Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 2nd week April 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Homeopathy Day
- World Homoeopathy Day is celebrated on 10 April to mark the birth anniversary of the founder of Homoeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann.
WADA celebrates ‘Play Safe on Play True Day 2020’
- On 9th April, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) celebrates Play True Day with athletes, National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations, Sports Federations, Major Event Organizers and other anti-doping stakeholders from the global Clean Sport community.
- Theme – Play Safe on Play True Day 2020
National Safe Motherhood Day
- National Safe Motherhood Day (NSMD) is observed annually on 11 April to raise awareness about the proper healthcare of women and maternity facilities to pregnant and lactating women.
National Pet Day
- Celebrated annually on April 11th, National Pet Day is a day to commemorate everything that our pets do for us on a daily basis.
International Day of Human Space Flight
- The United Nations (UN) celebrates the International Day of Human Space Flight on April 12 each year. The day remembers the first human space flight on April 12, 1961 by Yuri Gagarin
B.R. Ambedkar Remembrance Day
- AmbedkarJayanti or Bhim Jayanti is an annual festival observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of R. Ambedkar.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Ministry of Human Resources Development launches “Samadhan” a challenge to fight against covid19 and future challenges
- The Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Human Resources Development and All India Council for Technical Education in collaboration with Forge and Innovatio Curis launched a mega online challenge – SAMADHAN – to test the ability of students to innovate.
Union Health Ministry announces insurance cover for medical workers fighting COVID-19
- The Union Health Ministry stated medical professionals losing lives due to coronavirus or while treating such patients will be covered under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance scheme.
- Under the scheme, 12 lakh public health care providers and community health workers will get an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh
Center launches learning platform to combat COVID-19
- The Center has announced the launch of a learning platform to combat COVID-19 for all front-line workers to equip them with the training and in coping with Pandemic.
- The platform delivers curated, role-specific content, to each learner at his place of work or home and to any device of his choice. iGOT platform is designed to population scale, and will provide training to around 1.50 crore workers and volunteers in the coming weeks.
Centre approves COVID-19 emergency package for states, UTs
- The Centre has approved the COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness package aimed at boosting national and state health systems to support procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs, and strengthening of surveillance activities.
- The Health Ministry stated the 100 per cent centrally funded package will be implemented in three phases from January 2020 to March 2024.
Govt sanctions Rs 15000 cr for COVID-19 Emergency response
- The Centre has sanctioned 15 thousand crore rupees for India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package. Out of it, seven thousand 774 crore rupees will be utilized for immediate COVID-19 Emergency Response and rest for medium-term support of one to four years to be provided under mission mode approach.
Indian Railways Develops mobile doctor booth for zero-contact check-ups
- Indian Railways’ Coach Rehabilitation Workshop, Bhopal which falls under the West Central Railway zone, has developed a mobile doctor booth named Charak with zero contact check-up facility
Union HRD Minister launches ‘Bharat Padhe Online’ campaign to invite ideas to improve online education ecosystem
- The Union Minister of Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal launched a week long ‘Bharat Padhe Online’ campaign for crowd sourcing of ideas for improving online education ecosystem of India.
NCW launches WhatsApp number to report cases of domestic violence
- The National Commission for Women, NCW launched a WhatsApp number 7217735372 to report cases of domestic violence, which have seen a rise during the lockdown period.
Centre, TN Govt launch Aarogya Setu IVRS
- The Central and Tamil Nadu governments launched the Aarogya Setu Interactive Voice Response System service .The service, a joint initiative of the State information technology and health and the Centre’s telecommunications departments and the IIT Madras offers people the facility to converse in their mother tongue.
UGC constitutes committee to promote online learning amid nationwide lockdown File
- Amid the nationwide lockdown, University Grants Commission (UGC) has constituted a committee to promote online learning. UGC Chairman DP Singh stated it has also formed a committee to look after the examinations and academic calendar in the present circumstances
Govt plans to set up 20 lakh ‘Suraksha Stores’ to sell daily essentials
- Ahead of extending restrictions on the mobility of goods and persons, the government plans to set up a chain of 20 lakh retail shops called ‘Suraksha Stores’ across India which will provide daily essentials to citizens while maintaining stringent safety norms.
IFFCO runs hundreds of awareness campaigns on Ground Zero
- Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative, IFFCO, the leading cooperative society of the world is leading efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 at ground zero. IFFCO is continuously organizing ‘Break the CORONA Chain’ Social Awareness Campaign on Ground zero in different states across the country.
