WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS 29TH MAR – 4TH APRIL 2020 : Daily Current Affair News PDF File

WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS 29TH MAR – 4TH APRIL 2020

Weekly Current Affair News PDF file Below

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Most important weekly Current Affair News for competitive Exams. Applicants who are preparing for the various competitive exams must be aware of the latest current affairs news all over in the world. In this segment, we are going to explain the latest current affair news in an easy way by making small points related to each news. We also share the video tutorial related to the weekly current affairs news. Below in the last, we shared the PDF file related to these news.

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1.   INDIAN ARMY LAUNCHES OPERATION NAMASTE: COVID-19: Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane launched ‘Operation Namaste’ initiative to protect 1.3 million strong forces from coronavirus and provide all possible assistance to the government to control the pandemic.

2.   JICA SIGNS NEW AGREEMENT WITH INDIA: Japanese government funding agency (JICA) signs an agreement worth Rs 15,295 crore with India to provide an Official Development Assistance (ODA) for 3 rail infrastructure projects. Japanese ODA loans are long-term low-interest-rate loans advanced to the developing countries. JICA granted Rs 8,553 crore for Dedicated Freight Corridor(phase-1); Rs 4,262 crore for  Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Project(II) and Rs 2,480 crore for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 Project(III)

3.   REPORT ‘BOOM & BUST 2020’: In accordance with a report titled “Boom and Bust 2020:Tracking the Global Plant Pipeline” 47.4 GW coal-fired power projects at different stages were cancelled in India in 2019 which reduced total under development of coal capacity to 66 GW.

4.   NATO 30TH MEMBER: The Republic of North Macedonia has inducted officially as the 30th and newest member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This membership comes after North Macedonia’s 2017 deal with Greece under which the former changed its name from Macedonia (a name same as Greek province). After the name change, Greece agreed to drop objections to its NATO and European Union (EU) membership.

5.   IMF LAUNCHES GOVERNMENT POLICY TRACKER: COVID-19: International Monetary Fund (IMF) has launched a policy tracker to track the policies of the governments so as to share knowledge about COVID-19 which helps to tackle the crisis. It focuses on discretionary actions to support existing social safety nets & insurance mechanisms.



6.   RBI ANNOUNCES LIQUIDITY BOOST OF RS 3.74 LAKH CRORE: RBI declared an infusion of Rs 3.74 lakh crore into the banking system through three measures viz. targeted long-term repo operation (TLTRO), Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and marginal standing facility (MSF). The decision has been taken to tackle financial system stress raised due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

7.   B.P. KANUNGO REAPPOINTED AS DEPUTY GOVERNOR: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of the tenure of RBI (Reserve Bank of India) Deputy Governor, Bibhu Prasad Kanungo for a period of one year up to April 3, 2021. His tenure is going to end on April 2, 2020.

8.   CHENNAI PORT ACQUIRES CENTRE’S 67% STAKE IN KAMARAJAR PORT: The Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) has acquired 67% stake held by the Central government in Kamarajar Port Ltd (KPL) for an amount of Rs 2,383 crore.

9.   BRAHMAKUMARIS CHIEF DADI JANKI PASSED AWAY AT 104: Rajyogini Dadi Janki, the chief of Brahmakumaris Sansthan (world’s largest spiritual organization run by women) passed away at the age of 104 in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.She was also served as the brand ambassador of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

10.        BENI PRASAD VERMA PASSED AWAY: Beni Prasad Verma, a founding member of the Samajwadi Party (SP) & former Union Minister passed away at the age of 79 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP). Verma served as the telecom minister between 1996-1998 in then Prime Minister (PM) H D Deva Gowda’s Cabinet and was the steel minister Congress- led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government.

11.        ‘TEAM-11’ TO BEAT CORONAVIRUS: UP CM Yogi Adityanath, set up “Team-11” consisting of inter-departmental committees with over 2 dozen senior officials to fight the coronavirus spread. Each of the committees will be headed by a senior bureaucrat of the state while the CM will be the head of the Team-11

