DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: APRIL 15, 2020

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Daily Current Affairs (April 15, 2020) like many other sections is inevitable and this also helps to score in the Banking awareness, Static GK and Financial Awareness sections. Remember, Banking Awareness and Static Awareness Questions are asked from the General Awareness section. This will also help you to ride your preparations for the forthcoming exams.

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Important Days

Indian Army observes 36th Siachen day on April 13, 2020:

• Indian Army observed the 36th Siachen day to pay tribute to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives while protecting the frontiers of the country in Ladakh at the Corps Headquarters in Leh and Siachen base camp, the world’s highest and coldest battlefield.

National News

Goa becomes the first state to integrate allopathy and Ayurveda to treat COVID-19 patients

• Goa Chief Minister (CM) Pramod Sawant announced that Goa becomes the first state to integrate allopathy and Ayurveda to treat COVID-19 patients and those who have been quarantined.
• Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also added that although Ayurveda cannot cure COVID-19, it will certainly boost patients’ immunity.

Goa

• Capital:Panaji
• Chief Minister:Pramod Sawant
• Governor:Satya Pal Mali

Uttar Pradesh became the first state to start Pool Testing of coronavirus

• Uttar Pradesh became the first state to start the Pool Testing of the coronavirus samples as the number of COVID-19 positive patients reached 558. 
• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) gave permission for pool testing to the state in order to help maximize the testing of samples on a daily basis. Pool testing is expected to boost the daily testing capacity of the state health department.

Uttar Pradesh

• Capital:Lucknow
• Chief Minister:Yogi Adityanath
• Governor:Anandiben Patel

Fit India launched Fit India Active Day program for school students

• Fit India, the Government of India’s flagship fitness movement, has launched the Fit India Active Day program.
• The new series of fitness sessions will be organized in partnership with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for school children from across the country.

“DekhoApnaDesh” webinar series to provide information on many destinations and culture and heritage of Incredible India

• Tourism Ministry launched “DekhoApnaDesh” webinar series to provide information on the cultural & heritage sites. The first webinar was about Delhi titled City of Cities-Delhi’s Personal Diary. It is to be available on social handles of the Ministry.
• Tourism Ministry: Prahlad Singh Patel.

CCI approves proposed acquisition of 9.93% stake by Emerald Sage Investment Limited in Apollo Tyres Limited

• The Proposed combination envisages subscription by Emerald Sage Investment Limited to 10.80 cr constituting approx. 9.93% shares of Apollo Tyres Limited. 
• Emerald is investment holding company under Mauritius. Apollo manufactures and sells automotive tyres.
• Apollo Tyres HO: Gurugram.

Agri Ministry launches a call centre for agri logistics

• Agriculture Ministry has set up a call centre to ease the difficulties in agri logistics, particularly the inter- State movement of perishable vegetables and fruits as well as agri inputs such as seeds, pesticides and fertilisers.

Ministry of Agriculture:

• Headquarters– Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi.

• Cabinet Minister– Narendra Singh Tomar.

• Minister of State– Parshottam Rupala, Kailash Chowdry.

AICTE launches e-learning portal ‘ELIS’

• In order to foster digital learning, AICTE launched Enhancement in Learning with Improvement in Skills (ELIS) portal. The e-learning content consists of 26 different courses with the help of 18 leading Ed-tech companies.
• AICTE Chairman: Anil Sahasrabudhe.

DRDO develops COVID-19 sample collection kiosk ‘COVSACK’

• COVSACK – COVID Sample Collection Kiosk helps health workers to collect samples from patients without PPE kits. It is developed by DRDO & doctors of ESIC. DRDO also developed Personal Sanitation Enclosure (PSE) & Full Face Mask (FFM).
• Chairman of DRDO: G Satheesh Reddy.

C-DOT and Telecom Service Providers develop COVID Quarantine Alert System

• Department of Telecommunication and C-DOT (Centre for Development of Telematics) in coordination with Telecom Service Providers have developed and tested COVID Quarantine Alert System application.
• which automatically triggers an email (Electronic Mail) or SMS (Short Message Service) if any identified corona positive person moves away from their quarantine location.

MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology):

• Cabinet Minister– Ravi Shankar Prasad.
• Minister of State (MoS)– Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre.
• Secretary– Ajay Prakash Sawhney.

International News

UN releases $ 2.5 million to help cyclone-ravaged Vanuatu

• United Nations (UN) humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock announced and released 2.5 million dollar from its emergency humanitarian fund to help thousands of people in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu affected by Cyclone Harold and offered support to other hard-hit countries.

US clears sale of Harpoon missile and torpedoes priced a total of $155 million to India

• According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the US (United States) President Donald Trump’s administration has approved the sale of Harpoon Block II air-launched missiles & MK 54 lightweight torpedoes priced a total of $ 155 million to India to combat regional threats and increase the security.

