Daily Current Affairs 29th January, 2021

Daily Current Affairs 29 January 2021 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Maharashtra CM launches Agriculture Pump Power Connection Policy
In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray formally launched the Agriculture Pump Power Connection Policy. 

• The Chief Minister also inaugurated Krishi Urja Abhiyan Policy Web Portal, Solar Energy Land Bank Portal, Maha Krishi Abhiyan App and ACF App prepared by the power discom Mahavitaran.
• Chief Minister said that after the waiver of farmers’ loans, the government has decided to provide immediate electricity connection to farmers through the Krishi Pump Electricity Connection Policy and relief in interest on electricity bill arrears and relief in delayed charges.

EC rolls out digital voter ID cards
The Election Commission rolled out the electronic version of the voters’ photo identity card e-EPIC (Elector Photo Identity Cards) which can be stored on mobile phones and downloaded on personal computers.

• The e-voter card, available in the PDF format which cannot be edited, can be self-printed and laminated by the voter when required.
• The conventional ‘PV’ physical voter card would continue to be in use.

Maharashtra launches ‘jail tourism’ initiative from Pune’s Yerawada jail
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray launched a ‘jail tourism’ initiative of the state government from Pune’s Yerawada prison, in a move to help students learn about historical experiences.

• The ‘jail tourism’ was started to make students aware of the history. This initiative will be started in the coming days at several other prisons in Thane, Nashik, Dhule and Ratnagiri.
• Students and researchers will also get an opportunity to get information about historical events that took place in various jails through this unique initiative.

Cargill collaborates with UNWFP to launch nutrition program in Rajasthan
To address nutritional challenges leading to stunting, underweight and anemia amongst children and women US food major Cargill, in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Delhi based Centre for Responsible Business (CRB), have launched a program to improve nutrition status in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

• The Department of Women and Child Development, the Government of Rajasthan, has also given support for this program which aims to address nutrition intake in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life starting at conception through two years after birth, shaping a child’s early development.
• It will improve the nutritional quality of take-home ration served to children, pregnant and lactating mothers through collaboration with anganwadi centers.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

17th Ministerial Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue hosted by Turkey virtually 
The 17th Ministerial Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) was held virtually.

• The meeting was hosted by the Republic of Turkey, the current chair of the ACD, under the theme “The New Normal and Safe and Healthy Tourism”.  
• The meeting was hosted virtually by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.Ms. Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs represented India at the meeting.
• The Ankara Declaration was adopted at the end of the 17th Ministerial Meeting. The Meeting also delegated the Senior Officials to finalize the Guiding Principles for the Functioning of the ACD Secretariat; initiate discussions on the ACD’s General Rules of Procedure and prepare the ACD Blueprint 2021-2030.

BANKING & FINANCE

HSBC inaugurates international banking unit at GIFT City in Gujarat 
Global financial services major HSBC inaugurated its International Banking Unit (IBU) branch at GIFT City near Gandhinagar city in Gujarat.

• HSBC’s IBU branch at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) will be operational for customer transactions with effect from January 27.
• HSBC is one of the earliest global financial institutions setting up a branch at India’s GIFT City and was the first bank to get a licence from the newly set up International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Reliance Jio Named 5th Strongest Brand Globally in Brand Finance Rankings 2021
Telecom major Reliance Jio is the fifth strongest brand in the world with the Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 91.7 out of 100, shows the ‘Brand Finance Global 500 2021’ report.

• The Brand Finance’s Global 500 ranking of the strongest brands globally, which determined the relative strength of brands, is topped by the Chinese mobile app WeChat. The Italian auto giant Ferrari secured second spot followed by SBER, PJSC Sberbank, a state-owned Russian banking and financial services, Coca-Cola, the Atlanta based American multinational beverage corporation.
• According to the 2021 ranking, Apple is the most valuable brand followed by Amazon and Google.

SPORTS

ICC announces Player of the Month awards to recognise best performances of both male & female cricketers
In Dubai, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the introduction of the ICC Player of the Month awards. The award will recognise and celebrate the best performances of both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year.

