Current Affairs Weekly PDF

This is Paid PDF provided by AffairsCloud.com, Our team is working hard

in back end to provide quality PDF. If you not buy this paid PDF
subscription plan, we kindly request you to buy pdf to avail this service.
Help Us To Grow & Provide Quality Service

CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF PLANS

Current Affairs PDF 2020: Weekly, Study, Pocket and Q&A PDF’s

Current Affairs PDF 2019: Study, Pocket and Q&A PDF’s

Current Affairs PDF 2018: Study, Pocket and Q&A PDF’s

CRACK HIGH LEVEL PDF PLANS

Crack High Level: Puzzle & Seating Arrangement Questions PDF 2019

Crack High Level: English Language Questions PDF 2019

Crack High Level: Data Interpretation Questions PDF 2019

Suggestions& Feedback are welcomed –

https://www.affairscloud.com/subscriber-feedback/

1|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Current Affairs Weekly PDF - January 2020 1st Week (1-7)

NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Government creates new Department of military affairs headed by Bipin Rawat
Following the change in the Government of India (Allocation of Business), Rules 1961, the
Ministry of Defence (MoD) has got it’s 5th department namely 'Department of Military affairs
(DMA)’, which is to be headed by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat. The new
department works for the unity of the three forces Army, Navy and Air Force and will also
monitor the services except for capital acquisitions according to prevalent rules and
procedures.

For the 1st time, Vizag (Andhra Pradesh) to host 14th Global healthcare summit in 2021
The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), a professional association for
Indian American physicians, is set to organize a 3-days long 14th Global Healthcare Summit
(GHS) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP) from January 3, 2021 for the 1st time to focus
on public health hazards, eradication of tuberculosis(TB), preventing maternal mortality,
control of Hepatitis B etc.

Pragati Maidan metro station renamed as Supreme Court metro station in New Delhi
The Delhi Government’s renaming committee, headed by Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sisodia,
has renamed Pragati Maidan metro station as Supreme Court metro station following the
demand made by Supreme Court (SC) in September 2019. The committee has also decided to
rename Mukarba Chowk and its flyover after Kargil war martyr Captain Vikram Batra, MB
Road as Acharya Sri Mahapragya Marg and The Lajpat Nagar flyover to Jhulelal Setu.

Centre sets up 7-member GoM led by Rajnath singh to review crop insurance scheme-PMFBY
Government has formed a 7-member group of ministers (GoM) headed by Defense Minister
Rajnath Singh to review the crop insurance scheme ,“Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
(PMFBY)” for making improvments as per the need of the farmers. This move comes after the
concerns over growing dissent among farmers about the scheme, dropping out of 4 insurance
companies (ICICI Lombard, Tata AIG, Cholamandalam MS, and Shriram General Insurance), and
exit of states like Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh (AP) from the scheme. Read full
details here: Centre sets up 7-member GoM led by Rajnath singh to review crop insurance
scheme-PMFBY

Kerala became 1st State to pass resolution against citizenship Amendment Act
Kerala has become the 1st state in the country to pass a resolution scrapping the Citizenship
Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA). The resolution was moved by Kerala’s Chief Minister Shri
Pinarayee Vijayan and was seconded by the Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala. As per
Kerala cabinet, Citizenship Act was passed in 1955 followed all international conventions but
present act is not adhering them.

2019-2025 National Infrastructure Pipeline report: Rs 102 lakh crore infrastructure plan
unveiled
The Union Minister of Finance Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman released a report of the task force on
National Infrastructure Pipeline for 2019-2025 (NIP 2019-25) in order to achieve the $5
trillion economy by 2024-25. Based on the information compiled by the task force headed by
Economic Affairs Secretary Atanu Chakraborty, Rs 102 lakh crores has been projected on the
capital expenditure in infrastructure sectors in India during the fiscals 2020 to 2025. The

2|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

capital expenditure will be shared by the Centre, States and the private sector in the ratio
39:39:22 respectively. Get sector-wise details here: 2019-2025 National Infrastructure Pipeline
report: Rs 102 lakh crore infrastructure plan unveiled

5th Swachh Survekshan League: Indore tops ranking among cities having 10lac+ population
The result of Swachh Survekshan League (Quarter 1 and Quarter 2) was announced by Union
minister of State (MoS- Independent Charge) Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Shri
Hardeep Singh Puri, at an event in New Delhi. The 5th edition of the Swachh Survekshan 2020
(urban cleanliness survey), which is to commence from 4 January 2020 by MoHUA was also
rolled out across India exept West Bengal. The key winners were:
 >10lakh population: Indore
 1-10 lakh population: Jamshedpur (Jharkhand)
Read full details here: 5th Swachh Survekshan League 2020: Indore tops ranking among cities
having 10lac+ population

10k cameras to be used for 2020 Asiatic lion census in Gujarat

Wildlife Institute of India (WII),an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment
Forest and Climate change(MoFCC), is set to conduct the Asiatic Lion Census in May 2020 by
using around 8,000-10,000 cameras across 25,000 sqkm (Square kilometre) area spanning 7
districts in Gujarat. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)’s technology will be used for
the lion census. In the 2015 census, the area of 15,000 sqkm surveyed where 523 lions
reported by WII in Gujarat. Read full details here: 10k cameras to be used for 2020 Asiatic lion
census in Gujarat

Ritualistic Festival ‘Lai Haroba’ begins in Tripura

The five-day long Lai Haroba, a ritualistic festival observed by Manipuri meitei communities in
Agartala, Tripura was inaugurated by Speaker of State legislative Assembly, Rebati Mohan Das.
The festival was organized by Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of
Tripura in collaboration with Puthiba Lai Haraoba Committee and Puthiba Welfare & Cultural
Society, Agartala. The fest is celebrated through oral literature, music, dance and rituals.

Gujarat CM unveiled world’s 2nd tallest statue of Vallabhbhai Patel in Ahmedabad

Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Ramniklal Rupani unveiled the world’s 2nd largest statue of
Sardar vallabhbhai Patel at Sardardham campus near Vaishnodevi circle in Ahmedabad,
Gujarat. This bronze statue which is 50 feet tall weighing 70,000 kilograms was built at a cost
of Rs 3.25 crores by Padma Bhushan awardee Ram Vanji Sutar(Sculptor) who also designed the
world’s tallest, ‘statue of unity’ of Sardar Patel at Kevadiya in Narmada district of Central
Gujarat at a cost of Rs 3000 crores.

Indian Railways launches integrated helpline number 139 for passengers

The Indian Railways launched an integrated helpline number 139 for quick grievance, needs
and enquiries by the passengers during journeys. It is an integrated form of existing helpline
numbers (except 182) to avoid the inconvenience over multiple helpline numbers. The helpline
number will be available in 12 languages and it will be based on an interactive voice response
system.

30% of Poshan Abhiyaan funds used in 3 years as per data shared in parliament
According to an analysis of the data shared by Minister for Women and Child Development
(MoWCD) Smriti Irani in the Parliament, merely 30% of the Poshan Abhiyan funds have been
used in 3 years. Apart from Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar, none of the
state govt has used the fund granted to them in the past 3 years. As per the data, a total of Rs
4,283 crore was disbursed by the Centre to different States and Union Territories (UTs). From

3|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

this amount, Rs 1,283.89 crore was utilised until October 31, 2019, which is just 29.97% of the
funds granted. Read full details here: 30% of Poshan Abhiyaan funds used in 3 years as per
data shared in parliament

India and Pakistan exchanged list of Nuclear Installations in their countries

India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations agreeing to not be targeted incase of
hostilities, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad
(Pakistan). The exchange is based on the agreement of prohibition of attack against nuclear
installations between India and Pakistan that came into force on January 27, 1991, under
which the list is shared every year on January 1st. Both nations also shared data regarding
prisoners, the details of which are here: India and Pakistan exchanged list of Nuclear
Installations in their countries

1st of-its kind turtle rehab centre comes up in Bihar

A 1st of its kind rehabilitation centre for freshwater turtles is to be inaugurated in January
2020 in the Bhagalpur forest division of Bihar, which can shelter 500 turtles at a time. The
centre will also treat turtles that are sick, severely injured or smuggled, and then returned
safely into their natural habitat.

