Daily Current Affairs 17th July, 2020

Daily Current Affairs 17 July 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Maharashtra starts ‘Healthcare Service At Your Doorstep’ initiative in Nashik
In  Maharashtra, cases of Covid-19 are raging in Nashik district as well. However, to curb the further spread of the disease, the government has initiated a measure “HEALTHCARE SERVICE AT YOUR DOORSTEP”.

• As many as 556 squads have been formed and they have been tasked to trace the Covid positive patient.
• The initiative taken by the state’s public health department and district administration to deploy 556 squads in predominantly tribal villages of Nashik is yielding positive results in containing the spread of Covid-19.

Andhra Pradesh to reorganise its 13 districts into 25 for optimal use of resources
The Andhra Pradesh cabinet decided to reorganise its 13 districts into 25 districts by March 31 in such a way that each of the 25 parliamentary constituencies will represent a new district.

• Chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s cabinet approved the decision to form a committee to look into reorganisation of existing 13 districts into 25.
• The committee headed by the chief secretary comprises chief commissioner of land administration (CCLA), secretary (services) of general administration department, secretary of planning department and an official from the chief minister’s office as members. Principal secretary (finance) will be its convener.

HRD Minister launches NISHTHA programme for 1200 key resources persons of Andhra Pradesh
Human Resources and Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched the first on-line NISHTHA programme for one thousand 200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh.

• NISHTHA is a national initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement at the elementary stage under Samagra Shiksha -a flagship programme of the Ministry to improve learning outcomes.
• NISHTHA in face-to-face mode was launched on 21st August last year. Thereafter 33 states and Union Territories have launched this programme in collaboration under Samagra Shiksha. In 29 States and UTs, the NISHTHA training programme has been completed by the NCERT at the state level.

Hyderabad Airport Gets India’s 1st and Only Completely Contactless Car Parking Amid Covid-19
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) that operates the city airport said it is offering fully contact-less airport car parking service.

• Apart from offering an end-to-end contact-less boarding experience for safe travel, GHIAL has also scaled up its NETC (National Electronic Toll Collection) FASTag Car Parking in collaboration with NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India).
• With this development, the Hyderabad international airport now offers the country’s first and only fully contact-less airport car parking experience for passengers and visitors

Anji Khad bridge, Indian Railways’ 1st cable-stayed rail bridge, announced
The Railways Minister Piyush Goyal has announced, India’s first cable-stayed Railways bridge “Anji Khad Bridge” to connects Katra and Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

• This bridge being developed by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL). This bridge is as a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
• The USBRL project also involves the Chenab river bridge. The Chenab Bridge once completed, will become the world’s highest rail bridge.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Study Predicts India’s Population May Peak to 1.6 Billion in 2048, Decline in 2100 to 1.09 Billion
Scientists have predicted that the India’s population may peak to about 1.6 billion in 2048, and decline by 32 per cent to around 1.09 billion in 2100, when it is also expected to be the world’s most populous country.

• The analysis, published in the journal The Lancet, used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, and applied novel models to project future global, regional, and national population for 183 countries, including India, US, China, and Japan, and their mortality, fertility, and migration rates.
• According to the study, the numbers of working-age adults in India is projected to fall from 762 million in 2017 to around 578 million in 2100, compared to that of China where numbers of workers are estimated to decline from 950 million in 2017 to 357 million in 2100.
• Also said the world could be multipolar at the end of this century, with India, Nigeria, China, and the US the dominant powers.

India in partnership with Chile & UN’s FAO Co-Hosted Event, “On the road to the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021”
India and Chile joins the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) of the United Nations(UN) and co-hosted the official launch of 2021 International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, the side event of 2020 High-level Political forum – “On the road to the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021.

• Chile had championed to declare the year 2021 as an ‘International Year of Fruits and Vegetables’ by UN General Assembly in 2019.

BANKING & FINANCE

A&N Islands: NABARD launches development projects worth Rs 44 lakhs
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has launched development projects in Andaman & Nicobar Islands worth Rs. 44 lakhs in order to strengthen the concept of Atmanirbhar Bharat through rural entrepreneurship.

• The projects by NABARD will include the formation and development of Self-Help Groups, SHG.
• Skill development of SHGs members will be taken up to promote rural entrepreneurship at micro level.

Share of Industrial Credit in Total Bank Credit Dips to 31.5% in March: RBI Data
According to Reserve Bank data, the share of industrial credit in total bank credit declined to 31.5 per cent in March 2020 as against 33.1 per cent a year ago.

• The share of individuals in total bank credit has increased to 40.1 per cent in March 2020 (37.4 per cent a year ago and 30.8 per cent five years ago), whereas that of the private corporate sector has declined.
• Bank credit growth (year-on-year) continued to decelerate across all population groups and stood at 6.3 per cent in March 2020. However, bank branches in rural areas maintained a double-digit growth.

 Income Tax Department launches tool for Banks to ascertain TDS applicability rates on cash withdrawals
The Income Tax Department launched a new tool for the banks and post offices that will ensure tax deduction at source (TDS) on the cash withdrawals beyond the threshold.

