Daily Current Affairs: January 15, 16 & 17, 2021

Daily Current Affairs (January 15 & 16 & 17, 2021) like many other sections is inevitable and this also helps to score in the Banking awareness, Static GK, and Financial Awareness sections. Remember, Banking Awareness, and Static Awareness Questions are asked from the General Awareness section. This will also help you to ride your preparations for the forthcoming exams.

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Important Days

Indian Army Day – January 15

• Indian Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year in India, in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa’s taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Francis Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on January 15, 1949. 2021 marks the 73^rd Indian Army Day.

National News

Prime Minister Modi announces Rs. 1,000-crore ‘Startup India Seed Fund’

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of 1,000-crore ‘Startup India Seed Fund’ to support startups and help budding entrepreneurs pursue innovative ideas.
• The Startup India Seed Fund would support startups in need of initial capital to start and grow their business and help budding entrepreneurs pursue innovative ideas.

Union Government launches 3^rd phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in 600 districts across the country

• Government of India launched the third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) in 600 districts across the country. The scheme has been implemented by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Skill India Mission PMKVY 3.0 envisages training of eight lakh candidates over a scheme period of 2020-2021 with an outlay of 949 crore.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurates the ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit 2021’

• The two-day ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit 2021’ held in New Delhi. The summit was organised by organising by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• The members of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries participated in the inaugural event. The aim for the next five years is to make Indian startups as global giants.

Elon Musk’s Tesla sets up its first Indian subsidiary in Bengaluru, Karnataka

• World’s leading electric car maker Tesla is setting up its research and development (R&D) centre in Bengaluru to commence its Indian operations. The company will be called ‘Tesla India Motors and Energy Private Limited’. The total paid-up capital of the company is 1,00,000 and the authorised share capital is Rs. 15 lakhs.

Karnataka         

• Capital: Bengaluru
• Chief Minister: B. S. Yeddyurappa
• Governor: VajubhaiVala
• National Park: Anshi NP, Kudremukh NP, Bandipur NP, Bannerghatta NP, Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) NP.

Union Petroleum Ministry launches ‘SAKSHAM’ campaign to create awareness on green & clean energy

• The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas launched a month-long fuel conservation campaign of the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) named SAKSHAM 2021. The campaign aims at highlighting the adverse health and environmental impacts of increasing carbon footprints and convince consumers to switch to cleaner fuels.
• As a part of the campaign, various activities such as cyclothon, farmer workshops, seminars, painting competitions, CNG vehicle driving contests, etc., are held across India to spread awareness among the masses about the advantages of using clean fuel.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches India’s first indigenously developed driverless metro car in Bengaluru

• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched India’s first indigenously designed and developed Driverless Metro Car at the BEML manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• BEML bagged a total order of 576 cars for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA)’s MRS1 project, and the supply is scheduled progressively up to January 2024.

Karnataka         

• Capital: Bengaluru
• Chief Minister: B. S. Yeddyurappa
• Governor: VajubhaiVala
• National Park: Anshi NP, Kudremukh NP, Bandipur NP, Bannerghatta NP, Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) NP.

International News

India inks an MoU with Japan to enhance cooperation in the field of ICT

• India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The MoU was virtually signed between Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and IT and the Japanese Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Takeda Ryota.
• Both the countries will enhance mutual cooperation in the field of 5G technologies, telecom security, submarine optical fibre cable system to the islands of India, spectrum management, smart cities, a high-altitude platform for broadband in unconnected areas, disaster management and public safety.

Banking and Economy

Fitch Ratings raises India’s GDP forecast to -9.4% from -10.5%

• Fitch Ratings raised India’s GDP forecast to -9.4 percent in the current fiscal year (March 2021) from a previously projected contraction of 5 percent after the economy staged a sharper rebound in the second quarter.
• Fitch Ratings also projected the GDP to expand by 11 percent in FY22 (2021-2022).

CARE Ratings lowers Centre’s fiscal deficit projection to 7.8% of GDP for FY21

• CARE Ratings has revised its projection of the Centre’s fiscal deficit downwards to 8 percent of GDP during FY21 against its earlier estimate of 9-9.5 percent.
• As per this, the fiscal deficit is likely to be around 15.3 lakh crores. This revision comes in the wake of the release of the first advance estimate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for FY21 and the credit rating agency’s expectations on the finances of the Central Government.

ICICI Bank ties up with Niyo to issue ‘ICICI Bank Niyo Bharat Payroll Card’ to MSMEs

• The leading private sector bank ICICI Bank has partnered with fintech company Niyo to issue ‘ICICI Bank Niyo Bharat Payroll Card’ to the workers of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• The ‘ICICI Bank Niyo Bharat Payroll Card’ allows an individual to receive funds up to 1 lakh into the card account. It offers convenience and safety of digital banking to the blue-collar workforce while providing salary disbursement solution to the employers.

