Important Weekly Current Affairs PDF Download (15th to 21st December 2020)

Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 15th & 21st December 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

• International Tea Day 2020 Observed OnDecember 15, with the Theme of Harnessing Benefits for all From Field to Cup. India is the Second Largest Producer of tea after China.
• Vijay Diwas also called Victory Day is celebrated in India every year on December 16.
• The International Migrants Day is observed on 18 December every year. The theme of International Migrants Day 2020 :‘Reimagining Human Mobility’.
• The Minorities Rights Day is observed in India every year on December 18. The Minorities Rights Day is celebrated by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM).
• World Arabic Language Day is celebrated every year on 18 December since 2012.
• Goa Liberation Day is observed on December 19 every year in India
• International Human Solidarity Day is observed on December 20 to celebrate the unity in diversity and raise awareness about the importance of solidarity.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

• Centre has exempted Handicraft and Geographical Indications toys from Quality Control Order. Order will come into effect from 1st January next year.
• Health minister Harsh Vardhan on released the 5th National Family Health Survey (NFHS) which contains detailed information on population, health and nutrition for India and its states and UTs.
• The United Kingdom has confirmed that Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be the chief guest at Republic Day Parade in January 2021.
• Himgiri, which is the first of the three Project 17A ships being built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE),Kolkata was launched on December 14.
• The government of Maharashtra’sUnified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) are expected to bolster real estate development.
• Prime Minister NarendraModi laid the foundation stone of the world’s largest renewable solar and wind energy 30,000 megawatts (MW) Ultra Mega Hybrid Park in Gujarat’s Kutch.
• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has set up a dedicated Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Control Centre, at its ISTRAC campus at Peenya, Bangalore.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi has approved assistance of about Rs. 3,500 crore (US$ 476.10 million) for sugarcane farmers (GannaKisan).
• Quality Council of India (QCI) at the behest of the FSSAI has come out with a Scheme for approval of Hygiene Rating Audit Agencies to scale up Hygiene Rating by increasing the number of recognised Hygiene Rating Audit Agencies in the country.
• India and Bangladesh reopened the 55 years old Chilahati-Haldibari rail link between the two nations. The inauguration took place during a virtual bilateral summit between PM Modi and PM Sheikh Hasina on December 17, 2020.
• CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs), chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi, has approved the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE) of North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) at an estimated cost of Rs 6,700 crore
• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited India to attend the G7 Summit next year.
• India and Bangladesh signed sevenMoUs and agreements during the virtual summit between Prime Minister NarendraModi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar launched a dedicated economic diplomacy website.
• Aim : To provide critical and relevant information on major economic indicators, central and state government policy updates as well as the latest business news and trade data.
• The Government of India and New Development Bank signed a loan agreement for one thousand million dollars to provide support to AatmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan through MGNREGA Scheme.
• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved proposals to procure equipment worthRs 27,000 crore from the domestic industry.
• To commemorateNetajiSubhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary on 23rd January, the Union Culture Ministry was planning a museum in Kolkata.
• Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and MSMEs NitinGadkari has stated that the Government has finalised GPS-based(Global Positioning System) technology toll collection to ensure seamless movement of vehicles across the country.
• The Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad has become the first zoo in the country to receive the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Standards Certification from the Accreditation Services for Certification Bodies (ASCB), UK.
• The Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad has also become the first zoo in the country to get ISO certificate.
• Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Pareshram’ Portal along with 22 online services of Labour and Employees State Insurance Department.
• Road Transport and Highways Minister NitinGadkari will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for 33 highway projects in Karnataka.
• Skill India has established the first Centre of Excellence for Skill Development in the Power Sector in the campus of National Institute of Solar Energy, Gurugram Haryana.
• In Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister NarendraModi will be the chief guest at the virtual centenary celebrations of Aligarh Muslim University .
• Prime Minister NarendraModi is set to address the India-Japan Samvad Conference on December 21.
• Prime Minister NarendraModi will deliver the inaugural address at the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2020 through video conferencing.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The State of the Education Report for India 2020: Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), was launched virtually by UNESCO New Delhi.
• Singapore’s tradition of communal dining at hawker centres, has been recognised by UNESCO for its cultural significance.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

