Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 31-03-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 31-03-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. India still in local transmission: govt. - Reiterating that India continues to be in the local transmission phase despite the country registering a spike from 100 to 1,000 cases in 12 days, the Union Health Ministry on Monday said India’s precautionary and early lockdown is proving to be a step in the right direction. India registered more than 60 new cases and four deaths in the past 24 hours, with a total of 1,071 cases and 29 deaths so far, the Ministry said, clarifying that no orders had been passed to “conduct large scale disinfection of people but protocol has been put in place for sanitising large public spaces, etc.”.
2. Migrant workers given mass disinfectant bath in Bareilly - Migrant labourers returning to Bareilly were forced by the district administration to take a open-air bath with a disinfectant before being allowed entry into the district. Sodium hypochlorite solution, commonly used as a bleaching agent to remove stains, was used on the migrants. Footage of the incident showed the group of migrants, including women, squatting on the road near a checkpoint in as officials in protective gear sprayed the solution through a hose pipe on them. While at least two officials film the incident, one of them is heard asking the migrants to close their eyes, telling them that the solution affects the face.
3. Rabi harvest to be affected for want of farm workers - The lakhs of migrant workers streaming to their home villages due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have left many farmers across the country bereft of agricultural labour just before the crucial harvesting season of the rabi or winter crop. Farmers also worry about government procurement and their ability to sell their crops, given that many mandis or agricultural markets are still closed, despite fresh Home Ministry orders to exempt all such farming activities from the shutdown. Wheat, mustard, rabi paddy, maize, chickpeas and soyabean are amongst the major crops harvested during this season.
4. 5,000 train coaches to turn isolation wards - The Railways has begun work to convert 5,000 passenger coaches into isolation wards, while preparing 70 of its 125 hospitals to deal with any exigency related to COVID-19. The utility has cautioned the 17 zones that they may need to convert 20,000 coaches, an official from the Railways said. These coaches will have facilities needed for isolation based on medical guidelines, besides mosquito nets, charging points for mobile phones and laptops and space for paramedics.
5. U.S. virus crisis will get worse: Trump - President Donald Trump has extended emergency coronavirus restrictions for the U.S., where his top scientist warned up to 2,00,000 people could die, as the Russian capital and Africa’s biggest city readied to go into lockdown. The reassessment by Mr. Trump, who had previously said he wanted the country back to work in mid-April, came as Britain and hard-hit Italy warned measures to prevent the spread of the disease would be in place for months to come. COVID-19 has already killed more than 33,000 people worldwide, with the number of cases nearing 7,00,000.
6. Opposition urges Sri Lankan govt. to reconvene Parliament - Nearly a month after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved Parliament and called for elections, the Opposition’s calls for reconvening the legislature have grown louder in Sri Lanka. A day after the Parliament completed 4.5 years of its term — constitutionally mandated for dissolution — President Rajapaksa dissolved the 225-member legislature and called snap general elections for April 25. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also affected the island nation, the Election Commission postponed the polls indefinitely.
7. Greek resistance hero Glezos passes away - Manolis Glezos, who died at the age of 97, was a Greek resistance hero who tore down the Nazi swastika flag from the Acropolis during the Second World War, survived two death sentences and remained an activist even in old age. He had died in an Athens hospital. Mr. Glezos was a loud voice on the Greek left throughout a life that saw him participate in a Communist plot that almost killed Winston Churchill and also saw him become the European Parliament’s oldest deputy at the age of 91. He opposed his government’s austerity measures in the wake of the financial crisis and campaigned for Germany to repay money it had forced Greece to loan it during the war.
8. Rescheduled Olympic Games to begin on July 23, 2021 - The Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021, almost exactly a year after the Games were to commence this year. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the new dates for the 32nd edition of the Games with details on handling the logistics necessitated by the decision. The Paralympics was also confirmed from August 24-September 5 next year. The decision came after extensive discussions with all NOCs, International Federations (IFs) and the Tokyo Organising Committee. Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori confirmed the decision in Tokyo.
9. TN stares at mega Covid cluster as 10 Tablighi delegates test +ve - As Tamil Nadu recorded 17 more Covid-19 cases and at least a score more suspected to be infected, the state’s anti-Covid-19 machinery swung into action to trace the 980 Tamil Muslims who took part in a Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) conference in New Delhi and returned home. While 28 are believed to be from Coimbatore, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami confirmed that 10 were members of the TJ delegation from Erode. A 65-year-old TN Muslim preacher of the religious outreach organisation, passed away and several others in a mosque in Delhishowed Covid-19 like symptoms, triggering panic among the hundreds of inmates. At least 1,500 Muslims from TN participated in a three-day conference that ended on March 23. While around 900 religious leaders returned, taking flights and buses home, 600 remained at the Banglewali masjid, rubbing shoulders with 800 other followers from Delhi, UP, Ranchi and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands besides other parts of the country.
10. Assam doc dies after taking malaria drug –  A senior anaesthetist at a private hospital in Guwahati who was on hydroxychloroquine to protect Covid-19 infection — as are many other doctors elsewhere in the country — died of a heart attack here on Sunday afternoon after posting a message to colleagues on a WhatsApp group saying he thought he was having “some problems” after taking the medicine. There was, however, no way of knowing immediately whether his death was a direct consequence of using the drug.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	National Book Trust	PR Asst, Consultant, Pro. Exe., Admn. Exe., Mar. Asst	5	Diploma, Degree	April 13, 2020	https://www.nbtindia.gov.in/writereaddata/attachmentNews/wednesday-march-25-20203-04-37-pmvacancy-for-5-posts.pdf
2	Bhavnagar Municipal Corp	Medical Officer & Para Medical Supporting Staff	78	ANM/ GNM/ MPHW	April 3, 2020	https://ojas.gujarat.gov.in/AdvtDetailFiles/85877455_health.pdf
3	Surat Municipal Corp	Medical Officer and Paramedical Staff	284	--	March 31, 2020	https://www.suratmunicipal.gov.in/Content/Documents/Jobs/29032020_2.pdf
4	Surat Municipal Corp	Radiographic Technician	6	--	March 31, 2020	https://www.suratmunicipal.gov.in/Content/Documents/Jobs/29032020_1.pdf
5	NHM, Jalna	Staff Nurse, Specialist	55	GNM, MBB, MD/ MS	March  31, 2020	https://arogya.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/Uploads/NewsAndEvents/637210328024668415-AdvertisementNew.pdf
6	Janakpuri SS Hosp. Society	Sr Resident	44	PG Degree/ Diploma	April 7, 2020	http://health.delhigovt.nic.in/wps/wcm/connect/c1b036804db396d7a2f5f7982ee7a5c7/WII+SR+JSSHS.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&lmod=-382874882
7	Women & Child Dept, Chikkaballapur	Anganwadi Worker/ Helper	88	4th Class, 9th Class	April 13, 2020	https://anganwadirecruit.kar.nic.in/docs/8714293814.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 Weekly Roundup – Constitution and Law

