16th July 2020 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Here is the daily GK update of 16th July 2020 covering the following news headlines: Pragyata, Post-Covid Coach, Anji Khad bridge, Tunisia, Suriname.

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 held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about the banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 16th July 2020 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

National News

1. HRD Minister releases ‘Pragyata’ guidelines for online education

• Union Human Resource Development Ministry has released ‘Pragyata’ guidelines for Digital Education.
• As per the guidelines, online classes for pre-primary students should not be for more than 30 minutes.
• It further mentions that two online sessions of up to 30-45 minutes each should be conducted for classes 1 to 8 and four sessions for classes 9 to 12.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Union HRD Minister: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’

2. Indian Railways creates ‘Post-Covid Coach’ to ensure safer journey

• The Indian Railways has launched a new state-of-the-art, ‘Post COVID Coach’ in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus infection.
• The Indian Railways’ production unit, Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, has developed this new Post COVID Coach.
• The salient features of the Post COVID Coach are handsfree amenities, copper-coated handrails & latches, plasma air purification and titanium di-oxide coating for COVID free passenger journey.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Union Minister of Railways: Piyush Goyal.

3. Anji Khad bridge: Indian Railways’ 1st cable-stayed rail bridge

• The Railways Minister Piyush Goyal has announced, India’s first cable-stayed Railways bridge “Anji Khad Bridge” to connects Katra and Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• This bridge being developed by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL).
• This bridge is as a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
• The total length of the Anji Khad Bridge is 473.25 metres.
• It has a single pylon, standing at a height of 331 metres above the river bed. The pylon had to be constructed in a vertical slope using micropiles of 40-metre depth all around the circumference of 20 metres well foundation.
• It has the support of 96 cables and has been designed to handle heavy storms of strong winds.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Konkan Railway Corporation Limited Chairman & Managing Director: Sanjay Gupta.
• Konkan Railway Corporation Limited Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

International News

4. Tunisia’s Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh resigns

• Prime Minister of Tunisia, Elyes Fakhfakh has submitted his resignation to the President of Tunisia.
• His resignation has come after a campaign to oust him in a vote of no confidence gathered momentum and to avoid more conflicts between state institutions in the country.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• President of Tunisia: Kais Saied; Capital of Tunisia: Tunis.

5. Suriname elects Indian-origin ‘Chan’ Santokhi as President

• Indian-origin, Chandrikapersad ‘Chan’ Santokhi has been elected the president of South American country “Suriname”.
• A former Justice Minister, Santokhi of the Progressive Reform Party (PRP) was elected unopposed.
• He will succeed Desi Bouterse, a former military strongman, whose National Party of Suriname (NPS) lost the election in May as he sent the country to an economic precipice.
• Suriname is a former Dutch colony where people of Indian descent make up the largest ethnic group comprising 27.4 per cent of the population of 587,000.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Capital of Suriname: Paramaribo.
• The currency of Suriname: Suriname Dollar.

Business News

6. Google to buy 7.73% stake in Jio Platforms

• IT giant, Google to buy 7.73% stake in Reliance Industries Limited(RIL)’s Jio Platforms for Rs 33,737 crores.
• For this purpose, they have signed a binding partnership and an investment agreement.
• This investment will strengthen the existing efforts of Google and Jio Platforms to expand the benefits of digitization across India.
• According to exchange filing, Google is investing at an equity valuation of Rs 4.36 lakh crore.
• With this, the total investment from financial and strategic investors into Jio Platforms stands at Rs 1,52,056 crore.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• RIL of Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Chairman & Managing Director of RIL: Mukesh D. Ambani.
• Google Headquarters: California, United States.
• CEO of Google: Sundar Pichai.

7. CCI approves acquisition by Aceso Company Pte. Ltd. in HCG

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved acquisition by Aceso Company Pte. Ltd. (Aceso) in HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited (HCG).
• CCI has approved acquisition under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chairperson of Competition Commission of India: Ashok Kumar Gupta.

Agreement & MoUs

8. AAI & BEL signs MoU for co-operation in civil aviation sector

• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Defence Pubic Sector Unit (PSU) Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• The MoU aims to tap the emerging global markets in the airport business, including the ones in the Asia-Pacific region.
• The partnership between the two companies will support each other in addressing the emerging global opportunities in the airport business.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chairman of Airports Authority of India: Arvind Singh.
• Chairman & Managing Director of Bharat Electronics Ltd: MV Gowtama.

