06 February 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

Today, India’s communication satellite GSAT-31 has been launched successfully from Kourou Launch Base, French Guiana (at Indian time- 2:31 am).
The Ariane-5 (VA 247) rocket placed it in the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit in 42-minutes.
It was immediately taken control by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientists from its Hassan facility in Karnataka.
GSAT-31 (India’s 40th communication satellite) will provide transponder capacity for DTH television and connectivity to services like VSATs for ATMs, stock-exchanges, Digital Satellite News Gathering DSNG and e-governance applications.
GSAT-31 had a lift-off mass of 2536 kg and operational life of over fifteen years.
The satellite will also be used for bulk data transfer for a host of emerging telecommunication applications.

Important Days

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a United Nations-sponsored annual awareness day that takes place on 6^th February as part of the UN's efforts to eradicate female genital mutilation.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons.
It is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

Odisha MP Ladu Kishore Swain (71-years) passed away at Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar, due to kidney ailments.
He was the Member of Parliament of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) from Odisha’s Aska Lok Sabha constituency from 2004 to 2009.
Swain was also elected as an MLA from Kabisuryanagar Assembly constituency in 2004.

UAE leaders have announced to the construction of the ‘Church of Saint Francis’ and ‘Mosque of Grand Imam Ahmad AI- Tayyeb’ in Abu Dhabi in honour of the two religious’ leaders.
They will serve as beacons to uphold the values of tolerance, moral integrity and human fraternity in the UAE.
UAE had also granted 55000 squares meters of land for the construction of a Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi.
The ground-breaking ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2018.

Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the circumstances that led to riots in Kanpur in 1984, following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
The four-member SIT will be headed by retired UP Director General of Police, Atul, submit its report in 6 months.
In August 2017, the apex court had issued a notice to the state government on a petition seeking a SIT probe of the riots.
At least 125 people were killed in 1984 riots in Kanpur after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, around 35 thousand farmers in the country received payments of three hundred crore rupees through e-payment facility of e-NAM platform till the 30th of last month.
Till date, 585 marts in 16 States and two Union Territories have been linked with e-NAM platform.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has declared the endangered Indus River dolphin as the state aquatic animal.
Dolphin mostly found in the lower parts of the Indus River in Pakistan between Chashma and Kotri barrages in the Indus River.
As per the WWF report, the number of dolphins presently is 1816.
Punjab has Black Buck as its state animal and Baaj as the official state bird.

Today, President Ram Nath Kovind has given the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2017 at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Forty-two artists from the fields of Music, Dance and Theatre has been awarded.
In the field of Music, eleven eminent artists have been selected, while nine artists each from Dance and Theatre have been chosen for the award.
Ten artists will be awarded in the category of Traditional, Folk and Tribal Music.
Two people have also been selected for the award in the field of Overall Contribution in the Performing Arts.

Note:

The Akademi Award (established in 1952,) not only symbolizes the highest standards of excellence and achievements but also recognizes sustained individual work and contribution.
The award carries a cash prize of one lakh rupees, a Tamrapatra and Angavastram.

Shehri Samriddhi Utsav has begun with a series of rallies led by women’s’ Self-Help Group (SHGs), across the length and breadth of the country.
These rallies spread awareness about DAY-NULM in urban poor communities.
Job Melas and fairs to market the products made by women microentrepreneurs were also organized by many states and will continue over the next two weeks.

Note:

Shehri Samridhi Utsav is an initiative of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
A major highlight of Shehri Samridhi Utsav is theNational Exhibition cum sale of SHG products and National Street Food Festival being organized in New Delhi.
Over 100 stalls are being set up in Central Delhi with various handlooms, handicrafts, snacks and other local products made by 200 Self Help Groups representing 23 states.

Today, the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD) R C Meena has inaugurated the National Conference of Principals of Kendriya Vidyalaya and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti in New Delhi.
One thousand and 800 principals of these schools are participating in the conference.
The Ministry had signed an agreement for India’s Participation in Programme for International Student Assessment- PISA 2021.
This will lead to improvement in the learning levels of the children and enhance the quality of education in the country.

Kerala has become the first Indian State to set up a Price Monitoring and Research Unit (PMRU) to track violation of prices of essential drugs and medical devices under the Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO).
The move comes more than five years after the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) proposed such a system for the States and the Union Territories.
As a part of the proposal, the first PMRU was established by NPPA in Kerala in collaboration with State Drug Controller, Kerala.

The Union government has appointed Dinesh Bhatia as the next Ambassador of India to Argentina.
Currently, He is the Consulate General of India at Toronto.
India’s envoy to Argentina Sanjiv Ranjan has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Colombia.

Note:

An ambassador is a diplomatic representative that attends international meetings, banquets and parties and acts as a figurehead for their country of origin.
An ambassador is the ranking government representative stationed in a foreign capital.