CURRENT AFFAIRS – APRIL 2020

Virtual Meeting of G20 Trade and Investment Ministers: Piyush Goyal participates

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal participated the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers meeting
was held virtually through video conference. Members of the G-20 have agreed to the emergency measures
designed to tackle covid-19 & they will implement those measures which uphold the principle of international
solidarity, considering other countries’ growing needs for emergency supplies and humanitarian aid. Saudi Arabia
has assumed presidency of G20 for the year 2020.

Finance Minister participates in the 2nd Extraordinary G20 FMCBG virtual meeting

Union finance & corporate affairs minister, Nirmala Sitharaman participated in the 2nd Extraordinary G20 Finance
Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) virtual meeting to discuss the impact of COVID-19 in the global
economy & coordinate efforts to respond to this global challenge.

Central govt redefines domicile for J&K; Perks and Privileges of ex-CMs of J&K Withdrawn

The central government has derived a new definition for domicile for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)was introduced
which has stated that a person residing in the Union Territory of J&K for at least 15 years or has studied for a period
of seven years in Jammu and Kashmir and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examinations will now be eligible to be a
permanent resident of the UT.

Lifeline Udan flights launched by MoCA transported 37.63 tonnes of medical cargo across India in 6 days

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) launched Lifeline Udan flights on March 26, 2020 for movement of medical and
essential supplies across India. Over 6 days period i.e. till March 31, 2020, 74 flights have been operated which had
covered an aerial distance of over 70,000 km to transport 37.63 tonnes of medical cargo, out of which more than 22
tonnes was transported on March 31, 2020.
Donations for PM-CARES Fund granted 100% tax exemption under IT Act, 1961

The donations made under newly-formed Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations
Fund (PM-CARES FUND) to aid the persons affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, are made eligible for 100% deduction
under section 80G of the Income Tax (IT) Act, 1961.

Coronavirus outbreak: Kerala based SCTIMST joins hands with Wipro 3D to make automated ventilators

Kerala based Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an institute of National
Importance under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has partnered with ‘Wipro 3D’ to build a
portable and lightweight emergency ventilator system based on Artificial Manual Breathing Unit (AMBU).

Civil services associations form an initiative called ‘Caruna’ to fight COVID-19

Central Civil Services officers association has created an initiative named ‘Caruna [Civil Services Associations Reach to
Support in Natural Disasters]’ to asssit and supplement the government’s efforts to battle against Corona Virus
(COVID-19).

Central government constitutes 10-member group headed by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant to fight corona

To deal with Covid-19 epidemic, the central government has constituted a 10-member group under the
chairmanship of NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Amitabh Kant.
The work of this group will primarily identify issues through 3 groups of stakeholders, the empowered group set up
for coordination with private sector, NGOs and international organisations then present effective measures to
address solutions to the issues related to the formulation of plans for counter-activities related to COVID-19.
Cabinet approved 30% salary cut of PM, Ministers, MPs for FY 20-21 to manage COVID-19;MPLA D suspended for 2
yrs

Union Cabinet has approved an ordinance (amended the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament
Act, 1954) to cut 30% in the salaries of all Members of Parliament (MPs) for FY 20-21 & suspension of the MP Local
Area Development (MPLAD) scheme for 2 years (2020-21 and 2021-22) to save the amount (about Rs. 7900 crores)
to the Consolidated Fund of India to comabat COVID-19. Also, President, vice-president, and the governors have also
voluntarily decided to provide 30% of their salary for a year.

NHAI achieved record 3,979 km highways construction in FY 19-20

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, has achieved the
highest ever highway construction feat with an accomplishment of 3,979 km (achieved target of about 88% of
4,500km) of national highways in the financial Year 2019-20.

WCZ of Indian Railways designed mobile doctor booth called ‘CHARAK’ for zero-contact check- ups

The West Central Railway’s Coach Rehabilitation Workshop (CRWS) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh has created a mobile
doctor booth named “CHARAK” to eliminate the possibility of physical contact between the doctor and the
coronavirus (COVID-19) infected patient.

Hindustan Unilever joins hands with UNICEF to launch ‘BreakTheChain’ campaign against coronavirus

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), a British-Dutch manufacturing company based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, has
joined hands with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for a mass communication campaign named
‘#BreakTheChain’ or #VirusKiKadiTodo’ based on 3 themes – social distancing, hand washing and generosity, to
inform people about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic and empower them to protect it.
Union HRD minister launches ‘Bharat Padhe Online’ campaign

Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ the Union Human Resource Development (HRD) minister has launched a week-long
‘Bharat Padhe Online’ campaign in New Delhi for crowd sourcing of ideas to improve the online education ecosystem
of India.

ICMR nods: Kerala becomes the first state to commence clinical trial plasma therapy treatment

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given approval to Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences
and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, to commence clinical trial convalescent plasma therapy
treatment for covid-19. Therefore, Kerala becomes the first state in the country to start clinical trial plasma therapy
treatment.

India tightens curb on import of refined palm oil; import license validity reduced to 6 months

The Central Government further tightens the restrictions on imports of refined palm oil which was imposed by
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Ministry of Commerce and Industry on January 8, 2020. As per
new regulation, the applications for import authorisation should be accompanied with pre-purchase agreement and
details of the import for the past three years & Validity period of import licenses for refined palm oil will be 6
months in place of usual 18 months.

