Daily Important Current Affairs – 1st & 2nd January 2021 Current Affairs

Daily Important Current Affairs – 1st & 2nd January 2021 Current Affairs

National Affairs

Union Health Minister unveils Country’s largest meteorological centre in Leh

The Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr.Harsh Vardhan launched the India’s largest meteorological centre (MC) of the India Meteorological Department at Leh in Ladakh virtually through online mode.

• After Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, the Leh centre is the second Meteorological centre located in the Himalayas.
• This centre is located at a height of 3,500 metres, that makes it the highest meteorological centre in the country.

Download Last 3 Months Current Affairs 2020 PDF

Union External Affairs Ministry launches Global Pravasi Rishta portal & mobile App

External Affairs Ministry launched the Pravasi Rishta Portal and app with an aim to connect the Indian community overseas.

• This was launched by Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan
• Through this portal and mobile app, the government aims at connecting with nearly 3.12 crore Indians across the world.
• The portal will also help the Indian diaspora to reach the consular services and officers in time of emergencies.

Current Affairs December 2020 PDF Download

‘Digital Ocean’ platform launched by Union Health Minister

The Minister of Earth Sciences, Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the web-based application ‘Digital Ocean’

• The application is developed by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• It includes a set of applications developed to organise and present heterogeneous oceanographic data.

Current Affairs November 2020 PDF Download

International Affairs

Three Indian Missions to be opened in Estonia, Paraguay and Dominican Republic in 2021

Cabinet has approved the opening of 3 Indian Missions in Estonia, Paraguay and Dominican Republic in 2021.

• These missions will help expand India’s diplomatic footprint, deepen political relations, enable growth of bilateral trade and investment
• The decision to open these 3 new Indian Missions is a forward-looking step in pursuit of our national priority of growth and development

State Affairs

First pollinator park of India launched in Uttarakhand

India’s first pollinator park was inaugurated in Haldwani in Nainital district, Uttarakhand.

• The park was inaugurated by Peter Smetacek, a butterfly expert and it has around 50 different pollinator species
• The main aim of this park is to create awareness among the public about the importance of pollination

About Uttarakhand:

• Governor: Baby Rani Maurya
• Chief Minister: Trivendra Singh Rawat

Gujarat state government launches Gujarat Solar Power Policy, 2021 with target of producing 30,000 MW of green energy by 2022

The Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani has launched the Gujarat Solar Power Policy, 2021.

• The aim if this policy is to reduce the power costs of industrial units by around 50 per cent. This policy will be effective from 2021-2025
• The Government has also set a target of producing 30,000 MW of green energy by 2022.

About Gujarat:

• Governor: Acharya Devvrat
• Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani

Appointment

Niranjan Banodkar sdesignated as New CFO of YES Bank

The YES BANK has appointed Niranjan Banodkar as the group chief financial officer (CFO) and Anurag Adlakha as the group chief human resources officer.

• Banodkar started working with Yes Bank in April 2006 is currently Group President & Head of Strategy, Sustainability & Investor Relations
• Both the appointments will be effective 1 January, 2021

About YES Bank:

• CEO: Prashant Kumar
• Founder: Rana Kapoor
• Founded: 2004

Union Health Minister nominated to the Vaccine Alliance Board of GAVI

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, has been nominated by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) as a member on the GAVI Board.

• Harsh Vardhan will be representing the South East Area Regional Office (SEARO)/ Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) constituency on the GAVI Board

About GAVI:

• GAVI, is a Vaccine Alliance Board as its mission to save lives, reduce poverty and protect the world against the threat of epidemics

Awards & Honors

Eminent Engineer Award for the Year 2020 was conferred with Railway Board Chairman, VK Yadav

Chairman  & CEO of Railway Board, VK Yadav won the Eminent Engineer Award for the Year 2020. This award is given for his outstanding contribution towards modernization and reforms over Indian Railways

• This is awarded by Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
• On the occasion of birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya, this Eminent Engineer Award will be given annually

About Indian Railways:

• Founded: 16 April 1853
• Headquarters: New Delhi

MoUs  & Agreements

Union cabinet gives nod to MoU between India and Bhutan in the field of Outer Space

Union Cabinet of India has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of the Republic of India and the Royal Government of Bhutan on Cooperation in the peaceful users of outer space

• This MoU helps both nations to explore cooperation possibilities in the field of remote sensing of the earth; satellite communication; satellite navigation; space science and exploration of outer space.

About Bhutan:

• Capital: Thimphu
• Prime minister: Lotay Tshering

Business News

ICICI Bank partnered with digital wallet platform Google Pay to issue FASTag through UPI

ICICI Bank has partnered with Google Pay for issuance of FASTag through UPI on the payments app

• Under this partnership Google Pay users to order, track as well as recharge ICICI Bank FASTag effortlessly
• Recently, the government has made January 1, 2021, as the new date for mandatorily adding FASTags to vehicles.

About ICICI Bank:

• CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi
• Headquarters: Mumbai

About FASTag:

FASTag is owned by Indian Highways Management Company Ltd. (IHMCL) that carries out electronic tolling and other ancillary projects of National Highway Authorities of India.

Defence News

Indian Navy conducts its trail of SAHAYAK-NG successfully along with DRDO

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaborated with the Indian Navy held the  trial of ‘SAHAYAK-NG’ which is an advanced version of SAHAYAK Mk I.

• ‘SAHAYAK-NG’ is the India’s first indigenously designed and developed Air Dropped Container
• The trial was conducted by the Indian Navy to enhance its operational logistics capabilities

About Indian Navy:

• Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS): Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar
• Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Karambir Singh
• Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS): Vice Admiral M. S. Pawar

Cabinet approves export of Akash missile system to foreign countries

Union cabinet headed by PM Narendra Modi has approved the export of Akash Missile to friendly foreign countries

• This will improve the country to improve its defence products and make them globally competitive
• Akash is a Surface to Air Missile with a range of 25 Kms. The missile was inducted in 2014 in IAF and in 2015 in Indian Army.
• India has also set a target of clocking defence exports worth $5 billion by 2024.

Obituaries

Former Indian footballer Nikhil Nandy passes away

Former Indian Footballer Nikhil Nady has passed away. He was 88. After his football retirement he serves as coach.

• He also served as the coach of national team
• He was also a part of the side of a semi-final finish in the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan