Current Affairs 18 November 2020

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 18 November 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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Top 25 Current Affairs of 18 November 2020

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Finance Ministry allocated Rs 39,097 cr for MEIS benefits for 2019-20; Rs 15,555 crore for Apr-Dec 2020

i.In accordance with the notification by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) under Department of Revenue, the Finance Ministry has approved the allocation of Rs 39,097 crore under the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) for the exports made during FY 2019-20. It also approved an allocation of Rs 15,555 crore for MEIS benefits for exports made during the period April 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020
ii.Notably, these allocations are strictly utilized for issuance of duty scrips only for exports made during the respective periods, i.e. Rs 39,097 crore for 2019-20, Rs 10,555 crore for the period April 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020 and Rs 5,000 crore for the period September 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
About Ministry of Finance:
Union Minister– Nirmala Sitharaman
Minister of State (MoS)– Anurag Singh Thakur
About Department of Revenue:
It exercises control in respect of matters relating to all the Direct and Indirect Union Taxes through two statutory Boards namely, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the CBIC.
Revenue Secretary– Ajay Bhushan Pandey
<<Read Full News>>

DIPAM Inked Agreement with WB for Advisory Services on Asset Monetization

i.On November 16, 2020, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), which handles government’s disinvestment programme has signed an agreement with World Bank (WB) under which the latter provide advisory services to DIPAM for asset monetization. This was approved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
ii.This project would facilitate and accelerate the non-core asset monetization process and help unlock the value of these unused/ marginally used assets for further investments and growth.
iii.The government has set a target of raising Rs 2.10 lakh crore from disinvestment in FY21
iv.It facilitates monetization of non-core assets of government CPSEs under strategic disinvestment or closure and enemy property of value of Rs100 crores and above.
About Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM):
Secretary– Tuhin Kanta Pandey
About World Bank (WB):
Establishment– 1944
President– David Robert Malpass
Headquarters– Washington, D.C., United States (US)
Members– 189 Countries
<<Read Full News>>

PM Modi unveils ‘Statue of Peace’ to mark 151st Birth Anniversary of Jainacharya Shree Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji Maharaj in Rajasthan

On 16th November, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually unveiled the ‘Statue of Peace’ to mark the 151st Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Jainacharya Shree Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji Maharaj at Vijay Vallabh Sadhana Kendra, Jetpura, in Pali, Rajasthan.
i.The statue is 151-inch tall and has been made from Ashtadhatu – 8 metals (Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Tin, Iron and Antimony or Mercury) with Copper being the major constituent.
ii.Vijay Vallabh is a Jain Saint who lived from 1870-1954.  He worked selflessly towards spreading the message of Lord Mahavira.
iii.He worked for the spread of education, eradication of social evils, and wrote literature.
iv.He gave active support to the Freedom Movement and the cause of Swadeshi.

Asia’s First Solar Power-Enabled Textile Mill to come up at Parbhani, Maharashtra

Jai Bhawani women’s cooperative textile mill is set to be come up at Parbhani, Maharashtra .It will be the first Textile Mill in Asia that will operate on Solar Power.
i.The Textile Mill is spread across Thirty acres of land and will process cotton to the cloth.
ii.Once Functional, the mill will provide jobs to many women in the district.
iii.It is being set up at a cost of INR 100 Crores and will add momentum to the industrial sector in the district.
About Maharashtra:
National Parks (NP) – Chandoli NP, Gugamal NP, Nawegaon NP, Sanjay Gandhi (Borivilli) NP, Tadoba NP
Ports – Jawaharlal Nehru (Navi Mumbai), Mumbai Port Trust
<<Read Full News>>

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

First-Ever Global commits by WHO to eliminate cervical cancer globally

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally.During the close of the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA), World Health Organisation (WHO) launched the first-ever “Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer”.The event will be held virtually and hosted by WHO leadership. The governments of Australia, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria and Rwanda will co-sponsor the event.

