Weekly Current Affairs

VOL-325
NATIONAL 3
#1 MP Home Minister launches country’s first ever ‘FIR Aapke Dwar’ Yojana 3
#2 Stringency Index 3
#3 Uttar Pradesh govt launches Pravasi Rahat Mitra 4
#4 Madhya Pradesh launches Charan Paduka initiative for migrant labourers 4
#5 Jammu and Kashmir notifies amended domicile certificate rules 4
#6 Darbar Move 5
#7 Central Administrative Tribunal 5
#8 Sankalp Scheme 6

INTERNATIONAL 7
#1 UN and partners launch $6.7 billion appeal for vulnerable countries 7
#2 Vesak Day 7
#3 Operation Samudra Setu 8
#4 Toman 8
#5 Vande Bharat Mission 8
#6 USCIRF Annual report 2020 9
#7 Gilgit-Baltistan 9

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY 11

#1 Centre allocates additional 40 thousand crore rupees under MGNREGA 11
#2 Measures under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan 12
#3 Interest subvention on working capital loans for dairy sector 13
#4 Deferred hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh 14
#5 Liquidity boost to NBFCs HFCs and MFIs 14
#6 Direct seeding of rice 14
#7 Ministry of MSME Launches CHAMPIONS Portal 15

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 16

#1 Covid-19’s Vitamin D link 16
#2 NIT Kurukshetra Implements SAMARTH 17
#3 Styrene gas 17
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

#4 Reusable Antimicrobial Mask 17

#5 GARUD portal 18
#6 Long March 5B rocket 18
#7 Artika-M 19

ENVIRONMENT 20
#1 Pinanga andamanensis 20
#2 Troglodytes twitter 20
#3 Ecologically Sensitive Area of Western Ghats 21
#4 NDMA issues guidelines for restarting industrial activities 21
#5 India CO2 emission fall 21

SPORTS 23
#1 India lost top spot in the ICC Test rankings to Australia 23

MCQ 24
ANSWER: 26

Important Article from various newspapers 27

#1 Don’t force industry to pay wages during COVID-19 lockdown (Financial Express) 27
#2 PMI: A leading or misleading indicator? (The Hindu) 29
#3 At the edge of a new nuclear arms race (The Hindu) 30
#4 From Plate to Plough: A Marshall Plan for East India (Indian Express) 33
#5 What’s behind diplomatic tensions in the South China Sea? (Indian Express) 35

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 2

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

NATIONAL

#1 MP Home Minister launches country’s first #2 Stringency Index

ever ‘FIR Aapke Dwar’ Yojana ● A Stringency Index created by Oxford
University shows how strict a country’s
● Madhya Pradesh Home Minister launched
measures were responding to the Covid-19
the country’s first-ever ‘FIR Aapke Dwar
outbreak, and at what stage of the spread it
Yojana’ in Bhopal.
enforced these.
About:
About:
● Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the
● It is among the metrics being used by the
country to implement such an innovative
Oxford COVID-19 Government Response
scheme.
Tracker.
● ‘FIR Aapke Dwar’ scheme has been started
● It tracks 17 indicators of government
as a pilot project in 23 Police Stations
response. These indicators examine
including one urban and one rural Police
containment policies such as school and
Station at 11 Divisional Headquarters.
workplace closings, public events, public
● Now people would not be required to visit a
transport, stay-at-home policies.
police station to lodge an FIR. Under it, Dial
● The Stringency Index is a number from 0 to
100 vehicles would have trained Head
100 that reflects these indicators. A higher
Constables to lodge FIR. FIRs in complaints
index score indicates a higher level of
of general nature will be lodged on the spot.
stringency.
In case of serious complaints, guidance will
be sought from senior officers. Key findings:

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 3

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

● The Stringency Index has found that India

indeed had one of the strongest lockdown
measures in the world — at a 100 score
since March 22.
● It was relaxed slightly on April 20 after the
government eased norms for certain
workplaces in regions outside the red
zones.
● In countries such as the UK, the US, and
India, the Oxford graphs find that the death
curve has not flattened after strictest
measures were enforced.

