Daily updates 28 November 2019

National

1. HRD Ministry launches Kartavya Portal

• Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister launched the kartavya.ugc.ac.in portal for holding monthly essay competitions for students.
• The portal was launched as part of year-long ‘Nagrik Kartavya Paalan Abhiyan’ being observed throughout the country.
• The portal will be used primarily for holding monthly essay competitions for students as well as other activities including quizzes, poster making, debates pertaining to Nagrik Kartavya Paalan Abhiyan.
• The Department of Higher Education under HRD Ministry will be holding 11 rounds of National Essay Competitions during the year.
• The topics of the essay will be based on one Fundamental Duty every month.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS SO 2019:

• Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

Appointments

2. Bipin Rawat to be first Chief of Defence Staff

• General Bipin Rawat to be first Chief of Defence Staff. He will end his tenure as the Army Chief in December 2019.
• He will take over as the first Chief of Defence Staff – a four-star position being created as part of a defence management overhaul.
• He will get a term of 2 years as the CDS.
• He took over as the 27th Chief of Army Staff on 31 December 2016 after General Dalbir Singh retired.

Awards

3. Royal Aeronautical Society honour for DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy

• Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) London has conferred the Honorary Fellowship of the Society for the year 2019 to G Satheesh Reddy,Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO.
• He is the first Indian recipient of this prestigious award in over 100 years.
• The Society’s highest award is bestowed in recognition of Reddy’s pioneering technological contributions over the past three decades which has enabled the country to realise frontline military systems and world-class missile technologies.
• This fellowship is considered as Nobel Prize in the aerospace.
• It is the world’s highest distinctions for aerospace achievement awarded for only most exceptional contributions to the aerospace profession.
• The first Honorary Fellowship was awarded in the year 1917.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/SSC CGL:

• DRDO formed: 1958, Headquarters: New Delhi.

Banking

4. Reserve Bank flags rising bad assets from Mudra loans

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has expressed concern over rising bad loans from Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY).
• This scheme was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2015, which offers faster credit, with ticket sizes starting from ₹50,000 and going up to ₹10 lakh, to small businesses.
• According to RBI, the percentage of MUDRA loans were at 2.52% in 2017-18, It has now raised to 2.89% in 2018-19.
• It also says that the number of loans being sanctioned under the scheme has increased greatly.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/SSC CGL:

• RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das, Headquarters: Mumbai, Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

Defence

5. India & Japan holds Mine Countermeasure Exercise(MINEX) 2019

• A maiden bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) have conducted Mine Countermeasure Exercise (MINEX) 2019 at Kochi, Kerala.
• Officials of the Indian Navy and from the warships Bungo and Takashima of JMSDF’s Minesweeper (a naval ship that is deployed in removing naval mines) Division 3, commanded by Captain Seiji Ikubu took part in the exercise.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/SSC CGL:

• Capital of Japan: Tokyo.
• Currency of Japan: Japanese yen.
• Prime Minister of Japan: Shinzo Abe.

Economy

6. ADB approves 2nd tranche of USD 150 mn for West Bengal

• The Asian Development Bank has approved the 2nd tranche of USD 150 million (about Rs 1,065 crore) for West Bengal to boost capital investment and infrastructure in the state.
• The board of ADB approved a loan of $ 300 million (about Rs 2,130 crore) to continue a comprehensive series of fiscal reforms in West Bengal to revive financial health of public sector enterprises, the introduction of medium-term expenditure frameworks in two departments, and implementation of an integrated tax monitoring system, among others.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/SSC CGL:

• Asian Development Bank Headquarters: Manila, Philippines; President: Takehiko Nakao.

Summits and Conferences

7. 8th WATEC Israel 2019

• Union Minister of Jal Shakti, represented India at the 8 WATEC (Water Technology and Environment Control) Conference 2019.
• The theme of the conference is “Water Stewardship and Innovation–driving global leadership in the responsible planning management, and protection of water”.
• The conference held at David Intercontinental in Tel Aviv, Israel.
• The conference, organized by Kenes Exhibitions, aimed to get updates on technologies related to water and environmental management.
• Several countries participated in the conference & showcased their new-age technologies and solutions.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS SO 2019:

• Union Minister of Jal Shakti: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

8. DEFCOM India 2019

• The DEFCOM INDIA 2019 seminar commenced at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
• The theme for the seminar is, “Communications: A Decisive Catalyst for Jointness”.
• The seminar is devoted to the seminal theme of leveraging communications for achieving jointness between the three services.
• DEFCOM 2019  witnessed active participation from the armed forces, industry, research and development organisations and the academia.
• It provided an excellent opportunity for the industry to understand the requirements of the Armed Forces.
• The DEFCOM exhibition showcased cutting edge communication solutions from the industry and gave officers from the three services an opportunity to gain insights on technology and industry capabilities.

