Hello and welcome to exampundit. Here are the important Current Affairs Today 8th September 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 – 8th September 2020
NEWS AT A GLANCE
- International Literacy Day is observed annually on September 8 across the world to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under the Open Market Operation (OMO) for Rs 10,000 crore each on September 10.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is in the process of setting up an innovation hub which will focus on future technology in the financial services space.
- Banks have sanctioned loans of about Rs 1,61,017 crore under the Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for the MSME sector reeling under the slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
- India’s telecom service provider Vodafone Idea Limited has announced that it has re-branded itself as ‘VI’, to mark the completion of the largest telecom merger in the world and present itself as a merged entity.
- Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment virtually launched the 24×7 Toll-Free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline “KIRAN” (1800-500-0019).
- The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu has suggested that milk can be given either as part of breakfast or the mid-day meal.
- The Consumer Affairs Ministry has come out with a comprehensive set of draft guidelines on advertising.
- Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare ministry has approved four crore rupees for up-gradation of Soil Testing labs across the Kashmir valley.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy on September 7, 2020 released the state’s new Electronic Hardware and Manufacturing Policy-2020.
- Centre has brought majority of fruits and vegetables grown in Jammu under a fresh initiative of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. All the fruits and vegetables in J&K will be covered under the ‘Operation Green’s TOP to TOTAL’ scheme.
- The Social Welfare Department in Assam has taken steps to promote nutritious food through Kitchen Garden.
- In Jammu and Kashmir, in a first of its kind initiative in embracing technology as a medium for inauguration, Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice, J&K High Court and Patron, J&K State Legal Services Authority, e-inaugurated Ahata-e-Waqar (Day Care and Recreation Centre for Senior Citizens), Vulnerable Witnesses Deposition Complex and Crèche facility at District Court Complex, Samba.
- In Gujarat, the State Government has formed the Task Force to study and implement the National Education Policy-2020 for school education.
- In Jammu and Kashmir, an awareness cum sensitization programme for newly proposed Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) was organized by NABARD in coordination with District Administration in Anantnag.
- SpaceX has successfully sent 60 Starlink internet satellites aboard the Falcon 9 which is lifted off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- Bangladesh will host the 36th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC) of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), for the first time in 2022 since joining the organization in 1973.
- India will host a summit of the council of heads of government of the SCO on November 30 with a focus on contributing to the trade and economic agenda of the influential grouping,
- The Education Ministers Meeting will take place as part of the Sherpa Track for the G20 Leaders’ Summit 2020, which is to be hosted by Saudi Arabia at the end of 2020.
- The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is going to organise the first World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS) on September 8, 2020.
- Kerala, Goa, Tripura, Tamil Nadu and Mizoram are among the top five States for well-being of children, according to a report brought out by non-governmental organisation Mobile Creches and launched by Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu.
- A report on ‘Household Social Consumption: Education’ was published by the National Statistical Office (NSO).
- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, has partnered with Freshworks Inc., a customer-engagement software company, with an aim to provide robust support to innovators and entrepreneurs in India.
- India and Bangladesh have agreed to hold the 6th meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) later this month.
- World Bank and the government of Himachal Pradesh signed $82 million loan for the implementation of Himachal Pradesh State Roads Transformation Project.
- NITI Aayog has constituted a Multidimensional Poverty Index Coordination Committee (MPICC).
- The Reserve Bank have accepted the recommendations of the KV Kamath Committee on ‘Resolution Framework for Covid19-related Stress’ which was submitted by panel on September 4, 2020.
- The Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant has been named the 2019-20 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, the NBA announced.
- IIT Madras-incubated Agnikul Cosmos, which provides a dedicated launch vehicle for smaller satellites at a lower cost, has been conferred with TiE50 award.
- Vinkesh Gulati, has been appointed as the 35th President of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).
- Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully demonstrated the hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology with the flight test of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha on September 07, 2020.
- Minister of State for Space Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the launch of Chandrayaan-3 may now take place somewhere in early 2021.
- The book titled “Breaking the Cocoon @ 40″ authored by Radha Nair has been released recently.
- Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and 12-time all-star, has died. He was 75.
- Oscar-winning Czech director Jiri Menzel has passed away after battling serious health issues. He was 82.
- Father of India’s Radio Astronomy, Dr. Govind Swarup passed away yesterday at Pune.
NEWS IN DETAILS
IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES
International Literacy Day Observed on 8 September
- International Literacy Day is observed annually on September 8 across the world to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies.
