WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
Increasing NPAs in Banking Sectors in India The gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio of all commercial banks is likely to increase from 8.5 percent in March 2020 to 12.5 percent by March 2021 under the baseline scenario in the wake of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). According to the RBI, nearly 50 percent of the customers, accounting for around half of outstanding bank loans, opted to avail the benefit of the relief measures, loan moratorium, to tackle the lockdown impact. Among the bank groups, the GNPA ratio of public sector banks may increase from 11.3 percent in March 2020 to 15.2 percent by March 2021 under the baseline scenario. Sectorally, the quality of bank loans to the services sector worsened in March 2020. The GNPA ratio of the retail loan sector also edged up. Among major sub-sectors within the industry, NPA ratios in respect of construction and gems and jewellery sectors swelled up in March 2020. On the other hand, the infrastructure sector (with a share of 36.2 percent in bank credit to the industrial sector), basic metals (11.3 percent), and electricity (17.5 percent) have shown a perceptible decline in NPA ratios. The central government finances are likely to suffer some deterioration in 2020-21, with fiscal revenues badly hit by COVID-19-related disruptions even as expenditures come under strain on account of the fiscal stimulus. For State finances, the additional burden of lower federal transfers may accentuate downside risks to the outlook. Bank credit, which had considerably weakened during the first half of 2019-20, slid down further in the subsequent period with the moderation becoming broad-based across bank groups. The capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of commercial banks edged down to 14.8 per cent in March 2020 from 15 percent in September 2019, while their GNPA ratio declined to 8.5 percent from 9.3 percent and the provision coverage ratio PCR improved to 65.4 per cent from 61.6 percent over this period. India’s first public Electric Vehicle charging plaza inaugurated Union Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh, inaugurated India’s first public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging plaza at Chelmsford Club in the national capital. The charging plaza has been set up with a focus on enhancing energy efficiency and promoting e-mobility. Union Minister of Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal e-inaugurates Zoram Mega Food Park in Mizoram Union Minister of Food Processing Industries in the Government of India and Member Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the Zoram Mega Food Park Ltd at Kolasib in Mizoram through virtual conference. The Food Park built at a cost of Rs 75 crore and spread over 55 Acres of land will directly benefit over 25,000 farmers and will provide employment opportunities to over 5,000 people in the region. Tamil Nadu signed MoUs with 8 companies worth Rs 10,399 crore
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
Tamil Nadu on signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with eight companies to set up their manufacturing units in the state bringing an investment of Rs 10,399 crore. The cumulative investment envisaged in the projects will create 13,507 jobs across the state in solar cells, data centres and industrial parks. The MoUs will bring in investments in the areas of solar cells and modules manufacturing, agrotech and iron foundry, among others. Nomura estimated India’s GDP to contract by 6.1% in FY21 Economic activity continues to remain weak and will lead to a (-)6.1 per cent contraction in India’s GDP in the FY 21, a Japanese brokerage Nomura It estimated contractions of 5.6 per cent in September quarter, 2.8 per cent for December quarter and 1.4 per cent in the March quarter, which will give a full fiscal GDP at negative 6.1 per cent. India GDP projected F21:-CIRIS: (-) 5%, Fitch: (-) 5%, S&P- (-) 5%, Care Rating: (-) 6.4%, FICCI: (-) 4.5%. Ashwini Kumar Tewari appointed as the new SBI Cards MD & CEO SBI cards and Payment Services has named Ashwini Kumar Tewari as its new Managing Director and chief executive officer. He was nominated by parent State Bank of India for the position and his appointment will come into effect from August 1, 2020. CBDT signed MoU with MSME ministry to share data The Income-Tax Department will start sharing data on depreciation, sales and gross turnover of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as reported in their ITRs with the Union MSME ministry. ‘The MoU comes into force from the date it was signed. Both the organisations will appoint Nodal Officers and Alternate Nodal Officers to facilitate the process of data exchange. India navy & US Navy conducted PASSEX Exercise The Indian Navy, conducted Passex (passing exercises) with the United States (US) Navy’s USS Nimitz, which is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The cooperative exercises took place near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and transited through the Indian Ocean region. The Indian Navy had recently conducted similar passing exercises with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and French Navy. The US-India Passex (passing exercise) off the Andaman and Nicobar coast in Malacca Strait is going to send out a strong message to China. List of India and US defence Exercise: Red Flag-India and US, “Tiger Triumph”- India and US,Yudh Abhyas-India and US. ICC postponed T20 World Cup to 2022 The T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played in Australia in October-November this year, has formally been postponed to 2022. Besides deferring the T20 World Cup to October-November, 2022, the ICC Board also decided to push the 2023 ODI World Cup in India to October-November that year from February-March. United Arab Emirates launched ‘Hope’ mission to Mars on Japanese rocket Plot-1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRP Square, Bhubaneswar-751015 Ph. :8093556677, 9040456677, Web :www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected] 2
WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
A mission called Hope, the Arab region’s first attempt to go interplanetary, is on its way to Hope blasted off from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center atop a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H- IIA rocket on July 19. The spacecraft separated from the rocket about an hour after liftoff and was expected to deploy its solar panels to power the seven-month cruise to Mars. Madhya Pradesh governor Lalji Tandon passed away Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passed away at the age of 85. Tandon had been hospitalised in Lucknow in June with breathing problems, difficulty in urination and fever. He was put on ventilator support on June 11. In his career spanning five decades, Tandon served in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council for two terms from 1978 to 1984, and 1990-1996; as an MLA in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly for three terms between 1996 to 2009; as MP in the 15th Lok Sabha; and Governor of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Odia actor Bijay Mohanty passed away Odia actor Bijay Mohanty died at a private hospital here on Monday night following a prolonged illness, family sources said. He was 70. A host of dignitaries including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Petroleum and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan mourned Mohanty’s death. Haryana to host 2021 Khelo India Youth Games Haryana will host 2021 Khelo India Youth Games as announced by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar It is the 4th edition and is scheduled to take place after Tokyo Olympics, 2021. It will be held at Panchkula in Haryana as it is equipped with the best sporting infrastructure to host a multi-sport event to lodge facilities for the large number of participants who are expected to attend. Haryana won KIYG 2018 edition with 102 medals. Naveen Tahilyani appointed as Tata AIA Life Insurance’s MD & CEO Naveen Tahilyani has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Managing Director (MD) of Tata AIA Life Insurance He will succeed Rishi Srivastava, who is moving to Group Agency Distribution, AIA Group, Hong Kong as Chief Executive Officer Naveen Tahilyani was the CEO, Group Partnership Distribution at AIA Hong Kong till 2019 Prior to this, he has served as CEO and Managing Director of Tata AIA from 2015 to 2018. Tata AIA chairman: Saurabh Agrawal. World’s 1st electrified container tunnel to be constructed in Haryana Indian Railways is constructing World’s first electrified double-stack container tunnel on Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. It is a 1km D-shaped tunnel in which Goods train will be able to run at speed of more than 100 km Implementing Agency: Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) It is one of the biggest Railway tunnels in India in terms of cross-sectional area, measuring 150 sq metres whose one end is near Rewari and other at Dadri. Plot-1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRP Square, Bhubaneswar-751015 Ph. :8093556677, 9040456677, Web :www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected] 3
WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
HRD Ministry formed ‘Stay in India and Study in India’ committee HRD Ministry has set up ‘Stay in India and Study in India’ committee to form guidelines and recommend measures for students to study in India It will be headed by D. P. Singh, chairman of UGC It is a part of Govt plan to retain aspiring students, who wants to study abroad, by providing appropriate opportunities for education in premier Indian institutions and addressing concerns of students returning from abroad due to COVID. HRD Minister: Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'. Delhi Govt launched ‘Rozgar Bazar’ for job seekers and recruiters Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has rolled out a portal titled ‘Rozgar Bazar’ which will act as a marketplace for job seekers and recruiters. The employers/ recruiters can visit the website and update their requirements Job seekers are required to update their qualification, experience and requirement The portal is an effort of the Delhi Government to revive Delhi’s economy after the lockdown It will bridge the gap between the employers and employees. Central Reserve Police Force observed its 82nd Raising Day 82nd Raising Day of Central Reserve Police Force foundation day is being observed on 27 July 2020. CRPF was founded as Crown Representative’s Police on July 27, 1939 and its first batllion was raised at Neemuch town of Madhya Pradesh It was renamed as Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on CRPF Act enactment on December 28, 1949. CRPF looks after internal security scenario and is at the forefront to keep our nation safe. Director General of CRPF: AP Maheshwari. RBI signed $400 million currency swap agreement with Sri Lanka RBI has signed an agreement for extending $400 million currency swap facility to Sri Lanka It will boost foreign reserves and ensure financial stability of the country It will be available till November 2022. This currency swap was announced in April under South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework Sri Lanka’s forex reserves were at $ 6.7 billion in June 2020 while India’s forex reserves were at $ 517.63 billion till July 17. Sahil Seth appointed as the adviser to BRICS CCI committee Sahil Seth has been appointed as an honorary adviser to BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) young leaders steering committee for 2020-2023 He is presently serving as the Deputy Commissioner of Mumbai Customs. BRICS CCI promotes commerce and industry in the BRICS nations and is a support system for the MSME segment of businesses and young entrepreneurs from across all different geographies. BRICS: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa.HQs: Shanghai, China Dept of Post extended all small savings schemes to branch post office level
