Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 February 2020

1. World Radio Day: 13 February 2020

• World Radio Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness among the people regarding the importance of radio and to encourage the governments to provide access to information via radio.
• This year it is the 9^th edition of this international day.
• Theme: "Radio and Diversity"
• In its 67^th session in 2012, UNGA formally adopted the resolution to celebrate 13 February as World Radio Day.
• All India Radio (AIR) was established in 1937, and currently, it broadcast 607 bulletins in 92 languages and dialects every day.

2. India amends double taxation avoidance agreement with Sri Lanka

• The union cabinet has approved the signing and ratification of the Protocol amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Sri Lanka.
• The DTAA, which was signed on 22 January 2013, has been amended and it will enable the government to prevent tax evasion.
• DTAA is a tax treaty which is signed between two or more countries so that a tax-payer in these countries need not pay the tax twice for the same income.

3. Customary laws of tribes in Tripura to be codified

• Resolutions to codify the customary laws of three tribal communities have been introduced by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
• Separate bills have been introduced for codifying the laws of the Mizo, the Kaipeng, and the Malsom communities.
• Tripura:
  • Capital: Agartala
  • Current Governor: Ramesh Bais
  • Current Chief Minister: Biplab Kumar Deb

4. Kerala Govt. has no plan to raise the retirement age of employees

• The Finance Minister of Kerala, T.M Thomas Isaac, has cleared that the state government will not raise the retirement age of the employees and also it will not impose a ban on recruitment.
• He also added that the government would continue on its plan for redeploying employees from schemes that have become dysfunctional to local bodies and other departments.
• Kerala:
  • Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
  • Current Governor:  Arif Mohammad Khan
  • Current Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
  • State Bird: Great Hornbill
  • State Tree: Coconut tree
  • State Flower: Kanikonna

5. Toopakula Gudem barrage will be named after Sammakka

• The name of the Toopakula Gudem barrage will be named after Sammakka, the great Adivasi warrior and Goddess of the forest.
• The barrage is being built on the Godavari river.
• Godavari river is the second-longest river in India after the river Ganga.

6. Union Cabinet approved the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020

• Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020.
• This bill will be introduced in Parliament in the second phase of the budget session.
• The Bill provides for the benefit to farmers and safe use of pesticides.
• Also, this will promote the use of organic pesticides across the country.

7. Two-day BIMSTEC conference on combating drug trafficking

• Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a two-day BIMSTEC conference to curb drug trafficking in New Delhi.
• This conference is organized by Narcotics Control Bureau.
• The growing dangers of drug trafficking will be discussed during the conference.
• Drug smuggling in Asia is continuously increasing, and BIMSTEC is an appropriate platform to deal with this global threat.
• According to the World Drug Report, 5.5% of people aged between 15-64 years are using drugs.
• BIMSTEC:
  • BIMSTEC is a regional organization of seven countries associated with the Bay of Bengal.
  • This organization includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, besides India.

8. Inauguration of the 20^th International Seminar at Manesar, Haryana

• Minister of State for Home, G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the 20^th International seminar on ‘Comprehends the Evolving Contours of Terrorism and IED Threat-Way ahead for the Security Community’ at Manesar, Haryana.
• The seminar was organized by the National Security Guard (NSG).
• He said that India has adopted a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism due to which many terrorist modules have been destroyed and left-wing extremism has also reduced in the country.
• This seminar deals with different types of terrorism and different ways of dealing with the threat posed by explosive devices for the protection of the community.
• NSG Director General, Anup Kumar Singh, also attended the seminar.

9. Launch School Health and Wellness Ambassador program under Ayushman Bharat in New Delhi

• The School Health and Wellness Ambassador initiative under Ayushman Bharat has been launched in New Delhi.
• The programme was launched by the Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey
• Two teachers from each school will be made health and wellness ambassadors to create awareness regarding health among the students while the class monitors will support the ambassadors as Health and Wellness messengers.
• Initially, this program will be started in two hundred districts.
• This program will be linked with other programs like Fit India campaign, Eat Right campaign and Poshan Abhiyan, which will ensure the overall development of the health of school students.

10. Union Cabinet gave its approval to the Major Ports Authority Bill

• Recently, the Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Major Ports Authority Bill.
• This bill will be introduced in Parliament in the second phase of the budget session.
• It will replace the law made in 1963 for the administration of twelve major ports of the country.
• This proposed law will improve the overall efficiency of ports.

11. Visit of Ambassadors of European Union and Gulf countries to Jammu and Kashmir

• A team of 25 foreign ambassadors from the European Union and Gulf countries has arrived in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The team has envoys from Germany, Canada, Afghanistan, Austria, Uzbekistan, France, New Zealand, Mexico, Italy, Poland, as well as EU.
• The ambassadors came to review the current situation after the removal of Article 370 of the Constitution from Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
• It is known that on 5 August 2019, the Central Government abrogated the provisions of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and divided it into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Which of the following countries is not a member of the BIMSTEC organization?

A. India

B. Sri Lanka

C. Nepal

D. Pakistan

2. Recently where was the 20^th International Seminar organised by NSG inaugurated?

A. Haryana

B. Punjab

C. Uttar Pradesh

D. Rajasthan

3. Where was the school Health and Wellness Ambassadors initiative launched under Ayushman Bharat?

A. New Delhi

B. Lucknow

C. Bhopal

D. Patna

4. Recently the Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Major Ports Authority Bill. This bill will replace the law of the administration of ports of which year?

A. 1952

B. 1963

C. 1974

D. 1985

5. Recently which union territory was visited by a 25-member team of ambassadors from the European Union and Gulf countries?

A. Jammu and Kashmir

B. Puducherry

C. Chandigarh

D. New Delhi

6. On which day is World Radio Day celebrated every year?

A. 5 February

B. 10 February

C. 13 February

D. 25 February

7. Recently with which country has India amended the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement?

A. Maldives

B. Singapore

C. Sri Lanka

D. Britain

8. Recently Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council has decided to codify the customary laws of three tribal clans, which of the following is not included?

A. Mizo

B. Kaipeng

C. Malsom

D. Khasi

9. Sammakka Barrage is being built on which river?

A. Godavari

B. Krishna

C. Narmada

D. Cauvery

Solution:

1. D

2. A

3. A

4. B

5. A

6. C

7. C

8. D

9. A