Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 April 2020

1. Ministry of Home Affairs gave permission to open certain categories of shops

• Recently the Ministry of Home Affairs has given permission to open certain categories of shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act with 50% strength of workers.
• This exemption does not apply in hotspots and containment zones.
• According to this permission, shops in the market premises outside the municipalities and municipal corporations are exempted from lockdown restrictions.
• But shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls located in the municipality areas will remain closed till 3 May.
• Sale of liquor and other items are prohibited.

2. Government declared banking industry as public utility service for six months

• Recently the government has declared the banking industry as a public utility service for six months under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act.
• These provisions will continue till October 21.
• The introduction of banking services under the provisions of this Act means that no strike shall be held by the employees or officers of the banking sector during this time commencing from 21 April.
• Public utilities are a business that caters to the everyday need for the public at large such as water, electricity, natural gas, telephone service and other essential items. Public utilities may be public or privately owned.
• Industrial Disputes Act:
  • It regulates Indian labor law so that the concerns of trade unions as well as the employee working in any industry in the Indian mainland region can be resolved.
  • The Act was enacted on 11 March 1947 and came into force from 1 April 1947.

3. Prime Minister launched integrated e-Gram Swaraj portal and mobile app

• Indian PM Narendra Modi has launched an integrated e-Gram Swaraj portal and mobile app on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day.
• This portal is a new initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• This will help the gram panchayats to formulate and implement their development plans.
• It will also help in ensuring monitoring, transparency and accountability.
• e-Gram Swaraj App is Simplified Work based Accounting Application for Panchayati Raj.
• This is a major step towards complete digitization of gram panchayats.
• This will help in keeping record of different works of Gram Panchayat on a single platform in future.
• The Prime Minister has also started Swamitva Yojana experimentally in 6 states.
• It will map rural housing land using latest survey methods and drones.
• This scheme will also help to streamline planning and revenue collection in rural areas and resolve property related disputes.

4. Income Tax Tribunal held the hearing for the first time through video conferencing

• Recently a Bench of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal headed by Justice PP Bhatt disposed of an urgent stay petition by conducting hearing through video conferencing platform.
• This was the first time in the 79-year-old tribunal's history.
• Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT):
  • The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal was established on 25 January 1941.
  • It is the second appellate authority under direct taxes.
  • It is functioning under the Ministry of Law and Justice.

5. Ministry of Home Affairs formed four additional Inter-Ministerial Central Teams

• Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs has formed four additional teams of different ministries of the Center.
• These teams are formed under the leadership of Additional Secretary level officer for Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad and Chennai.
• These teams will work on various issues as per the guidelines-
  • Implement and comply with lockdown measures.
  • Supply of essential goods.
  • Maintaining social distance
  • To create health related infrastructure.
  • Monitoring the health of health workers and the condition of relief camps for laborers and poor people.
• The government had earlier on the spot formed six teams of various ministries to assess the status of COVID-19 and solve problems.

6. Ministry of AYUSH has announced a mechanism to support short-term research projects

• Recently the Ministry of AYUSH has announced a mechanism to support short-term research projects.
• Through this mechanism, the effects of AYUSH interventions and drugs in prophylaxis and clinical management of COVID-19 will be evaluated.
• Under this, with the approval of the Institutional Ethics Committee, the project proposals for a maximum period of six months will be supported up to Rs 10 lakh to meet the expenditure on technical manpower and laboratory testing.

7. World Bank organized an online workshop

• Recently World Bank in association with All India Management Association organized an online workshop on “Contract Management during Emergency situations”.
• This workshop has been organized for the management unit of Jhelum Tawi Flood Prevention Project in Jammu and Kashmir which is funded by World Bank.
• The workshop was organized with the objective of enabling participants to reduce the potential side effects of the novel Coronavirus on World Bank funded projects and contract management.
• All India Management Association (AIMA):
  • The All India Management Association is a national apex body of the management profession in India.
  • It is a consortium based on 67 local management associations.
  •  It was established in 1957.

8. NASA creates new high pressure ventilator "Vital" for the treatment of COVID-19 patients

• Recently, engineers at the US space agency NASA have created a new high pressure ventilator VITAL (Ventilator Interference Technology Accessible Locally).
• This ventilator is specifically designed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
• This ventilator can be made easily.
• This ventilator has been successful in the all-important test at the Econ School of Medicine in New York for COVID-19.
• This ventilator is designed for the treatment of patients with minor symptoms of COVID-19.
• Ventilator:
  • The ventilator is a machine that provides mechanical ventilation by transferring breathable air into and out of the lungs and eliminating the patient's inability to breathe or insufficient breathing.
  • The tank ventilator was first described in 1838 by Scottish physician John Dalziel.

9. Oxford University developed vaccine to prevent novel corona infection

• Recently the vaccine has been developed by the Oxford University to prevent novel corona infection.
• Scientists have been working on the development of this vaccine since January this year.
• The first trial of this multivariate vaccine on humans has begun in Britain.
• Scientists have described this vaccine as successful up to 80%.
• The UK government has announced an aid of £ 2 million for the coronavirus vaccine test.
• This vaccine has been developed from harmless chimpanzee virus.
• Britain:
  • Britain or the United Kingdom is an island nation in northwestern Europe.
  • It is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Its capital is London and the currency is pound sterling.

10. 25 April: World Malaria Day

• World Malaria Day is observed on 25 April every year.
• The day is an opportunity to highlight the need for continued investment and political commitment to the prevention and control of malaria.
• The theme of World Malaria Day 2020 is "Zero Malaria Starts with Me".
• Malaria is a deadly disease. It is caused by Plasmodium parasites.
• Usually Malaria is spread by bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito.

11. In South Korea, electronic wristbands will be installed for home quarantine people from next week

• Electronic wristbands will be installed in South Korea to those who ignore home quarantine orders from next week due to the COVID-19 infection.
• Along with this they are also required to download a tracking app.
• So that if those people leave the house or try to remove the band, the officers will get the information through wristband Bluetooth.
• South Korea:
  • It is an East Asian country.
  • Its capital is Seoul and the currency is South Korean won.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Recently the government has allowed which type of shops to open with 50% worker strength?

A. Multi-brand Mall

B. Single-brand Mall

C. Both A and B

D. None of the above

2. In which year was the Industrial Disputes Act brought?

A. 1950

B. 1947

C. 1965

D. 1980

3. Recently which scheme has been launched by the government to map rural housing land?

A. Bhoo adhar Scheme

B. Greh Scheme

C. Swamitav Scheme

D. Swadhar Scheme

4. In which year was the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal established?

A. 1951

B. 1941

C. 1961

D. 1971

5. Recently the Ministry of Home Affairs has formed additional teams for prevention of COVID-19 in which of the following regions?

A. Ahmedabad

B. Hyderabad

C. Chennai

D. All of the above

6. Recently with which organisation All India Management Association organized an online workshop in Jammu and Kashmir?

A. World Health Organization

B. World Bank

C. UNICEF

D. Asian Development Bank

7. Recently who has created new high pressure ventilator Vital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients?

A. NASA

B. ISRO

C. European Space Agency

D. DRDO

8. In which country is the vaccine developed to prevent corona infection being tested on humans?

A. Britain

B. India

C. China

D. USA

9. World Malaria Day is observed every year on which day?

A. 22 March

B. 25 April

C. 30 September

D. 10 October

10. Recently which country has announced the introduction of electronic wristbands to those who ignore home quarantine orders?

A. South Africa

B. South Korea

C. Indonesia

D. USA

Solution:

1. D

2. B

3. C

4. B

5. D

6. B

7. A

8. A

9. B

10. B