- The day was declared by UNESCO on 26 October 1966 at 14th session of UNESCO’s General conference.
- It was celebrated for the first time in 1967.
- The theme of 54th International Literacy Day is “Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.”
Extra Shots:
UNESCO
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Head: Audrey Azoulay
- Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom
- Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council
- Formation: 4 November 1945
BANKING & FINANCE
RBI announces OMO for sale, purchase of government securities of Rs 10,000 crore
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under the Open Market Operation (OMO) for Rs 10,000 crore each on September 10.
- The RBI on August 31 had announced that it would conduct special simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under OMO for an aggregate amount of Rs 20,000 crore in two tranches of Rs 10,000 crore each as part of its measures to foster orderly market conditions.
- “The first auction is scheduled for September 10, 2020. It would be selling three securities totalling Rs 10,000 crore and also purchasing equal number of securities of the same amount.
Extra Shots:
RBI
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das Trending
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founder: British Raj
- Subsidiaries: Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation, Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran
RBI to set up innovation hub for finance sector
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is in the process of setting up an innovation hub which will focus on future technology in the financial services space.
- Innovation Hub is one of the things that we are trying out where we are looking at actually creating ideation, creating ideas to evolve technologies.
- The RBI has released a framework for setting up umbrella entities for operating pan-India retail payments systems.
- It has invited applications from eligible companies by February 26, 2021.
- As per the framework, the companies with a net worth of over Rs 500 crore will be eligible to set up an umbrella entity which among other things will be permitted to set up, manage and operate new payment systems in the retail space comprising ATMs, White Label PoS, Aadhaar-based payments and remittance services.
Banks sanction loans of Rs 1.61 lakh crore to MSMEs under credit guarantee scheme
- Banks have sanctioned loans of about Rs 1,61,017 crore under the Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for the MSME sector reeling under the slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
- However, disbursements against this stood at Rs 1,13,713 lakh crore till September 3.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Vodafone Idea re-brands itself as ‘VI’
- India’s telecom service provider Vodafone Idea Limited has announced that it has re-branded itself as ‘VI’, to mark the completion of the largest telecom merger in the world and present itself as a merged entity.
- The announcement was made by company’s MD and CEO Ravinder Takkar on 7th September 2020.
- Now all the products of the company will be available under the new unified brand identity and logo “VI”.
NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Thaawarchand Gehlot launched 24×7 toll-free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline KIRAN
- Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment virtually launched the 24×7 Toll-Free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline “KIRAN” (1800-500-0019).
- The aim is to provide relief and support to persons with Mental Illness.
- The movement comes due to the growing incidence of Mental Illness, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 Pandemic.
- Gehlot also released the poster, brochure, and resource book on the Helpline.
Toll Free Helpline:
- Toll Free Helpline will be operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the Technical Coordination of BSNL.
- A total of 25 Institutions including 8 National Institutes are involved in this Helpline.
- The Toll-Free Helpline is backed by 660 Clinical/Rehabilitation Psychologists and 668 Psychiatrists.
- The 13 languages covered in the Helpline are Assamese, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Kannada, Bengali, and Urdu.
Vice President suggests to include milk in Mid-day Meal Scheme
- The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu has suggested that milk can be given either as part of breakfast or the mid-day meal.
- This will improve the nutritional levels of children.
Mid-day meal scheme
- The Mid-day Meal Scheme is a meal programme that has been formulated for taking care of the nutrition among the of school-age children countrywide.
- It supplies free lunch for children in primary and upper primary classes in government and government aided centres.
- Mid-Day Meal Programme was first introduced for disadvantaged children in Madras Municipal Corporation in 1925.
Government releases draft guidelines for ads
- The Consumer Affairs Ministry has come out with a comprehensive set of draft guidelines on advertising.
- The guideline says, disclaimers in small font and which are not factual will be treated as misleading ads.
- The code has been drafted by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
- It is aimed at curbing unfair trade.
- It holds manufacturers, service providers, and advertising agencies accountable for any misleading claims.
STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Agriculture ministry approves Rs. 4 crores for up-gradation of soil testing labs in Kashmir
- Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare ministry has approved four crore rupees for up-gradation of Soil Testing labs across the Kashmir valley.
- For the quality control laboratory upgradation, 40 lakh rupees have been earmarked during the current year, which will facilitate upgradation and strengthening of fertilizer quality control lab.
Tamil Nadu releases new Electronic Hardware Manufacturing Policy 2020
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy on September 7, 2020 released the state’s new Electronic Hardware and Manufacturing Policy-2020.
