IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF JANUARY 3rd, 2020

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF JANUARY 3rd, 2020

Nepal’s President launches ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ campaign to promote tourism
President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari launched much-awaited ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ campaign amidst a spectacular ceremony held at historic Dasaratha Rangashala in Kathmandu.

1)     The ambitious campaign is aimed to promote tourism in Nepal and attract 2 million tourists during the year 2020.

2)     The government has a goal of making tourism one of the key pillars of Nepali economy.

3)     Visit Nepal 2020 campaign was also launched in all the seven provinces of Nepal from.

4)     During the campaign a large number of programmes will be organized in various parts of Nepal throughout the year.

PM Modi disburses 12,000 crore rupees to six crore farmers as third instalment of PM-KISAN scheme
In Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi electronically released 12,000 crore rupees under Pradhan Mantri Samaan Yojana to six crore farmers in Tumakuru.

1)     He also awarded the Krishi Karman Award to the progressive farmers from 21 states.

2)     The PM-KISAN is a central sector scheme with 100 per cent funding from Government of India.

3)     The key element of PM-KISAN is income support of Rs 6,000 per year provided to all farmer families across the country in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each every four months.

Indian Railways launches integrated helpline number 139 for passengers
The Indian Railways has integrated its helpline numbers into a single number 139 for quick grievance redressal and enquiries by passengers during their train journeys.

1)     The new helpline number 139 will take over all the existing helpline numbers.

2)     It will be easy for passengers to remember this number and connect with Railways for all their needs during train travel.

3)     The Helpline 139 will be available in twelve languages.

4)     A call can be made on this number from any mobile phone and not just smart phones, thus, providing easy access to all mobile users.

General Bipin Rawat proposes creation of Air Defence Command by June 30
Chief of the Defence Staff, CDS General Bipin Rawat has directed various branch heads to come up with recommendations for inter-service synergy and jointness in a time bound manner.

1)     After assuming charge as CDS, General Rawat held a meeting with important functionaries of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.

2)     He directed that a proposal to create Air Defence Command be prepared by 30th of June this year.

22 tableau proposals out of 56 shortlisted for Republic Day
A total of twenty two tableau proposals including 16 from states and six from Central Ministries have been short-listed for participation in this year's Republic Day parade.

1)     Ministry of Defence had received a total of 56 tableaux proposals comprising 32 from States and 24 from Ministries in this regard.

2)     The tableaux proposals received are evaluated in a series of meetings of the Expert Committee comprising of eminent persons in the field of art, culture, painting, sculpture, music and architecture.

28th World Book Fair to focus on Gandhi as writer
The annual New Delhi World Book Fair, in its 28th edition, will focus on how Mahatma Gandhi influenced generations of writers through his writings.

1)     The nine-day fair, organised by the National Book Trust (NBT) in association with ITPO, will be inaugurated by Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

2)     Commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi, the theme pavilion, inspired by Sabarmati Ashram, uses hand-spun materials as wall-cladding.

3)     Besides an exclusive exhibition of 500 books on and by Gandhi in different languages, it will also host 30 panel discussions, book launches and performances related to the theme.

4)     The fair, however, will not be hosting any 'guest country' this year.

Assam state zoo first to breed endangered Hargila
The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden and Aaranyak has jointly attained a landmark achievement by successfully hatching a pair of Greater Adjutant or Hargila  chicks in an artificial platform within the zoo enclosure, in the first ever experiment of its kind.

1)     This rarest of storks, the Hargila is currently on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss stemming from indiscriminate felling of big trees and dwindling wetlands.

2)     The Endangered Greater Adjutant stork is one of the rarest species of Storks out of twenty species of Storks in the world.

3)     In India, eight species of residential storks are found, out of which Greater Adjutant is one of them.

4)     Once abundantly distributed in Southeast Asia, this stork is now restricted to a few isolated pockets in Assam and Bihar in India and PrekToal in Cambodia.

Andhra Pradesh govt appoints Special Officers for Disha
The state government appointed Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official Dr Kritika Shukla and Indian Police Service (IPS) official M Deepika, as Special Officers for implementing the Andhra Pradesh Disha Act 2019.

1)     The Act is intended for speedy trial and faster execution in cases of sexual offences against women in the state.

2)     The AP Disha Bill prescribes life imprisonment for other sexual offences against children and includes Section 354 F and 354 G in IPC.

3)     To ensure a speedy trial, the state will set up exclusive special courts in all the 13 districts to deal with cases of offences against women and children including rape, acid attacks, stalking, voyeurism, social media harassment of women, sexual harassment and all cases under POCSO Act.

4)     The state will also employ special Public Prosecutors and Special Police force dedicated to such crimes only.

Hillary Clinton appointed as new chancellor of Queen's University Belfast in Ireland
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been appointed the new chancellor of Queen's University in Belfast, Ireland.

1)     Clinton became the university's first female chancellor.

2)     She will serve as chancellor for a five-year term.

3)     The position of chancellor has been vacant since the death in 2018 of Thomas J Moran, chairman, president, and chief executive of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company.

14 scientists awarded Swarna Jayanti Fellowships
The Union Ministry of Science and Technology have awarded Swarna Jayanti Fellowships to 14 scientists to pursue basic research in frontier areas of science and technology.

1)     The fellowship covers all the requirements for performing the research and includes a fellowship of 25 thousand rupees per month.

2)     A research grant of five lakh rupees for five years is also being provided in addition to their salary.

3)     Instituted to commemorate India's 50th year of independence, Swaran Jayanti Fellowships are awarded to young and brilliant scientists to pursue unfettered research with financial freedom and flexibility.