Current Affairs PDF

Current Affairs 22 January 2021

AffairsCloud YouTube Channel - Click Here

AffairsCloud APP Click Here

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 22 January 2021, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2021 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.

Our Current Affairs January 2021 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Monthly Current Affairs 2021 PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.

Read Current Affairs in CareersCloud APP, Course Name –  Learn Current Affairs – Free Course – Click Here to Download the APP

We are Hiring – Subject Matter Expert | CA Video Creator | Content Developers(Pondicherry)

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Cabinet approvals on January 20, 2021cabinet approval on Jan 20 2021i.On January 20, 2021, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi given its approval to the following approvals:

  • The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the new Joint Venture Company (JVC) for an investment of Rs.5281.94 crore in the 850 MW Ratle Hydro Electric (HE) Project. The project is located on river Chenab, in Kishtwar district of Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and will be commissioned within 60 months.
  • The Union Cabinet approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Uzbekistan for cooperation in the Solar Energy sector.

About National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC):
It is Mini Ratna Category-I Public Sector Undertaking (PSU).
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)– Abhay Kumar Singh
Headquarter– Faridabad, Haryana
About Uzbekistan:
Capital– Tashkent
Currency– Uzbekistani soʻm
President– Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev
<<Read Full News>>

Power Grid Signs Agreement with Himachal Pradesh to Improve Telecom Connectivity in Hilly AreasPower Grid Corporation signs agreement with Himachal Electricity Board for telecom networkPower Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) has signed an agreement with Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd (HPSEBL) to improve telecom connectivity in the remote & hilly areas of the state such as Kangra, Una, Mandi, Kullu, Bilaspur, Sirmour, Palampur, Sundernagar, Banikhet, Amb, Paonta Sahib, Nahan and others. In regard to this agreement, POWERGRID will use the 500 Kms Long Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) laid in HPSEBL Extra High Voltage (EHV) lines of the state to boost the telecom connectivity.

  • 350 Kms of OPGW network has already been laid on HPSEBL Extra High Voltage (EHV) lines and is being used to boost the telecom connectivity in the state.
  • So, POWERGRID will totally use 850 Kms Long Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) for the purpose.
  • Landslides, Difficult Terrains & Rough Weather Conditions are the main reasons for the limited telecom network reach.
  • Telecom Service Providers can use the OPGW Network to provide uninterrupted mobile/Internet services to people of the state.

POWERGRID has created about 67, 500 kms of Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) network which connects over 1000 plus locations across India
About Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID):
It is an ‘Maharatna’ Central Public Sector Enterprise & India’s Largest Electric Power Transmission Utility
Chairman & Managing Director – K Sreekant
Headquarters – Gurgaon, Haryana
<<Read Full News>>

NITI Aayog releases 2nd Edition of Indian Innovation Index 2020; Karnataka tops the IndexNITI Aayog Releases Second Edition of India Innovation IndexOn January 20, 2021, NITI Aayog virtually released the 2nd Edition of Indian Innovation Index 2020. Karnataka topped the Index in the Major States Category, Delhi topped among the Union Territories (UT) and Himachal Pradesh among North-Eastern and Hilly States. Overall, Indian States have achieved an average score of 23.4 in the Index.
i.The Main objective of the index is to

  • Create a Framework for evaluation of India’s Innovation Environment

ii.For effective comparison of performances, the States & UTs have been divided into 17 Major States, 10 North-East (NE) & Hill States & 9 UTs and City States.
Click here to read the Full Report

RankMajor StatesScore
1Karnataka42.50
2Maharashtra38.03
3Tamil Nadu37.91
4Telangana33.23
5Kerala30.58

RankUT and City StatesScore
1Delhi46.60
2Chandigarh38.57
3Daman & Diu26.76
4Puducherry25.23
5Goa24.92

RankNE & Hill StatesScore
1Himachal Pradesh25.06
2Uttarakhand23.50
3Manipur22.78
4Sikkim20.28
5Mizoram16.93


FSSM Report:
On January 19, 2021, NITI Aayog released the report ‘Faecal Sludge and Septage Management in Urban Areas – Service & Business Models’. The report has been jointly developed by NITI Aayog with National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (NFSSM) Alliance.
Click here to read the Full Report 
<<Read Full News>>