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
Postal Dept has extended all small savings schemes upto the branch post office level to empower rural India by bringing all Post Office Savings schemes to the doorstep of the people living in rural areas. This will allow Branch Post Offices to offer PF, Monthly Income Scheme, National Savings Certificate, Kisan Vikas Patra and Senior Citizen Savings Schemes facilities. Customers will be able to deposit their savings in their village itself through this initiative. AIIMS Nagpur developed smart wristband for tracking COVID-19 AIIMS Nagpur along with IIT Jodhpur and IIIT, Nagpur has developed a model for tracking and monitoring of COVID-19 positive and suspect patients. This indigenously developed device is in the form of smart wristband. This wristband uses geo-fencing technology and can provide mobile free operation providing real time warning on breach in quarantine zone. It also provide temp, pulse rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation of patients. Amazon Pay tied up with Acko General Insurance for vehicle insurance Amazon Pay has tied-up with Acko General Insurance to launch vehicle insurance. The partnership will help customers to purchase insurance effortlessly and Amazon Prime members will get extra benefits including additional discounts. The insurance will have zero paperwork. Features: 1-hour pick-up and 3-day claim servicing, with 1-year repair warranty in few cities for vehicles Customers can use Amazon Pay balance, UPI, or any saved card to make payments. National Mango Day: 22 July 22 July is celebrated as National Mango Day or Mango Day. It is one of the most important and widely cultivated fruits of the tropical world. Mango fruit can be eaten ripe, it is also used green in pickles. It is the National fruit of India. Also, Kannapuram in Kannur district of Kerala is being declared an 'Indigenous Mango Heritage Area'. The panchayat is home to over 200 varieties of mangoes. Kannapuram is home to various indigenous mango varieties. India, Maldives signed agreement for establishment of ‘Emergency Medical Services’ in Male India and Maldives have signed an agreement for establishment of ‘Emergency Medical Services’ in capital Male. It is one of the several small and medium projects that are being financed by India under a grant assistance of around 20 million US dollars for the neighbouring country. The emergency medical service unit will enhance timely access to quality emergency care. It will increase collaboration between healthcare facilities and disaster response agencies, especially during critical times of need. CBDT, CBIC signed fresh MoU for data sharing
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for exchange of information. This MoU supersedes the MoU signed between CBDT and the erstwhile Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) in the year 2015. This MoU will facilitate the sharing of data and information between CBDT and CBIC on an automatic and regular basis, including on request, from their respective databases. The MoU comes into force from the date it was signed and is an ongoing initiative of CBDT and CBIC, who are already collaborating through various existing mechanisms. Consumer Protection Act, 2019 came into force Bringing e-commerce companies under the ambit of a structured consumer redressal mechanism, the government notified the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which will be empowered to conduct investigations into violations of consumer rights. It will also give teeth to the authorities to punish unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements. E-commerce platforms will now have to acknowledge the receipt of any consumer complaint within 48 hours and redress the complaint within a month from the date of receipt. A significant change that under the earlier Act, complaints could be initiated only in the place where the transaction took place. But now, a consumer can institute a complaint from where he resides. It will protect the consumer rights through its various notified Rules and provisions and will empower consumers and hence help them in protecting their rights. Govt extended work from home for IT, BPO companies till Dec 31 due to COVID-19 Government has extended connectivity norms for work from home for IT and BPO companies till December 31 this year due to COVID-19 pandemic. It has further extended the relaxations in the terms and conditions for other service providers up to 31st December 2020 to facilitate work from home in view of the ongoing concern due to COVID-19. The time period for work from home was expiring on July 31. 1st batch of five Indian Air Force Rafale likely to arrive in India by July end The first batch of five Indian Air Force Rafale is likely to arrive in India by the end of this month. The aircraft will be inducted at Air Force Station Ambala on 29th July. Indian Air Force aircrew and ground crew have undergone comprehensive training on the aircraft, including its highly advanced weapons systems and are fully operational now. India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin- seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets. Kargil Vijay Diwas being observed July 26 Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every year on July 26 to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in 1999 Kargil conflict in Kargil-Drass sector of J&K Plot-1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRP Square, Bhubaneswar-751015 Ph. :8093556677, 9040456677, Web :www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected] 6
WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
