Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 01-04-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 01-04-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Officials of Tablighi Jamaat charged with defying restrictions - With at least 24 of its occupants testing positive for the novel coronavirus, an Islamic centre in the national capital has turned out to be the latest hotspot of COVID-19. More than 400 people with symptoms were admitted to different hospitals and over 1,100 shifted to government-run quarantine facilities in Delhi alone. Hundreds of others who returned home after staying at the centre over the last fortnight might have carried the virus to several States. Thousands of people from across the country, as well as from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia, attended a gathering at the centre earlier this month over a number of days. A large number of them were stuck on the premises as the country went into lockdown on March 24. Markaz Nizamuddin is the international headquarters of Tablighi Jamaat, a puritanical Islamic sect.
2. Three quasi-subspecies of virus in circulation, says ICMR - A mixture of three quasi-subspecies of SARS-CoV-2 is in circulation in India. These imported variants showed no differences from how they behaved in the place of origin. Scientists are yet to classify a SARS-Cov-2 variant as an Indian strain.
3. Spain reports record 849 deaths in a day - Once again, Spain hit a new record with 849 COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours although health chiefs said the rate of new infections was continuing its downward trend. After Italy, Spain has suffered the world’s second most deadly outbreak, which has now claimed 8,189 lives there. The latest figures came a day after the death toll fell slightly, dampening hopes it could have passed the peak of the crisis. Over the same period, the number of confirmed cases rose to 94,417 after another 9,222 people tested positive: a nearly 11% increase. That figure was seen as a setback after a week, in which the rate had been steadily failing, with Monday’s figures having shown a rise of just over 8%.
4. U.S. death toll crosses 3,500 - The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 climbed past 3,500, eclipsing China’s official count. New York was the nation’s deadliest hot spot, with about 1,550 deaths statewide, the majority of them in New York City. President Donald Trump has been criticised for an initially slow response by the federal government to the now-accelerating pandemic spread. USNS Comfort, a Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds that docked in New York, was expected to begin accepting non-coronavirus patients. A 1,000-bed emergency hospital set up at the Javits Convention Center began taking patients. And the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center was being transformed into a hospital.
5. Harry and Meghan formally bid farewell to royal life - Prince Harry and wife Meghan posted their last message as working members of Britain’s royal family before officially embarking on new careers without their “Royal Highness” styles. The couple shocked Queen Elizabeth and the other Windsors in January by announcing plans to step back from their royal roles. A later deal brokered by the 93-year-old monarch means they will go their own way from April. The couple, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will be free to pursue new careers, earn their own money and spend most of their time in North America. But they will no longer be able to use the word “royal” in their branding or carry out official duties and have agreed not to use the style of HRH — His or Her Royal Highness.
6. Taliban team in Kabul to monitor prisoner release - A three-member Taliban technical team arrived in the Afghan capital to monitor the release of their prisoners as part of a peace deal signed by the Taliban and the U.S., a spokesman for the insurgent group said. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the team’s arrival in a tweet. It marked the first time a Taliban delegation has been in Kabul since the group was driven out by the U.S.-led coalition in November 2001. The prisoner release is part of a peace deal signed last month by the Taliban and U.S. that calls for the government’s release of 5,000 Taliban and the Taliban’s release of 1,000 government personnel and Afghan troops.
7. Govt slashes small savings rates by up to 140 basis pts - The government announced one of the steepest-ever cuts in small savings rates, which will see returns on the popular public provident fund deposits fall by 80 basis points to 7.1%, while the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme will see the annual interest rate drop by more than a percentage point.
8. Sensex’s worst qtr ever: Down 12,700 pts (31%) - The January-March quarter, that saw the sensex give up almost 12,700 points, or 31%—after reaching an all-time high at 42,274 on January 20—was the worst in its history both in terms of loss of points and percentage drop. Led by RIL, short covering and index management by large funds, the index closed at 29,648, up 1,028 points on the day.
9. Corona treatment made free in Maharashtra; ₹1.5L cover for each family member - Treatment for Covid-19 will be free in Maharashtra under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY). The state will bear the cost of treatment of even those who don’t have the MJPJAY card or fall under the BPL category. Additionally, the state has extended the insurance cover of Rs 1.5 lakh per family to each member of the household.
10. A First in India: Kargil woman delivers in quarantine - A 30-year-old woman who was quarantined near the LoC in Kargil after one of her family members tested positive for Covid-19 has given birth to a baby at a government district hospital. But the family reunion and celebrations will have to wait as her relatives, including her husband, continue to remain in quarantine. The father has not been able to see the baby till now. Zahra Banoo gave birth to a boy on March 28, in what is possibly the first known case of “quarantine birth” in India.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	East Coast Railway	Nursing Superintendent, Pharmacist, OT Asst/ Dresser	24	Matriculation/ HSC, 10+2, B.Pharma, B.Sc (Nursing)	April 6, 2020	https://eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1585570083681-Para%20Medical%20COVID%2019.pdf
2	CDM & PHO, Mayurbhanj	Staff Nurse, Lab Technician, Radiographer, Pharmacist, M.P.H.W	466	GNM, Diploma, B.Sc (Nursing), D Pharm	April 4, 2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s3e1e32e235eee1f970470a3a6658dfdd5/uploads/2020/03/2020032967.pdf
3	NHM, Parbhani	Medical Officer, Staff Nurse	80	GNM, B.Sc (Nursing), MBBS, MD	April 2, 2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s39cf81d8026a9018052c429cc4e56739b/uploads/2020/03/2020033099.pdf
4	SVC Bank	Clerk	30	Any Degree or PG	--	https://www.svcbank.com/Portals/0/PDF/CSR_Guidelines_Document_2020.pdf?ver=2020-03-11-182513-503&timestamp=1583931321728
5	Virudhunagar District Central Cooperative Bank	Assistant	55	Any Degree	--	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/03/Notification-CDMPHO-Balasore-MPHW-Staff-Nurse-Other-Posts.pdf
6	Virudhunagar District Central Cooperative Bank	Assistant	64	Any Degree	--	http://vnrdrb.net/recruitment/admin/images/01-2019drb%20asst%20CCB%20renotification%2010.3.20739435_1583819051.pdf
7	Tirunelveli District Central Cooperative Bank	Assistant	25	Any Degree	April 3, 2020	https://www.tnydrb.in/doc_pdf/Notification_2.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 SC upholds right to discuss COVID-19