Goa becomes the first state to integrate allopathy and Ayurveda to treat COVID-19 patients

Goa Chief Minister (CM) Pramod Sawant announced that Goa becomes the first state to integrate allopathy and
Ayurveda to treat COVID-19 patients and those who have been quarantined. He also stated that the medicine will
not cure covid-19 but to boost immunity of covid-19 patients. He also said they have launched a mobile app
‘AyurGoaCovid-19’ in collaboration with the Union Ayush ministry.
Fit India and CBSE organizing first-ever live fitness sessions for school students amid lockdown

Fit India in collaboration with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is organizing a first-of- a-kind live
fitness session under its Fit India Active Day programme for school children across the country from 15th April 2020
at 9:30 am.

Jim Corbett National Park of U’khand becomes India’s 1st quarantine centre for animals

India’s oldest forested wildlife sanctuary Jim Corbett National Park located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, has
become the India’s 1st quarantine centre for animals with symptoms of COVID-19. At least 10 quarantine centers are
being set up within the complex to handle the corona virus prey animals.

India heading towards Ayurveda for COVID-19 treatment; Task force created for scientific validation

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has formulated a task force for scientific validation of Ayurveda and traditional
medicine formulas through research institutions, to be used in the treatment of COVID-19. The task force has
members from the department of biotechnology (DBT), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and also
AYUSH practitioners.

Health Ministry formulated colour codes for Lockdown 2.0 to manage COVID-19 pandemic

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has formulated a new set of guidelines for the nationwide lockdown-2.0
or Smart Lockdown, which started from 20th April 2020 and continues till May 3, 2020. It decided to divide all Indian
districts into hotspots (red zones – districts with more than 6 cases); non- hotspots (orange zones and green zones)
on the basis of absolute number of cases and the speed of growth in cases.

Centre formed high-level task force headed by Vinod Paul & K Vijay Raghavan for development of Covid-19
vaccine

The central government has constituted high-level task force for vaccine and drug testing for Covid-19 co-chaired by
Vinod Paul, member NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog, and Krishnaswamy Vijay Raghavan,
principal scientific advisor to the government. The objective of the task force is to catalyze national and international
efforts towards vaccine development to treat Covid-19.
Centre has amended FDI Policy, 2017 for curbing opportunistic takeovers

Government amends the extant FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) policy for curbing opportunistic takeovers
/acquisitions of Indian companies from neighboring nations due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard,
the Centre has amended para 3.1.1 of extant FDI policy as contained in Consolidated FDI Policy, 2017.

Nirmala Sitharaman attends the 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of New Development Bank

Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 5th Annual Meeting of Board of
Governors of New Development Bank (NDB – HQ at Shanghai, China) held through video conference. In the meeting
she appreciated NDB’s effort to provide financial assistance of about USD 5 Bn to Brazil, Russia, India, China and
South Africa (BRICS) countries including USD 1 Bn to India as an emergency Assistance to combat COVID-19
pandemic & suggested to enhance the assistance to USD 10 Bn.

Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurates India’s 1st mobile laboratory by DRDO to test COVID-19 samples

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated Mobile Virology Research and Diagnostics Laboratory (MVRDL) named
“Mobile BSL-3 VRDL Lab” recently. The lab was developed by DRDO (Defence Research and Development
Organisation) in association with ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation), Hyderabad and Private industry.
This mobile lab has testing capacity of 1000 to 2000 samples daily.

Uttar Pradesh becomes the 1st state with a software based in-house facility of virtual courts

Uttar Pradesh has become the 1st state in the country with a software-based in-house facility of virtual courts,
where a requisite infrastructure for the same was there in Allahabad High Court and all district courts of Uttar
Pradesh to hear cases through video conferencing as there is lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Labour Ministry declared banking industry as public utility service under ID Act 1947 till October 21, 2020

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has declared banking industry as a public utility service (PUS) for six months
from April 21, 2020 till October 21, 2020 under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. It means the
employees and officers of the banking sector are barred to do any strikes in the given period. The notification has
been issued by the Department of Financial Services under Ministry of Finance to RBI stating about the order
implemented by the Labour and Employment Ministry.

Karnataka tops in total installed renewable capacity: CRISIL Research report

In accordance with the CRISIL Research report, Karnataka retained its 1st position in terms of total installed
renewable capacity in the country for FY 20 followed by Tamil Nadu (2nd) & Gujarat (3rd). The top 3 states in overall
solar energy capacity are Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka & in wind energy- Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and
Maharashtra.

World will go into recession except India and China due to COVID-19, USD 2.5 trillion rescue package needed:
UNCTAD

According to new analysis from United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) titled ‘The COVID-
19 Shock to Developing Countries: Towards a ‘whatever it takes’ programme for the two- thirds of the world’s
population being left behind” the year 2020 will face world recession, mainly developing countries due to COVID-19
pandemic with an exception to India and China. The exporting countries will face $2 trillion to $3 trillion drop in
investment from overseas in the next two years.

UNGA adopts ‘Global solidarity to fight the COVID-19’ resolution

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopts a resolution– ‘Global solidarity to fight the coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19)’, co-sponsored by 188 nations including India. It is the 1st document adopted by world organisation
on the global pandemic. The objective of the resolution is to intensify international cooperation to mitigate & defeat
the pandemic which includes exchange of information, scientific knowledge & best practices in accordance with the
guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

China became top patent filer via PCT system; India’s IIT in PCT filers while Nirsan Connect among Madrid system

For the year 2019, China has become the world leader in international patent filings via WIPO’s Patent Cooperation
Treaty (PCT) with a total of 58,990 applications surpassing the United States (US), which was at top spot since the
PCT began operations in 1978. The system of registering international patents involves three main categories viz.
International patent system (Patent Cooperation Treaty – PCT), International trademark system (Madrid System),
and International design system (Hague System).

