Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 28 December 2020

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 28 December 2020

::NATIONAL::

ITBP starts online liquor distribution system for troops guarding the LAC with China

A first-of-its kind Internet-based liquor distribution system has been launched for the serving and retired personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force guarding the LAC with China. The paramilitary force launched the centralised liquor management system (CLMS) sometime back as a solution to the problem of non-availability of the desired liquor brands to its personnel and veterans residing in remote locations.
A first-of-its kind Internet-based liquor distribution system has been launched for the serving and retired personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force guarding the LAC with China. The paramilitary force launched the centralised liquor management system (CLMS) sometime back as a solution to the problem of non-availability of the desired liquor brands to its personnel and veterans residing in remote locations.
Paramilitary forces like the ITBP are authorised to get liquor under government rules and this is the first time such an online system has been introduced among these forces that includes the CRPF, BSF, CISF and SSB and other central forces like the NDRF and the NSG.
"There was a long-standing demand of the ITBP personnel that good quality liquor should be made available to them in the vicinity of their native places."
The online system has about 85 liquor brands on the shelf at present and a serving or retired personnel of the force is authorised to purchase about 8 liquor bottles and six beer cans in a month.
The about 90,000-personnel strong force is primarily tasked to guard the 3,488 kms long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China apart from being deployed for a variety of internal security duties across the country.

::ECONOMY::

Rupee rises 4 paise to 73.51 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee appreciated by 4 paise to 73.51 against the US dollar in opening trade on Monday as sustained foreign fund inflows and strong domestic equities strengthened investor sentiment.
Traders said the weakness of the American currency in the overseas market also supported the domestic unit.
At the interbank forex market, the domestic unit opened at 73.52 against the US dollar, then inched higher to 73.51 against the greenback, registering a rise of 4 paise over its previous close.
On Thursday, the rupee had settled at 73.55 against the US dollar.
Forex and equity market were closed on Friday on account of Christmas.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.05 per cent to 90.18.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 227.35 points higher at 47,200.89, and the broader NSE Nifty advanced 75.60 points to 13,824.85.
Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 1,225.69 crore on a net basis on Thursday, according to provisional exchange data.
Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 0.43 per cent to USD 51.07 per barrel.

::INTERNATIONAL::

India, Vietnam to conduct 2-day naval exercise in South China Sea

An Indian Navy warship will undertake a “passage exercise” with the Vietnamese Navy in the South China Sea from December 26 to 27 as part of efforts to boost maritime cooperation between the two countries, officials said.
The ship INS Kiltan has been sent to the country to deliver relief material for flood-affected people in central Vietnam and it will participate in the exercise on its return journey, they said.
Indian naval ship INS Kiltan reached Nha Rhang port of Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday with 15 tonnes of relief materials for the flood-affected people of central Vietnam, a defence ministry statement said.
“On departure from Ho Chi Minh City, the ship will undertake a passage exercise with the Vietnam People’s Navy in the South China Sea from December 26 to 27,” it said.
In the wake of growing military muscle-flexing by China in the South China Sea region, the two leaders specifically reaffirmed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.

Science and Tech

UNDP Awards first prize to Innovation of Plant-Based Mock Egg by IIT Delhi scientist

The innovation of plant-based mock egg by Prof. Kavya Dashora, Centre for Rural Development and Technology, IIT Delhi has secured first prize at Innovate4SDG contest by ‘UNDP (United Nation Development Program) Accelerator Lab India’.
The award included a sum of USD5000 and was conferred online by Christiane Hieronymus, Head of Economic Cooperation & Development, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, New Delhi, and Prof K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Govt of India.
According to the UNDP, the mock egg innovation is a perfect innovation that will help in accelerating progress towards the SDGs. The development of the mock egg meets the protein needs of the diet-specific, health-conscious, vegan, and vegetarian people. This innovation addresses SDG 2 and 3 (Zero Hunger and Good Health & Well Being).
“The plant-based textured foods which resemble egg, fish, and chicken have been developed with an aim to address the longstanding battle for malnutrition and clean protein food for people. The mock egg has been developed from very simple farm-based crop proteins, which not only looks and tastes like an egg but also very close in nutritional profile to a poultry egg,” said Prof Kavya Dashora.
Apart from the egg, the IIT Delhi scientist has also developed the meat analogs for chicken and fish from plant sources using fruits and vegetables.
The products were tested on various parameters including appearance, taste, bite-size, texture, aroma, flavor, shelf life, nutritional profile, and customer preference.

Sports

Legends, celebrities back Fit India Movement; Join Kiren Rijiju for Second Fit India Dialogue

After the superhit first edition of the Fit India Dialogue hosted by Honourable PM, Narendra Modi in September, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju on Sunday, December 27th anchored the second edition of the Fit India Dialogue where he interacted with fitness sports icons - legendary Milkha Singh, Bollywood superstar Anil Kapoor, Indian cricketer and ODI captain Mithali Raj, former Indian footballer Bhaichung Bhutia and Indian national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand
During the dialogue, Rijiju and the panellists discussed many aspects of sports in India, including how athletes attitude towards fitness has changed over the decades. Talking about his fitness mantra, 91-year-old Milkha Singh said that the reason he has been able to remain fit all these years is that he never stuffs himself with food and exercise regularly.