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020-22, Men’s T20 World Cup 2020-21 and the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
• The social media platform also bagged the rights for match recaps for rest of the world for the next 4 years.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Chief Executive Officer of ICC: Manu Sawhney.

Schemes and Committees

6. Centre approves construction of 1.23 lakh houses under PMAY-Urban

• The Indian government has approved the construction of 1.23 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).
• The approval was given by the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC). With this approval, over 90 lakh houses have so far been sanctioned against the target of 1.12 crore by 2022 under PMAY (Urban).

Awards

7. Payal Jangid becomes the first Indian to receive the Changemaker Award 2019

• Rajasthan’s Payal Jangid, aged 17, became the first Indian to receive the Changemaker Award 2019 at the Goalkeepers Global Goals Awards 2019.
• The Award was presented by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at a ceremony held in New York, United States. She is the President of her village’s Children’s Parliament (Bal Panchayat).
• She was awarded for her work towards the abolition of child marriage in her village and other neighbouring areas.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra.

Defence

8. Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat to be new Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee

• Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat will take over as the new Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
• He succeeding Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, who retires from service by end of this month.
• The Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) comprises chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and the senior-most member is appointed its chairperson.
• The Chairman of COSC is tasked with ensuring synergy among the three services and evolve a common strategy to deal with external security challenges facing the country.

Books and Authors

9. Pranab Mukherjee launches the book titled ‘Reset: Regaining India’s Economic Legacy’

• Former president Pranab Mukherjee released a book named 'Reset: Regaining India's Economic Legacy'.
• The book was written by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy that tracks the country's economic development over the years and offers solutions for future growth. The book has been published by Rupa Publications India.

Obituaries

10. 4-time Emmy Award winner J. Michael Mendel passes away

• American television producer & a four-time Emmy Award winner J. Michael Mendel passed away.
• He won three Emmys in 1995, 1997, and 1998 for “Lisa’s Wedding”, “Homer’s Phobia”, and “Trash of the Titans”.
• He joined Rick and Morty in 2013, where he won his 4th Emmy Award for the episode “Pickle Rick” in 2018.

11. Former French President Jacques Chirac passes away

• Former French President Jacques Chirac passed away. He was two-term French president (1995-2007) who was the first leader to acknowledge France’s role in the Holocaust and defiantly opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. He also served as the Prime Minister of France.

Important Days

12. World Tourism Day: 27 September

• The United Nations observes 27 September every year as World Tourism Day.
• The UN World Tourism Organization expects that tourism will continue to grow at an average of 3% annually until 2030.
• The sector also represents an estimated 10% of the world's GDP and 1 in 10 jobs globally.
• UN World Tourism Organization organizes the special event every year on the occasion of World Tourism Day, and this year it will be held in New Delhi, India.
• Theme for 2019: Tourism and Jobs: A Better Future For All.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

Miscellaneous

13. Global Goals Jam 3.0 hosted by World University of Design

• World University of Design (WUD) hosted Global Goals Jam 3.0. The Indian edition of the global event focusing on design thinking and service design methodologies was hosted with the theme: eWaste.
• 70 participants from across India, divided into ten groups, participated in the workshop and presented their ideas and vision for the future.
• GGJ is an international platform for inclusive learning where people from all around the world contribute to the 17 global goals for sustainable development of UNDP by sharing their stories, projects, and visions for the future.

14. Bangladesh lifts ban on Hilsa export to India

• Bangladesh has lifted the ban on the exports of Hilsa fish to India as a goodwill gesture during the Durga Puja.
• Bangladesh will allow 500 tonnes of Hilsa fish for the occasion as a one time arrangement.
• Export of the popular Hilsa or 'Ilish' fish from Bangladesh was banned in 2012 after local business establishments called for controlling the price of fishes.
• Bangladesh accounts for nearly 75 percent of world Hilsa production and nearly 2 million people get direct and indirect employment from its cultivation.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; PM: Sheikh Hasina.

Daily updates 26 September 2019

National

1. ADB cuts India growth forecast to 6.5% for 2019-20

• The Asian Development Bank has slashed its growth forecast for India for fiscal  year 2019-20 to 6.5% from 7%.
• The bank lowered the growth rate because of weaker growth in the first quarter due to a slowdown in consumption and investment activities that hit manufacturing and service sectors.

State News

2. J&K becomes first state to issue highest number of golden cards under Ayushman Bharat scheme

• Jammu and Kashmir has become the first state in the country to issue the highest number of golden cards under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
• Over 11 lakh golden cards have been generated within the first 90 days of the launch of the scheme with 60% of families having at least one golden card which is highest in the country.
• Under the scheme, 155 Hospitals including 126 public and 29 private hospitals have been empanelled to provide free and cashless treatment to the entitled beneficiaries while as per Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 6.30 lakh poor and vulnerable families of J&K are entitled to it.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• Satya Pal Malik is the present Governor of Jammu & Kashmir.

Appointment

3. IMF elects Bulgaria’s Kristalina Georgieva as its new chief

• Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva has been selected as the new Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. She will succeed Christine Lagarde.
• Kristalina Georgieva had previously served as the chief executive of the World Bank. She will also become the first person from an emerging economy to lead the IMF.

4. Adille Sumariwalla re-elected as member of IAAF Council

• Adille Sumariwalla has been elected as the member of the International Association of Athletics Federations council.
• He was elected for a 2nd 4 year term during the 52nd Congress of the sport’s world governing body. He is presently serving as the president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
• Britain’s Sebastian Coe was also re-elected unopposed as president of the IAAF for a 2nd term.

