PM lays foundation stone for National Highway projects worth about Rs 14000 crore in Bihar

Shankar School of Banking September 22 , 2020 274

NATIONAL NEWS

Cabinet approves MSP for Rabi Crops for marketing season 2021-22

  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all mandated Rabi crops for marketing season 2021-22.
  • In account of keeping nutritional requirements and changing dietary pattern and to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds production as a main factor, the Government has fixed relatively higher MSP for these crops.
  • The highest increase in MSP has been announced for lentil (Rs. 300 per quintal) followed by gram and rapeseed & mustard (Rs. 225 per quintal each) and safflower (Rs. 112 per quintal).
  • Government has set up a buffer stock of pulses and domestic procurement of pulses is being done under Price Stabilization Fund (PSF).
  • The Umbrella Scheme “Pradhan Mantri AnnadataAaySanraksHan Abhiyan” (PM-AASHA), comprising Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS), and pilot Scheme of Private Procurement and Stockist Scheme (PPSS) will aid in procurement of pulses and oilseeds.

 

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar kick starts National Rabi Campaign 2020 for Aatamnirbhar Kheti

  • Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar addressed the National Conference for Rabi Campaign 2020 held on 21st September 2020.
  • The campaign is to review the progress of Kharif 2020-21 and plan for the Rabi season and Government’s revolutionary steps in strengthening agriculture infrastructure and economic condition of the farmers.
  • Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme worth Rs 1 lakh crore for 4 years has been launched for creating facilities for cold storage, warehouse, packaging, ripening & waxing plants by agri-entrepreneurs, farmers’ association and local government agencies.
  • Union Minister also congratulated farmers and state governments for record food grain production of 296.65 million tonnes in 2019-20 under unfavourable conditions imposed by Covid-19.

 

PM lays foundation stone for National Highway projects worth about Rs 14000 crore in Bihar

  • Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for nine National Highway Projects worth Rs 14000 crore in Bihar and virtually launched the project to provide internet services through Optical Fibre in the state.
  • The highway projects include construction of 3 large bridges, upgrading of highways into 4 lanes and 6 lanes.
  • All rivers in Bihar will have bridges confirming to 21st century specifications and all major NHs will stand widened and strengthened under the project.
  • The project also includes providing 6 Lakh villages with internet services through Optical Fibre cable in 1000 days for the 45,945 village in Bihar.

 

Ministry of Tourism organises webinar on “Promoting Destinations with Authenticated Cuisines” under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series

  • The Ministry of Tourism’s Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series titled “Promoting Destinations with Authenticated Cuisines” on 19th September 2020 focused on India - a land with varied cuisines.
  • Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series is an effort to display India’s rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat and it is continuously spreading spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat through virtual platform.
  • The webinar focused on some traditional dishes from three states – Uttaranchal, Punjab and Delhi.
  • The webinar was presented by Mrs Radha Bhatia, Chairperson of Bird Group, Mr Anooj Wadhawan, Executive Chef of Roseate House, New Delhi, Mr Chetan Rana, Executive Sous Chef of The Roseate Ganges, Rishikesh and Mr Anand Panwar, Executive Pastry Chef of The Roseate, New Delhi.

Fact: Union Minister of state for Tourism - Prahlad Singh Patel

 

IEA and NITI Aayog launch Special Report on Sustainable Recovery Post Covid-19

  • International Energy Agency (IEA), in collaboration with NITI Aayog, presented a ‘Special Report on Sustainable Recovery’ on 18 September 2020. 
  • Part of IEA’s flagship World Energy Outlook series, the report proposes a number of actions that could be taken over the next three years to revitalize economies and boost employment while making energy systems cleaner and more resilient.
  • The report was virtually launched by IEA Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol and NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, in the presence of Minister of Railways and Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.
  • The report mentions key sectors for creating jobs: electricity, transportation, buildings, industry and sustainable biofuels and innovations.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Direct cargo ferry service between India & Maldives jointly e- launched

  • Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of Maldives, Ms Aishath Nahula today jointly e- launched a direct cargo ferry service between India and Maldives.
  • During its maiden voyage, a vessel with a capacity of 200 TEU and 3000 MT of break bulk cargo will sail from Tuticorin to Kochi, from where it will proceed to Kulhudhuffushi port in North Maldives and then to Male port.
  • This ferry service being operated by the Shipping Corporation of India will run twice a month and will provide a cost effective direct and alternate means of transportation of goods between India and Maldives.

 

ECONOMIC NEWS

SBI sanctions Rs. 38 crore to women SHGs under NRLM

  • SBI launched a programme by the name "Mahila Atmanirbharshil Aachani" (Women Self-Reliance programme) in Assam on September 18, 2020.
  • This programme is to accelerate SHG finance in the SBI in a mission mode and to percolate the importance of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhijan launched by the Prime Minister.
  • 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 uplift.
  • SBI branches of Assam has sanctioned 856 SHGs sponsored by NRLM with financial outlay of Rs. 38 Crore.

Fact: SBI chairperson – Rajnish Kumar

          Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

SBI Life Insurance inks pact with Yes Bank to sell insurance policies

  • SBI Life Insurance has signed bancassurance agreement with Yes Bank to offer a comprehensive bouquet of life insurance solutions to the bank’s customers across the country.
  • As part of the partnership, SBI Life’s diverse range of individual and group insurance solutions will be offered to the customers of Yes Bank through the bank’s branches spread across 28 states and 8 Union Territories in India.
  • SBI Life’s extensive product portfolio coupled with the bank’s digital capabilities and widespread presence will ensure easy accessibility of life insurance to the customers.
  • The agreement was signed by Rajan Pental, Global Head – Retail Banking, Yes Bank and AVS Sivaramakrishna, Regional Director-Mumbai region, SBI Life Insurance, in the presence of Mahesh Kumar Sharma, MD & CEO, SBI Life.

 

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

PM Narendra Modi awarded Ig Nobel Prize 2020 for medical education

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded the Ig Nobel Prize 2020 for Medical Education, was awarded the prize for "using the COVID-19 pandemic to teach the world that politicians can have a more immediate effect on life and death than scientists and doctors can".
  • Along with Modi, the medical education prize was jointly awarded to Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom, Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico, Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Donald Trump of the USA, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Vladimir Putin of Russia, and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan.
  • The Ig Nobel Prize is a satirical and parody award given out by a magazine Improbable Research every year since 1991.
  • Modi became the second Indian Prime Minister to be awarded the Ig Nobel Prize first was given to then-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 along with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan were awarded the Ig Nobel Peace Prize for "aggressively peaceful explosions of atomic bombs."

 

 

 

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