Daily Current Affairs and GK | 16 January 2021

Topic: National News

1. PM Modi addresses ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit’ on 16 January.

• Prime Minister addressed the two-day summit ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit’ on 16 January 2021. He also interacted with startups via video conferencing.
• It has been organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• It was inaugurated on 15 January by the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
• It is being organised to mark the fifth anniversary of the Startup India initiative.
• The main focus of this summit is on mobilizing global capital and access of the international market for the startups of India. It aims to bring policymaker, investors, startups and all stakeholders on one platform.
• The first day of the summit has been dedicated to hosting the BIMSTEC Startup Conclave. In this conclave, startups and other stakeholders from BIMSTEC member states have participated.
• In this summit, more than 200 speakers from 25 countries have participated.
• India had the commitment to hold the BIMSTEC Startup Conclave in the BIMSTEC Summit of 2018.
• Startup India initiative:
  • It was launched by the Prime Minister on 16 January 2016.
  • It aims to foster entrepreneurship by creating an ecosystem for the growth of Startups.

Topic: State News/ Telangana

2. Telangana celebrated the festival of cattle ‘Kanuma’.

• People of Telangana have celebrated the festival of cattle ‘Kanuma’ on the occasion of the Sankranti festival.
• It is celebrated on the third day of the Sankranthi festival.
• In this festival, people worship cattle and agriculture tools. Cattle competitions and processions are organised at different places in the state.
• It is celebrated as Kanuma Padhugai in Tamil Nadu.
• Telangana:
  • It is a state in southern India.
  • Its capital is Hyderabad.
  • Governor is Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister is K.K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
  • Telangana’s state animal is Chital.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

3. An MoU signed between India and Japan in the field of ICT.

• Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar and his Japanese counterpart Takeda Ryota signed an MoU to increase cooperation in the field of Information and Communications Technologies.
• With this MoU, the cooperation between the two countries will increase in the field of 5G technologies, submarine optical fibre cable system, disaster management, telecom security, etc.
• Japan and India:
  • It is an island country located in the Pacific Ocean. Yoshihide Suga is the current Prime Minister of Japan.
  • In September 2020, the Union cabinet approved the signing of MoU between India and Japan to improve the quality and testing of Indian textiles and clothing for the Japanese Market.
  • In October 2020, India and Japan had signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of Cybersecurity.
  • The Global Partnership between Indian and Japan was established in 2000. Later in 2006, the relation between the two countries was elevated to the “Global and Strategic Partnership”. In 2014, the status was upgraded to “Special Strategic and Global Partnership”.
  • In November 2019, the first 2+2 Ministerial dialogue between India and Japan was held in New Delhi.
  • In 2019, Japan was the 12^th largest trading partner for India.
  • The joint military exercises between India and Japan are:
    • Sahyog Kaijin
    • Shinyuu Maitri
    • Malabar Exercise
    • JIMEX
    • Dharma Guardian

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

4. 6 Indian shuttlers attained a place in Top 10 in latest world junior rankings of BWF.

• In the recently released world junior rankings of Badminton World Federation (BWF), Varun Kapur has achieved the second spot in the men’s category.
• In the women singles category, Samiya Imad Farooqui became World No. 2. Tasnim Mir, Tressa jolly and Aditi Bhatt have achieved the fourth, eighth and tenth spot, respectively.
• In the Women’s doubles category, Tressa, Tanisha Crasto and Aditi have confirmed the place in the top 10.
• BWF froze the World Junior Rankings as of 17 March 2020 due to the COVID-19.
• Badminton World Federation (BWF):
  • It is the international governing body for badminton.
  • It was established in 1934 as the International Badminton Federation.
  • Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • President: Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen

(Source: BWF)

Topic: Important Days

5. Indian Army Day: 15 January

• Every year on 15 January, Indian Army Day is celebrated to remember the sacrifice of our soldiers to protect the country and citizens.
• In the year 2021, India is celebrating 73^rd Indian Army Day.
• On 15 January 1949, Lt Gen K M Cariappa took over the last British Commander in Chief of India, Francis Bucher.
• Indian Army:
  • It was founded on 1 April 1895.
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • It is the largest standing army in the world.
  • Chief of Defence Staff: General Bipin Rawat
  • Chief of Army Staff: General Manoj Mukund Naravane
  • Commander in Chief: President Ram Nath Kovind