194 countries had committed to eliminating cancer – following the adoption of a resolution at this year’s World Health Assembly. As per the WHO’s above strategy, WHO implementing the three important steps such as 90% HPV vaccination coverage, 70% screening coverage, and 90% access to treatment.These steps could possibly reduce new cases of cervical cancer by more than 40% and five million related deaths by 2050

WHO set below Targets by 2030 globally to eliminate cervical cancer

• 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine by 15 years of age
• 70% of women screened using a high-performance test by 35 years and again by 45 years
• 90% of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment

Key Points:
–The annual number of new cases of cervical cancer are expected to increase to 700,000 from 570,000 between 2018 and 2030.
–The annual number of deaths is projected to rise to 400,000 from 311,000 between 2018 and 2030.
About World Health Organisation (WHO):
Director-General– Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland

UK Government announces First sponsors for 2021 UN Climate Change Conference

On November 16, 2020, the UK (United Kingdom) Government announced SSE, ScottishPower, NatWest Group and National Grid as the first Principal Partners for the 2021 United Nations (UN) Climate Conference also known as COP26.
i.As Principal Partners, they will be the top tier of sponsorship for COP 26.
ii.COP26 is scheduled to take place on November 1-12, 2021 at SEC Centre, Glasgow, Scotland (UK).
Arsenal Becomes First Premier League club to sign up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework:
Football club Arsenal became the first Premier League club to sign up for United Nations (UN) Sports for Climate Action Framework to support the ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
About COP26:
President – Alok Sharma
Scheduled Place – Glasgow, Scotland
About United Kingdom (UK):
Prime Minister – Boris Johnson
Capital – London
Currency – Pound Sterling
<<Read Full News>>

BANKING & FINANCE

Equitas Small Finance Bank Launches ‘Eva’, a Unique Women Savings Account; Smriti Mandhana, Appointed as Brand Ambassador

i.On November 16, 2020 Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited(ESFBL) launched ‘Eva’, a unique savings account for Indian women.
ii.The product addresses the wellbeing of women in every aspect such as Health, Wealth and Prosperity.
iii.Smriti Mandhana, an Indian Woman cricketer has been appointed as the new brand ambassador of ESFBL.
About Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited(ESFBL):
MD and CEO– Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan (P N)
Headquarters– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Commenced the business of SFB– September 5, 2016
Tagline– It’s Fun Banking
<<Read Full News>>

HDFC Bank launches ‘Mooh Band Rakho’ campaign to Increase Awareness on Cyber Frauds

i.On November 17, 2020 HDFC Bank launched a campaign, ‘Mooh Band Rakho’ to
increase awareness on cyber frauds and ways to prevent them. The campaign supports the International Fraud Awareness Week 2020(November 15 – 21), a global movement to reduce the impact of fraud.
Purpose of the campaign– To protect individuals from cyber frauds.
Need of the Campaign– More individuals are accessing banking services online, this has increased in COVID-19 pandemic.
About HDFC Bank:
Incorporated– August 1994
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)–  Sashidhar Jagdishan(Succeeds Aditya Puri)
Tagline– We understand your world
<<Read Full News>>

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

RBI Published 1^st ever ‘nowcast’; India is in 1^st historic technical recession

i.In accordance with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) first-ever estimation based on high-frequency data namely “nowcast”, India’s Gross domestic product (GDP) contracted  8.6% in the quarter ended September 2020 i.e. Q2FY21. Nowcast is prepared by a team of economists including Michael Debabrata Patra, RBI’s deputy governor.
ii.As per it, India also has entered a technical recession in the first half of FY21 for the first time in its history as the economy had slumped about 24% in Q1FY21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
iii.Also, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rises to 7.61% in October 2020 as compared to 7.27% in the previous month of September, 2020.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Formation– 1 April 1935
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, and M Rajeswar Rao)
<<Read Full News>>

  APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS          

Rohit Sharma Signed with Financepeer as Its Brand Ambassador

Rohit Sharma, India’s leading cricketer, signed with Financepeer, Google incubated education fee financing company, as its brand ambassador. Rohit Sharma will be supporting Financepeer to transform the education sector and introduce innovation across the various segments of education.

• This collaboration between Rohit Sharma and Financepeer will increase the reach of edtech and Fintech platforms of Financepeer among the Indian parents and schools.
• As a part of this collaboration, Rohit Sharma will participate in the digital activities of Financepeer.

About Financepeer:
i.Financepeer is the forerunner in the Educational fee financing segment in India, which aims to enable quality education accessible and affordable to all.
ii.The business model of Financepeer ensures seamless access to education and operations of schools.
Financepeer offers fee financing solutions, insurance cover and digital learning platforms, and provides a complete educational requirement of parents and students.
About Rohit Sharma:
i.Rohit Sharma (33 years old) holds the world record for highest individual score by a batsman playing in a one-day international(ODI) match, scoring 264 against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 13 November 2014.
ii.He is one of the all-time top run scorers in the Indian Premier League after Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli.
iii.He is the only man to score 3 double centuries in ODI.

