Thursday, 21 October 2021

21st October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

21 October 2021
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21st October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Here is the Daily GK Update of 21st October 2021 covering the following news headlines: Russian Film Festival, 2021 BNP Paribas Open, Kushinagar International Airport, Future Tech 2021, 2021 Global Food Security Index.

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 21st October 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 16 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 16 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news.

National News

1. PM Modi inaugurates Kushinagar International Airport in UP

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh. The airport has been built at an estimated cost of Rs. 260 crore, by the Airport Authority of India. Besides, it has the longest runway in Uttar Pradesh.
  • It will facilitate domestic & international pilgrims to visit the Mahaparinirvanasthal of Lord Buddha in Kushinagar.
  • Kushinagar is the final resting place of Gautama Buddha, where he attained Mahaparinirvana after his death. The airport will help in boosting tourism on the Buddhist circuit.
  • The first international flight at the Kushinagar International Airport landed from Colombo, Sri Lanka, carrying a Sri Lankan delegation of over a hundred Buddhist Monks & dignitaries. Now the number of airports handling passenger flights in Uttar Pradesh has increased to 9.

International News

2. Ecuador declares state of emergency over crime wave

  • Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso has declared a 60-day state of emergency in the South American country, due to the rise in violent drug crimes.
  • President Lasso has pointed to drug trafficking and consumption as the main drivers behind an increase in murders, home burglary, thefts of vehicles and goods, and muggings.
  • Under the emergency measures, the armed forces and police would work together to carry out “arms checks, inspections, 24-hour patrols, and drug searches, among other actions. Ecuador is a transit country for cocaine smuggled from neighbouring Peru and Colombia and much of the crime wave is thought to be drug-related.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Ecuador Capital: Quito;
  • Ecuador Currency: United States Dollar.

3. India, Israel, UAE, U.S. decide to launch quadrilateral economic forum

  • India, Israel, United Arab Emirates and the United States have decided to launch a new quadrilateral economic forum. Quadrilateral builds on ongoing cooperation between U.S., Israel and UAE after the Abraham Accords last year.
  • This QUAD grouping had decided to establish an international forum for economic cooperation and discussed possibilities for joint infrastructure projects expanding economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia.
  • India, the United States, Israel and the UAE have decided to form a forum for future economic cooperation and to explore possibilities of joint infrastructure projects in the fields of Transportation, Technology, Maritime security, Economics, Trade as well as for additional joint projects.

Appointments News

4. Imtiaz Ali appointed ambassador of Russian Film Festival

  • Director-producer Imtiaz Ali has been roped in as the ambassador of the Russian Film Festival in India.
  • As part of the festival, ten notable Russian films of various genres are being premiered for Indian audiences on Disney+ Hotstar from October 16 to November 27. Russia and India are cooperating in the field of cinematography through the BRICS.
  • The first-ever online Russian Film Festival in India is organized by ROSKINO with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Cinema Fund, the Moscow City Tourism Committee, Discover Moscow, Rossotrudnichestvo, and with the assistance of Kartina Entertainment.
  • The festival was launched in 2020 and has already been successfully held in 14 countries, with more than 200 thousand viewers.

5. A Balasubramanian becomes new Chairman of AMFI

  • A Balasubramanian has been elected as the new Chairman of the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). He replaces Nilesh Shah, the Managing Director of Kotak Mutual Fund.
  • Balasubramanian is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aditya Birla Sun Life Asset Management. Meanwhile, Radhika Gupta, the MD and CEO of Edelweiss AMC, has been appointed as vice-chair of AMFI.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Association of Mutual Funds in India Founded: 22 August 1995;
  • Association of Mutual Funds in India Headquarters: Mumbai.

