WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS 12TH – 18TH APRIL 2020
By continuing
with our weekly Current affairs series, this time on Sarkari Job portal
we are sharing this week current affair news from 12th April to
18th April 2020. In this current affair video tutorial, the tutor is going to explain the most important current affair news
of this week which is very important for various Competitive Examinations.
Those
who wants to access our previous weekly current affairs video lectures and text
file link can click on the following Link: “WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIR SERIES”.
These
Current affair news is very important for those candidates who are preparing
for various competitive examinations. The expert has pickup only those major
news which is importantly related to the competitive examination.
There is no
big paragraph related to the Current Affair news, we are trying to explain the
current affair news through small points so that you will come to know about
the major points related to that particular current affair news.
WATCH VIDEO CLASS RELATED
Weekly Current Affairs from 12th to 18th
April 2020
1.
‘BHARAT
PADHE ONLINE’ CAMPAIGN: HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’
launched a week-long ‘Bharat Padhe Online’ campaign in New Delhi for crowd
sourcing of ideas so as to improve the online education ecosystem of India, the
main target audiences is teachers & students.
2.
G20
EXTRAORDINARY ENERGY MINISTERS VIRTUAL MEETING: Dharmendra
Pradhan has attended the G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual meeting
2020 on behalf of India through video conferencing. The meeting was presided
over by Saudi Arabia, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz.
3.
FIRST
STATION OF IR TO INSTALL SANITIZING TUNNEL: The
Ahmedabad railway station at Kalupur, Gujarat of Western Railway became the
first station of Indian Railways (IR) to install a Walk Through Mass Sanitizing
Tunnel to ensure the safety of staff and passengers in the view of the
COVID-19. The tunnel was inaugurated by Ahmedabad DRM (Divisional Railway
Manager) Deepak Jha. The sanitization system runs on the principle of Vaporization process
which converts the sanitizer mixture into vapor which forms a uniform layer
over the surface & dries up quickly.
4.
EXTERNAL
ADVISORY GROUP OF IMF: The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Managing Director (MD) Kristalina Georgieva named former Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan and 11 others to its new External Advisory Group. To provide
perspectives from around the world on key developments, policy issues.
5.
NATIONAL
SAFE MOTHERHOOD DAY-APRIL 11: Celebrated annually on April 11, to raise
awareness on proper healthcare and maternity facilities to pregnant and
lactating women. NSMD is an initiative of the White Ribbon Alliance India (WRAI).
6.
OPEC AND
RUSSIA AGREED TO CUT CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION: In view of
the fall in crude prices due to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), an intergovernmental
organization of 13 nations, and allies including Russia — a group known
as OPEC+, have agreed to cut crude production by 9.7 million barrels per day
(bpd) from May 1,2020 and will extend through the end of June 2020. Global oil
prices have come down below $ 30 a barrel due to falling disputes in Russia and
Saudi Arabia during the Coronavirus epidemic.
7.
GLOBAL TRADE
TO FALL BY 13%-32% IN 2020: World Trade Organisation (WTO) has released
Annual Trade Statistics and Outlook Report has projected that the global trade
is to fall by 13%-32% due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it disrupts the normal
economic activity and life around the world.
8.
INDIAN
ECONOMY GROWS AT 1.5-2.8% IN FY21: World Bank
(WB) in its “South Asia Economic Focus: The cursed blessing of public banks the report” has projected that FY 2020-2021 (started April 1, 2020) is likely to be India’s worst growth performer fiscal year since 1991 due to the severe
economic disruptions caused due to COVID-19 impact. For 2020-21, Indian economy
is expected to grow 1.5% to 2.8% which is lower than the 5.4 – 4.1% estimate of
October 2019.
By other international agencies
–Asian Development Bank (ADB): 4%
–S&P Global Ratings: 3.5%
–Fitch Ratings: 2%,
–India Ratings & Research: 3.6%
–Moody’s Investors Service: 2.5%
9.
UGC
CONSTITUTES 2 EXPERT COMMITTEES: University Grants Commission (UGC) has
constituted 2 expert committees. 1st Committee- It is a 7 member committee
headed by the vice-chancellor of the Central. University of Haryana- R.C.
Kuhad, to look after the examination & academic calendar of students as
Indian education system came to a standstill due to suspended classes.2nd
Committee- It is formed in relation to students, teachers and the education
system as a whole & also to promote online education.
10.
PBOC INCREASES
ITS STAKE TO 1% IN HDFC: People’s Bank of China (PBOC) increased its
stake in Housing Development Finance Corp Limited (HDFC) to 1.01% from 0.8%on
behalfs of the Chinese sovereign wealth fund SAFE. With this, now China’s
central bank holds 1,74,92,909 crore equity shares in HDFC Ltd. As per the
latest shareholding pattern, foreign portfolio investors (FPI) hold 70.88%
stake in HDFC Ltd including 3.2% stake of the Government of Singapore.
11.