Acquisitions and Mergers

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) partners with Financial Software and Systems (FSS) to provide AePS service

• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) partners with Financial Software and Systems (FSS) to promote financial inclusion (doorstep delivery of banking service) among underserved and unbanked segments.
• The payments bank will use FSS’ Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) to deliver interoperable and affordable doorstep banking services to customers across India. The solution combines the low-cost structure of a branchless business model, digital distribution, and micro-targeting that lowers acquisition costs and improves reach.

YES Bank partners with Aditya Birla Wellness to launch a wellness-themed credit card

• Private sector lender YES BANK has announced its partnership with Aditya Birla Wellness Private Limited to launch the ‘YES BANK Wellness’ and ‘YES BANK Wellness Plus’ credit cards aimed at the holistic health, self-care and wellness of consumers.
• The credit cardholders will be able to enjoy the complimentary health benefits by simply registering on the Aditya Birla Multiply app.

Science and Technology

Indian Army signs a $ 20 million contract with ideaForge to procure SWITCH UAV

• The Indian Army has signed a contract with Mumbai-based company, ideaForge to procure “undisclosed quantities” of the high-altitude variant of SWITCH unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the cost of approximately $ 20 million.
• This fixed-wing UAV, capable of vertical takeoff and landing, can be deployed at high altitude and harsh environments for day-and-night surveillance. These UAVs will be delivered to the Indian Army over a period of one year.

DRDO develops India’s first indigenous 9mm machine pistol “Asmi”

• India’s first indigenous machine pistol “Asmi” jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Army was displayed at the Army’s innovation display event. The ‘Make in India’ gun would be offered to replace the 9mm pistols in the defence forces.
• The machine pistol can fire at a range of 100 metres and is in the class of the Uzi series guns of Israel.

Appointments

Sadyr Japarov is elected as the President of Kyrgyzstan

• The 52-year-old Sadyr Japarov has won Kyrgyzstan’s Presidential election by a landslide victory. He won 79% of the total votes cast and would assume the charge of the office from January 28, 2021.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw elected as one of US-India Business Council’s vice-chair

• US-India Business Council (USIBC) has selected Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw as one of its vice-chairs effective immediately. US Chamber of Commerce’s USIBC announced three vice-chairs to its 2021 Global Board of Directors.
• The two other business executives joining Shaw as vice-chairs are Amway CEO Milind Pant and Edward Knight, who is the vice-chair at Nasdaq.

Indian-American Garima Verma named the digital director in Office of First Lady

• Incoming First Lady Jill Biden has named Indian-American Garima Verma as her digital director and Michael LaRosa as her press secretary.
• Verma, who was born in India, grew up in Ohio and the Central Valley of California. She served as audience development and content strategist on the Biden-Harris campaign.

UN Human Rights Council elected Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji as its President for 2021

• The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) elected Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan, the Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, to serve as its President for 2021.
• Nazhat Khan was elected through a secret ballot process through which all 47 members of the Geneva-based human rights body cast their vote to appoint its President for 2021 – the Council’s 15^th annual cycle.

Sandeep Aggarwal appointed as the new Chairman of TEPC

• The Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) has appointed Sandeep Aggarwal as its new Chairman. Aggarwal, the Managing Director and promoter of Delhi-based Paramount Communications, will take over from Shyamal Ghosh, ex-Telecom Secretary.
• He is also the chief mentor of PHDCCI’s Telecom Committee, besides being the Chairman of Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association (TEMA) and President of Railway Cable Development Association.

Awards and Recognitions

Triple Oscar winner Vittorio Storaro to be honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at IFFI

• The 51^st edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will honour the Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, at the opening ceremony.
• Storaro has received three Oscar Awards for Best Cinematography for the films Apocalypse Now (1979), Reds (1981), and The Last Emperor (1987), and is one of the three living persons who have won the award three times.
• Veteran actor and director Biswajit Chatterjee has been conferred the Indian Personality of the Year Award.

SKOCH Challenger Award to Ministry of Panchayati Raj for Transparency in Governance

• Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj received the SKOCH Challenger Award conferred to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) under “Transparency in Governance” category for IT-led initiatives and transformational reforms leading to outcome-based performance improvement, better transparency and strengthening of the e-Governance in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) across the country.
• The SKOCH Challenger Award for best performance in the area of Transparency in Governance was given virtually during the 70^th SKOCH Summit (SKOCH Public Policy Forum).

Obituary News

Former MP and Tamil Maanila Congress leader BS Gnanadesikan passed away at 71

• Former Member of Parliament and Vice-President of Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) party, BS Gnanadesikan passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Gnanadesikan served as the President of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC). He was elected to the Rajya Sabha twice.

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Daily Current Affairs Quiz – January 15, 16 & 17, 2021