PM Releases Financial Assistance around Rs 2691cr to 6.1 lakh beneficiaries in UP under PMAY-GPM releases financial assistance to over 6 lakh beneficiariesi.On January 20, 2021, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi released financial assistance of around Rs 2691 crores to ~6.1 lakh beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh (UP) under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) through video conference.
ii.It was also attended by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Ministry of Rural Development; Anandiben Mafatbhai Patel, Governor of UP; and Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister (CM) of UP.
iii.Through this financial aid, 5.30 lakh beneficiaries will get their first instalment under the scheme while 80,000 beneficiaries will receive the second instalment.
About Uttar Pradesh (UP):
Tiger Reserve– Etawah Lion Safari, Chuka Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
Stadium– Eklavya Sports Stadium, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Sports stadium , Buddh International Circuit.
<<Read Full News>>

Govt to set up NFPC for faceless penalty proceedings: Faceless Penalty Scheme 2021

As a part of faceless taxation, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has introduced the Faceless Penalty Scheme 2021 under which penalty to assessee will be imposed in a digital format. Faceless penalty scheme will help boost  transparency, compliance for taxpayers.

  • In this regard, there will be setting up of National Faceless Penalty Centres(NFPC), regional penalty centres, penalty units and review units for execution of penalty proceedings.
  • The information for the same was provided by the Ministry of Finance.

Note – The tax department can levy penalties on a taxpayer under various provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Key Points:
–As the setting up of centres will take time, the penalty actions will be undertaken by the faceless assessment system.
–A penalty order will undergo review before being issued to an assessee.
–An appeal against a penalty order made by the National Faceless Penalty Centre will lie before the Commissioner (Appeals) having jurisdiction over the jurisdictional income tax authority.
–All communication with assessees will be done either via email or through mobile app.
–Physical hearing will be allowed only with approval from CBDT.
–National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) and its units will act as faceless penalty system until, National Faceless Penalty Centre is constructed.
In 2020, the government introduced faceless assessment and faceless appeals.

Indian Railways Renamed Howrah-Kalka Mail, One of the Oldest Running Train in India as “Netaji Express”Indian Railways renames iconic Howrah-Kalka Mail as 'Netaji Express'As a tribute to Freedom fighter ‘Netaji’ Subhas Chandra Bose, the Indian Railways has renamed the Howrah-Kalka Mail, one of the oldest running trains in India, as “Netaji Express” with effect on 23rd January 2021, the 125th Birth Anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose.
The ministry of Railways approved the renaming of Train No. 12311/12312 Howrah-Kalka Mail on 20th January 2021.
About Howrah-Kalka Mail:
i.The Howrah-Kalka Mail which connects Howrah (Eastern Railway) and Kalka (Northern Railway) through Delhi is one of the early commercial passenger train services in India.
ii.The train was first operated on 1st January 1866 as Howrah-Peshawar Express.
iii.The train was patronised by the British Civil Servants and was used by them to travel to Shimla, the winter capital of British India.
iv.This train was also used by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to escape from the British Administration in 1940’s.
Note:
The order to rename Howrah-Kalka Mail as Netaji Express was issued on 19th January 2021, when the Government of India has decided to annually observe the Birth Anniversary of Netaji as Parakram Diwas from 2021.
About Indian Railways:
CEO and Chairman (Railway Board)– Sunnet Sharma
Headquarters– New Delhi

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

5th India-Singapore Defence Ministers Dialogue 2021 held; Implementing Agreement inked between IN & RSN5th India-Singapore Defence Ministers Dialoguei.On January 20, 2021, the 5th India-Singapore Defence Ministers Dialogue held virtually between Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence on behalf of India and Dr. Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence, on behalf of Singapore. It was also attended by Defence Secretary of India Dr. Ajay Kumar.
ii.Both nations are satisfied with the progress in the defence cooperation across all three Services and also in the areas of defence technology and industry even during the restrictions caused by COVID 19 pandemic.
iii.The dialogue saw the signing of the Implementing Agreement on Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation between the Indian Navy (IN) and Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) under which both navies will extend rescue facilities to each other’s submarines in the times of distress with political permission.
About Singapore:
Prime Minister – Lee Hsien Loong
Currency – Singapore Dollar (SGD)
<<Read Full News>>

