Current Affairs Today 4th April 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 4th April 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

• International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance is observed on April 4 each year.
• In view of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Reserve Bank of India has notified a change in market timings.
• SBI Mutual Fund has displaced HDFC Mutual Fund to become India’s largest fund house, according to quarterly average AUM data released by the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI) for January-March.
• Union Health Ministry has placed an order of about ten crore hydroxychloroquine tablets from various pharmaceutical companies for health care workers.
• Students are facing difficulties due to the closure of colleges and hostels due to the COVID 19 Pandemic. AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) has come out with MHRD AICTE COVID-19 Student Helpline Portaltoaddress the issues.
• National Health Authority (NHA)inked a pact with ride-hailing app Uber to provide transport services for frontline healthcare workers involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
• Associations representing officers of Central Civil Services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), have formed an initiative called ‘Caruna’ to support and supplement the government’s efforts in fighting coronavirus
• India COVID-19 patients chart Tamil Nadu tops with 411 cases as 102 people tested positive.
• Bihar Government has decided to undertake to screen of over one lakh eighty thousand people again who had come from outside after 22nd of March.
• Odisha government, in collaboration with the UNICEF, launched an online cultural competition among children to keep them engaged at home during the lockdown period.
• Minister of State Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Human Resource Development Shri Sanjay Dhotre launched Hack the Crisis – India, an Online Hackathon to find working solutions for overcoming COVID 19 pandemic.
• The Asian Development Bank has released its annual economic publication “Asian Development Outlook 2020”. In its annual flagship economic publication “Asian Development Outlook 2020”, the Asian Development Bank has projected India’s growth to slow down to 4% in the current fiscal year i.e. 2020-2021.
• The official mascots of the 19th Asian Games released at a digital launch ceremony in Hangzhou, China.
• Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), the manufacturing unit of Indian Railways based in Asansol, West Bengal (WB), has set the Limca Book of Records for producing record 431 locomotives in the financial year 2019-2020 (FY20) in 292 working days.
• World renowned virologist Gita Ramjee passed away after contracting the novel coronavirus.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

International Mine Awareness Day observed on 4 April

• International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance is observed on April 4 each year.

Aim:

• To raise awareness about landmines and progress toward their eradication.

History:

• United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared that April 4 of each year would be officially proclaimed and observed as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
• It was first observed on April 4, 2006. According to the Landmine Monitor Report 2005, 84 countries were affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance, which together kill or maim between 15,000 and 20,000 adults and children annually.
• The UN works together with countries to find and destroy these devices. It also helps to provide various mine-action services in many countries.

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

BANKING AND FINANCE CURRENT AFFAIRS

RBI reduces trading timings of currency and debt markets

• In view of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Reserve Bank of India has notified a change in market timings.
• Beginning April 7th, markets dealing with government securities, call/notice/term money, corporate bonds, foreign currency, Indian Rupee Trades, commercial paper and Certificates of Deposit will be working from 10 AM to 2 PM.
• lockdowns, social distancing, restrictions on movement of staff, work from home arrangements and business continuity plans is posing operational and logistic risks.
• These revised timings will remain in effect till 17th April.
• The apex bank has clarified that all regular banking services for customers, including RTGS, NEFT, e-kuber and other retail payments systems will continue to be available as per extant timings.
• It may also be noted that timing for equity markets has not be revised.

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

SBI Mutual Fund becomes India’s largest MF in Jan-Mar

• SBI Mutual Fund has displaced HDFC Mutual Fund to become India’s largest fund house, according to quarterly average AUM data released by the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI) for January-March.
• SBI MF has attributed the growth to its network of independent financial advisors and relative emphasis on debt funds rather than inflows from the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) or sales from SBI bank branches.

Extra Shots:

SBI: The State Bank of India is an Indian multinational, public sector banking and financial services statutory body. It is a government corporation statutory body.

• Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
• Headquarters: Mumbai

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Union Govt orders about 10 crore hydroxychloroquine tablets for healthcare workers

• Union Health Ministry has placed an order of about ten crore hydroxychloroquine tablets from various pharmaceutical companies for health care workers.
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has suggested the use of hydroxychloroquine tablets only for health care workers and caregivers involved in the treatment and direct contact with the suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.
• The COVID-19 patients, who require Intensive Care Unit care, the Health Ministry has suggested the use of hydroxychloroquine tablets in combination with Azithromycin.

Extra Shots:

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Secretary & Director General: Dr. Balram Bhargava
• Founder: Government of India
• Founded: 1911

Union HRD Minister launches MHRD AICTE COVID-19 Student Helpline Portal

• Students are facing difficulties due to the closure of colleges and hostels due to the COVID 19 Pandemic. AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) has come out with MHRD AICTE COVID-19 Student Helpline Portaltoaddress the issues.

