Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 22-05-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 22-05-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Natural Disasters – Amphan kills 72 in West Bengal, brings life to a halt – The death toll in Super Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal increased to 72, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday. Fifteen of the deceased were from Kolkata. Deaths were reported from eight districts. South 24 Parganas recorded the maximum of 18 deaths, followed by North 24 Parganas with 17 deaths. People also died in Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur and Nadia. The deaths were mainly due to the falling of trees, electrocution and the collapse of poorly built houses.
2. India-China Relations – PLA blocking Indian patrols in Ladakh, Sikkim, says MEA – New Delhi rejected Beijing’s claim that Indian troops trespassed into Chinese territory, and accused the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of “hindering” patrols by Indian soldiers. In the first such statement after weeks of a stand-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers at four points along the boundary in Sikkim and Ladakh, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also told China that “peace and tranquility in border areas” is an “essential prerequisite” to developing bilateral relations.
3. Indian Economy – Govt. announces price range based on duration of flights – The Centre set a price range for air tickets, which would be a function of the flight duration when commercial airlines resume operations on May 25. The scale has been divided into seven categories, with the lowest range defined for flights of less than 40 minutes and the highest category set for the longest domestic flights of up to 210 minutes. The Ministry of Civil Aviation, which announced the price range as part of the guidelines prepared ahead of the resumption of flights, laid down several other norms, including a mandatory check in by travellers either online or on the phone before reaching the airport.
4. COVID-19 Updates - Watch pujas live, get prasad delivered home – The devout, who have not been able to visit temples on account of the lockdown, can now opt for a live telecast of puja proceedings at chosen temples through the web and Facebook. The Muzrai Department, in-charge of religious and charitable endowments in Karnataka, has decided to provide such a facility by the end of this month, according to Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari. He told reporters in Bengaluru that the government was also considering allowing online pujas, which the devotees can pre-book.
5. Indian Economy – Congress launches Kisan Nyay Scheme  – Launching the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana in Chhattisgarh through video conferencing to mark the 29th death anniversary, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said this was a true tribute to the late Prime Minister. The party also announced that instead of spending on advertisements to mark the occasion, it would spend the amount on helping migrants who have borne the brunt of the prolonged lockdown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.   
6. COVID-19 Updates - Over 2.37 lakh train tickets booked within a few hours – With the Railways opening online booking for some special trains, over 2.37 lakh tickets were booked within a few hours. The Railways will begin running 200 time-tabled trains from June 1, and the booking started at 10 a.m. Thursday. These trains will have both AC and non-AC coaches. The Railways said it would also restart reservation counters and allow bookings through Common Service Centres and ticketing agents in a graded manner.
7. Asia – China - China plans security law for Hong Kong – China’s Parliament will consider a Bill that could limit opposition activity in Hong Kong, a spokesperson said, appearing to confirm speculation that China will sidestep the territory’s own lawmaking body in enacting legislation to crack down on activity Beijing considers subversive. Zhang Yesui said the National People’s Congress will deliberate a Bill on “establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to safeguard national security.”.
8. COVID-19 Updates – WHO records highest daily number of COVID-19 cases – The World Health Organization said it had registered a new daily record number of COVID-19 cases as it quickly neared the “tragic milestone” of five million total infections. The UN agency’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that on Tuesday, there were “1,06,000 cases reported to WHO — the most in a single day since the outbreak began” in December. The WHO was also getting to grips with US President Donald Trump’s reform ultimatum, giving the organisation 30 days to overhaul its operations otherwise its biggest contributor would freeze its funding and consider pulling out altogether.
9. Asia – Iran – With an eye on U.S. election, Iran tries a new tack – After years of increasing tensions that nearly led to war, Iran has moderated its approach to the West, shifting from a policy of provocation to one of limited cooperation. The change reflects an effort to avoid direct confrontation with the U.S. that the Iranians say could benefit President Donald Trump in the November election. Nowhere is the shift more evident than in Iraq, where Iran has backed a pro-American Prime Minister and ordered its proxy militias to cease their rocket attacks on U.S. forces.
10. Indian Economy: Corporate World – Aditya Birla MF suspends fresh inflows into two debt schemes – Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund has temporarily suspended fresh investments in two of its debt schemes — Medium Term Plan and Credit Risk Fund. The fund house said that it had made significant gains in the two schemes, which would be realised by existing investors, and hence has stopped fresh investments so that the gains are not diluted.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	AIIMS, Bhopal	Blood Transfusion Officer, Dy Med. Super.	15	Degree, PG	- -	http://aiimsbhopal.edu.in/news/DetailedAdvertisement_NonFacultyGroupA2020.pdf
2	Western Railway	CMP-GDMO, CMP Specialist, Hemodialysis	177	Matric, Diploma, MBBS, PG Deg	May 24, 2020	http://203.153.40.19/bct/estoo_active_notifications.php
3	I. Gandhi Krishi Vishwa Vidya.	Laboratory Technician, Asst, Observer Extension Officer	36	12th Class, Degree	June 30, 2020	http://www.igau.edu.in/pdf/Recruitment/recru2020_232.pdf
4	RDD, Jharkhand	Block Coordinator, Accountant cum Computer Operator	10	Diploma, Degree	June 5, 2020	https://applyrdd.jharkhand.gov.in/docs/advt/9618052020050513PM.pdf
5	East Coast Railway	Nursing Superintendent	561	Matriculation, Diploma, Degree	May 22, 2020	https://eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1589451783024-PMC-Covid%20Care%20Coaches.pdf
6	Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hosp	Sr Resident	48	PG	May 26 and 27, 2020	http://health.delhigovt.nic.in/wps/wcm/connect/a0bdfc804e52d60eb8f8fbd194e333e1/WII+DDUH.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&lmod=-382874882
7	VMMC & Safdarjung Hosp	Senior Resident	178	MD/ DNB	May 26, 2020	http://www.vmmc-sjh.nic.in/writereaddata/WALK-IN%20INTERVIEW%20ADVERTISMENT(1).pdf

