Daily Current Affairs 20 February 2019: We have collected the latest current affairs for 20 February 2019 that are important for all competitive exams like bank, ssc, ibps, sbi exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the current affairs on our mobile app.
Current Affairs 20 February 2019
Important Cabinet Approvals on February 19, 2019
- The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the following Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and proposals during the cabinet meeting on February 19, 2019.
- India and Morocco – Reciprocal facilitation of procedures for issue of Business Visa.
- India and Vietnam – Cooperation in the field of Communications.
- India and Morocco – Facilitate Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications.
HRD Ministry launches Operation Digital Board
- The Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar launched Operation Digital Board (ODB) with an aim to have digital and interactive boards in every classroom.
- Digital boards will be available for students from class 9 to 12 in schools of government and government aided schools, and to classes in higher education institutions (HEI).
- Implementing Agency for HEI– UGC will be the implementing body of Operation Digital Board (ODB) for HEIs. For the 2 lakh class rooms, the cost is estimated at Rs. 2000 crores. This can be implemented as a Central scheme, as a loan from HEFA.
Smriti Irani Lays Foundation Stone of Hastshilp Complex in New Delhi
- The foundation stone of a Hastshilp Complex was laid in New Delhi by Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani.
- The construction of the Hastshilp Bhawan is being undertaken by NBCC (National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd) at a cost of Rs.113.56 crores and is likely to be complete in 18 months.
- The Centre will be named Deen Dayal Antarashtriya Hastshilp Bhawan
- It will provide a platform for better accessibility to handicrafts artisans coming from all over the country and SAARC nations to market their products
World Bank, UN Women and SIDBI to raise ₹300 cr from ‘women’s livelihood bond’
- The World Bank, UN Women , and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have come together to launch ‘women’s livelihood bond’ (WLB) to raise ₹300 crore.
- The tenure of ‘women’s livelihood bond’ would be 5 years. The coupon rate on these bonds will be 3 per cent per annum.
- The proceeds from the ‘women’s livelihood bond’ would be used to help rural women in India to set up or scale up their own enterprises.
Government to infuse Rs 48,239 cr for recapitalisation of 12 PSBs
- Finance Ministry on February 20, 2019 has announced to infuse Rs 48,239 Crore in 12 public sector banks in this fiscal year (till March 2019). This is to help these banks maintain regulatory capital requirements and finance growth plans.
- Corporation Bank will get the highest amount i.e Rs 9,086 crore followed by Allahabad Bank with Rs 6,896 crore.
- The government in December had infused Rs 28,615 crore into seven public sector banks (PSBs) through recapitalisation bonds.
4TH India-Asean Expo Summit to be held in New Delhi
- The 4th India-ASEAN Expo and Summit will be held in New Delhi from 21 to 23 February, 2019.
- The event is being organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) with an aim to carry forward the momentum and to further strengthen India-ASEAN relations under the Act-East Policy.
- The Theme for the event is: “Next 25 Years: Co-Creating the Future”.
ICC Bans UAE Cricket coach Irfan Ansari for 10 years
- The Cricket coach of UAE team, Irfan Ansari has been banned from all forms of cricket for ten years by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
- The Anti-Corruption Tribunal of ICC found him guilty of breaching three counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
- Ansari approached Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed during Pakistan series with Sri Lanka in the UAE in October 2017.
Boxer Nikhat Zareen wins gold at 70th Strandja International
- Indian Boxer Nikhat Zareen won a gold medal in the 51kg Category at the 50th Strandja Memorial International tournament.
- The tournament was held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Bengali singer Pratik Choudhury passed away at 55
- Bengali singer Pratik Choudhury on Tuesday passed away at the age of 55.
- The popular singer, known for his albums on contemporary Bengali songs invluding “Mukhosh”, “Bhusandir Mathe”, “Ebar Pratik er Pallay” and so on.
Iconic German Fashion Designer Karl Lagerfeld Passes Away at 85
- Karl Lagerfeld , a German creative director, fashion designer, artist, photographer and caricaturist passed away in Paris. He was 85.
- One of the most influential names in the fashion world, Karl was recognized for his signature white hair, black sunglasses, fingerless gloves, and high, starched detachable collars.
Populariser of ‘Global Warming’ Wallace Smith Broecker Passes Away at 87
- Wallace Smith Broecker, an American scientist and professor at Columbia University, passed away at the age of 87 in New York.
- In 1975, Broecker popularized the term global warming when he published a paper entitled: “Climate Change: Are we on the Brink of a Pronounced Global Warming?”
- He was also first to recognize the Ocean Conveyor Belt
- He was popularly known in science circles as the “Grandfather of Climate Science”.
Eminent Hindi Writer Namvar Singh Passes Away
- Noted Hindi writer and literary critic Namvar Singh passed away due to age related health issues. He was 92.
- Out of his dozen of books, he received Sahitya Academy Award for literary criticism in 1971 for ‘Kavita Ke Naye Pratiman’.
World Day of Social Justice: February 20
- The United Nations World Day of Social Justice is observed on February 20 every year.
- Purpose: Encourage people to look at how social justice affects poverty eradication and focuses on the goal of achieving full employment and support for social integration.
- The 2019 theme of WDSJ is : If You Want Peace & Development, Work for Social Justice.
Click Here For Daily Current Affairs
Click Here for Daily Current Affairs Quiz