Current Affairs Today 12th and 13th April 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 12th and 13th April 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

1. International Day of Human Space Flight is observed on 12 April.
2. Easter festival is celebrated on 12 April in the year 2020.
3. 13 April 2020 marked the 101st anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
4. GMR Airports Limited will develop & operate Bhogapuram International Airport in Andhra Pradesh.
5. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) opened the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway on 11 April. The highway connects Ladakh with the rest of the world.
6. Centre launched a web-portal “Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation” (YUKTI) in New Delhi.
7. Government of India has announced pro-poor initiatives under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY).
8. Centre has provided over Rs.28,000 crore support through Direct Benefit Transfer to around 32 crore beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) announced in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
9. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced that the Centre in coordination with the states has ensured the supply of Personal protective equipment (PPE), N95 masks, testing kits and ventilators for the COVID-19 patients.
10. The government of India plans to set up a chain of 20 lakh retail shops called ‘Suraksha Stores’ across India.
11. India’s Public service broadcaster Prasar Bharti has rolled out a new channel called DD Retro.
12. Government of Manipur starts a new initiative titled ‘Food Bank’ in view of the threat of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
13. Under Western Railway, Ahmedabad railway station at Kalupur, Gujarat becomes the 1st station of Indian Railways (IR) to install a “Walk Through Mass Sanitizing Tunnel”.
14. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), has inked an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS), a non-profit organisation based in Jaipur, Rajasthan,
15. India’s largest mobile gaming platform, Mobile Premier League (MPL) has brought Tamannaah Bhatia of Baahubali fame, as its brand ambassador, to endorse their gaming platform.
16. Karnataka Bank has received Reserve Bank of India nod for reappointment of Mahabaleshwara M S as MD and CEO for next 3 years.
17. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director (MD) Kristalina Georgieva named former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan and 11 others to its new External Advisory Group.
18. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved the bioassay laboratory of the Department of Biotechnology’s (DBT) Faridabad-based Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) as an extension of diagnostic facility of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College and Hospital.
19. CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) based in Hyderabad is currently employing several tools and approaches in the countries to fight against COVID-19.
20. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has developed a double-layered Khadi mask to contain the spread of COVID-19. It has procured orders for supplying it in large quantities.
21. The Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT-Ropar) has developed a trunk-shaped device fitted with ultraviolet (UV) germicidal irradiation technology.
22. Google and Apple collaborate to fight against COVID-19 through contact tracing technology.
23. UPSCGuide e-learning portal has been launched to help UPSC aspirants to study from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
24. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) stated that over 40 vaccines are under various stages of development.
25. Former England and Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Bonetti passed away.
26. The legendary motor-racing driver, Sir Stirling Moss has passed away.
27. British Comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor has passed away due to novel coronavirus.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

International day Day of Human Space Flight is observed on 12 April

• International Day of Human Space Flight is observed on 12 April.
• The day commemorates the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic spaceflight in 1961.
• The day is celebrated as the Cosmonautics Day in Russia.
• The day aims to ensure the countries realize the aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.

Human Space Flight:

• A Soviet citizen Yuri Gagarin carried out Vostok 1 space flight on 12 April 1961.
• The flight made one orbit around the Earth over 108 minutes in the Vostok 3KA spacecraft.
• The spacecraft was launched by the Vostok-K launch vehicle.
• This historic achievement paved the way for space exploration for the benefit of all humanity.

Easter festival is celebrated on 12 April

• Easter festival is celebrated on 12 April in the year 2020.
• The day varies every year.
• The festival is celebrated by Christians across the world.
• The festival is celebrated to observe the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• The festival is celebrated on the Sunday after the first full moon, the Paschal full moon, after the vernal equinox.
• People celebrate the Easter festival this year at the homes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 13, 2020 marked the 101st anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

• 13 April 2020 marked the 101st anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
• On this day, the martyrs who were killed mercilessly in Jallianwala Bagh are remembered.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the innocent martyrs who showed great courage and sacrifice.