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MHRD
- Minister of Human Resource Development- Ramesh Pokhriyal
- Constituency- Haridwar, Uttarakhand
AICTE
- Headquarters- New Delhi
- Chairperson- Anil Sahasrabudhe
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Officeholders: Harsh Vardhan (Minister), Faggan Singh Kulaste (Minister of State)
Indian Railways
- Headquarters– New Delhi
- Union Minister– Piyush Goyal
- Chairman- V K Yadhav
Human Resource Development ministry :
- Officeholder: Ramesh Pokhriyal (Union Minister)
- Headquarters: New Delhi
National Commission for Women:
- Formed : 1992
- Headquarters:New Delhi
- Rekha Sharma, Chairperson
University Grants Commission (UGC):
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairman :D.P. Singh
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative:
- Headquaters: New Delhi
- S Nakai (Chairman)
- Anamika roy (MD & CEO)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
SAARC Development Fund allocates USD 5 million to deal with COVID-19
- The SAARC Development Fund (SDF) stated it has allocated USD 5 million (about Rs 38 crore) for COVID-19 projects in eight member countries as the virus pandemic threatens economic activities across the globe.
Global trade likely to fall by 13-32% in 2020 amid Covid-19 outbreak: WTO
- Global trade is expected to fall by 13-32 per cent in 2020 as the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic disrupts economic activity and life around the world, the World Trade Organization (WTO) stated
African Development Bank Group unveils $10 billion Response Facility to curb COVID-19
- The African Development Bank Group announced the creation of the COVID-19 Response Facility to assist regional member countries in fighting the pandemic.
- It provides up to $10 billion to governments and the private sector.
IMF grants immediate debt relief to 25 poor nations to help fight Covid-19
- The International Monetary Fund announced it had approved immediate debt relief for 25 poor countries to help them free up funds to fight the coronavirus
North Korea fires barrage of cruise missiles on eve of founder’s birthday
- North Korea fires barrage of cruise missiles on eve of founder’s birthday The “multiple projectiles” fired from Munchon in eastern Kangwon province were believed to be “surface-to-ship cruise missiles,” the JCS stated in a statement.
US approves sale of Harpoon missiles, torpedoes worth USD 155 million to India
- The Trump Administration notified the Congress of its determination to sell Harpoon Block II air launched missiles and lightweight torpedoes worth USD155 million to India.
- The sale of 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air launched missiles is estimated to cost USD92 million, while 16 MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes and three MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes are estimated to cost USD63 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated in two separate notifications to the Congress.
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SAARC:
- The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
- Headquarters: Kathmandu, Nepal
WTO:
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Founded: 1 January 1995
- Director General :Roberto Azevêdo
- African Development Bank
- Headquarters: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- President: Akinwumi Adesina
- Founded: 10 September 1964
International Monetary Fund (IMF):
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C. U.S.
- Managing Director : Kristalina Georgieva
- Chief Economist : Gita Gopinath
North Korea:
- Supreme leader: Kim Jong-un
- Capital: Pyongyang
- Currency: North Korean won
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
SBI slashes MCLR by 35 bps; Savings Account interest rate cut to 2.75%
- India’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) announced a reduction of 35 basis points (bps), or 35 per cent, in its marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) across all tenors. This will make home and other retail loans cheaper i.e. the move will benefit the borrowers from SBI having MCLR-linked floating-rate loans.
SIDBI to provide emergency working capital of up to Rs 1 crore to MSMEs
- The Small Industries Development Bank of India – SIDBI has stated that it will provide emergency working capital of up to one crore rupees to small and medium enterprises(MSMEs) against their confirmed government orders. The SIDBI Assistance to Facilitate Emergency response against Corona virus – SAFE PLUS will be offered collateral free and disbursed within 48 hours.
BoB launches four schemes for agri sector
- To help borrowers in the agriculture sector tide over the distress created by the Covid-19 pandemic, Bank of Baroda (BoB) has announced schemes where it will offer additional loans of up to 1 lakh to existing self-help group (SHG) borrowers and up to Rs.50,000 to existing crop loan borrowers, among others.
RBI gives States longer overdraft period
- The Reserve Bank of India has allowed a longer overdraft period for States and Union Territories (UTs) with immediate effect.
- States and Union Territories can now be in overdraft continuously for up to 21 working days against the earlier limit of 14 working days. The number of days States and UTs can be in overdraft in a quarter has been increased to 50 working days from the current 36
Bank of Maharashtra launches financial support schemes
- Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has announced various schemes for the corporate, retail, and agriculture sector to ensure immediate financial assistance against the backdrop of Covid-19 crisis.
- For corporates, BoM is providing ‘Ad-hoc Line of Credit Covid-19’ by way of SLC (Stand by line of Credit) to overcome the liquidity impact of Covid-19.
