1.National Affairs
Health Ministry Kayakalp Awards 2019-20
The Kayakalp Awards 2019-20 were presented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to the health facilities with the highest standards of sanitation and hygiene.
JIPMER was awarded the second prize under Group A (of hospitals having more than 1,000 beds) of the Kayakalp Awards Scheme.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar has received the best central government hospital under Category B of the Kayakalp Awards for cleanliness for the third consecutive time.
Quick Fact: The Kayakalp Award Scheme was launched in 2015.
2.National Affairs
Naveen Patnaik inaugurates India’s first ‘Fire Park’ in Bhubaneshwar
The CM of Odisha Naveen Patnaik virtually inaugurated India’s first ‘Fire Park’ to educate and bring awareness among the people on basic fire safety measures.
The ‘Fire Park’ is located inside the premises of the Odisha Fire and DIsaster Academy in Bhubaneswar.
The Minister also launched an online portal ‘AgnishamaSeva’ of the Odisha Fire Service.
3.Government Schemes
RBI forms a six-member working group to regulate digital lending frauds
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has formed a working group to study digital lending activities of the regulated & unregulated players because of growing instances of frauds.
The 6-member panel includes- Jayant Kumar Dash, Ajay Kumar Choudhary, P Vasudevan, Manoranjan Mishra, Vikram Mehta & Rahul Sasi.
The group will evaluate digital lending activities and suggest steps to regulate the activities including online lending platforms & mobile lending.
Quick Fact: Shaktikanta Das is the Governor of RBI.
4.Science and Technology
NITI Aayog and Flipkart collaborate to enhance WEP
NITI Aayog and Flipkart have come together to launch the revamped Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP).
WEP is a unified access portal that brings together women from different parts of India to realize their entrepreneurship aspirations.
The idea was first mooted by Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog who announced the setting up of WEP at the 8th Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) held in Hyderabad in 2017.
Quick Fact: Kalyan Krishnamurthy is the CEO of Flipkart.
5.Miscellaneous
India ranks 4th in ‘Break Out Economies’
India has been ranked 4th in the 3rd edition of the ‘Digital Evolution Scorecard’ developed by Tufts University’s Fletcher School in partnership with Mastercard.
China has been ranked first in the ‘Break Out Economies’ group mainly due to its rapidly growing demand and innovation.
The report displays increasing digital momentum suggesting the potential to rapidly digitalize post-COVID economic recovery and long-term transformation.
Quick Fact: Mastercard Incorporated is headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States.
6.Person in News
Social Activist and Padma Shri awardee D Prakash Rao passes away
Noted Social Activist and Padma Shri winner, D Prakash Rao breathed his last at the age of 63.
Rao was a tea seller based in Cuttack who spent his entire life educating kids in the slum through the school ‘Asha O Ashwasana’ which he started in 2000.
Rao was conferred the Padma Shri in 2019 for his contribution towards boosting the value of education among slum kids in Cuttack.
7.Miscellaneous
Tesla sets up a fully owned subsidiary in Bengaluru
Elon Musk owned Electric Vehicle company Tesla has registered a fully-owned subsidiary in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Tesla’s global senior director David Jon Feinstein, CAO Vaibhav Taneja, and Venkatrangam Sreeram are on the board of Tesla India Motors & Energy Pvt. Ltd.
The electric maker would start first with sales and then might start with assembly and manufacturing.
Quick Fact: Tesla is headquartered in California, United States.
8.International Affairs
1th Dhaka International Film Festival to pay tribute to Satyajit Ray
The 19th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) will be inaugurated on 16th January and is dedicated to the birth centenary of Baghabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Director of the festival, Ahmed Muztaba Zamal announced that 225 films from 73 countries will be screened during the 9-day long festival.
Spring Blossom directed by Suzanne Lindon will be the opening film of the festival and a tribute will be paid to legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
