Daily Current Affairs and GK | 05 and 06 April 2020

1. Under Ayushman Bharat Yojana, more than 50 crore poor people will be given free tests and treatment for COVID-19

• Recently, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said that more than 50 crore poor citizens will be given free trials and treatment for COVID-19 under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
• Trials in private hospitals and treatment in designated hospitals are being provided free of cost to Ayushman beneficiaries across the country.
• Both the private and public sectors are acting as important partners in the country against COVID-19 infection.
• Ayushman Bharat-Prime Minister Jan Arogya Yojana(PMJAY):
  • Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is a flagship scheme of the National Health Policy of the govt. which aims to provide free health coverage to 40% of poor and vulnerable people at secondary and tertiary levels.
  • It was started in September 2018 from Ranchi, Jharkhand.

2. Rapid antibody-based blood tests for COVID-19 will be performed at the hotspots first

• ICMR reported that the rapid antibody-based blood tests for COVID-19 will soon be introduced in the clusters and hotspots first.
• These cluster and hotspots have higher positive rates of tests.
• Coronaviruses are currently being tested using real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) in India. The capacity of this test will also be increased in the coming time.
• Also rapid test kit will be used.
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR):
  • The Indian Council of Medical Research is the apex body in India for the creation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
  • It is one of the oldest and largest medical research bodies in the world.
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • It was founded in 1911.
  • The Director General of the institution is Dr. Balram Bhargava.

3. EPFO ​​will accept Aadhaar card as proof of date of birth

• Recently the Ministry of Labor and Employment has said that for those applying for change of date of birth, the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) will accept the date of birth as recorded in the Aadhaar card as a valid proof, but the difference should not be more than 3 years.
• This decision has been taken to increase the availability and access to online services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Those members who want to alter their date of birth in the EPFO records can avail this facility online.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the withdrawal of non-refundable advance amount by EPF members on 26 March.
• Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO):
  • It is a statutory body constituted by the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Rules Act, 1952.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.
  • It was founded in 1952.

4. National Security Act, 1980 was evoked against four people in Indore

• Recently, the Indore district administration has evoked the National Security Act, 1980, on four people, for inciting residents to pelt and chase health workers.
• A joint of health workers, revenue officials, Anganwadi workers, municipal officials and police personnel arrived here to find out the history of contact of this area of ​​a COVID-19 patient.
• Out of 111 cases in Madhya Pradesh, 82 cases have been registered in Indore alone.
• National Security Act, 1980:
  • It is a law that allows for months of preventive detention if there is a threat by an individual to national security or law and order. The person is not required to charge during this period of custody.
  • Its goal is to prevent a person from committing a crime.
  • This law was enacted on 23 September 1980 during the Indira Gandhi government.

5. ‘COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports’ has been published

• Recently ‘COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports’ has been published by Google.
• 131 countries have been included in this report. It records activities in the following areas such as- retail and entertainment, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces and residential colony etc.
• In this report, traffic has been compared with traffic from January 3 to February 6 during a period of five weeks from 16 February to 29 March.
• Italy and Spain, the two most afflicted countries with coronavirus, have experienced a 94% drop in traffic.
• The United Kingdom, France and the Philippines had a decline of over 80%.
• In Japan and Sweden, where authorities have not imposed stricter restrictions, travel to retail and entertainment destinations has declined by nearly a quarter.
• There are no reports for China and Iran, as Google services are blocked there.
• Mobility trends for places such as restaurants, cafes, shopping centers and movie theaters in India have fallen by 77% and for places like grocery markets and pharmacies have fallen by 65%.
• A 57% drop for places like public beaches and gardens, a 71% drop in public transport centers and a 47% decline in traffic to work places due to the March 22 public curfew and subsequent 21-day nationwide shutdown.
• Whereas in the habitat category locations, mobility trends showed a 22% increase.

