Daily Current Affairs 2 November 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
NATIONAL NEWS
PM Modi launches India’s first seaplane service in Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a seaplane service between the Statue of Unity near Kevadiya in Gujarat’s Narmada district and Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.
- Modi inaugurated the service by boarding the twin- engine plane from pond-3 close to Sardar Sarovar Dam.
- The 19-seater plane would land on the waters of Sabarmati Riverfront in around 40 minutes after covering a distance of around 200 kms.
Cabinet approves Rs 10,000 crore project to improve dams in India
The cabinet committee on economic affairs approved a Rs 10,211-crore project to improve the safety and performance of select dams across India.
- The dam rehabilitation and improvement project (DRIP)–phase II and phase III–is financially supported by the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
- DRIP will be implemented over a period of 10 years in two phases – each of six years with two years overlapping from April 2021 to March 2031. The first phase of this project started in 2012.
Rajasthan to be first state to legalise mask-wearing
Rajasthan government is planning to make a law on wearing face mask mandatory to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state.
- If the Bill gets the nod in the state assembly then Rajasthan will become the first state in the country to enact a law for making masks mandatory.
- A new clause in Section 4 of the Rajasthan Epidemic Diseases Act, 2020 has been inserted, which proposes to prohibit the movement of people at public places without properly covering mouth and nose with a face mask or cover.
BANKING & FINANCE
NABARD sanctions over Rs8,504.30 lakh under RIDF scheme to Govt. of Goa during 2020-21
According to the Ministry of Rural Development, NABARD has sanctioned loans worth Rs8504.30 lakh under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) to the Government of Goa for various Social Infrastructure Projects in the State.
- With this, NABARD achieved 100% of the target fixed for sanction to the State Government during 2020-21.
- RIDF was instituted in NABARD with the sole objective of giving low-cost support to State Governments and State-owned Corporations for quick completion of projects related to medium and minor irrigation, soil conservation and others forms of rural infrastructure.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
India’s October unemployment rate rises to 6.98%: Think-tank
India’s unemployment rate in October rose to 6.98% from 6.67% in September, according to data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).
- The novel coronovirus has infected approximately 8.2 million people in the world’s second most populous country with a large share of the economy.
SPORTS
BCCI announces Jio as title sponsor of Women’s T20 Challenge 2020
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced Reliance Jio as the title sponsor of the Women’s T20 Challenge 2020.
- This is the first time a sponsor is partnering with the BCCI exclusively for the women’s counterpart to the IPL.
- The women’s T20 challenge is scheduled to run from November 4-9 in Sharjah.
APPOINTMENTS
PVG Menon appointed CEO of Electronics Sector Skill Council of India
The Electronics Sector Skill Council of India (ESSCI), an organization setup to provide a skilled workforce for the Electronics industry, announced the appointment of PVG Menon as its chief executive officer.
- Prior to taking up this role, Menon was the President & CEO of VANN Consulting and has over three decades of experience in the development, marketing and management of technology.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
Nestlé acquires healthy meals startup Freshly for up to $1.5 bn
Nestlé USA announced that it has acquired Freshly for $1.5 billion — $950 million plus potential earnouts of up to $550 million based on future growth.
- Founded in 2015, Freshly is a New York City-based startup that offers healthy meals delivered to your home in weekly orders, which can then be prepared in a few minutes in your microwave or oven.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Thrift Day
World Thrift Day is celebrated every year on 31st October worldwide to promote savings and financial security of individual and nation as a whole.
- The aim of the day is to change the behavior of people towards saving and constantly remind the importance of wealth.
Global Media and Information Literacy Week
Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week, commemorated annually, is a major occasion for stakeholders to review and celebrate the progress achieved towards “MIL for All”
- The tenth annual global celebration of Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week take place from 24 to 31 October 2020, under the theme “Resisting Disinfodemic: Media and Information Literacy for everyone and, by everyone”.
World Vegan Day
World Vegan Day is celebrated by vegans all around the world on November 1 every year.
- The day marks the founding day of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom.