Current Affairs Daily Digest – November 16 2019
1. Sharad Kumar won a silver medal in the World Para Athletics Championships
Sharad Kumar won a silver medal in the World Para-Athletics Championships in Dubai. Mariyappan Thangavelu also won a bronze medal in the championship. This win has to lead both of them to qualify into the Tokyo Paralympics 2020.
♦ Two-time Asian Para Games champion Sharad Kumar cleared the bar with season’s best effort of 1.83 metres.
♦ Mariyappan cleared with a season’s best performance of 1.80 metres.
2. JK Grameen Bank ranked first among the 56 RRBs across India
J&K Grameen Bank secured the top position in terms of achievement of Rupay Card transaction targets (POS and eCOM). It has been ranked first among the 56 RRBs across the country. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) survey reported that Bank had achieved a 94.95% target for POS/ eCOM transactions for the last financial year 2018-19.
JKGB offers digital products to its customers as RuPay Debit Cards, PMJDY Debit Cards, Kisan Cards, NEFT/ RTGS, POS, IMPS, eCOM, SMS Alerts, BHIM UPI, ABPS, and DBT. The Bank has been providing digital services to its customers.
3. Mumbai named as the worlds worst cities to drive
The Driving Cities Index released by European car parts retailer Mister Auto, a part of the PSA Group, reported that Mumbai and Kolkata had been rated as the world’s worst cities to drive in 2019. The retailer released a detailed study on the best and worst places in the world to drive in.
The three main parameters that were considered by the study that impacts the driving condition are Infrastructure, Safety, and Costs. These three main categories were then broken down into 15 sub-categories.
4. Shafqat Mehmood elected as the President of UNESCOs Education Commission
Shafqat Mehmood, the Minister for Education and Professional Training, has been unanimously elected as President of UNESCO’s Education Commission in Paris, France.
Shafqat Mehmood would work closely with all delegations in a constructive manner in pursuance of the main objectives of UNESCO. He held bilateral meetings with Ministers of Education of Bangladesh, Norway, and Tunisia. He also met Assistant Director Generals of UNESCO for Education and Culture.
5. European Investment Bank to stop Fossil Fuel Funding by 2021
The European Investment Bank is to stop funding oil and coal projects at the end of 2021. Since 2013, the European Union through the bank has funded 13.4 billion Euros for fossil fuel projects. In 2018, it was around 2 billion Euros. The Union has been reducing its funding to fossil fuel projects and is stopping by 2021.
6. National Mission ‘NISHTHA’ launched in J&K
National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) was launched in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a pioneer scheme that was earlier launched across country by HRD Ministry on August 2019. This National Mission aims at improving learning outcomes at Elementary level through integrated Teacher Trainings.
7. Regional Conference on ‘Replication of Good Governance Practices in J&K, Ladakh’
Centre is holding a two-day regional conference on theme- ‘Replication of Good Governance Practices in Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh’ from 15-16 November 2019 in Jammu. It was inaugurated by Minister of State for Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Dr. Jitendra Singh.
8. NITI Aayog to soon release a report on health system for new India
NITI Aayog will release a report which integrates viewpoints on the efforts required for strengthening the existing fractured health system to meet the challenges that lie ahead.
The report ‘Health System for a New India: Building Blocks – Potential Pathways to Reform’ will be released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar in the presence of Bill Gates, co-chairman of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and representatives from national and international academia.
9. Will set up yogasana federation to promote yoga: Shripad Naik
Minister for Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik on Friday said that his ministry has taken steps to establish an international yogasana school federation to promote yoga.
Speaking after inaugurating an international conference on ‘Yoga for Healthcare’ organised by Union ministry of Ayush at Karnataka State Open University auditorium, Naik said that yoga has become a global entity and considering its importance to health and wellness, a federation will be constituted which will be headed by Patanjali Yogapeeth founder and yoga.
10. First ever international buyer-seller meet in Arunachal Pradesh
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) held the first ever international buyer seller meet on agriculture and horticulture produce in Arunachal Pradesh.
“Ten International buyers from seven countries of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, UAE, Sultanate of Oman and Greece participated in the meet and interacted with exporters,” commerce and industry ministry said in a release on Friday.
11. Bhopal Gas Tragedy Activist Abdul Jabbar Dies
Social activist Abdul Jabbar, who fought for justice to over 20,000 victims and thousands of survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, died at a private hospital in the Madhya Pradesh capital.
Mr Jabbar had lost his mother, father and brother to the world’s worst industrial accident. He suffered lung fibrosis and lost 50 per cent of his vision due to the accident, but never stopped fighting for justice.
