Daily Current Affairs and GK | 08 February 2020

1. Portugal's President Marcelo Robelo D'Souza will visit India for a four-day visit from 13 February.

• Portugal President Marcelo Robelo D'Souza is coming to India on a four-day visit on 13 February at the invitation of the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
• A high-level delegation will accompany him.
• This is his first visit to India.
• Portugal:
  • Situated on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain, Portugal is a southern European country.
  • Its capital is Lisbon and the currency is euro.

2. National Clean Air Program launched across the country.

• The government has launched the National Clean Air Program to tackle the problem of pollution across the country.
• Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo said that the objective of this program is to reduce the amount of pollution of PM 10 and PM 2.5 from 30% to 20% by the year 2024.
• More than a hundred cities have been identified for this program.
• Under this program, each city with a population of fewer than 5 lakhs has been allocated ten million rupees and each city with a population of five to ten lakhs has been allocated twenty lakh rupees.

3. Appointment of retired judge CN Ramachandran Nair to prepare list and evaluation report of Lord Ayyappa's jewelry at Sabarimala temple.

• The Supreme Court-appointed CN Ramachandran Nair, a retired judge of the High Court of Kerala, to prepare a list and evaluation report of Lord Ayyappa's jewelry at the Sabarimala temple.
• These ornaments have been claimed by various sects of the Pandalam royal family.
• The Supreme Court has given the state government another four weeks to prepare a draft on the Sabarimala temple administration.
• Sabarimala Temple:
  • Sabarimala temple is located in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
  • This temple is dedicated to the Hindu celibate deity Ayyappan, also known as Dharma Sanstha.
  • Sabarimala traditions are a confluence of Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and other traditions.

4. Announcement of Horticulture Policy in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir soon.

• Jammu and Kashmir government will announce horticulture policy soon.
• It aims to meet market challenges and increase production.
• This policy will also focus on addressing the effects of climate change.
• This policy will help in increasing the revenue from horticulture in Jammu and Kashmir from the current eight thousand crore rupees to fifty thousand crore rupees annually.
• Horticulture is the source of livelihood of about 33 lakh people in this union territory. Seven lakh families are directly or indirectly dependent on the horticulture sector.

5. India's preparation for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) - 2021 exam in full swing.

• Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has said that India's preparation for the Programme for International Student Assessment -2021 exam is in full swing.
• Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti and Union Territory of Chandigarh will represent India in this examination.
• This partnership will prepare Indian students for the global economy in the 21st century.
• Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA):
  • The program was initiated in 1997 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
  • It aims to develop regular, reliable and policy-relevant indicators on student achievement.

6. More than sixteen lakh people trained under Prime Minister Skill Development Scheme got employment.

• More than sixteen lakh people trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana have got employment.
• Till last month, more than 73 lakh candidates have received training.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana:
  • This scheme is an initiative of the Government of India for skill development.
  • It was started in the year 2015.
  • It aims to promote employment by providing training to the people.

7. Abhishek Dalmia, the youngest president of Bengal Cricket Association.

• Abhishek, son of former BCCI President Late Jagmohan Dalmiya, has become the youngest President of the Bengal Cricket Association.
• Abhishek has become the 18^th President of the Bengal Cricket Association.
• 38-year-old Abhishek was the joint secretary of this organization before becoming president.
• The post was vacant after Saurav Ganguly became the BCCI President.
• According to the recommendation of the Lodha Committee, Abhishek will have a tenure of 22 months.

8. Mizoram wins Junior National Football Championship.

• Mizoram has won the Junior National Football Championship.
• Mizoram captured the trophy after defeating Punjab in the final match for Dr. B.C. Rai Trophy at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong.
• Both teams were face to face for the fourth time in the last five years in the Under-17 Championship.
• Punjab captured the trophy for 2015-16 and 2016-17.
• Last year Mizoram won the trophy by defeating Punjab by two.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Marcelo Robelo D'Souza is the President of which country?

A. Brazil

B. Poland

C. Portugal

D. Vietnam

2. The Government of India has set a target to decrease the amount of PM10 and PM2.5 from the current 30% to 20% by which year under the National Clean Air Program?

A. 2022

B. 2025

C. 2024

D. 2030

3. Sabarimala temple is located inside which of the following tiger reserves?

A. Periyar Tiger Reserve

B. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

C. Kanha Tiger Reserve

D. Bandipur Tiger Reserve

4. Jammu Kashmir is a/an _____.

A. State

B. Union Territory

C. Both of the above

D. None of the above

5. The Programme for International Student Evaluation (PISA) was started by which institution in 1997?

A. World Bank

B. World Health Organization

C. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

D. European Union

6. In which year was the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana launched?

A. 2013

B. 2015

C. 2017

D. 2019

7. Recently Abhishek Dalmia became the youngest president of the Cricket Association of which state?

A. Bengal

B. Uttar Pradesh

C. Maharashtra

D. Tamil Nadu

8. Which state has won the Junior National Football Championship recently?

A. Kerala

B. Haryana

C. Punjab

D. Mizoram

Solution:

1. C

2. C

3. A

4. B

5. C

6. B

7. A

8. D