Current Affairs Daily Digest – May 14 & 15 2020
1. India ranked 74th on the global Energy Transition Index
As per the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual rankings, India has secured the 74th position on the global Energy Transition Index (ETI). In the previous year, India ranked 76th.
As per the report, India has made significant strides in energy efficiency through bulk procurement of LED bulbs, smart meters, and programs for labelling of appliances. India is also experimenting with similar measures to drive down the costs of electric vehicles (EV).
2. Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan ranks among biggest in world
Government of India allocated total spending of Rs.20 lakh crore under “Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan or Self-reliant India Mission” to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This is among the largest economic stimulus package announced by nations across the world. The allocated fund is about 10% of India’s GDP in 2019-20. With this move, India would rank behind Japan, the US, Sweden, Australia, and Germany.
3. Archaeological Survey of India gets new chief
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) got a new Director General with the appointment of IAS officer V. Vidyavathi on Tuesday.Ms. Vidyavathi is a 1991 batch Karnataka cadre officer, according to the order of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. She will be serving in the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.
4. Akhil Kumar re-inducted into NADA disciplinary panel
Former Commonwealth Games gold-winning boxer Akhil Kumar has been re-inducted into the National Anti-Doping Agency’s Disciplinary Panel. Akhil, who is also serving in Haryana Police as ACP Gurugram, was formerly in the panel from 2017 to 2019.
“Not an extension, it’s a case of reinduction in anti-doping disciplinary panel,” NADA Director General Navin Agarwal told PTI.
5. COBAS 6800: India’s first automated COVID-19 testing machine
The Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan dedicated the COBAS 6800 RT PCR machine to the nation. The machine is completely automated and performs high end RT-PCR tests. The machine will help to increase the testing capacity of the country. It has been placed at National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi.
6. International Day of Families is observed on May 15
The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The International Day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.
Themes – Families and Development
7. Sohrai Khovar painting, Telia Rumal gets GI Tag
Sohrai Khovar painting and Telia Rumal were given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry headquartered in Chennai.
Jharkhand’s Sohrai Khovar painting is a traditional and ritualistic mural art. It is practised by local tribal women during local harvest and marriage seasons. The art is drawn using the local, naturally available soils of different colours in the area of the Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand.
Telia Rumals are offered at the Ajmer Sharif dargah in Rajasthan. The cloth is worn as a veil by princesses at the erstwhile court of the Nizam of Hyderabad and as a turban cloth by Arabs in the Middle East.
8. Foodgrains production in India to touch record 295.67 MT in 2019-20 crop year
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare stated that India’s foodgrain production has been estimated to touch a record of 295.67 million tonnes (MT) in the 2019-20 crop year. The Ministry released the third advance estimate.
9. Kerala launches portal for non-residents to book cabs for home
Kerala Tourism launched an online platform to enable non-residents Keralites to book vehicles of tour operators to travel back to the state, ending the stalemate due to a national lockdown clamped seven weeks ago to fight COVID-19.
10. Jeff Bezos could be world’s first trillionaire by 2026, Mukesh Ambani by 2033: Report
Despite losing an estimated $38 billion as part of his recent divorce, the Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ colossal wealth is growing at such a rate that Bezos could become inaugural member of the 13-figure club by 2026, at an age of 62, says a new study by Comparisun.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is still by far the world’s richest person and his net worth has grown by 34 per cent on average over the last five years, said the study by Comparisun, a company which helps organisations compare different business products.
11. WTO Chief to step down on August 31 amid the global economic crisis
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) chief Roberto Azevedo resigned from his position on May 14. The unexpected resignation came amid the ongoing global economic crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WTO released a statement mentioning that at a virtual meeting of WTO members, the Director-General announced that he would step down from his position on August 31, 2020. It will cut his second term short exactly by one year.
