Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 06 January 2021

::NATIONAL::

The Supreme Court cleared the Central Vista Redevelopment Project that included construction of a new Parliament Building and a common Central Secretariat, with certain conditions.
By a 2:1 majority, a three-judge Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar held that there were no infirmities in the clearances given for the project, including those with regard to change in the land use, environmental clearances and selection of consultant.
“We cannot be called upon to govern. For, we have no wherewithal or prowess and expertise in that regard,” the majority verdict by Justice Khanwilkar and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari said.
However, it asked the Centre to get necessary prior permission of the Heritage Conservation Committee “before actually starting any development/redevelopment work on the stated plots/structures/precincts governed by the heritage laws, including on plot No. 118, if already not obtained”.

More than 100 women personnel have joined the NDRF over the last few months and the number is expected to go over 200 in the coming months.
In yet another example of shattering of the proverbial glass ceiling, the first batch of over 100 women disaster combatants and rescuers has been inducted into the country's federal calamity force NDRF.
An all-woman team of freshly trained National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel was recently deployed for contingency duties on the banks of the Ganga river in Uttar Pradesh's Garh Mukteshwar town, a senior force officer said.
"The first women rescuers' team is already on ground. Recently, the U.P. government requisitioned an NDRF team and they (women) went there (Garh Mukteshwar). The team handled the rescue boats and related equipments,"
The female personnel who are joining are in the constabulary and sub-officer (Sub Inspector and Inspector) ranks.
As per authorisation, each NDRF battalion of over 1,000 personnel can have 108 woman rescuers.

Alex Ellis, a British strategic expert, will take charge as the new UK high commissioner to India, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced on Tuesday.
The 53-year-old civil servant has been serving as deputy national security adviser in the UK cabinet office for the government’s integrated review on diplomacy, development and defence.
In his New Delhi-based role, he will succeed Sir Philip Barton, who moved back to the UK last year to take charge of the newly-expanded FCDO as its permanent under secretary.
“Mr Alex Ellis CMG has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of India in succession to Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE. Mr Ellis will take up his appointment during January 2021,” the FCDO said in a statement.

The global economy is expected to expand 4% in 2021, assuming an initial COVID-19 vaccine rollout becomes widespread throughout the year. A recovery, however, will likely be subdued, unless policy makers move decisively to tame the pandemic and implement investment-enhancing reforms.
Although the global economy is growing again after a 4.3% contraction in 2020, the pandemic has caused a heavy toll of deaths and illness, plunged millions into poverty, and may depress economic activity and incomes for a prolonged period.
Top near-term policy priorities are controlling the spread of COVID-19 and ensuring rapid and widespread vaccine deployment. To support economic recovery, authorities also need to facilitate a re-investment cycle aimed at sustainable growth that is less dependent on government debt.
The collapse in global economic activity in 2020 is estimated to have been slightly less severe than previously projected, mainly due to shallower contractions in advanced economies and a more robust recovery in China.
In contrast, disruptions to activity in the majority of other emerging market and developing economies were more acute than expected.

The event will mark an important milestone towards the creation of ‘one nation, one gas grid.
The 450-km-long pipeline has been built by Gail (India) Ltd.
It has transportation capacity of 12 million metric standard cubic metres per day and will carry natural gas from the liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal in Kochi to Mangaluru, passing through Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts, the PMO noted.
The total cost of the project was about Rs 3,000 crore and its construction created over 12 lakh man-days of employment.
The pipeline will supply environment friendly and affordable fuel in the form of piped natural gas (PNG) to households and compressed natural gas (CNG) to the transportation sector.
It will also supply natural gas to commercial and industrial units across the districts along the pipeline, the statement said, adding that the consumption of cleaner fuel will help in improving air quality by curbing air pollution.

Australian Bob Brett, who coached Boris Becker in his standout 1989 season during which he won Wimbledon and the US Open, died of cancer at the age of 67.
Brett coached Becker from November 1987 to February 1991, a period when the German also became world number one on the back of 18 tour-level titles won together.