DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS : May 15, 2020

Daily Current Affairs (May 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.

Also, Don’t forget to attend the Daily Current Affairs Quiz : May 15 , 2020 now @ our Bankersdaily Tests.

Current Affairs Quiz – May 15, 2020

Important Days:

International Day of Families- May 15:

The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. This day is celebrated since 1995 to celebrate the importance of families, people, societies and cultures around the world.
This year the theme is “Families in Development: Copenhagen & Beijing + 25”.

National Endangered Species Day- May 15:

National Endangered Species Day is observed every year on the third Friday of May. To raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and restoration efforts for all imperilled species. Endangered Species Act 1973, focuses on the protection of wildlife and threatened species.

National News

Dr Harsh Vardhan participates in 32nd Commonwealth Health Ministers’ meeting via Video conference:

Health Minister participated in the 32nd Commonwealth Health Minister’s Meeting through VC. He highlighted the pro-active measures taken by India towards COVID-19 management. The theme was “Delivering a co-ordinated Commonwealth COVID-19 response”.
There are 54 member countries in the commonwealth.

Kerala launches portal for non-residents to book cabs for home:

Kerala Tourism launched an online platform to enable non-residents Keralites to book vehicles of tour operators to travel back to the state. Keralites stranded in other parts of the country can submit enquiries through the department’s website.
Kerala
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
Governor: Arif Mohammed Khan

Gujarat govt forms six-member committee to revive post-CoVID economy:

Gujarat, the most Industrialised state in India, has set up a six-member committee of experts to deliberate on economic revival measures, including fiscal restructuring, in the post-COVID-19 pandemic scenario and provide comprehensive suggestions.
Committee is headed by former finance secretary, Hasmukh Adhia.

Gujarat CM announces Atma-Nirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana:

Gujarat announced Atma-Nirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana, a scheme for small shop keepers and self-employed hit by the lockdown. Under the scheme, one lakh rupees collateral-free loan will be given at two per cent for the beneficiaries for three years.
Over 10 lakh self-employed & shop keepers to be benefited.
Gujarat
Capital: Gandhinagar
Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
Governor: Acharya Devvrat

Haryana and J&K to provide tap water to every household by Dec 2022: Jal Jeevan Mission:

Jammu & Kashmir and the state Government of Haryana have planned to provide tap connection to supply water to all rural families by December 2022 under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).While the national target has been set for the year 2024-25.

Haryana

Capital:Chandigarh
Chief Minister:Manohar Lal Khattar
Governor:Satyadev Narayan Arya
National Parks(NP):Sultanpur NP, Kalesar NP
Dance:Phag, Dhamal, Loor, Khoria.

Jammu and Kashmir

Capital:Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter)
Governor:Girish Chandra Murmu

West Bengal govt launches Matir Smristi scheme:

West Bengal government launched Matir Smristi scheme to utilise 50,000 acres of barren land in six districts for income-generating activities like horticulture and pisciculture. The scheme will benefit around 5 lakh people in rural Bengal.

West Bengal

Capital: Kolkata
Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee
Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Finance Minister announce measures for relief and credit support to MSMEs and Business to support Indian Economy’s fight against COVID-19:

FM Nirmala Sitharaman shared the first instalment of the mega Rs 20 lakh crore package with the focus today being on the relief to the MSME sector.
Rs 3 lakh crore Emergency Working Capital Facility for Businesses, including MSMEs
Rs 20,000 crore Subordinate Debt for Stressed MSMEs
Rs 50,000 crore equity infusion through MSME Fund of Funds
New Definition of MSME and other Measures for MSME
No Global tenders for Government tenders of upto Rs 200 crore
Extending the Employees Provident Fund Support for business and organised workers for another 3 months for salary months of June, July and August 2020
EPF Contribution to be reduced for Employers and Employees for 3 months to 10% from 12% for all establishments covered by EPFO for next 3 months
30,000 crore Special Liquidity Scheme for NBFC/HFC/MFIs
45,000 crore Partial credit guarantee Scheme 2.0 for Liabilities of NBFCs/MFIs
Rs 90,000 crore Liquidity Injection for DISCOMs
Relief to Contractors given by extension of up to six months for completion of contractual obligations, including in respect of EPC and concession agreements
Relief to Real Estate Projects the registration and completion date for all registered projects will be extended up to six months.
Tax relief to business as pending income tax refunds to charitable trusts and non-corporate businesses and professions to be issued immediately
Reduction in Rates of “Tax Deduction at Source” and “Tax Collected at Source” by 25% for the remaining period of FY 20-21
Due Dates for various tax related compliances extended

International News:

UNWTO Predictions: 60-80 Percent Decline In International Arrivals For 2020:

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a 22 percent fall in international tourist arrivals for the first quarter of 2020. The latest data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that the crisis could further cause an annual decline between 60-80 percent as compared to 2019.

