All in One Current Affairs

Sachin Bansal resigns as director of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank

Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal has resigned as Ujjivan Small Finance Bank director. The Bank in its regulatory filing informed that it received Bansal’s resignation letter dated January 27 and that the Board of Directors has taken note of it. He has been holding the role since May 2019. Bansal stepped down in the interest of propriety and to prevent conflict of interest arising out of the fact that his wholly-owned firm Navi Technologies has applied for a banking license.

New Delhi World Book Fair 2022: France to be the guest of honour

As announced by Emmanuel Lenain, France Ambassador to India, France will be the guest of honour at the New Delhi World Book Fair in January 2022. It is as part of a reciprocal invitation as New Delhi is the guest of honour this year at Livre Paris (Paris Book Fair).

Leading and emerging Indian authors will be invited to Paris to meet readers, while publishing industry professionals will enhance cooperation between France and India in this area during networking events.

In a special ceremony at Jaipur Book Mark, the Ambassador also conferred the 2020 Romain Rolland Book Prize along with Leila Slimani, novelist and President Emmanuel Macron’s Envoy for Francophone Affairs.

DRDO contingent led by scientist at Republic Day parade

For the first time, a defence scientist, Y Sreenivasa Rao, led the DRDO contingent ‘Mission Shakti’ at the 71st Republic Day parade. The contingent displayed the indigenous Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT). India became only the fourth nation after the US, Russia and China to have the capability. Rao has been associated with the Air Defence project of the DRDO for long. He is also the Secretary, Aeronautical Society of India, Hyderabad.

Former Karnataka minister and senior JDS leader K Amarnath Shetty passes away

Former minister and senior JDS leader K Amarnath Shetty passed away on Monday in Mangaluru at a private hospital. He was 80. He was admitted to AJ hospital following a brief illness. A few years ago he had undergone plastic surgery under his feet. Shetty who entered electoral politics in 1965, became the MLA in 1983 from Moodbidri-Mulky constituency. In 1984, he was made minister for tourism and religious endowment under Ramakrishna Hegde’s government. 

India and France to discuss on collaboration of films and audio visual

India and France in an extensive meeting discussed on ways and means on co-production of films and also collaborate in audio visual exchanges. The meeting was held by Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar with a French delegation led by the Culture Minister of France Franck Riester. They agreed to have a joint working group towards implementation of the objectives.

Prime Minister Modi pays tribute to Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to one of the key leaders of the freedom struggle Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary, saying his sacrifice will continue to inspire Indians. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also paid tribute saying that, Lala Lajpat Rai was a fierce nationalist and his remarkable and heroic role during the Vandemataram movement and Simon go-back agitation and his patriotism will continue to inspire every Indian. Popularly called Punjab Kesari, Rai was born in Punjab’s Moga in 1865.

Introduction of African cheetah in India allowed by Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has allowed the Centre to introduce the African cheetah to a suitable habitat in India. Since the rare Indian cheetah is almost extinct in the country, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had filed an application seeking permission for the introduction of the African cheetah from Namibia. The apex court will monitor the project and the committee will submit its report every four months. The African cheetah will be introduced on an experimental basis in the best suitable habitat to see whether it can adapt to Indian conditions.

1,256 projects financed under J&K Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation

In Jammu and Kashmir, around 1,256 projects worth Rs 2280 crore are being financed under J&K Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation, for development purpose. All government departments will have to handover the completed infrastructure development projects, before the third week of March this year for their formal inauguration.

European Parliament to discuss India’s anti-CAA resolution

The European Parliament will discuss the draft resolution on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) during a plenary session on 29th January. The five-page resolution was drafted by the 154 members, fearing that the recently enacted legislation by India could trigger the ‘largest statelessness crisis’ in the world.

The resolution describes the CAA is described in the resolution as “discriminatory” and “dangerously divisive” and also a “violation of India’s international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”. The resolution has also called on the Indian government to ensure the right to peaceful protest is allowed and to guarantee the life and physical integrity of those who choose to protest.

