Today Current Affairs for Competitive Exams - Current Affairs 2020-2021 Online

Nagaland govt bans use of flex banners • The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike will conduct Begging and Hawking children • Nagaland govt has totally banned the use of flex identification survey in the eight zones of the banners, boards and posters by departments, municipal corporation area. institutions and agencies during functions or • It will collate information on children selling programmes in government offices with vanity items near traffic signals and those who are immediate effect. school dropouts in slums. • Flex banners/ boards/ posters are made up of • The officials have been asked to rehabilitate them Poly-Vinyl-Chlorides (PVC), a plastic polymer, or make arrangements for the education of such which is a non-biodegradable material. children. • If burned, it releases harmful toxins and gets bio- accumulated. Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network Trinamool Congress MLA Silbhadra Datta resigns • J&K Lieutenant Governor has launched the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence • In , Silbhadra Datta, Trinamool Network, eVIN. Congress MLA from Barrackpore constituency has • It has been launched in order to rationalize resigned from all party posts. vaccine flow and distribution. • The move comes a day after Suvendu Adhikari, • Metadata Collection of Cold Chain Points, CCPs one of the closest aides of Chief Minister Mamata and uploading of data in eVIN cloud server has Banerjee, formally quit the party. been completed. • TMC MLA Jitendra Tiwari also resigned from his • A total of 20 Vaccine Logistics & Cold Chain post as chief of the administrative board of Managers, VCCMs have been appointed in each Asansol Municipal Corporation on 17 Dec'20. district. Home Affairs Ministry bans NSCN (K) Agriculture Processing Centre at Kurbathang • Union Ministry of Home Affairs, MHA has • In Ladakh, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development declared National Socialist Council of Nagaland Council, LAHDC Kargil CEC Kargil Feroz Ahmad (Khaplang), NSCN(K) along with all its factions, Khan laid the foundation stone of Agriculture wings and front organisations as an unlawful Processing and Marketing Centre, Kurbathang on association under sections of Unlawful Activities 18 Dec'20. (Prevention) Act, 1967. • He later inaugurated training and awareness • NSCN (K) has been involved in 104 violence camp for farmers and self-help groups. incidents resulting in killings of 7 security forces • personnel and 6 civilians. The centre will come up at a cost of Rs. 2.5 crores. BBMP to conduct a survey Webinar and expo between India and Maldives

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• A webinar and expo between India and Maldives • United States has banned China's top chipmaker were held on 17 Dec 2020. SMIC from using American technology. • The theme of the webinar was ‘Joint Indo • The company illustrates the risks of China using Maldives High Level Defence Engagement’. US technology to modernize its military. • It was organised under the aegis of Department of • Dozens of Chinese companies, including SMIC and Defence Production, Ministry of Defence through drone maker DJI, have been added to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Commerce Department's Entity List, which Industry. effectively cuts them off from US suppliers and • This webinar is the part of Aero India 21 series of technology. webinars. Relaxation from condition of fumigation 4th Bilateral JWG meeting held • In the light of public concern over high prices of • Fourth Bilateral Joint Working Group, JWG onion, the Dept of Agriculture and Farmers meeting between the Narcotics Control Bureau Welfare has decided to extend the relaxation NCB India and the National Narcotics Board BNN, from the condition of fumigation and additional Indonesia was held on 17 Dec 2020. declaration on Phytosanitary Certificate for • The Indian delegation was led by Director imports up to 31st January 2021. General, Narcotics Control Bureau, Rakesh • Consignments of imported onions which arrive in Asthana. Indian ports without fumigation would be • The 5th India -Indonesia Bilateral Joint Working fumigated in India by the importer. Group Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation will 2-day Annual Summit of OPPI be held in India in 2021. • Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister D.V. addressed CII's Session Sadananda Gowda inaugurated the 2-day Annual • Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal Summit of the Organisation of Pharmaceutical addressed CII's Session on Post-Brexit UK and Producers of India, OPPI in New Delhi on 17 Dec India, along with Secretary of State for 2020. International Trade for the UK, Ms Liz Truss, on 17 • He conferred the lifetime achievement and Dec 2020. special recognition awards during the summit. • Both sides have agreed to work together in many • He informed that the contribution of the Indian sectors like education, health, environment, pharmaceutical sector has been reinforced during easier movement of people, large investment the pandemic. flows. DRDO Awards Ceremony held PMs of India and Vietnam to hold a summit • Defence Minister felicitated • PM will hold Virtual Summit with eminent scientists for their contribution and the Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc services to the nation at the DRDO Awards on 21 Dec'20. Ceremony on 18 Dec 2020. • During the Summit, the two leaders will exchange • He also handed over a model of Astra MK-1 BVR views on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and air to air missile to Indian Air Force Chief, Indian global issues and provide guidance for the future Maritime Situational Awareness System to the development of India-Vietnam comprehensive Navy chief and the Border Surveillance System to strategic partnership. Army Chief. • This will be the 1st such virtual summit of PM Indian Railways develops National Rail Plan Modi with an ASEAN country. SMIC banned from using American technology 2 | P a g e