Extra Shots:

Jallianwala Bagh massacre:

• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, or the Amritsar slaughter, happened on 13 April 1919.
• On this day, the British Indian Army troops under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer fired rifles into a crowd of Indians in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab.
• The civilians had assembled for a peaceful protest to condemn the arrest and deportation of two national leaders, Satya Pal, Saifuddin Kitchlew and the Rowlatt Act. General Dyer took a strike force of 50 rifles and 40 khukri-wielding Gurkhas into the enclosed ground, Jallianwala Bagh. Without warning, he ordered open fire on the crowd that resulted in the death of several hundreds of people, and many were wounded.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

GMR Airports to develop & operate airport in Andhra Pradesh

• GMR Airports Limited will develop & operate Bhogapuram International Airport in Andhra Pradesh.
• Government of Andhra Pradesh has issued a “Letter of Award” (LoA) to GMR Airports Limited for the development of greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram.
• The project of the greenfield International Airport at Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh involves its design, build, finance, construction, development, up-gradation, modernization, operation and maintenance for 40 years, which will be extendable by additional 20 years.
• On a public-private partnership basis, GMR Airports Limited emerged as the highest bidder for project in February 2019.
• GMR Airports Limited is the subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure.

Extra Shots:

GMR: GMR Group is an infrastructural company headquartered in New Delhi. The company was founded in 1978 by Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao. Employing the Public Private Partnership model, the Group has implemented several infrastructure projects in India.

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founder: Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao
• Founded: 1978
• Key person: Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

BRO opened Srinagar-Leh highway to allow essential commodities

• Border Roads Organisation (BRO) opened the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway on 11 April. The highway connects Ladakh with the rest of the world.
• Earlier, few oil tankers and other essential commodities were allowed to move towards Leh/Ladakh from Zojila pass.

Why was Srinagar-Leh highway closed?

• The 425 km Srinagar-Leh highway was closed since the month of December 2019 due to heavy snowfall at Zojila pass.
• As per the directions from Divisional Commissioner Ladakh, there was an emergent need for stockpiling essential commodities in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.
• Snowfall in the year 2020 broke the record of the last six decades.
• The Project Beacon and Project Vijayak operation cleared fresh snow around Zojila were cleared at the height of 11,500 feet and made the road motorable.
• The snow clearance operations were undertaken by project Beacon of BRO from Gagangir to zero point and the same was done by project Vijayak from Drass towards zero point.

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Border Road Organisation:

• Formed on: 7 May 1960
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Director-General: Lt. Gen.Harpal Singh
• BRO is responsible to develop and maintain road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries. It functions under the Ministry of Defence. It operates around 18 projects and serves in the region of India, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan.

MHRD launched YUKTI web-portal in New Delhi

• Centre launched a web-portal “Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation” (YUKTI) in New Delhi.
• The web-portal was launched by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank.”

YUKTI portal:

• YUKTI portal is a unique portal and dashboard to monitor and record the efforts and initiatives of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). The portal aims to cover the different dimensions of COVID-19 challenges in a very holistic and comprehensive way.
• The primary aim is to keep the Indian academic community healthy, both physically & mentally. It also aims to enable a continuous high-quality learning environment for learners. The portal is an effort of MHRD to achieve the goal in these difficult times.
• The portal will cover various initiatives and efforts of the institutions in academics, research especially related to COVID-19, social initiatives by institutions and the measures taken for the betterment of the total well-being of the students.
• The portal will cover both qualitative and quantitative parameters for the effective delivery of services to the academic community at large.
• Through this portal, several institutions can share their strategies for various challenges to tackle COVID-19 and other future initiatives.
• The portal will give inputs for better planning and will enable MHRD to monitor effectively its activities for the coming six months.
• The portal focuses on establishing a two-way communication channel between the MHRD and the institutions in the country. Through this, the Ministry aims to provide the necessary support system to the institutions.