Banking News

6. NPCI launches card tokenisation platform ‘NTS’

  • The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched the NPCI Tokenization system (NTS) to further enhance the safety of customers and provide a seamless shopping experience to consumers.
  • The NPCI Tokenization System (NTS) will support the tokenisation of RuPay cards, to provide an alternate for storing card details with merchants.
  • NPCI’s Token Reference On File(TROF) service will help RuPay cardholders, to maintain the security of their financial data. With NTS, acquiring Banks, Aggregators, Merchants & others can get themselves certified with NPCI & can play the role of Token Requestor to help save the Token reference number (Token Reference On File) against all card numbers saved.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • National Payments Corporation of India MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe;
  • National Payments Corporation of India Headquarters: Mumbai;
  • National Payments Corporation of India Founded: 2008.

Business News

7. Nabard subsidiary ‘NABSanrakshan’ sets up Rs 1000 cr credit guarantee fund trust

  • The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced the creation of an Rs. 1,000 crore Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for FPOs (CGFTFPO), a dedicated fund for providing credit guarantees to FPOs.
  • The fund has been launched under the trusteeship of NABSanrakshan Trustee Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NABARD.
  • For this, NABSanrakshan has signed a trust deed with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The Trust has been registered at Mumbai.
  • The credit guarantee offered through the trust will enhance the creditworthiness of FPOs besides facilitating cost-effective production and productivity leading to higher net incomes to the farmers who are members of FPOs.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chairman of NABARD: G R Chintala;
  • NABARD Founded: 12 July 1982;
  • NABARD Headquarters: Mumbai.

Summits and Conferences News

8. CII organises International Conference and Exhibition “Future Tech 2021”

  • The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has organised an International Conference and Exhibition on Digital technologies, “Future Tech 2021- a Journey of digital transformation to technology adoption and acceleration” from October 19 to 27, 2021.  The focus theme of the International conference is “Driving technologies for building the future, we all can trust”.
  • The inaugural session was virtually attended by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics & IT, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The theme will have 5 pillars: Strategy, Growth, Resilience, Inclusiveness, Trust.
  • The International conference will serve as a platform for Indian industry and entrepreneurs to understand the nuances of technologies and identify the right approach and technologies for their business as well as B2B partnerships.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Confederation of Indian Industry President: T. V. Narendran;
  • Confederation of Indian Industry Founded: 1895;
  • Confederation of Indian Industry Director-General: Chandrajit Banerjee;
  • Confederation of Indian Industry Headquarters: New Delhi, India.

Ranks and Reports News

9. India ranks 71st on 2021 Global Food Security Index

  • India has achieved the 71st position in the Global Food Security (GFS) Index 2021 from among a list of 113 countries. The GFS Index is designed and constructed by London-based Economist Impact and is sponsored by Corteva Agriscience.
  • The overall score of India is 57.2 points on the GFS Index 2021. Ireland, Australia, the UK, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, France and the US shared the top rank.
  • Their overall GFS score were in the range of 77.8 and 80 points on the index. The GFS Index measures the factors affecting food insecurity around the world based on 4 main factors and 58 unique food security indicators. The factors include affordability, availability, quality and safety, and natural resources and resilience.

Awards News

10. Kung Fu Nuns wins UNESCO’s Martial Arts Education Prize 2021

  • The well known Kung Fu Nuns of the Drukpa order of Buddhism has won the inaugural UNESCO’s Martial Arts Education Prize 2021, for their brave and heroic acts of service and championing of gender equality across the Himalayas.
  • The Nuns empower young girls through martial arts, to defend themselves, build confidence, and take on leadership roles in their communities.
  • The award has been launched by UNESCO ICM (International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth Development and Engagement), to collect and promote good practices of martial arts education(MA Edu.)

Books and Authors News

11. A new book titled ‘Stars In My Sky’ by Divya Dutta

  • National Award-winning actress Divya Dutta has come up with her second book titled, “The Stars in My Sky: Those Who Brightened My Film Journey”.
  • The book, published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI), will be released on October 25, 2021. In her new book, Divya Dutta shares her experiences with some of the stalwarts of Bollywood who played a significant role in her film career.