• COVID-19: SC to continue hearing extremely urgent matters during lockdown via alternative apps to obviate “unforeseen” interruptions.
• SC extends limitations for filling in all courts/tribunals with effect from March 15 untill further orders.
• SC directs states/UTs to consider granting parole to prisoners in lesser offences to de-congest prisons.
• Plea for more testing laboratories and quarantine centres: SC directs to consider it as representation.
• COVID-19: Pandemic must receive priority, says SC appointed interlocutors after clearance of Shaheen Bagh protest site.
• SC issues notice to centre in plea seeking evacuation of 850 Indian pilgrims stranded in Iran. 
• Lawyer writes to CJI to extend benefit of extension of limitation to demand notice u/s 138 NI Act.
• SC allows sale of 10% of unsold BS-IV vehicles for 10 days after lockdown in regions except Delhi-NCR.
• PIL filed in SC for ensuring welfare of migrant workers during national lockdown.
• Can high court order registration of FIR? SC reiterates observation in Sakiri Vasu judgement.
• COVID 19: HC’s of Delhi, Bombay, Kerala, Karnataka, Madras, Calcutta and Andhra Pradesh among only took up matters of extreme urgency via VC. Interim orders and limitation period extended due to lockdown.
• Anti CAA activist Akhil Gogoi granted bail by Gauhati HC after hearing via Video Conferencing.

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

2.1 RBI increases the limit for Foreign portfolio investors (FPI) investment in corporate bonds to 15% of outstanding stock for FY 2020-21

• Revised investment limit for FPI investment in corporate bonds shall be Rs 5,41,488 crore for HY Oct 2020-Mar 2021
• The Reserve Bank of India has increased the limit for Foreign portfolio investors (FPI) investment in corporate bonds to 15% of outstanding stock for FY 2020-21.
• The existing investment limit for FPI investment in corporate bonds stands at Rs 3.17 lakh crore, while the revised limit shall be Rs 4,29,244 crore for HY Apr 2020-Sep 2020 and Rs 5,41,488 crore for HY Oct 2020-Mar 2021.
• The revised limits for FPI investment in Central Government securities (G-secs) and State Development Loans (SDLs) for FY 2020-21 will be advised separately.