Extra Shots:

MHRD: The Ministry of Human Resource Development, formerly Ministry of Education, is responsible for the development of human resources in India.

• Ministry executives: R. Subrahmanyam,Rina Ray
• Founded: 26 September 1985
• Officeholder: Ramesh Pokhriyal (Union Minister)
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Jurisdiction: India
• Departments: Department of Higher Education, Department of School Education and Literacy

Amid lockdown 85 lakh PMUY beneficiaries received LPG cylinder in April

• Government of India has announced pro-poor initiatives under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY).
• The move by GoI comes as an economic response to nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Aim:

• The move is aimed to alleviate the hardships faced by the poor due to economic disruption by Coronavirus.

Highlights:

• As per the scheme, free Liquefied petroleum gas Refills will be provided to Ujjwala beneficiaries over the period of 3 months, that is, from April-June 2020.
• So far, Oil Marketing Companies have transferred Rs.5,606 crore into 7.15 crore Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiary accounts for availing free delivery of LPG cylinder under the PMGKY.
• 26 crore cylinders have been booked in April by the beneficiaries, out of which about 85 lakh cylinders have been delivered to PMUY beneficiaries.
• A total of over 27.87 crore active LPG consumers are there in the country, with the PMUY beneficiaries accounting for over 8 crore. Due to the lockdown, 50 to 60 lakh cylinders are being delivered daily in the country. When there is nationwide lockdown and the people are staying home to stay safe, LPG delivery boys and all those in the supply chain of LPG are working tirelessly to ensure that clean fuel reaches people directly at their homes.
• Oil marketing majors namely IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL have announced an ex-gratia amount as a one-time special measure of Rs.5 lakh each in the unfortunate case of demise of personnel like Mechanics and Delivery boys, attending duty in the LPG distributorship chain, Show-room Staff, Godown-keepers, due to COVID-19 infection.

Extra Shots:

PMGKY:  Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016 is an amnesty scheme launched by the Narendra Modi led Government of India in December 2016 on the lines of the Income declaration scheme, 2016 launched earlier in the year.

Around 32 crore people receive benefits under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package

• Centre has provided over Rs.28,000 crore support through Direct Benefit Transfer to around 32 crore beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) announced in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

GoI’s measures:

• Ministry of Finance has announced around Rs.14,000 crore to 7 crore farmers under PM-KISAN. The fund has been directly transferred to approximately.
• GoI has also given around Rs.10,000 crore to over 19 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) women account holders and Rs.3,000 crore to 2 crore building and other construction workers so far.
• Also, over Rs.1400 crore has been transferred in the accounts of around three crore divyangs, senior citizens and aged widows in the country.

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PMGKY:  Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016 is an amnesty scheme launched by the Narendra Modi led Government of India in December 2016 on the lines of the Income declaration scheme, 2016 launched earlier in the year.

Centre has set up dedicated COVID-19 hospitals

• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced that the Centre in coordination with the states has ensured the supply of Personal protective equipment (PPE), N95 masks, testing kits and ventilators for the COVID-19 patients.
• The Centre has set up dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with a capacity of more than 1 lakh isolation beds to provide proper treatment.
• The Ministry of AYUSH has prepared a set of guidelines on respiratory health and to boost immunity.
• The Ministry has directed the District Magistrates to incorporate the guidelines in the district-level contingency plan.
• The Government aims to implement containment policy, containment action plan, contact tracing and clinical management of COVID-19 patients in a proper manner, as per process, in coordination with states.Government sets up 586 dedicated COVID-19 Hospitals

Centre plans to set up ‘Suraksha Stores’ to meet daily needs

• The government of India plans to set up a chain of 20 lakh retail shops called ‘Suraksha Stores’ across India.
• These ‘Suraksha Stores’ will provide daily essentials to citizens while maintaining stringent safety norms in the wake of COVID-19.

