ASSAM
NABARD provides Rs 270 crore to Assam Gramin Vikash Bank
In the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has made available a Special Liquidity Facility (SLF) of Rs 270 crore to Assam Gramin Vikash Bank.
This amount has been provided for supporting the agricultural activities of the farmers.
Following the pandemic, NABARD has provided Rs 25,000 crore nationwide for providing liquidity support to Cooperative Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) during 2020-21 with a view to ensuring continued flow of credit to farmers.
INTERNATIONAL
Google launches app ‘Sodar’ to help people maintain social distancing
Google has launched ‘Sodar’ app that will help people maintain distance in real life using augmented reality. The app called ‘Sodar’, will create a visual boundary using the user’s smartphone camera and constantly show who’s breaching that distance.
The company claims Sodar uses “WebXR to help visualise social distancing guidelines in your environment.
Using Sodar on supported mobile devices, create an augmented reality two meter radius ring around you.
Once another person breaches the circle, the screen will visually alert the user.
NATIONAL
Govt unveils PM SVANIDHI scheme to provide affordable loans to street vendors
Union Government launched PM SVANIDHI – Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s Atmanirbhar Nidhi – a special micro-credit facility scheme for providing affordable loans to street vendors.
The scheme is aimed at enabling the street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to COVID-19 lockdown.
Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry launched the scheme in pursuance of the announcement made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month.
The street vendors belonging to the surrounding peri-urban or rural areas are being included as beneficiaries under the urban livelihoods programme for the first time.
Under the scheme, each of these streets vendors will be given a credit loan of Rs 10,000, which they can return as monthly installments within a year.
Those who repay their loans on time will get 7 percent annual interest as subsidy which will be transferred in their bank accounts.
Indian Energy Exchange launches real-time electricity market
Energy trading platform Indian Energy Exchange launched the real-time electricity market (RTM) on its platform.
The RTM enables consumers, including distribution companies (discoms) and captive users, to buy power on exchanges just an hour before delivery.
There will be 48 auction sessions during the day with delivery of power within one hour of closure of the bid session.
Govt launches SWADES to conduct skill mapping of citizens returning under VBM
Union Government has launched a new initiative SWADES- Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support to conduct a skill mapping exercise of the returning citizens under the Vande Bharat Mission.
This is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Civil Aviation Ministry and External Affairs Ministry.
SWADES aims to create a database of qualified citizens based on their skill sets and experience to tap into and fulfil demand of Indian and foreign companies.
The collected information will be shared with the companies for suitable placement opportunities in the country.
The returning citizens are required to fill up an online SWADES Skills Card.
The data collected through SWADES Skill Card will help the citizens with job prospects and bridge the demand-supply gap.
World Economic Forum to host Unique Twin Summit in 2021
The World Economic Forum will host a Unique Twin Summit in January, 2021.
The twin summit will be both in-person as well as virtual, hence connecting key global governmental and business leaders in Davos.
The theme of the summit will be “The Great Reset”. The summit will bring together the key global government and business leaders in Davos and the Great Reset dialogue will push beyond the boundaries of traditional thinking.
WEF will also draw on thousands of young people from more than 400 cities worldwide, who will be interconnected with a powerful virtual hub network in order to interact with the leaders in Davos.
Cabinet approved to rename Kolkata Port as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port
The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved to rename Kolkata Port as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.
The Kolkata Port is the first Major Port and the only riverine port of the country. The port features at Serial Number 1 in The First Schedule, Part I-Major Ports of the Indian Ports Act, 1908. It is governed by the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. Kolkata Port has been India’s gateway to trade, commerce, and economic development. The port has witnessed historic events including India’s struggle for independence, World Wars l & II, and socio-cultural changes taking place in the country, especially in Eastern India.
Generally, the Major Ports in India are named after the city or the town in which they are situated. Some ports have been re-named after great national leaders in the past. Few renamed ports are listed below:
Nhava Sheva Port Trust was renamed as Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust by the Government in the year 1989
Tuticorin Port Trust was renamed as V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust in the year 2011.
Ennore Port Limited has been re-named as Kamarajar Port Limited in the honour of Shri K Kamarajar, eminent freedom fighter and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
In 2017 Kandla Port was re-named as Deendayal Port.