DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS: 12.11.2020 TO 14.11.2020

NATIONAL India’s First Sandalwood Museum to come up in Mysuru, Karnataka  The Mysuru Forest Divison has set up India’s first Sandalwood Museum at its premises at the Sandalwood Depot in AranyaBhavan, Mysuru, Karnataka.  The museum has been conceptualised to spread awareness about the history and cultivation of sandalwood products as well as behold their awe-inspiring variety in the display.  The Sandalwood museum will be inaugurated after November 25 and the state government will make efforts to shift the museum to the luxurious Mysuru Palace. Haryana CM unveiled ‘Project Air Care’ to fight pollution in Gurugram  Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar unveiled ‘Project Air Care’ in Gurgaon to combat rising air pollution in the NCR and surrounding region.  Under this project, 65 Wind Augmentation Air Purifying Units (WAYU) will be installed at “8 to 10 locations” across Gurgaon. These locations have the highest Air Quality Indices (AQI) levels in the district.  Created by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and IIT-Bombay, the air purification units convert pollutants like PM2.5 and PM2.10 particles, volatile organic compounds, and carbon monoxide, into carbon dioxide using a filter.  These devices can reduce PM10 by 60-70 % and PM2.5 by 30-40 % at traffic junctions. Government made 12 key announcements under AatmaNirbhar Bharat 3.0  Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has announced 12 key measures under AatmaNirbhar Bharat 3.0 on November 12, 2020.  Total stimulus under AatmaNirbhar Bharat 3.0: Rs 2.65 Lakh crore  With the announcement of AatmaNirbhar Bharat 3.0, the total stimulus provided by GoI and RBI together comes out to be Rs. 29,87,641 crore. This is 15% of India’s GDP.  The point-wise description of schemes/stimulus announced by GoI is as under:  AatmaNirbhar Bharat RozgarYojana  Aim/Purpose: to incentivise creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID recovery phase.  Validity: The scheme will be effective from October 1, 2020 and operational till June 30, 2021.  Beneficiary of the scheme: Under two category (employees who will be benefited from the scheme)  Any new employee joining employment in EPFO registered establishments on monthly wages less than Rs. 15000.  EPF members drawing monthly wage of less than Rs. 15000 who made exit from employment during COVID Pandemic from 01.03.2020 to 30.09.2020 and is employed on or after 01.10.2020.  Eligible establishments (Companies which will be benefitted from the scheme)  Establishments registering with EPFO after the commencement of Scheme to get subsidy for all new employees if they fulfill the below criteria:  If they add new employees compared to reference base of employees as in September 2020 as under:  Minimum of two new employees if reference base is 50 employees or less.  Minimum of five new employees if reference base is more than 50 employees.  Governments support under the scheme (to employees/ employers)  Government will provide support to Employees/Employers in a way of contribution to EPF Scheme of EPFO as under:  For Establishments employing up to 1000 employees: Employee’s contributions (12% of Wages) & Employer’s contributions (12% of wages) totaling 24% of wages  For Establishments employing more than 1000 employees: Only Employee’s EPF contributions (12% of EPF wages)

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 2. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 2.0 (ECLGS 2.0)  3. Rs 1,45,980 crore boost for Atmanirbhar Manufacturing Production-linked incentives for 10 Champion Sectors  4. Rs 18,000 crores additional outlay for (PMAY) –Urban  5. Support for Construction & Infrastructure – Relaxation of Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) & Performance Security on Government Tenders (Relaxations will be given till 31.12.2021)  6. Income Tax relief for Developers & Home Buyers  7. Rs 1.10 lakh crore Platform for Infra Debt Financing – Rs 6000 crores Equity infusion in NIIF Debt Platform  8. Support for Agriculture: ₹65,000 Crore for subsidized fertilizers  9. Boost for Rural Employment – Enhanced outlays under PM GaribKalyanRozgarYojana (Additional outlay of Rs. 10,000 crores)  10. Boost for Project Exports – Rs 3000 crore to EXIM bank for Lines of Credit  11. Rs. 10,200 crore Capital and Industrial Stimulus  12. R&D grant for COVID Vaccine- Rs. 900 crore ccine to Department of Bio-technology. Indian Navy’s fifth Scorpene class submarine ‘INS Vagir’ launched  The Union Minister of State for AYUSH and Defense (Independent Charge) ShripadNaik launched the 5th Scorpene-class submarine ‘INS Vagir,’ in the Arabian sea waters at Mazgaon Dock, through video conferencing on 12 November 2020.  Vagir is a part of the six Kalvari-class submarines, designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS, and being built in India.  They are being built as part of Indian Navy’s Project-75.  In order to meet the requirements of the Indian Navy, the Defence public sector undertaking (PSU) Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDSL) was assigned the task to build six Scorpene-class submarines, completely under ‘Make in India.’ initiative.  INS Kalvari is the first of the six Scorpene-class submarines, which was launched in 2015 and commissioned into service in late 2017.  It was followed by INS Khanderi, Karanj and Vela respectively.  These submarines can undertake missions like anti- surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance.  farmers The Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has launched a mobile app called ‘SechaSamadhan’ to link the farmers directly with the state Water Resources department.  Using the app, the farmers can now upload video and pictures of their farm problems, especially irrigational needs, on mobile phone to seek help from the department without having to travel to the office.  The mobile app will help resolve the issues faced by farmers immediately and provide services in a transparent manner. Besides, the Water Resources Department will be accountable to farmers.  Apart from this, app will also help farmers to apply for community lift irrigation points under the Biju KrushakBikasYojana (BKBY) through phones, computers or nearby Jana SevaKendras.  The department has also developed Go Swift portal by which industries can apply for water.  Besides, a website www.waterallocationod.nic.in has been developed for distribution of water to commercial establishments and other institutions. Centre brings online news & other OTT Platforms like Netflix under purview of IB ministry  The Government of India has issued an order on 11 November 2020, to bring video streaming over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as online films, audio-visual programmes and online news and current affairs content under the ambit of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.  These platforms were so far under the purview of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

