Daily GK Updates - 9th April, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tamil Nadu Tops in micro-irrigation coverage under PMKSY in 2019-20: The Tamil Nadu state has finished on top at the all-India level for micro-irrigation coverage in the financial year 2019-20, as part of implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). PMKSY is a programme aimed at promoting the “more crop per drop” concept by focussing on water-saving technologies. During 2019-20, the overall coverage of the state under micro-irrigation stood at 2,06,853.25 hectares (ha). Karnataka is at second place with 1,41,103.56 ha area under micro-irrigation while Gujarat is at third spot with 1,08,322.00 ha under micro-irrigation. The total area brought under micro irrigation at the all-India level in 2019-20 stands at 7,72,350.63 ha.

Coverage under the PMKSY during 2015-2020: However, speaking about the cumulative total coverage under the PMKSY during 2015-2020, the first place goes to Karnataka (8.16 lakh ha) followed by Andhra Pradesh (7.17 lakh ha) and Gujarat (7 lakh ha). Tamil Nadu occupies the fourth spot with about 5.62 lakh ha.

2. TRIFED Collaborates with UNICEF to launch a Digital Communication Campaign for SHGs: The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has collaborated with UNICEF for developing a digital communication strategy for promoting a digital campaign for Self Help Groups (SHGs) to ensure that tribal gatherers carry on their work safely, while highlighting the importance of Social Distancing amid COVID-19 crisis. UNICEF will provide the necessary support to be circulated to the SHG centers in the form of Digital Multimedia content, Webinars for Virtual trainings (basic orientation on COVID response, key preventive behaviours), Social Media campaigns (on social distancing, home quarantine, etc.) and Vanya Radio. The webinar, for the promotion of the campaign was held on 9th April, 2020 covering tribal regions across all the 27 States, reaching more than 18,000 participants. TRIFED has also reached out to the Art of Living Foundation’s #iStandWithHumanity Initiative with a Stand with Tribal Families component.

Note: UNICEF Formation: 1946; Headquarters: New York City, U.S.; President of UNICEF: H.E. Ms Rabab Fatima.

3. DoPT Launches first of its kind iGOT e-learning Platform to empower Front Line COVID-19 Warriors: The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has announced the launch of a learning platform iGOT- Integrated Government Online Training (https://igot.gov.in). The e-learning platform has been launched for all front-line workers to equip them with the training and updates in coping with COVID 19. The target group is Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, Hygiene Workers, Technicians, Auxiliary Nursing Midwives (ANMs), Central & State Govt. Officers, Civil Defence Officials, various Police Organisations, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), National Service Scheme (NSS), Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Bharat Scouts & Guides (BSG) and other volunteers. Appropriate training will also prepare them for the subsequent stages of the pandemic to better deal with the emergent situations. Nine courses have been launched on topics like basics of COVID-19, ICU care and ventilation management, clinical management, infection prevention through PPE, infection control and prevention, quarantine and isolation, laboratory sample collection and testing, management of COVID-19 cases, COVID-19 Training.

4. DRDO Laboratory VRDE Develops full-body Disinfection Chamber ‘PSE’: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Laboratory at Vehicle Research Development Establishment (VRDE), Ahmednagar, in Maharashtra has designed a full body disinfection chamber called as Personnel Sanitisation Enclosure (PSE). This walk through enclosure is designed for personnel decontamination, one person at a time. It is a portable system equipped with sanitiser and soap dispenser.

5. Odisha extends 21-days lockdown till 30 April: Odisha government has extended the 21-day lockdown till 30th April 2020 and hence Odisha has become the first state to do so. The 21-day nation-wide lockdown is scheduled to end on 14th April 2020. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has requested the Central government not to start train and air services till April 30.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Governor: Ganeshi Lal.

6. SCTIMST scientists designed super absorbent material: The scientists of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) have designed and developed a superabsorbent material titled “Chitra Acrylosorb Secretion Solidification System”. It is a highly efficient superabsorbent material for liquid respiratory and other body fluid solidification and disinfection for the safe management of infected respiratory secretions. The superabsorbent material has the ability to absorb liquids at least 20 times more than its dry weight and also contains a decontaminant for in situ disinfection.