RBI Appoints Senapathy (Kris) Gopalakrishnan, as the 1st Chairperson of Reserve Bank Innovation Hub

On November 17, 2020 Reserve Bank of India(RBI) appointed Senapathy (Kris) Gopalakrishnan, co-founder, and former co-Chairman, Infosys as the 1st chairperson of  Reserve Bank Innovation Hub(RBIH). He is currently the Chief Mentor of Start-up Village, an incubation hub for start-ups.

Note:RBIH will be guided and managed by a Governing Council (GC) led by a Chairperson.

Members:

• The governing council has also 9 other members.
• 9 members of the governing council are, Chief Executive Officer – To be appointed;Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Institute Professor, IIT, Madras; Prof. H. Krishnamurthy, Principal Research Scientist, IISc., Bengaluru ;Shri Gopal Srinivasan, CMD, TVS Capital Funds ;Shri A.P. Hota, Former CEO, National Payments Corporation of India; Shri Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, Former CMD, Syndicate Bank ;Shri T. Rabi Sankar, Executive Director, RBI (ex-officio) ;Shri Deepak Kumar, CGM, Department of Information Technology, RBI (ex-officio); Smt. K. Nikhila, Director, Institute for Development & Research in Banking Technology, Hyderabad (ex-officio).

Gist about Reserve Bank Innovation Hub(RBIH):
On August 6, 2020 RBI in its Monetary Policy Statement on Development and Regulatory Policies announced that RBI will set up a RBIH.
Aim- To promote innovation across the financial sector by leveraging the technology and creating an environment that facilitates and fosters innovation.
Highlights
i.RBIH will create an ecosystem that focuses on promoting access to financial services and products. This will also promote financial inclusion.
ii.It will collaborate with financial sector institutions, technology industry and academic institutions and coordinate efforts to exchange ideas and develop prototypes in relation to financial innovations.
iii.In order to  promote fintech research and facilitate engagement with innovators and start-ups, the hub will develop  internal infrastructure
About Reserve Bank of India:
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad(B.P.) Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar(M.K.) Jain, Michael Debabrata(M.D.)Patra, and M Rajeswar Rao)
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Formation– 1 April 1935

Nitish Kumar takes charge as Bihar Chief Minister for the 7th Time; Renu Devi becomes First Woman Deputy CM of Bihar

On November 16, 2020, Nitish Kumar of Janata Dal (United) party, 23rd person to became a CM of Bihar and takes oath as 37th chief minister of Bihar. His swearing-in ceremony was administered by Governor Phagu Chauhan, along with Nitish Kumar 14 Ministers from NDA (National Democratic Alliance) took oath as Ministers.
i.Nitish Kumar has been sworn in as the CM of Bihar for Four Consecutive Terms.
ii.He is also taking charge as CM of Bihar for the seventh time in two decades.
Two Deputy CMs:
i.Four-Time BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) MLA’s (Member of Legislative Assembly), Tarkishore Prasad (Constituency – Katihar) and Renu Devi (Constituency – Bettiah) were sworn-in as Deputy Chief Ministers.
ii.Renu Devi is the First Woman Deputy CM of Bihar.
<<Read Full News>>

Maia Sandu, Former Prime Minister is Set to Become the First Woman President of Moldova

Maia Sandu, leader of the Action and Solidarity party and former Prime Minister of Moldova, backed by the European Union(EU) won the Presidential runoff votes with around 57.75% of votes. She is set to become the first woman President of Moldova.
Maia Sandu, won the election defeating the pro-russian incumbent president, Igor Dodon by 15 points (42.25% of votes).
About the Presidential Election of Moldova:
i.The Moldovan presidential election began on 1st November 2020 and ended on 15th November 2020.
ii.On 1st November 2020, Maia Sandu secured 36% of the votes to Igor Dodon’s 33%.
The final results of the election are expected to be announced in 5 days.
About Maia Sandu:
i.Maia Sandu worked for the World Bank and later became the prime minister of Moldova in 2019.
ii.She secured 26 out of 101 seats in the Parliament of Moldova in association with Andrei Nastase.
iii.She was ousted by Ion Chicu following the motion of no confidence by the parliament of Moldova.
Key Points:
i.Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe with more than 1.2 million peoples living abroad and the country is highly dependent on remittances.
ii.The current pro-Russian government holds 51 out of 101 seats in the parliament.
iii.The new president can dissolve parliament if the prime minister resigns.
About Moldova:
Capital– Chișinău
Currency– Moldovan leu

