Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 and 18 January 2021

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. SAKSHAM campaign launched to create awareness regarding green energy.

• Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched SAKSHAM campaign to create awareness about green and clean energy.
• It is a month-long green energy campaign of the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA).
• Tarun Kapoor, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, launched the SAKSHAM campaign in New Delhi.
• The campaign will spread awareness about seven key drivers mention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These are:
  • Moving towards a gas-based economy at a faster pace
  • Cleaner and efficient use of fossil fuels
  • Achieving renewable energy target of 450 MW by 2030
  • Relying on domestic sources to drive bio-fuels
  • Enhanced role of electricity in de-carbonizing mobility
  • Moving towards reliable and emerging fuels like hydrogen
  • Digital innovations across all energy systems

(Source: MoPNG)

Topic: Defence

2. Foundation stone laid for 97^th battalion of Rapid Action Force.

• Foundation stone for the 97^th battalion of Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been laid at Bhadravathi, Karnataka.
• The campus will be built on 50 acres of land and will have a training centre, administrative block, stadium and a Kendra Vidyalaya.
• Home Minister Amit Shah said that National Forensic Sciences University (earlier known as Gujarat Forensic Sciences University) and National Defence University set up in Gujarat will create specialized workforce and strengthen security.
• Rapid Action Force:
  • It is the specialised force of the CRPF to maintain public order and handle riots situation.
  • It was raised in October 1992.
  • Its motto is “Serving Humanity with perfect policing”.
  • Inspector General of RAF: Sh. Radha Mohan Meena

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/Gujarat

3. Foundation stone of Surat Metro Rail Project and Phase 2 of Ahmedabad Metro Rail laid by PM Modi.

• Foundation stone of the Surat Metro Rail Project and Phase 2 of Ahmedabad Metro Rail was laid by PM Modi.
• Phase 2 of Ahmedabad Metro Rail consists of two corridors. It is an extension of Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-I connecting Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.
• Its corridor-1 is 22.8 kilometers long from Motera Stadium to Mahatma Mandir. Its corridor -2 is 5.4 kilometers long from Gujarat National Law University to GIFT City.
• Corridor-1 has an interchange facility at Koteshwar Road. It can be used to connect Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
• Decision to provide Mass Rapid Transportation System facility in Surat through Surat Metro Rail Project has been taken by center and Gujarat government.
• Surat Metro Rail Project has two corridors. 21.61 kilometers long corridor-1 is from Sarthana to Dream City and corridor 2 is from Bhesan to Saroli.
• Surat is known as diamond city, textile city and silk city of India. It achieved second rank in Swachh Survekshan 2020.  It is famous for Dandi, where Gandhi ji began Dandi march in 1930. 
• Ahmedabad is located on the bank of Sabarmati River. Gandhinagar is its twin city.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

4. Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, a legendary Indian classical musician belonging to Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana of Hindustani classical music, dies.

• Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, a legendary Indian classical musician, belonging to Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana of Hindustani classical music, died in Mumbai.
• He was born in Bareilly, UP. He studied music under Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan. He won the following awards:
  • Padma Shri in 1991
  • Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2003
  • Padma Bhusan in 2006
  • Tansen Samman by Madhya Pradesh government in 2008
  • Padma Vibhushan in 2018
• Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana is centered in Rampur and Sahaswan towns of Uttar Pradesh.
• In December 2020, Indian classical music maestro Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan of Delhi Gharana died. In August 2020, Indian classical musician Pandit Jasraj of Mewati Gharana died.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

5. National Road Safety Month will be held from 18th January 2021 to 17th February 2021.

• National Road Safety Month will be held from 18th January 2021 to 17th February 2021 with the theme ‘Sadak Suraksha, Jeevan Raksha’.
• National Championship Safe Speed Challenge from Wagah border to Kanyakumari and distribution of awards for Road Safety are some activities planned for National Road Safety Month.
• National Road Safety Month is being observed for the first time in 2021. Earlier, only Road Safety Week was observed during the month of January.
• On the first day (18th January) of National Road Safety Month, 32^nd National Road Safety Week will be inaugurated. 

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare introduced Electronic “Pension Payment Order” (e-PPO).

• Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare introduced Electronic “Pension Payment Order” (e-PPO).
• Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh said that e-PPO would ensure ease of living for senior citizens.
• Electronic PPO generated through Public Financial Management System application of Controller General of Accounts has also been integrated with Digi-locker. Controller General of Accounts comes under the Ministry of Finance.
• With this, the pensioner will be able to get an instant print - out of the latest copy of his PPO from the Digi-locker account.
• Digi-locker was introduced by PM Modi in July 2015. It is a digital document wallet. It has a storage space of 1 GB and the maximum allowed file size of 10 MB.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. Biswajit Chatterjee gets Indian Personality of the Year Award at 51^st IFFI.

• Biswajit Chatterjee has been announced as the winner of Indian Personality of the Year Award at the 51^st edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
• Indian Personality of the Year Award will be given to him during the National Film Awards in March 2021.
• Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro got Lifetime Achievement Award in the 51^st IFFI. Opening film for 51^st IFFI is ‘Another Round’ by Danish film-maker Thomas Vinterberg.
• At 51^st IFFI, Satyajit Ray’s five popular films will be showcased in the retrospective section. The section has been inaugurated by Bengali actor Dhritiman Chatterjee.
• At 51^st IFFI, films by Dadasaheb Phalke will be screened on his 150th Birth Anniversary.
• There will be World premiere of ‘Mehrunisa’ by Sandeep Kumar. Japanese movie ‘Wife of a Spy’ will end 51^st IFFI.
• 51^st edition of IFFI started in Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium at Panaji in Goa. It is Asia’s oldest and India’s biggest film festival.
• Tisca Chopra was the host at the opening ceremony for the 51^st IFFI. Actor Sudeep (Kichha Sudeep) was Chief Guest. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Prakash Javadekar was also present.
• He announced that India and Bangladesh are making a film on the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It is titled as Bangabandhu.
• He also said that private participation would be allowed in IFFI, from 52^nd IFFI. He also launched 14^th edition of NFDC Film Bazaar.
• Biswajit Chatterjee worked in Hindi and Bengali cinema as actor, producer, director and singer. He produced and directed his own film, Kahte Hai Mujhko Raja, in 1975.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. Ministry of Panchayati Raj gets SKOCH Challenger Award under “Transparency in Governance” category.

• Ministry of Panchayati Raj has got SKOCH Challenger Award under the “Transparency in Governance” category during the 70th SKOCH Summit (SKOCH Public Policy Forum).
• SKOCH Challenger Award”-“Best Performance in e-Governance” was given to Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA).  MoTA also received 3 Gold Awards for its initiatives given next.
  • Eco-Rehabilitation of tribal villages through Innovative design in water management using Ice-stupa
  • Swasthya: Tribal Health and Nutritional Portal 
  • Performance Dashboard “Empowering Tribals Transforming India”
• While receiving the award, the Minister of Tribal Affairs talked about the Bhalchandra Mungerkar Committee report of 2009.
• Bhalchandra Mungerkar was chairman of the Standing Committee on Inter-Sectoral Issues of Tribal Development. It was formed by the Prime Minister’s office in 2004.
• Initiatives taken by Ministry of Panchayati Raj:
  • People’s Plan Campaign was launched on 2nd October 2020.
  • Geospatial planning application called Gram Manchitra was launched in Oct 2019.
  • Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) was restructured into Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA). RGSA was announced in the Budget speech of 2016-17 and it was operationalized in 2018-19. 
  • SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme was launched.
• SKOCH Challenger Award is considered India’s Highest Independently instituted Honour. Ice-Stupa is a unique project to solve water problem in Ladakh region.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

9. Floating solar power plant commissioned by Cochin International Airport Limited.

• Floating solar power plant has been commissioned by Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL).
• It is one of the biggest floating solar power plants in Kerala. It has a capacity of 452 KWh.
• It comprises of 1,300 photovoltaic panels over two artificial lakes located in the 130-acre CIAL golf course.
• In June 2020, construction work on India’s largest floating solar power plant of 100 MW capacity was started by NTPC Ramagundam.

Topic: International News

10. PM Modi invited to attend G7 Summit as guest.

• PM Modi has been invited by UK to attend G7 Summit as guest in June 2021.
• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson may visit India before G7 Summit. His visit to India as Chief Guest for Republic Day 2021 was cancelled.
• UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and the EU are parts of G7.
• 47^th G7 summit will be held during 11-13 June 2021. It will be held at Carbis Bay, Cornwall, UK.

(Source: News on AIR)