Current Affairs Daily Digest – February 18 2020
1. 14,100 tonnes of the rare metal, Lithium Reserves found in India
The researchers at the India’s Atomic Energy Commission have found Lithium Reserves of 14,100 tonnes in Mandya. Mandya is 100 km away from Bengaluru, Karnataka. Being a very rare metal Lithium is mainly used in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles.
The reserves found is very little as compared to the world’s leading producers of Lithium. Of the major producers Chile produces 8.6 million tonnes, Australia produces 2.8 million tonnes and 1.7 million tonnes in Argentina.
2. What is Adjusted Gross Revenue?
There was a tussle between the Telecommunication industries and the GoI over the license fee settlement. The Union Budget waived penalty for those who paid their interest charges over the disputed tax liabilities before March 2020. The case over the license fee settlement was pronounced in favour of the GoI recently. Following this, several companies like Airtel, Vodafone, TATA have recently paid their dues.
Adjusted Gross Revenue are mainly collected from two main charges namely usage and licensing fee. Apart from these fees, it also includes other revenues like profits, revenue from assets, etc.
3. India attends 3rd Global Conference on Road Safety held in collaboration with WHO, World Bank
Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari represented India at the 3rd global Conference on Road Safety. The Conference aimed at achieving Global Goals 2030. It was held in Stockholm, Sweden.
4. Former TMC MP Tapas Pal passes away at age of 61
Bengali actor and former Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal died in Mumbai on February 18 after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 61.
Tapas Pal had gone to Mumbai to visit his daughter, and had complained of chest pain at the airport during his return to Kolkata and was rushed to a hospital in Juhu but died around 4 am, news agency PTI reports, citing family sources.
5. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: 4th National Conference held in Udaipur
The fourth National Conference of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima yojana was held in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The Conference was organized by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The scheme was launched in 2016. It replaced the Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme and National Agricultural Insurance Scheme. Under the scheme the farmers are paid a premium of 2% for Kharif crops and 1.5% for Rabi crops in case of crop damages. The scheme is in line with One Nation-One Scheme theme.
6. CCI approves acquisition of WABCO Holdings by ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Fair trade regulator CCI has approved acquisition of WABCO Holdings Inc. (WABCO) by ZF Friedrichshafen AG.
As per a combination notice filed with the Competition Commission of India (CCI), ZF will acquire 100 per cent shares in WABCO via its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary Verona Merger Sub Corp, a Delaware corporation, resulting in acquisition of sole control over WABCO.
7. Election Commission of India gets ‘Silver’ award for Excellence in Government Process re-engineering for digital transformation
The Election Commission of India has been awarded ‘Silver’ for Excellence in Government Process re-engineering for digital transformation for the year 2019-20. The award was given on 8th Feb 2020.
The award seeks to recognize the projects that involved analysis and re-design of workflow and which resulted in improvement in outcomes related to efficiency, effectiveness of process, cost, quality, service delivery or a combination of these.
8. Ladakh and J&K to come under Central Administrative Tribunal
Minister of State in the PMO (Prime Minister Office) announced that the Union Territory of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir are to be brought under the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The announcement was made by the Minister at the annual Conference of the tribunal.
9. SC rules in favour of permanent commission to women officers
The Supreme Court ordered the government to grant permanent commission to women officers in the Army’s noncombat support units on par with their male counterparts should they wish to continue with it after completing their short-service commission.
Denial of such an opportunity to women officers, combined with the Army policy of not giving them command posts of Colonel and beyond based on a performance index, lowers their status to that of a jawan or junior commissioned officer, the SC noted.
10. Koneru Humpy wins Cairns Cup title, reclaims 2nd spot in chess world ranking
World rapid champion Koneru Humpy claimed her second title in the last two months by emerging triumphant at the Cairns Cup chess tournament following a draw against compatriot Dronavalli Harika in the ninth and final round here.
Humpy, who was crowned world champion in the last week of December 2019, finished the tournament with 6 points. The icing on the cake is that Humpy would be gaining five ELO rating points (the basis for international rankings) and moving to no.2 in the world list.
11. India to host 16-team FIH Junior Men’s World Cup 2021
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced India as the hosts for the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup 2021. In an official announcement on Monday, the international governing body also announced that the competition will be played towards the end of 2021.
The competition, which features the best young U-21 level talent from across the world, will again be heading to India, which won accolades from around the world for hosting one of the best FIH Senior Men’s Hockey World Cups in 2018 held at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar.
12. NADA bans javelin thrower Amit Dahiya for four years
National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) has banned javelin thrower Amit Dahiya for four years for evading sample collection and trying to cheat officials during the 2nd National Javelin Throw Open Championship 2019 held at SAI Centre in Sonipat.
