Current Affairs Daily Digest – February 14 2020
1. India, Portugal signs Cooperation Agreement in the field of Maritime Transport and Ports
A Cooperation Agreement was signed between India and the Republic of Portugal in the field of Maritime Transport and Ports on 14 February 2020. The objective of the agreement is to strengthen the coordination of Maritime transport between the two countries.
2. Odisha govt announced a hike in 5% for Dearness Allowance
Odisha State government has announced a hike in 5% for Dearness Allowance (DA) for the state government employees and pensioners. The announcement was made by the Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik on 14 February. The state also announced a hike of 10% arrears of 7th pay commission.
3. President Kovind paid homage to martyrs of Pulwama
President Ram Nath Kovind paid homage to martyrs of Pulwama. In Jammu, a memorial to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was inaugurated at Lethpora camp on 14 February. On the memorial, the names of all the 40 martyrs along with their pictures are engraved as a part of the memorial along with the motto of CRPF ‘Seva and Nishtha’ (Service and Loyalty).
4. RBI appoints 5 officials to the post of ED
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed five officials to the executive directors’ post. The elevated officials will take charge in 2020. Currently, the RBI has 12 executive directors (ED). Out of 12, five of them are due to retire in 2020.
The officials are:
1) Indrani Banerjee, Regional Director, Nagpur
2) Saurav Sinha, chief general manager-in-charge
3) Vivek Deep, CGM in-charge
4) J.K. Dash, CGM in-charge
5) P. Vijayakumar, the senior-most RBI ombudsman
5. SEBI introduces a system to track client securities
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced an in-house system to track the movement of client securities that are collected as collateral by brokers.
SEBI:
Formed on: 12 April 1988
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chairman: Ajay Tyagi
SEBI is the regulator for the securities market in India. It was established through the SEBI Act, 1992.
6. GoI hosts National Organic Food Festival in New Delhi
The Government of India is to host National Organic Food Festival at the National Capital between February 21, 2020 and February 23, 2020. The festival is first of its kind. Around 150 women entrepreneurs are to participate in the festival.
7. President’s Colours Awards to INS Shivaji on its 75 years of Service
President Ram Nath Kovind presented the President’s Colours Awards to INS Shivaji. The Indian Naval Station Shivaji has completed 75 years of service. Last year, the award was given to Indian Naval Academy. The award was presented to the Indian Naval Station at Lonavala. The station was commissioned as HMIS (Her Majesty’s Indian Ship) in 1945.
8. Rajiv Bansal appointed Air India chief
The government on Thursday appointed senior IAS officer Rajiv Bansal as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Air India. Bansal, currently additional secretary in petroleum ministry, had held additional charge of Air India (AI) chief in August 2017 for about four months when the then chairman Ashwani Lohani was moved to Railway Board.
9. Narayana Murthy’s son-in-law Rishi Sunak named new finance minister of UK
Five years ago Britain’s new finance minister Rishi Sunak wasn’t even a member of parliament and now he is running the world’s fifth largest economy.
The 39-year-old former Goldman Sachs banker was appointed in dramatic fashion on Thursday when incumbent Sajid Javid unexpectedly quit — in a row over advisers — during what Downing Street had cast as a routine ministerial reshuffle.
10. Former TERI Chief And Environmentalist RK Pachauri Dies At 79
Former TERI chief RK Pachauri died after a prolonged battle against heart illness at the Escorts Heart Institute in New Delhi, a day after he was put on life support.
The 79-year-old environmentalist had earlier undergone an open heart surgery at the same hospital after suffering a stroke in Mexico last July.
11. Indian hockey captain Manpreet Singh named Player of the Year 2019 by IHF
The Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh was named Player of the Year for 2019 by the International Hockey Federation. Manpreet, a midfielder, became the first Indian to win the accolade since the awards were introduced in 1999.
12. Baseball legend Katsuya Nomura dies at 84
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame catcher and renowned manager Katsuya Nomura died of ischemic heart failure early Tuesday morning, according to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, the last club he managed. He was 84.
13. Debasish Panda appointed finance secretary
Senior IAS officer Debasish Panda was appointed as the new finance secretary, according to a Personnel Ministry order. Panda, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present special secretary, department of financial services.
14. India-UK joint Army Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2020 begins in Salisbury Plains
The fifth edition of Ajeya Warrior-2020 exercise between the Indian Army and United Kingdom Army commenced today at Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom. The aim of the exercise is to conduct training of troops in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in both urban and semi-urban areas.
