Daily Current Affairs - 29 Oct 2020

Daily Current Affairs Capsule

29th October 2020

National

India hosts 19th Meeting of SCO Ministers of Foreign Economy & Foreign Trade

India hosted the 19th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Ministers of Foreign Economy and Foreign Trade.

1. In the meeting four documents were adopted.
2. They include a statement on the response to Covid-19 which reinforces the need for greater cooperation for access to medicines and facilitation of trade and statement on the Multilateral Trading System of Ministers of SCO Countries who are WTO Members.
3. This statement highlights the importance of the rule-based multilateral negotiations.

India extends $1 billion credit line to Central Asian countries for priority projects

India extended a $1-billion line of credit to Central Asian countries for priority projects in connectivity, energy, IT and health care.

1. This move being perceived as part of New Delhi’s efforts to boost its role as a transparent development partner.
2. The line of credit was welcomed by ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan during the second meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue held via video conference under the chairmanship of external affairs minister S Jaishankar.
3. Acting Afghan foreign minister Haneef Atmar joined the meeting as a special invitee.

Chairman of 15th Finance Commission N.K. Singh holds virtual meeting with Chairman of previous Finance Commissions

Chairman of 15th Finance Commission, N.K. Singh and its Members held a virtual meeting with the Chairmen of previous Finance Commissions, Dr C. Rangarajan, the Chairman 12th Finance Commission and Dr. Vijay Kelkar who was the Chairman 13th Finance Commission.

1. 15th Finance Commission is mandated to submit its final report for 2021-26 by 30th October, 2020.
2.  The Chairmen of the previous Finance Commissions appreciated the tough challenge faced by the 15th Finance Commission, given the background of the Covid-19 pandemic, the resultant loss of economic activity and its impact on fiscal parameters of the general government.

Air quality in Delhi continues to remain in ‘very poor category’

The air quality in Delhi continues to remain in a very poor category.

1. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi's air quality index was recorded at 397 at 10 AM.
2. An Air Quality Index between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301 to 400 very poor and 401 to 500 severe.
3. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, SAFAR, the air quality is likely to marginally improve and stay in the very poor for.

UP govt starts digital library to help students in higher education

In the ongoing fight against Covid, Uttar Pradesh government has started a digital library to help the students in higher education to get the education content in digital format.

1. This library will help poor students who are unable to purchase costly books Now they can freely download everything available in the library related to their course.
2. The library has more than 35000 e content related to 134 subjects in Hindi and English. It can be accessed by any student free of cost.
3. A team of around 1700 educationists and technical experts of 23 universities worked together for the content of Digital Library.

Young Advocates Welfare Fund launched in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, the Young Advocates Welfare Fund has been launched.

1. It provides a monthly financial assistance of three thousand rupees each for two years to the lawyers who just come out of law colleges.
2. Normally a fresher from law colleges takes three to four years to begin practice as an advocate in the court as the registration in the Bar Council, and the mandatory practicing under a senior advocate takes time.
3. Unable to sustain themselves during the initial period, many from poor and rural backgrounds shifted their profession.
4. The Young Advocates Welfare Scheme is aimed at helping such fresh candidates to withstand the initial challenges.

Business

SBI raises USD 1 billion untied loan with JBIC, other lenders

The State Bank of India signed a loan agreement amounting to up to one billion US Dollars with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

1. The loan is intended to promote the smooth flow of funds for the whole range of business operations of Japanese automobile manufacturers in India.
2. As part of the agreement, 600 million US Dollars will be financed by JBIC while the remaining amount will be financed by other participating banks.
3. The facility will be co-financed by SMBC, MUFG Bank, Mizuho Bank, Shizuoka Bank and Bank of Yokahama.

RBI bars payment system operators from launching any new QR codes

The Reserve Bank of India has barred Payment System Operators (PSOs) from launching any new proprietary QR code for payment transactions.

1. Currently, there are two interoperable QR codes — UPI QR and Bharat QR.
2. QR codes (quick response codes) are two-dimensional machine-readable barcodes, which are increasingly used to facilitate mobile payments at the point-of-sale.
3. QR codes (quick response codes) can store a large amount of information. PSOs that use proprietary QR codes shall shift to one or more interoperable QR codes.

Deaths

Former Gujarat CM Keshubhai Patel passes away at 92

Former chief minister of Gujarat Keshubhai Patel passed away at the age of 92.

1. He had tested positive for coronavirus last month and was admitted at a hospital in Ahmedabad.
2. Patel served as the chief minister of Gujarat in 1995 and from 1998 to 2001, after which he was replaced by Narendra Modi.
3. He quit the BJP and launched his own political party - Gujarat Parivartan Party - in 2012.
4. He was a member of Gujarat Legislative Assembly six times.

Books

Book titled “Night of the Restless Spirits: Stories from 1984” authored by Sarbpreet Singh

A book titled “Night of the Restless Spirits: Stories from 1984″ authored by Sarbpreet Singh.

1. The author Sarbpreet Singh’s recounts the Sikh massacre of 1984 in this book.
2. The book is a fictionalised version of real happenings comprising just eight chapters.
3. It shows the events of 1984 through the prism of many lives & impact on Sikhs.