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

E-certificate project launched by Odisha government

January 1, 2020

The Odisha government has launched a unique “people-friendly” project to provide official documents such as income, residence and similar other certificates online without any fees and without visiting government offices. The e-certificate project launched by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the Revenue and Disaster Management department as part of the 5T model of governance aims at benefiting over 5 million applicants annually, revolutionising peoples life.

Patnaik also launched “Pauti”, an App to facilitate online payment of land revenue and people need not visit government offices for the purpose. They can download the application and make payment.

Atal Canteen launched by Haryana CM in Karnal

January 1, 2020

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated the state’s first Atal Kisan-Mazdoor canteens( Atal Canteen) constructed by the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board at a cost of Rs 4 lakh. It is very pocket friendly as farmers and labourers coming to the mandi will get a wholesome diet from the canteen at a price of Rs 10. The food will include four rotis, pulses, vegetables and rice

The canteen will function from 11am-3pm everyday and for now, it has the capacity to serve 300 persons. Ten women from a self-help group (SHG) have been appointed to prepare the food.

The canteens are named after former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but the government failed to launch it on his birthday on December 25. Haryana CM unveiled a 14-foot statue of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Atal Park.

Kerala Becomes First State To Pass Anti-CAA Resolution

January 1, 2020

Kerala became the first state to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act amid widespread protests across the country. Kerala is now the first state to go down the legislative route to register its opposition.

Chief Ministers of several non-BJP ruled states including Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, had also previously voiced their opposition to the law.

Kerala Travel Mart to support Green Cochin Mission

January 1, 2020

Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society is set to implement the initiatives under the nascent Green Cochin Mission as its major policy programme to speed up the ongoing efforts to free Kerala’s top tourist city of waste.

The Green Cochin Mission is aiming, among others, to rejuvenate the city’s canals and check encroachment so as to achieve its zero pollution of soil and water alongside greening Kochi. Its social media wing, too, is working full swing, while trying to rope in taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers besides roadside vendors.

The Green Cochin Mission, inaugurated on December 20, enjoys the assistance of Kochi Corporation, district administration, Kerala Suchitwa Mission, Indian Medical Association, Childline India, Justice Brigade, Haritha Keralam, National Health Mission and Motor Vehicles Department besides educational institutes, NGOs and other private agencies.

CRPF DG Bhatnagar retires, ITBP chief given additional charge

January 1, 2020

ITBP Director General S S Deswal has been given the “additional” charge to head country’s largest paramilitary force CRPF as its serving DG, R R Bhatnagar, retired on Tuesday.

An order issued by the Union home ministry said Deswal, a 1984-batch Haryana cadre IPS officer, will hold the CRPF charge, till the appointment and joining of the successor or until furtherorders, whichever is earlier.

Bhatnagar, is retiring after heading the Central Reserve Police Force for over 2.5 years. He was appointed CRPF Director General (DG) in April, 2017.

Guinea-Bissau: Umaro Cissoko Embalo wins presidential election

January 1, 2020

Guinea-Bissau opposition leader Umaro Cissoko Embalo, a former prime minister, won the presidential election beating rival Domingos Simoes Pereira, head of the country’s ruling PAIGC party, by about 54% to 46%.

He was also a prime minister, he served under Vaz – between 2016 and 2018, before representing Madem, a party formed by PAIGC rebels.

Railway Board re-appoints Vinod Kumar Yadav as Chairman for one year

January 1, 2020

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved re-employment of Vinod Kumar Yadav as Chairman, Railway Board for a period of one year w.e.f January 1, 2020.

He has been reappointed as Chairman Railway Board, in the rank of Ex-Officio Principal Secretary to Government of India.

Centre appoints Rohan Shah as Governor on ERIA Board

January 1, 2020

Ministry of Commerce and Industry has appointed Rohan Shah, a practicing counsel at the Supreme Court, as India’s Representative and Governor on the board of Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (“ERIA”), for a period of three years. The Board of ERIA meets once in every six months in Jakarta and then in Japan.

Shah had previously been associated with India’s WTO trade negotiations as an Industry Representative, including, with Arun Jaitley (the then Minister of Commerce) at Cancún in 2003. India’s previous nominees as Governor have included Ratan Tata, Rajiv Kumar (currently Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog) and economist Ajit Ranade.

K Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra to receive BCCI’s CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award

January 1, 2020

Former India captain and member of the 1983 World Cup – winning team Krishnamachari Srikkanth and former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra, one of India’s finest batswomen, will be the recipient of this year’s prestigious CK Nayudu Lifetime Award given by the BCCI.

The BCCI Annual Award function will be held in Mumbai on January 12 ahead of the first ODI against Australia on January 14.

Sanjay Gupta of ‘Jagran’ to be honoured with Lokmanya Tilak journalism award

January 1, 2020

Sanjay Gupta, the editor-in-chief of ”Jagran”, will be honoured with the ”Lokmanya Tilak National Journalism Award” for his contribution to the field of journalism. The award, instituted by the Kesari Maratha Trust, will be conferred on in Pune, coinciding with the 139th Foundation Day of ”Kesari” — the newspaper started by Lokmanya Tilak.

The award consists of Rs 1 lakh and a memento. Earlier, this award has been conferred upon well-known journalists and editors such as Vir Sanghvi, N. Ram, H. K. Dua, Vinod Metha and Siddharth Varadarajan.

January 2020 Current Affairs

E-certificate project launched by Odisha government

Atal Canteen launched by Haryana CM in Karnal

Kerala Becomes First State To Pass Anti-CAA Resolution

Kerala Travel Mart to support Green Cochin Mission

CRPF DG Bhatnagar retires, ITBP chief given additional charge

Guinea-Bissau: Umaro Cissoko Embalo wins presidential election

Railway Board re-appoints Vinod Kumar Yadav as Chairman for one year

Centre appoints Rohan Shah as Governor on ERIA Board

K Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra to receive BCCI’s CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award

Sanjay Gupta of ‘Jagran’ to be honoured with Lokmanya Tilak journalism award

All In One Current Affairs

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