Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 1st week January 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
Global Family Day
- It is celebrated every year on 1st of January as a day of peace and sharing.
- Its aim is to unite and spread message of peace by considering and promoting an idea that Earth is a one Global Family so as to make world a better place to live for everyone.
World Braille Day
- World Braille Dayis on 4 January and celebrates awareness of the importance of braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights for blind and visually impaired people.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
- Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or Non Resident Indian Day is a celebratory day observed on 9 January by the Republic of India to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India.
- The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Ahmedabad on 9 January 1915.
World Hindi Day
- The day is commemorated every year on January 10th with the objective to promote use of Hindi language abroad. Special functions are being organized to mark the occasion.
- On this day in 2006 the First World Hindi Conference was organized in Nagpur with the aim to promote the language worldwide and since then every year 10th January is being observed as the World Hindi Day.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
28 UIDAI-run Aadhaar Seva Kendras operational across the country
- The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has opened 28 Aadhaar Seva Kendras (ASK) as part of its plan to open 114 stand-alone Aadhaar Enrolments & Update Centres across the country. These are in addition to about 38,000 Aadhaar enrolment centers run by Banks, Post Offices and State Governments.
PM to distribute Krishi Karman Awards and 3rd installment of Rs 2000 to 6 crore beneficiaries under PM KISAN
- The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will distribute Krishi Karman Awards and Commendation Awards to states at a public meeting in Tumkur Karnataka on 1.2020. He will also give away Agriculture Minister’s Krishi Karman Awards for Progressive Farmers.
- The event will also witness the release of the 3rd installment of PM Kisan (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) of Rs 2000 for the period December 2019-March 2020.
Government launches web portal to block stolen, lost mobile phones
- The government has launched a web portal, ‘Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR)’, to facilitate blocking and tracing of stolen, lost mobile phones in
- The CEIR has been undertaken by the Department of Telecom (DoT) for addressing security, theft and other concerns including reprogramming of mobile handsets.
PM Modi’s ‘Pariksha pe Charcha’ programme rescheduled on Jan 20@
- Pariksha pe Charcha, the programme in which Prime Minister interacts with the cross section of Students and Teachers from India and abroad to beat exam stress has been rescheduled to 20th January this year.
- The programme was earlier scheduled for 16th of January.
EC launches Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System
- The Election Commission has launched a Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System to enable applicants to track the status of the applications.
National Green Corps scheme revived in J&K
- The National Green Corps scheme, which was closed , has been revived for Jammu and Kashmir. Due to the persistent efforts of J&K Pollution Control Board, PCB, the Environment Education, Awareness and Training scheme of Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for National Green Corps (Eco-Clubs) J&K PCB put efforts for the revival of the scheme in the State Nodal Agency (SNA) meet organized by MoEFCC at Kevadia in Gujarat.
Indian Railways launches integrated helpline number 139 for passengers
- The Indian Railways has integrated its helpline numbers into a single number — 139 for quick grievance redressal and enquiries by passengers during their train journeys.
- The new helpline number 139 will take over all the existing helpline numbers. It will be easy for passengers to remember this number and connect with Railways for all their needs during train travel.
Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates new campus of NFSC in Nagpur
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah dedicated the new campus of National Fire Service College (NFSC) under Ministry of Home affairs in Nagpur.
- NFSC campus spread across 42 acres is fully equipped with the international standards. four-year Bachelor level course in Fire Engineering approved by the All India Council for Technical Education along with the short and long-term courses in Emergency Management, Medical Life Support Management and Disaster Management will be taught in this college.
Govt approves release of Grant-in-Aid of Rs 2.6 cr to J&K Pollution Control Board
- Environment and Forests Ministry has approved the release of Grant-in-Aid of 6 crore rupees to J&K Pollution Control Board.
- Under this scheme, the JK PCB shall provide financial assistance to 3742 number of Eco Clubs of registered schools in both the regions of J&K along with 96 Eco-Clubs for registered Colleges.
3-day capacity building programme for J-K officers begins in Jammu
- A three-day capacity building programme on general fund rules , e-procurement and government e-market place (GeM) for officers of Jammu and Kashmir was inaugurated by Union Minister Jitendra Singh.
- The programme is organized by DARPG, National Centre for Good Governance and National Institute of Financial Management in collaboration with the Department of Finance, J&K Government and J&K Institute of Management, Public Administration & Rural Development (IMPARD).
Tiger deaths hit the 100-mark again, but number down from previous year
- For the third straight year, the number of tiger deaths in India have touched the 100-figure mark.
- According to data from the Ministry of Forest Environment and Climate Change (MoEFCC), there were 84 cases of tiger deaths in the country and 11 cases of seizures (in which a tiger is presumed dead on the basis of body parts seized by authorities). Both put together, the number of tiger deaths is in 2019 is
Yoga Science meet organised at Indian Science Congress in Bengaluru
- A Yoga Science meet was organised as part of the ongoing Indian Science Congress in The head of SVYASA Yoga deemed University Dr. HR Nagendra spoke on the benefits of Yoga in busting stress.
Rajnath Singh inaugurates 3-day National Traders Convention in Delhi
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated government is committed to protect the interests of traders and to promote ease of doing business.
- While inaugurating the three-day National Traders Convention at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi
Foreign tourist arrivals in India rose 3% in Jan-Nov 2019
- India is gaining popularity among overseas travellers as foreign tourist arrivals grew by 23 per cent to 96,69,633 during January-November 2019.
- As many as 93,66,478 overseas travellers had arrived in January-November 2018.
Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah lays foundation stone of The Delhi Cycle Walk
- Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah laid foundation stone of The Delhi Cycle Walk at Tughlakabad, New Delhi. Present on the occasion were Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Shri Anil Baijal
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launches website on grant of permission for aerial photography and remote sensing survey
- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched Ministry of Defence (MoD) No Objection Certificate (NOC) web portal modnoc.ncog.gov.in for undertaking aerial survey with the final permission of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Shri Rajnath Singh suggested that internal mechanism should be developed to monitor the time taken to give NOC.
Centre releases Rs 5,908 cr to seven states as disaster relief
- The Centre has released 5,908 crore rupees of Central assistance to seven states which were affected by floods, landslides, cloudburst during the previous year.
- The decision was taken at a High-Level Committee meeting headed by Home Minister Amit Shah.
- The financial assistance has been given to Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh from the National Disaster Response Fund, NDRF
President Kovind lays foundation stone to Lakshadweep’s first Super Specialty Hospital at Kavaratti
- President Ram Nath Kovind laid foundation stone to Lakshadweep’s first Super Specialty Hospital at Kavaratti.
Special drive launched to remove speed breakers from National Highways@
- A special drive has been initiated for removal of all sorts of speed breakers on National Highways Road Transport and Highways Ministry stated, The step comes in a bid to ensure smooth and hassle-free traffic movement, especially at toll plazas.
Sahitya Akademi, Iran Embassy organize Indo-Iranian Writers’ Meet in New Delhi
- In continuation of the cultural exchange programme between India and Iran, Sahitya Akademi in collaboration with Embassy of Iran organized an Indo-Iranian Writers’ Meet in New Delhi.
- The objective of the meet is to further deepen cultural ties between the two nations and heighten literary awareness among the readers at both sides.
Institutions at Gujarat Ayurved University to get status of Institution of National Importance
- The Cabinet approved conferring the status of Institution of National Importance to a cluster of Ayurvedic institutions at Gujarat Ayurved University campus in
Govt approves over Rs 5000 cr project for natural gas supplies in Northeast
- The Government has approved the Viability Gap Funding, VGF of 5 thousand, 559 crore rupees to Indra dhanush Gas Grid Limited to build Natural Gas Pipeline Grid covering 8 North Eastern states.
- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA approved the capital grant in New Delhi . This is second such funding by the government for gas pipeline project.
- The total cost of the grid is 9 thousand 256 crore rupees and sanctioned VGF amount will cover 60 per cent cost of the project.
IP based Video Surveillance System being installed by Indian Railways at railway stations to enhance security
- Railway Board has approved works for provision of Video Surveillance System covering 983 stations under Nirbhaya funds
- RailTel has been entrusted with the work of providing IP based VSS with video analytics and facial recognition system
Census India-2021 to begin on 1st April; To be conducted through mobile app
- Census India-2021 will begin on 1st of April this year and will end on 30th of September. Census India-2021 will be conducted through a mobile phone application, moving away from the traditional pen and paper.
Indian Railways to source about 1000 MW Solar Power by 2021-22; Nandyal – Yerraguntla section in Guntakal Division has been declared as the first solar section in South Central Railway
- All 08 stations in the section provided with solar panels at one stretch; capable of meeting all the power needs of these railway stations.
