Current Affairs Today 13th May 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

PM Modi announces special economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore to kick-start economy

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a special economic package worth 20 lakh crore rupees for an ‘Atma-Nirbhar Bharat’ or self-reliant India, saying that self reliance is the only way to ensure that 21st Century belongs to India.
• The Prime Minister noted that this package, together with earlier announcements by the government during COVID crisis and decisions taken by RBI, is to the tune of 20 lakh crore rupees. This is equivalent to almost 10 percent of India’s GDP.
• The Prime Minister observed that the package will also focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws. It will cater to various sections including cottage industry, MSMEs, labourers, middle class, industries, among others.
• The Prime Minister stated several bold reforms are needed to make the country self-reliant, so that the impact of crisis such as COVID, can be negated in future. These reforms include supply chain reforms for agriculture, rational tax system, simple and clear laws, capable human resource and a strong financial system. These reforms will promote business, attract investment, and further strengthen Make in India.
• The Prime Minister expressed confidence in India’s capabilities and manpower. He stated that India will build new supply chains, create better products and lead the global recovery.
• Mr Modi stated India’s self-reliance will be based on five pillars – economy, infrastructure, technology driven system, vibrant demography and demand. The Prime Minister also stated that Coronavirus is going to be a part of people’s lives for a long time, but lives cannot simply revolve around it.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE

India gets USD 1 billion loan from BRICS’ New Development Bank to fight COVID-19 

• The New Development Bank of the BRICS countries has fully disbursed USD one billion emergency assistance loan to India to help it contain the spread of COVID-19 and reduce human, social and economic losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
• The Shanghai-based New Development Bank (NDB) was established by the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries in 2014 and is headed by veteran Indian banker K V Kamath.
• The purpose of the bank is to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS countries and other emerging economies and developing nations, complementing the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development.
• The ‘Emergency Assistance Program Loan’ to India was approved by the NDB Board of Directors on April 30, and it is aimed at supporting the Indian government to contain the spread of COVID-19 and reduce human, social and economic losses caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
• “The NDB is fully committed to supporting its member countries in the time of calamity.
• The programme’s scope of financing includes Healthcare Sector Emergency Response and Strengthening Social Safety Net for expenditures already incurred since January 1, 2020, and the expected public expenditures for onward transmission containment and social safety net associated with COVID-19 up to the March of 2021, it stated.

About New Development Bank:

• Headquarters: Shanghai, China
• President: K. V. Kamath
• Founded: 15 July 2014

Consumer Affairs dept partners with 2 startups to power ‘Suraksha Store initiative’

• The Department of Consumer Affairs has partnered with tech startups Safejob and Seekify to use technology to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at the local Kirana store level. The Suraksha Store initiative is designed for the health and safety of the citizens during and after the lockdown, as per the companies’ joint release.
• The primary objective of this project is to educate Kirana store owners across the country about the Covid-19 safety guidelines and protocols required to be followed while running their businesses.
• The protocols were decided by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and included norms around social distancing and hygiene at all retail outlets.
• The objective was to allow consumers to use the Aarogya Setu app to find a Suraksha Store near them and shop, companies mentioned.
• Seekify, a Sequoia’s Surge funded company, has developed an online learning software. They partnered with Safejob to build a custom solution for registering Kirana store owners, their employees, capturing their location, and allowing them to complete online training and certification – all on mobile. The solution is optimized for rural and low bandwidth areas.
• Safejob, an NSDC partner and training expert, was able to develop and deploy training material in eight languages as well as an assessment to ensure that they can be certified to be aware of the Suraksha norms.
• The initiative was successful in registering more than 5 lakh stores within a week of launch. Currently, over 7 lakh retailers have enrolled for this training and over 70K Kirana employees have completed the awareness training, the companies claimed.

About Ministry Of Consumer Affairs:

• Ram Vilas Paswan: Cabinet Minister
• Constituency: Bihar
• Danve Raosaheb Dadarao :Minister of State

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

Gujarat-based Macpower unveils indigenous hot air seam sealing machine for PPE kits

• Rajkot-based Macpower CNC has produced the country’s first indigenous hot air seam sealing machine that is used to manufacture PPE kits at half the price of the imported ones.
• The machine, manufactured with the guidance of doctors at Indian Medical Association (IMA), was unveiled by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
• The device is used to seal the seam of the personal protection equipment (PPE) kits so that viruses cannot penetrate from the small pores and infect the person.
• The machine is important for manufacturing of PPE kits for coronavirus warriors fighting to treat those affected by COVID-19.
• In the first batch, the company will manufacture 200 units of the machine at Rs 4 lakh.

