Hello and welcome to exampundit.in. Here are the important Current Affairs Today 3rd 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 – 3rd October 2020
NEWS AT A GLANCE
- The month of October is observed as breast cancer awareness month to increase awareness of the disease.
- The Reserve Bank of India deferred implementation of provisions made under Basel III capital due to uncertainty related to Covid crisis.
- The Finance Ministry said banks have sanctioned loans of about Rs 1.86 lakh crore to 50 lakh business units under the Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for the MSME sector, impacted by slowdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced a special refinance facility for the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme to promote sustainable and healthy lifestyle in rural areas.
- India has set up a screening panel to vet all Chinese foreign investment proposals and those considered “non-controversial” could be approved.
- Union Ministry of Power released the Draft Electricity Rules 2020.
- Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi Palaniswam has distributed One Nation One Ration Card scheme.
- Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare inaugurated Kerala’s first and nation’s twentieth mega food park in Palakkad district.
- The United States has announced a financial aid of USD 1.9 million for India to support vulnerable populations like informal sector workers whose livelihoods have been disrupted due to COVID-19.
- India will build a 100-bedded cancer hospital and a 22,000-seater cricket stadium in Hulhumale, Maldives, under the USD 800 million Line of Credit (LoC) that was extended to the country last year.
- A private company, Origin Space in Beijing (China) is set to send out the world’s first asteroid mining robot into space in November 2020.
- On 2nd October 2020, the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit, a global virtual summit of overseas and resident Indian Researchers and Academicians.
- The 19th round of Foreign Office Consultation was held between India and Myanmar. Due to COVID19 the discussion was conducted through online mode.
- RAISE 2020- ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020’ will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 05.
- United Nations General Assembly held Fourth World Conference on Women 2020.
- Department of Fertilizers under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers secured the 2nd position among the 16 Economic Ministries and also the department secured the 3rd spot out of the 65 Ministries or Departments.
- India and the United States have entered into a defence deal worth $90-million, wherein US would provide equipment, spare parts and logistical support for India’s fleet of C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft.
- The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria virtually conferred the Swachh Bharat 2020 Awards to the best performing States/UTs, districts, blocks, GPs in various categories on 2nd October 2020.
- Rayana Edwards, the South African who started a project to empower women to recycle saris into internationally-acclaimed fashion garments, has been named as a joint winner of this year’s Goldman Sachs and Fortune Global Women Leaders award(USD 25,000).
- The State Bank of India (SBI) has appointed Charanjit Singh Attra as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with effect from 01 October 2020.
- Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah became the oil-rich nation’s new ruling emir, after the death of his half-brother Sheikh Sabah al- AhmadAl- Sabah at the age of 91.
- Twitter Inc appointed Rinki Sethi, a former information security executive at IBM, as its chief information security officer.
- The indigenously developed Laser Guided Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) was successfully test fired by DRDO on 1st Oct 2020.
- The Indian Council of Medical Research has developed “Purified Antisera”. The antiserum has been obtained from animals.
NEWS IN DETAILS
IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES
October is observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- The month of October is observed as breast cancer awareness month to increase awareness of the disease.
- There are about 1.38 million new cases and 458 000 deaths from breast cancer each year (IARC Globocan, 2008). Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in the developed and developing countries.
- WHO promotes comprehensive breast cancer control programmes as part of national cancer control plans.
- The recommended early detection strategies for low- and middle-income countries are awareness of early signs and symptoms and screening by clinical breast examination in demonstration areas.
Extra Shots:
WHO
- Heads: Tedros Adhanom, Soumya Swaminathan, Jane Ellison
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Founded: 7 April 1948
- Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council
BANKING & FINANCE
RBI defers Basel III provisions amid covid uncertainty
- The Reserve Bank of India deferred implementation of provisions made under Basel III capital due to uncertainty related to Covid crisis.
- In two separate notifications, RBI said it would push back the final tranche of the capital conservation buffer (CCB) and the implementation of net stable funding ratio by six months.
- RBI had asked banks to build up CCB of 2.5% in stages. The final stage of 0.625% was to be kept from 30 September 2020. This has been deferred to 1 April, 2020.
- The RBI had earlier deferred the implementation by six months from 31 March 2020.