Number of People facing food insecurity set to double to 265 Million in Asia due to Pandemic: UN ReportUN 2020 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition reportAccording to the report ‘Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2020: Maternal and child diets at the heart of improving nutrition’, based on Global estimates the number of people facing severe food insecurity was estimated to double to 265 Million by the end of 2020 due to pandemic. The report was jointly released by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO).
The report states that around 1.9 Billion people in Asia & Pacific are not able to afford a healthy diet.
i.It is the 3rd Annual Report released by the UN agencies reflecting the progress made towards

  • Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-2 Zero Hunger
  • World Health Assembly targets 2030 on nutrition in Asia & Pacific region

Click here to read the full report
About Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
Director General– Qu Dongyu
Headquarters– Rome, Italy
About World Food Programme (WFP):
HeadQuarters– Rome, Italy
Executive Director– David Beasley
<<Read Full News>>

India Ranked 4th in Global Firepower Nations Index 2021- ‘Military Strength Ranking’, USA TopsIndia comes fourth in the Global Firepower Nations Index 2021i.According to the defence analytics website, Global Firepower’s Global Firepower Nations Index 2021 -‘Military Strength Ranking’ an annually updated list of 138 modern military nations, India is ranked 4th with PwrIndx (Power Index) rating of 0.1214 where 0.0000 rating is considered as ‘perfect’. The ranking has been topped by the United States of America (USA).
ii.The ranking has been topped by the United States of America (USA).
iii.Among region the index is topped by Asia and followed by Asia-Pacific, Middle East and European Union (EU) at 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively.
About Military Strength Ranking:
Since 2006, Global Firepower is providing military strength ranking on the basis of over 50 individual factors to determine a nation’s PowerIndex (‘PwrIndx’) score.
<<Read Full News>>

Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji Won the Presidency of the UN Human Rights Council

Fijian Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan, the chief diplomat of Fiji in Geneva won the Presidency Election of the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) with  29 out of 47 votes. Fiji became the first Pacific Island nations to win the presidency election of the UNHRC. She succeeds Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberge of Austria.
The Bureau of the Council which includes the President and 4 vice Presidents from the 5 regional groups serve for a period of a year, in accordance to the annual cycle of the UNHRC.
About UNHRC:
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland.
Members– 47

BANKING & FINANCE

Axis Bank Launched ‘AURA’, a Credit Card with Affordable Health and Wellness Benefitshealth and wellness solutionsi.On January 19, 2021 Axis Bank launched ‘AURA’, a credit card with health and wellness benefits at an affordable price for its individual users.
ii.
The features of the card is powered by Poshvine , Decathlon, Practo, Fitternity, IndushealthPlus, 1MG etc.,
Aim– To provide complete health and wellness solutions to its users.
About Axis Bank Ltd:
It is 3rd largest private sector bank in India
Commenced operations– 1994(Incorporated- 1993)
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline– Badhti Ka naam Zindagi
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)–  Amitabh Chaudhry
<<Read Full News>>

PPBL Partners with Suryoday SFB to Launch FD Service & Becomes India’s 1st Payment Bank to Launch the Multi Partner FD ServicePaytm Bank ties up with Suryoday Small Finance Bank to offer fixed-deposit servicesi.On January 19, 2021 Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) partnered with Suryoday Small Finance Bank(SFB) Ltd to enable its account  holders to avail Fixed Deposit(FD) services.
ii.
It is to be recalled that PPBL has been offering FD services in partnership with Induslnd bank with a minimum investment of Rs. 100.
iii.PPBL with the partnership with Suryoday SFB has become the 1st payments bank in India to launch the multi-partner FD service. Through this service an account holder can select the partnered bank as per their preference.
About Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL):
Launched– 2017
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Chairman– Vijay Shekhar Sharma
MD & CEO– Satish Kumar Gupta
About Suryoday Small Finance Bank Ltd:
Launched-January 23rd 2017
Headquarters– Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline– A Bank of Smiles
MD and CEO–  Baskar Babu Ramachandran
<<Read Full News>>

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

Philanthropist Ravi Gaikwad awarded “Nelson Mandela” World Humanitarian Award

Ravi Gaikwad, a Philanthropist & Chief of Regional Transport Office, Thane & Konkan Region has been awarded the “Nelson Mandela” World Humanitarian Award for his dedication & service to humanity.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS          

