Current Affairs 2020 – Today Latest Current Affairs News

Dear Aspirants,

Welcome to Today’s Current Affairs. This current affair news is useful for Govt jobs Interviews, TNPSC, IAS, UPSC, SSC, Railway, Banking exams IBPS, PO, SO, Clerk, and other all competitive exams for the entire part of the general awareness or general knowledge (GK) section. These daily current affairs 2020 resources provide facts about events of International, National, Political, Social, Banking, Business, Sports, and Entertainment related current affairs.

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NATIONAL JUST BECAUSE DAY – On this Day, offers up an opportunity to do stuff…just because. Feel free to celebrate this day as any way you choose.  Just because! All day we all do things that are expected or required of us. Sometimes we even do things because we have to do them, we don’t know why.  Well, on this occasion, that does not apply.

INDIA

• India lodges complaint in UN following Pakistan’s fictitious statement at Security Council
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) says its Twitter handle ‘compromised’
• Sonia Gandhi rallies Opposition CMs against Centre amid rift in Congress
• BJP’s Ram Madhav to visit Srinagar after opposition issues support for Gupkar Declaration

STATE

• Former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi tests positive for Covid, hospitalised
• Allahabad High Court expresses worry over Covid in Uttar Pradesh; suggests ‘selective’ lockdown

WORLD

• Will have ‘India first’ policy, China port deal a mistake: Sri Lanka
• China protests alleged United States Air Force U-2 spy plane incursion during drills

ECONOMY

• Health insurance, maternity benefits for unorganised sector workers in the works
• Government debt set to hit historic high of 91% of GDP in FY21, according to report
• Institute providing coaching, accommodation to CA/CS students not exempt from GST: AAR
• RBI surplus transfer to govt at 44%; lowest in last 7 years: Ex finance secy SC Garg

INDUSTRY

• IndiGo operated over 800 international charter flights in last 3 months, repatriating 1.5 lakh passengers
• New HDFC Bank CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan plans to wrest PSU market share, ramp up digitisation
• Coronavirus: IndusInd Bank witnesses 3-fold rise in digital account openings

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INDIA

On 2020 Export Preparedness Index(EPI): Gujarat topped NITI Aayogs report

• NITI Aayog in partnership with the Institute of Competitiveness released the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020 on 26 August 2020. It is the 1st report to examine the export preparedness and performance of Indian states.
• The report was aimed to identify challenges and opportunities. Gujarat topped the Export Preparedness Index 2020.
• The Export Preparedness Index 2020 focus to enhance the effectiveness of government policies and encourage a facilitative regulatory framework. EPI structure included 4 pillars namely:
  1. Policy
  2. Business Ecosystem
  3. Export Ecosystem
  4. Export Performance

GoI to identify farmers who are illegal beneficiaries of PM-KISAN Scheme

• GoI is planning to identify the farmers who are illegally receiving benefits of the PM-KISAN scheme by concealing facts that make them ineligible. The illegal beneficiaries include serving and retired govt employees who are barred from getting benefits of the scheme.
• Under this move, the Ministry of Agriculture will obtain the data of central and state government employees from the Ministry of Finance. The data from the Finance Ministry must match with the data with the PM-KISAN list of beneficiaries. The Ministry will check if there are any income-tax payers among the beneficiaries of the PM-KISAN scheme.

For Madhya Pradesh: Nitin Gadkari laid foundation stone for 45 highway projects 

• Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 45 highway projects for Madhya Pradesh on 25 August.
• The projects include a road length of 1,361 kilometers. The project involves a construction value of Rs.11,427 Cr.

KIRAN: Mental Rehabilitation Health line to be launched by Social Justice Ministry

• On August 27, 2020, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will launch mental health rehabilitation centre through video conference.
• The helpline number “1800-599-0019” will help in providing psychological support, psychological crisis management, early screening, mental wellbeing, first-aid, and will also help to prevent deviant behaviour.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

Africa Regional Certification Commission: WHO declared Africa free of Wild Polio

• The Africa Regional Certification Commission, the independent body, has declared Africa free from wild polio. Announcement was made by African Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication during a World Health Organization (WHO) event.
• The Africa Regional Certification Commission confirmed that all 47 countries in the WHO’s Africa region have eradicated Polio. The poliovirus, commonly, attacks the nervous system and causes irreversible paralysis within hours.

BRICS Industry Ministers attended Video Meeting in 5G and Artificial Intelligence

• The Industrial Ministers of BRICS countries attended video meeting on 5G, industrial internet and Artificial Intelligence.
• During the meet, China urged the BRICS countries to strengthen cooperation on digital transformation. China also highlighted that BRICS countries should cooperate to promote economic survey, resume work and production, guarantee medical supplies and promote economic development.
• According to the BRICS leaders, there is need for enhancing and strengthening supply chain and abilities of the countries to create good development environment.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS

Export Preparedness Index(EPI) 2020 released: 1st report analyse, Indian states

• NITI Aayog & the Institute of Competitiveness released the EPI, 2020. It is the first report to analyse the Indian states’ export preparedness and performance.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: TECHNOLOGY 

E-Auction Portal launched for trading of GI-tagged Kashmir Saffron

• In order to promote the trading of GI-tagged Kashmir Saffron, the Department of Agriculture operating under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare has created an e-auction portal in collaboration with NSE-IT.
• The Department has created the portal under the aegis of India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AGRICULTURE

Niti Aayog panel recommended linking sugarcane prices to sugar rates

• A Niti Aayog task force, headed by Niti Aayog Member (Agriculture) Ramesh Chand, recommended the linking sugarcane prices to sugar rates. The move is to keep the industry in sound financial health. The task force also suggested for a one-time increase in minimum sugar price to Rs.33 per kilo to help sugar mills cover the cost of production.
• The report of the panel on the ‘Sugarcane and Sugar Industry’ was finalized in March 2020.
• The task force suggested the linking of sugarcane prices to sugar prices to prevent the problem of arrears for sugarcane farmers.