Daily Current Affairs and GK | 11 September 2020

1. Actor Paresh Rawal, new Chairperson of National School of Drama.

• Famous Indian actor Paresh Rawal has been appointed as the Chairperson of the National School of Drama (NSD).
• Paresh Rawal started his journey in Gujarati theatre and then entered the Hindi cinema. He is known for his acting in films like Andaz Apna Apna, Chachi 420, Hera Pheri, Oh my God, etc.
• He was awarded the National Film Award in the Best supporting actor category for his role in Woh Chokri and Sir.
• He received the Padma Shri in 2014.
• He is the former BJP MP had represented Ahmedabad East constituency in Lok Sabha.
• Veteran actor Ratan Thiyam served as the Chairperson of NSD from 2013 to 2017.
• One of the longest-serving directors of NSD, Ebrahim Alkazi, had passed away last month.
• National School of Drama (NSD):
  • It is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture.
  • It is the premier training institute for theatre and is the only one of its kind in India.
  • It is located in New Delhi.
  • In 1959 it was set up by Sangeet Natak Akademi, but later in 1975, it became an independent school.
  • Current Director: Suresh Sharma

(Source: News on AIR)

2. P-7 Heavy Drop System developed by DRDO.

• P-7 Heavy Drop System that can para drop military stores up to 7 tonne-weight class from IL-76 aircraft has been made by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
• The system has been inducted in the Indian Army.
• The system has a platform and a specialized parachute system. The platform is made up of Aluminium or steel alloys.
• The parachute system is a multi-stage system that consists of – five main canopies, five brake chutes, two auxiliary chutes, one extractor parachute.
• The system was developed using 100% indigenous resources.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO):
  • It works under the Ministry of Defence.
  • It was established in 1958 when the Defence Science Organisation (DSO) was combined with the Technical Developments Establishment of Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production.
  • Chairman: G. Sateesh Reddy
  • Headquarters: New Delhi  

(Source: News on AIR)

3. Ministry of Home Affairs provided Y-plus category security to an actress.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs has given the Y-plus category of CRPF security to actress Kangana Ranaut.
• Usually, someone who holds a position of consequence in either government or civil society are given VIP Security. Ministry of Home Affairs decides in case of an individual where such level of security is required based on inputs from IB and RAW like agencies.
• There are mainly six categories of security cover-
  • X- one gunman protection to an individual
  • Y- one gunman for mobile security and one (plus four on rotation) for static security
  • Y-plus- two gunmen (plus four on rotation) for mobile security and one (plus four on rotation) for residence security
  • Z- six gunmen for mobile security and two (plus 8) for residence security
  • Z-plus- 10 security personnel for mobile security and two (plus 8) for residence security
  • Special Protection Group (only for PM and his immediate family members)
• The various kinds of security cover provided under these levels are-
  • Residence Security
  • Mobile Security
  • Office Security
  • Inter-state security
• State police provide the residence security while mobile security is given by the Central Armed Police Forces of India.

(Source: Indian Express)

4. Proposal to construct Munger-Bhagalpur-Tirpety-Kahalgaon concrete road approved.

• A proposal to construct Munger-Bhagalpur-Tirpety-Kahalgaon concrete road on NH80 in Bihar has been approved by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
• The work on this road will begin in next three months and 20 crore rupees will be released for immediate repair work on the road.
• National Highway 80 (NH80) connects Mokamah in Bihar to Farrakka in West Bengal. It passes through Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

(Source: News on AIR)

5. Agreement on Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services signed between India and Japan.

• An agreement on the Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services has been signed between the Armed Forces of India and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan.
• The agreement will increase cooperation and interoperability between forces of India and Japan.
• The Prime Ministers of India and Japan also had the telephonic conversation and reviewed status of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project under the India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership.
• Self-Defense Forces of Japan is the force with the world’s Fifth-largest military budget. It is the world’s 5^th most powerful military force.
• Armed Forces of India is the force with the world’s third-largest defence budget. It is the world’s second-largest military force.
• Japan:
  • It is an island country located in the northwest Pacific Ocean.
  • It shares its border with Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, and East China Sea.
  • Capital: Tokyo
  • Currency: Japanese Yen

6. Catalyzing Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Incubation report launched by DST secretary.

• Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary has launched a report titled as Catalyzing Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Incubation.
• The report is an assessment of National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), DST efforts in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship through its Technology Business Incubation (TBI) programme. TBI is a component of the NIDHI programme.
• National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovation (NIDHI) programme, initiated by NSTEDB in 2016, has played a significant role in promoting innovation.
• NIDHI has components like PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring technology entrepreneurs), EIR (Entrepreneur in Residence program) etc.
• The report says that 1992 Intellectual Property Rights has been created and 3,681 startups have been nurtured through 153 incubators created by DST.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, NSTEDB has taken the initiative named Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH).
• National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) was formed in 1982. It functions under Department of Science and Technology.

