NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Haryana CM Launches Rs 1500 Crore Mukhya
Mantri Parivar Samridhi Yojna: Haryana Chief
Minister Manohar Lal Khattar officially launched the welfare scheme for poor families
titled ‘Mukhya Mantri Parivar Samridhi Yojna, announced by the government in
2019’. Under the scheme, an annual assistance of Rs 6,000, in three equal
installments of Rs 2000 each, will be provided to families having an annual
income below Rs 1.80 lakh and land holdings up to five acres. Only those
beneficiaries having ‘Parivar Pehchan Patra’ (family identification cards) can
avail the benefits under the scheme. The state government has made budgetary
provision of Rs 1500 crore under this scheme for the current fiscal. CM Khattar
formally transferred the amount into the bank accounts of the beneficiary
families for two equal installments of Rs 2000 each, (total of Rs 4000) on 7
February 2020. The third installment of Rs 2000 would be transferred in the
month of March 2020.
2. National Conference on e-Governance 2020 Held
in Mumbai: The 23rd edition of the National Conference on
e-Governance was held at Mumbai, Maharashtra on 7-8 February 2020. The theme of
the conference was: India 2020: Digital Transformation. The two-day conference
was organised jointly by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Grievances, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of
India and Department of Information Technology, Government of Maharashtra. The
Conference provided a platform to the senior officers of the Government to
discuss, and exchange views relating to various e-Governance initiatives;
disseminate knowledge on effective methods of designing and implementing
sustainable e-Governance initiatives to provide end to end Digital Services and
exchange experiences in solving problems, mitigating risks, resolving issues
and planning for success.
3. 11th Auto Summit held in New Delhi: The Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) is organized
the 11th Edition of Auto Summit 2020, in New Delhi. FADA Auto Summit is a
biennial flagship convention for Indian automobile dealers that provide a
common platform to deliberate on changing dynamics of auto retail and service
industry besides identifying the challenges and opportunities. The theme of
2020 Auto Summit was ‘Thriving Amidst Disruption.’ Minister of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship M N Pandey was the Chief Guest. Former
cricketer Kapil Dev was the Guest of Honour. Ernst & Young was the
knowledge partner for awards to be given this year. More than 1,500 auto
experts, policymakers, representatives of original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) and industry experts participated in the event.
4. India’s First Glass Floor Suspension Bridge to
come up in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh: The
Uttarakhand Government has approved the design of a glass floor suspension
bridge, the first of its kind in the country, which will be built across the
River Ganga in Rishikesh. The bridge is as an alternative to the iconic
Lakshman Jhula, almost 94 years old, which was closed in 2019 due to safety
reasons. The bridge design has been prepared by the Public Works Department
(PWD), and is the first of its kind in India to have a floor made of toughened
transparent glass.
Key Features
of the Bridge: The Bridge will be built parallel to Lakshman Jhula, with a
total width of 8 metres. It will consist of two toughened glass floors each
with a width of 1.5 metres and as many 2.5-metre asphalt roads in between meant
for light motor vehicles like two-wheelers. The toughened glass floor will be
3.5 inches thick with the capacity of bearing a load of more than 750 kg per
square metre at a stretch. The span of the bridge will be 132.3 metres long
with seven feet high toughened glass railings on either side of the structure.
The life span of the bridge will be at least 150 years.
5. 1st look of biopic on former President APJ
Abdul Kalam released: Union Information and
Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar released the first look of a biopic on
former President APJ Abdul Kalam in New Delhi. Javadekar along with Producer
and Director Madhur Bhandarkar and Hollywood Producer and Director Johnny
Martin released a poster of the film on the occasion. Hollywood actor Muhammad Ali
is playing Dr Kalam’s role in the movie.
6. Chhattisgarh Govt decides to impose permanent
ban on hookah bars: In the Cabinet meeting of the Chhattisgarh
chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, the state govt. has decided to cancel
licenses issued for running hookah centres. The decision comes in the wake of
complaints that school students, children and youth are getting attracted
towards tobacco use and other addictions. The State Cabinet has also decided to
close 49 liquor shops as part of its declared policy of gradually moving
towards prohibition.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India Slips to 40th Rank in 2020 U.S. Chamber
International IP Index: India has been ranked at
40th position among 53 global economies in the 2020 International Intellectual Property
(IP) Index, according to the report released by US Chamber of Commerce’s Global
Innovation Policy Center on 5th February. This is the eighth edition of the
annual U.S. Chamber International IP Index, with the theme “The Art of the
Possible.” Last year India was ranked at 36th position out of 50 countries.
