Current Affairs Today 20th March 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 20th March 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

• International Day of Happiness is celebrated on 20 March.
• World Sparrow Day is observed on 20th March.
• French Language Day is observed on 20th March.
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) is to start Swavalamban Express on 5 June 2020.
• WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub” has been launched globally by WhatsApp
• Fitch Ratings on Friday joined the chorus of international agencies, downgrading its growth forecast for India to 5.1% from 5.6% for 2020-21 as Covid-19 hits sentiment and supply chain disruptions in China impact input-dependent Indian manufacturers.
• The four convicts, Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26), Akshay Kumar (31), and Mukesh Kumar (32), of Nirbhaya Gang Rape were hanged to death in Tihar Jail on 20 March 2020.
• Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) have jointly developed a Comprehensive School Health Programme (SHP) under Ayushman Bharat.
• Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani has proposed a pilot shopping festival at Bengaluru.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced for a Janata Curfew on 22 March 2020.
• Central government has announced a ban on the export of Ventilators, Surgical/Disposable Masks (2/3 ply), and Textile raw material used for masks and coveralls.
• Kamal Nath has resigned as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
• The World Energy Statistics published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2019 states that India is the 3rd largest producer of electricity in the world.
• DBS Bank India has teamed-up with Bharti AXA to launch a complimentary insurance plan which will cover all medical conditions, including Covid-19.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed former deputy governor R Gandhi and former banker Ananth Narayan on the board of Yes Bank as additional directors for two years.
• Vrinda Rathi and Janani Narayanan have been named in the International Panel of ICC Development Umpires.
• Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a capital acquisition contract with Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) for the procurement of 16,479 light machine guns (LMGs).
• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, announced that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) had planned 36 missions for the fiscal year 2020-21.
• SpaceX has announced that it is to launch its first manned flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2020.
• Former world champion boxer Roger Mayweather passed away.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

International Day of Happiness is celebrated on 20 March

• International Day of Happiness is celebrated on 20 March.
• The day aims to inspire and advance the global happiness movement.
• The campaign theme for the year 2020 is ‘Happiness For All, Together.’
• The campaign is a global celebration to mark the United Nations International Day of Happiness.

Extra Shots:

History:

• International Happiness Day was founded and conceptualised by Jayme Illien, the CEO of the United Nations New World Order project, in 2006.
• The main idea behind celebrating the day is to establish happiness as a fundamental human right among the masses.
• It was one of the goals of the United Nations (UN) to celebrate the happiness, freedom, and well-being of mankind on earth.
• In 2011, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution which recognized happiness as a “fundamental human goal” International Happiness Day was celebrated for the first time in 2013.

Extra Shots:

UN: The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.

• Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
• Founded: 24 October 1945, San Francisco, California, United States
• Official languages: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish;
• Secretary general: António Guterres

World Sparrow Day is observed on 20 March

• World Sparrow Day is observed on 20th March.
• It is observed every year.
• The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of sparrows in the ecosystem.
• It also conveys the message of conservation of sparrows that are disappearing faster than other common birds.

Theme:

• The theme for the 2020 World Sparrow Day is ‘I Love Sparrow.’ The day aims to teach the public about the threat of polluted urban environments and non-caring humans to the house sparrow population and to other common bird species.

History:

• The World Sparrow Day was initiated by the founder of The Nature Forever Society, Mohammed Dilawar.

French Language Day is observed on 20th March

• French Language Day is observed on 20th March.
• The day explores the influences of the language as a culture, its history, and its achievements. The day celebrates multilingualism and cultural diversity.

Aim:

• The French language day is celebrated annually in order to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity and to promote equal use of all six official working languages throughout the organization.

BANKING AND FINANCE CURRENT AFFAIRS

SIDBI to start Swavalamban Express on 5 June

• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) is to start Swavalamban Express on 5 June 2020.
• The aim is to promote budding business aspirants and entrepreneurs.
• SIDBI will start a special train based on the opinions and suggestions of various stakeholders.

Swavalamban Express:

• Swavalamban Express will depart from Lucknow on 5 June. The journey will be for 15 days, and it will cover about 7000 km of track.
• The express will travel to the 11 entrepreneurial cities including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi as the final destination.
• Over 20 workshops and other programs will be organized during the journey.
• A Candidate who is aged between 20 and 35 years can apply for the journey.
• Aspirants who want to start their own business or running a small business can apply for the Swavalamban Express journey.