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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• 1. CONSTITUTION AND LAW (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

1.1 Tenants cannot invoke Force Majeure – Supreme Court

• Delhi High Court has held that tenants cannot invoke Force Majeure and claim suspension of rent owing to the lockdown, when they continue to occupy the rented premises.
• But it provided some relief to the tenants, the Single Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh noted that some postponement or relaxation in the schedule of payment of rent can be granted owing to the lockdown.
• The order has come in an application which raises various issues relating to suspension of payment of rent by tenants owing to the COVID-19 lockdown crisis and the legal questions surrounding the same.
• The counsel for the tenant had sought waiver of rent, or some partial relief such as postponement of payment, on the ground that the lockdown has caused serious damages to the business.
• On the other hand, the landlord's counsel argued that mere disruption of the business cannot exempt the Tenants from making the monthly payments as the Landlord also depends on the income from the tenanted premises. 
• The application sought a suspension of the direction passed by the HC in 2017 to pay rent at the rate of Rs 3.5 lakhs per month for a property in Khan Market, New Delhi as a condition for staying the eviction order passed by the Rent Controller Court. The applicant sought suspension of rent citing the COVID-19 lockdown.

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• 2. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

2.1 Flight Resumption

• Aviation Ministry announced resumption of one-third domestic flights from May 25.
• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) to airport operators.
• Only those who have done web check-in will be allowed to enter the terminal building.
• Passengers will have to provide their medical details through the Aarogya Setu app or by filling up a self-declaration form.
• Those residing in containment zones will not be allowed to travel.
• People who are coronavirus positive will not be allowed to board the flights.
• Aarogya Setu app is not mandatory for children below 14 years of age. 

• FLIGHT PRICING 

1. Minimum and maximum fares capped till August 24.
2. Aviation regulator DGCA issued seven bands of ticket pricing with lower and upper fare limits
3. For flights of less than 40 minutes duration, lower and the upper fare limits are Rs 2,000 and Rs 6,000, respectively.
4. Other six price bands are – 40-60 minutes: Rs 2,500-Rs 7,500, 60-90 minutes: Rs 3,000-Rs 9,000, 90-120 minutes: Rs 3,500-Rs 10,000, 120-150 minutes: Rs 4,500-Rs 13,000, 150-180 minutes: Rs 5,500-Rs 15,700 & 180-210 minutes: Rs 6,500-Rs 18,600.

 

2.2 PMVVY (Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana) social security scheme for senior citizens extended for three years till March 31, 2023. Rate of return reduced to 7.4% for 2020-21 from 8% in 2019-20.

 

2.3 Finance Ministry exempted Business-to-business (B2B) firms from using only BHIM, RuPay for accepting payments. 

2.4 UP CM launched 'Uttar Pradesh Startup Fund'. Hands over first instalment of Rs. 15 crore to Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).

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• 3. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

3.1 Not Available Today

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• 4. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

4.1 Pakistan: President issues order to hold polls in Gilgit-Baltistan

• Pakistan President Arif Alvi has promulgated an order to form a caretaker government as well as to conduct elections in Gilgit-Baltistan province, a move strongly opposed by India.
• Earlier the Pakistan Supreme Court on April 30 allowed the federal government to amend a 2018 administrative order to conduct general elections in the region.
• The Gilgit-Baltistan Order of 2018 provided for administrative changes, including authorising the Prime Minister of Pakistan to legislate on an array of subjects.
• India has conveyed its strong protest to Islamabad for its efforts to bring “material change” to territories under its “illegal and forcible” occupation after the apex court allowed holding of elections in Gilgit-Baltistan. 
• Earlier this month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Delhi said a demarche was issued to a senior Pakistani diplomat lodging a strong protest over the court ruling and clearly conveying that the entire union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas of Gilgit and Baltistan, are an integral part of India.
• The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly will complete its five-year tenure on June 24.