• The Supreme Court upheld the right to free discussion about COVID-19, even as it directed the media to refer to and publish the official version of the developments in order to avoid inaccuracies and large-scale panic.
• It ordered the government to start a daily bulletin on COVID-19 developments through all media avenues in the next 24 hours.
• A Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde, was responding to a request from the Central government that media outlets in the larger interest of justice, should only publish or telecast anything on COVID-19 after ascertaining the factual position from the government.
• A Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) report in the court said any panic reaction in the midst of an unprecedented situation based on such reporting would harm the entire nation. 
• Creating panic is also a criminal offence under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Ministry said.
• But the court took a view balancing free press and the need to avoid panic in society during an unprecedented crisis.  
• Noting that the 21-day nationwide lockdown was “inevitable” in the face of an “unprecedented global crisis” like the COVID-19 pandemic, the government blamed “fake and misleading” messages on social media for creating widespread panic, which led to mass “barefoot” journey of migrant workers from cities to their native villages in rural India.
• The Ministry said the Narendra Modi government, in fact, took “pro-active, pre-emptive and timely” action 13 days before even the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a “public health emergency of international concern”. Very few countries responded as well as India. But the mass migration of the poor would defeat the preventive measures taken by the Central government. There was no necessity for migrant workers to rush to their villages when the Centre, fully conscious that no citizen should be deprived of basic amenities, had announced a Rs. 1.70 lakh crore package under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to take care of their daily needs.

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

2.1 Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation of Certain Provisions) Ordinance, 2020 

• Recently, the government has promulgated the 'Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation of Certain Provisions) Ordinance, 2020'.
• The Ordinance brings into effect various tax compliance related measures announced on March 24, 2020 in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
• The government has extended the deadline for filing income tax, last dates for making investments in instruments such as National Savings Certificates, Public Provident Fund for claiming income tax benefits, etc.
• The last date for linking PAN with biometric ID Aadhaar has been extended by three months to June 30.
• The Ordinance has also amended the provisions of the Income-tax Act to provide the same tax treatment to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) as available to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
• The donation made to the PM-CARES Fund shall be eligible for 100% deduction under section 80G of the I-T Act.
• The government has set up the PM-CARES Fund to deal with any kind of emergency or distress situation like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• PMNRF was instituted in 1948 by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to assist displaced persons from Pakistan.
• The fund is currently used primarily to tackle natural calamities like floods, cyclones and earthquakes.
• The fund is also used to help with medical treatment like kidney transplantation, cancer treatment and acid attack.
• Ordinance - Ordinance is a decree or law promulgated by a state or national government without the consent of the legislature. Article 123 of the Constitution of India grants the President certain law-making powers to promulgate ordinances when either of the two Houses of Parliament is not in session.

