Hello and welcome to exampundit.in. Here are the important Current Affairs Today 29th October 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 – 29th October 2020
NEWS AT A GLANCE
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the national conference on vigilance and anti-corruption on October 27, 2020.
- AIM (Atal Innovation Mission), in association with Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), is organizing a two-day hackathon on the circular economy, ‘India–Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE)’, on 7 and 8 December.
- The Feni bridge is 1.8 km long joining Sabrum in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh.
- Punjab Sports and NRI Affairs Minister, Shri Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi launched Punjabi version of ‘Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols’
- The Young Advocates Welfare Fund has been launched in Tamil Nadu.
- Kerala became the first Indian state to fix Minimum Support Price for sixteen agriculture items.
- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said that the country will achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.
- As per the agreement, JBIC will provide 60 per cent of the loan amount and the balance will be extended by commercial banks namely Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Bank of Yokohama, San-In Godo Bank, Joyo Bank and Nanto Bank, under the JBIC guarantee.
- State Bank of India on Wednesday said it has signed an agreement with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for a loan worth USD 1 billion.
- Tech Mahindra acquired 100% equity in two companies—Momenton, a digital enterprise technology firm and Tenzing Ltd.
- On 28 October 2020 the ‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report was launched.
- Late Indian actor Om Puri was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the third edition of the India International Film Festival of Boston (IIFFB 2020).
- Digital India Award formerly known as Web Ratna Awards is an initiative to acknowledge the exemplary initiatives in e-Governance.
- Indian organisation named Global Himalayan Expedition wins UN Global Climate Action Award for combating climate change amid COVID-19 pandemic.
- Lieutenant General Nanda Kishore Sahoo, assumed the appointment of Director General Dental Services and Colonel Commandant of Army Dental Corps on 12 Oct 2020.
- Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. has appointed Rajesh Nambiar as its chairman and managing director of India and a member of its executive committee, effective 9 November.
- Wipro Ltd has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Encore Theme Technologies Pvt. Ltd, a specialist in providing software-as-a-service (SaaS) and cloud solutions in financial services.
- On 28th October, second edition of India-Central Asia Dialogue was held virtually.
- Ministry of Tourism organises a webinar on “Bundi: Architectural Heritage of a Forgotten Rajput Capital” under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series on October 24, 2020.
- The finance ministry on Wednesday said India and the United Kingdom have agreed to establish a bilateral Sustainable Finance Forum.
- The book titled “Night of the Restless Spirits: Stories from 1984″ authored by Sarbpreet Singh has been released recently. The book is published by Penguin.
- India and US decided to share space situational awareness information.
- On October 23, 2020, India Meteorological Department commissioned the Flash Flood Guidance Services in South Asia.
- To enable students to download their digital academic documents of classes 10 and 12, the CBSE – Central Board of Secondary Education has introduced “Facial Recognition System”
- The vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council Of Medical Research (ICMR) — Covaxin, has been cleared for the third phase of clinical trials.
NEWS IN DETAILS
IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES
PM inaugurates National Conference on Vigilance and Anti-Corruption
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the national conference on vigilance and anti-corruption on October 27, 2020.
- The theme of this year conference is “vigilant India, prosperous India”.
- The inaugural session of the conference will be live-streamed and available on ‘pmindiawebcast.nic.in’ link.
- The conference would be focussed on vigilance issues aimed at raising awareness and reaffirming India’s commitment to the promotion of integrity and probity in public life through citizens’ participation.
AIM Launches India-Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE)
- AIM (Atal Innovation Mission), in association with Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), is organizing a two-day hackathon on the circular economy, ‘India–Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE)’, on 7 and 8 December.
- The idea of the hackathon (I-ACE) was conceived during a virtual summit on 4 June, between the Indian and Australian prime ministers, exploring innovative ways to boost the circular economy in India & Australia
Themes:
- Innovation in packaging reducing packaging waste
- Innovation in food supply chains avoiding waste
- Creating opportunities for plastic waste reduction
- Recycling critical energy metals and e-waste
Feni Bridge to be completed by December 2020
- The Feni bridge is 1.8 km long joining Sabrum in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh.
