Hello and welcome to exampundit. Here are the important Current Affairs Today 31st 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 – 31st January 2020
NEWS AT A GLANCE
- World Leprosy Day is observed on Jan 30 every year to commemorate the death of Mahatma Gandhi who was assassinated on this day in 1948.
- The IRDAI has imposed a penalty of ₹1 crore each on ICICI Lombard General Insurance and Tata AIG General Insurance company.
- The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of ₹1 crore on HDFC Bank for non-compliance of master directions of KYC directions.
- Google announced a 1-million USD grant to promote news literacy among Indians.
- Google search engine directing the users searching coronavirus to systematically arranged results about safety tips, situation updates, and resources from the World Health Organisation.
- Martyrs’ Day, a tribute on the 72nd death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Union Minister for MSME, Shri Nitin Gadkari launched the limited edition of Khadi wristwatches.
- Union Minister of State Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh launches the DoPT’s online certificate course on Relevance of Gandhi in the Contemporary World at a function.
- Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan India will continue to lead the global sustainable energy agenda.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced a new initiative, Direct CTO, to enable companies operating under green category industries to receive faster clearances from the government to commence operations.
- The 44th edition of Kolkata Book Fair 2020 (IKBF) has commenced at Central Park Mela Ground in SaltLake, Kolkata , West Bengal with Russia as a “Focal Theme Country”.
- ‘Women with Wheels’ cab service has been started at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), New Delhi by ‘Sakha cabs’ for the safety of women.
- US President Donald Trump has signed the new United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) North American trade pact with Canada and Mexico into law.
- Irish composer Eimear Noone will be the first woman to conduct an orchestra at the Oscars guest-segment
- World Health Organisation (WHO) declares the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) as the outbreak continues to spread outside Wuhan, China.
- Hitesh Chandra Awasthi will serve as the interim Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh.
- Private life insurer IDBI Federal Life Insurance announced the appointment of Mathivanan Balakrishnan as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
- Gita Sabharwal of India was appointed as the UN(United Nations) Resident Coordinator (RC) of Thailand by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
- Indian women’s team captain Rani Rampal became the 1st-ever hockey player worldwide to win the prestigious ‘World Games Athlete of the Year’ award 2019.
- The 9th edition of joint military training exercise between India-Bangladesh SAMPRITI-IX will be conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya.
- Well-known theatre person, Sanjana Kapoor received the prestigious French honour of ‘Chevalier dans lOrdre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) for her outstanding contribution to the field of theatre. She is the daughter of Late Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor.
- Partap Chauhan, the pioneer of Ayurvedic Telemedicine, has Conferred with Prestigious Ayurveda Ratan Award 2020 in Brussels, Belgium during Ayurveda Day Celebration at the European Parliament.
- Famous social worker, environmentalist, educationist & writer Tushar Kanjilal passed away.
NEWS IN DETAILS
IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES
World Leprosy Day 2020 observed on 30th Jan
- In India, World Leprosy Day is observed on Jan 30 every year to commemorate the death of Mahatma Gandhi who was assassinated on this day in 1948.
- This day was chosen by the French humanitarian Raoul Follereau as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who helped people affected with leprosy.
- World Leprosy Day is observed internationally every year on the last Sunday of January to increase public awareness of the Leprosy.
- This year theme of World Leprosy Day 2020 is “Leprosy isn’t what you think”.
BANKING AND FINANCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
IRDAI slaps Rs.1-cr fine each on Tata AIG and ICICI Lombard
- The IRDAI has imposed a penalty of Rs 1 crore each on ICICI Lombard General Insurance and Tata AIG General Insurance company.
- The fine was slapped on ICICI Lombard for selling group personal accident policies and individual personal protect policy beyond the permitted period.
- Tata AIG General Insurance has been penalised for the violation of certain norms related to renewal premium collection.
Extra Shots:
IRDAI: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India is an autonomous, statutory body tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and re-insurance industries in India.
