Daily GK Updates - 13th April, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UPSCGuide e-learning portal launched: UPSCGuide e-learning platform has been launched to provide extremely affordable preparatory courses for coming session of UPSC prelims and mains examinations. Students just have to register on the website and have to make payment. To help the students of far flanged areas UPSCGuide e-learning platform has made all their courses available free of cost to the BPL category students and ward of armed forces belonging to J&K and North-East.

2. HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Launches web-portal YUKTI in New Delhi: The Union Minister for HRD Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” has launched a web-portal YUKTI in New Delhi on 12 April 2020. YUKTI stands for Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation. The unique portal and dashboard aims to monitor and record the efforts and initiatives of MHRD which have been taken in the wake of COVID-19, to keep the academic community healthy, both physically & mentally. The portal will establish a two-way communication channel between the MHRD and the institutions (academic or research) so that the Ministry can provide the necessary support system to the institutions.

3. UP Government to work on 'Jaan Bhi, Jahan Bhi' formula: Uttar Pradesh government is working on the 'Jaan Bhi, Jahan Bhi' formula of union government. A shift in focus from 'Jaan hai to jahaan hai' (health is wealth) to 'Jaan bhi, jahaan bhi' (lies as well as livelihoods), is an indication towards relaxations for certain economic activities, including for industrial and agriculture sector. Ministers and senior officers of UP state government will resume their duties from 15th April with due importance to social distancing.

4. GMR Airports to develop & operate Bhogapuram International Airport: GMR Infrastructure has received "Letter of Award" (LoA) for the development and operations of greenfield international Bhogapuram International Airport in Andhra Pradesh. GMR Airports had emerged as the highest bidder for project on a public–private partnership basis. The proposed greenfield airport site is strategically located on the east coast and it stands to get benefit from the vast catchment area surrounding the region.

Note: Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy; Governor of Andhra Pradesh: Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.

5. IIT Bombay Team Develops Digital Stethoscope ‘AyuSynk’ for remote auscultation: A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology of Bombay (IIT-B) has developed a “digital stethoscope” for healthcare professionals to help them listen and record heart beats from a distance and hence minimise the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus from patients. The digital stethoscope device called AyuSynk has been developed by Ayu Devices, a startup of IIT Bombay. The IIT-B team has received a patent for the device. The device is being deployed for remote auscultation (listening to chest sounds). The sound is wirelessly sent to the doctor using Bluetooth, doing away with the need to go near to take readings.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ADB increases COVID-19 response package to $20 billion from $6.5 bn: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has increased the size of its response to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to 20 billion dollars from its earlier size of 6.5 billion dollar. ADB has added 13.5 billion dollars in resources to help ADB’s developing member countries counter the severe macroeconomic and health impacts caused by COVID-19.

2. UNIDO & CUTS sign agreement to counter economic impact of COVID-19: United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) sign agreement to empower consumers to contribute to the global development agenda as well as support their respective governments in times of global crisis due to coronavirus. The MoU is valid for 5 years and the aim is to create joint technical co-operation initiatives to support ongoing activities in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). As per the MoU, CUTS will support e-commerce as a platform to accelerate Member States’ transition to the digital economy and adapt to the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Note: CUTS: Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) is an India-based institution and established in 1983, working to realize “consumer sovereignty within the framework of social justice, economic equality and environmental balance within and across borders”.

UNIDO Headquarters: Vienna, Austria; UNIDO Director General: LI Yong

Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) Headquarters: Jaipur, Rajasthan; Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) Secretary General: Pradeep S. Mehta.

3. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participates in G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual meeting: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual Meeting. The meeting was called by Saudi Arabia, in its capacity as the G20 Presidency, and chaired by Saudi Arabia Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz. The meeting was attended by Energy Ministers of G20 countries, guest countries and heads of international organizations including OPEC, IEA and IEF. The G20 Energy Ministers’ focused on ways and means to ensure stable energy markets, which are affected due to demand reduction as result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing surplus production -related matters.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Ministry of Finance extends deadline for mandatory minimum deposit in PPF, Sukanya Samriddhi Account by 3 Months till June 30: The Ministry of Finance has extended the deadline for mandatory minimum deposit in Public Provident Fund (PPF), Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSA) and RDs (recurring deposits) for the financial year 2019-20 by three months due to the lockdown amid coronavirus outbreak. Now the account holders can deposit their savings up to June 30, which couldn’t be deposited in 2019-20 due to lockdown in the country. This relaxation will be applicable only for account holders of PPF, Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSA) and Recurring Deposits (RDs). In order to keep these accounts active, the subscribers are required to make some specified deposit in a year otherwise penalty is charged over that.

2. People’s Bank of China now owns 1.01% stake in HDFC: The People’s Bank of China (PBOC), which is the Central Bank of China now owns 1.01% stake in the Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC). As per the data submitted by PBOC to BSE, it held 1.75 crore shares of HDFC during the quarter that ended in March 2020. However, PBOC already owned 0.8 percent earlier. As per norms, businesses are required to disclose shareholding of over 1 percent at the end of every quarter. The disclosure has been made now by PBOC because the ownership has hit the 1 percent regulatory threshold.

OBITUARIES

1. British Comedian Tim Brooke Taylor passes away: British Comedian and 'The Goodies' actor Tim Brooke Taylor (79 years) passes away due to novel coronavirus. Tim Brooke-Taylor’s career spanned more than six decades, and he also started his own broadcasting career on BBC radio later became a long-standing panellist on Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue. The actor, writer and comedian was appointed as an Officer of the Order of British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his services to entertainment.

2. Former Attorney General of India Ashok Desai passes away: Former Attorney General of India and senior advocate in Supreme Court, Ashok Desai passed away. He was 77. Desai held office as the Attorney General of India from July 9, 1996 to May 6, 1998. Before that, he was the Solicitor General of India from 18 December, 1989 to December 2, 1990. A doyen of the bar, Desai was awarded the Padma Bhushan award in 2001.