Joe Biden Takes Over as the 46th President of the USA; Kamala Harris as Vice PresidentJoe Biden takes over as 46th PresidentOn 20th January 2021, Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Joe Biden) took oath as the 46th President of the United States of America(USA) at a ceremony organised at the West Front of the US Capitol building, Washington, USA. 78-year-old Joe Biden became the oldest President in the history of the USA.  He was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts. He belong to Democratic Political Party.
Kamala Harris
took oath as the 49th Vice President. She is the first woman and first person with south Asian origin to take the office of Vice President of the USA.
She was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina in the US Supreme Court. She belong to Democratic Political Party.
Key People:
Former Presidents, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton along with their spouses, the outgoing Vice President Mike Pence were present during the event.
United States Congress:
i.The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the USA. the congress meets at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
ii.The legislative branch, established by the Article I of the Constitution consist of 2 houses:

  • The Senate
  • The House of Representatives

The Senate:
The Senate, the upper chamber of the US Congress has 100 senators, 2 senators representing each State (50).
President of the Senate– Kamala Harris
The House of Representatives:
i.The House of Representatives has 435 elected representatives from the 50 states in proposition to the total population.
ii.In addition to the representatives, it has 6 non-voting members from the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the 4 US territories – American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
Speaker of the house– Nancy Pelosi

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS        

CCI Approves Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd- Flipkart Investments Pvt Ltd Deal, Axis- Max life Deal & Altico-Ares SSG Dealstake in Aditya Birla Fashion and RetailOn January 20, 2021 Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the following  deal:
i.The acquisition of 7.8% minority stake in Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL) by Flipkart Investments Private Limited (FIPL), subsidiary of Flipkart Private Limited (FPL) on a fully diluted basis. The deal is worth Rs 1,500 crore.
ii.The acquisition of Altico Capital India Ltd (Altico) by Ares SSG Capital Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd (Ares SSG).
iii.The deal between Max Life Insurance Company Ltd and Axis entities(Axis bank Ltd, Axis Capital ltd and Axis Securities Ltd).

  • About9% stake in Max life insurance will be acquired by Axis Bank.
  • Axis Capital and Axis Securities will acquire 2% and 1% stake respectively in Max Life Insurance.

<<Read Full News>>

SEBI Gives Approval to Future Group and Reliance Retail DealFuture-Reliance Retail deal gets SEBI and BSE nodiThe Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has given approval to the deal between Future Group and Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd(RRVL), where Future group will sell its retail, wholesale, logistics and warehouse businesses to Reliance Retail for Rs 24,713 crore.
ii.As a part of the same Scheme:

  • The retail & wholesale undertaking will be  transferred to Reliance Retail and the Fashion Lifestyle Limited (RRFLL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of RRVL.
  • The logistics & warehousing undertaking will be  transferred to RRVL.

About Reliance Industries Limited (RIL):
Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd(RRVL) is the subsidiary of RIL
Chairman & Managing Director(CMD) –  Mukesh Ambani
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
About Future Group:
Founder & Group CEO– Kishore Biyani
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD of Future Retail Ltd– Rakesh Biyani
<<Read Full News>>

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DPIIT launched 1st-of-its-kind Regulatory Compliance Burden Portal at Central & State LevelGovernment launches regulatory compliance burden portali.Gearing towards the minimization of regulatory compliance burden of citizens and businesses, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has launched a Regulatory Compliance Portal on January 1, 2021 that will act as a bridge between citizens, industries and the Government.
ii.Objective – To minimize Regulatory Compliance Burden for Businesses and Citizens.
iii.It is a first of its kind online repository of all central and state-level compliances.
iv.It should be noted that DPIIT is the nodal department for reducing compliance burden among citizens and businesses.
About Department of Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT):
Parent Ministry– Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Secretary–  Guruprasad Mohapatra
<<Read Full News>>

Pakistan Test Fires ‘Shaheen-III’ Nuclear Capable Ballistic MissilePakistan Successfully Test Fires Nuclear-capable Shaheen-III Ballistic MissileOn January 20, 2021 Pakistan successfully Test Fired a Nuclear-Capable Surface-to-Surface ‘Shaheen-III’ Ballistic Missile. The Missile has a range of 2, 750 Kms and is the Longest-range missile developed in Pakistan.

