CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Vegan Day 2020
- World Vegan Day is celebrated on November 1 annually by vegans across the globe. It is observed to motivate people to follow a vegan lifestyle, which is beneficial for animal welfare and the environment. The day marks the founding day of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom.
- Well, people who do not consume meat, eggs, etc. are vegetarians. However, people who are vegetarians but do not consume dairy products such as milk, cheese, paneer, etc. are called vegans.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
AYUSH Ministry and Invest India to jointly set up “Strategic Policy & Facilitation Bureau” for planned and systematic growth of Ayush sector
- The Ministry of AYUSH and M/s Invest India will form a collaboration to set up a “Strategic Policy & Facilitation Bureau” to facilitate planned and systematic growth of the Ayush sector.
- This is among the various steps which the Ministry has initiated to chart future directions along which the stake-holding groups of the Ayush Sector can move. Setting up of the Bureau is a forward-looking step which will make the Ayush systems future-ready. This Bureau will support the Ministry in strategic and policy making initiatives that shall help pave the way to reach the full potential of the Sector and stimulate growth and investment.
- As a partner in the project, M/S Invest India would collaborate extensively with the Ministry to frame the work plan of the Bureau and define its short-and long-term targets. Invest India would deploy highly trained and expert resources to implement and execute the plans of the Ministry of AYUSH.
About Ministry of AYUSH:
- Shripad Naik, Minister of State (Independent charge)
- Constituency: North Goa
Govt set to divest 10% in GIC Re, New India Assurance
- Government is set to offer 10% shares in the country’s largest non-life insurance company New India Assurance through an offer for sale to the public. The Centre may also do a similar dilution in the General Insurance Corporation (GIC Re). However, the timing is not decided.
- The government had divested close to 15% stakes in both New India and GIC in 2017. The disinvestment of GIC Re resulted in a mop-up of Rs 11,370 crore and New India’s IPO raised Rs 9,600 crore..
- GIC Re has a market cap of Rs 21,333 crore, while New India’s share price values the company at Rs 17,000 crore. A 10% dilution would give the government close to Rs 4,000 crore.
- All listed companies are required to have at least 25% of their holding with the public. In May this year, Sebi had relaxed the 25% minimum public shareholding norms for listed companies in the wake of the Covid outbreak. The regulator asked stock exchanges not to take any penal action against companies that were to comply with the minimum shareholding rule between March 1 and August 31.
