Current Affairs Quiz 7th September 2022 : Daily GK Update

Exp. Unit-I of Maitree Super Thermal Power Project unveiled

PM Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has jointly unveiled Unit-I of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Project.

The project is being constructed under India’s concessional financing scheme. It will add 1320 MW to Bangladesh’s National Grid.

Seven agreements, including on water resources, railways, science and technology, and space technology were exchanged following the talks.

This includes an MoU between Prasar Bharati and Bangladesh Television on cooperation in the field of broadcasting.

About Bangladesh

• Capital– Dhaka
• Currency– Taka
• President– Mohammad Abdul Hamid
• Prime Minister– Sheikh Hasina

Exp. Centre announced constitution of a national level committee

The Centre has announced the constitution of a national-level committee for drafting of the national cooperation policy.

The committee under the Chairmanship of former Union Minister, Suresh Prabhu consists of 47 members from all parts of the country.

The new policy is being formulated to realize the vision of Sahakar Se Samriddhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The new policy document is being formulated with a view to fulfilling the mandate given to the new Ministry of Cooperation, which includes realizing the vision of Sahakar se Samriddhi, strengthening the cooperative movement in the country, and deepening its reach up to the grassroots.

It also includes promoting cooperative-based economic development models and creating an appropriate policy, legal and institutional framework to help cooperatives realize their potential.

Recent Committees

• SC appointed a high-level committee to investigate PM’s security breach in Punjab: Indu Malhotra
• Centre constituted Ken-Betwa link Project Authority, and 20-member National Steering Committee: Pankaj Kumar
• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting constituted AVGC Promotion Task Force:Apoorva Chandra
• SC reconstituted expert committee for Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor Expressway project: Chandra Prakash Goyal
• Government sets up committee to develop framework on right to repair; chaired by Nidhi Khatri
• Centre formed a committee to strengthen MSP system; chaired by Sanjay Agarwal

Exp. CJI inaugurated NALSA Centre for Citizen Services

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) Centre for Citizen Services has inaugurated by Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit.

Objective – To provide free legal services to the weaker sections of the society

The space at Jaisalmer House which was provided to NALSA would be utilized for the establishment of Legal Assistance Centre for Citizens, Legal Assistance Centre for NRIs, Training Centre, and Digital Command Centre for providing futuristic legal services across the country.

The NALSA office which was earlier placed at Jamnagar House was shifted to the Additional Building Complex of the Supreme Court of India on 9th November 2021.

NALSA or National Legal Services Authority of India was formed on 9 November 1995 under the authority of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987.

Exp. PM Modi announced PM-SHRI scheme for upgrading 14,500 schools

On the occasion of Teachers’ Day PM Narendra Modi announced a new initiative – Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Yojana.

This will be a new centrally sponsored scheme for the upgradation and development of more than 14500 Schools across the country.

The PM-SHRI schools will have a modern, transformational and holistic method of imparting education.

Emphasis will be on a discovery-oriented, learning-centric way of teaching.

The focus will also be on modern infrastructure including the latest technology, smart classrooms, sports, and more.

PM SHRI Schools will showcase all components of the National Education Policy 2020 and act as exemplar schools.

Exp. Tamil Nadu Government launched Pudhumai Penn Scheme for girl students

Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin has launched the ‘Pudhumai Penn’ (modern woman) scheme for the state’s girl students.

Under this scheme, all girl students, who studied from Classes 6 to 12 in government schools, will get Rs 1,000 per month to pursue higher education. The money will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of students.

Objective – Reduce child marriages and make women independent

The scheme aims to benefit six lakh girls every year and Rs 698 crore has been allocated in the budget for its implementation.

The government has also launched 26 Schools of Excellence and 15 Model Schools.

About Tamil Nadu

Capital – Chennai

Chief Minister – M K Stalin

Governor – R N Ravi

Recent Scheme of Tamil Nadu

Illam Thedi Kalvi Scheme

Smart Black Board Scheme

Meendum Manjappai scheme

Naan Muthalvan- Ulagai Vellum Ilaiya Tamilagam skill development scheme for students

Breakfast scheme for primary school students

Ennum Ezhuthum scheme

Exp. Tripura sets up India’s first Bio-Village

Tripura Government has set up India’s 1st Bio-Village at Daspara village of the state.

The concept of Bio Village 2.0 developed by the state government has been recognized as one of the best practices to attain sustainable development goals.

The bio-villages have been set up in Tripura by the Directorate of Bio-Technology under the Science and Technology department.

This concept has been designed to help mitigate the climate change effects.

State Government plans to set up at least 100 bio-villages.

About Tripura

• Capital – Agartala
• Chief Minister – Manik Sarkar
• Governor – Satyadeo Narain Ary

Exp. India and Bangladesh signed water sharing pact

India and Bangladesh have signed an interim water-sharing agreement for the Kushiyara River.

It is the first such pact since the signing of the Ganga water treaty in 1996.

This pact will benefit people residing in southern Assam and the Sylhet division of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has a total of 230 rivers, of which 54 flow through India.

There were 54 rivers that pass through the Indo-Bangladesh border, and have been linked to the livelihood of the people of the two countries for centuries.

Exp. HDFC ERGO to build online insurance platform on Google Cloud

HDFC ERGO General Insurance has roped in Google Cloud to build an online platform for selling insurance.

HDFC ERGO plans to completely migrate to the cloud by 2024.

Google Cloud will also assist the insurance provider with IT systems integration and building new applications.

Google will also provide them AI/ML technologies to build predictive insights and mitigate insurance fraud.

