Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 26-03-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 26-03-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Aim is to win the war against COVID-19 in 21 days: Modi - The country is fighting a war against the novel coronavirus and the aim is to win it in 21 days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, a day after he announced a national lockdown of three weeks to combat the pandemic. Interacting with people in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi through videoconference, Mr. Modi said: “The Mahabharata war was won in 18 days, this war the whole country is fighting against coronavirus will take 21 days.” As the total count of COVID-19 cases in India touched 606 on Wednesday, the Centre said there was still no proof of “community transmission”. With one more death on March 25, the virus has claimed 10 lives.
2. Census, NPR exercise put off over coronavirus scare - Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the first phase of Census 2021 and updating of the National Population Register (NPR) that was to begin on April 1 has been “postponed until further orders”, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said. On April 1, the Census and the NPR exercise was to be rolled out in Meghalaya, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshwadeep and the New Delhi Municipal Council area. President Ram Nath Kovind was to be the first one to be enumerated for the Census officials, followed by Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as all of them reside in the NDMC area that comprises Lutyens Delhi.
3. ‘No community transmission yet’ - The Union Health Ministry said there was “no community transmission yet,” with the country registering 606 COVID-19 positive cases with 10 deaths. The Ministry’s data indicate that 563 Indians and 43 foreigners have tested positive, with 553 active cases. “So far, 15,24,266 passengers have been screened at our airports and 22,928 samples collected,” it said. Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry, Luv Agarwal, told presspersons that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had indicated that no community transmission had been found so far.
4. Amid lockdown, Adityanath shifts Ram idol in Ayodhya - Amid physical distancing protocols and a nationwide lockdown, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in an event to shift the idol of an infant Lord Ram to a temporary structure in the Ram Janmabhoomi compound in Ayodhya till the construction of a temple. His action goes against his own appeal to the public not to participate in religious events as part of a physical distancing protocol against the COVID-19 outbreak. The State had recorded 37 positive cases.
5. Saudi King to chair G20 virtual summit - Leaders of the G20 (Group of Twenty) nations will hold a video conference on Thursday. The virtual summit will be led by King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud of Saudi Arabia, which is the current president of the economic grouping. Apart from 19 of the biggest economies of the world, G20 also includes the European Union. For 2020, Spain, Jordan, Singapore and Switzerland are the invited countries.
6. 25 worshippers killed in IS attack on Kabul gurdwara - A lone Islamic State gunman rampaged through a Sikh house of worship in the heart of the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing 25 worshippers and wounding eight. The gunman held many of the worshippers hostage for several hours as Afghan special forces, helped by international troops, tried to clear the building. At least one of the dead was a child. Within hours, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack. As the siege ended, the Afghan special forces rescued at least 80 worshippers, who had been trapped inside the gurdwara, as the gunman lobbed grenades and fired his automatic rifle into the crowd.
7. Spain overtakes China’s virus death toll - Spain joined Italy in seeing its death toll from the coronavirus epidemic surpass that of China, as more than a billion Indians joined a lockdown that has confined a third of humanity.
8. Turkey charges 20 Saudis over Khashoggi murder - Turkish prosecutors have charged 20 suspects, including two former top aides to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, over the 2018 murder of Riyadh critic Jamal Khashoggi.Prosecutors accuse Saudi Arabia’s deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri and the royal court’s media czar Saud al-Qahtani of leading the operation against Khashoggi and giving orders to a Saudi hit team. Khashoggi, 59, a commentator who wrote for The Washington Post, was killed after he entered the Saudi consulate on October 2, 2018, to obtain paperwork for his wedding to Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz.
9. FinMin writes to RBI for relaxing farm loan NPA norms - The Finance Ministry has asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to relax asset classification norms for farm loans extended by banks following the stress faced by the agriculture sector. The letter, reviewed by The Hindu, cited a communication from the Agriculture Ministry which is considering an extension of the interest subvention scheme for the farm sector which, in turn, would require relaxation of NPA norms. As per the RBI’s asset classification norms, a loan is classified as non-performing by banks if repayment is due for more than 90 days.
10. Aviation firms may suffer losses of up to $3.6 bn: CAPA - Indian aviation companies, including airlines, airport operators and related services, are estimated to incur a loss of $3.3 billion to $3.6 billion (Rs. 24,750 crore to Rs. 27,000 crore) in the April to June 2020 quarter on account of COVID-19 spread in India and the resultant lockdown, aviation consulting firm CAPA Advisory has said. As per CAPA India preliminary estimates, while airlines will incur a loss of $1.75 billion in first quarter of the 2021 fiscal, airport and concessionaires will see a loss of $1.50-1.75 billion and ground handlers $80-90 million.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	IIM, Tiruchirappalli	Sr Fin. & Accounts Officer, Mgr, Lib. & Info Asst	5	Any Degree	April 30, 2020	https://www.iimtrichy.ac.in/sites/default/files/upload/23Mar2020154856_20200323154842Detailedadvt-Contractposts-Mar2020-Final-20.03.pdf
2	DRDO-CVRDE	ITI Apprentice Trainee	116	ITI (Relevant Trades)	April 3, 2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/03/Notification-DRDO-CVRDE-ITI-Apprentice-Trainee-Posts.pdf
3	Sainik School, Satara	PGT, TGT, Laboratory Asst	7	Intermediate, B.Ed, M.Sc, B.Ed, M.Sc.Ed, PG Diploma	April 20, 2020	https://www.sainiksatara.org/img/FOR_WEBSITE_ADVT_COMBINED_07_posts.pdf
4	Women & Child Delpmt Dept, Chikkaballapur	Anganwadi Worker/ Helper	88	4th Class, 9th Class	April 13, 2020	https://anganwadirecruit.kar.nic.in/docs/8714293814.pdf
5	Women & Child Delpmt Dept, Chitradurga	Anganwadi Worker/ Helper	92	4th Class, 9th Class	April 17, 2020	https://anganwadirecruit.kar.nic.in/docs/10632706324.pdf
6	GGS Govt Hospital	Jr Resident (MBBS)	8	--	--	http://health.delhigovt.nic.in/wps/wcm/connect/908d0b804da682f08933ff982ee7a5c7/WII+JR+GGSGH.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&lmod=-382874882
7	GTB Hospital	Senior Resident Doctor	80	PG Degree/ DNB/ PG Dip.	March 31, 2020	http://health.delhigovt.nic.in/wps/wcm/connect/ff854b804dad407f9663f7982ee7a5c7/WII+SR+GTBH.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&lmod=-382874882