#3 Uttar Pradesh govt launches Pravasi Rahat

Mitra
● Uttar Pradesh Government has launched the
‘Pravasi Rahat Mitra’ App for migrant
workers of state who are returning from
different parts of the country amidst
lockdown.
About:
● The multipurpose App is aimed at providing
benefits of government schemes to the
migrant workers and it will also help in
monitoring their health besides providing
jobs and livelihood.
● The app has been developed by the State
Revenue Department in collaboration with
the United Nation Development Programme.
#4 Madhya Pradesh launches Charan Paduka
initiative for migrant labourers
● In Madhya Pradesh, in a first of its kind of
initiative, the Charan Paduka campaign has
been started for the migrant laborers
passing through the state.
About:
● Under this campaign, the migrant laborers
going barefoot are providing shoes and
slippers to reduce their pain.
● The most notable thing is that this
campaign is being conducted by the police
in most places.
● Now this human initiative has spread in
many cities of MP including Damoh, Umaria,
and Sagar.
#5 Jammu and Kashmir notifies amended
domicile certificate rules
● The Jammu and Kashmir administration
notified the Jammu and Kashmir Grant of
Domicile Certificate Procedure Rules, 2020,
and set a fast-track process in motion to
issue the certificates within a stipulated
time of 15 days.
About:
● Under the amended rules, eligible non-locals
can also apply for the certificate.

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 4

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
● These rules provide a simple time-bound
and transparent procedure for issuance of
domicile certificates. There is a timeline of
15 days for the issuance of certificates.
● Domicile certificates have now been made a
basic eligibility condition for appointment to
any post under the Union Territory of
Jammu and Kashmir following the
amendments in the previous Act.
● To make the process transparent and
time-bound, any officer not able to issue the
certificate would be penalized ₹50,000. The
amount would be recovered from his salary.
● All Permanent Resident Certificate holders
and their children living outside Jammu and
Kashmir can apply for the certificates.
● Kashmiri migrants living in or outside
Jammu and Kashmir can get domicile
certificates by simply producing their
Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC),
ration card copy, voter card, or any other
valid document.
● Bonafide migrants can apply with the Relief
and Rehabilitation department by providing
documents like electoral rolls of 1988, proof
of registration as a migrant in any State in
the country, or any other valid document.
#6 Darbar Move
● The Jammu and Kashmir High Court asked
the Centre and the Union Territory (UT)
administration of Jammu and Kashmir to
take a final call on the continuation of the
‘Darbar Move.’
About:
● Darbar move is the name for the bi-annual
shift of the secretariat and all other
government offices in Jammu and Kashmir
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
from Srinagar (state’s summer capital) to
Jammu (state’s winter capital).
● The secretariat is located in Srinagar from
May to October and in Jammu from
November to April. Along with the
secretariat, the Jammu and Kashmir High
Court also moves.
● The practice was started by Dogra King
Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1872 to escape
extreme weather conditions in these places.
It was a compulsion in the past because of
poor means of transportation and
communication.
#7 Central Administrative Tribunal
● The Centre clarified that all service matters
of the employees of the Central government
and the Union Territories of Jammu and
Kashmir and Ladakh will be heard by the
Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Bench
of Jammu and Kashmir instead of
Chandigarh Bench.
About:
● The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT)
had been established under Article 323 – A
of the Constitution.
● To adjudicate disputes and complaints with
respect to recruitment and conditions of
service of persons appointed to public
services and posts in connection with the
affairs of the Union or other authorities
under the control of the Government.
● There are 17 Benches and 21 Circuit
Benches in the Central Administrative
Tribunal all over India. In addition, the
Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal
Bench is dealing with the matters of Govt. of
National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Weekly Current Affairs 5
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

● Under Section 17 of the Administrative
Tribunal Act, 1985, the Tribunal has been
conferred with the power to exercise the
same jurisdiction and authority in respect of
contempt of itself as a High Court.
● The Tribunal is guided by the principles of
natural justice in deciding cases and is not
bound by the procedure, prescribed by the
Civil Procedure Code.
● Salaries and Allowances and Conditions of
Service of the officers and other employees
of the Tribunal are specified by the Central
Government.
● Under the Sankalp Scheme, authorities are
trying to connect police personnel along
with every elderly member of the family.
● The police got the inspiration for the
Sankalp Scheme from an elderly woman,
who was worried about her medicines. The
elders are also happy with this innovative
effort of the police.
● The Sankalp Scheme is indeed a
commendable effort and can become
exemplary for many districts.

