Current Affairs Today 9th May 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 9th May 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

1. The Birth Anniversary of Maharana Pratap Singh I is celebrated on 9 May.
2. World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is observed on 9 May in the year 2020.
3. State Bank of India (SBI) slashed the benchmark lending rate by 15 basis points (bps).
4. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a loan worth of $500 million for India’s ‘COVID-19 Emergency Response.
5. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development(NABARD) disburses Rs 12,767 crore to State Co-operative(Co-op) Banks & Regional Rural Banks(RRBs) across the country to increase their resources for extending credit to farmers during the lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
6. Analysts at Nomura have lowered their GDP growth forecast for India to a negative 5 per cent / 5 per cent contraction y-o-y (from -0.5 per cent forecast earlier) for 2020, but raised it to 7.9 per cent (from 7.3 per cent forecast earlier) for 2021.
7. The global investment banking group, Goldman Sachs has predicted India’s GDP growth for FY21 at -0.4%.
8. As per the Reliance Industries Limited’s statement, the US-based private equity firm Vista Equity Partners to buy 2.32% stake in Reliance’s Jio Platforms, for Rs 11,367 crore which will make Vista the largest investor in Jio Platforms after Reliance Industries and Facebook.
9. Ministry of Tourism, Government of India organized the16th webinar titled “Goa-Crucible of Culture” under the Dekho Apna Desh series on 7 May 2020.
10. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution reported that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has supplied a total number of 2641 rakes, including Wheat and Rice.
11. The Jharkhand government has banned 11 brands of Pan Masala for one year in the state.
12. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has launched an online Scholarship portal on 06 May 2020.
13. The Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has launched an app named ‘Pravasi Rahat Mitra’.
14. China successfully launched its most powerful rocket “Long March-5B” on its maiden voyage into orbit on 5 May.
15. Iraq’s new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi assumed office on 6 May after the country’s parliament approved a new government.
16. The United Nations and its partner agencies launched a $6.7 billion global appeal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
17. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Art Of Living Foundation (AOL) to help the needy tribes India artisans amid COVID-19 pandemic.
18. Coal India signed MOUs with two Russian entities within the areas of coking coal mining within the Russian Far East and therefore the Arctic Region.
19. Yes Bank appointed NeerajDhawan, as Chief Risk Officer(CRO) for a period of three years with immediate effect, replacing AshishAgarwal, the current Chief Risk Officer.
20. Former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara is set to serve his second term as the president of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
21. Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with M/s Tata Power SED (TPSED) for Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI) of 37 airfields for the Indian Air Force(IAF), Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on 8 May.
22. Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Giriraj Singh awarded the winners of “Startup India-Animal Husbandry Grand Challenge” on 8 May.
23. Scientists from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun have found a seasonal advancement in 220 surge-type glaciers in the Karakoram Range of Ladakh through a detailed assessment of some major surging glaciers of the Karakoram range using satellite images and thermal data.
24. National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) approved 8 laboratories.
25. CSIR through the New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) program approved a project towards the development of human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs) that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in coronavirus infected patients.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

Birth Anniversary of Maharana Pratap Singh I is celebrated on 9 May

• The Birth Anniversary of Maharana Pratap Singh I is celebrated on 9 May.
• The Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Maharana Pratap on his Jayanti.

Maharana Pratap Singh I:

• Pratap Singh I was popularly known as Maharana Pratap. He was the eldest son of Udai Singh II, who is the founder of the city of Udaipur. Pratap Singh was born on 9 May 1540. He was a king of Mewar, a region in the present-day Rajasthan.

Battle of Haldighati:

• Maharana is famously known for his bravery in the Battle of Haldighati. The battle was fought on 18 June 1576. It was fought between the forces Maharana Pratap; and the Mughal emperor Akbar’s forces which was led by Man Singh I of Amber. The Mughals won the battle but failed to capture Pratap, who escaped. Later, Pratap Singh recaptured Udaipur, Gogunda, and Kumbhalgarh when Akbar was concentrating on the northwestern front.