- Indian Railways has planned to source about 1000 Mega Watt (MW) Solar Power and about 200 MW of wind power progressively by 2021-22 across Zonal Railways & Production Units
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Election Commission of India:
- Jurisdiction: Government of India
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chief election commissioner: Sunil Arora
Indian Railways:
- Headquarters- New Delhi
- Ministry of Railway- Piyush Goyal
- Chairman of Railway Board- Vinod Kumar Yadav
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Pacific Island nation Palau bans ‘reef-toxic’ sunscreen
- Palau’s pioneering ban on “reef-toxic” sunscreens takes effect on 1st jan 2020. The tiny Pacific island nation introduced strict environmental measures.
- Palau is renowned for its marine life and is regarded as one of the world’s best diving destinations. But, the government is concerned this poses an environmental cost.
At 67,385, India records highest number of babies born globally on New Year’s Day: UNICEF
- Nearly 400,000 babies were born around the world on New Year’s Day with India recording the highest number of these births worldwide at 67,385, the UN children’s agency
- An estimated 392,078 babies were born around the world on New Year’s Day, according to UNICEF.
Hillary Clinton appointed as new chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast in Ireland
- Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been appointed the new chancellor of Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland. Clinton, who has been a regular visitor to Northern Ireland going back to the first visit of President Bill Clinton in 1995, becomes the university’s first female chancellor.
Nepal’s Prez launches ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ campaign to promote tourism
- President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari launched much-awaited Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign amidst a spectacular ceremony held at historic Dasaratha Rangashala in Kathmandu
- The ambitious campaign is aimed to promote tourism in Nepal and attract 2 million tourists during the year
WHO designated 2020 as International Year of the Nurse and Midwife
- The World Health Assembly has designated 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife in honour of the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.
UAE Cabinet approves issuance of 5-Year multi-entry tourist visa
- The UAE Cabinet has approved the issuance of a five-year multi-entry tourist visa for all nationalities visiting the country. The decision was made during the Cabinet’s first meeting of 2020.
- The move comes in a bid to support the UAE’s tourism economy, and affirm the country’s position as a global tourist destination.
India continues to be top sourcing market for Sri Lankan tourism
- India continued to be the top sourcing market for Sri Lankan tourism with Indian tourists constituting maximum 19 per cent of total tourist arrivals to the island nation in 2019.
- India, United Kingdom, China, Germany and Australia were Sri Lanka’s top five international tourist generating markets last year. Sea beaches and religious places connected to Ramayana circuit remain the top attractions for Indian tourists.
Bangladesh High Court orders ban on single use plastic
- The Bangladesh High Court ordered the government to impose a ban on single use plastic in coastal areas and hotels, motels and restaurants across the country within the next one year.
- Single-use plastic products include drinking straws, cotton buds, food packaging, food containers, bottles, plates, plastic cutlery and plastic bags.
Newly-elected Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin proposes four-day working week
- Finland’s newly elected Prime Minister has proposed a four-day working week arguing that such a measure will enable people to spend more time with their families.
- She also added that the standard working day should be reduced from eight to six hours
Art Exhibition inaugurated to mark 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Bangladesh
- A ten-day-long art exhibition commemorating 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was inaugurated in Dhaka. The art exhibition has been organised by the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh in association with the Bangladesh Shilpkala Academy.
Indian Consulate in Dubai to issue passports under tatkal scheme on same day
- Indian Consulate in Dubai will issue passports under the tatkal scheme on the same day with certain conditions. The announcement was made by Consul General Vipul on the occasion of the Pravasi Bhatiya Divas celebrations .
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| Country | Capital | Currency | Prime Minister/President |
| Palau | Ngerulmud | US Dollar | |
| Nepal | Kathmandu | Nepalese Rupee | Prime minister: KP Sharma oli |
| Ireland | Dublin | Euro | |
| Sri Lanka | Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | Sri Lankan rupee | President: Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Prime minister: Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka | Bangladesi Taka | Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina |
| Finland | Helsinki | Euro | Prime minister: Sanna Marin |
About World Health Organisation (WHO)
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health
Founded- 1948
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland.
Director General- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
RBI launches mobile app for visually challenged to identify denomination of currency notes
RBI has launched a mobile app, MANI, Mobile Aided Note Identifier, to help visually challenged people to identify denomination of currency notes.
The app, which is available both on Android and iOS operating systems, was launched by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das in Mumbai
GST collection rises to Rs 1.03 lakh crore in December for second time in a row
For a second time in a row, the GST revenue collection remained above the Rs 1 lakh crore mark with December mop-up at Rs 1.03 lakh crore indicating a pick-up in consumption.
GST collection in November stood at Rs 1,03,492 crore. Before that it was in July when the mop-up crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark at Rs 1.02 lakh crore. The GST collection stood at Rs 94,726 crore in December 2018.
PPF, Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme remain attractive, interest rates kept unchanged
Public Provident Fund (PPF) and other small savings scheme will continue to carry the same interest rate for the March quarter
Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) will give a yield of 7.6% and mature in 113 months
CBIC uses data analytics to identify ‘risky’ exporters
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in its drive to check fraudulent availment of IGST refunds, has extensively used data analytics and matched data with income tax, GST and customs to identify risky exporters.
Ongoing investigations have thrown up at least 9-star export houses as ‘non-traceable’ at their premises declared on record.
Tamil Nadu government to strengthen single-window clearance system for easy biz
In an effort to attract more investors to the state and improve its ranking in the Centre’s Ease of Doing Business surveys, the Tamil Nadu state government has planned to significantly strengthen its single-window clearance system and make it more comprehensive.
The Tamil Nadu government is currently working on making the state’s single window portal more comprehensive by adding more services for applicants.
USD 2.5 million fund for clean-tech start-ups
VilLgro Innovation Foundation, one of the country’s top social enterprise incubators has collaborated with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) for a $2.5 million initiative to support start-ups working on clean energy solutions.
Rs 5,000 per day penalty for firms failing to operationalise RuPay, BHIM options
In a major boost to digital payments, the government has stated that all businesses with a turnover of Rs 50 crore or more have to operationalise payments through Rupay and Bhim UPI, failing which they have to pay a hefty penalty of Rs 5,000 per day from February 1.
IRDAI gives big boost to affordable health cover with mandatory ‘Arogya Sanjeevani’ Policy
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) has introduced a standard health cover policy that must be offered by all general and standalone health insurers.
As per the guidelines issued by the IRDAI, every general and standalone health insurer should offer a standard health product, the Arogya Sanjeevani Policy, with a minimum sum insured of Rs 1 lakh, with a upper limit of Rs 5 lakh. The policy term will be for one year.
Piyush Goyal inaugurates NSE Knowledge Hub@
Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal has stated that Artificial Intelligence and machine learning will contribute one trillion dollars by the year
Artificial intelligence-powered learning ecosystem will assist the banking, financial services and insurance sector.The Minister inaugurated the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Knowledge Hub in New Delhi.
Plans afoot to launch e-comm platform for MSMEs: Gadkari
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated the government plans to launch an e-commerce platform with an eye on garnering revenues of around ₹10-lakh crore over two-three years.
The Bharatcraft portal, which will be on the lines of Alibaba and Amazon, will provide a platform for MSMEs to market and sell their products
India’s GDP growth rate for 2019-20 estimated at 5%, says NSO
The Indian economy is estimated to grow at 5 per cent in 2019-20 as against 8 per cent in the previous fiscal. According to the first advanced estimates of the national income released by National Statistical Office (NSO) .
RBI buys three long-term securities worth Rs10,000 cr in 3rd special OMO@RBI
In the third special open market operation in many weeks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) bought three long-term securities worth 10,000 crore rupees while selling the same amount of three short-term bonds.
The RBI had announced to simultaneous purchase and sale of Government Securities (G-Secs) under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for 10,000 crore rupees each . Though the RBI offered to sell four securities in the auction, it accepted bids for three bonds.
Equitas Small Finance Bank waives non-maintenance charges
Equitas Small Finance Bank stated it has waived non-maintenance charges on all savings accounts besides offering lower transaction charges to customers.
The bank offers upto 5 per cent per annum on savings and upto 8.25 per cent per annum on fixed deposits and 0.60 per cent extra for senior citizens
RBI rolls out new Supervisory Action Framework to tighten norms for UCBs
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rolled out its final Supervisory Action Framework (SAF) tightening norms for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs).
The revised SAF will be implemented with immediate effect and the move comes close on the heels of the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank crisis and aims at avoiding the collapse of UCBs in future.
RBI gives in-principle nod to Shivalik Mercantile to convert to SFB
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted in-principle approval to Uttar Pradesh-based Shivalik Mercantile Co-operative Bank Ltd to convert to a small finance bank (SFB), becoming the first urban cooperative bank (UCB) to make the transition since the guidelines came out nearly two years ago.
