Current Affairs 25 April 2020

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 25 April 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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Top 20 Current Affairs of 25 April 2020

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

PM Modi launches e-Gram Swaraj portal & Swamitva Scheme on Panchayati raj day

On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day on 24^th of April 2020, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Damodardas Modi has launched the Swamitva Scheme as a pilot mode in 6 states (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana and Uttarakhand ) as well as an integrated e-Gramswaraj Portal & Mobile app for accelerating the pace of development in India’s villages….Click here to Read More

Govt reconstituted National Shipping Board; to be headed by ex DG Shipping Malini Shankar

The Ministry of Shipping has given its consent for the reconstitution of the 16-member National Shipping Board (NSB), the highest advisory body on matters related to Indian shipping and its development or other matters arising out of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

• The reconstituted board will be headed by former Director General of Shipping Malini Shankar.

The members of NSB include:
-DG Shipping: Amitabh Kumar
-Joint Secretary Shipping: Satinder Pal Singh,
-National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) representative: Abdulgani Serang,
-Maritime Union of India (MUI) representative: Amar Singh Thakur
-Indian National Shipowners’ Association (INSA) representative: Anil Devli.
-Indian Coastal Conference Shipping Association (ICCSA) member: Aditya Suklikar
-International Maritime Federation (IMF) representative: Capt Sanjya Prashar
-Coastal Container Transporters Association (CCTA) representative: Rahul Modi
-Federation of Indian Exporters’ Organisation (FIEO) representative: Ajay Shah
-Association of Multimodal Transporters of India (AMTOI) representative: Shantanu   Bhadkamkar
-Capt Piyush Sinha
-Balasubramaniam
-Ishwar Achanta
-One representative each of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, not below the rank of Directors
About Ministry of Shipping:
Minister of State (MoS)– Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya
Departments– Directorate General of Shipping

FDI policy, 2017 amended under FEMA, 1999

In exercise of the powers conferred by clauses (aa) and (ab) of sub-section (2) of section 46 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, the Central Government amended the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 by which changes in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, 2017….Click here to Read More

Uttar Pradesh becomes the 1st state with a software based in-house facility of virtual courts

i.Uttar Pradesh(UP) becomes the 1st state with a software based in-house facility of virtual courts, where a requisite infrastructure in Allahabad High Court and all district courts of Uttar Pradesh to hear cases through video conferencing.
ii.The courts can conduct multiple court proceedings through virtual courts within the court premises without any internet connection….Click here to Read More

Government freezed DA & DR for 1.1 crore employees & pensioners: COVID-19

i.The central government has frozen the Dearness Allowance (DA) & Dearness Relief (DR), an inflation-linked allowance to its 1.1 crore employees & pensioners respectively due from January 1, 2020 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
ii.The additional instalment of DA and DR due from July 1, 2020, and January 1, 2021, will not be paid….Click here to Read More

Govt to suspend 3 sections of IBC, 2016 upto 1yr to avoid insolvency proceedings amid COVID-19

i.This will act as a relief measure for corporate borrowers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as pave the way for banks to restructure loans.
ii.An ordinance would be promulgated to suspend three sections of IBC viz. Section 7, 9 and 10 for six months, if the current situation continues beyond April 30, 2020, and the suspension time can be extended up to one year based on the economic situation.
iii.The effective date of the amendments coming into force would be the date of promulgation of the ordinance….Click here to Read More

Pralhad Joshi sets 710 MT coal production target for Coal India Limited in FY 20-21

On April 22, 2020, Union Minister of Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi has set the target for Coal India Limited (CIL) to produce 710 million tonnes (MT) of coal for FY 2020-2021. The decision has been taken on the lines of achieving 1 billion tonne (BT) coal production by year 2023-24 and also the demand of coal will be accelerated after coronavirus lockdown.

• The Over Burden (OB) removal target for FY 20-21 was set at 1580 million cubic meters. OB removal refers to the removal of top soil to expose the coal seams making them ready for mining.
• The minister has set the targets for CIL while reviewing its performance through video conference.

CIL has also been instructed to provide quality coal with yearlong availability to all consumers. It will also formulate a detailed plan to substitute the import of coal.

