Hello and welcome to exampundit. Here are the important Current Affairs Today 15th January 2020. These are important for the upcoming Exams. Candidates who were preparing for the examination can use these current affairs and also you can download the same as PDF.
Current Affairs Today – 15th January 2020
NEWS AT A GLANCE
- Indian Army Day is observed on January 15 in India every year. This year 72nd Army Day is being celebrated across the country.
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is celebrating its 145th Foundation Day on 15 January.
- Stock market regulator SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has extended the deadline for the separation of the posts of Chairman and MD (Managing Director) or chief executive officer (CEO) for 500 listed companies by 2 years.
- On January 10, 2020 the central govt in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)has announced an increase in the authorized capital of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) to Rs 25,000 crores .
- The global e-commerce firm, Amazon has announced the incremental investment of USD 1 billion in India.
- The 6th meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
- The famous Parshuram Kund Mela begins in Arunachal Pradesh. Parshuram Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage centre situated on the Brahmaputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit River.
- Maharashtra Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is expected to launch the first girder for the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) in January 2020.
- Malta’s governing party has elected a new leader Robert Abela of Labour Party as 14th prime minister of Malta.
- Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) Officer A P Maheshwari appointed as Director General (DG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
- Lt General Girish Kumar reappointed as the Surveyor General of India for one year
- Senior IPS officer Sujit Pandey today took over as the first police commissioner of Lucknow.
- India has announced a new book of compilation of selected writings by former finance minister Arun Jaitley, namely “New India:Selected Writings 2014-19”
- Union External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar launched a book on China titled ‘PAX SINICA:Implications for the Indian Dawn’ authored by Samir Saran and Akhil Deo and published by Rupa Publications India.
- In order to mark the event of Vishwa Hindi Diwas on January 10, 2020, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal has launched 4 books including Nepali translation of Swami Vivekananda’s ‘Karma Yoga‘ (Publisher -Advaita Ashrama).
- Rohit Sharma has been named the ICC’s ‘2019 ODI Cricketer of the Year’ for his incredible run of form through the year.
- A 10-year-old British Indian yoga boy Ishwar Sharma wins Global Child Prodigy Award.
- Puri, Odisha has been awarded for its initiatives for plastic waste management with the Swachhata Darpan Awards 2019.
- Kerala Cartoonist and Secretary of Kerala Cartoon Academy Thomas Antony passed away at Kottackal town in Malappuram district, Kerala after suffering from heart attack.
- Portuguese motorcycle rider Paulo Goncalves passed away after a crash in the seventh stage of the 42th edition of Dakar Rally 2020 which was held for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
NEWS IN DETAILS
IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES
Indian Army Day observed on 15 January
- Indian Army Day is observed on January 15 in India every year. This year 72nd Army Day is being celebrated across the country.
- The Army Day is celebrated at all Army Command headquarters to honour our country’s soldiers who set the greatest example of selfless service and brotherhood, and above all, love for the country.
- The Indian Army is one of the most powerful militaries of the world, competing with superpowers like the US, Russia and China.
Extra Shots:
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and it is commanded by the Chief of Army Staff, who is a four-star general. Wikipedia
- Motto: “Service Before Self”
- Founded: 1 April 1895, India
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Commander-in-Chief: President Ram Nath Kovind
- Size: 1,237,117 active personnel; 960,000 reserve personnel; 209 manned aircraft
- Role: Ground warfare
- Chief of Army Staff: Manoj Mukund Naravane
India Meteorological Department celebrated 145th foundation Day on 15 January
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is celebrating its 145th Foundation Day on 15 January.
- It was established in 1875.
- The day will be celebrated by Ministry of Earth Science under which IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) functions.
Extra Shots:
IMD: The India Meteorological Department is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Founder: Government of India
- Founded: 1875
- Director General: Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra,
- Jurisdiction: India
- Parent organization: Ministry of Earth Sciences
BANKING AND FINANCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
SEBI extends April 2022 deadline for separation of chairman & MD posts for top 500 listed entities firms
- Stock market regulator SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has extended the deadline for the separation of the posts of Chairman and MD (Managing Director) or chief executive officer (CEO) for 500 listed companies by 2 years.
- Now this rule has to be followed by April 1, 2022. It’s aim to separate the board and the management of the top companies.
- The first deadline issued by SEBI was April 2020
- The rules to separate the post of Chairman-MD are part of the recommendations of the Uday Kotak (MD of Kotak Mahindra Bank) Committee appointed by SEBI on Corporate Governance.
Extra Shots:
SEBI: The Securities and Exchange Board of India is the Regulator for the Securities market in India owned by Government of India. It was established in 1988 and given Statutory Powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992.
- Founded: 12 April 1992
- Sector: Securities market
- Jurisdiction: India
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Type: Statutory corporation
- Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi
Central govt raised India Overseas Bank’s authorized capital to Rs 25,000 crore
- On January 10, 2020 the central govt in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)has announced an increase in the authorized capital of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) to Rs 25,000 crores .
