Daily Current Affairs for UP State Exams: 08.01.2021

PM dedicates to nation new Section of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and flags off world's first Double Stack Long Haul Container Train

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the 306-Kilometre long New Rewari-New Madar Section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.
He also flagged off the world's first Double Stack Long Haul 1.5 Kilometre long Container Train hauled by electric traction from New Ateli -New Kishangarh.

Harsh Vardhan inaugurates CEPI Centralized network lab at DBT-THSTI Faridabad

The Minister for Science & Technology, Health & Family Welfare and Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated one of the seven labs of the world called as the centralized network lab of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) established at Translational Health Science & Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad.
Note: CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organizations, launched at Davos in 2017, to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics.

Cabinet approves signing of Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan on Partnership in "Specified Skilled Worker"

The present Memorandum of Cooperation would set an institutional mechanism for partnership and cooperation between India and Japan on sending and accepting skilled Indian workers, who have qualified the required skill and Japanese language test, to work in fourteen specified sectors in Japan.
These Indian workers would be granted a new status of residence of "Specified Skilled Worker" by the Government of Japan.

Bharat Griha Raksha is an effective home insurance policy that offers coverage against a wide range of perils, like fire, natural catastrophes, impact damage of any kind, riot, strike, malicious damages, acts of terrorism, and bursting and overflowing of water tanks etc.
Note: The IRDAI )The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) had issued guidelines on 4 January, announcing that the Standard Fire and Special Perils (SFSP) Policy provided for in the erstwhile All India Fire Tariff (AIFT) 2001 will be replaced by the following standard products that shall be mandatorily offered by all general insurers from 1 April.

Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) has announced that it will hold a countrywide online examination on ‘gau vigyan’ (cow science) on February 25.
This is the first-ever exam of this kind-’Kamdhenu Gau Vigyan Prachar Prasar Examination’. This exam will be held annually.
Note: RKA comes under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. It was set up by the Centre in February 2019, and is aimed at “protection and development of cows”.

Union Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal launched Indian Railways’ Freight Business Development Portal as the one-stop solution for all the needs of freight customers.

The new portal will be a game-changer in ensuring ease of doing business with Railways as it aims to bring more transparency and professional support.
The portal will ensure that all operations stay customer-centric, reduce the costs for logistics providers, provide an online tracking facility for suppliers, and also simplify the process of goods transportation.

DRDO Signs MoU with MAHA-METRO for implementation of Advanced Biodigester Mk-II Technology in Metro Rail Network

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Government of India’s premier research agency and Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MAHA –METRO), a joint venture company of the GoI and Government of Maharashtra are working together to conserve water and protect the environment by installing DRDO's eco-friendly biodigester units in its facilities.
DRDO’s biodigester is an indigenous, green and cost-effective technology, with a rare distinction of having one of the largest numbers of DRDO-licensees.
Note: Indian Railways has already installed about 2.40 lakh biodigesters in its fleet of passenger coaches.

Ellis has held several posts, including deputy national security adviser in the cabinet office, director-general in the department for exiting the European Union, and the British ambassador to Portugal.
Ellis succeeds Philip Barton.