7. DST funds Genrich Membranes to develop membrane oxygenator equipment: Department of Science and Technology (DST) is to support and provide funding to the Genrich Membranes, a spin-off company, based on proprietary technology licensed from CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune to increase the membrane oxygenator equipment (MOE). MOE is developed to treat COVID-19 patients. The device treats breathlessness which is one of the critical symptoms of COVID-19. The device is based on innovative & indigenous hollow-fiber membrane technology and can enrich oxygen in the air up to 35%. The device is very easy to use and do not require trained manpower for its operation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. SAARC Development Fund allocates $5 million for Covid-19 projects: The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Development Fund (SDF) has allocated $5 million for Covid-19 related projects in its member states. The objective of the US$ 5 million allocation is to provide fund support to the Member States in their efforts and to protect the people of the SAARC Member States by mitigating the financial losses and severe socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects will be funded by the SDF under its Social Window thematic areas which primarily funds projects on poverty alleviation, social development focusing on education, health, and human resource development, among others.

Note: Headquarters of SAARC: Kathmandu, Nepal; Secretary-General of SAARC: Esala Ruwan Weerakoon; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SDF: Sunil Motiwal.

2. China Overtakes US as World’s Top Patent Filer for First Time in Over 4 Decades: As per the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) annual report, China was the world leader in international patent filings in the year 2019, surpassing the United States, which had held the top spot for more than four decades. The UN agency WIPO informed that a record 265,800 international patent applications were filed in 2019, which was 5.2% more from 2018. The WIPO’s complex system of registering international patents involves multiple categories. But the main category is the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). This is for the first time that China topped the PCT ranking, by filing 58,990 applications. It overtook the United States, which filed 57,840 applications, and which has topped the PCT ranking since the system took effect in 1978.

3. India gets request from 30 countries for hydroxychloroquine: India has got requests from 30 countries for hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug to fight COVID-19. Several world leaders have personally raised the request with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recent conversation they had with him. From the US to Latin America to Europe, the request has come from several places which shows India’s importance in the global pharma sector. PM Modi has spoken to 15 world leaders since the outbreak which includes German German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Donald Trump, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al Thani, Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez Perez-Castejon, Saudi Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. One of the main aims of the conversation is to chalk out a global strategy to deal with the crisis.

4. Jeff Bezos Tops Forbes’ Billionaire List 2020; Mukesh Ambani at 21st Spot in the List: Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has maintained the top spot as world’s richest man for the third consecutive year, according to the Forbes 34th annual world’s billionaires list for the year 2020 titled “The Richest in 2020”. Bezos topped the list with a total net worth of $113 billion, which is $18 billion less than previous year. Bill Gates is at second spot with net worth of $98 billion. The world’s richest woman continues to be Walmart (WMT) heir Alice Walton. She is at ninth place with a net worth of $54.4 billion. From India, Mukesh Ambani continues to be the richest Indian, and is placed at 21st position in this list with a total net worth of $36.8 billion.

The total combined net worth in Forbes Billionaires 2020 list is $8 trillion which is down from $8.7 trillion in 2019. There are 2,095 billionaires on the 2020 ranking, down from 2,153 in 2019. There are 241 women on the 2020 list, including seven women who share their fortunes with their husband, child or sibling. List of Top 10 Billionaires:

Name	Company	Net Worth
Jeff Bezos	Amazon	$113 bn
Bill Gates	Microsoft	$98 bn
Bernard Arnault	LVMH	$76 bn
Warren Buffett	Berkshire Hathaway	$67.5 bn
Larry Ellison	Software	$59 bn
Amancio Ortega	Zara	$55.1 bn
Mark Zuckerberg	Facebook	$54.7 bn
Jim Walton	Walmart	$54.6 bn
Alice Walton	Walmart	$54.4 bn
Rob Walton	Walmart	$54.1 bn

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Govt. to release all pending income tax refunds upto 5 lakh: The Centre has announced that it is to issue all the pending income-tax refunds up to Rs.5 lakh immediately. The move by the Centre is to provide immediate relief to the business entities and individuals. I-T refunds will benefit around 14 lakh taxpayers across India. I-T department of the Ministry of Finance will also release all Goods and Service Tax (GST) and custom refunds to around 1 lakh business entities, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). A total refund grant of approximately Rs.18,000 crore will be released to the business entities.