 

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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 Privacy in times of Corona : Problems with publication of personal data of Covid-19 victims

• These are unprecedented times for independent India perhaps the last time such global panic and fear prevailed was during the World Wars.
• Covid-19 has affected more than 4,25,000 people across the world and has claimed over 19,000 lives.  
• The virus was late to arrive in India, with the first case reported only on January 30, 2020. Now the total number of affected persons as per official records is over 600, whereas the death toll is said to be at 13.
• The State of Karnataka presumably in good faith on March 24 has published an online database of persons who have been infected with Covid-19 or are in quarantine, with their personal residential addresses. This database has since then been circulated on social media and instant messaging platforms and reportedly contains details of more than 14,000 persons from Bangalore alone.
• In contrast, the State of Kerala which was amongst the earliest hit Indian states, has protected the data pertaining to those under treatment for Covid-19 citing issues of privacy.
• This throws up an important question given the State's determination to prevent the community spread of Covid-19 : What happens to 'Privacy' in times of Corona?
• The Right to Privacy has been recognised as a cardinal part of our Fundamental Rights by the apex court in Puttaswamy I and reinforced in Puttaswamy II. This right is not absolute and can be fettered by the State strictly according to the Constitutional mandate.
• It has been explained in the Puttaswamy judgments that, "whenever challenge is laid to an action of the State on the ground that it violates he right to privacy, the action of the State is to be tested on the following parameters -

1. the action must be sanctioned by law;
2. the proposed action must be necessary in a democratic society for a legitimate aim; and
3. the extent of such interference must be proportionate to the need for such interference."

