Focus Merit

Date	Day	Theme 2020
04 January	World Braille Day
06 January	Journalist day (in Maharashtra)
09 January	Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
10 January	World Hindi Day
11-17 January	National Road Safety Week	Sadak Suraksha - Jeevan Suraksha.
12 January	National Youth Day
14 January	Armed Forces Veterans Day
15 January	Indian Army Day
18 January	15th Raising day of NDRF
19 January	National Immunization day
24 January	National Girl Child Day
24 January	International day of education	Learning for people, planet, prosperity and peace.
25 January	National Voters' Day	Electoral Literacy for a Stronger Democracy
25 January	National Tourism Day
26 January	International Customs Day	Customs fostering Sustainability for people, prosperity and the planet.
26 January	World Leprosy Day	Leprosy isn't what you think
27 January	International day of the commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust	“75 years after Auschwitz – Holocaust Education and Remembrance for Global Justice”
30 January	World Neglected Tropical diseases day

Zoran Milanovic wins Croatia presidential election

January 9, 2020

Former Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic won Croatia’s presidential election. He belongs Social Democratic Party (SDP). He defeated centre-right incumbent Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who was the first female president of Croatia.

Milanovic, the Social Democrat candidate, took 52.7 percent of the vote, while President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic garnered 47.3 percent. Milanovic who will take office on 19 February, will have a higher profile as President than usual, as Croatia has just taken over the rotating presidency of the European Union for six months.

Dr. A Sakthivel appointed as the new chairman of AEPC India

January 9, 2020

Dr. A Sakthivel has been appointed as the new chairman of Apparel Export Promotion Council of India (AEPC) for the period 2020-21. He will replace HKL Magu. He is also the first person in the history of AEPC, who is sworn-in for the fourth time as Chairman of the AEPC.

Dr A Sakthivel has not only contributed his time and work to the Council, but also served as Managing Committee Member of Federation of Indian Exporters organisation (FIEO) for more than a decade. He was also the President and Regional Chairman of FIEO, Southern Region.

NADA bans Women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur for 4 years

January 9, 2020

Indian women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur has been banned for 4 years from the sport by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA). This ban was imposed on her for involving in doping violation. The sample of Sarbjeet was collected during 34th Women Senior National Weightlifting Championship held at Vishakhapatnam. The Agency found her guilty of anti-doping rule violation.

According to NADA, her sample had presence of prohibited substance namely — Di-hydroxy-LGD-4033 (LGD 4033 METABOLITE), Selective Androgen Receptor Modulations (SARM), and Ostarine (Enobosarm). Sarbjeet had previously won the 71kg event at the women’s national weightlifting championships in February last year.

India’s economy to reach $7 trillion by 2030: Deutsche Bank

January 9, 2020

Deutsche Bank has projected that Indian economy will reach $7 trillion by 2030. The estimation was stated by Deutsche Bank in its research report “Imagine 2030”. According to the report, India will grow with the Nominal GDP growth rate of just over 10% in the next decade. Indian economy is presently valued at $3 trillion.

India’s economic growth may remain below potential in the near term. However, ongoing government measures are expected to provide a major push to its potential in the future. The decision to reduce corporate tax rate will likely incentivise greater foreign direct investment flow into the country and support private investment.

India listed as 5th biggest Geo-political Risk of 2020

January 9, 2020

India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been listed as the 5th biggest Geo-political Risk of 2020. The listing was done by Eurasia Group in its report. The report states. The Top 10 Risks of 2020 are as followed:

1. Rigged!: Who Governs The US?
2. The Great Decoupling
3. US – China
4. MNCs Not to the rescue
5. India Gets Modi-Fied
6. Geopolitical Europe
7. Politics Vs. Economics of Climate Change
8. Shia Crescendo
9. Discontent in Latin America
10. Turkey

The Eurasia Group releases its ‘Top 10 Risks’ of the Year report annually considering one of the principal geopolitical indicators among global investors, multinational firms and various financial and business consultancies.

