Weekly Current Affairs 1st February - 8th February 2021

FINANCE AND BANKING

• RBI to integrate consumer grievance redressal scheme
  • RBI recently said that it will be integrating consumer grievances redressal under a single ombudsman as against three schemes working at present.

• RBI to look at harmonising regulations for microfinance lenders
  • RBI recently said it will look to “harmonise regulatory frameworks” for microlenders. The statement has come against the backdrop of the Assam Assembly passing a law to regulate microfinance institutions in the state.

• RBI to restore cash reserve ratio in two phases to 4 per cent
  • RBI recently decided to restore the cash reserve ratio (CRR) in a phased manner to 4 per cent in light of improved liquidity condition in the market.

ECONOMY

• With off-budget borrowings, FY22 fiscal deficit rises to 6.9%, 10.2% for FY21: Report
  • The fiscal deficit target will go up by 10 basis points to 6.9 per cent of the GDP if the extra-budgetary borrowings of Rs 30,000 crore, which is massively down from Rs 1.3 lakh crore this fiscal, is added, according to SBI Research Report.

• Govt. announces launch of Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) scheme to make Indian textile industry globally competitive
  • The Government has proposed a scheme of Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) to enable the textile industry to become globally competitive, attract large investments, boost employment generation and exports.

• Government pegs gross market borrowing at Rs 12.05 lakh crore for FY22
  • The government will borrow Rs 12.05 lakh crore from the market in 2021-22, lower than the Rs 12.80 lakh crore estimated for the current financial year.

NATIONAL

• India, & Bahrain holds 1st Joint Working Group Meeting 2021 in the field of Renewable
  • India & Kingdom of Bahrain held the 1st Joint Working Group Meeting 2021 in the field of Renewable Energy (RE) in a virtual format.

• 2nd CCTNS Hackathon and Cyber Challenge 2020-21 of NCRB inaugurated
  • The 2nd Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) Hackathon and Cyber Challenge 2020-21 of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) was inaugurated in New Delhi.

• ASEAN India Hackathon 2021
  • The first-ever ASEAN-India Hackathon concluded with more than 400 students, mentors, and officials from 10 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and India participating.

INTERNATIONAL

• UNGA adopts resolution to safeguard religious sites across the world
  • The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution to promote a culture of peace and tolerance to safeguard religious sites all across the world.

• Denmark to create world's first energy island in the North Sea
  • Denmark approved a plan to build the world's first energy island in the North Sea that will produce and store enough green energy to cover the electricity needs of 3 million European households.

• Indian-American scientist Bhavya Lal appointed Acting Chief of Staff of NASA
  • Bhavya Lal, the Indian-American scientist who oversaw NASA’s transition under President Joe Biden’s administration, has been appointed as the Acting Chief of Staff of the US space agency NASA.

STATES

• Kerala to gets its first human milk bank
  • Kerala will get its first human milk bank. The state-of-the-art facility will be inaugurated by health minister K K Shailaja at state-owned Ernakulam general hospital in Kochi.

• Punjab CM launched 'Har Ghar Pani, Har Ghar Safai' Mission
  • Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh virtually launched 'Har Ghar Pani, Har Ghar Safai' mission, aimed at providing 100% potable water supply to all rural households of the state by March, 2022.

• PGIMER, Chandigarh launches India’s first ‘amputee clinic’
  • The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh launched its ‘PGI Amputee Clinic’, the first in India.

• Maharashtra CM launches Agriculture Pump Power Connection Policy
  • In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray formally launched the Agriculture Pump Power Connection Policy.

REPORTS AND INDEXES

• Global Climate Litigation Report: 2020 Status Review
  • The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report titled "Global Climate Litigation Report: 2020 Status Review".
  • The report was published by UNEP in cooperation with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University.

• Brand Finance's Global 500 2021
  • Brand Finance has published the “Global 500 2021” Report.
  • As per the report, Reliance Jio has been ranked in 5th position as world's strongest brand with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 91.7 out of 100 and AAA+ brand strength rating.

• Mobilising Finance for EVs (Electric Vehicle) in India
  • NITI Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) released the report 'Mobilising Finance for EVs (Electric Vehicle) in India'.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• HAL inks deal with MIDHANI to develop, manufacture composite raw materials
  • Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for development and production of composite raw materials during the Aero India 2021 in Bengaluru.