It is a 3-day long celebration dedicated to our Kargil War’s Heroes and mark the success of Operation Vijay which was fought for more than 60 days ‘Operation Vijay’, was India’s reaction against Pakistan for its infiltrators in the Indian territory of Kargil This year wreath lying ceremony will take place at Drass War Memorial. Nicaragua become 87th country to sign ISA Framework Agreement Nicaragua has become the 87th country that joined International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement ISA agreement on behalf of Nicaragua was signed by Permanent Representative to the UN Jaime Hermida Castillo at the Permanent Mission of India to UN in New York Nicaragua is an Central American country ISA an initiative led by India to promote sustainable energy. HQs:Gurugram,Haryana,DirectorGeneral:Upendra Tripathy Union Minister launched ‘RestartIndia’ advisory platform for MSMEs Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has launched ‘RestartIndia’ advisory platform ‘www.restartindia.in’ to help MSMEs in restarting businesses across the country. The platform is developed jointly by Muthoot Fincorp and INKtalks under Atmanirbhar project. It will act as a single platform for professionals/ experts from various fields and industry domains to address the questions and provide information on various govt schemes and initiatives raising self-confidence of MSMEs. Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3) attains its first criticality Unit 3 of Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3) in Gujarat achieved its ‘first criticality’ KAPP-3 is India’s first indigenously developed 700 MWe (megawatt electric) Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) Criticality is attained when every nuclear fission event releases a sufficient number of neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of reactions or a self-sustaining chain reaction producing heat, used to generate steam that then spins a turbine to create electricity. What does achieving criticality mean? Reactors are the heart of an atomic power plant, where a controlled nuclear fission reaction takes place that produces heat, which is used to generate steam that then spins a turbine to create electricity. Fission is a process in which the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei, and usually some byproduct particles. When the nucleus splits, the kinetic energy of the fission fragments is transferred to other atoms in the fuel as heat energy, which is eventually used to produce steam to drive the turbines. For every fission event, if at least one of the emitted neutrons on average causes another fission, a self-sustaining chain reaction will take place. A nuclear reactor achieves criticality when each fission event releases a sufficient number of neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of reactions. APSEZ become 1st Indian port to sign SBTi commitment letter Plot-1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRP Square, Bhubaneswar-751015 Ph. :8093556677, 9040456677, Web :www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected] 7
WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
Adani Ports and Special economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) has signed commitment letter to Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) strengthening India’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement. It has become 1st Port in India and 7th Port in the world to sign this green initiative 43 Indian companies have signed for SBTi, till date from a total of 909 companies. SBTi aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by companies, meeting the goals of Paris Agreement. WHO launched COVID-19 Law Lab for implementing legal frameworks WHO launched COVID-19 Law Lab (www.COVIDLawLab.org) for implementing legal frameworks for global pandemic responses It is a database of laws that 190 countries have implemented in response to COVID-19 Its aim is to ensure that laws protect the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities adhering to international human rights standards It is a joint initiative of UNDP, WHO, UNAIDS and O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University. Jordan Henderson won FWA Footballer of the Year 2020 award Captain of Premier League club Liverpool, Jordan Henderson (30 years) has been named as the Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) for 2019-20 He has played 30 Liverpool’s league matches in this season and scored four goals. Kevin De Bruyne, Marcus Rashford and Virgil van Dijk are the runner-up FWA is an annual award given to the player for best performance in English football season since 1947–48 season. India’s first honey testing lab established at NDDB, Gujarat India’s first honey testing lab has been established at National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Anand district, Gujarat to boost honey’s exports and ensure better rates to farmers. It is inaugurated virtually by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar It has been established with support of National Bee Board The lab will test purity, adulteration, chemical substances, residues, heavy metals or antibodies of honey will be checked as per the norms of FSSAI. Run to the Moon initiative raised Rs 19 lakh for Sport’s unsung warriors 'Run to the Moon’ initiative has raised Rs 19 lakhs for unsung warriors of Indian Sports. It was an initiative of IDBI Federal Life Insurance and NEB Sports in which 14,000 runners participated across the world covering 9,08,800 kilometres over the 30-day span. It was led by badminton coach Pullela Gopichand and Arjuna Awardees Ashwini Nachappa and Malathi Holla It was aimed at raising funds for needy coaches and sports support staff to make ends meet amid COVID-19. Largest solar power plant of Indian Navy commissioned in Kerala Indian Navy commissioned a 3 MW solar power plant at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala.