IDBI Bank board sets bond borrowing limit
- IDBI Bank’s board of directors approved rupee bond borrowing limit of 7,500 crore for FY 2020-21.
- The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India promoted bank stated in a statement that the resources would be borrowed in one or more tranches of additional tier-1 bonds up to Rs.3,000 crore, Basel III tier-2 bonds up to Rs.3,500 crore and senior/infrastructure bonds up to Rs.1,000 crore by way of private placement during FY 2020-21.
DBS revises India’s GDP estimate to 1.5% for FY21
- Singapore’s banking group DBS revised India’s GDP estimate to 1.5 per cent for the current fiscal amid the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
ADB assures $2.2 billion support package to India
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa assured Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of USD 2.2 billion (about Rs 16,500 crore) support to India in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jana Small Finance Bank rolls out digital banking platform
- Jana Small Finance Bank, a scheduled commercial bank, has launched DigiGen, a digital banking platform where customers can digitally open a savings account and fixed deposit instantly; any time, anywhere.
ICICI Bank deploys mobile ATM vans in Delhi NCR and Chennai
- In a bid to enable customers to overcome any kind of cash crisis during Coronavirus lockdown, the ICICI Bank has started deploying mobile ATM vans. Initially, ICICI Bank has introduced mobile ATM vans in NCR and Chennai and soon it is going to introduce the mobile ATM van service in Mumbai, Noida and some districts in UP as well.
IOB nominated for collection of PM Cares Fund
- Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has been nominated by the Centre for the collection of funds for the Coronavirus outbreak. The funds will be assigned to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM Cares) Fund.
NABARD to give refinance to SFBs to provide short-term credit to farmers, small businesses
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has decided to open its refinance tap for Small Finance Banks (SFBs) to augment their resources for providing short-term credit to farmers, small business units and micro enterprises.
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SBI:
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Tagline: Pure banking, nothing else” “With you- all the way” “A bank of the common man” “The banker to every indian”
SIDBI:
- Headquarters location: Lucknow
- Founded: 2 April 1990
- Mohammad Mustafa, (Chairman and Managing Director)
Bank of Baroda (BoB):
- Hasmukh Adhia (Chairman)
- Sanjiv Chadha (MD & CEO)
- Head quarters :Vadodara, Gujarat
- Tagline is “India’s International Bank”.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Formation– 1 April 1935
- Governor– Shaktikanta Das
- Deputy Governors– 3 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael DebabrataPatra)
Bank of Maharashtra
- Headquarters: Pune
- CEO: S. Rajeev
- Tagline : One Family One Bank
IDBI:
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- CEO: Rakesh Sharma
- Banking for All,”Aao sochein Bada”
DBS bank:
- CEO: Piyush Gupta
- Headquarters: Singapore
Asian Development Bank (ADB):
- Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
- President: Masatsugu Asakawa
- Founded: 19 December 1966
Jana Small Finance Bank:
- Headquarters location: Bengaluru
- Founded: 2006
- Ceo: Ajay Kanwal
ICICI
- CEO-Sandeep Bakhshi
- Headquarters- Mumbai
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB)
- Headquarters: Chennai
- CEO: Shri Karnam Sekar
- Tagline :Good people to grow with
Nabard:
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Agency executive: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala (Chairperson)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
L&T wins ‘large’ contract from Indian Oil for capacity expansion at Barauni Refinery
- Engineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro stated it has won a ‘large’ contract from the Indian Oil Corporation for conducting capacity expansion of IOC’s Barauni Refinery, in Bihar
Indian economy likely to grow 2 per cent in FY21: ICRA Ratings
- ICRA Ratings sharply cut the country’s GDP forecast amid the COVID-19 crisis and expects the economy to grow at just 2 per cent in the current fiscal.
Airtel Payments Bank partners with Bharti AXA General Insurance
- Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Bharti AXA General Insurance to offer simple and focused health insurance plans to provide financial protection against Covid-19.
- Under the partnership, the general insurer has rolled out two different health insurance plans — Bharti AXA Group Health Assure, which offers lumpsum benefit of 25,000, and Group Hospital Cash providing daily benefit starting Rs.500 per day — to cover protection against the coronavirus.
India’s GDP for FY21 projected at 4.8 per cent, COVID19 to have adverse economic impact globally: UN
- India’s GDP growth for the current fiscal is expected to slow down to 8 per cent, a UN report has stated, warning that the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to result in significant adverse economic impacts globally.
India’s GDP may plummet to multi-decade low of 1.6 per cent in FY21: Goldman Sachs
- Economic growth is likely to plummet to a multi-decade low of 6 per cent in fiscal year 2020-21 due to COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing measures like lockdowns and social distancing, an American brokerage stated in one of the bleakest forecasts on GDP yet.
