NATIONAL NEWS
1. MP govt decides to provide video-calling facility to COVID-19 patients in hospitals
• To fend off depression as well as boredom among coronavirus patients in hospitals, the authorities have decided to provide them with video-calling facilities and TV sets.
• The pandemic has affected the Indore district the hardest in Madhya Pradesh. Over 1,100 patients are being treated for virus infection at the moment.
• Private companies will also be roped in to provide these facilities under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.
• One tablet with high speed Wi-Fi connection in each COVID-19 ward will be given. Patients will be able to make video calls to their families using them.
• The decision came following alleged suicide of a 78- year-old man at the city's Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar Hospital.
• The man, admitted on suspicion of having contracted the virus, jumped from his fourth floor ward to death. Admitted 19 days earlier, he had tested negative for the virus.
2. NIPER Guwahati comes out with two products in fight against COVID-19 pandemic
• National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Guwahati has come out with two products to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The first product is a 3D-printed hands-free object that could be used to help open or close doors, windows, drawers and refrigerator handles among others.
• The researchers came up with the design for the fabrication of the 3D-printed object after detailed analyses of several resources for risk measurement and on how viruses spread through bare hands. The face shield is also easy to design and it is possible to have rapid development of prototypes.
• The second product is a 3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield to control the spread of novel coronavirus. It was designed after a thorough study to understand how viruses spread through oral, ophthalmic, olfactory and other body cavities.
3. India backs EU resolution at WHO meet seeking a probe into coronavirus crisis
• India has backed the 62-nation coalition draft resolution that has been presented to the World Health Assembly (WHA) which will take up the issue of 'Covid-19 Response' during the two-day meet.
• Originally, it was drafted by the EU but was later co-sponsored by other nations totalling to 62, excluding the United States and China.
• While earlier countries like the US had sought an independent inquiry into the coronavirus outbreak and its origins, the EU draft does not mention inquiries and investigations against any state.
• It calls for an "impartial", "independent" and "comprehensive" evaluation to review lessons learnt from the WHO-coordinated response, as well as the "effectiveness" of mechanisms at its disposal -- namely the 2005 International Health Regulations.
• The draft resolution was accepted by most nations because of its language.
• The final draft resolution is left wanting in seeking tough action against and transparency on the response to the coronavirus outbreak by China. However, it aims to address questions raised about the World Health Organization (WHO) as an organisation and its response to the pandemic.
• China, which has been accused of concealing information about the virus in the early days of the outbreak, had later contested that the deadly Sars-CoV-2 pathogen detected in its territory could have originated just about anywhere. Chinese foreign ministry officials even shared conspiracy theories that accused the US military of starting the coronavirus outbreak.
• World Health Organisation and its director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on the other hand, have been blamed for playing along with China till the virus reached enough countries and spread rapidly. Ghebreyesus, a former Ethopian minister, was elected with support from China in 2017. The accusations - he has denied them - also led United States President Donald Trump to suspend funding to the UN global health body.
4. Punjab govt promulgates 'Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners Amendment Ordinance, 2020'
• Punjab Governmentpromulgated 'The Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Amendment Ordinance, 2020.
• As per new provisions, the temporary release of the prisoners has been allowed beyond the maximum period of 16 weeks in a calendar year.
• The step has been taken in view of containing the spread of COVID-19, with the intention to decongest the jails.
• The condition of the temporary release being availed of, on quarterly basis also stands waived.
5. Gujarat Govt launches free food grains distribution
• The Gujarat government will provide free ration to around 60 lakh Above Poverty Line (APL) families in the state that are not covered under the National Food Security Act.
• Each APL-1 card holder family will be eligible to get 10 kg wheat, three kg rice, one kg pulses and one kg sugar free of cost.
• The government has also distributed free ration to around 65 lakh families holding either priority ration cards or Antyodaya ration cards.
6. Mizoram: Churches to allow their premises to be used as quarantine facilities
• In Mizoram, churches will allow their premises to be used as quarantine facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.The state is presently COVID-free. The state government is expecting that another 10,000 people will return by the middle of June.
• With a large number of home coming people needing huge quarantine facilities, the state government has requested the Church body to provide shelter for the purpose.
• Following the request of the government the Church bodies agreed with providing shelter to the stranded people reaching the state.
• 51 church premises, having big halls have agreed to spare and they will also provide meals to the sheltered people at their premises.
7. COVID-19 Recovery rate improves to 38.29 percent
• The recovery rate of COVID-19 patients has improved to 38.29 per cent in the country.
• A total of 96,169 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country so far in which 36,824 persons have been cured while 3,029 deaths have occurred. In the last 24 hours, 2,715 patients are reported cured.
• In terms of confirmed cases per lakh population, India has so far about 7.1 cases per lakh population vis-a-vis around 60 cases per lakh population for the world as a whole.
• In Spain, it is 494 cases per lakh population, in US 431 cases, in Italy 372 cases, in Germany 210 cases, in the UK 361 cases and in France 209 cases per lakh population. Russia has 195 cases per lakh population, Turkey has 180 cases, Iran has 145 and Brazil has 104 cases per lakh population.
• The Central Government is pursuing its preemptive and proactive approach for prevention, containment and management of COVID-19. COVID-19 management efforts are being regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level. The Union Health Ministry has issued new guidelines to the states for categorization of red, orange and green zones.
• As per these guidelines states have been asked to categorize districts, municipal corporations, or if warranted sub-division and ward or any other administrative unit as red, orange and green zone as per their field assessment.
• This has to be done based on multi-factorial analysis on the combination of the parameters namely, total active cases, active cases per lakh population, doubling rate, case fatality rate, testing ratio and test confirmation rate. States have been told to ensure stringent implementation of the containment plans in these containment zones.