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
This is in line with the govt initiative of ‘National Solar Mission’ to achieve 100 GW of solar power by the year 2022. The solar plant is the largest in the Indian Navy and has an estimated life of 25 years. Another 2 MW Solar Power Plant has been inaugurated at Naval Station Karanja, Uran Another 2 MW Solar Photovoltaic Plant has been commissioned at INS Kalinga, Visakhapatnam. Cipla is all set to launch Favipiravir for COVID-19 treatment Pharmaceutical firm Cipla is set to launch Covid-19 drug Favipiravir. It is developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in a cost-effective process An off-patent anti-viral drug, Favipiravir, originally discovered by Fuji Pharma in Japan It has shown promise in clinical trials for the treatment of Covid-19. CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) developed a cost-effective process and transferred the technology to Cipla. India & Israel jointly develop ultra-rapid COVID-19 testing kit India and Israel have jointly developed an ultra-rapid testing kit for COVID-19. The testing kit which has proven its efficacy in lab results will now be subjected to broader trials. The kit has been developed by integration of artificial intelligence-based online voice test, breathalyser test, isothermal testing and testing using polyamino acids. India and Israel are also the members of the world consortium of scientists working on COVID Vaccine. ASTHROS Mission: NASA to use football stadium-sized balloon to study Cosmos NASA is working on a new mission to send a telescope, on a football stadium-sized balloon. The mission called Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths (ASTHROS) will be launched by 2023 from Antarctica. ASTHROS will observe light with wavelengths much longer than what is visible to the human eye at an altitude of about 130,000 feet. The balloon included a telescope, science instruments, and subsystems. RBI released the Financial Stability Report, July 2020 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released its Financial Stability Report, July 2020. The central bank warned that the Gross Nonperforming Assets (GNPA) ratio of all scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) may increase from 8.5 per cent in March 2020 to 12.5 per cent by March 2021. The report further said that if the macroeconomic environment worsens further, the GNPA ratio may escalate to 14.7 per cent under very severe stress. PhonePe partnered with ICICI Lombard to offer Hospital Cash cover Digital payments platform PhonePe partnered with 'ICICI Lombard' to launch ‘Hospital Daily Cash benefit’ under Group Safeguard Insurance. It is a customised hospitalisation policy that allows PhonePe users to get an assured amount on hospitalisation due to injury or illnesses including Covid-19.
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
PhonePe users aged 18-65 can get this policy without prior medical tests. PhonePe users can buy the insurance through the app, from the “My Money” section. Partha Pratim Sengupta Appointed New MD, CEO of Indian Overseas Bank Partha Pratim Sengupta has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Indian Overseas Bank. His appointment will be up to date of attaining the age of superannuation which is December 31, 2022, or until further orders whichever is earlier. Currently, he is serving as Deputy Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer at State Bank of India. FCC, NPCI to hosted world’s largest virtual fintech event The Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Payments Council of India hosted a virtual fintech event called Global Fintech Fest. FCC is the fintech committee of Internet and Mobile Association of India. The event brought together fintech and BFSI ecosystems from across the globe on a single platform. The theme of the two-day event was ‘Fintech: With and Beyond COVID’. ADB, GCF Commit To Partnership To Boost Green Recovery From COVID-19 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) agreed to partner toward a 'green recovery' from the impact of COVID 19. This collaboration focuses on enhancing the steps to reduce the carbon emission and for climate-resilient development in Asia-Pacific. ABD has offered a support package of USD 20 billion for COVID-19 Under Strategy 2030, ADB will ensure that 75% of its committed projects will support climate change mitigation and adaptation by 2030. China successfully launched unmanned mission to Mars ‘Tianwen-1’ China has successfully launched an unmanned probe to Mars titled ‘Tianwen-1’ by China’s largest carrier rocket ‘Long March 5 Y-4’ from Wenchang Space Launch Centre on southern island of Hainan It is the first independent mission of China to another planet marking global leadership in space and technology. ‘Tainwen-1’ or ‘Questions to Heaven’ is expected to reach Mars in February 2021 to deploy a rover for 90 days UAE’s mission Hope is another recent Mars Mission. World Trade Organization granted observer status to Turkmenistan Turkmenistan has been granted observer status by World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council Turkmenistan has become the last former Soviet republic to establish formal ties with WTO after receiving the observer status
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Turkmenistan has become 25th WTO observer nation and will now reap the benefits of its status in developing its economy, promote multilateral cooperation, attract foreign investment and develop international trade relations.