SBI announces ‘residential builder finance with buyer guarantee’ scheme
SBI Country’s largest public sector bank, State Bank of India has announced a ‘residential builder finance with buyer guarantee’ (RBBG) scheme. It aims at giving a push to residential sales and improve homebuyers’ confidence.
Under this scheme , the SBI will issue a guarantee for completion of select residential projects to customers who have availed home loans from it.
The scheme will focus on affordable housing projects priced up to 2.50 crore rupees in 10 cities initially
CCEA approves strategic disinvestment of 49.78 per cent equity shareholding of MMTC
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA has given in-principle approval for the sale of equity held by four Central Public Sector Enterprises and two-state PSUs in Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited-NINL.
It has approved strategic disinvestment of 78 per cent equity shareholding of Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation Limited and 10.10 per cent of National Mineral Development Corporation.
Sale of Electoral Bonds at Authorised Branches of State Bank of India (SBI)
As per provisions of the Scheme, Electoral Bonds may be purchased by a person who is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India. A person being an individual can buy Electoral Bonds, either singly or jointly with other individuals.
Only the Political Parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) and which secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last General Election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State, shall be eligible to receive the Electoral Bonds.
RBI amends KYC norms, allows banks to use V-CIP
The RBI has amended the KYC norms allowing banks and other lending institutions regulated by it to use Video based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP), a move which will help them onboard customers remotely.
The V-CIP, which will be consent-based, will make it easier for banks and other regulated entities to adhere to the RBI’s Know Your Customer (KYC) norms by leveraging the digital technology.
Growth in India projected to ‘decelerate’ to 5 per cent in 2019-2020: World Bank
India’s growth rate is projected to decelerate to five per cent in 2019-20 amid enduring financial sector issues, according to a World Bank report, which stated the country’s GDP was likely to recover to 5.8 per cent in the following financial year.
India’s GDP growth is seen dipping to an 11-year low of 5 per cent in the current fiscal, mainly due to poor showing by the manufacturing and construction sectors, government data
SBI launches promotional campaign with Metro Cash & Carry in Bengaluru
State Bank of India (SBI), in a joint promotional campaign with Metro Cash & Carry India, has launched value-added services at its Bengaluru Centre. Similar promotional campaigns are planned at Metro Cash & Carry centres across the country.
Government to propose easing foreign investment rules further
The Finance Ministry has suggested increasing the limit on foreign direct investment in insurance and pension companies to 74% from the present 49% and allowing foreign airlines to own Indian carriers.
It also wants to allow 100% foreign investment in railway operations, education, and rental housing management companies. FDI is currently prohibited in railway operations.
In a first, HDFC Bank launches myApps to boost digital payments
HDFC Bank launched myApps application to boost digital payments in India. myApps is a unique customised suite of banking products to benefit urban local bodies, housing societies, local clubs and gymkhanas and religious institutions.
In a first, HDFC bank is helping organisations to entirely digitise their ecosystem through myApps. At present HDFC Bank is offering four types of applications — mySociety, myClub, myPrayer and myCity.
India needs 6.3% labour productivity growth to clock 8% GDP: India Ratings
India Ratings and Research stated that the country will have to increase its labour productivity growth to 3 per cent to attain 8 per cent economic growth.The labour productivity growth in FY19 was 5.2 per cent.
And to attain nine per cent growth, labour productivity growth will have to be raised to 3 per cent.
This is 4 per cent higher than the level attained in FY19.
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CBIC:
Chairperson: Pranab Kumar Das
Elected officer responsible: Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister of India
Headquarters location: New Delhi
Founded: 1944
State Bank of India (SBI):
Formation- 1 July 1955.
Chairperson- Rajnish Kumar.
Headquarters- Mumbai.
Tagline- The banker to every Indian; With you- all the way; A bank of the common man; Pure banking, nothing else.
World Bank:
Motto: Working for a World Free of Poverty
Formation: July 1944; 75 years ago
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
David Malpass -President
Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer -Anshula Kant
Chief Economist -Penny Goldberg
HDFC:
CEO: Aditya Puri
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founded: August 1994, India
Tagline: We understand your world.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Flipkart partners with government’s DAY-NULM to empower MSMEs
E-commerce giant, Flipkart has announced a tie-up with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana — National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) to train, support and provide market access to artisans, self-help groups (SHGs) and those who deal with raw, organic food production.
The initiative is aimed to help small businesses explore wide markets through the Flipkart’s platform.
FSSAI launches ‘Verified Milk Vendor Scheme’ in Gujarat
In a first for India, the unorganised milk suppliers or vendors will now be brought under the monitoring through a verification programme.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched ‘Verified Milk Vendors Scheme’ in Gujarat with an aim to cover milk producers and milk vendors under the regulation net.
Reliance to venture in e-commerce with Jio Mart, initial roll-out in Mumbai
Reliance is all set to venture into the e-commerce segment with the launch of Jio Mart.
The company is rolling out an offline-to-online commerce platform that will provide retail packaged consumer goods (PCG) and kitchen supplies to the customer in select locations across
Jio Mart is currently live in Navi Mumbai, Thane and
8 states finalise action plan for agri export policy
The government stated eight states, including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka, have finalised action plan for agriculture export policy which aims to double such exports.
The Agri Export Policy was announced last year with an objective of doubling the export and ensuring doubling of farmers’ income.
Uber teams up with Hyundai on electric air taxi
US ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc and South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor have teamed up to develop electric air taxis, joining the global race to make small self-flying cars to ease urban congestion.
Hyundai is the first carmaker to join Uber’s air taxi project, which also counts Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences among its partner firms
PayPal unveils Adoption Assistance Programme
Digital payments player PayPal has unveiled a new adoption assistance programme aimed at enhancing the parental support benefits for employees.
The new policy will offer financial support of upto Rs one lakh per adoption for adoptive parents
PM Kisan scheme: 50 per cent farmers to be covered this year
The government is likely to miss this year target of reimbursement under the PM Kisan scheme, mainly on account of lack of updated data about farmers to be given by state governments.
The scheme, which came into effect from December 1, 2018, provides Rs 2,000 each in three instalments for every four months to the farmer families. It has identified about 14 crore farmers to be benefitted under the scheme and had made budgetary provision of Rs 75,000 crore for this financial year.
India’s per-capita income rises 6.8 per cent to 11,254 a month in FY20
In 2018-19, the monthly per-capita income had stood at Rs 10,534
The country’s per-capita monthly income is estimated to have risen by 8 per cent to Rs 11,254 during 2019-20, Government data on national income.
Paytm launches all-in-one QR for merchants
Digital payments firm Paytm announced the launch of its all-in-one QR for merchants across the country.
This QR will enable merchants to accept unlimited payments through Paytm Wallet, Rupay Cards and all UPI-based payment apps directly into their bank account at zero per cent fee.
The platform offers a single reconciliation of all payments through its ‘Paytm for Business’
Abhibus ties up with IRCTC
Abhibus.com, an online marketplace for bus ticketing services, has tied up with IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation), allowing its customers to buy or cancel tickets.
They can postpone their tickets as well on its platform. AbhiBus.com customer can also use the platform locator option and coach position to directly move to the respective platform and in the direction of the coach without wasting time checking for that information.
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Paytm:
CEO: Renu Satti
Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Founded: August 2010
Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
FSSAI:
Founded: August 2011
Headquarters: New Delhi
Rita Teaotia (Chairperson)
Parent agency: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Paypal:
Founded: December 1998, Palo Alto, California, United States
Parent organization: eBay
CEO: Daniel Schulman
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
11-day long ‘Dhanu Jatra’ begins at Bargarh in western Odisha
The famous 11-day long ‘Dhanu Jatra’, considered as the largest open-air theatre of the world begins at Bargarh in western Odisha.
The Jatra is based on the mythological story of Lord Krishna and his demon uncle King Kansa. It is about the episode of Krishna and Balaram’s visit to Mathura to witness the Dhanu ceremony organized by their (maternal) uncle King Kansa.
Entire Nagaland declared ‘disturbed’, AFSPA extended for six more months
The Centre declared the whole of Nagaland as a “disturbed” area under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, for a further period of six months.
The area comprising whole of Nagaland is in such a disturbed condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary.
Odisha government launches e-certificate project
The Odisha government has launched a unique “people-friendly” project to provide official documents such as income, residence and similar other certificates online without any fees.
Without visiting government offices, people can now apply for these certificates online under the e-certificate project launched by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the Revenue and Disaster Management department as part of the 5T model of governance.
