03 January 2020 - Daily Current Affairs

1. PM inaugurates 107th edition of Indian Science Congress in Bengaluru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 5-days 107th edition of the Indian Science Congress (ISC) at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bengaluru.
Prime Minister also launched the Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) Portal which is designed to be the gateway for researchers to locate the specific types of facilities they need for their research and development work in India.
The theme of ISC 2020 is “Science and Technology: Rural Development”. The event brings together science fraternity across the world to discuss scientific innovation and research.
Over 15,000 participants, including Nobel Laureates, scientists, intellectuals, academicians, policymakers, researchers, students and delegates from different institutions are participating in the event.
There will be 28 Plenary Sessions during the event, on areas ranging from Climate Smart Agriculture for Food Security, Crop Improvement Towards Food and Nutrition Security to Artificial Intelligence and Medical Technology.
Four Public lectures by eminent personalities like Nobel Laureate German Physicist Prof. Stefan Hell will be organized in the Science Congress.
With a focus on rural development through science and technology, for the first time in the history of the Indian Science Congress, a Farmers Science Congress is being held.

2. Rajnath Singh to head the Group of ministers to review crop insurance scheme

The Union government has set up a 7 members Group of Minister (GoM) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to review the crop insurance scheme, “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)”.
The GoM will also make suggestions to improve the insurance scheme according to the needs of the farmers.
The GoM includes home minister Amit Shah and agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, the ministers of state for agriculture, finance, tribal affairs, and animal husbandry.
This move comes after concerns over the exit of a few states, dropping out of insurance companies and growing dissent among farmers on the government’s flagship crop insurance scheme.

Note:

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched on 14^th January 2016 to provide financial support to farmers suffering from crop loss or damage due to an unforeseen event.

Sports

3. National Ice Hockey Championship-2020 begins in Leh

The 5th Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) National Ice Hockey Championship -2020 has begun in Leh, Ladakh on January 02, 2020.
In the inaugural match in the Under-20 Boys category between Chandigarh and Haryana, the contest ended in a draw with 4 goals each.
The tournament will continue till 7th January in Karzoo Ice Hockey Rink in Leh, where the Army, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and home team Ladakh are fighting for the championship in U-20 boys category.
Similarly, in Girls category Ladakh, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Chandigarh are playing for the championship.

Source: News on AIR

4. MS Dhoni picked captain of ESPN Cricinfo's ODI and T20 teams of the past decade

Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was picked as captain of ESPN Cricinfo's ODI and Twenty20 teams of the decade, while Virat Kohli was named the leader in Tests.
Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal, were the only other Indians to make the Test XI.
Former skipper Mithali Raj and fast bowler Jhulan Goswami were named in the same women's team picked for both the ODIs and T20s.
Australia's inspirational cricketer, Meg Lanning was named the captain of the side.

State affairs

5. Uttar Pradesh: SRTC launches women’s special helpline ‘Damini’

On January 02, 2020, the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has launched a dedicated women helpline, Damini, a calling, and a WhatsApp service. Which will boost women’s safety in Roadways buses?
As an extension of “Nirbhaya Yojana” of the central government a unique number, “81142-77777”, has been subscribed for the helpline.
By using this ‘Damini’ helpline women passengers can lodge their complaints by calling or by using WhatsApp service.

6. Entire Nagaland declared ‘disturbed area’ for six more months under AFSPA

The entire state of Nagaland has been declared a disturbed area for a period of six months under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, AFSPA.
The Act empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice.
The Central Government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole state of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary.
Nagaland has been under AFSPA for almost six decades now.

7. Ritualistic festival ‘Lai Haraoba’ begins in Tripura

On January 02, 2020, the five-day-long festival of ‘Lai Haraoba’ has begun in Agartala, Tripura. It is a ritualistic festival observed by Manipuri Meitei communities since ancient times.
The five-day-long festival is jointly organized by the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of Tripura, Puthiba Lai Haraoba Committee and Puthiba Welfare & Cultural Society, Agartala.
The festival was inaugurated by Speaker of state legislative Assembly, Rebati Mohan Das aims to uphold tradition and cultural values of the Meitei community.
Lai Haraoba is celebrated through oral literature, music, dance, and rituals.

