Daily GK Update: 12th August 2021

Important Dates

International Youth Day is observed every year on August 12, as recommended by World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth in Lisbon to UN General Assembly.
Theme 2021: Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.
International Youth Day was first observed in 1999.
The day is organized by UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in association with Food and Agriculture Organization and Major Group for Children and Youth.

National & International Organizations

India has been ranked 122nd on 2020 Global Youth Development Index among 181 countries.
It has been released by Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
Triennial rankings of youth development measures the extent to which young people are engaged to contribute beneficially in their societies, policies and tools.
Top nations: Singapore, Slovenia, Norway, Malta and Denmark.
Worst nation: Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Niger.

Science & Technology

DRDO has successfully test-fired medium range subsonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, off Odisha coast
It was test-launched with Made-in-India Manik turbo fan engine and was the first successful test-firing of the missile with indigenous booster engine
Nirbhay: India’s first Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM). It can use both conventional and nuclear weapons of 200 to 300 kg and can be launched from multiple platforms.

National Affairs

Kaziranga in Assam has become 1st national park in India to have been equipped with satellite phones, which are generally used by law-enforcing agencies
Satellite phones will give an edge to forest personnel over the poachers by boosting anti-poaching measures and during emergencies like floods.
Public is barred from using satellite phones in India
For this, Assam State Disaster Management Authority had procured 10 satellite phones at an estimated cost of ₹16 lakh.

Important Dates

World Elephant Day is observed on August 12 every year worldwide for the preservation and protection of the global elephants.
Aim: To create awareness on elephant conservation, and to share knowledge and positive solutions for the better protection and management of wild and captive elephants.
It was officially celebrated for the first time in 2012
The day was co-founded by Canadian Patricia Sims and HM Queen Sirikit's Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand.

Banking & Finance

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has launched an app-based digital-lending platform named as ‘Digital Prayaas’ to sanction loans to entrepreneurs from low-income groups.
Loan will be sanctioned by the end of the day.
SIDBI has tied up with BigBasket to cater to the needs of aspiring youth in urban areas and will on board BigBasket’s delivery partners and provide loans at an affordable interest rate for purchase of environment friendly e-Bikes and e-Vans

National Affairs

PM Modi has launched scheme on palm oil production called as National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP).
Govt will invest more than Rs. 11,000 crores under the scheme, through National Mission on Oilseeds, cooking oils and Oil Palm.
It aims to help increase farm incomes and make the country self-reliance in edible oil.
It will increase oil palm cultivation to 1 million hectares by 2025-26 and 1.7-1.8 million hectares by 2029-30.

Agreement

Facebook has collaborated with UNICEF India to launch 1-year joint program for ending violence against children with a special focus on online safety.
It will include nationwide social media campaign and capacity building for 1lakh schoolchildren on online safety, digital literacy, and psychosocial support
It will help to improve children’s resilience and capacity to access the digital world safely

State Affairs

Maharashtra Govt has announced new award for Information and Technology (IT) sector, named after the former PM Rajiv Gandhi, as a tribute to his pioneering work in the technology sector.
Rajiv Gandhi Award for IT sector:
- It will be conferred upon companies and institutions for excellence in IT sector every year.
- It will be given annually on August 20 (birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi)
Rajiv Gandhi is widely credited for starting a telecom revolution in India

Science & Technology

ISRO launcher’s GSLV F10 fails to launch Earth Observation Satellite EOS-03 from 2nd launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR in Sriharikota
EOS-03: Earth Observation Satellite that will be placed in a Geosynchronous Orbit. It is a 4 metre diameter Ogive shaped payload fairing is being flown for the first time in this mission.
It will provide real time data of natural disasters by monitoring water bodies, crops, vegetation conditions and forest cover changes.

Obituaries

Well-known spiritual leader, Ayurvedacharya, and proponent of Yoga, Balaji Tambe (81 years) passed away, after a brief illness in Pune
He was the founder of ‘Atmasantulana Village’, a holistic healing centre near Lonavala, which is one of the first and largest Ayurveda centers in India.
He had written several books on spirituality, Yoga and Ayurveda
He is a director on the board of Sakal Media Group.

National Affairs

Dept of Public Enterprises (DPE) has annually brings out Public Sector Enterprises Survey 2019-20 on the performance of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)
It is the 60th in the series.
It divides CPSEs into 5 sectors: Agriculture, Mining & Exploration, Manufacturing, Processing & Generation, Services, and Enterprises Under Construction and further into 21 cognate groups.
Total Paid-up Capital in all CPSEs: Rs 3,10,737 crore.