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Important Current Affairs 19th October 2020

International

Jacinda Ardern wins 2nd term as New Zealand’s PM

• The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, won a landslide victory in the country’s general election, to be elected as the PM for the second consecutive three-year term. In the battle against C-19, Ardern was alone among her western peers in pursuing an explicit elimination strategy and imposed one of the strictest nationwide C-19s in the world.

• Ardern’s centre-left Labour Party won 49.2% of the total 83.7% votes counted in the 120-member parliament. The 40-year-old is serving as the 40th Prime Minister of the country since 26 October 2017.

WHO backs India’s proposal against “C-19 Vaccine Nationalism”

• Early in October, 2020, India and South Africa urged the TRIPS Council of the World Health Organization to waive certain rules to scale-up research, development, manufacturing and supply of medical products to fight against C-19. This has been backed by the World Health Organization.

• India and South Africa had proposed to ease international and intellectual property agreements on C-19 vaccines, treatments and tests. This will make tools related to C-19 available at affordable costs.

India-Sri Lanka to hold SLINEX military exercise

• On October 19, 2020, India and Sri Lanka are to begin a three-day military exercise “SLINEX”. The eighth edition of the exercise is to be held off coast of Trincomalee. It is to be conducted in non-contact at-sea only format. This strategy has been adopted due to C-19 pandemic.

• The drill will include series of anti-air weapons firing, cross deck flying operations to fine tune high degree of inter-operability. Indian Navy is to deploy INS Kiltan and INS Kamorta, Chetak helicopters and Dornier maritime patrol aircrafts in the exercise.  The Sri Lankan Navy is to be represented by SLN Ships Sayura and Gajabahu. Gajabahu is a training ship and Sayura is an offshore patrol vessel.

• In 2019, the SLINEX exercise was conducted in Vishakhapatnam. The exercise is being conducted in consonance with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for all in the Region) and Neighbourhood first policy of India.

Awards

Aishwarya Sridhar wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award

• A 23-year-old, Mumbai based girl, Aishwarya Sridhar became the first Indian woman to win the 2020 Wildlife Photographer of the Year award. It is the 56th year of the prestigious award. Her image titled ‘Lights of passion’, won among 50,000 entries from over 80 countries across the world.

• Only 100 images were shortlisted and she won the award for her photograph in the Behaviour Invertebrates category. She is the first and youngest girl to win this prestigious award from India in the Adult category. The award winners were announced at the Natural History Museum in London.

Ranking

India ranked 94 in Global Hunger Index 2020

• India ranked 94 among 107 nations in the Global Hunger Index 2020. With a score of 27.2, India has been placed in the “serious” category in the GHI scale. Although there is an improvement in a score as compared to 38.9 in 2000, 37.5 in 2006, and 29.3 in 2012 but still it represent a serious level of hunger. Last year, India’s rank was 102 out of 117 countries. According to the report, 14 per cent of India’s population is undernourished. It also showed the country recorded a 37.4 per cent stunting rate among children under five and a wasting rate of 17.3 per cent. The under-five mortality rate stood at 3.7 per cent.

• The neighbouring Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan too are in the ‘serious’ category but ranked higher than India in this year’s hunger index. While Bangladesh ranked 75, Myanmar and Pakistan are in the 78th and 88th position. Nepal in 73rd and Sri Lanka in 64th position are in ‘moderate’ hunger category, the report showed.

Appointments & Resignation

Rohan Jaitley elected unopposed as DDCA President

• Advocate Rohan Jaitley, the son of late Union Minister Arun Jaitley, has been elected unopposed as the President of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA). He was the single candidate left for the post, as the lone candidate who had filed his nomination against him withdrew his candidature.

• The 31-year-old lawyer is slated to remain in the post till June 30, 2021. Notably, late Arun Jaitley had also served as the president of DDCA between 1999 and 2013.

Sports

Pakistan’s fast Bowler Umar Gul announces retirement

• Pakistani pace bowler, Umar Gul has announced that he will retire from all forms of cricket. The 36-year-old Gul, who played his last match for Pakistan an ODI in 2016, featured for Balochistan team in the National T20 Cup.

• The Peshawar-born Gul made his international debut in an ODI in 2003. He played his first Test that year itself. His last Test was against South Africa in 2013. From 47 Test matches, Gul took 163 wickets at an average of 34.06. He also claimed 179 wickets from 130 ODIs, besides 85 wickets from 60 T20Is.

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Important Current Affairs 18th October 2020

National

J&K L-G announces ‘My Town My Pride’ programme

• Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has announced that the government is coming up with a movement called ”My Town My Pride” from October 19 to provide governance at the doorsteps in urban areas on the pattern of the ”Back to Village” programme.

• The three main objectives of the programme:

1. Public outreach in towns

2. Strengthening grassroots democracy

3. Service delivery at doorsteps

• The programme will also ensure that on-the-spot grievance redressal, instant delivery of services to the masses, and on the ground speedy execution of people-centric projects.

• The “My Town My Pride” programme anticipates the time-bound delivery of documents like domicile, SC/ST/RBA/ALC/OBC certificates, revenue services.

• This programme will also ensure the time-bound delivery of benefits of various welfare schemes like pensions, scholarships, PMAY, KCC, Health golden cards, Ladli Beti, etc.