Aim of the portal

• The portal is mostly available to connect who are willing to provide help with those who need help.
• The nature of support includes Accommodation, Food, on line Classes, Attendance, Examinations, Scholarships, Health, Transport, Harassment. Around 6500 colleges have already come forward to provide support at such a crucial juncture.
• Students in difficulty are encouraged to get connected with them through this portal directly.
• AICTE also appealed to voluntary organizations, NGOs. Social organizations, philanthropists to come forward and render their support similar to the 6500 colleges.

Extra Shots:

AICTE: The All India Council for Technical Education is the statutory body and a national-level council for technical education, under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development.

• Website: aicte-india.org
• Founded: November 1945
• Sector: Technology education
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Agency executive: Anil Sahasrabudhe (Chairperson)
• Parent agency: Department of Higher Education

NHA signs pact with Uber for transportation service for public healthcare workers

• National Health Authority (NHA)inked a pact with ride-hailing app Uber to provide transport services for frontline healthcare workers involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Highlights:

• Uber planned to facilitate the provision of 150 cars free of cost to support medical facilities in certain cities, namely New Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj, and Patna through its UberMedic service.
• The NHA will be equipped with roof-to-floor plastic sheeting enclosing the driver’s seat, thereby acting as a protective barrier between the rider and driver.
• Every UberMedic car will be disinfected after every ride to ensure adequate safety and hygiene.
• The limited mobility options had made it difficult for frontline workers to travel to their workplaces, which is the hospital.
• This initiative will further strengthen India’s response to contain the spread of COVID-19.
• This ride-hailing app has been taking steps towards battling the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

Extra Shots:

UBER: Uber Technologies, Inc., commonly known as Uber, is an American multinational ride-hailing company offering services that include peer-to-peer ridesharing, ride service hailing, food delivery, and a micromobility system with electric bikes and scooters.

• CEO: Dara Khosrowshahi
• Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
• Founders: Travis Kalanick, Garrett Camp

IAS, IPS officers’ associations form ‘Caruna’, an initiative to fight Coronavirus

• Associations representing officers of Central Civil Services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), have formed an initiative called ‘Caruna’ to support and supplement the government’s efforts in fighting coronavirus
• The acronym ‘Caruna’ stands for Civil Services Associations Reach to Support in Natural Disasters and represents a collaborative platform, on which civil servants, industry leaders, NGO professionals and IT professionals among others have come together to contribute their time and abilities.
• PM Modi urges people to light diyas tomorrow to show solidarity in country’s fight against COVID 19
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi today urged people to light diyas tomorrow to show solidarity in country’s fight against COVID-19.
• In a tweet, Mr Modi shared a video of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee reciting the poem – Aao Phir Se Diya Jalayein.
• Citizens are advised not to use alcohol based sanitizers while lighting diyas and candles tomorrow at 9 PM as it is inflammable

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Tamil Nadu tops countrys COVID-19 patients chart with 411 cases

• India COVID-19 patients chart Tamil Nadu tops with 411 cases as 102 people tested positive.
• Chennai has the maximum caseload with 81 patients, followed by Dindigul district, with about half the number.
• The COVID-19 patients to the bare minimum and nourishing them with nutritious food is an essential strategy in the disease management across the globe.

Actions:

• Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabhaskar inaugurated three such robots at the Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai.
• Around five more such robots will be put to use in Trichy. He has also promised the medical professionals to deploy more robots in the days to come.
• The donations received from philanthropists in the state for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to help those in need during the pandemic has crossed Rs 62.3 crore within days of the government making an appeal.

Extra Shots:

Tamilnadu

• Capital: Chennai
• Chief Minister: Edappadi K.Palanisamy
• Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
• Chief Justice of Madras High Court: Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani
• National Park: Guindy NP,Gulf of Mannar Marine NP, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) NP,             Mudumalai NP, Mukurthi NP.

Bihar Govt decides to screen 1 lakh 80 thousand people again for COVID-19 infection

• Bihar Government has decided to undertake to screen of over one lakh eighty thousand people again who had come from outside after 22nd of March.
• This decision has been taken in view to stop the spread of Coronavirus infection at the Community level.
• During the first phase of screening, people who had come to Bihar from Maharashtra will be screened.
• After screening of these people, there will be screening of those who had come from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi.
• The screening of people will be completed within six days. The District Magistrates have been instructed in this regard.

Extra Shots:

Bihar

• Capital: Patna
• Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
• Governor: Phagu Chauhan
• Literacy Rate: 63.82%

Odisha government launches online cultural competition to engage children during lockdown

• Odisha government, in collaboration with the UNICEF, launched an online cultural competition among children to keep them engaged at home during the lockdown period.
• Children can participate in competitions of painting, writing of slogans, short stories and poems, and poster making, winning entries will get certificates, said Odisha government’s COVID spokesman Subroto Bagchi.

