ICRA projects GDP growth of India at 8.5% in FY 2022
The domestic credit rating agency ICRA has projected the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of India for the financial year 2021-22 to 8.5 per cent year-on-year. It expects the gross value added (GVA) at basic prices (at constant 2011-12 prices) to grow at 7.3 per cent in FY2022. ICRA is Gurgaon based credit rating agency, owned by Moody’s Corporation.
United States Tops Bitcoin Investment Gains in 2020
The US traders have benefited the most in Bitcoin Investment Gain in 2020, with a profit of $4.1 billion, according to the latest report by Chainalysis, a blockchain analysis company based in Manhattan, New York. Chinese traders stood second, with a profit of $1.1 billion. India has been ranked at 18th spot with a profit of $241 million, among the top 25 countries, in Bitcoin investment gains 2020.
List of top 25 countries in realised Bitcoin gains for 2020:
- United States
- China
- Japan
- United Kingdom
- Russia
- Germany
- France
- Spain
- South Korea
- Ukraine
- Netherlands
- Canada
- Vietnam
- Turkey
- Italy
- Brazil
- Czech Republic
- India
- Australia
- Poland
- Argentina
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Belgium
- Thailand
National award-winning Bengali Filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta Passes Away
The National award-winning eminent Bengali film Director Buddhadeb Dasgupta has passed away. He had won several National Awards for his contribution to Bengali cinema. Some of his national award-winning films include:
- Bagh Bahadur(1989), Charachar(1994), Lal Darja(1997), Mondo Meyer Upakhyan (2002) and Kaalpurush(2005) – National Awards for Best Film.
- Uttara (2000) and Swapner Din (2005) – National Film Awards for Best Direction.
- Dooratwa (1978), Phera (1987) and Tahader Katha (1993) – National Awards for Best Feature Film in Bengali
- A Painter of Eloquent Silence: Ganesh Pyne (1998) – National Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film
- Phera (1987) -National Award for Best Screenplay.
Asian Games gold medal-winning Boxer Dingko Singh Passes Away
Asian Games gold medal-winning former boxing star Dingko Singh has passed away, battling liver cancer. Manipur-based Dingko Singh won the gold medal for India in the 1998 Asian Games Bangkok, Thailand. He was also bestowed with the Arjuna award in 1998 and the country’s fourth-highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri, in 2013.
Auckland tops Global Liveability Index 2021
New Zealand and Australian cities dominated the Global Liveability Index 2021 published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Auckland has been ranked the best on liveability rankings due to the ability of New Zealand city to contain Covid-19 faster. Japanese cities of Osaka and Tokyo grabbed second and fourth place and Adelaide, Australia spot 3rd place on EIU’s Global Liveability Index 2021. living conditions remained worst in the Syrian capital Damascus.
The top 10 most livable cities in the world
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Osaka, Japan
- Adelaide, Australia
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Tokyo, Japan
- Perth, Australia
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Melbourne, Australia
- Brisbane, Australia
Here’s the list of the 10 least liveable cities in the world:
- Damascus (Syria)
- Lagos (Nigeria)
- Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea)
- Dhaka (Bangladesh)
- Algiers (Algeria)
- Tripoli (Libya)
- Karachi (Pakistan)
- Harare (Zimbabwe)
- Douala (Cameroon)
- Caracas (Venezuela)
Thales appoints Ashish Saraf as Vice-President and Country Director for India
French defence and aerospace group, Thales announced the appointment of Ashish Saraf as Vice-President and Country Director for India with effect from June 1, 2021. He succeeds Emmanuel de Roquefeuil who takes up a new role as the VP and head for Thales in the Middle East. He will lead the company’s India business and will be responsible for its strategic growth in the country across all of its markets, further strengthening local teams, collaborations and innovation.
Prior to joining Thales, Saraf served as the president and head of the region for Airbus Helicopters – India and South Asia where he led Airbus’ Helicopters’ sales, services, training, innovation, industrial partnerships and government relations functions across the civil, parapublic and military markets in the region. Thales group builds electrical systems &provides services for aerospace, defence, etc.
Debbie Hewitt appointed Football Association’s first chairwoman
England’s Football Association named corporate executive and former RAC chief, Debbie Hewitt as its first woman chair, ending months of speculation over Greg Clarke’s successor following his exit over inappropriate remarks. The FA, which was formed in 1863 and has been working to become more inclusive, launched its ‘Pursuit of Progress’ initiative in 2018. FA is the governing body of football located in England.