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO):

Headquarters: Madrid,Spain.
Secretary-General: Zurab Pololikashvili.

Deforestation rate globally declined between 2015 and 2020: FAO report

According to the Global Forest Resources Assessment(FRA) 2020 released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO), the forest loss rate in 2015-2020 has declined to an estimated 10 million hectares down from 12 million hectares in 2010-2015.

Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO):

Headquarters: Rome, Italy.
Director General: QU Dongyu.

Banking and Economy:

RBI extends interest subsidy scheme for exporters till March 31, 2021:

Exporters get the subsidy under the ‘Interest Equalisation Scheme for pre and Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit’, a scheme announced in November 2018 & this applies to all exports to the MSME sector. It has been extended till March 31, 2021.

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO):

Direct General: Ajay Sahai.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI):

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Formation: 1 April 1935
Governor: Shaktikanta Das

India to grow at 1.2% in CY20, global GDP to shrink by 3.2% : UN

In the World Economic Situation and Prospects released by UN, it had slashed India’s projected growth rate to 2% in 2020 and forecast that the global economy will contract sharply by 3.2% unleashing a recession unseen since the Great Depression of 1930s.
UN Secretary-General: Antonio Guterres.

Acquisitions and Mergers:

Federal Bank and MoneyGram tie up for direct-to-bank account credit service:

MoneyGram Payment Systems has tied up with Federal Bank to offer a cost-effective direct-to-bank account credit option for customers. Through this partnership, customers can receive deposits directly in their bank accounts without leaving their homes.
Federal Bank has over 15% share of country’s remittance market.

Federal Bank:

MD & CEO- Shyam Srinivasan.
Headquarters- Aluva, Kerala.

Science and Technology:

NIT Kurukshetra Implements Enterprises Resource Planning (ERP), SAMARTH:

SAMARTH is an Open Standard Open Source Architecture, Secure, Scalable and Evolutionary Process Automation Engine for Universities and Higher Educational Institutions. It caters to faculty, students and staff at University/Higher Educational Institutions.
SAMARTH has now been implemented at NIT, Kurukshetra in Haryana.

Tencent launches video conferencing app VooV Meeting in India:

China’s Tencent launched VooV Meeting, a Zoom-like video conferencing platform with advanced features across Apple App Store and Google Play in more than 100 countries. The app allows attendees a duration per meeting of 9999 minutes without any charges.
The platform supports up to 25 attendees at a time.

Appointments and Resignation:

Roberto Azevedo quits as WTO chief a year early:

The Head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Roberto Azevedo, a former diplomat from Brazil, has decided to resign, a year before his term expires. He has been the Director-General of WTO since September 2013 and will step down on August 31st.

Awards and Recognitions:

Vice Admiral GM Hiranandani Memorial Rolling Trophy 2020:

Lieutenant commander Akshay Kumar of Anti-Submarine Warfare School of Southern Naval Command (SNC) at Kochi was awarded the coveted Vice Admiral GM Hiranandani Memorial Rolling Award for the year 2020. The trophy was instituted in the year 2013.
Chief of the Indian Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

Obituary News:

Professional sumo wrestler Shobushi dies at 28 after contracting Covid-19:

Japan Sumo Association (JSA) confirmed the death of wrestler as Shobushi, whose real name was Kiyotaka Suetake. He is reported to have been the first sumo wrestler to die from the virus, and the first person in his 20s to die in Japan from Covid-19.

Former JDS MP Raja Rangappa Nayak passes away at 61:

Former JDS (Janata Dal [Secular]) MP (Member of Parliament), Raja Rangappa Nayak, passed away at the age of 61 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He had represented the Raichur constituency, Karnataka, & was elected in the Lok Sabha elections held in 1996.

PK actor Sai Gundewar passes away:

Bollywood actor Sai Gundewar, who has worked in a couple of movies including Aamir Khan-starrer PK, Saif Ali Khan’s Bazaar and Rock On, passed away after a prolonged battle with brain cancer.