DAILY Current Affairs 8 JULY 2020

DAILY Current Affairs 8 JULY 2020

1. ASSAM GOVERNMENT TO UPGRADE DEHING PATKAI WS TO NATIONAL PARK

·        Assam has decided to upgrade the 111.942 sq km Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary into a national park which is located within the larger Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, spreading across the coal- and oil-rich districts of Upper Assam

·        Dehing Patkai, also known as Amazon of East.

·        It is also the place with the highest concentration of the rare endangered White Winged Wood Duck.

2. 1ST CHAIRMAN IFSC AUTHORITY

·        Government appointed former corporate affairs secretary and IAS officer, Injeti Srinivas as the 1st chairman of the International Financial Services Centre Authority(IFSCA) for a 3 years term.

·        IFSCA regulates all financial services in international financial services centres (IFSCs) in Gandhinagar.

·        The Union government had notified that it had  set up the IFSCA on April 27, 2020.The notification has  brought into effect certain provisions of the IFSCA Act, 2019, in relation to its functioning.

3. MCA EXTENDS TENURE OF CHAIRPERSON OF NCLAT

·        The Ministry of Corporate Affairs(MCA) has extended the term of Justice(Retd.) Bansi Lal Bhat, as the acting chairperson of National Company Law Appellate Tribunal(NCLAT) by 3 month, effective from June 15.

·        Bansi Lal Bhat also holds the post of Member (Judicial) at the appellate tribunal. 

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DAILY Current Affairs 7 JULY 2020

DAILY Current Affairs 7 JULY 2020

1. INDIAN RAILWAYS SETS UP SOLAR PLANT IN BINA

·        For the 1^st time in the world, Indian Railways will directly supply power to Overhead Traction System of train.

·        To achieve this feat, Indian Railways has recently set up 1.7 MWp (mega watt power) at Bina (Madhya Pradesh) which shall be connected directly to Overhead Traction System.

·        Indian Railways has partnered with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme for this first of its kind project in the world.

·        Indian Railways will transform itself as ‘Net Zero’ Carbon Emission Mass Transportation Network by 2030.

2. CBSE PARTNERS WITH FACEBOOK FOR CURRICULUM ON DIGITAL SAFETY

·        The Union Minister for HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ made an announcement on the partnership of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Facebook to launch a curriculum on Digital Safety and Online well-being and Augmented Reality (AR) for students and educators.

·        To ensure online well being of students and prepare them for the future of work.

3. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2020

·        In accordance with the “Sustainable Development Report 2020- The Sustainable Development Goals and Covid-19”, comprising of SDG index 2020, there will be severe negative impacts on most of the United Nations (UN)-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to COVID-19 pandemic.

·        India, which has ranked at 117th position with a score of 61.92 is also facing major challenges in 10 of the 17 SDGs including zero hunger, good health, gender inequality among others.

·        The index has been topped by Sweden.

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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 5-6 JULY 2020

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 5-6 JULY 2020

1. ‘AATMA NIRBHAR BHARAT APP INNOVATION CHALLENGE’ FOR TECHIES

·        The ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge’ for Indian tech entrepreneurs and startups was launched by PM Narendra Modi, with an objective to support and build Aatmanirbhar App Ecosystem.

·        Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (Meity) in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) launched the challenge & will  regulate the challenge.

·        The app innovation challenge launched to identify the best Indian Apps that are already being used by citizens and having potential to scale and become world class.

2. ‘FIT HAI TO HIT HAI INDIA’ WEBINAR & ‘FIT INDIA TALKS’ SESSIONS

·        “Fit Hai To Hit Hai India” webinar program was launched, under the India’s flagship Fit India campaign, by the Union Minister of HRD Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ & Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Affairs Kiren Rijiju.

·        This webinar marked the launch of ‘#FitIndiaTalks’, which will see a series of talks and interactive sessions being held by leading sports celebrities for students.

·        MHRD has set a target that by 2028 India must be in the top 10 countries at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

·        In this regard, the ministry is going to start a Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Junior, besides the already existing TOPS senior, for grooming the potential juniors as well for the 10-12 year olds. 

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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 4 JULY 2020

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 4 JULY 2020

1. 33 FIGHTER JETS TO BE PROCURED

·        Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has given its consent for the capital acquisition of various platforms and equipment required by the Indian Armed Forces, Army, Navy and the Air Force, worth Rs 38,900 crore.

·        Pinaka ammunition: Acquisition of Pinaka missile systems will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted. It is all-weather, indirect fire, free flight artillery rocket system.

·        Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM): Having a firing range of 1,000 kilometres to the existing arsenal,  LRLACM  addition will bolster the attack capabilities of the Navy and the Air Force.

·        Astra Missiles: Induction of Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) Astra, having Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capability, will serve as a force multiplier to the strike capability of the Navy and Air Force. 

·        DAC approved procurement of 33 fighter aircrafts & upgradation of existing 59 Mig-29 aircraft 

·        DAC also approved the proposal for procurement of 33 fighter jets including 21 MIG-29 ((Mikoyan-Gurevich) and 12 Su-30 MKI (Modernizirovannyi, Kommercheskiy, Indiski where ‘Su’ is Sukhoi) aircraft along with upgradation of existing 59 MIG-29 aircraft.