International

India’s night trial of Nuclear Capable PRITHVI II missile successful

• India recently conducted the night trial of indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi II missile. The test was successful. The test was conducted at the Integrated Test Range, Balasore, Odisha.

• Prithvi II is a surface-to-surface missile. The first trial of Prithvi II was conducted in September 2020. The launch was conducted by the Strategic Force Command. The complete trial of the missile was monitored by Defence Research Development Organization.

• The missile has a range of 25-350 kilometres. It is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of Nuclear material. It is powered by Liquid Propulsion Single Engine and is a single stage missile. It uses advanced inertial guidance system. It was first inducted into the Indian Defence System in 2003.

Science & Technology

DRDO test fires Naval Version of BRAHMOS missile successfully

• On October 18, 2020, the Defence Research Development Organization test fired the naval version BRAHMOS missile from INS Chennai successfully. The missile was test fired from an indigenously built stealth destroyer INS Chennai. The missile hit a target in Arabian Sea.

• BRAHMOS is a supersonic missile. It was jointly developed by India and Russia.

• The major classification of the missiles is Cruise Missiles and Ballistic Missiles.

• The Ballistic Missiles are those missiles that have a ballistic trajectory. The currently operational ballistic missiles in the Indian Defence Systems are Prithvi I, Agni I, Prithvi II, Agni II and Dhanush.

Appointment & Resignation

IWF appoint Michael Irani as interim president

• Dr Michael Irani of Great Britain (GBR) has been appointed as the Interim President of the International Weightlifting Federation(IWF), at the meeting of the IWF Executive Board, in accordance with the constitution of IWF. Michael Irani was appointed following the resignation of IWF President Tamás Aján. Prior to this, Michael Irani was serving as the chairman of the IWF Medical Committee.

• Michael Irani was born in Bombay, India.

• Michael Irani is a leading physician in Rheumatology who works as a Consultant Rheumatologist at Ashford Hospital NHS Trust.

• He was the former Chairman of the anti-doping Commission of IWF.

• He was a member of the IWF Medical Committee since 1992.

• He served as the President of the European Weightlifting Federation(EWF) Medical Committee from 1995 to 1999.

Vishal V Sharma appointed India’s next permanent representative to UNESCO

• Vishal V. Sharma has been appointed as the next Permanent Representative of India to the Permanent Delegation of India to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with the rank of Ambassador. He will replace Jawed Ashraf. Sharma is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France.

UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay.

UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.

Days

36th Raising Day of National Security Guard

• The 36th Raising Day of National Security Guard (NSG) is observed on 16 October. NSG plays a crucial role in India’s security apparatus. It has been associated with the utmost courage and professionalism.

• The NSG is a Federal Contingency force to deal with anti-terrorist activities. The NSG is a force equipped and trained to deal with the specific situation and is therefore used in exceptional circumstances to thwart serious acts of terrorism. It was established in 1984, NSG is popularly known as the Black Cats. It is an elite striking force in the country trained and equipped to handle situations like a terrorist attack, hijacking, and hostage captivity.

Books & Authors

A book titled ‘The Battle of Belonging’ authored by Shashi Tharoor

• Renowned Author and Politician, Shashi Tharoor is set to release his new book titled “The Battle of Belonging” is set to be released in November 2020. The book is published by Aleph Book Company. Shashi Tharoor described this book as his “magnum opus” on the Theory, evolution and practice of Nationalism across the globe and especially in India.

• The book appears to be an extension of his book “Why I Am a Hindu”.

• It provides the historical context to the ideas of nationalism, patriotism, humanism, democracy and their origins.

• This book established the actual Indianism and what it means to be a patriotic and nationalistic Indian in the 21st century.

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Important Current Affairs 17th October 2020

National

Union Education Minister launched “KAPILA” Kalam Program

• Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has virtually launched the campaign ‘KAPILA’, which stands for Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness campaign on 15th October 2020. The day was launched in honour of 89th birth anniversary celebration of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

• Through the campaign, the government will spread awareness through educational programs about the importance of patenting an invention, to lead India towards self-reliance. In order to promote awareness in the field, the Ministry has decided to celebrate the week from 15 to 23 October as ‘Intellectual Property Literacy Week’. Various awareness programs will be organised to create awareness about the system and the importance of the process of applying for a patent.

Banking and Economy

GoI to borrow Rs 1.1 lakh crore to meet shortfall of GST compensation

• The central government will borrow Rs 1.1 lakh crore under the special window to meet the shortfall of Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation. Under the Special Window, the estimated shortfall of Rs 1.1 lakh cr (assuming all States join) will be borrowed by Government of India in appropriate tranches. The borrowed amount will be passed on to the States as a back-to-back loan in lieu of GST Compensation. This will not have any impact on the fiscal deficit of the Government of India.

• The amounts will be reflected as the capital receipts of the State Governments and as part of the financing of its respective fiscal deficits. This will avoid differential rates of interest that individual States may be charged for their respective SDLs and will be an administratively easier arrangement. The govt also clarified that the General Government (States+Centre) borrowings will not increase by this step. The States that get the benefit from the Special Window is likely to borrow a considerably lesser amount from the additional borrowing facility of 2% of GSDP (from 3% to 5%) under the Aatma Nirbhar Package.

Appointments & Resignations

SC appoints former judge to monitor steps to prevent stubble burning

• The Supreme Court has appointed Justice Madan B Lokur, a former judge of the apex court, as a one-man monitoring committee to prevent stubble burning in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, amid rising levels of pollution in the national capital and adjoining regions.

