Daily GK Updates - 21st March, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Government Forms COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force: Keeping in mind the economic challenges arising out of the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to constitute COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force. The task force will be led by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, to deal with the situation arising out of novel coronavirus outbreak. The task force will remain in regular touch with all stakeholders, take their feedback and make decisions accordingly. This task force will also ensure that all steps are taken to reduce the economic difficulties and execute them effectively

2. Indian Railways to electrify all broad gauge routes by December 2023: Indian Railways has planned to electrify a total of 28,810 km of broad gauge route by December 2023. As part of its solar mission, it plans to source approximately 1000 megawatt (MW) of solar power & to source around 200 MW of wind power. The planning for the electrification of the remaining broad gauge routes of Indian Railways network is as follows:

(1) In the year 2019-20.20, a target of electrifying 6,000 km of broad gauge route has been planned. (2) In the year 2020-2021, a target of electrifying 6,000 km of broad gauge route has been planned. (3) In the year 2021-2022, a target of electrifying 6,000 km of broad gauge route has been planned. (4) In the year 2022-2023, a target of electrifying 6,5000 km of broad gauge route has been planned. (4) In the year 2023-2024 (till the month of December 2023), a target of electrifying 4,310 km of broad gauge route has been planned.

Note: Union Minister of Ministry of Railways: Piyush Goyal.

3. Goa govt launches chatbot named Cobot-19 to create awareness on coronavirus: Government of Goa has launched a Chatbot named Cobot-19 to create awareness among people about Coronavirus. Cobot-19 will act as a one-stop source of information for citizens of Goa on COVID-19 and its various aspects. The Chatbot has been developed in association with Portea Medical and Verloop. This Chatbot as a unified official point of communication for all COVID-19 related information. It is revolutionary and will be an effective interface to stem the flow of misinformation and clear doubts around the disease.

4. APEDA signs MoU with SFAC for development of agriculture sector: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority and Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium has signed an MoU for the development of agriculture and allied sectors as well as its exports for bringing better value to the stakeholders. As per MoU, APEDA and SFAC will jointly work to link up the FPOs with the exporters. They will also work towards capacity development, awareness programs, outreach programs and workshops of various stakeholders. APEDA will facilitate certification of organic produce/areas by the Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) assisted or identified by SFAC.

5. HP Government launched Police Station Visitor Survey System: Himachal Pradesh Government launched Police Station Visitor Survey System and e-Night Beat Checking System for Himachal police in Shimla. This will help in self-evaluation and improve the working of Police. It would automatically capture the date, time and GPS Location of the policeman on beat patrolling/night checking duty and thus would help in ensuring the increased presence of police on the roads for better safety of the citizens.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UN releases World Happiness Report 2020; India Ranks 144th: The United Nations has released World Happiness Report 2020. The World Happiness Report ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. The report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness. This is the 8th edition of the World Happiness Report. The special focus of World Happiness Report 2020 was on “environments for happiness” which emphasizes more specifically on social environments for happiness, as reflected by the quality of personal social connections and social institutions. The World Happiness Report 2020 covers the period of 2017-2019. India has been ranked at 144 position among 156 nations with a score of 3.573 points on a scale of 10. Finland has been named as the happiest country in the world for the third year in a row while Afghanistan is the lowest ranking country. Top Five ranking of countries as per World Happiness Report 2020:

1. Finland

2. Denmark

3. Switzerland

4. Iceland

5. Norway

Note: Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

2. World Poetry Day: 21 March: The World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March every year to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world. The day was declared by the UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) during its 30th session in 1999, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard.

Note: Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

Director General of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): Audrey Azoulay.

3. World Down Syndrome Day: 21 March: The World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is marked on 21 March each year since 2006, in order to raise public awareness of Down syndrome. Down syndrome occurs in an individual when he/she has an extra partial (or whole) copy of chromosome 21. The Theme of 2020 World Down Syndrome Day is focuses “We Deside”.  21st day of March (the 3rd month of the year) has been selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome.