12.        GOVERNMENT SET UP 11 DIFFERENT EMPOWERED GROUPS: LOCKDOWN: On March 30, 2020 the government has set up 11 different empowered groups under Disaster Management Act, 2005 to suggest measures to improve health, restore the economy, & ease the suffering of people after a 21-day lockdown which is imposed for the control of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The following are the 11 different empowered groups & their heads ( 9 are headed by Secretary level officers, 1 by NITI Aayog member, and 1 by NITI Aayog CEO)
•Group on Medical Emergency & Management Plan- NITI Aayog member Dr V Paul.
•Group on Availability of Hospitals, Disease Surveillance and Testing and Critical Care Training- Environment Secretary, C K Mishra.
•Group on ensuring the availability of essential medical equipment, production Procurement, Import & Distribution- Pharmaceuticals Secretary, P D Vaghela.
•Group on augmenting Human Resources and Capacity Building-  Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Secretary, Arun Panda.
•Group on Facilitating Supply Chain & Logistics Management for availability of necessary items- Drinking Water Secretary, Parameswaran Iyer.
•Group on coordinating with the private sector- Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant.
•Group on Economic and Welfare measures- Economic Affairs Secretary, Atanu Chakraborty.
•Group on Information, Communication and Public Awareness- Information & Broadcasting Secretary, Ravi Mittal.
•Group on Technology and Data Management- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) Secretary, Ajay Sawhney.
•Group on Public Grievances- HRD Secretary, Amit Khare.
•Group on Strategic issues- Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla.

13.        ADB COMMITS $ 100 MILLION IN INDIAN INFRASTRUCTURE: Asian Development Bank (ADB),a regional development bank will invest $100 million into the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India Fund of Funds (FoF).With this, the FoF has now received a total of  $700 million in commitments.

14.        MERGER OF 10 STATE-RUN BANKS: The government on March 4 had notified the amalgamation schemes for 10 state-owned banks into four as part of its consolidation plan to create bigger size stronger banks in the public sector. As per the scheme, Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India will be merged into Punjab National Bank; Syndicate Bank into Canara Bank; Allahabad Bank into Indian Bank; and Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank into Union Bank of India.

15.        PNB RELEASES NEW LOGO: The Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a new logo before the mega merger of the bank with the United Bank of India (UBI) and the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) comes into force from 1 April, 2020. The new logo will have signages of all the 3 banks. With the merger, PNB will be the 2nd largest bank in the country with a total business and size of Rs 17.94 lakh crore. Currently, State Bank of India (SBI) is the largest bank in the country, whose total business is about 52 lakh crore rupees.

16.        IMF DECLARED RECESSION IN WORLD: International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has declared a global recession driven by the COVID-19 a pandemic that could be worse than the 2008-09 global financial crisis. Estimated overall financial needs of emerging markets are 2.5 trillion dollars as 81 emergency financing requests, including 50 from lower-income countries, have been received by IMF. Kyrgyzstan would receive the first IMF support package of $120.9 million to deal with the adverse effects of the virus.

17.        FITCH SLASHES INDIA’S GDP GROWTH ESTIMATE: Fitch Ratings Inc, an American credit rating agency, has lowered India’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth forecast to 4.6% for the fiscal year FY21 (April 2020 to March 2021) from the previous estimate of 5.4%. It cuts the rate due to weak domestic demand and private consumption, which put pressure on the investment amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

18.        THE HINDU PRIZE 2019: The Hindu prize (annual) 2019 is awarded to Mirza Waheed’s Tell Her Everything (Fiction)-2019 and Santanu Das’s India, Empire, and First World War Culture: Writings, Images, and Songs (Non-Fiction)-2018.

19.        A BOOK TITLED THE DEATH OF JESUS AUTHORED BY JM COETZEE: Nobel Laureate John Maxwell Coetzee, who authored the book “The Death of Jesus”, completed his Jesus trilogy (a group of 3 related novels) with the final book. The book explores the meaning of a world empty of memory but brimming with questions.

20.        RS 3 LAKH CROP LOAN INTEREST BENEFITS TO FARMERS: Government has extended the benefit of 2% interest subvention (IS) to banks and 3% prompt repayment incentive (PRI) to all farmers up to May 31, 2020, for all crop loans up to 3 lakh which have become due or are becoming due between March 1 and May 31, 2020.

21.        ‘COVID-19 PROTECTION INSURANCE COVER’ FOR SHOPKEEPERS: BharatPe, a New Delhi-based startup that is doing payment transaction business, has entered into the partnership with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited, to introduce ‘COVID-19 Protection Insurance Cover’ for shopkeepers, who are most affected financially due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Premium starting from Rs 199 and a sum assured of Rs 25,000 and value-added benefits will cover everyone in the age group of 18 to 65 years.