2.2 Draft Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2020: ‘Leasing’ introduced as another category to procure defence equipment at affordable rates.

2.3  Fitch Ratings cut growth forecast for Indian economy to 5.1 per cent for FY 2020-21 in its Global Economic Outlook 2020.

2.4 CRISIL cut its growth estimate for the Indian economy for 2020-21 to 3.5% from 5.2% made earlier.

2.5 Centre allowed States and UTs to lift foodgrains for 3 months in advance from Food Corporation of India (FCI) for Public Distribution System (PDS) scheme.

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

3.1 Chinese Trawlers in South China Sea

• The Chinese fishing fleets have been seen raiding the rich waters of the South China Sea that are internationally recognised as exclusively Indonesia’s to fish.
• The Chinese steel trawlers scrape the bottom of the sea and destroy other marine life.
• Chinese trawling also breaches the maritime borders. 
• Since China is its largest trading partner, it has been argued that the Indonesian government has not taken any steps to deal with the incursions by Chinese fishing boats.
• China’s illegal fishing near the Natuna islands carries global consequence, reminding regional governments of Beijing’s expanding claims to the South China Sea through which one-third of the world’s maritime trade flows.
• China wants to claim the resources such as oil, natural gas, and fish in the South China Sea.
• The presence of Chinese fishers also helps to embody China’s maritime claims. 
• The nine dash line (rejected by an international tribunal) asserted by China violates the principle of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).

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

4.1 World Tuberculosis Day observed on March 24

• Each year World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.
• The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
• TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious killer.  
• Each day, nearly 4500 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. 
• Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 54 million lives since the year 2000 and reduced the TB mortality rate by 42%.
• To accelerate the TB response in countries to reach targets – Heads of State came together and made strong commitments to end TB at the first-ever UN High Level Meeting in September 2018.
• The theme of World TB Day 2020 - ‘It’s time to end TB’

4.2 UN Security Council unanimously adopts resolution on the safety and security of peacekeepers.

 4.3 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman participated in 2nd Extraordinary G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the Saudi Arabian Presidency through videoconferencing.

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

5.1 Under the Deen Dayal National Livelihood Mission, women self-help groups (SHGs) will be provided collateral-free loans up to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 lakh earlier.

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Roundup – Arts and Culture

• Nimmi, actress known for Hindi movies such as “Aan”, “Barsaat” and “Deedar”, died at 88.
• World Poetry Day celebrated by UNESCO on March 21.
• 8th India International Film Tourism Conclave in Mumbai: Filmmaker Zoya Akhter wins IIFTC Tourism Impact Award 2020.
• Noted chef Floyd Cardoz dies at 59 in New York; owned restaurants Bombay Canteen and O Pedro in Mumbai.
• Acclaimed US playwright Terrence McNally died at 81. 
• Polish composer, conductor Krzysztof Penderecki died at 86.
• Indian-origin American author Ruchika Tomar wins 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award in US for her debut novel ‘A Prayer for Travelers’.
• 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.
• UN observes International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on March 25.
• COVID-19: Alan Merrill, songwriter of 'I love rock 'n' roll', dies at 69 in New York.
• Veteran Japanese comedian Ken Shimura dies at 70 from coronavirus.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund)

• The government has set up the PM-CARES Fund to deal with any kind of emergency posed by the COVID-1
• 9 pandemic.
• The Fund is a public charitable trust with the Prime Minister as its Chairman.
• Other Members include Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.
• The Fund enables micro-donations as a result of which a large number of people will be able to contribute with the smallest of denominations. 
• The Fund will strengthen disaster management capacities and encourage research on protecting citizens.
• Contribution to PM - CARES Fund will Qualify as CSR Expenditure.
• Under the Companies Act, 2013, companies with a minimum net worth of Rs 500 crore or turnover of Rs 1,000 crore, or net profit of Rs 5 crore are required to spend at least 2% of their average profit for the previous three years on CSR activities every year.
• The term "Corporate Social Responsibility" in general can be referred to as a corporate initiative to assess and take responsibility for the company's effects on the environment and impact on social welfare.

