Latest Current Affairs – January 18 & 19 2019
1. Reliance Retail, Jio to launch new e-commerce platform
Reliance Industries Ltd Chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani said group companies Reliance Retail and Reliance Jio Infocomm would jointly launch a new e-commerce platform in the country. Gujarat would be the first state to get it.
2. Dr. Rattan Lal Honoured With 2019 Japan Prize
The Japan Prize Foundation announced the laureates of the 2019 Japan Prize, who have pushed the envelope in their respective fields of “Materials and Production” and “Biological Production, Ecology”.
Two scientists are being recognized with the 2019 Japan Prize for original and outstanding achievements that not only contribute to the advancement of science and technology, but also promote peace and prosperity for all mankind.
India born, Dr. Rattan Lal, Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. is being honored for his work in identifying technological options adapted to various ecosystems through his intensive basic and applied research on processes and factors of soil degradation caused by inappropriate biological production .
3. 2nd World Orange Festival begins in Nagpur
The second World Orange Festival will be organised in Nagpur from today to 21 of this month.
The festival, while offering its famed oranges to the world, will also showcase and brand the exquisite fruit in order to boost its export. Agricultural experts and scientists from various countries will participate in the workshops and guide farmers.
4. Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates UNNATI Programme of ISRO in Bengaluru
Minister of State in Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the UNNATI (Unispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training) programme organized by ISRO in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
UNNATI, a capacity building programme on Nanosatellite development, is an initiative by ISRO to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE-50).
The programme provides opportunities to the participating developing countries to strengthen in assembling, integrating and testing of Nanosatellite. UNNATI programme is planned to be conducted for 3 years by U.R. Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in 3 batches and will target to benefit officials of 45 countries.
5. Prabhu inaugurates 10th edition of India Rubber Expo 2019
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prabhu inaugurated the 10th edition of the India Rubber Expo – 2019 in Mumbai. The three-day event being held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre is one of the most anticipated events in the rubber industry’s calendar.
Prabhu said that the rubber industry is a truly homegrown industry which is having a deep impact on several global markets. The minister hoped that the rubber industry will continue to grow faster, create more employment opportunities, increase exports and add to the economic output of India.
6. President Ram Nath Kovind Inaugurates three day Gandhian Resurgence Summit at Parmarth Niketan camp at Prayagraj Kumbh
President Ram Nath Kovind Inaugurated the three day Gandhian Resurgence Summit at Parmarth Niketan camp at the ongoing Prayagraj Kumbh. About 300 Gandhians from different parts of the country and organisations are participating in the Summit.
Prayagraj Kumbh 2019 will be remembered for opening of doors to Akshaya Vat (sacred tree) and Saraswati Koop (sacred well) for common men after 450 years. It was a long pending demand of the devotees.
7. GDP to be a tad higher to 7.5% in FY20: India Ratings
India Ratings, a Fitch Group Company, estimated India’s GDP growth could touch 7.5 per cent in financial year 2019-20 as against 7.2 per cent during current fiscal i.e. 2018-19.
Over the past few years, private final consumption expenditure and government final consumption expenditure have been the primary growth drivers of Indian economic growth. India Ratings believes investments are slowly but steady gaining traction with gross fixed capital formation growing 12.2 per cent in FY19 and projected to clock 10.3 per cent in FY20.
8. BES EXPO 2019 begins in New Delhi
Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare along with TRAI Chairman R S Sharma inaugurated the 25th International conference and exhibition on terrestrial and satellite broadcasting, BES EXPO 2019 in New Delhi. Nearly 300 companies from 25 countries are displaying their products in the Expo. On the occasion, an exhibitor’s directory was released by the dignitaries and BES awards were presented to the winners.
9. PM visits Silvassa in Dadra & Nagar Haveli
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on January 19, 2019 visited at Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveliand inaugurated several development projects worth more than Rs 1400 crore that includes:
He laid foundation Stone of Medical College in Sayli, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, with the foundation stone laying of Medical College, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu have got its first ever Medical College .