• HAL and GE Aviation sign over Rs 100 crore contract for supply of forgings
  • Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd signed a contract valued over Rs 100 crore with GE Aviation for development and supply of ring forgings for its Aviation military and commercial engine programs.

• Hubballi students’ designed first-of-its-kind humanoid robot
  • ‘Maya’, a first-of-its-kind humanoid robot designed by the students of KLE Technological University, Hubballi, will soon be ‘employed’ by a nationalised bank in Mumbai.

• NASA picks Elon Musk's SpaceX to help with a mission that will map the creation of the universe
  • NASA has picked Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch a telescope into orbit for a two-year astrophysics mission starting 2024.

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

• Agri ministry gets DGCA nod for taking drone-based crop images under PMFBY
  • The agriculture ministry has got approval from aviation regulator DGCA for flying drones to capture images of rice and wheat fields in 100 districts to assess crop yields at gram panchayat level under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

• Centre integrates trading system with agricultural services on eNAM
  • The government has developed the national electronic marketing platform eNAM as a “platform of platforms” by integrating trading systems with post-harvest agricultural services such as transportation, delivery, sorting, grading and other aspects of value chain.

• A target of Rs. 16.50 Lakh Crore for Ground Level Credit (GLC) to Agriculture has been fixed for 2021-22
  • Government has fixed the target of Rs. 16.50 Iakh crore for Ground Level Credit (GLC) to agriculture for 2021-2022.

DEFENCE

• Navy's fast attack craft T-81 decommissioned
  • Indian Naval Fast Attack Craft (IN FAC) T-81 of Super Dvora MK II class was decommissioned after serving the nation successfully for over 20 years.

• HAL successfully test fires Smart Anti Airfield Weapon from Hawk-i aircraft
  • HAL successfully test fired a Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from the Hawk-i aircraft off the coast of Odisha.
  • The indigenous stand-off weapon developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), DRDO is the first smart weapon fired from an Indian Hawk-Mk132.

• HAL's 2nd LCA production line inaugurated
  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) second Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) production line in Bengaluru.

EVENTS

• 4th edition of Future Investment Initiative Forum
  • Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare addressed the 4th edition of the Future Investment Initiative Forum, through Video Conference.
  • The purpose of the forum being hosted in Riyadh was to find solutions on how business and government can expand access to healthcare, train healthcare workers, remove regulatory barriers and encourage investment in advanced health technologies.

• PM Modi to address 125th anniversary celebrations of ‘Prabuddha Bharata’ journal
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 125th anniversary celebrations of ‘Prabuddha Bharata’, a monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order, started by Swami Vivekananda.
  • The event was being organised by the Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati in Uttarakhand.

• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates National Tribal Festival - Aadi Mahotsav at Dilli Haat
  • M. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India inaugurated the tribal festival Aadi Mahotsav in New Delhi.
  • The Festival Aadi Mahotsav at Dilli Haat, New Delhi is being held from February 1-15, 2021.

• Textile Minister Smriti Irani virtually Inaugurates 8th India International Silk Fair
  • Union Minister for Women & Child Development and Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani virtually addressed the inaugural session of India's Biggest Silk Fair, the 8th India International Silk Fair.
  • The 5-daylong event was virtually organised by Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC), a non-profit organisation under the Ministry of Textiles & Sponsored by Department of Commerce.

AWARDS AND REWARDS

• Romain Rolland Book Prize
  • The Tamil translation of French novel 'Le mariage de plaisir' won the Romain Rolland Book Prize at the three-day Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival in Kolkata.

• Coal Minister’s Award 2020
  • Union Minister of Coal & Mines Pralhad Joshi presented “Coal Minister’s Award” to three coal companies of Coal India Ltd. - Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL), Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) and Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) in a function held in New Delhi.

• Alert Being Awards 2020
  • Fourth edition of the Alert Being Awards 2020 by the NGO ALERT were presented for their Good Samaritan work.

SPORTS

• Asian Online Shooting Championship
  • India's 24-member shooting contingent topped the medals tally in the first Asian Online Shooting Championship. The squad won four out of the eight gold medals on offer, besides two silver and five bronze medals, for a total of 11 podium finishes.

• Former pacer Merv Hughes inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
  • Former pacer Merv Hughes has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

• Ajay Singh re-elected Boxing Federation of India President
  • Spicejet chairman Ajay Singh get re-elected as president of Boxing Federation India for a second term at the general elections held in Gurugram.