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 Exercising the powers conferred by clause (3) of Article 77 of the Constitution, the President of India called for amended to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961.  These rules may be called the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Three Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Amendment Rules, 2020. They shall come into force at once.  Online portals were unregulated in India till now and so the rules as framed by the Censor Board were not applicable to them. However, they will now be subject to the same censorship rules as that of television.  OTT platforms includes the various online news portals, as well as streaming services like Netflix, and which are accessed over the internet. INTERNATIONAL China successfully sent world’s first 6G communications test satellite into orbit  China successfully launched 13 satellites into orbit with a single rocket, including the world’s first 6G experiment satellite.  The satellites were launched into the orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the Shanxi Province from Long March-6 carrier rocket  With the launch of 6G communications test satellite, China has become the world’s first country to test 6G technology.  As per the reports, the technology is expected to be over 100 times faster than 5G.  The satellite can even be used for crop disaster monitoring and forest fire prevention. Second World Health Expo Organized in Wuhan, China  The second World Health Expo has been organized in Wuhan city of Central China’s Hubei Province.  The 2020 Expo will focus on displaying the most cutting-edge science and technology in the global health industry, and will help Wuhan to develop as “city of global health industry”.  The exhibition area in the Expo covers an area of 150,000 square meters. It has 12 special venues to showcase anti-epidemic materials, medical equipment, and Chinese medicine, relating to the entire industry chain of health.  During the Expo, more than a hundred high-end forums including a summit forum, academician forum and the roundtable dialogue on epidemic prevention and normalized control, and the Global University Leaders Forum, will be organized. BANKING AND ECONOMY Moody’s projected India GDP for 2020 at -8.9%; 2021 forecast at 8.6%  Rating Agency Moody has projected the GDP of India at -8.9% for the calendar year 2020. Earlier this was projected at -9.6%.  Apart from this, India’s GDP growth for Calendar year 2021 is projected at 8.6% by Moody’s from 8.1% earlier. Centre mandated e-invoicing system for firms with turnover of Rs 100 cr or more from January 2021  The government has made it mandatory for companies with annual turnover of Rs 100 crore and above to go for e-invoicing for business to companies (B2C) transactions.  This new rule will be applicable from 01 January 2021.  Currently, e-invoicing is mandatory for companies with annual turnover of at least Rs 500 crore.  Under the system, companies will have to raise e-invoices through a unique invoice reference portal and generate the IRN (invoice reference number).  Otherwise the companies concerned will not be able to move goods for business-to-business (B2B) transactions. HDFC Bank Launched SmartHub Merchant Solutions 3.0 for SMEs  The private sector lender HDFC Bank has launched SmartHub Merchant Solutions 3.0, India’s first comprehensive banking and payment solution for merchants.

