GK Today Daily Current Affairs 17 January 2020

Daily Current Affairs – International

Sri Lankan President decides estate workers’ daily wage to be Rs. 1,000 from March 1

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided that the minimum daily wage of estate workers will be 1000 rupees with effect from 1st March.

  • The decision came on eve of Thai Pongal as most of the estate workers are Tamils of Indian origin.
  • The workers have been demanding the 1000 rupee wage since past few years and held several protests during the previous government.
  • Gotabaya has promised the hike in his election manifesto.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev submits resignation

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has resigned.

  • The Medvedev submitted his resignation to President Vladimir Putin.
  • The surprise announcement came after Putin proposed constitutional amendments that would strengthen the powers of the prime minister and parliament at the expense of the presidency.
  • Mr. Putin will name Mr. Medvedev as deputy of the presidential Security Council.
  • Russian President asked Medvedev’s Cabinet to keep working until the new Cabinet is formed.

Nepal celebrates ‘Maghe Sankranti’ with gaiety & religious fervor

The festival of Maghe Sankranti is being celebrated with gaiety and religious fervor in Nepal.

It is known as Maghi Sankranti in Tarai region.

  • The day is also being celebrated as Maghi festival by Tharu community to mark the beginning of its new year.
  • Maghe Sankranti is celebrated on the first day of Magh month of Vikram Samvat.
  • It marks the transition of Sun into Hindu zodiac sign Makara (Capricorn) and is seen as a celebration of the end of the winter.

Daily Current Affairs – National

Postal Ballot now for PwDs and super Senior Citizens too

People with disabilities (PwDs) and people over 80 years of age can now cast their vote in Delhi Assembly Election through postal ballot.

  • For the first time, Delhi Metro, Northern Railway Employees and media persons covering polling can also use postal ballot facility to cast their votes.
  • Till now, voting through postal ballot was available to armed forces and those assigned in poll duties.
  • Employees of essential service can fill out the form 12(D) and submit before 19th of this month to avail the postal ballot facility.

Mega campaign on fuel conservation ‘Saksham’ launched

 Saksham, a people centric fuel conservation mega campaign of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) has been launched.

  • One month long mega campaign was inaugurated by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi.
  • During this campaign, PCRA along with Oil and Gas companies will carry out various activities like ‘Saksham’ cycle Day, cyclothons, seminars for housewives on adopting simple fuel saving measures.
  • This campaign aims to spread the message of fuel conservation and greener environment across India.

7th Conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, India Region starts

The 7th Conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region started at the legislative assembly building in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

  • Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the Conference in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
  • Around 100 Delegates of 15 state assemblies and representatives of some foreign countries have reached Lucknow to take part in the 7th Conference of CPA India Region.
  • The main theme of the conference is ‘ROLE OF LEGISLATORS’.

Ladakh hosts first ever Food Processing Summit to attract investors

Union Territory Ladakh is hosting the first ever Food Processing Summit to attract investors to the region.

  • With the help of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the UT Administration of Ladakh is organizing the Summit.
  • Ladakh region has vast scope for investment in food Processing Industries in horticulture products like Apricot, SeabuckThorn, Apple and agricultural produce like buckwheat and barley.
  • Over a hundred entrepreneurs from Leh and Kargil are participating in the Summit.
  • The event is aimed at encouraging the entrepreneurs to begin a StartUp to tap the potential in the Food Processing Industries in Ladakh.

Fifth Science Film festival kick-starts in Goa

The fifth edition of Science Film Festival of India, SCI-FFI 2020, was kick-started on in Goa’s capital city Panaji.

  • The four-day-long festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister, Dr. Paramod Sawant.
  • The festival aims at instilling the knowledge of science among the youth with the help of exhibitions, masterclasses, workshops, and other activities.
  • Besides, Goa Government and Government of India, the event is being supported by Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAR).

Delhi Govt recommends rejection of Nirbhaya convicts mercy petitions

The Delhi government has recommended rejecting the mercy petition filed by Mukesh Singh, one of the four men convicted in the Nirbhaya murder case.

  • The mercy petition was filed by Mukesh Singh moments after the Supreme Court rejected a curative petition filed by him.
  • A curative petition is the last judicial remedy available to a person convicted by courts of law.
  • If rejected, convicts are left with the option of seeking mercy from the President.
  • Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia confirmed the development saying the recommendations of rejection was done with lightning speed.
  • The recommendation has been sent to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who will base his recommendation on the Delhi government’s advice.
  • Mr. Baijal’s recommendation will then be sent to the Union Ministry for Home Affairs, which in turn will form its own recommendation and forward that to the President.
  • President Ram Nath will ultimately make the decision of whether or not to grant Mukesh mercy.
  • Mukesh, along with Vinay Sharma , Akshay Kumar Singh and Pawan Gupta, was convicted for the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedic student in Delhi.

Maharashtra police to organise international marathon in Mumbai

In a first in the country, Maharashtra Police would be organising an international marathon in Mumbai on February 9.

  • Around 15,000 runners are expected to take part in the marathon.
  • A state police force is organising an international marathon for the first time.
  • The theme of the marathon would be “Health Run”.

Daily Current Affairs – Appointments

Senior IPS officer Sujit Pandey takes charge as Lucknow Police Commissioner

Senior IPS officer Sujit Pandey took over as the first police commissioner of Lucknow.

  • Senior IPS officer Alok Singh also took charge as the first commissioner of police of the newly-formed Gautam Buddh Nagar commissionerate.
  • Yogi Adityanath government had approved the commissionerate system of policing in Lucknow and Noida.
  • The system gives more powers, including magisterial powers, to police officers and is aimed at better and effective policing

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