DAILY GK: 17, 18 FEB 2021
1. IEEFA REPORT
• According to the report ‘Capital Flows
Underpinning India’s Energy Transformation’ released by Institute for Energy
Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), India needs an Investment of USD 500
Billion to reach its target of 450 Gigawatts (GW) of Renewable Energy (RE) by
2030.
• At 900 GW India has the largest untapped
Renewable potential in the World.
2. MANDU FESTIVAL
CELEBRATED
• A three-day Mandu Festival was held at
Mandu in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh on the theme “Khojne mein Kho Jao
(feel lost in discovering)”.
• It was inaugurated by state culture and
tourism minister Usha Thakur.
• She also inaugurated Dino Adventure Park
& Fossils Museum in Mandu and construction of Astro Park building at a cost
of Rs 59 lakh.Notably, Dinosaur Park is India’s first modern fossil park which
has 24 eggs and other fossils of dinosaurs.
• The park provides information related to
the life of dinosaurs.
3. MOHUA LAUNCHES ‘PEY
JAL SURVEKSHAN’ ON PILOT BASIS
• Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary of
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched ‘Pey Jal Survekshan’
under Jal Jeevan Mission-Urban (JJM-U) on a pilot basis in 10 cities.
• The 10 cities are Agra (UP), Badlapur
(Maharashtra), Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Churu (Rajasthan), Kochi (Kerala), Madurai
(TN), Patiala (Punjab), Rohtak (Haryana), Surat (Gujarat) & Tumkur
(Karnataka).
• Based on responses received in the 10
cities, the survekshan will be extended to all AMRUT (Atal Mission for
Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) cities
4. RBI FORMULATES EC
FOR STRENGTHENING & CONSOLIDATING UCBS
• On the lines of the “Statement on
Developmental and Regulatory Policies” released with the Monetary Policy
Statement on February 05, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) formulated an
8-member Expert Committee (EC) on Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs).
• The former Deputy Governor of RBI, N. S.
Vishwanathan, is the chairman of the committee.
• The Committee is required to submit its
report within three months.
• The committee will examine the issues
faced by the UCBs and will also be responsible for preparing a road map for its
strengthening.
5. ADB SIGNS RS 100
CRORE DEBT FINANCING AGREEMENT WITH MEDANTA
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed Rs
100 crore(USD 13.7 million) debt financing agreement with Medanta to provide
essential health care services and medical equipment to India.
• Purpose: To Support COVID-19 Response in
India
• This financing is part of the $20 billion
assistance package announced by ADB in April 2020 to help its developing
members manage the pandemic.
6. BANK CREDIT GROWTH
AT 90% OF FY20 LEVEL
• In accordance with the Reserve Bank of
India’s (RBI) data on Scheduled Banks’ Statement of Position in India, bank
credit growth in FY21 up to January 29, 2021 has reached about 90% of the same
period of F20.
• This states that credit demand is coming
back to normalcy after severe economic impact amid COVID-19.
• It should be noted that RBI has projected
real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth at 5% in FY22.
7. NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA
APPOINTED AS 7TH DG OF WTO
• Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria was
appointed as the 7th Director General of the World Trade Organisation(WTO),
multilateral trade body.
• She will hold the position from 1st March
2021 to 31st August 2025.
• With this appointment, Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala became the first woman and the first African to head the WTO.
• She also served as the Managing Director
of the World Bank.
8. DR AJAY MATHUR
ELECTED AS DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF ISA
• Dr Ajay Mathur has been named as the new
Director-General of International Solar
Alliance (ISA) following his election at the 1st special Assembly of ISA
members that was held virtually on February 15, 2021.
• Prior, being named as the director general
of ISA, Dr Ajay Mathur was serving as the director general of The Energy &
Resources Institute(TERI)
9. NEW EXECUTIVE
SECRETARY OF UNCDF
• The United Nations Capital Development
Fund (UNCDF) appointed Preeti Sinha, an Investment and development Banker of
Indian Origin as the New Executive Secretary of UNCDF.
• Sinha succeeds Judith Karl, who retired in
February 2021.
• Preethi Sinha started her tenure on 15th
February 2021.
10. INDIA’S 3RD
KALVARI-CLASS SUBMARINE
• Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL)
delivered the Third of Six Kalvari-class submarines based on ‘Scorpene Class’
to the Indian Navy at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The submarine will be commissioned into
the Indian Navy in March, 2021 as ‘INS Karanj’.
• ‘INS Karanj’ successfully completed its
sea trials which began in January, 2018.
• The submarine has been designed by French
company ‘The Naval Group’ (formerly known as DCNS) & constructed in MDL,
Mumbai under Project 75 (P-75).