• In the containment zones, active search for cases through the house to house surveillance by special teams, testing of all cases as per sampling guidelines, contact tracing, clinical management of all confirmed cases are the priority tasks. Active involvement of community should be sought in this regard. Further, around each containment zone, a Buffer Zone has to be delineated so as to ensure that infection does not spread to the adjoining areas.
8. Leh, Manali National Highway to open for traffic after winter closure
• The 490 km long Leh-Manali National Highway connecting Ladakh with the rest of the country will be opened for traffic. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has cleared snow off the highway. The road is being opened for traffic one month in advance compared to the previous year despite the COVID-19 restrictions.
• Project Himank and Project Deepak of Border Roads Organization have cleared snow from over 16 thousand feet high Baralacha pass and nearly 17 and half thousand feets Tanglang La Pass, considered the most challenging stretches for the snow clearing teams.
• Braving all odds, especially the bone chilling winds and threat of avalanches, the BRO has cleared snow accumulation in these sectors recorded over 35 feet at places and has an average height of 15 feet. Ladakh remains cut off from the mainland for over five months in winters due to snowfall as two primary access roads - the national highway from Srinagar over the 11,570-ft high at ZojiLa between Sonmarg and Kargil and the Manali- Leh roads remain closed.
• The opening of the Manali-Leh road benefits the civilian populace in the region as much needed supplies including eatables' ferry through this Highway.
9. After Ashwagandha, experts claim Kangra Tea has properties to block Sars-Cov-2
• After the well known herb Ashwgandha, now, Kangra tea has been marked as a potential coronavirus blocker.
• According to a communication released by the Ministry of Science and Technology, India’s premier medical research institute, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is considering replacing hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with anti-HIV drugs to improve immunity and possibly reduce viral replication. However, Kangra tea could prove to be a more effective weapon against the disease, says a well known expert.
• The chemicals in Kangra tea could also be effective in boosting immunity as they can block coronavirus activity better than anti-HIV drugs.
• The claim, along with a comparison with HIV drugs and hydroxychloroquine, comes at a time when the Centre has decided to expand its use as a preventive medication for asymptomatic healthcare workers who are engaged in providing services even at non-Covid-19 hospitals, for frontline staff who are deployed on surveillance duty in the containment zones and for paramilitary and police personnel who are engaged in fighting coronavirus.
• The endorsement of Kangra tea as a potential virus killer or fighter comes days after a group of researchers of IIT-Delhi revealed that herb Ashwagandha contains certain bio-actives that interact with SARS-CoV-2 virus in a way that prevents it from multiplying.
• According to experts, Ashwagandha, which is also popular as an aphrodisiac, has a natural compound called withanone (Wi-N), with the potential to block Covid-19’s enzyme responsible for replication. It is being alleged that Ashwagandha, if used along with an active ingredient of propolis called Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) can block the replication process of the virus.
• IHBT, a constituent of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has also produced and supplied the alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing tea extract and natural aromatic oils through its technology partners. The Institute has developed herbal soap with tea extract, natural saponins (phytochemicals found in most vegetables) and without SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulphate), SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate) and mineral oil.
• This soap provides anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, cleansing and moisturizing benefits. The soap is being produced and marketed by two companies based in Himachal Pradesh.
• The first flush of Kangra tea, grown at a height ranging from 900 metres to 1400 metres above the sea level in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, is known for quality, unique aroma and tinge of fruity flavor. A little milder than Darjeeling tea in terms of flavour, Kangra tea has more body and liquor.
10. GoI launched five key initiatives to conserve biodiversity
• The Government of India launched five key initiatives towards conservation of biodiversity during the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity 2020.
• The initiatives were launched by the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar.
• One of the initiatives is the Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme. It was launched by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The programme proposes to engage 20 students with postgraduate degrees for a period of one year through an open, transparent, online competitive process.
• Union Environment Minister launched the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ‘Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme which proposes to engage 20 students with postgraduate degrees for a period of one year through an open, transparent, online competitive process. The programme wishes to engage dynamic and creative students, who are willing to learn about natural resource management and biodiversity conservation and to support the projects of NBA in various State and Union Territories and to technically assist the State Biodiversity Boards/UTs Biodiversity Council in discharge of their mandates. an open, transparent, online competitive process.
• The World Wildlife Fund Model Conference of Parties (COP), including the younger generation, was launched. It will engage in imprinting humanity towards biodiversity.
• UNEP Campaign on Illegal Trafficking of Endangered Species: Not all Animals Migrate by Choice initiative was launched.
• The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau campaign called “Not All Animals Migrate by Choice was launched.”
• A Webinar series titled "Biodiversity Conservation and Biological Diversity Act, 2002" was launched.
11. PM Modi Congratulates Benjamin Netanyahu For Forming for forming govt for 5th time
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on the formation of his coalition government after months of political uncertainty.
• Israel’s new government was sworn under Netanyahu, bringing an end to the longest political deadlock in the country’s history which saw a caretaker government in charge for over 500 days and three back-to-back general elections with no clear verdict.
• Netanyahu, 70, and his rival-turned-partner Benny Gantz joined hands to form a coalition government under a power-sharing agreement that would see the latter taking over the premiership on November 17, 2021.
• The new government, which according to the coalition agreement, will see Gantz replace Netanyahu as the Prime Minister after 18 months.
• Gantz will serve as Defense Minister until he is scheduled to take over as the Prime Minister in November next year. He will till then have the title of ‘Alternate Prime Minister’, something that Netanyahu will take over from him after exchanging the baton.
• Netanyahu surpassed Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion’s record of the longest-serving Premier in the country’s history last year in July.
12. Madhya Pradesh launches Charan Paduka initiative for migrant labourers
• The Madhya Pradesh government has launched a “Charan Paduka” campaign for the migrant labourers moving through the state.
