CURRENT AFFAIRS 1 DECEMBER 2020

                                                                

               BITA (Banking Institute & TNPSC Academy)     

                                                                                                                                   1 December 2020

Current affairs

1. Centre directs states, UTs to upload data of health workers on 'COVIN app' for Covid-19 vaccination drive

• The Union Health Ministry has directed the states and Union Territories to upload data of healthcare workers on its COVIN App (Covid-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network) for COVID-19 vaccination on priority basis.
•  The Covin App has been developed by the central government. It is a key part of India's Covid-19 vaccine rollout plan. 
• The procurement, distribution, circulation, storage and dose schedules of the vaccine will be found in the COVIN App.
• The government of India has initiated preparations for the introduction of Covid-19 vaccine, upon its availability.
•   The creation of the database of Health Care Workers (HCWs) who will be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccine is a part of the process. 

2. Uttarakhand gets its first eco-bridge for small animalS

•  Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar Forest Division has built an eco-bridge across Kaladhungi-Nainital highway.
• The bridge has been constructed to save reptiles and small animals from vehicular accidents while crossing the road.
• T90-feet-long and 5-feet-wide bridge is Uttarakhand's first eco-bridge. It has been constructed with the hope that small animals and reptiles like snake, squirrel, monitor lizard will cross the road through the bridge and avoid being killed by vehicles.
• The bridge has been fully made with eco-friendly items such as bamboo, grass and rope. No iron or cement was used in its construction. 

3. Assam state government to bring laws for transparency in marriage

• Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed recently that the state government is considering to bring laws for more transparency in marriage. 
•  The laws will make it compulsory for both bride and groom to reveal information about themselves such as their religion and the source of income.
•  The Health Minister stated that one shouldn’t get married if there is no transparency between husband and wife. The main idea behind the laws will be to not hide one’s identity, job or income.The decision comes amid row on the issue of ‘Love Jihad’. 
• The decision comes as UP Governor Anandiben Patel promulgated the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance 2020, which proposes a maximum punishment of 10 years and fine for "love jihad" related offences.

4. Goa launches one-time power bill settlement scheme 2020

• The Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant launched a one-time settlement scheme for power consumers on November 30, 2020. He said that his government accords priority to the interests of the needy and common man.
• The chief minister stated that the payment of electricity bills has been held up due to various reasons and hence, the state has decided to provide the people ease of access to a scheme that will enable them to pay their bills in installments.
• The state government also provided a waiver of late payment fees to those who will make payment at one time or by installments with a minimum time period.

5. World AIDS Day being observed today

• World AIDS Day was observed on December 1, 2020 to raise public awareness about Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS. The day’s theme this year is ‘Ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic: resilience and impact.’
• The day aims to provide an opportunity for people to unite in the fight against HIV and to show support for those living with HIV.
•  According to WHO, the global HIV epidemic may be accelerating even more during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, there were around 38 million people living with HIV infection. 

6. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launches “Sahakar Pragya” initiative

• The Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar recently unveiled a new initiative called Sahakar Pragya.
•  Sahakar Pragya is an initiative of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), to help in capacity development of the cooperative sector in India, through the training programme.
• Under this initiative, 45 new training modules have been developed for the farmers and would be imparted to primary cooperative societies in rural areas of the country by NCDC.
•  The training modules aim to impart knowledge and organisational skills and attempt to prepare the primary cooperative societies across the country to be able to play a big role in the government’s AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative.
•  Narendra Singh Tomar is the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development, Panchayat Raj and Food Processing Industries.

 7. Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurates Suryadhar Lake

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has inaugurated the Suryadhar lake at Doiwala, Dehradun.
• The Suryadhar lake is 550 meters long, 28 meters wide and 10 meters deep with a capacity of 77,000 cubic meters.
•   Besides fulfilling the drinking water and irrigational needs of 18-20 villages, the lake will recharge the water resources in the area and help build a healthy eco-system that will attract migratory birds.
• The state government’s plans to organize a water sports festival at the lake either by Makar Sankranti or Basant Panchami next year to showcase the beauty of its surrounding environs.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister: Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.