- The previous authorized capital was Rs. 15,000 crores.
Extra Shots:
Indian Overseas Bank(IOB):
- Chief Executive Officer(CEO): Shri Karnam Sekar
- Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Founder: Chidambaram Chettyar
- Founded: 10 February 1937
- Tagline: Good people to grow with
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
India to get USD 1 billion investment from Amazon
- The global e-commerce firm, Amazon has announced the incremental investment of USD 1 billion in India.
- The investment will have the prime objective of digitising the small and medium businesses (SMB’s) in India.
- The firm has also announced its plans to boost its size and scale by exporting worth USD 10 billion of ‘Make in India’ goods by year 2025.
Extra Shots:
Amazon: Amazon.com, Inc., is an American multinational technology company based in Seattle that focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It is considered one of the Big Four tech companies, along with Google, Apple, and Facebook.
- CEO: Jeff Bezos
NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Amit Shah chairs 6th meeting of the Island Development Agency
- The 6th meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
- The Island Development Agency analysed the developments taken place in favour of the programme “Holistic development of islands”.
- During the meet, initiatives of sustainable development in the identified Islands were taken under Island Development Agency.
- The initiatives aims to create jobs for the island population by promoting tourism as well as boosting the seafood and coconut-based products export from the Island.
- The above initiative will be implemented in 5 islands of Lakshadweep as well as 4 islands of Andaman & Nicobar.
STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS
‘Parshuram Kund Mela’ begins in Arunachal Pradesh
- The famous Parshuram Kund Mela begins in Arunachal Pradesh. Parshuram Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage centre situated on the Brahmaputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit River.
- Thousands of pilgrims visit the place in winter every year, especially on the Makar Sankranti day for a holy dip in the sacred kund which is believed to wash away one’s sins.
Extra Shots:
Arunachal Pradesh
- Capital: Itanagar
- Chief Minister: Pema Khandu
- Governor: BD Mishra
- Literacy Rate: 95%
CM Thackeray to launch the first girder for the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link
- Maharashtra Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is expected to launch the first girder for the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) in January 2020.
- The estimated cost of the project is Rs.18,000 crore.
- The project is expected to be completed by 2022.
Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link:
♦ The bridge will connect south Mumbai’s eastern coast to Nhava Sheva on the mainland.
♦ The 22km bridge will begin at Sewri, cross Thane creek north of Elephanta Island and end at Chirle village near Nhava Sheva.
♦ It will ensure faster connectivity between Navi Mumbai and south Mumbai
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Maharashtra:
- Capital: Mumbai
- Chief Minister: Uddhav Thackeray
- Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
- State Formed in: 1 May 1960
- Litracy Rate: 82.34%
- National Parks: Chandoli National Park, Nawegaon National Park, Gugamal National Park, Pench National Park, Sanjay Gandhi (Borivilli) National Park, Tadoba National Park
- Wildlife Sanctuaries: Amba Barwa WLS, Bor WLS, Great Indian Bustard WLS,
- Lonar WLS, Melghat WLS, Gangewadi New Great Indian Bustard WLS, etc.
INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Robert Abela named as 14th Prime minister of Malta
- Malta’s governing party has elected a new leader Robert Abela of Labour Party as 14th prime minister of Malta.
- He replaces Joseph Muscat, who resigned over the murder of a journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia. Robert Abela is the son of the Malta’s Former President George Abela.
- Robert Abela, 42-years old lawyer won the Labour Party Leadership contest with 57.9% of the vote and beat his closest rival Chris Fearne 56-years old surgeon by more than 2,500 votes.
Extra Shots:
Malta (Capital/Currency): Valletta/ Euro
- President- George Vella
APPOINTMENT
A P Maheshwari appointed as the new DG of CRPF
- Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) Officer A P Maheshwari appointed as Director General (DG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
- He took the charge from Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) DG Surjeet Singh Deswal who was given an additional charge as the head of CRPF after the retirement of DG Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar on December 31, 2019.
- A P Maheshwari is 1984-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer who worked previously as Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Union Home Ministry.
- He will be in the post till February 28, 2021, the date of his superannuation.
Extra Shots:
CRPF: The Central Reserve Police Force is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force. It functions under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. The CRPF’s primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order and counter insurgency.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- General nature: Federal law enforcement
- Motto: “सेवा और निष्ठा”
Minister responsible: Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs
- Lt General Girish Kumar reappointed as the Surveyor General of India for one year
- The Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) approved the re-appointment proposal of Lt General Girish Kumar as the Surveyor General of India in Survey of India, the national survey and mapping organization of the country, for a period of one year on contract basis w.e.f. January 1, 2020.
- .Earlier on September 30, 2017 he was appointed as Surveyor General of India under the Survey on India.
Extra Shots:
The Survey of India Service is a cadre of Government of India who prepare the Survey of India.
- Founded: 1767
Senior IPS officer Sujit Pandey takes charge as Lucknow Police Commissioner
- Senior IPS officer Sujit Pandey today took over as the first police commissioner of Lucknow.