#8 Sankalp Scheme
● In Madhya Pradesh, along with the strict
implementation of the lockdown, the
humanitarian face of the police is also being
praised by one and all.
● After connecting the children towards
creative activities, now the police in Umaria
district are becoming the support of the
elders.
● The Umaria police have launched a Sankalp
Scheme to provide 24-hour help to the
elderly.

About:

● Under the Sankalp Scheme, the

Superintendent of Police has instructed all
police officers to identify and help one or
two elderly families who are living alone and
are worried about their everyday needs
during the lockdown.

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 6

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
INTERNATIONAL
#1 UN and partners launch $6.7 billion appeal
for vulnerable countries
● The United Nations and partner agencies
have launched a 6.7 billion US dollar global
appeal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic,
more than trebling an earlier appeal made
by the UN chief.
About:
● The COVID-19 Global Humanitarian
Response Plan was launched on March
25th, but with humanitarian needs rising, the
plan is calling for an injection of 6.7 billion
US dollars for the remainder of 2020.
● The plan puts a special focus on more
vulnerable countries and combating food
insecurity and gender-based violence.
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
● The updated appeal adds nine vulnerable
countries to the 54 nations covered in the
initial appeal — Benin, Djibouti, Liberia,
Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines,
Sierra Leone, Togo, and Zimbabwe.
#2 Vesak Day
● ‘Vesak’, the Day of the Full Moon in the
month of May, is being observed by the
United Nations on May 7, 2020.
About:
● Vesak is the most sacred day for Buddhists
around the world.
● It is also known as Buddha Purnima and
Buddha Day.
● The day commemorates birth,
enlightenment, and Death (or Parinirvana) of
Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, all
Weekly Current Affairs 7
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
of which is said to have taken place on the
same day.
● Vesak falls on the full moon day (Purnima)
of the month Vaishakha (May), hence the
occasion is referred to as Buddha Purnima
in India.
● The General Assembly, by its resolution in
1999, recognized internationally the Day of
Vesak. It was done to acknowledge the
contribution that Buddhism made to
humanity.
#3 Operation Samudra Setu
● Indian Navy has launched Operation
Samudra Setu – meaning Sea Bridge, as a
part of national effort to repatriate Indian
citizens from overseas amid the
coronavirus pandemic.
About:
● Indian Naval Ships Jalashwa and Magar are
present en route to Malè in the Maldives to
commence evacuation operations as part of
Phase-1. A total of one thousand persons
are planned to be evacuated during the first
trip.
● The evacuated personnel will be
disembarked at Kochi in Kerala and
entrusted to the care of State authorities.
● This operation is being progressed in close
coordination with Ministries of Defence,
External Affairs, Home Affairs, Health, and
various other agencies of the Government
of India and State governments.
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
#4 Toman
● The Iranian Parliament authorized the
replacement of the national currency, the
rial with another basic unit of currency
called the toman.
About:
● The plan is set to effectively cut four zeros
from its currency, making each toman worth
10,000 rials under the new system.
● The Guardian Council, a body of
conservative clerics that supervises
Parliament, is expected to ratify the law, and
then the Central Bank will have two years to
implement the change — removing rails
from circulation and issuing romans
instead.
● Iran’s move is to offset the fallout from
inflation fueled by U.S. sanctions.
#5 Vande Bharat Mission
● In one of the largest evacuation exercises
named Vande Bharat Mission, the
government will operate 64 flights between
the 7th and 13th of May to bring home
nearly 14,800 Indian nationals stranded
abroad due to the Coronavirus lockdown.
About:
● The 64 flights which will be operated
include ten flights from UAE, seven each
from Bangladesh, Malaysia, United
Kingdom, and the United States, five each
from Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Philippines,
and Kuwait along with two each from Qatar,
Bahrain and Oman.
Weekly Current Affairs 8
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
● Out of the total, fifteen flights will bring back
people to Kerala followed by eleven flights
to Tamil Nadu and Delhi. Seven flights will
be flying back people to Maharashtra and
Telangana whereas five flights are slated
for Gujarat.
#6 USCIRF Annual report 2020
● The U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has
downgraded India to the lowest ranking,
“countries of particular concern” (CPC) in its
2020 report.
Key highlights:
● The report, released in Washington by the
federal government commission that
functions as an advisory body, placed India
alongside countries, including China, North
Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. India was
categorized as a “Tier 2 country” in last
year’s listing.
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
● This is the first time since 2004 that India
has been placed in this category.
● “India took a sharp downward turn in 2019,”
the commission noted in its report, which
included specific concerns about the
Citizenship Amendment Act, the proposed
National Register for Citizens,
anti-conversion laws, and the situation in
Jammu and Kashmir.
● The Government of India reacted sharply to
the USCIRF report on Tuesday, terming it
“biased and tendentious” and rejected its
observations.
#7 Gilgit-Baltistan
● The External Affairs Ministry of India issued
a “strong protest” over an order by the
Pakistan Supreme Court allowing Pakistan’s
Government to hold elections in the region
of Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir (PoK).
About:
● Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) was formerly known as
the Northern Areas.
● It is an integral part of the Indian Union
Territory of Ladakh but is currently under
Pakistani occupation.
● Gilgit Baltistan has been under the control
of Pakistan since April 1949, when the
leadership of the so-called Azad Jammu
and Kashmir (AJK) was forced to sign away
this territory to Pakistan.
● However, the region does not have any
place in the constitutional framework of
Pakistan and has been kept under the tight
control of the central government. The
Weekly Current Affairs 9
STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