India used digital technologies to reduce disparities: UN

A flagship UN study has stated that, India has successfully managed to use digital platforms to reduce disparities among population groups. India’s experience of complementing mobile technologies with the Aadhaar identification system to reduce inequality is likely to be replicated in other countries in future. “India harnessed the potential of digital technologies for more inclusive development”, as published in the The World Social Report 2020, by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Banks sanction Rs.40,000 crore in last two months under Mudra loans

Banks have disbursed more than Rs 40,000 crore under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) in the last two months. There has been a step-up in Mudra loans in the last two months. At the end of November 2019, disbursal was only at Rs 51 lakh crore, while as on January 24, 2020, the disbursal of Mudra loans sanctioned stood at Rs 1,97,816 crore. Which means a little less than one-third of the total loans disbursed was done from December 2019 till date.

Rs 37 crore Innovation Challenge Fund launched by UK government in India

The UK government has launched 4 million pound, which is about Rs 37 crore, Innovation Challenge Fund in India. The Fund will encourage industry and academia to collaborate and develop tech solutions for social, economic and environmental challenges. The initiative is focused on two major tech clusters: artificial intelligence in Karnataka and future mobility in Maharashtra. Apart from smart mobility, the challenge fund is also looking for proposals in areas of safety and convenience, technology leap, connectivity, and recycling & upgrading.

West Bengal becomes 4th state to pass anti-CAA resolution

West Bengal became the fourth opposition-ruled state after Kerala, Punjab and Rajasthan to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in its assembly. The state assembly had previously passed a similar resolution against NRC in September 2019.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee called the CAA a law that is “a shame to humanity and civilisation” and sought its immediate withdrawal. Congress and Left Front added muscle to Trinamool Congress’s opposition and the single BJP MLA present in the assembly was the lone voice of dissent.

Mangaluru Smart City signs MoU with IGBC for sustainable development

The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for sustainable development in Mangaluru. The MoU aims at capacity building of professionals involved in the development of Mangaluru as a smart and green city.

Under the MoU, a joint assessment study will be done to evaluate the green criteria of Mangaluru as per IGBC Green Cities rating system. MSCL is the first smart city in the country to enter into an MoU with IGBC. The two parties shall work together towards development of green buildings in Mangaluru and also incentivising green buildings rating system to suit various types of construction projects.

Diplomat Joao Vale de Almeida appointed as first post-Brexit UK ambassador

Portuguese diplomat Joao Vale de Almeida was appointed as the head of future EU diplomatic mission to the UK after Brexit on 24 January. The UK’s exit was scheduled for 31 January 2020. Almeida will head the first EU delegation to the UK as of the first day of February. Joao Vale de Almeida has experience as the European union’s U.S. ambassador in 2010-2014. Prior to his appointment to London, he was the EU ambassador to the United Nations.

BFSI Digital Innovation Awards 2020 won by Bajaj Housing Finance Limited

Bajaj Housing Finance Limited (BHFL), a 100% subsidiary of Bajaj Finance Limited, has won the ‘BFSI Digital Innovation Award‘ for Cloud Solutions at the Express BFSI Technology Conclave and Awards 2020 held in Pune. The event held on 24th-25th January was organised by the Express Computer, an IT business magazine from the Indian Express Group. The conclave ended with the BFSI Digital Innovation Awards which were given away to Indian Banks or Indian subsidiaries of MNC BFSI institutions in the BFSI industry that demonstrate the innovative use of a particular technology or a combination of technologies for distinct business benefit.

Pavan Sukhdev awarded Tyler Prize for green economy work

Renowned Indian environmental economist and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador Pavan Sukhdev, 59, has been awarded the 2020 Tyler Prize, regarded as the “Nobel Prize for the Environment” for “green economy” work. He has been acknowledged for his work on bringing the economic consequences of environmental degradation and loss to the attention of corporate and political decision-makers. Sukhdev will receive the award alongside conservation biologist Gretchen Daily, at a private ceremony on May 1. They will be conferred with a gold medallion and share a cash prize of USD 200,000.