• The bench also directed court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) and chief secretaries of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to help the Lokur panel with physical surveillance of fields to check instances of stubble burning and other related matters.

• The new committee will monitor the stubble burning and take preventive steps. It will get assistance from chief secretaries of all states as well as National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme and Bharat Scouts. The panel shall submit its report on stubble burning within 15 days to the apex court.

Days

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

• International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed globally on 17 October every year. The day aims to raise awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution around the world, particularly in developing countries.

• 2020 Theme: “Acting together to achieve social and environmental justice for all”. The theme for the Day this year addresses the challenge of achieving social and environmental justice for all.

• This year marks the 27th anniversary of the declaration by the General Assembly, in its resolution 47/196 of 22 December 1992, of 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. This year also marks the 32nd anniversary of the Call to Action by Father Joseph Wresinski — which inspired the observance of October 17 as the World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty — and the recognition by the United Nations of the day as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Obituary

“Nightingale of Gujarat” Kaumudi Munshi passes away

• The “Nightingale of Gujarat”, Kaumudi Munshi passed away due to C-19. During the early stage of her career, Munshi sang mostly in Gujarati, gaining fame with songs like ‘Sachi re maari satre bhavani maa’. The singer also sang Bhojpuri songs, for the 1963 movie Bidesiya she sang ‘Neek Saiyan bin’ with renowned singer Geeta Dutt.

• Singer and musician Kaumudi Munshi were born in Varanasi. She completed her education with an arts degree in music from Banaras Hindu University. She trained under the likes of Siddheshwari Devi and Taj Ahmed Khan. After shifting to Mumbai, she got selected in an audition for All India Radio. This is also where she met and later married Ninu Mazumdar, a music director associated with All India Radio.

Bihar Panchayati Raj Minister Kapil Deo Kamat passes away

• The senior Janata Dal (United) leader Kapil Deo Kamat, who was serving as the Panchayati Raj Minister of Bihar, passed away due to C-19.

• He was a JDU MLA from Babubarhi assembly constituency in Madhubani district, Bihar.

Sports

Constantina Dita named ambassador for Half Marathon C’ships Gdynia 2020

• Romania’s 2008 Olympic champion, Constantina Dita has been named an ambassador for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020. The 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships, originally scheduled for 29 March 2020 in Gdynia, Poland, was postponed until 17 October 2020, due to the C-19 pandemic.

• Dita competed at eight editions of the World Half Marathon Championships and earned seven medals in the process, making her one of the most successful athletes in the history of the event. Her double victory in Edmonton in 2005, taking individual and team gold medals, remains one of the highlights of her career.

• She won the marathon gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

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Important Current Affairs 16th October 2020

National

Cabinet approves Rs. 5718 crore World Bank-supported STARS project

• Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has approved the implementation of the Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) project. STARS is a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education for improving the quality of education, in the Indian School Education System.

• The total project cost is Rs 5718 crore with the financial support of World Bank amounting to the USD 500 million (approximately Rs. 3700 crores). The project will cover 6 states namely Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Odisha.

• The project envisages improving the overall monitoring and measurement activities in the Indian School Education System by supporting the selected states in developing, implementing, evaluating and improving interventions with direct linkages to improved education outcomes and school to work transition strategies for improved labour market outcomes

• The overall focus and components of the STARS project are aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of Quality-Based Learning Outcomes.

International

India contributes 1 million dollars to UNRWA for Palestine Refugees

• India has contributed one million dollars to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in Near East. This aid will support the Agency’s programmes and services, including education, health care, relief and social services.

• The Representative Office of India in Ramallah stated, India’s support for the Palestinian cause is an integral part of the nation’s foreign policy. It shall continue supporting the UNRWA’s activities in providing vital services and necessary humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees.

India re-elected as president of International Solar Alliance

• India and France were re-elected as the president and co-president of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for a term of two years at the virtual meeting of the third assembly.

• A total of 53 member countries and five signatory and prospective member countries participated in the assembly.

1. The representatives of Fiji & Nauru for Asia Pacific Region

2. Mauritius & Niger for Africa Region

3. UK & Netherlands for Europe and other Region

4. Cuba and Guyana for Latin America and the Caribbean Region

Appointments and Resignations

NTPC CMD Gurdeep Singh’s term extended till 2025

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has extended the tenure of state-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd, chairman and managing director, Gurdeep Singh till 31 July 2025. He had first assumed the charge of utility’s chairman and managing director in February 2016.

• Gurdeep Singh has earlier worked at NTPC and also across the power sector in firms such as CLP, CESC, IDFC, Powergen and AES. His second term will start from 4 February next year and extend till 31 July 2025 which is the date of his superannuation.

Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigns

• Kyrgyzstan President, Sooronbai Jeenbekov has resigned from his post, following 10 days of unrest caused by protesters who have demanded his removal from office. On 4th October 2020, he was re-elected as the President in Parliamentary election, causing political turmoil

• The 61-year-old has served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 2017 to 2020. He was also the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from April 2016 to August 2017.

Obituary

Legendary Malayalam poet Akkitham passes away

• Legendary Malayalam poet and Jnanpith laureate, Mahakavi Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri passed away. He has penned more than 46 literary works including poems, plays, essays and short stories. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2017.