- Website: irdai.gov.in
- Founded: 1999
- Sector: Insurance
- Headquarters: Hyderabad
- Type: Statutory corporation
- Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia
RBI imposes Rs.1 crore penalty on HDFC Bank
- The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of ₹1 crore on HDFC Bank for non-compliance of master directions of KYC directions.
- The RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore on the bank for failure to undertake on‐going due diligence in the case of 39 current accounts opened for bidding in Initial Public Offer
Extra Shots:
RBI: The Reserve Bank of India is India’s central banking institution, which controls the issuance and supply of the Indian rupee.
- Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
- Deputy Governors: B P Kanungo, M K Jain, N S Vishwanathan, Michael Debaprata Patra
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Google announces $1-million grant to promote news literacy in India
- Google announced a 1-million USD grant to promote news literacy among Indians.
- According to Google, the grant will work towards building a strong network of senior reporters and journalists, who will counteract fake news in India.
- The funding support is part of Google’s broader, $10-million commitment to media literacy.
- Google’s initiative will focus on delivering news literacy, especially in non-metro cities.
- Under the programme, Internews will put together a team of 250 journalists, fact-checkers, academicians, and NGO workers, who will be trained by global and Indian experts in a curriculum adapted to local needs and available in seven Indian languages.
Extra Shots:
Google: Google LLC is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. It is considered one of the Big Four technology companies, alongside Amazon, Apple, and Facebook.
- CEO: Sundar Pichai
- Founded: 4 September 1998, Menlo Park, California, United States
- Parent organization: Alphabet Inc.
- Headquarters: Mountain View, California, United States
- Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin
Google launches SOS Alerts for coronavirus
- Google search engine directing the users searching coronavirus to systematically arranged results about safety tips, situation updates, and resources from the World Health Organisation. According to the Verge, Google announced this joint effort with the WHO.
- This new addition comes as a part of Google’s SOS Alerts feature.
- The company donated a sum of 250,000 dollars through its charitable arm Google.org to the Chinese branch of Red Cross to aid the coronavirus relief work.
Extra Shots:
Google: Google LLC is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. It is considered one of the Big Four technology companies, alongside Amazon, Apple, and Facebook.
- CEO: Sundar Pichai
- Founded: 4 September 1998, Menlo Park, California, United States
- Parent organization: Alphabet Inc.
- Headquarters: Mountain View, California, United States
- Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin
NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Shri Nitin Gadkari Launches Special Edition of Khadi Watches
- Martyrs’ Day, a tribute on the 72nd death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Union Minister for MSME, Shri Nitin Gadkari launched the limited edition of Khadi wristwatches.
- The event took place in New Delhi.
- Designed by Titan, a non-horological material like Khadi has been used on the dial and strap of the watches.
- Khadi is handwoven every single watch in this collection is unique because of the distinctive weave and texture.
Extra Shots:
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body formed in April 1957 by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, ‘Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’.
- Founded: 1956
- Purpose: To plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Agency executive: Vinai Kumar Saxena (Chairperson)
- Parent agency: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
- Type: Statutory corporation
Dr Jitendra Singh launches DoPT online certificate course on Relevance of Gandhi in the Contemporary World
- Union Minister of State Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh launches the DoPT’s online certificate course on Relevance of Gandhi in the Contemporary World at a function.
- The online program on Mahatma Gandhi is an initiative of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the iGOTprogramme to pay tribute to Father of the Nation, coinciding with the Martyr’s Day.
India will continue to lead global sustainable energy agenda
- Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan India will continue to lead the global sustainable energy agenda.
- The principal note address at the TERI’s World Sustainable Development Summit 2020 on Energy Future Road Map in New Delhi.
- The trajectory to end energy poverty in India, as compared to the rest of the world, is based on the particular national circumstances.
- The union government has set out a road map for reducing India’s crude oil imports by 10 percent by 2022.
STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS
TN CM unveils Direct CTO scheme for green category industries
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced a new initiative, Direct CTO, to enable companies operating under green category industries to receive faster clearances from the government to commence operations.
- The move would primarily benefit micro, small, and medium enterprises planning to set up operations in the state.
- The 125 years of trade body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
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.
44th International Kolkata Book Fair 2020 (IKBF) begins in Kolkata, West Bengal with Russia as the theme country
- The 44th edition of Kolkata Book Fair 2020 (IKBF) has commenced at Central Park Mela Ground in SaltLake, Kolkata , West Bengal with Russia as a “Focal Theme Country”.
- Tyto, a category of bird species consisting of barn owls, grass owls and masked owls was selected as the official Mascot of the Book Fair for the 1st time.
- The IKBF which is annually organized by the Publishers and Booksellers Guild,was inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in presence of Russian Ambassador to India, Kudashev Nikolay Rishatovich.
Extra Shots:
West Bengal:
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief Minister: Mamta Banerjee
- Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar
- State Formed in: 1947
- Literacy Rate: 76.26%
- National Park: Buxa National Park, Gorumara National Park, Neora Valley National Park, Neora Valley National Park, Sunderban National Park, Jaldapara National Park
Delhi airport gets a new women-only cab service namely “Women with Wheels”
- ‘Women with Wheels’ cab service has been started at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), New Delhi by ‘Sakha cabs’ for the safety of women.
- Key Points:
- The taxis are operated by women drivers and the services are provided only to women or men with family.
- The cab had been installed with GPS(Global Positioning System) and panic button to help the women drivers & women passengers.
- Sakha Consulting wings also provide women cab service in Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Jaipur (Rajasthan), and Kolkata (West Bengal).
- All the women drivers have been trained by Azad foundation, partner of Sakha Consulting Wings Pvt Ltd.
Extra Shots:
Sakha Consulting Wings Pvt Ltd.
- Partner– Azad Foundation, Samaan Society
- Initiated– 2008
- CEO– Arvind Vadera
- Women on Wheels Founder – Meenu Vadera
INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
President Trump inks USMCA North American trade deal
- US President Donald Trump has signed the new United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) North American trade pact with Canada and Mexico into law.
- The USMCA, crafted over years of negotiation between the three countries, replaces the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.
- It also makes changes to e-commerce, intellectual property protection and dispute settlement for investors, as well as imposing tougher labour provisions, requiring reforms to Mexico’s laws.
Extra Shots:
USA (Capital/Currency): Washington, D.C./ United States Dollar
- President: Donald Trump
- Official languages: English
Eimear Noone set to become Oscars’ first female orchestra conductor
- Irish composer Eimear Noone will be the first woman to conduct an orchestra at the Oscars guest-segment.
- She will lead the 42-piece orchestra at the Academy Awards as it plays excerpts from five nominated scores.
- She’s widely hailed as the world’s leading composer of video game music and at 22 became the first woman to conduct at the National Concert Hall.
WHO declares coronavirus as Public Health Emergency of International Concern
- World Health Organisation (WHO) declares the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) as the outbreak continues to spread outside Wuhan, China.
- The decision taken in the second consecutive meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
- The meeting held under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the outbreak of coronavirus in China with exportations to other countries.
Extra Shots:
WHO: The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 7 April 1948, and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO is a member of the United Nations Development Group.
- Head: Tedros Adhanom Trending
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Founded: 7 April 1948
- Customer service: 011 6656 4800
- Subsidiary: Pan American Health Organization
APPOINTMENT
Hitesh Chandra Awasthi to serve as interim DGP of Uttar Pradesh
- Hitesh Chandra Awasthi will serve as the interim Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh.
- UP government announced. Awasthi, a 1985 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, will replace OP Singh retired from the top police post in Uttar Pradesh.
- Awasthi served in the CBI for 13 years, who is presently posted as Director-general Vigilance. He will retire in June 2021.
