Current Affairs Today 28th May 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

Webinar on “Van Dhan Scheme organized by DST, Rajasthan in association with TRIFED, M/O Tribal Affairs: learnings for post COVID-19”

• A Webinar under Know Your Scheme-Lecture Series on “Van Dhan Yojana : Learning For Post Covid-19” was organized by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Rajasthan in association with Trifed, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India
• The current crisis situation due to Covid-19 has posed an unprecedented threat across the country. Almost all the States and UTs in India are affected by it, in varying degrees. The situation has also dealt a  blow to the livelihoods of the poor and marginalized communities. The tribal gatherers can be one of  the worst affected in these trying times, since this is the peak season for harvesting Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) in many regions.
• The biggest challenge for tribal artisans, however, is to market their products effectively and make more people aware of the top quality items they develop.  TRIFED (under Ministry of Tribal Affairs) has been playing an instrumental role in this regard by procuring tribal-made products and selling them to the masses in India and worldwide under the banner of TRIBES India.
• They have launched a #GoTribal campaignand are growing from strength to strength via opening up of over 120 permanent outlets across the country (including airports), ecommerce platforms, exhibitions, organizing grand ‘Aadi Mahotsavs; and entering into tie-ups for providing training to the artisans for further capacity building, quality improvement and market alignment.

About TRIFED:

• It came into existence in 1987 & is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of the M/O Tribal Affairs. It has a network of 13 Regional Offices located at various places in the country.
• Head Office– New Delhi, India
• Managing Director– Pravir Krishna

About Department of Science and Technology

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Minister of State Dr. Harsh Vardhan is head of the department,
• Ashutosh Sharma :secretary

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

UAE-based Secure Cam to launch surveillance campaign in India

• Secure Cam IT Solutions, UAE-based security surveillance and IT solutions, has plans to install around 10,000 cameras for free in one city of about 150 countries by 2025 as part of the $5-billion worldwide campaign announced in October last.
• The company has earmarked about 200 crore for the project in India, stated Chairman and CEO Rijoy Thomas.
• The global campaign ‘Secure Our City’ was postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic. The campaign was scheduled on April 20, and has been postponed to September.
• ‘Secure Our City’ campaign will be launched in India across five cities in a phased manner.
• An each CCTV unit, which the company provided includes an eight-channel HD IP camera system with 30 days of recording capacity. ‘Secure Cam’ is also offering installation, a two-year warranty, and one year service for free as part of the campaign.
• The company had already started its operations in Kochi under the name ‘Secure Cam India’. Apart from Kochi, the company has also started operations in Bengaluru.
• In UAE and GCC countries, Secure Cam is working closely with the companies in the security sector. There are also plans to launch its own newly-developed branded products in new markets.

About UAE:

• Capital: Abu Dhabi
• Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Indian economy to shrink by 5 per cent during FY21, says S&P

• In line with various agencies, S&P Global Ratings estimated that the Indian economy will register de-growth of 5 per cent during fiscal year 2020-21 (FY21), ending March 31. However, for next three years, it forecasts growth rate between 5 to 8.5 per cent.
• In its research report, SBI stated that FY21 GDP (de) growth would be now around negative 6.8 per cent. Ind-Ra’s forecast varies from a growth of 9 per cent to a contraction of 2.1 per cent for FY21.
• CRISIL, in its latest report, expected India’s GDP growth to fall off a cliff, and contract 5 per cent in fiscal 2021.

About S&P Global Ratings:

• Founder: Henry Varnum Poor
• Headquarters: New York, USA

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

Uttar Pradesh govt to develop 800 km roads as Herbal roads

• Uttar Pradesh government will develop 800 km roads as Herbal roads in the state. These herbal roads will have medicinal and herbal trees on both sides.
• Deputy Chief Minister and state PWD minister of state Keshav Prasad Maurya stated that these herbal roads will have trees like like Peepal, Neem, Sehjan along with other herb varieties like brahmi, ashvagandha and jatrofa.

