Daily Current Affairs 29 April 2020 With Video Lecture

Chetan Apurav
April 29, 2020
905

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reviews contribution of DPSUs and OFB

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed contribution of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to fight COVID-19 and their operational plans through video conference here today.
Shri Rajnath Singh appreciated the innovative skills displayed by the DPSUs in devising manufacture of new products to fight COVID-19 and also their assistance rendered to the local administration in several forms.
Raksha Mantri directed them to prepare contingency plans for resumption of operations after the lifting of lock down to compensate for the lost working time to the extent possible and ramp up production.
Referring to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s plans to revive the economy post-lock down, Shri Rajnath Singh said DPSUs along with private Defence industry could play a major role in the economic revival.
Raksha Mantri appreciated the monetary contribution of about Rs. 77 crores made by the Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence (MoD), OFB and DPSUs to the PM CARES Fund, generated from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds and one day salary contribution. It was intimated that more contribution to PM CARES Fund from the DPSUs is expected during April 2020.Norwegian politician, labor leader, government official and author.

UIDAI allows Aadhaar updation facility through CSCs

In a major relief to those living in rural areas, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has allowed the Common Service Centre, an SPV under the Ministry of IT and Electronics, to begin the Aadhaar updation facility at their 20,000 CSCs which operate as Banking Correspondents (BCs), said Union Minister for Communications, MEITY and Law and Justice Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad in a tweet.
Union Minister tweeted that around 20,000 CSCs will now be able to offer this service to citizens. He urged the CSC VLEs to start the Aadhaar work with responsibility and as per instructions issued by UIDAI in this regard. He further said that this facility will help a large no of rural citizens to get Aadhaar services closer to their place of residence.
UIDAI has set June deadline for the commencement of the work after CSCs with banking facilities upgrade their required infrastructure and get other necessary approvals. However, CSC CEO Dr. Dinesh Tyagi said he has asked all BCs to immediately finish technical and other upgradation which the UIDAI has asked for so that Aadhaar updation work can be started soon.

EPFO Settles about 13 Lakh Claims Including 7.4 Lakh COVID-19 Claims under PMGKY Package

Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), under Union Ministry of Labour & Employment, has settled a total of 12.91 lakhs claims, including 7.40 lakhs COVID-19 claims under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) package. This involves disbursal of a total amount of Rs. 4684.52 crores which includes Rs. 2367.65 crores COVID claims under PMGKY package.
The provision for a special withdrawal from the EPF Scheme to fight Covid-19 pandemic is part of the PMGKY scheme announced by the government and an urgent notification on the matter was made to introduce a para 68 L (3) of the EPF Scheme on 28th March, 2020. Under this provision non-refundable withdrawal to the extent of the basic wages and dearness allowances for three months or up to 75% of the amount standing to member’s credit in the EPF account, whichever is less, is provided.

Action to facilitate Inter-State border movement of Trucks carrying essential goods

Shri Gadkari calls for urgent action to facilitate Inter-State border movement of Trucks/Lorries carrying essential goods to ease public life during COVID 19 pandemic
States/UTs urged to expedite land acquisition and utilize funds worth Rs 25000 crore allocated for the purpose to help regain momentum in road construction through land acquisition
Shri Gadkari stresses upon speeding up proactive decision-making to accelerate economic development for which transport facilities serve as backbone
Planning to enhance National Highway construction on a much higher scale with 2-3 times of the present level: Gadkari
Shri Gadkari suggests App-based two-wheeler taxi operations especially in rural areas

India signs $1.5 billion loan with ADB to support India’s COVID-19 immediate response

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a $1.5 billion loan that will support the government’s response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, focusing on immediate priorities such as disease containment and prevention, as well as social protection for the poor and economically vulnerable sections of the society, especially women and disadvantaged groups.
The signatories to the loan agreement for the ADB’s COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Programme (CARES Programme) were Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary (Fund Bank and ADB), in the Department of Economic Affairs in Ministry of Finance, and Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director, ADB, in India.
Earlier, the ADB’s Board of Directors approved the loan to provide budget support to the government to counter and mitigate the adverse health and socio-economic impact of the pandemic.