Flipkart, Tata Consumer Products partner to provide essential commodities for consumers
- E-commerce marketplace Flipkart and Tata Consumer Products stated they are coming together amid COVID-19 global pandemic and subsequent lockdown enabling Indian consumers access to essential food and beverage products.
Flipkart, ICICI Lombard, Go Digit to offer COVID-19 focused health insurance
- E-commerce marketplace Flipkart, in partnership with ICICI Lombard and Go Digit General Insurance, has launched health insurance policies on its platform that distinctly cover COVID-19.
Max Life Insurance, Yes Bank extend partnership by five years
- Max Life Insurance and Yes Bank announced a five year extension to their strategic bancassurance relationship.
World Bank slashes India’s growth projection to 1.5-2.8% for this fiscal
- The Indian economy is expected to slow down this fiscal (2020-21) with growth rate in the 5-2.8 per cent range, stated a World Bank report. The next fiscal — 2021-22 or FY22 — is expected to see a growth reversal.
ADB triples COVID-19 response package to $20 billion
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) tripled the size of its response to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to 20 billion dollars and approved measures to streamline its operations for quicker and more flexible delivery of assistance.
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L&T constructions:
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Chairman : A.M. Naik
- N. Subrahmanyan : (MD & CEO)
ICRA Ratings:
- Headquarters :Gurgaon India
- Arun Duggal, Non-Executive chairman and independent director
Bharti AXA General Insurance:
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Managing Director (MD)– Sanjeev Srinivasan
Airtel Payment Bank:
- Chairman– Sunil Bharti Mittal
- Headquarters– New Delhi
United Nations:
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Founded: 24 October 1945.
- Secretary general: AntónioGuterres
Flipkart Private Limited:
- Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
- CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthy
Tata Consumer Products:
- CEO: Ajoy Kumar Misra
- Headquarters: Kolkata
ICICI Lombard:
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- MD & CEO– Bhargav Dasgupta
Max Life Insurance:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Founder: Analjit Singh
Yes Bank:
- CEO: Prashant Kumar
- Headquarters : Mumbai
Asian Development Bank (ADB):
- Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
- President: Masatsugu Asakawa
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Arvind Kejriwal announces 5-T plan to combat coronavirus spread in Delhi
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a 5T plan to stop the spread of the novel The 5T plan includes testing, tracing, treatment, teamwork and tracking.
Arunachal Pradesh govt launches COVIDCARE app to fight COVID-19
- Arunachal Pradesh government has launched a newly developed app called COVIDCARE, in an effort to fight COVID-19.
- This app has been developed for those people who are quarantined, asymptomatic or COVID-19 patients to self-report their health status, including body temperature and vital symptoms and in case of emergency, the patient will be able to call for help through the app itself.
Telangana govt sets up 12 Covid-19 ‘containment clusters’ in Hyderabad
- The Telangana government has decided to set up 12 ‘containment clusters’ in the city with a collective pool of 89 positive cases.
A 24X7 Health Channel dedicated to COVID-19 introduced for localites in Nicobar district
- A 24X7 Health Channel dedicated to COVID-19 has been introduced for localites in Nicobar The channel is available in 3 languages Hindi, English and Nicobari.
Ahmedabad railway station gets sanitizing tunnel
- Ahmedabad station of Western Railway has got the unique distinction of becoming the first station on Indian Railways to install a Walk Through Mass Sanitizing Tunnel.
Ladakh LG launches IT based applications to combat COVID-19
- Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur has launched app and web based platforms namely, ladakh.gov.in , covid.ladakh.gov.in and National Analytical platform for Dealing with Intelligent Training, Tracking, NAADI App , developed by C-DAC in containment of COVID-19 pandemic Any Ladakhi stranded staying outside for any reason must register themselves through this web on mobile platforms.
Delhi government launches operation ‘SHIELD’ in identified hotspots
- Delhi government announced the sealing of 20 Covid-19 hotspots in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated that his government will carry out operation ‘SHIELD’ in these localities.
Goa to be the first state to integrate allopathy with Ayurveda to treat COVID-19 patients
- Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant declared that Goa would be the first state to treat COVID-19 positive patients with allopathy and Ayurveda to boost their immunity.
Jammu and Kashmir government releases Rs 183 crore to workers under MGNREGA
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has released Rs.183 crore to benefit the underprivileged, wage-seeking households under Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
Food Bank to help the poor and needy introduced in Manipur
- In Manipur, a new initiative titled ‘Food Bank’ has introduced by Imphal East District Administration to provide immediate aid in the form of free food to the poor and needy who are facing scarcity of essential commodities due to the long statewide lockdown in view of the threat of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Jim Corbett becomes India’s first quarantine facility for animals
- India’s oldest National Park Jim Corbett, situated in Uttarakhand’s Paurhi Garhwal region, has built isolation wards for animals.