6. Proposal to issue corona bonds by the European Union

• Recently the Italian Prime Minister has proposed the issuance of corona bonds by the European Union.
• Corona bonds are to deal with the pandemic situation created by COVID-19.
• Corona bonds are joint debt issued to member states of the European Union.
• Money for this will come from the European Investment Bank.
• However, countries such as Germany, Netherlands, Austria and Finland are opposing the idea.
• It is known that these four countries are jointly known as Frugal Four.
• European Union (EU):
  • The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states mainly located in Europe.
  • It is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
  • It was founded on 1 November 1993.

7. FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup postponed

• The FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup has been postponed due to the recent coronavirus pandemic.
• The World Cup was to be played from November 2 to 21 in Navi Mumbai, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Bhubaneswar.
• New dates for the tournament will be announced later.
• With this, the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup has also been postponed.
• The World Cup was to be played between August and September in Panama and Costa Rica.
• This decision was taken by the FIFA-Confederation Working Group at their first meeting.
• FIFA:
  • It is a non-profit organization, the highest governing body of football.
  • It is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland.
  • It was founded on 21 May 1904.

8. National Maritime Day: 5 April

• National Maritime Day is celebrated to support intercontinental commerce and the worldwide economy.
• This day has been celebrated since 1964.
• SS Loyalty, the first ship launched by the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, sailed from Mumbai to the United Kingdom on the same day in 1919.
• The Varuna Award is presented on this day to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to the Indian maritime sector.
• The theme of the year 2019 – “Indian Ocean - An ocean of opportunity”

Topic of the Day-“Brahmo Samaj”

The Brahmo Samaj was one of the most influential religious movements in India, which contributed significantly to the creation of modern India.

It is the social component of Brahmanism, which began as a monotheistic and reformist movement of Hinduism that appeared during the Bengal Renaissance. The Brahmo Samaj was started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in Kolkata in August 1828.

Ram Mohan Roy is considered the ‘Father of the Indian Renaissance’. The Brahmo Samaj, founded by him, was the earliest reform movement influenced by modern Western thought. As a reformist thinker, Roy believed in modern scientific approaches and principles of human dignity and social equality.

Later, in 1866, after the death of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the Brahmo Samaj was divided into two branches, Adi Brahmo Samaj and Brahmo Samaj of India (under the leadership of Keshub Chandra Sen). When Keshub Chandra Sen married his underage daughter to the Prince of Cooch Behar, many of his followers rebelled and formed a third samaj, the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj in 1878.

Purpose of the establishment and Doctrines of Brahmo Samaj:

• Cleansing Hinduism and promote monotheism.
• Opposition to idol worship.
• Received virtue from other religions as well.
• They had no faith in any scripture.
• They did not believe in avatars.
• Brahman socialists condemned polytheism and idol worship.
• People of this society opposed the caste system.
• Brahman socialists believed in the principles of karma and rebirth.

Reforms by Brahmo Samaj:

• Polygamy, child marriages and abusive status of widows were attacked by the Brahmo Samaj and demanded the right of inheritance and property to women.
• The Brahmo Samaj also campaigned against caste system, untouchability, superstition and drug use.
• Along with this, important steps were also taken to make education accessible to all.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. In which year was the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana started?

A. 2016

B. 2018

C. 2017

D. 2019

2. Who is the current Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research?

A. Dr. Balaram Bhargava

B. Dr. Harsh Vardhan

C. Dr. K S Thakur

D. Dr. R. Laxman

3. What type of body is the Employees Provident Fund Organization?

A. Non-statutory

B. Statutory

C. Constitutional

D. None of the above

4. In which year was the National Security Act introduced?

A. 1976

B. 1980

C. 1986

D. 1990

5. Who has recently published the COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports?

A. World Health Organization

B. UNESCO

C. Google

D. World Bank

6. Recently who has decided to issue Corona Bonds?

A. ASEAN

B. European Union

C. SCO

D. SAARC

7. The FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup has been postponed due to the recent coronavirus pandemic, which country is going to host the game?

A. Britain

B. Spain

C. India

D. Brazil

8. On which day is National Maritime Day celebrated?

A. 4 April

B. 7 April

C. 5 April

D. 9 April

Solution:

1. B

2. A

3. B

4. B

5. C

6. B

7. C

8. C