Daily Current Affairs and GK | 27 and 28 December 2020

Topic: Important Days

1. International Day of Epidemic Preparedness: 27 December

• On 13 November 2020, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to observe 27 December as the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness.
• The day is being observed for the first time to advocate the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for and partnership against epidemics.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to invest in health systems to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

2. MP cabinet approved Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020.

• Recently, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet has nodded to the Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020.
• The proposed act will replace the old Freedom of Religion Act 1968 of Madhya Pradesh.
• The bill has a provision of imprisonment of up to 10 years and a minimum fine of Rs. 50,00 in case of forceful conversion of a woman.
• There are separate provisions for the religious conversion of minors, groups or SCs/STs.
• Under the bill, apart from parents, blood relatives can also file a complaint.
• A marriage will be declared null and void if it is done for religious conversion only.
• Those who are willing to convert should apply before the district administration two months in advance.
• Earlier, the UP government has also passed the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion Ordinance 2020.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

3. Tansen Music Festival started in Gwalior.

• On 26 December 2020, Tansen Music Festival started in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
• Famous santoor player Satish Vyas was given Tansen Samman in the inaugural ceremony of the festival.
• Raja Mansingh Tomar award was given to Abhinav Kala Parishad, Bhopal.
• The inaugural ceremony started with Harikatha, Milad and shehnai vadan at Tansen’s samadhi sthal located in Hazira.
• The festival will end on 30 December at Behat village. Music maestro Tansen was born here. MP Government is also considering starting a Baiju Bawra Award for music. 
• Tansen Music Festival or Tansen Sangeet Samaroh is celebrated annually in December in Behat village, Gwalior, MP. Ustad Alauddin Khan Kala Evam Sangeet Academy organizes it under the Department of culture, MP Government.
• Tansen (Ramtanu) was one of the Navaratnas (nine jewels) during the time of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Agriculture and allied sectors

4. Jawhar in Maharashtra may be known as mini-Mahabaleshwar in future.

• Predominantly tribal area of Jawhar in Maharashtra may be known as mini-Mahabaleshwar in future. 
• Strawberry is mainly cultivated in Mahabaleshwar. It is a famous hill station in Maharashtra. Mahabaleshwar strawberry was given GI tag in 2010.
• Like Jawhar, Mokhada is also in news for cultivation of Strawberry. It is also located in Maharashtra.
• Department of Agriculture of Maharashtra government has helped farmers in Jawhar and Mokhada for cultivation of Strawberry.
• Strawberry (Fragaria vesca):
  • It can be cultivated in temperate and sub-tropical areas of India. It is mainly grown in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.
  • It has lot of Vitamin C and iron. Its cultivation requires sandy loam to loamy soil. Chandler, Tioga, Torrey, Selva, Belrubi, Fern and Pajaro are varieties of Strawberry cultivated in India. It is planted in September-October.

Topic: International News

5. PASSEX, a two-day naval passage exercise between Indian and Vietnamese Navy, concluded in South China Sea.

• PASSEX, a two-day naval passage exercise between the Indian and Vietnamese Navy, has been concluded in the South China Sea.
• The exercise is a part of efforts to boost maritime cooperation between India and Vietnam.
• Indian Naval Ship Kiltan reached Nha Rong Port in the Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s largest city. It is commonly known as Saigon.
• Kiltan reached Vietnam to deliver 15 tonnes of relief material for flood-affected people of Central Vietnam as part of Mission Sagar-III.
• India is providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) assistance to Friendly Foreign Countries during Covid-19 pandemic.
• Mission Sagar-III is being carried out as part of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) vision of PM Modi.
• Indian Navy regularly conducts Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with units of friendly foreign navies. Earlier, PASSEX was carried out with navies of Australia in September 2020, Russia in December 2020 and US in July 2020.  
• Vietnam:
  • It is a South-East Asian country.
  • It is known for its beaches, rivers and Buddhist pagodas.
  • Its capital is Hanoi and the currency is Vietnamese dong.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

6. Vice President Shri M Venkaiah Naidu paid tributes to 9th PM of India, Shri P V (Pamulaparthi Venkata) Narasimha Rao.

• Vice President Shri M Venkaiah Naidu paid tributes to India’s 9^th PM, Shri P V (Pamulaparthi Venkata) Narasimha Rao.
• Vice President also released a book in Telugu on Shri Narasimha Rao. The book is titled as “Viplava Tapasvi: PV”. It is written by senior journalist, A Krishna Rao.
• Vice President talked about bold economic reforms carried out by Shri Narasimha Rao. Mr. Rao made the entry of India into the World Trade Organization easier.
• Vice President said that Shri Rao removed license raj, took up banking reforms, electricity privatization and telecom modernization.
• Mr. Rao also empowered the local bodies through 73^rd and 74^th Constitutional Amendments.
• P V (Pamulaparthi Venkata) Narasimha Rao:
  • He remained Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He is famous for economic reforms carried out during his tenure as PM.
  • He is also famous for Look East Policy. Chandra Shekhar was PM before PV Narsimha Rao. Atal Bihari Vajpayee became PM after PV Narsimha Rao. He wrote his autobiography titled The Insider.

