GK Snapshots on 16 December 2021  

PM Modi Inaugurated 1st Phase of Kashi-Vishwanath Corridor Project, Varanasi

Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the 1st phase of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project (Kashi Vishwanath Dham project) which connects the Kashi Vishwanath temple and Ganga ghats in Varanasi. 23 building spread over around 5 lakh square feet area was inaugurated as a part of the 1st phase of the Rs 339 crore Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project. The foundation stone of the project was laid on 8th March 2019.

• These buildings will provide a variety of facilities to pilgrims, including yatri suvidha kendras, tourist facilitation centre, vedic kendra, mumukshu bhavan, bhogshala, city museum, viewing gallery, food court, among others.
• The project involved the purchase and acquisition of more than 300 properties around the temple.

India & Uzbekistan Pushes Cooperation to Boost Economic Ties

Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade – Sardor Umurzakov & Indian Envoy, Manish Prabhat took part in a meeting, where they decided to promote interregional cooperation, especially between Andijan (Uzbekistan) and Gujarat (India).

• They also discussed various financial-technical cooperation between India & Uzbekistan & signed agreements for strengthening the cooperations.

Financial Allocation:

i.The Countries welcomed the financial allocation of $448 million by Eximbank of India for implementation of priority projects in Uzbekistan (that includes infrastructure development and education).
ii.The Projects regarding Information Technology and healthcare under Indian grants will also be accelerated.

CBDT rolls out ‘e-Verification Scheme, 2021’ for Taxpayer’s info e-verification

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued new rules namely ‘e-Verification Scheme, 2021’ for faceless collection of information from taxpayers, where mismatches are detected.

• The scheme is notified under a provision in Income Tax Act 135A that proposes faceless information gathering aimed at imparting efficiency, transparency and accountability. It eliminates the interface between the income-tax authority and the assessee.
• The scheme also focuses on the optimal use of the department’s resources.

Key Points:

i.The e-verification will cover information which is either in possession of designated tax officials or which is handed down to them by other official arms.
ii.The Central Government has empowered the tax office to gather more information from the taxpayers and reconcile it with information received from other specified agencies.In case there is any mismatch between the amount reported, the information could be passed for the intelligence and criminal investigation.

India’s 1st Green Hydrogen Microgrid Projects to be set up by NTPC at Simhadri, AP

National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has awarded a project of “Standalone Fuel-Cell based Micro-grid with hydrogen production using electrolyser in Simhadri, near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh (AP).

• It is India’s 1st Green Hydrogen based Energy Storage Project and one of the largest in the world.
Note – India targets to become carbon neutral by 2070

SJFI Honoured Former Indian Cricketer Sunil Gavaskar with SJFI Medal 2021

The Sports Journalists’ Federation of India (SJFI) has decided to honour former Indian Cricketer and cricket commentator Sunil Manohar Gavaskar with its prestigious ‘SJFI Medal 2021’ at SJFI Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Guwahati, Assam.

• SJFI Medal is the highest honour of SJFI.

About Sunil Gavaskar:

i.Sunil Gavaskar hails from Mumbai, Maharashtra is also known as ‘Sunny’ and ‘the Little Master’.

ii.He held the record of 34 Test centuries for almost 2 decades. The record was broken by Sachin Tendulkar in December 2005.

iii.He was the 1st person to score centuries in both innings of a Test match 3 times.

Awards:

Padma Bhushan in 1980 for sports.

Arjuna Award for Cricket in 1975.

Vice President releases the Book ‘Raj Kapoor: The Master at Work’

Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu released the book titled ‘Raj Kapoor: The Master At Work’ authored by Rahul Rawail and published by Bloomsbury India.

• The book launch event was held at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, coinciding with Raj Kapoor’s 97th birth anniversary.

i.The vice president described the book as a “labour of love and dedication”.
ii.The book is also dedicated to Raj Kapoor’s second son and father of Ranbir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, who passed away in April 2020.
iii.Raj Kapoor was an Indian actor, film producer and film director who worked in Hindi cinema since the 1950’s.

• He received multiple awards including three National Film Awards and 11 Filmfare Awards in India also the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Raj Kapoor was also awarded with Padma Bhushan (1971) & Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1987)

Famous movies of Raj Kapoor:

• Mera Naam Joker

• Awaara

• Bobby 1973

• Shree 420

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