WEEKLY OBJECTIVE MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS ON CURRENT AFFAIRS: FOR WEEK 30/52 – 21 - 27 July (2020)
1. The third unit of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3) is India’s first 700 MWe (megawatt electric) Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). It is based in which state? A) Tamil Nadu B) Madhya Pradesh C) Gujarat D) Himachal Pradesh 2. The largest solar power plant of the Indian Navy has recently been commissioned in which state? A) Maharashtra B) Kerala C) Gujarat D) Tamil Nadu 3. The DRDO has recently set up a Covid-19 testing facility at Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR). Where is DIHAR located? A) Leh B) Shimla C) Munnar D) Gangtok 4. Name the first ever Indian port which has recently signed the commitment letter to Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) A) Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port Trust B) Adani Ports and Special economic Zone Limited C) Paradip Port Trust D) Kamarajar Port Limited 5. The Ministry of Coal has initiated a Tree Plantation Campaign “Vriksharopan Abhiyan”, under which seedlings were planted at more than 130 locations in 38 Districts of 10 states. Who is the Union Minister in the Ministry of Coal? A) Arjun Ram Meghwal B) Mahendra Nath Pandey C) Arjun Ram Meghwal D) Pralhad Joshi 6. The COVID-19 Law Lab initiative has recently been launched by WHO to provide a database of laws that member countries have implemented in response to the pandemic. The initiative has been launched by WHO in collaboration with which of these organisations?
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
A) UNDP B) O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University C) UNAIDS D) All the above 7. Amala Shankar, who passed away recently was a renowned dancer and choreographer from which state of India? A) West Bengal B) Maharashtra C) Odisha D) Madhya Pradesh 8. RestartIndia is mentoring platform, launched to help the MSME sector in restarting businesses in India. The platform has been developed by which among the following company? A) Tata Capital B) Bajaj Finserv C) Cholamandalam Finance D) Muthoot Fincorp 9. The Ministry of Coal has set the target to achieve one billion tonnes (annual) production of coal by which year? A) 2022-23 B) 2023-24 C) 2024-25 D) 2021-22 10. The National Solar Mission is an initiative of the Government of India and State Governments, to achieve the target of 100 GW of solar power by which year? A) 2030 B) 2025 C) 2022 D) 2024 11. The first ever honey testing laboratory of India has been set up in which state? A) Gujarat B) Haryana C) West Bengal D) Assam 12. When is the Kargil Vijay Diwas observed in India? A) 25 July B) 26 July C) 24 July D) 23 July 13. Who has been appointed as the new Governor of Madhya Pradesh on additional charge, following the demise of Lalji Tandon? A) Acharya Devvrat B) Satyadev Narayan Arya
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
C) Bhagat Singh Koshyari D) Anandiben Patel 14. The HRD Ministry has set up a committee to form guidelines and measures to make sure that more students study in India and there is a smooth transition for students returning from abroad due to COVID-19 situation. Who will head this committee? A) Union HRD Minister B) Chairperson AICTE C) Chairman of UGC D) Secretary, Department Of School Education And Literacy 15. The world’s first electrified double-stack container tunnel is being constructed by Indian Railways in which state? A) Haryana B) Uttar Pradesh C) Maharashtra D) Uttarakhand 16. What is the rank of India among the top 10 global countries that have gained in forest areas in the last decade (2010-2020) according to the Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2020 report of FAO? A) First B) Third C) Tenth D) Sixth 17. Naveen Tahilyani has been appointed as the MD and CEO of which insurance company? A) ICICI Prudential Life Insurance B) SBI Life Insurance Company C) HDFC Life D) Tata AIA Life Insurance 18. India Ideas Summit 2020 was organised by USIBC recently, to mark ______formation anniversary of the organisation. A) 55 B) 30 C) 45 D) 50 19. Name the winner of the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year 2020? A) Raheem Sterling B) Jordan Henderson C) Eden Hazard D) Mohammed Salah 20. Partha Pratim Sengupta has been appointed as the new MD & CEO of which bank?