• Akkitham, who was instrumental in introducing modernism in Malayalam poetry, had worked as scriptwriter and editor with Akashvani Kozhikode and Thrissur for nearly

• He bagged Kerala Sahitya Academy award in 1972 for his work Balidarshanam.

• He had won several other awards including the Ezhuthachan puraskaram, Vayalar award, Sanjayan puraskaram and Odakuzhal award.

Cricket journalist and commentator Kishore Bhimani passes away

• Veteran sports journalist and Cricket commentator, Kishore Bhimani passed away. He was a leading cricket commentator in the Eighties and Nineties and is best remembered for being on the air during the tied Test of 1986 between India and Australia in Chepauk, Chennai. He had received a lifetime achievement award for his decades-long contribution in the fields of media and commentary in 2013.

First Indian to win Oscar Bhanu Athaiya passes away

• The first Indian to win the Oscar award, Bhanu Athaiya passed away. She won the Best Costume Design Oscar for her work in the 1982 film Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough. In 2012, Athaiya returned her Oscar to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for safekeeping.

• Bhanu Athaiya had also designed costumes for over 100 Bollywood movies. And in a career of more than five decades won two National Awards, for Gulzar’s mystery drama “Lekin” (1990) and the period film “Lagaan” directed by Ashutosh Gowariker (2001).

Days

World Food Day: 16 October

• World Food Day (WFD) is observed globally on 16 October every year. The day is celebrated to eradicate worldwide hunger from our lifetime. This day generates awareness globally for those who suffer from hunger and to ensure the need for food security and nutritious diets for all. Theme 2020: “Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together”.

• The main focus of this day is that food is a basic and fundamental human right. WFD commemorates the day in 1945 when the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was founded.

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Important Current Affairs 15th October 2020

National

Union Cabinet approves World Bank-aided STARS project

• The Union Cabinet has approved implementation of the World Bank-aided STARS project. The project seeks to support the states in implementing, developing, evaluating and improving interventions with direct linkages to improve quality of education.  STARS stands for Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States.

• The total project cost is estimated to be around Rs. 5,718 crore, out of which the financial support from World Bank will amount to  USD 500 million (approximately Rs. 3700 crore). This was informed by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar during a press briefing after the Cabinet meeting.

• The project will cover six states- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Kerala. This is expected to mark an important milestone and mark the beginning of the New Education Policy.

World Economic Forum shifts annual meeting 2021 from Davos to Lucerne

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced that the Annual Meeting 2021 will be held in Lucerne-Burgenstock, Switzerland, as against the traditional venue of ski resort town Davos.

• The meeting has been re-scheduled to be held from May 18 to 21, 2021 instead of the usual January-end each year.

• The Annual Meeting 2021 in Lucerne-Burgenstock will be held around the theme of ‘The Great Reset’.

International

Pakistan listed on ‘Enhanced Follow-up List’ by FATF

• Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Asia Pacific group has kept Pakistan in its ‘Enhanced Follow Up’ list.

• The organisation had downgraded Pakistan status from “regular follow-up” to “enhanced follow up”.

• According to the FATF’s report, Pakistan complied with only two of the 40 recommendations of Financial Action Task Force.

Banking and Economy

IMF projects India’s GDP to contract 10.3% in 2020

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected the Indian economy to contract by 10.3 percent in 2020-21, from its earlier prediction of -4.5 percent due to rise in C-19 cases.

• IMF estimates the GDP of India to grow at 8.8 percent in 2021-22, as compared to 6 percent predicted earlier, regaining the position of the fastest growing emerging economy.

Banks’ aggregate exposure limit for small businesses raised to Rs 7.5 crore by RBI

• The credit card named Axis ACE Credit Card to entities with turnover up to Rs 50 crore to Rs 7.5 crore by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

• RBI has also decided to extend the existing enhanced Held to Maturity (HTM) limit of 22 percent for SLR securities acquired between September 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, up to March 31, 2022.

Summits and Mou’s

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister signs 14 MoUs to generate employment

• Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K. Palaniswami signed 14 Agreements worth Rs. 10, 055 crore with potential to generate employment in the State.

• The Tamil Nadu State Government is also ranked first among Indian states in attracting investments during the first six months of this year.

Awards

Central bank of the year award 2020 awarded to “Bank of Ghana”

• Bank of Ghana has won the Central bank of the year award 2020.

• Apart from this, Mark Carney (Governor of the Bank of England) has won the Governor of the year at the Central bank of the year award 2020.

Appointments and Resignations

Bharate launches new brand campaign with 11 cricketers as brand ambassadors

• BharatPe has announced the launch of its high impact TV campaign starring ‘Team BharatPe’ with 11 Cricket stars.

• The TVC series has been directed by ace Bollywood director, Puneet Malhotra, and communicates the message ‘Hum Hai Team BharatPe – Jo Desh Ke Har Dukandaar Ke Saath Hai Khade’.

• This is the first time that a new age FinTech company has rolled out a TV campaign with 11 top cricket stars as its brand ambassadors. Team BharatPe includes Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina, Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Shubhman Gill.

Days

World Students’ Day

• World Students’ Day is observed every year on October 15 to mark the birth anniversary of former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

• In 2010 the United Nations declared 15 October “World Students’ Day”, due to Kalam’s love for students and who himself was a dedicated teacher and identified himself foremost in that role before anything else.

