Top Current Affairs 16 February 2021
Top Current Affairs 16 February 2021: This post contains the latest current affairs for 16 February 2021 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.
Report
India accounts for 11% of global death in road accidents: World Bank Report
- The World Bank has released a comprehensive report titled ‘Traffic Crash Injuries and Disabilities: The Burden on Indian Society’ in association with the SaveLife Foundation, an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to improving road safety and emergency medical care across India.
- The report was released by Union transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, on February 13, 2021. The report is based on the data for the year 2019.
- The World Bank-SaveLife Foundation report highlights the disproportionate impact of a road crash on poor households that pushes them into poverty and debt.
- It sheds light on the links between road crashes, poverty, inequality, and vulnerable road users in India.
- Key takeaways from the report
- India has only 1 percent of the world’s total vehicles. However, the country accounts for 11 percent of the global death due to road accidents. This is the highest death rate in the world because of road accident.
- 70 percent of the fatalities are the age group of 18 to 45 years, impacting the country as a whole.
National
‘11th Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav’ begins at Cooch Behar in West Bengal
- The Governor of West Bengal, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the 11th Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav at Cooch Behar Palace at Cooch Behar on February 14, 2021, in the presence of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture and Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel.
- The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Culture,
- In 2021, the 11th edition of the festival is being celebrated and West Bengal has been chosen as the focus destination.
- The 11th Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav will be held between February 14-28, 2021 in West Bengal. This will take place at Cooch Behar from February 14-16, followed by Darjeeling from February 22-24, and then in Murshidabad from February 27-28, 2021.
MapmyIndia joins hand with ISRO to build ‘Bhuvan’, an alternative to Google Maps
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered into an agreement with ‘MapmyIndia’ to offer an indigenous satellite-based mapping service to the country, as well as give an alternative to widely-used Google maps and similar products.
- MapmyIndia is an an Indian technology company that creates digital maps in India. [Headquarter- New Delhi]
- The new indigeniously-developed alternative app will be known as ‘Bhuvan’, to provide mapping and other location-based services in India.
- The collaboration will use ISRO’s database of satellite images and MapmyIndia’s digital map platform to develop the new app.
Maharashtra Government inks MoU with Flipkart to promote wooden toys, local artefacts, handicrafts
- The Maharashtra Small Industries Development Corporation and Maharashtra State Khadi & Village Industries Board have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with e-commerce marketplace Flipkart, to promote wooden toys, local artifacts, handicrafts at state-level.
- The MoU will enable the local artisans, weavers, craftsmen & MSMEs from Maharashtra to showcase their products to millions of customers in India.
- Flipkart will provide free training for packaging and branding to all these manufacturers.
- The product photography will also be done by Flipkart.
Banking & Economy
RBI constitues eight-member expert panel for strenthening Urban Co-operative Banks
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an eight-member expert committee on Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs) to examine issues and suggest a road map for strengthening the sector.
- Chairperson: The committee will be chaired by the former RBI Deputy Governor N. S. Vishwanathan.
- Role of the Committee
- Assess the regulatory measures taken by the RBI and other authorities in respect of UCBs and their impact over the last five years to identify key constraints and enablers in fulfillment of their socio-economic objective.
- Review the current regulatory approach and recommend suitable measures to strengthen the sector.
- Suggest effective measures for faster rehabilitation and resolution of UCBs and assess potential for consolidation in the sector
- Other member
- Harsh Kumar Bhanwala – Former Chairman of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) ,
- Mukund Chitale – Chartered Accountant
- NC Muniyappa and RN Joshi – retired Indian Administrative Service officers
- MS Sriram – IIM Bengaluru Professor
- Jyotindra Mehta – President of the National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies
- Neeraj Nigam – Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Regulation, RBI
Nomura Projects GDP of India to contract 6.7% in FY21; grow 13.5% in FY22
- The Japanese brokerage Nomura has projected the GDP of India to grow at 13.5 percent in FY22 (2021-22).
- The brokerage expects the real GDP of India to contract by 6.7 percent in FY21 (2020-21)
Books & Author
Meghna Pant Pens her new novel ‘The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News’
- The award-winning writer, journalist and speaker Meghna Pant has come up with her new novel titled ‘The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News’.
- The book has been published by the Penguin Random House India and will be released in April 2021.