Virtual interactive session with Health Ministers of member countries of World Health Organization (WHO) held: Harsh Vardhan participates

On April 23, 2020, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), participated in the Virtual interactive session with Health Ministers of member countries of World Health Organization (WHO) on the measures being taken against the battle of COVID-19. India was first to respond to COVID-19 and stands on a better footing than the rest of the world….Click here to Read More

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India participates in SAARC health ministers virtual conference hosted by Pakistan

i.India participated in The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) health ministers virtual conference hosted by Pakistan to promote great regional cooperation to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
ii.SAARC countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the health sector, especially in the context of efforts to combat the virus at the regional level….Click here to Read More

BANKING & FINANCE

World Bank approved Rs 585 cr for Himachal Pradesh State Roads Transformation Project (HPSRTP)

i.Under tranche-I of HPSRTP, Road construction work of Barotiwala-Baddi-Sain-Ramshehar with length of 45 kms, Dadol-Ladraurr Road with length of 14.5 kms, Mandi- Riwalsar-Kalkhar of length 28 kms and Raghunathpura-Mandi- Harpura-Bharari road with length of 3.5 kms would be undertaken.
ii.Also, the construction of 4,960-km roads has been fixed under Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojna (PMGSY) for FY 2020-21 for which financial allocation of Rs 1,666 crore had been made.
iii.For FY 19-20 the state govt’s target was to construct 900 kilometres road length but only 800-km was achieved as works were halted due to Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown….Click here to Read More

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance in partnership with GOQii launches ‘BAGIC GOQii Co-pay Option’

i.Bajaj Allianz General Insurance launched a preventive healthcare platform ‘BAGIC GOQii Co-pay Option’ in partnership with a smart health company GOQii under the regulatory sandbox approval from IRDAI.
ii.Objective of the product is to reward the customers with a healthy lifestyle in the form of co-pay deduction in their health insurance policy named  Health Ensure policy….Click here to Read More

Special Liquidity Scheme for MSMEs launched: SIDBI

i.The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has launched special liquidity schemes to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) due to lockdown because of  the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
ii.The schemes will cover all eligible entities with investment-grade ratings irrespective of the entity’s size & the quantum of the loans is 90 days….Click here to Read More

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS      

Panchayat Awards 2020: Jammu and Kashmir’s & Odisha’s 3 panchayats get prestigious national award

On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day on 24^th of April 2020, three Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Union Territory-UT has clinched national awards under separate categories for their outstanding performance in strengthening rural democracy….Click here to Read More

 ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS    

Ashok Leyland acquired 3.36% share in subsidiary Hinduja Leyland Finance

Ashok Leyland Ltd under the flagship of Hinduja Groups has acquired 3.36% which is 1.57 crore shares of Rs.10 of the equity of its subsidiary Hinduja Leyland Finance Ltd (HLFL). for the cost of Rs.119 per equity share.
The regulatory filings at stock exchange said that the shareholding of Ashok Leyland has gone up to 65.45% to 68.81% in the Hinduja Finance.
The proposed acquisition is at arm’s length basis and a part of the 6.99% approved by the board of directors in the meeting on 21st March. It will be completed in tranches before July 31.
About Hinduja Group:
Hinduja Group is an Indian conglomerate company based in Mumbai involved in activities like foundries, imports and exports, trading, motors, bankings, healthcare and call centers.
Headquarters– London, United Kingdom
Founder– Parmanand Hinduja
Ashok Leyland CEO– Vipin Sondhi
Hinduja Leyland Finance CEO– Sachin Pillai

Singapore’s Caladium increases stake in Bandhan Bank by 1.1pc to 4.49%

On April 21, 2020, Caladium Investment Pte Ltd, an affiliate of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC (Government of Singapore Investment Corporation), has raised its stake in India-based private sector lender Bandhan Bank by 1.1 percent from 3.39% to 4.49% through secondary market operations.
Key Points:
i.After the transaction, GIC will now holds 7.2 crore shares of Bandhan Bank.
ii.The moves shows the confidence in micro-lending business model of the bank, which posted a net profit of Rs 731 crore a year-on-year surge of 120.85% for the December 2019 quarter compared with Rs 331 crore in the same quarter in 2018.
About Bandhan Bank:
Headquarters– Kolkata, West Bengal
MD & CEO– Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
Tagline– Aapka Bhala, Sabki Bhalai

   SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA develops VITAL, a high-pressure ventilator to fight COVID-19

On April 24, 2020, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) engineers developed a new, easy-to-build high-pressure ventilator named VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally) specifically to treat COVID-19 patients.
Key Points:
i.VITAL is designed to treat patients with milder symptoms, thereby keeping the country’s limited supply of traditional ventilators available for patients with more severe COVID-19 symptoms.
ii.The device passed a critical test at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York, an epicentre of COVID-19 in the US (United States).
iii.NASA is now seeking FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval for the device via an emergency use authorization, a fast track approval process developed for crisis situations that take just days rather than years.
iv.Like all ventilators, VITAL requires patients to be sedated and an oxygen tube is inserted into their airway to breathe.
v.The NASA prototype performed as expected under a wide variety of simulated patient conditions and the team feels confident that the VITAL ventilator will be able to safely ventilate patients suffering from COVID-19 throughout the world.
About NASA:
Headquarters– Washington, D.C, United States (US).
Administrator– James Frederick Bridestine.

