25 Oct – 31 Oct 2020)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
www.gradeup.co Top Current Affairs of the Week (25 Oct – 31 Oct 2020) India ranked 131 in global mobile internet speeds rankings • India has been ranked 131 in Global Mobile Internet Speed rankings, released by Ookla, US based company in its Speedtest Global Index. • India was at 121 position in 2019. • Index 2020 depicts that global average download speed is calculated to be 35.26 Mbps but India’s average download speed is 12.07 Mbps. • South Korea has topped the list with an average mobile internet speed of 121.00 Mbps. • Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal have been ranked 102, 116, and 117 respectively India’s first Sand Dune Park to be developed in Goa • India’s first sand dune parks and interpretation centre is set to be established in Goa by Goa biodiversity board with financial assistance from World Bank. • World Bank has sanctioned Rs.3 crore for its implementation • Sand Dune park project will have interpretation centres to educate locals and tourists about the importance of sand dune ecosystem • It will also have bridges to reduce trampling on sand dune vegetation and nurseries for replantation on beach stretches ESI Scheme extended to Arunachal Pradesh for the first time • Central Govt. has extended Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Scheme for the first time to Arunachal Pradesh with effect from 1st November 2020. • All factories located in Papum Pare district, employing 10 or more persons will be eligible for coverage under ESI Act 1948, along with other benefits • ESI Corporation: It is a Social Security organization providing various benefits during employment. • ESI Scheme is implemented in all States and UTs, except Lakshdweep Uttarakhand CM launches Integrated Model Agricultural Village scheme • Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat has inaugurated Integrated Model Agricultural Village scheme (Ekikrit Adarsh Krishi Gram Yojana) to strengthen the economy of farmers by doubling their income. • It has been launched in partnership with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). • State govt has also enhanced the limit for interest free loan to farmers from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh • NABARD will help in mechanized scientific farming boosting productivity Indian Bank partners IIT-Madras to set up startups incubation cell • Indian Bank has partnered with IIT-Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) to launch ‘IND Spring Board’ initiative for funding start-ups. • Under this, IITMIC will refer start-ups with proven technology and established cash flows to the Indian bank. • It would also extend advisory to Indian bank on the business model. 1 www.gradeup.co • Bank will extend loans of up to Rs 50 crore to these selected start-ups for their working capital requirements. • Indian Bank Headquarters: Chennai. Mandi, Himachal Pradesh bags top position for PMGSY implementation • Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district has bagged top position in the list of PMGSY programme implementation • List of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) implementation was declared by Ministry of Rural Development for 30 districts of India • Chamba, Shimla, Kangra, Una, Sirmour, Hamirpur, Solan from HP have also secured position among top 30 best performing districts • PMGSY was launched by Centre to provide all weather road connectivity to unconnected habitations. Andorra Joins IMF as its 190th Member • Andorra has joined International Monetary Fund (IMF) to become its 190th member. • IMF membership will allow Principality of Andorra to benefit from IMF policy advice especially as the country tackles COVID-19 crises • It can now receive an annual review or health check of its economy by the IMF, tap technical assistance, and access IMF lending • Andorra is the largest microstate of Europe situated between France and Spain • Andorra currency: Euro • IMF MD: Kristalina Georgieva Lewis Hamilton won Portuguese Grand Prix 2020 • Mercedes Racer Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) has won 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix held at Algarve International Circuit in Portimão, Portugal • This was the 12th round of 2020 F1 World Championship. • It is the 8th victory of 2020 F1 season for Lewis Hamilton and 92nd victory in his racing career. • With this, he has surpassed Michael Schumacher (Germany) record of 91 victories in F1 championship. • Mercedes's Valtteri Bottas bagged 2nd spot followed by Max Verstappen. RBI bars payment system operators from launching new QR codes • RBI barred Payment System Operators (PSOs) from launching any new proprietary QR code for payment transactions as suggested by Deepak Phatak Committee on current system of QR codes • The ban is implemented on two interoperable QR codes in existence: UPI QR and Bharat QR • PSOs that use proprietary QR codes shall shift to one or more interoperable QR codes as process of migration shall be completed by March 2022 • No new proprietary QR codes shall be launched till March 2022 Veteran Gujarati Singer Mahesh Kanodia passes away in Gandhinagar • Veteran Gujarati film musician, singer and former Lok Sabha MP Mahesh Kanodia (83 years) passed away due to prolonged illness at his residence in Gandhinagar • He was a member of 10th, 11th, 12th and 14th Lok Sabha from Patan constituency of North Gujarat. 