Extra Shots:

SIDBI: Small industrial Development Bank of India is a development financial institution in India, headquartered at Lucknow and having its offices all over the country.

• Headquarters location: Lucknow
• Founded: 2 April 1990
• CMD: Mohammad Mustafa

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

WhatsApp launches “WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub”

• “WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub” has been launched globally by WhatsApp.

Highlights:

• The Information Hub has been launched by WhatsApp in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• The WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub aims to provide simple, actionable guidance for health workers, educators, community leaders, nonprofits, local governments and local businesses that depends on WhatsApp for communication.
• It will also work to reduce the spread of rumors and connect with accurate health information.
• Along the launch of WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub, WhatsApp has also announced the donation of $1 million to the International Fact-Checking Network for coronavirus facts alliance.
• The donation aims to support the fact-checking of the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, which spans more than 100 local organizations all over the world.

Extra Shots:

WhatsApp Messenger or simply WhatsApp is an American freeware, cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service owned by Facebook, Inc. It allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other media.

• Initial release date: 3 May 2009
• Developer(s): WhatsApp Inc. (Facebook, Inc.)
• Written in: Erlang
• Size: 137.5 MB (iOS); 22.88 MB (Android)
• Owner: Facebook
• Original authors: Brian Acton, Jan Koum

Fitch cuts India’s FY21 growth forecast to 5.1%

• Fitch Ratings on Friday joined the chorus of international agencies, downgrading its growth forecast for India to 5.1% from 5.6% for 2020-21 as Covid-19 hits sentiment and supply chain disruptions in China impact input-dependent Indian manufacturers.
• Standard and Poor’s (S&P) on Wednesday had slashed its 2020 growth projection for India to 5.2% from 5.7%
• Moody’s and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have recently cut their 2020 growth projections for India to 5.3% and 5.1% respectively.

Extra Shots:

Fitch Ratings Inc. is an American credit rating agency and is one of the “Big Three credit rating agencies”, the other two being Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. It is one of the three nationally recognized statistical rating organizations designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1975.

• Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
• CEO: Paul Taylor
• Founder: John Knowles Fitch

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Four convicts of Nirbhaya Case hanged to death in Tihar Jail

• The four convicts, Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26), Akshay Kumar (31), and Mukesh Kumar (32), of Nirbhaya Gang Rape were hanged to death in Tihar Jail on 20 March 2020.
• The convicts of the case were sentenced to death by a fast track court in September 2013.

MHRD develops School Health Programme to promote well being of students

• Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) have jointly developed a Comprehensive School Health Programme (SHP) under Ayushman Bharat.
• The information was announced by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

Aim:

• The program aims to foster the growth, development, and educational achievement of school-going children by promoting their health and wellbeing.

School Health Programme (SHP):

• Under the School Health Program, eleven themes have been identified, which include Reproductive Health and HIV Prevention.
• These modules are expected to create awareness on the subject among adolescents.
• Also, the Department of School & Literacy is to implement the Adolescence Education Programme (AEP) as part of the National Population Education Project (NPEP).
• The aim is to pursue the National Curriculum Framework, 2005.
• AEP is to make the learners aware of the concerns of adolescence, HIV/AIDS, and Substance (Drug) Abuse and to inculcate in them a positive attitude regarding these concerns.

Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani has proposed a pilot shopping festival

• Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani has proposed a pilot shopping festival at Bengaluru.
• The fest will be organized in 2020-21. It will be organized in other cities.

Shopping Festival:

• The festival will focus on various sectors, including gems & jewellery, textiles, handicrafts, and Yoga and Ayurvedic products.
• The products to be showcased will include tribal products/handicrafts, products from Jammu & Kashmir, North East States, and the other Hill States.
• The festival aims to promote e-marketing of handloom products, and a policy framework was designed and under which any willing e-commerce platform with a good track record can participate in online marketing of handloom products.
• Also, 23 e-commerce entities have been engaged in the online marketing of handloom products.
• So far, total sales of Rs.80.76 crore have been reported through the online portal.

PM called for Janata Curfew on 22 March

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced for a Janata Curfew on 22 March 2020.
• The curfew also aims to express gratitude to the doctors, nurses, hospital staff, housekeeping staff, airlines staff, government servants, police personnel, media persons, railways, bus, autorickshaw, home delivery people, among others who are working round the clock to save lives that are affected with Coronavirus.