Overview of PM Modi’s 2-day visit to Karnataka

The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi paid a 2 day visit to Karnataka to attend
events in Tumakuru and Bengaluru cities of the state. He arrived at the yelahanka air base in
Bengaluru. Following are the key highlights:
 3rd installment of Rs 2000 to 6 crore beneficiaries under PM KISAN released
 5 high-tech DRDO labs with under 35year aged scientists inaugurated
 TN farmers handed over with deep sea fishing vessels
 107th Indian Science Congress (ISC) inaugurated at the University of Agricultural
Sciences (UAS) in Bengaluru with ISC 2020 theme “Science and Technology: Rural
Development”.
Read full details here: Overview of PM Modi’s 2-day visit to Karnataka

NEST division is formed by Ministry of External Affairs

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up a New, Emerging and Strategic Technologies
(NEST) division which helps to deal with new and emerging technologies by partnering with
5G and artificial intelligence areas of other countries. This division acts as the intermediate
agency within the Ministry for issues pertaining to new and emerging technologies.

KVIC’s 1st Silk Processing Plant opens in Gujarat to boost Patola Saree production
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) opened its first Silk Processing Plant in
Surendranagar district of Gujarat to increase the production of Gujarat Patola Sarees. The Plant
was set up at a cost of Rs 75 lakh by Khadi institution where Rs 60 lakh was contributed by
KVIC. Patola Sarees are the trademark of Gujarat.

Department of Heavy Industries sanctioned 2636 EV charging stations across the country
Department of Heavy Industries headed by Prakash Javadekar had sanctioned 2636 EV (Electric
Vehicles) charging stations in 62 cities across 24 State/UTs under FAME India (Faster
Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) phase II scheme to clean the mobility
in Road Transport Sector. It aims to increase the electric vehicle users and also encourage
Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM) to launch new electric models. FAME India II was
started in April 1, 2019 with the total outlay of Rs 10000 crore for a period of three years. Read
full details here: Department of Heavy Industries sanctioned 2636 EV charging stations across
the country

4|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Amit Shah to head group of ministers to examine the proposed National Tariff Policy
Minister of Home Affairs (MoHA) Shri Amit Shah will head the Group of Ministers (GOM) to
discuss and examine the proposed National Tariff Policy 2016. The policy if implemented, will
bring a major reform in the stressed power sector but is opposing by the state govts and
discoms (Distribution Companies) due to clauses like penalties for load shedding. The
interministerial group will have 10 ministers comprising of 8 ministers in the cabinet rank and
2 ministers with independent charge. In the proposed draft amendments, the cross subsidies
on industries should not exceed 20% and subsidy is to be provided through Direct Benefit
Transfer (DBT). Read full details here: Amit Shah to head group of ministers to examine the
proposed National Tariff Policy

Uttar Pradesh became 1st state to shortlist migrants for citizenship

Uttar Pradesh (UP) became the 1st state in India to conduct an exercise to shortlist
migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan for eligibility under the new Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) 2019. This exercise will identify the people living illegally in UP. The
state government will also update the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) on illegal Muslim
migrants in the state and they could also be deported back to their countries.

2019 Forest Survey of India report: one-fifth (21.40%) of India’s forests prone to fires
According to a 2019 report by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), about 21.40% of forest cover of
the country has been prone to fires. Among the total forest areas, the northeastern region in
the country was found to be more vulnerable. Mizoram topped among all the states with the
highest number of fire alerts at 2,795. The forest fire points (FFP) identified during the 13
years (2004-2017) were 2,77,758. While overall green cover in the country has been increased
but forest cover in the north east states have decreased drastically. Read full details here: 2019
Forest Survey of India report: one-fifth (21.40%) of India’s forests prone to fires

Chandigarh railway station is fifth in the country and first in North India to inaugurate
Navigation facilities for visually impaired
Navigation facilities for visually impaired was inaugurated in Chandigarh railway station in
Mohali, Punjab by Shri Gurinder Mohan Singh, Divisional Railway Manager- Ambala Division. It
is fifth in the country and first in North India to have this facility for visually impaired. It was
developed by Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC) and Makemytrip
Foundation through NGO (Non-government organization) 'Anuprayaas'. Mysuru Railway
Station in Karnataka was India's first visually impaired-friendly railway station inaugurated in
Nov 2015.

Eight States finalized Agriculture Export Policy by the Government of India

As per Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA),
eight states namely Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Punjab,
and Karnataka finalized an action plan for Agriculture Export Policy (AEP) to enhance exports.
Agriculture Export Policy was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2018. It aims to increase the
potential of Indian agriculture to make India a global power in agriculture. Read full details
here: Eight States finalized Agriculture Export Policy by the Government of India

171 hospitals de-empanelled & Rs 4.5 cr fine imposed for fraud under Ayushman Bharat
scheme
National Health Authority (NHA) which is the apex body regulating and implementing
‘Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB- PMJAY);’ has de-empanelled a total
of 171 hospitals and also imposed penalty of Rs 4.5 crore on hospitals for committing fraud
and indulging in malpractices under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. The
PMJAY health insurance cover provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family and not just Rs 5

5|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

lakh per e-card. Read full details here: 71 hospitals de-empanelled & Rs 4.5 cr fine imposed for
fraud under Ayushman Bharat scheme

4th Buxa bird festival 2020 commenced in West Bengal

A 3-day long 4th edition of the Buxa Bird Festival 2020 has begun in Buxa National Park in the
Alipurduar district of West Bengal(WB). The festival, organized by West Bengal Forest
Department, will see the participation of around 50 people, including prominent ornithologists,
birdwatchers and bird enthusiasts from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gujarat, Himachal
Pradesh and Delhi.

Kolkata Police started 3rd edition of 'Sukanya' project

Kolkata police of West Bengal started the 3rd edition of the ‘Sukanya’ project in the state. The
project provides self- defence training to girls studying in school and colleges of Kolkata city. In
the 3rd batch of the project, 100 city based schools and colleges lying in the Kolkata police
jurisdiction were given training. Sukanya project is an initiative by the Kolkata Police's
Community Policing Wing and is funded by Women and Child Development (WCD) and Social
Welfare Department(SWD) of the West Bengal government.

BEE: New Energy Performance Standards for ACs set; default AC temp at 24°C from Jan 1, 2020
The central govt. in consultation with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has notified new
energy performance standards for room Air Conditioner (AC) as on 30th October 2019. Under
the ambit of BEE star-labelling program vide the notification, the default temperature setting
for all ACs has been made mandatory at 24°C with effect from January 1, 2020. The Indian
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) will also be ranging from 3.30 – 5.00 for split ACs and
2.70 – 3.50 for window air conditioners. This will become effective from January 1, 2021
onwards. Read full details here: BEE: New Energy Performance Standards for ACs set; default
AC temp at 24°C from Jan 1, 2020

Mizoram set to organize 1st edition of Zo Kutpui festival 2020 in 10 states & US, Myanmar,
Bangladesh
In a bid to unify different tribes of Mizo community, the state Government of Mizoram will
organize the 1st edition of Zo Kutpui festival 2020 across 10 states in India & also in countries
such as Maryland in the US (United States), Tahan in Myanmar and Bangladesh from January 9,
2020. The 1st such festival, organized by the Mizoram tourism department, would be held at
Vanghmun, a hub of Mizos in neighbouring Tripura, from January 9 – 11,2020.Then festival will
carry forward to other states which have significant Mizo population.

