Hello and welcome to ExamPundit. Here are the Important Current Affairs of 20th February, 2016. These are Important for the upcoming Bank and Insurance Exams.
Current Affairs at a Glance – 20th February, 2016
- India and Nepal on Saturday inked seven memorandums of understanding
(MoU)s. The MoUs were signed in the presence of Nepal Prime Minister K.P.
Sharma Oli, who is on his first visit abroad after assuming office in October
last year. - The Odisha Government today launched Pucca Ghar Yojana for construction
workers. - The first phase of Kerala’s dream SmartCity project, including a Rs
400-crore 6.5 lakh sq ft IT tower overlooking a 300 metre waterfront area, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen
Chandy and other dignitaries today. - Distinguished scientist KN Vyas on Friday was appointed Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the
country’s premier multi-disciplinary nuclear research centre. - Christine Lagarde, who steered the IMF through some troubled times including the Eupropean financial
crisis, has been re-appointed as its
Managing Director for a second five-year term after an uncontested election. - Standard Chartered Securities India today announced the appointment of capital markets veteran
Nitin Kapadia as its head and executive director. - A US investigative body has decided to go ahead with its anti-dumping investigations into a
certain category of tyres imported from India and Sri Lanka that may have a
damaging effect on the US domestic industry even as it let China off the hook. - Bollywood lyricist Sameer Anjaan on 17 February 2016 was officially recognised by Guinness World
Records as the Most prolific Bollywood lyricist ever who has composed 3524
different songs as of 15 December 2015.
India –
India, Nepal ink seven MoUs spanning health, education and cultural
heritage
heritage
- India and Nepal on Saturday inked
seven memorandums of understanding (MoU)s. The MoUs were signed in the presence
of Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, who is on his first visit abroad after
assuming office in October last year.
About the MoUs
- An MoU on utilization of USD 250
million Grant component of GOI’s Assistance package for post-earthquake
reconstruction assistance was signed the two countries. - The second MoU was strengthening
of road infrastructure in the Terai area of Nepal. - The third MoU was signed between
Nepal Academy of Music and Drama and Sangeet Natak Academy, India which aims to
enhance relations between India and Nepal in the field of performing arts
through exchanges of experts, exponents, dancers, scholars and intellectuals. - Then there were two letters of
exchange on Transit Routes, one on transit between Nepal and Bangladesh through
Kakarbitta-Banglabandh corridor and the second on operationalization of
Vishakhapatnam Port. - There was also letters of
exchange on Rail Transport, one on rail transport to/from Vishakhapatnam and
the second on rail transit facility through Singhabad for Nepal’s Trade with
and through Bangladesh. - The sixth MoU, which was the
inauguration of Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar transmission line was done by both Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart. - The seventh agreement was the
establishment of Eminent Persons Group which was decided to be established at
the third meeting of the India- Nepal Joint Commission held at Kathmandu in
July 2014.
Odisha Government launched Pucca Ghar Yojana for Construction Workers
- The Odisha Government today
launched Pucca Ghar Yojana for construction workers. - Launching the scheme, chief
minister Naveen Patnaik announced that pucca houses will be built for 50,000
construction workers during the current financial year with a cost of `500
crore. - A construction worker, registered
with the Odisha Buildings and Construction Workers’ Welfare Board, for the
three years can avail the benefit, he said. - The chief minister said that out
of the 12.6 lakh registered construction workers in the state, 2.5 lakh have
received assistance of `90 crore from the state government. He said that the
state government will provide assistance of `10 crore to over 25,000 registered
construction workers during the year. - The chief minister said memoranda
of understanding (MoU) have been signed with Odia Workers’ Associations at
Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru and Chennai for the welfare of the construction
workers from the state.