22.        ADB GRANTS $60 MILLION TO AAVAS FINANCIERS: Asian Development Bank (ADB), a regional development bank has signed a loan agreement worth of $60 million with affordable housing loan provider Aavas Financiers Ltd to provide housing finance to women in low-income communities either as primary borrowers or co-borrowers.

23.        IAG SOLD ITS 26% STAKE IN SBI GENERAL INSURANCE: Insurance Australia General (IAG) has sold its entire 26% stake in the SBI General Insurance Co Ltd for USD 310 million (about Rs 2,325 crore) to Napean Opportunities LLP and WP Honey Wheat Investment Ltd. Napean Opportunities LLP has acquired 16.01% interest whereas WP Honey Wheat Investment Ltd acquired a 9.99% interest.

24.        ‘STRANDED IN INDIA’ PORTAL: The Ministry of Tourism has launched a portal ‘Stranded in India’ as a support network to help foreign tourists who are stuck in various parts of India. Its web address is strandedinindia.com. The COVID-19 helpline number for foreign tourists stuck in India is +91-11-23978046 or 1075.

25.        LEGENDARY HISTORIAN ARJUN DEV PASSES AWAY AT 81: Professor Arjun Dev, the legendary historian and educationist passed away at the age of 81 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP).He served as a historian at the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT).  His “History of the World: From the Late 19th to the Early 20th century”, has remained a widely read text.

26.        1ST ROYAL TO PASS AWAY FROM COVID-19: Spanish Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Parma has become the first royal to pass away due to Covid-19 complications who was born on July 28, 1933 and studied in France and became a professor. She was known for her outspoken views and activist work, which led to her nickname the “Red Princess.”

27.        CENTRAL GOVT REDEFINES DOMICILE FOR J&K: A new definition for domicile for Jammu and Kashmir was introduced which has stated that a person residing in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir for at least 15 years or has studied for a period of seven years in Jammu and Kashmir and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examinations will now be eligible to be a permanent resident of the UT.  The notification has been issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs
28.        WORLD WILL GO INTO RECESSION-UNCTAD: According to new analysis from United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) titled ‘The COVID-19 Shock to Developing Countries: Towards a ‘whatever it takes’ programme for the two-thirds of the world’s population being left behind” the year 2020 will face world recession, mainly developing countries due to COVID-19 pandemic with an exception to India and China. The exporting countries will face $2 trillion to $3 trillion drop in investment from overseas in the next two years.
29.        CENTRE HAS DECREASED SS SCHEMES INTEREST RATES: Centre government has decreased the Interest rates on small savings schemes for the first quarter (Q1-April to June) of FY 2020-21 by exercising the powers conferred under Rule 9(1) of the Government Saving Promotion General Rules, 2018.
Following table showing the new interest rate rates with effect from April 1, 2020:
Instrument
Previous Interest rate
(%)
New Interest rate
(%)
% Change
Compounding
frequency
Public Provident Fund
7.9
7.1
-0.8
Annually
Kisan Vikas Patra
7.6
6.9
-0.7
Annually
SukanyaSamriddhi Yojana
8.4
7.6
-0.8
Annually
                         