• The step taken by the State of Karnataka in publishing the names and the residential addresses of the people infected by Covid-19 and those that have been quarantined, has prima facie infringed on the Right to Privacy of those citizens. The question that arises then is whether this measure can withstand Constitutional scrutiny as per the tests laid down by the Supreme Court in Puttaswamy.
• The breach of a citizen's privacy, to be valid, must be sanctioned by a law that has been passed by the legislature. On perusing the relevant laws including The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and The National Disaster Management Act, 2005 there seems to be no legal provision which provides for the personal data of the victims to be uploaded on a public database.
• This preliminary illegality notwithstanding, the State's action also falls foul of the test of proportionality.
• This action of the State of Karnataka presumably has a legitimate goal in mind, i.e. to curb and control the spread of Covid-19 by minimising person to person contact. Given that the State's main objective is that the people who have tested positive for Covid-19 do not come in contact with other people, it would seem that bodily branding and identification of homes completely achieved the said objective , and the publication of a database of victims is wholly excessive.
• A place where infected patients, quarantines persons, even doctors and nurses treating Covid-19 are reportedly facing hate, abuse and discrimination. This makes the Covid-19 patients and those in quarantine, their families and friends increasing vulnerable.
• Living in an era where information uploaded for public consumption on the internet is almost never capable of being completely removed, the personal information of those in quarantine for Covid-19 will outlive the present crisis and remain in the public domain. What then happens to the right of these persons to be forgotten on the internet, and what happens to their identity once it is reduced to an entry on a stigmatized database? Stigma, as we know from history, tends to far outweigh rationality and sagacity, and has a lifespan of its own.
• It is often the tendency of States to consider civil liberties as dispensable in times of crisis, war or emergency. Yet, in dealing with Covid-19, we must understand that civil liberties and rights are not at the mercy of the Executive.

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

2.1 Scheme for Promotion of manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors approved

• The government has initiated measures to ensure adequate domestic production of raw materials going into pharmaceutical drug manufacturing amid coronavirus outbreak.
• The decision will help Indian manufacturers reduce their over-dependence on China for key raw materials. Almost three-fourth of raw materials used by pharmaceutical manufacturers in India are currently imported from China.
• The Union Cabinet on March 22, 2020 approved a scheme to promote common infrastructure facilities in three 'Bulk Drug Parks' with the financial investment of Rs 3,000 crore in the next five years. Further, it will create a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs), drug intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in the country with financial implications of Rs 6,940 crore for the next eight years.  
• Bulk Drug Park Scheme is expected to reduce manufacturing cost of bulk drugs in the country and dependency on other countries for bulk drugs.

2.2 Production-Linked Incentive Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing approved

• The Union Cabinet on March 22, 2020 approved the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing.
• The scheme proposes production linked incentive to boost domestic manufacturing and attract large investments in mobile phone manufacturing and specified electronic components including Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) units. 
• The total cost of the proposed scheme is approximately Rs 40,995 crore, which includes an incentive outlay of approximately Rs 40,951 crore and administrative expenses to the tune of Rs 44 crore.  
• The Scheme shall extend an incentive of 4 per cent to 6 per cent on incremental sales (over base year) of goods manufactured in India and covered under target segments, to eligible companies, for a period of five years subsequent to the base year as defined.

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

3.1 Undisturbed mass nesting of Olive Ridleys at Rushikulya

• Restrictions in place for the COVID-19 threat are saving lakhs of Olive Ridley turtles from possible disturbance by humans, especially tourists, while they are continuing mass nesting at Odisha’s Rushikulya rookery.
• According to the Forest Department’s enumeration, over 2,78,502 turtles nested at this coast till March 25 morning. Over 72,142 Olive Ridleys have arrived at the beach to dig nests and lay eggs.
• This event normally attracts hundreds of people to the spot, with Forest Department personnel spending considerable time and effort in controlling the crowd. But this year, the COVID-19 lockdown has ensured no such disturbance occurs for the turtles.
• Proper maintenance of cleanliness and provision of protection to the turtles at sea since November 2019, when the turtles mate, are major reasons for the large scale mass nesting at Rushikulya this year.
• In 2019, mass nesting of Olive Ridleys did not occur in Rushikulya, in contrast to 2018, when “double mass nesting” occurred in February and April, with nesting figures rising above 4,73,000.
• Cyclone Titli in October 2018, and the floods that followed, left huge piles of waste over about 8 km of the Rushikulya coast, which had to be cleaned with excavators. It has been estimated that minute particles of waste remained, keeping Olive Ridleys away in 2019.
• This year, the beach received a thorough cleaning long before the mass nesting commenced. The Forest Department also set up 11 off-shore camps early this year to monitor the beach.

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

4.1 80th Pakistan Day celebrated on March 23

• The 80th Pakistan Day was celebrated on March 23, 2020. The Pakistan Day marks the passing of Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire..

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

5.1 Govt. launches chatbot on WhatsApp named MyGov Corona Helpdesk

• The Central Government on March 20, 2020 launched an official chatbot on WhatsApp named MyGov Corona Helpdesk to curb spread of misinformation on coronavirus. The person in need is only required to save the number - 9013151515 in their contact list and send a message to the MyGov Corona Helpdesk.