Sports News

12. Australia’s James Pattinson retires from international cricket

  • Australian fast bowler James Pattinson has retired from international cricket after realising that he won’t be in the reckoning for the Ashes series due to fitness issues.
  • The 31-year-old, who has played 21 Tests and 15 ODIs, though will continue to play domestic cricket.
  • Pattinson claimed 81 Test wickets and 16 ODI scalps in his career after making his Test debut in December 2011 alongside Mitchell Starc and David Warner against New Zealand in Brisbane.
  • His last Test was against New Zealand in Sydney in January 2020 while he last played an ODI way back in September 2015 against England at Leeds.

13. Overview of 2021 BNP Paribas Open held at Indian Wells

  • The 2021 BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, also known as the 2021 Indian Wells Masters, was held from October 04 to 18, 2021 at Indian Wells, California, US.
  • This marks the 47th edition of the men’s BNP Paribas Open (ATP Masters) and the 32nd Edition of the women’s BNP Paribas Open (WTA Masters).

The list of winners is given below:

  • Cameron Norrie won his maiden ATP Masters 1000 by winning the Men’s singles title at the 2021 BNP Paribas Open
  • Paula Badosa defeats Victoria Azarenka to win the Women’s Singles Title
  • Elise Mertens and Su Wei Hsieh won the Women’s Doubles title
  • John Peers and Filip Polasek won the Men’s Doubles title

Important Days

14. National Police Commemoration Day: 21 October

  • In India, the Police Commemoration Day is observed on October 21 every year. The day is marked to remember and honour the brave policemen who have laid down their lives in the line of duty.
  • Police Commemoration Day commemorates the day in 1959, when twenty Indian soldiers were attacked by Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area, in which, ten Indian policemen lost their lives and seven were imprisoned. Since that day, 21 October has been observed as Police Commemoration Day in honour of the martyrs.

Obituaries News

15. Colin Powell, first Black US secretary of state, passes away

  • Colin Powell, the trailblazing soldier and diplomat whose sterling reputation of service to Republican and Democratic presidents was stained by his faulty claims to justify the 2003 US war in Iraq, died of Covid-19 complications. He was 84.
  • He instead joined President George W. Bush’s administration in 2001 as secretary of state. He was the first Black person to represent the US government on the world stage.

16. Sri Lanka’s first Test captain Bandula Warnapura passes away

  • Sri Lanka’s first-ever Test captain Bandula Warnapura passed away, following a brief illness. He was 68.
  • A right-handed batsman, he led his country when it faced England in its first-ever Test match in 1982 and played three more Tests, scoring 96 runs overall at an average of 12. He also played 12 ODI matches, scoring 180 runs at an average of 15.

Friday, 8 October 2021

28th September 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

28 September 2021
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28th September 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 28th September 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 15 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 15 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news.

Appointments News

1. Mastercard ropes Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen as its Global Ambassador

  • The financial services company, Mastercard Inc. has named Magnus Carlsen, the highest-rated chess player of all time, as its global brand ambassador. This step is part of a move by Mastercard for adding chess in its coveted list of sports sponsorship.
  • It has joined the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour as an official partner, in its first sponsorship move into chess.
  • The Norwegian chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen joins the like of other competitive players lineup of ambassadors like Lionel Messi, Naomi Osaka, Crystal Dunn and Dan Carter.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States.
  • Mastercard President: Michael Miebach.

2. Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh takes charge as DG of NCC

  • Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh has taken charge as the 34th Director-General of the National Cadet Corps (NCC). He succeeds Lt Gen Tarun Kumar Aich. He was commissioned into the PARACHUTE REGIMENT in 1987.
  • An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Indian Military Academy, Dehradun as well as NCC, he attended the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington and the National Defence College Course in New Delhi.
  • Lt Gen Singh has been a Company Commander in the counter-insurgency environment in Nagaland and the Siachen Glacier.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • NCC Founded: 16 April 1948;
  • NCC Headquarters: New Delhi.

