National News
"DekhoApnaDesh" Webinar Series---By Ministry of Tourism
- Ministry of Tourism has launched its "DekhoApnaDesh" webinar series. The series has been launched to provide information about various destinations of our Incredible India and to detail and expand the cultural heritage of India.
Additional Benefits to Policy Holders and Agents—By Tata AIA Insurance
- Tata AIA Insurance announced to grant additional benefits related to COVID-19 for its policyholders and agents. These benefits are granted by the insurance company are with no additional cost. And hence, by doing this, Tata AIA Insurance becomes the first one to do so.
Personal Protective Coverall Suit—By CSIR-NAL and MAF Clothing Pvt Ltd
- CSIR-NAL (CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories) and MAF Clothing Pvt Ltd have developed a Personal Protective Coverall Suit.
- It has been tested at SITRA, Coimbatore through stringent testing.
‘Assess Koro Na’---By Delhi Government
- Delhi Government has launched ‘Assess Koro Na’ mobile application which is utilized to do the door-to-door survey in COVID-19 containment zones of Delhi.
High-Protein Biscuits—By CSIR-CFTRI for COVID-19 Patients
- Mysuru-based CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) has made available high-protein biscuits to the COVID-19 patients in the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi.
Agreement—UP Government and Google for Geotag Community Kitchens
- Uttar Pradesh government has signed an agreement with tech giant Google to form geotag community kitchens and community shelters across the state.
- By doing so, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in India to geotag its 7,368 community kitchens and community shelters which produce 12 lakh food packets a day.
Banking
India’s growth at 1.5% to 2.8%---By World Bank
- World Bank has released its report called ‘South Asia Economic Focus’. In that, it has forecasted India’s growth for FY21 at 1.5% to 2.8%.
- Initially, World Bank had projected the growth of India to be 6.3% about 6 months ago, but it has now projected a fall to 1.5% to 2.8%.
RBI Launches Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2020-21
- Reserve Bank of India has launched the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme for 2020-2021. The Bonds will be issued in six tranches from April 2020 to September 2020.
- The schemes describe the assured return of 2.5 percent to investors along with appreciation in the price of the bond in line with the movement of gold prices.
IMF Forecasted a 7.6% Expansion in Asian Economic Growth in 2021
- International Monetary Fund reported that the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to a halt in the economic growth all over Asia for 2020. The organization has forecasted a 7.6% expansion in Asian economic growth in 2021.
RBI Eases Fund Flow for Cash-Starved Real Estate Sector
- RBI governor Shaktikanta Das announced TLTRO of Rs 50,000 crore, saying the funds availed by banks should be put in investment-grade bonds companies, and at least half of the funds should go to small non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and microfinance institutions (MFIs).
- RBI has allotted Rs 10,000 crore to National Housing Bank.
AIIB grants $500 million to India to Combat COVID-19
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has announced a financial help of $500 million projects to India to improve its health care systems.
- With this, AIIB has doubled its funds under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility.
RBI Launched 49th Round of OBICUS of Manufacturing Sector
- RBI launched the 49th round of quarterly OBICUS (Order books, inventories, and capacity utilization survey) of the manufacturing sector which includes the reference period January-March 2020.
- In this OBICUS a total of 704 manufacturing companies were considered to manipulate the data.
RBI Cancels License of Mapusa Co-operative Bank
- Reserve Bank of India has canceled the license of Goa-based Mapusa Urban Co-operative Bank.
- The central bank has restricted Mapusa Urban Co-operative Bank from carrying out any banking operations and businesses with an effect from 16th April 2020.
CBDT Refunds Five Thousand 204 crore Rupees to MSMEs
- Central Board of Direct Taxes has announced that income-tax refunds are obtained over eight lakh small businesses worth over five thousand 204 crore rupees issued in the last ten days.
RBI Raises Ways and Means Advances (WMA) Limit for States
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has increased WMA for state government by another 30%.
- This action by RBI will help state governments as will not have to bunch up auctioning of bonds.
India’s GDP at 1.8%---By Fitch
- Fitch Solutions has forecasted India’s economic growth forecast to 1.8% for FY 2020-21.
- Fitch has also reduced to GDP forecast for China for FY 2020 from 2.6% to 1.1%.
Reports
"Mapping India's Energy Subsidies 2020"---A Report by IISD and CEEW
- International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) has launched a report titled "Mapping India's Energy Subsidies 2020”.