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Roundup – Corporate

• Defence Ministry places order for 16,479 LMG - The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on March 19, 2020 signed a ₹880-crore contract with the Israeli Weapon Industries (IWI) for procurement of 16,479 Light Machine Guns (LMG). The contracted Negev 7.62X51 mm LMG is a combat-proven weapon and currently used by several countries.
• Maruti Suzuki India expands commercial vehicles portfolio with Tour range - Maruti Suzuki India announced the expansion of its commercial network portfolio. The Company's Commercial network will now also sell the extensive Tour range of vehicles, namely Tour H1 (hatchback), Tour H2 (hatchback), Tour S (sedan), Tour V (van) and Tour M (MPV). Maruti Suzuki Commercial network already retails light commercial vehicle Super Carry and van Eeco.
• Volkswagen launches SUV T-Roc priced at Rs 19.99 lakh - Volkswagen India on March 18, 2020 said it has launched new SUV T-Roc in the country at an introductory price of Rs 19.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
• SBI Cards and Payment Services lists after successful IPO - The shares of SBI Cards and Payment Services listed at Rs 661 on March 16, 2020, 12.45% below its issue price of Rs 755, as the uncertainty regarding the fallout of coronavirus epidemic continued to keep investor sentiment in check.
• Karur Vysya Bank launches pre-paid card Enkasu - Karur Vysya Bank has launched Enkasu, a pre-paid card in Karur, Tamil Nadu. The bank undertook a Quit Cash Movement in Karur - a movement to reduce the usage of cash in the district of Karur.
• Microsoft India and NASSCOM Foundation launch Innovate for Accessible India campaign - Microsoft India and NASSCOM Foundation on March 17, 2020 launched the Innovate for Accessible India campaign aimed at empowering people with disabilities with the technology and tools required for better integration into society and access to equal opportunities.
• TCS launches business ecosystem integration services suite - Tata Consultancy Services has launched the Business Ecosystem Integration Services (BEIS) suite to help businesses integrate with larger ecosystems and create new customer-centric, augmented offerings.
• Arundhati Bhattacharya to join Salesforce as Chairperson, CEO India - Global leader in customer relationship management (CRM) Salesforce said on March 18, 2020 that Arundhati Bhattacharya will join the company on April 20 as Chairperson and CEO of its India subsidiary to lead the company's growth and expansion across the market. Bhattacharya is a former Chairperson of the State Bank of India.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Lok Sabha passes the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020

• Lok Sabha on March 17, 2020 passed a bill which seeks to extend the upper limit for permitting abortions from the present 20 weeks to 24 weeks for “special categories of women” which include rape survivors, victims of incest, differently-abled and minors. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.

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

8.1 Why lockdown is for 21 days

• It seems that rich scientific data has fed this decision to announce a 21-day lockdown period. 
• In fact, 21-day quarantines have been discussed elaborately in the context of Ebola and the calculations are based on the estimated incubation period of the virus in a human host. 
• The 21-day quarantine value is derived from interpretations of outbreak data, past and present.
• In epidemiological terms, the logic is that we have arrived at an incubation period of 14 days. 
• Give another week for the residual infection to die out, for the tail end, to be entirely safe, and you arrive at 21 days. 
• This being a new corona virus, they have estimated that the median incubation period (the time between the entry of virus to the onset of symptoms/ disease) falls within this period.
• Science Daily recently reported of a new study in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine “that calculates that the median incubation period for COVID-19 is just over five days and that 97.5% of people who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days of infection. 
• Researchers headed by Nicholas Reich, Associate Professor in the School of Public Health and Home Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, reportedly examined 181 confirmed cases with identifiable exposure and symptom onset windows to estimate the incubation period of COVID-19.
• They conclude that ‘the current period of active monitoring recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [14 days] is well supported by the evidence’.” 
• This is the most effective way of preventing the spread of the infection from those already infected into the community.

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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   Not Available Today

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for 1656 km long, the North East Gas Grid project of Indradhanush Gas Grid.
• Ariane launch vehicle was used for the launch of ISRO’s communication satellite GSAT-30 on January 17, 2020?  
• AATCR Air Defence Tactical Control Radar.
• India’s rank out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released in January 2020 is 80? 
• UN-DESA is United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

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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