India to set its New World-Class Facility center in Karnataka’s Challakere to train astronauts
The new World- Class facility center for training astronauts will come up in India in the next
three years at Challakere in Chitradurga district of Karnataka.The Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) has proposed Rs 2700 crore, to set its young House Space Flight Centre
(HSFC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka, which will be the single-top for all space related activities for
space travelers. Four pilots of India will train at the “Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre”
in Russia for Gaganyaan mission 2022.

1st tri-dimensional expedition ‘Maha-Navy Connect 2020’ launched by Indian Navy in

Maharashtra
The first tri-dimensional expedition ‘Maha-Navy Connect 2020’ was launched by Indian Navy
in Mumbai. It aims to promote the heritage of Indian Navy and to spread awareness about
Coastal Security amongst the coastal communities in Maharashtra. It was launched by Flag
Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P. The

6|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

expedition continues till January 11, 2020. The tri-dimensional expedition consists of yachting,
running and cycling teams of 50 naval personnel.

12th naval exercise 'Naseem-Al-Bahr' between India and Oman held in Goa
2 ships of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) arrived at Mormugao Port in Goa to participate in
the 12th edition of the Indo-Oman bilateral naval exercise 'Naseem-Al-Bahr'. The meaning of
the biennial exercise Naseem-Al-Bahr that has been conducted since 1993 between India and
Oman is sea breeze. Among the Indian Navy ships (INS) Beas and Subhadra are participating
while 2 naval ships of the RNO i.e, RNOV (Royal Navy of Oman Vessel) Al Rasikh and RNOV
Khassab are participating.

HLC chaired by Amit shah sanctioned Rs 5908 crore to 7 states from National Disaster
Response Fund (NDRF)
A High Level Committee (HLC) led by the Union Minister for Home Affairs Shri Amit Shah, has
released Rs. 5908.56 crore to 7 states including Assam, Himachal Pradesh (HP), Karnataka,
Madhya Pradesh (MP), Maharashtra, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh (UP) to help in the losses
suffered by various disasters in 2019. The amount was released to seven states under
additional central assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in the high-
level meeting held in New Delhi. Read full details here: HLC chaired by Amit shah sanctioned Rs
5908 crore to 7 states from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

UNICEF:2019 concluded as deadly decade for children in conflict; >1.7lac grave violations
verified
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) also known as the United
Nations Children’s Fund announced that more than 1,70,000 grave violations against children
in conflict were verified which is the equivalent of more than 45 violations a day for the last 10
years. Read full details here: UNICEF:2019 concluded as deadly decade for children in conflict;
>1.7lac grave violations verified

Pacific Island Nation Palau becomes first nation in the world to ban ‘reef-toxic’ sun cream
Palau has become the first nation to ban sun cream which damages the coral reefs, sea life and
are toxic to juvenile wildlife species. The sun cream consists of oxybenzone and octinoxate
absorbs UV (UltraViolet) rays, which causes water more acidic, makes corals susceptible to
bleaching and agitating fish stocks. Following Palau, Hawaii will ban sun cream from 2021.
Palau is a Pacific Island country in the Western Pacific Ocean near Philippines.

Top Iran general Qassem Soleimani killed at Baghdad airport in US airstrikes

Iran’s most powerful military commander, General Qassem Soleimani, who was the head (since
1998) of the Quds Force, a unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed
in an American drone airstrike at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq. The airstrike was
conducted by the order of United States (US) President Donald Trump. An Iranian general
Esmail Ghaani replaced Qassem Soleimani as the next military commander of Iran. The drone
strike came days after US (United States) embassy in Baghdad was attacked by Irani protestors.
Read full details here: Top Iran general Qassem Soleimani killed at Baghdad airport in US
airstrikes

7|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

BANKING & FINANCE

CAD slips to 0.9% of GDP in July-Sept 2019 from 2.9:RBI

According to the report “Developments in India’s Balance of Payments during the Second
Quarter (July-September) of 2019-20” released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s
current account deficit (CAD) decreased to 0.9 % of gross domestic product (GDP) or $6.3
billion in July-September 2019 quarter. It was 2.9 % of GDP or $19 billion in the corresponding
quarter of 2018-19. The reduction in CAD is primarily due to low trade deficit of $ 38.1 billion
as against the trade deficit at a high of $50 billion in 2018. The Net Foreign direct investment
(FDI) stood at $ 7.4 billion in the second quarter of 2019. Read full details here: CAD slips to
0.9% of GDP in July-Sept 2019 from 2.9% :RBI

Small savings schemes interest rates unchanged for Jan-Mar quarter of FY 2019-20:FinMin
The Union Finance Ministry, Government of India (GoI), has not made any changes in the
interest rates on its small savings schemes (SSS) of the post office for the fourth quarter of the
financial year (FY) 2019-20 starting from January 1, 2020- March 31, 2020 due to softening in
the bank deposit rate. Following are the rates:
 Public Provident Fund (PPF)-7.9%
 National Savings Certificate (NSC)-7.9%
 Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP)-7.6% (113 months maturity)
 Sukanya Samriddhi Account-8.4%
 5-year Senior Citizens Savings Scheme-8.6%
 Savings Deposit-4.0%
 Term Deposits (1-5 year maturity)-6.9 %-7.7 %
 5-year Recurring Deposit-7.2%
Read full details here: Small savings schemes interest rates unchanged for Jan-Mar quarter of
FY 2019-20:Fin Min

RBI governor launched MANI app for visually challenged to identify currency notes
The 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Shri Shaktikanta Das launched a mobile
app named “MANI” (Mobile Aided Note Identifier) that would help visually impaired people to
identify denomination of currency notes correctly. Read full details here: RBI governor
launched MANI app for visually challenged to identify currency notes

BoB joins hands with JM Financial for co-lending to home buyers

Bank of Baroda (BoB), an Indian Multinational, public sector Bank has signed a co-lending
partnership agreement with JM Financial Home Loans Limited (JMFHL), the housing finance
arm of JM Financial Group, to provide retail loans to home buyers. This tie up will boost the
credit delivery to customers & also promote home buying field in India.

CSC signed pact with Paytm Payments Bank for sale of FASTags
CSC e-Governance services India ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Paytm Payments Bank ltd (PPBL) for selling FASTags. Through this MoU, FASTags will be sold
through the last mile network of 3.6 lakh CSCs (Common Service Centres). This will help in
enhancing govt’s vision of cashless and smooth transit at toll plazas in the country. FASTags
allows toll payments directly from prepaid or savings account linked to it. The FASTags work
on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Read full details here: CSC signed pact
with Paytm Payments Bank for sale of FASTags

8|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

RevFin partners with PNB MetLife to provide life insurance to its customers
India's leading Digital lending startup, RevFin Services Private Limited has joined hands with
PNB MetLife India Insurance Company to offer protection to the RevFin’s customers by
bundling life insurance cover on their loans. The collaboration will help PNB MetLife to reach
out to unbanked areas & drive greater financial inclusion in the country by securing the
families of the borrowers against loan repayment in case of unfortunate death of the borrower.

Exim Bank grants $75 mn line of credit to Cuba for solar parks
Export-Import (Exim) Bank, the premier export finance institution of India has given a $75
million (over Rs 500 crore) line of credit (LoC, a soft loan/loan with low-interest rate) to Cuba
for financing 75 MW (megawatt) Photovoltaic Solar Parks. The Agreement in this regard
between Exim Bank & Banco Exterior De Cuba, a nominated agency of the Government of Cuba,
signed on July 16,2019 & is effective from December 12,2019.

PayPal India launches adoption assistance programme for employees

In order to promote parental support benefits for employees, online digital payments player,
PayPal India Private Limited has launched a new Adoption Assistance Program w.e.f. December
2019, where it will be offering financial assistance of up to Rs 1 lakh per adoption for the
parents. The company provides paid adoption leave of 16 weeks for female employees,
maternity leave of 26 weeks, paternity leave of 2 weeks, along with Childcare@PayPal, where
children can be enrolled in a nearby daycare centre.