About Uttar Pradesh:

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

Karnataka govt to launch a project to maintain health database of all citizens

• Karnataka government will soon launch a project to maintain the health database of all its citizens. A first of its kind initiative State Health Register will be a robust and standardized health repository of all the citizens.
• Dr Sudhakar stated that Covid-19 experience has demonstrated the necessity of having robust, real-time public health data and therefore, there is a need to maintain repository of health data of each and every citizen.
• He stated that Government will be undertaking a survey of all 6.5 Crore people in the state using a team of Primary Health Centre officials, revenue officials, Education department staff and ASHA karyakartas. They will visit each household and collect health data of all the members of the family.
• This will not only help the government to provide better health care, but will also help efficient resource allocation, management and better implementation of various citizen centric schemes in the state, the Minister added.

About Karnataka:

• Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
• Capital: Bengaluru
• Governor: Vajubhai Vala

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS

Aarogya Setu becomes open source

• Arogya Setu, India’s Covid-19 contact tracing, syndromic mapping and self assessment mobile app is now open source. NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant stated, transparency, privacy and security have been the core design principles of Araogya Setu since it’s inception and opening of the source code upto the developer community signifies Government of India’s continuing commitment to this principle. He stated, it is a unique thing as no other government product anywhere in the world has been open sourced at this scale.
• Mr Kant stated, the scale and size of Arogya Setu is 115 million and it cuts across every smart phone and IVRS in 12 languages. He stated, in just 41 days the mobile app crossed 100 million.  open sourcing an app’s code means the government will publish it on a public code repository.
• With the release of the source code in the public domain, Government is looking to expand collaboration and to leverage the expertise of top technical brains and also to collectively build a robust and secure technology solution to help support the work of frontline health workers in fighting this pandemic together.
• On 2nd April, Government launched Aarogya Setu mobile App for helping augment the efforts of limiting the spread of COVID19, with an objective of enabling Bluetooth based contact tracing, mapping of likely hotspots and dissemination of relevant information.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Begins Her Second Term

• Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen took the oath for her second four-year term, buoyed by record-high popularity as the country continues its successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Tsai also pledged to engage in dialogue with Beijing provided it respects Taiwan’s sovereignty and rejects its “one country, two systems” formula, reiterating the cross-strait stance that fueled her landslide re-election victory .

About Taiwan:

• Capital– Taipei
• Currency– New Taiwan dollar

Leo Puri to take over as Chairman of JP Morgan

• Veteran banker Kalpana Morparia, Chairman, South and South-East Asia at JP Morgan, plans to retire after nearly 12 years with the investment banking firm. She will be succeeded by Leo Puri.
• The bank stated Morparia has conveyed her desire to retire. It also announced organisational changes for South Asia and South-East Asia and stated Morparia has agreed to stay with the firm until the first quarter of 2021, and will oversee the smooth transition of her responsibilities.
• Puri, former Managing Director of UTI Asset Management Company, will become Chairman of South and South-East Asia when he joins the firm in the first quarter of 2021, it added.
• Meanwhile, Murli Maiya will take over as the CEO for South and South-East Asia in the first quarter of next year. He was most recently co-head of Investment Banking Coverage for the Asia-Pacific region.
• Kalyan will continue as CEO of JP Morgan Chase Bank, India, and will also oversee representative offices in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
• Morparia, 70, was appointed as CEO, JP Morgan India in 2008 and, in 2016, she was elevated to a regional role.

About JP Morgan:

• CEO: Jamie Dimon
• Headquarters: New York, United States

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

IL&FS gets NCLT nod to sell stake in GIFT City to Gujarat govt

• Debt-laden IL&FS will sell its entire stake in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Limited (GIFTCL) to the Gujarat government.
• IL&FS has a 50 per cent stake in GIFTCL, which comprises a multi-services Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and International Finance Services Centre (IFSC) totalling approximately 6 lakh square feet.
• The Gujarat government has agreed to pay positive equity value of 100 per cent of IL&FS’s stake in GIFTCL. This would amount to 32.7 crore. Valuation by an independent agency earlier had pegged a negative value to the equity stake. The IL&FS Board had sought a higher value given the dire situation of the company.
• NCLT has now given its approval to the stake sale at 32.7 crore. Last year, the Gujarat government had indicated a willingness to take over the project. IL&FS Group invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) for real estate space totalling 4.85 lakh sq ft, as it looks to monetise its assets.

About Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS):

• Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman– Uday Kotak

About National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT):

• Headquarters– New Delhi
• Officiating Chairperson– Justice Bansi Lal Bhat

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

NASA Renamed Its WFIRST Telescope after ‘Mother of Hubble’ Nancy Grace Roman

• NASA has renamed its Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), a next-generation space telescope set to launch in 2025, in honor of Nancy Grace Roman, the US space agency’s first chief astronomer, who paved the way for space telescopes focused on the broader universe.
• The newly named Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — or Roman Space Telescope, for short — will investigate long-standing astronomical mysteries, such as the force behind the universe’s expansion, and search for distant planets beyond our solar system
• Nancy Roman is considered as the Mother of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched 30 years ago. It was because of Nancy Grace Roman’s leadership and vision that NASA became a pioneer in astrophysics and launched Hubble, the world’s most powerful and productive space telescope
• The Roman Space Telescope will investigate long-standing astronomical mysteries, such as the force behind the universe’s expansion, and search for distant planets beyond our solar system.
• It will be the successor to NASA’s Hubble and Webb Telescopes.

About NASA:

• Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
• Administered by: Jim Bridenstine

IIT Madras develops light-weight alloy to replace steel, aluminium in cars

• Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), along with the University of North Texas and US Army Research Laboratory, have developed a magnesium alloy with significantly improved properties, that can replace steel and aluminium in automotive and aerospace components.
• The current industrial application of wrought magnesium alloys in structural components is limited due to their poor moderate or low strength.
• There has been a great deal of focus on lowering the carbon footprint of vehicles by using light-weight material in their bodies. Lighter vehicles consume less fuel to run and are therefore play a strategic role in increasing energy-efficiency. vehicular emissions alone contribute 27 per cent of total carbon dioxide emissions currently.
• Being one of the lightest and energy-efficient structural materials, magnesium alloys are potential candidates to replace steel and aluminum alloys in automotive and aerospace components since their density is two-thirds of aluminum and one-quarter of steel.
• The team is all set to apply the same strategy of processing to other known magnesium alloys and metallic alloys with the intention of obtaining highly efficient stronger materials with superior performance.

Facebook launches CatchUp, an audio-only calling app that shows who’s ready to chat now

• Facebook’s internal R&D group, NPE Team, has launched a new app called CatchUp that makes it easier for friends and family in the U.S. to coordinate phone calls or set up group calls with up to 8 people.
• While there are a number of group chat apps available to users today, what makes CatchUp unique is that the calls it enables are audio-only, not video, and it flags when users are available. In addition, CatchUp won’t need a Facebook account to use the service — the app works with your phone’s contacts list.
• Similarly, CatchUp shows users as “Ready to Talk” in the top section of its homescreen, with offline users and other contacts listed below.
• Facebook explains the app’s intention is to address one of the key reasons people no longer make phone calls — they don’t know when someone has time to talk and they don’t want to interrupt them.
• Meanwhile, calls that can’t be answered go to voicemails that recipients don’t bother checking, which forces communication to go through text messaging or chat apps instead. And while video chats are on the rise, a phone call is often more convenient as users aren’t always video-ready or they’re trying to multi-task, not sit in front of a screen.
• CatchUp approaches the problem of not knowing if a phone call would bother someone by allowing you to see who is ready and able to talk as soon as you launch the app.