Navneet Munot, CIO of SBIFM Appointed as the MD & CEO of HDFC Mutual Funds; Succeed Milind Barve

On 16th November 2020, the board of directors of HDFC Mutual Funds approved the appointment of Navneet Munot as its Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO). He will succeed Milind Barve, the current MD of HDFC Asset Management Company Limited.
Navneet is currently serving as the Executive Director & Chief Investment Officer(CIO) of SBI Funds Management(FM).
Note:
The SBI FM announced that Navneet Munot has decided to resign his position in SBI FM.
About Navneet Munot:
i.Navneet joined the SBI FM as CIO in December 2008.
ii.He served as the Executive Director & Head of multi strategy boutique with Morgan Stanley Investment Management.
iii.He also served as the CIO of Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund.
iv.He is the chairman of Indian Association of Investment Professional.
Note:
SBI FM is the largest Fund house in India which manages more than Rs.4.5 lakh crore and HDFC MF has an asset base of Rs.3.75 lakh crore.
About HDFC Mutual Funds:
MD- Milind Barve (Navneet Munot will take over as MD and CEO)
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
About SBI Funds Management(FM):
MD & CEO– Mr. Vinay M. Tonse
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

BSE StAR MF Launches ‘StAR MF Corp Direct Portal’ for Corporates with More Features

On November 14, 2020 BSE StAR MF, the Mutual Fund distribution platform of BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange), launched ‘StAR MF Corp Direct Portal’, a direct investment portal for corporates with more features. The portal will simplify and provide end-to-end value-based services to the Asset Management Companies (AMCs), distributors, investors, and mutual fund industry participants.

• The portal simplifies the investment process of mutual funds and will reduce the time and increase the efficiency for corporate

Note

• The portal is currently live for the corporates.
• The portal will be shortly available to other non individuals namely, Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), Partnership Firms, Societies among others.

Salient Features of  StAR MF Corp Direct Portal:
i.StAR MF Corp Direct Portal, an end to end digital web module works on the concept of corporate parent-child entity
ii.Corporates can transact (Direct & Regular mode) with all AMCs and schemes available under the single platform. At a single click multiple transaction can be done. Multiple Payment options are available.
iii.Corporates who have already transacted in any of the AMC/RAT platforms will have a quick onboarding.
iv.Customized Connectivity Feature can be availed on the basis of the corporate requirement.
v.Value added Services like Corporate Dashboard View, Transaction basket, Pre-filled transaction form, etc. will be available.
About BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange):
It is Asia’s first & the Fastest Stock Exchange in the world with the speed of 6 micro seconds and one of India’s leading exchange groups & it was recognised under the Securities Contract Regulation Act, 1956.
Established– 1875
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)–  Ashishkumar Chauhan
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra

China’s Ballistic Missiles DF-26B and DF-21D hit Target in Paracel Islands

The Chinese conventional missiles namely DF-26B intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) and DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) have successfully hit a moving ship (mobile at-sea) target in disputed waters south of Hainan Island and north of the Paracel Islands.

• Notably these missiles were launched on August 26, 2020 and the claim of hitting the target by these missiles is given by nearly three months later.
• The DF-26 was launched from Qinghai Province in northwest China, and the DF-21D ASBM from eastern China in Ningbo, Zhejiang.
• The DF-21D has a range of approximately 1,800km while DF-26 has a 4,000km range and it can carry either a nuclear or conventional warhead.

The DF-21D and DF-26 are in categories banned under the Russia-US Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which the US withdrew from in 2019.
About China:
Capital– Beijing
Currency– Renminbi
President– Xi Jinping

OBITUARY

Masatoshi Koshiba, Japanese Nobel Laureate of Physics Passed Away at 94 

On November 12, 2020 Masatoshi Koshiba, a Japanese astrophysicist passed away at the age of 94. He is the co-winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in physics for confirming the existence of elementary particles called neutrinos. He was born on September 19, 1926 in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan.