Appointments
| Name of the Person | Designation |
| Ajay Mahajan | New MD and CEO of CARE Ratings |
| Vineet Arora | New MD and CEO of Paytm General Insurance LTD. |
| PK Purwar | CMD of MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited) |
Awards and Honours
| Award | Awardee |
| Chinese Virtual Grand Prix Championship | Charles Leclerc |
Important Days
| Date | Day | Theme |
| 15th April 2020 | World Art Day | -- |
| 15th April 2020 | Himachal Day | -- |
| 17th April 2020 | World Hemophilia Day | Theme: ‘Get + Involved’ |
| 18th April 2020 | World Heritage Day | Theme: ‘Shared Culture, Shared Heritage and Shared Responsibility’ |
| 20th April 2020 | UN Chinese Language Day | -- |
| 21st April 2020 | Civil Services Day | -- |
| 21st April 2020 | World Creativity & Innovation Day | -- |
Government Schemes
‘SAHYOG’—An Integrated Geospatial Platform by DST and GOI
- The basic aim behind this integrated geospatial platform is to help in decision making and supporting in area-specific strategies in order to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak and to handle its socio-economic impact and to provide a motivation for creating positive growth in its recovery phase.
Kisan Rath Mobile App---By Ministry of Agriculture
- Agriculture Ministry launched Kisan Rath Mobile App.
- It is a farmer-friendly app launched to facilitate transportation of food grains and perishables during lockdown situations arisen due to novel coronavirus.
Rs.17,793 crore Under PM-KISAN Scheme—BY GOI
- GoI has released Rs.17,793 crore Under PM-KISAN Scheme farmer families during the lockdown.
- Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme, over 8.89 crore farmer families have been benefitted.
Defence
India’s Major Defence Partner, United States Approves Sale of Missiles
- United States has approved to sale Harpoon air-launched anti-ship missiles and Mark 54 lightweight torpedoes worth $155 million to India. And hence has again proven to be India’s major defense partner and strengthen the defense partnership between the two countries.
North Korea Test-Fired Multiple Short-Range Anti-Ship Missiles
- North Korea launched multiple short-range anti-ship cruise missiles into the sea.
- The anti-ship missiles plunged into the sea more than 150 km off the east coast town of Munchon and the Sukhois carried out firing tests.
Science and Technology
‘CovidGyan’----Launched by TIFR, IISc, and TMC
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) has launched a website called ‘CovidGyan’ with the main objective to create awareness among the public and bring in a holistic approach to understand COVID-19 and to motivate the community to provide the potential ways to mitigate it.
Antimicrobial Spray-Based Coating for PPE and 3D printed Ear Guard –By IIT-Guwahati
- IIT-Guwahati has developed an affordable antimicrobial spray-based coating for PPE and 3D printed Ear Guard. These are developed or comfortable use of face masks by healthcare workers.
TVS Motors Acquires Norton Motorcycles
- TVS Motor Singapore Pte. Ltd, the overseas subsidiary of TVS Motor Company soon to acquire the British Motorcycle brand names Norton Motorcycles.
- The acquisition will take place for £16 million that is for Rs 153.12 crore which was concluded by project 303 Bidco Ltd.
‘WardBot’----By IIT Ropar
- IIT Ropar (Punjab) has designed and developed a ‘Wardbot’ which will be utilized in the hospitals for the COVID-19 patients.
- The ‘WardBot’ will be used to deliver medicine ad food to coronavirus patients.
Third Party Fact Check System---BY Facebook and Boom Website
- Facebook and Indian fact checking website Boom has come together to launch a third-party fact checking in Bangladesh.
- In this system, the false or fake post will appear less or at the bottom and hence will help to reduce the spread of fake news.
“Bug Sniffer”to Detect Pathogens----By ARI, Pune
- Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, has developed a 'bug sniffer’ for the fast and accurate detection of pathogens and bacteria.
- It will provide a cost and time-effective way of screening water and foodborne pathogens.
Summits and Conferences
Second G20 FMCBG Meeting
- Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman attended the virtual meeting of the 2nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG). It was held under the presidency of Saudi Arabia who prepared the G20 Action Plan in response to COVID-19.
National Conference on Kharif Crops 2020
- National Conference on Kharif crops 2020 was virtually addressed via video conference by Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar.
- Also, Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar has urged the state leaders to focus on the two schemes namely PM Fasal Bima Yojana and Soil Health Card scheme to each farmer in the State.
Meet for COVID-19 hosted by Indian High Commission (UK) and FICCI
- The Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom organized a virtual roundtable named as COVID-19 meeting for businesses COVID-19: Issues, Challenges and Way forward.
- The Virtual roundtable meet was organized in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of New Development Bank
- Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman attendedthe 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of New Development Bank (NDB) via video-conference in New Delhi.