OPEC and Russia agreed to cut crude oil production amid Coronavirus crisis

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC – Headquarters at Vienna, Austria), an
intergovernmental organization of 13 nations, and allies including Russia — a group known as OPEC+, have agreed to
cut crude production by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) from May 1,2020 and will extend through the end of June
2020.

Global Trade to fall by 13%-32% in 2020 due to COVID-19: WTO

World Trade Organisation (WTO) has released Annual Trade Statistics and Outlook Report has projected that the
global trade is to fall by 13%-32% for the year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it disrupts the normal
economic activity and life around the world.

India slipped two places to 142nd on global press freedom index 2020; Norway tops

The rank of India has decreased by two places to 142nd from 140th position with a score of 45.33 in the “The World
Press Freedom Index 2020” which has analysed 180 countries. The World Press Freedom Index is compiled by Paris-
based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), or Reporters Without Borders. The index has been topped by Norway with a
score of 7.84 while North Korea stood at last rank of 180 with score of 85.82.

World Bank ties-up with AIMA to organize virtual workshop on “Contract Management during Emergency
situations”

World Bank (WB) has joined hands with AIMA (All India Management Association), one of the most renowned
business schools in India, to organize a virtual workshop called “The Contract Management during Emergency
situations” with the aim to create awareness about the likely impact of the COVID -19 pandemic on the
implementation of the bank-funded projects.
G20 launches ‘Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator’ Initiative

The G20 group has launched “Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator”, an international initiative to accelerate
development, production, and access to health tools needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, from Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia. Already the group is working hard to bridge approximately $8 billion funding gap to battle the pandemic.

ICICI Bank launches banking services on WhatsApp

Private sector bank, ICICI has launched its banking operations in WhatsApp to provide banking service to its
customers through Whataspp during the lockdown. The customers need to save ICICI Bank’s Verified WhatsApp
profile number, 9324953001 to their contacts and send ‘Hi’ to this number using the mobile number registered with
the bank.

In a 1st, BhartPe partners with ICICI lombard to launch ‘COVID-19 protection insurance cover’ for shopkeepers

Delhi based payment transaction business company ‘BharatPe’ has entered into partnership with general Insurance
company ‘ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited’ to introduce ‘COVID-19 Protection Insurance Cover’
for shopkeepers, who are most affected financially due to Coronavirus {COVID-19} outbreak. The premium starts
from Rs 199 with a sum assured of Rs 25,000 and value-added benefits and people aged between 18-65 can avail this
insurance cover.

SBI lists green bonds of USD 100 million on India INX

State Bank of India (SBI) has listed green bonds of USD 100 million (about Rs 750 crore) under its USD 10 billion
global medium term note programme on India International Exchange Limited’s (INX) Global Securities Market
Green Platform (GSM).

All standard health insurance policies to cover COVID-19 hospitalization treatment including “Arogya Sanjeevani”:
IRDAI

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has made the coverage of hospitalization
treatment costs of COVID-19 mandatory under standard health insurance product “Arogya Sanjeevani” [Policy
Coverage between 1 Lakh to 5 Lakh in multiples of 50,000 for age group of 18-65]. Apart from this, Indemnity based
health insurance products offered by all general and health insurance companies will also cover the costs of
hospitalization treatment because of covid-19.
‘Force majeure’ not applicable to COVID-19 death claims in life insurance policies

The Life Insurance Council of India has confirmed that the clause of ‘Force Majeure’ will not apply in case of COVID-
19 death claims and it is applicable for both state-run and private life insurance players. Force Majeure states that in
the event of any force majeure or disaster that affects the normal functioning of the life insurer then it can
temporarily suspend the claims by making the contract null or invalid.

RBI to launch Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme 2020-21 in H1 FY21 on behalf of GoI

The Central government after exercising its power conferred under clause (iii) of section 3 of Government securities
Act 2006 has launched a new series of the Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) Scheme namely “Sovereign Gold Bond 2020-
21” which is to be issued by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in six tranches from April 2020 to September 2020 i.e. in first
half of FY 20-21. These bonds will fetch a fixed interest rate of 2.50% per annum which will be taxable under Income
Tax Act, 1961.

RBI Governor announced relief measures for liquidity in system; Reverse Repo Rate slashed to 3.75% from 4%

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced relief measures for small and medium- sized
financial organisations which have been struggling to operate due to Covid-19. The important among them is
reduction of fixed reverse repo rate from 4% to 3.75% with immediate effect to maintain more liquidity in the
banking system.

Voice banking services on Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant launched: ICICI

The Mumbai based ICICI bank has launched voice assistance-based banking services on its integrated artificial
intelligence (AI) powered multi-channel chatbot “iPal” with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for its retail banking
customers by which they can access a wide range of banking services like check balance, seek credit card details &
ask queries through voice commands.

Paytm Payments Bank partnered with Mastercard to issue virtual and physical debit cards

Noida based Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) has collaborated with Mastercard to issue virtual and physical debit
cards to enable its customers to perform secure online transactions, make payment in stores as well as withdraw
cash from ATMs. PPBL will issue Mastercard virtual debit cards to its new customers to perform secure online
transactions for everyday purchases.

