Top Current Affairs 25 September 2020
Top Current Affairs 25 September 2020: This post contains the latest current affairs for 25 September 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. You can also attempt our Current Affairs Quiz after reading our daily current affairs.
National News
Government Increases SDRF Spending Limit by States from 35 percent to 50 percent to tackle COVID situation
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual meeting with chief ministers of six states and one Union Territory on 23 September 2020.
- These states and UTs are those where the coronavirus cases are higher. They are: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
- During the meeting, PM announced that for these 7 states and UTs, the limit of using the State Disaster Response Fund is being increased from the current 35 percent to 50 percent to help them further strengthen health infrastructure to tackle COVID.
PM Modi launches ‘Fit India Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols’ at Fit India Dialogue
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with fitness experts, citizens and influencers from across the country during a nation-wide online Fit India Dialogue on 24 September 2020, to mark the one-year anniversary of Fit India Movement.
- PM Modi also launched the ‘Fit India Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols’ during the event.
- This fitness protocols have been prepared with the help of fitness enthusiasts for fitness and good health.
- It has been prepared for three age categories which includes:
- 5-18 years category
- 18-65 years category
- 65 plus age category
- Cricketer Virat Kohli, model, actor and runner Milind Soman, and nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar were among the various fitness influencers who participated in the event.
- The Fit India Dialogue is another effort to involve citizens of the country to draw out a plan to make India a Fit Nation.
- The Fit India Movement was envisioned and launched by PM Modi on August 29, 2019.
EAM Dr S Jaishankar attends Special Ministerial Meeting of FMs of CICA
- The Union Minister of External Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar participated in the Special Ministerial Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the CICA on 24 September 2020.
- CICA stands for the ‘Conference on Interaction & Confidence Building Measures in Asia’.
- CICA is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.
- The Secretariat of CICA is based at Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
- It has 27 member states including India; 8 observer states and 5 observer organizations.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Approves ‘Moksha Kalash Yojana-2020’
- The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gehlot has approved the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation’s scheme called ‘Moksha Kalash Yojana-2020’.
- This Moksha Kalash Yojana aims to allow free bus travel to two members of the family of the deceased to immerse ashes of their loved ones in the Ganga in Haridwar..
- The state road transport corporation would be the nodal agency to run the scheme and the expenses would be borne by Devasthan Department.
Assam Government launches Mukhyamantrir Grammya Paribahan Achoni to improve rural connectivity
- The Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal launched the Mukhyamantrir Grammya Paribahan Achoni of the state transport department on 23 September 2020.
- Under the scheme Light Motor Vehicle Service would be launched in all the villages of the state to improve rural connectivity and generate employment in the villages.
- In the first phase of the scheme, 10,000 villages would be covered with a financial outlay of Rs 100 crore.
- One vehicle would be provided to one beneficiary per village.
- The state government shall financially assist the eligible entrepreneurs with 25 percent of the cost of the vehicle or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is less.
International News
India-UK sign MoU on Water Partnership through video conferencing
- India and the United Kingdom held a virtual Water Partnership meeting on 22 September 2020 to discuss ways to work together on issues pertaining to water conservation and building better water infrastructure.
- The programme was inaugurated by the Indian High Commissioner to UK, Gaitri Issar Kumar with the Ministry of Jal Shakti Secretary UP Singh.
- The delegations from both the countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic water partnership to develop better water infrastructure in India.
- Several issues which were discussed during the meeting included India’s water conservation schemes like Namami Gange programme, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Swachh Bharat Mission.
UN and Britain to co-host global climate summit on 12 December 2020
- The United Kingdom and the United Nations are going to co-organise a global climate summit on December 12 to mark the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will co-host the event.
- The Summit will invite National governments to present more ambitious and high-quality climate plans.
- The summit will increase the momentum ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) to be held in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2021.
Banking News
IDFC First Bank to launch contactless debit card facility, SafePay
- IDFC First Bank will launch a contactless debit card-based payment facility, SafePay. It will allow transactions up to Rs 20,000 per day. ( to be launched in September 2020 end)
- The per transaction limit will be Rs 2000 under this payment facility of SafePay.
- Using the contactless payment, customers can make payment by waving his/her smartphone/debit card against a near field communication (NFC)-enabled PoS terminal.
Awards
President Ram Nath Kovind confers NSS Awards for 2018-19 to 42 Awardees
- The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind conferred the National Service Scheme (NSS) Awards for the year 2018-19 trough videoconferencing from Rashtrapati Bhawan on 24 September 2020.
- The 2018-19 NSS Award has been given to 42 awardees in three different categories which are:
- University
- NSS Units and their Programme Officers
- NSS Volunteers
- Inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, the NSS is a Central Sector Scheme which was launched in the year 1969 to develop the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service.
- The NSS Award is conferred every year by the Department of Youth Affairs to recognize and reward outstanding contributions towards voluntary community service such as literacy and education, health, family welfare and nutrition, environment conservation, social service programmes, rescue and relief during calamities.
Appointments
Alexander Lukashenko sworn in as President of Belarus for 6th term
- President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko has been sworn in for a sixth term on 23 September 2020.
- The 66 year-old authoritarian leader won 80% of the vote in the presidential election to gain another 5 year term.
- Lukashenko is serving as the President of Belarus since the establishment of the office 26 years ago, on 20 July 1994.
Books/Authors
Neena Gupta’s memoir ‘Sach Kahun Toh’ to be out in 2021
- Award-winning actor Neena Gupta will to come out with her memoir titled ‘Sach Kahun Toh’, talking about her personal and professional life.
- The book will be published under Penguin ‘Ebury Press’ imprint and is scheduled to be out in 2021.
- The memoir will give detail about her life, from her childhood in Delhi’s Karol Bagh, to her time at the National School of Drama, to her move to Bombay in the 1980s, as well as her struggles to find work.
Important Days
World Maritime Day 2020: 24 September
- Every year the International Maritime Organization (IMO) observes World Maritime Day to celebrate the international maritime industry’s contribution towards the world’s economy, especially in shipping.
- The exact date is left to individual Governments but it is usually celebrated on the last Thursday of September month.
- In 2020, World Maritime Day is being observed on September 24, 2020.
- 2020 theme for WMD is “Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet.”
World Pharmacist Day: 25 September
- The World Pharmacist Day is observed on September 25 annually to create awareness about the role of a pharmacist in improving health.
- 2020 theme : “Transforming global health“.
- The day was designated in 2009 by the FIP Council (International Pharmaceutical Federation or Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique) at the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey.
Obituary
Former Australian Cricket Legend Dean Jones passes away at 59 in Mumbai
- Former Australia cricket commentator, coach and legendary batsman Dean Jones has passed away on 24 September 2020 after suffering a heart attack. He was 59.
- Jones was in Mumbai as a commentator for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and was in a bio-secure bubble in a seven-star hotel in Mumbai.
- Jones had represented Australia in 52 Tests and 164 ODIs.
- He was also part of Australia’s 1987 World Cup-winning squad.
