Dear Champions, as you all know that a lot of competitive exams have been notified consequently. Candidates have to prepare themselves according to the level of competition and expectation of  the Recruitment board. Regarding that one of the most important topic is Daily Current Affairs. Current Affairs in the form of contemporary events of national & international play a crucial role in almost every competitive exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC, UPSC, TNPSC, Railway etc.

Current affairs are the most dynamic yet scoring among all sections and need to be prepared from the right source. Here, we cafunsta team, providing  Daily GK Updates, Current Affairs Questions, and Monthly  current affairs pdf.

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January 30 | Daily Current Affairs 2021

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. Martyrs’ Day is observed on which date?
A) January 30
B) January 29
C) January 31
D) January 28
E) January 27
Answer: A) January 30

• Martyrs’ Day is observed every year on January 30 to mark the death anniversary of the father of the nation Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
• In 1948, Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse at one of his prayer meets. Godse, a nationalist, killed Gandhi by shooting at him three times from a close range.
• Gandhi was conferred the title of ‘Mahatma’ posthumously around 1915.
• While some claim Rabindranath Tagore used this title for him, others say residents of Gurukul Kangri first called him by the name.
• The Sanskrit word Mahatma means a great soul.

World Leprosy Day:

• World Leprosy Day is observed internationally every year on the last Sunday of January to increase the public awareness of Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease.
• This date was chosen by French humanitarian Raoul Follereau as a tribute to the life of Mahatma Gandhi who had compassion for people afflicted with leprosy.
• It is one of the oldest recorded diseases in the world.
• It is an infectious chronic disease that targets the nervous system, especially the nerves in the cooler parts of the body: the hands, feet, and face.
• Beat Leprosy, End Stigma and Advocate for Mental Well-Being is the 2021 theme of the World Leprosy Day.

SPORTS

2. Ranji Trophy is related to which sports?
A) Cricket
B) Football
C) Volleyball
D) Hockey
E) Table Tennis
Answer: A) Cricket

• The BCCI will not be conducting its premier first-class domestic tournament Ranji Trophy for the first time in 87 years as the parent body opted for the Vijay Hazare Trophy as per the wishes of majority of the state units.
• The BCCI will also host the U-19 National One Day tournament for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy and the Women’s national 50-over tournament as per a letter sent by BCCI secretary Jay Shah to the state units.

BCCI:
Abbreviation: The Board of Control for Cricket in India
Founded: 1928
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
President: Sourav Ganguly

BCCI – Hold Hazare Trophy as per state units’ wish, no Ranji Trophy for first time in 87 years.

3. Who won gold medal in 10m air pistol event at men’s category at the Asian Online Shooting Championship?
A) Saurabh Chaudhary
B) Apurvi Chandela
C) Abhinav Bindra
D) Vijay Kumar
E) Gagan Narang
Answer: A) Saurabh Chaudhary

Men -10m air pistol:

 

Women – 10m air pistol:

Saurabh Chaudhary – gold medal in 10m air pistol event at men’s category – the Asian Online Shooting Championship.

OBITUARY

4. Paul J. Crutzen passed away. He won Nobel Prize in which year?
A) 1992
B) 1993
C) 1994
D) 1995
E) 1996
Answer: D) 1995

• Paul J. Crutzen passed away at the age of 87 following several years of illness.
• Born in the Netherlands, he was Director of the Atmospheric Chemistry Department at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz from 1980 to 2000.
• The Dutchman was Director of the Atmospheric Chemistry Department at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany, from 1980 to 2000.
• Together with Mario J. Molina and F. Sherwood Rowland he received the 1995 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for identifying how nitrogen oxides erode the Earth’s ozone layer and discovering chemical processes that cause the ozone hole.

Paul J. Crutzen – Nobel Laureate.