About Facebook :

• CEO: Mark Zuckerberg
• Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, United States

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU

Flipkart signs MoU with Karnataka Mango Board to enable farmers sell produce online

• India’s leading ecommerce marketplace Flipkart has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Karnataka State Mango Department and Marketing Corporation, to enable mango farmers to sell their produce online.
• According to Flipkart, this partnership will provide farmers with the much-needed market access to consumers, creating a potential revenue stream during these testing times of coronavirus.
• As part of the MoU, Flipkart will provide its marketplace platform to the Mango Board farmer producer organisations/sellers, growers and traders by enrolling them on the platform.
• Flipkart will also provide training and capacity building of how to use the app and other user interfaces. Along with the Mango Board, Indian Post Offices will function as the last-mile delivery operations partners during this season.
• Over the last few months, Flipkart has partnered with various FMCG and retail companies to bring a wider range of essentials on its platform. With this partnership, the company forays into the farmer producer organisation’s community further contributing to supporting the livelihoods of mango growers and the farmer community.

About Flipkart

• CEO- Kalyan Krishnamurthy
• HQ- Bengaluru, Karnataka.

About KSMD&MCL

• Chairman- Rajendra Kataria

Tamil Nadu inks 17 MoUs with firms totalling investments of Rs.15,128 crore

• Tamil Nadu signed 17 MoUs with various companies involving investments totalling15,128 crore.
• Nine of the MoUs were signed in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and the rest through video conference. This is likely to generate over 47,150 jobs.
• The MoUs were signed by Usha Kakarla, Managing Director and CEO, Guidance, and Aneesh Sekhar, Executive Director, Guidance with various company officials.
• Daimler India Commercial Vehicles will invest2,277 crore (expected to generate employment of 400) while Salcomp, the Finland-based mobile phone charger manufacturer, is investing Rs.1,300 crore in Chennai (expected to create employment for 10,000)
• Ashton Shoes Private Ltd has entered into a joint venture with the Taiwanese company Chung Jye Shoes to manufacture footwear at an investment of300 crore (to create employment for 25,000).
• The Singapore-based ST Tele Media is investing1,500 crore in a data centre in Siruseri while HDCI Data Centre Holdings is investing Rs.2,800 crore in a data centre. The Japanese company Polymatech Electronics will investRs.900 crore in a semiconductor chip manufacturing facility, which will provide employment for 600.
• French renewable energy company ENGIE Group, through Vivid Solaire Pvt Ltd, will develop a wind farm in Tuticorin with an investment worth2,000 crore (expected to create employment for 600).
• Tamil Nadu has also constituted a special task force to woo investments from China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and USA.
• The State government also is developing a special package for investors relocating India due to realignment of supply chains.

About Tamil Nadu

• Capital– Chennai
• Chief minister– Edappadi K. Palaniswami
• Governor– Banwarilal Purohit

PFC signs MoU with NBPCL to fund 225 MW hydro-electric projects, Multipurpose projects in MP

• Power Finance Corporation (PFC), the central PSU under the Ministry of Power and India’s leading NBFC, signed an agreement with Narmada Basin Projects Company Ltd. (NBPCL), a wholly-owned company of Government of Madhya Pradesh.
• The move aims to fund projects worth Rs.22,000 crore for 225 MW hydro-electric projects & multipurpose projects in the State of Madhya Pradesh.

Highlights:

• As per the agreement, the funds will be deployed by NBPCL for setting up hydroelectric projects of 225 MW and power components of 12 major multipurpose projects in Madhya Pradesh.
• The Government of Madhya Pradesh has conducted the pre-feasibility study of these projects and has provided approval for their execution.
• The disbursal of the amount will be linked to the execution of the projects.
• Under the MoU, PFC will actively partner with NBPCL and provide finance for hydro-electric plants totaling 225 MW along with power components of multipurpose projects as part of the state government’s endeavor to implement twelve major multipurpose projects.
• The major multipurpose projects that will be financed under the MoU are Chinki Boras Multipurpose Project Narsinghpur Raisen Hoshangabad, Basaniya Multipurpose Project Dindori, Sakkar Pench Link Narsinghpur Chhindwara, Dudhi Project Chhindwara Hoshangabad, etc.