IRDAI: Health insurance cover in the name 'Arogya Sanjeevani' mandatory for insurance
companies
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has mandated all the health
and General Insurance Companies (GICs) to offer 1st of its kind standardised health insurance
products (SHIP) namley “Arogya Sanjeevani” policy with effect from April 1, 2020.
 Insurance limit: Minimum sum insured will be Rs. 1 lakh while the maximum sum
insured limit will be Rs. 5 lakhs. The health insurance plan should be offered with a
policy term of one year.
 Eligibility: Any person aged between 18-65 (inclusive of 18 & 65 years of age) eligible
for the Arogya Sanjeevani policy
Read full details here: IRDAI: 1st Health insurance cover in the name ‘Arogya Sanjeevani’
mandatory for insurance companies

Indian Bank signed MoU with TN’s WEWA to provide credit for business establishments
Indian bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Women Entrepreneurs
Welfare Association (WEWA) of Tamil Nadu(TN) to provide training and credit linkage to its
women entrepreneurs to establish business. The Indian bank will provide loans to the WEWA
members at discounted rates. Training will be given to the WEWA members in the INDSETIs
(Indian Bank Self Employment Training Institutes)

RBI allows banks to offer round-the-clock forex market operations

Inorder to reduce the rising influence of offshore trading in the currency markets, the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) has enabled AD (Authorised Dealer) Category-I Bank to offer round-the-
clock (24x7) trading in the Indian rupee to allow Indians to safeguard their foreign exchange
(Forex) risks at any time. Till now, the select banks in India offered Indian customers foreign
exchange rates only in inter-bank market hours from 9 am - 5 pm. The decision has been taken
on the lines of the key recommendations of the Task Force on Offshore Rupee Markets headed
by Smt. Usha Thorat.

9|Page
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

RBI revises supervisory action framework for Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks
Inorder to better manage the stressed UCBs, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released its final
Supervisory Action Framework (SAF) tightening norms for Primary (Urban) Co-operative
Banks (UCBs). The revised rules include threshold limits for asset quality, profitability and
Capital to Risk-weighted Assets ratio (CRAR). All such actions are taken under section 35A of
the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (as applicable to co-operative societies). Under the revised
rules, UCBs may be placed under the framework, if it incurs two consecutive years of losses.
Read full details here: RBI revises supervisory action framework for Primary (Urban) Co-
operative Banks

Shivalik Mercantile became 1st urban cooperative bank to convert to SFB

Reserve Bank of India (RBI), gave approval to Uttar Pradesh based Shivalik Mercantile Co-
operative Bank Ltd to convert to a small finance bank (SFB). With this, Shivalik Mercantile
became the 1st urban cooperative bank (UCB) to be converted into an SFB since the release of
reformed RBI guidelines which came out 2 years ago. The RBI will grant a licence to Shivalik
Mercantile bank for the commencement of banking business under Section 22 (1) of the
Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as an SFB. Read full details here: Shivalik Mercantile became 1st
urban cooperative bank to convert to SFB

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

India to place restrictions on non-essential imports from China by March 2020
India has decided to place stricter quality standards for importing of 371 items. This has been
done with the aim of curbing imports of non-essential items such as toys, plastic goods, sports
items, and furniture, especially from China. The proposed rules will be framed by respective
ministries in coordination with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and spearheaded by
Union trade minister Shri Piyush Goyal. The new rules will also be applicable to Indian
producers so as to make the regulations World Trade Organization (WTO) compliant. Read full
details here: India to place restrictions on non-essential imports from China by March 2020

DPIIT: FDI inflows rose 15% to $26 Bn in 1st half of FY2020; Singapore largest FDI source of
India
According to the data released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal
Trade (DPIIT), the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India rose 15% to $26 billion in the first
half of FY2020 (Fiscal year 2020). Singapore continued to be the largest source of FDI in India
during the first half of FY2020 with $8 billion investments followed by Mauritius ($6.36
billion), the United States (US) ($2.15 billion), the Netherlands ($2.32 billion), and Japan ($1.78
billion). The inflow of FDI during April-September of 2018-19 stood at $22.66 billion. Read full
details here: DPIIT: FDI inflows rose 15% to $26 Bn in 1st half of FY2020; Singapore largest
FDI source of India

India's foreign exchange reserve touches a record level of $457.46 bn: RBI
According to the “ Bulletin Weekly Statistical Supplement – Extract” released by the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI), India’s foreign exchange (Forex) reserves rose by $ 2.520 billion to a
record $ 457.468 billion during the week ended 27 December 2019. The main reason for
increase in foreign exchange reserves is the increase in foreign exchange assets, which is the
main component of forex.
 Foreign Currency Assets (FCA): Foreign currency assets rose to $ 424.936 billion.
 Gold Reserve: Country's gold reserves also increased to $ 27.392 billion.
 SDR: India’s special drawing rights (SDR) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
declined by $ 2 million to $ 1.441 billion.
10 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

 Reserve Position in the IMF: India’s reserve position with the IMF Fund increased to $
3.7 billion.

HAL inks pact with Wipro 3D to make aerospace components

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), an Indian state-owned aerospace & defence company,
has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Wipro 3D,the metal additive
manufacturing (AM) business of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN), to jointly design,
develop and manufacture aerospace components using metal additive technology (Three
Dimensional (3D) printing). 3D printing is a modern manufacturing technique, which uses
solid material such as plastic or metal as ink to print or manufacture the desired object layer by
layer, also called additive printing.

CONCOR incorporates CONCOR Last Mile Logistics

Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has incorporated with a wholly-owned subsidiary
company with the name CONCOR Last Mile Logistics Limited. The authorized share capital of
the company is Rs 100 crore. The new company will be engaged in the development, operation,
and management of goods sheds.

NSE arm launches AI-powered ‘knowledge hub’ to serve financial sector

National Stock Exchange (NSE) launched ‘NSE Knowledge Hub’ an Artificial Intelligence-
powered learning platform for BFSI (Banking,Financial services and Insurance) sectors to
enhance skills for their employees, during an event in New Delhi. The function was inaugurated
by Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Railways & Commerce and Industries. It has been developed
by NSE Academy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The
modules in the hub will help in understanding the stock exchange and their functionalities.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Telangana’s mountaineer Malavath Poorna: 1st and youngest tribal women in the World to
scale 6 mountain peaks in 6 continents
18-years-old Malavath Poorna from Telangana scaled Mt Vinson Massif, the highest mountain
peak in Antarctica at 4,892 meters and becomes the first and youngest tribal women in the
World to scale six mountain peaks in six continents. Sekhar Babu Bachinepally is her coach. She
scaled Mt. Everest in 2014, Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) in 2016, Mt. Elbrus (Russia) in 2017, Mt.
Aconcagua (Argentina) in 2019, and Mt. Cartsnez (Indonesia) in 2019. ‘Poorna’, a biography of
Poorna Malavath was written by Aparna Thota.

Piyuus jaiswal wins Global Bihar excellence award 2019

Piyuus Jaiswal has been awarded the Global Bihar Excellence Award 2019 by Rajya Sabha MP
(Member of Parliament) and Padma Shri Awardee Dr CP Thakur & Bihar Women Commission
president Dilmani Devi in Patna, Bihar for his invaluable and outstanding contribution towards
social welfare, women empowerment and introducing new talent in the field of arts and
culture.

14 scientists conferred with Swarna Jayanti fellowships for 2018-19

The Union Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India (GoI), have awarded
Swarna Jayanti Fellowships for 2018-19 to 14 Scientists under 40 years of age, associated with
innovative research projects and capable of impacting research and development (R&D) work
in their respective fields. Read full details here: 14 scientists conferred with Swarna jayanti
fellowships for 2018-19

11 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Cristiano Ronaldo bags best men’s player title at 11th Dubai Globe Soccer Awards 2019 in
Dubai
Famous Portuguese professional football player Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded by 11th Dubai
Globe Soccer Awards 2019 as the best men’s player of the year in the international football
function held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ronaldo has won the award six times out
of its nine years of its existence and also marked 4th consecutive time. England international
Lucy Bronze was awarded the best women's player of the year.