- The policy is aimed at increasing the state’s electronics industry output to $100 billion by 2025.
- The policy envisages to make the state contribute 25 percent of India’s total electronic hardware export by 2025.
- It aims to attract semiconductor fabrication units to the state.
- The policy will undertake skill training of over 100000 semi-skilled and skilled people by 2024.
Tamil Nadu’s new Electronic Hardware and Manufacturing Policy-2020 aims to provide:
- 30-percent capital subsidy
- 50 percent grant for taking land on lease
- 5-percent interest grant for term loans
- Monthly financial aid for the first-time trainees in the sector for six months at the rate of Rs 4,000 for men and Rs. 6,000 for women
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.
Fruits & vegetables in J&K covered under ‘Operation Green’s TOP to TOTAL’ scheme
- Centre has brought majority of fruits and vegetables grown in Jammu under a fresh initiative of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
- All the fruits and vegetables in J&K will be covered under the ‘Operation Green’s TOP to TOTAL’ scheme.
- This step is aimed at supporting farmers of Fruits and Vegetables.
- It will prevent distress sales and Price stabilization interventions.
- The scheme has been extended from Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) to all fruits and vegetables (TOTAL) for a period of six months.
- The fruits and vegetables that are notified includes -Apple, Almond, Pear, Capsicum, Carrot, Cucumber, Okra, Orange, Kinnow and Lemon.
- Union Food Processing Industries Ministry will provide subsidy of 50% of the cost of transportation, under the scheme.
Extra Shots:
Operation Greens
- Operation Greens was announced in the budget 2018-19 on the line of “Operation Flood”.
- It has an outlay of Rs.500 crore and it aims to promote Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management.
- It focuses on the organised marketing of the of TOP vegetables by connecting the farmers with consumers through eNAM platforms.
Jammu & Kashmir:
- Capitals- Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
- Lt Governor- Manoj Sinha
- National Parks: City Forest (Salim Ali) National Park, Dachigam National Park, Hemis National Park, Kishtwar National Park
- Wildlife Sanctuaries: Baltal-Thajwas WLS, Changthang Cold Desert WLS, Gulmarg WLS, Jasrota WLS, Karakoram (Nubra Shyok) WLS etc
Assam promotes nutritious food through Kitchen Garden as part of Poshan Maah
- The Social Welfare Department in Assam has taken steps to promote nutritious food through Kitchen Garden.
- Kitchen Garden or nutri garden will be set up at Anganwadi Centres and Government Primary Schools across the state.
- The idea of the Kitchen Garden is to plant locally available nutritional food and vegetables.
- The Health and Nutrition consultant of Poshan Abhiyan in Assam, Dr. Gitali Borah said that coverage with MGNREGA and the Agriculture Department is also being emphasized to implement the Kitchen garden initiative.
Extra Shots:
Assam:
- Capital: Dispur
- Chief Minister: Sarbananda Sonowal
- Governor: Jagdish Mukhi
- National Park: Dibru-Saikhowa NP, Kaziranga NP, Manas NP, Nameri NP, Rajiv Gandhi Orang NP, Dehing Patkai
Justice Gita Mittal, CJ, J&K HC e-inaugurates ‘Ahata-e-Waqar’ at District Court Complex, Samba
- In Jammu and Kashmir, in a first of its kind initiative in embracing technology as a medium for inauguration, Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice, J&K High Court and Patron, J&K State Legal Services Authority, e-inaugurated Ahata-e-Waqar (Day Care and Recreation Centre for Senior Citizens), Vulnerable Witnesses Deposition Complex and Crèche facility at District Court Complex, Samba.
- The Ahata-e-Waqar Centre, established at Old Court Complex Building, aims to serve as a place of pride for Senior Citizens where they can spend their day in constructive and recreational activities.
- The Senior Citizens can avail the facilities of free Legal Aid and Police assistance from the Help desk established within the centre.
Extra Shots:
Jammu & Kashmir:
- Capitals- Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
- Lt Governor- Manoj Sinha
- National Parks: City Forest (Salim Ali) National Park, Dachigam National Park, Hemis National Park, Kishtwar National Park
- Wildlife Sanctuaries: Baltal-Thajwas WLS, Changthang Cold Desert WLS, Gulmarg WLS, Jasrota WLS, Karakoram (Nubra Shyok) WLS etc
Gujarat forms Task Force to study & implement NEP-2020 for school education
- In Gujarat, the State Government has formed the Task Force to study and implement the National Education Policy-2020 for school education.