2.2 BSE Sensex sliped 1,375 points or 4.61 per cent to settle at 28,440.

2.3  NSE Nifty ended at 8,281, down 379 points or 4.38 per cent.

2.4 India Ratings (Ind-Ra) cuts its 2020-21 growth forecast for the Indian economy to 3.6%. 

2.5 Fitch Solutions slashes its estimate for India's GDP growth in 2020-21 to 4.6%.

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

3.1 International Day of Forests celebrated on March 21 with its theme as ‘Forests and Biodiversity

• The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012.
• The organizers are the United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with Governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and other relevant organizations in the field.
• The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. The theme for each International Day of Forests is chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. The theme for 2020 is Forests and Biodiversity.
• Forests are a sustainable source of resources, acting as key contributors to combat climate change. This, in turn, ensures the safety and well-being of the present as well as the future generation.
• To ensure a better living for years, we need to take care of our forests and the wildlife surviving in them.
• Today, almost one-third of the Earth’s land mass is covered by forests. As stated by the UN, they serve as livelihoods for around 1.6 billion people, including more than 2,000 indigenous cultures.
• They are also home to more than 80% of the terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. 
• Therefore, it becomes our duty to celebrate the day by promising to take care of this abundant source of resources.

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

4.1 UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) launches ‘The Global Network Resiliency Platform’ to ensure availability of telecommunication services during the current coronavirus crisis.

4.2 International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims observed by the UN on March 24.

 4.3 UN observes International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on March 25.

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

5.1 Cabinet approved inclusion of the AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres (AYUSH HWC) component of Ayushman Bharat in National AYUSH Mission

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the PM has approved the inclusion of AYUSH Health and Wellness Centre (AYUSH HWC) component of Ayushman Bharat in National AYUSH Mission (NAM).
• The proposal entails an expenditure of Rs. 3399.35 Crore (Rs.2209.58 Crore as Central Share and Rs. 1189.77 crore as State share) for operationalization of AYUSH HWCs within a period of five years that is from financial years 2019-20 to 2023-24. 
• The operationlization of AYUSH HWCs component under NAM shall have to achieve the following objectives:

1. To establish a holistic wellness model based on AYUSH principles and practices focusing on preventive promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative healthcare by integration with the existing public health care system.
2. To provide informed choice to the needy public by making the AYUSH services available.
3. The AYUSH services include community awareness about lifestyle, die, Yoga, medicinal plants and provision of medicines for selected conditions as per strength of AYUSH systems.

•  The Ministry of AYUSH, in consultation with States/UTs, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and other line Ministries, has proposed following two models for operationalization of 12,500 AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres throughout the country:

1. Upgradation of existing AYUSH dispensaries (approximately 10,000)
2. Upgradation of existing Sub Health Centres (SHCs) (approx. 2,500)

• Benefits: 

1. Enhanced accessibility to achieve universal health coverage for affordable treatment.
2. Reduced burden on secondary and tertiary health care facilities
3. Reduced out of pocket expenditure due to "self-care" model.
4. Integration of AYUSH in implementation of SDG 3, as mandated by NITI Aayog
5. Validated holistic wellness model in target areas.

• Background – 

1. The National Health Policy 2017 has advocated mainstreaming the potential of AYUSH systems (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sows-rigpa and Homoeopathy) within a pluralistic system of Integrative healthcare.
2. The Government of India, in February, 2018 has decided that 1.5 lakh health & wellness Centres would be created by transforming existing Sub health Centres and Primary health Centres to deliver Comprehensive Primary health Care.
3. It was further decided that Ministry of AYUSH will operationalize 10% of the total sub-health Centres as Health and Wellness Centres i.e. 12,500 under Ayushman Bharat.
4. The vision of the proposal is to establish a holistic wellness model based on AYUSH principles and practices, to empower masses for "self care" to reduce the disease burden and out of pocket expenditure and to provide informed choice of the needy public.