5. Visa appoints PV Sindhu as brand ambassador

• Payment technology company Visa announced that it has signed up world badminton champion Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (PV Sindhu) as its brand ambassador for two years.
• Besides promoting the brand through advertising campaigns, Sindhu has also become an athlete member of Team Visa for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

6. EC appoints Madhuri Dixit as goodwill ambassador for Maharashtra Assembly polls

• Actor Madhuri Dixit has been chosen as "goodwill ambassador" by the Chief Electoral Office in Maharashtra to create awareness among people about the importance of voting.
• She will be seen in a video titled 'Let's Vote" speaking about the democratic process and role of voters in the development of the country.

Defence

7. 23rd edition of “Malabar 2019” naval joint exercise of India, US and Japan

• The 23rd edition of the trilateral maritime exercise of India, Japan and the United States(US) named “Malabar 2019” exercise begun at Sasebo, Japan.
• India fields 6,100-tonne stealth frigate Indian Navy Ship(INS) Sahyadri, anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan along with the first-time deployment of Poseidon-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
• The United States fields Arleigh Burke-class destroyer United States Ship (USS) McCampbell, amphibious warship USS Green Bay and a Los Angeles class nuclear fast attack submarine, while Japan fields 27,000-tonne Izumo-class helicopter carrier JS Kaga, destroyer Samidare and cruiser Chokai.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

Science and Technology

8. India International Science Festival to be held in Kolkata

• The 5th edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Kolkata from November 5-8. IISF is the largest science festival in the world.
• The focus will be on youth to inspire and motivate them to learn real science in motion. The theme for this year’s festival is ‘RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation’.
• The Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Earth Sciences are major government sponsoring bodies for the event.
• The IISF will also host 28 different events such as Agriculture Scientists’ Meet, Vigyan Samagam, Young Scientists Conference, Vigyanika-International Science Literature Festival, International Science Film Festival of India.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences: Harsh Vardhan.

Schemes and Committees

9. Assam Govt launches "Aponar Apon Ghar" scheme

• The Assam Government has launched a housing loan subsidy scheme "Aponar Apon Ghar". The scheme was launched to provide financial assistance on purchase or construction of the first house for a family.
• The subsidy of up to Rs 250000 will be provided for loan amounts from Rs 5,00,000 to Rs 40,00,000. The above scheme is meant for the loan sanctioned in this financial year. The initiative is expected to provide impetus to the economy and led to the expansion of real estate in the state.
• The state government also launched education loan interest subsidy wherein subsidy will be provided to children who have availed education loan for pursuing higher education. The one time subsidy will be of Rs 50,000.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Assam Capital: Dispur; CM: Sarbananda Sonowal; Governor: Jagdish Mukhi.

Books and Authors

10. 'Professor Ayushman’ comic book released by Ayush Ministry in New Delhi

• A new comic book series ‘Professor Ayushman’ conceived by the National Medicinal Plants Board(NMPB) was unveiled by the Ayush ministry in New Delhi.
• This book will raise awareness in children about the importance of medicinal plants and their usage. This book is available for free and could be bought by schools approaching NMPB.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of AYUSH: Shripad Yesso Naik.

Sports

11. Advani-Mehta pair wins "IBSF World Snooker" title

• The Indian team of Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta to win the "IBSF World Snooker" title.
• India defeated Thailand in the team event to emerge World champions in the IBSF World snooker team event held in Mandalay, Myanmar.

12. P.T. Usha honoured with IAAF Veteran Pin

• Indian track and field legend P. T. Usha was presented the Veteran Pin by the world athletics governing body, in recognition of her contribution to the growth of the sport.
• International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) chief Sebastian Coe presented her the Veteran Pin during the 52nd IAAF Congress.
• P. T. Usha won five gold medals 100m, 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay besides a bronze at the 1985 Asian Games in Jakarta.
• Her most memorable performance came in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where she became the first Indian to reach the finals of the 400m hurdles but lost the bronze by one-hundredth of a second.

Obituaries

13. Telugu actor Venu Madhav passes away

• Telugu film actor Venu Madhav passed away. He was popular as a mimicry artist.
• He entered the film industry through the film ‘Sampradayam’ directed by SV Krishna Reddy in 1997.
• His other popular films include ‘Toli Prema’, ‘Dil’, ‘Laxmi’, ‘Simhadri’, ‘Chathrapathi’. His last film was Rudramadevi’.

Important Days

14. International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: 26 September

• The United Nations observes 26 September every year as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
• The day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority.
• It provides an opportunity to educate the public - and their leaders - about the real benefits of eliminating such weapons, and the social and economic costs of perpetuating them.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

15. World Maritime Day: 26 September

• The United Nations observes 26 September every year as the World Maritime Day.
• This year the theme for the day is: Empowering women in the maritime community.
• The theme for this years' World Maritime Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality, in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and to highlight the important yet under-utilized contribution of women within the maritime sector.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

Miscellaneous

16. Agriculture Minister launches CHC Farm Machinery and KrishiKisan App

• Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched 2 mobile apps named CHC Farm Machinery and KrishiKisan App for geotagging purposes in for easy access of technical agricultural equipment at farmers’ doorstep.
• The government launched a multilingual app-based service CHC Farm Machinery for Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs). This service will facilitate local farmers with the use of shared resources including tractors and other farm machinery at affordable prices.
• Through KrishiKisan App, the farmer will be provided with information about high-yielding crops and seeds in their nearby area. It helps in geo-tagging and geo-fencing of crop and also gives weather forecast messages to farmers.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers: Narendra Singh Tomar.