• Under this campaign, shoes and slippers will be offered to those labourers going barefoot in order to reduce their pain.
• The campaign is being conducted by the police at most of the places in the state, starting from the Rau Police Station of Indore.
• It aims to send the labourers to their homes respectfully amid COVID-19.
13. UN lists khudol of Manipur as one of top 10 global initiatives to fight COVID-19 pandemic
• The United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth has listed Manipur’s Khudol (gift) among the top 10 global initiatives for an inclusive fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Khudol is a crowdfunded initiative of Ya_All, an Imphal-based NGO that had created India’s first transgender football team. The initiative entails ensuring food, health and hygiene of the LGBTQI+ community, people living with HIV, daily-wage earners, children and adolescents.
• They have provided around 2,000 families and individuals with over 1,000 health kits, 6,500 sanitary pads and 1,500 condoms.
• Ya_All was founded in 2017. It is the first co-working and networking space owned and run by queer individuals in India.
• Ya_All created a model of an inclusive safe space for transgender returnees. The organisation teamed up with the local Thangmeiband United Club and Imphal West district administration to set provide separate rooms and toilets for transgender persons besides a ramp for the differently-abled at a quarantine centre in Imphal’s DM College of Teacher’s Education.
14. Centre extends nationwide lockdown till May 31
• The centre extended the ongoing nationwide lockdown till May 31. The fourth phase of the lockdown will commence from 18 May 2020.
• The government has allowed considerable relaxations in this round of lockdown- Inter-state movement of vehicles, buses have been allowed with states and Union Territories being given the final power to delineate Red, Orange and Green zones.
• The new guidelines are based on suggestions from states that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought during his fifth discussion with chief ministers on the pandemic on May 11.
• The lockdown was first imposed for 21 days starting March 25 and then extended on April 15 and later on May 4. The lockdown 3.0 ended on 17 May 2020. The third of the lockdown witnessed considerable relaxations in measures with standalone stores lifting shutters, liquor shops opening up and 15 special passenger trains resuming service ever since the Railways suspended operations on March 25.
15. Health Ministry issues guidelines on preventive measures to contain spread of COVID-19 in workplace
• The Union Health Ministry has issued guidelines on preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.
• Any staff reportedly suffering from flu-like illness should not attend office and seek medical advice from local health authorities. Such persons, if diagnosed as a suspect or confirmed case of COVID-19, should immediately inform the office authorities. Any staff requesting home quarantine based on the containment zone activities in their residential areas should be permitted to work from home.
• When one or few persons who share a room or close office space are found to be suffering from symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, the ill person must be placed in a room or area where they are isolated from others at the workplace.
• A mask or face cover must be provided till they are examined by a doctor. This must be reported to concerned Central or State Health Authorities and Helpline 1075 should be immediately informed. A risk assessment will be undertaken by the designated Public Health Authority and further advice shall be made regarding management of case, the contacts and need for disinfection.
• The Rapid Response Team of the district shall be requisitioned and will undertake the listing of contacts. The necessary actions for contact tracing and disinfection of the workplace will start once the report of the patient is received as positive. The report will be expedited for this purpose.
• If there are large numbers of contacts from a pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic case, there could be a possibility of a cluster emerging in the workplace setting. If there are one or two cases reported, the disinfection procedure will be limited to places and areas visited by the patient in the past 48 hours.There is no need to close the entire office building or halt work in other areas of the office and work can be resumed after disinfection.
• However, if there is a larger outbreak, the entire building will have to be closed for 48 hours after thorough disinfection. All the staff will work from home, till the building is adequately disinfected and is declared fit for re-occupation
16. Chhattisgarh: Anganwadi workers to visit every household to collect health-related information in view of COVID-19
• In Chhattisgarh, Anganwadi workers and assistants will visit every household to collect health-related information of the people. The State Government gave the instruction in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 positive cases following return of migrant workers.
• After the data collected by the Anganwadi workers, the health check-up of suspected patients would be ensured by the Health Department.
• The Anganwadi workers have played an important role under Suposhan Abhiyan in distributing the ready-to-eat food items and dry ration to the beneficiaries at their homes during lockdown.
17. ICMR tests 24,04,267 coronavirus samples so far
• The Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMR has said that a total 94,325 samples of coronavirus were tested in the last 24 hours. The total number of tests reached to 21,34,277 in the country.
• Meanwhile, ICMR is continuously scaling up its testing facilities for Covid-19 by giving approval to government and private laboratories. As of now, 362 government laboratories and 149 private laboratory chains have been given approval to conduct the test for Covid-19.
18. Nepal approves new political map including India’s Kalapani, Lipulekh as its territory
• Amidst the border dispute with India, Nepal’s cabinet has accepted a new political map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura under its territory.
• India and Nepal are at a dispute after the Indian side released its new political map on 2 November 2019, which covers above three areas in Indian territory.
• India and Nepal share a 1,800-km open border. Nepal claims all territories east of the Kali river, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh, under the Treaty of Sugauli that it signed with the erstwhile British administration in 1816.
19. JK govt promotes e-learning under Samagra Shiksha to facilitate students during lockdown
• The Jammu and Kashmir government has initiated a slew of measures under its Samagra Shiksha programme to facilitate students with complete access to education through technological interventions and other viable means in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic all educational institutes have been closed and the government initiated the process of online or virtual classes, an official spokesman said.
• In order to maintain the continuity of education delivery to students several steps are being taken.
• Free laptops are being distributed among resource rooms and braille tactile readers to the visually impaired, the spokesman said. The government has also started a career portal for students.
• 2500 tabs were distributed among students during the lockdown period.
20. Union Finance Minister announces several initiatives to boost Education Sector
• Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has announced several initiatives to boost education sector,on 17th May in New Delhi.