US approved sale of missiles worth USD 155 million to strengthen India:

• The US reaffirmed its determination to sell Harpoon air-launched anti-ship missiles and Mark 54 lightweight torpedoes worth $155 million to India. The aim is to enhance India’s deterrent capabilities against regional threats and to strengthen its homeland.
• In 2016, the US recognized India as its “Major Defence Partner”. This designation allows India to buy more advanced and sensitive technologies from the United States.

Banking and economy

RBI to put 200 bps penalty on banks if failed to invest TLTRO funds in 30 days

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has instructed banks that they need to invest the mandated 50% of the funds raised through Targeted Long-Term Repo Operations (TLTRO) route, under the first tranche conducted on March 27, 2020, in corporate bonds or specified securities within a month or 30 working days.
• If failed, the interest rate on un-deployed funds will increase to prevailing policy repo rate plus 200 bps (basis points) additional penal interests will have to be paid for the number of days such funds remain un-deployed.

IMF slashes FY21 India growth forecast to 1.9% from 5.8%; warns of global recession:

• IMF cut its India’s growth forecast to 1.9% for FY21 from 5.8% projected earlier and predicted a 3% contraction for global GDP warning that the global economy has plunged into the worst recession since the Great Depression.
• World likely to lose a collective $9tn output over 2 years:IMF.

Government launches Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme 2020-21:

• Government of India in consultation with RBI will launch Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme. The bonds will be issued in six tranches. The bonds will be sold through Scheduled Commercial banks (except SFBs & Payments Bank), SHCIL, BSE, NSE. Bond period – 8 years.
• Investment limit for Individual: 1gm – 4 kg of gold.

India’s GDP to contract by 6.1% in April-June: Japan’s Nomura:

• The Japanese brokerage company Nomura has projected a downward revision by 6.1% for Indian economy in the April-June quarter and by 0.5% for the September quarter. 
• It is likely to expand only in the December quarter of 2020 by 1.4%. The economy will grow at 3.2% in the January-March period.

Nomura:

• Headquarters– Tokyo, Japan
• President & Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Kentaro Okuda

Barclays pegs lockdown’s economic cost at $234bn; sees no growth for 2020:

• Barclays pegged the economic cost of the lockdown at $234.4bn (8.1% of the GDP). It also revised its GDP projection for CY 2020 to 0 from 2.5% earlier and 0.8% for FY 21 from 3.5% earlier. Growth for CY21 has been projected at 7.5%.
• Nomura expect GDP to contract 0.5%.

Hindalco closes $2.8bn acquisition of Aleris Group:

• K M Birla’s Hindalco Industries completed the acquisition of Aluminium rolled products maker Aleris Group through its subsidiary Novelis Inc. The enterprise value of the deal is $2.8billion.
• Hindalco is now one of the world’s largest aluminium makers.

Science and Technology

IIT Guwahati developed an antimicrobial spray-based coating for PPE:

• Researchers from IIT-Guwahati have developed an affordable antimicrobial spray-based coating for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and 3D printed Ear Guard for comfortable use of face masks by healthcare workers.
• Antimicrobial coating for PPE: The aim of the antimicrobial spray-based coating is to safeguard healthcare workers and citizens from the current coronavirus crisis and other infectious diseases.

Appointments

MS Dhoni Replaces Nawazuddin Siddiqui As PokerStars India’s Brand Ambassador:

• PokerStars India has appointed MS Dhoni as its new brand ambassador. The announcement of the endorsement deal was delayed due to the COVID-19’s impact on the world and postponement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and other sporting events.
• Prior to MS Dhoni’s appointment, popular Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui was the brand ambassador of the company. Muskan Sethi and Sharad Rao are the other ambassadors of PokerStars India, while Aditya Agarwal quit the brand in December 2019.

Monaz Noble joins Godrej Industries as Independent Director:

• Diversified Conglomerate Godrej Industries announced the appointment of Monaz Noble as Non-Executive Director for 5 years. Noble is the Chief Financial Officer at Novartis Global Service Centre in Hyderabad.

Awards and Recognitions

Four Indian – Americans awarded 2020 Guggenheim fellowships:

• Four Indian Americans have been awarded the prestigious US fellowship for their accomplishments & exceptional promise. Pradeep Sharma, Kavita Ramanan, Dilip Da Cunha & Mukul Sharma were awarded the 2020 Guggenheim fellowships. The size of the grant varies.
• Approximately 175 such fellowships are awarded every year.

Obituary News

M V Rajasekharan former Union Minister and Veteran Congress Leader passed away at 91:

• Former Union Minister of State of planning and statistics, veteran Congress leader and agriculture and rural development consultant M V Rajasekharan passed away at 91 in a hospital at Bangalore. 
• He was born on 12th September 1928 in Maralawadi in Ramanagara District, Karnataka.

Daily Current Affairs Quiz – April 15, 2020

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