Daily Current Affairs 5 February 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
NATIONAL NEWS
India’s biggest rural technical festival ‘Antahpragnya 2020’ kicks off
M Prashanthi, District Collector of Nirmal, inaugurated National Level India’s Biggest Rural Technical Festival titled ‘Antahpragnya 2020’ in the state of Telangana at Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies-Basar (RGUKT-Basar), the temple city, 180 km from Hyderabad, the state capital of Telangana.
DST launches SATHI initiative to address need for building strong science & technology infrastructure
The Department of Science and Technology has launched the SATHI initiative, Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes to address need for building strong science & technology infrastructure.
- DST has already set up three such centres in the country, one each at IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi and BHU at a total cost of Rs 375 Cores. It is planned to set up five SATHI Centres every year for the next four years.
RCS-UDAN marked 250th route through Bhubaneswar-Varanasi daily flight operations
Boosting the regional aerial connectivity in India, Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India on Friday commenced first direct daily flight operations from Bhubaneswar to Varanasi under the Centre’s RCS-UDAN scheme.
- The commencement of the Bhubaneswar-Varanasi route marks another milestone achieved by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) with 250th route being operational.
73.47 Lakh people trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana from 2016-20
Under the Skill India Mission, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is implementing a flagship scheme called the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 2016-20 with an objective to provide skilling to one crore youth under Short Term Training (STT) courses and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) across the country in a four years period i.e. 2016-2020.
- Under PMKVY (2016-20), as on 17.01.2020, 73.47 lakh (appx.) (40.27 lakh STT + 33.20 lakh RPL) candidates have been trained/oriented throughout the country.
GoM headed by MoH&FW Harsh Vardhan to monitor novel coronavirus outbreak constituted
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has set up a task force under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Dr Harsh Vardhan, to monitor the recent novel Coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak.
- The Group of Ministers(GoM) will review the situation on a daily basis.
Coronavirus declared state disaster in Kerala after 3 test positive
After three people from the state tested positive for coronavirus, the Government of Kerala declared the lethal disease caused by the novel coronavirus as a “state calamity”.
BANKING & FINANCE
Bank credit up by 7.21%, deposits up by 9.51%: RBI
According to the latest Reserve Bank data,credit and deposits grew 7.21 per cent and 9.51 per cent to Rs 100.05 trillion and Rs 131.26 trillion, respectively, in the fortnight ended January 17.
- In the year-ago fortnight, banks advance stood at Rs 93.32 trillion while deposits at Rs 119.85 trillion.
- Non-food bank credit growth decelerated to 7 per cent in December 2019 from 12.8 per cent in December 2018.
Paytm launches Android POS device for SMEs & merchant partners
Paytm launched its Android POS device for merchant partners across and small businesses in India. This device helps merchants to accept payments through Paytm Wallet, all UPI-based apps, debit and credit cards, as well as cash.
- Besides accepting payments, merchants will also be able to generate GST compliant bills and manage all transactions and settlements through their ‘Paytm for Business’ app.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Fitch forecast India’s GDP growth to 4.6 % for FY20 & 5.6 % for FY 21
Fitch Ratings said India is expected to clock a GDP growth of 5.6 per cent in the next financial year FY21 and GDP growth of 4.6% for this financial year FY20, lower than the projection made by the government’s Economic Survey, as Budget 2020 has not “materially altered” its view on the country’s growth outlook.
Flipkart shuts down Jabong
Flipkart has shut down the operations of Jabong, in a move to fully empower its premium fashion marketplace Myntra.
- Following the development, Jabong’s portal and the app will redirect to Myntra’s shopping window.
Amazon India partnered with Eastern Railways to set up kiosk at Sealdah railway station in Kolkata
After a successful pilot in Mumbai, Amazon India announced to expand pickup points to Kolkata, with launching a kiosk at the Sealdah railway station that would act as a convenient and easy pickup point for customers.
- With a daily customer footfall of millions of people, Sealdah railway station will help Amazon customers in the region pick up their packages while commuting to work, home or even on vacation.
APPOINTMENTS
Albin Kurti appointed as the new PM of Kosovo
Kosovo’s parliament has approved Albin Kurti as the 4th new prime minister of the country on 3rd February 2020.
- He succeeds Ramush Haradinaj, who was wanted for questioning related to 1990s hostilities
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to be Goodwill Ambassador of Indian team at Tokyo Olympics: IOA
The Indian Olympic Association has invited BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to become the Goodwill Ambassador of the Indian contingent at the Tokyo Olympic game from July 24 to August 9.
AWARDS
Babenco: Tell Me When I Die by Barbara Paz bags Golden conch award for best documentary film
The prestigious Golden Conch Award for Best Documentary Film has been awarded to Babenco: Tell Me When I Die, directed by Barbara Paz at the 16th edition of Mumbai International Film Festival have been presented at the closing ceremony, held in Nehru Centre Auditorium, Worli, Mumbai.
- The film, which is a tender immersion into the life of the South American filmmaker and Paz’s late life partner Hector Babenco, has been selected for the highest honour at the festival “for its intimate and celebratory portrayal of the Brazilian film director and his reflections of life – and death”
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
GoI unveils new vaccine to control classical swine fever
In order to check fall in pig population in India, the government unveiled a new indigenously developed vaccine for controlling classical swine fever, which is an highly contagious fatal pig disease.
- The new vaccine, developed by Uttar Pradesh-based ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), will be much cheaper than the existing one. It would cost only Rs 2 per dose compared to the current vaccine’s rate of Rs 15-20 per dose and imported Korean vaccine rate of Rs 30 per dose.
OBITUARIES
Kenya’s longest serving Ex-President Daniel Moi passed away
Kenya’s former and longest-reigning president, Daniel arap Moi, has died at the age of 95.
- Moi was the Kenya’s second president after independence and went on to rule from 1978 to 2002.
- His wily grasp of power earned him the nickname “Professor of Politics” amongst Kenyans.
Former Nizamabad Lok Sabha MP Narayana Reddy passed away
Former MP, senior advocate, and one of the protagonists of the separate Telangana movement in 1969, M. Narayana Reddy passed away.
- In 1972 he was elected as a member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Bodhan as an Indian National Congress candidate.
- He established the first Women’s College in Nizamabad in 1965.
IMPORTANT DAYS
72nd Independence Day celebrated by Sri Lanka
Srilanka celebrated it’s 72nd anniversary of independence from Britain was celebrated in the capital, Colombo on 4th February , with military parades and air shows.
- The major change in the celebration ceremony was the National Anthem of Sri Lanka as it was sung only in Sinhala and not in Tamil language