Hello and welcome to ExamPundit. Here are the Important Current Affairs of 20th January, 2016. These are important for the upcoming LIC AAO 2016 and Syndicate Manipal PO Exam.
Current Affairs at a Glance - 20th January, 2016
India has emerged as one of the five most promising markets for businesses globally as it offers one of the best opportunities for both domestic as well as global companies, says a survey.
The Cabinet today cleared ex-post facto the stand taken by India on food security at the last meeting of the World Trade Organisation held in Nairobi.
Union Government on 19 January 2016 sanctioned 33000 crore rupees for the development of infrastructure projects in Tamilnadu.
The Union Ministry of Shipping on 19 January 2016 started Project Green Ports, which will help in making the Major Ports across India cleaner and greener.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 20 January 2016 successfully launched the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) 1-E satellite. The satellite will provide navigation, tracking and mapping services to the Indian sub continent. The satellite is the fifth of the IRNSS constellation.
Country’s own fighter aircraft light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas, will take part in the three-day Bahrain International Airshow starting from Thursday (January 21 to 23).
The Maharashtra Government and Tata Trust on 19 January 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a skill training programme for the youth in the state.
The Bihar Cabinet on 19 January 2016 formally approved 35 percent reservation for women in all government jobs in the state.
Mamta Binani has been elected President of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) for 2016. She took charge on January 19.
Finance/Industry –
India among top 5 most promising markets globally
India has emerged as one of the five most promising markets for businesses globally as it offers one of the best opportunities for both domestic as well as global companies, says a survey.
According to the annual global CEO survey of consultancy giant PwC released here at the WEF Annual Meeting, the top five markets considered as most important for overall growth prospects by the respondents are USA, China, Germany, the UK and India.
As per the findings, CEOs are less optimistic about prospects this year and those who think global growth would improve over the next 12 months have declined to 27 per cent from 37 per cent seen in 2015.
Further, those who think the situation would worsen have increased to 23 per cent from 17 per cent.
Cabinet Approves India's Stand on Food Security at WTO
The Cabinet today cleared ex-post facto the stand taken by India on food security at the last meeting of the World Trade Organisation held in Nairobi.
The Tenth WTO Ministerial Conference concluded in Nairobi in December.
India wants a permanent solution on the issue of public stock holding for its food security programme.
It had proposed either amending the formula to calculate the food subsidy cap of 10 per cent, which is based on the reference price of 1986-88, or allowing such schemes outside the purview of subsidy caps.
The food security issue is related to several developing nations which provide subsidised foodgrains to the poor.
Union Government sanctioned 33000 crore rupees for infrastructure projects in Tamilnadu
Union Government on 19 January 2016 sanctioned 33000 crore rupees for the development of infrastructure projects in Tamilnadu.
Union Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the sanctioned amount and at his discretion, he announced additional 17000 crore rupees. With this, the total amount sanctioned was raised to 50000 crore rupees.
The infrastructure projects include construction of Rail-Over-Bridges, upgradation of state highways into National Highways and major bridges in the state.
Four-laning of 3 National Highways (NH) accounting a length of 105 kilometers and two flyovers in Marthandam and Parvathipuram, at an estimated cost of 2766 crore rupees.
39 NH projects for a length of 1974 kilometers at an estimated cost of 12000 crore rupees, which already are under progress.
Ministry of Shipping initiated Project Green Port to make Indian ports cleaner and greener
The Union Ministry of Shipping on 19 January 2016 started Project Green Ports, which will help in making the Major Ports across India cleaner and greener.
Project Green Ports will have two verticals:
Green Ports Initiatives
Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan
Features of Green Port Initiatives
It includes twelve initiatives which will be implemented under strict time bound fashion in order to achieve the targets.
Features of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan
The Ministry has identified 20 activities with certain time-line to promote cleanliness at the port premises.
India –
PSLV-C31 successfully launched 5th navigation satellite IRNSS-1E
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 20 January 2016 successfully launched the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) 1-E satellite. The satellite will provide navigation, tracking and mapping services to the Indian sub continent.