  • The test was carried out to revalidate several design & technical parameters of the weapon system.
  • This is the 2nd Test of the Missile, the First Test was carried out in March, 2015.

i.The Initial developments of the Missile began in the early 2000s in response to India’s Agni-III (Intermediate Ballistic Missile)
ii.On January 7, 2021 Pakistan successfully test fired the Indigenous ‘Fatah-1’ – Guided Multi Launch Rocket System (MLRS)
About Pakistan:
Prime Minister – Imran Khan
Currency – Pakistani Rupee
Capital – Islamabad

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Launched the Mobile App – Aero India 2021Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched Aero India-21i.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the mobile application  – Aero India 2021 during the Apex Committee Meeting conducted on 15th January 2021 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The app Aero India 2021 was developed by EventEdge. 
ii.This event application will provide an interactive interface to the issues related to the 13th edition of Aero India 2021, a 3 day business event which will be conducted from 3rd to 5th February 2021 in Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
iii.The theme of the Aero India Exhibition 2021 is “Runway to a Billion Opportunities”
iv.To define the roles and responsibilities of the Aero India Exhibition 2021, the Government of Indian and the Government of Karnataka have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the meeting.
Ministry of Defence:
Defence Minister– Rajnath Singh
Minister of State– Shripad Yesso Naik
<<Read Full News>>

OBITUARY

Mata Prasad, Former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Passed Away at 95Former Arunachal Pradesh Governor Mata Prasad passes away at 95On 20th January 2021, Mata Prasad, the former governor of Arunachal Pradesh and senior leader of Indian National Congress passed away at the age of 95 at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh due to multiple organ failure. He was born in Machhlishahr in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh.
About Mata Prasad:
i.Mata Prasad served as the 8th governor of Arunachal Pradesh from 21st October 1993 to 16th May 1999, the longest serving governor of the state.
ii.He has served as the Minister of Uttar Pradesh in the congress government from 1988 to 1989.
iii.He promoted Hindi and authored many books including a book on Arunachal Pradesh titled ‘ManoramBhoomi-Arunachal’.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

‘The Population Myth: Islam, Family Planning and Politics in India’ Authored By S Y QuraishiFamily Planning and Politics in IndiaDr. S Y Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) is set to release his new book titled “The Population Myth: Islam, Family Planning and Politics in India”. This book looks into the questions about the politicisation of demographics in India based on the standard research of SY Quraishi. The book is published by HarperCollins India. 
About the Book:
i.The book aims to clear the misconceptions about Islam and break the two myths,

  • Muslim rate of growth
  • Muslims are against family planning on religious grounds

ii.The book provides a detailed analysis of the Muslim rate of growth in consideration with the population data and national and international reports.
About SY Quraishi:
i.Dr. SY Quraishi, a 1971-batch IAS from Haryana cadre served as the 17th CEC from 30th July 2010 to 10th June 2012.
ii.He has served as the Director General of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), India’s largest rural youth development agency.
iii.He was the founder and director of the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development.
iv.He led the team responsible for framing India’s National Perspective Plan for Youth- 2020 and mainstreaming gender issues.
Books:
i.He has authored numerous books and articles related to democracy, elections, HIV AIDS and family planning, social marketing, women and child development and Youth.
ii.His book “Social Marketing for Social Change” has contributed to the advancement in the field of Development Communication.
Awards:
He has received numerous awards which includes

  • Nehru Fellow for innovative and outstanding work in child welfare
  • Secular India Harmony Award for contribution to human understanding

VP Venkaiah Naidu virtually released the Book “A textbook of Urban Planning and Geography” authored by Dr. Sameer SharmaA textbook of Urban Planning and GeographyOn 20th January 2021, Venkaiah Naidu, the Vice President of India virtually released the book “A textbook of Urban Planning and Geography” authored by Dr. Sameer Sharma, the Director General and CEO of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs in Hyderabad, Telangana.
The book is published by PHI Learning Private Limited.
About the Book:
i.The book bridges the gap between the urban geography and urban planning ideas of the west and the experiences of the Indian cities.
ii.The book reconceptualises the Indian urban studies by dissecting western theories, concepts, paradigms, and principles and practices, and placing them alongside how Indians experience their urban landscapes.
iii.The first 3 chapters out of the 7 explains the evolution of Indian settlements and the remaining focus on the regions, urban planning, urban governance and the social landscape of Indian cities.
iv.The book features short and long answers and fill-in the blank type exercise problems.
About Dr. Sameer Sharma:
i.Dr. Sameer Sharma is the first Missions Director of Smart City Mission AMRUT and Capacity Building for Urban Development.
ii.He has published various academic and research papers on spatial economic, social capital and metropolitan development.
iii.He received the President’s Award in 2014 for Best State in the promotion of Community Organisations in slums.
iv.He has also received the V. Ramachandran Award for Excellence in implementation of urban decentralisation.