7.4 mn bank accounts to be credited with Rs 1,500 in Telangana
- Telangana government would credit around 4 million bank accounts with Rs 1,500 as support for the needy during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao stated.
- Total of Rs 11.12 billion has been transferred by the government to the banks.
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Delhi
- CM- Arvind Kejriwal
- Governor- Anil Baijal
Arunachal Pradesh:
- Capital: Itanagar
- Chief minister: Pema Khandu
- Governor : B.D Mishra
Telangana :
- Capital: Hyderabad
- Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan
- Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands:
- Capital : Port Blair
- Lieutenant Governor: Admiral (ret.) Devendra Kumar Joshi
Ladakh:
- Capital: Leh, Kargil
- Lieutenant Governor:Radha Krishna Mathur
Goa:
- Capital: Panaji
- Chief minister: Pramod Sawant
- Governor: Satya Pal Malik
Jammu and Kashmir:
- Capitals: Jammu Cantonment (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
- Lieutenant Governor : Girish Chandra Murmu
Manipur :
- Capital: Imphal
- Governor: Najma Heptulla
- Chief minister: N. Biren Singh
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
CCI approves acquisition of GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited by JSW Energy Limited
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves the acquisition by JSW Energy Limited of GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited, under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002, in its meeting held through video conferencing.
CCI approves Hitachi’s stake-buy in ABB’s power grid arm
- Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved acquisition of 1 per cent stake in ABB Management Holding AG by Hitachi Ltd. ABB Management will hold the entire power grid business of ABB.
People’s Bank of China now owns 1.01 pc stake in HDFC
- The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has bought 01 per cent stake in the Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC)
Apple and Google collaborate on COVID-19 contact tracing tech
- Apple and Google have announced a joint effort to enable the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the new coronavirus, with user privacy and security central to the design.
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JSW Energy Ltd
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- CEO& MD– Prashant Jain
GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited
- Headquarters– New Delhi, India
- Chairman– Srinivas Bommidala
CCI
- Headquarters– New Delhi, India
- Chairman– Ashok Kumar Gupta
Minister for HRD
- Union Minister- Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank”
- Constituency- Uttarkhand.
People’s Bank of China
- Governor-Yi Gang
HDFC
- CEO- Aditya Puri
- Headquarters- Mumbai
Apple Inc:
- Headquarters– California, United States
- CEO– Tim Cook
Google LLC:
- Headquarters– California, United States
- CEO– Sundar Pichai
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS
Telangana Govt To Deploy India’s First Automated Covid-19 Live Monitoring App
- The Telangana government has announced the deployment of the country’s first automated ‘COVID-19 Monitoring System App’. This app is going to help users in identifying, undertaking live surveillance, tracking, monitoring, and providing real-time analytics.
Chhattisgarh Police use app ‘Rakhsa Sarv’ to keep an eye on home quarantined people
- The police, with the help of Noida-based startup Mobcoder, developed the app ‘Rakhsa Sarv’, which enables them to track the quarantined people through Google Map. Details of the home-quarantined people are being fed in the app’s dashboard.
Centre launches online training portal on MHRD’s DIKSHA platform for frontline COVID-19 warriors
- The Government of India has launched a training module for the management of COVID-19 named “Integrated Government Online training” (iGOT) portal on Ministry of Human Resource Development’s (MHRD) DIKSHA platform for the capacity building of frontline workers to handle the COVID-19 pandemic efficiently.
MoHUA Launches Revised Version of Swachhata App to Handle Queries Specific to COVID 19
- The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs announced the launch of a revised version of the existing Swachhata-MoHUA App, at a video conference (VC) held with all States, Union Territories (UTs) and cities, under the Chairmanship of Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary – MoHUA, on the COVID 19 crisis.
Newly launched ‘SafeSeniors’ app to monitor senior citizens amid Covid-19 crisis
- India’s retail company for senior citizens, Seniority, has collaborated with RPG Life Sciences to launch the “SafeSeniors” app, a predictive analysis tool designed to primarily help early identification of COVID 19 risk amongst the elderly
Union HRD Minister launches a web-portal YUKTI in New Delhi
- Union Minister for HRD Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” has launched a web-portal YUKTI (Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation) in New Delhi.
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MoHUA
- Union Minister- Hardeep Singh Puri
- Constituency- Lok sabha
DIKSHA platform
- It is a National platform for teachers, students and parents who engage in learning material relevant to the prescribed school curriculum. The lessons can be easily accessed by scanning the QR code from the textbook.
