Weekly Current Affairs 8th To 14th April 2020

Published on April 15, 2020

National News

An Online Platform to Issue COO for Exporters-Launched Commerce Industry

In order to have proper shipments amidst COVID-19, the Ministry of Commerce has launched an online platform that will help in carrying out the issuance process of mandatory documents required for exports to those countries with which India has made earlier trade agreements.

5T Plan- Launched by Delhi Government to Fight COVID-19

Delhi Government has launched a ‘5T’ plan to fight COVID-19 pandemic.
The resemblance of 5T: Testing, Tracking, Treatment, Teamwork, and Trackling.

JSW Energy Limited to Acquire GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited by JSW Energy Limited.
JSW Energy Limited will acquire 100% stakes of GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited.

COVID-19 Health Insurance- Airtel Payment Banks and Bharati AXA General Insurance

Airtel Payment Bank has partnered with Bharati AXAGeneralInsurance to offer to health insurance products amidst of COVID-19.
Name of the two products are Bharti AXA Group Health Assure and Group Hospital Cash.

‘Samadhan Challenge’- By MHRD Ministry

The Ministry of Human Resources Development and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in collaboration with Forge and Innovatio Curis launched a mega online challenge - SAMADHAN.

Raksha Sarva App- by Chhattisgarh Police and ‘Mobcoder’ Startup

Chhattisgarh police and a Noida based startup ‘Mobcoder’ developed an app called ‘Raksha Sarva’ which will help them to track the quarantined people amidst COVID-19 through Google map.

CSIR-CECRI Partnered 3DLycan- to Produce Face Sheilds

CSIR-CECRI has developed a series of lab-made Personal protective equipment (PPEs) to fight COVID-19 pandemic.

‘iGOT’ an e-learning Platform- By Government of India

The government of India has launched an e-learning platform called ‘IGOT’ to combat COVID-19.
The platform is launched for all frontline workers who are delivering their services in treating COVID-19 patients like doctors, nurses, etc. and the cleaners, etc.

Operation SHIELD: Launched by Delhi

Delhi Government has launched an operation SHIELD in order to curb COVID-19 pandemic.
Delhi government has made mandatory to wear masks to every person stepping out of homes.

Flipkart, ICICI Lombard, and Go Digit General Insurance- Health Plan for COVID-19

Flipkart Private Ltd has inked a partnership with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd and Go Digit General Insurance to launch two health insurance policies for COVID-19.
COVID-19 Protection Cover: It is offered by ICICI Lombard. In this, it offers a benefits plan of Rs 25000 to the COVID-19 positive patients. The annual premium is Rs 159.

Partnership--- HUL and UNICEF to Combat COVID-19

Hindustan Unilever Ltd has partnered with UNICEF to combat COVID-19 by undertaking a mass communication campaign that will inform and empower the public about the pandemic.
The mass communication campaign is titled as #BreakTheChain or #VirusKiKadiTodo.

‘Swasth Ke Sipahi-Supply Medicines under PMBJP

The whole nation is under lockdown situation, amidst of COVID-19. Hence to support this and to combat COVID-19, the pharmacists who are known as ‘Swasth Ke Sipahi’ of Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra are offering essential medical services and medicines at the doorsteps of patients, handicapped and elder persons.

India’s GDP FY21 at 4.8% ---By UN ESCAP

The UN 'Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) 2020 has forecasted India's GDP growth to slow down to 4.8%.
It has marked the slowdown is due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has lead to the stopping of positive economic impactful activities.

‘YUKTI’ Web Portal--- BY HRD Ministry

Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched a web-portal YUKTI (Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology, and Innovation).
The portal will display the information describing the efforts and initiatives which have been taken by HRD ministry in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Double Layered Khadi Masks---BY KVIC

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has developed a double-layered Khadi mask to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The masks help to retain 70% of the moisture content inside and gives an easy passage for the air to pass through.

‘Food Bank’---Manipur

The government of Manipur has launched an initiative called ‘Food Bank’ to help poor with necessary commodities amidst COVID-19.
This initiative provides free food to the poor and the needy ones who are facing scarcity due to the lockdown situations across the country.