• Indian Railways has come up with a Draft National in the campus of National Institute of Solar Rail Plan. Energy, Gurugram Haryana. • A long term strategic plan called the National Rail • The Centre of Excellence will focus on creating a Plan has been developed to plan infrastructural pool of highly skilled trainers and assessors for capacity enhancement along with strategies to further training to increase the employability of increase the modal share of the Railways. candidates in the field of electricity, automation • It will be a common platform for all future and solar energy sectors. infrastructural, business and financial planning of R Cluster production starts the Railways. • Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has announced the President of India Gold Medal distributed start of production from the R Cluster, an ultra- • Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances deep-water gas field in block KG D6 off the east and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh addressed the coast of India. valedictory function of 95th Foundation Course at • R Cluster is located about 60 km from the existing Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of KG D6 Control & Riser Platform (CRP) off the Administration on 18 Dec'20. Kakinada coast. • He distributed the President of India Gold Medal • It is the first of the three deep-water gas projects and Certificate for the Best Officer Trainee. in block KG D6 being developed by RIL and BP to • He also laid the foundation stone of Govt Primary come onstream. School at Charleville, Mussoorie. unveils eco-friendly Vedic Paint India, ADB sign 4.21 million dollar project • The Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium • The Govt of India and the Asian Development Enterprises Nitin Gadkari introduced the soon-to- Bank (ADB) have signed a 4.21 million dollar be-launched `Vedic Paint` made of cow dung. project readiness financing (PRF) facility. • To boost the rural economy and generate an • It has been signed for the preparation of additional income for farmers, Vedic Paint will be infrastructure development projects to improve launched through the Khadi and Village Industries urban amenities and develop tourism Commission. infrastructure in Tripura. • It will come in distemper and emulsion forms and • This is ADB’s first PRF facility for a state in the will dry in just four hours. northeastern region of India. RBI extends restrictions on PMC Bank PM addresses at ASSOCHAM Foundation Week • Reserve Bank of India extended restrictions on • PM Modi delivered the keynote address at crisis-ridden Punjab and Maharashtra Co- ASSOCHAM Foundation Week 2020 on 19 operative (PMC) Bank by three months till 31 Dec'20 through video conferencing. March 2021. • He also presented the ASSOCHAM Enterprise of • In September 2019, the Reserve Bank of India had the Century Award to Mr Ratan Tata, who superseded the board of the multi-state urban received the award on behalf of the TATA Group. cooperative bank. • ASSOCHAM was established in 1920. • The central bank appointed A K Dixit as the new • ASSOCHAM has emerged as the fountainhead of administrator of the bank in September 2020. knowledge for Indian industry. Inauguration of paddy straw briquetting plant Centre of Excellence for Skill Development • Punjab CM Amarinder Singh virtually inaugurated • Skill India has established the first Centre of a paddy straw briquetting plant in Patiala. Excellence for Skill Development in Power Sector 3 | P a g e