Khattar launches Atal Canteen in Karnal
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated the state’s first Atal Kisan-Mazdoor canteens at the Karnal grain market.
At this canteen, farmers and labourers coming to the mandi will get a Veg-thali comprising four chapatis, rice, dal and seasonal vegetable, all for Rs 10.
Kerala Becomes First State To Pass Anti-CAA Resolution
Kerala became the first state to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act amid widespread protests across the country.
Chief Ministers of several non-BJP ruled states including Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, had previously voiced their opposition to the law.
10,000 cameras to be used in Gujarat Lion Census, 2020
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is to conduct Asiatic Lion Census in May 2020. The Institute will use 10,000 cameras to conduct the census.
In 2015, the WII counted 523 lions in Gujarat. It is expected that the numbers have risen phenomenally and the population must have crossed 1,000.
AP: Sand delivery at doorstep from Jan 2
The Andhra Pradesh Government is planning to introduce door delivery of sand in the New Year and as a pilot project it will first be taken up in Krishna district and then extended to other districts.
Kerala Travel Mart to support Green Cochin Mission
Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society is set to implement the initiatives under the nascent Green Cochin Mission as its major policy programme to speed up the ongoing efforts to free Kerala’s top tourist city of waste
UPSRTC launches ‘Damini’ helpline for women
The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has launched a dedicated women helpline, ‘Damini’, which is a calling and a WhatsApp service for the safety of women.
The unique number “81142-77777” has been subscribed for the helpline, which is an extension of the ‘Nirbhaya Yojana’ that aims to ensure safety of women.
Pragati Maidan metro station renamed as Supreme Court metro station
The Kejriwal government in Delhi announced the renaming of Pragati Maidan metro station as the Supreme Court metro station.
The committee has also decided to rename Mukarba Chowk on Delhi’s Outer Ring Road and its flyover after Kargil war martyr Captain Vikram Batra and MB Road as Acharya Sri Mahapragya Marg and the Lajpat Nagar flyover as Shri Jhulelal Setu among others.
Maharashtra Govt launches ‘Cyber Safe Women’ initiative
Maharashtra Government has launched a ‘Cyber Safe Women’ initiative under which awareness camps will be held across all the districts of the state regarding cyber safety.
Ritualistic festival ‘Lai Haraoba’ begins in Tripura
In Tripura, Lai Haraoba, a ritualistic festival observed by Manipuri meitei communities since ancient times, began in Agartala .
The five day long festival is jointly organised by Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of Tripura, Puthiba Lai Haraoba Committee and Puthiba Welfare & Cultural Society, Agartala.
Bhubaneswar civic body launches ‘Go Green’ campaign
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation launched a campaign to sensitize citizens on the protection of the environment and encourage exchange eco-friendly gifts this new year.
The ‘Go Green’ campaign was carried out in five different places in the city where municipal officials distributed saplings, books and cotton bags.
Telangana govt declares 2020 as AI year, signs 8 MoU
Telangana state government declared 2020 as the year of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and signed eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with various companies and educational institutes to pave way for upcoming technological advancement in the state.
IIT-Kharagpur has also signed MoU to set up a centre of excellence in AI and research and Development Park
Kerala CM launches K-RERA to bring transparency in real estate sector
With an aim to boost the confidence of customers and bring in more transparency in the real estate sector, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA)
Gujarat CM unveils world’s 2nd tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani unveiled the second tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the world at
50 feet tall bronze statue with the weight of 70 thousand kilograms has been unveiled at the Sardardham campus near Vaishnodevi circle in
It was built at a cost of Rs 3.25 crores.
KVIC opens first silk processing plant in Gujarat
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) inaugurated the first silk processing plant at Surendranagar in Gujarat.
This would help cut down the cost of production of silk yarn drastically and increase the sale and availability of raw material for Gujarati ‘Patola‘ sarees locally.
The plant has been set up by a khadi institution at a cost of Rs 75 lakh, in which KVIC has contributed Rs 60 lakh.
CM Jagan Mohan Reddy to inaugurate YSR Aarogyasri scheme
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will inaugurate YSR Aarogyasri scheme at Eluru in West Godavari district. The scheme will be inaugurated in each district by respective mandal and district officials.
Over one crore individuals will be benefited under this new health scheme. A total of 2,059 medical ailments have been covered under the scheme.
Rohit Sharma lays foundation stone for international cricket stadium and training centre in Hyderabad
Star opening batsman Rohit Sharma laid down the foundation stone for an international cricket stadium and training centre at Heartfulness Institute on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
The cricket stadium has been named after Rohit Sharma and this facility will provide the youngsters at the institute to perfect their cricketing skills.
First-of-its kind turtle rehab centre comes up in Bihar
A first-of-its-kind rehabilitation centre for freshwater turtles will be inaugurated in Bihar’s Bhagalpur forest division in January 2020. The rehab centre, spread over half a hectare, will be able to shelter 500 turtles at a time
Delhi gets first smog tower to combat air pollution
Delhi’s first smog tower will start working at Lajpat Nagar central market.
The 20-feet-tall tower is fitted with exhaust fans to suck in polluted air and can remove up to 80% of the particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM10).
MP govt starts health insurance scheme for staff
The Madhya Pradesh government has given its 55 lakh employees a new year bonanza by approving a health insurance scheme Mukhyamantri Karmachari Swasthya Bima Yojana .
The scheme will be effective from April 1 and will make every government employee and their families eligible for medical treatment worth Rs 5 lakh For some critical diseases, the eligibility will be enhanced to Rs 10 lakh.
Kolkata Police to start third edition of ‘Sukanya’ project
Kolkata Police will start the third edition of its ‘Sukanya‘ project to provide girls studying in schools and colleges in the city with self-defence training.
The third batch of ‘Sukanya’ will start at 100 city-based schools and colleges situated in Kolkata Police jurisdiction.
Navigation facilities for visually impaired inaugurated at Chandigarh railway station
Navigation facilities for visually impaired were inaugurated at Chandigarh railway station in Punjab.
This facility has been introduced by the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation through NGO ‘Anuprayaas’.
Chandigarh is fifth Railway station in the country and first in North India to have this facility.
Journalist Day Observed in Maharashtra on January 6
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray extended his greetings for the Journalists’ Day which is being celebrated on 6th of January every year in the state in the memory of late thespian journalist Balshashtri Jambhekar.
Himachal Pradesh Govt launches Himachal MyGov portal to strengthen public participation
The Himachal Pradesh Government has launched Himachal MyGov portal in Shimla with a view to strengthen public participation in the governance process.
With this, Himachal Pradesh has become the 11th state in the country to have this facility.
West Bengal Govt to provide insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh to Ganga Sagar pilgrims
The West Bengal Government will provide insurance coverage of five lakh rupees each to the Ganga Sagar pilgrims.
The administration has done necessary arrangements for drinking water supply and accommodation facilities for the devotees.
Mizoram govt to organise Zo Kutpui to unify Mizo tribes
Mizoram government will organise Zo Festival under the banner Zo Kutpui in at least 10 different cities across the globe.
The first festival would be held at Vanghmun, a hub town of Mizos in neighbouring Tripura from January 9 to 11.
‘Buxa Bird Festival’ begins in West Bengal
The fourth ‘Buxa Bird Festival’ has begun in Buxa National Park in West Bengal’s Alipurduar district.
Over 50 birdwatchers from across the country and abroad have registered for the 2020 edition of the four-day festival.
BMC declares ODF++ status for Bhubaneswar
A day before commencement of Swachh Survekshan-2020, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on declared the Capital an open defecation-free (ODF) ++ city.
BMC Administrator and Director of Municipal Administration Sangramjit Nayak stated the ODF++ status will be open for third party verification following the declaration
Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy set to launch Amma Vodi scheme
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will launch ‘Jagananna Amma Vodi’ programme in
Under Jagananna Amma Vodi scheme, financial assistance of Rs 15,000 will be given to nearly 43 lakh mothers or guardians to send their children to school.
With the announcement of the scheme, student enrolment surged by 30 per cent in the current academic year
Gujarat to set up Vikram Sarabhai Children Innovation Center in state
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced the setting up of the Vikram Sarabhai Children Innovation Center (VSCIC) to identify, nurture and promote children’s innovation in the state.
The felicitation ceremony of Children’s Innovation Festival (CIF) held at Swarnim Sankul in
A letter of intent was exchanged between Gujarat University and UNICEF on this occasion.
31st International Kite Festival launched in Ahmedabad
In Gujarat, the 31st International Kite Festival has been launched at Sabarmati river front in Ahmedabad.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has inaugurated the colourful kite festival, which is also attracting large number of foreign tourists in the state.
International Kite Festival is being organized at nine other places across the state simultaneously including Statue of Unity- Kevadiya, Surat and Vadodara.
