Daily Current Affairs 11 September 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
NATIONAL NEWS
First Kisan Rail from South India sets off from Anantapur with fruits and vegetables to Delhi
The first-ever ‘Kisan Rail’ of South India chugged off from Anantapur Railway Station carrying 322 tonnes of fruits and vegetables to Adarsh Nagar in Delhi after it was virtually flagged off by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State for Railways Suresh Chanabasappa Angadi.
- This is a step towards doubling the income of farmers by 2022 and fulfillment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise made in the Union Budget.
- Mr. Tomar, announced that ‘Kisan Udaan’ sending horticulture and agriculture produce by flights would soon begin from the North Eastern States.
Haryana launches chatbot ”Apka Mitra” for admission-related queries and online admission platform for UG courses
The Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar has launched an online registration portal for admissions in undergraduate (UG) programmes in government, aided and self-financed colleges for the new academic session 2020-21.
- This portal has been launched in wake of COVID-19 Pandemic, so that students can complete their entire admission process from home.
- He also launched WhatsApp chatbot ”Apka Mitra” to resolve any admission-related queries of the students.
- Students can send a message on WhatsApp chatbot number 7419444449 to get any information regarding admissions, scholarships etc.
Hubballi Rly. Station to be renamed after Siddharoodha
A long-pending demand to rename Hubbballi Railway Station in Karnataka after Sri Siddharoodha Swami has been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs and now, the State government has to issue a gazette notification to complete the process.
- Siddharoodha Swami set up the Siddharoodha Mutt in Hubballi. The 19th-century saint is known to have a considerable following, and his disciples even took out a padayatra two years ago demanding that the Hubballi airport be named after him.
UiPath partners with AP skill development corporation
UiPath, an enterprise Robotic Process Automation (RPA) software company, has partnered with Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC), as part of its Academic Alliance Programme.
- The programme is designed to bridge the growing skill requirements and build RPA resiliency in more than 50,000 students, in the next one year.
Govt forms three-member expert panel to assist in assessment of relief to bank borrowers
Government has constituted a three member expert committee to assist in the assessment of relief to bank borrowers.
- The committee chaired by former CAG Rajiv Mehrishi will measure the impact on the national economy and financial stability of waiving of interest and COVID-19 related moratorium.
- It will also give suggestions to mitigate financial constraints of various sections of society in this respect and measures to be adopted in this regard. The panel will submit its report within one week.
Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman appointed as Chairman of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee
The Central Authority has appointed Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman as the Chairman of the Supreme Court legal services committee.
- Justice Nariman takes over the post following the retirement of Justice Arun Mishra, who held the post since November last year.
- The committee has been constituted for implementing the legal services programme in connection with the top court.
DRDO develops P-7 Heavy Drop System capable of para dropping military stores
Defence Research and Development Organization, DRDO has developed P-7 Heavy Drop System which is capable of para dropping military stores up to seven-tonne weight class from IL- 76 aircraft.
- It consists of a platform and specialized parachute system. The parachute system is a multi-stage system comprises of five Main canopies, five Brake chutes, two Auxiliary chutes, one Extractor parachute and platform is a metallic structure made up of Aluminium or steel alloys.
- The system has been developed successfully with 100 per cent indigenous resources. P-7 Heavy Drop System has been inducted in the Army.
Overall Jobs Growth Rate Slips to 3.5% in FY20: Report
According to the CARE Ratings report, the employment growth rate declined to 3.5 per cent in FY20 from 3.8 per cent in the previous fiscal year, but the total number of jobs increased to 50.02 lakh from 48.32 lakh.
- In FY20, 1.70 lakh new jobs were added, while the net addition was 1.76 lakh in FY19. But in FY20, as many as 321 companies reduced their headcounts by 1.13 lakh compared to 272 companies doing so by 1.18 lakh in the previous year.
- In terms of sectors, four industries accounted for around 61 per cent of jobs, led by IT (23 per cent), banking (22 per cent), auto (9 per cent) and finance (7 per cent). Textiles, which at one time was a leading employer, was fifth in the hierarchy with share of 2.4 per cent.
- In terms of growth in employment or headcount, 11 of the 33 industries witnessed growth of above the sample average of 3.5 per cent. This included electricals, finance, banking, IT, FMCG, consumer durables, trading, chemicals, iron & steel, retail and insurance.
India, U.S. and Israel collaborating in 5G tech
India, Israel and the United States have begun collaboration in developmental area, and in next generation of emerging technologies, including a transparent, open, reliable and secure 5G communication network.
- It was announced at the virtual US-India-Israel summit that focused on trilateral partnerships in the strategic, technology and development arenas.
- The branching out of this trilateral initiative in development and technological arena is a result of the people-to-people collaboration, in particular those by Indian diaspora in the US and Israel, that was initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his historic visit to Israel three years ago in July 2017.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
WHO calls for eliminating industrially produced Trans Fats by 2023
India having one of the most coronary heart disease deaths due to trans fats is yet to take urgent action for eliminating the “harmful substances”, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
- Two years into its efforts to eliminate industrially produced trans fats from the global food supply, the apex global public health agency in a report titled ‘Countdown to 2023: WHO report on global trans-fat elimination 2020’ released said that 58 countries so far have introduced laws that will protect 3.2 billion people from the harmful substance by the end of 2021. But more than 100 countries still need to take actions to remove these harmful substances from their food supplies.
