GENERAL AWARENESS SEPTEMBER 2020 Vol. 9, Issue 01 A PUBLICATION OF GYANM EDUCATION & TRAINING INSTITUTE PVT. LTD. SCO 13-14-15, 2ND FLOOR, SEC 34-A, CHANDIGARH Contents NATIONAL NEWS CURRENT AFFAIRS 03-51 JULY May to July 2020 BULLET NEWS INDIA’s TIGER CENSUS SETS WORLD RECORD 52-61 Feb 2020 to April 2020 LATEST 100 GK MCQs 62-69 IBPS PO PRE 70-84 MODEL TEST PAPER Current GK Bytes 85-112 FIGURES TO REMEMBER REPO RATE 4.00% REVERSE REPO RATE 3.35% MARGINAL STANDING 4.25% FACILITY RATE BANK RATE 4.25% STATUTORY LIQUIDITY RATIO 18.00% India’s tiger census of 2018-19 has entered the Guinness Book of World CASH RESERVE RATIO 3.00% Records for being the largest ever camera-trap wildlife survey conducted BASE RATE(s) 8.15 to (of various banks) 9.40% anywhere in the world. Camera traps (outdoor photographic devices fitted with motion sensors that start recording when an animal passes by) were INDIA’s RANK IN placed in 26,838 locations across 141 different sites and surveyed an effective area of 121,337 sq km. According to the survey, the country was home to an Budget Transparency Index 53rd estimated 2,967 tigers, accounting for nearly 75 percent of the global Global Energy Transition Index 7th population. Of all the big cats, 2,461 (around 83 per cent) have been photo- Global Press Freedom Index 142nd captured. Inclusive Internet Index 46th RAILWAYS ACHIEVES 100% PUNCTUALITY World Happiness Report 144th For the first time in the history of Indian Railways, all trains run on a particular Intellectual Property Index 40th day, achieved 100 percent punctuality. The Ministry of Railways said all the 201 Sustainability Index 77th that ran on 1st July were on time. Due to restrictions and lockdown, Indian Railways is running on a restricted capacity. Flourishing Index 131st th Climate Change Performance Index 9 WORLD's FIRST EVER ONLINE B.Sc. DEGREE Global Talent Competitive Index 72nd The Indian Institute of Technology, th Carbon Disclosure Project Report 5 IIT Madras launched the world's Democracy Index 2019 51st first ever online B.Sc. degree in Corruption Perception Index 80th Programming and Data Science. Social Mobility Index 76th Data Science is one of the fastest Hanley Passport Index 84th growing sectors that is predicted to Climate Change Performance Index 9th create 11.5 million jobs by 2026. Human Development Index 129th This programme is open to anyone Gender Gap Index 112th who has passed class 12th, with Global Climate Risk Index 5th English and Maths at the class 10th level, and enrolled in any on-campus UG course. This unique offering removes all barriers of age, discipline or World Talent Ranking 59th geographic location and provides access to a world-class curriculum in data TRACE Bribery Risk Matrix 78th science which is in huge demand for skilled professionals. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – SEPTEMBER 2020 3 MODI ADDRESSES UN ECOSOC INDIA GOOD LOCATION FOR MANUFACTURING India ranks third in the list of most-suitable locations for global manufacturing among 48 countries in terms of cost competitiveness and operating conditions. China and the US retained the first and second positions in the Global Manufacturing Risk Index. The Index compiled by the US based global real estate consultants - Cushman & Wakefield, assesses the most suitable locations for global manufacturing among 48 countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. It scores each country against 20 variables that make up the three final weighted rankings that cover conditions, cost and risk. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a virtual keynote address at the high-level segment of the United Nations NICARAGUA JOINS SOLAR ALLIANCE Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) on July 17. The Central American country, Republic of Nicaragua The session was held on the 75th anniversary of the became the 87th country to sign the International Solar United Nations. In his speech PM Modi focused on the Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement. The ISA is an UN's role and how the expectations of the member alliance of 121 countries initiated by India and France in countries have grown from the organization as the UN Nov. 2015 to promote and harness use of solar energy. brings together 193 member countries for the event. He Its headquarters are located in Gurugram, Haryana. highlighted the medical assistance given by India to 150 Most of them are sunshine countries, which lie either countries in a fight against COVID-19. completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and The ECOSOC was established in 1946 as one of the six the Tropic of Capricorn. principal organs of the UN and has been mandated to undertake the coordination of and to offer direction to, CBDT AND CBIC SIGN MoU FOR DATA SHARING the social, economic, and cultural activities of the United The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has signed