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Roundup – Accidents, Natural and Manmade Disasters

• Chhattisgarh: Bodies of 17 security personnel, who were missing after encounter with Naxals in Sukma district on March 21, found
• National Task Force for COVID-19 constituted by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) recommends hydroxychloroquine use for prevention of the coronavirus infection for high-risk cases.
• Parliament adjourned sine die, 11 days before its Budget Session was scheduled to conclude.
• 25 killed in an attack on Gurudwara in Kabul claimed by Islamic State (IS) terror group.
• 5.3-magnitude Earthquake rocks Croatia's capital Zagreb.
  

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Rajya Sabha passed 2 bills on quality medical education system in homoeopathy and promotion of Indian systems of medicines.

• Rajya Sabha passed two Bills that seek to provide for quality medical education system in homoeopathy and promote Indian systems of medicines.
• The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 and the National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019 were passed in the Upper House by voice vote.
• The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha on January 7, 2019. Later, it was sent to a standing committee, which submitted its report in November.  
• The proposed legislation seeks to repeal the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 and provides for a medical education system to ensure availability of quality medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine, and adoption of the latest medical research, among other objectives.
• Another key feature of the bill is setting up a National Commission for Indian System of Medicine.
• The second legislation, the National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, too was introduced in January in the Upper House. It seeks to repeal the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973.
• It too proposes to constitute a National Commission for Homoeopathy. It is proposed that the Commission, among things, will frame policies for regulating medical institutions and homoeopathic medical professionals, and assess requirements of healthcare-related human resources and infrastructure.

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

8.1 International Nowruz Day celebrated on March 21

• International Nowruz Day is celebrated globally on 21 March every year. 
• International Nowruz Day to celebrate Nowruz which is an ancestral festivity and marks the first day of spring as well as the renewal of nature. The values of peace and solidarity among generations and within families hence contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples as well as in different communities.
• Nowruz - The word Nowruz (Novruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, Nauryz), means new day; its spelling and pronunciation may vary by country.
• Nowruz marks the first day of spring celebrated on the occasion of the astronomical vernal equinox that generally occurs on 21 March. It is celebrated by more than 300 million people all around the world as the beginning of the new year honored for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and other regions.

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

9.1 ‘Bag valve masks’ pitched as alternatives to ventilators

• B.S. Murty, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology – Hyderabad, has urged the government to consider the use of ‘bag valve masks’ as an alternative to meet any surge in demand for ventilators, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Conventional ventilators are generally expensive, hard to produce and not portable.
• ‘Bag valve masks’ were small devices used to deliver breathing support in emergency situations. They are also known as “ambu bags”. 
• The scientists said that ‘bag valve masks’ are currently hand-powered and therefore not suitable for continuous use as a ventilator but, they posited, this could easily be remedied by designing similar devices powered by an electrical source, which could be a car battery or conventional power supply.
• The devices would be made portable, and therefore easy to use in villages and other areas without power supply and could be manufactured in bulk quite inexpensively.
• Estimate are that it can be made for less than Rs. 5,000, or one-hundredth of the cost of a conventional machine.
• The cost is so low that it can be considered a single-use device that will be given over to a single patient, and never used again.
• But It needs to be manufactured on an industrial scale, in millions, within a short time of a few months.
• There have been several designs proposed within India itself, with IIT–H having at least one proposed design.
• The scientists said the idea was not new. In the past few weeks, many countries have come up with the idea of manufacturing low-cost ventilators and have even initiated competitions where the winning design would be declared open-source. Several designs are already available for 3-D printing.
• The scientists added a note of caution that some designs were untested and uncertified. They proposed that the government (through the Department of Science and Technology or the Defence Research and Development Organisation or any other nodal organisation) constitute a task force, to oversee the production of low-costs devices within a limited time. 
• The production rate would need to be of several lakh units per week, so the preparation has to be done at a war-footing, under the scrutiny of the government.
• Assuming a low 6% infection rate, 80 million people could get affected in India. Of these 80 million, at least 5% (4 million patients) would require ventilators. Each of these 4 million patients would need the ventilators for around 21 days, thereby blocking that machine for at least that amount of time.
• Even if the Indian industry was at peak production of ventilators, it could manufacture only another 60,000 machines in the next 10 months, at a cost of Rs. 3,600 crore, the scientists estimate.

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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 -

• BCAS is Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. 
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of new Thal Sena Bhawan in New Delhi in Feb 2020. 
• Hrithik Roshan won Best Actor award at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2020. 
• Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of 748 monuments under protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). 
• IndusInd Bank bank has appointed Sumanth Kathpalia as managing director and CEO.

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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