WEB-PORTAL
YUKTI IN NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” has launched a web-portal
YUKTI-Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation in
New Delhi that will monitor and record the efforts and initiatives of MHRD.
12.
MANIPUR
INTRODUCES ‘FOOD BANK’ INITIATIVE: The Imphal
East District Administration of Manipur state Government has launched a new
initiative “Food Bank” based on the theme ‘Help End Hunger Today’ with the aim
to provide free food to the poor people who are severely affected in getting
essential commodities due to the long statewide lockdown in view of the threat
of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
13.
UN RELEASES
$ 2.5 MILLION TO HELP CYCLONE-RAVAGED VANUATU: The United
Nations (UN) humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock announced and released 2.5 million
dollar from its emergency humanitarian fund to help thousands of people in the
South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu affected by Cyclone Harold and offered
support to other hard-hit countries.
14.
RBI TO
LAUNCH SOVEREIGN GOLD BONDS SCHEME 2020-21: The Central
government after exercising its power conferred under clause (iii) of section 3
of Government securities Act 2006 has launched a new series of the Sovereign
Gold Bond (SGB) Scheme namely “Sovereign Gold Bond 2020-21” which is to be
issued by RBI in six tranches from April 2020 to September 2020. These bonds
will fetch a fixed interest rate of 2.50% per annum. Minimum investment limit1
gram of gold, Maximum investment limit 4 KG for individual, 4 Kg for HUF and 20
Kg for trusts and similar entities per fiscal (April-March) Tenor 8 years with an exit option after
completion of five years.
15.
US CLEARS
SALE OF HARPOON MISSILE TO INDIA: According to the Defense Security Cooperation
Agency, the US President Donald Trump’s administration has approved the sale of
Harpoon Block II air-launched missiles & MK 54 lightweight torpedoes priced
a total of $ 155 million to India to combat regional threats and increase the
security of its soil Harpoon missiles manufactured by Boeing & the
torpedoes supplied by Raytheon, would be integrated with India’s P-8I aircraft
(also known as the “submarine killer”).
16.
36TH
SIACHEN DAY-APRIL 13, 2020: The Indian Army observed the 36th Siachen day
to pay tribute to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives while protecting
the frontiers of the country in Ladakh. On April 13, 1984, the Indian Army
launched ‘Operation MEGHDOOT’ to secure Bilafond La and other passes on the
Saltoro Ridgeline from the Pakistani invasion and repulsed the enemy.
17.
POOL TESTING
OF COVID-19: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given its
approval for pool testing to Uttar Pradesh (UP), making latter the first state
to do so. The decision has been taken to maximize the sample testing on a daily
basis as the cases of COVID-19 positive patients are increasing in the state.
Also Life insurance worth Rs 50 lakh has been provided to health workers,
police personnel and home guards.
18.
JIM CORBETT
N.P. BECOMES QUARANTINE CENTRE FOR ANIMALS: Jim Corbett
National Park of Uttarakhand, has become India’s 1st quarantine center for
animals with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). At least 10 quarantine centers
are being set up within the complex to handle the coronavirus prey animals
& Cameras will be installed in the park to monitor the cold and cough
symptoms of animals.
19.
BSNL & SBI
LAUNCHED BHARAT INSTAPAY: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in
partnership with the SBI has launched a Unified Payments Interface (UPI) based
payment platform, Bharat InstaPay to enable all types of channel partners of
BSNL to digitize their payment transactions on around the clock basis/ real-
time basis.
20.
TELANGANA CM
RECOMMENDED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF “HELICOPTER: MONEY”: Telangana CM
has recommended that RBI should implement ‘helicopter money’ by way of
quantitative easing (QE) policy. QE is followed all over the world, is the only
way to deal with the situation. He also suggested releasing 5% funds from Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) to improve money circulation in the system and boost the
economy. This term has been coined by American economist Milton Friedman in his
famous paper “The Optimum Quantity of Money” of 1969.
21.
EDISON AWARD
2020: Tata Power company limited’s ‘Club Enerji Switch off 2S witchOn’ campaign, which is
India’s 1st, energy & resource conservation club has won silver in the
Edison Award 2020 under Social innovation’s subcategory, social energy
solution. The company’s ‘Club Enerji’ is 12-year old sustainability the initiative that targets school children.
22.
FORMER
PAKISTANI FIRST-CLASS CRICKETER ZAFAR SARFRAZ PASSED AWAY DUE TO CORONAVIRUS
23.
INTERNATIONAL
DAY OF ACTION FOR RIVERS 2020-MARCH 14: Theme for
the year 2020: Women, Water and Climate Change.
24.
MS SAHOO
PANEL PROPOSED NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF VALUERS: The
government-appointed 8 member committee of experts headed by IBBI (Insolvency
and Bankruptcy Board of India) Chairperson M S Sahoo has submitted a report on
“valuation professionals” and proposed an institutional framework for valuers
by setting up National Institute of Valuers (NIV). Proper valuation of a
company is also a crucial part of any merger and acquisition. As of now, there
is no standardized formula for valuing these assets of stressed companies worth
thousands of crores who are up for sale under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code (IBC).