J&K registers highest Inpatient Department care in country
Jammu and Kashmir has registered the highest Inpatient Department, IPD care in the country.
According to the state-wise fact sheets released by National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), New Delhi, overall all women in J&K are availing Antenatal Care (ANC) services.
As per the report, the 96 percent IPD care in rural areas of J&K is provided by Public Health Facilities which is highest against the country’s average of 85 percent.
Advantage Maharashtra expo 2020’ to be inaugurated
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will inaugurate Advantage Maharashtra expo 2020 in
The four-day mega industrial exhibition has been organised by the Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture (MASSIA).
Eight NE states to participate in Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat
The eight States of the Northern Eastern Region will participate in a big way during the Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat due to be held in the first week of April this year.
The annual fair is held at Madhavpur Ghed in Porbandar district and the Mela this year will commence on 2ndApril, a day after the Ram Navami festival.
Delhi polls launched 24×7 control room to monitor black money
The Income-Tax Department has launched a 24×7 control room to monitor black money and illegal inducements in poll-bound
A toll-free number- 1800117574 – where people can inform the department about any activity of use of money power, illegal distribution of cash among other such election-related crimes.
Jammu and Kashmir: Tourism Dept launches publicity campaign at SATTE 2020 to showcase diverse tourism attractions.
Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department has launched a massive publicity campaign at the ongoing South Asian Trade and Travel Exchange Expo (SATTE), 2020, to showcase diverse tourism attractions of the twin regions.
The three-day expo, sponsored by J&K Tourism Department and supported by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has been organized in New Delhi .
Kashmir to be connected with rest of India through rail by December 2021
Kashmir will be connected to rest of the country through Railway network by December next year as the government has set a fresh deadline for completion of the world’s highest Railway bridge.
The Rail line is expected to be 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. It was most challenging project in the post-independent history of Indian Railways.
Kerala’s Chief Minister launches website for NRK’s investment
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has launched the website of Overseas Keralites Investment and Holding Ltd, set up by the State Government to attract investment from the Non-Resident Keralites (NRK).
The Chief Minister, who is also the Chairman of the company launched the website okih.org at ASCEND 2020, which began at Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre.
Zero-Budget Natural Farming: AP govt inks Rs 711 cr loan pact with German bank
KfW, a German development bank, will assist the Andhra Pradesh government with a Rs 711 crore loan for expanding the climate-resilient Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in the state over the next five years.
The state government will spend another Rs 304 crore on the project under which 39 lakh farmers in 591 village panchayats will be encouraged to
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| States | Capital | Chief Minister | Governor |
| Odisha | Bhubaneshwar | Naveen patnaik | Ganeshi lal |
| Nagaland | Kohima | Neiphiu rio | Ravindra narayana ravi |
| Gujarat | Gandhinagar | Vijay Rupani | Acharya Devvrat |
| Tripura | Agartala | Biplab kumar deb | Ramesh bais |
| Telangana | Hyderabad | KalvakuntlaChandrashekar Rao | Tamilisai Soundararajan |
| West Bengal | kolkata | Mamata Banerjee | Jagdeep dhankhar |
| Bihar | Patna | Nitish kumar | Phagu Chauhan |
| Mizoram | Aizawl | Zoram thanga | P .S. sreedharan pillai |
| Maharashra | Mumbai | Uddhav thackeray | Baghat singh koshyari |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | Pinarayi Vijayan | Arif Mohammad Khan |
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati | Jagan mohan reddy | Biswabhusan Harichandan |
KVIC
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body formed by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, ‘Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’
Headquarters: Mumbai
Chairman: VK Saxena
Women and Child Development Ministry
Headquarters: New Delhi
Annual budget: 24,700 crores INR (2018-19)
Officeholders: Debasree Chaudhuri (Minister of State), Krishna Raj (Minister of State), Smriti Irani (Union Minister)
UNICEF
Founded: 1946
Headquarters: New York, United States
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
ISRO inks pact with NITK to set up Regional Academic Centre for Space
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has set up a Regional Academic Centre for Space (RAC-S) at National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) at Surathkal in Mangaluru taluk.
It is to carry out advanced joint research and development (R&D) activities in the area of space technology applications.
Chandigarh Group of Colleges Signs MOU with NASSCOM
National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Landran have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will facilitate the development and introduction of Qualification Pack (QP) based training Programs for the engineering students.
Wipro, HAL in pact to make 3D-printed aircraft parts
Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Wipro 3D, the metal additive manufacturing business of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering, have partnered to develop 3D-printed components that could potentially be used on aircraft manufactured by state-run HAL.
Indian Bank sings MoU with Women Entrepreneurs Welfare Association to provide credit
Indian Bank has signed an MoU with the Women Entrepreneurs Welfare Association (WEWA) of Tamil Nadu(TN) to provide training and credit linkage to its women entrepreneurs to establish business.
The Indian bank will provide loans to the WEWA members at discounted rates. Training will be given to the WEWA members in the INDSETIs (Indian Bank Self Employment Training Institutes)
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NASSCOM
Chairperson: Rishad Premji
Headquarters location: New Delhi
Founded: 1 March 1988
Founders: Dewang Mehta, Nandan Nilekani
WIPRO
CEO: Abidali Neemuchwala
Founder: H. Hasham Premji
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Indian Bank
CEO: Padmaja Chunduru
Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Tagline: Your Tech-friendly bank
CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
HDFC gets requisite approval to hold a 51.2% stake in Apollo Munich Health Insurance Company
Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC), India’s largest mortgage financier, has received approval from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) to acquire 2% stake in Apollo Munich Health Insurance – a joint venture between Apollo Hospitals and German reinsurer Munich Re Group
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HDFC:
CEO- Aditya Puri
Headquarters- Mumbai
Competition Commission of India:
Chairman- Ashok Kumar Gupta
Headquarters- New Delhi
IRDAI:
Chairperson- Subhash Chandra Khuntia
Headquarters: Hyderabad
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION
CRPF DG Bhatnagar retires; ITBP chief given addl charge
ITBP Director General S S Deswal has been given the “additional” charge to head country’s largest paramilitary force CRPF as its serving DG, R R Bhatnagar.
Bhatnagar, is retiring after heading the Central Reserve Police Force for over 2.5 years. He was appointed CRPF Director General (DG) in April, 2017.
Umaro Cissoko Embalo wins Guinea-Bissau presidential election
Guinea-Bissau opposition leader Umaro Cissoko Embalo, a former prime minister, won the presidential election with 53.55 percent of votes.
Vinod Kumar Yadav re-appointed as Chairman Railway Board for one year
Vinod Kumar Yadav has been reappointed as Chairman Railway Board, in the rank of Ex-Officio Principal Secretary to Government of India.
The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved his re-employment as Chairman, Railway Board for a period of one year w.e.f January 1, 2020
Centre appoints Rohan Shah as Governor on ERIA Board
Ministry of Commerce and Industry has appointed Rohan Shah, a practicing counsel at the Supreme Court, as India’s Representative and Governor on the board of Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (“ERIA”).
Lakshmi Vilas Bank appoints S Sundar as interim MD and CEO
Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) has appointed S Sundar, its chief financial officer, the interim managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) effective January 1, 2020. As part of this, he resigned from the post of CFO.
He has also been appointed an additional director of the bank
Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha gets 1 year extension
Umesh Sinha, Deputy Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India, who was set to retire, was given a one-year extension from January 1, 2020 till December 31, 2020 by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
In the past, Mr. Sinha has served as Chief Election Commissioner, Uttar Pradesh, and Higher Education Secretary of the State.
Govt appoints AIIMS’ Prof Suresh Chandra Sharma as first chief of NMC
The chief of Delhi AIIMS’ ENT head-neck surgery department, Professor Suresh Chandra Sharma, was appointed the chairman of National Medical Commission.
Rakesh Kumar Vats, the secretary general in the board of governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI), has been appointed as the secretary of the Commission for the similar term.
Ex-CRPF DG Bhatnagar appointed Advisor to Jammu-Kashmir Lt Governor
IPS officer Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, who recently retired as the CRPF DG, has been appointed as an advisor to the Lt Governor of Jammu-Kashmir.
Bhatnagar is a 1983-batch officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He superannuated as the CRPF Director General (DG) on December 31 last year after heading the 25 lakh personnel force for over two and a half years.
Karur Vysya Bank CEO, MD P R Seshadri resigns
Seshadri, submitted his resignation via letter dated January 4, 2020, citing personal reasons
Karur Vysya Bank Ltd stated that its Managing Director & CEO P R Seshadri has submitted his resignation citing personal reasons.
Pedro Sánchez sworn in as PM of Spain
Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) leader Pedro Sánchez was sworn in as the country’s prime minister a day after his proposed coalition with a left-wing party narrowly slipped through a vote in Parliament.