- According to the State Education Department, the State-level Task Force comprises 15 members from politicians, administrative officials and academicians.
- This Task Force is expected to study NEP-2020, make changes suggested in the school education format and come up with the best implementation measures.
Extra Shots:
Gujarat:
- Capital: Gandhinagar
- Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
- Governor: Acharya Devvrat
- State formed on: 1 May 1960
- Literacy Rate: 79.31%
- National Park: Vansda NP, Blackbuck NP, Gir Forest NP, Marine NP, Gulf of Kutch
NABARD organizes awareness cum sensitization programme for newly proposed FPO in J&K
- In Jammu and Kashmir, an awareness cum sensitization programme for newly proposed Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) was organized by NABARD in coordination with District Administration in Anantnag.
- The programme was organised to promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural prosperity through effective credit support related services, institutional development and other initiatives.
Extra Shots:
NABARD
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala
- Purpose: Development assistance; Poverty Reduction
- Formation: July 12, 1982; 38 years ago
- Subsidiaries: Nabcons, Nabkisan Finance Ltd., NABSAMRUDDHI Finance Limited
INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites for faster internet
- SpaceX has successfully sent 60 Starlink internet satellites aboard the Falcon 9 which is lifted off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- The launch was Starlink’s first mission of the month. The Elon-musk owned space tech company has conducted sixteen missions this year.
- The satellites are meant to provide ‘cheaper and faster’ internet to inaccessible areas.
- The satellites in its initial tests had provided over 100 Mbps speeds.
SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES
Bangladesh to host FAO Asia Pacific Regional Conference in 2022
- Bangladesh will host the 36th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC) of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), for the first time in 2022 since joining the organization in 1973.
- Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, the 35th FAO Asia-Pacific regional conference, organised by Bhutan this year, was held through video conference from September 1-4. The regional conference of FAO is held every two years.
Extra Shots:
Bangladesh (Capital/Currency): Dhaka /Bangladeshi taka
- President: Abdul Hamid
India to host summit of SCO council of heads of government on Nov 30, says MEA
- India will host a summit of the council of heads of government of the SCO on November 30 with a focus on contributing to the trade and economic agenda of the influential grouping.
- The focus of the summit will be on the contribution to trade and the economic agenda of the influential grouping.
- India has already been focusing on expanding its cooperation with SCO.
Extra Shots:
SCO
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Deputy Secretaries General: Sabyr Imandosov; Wang Kaiwen; Aziz Nosirov; Vladimir Potapenko
- Founded: 15 June 2001
- Secretary General: Vladimir Norov
- Official language: Chinese and Russian
- Founders: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
Saudi Arabia chairs G20 Education Ministers Meeting
- The Education Ministers Meeting will take place as part of the Sherpa Track for the G20 Leaders Summit 2020, which is to be hosted by Saudi Arabia at the end of 2020.
- The Saudi Arabian Presidency has selected the following theme for the G20’s 2020 activities: ‘Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century For All’.
- The meet was chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Education Minister Dr Hamad Al-Asheikh where India was represented by Union Minister of Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, in the virtual mode.
Extra Shots:
Saudi Arabia (Capital/Currency): Riyadh/ Saudi riyal
- King: Mohammed bin Salman
First World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS) of ISA to be held
- The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is going to organise the first World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS) on September 8, 2020.
- In the virtual summit, around 26,000 participants have registered from 149 countries.
- The summit will focus on bringing the light on affordable and sustainable clean energy.
- The Summit will be addressed by PM Modi.
The summit is going to launch 8 initiatives and guidelines,
- Solar Photo-voltaic Technician Skill development initiative.
- ISA Cares Initiative.
- Undergraduate Programme (UG) for small Island, Developing states and Least Developed Countries.
- Price Exploratory Global bid for energy that will provide access to 47 million households through solar parks.
- Advisory for manufacturers to produce solar kits-based ventilators.
- Action plan to develop 20 GW of Solar parks.
- To make solar power bankable.
- A new website for the ISA will be launched.
Extra Shots:
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
- Headquarters location: Gurugram
- Leader: Upendra Tripathy
- Founded at: Paris, France
- Founded: 30 November 2015
- Membership: All members of UN
- Founders: India, Narendra Modi, François Hollande
RANKS AND INDICES
‘The State of Young Child in India’ report released, Kerala tops
- Kerala, Goa, Tripura, Tamil Nadu and Mizoram are among the top five States for well-being of children, according to a report brought out by non-governmental organisation Mobile Creches and launched by Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu.
