Daily Current Affairs and GK | 28 January 2020

1. Meritorious cadets in National Cadets Corps awarded by the Prime Minister

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the award to the meritorious cadets of the National Cadets Corps.
• The awards were given at Cariappa Parade ground in New Delhi.
• The awards are part of the Republic Day celebrations.
• National Cadets Corps:
  • It was formed under the National Cadets Corps Act 1948.
  • It is a tri-service voluntary organization aimed at giving military training to the youths from high and higher secondary schools, colleges and universities.

2. Home Minister Amit Shah chaired 22^nd meeting of Central Zonal Council

• Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 22^nd meeting of the Central Zonal Council at Raipur in Chhattisgarh.
• The Central Zonal Council comprises of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttrakhand, and Chhattisgarh.
• In 2018, the meeting of the Central Zonal Council was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• Zonal Councils:
  • These are statuary bodies established under the State Reorganization Act 1956.
  • There are five zonal councils i.e. North, Central, East, West and South Zonal Councils. These councils were set up in 1957. While Northeast council was set up in 1971 under the Northeast Council Act, 1971.
  • These councils are chaired by the Union Home Minister and the Chief Ministers of the respective states act as Vice- Chairman on rotation basis for 1 year.

3. Government to invite bid for divestment of 100% stake in Air India

• Government to invite bid to sell 100% stake in Air India Express.
• Government to sell a 50% stake in joint venture AISATS (Air Indian and SATS Limited).
• Air India:
  • It is the air carrier of India founded in 1932.
  • Its headquarter is in New Delhi.

4. Centre signed a peace agreement with Assam based different insurgent groups and civil societies

• Centre has signed Peace Bodo accord with 4 factions of National Democratic Front of Bodoland and civil societies.
• The agreement was signed in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
• The center and state will together provide financial assistance of INR 1500 crore for economic development to the Bodo Community.
• The accord will provide the economic, political, executive and land rights to the community besides taking measures to conserve their cultural identity.
• Bodo Community:
  • Bodo is the ethno- linguistic group of Assam.
  • They are recognized under 6^th schedule of the constitution.

5. Luncheon meeting of business leaders of India and Brazil

• A luncheon meeting of Indo-Brazil business leaders also attended by Union Minister of Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal and Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was organized.
• Piyush Goyal called for the reactivation of India- Brazil Business Leaders Forum to boost up the economic ties between India and Brazil.
• The current bilateral trade between both countries is USD 8.3 billion which will be increased to 15 billion dollars by 2022.

6. India increased the vigil in Nepal bordering areas against the confirmed cases of Coronavirus

• Confirmed cases of Coronavirus found in Nepal.
• In response to this India has increased the vigil in districts bordering Nepal.
• The health teams have been deployed at the border outposts at Jhulaghat, Jauljibi in Pithoragarh of Uttarakhand.
• Nepal:
  • It is a Himalayan landlocked country with the capital Kathmandu.
  • It is bordered by West Bengal, Bihar, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

7. Government to convene all-party meet on January 31, 2020

• The government has called for an all-party meet on January 31, 2020, ahead of the budget session.
• The meet aims to ensure smooth business transactions in both the houses of Parliament.
• The meeting will be presided by Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla in Lok Sabha and it will be chaired by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu in Rajya Sabha.

8. Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn arrived in New Delhi

• Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn arrived in New Delhi on a 3 day visit to India.
• The minister will meet the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
• He also visited Rajghat to pay the tribute to the Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi.
• Luxembourg:
  • It is a European country with its capital being Luxembourg.
  • Its currency is Euro.

9. Padma Shri award conferred to 2 Sri Lankans

• Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked the Indian government for awarding Padma Shri award to Dr. Vajira Chitrasena and late Prof. Indra Dassanayake, the two Sri Lankans.
• Dr. Vajira Chitrasena will be awarded for enriching Indo- Sri Lanka relations through her dance form which is a blend of Kandyan (Sri Lankan dance) and Odissi (Indian dance).
• Late professor Indra Dassanayake will be awarded for promoting the Hindi language in the institutes of Sri Lanka.

10. 3^rd Global Potato Conclave to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 3^rd Global Potato Conclave in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The conclave has three components which include the Potato Conference, the Agri Expo and Potato Field Day.
• The conclave is being organized by Indian Potato Association (IPA) in association with Indian Council of Agricultural Research ICAR, Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla and International Potato Center, Lima, Peru
• Netherlands is the partner country of the conclave.
• About 100 delegates from 14 countries are expected to participate in the conference.

11. National Basketball Association player Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna killed in a helicopter crash

• Retired NBA player Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna had passed away in a helicopter crash.
• Kobe was part of the U.S team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics in which the U.S.A won the gold medal.
• He is also a five-time NBA champion.
• National Basketball Association: It is a men’s professional basketball league in North America.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. When was National Cadets Corps formed?

A. 1948

B. 1949

C. 1950

D. 1951

2. Which of the following states are not included under Central Zonal Council?

A. Uttar Pradesh

B. Madhya Pradesh

C. Uttarakhand

D. Himachal Pradesh

3. How much percentage will be divested by the Government of India in Air India?

A. 26%

B. 74%

C. 50%

D. 100%

4. Sarbananda Sonowal is the Chief Minister of which of the following states?

A. Gujarat

B. Assam

C. Uttarakhand

D. Punjab

5. Which of the following states does not form a border with Nepal?

A. West Bengal

B. Bihar

C. Uttar Pradesh

D. Jharkhand

6. Who among the following is the current speaker of Lok Sabha?

A. Om Birla

B. Jitendra Das

C. M.V Naidu

D. None of the above

7. Which of the following is the capital of Luxembourg?

A. Keiv

B. Luxembourg

C. Astana

D. Brussels

8. Kandyan is a classical dance of which of the following countries?

A. India

B. Sri Lanka

C. Thailand

D. Russia

9. Which of the following states will host 3^rd Global Potato Conclave?

A. Gujarat

B. Punjab

C. Haryana

D. Uttar Pradesh

10. Kobe Bryant, who died recently, belongs to which of the following sports?

A. Basketball

B. Football

C. Hockey

D. Table Tennis

Solution:

1. A

2. D

3. D

4. B

5. D

6. A

7. B

8. B

9. A

10. A