Note: Income Tax Department Formed: 1860; Headquarters: New Delhi; Minister responsible: Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister; Chairman: Pramod Chandra Modi

2. Parag Raja appointed as the new MD & CEO of Bharti AXA Life Insurance: Parag Raja has been appointed by the Bharti AXA Life Insurance as its new managing director and chief executive officer. Parag Raja will be succeeding Vikas Seth, who is leading the insurance company for the past two-and-a-half years and is set to retire after April 30, 2020. He was the Chief Distribution Officer at Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI). Parag was one of the founding members of Max Life Insurance.

DEFENCE

1. L&T signs pact with Indian Army for advanced IT-enabled network: Engineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has signed an agreement with the Indian Army to set up an advanced IT-enabled system to operate the Armed Forces network under the Network of Spectrum (NFS). The project will creat a centralised network monitoring, management and control system for all the 7 layers under NFS which interconnects 414 Defence stations.

Note: Headquarters of L&T Technology Services (LTTS): Vadodara, Gujarat; CEO of L&T Technology Services (LTTS): Dr Keshab Panda.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico coach Radomir Antic passes away: Former Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid coach Radomir Antic has passed away at age 71. Antic is a legendary Spanish football manager as well as a player. He is the only man to ever coach the top 3 teams in Spanish football. As a player, Antic started his career with the team Sloboda Titovo Užice in 1967 and had a varied playing career as a defender spanning 17 years in which he played most of the matches for team Partizan.

2. James Bond film actress Honor Blackman passes away: The legendary Bond girl and Avengers actress Honor Blackman passed away of natural death. She was 94. The English star was best known for her iconic role as Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger (1964) opposite Sean Connery (James Bond). Blackman became a household name in the 1960s as Cathy Gale, because of her role as Cathy Gale in The Avengers. She had a career spanning eight decades.

Daily GK Updates - 8th April, 2020

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).

Daily GK Updates - 7th April, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. “Lifeline UDAN” initiative launched by Ministry of Civil Aviation: “Lifeline UDAN” is an initiative which has been launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to help India fight against COVID-19. Under this initiative, 132 cargo flights have been operated so far across the country to transport medical cargo including remote and hilly areas. Medical supplies of more than 184 tons have been delivered till date during lockdown period with the support of Air India, Alliance Air, IAF and private airlines.

Note: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri.

2. Britannia Industries partners with Dunzo to deliver essential items: An online delivery platform, Dunzo has tied up with packaged foods company Britannia Industries to deliver range of products to its customers. Britannia Essentials store have been launched by Britannia Industries that will be available to Dunzo app users. The batch of essential products produced by Britannia Industries will be available at Britannia’s distribution centers and will be sourced by Dunzo from distribution centers to ensure proper handling of goods as well as the availability of these products to the people.

Note: Chairman of Britannia Industries: Nusli N Wadia; Managing Director of Britannia Industries: Varun Berry.

3. NHAI achieves highest ever Construction of National Highways: NHAI has accomplished highest ever construction of 3,979 km of national highways in the financial Year 2019-20. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has envisaged an ambitious highway development programme ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ which includes development of about 65,000 km national highways. National Highways Authority of India is an autonomous agency of the Government of India, set up in 1988.

4. CSIR-CFTRI to provide testing equipment for COVID-19 detection: Mysuru-based CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI) has joined hands with the district administration by providing equipment needed for testing of samples. CSIR-CFTRI is providing two PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) machines, 1 RNA extraction unit and two skilled people along with necessary chemicals to the district administration for coping with the large number of samples to be tested in the district.

5. JNCASR develops versatile coating to stop spread of viruses: An antimicrobial coating has been developed by Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore. It has shown excellent results in tackling the spread of deadly influenza virus, the root cause of severe respiratory infections, by inactivating large loads of influenza virus. The proven efficiency of the coating in 100% destruction of influenza virus (an enveloped virus) shows that the coating may be effective in destroying COVID 19.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NASA unveils plan for “Artemis” base camp on the moon by 2024: NASA has unveiled its plans to setup the first human base camp “Artemis” on Moon’s south pole by year 2024. The space agency is working on the Artemis program that aims to land humans on the moon by 2024. It has also submitted a 13-page report to the National Space Council. As per the report, the base camp will demonstrate the US’s continued leadership in space as well as help them prepare to undertake humanity’s first mission to Mars.

Note: The administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): Jim Bridenstine; Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States.

2. International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda: 7 April: International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda is being observed globally on 7 April every year. The day was announced by the United General Assembly in 2003. Through the day, UNESCO aims to educate the world population regarding genocides and the consequences of the crime.

