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

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

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Coronavirus toll touches 62; revised testing norms likely - The number of COVID-19 cases continued to rise in the country with 336 new cases reported in the past 24 hours taking the total tally to 2,547, while 18 more deaths were reported, the Union Health Ministry said. India has registered 62 deaths due to COVID-19 so far, while 162 patients have been discharged. Nationwide, 66,000 samples have been tested so far, which includes repeat tests on patients to confirm health status. According to reports from State Health Departments, the total number of confirmed cases nationwide was 2,947 with 2,655 active cases. The death toll rose to 83. Maharashtra continued to report the most cases at 417, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi where numbers have spiked to 411 and 386 repectively. Kerala reported 286 cases, while Telangana reported 229 cases.
2. U.S. reports record 1,169 virus fatalities - The U.S. recorded 1,169 COVID-19 fatalities in the past 24 hours, the Johns Hopkins University tracker showed, the highest one-day death toll recorded in any country since the global pandemic began. The grim record was previously held by Italy, where 969 people died on March 27. The U.S. has now recorded 6,069 coronavirus deaths since the start of the pandemic. Globally, Italy has the highest total death toll, with 13,915 dying of the disease there, followed by Spain at 10,003. The U.S. also recorded more than 30,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the same 24-hour period, bringing the total number of officially reported cases in the country to more than 2,43,000.
3. Google publishes data on people’s movements - Alphabet Inc’s Google has published charts showing how the coronavirus has brought hard-hit Italy to a standstill, led to runs on grocery stores around the world and prompted a stark drop in movement of people. The analysis of location data from billions of Google users’ phones is the largest public dataset available to help health authorities assess if people are abiding with government orders issued to rein in the virus. The reports on users’ movements in 131 countries will be made available on a special website and will “chart movement trends over time by geography”.
4. Bill Withers, who sang Ain’t No Sunshine, dies at 81 - Bill Withers, the legendary soul singer behind 1970s hits like Lean on Me, Lovely Day and Ain’t No Sunshine, died in Los Angeles. He was 81. The soulful singer and three-time Grammy winner died from heart complications. Mr. Withers was well into his 30s when he began recording music, after growing up in a segregated coal-mining town in West Virginia, serving in the Navy and working as an aircraft mechanic. But during his 14-year recording career, starting with the album Just As I Am in 1971, he wrote and performed songs that have become anthems around the word, drawn from gritty blues, R&B and the era’s confessional style of lyrics.
5. Foreign investors sell over Rs. 1 lakh-cr. securities in a month, for first time in history - For the first time in the history of the Indian capital markets, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have sold securities worth over Rs. 1 lakh crore in a single month. As per data from the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), the cumulative net outflow from the debt and equity segments was pegged at Rs. 1.18 lakh crore in March — more than double the previous high of Rs. 44,000 crore witnessed in June 2013. Further, both the equity and debt segments have individually registered new highs in terms of monthly outflows of Rs. 61,973 crore and Rs. 60,376 crore, respectively.
6. Rice exports halted on supply chain disruption due to virus - Indian rice traders have stopped signing new export contracts amid the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, as labour shortages and logistics disruptions have hampered the delivery of even existing contracts. The halt in exports from the world’s biggest exporter is allowing rival countries such as Thailand to raise shipments in the short term and lift global prices, forcing millions of poor consumers in Africa to pay high prices.
7. Mega cash transfer in battle Covid-19 - The government launched one of the largest-ever cash transfer schemes, including the deposit of over Rs. 30,000 crore into the account of women Jan Dhan account holders as well as Rs. 5,000 crore into the linked accounts of eight crore poor households with LPG connections provided under ‘Ujjwala’. On day one of the PM Jan Dhan transfer scheme, Rs. 500 was deposited into the accounts of four crore women, with the government ordering banks to ensure that the dormant accounts were reactivated to ensure that no beneficiary was left out. The mega exercise, which will see deposits based on the last digit of the account number, saw several thousand account holders visit their bank branches and nearest ATMs, although business correspondents have been pressed into service to ensure door-step delivery of benefits. All accounts are to get the funds by April 9.
8. Indian Economy - BSE Sensex ends 674.36 points or 2.39 per cent lower at 27,590.95. NSE Nifty sheds 170 points, or 2.06 per cent, to finish at 8,083.80. India’s foreign exchange reserves up by US$ 5.65 billion to US$ 475.56 billion in the week ended March 27.
9. World Bank approved US $ 1-bn emergency funds for India to tackle coronavirus outbreak - In the largest-ever loan for the country’s health sector, the World Bank fast-tracked a $1 billion assistance for India which will help the country to bolster its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and shore up medical infrastructure. The World Bank’s India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project to help India prevent, detect, and respond to the pandemic and strengthen its public health preparedness. The project will immediately enable the government to scale-up efforts to limit human-to-human transmission, including reducing local transmission of cases and containing the epidemic from progressing further.
10. Farmers will continue to get short-term loan of up to Rs. 3 lakh at a subsidised interest rate of 7% till May 31. Prompt repayers to get it at 4%.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	Army Recru. Office, Mandi	Soldier (GD), Soldier Clerk/ SKT	--	10th Class, 10+2	May 16, 2020	http://joinindianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/BRAVO_NotificationPDF/ARO_MANDI_Recruitment_Notification_for_the_year_2020-21.pdf
2	Northern Railway	Staff Nurse, Radiographer	63	10th Class, Diploma, B.Sc	April 7, 2020	https://nr.indianrailways.gov.in/nr/recruitment/1585805404369_Walk%20in%20interview%20Para%20Medical.pdf
3	Northern Railway	General Duty Medical Officer & Specialist	15	MBBS	April 14, 2020	https://nr.indianrailways.gov.in/nr/recruitment/1585805298147_Walk%20in%20interview%20CMP%20Dr.pdf
4	Diesel Loco Modern.Works	General Duty Medical Officer & Nurse	13	GNM, Diploma, MBBS, MD	April 15, 2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/04/Notification-Diesel-Loco-Modernisation-Works-General-Duty-Medical-Officer-Nurse-Posts.pdf
5	PGIMER, Chandigarh	Sr Resident, Sr Medical Officer	159	MD/ MS/ MHA/ MDS/ M.Sc	April 26, 2020	http://pgimer.edu.in/PGIMER_PORTAL/AbstractFilePath?FileType=E&FileName=GUIDE%20LINES%20FOR%20SR01Apr2020153204.pdf&PathKey=VACANCY_PATH
6	Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission	Accounts Asst, Coordinator & Other	150	Degree, PG (Relevant Disciplines), CA	May 31, 2020	https://trlm.tripura.gov.in/
7	NHM, Parbhani	Medical Officer, Staff Nurse	80	GNM, B.Sc., MBBS, MD	April 2, 2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s39cf81d8026a9018052c429cc4e56739b/uploads/2020/03/2020033099.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 Not Available Today