• The 2 previous Scorpene-Class Submarines
which have been commissioned & are presently operated by the Indian Navy
are INS Kalvari (Commissioned in October, 2017) & INS Khanderi
(Commissioned in September, 2019).
11. WEST BENGAL CM
LAUNCHES ‘MAA’ SCHEME
• West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata
Banerjee virtually launched ‘Maa’ Scheme under which the Government will
provide subsidised cooked meals for the poor & destitute at a cost of INR
5.
• The state government has allotted a budget
of INR 100 Crore for the scheme.
12. ‘IRAN-RUSSIA
MARITIME SECURITY BELT 2021’
• The Indian Navy has joined Iran and Russia
and Participated in two-day long navy exercise “Iran-Russia Maritime Security
Belt 2021” which was held in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.
• India’s participation represented a
message of “peace and friendship for neighboring and regional countries”.
• The exercise saw the participation of
forces and vessels from the navy divisions of both the Iranian army and the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) along with a Russian destroyer,
logistics ship and a helicopter were to participate in the drill.
13. AMAZON INDIA TO
BEGIN ITS 1ST MANUFACTURING LINE
• Amazon India announced that it will begin
its 1st Device Manufacturing Line in India for production of electronic devices
at Chennai by the end of 2021.
• It has collaborated with Contract
Manufacturer Cloud Network Technology, a subsidiary of Foxconn for the
manufacturing process.
14. PM LAID FOUNDATION
STONE FOR MAHARAJA SUHELDEV MEMORIAL
• PM Narendra Modi virtually laid the
foundation stone for Construction of Statue & Memorial for Maharaja
Suheldev at Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• He also laid the foundation stone for
development works around the Chittaura Lake in Bahraich, UP.
• Maharaja Suheldev is an Indian King from
Shravasti (A City of Ancient India).
• He is remembered for defeating Ghaznavid
General Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud, nephew of Mahmud of Ghazni at Bahraich
during the 11th Century (1034 CE)
15. MOE TO RENAME
SCHOOLS UNDER SAMAGRA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
• Ministry of Education (MoE) is set to
rename residential schools and hostels funded under Samagra Shiksha scheme of
MoE as ‘Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose residential schools and hostels’ to inspire them to achieve high standards of
quality education & create awareness about the facility of such residential
schools & hostels.
• Under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, MoE
provides financial assistance to States & UTs to set up residential schools
& hostels in hilly terrain, small & sparsely populated areas for
children who are in need of shelter and care.
16. INDIA’S GROWTH TO
REBOUND IN FY22 AT 10%: S&P
• S&P (Standard & Poors) Global
Ratings released a report titled, ‘Cross-Sector Outlook: India’s Escape From
Covid’, where it estimated that India will have an economic recovery at 10% in
FY22, on a lower base.
• Earlier, it had revised India’s Real GDP
Forecast for FY21 to -7.7%(contract by 7%) from -9%.
17. SKOCH CHALLENGER
AWARD – CM OF THE YEAR AWARD
• YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the CM of Andhra
Pradesh(AP) received the SKOCH Chief Minister of the Year Award.
• The efforts of the government of AP to
make efficient and transparent governance was evident in the study of 123
projects from various sectors in Andhra Pradesh.
18. KIRAN BEDI REMOVED
AS PUDUCHERRY LG
• Kiran Bedi was removed from the post of
Puducherry Lieutenant Governor(LG).
• While, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan,
Governor of Telangana, was given additional charge as LG of Puducherry.
• Her appointment is effective from the date
she assumes charge of her office.
• She was the first female IPS officer and
was the 1st Indian & 1st woman to be
appointed as head of the United Nations Police and Police Advisor in the
United Nations Department of Peace Operations
19. “BROOKESIA NANA”: EARTH’S SMALLEST REPTILE
SPECIES
• Scientists from Germany and Madagascar
have discovered a new species of Chameleon “Brookesia nana” in the montane
rainforest in northern Madagascar.
• This is the Earth’s smallest known
reptile.
• Brookesia nana belongs to the genus
Brookesia.
• The male species measures 21.6 mm and the
female measures 28.9 mm.
20. INTERNATIONAL
CHILDHOOD CANCER DAY
• Each Year, the International Childhood
Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed on February 15.
• The day aims to raise awareness about
childhood cancer, express support for children & adolescents with cancer,
the survivors and their families.
• In order to commemorate the 20th
Anniversary of ICCD, the CCI & International Society of Paediatric Oncology
(SIOP) unveiled a joint three-year campaign called ‘Tree of Life’.
