Daily Current Affairs 20th May, 2021

Daily Current Affairs 20 May 2021 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Indian Navy hosted ‘GMS 2021’ in Goa
Indian Navy hosted ‘Goa Maritime Symposium GMS-21)’, a forum towards fostering friendly relations with the maritime neighbours, virtually due to the prevailing situation of COVID pandemic.

• Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event for the first time was hosted in virtual mode, with online participation of Naval representatives from 13 Indian Ocean Littoral countries, which included India, Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• The theme for GMS-21 was focused on “Maritime Security and Emerging Non-Traditional Threats: A Case for Proactive Role for IOR Navies,” with emphasis on capacity building amongst the IOR Navies to tackle emerging common maritime threats.

Chandigarh-based startup Jupitice launches online dispute resolution platform
Chandigarh-based Jupitice Justice Technologies has launched the country’s first private digital platform to conduct virtual arbitration, conciliation, mediation and other Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms.

• The startup has launched an online service marketplace for the dispute resolution sector that provides a platform to find arbitrators, mediators and other justice service providers and also provides an end-to-end ADR mechanism completely online, without any physical interaction.
• Co-founded by husband and wife duo Raman and Anju Aggarwal, the startup’s advisory board comprises Justice Ranjit Singh, former judge of Punjab & Haryana High Court and Justice SL Bhayana, former judge of Delhi High Court among others.

India’s First Agriculture Export Facilitation Centre Launched in Pune
The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (MCCIA) has launched India’s first agro-export facilitation centre in Pune, in collaboration with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

• The new Facilitation Centre will work as a one-stop-centre for the exporters in the agricultural sector as well as boost agricultural exports from the region, as per global standards.
• The Center would guide the prospective exporters on various relevant aspects of the ‘farm-to-fork’ chain of agro-exports through its experts.

Pune ranks first, Delhi-NCR at bottom among top 8 cities on health infra parameters: Report
Pune is ranked first while Delhi-NCR is at the lowest position among eight major cities in health infrastructure-related parameters, including number of hospitals beds, air-water quality and sanitation, according to a report by Housing.com. 

• The real estate portal, which is owned by US-based News Corp and its Australian group firm REA, released its report titled ‘State of Healthcare in India’.
• The report ranks health infrastructure in India’s most urbanised eight cities — Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai Metropolitan Region(MMR) and Pune — on the basis of Housing.com’s City Health Card.
• These rankings are benchmarked against parameters such as number of hospital beds per 1,000 people, air quality, water quality, sanitation, liveability index and 40 per cent weightage has been given to number of hospital beds.

Madhya Pradesh to provide free medical consultation at home through “Vaidya Aapke Dwar Yojana”
The Department of AYUSH launched the “Vaidya Aapke Dwar” scheme, through which free AYUSH medical specialists can be consulted through live video call from home. The Minister of State for AYUSH, Shri Ramkishore Kaware, had launched the scheme virtually on May 7.

• The three disciplines of AYUSH, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani, can be availed under the scheme. Citizens can take advantage of this facility by downloading the AyushQure App from the Google Play store on Android phones.
• The department aims to make AYUSH health service accessible to the common people from the comfort of their home. If required by the doctor, test results can also and upload. The doctor will only call the patient to the hospital if it is necessary.

Punjab CM announces ‘Corona Mukt Pind Abhiyaan’ to tackle COVID spread in villages
The Punjab government unveiled a unique “Covid Fateh programme“, as part of the “Corona Mukt Pind Abhiyaan” to tackle the spread of COVID-19 infections in rural areas amid the ongoing second pandemic wave.

• The Health and Rural Development Departments have been given a task to spearhead the campaign with large-scale mobilisation of the community in the villages.

BANKING & FINANCE

Edelweiss General Insurance launches IPOS, an end to end partner onboarding solution
Insurtech startup Edelweiss General Insurance (EGI), has launched its IPOS (Integrated Partner On-boarding Solution). This is a fully automated onboarding solution for all its existing and prospective partners including agents, brokers and web aggregators.

• EGI and its partners stand to gain through improved throughput and enhanced efficiency using this digital platform, which would entail minimal manual intervention.
• IPOS will enable the sales workforce to create or upload any number of prospects in real time, with the ability to scrutinise, approve and digitally process them with greater efficiency.

PayPoint, Digit General Insurance Tie Up to Grant Health Cover in Rural India
PayPoint India has partnered with Digit General Insurance to bring affordable health insurance for its customers in the under-served regions of India, enhancing access to insurance, and helping rural masses cushion themselves against any major financial losses due to the surging Covid-19.

• The partnership is being flagged off with the launch of a Coronavirus hospitalisation insurance policy that covers treatments up to Rs 2 lakh at a premium of Rs 799. 
• With premium rates starting at Rs 487, the Covid-19 insurance policy offers the benefit of a minimum of Rs 1 Lakh, post 24-hour ICU or HDU hospitalisation. The insurance covers pre-hospitalisation expenses for up to 30 days, post-hospitalisation expenses up to 60 days, road ambulance charges (1 per cent of your chosen sum insured up to Rs 5,000). It has a waiting period of only 15 days from the payment of the premium and does not have any cap on room rent or ICU charges. The claim covers the customer’s spouse and family too.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Amazon launches miniTV, a free video streaming service
Amazon has launched its miniTV in India which is a video streaming platform that includes web series, comedy shows, and many genres of videos to stream for free, as per a blog post.

• The service, supported by advertisements, can be availed by clicking on the miniTV banner that is currently up on Amazon’s shopping app (on Android mobile versions only).
• The banner will land users to the service’s home page that has content from some of the renowned content creators such as Ashish Chanchlani, Prajakta Koli, Sejal Kumar, and Malvika Sitlani.