Note: UNESCO formation: 4 November 1946; UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Director-General: Audrey Azoulay.

3. World Health Day: 7 April: The World Health Day is a global health awareness day which is being celebrated on 7th of April every year. On this day, governmental as well as non-governmental health organizations organize events that aim to promote healthier habits of living. The theme of World Health Day 2020 is “Support Nurses And Midwives”. The WHO has named the year 2020 as the ‘International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife’.

Note: The World Health Day also marks the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO) on 7 April 1948.

President of the World Health Organisation: Tedros Adhanom Trending; Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland; WHO founded: 7 April 1948.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. IWF Bans Thailand, Malaysia From Weightlifting Event At Tokyo Olympics: The Independent Member Federation Sanctions Panel (IMFSP) of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has imposed disciplinary sanctions on Thailand and Malaysia. And so both the countries has been banned from participating in weightlifting events at the Tokyo Olympics. Apart from this, IMFSP has also suspended the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) for three years, while the Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) has been given a one-year ban. This ban will be effective from 1 April 2020. Due to the doping violations, the membership status of Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) has been suspended for 3 years till 1 April 2023 while Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) is suspended for a period 12 months till 1 April 2021.

Note: The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will commence from July 23 to August 8 in 2021 while the Paralympics Games will be held from August 24 to September 5, 2021.

Capital of Thailand: Bangkok; Currency: Thai baht; Prime Minister: Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Capital of Malaysia: ‎Kuala Lumpur; Currency: Malaysian Ringgit; Prime Minister: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. PNB Housing Finance signs agreement with JICA to raise $75 million: Punjab National Bank Housing Finance has signed a pact with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to raise 75 million dollars (about ₹568 crore) to finance mortgage loans in the affordable housing segment. The Citibank will be co-financing 25 million dollars in order to finance the mortgage loans in the affordable housing segment. The tie-up also states first debt funding ever done by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the housing finance sector in India. This will be JICA's first debt funding in the housing finance sector in India.

Note: Managing Director of PNB Housing Finance: Sanjaya Gupta.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Supreme Court Extends Tenure of Justice Shiva Kirti Singh as TDSAT Chairman by 3 Months: The Supreme Court of India has extended the tenure of current Chairperson of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), Justice Shiva Kirti Singh, by three more months. This decision has been taken by a bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justices Sanjay K. Kaul & Deepak Gupta on 7 April 2020. The 3 years term of Justice Shiva Kirti Singh (former Supreme Court judge) as TDSAT Chairperson was coming to an end on April 20, 2020. He had assumed the office on April 21, 2017. The Supreme Court bench has also directed the union government to expedite the process of appointment for TDSAT members.

Note: TDSAT was established to adjudicate disputes and dispose of appeals to protect the interests of service providers and consumers and to promote growth of the telecom sector.

2. Infosys COO, U.B. Pravin Rao Appointed Chairman of Nasscom for FY’21: The IT services industry body Nasscom (National Association of Software and Services Companies) has appointed UB Pravin Rao, as the new Chairman of the company for the current financial year 2020-21. UB Pravin Rao is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Infosys. He will succeed Keshav Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS Global Services. Besides this, Chairman and Senior Managing Director, Accenture India, Rekha M Menon, has been appointed as the Vice-Chairperson for the industry body for this fiscal. The newly appointed leadership, along with President Debjani Ghosh, will help the industry body achieve its 2025 vision for the industry.

Note: NASSCOM Headquarters: New Delhi; NASSCOM Founded: 1 March 1988.

OBITUARIES

1. American actor Forrest Compton passes away: Veteran American actor Forrest Compton, who was popular for playing the role of district attorney Mike Karr in the long-running soap opera “The Edge of Night”, passed away due to COVID-19 complications. He has served in France with the 103rd Infantry Division during the World War II and then started learning acting at the Yale Drama School alongside cinema legend Paul Newman. His other popular works includes “One Lie to Live”, “As the World Turns” and “All My Children”.

2. Malayalam music composer Arjunan Master passes away: Veteran Malayalam music composer MK Arjunan, popularly known as Arjunan Master, passed away. He was 84. He scored music for more than 300 plays and 200 movies in his long and highly successful career. He was awarded the Kerala State Film Award in 2017 for his work in director Jayaraj’s Bhayanakam.