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

2.1 Ways and Means Advances (WMA)  

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in consultation with the government of India has set the limits for Ways and Means Advances (WMA) for the first half of the financial year 2019-20 (April 2019 to September 2019) at Rs 75000 crore.
• WMA - The Reserve Bank of India gives temporary loan facilities to the centre and state governments as a banker to government. This temporary loan facility is called Ways and Means Advances (WMA).
• The WMA for the Central Government - The WMA scheme for the Central Government was introduced on April 1, 1997, after putting an end to the four-decade old system of adhoc (temporary) Treasury Bills to finance the Central Government deficit. The WMA scheme was designed to meet temporary mismatches in the receipts and payments of the government. This facility can be availed by the government if it needs immediate cash from the RBI. The WMA is to be vacated after 90 days. Interest rate for WMA is currently charged at the repo rate. The limits for WMA are mutually decided by the RBI and the Government of India.
• Overdraft - When the WMA limit is crossed the government takes recourse to overdrafts, which are not allowed beyond 10 consecutive working days. The interest rate on overdrafts would be 2 percent more than the repo rate. The minimum balance required to be maintained by the Government of India with the Reserve Bank of India will not be less than Rs.100 crore on Fridays, on the date of closure of Government of India’s financial year and on June 30, the date of closure of the annual accounts of the RBI, and not less than Rs.10 crore on other days. The cash management of GoI has considerably deteriorated in the recent past, with situations of large surplus and large deficit. This has put tremendous pressure of RBI with respect to liquidity management and conduct of monetary policy.
• WMA Scheme for State Governments - Under the WMA scheme for the State Governments, there are two types of WMA – Special and Normal WMA. Special WMA is extended against the collateral (mortgaging) of the government securities held by the State Government. After the exhaustion of the special WMA limit, the State Government is provided a normal WMA. The normal WMA limits are based on three-year average of actual revenue and capital expenditure of the state. The withdrawal above the WMA limit is considered an overdraft. A State Government account can be in overdraft for a maximum 14 consecutive working days with a limit of 36 days in a quarter. The rate of interest on WMA is linked to the Repo Rate. Surplus balances of State Governments are invested in Government of India 14-day Intermediate Treasury bills in accordance with the instructions of the State Governments.

2.2 Manila-based ADB to invest USD 100 million in Indian infrastructure sector through NIIF (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund).

2.3 Vehicle documents expired since Feb 1 should be treated as valid till June 30: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

2.4 Non-subsidized LPG cylinder price slashed by Rs. 61.50 per cylinder.

2.5 Wipro, Azim Premji Foundation commit Rs 1,125 cr to tackle COVID-19 crisis.

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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 World Autism Awareness Day observed on April 2

• World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day on 2 April every year, encouraging Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about people with autistic spectrum disorders including autism and Asperger syndrome throughout the world.
• It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution "62/139.  
• World Autism Awareness Day", passed in council on 1 November 2007, and adopted on 18 December 2007. 
• It was proposed by the United Nations representative from Qatar, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Consort of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, and supported by all member states.
• This resolution was passed and adopted without a vote in the UN General Assembly, mainly as a supplement to previous UN initiatives to improve human rights.
• World Autism Day is one of only seven official health-specific UN Days.
• The day itself brings individual autism organizations together all around the world to aid in things like research, diagnoses, treatment, and acceptance for those with an autistic developmental path.
• Theme 2020: ‘The Transition to Adulthood’.