Agreement--- UNIDO and CUTS to Achieve 2030 Sustainable Development Goal

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has signed an agreement with the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) to support the ongoing activities to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

‘CollabCAD’---By NITI Aayog, NIC and Atal Innovation Mission

NITI Aayog, NIC (National Informatics Center) and Atal innovation Mission have come together to launch CollabCAD (Collaborative CAD Software).
It is a computer-enabled software system that provides a total engineering solution from 2D drafting & detailing to 3D product designing.

Banking News

PNB Housing Finance, JICA, and Citibank to Provide Affordable Housing Loans

To accelerate financial inclusion in Asia, PNB Housing Finance has signed an agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to raise 75 million dollars by co-financing 25 million dollars by Citibank with the main objective of providing affordable housing to low-income households in India.

Reserve Bank Announces Third TLTRO

The Reserve Bank to conduct TLTROs of up to three years tenor of appropriate sizes for a total amount of up to Rs 1,00,000 crores.
The funds availed under this tranche of TLTRO would have to be deployed within 30 working days from the date of the operation.

SIDBI to Provide Emergency Working Capital to MSMEs

The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) will facilitate with an emergency working capital of up to Rs 1 crore against their confirmed government orders to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

RBI’s Current Notification--Auction of Government of India Dated Securities

RBI has released a notification describing auction GOI’s three securities for an amount of Rs 20,000 crore. The total amount retained over and above the notified will not exceed Rs 20,000 crore in the first half of FY 2020-21 and will be set-off in the second half-year.

Appointments

Name of the Person	Designation
Justice Shiva Kirti Singh	Chairperson of TDSAT
Parag Raja	MD and CEO of Bharti AXA Life Insurance
Anamika Roy Rashtrawar	New MD and CEO of IFFCO Tokio General Insurance
Birupaksha Mishra	Executive Director of Union Bank of India
Mahabaleshwara M S	MD and CEO of Karnataka Bank

Important Days

Date	Day	Theme
10^th April 2020	World Homoeopathy Day	Theme: ‘Linking Research with education and clinical practice: Advancing scientific collaborations’.
12^th April 2020	International Day of Human Space Flight	The day commemorates the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s spaceflight in 1961 which was the first human space flight.
14^th April 2020	World Chagas Disease Day	--

Defence

Agreement- L&T and Indian Army

Indian army has given large contracts to Engineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro to setup advance IT enabled system.
The system will be used to operate the armed forces network under the Network of Spectrum (NFS).

Science and Technology

NASA to Set Base Camp on Moon by 2024

NASA has unveiled the plan of setting up of a human bas camp on the Moon’s the South Pole by 2024. The base camp is named as ‘Artemis’.
The plan is designed to land humans on the moon by the 2024. The base camp is expected to successfully demonstrate the US’s long-established leadership in space and will serve as a gateway for humanity’s first mission to Mars.

TRIFED and UNICEF- Launched a Digital Campaign

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) developed a digital communication strategy for promoting a digital campaign for Self Help Groups (SHGs), in collaboration with UNICEF.

Membrane Oxygenator Equipment- to Treat COVID-19 Patients

A Pune based company Genrich Membranes which is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has developed membrane oxygenator equipment to treat COVID-19 patients.
Membrane oxygenator equipment is used to treat breathlessness, one of the critical symptoms of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Technology—By Goggle and Apple

Google and Apple have joined to combat COVID-19 by utilizing their technology skills.
They are combating COVID-19 through contact tracing technology.

UV Germicidal Irradiation Technology Based Device—IIT Ropar

IIT Ropar developed a UV Germicidal irradiation technology-based device to sanitize the grocery items and currency notes.

Digital Stethoscope ‘AyuSynk’ ---IIT Bombay

IIT Bombay developed Digital Stethoscope ‘AyuSynk’ for the check-up of COVID-19 patients.
It is developed by a IIT Bombay startup named Ayu Devices with the guidance of Biomedical Engineering and Technology incubation Center (BETiC).