• She announced the immediate set of initiatives in this direction includes:
PM e-VIDYA
• A comprehensive initiative called PM e-VIDYA will be launched which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education.
• This will enable multi-mode access to education, and includes: DIKSHA (one nation-one digital platform) which will now become the nation’s digital infrastructure for providing quality e-content in school education for all the states/UTs; TV (one class-one channel) where one dedicated channel per grade for each of the classes 1 to 12 will provide access to quality educational material: SWAYAM online courses in MOOCS format for school and higher education; IITPAL for IITJEE/NEET preparation; Air through Community radio and CBSE Shiksha Vani podcast; and study material for the differently abled developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube.
• This will benefit nearly 25 crore school going children across the country.
MANODARPAN INITIATIVE
• The Manodarpan initiative is being launched to provide such support through a website, a toll-free helpline, national directory of counselors, interactive chat platform, etc.
• This initiative will benefit all school going children in the country, along with their parents, teachers and the community of stakeholders in school education.
LIBERALISING ONLINE LEARNING
• Government is expanding e-learning in higher education–by liberalizing open, distance and online education regulatory framework.
• Top 100 universities will start online courses.
• Also, online components in conventional Universities and ODL programmes will also be raised from present 20% to 40%. This will provide enhanced learning opportunities to nearly 7 crore students across different colleges and Universities.
NEW NATIONAL CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGICAL FRAMEWORK
• There is a need to promote critical thinking, creative and communication skills, along with experiential and joyful learning for the students focussing on learning outcomes.
• The curriculum must be rooted in the Indian ethos and integrated with global skill requirements.
• Therefore, it has been decided to prepare a new National Curriculum and Pedagogical Framework for school education, teacher education and early childhood stage to prepare students and future teachers as per global benchmarks.
NATIONAL FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY MISSION
• A National Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission will be launched, for ensuring that every child in the country necessarily attains foundational literacy and numeracy in Grade 3.
• For this, teacher capacity building, a robust curricular framework, engaging learning material – both online and offline, learning outcomes and their measurement indices, assessment techniques, tracking of learning progress, etc. will be designed to take it forward in a systematic fashion.
• This mission will cover the learning needs of nearly 4 crore children in the age group of 3 to 11 years.
21. Biometric attendance to continue to be suspended during lockdown 4.0: Govt
• Government has said that Biometric attendance will continue to be suspended during the fourth phase of the lockdown.
• The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has issued guidelines on regulation of attendance in government offices to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
• All officers of the level of Deputy Secretary and above shall attend office on all working days.
• For regulating the attendance of officers and staff below the level of Deputy Secretary, all Heads of the Department shall prepare a roster to ensure that 50 percent of officers and staff attend office on every alternate day.
• Those officers or staff who are not required to attend office on a particular day shall work from home and should be available on telephone and electronic means of communications at all times.
• The Ministry said, all Heads of the Department shall also ensure that the 50 percent officers and staff who attend office observe staggered timings. First shift - 9:00 AM to 5.30 P.M, second shift - 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM and the third shift between 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM
22. Cyclone Amphan intensifies into super cyclone, causes massive destruction in West Bengal and Odisha
• Extremely severe cyclonic storm Amphan over the west and central parts of Bay of Bengal had intensified into a super cyclone with wind speed above 200 kmph (kilometres per hour).
• Cyclone Amphan is the strongest cyclone to hit West Bengal in 100 years that destroyed mud houses and agriculture crops, and uprooted trees and electric poles also wreaked havoc in Odisha damaging power and telecom infrastructure in several coastal districts. Odisha government officials estimated it has affected around 44.8 lakh people in the State.
• The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) reviewed the rescue and relief operations in West Bengal and Odisha at a meeting in Delhi and was told that minimal loss of lives was reported due to accurate forecast by the IMD and timely deployment of NDRF troops.
• Headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the NCMC was told by the chief secretaries of West Bengal and Odisha that timely and accurate forecast by the IMD and advance deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) facilitated in evacuation of about five lakh people in West Bengal and about two lakh in Odisha.
• This has resulted in minimal loss of human lives, considering the fact that the intensity of the Amphan was next only to that of the super cyclone that struck Odisha in 1999 causing large scale devastation.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee conducted an aerial survey of the affected regions to take stock of the trail of destruction left behind by severe cyclonic storm Amphan in West Bengal.
• The PM announced interim financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for West Bengal and assured that the Centre and state are working together to provide all possible help to people.
• PM Modi conducted an aerial survey of areas affected by Cyclone Amphan in Odisha. CM Naveen Patnaik & Guv Ganeshi Lal also accompanied. Financial assistance of Rs 500 Cr announced for the state, ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to next of kin of deceased&Rs 50,000 to seriously injured.
• Scientists at Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said this is the first time that super cyclones have been recorded in two consecutive years — Kyarr (2019) and now Amphan -- and this could be linked to higher sea surface temperatures in both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
• This is the first super cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal after the 1999 super cyclone, which impacted coastal Odisha and killed over 9,000 people. There was a super cyclone, called Kyarr, in the Arabian Sea last October and was concentrated only in the ocean. However, Kyarr did not claim any human life. Odisha also faced nature’s wrath last May in the form of cyclone Fani.
23. New Delhi supplied COVID-19 related essential medicines to 123 countries: Dr Harsh Vardhan
• Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan participated in the 73rd World Health Assembly through video conference and highlighted the timely, graded and proactive measures taken by India towards COVID management.
• India undertook the COVID-19 challenge with the highest level of political commitment.
• India took all necessary steps well in time, including surveillance at points of entry, evacuation of nationals stranded overseas, massive community surveillance through a robust disease surveillance network, and strengthening of health infrastructure.