• With the help of the tool, post offices and banks will be able to ascertain the TDS applicability rates on the cash withdrawals of above Rs. 20 lakh in case a person is a non- filer of the income tax return and that of above Rs. 1 crore in case of a filer of Income-tax return.
• On the cash withdrawal exceeding Rs. 20 lakhs, TDS will be deductible at the rate of 2% and it will be deductible at the rate of 5% if the amount exceeds 1 Crore, in case the person withdrawing is a non- filer of the income tax return

PSBs buy NBFC Bonds/CPs worth Rs 14,667 cr under extended PCGS
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme, PCGS was revamped under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package to support the liability side of Non Banking Financial Companies, NBFCs. It provides a 20 per cent portfolio guarantee to Public Sector Banks for the purchase of Bonds or Commercial Papers rated AA and below which are issued by NBFCs.

• Under the extended PCGS, Public Sector Banks have approved the purchase Bonds or Commercial Papers issued by 67 NBFCs amounting to 14 thousand 6 hundred 67 crore rupees
• Of these 6 thousand 8 hundred 45 crore rupees is for Bonds or Commercial Papers rated below AA, providing liquidity support to NBFCs with lower rated Bonds or Commercial Papers.

IndusInd Bank integrates with CRMNEXT to boost customer engagement
IndusInd Bank has announced its successful integration with CRMNEXT, the leading enterprise solution provider for banks and financial services.

• This integration will enable the Bank to simplify the process of customer on-boarding, introduce new products, and meet customer demands by automating and customizing processes to fit the modern-day financial requirements
• The CRMNEXT platform will empower IndusInd Bank with an intelligence driven ‘Customer Action Center’ which will provide complete information on customers acquired from multiple sources, and make it available on a single intuitive screen.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

India’s GDP to contract 9.5% in FY21 as state lockdowns hit recovery: ICRA
Domestic rating agency Icra has revised its forecast for contraction in the country’s GDP in the current fiscal to 9.5 per cent from 5 per cent earlier, as continued lockdowns in some states have affected the recovery seen in May and June.

• Most of the analysts have projected the country’s GDP to contract in the range of 5-6.5 per cent in this fiscal.

KVIC opens footwear training center in Delhi for leather artisans
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has opened first-of-its-kind footwear training center in Delhi to train the marginalized community of leather artisans.

• The center has been established with the technical knowhow of Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI), Agra which is  a unit of the Ministry of MSME.
• The KVIC-CFTI Footwear Training Cum Production Center located at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat, will provide a comprehensive two months training program to leather artisans for making high-quality footwear.

AAI, BEL sign MoU for co-operation in civil aviation sector
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bharat Electronics Limited ( BEL ) for providing a platform for both the companies to collaborate and support each other to address the emerging global opportunities in the airport business, including those in the Asia Pacific region.

• As per the MoU, AAl will be playing the role of a development partner, render assistance to BEL in its domain of expertise to enable execution of the prestigious MEA projects outside India by BEL.
• Both the organisations will work in close co-operation with each other in the field of civil aviation, in both present and future projects handled by BEL.

SPORTS

Qatar to host FIFA World Cup 2022
Fifa announced the match schedule for World Cup 2022, to be held from November 21 to December 18 in Qatar.

• The Al Bayt Stadium will be the stage for hosts Qatar to kick off the tournament on Monday, 21 November 2022. The group stage will last 12 days and, with four matches per day.

Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games postponed to 2026
The 2022 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar will now take place instead in 2026, the IOC and hosts Senegal announced recently.

• The four-year delay was forced by the global health crisis generated by coronavirus, and the holding back by a year of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and a slew of other major international sporting competitions.

APPOINTMENTS

Tunisia’s Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh resigns
Tunisia’s prime minister Elyes Fakhfakh resigned amid suspicions of conflict of interest because of his stake in a waste processing company that won government contracts worth 15 million euro.

• Fakhfakh handed his resignation to Tunisian President Kais Saied after less than five months in office.
• Fakhfakh will now lead a caretaker government while the president must nominate a replacement to start consultations to form a new government.

AWARDS

Tata’s Chandrasekaran, Lockheed’s Taiclet to receive USIBC Global Leadership Award
Tata group Chairman N Chandrasekaran and Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet will receive the USIBC Global Leadership Award this year.

• The USIBC Global Leadership Awards are conferred upon executives in recognition of outstanding leadership and for promoting Indo-US trade and business.

OBITUARIES

Neela Satyanarayan, Maharashtra’s first woman Election Commissioner, passes away at 72
Former IAS officer and Maharashtra’s first woman Election Commissioner Neela Satyanarayan passed away at Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai. The 1972 batch IAS officer was admitted to the hospital after she was diagnosed with COVID-19. She was 78.

• She was an additional Chief Secretary of Revenue department and post-retirement, in 2009, she was made the state election commissioner. Mrs. Neela retired on July 5, 2014.

Purushottam Priyadasji Maharaj, the acharya of Maninagar Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan passes away
Shree Purushottam Priyadasji Swamishree Maharaj, 78-year-old head priest of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan, Ahmedabad, popularly known as P P Swami, died of Covid-19.

• He was the fifth heir in the lineage of ascetic Acharyas, which descends directly from Lord Shree Swaminarayan.
• He was initiated as a sant on March 21, 1962 by Jeevanpran Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa at Swaminarayan Mandir, Maninagar.He has also established schools, colleges, hostels, hospitals, clinics and drug rehabilitation centers and offered free medical assistance, educated the poor and helped thousands in any way.

ENVIRONMENT

Poba Reserve Forest in Assam”s Dhemaji to be upgraded to wildlife sanctuary
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that Poba Reserve Forest in Dhemaji district would be upgraded to a wildlife sanctuary.

• Poba Reserve Forest, declared in 1924 with an area of 10,522 hectares, is home to large number of flora and fauna.

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