STATE NEWS

J&K : Skill Development Department signs MoU with IIT Jammu;Higher Education Department  signs MoU with ICSI J&K’s Skill Development and Higher Education depts ink MoUs with IIT, ICSIOn January 19, 2021, Jammu & Kashmir’s Department of Skill Development signed an  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu whereas Department of Higher Education signed an MoU with Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
Objective:
i.MoU between Department of Skill Development  & IIT Jammu – To increase the skill sets of students, increase their employability by exposing them to Latest Technologies.
ii.MoU between Department of Higher Education & ICSI – To teach new skills to students enrolled at Cluster Universities of Srinagar and Jammu at SPMR College.
About Jammu & Kashmir (J&K):
Lt Governor – Manoj Sinha
Capitals– Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winters)
<<Read Full News>>

Karnataka CM launches ‘Avolokana Software’ Transparent e-governance toolKarnataka CM Yediyurappa launches Avalokana softwareOn January 20, 2021 Karnataka Chief Minister (CM), B. S. Yediyurappa launched ‘Avolokana Software’ Transparent e-governance tool. The software will be used by the Government to monitor & access data on sanctions & expenditures incurred on 1800 programmes which have been implemented by 39 Departments.

  • Expenditures & Sanctions on Sustainable Development Goals, Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan, Tribal Sub-plan & Central Sponsored Schemes will be the main areas of focus.
  • It will also provide Assembly Constituency-wise information on Government grants and allocations under various development programmes.

Benefits:

  • The software will benefit the policymakers, as they can release funds based on expenditure incurred by the Departments.

About Karnataka:
Lakes – Bellandur, Ulsoor, Agara
Stadium – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Cricket)
<<Read Full News>>

*******

Click Here View – AC Excluded News 2021

Current Affairs Today (AffairsCloud Today)

S.noCurrent Affairs 22 January 2021
1Cabinet approvals on January 20, 2021
2Power Grid Signs Agreement with Himachal Pradesh to Improve Telecom Connectivity in Hilly Areas
3NITI Aayog releases 2nd Edition of Indian Innovation Index 2020; Karnataka tops the Index
4PM Releases Financial Assistance around Rs 2691cr to 6.1 lakh beneficiaries in UP under PMAY-G
5Govt to set up national, regional centres for faceless penalty proceedings: Faceless Penalty Scheme
6Indian Railways Renamed Howrah-Kalka Mail, One of the Oldest Running Train in India as “Netaji Express”
75th India-Singapore Defence Ministers Dialogue held; Implementing Agreement inked between IN & RSN
8Number of People facing food insecurity set to double to 265 Million in Asia due to Pandemic: UN Report
9India Ranked 4th in Global Firepower ‘2021 Military Strength Ranking’, USA Tops
10Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji Won the Presidency of the UN Human Rights Council
11Axis Bank Launched ‘AURA’, a Credit Card with Affordable Health and Wellness Benefits
12PPBL Partners with Suryoday SFB for FD Services to its Account Holders; PPBL Becomes India’s 1s Payments Bank to Launch Multi-Partner FD Service
13Philanthropist Ravi Gaikwad awarded “Nelson Mandela” World Humanitarian Award
14Joe Biden Takes Over as the 46th President of the USA; Kamala Harris as Vice President
15CCI Approves Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd- Flipkart Investments Pvt Ltd Deal, Axis- Max life Deal & Altico-Ares SSG Deal
16SEBI Gives Approval to Future Group and Reliance Retail Deal
17DPIIT launched 1st-of-its-kind Regulatory Compliance Burden Portal at Central & State Level
18Pakistan Test Fires ‘Shaheen-III’ Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile
19Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Launched the Mobile App – Aero India 2021
20Mata Prasad, Former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Passed Away at 95
21‘The Population Myth: Islam, Family Planning and Politics in India’ Authored By S Y Quraishi
22VP Venkaiah Naidu virtually released the Book “A textbook of Urban Planning and Geography” authored by Dr. Sameer Sharma
23J&K : Skill Development Department signs MoU with IIT Jammu;Higher Education Department  signs MoU with ICSI
24Karnataka CM launches ‘Avolokana Software’ Transparent e-governance tool