- The Government of India recently announced that the bridge construction is to be completed by December 2020.
- The bridge is to be built over Feni river.
- It will link Tripura with Bangladesh
STATE WISE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Punjabi version of Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols launched
- Punjab Sports and NRI Affairs Minister, Shri Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi launched Punjabi version of ‘Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols’
- This protocol is for all age groups under fit India movement under the initiative of Sports Authority of India (SAI) and National Institute of Sports (NIS) Patiala.
- It is a great initiative of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYA&S) and today we are launching the Punjabi version of these protocols.
Extra Shots:
Punjab
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Chief Minister: Captain Amarinder Singh
- Governor: V. P. Singh Badnore
Young Advocates Welfare Fund launched in Tamil Nadu
- The Young Advocates Welfare Fund has been launched in Tamil Nadu.
- The Young Advocates Welfare Scheme is aimed at helping such fresh candidates to withstand the initial challenges.
- It provides monthly financial assistance of three thousand rupees each for two years to the lawyers who just come out of law colleges.
Extra Shots:
Tamilnadu
- Capital: Chennai
- Chief Minister: Edappadi K.Palanisamy
- Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
- Chief Justice of Madras High Court: Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani
- National Park: Guindy NP,Gulf of Mannar Marine NP, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) NP, Mudumalai NP, Mukurthi NP
Kerala became the first Indian state to fix Minimum Support Price
- Kerala became the first Indian state to fix Minimum Support Price for sixteen agriculture items.
- It consists of vegetables, fruits and tubers.
- The scheme is to support farmers and increase agriculture sector.
Extra Shots:
Kerala:
- Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
- Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
- Governor: Arif Mohammed Khan
- Festivals: Onam, Vishu, Thrissur Pooram, Nehru Trophy Boat Race
- National Parks: Anamudi Shola National Park, Eravikulam National Park, Mathikettan Shola National Park, Pambadum Shola National Park, Periyar National Park,Silent Valley National Park
- Wildlife Sanctuaries: Aralam WLS, Chimmony WLS, Idukki WLS, Periyar WLS, Wayanad WLS, Peppara WLS, Neyyar WLS, Kurinjimala WLS, Malabar WLS etc
INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Japan to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050
- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said that the country will achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.
- The Prime Minister said, he intends to make a sustainable economy a pillar of his growth strategy and put maximum effort into achieving a green society.
Extra Shots:
Japan (Capital/Currency): Tokyo/ Japanese yen
- President: Shinzo Abe
AGREEMENTS & MOUs
NTPC ties up with Japan Bank for Rs 3,500 cr loan
- As per the agreement, JBIC will provide 60 per cent of the loan amount and the balance will be extended by commercial banks namely Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Bank of Yokohama, San-In Godo Bank, Joyo Bank and Nanto Bank, under the JBIC guarantee.
- The facility is extended under JBIC’s Global Action for Reconciling Economic growth and Environment preservation (GREEN) for projects which ensure conservation of global environment.
Extra Shots:
NTPC
- Founded: 1975
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
- Owner: Government of India
- Organization type: State-owned enterprise
- Purpose: Electricity generation and distribution natural gas exploration, production, transportation and distribution
SBI inks agreement with Japan Bank for USD 1 billion loan
- State Bank of India on Wednesday said it has signed an agreement with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for a loan worth USD 1 billion.
- Of the total loan amount, USD 600 million will be financed by JBIC and USD 400 million by other participating banks – SMBC, MUFG Bank, Mizuho Bank, Shizuoka Bank and Bank of Yokahama.
- JBIC will provide a guarantee for the portion co-financed by the participating banks.
