NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
IIT-Gandhinagar launches “Project Isaac” for students during Corona lockdown: Indian Institute of
Technology, Gandhinagar (IITGN) has launched Project Isaac to engage its
students in creative projects to enhance their critical skills while they are
confined to their homes because of Corona virus. As a part of the project, four
different competitions are being organized by IIT, Gandhinagar to cultivate new
skills among students regarding writing, painting, coding, music, creative
expression. The project aims to enhance the student’s skills while they are
confined in their homes.
Note: Director of IIT-Gandhinagar: Prof
Sudhir Jain; IIT-Gandhinagar founded: 2008.
2.
Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh hospital tests serving robot: The Sawai Man Singh
(SMS) Government Hospital in Jaipur is conducting the series of trials on a
humanoid robot to provide services to the COVID-19 patients. It is aimed to
keep the doctors and nursing staff at a safe distance to protect them against
the dreaded coronavirus. It has been designed with a tray that can be used for
carrying medicines, food and other objects to the assigned patients.
Note: CM of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot;
Capital of Rajasthan: Jaipur; Governor of Rajasthan: Kalraj Mishra.
3.
Goa becomes the 1st state to launch assessment tool for COVID-19: Goa becomes the
first Indian state to launch a self-assessment tool for COVID-19. The
self-assessment tool called ‘Test Yourself Goa’. This tool helps people
identify if they are infected by the virus without visiting a doctor or
hospital. The Goa government has partnered with Innovaccer, a US-based
healthcare data analytics company that developed the self-assessment platform.
Note: Capital of Goa: Panaji; Chief
Minister of Goa: Pramod Sawant; Governor of Goa: Satya Pal Malik
4.
NTPC concludes acquisition of govt’s stake in THDC & NEEPCO: National Thermal
Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) concluded the acquisition of Centre’s entire
stake in two hydropower generating firms, Tehri Hydro Power Complex (THDC)
India and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), at Rs 11,500
crore. Under the deal, NTPC acquired the latter’s 74.496 % equity stake in THDC
India Ltd (THDCIL) for Rs 7,500 crore & its 100% equity in North-Eastern
Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPC) for Rs 4,000 crore respectively.
Note: Headquarters of NTPC: New Delhi;
Chairman & MD of NTPC: Gurdeep Singh.
5.
‘Invest India Business Immunity Platform’ launched by Invest India: India’s national
Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency, the Invest India has launched
‘The Invest India Business Immunity Platform’ to assist businesses and
investors in getting real-time updates on India’s active response to COVID-19.
This platform tracks the regular developments with respect to the Coronavirus
and aims to help businesses and investors by providing latest information on
various initiatives launched by central and state government, facilitate access
to special provisions, and also resolve queries via emails as well as on
WhatsApp.
Note: MD & CEO of Invest India: Deepak
Bagla.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry:
Piyush Goyal.
6.
Shilpa Shetty Kundra partners with Fit India: The Government of India’s flagship
fitness movement “Fit India” has teamed up with Bollywood actress and fitness
icon Shilpa Shetty Kundra. The tie-up will provide free access of the Shilpa
Shetty Kundra’s premium 21-Day Weight Loss Programme during the 21-day lockdown
owing to Covid-19 pandemic. The free of cost access of the 21-Day Weight Loss
Programme will be available for the Indian as well as global audience via
Shilpa Shetty App (SS App). The App''s premium ''21-Day Weight Loss Program''
free for all Indian and global users.
7.
PESO takes measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of oxygen to hospitals:
Petroleum and Explosives Safety
Organization (PESO) has taken various measures to ensure uninterrupted supply
of Oxygen to hospitals and other health care facilities due to nationwide
lockdown for containment of COVID-19 pandemic PESO issued Instruction to all
its offices to ensure grant of licences for storage and transport of medical
oxygen on an urgent basis The validity of licenses for transportation of oxygen
and other gases have been extended up to 30th June 2020.
8.
Indian Railways to give full refund for cancelled trains: Indian Railways
will give a full refund for all tickets for journey period from 21st March to
14th April 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19. For tickets cancelled prior
to 27th March, the passenger needs to file Ticket Deposit Receipt by filling a
form up to 21st June to avail balance refund amount. In case of e-tickets, the
balance refund amount shall be credited to the account of the passenger from
which tickets was booked for tickets cancelled prior to 27th March.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. UN
launches Global Humanitarian Response Plan to fight COVID-19: United Nations
Secretary-General António Guterres has launched a US$2.012 billion coordinated
COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) to fight COVID-19 in some of
the world’s most vulnerable countries. The Global HRP has been launched for a
period of nine months (April–December 2020). The response plan will be
coordinated by UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and
will bring together requirements from World Health Organization and other UN
humanitarian agencies. To kick-start the response plan, $60 million has been
released from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The Response
plan will provide following benefits: (1) Deliver essential laboratory
equipment to test for the virus, and medical supplies to treat people; (2)
install handwashing stations in camps and settlements; (3) launch public
information campaigns on how to protect yourself and others from the virus; and
establish airbridges and hubs across Africa, Asia and Latin America to move
humanitarian workers and supplies to where they are needed most.