IP based Video Surveillance System being installed by Indian Railways

January 9, 2020

Railway Board has approved works for provision of Video Surveillance System covering 983 stations under Nirbhaya funds. ‘RailTel’ has been entrusted with the work of providing IP based VSS with video analytics and facial recognition system

In order to enhance security at Railway stations which are major hubs of transportation, Indian Railways is in the process of installing Internet Protocol (IP) based Video Surveillance System (VSS) at stations, that is, waiting halls, reservation counters, parking areas, main entrance/ exit, platforms, foot over bridges, booking offices etc.

All-in-one QR for merchants launched by Paytm

January 9, 2020

Digital payments firm Paytm announced the launch of its all-in-one QR for merchants across the country. This QR will enable merchants to accept unlimited payments through Paytm Wallet, Rupay Cards and all UPI-based payment apps directly into their bank account at zero per cent fee. The platform offers a single reconciliation of all payments through its ‘Paytm for Business’ app.

Owned by One97 Communications Limited, the mobile wallet company currently enjoys 54 per cent market share of mobile payments for merchants. The all-in-one QR is a must-have business tool as it is only payment QR that allows merchants to accept payments from Paytm wallet, all UPI apps, and cards. The new smart device for payment processing ‘soundbox‘ is one of the QR merchandise that allows the merchants to hear confirmation of payment receipt, which supports all payment modes and multiple languages.

Andhra Pradesh CM set to launch ‘Jagananna Amma Vodi’ scheme

January 9, 2020

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will launch ‘Jagananna Amma Vodi’ programme in Chittoor. Under Jagananna Amma Vodi scheme, financial assistance of Rs 15,000 will be given to nearly 43 lakh mothers or guardians to send their children to school. With the announcement of the scheme, student enrolment surged by 30 per cent in the current academic year.

The government in the fiscal year 2019-20 has allocated Rs 6455.80 crore budget for the scheme, in which financial assistance of Rs 15,000 will be provided to the mother or guardian who is below the poverty line, irrespective of the number of children in that family studying in between class 1 and 12.

The scheme is applicable from the academic year 2019-20 in all the government, private aided, private unaided schools/junior colleges. It will also include residential schools and colleges in the state. The scheme is not applicable to dropouts from school or colleges. Government employees and income taxpayers are also not eligible for the scheme.

Spain: Pedro Sánchez sworn in as Prime Minister

January 9, 2020

Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) leader Pedro Sánchez was sworn in as Spain’s Prime Minister a day after his proposed coalition with a left-wing party narrowly slipped through a vote in Parliament. Sánchez decided to forgo religious symbolism and took oath over the Constitution on the presence of King Felipe VI, the head of state. It is the second time in less than two years that the socialist leader has been sworn-in as prime minister.

Malappuram tops Economist list of world’s fastest growing urban regions

January 9, 2020

Three Kerala cities – Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kollam are among the top-10 fastest growing urban regions, in terms of population, in the world, according to the latest rankings by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Malappuram ranked number 1, while Kozhikode has been ranked number 4, Kollam is in the 10th position. No other Indian city has figured in the top 10 list.

One city from Vietnam (Can Tho), three from China (Suqian, Suzhou and Putian), one from Nigeria (Abuja), one from UAE (Sharjah), and one from Oman (Muscat) find their place in the list. The other Indian cities to figure in the list are Surat (27) and Thiruppur (30). The list has been compiled on the basis of the data provided by the United Nation’s Population Division.

January 2020 Current Affairs

Zoran Milanovic wins Croatia presidential election

Dr. A Sakthivel appointed as the new chairman of AEPC India

NADA bans Women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur for 4 years

India’s economy to reach $7 trillion by 2030: Deutsche Bank

India listed as 5th biggest Geo-political Risk of 2020

IP based Video Surveillance System being installed by Indian Railways

All-in-one QR for merchants launched by Paytm

Andhra Pradesh CM set to launch ‘Jagananna Amma Vodi’ scheme

Spain: Pedro Sánchez sworn in as Prime Minister

Malappuram tops Economist list of world’s fastest growing urban regions

All In One Current Affairs

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