Daily Current Affairs and GK | 02 May 2020

1. Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai provided geographical indication (GI) tag

• Recently, the famous Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai of Tamil Nadu has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai is a candy made from peanuts and jaggery, garnished with pink, green and yellow dyed grated coconut.
• It is sold as single rectangular chunks, or cuboids that are sealed in packets.
• The special jiggery ‘vellam’ and water from the Thamirabarani river is used in making these candy which naturally increases its taste.
• GI Tag will now help the brand reach an international audience.

2. CSIR launched Kisan Sabha App

• Recently Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has inaugurated Kisan Sabha App.
• The purpose of this app is to join farmers to the supply chain and freight transportation management system.
• This will provide the economic and timely logistics support to the farmers and reduce the interference of middlemen.
• In addition, farmers can increase their profit margins by directly engaging with institutional buyers.
• It will also act as a single stop for each unit related to agriculture.
• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR):
  • It is India's largest research and development organization and an autonomous body.
  • Its current Director General is Shekhar C Mande.
  • It was established on 26 September 1942.

3. Central government extended the lockdown period by two weeks: Lockdown 3.0

• The central government extended the lockdown period by two weeks from May 4.
• This decision has been taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs after extensive review of the condition of corona infection in the country.
• The government has divided the districts of the country into Red, Orange and Green zones on the basis of risk.
• Green zone, in which no corona patients have been reported so far or in the last 21 days.
• Red zone, in which the number of active cases of corona are increasing.
• Districts outside the Red and Green zones will be considered as Orange Zone.
• The government has provided several exemptions in districts with green and orange zones.

4. Five more states and union territories included under ‘One Nation, One Ration card’ scheme

• Recently, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has given permission to include five more states and union territories under the ‘One Nation One Ration Card scheme’.
• These include Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
• The scheme already covers twelve states of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Tripura.
• Under this scheme, about 60 crore beneficiaries from 17 states and union territories will get the facility of national and inter-state portability.
• These beneficiaries can get their quota of food grains from anywhere in these 17 states and union territories at reasonable rates.
• ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ Scheme has been launched with the objective of enabling poor migrant workers to buy subsidized rice and wheat from any ration shop in the country.
• Under this, the portability of ration cards will be implemented across the country by 1 July 2020.

5. ‘Shramik special’ trains for people stranded at different places

• The Ministry of Railways will provide ‘Shramik special’ trains for people stranded at different places due to the lockdown.
• These people include workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and others.
• Wearing a mask will be mandatory for the journey.
• Nodal officers will be appointed for smooth running of these trains.
• Those wishing to travel will be brought to the station by infection-free buses and checked at the departure point.
• These trains will stop at the destination only as per the request of the two state governments.
• The government sending them will provide food and water to the passengers.
• Also, their inspection and quarantine will be arranged at the destination station.

6. Tarun Bajaj took over as Secretary of Economic Affairs

• Recently Tarun Bajaj has taken over as the Secretary of Economic Affairs.
• He replaces Atanu Chakraborty, who has retired in the past.
• Before this, he was Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office.
• He also served as Joint Secretary and Director in the Financial Services Department.
• Tarun Bajaj is a 1988 batch IAS officer.

7. Ajay Tirkey took over as Secretary of Ministry of Women and Child Development

• Recently, Ajay Tirkey has taken over as the Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• He has replaced Rabindra Panwar who retired from this post.
• Earlier Ajay Tirkey was in the same ministry as special and additional secretary.
• He also served as Joint Secretary in the Department of School Education and Literacy in the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• He is a 1987 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre officer of the Indian Administrative Service.

8. Maharashtra is the first state to provide free and cashless insurance premium to the people

• Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to provide free and cashless insurance premiums to the people of the state.
• The announcement was made by the Maharashtra government amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Along with this, on the occasion of 60^th Foundation Day of the state on May 1, it was also announced to provide free health treatment to 100 population of the state under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana.

9. Madhuyastiadi Kashay Ayurvedic medicine is being provided by HP Government

• Recently, Himachal Pradesh Government has started providing Ayurvedic medicine Madhuyastiadi Kashay i.e. Kadha.
• This kadha will increase the immunity of people in view of Corona epidemic.
• This ayurvedic medicine is prepared by the state's Ayurveda department.
• This medicine will be made available free of cost to corona warriors such as doctors, paramedical staff, police, senior citizens and all corona-survivors.

10. Germany designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization

• Recently Germany has designated Iran-backed Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
• At the same time, Germany has banned Hezbollah activity on its soil.
• Hezbollah is a Lebanese armed Shia Islam group.
• Germany:
  • It is a Western European country.
  • It is famous for its forests, rivers, mountain ranges and northern beaches.
  • Its capital is Berlin and the currency is the Euro.

11. World Health Organization has expressed concern over the use of the BCG vaccine for the treatment of COVID-19

• Recently, the World Health Organization has expressed concern over the use of the BCG vaccine for the treatment of COVID-19.
• The World Health Organization has said that the BCG vaccine should not be used extensively for the treatment of COVID-19 on a test basis.
• Randomized controlled trials using the BCG vaccine are underway in the Netherlands and Australia, only after the results are available that the correct picture will be available. Till then its mass use should be avoided.
• The Bacillus-Calumet-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is primarily used against tuberculosis (TB).

12. 2 May: International Astronomy Day 2020

• On May 2, International Astronomy Day 2020 was celebrated.
• This day is celebrated twice a year. Astronomy Day is a worldwide event celebrated every autumn and spring.
• The last autumn astronomy day was celebrated on October 5, 2019.
• After this, Spring Astronomy Day is being celebrated on May 2, 2020.
• International Astronomy Day is a way for astronomers and professionals to share their knowledge and love of outdoor space with the general public.
• The day was started in 1973 by Doug Berger, then president of the Astronomical Union of Northern California.