Sánchez decided to forgo religious symbolism and took oath over the Constitution on the presence of King Felipe VI, the head of state.
Former PM Zoran Milanovic wins Croatia presidential polls
Zoran Milanovic won Croatia’s presidential election. He is Croatia’s center-leftist former Prime Minister.
Mr Milanovic beat Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic – a conservative who won the presidency in 2015 – by 53% to 47%.
Hudco appoints M Nagaraj as Chairman, Managing Director
State-owned Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Hudco) stated that M Nagaraj has been appointed the company’s Chairman and Managing Director.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has conveyed the approval of the competent authority to assign the current charge of the post of Chairman and Managing Director, Hudco, to M Nagaraj for a period of three months with immediate effect or until further orders whichever is earlier.
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Election Commission (EC)
Headquarters: New Delhi.
Chief Executive: Sunil Arora
Formed: 1950
Spain
Capital :Madrid
Currency :Euro
Croatia
Capital: Zagreb
Currency: Croatian Kuna.
Prime Minister: Andrej Plenkovic
Guinea
Capital: Bissau
Currency: West African CFA franc
ERIA:
Formation– 3 June 2008
Headquarters– Indonesia Jakarta
It is an international organization formed by the Governments of the ASEAN
LVB
Non-Executive Chairman: B K Manjunath
Headquarters: Chennai
Tagline: The changing face of prosperity.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
14th Global Healthcare Summit in Vizag in 2021
Visakhapatnam will host the prestigious three-day 14th Global Healthcare Summit from January 3, 2021.
The focus of the Global Health Summit is an Indian-centric approach, with special events such as global impact and India’s contribution in providing cost-effective medicines and addressing shortage of healthcare professionals.
India to Host 36th International Geological Congress in March 2020
India will host the 36th International Geological Congress, aimed at the development of Earth Sciences, in the National Capital Region (NCR) from March 2-8 2020.
The theme of the science programme at the 36th IGC is ‘Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Future.’
HRD Minister to inaugurate 28th edition of World Book Fair
Union Minister for Human Resources Development Ramesh Pokhriyal will inaugurate the 28th edition of annual New Delhi World Book Fair at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.
The book fair organized by National Book Trust will be held till 12th of this month in the national capital.
As part of Mahatma Gandhiji’s 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations, the theme of this fair is Gandhi:The Writers’ Writer.
Women Science Congress begins in Bengaluru
The Women Science Congress was inaugurated at the ongoing Indian Science Congress in Bengaluru.
DRDO Aeronautical Systems Director General Tessy Thomas who is known as Missile Woman of India graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
Kochi to host global meet on marine ecosystem
Eminent marine scientists, oceanographers, fisheries researchers and marine biotechnologists from across the globe are expected to participate in the third international symposium on marine ecosystems – challenges and opportunities (MECOS-3) in Kochi from January 7 to 10.
Pune to host fifth edition of global Drosophila conference
Pune is set to host the fifth edition of the Asia Pacific Drosophila Research Conference (APDRC5), which is being organised in the country for the first time by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER).
This biennial conference, which is to be held between January 6 and 10, aims to promote the interaction of Drosophila researchers in the Asia-Pacific region.
‘Pariksha Pe Charcha 2020’ to be held on 20th Jan
The third edition of Prime Minister’s Interaction with school students, “Pariksha Pe Charcha 2020”, will be held at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on 20th of this month.
Over 2000 students, parents and teachers will be participating from all over India in this event
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International Union of Geological Sciences
Motto: Earth Science for the Global Community
Headquarters: Founded in Paris, France, secretariat in Beijing, China
President : Qiuming Cheng (Canada/China)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Qantas Airways is the world’s safest airline
Indonesia’s PT Garuda Indonesia is the most punctual airline.
The world’s safest and most punctual airlines are in the Asia Pacific region
Qantas Airways Ltd was named safest airline in the world on a top-20 list published by Airline Ratings.com, followed by Air New Zealand Ltd and Taiwan’s Eva Airways Corp
India ranks 34th in Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index
India’s rank in Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index of World Economic Forum has moved to 34th position from 65th rank in 2013. Foreign Tourist Arrivals also registered a growth of 3.2 percent last year.
The government is working to develop thematic circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme and 77 projects amounting over Rs 6035 crore have been sanctioned till date under this scheme.
3 Kerala cities in Economist list of world’s fastest growing urban regions; Malappuram tops
Three Kerala cities—Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kollam—are among the top-10 fastest growing urban regions, in terms of population, in the world, according to the latest rankings by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
Malappuram ranked number 1, while Kozhikode has been ranked number 4; Kollam is in the tenth position. No other Indian city has figured in the top 10 list.
Japan tops list of most powerful passports, India ranks 84th
Japan, for the second time in a row, has topped a global index for the world’s most powerful passport in 2019, while India ranked at the 84th position.
According to the Henley Passport Index, which periodically measures the access each country’s travel document affords, Japan retained its top spot as the world’s most travel-friendly passport due to the document’s access to 191 countries with a prior visa.
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Ministry of Tourism:
Officeholder: Prahlad Singh Patel(MOS independent charge)
Headquarters: New Delhi
Constituency: Damoh, Madhya Pradesh
World Economic Forum
Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland
Founder: Klaus Schwab
Founded: January 1971
Leader: Klaus Schwab
Motto: Committed to improving the state of the world
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS
Krish Srikkanth, Anjum Chopra to receive CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award
Former India captain and member of the 1983 World Cup – winning team Krishnamachari Srikkanth will be the recipient of this year’s prestigious CK Nayudu Lifetime Award given by the BCCI.
Former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra is the co-recipient of the lifetime achievement award for the year 2019.
Sanjay Gupta of ”Jagran” to be honoured with Lokmanya Tilak journalism award
Sanjay Gupta, the editor-in-chief of ”Jagran”, will be honoured with the ”Lokmanya Tilak National Journalism Award” for his contribution to the field of journalism.
The award, instituted by the Kesari-Maratha Trust, will be conferred on Gupta in Pune, coinciding with the 139th Foundation Day of ”Kesari” — the newspaper started by Lokmanya Tilak
Telangana girl Malavath Poorna scales Mt. Vinson Massif, highest mountain in Antarctica
Malavath Poorna, who became a role model for the rural youth, after she conquered Mt Everest five years ago, has now set another record. Poorna has now conquered Mt Vinson Massif, the Antarctica continent’s highest mountain peak (4,987 mts).
The 18-year-old girl from the most marginalised section of society, has now become the first and youngest tribal woman in the world to set foot on the six tallest mountain peaks across six continents
Piyuus Jaiswal honoured with Global Peace Excellence Humanitarian & Global Bihar Excellence Awards 2019
Piyuus Jaiswal was awarded the Global Bihar Excellence Award 2019.
This award was presented by Rajya Sabha MP and Padma Shri Awardee Dr CP Thakur and Bihar Women Commission president Dilmani Devi in Patna to promote women empowerment
Britain’s Prince William unveils prize for climate innovation
Prince William announced the most prestigious environment prize in history to encourage new solutions to tackle climate change.
The Earth shot Prize will be awarded to five people every year over the next decade, and aims to provide at least 50 answers to some of the greatest problems facing the planet by 2030
14 Indian scientists get Swarna Jayanti Fellowship
Fourteen Indian scientists under 40 years of age, including three from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, were awarded the prestigious Swarna Jayanti (SJ) Fellowships for 2018-19.
Javadekar to confer first ‘Antarrashtriya Yoga Diwas Media Samman’ to 30 media houses
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar will confer the first ‘Antarrashtriya Yoga Diwas Media Samman’ to 30 media houses in New Delhi.
Dubai-based Indian girl who can sing in 120 languages wins Global Child Prodigy Award
Dubai-based Indian girl, who can sing in 120 languages, has won in the ‘Global Child Prodigy Awards 2020’.
The 13-year-old Sucheta Satish, known as the Dubai Indian High School’s nightingale, won in the singing category.
Singular ‘they’ voted word of the decade by US linguists
US linguists have chosen “they” as their word of the decade, recognising the growing use of third-person plural pronouns as a singular form to refer to people who identify their gender as neither entirely male nor entirely female.
Liverpool’s Sadio Mane wins African Footballer of the Year award
Sadio Mane was voted as African Footballer of the Year for the first time .
Senegal forward beat Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah and Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez to the continent’s biggest individual soccer prize at a ceremony in
Prashant Kishor and Kanhaiya Kumar feature in ‘list of 20 people to watch in 2020s’
Prashant Kishor, poll strategist and JD(U) national vice-president and Kanhaiya Kumar, former JNU Students’ Union president from Bihar have found a place in the Forbes India’s prestigious list of ‘20 people to watch in the 2020s’.