• He was Senior Counselor of International Center for Elementary Particle Physics (ICEPP) and Emeritus Professor of University of Tokyo.
• He was the founding member of the Edogawa NICHE Prize Steering Committee.

2002 Nobel Prize in physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2002 was divided, one half jointly to Masatoshi Koshiba and Raymond Davis Jr.  for pioneering contributions to astrophysics, in particular for the detection of cosmic neutrinos.
The other half was given to Riccardo Giacconi for pioneering contributions to astrophysics, which have led to the discovery of cosmic X-ray sources.
About Masatoshi Koshiba
Career & Work
i.He started his career as a Research Associate at the Department of Physics, University of Chicago.
ii.His work with neutrino detectors Kamiokande and Super-Kamiokande were instrumental to detect solar neutrinos and provide experimental evidence for the solar neutrino problem.
Awards
He received many awards, including, Asahi Prize(1987& 1999),  Nishina Memorial Prize(1987), Wolf Prize in Physics(2000),  Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics(2003) among others.
Honours 

• He received the Order of Cultural Merit, from The Emperor of Japan in 1997,
• In 2003, received the Order of the Rising Sun, the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government
• He was elected as the Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2002.

About Japan:
Capital– Tokyo
Currency– Japanese yen
Prime Minister(PM)– Yoshihide Suga

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Epilepsy Day 2020 – November 17

i.The National Epilepsy Day is annually celebrated across India on 17th November to create awareness about Epilepsy, its causes, risk factors, symptoms and treatments. This National Epilepsy Day is observed by the Epilepsy Foundation of India.
ii.According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), more than 50 million people across the globe have epilepsy, which makes it one of the most common neurological diseases.
iii.Almost 80% of people suffering from Epilepsy reside in low and middle income countries.
<<Read Full News>>

International Students’ Day 2020: November 17

International Students’ Day is celebrated annually on November 17 across the globe. It is an international observance of the student community.  The day aims to ensure every student has access to education around the world.

• The International Students Council in London declared November 17 as the International Students Day in 1941.

Why November 17? 
i.During World War II, on this day, in 1939 Nazis attacked the University of Prague, where over 1,200 students were sent to the concentration camps, and many others were killed. Eventually all the Czech universities and colleges were closed.
ii.This was because, the students held a series anti-Nazi demonstrations in Prague, Czech on October 28, 1939 against the killing of Jan Opletal and worker Václav Sedláèek and against the occupation of Czechoslovakia.

STATE NEWS

Coastal Security Police Launched “Kadalu App” for fishermen in Udupi

i.On 13th November 2020, Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Karnataka’s Minister for Fisheries, Inland Transport Department and Muzrai launched the “Kadalu App” to support and help the fishermen.  He launched the app at the Fishing Awareness programme held in Moodukudu, Krishnapura, near Udupi.
ii.The app was conceptualised and developed by Coastal Security Police for the Department of Fisheries, Government of Karnataka.
iii.The Kadalu app will support the fishermen to submit the information about their arrival and departure from the fishing harbors through their smartphones.
About Karnataka:
Chief Minister– B. S. Yediyurappa(19th Chief Minister of Karnataka)
Governor- Vajubai Rudabhai Vala(17th full time governor of karnataka)
Capital– Bengaluru
<<Read Full News>>

APSSDC signs MoU with Four Firms – IBM India, SPI, ITDC & LVPA to promote Skill Development of Youth

Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Four Separate Firms – IBM (International Business Machines) India, Singapore Polytechnic International (SPI), India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and LV Prasad Film & TV Academy (LVPA) for promoting Skill Development among Youth.
The MoU has been signed to impart industry-driven skill courses to students from ITI (Industrial Training Institutes), Polytechnic and Graduation.
MoUs:
i.MoU with IBM India to set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the Information Technology (IT) sector.
ii.MoU with SPI to provide industry-led courses in advanced manufacturing, food innovation and processing and entrepreneurship.
iii.MoU with LVPA to set up and operate a CoE in the media and entertainment sector in Visakhapatnam district.
iv.MoU with ITDC to set up a CoE in the hospitality sector.
About Andhra Pradesh (AP):
Festival – Lumbini Festival, Visakha Utsav, Ugadi
Dances – Veera Natyam, Kuchipudi, Gobbi Dance, Kolatam, Tappeta Gullu, Mathuri, Dhimsha
<<Read Full News>>