MHRD
- Union Minister- Ramesh Pokiriyal ‘Nishank’
- Constituency- Haridwar,Uttarkhand
Telangana
- Capital- Hyderabad
- CM- Chandra Sekar Rao
- Governor- Tamilisai Soundararajan
Chattisgarh
- Capital- Raipur
- CM- Bhupesh Bhagel
- Governor- Anusuiya Uikey
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
Smart Cities partner with medical practitioners to provide online consultation
- Smart Cities are joining hands with medical practitioners (certified doctors and health experts) to provide online medical consultation facilities to citizens.
- The guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in collaboration with NITI Aayog and Indian Medical Council, allow remote delivery of medical services during the lockdown period.
TRIFED to launch a digital campaign in collaboration with UNICEF for self help groups to ensure Tribal Gatherers carry on their work safely
- TRIFED has collaborated with UNICEF for developing a digital communication strategy for promoting a digital campaign for Self Help Groups (SHGs) involved in this work, highlighting the importance of Social Distancing.
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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- Union Minister- Harsh Vardhan (Minister), Faggan Singh Kulaste (Minister of State)
- Constituency- Chandni chowk, Delhi
UNICEF
- Headquarters- New York, United States
- Head- Henrietta H. Fore
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION
Supreme Court Extends Tenure Of Telecom Tribunal Chairman
- The Supreme Court of India has extended the tenure of currentChairperson of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), Justice Shiva Kirti Singh, by three more months.
Singapore-based Indian-origin man appointed high court judge
- Singapore President has appointed Indian-origin Judicial Commissioner Dedar Singh Gill as a judge of the High Court from August 1, the Prime Minister’s Office stated.
Bharti AXA Life Insurance appoints Parag Raja as MD & CEO
- Bharti AXA Life Insurance, a private life insurer, has a new Managing Director and CEO Parag Raja. Prior to this appointment, Raja was the Chief Distribution Officer at Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI)
Anamika Roy Rashtrawar appointed MD & CEO of IFFCO Tokio
- Anamika Roy Rashtrawar has taken charge as MD and CEO of IFFCO Tokio General Insurance with effect from March 27.
- Prior to this elevation, Rashtrawar was whole-time director with the private general insurer, which she had joined in June 2018.
AU Small Finance Bank appoints R V Verma as chairman
- Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of Raj Vikash Verma as Part-time Chairman of the AU Small Finance Bank for a period of one year.
Karnataka Bank gets RBI nod to reappoint Mahabaleshwara M S as MD and CEO for 3 yrs
- Private sector lender Karnataka Bank has received RBI nod for reappointment of Mahabaleshwara M S as MD and CEO for next three years.
- The Board of Directors of the Bank have reappointed P Jayarama Bhat as Part Time (Non Executive) Chairman to hold office upto November 13, 2021.
IMF Ropes In Raghuram Rajan, 11 Others To External Advisory Group
- The International Monetary Fund, appointed former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan and 11 others to its external advisory group to provide perspectives from around the globe on policy issues, including financial help aimed at curbing the COVID-19 pandemic
Maha Prasad Adhikari appointed governor of Nepal central bank
- The Nepal government appointed Maha Prasad Adhikari as the governor of its central bank
Syndicate Bank, Andhra Bank chiefs appointed as OSDs in Canara Bank, Union Bank of India
- J Packirisamy and Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, the managing director cum CEOs of Andhra Bank and Syndicate Bank respectively have been appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Union Bank of India and the Canara Bank
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Singapore :
- President : Halimah Yacob
- Prime Minister :Lee Hsien Loong
- Currency: Singapore dollar
Bharti AXA Life Insurance
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra.
IFFCO Tokio General Insurance
- Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana.
- Chairman– Mr. K. Srinivasa Gowda
AU Small Finance Bank
- Headquarters– Jaipur, Rajasthan
Karnataka Bank
- Headquarters- Mangalore
- CEO- Mahabaleshwara M. S
- Tagline- Your Family Bank Across India
IMF
- Headquarters – Washington, D.C., United States
- Managing Director – Kristalina Georgieva
Nepal
- Currency- Nepalese rupee
- Capital- Kathmandu
- Prime Minister- KP Sharma Oli
Andhra bank:
- Headquarters: Hyderabad
- CEO: J Packirisamy
- Tagline :Much more to do with You in focus
Syndicate Bank:
- Headquarters: Manipal
- CEO: Mrutyunjay Mahapatra
- Tagline : Faithful. Friendly
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Bengaluru voted best city for IT professionals: Survey
- Even as there are traffic snarls, most IT professionals consider Bengaluru as the best city to work for as the city offers high living standards, highest appraisal and career growth opportunities, according to a survey.