region functioned as a “provincial and legal guarantees to the region which

autonomous region” since 2009. was strategically important for the country
● Gilgit-Baltistan shares a border with Azad especially in view of the passage of the
Kashmir, together with which it is referred to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
by the United Nations as “Pakistan through the region.
administered Kashmir”.
● Pakistan in recent months had taken a
series of steps to ensure full constitutional

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 10

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
#1 Centre allocates additional 40 thousand
crore rupees under MGNREGA
● Union Finance Minister announced the 5th
and last Tranche of measures towards
Government Reforms and Enablers under
Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.
Measures announced:
● The Government will allocate an additional
Rs 40,000 crore under MGNREGS to provide
employment boost.
● There will be Decriminalisation of
Companies Act violations involving minor
technical and procedural defaults such as
shortcomings in CSR reporting, delay in
holding of AGM etc. to de-clog the criminal
courts and NCLT.
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
● Public Expenditure on Health will be
increased by investing in grass-root health
institutions and ramping up Health and
Wellness Centres in rural and urban areas.
Infectious Diseases Hospital Blocks to be
set up in all districts.
● Government will announce a new Public
Sector Enterprise Policy whereby List of
strategic sectors requiring presence of
PSEs in the public interest will be notified. In
strategic sectors, at least one enterprise will
remain in the public sector but the private
sector will also be allowed. In other sectors,
PSEs will be privatized.
● Centre has decided to increase the
borrowing limits of States from 3% to 5% for
2020-21 only. This will give States extra
resources of Rs. 4.28 lakh crore.
Weekly Current Affairs 11
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
Technology Driven Education with Equity
post-COVID:
● PM eVIDYA, a programme for multi-mode
access to digital/online education to be
launched immediately.
● Manodarpan, an initiative for psycho-social
support for students, teachers and families
for mental health and emotional well-being
to be launched immediately as well.
● National Foundational Literacy and
Numeracy Mission for ensuring that every
child attains Learning levels and outcomes
in grade 5 by 2025 will be launched by
December 2020.
Further enhancement of Ease of Doing Business
through IBC related measures:
● Minimum threshold to initiate insolvency
proceedings has been raised to Rs. 1 crore
(from Rs. 1 lakh, which largely insulates
MSMEs). Suspension of fresh initiation of
insolvency proceedings up to one year,
depending upon the pandemic situation.
● Central Government to be empowered to
exclude COVID 19 related debt from the
definition of “default” under the Code for the
purpose of triggering insolvency
proceedings.
Ease of Doing Business for Corporates:
● Direct listing of securities by Indian public
companies in permissible foreign
jurisdictions.
● Private companies which list NCDs on stock
exchanges not to be regarded as listed
companies. Power to create additional/
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