Prime Minister released IT policy for Dadra and Nagar Haveli. M-Aarogya mobile app and door to door waste collection, segregation and processing of Solid Waste in Dadra & Nagar Haveli was also launched. He also distributed Gold cards to beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat and distributed Van Adhikar Patra to the beneficiaries. He noted that both Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have been declared open defecation free.
10. PM Modi Inaugurates India’s First Cinema Museum in Mumbai
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the National Museum of Indian Cinema at Films Division of India premises in Mumbai. NMIC, a first-of-its-kind museum preserving the film heritage of India, is housed in two buildings — the New Museum Building and the 19th century historic palace Gulshan Mahal — in the Films Division campus in Mumbai.
Set up at the cost of Rs 140.61 crore, the museum will offer visitors a glimpse of the evolution of Indian cinema in a storytelling mode with the help of visuals, graphics, artifacts, interactive exhibits, and multimedia expositions.
11. Shehri Samridhi Utsav focusing on Urban Livelihoods from 1st – 15th February 2019
Shri Hardeep S. Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs, has informed that a fortnight of events named‘Shehri Samridhi Utsav’, focusing on urban livelihoods is being organised by his Ministry, from 1st -15th February 2019.
The event aims at extending the outreach of National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) to the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable, showcase its initiatives and facilitate access of SHG members to the other government schemes.
12. India to host UN conference on land degradation, desertification this year
India will host the 14th session of the Conference of Parties to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) this year to address the issue of land degradation and desertification. conference of the UNCCD, which has participation from over 100 countries, is likely to be held in October.
The UNCCD, established in 1994, has 197 parties working towards maintaining and restoring land and soil productivity and mitigating the effects of drought. The government is committed to achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030 and by hosting the COP-14 it aims to showcase its role as a leader in addressing the land agenda.
13. HDFC Standard Life Insurance is now HDFC Life Insurance
HDFC Standard Life Insurance changed its name to HDFC Life Insurance following the receipt of relevant approvals from regulatory authorities. The change in name is effective right off the bat and the company will henceforth operate under the name HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd.
14. Sitharaman inaugurates strategic bridge in Arunachal Pradesh
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the forward areas along India-China border in Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh and inaugurated the Diffo (Chipu) bridge at Roing. In addition to enhancing operational capability, the 329-metre bridge will usher economic prosperity for people of Namsai, Lohit, Anjaw and Lower Dibang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. The minister was accompanied by Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General MM Naravane, GOC Spear Corps Lieutenant General Rajeev Sirohi and other military and civil officials.
15. IIT Madras launches startup to train students on Artificial Intelligence at low cost
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras faculty has recently launched a startup to prepare the Indian workforce for the advent of Artificial Intelligence age by training students at nominal costs. Their startup One Fourth Labs has an online school ‘PadhAI’ that offers affordable India-specific courses on AI.
The top performing students from courses on PadhAI will be invited to a ‘summer garage,’ an AI residency programme at IIT Madras Research Park where they can work on research, tackle problems of societal impact, or find solutions to commercial value.
The start-up will also create AI-driven apps by collaborating with Small and Medium Enterprises and the industry and generate value for the Indian economy.
16. Justices Maheshwari, Khanna sworn in as SC judges
Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna were sworn in as Supreme Court judges, taking the working strength of the court to 28. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi administered the oath of office to them at a ceremony held in court number 1 of the apex court in the morning. Subsequently, Justice Khanna shared the bench with Justices S A Bobde and Deepak Gupta in Court no 2 while Justice Maheshwari sat in court 1 with the CJI and Justice L Nageswara Rao.
17. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa sworn in as 26th Chief Justice of Pakistan
Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa took oath as the 26th Chief Justice of Pakistan at a ceremony at Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad. Chief justice Khosa will serve as top judge for approximately 337 days and is scheduled to retire on Dec 21, 2019.