- Hyderabad and Pune secured the second and third spots, respectively, with 13 per cent and 11 per cent votes, it stated. Delhi-NCR (20 per cent) secured the least votes among the preferred city chart, it stated.
China becomes world’s top patent filer, surpassing US for 1st time in 4 decades
- China last year became the world leader in international patent filings, unseating the United States, which had held the top spot for more than four decades, the U.N. stated
Forbes Billionaires List 2020
- Amazon Inc’s CEO Jeff Bezos maintains the top spot globally for another year despite a plunge of $18 billion in his wealth. With a net worth of $113 billion, he is the richest person in the world on Forbes Billionaires List 2020, followed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates with a fortune of $98 billion and LVMH’s Bernard Arnault at $76 billion
India retains 108th slot at FIFA’s latest ranking
- India football team retained its 108th spot in the latest FIFA rankings.
- Belgium and France retained their first and second positions respectively in the latest rankings. Brazil is on the third place followed by England
STATIC GK
World Intellectual Property Organization :
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- CEO: Francis Gurry
- Founded: 14 July 1967
FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association)
- Headquarters– Zurich, Switzerland
- President– Gianni Infantino
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participates in G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual meeting
- Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual Meeting.
- The meeting was chaired by Saudi Arabia Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz.
ASEAN holds special summit on response to COVID-19 pandemic
- The Special Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, on the COVID-19 Response, in videoconferencing format, to affirm their commitment to combating the global pandemic, ensuring peaceful life of people and sustainable development of countries in the region.
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Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel
- Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Minister of Steel- Dharmendra Pradhan
- Constituency-Deogarh, Odisha
G20
- Members– Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), and European Union (EU).
ASEAN:
- Secretary General :Lim Jock Hoi Mon
- Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
- Members: Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, Myanmar (Burma)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR
Prize-winning reporter Mary Jordan writes book on Melania Trump
- A Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The Washington Post has written an unauthorized biography of first lady Melania Trump.Mary Jordan’s “The Art of Her Deal,” which draws upon more than 100 interviews, comes out June 16, 2020.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Scientists discover fossilised remains of a 90-million-year-old rainforest underneath Antarctic ice
- A group of scientists has found fossilised remains of a temperate rainforest underneath the Antarctic ice. The ‘unexpected’ discovery has been compared to New Zealand’s rainforest of the current generation and is believed to have been growing around 90-million-years ago
DRDO, Wipro 3D develop full face shield for healthcare personnel treating COVID-19 patients
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and private firm Wipro 3D have together developed a full face shield for doctors and medical staff treating COVID-19 patients. The shield will protect healthcare personnel from direct infection.
IIT Bombay developing nasal gel for capturing COVID-19
- Researchers at IIT Bombay are developing a gel that can be applied to the nasal passage, which is a major entry point of the coronavirus.IIT Bombay for capturing and inactivation of novel corona virus.
Biofortified carrot variety developed by farmer scientist benefits local farmers
- Madhuban Gajar, a biofortified carrot variety with high β-carotene and iron content developed by Shri Vallabhhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya, a farmer scientist from Junagadh district, Gujarat is benefitting more than 150 local farmers in the area.
IIT Kanpur develops low cost Personal Protective Equipment
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur has developed a very low cost personal protective equipment, PPE which can be produced for less than 100 rupees.
NIPER-Guwahati designs innovative 3D products to fight COVID-19
- Researchers at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research – Guwahati (NIPER-G) have come out with two products that promise to be of great help in the fight against the current pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 infection in the world.
Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog & National Informatics Centre (NIC) jointly launches CollabCAD in ATL schools
- Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog and National Informatics Centre (NIC) jointly launched CollabCAD, a collaborative network, computer enabled software system, providing a total engineering solution from 2D drafting & detailing to 3D product design
IIT Guwahati researchers develop antiviral coating for PPEs
- A team of researchers of Indian Institute of Technology (IITG) Guwahati has developed an antimicrobial (antiviral/antibacterial) spray-based coating for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and 3D-printed ear guard for comfortable use of face masks by healthcare workers.
Science communication initiative “CovidGyan” launched
- To bring the scientific and factual aspects of this pandemic outbreak on to public domain, a multi-institutional, multi-lingual science communication initiative, called `CovidGyan’ has been created.
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DRDO
- Headquarters– New Delhi
- Chairman– Dr G. Satheesh Reddy
Wipro 3D
- Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
AIM
- Atal Innovation Mission housed at NITI Aayog is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. At the school level, AIM is establishing ATLs in all districts across India.
