NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
“Swasth ke Sipahi” delivers essential medicines under PMBJP: During the 21 days
nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, pharmacists, popularly known as “Swasth ke
Sipahi” of Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra are delivering essential services
and medicines at doorstep of patients and elderly, under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya
Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) of the Government of India. Working as part of Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras
(PMJAK), they are extending essential services by making available quality
generic medicines at affordable prices to the common People of the country and
the elderly persons at their doorstep to fight Corona pandemic.
2. Ministry of Human Resources
Development launches “Samadhan” a challenge to fight against covid19 and future
challenges: Ministry of Human Resources
Development in collaboration with All India Council for Technical Education
(AICTE) has launched a mega online challenge – SAMADHAN – to test the ability
of students to innovate in relation to COVID-19. The students participating in
this challenge will search and develop such measures that can be made available
to the government agencies, health services, hospitals and other services for
quick solutions to the Coronavirus epidemic and other such calamities.
Applications to participate in this competition will start from 7 April 2020.
The last date for submission of applications is 14 April 2020.
Note:
Chairman
of AICTE: Anil Sahasrabudhe.
Union Minister of Human Resource
Development: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
3. HRD Ministry has designated
DigiLocker as National Academic Depository (NAD): The Ministry of
Human Resource Development (MHRD) has designated DigiLocker as the sole
National Academic Depository (NAD) and has also directed the University Grants
Commission (UGC) to implement NAD as a permanent scheme
within DigiLocker. DigiLocker is primarily a cloud-based safe, which allows
users to store electronic versions of important documents like Aadhaar card,
birth certificates, voters ID cards, PAN cards, driving license, property
documents and provides access to these on the go.
NAD will be implemented as a permanent scheme without the levy of any user
charges by DigiLocker through the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
Note:
Minister
of Human Resource Development: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
4. Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa
District Police Creates App ‘Rakhsa Sarv’ to keep an eye on home quarantined
people: The district police of
Janjgir-Champa in Chhattisgarh has created a mobile application named ‘Rakhsa
Sarv’ to keep a tab on those violating the home quarantine order, in a bid to
contain the spread of coronavirus. The app has been developed with the help of
Noida-based startup Mobcoder. With the help of the Google Map, the district
police will be able to track the people kept under home quarantine, after
returning from foreign travel. The purpose of launching the app is that a large
number of people are kept in home quarantine, and so it is not possible to keep
each one under surveillance on a regular basis. A similar mobile app has been
developed by the Mohali Police in Punjab named ‘Covid Control’ to keep an eye
on home quarantined people to ensure quarantine protocols are being followed
properly.
Note:
CM of Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel; Governor of
Chhattisgarh: Anusuiya Uikey.
5.
Delhi Govt. launches 5T plan to contain COVID-19 crisis: Delhi Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal unveiled a five-point plan to tackle the coronavirus
outbreak. The “5Ts” stands for testing, tracing,
treatment, teamwork and tracking & monitoring of the virus.
About
the 5Ts: (1) First “T” of the 5T plan stands for “Testing”: Under this
“T”, the Delhi government will conduct one lakh rapid tests in hotspot areas
like Dilshad Garden and Nizamuddin to contain the spread of the new
coronavirus; (2) Second “T” of the 5T plan stands for “Tracing”: Testing
process is followed by another key step i.e. tracing under which people are
identified who have come in contact with a positive patient and are asked to
self-quarantine; (3) Third “T” of the 5T plan stands for “Treatment”:
After tracing, there comes the next step i.e. Treatment under which 2,950 beds
have been reserved for coronavirus patients and 12,000 hotel rooms will be
taken over by the Delhi government. Under this step, serious patients and
elderly will be kept in hospitals while those patients with milder symptoms
will be kept in hotels and dharamshalas; (4) Fourth “T” of the 5T plan
stands for “Teamwork”: In order to contain the spread of novel coronavirus,
role of “teamwork” is very important; (5) Fifth “T” of the 5T plan stands
for “Tracking & Monitoring“: The developments and the actions taken to
stop the spread of the Covid-19 will actively tracked by the the Delhi
government.
6.
Three permanent judges appointed for J&K High Court: Three newly-appointed judges took oath of office, raising
the strength of judges in Jammu and Kashmir High Court to 12 against 17
available positions. Justice
Vinod Chatterji Koul, Justice Sanjay Dhar and Justice Puneet Gupta were sworn
in as a permanent Judges of the common High Court for the Union territories of
Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. They were
administered oath of office by Chief Justice J&K High Court, Justice Gita
Mittal in Jammu wing of the High Court.
There are 17 positions in the High Court, including Chief Justice. Of those, 12
are permanent judges and five additional judges.