Apart from Prashant and Kanhaiya, other prominent Indians in the list are Dushyant Chautala (deputy CM of Haryana), Mahua Moitra (Lok Sabha member of TMC), the Godrej family (of Adi Godrej) and Garima Arora (chef and the first Indian woman to receive a Michelin star).
Author Jasbinder Bilan wins UK Costa Children’s award 2019
Indian born-author Jasbinder Bilan’s debut novel ‘Asha and the Spirit Bird’ focussing on readers of age range 9 years and above,beat the competition and named as the winner of 2019 UK(United Kingdom) children’s book award named Costa Children’s Award.
Gothic romance featuring ‘twisted love affair’ wins Costa first novel award.
Prof. MS Swaminathan & Dr. G Muniratnam chosen for Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Awards
Swaminathan chosen for his contribution to agriculture & Dr Muniratnam for social service.Awards meant to inspire others to emulate the awardees – Vice President. VP attends the Sankranti Celebrations organized by Swarna Bharat Trust
Eminent Agricultural Scientist Dr M S Swaminathan and well-known social worker, Dr. Gutta Muniratnam were respectively chosen as the first recipients of ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence’ and ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ISRO acquiring land in TN for its 2,300-acre second launch centre
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has earmarked 2,300 acres of land in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, to set up its second launch centre after the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota.
ISRO signs pact with astrophysics institute to set up optical telescopes
The Indian Space Research Organization signed a pact with Indian Institute of Astrophysics to establish an optical telescope under “Project NETRA”.
The organisation also tied up with NIT-Karnataka to set up a regional academic centre for space to promote research and development.
App for visually challenged to read currency
Retinuz, an Android mobile application using artificial intelligence, can rightly identify the denomination of the newly introduced currency notes for visually challenged at a single tap. It can be downloaded for free from Google Play Store.
Challakere to be ISRO’s astronaut training hub
India’s world-class facility for training astronauts will come up not in the space headquarters in
It will be established in three years at Challakere, Bengaluru-Pune NH4 in Chitradurga district of
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has proposed a ₹ 2,700-crore master plan to create top infrastructure that will house its young Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC).
SpaceX launches third batch of Starlink satellites part of plan to form global broadband
SpaceX launched its third batch of 60 mini-satellites into orbit, part of its plans to build a giant constellation of thousands of spacecraft that will form a global broadband internet system.
A live broadcast by SpaceX showed a Falcon 9 rocket taking off without incident from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 9:19 pm (0219 GMT Tuesday).
NASA’s planet hunter finds Earth-sized world in ‘Goldilocks zone’
NASA stated that its planet hunter satellite TESS had discovered an Earth-sized world within the habitable range of its star, which could allow the presence of liquid water.
The planet, named “TOI 700 d“, is relatively close to Earth — only 100 light-years away,.
“TESS was designed and launched specifically to find Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby stars.The discovery was later confirmed by the Spitzer Space Telescope.
2019 second hottest year on record: Eurpean Union climate monitoring service
Globally temperatures in 2019 were 6 Celsius warmer than the 1981-2010 average
2019 was the second hottest year on record and ended the hottest decade in history, the European Union’s climate monitoring service.
Data released by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) showed that worldwide temperatures last year were second only to 2016, in which temperatures were boosted 12 degrees Celsius by an exceptionally strong El Nino natural weather event.
India to Launch GSAT-30 Communication Satellite
India will launch a heavy communication satellite GSAT-30 on January 17 from Kourou space centre in French Guiana on board an Ariane-5 rocket of the European Space Agency (Arianespace).
The launch of GSAT-30 from Kourou will be our first satellite in the New Year (2020) to augment capacity to provide communication links to state-run and private service providers.
DBT funds a biotech-kisan hub at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
The Department of Biotechnology in the Union Ministry of Science and Technology has provided funds to Coimbatore-based Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to set up a biotechnology-KISAN hub under its farmers-centric mission Biotech-Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech-KISAN) programe to link India’s farmers with Indian and global best in science.
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European Union:
The European Union is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe
Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.
President :Ursula von der Leyen
NASA:
Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
Founder: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Founded: 29 July 1958, United States
Agency executives: Jim Bridenstine, Administrator
James Morhard, Deputy Administrator
Jeff DeWit, Chief Financial Officer
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE
Air Force Chief Formally Inducts Dornier Aircraft into 41 Otters Sqaudron
Indian Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria has formally inducted the light utility aircraft Dornier into the No. 41 “Otters” Squadron.
The Dornier-228 aircraft is a multi-purpose, fuel-efficient, rugged, lightweight twin-turboprop aircraft with a retractable tricycle landing gear.
This aircraft has been exported to Seychelles and Mauritius
General Bipin Rawat proposes creation of Air Defence Command by June 30@adgpi
Chief of the Defence Staff, CDS General Bipin Rawat has directed various branch heads to come up with recommendations for inter-service synergy and jointness in a time bound manner.
PM Modi inaugurates five high-tech DRDO labs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 5 new scientific laboratories, which will employ only scientists under the age of 35 to develop cutting-edge and futuristic technologies for military weaponry.
5 DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories (DYSLs) have come up in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.
Upgraded Version of Fighter Jet Developed Jointly by China and Pakistan Makes Maiden Flight
An upgraded version of a fighter jet being jointly developed by China and Pakistan has made its maiden flight in the Chinese city of Chengdu.
The JF-17 Thunder, earlier named as FC-1 Xiaolong, was a single-engine multi-role light fighter jet jointly produced by the two countries for several years with engines supplied by
Lucknow to host Defence Expo 2020, inauguration by PM Modi on Feb 5
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that ‘Defence Expo-2020’ will be held in Lucknow in February this year. Uttar Pradesh will become a destination for defence manufacturing and aerospace manufacturing.
The theme of the Defence Expo India – 2020 will be ‘India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub’ and focus will be on ‘Digital Transformation of Defence’.
Army to sign MoU for AK-203 assault rifles
The Army is likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a month for the procurement of over 5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles, which are to be manufactured locally by an India-Russia joint venture (JV).
About 1 lakh rifles will come directly from Russia and the remaining will be manufactured by the JV in India.
Royal Navy of Oman ships arrive in Goa for naval exercise ”Naseem-Al-Bahr”
Two ships of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) arrived in Goa to participate in the 12th edition of the Indo-Oman bilateral naval exercise Naseem-Al-Bahr.
RNOV Al Rasikh and RNOV Khassab arrived at Mormugao Port.
”Naseem-Al-Bahr” (or sea breeze) is a naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the RNO, being conducted since 1993.
Indian Navy Kicks Off First ‘Maha-Navy Connect 2020’ In Maharashtra
The first tri-dimensional expedition ‘Maha-Navy Connect 2020’ was launched by Indian Navy in Mumbai. It aims to promote the heritage of Indian Navy and to spread awareness about Coastal Security amongst the coastal communities in Maharashtra
CISF to observe 2020 as ”year of mobility” for troops” welfare, housing
The CISF will observe 2020 as the ”year of mobility” that will have a special focus on creation of more residential units and implementation of various welfare measures for the troops.
India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant likely to be commissioned by early 2021
The manufacturing of the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant is currently under phase three which involves setting to work of machinery and other equipment and it is likely to be commissioned by early
This carrier is being built at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kochi.
Visakhapatnam gearing up to host MILAN 2020
Visakhapatnam is gearing up to host another International Naval event ‘MILAN’ in March 2020.
The theme of the exercise for the year 2020 is ‘Synergy Across the Seas’.
Milan exercise which will be hosted by Eastern Naval Command (ENC) aims to enhance professional interaction between foreign navies and also make use of the best practices in the maritime domain.
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Oman:
Capital: Muscat
Currency: Omani Rial
Indian Navy:
Chief of Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Karambir Singh.
Founded: 1612
Headquarters: New Delhi
CISF:
CISF is a Central Armed Police Force in India and established on 1969.
It is under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Rajesh Ranjan is the present Director-General of CISF.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS
PM Modi Launches Braille Version Of His Book ‘Exam Warriors’ On World Braille Day
On World Braille Day( Jan 4th )Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his famous book for children ‘Exam Warriors’ will now be available in Braille.
Amit Shah released a book titled Karmayoddha Granth
Union Home Minister Amit Shah released a book ‘Karmayoddha Granth’ on the life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shah talked about the three parts of Prime Minister’s life starting from the phase of dedicating his life to an ideology followed by entry into politics on the ideals of the “sangathan“, and finally upholding the tenets of parliamentary democracy and the Constitution to construct an ideal state.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
S Dhoni picked captain of ESPNCricinfo’s ODI and T20 teams of past decade
Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was picked as captain of ESPN Cricinfo’s ODI and Twenty20 teams of the decade, while Virat Kohli was named the leader in Tests.
