Daily Current Affairs and GK | 02 April 2020

1. Cabinet Secretary ordered all the states to conduct a speedy search of the people who came in contact with the Tablighi Jamaat

• Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has ordered the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of all the states to find out the contact tracing of the members of the Tablighi Jamaat as soon as possible.
• The incidence of COVID-19 pandemic has increased significantly due to the occurrence of such a large number of members of Tablighi Jamaat hiding in the country.
• Contact tracing - In public health, it is the process of identifying individuals who may come in contact with a person infected with a virus and potentially infect others.
• Tablighi Jamaat:
  • It is an Islamic missionary movement that insists on Muslims going back to the old Islamic culture to follow their religion.
  • It consists of practicing the life of Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and in particular rituals, dress, and personal behavior.
  • It was founded in 1926.
  • Its founder was Muhammad Ilyas Kandhalwi.

2. Ministry of Civil Aviation launched “Lifeline” Udan initiative in the country

• Recently the Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the Lifeline Udan initiative.
• The purpose of this flight is to transport medical equipment to reduce the outbreak of COVID-19 across the country.
• For this, 74 flights are being operated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• For this purpose, Air India and Indian Air Force have entered into a partnership for Ladakh, Dimapur, Imphal, Guwahati and Port Blair.
• Domestic cargo operators, Blue Dart and SpiceJet airlines are operating cargo flights on a commercial basis.

3. NPPA allowed price revision of 883 drugs

• Recently the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has approved price revision of 883 medicines in the country.
• The authority has taken this decision after the disrupted supply of the drugs (caused due to COVID-19 outbreak) became normal.
• But it has also been said that no manufacturer and importer can increase the price by more than 10% before 12 months.
• Also, the government is regulating 24 medical devices that have been notified and regulated as drugs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945.
• All medical devices will be brought under the provisions of the Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013.
• These provisions have come into effect from 1 April 2020.
• National Drug Pricing Authority (NPPA):
  • It is a government regulatory agency that regulates the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India.
  • It was established on 21 August 1997.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

4. Government has launched National Monitoring Dashboard

• Recently the government launched the National Monitoring Dashboard for complaints on COVID-19.
• This board has been developed and implemented by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• This board will monitor complaints at a senior level in the government on a daily basis.
• Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) is a nodal agency that deals with administrative reforms as well as redressal of grievances of both the state and central government agencies.

5. India and China complete 70 years of diplomatic relations

• Recently, India and China have completed 70 years of diplomatic relations.
• On this occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the President of China.
• India was Asia’s first non-Communist country to maintain diplomatic ties with China on 1 April 1950.
• But both the countries are not celebrating any festival on this occasion due to COVID-19 pandemic.
• The two countries are currently making a joint effort to create a logo for this special occasion.
• China:
  • China is a country in East Asia and the most populous country in the world. It is the fourth largest country in the world in terms of area after Russia, Canada and USA.  
  • Its capital is Beijing and the currency is Renminbi.
  • India shares a 3488 km border with China. Indian states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh share the border with China.

6. Reduction in the price of non-subsidized domestic LPG by Rs 61.50

• Recently, the price of 14.2 kg LPG cylinder(non-subsidized) has been reduced by Rs 61.50 per cylinder.
• This decrease is based on the price notification issued by Indian Oil Corporation due to the fall in international prices.
• LPG:
  • Liquefied Petroleum gas or LPG are flammable mixtures of hydrocarbon gases used as fuels.
  • The main components in it are propane and butane.

7. Ministry of Health has identified 25 hotspots of coronavirus in the country

• Recently the Ministry of Health has identified 25 hotspots of coronavirus in the country in its “COVID-19 Status Health Report”.
• The report identifies the top 25 COVID-19 hotspots in the country which includes Bengaluru Urban and Mysuru, while Chickaballapur is fast emerging as a hotspot.
• According to the data received till 31 March, Bengaluru ranks among the top seven cities of high cases, while Karnataka is among the 10 states that have more than 80% of the total COVID-19 cases in India.
• Along with this, the Ministry of Health has also identified 24 emerging COVID-19 hotspots.
• 13 new cases have been confirmed in Karnataka. So far 101 coronavirus positive cases have been identified in the state, including 3 deaths and 8 discharges.

8. Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru prepared a sample of indigenous ventilators

• Recently, scientists and students of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru have prepared a sample of indigenous ventilators.
• This effort has been made to overcome the shortage of ventilators in the fight against COVID-19 in India.
• About 6 out of 1000 people in India are estimated to need ventilators in the event of the COVID-19 crisis.
• Accordingly, for such a large population of the country, about 75,000 ventilators will be needed in an emergency.
• The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the supply of ventilators in the international market.
• Ventilator:
  • A ventilator is a machine that provides mechanical ventilation by transferring the inhaled air in and out of the lungs and eliminates the patient’s inability to breathe or the problem of insufficient breathing.
  • Ventilators are not regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940.

Topic of the Day - “Government Schemes”

1. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN)

• It is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme. It is also known as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.
• PM KISAN Yojana was launched on 24 February 2019.
• It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Recently one year of this scheme has been successfully completed.
• All states except West Bengal are implementing the scheme.
• Under this scheme, Rs. 6,000 per year is transferred by the Central Government in three equal installments of Rs. 2000, to the bank accounts of the cultivable land holding farmer family having a land holding of up to 2 hectares.
• The scheme aims to meet the financial needs of small and marginal farmers for procurement of various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields with anticipated agricultural income, at the end of each crop cycle.

2. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme

• The Ujjwala scheme was launched on May 1, 2016 in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh.
• The scheme is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• Under this scheme, free LPG connection is provided to poor families.
• Under the scheme, an adult female member of a below poverty line (BPL) family identified through the socio-economic caste census is provided free LPG connection by the central government with financial assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection.
• Also, eligible households are identified in consultation with the state governments and union territories.
• Benefits of the scheme:
  • It will ensure women’s empowerment and the protection of health.
  • It will protect young children from acute respiratory illnesses caused by indoor air pollution due to the burning of fossil fuels.
  • The use of LPG will reduce solid cooking fuels related severe health hazards. Also, rural health conditions will improve.
  • The number of deaths in India will decrease due to burning of fossil fuel.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What is the Tablighi Jamaat, which has been in the news recently?

A. Islamic Missionary Movement

B. A Mosque in Kuwait

C. An Islamic organization against Coronavirus

D. Mughal court

2. Which initiative has been initiated for the transportation of medical equipment to reduce the outbreak of COVID-19 across the country?

A. Udan Life

B. Life Udan

C. Lifeline Udan

D. Udan Namaste

3. In which year was the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority established?

A. 1987

B. 1995

C. 1997

D. 1985

4. Who has launched the National Monitoring Dashboard for complaints on COVID-19?

A. DARPG

B. NITI Aayog

C. Ministry of Home Affairs

D. NHRC

5. Which of the following Indian states does not form a border with China?

A. Uttarakhand

B. Sikkim

C. Assam

D. Arunachal Pradesh

6. What is the main component of Liquefied Petroleum Gas?

A. Propane

B. Pentene

C. Propene

D. Pentane

7. Recently which institute has prepared a prototype of the indigenous ventilator?

A. IIT, Delhi

B. IISc, Bangalore

C. DRDO

D. ISRO

Solution:

1. A

2. C

3. C

4. A

5. C

6. A

7. B