About Gujarat

• Capital– Gandhinagar
• CM- Vijay Rupani
• Governor– Acharya Devvrat

J&K Govt has launched portal for J&K people stranded in other parts of country

• Jammu & Kashmir Government has launched a web portal http://jkmonitoring.nic.in/ to facilitate its residents stranded in other parts of the country.
• The portal enables giving to those registered and also allows a person to check his application status. All those who have registered online using the links opened by the J&K Government earlier need not register again.
• The web portal has already been with the details of the persons who have already registered through  jktpo.in. All those who have registered can track the progress of their application.
• Arrangements are being made for trains from various stations across the country. In addition to the web portal, in order to assist the returnees and address their concerns, a dedicated 24X7 Covid-19 Helpline number 0191-2466988 has been activated, returnees can obtain information of arrangements made for their movement and also get any other information.
• The portal has received more than 2156 plus hits in a span of two hours, almost 50% are for downloading the authorization by the Government of J&K.

About Jammu & Kashmir:

• Capitals: Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
• Lieutenant Governor : Girish Chandra Murmu

Maharashtra govt launches online OPD services for people during lockdown

• The state launched online OPD called e-Sanjivani OPD (out patient department) to resolve difficulties faced by citizens in getting health check-ups and counseling as many private clinics are closed due to the lockdown. To avail of e-Sanjivani’s services, patients should visit the website esanjeevaniopd.in and seek expert advice.
• This is a joint venture of the health department of Central and State Government and is free of cost.
• Timing of the OPD will be extended in future. Online medical OPD service training has been imparted to 16 medical officers of district hospital from Nanded, Bhandara, Nashik. So far more than 400 patients have been treated through this service, the state Public Health Department stated in a press statement.
• Through this application, a patient from any district of the state can consult with the medical officers of any district on any ailment using computer, laptop or mobile. Discussions with medical authorities can be done through live video conferencing or text messages.

About Maharashtra :

• Capital: Mumbai
• Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
• Chief Minister: Uddhav Thackeray

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS

MSME Ministry launches Champions portal for addressing grievances of small units

• Union Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has launched CHAMPIONS portal, a technology-driven Control Room-Cum-Management Information System, for addressing the grievances of smaller units in the country.
• The system utilizing modern ICT tools is aimed at assisting Indian MSMEs march into big league as National and Global CHAMPIONS.
• The Champions stand here for Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing the output and national strength. Accordingly, the name of the system is CHAMPIONS.
• The portal is basically for making the smaller units big by solving their grievances, encouraging, supporting, helping and handholding. It is a real one-stop-shop solution of ministry.
• It is a technology packed control room-cum-management information system. In addition to ICT tools including telephone, internet and video conference, the system is enabled by Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Machine Learning.
• It is also fully integrated on real time basis with GOI’s main grievances portal CPGRAMS and MSME Ministry’s own other web-based mechanisms. The entire ICT architecture is created in house with the help of NIC in no cost. Similarly, the physical infrastructure is created in one of ministry’s dumping rooms in a record time.

About MSME

• Union Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)- Nitin Jairam Gadkari
• Constituency- Nagpur, Maharashtra.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Manoj Ahuja appointed new CBSE chief

• Odisha cadre IAS Manoj Ahuja has been appointed the new chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
• Ahuja is currently working as Special Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Department of Personnel and Training.
• CBSE gets new Chairman Manoj Ahuja, IAS Special Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Department of Personnel and Training, stated CBSE in a statement.
• Ahuja will replace Anita Karwal as the chairman of the CBSE.

About CBSE:

• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Chairperson: Shri Manoj ahuja, IAS
• Parent organization : Ministry of Human Resource Development

Akhil Kumar re-inducted into NADA disciplinary panel

• Former Commonwealth Games gold-winning boxer Akhil Kumar has been re-inducted into the National Anti-Doping Agency’s Disciplinary Panel.
• Akhil, who is also serving in Haryana Police as ACP Gurugram, was formerly in the panel from 2017 to 2019.
• The Arjuna award-winning Olympian is among the most accomplished names in Indian boxing and has also been the government observer for the sport between 2017 and 2019.
• In the past, the Haryana-boxer has advocated criminalising doping while expressing his views on the menace.
• The NADA ADDP also features track-and-field Arjuna awardee Ashwini Nachappa among others.

About National Anti-Doping Agency:

• CEO: Navin Agarwal
• Founded: 24 November 2005
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

China launches 2 satellites to test space-based communications technology

• China successfully launched two satellites to test the space-based Internet of Things (IoT) communications technology.
• The satellites, Xingyun-2 01 and 02, were launched by a Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China.
• The Rocket is developed by an affiliated company of Sanjiang Group under the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation(CASIC) used to launch low-orbit small satellites.
• They have successfully entered their planned orbit.

