Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 January 2021

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) completed five years on 13 January.

• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has completed its fifth anniversary on 13 January 2021. It was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on 13 January 2016.
• Government has launched the PMFBY portal and Crop Insurance mobile-app for enrollment of farmers and assessment of crop loss. The farmers can report their crop loss with the help of the App.
• Every year around 5.5 crore farmers gets the benefit of this scheme and claims worth 90,000 crores had been transferred to farmers.
• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana:
  • The main objective of this scheme is to provide comprehensive insurance cover against the failure of the crop.
  • Under this scheme, farmers have to pay a premium of 2% for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all Rabi crops. Farmers have to pay a premium of 5% for the commercial and horticultural crops.
  • It has replaced the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and the Modified National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (MNAIS).
  • Under this scheme, farmers are encouraged to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices.
  • It covers yield losses, post-harvest losses, and losses from the local calamities.

Topic: National News

2. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched Khadi Prakritik paint developed by KVIC.

• The Union Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises, Nitin Gadkari, has launched Khadi Prakritik paint. The paint is developed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission.
• It is an eco-friendly and non-toxic paint. It is India’s first cow dung paint with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
• The paint has been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
• It has been developed under the vision of increasing farmers’ income and boosting the rural economy.
• It will be available in two forms- distemper paint and plastic emulsion paint.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Indian Polity

3. Supreme Court bench suspends implementation of three farm laws until further orders.

• Supreme Court bench suspends implementation of the three farm laws until further orders.
• The bench also ordered that a committee of agricultural experts would be formed to facilitate talks between the Centre and farmer unions.
• 47th and current Chief Justice of India, Sharad Arvind Bobde, headed the bench. It also comprised of Justices A. S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian.
• The names of the members of the committee are Ashok Gulati, Pramod Kumar Joshi, Bhupinder Singh Mann and Anil Ghanwat.
• The names of three controversial farm laws passed in September 2020 are given below:
  • The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act
  • The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act
  • The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

4. Union Health Minister gave Kayakalp award to Health Facilities for high standards of sanitation and hygiene.

• Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan conferred Kayakalp award to Public and Private Health Facilities for high standards of Sanitation and Hygiene.
• Kayakalp award was launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on 15^th May 2015. It was launched to promote hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness in public health facilities.
• Kayakalp Award Scheme started with District hospitals, but later it covered all the Urban Health Facilities.   
• This award scheme has been launched under the 'Swachh Bharat Mission'.
• Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) has received the second prize under the ‘Kayakalp’ award scheme for the year 2019-20.
• Swachh Swasth Sarvatra scheme:
  • Health Ministry and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation had launched the Swachh Swasth Sarvatra programme on 29 December 2016.
  • It aims to strengthen Community Health Centres in open defecation free (ODF) blocks to achieve a higher level of cleanliness.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: International News

5. India-Vietnam Defence Security Dialogue concluded on 12 January.

• The 13th Defence Security Dialogue between India-Vietnam concluded on 12 January 2021. It has been co-chaired by Dr Ajay Kumar with Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh.
• Both the sides discussed the plan of action concluded during the virtual summit of India and Vietnam. They also exchange their views on defense cooperation.
• India and Vietnam officials also reviewed the progress on the bilateral defence cooperation initiatives. Both sides also agreed to enhance the cooperation between the armed forces under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• Both sides also agreed on enhancing cooperation in the field of Defence Industry and Technology.
• Vietnam:
  • It is a South-East Asian country.
  • It shares a boundary with China, Laos and Cambodia.
  • It is known for its beaches, rivers and Buddhist pagodas.
  • Its capital is Hanoi and the currency is Vietnamese dong.
  • Nguyen Xuan Phuc is the Prime Minister and Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh is the Vice President of Vietnam.

Topic: State News/ Jammu Kashmir

6. First-ever Ice climbing festival held in Leh.

• The first-ever Ice climbing festival concluded in Nubra valley, Leh.
• This seven-day-long festival has been organised by the Nubra Adventure Club.
• It has been organised to promote winter tourism in the Nubra valley and to promote adventure sports.
• 18 participants, including 4 women have participated in this ice climbing event.
• Leh:
  • In terms of area, Leh district is the second-largest district in India after Kutch district, Gujarat.
  • Kargil district is located to its west. Lahul and Spiti are located to its south. Akshai Chin and Tibet are to its east.
  • National Highway 1 connects Leh with Srinagar.