About Suraksha Stores

• The plan is to get the mohalla’s Kirana stores to be converted into ‘Suraksha Stores’.
• It will supply daily items.
• Every kind of precaution related to cleanliness and community distance will be taken at these shops.
• These shops will also be disinfected.
• These stores will not only be for groceries but also apparel, consumer durables and salons.

Prasar Bharti launches new channel “DD Retro”

• India’s Public service broadcaster Prasar Bharti has rolled out a new channel called DD Retro.
• The new channel “DD Retro” would be specifically dedicated to old classics of Doordarshan.
• The channel has been launched by Prasar Bharti in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic to keep viewers engaged.
• DD Retro is presently airing the same shows that DD National had started airing again in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
• These favourite memorable serials of Doordarshan includes that of mythological epics Ramayana and Mahabharat, historical drama Chanakya and superhero series Shaktimaan.
• The list also features comedy drama Shriman Shrimati, detective show Byomkesh Bakshi, drama show Hum Hain Na and Shah Rukh Khan’s Circus.
• After the return of these memorable classics, Doordarshan has also emerged as the most watched channel in India, surpassing any other genre in the Hindi-speaking markets.

Extra Shots:

Prasar Bharati is India’s largest public broadcasting agency. It is a statutory autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament and comprises the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• CEO: Shashi Shekhar Vempati
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 23 November 1997, New Delhi
• Agency executives: Dr. A. Surya Prakash, Chairman; Shri. Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO
• Child agencies: All India Radio; (Radio Broadcasting Service); Doordarshan; (Television Broadcasting Service)
• Subsidiary: Doordarshan

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Manipur govt starts new initiative ‘Food Bank’ to help the poor

• Government of Manipur starts a new initiative titled ‘Food Bank’ in view of the threat of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
• This initiative provides immediate aid within the sort of free food to the poor and needy who face scarcity of essential commodities due to the long statewide lockdown.

Benefits of Food Bank:

• Distribution of food items.
• Distribution of hand sanitizer and face masks have already started to Drug Rehabilitation Centres and people living with HIV located in Imphal East District.
• On the other hand, many donors from various sections of society have responded positively to the initiative.

Extra Shots:

Manipur

• Capital– Imphal
• Chief Minister: N. Biren Singh
• Governor– Najma Heptulla

Ahmedabad station becomes 1st station to get sanitizing tunnel

• Under Western Railway, Ahmedabad railway station at Kalupur, Gujarat becomes the 1st station of Indian Railways (IR) to install a “Walk Through Mass Sanitizing Tunnel”.
• This Walk Through Mass Sanitizing Tunnel is installed to ensure the safety of staff and passengers in the view of the COVID-19.

Sanitizing tunnel?

• The tunnel uses WHO (World Health Organization) approved sanitizer and fitted with a sensor, so that when a passenger approaches the tunnel entrance it starts fogging automatically.
• The sanitization system runs on the principle of Vaporization process which converts the sanitizer mixture into vapour which forms a uniform layer over the surface & dries up quickly.

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Gujarat:

• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
• Governor: Acharya Devvrat
• State formed on: 1 May 1960
• Literacy Rate: 79.31%
• National Park: Vansda NP, Blackbuck NP, Gir Forest NP, Marine NP, Gulf of Kutch

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

UNIDO signs MoU with Consumer Unity Trust Society to counter economic impact of COVD-19

• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), has inked an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS), a non-profit organisation based in Jaipur, Rajasthan, to promote consumers to contribute to the global development agenda as well as support their respective governments in times of global crisis like coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Highlights:

• Tha MoU, valid for 5 years, aims to create a joint technical co-operation initiatives to support ongoing activities in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
• As per the MoU, CUTS will support e-commerce as a platform to accelerate Member States’ transition to the digital economy and adapt to the 4th Industrial Revolution.
• Both the agencies also decided to implement a BRICS e-commerce project that will build upon the success of UNIDO’s pilot e-commerce project implemented in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries from 2016 to 2018.

