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Current Affairs Capsule – February 20, 2020

February 20, 2020
Posted by: Team CP
Category: Current Affairs Capsule

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Sanjay Kothari, the Secretary to the President, has been selected as the new Central Vigilance Commissioner by a high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The committee has also chosen former Information and Broadcasting Secretary Bimal Julka as the new Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission. Bimal Julka is currently serving as an Information Commissioner. Established in 1964 as recommended by the Santhanam Committee, the Central Vigilance Commission is the premier government agency that prevents corruption. The CVC holds office for four years or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. The Central Information Commission is a statutory body, set up under the Right to Information Act in 2005 under the Government of India. CIC will have a tenure of 3 years or till he attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
Sweden has created two USD 1 million prizes named ‘Food Planet Prize’, for solutions to feed billions of people, as climate change threatens the world’s food supply and a growing population requires sustainable food systems. The two prizes will be awarded annually, one to an existing scalable solution for sustainable foods and the second for innovative initiatives that could transform the global food sector. The first prizes will be awarded later in 2020. Eradicating hunger by 2030 is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The current world’s population is 7.8 billion and is expected to grow close to 10 billion by 2050.
Great Indian Bustard, Asian Elephant and Bengal Florican have been classified as “endangered migratory species” after India’s proposal for inclusion of the three species in the global list for international protection under the UN’s Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species was accepted unanimously on 20th February, 2020 at the ongoing 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS COP 13). India declared Indian Elephant as “National Heritage Animal” to provide the highest degree of legal protection to the animal under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Constitution of a 12-member empowered Technology Group with Dr. R. Chidambaram, the Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India as its Chair. The three pillars of the work of the Technology Group include: Policy Support, Procurement Support, and Support on Research and Development proposals.
Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19th February, 2020 approved the Phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) till 2024-25, which will focus on Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF Plus). It includes ODF sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM). With an allocated budget of Rs.52,497 crores, the program aims to work towards ensuring that no one is left behind and everyone uses a toilet. The ODF Plus programme will also converge with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA), specially for grey water management and will also complement the newly launched Jal Jeevan Mission.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on 19th February, 2020 on the occasion of the Soil Health Card Day, announced that the Centre will launch a Tilhan Mission to make the country self-reliant in oil seed production. India is the fourth largest vegetable oil economy in the world after USA, China and Brazil. India is the largest importer of palm oil in the world. But after it has cut its imports of palm oil from Malaysia, it is now planning to increase its domestic oil seed production.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global anti-terror funding watchdog, on 18th February, 2020 decided to keep Pakistan on its ‘grey’ list. In the meeting, Turkey and Malaysia supported Pakistan. The International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG), a part of the FATF, took the issue earlier to evaluate whether the south Asian nation has taken sufficient steps and implemented its plan of action to fight the global menace. The FATF had in 2018 placed Pakistan on the grey list. Founded in 1989, the FATF is a Paris based organization that combats terrorism funding and money laundering.

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Today’s Quiz:

Q1. Who has been appointed as the new Central Vigilance Commissioner?

Bimal Julka
Sudhir Bhargava
Sanjay Kothari
Sharad Kumar

Q2. When was the Central Information Commission established?

1964
1986
1998
2005

Q3. Who created the prizes ‘Food Planet Prize’?

Switzerland
Sweden
Denmark
Singapore

Q4. Which among the following is included in the global list for international protection under the UN’s Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species?