• Dr Harsh Vardhan urged upon all Governments, industry and philanthropy to prioritize the long term and pool their resources, to ensure everyone benefits.
• India is playing a key role in fostering bilateral and regional partnerships.
• Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has supplied essential medicines to 123 nations as an expression of solidarity.
24. Coir Geo textiles accepted as good material for rural road construction
• Coir Geo textiles, a permeable fabric, natural, strong, highly durable, resistant to rots, moulds and moisture, free from any microbial attack, has finally been accepted as a good material for rural road construction.
• A communication from the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency under the Ministry of Rural Development, said, Coir Geo textiles will be used for construction of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, PMGSY-III.
• The decision will give a big boost to the coir industry especially in these difficult times of COVID-19 pandemic.
• As per the PMGSY new technology guidelines for road construction, 15 per cent length in each batch of proposals, is to be constructed using new technologies. Out of this 5 per cent roads are to be constructed using IRC accredited technology. The IRC has now accredited coir Geo textiles for construction of rural roads.
• As per these instructions, 5 per cent length of the rural roads under PMGSY-III will be constructed using Coir Geo textiles.
• Accordingly 164 kilometers of road will be constructed using coir geo textiles in Andhra Pradesh, 151 kilometers in Gujarat, 71 kilometers in Kerala , 328 kilometers in Maharashtra, 470 kilometers in Odisha, 369 kilometers in Tamil Nadu and 121 kilometers in Telangana. One thousand 6 hundred 74 kilometers road will be constructed using Coir Geo textiles in seven states for which there will be a requirement of One Crore Square meters of coir Geo-textiles, estimated cost of which would come to 70 Crore rupees.
• The decision opens up a huge market potential for Coir Geo-textiles in the Country and will be a boon to the Covid-19 hit Coir Industry.
25. J&K starts an initiative ‘SUKOON' - COVID-19 Beat the Stress
• In order to spread awareness about the psychological impact of lockdown and measures to be adopted to overcome them, Department of Information and Public Relations, J&K has started an initiative 'SUKOON' - COVID-19 Beat the Stress".
• The programme will be telecast on Doordarshan Kashir Channel every Tuesday at 9.00 PM during which psychiatrists, eminent doctors and scientists will share their knowledge on psychological health and how to keep the mind anxiety free and the measures which people can adopt to keep stress level under control.
• The aim is to ensure that people stay mentally fit and cope with the fears related to COVID-19 with a sound mind.
• This initiative is in line with the growing concern that COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged lockdown has resulted in tremendous stress among various sections of the society.
• Parents, caregivers and children are the greatest victims of lockdown as they grapple with restricted movement and not being allowed to meet with friends and socialize.
• J&K is also looking at telecasting such programmes on a daily basis to reach out to the people of the UT.
26. Centre launches scheme to solarise entire Konark Temple, Konark town
• The central government has launched a scheme for solarisation of Konark Sun Temple and Konark town in Odisha.
• The scheme aims for 100 per cent solarisation of Konark sun temple and Konark town.
• The scheme envisages a 10-megawatt (MW) grid-connected solar project and various solar off-grid applications such as solar trees and solar drinking water kiosks.
• The MNRE has taken up the complete solarisation of Konark Sun Temple and Konark town in Odisha.
• The Government of India launched the scheme with an objective to take forward Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)’s vision to develop the historical Sun temple town of Konark in Odisha as ‘Surya Nagri’, to convey a message of synergy between the modern use of solar energy and the ancient Sun Temple and the importance of promoting solar energy.
• The scheme envisages setting up of the 10-MW grid connected solar project and various solar off-grid applications such as solar trees, solar drinking water kiosks and off-grid solar power plants with battery storage, with a 100 percent central financial assistance (CFA) support of around Rs. 25 crore from the Government of India through the MNRE.
• Implementation of this project will be done by the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA).
• The scheme will meet all the energy requirements of Konark town with solar energy.
27. AI-powered mobile app National Test Abhyas launched for mock tests for JEE Main, NEET 2020
• Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched a new Artificial Intelligence-powered mobile app called the ‘National Test Abhyas' for mock tests for JEE Main, NEET 2020.
• NTA has developed the AI-powered app to allow the aspiring candidates to take mock tests for upcoming exams under the purview NTA.
• The app has been launched to facilitate candidates’ access to high quality mock tests in the safety and comfort of their homes since there was a demand for making up the loss to students due to closure of educational institutions and NTA’s Test-Practice Centers (TPCs) due to the continuing lockdown.
• With this facility for the students, India has taken the lead in restoring a semblance of normalcy in one more crucial area –test preparations – even as we tackle these unprecedented times that have led to significant changes in life around the world.
• The free of cost app can be used by students across the country to access high quality tests. The tests are easily downloadable and can be completed off-line too.
• This timely launch is designed to ensure that no student is left behind in getting exposure to practice testing, especially when Student’s loss due to closure of educational institutions is to be compensated and NTA’s Test-Practice Centers are shut due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
• The app will make available practice tests on smartphones or computers for all students in India irrespective of their level of access to devices and quality of network. The app also has an offline mode where students, on downloading the mock tests, can attempt the test without the internet. The app works on Android-based smartphones and tablets and can be downloaded from Google Play Store. The app will be soon available on iOS,
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
1. WHO to initiate independent review of its handling of coronavirus pandemic
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it will initiate an independent review into its handling of the coronavirus pandemic at the earliest appropriate moment.
• Speaking at the World Health Assembly, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said WHO is committed to transparency and will therefore facilitate an independent review of its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
• More than 100 countries including India backed a resolution drafted by the European Union calling for an independent inquiry into the pandemic, which has claimed more than 3 lakh lives globally so far.
• The WHO DG's comments come against the backdrop of mounting criticism against both the WHO and China over their alleged roles in allowing covid-19 to develop into a pandemic.