3. Former Libya Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril Passes Away: Former Libya Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril who was the former head of the Libyan rebel government that ousted the long term ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, passed away due to COVID-19. He was 68. Jibril served as the interim Prime Minister of Libya for seven and a half months during the Libyan Civil War, from 5 March to 23 October 2011. Before joining the revolution in 2011, Jibril served the Gaddafi government as an economic advisor in its final years and later led the rebel National Transitional Council, the interim government that toppled and killed Muammar Gaddafi.

Note: Capital of Libya: Tripoli; Currency: Libyan dinar; Prime Minister of Libya: Fayez al-Sarraj.

4. Former New Zealand cricketer Jock Edwards passes away: The former New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman Jock Edwards (64 years) passed away. The right-hand batsman, Edwards played eight Test matches and six One Day Internationals (ODIs) for the Kiwi team. His last Test as well as ODI match was against India in the year 1981 each. He was also a member of the Nelson side that held on to the Hawke Cup for 14 matches between February 1979 and February 1983. In his international career, Jock scored 377 runs in Tests and 138 runs in ODIs which he played against Australia, England and India.

Daily GK Updates - 6th April, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Cabinet Approves Ordinance to Reduce Salaries of President, PM, Governors, Ministers, MPs by 30% for 1 year Effective from April 1: The Union Cabinet, on April 6, 2020, approved an ordinance to amend the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, to reduce the allowances and pension of all MPs by 30% for a period of one year, with effect from April 1, 2020. The President, Vice President, Governors of States have also voluntarily decided to take a pay cut of 30 percent as a social responsibility for one year. Sharing this information, the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar also announced that all these money will go to Consolidated Fund of India, for managing health and the adverse impact of outbreak of COVID-19 in India. Besides, this, the Cabinet has also decided to temporarily suspend the MPLAD (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) Fund for two years, that means during 2020-21 & 2021-22. The consolidated amount of MPLAD Funds accumulated during this 2 years period will be Rs 7900 crores. This amount will also go to Consolidated Fund of India to fight COVID-19.

2. Govt approves Rs 11,092 crore for all states to deal with COVID-19 challenge: Union Home Minister Amit Shah approved release of Rs 11,092 crore to all states under the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) for setting up quarantine facilities and arranging other facilities for checking the spread of coronavirus. This fund is allowed to be utilised for setting up quarantine facilities, sample collection and screening; setting up additional testing laboratories, cost of consumables; purchase of personal protection equipment for healthcare, municipal, police and fire authorities; purchase of thermal scanners, ventilators, air purifiers, and consumables for government hospitals.

3. DRDO Laboratory designs full body disinfection chamber: Vehicle Research Development Establishment (VRDE), DRDO Laboratory has designed full body disinfection chamber called as PSE for personnel decontamination. This is a portable system equipped with sanitizer and soap dispenser. The system has been manufactured with the help of M/s Dass Hitachi Ltd, Ghaziabad, within a time span of four days. This can be used in controlled ingress and egress like entry-exit to hospitals, malls, office buildings, etc.

4. Anurag Srivastava takes charge as the MEA Spokesman: Senior diplomat Anurag Srivastava (1999 batch IFS officer) took charge as the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs succeeding Raveesh Kumar. He was Indian envoy to Ethiopia and was part of the Finance Division of the MEA which is tasked to administer it''s annual budget of about USD 2 billion. He had also served at the India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.

5. Nation observed ‘9pm 9minute’ by lightening diyas and candles: Millions of Indians across the country switched off lights at their homes and lit candles and diyas or turned on mobile phone torches on Sunday night, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to show the nation's "collective resolve and solidarity" in its fight against coronavirus with this symbolic gesture.

6. FCI sets all-time record in transportation of food grains: FCI has sets record in single day movement by moving 70 rakes carrying 1.93 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) continuously to ensure food grain stocks during countrywide lockdown. Punjab accounted for about 46% of total food grain movement followed by Haryana, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. FCI is providing food grains under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) with wheat and rice at Open Market sale rates.

7. Bengaluru startup launches home screening kit for COVID-19: Bengaluru-based startup firm Bione Ventures Pvt Ltd has launched a rapid at-home screening kit for COVID-19 that delivers results within minutes. The simple point-of-care home screening kit renders quick results, without having to step out in the wake of the lockdown. It will foster timely detection of the disease while acting as a preventive tool for others in proximity to the user, by isolating the carrier immediately.