A & N Administration signs Tripartite Agreement with USOF, BSNL for Operation & Management of CANI-SMC Project

On November 13, 2020, A Tripartite Agreement was signed between Andaman & Nicobar Administration (A & N), Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd) for operation and management of Chennai-Andaman & Nicobar Islands Submarine Cable (CANI-SMC) Project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the INR 1224 Crore worth Submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) connecting Chennai and Port Blair in August, 2020.
Chennai-Andaman & Nicobar Islands Submarine Cable (CANI-SMC) Project:
i.CANI-SMC Project was started to provide faster & reliable delivery of mobile and landline telecom services to A & N Islands at par with other parts of India.
About Andaman & Nicobar (A & N):
Lieutenant Governor – Admiral D K Joshi
Capital – Port Blair
Volcano – Barren Island Volcano (India’s only active volcano)
<<Read Full News>>

Child Rights Week observed in Rajasthan from Nov 14 – 20, 2020: “Vastsalya Yojna” & “Samarth Yojna” Launched

i.The state government of Rajasthan is observing child rights week from November 14 to 20, 2020 through skill development activities, awareness programs, and new welfare schemes. The initiatives were taken from the Nehru Child Protection Fund, which was announced in the 2020-21 State Budget.
ii.The week was virtually inaugurated by Rajasthan Chief Minister (CM) Ashok Gehlot.
iii.During the week the CM launched Vaatsalya Yojana and Samarth Yojana for orphan and destitute children.
About Rajasthan:
Capital– Jaipur
Governor– Kalraj Mishra
<<Read Full News>>

Puducherry launches Free Breakfast Scheme for Government School Students named after Dr Karunanidhi

On November 12, 2020 Puducherry Government formally launched a free breakfast scheme “Dr Kalaignar Mu Karunanidhi Kaalai Sitrundi Thittam” (Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi breakfast scheme) named after Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi for Government and Government aided school’s students.
i.Around 80, 000 students from 419 schools would benefit from the scheme.
ii.Puducherry Government has set aside INR 6 crore as additional amount to implement the breakfast scheme.
About Puducherry:
Lieutenant Governor – Kiran Bedi
Lakes – Ousteri Lake, Bahour Lake, Velrampet Lake
<<Read Full News>>

Tribal Pride Day 2020 in Madhya Pradesh – November 15

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister(CM) of Madhya Pradesh(MP)  has decided to celebrate the Tribal Pride Day in Madhya Pradesh(MP) on 15th November 2020 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Freedom fighter and martyr Birsa Munda. He also stated that starting from 2020 every year the 15th November will be celebrated as Tribal Pride Day.

• The Department of Culture and the Tribal Welfare Department organised a program in the Tribal Museum of Bhopal to commemorate the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.
• He also announced that the name of MP’s Tribal Welfare Department will be changed to Tribal Affairs Department.

About Birsa Munda:
i.Birsa Munda was born on 15th November 1875 in Jharkhand.
ii.He challenged the British rule in India and mobilised the tribal communities against the British rule in India.
iii.His work area are, Chota Nagpur Plateau, Jharkhand and Madhya Bharat (presently Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh)
Key Points:
i.Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the “Samras hostels” will be established across the state, which will provide accommodation to the children of all the communities.
ii.He also stated that 10% seats in the tribal hostels will be reserved for poor children of other communities.
iii.As a part of the programme, Ranbankure, a short film based on self-esteem of tribal genitals was screened.
About Madhya Pradesh:
Governor- Anandiben Mafatbhai Patel
Wildlife Sanctuary– Sardarpur Sanctuary, Sailana Sanctuary, Ghatigaon Sanctuary,Son Ghariyal Sanctuary, Bori Sanctuary, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

AC GAZE

Kerala’s Responsible Tourism Mission Receives World Travel Mart’s  ‘Highly Commended’ Award 

On November 6, 2020  Kerala”s Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission received World Travel Mart’s  ‘Highly Commended’ Award in the category of ”Meaningful Connections.” for its activities that aimed at promoting RT during the COVID-19 pandemic. It received the award for its activities like ”Work at Home Videos” developed by RT Mission entrepreneurs and storytelling audio and video series of various Mission units in the state that posed multiple challenges to the tourism sector. This award is the 5th International Award for the RT Mission since its formation in 2017. The Mission has also won 3 National Awards.

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