2. RUSSIANS GRANT PUTIN RIGHT TO EXTEND HIS RULE UNTIL 2036

·        The 77.9% Russian electorate have voted in favour of constitutional amendments that will allow 67 years old President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036 i.e. until the age of 83.

·        His current term of 6 years will end in 2024.

·        Means now, he will be re-elected twice under the constitutional amendments. He is already the longest-serving leader in modern Russian history. 

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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 27 JUNE 2020

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 27 JUNE 2020

1. ‘AATMA NIRBHAR UTTAR PRADESH ROJGAR ABHIYAN’

·        Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Yojana was inaugurated by Shri Narendra Modi through video conferencing for migrant workers of Uttar pradesh.

·        The local entrepreneurship will be promoted along with providing employment opportunities to migrant workers.

·        Maintaining ‘Do Gaj Ki Doori’ and covering face mask are the best precautions until a vaccine is found.

·        About 5000 crore rupees were directly transferred to Jan Dhan accounts of 75 lakh poor women of UP.

2. RS 500 CR EMERGENCY FUNDS TO ARMED FORCES

·        The Central Government has granted special financial powers of Rs 500 crore as emergency funds to armed forces for war preparedness amid ongoing border tensions with China.

·        Under this financial aid, the three defence services (Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force) can buy any weapon system or any in inventory upto Rs 500 cr in consultation with the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).

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Daily Current Affairs 21, 22 JUNE 2020

Daily Current Affairs 21-22 JUNE 2020

1. FRANCE COMMITS 200 MILLION EUROS TO SUPPORT INDIA’S COVID RESPONSE

·        France and India signed a credit financing agreement promising 200 million euros (Rs. 1709 crore) to support the social welfare system and India’s covid response.

·        The fund will be provided to India through the AFD, French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement).

·        The programme focuses on the “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana” to benefit the low income families and to ensure their social, health and economic wellbeing and their contribution towards the nation’s economic growth amid covid pandemic.

2. NEARLY 1% OF WORLD’S POPULATION FORCIBLY DISPLACED

·        In accordance with the annual report on displacement titled “Global Trends- Forced Displacement in 2019″ released by UN refugee agency- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in 2019, additional 11 million people were displaced where 2.4 million sought protection outside their country, and 8.6 million were newly displaced within the borders of their countries.

·        Five countries account for two-thirds (68%) of people displaced across borders: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Myanmar.

3. 1ST ONLINE AUTO RETAIL FINANCING : ‘CLICK TO BUY’ PLATFORM

·        Hyundai Motor India Limited(HMIL) partnered with HDFC Bank to offer industry 1st online auto retail financing on its end-to-end online automotive retail platform, ‘Click to Buy’ to the customers. 

·        HMIL launched ‘Click to Buy’, an upgraded version of end-to-end online automotive retail platform to provide a safe, contactless & convenient purchasing experience to its consumers after the COVID times.

4. INDIA’S 1ST FIRM TO HIT RS 11 TN MARKET CAP ON JUNE 11, 2020

·        Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) became the first Indian company to reach a market capitalisation of Rs 11 trillion, as the company was valued at Rs 11.15 trillion.

·        With this, RIL accounts for nearly 9% of the country’s total m-cap of Rs 138 trillion. Its stock on Bombay stock exchange (BSE) was record high at Rs 1,738.95. Notably the company’s share doubled since mid-March 2020.  

·        In dollar terms, RIL’s m-cap translates into $155 billion, making it the 54th largest company globally.

·        Mukesh Ambani became 9th richest in the world: Bloomberg Billionaires Index

5. URJIT PATEL APPOINTED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF NIPFP

·        The former governor of RBI Urjit Patel was appointed as the Chairman of National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP). 

·        He will start his 4year tenure on 22nd June 2020 succeeding Vijay Laxman Kelkar, former chairman of NIPFP.

·        NIPFP-The centre undertakes research, policy advocacy and capacity building in areas related to public economics and the institute assists the central, state and local government in formulating policies by providing an analytical base.

6. ‘SATYABHAMA’ PORTAL TO PROMOTE R&D IN MINING & MINERAL SECTOR

·        Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Coal &Mines has launched SATYABHAMA (Science and Technology Yojana for Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Mining Advancement) Portal, developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC), Mines Informatics Division.

·        Unlike the current system, where research proposals are physically submitted by scientists /researchers, the Satyabhama portal allows online submission of project proposal & also its status and use of funds can be monitored.

7. WORLD REFUGEE DAY 2020 – JUNE 20

·        The theme of this year is “Every Action Counts” to remind that everyone including the refugees can contribute to society in creating a world with equality and equity.

·        The first world refugee day was celebrated on 20th June 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol help protect Refugees which contains the rights and the obligations of the refugees towards the host nation.

8. NATIONAL READING DAY 2020: JUNE 19

·        India celebrated the 25th edition of the National Reading Day to honour Kerala’s Father of Library Movement, Puthuvayil Narayana(P.N.) Panicker & his significant contribution to the reading culture which made Kerala’s universal literacy rate (100%) in 1990.

·        The day aims to encourage reading among students across the country.

·        The following week of June 19, 2020 will be celebrated as Reading week and reading month will be celebrated from June 19 – July 18, 2020.

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