30.        GSKCH INDIA MERGED WITH HINDUSTAN UNILEVER: Hindustan Unilever (HUL), India’s largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, has completed the merger of Glaxo SmithKline Consumer Healthcare Limited (GSKCH India) with itself. Apart from this merger, HUL has also acquired the famous health drink brand Horlicks for India from GSK for an amount of  375.6 mln Euro (Rs. 3045 Crore).
31.        MISSION ‘SUNRISE’: NASA to launch its new mission called the Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE), a very large radio telescope to study how the sun generates & releases the giant space weather storms(solar particle storms) into planetary space. NASA has awarded USD 62.6 million to design, build and launch SunRISE before July 1, 2023.
32.        PHILLIP ANDERSON PASSES AWAY: Nobel laureate Philip Anderson, physicist who expanded the world’s understanding of magnetism, superconductivity and the structure of matter, passed away at the age of 96 in Princeton, USA.
33.   DONATIONS FOR PM-CARES GRANTED 100% TAX EXEMPTION: Donations made under newly-formed Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES FUND) to provide assistance to the persons affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, are made eligible for 100% deduction under section 80G of the Income Tax (IT) Act, 1961.
34.   UNITED NATION’S COP 26 POSTPONED TILL 2021: The 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which was planned to take place from 9-19 November 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland in the United Kingdom (UK) has been postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19.The date and location for the same is unspecified.
35.   SBI LISTS GREEN BONDS OF USD 100 MILLION: SBI has listed green bonds of USD 100 million (about Rs 750 crore) under its USD 10 billion global medium-term note programme on India International Exchange Limited’s (INX) Global Securities Market Green Platform (GSM).
The funds raised by green bonds are used to finance green projects that do not discharge toxic elements.
36.   CHITTARANJAN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS CREATES WORLD RECORD: 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.
37.   GOVERNMENT LAUNCHED AAROGYA SETU: The Government of India (GoI) has officially launched its 1st comprehensive coronavirus (COVID-19) tracking app called ‘Aarogya Setu (which translates from Sanskrit to ‘A bridge of health’)’ for Android and iOS users.The app has been developed by the National Informatics Center (NIC). The app notifies the user via smartphone location data & Bluetooth whether they came in contact with someone infected with Coronavirus within 6 feet radius.
38.   WIMBLEDON TENNIS TOURNAMENT CANCELLED: Wimbledon organisers cancelled the 134th Edition of Wimbledon Tennis Tournament for the first time since WWII (World War II) due to the threats of Coronavirus (COVID- 19). The next edition of the tournament will be from June 28 to July 11, 2021.
39.   TONY LEWIS OF ‘DLS METHOD’ PASSES AWAY: Tony Lewis, one of the men behind the Duckworth- Lewis- Stern (DLS) method, the mathematical formula used in weather-affected limited-overs cricket matches, passed away at the age of 78. Tony was a mathematician who, along with Frank Duckworth, developed the Duckworth- Lewis method which was adopted officially by the ICC in 1999.The method was renamed as the Duckworth- Lewis- Stern (DLS) method in 2014, followed across the globe.
40.   WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY-APRIL 2: Theme for the year 2020:  “The Transition to Adulthood”. Autism is a complex neuro-developmental disorder, in which the person affected faces problems in communication, interaction & imagination.
41.   25 LAKH POOR IN AP TO GET HOUSE SITES: The Andhra Pradesh (AP) Government has issued a modified set of guidelines for the distribution of 25 lakh house  sites  to urban and rural poor under the Navaratnalu- Pedalandariki Illu (Houses for All Poor) programme. Apart from getting necessary approvals under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), It has been working with Housing And Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) and other organizations to secure loans.
42.   INDIA, CHINA MARK 70 YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS: Both countries exchanged warm words of greetings and spoke of the partnership between the world’s two most populous nations. India became the first non-Communist country in Asia to establish diplomatic ties with China on April 1, 1950.
43.   INDIGENOUS VENTILATOR PROTOTYPE: Scientists of Bengaluru Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a prototype of an indigenous ventilator under project Praana, to help patients with lung damage due to COVID-19 infection as a ventilator is a lifeline for the patients. The ventilator is designed using components readily available or made in India.
44.   DRDO DEVELOPED BIO SUIT TO COMBAT COVID19: DRDO has developed a bio suit with self-sealing seam to keep the medical, paramedical and other personnel engaged in combating COVID-19, safe from the deadly virus. This Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been prepared with the help of textile, coating and nanotechnology.The current production capacity is 7,000 suits per day which will be increased to 15,000 suits per day.
45.   GITA RAMJEE PASSES AWAY: World-renowned virologist Gita Ramjee passed away in Johannesburg, South Africa, due to Coronavirus. She was the stellar vaccine scientist and an HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) prevention research leader.
46.   “MO PRATIVA” PROGRAMME: In order to keep children engaged in some creative work during 21-days lockdown due to coronavirus (COVID-19), the Odisha state government in collaboration with UNICEF has launched a skill competition programme called “Mo Prativa” (My talent). Under this children can participate in competitions such as drawings, paintings, posters, writing of slogans, short stories, and poetry.
47.   WORLD BANK APPROVED EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR INDIA: The World Bank has approved total aid of USD 1.9 billion for 25 countries to tackle COVID- 19 pandemics. The largest amount of assistance was USD 1 billion for India followed by USD 200 million for Pakistan, USD 129 million for Sri Lanka, USD 100 million for Afghanistan and USD 83 million for Ethiopia.


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