Topic: Agriculture

7. Varanasi will export fabrics to multinational companies.

• Varanasi will now export fabrics to multinational companies. A Japanese company, UNIQLO, will buy the raw materials for its clothes from Varanasi.
• UNIQLO will also set up a factory in Gujarat for the processing of raw material.
• Earlier, Varanasi has exported langda and Dussehra variety of mangoes, green peas, green chillies to different countries.
• The deal between multinational companies and weavers will boost the weaving industry of Varanasi.
• Varanasi:
  • It is also known as Banaras or Kashi.
  • It is located on the banks of the river Ganges in Uttar Pradesh.
  • It is one of the sacred cities of Hinduism and Jainism.
  • It is famous for the Silk weaving Industry. It is famous for the silk and Banarasi saree.
  • Banarasi saree is protected under the GI tag.

Topic: State News/ Manipur

8. Cherry Blossom Mao Festival celebrated in Manipur.

• Cherry Blossom Mao Festival has been organized by the tourism department of Manipur and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) at Senapati district.
• This festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of the pink season in the region.
• It was started by the Manipur government in 2017.
• The Mao region of Senapati district in Manipur is famous for the Cherry Blossom plant species.
• Cherry blossom is a flower of many trees of genus Prunus. It is also known as Sakura in Japan
• Manipur:
  • It is a state in northeast India.
  • It borders Nagaland in the north, Mizoram in the south and Assam in the west, and Myanmar in the east.
  • The Governor of Manipur is Najma Heptulla and Chief Minister is N. Biren Singh.
  • The state animal of Manipur is the Sangai deer.
  • The state flower is Shirui Lily.

Topic: Sports

9. 13-day Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sport & Youth festival will start on 18^th January.

• 13-day Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sport & Youth festival will start on 18^th January.
• Janskar is a tehsil in Kargil district, Union Territory of Ladakh.  Tourism department under the administration of UT of Ladakh is carrying out Zanskar Winter Sport & Youth festival.
• Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sport & Youth festival will continue till 30^th January. Chadar Trek on Zanskar River and Yak and horse riding are some of the important features. The Eastern part of Zanskar range is Rupshu.  
• Ladakh:
  • It is bordered by the Tibet Autonomous Region, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and the Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan, and china.
  • It is the largest and the second least populous union territory of India. The China administered region of Ladakh is known as Aksai Chin.
  • Radha Krishna Mathur is the current Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.

Topic: Sports

10. BCCI’s secretary Jay Shah to represent BCCI on the Board of Directors of International Cricket Council (ICC).

• BCCI’s secretary Jay Shah will represent BCCI on the Board of Directors of International Cricket Council (ICC).
• On 24 December, 89^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of BCCI was held at Ahmedabad. The appointment of BCCI representatives on ICC and any similar organization was a part of the meeting.
• Sourav Ganguly was earlier representing BCCI on the International Cricket Council board. He recently suffered heart attack.
• During the 89^th AGM of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), it was announced that Rajeev Shukla had been chosen as Vice President of BCCI.
• During the AGM, it was also decided that ICC would be told to make their suggestion on including cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics clear. 
• It was also decided to increase the retirement age of BCCI affiliated umpires to 60 years. BCCI office bearers had been authorized to take a decision on establishment of new National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. 
• India will host 2023 Men’s ICC Cricket World Cup during October and November 2023. 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup will also be played between October and November 2021 in India.

Topic: National News

11. Coastal Research Vessel (CRV) Sagar Anveshika launched by Union Health Minister Dr.Harsh Vardhan.

• Coastal Research Vessel (CRV) Sagar Anveshika had been launched by Union Health Minister Dr.Harsh Vardhan.
• The Minister spoke at Sagar Anveshika dedication function at the Chennai Port Trust said that Indian scientists were first in world to isolate the Coronavirus.
• The Minister mentioned names of other coastal research vessels such as Sagar Tara, Sagar Nidhi, Sagar Sampada, Sagar Manjusha and Sagar Kanya.
• Sagar Anveshika will enable scientists to conduct various oceanographic research missions aboard.
• The Minister said that one million indigenous kits were produced in domestic labs in India and deployment of marine research vehicles has enabled scientists in predicting natural calamities.
• Sagar Anveshika was commissioned in February 2020. It is a Coastal Research Vessel (CRV).