8th June 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

• India’s largest power utility, NTPC Ltd, under the Ministry of Power, has become a signatory to the prestigious UN Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate, that focus on efficient water management.
• The initiative also provides a platform for companies to partner with like-minded businesses, UN agencies, public authorities, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders.
• The CEO Water Mandate is an initiative by the UN Global Compact, designed to assist companies in the development, implementation, and disclosure of comprehensive water strategies and policies, to better their water and sanitation agendas as part of long term Sustainable Development Goals.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• NTPC Chairman and Managing Director: Shri Gurdeep Singh;
• NTPC Founded: 1975.
• NTPC Headquarters: New Delhi, India.

9. World Bank approves $500 mn program to help boost India’s MSME sector

• The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a USD 500 million programs to support India’s nationwide initiative to revitalise the MSME sector, which has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
• The MSME sector is the backbone of India’s economy, contributing 30% of India’s GDP and 4% of exports.
• The USD 500 million Raising and Accelerating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Performance (RAMP) Program is the World Bank’s second intervention in this sector, the first being the USD 750 million MSME Emergency Response Program, approved in July 2020 to address the immediate liquidity and credit needs of millions of viable MSMEs severely impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Ranks and Reports News

10. THE Asia University Rankings 2021 released

• Times Higher Education Asia university rankings 2021, three Indian universities secured positions in the top 100 list. IISc Bangalore, IIT Ropar and IIT Indore have secured ranks among the top 100 universities in Asia. Like last year, not a single Indian varsity made it to the elite top 10. IISc Bangalore ranked at 37th position.
• IIT Ropar is placed at 55th rank and IIT Indore at 78th rank among the top 100 universities.
• Tsinghua University, China has gained the first position in the Asia university rankings 2021. The second place is also secured by China’s Peking University. The third and fifth ranks have been secured by Singapore varsities. Whereas, the University of Hong Kong is at fourth rank.

11. Punjab tops performance grading index in school education

• Punjab, which has improved its showing from the 13th position it attained in 2018-19, topped the charts this time among all the states and union territories with a score of 929 out of 1,000, followed by Chandigarh (912) and Tamil Nadu (906).
• The performance grading index ranks the states on a set of 70 parameters relating to learning outcomes and quality, access, infrastructure and facilities, equity and governance processes to catalyse transformational change in the field of school education.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Punjab CM: Captain Amarinder Singh.
• Punjab Governor: V.P.Singh Badnore.

Defence News

12. US to hand over three MH-60 ‘Romeo’ multi-role choppers to India

• The Indian Navy is set to receive its first set of multi-role helicopters as America is set to hand over three MH-60 Romeo helicopters to the force in the United States in July. The first batch of Indian pilots has also reached the US for training on the helicopters which would be arriving in India next year in July.
• India and the US had signed over-Rs 16,000 crore deal to buy 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters from Lockheed Martin in 2020 under fast track procedures on a government-to-government deal to hasten the process.
• The 24 MH-60 Romeos would be equipped with multi-mode radars and night-vision devices as well as armed with Hellfire missiles, torpedoes and precision-guided weaponry.
• The helicopters are designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers.
• The choppers are designed for hunting submarines as well as knocking out ships and conducting search-and-rescue operations at sea.
• India and the US are also working on finalising a deal for buying 30 Predator drones to enhance the strike capabilities of the three defence forces.

Awards Days

13. Arunachal Pradesh’s Water Burial bags best film National Award

• Arunachal Pradesh’s Water Burial has bagged the best film National Award on environment conservation at 67th National Films Awards 2021.
• The film, which is directed by independent filmmaker Shantanu Sen.Water Burial is produced by AM Television.
• Inspired by the popular Assamese novel Saba Kota Manuh, which is written by Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi, Water Burial is in Monpa dialect and has an intriguing storyline around a dark ritual of a local tribe in Arunachal Pradesh.

Sports News

14. Oman to host inaugural FIH Hockey5s World Cup in 2024

• Oman has been named as the host of the inaugural International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey5s World Cup.
• The FIH said the men’s and women’s events will take place in Oman’s capital city Muscat in January 2024. The governing body said its Executive Board named Oman as host, after a recommendation from the organisation’s Events Bidding Task Force.
• The FIH Executive Board announced the launch of the Hockey5s World Cup in 2019. The launch comes as Hockey 5s becomes an increasingly popular format of the sport, played on a smaller pitch and which has featured at the last two Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Important Days

15. World Oceans Day: 8 June

• World Ocean Day is observed globally on 8th June every year. This day is observed to raise global awareness about the importance of the ocean in our lives and the ways through which we can protect it.
• The purpose of the Day is to tell the general public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world’s oceans.
• “The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods” is the theme for World Oceans Day 2021, as well as a declaration of intentions that launches a decade of challenges to get the Sustainable Development Goal 14, “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources”, by 2030.

Miscellaneous News

16. Bengaluru international airport achieves net energy neutral status

• The Kempegowda International Airport here has achieved net energy neutral status in the Financial Year 2020-21 as part of its sustainability goals.
• Bengaluru international airport (BIAL) has been able to save nearly 22 lakh units of energy in the Financial Year 2020-21, enough to power nearly 9,000 houses for a month.
• According to BIAL, these measures were achieved through solar installation at rooftops of utility buildings, car parks, ground-mounted solar installation at the airside, rooftops of cargo buildings and project offices.
• It has also begun purchasing 40 million units of solar power through open access and wind power purchase through open access. Adoption of LED and optimal use of natural light contributed to energy-neutral status.