an Nations. MoU with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) to facilitate smoother bilateral exchange FM PARTICIPATES IN FM MEET OF G-20 of data on an automatic and regular basis. They will also The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman share any information available in their respective virtually participated in the 3rd G20 Finance Minister databases which may be useful for the other and Central Bank Governors meet held at Riyadh, capital organisation. of Saudi Arabia, on July 18. In the meeting, the Finance Minister discussed the global economic outlook in the INDIA TO SET FISH PROCESSING PLANTS evolving COVID-19 crisis as well as other priorities of India and Maldives signed a contract for setting up the group for the year. Saudi Arabia is the chairperson Neighbourhood Fish Processing Plants at two of the of the G-20 group for the year 2020. islands in the Maldives. These fish-processing plants are the first in a series of High Impact Community INDIA FARES WELL IN POVERTY ALLEVIATION Development (HICDP) projects that India and Maldives More than 270 million people in India were lifted out of have committed to execute together under a total grant poverty from 2005 to 2016 — the largest by any of $ 5.5 million. HICDPs constitute an important country in that period — says a study by the Oxford dimension of the dynamic development partnership Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) in between India and the Maldives. These projects are collaboration with the United Nations Development driven by the needs of communities on the islands. Programme. Maldives is a tiny group of islands, located some 700 km The study that covered 75 nations was based on a global south of Kanya Kumari. It is one of the lowest lying multidimensional poverty index (MPI) which measures nations of the world with average elevation of just 1.5 the complexities of poor people’s lives, individually and meters above sea level. collectively, each year. The MPI is calculated based on indicators such as deprivation of nutrition, schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, housing and assets. According to the study, 55.1 percent of the population in India lived under multidimensional poverty in 2005-06. In 2015-16, it came down to 27.9 per cent. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – SEPTEMBER 2020 4 BHUTAN OPENS NEW TRADE ROUTE FOR INDIA INDIA’s 1st NPNT COMPLIANT DRONE FLIGHT Pune-based Quidich Innovation Labs, along with Asteria Aerospace, Bengaluru, completed the first ‘no- permission, no-takeoff’ or NPNT-compliant drone flight in Tumakuru, Karnataka, marking the first such operation since the drone regulations policy came into effect in December 2018. In March this year, six green zones received security clearance from the government under the Digital Sky scheme for unhindered operations of NPNT-compliant drones. At present, flying drones in other zones is illegal and any drone more than 250 grams (Nano drone) requires NPNT compliance. India and Bhutan opened up a new trade route on July 15 between Pasakha in Bhutan and Jaigaon in West $400 MILLION WB SUPPORT FOR GANGA RIVER Bengal. A new Land Customs Station has been opened The World Bank announced $400 million (about Rs. 300 up at Ahllay, Pasakha by the Indian government. The Crore) support for India's program to rejuvenate the new land route for movement of industrial raw Ganga river and stem pollution in the river. The funding materials and goods destined for Pasakha Industrial will help in strengthening the management of the river Estate will boost bilateral trade and commerce and lead basin which is home to some 50 crore people. to decongestion of vehicular traffic along the Jaigaon- According to the World Bank’s statement, over 40% of Phuentsholing route. India’s GDP is generated in the densely populated Ganges basin and that makes it essential to the country's COUNTRY’s “1st CABLE-STAYED” RAIL BRIDGE water and food security. The country’s “first cable-stayed” railway bridge – the magnificent AnjiKhad Bridge across Chenab River will INDIA 34th IN REAL ESTATE TRANSPARENCY soon connect Katra and Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir. Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), Chicago based global real The Bridge has a single pylon, standing at a height of estate services provider, released its biennial Global 331 metres above the river bed and has a total length of Real Estate Transparency Index (GRETI). The Index is 473.25 metres. It is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar- topped by the UK, followed by the USA and Australia. Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. It is being India was placed at 34th rank. It is a unique benchmark constructed by Konkan Railway Corporation, a of real estate market transparency and an essential Government of India undertaking. guide for companies operating in foreign markets.