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Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS):

• Headquarters: Jaipur,Rajasthan
• Secretary General: Pradeep S. Mehta

UNIDO: The United Nations Industrial Development Organization, is a specialized agency of the United Nations that assists nations in growing and developing industry to reduce poverty. It is headquartered at the U.N. Office in Vienna, Austria and is a member of the United Nations Development Group.

• Headquarters location: Vienna, Austria
• Founded: 1966
• Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council
• Formation: 17 November 1966; 53 years ago
• Heads: Kandeh Yumkella, Li Yong

APPOINTMENT

Indian Actress Tamannaah Bhatia signed as brand ambassador for MPL

• India’s largest mobile gaming platform, Mobile Premier League (MPL) has brought Tamannaah Bhatia of Baahubali fame, as its brand ambassador, to endorse their gaming platform.
• Recently, MPL also renewed its association with Indian Cricket Captain Virat Kohli for another one year.
• Tamannaah is popular in Bollywood and regional film landscape and that is what makes her suitable to promote the brand across its diverse user base. She will promote MPL across all channels.
• MPL currently has more than 35 million users, with over 40 games on the platform.

Extra Shots:

MPL: Mobile Premier League is the mobile e-Sports platform based in India. It is operated by Bangalore-based Galactus Funware Technology Pvt. Ltd. Users can compete in multiple skill based mobile gaming tournaments on MPL.

• Founder: Sai Srinivas Kiran Garimella, Shubham Malhotra
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Founded: September 2018
• Type of business: Pvt. Ltd.
• Subsidiary: Crevise Technologies Private Limited
• Areas served: India, Indonesia

Karnataka Bank reappoint Mahabaleshwara M S as MD and CEO for 3 yrs

• Karnataka Bank has received Reserve Bank of India nod for reappointment of Mahabaleshwara M S as MD and CEO for next 3 years.
• Mahabaleshwara took charge as MD & CEO of Karnataka Bank on April 12, 2017 and has over 29 years of banking experience both at administrative and operational levels.
• The RBI has also approved for reappointment of P Jayarama Bhat as part-time (non-executive) chairman to hold office up to November 13, 2021.

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Karnataka Bank Limited:

• Headquarters– Mangalore, Karnataka.
• Tagline– Your Family Bank Across India

Raghuram Rajan named among 12 members of External Advisory Group: IMF

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director (MD) Kristalina Georgieva named former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan and 11 others to its new External Advisory Group.
• The group consists of members who have expertise in high- level policy, market and with private sector experience which makes the group an exceptional & diverse one and will meet the IMF’s MD, deputy MD & a subset of directors a few times a year
• Raghuram Rajan is currently working as a professor at the University of Chicago

Objective

• To provide perspectives from around the world on key developments, policy issues, policy responses to the exceptional challenges the world now faces due to the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact.

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IMF: The International Monetary Fund (IMF), is an international organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 189 countries working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world while periodically depending on World Bank for its resources.

• Headquarters: Washington, D.C. U.S.
• Membership: 189 countries
• Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva
• Chief Economist: Gita Gopinath

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ICMR approved DBT-THSTI institute as COVID-19 testing facility for Faridabad

• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved the bioassay laboratory of the Department of Biotechnology’s (DBT) Faridabad-based Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) as an extension of diagnostic facility of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College and Hospital.

Highlights:

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed to provide the team at the bioassay laboratory to train manpower and build capacity at the ESI hospital for COVID-19 testing. This MoU was signed after the approval of the ICMR.
• DBT will undertake an expansion process to initiate testing facilities. For this, DBT has engaged government laboratories that were not under ICMR. This includes laboratories of DBT, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and government-funded medical colleges, among others.

