NATIONAL NEWS
Kochi hosts Global Investors Meet, ASCEND 2020The Global Investors Meet: ASCEND 2020 was hosted by Kochi, Kerala. ASCEND 2020 showcased 18 mega projects with over Rs 100 crore investment each and offering direct employment to over 9,000 people.
- The projects include: Kochi-to-Palakkad integrated manufacturing cluster, an electronic hardware park in Ernakulam district, integrated solid-waste management systems in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Malappuram, a medium density fibreboard plant in Perumbavoor and a defence park at Ottappalam, and many other projects.
The Mizoram government will be organising Zo Kutpui (festival) in at least 10 states across India and countries such as US, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
- The first edition of the festival will start on January 9 in Vanghmun in Tripura and will be held over three days.
- The festival will then move to other states which have significant Mizo population.
The 2nd National GST Conference of the Commissioners of State Tax and Chief Commissioners of Central Tax was held in Delhi under the chairmanship of Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Revenue Secretary, Ministry of Finance.
- The multi-faceted Conference was focused on brainstorming session for streamlining Goods and Services Tax (GST) system and plugging revenue leakages.
The Centre has made mandatory the default temperature settings for room air conditioners at 24 degrees, of all makes and types, from January 1 2020, which had been formed after consulting with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO to Launch IDRSS Satellites for Seamless Crew Communication
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that it aims to launch its own satellite pair for space communication purposes, called Indian Data Relay Satellite System (IDRSS). ISRO chief Dr. K Sivan said, IDRSS is already being worked on, and will be pivotal in maintaining communication with the astronaut crew and ground mission control at any given phase, during manned space missions.
Challakere to be ISRO’s astronaut training hub
India’s world-class facility for training astronauts will come up in three years at Challakere, a shrubby, arid oilseeds town on the Bengaluru-Pune NH4 in Chitradurga district of Karnataka.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has proposed a ₹ 2,700-crore master plan to create top infrastructure that will house its young Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC).
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
SBI lowers GDP estimates to 4.6% in FY 20 from 5%The State Bank of India (SBI) has lowered the economic growth forecast to 4.6 per cent from the earlier 5 per cent. It said this in its SBI Ecowrap report.
APPOINTMENTS
Spain’s parliament confirms Pedro Sánchez as prime minister in tight voteSpain will have a coalition government for the first time in its modern history — including ministers from the far-left — after parliament confirmed Pedro Sánchez as prime minister by a wafer-thin margin.
AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS
Mahua Moitra, Prashant Kishor feature in Forbes' '20 people to watch in 2020' listAccording to the Forbes India’s prestigious list of ‘20 people to watch in the 2020s’, 7 Persons from India are named in the list. The list includes Aditya Mittal - 2nd place (Group CFO and CEO, ArcelorMittal Europe), the Godrej family - 6th (of Adi Godrej), Dushyant Chautala - 7th (Deputy CM, Haryana) , Mahua Moitra - 9th (Lok Sabha member, Trinamool Congress), Prashant Kishor - 12th place (Poll strategist and JD(U) national vice-president), Garima Arora -14th (Chef, the first Indian woman to receive a Michelin star) and Kanhaiya Kumar - 16th (former JNU Students’ Union president).
OBITUARIES
Padma Bhushan artist Akbar Padamsee passes awayCelebrated painter and artist Akbar Padamsee has passed away. One of the most versatile and prolific artists of the modern age, Akbar Padamsee, a long-time resident of Isha, passed away at 91, owing to natural causes arising out of ageing.
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