- As per the guidelines, banks in India were required to maintain NSFR of 100% from 1 April 2020.
- The RBI has now deferred it for a second time to 1 April 2021.
Banks Sanctions Rs 1.86 Lakh Cr to 50 Lakh MSMEs Under Credit Guarantee Scheme
- The Finance Ministry said banks have sanctioned loans of about Rs 1.86 lakh crore to 50 lakh business units under the Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for the MSME sector, impacted by slowdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Over 27 lakh MSME units have received about Rs 1,32,246 crore till September 29.
- The scheme is the biggest fiscal component of the Rs 20-lakh crore Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package.
- As reported on 29.09.2020, by 12 Public Sector Banks, top 24 Private Sector Banks & 31 NBFCs, the total amount sanctioned to Non-Individual & individuals, under the 100 per cent Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme stands at Rs 1,86,469 crore, of which Rs 1,32,246 crore has already been disbursed to 27,09,027 borrowers,”.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
NABARD launches refinance scheme for WASH programme, earmarks Rs 800 Crore for FY’21
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced a special refinance facility for the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme to promote sustainable and healthy lifestyle in rural areas.
- Under this, NABARD has earmarked an amount of Rs 800 crore for the financial year 2020-21.
- It will provide concessional refinance to all eligible financial institutions, including commercial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banks.
- The support will be channelised to fund WASH activities, which are eligible for 95 percent refinance.
Extra Shots:
NABARD
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Agency executive: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala
- Purpose: Development assistance; Poverty Reduction
- Formation: July 12, 1982
NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Govt sets up panel to screen all Chinese foreign investment proposals
- India has set up a screening panel to vet all Chinese foreign investment proposals and those considered “non-controversial” could be approved.
- More than 100 proposals involving foreign direct investment (FDI) from China are pending.
- The screening panel is headed by the home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and has the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) secretary as a member.
Extra Shots:
DPIIT
- Founded: 1995
- Parent organization: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Union Power Ministry Releases Draft Electricity (Change in Law, Must-run status and other matters) Rules 2020
- Union Ministry of Power released the Draft Electricity Rules 2020.
- The rules issued by the ministry with an objective to bring in quick compensation to power plants.
- The draft also proposes to let trading licensees charge a weighted average tariff of all the renewable energy bids.
- The draft rule now provides 75% of Power Purchase Agreement tariff, in case if compensation clauses are not provided in the PPA.
Extra Shots:
Power Ministry
- Union Minister: Raj Kumar Singh
- Constituency: Arrah, Bihar
STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Tamil Nadu state government implements ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme
- Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi Palaniswam has distributed One Nation One Ration Card scheme.
- This scheme has come into force in 32 districts of Tamil Nadu.
- The remaining states/UTs are targeted to be integrated into the scheme by March 2021.
Extra Shots:
One Nation One Ration Card
- The scheme will allow ration card holders to receive their monthly entitlements from any public distribution system (PDS) in the state
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’s first Mega Food Park inaugurated virtually
- Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare inaugurated Kerala’s first and nation’s twentieth mega food park in Palakkad district.
- The inauguration was conducted virtually through video conferencing.
- The Park will also provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers
- This Mega Food Park has been set up in 79.42 acres of land at a project cost of Rs. 102.13 crore.
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
US commits USD 1.9 mn to India to support informal sector workers amid COVID-19
- The United States has announced a financial aid of USD 1.9 million for India to support vulnerable populations like informal sector workers whose livelihoods have been disrupted due to COVID-19.
- The fund will be extended by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to support efforts to rebuild local economies and improve the livelihoods of Indians who have been hit hardest by this pandemic.
India to build 100-bedded hospital, 22,000-seater stadium in Maldives
- India will build a 100-bedded cancer hospital and a 22,000-seater cricket stadium in Hulhumale, Maldives, under the USD 800 million Line of Credit (LoC) that was extended to the country last year.
- This project will build on the already close bilateral cooperation in the health sector and include a robust component of human resource development.
- Projects covered under the LoC include several infrastructure developments projects.
Extra Shots:
Maldives (Capital/Currency): Malé/ Maldivian rufiyaa
- President: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
China to launch world’s first asteroid mining robot into space in November 2020
- A private company, Origin Space in Beijing (China) is set to send out the world’s first asteroid mining robot into space in November 2020.
