Daily Current Affairs 4th September, 2020

Daily Current Affairs 4 September 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme: Goa paired with Jharkhand
Under Ek Bharat Shresht Bharat, Goa is paired with Jharkhand. Lot of exchange activities are happening on this front.

• Lokotsav programmes held earlier in Goa in Panaji evoked good response. Stalls of Jharkhand displayed delicacies from that state and Goans enjoyed savouring the same.
•  Folk dances presented by Jharkhand artistes also were appreciated by Goan artistes. Later Goan artistes also visited Jharkhand and presented Goan folk dances

Sikkim & Delhi paired for cultural exchanges under Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat programme
Sikkim is paired with Delhi under Ek Bharat Shresht Bharat for promoting greater mutual understanding amongst them.

• The Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat programme aims to actively enhance interaction between people of diverse cultures living in different States and Union Territories in India.

Transport Ministry proposes to make FASTags mandatory for old vehicles sold before Dec 2017
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified draft notification to seek comments and suggestions from the stakeholders on making FASTag mandatory for old vehicles sold before 1st December, 2017. 

• The amended provision in Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 is proposed to be put in force with effect from 1st January 2021.
• It is also proposed to make having a valid FASTag mandatory while getting a new Third Party Insurance through an amendment  wherein the details of FASTag ID will be captured.  This is proposed to be put in force from 1st of April next year. 

Pang Lhabsol Festival Of Sikkim celebrated
Pang Lhabsol festival is unique to Sikkim. It is celebrated to offer thanks to Mount Khangchendzonga, the guardian deity of Sikkim and to Yabdu, the supreme commander of Mount Khangchendzonga.

• It is staged in front of the Tsuklakhang monastery in the former palace compound in Gangtok.

Arjun Munda inaugurates the two day National Tribal Research Conclave
The two days National Tribal Research Conclave inaugurated by the Conclave Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda.

• The Conclave is organized by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA). The aim of the conclave is  to Strengthen of TRIs in partnership with Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA).
• The themes of the conclave are Health, Livelihood, Education, digitalisation, water conservation, data sciences and development models for aspiration and model villages.

Assam’s first Newspaper for Kids ‘The Young Minds’ launched
Two Guwahati-based women entrepreneurs have launched a newspaper specifically designed for kids, to promote creative thinking among children and inculcate in them the habit to read and write.

• The newspaper named ‘The Young Minds‘ is the brainchild of Neelam Sethia and Neha Bajaj. The first copy of The Young Minds is scheduled to release in November
• The Young Minds, reportedly, will cater to kids of 4-14 years of age.

Rs 601.12 cr annual action plan approved for PMKSY in J&K
An amount of Rs 601,12 crore annual plan has been approved for Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in J & K for the year 2020-21.

• The annual plan lays emphasis on various components under the schemes Per Drop More Crop (PDMC), Har Khet Ko Paani (HKKP), Integrated Watershed Management Plan (IWMP) and Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Togo first in Africa to end sleeping sickness
Togo has received validation from the World Health Organization (WHO) for having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis or “sleeping sickness” as a public health problem, becoming the first country in Africa to reach this milestone.

• The west African country did not report any cases for the past 10 years, achieving this feat after more than 2 decades of disease surveillance.

BANKING & FINANCE

ICICI Bank launches ‘Home Utsav’ property exhibition
ICICI Bank announced the launch of ‘Home Utsav’, a virtual property exhibition that digitally showcases real estate projects by renowned developers from key cities across the country.

• The exhibition is available for everyone, including ICICI Bank’s customers and those who are not customers of the Bank.
• It offers them enhanced convenience, as they can simply browse through these projects online, from the comfort of their home and office.
• They can also avail exclusive offers such as attractive interest rates, special processing fees and digital sanction of loans, on buying a property through this exhibition.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

R K Singh launches green term ahead market
Union Minister R K Singh launched the Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) for electricity, a move that will lead to an increase in the participants in the renewable energy sector.

