Daily Current Affairs 21 May 2020 With Video Lecture

The 1^st Meeting of the 15^th Finance Commission’s Committee

The First Meeting of the 15th Finance Commission’s Committee on Fiscal Consolidation Roadmap is scheduled on 21st May, 2020 through video conferencing.
One of Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XVFC) is to make recommendations on the fiscal consolidation roadmap of the Central and State Governments, taking into account their responsibility to adhere to appropriate levels of debt and deficit levels, while fostering higher inclusive growth, guided by the principles of equity, efficiency and transparency.
A meeting of the Fifteenth Finance Commission with its High-Level Group (HLG) on Health Sector will be held on 21st May 2020, through virtual conference.
A High-Level Group (HLG) on Health Sector was constituted by the Fifteenth Finance Commission in May 2018, headed by Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS and including eminent professionals from the Health Sector. The Group submitted its final report in August 2019, and some of its’ key recommendations were incorporated in the first report of the 15th Finance Commission for the year 2020-21.
The 15th Finance Commission according the highest priority to the Health Sector, has now decided to reconvene this HLG in the light of recent developments due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

MHA amends Lockdown Guidelines to facilitate Domestic Air Travel Within India

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has amended the guidelines on lockdown measures to fight COVID-19, to facilitate domestic air travel for stranded persons in India.
Detailed guidelines for operation of airports and air travel of passengers would be issued by Ministry of Civil Aviation.

G.O.I. launches scheme for 100 % solarisation of Konark sun temple & Konark town

Speaking about the Scheme, Shri R K Singh, MoS(i/c) for Power and MNRE has said, “Government of India launched the Scheme with an objective to take forward the Prime Minister’s vision to develop the historical Sun temple town of Konark in Odisha as ‘Surya Nagri’, to convey a message of synergy between the modern use of solar energy and the ancient Sun Temple and the importance of promoting solar energy“
Envisages setting up of 10 MW grid connected solar project and various solar off-grid applications like solar trees, solar drinking water kiosks, off-grid solar power plants with battery storage etc. with a 100% Central Financial Assistance (CFA) support of around Rs. 25 Crores from Government of India through Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Implementation of this Project will be done by Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA).

SCTIMST to commercially launch Agappe Chitra Magna for detection of COVID 19

The commercial launch of, Agappe Chitra Magna, a magnetic nanoparticle-based RNA extraction kit for use during testing for detection of COVID-19 developed by SCTIMST, Trivandrum.
The launch programme is being organized by SCTIMST in collaboration with Agappe Diagnostics Ltd at the Biomedical Technology Wing of SCTIMST.
It uses an innovative technology for isolating RNA using magnetic nanoparticles to capture the RNA from the patient sample. The magnetic nanoparticle beads bind to the viral RNA and, when exposed to a magnetic field, give a highly purified and concentrated RNA. As the sensitivity of the detection method is dependent on getting an adequate quantity of viral RNA, this innovation enhances the chances of identifying positive cases.

COVID19 current update in India