Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2020

Notes:
The ‘Central Indian Ocean Leadership Workshop’ is to be organised in the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai. The workshop is organised with the assistance of the United Nations. Several scientists across the world are going to participate in the workshop, which will focus on coastal vulnerabilities.
National Institute of Ocean Technology is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It was established in the year 1993 with its headquarters at Chennai.

Notes:
The Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) recently announced that the ‘Farmers’ Innovation Fund’ would be set by next financial year. The announcement was made during the Farmers’ Science Congress, the first of its kind event, organised as a part of the National Science Congress.
He announced that an innovation centre would be established in New Delhi, which would assist the farmers in their research and would authenticate the innovations of the farmers. At present, the Krishi Vigyan Kendras record the innovations of farmers.

Notes:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recently released a report titled ‘Statement on Climate of India During 2019’. According to the report, almost 1560 people died in 2019 due to unusual weather events including heavy rain and floods, heat wave, lightning and thunderstorm.
With nearly 650 deaths, Bihar had the highest number of people who died due to extremities in weather. The report also cited that five of the eight cyclones that hit India, were on the Arabian Sea, which was against the normal count of 1 cyclone on the west.

Notes:
Current Ashwini Lohani heads Air India. It began operations in 1932 with a single-engine, de Havilland Puss Moth monoplane. In 1962, it became the world’s first airline to boast an all-jet fleet. Last October, it also became the world’s first airline to use a Taxibot on an A320 aircraft with passengers onboard. Recently, Group of Ministers (GoM) of the central government have approved the proposal to divest stake in the national carrier. Led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the GoM met on Tuesday and approved all proposals on debt transfer from Air India to a special purpose vehicle. The Expression of Interest (EoI) and the share purchase agreement would be issued in January 2020.

Notes:
On January 8, 2020, Union Cabinet has approved promulgation of Mineral Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2020. The Ordinance will amend Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation ) Act 1957 and Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act 2015. The Ordinance will ease rules for auctioning of coal mines and to open up to all sectors. Government has also done away with end-use restrictions of the coal mining blocks.

Notes:
India’s country’s largest public sector bank, State Bank of India has announced a ‘residential builder finance with buyer guarantee’ (RBBG) scheme. It aims at giving a push to residential sales and improve homebuyers’ confidence. Under this scheme, SBI will issue a guarantee for completion of select residential projects to customers who have availed home loans from it. The scheme will focus on affordable housing projects priced up to 2.50 crore rupee in 10 cities initially.

Notes:
Proposed “Global Electricity Grid” was an idea mooted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The grid plans to leverage solar power generated in one geography to feed the electricity demands of other nations. India is reportedly in talks with World Bank as its technical partner to implement the plan.

Notes:
The World Economic Forum, held annually at Davos, is a meeting in which world leaders discuss economic matters. This year’s summit will take place on January 21- 24.

Notes:
Eminent social worker, Dr. Gutta Muniratnam was chosen as the first recipient of ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service’’. The announcement was made during the 10th Anniversary celebration of the foundation. The award was instituted by the Swarna Bharat Trust.
Dr. Gutta Muniratnam is a former member of the National Planning Commission of India and the founder of an NGO named ‘Rashtriya Seva Samithi’ serving the villages of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. G. Muniratnam is also a Padma Shri awardee.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y S R Jagan Mohan Reddy recently launched a welfare scheme called ‘Amma vodi’. Under the scheme, financial assistance of Rs.15000 to mothers/ guardians of school going children to educate them.
The Chief Minister released Rs.6318 Crores for the scheme, which is to benefit 82 lakh children of the state. Recently the state government announced that English will be the medium of instruction of government schools for class 1 to class 6.