Daily Current Affairs 23 & 24 December 2019: We have collected the latest current affairs for 23 & 24 December 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 daily current affairs on our mobile app.

Current Affairs 23 & 24 December 2019

DNA Analysis Centre inaugurated at CFSL, Chandigarh

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, inaugurated a state-of-the-art DNA Analysis Centre at Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh
The new advanced forensic DNA Analysis Lab has been set up under the Nirbhaya Fund scheme, with an allocation of Rs 99.76 crores and has a capacity of examining 2000 cases per year.
This Centre will provide State-of-the-art facility for sexual assault and homicide unit, paternity unit, human identification unit and mitochondrial DNA unit.

Nashik Railway Station Launches ‘Oxygen Parlour’ to combat air pollution

In a unique initiative to combat the rising air pollution in cities, the Nashik railway station has opened an ‘Oxygen Parlour’ to provide an experience of breathing clean air to the commuters.
The initiative is a joint efforts of Airo Guard in collaboration with the Indian Railways.
The concept of Oxygen Parlour is based on the recommendation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
In 1989, NASA had conducted a study in which they identified some plants that better absorb the five most harmful pollutants from the air. Oxygen Parlour have most of those plants been planted.

First tripartite Memorandum of Agreement signed under Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fund (FIDF)

The first tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed between the department of Fisheries Government of India, NARBARD and the Government of Tamil Nadu for the implementation of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fund (FIDF) to address the infrastructure requirement for fisheries sector.
A dedicated fund has been created namely the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) with a total of Rs. 7522.48 crore.
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying: Shri Giriraj Singh
FIDF provides concessional finance to the eligible entities, cooperatives, individuals and entrepreneurs for development of identified fisheries infrastructure.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NARBARD), National Cooperatives Development Corporation (NCDC) and all scheduled banks are Nodal Loaning entities (NLEs) to provide concessional finance under the (FIDF).

SEBI signs pact with Kazakhstan-based AFSA for mutual co-operation

Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has signed a pact with Kazakhstan’s Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) for mutual co-operation and technical assistance.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) will strengthen cross border co-operation in the area of securities regulation, facilitate mutual assistance, contribute towards efficient performance of the supervisory functions, and enable effective enforcement of laws and regulations governing the securities markets.
The MoU was signed by SEBI Chairman, Ajay Tyagi and the acting CEO of AFSA Mukhtar Bubeyev.

AIIB Approves USD 210 million loan for irrigation & solar energy projects in India

The Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has announced loan worth USD 210 million for irrigation and solar energy projects in India.
Of the $210 million, $145 million will be used to improve irrigation services and strengthen flood risk management in West Bengal, while $65 million has been earmarked for a 250-megawatt (MW) solar project in Rajasthan.
India is the second-largest shareholder of the multilateral institution and the largest recipient of its loan and equity commitments.
The total commitments to the country stand at $3 billion out of total commitment of $10 billion.

Brazil and China Co-developed Earth Observation Satellite, CBERS-4A, Launched into Orbit

China and Brazil have jointly developed an Earth Observation (EO) satellite, China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite (CBERS) 4A.
The CBERS 4A satellite was launched into space on December 20 via a Long March 4B rocket from the northern Chinese province of Shanxi.
This satellite was the sixth developed under the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS) program that began in 1988.
It will support the Brazilian government’s monitoring of the Amazon rainforest and changes in the country’s environment.

P R Ravi Mohan Appointed Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank

P R Ravi Mohan has been appointed as the new chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank.
He succeeds R. Prabha.
Earlier, he headed the Banking Supervision Department of Reserve Bank of India.
ESAF Small Finance Bank was incorporated on May 5, 2016, with its registered office in Thrissur, Kerala.

Sangita Reddy Takes Charge as FICCI President

Sangita Reddy, the Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, has taken over as the President of industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for 2019-20.
She succeeds Sandip Somany, who is the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Sanitaryware and Industries Limited (HSIL).
Uday Shankar, The Walt Disney Company APAC President and Star & Disney India Chairman has been elevated as Senior Vice-President.
Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, HUL, has taken charge as as Vice- President of the chamber.

Niranjan Hiranandani Takes Over as Assocham President

Hiranandani Group Co-founder and Managing Director, Niranjan Hiranandani has taken over as the new President of industry body Assocham.
He succeeds Welspun Group Chairman Balkrishan Goenka.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla appointed as 33rd Foreign Secretary of India

Indian diplomat and the current Indian Ambassador to the United States, Harsh Vardhan Shringla has been appointed as the next Foreign Secretary of India.
He will assume charge on 29 January 2020, replacing Vijay Gokhale, whose two-year term will end on January 28, 2020.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla will be the 33rd foreign secretary of India.

National Mathematics Day: December 22

Every year, on 22 December, India observes the National Mathematics Day to mark the birth anniversary of the Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan.
The day was announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 26 February 2012 on the occasion of 125th anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan (22 Dec 1887- 26 Apr 1920).

National Farmer’s Day: December 23

In India, the National Farmers Day (Kisan Divas) is observed on December 23 every year to mark the birth anniversary of the 5th Prime Minister of India, Choudhary Charan Singh.
He was a farmer’s leader, who introduced many policies to improve the lives of the Indian farmers.

National Consumer Day: December 24

The National Consumer Day is observed every year in India on December 24.
It was on this day in 1986 that the Consumer Protection Act was approved.
National Consumer Day 2019 theme: alternate consumer grievance/dispute redressal.
The main objective of the Consumer Protection Act is to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types of exploitation such as defective goods, unsatisfactory services and unfair trade practices.

Daily Current Affairs – 23 & 24 December 2019