Daily Current Affairs and GK | 06 March 2020

1. The Government raised the withdrawal limit to Rs 50,000 per month for Yes Bank depositors

• The Government has raised the withdrawal limit for depositors of private lender Yes Bank to Rs 50,000 for a month.
• This limit will be effective until 3 April 2020.
• In cases like medical, higher education, marriage, and unavoidable emergencies, the exemption limit has been relaxed.
• The board of Yes Bank has been acquired by RBI for a period of 30 days due to a serious deterioration in the financial position of the private lender.
• Prashant Kumar, the former chief financial officer of SBI, has been appointed as the administrator for Yes Bank.

2. Smriti Irani released a book titled "Chronicles of Change Champions" in New Delhi

• Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Zubin Irani released a book titled 'Chronicles of Change Champions' in New Delhi.
• In this book, 25 innovative aspects have been compiled at the state and district levels under the Beti-Bachao, Beti-Padhao scheme.
• Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015 in Panipat, Haryana.
• States like Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh have also seen improvement in the girl child sex ratio under the scheme.

3. Changes in weather have no effect on the prevalence of novel coronavirus

• Balaram Bhargava, director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has said that the change in weather will not have any effect on the spread of novel coronavirus.
• Bhargava has refuted the claim that the virus spreads at low temperatures, adding that no such discovery has been proved so far.
• Bhargava said that the virus is not spread by air but by human contact.
• Coronavirus:
  • There is a large family of viruses that cause common cold to severe illnesses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV).
  • Novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new infection that has never been detected in humans before.
  • Coronaviruses are transmitted between animals and people.

4. Two-day workshop-cum-awareness program for unorganized workers concluded in Kulgam

• A two-day workshop-cum-awareness program on skill development for unorganized workers under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PMSYM) scheme was concluded in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
• The program was organized by the District Employment and Counseling Center, Kulgam.
• PM-SYM Scheme:
  • Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana was launched from Gandhinagar Gujarat on 5 March 2019.
  • It is a pension scheme for unorganized workers whose monthly income is up to Rs 15000.
  • Under this, after attaining the age of 60 years, they will be given a pension of Rs 3000 monthly.

5. CARA has sought suggestions from all stakeholders for the simplification of the adoption process

• The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has invited suggestions and feedback from prospective stakeholders, child welfare societies and the general public for simplification of the adoption process from all stakeholders.
• Central Adoption Resource Authority:
  • This is a statutory body, which promotes and regulates the country and inter-country adoption process as a central authority under the Hague Convention.
  • It was formed in 1990 and it operates under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

6. Google announced the opening of the Delhi cloud region

• Recently Google has announced its plan to open the Delhi Cloud region.
• With this cloud area projected to start in 2021, the Delhi cloud area will have three areas to protect against service disruptions.
• This will be the company's second cloud field.
• Three years ago in 2017, Google launched the first cloud arena in Mumbai.
• The new cloud region will expand Google's existing network to 8 regions in the Asia Pacific and 22 regions globally.
• The Google Cloud region will enable Google Cloud Platform services for global organizations in industries such as media and entertainment, retail and manufacturing.

7. Government has adopted the Scheduled Tribes Component Strategy for the development of tribal areas

• The Government has adopted the Scheduled Tribes Component Strategy to ensure the overall development of tribal areas across the country.
• National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation is implementing tribal women empowerment scheme for tribal women.
• Under the scheme, Scheduled Tribe women can work for income generation.
• Loans up to 90 percent are provided at a concessional rate of 4% for schemes up to Rs 1 lakh.
• Gayatri Devi of Assam is associated with an organization that provides vocational training in craftsmanship.
• The stories of women upliftment are being shared on the occasion of International Women's Day (8 March) under #iwd and #betipadhaodeshbadhao.

8. First edition of the Khelo India Women's Hockey League Under-21 announced

• The first edition of the Khelo India Women's Hockey League Under-21 was announced by the Sports Authority of India, in association with Hockey India Federation.
• The league will be organized by Hockey India from March to November at three different locations in three phases.
• The Khelo India program was launched to promote sports and sportspersons in the country.

9. Fourth Global Ayurveda Festival will be held in Kochi from 16-20 May

• The fourth Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF) will be held from 16 to 20 May in Kochi, Kerala.
• The theme of the 5-day event is "Ayurveda medical tourism: Actualizing India's incredibility".
• It will be the largest Ayurvedic event held anywhere in the world, and experts, stakeholders, and business explorers from the field of Ayurveda will be involved.

10. EPFO ​​reduced interest rate on provident fund deposits to 8.5%

• The Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), the retirement fund body, has reduced the interest rate on provident fund deposits to 8.5 percent for the current financial year.
• Earlier, this rate was 8.65 percent.
• The announcement was made by Labor Minister Santosh Gangwar in New Delhi.
• Employee Provident Fund Organization (EPFO):
  • It is a statutory body.
  • It was founded on 4 March 1952.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Recently the Government has increased the withdrawal limit for depositors of which bank to Rs 50,000 for a month?

A. Yes Bank

B. Axis Bank

C. IDBI Bank

D. HDFC Bank

2. The book entitled ‘Chronicles of Change champions’ describes various aspects of which of the following plans?

A. Good luck plan

B. Mid-day meal scheme

C. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

D. Setu Bharatam Scheme

3. In which year was the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana launched?

A. 2015

B. 2017

C. 2019

D. 2013

4. Central Adoption Resource Authority is a __________ body.

A. Constitutional

B. Statutory

C. Non-Statutory

D. None of these

5. Recently where has Google announced the opening of a new cloud area?

A. Mumbai

B. Delhi

C. Kolkata

D. Chennai

6. At what rate will the Government provide up to 1 lakh rupees to women of tribal areas to do business?

A. 2%

B. 3%

C. 4%

D. 5%

7. Where will the Fourth Global Ayurveda Festival be held in May 2020?

A. Kerala

B. Karnataka

C. Madhya Pradesh

D. Gujarat

8. Where is the headquarters of the Employees Provident Fund Organization located?

A. Hyderabad

B. Bengaluru

C. Mumbai

D. New Delhi

Solution:

1. A

2. C

3. C

4. C

5. B

6. C

7. A

8. D