• US President Donald Trump has fiercely questioned the WHO’s performance in handling the pandemic and led international criticism of China’s handling of the early stages of the crisis.
2. USA to make an exit from the Open Skies Treaty (OST)
• The United States of America (USA) has announced that it will exit the Open Skies Treaty (OST) due to continuous violation of the treaty by Russia and changes in the security environment.
• It blamed Russia for restricting US flyovers in neighbouring Georgia and its military enclave in Kaliningrad (Russia).
• Russia misused its flights over the US and Europe to identify critical infrastructure for potential attack in a time of war.
• Russia intends to annex the Crimean peninsula and has designated an Open Skies refueling airfield in the region.
• Russia has denied the allegations and warned that the withdrawal will affect the interests of all of 35 participating countries.
• The treaty was signed in 1992 and came into effect in 2002.
• USA expects to formally pull out of Open Skies in six months.
3. Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine first to show Positive Response
• Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine becomes the first in the world to show positive results by generating immune response against the SARS-CoV-2 Virus (COVID-19).
• The 'mRNA-1273' vaccine has been developed by US-based Biotechnology firm Moderna Inc in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• It injects mRNA into the human body to generate an immune response against the virus.
• The people, who were injected with mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine, produced antibodies that were able to stop the reproduction of the virus, one of the key requirements for a promising coronavirus treatment. The levels of these neutralising antibodies in volunteers was similar to the levels found in patients who recovered from the Coronavirus.
ECONOMY, BUSINESS AND DEFENCE NEWS
1. Finance Minister announces fifth and final tranche of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package
• The Union Finance Ministry announced the fifth and the final tranche of the Rs 20 lakh crore Atmanirbhar Bharat stimulus package. The final tranche mainly allocated an additional Rs 40,000 crore to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment (MGNREGA) budget estimate to ensure that migrants do not face unemployment amid the nationwide lockdown, and a viability gap funding of more than Rs 8,000 crore.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced a new public sector policy that allows the involvement of private companies in all sectors.
• In addition to this, new reforms in the health sector, including setting up of infectious diseases hospital blocks in all districts, reforms in online education, decriminalisation of Companies Act defaults, enhancement of ease of doing business through IBC-related measures was also announced.
• The Centre has increased the borrowing limits of states from 3 per cent to 5 per cent for 2020-21, giving the states an extra resource of Rs 4.28 lakh crore.
• The first tranche of the economic package focused extensively on supporting MSMEs that have been worst hit by the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.
• The second tranche focused on measures for economic revival focuses on migrant workers, small farmers, tribals and street vendors.
• The agriculture sector was the focal point of the third tranche, while the fourth one consisted of a set of reforms for the coal, minerals, defence production, civil aviation, power distribution, space and atomic energy sectors.
2. India becomes second largest supplier of PPE in world
• Starting from practically nothing, India has now become the world’s largest supplier of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in just 60 days.
• In two months, the industry has grown 56 times. Over 600 companies in India are certified to produce PPE and the country today manufactures 4.5 lakh pieces of PPE a day.
• India is now well-positioned to seize a share of the global market, which will be $60 billion by 2025, according to a report on ‘Personal Protective Equipment in India: A ₹7,000-crore industry in the making’, produced by Invest India, a company set up by the Indian government for investment facilitation.
• PPE includes goggles, face-shields, masks (surgical and N-95), gloves (surgical and examination), coveralls and gowns, head cover and shoe cover. There are three broad customer categories for these products—industrial (for workers), healthcare (for doctors, nurses and attendants) and general consumers.
• The authors of the report, Mishika Nayyar and Remya Lakshmanan Strategic Investment Research Unit, Invest India, say that India has an inventory of 15.96 lakh PPE kits and another 2.22 crore kits are being manufactured against firm orders by the industry.
• The report notes that Bengaluru has become a major PPE hub where half the production happens. The rest of it is spread across the country—Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Ludhiana, Bhiwandi, Kolkata, Noida and Gurugram.
• The textile biggies, such as Arvind Mills, JCT Mills and Welspun, are all into this business now. Businesses are gearing themselves up for an explosive growth in the market.
• Not only the private industries, but even the Railways, Navy and Ordnance factories are now into PPE manufacturing.
• The Navy, for instance, is making PPEs with fabric that allows air flow through it, a product tested and approved by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Services (INMAS), part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation. As for railways, over 17 of its workshops are committed to producing PPEs.
• The Invest India report says that for India to milk this opportunity, the country would need to “re-evaluate” some of the current bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
3. KVIC Develops Double Layered Khadi Masks; Bags Large Quantity Orders
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has successfully developed a double layered Khadi mask and has procured orders for supplying it in large quantities.
• To add to its success, KVIC has recently bagged an order to supply 7.5 lakh pieces of Khadi Masks to Jammu & Kashmir Government alone in which 5 lakh masks will be supplied to Jammu district, one lakh forty thousand to Pulwama district, one lakh to Udhampur district and 10,000 to Kupwara district.
• These masks will be supplied to assist Development Commissioners of these districts by April 20. Cotton reusable mask will be of 7 inches (length) by 9 inches (breadth) with three pleats, four strips at corner for tying.
• Currently, the Khadi Stitching Center at Nagrotta near Jammu has been turned into a Mask stitching center, which is producing 10,000 masks per day, while the rest of the orders are being distributed amongst various Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Khadi institutions in and around Srinagar.
• In one meter Khadi fabric 10 double layered masks will be made. In order to make 7.5 Lakh masks, around 75,000 meters of Khadi fabric will be used, this will further enhance livelihoods opportunities to the Khadi Artisans.
• Since J&K khadi institutions are producing only woolen fabric, cotton fabric for masks is procured from Haryana and UP khadi institutions and being dispatched by taking special permission from the district authorities.
