NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Gujarat gets new online fire safety approval system, first state to do so: A new mechanism
for approval and renewal of fire safety certifications for buildings has been
put in place in Gujarat by bringing the entire process online through a portal
called Fire Safety COP, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said.Gujarat will be the
first State to do this. The system, which will be implemented from January 26
next year, comes after recent incidents of fire in COVID-19 facilities in which
several patients died, including in Rajkot on November 27. As part of the new
system, the government has approved the process of training and empaneling
private ”fire safety officers (FSOs)” to carry out periodic inspection, testing
and maintenance of fire safety systems in buildings and renewal of
certificates.
2.
Andhra CM Jaganmohan launches ‘YSR Free Crop Insurance scheme’ for farmers: Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy has launched the ‘YSR Free Crop Insurance’
scheme for the benefit of farmers in the state. Simultaneous with the launch,
Rs 1,252 crore was credited into the bank accounts of 9.48 lakh farmers who
have lost their crops during 2019.Crop loss compensation for 2020 will be paid
in April 2021, after the Planning Department submits its report. Chief Minister Reddy said that 10,641 Rythu
Bharosa Kendrams are set up, integrated with village secretariats to support
the farmers. The government has initiated e-cropping, where details of all
crops are uploaded in a database, including the crop loss numbers. All this
information, crop loss compensations would be displayed at the RBKs for social
audit.
3.
Maharashtra govt all set to launch ‘MahaSharad’ platform: Maharashtra’s
Department of Social Justice is all set to launch an ambitious scheme for
distribution of assistive devices to lakhs of persons with disabilities through
MahaSharad Digital Platform to coincide with NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s 80th
birthday. It will be available on Play Store by March 2021. Maharashtra System
for Health and Rehabilitation Assistance” or MahaSharad platform has been
created to provide various devices to persons with disabilities free of cost
through the Commissionerate for persons with Disability. Modern equipment and
devices help divyang to lead life like normal individuals. Several people,
organizations, private companies, industrialists and others are willing to make
available such equipment for divyang. The MahaSharad platform will help such
donors meet needy divyang. Those in need can start registering on the portal
from today itself.
4.
Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati elected as Vice President of ABU: The CEO of Prasar
Bharati, Shashi Shekhar Vempati has been elected as the Vice President of Asia
Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) for a period of three years. Prasar Bharati is
India’s largest public broadcasting agency. The Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia–based
Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), is one of the largest broadcasting
associations in the world.
Note: Prasar Bharati Founded: 23 November
1997; Prasar Bharati Headquarters: New Delhi
Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union
Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union
President: İbrahim Eren; Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union Formation: 1 July
1964.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
NASA selects Raja Chari as commander of SpaceX Crew-3 mission: NASA and the
European Space Agency (ESA) have selected Indian-American Raja Chari to be the
Commander of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station.
Presently Raja Chari, is a colonel in
the US Air Force. He will be the commander of SpaceX Crew-3 mission, while
Nasa’s Tom Marshburn will be pilot and ESA’s Matthias Maurer will serve as a
mission specialist. This mission is expected to be launched next year. When
Chari, Marshburn, and Maurer arrive at the orbiting laboratory, they will
become expedition crew members for the duration of their six-month stay. The
crew will have a slight overlap with the Crew-2 astronauts, who are expected to
launch in the spring of 2021.
About Raja Chari: Chari was born in
Milwaukee, but considers Cedar Falls, Iowa, his hometown. Raja Chari’s father Srinivas
Chari left for the US from Hyderabad at a young age for an engineering degree.
He is a colonel in the US Air Force and joins the mission with extensive
experience as a test pilot. For Raja Chari, this will be the first spaceflight.
He became a Nasa astronaut in 2017.
Note: The administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration: Jim Bridenstine; Headquarters of NASA:
Washington D.C., United States.
2.
WHO, IFRC sign memorandum of understanding on emergency medical teams: WHO Director-General
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and IFRC Secretary-General Mr Jagan Chapagain
signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on implementing the Emergency
Medical Team (EMT) initiative. The MoU, also known as the Red Channel
Agreement, is the culmination of years of collaboration between IFRC and the
WHO Emergency Medical Team Initiative. The new agreement will bring more
synergies to health emergency response between the two international
organisations, particularly in technical standards, accountability, and
coordination.
3.
Bangladesh-India Cotton Fest held in Dhaka: The second Bangladesh-India Cotton
Fest 2020 was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh Cotton Association (BCA)
jointly organized the festival, in cooperation with Bangladesh Textile Mills
Association (BTMA), Indian Cotton Association Ltd. (ICAL), India-Bangladesh
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI). Salman F Rahman, private industry and
investment adviser to the prime minister, was the chief guest at the event,
organised by Bangladesh Cotton Association. The festival focuses on the
development of trade relations between the two countries.
4.
International Human Solidarity Day: 20th December: International
Human Solidarity Day is observed globally on 20 December every year to
celebrate unity in diversity and raise awareness about the importance of solidarity.