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

5.1 E-NAM

• New features added to electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
• Will enabling direct trading from warehouses as well as collection centres of farmers producers organisations (FPOs)  
• Will reduce the need for farmers to physically come to wholesale mandis for selling their harvested produce.

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Roundup – Sports

• 2020 Tokyo Olympics postponed to no later than the summer of 2021 - The 2020 Tokyo Olympics (scheduled for July 24-August 9) have been postponed to no later than the summer of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe, the International Olympic Committee announced on March 24, 2020.
• Former footballer Abdul Latif dies in Guwahati - Former India footballer midfielder Abdul Latif, who was also a key member of bronze medal winning team at the 1970 Bangkok Asian Games died in Guwahati on March 23, 2020.
• Football: Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz dies at 76 - Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz, who was hospitalised with coronavirus, died on March 21, 2020 at the age of 76. Sanz was in charge of the Spanish giant from 1995-2000, overseeing two Champions League football titles.
• Roger Mayweather, former boxing world champion turned trainer of unbeaten boxing great Floyd Mayweather, passed away at 58.
• Former Indian football team captain Pradip Kumar Banerjee passed away at 83 in Kolkata; won 1962 Asian Games gold medal, Arjuna Award (1961) & Padma Shri (1990).
• Tony Lewis, one of the men behind the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method used in weather-affected limited overs cricket matches, dies in UK aged 78.
• IOC sets June 29, 2021 as new deadline for qualification period of Tokyo Olympics.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 AP govt to buy MOM (Multi-feed Oxygen Manifold) developed by Navy for COVID-19 patients

7.2 Utkala Dibasa celebrated in Odisha on April 1 to mark its formation as a separate state in 1936.

7.3 MHRD AICTE COVID-19 Student Helpline Portal launched to help students facing difficulties due to closure of colleges and hostels.

7.4 MoS HRD and IT, Sanjay Dhotre launches ‘Hack the Crisis-India’ hackathon to find working solutions for overcoming COVID-19 pandemic.

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

8.1 Over two fold rise in domestic violence cases: National Commission for Women (NCW)

• The first week of the nationwide lockdown, which has left many facing job losses, uncertainty over salaries, forced isolation and stressed households, has resulted in a steep rise in violence against women. 
• The NCW, which receives complaints from across the country, has recorded more than a twofold rise in gender-based violence.
• The total complaints from women rose from 116 in the first week of March (March 2- 8), to 257 in the final week of March (March 23-April 1).
• Complaints of rape or attempted rape have risen sharply from two to 13, while cases of domestic violence have increased from 30 to 69 over the same comparative period.
• Simultaneously, there has been an almost three fold increase in police apathy towards women’s complaints, with the NCW receiving 16 complaints on the issue as compared to six earlier.
• Similarly, complaints relating to the “right to live with dignity” too have doubled, rising from 35 cases to 77.
• Such cases could pertain to discrimination on the basis of gender, class or caste or all three of them combined.
• Activists believe that these may only be the tip of the iceberg, as many women will not be able to reach out because of restrictions on movement and lack of privacy inside homes.
• Jagori, a Delhi-based NGO, which runs helplines for women victims of violence, has, in fact, experienced a 50% drop in calls.

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

9.1 US Space Force launches Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite

• The United States Space Force launched its first national security mission on March 26, 2020, sending an ultra-secure military communication satellite into orbit.
• The Lockheed Martin Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida aboard an Atlas V551 rocket. 
• AEHF-6, as the satellite is called, is the sixth and final in the Lockheed Martin AEHF constellation.
• It will join the other five, which were launched between 2010 and 2019, after reaching geostationary orbit. 
• The satellite constellation provides “global, survivable, protected communications capabilities for strategic command and tactical warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms.

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

10.1  Singapore tops World Index of Economic Freedom

• Singapore overtook Hong Kong as the world’s freest economy for the first time since 1995 in the latest World Index of Economic Freedom created by Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. India was ranked 120th. 
• The Index covers 12 freedoms including property rights, financial freedom, government integrity, labour freedom, trade freedom, investment freedom and business freedom. 
• Altogether the study encompasses 186 countries.
• The creators of the index took an approach like Adam Smith’s in The Wealth of Nations, that “basic institutions that protect the liberty of individuals to pursue their own economic interests result in greater prosperity for the larger society.”
• Hong Kong lost its title as the number one freest economy due to a decline in its score for investment freedom. 
• Hong Kong’s total score fell from 90.4 to 89.1 whereas Singapore maintained its 2019 score of 89.4 to take the 2020 title.

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• The trial of the Agni-III surface-to-surface ballistic missile was carried out on November 30, 2019.
• An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude killed at 16 people in Albania on November 26, 2019.
• Prof. Vidita Ashok Vaidya won the first Sree Research Grant worth Rs. 3 crores in Vijayawada (AP) on Dec 6, 2019.
• Vikram Malhotra won the Life Time Betty Griffin Memorial squash tournament in Boca Raton (US) in Dec 2019.
• Arabic Language Day was celebrated on December 18, 2019. 

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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