World Migratory Bird Day is observed on 9 May

• World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is observed on 9 May in the year 2020.
• The day is globally observed on the second Saturday of May month.
• The day aims to bring attention to the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance.
• It also aims to raise awareness about the increasing need for international cooperation to conserve them.

Theme:

• The theme of 2020 World Migratory Bird Day is “Birds Connect Our World.”
• The theme highlights the importance of conserving and restoring the ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems that support the natural movements of migratory birds and that are essential for their survival and well-being.

BANKING AND FINANCE

SBI reduces benchmark lending rate by 15 basis points

• State Bank of India (SBI) slashed the benchmark lending rate by 15 basis points (bps).
• With the newly announced cut, the MCLR (Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate) reduced to 7.25%, from 7.40% with effect from 10 of May.

SBI Wecare Deposit:

• As a measure to safeguard the interests of senior citizens, the bank has introduced a new product ‘SBI Wecare Deposit’ in the retail term deposit segment.
• Under the new product, an additional 30 bps premium will be payable for senior citizen’s retail term deposits with Five Years and above tenure only. This scheme would be open until 30 September 2020.
• SBI also slashed its interest rates on retail term deposits by 20 bps for up to 3 years tenure, effective from 12 of May.

Extra Shots:

SBI:

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman: Rajnish Kumar

AIIB approves $500 million loan for India’s Covid-19 response

• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a loan worth of $500 million for India’s ‘COVID-19 Emergency Response.
• The assistance will help India to scale up efforts to restrict the transmission of instances, strengthen the public health system to broaden its response capability and to improve preparedness to handle future outbreaks.
• Apart from this, it will also support medical equipment purchases and research in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), community engagement and risk communication strategies.
• Earlier on April 17,2020 the AIIB had enlarged its initial COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility to $10 billion from $5 billion that made funds available to its members for emergency economic, financial and public health pressures and quick recovery from the crisis.

Extra Shots:

AIIB: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a multilateral development bank that aims to support the building of infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific region. The bank currently has 78 members as well as 24 prospective members from around the world.

• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Region served: Asia and Oceania
• Membership: 78 Members
• Main organ: Board of Governors; Board of Directors
• Purpose: Crediting
• Legal status: Treaty
• Formation: 16 January 2016 (Open for business); 25 December 2015 (Entry into force Articles of Agreement)

NABARD disburses Rs 12,767 crore to State Co-op Banks & RRBs to extend credit to farmers

• The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development(NABARD) disburses Rs 12,767 crore to State Co-operative(Co-op) Banks & Regional Rural Banks(RRBs) across the country to increase their resources for extending credit to farmers during the lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
• In total there are 33 State Co-ops & 45 RRBs in the country & are vital intermediaries in the rural credit structure.
• Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has announced a Rs 50,000 crore refinance facility for 3 All-India Financial Institution(AIFI) namely- NABARD, the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), and the National Housing Bank (NHB) on April 17.
• Of the Rs 50,000 crore refinance, NABARD received Rs 25,000 crore for refinancing RRBs, co-operative banks and Micro Finance Institutions(MFIs).

Extra Shots:

NABARD:

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Nomura predicts Indian GDP for FY21 at -5.2%

• Analysts at Nomura have lowered their GDP growth forecast for India to a negative 5 per cent / 5 per cent contraction y-o-y (from -0.5 per cent forecast earlier) for 2020, but raised it to 7.9 per cent (from 7.3 per cent forecast earlier) for 2021.
• Nomura has lowered India’s FY21 GDP growth forecast to -5.2% vs -0.4% earlier.

Nomura has made the following GDP growth/contraction prediction for India for various years:

• For year 2020 (Jan-Dec 2020) = -5.0% (contraction by 5%)
• For FY21 (April 2020 to March 2021) = -5.2% (contraction by 5.2%)
• For year 2021= 7.9%

Extra Shots:

Nomura Holdings, Inc. is a Japanese financial holding company and a principal member of the Nomura Group.

