Current Affairs

6^th September 2022

Top 20 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is the Daily GK Update of the 06th September 2022 covering the following news headlines: Dutch F1 Grand Prix, PM-SHRI Scheme, General Manoj Pande, UIDAI, Bharat Electronics Limited, Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, DY Chandrachud.

National News

1. GoI announces to rename the Rajpath as Kartavya Path

The government of India has announced to change the name of Rajpath and Central Vista lawns into Kartavya Path. The decision is said to shed remnants of the British colony in India.

The decision came after a special meeting on September 7, convened with the aim of renaming the Rajpath and Central Vista lawns.

Earlier, the Modi government had changed the name of the road on which the Prime Minister’s residence is, from Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg.

Kartavya Path includes the entire avenue and area from the Netaji Statue to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The route runs from Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill through Vijay Chowk and India Gate to National Stadium in Delhi.

2. First LNG truck facility in India opened by Blue Energy Motors

The long-haul, heavy-duty trucks from Blue Energy Motors, which intends to upend the Indian trucking business by producing clean energy, almost zero emissions vehicles, will run on LNG. The business was inaugrated by Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari.

Blue Energy Motors has a contract in place with FPT Industrial, the global powertrain brand of the Italian Iveco Group, to launch the first LNG trucks with BS VI-compliant FPT Industrial engines.  

International News

3. Europe Heading For Recession As Inflation Crisis Deepens

The euro zone is almost certainly entering a recession, with surveys today showing a deepening cost of living crisis and a gloomy outlook that is keeping consumers wary of spending. While there was some easing of price pressures, according to the surveys, they remained high.

The European Central Bank is under pressure as inflation is running at more than four times its 2% target, reaching a record 9.1% last month. The ECB faces the prospect of raising interest rates aggressively just as the economy enters a downturn. A rise in borrowing costs would add to the woes of indebted consumers.

4. Rishi Sunak lost to Liz Truss, who takes over as UK’s new Prime Minister

Liz Truss was elected as the leader of the ruling Conservative Party and the country’s next prime minister. Liz Truss is now the third woman to be elected prime minister of the United Kingdom.

By more than 20,000 votes, Liz Truss defeated Rishi Sunak, who is of Indian descent. The country is currently experiencing a cost of living crisis, industrial unrest, and a recession.

States News

5. Uttarakhand Govt launched ‘Samarth’ e-governance portal

The Uttarakhand education department launched an e-governance portal “Samarth”. This portal provides all administrative and educational updates including information about entrance exams, salary structures, and appointments from five state universities and 140 public schools.

The initiative has been taken in a bid to make the education system more transparent in the state.

The portal also provides access to 40 academic study modules.

200 assistant professors of science subjects will be sent to the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru for special training, while teachers of state universities will be given training at IIM Kashipur.

The new education policy (NEP-2020) will be also implemented in the state from this session in September.

Appointments News

6. SC Judge DY Chandrachud named as new Chairman of NALSA

Supreme Court judge Justice DY Chandrachud has been appointed as the next executive chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). The post was previously held by the Chief Justice of India UU Lalit.

President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Justice D.Y. Chandrachud as the executive chairman of the NALSA.  Before being elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Chandrachud served as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and prior to that a judge of the Bombay High Court.

7. Tamilnad Mercantile Bank named Krishnan Sankarasubramaniam as new MD & CEO

The Tuticorin-based Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) Ltd has announced the appointment of Krishnan Sankarasubramaniam as the Managing Director and CEO with effect for three years. His appointment was approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), pursuant to its letter of approval dated August 18, 2022.

Krishnan served as the MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank from September 4, 2020 to May 31, 2022. His tenure saw the transformation of the Bank across digital, IT, risk, compliance, monitoring, recovery, business development, and HR. He played a crucial role in the bank’s turnaround leading to the bank registering the highest ever profitin 2021-22.

Agreements News

8. BEL tie-up with Smiths Detection to manufacture scanning systems

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security inspection technologies, for offering advanced, high-energy scanning systems to the Indian market.

The MoU, signed for a period of five years and can be extended further by mutual consent, will leverage the high-end, technological capabilities of both firms to meet India’s domestic security needs.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) Founded: 1954;

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) Headquarters: Bengaluru.

Economy News

9. 28th Edition of Status Report on India’s External Debt 2021-22 Released

The External Debt Management Unit (EDMU) in the Department of economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, has released 28th edition of the Status Report on India’s External Debt 2021-22. India’s external debt, at US$ 620.7 billion as at end-March 2022, grew by 8.2 per cent over US$ 573.7 billon as at end-March 2021.

Business News

10. CCI approves the acquisition of BillDesk by PayU Payment 

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the acquisition of 100 percent equity of Indiaideas.com (Billdesk) by PayU Payments.

The proposed combination relates to the acquisition of 100 percent of the equity share capital of India Ideas Ltd (IIL) by PayU India. Prosus NV-backed PayU announced in August 2021, that it will buy digital payments provider Billdesk for USD 4.7 billion.