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THSTI:

• THSTI is funded by the Department of Biotechnology in the Union Ministry of Science & Technology. ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Faridabad is a premier medical institution under the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment.
• DBT- THSTI’s bioassay laboratory was established under the DBT-funded Translational Research Program of THSTI. The lab was set up for the clinical development of vaccines and biologicals. It is intended to meet the global standards in Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) and will be applying for accreditation by National Accreditation Board for testing and calibration Laboratories (NABL) for vaccine development and testing.

ICMR:

• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Director General: Balram Bhargava

CCMBs measure against COVID-19 outbreak

• CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) based in Hyderabad is currently employing several tools and approaches in the countries to fight against COVID-19.

Highlights:

• The tools include Testing patient samples, Training on COVID-19 Testing, Sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, Culturing SARS-CoV-2 Virus for Testing Repurposed & New Drugs.

Testing patient samples:

• CCMB has been authorized to conduct SARS-CoV-2 virus testing and receives patient samples from government hospitals across 33 districts of Telangana. It tests around 350 samples per day.

Training on COVID-19 Testing:

• CCMB has also trained 25 medical doctors, technical staff and students from five government hospitals namely NIMS, Integrated Programme in Management (IPM), Government Fever Hospital in Hyderabad and Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal. The trained people are deployed for the testing activities at their respective hospitals.
• CSIR-CCMB has also created training videos on best practices for handling patient samples and on RT-PCR. These videos are available for authorized centers and can be got by contacting director@ccmb.res.in

Sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 genome:

• CSIR labs are leading the way in genome sequencing of the Corona Virus and CCMB is performing Next Generation Sequencing and analysis to map out the whole genome sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The patient samples with CCMB that show high viral load is chosen for genome analyses. CCMB has sequenced a few patient viral isolates and aims to sequence several hundred virus isolates in the next 3-4 weeks.

Culturing SARS-CoV-2 Virus for Testing Repurposed & New Drugs:

• A key tool lacking for the R&D community is the lack of viral cultures to test repurposed drugs, or new drugs or new molecules predicted by various molecular modelling. CSIR-CCMB has been engaged in this task and is setting up a system for culturing the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the Vero cell line which is permissive for the growth of viruses. It is hoped to be ready soon.

Provide advisories on COVID-19 Outbreak:

• CCMB has actively engaged in conveying various precautions and advisories on Corona Outbreak by innovative means in regional languages on social media platforms to the public at large.

Extra Shots:

CCMB: The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology or CCMB is an Indian fundamental life science research establishment located in Hyderabad that operates under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

• Director: Rakesh Mishra
• Headquater: Hyderabad
• Founded: 1977

KVIC developed Double Layered Khadi Masks

• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has developed a double-layered Khadi mask to contain the spread of COVID-19. It has procured orders for supplying it in large quantities.

KVIC masks:

• The masks prepared by KVIC will help to retain 70% of the moisture content inside and provide an easy passage for the air to pass through. It also proves to be the best easily available, pocket-friendly alternative Face Masks.
• The masks are made of hand-spun hand woven khadi fabric which is breathable, can easily be reused, washable and biodegradable.
• These masks are prepared from DT fabric and these masks can meet the quality and scale of demand while precisely matching medical guidelines.
• The cotton reusable mask will be of 7 inches length and 9 inches breadth with three pleats, four strips at the corner for tying.

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KVIC:

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body formed in April 1957 by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, ‘Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’.

• Founded: 1956
• Purpose: To plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Agency executive: Vinai Kumar Saxena (Chairperson)
• Parent agency: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
• Type: Statutory corporation

IIT-Ropar develops UV germicidal irradiation technology-based device to sanitize grocery items, currency notes

• The Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT-Ropar) has developed a trunk-shaped device fitted with ultraviolet (UV) germicidal irradiation technology.
• The device aims to aid the fight against COVID-19.