Britain's Prince William unveils prize for climate innovation

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis (37) has announced a multi-million-pound prize for
“visionaries” working to solve “Earth’s greatest environmental problems,” from climate change
to air pollution. The Earthshot Prize will be awarded to five winners, every year, for the next 10
years. The initiative’s goal is to provide “at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest problems
by 2030.” The prize was initially designed and handled by the Royal Foundation of the Duke
and Duchess of Cambridge, and it was headed by Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Dubai-based Indian singer, Sucheta Satish wins Global child prodigy award 2020
A Dubai-based Indian girl, Sucheta Satish (14), who sings in 120 languages, has won the ‘100
Global Child Prodigy Award 2020' in the category of singing. The award ceremony was held in
Ashok Hotel, Delhi. She was awarded by Puducherry ieutenant (Lt) Governor Kiran Bedi.

Singular 'they' voted word of the decade by US linguists

A jury of 350 US linguists of the American Dialect Society (ADS) chose ‘they’ as their Word of
the Decade to recognize its growing use to refer to a person whose gender identity is non-
binary. The most popular pick for the Word of the Year 2019 was “(my) pronouns”. The
recognition comes after US dictionary Merriam-Webster in December named ‘they’ as word of
the year.

1st Antarrashtriya Yoga Diwas Media Samman to 30 media houses in New Delhi
Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) Shri Prakash Javadekar conferred the
1st edition of the Antarrashtriya Yoga Diwas Samman (AYDMS) to 30 media organisations in
New Delhi. The awards were given as an honour to media organisations for contributing to the
spread of yoga in the society.The award consists of a medal, plaque, trophy, and a citation. Click
here to know about the awardees.

Highlights of 77th Golden Globe Awards 2019 held in Beverly Hills, California, US
The 77th Golden Globe Awards honouring the best films and television of calendar year 2019
was held at Beverly Hills, California in the USA (United States of America). English stand-up
comedian, actor, writer, director, producer, and musician Ricky Gervais hosted the ceremony
for the fifth time. The highlights in brief are as follows:
 Film with most awards: The film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood won the most awards
(3) including Best Motion Picture, Musical and Comedy. In television, Succession,
Fleabag, and Chernobyl were the most awarded, with two awards each.
 Carol Burnett Award: American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer
Ellen Lee DeGeneres won the Carol Burnett Award for 2019.
 Golden Globe Ambassadors: The Golden Globe Ambassadors for the year 2019 were
Dylan Brosnan and Paris Brosnan.
Read full details here: Highlights of 77th Golden Globe Awards 2019 held in Beverly
Hills,California, US

12 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

S Sundar appointed as interim MD&CEO and additional director of Lakshmi Vilas Bank
The Board of directors of Lakshmi Vilas Bank has appointed S Sundar as interim Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) with effect from
January 1, 2020. The bank’s MD and CEO, Parthasarathi Mukherjee resigned from his post on
August, 2019 and the post was left vacant. He has also appointed as the additional director of
the bank.He will be in charge until April 30, 2020 or until new MD assumes the charge.

Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha gets 1 year extension

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has notified that Mr.Umesh Sinha
has been re-employed as the Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) after the approval by the
Appointments Committe of the cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on
a contract basis for one year with effect from January 1, 2020 up to December 31, 2020.
Mr.Sinha served as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and higher Education Secretary of Uttar
Pradesh.

V K Yadav to continue as Railway board chairman for one more year

Vinod Kumar Yadav has been given a one-year extension as the Chairman of the Railway Board
by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi. He succeeded Ashwani Lohani as the chairman of the railway board (retired in December
2018). Priorly, VK Yadav held the post of the General Manager (GM) of South Central Railway
(SCR).

Hillary Rodham Clinton appointed as 11th and 1st female Chancellor of UK’s Queen’s
University
72-years-old Hillary Rodham Clinton appointed as the first female Chancellor of United
Kingdom’s Queen’s University. She succeeds Tom Moran. Clinton is the 11th Chancellor of the
University and will serve for a period of five years from January 1, 2020. She will act as an
advisor to the vice-chancellor Prof Ian Greer and senior management.

Prof Suresh Chandra Sharma was appointed as the 1st Chairman of NMC
Delhi AIIMS’ Professor Suresh Chandra sharma has been appointed as the 1st ever Chairman of
NMC (National Medical commission). Sharma was the head of ENT (ears, nose, throat) head-
surgery department of AIIMS(All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in New Delhi.The
Committee also appointed Dr Rakesh Kumar Vats as Secretary of NMC. The Chairman and the
Secretary of NMC will serve for a period of 3 years or till the age of 70 years. On August 8, 2019
National Commission Bill 2019 was introduced, which replaces Indian Medical Council Act,
1956. Read full details here: Prof Suresh Chandra Sharma was appointed as the 1st Chairman
of NMC

North Macedonia PM Zoran Zaev submitted his resignation

North Macedonia Prime Minister (PM) Zoran Zaev submitted his resignation which paves a
way to form a new caretaker government under the country’s former interior minister Oliver
Spasovski until April 12, 2020 election. He belongs to Social Democratic Union of Macedonia
party. Zaev was a member of North Macedonia’s parliament between 2003 and 2005 and
mayor of Strumica between 2005 and 2016.

Karur Vysya Bank MD and CEO P R Seshadri resigns

P R Seshadri, MD (Managing Director) and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Karur Vysya Bank
has resigned from the position citing personal reasons, which was accepted by the Bank's

13 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Board of Directors. He will be relieved on 31st March 2020. He succeeded K.Venkatraman on

September 1, 2017.

Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo wins the Guinea-Bissau's presidential election

Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo won the West African state of Guinea-Bissau’s Presidential
election. He succeeded President Jose Mario Gomes Vaz. Umaro belongs to Madem G15 party.
He defected former ex-Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira of African Party for the
Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC).

Arun Kumar Sahu concurrently accredited as India's Next Envoy to Dominica

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has concurrently accredited Arun Kumar Sahu as the next
ambassador of India to the mountainous Caribbean island of Dominica, with residence in Port
of Spain. He succeeded Madhu Sethi. Sahu is a 1996 batch IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officer,
who serves presently as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

HDFC gets requisite approval to hold a 51.2% stake in Apollo Munich Health Insurance
Company
HDFC (Housing Development Financial Corporation) has received its requisite approvals from
Competition Commission of India (CCI), Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Insurance Regulatory
and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to acquire 51.2% stake in Apollo Munich Health
Insurance Company from Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited (AHEL) and other shareholders.
After the acquisition, Apollo Munich will be merged with and into HDFC Ergo, subject to
approval from the Mumbai bench of National Company Law Tribunal. IRDAI granted the
approval under Section 6A of the Insurance Act, 1938. The total value of the deal is Rs. 1,347
crore.

Mastercard acquires RiskRecon to strengthen its cybersecurity front

Mastercard, a leading global payments & technology company has acquired RiskRecon Inc, a
leading third-party cyber risk solutions provider, to protect its cyber systems & infrastructure.
The acquisition has been finalized for an undisclosed sum & is expected to be completed by
early 2020. Under the deal, RiskRecon will further promote Mastercard’s suite of cyber
solutions designed to help financial institutions, merchants & governments secure their digital
assets.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IAF chief formally inducted Dornier 228 aircraft into No. 41 Squadron in New Delhi
Indian Air Force Chief Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria formally inducted the light utility
aircraft Flight Inspection System (FIS) Dornier 228 into the No. 41 'Otters' Squadron at a
ceremony at the Palam Air Force Station in New Delhi. A contract has been signed by Indian Air
Force (IAF) for purchasing 14 Dornier aircraft in 2015, which are flight inspection system
planes, for Rs 1,090 Crore from state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

ISRO to set its 2nd launch port in Thoothukodi district of Tamil Nadu
During the press conference in Bengaluru, Karnataka with ISRO Chairman K. Sivan, it has been
announced that the second launch port of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) will be
established in Thoothukodi district of Tamil Nadu to launch small satellite vehicles. This will
come up in 2300 acres.
14 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

President released mobile app “Telangana Red Cross” of Red Cross Society of India in
Telangana
President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind launched a mobile app named “Telangana Red Cross”
of the Red Cross Society of India in Hyderabad, Telangana during the visit to the southern parts
of India including Telangana, Puducherry, Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu). The app was developed
by the Telangana Centre for Good Governance. Access to blood bank and red Cross
membership will be made easy through this app. Read full details here: President released
mobile app “Telangana Red Cross” of Red Cross Society of India in Telangana

ISRO sets its fourth RAC-S in Karnataka

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) sets its fourth Regional Academic Centre for Space
(RAC-S) at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NIT-K) at Surathkal in Mangaluru
taluk. The centre helps for the advanced research in the areas of relevance to the future
technological and programmatic needs of the Indian Space programme. ISRO has set its first
RAC-S in Jaipur, second at Guwahati and third at Kurukshetra.