specialized benches to be granted for
NCLAT.
#2 Measures under Atma Nirbhar Bharat
Abhiyaan
● The Union Finance Minister announced
short-term and long-term measures under
Atma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India
Movement) for supporting the poor,
including migrants, farmers, tiny
businesses, and street vendors.
Measures announced:
● Free food grains will be supplied to all
Migrant laborers for 2 months i.e. May and
June 2020.
● Technology systems to be used enable
Migrants to access PDS (Ration) from any
Fair Price Shops in India so as to achieve
100% National portability by March 2021
under the One Nation one Ration Card
scheme.
● The Central Government will launch a
scheme for migrant workers and urban poor
to provide ease of living at an affordable
rent.
● Government of India will provide Interest
subvention of 2% for prompt payees for a
period of 12 months to MUDRA Shishu
loanees, who have loans below Rs 50,000.
The current portfolio of MUDRA Shishu
loans is around Rs 1.62 Lakh crore.
● A special scheme will be launched within a
month to facilitate easy access to credit to
Street vendors. 50 lakh street vendors will
be benefited under this scheme and credit
of Rs. 5,000 crore would flow to them.
Weekly Current Affairs 12
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

● Rs 70,000 crore boost is given to the producer companies on working capital

housing sector and middle-income group loans taken from banks and financial
(MIG) through the extension of Credit institutions between 1st April 2020 to 31st
Linked Subsidy Scheme for MIG under March 2021 for the conversion of milk into
PMAY(Urban) up to March 2021. conserved commodities and other milk
● 6,000 crores of funds under Compensatory products.
Afforestation Management & Planning
Authority (CAMPA) will be used for
Afforestation and Plantation works,
including in urban areas. This will create job
opportunities.
● NABARD will extend additional re-finance
support of Rs 30,000 crore for meeting crop
loan requirements of Rural Cooperative
Banks and RRBs. This refinance will be
front-loaded and available on tap.
● A special drive to be conducted to provide
concessional credit to PM-KISAN
beneficiaries through Kisan Credit Cards.
Fisherman and Animal Husbandry Farmers
will also be included. This will inject
additional liquidity of Rs 2 lakh crore in the ● The scheme has made provisions for
farm sector. providing interest subvention of 2% per
annum, with an additional incentive of 2%
#3 Interest subvention on working capital per annum interest subvention to be given in
loans for dairy sector case of prompt and timely
● The Union Government has introduced a repayment/interest servicing.
new scheme of Interest Subvention on ● The modified scheme envisages a
Working Capital Loans for the Dairy sector budgetary provision of 100 crore rupees
for supporting Dairy Cooperatives and earmarked for the component Interest
Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in Subvention on Working Capital Loans for
dairy activities for implementation during the Dairy sector during 2020-21.
2020-21. ● The scheme will be implemented by the
Department of Animal Husbandry through
About: National Dairy Development Board (NDDB),
● Interest subvention will be given to Anand.
Cooperatives and Farmer-owned milk