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 The new solution will allow merchants and self-employed professionals to instantly open a current account and start accepting payments in-store, online, and on-the-go.  SmartHub 3.0 will be available in app based, web based and a range of PoS devices. Paytm Launched Payout Links for businesses  Indian Fintech major Paytm has launched Payout Links for businesses, enabling them to instantly process payouts to customers, employees and vendors without collecting their bank details.  Paytm Payout Links initiative has been launched under Paytm Payout, using which businesses can quickly send incentives and refunds to customers through a simple payout link. APPOINTMENT Centre Formed Inter-Ministerial Committee to strengthen capital goods sector; Head – Secretary of Department of Heavy Industries  The Central government has set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to strengthen the capital goods sector, to help them in contributing more actively towards the national goal of achieving a USD 1 trillion manufacturing sector.  The 21-member Inter-Ministerial Committee will be headed by Secretary of Department of Heavy Industries. (Shri ArunGoel)  The committee will work out ways and means to make the capital goods sector globally competitive and to become the manufacturing hub for the world.  Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Prakash Javadekar US President-elect Joe Biden announced 12 member task force to deal with COVID-19; Indian- origin former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to co-chair group  US President-elect Joe Biden has formed a 12-member coronavirus task force to formulate a blueprint for containing the coronavirus disease that has infected millions and damaged the US economy.  The task force will be headed by three co-chairs, which includes, former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler and Marcella Nunez- Smith, a professor of public health at Yale University. Myanmar’s Chief Aung San Suu Kyi wins landslide victory in Parliamentary election 2020 to form next Government  Myanmar’s ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has claimed landslide victory in the 2020 Parliamentary election to form the next government.  The NLD secured 346 seats, which is more than the 322 seats needed to form the next government.  The 1991-Nobel Peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, is the first and incumbent State Counsellor (a position equivalent to prime minister) of Myanmar, since the post was created on 6 April 2016. AWARDS AND HONOURS Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu presented 2nd National Water Awards  The Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu presented the National Water Awards (NWAs) for 2019 on 11 November 2020. This is the second edition of the award.  The award ceremony has been organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is from 11 & 12 November, 2020 through virtual platform.  The NWA awards are given to motivate the individuals/organizations to adopt the best usage practices in the field of water resources conservation and management and create awareness among the people about importance of water.  Among the states category, Tamil Nadu bagged the Best State Award, followed by and Rajasthan. Noted Writer Ruskin Bond conferred with Tata Literature Lifetime Achievement Award 2020  Ruskin Bond, one of India’s most cherished authors, has been conferred the 11th Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award for 2020, to recognise his very long literary life of almost seventy years.

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 Apart from this, renowned poet, lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has been named as the Poet Laureate of the Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2020.  Both these awards recognises exceptional work and outstanding contribution to writing and literature and poetry in India which has made a significant impact in the Indian literary field. SPORTS AND GAMES Mumbai Indians Defeated Delhi Capitals to Win Record 5th IPL title  Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals in the Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 final by 5 wickets to clinch their record fifth IPL title on 10 November 2020, held at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.  Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to bat, scoring 156/7 in 20 overs. Mumbai Indians reached the target by scoring 157/5 in 18.4 overs.  With this win Mumbai Indians have become the only team to win consecutive IPL trophies (2019 and 2020) since Chennai Super Kings in 2010 and 2011.  The 2020 season was the thirteenth season of the IPL since the professional Twenty20 cricket league was established by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2007.  Award Winners list  Orange Cap (Most Runs)– K. L. Rahul of Kings XI Punjab (670 runs)  Purple Cap (Most Wickets)– KagisoRabada of Delhi Capitals (30 wickets)  Most Valuable Player (Man of the Series)- Jofra Archer of Rajasthan Royals  Emerging Player of the Season – DevduttPadikkal of RCB  Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Season – K. L. Rahul of Kings XI Punjab  Altroz Super Striker of the Season – Kieron Pollard of Mumbai Indians  Unacademy Let’s Crack It Sixes of the Season (Most Sixes) – Ishan Kishan of Mumbai Indians  CRED Power Player of the Season – Trent Boult of Mumbai Indians  PAYTM Fairplay Award – Mumbai Indians China’s Chen Meng claimed her maiden ITTF Women’s World Cup title  The world number one Chen Meng beat Chinese compatriot Sun Yingsha 11-13 11-6 11-9 11-6 11- 8 to win her maiden ITTF Women’s World Cup table tennis title in held in Weihai, China, from 8 to 10 November 2020.  The 2020 ITTF Women’s World Cup was the 24th edition of the ITTF-sanctioned event. IMPORTANT DAY AND DATE  Public Service Broadcasting Day: 12 November  World Pneumonia Day: 12 November  World Kindness Day: 13 November  India Observed Ayurveda Day on 13 November 2020  World Diabetes Day : 14 November ONELINERS  “PaatalLok” Actor Asif Basra passes away at 53  Book titled ‘Boskiyana’ Speaks about lyricist Gulzar’s life & philosophies  Actor SonuSood’s Autobiography Titled ‘I Am No Messiah’ To be out in December 2020  Former Sikkim CM SanchamanLimboo passes away at 73  World Pneumonia Day 2020 is an annual event that was first celebrated in the year 2009.  actor Asif Basra, who was known for his role in the recent thriller series PaatalLok, has passed away. He was 53.  Saffron Production in India being extended to the North East Region  Indian Astronomers collaborate with 2020 Nobel Physics Nobel Laureate for Thirty Meter Telescope Project  PM Modi Leads Indian delegation at 20th Summit of SCO Council of Heads of State  Nirmala Sitharaman Attends First BRICS Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors Meeting

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