About HDFC ERGO General Insurance

Founded – 2002

Headquarters- Mumbai

MD & CEO- Ritesh Kumar

Recent MoUs

• Mahindra Finance partnered with CRIF Solutions for quicker loan approvals
• Universal Sompo partnered with Repco Home Finance to insure loans
• HDFC Bank partnered with Tata Neu to launch two new credit cards
• KreditBee partnered with Cashfree to offer EMI solutions
• Mastercard partnered with BASIX to create an agri-tech platform for farmers

Exp. Sanjay Verma appointed as next high commissioner of India to Canada

Senior diplomat Sanjay Kumar Verma has been appointed as India’s next high commissioner to Canada.

He is a 1988 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service and is currently the ambassador of India to Japan.

He has also served as Consul General of India in Milan, Italy.

While Amit Kumar currently Consulate General of India in Chicago, has been named the next ambassador to the Republic of Korea.

About Canada

Capital – Ottawa

Currency – Dollar

President – Justin Trudeau

Recent appointments

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh – Pranay Verma

India’s High Commissioner to UK – Vikram Doraiswami

India’s ambassador to Thailand – Nagesh Singh

High commissioner of India to Canada – Sanjay Verma

Exp. Barack Obama won Emmy award for his narration in Netflix documentary

The former President of the USA Barack Obama won Emmy Award for his narration in the Netflix documentary “Our Great National Parks”.

The five-part Netflix documentary produced by “Higher Ground” productions, Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, features national parks from across the globe.

Obama already has two Grammys and is now halfway to an EGOT- the achievement of having won all four of the major American entertainment awards i.e. an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. Only 17 people have an EGOT to date.

Barack Obama has previously received Grammy Awards for the audiobook readings of his memoirs “The Audacity of Hope” and “A Promised Land.” Michelle Obama received her own Grammy in 2020 for reading her audiobook.

Dwight D Eisenhower was the first US President to win Emmy Award. He was given a special Emmy Award in 1956. Barack Obama is the second President to win the honor.

Recent Awards

• Liberty Medal 2022 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Pulitzer Prize 2022in Illustrated Reporting – Fahmida Azim (Bangladesh)
• 1082 Police personnel awarded Police Medals onIndependence Day 2022
• Miss India USA 2022 -Indian Origin Aarya Walvekar (Virginia)
• First Indian psychologist on US Heritage Wall of Fame – Prof Ramadhar Singh

Exp. HAL and L&T to build five PSLV rockets

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Larsen & Toubro consortium have bagged a Rs 860 crore deal from New Space India Limited to build five rockets.

This will mark the industry’s maiden foray into end-to-end production of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs).

ISRO has been providing satellite launch services since 1990 through the PSLV, launching 319 customer satellites from 33 countries.

In September 2016, a PSLV injected 104 satellites into orbit – a world record

Recent Agreements

• BEL signed an MoU with Smiths Detection to manufacture scanning systems
• Suzuki signed an MoU with NDDB for biogas demonstration project
• NHPC signed an MoU with PTC India Limited for sale of power
• Tata Steel signed an MoU with Punjab government to set up steel plant in Ludhiana
• Royal Enfield partnered with UNESCO to promote cultural heritage of India

Exp. Bangladesh cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim announced his retirement from T20Is

Bangladesh wicketkeeper and batter and former captain Mushfiqur Rahim has announced his retirement from T20 internationals.

He represented Bangladesh in 102 T20Is, scoring 1,500 runs at an average of 19.48.

He made his T201 debut in 2006 against Zimbabwe.

He has now become the second player from Bangladesh to retire from T20Is following Tamim Iqbal’s retirement in July 2022.

Recently retired cricketers –

• Ben Stokes – One Day International Cricket – England
• Dinesh Ramdin – International Cricket – West Indies
• Tamim Iqbal – T20 International – Bangladesh
• Lendl Simmons – International Cricket – West Indies
• Eoin Morgan – International Cricket – England
• Mohammad Hafeez – International Cricket – Pakistan
• Ross Taylor – International Cricket – New Zealand
• Tim Bresnam – All Form of Cricket – England
• Danushka Gunathilaka – Test Cricket – Sri Lanka
• Chris Morris – All Form of Cricket – South Africa
• Suranga Lakmal – International Cricket – Sri Lanka
• Kieron Pollard – International Cricket – West Indies
• Hamish Bennett – All Form of Cricket – New Zealand
• Rahul Sharma – International Cricket – India
• Suresh Raina – International Cricket – India

Exp. Indian GM Aravindh Chithambaram won Dubai Open chess tournament

Indian Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram has won the 22nd Dubai Open chess tournament with 7.5 points from nine rounds.

Chithambaram defeated R Praggnanandhaa in the ninth and final round.

Seven Indians finished in the top 10 at the tournament with R Praggnanandhaa sharing the second spot with five others.

Five players finished on seven points and in joint second spot — Praggnanandhaa, top-seed Alexandr Predke, Indians Abhijeet Gupta, Jaykumar Sammed Shete and S P Sethuraman

Exp. Carnatic vocalist TV Sankaranarayanan passed away

Renowned Carnatic musician TV Sankaranarayan has passed away. He was 77.

He was the tourchbearer for Madurai Mani lyer style of Carnatic music.

He had shared several stages with Madurai Mani Iyer.

He won the Madras Music Academy’s Sangeeta Kalanidhi Award in 2003 and was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2003.

He was the son of musicians Tiruvalangal Vembu Iyer and Gomati Ammal.

Exp. Indian boxer Birju Sah passed away

Indian boxer Birju Sah has passed away recently, the first Indian boxer to win medals at both the Asian and Commonwealth Games.

He was 48.

He won bronze medals at both the Commonwealth & Asian Games in 1994.

Sah’s first significant international success came at 19 in the 1993 Asian Junior Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. He took bronze in the light flyweight (45-48kg) division.