Economy News

3. NASSCOM: Cryptotech industry can add $184B of economic value in India

  • The crypto industry in India has the potential to add $184 billion of economic value, in the form of investments and cost savings, by 2030, according to a report from the country’s premier trade body for the tech industry.
  • The report, entitled “Crypto Industry in India,” was published by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) in conjunction with Binance-owned crypto exchange WazirX.
  • The “CryptoTech” industry – companies involved in trading, payments, remittances, retail and more – is expected to reach a size of $241 million in India by 2030, and $2.3 billion globally by 2026. The industry currently employs 50,000 people in India, a number which NASSCOM expects to grow to over 800,000 by the end of the decade.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • NASSCOM Chairperson: Rekha M Menon;
  • NASSCOM Headquarters: New Delhi;
  • NASSCOM Founded: 1 March 1988.

4. ICRA revise GDP growth of India to 9.00% in FY 2022

  • ICRA has revised up the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of India for the financial year 2021-22 (FY22) to 9 per cent.
  • Earlier this rate was 8.5%. It can be noted that after the 7.3 per cent contraction in 2020-21, there were expectations of a higher growth number in 2021-22.
  • The key risk to its revised projection of 9 per cent GDP growth is a potential third wave and the existing vaccines being ineffective against newer mutations of the virus. ICRA is Gurgaon based credit rating agency, owned by Moody’s Corporation.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • ICRA Founded: 16 January 1991;
  • ICRA CEO: N. Sivaraman.

Summits and Conferences News

5. 4th Indo-US Health Dialogue Held in New Delhi

  • Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar has led the Indian delegation at the 4th Indo-US Health Dialogue, held in New Delhi.
  • The US delegation for the dialogue is led by Ms Loyce Pace, Director, Office of Global Affairs at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
  • The two-day Dialogue is a platform to deliberate upon multiple ongoing collaborations in the health sector between the two countries.
  • The issues planned for deliberations in this round also encompass areas of concern pertaining to strengthening of epidemiological research and surveillance, vaccine development, One Health, zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, health systems and health policies etc.

Defence News

6. DRDO conducts successful maiden flight test of Akash Prime Missile

  • The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has carried a successful maiden test flight of a new version of the Akash Missile named ‘Akash Prime’ from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
  • The success of the test flight demonstrates the competence of DRDO in the design and development of world-class Missile systems. The missile intercepted and destroyed an unmanned aerial target mimicking enemy aircraft, in its maiden flight test after improvements.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy.
  • DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.
  • DRDO Established: 1958.

Awards News

7. 2021 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar winners announced

  • Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for science and technology 2021, were announced during the 80th foundation day of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
  • Every year, CSIR presents this award to scientists below 45 years of age for their contributions in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, medicine, engineering and earth, atmosphere, ocean and planetary sciences. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. 
  • During the ceremony, vice president M Venkaiah Naidu advised CSIR to reinvent itself and turn futuristic while pursuing the science of the highest order.

To read the complete article: Click Here

  Sports News

8. England cricketer Moeen Ali announces retirement from Tests

  • England cricket all-rounder Moeen Ali has announced his retirement from the Test match career. The 34-year-old Ali made his debut in Test cricket in 2014 and represented England in 64 Test matches.
  • He took 195 Test wickets including 5 five-wicket hauls and scored five-Test match centuries during his Test career. Moeen, however, will continue to play limited-overs cricket for England.

9. Sania Mirza & Zhang Shuai Win Ostrava Open WTA Doubles Title

  • India's Sania Mirza and her Chinese partner Zhang Shuai won the women's doubles title in the women's doubles final at the Ostrava Open in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
  • The second-seeded Indo-Chinese duo defeated the third seeded pair of American Kaitlyn Christian and New Zealander Erin Routliffe 6-3 6-2 in the summit clash in one hour and four minutes.
  • This was Sania's second final of the season, following a runner-up finish at the WTA 250 Cleveland event in the US last month with Chirstina Mchale.

10. India claim three silver medals at 2021 Archery World Championships

  • The team India archers settled for three silver medals at the 2021 World Archery Championships, held in Yankton, South Dakota, United States.
  • The three silver medals were won in Women’s Compound Individual, Women’s Compound Team and Compound Mixed Team competitions.

