Daily Current Affairs 11th February, 2021

Daily Current Affairs 11 February 2021 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Expert committee to review proposal to ban 27 pesticides
The government has appointed an expert panel to review industry’s objections to the proposed ban on 27 widely used pesticides which officials say are harmful to animals and humans.

• The committee, led by chairman TP Rajendran, former assistant director general of ICAR, is likely to submit its report in three months. His report will decide the fate of those 27 pesticides which the government wants to ban.
• These are part of the 66 contentious pesticides which are being reviewed for their toxicity. In 2018, the government had already banned 18 of them.

First women team inducted into CRPF’s CoBRA commando unit
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), for the first time inducted 34 women commandos into its specialised Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) unit.

• The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) was raised under the CRPF in 2009 for undertaking intelligence-based jungle warfare operations. It has been an all-male affair for this unit till now.
• Taking another step towards women empowerment, the 88th Mahila battalion of CRPF holds the distinction of being the first all-Mahila battalion in the world.

Manipur CM launches new range of packaged organic products
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh launched a new range of packaged organic products and LoumiConnect App under MOVCDNER apart from distributing Bolero Camper vehicles and nurseries to seven Farmers Producer Companies (FPCs) in Imphal.

• Packaged organic items launched were spice box, chakhao ladoo box, dry kiwi, black rice flour, black rice flakes, sachets of organic turmeric, ginger and king chilli powder.
• The LoumiConnect App which would enable connect farmers with Horticulture and Agriculture experts.
• The Chief Minister also released Illustrative guide booklets on organic farming and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region.

Vijayanagara becomes 31st district of Karnataka 
The State government issued a notification demarcating boundaries of the newly-formed Vijayanagara district. This is the 31st district of the State.

• The government did so in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (4) of section 4 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964. Vijayanagara was carved out from Ballari district.
• The six taluks that come under Vijayanagara are: Hosapete, Kudligi, Hagaribommanahalli, Kotturu, Hoovina Hadagali, and Harapanahalli. Hosapete is the headquarters of the new district.

Indian Army lays foundation of 100-foot-high national flag in J-K’s Gulmarg
The Indian Army has laid the foundation stone of the tallest ‘Iconic National Flag’ at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir.

• The flag will be on a 100 feet-high pole, the highest Tricolour in the Valley.
• This iconic Indian national flag will be a first in many ways. The site is expected to become another tourist attraction, among the snow-clad mountains of Kashmir.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India Energy Demand Set to Grow Fastest in the World; to Overtake EU
India’s energy demand will increase more than that of any other country over the next two decades, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said forecasting India overtaking the European Union as the world’s third-largest energy consumer by 2030.

• An expanding economy, population, urbanisation and industrialisation will result in India’s energy needs growing at three times the global average under today’s policies, according to IEA’s India Energy Outlook 2021.
• Energy use has doubled since 2000, with most of that demand met by coal and oil. This is set to grow about 35 per cent until 2030, down from 50 per cent before the coronavirus pandemic.
• India at present is the fourth-largest global energy consumer behind China, the United States and the European Union.

BANKING & FINANCE

Bank of Maharashtra ties up with LoanTap Credit for co-lending to MSMEs
Bank of Maharashtra said it has entered into a co-lending agreement with Pune-based non-banking financial company LoanTap Credit Products for MSME loans.

• The co-lending model provides ease of loan sanctions at borrower’s convenience through digital lending platforms, which cover end-to-end loan processing cycles without manual intervention or visiting bank branches.
• Under the co-lending model, the bank will have an exposure of up to 80 per cent to an MSME customer. LoanTap will take the balance exposure.

PhonePe partners with Axis Bank on UPI multi-bank model 
Digital payments platform PhonePe announced that it has partnered with Axis Bank on a Unified Payments Interface (UPI) multi-bank model.

• The partnership will provide PhonePe users with the option to create and use multiple UPI IDs with Axis Bank’s “@axl” handle. 
• PhonePe will also start acquiring merchants with Axis Bank in addition to its partnership with YES Bank.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Indian economy to contract by 7% in FY21: SBI Research
Pencilling in a GDP growth in third and fourth quarters, SBI Research revised its contraction forecast for the current fiscal year to 7 per cent.

• The agency had earlier forecast a 7.4 per cent contraction in 2020-21 GDP numbers.
• In April-September, the economy contracted 15.7 per cent but the second half may see a surprise 2.8 per cent growth, if the SBI analysis turns out to be correct.

SPORTS

Ishant Sharma becomes third Indian pacer to take 300 Test wickets
Veteran fast bowler Ishant Sharma became the sixth Indian and third pacer from the country to take 300 wickets in Test cricket, joining legendary former India captains Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble after a “roller-coaster” ride.

• Besides Kumble (619) and Kapil (434), Ravichandran Ashwin (377 before this game), Harbhajan Singh (417), and Zaheer Khan (311) are the other bowlers from the country who have reached the landmark.
• The 32-year-old Ishant reached the milestone in 98 matches, more than the other Indian bowlers in the club.

AWARDS

Robert Irwin wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year
At just seventeen, young Australian photographer Robert Irwin has been awarded the People’s Choice Award for his image titled Bushfire in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020 competition.

• The ‘bushfire’ is the picture of the devastating Australian Bushfire in 2020, he captured using a drone, near the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve in Cape York, Queensland. The image shows a line of fire burning in between the bushes, dividing it into parts.

Telangana’s Manasa Varanasi Crowned VLCC Femina Miss India World 2020
Manasa Varanasi, an engineer from Telangana, emerged as the winner of VLCC Femina Miss India World 2020. 

• While Haryana’s Manika Sheokand was declared VLCC Femina Miss Grand India 2020, Uttar Pradesh’s Manya Singh was crowned VLCC Femina Miss India 2020 – runner-up.
• VLCC Femina Miss India 2020 was co-powered by Sephora and Roposo.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Gaganyaan: Second Unmanned Mission Planned in 2022-23 Followed by Human Spaceflight, Says Govt
The human spaceflight module of Gaganyaan will be launched after the second unmanned mission planned in 2022-23, Union minister Jitendra Singh said.

• It was initially envisaged that the Rs 10,000 crore Gaganyaan mission aims to send a three-member crew to space for five to seven days by 2022 when India completes 75 years of independence.
• First unmanned mission is planned in December 2021. Second unmanned flight is planned in 2022-23.

OBITUARIES

Former New Zealand all-rounder Bruce Taylor passes away
Former New Zealand all-rounder Bruce Taylor, the only player to score a century and take a five-wicket haul on test debut, has died at the age of 77.

• Taylor played 30 tests for New Zealand, picking up 111 wickets and scoring 898 runs.
• He also scored New Zealand’s fastest test century in a game against West Indies in 1969 before the record was broken by Daniel Vettori 36 years later.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Unani Day
World Unani Day has observed every year on 11th February. This day is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of great Unani scholar and social reformer Hakim Ajmal Khan.

• The main objective of World Unani Day is to spread awareness about health care delivery through Unani system of medicine through its preventive and curative philosophy. 

International Day of Women and Girls in Science
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed every year on 11th February to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology.

• The theme for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021 is ‘Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19’. 

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