Daily GK Updates - 17th April, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. MHA issues new activities exempted from lockdown restrictions: The Ministry of Home Affairs has released a list of new activities that have been exempted from lockdown restrictions to fight COVID-19. The guidelines were aimed toward restarting the country’s economic engine and lessen the pain of millions suffering from the continued lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Note: Union Minister of Home Affairs: Amit Shah.

2. Government sets foodgrain production target at 298.3 mn tons for 2020-21 crop year: The agriculture ministry has set a target to increase foodgrain production to record 298.3 million tonnes in the 2020-21 crop year (July-June). This is more by 6.35 million tonnes from the previous years’ estimate. To be bifurcated, the target is 149.92 million tonnes of foodgrain production in the Kharif (summer) season and 148.4 million tonnes in the rabi (winter) season. The foodgrain output in the 2019-20 crop year is estimated at 291.95 million tonnes.

3. Chhattisgarh Govt Launches Web-portal ‘Cghaat’ For Home Delivery: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has inaugurated an online portal named ‘Cghaat’ to provide home delivery of fruits and vegetables to the residents during the extended lockdown phase.  The website ‘cghaat.in‘, has been developed by Chhattisgarh government’s agency Chips. The portal aims to help people in maintaining social distancing and reduce the crowding at the shops. The fruit and vegetable vendors interested in providing services through this portal can register online free of charge. This service has first been made available in Raipur city, but will soon be extended to other big cities in the state.

Note: Governor of Chhattisgarh: Anusuiya Uikey; Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel.

4. CeNS develops compact sensor to detect the heavy metal ions in water: Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) has developed a compact solid-state sensor to detect the heavy metal ions in water. It is a portable device which can help onsite detection in remote areas. Heavy metal ions such as lead, mercury and cadmium pose severe potential threats to living beings as they can easily be accumulated in the body and cannot be detoxified by any chemical or biological processes.

5. Pusa Decontamination & Sanitizing Tunnel inaugurated: Pusa Decontamination and Sanitizing Tunnel, developed by Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR was inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Framers’ Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary. The sanitization protocol includes hand washing with foot-operated soap and water dispenser and fogging in a sanitizing tunnel for 20 seconds. In this tunnel, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QAC) are used at concentration of 0.045%.

6. BSNL CMD P K Purwar takes additional charge of MTNL: P. K. Purwar, the chairman and managing director of BSNL has been given the additional charge as CMD of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL). He has been given the additional charge w.e.f April 13, 2020. In the last 6 years, this is the third time that Purwar has been given charge of MTNL CMD. Purwar took charge as BSNL chairman in July 2019. Purwar, a 1990-batch Indian P&T Accounts & Finance Service officer, will retire on June 30, 2025, and is replacing MTNL's Sunil Kumar who is also heading Human Resources (HR) at the state-driven telco.

Note: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Headquarters: New Delhi; Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) established: 15 September 2000.

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) established: 1 April 1986; Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) Headquarters: New Delhi.

7. Viswanathan Anand named ambassador of WWF India Environment Education programme: Five-time World chess champion Viswanathan Anand is the new Ambassador for World Wild Fund (WWF) India’s Environment Education programme. WWF India's environment education programme was started in 1976 with the Nature Clubs of India (NCI) initiative. Presently, environment education programme currently reaches out to over 5,00,000 children across 2000 schools in the country. This year, WWF India is celebrating its 50th year of conservation in India. It was found in November 1969.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. IMFC held through video conferencing: Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended through video-conference the Plenary Meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee, the Ministerial-level committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The meeting was based on “Exceptional Times – Exceptional Action”. The IMFC meets twice a year, once during the Fund-Bank Annual Meetings in October, and again during the Spring Meetings in April.

2. World Hemophilia Day: April 17: World Hemophilia Day is an international day held annually on April 17 to raise awareness for hemophilia and other bleeding disorders and bring understanding and attention for proper care for these rare inherited bleeding disorders community. The date marks the birthday of Frank Schnabel, founder of the World Federation of Hemophilia. This year is the 30th edition of World Haemophilia Day. The theme of World Haemophilia Day 2020: “Get + Involved”.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Indian Premier League 2020 Suspended Indefinitely: The IPL Governing Council of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has suspended the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. BCCI will continue to monitor and review the situation regarding a potential start date in close partnership with all of its stakeholders. The IPL was set to start on March 29 and end on May 24, but it was first postponed till April 15 after the country went on a 21-day lockdown in a bid to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Note: BCCI President: Sourav Ganguly; Headquarter of BCCI: Mumbai.