BANKING AND FINANCE

5. Which Bank has rolled out Visa Signature International Contactless Debit Card for its customers in both metal and plastic variants?
A) Bank of Baroda
B) Bank of India
C) Bank of Maharashtra
D) Central Bank of India
E) State Bank of India
Answer: B) Bank of India

• Bank of India has rolled out Visa Signature International Contactless Debit Card for its customers in both metal and plastic variants.
• With the introduction of this new debit card, BOI customers shall enjoy higher per day spending limit of Rs 5.00 lakh at PoS, Rs.2.00 Lakhs for e-commerce transaction,
  Rs 1.00 lakh cash withdrawal from ATM and Rs. 5,000 for contactless transactions.
• The card comes with additional benefit of complimentary lounge access, rewards points on card PoS and e-commerce usage, insurance against unauthorized transaction and offers on travel, retail, dining, lifestyle, entertainment and luxurious hotels.
• The new card is issued to high net worth customers maintaining average quarterly balance of Rs 10.00 lakhs and above in saving and current account.

Bank of India:
Hq: Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD and CEO : Atanu Kumar Das
Tagline : Relationship Beyond Banking

Bank of India – Visa Signature International Contactless Debit Card.

6. Which Bank extended “MSME PRERANA” a Business — Mentoring Program for MSME entrepreneurs in Uttar Pradesh?
A) Bank of Baroda
B) Indian Bank
C) Bank of Maharashtra
D) Central Bank of India
E) State Bank of India
Answer: B) Indian Bank

• Indian Bank, the 7th largest Public Sector Bank of the country, extended its “MSME PRERANA” a Business — Mentoring Program for MSME entrepreneurs in Uttar Pradesh.
  MSME Prerana.
• MSME Prerana, was launched by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman on October 6, 2020.
• MSME Prerana is a first of its kind initiative by a Bank in the country for the MSME sector.
• This is for empowering MSME entrepreneurs through skill development and capacity building workshops in the local languages.
• The programme is in collaboration with Knowledge Partner M/s Poornatha & Co, a firm that designs Entrepreneurial Development Programmes in vernacular using online web based interactive sessions and case studies.
• So far, about 300 MSME entrepreneurs have participated in this programme.
• UP chief secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari launched the first MSME Training Programme in Hindi in UP and was Chief Guest of the programme. Mr Tiwari also launched the Bank’s MSME Prerana Website in Hindi.

Uttar Pradesh:
Capital : Lucknow
CM : Yogi Adityanath
Governor : Anandiben Patel

Indian Bank:
Headquarters: Chennai,Tamilnadu
MD & CEO: Ms. Padmaja Chundru
Tagline : Your Own Bank

Uttar Pradesh – Indian Bank’s MSME PRERANA programme.

7. The RBI cancels licence of Shivam Sahakari Bank as it does not have adequate capital and earning prospects. Shivam Sahakari Bank is based on which state?
A) Haryana
B) Maharashtra
C) Tamil Nadu
D) Madhya Pradesh
E) Andhra Pradesh
Answer: B) Maharashtra

• The RBI said the licence of Maharashtra-based Shivam Sahakari Bank has been cancelled as it does not have adequate capital and earning prospects.
• Consequently, the bank ceases to carry on banking business, with effect from the close of business on January 29, 2021.
• With the cancellation of licence and commencement of liquidation proceedings, the process of paying the depositors of Shivam Sahakari Bank as per the DICGC Act, 1961 will be set in motion.

Reserve Bank of India:
Act: Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao)

RBI – Cancel licence of Kolhapur-based Shivam Sahakari Bank.