4. Tripura gets its first international waterway with River Gomti approved as Indo-Bangla protocol route
• Tripura got its first ever international waterway as five new protocol routes were announced between India and its eastern neighbour Bangladesh.
• Sonamura-Daudkandi route on Tripura’s River Gomti and Rajshahi-Dhulian-Rajshahi routes were added to the list of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) routes signed between the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and Bangladesh Shipping Secretary Md. Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury in Dhaka.
• The Protocol on Transit and Trade (PTT) through inland waterways was first signed between the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India in 1972.
• The Protocol was last renewed in 2015 for five years with a provision for automatic renewal and further five years of long term assurance to stakeholders.
• The Protocol parameters were revised in the second addendum signed with inclusion of new routes and declaration of a host of new Ports of Call to facilitate trade between both the countries.At present, there are 10 Indo-Bangla Protocol routes.
• As per the revised protocol, a 93 km stretch of River Gomti in Tripura’s Sepahijala district connecting Sonamura on the Indian side and Daudkandi in Bangladesh and Rajhahi-Dhulian route would be in effect. While the Sonamura-Daudkhandi route is expected to improve connectivity between Tripura, Bangladesh and nearby Indian states, operationalising the Rajshahi-Dhulian route is expected to augment infrastructure in Bangladesh and reduce export cost from India.
• The protocol revision also approved five new ports of call between the two nations. These are Dhulian, Maia, Kolaghat, Sonamura and Jogigopha on the Indian side and Rajshahi, Sultanganj, Chilmari, Daudkandi and Bahadurabad on Bangladesh side while two more extended Ports of Call were also included at Tribeli (West Bengal), Badarpur (Assam) on Indian side and Ghorasal, Muktarpur on Bangladesh side.
• While India and Bangladesh share a good history of border trade since 1999, the new route on River Gomti would provide greater scope and potential.
5. Army’s only cavalry unit to replace horses with tanks
• The Indian Army’s only mounted cavalry regiment is set to say goodbye to its horses, with the government approving a proposal to equip the 61st Cavalry with tanks.
• The famous 61st Cavalry is being converted into a regular armoured regiment on the basis of a recommendation made by the Lieutenant General DB Shekatkar (retd) committee in a report on sharpening the army’s combat edge and trimming its revenue expenditure
• Three independent squadrons of other regiments are being amalgamated under the headquarters of the 61st Cavalry to form the new tank unit.
• The regiment’s 300-odd horses (200 in Jaipur and around 100 with a squadron of 61st Cavalry in Delhi) will become part of a new equestrian node.
• Lieutenant General Shekatkar, who headed the 11-member expert committee named after him, said the recommendation to mechanise the 61st Cavalry was taken after scrutinising the track record of the unit.
• It has not taken part in any operation during the last 25 years. Nowhere in the world is playing polo or taking part in equestrian sports the main occupation of any army unit. It’s in the army’s best interests that it (the unit) operates tanks instead of horses.
• The President’s Bodyguard, also a mounted unit, has the well-defined role of performing ceremonial duties for the country’s President. The decision to mechanise the mounted regiment, steeped in tradition and sporting history, has evoked mixed reactions. While some in the army argue that the regiment’s military heritage should have been preserved, others counter that it makes more sense to assign the 61st Cavalry an operational role rather than limiting it to ceremonial functions and sporting events.
• The 61st Cavalry was raised in Jaipur in October 1953 by putting together mounted elements of cavalry regiments of the erstwhile princely states of India.
• Rich in sporting history, the regiment accounts for one Padma Shri, 10 Arjuna Awards, 11 Asian Games medals and a raft of representations at the Polo World Cup and international equestrian competitions. It has been a part of the annual Republic Day parade for several decades.
6. Army to launch 3-year ‘tour of duty’ proposal
• Tour of Duty allows civilians of the country to join the Indian Army for three years and serve the country as an army soldier.
• The proposal is yet under process but it has certainly gained a lot of popularity. This could be a great opportunity for those who would like to experience the work of a soldier without actually pursuing it as a career.
• The proposal of Tour of Duty is an effort made by the Indian Army to attract the best talent that the country has towards the Indian armed forces.
• Tour of Duty will be launched with around 100 vacancies for officers and 1000 for jawans. This ‘course’ set up by the Indian Army will help with the improvement of self-confidence, teamwork, initiative, stress management, innovation and a sense of responsibility. If it is a successful venture, the number of vacancies will be increased.
• The Tour of Duty officer level has a salary of ₹ 80000 to ₹ 90000 per month. While the youth of India will gain benefits from the scheme, even the Army will face some significant financial gain. In comparison to a soldier who serves the minimum tenure in the army, i.e. 10-14 years depending upon their role, the cost of a ToD officer for three years would be just ₹ 80 to ₹ 85 Lakhs. On the other hand, short-tenured officers’ expenses are around ₹ 5.12 crores and ₹ 6.83 crores.
7. WAG 12B-First 12,000 HP electric locomotive joins network
• The first WAG12B (12000 HP) locomotive, manufactured under government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative recently departed from the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya railway station in Uttar Pradesh.
• The 12,000 HP electric locomotive, a first for Indian Railways, has been manufactured as well as assembled at Alstom’s factory in Madhepura, located in the state of Bihar. The national transporter got the locomotive from Alstom as part of a 3.5 billion euros ‘Make in India’ deal.
• The WAG12B (12000 HP) freight locomotive is powerful and is capable of high speed, thus, it is a significant addition to the Indian Railways network.
• The train departed with WAG/12B-60027 at a speed of 100 Kmph from DDU at 2:08 PM in long haul formation for Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction-Barwadih Junction (BRWD) section of DDU and DHN divisions of East Central Railway zone.