Adani Group opens regional headquarters in Singapore
The Adani Group has opened its regional headquarters office in Singapore with focus on the energy, infrastructure and technology portfolios.

• Adani Singapore (SG) Country Head Jeyakumar Janakaraj said Singapore was an ideal choice for Adani’s regional headquarters, thanks to its ideal geographic location, legal and regulatory structure.

SPORTS

Arjan Singh Bhullar becomes India’s 1st MMA world champion
Mixed Martial Artist (MMA) Arjan Bhullar made history he became the first fight of India descent to win a world title in the sport after beating Brandon Vera to end his five-and-a-half-year reign as the heavyweight champion in the One Championship.

• Bhullar registered a second-round technical knockout (TKO) win over Vera to become the country’s first-ever MMA world champion. The result saw the Indo-Canadian fighter take his MMA record to 11-1 (4 by knockout, 7 by decision).

England seamer Harry Gurney retires from cricket at age of 34
Britain and Nottinghamshire pacer Harry Gurney has announced his choice to retire at 34 years old. Harry Gurney’s vocation was tormented by injuries and he was recuperating from a shoulder injury when he declared his choice to hang up his boots.

• The left-arm pacer featured in 10 ODIs and 2 T20Is for England, picking up 11 and three wickets, respectively. Harry Gurney tasted more success in his domestic and T20 career.
• Apart from winning three one-day three trophies with Nottinghamshire, he was also a key figure in the team’s T20 Blast triumph in 2017.

APPOINTMENTS

Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company appoints Abhay Tewari as MD & CEO
Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd has announced the appointment of Abhay Tewari as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

• Tewari joined as Appointed Actuary of SUD LIFE in the year 2014 and was holding the position of Joint President and Chief Actuary until he is elevated as MD & CEO.
• SUD LIFE is a joint venture of Bank of India, Union Bank of India and Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company Limited, Japan.

Sitaram and Sarkar to take charge as CFO and Internal Auditor of IDBI Bank
The Board of Directors of IDBI Bank has approved the appointment of P Sitaram, Executive Director (ED), as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Key Managerial Personnel with effect from June 1, 2021.

• Sitaram will take charge from incumbent ED & CFO Ajay Sharma.
• Meanwhile, IDBI Bank’s board also approved the appointment of Sunit Sarkar, ED (In-Situ) as Internal Auditor of the Bank with effect from June 1, 2021 in place of MV Phadke, ED & Internal Auditor.

Mali’s PM Moctar Ouane reappointed after resignation
Mali’s Prime Minister Moctar Ouane resigned and was subsequently reappointed transitional president, the Malian presidency announced.

• Ouane will have to form a new government with room for the political class, under instructions of President Bah N’Daw. 

AWARDS

Baljeet Kaur, Gunbala Sharma Become First Indian Women Mountaineers To Summit Mount Pumori Amid COVID-19
Women mountaineers, Baljeet Kaur from Himachal Pradesh and Gunbala Sharma from Rajasthan became the first Indian women to summit Mount Pumori (7,161 meters) in Nepal.

• The duo was a part of a 12-member team that will attempt to conquer all four peaks that are part of the Everest Massif.
• This Indian Everest Massif Expedition 2021(Pumori) Team by Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) is sponsored by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO develops AI tool for COVID detection in chest X-rays
DRDO has developed an Artificial Intelligence algorithm that can detect the presence of COVID-19 disease in Chest X-rays. Named ATMAN AI, the tool was developed by DRDO’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), with the support of 5C Network & HCG Academics.

• The ATMAN AI is an artificial intelligence tool for chest X-ray screening as triaging tool in COVID-19 diagnosis which is a method for rapid identification and assessment of lung involvement.
• This would be utilised by 5C Network, the country’s largest digital network of radiologists, with support of HCG Academics, the statement said. Triaging COVID suspect patients using X-ray is fast, cost-effective and efficient.

Reliance Jio building largest international submarine cable system centred on India
Telecom operator Reliance Jio said it is constructing the largest international submarine cable system centred on India with global partners and submarine cable supplier Subcom to cater to increased data demand.

• The two submarine cable systems which the company plans to deploy will connect India with Asia Pacific markets through Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia and the other one with Italy, middle and north Africa region.
• These high capacity and high-speed systems will provide more than 200 Tbps (terabits per second) of capacity spanning over 16,000 kilometres.

OBITUARIES

Activist Ranjana Nirula passes away 
Activist Ranjana Nirula, working committee member and former Treasurer of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), died in Delhi. She was 75.

• She was introduced to the Left movement as a student in the United States, and was active in the anti-Vietnam war movement. “She came back to India in the early 1970s and joined the Left movement. She became a full-time CITU member in 1978.
• One of the founders of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) in Delhi, Nirula was also a member of the Delhi State Committee of CPI(M), apart from being the Working Editor of the journal titled ‘The Voice of the Working Woman’.
• In 2009, when CITU formed the All-India Coordination Committee of ASHA workers, she became its first convenor.

Nehru Planetarium director Dr Nandivada Rathnasree passes away 
Notable astronomy communicator and director of the Nehru Planetarium, Nandivada Rathnasree, 57, died after being infected with Covid.

• Rathnasree, who joined the planetarium in 1996 as a senior educator and became its director in 1999, has been credited with several new initiatives and projects during her long stint.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

British novelist Paul Pickering evokes India in new book “Elephant”
The book titled  “Elephant” written by British novelist Paul Pickering has been released recently. The book was published by Salt Publishing, spans two historical periods.

• The elephant culturally symbolises India more than any other country and British novelist Paul Pickering says the pachyderm in his new novel has her roots in India.
• According to the author, his book Elephant is an affirmation of “I am my voice”.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia is observed on May 17 across the world.

• The aim of the day is to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide.

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