Record fertilizer sales during nationwide lockdown period

Amid National level Covid -19 lockdown, Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has had a record sale of Fertilizers to farmer community.
During 1 – 22 April 2020 POS sale of fertilizers to farmers was 10.63 lakh MT which is 32 percent higher than the last year sale of 8.02 lakh MT during the same period.
During 1-22 April dealers purchased 15.77 lakh MT fertilizers which is 46 percent higher than last year sale of 10.79 lakh MT during the same period.
Despite lot of movement restrictions due to National level COVID-19 lockdown, with the concerted efforts of Department of Fertilizers, Railways, States and Ports, production and supply of fertilizers in the country is going on without hindrance.
This is in line with the commitment made by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to ensure availability of fertilizers to farmers for the upcoming Kharif season.
Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri D V Sadananda Gowda has said, there is no problem of Fertilizers. State Government have sufficient stock of the Fertilizers. He said we are in touch with State Agriculture Ministers. Shri Gowda said his Ministry is committed to ensure availability of fertilizers to the farmer community before sowing time.

Agartala Smart City uses mobile kiosk for COVID-19 sample collection

Agartala Smart City has designed and handed over a Mobile COVID-19 sample collection kiosk to city’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO). The kiosk ensures protection to the sample collecting doctor & prevents wastage of personal protection equipment (PPE). This initiative is a major step by Agartala in the fight against Covid-19.
Mounting of the kiosk on three wheeler vehicle enables it to navigate through narrow lanes & helps collection of samples from community itself. There is no need for patients to come to hospital for giving sample. The kiosk also facilitates mass testing of larger number of people in a shorter timeframe. This initiative was taken by the Municipal Commissioner, Agartala Municipal Corporation, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Agartala Smart City Limited.

India to be self-reliant by the end of May, in producing rapid Test and RT-PCR diagnostic kits

Union Minister of Science & Technology, Health & Family Welfare and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, here today reviewed, through videoconferencing, the various initiatives undertaken by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and its Autonomous Institutes (AIs) and its Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) – BIRAC and BIBCOL, to tackle the current COVID-19 crisis especially with respect to progress made in indigenous development of vaccine, Rapid Test and RT-PCR diagnostic Kits.
Secretary, DBT, Dr. Renu Swarup informed that DBT has evolved a multi-pronged research strategy and action plan for immediate response as well as for long-term preparedness to tackle COVID-19. These multifaceted efforts include research towards development of candidate vaccines, therapeutics, and suitable animal models for COVID-19 as well as development of indigenous diagnostics and genomic studies on the host and pathogen. The DBT and its PSU
Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has announced a COVID-19 Research Consortium Call to support Diagnostics, Vaccines, Novel Therapeutics, Repurposing of Drugs or any other intervention for control of COVID-19.
During interaction with DBT scientists, Union Minister was informed about various computational methods being developed by DBT labs/AIs to predict potential antiviral drug molecules. In another strategy, surrogates of the virus are being developed representing one or more critical steps in virus lifecycle and inhibitors are being tested. Work is in progress to isolate neutralizing antibodies either from the patients recovered from COVID-19 or from human antibody libraries. Also various AIs of DBT are working on development of candidate vaccines
Which are at various stages of pre-clinical studies with an overall aim to demonstrate the proof of concept and immunogenicity and safety evaluation prior to clinical testing. At the moment, at least 9 of these studies are in early stages and one delivery and adjuvant system for improving the immunogenicity of candidate vaccine is at the advanced stage of development.

11^th session of Petersburg Climate Dialogue, held virtually for the first time.

The eleventh session of Petersburg Climate Dialogue witnessed India along with 30 other countries deliberating over ways and means to tackle the challenge of reinvigorating economies and societies after COVID-19, while enhancing collective resilience and catalyzing climate action while also supporting in particular those most vulnerable.
Representing India in the first virtual Petersburg Climate Dialogue, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar said that, Today, as the World is unitedly engaged in finding a vaccine for novel Coronavirus, likewise we should have Climate Technology as open source which must be available at affordable cost.
Stressing on the issue of Climate finance, Shri Javadekar said the World now needs more. “We must plan for 1 trillion USD in grants to developing world immediately”, advocated the Union Minister.
Expressing solidarity with the world as it combats the COVID 19 pandemic the Union Minister highlighted how COVID – 19 has taught us that we can survive on less. The world must think of adopting more sustainable consumption patterns in line with requirement of sustainable lifestyles, as was first mooted by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi during Paris COP, reiterated the environment Minister.

COVID19 current update in India

QUIZ TIME

Which among the following is not a DPSU of India?
- BHEL
- BEL
- BDL
- OFB

Answer: A

What is the full form of UIDAI?
- Unique Identified Authority of India
- Unique Identification Authority of India
- Unique Identification Availability of Indian
- None

Answer: B