According to the United Nations Millennium Declaration, solidarity is among the
fundamental values that are essential to international relations. The General
Assembly, on 22 December 2005, by resolution 60/209 identified solidarity as
one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations
between peoples in the twenty-first century, and in that regard decided to
proclaim 20 December of each year International Human Solidarity Day.
What is Solidarity: Solidarity is defined
as an awareness of shared interests and objectives that create a psychological
sense of unity and ties in a society that bind people together as one.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Mohammad Amir announced his retirement from international cricket: Pakistan’s star pacer,
Mohammad Amir has announced his retirement from international cricket citing
‘mental torture’ by the management as the reason behind his decision. Left-arm
fast bowler Amir made his international debut in July 2009. In his ODI debut,
in the same month, Amir bagged 3 wickets for 45 runs in his 10 overs,
announcing the start of a star career. However, his potentially big career was
hindered by his infamous match-fixing involvement with Salman Butt and Mohammad
Asif.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
SEBI forms new department to check promoter frauds: Market regulator
SEBI has set up a specialised department to tackle cases of diversion of funds,
bank loans and resources by company promoters. The new department will be known
as the Corporation Finance Investigation Department (CFID). The new department
will even check if resources like company land, guest houses or vehicles are
misused by promoters.
2.
Aceware Fintech launches service for doorstep withdrawal of money: Aimed at enabling
withdrawal of money from a bank account from the comfort of home, Aceware, a
fintech company based in Infopark, has launched Ace Money Micro ATM service in
Kochi. Initially, the service will be available in Kochi city, and the company
has already recruited delivery executives for rolling out the service. The
company is planning to expand the service to all the municipalities in the
State by January 2021. Aceware is rolling out the service in association with
ICICI Bank. Customers can place an order for money on Ace Money app, which can
be downloaded from Google Play Store and App Store. The money will be delivered
at the doorstep within 30-40 minutes after placing the order.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Amazon and CII join hands to bring e-commerce gains to MSMEs in 10 states: At the 17th
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Global SME Business Summit, Amazon.in
and CII signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bring the benefits of
ecommerce to micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in 10 states across
India. Amazon.in and CII will work closely with the Ministry of MSME to enable
lakhs of MSMEs across these states to leverage technology to reach customers in
India and globally.
2. NSDC partners with Byju”s to
support skilling of teachers, trainers:
Edtech major Byju’s said it has inked an agreement with the National Skill
Development Corporation (NSDC) to support the skilling of teachers and
trainers. Sharing a vision to accelerate Skill India Mission, the partners aim
at empowering teachers and trainers with the key skills and digital tools to
make learning engaging, effective and personalised for children and youth.
Byju’s will support NSDC by providing free access to its educational content
and tools to help teachers, and will share its digital educational content
(scholastic and non-scholastic) as free licences with the NSDC ecosystem to
equip teachers as well as students for a quality learning experience.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. SAIL gets Golden Peacock
Environment Management Award 2020: Steel
Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has been awarded with the prestigious Golden
Peacock Environment Management Award for the year 2020 in the Steel Sector by
the Institute of Directors. The company has been the winner of this award for
successive two years and this bears testimony to the efforts made by it for
sustainable and environmentally responsible steel making. This award is one of
the most coveted awards in the category.
Why
this award was given to SAIL: SAIL, as its Corporate Responsibility for Environment
Protection continuously focuses on adopting various environmental measures
including, upgrading of pollution control facilities, treatment &
recirculation of wastewater from individual units & outfalls, enhancement
in the green cover in & around Plants & Units, efficient handling of
different solid wastes (viz. process waste, hazardous waste, canteen/township
waste), carbon sequestration through afforestation, eco-restoration of mined
out area, among others. Also, the impact of SAIL’s initiatives and best
practices on improving cleaner environment, reducing emissions &
discharges, mitigating impacts of climate change and helping the Company to
conduct its operations in environmentally benign manner has been recognized.
Note:
Chairman of SAIL: Anil Kumar Chaudhary; SAIL Headquarters: New Delhi; SAIL
founded: 19 January 1954.
DEFENCE
1. 35th Edition of India-Indonesia
CORPATs: The 35th edition of India-Indonesia
Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian
Navy is being conducted from 17 to 18 December 2020. The 35th IND – INDO CORPAT
will contribute towards the Indian Navy’s efforts to consolidate
inter-operability and forge strong bonds of friendship across the Indo Pacific.
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kulish, an indigenously built missile corvette along
with P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) will undertake coordinated patrol with
Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Cut Nyak Dien, a Kapitan Pattimura (Parchim I) class
corvette and an MPA of the Indonesian Navy.
To
reinforce maritime links, the two navies have been carrying out CORPAT along
their International Maritime Boundary Line since 2002, with the aim of ensuring
safety and security of shipping and international trade in the region. CORPATs
build up understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitate the
institution of measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated
(IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy.
Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh; Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950
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