Silver Medal Won by India includes:

  • Women’s Compound Individual: Jyothi Surekha Vennam
  • Women’s Compound Team: Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Muskar Kirar and Priya Gurjar
  • Compound Mixed Team: Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam

Important Days

11. International Day for Universal Access to Information

  • The International Day for the Universal Access to Information (commonly known as Access to Information Day) is observed globally on 28th September every year. Universal access to information means that everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information for healthy and inclusive knowledge societies.
  • The International Day for Universal Access to Information 2021 highlights the importance of expanding access to information laws, and their implementation worldwide to build back strong institutions for sustainable development and to uphold the vision of information as a public good, as well as to strengthen international cooperation in the field of implementing the right to information as a fundamental right.
  • Furthermore, the global discussions on “building back better” remain context-adaptive to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France;
  • UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay;
  • UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.

12. World Rabies Day: 28 September

  • World Rabies Day is celebrated annually on September 28 to raise awareness about the impact of rabies on humans and animals, provide information and advice on how to prevent the disease and take efforts to control rabies. 2021 is the 15th edition of World Rabies Day.
  • The theme for the WRD in 2021 is ‘Rabies: Facts, not Fear’. The day also marks the death anniversary of the French chemist and microbiologist, Louis Pasteur’, who developed the first rabies vaccine.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

  • Global Alliance for Rabies  Executive Director: Louis Nel.
  • Global Alliance for Rabies Control Founded: 2007.
  • Global Alliance for Rabies Control Headquarters: Manhattan, Kansas, United States.

Books and Authors News

13. A new book title "The Battle of Rezang La" written by Kulpreet Yadav

  • A new book has titled "The Battle of Rezang La" written by Kulpreet Yadav. A new book tells the story of 120 Indian soldiers who put up a valiant fight against the 5,000-strong Chinese military troops in the 1962 Indo-China war, preventing a possible occupation of the entire Ladakh region.
  • The Battle of Rezang La", published under Penguin Random House's ''Veer'' imprint, is written by ex-naval officer and author Kulpreet Yadav.

Miscellaneous News

14. Cyclonic Storm ‘Gulab’ hits Andra and Odisha

  • The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Odisha and Andhra Pradesh after the ‘Cyclone Gulab’ made landfall over Northwest and adjoining West-central Bay of Bengal.
  • Cyclone Gulab was named by Pakistan. The word “Gulab” refers to Rose in English.  During the landfall, the wind speed could hover between 90 kmph and 100 kmph.
  • The name Gulab is from the list of cyclone names that is maintained by the World Meteorological Organisation/United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (WMO/ESCAP) Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC).

15. MGR Railway Station gets powered by solar energy

  • Dr MG Ramachandran Central (DRM) or Chennai Central railway station will get 100 per cent of energy through Solar Energy.
  • The Chennai Central railway station comes under the South Central Railway (SCR) zone and which is going to become the world’s largest green railway network.
  • The station will now become the first Indian Railways station, which will get 100 per cent day energy through solar panels.
  • The solar power capacity of the station is 1.5 MW and Solar panels are installed on the shelters of the station.
  • South Central Railways has adopted the concept of 'energy neutral' railway stations and become the first Indian Railway zones to do so.
  • India has targeted to become “net-zero carbon emission” before the year 2030.

6th October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

06 October 2021
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6th October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 6th October October 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 15 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 15 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news.

National News

1. Vice President inaugurates Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre

  • Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated the Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre in the presence of Governor Jagdish Mukhi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati in the state of Assam.
  • The centre was originally served as the residence of the British deputy commissioner of Kamrup. Nearly 150 years after it was constructed, the iconic DC Bungalow of Guwahati was opened to the public as a heritage centre.
  • After the British annexed Assam in 1826 (after the Treaty of Yandaboo), the post of DC was created for Guwahati in 1839.
  • Several sites were surveyed for DC residence before Barphukanar Tilla on the banks of the Brahmaputra, where cannons used in the Battle of Saraighat lay scattered, was chosen. Post-independence, it continued to be the DC’s bungalow until 2011.