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 13

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
● The scheme will help in providing stable
market access to milk producers. This will
help to ease out the working capital crisis
for handling surplus milk and enable timely
payment to the farmers.
#4 Deferred hydropower project in Arunachal
Pradesh
● The Forest Advisory Committee, the apex
body of the Environment Ministry tasked
with deciding whether forest land can be
diverted for industrial projects, has once
again deferred its decision on the Dibang
project in Arunachal Pradesh.
● The project has been delayed for over six
years because it required diverting 1,165
hectares of forest in a region of rich
biodiversity.
About:
● The Project is located on river Dibang, in
Lower Dibang Valley District of Arunachal
Pradesh.
● The project shall generate 2880MW
(12x240MW) power to produce 11223MU of
energy in a 90% dependable year. This is the
largest ever Hydro Electric Project to be
constructed in India.
● The project envisages the construction of a
Concrete Gravity Dam.
● The dam is 278 meters high and will be the
highest dam in India once completed.
#5 Liquidity boost to NBFCs HFCs and MFIs
● Union Minister of Finance announced
further liquidity support to non-banking
financial companies (NBFCs), housing
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
finance companies (HFCs), and
microfinance institutions (MFIs) under the
Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.
About:
● Rs 30,000 crores Special Liquidity Scheme
for NBFC/HFC/MFIs
● Government will launch Rs 30,000 crore
Special Liquidity Scheme, liquidity is
provided by RBI. The investment will be
made in primary and secondary market
transactions in investment-grade debt paper
of NBFCs, HFCs, and MFIs.
● This will be 100 percent guaranteed by the
Government of India.
● Rs 45,000 crores Partial credit guarantee
Scheme 2.0 for Liabilities of NBFCs/MFIs
● Existing Partial Credit Guarantee scheme is
being revamped and now will be extended
to cover the borrowings of lower-rated
NBFCs, HFCs, and other Micro Finance
Institutions (MFIs).
● The Government of India will provide 20
percent first loss sovereign guarantee to
Public Sector Banks.
#6 Direct seeding of rice
● Due to a shortage of laborers in Punjab and
Haryana, farmers are now being encouraged
to adopt the ‘direct seeding of rice’ (DSR) in
place of conventional transplanting.
Normal transplanting of paddy:
● In transplanting, farmers prepare nurseries
where the paddy seeds are first sown and
raised into young plants.
Weekly Current Affairs 14
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
● These seedlings are then uprooted and
replanted 25-35 days later in the main field.
The nursery seedbed is 5-10% of the area to
be transplanted.
Direct seeding of Rice (DSR):
● In DSR, there is no nursery preparation or
transplantation. The seeds are instead
directly drilled into the field by a
tractor-powered machine.
● The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in
Ludhiana has developed a ‘Lucky Seed Drill’
that can both sow seeds and
simultaneously spray herbicides to control
weeds.
● In DSR, water is replaced by real chemical
herbicides. Farmers have to only level their
land and give one pre-sowing irrigation or
rain. It also saves water by not requiring
flooding of fields.
#7 Ministry of MSME Launches CHAMPIONS
Portal
● Union Ministry of MSME has launched the
CHAMPIONS portal www.Champions.gov.in,
a Technology-driven Control
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
Room-Cum-Management Information
System.
About:
● The name CHAMPIONS stands here for
Creation and Harmonious Application of
Modern Processes for Increasing the Output
and National Strength.
● The system utilizing modern ICT tools is
aimed at assisting Indian MSMEs march
into the big league as National and Global
CHAMPIONS.
● The portal is for making the smaller units
big by solving their grievances, encouraging,
supporting, helping, and handholding. It is a
real one-stop-shop solution of MSME
Ministry.
● As part of the system a network of control
rooms is created in a Hub & Spoke Model.
The Hub is situated in New Delhi in the
Secretary of MSME’s office. The spokes will
be in the States in various offices and
institutions of the Ministry.
Weekly Current Affairs 15
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
#1 Covid-19’s Vitamin D link
● A new study has found an association
between low average levels of vitamin D
and high numbers of Covid-19 cases and
mortality rates across 20 European
countries.
Findings of the study:
● Italy and Spain, which experienced high
Covid-19 mortality rates, have lower average
vitamin D levels than most northern
European countries. This is partly because
people in southern Europe avoid strong sun,
while skin pigmentation also reduces
natural vitamin D synthesis.
● The highest average levels of vitamin D are