(Source: PIB)

7. Methanol Plant started at Trombay Unit of RCF.

• A methanol plant has been started at Trombay Unit of Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (RCF).
• Earlier, RCF was importing Methanol and now it will produce its own Methanol through the newly started plant.
• Methanol is used in the production of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, dyestuff, etc.
• RCF has also increased the production of its popular fertilizer, SUPHALA, by 17.3% in August 2020.
• Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (RCF):
  • It is a PSU under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
  • It is India’s fourth-largest producer of fertilizers.
  • The top three producers are Coromandel international, National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) and Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GSFC). 
  • It has two manufacturing units located at Trombay, Mumbai and Thai, Raigad district in Maharashtra.

8. India Post launches Five Star Villages Scheme.

• India Post (Department of Posts) has launched Five Star Villages Scheme in which all postal products and services will be made available at the village level.
• All postal products and services will be marketed and publicized at the village level under the scheme.
• The scheme has been launched on a pilot basis in Maharashtra. It will be implemented all over India, depending on experience in Maharashtra.
• The scheme will cover the entire Maharashtra. During the current financial year, the scheme will cover 50 villages in each district identified by regional offices.  
• A team of five Gramin Dak Sevaks headed by the Branch Post Master of the concerned Branch Office will implement the scheme.
• The team will be assigned a village for the marketing of all products, savings and insurance schemes of the Department of Posts.
• Chief Post Master General will review the monthly progress of the scheme.
• If a village attains universal coverage for four schemes from the list given below, then that village gets four-star status; if a village completes three schemes, then that village gets three-star status and so on.
• Schemes covered under Five Star scheme
  • Savings Bank accounts, Recurrent Deposit Accounts, NSC / KVP certificates
  • Sukanya Samridhi Accounts/ PPF Accounts
  • Funded Post Office Savings Account linked India Post Payments Bank Accounts
  • Postal Life Insurance Policy/Rural Postal Life Insurance Policy
  • Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana Account / Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana Account

• India Post (Department of Posts) was formed in October 1854 by Lord Dalhousie. It is headquartered in New Delhi.  It is a subsidiary of the Ministry of Communications.

(Source: India Post)

9. Results of 2^nd edition of Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems to be released.

• Results of the 2^nd edition of Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems will be released.
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has carried out States’ Startup Ranking Exercise in which 22 states and 3 UTs participated.
• During the ranking process, States and UTs have been divided into two groups. The first group has UTs except for Delhi, and all States in North East India, except Assam. The second group has all other states.
• The States’ Startup Ranking Framework 2019 consists of 7 broad reform areas. They have 30 action points.

10. Dept of Science and Technology felicitates Professor C.R. Rao.

• Department of Science and Technology has felicitated Professor Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, the Living legend of statistics on his 100^th birthday.
• Earlier, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2001.
• CR Rao has set up CR Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science.
• He was awarded the US National Medal of Science and was described as a living legend by American Statistical Association.
• He is known for Cramér–Rao bound, Rao–Blackwell theorem and Rao distance.  

(Source: PIB)

11. SAROD-Ports (Society for Affordable Redressal of Disputes - Ports) launched.

• SAROD-Ports (Society for Affordable Redressal of Disputes - Ports) has been launched by Union Minister of State for Shipping (I/C), Mansukh Mandaviya.
• SAROD-Ports have been set up under Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• It aims to resolve disputes in an affordable, timely and fairway and enrich Dispute Resolution Mechanism with the panel of technical experts as arbitrators.
• Members from Indian Ports Association (IPA) and Indian Private Ports and Terminals Association (IPTTA) are part of SAROD-Ports.
• Similar to SAROD-Ports, SAROD-Roads is available in the Highway Sector. It was set up by NHAI.
• SAROD-Ports was envisaged in amendments in the Model Concession Agreement (MCA) approved by the cabinet in January 2018.

(Source: PIB)

12. World’s largest Digital Camera clicks first photo.

• The world’s largest digital camera took first 3200-megapixel digital photos.
• This is the first largest photo taken in a single shot.
• The size of the images is such that it will require 378 4K ultra HD TV screens to display a single picture in full size.
• The camera will be installed at Rubin Observatory in Chile, where it will produce panoramic images of the complete Southern sky.
• This camera will help scientists in understanding how galaxies have evolved over time and the mysteries related to dark matter and dark energy.
• The data will be fed into the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST)- a collection of galaxies and motions of astrophysical objects.
• The camera is expected to be ready by 2021 before being installed in Chile.

(Source: The Hindu)

13. MoU signed between Puducherry University and National Institute of Ocean Technology.

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Puducherry University and National Institute of Ocean Technology.
• The MoU has been signed to exploit marine living resources using the latest deep sea exploration methods of NIOT and expertise of Puducherry University.
• The Puducherry University has expertise in areas like microbiology, biotechnology, marine biology, metagenomics, etc.
• National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT):
  • It is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
  • It was established in 1993.
  • It is headquartered in Chennai.
  • It aims to develop indigenous technologies to solve problems related to exploitation of non-living and living resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India.

14. Three-member expert panel constituted to assist in evaluation of relief to bank borrowers.

• A three-member expert panel has been formed by the government to help in the evaluation of relief to bank borrowers.
• The three-member committee will be chaired by former CAG Rajiv Mehrishi.
• The panel will measure the impact of interest waiver given to the borrowers and COVID-19 related moratorium. It will also give recommendations to reduce the financial constraints of various sections of society.
• The report will be submitted by the panel within one week.

(Source: News on AIR)