Daily Current Affairs : 23rd July 2020 | Daily GK update Quiz

Exp. Andhra Pradesh Government has signed an MoU with the milk cooperative giant AMUL (Anand Milk Union Limited) to provide fillip to the empowerment of women self-help groups and by encouraging the milk cooperatives in government sector.

Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan

Chief minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy

Capitals: Visakhapatnam (executive capital), Kurnool (judicial capital, Amaravati (legislative capital.)

Exp. Home Minister Amit Shah will launch “Vriksharopan Abhiyan”. The minister is to launch the scheme through video conference in more than 130 locations spread in 38 districts. The scheme will focus on creating green spaces by planting tree saplings in mined out areas.

The scheme is to be launched in the presence of Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri Pralhad Joshi. Mr Amit Shah will also lay foundation stone to six eco parks and tourism sites.

Exp. Pakistan and China have signed an agreement for construction of Azad Pattan Hydel Power Project in Sudhoti district of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The project is being developed under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion.

The 700.7 MW Azad Pattan Hydel Power Project is located at River Jhelum and is expected to be completed in 2026.

Exp. India is among the 10 worst countries for working people, according to the seventh edition of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Global Rights Index that ranks 144 countries on the degree of respect for workers’ rights.

The others include Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Turkey and Zimbabwe.

The Middle East and North Africa is the worst region in the world for working people for seven years running due to the ongoing insecurity and conflict in Palestine, Syria, Yemen and Libya coupled with the most regressive region for workers’ representation and union rights.

Exp. FamPay is India’s first neo bank for teenagers that allows them to make UPI and P2P transactions through their own unique UPI ID without the need to set up a bank account has recently launched India’s first numberless card – FamCard. This card has been launched in partnership with IDFC Bank and is accepted across the RuPay payment network of merchants.

The venture claims that FamCard is just like a debit card, but teens now have the added advantage of a card to make contactless payments independently.

Exp. Actor Sonu Sood, who catapulted to the national spotlight for his work in helping migrants reach their homes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, has come out with a free of cost online platform called ‘Pravasi Rojgar’, which will provide all the necessary information and right linkages to find jobs.

Exp. India will be represented on the high table of global rail transport policy making as Arun Kumar, Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), has been nominated to be the vice-chairman of the Security Platform of the Paris-based Union Internationale Des Chemins/International Union of Railways (UIC).

The UIC is the global platform for railway systems working on inter-operability, developing common technical standards for railways across the world and strengthening what is called “rail diplomacy”.

Exp. Sahil Seth has been appointed an honorary adviser to the steering committee for the BRICS Chamber of Commerce (CCI) young leaders for the period of 2020-2023. He is a deputy Commissioner of Mumbai Customs.

The role of an honorary advisor is on a voluntary basis and there are no financials involved which makes it a no/remuneration appointment.

Exp. Bajaj Finance Ltd’s Non-Executive Chairman Rahul Bajaj has decided to demit office as Chairman of the Board with effect from July 31. The non-banking finance company, in a regulatory filing, said this move is a part of succession planning.

BFL’s Board of Directors, at its meeting on 21st July, approved the appointment Sanjiv Bajaj, currently Vice Chairman, as Non-Executive Chairman of the Company with effect from August 1.

Exp. Sumit Deb appointed as new CMD of NMDC. Sumit Deb has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC). Deb is presently serving as Director (Personnel) in the NMDC.

His tenure as the CMD of NMDC would be applicable till 28 February, 2023.

Exp. Professor R. Narayanaswamy, faculty of the Finance & Accounting area, IIM Bangalore, has been appointed Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), the independent accounting and auditing regulator set up by the Government of India under the Companies Act, 2013.T

Purpose: The members of the committee will support and provide insights to the Executive body of the NFRA on the issues related to the drafts of the accounting and auditing standards.

Exp. Non-life insurer SBI General Insurance on 22nd July announced the appointment of Prakash Chandra Kandpal as its new managing director and chief executive officer, effective July 20. He has been with SBI General Insurance as the deputy CEO since June 2019.

The insurer’s former managing director and CEO, Pushan Mahapatra, has been appointed as director (strategic investments & digital initiatives). He will continue to be the whole-time director of SBI General Insurance.

Exp. Defence Ministry signed contract with BEML for procurement of 1,512 Mine Plough for T-90 tanks. The contract was signed at an approximate cost of Rs.557 crore. The contract has Buy and Make (Indian) categorization with a minimum of 50% indigenous content in making a portion of the contract. 

Under this contract, the mine ploughs will be fitted on T-90 Tanks of the Indian Armoured Corps, which will facilitate individual mobility to Tanks while negotiating the minefield.