Indian Army to sign MoU with Russia for 7.5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles procurement
The Indian Army (IA) is to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Russia for
the procurement of over 7.5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles. A total of 1 lakh rifles come directly
from Russia, remaining 6.5 lakh rifles will be manufactured by Indo-Russian Rifles Private
Limited (IRRPL), at Amethi district’s Korwa town in Uttar Pradesh. IRRPL is a joint-venture of
the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) of India and Rosoboron Exports and Kalashnikov of Russia.
To regulate the timely delivery of rifles, Major General Sanjeev Senger as the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of IRRPL. Apart from this IA also started inducting 1st batch of 10,000 SIG-716
assault rifles out of the 72,400 assault rifles, under Rs 700 crore contract signed in February
2019 with Sig Sauer company of the U.S. (United States). Read full details here: Indian Army to
sign MoU for 7.5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles procurement

ISRO signs an agreement with IIA to set up optical telescopes

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed a pact with Indian Institute of
Astrophysics (IIA) to establish an Optical telescope under ‘Project NETRA’ (NEtwork for space
object TRacking and Analysis) for tracking space objects. A Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) between ISRO and IIA was signed by ISRO scientific secretary R.Umamaheswaran
and IIA director Annapurni Subramanium during a meet in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Project
Netra was launched by ISRO in September 2019 with an outlay of Rs 400 crore to detect
threats to Indian Satellites from debris and other hazards.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a web portal for undertaking aerial survey
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched Ministry of Defence (MoD) No Objection
Certificate (NOC) web portal www.modnoc.ncog.gov.in for undertaking aerial
photography/remote sensing survey with the final permission of Directorate General of Civil
Aviation (DGCA) during an ocassion in New Delhi. This Portal helps in reducing the MoD’s time
in issuing NOC and also speeds the developmental projects and will also ensure expeditious
disposal of applications for carrying out aerial survey, besides bringing in more transparency
and accuracy.

15 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

ENVIRONMENT
Paddlefish of China’s Yangtze River, declared as extinct
China has declared that the country’s giant paddlefish often called as 'Panda of the Yangtze
river' or 'Chinese swordfish' has become extinct. The extinction was reported due to decades of
overfishing. As per scientists of the Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute (YRFRI) the
paddlefish with scientific name Psephurus gladius which can grow upto 22 feet (7 meters) in
length became extinct between 2005 and 2010. The conclusion regarding the extiction was
based on an evaluation by a panel of experts arranged by the International Union for
Conservation (IUCN) of Nature in Shanghai. The announcement was made through a research
paper published in Science of the Total Environment.

Red brittle star "Ophiocoma wendtii" becomes the 2nd creature to exhibit extraocular vision :
UK scientists
For the 1st time, Scientists from the University of Oxford in England, United Kingdom (UK),
have shown that a starfish-like species called “red brittle star (Ophiocoma wendtii)” lives in the
coral reefs of the Caribbean Sea can see even though it does not have eyes/ the ability to
exhibit extraocular vision. It has become only the 2nd creature, after a sea urchin species,
known to have this ability. In both species, extraocular vision is facilitated by the
photoreceptor cells found on their bodies. A light-sensing cells that cover its whole body, give
the species visual stimuli to recognise coarse structures such as rocks. The study has been
published in the journal Current Biology.

SPORTS
India women's hockey player Sunita Lakra announces her retirement due to knee injury
breakdown
Indian women's hockey team defender Sunita Lakra from Odisha, aged 28, who was part of the
2018 Asian Games silver-winning side, announced her international retirement, citing a knee
injury. However, she will continue to represent domestic hockey and NALCO (National
Aluminium Company Limited), Odisha. He played 139 matches for India that also included the
2014 Asian Games bronze medal.

MS Dhoni named captain of ESPNCricinfo's ODI and T20 teams of past decade; Virat as captain
of their test team
Former Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 38 years old named as captain of ESPNCricinfo’s
ODI (One Day International) and Twenty20 teams of the decade. Virat Kohli was named the
leader in Tests. On the other hand, 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.

Indian chess grandmaster Koneru humpy finishes 12th in FIDE World Blitz competition 2019
held in Moscow, Russia
Humpy Koneru (32), an Indian chess grandmaster from Andhra Pradesh, has settled
12th overall in the 2-day FIDE World Blitz competition 2019 held at at the Luzhniki Stadium in
Moscow, Russia. Kateryna Lagno (13 points) of Russia and Magnus Carlsen of Norway (16.5
points) retained their titles in the Women's and Men’s Blitz Championships respectively.
Another Indian Harika Dronavalli finished 25th position.

16 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

For the first time Lawn bowls & Cycling to be included in 3rd Khelo India Games 2020 to be
held in Guwahati, Assam
Chief Executive Officer of “Khelo India Games” has announced the inclusion of “Lawn bowls”
and “Cycling” in the 3rd edition of Khelo India Games. These two games will be included in the
event for the first time. Around 6500 athletes from 37 teams will take part in the 3rd edition of
Khelo India youth games in Guwahati, Assam which is scheduled to be held from 10th of
January to 22nd of February at Indira Gandhi Stadium.

India’s Manav Thakkar, Uttar Pradesh jumped 9 spots to No.1 in U-21 table tennis category
Manav Thakar (19), an Indian table tennis player from Uttar Pradesh jumped nine places and
become the world's No.1 player U-21 (Under-21) Men’s single category rankings released by
the IITF (International Table Tennis Federation). Thakar won the U-21 men’s singles title at the
ITTF Challenge Plus Benemax-Virgo North American Open in Markham, Canada by defeating
Argentina’s player Martin Bentancor, in December 2019.
 Among other Indians, Sathiyam has retained his 30th spot in the senior category, while
Achanta Sharath Kamal ranked at 33rd position.
 ii.Among women, India’s Manika Batra was static at the 61st position.

Overview of 63rd National Shooting championship competitions 2019 held in Bhopal, MP

The 63rd National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC) 2019 in Small Bore Rifle &
Pistol events (including Para events) was held at Shooting Academy Shooting Ranges, Bhopal,
Madhya Pradesh (MP) from 7th December 2019 – 4th January 2020. It was jointly organized
and conducted by the National Rifle Association of India(NRAI) &MP State Shooting Academy.
 Shooter Zeena Khitta of Himachal Pradesh wins women's national 10m Air Rifle
 Manu Bhaker of Haryana has bagged 4 gold medals (individual and team events in
senior and junior) in the women's 10 meter air pistol event.
 Shooter Anish Bhanwala from Haryana has clinched gold medal in the senior men's 25
meter rapid fire pistol event.
 Saurabh Chaudhary clinches gold in men's 10 m air pistol
 Vijayveer Sidhu of Chandigarh claims 3 gold in 25m Standard Pistol for Men, Junior Men
and the Junior Men's Team Gold medals.
 In the men's 50m pistol event, World Championship silver medalist Jitu Rai gave a team
gold
Read full details here: Overview of 63rd National Shooting championship competitions 2019
held in Bhopal, MP

Indian batsman Rohit Sharma lays foundation of International cricket stadium in Hyderabad,
Telangana
India's cricket batsman, Rohit Gurunath Sharma has laid the foundation of the Cricket Stadium
and Training Center at 'Heartfulness Institute's headquarters in Hyderabad, Telangana. The
cricket stadium has been named as “Rohit Sharma Cricket stadium” by spiritual guru Kamlesh
Patel.