• CEO: Koji Nagai
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan

Goldman Sachs predicts India’s GDP growth at -0.4% for FY21

• The global investment banking group, Goldman Sachs has predicted India’s GDP growth for FY21 at -0.4%.
• It means as per Goldman Sachs the GDP of India will contract by 0.4% in FY21.
• Goldman Sachs expects the central bank to cut rates by 100 basis points (bps) between now and the third quarter of calendar year 2020 (Q3-2020), as compared with their earlier forecast of 50 basis points. Markets, they believe, are pricing in a cut of 50 – 75 basis points.

Extra Shots:

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company headquartered in New York City. It offers services in investment management, securities, asset management, prime brokerage, and securities underwriting.

• CEO: David M. Solomon
• Headquarters: New York, New York, United States

US-based Vista Equity Partners to buy 2.32% stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 11,367 crore

• As per the Reliance Industries Limited’s statement, the US-based private equity firm Vista Equity Partners to buy 2.32% stake in Reliance’s Jio Platforms, for Rs 11,367 crore which will make Vista the largest investor in Jio Platforms after Reliance Industries and Facebook.
• After this investment, Jio platforms will have an equity value of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of Rs 5.16 lakh crore.
• Facebook has bought a 99% stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 43,574 crore on April 22.
• The deal was followed by US private equity firm Silver Lake, the world’s largest tech investor, bought 1.15% stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 5,665.75 crore on May 4.

Extra Shots:

Reliance

• Headquarter:Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman & Managing Director(MD): Mukesh D. Ambani

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Ministry of Tourism organizes 16th webinar titled Goa-Crucible of Culture under Dekho Apna Desh series

• Ministry of Tourism, Government of India organized the16th webinar titled “Goa-Crucible of Culture” under the Dekho Apna Desh series on 7 May 2020.
• The webinar presented the ‘lesser-known’ or ‘unknown’ travel experiences that India’s most popular tourist destination ‘Goa’ offers.
• It is bringing the participants to face to face with the unknown beauty of a place that is waiting to be discovered in Goa.

Goa-Crucible of Culture:

• The 16th series was presented by Vivek Menezes, Writer, Photographer, Festival Curator. The webinar showcased the richness of Goa that extends back through centuries of profound cultural exchange and creativity which is beyond the famous beaches and nightlife.
• The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa Arts, Literature Festival, Serendipity Arts Festival, local festivals, Music, food, architecture, and painting featured in the presentation.
• The webinar stressed the importance of sustainable travel, more so the ‘Socio-cultural sustainability’ which aims at minimizing the negative impact on the community and promoting positivity towards tourism and tourists.
• The next webinar is titled ‘Exploring River Nila’ and has been scheduled for 9 May 2020 at 11.00 am.

Extra Shots:

The Ministry of Tourism, a branch of the Government of India, is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules, regulations and laws relating to the development and promotion of tourism in India.

• Officeholder: Prahlad Singh Patel (MOS independent charge)
• Founded: 1967
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Jurisdiction: India
• Annual budget: 2,150 crores INR (2018–19 est., US$300 million)

Massive exercise to supply free food grains, pulses to 80 crore people under PM-GKAY

• Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution reported that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has supplied a total number of 2641 rakes, including Wheat and Rice.
• The announcement was made by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan.

Measures to help poor:

• PM-GKAY aims to ensure no poor vulnerable family/person suffers on account of the non-availability of foodgrains due to disruptions in the next three months amid lockdown.
• Under the initiative, 21 States/UT have completed more than 90% distribution for the month of April under PM-GKAY. It covered nearly 41.35 crore beneficiaries in these States/UTs.
• Some states/UTs namely, Andaman Nicobar Island, D&NH and Daman & Diu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, Himachal Pradesh, etc. are distributing foodgrains for two months in one go under PM-GKAY
• So far, 17 States/UTs are covered under the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’.
• National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) provided free pulses for 3 months to about 19.50 crore households for three months in the country
• Also, the Department of Food & Public Distribution has constituted a Task Force to assess the situation arising out of shortage of jute bags/bales for the packaging of food grains due to the COVID19 lockdown.
• The Ministry also relaxed guidelines for packaging of foodgrains in used gunny bags and HDPE/PPE bags.

Extra Shots:

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is a government ministry of India. The Ministry is headed by a Cabinet rank minister. The current Minister is Ram Vilas Paswan.