Janata Curfew:

• The Janata Curfew will be observed on 22 March from 7 am to 9 pm.
• During this curfew, people shall neither leave their homes nor get onto the streets or roam about their localities. Only those associated with emergency and essential services will leave home.
• PM Modi also constituted a COVID-19 taskforce. It is headed by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
• The task force is expected to draw up measures to combat the economic effects of the pandemic.
• PM also directed the employers not to cut the pay of staff despite the outbreak’s “wide-ranging” economic impact.

GoI bans exports of masks and coveralls due to coronavirus

• Central government has announced a ban on the export of Ventilators, Surgical/Disposable Masks (2/3 ply), and Textile raw material used for masks and coveralls.

Ban:

• The ban on the export of masks and coveralls comes with an immediate effect.
• A notification regarding this was issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• The move is to increase the availability of critical protective gear for healthcare professionals dealing with coronavirus.
• Background:
• Earlier in 2020, GoI had placed a ban on the export of all surgical masks after the outbreak of coronavirus in China and beyond. But the ban was lifted in February 2020.
• The ban on the industrial purpose N-95 masks, supposed to give substantial protection against the virus, was retained.

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath steps down

• Kamal Nath has resigned as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
• He has resigned ahead of the floor test which was scheduled to be held on 20th March 2020 in the state assembly.
• He will submit his resignation to Lal Ji Tandon, governor of Madhya Pradesh. Kamal Nath’s government was pushed into crisis after the exit of 22 MLAs followed by former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
• Kamal Nath sworn-in as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh after winning the state Assembly polls held in 2018.

Extra Shots:

Madhya Pradesh:

• Capital: Bhopal
• Chief Minister: vacant
• Governor: Lalji Tandon
• National Park: Bandhavgarh NP, Fossil NP, Kanha NP, Madhav NP, Panna NP, Pench NP, Sanjay NP, Satpura NP

RANKS AND INDICES

India is third-largest producer of Electricity in the World

• The World Energy Statistics published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2019 states that India is the 3rd largest producer of electricity in the world.
• India ranked 106th in terms of per capita consumption in 2017.

Highlights:

• As per the list, the reforms in the power sector has grown continuously.
• India has now become a power surplus from a power deficit situation.
• The power sector reforms focus on the supply of 24×7 quality power to consumers, higher standards of service, promotion of renewable energy sources, development of hydropower, improving efficiency, especially in the distribution sector, etc.
• Also, the Central government is planning to implement reforms linked distribution schemes and changes in tariff policy, among others.

Extra Shots:

IEA: The International Energy Agency is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 1974 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis.

• Headquarters location: Paris, France
• Founded: November 1974
• Membership: 30 states
• Subsidiary: International Energy Agency, Research Division

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

DBS Bank & Bharti AXA teams up for plans covering Covid-19

• DBS Bank India has teamed-up with Bharti AXA to launch a complimentary insurance plan which will cover all medical conditions, including Covid-19.
• The insurance plan will also include up to 10 days of hospitalisation along with a cover of Rs 5,000 per day for a 30-day period.
• The health insurance products will be accessible to all the customers of DBS through digibank app.
• It will also offer Emergency Global Medical Assist Program which provides 24×7 access to medical support.

Extra Shots:

DBS: DBS Bank is a Singaporean multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, Marina Bay, Singapore.

• CEO: Piyush Gupta
• Headquarters: Singapore

Bharti Axa General Insurance Company Ltd. is a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and Axa business Group that operates in India. Bharti Enterprises shares 51% stake in the venture while Axa Group shares 49% stake. The company offers general insurance products to retail and commercial clients.

• CEO: Sanjeev Srinivasan
• Headquarters location: Mumbai
• Founded: 2008
• Area served: India
• Parent organizations: Bharti Enterprises (51%), Axa (49%)

APPOINTMENT

RBI appoints former deputy governor, ex-banker on Yes Bank board for two years

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed former deputy governor R Gandhi and former banker Ananth Narayan on the board of Yes Bank as additional directors for two years.
• These appointments are effective 26 March.
• Narayan is an associate professor at SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and was earlier at Standard Chartered Bank as its regional head of financial markets for ASEAN and South Asia.
• Gandhi was appointed to Yes Bank’s board in May as an additional director till 13 May, 2021 and is being reappointed after the board was superseded on 5 March.

Extra Shots:

RBI: The Reserve Bank of India is India’s central banking institution, which controls the issuance and supply of the Indian rupee.

• Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Governor: Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy Governors: B P Kanungo, M K Jain, Michael Debaprata Patra

SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

Two Indians named in International Panel of ICC Development Umpires

• Vrinda Rathi and Janani Narayanan have been named in the International Panel of ICC Development Umpires.
• The announcement was made after the launch of 100% Cricket. 100% Cricket is a 12-month campaign which has been launched to build on the momentum of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.
• Tamil Nadu’s Janani Narayanan is a software engineer and she wrote her umpiring exams in 2015 before officiating in the TNCA league.
• She has been umpiring in Indian domestic tournaments since 2018. While, Vrinda Rathi of Mumbai is a former varsity player who has been umpiring in Indian domestic cricket from 2018.

Extra Shots:

ICC: The International Cricket Council is the global governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from Australia, England and South Africa. It was renamed as the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.

• Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Chairperson: Shashank Manohar
• CEO: Manu Sawhney
• Membership: 104 members
• Founded: 15 June 1909

DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Defence Ministry signs with IWI to procure LMGs

• Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a capital acquisition contract with Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) for the procurement of 16,479 light machine guns (LMGs).

Highlights:

• The cost of the agreement was Rs.880 crore.
• The contract was signed with the approval of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• As per the agreement, IWI would provide Negev 7.62X51 mm LMGs to the Indian armed forces.
• The weapon will boost the confidence of the frontline troops and provide much-needed combat power to the Indian armed forces.
• The acquisition wing of MoD has signed the capital acquisition contract with IWI for the procurement of LMGs.

Extra Shots:

LMG:

• Negev 7.62X51 mm LMG is a combat-proven weapon. The weapon is currently used by several countries around the globe. The LMG will enhance the lethality and range of a soldier vis-a-vis the presently used weapon.

IWI: Israel Weapon Industries, formerly the Magen division of the Israel Military Industries Ltd., is an Israeli firearms manufacturer. It was founded in 1933. Formerly owned by the State of Israel, in 2005, the Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized and renamed IWI.

• Headquarters: Ramat Hasharon, Israel
• Founded: 1933
• Type of business: Private
• Founder: Israel Military Industries

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO to launch 36 missions in the current fiscal year

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, announced that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) had planned 36 missions for the fiscal year 2020-21.
• ISRO is to send up ten earth observation satellites during 2020-21.
• ISRO has focused on peaceful uses of Outer Space.
• So far, Space Technology has been used for the benefit of the country and society.
• It provides solutions for developmental activities and address problems of the society at large.

Extra Shots:

Mission of ISRO for FY-2020-21:

♦ Earth observation satellite- 10

♦ Communication satellite- 3

♦ Navigation satellite-

♦ Space science satellite- 3

♦ Technology Demonstration- 1

♦ PSLV- 10

♦ GSLV MK II- 3

♦ GSLV MK III- 1

♦ Small Satellite Launch Vehicle- 2

♦ Gaganyaan (Unmanned mission)- 1

ISRO: The Indian Space Research Organisation is the space agency of the Government of India and has its headquarters in the city of Bengaluru. Its vision is to “harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research & planetary exploration”.

• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Founder: Vikram Sarabhai
• Founded: 15 August 1969
• Director: Kailasavadivoo Sivan
• Subsidiary: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre

SpaceX to launch its first manned flight to ISS in 2020 May

• SpaceX has announced that it is to launch its first manned flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2020.
• The announcement comes despite the COVID-19 epidemic.

SpaceX 1st manned Mission:

• SpaceX’ Falcon 9 rocket is to launch the Crew Dragon. It will carry NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to space from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• NASA is to quarantine the astronauts for two weeks before their missions to ensure they don’t carry illnesses to space.
• NASA’s Commercial Crew Program partnered with SpaceX through a public-private partnership to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil.
• The program aims to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station, which will allow for additional research time and will increase the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity’s testbed for exploration.

Extra Shots:

NASA: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.

• Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
• Preceding agency: NACA
• Founder: Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Founded: 29 July 1958, United States
• Administered by: Jim Bridenstine

OBITUARIES

Former world champion boxer Roger Mayweather passes away

• Former world champion boxer Roger Mayweather passed away.
• He had a record of 59-13, with 35 knockouts.
• He won titles at 130 and 140 pounds in an 18-year career that began in 1981.
• He won his first 17 career fights and captured the world title in World Boxing Association junior lightweight and earned the World Boxing Council junior welterweight title in 1987.

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