Daily Current Affairs and GK | 26 September 2020

1. Historian Rana Safvi conferred Yamin Hazarika award.

• Historian-Author Rana Safvi has been honoured with the Yamin Hazarika Award.
• Rana Safvi has published several books on the culture, history, and monuments of India.
• She was chosen for her “contribution to the syncretic culture of India”.
• Yamin Hazarika Award:
  • This award was instituted in the memory of Yamin Hazarika.
  • It is given annually by a collective of women professionals since 2015.
  • Yamin Hazarika was the first woman from the Northeast to join the central police service.
  • Some of the winners of this award are Author Indrani Raimedhi, athlete Tayabun Nisha, actor Moloya Goswami, environmental activist Purnima Devi Barman and social activist Hasina Kharbhih.
• Rana Safvi’s famous books:
  • The Forgotten Cities of Delhi: book two of the Where Stones Speak trilogy
  • Where Stones Speak: Historical Trails in Mehrauli, the First City of Delhi
  • Shahjahanabad: The Living City of Old Delhi

2. Famous playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam passed away due to COVID-19.

• Veteran playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam passed away at the age of 74 due to COVID-19.
• He sang over 40,000 songs in 16 Indian languages.
• He was called ‘Paadum Nila’ (Singing Moon) by his fans.
• He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2011.
• He was awarded six National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer for his works in four different languages.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. National Medical Commission (NMC) comes into existence.

• Now, the National Medical Commission (NMC) is the new medical education regulator in India. It has replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI).
• NMC will have a Chairman, 10 ex-officio members and 22 part-time members.
• Dr. Suresh Chandra Sharma has been appointed as Chairman of NMC for three years.
• NMC will be responsible for-
  • Approving and assessing medical colleges
  • Conducting common MBBS entrance (NEET) and exit examinations (NEXT)
  • Regulating course fees
• The members of the National Medical Commission will be from State Medical Councils and State Health Universities.
• It aims is to improve A3Q (Access, Affordability, Availability and Quality) of the medical education system to ensure adequacy of high-quality medical professionals in India.
• National Medical Commission Act 2019:
  • It is one of the major reforms in medical education.
  • It received President’s assent last year.
  • It abolished the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.  
  • This act provides for establishing a National Medical Commission for framing policies and co-ordinating with other autonomous bodies.

4. International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: 26 September

• 26 September was declared as International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (Nuclear Abolition Day) in 2013.
• The day provides an opportunity to educate the people and national leaders about the benefits of eliminating nuclear weapons.
• It aims to mobilize international efforts towards achieving the common goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
• "The only sure way to eliminate the threat posed by nuclear weapons is to eliminate the weapons themselves." - UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

5. IRDAI identifies LIC, GIC and New India Assurance as domestic systematically important insurers.

• LIC, GIC and New India Assurance have been identified as domestic systematically important insurers by IRDAI.
• LIC, GIC and New India Assurance will be subjected to increased regulatory supervision.
• IRDAI has asked them to increase corporate governance, identify relevant risks and promote sound risk management culture.
• The size, market importance and domestic and global interconnectedness of domestic systematically important insurers are such that their failure may lead to stress in the domestic financial system.
• Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) are perceived as insurers that are ‘too big or too important to fail’ (TBTF).
• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC):
  • LIC was formed on 1 September 1956.
  • It is headquartered in Mumbai, India.
  • Its chairperson is M R Kumar.
  • Its slogan is yogakshemam vahamyaham (Your welfare is our responsibility).
• General Insurance Corporation (GIC) was formed in 1972. It is headquartered in Mumbai. 
• New India Assurance was formed in 1919. It is headquartered in Mumbai.
• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI):
  • The IRDAI is an autonomous, statutory body of India.
  • It aims to regulate and promote the insurance and re-insurance industries in India.
  • It was established in 1999.
  • It is headquartered in Hyderabad.
  • Chairman: Subhash Chandra Khuntia

6. Sunil Sethi appointed as Advisor by Khadi and Village Industries Commission.

• Design and Fashion icon Sunil Sethi has been appointed as an advisor by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
• He has been appointed for a one-year term.
• He will advise on the latest design interventions in the ready-made garments segment as well as the promotion of Khadi in India and abroad.
• He replaced famous fashion designer Ms. Ritu Beri whose term expired recently.
• He had previously served as a member of the Board of Governors of NIFT.
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
  • It is a statutory body established in 1956.
  • It is an apex organization under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
  • It is headquartered in Mumbai.
  • Current Chairman: Vinai Kumar Saxena

