Current Affairs in Short: 10 September 2020

Paresh Rawal appointed as new Chairman of National School of Drama

• Veteran actor Paresh Rawal has been appointed as the Chairperson of the National School of Drama (NSD), India’s premier theatre institute. The post had been vacant since 2017.
• The 65-year-old has years of experience in both theatre and cinema. Speaking on his appointment, Rawal said that he will do his best because this is a field he knows very well. Rawal has been appointed for a period of four years.
• In his career span of over three decades, Rawal has been acknowledged with numerous awards, including the prestigious National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 2014 for his contribution to the entertainment industry.

In a first, Lok Sabha MPs to follow social distancing norms

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on September 10, 2020 said that social distancing norms will be strictly followed in the Parliament’s monsoon session in the view of COVID-19 pandemic.
• While 257 MPs of the House will sit in Lok Sabha chamber, 172 in the visitors gallery and the remaining MPs in the Rajya Sabha chamber and its gallery.
• Both the houses of the Parliament will have sittings on the same day with one house meeting in the morning and the other in the afternoon. 
• It is the first time in the history of Parliament that the two Houses will have such a sitting and different scheduled timing for their meetings.
• The Lok Sabha Speaker assured that sanitisation will be done on a regular basis. All employees and officials in the Parliament will be tested. All members will also have to go for RT-PCR COVID-19 test.

West Bengal lifts lockdown on September 12th 

• The West Bengal government has decided to lift the state-wide lockdown on September 12, 2020 in the view of NEET 2020 examination scheduled on September 13. This was announced by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
• The state had initially announced a statewide lockdown on September 11th and 12th. However, considering the NEET 2020 examination scheduled on September 13th, the state government received numerous requests from the student community on lifting lockdown norms on September 12th, helping ease their travel to examination centres.
• The state has hence, decided to cancel the lockdown on the 12th keeping the interest of the students in mind so that they can attend the examination on 13th without any apprehensions or concerns The statewide lockdown on September 11th will continue as planned.

Odisha government issues guidelines for Durga Puja, Laxmi Puja, Kali Puja

• The Odisha state government on September 10, 2020 issued guidelines for Durga Puja, Kali Puja and Laxmi Puja celebrations in the state. Under the guidelines, no public view of the idols of the deities will be allowed this year.
• The guidelines clearly state that puja shall be conducted in indoor-like situation only for observance of rituals without public participation. Not more than 7 persons will be allowed to be present at a time in the pandals. 
• The puja pandals and mandaps shall be covered from three sides and the fourth side shall also be covered in a way not to allow any public view of the idols. 
• The size of the idol shall be less than 4 feet. Also, no immersion processions will be allowed and the use of public address systems will also remain prohibited. The idols will have to be immersed in artificial ponds created by the local administration for the purpose.
• The organisers of the puja pandals will have to obtain necessary permission from the District Magistrate or any other authorised officer.

India, Japan sign agreement on reciprocal provision of supplies and services between Armed Forces

• India and Japan have signed an agreement concerning Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Armed Forces of India and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan. 
• The agreement was signed on September 9,2020 between Union Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and Ambassador of Japan Suzuki Satoshi.
• The agreement aims to establish an enabling framework for closer cooperation between the Armed Forces of India and Japan in reciprocal provision of supplies and services while engaged in bilateral training activities, Humanitarian International Relief and United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and other mutually agreed activities.
• The agreement will also enhance the interoperability between the Indian Armed Forces and Japan thereby further increasing the bilateral defence engagements under the Special Strategic & Global Partnership between the two countries.