Awards News

11. President Droupadi Murmu confers National Awards to distinguished teachers

On the occasion of Teachers Day, President Droupadi Murmu has honoured 45 selected teachers from across the country with National Awards at Vigyan Bhawan New Delhi. India is celebrating its 50th National Teachers’ Day.

The day is celebrated on September 5 every year which is the birth anniversary of India’s second President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was also a scholar, philosopher, and Bharat Ratna awardee.

Ranks and Reports News

12. Grievance Redressal Index 2022: UIDAI topped in August 2022

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has topped among all Ministries/Departments for resolving Public Grievances in the ranking. The report was published by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).

In a statement released by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, it is stated that UIDAI is further committed in serving the people of India and has been a catalyst for both ease of living and business.

UIDAI has been a top performer in the resolution of cases received through the Centralized Public Grie

Defence News

13. Indian Army Chief Manoj Pande conferred honorary rank of Nepal Army General

Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande was conferred the title of Honorary General of the Nepali Army by Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari in Kathmandu.

General Pande was honoured at a special ceremony at the President’s official residence ‘Shital Niwas’ in the capital city of Nepal. He has also presented a sword and scroll during the function.

On behalf of the Indian government, General Manoj Pande presented training equipment to Nepali Army, along with Light Vehicles which would augment the capabilities of Nepali Army personnel.

Science and Technology News

14. IAD technology successfully used by ISRO to land payloads on Mars and Venus

IAD technology successfully used by ISRO: The Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD), which ISRO says is a game-changer with numerous implications for future missions including to Mars and Venus, was successfully tested.

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), an ISRO division, successfully test-flew an IAD from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station on a “Rohini” sounding rocket (TERLS).

Scientists from India and beyond, as well as ISRO, frequently employ Rohini-sounding rockets to fly demonstrations of new technologies.

important takeaways for all competitive exams:

ISRO Chairman: S Somanath

Founder of ISRO: Vikram Sarabhai

ISRO founded year: August 15, 1969

15. 5 PSLV rockets to be built by HAL-L&T under a Rs. 860 billion contract

5 PSLV rockets to be built by HAL-L&T: The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, HAL-L&T consortium, making the industry’s first entrance into end-to-end production of polar satellite launch vehicles, has secured a Rs 860 crore contract from NewSpace India Limited to produce five rockets (PSLV rockets).

The HAL-L&T cooperation won the right to produce PSLV from beginning to end after three bids were subjected to a techno-commercial examination.

Schemes News

16. PM Narendra Modi announced PM-SHRI Scheme for upgrading 14500 school

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a new initiative, the development and upgradation of 14 thousand 500 schools across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Schools For Rising India (PM-SHRI) Yojana.

PM-SHRI schools will become model schools which will encapsulate the full spirit of the National Education Policy. The centrally sponsored scheme will be implemented by strengthening existing schools selected from amongst those managed by the Central government, states, Union Territories and local bodies.

Sports News

17. F1 GP-2022: Max Verstappen won Dutch F1 Grand Prix 2022

Red Bull’s driver Max Verstappen has won the Dutch Formula 1 Grand Prix 2022. Mercedes’ George Russell & Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc came at the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

Verstappen has now won 10 of this season’s 15 races. It was his 72nd podium finish & he collected 26 points from this race. Verstappen won the Dutch GP in 2021 as well. He has now won a total of 30 races.

18. IIT Madras joins Inspire Institute of Sports for innovative boxing analytics software

IIT Madras joins Inspire Institute of Sports: IIT Madras researchers and Inspire Institute of Sports in Karnataka have joined forces to create the analytics platform “Smartboxer.”

To boost India’s boxing medal total at the 2024 Olympics, advanced boxing analytics software is being created. IIT Madras’ Center of Excellence for Sports Science and Analytics is responsible for creating the multi-version software.

19. Indian GM Aravindh Chithambaram wins Dubai Open chess Tournament

Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram wins the 22nd Dubai Open Chess Tournament with 7.5 points. While seven Indians finished in the top 10, R. Praggnanandha was in the second spot with five others.

Aravindh Chithambaram and R. Praggnanandha settled for a draw in the ninth and final match, which enabled Aravind Chithambaram to finish the match with seven and a half points ahead of the rest of the field.

20. Mushfiqur Rahim Announces Retirement from T20 Cricket

Mushfiqur Rahim announces his retirement from T20 international cricket. Mushfiqur Rahim Bangladesh wicketkeeper announced his retirement.

The decision came after Bangladesh faced defeat in Asia Cup 2022 match against Sri Lanka. He announced retirement from the short-format game, and he would continue to play one-day international and test cricket.

He has played 82 test innings and scored 5,235 runs and in 236 ODI’s he scored 6,774 runs. He is also the second player from Bangladesh to retire this year after Tamim Iqbal.