Current Affairs Daily Digest – January 28 2020
1. Global Potato Conclave to be held in Gujarat
The Global Potato Conclave is to be held between January 28 and January 31, 2020. PM Modi is to attend the conclave. PM Modi is to address the conclave. The conclave will include researchers from more than 30 countries and is to be conducted under 10 themes.
It will cover next generation breeding practices, efficient management practices of potato cultivation, management strategies of potato diseases and pests.
2. India’s first underwater Metro: To begin in March 2022 in Kolkata
The first underwater Metro is being constructed in Hooghly river. The project is awaiting clearance of 2.8 million USD from the Indian Railways. The Hooghly Metro is one of the oldest Metro in the country. It was started in 1984.
The new under water tunnel will carry 20% of city’s population and will cross the river in less than a minute. Currently it takes 20 minutes in the ferry to cross the river and an hour to cross the Howrah bridge.
3. Corona virus: WHO increases global risk from moderate to high
World Health Organization arrived in China to discuss the ways the Corona Virus is spreading. The death toll due to the virus has reached 106 and around 4,000 people have been infected so far.
4. GoI new Target: Indian Railways to run 100% on electricity by 2024
Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced that Indian Railways will run 100% on electricity by 2024. In such case, Indian Railways will be the first Railways to run 100% on electricity. Also, the Indian Railways has planned to make the network zero-emission network by 2030.
Previously in 2019, the target to run 100% electrified Railways was set to be achieved by 2023. So far, till 2017-18, 4,087 km route had already been electrified. Upon success, the fuel bill will reduce by Rs 13,510 crores.
5. Taranjit Singh Sandhu appointed as India’s Ambassador to USA
Senior diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu appointed as India’s Ambassador to the USA the Ministry of External Affairs. Taranjit Singh Sandhu Sandhu, a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently posted as High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka. He replaces Harsh Vardhan Shringla as India’s envoy in Washington. Shringla named as India’s next foreign secretary.
6. Qatar names Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz Al Thani new Prime Minister
Qatar appointed a new Prime Minister replacing Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani. The Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz Al Thani named as the new Prime Minister. Prime Minister has submitted his resignation. The state-run Qatar News Agency reported that no reason for the change had specified.
7. Assam tableau won first prize at 71st Republic Day parade
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave away Best Tableaux awards for Republic Day Parade 2020. The event took place in New Delhi. Assam’s tableau, which portrayed the unique craftsmanship and culture of the state chosen as the best tableau, followed by Odisha and Uttar Pradesh tied for the second position. The Assam tableau showcased various dance forms of the country, especially the Bhortal dance of Assam.
8. GRSE set to deliver ASW corvette INS Kavaratti to Indian Navy
Garden Reach Shipbuilders ant (GRSE) set to deliver anti-submarine warfare stealth corvette INS Kavaratti. Kavaratti is the last of the four Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes bu for the Indian Navy under Project P28. The trials of the ship completed and we plan to deliver it by this month. Kavaratti will be the 104th ship to be constructed and provided by the GRSE.
9. Sunil Mehta takes charge as IBA Chief Executive
Indian Bank Association (IBA) appoints Punjab National Bank’s former MD and CEO Sunil Mehta as its chief executive. Mehta recently retired as the Managing Director and CEO of Punjab National Bank. He has succeeded VG Kannan, who demitted once as chief executive of IBA on December 31, 2019. Indian Banks Association Indian Banks Association formed on 26 September 1946 as a representative body of management of banking in India operating in India.
10. Supreme Court allows centre to introduce African cheetah to suitable habitat in India
Supreme Court allowed the Centre to introduce the African cheetah to suitable habitat in India. The court decision followed a petition filed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) seeking permission for the introduction of the African cheetah from Namibia as rare Indian cheetah is almost extinct in the country.
11. Nepal’s newly elected Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota assumes office
Nepal’s newly elected Speaker of House of Representatives, the Lower House of the Parliament, Agni Prasad Sapkota has assumed the office. President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Saptoka at the President’s House in Kathmandu today. Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
12. Bodo Peace Accord 2020
The center government signed a peace agreement on January 2, 2020, with the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), one of the dangerous militant groups in Assam. The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), agitating for a long time demanding Bodo state, also signed the deal.
Key Highlights of Bodo Accord
• The Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, said on this occasion that the Central Government, Assam Government and representatives of Bodo have signed this historic agreement.
• He said that this agreement will ensure the bright future of the people of Assam as well as the Bodo tribe.
• He also said that the 1,550 Bodo members will surrender on January 30, 2020, with 130 weapons.
• He ensured all the representatives that all the promises will be fulfilled in a time-bound manner.
• Bodo tribes will get political and economic benefits after this agreement. The agreement will provide some political rights and some economic packages to the community.
• According to the political pundits, the agreement will ensure the safety of Bodo language, cultural and regional matters.
13. West Bengal becomes 4th state to pass resolution demanding scrapping of CAA
West Bengal became the fourth state to pass anti-CAA resolution on January 27, 2020. The West Bengal state government had introduced the resolution in the state assembly demanding that the controversial CAA law be repealed and NPR, NRC be withdrawn.
Including West Bengal, four states have passed resolutions demanding the rollback of the citizenship amendment act. The other three states include Kerala, Punjab and Rajasthan.
Kerala was the first state to pass a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the CAA law.
14. China Ranked World’s Second Largest Arms Producer Trailing Behind US
China has leapfrogged Russia to become the world’s second-largest arms producer, according to revised research for the year 2017 published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
SIPRI had previously excluded Chinese arms companies from its annual ranking over a lack of transparency, placing Russia second behind the United States in weapons production in 2017.