Topic: State News/ Arunachal Pradesh

7. Monpa handmade paper making unit inaugurated in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.

• Monpa handmade paper making unit has been inaugurated in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh by KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena.
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has commissioned the unit with the twin aims of reviving 1000-year old heritage art – the Monpa Handmade Paper of Arunachal Pradesh and engaging the local youths with this art.
• This art originated over 1000 years ago. The handmade paper is known as Mon Shugu in the local dialect.
• Shugu Sheng is a local tree. Monpa Handmade Paper will be prepared from the bark of this tree. The tree also has medicinal value.
• Monpa handmade paper used to be sold to Tibet, Bhutan, Thailand and Japan. But, the local industry declined gradually.
• The scientists of Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute, (KNHPI) Jaipur, were sent to Tawang to establish the unit and train locals. KNHPI is a unit of KVIC.
• Apart from handmade paper, Tawang is also known for handmade pottery and handmade furniture.  Like handmade paper, they are also getting extinct.
• KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said that the revival of handmade pottery would be dealt under Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana very soon.
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
  • The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body established in 1956 by the Government of India.
  • Its headquarters is located in Mumbai. Vinai Kumar Saxena is its current chairman.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: National News

8. PM Modi flagged off India’s first driverless train on Delhi Metro Network.

• Prime Minister inaugurated the country’s first-ever driverless train on the magenta line of the Delhi Metro Network.
• He also launched a National Common Mobility card service on the Airport Express line of Delhi metro Network.
• Delhi metro entered the league of 7% of the World’s Metro networks, working to provide driverless service.
• The driverless train will be controlled by the Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling technology and Operations Control Centre (OCC).
• National Common Mobility Card:
  • It was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
  • It is one card for all the transport system. It will enable the user to pay different transport charges, including toll taxes, parking charges, metro fares, bus fares, etc., through a single card. 
  • This facility will be available for the entire Delhi Metro network by 2022.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

9. Union Transport ministry has extended the validity of vehicular documents by 31 March 2021.

• The validity of Vehicular documents such as driving licence, permits, and registration certification has been extended till 31 March 2021 by the Road Transport and Highways Ministry.
• Earlier, the Ministry had extended the validity of documents till 31 December 2020. This decision has been taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• It will be applicable for all documents whose validity will expire between 1 February 2020 to 31 March 2021.
• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways:
  • It is the apex body responsible for sustainable, efficient, safe and internationally comparable quality of road infrastructure in India.
  • It is currently headed by Nitin Gadkari.
  • There are two departments under it: Department of Shipping and Department of Road Transport and Highway

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Appointments

10. Ram Chandra Prasad becomes new national President of JD(U).

• Ram Chandra Prasad elected as the next national president of the Janata Dal (United).
• He is a member of Rajya Sabha.
• Janata Dal (United):
  • It was founded in 2003.
  • It was formed by the merger of the Janata Dal and Lok Shakti party.
  • It is a state party mainly in the states of Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Nitish Kumar belongs to the Janta Dal (United) party.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Economy

11. CEBR predicts that India will be the fifth-largest economy by 2025.

• A UK based think-tank, the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CBER), has predicted that India will become the fifth-largest economy in 2025.
• According to the UK think-tank, India will overtake the United Kingdom by 2025, and it will become the third-largest economy by 2030.
• India will overtake Germany in 2027 and Japan in 2030.
• At present, India is the sixth-largest economy in the world.
• CEBR has predicted that the Indian economy will grow by 9% in 2021 and 7% in 2020.
• Indian economy is one of the Worst- Hit economies by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Indian economy has recorded a GDP contraction of 7.5% in Q2 and 23.9% in Q1.
• According to this think-tank, China will become the largest economy in the world in 2029.
• Centre for Business & Economic Research (CBER): It is founded in 2006 in London. It is an economic policy and forecasting research center of the United Kingdom.

Topic: State News/ Uttar Pradesh

12. History of Sikh gurus to be included in the school curriculum of Uttar Pradesh.

• Uttar Pradesh government has announced that the history of Sikh gurus will be included in the school curriculum of the state.
• The government has also announced that 27 December will be celebrated as ‘Sahibzada Diwas’ in all schools across the state.
• The day will be observed to mark the sacrifice of four ‘Sahibzada’ of Sikh guru Guru Gobind Singh and his mother.
• Ajit Singh, Jujhar Singh, Jorawar Singh, and Fateh Singh were the son of Guru Govind Singh. They are known as four ‘Sahibzada’.
• Sikh Gurus:
  • Sikhism has ten Gurus.
  • Sri Guru Nanak Dev was the first Guru. He was the founder of Sikhism.
  • Guru Amar Das was the third Sikh Guru.
  • Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Sikh Guru.
  • Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Guru of Sikhism
  • Guru Govind Singh was the tenth Guru of Sikhism.