7. RBI launches Technology Vision for Cyber Security for Urban Cooperative Banks 2020-2023.

• RBI has launched Technology Vision for Cyber Security for Urban Cooperative Banks 2020-2023 and suggested a five-pillared strategic approach ‘GUARD’.
• GUARD is aimed at dealing with cybersecurity threats of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs). GUARD approach stands for
  • Governance Oversight
  • Utile Technology Investment
  • Appropriate Regulation and Supervision
  • Robust Collaboration
  • Developing necessary IT, cybersecurity skills set
• The vision document says that ultimate responsibility for the information security of the UCB lies with the Board of Directors.
• The vision document provides for a forum to share best practices and discuss practical issues and challenges for UCBs.
• It also provides for setting up offsite supervision of UCB to monitor their compliance with cybersecurity guidelines and issuing of uniform ‘Cyber Security Hygiene’ document for all the cooperative banks.
• The vision document says that Institute for Development & Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) may form separate Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) forum for UCBs.
• Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs):
  • They are primary cooperative banks that may be located in an urban or semiurban area.
  • They are governed by RBI and state governments.

8. Under phase II of FAME scheme, government sanctions electric buses and charging stations.

• The government has approved 670 electric buses for Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Chandigarh.
• It also sanctioned 241 charging stations for Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat and Port Blair under FAME India Scheme.
• It will help in India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and carbon emission.
• The charging stations will promote the use of Electric vehicles.
• Phase II of Fame scheme was started on 1 April 2019, with a budget of Rs 10,000 crore.
• FAME SCHEME:
  • To promote the manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicle technology, Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) Scheme Phase – I was launched in 2015.
  • The Department of Heavy Industries under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises is the Implementing agency of the scheme.
  • It is part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan.
  • Its mission is to promote adoption and market creation of both hybrid and electric technologies vehicles by providing fiscal and monetary incentives.
  • Phase I of the FAME Scheme ended on 31 March 2019 and Phase II of the FAME Scheme is being implemented from 2019-22.

9. India-Japan maritime bilateral exercise (JIMEX 20) started in Arabian Sea.

• The fourth edition of JIMEX has begun in the Arabian Sea.
• It will be conducted in the non-contact at-sea-only format due to Covid-19.
• Warships Chennai, Teg, Tarkash, and Fleet Tanker Deepak will represent India and Kaga and Ikazuchi warships from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force will participate in the drill.
• Recently, the Indian and Australian Navy conducted Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Indian Ocean.
• JIMEX:
  • It is a bilateral naval exercise between India and Japan.
  • It is conducted biennially.
  • JIMEX series of exercises started in 2012 for maritime security cooperation.
  • Its last edition was held in October 2018 off the coast of Visakhapatnam.

10. A film to be made on life of freedom fighter Pritilata Waddedar.

• Bangladesh’s government will make a film on the life of the first Bengali woman revolutionary nationalist of the Indian subcontinent, Pritilata Waddedar.
• The Film ‘Bhalobasha Pritilata’ will be based on the novel by Selina Hossain.
• Pritilata Waddedar:
  • She was born in a village of Chittagong on 5 May 1911.
  • After completing her education from Calcutta University, she joined Bengali independence fighters like Surya Sen and Nirmal Sen.
  • Pritilata Waddedar’s intelligence and efforts helped in making the Chittagong uprising a successful event.

11. A world-class ‘Centre for Disability Sports’ to be established in Madhya Pradesh.

• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has laid the foundation stone of ‘Centre for Disability Sports’ in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
• It will have a world-class facility for the Divyangjan sportsperson.
• The estimated cost of this project is Rs. 170.99 crore.
• It will help sportspersons with disabilities to compete at the international level.
• Training, selection, sports academics and research, medical support will be the part of this Institution.
• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
  • It is responsible for welfare, social justice, and empowerment of disadvantaged and marginalized sections of society.
  • It is headed by Thaawar Chand Gehlot.
  • It has two departments:
    • Department of Social Justice and Empowerment
    • Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)