2. Mascot for Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games unveiled – “Feifei”: Feifei’ is the official mascot for the 4th Asian Para Games to be held in 2022 (October 9-15) in Hangzhou, featuring 22 sports with Taekwondo and Para-Canoe to form their Games debuts. The design of ‘Feifei’ is inspired by the motif of the ‘Divine Bird’ in the Liangzhu Culture. The mascot is the fusion of Hangzhou’s heritage and its drive for technological innovation. The two fei has a distinct meaning. The first ‘fei’ means the birds flying, which implies inclusiveness, respect, and fraternity of human society. And the second ‘fei’ represents the mental tenacity of the athletes with disabilities pursuing dreams and reaching beyond themselves. The mascot helps to bring the Games to life for everybody, from the athletes to the spectators.

3. IWF Chief Tamas Ajan Steps Down Amid Corruption Probe: International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Tamas Ajan has resigned from the post in the wake of allegations of corruption and doping violations against him. Ajan had served the Budapest, Hungary based federation for more than four decades. He was the Secretary General of the International Weightlifting Federation from 1975 to 2000 and had been the President of IWF from 2000 to 2020. American Ursula Papandrea will lead the federation as Acting President.

 International Weightlifting Federation Headquarters: Budapest, Hungary; International Weightlifting Federation founded: 1905.

4. SAI launched 21 days online workshop for coaches: First session of the 21-day long online workshop for coaches organised by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in partnership with the National Sports Federations (NSFs). The first day session was conducted by Dhronacharya Awardee Sanjeeva Singh and was attended by Rijiju, Union Minister Arjun Munda and Archery Association of India president Arjun Munda. Coaches from 16 disciplines from all across the country are taking part in the 21-day workshop amid lockdown.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI cancels the licence of Mapusa Urban Co-operative Bank of Goa Ltd: The licence of the Mapusa Urban Co-operative Bank of Goa Ltd. has been cancelled by the Reserve Bank of India. The central bank has issued an order, barring the bank to carry on banking business, with effect from the close of business on April 16, 2020. Hence, the Urban Co-operative Bank has been refrained from running the business of ‘banking’ which comprises of acceptance of deposits as well as repayment of deposits as defined in Section 5 (b) read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 with immediate effect. With the cancellation of licence and commencement of liquidation proceedings, the process of paying the depositors of bank as per the DICGC Act, 1961 will be set in motion.

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

2. RBI announces Announces Fourth Targeted Long Term Repo Operation (TLTRO); Caps investment at 10%: The Reserve bank of India has announced the fourth and final tranche of its Targeted Long Term Repo Operation (TLTRO) of amount Rs. 25,000 Crore. The maximum amount that a particular bank can invest in the securities issued by a particular entity or group of entities out of the allotment received by it under the TLTRO shall be capped at 10 per cent. The funds availed under this tranche of TLTRO would have to be deployed within 30 working days from the date of the operation. Total Size of all four trache of TLTRO= Rs 1 lakh crore.

3. BSNL Partners with SBI to launch UPI-based payment platform Bharat InstaPay: State-owned telecom operator BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) has partnered with State Bank of India (SBI) to launch its own UPI-based payment platform, Bharat InstaPay. The new digital payment platform will enable all type of channel partners of BSNL for doing all their payment transactions digitally on 24 X 7 basis.

BUSINESS AND ECONMY

1. IMF predicts GDP Growth for Asia in 2020 at 0%; Global GDP to contract by 3% in 2020: International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted Asia’s GDP growth in 2020 at 0%. It has also said that this is much better than other regions. The global GDP prediction in 2020 is minus 3% (contraction by 3%.) In its report, IMF has positioned India as the fastest-growing emerging economies of the world. Only two countries will have positive growth, one is India at1.9% and other is China with 1.2%. (This is for year 2020).

OBITUARIES

1. Quit India Movement Freedom Fighter RV Bhuskute passes away: Freedom fighter R V Bhuskute, who had participated in the Quit India Movement, has passed away of prolonged illness. He was 94. Hailing from Maharashtra’s Raigadh district, Bhuskute has also written several books on land laws. Apart from being a freedom fighter, he worked for the release and rehabilitation of bonded labourers in tribal areas of Maharashtra.

2. National Football League’s Hall of Famer Willie Davis Passes Away: Former American football defensive player, Willie Davis, passed away. He was 85. Davis was inducted into the National Football League’s Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981. He spent 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and played for the Cleveland Browns (1958-59) and the Green Bay Packers (1960-69). Davis becomes the first African-American captain in Green Bay Packers’ history in 1965. He served as the honorary captain for the 2010 NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl XLV, and again for the 2014 NFC Championship Game.