Daily Current Affairs 20 January 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 20 January 2020 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 daily current affairs on our mobile app.

Current Affairs 20 January 2020

Nearly Rs 70000 Crore Disbursed Under MSME Loan within 59 minutes: Ministry of Finance

• As per the data by the Ministry of Finance, loan amount of nearly Rs 70,000 crore has been disbursed till 13 January 2020 under the scheme of providing loan to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within 59 minutes.
• The government has introduced loan provision to MSMEs through a dedicated online portal- www.psbloansin59 minutes.com for ease of access to credit for MSMEs.
• The portal acts as a single interface portal which facilitates in principal approval of bank loans to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises upto Rs 5 crore within 59 minutes.

Prakash Javadekar Inaugurates ELECRAMA 2020 at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida

• The Union Minister of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Information & Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, inaugurated ELECRAMA 2020, at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• The event has been organised from 18 to 22 January 2020 by industry body, Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association (IEEMA), which is targeting businesses worth Rs 30,000 crore during the five-day event.
• ELECRAMA is the flagship programme of the IEEMA to provide a platform to connect the world with Indian industry in respect of technology, new trends and innovation for future energy transition.
• The focus of 2020 ELECRAMA is on e-mobility, energy storage, start-ups, grid transformation, revenue security with special attention on small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
• IEEMA is a national representative organization of manufacturers of electrical, industrial electronics and allied equipment in India with presence in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore.

India successfully test-fires K-4 nuclear capable ballistic missile off coast in Andhra Pradesh

• India successfully test-fired nuclear capable missile, K-4, off the Vizag coast in Andhra Pradesh, on 19 January 2020.
• K-4 is a nuclear capable, Intermediate-range, submarine-launched, ballistic missile, which is under development by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Navy.
• The missile will be equipped on indigenous INS Arihant class nuclear powered submarines of Navy.
• The missile has a maximum range of about 3500 km.
• India is expected to carry out more tests of the missile before it is ready for being equipped on the nuclear submarines.
• K-4 is one of the two underwater missiles being developed by India for its submarine force.
• The other one is the over 700 km strike range BO-5.

JP Nadda Elected Unopposed as National President of BJP

• Jagat Prakash Nadda has been elected unopposed as the National President of Bharatiya Janata Party on 20 January 2020.
• Nadda was serving as the Working President of the party since 17 June 2019 succeeding Amit Shah.
• He will serve for three years.

Senior bureaucrats Rajeev Singh Thakur and Shantanu Appointed as Joint Secretaries in the newly-created Department of Military Affairs

• On 20 January 2020, the Centre has appointed senior bureaucrats Rajeev Singh Thakur and Shantanu as Joint Secretaries in the newly-created Department of Military Affairs under the Ministry of Defence.
• Mr Thakur, a 1995 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Rajasthan Cadre will have a tenure till December 2022.
• Mr Shantanu, a 1997 batch Tripura Cadre IAS officer has been appointed to the post till March 2024.

About Department of Military Affairs

• The Department of Military Affairs, under the Ministry of Defence came into existence from 01 January 2020.
• It is headed by the Chief of Defence Staff, who acts as its ex-officio secretary.
• Apart from the Chief of Defence Staff, the department comprises two joint secretaries, thirteen deputy secretaries, and twenty-five under-secretaries.

Centre appoints Nripendra Mishra as Chairman of Executive Council of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

• The Government has reconstituted the Executive Council of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) in New Delhi.
• Nripendra Misra, the former principal secretary to the Prime Minister has been appointed Chairperson of the executive council of the NMML. Mr Misra is a 1967-batch retired IAS officer.
• Dr A Surya Prakash, chairperson of the Prasar Bharati board, will be the vice-chairperson of the eight-member executive council.
• NMML is an autonomous institution under the Indian Ministry of Culture, to preserve and reconstruct the history of the Indian independence movement.
• It is the world’s leading resource centre on India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Arjun Munda elected as President of Archery Association of India

• Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda has been elected as president of the Archery Association of India (AAI), on 18 January 2020.
• The elections took place at JN Stadium, New Delhi in the presence of an observer each from World Archery (WA), Sports Ministry and Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
• Munda defeated rival and incumbent BVP Rao by 34-18 margin.
• Pramod Chandurkar has been elected as secretary.
• All 19 office bearers including president, senior vice-president, vice-presidents (8), secretary, joint-secretaries (7), and treasurer have been elected for a four year tenure.

India bags 7 medals in UWW Rome Ranking Series 2020

• India won seven medals in the UWW Rome Ranking Series 2020 which was held from January 15-18, 2020.
• The medals included 4 gold, 2 silver and a bronze. The medals came from:

Gold

1. Bajrang Punia – 65kg freestyle
2. Ravi  Kumar Dahiya – 61kg
3. Vinesh Phogat – 53kg
4. Gurpreet Singh – 82kg

Silver

1. Anshu Malik – 57kg
2. Sunil Kumar – 97kg

Bronze

1. Sajan Bhanwal – 77 kg

Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon Defeats Carolina Marin to lift Indonesia Masters 2020

• In Badminton, Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon lifted the Indonesia Badminton Masters 2020 women’s singles title on 19 January 2020.
• She defeated Carolina Marin, 21-19, 11-21, 21-18, in the summit clash.

Veteran Congress leader Shamsher Singh Surjewala passes away at 87

• Veteran Congress leader Shamsher Singh Surjewala has passed away following prolonged illness. He was 87.
• Surjewala was the father of party leader Randeep Surjewala.
• He remained a five-time MLA and one-time Rajya Sabha MP.

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