DAILY GK 19 – 20 JAN 2020
1.
Centre of Excellence in Blockchain
Technology
ü Ravi
Shankar Prasad inaugurated the Centre of
Excellence (CoE) in Blockchain Technology set up by
the National Informatics Centre(NIC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The CoE has been set up with the aim of providing blockchain as a service and
help all stakeholders to benefit from shared learning, experiences and
resources.
2.
Gujarat leads in water efficiency
ü According
to the rankings of ‘Central and state governmental water departments based
on their efficiency targets for 2019’ released by Ministry of
Jal Shakti, Gujarat ranked the best for
parameters on efficiency targets , while NCTof Delhi remains in the
worst-performing state category.
3.
Magh Bihu festival
ü Magh
Bihu, an auspicious harvest festival is being
celebrated in Assam. Magh Bihu falls in the local month of ‘Magh’
during mid-january. It is also called ‘Bhogali Bihu’ or ‘Maghor Bihu’
as it is celebrated with community feasts after the annual harvest takes place
ü National
Parks (NP)- Kaziranga NP, Manas NP, Dibru Saikhowa
NP, Nameri NP, Orang NP
4.
New Delhi World Book Fair 2020
ü The 28th edition
of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2020 (NDWBF 2020) was held at Pragati
Maidan in New Delhi from January 4-12, 2020. It was inaugurated
by Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’. The theme of NDWBF 2020 book fair was ‘Gandhi:
TheWriters’ Writer’
5.
Global Social Mobility Index 2020
ü World
Economic Forum (WEF) released 1st edition of a report
titled “The Global Social Mobility Report 2020: Equality, Opportunity
and a New Economic Imperative”. The global social mobility index (GSMI) of 82
countries were launched in this report. As per the Index, India ranked
in the 76th position with a score of 42.7while Denmark
topped the list.
6.
$50mn assistance to SL
ü National Security Advisor (NSA) of
India Ajit Doval visited Colomo.India pledged to provide $50
million security assistance to Sri Lanka for purchasing equipment for
its security forces.
7.
25th Conference of Speakers
ü A
parliamentary delegation headed by Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla has
attended the 25th edition of the Conference
of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) 2020 held
in Ottawa,Canada . In 2022, Australia will be the host of
commonwealth speakers meeting & Uganda to host 2024 Commonwealth speakers
conference with additional CSPOC Standing Committee meetings to be held in
Guernsey in 2021 and Trinidad and Tobago in 2023.
8.
WGC Report Outlook 2020
ü RBI
has been ranked 6th largest buyer of sovereign gold abroad
after it purchased 25.2 tonnes in the first 10 months of 2019 according to
World Gold Council(WGC) report titled “Outlook 2020: Global
economic trends and their impact on gold”. The central banks of China,
Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Poland have purchased more gold than India in
2019.
ü RBI
currently holds 625.2 tonnes of gold, that forms 6.6% of its
forex reserves.
9.
UN revises India’s GDP growth forecast
ü According
to the ‘World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2020’ report released
by the United Nations (UN), it has revised the India’s GDP (Gross
Domestic Product) growth forecast for the year 2019-20
to 5% from 5.7%.
ü Growth
projection for 2020-21 has also been downgraded to 5.8-5.9 % from 6.6% in
the report.
10.
Kiran Mazumdar to receive highest Australian civilian honour
ü Australia
has conferred its highest civilian honour, the Order of Australia
honour to Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder and
chairperson of bio-pharmaceutical company Biocon.She is the fourth
Indian citizen to be awarded Australia’s highest civilian honour.
11.
New Vice Chief of Army Staff
ü Lieutenant
General Satinder Kumar Saini appointed as the new Vice Chief
of Army Staff (VCOAS). He will take charge on January 25, 2020. He succeeded
Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane, who was promoted as
the Chief of Army Staff.
12.
New President of AAI
ü Arjun
Munda, Minister of Tribal Affairs elected as
the President of the suspended Archery Association of India (AAI) for 4
years term. The elections were held as per the Delhi High Court
order.
13.
India successfully test-fired SLBM K-4
ü India
successfully test fired the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) K-4 at
the Visakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh. The range of K-4
ballistic missile is 3,500 Kilometer. The missile was
developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The
test was carried out from underwater platform in the sea.
14. 1st
woman third Umpire in men’s T20I
ü Jacqueline
Williams of Jamaica becomes the first woman
third umpire in men’s international cricket match. The 43-year-old Jamaican
woman oversaw all 3 matches of the Twenty20 International (T20I) series
in Grenada, West Indies between West Indies and Ireland.
15. National
Immunization Day-January 19, 2020.
ü The
Pulse Polio Programme 2020 was conducted as a part of National Immunization Day
across the country.