About China

• Capital- Beijing
• Currency- Renminbi
• President- Xi Jinping

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING

State brings down infant mortality rate

• Kerala has brought its infant mortality rate (IMR), down from 10 to the single digit of 7 (per 1,000 live births), according to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS)
• This means that Kerala has achieved the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target for IMR reduction, set at eight for the year 2020. The State’s IMR for rural areas is 9 and for urban areas, 5.
• Kerala is also the only State to have achieved the single digit IMR of 7 amongst bigger States, the closest being Delhi with an IMR of 13.
• Among smaller States, Goa and Sikkim have done as well as Kerala, with an IMR of 7, while Nagaland and Mizoram have also done extremely well with IMR figures of 4 and 5.
• Kerala’s birth rate has also reduced fractionally from 14.2% to 13.9%, which is also the lowest in the country among bigger States.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

Di Gregorio EPO saga ends with a four-year ban

• Cyclist Rémy di Grégorio’s doping case from the 2018 Paris-Nice has finally been concluded with the UCI imposing a four-year ban until March 7, 2022.
• He has been banned for 4 years by the International Cycling Union (UCI) for using a form of banned blood-boosting hormone EPO (Erythropoietin).

About International Cycling Union (UCI)

• Headquarters– Aigle, Switzerland
• President– David Lappartient

China Wins FIDE Chess.com Online Nations Cup

• China won the inaugural FIDE Chess.com Online Nations Cup. Their Superfinal with the USA ended 2-2 with China having draw odds for winning the round-robin phase.
• India finished at 5th rank.
• The Superfinal concluded six days of online competitive chess at the highest level between six international teams full of top grandmasters. Co-organized by FIDE and Chess.com, the event had a peak of over a million concurrent viewers across all languages and broadcast partners.

FIFA Under-17 women’s world cup in India rescheduled to February 17

• FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, which India will be hosting, has been rescheduled to February 17 till March 7, 2021, the football governing body announced.
• The showpiece event was previously scheduled to be played from November 2, 2020, in India and was later postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
• The apex body also announced that the showpiece event will keep the original eligibility criteria despite the delay.
• The FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup has also been rescheduling. The mega event will now take place between January 20 and February 6, 2021, in Panama and Costa Rica.
• The Women’s U-17 World Cup in India was originally scheduled to be held across five cities Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Navi Mumbai and Kolkata. The coronavirus pandemic has forced many tournaments to be postponed. The Tokyo Olympics 2020 have also been pushed to next year.

About FIFA:

• President: Gianni Infantino
• Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland
• Senior Vice-President: Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa (AFC)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Crime Patrol fame Shafique Ansari passes away

• Shafique Ansari, who appeared in many episodes of Sony TV’s show Crime Patrol, passed away at the age of 52 after battling cancer.
• He was a part of several popular TV shows and movies. He featured in almost all episodes of Crime Patrol.

Comedian Jerry Stiller passes away

• Comedian Jerry Stiller, best known for his recurring role as George Costanza’s father on TV’s Seinfeld, haspassed away.
• His other roles included Arthur Spooner in TV sitcom The King of Queens.
• He also had roles in both the original 1988 film of Hairspray and the musical adaptation that followed in 2007.

DAILY CA 12th  MAY

• International Nurses Day- 12th may
• Centre releases Rs 6,195 crore to 14 states to fight coronavirus crisis
• MP Home Minister launches country’s first ever ‘FIR Aapke Dwar’ Yojana
• Jharkhand: Education dept with Doordarshan starts online classes for School children
• GI tag for Thanjavur Netti and Arumbavur Wood carving
• Shri Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi assumes charge as Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy
• Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launches Central University of Odisha helpline ‘Bharosa‘ to help students in distress
• Journalist Siddharth Varadarajan among recipients of Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award
• Sania Mirza wins India’s maiden Fed Cup Heart Award
• Bengaluru airport voted as best regional airport in India & Central Asia
• IIM Bangalore ranked among top 50 global B-schools in executive education
• CSIR-NAL develops Non-Invasive Ventilator to treat COVID-19 patients
• Para-athlete Deepa Malik retires, to head India’s Paralympic Committee
• Former Minister Ratnakar Rao passes away
• Former JDS MP MP Raja Rangappa Naik dies at 61

DAILY CA 13th  MAY

• PM Modi announces special economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore to kick-start economy
• India gets USD 1 billion loan from BRICS’ New Development Bank to fight COVID-19
• Consumer Affairs dept partners with 2 startups to power ‘Suraksha Store initiative’
• Gujarat-based Macpower unveils indigenous hot air seam sealing machine for PPE kits
• J&K Govt has launched portal for J&K people stranded in other parts of country
• Maharashtra govt launches online OPD services for people during lockdown
• MSME Ministry launches Champions portal for addressing grievances of small units
• Manoj Ahuja appointed new CBSE chief
• Akhil Kumar re-inducted into NADA disciplinary panel
• China launches 2 satellites to test space-based communications technology
• State brings down infant mortality rate
• Di Gregorio EPO saga ends with a four-year ban
• China Wins FIDE Chess.com Online Nations Cup
• FIFA Under-17 women’s world cup in India rescheduled to February 17
• Crime Patrol fame Shafique Ansari passes away
• Comedian Jerry Stiller passes away