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 2 September 1946
• Jurisdiction: India
• Superseding agency: Ministry of Government and Consumer Services
• Departments: Department of Food and Public Distribution, Department of Consumer Affairs
• Officeholders: Ram Vilas Paswan (Minister), C. R. Chaudhary (Minister of State)

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Jharkhand govt bans Pan Masala for 1 year

• The Jharkhand government has banned 11 brands of Pan Masala for one year in the state.
• The order was passed by the Commissioner of Food Safety in the state, Nitin Kulkarni.
• The state had collected 41 samples of Pan Masala belonging to different brands from different districts to test and analyse during the year 2019-20.
• All samples were found to contain Magnesium Carbonate as an ingredient.
• The samples were collected under the provisions of the Food, Safety Standards Act, 2006.
• This decision is taken under section 30(2) (a) of the Food, Safety Standards Act, 2006 to ban the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of any food article in the state for one year.

Extra Shots:

Jharkhand

• Capital: Panaji
• Chief Minister: Pramod Sawant
• Governor: Satya Pal Malik
• National Park -Jim Corbett NP, Gangotri NP, Nanda Devi NP, Rajaji NP

Tripura Government Launches Online Scholarship Portal for Final Year Students of College/Universities

• Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has launched an online Scholarship portal on 06 May 2020.
• The portal, scholarships.gov.in, has been launched under ‘Mukhyamantri Yuba Yogayog Yojana’.
• Under the scheme, the state government will provide Rs. 5,000 to 14,608 youths who are in final year in colleges or Universities as a grant for Smart Phones.

Extra Shots:

Tripura

• Capital: Agartala
• Chief Minister: Biplab Kumar Deb
• Governor: Ramesh Bais
• National Park: Rajbari National Park, Clouded Leopard National Park

Uttar Pradesh Government Launches Pravasi Rahat Mitra App for Migrant Workers

• The Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has launched an app named ‘Pravasi Rahat Mitra’.
• Purpose: to help the migrant citizens coming to Uttar Pradesh from other states so that they can take advantage of government schemes.
• The app has been developed by the state revenue department in collaboration with United Nation Development Program (UNDP), for planning and formulating programs for employment and livelihood of these migrant citizens.
• The app will collect the complete data of these migrant citizens such as name, educational qualification, temporary and permanent address, bank account details, Corona-related screening status and experience.
• To ensure that there is no data duplication, the unique mobile number will be made the basis.
• Data of people from rural and urban areas can also be separated in the app for effective decision making.

Extra Shots:

Uttar Pradesh:

• Capital: Lucknow
• Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
• Governor: Anandiben Patel
• State formed in: 24 January 1950
• Literacy Rate: 67.68%
• Nation Park: Dudhwa National Park

INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

China successfully launched Long March-5B, its most powerful rocket into orbit

• China successfully launched its most powerful rocket “Long March-5B” on its maiden voyage into orbit on 5 May.
• The rocket was blasted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan, China.

Long March-5B:

• Long March-5B is a 176-foot-long rocket. It has been designed to shuttle astronauts to low-Earth orbit or even around the moon.
• The new-generation spacecraft was developed for the operation of China’s space station and manned space exploration.
• The spacecraft will be reusable.
• The Chinese rocket is powered by a pair of hydrogen-fueled YF-77 core stage engines and 8 kerosene-fueled booster engines. It can haul up a 55,000 pound payload into orbit with almost 2.4 million pounds of thrust.
• Long March-5B rocket hoisted a massive, 67-foot-long prototype capsule designed to carry a crew of six into space.

Background:

• The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has developed two prototype space stations namely Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2. It orbits the Earth from 2011 to 2018 and from 2016 t0 2019, respectively. Chinese astronauts visited Tiangong-1 during missions in the year 2012, 2013, and Tiangong-2 in 2017.

Extra Shots:

China (Capital/Currency): Beijing/Renminbi

• President: Xi Jinping

CNSA: China National Space Administration; is the national space agency of China. It is responsible for the national space program and for planning and development of space activities.

