Daily Current Affairs 30th July, 2020

Daily Current Affairs 30 July 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Cabinet approves renaming of Ministry of Human Resource Development as Ministry of Education
Union Cabinet has decided to change the name of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) to Ministry of Education. The Cabinet has approved the change in the name of the ministry.The HRD Ministry is currently headed by Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. 

• The Union Cabinet has also approved a new education policy- National Education Policy 2020 which comprises major reforms in the higher education sector including a target of 50% gross enrollment ratio by 2035 and a provision for multiple entry and exit.

Cabinet Approves MoU Between India & Zimbabwe on Cooperation in Traditional Medicine, Homeopathy
The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to an agreement between India and Zimbabwe on cooperation in the field of traditional systems of medicine and homeopathy.

• The MoU, which was signed on November 3, 2018 and approved by the Cabinet, aims to provide a framework for cooperation between the two countries for the promotion of traditional systems of medicine and homeopathy and will mutually benefit both nations in the field of traditional medicine.

Kerala announces new Entrepreneurship Development Programme
The Kerala government announced a new Entrepreneurship Development Programme to address the issues of shortage of working capital and availability of credit faced by startups and small entrepreneurs in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The aim of the programme to identify 2,000 entrepreneurs per year and plans to launch 1,000 new small and medium ventures every year for the next five years, creating 5,000 new ventures.
• The programme will be implemented through the Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC), which will provide loans up to 90 per cent of the project cost subject to a maximum of rs 50 lakh at 10 per cent interest. 

Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur Tops Niti Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Ranking for Feb-June
Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh has topped the list of aspirational districts ranked by government think-tank Niti Aayog for the February-June 2020 period.

• Ri-Bhoi (Meghalaya) and Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh) have been placed at the second and third positions respectively.
• Nawada (Bihar) has been ranked fourth and Moga (Punjab) is at the fifth place.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

300 year old Kali temple reconstructed with Indian support in Bangladesh
The High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das jointly inaugurated the reconstructed Sree Sree Joykali Matar temple at Natore with the State Minister of ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak.

• The temple was built approximately 300 years back in the early 18th century by Shri Dayaram Roy
• The MoU for the reconstruction of the temple at Lalbazar, Natore was signed in 2016. The Government of India provided a grant assistance of Taka 97 lakh for the reconstruction of the historic temple under its High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP).

India hands over 10 broad-gauge diesel locomotives to Bangladesh
India handed over ten broad-gauge diesel locomotives to Bangladesh. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar flagged them off online in presence of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and several dignitaries from across the border.

• These locomotives will help handle the increasing volume of passenger and freight train operations in Bangladesh, said Ministry of Railways.
• These are 3,300 Horse-Power locomotives that can run at a speed of 120 km/hr.

BANKING & FINANCE

ADB approves USD 3 million grant to India to combat COVID-19
Multilateral funding agency ADB said it has approved USD 3 million (about Rs 22 crore) grant to India from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund to further support the government’s emergency response to COVID-19 pandemic.

• The grant, which is financed by the Japanese government, will be used to procure thermal scanners and essential commodities to strengthen the India’s COVID-19 response.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Gujarat, UK India Business Council sign MoU to strengthen state’s industrial growth
The United Kingdom India Business Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), Industries and Mines Department, Government of Gujarat.

• The MoU is the initiation of a collaborative partnership between the UKIBC and Government of Gujarat will help to boost business and industrial development in the state.
• It will also aim to enhance the business environment proactively and strengthen collaboration with British businesses in Gujarat.

PFC ties up with IIT-Kanpur for research, training in smart grid technology
State-owned Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology- Kanpur for training, research, and entrepreneurship development in smart grid technology.

• As per the memorandum of association, the PFC will provide financial assistance of Rs 2.38 crore (Rs 2,38,97,000) to IIT-K under its CSR initiative.
• The objective of the pact is to provide support to IIT-K in developing infrastructure for research and development on smart grid technology, R Murahari, Executive Director (CSR&SD), PFC.

SPORTS

Stuart Broad becomes 7th bowler to take 500 Test wickets
Stuart Broad joined one of cricket’s most exclusive clubs when he took his 500th Test wicket as England completed a series-clinching win over the West Indies at Old Trafford.