8. The World Bank has committed how much amount to African countries to support vaccination programs?
A) $11 billion
B) $12 billion
C) $13 billion
D) $14 billion
E) $15 billion
Answer: B) $12 billion

World Bank – $12 billion for vaccinations in Africa.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

9. According to CGA, India’s fiscal deficit soars to how much amount at December end?
A) Rs 13.6 trillion
B) Rs 11.6 trillion
C) Rs 12.6 trillion
D) Rs 14.6 trillion
E) Rs 15.6 trillion
Answer: B) Rs 11.6 trillion

• Union government’s fiscal deficit soared to Rs 11.58 trillion or 145.5 per cent of the Budget Estimate (BE) at the end of December, as revenue realisation was hit by disruptions in normal business activities.
• According to the data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) , the fiscal deficit at the end of December in the previous fiscal year was 132.4 per cent of the BE of 2019-20.
• In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit stood at Rs 11,58,469 crore at December-end. For the current fiscal year, the government had pegged the fiscal deficit at Rs 7.96 trillion or 3.5 per cent of the GDP in the Budget which was presented in February 2020. The fiscal deficit or gap between the expenditure and revenue had breached the annual target in July this year.
• The government received Rs 11.21 trillion (50 per cent of corresponding BE 2020-21 of total receipts) up to December 2020. Of this, Rs 9,62,399 crore was tax revenue,
  Rs 1,26,181 crore was non-tax revenue, and Rs 33,098 crore was non-debt capital receipts.
• Non-debt capital receipts consist of recovery of loans (Rs 14,202 crore) and disinvestment proceeds (Rs 18,896 crore).
• The total receipts till December 2020 works out to be 49.9 per cent of the BE.
• The receipts were 56.6 per cent of the BE 2019-20 at the end of December 2019.
• The CGA also said that Rs 3,71,640 crore has been transferred to state governments as devolution of share of taxes by the central government up to December 2020.
• The centre’s total expenditure stood at Rs 22.80 trillion or 75 per cent of corresponding BE 2020-21. Out of this, Rs 19,71,173 crore was on revenue account and Rs 3,08,974 crore was on capital account.
• Of the total revenue expenditure, Rs 4,72,171 crore was towards interest payments and Rs 2,27,352 crore is on account of major subsidies.

CGA – India’s fiscal deficit soars to Rs 11.6 trillion at December end.

APPOINTMENTS

10. Who is appointed as MD & CEO of SBI Cards and Payment Services?
A) Selva Mohan Rao Amara
B) Rama Mohan Rao Amara
C) Ramesh Mohan Rao Amara
D) Bala Mohan Rao Amara
E) Siva Mohan Rao Amara
Answer: B) Rama Mohan Rao Amara

• Rama Mohan Rao Amara has taken charge as the new MD & CEO of SBI Cards and Payment Services (SBI Card).
• His appointment is with effect from January 30, 2021 for a period of two years subject to all the requisite approvals including that of the shareholders.
• Amara takes over from Ashwini Kumar Tewari.

Rama Mohan Rao Amara – MD & CEO of SBI Card –
Ashwini Kumar Tewari (Replaced).

11. Jay Shah has appointed as the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) . He was which position of BCCI?
A) Vice President
B) Secretary
C) Vice Secretary
D) Co-Ordinator
E) Ordinator
Answer: B) Secretary

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah was appointed as the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) .
• Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) chief Nazmul Hussain was the previous chief of the ACC and now Jay Shah has taken over the role. The ACC is Asia’s regional administrative body and it currently consists of 24 member associations.

Jay Shah – President of Asian Cricket Council.

AWARDS

12. AR Rahman has been presented with the Alert Being Icon Award. He won Oscar award in which year under Best Original Song?
A) 2009
B) 2010
C) 2011
D) 2012
E) 2013
Answer: A) 2009

• Oscar Award-winning music director and composer AR Rahman has been presented with the Alert Being Icon Award.
• Rahman, whose real name is Allahrakha, was among 14 people to receive the award for their Good Samaritan work.
• The presentation took place as part of the Alert Being Awards 2020.
• ALERT presents awards every year to honour real-life heroes who go beyond the call of duty to help save lives.
• The awards ceremony took place in Chennai on Friday, January 29, 2021.
• As well as Rahman, social activist Hari Krishnan was among those to receive the award.