Indian Sports Ministry gave ‘in principle’ approval to hold shooting and archery in 2022 CWG
The Sports Ministry has given ‘in principle’ approval to hold the Commonwealth Games
shooting and archery events in India. These events will be held under the aegis of the
Commonwealth Games (CWG) Friendship Program in March 2022.Last year CWG has decided
to exclude shooting event in 2022 CWG to be held in Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK) but
the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was against the decision.

17 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

India's all-rounder cricketer Irfan Pathan announces retirement

5 years old, all rounder cricketer from Vadodara, Gujarat, Irfan Pathan (nicknamed Guddu) has
announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He played last match for India against Sri
Lanka in 2012. He is currently performing the role of mentor-cum-coach for the Jammu and
Kashmir Cricket team. He featured in 29 Tests, 120 ODIs (One Day International) and 24 T20Is
(Twenty 20 International) for India.

India's Magesh Chandran wins 95th Hastings International Chess title in Hastings, England
A 36 years old, India’s grandmaster (GM) Magesh Chandran Panchanathan from Madurai,
Tamil Nadu wins the title in the 95th edition of the prestigious Hastings International Chess
Congress at Hastings in England. He stands with a FIDE (International Chess Federation) rating
of 2479 finished first place with 7.5 points from nine games. Magesh Chandran became the
GrandMaster in 2006.

World Cup winner De Rossi of Italy retired from football

Former Roma & Italian professional footballer and the 2006 FIFA (Fédération Internationale
de Football Association) world cup winner Daniele De Rossi (36 years) has announced his
retirement from the game after retiring from Argentina’s Boca Juniors Football club. Daniel has
played 117 games for Italy from 2004-17 and won the 2006 world cup title after defeating
France. ii.He is Italy’s 4th most most-capped player with 117 caps.

Bhubaneswar to host 1st edition of Khelo India University Games 2020

Bhubaneswar, Odisha has been selected to host the 1st edition of the 2020 Khelo India
University Games (KIUG) which will be held from February 22nd to March 1, 2020, at
Bhubaneswar’s KIIT University (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology University). The
Union Sports Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju and Odisha’s Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik
unveiled the logo and jersey of Khelo India University Games during a event in Bhubaneshwar.
Mascots unveiled at the launch event were named as mascots 'Jay and Bijay'. Read full details
here: Bhubaneswar to host 1st edition of Khelo India University Games 2020

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Malayali novelist A Sethumadhavan’s first English novel, 'The Cuckoo's Nest' published
Malayali novelist A Sethumadhavan’s ‘The Cuckoo’s Nest’ is his first novel in English and was
published by Niyogi Books. In this book, the author attempts to fight against the division in
society through the character of the eternal optimist, Madam Agatha, a former nun and also
other Indian girl-child raised in an orthodox community. The story progresses to show how
these 'birds' take flight and become self-reliant. He bagged many awards including the Vayalar
award, Odakkuzhal award, and Kerala Sahitya Akademi award.

OBITUARY

NCP leader Devi Prasad Tripathi passed away at 67

General Secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and former Member of Parliament
(MP) Devi Prasad Tripathi passed away after battling with cancer in New Delhi. He was the
former MP of Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. He was born on November 29, 1952, in
Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was also the Editor-in-Chief of the quarterly journal Think India.

18 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Former Rajya Sabha member Alajangi Viswanath Swamy from Odisha passed away at 91
Social activist and former Rajya Sabha member from Odisha, Alajangi Viswanath Swamy
popularly known as AV Swamy passed away in Nuapada district, Odisha. He was a member of
‘Vanar Sena’ during India’s freedom struggle and a follower of Vinobe Bhave. He was the
President of Utkal Sammilani, Nuapada district branch.

Tamra Patra awardee Centenarian Freedom fighter Bhim Chandra Jana dies at 107
Centenarian Freedom fighter Bhim Chandra Jana, who spied on British police, has died of old-
age related ailments in West Bengal’s Howrah District at the age of 107. He was awarded by the
Government of India after Independence. In 1972, he was awarded the Tamra Patra (a copper
plaque given to freedom fighters by the Centre) when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of
India.

Former Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker, P.H. Pandian passes away at the age of 74
Paul Hector (PH) Pandian, an Indian politician of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam (AIADMK) party & former Speaker of Tamil Nadu (TN) Assembly passed away at a
private hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu after prolonged illness. He was 74. Born on 29 March
1945 in Cheranmahadevi town in Tirunelveli district of TN, Pandian joined AIADMK in 1972.
He was the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from February 27, 1985 - February
5, 1989. He also served as former Chief Minister (CM) J Jayalalithaa's legal advisor from 1996 –
1999.

NBA mastermind David Joel Stern New York, United States dead at 77
David Joel Stern born in New York, United States (US), the former commissioner of the NBA
(National Basketball Association), passed away due to brain haemorrhage at the age of 77 in
New York. He served as commissioner of the NBA for 30 (1984-2014) years.

Former MP of India’s 1st Lok Sabha, Bahadur Singh passed away at 94 in Bihar
Former Member of Parliament (MP) of the country’s 1st Lok Sabha - constituted in 1952
and last maharaja of erstwhile Dumraon Raj (zamindari estate) Kamal Bahadur Singh passed
away at the age of 94 in Buxar district of Bihar due to old age ailments. was the only surviving
MP of the first Lok Sabha of India. After the independence movement, Kamal Singh contributed
mainly to the education and social development sectors in Shahabad city of Uttar Pradesh.

Former Karnataka Governor and Padma Vibhushan awardee T N Chaturvedi passes away at 90
Former Karnataka Governor Triloki Nath Chaturvedi passed away in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. He
was 90. He served as the Governor of Karnataka from 2002-2007. He was born on January 18,
1929 in Tirwaganj town of Uttar Pradesh. He was an Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
Officer and held the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India from 1984 to 1989.
In 2004 he served as the Governor of Kerala.

Padma Bhushan artist Akbar Padamsee passes away at 91

The celebrated painter and artist Akbar Padamsee, 91 years old, died at the Isha Yoga Ashram
near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Art Icon Padamsee was born on 12 April 1928 in Mumbai,
Maharashtra. His very first solo show was held at the Jehangir Art gallery, Mumbai in 1954.
Veteran artist Akbar Padamsee was also a photographer, sculptor, painter, engraver, film-
maker and lithographer. Akbar Padamsee was awarded “Padma Bhushan” by the Indian
Government in 2010.

1966 World Cup goalkeeper Tilkowski of Germany passed away at the age of 84
Former West Germany football Goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski, passed away at the age of 84 due to
old age ailments. He played in the 1996 world cup against England. He was born in Dortmund-

19 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Husen, Germany.He was renowned for a controversial Geoff Hurst ‘ghost-goal’ at the 1966
World Cup final. Dortmund became the first German club to win a major European competition
in the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Cup Winners' Cup in May 1966. in May
1966.

Former Western Army Commander Lt Gen PN Hoon passes away at 90

Former Western Army Commander Lieutenant General Prem Nath Hoon, 90 years old, passed
away in Chandigarh. He was born at Abbottabad in Pakistan and commissioned into the army
in 1947. He is one of the most senior military veterans in the country. He led the ‘Operation
Meghdoot’ the code-name for the Indian Armed forces to capture the Siachen Glacier in the
kashmir region. He also served during 1965 in India-Pakistan war.