7. Surat
Municipal Corporation takes unique initiatives to fight COVID-19: Surat
Municipal Corporation (Gujarat) is using the Integrated Command and Control
Centre set up under Smart City Mission as a war room to fight COVID-19. SMC
has published an online dashboard having statistics on tested, confirmed,
active, recovered and death cases on its website for regular updates of
COVID-19 to the citizens. SMC is using this COVID-19 war room to
carry out CCTV surveillance of public spaces, and containment clusters.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. USAID
announces $2.9 million aid to India to fight Covid19: The Washington, DC based United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), has announced a grant of $2.9 million to
India to help it fight the coronavirus pandemic. The funds will help the
Government of India to further support India’s response to COVID-19, slow the
spread, provide care for the affected, and support local communities with the
tools needed to contain the disease.
Note:
Headquarters
of USAID: Washington, D.C., United States; Founded of USAID: 3 November 1961; USAID
Administrator: Mark Green.
2.
Twitter CEO pledges $1 billion to combat COVID-19 pandemic: Chief Executive
Officer of Twitter, Jack Dorsey has pledged to donate $1 billion to charities
working towards combatting the global COVID-19 pandemic. The donation seems to
be the largest donation pledged by a private individual in the fight against
COVID-19 pandemic. Jack Dorsey will move $1 billion of his digital payments
group “Square” equity i.e. 28% of his wealth, to #startsmall LLC to fund global
COVID-19 relief.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Englands Ben Stokes named 2020
Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World: England’s
all-rounder Ben Stokes has been named as the leading cricketer in the world by
Wisden for the year 2019. He is the first player from England since 2005 to be named
for this award. In Women’s category, Australia’s Ellyse Perry has been named
the Wisden’s Leading Female Cricketer in the World. The other Five Cricketers
of the Year by Wisden’s are: Jofra Archer (England), Pat Cummins (Australia),
Simon Harmer (South Africa), Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) and Ellyse Perry
(Australia- female).
2.
Test spinner Stephen O'Keefe retires from 1st class cricket: Former Australia
Test spinner Stephen O'Keefe (35 years) has retired from first class cricket
after being omitted from New South Wales' list of contracted players for the
next domestic season. The left armer took 35 wickets in nine
tests including 12 in a match against India at Pune in 2017. Nathan
Lyon remains New South Wales main spin option.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
SIDBI to provide emergency working capital to MSMEs: The Small
Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) will facilitate Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with emergency working capital of up to Rs 1 crore
against their confirmed government orders. The SIDBI’s new loan product i.e.
SIDBI Assistance to Facilitate Emergency response against Coronavirus (SAFE)
plus will be provided collateral free and disbursed within 48 hours at an
interest rate of 5%. Under its flagship scheme called SIDBI Make in India Soft
Loan Fund for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (Smile), SEBI has opened an
additional financial window for the healthcare sector. The
scheme will be applicable to MSMEs engaged in hand sanitizers, masks, gloves,
head gear, bodysuits, shoe-covers, ventilators and goggles. SIDBI further said it has enhanced the loan limit for MSMEs
to Rs 2 crore under its SAFE initiative.
Note:
Chairman
& Managing Director of SIDBI: Mohammad Mustafa.
2. RBI increases the number of days
for which a State/ UT can be in overdraft: The
Reserve Bank of India allows State Government to tide over their cashflow
mismatches (consider it as a loan) in form of Special Drawing Facility (SDF)
and Normal Ways and Means Advances. Now RBI has increased the number of days or
which a State/ UT can be in overdraft continuously as under: The number of days
for which States/UTs can be in overdraft continuously has been increased to 21
working days from the previous 14 days. The number of days for which a State/
UT can be in overdraft in a quarter has been increased to 50 working days from
the previous 36 days. The new arrangement will remain valid till September 30,
2020.
OBITUARIES
1. Kannada actor Bullet Prakash
passes away: Kannada actor Bullet Prakash passed
away at the age of 44 year. He was suffering from kidney-related ailment. He is
known for his comic roles and he was named ‘Bullet’ because of his love for
Royal Enfield Bullet motorbikes which he used to ride. He was also a member of
the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). He was a member of the ruling Bhartiya
Janata Party (BJP) in 2015.
2. Malayalam
actor Sasi Kalinga passes away: Veteran
Malayalam actor Sasi Kalinga (59 years) who has acted in more than 250 films,
passed away. He was diagnosed with liver disease and had
been undergoing treatment for a long time now.
Sasi
Kalinga started off his career as a theatre actor and later shot to fame with
films like Pranchiyettan, The Saint, Amen, and Vellimoonga.
3. Veteran Indian-American
Journalist Brahm Kanchibotla Passes Away:
An Indian-American journalist, Brahm Kanchibotla, passed away after being
tested positive of Coronavirus in America. He was 66. Kanchibotla was a former
contributor to the United News of India news agency and was working as New York
and UN correspondent of the United News of India. He got infected with the
disease while he was busy doing ground reports for his news agency United News
of India (UNI).