• 2020 marks 89th birth anniversary of the former president and ‘Missile Man’ Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

Books and Authors

Autobiography of former Union Minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil

• Prime Minister released the autobiography of former Union Minister Dr Balasaheb Vikhe Patil through video conferencing on 13 October 2020.

• The autobiography of Dr. Patil has been titled ‘Deh Vechwa Karani,’ means ‘dedicating one’s life for a noble cause.’

• Dr Patil was a prominent leader from Maharashtra who served as seven time Member of Lok Sabha.

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Important Current Affairs 14th October 2020

National

Kerala: First State to become Digital in Public Education

• The State of Kerala is the first state in the country to make public education completely digital.

• The state Government has achieved it at a cost of Rs 42.36 crores. The initiative was launched in 2018.

BRICS Ministerial Summit 2020 held virtually

• BRICS Ministerial Summit 2020 held through online mode via Video Conferencing.

• Minister of State (I/C) for Labour & Employment, Shri Santosh Gangwar represented India in this meeting. This BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Virtual Meeting was held under Russian Presidency.

• The Objective of this BRICS Summit is to discuss various issues including approaches to creating a safe work culture in BRICS countries.

Banking and Economy

IMF projects India’s GDP to contract 10.3% in 2020; rebound with 8.8% growth in 2021-22

• In its latest ‘World Economic Outlook’ report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected the Indian economy to contract by 10.3 percent in 2020-21, from its earlier prediction of 4.5 percent due to rise in C-19 cases.

• However, IMF estimates the GDP of India to grow at 8.8 percent in 2021-22, as compared to 6 percent predicted earlier, regaining the position of the fastest growing emerging economy.

• On the other hand, the Fund expects the world economy to contract by 4.4 percent in 2020. This projection was -5.2 percent earlier

Axis Bank launches ACE Credit Card in collaboration with Google Pay and Visa

• Axis Bank has launched a new entry-level credit card named Axis ACE Credit Card, with focus on increasing participation of users in the digital economy.

• The card has been launched in collaboration with Google Pay and will run on Visa (Signature) platform.

• ACE Credit card users would get 5% Cashback on Bill payments (electricity, internet, gas and more), DTH and mobile recharges done through Google Pay.

Summits and Mou’s

Microsoft and AICTE partnered to skill students

• The Government of India’s All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE) has partnered with Microsoft to empower learners and educators with future-ready skills.

• As part of this partnership, over 1500 course modules from Microsoft will be made available to students and educators free of cost through AICTE’s e-learning portal, ELIS.

Awards

Best Ships in FAF 2020: Indian Navy Ships Sahyadri and Kora

• The Fleet Award Function (FAF), 2020 was organised to mark the successful culmination of the Operational Cycle of the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam.

• Indian Navy Ships Sahyadri and Kora is named as the Best Ships in FAF 2020.

• During the event, the Fleet Operations Officer presented the Annual Report of activities and achievements of the Fleet for 01 Apr 19 to 31 Mar 20.

Obituary

Former Indian Football Captain Carlton Chapman passed away

• Former Indian football captain, Carlton Chapman passed away. He was born on 13th April 1971 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He announced his retirement from professional Football in 2001.

• He was the captain of the Indian team when India won the South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup in 1997. He was a leading midfielder played for Indian from 1995 to 2001.

• He joined Quartz FC, Kozhikode as the technical director in 2017.

Priscilla Jana, Renowned Indian-origin South African Human Rights Lawyer Passes Away

• Renowned Indian-origin South African human rights lawyer Priscilla Jana has passed away at the age of 76.

• Jana, who had played a significant role against apartheid, was the Deputy Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

CM Chang, Environment Minister of Nagaland passes away

• Senior Nagaland Minister ‘CM Chang’ has passed away, due to C-19. He was 78-years-old.

• Chang was serving as the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Justice and Law.

Sports

17th NBA Championship won by Los Angeles Lakers

• The National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship 2020 held on 12 October 2020.

• The Los Angeles Lakers won this year trophy by defeating the Miami Heat.

• NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP): LeBron James of the Lakers’ was named the for the fourth time in his career.

Ranking

Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index 2020

• The international charitable organisation ‘Oxfam International’ released a report on 2020 Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index.

• India has been ranked 129 among 158 countries. The 2020 CRI index has been topped by Norway. South Sudan is the lowest ranking country in the index at 158th position.

Days

World Standards Day

• The World Standards Day (WSD), also known as International Standards Day, is celebrated globally on 14 October annually.

• World Standards Day 2020 theme is “Protecting the planet with standards”.

• The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of standardisation to the global economy among the consumers, regulators and industry.

International Day for Disaster Reduction observed on 13 October

• The United Nations observe International Day for Disaster Reduction every year on 13th October.

• Objective is to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction and also celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.

• Theme of 2020 International Day for Disaster Reduction is ‘Disaster risk governance’.

Books and Authors

A former RAW officer unravels the path to 1984 in his book `The Khalistan Conspiracy’

• A former intelligence officer with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), GBS Sidhu has written the book titled ” The Khalistan Conspiracy”.

• The book published by HarperCollins will be released on October 24.

• The contents of this book revolve around a two-phased, top-secret operation, which he named “Operation Bhindranwale-Khalistan”.

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Important Current Affairs 13th October 2020

National

PM releases Rs 100 commemorative coin to honour Vijaya Raje Scindia

• On 12 October 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative coin of Rs 100 to mark the birth centenary of Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, one of the founder member of the ruling BJP, through a virtual ceremony.