4. International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: 21 March: The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. The day aims to remind people of racial discrimination’s negative consequences and encourage people to remember their obligation and determination to combat racial discrimination. The day is celebrated annually on 21 March as on this day in 1960, the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws”. This year the Day is focused on the midterm review of the International Decade for People of African Descent.

5. International Day of Forests: 21 March: The International Day of Forests (also known as World Forestry Day) is celebrated every year on March 21 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On this day, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees. The theme for International Day of Forests 2020 is ‘Forests and Biodiversity’. The organizers are the United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).  This day was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. New Zealand All-rounder Andrew Ellis Announces Retirement from all Forms of Cricket: New Zealand all-rounder Andrew Malcolm Ellis has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, ending his 18-years long career. Andrew Ellis started his domestic cricket career in 2002. He has played 20 international matches for the Kiwi team, which includes 15 ODIs and five T20Is. He is the second New Zealand cricketer to play 100 or more matches in each format of the game.

2. Greece hands over Olympic flame to Tokyo 2020: The Olympic Flame was handed over to Tokyo 2020 organizers after the Greece leg of torch relay suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hellenic Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos handed the torch over to the Tokyo Organising committee represented by Naoko Imoto, who lit the lantern and left with it. The Tokyo Olympic games are slated to be held from July 24 to August 9. The ceremony took place at Athens' iconic Panathenaic stadium without the planned cultural ceremonies from Greece or Japan.

Note: Japan Capital: Tokyo; Currency: Japanese yen; PM of Japan: Shinzo Abe.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Finance Commission Constitutes Committee under NK Singh To Review Fiscal Consolidation Roadmap Of General Government: The 15th Finance Commission (FC) has constituted a committee, to be headed by NK Singh, Chairman of the FC, to prescribe a new debt and fiscal consolidation road map for the general government for a period of five years beginning 01 April 2021. The general government consists of central, state and local governments and the social security funds controlled by them.

2. Fitch Projects India’s GDP growth at 5.1% for FY’21; 6.4% for FY’22: Fitch Ratings has cut India growth forecast for the financial year 2020-2021 to 5.1 percent from earlier prediction of 5.6%, in its latest Global Economic Outlook 2020, released on 20 March 2020. The downgrade is a result of coronavirus outbreak which is likely to hit investment and exports.

For 2021-22, India’s growth is projected to be 6.4 percent.

3. RBI to infuse Rs 30,000 crore to boost liquidity: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will infuse liquidity of Rs 30,000 crore by purchasing of Government securities under Open Market Operations (OMOs) to maintain financial stability in the Indian economy. RBI has took this decision to boost liquidity in order to ensure that all markets segments function normally with adequate liquidity and turnover, as certain financial market segments are facing stress due to COVID-19 outbreak. The auctions would be conducted on March 24, 2020, and March 30, 2020

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

4. ICICI Lombard launches insurance cover for Coronavirus: The ICICI Lombard has rolled out a coronavirus-focused policy ‘COVID-19 Protection Cover’ in a group insurance mode. The COVID-19 Protection Cover will pay 100 per cent of the sum insured irrespective of hospitalization expenses, on the diagnosis of COVID-19 positive cases, amid the contagious pandemic. The insurance company will pay out the entire sum insured if the policyholder tests positive for COVID-19 at any of the Government authorized centres.

OBITUARIES

1. Legendary Indian Footballer PK Banerjee Passes Away: India’s Football legend Pradip Kumar Banerjee has passed away after battling prolonged illness. He was 83. He won the gold medal at the Jakarta Asian Games in 1992. Banerjee has scored 65 international goals in 84 appearances for the national team. He was the recipients of some of the most prestigious awards including Arjuna Award in 1961, Padma Shri in 1990 and FIFA Order of Merit in 2004.