9. 47th All India Police Science Congress begins in Lucknow

• The 47th All India Police Science Congress (AIPSC) begins in Lucknow. The event will be inaugurated by Puducherry Lieutenant Governor and retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi.
• Uttar Pradesh Police in association with the Home Ministry and the Bureau of Police Research and Development is organising the event at the police headquarters in Lucknow.
• The last time Lucknow was the host for AIPSC was in 1997.
• During 6 sessions of the event, police officers, academicians, researchers, judicial and scientific experts will present their papers.

Subjects selected for the congress include:

1. Reforms in Policing: Challenges at field level and required measures.
2. Forensic sciences: Resources up-gradation and effective use in the investigation.
3. Safety of women and children - fresh initiatives and dividends.
4. Role of social media in countering radicalisation and terrorism.
5. Inculcating right kind of attitudes in police officers - training and beyond and use of CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems).
6. Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) in the advancement of criminal justice.

10. NuGen Mobility Summit 2019

• The International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) is organizing a NuGen Mobility Summit, 2019 in Gurugram, Haryana.
• NuGen is a platform to showcase the capabilities and explore the new generation technologies.
• The objective of the Summit is to share new ideas, learnings, global experiences, innovations and future technology trends for faster adoption, assimilation and development of advanced automotive technologies for a smarter and greener future.
• Ethanol, Methanol, Bio-diesel and Bio-CNG will support the future technology to be utilized in the auto sector.
• ICAT will also demonstrate world-class testing facilities and capabilities in its state of the art test laboratories.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/SSC CGL:

• International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) Director: Dinesh Tyagi.
• ICAT headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana.

Sports

11. Abhishek-Jyothi wins compound mixed pair gold at Asian Archery C'ships

• Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam claimed the gold in compound mixed pair event at the 21st Asian Archery Championships, which ended in Bangkok, Thailand.
• The Indians defeated Chinese Taipei opponents Yi-Hsuan Chen and Chieh-Luh Chen 158-151 in the final clash.
• India picked up seven medals including one gold, two silver and four bronze meddles in the event.

Obituaries

12. Australian writer & broadcaster Clive James passes away

• Australian writer and broadcaster, Clive James passed away.
• He was born in 1939, he moved to England in 1961 and rose to prominence as a literary critic and TV columnist.
• He went on to deliver wry commentary on international programming in such shows as Clive James On Television.

Miscellaneous

13. Logo, motto introduced for Lokpal

• Lokpal Chairman Justice (retired) Pinaki Chandra Ghose launched the new logo and motto for the apex anti-corruption ombudsman.
• A new motto, “Ma Gridhah Kasyasvidhanam (Do not be greedy for anyone’s wealth)”, was also adopted.
• Earlier, an open competition was conducted, inviting entries for the logo and the motto.
• A total of 2,236 entries for the logo and 4,705 entries for the motto were received.
• A logo designed by Prashant Mishra, a resident of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, was finally selected.
• The logo symbolises how Lokpal protects and cares for the people of India by establishing justice as per law.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS SO 2019:

• Headquarters of Lokpal: New Delhi, India.

14. Indian Women's Association donates two electric vehicles in Nepal

• Indian Women's Association (IWA) has donated two electric vehicles to Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) in Nepal.
• President of IWA, Namrita Puri handed over vehicles to Dr Pradip Dhakal, Member-Secretary of PADT in Kathmandu.
• These eco-friendly vehicles will be very helpful for the pilgrims visiting holy Pashupati temple especially for elderly and differently-abled people, women and children.
• The vehicles will also create employment opportunity for women. Handing over of e-vehicles will be another milestone in strengthening age-old cultural and religious ties between India and Nepal and bringing people of the two countries closer.

15. Madhya Pradesh's Devi Ahilya University gets A-plus grade from NAAC

• The Indore-based Devi Ahilya University becoming Madhya Pradesh's first varsity to be accorded A-plus grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
• The Centre of higher learning now became entitled to several other facilities.
• It may introduce courses recognised by the University Grants Commission without the latter's permission besides commencing open distance-learning courses.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS SO 2019:

• Director of NAAC: S. C. Sharma.

• NAAC Headquarters location: Bengaluru; Founded: 1994.