Hello and welcome to exampundit. Here are the important Daily Current Affairs 25 January 2019. These are important for the upcoming NIACL AO and SBI PO 2019 Exams.
Daily Current Affairs 25 January 2019 for Bank, SSC and Competitive Exams
Banking and Finance
SBI Card and Etihad Guest tie-up to launch premium card for international travel
- SBI Card and Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, have joined hands to launch a travel specific Visa credit card for members and Indian travellers.
- This is the first international co-brand partnership of SBI Card, the country’s second largest credit card issuer.
- The card will be available in two variants, Etihad Guest SBI Card and Etihad Guest SBI Premier Card, will bring an unmatched value proposition to Etihad Guest members and international travellers from India.
Royal Enfield signs MoU with Tamil Nadu Govt
- Royal Enfield, the global leader in the mid-sized motorcycle segment signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Tamil Nadu.
- The government will extend fiscal and monetary incentives, subject to fulfilment of the conditions of the MoU.
- The MoU envisages aggregate investment of Rs 1,500 crore in Tamil Nadu over a period of 5 years beginning May 2016, according to an official statement here.
Gadkari lays foundation stones for two highway projects worth Rs 1,600 cr in Maharashtra
- Union minister Nitin Gadkari today laid the foundation stones for two highway projects worth 1,600 crore rupees in Mumbai metropolitan region of Maharashtra.
- The projects include eight-laning the Vadape-Thane bypass and four-laning of the road connecting Shahapur, Murbad, Karjat and Khopoli.
- Speaking on the occasion, Mr Gadkari said the work on the Baroda-Mumbai highway is expected to begin next month.
- He said, for the proposed 12-lane Delhi-Mumbai expressway, government has adopted a new method to acquire land from the tribals, which will help in developing the region and also save money on land acquisition.
- Mr Gadkari also underlined the need for promoting waterways as it a speedy and cheaper means of transport and said several waterway projects in and around Thane will be a reality soon. He also said the waterways should be linked on the lines of Venice.
India and States
India testfires indigenous enemy radar-buster missile
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test-fired the Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LR-SAM) from naval warship INS Chennai off the coast of Odisha.
- India achieved the milestone on January 18 when DRDO successfully carried out test of the indigenously Next Generation Anti Radiation Missile (NGARM) which can hit enemy radars at 100 kilometres.
- The missile tested off the Odisha Coast was fired from a Sukhoi-30 combat aircraft and can destroy surveillance stations of the enemy.“ India achieves a significant milestone with successful flight test of LRSAM on board INS Chennai.
ISRO to launch Kalamsat, Microsat-R satellites on PSLV-C44 rocket
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch a students’ satellite Kalamsat and an imaging satellite Microsat-R from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on January 24, 2019, marking its first launch of the ISRO in 2019.
- The national space agency’s rocket, PSLV C44 will be carrying the satellites into the orbit.
- After about 14 minutes into the flight, the rocket will eject 700-kg Microsat R satellite at an altitude of about 277 km.
- The Kalamsat is a 10 cm cube nanosatellite weighing about 1.2 kg and has a life span of about two months.
- It has been developed by Space Kidz India and their team including Rifath Sharook, Srimathy Kesan, among others.
India, Maldives agree to continue close cooperation on maritime security, counter-terrorism & medical cooperation
- India and Maldives have agreed to continue their traditionally close cooperation on issues of maritime security, counter-terrorism and medical cooperation.
- This was decided during the meeting between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Maldivian counterpart Mariya Ahmed Didi in New Delhi on Thursday.
- Both sides held substantive discussions on further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.
- Ms Sitharaman reiterated India’s commitment to contribute towards capacity building and training requirements of the Maldives National Defence Forces.
- Ms Didi is in India on an official visit and she will witness the 70th Republic Day Parade at Rajpath.
- She will also visit various Indian defence institutions such as the Indian Maritime Analysis Centre in Gurugram and Army Training Command in Shimla.
Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba commissions new Naval Air Base ‘INS Kohassa’
- Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba commissioned the new Naval Air Base ‘INS Kohassa’ at Diglipur in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- The Naval Air Base will enhance the maritime capability along with keeping the northern part of Andaman sea and the area under surveillance.
- The INS Kohassa will be used to handle operations of helicopters and small aircraft like the Dornier.
- The airport at Diglipur will be utilised for both Defence and civil aircraft.
- With the inauguration of INS Kohassa, Andaman and Nicobar Command will further strengthen its defence capabilities in the region.
Rajyavardhan Rathore inaugurates National Declamation Contest on Patriotism and Nation Building
- Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Rajyavardhan Rathore inaugurated the National Declamation Contest on Patriotism and Nation Building during the National Declamation Contest, organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) with the support of Department of Youth Affairs.
- The aim of the National Declamation Contest is to further strengthen the spirit of Nationalism amongst youth and masses for wholehearted participation in nation building.
- It also aims to identify youth with leadership qualities and good communication skills for their holistic development and empowerment.
Government to launch Technology Mission Centre on Solar Energy & Water Treatment in Chennai
- Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan will launch three important centres, set up by Department of Science and Technology (DST), at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM) on January 25, 2019.
- The first of these is the establishment of DST –IITM Solar Energy Harnessing Centre.
- The Centre will focus on a wide range of research and technology development activities such as silicon solar cells that promise high efficiency and are suited for Indian conditions.
- The network of researchers engaged in centre comprise of scientists from IIT Madras, IIT-Guwahati, Anna University, ICT-Mumbai, BHEL and KGDS, which will be further expanded.