• Administrator: Zhang Kejian
• Headquarters: Haidian District, Beijing, China
• Founded: 22 April 1993
• Parent organisation: Chinese Government
• Jurisdiction: China

Prime Minister of Iraq Mustafa al-Kadhimi assumed office

• Iraq’s new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi assumed office on 6 May after the country’s parliament approved a new government.
• The approval came after around 6 months of political wrangling. Mustafa replaced Adel Abdul Mahdi.
• Along with Mustafa al-Kadhimi, two other candidates, Mohammed Allawi and Adnan al-Zurfi were nominated by the Iraqi Parliament.
• But Mohammed Allawi and Adnan al-Zurfi withdrew after failing to win enough support in parliament. Kadhimi Won with the backing of the biggest political blocs The Iraq Parliament also approved 15 ministers out of a prospective 22-seat cabinet in a vote of confidence.

Extra Shots:

Iraq (Capital/Currency): Baghdad/ Iraqi dinar

• Prime Minister: Mustafa al-Kadhimi

UN and partners launch USD 6.7 billion appeals for vulnerable countries for COVID-19 relief

• The United Nations and its partner agencies launched a $6.7 billion global appeal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It will focus on more vulnerable countries and combating food insecurity and gender-based violence.

The UN Emergency Relief:

• The UN Emergency Relief plan originally included 54 countries and programmes to respond to the growth in food insecurity.
• Under the plan, 9 more vulnerable countries have been added. The nine newly added countries are Pakistan, Benin, Mozambique, Djibouti, Liberia, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Zimbabwe.
• The plans are for quick and determined action to stave off the most debilitating effects of the pandemic in 63 low and middle-income countries.
• New transport hubs for delivering supplies by air have also been established under the plan. Nearly 2 million people worldwide, including health workers, have been trained in virus identification through an online portal run by the WHO.
• World Food Programme (WFP) the UN agencies and partners responding to the immense needs, reaching nearly 100 million people on any given day.

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.

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

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

TRIFED, Art of Living Foundation collaborates to provide Free Ration Kits to needy tribes India artisans

• Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Art Of Living Foundation (AOL) to help the needy tribes India artisans amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Highlights:

• The agreement aims to collaborate in respective programmes of each organization for promoting Tribal Enterprises.
• Under this, the Art of Living Foundation has agreed to provide Free Ration Kits to Needy Tribes India Artisans.
• TRIFED Regional Offices have compiled the list of needy tribal artisans and have identified 9,409 needy tribal artisans located across the country for distribution of ration kits under #iStandWithHumanity campaign of Art Of Living.
• The move will be coordinated with the AOL offices in all States.

Extra Shots:

The Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, humanitarian and educational non-governmental organization. It was founded in 1981 by Ravi Shankar. The Art of Living Foundation has centers in more than 156 countries.

• Founder: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
• Founded: 1981
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Subsidiaries: Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir Trust, Art of Living Yoga & Meditation Centre

India signs MoUs with Russia for coking coal

• Coal India signed MOUs with two Russian entities within the areas of coking coal mining within the Russian Far East and therefore the Arctic Region.
• The first MOUs was signed with Far Eastern Agency for Attracting Investments and Supporting Exports (FEAAISE), Russia and the second MoU was signed with Eastern Mining Company (FEMC) of Russian Federation for exploring, identifying, sourcing, negotiating and consummating interdependent investment opportunities within the mining sector within the Russian Far East .
• India is seeking a long-term agreement for supply of crude oil from Russia as it seeks to diversify its sources for hydrocarbons.
• Both the countries has begun negotiations on long-term assured supplies of petroleum , especially from Russia’s Far East , and has also invited Russian companies, particularly in gas business, gas infrastructure and petrochemicals, to invest in India.

Extra Shots:

Coal India Limited is an Indian state-owned coal mining and refinery company headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is the largest coal-producing company in the world and a Maharatna PSU. The company contributes to around 82% of the coal production in India.