 8. Utpal Kumar Singh Appointed as Secretary-General of Lok Sabha

•  Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has appointed senior IAS officer Utpal Kumar Singh as Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha and Lok Sabha Secretariat.
• His appointment will come into effect from December 1, 2020. He will succeed incumbent Snehlata Shrivastava.
•  Mr Singh is a 1986 batch IAS officer of Uttrakhand Cadre and has been appointed as Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha in the rank and status of Cabinet Secretary.

9. IAS officer Varsha Joshi named Chairperson of NDDB

•  The Government of India has appointed IAS officer Varsha Joshi as the new Chairperson of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
• She is presently served as Joint Secretary (CDD), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India.
• With incumbent Dilip Rath’s tenure as Chairman of NDDB ends on November 30, 2020, Joshi’s appointment is made effective from December 1, 2020, until further orders.

·                                         National Dairy Development Board Founded: 16 July 1965.

·                                        National Dairy Development Board Headquarters: Anand, Gujarat.

 10. A book titled ‘Future of Regional Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific’ by ADB

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released a new book titled ‘Future of Regional Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific’.
• The book provides insight on how stronger regional cooperation strategies, including in health, trade, finance, and disaster risk, can help governments in Asia and the Pacific accelerate economic growth and robust recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
•  It also explores opportunities for economies in the region to work together to recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic.

President of ADB: Masatsugu Asakawa;

Headquarters: Manila, Philippines.

11. ARTPARK Will Promote Technology Innovations in AI

•  ARTPARK is committed to using AI and robotics with a task-driven model to bring people a better quality of life.
•  The AI and Robotics Park (ARTPARK) established in Bangalore will promote the innovation of AI and robotics by implementing ambitious mission model R&D projects in the fields of healthcare, education, transportation, infrastructure, agriculture, retail and networking, thereby contributing to society Make an impact-Security focuses on issues unique to India.
• ARTPARK (AI and Robotics Technology Park) is a joint initiative of the Indian Institute of Science and AI Foundry, which established Section 8 Corporation (a non-profit organization) and received a seed fund from the Ministry of Science & Technology of India.
• It is set up as the premier research translation park with a global collaborative ecosystem. It is being incubated at the Robert Bosch Cyber Physics System Center at IISc.

12. India Become Pharmacy Of The World

• Ambassadors from 100 countries are scheduled to arrive in Pune on December 4 to visit the Indian Serum Institute and Genova Biopharma. Sweden has recognized India's role as a "world pharmacy".
• India is seeking its own development and production self-reliance. While there are at least five pharmaceutical companies in India engaged in vaccine development, the Pune Serological Institute has been selected as a mass producer of the Covishield vaccine developed by Astra Seneca at the University of Oxford. The government has activated a strong Covid-19 vaccine production and delivery ecosystem to meet demand.

13. PM Inaugurates Six-Lane Widening Project of The Varanasi-Prayagraj Section Of NH-19

• While normal rice sells for Rs 35-40 a kg, this black rice was sold for up to Rs 300 a kg. For the first time, this rice has been exported to Australia, that too at the rate of around Rs 800 per kg.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the opening ceremony of the NH-19 Varanasi-Prayagrajpart of the six-lane expansion project in Varanasi.
•    The newly widened and six-lane NH-19 has a total length of 73 kilometres and a total investment of Rs 24.47 billion, which is expected to reduce the travel time between Prayagraj and Varanasi by one hour
•   Dev Deepawali has become the "world-famous light and passion" festival in Varanasi, and is celebrated every Poornima in Kartik month. 

14. The 1st ever SCO Online Exhibition on Shared Buddhist Heritage commences on 30th November

• The Indian Vice President and Chairman of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) launched the first SCO online shared Buddhist heritage exhibition in 2020.
• The online international exhibition was launched during the 19th meeting of the SCO Heads of Government Council on November 30, 2020.