Ferrari appoints Benedetto Vigna as new company CEO
Ferrari has named Benedetto Vigna as its new company CEO, taking over from interim chief John Elkann. Vigna currently serves as the president of STMicroelectronics’ Analog, MEMS and Sensor Group, and is a member of the company’s executive committee. Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Ferrari Founder: Enzo Ferrari;
- Ferrari Founded: 1947, Maranello, Italy;
- Ferrari Headquarters: Maranello, Italy.
Russian navy building first fully stealth warship
Russia is building the first naval ship that will be fully equipped with stealth technology to make it hard to detect. The hull of the Mercury naval corvette dubbed project 20386 has already been built and the vessel is expected to be delivered to the navy next year. The warship will be armed with cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missiles and artillery.
The naval ship is capable of searching for and destroying submarines. Stealth technology can make military assets such as ships and planes harder for radar to detect. While Russia has used stealth technology, such as a radar-absorbing coating into some of its navy vessels, they have not had full stealth technology.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Russia President: Vladimir Putin.
- Russia Capital: Moscow.
- Russia Currency: Russian Ruble.
RS Sodhi conferred with Asia Pacific Productivity Champion award
The Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul), R.S. Sodhi, was conferred with the regional award as Asia Pacific Productivity Champion from Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Tokyo, Japan in recognition of enhanced productivity and efficient milk supply chain. He is the first Indian to have received the prestigious award, in the last 20 years.
The award is conferred to eligible individuals who have significantly contributed to advancing the productivity movement in the Asia-Pacific region and those in a specific member economy of the APO. The APO regional awards are conferred every five years and each country can nominate only one candidate out of all nominations. Every five years only five regional nominees receive the award. Sodhi received the award on behalf of 3.6 million dairy farmers.
Assam CM Sarma launches Sishu Seva Achoni for COVID-19 Orphans
Assam chief minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has dedicated Chief Minister Sishu Seva Scheme to the service of the beneficiaries and handed over the cheques of financial assistance to few beneficiaries who lost both their parents due to COVID. It may be noted that under the scheme an amount to the tune of Rs. 7,81,200 would be parked in the bank as fixed deposit in the name of each beneficiary.
Monthly financial assistance of Rs. 3500 which will be realised from the fixed deposit will be given to the beneficiaries till they attain 24 years of age. On completion of 24 years of age, the principal amount parked as a fixed deposit against each beneficiary would be credited to their bank accounts.
Under the scheme:
- The State government would give Rs. 3500 per month per child including Central government support of Rs. 2000.
- For children below 10 years and adolescent girls with no guardian, the State government will take steps to house such children in one of the child care institutions and provide adequate funding towards their upkeep including educational expenditure.
- Orphaned adolescent girls will be given accommodation in suitable and reputed institutions to ensure their sensitive care and proper protection. One such institution is Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya residential schools.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Assam Governor: Jagdish Mukhi;
- Assam Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma.
BharatPe acquires loyalty platform PAYBACK India
Merchant payments and financial services provider, BharatPe has acquired a multi-brand loyalty platform, PAYBACK India, to help its 6 million offline merchants roll out rewards and loyalty programmes for customers. The acquisition is expected to give an exit to American Express and ICICI Investments Strategic Fund, which hold 90% and 10% stake respectively in the entity.
PAYBACK India will continue to function independently, after the acquisition. The deal is expected to be worth $30 million, an individual aware of the discussions told Mint on condition of anonymity.
With this deal:
- BharatPe, which has traditionally been powering payments and providing credit and other financial services to offline merchants, enters a consumer-facing business.
- BharatPe will now also provide digital credit to customers and launch ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ (BNPL) services on the PAYBACK platform.
- PAYBACK India’s customers can also redeem their loyalty points and BNPL services at offline stores through the BharatPe quick response (QR) code.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chief Executive Officer of BharatPe: Ashneer Grover;
- Headoffice of BharatPe: New Delhi;
- BharatPe Founded: 2018.
K Nagaraj Naidu named to lead UN bureaucracy for a year
Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, K Nagaraj Naidu was named chef de cabinet by the incoming UN general assembly president, Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Shahid. He was appointed for the duration of one-year tenure to lead the world body through its return to normalcy as countries strive to bring the pandemic under control.
Naidu is India’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, and he will be on loan from the Indian government to the United Nations for a position that is comparable to the Indian prime minister’s principal secretary, who oversees the cabinet bureaucracy; also something like the chief of staff to the US president.
