Daily Current affairs for May 11, 2020

Candidates aspiring to crack bank exams, SSC exams or UPSC exams know very well, the importance of preparing for current affairs section. It consists of atleast 15-20 questions.

The easiest way to scoop up full marks in this section, is to keep a track of the important daily events.With vast information available in newspapers, it will be really tough for you to follow everything at one go. To help you in these preparations, we are here with the top current affairs for May 11, 2020

National Technology Day celebrated on May 11, 2020  marking the 22nd anniversary of Pokhran nuclear tests

National Technology Day is observed on May 11^th  to commemorate the scientific and technological achievements of Indian scientists and engineers.

• India successfully carried out the nuclear tests in Rajasthan’s Pokhran, on May 11, 1998
• The successful test flight of the first indigenous aircraft – ‘Hansa – 3’ and completion of final test firing of the Trishul Missile Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) happened on the same day.

Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Indian PM coined this term to celebrate the contributions made by Indian scientists. Every year since 1999, the Technology Development Board (TBD) celebrates this day by awarding individuals for their scientific contributions to India.

Indian Naval Ship Kesari with relief materials sent to help island countries in Indian ocean

India has sent Indian Naval Ship Kesari carrying on board two Medical Assistance Teams, consignments of COVID related essential medicines and essential food items, as part of Mission Sagar.

• ‘Mission Sagar’ is inspired by the PM`s vision of SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region, that was formulated in 2015
• The ship will deliver consignments to five Island nations in the Indian Ocean –  Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles.

The mission is conducted through the co-ordinated effort of Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, and other agencies of the Government of India.

NIT Trichy to get supercomputer, as part of the National Super Computing Mission (NSM)

National Institute of Technology, (NIT) Tiruchirappalli has been sanctioned a cutting edge Super Computer at a cost of Rs 17 crores, by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.

• NIT Trichy was declared as part of the National Super Computing Mission (NSM), of the Government of India.
• NSM is aimed at empowering the engineering and technology institutions with high-performance super computing capabilities which can be used for solving intensive and multi layered problems.

The installations of super computer is expected to help research scholars and faculty who are working on projects that involve high-end computing.

More mandis join govt`s e-NAM platform for agricultural products trading

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar integrated 177 additional wholesale mandis from 10 States with the electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM) platform.The total number of online mandis on eNAM has now increased to 962.

• National Agriculture Market or eNAM is an online trading platform for agricultural commodities in India.It provides a single-window service for all APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees) related information and services.
• A total of 1.66 crore farmers, 1.30 lakh traders and 71,911 commission agents are using e-NAM platform.

The platform was launched on April 14, 2016 to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities and promote real-time price discovery based on actual demand & supply.

India`s first ever ‘FIR Aapke Dwar’ launched in Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh Police launched a special initiative “’FIR Aapke Dwar” that enables people to file FIRs from their homes instead of visiting police stations.

• ‘FIR Aapke Dwar’ ((FIR at your doorstep) scheme has been started as a pilot project in 23 Police Stations in MP
• “This scheme will prove to be a boon for people of the state as it will resolve their problems at their doorstep only and they need not have to come to police stations,” said state Home Minister Narottam Mishra.

A complainant is supposed to dial police emergency number 100 to lodge an FIR on the spot.This facility is one of the first in India.

India’s foreign exchange reserves increases by 1.622 million dollars

India’s foreign exchange reserves are at 481.078 billion dollars, an increase of 1.622 million dollars, for the week ended on 1st May.

 A RBI press release has informed in the previous week, the reserves had declined by 113 million dollars to end at 479.455 billion dollars.

Deepa Malik, Paralympics silver medallist announces retirement; will now head India’s Paralympic Committee

Deepa Malik, the silver medallist at the Rio Paralympics winner announced her retirement to serve as the president of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI)

• Deepa Malik is the only woman paralympic athlete to have received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. She is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award.
• Deepa won the silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.She has also won 58 national and 23 international medals in swimming.

As per the National Sports Code, an active athlete cannot hold an official post in any federation. She is also the first female athlete to represent India at the Paralympics, since the country’s debut at the Games in 1968.

Sania Mirza wins Fed Cup Heart Award

Sania Mirza, the ace tennis player became the first Indian to win the Fed Cup Heart Award for her successful return to the games post motherhood.

• The Fed Cup Heart Award is an International Tennis Federation (ITF) initiative, established in 2009 to recognize the Fed Cup players who represent their countries with distinction, show exceptional courage on court and demonstrate outstanding commitment to the ideals of the competition.
• The award winners were chosen via an online voting by fans which went on for a week starting from May 1.

The winners from each category were awarded USD 2000 as prize money, which Sania mirza  decided to donate to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.