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
A) Indian Overseas Bank B) Canara Bank C) Indian Bank D) Andhra Bank 21. Name the newly appointed Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) A) P.K. Satpathy B) Amitava Mukherjee C) Sumit Deb D) N.Baijendra Kumar 22. As per DBS Bank, what will be the growth rate of Indian economy for the financial year 2020-21? A) -6% B) -5% C) -7% D) -4% 23. Prakash Chandra Kandpal has been appointed as the new managing director and chief executive officer of which company? A) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance B) HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company C) Bharti Axa General Insurance D) SBI General Insurance 24. Who among the following has been honored with the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity? A) Emma Watson B) Greta Thunberg C) Malala Yousafzai D) Nadia Murad 25. The ‘Pravasi Rojgar’ app has been launched by which of these celebrities for the migrant workers? A) Shahrukh Khan B) Virat Kohli C) Sonu Sood D) Mukesh Ambani 26. Who has been appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the Security Platform of the Union Internationale Des Chemins/International Union of Railways (UIC)? A) Arun Kumar B) K. M. Chandrasekhar C) Bibek Debroy D) Gurcharan Das 27. DRDO recently conducted the ground based trial of its helicopter-launched Nag Missile (HELINA) at ITR Chandipur, in direct and top attack mode. What is the name given to this missile?
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
A) Shivastra B) Bhramastra C) Rudrastra D) Dhruvastra 28. Nicaragua has signed the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement. It is the ___ country to sign the agreement A) 48 B) 87 C) 72 D) 91 29. R Narayanaswamy has been appointed as the Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA). How many members are there in the committee? A) 15 B) 10 C) 7 D) 4 30. Rahul Bajaj has decided to step down as the Chairman of Bajaj Finance Ltd. Who will take over as the new head of the company? A) Sanjiv Bajaj B) Rajiv Bajaj C) Anant Bajaj D) Shishir Bajaj 31. National Broadcasting Day is observed annually in India on______A) 22 July B) 21 July C) 23 July D) 24 July 32. China has recently launched a probe under its first independent mission to Mars. What is the name of this probe? A) ZhengHe -1 B) Chang’e-1 C) Yinghuo-1 D) Tianwen-1 33. Name the acting President of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), whose tenure has been extended by the government for a period of one month till 5 August 2020? A) BSV Prakash Kumar B) Vasudeo Agarwal C) Hanuman Mal Choraria D) Uttam Sarkar 34. Turkmenistan has been granted the observer status in the World Trade Organization (WTO). With the addition of Turkmenistan, WTO now has how
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
many observer country? A) 18 B) 25 C) 30 D) 28 35. Australian player Barry Jarman, who passed away recently, was the player of which sports? A) Tennis B) Football C) Cricket D) Baseball 36. Lalji Tandon , who passed away recently was the current Governor of which state? A) Rajasthan B) Uttar Pradesh C) Haryana D) Madhya Pradesh 37. Science Exploration Day is observed every year on which day? A) 19 July B) 20 July C) 21 July D) 22 July 38. Which state has launched the ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ to boost rural economy by purchasing cow dung at Rs 2/kg from the cattle rearers? A) Chhattisgarh B) Punjab C) Haryana D) Kerala 39. India’s first public EV (Electric Vehicle) charging plaza has been inaugurated in which city? A) Ahmedabad B) Kolkata C) Bengaluru D) New Delhi 40. India has been ranked among the 10 worst countries for working people’s right in the Global Rights Index 2020. The index is released by which body? A) World Federation of Trade Unions B) INTERPOL C) International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) D) International Labour Organization
ANSWER KEYS
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1 C 21 C
2 B 22 A
3 A 23 D
4 B 24 B
5 D 25 C
6 D 26 A
7 A 27 D
8 D 28 B
9 B 29 C
10 C 30 A
11 A 31 C
12 B 32 D
13 D 33 A
14 C 34 B
15 A 35 C
16 B 36 D
17 D 37 B
18 C 38 A
19 B 39 D
20 A 40 C
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WEEKLY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR WEEK 30/52(21 JULY-27 JULY) (2020)
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