20th February 2020 Current Affairs

0
20th February 2020 Current Affairs
20th February 2020 Current Affairs

National Affairs

Govt to set up Central Consumer Protection Authority by first week of April 2020

Food  Minister Ram Vilas Paswan announced that the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) will be set up by the first week of April this year. The CCPA to be set up under Consumer Protection Act 2019, will address issues related to consumer rights, unfair trade practices, misleading advertisements and impose penalties for selling spurious and adulterated products.

Important Points:

  • Ram Vilas Paswan constituency – Hajipur, Bihar

India & Norway signs LoI for collaboration on blue economy for sustainable development

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan along with Norway’s Minister for Climate and Environment, H.E. Mr Sveinung Rotevatn have jointly inaugurated the ‘India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development’ at the 3rd meeting of the Task Force.

The 2 countries also signed a Letter of Intent  (LoI) & agreed to support and work together on Integrated Ocean Management & Research.

About Norway:

  • Capital– Oslo
  • Currency– Norwegian krone
  • Prime Minister– Erna Solberg

Delhi Airport: The First Single-use Plastic-free airport

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has become the first airport in India to become free of single-use plastics. The airport committed itself to become single-use plastics free on the World Environment Day in 2018.

The step is being adopted to keep up India’s target of abolishing use of single-use plastics by 2022. This targets six main types of plastics that are plastic cups, bags, small bottles, plates, pouches and straws. The Swachh Bharat Mission is deployed in achieving the target.

International Affairs

UK announces new points-based visa system

UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel has announced the launch of Britain’s new points-based visa system. It aims at attracting the “brightest and the best” from the world, including from India.

Ms Patel, the senior-most Indian-origin Cabinet minister said, the new system will cut down numbers of cheap, low-skilled migrating workers coming to the country.

The new system will come into force from January 1, 2021, at the end of the transition period after UK’s exit from the European Union (EU) last month.

About UK:

  • Capital – London
  • Currency – Pound
  • Prime Minister – Borris Johnson

Bangladesh to sign Free Trade Agreement with Nepal

Bangladesh will sign Free Trade Agreement with Nepal to improve the trade between the two countries. Bangladesh has also allowed Nepal to use its Saidpur airport located in its northernmost district of Nilphamari close to Nepal.

About Bangladesh:

  • Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina;
  • Capital: Dhaka;
  • Currency: Taka.

About Nepal:

  • President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari.
  • Prime minister of Nepal: KP Sharma Oli.
  • Capital: Kathmandu;
  • Currency: Nepalese rupee.

Nepal celebrated 70th National Democracy Day on 19th February

Nepal celebrated its 70th National Democracy Day on 19th February 2020 . A special ceremony was held at the Nepal Army Pavilion Tudikhel in Kathmandu to mark the occasion.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Speaker of the House of Representatives, National Assembly Chairperson, Chief Justice, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, senior government officials and people from all walks of life attended the ceremony.

State Affairs

Arunachal Pradesh:

Arunachal Pradesh celebrated 34th Statehood Day on February 20, 2020

Arunachal Pradesh celebrated its 34th Statehood Day on 20th February. Arunachal Pradesh attained statehood on February 20, 1987. Home Minister Amit Shah attended the celebrations at Itanagar.

Home Minister Amit Shah will launched a slew of projects on the occasion. He also launched the Arunachal Pradesh Industrial and Investment Policy, 2020, inaugurated the Joram-Koloriang Road constructed by BRO, laid the foundation stone of the new headquarters of the state police and along with other projects. Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Dr. Jitendra Singh also attended the function.

Maharashtra:

Shivaji Jayanti being celebrated in Maharashtra

The birth anniversary of Maratha Warrior King “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj” is being celebrated on all over Maharashtra.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary.

Shivaji Bhonsle was an Indian warrior king and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out an enclave from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire.

Gujarat:

Gujarat govt partners with SBI to facilitate MSME loans

The Gujarat government signed an MoU with State Bank of India (SBI) to facilitate approval of loans to entrepreneurs in the MSME sector with ease and within a short time-frame.

The bank will provide working capital to entrepreneurs aims to start new MSME within 15 days of making an application.

The agreement was signed between principal secretary M K Das and SBI Ahmedabad circle general manager Ramesh Kumar Agarwal in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister(CM) Vijay Rupani

“Chintan Shivir” held in Gujarat

A brainstorming session “Chintan Shivir” was held at Kevadia in Gujarat. The session aimed to focus on the future prospects of the coal sector.

The session was chaired by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri Pralhad Joshi and he stated that India will put an end on importing thermal coal by the Financial Year 2023-24.

About Gujarat:

  • Capital– Gandhinagar
  • Governor– Acharya Devvrat

Appointments

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wins for the second term

President Ashraf Ghani won Afghanistan’s presidential election. He has been elected for t he second term. The election results were announced by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) five months after the voting took place amid the threat of violence and concerns over electoral fraud.

Ghani won 50.64% of the vote on 28 September 2019. He defeated Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah who secured 39.52% of votes.

About Afghanistan:

  • President – Ashraf Ghani
  • Currency – Afghani (Afs)
  • Capital – Kabul

Ex-IAS officers Sanjay Kothari and Bimal Julka to become next Chief Vigilance Officer (CVC) and Chief Information Commissioner (CIC)

A high powered selection committee headed by Narendra Modi has selected Sanjay Kothari, current Secretary to the President as the new Chief Vigilance Commissioner(CVC) and former Information and Broadcasting Secretary Bimal Julka , current Information Commissioner became new Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission.

About CVC

  • Headquarter- New Delhi
  • Founded- February 1964

About CIC

  • Headquarter- New Delhi
  • Founded- 12th October 2005

Ranks & Index

India ranked 35th in Worldwide Education for The Future Index (WEFFI) 2019, Finland tops

The Worldwide Education for The Future Index (WEFFI) 2019 ranked India in 35th position, whereas in 2018 it was ranked 40th position. The WEFFI report is created by The Economist Intelligence unit and commissioned by Yidan Prize foundation. The index is topped by Finland, followed by Sweden in second place and New Zealand in third place.

  • India ranked 35thwith a score of 53.
  • Finland is positioned 1stin all categories including overall score, followed by Sweden.
  • World’s giant economies like US, UK, France & Russia fell in the index, while China, India & Indonesia performed better.

Sports Affairs

Sunil Kumar wins gold in Asian Wrestling Championships

Sushil Kumar won the gold medal in Asian Wrestling Championships 2020 in New Delhi.

The Seasoned grappler beat Azat Salidinov from Krrgyzstan in the final of the 87 kg category. Last year also, Sunil Kumar had made it to the final and ended with the silver medal.

India to host men’s edition of junior hockey World Cup 2021

International Hockey Federation (FIH) recently announced that India will host the men’s edition of the junior hockey World Cup 2021. The women’s junior World Cup event will be held in Potchefstroom in South Africa.

This is the first time the African continent is organising the apex sports event. The Continental qualifier matches are scheduled throughout this year and the World cup would be held at the end of 2021.

About FIH:

  • Chief executive Officer of FIH: Thierry Weil.
  • President of Hockey India: Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad.

Obituaries

Greatest woman golfer Mickey Wright passes away

Greatest woman golfer Mickey Wright passed away at Florida in the United States.Her haul of 13 major victories included four US Women’s Open titles and four US Women’s PGA Championships.

Wright had accumulated 82 titles of Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour titles during a professional career which stretched from 1954 to 1969.

She won the 1954 World Amateur Championship before turning professional the following season.

DOWNLOAD PDF HERE

[table id=5572 /]