TNPSC Current Affairs February 27, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs February 27, 2020 (27/02/2020)

Download as PDF

Topic: Places in News, Profile of States, Latest Diary of Events

Rakhigarhi

Centre is moving ahead with its plan to develop Rakhigarhi as a tourist hub and set up a museum. As part of encroachment removal at the Rakhigarhi heritage site, 152 households are being shifted to flats.

Background:

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the government’s plan to fund five on-site museums, including the under-construction museum initiated by the Haryana government at Rakhigarhi, in her Budget speech on February 1.

Other sites mentioned in the Budget — Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Shivsagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat and Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu.

What’s the issue now?

Rakhigarhi’s rise as a site of ancient curiosity has disrupted the villager’s life to an extent.

The ASI has been able to get under its control just 83.5 acres of the 350-hectare site that spans 11 mounds, after first taking over the site in 1996, due to encroachments and pending court cases.

About Rakhigarhi:

Rakhigarhi, in Haryana, became an archaeological hotspot when Amarendra Nath, former director of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), undertook excavations at the site in 1997.

The ASI team unearthed a fire altar, parts of a city wall, drainage structures as well as a hoard of semi-precious beads. Villagers subsequently began to see the significance of the terracotta shards that littered Rakhigarhi.

It is a 5,000-year-old site that showcases continuity from the Harappan age to the present times. The village also has havelis that are a couple of hundred years old.

The site is located in the Sarasvati river plain, some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river. In May 2012, the Global Heritage Fund, declared Rakhigarhi one of the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia.

_

Topic: Current socio-economic issues

Ease 3.0 for tech-enabled banking

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launches Ease 3.0 for tech-enabled banking. This move is expected to change the customer’s experience at the Public Sector Banks (PSBs).

What is it?

Ease (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence) 3.0 reform agenda aims at providing smart, tech-enabled public sector banking for aspiring India.

New features that customers of public sector banks may experience under EASE 3.0 reforms agenda include facilities like: Palm Banking for “End-to-end digital delivery of financial service”. “Banking on Go” via EASE banking outlets at frequently visited spots like malls, stations, complexes, and campuses.

_

Topic: Latest inventions in Science and Technology

RAISE 2020

It is a maiden summit on Artificial Intelligence to spearhead social empowerment, inclusion and transformation. The event named RAISE 2020 ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020’ will be held in April in New Delhi.

This is India’s first Artificial Intelligence summit to be organized by the Government in partnership with the industry and the academia.

The summit will be a global meeting of minds to exchange ideas and charter a course to use AI for social empowerment, inclusion and transformation in key areas like healthcare, agriculture, education and smart mobility amongst other sectors.

_

Topic: Profile of States, Latest Diary of Events

No-Bag Day

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced a ‘No-Bag Day’ on Saturdays for students of government schools across the state. The activities related to happiness therapy, literature and culture, sports, personality development, moral values, scout, tips to stay healthy etc shall be organised for the students on that days.

_

Topic: Profile of States

VAJRA: The Offshore Patrol Vessel-6 launched at Chennai

The 6th Coast Guard OPV-6 (Offshore Patrol Vessel-6) called the “VAJRA” was launched in Chennai.

Key facts:

The Offshore Patrol Vessel will assist Indian Navy in guarding 7,500 km long coast line and 20 lakh square kilo metre of Exclusive Economic Zone. It will also help to safeguard one lakh merchant ships transiting in the Indian Ocean from all over the world.

The OPV is to be utilized for patrolling, surveying, anti-smuggling and anti-terrorist operations. The OPV has two navigational radars installed.