Daily Current Affairs and GK | 07 April 2020

1. NHAI made the highest ever production during the financial year 2019-20

• Recently the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has informed that the highest ever construction of national highways has been done by it in the financial year 2019-20.
• NHAI has completed construction of 3,979 km of National Highways during the year 2019-20.
• The authority constructed 3,380 km of national highways in 2018-19.
• National Highway Authority of India (NHAI):
  • The National Highway Authority of India is an autonomous agency of the Government of India.
  • It is a nodal agency of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
  • It was founded in 1988.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.
  • Current Chairman: Sukhbir Singh Sandhu

2. UGC will take measures to address mental health and psycho-social concerns

• Recently the University Grants Commission has asked all the universities and colleges to take measures to address any kind of mental stress and psycho-social concerns caused by the outbreak of COVID-19.
• Therefore, the UGC has suggested to set up help lines in universities and colleges for mental health, psychosocial concerns and wellbeing of students.
• Along with this, students will be mentored regularly to remain calm and stress free.
• This can be obtained through telephone, e-mail, digital and social media platforms.
• University Grants Commission (UGC):
  • The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory body set up under the UGC Act 1956 under the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
  • This institution is entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating, determining and maintaining higher education standards.
  • It was established in 1956.
  • Chairman: D P Singh

3. Central Government has asked the States and Union Territories to take necessary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in animals

• Recently, the Central Government has issued an advisory to the States and UTs to take necessary measures for the management of COVID-19 in national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves.
• The environment ministry has asked states and union territories to take immediate restrictive measures to prevent the spread of the virus from humans to animals and animals to humans as news of tiger infected with COVID-19 recently came to light.
• Along with this, to reduce the human wildlife interface, it has been asked to reduce the movement of people in national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves.
• Also, the ministry has suggested setting up a task force or Rapid Action Force with field managers, veterinary doctors, frontline staff to establish control over the situation at the earliest.
• Additionally, the states and UTs have been asked to form a ‘round the clock’ reporting mechanism with a nodal officer for speedy management of any matter.
• Both the central and state governments can declare an area a national park, a wildlife sanctuary.
• Whereas tiger reserves are declared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority through Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Project Tiger through Wildlife Protection, Amendment Act, 2006.

4. Senior diplomat Anurag Srivastava appointed as spokesman of Ministry of External Affairs

• Recently senior diplomat Anurag Srivastava has taken over as the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs.
• He has replaced Raveesh Kumar.
• Anurag Srivastava is a 1999 batch Indian Foreign Service officer.
• Earlier, Shri Srivastava was serving as India's Ambassador to Ethiopia.

5. Death of a tiger in Pench Tiger Reserve

• Recently a 10-year-old tiger in Pench Tiger Reserve has died of a virus infection.
• Prima facie it seems to be a regular case of a respiratory disease.
• But recently, this case has become suspicious after confirmation of novel coronavirus in a tiger at the zoo in New York.
• Therefore, it has been proposed to investigate coronavirus in tiger.
• For this reason, officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have preserved the intestinal specimens of the tiger.
• It will be sent to the Veterinary Research College in Jabalpur as well as the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh for examination.
• Pench Tiger Reserve is located in Madhya Pradesh.
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA):
  • It was established in December 2005 on the recommendation of the Tiger Task Force.
  • The task force was formed by the Prime Minister for the reorganization of the tiger reserves.

6. Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to amend 1954 Act of Parliament

• Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the ordinance amending the Salaries, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954.
• Under this, a 30% reduction in salary of all members of Parliament and two-year suspension of MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) has been approved.
• The amount saved will be used in India's Consolidated Fund to fight the Coronavirus.
• Along with this, all the governors, President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, have also decided to cut their salary by 30%. All the money saved will go to the Consolidated Fund of India.
• Consolidated Fund of India:
  • The Consolidated Fund of India is the most important of all government accounts. The income received by the government and the expenses incurred by it, excluding extraordinary items, form part of the consolidated fund.
  • The Constitution of India provides the following three types of funds for the Central Government-
    1. Consolidated Fund of India - Article 266 (1)
    2. Public Account of India - Article 266
    3. Contingency Fund of India - Article 267

7. Ministry of Health released analysis of COVID-19 cases

• Recently Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released analysis of COVID-19 cases.
• According to this analysis, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has increased to 4,281. Of this, 319 have been cured and 111 people have died.
• Also, analysis has shown that men are getting 76% more affected by this disease than women. Apart from this, among the dead, 73% were men.
• Senior citizens constitute 63 percent of the dead.
• In addition, 86 percent of those who died were suffering from additional medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.
• Dr. R R Gangakhedkar , Director of Epidemiology of ICMR said that the council is conducting 25,000 COVID-19 tests daily.

8. World Health Day: 7 April

• World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April as the World Health Organization was established on this day in 1948.
• World Health Day 2020 is celebrated by remembering the contribution of nurses and midwives and ensuring recognition of their roles in keeping the world healthy.
• The year 2020 was declared as the International Year of Nurse and Midwife by the World Health Assembly.
• This year the theme of this day is – “Support nurses and midwives”.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. National Highways Authority of India was established in which year?

A. 1985

B. 1988

C. 1990

D. 1996

2. What type of body is University Grants Commission?

A. Statutory

B. Constitutional

C. Both A and B

D. None

3. Recently who has been appointed as the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs?

A. Sukumar Sen

B. Anurag Shrivastava

C. Raveesh Kumar

D. Devesh Chaudhary

4. In which state is the Pench Tiger Reserve located?

A. Karnataka

B. Himachal Pradesh

C. Uttar Pradesh

D. Madhya Pradesh

5. Under which article is the Consolidated Fund of India described?

A. Article 296

B. Article 267

C. Article 266 (1)

D. Article 265

6. Recently Ministry of Health has released analysis of COVID-19 cases, what is not right in this regard?

A. Men are getting more affected by this disease than women.

B. Senior citizens account for 63 percent of the dead.

C. Both A and B are correct.

D. None

7. On which day is World Health Day celebrated every year?

A. 9 April

B. 7 April

C. 6 April

D. 5 April

Solution:

1. B

2. A

3. B

4. D

5. C

6. C

7. B