• The initiative will also help in achieving the renewable energy(RE) capacity addition targets of the country.
• The introduction of GTAM platform would lessen the burden on RE-rich states and incentivize them to develop RE capacity beyond their own RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligation).

Andhra Pradesh signs MoU with CSIR for a bulk drug pharma park in the state
The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (APIIC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) to establish a bulk drug park in the state.

• CSIR-IICT is the knowledge partner and will offer needed technical backing to make the proposal which will be submitted by the Andhra Pradesh government to the Department of Pharmaceuticals to seek financial assistance from the Centre.

SIDBI, Maharashtra Govt ink pact to develop MSME ecosystem
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtra Government to develop the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) ecosystem in the state.

• Under the agreement, a Project Management Unit (PMU) will be deployed by SIDBI with the Government of Maharashtra.
• The role of the PMU will be to design schemes/programmes in the areas of equity support, interest subvention, resolution of stressed MSMEs, supporting MSME entrepreneurs and facilitate other need-based intervention based on evaluation of the existing status of MSMEs.

SPORTS

Indian GM Iniyan wins World Open online chess tournament
India’s GM P. Iniyan won the 48th annual world open chess tournament (online) recently. Usually held in Philadelphia, the USA, the tournament was conducted online following classical time control.

• The event was held with three rounds each day for three days. A total of 122 participants from 16 countries participated.

APPOINTMENTS

Krishnan appointed as MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has given its approval for the appointment of S Krishnan as Managing Director and CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank.

• Prior to this elevation, Krishnan was an Executive Director at Canara Bank, a State-owned Bank.
• He will replace S Harishankar, the current MD and CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank.

Murali Ramakrishnan appointed as new South Indian Bank CEO
The Reserve Bank has approved the appointment of Murali Ramakrishnan as Managing Director and CEO of South Indian Bank.

• He would be succeeding incumbent VG Mathew, who will be retiring on September 30.
• The appointment is for a period for three years, with effect from October 1, 2020.

 Mustapha Adib named new Prime Minister of Lebanon
Lebanon’s leaders have designated the country’s ambassador to Germany, Mustapha Adib, as the new Prime Minister , hours before the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron in Beirut.

• Adib, who has been Beirut’s Berlin envoy since 2013, is affiliated with a small Sunni party headed by former Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Kiara Advani becomes new Brand Ambassador for Myntra
Flipkart-owned fashion marketplace Myntra has appointed Bollywood actor Kiara Advani as its brand ambassador to increase its young customer base across tiers.

• With this partnership, Advani who has acted in several Bollywood films and web series, will feature in the company’s new brand campaign.

AWARDS

Only 2 Indian varsities among the world’s top 400: THE World University Rankings
India has just two universities among the world’s top 400, as per World University Rankings 2021 released by the UK-based Times Higher Education (THE).

• While India saw a record 63 institutions qualify for the Rankings, with an additional 14 universities since last year, more than any other country or region, there is very little to cheer about the outcome.
• Among Indian institutions, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc in Bengaluru) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, are the two in the world’s top 400. While IISc has been placed in the 301-350 groupings, IIT Ropar is in the 351-400 bracket.
• Globally, over 1,500 universities from 93 countries were ranked, with the Oxford University of UK topping the list, followed by Stanford Univeristy and Harvard University. In Asia, China’s Tsinghua University was adjudged best in the continent with an overall rank of 20.

OBITUARIES

Former England cricketer David Capel passes away
Former England all-rounder David Capel, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2018, passed away. He was 57.

• Capel, who played 15 Tests and 23 ODIs from 1987-1990, had an aggregate of 701 runs and 38 wickets.
• He spent 32 consecutive years with Northamptonshire as a player and then coach

BOOKS

Pope Francis” new book “Let Us Dream”  to hit stands in December
The book titled, “Let Us Dream” has been authored by Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, which will be scheduled to release in December.

• This book is  a product of the numerous exchanges between Pope Francis and his biographer Austen Ivereigh, in the weeks following the coronavirus outbreak around the world.
• The book will be available in English and Spanish editions simultaneously.It has been published by Simon & Schuster.

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