IMPORTANT DAYS
World Health Organisation designated 2020 as International Year of the Nurse and Midwife
The executive board of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated 2020 as
International Year of Nurse and Midwife in honour of 200th birth anniversary of Florence
Nightingale. The WHO will also launch first-ever State of the World’s Nursing report in 2020
prior to the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly. The report will provide assessment of
“fitness for purpose” relative to 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13) targets.
 WHO has collaborated with 3 year Nursing Now!’ Campaign (2018–2020) to enhance
global health by improving the status of nursing and help in achieving Universal Health
Coverage (UHC).
 According to WHO globally, 9 million more nurses and midwives are needed to achieve
universal health coverage by 2030.
Read full details here: World Health Organisation designated 2020 as International Year of the
Nurse and Midwife

World Braille Day 2020 is observed on January 4

World Braille Day is being observed on January 4 every year across the world to mark the
remembrance of Louis Braille who invented Braille script which helps the visually disable
persons to read as well as to write. He lost his eyes just at the age of 3. This led to the invention
of language with 6 dots- Braille script. The day is celebrated by the United Nations (UN) and
other organizations. Louis Braille was born on 4th January 1809 in the town of Coupvray in
Northern France. UN Observed First Official World Braille Day on 4th January 2019 through
United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) proclamation in November 2018.

CISF observes 2020 as the ‘Year of Mobility’

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will observe 2020 as the ‘Year of Mobility’. It aims
for the creation of more residential units and the implementation of various welfare measures
for the troops. Rajesh Ranjan is the present Director-General of CISF.

STATE NEWS
Natyasurya Awardee dramatist Ratna Ojha passed away at 88 in Assam
Renowned Assamese dramatist, writer and social activist Ratna Ojha passed away in Guwahati,
Assam. He was 88. He took part in an ongoing protest against the Citizenship (Amendment)
Act, 2019. Hailing from Barpeta district of Assam, he introduced street plays in Assam and
Cartoon Theater in Northeast. In 2005, he received the prestigious Natyasurya Award for his
contribution in the field of theater.
20 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

UPSRTC launched ‘Damini’ helpline service for women in Uttar Pradesh

UPSRTC (Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) has launched ‘Damini’ helpline
service considering the safety of the women passengers in Uttar Pradesh (UP). As the extension
of ‘Nirbhaya Yojana’ the unique number “81142-77777” has been subscribed for this helpline,
which was launched by transport minister Ashok Kataria in Lucknow, UP. Using these helpline
women passengers can lodge their complaints by calling the helpline number and by using
WhatsApp service from 9 a.m to 6 p.m everyday. After 6 p.m complaints can be lodged using
general helpline number 1800-180-2877.

2020 declared as AI year in Telangana, 8 MoU inked

Telangana Information Technology (IT) minister Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao has declared
2020 as year of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and has signed 8 Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with various companies and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) to
make way for technological advancements in the Telangana. The MoU with IIT-KGP is for
setting up centre of excellence in AI and research and Development Park.

Odisha govt launches India's 1st e-Gazette portal for all gazette notifications
The State Government of Odisha has launched an online platform called “e-Gazette portal”(
http://egazetteodisha.nic.in),a first-of-its-kind initiative in India designed and developed by
the NIC (National Informatics Centre) for all departments. The portal was launched by Odisha
Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy as a part of state’s 5T initiatives (Transparency,
Teamwork, Technology, Time and Transformation). Since e-publication is covered under
Section- 8 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, it will save the transportation of trucks of
papers & reduce wastage.

‘K-RERA’ launched in Kerala to bring transparency in real estate sector

The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan launched K-RERA (Kerala Real Estate Regulatory
Authority) to bring confidence and transparency in real estate sectors among the customers. As
per the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016, State governments needs to
establish RERA for the effective regulations in real estate sectors. The buildings with more than
eight apartments and real estate projects with 500 sq meters land or more will not be
registered under RERA.

‘Cyber Safe Women’ campaign launched in Maharashtra by state cyber police

Maharashtra cyber police launched ‘Cyber Safe Women’ campaign to mark the birth
anniversary of a social reformer, Savitribai Phule in Maharashtra. It is a joint initiative of the
Maharashtra state government, Maharashtra Cyber and Maharashtra police.

CM Jagan mohan reddy inaugurates YSR Aarogyasri scheme at Eluru, Andhra pradesh
In a bid to provide free medical treatment to the poor, The Chief Minister (CM) of Andhra
Pradesh (AP), Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy has inaugurated “YSR Aarogyasri scheme”
at Eluru in West Godavari district of AP. The revamped healthcare scheme is aimed at
providing free medical treatment to people having an annual income of up to Rs 5 lakh & those
eligible people will also be given Aarogyasri cards. Free treatment will be provided to the
person whose treatment cost is more than Rs 1,000. The flagship scheme will cover 2,059
medical ailments. Read full details here: CM Jagan mohan reddy inaugurates YSR Aarogyasri
scheme at Eluru, Andhra pradesh

MP cabinet approves Mukhyamantri karmchari swasthya bima yojana, rollout from April
1,2020
Madhya Pradesh (MP) state Cabinet led by its Chief Minister (CM), Kamal Nath has approved
the Mukhya Mantri Karmchari Swasthya Bima Yojana (Chief Minister Employees Health

21 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Insurance Scheme) implementation from April 1, 2020, for the welfare of all 12.55 lakh
employees of the state. Under this, Rs 5 lakh for general illness and 10 lakh for critical illness &
Cashless treatment facility up to Rs 10,000 per annum in OPD (Outpatient Department) will be
provided / free medicines will be distributed. All the current and retired employees of the state
will get the benefit of the scheme. Apart from this, a loan waiver scheme called “Jai Kisan Fasal
Rin Maafi Yojana” was also launched.
Read full details here: MP cabinet approves Mukhyamantri karmchari swasthya bima yojana,
rollout from April 1,2020

CM Jai ram launches Himachal MyGov portal & CM app for HP

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Jai Ram Thakur has launched the Himachal MyGov
portal – (https://himachal.mygov.in/en) to strengthen public participation in the government
system. He also launched CM App during the occasion in Shimla, HP. Himachal is the 11th state
in India to provide this app.
 Himachal MyGov portal: The portal will help the people of Himachal to take their views,
suggestions, feedback and complaints to the government.
 CM app: With this app, citizens of Himachal will be able to get direct and quick
information about various policies and programs of the government.

AC Bytes

Delhi gets First 20-feet-tall Smog Tower to Help Tackle Rising Levels of Air Pollution at Lajpat
Nagar
Delhi gets its first 20-ft tall smog tower, which is used to purify the air, has been installed at
south Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar market. It can remove up to 80% of the particulate matter (PM 2.5
and PM10).

India welcomes highest number of New born babies on first day of 2020, Surpasses China:
UNICEF
As per UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), India has recorded the highest number
of births of 67,385 children on the first day of 2020 in the world. A Total of 3,92,078 babies
were born around the world.

New Zealand batsman Leo Carter becomes seventh cricketer to hit six sixes in an over
Leo Carter, the first New Zealand batsman, became the seventh player in world cricket to hit 6
sixes across all formats in both domestic and international level and only the fourth batsman to
achieve the feat in T20(Twenty20) Cricket.

2019 recorded 7th Warmest Year in India Since 1901: IMD

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), India has recorded 7th warmest
year(2019) since 1901, however it was lower than the highest warming, that was observed in
2016.

22 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com
 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Good Luck with Your Exams!!!

Subscribe(Buy) Current Affairs PDF 2020 – Weekly,

Pocket, Study and Q&A (English & Hindi)

Suggestions& Feedback are welcomed -

https://www.affairscloud.com/subscriber-feedback/

AC Useful Links:

 Current Affairs
 Current Affairs Hindi
 Current Affairs Quiz
 Current Affairs Today
 Current Affairs Weekly Test

23 | P a g e
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2020 @ AffairsCloud.Com