Current Affairs Daily Digest – January 04 2020
1. World Braille Day observed on January 04
The world Braille Day is being celebrated today. The day is marked remembering the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille – for people with visual disabilities. Louis Braille was born on 4th January 1809 in the town of Coupvray in northern France.
2. 2636 EV Charging Stations sanctioned under Phase II FAME India
The Department of Heavy Industries operating under Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has sanctioned 2636 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations under FAME India scheme Phase II. The stations are to be set in 62 cities in 24 states and Union Territories.
3. Ministry of External Affairs creates “NEST” to increase investment coordination
The Ministry of External Affairs is to set up a new division called NEST-New and Emerging Strategic Technologies. The division will work to increase investment coordination among the states of the country and also with the foreign countries.
4. Adani to buy 75% stake in Krishnapatnam Port
India’s largest private sector port operator agreed to buy a 75% stake in Krishnapatnam Port Co. Ltd (KPCL) at an enterprise value of 13,500 crores, APSEZ. Krishnapatnam Port The Krishnapatnam Port is located in southern Andhra Pradesh and is a multi-cargo facility. It handled 54 million tonnes (mt) of cargo in the year ended 31 March 2019. The purchase will accelerate the Adani Ports plan to expand its cargo-handling capacity to 400mt by 2025.
5. Iran names Esmail Qaani new Quds chief of IRGC
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named as the Deputy Head of the Revolutionary Guards foreign operations arm Esmail Qaani to replace Qasem Soleimani as its commander. Soleimani killed in a pre-dawn US strike in Baghdad.
Qasem Suleimani Qasem Suleimani regarded as the second most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in an overnight attack by the US.
6. Abhinav Kumar gets extension as BSF IG
The appointments committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for extending the deputation tenure of IPS Abhinav Kumar, Inspector General. The appointment Committee of the Cabinet approved the plan of Ministry of Home Affairs for extension of deputation tenure of IPS Abhinav Kumar, Inspector General, Border Security Force (BSF) beyond 31.10.2019 and up to 27.07.2021 in relaxation of IPS Tenure Policy.
7. India extends USD 75 mn line of credit for solar parks in Cuba
India has extended a line of credit of USD 75 million (over Rs 500 crore) to Cuba for financing solar parks.An agreement signed between Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) and Banco Exterior De Cuba in July last year came into effect from December 12, the RBI said in a statement.
Banco Exterior De Cuba is a nominated agency of the Government of Cuba.
8. PayPal unveils Adoption Assistance Programme
Digital payments player PayPal has unveiled a new adoption assistance programme aimed at enhancing the parental support benefits for employees, the company said here on Friday.
“The new policy will offer financial support of upto Rs one lakh per adoption for adoptive parents. This covers reimbursement of adoption expenses such as CARA registration, child placement, foster care and establishment of legal guardianship”, a press release said.
9. Union Government sanctions 2,636 EV charging stations in 62 cities
The union government approved setting up 2,636 electric vehicle charging stations across 62 cities in 24 states and union territories of India under the second phase of the FAME India scheme. The move meant to encourage manufacturers to launch new electric vehicle models.
The charging station will be available of the selected cities in a grid of 4 km x 4 km boost the confidence of users of electric vehicles in terms of range anxiety and also this will encourage the OEMs to launch the new electric vehicle models which they were hesitant because of lack of charging infrastructure.
10. HDFC Bank Receives Award for Remarkable Contribution towards Rural India
HDFC Bank, India’s leading private sector banking and financial services company has been adjudged as the winner in the ‘Innovation and Inclusiveness in Priority Sector Lending’ category at the ’11th Inclusive Finance India Awards’ in the ’16th Inclusive Finance Summit’ organized in New Delhi.
As per reports, Mr. Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor to the Govt. of India, presented the award to Mr. Rajinder Babbar, Business Head, Rural Banking Group, HDFC Bank. The bank received this award in recognition of the Bank’s lending to the Priority Sector; catering to the crop production-related credit requirements of the farmers, and innovation in rural lending products and processes.
11. Standard Health Insurance Policy: Arogya Sanjeevani Policy to be launched soon
IRDAI has mandated all general and health insurance companies to offer a Standard Health Insurance Product (SHIP). The SHIP is aimed at taking care of basic health needs, carrying similar policy wordings and enabling seamless portability among the insurers.
12. SEBI modifies rating withdrawal norms for CRAs
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) tightened the noose around the corporates, saying if companies are not cooperating with credit rating agencies (CRAs) on disclosure of loan defaults, then the latter should issue INC (Issuer not cooperating) ratings.
13. Indian Bank partners with WEWA to help women entrepreneurs set up businesses
Indian Bank has entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Women Entrepreneurs Welfare Association (WEWA), Tamil Nadu, to offer training and credit linkage to women members/entrepreneurs of the association for establishing business.
WEWA said that members would get support for loans at special discounted rates.