• In Indian Railways bid to go green and reduce the carbon footprint, the WAG12B (12000 HP) locomotive marks a significant milestone.
• The WAG12-class locos will be used to power trains on Indian Railways’ Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) and conventional corridors.
• The project which is a joint venture of the national transporter and Alstom, involves the manufacturing of as many as 800 fully electric super-powered double-section locomotives as well as their maintenance for over a period of 11 years. So far, eight such locomotives have been rolled out, while the others will be rolled out on an annual basis.
• During its trial run, the locomotive achieved a maximum speed of 120 km per hour. It has a hauling power of up to 6,000 tonnes. The electric loco makes use of low voltage cables as well as, it has LED lamps, making it a “green loco”.
• The locomotive can withstand India’s extreme heat and humidity as well. Equipped with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT)-based propulsion technology, the electric locomotive will lead to savings in the consumption of energy due to the use of regenerative braking.
8. Cabinet approves extension of ‘Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana’ but interest lowered
• The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Extension of Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) up to 31st March 2023 and other changes for the welfare of and to enable old age income security for Senior Citizens.
• The government has fixed its annual rate of return at 7.4% for financial year 2020-21.
• Launched in 2017, Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) offers a guaranteed payout of pension to senior citizens every month. The scheme can be purchased offline as well as online, through Life Insurance Corp. of India. Senior citizens have time till March 31 to invest in Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana which provides higher return than any bank.
DAYS AND EVENTS
1. May 21: International Tea Day
• Tea is a beverage made from the Camellia sinensis plant. Tea is the world’s most consumed drink, after water.
• The first International Tea Day was celebrated virtually and was opened by FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu. It brought together the world’s countries where tea cultivation is an important source of jobs and incomes.
• The proposal was made by India at the International Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Intergovernmental Group meeting held in Milan 4 years ago.
• The day is observed primarily with a view to increasing consumption of tea. The UN has said tea has medicinal value and has a potential of bringing health benefits to people.
• In 2019, the United Nations (UN) recognised the importance of one of the world’s oldest beverages.
• The reason for the UN celebrating May 21 as International Tea Day is that the season of tea production begins in May in most of the tea producing countries.
2. 21 May-Anti-Terrorism Day
• Anti Terrorism Day 2020 is observed on 21st May every year in India.
• The day marks the death anniversary of India’s seventh Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May 1991.
• He was killed in Tamil Nadu in a campaign by the Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) a terrorist group. After this assassination, V.P. Singh government has decided to observe 21st May as Anti Terrorism Day.
• Anti Terrorism Day is observed to provide knowledge to the youth about terrorism, its impact on human suffering and lives. This day also makes people aware of an anti-social act of terrorism.
3. 20-May World Wildlife Day
• On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 3 March – the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973 – as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants.
• The UNGA resolution also designated the CITES Secretariat as the facilitator for the global observance of this special day for wildlife on the UN calendar.
• World Wildlife Day has now become the most important global annual event dedicated to wildlife.
• The theme of World Wildlife Day 2020 is “Sustaining all life on Earth".
• The year 2020 is also known as a "biodiversity super year" and will host various major global events that focus on biodiversity at the forefront of the global sustainable development agenda.
4. 20 May-World Bee Day
• To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day.
• The goal is to strengthen measures aimed at protecting bees and other pollinators, which would significantly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eliminate hunger in developing countries.
• It marks the birthday anniversary of beekeeping pioneer Anton Janša.
• Due to COVID-19 pandemic, a virtual event was held under the theme “Bee Engaged”.
SPORTS NEWS
1. ICC set to impose rules pertaining to match-ball-No to saliva, yes to sweat
• The ICC Cricket Committee headed by Anil Kumble banned saliva use to shine the ball.
• Also, non-neutral umpires made a coronavirus-forced return for all international matches.
• The ICC says changes to regulations have been brought in to “to mitigate the risks posed by the COVID-19 virus and protect the safety of players and match officials”.
• With regards to the saliva ban, the Cricket Committee acted on ICC Medical Advisory Committee chair Dr. Peter Harcourt’s advice. The regulation to ban saliva to shine the ball has been put in place because spitting on the ball elevates the risk of virus transmission.
• Players can use sweat to polish the ball.This is in accordance with the guidelines issued by WHO and the Johns Hopkins University. Both omit sweat as a transmitting agent of the virus.
• International matches can go ahead with all non-neutral match officials. For example, if the West Indies tour England in July for a three-Test series, the matches will be officiated by local umpires. The ICC, though, says this is a short-term measure because of the COVID-19 crisis.
• The Cricket Committee has recommended the change keeping an eye on international travel restrictions, closed borders and mandatory quarantine periods.
• As a back-up, the Cricket Committee has recommended that “an additional DRS review per team per innings is introduced” across formats as an interim measure. All recommendations of the Cricket Committee will be presented before the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee in early June for approval.
PEOPLE IN NEWS
1. Marathi writer Ratnakar Matkari died at 81.
• Veteran Marathi writer and playwright Ratnakar Matkari passed away at the age of 81.
• Considered a pioneer of the children's drama movement in Marathi. Matkari had tested coronavirus positive last week, the official said.
• From story books for kids to plays, his work in Marathi literature was phenomenal.
AWARDS
1. Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar wins Alexander Dalrymple Award 2019
• India’s Chief Hydrographer of Indian Naval Hydrographic, Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar has been awarded the Alexander Dalrymple Award 2019.
• This award is given to him for his outstanding contribution to Indian hydrography and across the broader Indian Ocean region. The award was presented by the UK Ministry of Defence.
• The recipients of the award are selected by the chief Committee of the UK Hydrographic Office(UKHO) for his or her efforts in raising the standards of hydrography, cartography and navigation around the world.