About NBPCL:

• Managing Director- I.C.P Keshari,IAS.,(1988 batch)

About PFC:

• Chairman- Rajeev Sharma
• Established- 16th July, 1986

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

FIFA and WHO launch campaign to help domestic violence victims amid coronavirus lockdown

• FIFA, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Commission have announced the #SafeHome campaign designed to support women and children at risk of domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic.
• With many families all over the world quarantined during the pandemic, there have been spikes in recent reports of domestic violence as at-risk women and children are forced into dangerous situations at home.
• The three organisations have launched a five-part video campaign designed to raise awareness, with several past and present footballing stars taking part.
• Among the players featured are Alvaro Arbeloa, Rosana Augusto, Vítor Baia, Khalilou Fadiga, Matthias Ginter, David James, Annike Krahn, Marco Materazzi, Milagros Menendez, Noemi Pascotto, Graham Potter, Mikael Silvestre, Kelly Smith, Oliver Torres and Clementine Toure.
• Together with the World Health Organization and the European Commission, we are asking the football community to raise awareness to this intolerable situation that threatens particularly women and children in their own home, a place where they should feel happy, safe and secure, stated FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

About FIFA:

• President: Gianni Infantino
• Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland

About WHO:

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director-General :Tedros Adhanom

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Noted Urdu writer& satirist Mujtaba Hussain Passes away

• Renowned Urdu writer and satirist Mujtaba Hussain, who had returned the Padma Shri award to the union government last year, passed away.
• Hussain was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilan award, in 2007 for his contribution to Urdu literature.

DAILY CA 27th  MAY

• Nitin Gadkari inaugurates breakthrough event of Chamba Tunnel under ‘Chardham Pariyojana’
• BSE launches eKYC services on StAR MF platform
• Aspiring Chartered Accountants Launch India’s First Chat-Based ‘JJ Tax App’
• Bengaluru-based startup launches collection VoiceBot for BFSI customers
• Adidas hosts global virtual sports event to fight COVID-19
• GDP to contract by 5% in FY21: Crisil
• Ola Electric acquires Etergo BV, a Netherlands-based electric scooter OEM
• P Kumaran appointed India’s High Commissioner to Singapore
• Sandip Mukund Pradhan gets two-year extension as DG, SAI
• Indian start-up makes world’s first contactless visitor management software
• Indian-American Couple Develops Low-Cost Ventilator For Coronavirus Patients
• IIT Delhi researchers develop lighter, breathable PPE to fight Covid-19
• REC Ltd ties up with TajSATS to provide meals to frontline healthcare workers
• Maruti Suzuki partners ICICI Bank to offer retail financing schemes to customers
• Airtel Payments Bank (APBL) ties up with Mastercard to develop products for farmers, SMEs
• JK Rowling to release her latest children’s book ‘The Ickabog’ online for free
• IAF to launch its squadron Number-18 – Flying Bullets with a fleet of LCA Tejas at its Sulur base near Coimbatore

DAILY CA 28th  MAY

• Webinar on “Van Dhan Scheme organized by DST, Rajasthan in association with TRIFED, M/O Tribal Affairs: learnings for post COVID-19”
• UAE-based Secure Cam to launch surveillance campaign in India
• Indian economy to shrink by 5 per cent during FY21, says S&P
• Uttar Pradesh govt to develop 800 km roads as Herbal roads
• Karnataka govt to launch a project to maintain health database of all citizens
• Aarogya Setu becomes open source
• Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Begins Her Second Term
• Leo Puri to take over as Chairman of JP Morgan
• IL&FS gets NCLT nod to sell stake in GIFT City to Gujarat govt
• NASA Renamed Its WFIRST Telescope after ‘Mother of Hubble’ Nancy Grace Roman
• IIT Madras develops light-weight alloy to replace steel, aluminium in cars

• Facebook launches CatchUp, an audio-only calling app that shows who’s ready to chat now
• Flipkart signs MoU with Karnataka Mango Board to enable farmers sell produce online
• Tamil Nadu inks 17 MoUs with firms totalling investments of 15,128 crore
• PFC signs MoU with NBPCL to fund 225 MW hydro-electric projects, Multipurpose projects in MP
• FIFA and WHO launch campaign to help domestic violence victims amid coronavirus lockdown
• Noted Urdu writer & satirist Mujtaba Hussain Passes away