Daily Current Affairs and GK | 24 December 2020

Topic: Report and Indices

1. India launched its first workplace equality index for the LGBT Community.

• The country’s first ‘India Workplace Equality Index’ for the LGBT community has been launched.
• Keshav Foundation has released it in collaboration with Pride Circle, Stonewall UK and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
• It measures how many corporates of India are fair towards the inclusion of the LGBT community in the workplace.
• It is based on the nine areas: policies and benefits, employee lifecycle, employee network group, allies and role models, senior leadership, monitoring, procurement, community engagement and additional work.
• Under this Index, Twenty-one firms have been kept under the gold category, 18 were placed under silver and 13 were under the bronze category.
• LGBT Community:
  • LGBT Stands for Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
  • In 2018, the Supreme Court of India had decriminalized consensual homosexual intercourse.

Topic: National News

2. Cabinet approved merger of various institutes to form National Film Development Corporation.

• The Cabinet has approved the merger of Films Division, Directorate of Film Festivals, National Film Archives of India, and Children’s Film Society to form a National Film Development Corporation.
• Cabinet has also approved the revised guidelines for providing DTH services in India.
• Under the new guidelines, the DTH license will be issued for 20 years and it has allowed sharing of Infrastructure between DTH operators.
• Cabinet has approved the 100% FDI in the DTH service of India.
• Cabinet has also extended the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act for the next three years. It will protect unauthorized colonies of Delhi from legal action.
• Cabinet has approved the post-matric scholarship scheme for Scheduled Castes students. It will help students in continuing their studies after 10^th standards. The financial assistance will be given directly to the accounts of students.
• Prakash Javadekar is the current Information and Broadcasting Minister and Thawarchand Gehlot is the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister.

Topic: Books and Authors

3. Devendra Fadnavis releases book ‘Ayodhya’.

• Devendra Fadnavis unveiled the book ‘Ayodhya’ written by Madhav Bhandari.
• This book constitutes various references related to Ayodhya. It provides information about the history of the Ram temple.   
• Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has been set up for the construction of Ram Temple.
• According to the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid Land Dispute case, over 2.77 acres of disputed land was handed over to the trust for Ram Temple’s construction.
• Ram Temple will be constructed in the Nagara style of temple architecture.
• The architect of the temple is Chandrakant Sompura. 

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. Coal Import Monitoring System (CIMS) to become effective from 1 February 2021.

• As per the notification issued by Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Coal Import Monitoring System (CIMS) will become effective from 1 February 2021.
• Importers will be required to provide advance information about import of items and get an automatic registration number. The validity of the automatic registration number will be 75 days.
• To obtain a registration number, importers will pay the registration fee of ₹1 per thousand. The registration fee would be subject to minimum of ₹500 and maximum of ₹1 lakh, on Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value.
• CIMS would be applicable for different categories of coal including anthracite, bituminous, coking, and steam.
• The notification also provides list of items. The Bill of Entry on or after February 1 for these listed items will be governed by CIMS.
• Earlier, an import management system was introduced by government for a number of steel items.
• A Bill of Entry is a legal document that enables importers to claim Input Tax Credit (ITC) on goods.
• Directorate General of Foreign Trade:
  • It is an attached office under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • It is responsible for administering laws regarding foreign trade and foreign investment in India.
  • Its headquarters is in New Delhi. Amit Yadav is currently serving as Director-General of DGFT.

Topic: Defence

5. DRDO successfully test-fired MR-SAM missile from Chandipur coast.

• DRDO successfully conducted the trial of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) from the Chandipur coast of Odisha.
• It is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI).
• It has been manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd.
• In this missile, many instruments such as radar, telemetry and electro-optical tracking system are deployed to enhance the performance.
• It will enhance the combat capabilities of defense forces against the air-borne targets of medium ranges. 
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO):
  • It works under the Ministry of Defence.
  • It was established in 1958.
  • Chairman: G. Sateesh Reddy
  • Headquarters: New Delhi

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

6. Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are the leaders in doing Urban Local Bodies reforms.

• Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are the leading states of India in doing Urban local body reforms.
• The central government has granted permission to Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh for the additional borrowing of Rs 4998 crore to implement the reforms in urban local bodies.
• To get additional financial assistance, states have to complete three out of four reform suggested under the “Scheme for Financial Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure”.
• The main of the reforms in urban local bodies is to make them financially strong to provide better service to citizens.
• The four citizen-centric areas identified for reforms are: 
  • Implementation of One Nation One Ration Card System
  • Ease of doing business reform
  • Urban Local body
  • Power Sector reforms
• Scheme for Financial Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure:
  • It was launched on 12 October 2020.
  • It aims to provide financial assistance to states who are facing financial crunch due to the shortfall of tax revenue.   
  • Under it, states will be rewarded for their citizen-centric reforms.  
  • It is part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat package.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. NTPC wins CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2020 for Corporate Social Responsibility.

• NTPC has been conferred to CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2020 in Corporate Excellence category for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
• It is the highest award in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) category.
• It is the second time that NTPC has received this award.
• It is the only PSU to receive the award in the Corporate Excellence category.
• CII-ITC Sustainability Awards:
  • It is instituted in 2006 by the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development.
  • It is given to businesses that are seeking ways to be more sustainable and inclusive in their activities.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Environment and Ecology

8. Environment Ministry launched “firefly bird diverter” initiative to save Great Indian Bustard.

• The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change and the Wildlife Conservation Society has launched a “firefly bird diverter” initiative to protect Great Indian Bustard (GIB) populations from high voltage transmission lines in the Pokhran region.
• According to a report of the National Green Tribunal, high-voltage transmission lines are the main threat for the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) populations in the Thar region.
• Under this initiative, Firefly bird diverters will be installed on power lines. These will work as reflectors for birds. It can be spotted easily by the big birds, which will help them avoid collision with power lines.
• Great Indian Bustards (GIB):
  • IUCN status: critically endangered.
  • It is listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • It is mainly found in the state of Rajasthan.

Topic: Sports

9. Nihal Sarin, Rakshitta Ravi and D Gukesh win gold in World Youth and Cadet Rapid Chess Championships.

• Nihal Sarin, Rakshitta Ravi, and D. Gukesh win the gold medal in the World cadets and youth rapid chess championship. Mrinmoy Rajkhowa has won bronze in this championship. This championship was organized virtually.
• Nihal Sarin has defeated Shant Sargyan in the under-18 category. He has won four titles in three months.
• Rakshitta Ravi defeated Song Yuxin in the girl’s under-16 category.
• D. Gukesh has won gold by defeating Volodar Murzin in the under-14 category.

(Source: FIRST POST)

Topic: Environment and Ecology

10. First tiger translocated from Jim Corbett to Rajaji Tiger Reserve.

• The forest department of Uttarakhand has relocated the first tiger from the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve to Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
• It has been done for increasing the population density of tiger in the Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
• Under the translocation project of tigers, a total of five tigers will be shifted to Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
• At present, the Rajaji reserve has 37 tigers and it is spread over 557 sq km. The western part of the reserve has only two tigers, so the translocation will help in increasing the density of tiger.
• Jim Corbett National Park:
  • It was established in 1936.
  • It is the oldest national park in India
  • It is located in the state of Uttarakhand.
  • It is famous for the protection of the Bengal tiger.
• Tigers in India:
  • It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
  • India accounts for about 70% of the global tiger population.
  • India had launched the Project Tiger in 1973 for the conservation of tigers.
  • Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers.
  • Corbett Tiger Reserve has the highest number of tigers.