Extra Shots:
SBI
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founded: 1 July 1955
MERGER & ACQUISITION
Tech Mahindra acquires Momenton and Tenzing
- Tech Mahindra acquired 100% equity in two companies—Momenton, a digital enterprise technology firm and Tenzing Ltd.
- Both organizations are expected to help Tech Mahindra enable digital capabilities, modern cloud-based architecture and transformation for customers in the Australia and New Zealand region in financial services and other sectors.
- The acquisitions underline Tech Mahindra’s focus on digital growth under the TechMNxt charter, which focuses on leveraging emerging technologies and solutions for digital transformation.
Extra Shots:
Tech Mahindra
- CEO: C. P. Gurnani
- Parent organization: Mahindra Group
- Headquarters: Pune
- Founder: Anand Mahindra
- Founded: 1986
INDEX/RANKS
‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report
- On 28 October 2020 the ‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report was launched.
- The report has jointly been prepared by the NITI Aayog, Ministry of Power, Rockefeller Foundation and Smart Power India.
- It basically highlights the benefits of government-led schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana.
Highlights:
- Overall, 87% of the surveyed customers have access to grid-based electricity, while remaining 13% either use non-grid sources or don’t use any electricity at all.
- The hours of supply have improved significantly to nearly 17 hours per day.
- Nearly 85% of customers reported to have a metered electricity connection.
- Access to electricity is observed in 83% of household customers.
AWARDS
Om Puri was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award
- Late Indian actor Om Puri was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the third edition of the India International Film Festival of Boston (IIFFB 2020).
- The award was received by his wife Nandita Puri.
Digital India Award 2020
- Digital India Award formerly known as Web Ratna Awards is an initiative to acknowledge the exemplary initiatives in e-Governance.
- The Government of India (GoI) has been bracing for innovation and transformation in the delivery of information/services with the adoption of best ICT practices.
- The Government of India (GoI) has been deploying innovative digital solutions to enhance the quality and reach of government services.
Global Himalayan Expedition won the UN Global Climate Action Award
- Indian organisation named Global Himalayan Expedition wins UN Global Climate Action Award for combating climate change amid COVID-19 pandemic.
- GHE is a corporation that manages ‘Impacts Expeditions’ to the Himalayan villages in native areas.
- GHE is an Indian corporation that strengths technology and tourism in order to support remote group gain solar energy.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENTS
LT GEN Nanda Kishore Sahoo Assumes Appointment of Director General Dental Services
- Lieutenant General Nanda Kishore Sahoo, assumed the appointment of Director General Dental Services and Colonel Commandant of Army Dental Corps on 12 Oct 2020.
- During his distinguished military career of 37 years, he has held multiple important appointments including Command of a unit in Kashmir Valley, Command Advisor of Western, Central and Southern Commands.
Cognizant appoints Rajesh Nambiar as India CMD
- Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. has appointed Rajesh Nambiar as its chairman and managing director of India and a member of its executive committee, effective 9 November.
- He also served on the board of IBM India and as a member of Nasscom’s executive council.
Extra Shots:
Cognizant
- CEO: Brian Humphries
- Founded: 26 January 1994
- Headquarters: Teaneck, New Jersey, United States
Wipro to acquire cloud firm Encore Theme Technologies
- Wipro Ltd has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Encore Theme Technologies Pvt. Ltd, a specialist in providing software-as-a-service (SaaS) and cloud solutions in financial services.
- The acquisition will close in the quarter ending 31 December, 2020.
- The acquisition is expected to combine Wipro’s global managed services capabilities with Encore Theme’s deep domain trade and cash management expertise.
Extra shots:
Wipro
- CEO: Thierry Delaporte
- Founder: M.H. Hasham Premji
- Founded: 29 December 1945, India
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
SUMMITS & CONFERENCE
India-Central Asia Dialogue was held
- On 28th October, second edition of India-Central Asia Dialogue was held virtually.