15. Bilateral Cooperation between China and Nepal

• The northern border between Nepal and China is entirely located in Tibet. China believes that security cooperation with Nepal is essential to control Tibetan affairs.
•  China and Nepal discussed various issues related to their bilateral interests, including strengthening military cooperation between the two countries, issues related to the resumption of training and student exchange programs, and follow-up actions for defence assistance affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Nepal established relations with China in 1955. In 1956 it recognized Tibet as a part of China and signed the "Treaty of Peace and Friendship" in 1960.
• The 1970s, the King of Nepal, Birendra, proposed Nepal as a "zone of peace" between India and China. India did not show strong interest, but China expressed support.

16. Electrification of Railways Was Unveiled

• The electrification level of the railway is 18065 kilometres. Compared with 2009-2014, the electrification level increased by 371% in 2014-20.
• The Minister of Railways unveiled the newly electrified Dhigawara-Bandikui section of the Northwest Railway Line and marked the first train from this electrified route from Dhigawara Station in Alwar District, Rajasthan.
• Indian Railways has set a goal to complete the electrification of its wide-gauge network by December 2023. More than 66% of the wide-gauge lines have been electrified.

17. IN lures a maritime guardian from the United States

• The drone has 3600 maritime surveillance radar and optional multi-mode maritime surface search radar.
• The Indian Navy (IN) has introduced two U.S. MQ9B Marine Guardian unmanned drones. These drones will be leased for one year in India.
• The Drone is a maritime variant of the Predator MQ9 UAV (UAV). It has a endurance of upto 40 hours and also a maximum flying altitude of 40,000 feet.

18. Lewis Hamilton wins Bahrain Grand Prix 2020

•  Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has won the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain.
• The race was the fifteenth round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship. This is the 11th victory for Hamilton of the season, and 95th F1 win of his career.
• Also, Hamilton now holds the records for the most wins (95), in Formula One history.
• Red Bull Racing teammates Max Verstappen (Netherlands) and Alexander Albon (Thailand) were second and third respectively.

19. World AIDS Day: 01 December

•  Every year, on 1 December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. The day provides an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.
• This year the theme of World AIDS Day is “Global solidarity, shared responsibility”.
• In 2020, the world’s attention has been focused by the COVID-19 pandemic on health and how pandemics affect lives and livelihoods.
• COVID-19 is showing once again how health is interlinked with other critical issues, such as reducing inequality, human rights, gender equality, social protection and economic growth.

20. Senegal World Cup footballer Papa Bouba Diop passes away

• Senegal’s professional footballer, Papa Bouba Diop, who helped the country win the FIFA World Cup match in 2002, has passed away.
• He was of the age of 42. His goal helped Senegal secure historic 1–0 win over the then-world champions France in the opening match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and Senegal’s first-ever match at the FIFA World Cup. Diop has won 63 caps for Senegal.

 21. Piyush Goyal inaugurates Dhigawara-Bandikui section of NWR

• The Union Minister of Railways, Piyush Goyal has inaugurated newly electrified Dhigawara-Bandikui section of North Western Railway (NWR) in the state of Rajasthan.
•  The Minister also flagged off the first train on this newly electrified route. The Dhigawara-Bandikui section is on Delhi-Ajmer route via Jaipur.

 22. BSF Celebrates its 56th Raising Day on December 1, 2020

• The Border Security Force (BSF), is observing its 56th Raising Day on 01 December 2020. BSF was formed on December 1, 1965, as a unified central agency, after the Indo-Pak and India-China wars, for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected therewith.
• It is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces of the Union of India and stands as the world’s largest border guarding force. BSF has been termed as the First Line of Defence of Indian Territories.

BSF Director General: Rakesh Asthana.

BSF Headquarters: New Delhi.