8. UGC directs Universities to set up mental health helplines for students: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all universities and colleges to set up mental health helplines to address psycho-social concerns of students during the COVID-19 lockdown. Helpline will be regularly monitored and managed by counsellors and identified faculty members.

9. 3D protection shields for health workers designed: 3D protection shield for doctors and health workers working to prevent and treat COVID-19 pandemic have been designed in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The design is formulated by Shri Ebin of Eachanari, a suburb of Coimbatore. The design has been given to 60 organizations in various parts of the country and efforts are on to produce 20,000 shields as soon as possible.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UNSC to hold its first meeting on coronavirus pandemic: UN Security Council will hold its first meeting on the coronavirus pandemic on April 9, after weeks of divisions among its five permanent members. Last week resolution titled 'Global solidarity to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)' was the first such document on the global pandemic to be adopted by the world organization. Also exasperated by the back-and-forth that has paralyzed the Council between China and the United States, nine of the 10 non-permanent members formally requested a meeting featuring a presentation by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

2. International Day of Sport for Development and Peace: 6 April: The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is observed annually on April 6, to celebrate the power of sport to drive social change, community development and to foster peace and understanding. To celebrate International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2020, a request has been made by the United Nations to people around the world asking them to be active, stay healthy and exhibit solidarity during this period of physical and social distancing as this team spirit is going to help us all in getting through the current challenges together. For the International Day of Sport 2020, the UN has appealed to people to #BeActive and healthy to beat #COVID19.

Note: This day was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 23 August 2013, and supported by the International Olympic Committee since 6 April 2014. The date commemorates the inauguration of the first Olympic games of the modern era, in Athens, (Greece) in 1896.

3. Tiger at New York's Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID-19: Global pandemic COVID-19 has not even left animal kindgdom untouched. A tiger at New York's Bronx Zoo has tested positive for COVID-19 and is believed to have contracted the virus from a caretaker who was asymptomatic at the time. The Wildlife Conservation Society that runs the city's zoos said that the four-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia along with her sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions all developed dry coughs and are expected to fully recover. It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but the zoo will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. 2021 World Games Shifted to 2022 to Avoid Clash with Rescheduled 2020 Toyko Olympics: The 2021 World Games, which were scheduled to take place in Birmingham, Alabama, from 15–25 July 2021, have now been postponed to 7-17 July, 2022. The games have been pushed back to 2022 to avoid clashing with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics which were rescheduled to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The World Games are held every four years and feature 32 sports that are not part of the Olympic program. The World Games are organised and governed by the International World Games Association (IWGA), recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Airtel Payments Bank ties up with Bharti AXA General Insurance for health insurance plans: Airtel Payments Bank said it has partnered with Bharti AXA General Insurance to offer health insurance plans to provide cover and give financial protection against COVID-19. Under the tie-up, the companies are offering two health insurance plans — Bharti AXA Group Health Assure which offers lump sum benefit of Rs 25,000 and Group Hospital Cash which provides daily benefit starting Rs 500 per day — to provide protection against COVID-19.

2. SBI pegs FY21 growth at 2.6%: SBI house economists have pegged the growth forecast for January-March at 2.5 per cent and for 2020-21 at 2.6 per cent given the massive disruptions to businesses and the economy due to the COVID-19-driven lockdowns, which has upended at least 70 per cent of the economy. The 21-day lockdown will cost the economy at least Rs 8 lakh crore, according to a report by SBI Research, which says at least 70 per cent of the economy is on a standstill because of this. The country’s share in global GDP currently is 3.5 per cent.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Honduras President Rafael Callejas passes Away: The former President of Honduras, Rafael Callejas, has passed away of heart attack. He was 76. Callejas served the country from 27 January 1990 to 27 January 1994, representing the National Party of Honduras (PNH). He was the head of country’s football federation from 2002 to 2015 and was also accused of the vast football corruption scandal known as FIFAgate. 

Daily GK Updates - 5th April, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. IIT-Roorkee developed ‘Prana-Vayu’ low-cost portable ventilator: A special, low-cost, closed-loop, portable ventilator, ‘Prana-Vayu, has been developed by Research team at IIT Roorkee in collaboration with AIIMS, Rishikesh, which will be useful for COVID-19 patients. The ventilator can be manufactured in just Rs 25,000 and will be applicable for a wide degree of congestions in the respiratory tract and can be used for all age group patients, especially the elderly. The ventilator is equipped with state-of-the-art features: It can automatically limit high pressure with an alarm system; In case of a failure, the circuit opens to the atmosphere which prevents choking; Some additional features include remote monitoring by health professionals, touch screen control of all operating parameters, moister, and temperature control for inhaled air. The research team from IIT Roorkee included Prof. Akshay Dvivedi and Prof. Arup Kumar Das with online support from Dr. Debendra Tripathi from AIIMS Rishikesh.