• An independent ICC Voting Academy comprising former players, broadcasters, and journalists from around the world, will team up with fans to vote for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month and ICC Women’s Player of the Month.
• ICC said fans have been treated to some sensational cricketing performances during the month of January, making the inaugural player of the month awards a highly competitive affair.

India to host AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2022
The 2022 Women’s Asian Cup, to be hosted by India, will be held from January 20 to February 6, the Asian Football Confederation announced.

• The 2022 edition of the quadrennial event will also serve as the qualifiers for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
• The tournament will feature 12 teams, expanded from eight in the previous edition.

APPOINTMENTS

Kaja Kallas becomes Estonia’s first female prime minister
Kaja Kallas, the leader of the Reform Party, has become Estonia’s first female prime minister; Estonia would thus currently become the only country in the world where both the president and the prime minister are women.

• Kaja Kallas was nominated to form the government by the Estonian president, Kersti Kaljulaid, after the previous governing coalition, led by the Centre Party, collapsed.

Swaminathan Janakiraman & Aswini Kumar Tewari appointed SBI MDs
The appointments committee (ACC) of the Cabinet cleared the names of two officials—Swaminathan Janakiraman and Ashwini Kumar Tewari as new managing directors of State Bank of India (SBI). The appointments are for a period of three years.

• Swaminthan Janakiraman is currently deputy managing director (Finance) at country’s largest lender. Ashwini Kumar Tewari is presently serving as managing director and chief executive of SBI Card, a subsidiary of SBI.

AWARDS

Meghalaya wins National Award for Best Electoral Practices 2020
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Meghalaya was selected for a Special Award for Information Technology applications in Elections by the Election Commission of India (ECI), in the National Best Electoral Practices Awards-2020.

• President Ram Nath Kovind virtually conferred the award to Meghalaya CEO F.R. Kharkongor at the National Voters’ Day Award function held in New Delhi.
• The award recognises the sustained and consistent IT application efforts in electoral activities being made by the Office of the CEO in the entire Enrolment to Elections (E2E) process and for leveraging technology for the benefit of all categories of voters, both general and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

UP’s Republic Day Tableau With Ayodhya Temple Replica, ‘Deepotsav’ Highlights Wins 1st Prize
Uttar Pradesh’s Republic Day tableau, which showcased a replica of the Ram Temple along with Ayodhya’s ‘Deepotsav’, was adjudged the best among 32 tableaux that participated in the parade.

• The theme of Uttar Pradesh’s tableau was ‘Ayodhya: Cultural Heritage of Uttar Pradesh’. The cultural heritage of ancient holy town Ayodhya, replica of a Ram temple, glimpse of ‘Deepotsav’ and various stories from Ramayana epic were depicted in the tableau.
• The tableau of Tripura was adjudged the second best. Uttarakhand’s tableau bagged the third prize. The tableau of Central Public Works Department (CPWD), with the theme ‘Amar Jawan’, bagged a special prize for paying tribute to the fallen heroes of the armed forces.

Tamil translation of French novel wins Romain Rolland Book Prize at Kolkata
The Tamil translation of French novel ‘Le mariage de plaisir’ won the Romain Rolland Book Prize at the three-day Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival in Kolkata.

• The winners of the prize are translator Dr S A Vengada Soupraya Nayagar and publisher Amutharasan Paulraj of Thadagam Publishers for the Tamil translation of the book, authored by Tahar Ben Jelloun.
• The publisher and translator will be invited by the French Institute in India to the Paris Book Fair 2021 (Livre Paris 2021) where India will be the guest of honour.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Republic Day 2021
India celebrated its 72nd Republic Day across the country, albeit in a muted manner due to the pandemic.

• This time, there would not be a chief guest at the Republic Day parade. Additionally, the route of the marching contingent would end at the India Gate C-Hexagon instead of Red Fort.
• A total of 32 tableaus from 17 states and union territories, six from the Defence ministry and nine from other Union ministries and paramilitary forces — depicted India’s rich cultural heritage, economic progress and defence prowess on Rajpath.
• In a display of India’s military might, Rafale fighter jets took part in the Republic Day flypast for the first time as the armed forces showcased its T-90 tanks, the Samvijay electronic warfare system and Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets on the Rajpath.

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