AR Rahman – ALERT Being Icon Award

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

13. Which University developed Covid-19 testing method that relies on a smartphone microscope to analyse saliva samples and deliver results in about 10 minutes?
A) University of Arizona
B) University of Harvard
C) University of Cambridge
D) University of Oxford
E) University of TelAviv
Answer: A) University of Arizona

• Researchers at the University of Arizona are designing a Covid-19 testing method that relies on a smartphone microscope to analyse saliva samples and deliver results in about 10 minutes.
• The research team, led by biomedical engineering professor Jeong-Yeol Yoon, aims to bring a system that has the speed of antigen tests and accuracy of RT-PCR tests.

University of Arizona – Smartphone-based Covid-19 test.

14. Which Armed Forces and Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow have partnered to create a plan to empower families of CRPF personnel?
A) Indian Air Force
B) Indian Navy
C) Indian Army
D) BSF
E) CRPF
Answer: E) CRPF

• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow have partnered to create a plan to empower families of CRPF personnel.
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by both to undertake a pilot project on domestic empowerment. Dr AP Maheshwari, DG CRPF and Prof Archana Shukla, Director IIM Lucknow have signed this MoU.

CRPF:
Abbreviation: The Central Reserve Police Force
Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
Director General : A. P. Maheshwari

CRPF + IIM Lucknow = MoU To Empower Jawans’ Families.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

15. Which country proposes law to ban cryptocurrencies, create official digital currency?
A) India
B) Nepal
C) Russia
D) Myanmar
E) Japan
Answer: A) India

• The Centre plans to introduce a law to ban private cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and put in place a framework for an official digital currency to be issued by the central bank, according to a legislative agenda listed by the government.
• The law will “create a facilitative framework for creation of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India [RBI],” said the agenda, published on the Lower House website on January 29.
• The legislation, listed for debate in the current parliamentary session, seeks “to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India, however, it allows for certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses,” the agenda said.
• In mid-2019, a government panel recommended banning all private cryptocurrencies, with a jail term of up to 10 years and heavy fines for anyone dealing in digital currencies.
• The panel has, however, asked the government to consider the launch of an official government-backed digital currency in India, to function like bank notes, through the Reserve Bank of India.
• The RBI had in April 2018 ordered financial institutions to break off all ties with individuals or businesses dealing in virtual currency such as bitcoin within three months.
• However, in March 2020, the Supreme Court allowed banks to handle cryptocurrency transactions from exchanges and traders, overturning a central bank ban had that dealt the thriving industry a major blow.
• Governments around the world have been looking into ways to regulate cryptocurrencies but no major economy has taken the drastic step of placing a blanket ban on owning them, even though concern has been raised about the misuse of consumer data and its possible impact on the financial system.

India – Propose law to ban cryptocurrencies, create official digital currency.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

16. The government will set up NaBFID to meet the infrastructure financing requirements of the country. What is the expansion of F in NaBFID?
A) Field
B) Fill-up
C) Favor
D) Financing
E) Fire
Answer: D) Financing

• The government will set up National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) to meet the infrastructure financing requirements of the country.
• It will introduce The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) Bill 2021 in the Budget session to set it up as a developmental financial institution or DFI.
• The government will also introduce The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021 to provide for an official digital currency.
• The government will also introduce the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021 which seeks to create a facilitative framework for creation of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
• The government will also introduce The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2021 for ensuring universal pension coverage as well as strengthening PFRDA.

Government – Introduce bills to set up DFI, Digital Currency.