DAY-NRLM successful in reducing poverty through livelihood diversification
- The pace of reduction of poverty in India has speeded up in recent years as per the Global Multi-dimensional Poverty Index 2018 and as per the note published by the Brookings Institution.
- The Deendayal Antodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is aimed at alleviation of rural poverty through building sustainable community institutions of the poor.
- It seeks to mobilise about 9 crore households into Self Help Groups and link them to sustainable livelihood opportunities by building their skills.
ECI to host international conference on making elections inclusive and accessible
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) will be hosting an International Conference on ‘Making Elections Inclusive and Accessible’ on January 24, 2019, in consonance with the 9th National Voters’ Day which will be held on January 25, 2019.
- Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa will be attending the conference along with heads and dignitaries from six Election Management Bodies (EMBs) namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Russia and Sri Lanka and three International Organisations including Malaysian Commonwealth Studies Centre, UK and International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and International Centre for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS).
- The international conference is being organised with the purpose of sharing the experience of different EMB’s, international institutions and experts with regard to analysis of barriers, policy interventions, strategies, programmes, good practices and technological innovation for inclusive and accessible election.
Awards & Honors
In a first for Kashmir, Lance Naik Wani to be awarded Ashok Chakra
- In a first for Kashmir, Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani belonging to the state, will be awarded the highest peace-time gallantry award “Ashok Chakra” posthumously on Republic Day.
- The award will be presented to his wife Mahajabeen by President Ramnath Kovind.
- On November 25, Lance Naik Wani was participating in a counter terrorist operation against six terrorists in Hirapur village near Batgund, Kashmir. Under intense hail of bullets from the terrorists, he eliminated the district commander of the LeT and one foreign terrorist in a very daring display of raw courage.
Central Bank of India received Atal Pension Yojana Award
- The Central Bank of India has been given away the Atal Pension Yojana Award for promoting the scheme across the country.
- Bank MD and CEO Pallav Mohapatra received the Atal Pension Yojana award from Department of Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar for promoting the scheme in various geographical locations of the country, an official statement said on Thursday.
- The award function was organised by Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA) on Wednesday.
Three Indian expats from the UAE win prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2019
- Three Indian expats from the UAE are amongst those who won the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2019, the highest honour conferred on Indian diaspora.
- President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the award on Girish Pant, Surender Singh Kandhari and Dr Zulekha Daud and other awardees at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention in Varanasi.
- Girish Pant, a social worker has been instrumental in rescuing several Indian sailors stranded in UAE waters.
- Surender Singh Kandhari, chairman of the Gurudwara Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh Temple, is a philanthropist, businessman and a long-term Dubai resident.
- Dr Zulekha, founder and chairperson of Zulekha Healthcare Group, who came to the UAE in 1964, is believed to be the first female practising doctor in the country.
Appointments
Ravneet Gill appointed as MD & CEO of YES Bank
- YES Bank appointed Deutsche Bank’s Ravneet Singh Gill as its MD and CEO, who will succeed Rana Kapoor.
- The bank received the RBI approval for the same.
- Gill, who is the CEO of Deutsche Bank’s India operations, will join the private lender on or before March 1, 2019.
- YES Bank had time till February 1 to announce a successor to Kapoor, whose term ends on January 31.
Skandan Krishnan appointed as advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Governor
- Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday issued formal orders regarding the appointment of Skandan Krishnan, IAS (Retired) as the fourth Advisor to the Governor Satya Pal Malik.
- According to the order issued by General Administration Department, the Advisor will be allotted portfolios shortly after he assumes charge of his new assignment.
Parthasarathi Mukherjee to head Lakshmi Vilas Bank for another two years
- Private sector Lakshmi Vilas Bank has reappointed Parthasarathi Mukherjee as its managing director when the lender is struggling to raise Rs 2000 crore from investors.
- Mukherjee will he at the helm for another two years from January 25. The decision was taken by the board Wednesday. Reserve Bank of India has approved his reappointment.
IndiGo appoints Ronojoy Dutta as CEO, Meleveetil Damodaran as chairman
- Aviation veteran Ronojoy Dutta has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IndiGo for a period of five years as it plans a major international expansion this year, the low-cost airline announced Thursday.
- M Damodaran, former Chairman of Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has been appointed as chairman of the Indigo’s board of directors, the budget carrier said.
- Dutta would be taking the charge of CEO from the company’s co-founder and interim CEO Rahul Bhatia, who stated Wednesday that the next phase of company’s growth would come from international expansion.
Days
9th National Voters’ Day to be celebrated across country today
- The 9th National Voters’ Day will be celebrated across the country on 25 January, 2019 for enhanced participation of citizens in the electoral process.
- The National Awards for the Best Electoral Practices will be conferred on Officers for their outstanding performance in the conduct of elections.
- President Ram Nath Kovind will be the Chief Guest at the main function being organized by Election Commission in New Delhi.
First ever International Day of Education observed on 24 January
- United Nations observed the first International Day of Education on 24 January, 2019.
- The theme of the day was: “Education: A Key Driver for Inclusion and Empowerment.’
- The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education (link is external), in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.
Uttar Pradesh celebrates 69th Foundation Day
- Uttar Pradesh celebrated its 69th foundation day on January 24, 2019.
- To celebrate the occasion, the main function was organised at Awadh Shilp Gram in Lucknow.
- Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with members of state cabinet attended the function.
- Uttar Pradesh was earlier known as United Province but through a Gazette notification, it got its name of Uttar Pradesh on January 24, 1950.
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