However, India’s score increased from 36.04 percent in 2019 to 38.46 percent in
2020, a 2.42 per cent jump.
Top 5
Economies in the Index
United States
– 95.28
United Kingdom
– 93.92
France – 91.50
Germany –
91.08
Sweden – 90.56
Venezuela is
the lowest ranking country in the index at 53rd spot with a score of 14.22
2. US announce Launch of 27-Nation International
Religious Freedom Alliance: The United
States has announced the launch of a 27-nation International Religious Freedom
Alliance. This new Alliance will try to adopt a collective approach in
protecting and preserving religious freedom across the world. Among the
prominent countries to join the alliance are Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom,
Israel, Ukraine, the Netherlands and Greece. As per the US Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo, it is an Alliance of “like-minded partners who treasure, and fight
for, international religious freedom for every human being”.
3. BBIN nations deliberate on MoU for
implementation of motor vehicle agreement: A
meeting of the BBIN nations (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) was held in
New Delhi on 8 February 2020 to deliberate on a proposed MoU, to be signed by
Bangladesh, India and Nepal, for implementation of the Motor Vehicle Agreement
(MVA) in these countries. Representatives of Bhutan participated in the meeting
in an observer capacity. The meeting was held to discuss the Passenger protocol
and Cargo protocol, which will give effect to the Motor Vehicles Agreement
(MVA), for the regulation of passenger, personal and cargo vehicular traffic
among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, signed on June 15, 2015. The Indian
delegation was led by Vikram Doraiswami, Additional Secretary, and Ministry of
External Affairs.
4. Nepal to count LGBT population in census for
first time: Nepal’s upcoming national census will for the
first time count the LGBT population in the Himalayan nation in order to better
allocate government jobs and education set aside for minority groups. The exact
population of LGBT would help determine how much of the quota in these jobs and
education will go to them. A new constitution adopted in 2015 forbids all
discrimination based on sexual orientation, reaffirming a 2008 Supreme Court
ruling.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Bangladesh wins ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup
2020: Bangladesh has won the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup
2020 held in South Africa. Bangladesh Under-19 cricket team defeated India
Under-19 team by 3 wickets to win the final of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup
2020 held at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, South Africa. In final, Bangladesh
first restricted India to a meagre 177 in 47.2 overs and then did well enough
to score a revised target of 170 in 42.1 overs. For India, Yashaswi Jaiswal scored
88 runs off 121 balls. Bangladeshi skipper Akbar Ali was declared the Player of
the Match for his captaincy and unbeaten 43.
Note: Chairman
of International Cricket Council: Shashank Manohar; Chief Executive: Manu
Sahney; Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
2. Armand Duplantis breaks Pole Vault World
Record: Swedish Armand Duplantis broke the world record
in the pole vault with a jump of 20 feet 2 ¾ inches, or 6.17 meters. At an
indoor meet in Torun, Poland, Duplantis edged by a centimetre the previous
record set in 2014 by Renaud Lavillenie of France, the 2012 Olympic champion.
He will represent Sweden, his mother’s home country, instead of the United
States at the Olympics.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Moody’s Projects India’s growth at 4.9% in
FY20, 5.5% in FY21: Moody’s Investors Service has projected India’s
GDP growth during the current fiscal ending 31 March 2020 at 4.9 percent
(unchanged). For the fiscal 2020-21, GDP growth is estimated at 5.5 percent
compared to December 2019 estimate of 6.3 percent. And for 2021-22 fiscal, GDP
growth is estimated at 6 percent from 6.7 percent projected earlier.
Summary
2019-20 – 4.9%
2020-21 – 5.5%
2021-22 – 6%
DEFENCE
1. Army gets upgraded 155mm artillery gun at
Defexpo: The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) handed over
Sharang, the first 130mm M-46 artillery gun upgraded to 155mm to the Indian
Army. It was formally handed over by OFB Chairman Hari Mohan to Army Chief Gen.
Manoj Naravane at the ongoing Defexpo. The Army had issued the Request For
Proposal (RFP) in 2013 for both OFB and private industry. The gun’s range has
now gone from 27km to over 36km with the upgrade.
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