- Senior IPS officer Alok Singh also took charge as the first commissioner of police of the newly-formed Gautam Buddh Nagar commissionerate.
- Yogi Adityanath government had on Monday approved the commissionerate system of policing in Lucknow and Noida.
- The system gives more powers, including magisterial powers, to police officers and is aimed at better and effective policing.
Extra Shots:
Uttar Pradesh:
- Capital: Lucknow
- Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
- Governor: Anandiben Patel
- State formed in: 24 January 1950
- Literacy Rate: 67.68%
- Nation Park: Dudhwa National Park
BOOKS & AUTHORS
New India: Selected Writings 2014-19 of Arun Jaitely, to be released in Feb
- India has announced a new book of compilation of selected writings by former finance minister Arun Jaitley, namely “New India:Selected Writings 2014-19”
- The book offers readers with the late’s politicians sharp insight on topics including GST (Goods and Services Tax),demonetisation and Kashmir.
- The book is an authoritative account of the policies and decisions made by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi government during his first period (2014-19). It will hit the stands in February.
- As a former finance minister he rolled out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017 the biggest tax reforms after Independence.
Union External Affairs Minister recently launched a book titled ‘PAX SINICA: Implications for the Indian Dawn’
- Union External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar launched a book on China titled ‘PAX SINICA:Implications for the Indian Dawn’ authored by Samir Saran and Akhil Deo and published by Rupa Publications India.
- PAX SINICA presents a comprehensive view of how President Xi Jinping’s, China will implicate the world order in the 21st century.
Indian embassy in Nepal celebrates Vishwa Hindi Diwas ; launches Nepali translation of Swami Vivekananda’s ‘Karma Yoga’
- In order to mark the event of Vishwa Hindi Diwas on January 10, 2020, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal has launched 4 books including Nepali translation of Swami Vivekananda’s ‘Karma Yoga‘ (Publisher -Advaita Ashrama).
- The other 3 books launched by Indian embassay include
- the Nepali translated book consisting of 5 popular stories penned by Indian writer Premchand
- Hindi translations of ‘Ashwathama’ penned by Nepalese poet Madhav Prasad Ghimire (Publisher- Royal Nepal Academy) and
- ‘Utkrishta Kahaniyan’, a book published by Unicorn Books comprising 25 new age Nepali stories written by young Nepali story writers.
AWARDS
Rohit Sharma named ICC’s ‘2019 ODI Cricketer of the Year’ and Virat Kohli bags ‘Spirit of Cricket’ award
- Rohit Sharma has been named the ICC’s ‘2019 ODI Cricketer of the Year’ for his incredible run of form through the year.
- Indian captain Virat Kohli won the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ award for stopping fans from booing Australia’s Steve Smith during their World Cup match at the Oval.
- England’s World Cup-winning all-rounder Ben Stokes got the ‘Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy’ for Player of the Year.
British Indian yoga boy Ishwar Sharma wins ‘Global Child Prodigy Award’
- A 10-year-old British Indian yoga boy Ishwar Sharma wins Global Child Prodigy Award.
- He was chosen from the UK for the awards which honour child prodigies from across 45 countries and 30 different categories such as palaeontology, biking, choreography, fitness and martial arts etc.
- Ishwar Sharma also has the skill to chant up to 50 shlokas from the Vedas and ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and practices yoga.
- Sharma, originally from Mysore, has participated in over 100 yoga events across the UK and worldwide.
Puri, Odisha recieves Swachhata Darpan Awards 2019
- Puri, Odisha has been awarded for its initiatives for plastic waste management with the Swachhata Darpan Awards 2019.
- The award ceremony was held during the Open Defecation Free Sustainability Workshop held in New Delhi.
- The workshop was organised by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- The Puri District of Odisha has been awarded for successfully managing the plastic wastes in the district with its effective policies by engaging the people of the town through awareness programmes, hence keeping the town’s environment pollution free.
- The Swachhata Darpan Award 2019 was presented by Indian Bollywood actor Aamir Khan to Puri Municipality Additional Executive Officer Saroj Kumar Swain.
Extra Shots:
Odisha:
- Capital: Bhubaneswar
- Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
- Governor: Ganeshi Lal
- State Formed in: 1 April 1936
- Literacy Rate: 72.87%
- National Park: Bhitarkanika NP, Simlipal NP
OBITUARIES
Noted Kerala Cartoonist Thomas Antony passes away at 62
- Kerala Cartoonist and Secretary of Kerala Cartoon Academy Thomas Antony passed away at Kottackal town in Malappuram district, Kerala after suffering from heart attack.
- He was 62.
- He was born in kottayam District Kerala India.
- He worked as a cartoonist in Deepika daily and served as the executive artist with Malayalam daily ‘Metro Vaartha’.
Portuguese motorcycle rider Paulo Goncalves passes away at 40
- Portuguese motorcycle rider Paulo Goncalves passed away after a crash in the seventh stage of the 42th edition of Dakar Rally 2020 which was held for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
- He was 40.