The satellite is the fifth of the IRNSS constellation. It was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on-board the PSLV-C31.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C31 was the 32nd consecutively successful mission of the PSLV. The 'XL' configuration of PSLV was used for this mission.
This is the eleventh time ‘XL’ configuration was flown, earlier ten being PSLV-C11/Chandrayaan-1, PSLV-C17/GSAT-12, PSLV-C19/RISAT-1, PSLV-C22/IRNSS-1A, PSLV-C25/Mars Orbiter Spacecraft, PSLV-C24/IRNSS-1B, PSLV-C26/IRNSS-1C, PSLV-C27/IRNSS-1D, PSLV-C28/DMC-3 and PSLV-C30/ASTROSAT missions.
Nitin Gadkari to inaugurate 19th National Conference on e-Governance
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the 19th National Conference on e-Governance to be held here from tomorrow.
The two-day conference is being jointly organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Department of Electronics and Information Technology and Maharashtra government, an official release said.
While Union Shipping and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the conference, Union MoS for Personnel and Public Grievances Jitendra Singh will be the guest of honour and DAPRG Secretary Devendra Chaudhry will address the inaugural session.
The conference will have six plenary sessions on topics like Governance with Accountability Transparency and Innovation (GATI) for citizen-centric services, financial inclusion - Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), urban governance in smart cities, the release stated.
The other sessions are on 'Decade of e-Governance - Way Ahead' and technology enabled education and cyber security framework for citizen centric services, it added.
Light combat aircraft, Tejas to fly at Bahrain Air Show
Country’s own fighter aircraft light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas, will take part in the three-day Bahrain International Airshow starting from Thursday (January 21 to 23).
Tejas is a single engine, light weight, highly agile, multi-role supersonic fighter. The Tejas light combat aircraft is a 4.5 generation aircraft with supersonic capability at all altitudes.
It has the fly by wire, state of the art open architecture computer for avionics and better weapon and combat capability. With the advanced avionics, the pilot load is also reduced.
Maharashtra Government and Tata Trust signed MoU for skill training of youth
The Maharashtra Government and Tata Trust on 19 January 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a skill training programme for the youth in the state.
The programme has been undertaken under the Maharashtra Government’s Kushal Maharashtra, Rojgaryukt Maharashtra initiative.
Key highlights of the skill training programme
Under the skill training programme for the youth, skill development and vocational training centres will be set up in 10 districts in Maharashtra.
Virtual classrooms will also be set up in 100 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Maharashtra.
Bihar Cabinet approved 35 percent reservation for women in government jobs
The Bihar Cabinet on 19 January 2016 formally approved 35 percent reservation for women in all government jobs in the state.
The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The 35 percent reservation for women will be applicable to in all government jobs including reserved and unreserved category.
The Bihar Government is already providing 35 percent reservation for women in recruitment as police constables and sub-inspectors and 50 percent reservation as primary school teachers and in the Panchayati Raj system.
In 2015, during campaigning for the Bihar assembly polls, Nitish Kumar, as chief ministerial candidate of the Grand Alliance of Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress, had promised 35 percent reservation for women in all government jobs if he formed a government again.
Appointments –
Mamta Binani elected President of ICSI
Mamta Binani has been elected President of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) for 2016. She took charge on January 19.
A commerce and law graduate and a fellow member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Binani was the all-India topper in the Intermediate examinations of The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, amongst all the lady candidates in India and had ranked 14th on an all-India basis.
In the final examinations, she stood all-India first in the subject 'Company Law'. She has been practising as a Company Secretary for over 19 years now.
Sports –
Indian driver Jehan Daruvala won Lady Wigram Trophy motor race
Sahara Force India Academy racer Jehan Daruvala on 16 January 2016 won one of New Zealand's most prestigious events, the Lady Wigram Trophy.
It was Daruvala’s maiden victory in Formula cars since making the switch from karting in 2015.
In August 2015, Daruvala won Rookie of the Year at the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC series championships in the Netherlands.
Obituaries –
Veteran journalist Aroon Tikekar passed away
Senior journalist and scholar Aroon Tikekar passed away on 19 January 2016 in Mumbai. He was 72.
Tikekar, who has written over 20 books, passed away due to breathing-related complications.
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