Note: The United Nations is headquartered
in New York City, United States.
2. Abbott
Labs launches 5-minute coronavirus test: American medical devices and health
care company, Abbott Laboratories, is unveiling a coronavirus test which will
tell if someone is infected within 5 minutes. This test is so small and
portable it is often utilized in almost any health-care setting. The test
starts with taking a swab from the nose or the rear of the throat, then mixing
it with a chemical solution that breaks open the virus and releases its RNA.
The mixture is inserted into an ID Now system, a small box weighing slightly
below 7 pounds that has the technology to spot and amplify select sequences of
the coronavirus genome and ignore contamination from other viruses. The
medical-device maker plans to supply 50,000 tests a day starting April 1. The
technology builds on Illinois-based Abbotts ID Now platform, the most common
point-of-care test currently available in the U.S., with more than 18,000 units
spread across the country.
Note:
Headquarters of Abbott Laboratories: Chicago, Illino
3.
India to join WHO’s COVID-19 trials: India is all set to join World Health
Organisation’s “Solidarity trial” aimed at rapid global search for drugs to
treat COVID-19. The country has stayed away so far from this multi-country
trial “due to its small sample size and because our contribution would have
looked minuscule. The Solidarity Trial will test four different drugs or
combinations- remdesivir, a combination of two drugs, lopinavir and ritonavir,
the two drugs plus interferon beta, and chloroquine- and will compare their
effectiveness to what is called standard of care, the regular support hospitals
treating COVID-19 patients use now.
OTHER UPDATES:
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
CRISIL cuts India’s GDP growth forecast for FY2021 to 3.5%: CRISIL has reduced
India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for fiscal 2021 to 3.5 per
cent from 5.2 per cent expected earlier. The cut is due to the coronavirus
pandemic. The pandemic in India and the consequent lockdown for 21 days pose a
material risk to our India economic outlook. The slump in growth will be
concentrated in the first half of the next fiscal, while the second half should
see a mild recovery.
Note: CEO of Crisil: Ashu Suyash; Crisil
Chief Economist: Dharmakirti Joshi; Headquarters of Crisil: Mumbai.
2. SK
Gupta and KM Prasad becomes new members of CBDT board: The Appointment
Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of two Indian Revenue Service
(IRS) officers Krishan Mohan Prasad and Satish Kumar Gupta as members of the
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Board.
Note: Chairperson of CBDT: Pramod Chandra
Mody.
3.
RBI permits 3-month moratorium on EMI payments: The Reserve Bank
of India asked all lending institutions to allow three-month moratorium on EMI
payments in order to infuse liquidity into the system as the economy grapples
with Covid-19 challenges. It has also allowed banks for deferment of interest on
working capital loans for the next three months – until June 2020. It will
reduce interest burden on businesses and industries and will boost economic
activities.
DEFENCE
1.
Indian Army launches “Operation Namaste” to combat the spread of COVID-19: Army Chief General
MM Naravane has launched “Operation Namaste” to combat the spread of COVID-19.
The aim of the Operation is to insulate the 1.3 million armed force from
coronavirus infection and extend all possible assistance to the government in
containing the pandemic. MM Naravane said that since social distancing among
the Army personnel may not be possible to implement in key formations due to
tactical and operational reasons, hence Army personnel to have been advised to
keep themselves safe and fit. Indian Army has so far, established eight
quarantine facilities across the country.
Note: 28th Chief of Army Staff: General
Manoj Mukund Naravane; The motto of Indian Army: “Service Before Self”;
Headquarters of Indian Army: New Delhi.
OBITUARIES
1.
Samajwadi Party founder and Minister Beni Prasad Verma passes away: Founder of
Samajwadi Party and Former Union Minister, Beni Prasad Verma passed away at the
age of 79. He was a founding member of the Samajwadi Party. He was known as
‘Babu Ji’. Mr. Verma was the telecom minister between 1996-1998 in then prime
minister H D Deve Gowda's cabinet and the steel minister in the Congress-led
United Progressive Alliance-II government. He has served as Independent
Minister of State for Communications, Minister of State for Parliamentary
Affairs. Verma was a Lok Sabha member from 1996 to 2014.
2.
Brahmakumaris Chief Dadi Janki Passes Away at 104: Rajyogini Dadi
Janki, the chief of Brahma Kumaris Sansthan, the world’s largest spiritual
organisation run by women, has passed away after prolonged illness. She was
104. She has been engaged with the organisation since 1937 and set up ‘Seva
Kendras’ in 140 countries around the world. She was appointed the brand
ambassador of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) by the government for
her work in the field of maintaining cleanliness.
No comments:
Post a Comment