2. PM Modi visits Azadi@75 Expo in Lucknow

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Azadi@75 – New Urban India: Transforming Urban Landscape’ Conference-cum-Expo in Lucknow at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan as a part of Azadi@75 celebrations.
  • The theme of the three-day event is “New Urban India”. It will culminate on October 07, 2021. The Conference-cum-Expo is organised by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
  • PM virtually handed over keys of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) houses to 75,000 beneficiaries in 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh and interacted with beneficiaries of the scheme of Uttar Pradesh.
  • PM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 75 urban development projects of the state under Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT.
  • He flagged off 75 buses under FAME-II for seven cities including Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Jhansi and Ghaziabad.
  • PM announced the setting up of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chair in Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow.

3. India joins Seychelles’ Tax Inspectors Without Borders programme

  • The Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) has launched its programme in Seychelles. India has been chosen as the Partner Administration for this programme. The country will be providing its Tax Expert in support of the initiative.
  • The focus of the 12-month programme will be on Transfer Pricing cases of tourism and financial services sectors.
  • TIWB is a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), since its launch in 2015.
  • The aim of the initiative is to aid countries in strengthening their tax administration by transferring technical know-how and skills to the tax auditors through sharing of best audit practices.

State News

4. Alibaug white onion gets GI tag for health benefits

  • The famed white onion of Alibag in Maharashtra's Raigad district was given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag bringing worldwide recognition to its unique sweet taste, no-tears factor, as well as its medicinal properties.
  • The soil of Alibaug taluka has low sulphur content. The NABL-approved lab test report mentions low pungency, sweet taste, ‘no tear’ factor, low pyruvic acid, high protein, fat & fibre, etc.
  • The agriculture department here and Konkan Agriculture University had jointly submitted the GI application on January 15, 2019. On September 29 this year, the proposal was scrutinised in the Mumbai office of the Registrar of Patents and it was decided to confer GI tag on Alibag's white onion.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari;
  • Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai;
  • Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray.

Appointments News

4. CoinDCX ropes Amitabh Bachchan to raise crypto awareness

  • Crypto exchange CoinDCX has roped in Amitabh Bachchan as a brand ambassador to spread awareness about cryptocurrencies. Through this collaboration, CoinDCX wants to increase awareness around crypto and popularise it as an emerging asset class.
  • CoinDCX wants to ensure that crypto is accessible to everyone. The crypto industry in India is on an exponential climb, rising gradually over the previous few years, with millions of Indians emerging as early adopters of the crypto asset class.

5. Eric Braganza appointed as CEAMA president

  • The Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) has appointed Eric Braganza as its president for a two-year term. He succeeds Godrej Appliances Business Head and Executive Vice-President Kamal Nandi for the CEAMA chair.
  • Braganza, an alumnus of Sri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi, has over 35 years and has held senior management positions in the consumer electronics and appliances industry in various companies.
  • Established in 1978, CEAMA represents the consumer electronics and home appliances industry and aims to enhance the development of the industry and its components manufacturing.

Defence News

6. 5th India-Japan Bilateral Maritime Exercise JIMEX-21 begins

  • The fifth edition of India – Japan Maritime Bilateral Exercise JIMEX was held in the Arabian Sea from 06 to 08 October 2021.
  • The Indian Navy is represented by indigenously built Guided Missile Stealth Destroyer Kochi and Guided Missile Frigate Teg, P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft, integral helicopters and MiG 29K fighter aircraft.
  • JIMEX series of exercises between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) are being held since 2012.
  • JIMEX-21 aims to develop a common understanding of operational procedures and enhance inter-operability through the conduct of a multitude of advanced exercises, across the entire spectrum of maritime operations. It will further enhance the cooperation and mutual confidence between the two navies.

Banking News

8. SBI launches NAV-eCash card in collaboration with Indian navy

  • State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the launch of SBI’s NAV-eCash card on INS Vikramaditya, the largest naval aircraft carrier of India. The new journey envisioned for the card is set to change the payment ecosystem, while the ship is sailing with no dependency on utilisation of any form of cash to avail any of the services on board.
  • The new NAV-eCash card will facilitate both online and offline transactions. The card will obviate the difficulties faced by personnel onboard in handling physical cash during deployment of the ship at high seas.
  • The new journey envisioned in the form of a NAV-eCash Card will change the payment ecosystem while the ship is sailing with no dependency on cash for utilization of any of the services on board.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara.
  • SBI Headquarters: Mumbai.
  • SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.