RBI opened Rs 50,000 cr Special Liquidity Facility for MFs from Apr 27-May 11,2020

To ease the liquidity pressures on mutual funds, impacted by Covid-19 crisis, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated
a special liquidity facility of Rs 50,000 crore namely “Special Liquidity Facility-Mutual Funds (SLF-MF)”under which
RBI will conduct repo operations of 90 days tenor at the fixed repo rate.
Global economy may shrink by almost 1% in 2020: UN-DESA

United Nations (UN) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) World Economic Forecasting Model
estimates that the global economy could shrink by 1% in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic from an earlier
forecast of 2.5%. For the Best case the global growth will be 1.2% and for Worst case it will be 0.9% for the year
2020.

Fitch declined India growth forecast to 2% for FY21 from 5.1%

Fitch Ratings has trimmed the Indian growth forecast for fiscal year (FY) 2020-2021 to 2% from 5.1% following the
economic recession caused due to lockdown amid COVID-19 pandemic. This would be the slowest growth in India
over the past 30 years.

Goldman Sachs lowers India’s growth forecast for FY 21 to 1.6% from 3.3%

Goldman Sachs (American finance service company) lowered India’s growth forecast for Financial Year (FY) 21 from
3.3% (estimated on March 22, 2020) to 1.6% (on April 8, 2020) due to the lockdown & social distancing measures to
control the COVID-19 pandemic spread.

India becomes top Hydroxychloroquine producer & exporter with 70% annual global share

As per Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), India has become the largest producer and exporter of
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the most talked out medicine to curb the COVID-19 disease, with 70% of annual global
production.
IMF cuts India GDP growth to 1.9%, projects while Barclays forecasted it to 0%

International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its “World Economic Outlook, April 2020” has decreased India’s GDP (Gross
Domestic Products) growth rate to 1.9% projection from 5.8 % for fiscal year 2020-21 & It has also predicted 7.4%
growth rate in FY 21-22. Barclays Predicted India’s growth to 0% for calendar year 2020 from its earlier projection of
2.5%.

IT firm Tech Mahindra joins hands with IBM to set up innovation centres

Indian IT firm Tech Mahindra Limited has entered into the partnership with US based IBM (International Business
Machines Corporation) to establish innovation centres to boost digital transformation & encourage adoption of
more hybrid cloud-based technologies among its global customers.

Chemicals, Petrochemicals contributed 14.35% of total exports; becomes top exporting sector for 1st time

The chemical & petrochemical industry became the Indian top exporting sector for FY 2019-20 as the export of
chemicals increased by 7.43% to Rs 2.68 lakh crore during the April-January period of FY 2019- 2020 in comparison
to the corresponding period of 2018-19. This industry contributed 14.35% of the total exports.

Naveen Patnaik conferred PETA’s “Hero to Animals Award” for feeding community animals

Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, has been conferred with Hero to Animals Award by People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) India for allocating funds to feed community animals in five municipal corporations and
all 48 municipalities of Odisha during the COVID-19 lockdown. He has allocated Rs 54 lakhs from a relief fund for the
same.

Jeff Bezos tops, Mukesh Ambani ranked 17th: 34th Forbes billionaires List 2020

The 34th edition of annual list of Global Billionaires 2020 released by Forbes was topped by Amazon Founder and
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jeff Bezos for the 3rd time, followed by Microsoft co- founder and chairman of Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates. The chairman & managing director of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani
(17th) topped the Indian list.

UB Pravin Rao appointed as Chairman & Rekha Menon as Vice Chairperson of NASSCOM

The National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) appoints Infosys Chief Operating Officer
(COO) UB Pravin Rao as its chairman (he succeeds Keshav Murugesh) & chairman and senior managing director of
Accenture in India Rekha M Menon as its vice president for 2020-21.
Shafali Verma named as brand ambassador by PepsiCo

PepsiCo (One of the largest beverage company) has named Shafali Verma, 16 years old, Indian Women Cricketer, as
one of its brand ambassadors for one year. Pepsi will be Shafali’s first contract with a major brand. The beverage
firm recently signed Bollywood star Salman Khan as its face for 2 years.

Parag Raja appointed as MD & CEO of Bharti AXA Life Insurance

Mumbai based Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company has appointed Parag Raja as the new MD (Managing Director) &
CEO (Chief Executive Officer) succeeding Vikas Seth. The appointment will be subject to the requisite approval from
the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

Sara Ali khan appointed as the ambassador of JBL

The Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the extension of audio
equipment maker, James Bullough Lansing (JBL)’s campaign -” Live it Real, Live it Raw” which went live with the 1st
commercial featuring Ranveer Singh. Mahindra Group’s MeraKisan, an organic Agri producer has partnered with The
Vice-Captain of the Indian Test Cricket team Ajinkya Rahane, as part of this, he will own equity & will be its brand
ambassador.

MS Dhoni appointed as the brand ambassador of PokerStars India

PokerStars India has appointed former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its new brand ambassador. Prior to
MS Dhoni’s appointment popular Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui was the brand ambassador of the company.
Ajay Mahajan appointed as MD and CEO of CARE Ratings

Mumbai based Credit Analysis and Research Limited (CARE) Ratings appointed Ajay Mahajan as Managing Director
(MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company for 5 years commencing from April 15, 2020. He is the
successor of T.N. Kumar- Interim CEO of the company.

World chess champion Viswanathan Anand becomes ambassador of WWF India’s environment education
programme

The 5 times world chess champion Viswanathan Anand was appointed as ambassador of World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
India’s environment education programme. The programme was started in 1976 as an initiative of Nature Clubs of
India (NCI) with aim to create a generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers and environmentally conscious
individuals.

HSBC appoints Noel Quinn as Chief Executive Officer

The UK based HSBC (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) Bank headquarters at London has appointed
Noel Quinn as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He served as the interim CEO of the bank since August 2019. He was
the successor of John Flint.

