Daily Current Affairs 12th January, 2020

Daily Current Affairs 12 January 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

1023 Fast Track Special Courts will be set up for Speedy disposal of Rape and POCSO Act Cases

The Central Government has started a Scheme for setting up of 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) across the country based on pendency of subject cases obtained from various High Courts (1,66,882 numbers as on 31.03.2018) for time bound trial and disposal of pending cases related to rape and POCSO Act.

• The FTSCs will be set up as a part of National Mission for Safety of Women (NMSW).

Chenab bridge: World’s highest rail bridge by Indian Railways to connect Kashmir to rest of India by 2021

By December 2021, Kashmir will be connected to the rest of the country through the Indian Railways network as the government has set a new deadline for completion of the world’s highest railway bridge – Chenab bridge.

• When completed, the bridge will span the Chenab River at a height of 359 m (1,178 ft) above the river, making it the world’s highest rail bridge.
• The Chenab railway bridge will be 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

Forest Committee approves scheme to ‘trade’ in forests

The Forest Advisory Committee, an apex body tasked with adjudicating requests by the industry to raze forest land for commercial ends, has approved a scheme that could allow “forests” to be traded as a commodity. If implemented, it allows the Forest Department to outsource one of its responsibilities of reforesting to non-government agencies.

1st Solar section in South Central Railways between Nandyal – Yerraguntla

The Nandyal-Yerraguntla section in Guntakal Division of Andhra Pradesh has been declared as the first solar section in South Central Railway. In 2016 August Indian Railways opened Nandyal-Yerraguntla section in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.

UP to build Rs 234-crore zoo named after Ashfaqullah Khan

The UP Cabinet approved a proposal to set aside Rs 234 crore for construction of a zoological garden named after Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan in Gorakhpur. The zoo will come up across over 121 acres. The objective was to attract tourists and increase employment opportunities.

• Freedom fighter Ashfaqullah Khan was sentenced to death along with Ram Prasad Bismil for the Kakori train robbery, commonly known as the Kakori conspiracy of 1925.

TN names two state-run varsities after Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu Assembly passed two Bills to name a fisheries university and a music varsity after late Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa.

• The Tamil Nadu Fisheries University and The Tamil Nadu Music and Fine Arts University have been rechristened “The Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University,” and “The Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University.”

Yogi Adityanath, Kiren Rijij inaugurated the National Youth Festival 2020 in Lucknow

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the 23rd National Youth Festival (NYF) 2020 on January 12, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the State Government of Uttar Pradesh are jointly organising the 23rd NYF at Indira Pratishthan, Lucknow from January 12 to January 16.
• The government has been organising NYF since 1995 with an objective to provide a platform to the youth of the country and provide them with an opportunity to showcase their talents in various activities.

Visakhapatnam to host MILAN 2020 naval exercise in March

Visakhapatnam will host International Naval event ‘MILAN‘ in March 2020. The theme of the exercise for the year 2020 is ‘Synergy Across the Seas’.

• MILAN 2020 is a multilateral naval exercise aimed to enhance professional interaction between foreign-friendly navies and learn from each other’s strengths and best practices in the maritime domain.

Crime in India increased by 1.3% in 2018: NCRB

Crime in India has increased by 1.3% in 2018 compared to 2017 with the registration of over 50 lakh cognisable crimes, reveals 2018 edition of ‘Crime in India’ statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

• As per the NCRB, which works under the Ministry of Home Affairs, a total of 50.74 lakh crimes, including 31.32 lakh under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 19.41 under the Special Local Laws (SLL) was registered in 2018.

Union Government unveils State Energy Efficiency Index 2019

The Union Government has released the “State Energy Efficiency Index 2019”. The index was released during the ‘Review, Planning and Monitoring (RPM)’ meeting held in New Delhi.

• The index is developed by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) along with Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE). The SEE Index 2019 traces the expansion and achievements of Energy Efficiency (EE) drives running in 36 states and union territories.
• State Energy Efficiency Index 2019 has divided States/UTs into 4 groups on the basis of Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) desired to meet the State’s/UT’s actual energy demand through electricity, coal, oil, gas, etc. across all the sectors. The 4 groups are: ‘Front Runner’, ‘Achiever’, ‘Contender’ and ‘Aspirant’.

4 Indian Airports receive International Recognition for Reducing Emissions

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced that four airports in the country have managed a transition from level 1 to level 2 with a reduction in the carbon emissions by grading their systems as per the Airports Council International (ACI).

• The airports had adopted the grading system in 2018 and successfully implemented the carbon emission plan.
• These 4 airports are Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata; Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar; Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi and Trivandrum International Airport 

3 Indian cities top the list of world’s fastest-growing cities

Three Indian cities have been listed as the world’s fastest-growing urban areas, a survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) revealed.

• Malappuram (Kerala), Kozhikode (Kerala) and Kollam (Kerala) were the only three cities to make it to the top 10 of the world’s fastest-growing cities.
• Malappuram was ranked No. 1 in the world rankings with a 44.1 per cent change between 2015 and 2020. While Kozhikode was ranked fourth and Kollam was at number 10, the EIU survey revealed.

India deploys INS Vikramaditya in Arabian Sea amid Ex.’Sea Guardians’

India has deployed its aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya in Arabian Sea. The aircraft carrier was deployed amid the Pakistan-China naval exercise “Sea Guardians” taking place in North Arabian Sea.

BANKING & FINANCE

AP govt, German bank ink Rs 711 cr loan pact for natural

KfW, a German development bank, will assist the Andhra Pradesh government with a Rs 711 crore loan for expanding the climate-resilient Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in the state over the next five years.

• The state government will spend another Rs 304 crore on the project under which 2.39 lakh farmers in 591 village panchayats will be encouraged to take up ZBNF.

RBI releases “National Strategy for Financial Inclusion” report

The Reserve Bank of India has released a report “National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI): 2019-2024”. The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion for the period 2019-2024 has been formulated by RBI under the aegis of Financial Inclusion Advisory Committee (FIAC).

• The report has been ratified by the Financial Stability Development Council (FSDC).

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

HDFC completes majority acquisition in Apollo Munich Health Insurance for ₹1,495.81 crore

Mortgage lender HDFC has completed the acquisition of majority stake in Apollo Munich Health Insurance for ₹1,495.81 crore.

• HDFC bought 50.80 per cent stake of Apollo Hospitals Group in Apollo Munich for ₹1,485.14 crore and 0.36 per cent shareholding of employees for ₹10.67 crore.

SPORTS

Bumrah receives Polly Umrigar Award

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah received the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for being the best international cricketer (2018-19) at the BCCI’s annual awards.

• On the other hand, Poonam Yadav claimed the top prize in the women’s category and will be awarded the best international cricketer (women).
• Former India captains Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra were presented with Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for women respectively.

APPOINTMENTS

Rajya Sabha MP Chandra Pal Singh new Chairman of KRIBHCO

Agri-cooperative leader and Rajya Sabha MP Chandra Pal Singh has been unanimously elected as Chairman of Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (KRIBHCO).

• Besides, V Sudhakar Chowdary, a versatile farmer’s leader, was unanimously elected as Vice Chairman of the cooperative society.

AWARDS

Prof. MS Swaminathan & Dr. G Muniratnam chosen for Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Awards

Eminent Agricultural Scientist Dr M S Swaminathan and well-known social worker, Dr. Gutta Muniratnam were respectively chosen as the first recipients of ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence’ and ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service’’

• Prof. M.S. Swaminathan was awarded for his distinguished contributions to the field of agriculture while Dr G Muniratnam, was awarded for his extraordinary contribution in improving quality of people’s lives through social service.

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