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Category: All Current Affairs

Suresh Chandra Sharma appointed as first chief of NMC

January 4, 2020

Government appoints the chief of Delhi AIIMS’ ENT head-neck surgery department, Professor Suresh Chandra Sharma, as the chairman of National Medical Commission. Rakesh Kumar Vats, the secretary general in the board of governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI), has been appointed as the secretary of the Commission for the similar term.

On August 8, President Ram Nath Kovind had given assent to the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, which provides for a system that improves access to quality and affordable medical education and ensures availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals in all parts of the country, among others.

The Act replaces Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. The new law provides for setting up of an NMC in place of the Medical Council of India for development and regulation of all aspects of medical education, profession and institutions.

Kerala: K-RERA launched by CM

January 4, 2020

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA) with an aim to boost the confidence of customers and bring in more transparency in the real estate sector, 

Passed by the Parliament, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, had directed the state governments to establish RERA for effective regulation of the real estate sector and also for speedy dispute redressal.

As per the Act, buildings with more than eight apartments and real estates projects with 500 square metres of land or more will have to be registered with RERA.

2020 declared as AI year by Telangana Govt, signs 8 MoU

January 4, 2020

Telangana state government declared 2020 as the year of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and signed eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with various companies and educational institutes to pave way for upcoming technological advancement in the state.

US-based tech major NVIDIA will partner with the state government to setup a High-Performance AI Computing (HPAIC) Centre in Telangana. They will also assist in startup incubation, host AI training sessions to support women & minority groups and organise hackathons.

Reliance to venture in e-commerce with Jio Mart

January 4, 2020

Reliance is all set to venture into the e-commerce segment with the launch of Jio Mart. The company is currently live in Navi Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan. It is rolling out an offline-to-online commerce platform that will provide retail packaged consumer goods (PCG) and kitchen supplies to the customer in select locations.

Powered by kirana stores, that have signed up onto Jio using its internet-enabled point-of-sale (PoS) and inventory management device, the mart will offer a selection of over 50,000 grocery products, no-charge deliveries, low prices, and easy returns.

A dedicated mobile application for Jio Mart is expected to be launched in the coming weeks, which will also be integrated with My Jio and Jio Money applications.

2020 designated as “Year of Nurse and Midwife” by WHO

January 4, 2020

The World Health Organization designated the year 2020 as the “Year of Nurse and Midwife” in the honour of 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.

The year is being dedicated to the nursing, midwifery as well as WHO is also a partner of The State of the World’s Midwifery Campaign, to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

The organization is leading the development of “World Nursing Report” that is to be launched in 2020. The report is first of its kind.

Ministry of External Affairs sets NEST

January 4, 2020

The External affairs ministry announced the setting up of new emerging and strategic technologies (NEST) division. The division will work to increase investment coordination among the states of the country and also with the foreign countries.

NEST will act as the nodal division within the ministry for issues pertaining to new and emerging technologies. It will help in collaboration with foreign partners in the field of 5G and artificial intelligence. The division will also hold responsibility for matters that involve negotiations with multilateral fora like the United Nations, G20.

Abhinav Kumar gets extension as BSF IG

January 4, 2020

The appointments committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for extending the deputation tenure of IPS Abhinav Kumar, Inspector General. 

The appointment Committee of the Cabinet approved the plan of Ministry of Home Affairs for extension of deputation tenure of IPS Abhinav Kumar, Inspector General, Border Security Force (BSF) beyond 31.10.2019 and up to 27.07.2021 in relaxation of IPS Tenure Policy.

Gujarat: KVIC opens 1st silk processing plant

January 4, 2020

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) opened its first “Patola Saree” silk processing plant at Surendranagar in Gujarat with the aim to make silk readily available to Patola saree manufacturers to boost its production. Patola is the trademark saree of Gujarat.

The Patola silk was founded by the Salvi caste (Scheduled) in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. They moved to Gujarat in the 12th century in order. They are highly expensive and were once worn only by royal aristocratic families.

Iran: Esmail Qaani named as new Commander

January 4, 2020

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named the Deputy Head of the Revolutionary Guards’ foreign operations arm Esmail Qaani to replace Qasem Soleimani as its commander.

Soleimani was killed in a pre-dawn US strike in Baghdad. Qaani was one of the most decorated commanders of the Guards during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

Manav Thakkar becomes world no.1 in ITTF rankings

January 4, 2020

Young Indian paddler Manav Thakkar became world no.1 in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings in the Under-21 men’s singles category.

Thakkar became the fourth Indian to achieve the feat after Harmeet Desai, G Sathiyan and Soumyajit Ghosh.

Thakkar was also world no. 1 in the Under-18 category in February 2018. He was part of the Indian men’s team which won a bronze medal in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.