Hindustan Unilever completes its merger with GSKCH India

Hindustan Unilever (HUL), India’s largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, has completed the merger
of Glaxo SmithKline Consumer Healthcare Limited (GSKCH India) with itself. Apart from this merger, HUL has also
acquired the famous health drink brand Horlicks for India from GSK for an amount of 375.6 mln Euro (Rs. 3045
Crore).

Apple acquires Dark Sky weather app

Apple has acquired the weather app, named Dark Sky, which forecasts hyper-local weather predictions and ability to
minute by minute, its iPhone Operating System (iOS) app which costs USD 3.99 will not be modified, and the Android
and Wear OS app can’t be downloaded anymore. It has also updated its branding on its website as ‘Dark Sky by
Apple’.
China’s central bank increases its stake to 1% in HDFC; SAMA also bought 0.7% stake

China’s central bank named People’s Bank of China (PBOC) increased its stake in Housing Development Finance Corp
Limited (HDFC) to 1.01% from 0.8% on behalf of the Chinese sovereign wealth fund named SAFE. Similarly, Saudi
Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA), the central bank of Saudi Arabia has also picked up a 0.7% stake in HDFC on
behalf of Saudi sovereign wealth fund.

TVS motor acquires 122-year-old UK-based firm Norton motorcycles for Rs 153 cr

TVS Motor Company Ltd, an Indian multinational motorcycle company, has acquired the 122-year-old iconic British
company Norton Motorcycle (UK) Ltd for Rs 153 crore (£16 million). TVS has also tied up with BMW Motorrad i.e.
BMW G 310R and BMW G 310 GS are being manufactured at the TVS plant itself. Along with this, TVS also has its
own motorcycle-based platform TVS Apache RR 310.

Facebook buys 9.99% stake in Reliance Jio, largest FDI in India’s tech sector

The US tech giant Facebook has bought a 9.99% stake in the telecom unit of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), Reliance Jio
for $5.7 billion, or Rs 43,574 crore. This is the largest investment for a minority stake by a technology company
anywhere in the world and the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the technology sector in India.

HDFC acquires 6.43% stake in Reliance Capital through invocation

HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd.) has acquired a 6.43% stake in debt-trapped Reliance Capital
by invoking pledged shares. In this regard, HDFC has acquired 25.27 crore shares of Rs 10 each i.e. the total value of
these shares is Rs 252 crore. The process of selling Pledged shares and invoking pledged shares is called invocation.

Axis Bank to buy 29% stake in Max Life Insurance for Rs 1,600 crore

Axis Bank Ltd would acquire an additional 29% stake in Max Life Insurance Company from Max Financial Services
Limited (MFS). The deal will increase Axis Bank ‘s stake in Max Life to 30%. However, the bank didn’t reveal the
amount it is paying for the stake. But the bigger deal can be estimated at Rs 1,600 crore (about $209.43 million)
which will be paid in two stages.
Pune Woman behind First Indian made testing tool “Pathodetect Covid-19 Kit”

Virologist Minal Dakhave Bhosale the research and development chief of Mylab Discovery Solutions in Pune, headed
the team which designed corona virus testing kit called ‘Mylab PathoDetect COVID-19 Qualitative PCR kit’ in just 6
weeks and it can provide results in just 2.5hours. The kit is also known as the Reverse transcription polymerase chain
reaction (RT-PCR) tests. MyLab is the first Indian company has received full approval to make and sell Covid-19
testing kits.

Government of India launches coronavirus tracking app Corona Kavach

The Government of India has launched a Coronavirus risk-tracking Application (app) called “Corona Kavach”. The app
was jointly developed by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) & the Union Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The app uses a person’s location to assess whether they are in the high-risk
geographical zone or not.

Government launches its 1st comprehensive COVID-19 tracking app called Aarogya Setu

The Government of India (GoI) has launched its 1st comprehensive coronavirus (COVID-19) tracking app called
‘Aarogya Setu (A bridge of health)’ to connect health services with the people to fight the novel coronavirus
outbreak. The app has been developed by the National Informatics Center (NIC) in collaboration with the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) & it is available in 11 launguages.

Indian Railways’ RCF unit developed low-cost ventilator ‘Jeevan’ to fight COVID-19

The Indian Railways’ coach producing unit Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala in Punjab has developed a low-cost
ventilator ‘Jeevan’ to combat covid-19 crisis. The cost of “Jeevan” is around Rs 10,000 without the compressor and it
will not rise over Rs 30,000 even after adding a few more indicators. The ventilator is now awaiting the final
clearance from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Jeevan will produce low cost-effective service as
other ventilators cost between 5-15 lakhs.

Larsen & Toubro gets big contract from Indian Army to install state-of-the-art IT enabled network

Indian multinational conglomerate company Larson & Toubro has received a large order from the Indian Army to
install state-of-the-art IT (Information Technology) based state-of-the-art systems, which will be used to operate the
armed force network under the ‘Network of Spectrum (NFS)’.

DRDO & Wipro 3D team together to create full face shield for healthcare personnel treating coronavirus patients

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), an agency under Defence Ministry has partnered with
private firm Wipro 3D to create a full-face shield, which is meant to be helpful for doctors and nurses who are
treating patients infected with COVID-19.