• The special coin has been minted by the Ministry of Finance.

• Vijaya Raje Scindia, who dedicated her life to poor people, is also popularly known as the Rajmata of Gwalior.

Graded Response Action Plan for Delhi & NCR

• The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) has directed the Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) states to implement air pollution control measures listed under the “very poor” and “severe” category of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). These measures will come into force from October 15, 2020 to improve the air quality of the Delhi-NCR region.

• As per the directions given by the EPCA, the diesel generators will no longer be used in Delhi and NCR towns including Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurgaon and others with effect from October 15. The generators will only be used for emergency and essential services.

• Moreover, the Pollution control authorities will carry out the night patrolling to investigate dust, industrial emissions and burning of waste. The pollution monitoring body has also directed the authorities to undertake frequent sprinkling of water on roads.

International

World Economic Forum shifts annual meeting 2021 from Davos to Lucerne

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) said it will hold its Annual Meeting 2021 in Lucerne-Burgenstock, Switzerland, from May 18 to 21, as against the traditional venue of ski resort town Davos in January-end.

• The change in schedule and venue was necessitated by the C-19 pandemic.

Argentina becomes 1st nation to approve genetically modified wheat

• Argentina has approved HB4 drought-resistant GMO wheat, making it the first country in the world to approve a strain of GMO wheat.

• The drought-resistant HB4 wheat variety was developed by Argentine biotechnology company Bioceres, working with the National University and Conicet.

• Bioceres’ HB4 wheat is resistant to drought and tolerates the herbicide glufosinate sodium, a combination the company says can help boost yields on dry years.

Banking and Economy

Nirmala Sitharaman Announces Rs.73,000-Crore Measures To Boost Consumer Demand

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the 43rd GST Council meeting through video conferencing in New Delhi on 12 October 2020.

• Sitharaman announced several measures to boost capital expenditure and stimulate consumer demand in the economy, which are are estimated to cost Rs 73,000 crore by 31 March 2021.

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced that government employees can avail cash voucher for LTC if they can’t travel due to pandemic. Employees can use the money to buy items attracting 12 per cent or more GST, increasing consumer demand. However, employees can spend an LTC cash voucher only through digital mode and at places registered under GST before 31 March 2021.

• The government also announced that the north-east states will get 50-year interest-free loans of Rs 1,600 crore and Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will get Rs 900 crore. The amount has to be spent by 31 march 2021. Other states will also get Rs 7,500 crore loans in proportion to their share in Finance Commission evolution.

• FM Sitharaman added that half of the amount will be disbursed initially and the second part will be disbursed once the previous amount is utilised. Further, the government increased the centre’s capital expenditure budget by Rs 25,000 crore from Rs 4.13 lakh crore for expenditure on the road, water supply, urban development, and defence infrastructure including manufacturing domestic equipment

Awards

Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2020 announced

• The 2020 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences has been awarded jointly to Paul R. Milgrom and Robert B. Wilson “for improvements to auction theory and inventions of new auction formats”

• The award is officially known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2020.

• The laureates in economic sciences are selected by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm.

• It comes with a gold medal and a cash award of 10 million Swedish krona ($1.12 million).

Sarah Hall becomes first writer to win BBC National Short Story Award twice

• Sarah Hall has become the first writer to win the BBC national short story award twice, with judges describing her as a virtuoso of the form.

Days

International Day for Disaster Reduction

• The United Nations International Day for Disaster Reduction is observed globally on 13th October.

• The day is celebrated to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction and also celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.

• This year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is all about governance.

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Important Current Affairs 12th October 2020

National

All eight Indian beaches recommended by Ministry of Environment and Forests awarded the prestigious International Blue Flag Certification

• The Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has informed that all eight beaches recommended by the Government of India has got the coveted International Blueflag  Certification.

• India is the first nation to achieve such a feat, as no other Blueflag nation has ever been awarded for 8 beaches in a single attempt.

• The Blue Flag programme is a world-renowned award operated by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark to benchmark the beaches as clean and hygienic.

CWG medallist Shuttler Chetan Anand named brand ambassador of India’s first-ever Badminton Brand ‘Transform’

• Commonwealth Games medallist in Badminton, Chetan Anand has been roped in as the brand ambassador for the India’s first-ever homegrown professional badminton brand “Transform”.

• Transform Badminton is India’s 1st professional badminton brand at par with the best racquets available in the market that are currently imported from abroad for playing in India.

• Transform racquets have been made out of the military grade graphite.

Banking and Economy

WTO revises up forecast for goods trade to 9.2% decline in 2020

• The World Trade Organization upgraded its forecast for trade in goods this year to a level still comparable to the decline during the global financial crisis, but better than initially predicted due to a rebound in June and July.

• The WTO said that global merchandise trade would fall by 9.2% this year and then increase by 7.2% in 2021.

• The WTO forecast in April that merchandise trade would decline by between 13 and 32% this year, figures described by the WTO chief as “ugly”, before rebounding by between 21 and 24% in 2021 if countries worked together.

Tamil Nadu government to set up advanced manufacturing hub in partnership with WEF

• Tamil Nadu’s Guidance, nodal investment promotion and facilitation agency of the state of Tamil Nadu has partnered with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to establish India’s first advanced manufacturing hub (AMHUB) in Tamil Nadu.