First phase of Kerala’s smart city project inaugurated
- The first phase of Kerala’s dream
SmartCity project, including a Rs 400-crore 6.5 lakh sq ft IT tower overlooking
a 300 metre waterfront area, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and
other dignitaries here today. - The project is a joint venture of
Dubai Holding and the state government. - Besides Chandy, Union Minister
for Skill Development, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister for Industries and IT and Chairman, SmartCity
Kochi, P KKunhalikutty, Gulf-based Kerala business tycoon M A Yusuf Ali and top
officials of SmartCity jointly inaugurated the first phase of SmartCity, which
will provide 5,500 knowledge-based jobs. - The launch of the 4.7 million sq
ft phase-two was also performed simultaneously. It will be completed in 36
months and provide 60,000 jobs.
Appointments –
KN Vyas Appointed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Chief
- Distinguished scientist KN Vyas
on Friday was appointed Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the
country’s premier multi-disciplinary nuclear research centre. - He succeeds Shekar Basu, who was
in October appointed as Atomic Energy Secretary and Chairman of Atomic Energy
Commission. - The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet has approved Mr Vyas’ name for a period of three years, an order issued
by the Department of Personnel and Training said. - Mr Vyas, who has made outstanding
contributions in the area of design and development of a novel fuel, is a
recipient of the Science and Technical Excellence awards. - He is currently working as the
associate director at BARC, as per its website. - The BARC is India’s premier
nuclear research facility based in Mumbai.
Christine Lagarde appointed for second term as IMF chief
- Christine Lagarde, who steered
the IMF through some troubled times including the Eupropean financial crisis,
has been re-appointed as its Managing Director for a second five-year term
after an uncontested election. - The Executive Board of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday selected 60-year-old Lagarde to
serve as IMF Managing Director for a second five-year term starting on July 5,
2016, IMF said in a statement. The Board’s decision was taken by consensus. - France’s former finance minister
secured early backing from many of the fund’s most powerful members when the
IMF’s executive board launched the selection process in January, keeping other
contenders from making an alternate bid and ensuring her a second term.
Nitin Kapadia appointed Head of StanChart Securities
- Standard Chartered Securities
India today announced the appointment of capital markets veteran Nitin Kapadia
as its head and executive director. - Kapadia has over two decades of experience
in capital markets. - He started his career as
investment banker and moved on to set up and lead retail stock broking
companies while also playing a significant part in business merger of a leading
retail broking business.
World –
US launches anti-dumping probe on tyres from India, Sri Lanka
- A US investigative body has
decided to go ahead with its anti-dumping investigations into a certain
category of tyres imported from India and Sri Lanka that may have a damaging
effect on the US domestic industry even as it let China off the hook. - All six commissioners of the
United States International Trade Commission (USITC) voted to determine that
there is a reasonable indication that the US industry is materially injured by
imports of certain new pneumatic off-the-road tyres from India that are allegedly
sold in the country at less than fair value and subsidised by the governments
of India and Sri Lanka. - According to a statement, the
Commission further determined yesterday that imports of these products from
China are negligible. - Following the Commission’s
affirmative determinations, the US Department of Commerce will continue to
conduct its investigations on imported products from India and Sri Lanka, with
its preliminary countervailing duty determinations due on April 4 and its
preliminary anti-dumping duty determinations due on June 16. - As a result of the Commission’s
finding of negligibility, the investigations on imports of these products from
China will be terminated, USITC said.
Japan launched astronomy satellite ASTRO-H
- Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency (JAXA) on 17 February 2016 successfully launched astronomy satellite
ASTRO-H from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. - The satellite was launched
on-board the H-IIA rocket, which was previously known as the New X-ray Telescope
(NeXT), and is expected to operate in low Earth orbit for three years. - ASTRO-H is the eye to study the
hot and energetic universe. The ‘H’ refers to the word Japanese word Hitomi
that means pupil or entrance window of the eye.
Awards & Honors –
Sameer Anjaan entered Guinness Book of Records for writing 3524 songs
- Bollywood lyricist Sameer Anjaan
on 17 February 2016 was officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the
Most prolific Bollywood lyricist ever who has composed 3524 different songs as
of 15 December 2015. - Sameer has written 3524 songs in
650 Bollywood movies, and is now the first Guinness Record possessor in this
particular category. - Sameer was presented with a
certificate during a celebration ceremony held in Mumbai.
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This post was last modified on July 20, 2019 10:16 am