7.2 Lok Sabha passed bill that seeks to declare five Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) in PPP mode at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur as institutions of national importance along with existing 15 IIITs.

7.3 Lok Sabha passed bill to accord the status of institution of national importance to a Jamnagar-based cluster of Ayurveda institutes.

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

8.1 Kaveri and Tributaries became cleaner because of lockdown

• The strict enforcement of 21-day lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the pollution in Kaveri river and its tributaries.
• Untreated sewage from residential areas; pollutants from industries; religious waste material from pilgrims, and construction debris had been polluting the rivers.
• These rivers were flowing with hazardous elements such as lead, fluoride, faecal coliform, and some suspended solids in highly dangerous quantities.
• The prohibition of industrial and religious activities has helped in reducing pollution levels in the rivers.
• Kaveri is a sacred river of southern India. It rises in the Brahmagiri range of the Western Ghats and falls in the Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, in Tamil Nadu. It forms the sacred islands of Srirangapatna and Shivanasamudra and Shivanasamudra falls and also a wide delta. Total Length of the river is about 760 km. Its main tributaries are Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati, Kabini, Shimsha, and Lakshmana Tirtha. It's basin drains parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) - It was introduced in 1975 at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. It is a global operation that collects information to better understand and protect the Earth’s environment. This effort is made with the cooperation of other countries, who contribute data to the GEMS. 
• Monitoring of Indian National Aquatic Resources (MINARS) - MINARS is a National Programme of monitoring national aquatic resources. It was started in 1984, with a total of 113 stations spread over 10 river basins. The present network comprises 870 stations on rivers, lentic water bodies and subsurface w
• aters..

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

9.1 IIT-B Designs UV Sanitiser

• The Industrial Design Centre (IDC) of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay has developed a portable UltraViolet (UV) sanitiser.
• It can sterilise wallets, purses and other small items that are passed on from hand to hand.
• The UV sanitiser has been made using stainless steel kitchen containers and aluminium mesh and is in the proof-of-concept stage right now.
• It’s design is based on a study published in a journal PubMed, by the US National Library of Medicine. 
• The study demonstrates how ultraviolet C Light can inactivate Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) Virus and Nipah Virus.
• Objects might be carriers of the viruses and sanitising gel cannot be used on every object humans come in contact with like papers, files, currency notes and phones.
• IDC is working on projects on sanitising bigger surfaces and working on different models.
• The institute has also been making its own cotton masks, which are double-layered and washable.
• IDC has also collaborated with a company called Applied Systems to manufacture face shields using helmet visors.
• IIT also developed apps to help keep quarantine violations in check.
• Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever usually transmitted by ticks with symptoms like Fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes and photophobia (sensitivity to light). It can also be contracted through contact with viraemic animal tissues (animal tissue where the virus has entered the bloodstream) during and immediately post-slaughter of animals.
• CCHF outbreaks constitute a threat to public health services as the virus can lead to epidemics, with a high case fatality ratio (10-40%).
• CCHF is endemic in all of Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and in Asia.
• There may be nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and sore throat early on, followed by sharp mood swings, confusion, depression and liver enlargement.

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

10.1   Reports and Rankings - East Asia and Pacific in the Time of Covid-19 by World Bank

East Asia and the Pacific could see up to 11 million people driven into poverty.

Download PDF from here – 

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/33477

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Jiri Vesely won the Men’s Singles title at the Tata Open Maharashtra tennis tournament in Pune in Feb 2020.
• At 69 km, Hyderabad Metro Rail is now the second largest operational Metro network in the country behind Delhi Metro.
• The first India-Africa Defence Ministers’ Conclave was held in Lucknow in Feb 2020.
• Samvidhaan (Constitution) has been named as the Hindi Word of 2019 by Oxford.
• Wetlands and Biodiversity was the theme of the World Wetlands Day observed in Feb 2020.

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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