• Headquarters: Kolkata
• CEO: Anil Kumar Jha
• Director: Anil Kumar Jha

Russia (Capital/Currency): Moscow/ Russian Rouble

• President: Vladimir Putin

APPOINTMENT

Yes Bank appoints Neeraj Dhawan as chief risk officer

• Yes Bank appointed NeerajDhawan, as Chief Risk Officer(CRO) for a period of three years with immediate effect, replacing AshishAgarwal, the current Chief Risk Officer.
• He assumed charge on 2nd May 2020 in place of AshishAgarwal who will be assigned to a different role in the bank.
• Neeraj Dhawan was the Chief risk officer for retail and business banking at Yes Bank with 29 years of experience in the banking industry and financial services.
• He served as the General Manager in ICICI Bank from 2011 to 2015 and joined Yes Bank as Group President & CRO Retail & Business Banking in 2015.

Extra Shots:

Yes Bank:

• MD & CEO: Prashant Kumar
• COO: Anita Pai
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founded: 2004

SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

Kumar Sangakkara set for 2nd term as MCC President

• Former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara is set to serve his second term as the president of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
• He became the first non-British President of the club when he assumed office on October 1 last year.
• Sangakkara is all set to enter an elite list of people who have served multiple terms.
• Presidents of MCC traditionally serve only a 12-month term, but during the first and second World War, Lord Hawke (1914-18) and Stanley Christopherson (1939-45) both served for longer periods.

Extra Shots:

MCC: Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John’s Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket in England, Scotland and Wales, and still holds considerable global influence.

• Ground: Lord’s Cricket Ground
• Founded: 1787
• Headquarters location: London, United Kingdom

DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS

MoD signs with Tata Power SED for Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure

• Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with M/s Tata Power SED (TPSED) for Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI) of 37 airfields for the Indian Air Force(IAF), Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on 8 May.
• The cost of the contract is worth around Rs.1,200 crore.
• The proposal regarding the contract was approved by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• The contract will boost the domestic industry amid the COVID-19 situation.

Project Highlights:

• The MAFI Phase-II is a follow-on programme that is based on MAFI Phase-I.
• In Phase-I, the project included the upgradation of 30 airfields of IAF. The airfields modernized under MAFI Phase-I have been of immense benefit to both military and civil users.
• The Phase-II of the project includes installation and commissioning of modern airfield equipment like Cat-II Instrument Landing System (ILS); and Cat-II Air Field Lighting System (AFLS), etc. The system around the airfield will be directly connected to Air Traffic Control (ATC), thereby providing excellent control of the airfield systems to the air traffic controllers.
• The upgradation of infrastructure and navigational aids under the project will enhance the operational capability by facilitating air operations of military and civil aircraft even in poor visibility and adverse weather conditions. It will also enhance aerospace safety.
• The project will give a boost to over 250 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) which will be directly benefited from being involved in the execution of various activities of this project.
• The contract will help to infuse the much-needed capital in the market and boost employment generation in such fields as communications, avionics, information technology, apart from civil and electrical equipment and construction.

Extra Shots:

The Ministry of Defence is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian armed forces. The President of India is the ceremonial commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country.

• Preceding Ministry: Department of Defence (1938–47)
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 15 August 1947
• Annual budget: 4.71 lakh crores INR (US$66 billion, 2020–2021)
• Officeholders: Rajnath Singh (Minister), Subhash Bhamre (Minister of State)

AWARDS

Giriraj Singh awards Startup India-Animal Husbandry Grand Challenge winners

• Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Giriraj Singh awarded the winners of “Startup India-Animal Husbandry Grand Challenge” on 8 May.
• The Animal Husbandry Startup Grand Challenge was launched by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, in partnership with Startup India.

Animal Husbandry Startup Grand Challenge:

• Animal Husbandry Startup Grand Challenge was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 11 September 2019 at a national animal disease control programme in Mathura.
• The challenge aimed to scout for innovative and commercially viable solutions to address the problems faced by the Animal Husbandry and Dairy sector.
• The challenge was to provide unique solutions for six problems namely Value-added products, Single-use plastic alternatives, eliminate milk adulteration, Breed improvement and animal nutrition, E-commerce solutions, and Product traceability.
• 2 Startups per problem statement have been selected to receive cash grants and incubation. The winner will be granted Rs.10 lakh and the runner will be awarded Rs.7 lakh.