- The summit was chaired by the External Affairs Minister of India Dr S Jaishankar.
- The foreign minister of all the five Central Asian countries- Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,
- India announced US $ 1 billion line of credit for “priority developmental projects” in Central Asian countries in the fields of connectivity, energy, IT, healthcare, education, agriculture and offered to provide grant assistance for implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) for furthering socio-economic development in the countries of the region.
Ministry of Tourism organizes webinar on “Bundi: Architectural Heritage of a Forgotten Rajput Capital”
- Ministry of Tourism organises a webinar on “Bundi: Architectural Heritage of a Forgotten Rajput Capital” under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series on October 24, 2020.
- The considerable focus was on major historic imperial and provincial cities of India like Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Lucknow etc.
- The webinar was visualized by Charudatta Deshmukh, an Architect-Urban Planner with over 25 years of experience in managing planning and design of urban infrastructure and development projects.
India, UK to set up a bilateral Sustainable Finance Forum
- The finance ministry on Wednesday said India and the United Kingdom have agreed to establish a bilateral Sustainable Finance Forum.
- This was discussed during the 3rd session on infrastructure and sustainable finance during the 10th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD).
- India’s USD 1.4 trillion National Infrastructure Pipeline and the City of London are working together to ensure flow of sustainable finance.
- This partnership is helping set up a Project Preparation Support Facility cum Centre of Excellence for PPP (public private partnership) projects
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
“Night of the Restless Spirits: Stories from 1984” authored by Sarbpreet Singh released
- The book titled “Night of the Restless Spirits: Stories from 1984″ authored by Sarbpreet Singh has been released recently.
- The book is published by Penguin.
- The book is a heart-rending collection of stories that evokes the horrors and uncertainties of 1984.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
NASA-ISRO to launch NISAR satellite in 2022
- India and US decided to share space situational awareness information.
- This will catalyse efforts in creating safe and sustainable space environment
- A joint statement issued after the dialogue read that the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar called the NISAR is to be launched by 2022.
- The space agencies of the countries signed an agreement to conduct a joint NISAR mission. The mission will develop and launch a synthetic aperture radar.
Extra Shots:
NASA
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
- Founder: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Founded: 1 October 1958, United States
ISRO
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
- Founder: Vikram Sarabhai
- Founded: 15 August 1969
- Director: Kailasavadivoo Sivan
MISCELLANEOUS CURRENT AFFAIRS
IMD: Flash Flood Guidance Services in South Asia
- On October 23, 2020, India Meteorological Department commissioned the Flash Flood Guidance Services in South Asia.
- The Flood Guidance Service will include a warning about threats six hours in advance, warnings about risks 24 hours in advance.
- The warnings about flood are to be provided by the National and State Disaster Management Authorities and also by Regional Centre to National Meteorological and Hydrological Services.
Extra Shots:
IMD
- Headquarters: Mausam Bhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi
- Founder: Government of India
- Founded: 1875
Facial recognition system Introduced by CBSE to access documents digitally
- To enable students to download their digital academic documents of classes 10 and 12, the CBSE – Central Board of Secondary Education has introduced “Facial Recognition System”
- The “Facial Recognition System” is now available on Parniaam Manjusha and Digi locker at digilocker.gov.in/cbse-certificate.html for all 2020 records.
Extra Shots:
CBSE
- Headquarters location: Delhi
- Founded: 1962
- Parent organisation: Ministry of Education
- Chairperson: Manoj Ahuja, IAS
Bharat Biotechs Covaxin gets the nod for phase 3 clinical trials
- The vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council Of Medical Research (ICMR) — Covaxin, has been cleared for the third phase of clinical trials.
- Covaxin, the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine candidate has received a nod for Phase-3 clinical trials in the country.
- The vaccine is developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Extra Shots:
ICMR
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Leader: Balram Bhargava
- Founder: Government of India
- Founded: 1911