Note: Director of IIT-Roorkee: Ajit K. Chaturvedi; Headquarters of IIT-Roorkee: Roorkee, Uttarakhand.

2. Civil Services Association Launches Initiative ‘CARUNA’ to help Government Fight Coronavirus: The Associations representing officers of central civil services, such as IAS, IPS, has come up with an initiative called ‘CARUNA’, as a collaborative platform to support Government in the fight against #COVID19. The acronym ‘CARUNA’ stands for Civil services Associations Reach to sUpport in Natural disAsters. The collective abilities of this versatile group will support: (1) Decision Makers by providing IT, HR & coordination support to enhance their outreach; (2) Frontline Functionaries in reaching out to the last mile.

Since these officers have strong network at district level, they will work towards the needs and requirement faced in particular areas in a district like shortages of supplies. This network can be used to create a database of information on migration, essential supplies and medical equipment like masks, ventilators, PPE, etc, and forwarded to the government so that they can take much better step to eliminate COVID-19 from every corner of the country. The officers have set up teams which will work in sync with the 11 empowered groups created by the Narendra Modi government to tackle all issues related to the Covid-19 outbreak.

3. Disinfectant Tunnel ‘3V Safe Tunnel’ Installed at Telangana DGP Office: In Telangana, a unique disinfectant tunnel named ‘3V Safe Tunnel’ has been installed at the office of the state Director General of Police to sanitize people within 20 seconds from any possible bacteria and other microbes and reduce the local transmission of Covid-19 in the state. The first-of-its-kind tunnel installed in the state consists of a combination of a water-soluble polymer and iodine in a form of spray. The solution is known to be effective against virus like SARS, MERS and Ebola. The Sanitising tunnel has been installed with the help of a private company, S3V Vascular Technologies Private Limited.

Note: Chief Minister of Telangana: K Chandrasekhar Rao; Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan.

4. GoI constitutes Empowered Group for coordinating COVID-19 related Response Activities

 The Government of India has constituted an Empowered Group for coordinating response activities with Private Sector, NGOs and International Organisations related to COVID-19 to coordinate response activities with Private Sector, NGOs and International Organisations related to COVID-19. The gorup will be headed by the chief executive officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant and will address the issues such as identification of problems, effective solutions and making of plans along with three groups of stakeholders. It will address the issues pertaining to identification of problems, effective solutions and formulation of plans with three groups of stakeholders. 3 groups have been created including UN agencies, World Bank, ADB, Civil Society Organisations, Industry associations.

5. Indian Railways develops low-cost ventilator prototype named “Jeevan”: Indian Railway’s Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, Punjab has developed a low-cost ventilator prototype named “Jeevan” that is much cheaper than regular ventilators. The ventilators can be put to use after it receives approvals from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The cost of these ventilators is expected to be Rs. 10,000 without compressors. RCF Kapurthala has developed the prototype after the government instructed the Indian Railways to explore the possibility of manufacturing ventilators.

6. National Maritime Day: 5 April: India observes National Maritime Day on 5 April every year to illustrate the awareness in supporting intercontinental commerce and the global economy as the most well-organized, safe and sound, environmentally responsive approach of transporting goods from one corner to another corner of the world. National Maritime Day 2020 was the 57th edition of the National Maritime Day.

On this day in 1919 navigation history was created when SS Loyalty, the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd., traveled from Mumbai to the United Kingdom, a crucial step for India shipping history when sea routes were restricted and controlled by the British.

Note: World Maritime Day is observed on the last week of September on Thursday annually. This year World Maritime Day will be celebrated on September 24, 2020. According to the International Maritime Organization, “Sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet” has been selected as the World Maritime theme for 2020.