Awards and Honours

8. Piyush Jaiswal honoured with Global Bihar Excellence Awards 2019

Piyush Jaiswal was awarded the Global Bihar Excellence Award 2019.
The award was given to recognize and felicitated Piyuus Jaiswal's contribution towards social welfare, women empowerment and introducing new talent in the field of arts and culture.
This award was presented by Rajya Sabha MP and Padma Shri Awardee Dr. CP Thakur and Bihar Women Commission president Dilmani Devi in Patna to promote women empowerment.
Piyush Jaiswal was recently awarded the humanitarian award with the Global Peace Excellence Humanitarian Award 2019 on the occasion of International Human Day.
Piyush Jaiswal has been working on women empowerment and new talent for the last four years.

Source: Business Standard

9. Labour Ministry to launch 'Santusht' portal for the speedy resolution of grievances

The labour ministry has announced to launch a new portal 'Santusht' for the speedy redressal of workers as well as employer grievances and ensuring effective implementation of labour laws at the grassroots level.
Initially, ‘Santusht’ would monitor all services provided by retirement fund body EPFO and health insurance and services provider ESIC to formal sector workers.
Later, the portal would cover other wings of the ministry as well. It would also have data on a real-time basis to assess the performance of each and every official.
Workers and employers can lodge their complaints on the portal, which would be managed by an internal monitoring cell comprising five to six officers.

Source: Economic Times

Obituaries

10. Senior NCP leader DP Tripathi Passes Away

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader DP Tripathi passed away in New Delhi on January 02, 2019.
He was the general secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party and a former students' union leader.
Despite visual impairment, he worked throughout life. He has also written several books, including Congress and Independent India, Jawahar Satkam, Celebrating Faiz and Nepal Transition-A way forward among others.

11. Noted Assamese theatre personality Ratna Ojha dies at 88

On January 02, 2020, eminent Assamese dramatist, litterateur and social activist Ratna Ojha (88) passed away in Guwahati, Assam.
Recipient of the prestigious Natyasurya Award in 2005 for his contributions to theatre, Ojha had introduced street plays in Assam in 1971 with his skit 'Kokaideo' to revive the theatre movement in the state that was fading with the death of his mentor Phani Sarma.
The playwright's theatre troupe 'Gobhor Natyagosthi' had produced the acclaimed trilogy -- 'Gobhor', 'Urbor' and 'Kobor' -- highlighting various issues afflicting the society.
Ojha had also introduced 'cartoon theatre' in the Northeast.

Source: Business Standard

International Affairs

12. S. Korean president vows to build peace community on the Korean Peninsula

On January 02, 2020, the South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed to build a peaceful community of co-existence and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula this year.
He made the remarks during a New Year's event at the headquarters in Seoul of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).
Moon noted that the leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States maintained their willingness for dialogue, while the South Korean government gradually moved toward the peninsula peace last year in coordination with the international community.

Source: Xinhua

13. Irani Gen Qassem Soleimani killed in US airstrike on Baghdad airport

On January 03, 2020, General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) Quds Force, and architect of its regional security apparatus has been killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's international airport.
The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
The killing of Soleimani and other Iranian, Iraqi military personnel is set to trigger another flashpoint
Iran's IRGC as well as Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) umbrella grouping of Iran-backed militias, also confirmed the deaths of Soleimani and al-Muhandis.
Soleimani, who led a special forces unit of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, has been a key figure of Iranian and Middle East politics. His death exacerbated already-high tensions between Iran and the United States and triggered concerns of retaliation from Iranian forces.

Source: India Today

Conference and Summit

14. Visakhapatnam will host the 14th Global Healthcare Summit 2021

Visakhapatnam will host the prestigious three-day 14th Global Healthcare Summit from January 3, 2021.
Being organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the conference will see the participation of over 500 doctors from the US, Australia, Britain, and other countries.
The brochure of the summit was released on 30 December 2019 by MP M.V.V. Satyanarayana.
The focus of the Global Health Summit is an Indian-centric approach, with special events such as global impact and India’s contribution in providing cost-effective medicines and addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals.
For the first time, the 14th Global Health Care summit will be held in AP and is expected to boost the healthcare in the region.

Note:

AAPI is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States representing over 60,000 doctors of Indian-origin practicing in America.
The organization founded in 1982 spearheads legislative, educational, charitable and philanthropic initiatives in India and the United States.
AAPI headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois serves as an umbrella organization for over 150 local chapters.

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