• The Advanced Manufacturing HUB or AMHUB is one of the 19 platforms designed by the WEF.

• This platform focuses on engaging entire regional production ecosystems to identify and address regional opportunities and challenges brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) by amplifying regional success stories, sharing best practices & incubating new partnerships.

Sports

Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek wins French Open 2020

• In tennis, Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic 6-0,6-2,7-5 to win the men’s 2020 French Open on 11 October 2020.  This is his 13th French Open men’s singles title and 20th Grand Slam title.

• In Women’s single, the 19-year-old Iga Swiatek of Poland, claimed a historic win, by becoming the youngest women to win the title in the history of the championship in 28 years.

• Winners of French Open Tennis 2020

Men’s Single – Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

Women’s Single – Iga Swiatek (Poland) defeated Sofia Kenin (US)

Men’s Double –  Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies of Germany

Women’s Double – Tímea Babos (Hungary)/ Kristina Mladenovic (France)

Lewis Hamilton wins 2020 Eifel Grand Prix

• Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has won the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, held on 11 October 2020  at the Nurburgring in Nurburg, Germany.

• This is Hamilton’s 7th win of the season and 91st career race victory, which was till now achieved only by Michael Schumacher.

• The race was the eleventh race in 2020 Formula One World Championship and the first running in history of the Eifel Grand Prix.

• Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) came second followed by Daniel Ricciardo (Renault, Australia) at third position.

Days

World Arthritis Day

• On World Arthritis Day, 12 October, people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases from around the world join together to make their voices heard.

• Objective of the day is to raise awareness about arthritis, an inflammatory condition which causes pain and stiffness in joints which can worsen with age.

• This day was started by Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI) in 1996 in order to spread awareness about arthritis and encourage policymakers to help reduce burden of arthritis.

• The World Arthritis Day theme 2020 is Time2Work.

International Day of the Girl Child

• International Day of the Girl Child (also known as Day of Girls and the International Day of Girls) is observed annually on October 11 since 2012.

• This international observance day was declared by the United Nations to raise awareness of issues facing girls internationally surrounding education, nutrition, child marriage, legal and medical rights.

• The theme for 2020 International Day of the Girl Child is “My voice, our equal future”.

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Important Current Affairs 11th October 2020

National

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute property cards

• Under Svamitva scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute property cards to rural land owners.

• The property cards are to be distributed to villages in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand.

• Svamitva is Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas to provide the right to document residential properties to the rural population. It enables the rural population to use property as a financial asset.

Andhra Pradesh CM launches Jagananna Vidya Kanuka’ scheme to distribute school kits

• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched a new scheme named the ‘Jagananna Vidya Kanuka’ scheme to distribute school kits among the poor children of the state.

• The state shall spend around Rs 650 crore towards the scheme. 42,34,322 kits will be distributed across the state under the scheme.

• Under this scheme, the government school students from classes 1 to 10 across the state will set the school kits or Vidya Kanuka, which will contain three pairs of uniform, one pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, a belt, one set of textbooks and notebooks and one school bag.

Amazon India partners with IRCTC to offer train ticket bookings

• Amazon India said it had partnered with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to provide their customers with the facility to book reserved train tickets on its platform.

• For the introductory period, Amazon.in has waived off service and payment gateway transaction charges.

• With this launch, Amazon Pay adds another travel category, thereby offering its customers a one-stop-shop for booking flights, bus and train tickets

BRICS Bank grants approval to USD 741 million for Rapid Rail & Mumbai Metro

• BRICS Bank, also known as New Development Bank, approved USD 741 million funds for Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail and Mumbai metro projects. Of this total amount, USD 500 million have been allocated for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Project and USD 241 million have been allocated for Mumbai Metro Rail Project.

• The rapid rail network will connect the National Capital Territory of Delhi with the cities of Meerut and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

• The Mumbai metro rail line 6 will have a length of about 14.47 km. It will provide much needed rail connectivity between the western and eastern suburbs.

Banking and Economy

NABARD inks 3 MoUs with SBI to extend credit support for various projects in Gujarat

• The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development -NABARD has inked three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Public Sector Bank- State Bank of India(SBI) to extend credit support for various projects in Gujarat.

• The MoUs were signed for financing joint liability groups and Self-Help Groups-support credit inflows to Farmer Producers’ Organizations and economic support for watershed development projects.

• These will help in providing credit support to the different sections of the society including the priority sector.

Science and Technology

Coastal security exercise “Sagar Kavach” concludes

• A two-day Coastal Security Exercise namely ‘Sagar Kavach’ conducted by the Indian Navy along with Indian Coast Guard and all stakeholders involved in Coastal Security from the coast of Kerala.

• The exercise was monitored from Joint Operations Centre, Kochi. Sagar Kavach is a half-yearly exercise with an objective to check the Coastal Security mechanism and validate Standard Operating Procedures.

•  The exercise conducted along the coastal areas of Kerala, Karnataka and Lakshadweep assumes significance in the backdrop of the prevailing security situation in the country.

Appointments and Resignations

Nilesh Shah re-elected as Chairman of AMFI

• Nilesh Shah has been re-elected as the Chairman of the Mutual fund industry body, Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI).

• Shah is the managing director of Kotak Asset Management Company (AMC).The decision was taken at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the AMFI on 07 October 2020.

• Shah was earlier elected as the chairman for the financial year 2019–20. He would continue to hold the office till the conclusion of the next AGM.