7. Geo-fencing app will be used to locate quarantine violators: The government has tested an application that triggers e-mails and SMS alerts to an authorised government agency if a person has jumped quarantine or escaped from isolation, based on the person’s mobile phone’s cell tower location.The Centre is using powers under the Indian Telegraph Act to “fetch information” from telecom companies every 15 minutes to track COVID-19 cases across the country. Kerala was one of the first States to use geo-fencing to track COVID-19 cases.On March 29, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) shared a standard operating procedure (SOP) with all telecom service providers regarding the application called COVID-19 Quarantine Alert System (CQAS).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US research links BCG vaccination against COVID-19: US-based research suggested the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination a “game-changer” in the fight against novel coronavirus. BCG vaccine is used against tuberculosis (TB). It contains a live but weakened strain of tuberculosis bacteria that provokes the body to develop antibodies to attack TB bacteria boosting the immune system. It can act as the first-line defence that keep a variety of pathogens from entering the body and prevent infection.

2. India Launches Operation “Sanjeevani” to Send 6.7 Tones of medical assistance to Maldives amidst COVID-19 crisis: India launched an 18-hour operation called ‘Operation Sanjeevani’ to deliver 6.2 tonnes of essential medicines and hospital consumables to Maldives, as an assistance in fight against COVID 19. The Indian Air Force (IAF) used its C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to airlift the supplies to Maldivian Capital, Male. These medicines and consumables were procured from eight suppliers in India. The medicines could not be transported directly to the Maldives from India through any other means as India is under a 21-day nation-wide lockdown The Maldives is the first neighboring country of India to have received essential medicines since the lockdown commenced in India. The medicines include influenza vaccines, anti-viral drugs such as lopinavir and ritonavir.

3. United Nations International Day of Conscience: 5 April: The United Nations General Assembly has designated 5 April to be observed as an International Day of Conscience every year. The resolution was adopted on on 31 July 2019 by the UN General Assembly. The year 2020 marks the first edition of the celebrations. This day aims to remind people to self-reflect, follow their conscience, and do the right things. 2020 Theme: Change the World with Conscience.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Kobe Bryant inducted into NBA’s Hall of Fame (Basketball): Late basketball player, Kobe Bryant, has been inducted into the NBA’s Hall of Fame 2020. He was an American Basketball Player. Kobe Bryant, 41 was killed in a helicopter crash in January 2020 in which total of 9 people died. A total of 9 people have been inducted into the 2020 NBA’s Hall of Fame. The other eight are: MVP Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Eddie Sutton, Rudy Tomjanovich, Tamika Catchings, Kim Mulkey, Barbara Stevens and Patrick Baumann.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Centre credits Rs 500 in each Jan Dhan account held by women: The Ministry of Rural Development said that it is releasing a lump sum amount of Rs. 500 per head to women account holders under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) for April and the same have been credited to the designated accounts of individual banks . This follows the announcement made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26 regarding ex-gratia payment of Rs. 500 for each woman PMJDY account holder for the next three months under the PM Garib Kalyan Package amid coronavirus crisis that has affected all economic activity and the incomes.

2. GoI extends tenure of Madhabi Puri Buch as WTM at SEBI: The Government of India has extended the term of Madhabi Puri Buch as a Whole Time Member (WTM) at Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) by 6 months. She is the first woman Whole Time Member (WTM) of SEBI who is also the first from the private sector to be appointed as a board member in SEBI. She was appointed by the Government of India as the Whole Time Member (WTM) at Securities and Exchange Board of India in 2017.

Note: Chairman of SEBI: Ajay Tyagi; Headquarter: Mumbai.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Naveen Patnaik awarded with ‘Hero to Animals Award’ by PETA India: Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik has been conferred with ‘Hero to Animals Award’ by animal rights body PETA India. He has been awarded by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for allocating funds to feed community animals in Odisha during the lockdown over the novel coronavirus pandemic. CM approved of Rs 54 lakhs from a relief fund to feed animals of the community to ensure that the animals do not go starving in such conditions. The government sanctioned the amount after it was found that thousands of stray animals in Odisha were having a hard time finding food as markets, eateries and hotels are closed.

Note: PETA established: March 22, 1980; Headquarters: Norfolk, Virginia, United States.

OBITUARIES

1. Renowned singer Bill Withers passes away: Renowned singer and lyricist, Bill Withers (81 years) passes away. Wither won Grammy Awards 3 times in his career for his song Ain't No Sunshine, Just the two of us and Lean on Me. He was known for his smooth baritone vocals and sumptuous soul arrangements of 1970s. Lean on Me has recently become associated with the Coronavirus pandemic, with many people posting their own versions to support health workers.