All About Mo Prativa:

• The Mo Prativa (My talent) program is for children in the age group of 5 to 18 years.
• The entries are being invited on two themes: Being at home during lockdown” and “My responsibility as a young citizen during COVID-19”.
• The competition will be held in three categories: for 5 years to 10 years, 11 years to 16 years, and 17 years to 18 years.
• The children can post their entries between 10 am to 6 pm every day, Details of the “Mo Prativa” program can be found in the portals www.sportsodisha.gov.in and www,wcdodisha.gov.in.The winning entries may be used in information, education, and communication (IEC) materials of the state government.

Extra Shots:

Odisha:

• Capital: Bhubaneswar
• Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
• Governor: Ganeshi Lal
• State Formed in: 1 April 1936
• Literacy Rate: 72.87%
• National Park: Bhitarkanika NP, Simlipal NP

SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

Shri Sanjay Dhotre launched Hack the Crisis India overcome COVID 19 pandemic

• Minister of State Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Human Resource Development Shri Sanjay Dhotre launched Hack the Crisis – India, an Online Hackathon to find working solutions for overcoming COVID 19 pandemic.
• This hackathon is part of a global initiative. It is organized by Hack A Cause – India and Ficci Ladies Organization Pune and supported by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India (MEITY).

Aim of this hackathon

• To fight against COVID19.
• The winning ideas from a few top participating teams, as implementable solutions on the corona crisis, is expected to help India and global citizens.
• Minister of State Electronics & Information Technology stated that we should, and we will overcome this challenge and come out stronger as a country and thereby also support humanity at large to prevail.

Highlights:

• Hack the Crisis – India, an Online Hackathon to find working solutions for overcoming COVID 19 pandemic.
• This hackathon is part of a global initiative organized by ‘Hack A Cause – India’ and ‘Ficci Ladies Organization Pune’ and supported by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India (MEITY).
• Around 2000 teams and over 15000 participants will be enhancing their working prototypes in a 48hour hackathon with expert mentoring from India, Estonia, and Finland.
• Top teams from India will participate in ‘Hack the Crisis – World’ global hackathon in the coming weeks.
• Minister of State Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Human Resource Development Shri Sanjay Dhotre wished All the best and stay safe.

RANKS AND INDICES

Asian Development Bank releases Asian Development Outlook 2020

• The Asian Development Bank has released its annual economic publication “Asian Development Outlook 2020”. In its annual flagship economic publication “Asian Development Outlook 2020”, the Asian Development Bank has projected India’s growth to slow down to 4% in the current fiscal year i.e. 2020-2021.
• The ADB has cited weak global demand and the government’s novel coronavirus containment efforts for the slow down in Indian economy.
• While for fiscal year 2021-2022, the Asian Development Bank has projected India’s growth to strengthen to 6.2%, boosted by government reforms.
• The Asian Development Bank has also estimated the growth in South Asia to decelerate to 4.1% in the fiscal year 2020-2021, hence will face a milder slowdown.
• Although, the bank expects the growth in South Asia to recover to 6% in the fiscal year 2021-2022.

Extra Shots:

ADB: The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The company also maintains 31 field offices around the world to promote social and economic development in Asia.

• Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
• President: Masatsugu Asakawa
• Membership: 68 countries
• Founded: 19 December 1966
• Purpose: Economic development

SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

Official mascots of 19th Asian Games unveiled in Hangzhou China

• The official mascots of the 19th Asian Games released at a digital launch ceremony in Hangzhou, China.
• The three robots, which are going to be the mascots for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, are collectively known as the smart triplets.
• The Mascots – Congcong, Lianlian, and Chenchen, which reflect the internet prowess of Hangzhou city and Zhejiang province, were unveiled at a digital ceremony in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Extra Shots:

China (Capital/Currency): Beijing/Renminbi

• President: Xi Jinping

AWARDS

Chittaranjan locomotive works of Indian Railways creates world record of making 431 locomotives for FY 20

• Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), the manufacturing unit of Indian Railways based in Asansol, West Bengal (WB), has set the Limca Book of Records for producing record 431 locomotives in the financial year 2019-2020 (FY20) in 292 working days.
• It is 2.15 times its installed capacity of 200 locomotives per year.
• This was achieved despite novel coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions that creating disruptions during the current financial year (FY20).

Highlights:

• The unit has surpassed its own previous year (2018-2019) record when it produced 402 locomotives in 297 working days.
• CLW’s Locomotive production has increased 75% over the last 6 years period from 250 in 2014-15 to 431 in 2019-20 in line to support 100% Electrification and ‘Make in India’ initiative of the central government.

OBITUARIES

World renowned virologist Gita Ramjee passes away

• World renowned virologist Gita Ramjee passed away after contracting the novel coronavirus.
• The South African “Vaccine” scientist and an HIV prevention research leader was working as the chief scientific officer at the Aurum Institute.
• In 2018, the European Development Clinical Trials Partnerships (EDCTP) awarded Gita Ramjee with the Outstanding Female Scientist Award in Lisbon for her lifetime commitment towards finding new HIV prevention methods.

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