COVID-19: IIT-Bombay researchers develop ‘digital stethoscope’ which can hear heartbeat from a distance

A team from Biomedical Engineering & Technology incubation Centre (BETiC) at the Indian Institute of Technology of
Bombay (IIT-B) has developed a “digital stethoscope” that can listen to hear beats from a distance and record. It
minimises the risk to doctors and health care professionals who are handling COVID- 19 patients.
Google and Apple ties-up to create coronavirus contact tracing technology by smartphone

Apple Inc., an American multinational technology company, has partnered with Google LLC have jointly create a
COVID-19 contact tracing technology using Bluetooth signals. Both companies are launching a tracing tool for Google
Android phones and Apple iPhones through which it will be easy to notify people via smartphone if they meet any
patient infected with covid-19.

Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog & National Informatics Centre (NIC) jointly launches CollabCAD in ATL schools

Atal Innovation Mission, NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog and National Informatics Centre
(NIC) jointly launched online tool named CollabCAD in ATL (Atal Tinkering Lab) schools. The aim of this initiative is to
provide a great platform to students of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across the country to create and modify 3D (3-
Dimension) designs with free flow of creativity and imagination.

Pharma majors Sanofi & GlaxoSmithKline joined hands to prepare vaccine for coronavirus

British multinational pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline plc, has tied-up with France’s Pharmaceutical
company Sanofi S.A., to develop the COVID-19 vaccine to deal with the current epidemic. Both companies plan to
conduct the first phase clinical trials in the second half of 2020.

India’s Aarogya Setu becomes world’s fastest app to reach 50 million downloads in 13 days

The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amitabh Kant stated that
Centre’s mobile app, Aarogya Setu, which was developed by National Infomatics Centre (NIC) under Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for tracking COVID-19 patients, has become the world’s fastest app
to reach 50 million (5 crore) downloads in just 13 days. The App is available in 11 languages.

Scientists at NASA discovers Earth-like planet ‘Kepler-1649c’ found to be hidden in early Kepler data

A team of scientists at the US (United States) space agency NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration),
has discovered an Earth-size exoplanet (1.06 larger than Earth & 300 light years away), called Kepler–1649c, orbiting
in its red dwarf star’s habitable zone. The findings have been published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Researchers at IIA, Bengaluru discovers hundreds of Li-rich giant stars

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, Karnataka, have discovered hundreds
of Lithium (Li) rich giant stars, which proves it is being produced in the stars and accounts for its abundance in the
interstellar medium. The study has been published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Fish gills used to develop efficient low-cost electro-catalysts: INST

The Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, an autonomous institute under the
Department of Science and Technology (DST) developed an efficient, low-cost electro-catalyst from fish gills that
helps to develop environment friendly energy conversion devices & it is better than commercial Platinum on carbon
(Pt/C) catalyst.

Pune Municipal Corporation designs ‘Saiyam’ app to track home quarantined people

The Pune Municipal Corporation, the civic body that governs Pune City, Maharashtra has developed a mobile
application called ‘Saiyam’ under the Smart City Mission (SCM) to ensure effective monitoring of home quarantine
citizens, who have recently returned from international trips and those discharged after treatment for COVID-19.

IIT-Mandi team develops magnetic RAM to enable higher data storage & faster computation

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)- Mandi team, developed a magnetic Random Access Memory (RAM) using
spintronic technology which is faster, more energy-efficient and capable of storing more information in a smaller
volume than existing data storage technologies. The research by the team has been published in IEEE Transactions
on Electron Devices, a reputed international journal.

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 carrier rocket with 60 satellites Starlink

SpaceX a private American aerospace company, has successfully launched 60 Starlink broadband satellites aboard
Falcon 9 rocket from the Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Kennedy Space
Center in Florida, US (United States). Starlink aims to provide low cost internet in some parts of US and Canada.
‘e-karyalay’ application launched for movement of files: CISF

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) launched ‘e-karyalay’ or ‘e-office’ application to enable the movement of files
and documents without physical touch so as to prevent coronavirus infection. It is designed by its in-house technical
team for the usage of the 1.62 lakhs personnel & it resembles each and every function of traditional file movement.

IIT-Delhi develops first low-cost probe free detection assay approved by ICMR

The Researchers at Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS) of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, develops
the first probe free real time PCR diagnostic assay for detecting the COVID-19 to help reduce the cost of testing has
got approval from the Indian Medical Council of Medical Researches (IMCR).

IIT Delhi develops Dashboard PRACRITI to predict Covid-19 spread

The Researchers of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi has developed a web-based mobile- friendly
dashboard named “PRACRITI” (Prediction and Assessment of Corona Infections and Transmission in India) to predict
the spread of Covid-19 in India & for state-wise and district-wise predictions.

IIT Ropar designs ‘WardBot’ to deliver food, medicines to COVID-19 patients

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, Punjab has come up with a design of an
autonomous ‘WardBot’ which can deliver medicines and food to COVID-19 patients in isolation wards without
human intervention. The Ward bot is fitted with sensors, can work on a known path and can carry food items and
medicines, necessary equipment for delivery to patients at different beds from one room to the other from the
remotely located control room.

IOC: Tokyo Olympics rescheduled to July 23- August 8 in 2021

The IOC (International Olympic Committee) and the Japanese organisers of Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic games
headed by Yoshiro Mori, announced the rescheduled dates of the 32nd edition of Tokyo Olympics that will be held in
Tokyo, Japan from July 23 to August 8, 2021& the Paralympics was scheduled from August 24 to September 5, 2021.
The International Swimming Federation has postponed the World Swimming Championships to 2022 (July 16- August
1,2021) in Fukoka, Japan & World athletics championships which was scheduled to be conducted at Eugene, Oregon,
US in 2021 is postponed to 2022.
Asian Youth Games to be held in China from November 20 to 28, 2021

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has announced the 3rd edition of Asian Youth Games, which will be hosted in
Shantou in China from November 20 to 28, 2021. This edition of games consists of 18 sports.

