20th Sept Daily current affairs for UPSC Civil Service Exam

Hi-Tech cities ranking

• Bengaluru was ranked 19th among the 25 most high-tech cities in the world, the city was in 49th position in 2016 ranking.
• Now it is ahead of Berlin, Hong Kong and Shenzhen, San Francisco is at the top.
• The ranking was released by Research firm 2thinknow
• The ranking is based on technological advancement including the number of patents filed per capita, start-ups, and level of smartphone usage.

First Pension Adalat

• The workshop is going to get inaugurated shortly, with an objective create awareness about the post-retirement entitlements as well as an advance planning for life after retirement.
• It hosts session on Income Tax and other benefits for senior citizens as well as investment and financial planning for retired people and the Importance of writing a Will.
• It is conducted by the Pension department.

Anubhav awards

• It will be presented to pensioners for their contribution towards creating institutional memory for the departments.
• Anubhav scheme had been instituted to encourage retiring/retired employees to submit their experiences while working in the government.
• The objective of this to enthuse and inspire the future generations of government officials in their respective assignments.

Hague child custody pact

• The Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, which came into force in 1983.
• It is rules that in any child custody case, the court of the country where the child is a “habitual resident” will adjudicate who will get custody (either mother or father).
• A total of ninety four countries, mostly developed nations in the Americas, Europe and Australia, are signatories to the Hague Convention.
• India is not a signatory of the pact, it is unfair that the mother, who is recognised in India as the primary caregiver is branded an abductor by the Hague Convention.

Payments Bank

• Payments banks is a new model of banks conceptualised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• These banks can accept a restricted deposit, which is currently limited to Rs.1 lakh per customer and may be increased further.
• These banks cannot issue loans and credit cards, but can offer services like ATM cards, debit cards, net-banking and mobile-banking.
• Both current account and savings accounts can be operated by such banks.
• Airtel was the first to launch payments bank in India and it is the first to integrate with Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
• This will add to customer choice and convenience for making secure digital payments to online/offline merchants and for instant money transfers to any bank account in India.

Saubhagaya

• It is the proposed rural electrification subsidy scheme, CCEA is likely to approve the proposal.

• Under the scheme, the government will provide subsidy on equipment like transformers, meters and wires.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has been constituted with the Prime Minister as Chairman.
• It is members are from various ministries.
• The major function of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is to review economic trends, and provide integrated economic policy framework for the country.
• It also directs and coordinates all policies and activities in the economic field including foreign investment that require policy decisions at the highest level.

Buland Darwaza

• It is the most iconic architectural accomplishment of Akbar’s reign.
• It is the main entrance to the palace at Fatehpur Sikri, a town which is 43 km from Agra.
• It was built in 1601 A.D. by Akbar to commemorate his victory over Gujarat.
• Buland Darwazaknown as gate of magnificence, is the highest gateway in the world and is an example of Mughal architecture.
• It incorporates almost all the essential features of Akbar’s architectural traditions: red sandstone, stone carvings, and relief by inserting white marble.
• The construction of the Buland Darwaza was inspired by Timurid architecture.

Rumi Darwaza

• The Rumi Darwaza, sometimes known as the Turkish Gate is in Lucknow, U.P.
• It is an imposing gateway which was built under the patronage of Nawab Asaf-Ud-daula in 1784.
• It is an example of Awadhi architecture, it is being an entrance to the city of Lucknow.
• It is believed that the gate is called Rumi gate, simply because it was modelled after the gateways of then Constantinople or Modern Istanbul.
• The Rumi Darwaza in Lucknow and the Persian philosopher and Poet Rumi have no connection