Topic: Geography

6. Wildfire at Dzukou Valley finally put out after it raged for two weeks.

• The wildfire at Dzukou valley has been finally put out after it raged for two weeks.
• Dzukou Valley:
  • Dzukou valley, which is known for its exotic flowers, is located at an altitude of 2,452 metres.
  • It is situated at the borders of Nagaland and Manipur.
  • National Highway-2 passes through the foothills of this valley.
  • The valley was also declared a plastic-free zone.

Topic: National News

7. NIScPR, new institute of CSIR, inaugurated by Dr. Harsh Vardhan.

• National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), a new institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), launched by Dr. Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi.
• Two institutes of CSIR- National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR) and National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS) have been merged to form this new institute.
• The mission of this institute is to promote Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) policy studies and science communication.
• NISCAIR distributes International Standard Serial Number (ISSN). It has been the custodian of the National Knowledge Resource Consortium (NKRC).
• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR):
  • It is India’s largest research and development organization and an autonomous body.
  • Its current Director-General is Shekhar C Mande.
  • It was established on September 26, 1942.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

8. Defence Minister unveiled driverless metro car for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

• Defence Minister has unveiled driverless metro car for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
• It is India’s first indigenously designed & developed driverless metro car. Indigenously designed & developed Driverless Metro trains are being made at BEML Bengaluru Complex.   
• Defence Minister also unveiled Aerospace Assembly Hangar and first indigenously manufactured Tatra Cabin by BEML.
• Defence Minister said that driver-less metro project would, in turn, fulfil 5 Billion US Dollar (about Rs 35,000 crore) defence export target by 2025. He also mentioned Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020.
• Government’s defence export target of 5 Billion US Dollar was announced by PM Modi while inaugurating DefExpo in February 2020. 
• In February 2020, a five-day-long biennial DefExpo was held in Lucknow with the theme “India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub”.

Topic: Agriculture and allied sectors

9. An Innovation Factory launched by NASSCOM in partnership with Telangana Artificial Intelligence Mission (T-AIM) to promote AI in agriculture.

• An Innovation Factory has been launched by NASSCOM in partnership with Telangana Artificial Intelligence Mission (T-AIM) to promote AI in agriculture.
• Innovation Factory is the name of innovation challenge launched by NASSCOM and T-AIM to identify innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for the agriculture sector.
• Start-ups, companies and institutions operating within India can participate in the challenge.
• In July 2020, T-AIM was launched by the Telangana government in partnership with NASSCOM under the 2020 Year of AI initiative. The 2020 Year of AI is an initiative of Telangana government.
• National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) is an association of the software industry. It was established in 1988. Keshav R Murugesh is its chairperson. 

Topic: Indian Polity

10. Union Cabinet approves amendment in Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 under blueprint to reform mining sector.

• Union Cabinet has approved an amendment in Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 under blueprint to reform mining sector.
• The cabinet has also approved the development of the National Mineral Index under the blueprint to reform the mining sector.
• National Mineral Index will be developed for various statutory payments and for future auctions. Presently, statutory payments are calculated on the basis of the Average Sale Price (ASP).
• Section 10A (2)(b) and 10A (2)(c) of the MMDR Act will be amended. Government will present the blueprint to reform mining sector before Parliament during the coming Budget session.
• The removal of the distinction between captive and merchant mines and amendment in District Mineral Fund (DMF) are other proposals under the blueprint. Local Member of Parliament (MP) will be a member of DMF Governing Council.
• The issue of double taxation will be examined by a Committee. Indian Stamp Act, 1899 will also be amended to bring uniformity in stamp duty calculation in various States.
• India’s effective tax rates (64%) on mining are the highest in the world. Geological Survey of India (GSI) has identified 0.571 million sq. km area as total Obvious Geological Potential (OGP) area. Out of this area, only 1.5% is being mined as of now.