Awards News

9. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 announced

  • The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 was awarded jointly to Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan "for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis."  This has had a great impact on pharmaceutical research and has made chemistry greener.
  • The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021.
  • Catalysts are thus fundamental tools for chemists, but researchers long believed that there were, in principle, just two types of catalysts available: metals and enzymes.
  • Benjamin List and David MacMillan are awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 because in 2000 they, independent of each other, developed a third type of catalysis. It is called asymmetric organocatalysis and builds upon small organic molecules.

10. Prof Eric Hanushek and Dr. Rukmini Banerji awarded the 2021 Yidan Prize

  • Professor Eric A. Hanushek and Dr Rukmini Banerji have been awarded the 2021 Yidan Prize for Education Development for improving learning outcomes in schools at scale.
  • Yidan Prize is the world’s highest education accolade, in recognition of their ground-breaking work addressing a crucial piece of the education puzzle: improving quality of education and outcomes for learners at scale.
  • The Yidan Prize was founded by Charles Chen Yidan in 2016 to create a better world through education. Yidan Prize Laureate receives a gold medal and a sum of $3.9 million.

Science and Technology News

11. Centre launches ICMR’s drone-based vaccine delivery model ‘i-Drone’

  • The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, launched ‘i-Drone’, a drone-based vaccine delivery model for Northeast states. The i-Drone has been developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). i-Drone stands for ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach in North East.
  • The main objective of this tool is to facilitate vaccine delivery to tough and hard-to-reach terrains of India, and to improve healthcare accessibility to the last mile. Currently, the drone-based delivery project is being implemented in Manipur, Nagaland, and the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Island.
  • ICMR collaborated with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur for conducting an initial study to test the capacity of drones to carry and transfer vaccines safely.

Sports News

12. Magnus Carlsen wins Meltwater Champions Chess Tour title

  • World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen has won the inaugural Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, to claim the non-fungible token (NFT) trophy and $1,00,000 in the finals.
  • The 10-month long online chess tournaments were held on chess24.com from November 22, 2020, till October 4, 2021. The tournaments are not rated by FIDE.
  • The MCCT tour comprised of 10 total tournaments. The 2021 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour was the most viewed online chess event in the history of the game. Magnus Carlsen is now considered as the undisputed best online chess player in the world.

Important Days

13. Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2021: October 01 to 31

  • Every year the Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is observed in the month of October, from 01 to 31. The annual international health campaign aims to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.
  • The pink ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer awareness. Breast Cancer is a type of cancer that arises in the epithelium (lining cells) of the ducts or lobules in the glandular tissues of the breast.
  • In 2020 more than 2.3 million women across the globe were diagnosed with breast cancer. Around 50% of breast cancers develop in women, who do not have identifiable breast cancer risk factors other than gender and age (above 40 years).

Obituaries News

14. Atal Vajpayee's Former Private Secretary Shakti Sinha passes away

  • Shakti Sinha, former bureaucrat, and academician who was private secretary to late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, passed away. Sinha, an IAS officer of the 1979 batch, was also former Director of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML).
  • He worked closely with Vajpayee between 1996 and 1999 and had written a memoir titled Vajpayee: The Years That Changed India.

Miscellaneous News

15. GI tagged sweet dish Mihidana has been exported to Baharain

  • The first consignment of Geographical Indication (GI) tagged sweet dish Mihidana, from Bardhaman, West Bengal has been exported to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
  • This initiative is part of the effort to promote indigenous & Geographical Identification (GI) tagged products of India globally. The product was exported by APEDA registered M/S DM Enterprises, Kolkata.
  • West Bengal’s Bardhaman got the GI tag for the Mihidana sweetmeats in 2017. A GI tag is a sign denoting a specific geographical origin and possesses qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.