2022 Asian Games mascot “smart triplets” unveiled at digital ceremony in Hangzhou, China

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has unveiled the official mascots of the 19th Asian Games (September 10 to 25, 2022)
in a digital ceremony in Hangzhou, China. There are three mascots namely Congcong, Lianlian and Chenchen
(Collectively called as ‘smart triplets’) which represents the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Hangzhou in eastern
China.

American Basketball player Kobe Bryant inducted into Naismith Hall of Fame

Kobe Bryan the American Basketball player & 5-time NBA champion, will be posthumously inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield, Massachusetts, United States on August 29, 2020 along with
8 other honourees.

FIFA’s ranking 2020: Indian football team stats at 108th position; Belgium on top

According to the FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association)/Coca-Cola World Ranking 2020, released
on April 9, 2020, Indian football team retained its 108th position with 1187 points. While Belgium ranked 1st (1765
pts) and world champion France is in 2nd place (1733 pts) and Brazil is at 3rd spot (1712 pts).

China releases 4th Asian Para Games 2022 mascot as ‘Fei Fei’ bird

The organizing committee of Hangzhou Asian Games, has released ‘Fei Fei’ the bird as an official mascot for 4th
Asian Para Games 2022, which is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China from 9 – 15 October 2022. The design
inspiration of “Feifei” comes from the motif of the ‘Divine Bird’ in the Liangzhu Culture and represent both Hangzhou
city’s heritage and its innovation in technology.
Pakistan Cricket Board bans Umar Akmal for three-years for match-fixing

Pakistan batsman, Umar Akmal was banned for three-years by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Disciplinary
Committee for the violation of ICC Anti-corruption code 2.4.4 failing to disclose the details of approaches to engage
in corrupt conduct and 2.4.5 failing to disclose any incident that comes to the knowledge of any evidence that
another participant received any approaches to engage in corrupt conduct.

Shokoofeh Azar authored a book titled- The Enlightenment of The Greengage Tree

Iranian Author Shokoofeh Azar’s The Enlightenment of The Greengage Tree was originally published in 2017 by
ReadHowYouWant.com, Limited & has been reprinted by Europa Editions in January 2020. The book has been
named (among 13) in the longlist of Booker Prizes (annual) 2020 for a £50,000 (USD 98,000) prize, which is shared
between the author & translator of the winning book. She becomes the 1st Iranian author to be named in the Prize.

The book titled- ‘Backstage: The Story Behind India’s High Growth Years’ authored by Padma Vibhushan Montek
Singh Ahluwalia

Montek Singh Ahluwalia the Economist, civil servant & Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, with
the rank of Cabinet Minister, from July 2004 to May 2014 & Padma Vibhushan awardee (2011) has authored a book
titled ‘Backstage: The Story Behind India’s High Growth Years’ which captures the essence of policymaking between
1985 and 2014.
Satyarth Nayak authored a book- ‘Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess’

Satyarth Nayak the author and screenwriter has written his 1st non-fiction book titled as ‘Sridevi: The Eternal Screen
Goddess’ which is about the late actress Sridevi. It is published by Penguin eBury Press. Satyarth has won the Youth
Inspiration Award (Literature) 2017, Shri Award for Men Achievers (Literature) 2016, South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Heal Honour Award 2008.

Actor Jim Carrey & writer Dana Vachon authored a novel “Memoirs and Misinformation”

Canadian American comedian & actor Jim Carrey and writer Dana Vachon authored a novel named “Memoirs and
Misinformation” a fearless and semi-autobiographical novel about the reconstruction of personality. It is published
by Alfred A Knopf, publishing house & will be published on May 2020.

The Book titled ‘The Wizenard Series: Season One’- created by Kobe Bryant & authored by Wesley King

The book ‘The Wizenard Series: Season One’ is created by American Basket baller Kobe Bryant & authored by Wesley
King tops the New York Times’ middle-grade hardcover list, which is to be released on April 19, 2020. It is published
by Kobe Bryant’s Granity Studios (April 1, 2020).

The Pulitzer Prize winner, American reporter Mary Jordan authors a book- ‘The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story
of Melania Trump’

The Pulitzer Prize-winning American reporter for The Washington Post, Mary Jordan has written a book titled ‘The
Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump’. It is published by Simon & Schuster and is to be released on
June 16, 2020.

Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P V Sindhu authored by Krishnaswamy V

A book titled “Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P V Sindhu” authored by Krishnaswamy V was published by
HarperCollins in Amazon digital platform along with other two books, amid the lockdown due to Coronavirus. The
other 2 books published by HarperCollins are, Shameless by Taslima Nasreen translated from Bengali written by
Arunava Sinha & “The Big Questions of Life” by Om Swami.
World Autism Awareness Day 2020: April 2

World Autism Awareness Day is observed every year on April 2 globally to raise awareness about autism and
problems faced by people suffering from it. The day has been observed since 2008. The day is one of the seven
health-based UN (United Nations) days. As per WHO report 1 in 160 children around the world lives with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Theme for the year 2020: “The Transition to Adulthood”.

National Maritime Day 2020: April 5

The 57th Edition of National Maritime Day (NMD) was celebrated on April 5, 2020 (celebrated since 1964). The day is
observed annually to raise awareness in supporting intercontinental commerce and the global economy as the most
well- organized, safe & sound, environmentally responsive approach of transporting goods from one corner to
another corner of the world.