NITI Aayog
- Headquarters– New Delhi.
- Chairperson– Narendra Modi.
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Amitabh Kant.
- Vice Chairperson– Rajiv Kumar.
NIC
- Headquarters– New Delhi.
- Director General– Neeta Verma.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Former Australia Test spinner Stephen O’Keefe retires from 1st class cricket
- Former Australia Test spinner Stephen O’Keefe has retired from first class cricket after being omitted from New South Wales’ list of contracted players for the next domestic season.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes was named the ‘Leading Cricketer in the World’ in the 2020 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack
- The 28-year-old played Ben Stokes ,a leading role in England’s 50-over World Cup victory at home last year while his brilliant unbeaten knock of 135 helped the side to a thrilling one-wicket win over Australia in the third Ashes test at Headingley.
2020 USA Fencing National Championships postponed due to coronavirus pandemic
- As the world grapples with the coronavirus crisis, the USA fencing decided to postpone the 2020 USA Fencing National Championships to late July or early August (2020) in order to protect the health of coaches, tournament staff and spectators.
India to host Asian Championship in Nov-Dec this year: Boxing federation
- The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has stated it will host the Asian Boxing Championships for men and women in November-December, factoring India would have controlled the coronavirusoutbreak by then.
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Boxing Federation of India (BFI):
- Indian Boxing Federation is the Indian national governing body for Olympic boxing and is the India’s member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association.
- It is headquartered in New Delhi.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Popular Kannada actor Bullet Prakash passes away
- Popular Kannada comedy actor Bullet Prakash, who was known for his performances in films like Aithalakkadi and Aryan passed away
Malayalam Actor Kalinga Sasi Passes Away
- Malayalam film and theatre actor Kalinga Sasipassed away, whose real name was V Chandrakumar was a renowned theatre actor before he made his debut in the film industry.
Former Atletico, Madrid and Barcelona coach Radomir Antic passes away
- Serbia’s Radomir Antic, who is famed as to be the only person to manage Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona, has passed away after prolonged illness. He was 71.
‘Goldfinger’ Bond girl Honor Blackman passes away
- Honor Blackman, one of the most memorable co-stars of the early James Bond films, has passed away at the age of 94.
Indian-American journalist Brahm Kanchibotla passes away
- An Indian-American journalist, Brahm Kanchibotla, passed away after being tested positive of Coronavirus in America. He was 66.
Swiss Ice Hockey Player Chappot Passes Away
- Former Swiss professional ice hockey player, Roger Chappot, passed away due to complications of COVID-19. He was 79.
Senior Congress leader Hazarilal Raghuwanshi passes away at 93
- Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Hazarilal Raghuwanshi passed away following a prolonged illness.
Padma Shri classical singer Shanti Hiranand passes away
- Renowned Hindustani classical singer and Padma Shri awardee Shanti Hiranand Chawla passed away.
Former South Africa Test cricketer Jackie du Preez passes away
- Former South Africa spinner and Zimbabwe selector, John Harcourt du Preez has passed away at the age of 77 after prolonged illness.
Filmmaker Obayashi, who portrayed war’s horrors, dead at 82
- Nobuhiko Obayashi, one of Japan’s most prolific filmmakers who devoted his works to depicting war’s horrors and singing the eternal power of movies, has died. He was 82.
Formula 1 Racing Legend Sir Stirling Moss Passes Away
- Former Formula One racer, Stirling Moss, passed away at the age of 90 years.
- Stirling Moss featured in 66 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1961. However, referred to as the greatest driver he never won the world championship.
Peter Bonetti: Former Chelsea and England goalkeeper passes away
- Former Chelsea and England goalkeeper Peter Bonetti has passed away aged 78 after a long illness.
- Bonetti also won the League Cup in 1965 and the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971 with Chelsea.
Veteran Congress leader MV Rajasekharan passes away in Bengaluru at 91
- Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister M V Rajasekharan breathed his last in a Bengaluru hospital. He was 91 and was suffering from prolonged age-related ailments.
Former Attorney General of India Ashok Desai passes away
- Former Attorney General of India and senior advocate Ashok Desai passed away.
- A Padma Bhushan awardee, Desai held office as the Attorney General of India from July 9, 1996 to May 6, 1998.
Former US Baseball Player Glenn Beckert passes away
- America’s former professional baseball player Glenn Alfred Beckert, has passed away at the age of 79.
Former pro golfer Doug Sanders passes away
- Former American professional Golfer Doug Sanders (George Douglas Sanders)has passed away of natural cause. He was 86.
Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz dies of coronavirus
- Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz has died of Covid-19 at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.
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