25.
ASIA TO
STALL AT 0% GROWTH IN 2020: IMF: International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) report
titled ‘COVID-19 Pandemic and the Asia-Pacific Region: Lowest Growth Since the
1960s’ stated that Asia will stall at 0% growth in 2020 for the 1st time in 60
years which includes the Global Financial Crisis (4.7%) and the Asian Financial
Crisis (1.3%).
26.
ORIX
ACQUIRES IL&FS’S 100% STAKE IN IWPSL: ORIX
Corporation, a Japanese diversified financial services group, has completed its
acquisition of 100% stake held by cash-strapped Infrastructure Leasing and Financial
Services (IL&FS) in its wholly-owned subsidiary IL&FS Wind Power
Services Ltd (IWPSL) for Rs 6.05 crore. IL&FS Group in October 2019 has got
the green signal to sell its 51 % stake in seven of its wind energy projects to
Orix.
27.
CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT UNVEILS PUSA DECONTAMINATION: Minister of
State (MoS) for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary inaugurated a “PUSA
decontamination and sanitizing tunnel” in Delhi and was developed by the
government research body ICAR-IARI (Indian Council of Agricultural Research).
28.
WORLD VOICE
DAY 2020: APRIL 16: Theme for the year 2020: FOCUS ON YOUR VOICE.
29.
1ST
INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICS DAY 2020: MARCH 14: Theme for
the year 2020: Mathematics is everywhere.
30.
ADVISORY
ISSUED ON SECURE USE OF ZOOM MEETING PLATFORM: The Cyber
Coordination Centre (CyCord), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has
issued an advisory to safeguard private individuals who use the
video-conferencing app, Zoom for private purposes like a meeting platform &
states that it is not for use by government officers/officials for official
purposes. Taiwan becomes the 1st country to ban it from government business
over cybersecurity concerns on April 7, 2020.
31.
INDIA
BECOMES WORLD’S MOST DIGITALLY DEXTEROUS COUNTRY: In
accordance with the Gartner 2019 Digital Workplace Survey, India has become the
world’s most digitally dexterous (skillful) country in the world as it has a
vast Gen Z workforce who are keen to learn new digitally powered skills in the
workplace. India is followed by the United Kingdom (UK) and United States
(US).It should be noted that Generation Z or Gen Z are the ones born between
1995 and 2009. The digital workforce in India and Singapore use real-time
messaging and social media networks more frequently for real-time collaboration
than the workforce of China, France, Germany, the US and the UK.
32.
RBI GOVERNOR
ANNOUNCED RELIEF MEASURES FOR LIQUIDITY IN SYSTEM: Already, RBI
has pumped Rs 1.2 lakh crore of fresh currency into the system in the last 45
days since the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
Policy Rate Rate
Change
Repo Rate 4.40% No change
Reverse Repo Rate 3.75% 25 bps
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate 4.65% No change
Bank Rate 4.65% No change
TLTRO 2.0 worth Rs 50,000 cr announced; Banks exempted from paying
dividends RBI will conduct a second round (TLTRO 2.0) of targeted long term
repo operations (TLTRO) for an initial amount of Rs 50,000 crore that will help
in refinancing NBFCs and MFIs to maintain cash flow to the small and medium
enterprises (SMEs). TLTRO is a tool under which the central bank provides
one-year to three-year money to banks at the prevailing repo rate. Refinancing
NABARD, SIDBI & NHB with Rs 50,000 crores
33.
‘KISAN RATH’
FOR FARMERS: Narendra Singh Tomar, has launched a farmer-friendly mobile
application ‘Kisan Rath’ with tagline “Kisan ka apna Vahan” to facilitate the
movement of crops. The app has been developed by the National Informatics
Centre (NIC) and will connect 5 lakh trucks & 20,000 tractors for
transporting farm produce. The app will help in the movement of crops from
farms to regulated markets.
34.
NEW PIT
VIPER DISCOVERED IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH: The new
species of green pit viper discovered in Arunachal Pradesh by a team of
researchers was named Salazar’s pit viper after Salazar Slytherin, a fictional
character in J.K Rowling’s book series “Harry Potter”.
35.
WORLD ART
DAY 2020: APRIL 15: The day is chosen to honor & mark the
birthday of famous Mona Lisa’s painter Leonardo da Vinci.
36.
BOOK-
SHUTTLING TO THE TOP: THE STORY OF P V SINDHU: A book
titled “Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P V Sindhu” authored by Krishnaswamy
V was published by HarperCollins in Amazon digital platform along with other
two books, amid the lockdown due to Coronavirus.
37.
WORLD
HAEMOPHILIA DAY 2020: APRIL 17: The theme of the World Haemophilia Day is
“Get+involved”.
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