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
IDBI Federal Life Insurance appoints M Balakrishnan as CFO, Prabhu as CIO
- Private life insurer IDBI Federal Life Insurance announced the appointment of Mathivanan Balakrishnan as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
- Besides, the company also announced elevation of S P Prabhu as its Chief Investment Officer (CIO).
- Prabhu, who was earlier head of fixed income, will now oversee the management of the company’s investment portfolio of Rs 10,000 crore, spread across various asset classes,.
- As CFO, Balakrishnan will oversee the areas of planning and budgeting, financial accounting & reporting, corporate taxation, investment operations, insurance accounting, audit and statutory compliance.
Extra Shots:
IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co Ltd. is a three way joint-venture of IDBI Bank, an Indian development and commercial bank; Federal Bank, one of India’s leading private sector banks and Ageas, a multinational insurance giant based out of Europe. Wikipedia
- CEO: Vighnesh Shahane
- Headquarters location: Mumbai
- Founded: March 2008
Gita Sabharwal of India appointed UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand
- Gita Sabharwal of India was appointed as the UN(United Nations) Resident Coordinator (RC) of Thailand by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
- The UN Resident Coordinator is the highest ranking representative of the UN development system at country level and representatives of UN Secretary-General.
- 2030 Agenda: UN Resident Coordinator has the responsibility to guide UN country teams and coordinate the support from other countries for smooth implementation of 2030 Agenda.
Extra Shots:
UN: The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization responsible for maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, achieving international cooperation, and being a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.
- Secretary general: António Guterres
- Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
- Founded: 24 October 1945, San Francisco, California, United States
- Official languages: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS
India hockey captain Rani Rampal named 2019 World Games Athlete of the Year
- Indian women’s team captain Rani Rampal became the 1st-ever hockey player worldwide to win the prestigious ‘World Games Athlete of the Year’ award 2019.
- The prize is given for outstanding performance, along with social commitment and fair behaviour.
- The 25-year-old Rani has been part of the Indian women’s hockey team since she was 15 years old and has made 240 appearances for the national team thus far.
- She was the player of the tournament in the FIH Women’s Series Finals in Hiroshima, Japan.
DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
India-Bangladesh joint exercise to be held in Meghalaya
- The 9th edition of joint military training exercise between India-Bangladesh SAMPRITI-IX will be conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya.
- Exercise SAMPRITI is an important bilateral defence cooperation endeavour between India and Bangladesh which is hosted alternately by both countries.
- During the joint exercise, Command Post Exercise and Field Training Exercise is to be conducted according to the United Nations Charter.
- The troops of both the armies will also practice Counter-Terrorist operation.
Extra Shots:
Bangladesh (Capital/Currency): Dhaka/Taka
- Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina
AWARDS
Theatre artiste Sanjana Kapoor will receive the prestigious French honour
- Well-known theatre person, Sanjana Kapoor received the prestigious French honour of ‘Chevalier dans lOrdre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) for her outstanding contribution to the field of theatre. She is the daughter of Late Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor.
- L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is a French government distinction instituted in 1957 by the Ministry of Culture and is conferred, regardless of nationality, on persons who have distinguished themselves by their creativity in the fields of art or literature, or for their contribution to promoting art and literature in France and throughout the world.
Dr. Partap chauhan honoured with Ayurveda ratan award 2020 in Brussels, Belgium
- Partap Chauhan, the pioneer of Ayurvedic Telemedicine, has Conferred with Prestigious Ayurveda Ratan Award 2020 in Brussels, Belgium during Ayurveda Day Celebration at the European Parliament.
OBITUARIES
Padma Shri awardee Tushar Kanjilal passes away
- Famous social worker, environmentalist, educationist & writer Tushar Kanjilal passed away.
- The Government of India awarded Tushar Kanjilal the 4th highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1986.
- He also received the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in 2008.