- It identifies eight States that have scores below the country’s average: they are Assam, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
- The index is part of the ‘State of the Young Child’ in India report released the 50-year-old NGO.
- The report has also developed another index called the young child environment index to understand the policy and environment enablers that influence a child’s well-being.
- According to the environment index, Kerala, Goa, Sikkim, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh secured the top five positions.
A report on ‘Household Social Consumption: Education’: NSO
- A report on ‘Household Social Consumption: Education’ was published by the National Statistical Office (NSO).
- As per the report, smaller states have done better than the developed ones.
- Kerala topped the list while Andhra Pradesh emerged as the least literate state, standing below Bihar.
Findings:
- Average literacy rate of the country is 77.7%
- Kerala scored 96.2% thus has the highest literacy rate among states.
- Delhi stands at second position with 89% literacy rate.
- Uttarakhand is at number three with a literacy rate of 87.6% while Assam freezes at number four with 85.9% literacy rate.
- Andhra Pradesh ranked the worst with 66.4% literacy rate.
- Karnataka and Telangana have a literacy rate lower than the national average.
- The national gap between male and female literacy rate is 14.4%.
- Gap between the male and female literacy rate is lowest in Kerala being 2.2%.
- The male literacy rate is 84.7% while the female literacy rate is 70.3%, nationally.
- The state of Kerala has the lowest gap between the urban and rural literacy rates– 1.9%.
- Bihar and UP are among bottom 5 states with 70.9 % and 73.0% literacy rate respectively.
AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED
AIM partnered with Freshworks to empower AIM Startup Innovators
- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, has partnered with Freshworks Inc., a customer-engagement software company, with an aim to provide robust support to innovators and entrepreneurs in India.
- It also aims to increase the efficiency of several institutions and startups in the AIM portfolio.
- It also aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among startup innovators.
Extra Shots:
NITI Aayog
- Formed: 1 January 2015
- Objectives: Foster involvement and participation in the economic policy-making process by the State Governments of India
- Jurisdiction: Government of India
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairperson: Narendra Modi
India-Bangladesh to hold Joint Consultative Commission meeting
- India and Bangladesh have agreed to hold the 6th meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) later this month.
- The 5th meeting of the JCC was held in New Delhi in February last year between Dr. A.K.Abdul Momen and the then Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj.
- During the 5th JCC last year, three MoUs/Agreements were signed to further strengthen the existing multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.
- These included the MoUs on mid-career training of Bangladesh civil servants, cooperation between AYUSH and the Ministry of Health of Bangladesh in the field of medicinal plants, and an MoU between Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh and CBI.
- Another MoU was signed between Hiranandani Group and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) to facilitate investments in the Indian Economic Zone in Mongla.
Extra Shots:
Bangladesh (Capital/Currency): Dhaka /Bangladeshi taka
- President: Abdul Hamid
World Bank’s loan for Himanchal Pradesh State Roads Transformation Projects
- World Bank and the government of Himachal Pradesh signed $82 million loan for the implementation of Himachal Pradesh State Roads Transformation Project.
The Himachal Pradesh State Roads Transformation Project will finance initiatives with following objectives:
- To build climate and disaster-resilient roads.
- To improve road safety along tourism corridors in Himachal.
- To enhance logistics along fruit belts.
- To support the government’s initiative so as to create a corporate entity responsible for ensuring well-performing roads.
Extra Shots:
World Bank
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
- Parent organization: World Bank Group
- Membership: 189 countries (IBRD); 173 countries (IDA)
- Founded: July 1944
RECENT COMMITTEES IN NEWS
NITI Aayog constitutes Multidimensional Poverty Index Coordination Committee (MPICC); Head- Ms Sanyukta Samaddar
- NITI Aayog has constituted a Multidimensional Poverty Index Coordination Committee (MPICC).
- The MPICC is chaired by Ms. Sanyukta Samaddar, Adviser (SDG)
- NITI Aayog is the nodal agency for the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and has been assigned the responsibility of leveraging the monitoring mechanism for it and to drive reforms.
- Global MPI is an international measure of multidimensional poverty covering 107 developing countries and was first developed in 2010 by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for UNDP’s Human Development Reports.
Extra Shots:
NITI Aayog
- Formed: 1 January 2015
- Objectives: Foster involvement and participation in the economic policy-making process by the State Governments of India
- Jurisdiction: Government of India
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairperson: Narendra Modi
KV Kamath committee recommends 26 sectors for Loan Restructuring Scheme
- The Reserve Bank have accepted the recommendations of the KV Kamath Committee on ‘Resolution Framework for Covid19-related Stress’ which was submitted by panel on September 4, 2020.