17. Which state has become the second State as an incentive for undertaking reforms in three out of four stipulated areas?
A) Telangana
B) Tamil Nadu
C) Andhra Pradesh
D) Maharashtra
E) Himachal Pradesh
Answer: A) Telangana

• Government has approved capital projects of an additional amount of 179 crore rupees for Telangana.
• Finance Ministry said, additional projects have been approved in the State as an incentive for undertaking reforms in three out of the four stipulated citizen-centric areas, One Nation One Ration Card, Ease of Doing Business and Urban Local Bodies Reforms.
  The projects have been approved under the newly launched scheme of Financial Assistance to States for capital projects.
• The scheme of Special Assistance to States for capital expenditure was announced by the Finance Minister on 12th October last year as part of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat package.
• The Scheme is aimed at boosting capital expenditure by the State Governments who are facing difficult financial environment this year due to the shortfall in tax revenue arising from the COVID 19 pandemic.
• The Ministry said, Telangana has become the second State to get additional funds under the Scheme. Earlier, Madhya Pradesh was sanctioned additional capital projects of 660 crore rupees as an incentive for undertaking reforms in three out of four stipulated areas.
• The citizen-centric areas identified by the Government for undertaking reforms by the States are One Nation One Ration Card Reforms, Ease of Doing Business Reforms, Power Sector Reforms and Urban Local Bodies Reforms.

Telangana:
Capital: Hyderabad
CM: K. Chandrashekar Rao
Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan

Govt – Approve capital projects of additional amount of Rs 179 cr for Telangana.

18. Which Metro has become the first metro in the country to use ultraviolet (UV) rays to sanitise train coaches?
A) Mumbai Metro
B) Lucknow Metro
C) Bangalore Metro
D) Chennai Metro
E) Hyderabad Metro
Answer: B) Lucknow Metro

• The Lucknow Metro has become the first metro in the country to use ultraviolet (UV) rays to sanitise train coaches. The step was taken in the wake of Covid pandemic to provide its passengers a safe and secure journey.
• DRDO approved the equipment in October last year and Lucknow Metro has become the first metro to use this to sanitize the coaches.
• The remote operated equipment also reduces the cost by 40 times less than what comes in sanitizing the coach by sodium hypochlorite.

Lucknow Metro – First metro to use UV rays to sanitise train coaches.

19. Which state CM unveiled the first indigenously-built metro rake that will be run on metro line 7 (Dahisar East to Andheri East) and 2A (Dahisar to DN Nagar)?
A) Telangana
B) Tamil Nadu
C) Andhra Pradesh
D) Maharashtra
E) Himachal Pradesh
Answer: D) Maharashtra

• Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray unveiled the first indigenously-built metro rake that will be run on metro line 7 (Dahisar East to Andheri East) and 2A (Dahisar to DN Nagar) when services on these lines commence from May 2021.
• The rake comprises six coaches manufactured by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) at its Bengaluru facility. The indigenously-designed rake has a stainless steel body, is equipped with CCTV surveillance and also has a facility for carrying passengers’ bicycles in the coaches.
• BEML Limited, a defence public sector equipment manufacturer, had bagged an order worth Rs 3,015 crore from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for the supply of 378 metro cars (63 metro train sets of 6 Cars each) for Mumbai Metro corridors 2A and 7.
• Thackeray also inaugurated the branding manual, travel card and the operation control centre at Charkop Metro depot and the receiving sub-station.

Maharashtra:
Capital : Mumbai
CM : Udhav Thackarey
Governor : Bhagat singh koshyari

Uddhav Thackeray – Unveil first indigenously built rake to run on Metro 7, 2A.

20. Which state launched the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign 2021 (SLAC) on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary?
A) Karnataka
B) Tamil Nadu
C) Andhra Pradesh
D) Maharashtra
E) Himachal Pradesh
Answer: A) Karnataka

• The Department of Health and Family Welfare in Karnataka launched the Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign 2021 (SLAC) on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary.
• The SLAC is a fortnightly program from January 30, 2021, to February 13, 2021.
• The program was organised at the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, Arogya Soudha, Magadi Road in Bengaluru.

Leprosy:

• Leprosy is also known as Hansen’s disease and is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium Leprae.
• It mainly affects the skin, nerves, eyes, and respiratory system.
• The disease is completely curable if diagnosed early, late presentations are associated with complications. If left untreated, leprosy can cause progressive and permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes.

Karnataka – Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign

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