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• 5. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

5.1 Not Available Today

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Roundup - Defence

• Defence Minister approves launch of Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme - In order to give a boost to domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing, Defence minister Rajnath Singh on May 15, 2020 approved the launch of Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) with an outlay of 400 crore rupees for creating state of the art testing infrastructure for this sector. The Scheme would run for the duration of five years and envisages to set up six to eight new Test Facilities in partnership with private industry. The projects under the Scheme will be provided with up to 75 percent government funding in the form of Grant-in-Aid. The remaining 25 per cent of the project cost will have to be borne by the Special Purpose Vehicle whose constituents will be Indian private entities and State Governments.
• Canteens of Central Armed Police Forces to sell only products made in India - Union Home Minister Amit Shah on May 13, 2020 announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) would only sell swadeshi or products made in India. The order will come into effect from June 1.
• Landing Craft Utility commissioned into the Indian Navy at Port Blair - A Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mark IV warship built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Port Blair on May 15, 2020. The warship, INLCU L57, is the seventh LCU Mark IV to be inducted into the Indian Navy, LCU Mark IV is an amphibious ship with its primary role being transportation and deployment of main battle tanks, armoured vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore.
• Indian Coast Guard Ship, 2 interceptor boats commissioned in Goa - Indigenously built Indian Coast Guard Ship Sachet and interceptor boats C-450 and C-451 were commissioned in Goa by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh through video conferencing from New Delhi on May 15, 2020. The ICGS Sachet is the first in the series of five offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and has been designed & built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). I This marks a landmark for the force: it now has 150 ships and boats and 62 aircraft.
  

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi observed as Anti-Terrorism Day in India on May 21

• On May 21, 1991, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres in a suicide bombing attack at a rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
• Since then, the day has been declared Anti-Terrorism Day in India.
• The objective behind observing Anti-Terrorism Day is to spread the message of peace, humanity, unity, and harmony among the people, and to make them aware of the anti-social acts of terrorism.
• On this day, all Central Government employees and other public institutions take a pledge to make every effort to win the battle against terrorism and eradicate it from society.
• At 40 years, Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest Prime Minister of the country. He took over as the sixth Prime Minister after his mother Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984.

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• 8. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

8.1 SWAYAM - Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds

• Union Grant Commission (UGC) directed universities and colleges to use the 82 undergraduate and 42 postgraduate MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) available on the HRD Ministry's 'SWAYAM' platform for credit transfer.
• The courses will be available from July semester 2020.
• The students enrolled in universities and affiliated colleges can avail credits by completing these courses as per UGC norms.

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• 9. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3)

9.1 Not Available Today

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• 10. FACTS, CHARTS, RANKINGS and EDITORIALS (Prelims + GS Mains)

10.1 India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative

• The findings of the India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative were released on May 12, 2020. The findings revealed that child and maternal malnutrition were behind 68 per cent of the under-five fatalities in India, while low birth weight and short gestation led to 83 per cent of neonatal deaths from 2000 to 2017. 
• Even though these indicators have improved substantially across India during 2000-2017, the inequality between districts has increased within many states, and that there are wide variations between districts of India.
• The studies stated that the under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) dropped in India since 2000 by 49 per cent but there is a 6-fold variation in the rate between the states and 11-fold variation between districts of India.
• There were 1.04 million under-5 deaths in India in 2017, of which 0.57 million were neonatal deaths, down from 2.24 million under-5 deaths including 1.02 million neonatal deaths in 2000. U5MR was 10 in Kerala and 60 in Uttar Pradesh. 
• Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) has dropped by 38 per cent since 2000 but there is a 5-fold variation in the rate between the states and 8-fold variation between districts of India. NMR was 7 per 1000 live births in Kerala and 32 in Uttar Pradesh.
• Child growth failure, measured as stunting, wasting and underweight has improved in India since 2000, but their rates vary 4-5-fold between the districts of India and the inequality between districts within many states has increased.

To download visit here -

https://phfi.org/the-work/research/the-india-state-level-disease-burden-initiative/

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• 2020 Padma Vibhushan awardee George Fernandes (1930-2019) served as Railways Minister under Prime Minister V. P. Singh.
• According to Union Budget 2020-21, no tax will be payable on annual income up to Rs. 5 lakh.
• Padma Shri Tushar Kanjilal died in Kolkata on January 29, 2020 at the age of 85.
• Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) has set up a research and development centre named Saras focusing on a sustainable model for development in coal mining.
• The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) unveiled its annual “Military Balance” report recently.

10.3 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

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