- The robot has been named ‘asteroid mining robot’ by the space start-up in China.
- As per the report, the asteroid mining robot will be launched into space by a Chinese Long March series rocket.
If the mission turns out to be a success, it may open a trillion-dollar industry.
Extra Shots:
China (Capital/Currency): Beijing/ Renminbi
- President: Xi Jinping
SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates VAIBHAV 2020 Summit
- On 2nd October 2020, the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit, a global virtual summit of overseas and resident Indian Researchers and Academicians.
- The summit will conclude on the occasion of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Jayanti on 31st October 2020.
- The VAIBHAV Summit 2020 has been organised to celebrate Science and Innovation from India and the World.
- More than 3000 overseas Indian origin academicians and scientists from 55 countries and about 10,000 from India are taking part in the month-long Summit.
- It is being organized by 200 Indian academic institutes and S&T departments, led by Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India.
- The aim of the summit is to bring out a comprehensive roadmap leveraging the expertise and knowledge of global Indian researchers for addressing emerging challenges for universal development.
19th round of Foreign Office Consultations held between India & Myanmar
- The 19th round of Foreign Office Consultation was held between India and Myanmar. Due to COVID19 the discussion was conducted through online mode.
- The Indian side was led by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and the Myanmar side was represented by Permanent Secretary, U Soe Han.
- Both nations reviewed the entire gamut of relations, including border cooperation and the ongoing restoration work on earthquake damaged pagodas in Bagan.
Extra Shots:
Myanmar (Capital/Currency): Naypyitaw/ Burmese kyat
- President: Win Myint
RAISE Summit 2020 – Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020 to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi
- RAISE 2020- ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020’ will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 05.
- The summit will be held from October 5-9, 2020. It is being conducted by the Government of India along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and NITI Aayog.
- The summit will be organized by the Government of India along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and NITI Aayog.
Extra Shots:
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
- Union Minister: Ravi Shankar Prasad
- Constituency: Patna Sahib, Bihar
UNGA Fourth World Conference on Women 2020
- United Nations General Assembly held Fourth World Conference on Women 2020.
- This is the also 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to highlight India’s achievements on gender equality.
- The Conference was addressed by Union Minister for Ministry of Women and Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani.
- The theme for this year conference is ‘Accelerating the realization of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
Extra Shots:
UNGA:
- Secretary General: Antonio Guterres
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Founded: 24 October 1945
RANKS AND INDICES
Data Governance Quality Index Released – Department of Fertilizers ranked at Second Position
- Department of Fertilizers under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers secured the 2nd position among the 16 Economic Ministries and also the department secured the 3rd spot out of the 65 Ministries or Departments.
- This report is released based according to the survey conducted by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Ayog in order to assess the performance of different Ministries or Departments’ on the implementation of Central Sector Schemes (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS).
- Department of Fertilizers under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has been ranked 2nd amongst the 16 Economic Ministries or Departments and
- The Ministry has also been ranked 3rd out of the 65 Ministries or Departments.
- The total score of the department was 4.11 on a scale of 5 in the Data Governance Quality Index (DGQI).
AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED
India signs USD 90 million defence deal with US to buy spares for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft
- India and the United States have entered into a defence deal worth $90-million, wherein US would provide equipment, spare parts and logistical support for India’s fleet of C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft.
- The deal will further strengthen India-US strategic relations and advance political stability, peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
- As per the deal, the US will repair the C-130J Super Hercules to India, as well as supply spare part and ground support.
- India has also ordered an AN/ALR-56M advanced radar warning system, 10 lightweight night vision binoculars, 10-night vision glasses, GPS and electronic warfare to the US.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presents Swachh Bharat Awards 2020
- The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria virtually conferred the Swachh Bharat 2020 Awards to the best performing States/UTs, districts, blocks, GPs in various categories on 2nd October 2020.
- The Ministry of Jal Shakti is observing the Swachh Bharat Diwas, 2020 on 2nd October to mark six years of the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).