• The plant has a briquetting capacity of 100 tonnes Satellite will be launched on PSLV C51 in February per day. 2021. • The plant has been set up at village Kulburchan in • Along with Anand, two more satellites under the Patiala district, at a capital cost of Rs 5.50 crore, space reform are going to be launched - one by by Punjab State Council for Science and Space Kidz India and another by a university Technology in collaboration with private partner consortium called UnitySat. Punjab Renewable Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd. PETA India's hottest vegetarian celebrities Chinese spacecraft brings 1st lunar samples • Sonu Sood and Shradha Kapoor bagged the top • China's Chang'e-5 probe successfully touched spot to be named the People for the Ethical down on Earth on17 December 2020, bringing Treatment of Animals (PETA) India’s hottest star. home the first samples of the moon in over 40 • While Sood has been named as the hottest years. vegetarian celebrity in the male category, actor • Zhang Kejian, head of the CNSA, declared the Shraddha Kapoor has been given the same title in Chang'e-5 mission a success. the female category. • The Chang'e-5 lunar probe was launched from the • Past winners of the award include Prime Minister Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on November Narendra Modi, Amitabh Bachchan etc. 24. 'World's ugliest orchid' among new species Varanasi to get CNG-driven boats • Gastrodia agnicellus, one of 156 plants and fungal • In order to reduce air and noise pollution, all species named by Kew scientists and their existing diesel engine boats in the Ganga river in partners around the world in 2020, has been Varanasi will be replaced by CNG engines. crowned “the ugliest orchid in the world”. • The Gas Authority of India is bringing a project of • The 11 mm flowers of this orchid are small, brown around Rs 37 crore, under which the existing and rather ugly. diesel engines of the boats operating in the • The orchid depends on fungi for nutrition and has Ganga, will be replaced by new CNG engines. no leaves or any other photosynthetic tissue. • GAIL will also establish its CNG station near Siddharth Dhamija as CEO of Zaakpay Khidkiyaghat. • MobiKwik has appointed Siddharth Dhamija as Karnataka CM unveils 'Bengaluru Mission 2022' CEO of Zaakpay, a payment gateway by • Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa MobiKwik. unveiled 'Bengaluru Mission 2022' to revamp the • Before this, Siddharth led the enterprise business city in the next two years. at PayPal India and was part of the founding team • The mission has been formulated identifying four that launched PayPal’s domestic payments core areas for development enabling faster business. commute, Swachcha, Hasiru Bengaluru and • Bipin Preet Singh is a co-Founder and CEO, connecting with citizens. MobiKwik. • A blueprint has been prepared to keep in mind 11000 Cr worth Highway Project in Karnataka how Bengaluru should be in the 22nd year of the 21st century. • Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for highway projects worth Pixxel’s first satellite to be launched in Feb ₹11,000 crores in Karnataka. • The first satellite by a start-up called Pixxel India • The 33 projects pertain to building 1,200 called Anand which is an Earth Observation kilometres of highways stretch in the state.

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• These roads will enhance better connectivity, India falls 17 spots in Human Freedom Index convenience, and economic growth in the state. • The Human Freedom Index 2020, a worldwide Indian Railways renews MoU with ISB ranking of civil, economic and personal freedom, placed India at the 111th spot out of 162 • Indian Railways renewed its MoU with the Indian countries. School of Business (ISB) to collaborate in capacity • India ranked 94 on the index in the year 2019. building and research. • India is ahead of China and Bangladesh, which • It has also exchanged agreements for establishing ranked 129 and 139 on the 2020 index Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence & respectively. Data Analytics and an Integrated coal-freight • New Zealand, Switzerland and Hong Kong bagged optimization model. the first three spots. • ISB provides a better way to step forward in enhancing the working system of the ICICI Pru launches Guaranteed Pension Plan organization. • ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has launched a new Dhyan Chand Stadium to get 6 squash courts plan that guarantees life-long income after you retire. • Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar laid • ICICI Prudential Guaranteed Pension Plan is a non- the foundation stone of six squash courts at linked non-participating individual annuity Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, product that provides customers with the • This event takes place in the presence of Union flexibility to choose between Immediate and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju. Deferred Annuity. • The project has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs • Policy holder will get the immediate regular 5.52 crores across an area of 750 square metres return after paying the one-time Premium. and has an estimated completion time of six months. Amar Singh college wins UNESCO award Military Equipment worth Rs 28000 Cr approved. • The Amar Singh College of Srinagar was recognized with the 'Award of Merit' in the 2020 • The defence ministry has approved the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage procurement of military weapons and equipment Conservation. worth Rs 28,000 crore. • This college has been built nearly 80 years ago. • The DAC(Defense Acquisition control) approved • The award was announced by a jury, comprising acquisition proposals for various weapons, nine international conservation experts, and it platforms, and equipment required by the Indian was convened from November 20 to 22 to Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force at deliberate on the project entries. an approximate cost of Rs 28,000 crore. Kerala's Gender park to partner with UN women Lewandowski wins best men's player 2020 • Kerala's Gender park is all set to partner with UN • Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski won the Women to further the cause of women best men's player at the Best Fifa Football Awards empowerment and function as a South Asia hub in Zurich. for gender equality. • The Poland striker beat previous winners Cristiano • The Memorandum of Understanding to formalize Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the award after a the partnership would be signed in the presence glorious season with Bayern Munich in 2019-20. of the state’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. • Lewandowski scored 15 goals in last season's • This cooperation with UN Women would give a Champions League to help Bayern Munich win the push to the Gender Park’s efforts for Gender trophy. Equality. 5 | P a g e

US adds India into Currency Manipulation exchange markets to gain an unfair trade advantage. • The US Treasury Department (USDT) has put India • India was included in this list in 2018 but removed back on its currency manipulation watchlist in 2019, now India is again back in 2020. • USDT's semi-annual report on the macroeconomic

and foreign exchange policies list countries that may be intervening excessively in their foreign

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