Iran launches its 1st military satellite, “Noor” into orbit by launch vehicle ‘Qased’

On April 22, 2020 Iran launched its 1st military satellite into orbit named  “Noor” (means ‘light’).The satellite has successfully reached an orbit of 425 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.It was launched by launch vehicle named Qased (means ‘messenger’) from a space center in Dasht-e Kavir, Iran’s largest desert bordered by Khorasan, Semnan, Tehran, Isfahan and Yazd provinces.
Key Points
i.The 3 stage satellite launch powered by a combination of solid and liquid fuels & was lifted off from Iran’s Central Desert.
ii.It comes amid the tensions between Tehran and Washington over its collapsing nuclear deal and after a United States (U.S.) drone strike killed Guard General Qassem Soleimani in January.
iii.Iran has suffered several failed satellite launches in recent months, the current failure was satellite Zafar 1 from a Simorgh rocket on February 9.
iv.The 1st civilian satellite was launched in 2009.
About Iran:
Capital– Tehran
President– Hassan Rouhani.
Currency– Iranian rial.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World day of laboratory animals 2020: April 24

The World Day of Laboratory Animals or Lab Animals Day or international day of Commemoration for Animals in Laboratories has been observed annually on April 24th with the associated “Lab Animal Week” (20th-26th April) since 1979 as a movement to end the sufferings of the animals that are used for testing in the laboratories around the world and replace them with the advanced scientific non-animal techniques….Click here to Read More

National Panchayati Raj Day 2020: April 24

National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) is observed annually on April 24 in India which is organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to mark a defining moment in the history of decentralization of political power to the grassroots level. On this day, Prime Minister (PM) Shri Narendra Modi launched the e-Gram Swaraj Portal and mobile app and the Swamitva scheme….Click here to Read More

World Immunization Week 2020: April 24-30

World Immunization Week is a global public health campaign to raise awareness and increase rates of immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases around the world.
The last week of April (24 to 30) every year is observed as World Immunisation Week in order to promote the use of vaccines for the ‘protection of people’ of all age-groups against disease….Click here to Read More

International Girls in ICT day is observed on April 23, 2020

The International Girls in ICT Day is celebrated every year on the 4^th Thursday of April. This year it is being observed on 23 April 2020​ based on the theme ‘Expand horizons, change attitudes’ with the aim to encourage girls & young women to consider careers in the path breaking field of information and communication technologies (ICT)….Click here to Read More

National Fire Service Day 2020: April 14

The National Fire Service Day is observed on April 14th since 1944 in remembrance of the 71 firemen who sacrificed their lives in the rescue operation that took place in the freighter SS Fort Stikine at the Victoria Dock of the Bombay port which resulted in the death of around 1300 people….Click here to Read More

STATE NEWS

Manipur Government commemorate Khongjom Day at War Memorial Complex on 23rd April, 2020

On 23rd April 2020, the Government of Manipur commemorated the people who sacrificed their lives in the Anglo-Manipuri War as Khongjom Day at the Khongjom War Memorial Complex which is a historical site that holds the tallest statute of Sword in the world constructed in remembrance of the people who fought in the war.
Key Points:
i.The Anglo-Manipur War in 1891 was between the british government and the kingdom of Manipur which lasted between 31st March and 27th April which ended with the British victory and crowned Meidingngu Chaurachand on 22nd September 1891.
ii.The war was fought in the Kheba hills of Khongjom in Manipur in which the soldiers fought the three side attack of the british from Silchar, Kohima and Myanmar
iii.The chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh with the cabinet ministere, MLA, civil and police officers paid their tribute at the Khongjom War Memorial at the Kheba hill and PaonaBrajabashi Statue at the foothill and offered Tarpan at Khongjom Rive.
iv.The Government of Manipur, unlike the previous years, maintained the social distancing and avoided the public gathering to avoid the danger of COVID-19 spread in this lockdown.

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