Findings
- The sectors like textiles, wholesale trade, roads and engineering are most-affected by pandemic.
- The sectors undergoing the stress such as non-banking financial companies, real estate, steel prior to COVID-19 have been affected most.
- The food, agriculture, pharma and IT sectors hardly face the impact of COVID-19.
Recommendations:
- It has recommended to keep the debt coverage ratio to one and more than one.
- It suggests, lenders should consider total outstanding liabilities, total debt, current ratio and the average debt service coverage ratio.
- It recommends to the banks that they should consider financial state of the company prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to restructure the loan.
- The committee also has recommended to make the Inter-Creditor agreement mandatory in cases involving multiple lending institutions.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
Ja Morant wins 2019-20 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award
- The Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant has been named the 2019-20 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, the NBA announced.
- The 6-foot-3 guard is the second player to win the Rookie of the Year Award with the Grizzlies, joining Pau Gasol (2001-02).
- Morant received 99 first-place votes from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters and earned 498 total points.
- Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn finished in second place with 204 points.
- New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson received one first-place vote and finished in third place with 140 points.
Extra Shots:
NBA
- Current champion: Toronto Raptors
- Founded: 6 June 1946, New York, New York, United States
- Number of teams: 30
- Commissioner: Adam Silver
Agnikul Cosmos bags TiE50 Award
- IIT Madras-incubated Agnikul Cosmos, which provides a dedicated launch vehicle for smaller satellites at a lower cost, has been conferred with TiE50 award.
- The award recognizes top technology and technology-enabled start-ups across the world, who will be awarded at its flagship conference TiECON 2020 at TiE’s Silicon Valley.
APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS
Vinkesh Gulati appointed as new President of FADA
- Vinkesh Gulati, has been appointed as the 35th President of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).
- He succeeds Ashish Harsharaj Kale and will serve the role of president from 2020 to 2022.
- The FADA is an apex national body representing automobile dealers of India.
DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
DRDO successfully flight tests Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV)
- Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully demonstrated the hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology with the flight test of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha on September 07, 2020.
- India has thus become the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to develop and successfully test hypersonic technology.
- It will serve as the building block for next-generation hypersonic cruise missiles.
Extra Shots:
DRDO
- Headquarters: DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi
- Founded: 1958
- Jurisdiction: India
- Subsidiaries: Gas Turbine Research Establishment, Defence Scientific Information & Documentation centre
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CURRENT AFFAIRS
Minister of State for Space Dr Jitendra Singh: Chandrayaan-3 launch likely in early 2021
- Minister of State for Space Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the launch of Chandrayaan-3 may now take place somewhere in early 2021.
- Chandrayaan-3 will be a mission repeat of Chandrayaan-2 and will include a Lander and Rover similar to that of Chandrayaan-2, but will not have an orbiter.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
‘Breaking the Cocoon @ 40’ book authored by Radha Nair
- The book titled “Breaking the Cocoon @ 40″ authored by Radha Nair has been released recently.
- “Breaking the Cocoon @ 40” is a delightful collection of select events from her life, which also holds a mirror to the time the incidents are set in.
OBITUARY
Tom Seaver, Hall of Fame pitcher, passes away
- Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and 12-time all-star, has died. He was 75.
- Seaver known as “Tom Terrific,” won 311 games, had a 2.86 earned-run average and struck out 3,640 batters over a 20-year major league career that spanned from 1967-1986, earning 12 All-Star selections.
- He led the National League in wins three times, ERA three times and strikeouts five times.
- Seaver was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992 when he was named on 98.8 percent of ballots cast by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, the highest voting percentage ever received at the time.
Oscar winning Czech director Jiri Menzel passes away at 82
- Oscar-winning Czech director Jiri Menzel has passed away after battling serious health issues. He was 82.
- Menzel won the Academy Award for his 1966 movie “Closely Watched Trains” in the best foreign-language film category.
- Apart from this, the influential filmamker was also conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 44th International film festival (IFFI) held in India in 2013.
Father of India’s Radio Astronomy Govind Swarup passes away
- Father of India’s Radio Astronomy, Dr. Govind Swarup passed away yesterday at Pune.
- He was 91.
- Swarup is known not only for his many important research contributions in several areas of astronomy and astrophysics, but also for his outstanding achievements in building ingenious, innovative and powerful observational facilities for front-line research in radio astronomy.
