Current Affairs - 21 September 2020

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Current Affairs - 21 September 2020

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1. In a first, 2 women officers to operate helicopters from Indian Navy warships
  • In a historic first, two women officers have been selected to join as “Observers” (Airborne Tacticians) in the helicopter stream of the Indian Navy. 
  • The women officers will be the first set of women airborne combatants who would be operating from warships. This is a landmark development in the history of Indian naval aviation.
  • The entry of women in the Indian Navy was restricted to the fixed-wing aircraft that took off and landed ashore.
Foot Notes:
Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh

2. International Day of Peace: 21 September
  • International Day of Peace is observed globally on 21st September every year. It is observed to spread awareness and preach peace and harmony all across the globe.
  • On this day, the UN encourages countries to observe the day by creating an environment of “24 hours of non-violence”.
  • Theme for world peace day 2020 is- “Shaping Peace Together”
Foot Notes:
About UN:
Headquarters: New York, United States
Founded: 24 October 1945,California, United States
Secretary general: António Guterres
 
3. India-China Commander level Talks underway at Moldo in Chinese side of LAC
  • India and China are scheduled to hold a Corps Commander-level talks at Moldo, on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), on the border standoff. This will be the sixth such talks on the issue.
  • An official from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is likely to be part of Indian delegation. This is the first time that an MEA official will be present in this meeting, people aware of the developments said.
  • In the previous five meetings, the Corps commander-ranked officers have failed to break the deadlock. This will be the first meeting since the foreign ministers of the two countries agreed on a five-point roadmap to take forward the disengagement and de-escalation process.
Foot Notes:
About China:
President: Xi Jinping
Capital: Beijing
Currency: Renminbi
 
About Ministry of External Affairs:
Founded: 2 September 1946
Officeholders: V. Muraleedharan (Minister of State), Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (Minister)
 
4. Govt launches NashaMukt Bharat Abhiyaan in 272 most affected districts
  • The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated and is implementing a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025.
  • The Plan aims at reduction of adverse consequences of drug abuse through a multi-pronged strategy.
  • The activities under the NAPDDR include awareness generation programmes in schools, colleges, Universities, workshop and provisioning of treatment facilities and capacity building of service providers.
  • The Ministry has also launched NashaMukt Bharat Abhiyaan in 272 most affected districts with focus on institutional support, community outreach and awareness generation.
Foot Notes:
About Ministry of Health and Family welfare:
Headquarters: New Delhi
Officeholders: Harsh Vardhan (Minister), Faggan Singh Kulaste (Minister of State)
 
About Ministry of Social justice and Empowerment:
Minister: Thawar Chand Gehlot 
 
5. US banned TikTok and WeChat downloads from app stores
  • TikTok and WeChat will be banned from US app stores, unless President Donald Trump agrees to a last-minute deal. The Department of Commerce said it would bar people in the US from downloading the messaging and video-sharing apps through any app store on any platform.
  • The Trump administration says the companies threaten national security and could pass user data to China. But China and both companies deny this.
  • WeChat will effectively shut down in the US, but people will still be able to use TikTok until 12 November, when it could also be fully banned.
Foot Notes:
About US:
Capital: Washington, D.C.
President: Donald Trump
 
6. “Swachhta Pakhwara” is being observed all over Indian Railways
  • Indian Railways is observing “Swachhta Pakhwara” from 16th to 30th September 2020. During the inaugural day of Pakhwara, the Swachhta pledge was administered to Railway employees at all Zonal Railway HQs, Divisional Offices, and other establishments.
  • During the Pakhwara, intensive cleaning and sanitization of stations, trains, tracks, colonies and other railway establishments is being carried out with special focus on plastic waste management.
  • Railway Board through Northern Railway, in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organised a webinar on “Swachhata and Environment”.
  • The Webinar was held to flag off the “SwachhataPakhwada” beginning from September 16 and ending on September 30, 2020.
Foot Notes:
Minister of Railways: Piyush Goyal
Chairman: V.K. Yadav
 
7. Tamil Nadu becomes first state to unveil ethical AI, blockchain, cybersecurity policies in country
  • Tamil Nadu became the first state in the country to come out with policies on Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Cyber security policies. The policies go by the names Tamil Nadu Cyber Security Policy, 2020, Tamil Nadu Blockchain Policy, 2020, and Tamil Nadu Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy, 2020.
  • In order to promote IT/ITeS industry in the State and to attract more investments, eight Special Economic Zones were established in Chennai and tier-II cities by Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (ELCOT) and start-up warehouses were set up in Chennai and Coimbatore.
  • State Family Database (SFDB) and Block-Chain Backbone infrastructure will be established in the state for the implementation of these policies.
Foot Notes:
About Tamil Nadu:
Capital: Chennai
Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
 
8. RajyaSabha Chairman rejects no-confidence motion against RS Deputy Chairman
  • RajyaSabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on September 21, 2020, rejected the no-confidence motion moved by Opposition MPs against the Deputy Chairman Harivansh saying that it is "not admissible under the rules".
  • The RS Chairman said that he has received a letter from 46 Opposition MPs against the Deputy Chairman alleging violation of "norms of parliament procedures". M Venkaiah Naidu further said that it was a bad day for RajyaSabha yesterday, when some members came to the well of the House and the Deputy Chairman was physically threatened and obstructed from doing his duty.
Foot Notes:
About RajyaSabha:
Chairperson: M. Venkaiah Naidu 
Founder: Constituent Assembly of India
Founded: 3 April 1952
 
9. Indian Army organises annual 'Shikara Race' in Srinagar
  • Fifteen Shikaras participated in the annual 'Shikara Race' organised by 20 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Indian Army for the people in Srinagar. The aim behind the race was to promote tourism in the newly formed Union Territory.
  • This event is organised by Indian Army every year along with boat races and other races for children but could not do the same this year due to COVID-19 outbreak.
  • The tourists who came to Srinagar to enjoy the race said that events like this should be organised more often as they help in developing good bonds with the locals.
Foot Notes:
Indian Army Chief: General Manoj Mukund Naravane
 
10. SBI starts women self-reliance programme in Assam
  • To accelerate SHG finance in the Bank in a mission mode, State Bank of India (SBI) started a programme by the name “Mahila Atmanirbharshil Aachani” (Women Self-Reliance programme).SBI stated that women SHGs are very active and credit worthy in rural areas of Assam as it relies on social collateral rather than on financial collateral.
  • It also empowers the women by encouraging them to create their micro enterprises for self-reliance and to maintain a sustainable economic condition.
  • The basic objective of the programme is to create a strong bonding with the SHG members besides extending credit linkages to the women SHGs nurtured and sponsored by NRLM, Assam for self-reliance and economic upliftment.
Foot Notes:
About SBI
Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
Headquarters: Mumbai
 
About Assam:
Capital: Dispur
Chief Minister: Sarbananda Sonowal
Governor: Jagdish Mukhi
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