Winners list:

Value-added products:

• Winner- Krushak Mitra Agro Services Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai
• Runner Up- Studio Carbon, Ahmedabad

 Eliminate milk adulteration:

• Winner- White Gold Technologies LLP, Mumbai
• Runner Up- Micro Life Innovations, Chennai

Breed improvement:

• Winner- Adis Technologies, Belagavi, Karnataka
• Runner Up- CisGEN Biotech Discoveries Pvt. Ltd., Chennai

Animal nutrition:

• Winner- Krimanshi Technologies Pvt. Ltd, Jodhpur
• Runner Up- Cornext Agri Products Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad

E-commerce solutions:

• Winner- MoooFarm, Gurugram, Haryana
• Runner Up- AKM Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Cuttack

Product traceability:

• Winner- EmerTech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai
• Runner Up- NebulARC Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Delhi

 Extra Shots:

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is a newly formed ministry in India. It was formed in May 2019 by Modi government from the department of same name under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The move was welcomed by Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, the marketer of Amul.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Scientists found a seasonal advancement in 220 surge-type glaciers in the Karakoram Range

• Scientists from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun have found a seasonal advancement in 220 surge-type glaciers in the Karakoram Range of Ladakh through a detailed assessment of some major surging glaciers of the Karakoram range using satellite images and thermal data.
• The scientist carried out a detailed assessment of some major surging glaciers of the Karakoram range using multi-temporal and multi-sensor satellite images including Landsat 8 OLI, ASTER and Sentinel-2, Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and thermal data.

Surge-type glaciers:

• Surging or Surge-type glaciers are a certain type of glaciers that have shown advancement in volume and length over a period of time.

Highlights:

• The study will help to understand the diversity of glacial behaviour and help make accurate assessments of individual glacier mass balances for disaster planning and management.
• The behaviour of Surging glaciers representing 40% of the total glaciated area of the Karakoram goes against the normal trend of considerable reduction in volume and length of most glaciers in the Himalaya in recent decades.
• The scientist inferred that surge during winter is more hydrologically controlled due to staggered subglacial flow and low amount of meltwater. The surging terminates in summer due to channelized flow of meltwater and considerable heterogeneity in movement is also observed during summer and springtimes.

NABL approved eight labs for testing prototype samples of PPE coveralls

• National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) approved 8 laboratories.
• These labs are now testing prototype samples of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) coveralls required for protection from coronavirus.

NABL accredited labs:

• The 8 labs are South India Textiles Research Association (SITRA), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu; DRDO-INMAS, New Delhi; Heavy Vehicle Factory, Avadi, Chennai; Small Arms Factory, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh; Ordnance Factory, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh; Ordnance Factory, Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh; Ordnance Factory, Ambernath, Maharashtra; Metal & Steel Factory, Ishapore, West Bengal.
• The tests are being conducted while conforming with the technical requirements issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• The detailed procedure for the issue of the Unique Certification Code (UCC) for each passed prototype sample of the PPE coveralls has been issued by the Ministry of Textiles.
• The Unique Certification Code (UCC) is referred to as each prototype sample submitted by the manufacturer. It is required to be embossed on each manufactured Coverall along with the name of the manufacturer, date of manufacture, and name of the client.

CSRI approves project to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patients

• CSIR through the New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) program approved a project towards the development of human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs) that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in coronavirus infected patients.

hmAbs:

• The project on the generation of neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies as a therapeutic strategy will be implemented by a multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary team.
• The team comprises academic institutes and industry with participants from NCCS, IIT-Indore, PredOmix Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL).
• The project aims to generate hmAbs to SARS-CoV-2 from the convalescent phase of COVID-19 patients and select high affinity and neutralizing antibodies.
• The project will also anticipate future adaptation of the virus and generate hmAbs clones that can neutralize the mutated virus so that could be readily used for combating future SARS-CoV infections.
• BBIL is the commercial partner of the project and is responsible for subsequent development and commercialization of the hmAbs generated.
• CSIR is leading the fight against COVID-19 using a multi-pronged approach and multiple models of engagement.
• CSIR is also supporting new ideas and projects from other academics and industries through its flagship NMITLI program.

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