• In Uttar Pradesh,the  government has  launched a special campaign to curb property & land-related disputes in rural areas.
• A mega leather park will come up in Ramaipur village of Kanpur with an investment of Rs 5,850 crores. The park which is part of the mega leather cluster project is likely to create 50,000 jobs, for 5 lakh people.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up an Automated Banknote Processing Centre(ABPC) in Jaipur.
• Rating agency CRISIL has lowered the contraction rate of India’s GDP, and now expects the growth rate of Indian economy to contract 7.7% in the ongoing fiscal 2020-21, compared to the 9% forecast in September 2020, due to faster-than-expected recovery in the second quarter.
• IFSCA has notified International Financial Services Centres Authority Regulations 2020
• Coming out with corrected Doing Business rankings following review of data irregularities, the World Bank has announced that China’s ranking would have been lower by seven notches in the index for 2018.
• The World Bank has approved 4 india projects worth $800 million to support development initiatives.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹00 lakh on The Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd in Kerala.
• S&P Global Ratings has raised India’s growth projection for the current fiscal to (-) 7.7 % from (-) 9 % estimated earlier.
• Department of Posts and India Post Payments Bank unveiled a new digital payment app DakPay on December 15, 2020.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointments of UdayKotak as MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank for further three years, with effect from January 1, 2021.
• India’s GDP growth is expected to be at (-) 7.4 per cent in FY21 on better than projected recovery, stated a SBI research report, upgrading its earlier forecast of (-) 10.9 per cent.
• Domestic rating agency ICRA Ratings expects the technical recession in the country’s economy to end in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal, limiting the contraction to 8% in the financial year 2021.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

• The SoftBank-backed firm Ola Electric has announced a Rs 2,400-crore ($320 million) investment plan to set up, what it calls, the ‘world’s largest’ electric scooter (e-scooter) manufacturing plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu.
• An indigenously-built interceptor boat joined the Indian Coast Guard on December 15 at a function in Hazira in Surat district in Gujarat.
• Union Minister for Road Transport and HighwaysNitinGadkaristated the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), infrastructure projects worth ₹ 44 lakh crore are under implementation.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch communication satelliteCMS-01 aboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C50) on December 17, 2020.
• Indian-American US Air Force Colonel Raja Chari has been selected as the Commander of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by NASA and the European Space Agency.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS & CONFERENCE

• The ninth edition of the Sustainable Mountain Development Summit (SMDS) in Dehradun has begun from December 11 to 14.
• 9^th SMDS Theme is Emerging Pathways for Building a Resilient Post COVID-19 Mountain Economy, Adaptation, Innovation and Acceleration.
• Prime Minister NarendraModi  address the Climate Ambition Summit 2020, United Nations, United Kingdom and France Virtually Co-hosted.
• The first Trilateral Working Group Meeting between India, Iran and Uzbekistan on the joint use of Chabahar Port was held virtually On Dec 14.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCHEMES

• Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary DurgaShanker Mishra launched a programme of Socio-Economic Profiling of PM SVANidhi Scheme.
• AICTE has decided to release the instalment of Rs 20,000 as maintenance allowance under Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) for the students of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AGREEMENTS

• Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research has signed anMoU with cGanga, a think-tank of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) for development of sludge management framework in India.
• The Government of India and the World Bank have signed a 400 million dollar project to protect India’s poor and vulnerable from the impact of COVID-19.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $300 million loan to upgrade rural power distribution networks to provide reliable electricity supply to consumers in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS

