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- World Health Organization (WHO)released its annual list of Global Health Challenges for the year 2020 on 13th January, 2020. The list included 13 potential threats. The foremost threat was Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) and climate crisis. As per the report, around 7 million people are affected because of climate change. The other threats include influenza epidemic and spread of infectious diseases such as HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. A new entrant to the list is Lack of Access to medical facilities such as vaccines, diagnostic tools, medicines and other essential health products.
- Pratham, a well-known Non-Profit Organization, released the Annual Status of Education Report 2019 on 14th January, 2020. As per the report, at least 25% of school children in the four-eight age group do not have age-appropriate cognitive and numeracy skills, making for a massive learning deficit at a very early stage. Between the age-group of 4-5 years, around 56.8% girls enrolled in government schools as compared to only 50.4% boys. On the other hand, when it comes to private schools, 49.6% boys were enrolled in schools as compared to 43.2% girls in the same age group.
- Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) celebrated its 145th foundation day on 15th January, 2020. IMD is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology. IMD was established in 1875 with headquarters in Delhi. It operates observatory station in India and in Antarctica.
MS Swaminathan and Gutta Muniratnam - Eminent Agricultural Scientist Dr. M S Swaminathan and well-known social worker Dr. Gutta Muniratnam were chosen as the first recipients of ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence’ and ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service’’ respectively. The National Award for Excellence was instituted by the Muppavarapu Foundation, while the one for Social Service was launched by the Swarna Bharat Trust, in Hyderabad. The award carried a cash prize of 5 lakhs and citation.
- India’s Statue of Unity has been included in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s ‘8 Wonders of SCO’ list. The 182-metre tall statue, the world’s tallest statue, is a monumental tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, independent India’s first home minister as well as deputy prime minister. The statue was inaugurated in October 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 6th meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA) held on 13th January, 2020 in New Delhi. The meeting focused on “Green Development in the Islands to reach new heights”. The meeting reviewed the progress made towards the programme “Holistic Development of Islands”. A decision was taken to set up Information Technology based micro, small and medium enterprises under the Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Industrial Development Scheme.
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 17th January, 2020 launched successfully a high power communication satellite called ‘GSAT-30’ from French Guiana on the launch vehicle Ariane-5. It is to replace INSAT-4A and has a mission life of 15 years. The satellite has an approximate weight of 3357 kg and will provide high-quality telecommunications, television and broadcasting services. It was launched along with the European Space Company’s telecommunication satellite – Eutelsat Konnect.
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