Daily GK Update : 19th March 2021

Very Important Current Affairs for your upcoming Exams...

Senior IPS officer M A Ganapathy has been appointed as Director General (DG) of National Security Guard (NSG)
He is a 1986 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Uttarakhand cadre and is currently serving as the Director General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)
His appointment will be effective from the date of joining NSG till Feb 29, 2024
NSG:
- It is an elite counter-terrorism unit under Indian Ministry of Home Affairs
- Established: 1986
- HQs: Delhi

Italy has signed amended Framework Agreement of International Solar Alliance (ISA) with India
The amendments to the ISA Framework agreement entered into force in Jan 8, 2021, opening its membership to all Member States of the UN, including those lying beyond the tropics.
ISA was launched in 2015 by Indian PM and his French Counterpart during 2015 UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris
ISA Director General: Ajay Mathur.
HQs: Gurugram, India.

Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released report titled ‘Trends in International Arms Transfers-2020’
As per the report, imports of weapons and military equipment of India declined by 33% during 2016-2020
India continues to be 2nd largest World importer, despite import rates cut
Largest arms importers: Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Australia, China
Largest arms exporters: US, Russia, France, Germany, China. India ranked 24th in this

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan has been appointed as the Chairman of ‘Stop TB Partnership Board’ with effect from July 2021.
He will be serving at this post for 3-year tenure.
He was appointed in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the movement of eradicating Tuberculosis from India by 2025
Stop TB Partnership:

Unique international body with the power to align actors all over the world in the fight against TB
Established: 2000

Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum’s U.S. India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) Initiative has been launched.
IUSSTF’s USIAI Initiative focuses on AI cooperation in critical areas that are priorities for both countries.
USIAI will serve as a platform to discuss opportunities and challenges for bilateral AI R&D collaboration, enable AI innovation, help share ideas for developing AI workforce and recommend modes and mechanisms for catalyzing partnerships.

Ajay Mathur has assumed the charge as the Director General of International Solar Alliance (ISA) with effect from March 15, 2021.
He has been appointed for tenure of 4 years which can be renewed for an additional term.
He succeeded Upendra Tripathy, who completed his term on March 15, after serving as the Director General since 2017.
ISA Headquarters: Gurugram, India.

India and Kuwait have decided to establish Joint Commission to enhance and deepen the ties of fraternity and friendship and cooperation in all fields
Joint Commission Meeting will be held regularly to review all bilateral matters
It will be charged with formulating the required basis to strengthen the relations between countries in energy, trade, economy, investment, and HR
It will be co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Kuwait counterpart

Global Recycling Day is observed on 18 March every year to recognise the importance of recycling as a resource, not waste.
This day was introduced by Global Recycling Foundation, London, to promote the concept and practice of recycling in October 2018.
Global Recycling Day Theme 2021: #RecyclingHeroes.
The theme recognises the people, places and activities that showcase the importance of recycling in preserving natural resources.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced new initiatives to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India
It will be done by empowering school students with cloud computing skills, and enabling entrepreneurs to build innovative education technology solutions on the cloud.
AIM will leverage AWS Educate, that provides resources for students and educators to accelerate cloud-related learning.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated Amar Ekushey book fair in Dhaka through video conferencing
She also released the book titled ‘New China 1952’ which is the English translation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib’s book ‘Amar Dekha Naya Chin’ and Bangla Academy Literary Award 2020
Theme of 2021 book fair: Birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and golden jubilee of independence
The book fair will conclude on April 14.

Senior IPS officer Kuldiep Singh has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
He is a 1986 batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre
He succeeded A. P. Maheshwari, who supernaturated in Feb 2021
He is presently serving as Special DG of CRPF
His appointment will be effective from March 1, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022 i.e. date of his superannuation.
CRPF is India's largest Central Armed Police Force, under Ministry of Home.
HQs: Delhi

Tanzania's President John Magufuli (61 years) passed away at a hospital in Dar es Salaam due to severe illness.
He served as the fifth president of Tanzania from 2015 until his death in 2021.
He served as Minister of Works, Transport and Communications from 2000 to 2005 and 2010 to 2015 and was chairman of the Southern African Development Community from 2019 to 2020.
Capital of Tanzania: Dodoma.
Currency: Tanzanian shilling.

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