- Consumption of industrially produced trans fats are estimated to cause around 500,000 deaths per year due to coronary heart disease.
- To achieve a world free of industrially produced trans fats by 2023, WHO recommends that countries should develop and implement best-practice policies to set mandatory limits for industrially produced trans fats to 2% of oils and fats in all foods or to ban partially hydrogenated oils (PHO).
BANKING & FINANCE
NABARD to Disburse Rs 1.20 Lakh Crore Crop Loan to Farmers This Fiscal
In a bid to support agri sector amid COVID-19 crisis, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development said it aims to disburse Rs 1.20 lakh crore crop loan to farmers for meeting production expenses this fiscal.
- Apex agriculture financial institution Nabard annually disbursed Rs 90,000 crore crop loan at a concessional rate.
- With the help of Rs 1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package will foster infrastructure for the sector.Under the scheme, Rs 10,000 crore has been earmarked for the current fiscal and Rs 30,000 crore each year for the next three years.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Microsoft, Nasscom’s FutureSkills to launch AI-skilling initiative in India
Microsoft in collaboration with Nasscom’s FutureSkills will launch a nation-wide initiative in India to skill students in Artificial Intelligence.
- The initiative aims to skill 1 million students by 2021.
- As part of the collaboration, Microsoft and Nasscom experts will skill the students in AI, machine learning and data science through modules such as live demos, hands-on workshops and assignments as part of the AI classroom series.
NSDC, LinkedIn partner to impart free digital skills training
National Skill Development Corporation and professional network LinkedIn have joined hands to provide access to free LinkedIn Learning resources for imparting digital skills to youth for enhancing employability.
- Under the partnership, 10 free LinkedIn Learning paths, consisting of 140 courses for a range of in-demand tech jobs, will be made available for free on eSkill India digital platform until March 31, 2021.
- LinkedIn will also provide periodic labour market insights based on its economic graph of more than 69 million members in India.
Razorpay launches collateral free line of credit for SMEs
In a bid to rescue MSMEs and improve their cash flows, Razorpay has launched a collateral free line of credit called Cash Advance.
- MSMEs can borrow working capital with a credit limit of Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh, within 10 seconds through the Razorpay dashboard, depending upon the credit history of the business.
- With this, Razorpay aims to support businesses with upto Rs 100 crores of credit by end of 2020.
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance joins hands with NSDL Payments Bank to offer insurance
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance joined hands with NSDL Payments Bank to provide its products to customers of payments bank.
- Under the agreement, customers of NSDL Payments Bank will have access to ICICI Prudential Life’s products. This partnership helps IPru Life to increase presence on new-age distribution touch-points.
- This is also an effort by IPru Life to cover the uninsured population of the country by offering its life insurance POS products on NSDL Payment Bank’s point of sale (POS) network, across the country.
Mastercard launches Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)
Payments giant Mastercard announced the launch of a proprietary virtual testing environment for central banks to evaluate Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) use cases.
- CBDCs are designed to be of equivalent value with the nation’s paper currency and subject to the same government-backed guarantees.
- The new platform enables the simulation of issuance, distribution, and exchange of CBDCs between banks, financial service providers, and consumers.
SPORTS
Police Officer Poonam Khatri crowned Wushu World Champion
Indian Wushu stalwart Poonam Khatri has claimed World Championship status after her silver medal at the Wushu World Championship last year has been upgraded to a Gold medal.
- Poonam had lost the final to Iranian opponent Mariyam in the Women’s 75 kg category but after Mariyam recently failed the dope test, the gold medal has been awarded to Poonam Khatri.
APPOINTMENTS
Former health secy Preeti Sudan appointed WHO panellist
The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) independent panel for pandemic preparedness and response appointed former health secretary Preeti Sudan as one of its 11 panellists from across the world.
- The global panel will evaluate international response to the Covid-19 pandemic and submit a report by May 2021 to the World Health Assembly.
- Some of the other members of this panel are David Miliband, CEO of International Rescue Committee and former foreign secretary of the United Kingdom; Ernesto Zedillo, economist and former president of Mexico; and Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand.
Paresh Rawal appointed chairperson of National School of Drama
Veteran Bollywood actor and BJP MP Paresh Rawal was appointed as the Chairman of the National School of Drama. The post of Chairman had been vacant since 2017 and actor Arjun Deo has been serving as the Acting Chairman.
OBITUARIES
Ram Shahaney, former Chairman of Ashok Leyland, passes away
Ram J Shahaney , who has played a major role in the growth of Ashok Leyland Ltd during his more than three-decade stint at the company, passed away in Chennai. He was 89.
- Under his stewardship, Ashok Leyland grew manifold in scale and scope into a multi-location truck and bus behemoth in India.
- Shahaney was credited to have sowed the seeds for technology at Ashok Leyland as the commercial vehicle company successfully introduced products and services that have become industry norms.
IMPORTANT DAYS
Himalayan Day
Every year September 9 is observed as ‘Himalaya Diwas’ or Himalayan Day, a day which would be celebrated across the State to spread the message of conservation of the Himalayan ecosystems.
- The theme of the Himalayan Day this year is “The Himalaya and Nature”.
- A national-level webinar will be organised to mark the day which will be attended by vice president M Venkaiah Naidu and Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
International Day to Protect Education from Attack
First-ever International Day to Protect Education from Attack, is observed on September 9 to raise awareness of the plight of millions of children living in countries affected by conflict.
- The International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2020 theme is ” Protect Education, Save a Generation”
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