Daily GK Update: 28th October 2021

 Science & Technology

1. India successfully test-fires surface-to-surface ballistic missile ‘Agni-5’

• DRDO successfully test-fired surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
• Agni-5: It is a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which uses a three-stage solid-fueled engine.
• It can strike targets at ranges up to 5,000 km with a very high degree of accuracy
• It is 17-metre long, 2-metre wide and has launch weight of around 50 tonnes and can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne.

 Summits & Conferences

2. PM Modi addresses 16th East Asia Summit virtually

• PM Narendra Modi participated virtually in the 16th East Asia Summit (EAS), during which he re-affirmed India’s focus on free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and the principle of ASEAN Centrality in the region.
• It was hosted under the Chairmanship of Brunei.
• EAS is a regional forum and was held for the first time in 2005.
• Members of EAS includes 10 ASEAN member states, and India, China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, US and Russia

 National Affairs

3. Civil Aviation Minister releases Krishi UDAN 2.0

• Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya has released Krishi UDAN 2.0, laying out the vision of improving value realization through better integration and optimization of Agri-harvesting and air transportation.
• It proposes to facilitate and incentivize the movement of Agri-produce by air transportation.
• It will open up new avenues of growth for the agriculture sector and help attain the goal of doubling farmers' income.
• Krishi UDAN 2.0 will be implemented at 53 airports

 National Affairs

4. MSME Ministry launches ‘SAMBHAV’ Awareness Programme, 2021

• Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) has launched e-National Level Awareness Programme 2021 titled as ‘SAMBHAV’ to promote engagement of the youth in promoting entrepreneurship in New Delhi
• It was launched by Union Minister of MSME, Narayan Rane
• It is 1-month long initiative and will encourage students from different colleges/ITIs to take up entrepreneurship
• It will be conducted in more than 1,300 colleges across the country.

 National Affairs

5. Centre to set up two container-based mobile hospitals in Delhi, Chennai

• Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has announced to set-up two container-based mobile hospitals with all healthcare facilities under the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission
• It will be first of its kind in Asia
• This type of hospitals can be rushed to any place, by rail or air to address health emergency.
• These two hospitals will be placed in Delhi and Chennai with 100 beds each and each hospital unit would have 33 containers for emergency medical care

 Agreement

6. India signs MoU with ADB to promote an agribusiness network

• Govt of India signs $100 million with Asian Development Bank (ADB) to promote an agribusiness network to boost farm incomes and reduce food losses in Maharashtra.
• It will help small and marginal farmers, improving their post-harvest and marketing capacity, reduce food losses, and increase incomes through access to finance, capacity building, etc.
• It will upgrade 16 existing post-harvest facilities and construct 3 new ones to provide individual farmers and FPOs.

 National Affairs

7. Expenditure Finance Committee approves Nag River revitalization project

• Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) of Department of Expenditure has approved Rs 2,117 crore Nag River revitalization project in Nagpur, Maharashtra
• It was conceptualized by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
• This ambitious project includes construction of three STP projects, 500-kilometer sewerage network, a pumping station and community toilets.
• This project is proposed to be completed in 8 years.

 Important Dates

8. International Animation Day: 28th October

• International Animation Day (IAD) is observed every year on 28th October to celebrate the art of animation and also recognize the artists 
• IAD was created in 2002 by Association Internationale du Film D' Animation (ASIFA)
• 2021 marks the 20th International Animation Day
• It honors the birth of animation, recognized as the first public performance of projected moving images: Emile Reynaud’s Theatre Optique in Paris, on 28th October 1892.

 National Affairs

9. Govt launches operational guidelines of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0

• Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched operational guidelines of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) - Urban 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0 in New Delhi
• SBM-U 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0 guidelines have been designed after multiple rounds of stakeholder consultations and feedback from them
• Country had become Open Defecation-Free (ODF) in 2019 on the basis of third-party verification
• AMRUT Mission was earlier covering only 500 cities, and will now expand to all the cities.

 National Affairs

10. Govt reconstitutes EAC-PM for two-year period under B Debroy as head

• Govt has reconstituted economic advisory council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) for 2 years with Bibek Debroy as head.
• Other part-time members:
  • Rakesh Mohan (Former deputy governor of RBI)
  • Poonam Gupta
  • TT Ram Mohan
  • J P Morgan
  • Sajjid Chenoy
  • Neelkanth Mishra
  • CEO Nilesh Shah
• Council will analyses any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by PM, along with issues of macroeconomic importance
• EAC-PM: independent body, set up in September 2017 with term of 2 years

 Agreement

11. ADB signs MoU with India for Integrated Urban Flood Management in Chennai

• Govt of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed $251-million loan for climate-resilient, integrated urban flood protection and management in Chennai–Kosasthalaiyar basin to strengthen the resilience of Chennai city to floods.
• It will help residents of Chennai–Kosasthalaiyar basin to cope with intensifying rainfall, a higher sea level rise, and a storm surge caused by cyclones, and protect lives, economy, and environment

 National Affairs

12. Ministry of Education notifies Four Year ITEP from 2022-23

• Ministry of Education has notified Four Year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP).
• It is a dual-major holistic bachelor’s degree offering B.A. B.Ed/ Sc. B. Ed. and B.Com. B.Ed. which is the major mandates of National Education Policy, NEP 2020 related to Teacher Education.
• As per NEP, 2020, teacher engagement will be only through ITEP.
• It will be offered in pilot mode initially in about 50 selected multidisciplinary institutions across the country.

 Sports

13. Raksha Rajya Mantri flags off NIMAS multidimensional adventure sports

• Raksha Rajya Mantri Ajay Bhatt has flagged off upcoming National Institute of Mountaineering & Allied Sports (NIMAS) multidimensional adventure sports expedition to Europe.
• NIMAS will conduct this expedition in Chamonix, France in November 2021, which is considered the adventure capital of Europe.
• Locations for expedition are: Alps Mountains; Chamonix; Normandy, English Channel
• There will be hoisting/unfurling/displaying of Tricolour during in all these activities

 National Affairs

14. SC appoints Panel to Probe Pegasus Use in India

• Supreme Court has appointed three-member committee to look into allegations of unauthorized surveillance using Pegasus, a spyware developed by Israeli firm NSO Group.
• Committee members: Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Prabaharan P, Ashwin Anil Gumaste.
• It will be supervised by retired judge Justice R V Raveendran.
• Justice Raveendran was part of the R M Lodha Committee appointed by the SC in 2015 to reform the BCCI.