The criteria, set by the 23-member panel, for selection was a minimum of 50 Tests or six active years in the traditional format while it was 75 ODIs and 100 T20s for the limited-overs teams.
ICC plans to scrap five-day Tests from 2023@ICC
Cricket’s apex body, the International Cricket Council, plans to scrap five-day Tests from The ICC could make four-day Tests mandatory from 2023 as part of the World Test Championship, primarily to free up the crowded calendar.
Tests have been played over five days through most of their 140-year history. England has backed the plan.
Third Khelo India youth games to be held in Guwahati in Jan 2020
The third Khelo India youth games will be held in Guwahati between 10th and 22nd of next month. Six thousand five hundred athletes from 37 teams will take part in the event.
Cycling and lawn ball have been introduced as new disciplines in the games.
Australia pacer Peter Siddle announces retirement from international cricket
Australia paceman Peter Siddle has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 35 after taking 221 wickets in a distinguished 67-Test career.
5th IHAI National Ice Hockey Championship-2020 begins in Leh
The 5th Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) National Ice Hockey Championship -2020 has begun in Leh . In the inaugural match in Under-20 Boys category between Chandigarh and Haryana, the contest ended in a draw with 4 goals each.
Manav Thakkar becomes world no.1 in latest International Table Tennis Federation rankings
Young Indian paddler Manav Thakkar became world no.1 in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings in the Under-21 men’s singles category.
Thakkar became the fourth Indian to achieve the feat after Harmeet Desai, G Sathiyan and Soumyajit Ghosh.
Among other Indians, Sathiyan has managed to retain his 30th spot in the senior category. Achanta Sharath Kamal has climbed a spot to 33rd position. Top woman paddler, Manika Batra was static at the 61st position.
Indian Blind Sports Association organizes sports events from Jan 6
Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA) is organizing week-long sports events for the blind from 6 to 11 January, 2020 in the premises of The Blind Relief Association, Delhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, near the Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi
Irfan Pathan announces retirement from all forms of Cricket I
Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan announced his retirement from all forms of Cricket. Irfan, who has been out of favour from the Indian team for few years now, made his Team India debut at the age of 19 in 2003.
Saurabh Chaudhary wins gold in men’s 10 m air pistol at 63rd National Shooting Championship
Ace shooter Saurabh Chaudhary has won the men’s 10 metres air pistol gold at the 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal . The 17-year-old from Uttar Pradesh shot a classy 246.4 to finish on top.
Second-placed Sarabjot Singh of Haryana was well behind with a score of 243.9, while world number two Abhishek Verma settled for bronze in a high-quality final
Khelo India Youth Games-2020 to advocate for elimination of single-use plastics
The third edition of Khelo India Youth Games-2020, to be held in Guwahati from 10th of January, will be advocating for the elimination of single-use plastics this time.
The Games will continue till 22nd of this month. The event will be held in 20 disciplines at 11 venues
Bhubaneswar to host 1st edition of Khelo India University Games from Feb 22 to March 1
The first edition of Khelo India University Games is scheduled to be held at the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar from February 22nd to March 1st.
The launching ceremony of the event was held at Bhubaneswar . Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled the logo and jersey of Khelo India University Games.
P Magesh Chandran lifts 95th Hastings International Chess title
India’s P Magesh Chandran lifted the title in the 95th edition of the prestigious Hastings International Chess Congress at Hastings in England.
AS Roma legend and World Cup winner Daniele De Rossi announces retirement
Veteran former Italy international Daniele De Rossi announced his retirement from football , just six months after joining Argentine giants Boca Juniors.
ITTF executive committee meeting to be held in New Delhi
New Delhi will host the two-day Executive Committee meeting of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) beginning January 10th.
This will be the second time the country will be hosting such a meeting. The previous EC meeting of the ITTF was held in New Delhi way back in 1987 when Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) played host to the World Championships in
Virat Kohli retains top spot; Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara slip in ICC Test rankings
India skipper Virat Kohli retained his top spot among batsmen while Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane slipped in the latest ICC Test rankings.
With 928 points, Kohli is way ahead of second-placed Australian maestro Steve Smith (911).
Pujara was placed sixth, down one rung, with 791 points, while Rahane occupied the ninth spot after slipping a couple of positions with 759 points.
Weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur banned for four years for doping violation
Weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur has been slapped with a four-year ban for doping by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
The sample of Sarbjeet, who won the 71kg event at the women’s national weightlifting championships in February last year, was collected during 34th Women Senior National Weightlifting Championship held at Vishakhapatnam.
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National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA):
CEO- Navin Agarwal
Founded- November 24, 2005
Headquarters- New Delhi
ITTF:
Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
President: Thomas Weikert
CEO: Steve Dainton
Founded: 1926
ICC:
Chairperson: Shashank Manohar
CEO: Manu Sawhney
Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Founded: 15 June 1909
Membership: 104 members
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Noted Assamese theatre personality Ratna Ojha passes away
Eminent Assamese dramatist, literateur and social activist Ratna Ojha passed away due to old age-related ailments.
He was recipient of the prestigious Natyasurya Award in 2005 for his contributions to theatre, Ojha had introduced street plays in Assam in 1971.
Senior NCP leader D P Tripathi passes away
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Devi Prasad Tripathi passed away after prolonged illness.
Tripathi joined politics at the age of sixteen and was one of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s aides. He joined the NCP in 1999 after leaving the Congress opposing Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origins.
Social activist Alajangi Viswanath Swamy passes away
Noted social activist and former Rajya Sabha member from Odisha, Alajangi Viswanath Swamy passed away.
Swamy had played an active role in social reformer Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement
Qassem Soleimani, top Iranian military commander passes away
Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds military force and one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic Republic, was killed in a US airstrike in Baghdad.
Atleast 8 people were killed in the attack.
Former Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker PH Pandian passes away
Former Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker and senior AIADMK leader PH Pandian passed away.
PH Pandian, a lawyer by profession, served as Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly between 1985 to 1987 when MG Ramachandran was the chief minister.
Freedom fighter Bhim Chandra Jana Passes away
Centenarian freedom fighter Bhim Chandra Jana passed away of old age-related ailments in West Bengal’s Howrah district.
Jana was awarded by the Government of India after Independence and was an avowed Gandhian all his life.
Former Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi passes awayAI
Former Governor of Karnataka T N Chaturvedi passed away at a private hospital in Noida. He was 90.
T N Chaturvedi served as of Comptroller and Auditor General of India from 1984 to 1989. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1991.
Germany’s 1966 World Cup goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski dies at 84
Hans Tilkowski, the West Germany goalkeeper in the 1966 World Cup final against England, has died. He was 84
Tilkowski was best known outside Germany for conceding England’s third goal in extra time in the 1966 final
Former Western Army Commander Lt Gen PN Hoon passes away
Former Western Army Commander Lieutenant general Prem Nath Hoon, who played an important role in the war against Pakistan in 1984, passed away at the age of 90.
Born in pre-partition India on October 4, 1929, Lt Gen Hoon had joined the Indian Army and led Operation Meghdoot, the code-name for the Indian Armed Forces operation to capture the Siachen Glacier in the Kashmir region, precipitating the Siachen Conflict
Former Vellore MP Ulaganambi passes away
Former Lok Sabha member from Vellore, P. Ulaganambi, passed away. He was 82.
He was elected from Vellore for the DMK and served as an MP in the 5th Lok Sabha during 1971-76.
Veteran Odissi Danseuse Minati Mishra passes away
Renowned Odissi Danseuse and yesteryear movie actress Odia Padma shri Minati Mishra passed away, at the age of 91. The classical dancer ace suffered from age-related diseases.
She was also a popular actress in 1960s and had acted in several Odia movies that include Surjya Mukhi, Arundhati, Jiban Sathi, Bhai Bhauja and Sadhana.
Folk singer and sarangi maestro Sharif Idu passes away
Legendary balladeer and sarangi maestro from Punjab, Sharif Idu (80), passed away.
He was conferred with the country’s highest honour for performing arts — the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2006 in dhadi folk music category — by then President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
Buck Henry, screenwriter behind films like The Graduate and Heaven Can Wait, dies at 89
Veteran screenwriter Buck Henry, credited for penning Hollywood classics such as The Graduate and Heaven Can Wait, has passed away at the age of 89.
According to Deadline, Henry died after suffering a heart attack at Cedars-Sinai Health Center in Los Angeles.
Born Henry Zuckerman in 1930 in New York City, the writer was the son of silent film star Ruth Taylor.
He was known as Buck Hendry
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