Appointments News

9. ADB appoints Ashok Lavasa as new Vice President

• Election Commissioner, Ashok Lavasa has been appointed the vice-president Asian Development Bank (ADB).
• He will succeed Diwakar Gupta, whose term will end on 31 August.
• Lavasa, a retired 1980 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre, was appointed as an Election Commissioner in January 2018.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• President of Asian Development Bank: Masatsugu Asakawa.
• Asian Development Bank Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines.
• Asian Development Bank Founded: 19 December 1966.

Awards & Rewards

10. Ved Parkash Dudeja conferred with ‘Infra Business Leader of the Year’

• Rail Infra and Mobility Business Digital Awards (RIMBDA) has awarded Ved Parkash Dudeja with the coveted ‘Infra Business Leader of the Year’ award for 2020.
• He is the vice chairman of Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA).
• He has been awarded for his contribution towards the infrastructure development.
• Under his leadership, RLDA has launched various commercial projects, multifunctional complex, colony redevelopment and station redevelopment projects.

11. N Chandrasekaran & Jim Taiclet to receives Global Leadership Award 2020

• Tata group chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran and Chief Executive Officer and President of Lockheed Martin, Jim Taiclet to receive the US-India Business Council(USIBC) Global Leadership Award 2020.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• USIBC Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States.
• USIBC President: Nisha Biswal.
• USIBC Managing Director for India: Ambika Sharma.

Science and Technology

12. IIT Delhi develops COVID-19 Diagnostic Kit “Corosure”

• Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi has developed the world’s most affordable COVID-19 Diagnostic Kit “Corosure”.
• The kit has been e-launched by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
• The kit has also received the approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as well as the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
• The launch of this kit is expected to significantly bring down the cost of COVID-19 RT-PCR testing.

Defence News

13. Defence Ministry entrusts capital procurement powers to Armed Forces

• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has entrusted capital procurement powers to Armed Forces.
• The decision was taken during the Special Meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council held under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh.
• With this, the Armed Forces will now be able to progress urgent Capital Acquisition Cases upto Rs 300 crores to fulfil their emergent operational requirements.

Summits and Conferences

14. 5th edition of conference on A & D Manufacturing Technologies

• Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Yesso Naik has inaugurated the 5th edition of the conference on “Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Technologies”.
• The conference was held with the theme Empowering India with ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Mission’.
• Tamil Nadu Technology Development & Promotion Centre (TNTDPC) jointly organised the conference with Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• The Aerospace and Defence industry in India has been projected to reach around 70 billion Dollar by 2030.

Miscellaneous News

15. Brett Lee becomes brand ambassador of SportsAdda

• Former Australian fast bowler and cricket legend Brett Lee has been signed by SportsAdda as its brand ambassador.
• SportsAdda is an Indian news and information platform that provides all updates, insights and statistics for cricket, football, and kabaddi.

16. Hyderabad Airport gets India’s 1st contactless car parking

• The GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) has introduced India’s first-ever fully contactless airport car parking to provide a safe airport amid COVID-19.
• GHIAL has also scaled up its NETC (National Electronic Toll Collection) FASTag Car Parking in collaboration with NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India).

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• NPCI MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe.
• NPCI Head Office: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

17. INCOIS Hyderabad observes Swachhata Pakhwada

• The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad observed “Swachhata Pakhwada”.
• During the event, several activities were conducted to aware people about the mission objectives such as to eradicate open defecation, efficient management of solid and liquid waste, overall cleanliness etc.
• It also included plantation of trees at ITCOocean campus, single-use plastic avoidance pledge, campus sanitization etc.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Union Minister of Earth Sciences: Harsh Vardhan.

18. Poba Reserve Forest in Assam will be upgraded to Wildlife Sanctuary

• Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal has announced, Poba Reserve Forest in Dhemaji district would be upgraded to a wildlife sanctuary.
• The announcement was made during a meeting with senior officials of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Majuli districts at Jonai.
• Poba Reserve Forest declared in 1924 with an area of 10,522 hectares is home to a large number of flora and fauna.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Capital of Assam: Dispur.
• Governor of Assam: Jagdish Mukhi.

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