• The 34-year-old became fourth pacemen to reach the landmark when he had opener Kraigg Brathwaite plumb lbw for 19 on the fifth day of the third Test.
• Board is the second England bowler after Anderson and the 7th overall in the overall list of highest wicket-takers, which is led by Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan with 800 scalps, Shane Warne (708), Anil Kumble (619), Anderson (589), Glenn Mc Grath (563) and Courtney Walsh (519) are ahead of Broad at the moment.

APPOINTMENTS

ICRA names Sivaraman as new MD and Group CEO
The board of directors of ICRA Ltd has appointed N Sivaraman as the Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of the credit rating agency for three years with effect from August 10, 2020.Currently he’s with the IL&FS group.

• Sivaraman will drive ICRA Group’s business strategy and innovation, build organizational capabilities, nurture ICRA’s strong culture of analytical excellence, strengthen the independence and objectivity of ICRA’s ratings and enhance the company’s thought leadership.

Jin Liqun re-elected president of AIIB
The board of governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), elected Jin Liqun for a second term as President.

• His second five-year term will begin on January 16, 2021.
• Under his leadership, AIIB has grown from 57 founding members to over 100 approved members from around the world

AWARDS

Indian-origin author Avni Doshi on 2020 Booker Prize longlist
Dubai-based Indian-origin author Avni Doshi is among the 13 authors longlisted for the prestigious 2020 Booker Prize for her debut novel Burnt Sugar, alongside double Booker winner Hilary Mantel for The Mirror and The Light.

• The book is about a young woman, Antara, coming to terms with her mother Tara’s memory loss, and trying to make sense of their shared past.

Jamie Vardy wins Premier League’s Golden Boot award
Leicester City’s forward Jamie Vardy claimed his maiden Golden Boot award and in the process became the oldest player in Premier League history to claim the prize with 23 goals .

• The 33-year-old Vardy beat Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (22), Southamptons Danny Ings (22) and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling (20) to scoop the prestigious individual award.
• Jamie is the first Leicester City player to claim the award and is only the second Englishman after Harry Kane to take the crown in the last 20 years.

Aditya, India’s First Solar Ferry, Wins Gustave Trouve Award
Aditya, India’s first solar-powered ferry that commenced operations in 2017 in Kerala’s Vembanad backwaters, has won the prestigious Gustave Trouve Award for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating.

• The ferry was adjudged the world’s best electric boat in the category of ferries designed for paid passenger service.
• The awards, handed out for the first time, is the world’s only such honour given to individuals and companies building and innovating in state-of-the-art electric boats. It was instituted this year in honour of Frenchman Gustave Trouve for his groundbreaking work in mobility based on electric transport, moving away from conventional fossil fuels.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

5 Rafales landed In Ambala, greeted with special salute
Five Rafale jets, the first of the 36 contracted by India, landed at the Ambala air base.

• The fighter jet, to be inducted into the Indian Air Force’s ‘Golden Arrow’ squadron, is the first imported fighter jet to be inducted into the IAF in 23 years after the Russian Sukhoi-30 fighters.
• The French-manufactured Rafale multi-role combat jets covered a distance of nearly 7,000 km and were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

Guwahati gets Northeast’s first manhole cleaning robot ‘BANDICOOT’
Guwahati Development Department Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya inaugurated city’s first manhole cleaning robot to ensure minimal human involvement to clean the sewers. Guwahati is the first city in the entire Northeast region to get a manhole cleaning robot.

•  Named ‘BANDICOOT’, the automatic sewer cleaning device has been procured by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) along with six Skid Steer Loaders (mini loaders) from JCB.
• The BANDICOOT robot was developed by a Start-up India company called Genrobotics under the Make in India initiative, funded by CSR of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL).

OBITUARIES

Marathi Actor Ashutosh Bhakre passes away
Marathi actor Ashutosh Bhakre allegedly died by suicide by hanging himself at his home in Nanded town in the Marathwada region. He was 32.

• Ashutosh Bhakre was the husband of Marathi actress Mayuri Deshmukh, who attained fame after her role in Marathi serial Khulta Kali Khulena. He had acted in Marathi films like Bhakar and Ichar Tharla Pakka.

Bollywood action director Parvez Khan passes away
Bollywood action director Parvez Khan, known for his work in Andhadhun, Johnny Gaddaar and Bullett Raja, has passed away after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 55.

• Parvez has been a part of the film industry since the 80s and worked with leading actors such as Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Bobby Deol, Nana Patekar among others.

Click here to read Daily Current Affairs