UV germicidal irradiation technology:

• The device should be placed at doorsteps and all items brought from outside including grocery and currency notes must be put in it to sanitize them.
• The trunk will cost around or less than Rs.500.
• It will take 30 minutes for the device to sanitize the items. After sanitizing the items should be kept inside for a 10 minutes cooling-off period before one takes the items out.
• The device is based on UV germicidal irradiation technology which is used in water purifiers. People are advised not to look directly at the light inside the trunk as it can be harmful.

Google and Apple collaborate to fight against COVID-19

• Google and Apple collaborate to fight against COVID-19 through contact tracing technology.
• Both tech-giants have collaborated to enable the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the Corona Virus, with user privacy and security central to the design.
• Google and Apple will be launching a comprehensive solution that includes application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing.
• Contact tracing is a valuable tool to help contain COVID-19 spread.
• The joint initiative by Apple and Google will contribute to the cause.

Extra Shots:

Google LLC is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware.

• Founded: 4 September 1998, Menlo Park, California, United States
• Parent organization: Alphabet Inc.
• Headquarters: Mountain View, California, United States
• Subsidiaries: YouTube, Google.org, Google Nest, YouTube TV, MORE
• Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin

UPSCGuide e-learning portal launched

• UPSCGuide e-learning portal has been launched to help UPSC aspirants to study from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The portal has been launched in order to provide coaching facilities to the aspirants to help them prepare for UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam with the help of technology. Via UPSCGuide e-learning portal, esteemed people who have already cleared the examinations with good ranks will provide voluntary help, guidance and motivation to the aspirants and will help them in achieving their goal.

About UPSCGuide e-learning portal:

• UPSCGuide e-learning portal is an e-learning platform which will help of all UPSC aspirants by providing extremely affordable preparatory courses for coming session of UPSC prelims and mains examinations.
• Aspirants can select their desired courses and get them registered on the website and the payment process can be executed on the same.
• The Below Poverty Line (BPL) category students and ward of armed forces belonging to Jammu & Kashmir region and North Eastern states can reap the benefits of the e-learning courses via the UPSCGuide e-learning platform for an entire year.

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UPSC:

The Union Public Service Commission, commonly abbreviated as UPSC, is India’s premier central recruiting agency. It is responsible for appointments to and examinations for All India services and group A & group B of Central services. While Department of Personnel and Training is the central personnel agency in India.

• Chairperson: Arvind Saxena (Acting)
• Headquarters location: New Delhi
• Founder: Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Founded: 1 October 1926
• Commission executive: Arvind Saxena, (Chairman)
• Jurisdiction: India

ICMR stated that over 40 vaccines are under development

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) stated that over 40 vaccines are under various stages of development.
• But no vaccines have reached the final stage.
• The information was passed by Dr.Manoj Murhekar of ICMR.
• It also stated that as of now, there is no vaccine.
• There are 219 facilities, 151 government, and 68 private, COVID-19 testing facilities in India.

Extra Shots:

ICMR:

• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Director General: Balram Bhargava

OBITUARIES

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Bonetti passes away

• Former England and Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Bonetti passed away.
• He was part of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team but was unused throughout the tournament.
• He was featured in 1970 World Cup quarter-final defeat by West Germany.
• He was nicknamed as ‘The Cat’ because of his safe handling, lightning reflexes and his graceful style.

Legendary driver Stirling Moss passes away

• The legendary motor-racing driver, Sir Stirling Moss has passed away.
• Moss was widely regarded as the greatest driver never to win the Formula One drivers’ world championship.
• The British driver took part in Formula One from 1951 to 1961 and also made 67 starts in the F1 World Championship, claiming victory winning 16 races and claiming 16 pole positions and 24 podium positions.

British Comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor passes away

• British Comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor has passed away due to novel coronavirus.
• The comedian was popular as one third of the famous 1970s show The Goodies, and I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue.
• Tim Brooke-Taylor’s career spanned more than six decades and he also started his own broadcasting career on BBC radio later became a long-standing panellist on Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue.
• The actor, writer and comedian was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his services to entertainment.

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