The Swachh Bharat 2020 Awards were conferred under three categories which are:
Swachh Sundar Samudayik Shauchalaya (SSSS) campaign
- Samudayik Shauchalaya Abhiyan (SSA)
- Gandagi Se Mukt (GMB) campaign
Swachh Sundar Samudayik Shauchalaya (SSSS) campaign
- Best State – Gujarat
- Best District – Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
- Best Block – Khachrod, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
- Best Gram Panchayat – Chinnaur, (Salem)
Samudayik Shauchalaya Abhiyan (SSA)
- Best State – Uttar Pradesh (GKRA) and Gujarat (Non-GKRA) [***Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA)]
- Best District – Prayagraj (GKRA) and Bareilly (Non-GKRA)
- Best Gram Panchayat – Borigaon, Bongaigaon, Assam
Gandagi Se Mukt (GMB) campaign
- Best State – Telangana and Haryana
- Best District – Moga, Punjab
Founder of Sari Recycling Project Wins Goldman Sachs And Fortune Global Women Leaders Award
- Rayana Edwards, the South African who started a project to empower women to recycle saris into internationally-acclaimed fashion garments, has been named as a joint winner of this year’s Goldman Sachs and Fortune Global Women Leaders award(USD 25,000).
- The other winner was Emma Dicks, founder of CodeSpace Academy, a coding school.
APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS
SBI appoints Charanjit Attra as CFO
- The State Bank of India (SBI) has appointed Charanjit Singh Attra as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with effect from 01 October 2020.
- The post was lying vacant after the former Deputy MD & CFO Prashant Kumar, was appointed as the CEO of Yes Bank in March 2020.
- C Venkat Nageshwar was serving the post on interim capacity.
- Attra is a former Partner at global consulting firm EY India and had also served as the CFO at the ICICI Securities.
Extra Shots:
SBI
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founded: 1 July 1955
Crown prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah becomes Kuwait’s new ruling emir
- Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah became the oil-rich nation’s new ruling emir, after the death of his half-brother Sheikh Sabah al- AhmadAl- Sabah at the age of 91.
- Sheikh Nawaf, 83, had served as the crown prince since 2006, jumping a traditional order of alternating rule between the Al Jaber and the Al Salim branches of the country’s ruling family.
Twitter appoints Rinki Sethi as New Information Security Head
- Twitter Inc appointed Rinki Sethi, a former information security executive at IBM, as its chief information security officer.
- Sethi had previously worked as the vice president of information security at cyber-security firm Palo Alto Networks Inc.
Extra Shots:
- CEO: Jack Dorsey
- Founded: 21 March 2006, San Francisco, California, United States
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founders: Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Noah Glass, Biz Stone
DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
DRDO successfully test fires laser-guided anti-tank guided missile
- The indigenously developed Laser Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) was successfully test fired by DRDO on 1st Oct 2020.
- It defeated a target located at longer range.
- The trial was the second such successful test firing of the missile, after a similar successful trial done on 22nd September 2020.
- The test was conducted from MBT Arjun at KK ranges (ACC&S) Ahmednagar in Maharashtra.
- This Laser guided ATGM has been developed by Armament R&D Establishment (ARDE), Pune in association with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune and Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun.
- It has a tandem HEAT warhead to destroy Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) protected armoured vehicles in ranges from 1.5 to 5 km.
- The missile is currently undergoing technical evaluation trials from 120 mm rifled gun of MBT Arjun.
Extra Shots:
DRDO
- Founded: 1958
- Headquarters: DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi
MISCELLANEOUS
ICMR develops “Purified Antisera” as treatment
- The Indian Council of Medical Research has developed “Purified Antisera”. The antiserum has been obtained from animals.
- This is to be used as a prophylaxis and treatment for COVID-19.
- The new therapy works just like that of plasma therapy. But here the plasma is obtained from animals.
- Antiserum is blood-based serum that holds antibodies against viruses.
- In this new therapy, the serum is raised from horses that have recovered from viral infection and found to hold antibodies against the virus in their system.
- The antibodies from horses are called “Equine Antisera” and are common.
Extra Shots:
ICMR
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Leader: Balram Bhargava
- Founder: Government of India
- Founded: 1911
- Motto: भवन्ति (परीक्ष्य कारिणो हि कुशला, Sanskrit)