World Health Day 2020: April 7

World Health Day is observed annually on April 7 (since 1950), under the sponsorship of the World Health
Organization (WHO), to spread about equal healthcare facilities worldwide, the importance of Health and Wellness
and to kill myths around Health. WHO has designated 2020 as International Year of Nurse and Midwife in honour of
the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.

World Chagas Disease Day 2020 for the first time: April 14

The International Federation of Associations of People affected by Chagas Disease proposed the observance of
World Chagas Disease Day on April 14 to the World Health Assembly and on May 24, 2019 World Health
Organisation’s (WHO’s) decision making body & as per their request the 1st ever Day of the same was observed on
April 14, 2020.

Indian Army observes 36th Siachen day on April 13, 2020

On April 13, 2020, The Indian Army observed the 36th Siachen day (as a remembrance of ‘Operation MEGHDOOT’
conducted by Indian Army on April 13, 1984) to pay tribute to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives while
protecting the frontiers of the country in Ladakh at the Corps Headquarters in Leh and Siachen base camp, the
world’s highest and coldest battlefield.
World Heritage Day 2020: April 18

World Heritage Day, which is also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites is an annual event which
is celebrated every year on April 18, to promote awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage of humanity, their
vulnerability and the efforts required for their protection and conservation. Theme for the year 2020: “Shared
Culture, Shared Heritage and Shared Responsibility”.

National Civil Service Day 2020: April 21

21st April every year is celebrated as the National Civil Service Day to celebrate the civil servants who dedicated their
lives to the citizens and to renew their commitments and excellence in work. This is also to encourage the passion of
the Indians to get into civil service.

Earth Day 2020: April 22

Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22 around the world to demonstrate support for environmental protection
since 1970. The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Theme for Earth Day 2020: “Climate action”.
Also, The United Nations General Assembly recognised April 22 as International Mother Earth Day in the year 2019
by passing Resolution A/RES/63/278.

National Panchayati Raj Day 2020: April 24

National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) is observed annually on April 24 in India which is organized by the Ministry of
Panchayati Raj to mark a defining moment in the history of decentralization of political power at the rural level. The
first National Panchayati Raj Day was first celebrated on April 24, 2010, in India.

World Malaria Day 2020: April 25

25th April 2020 is observed as World Malaria Day to recognise the global efforts made to control malaria and to
commemorate the Africa Malaria Day. It is one of the eight official global public health campaigns recognised by the
World Health Organisation (WHO). The theme of World Malaria Day 2020 is “Zero Malaria Starts with Me”.

World Intellectual Property Day 2020 on April 26

26th April 2020 is annually observed as World Intellectual Property Day established by World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) in the year 2000 to create awareness about the impacts of patents, copyright, trademarks and
designs and to educate about the roles of Intellectual Property (IP) rights that supports and encourages the
innovation and creativity. The theme of this year is “Innovate for a Green Future”.
International Dance Day 2020, April 29

The International Dance Day is celebrated annually on 29th April by the International Dance Committee(IDC) of the
International Theatre Institute(ITI) since 1982 to create awareness about the importance of the various dance forms
and to encourage the dancers all around the world and to commemorate the birth anniversary of Jean-George
Noverre (29th April 1727), the creator of modern ballet.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announces 5T plan to control the spread of COVID-19

Arvind Kejriwal the Chief Minister of Delhi has announced a 5T plan which includes- Testing, Tracing, Treatment,
Teamwork & Tracking and monitoring to control the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

Manipur Govt introduces ‘Food Bank’ initiative for poor and needy people

The Imphal East District Administration of Manipur state Government has launched a new initiative “Food Bank”
based on the theme ‘Help End Hunger Today’ with the aim to provide free food to the poor people who are severely
affected in getting essential commodities due to the long state wide lockdown in view of the threat of Coronavirus.

Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy launches ‘YSR Nirman’ online platform
Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy launches ‘YSR Nirman’ an online platform to help various departments of
the State to procure cement from suppliers for government works such as Polavaram irrigation project, housing and
roads & also display availability of cement demand and supply on a real- time basis.

UP govt launches Annapurna, Supply Mitra portals for citizens’ food needs

Uttar Pradesh (UP) Government has launched two portals namely the Annapurna portal (help people get the
knowledge of food products and packets) and the Supply Mitra portals (provide free home delivery of eatables) for
the convenience of the food needs for the people of the state during the COVID-19 crisis.

Karnataka Government Launches “Apthamitra” to combat COVID-19

The CM of Karnataka, B S Yediyurappa has launched “Apthamitra” helpline toll free number and an application to
empower the people to fight against coronavirus pandemic. The app provides required medical guidance for the
people in need. The Apthamithra helpline will provide service from 8 AM to 8 PM. The Infosys BPM, a subsidiary of
Infosys Ltd, developed this application

Assam govt launches new medicine delivery scheme called ‘Dhanwantari’

Assam state government’s health department has launched a special scheme called ‘Dhanwantari’, under which
locally unavailable medicines will be delivered to patients at home. This medicine is free up to 200 rupees. If the
required medicine is not available at a distance of 10 km from the house, the government will provide the medicine
at home. This facility can be availed by calling 104.

AP launched ‘Covid Pharma’, a mobile application to trace people buying medicines for fever, cold

The Medical and Health Department of Andhra Pradesh (AP) has launched ‘Covid Pharma’, a mobile
application(app) to keep a track of people buying medicines over-the-counter (OTC) for cough, cold and fever from
medical stores across the state. The department also launched ‘COVID-19 AP’ mobile application on the android
platform through which one can request the authorities for COVID test.