2 www.gradeup.co • He was known for singing in 32 different voices including female voices along with working for Gujarat cinema • He was awarded for Best Music for Gujarati films Jigar ane Ami, Tanariri, Jog Sanjog and Laju Lakhan. India-assisted Mangdechhu hydro-project, Bhutan wins UK Engineer Body Award • India-assisted Bhutan’s Mangdechhu hydroelectric project has been awarded prestigious Brunel Medal for 2020, conferred by UK-based Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) to recognise excellence in civil engineering. • Mangdechhu hydroelectric project has a capacity of 720 MW and is built on the Mangdechhu River in Trongsa Dzongkhag district of central Bhutan at a cost of Rs 4,500 crore • It was inaugurated by Bhutan’s PM Lotay Tshering and India’s PM Narendra Modi in August 2019 Sudan became 3rd Arab Nation to normalise relations with Israel • Sudan became 3rd Arab nation to normalize relations with Israel, days after the US removed it from its State Sponsor of Terrorism list • Sudan was in the terrorism list for over 27 years. • The new agreement between Sudan and Israel will establish economic and trade links, with an initial focus on agriculture • United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were the first Arab nations to establish formal ties with Israel • Sudan’s Capital: Khartoum China may not recognise British-issued Hong Kong passports • China will not consider recognizing Hong Kong British national overseas (BNO) passports as valid travel documents, after British govt's announces new visa rules for British National Overseas citizens in Hong kong. • Britain wa about to start BNO visa applications for residents in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) from January 31, 2021. • As per new visa rule, BNO Visa holders will have the right to work and study in UK 5 years and can apply for citizenship 59th Raising Day of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police held in Noida • Union Minister for Home Affairs addressed Raising Day function held in Greater Noida on the 59th Raising Day of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). • ITBP is a part of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) of India. • It is a specialized mountain force, which was raised in 1962 in the wake of the Sino-Indian War of 1962 for deployment along India's border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. • Motto of the Force: ‘Shaurya-Dridhata-Karma Nishtha’ PM Modi inaugurates 4th India Energy Forum • PM Narendra Modi has addressed the inaugural session at 4th India Energy Forum through video conference interacting with CEOs of leading Global Oil & Gas Companies • It has been organized by NITI Aayog and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. • The event is hosted by CERAWeek, IHS Markit for 3 days from 26th to 28th October 2020 • Theme for 4th India Energy Forum: 'India's Energy Future in a world of Change' • The forum will have India and 30 nations as participants. 3 www.gradeup.co Samsung Tops Forbes’ list of World’s Best Employer 2020 • Samsung has topped the list of ‘Forbes World’s Best Employer 2020’ that features global list of 750 multinational and large corporations of 45 countries. • Amazon bagged the 2nd spot, followed by IBM, Microsoft and LG in the Forbes list • HCL Technologies is top Indian employer with 30th rank globally • HDFC Bank is top banking sector employer of India with 176th rank in the list • Along with this, NTPC Ltd. has topped the list among Indian PSUs with 261 position globally. Vigilance Awareness Week 2020 begins today • Vigilance Awareness Week, 2020 is being observed from 27th October till 2nd November 2020 • Vigilance Awareness Week is observed every year during the week in Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birthday (31 October) falls • Theme for Vigilance Awareness Week, 2020: "Satark Bharat, Samriddh Bharat (Vigilant India, Prosperous India)". • CBI is hosting a 3-day national conference on vigilance and anti-corruption on this occassion. Bangladesh Government Adopts ‘No Mask, No Service’ policy • Bangladesh Govt has adopted ‘No Mask, No Service’ policy to combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic • Under this, no service will be provided to people who don’t wear mask, and even no one will be allowed to enter public and private offices without the mask • All offices must have notice boards saying ‘no mask, no service’ to control COVID-19 spread • Wearing mask is made mandatory at all public and private institutions, market places and other places of worship • PM: Sheikh Hasina Ministry of Tourism organised Dekho Apna Desh Webinar on Bundi, Rajasthan • Ministry of Tourism organises webinar on ‘Bundi: Architectural Heritage of a Forgotten Rajput Capital’ under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series • Bundi is a district in Hadoti region of south-eastern Rajasthan and known as City of stepwalls and blue city • It is also known as Chotti Kashi due to presence of over hundred temples within and around the hada capital.