Ranking

Forbes India Rich List

• The Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani, has topped the Forbes India Rich list for 2020, released on 8th October 2020.

• He has retained his position as the wealthiest Indian for the 13th consecutive year on Forbes India list.

• The second spot has been retained by Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, with a net worth of $25.2 billion.

• Tech tycoon Shiv Nadar acquired the third spot with net worth of $20.4 billion.

Days

World Investor Week

• World Investor Week (WIW) is promoted by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and will be held between October 05 and October 11, 2020.

• This is the 4th World Investor Week and it aims to raise awareness about the importance of investor education and protection.

National Postal Week

• The Department of Posts is celebrating National Postal Week from 9-15 October, 2020, to mark the occasion of the World Postal Day.

• Every year, the National Postal week is organised to generate awareness of the role and activities of the postal services among the public and media on a national scale.

• Online campaign will be organised to create awareness about new offerings and availability of citizen centric services in Post Offices.

Indian Foreign Service Day

• Indian Foreign Service Day is celebrated on 9 October every year since 2011 to commemorate the day the Indian Cabinet created the IFS.

• Months before India’s independence, in September 1946, the Indian Foreign Service was created “for India’s diplomatic, consular and commercial representation overseas.

World Migratory Bird Day 2020

• Officially, the World Migratory Bird Day is observed twice in a year, firstly on Second Saturday of May and again on Second Saturday of October, so as to follow the seasonal migrations of birds, which peak in those months.

• In 2020, the WMBBD falls on 09 May 2020 and 10 October 2020. The Day was officially declared by the United Nations in 2006.

• The theme of 2020 World Migratory Bird Day is “Birds Connect Our World”.

• The day aims to raise awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.

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Important Current Affairs 10th October 2020

National

First State to provide 100% Tap Water Connections is Goa

• Goa has become the first state in India to provide 100% tap water connections in rural areas under “Har Ghar Jal State”.

• The State of Goa is now planning to install sensor-based service delivery monitoring system to monitor the functionality of water supply.

• The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide 55 litres of tapped water per person per day to all the households by 2024.

The Additional charge of Ministry of Consumer Affairs is given to Piyush Goyal

• The additional charge of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has been given to the Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

• He currently serving as the Union Minister of Railways and Minister of Commerce and Industry.

International

Bishr al-Khasawneh appointed as Jordan’s New Prime Minister

• Bishr al-Khasawneh has been appointed as New Prime Minister of Jordan which is a Western Asia.

• The appointment was approved by King of Jordan, Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein.He succeeded Former PM Omar al Razzaz.

Banking and Economy

RBI keeps key interest rates unchanged; projects GDP to shrink by 9.5% in FY21

• The Reserve Bank of India in its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on October 9, 2020 has decided to:

• keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 4.0 percent.

• reverse repo rate remains unchanged at 3.35 percent

• decided to maintain its accommodative stance.

• The MPC has projected the Indian economy to contract 9.5 percent in the current fiscal 2020-21.

Awards

Nobel Peace Prize 2020

• The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to World Food Programme (WFP) on 9th October 2020.

• The World Food Programme (WFP) has won the prestigious honor “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”

Science and Technology

India’s Anti-Radiation Missile RUDRAM successfully tested

• The new generation anti-radiation missile named Rudram 1 which has been generated to kill enemy radar is successfully tested in the Balasore test range located off the coast of Odisha in Bay of Bengal.

• This missile was developed by Defence research and development organisation.

• The missile can reach up to a range of 200 km, can achieve a maximum speed of 2 mach and can be fired from an altitude envelope of 500 meters to 15kms

Obituary

First woman chief justice of Kerala KK Usha passes away

• Former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, Justice KK Usha, passed away.

•  She served as a judge from 1991 to 2000 and when she was appointed Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court from 2000 to 2001, Justice Usha became the first woman to join the High Court Judiciary from the Bar and became a Chief Justice.

Mexican scientist Mario Molina passes away

• Mexican scientist and a Nobel Prize receipt Mario Molina have passed away at the age of 77.Molina was the first Mexican to win the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1995.

• He was appointed a scientific adviser to the then U.S. President Barack Obama in the year 2008.

Appointments and Resignations

Manoj Kumar Appointed as chairman and managing director of Western Coalfields Ltd

• According to a personnel ministry order, Manoj Kumar has been appointed as chairman and managing director of Western Coalfields Ltd.

• Currently, Manoj Kumar is serving as the director in the Western Coalfields Ltd.

Days

World Mental Health day

• On 10th October the WHO celebrates World Mental Health day every year.

• Objective of the day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.

• The theme for World Mental Health Day 2020 is ‘Mental Health for All’.

• The World Federation for Mental Health took the initiative of celebrating this day since 1992.

The 2020 World Egg Day

• Every year on the second Friday of October, world celebrates World Egg day. This year the day is being observed on 9th October 2020.

• Objective of the day is to raise awareness of the benefits of eggs and their importance in human nutrition.

• The theme for 2020 World Egg Day is “Eat your egg today and every day”

The 2020 World Sight Day

• Every year on the on the second Thursday of October, world celebrates world sight day.This year the day is observed on 8th October.

• Objective is to draw public awareness towards blindness & vision impairment and educate target audiences about blindness prevention.

• World Sight Day 2020 Theme: Hope In Sight.

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