• The UN Environment Program (UNEP) on announced six winners of the 2020 Champions of the Earth Award range of categories including Lifetime Achievement, Inspiration and Action, Policy Leadership, Entrepreneur Vision, Science and Innovation.
• IUCN Asia Regional Office congratulates Paul SeinTwa, recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize 2020 for Asia
• Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has been awarded with the prestigious Golden Peacock Environment Management Award for the year 2020 in the Steel Sector by the Institute of Directors.
• The chairman emeritus of the Tata group Ratan Tata will be honoured with the Global Visionary of Sustainable Business and Peace award during the launch of the Federation of Indo-Israel Chamber of Commerce’s international chapter in Dubai on December 21.
• Prime Minister, NarendraModi addressed the ‘ASSOCHAM Foundation Week 2020’ via video conferencing on 19th December 2020.
• Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communications and Electronics &IT and  SanjayShamraoDhotre, Minister of State for Communications and Electronics & IT,  presented the PanditDeendayalUpadhyay Telecom Skill Excellence Awards including cash award.
• In PanditDeendayalUpadhyay Telecom Skill Excellence Awards First Prize – SreenivasKaranam of Bangalore – Rs 50,000 Second Prize – Prof. SubratKar of New Delhi  – Rs 30,000
• Vidyut Mohan was one of the Young Champions of the Earth winners by United Nations Environment Programme.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS

• Amish Tripathi,has announced his second non-fiction book titled Dharma: Decoding the Epics for A Meaningful Life. The book will be released on December 28, 2020.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS 

• PrasarBharati CEO ShashiShekharVempati has been elected as the Vice President of Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), one of the largest broadcasting associations in the world.
• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) chairman Sukhbir Singh Sandhu has received a six months extension in his central deputation. He was due to end his second extension term on January 21 next year.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENSE NEWS

• Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Sujeet, the second in the series of five Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) built by Goa Shipyard Limited, will be commissioned at Goa on December 15.
• The 35th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy will be conducted between December 17 and 18.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh handed over three indigenously developed systems to Army, Navy and Air Force at a function held in Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Bhawan.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING

• India has been ranked 131 among 189 countries in the 2020 human development index, according to a report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• India was ranked 111th out of 162 countries in the Human Freedom Index 2020 report released by the Cato Institute, plummeting 17 spots from its position in the last index.
• In 2019, India was ranked 94 on the index.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

• Doha will host the 2030 Asian Games and rival Riyadh will stage the event in 2034 following a vote by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly in
• Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has decided to quit international cricket alleging ‘mental torture’ from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

• The FIH, International Hockey Federation had announced that the 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World CupWill be hosted in Odisha for a second Consecutive Time.
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule for the 2022 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand with 31 matches to be played acoss 31 days from March 4 to April 3, 2022.
• The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020 was announced on 17th December 2020, during a virtual event held at
• The Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the formal recognition of Yogasana as a Competitive Sport.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

• Veteran politician and five-time MP RadhikaRanjanPramanik died. He was 88.
• Ambrose Dlamini, the Prime Minister of Eswatini, a country in Southern Africa, has passed away due to coronavirus. He was 52.
• Eminent aerospace scientist and Padma Vibhushan awardeeRoddamNarasimha passed away on December 14, He was 87.
• In Afghanistan, deputy governor of  KabulMahbubullahMuhibbi  has been killed in a sticky bomb attack in the capital city on December 15.
• Veteran wrestler and first Hind KesariShripatiKhanchanale passed away on December 14. He was 86.
• Vice Admiral Srikant, the senior most submariner of the Indian Navy, died due to COVID-19 related complications. He was the Director General of Project Seabird.
• Former Australia Test all-rounder Eric Freeman has passed away at the age of 76.
• Former BJP MP, SatyaDev Singh, one of the senior-most leaders of the BharatiyaJanata Party, has passed away. He was 75.
• Senior RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh (RSS) ideologue and first spokesperson of the organization, MadhavGovindVaidya passed away. He was 97.

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