found in northern Europe, due to the
consumption of cod liver oil and vitamin D
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
supplements, and possibly less sun
avoidance. Scandinavian nations are among
the countries with the lowest number of
COVID-19 cases and mortality rates.
How vitamin D impact novel coronavirus:
● Vitamin D is known to modulate the
response of white blood cells, preventing
them from releasing too many inflammatory
cytokines (part of the body’s immune
response to fight infections).
● And the SARS-CoV2 virus is known to cause
an excess of pro-inflammatory cytokines,
called a cytokine storm.
● Vitamin D has been shown to protect
against acute respiratory infections, and
older adults, the group most deficient in
Weekly Current Affairs 16
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
vitamin D, are also the ones most seriously
affected by Covid-19.
#2 NIT Kurukshetra Implements SAMARTH
● NIT Kurukshetra has implemented
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP),
SAMARTH to enhance productivity through
better information management, and
automating the process in the institute.
About:
● SAMARTH, an e-Governance platform, is an
Open Standard Open Source Architecture
Automation Engine for Universities and
Higher Educational Institutions. It caters to
faculty, students and staff at a
University/Higher Educational Institutions.
● It has been developed under the National
Mission of Education in Information and
Communication Technology Scheme
(NMEICT) of the Ministry of Human
Resource Development (HRD).
● This initiative will enhance productivity
through better information management in
the institutes by seamless access to
information, and its utilization for various
purposes.
#3 Styrene gas
● A gas leak has claimed at least eight lives
and affected thousands of residents in
Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The
source of the leak was a styrene plant
owned by South Korean electronics giant
LG, located at RRV Puram near
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
Gopalapatnam, about 15 km from the
coastal city.
About:
● Styrene is a flammable liquid that is used in
the manufacturing of polystyrene plastics,
fiberglass, rubber, and latex. Styrene is also
found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke,
and in natural foods like fruits and
vegetables.
● Short-term exposure to styrene can result in
respiratory problems, irritation in the eyes,
irritation in the mucous membrane, and
gastrointestinal issues.
● Long-term exposure could drastically affect
the central nervous system and lead to
other related problems like peripheral
neuropathy. It could also lead to cancer and
depression in some cases.
● Symptoms include headache, hearing loss,
fatigue, weakness, difficulty in
concentrating, etc.
#4 Reusable Antimicrobial Mask
● An IIT Delhi startup ‘Nano safe Solutions’
has launched an antimicrobial and
washable face mask ‘NSafe’, which is
reusable up to 50 launderings, thus greatly
cutting down the cost of use.
About:
● NSafe mask has 99.2% bacterial filtration
efficiency (at 3 microns) and complies with
ASTM standards of breathability and splash
resistance.
● It is believed to be the first fabric-based
antimicrobial face mask launched in India.
Weekly Current Affairs 17
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
● NSafe mask enhances protection to the
wearer through three different mechanisms:
mechanical filtration, antimicrobial
decontamination, and repulsion of aerosol
droplets.
#5 GARUD portal
● The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
have launched the GARUD portal
(https://garud.civilaviation.gov.in) for
providing fast track conditional exemptions
to government agencies for COVID-19
related drone operations.
About:
● GARUD is an acronym for ‘Government
Authorisation for Relief Using Drones’.
● The step has been taken to aid government
entities in addressing the challenges posed
by COVID-19 and will remain in force until
further orders.
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
● The rules and regulations related to the
operation of Drones/Remotely Piloted
Aircraft (“RPA”) are covered under Rule 15A
of Aircraft Rules, 1937 and Civil Aviation
Requirements (“CAR”) Section 3 Series X
Part I dated 27.8.2018 issued by Directorate
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
#6 Long March 5B rocket
● China has successfully launched a Long
March 5B rocket, a new rocket, and
prototype spacecraft, in a major test of its
ambitions to operate a permanent space
station and send astronauts to the Moon.
About:
● A Long March 5B rocket took off from the
Wenchang launch site on the southern
island of Hainan and eight minutes later an
unmanned prototype spacecraft
successfully separated and entered its
planned orbit.
● China hopes that the craft will one-day
transport astronauts to a space station that
it plans to complete by 2022 – and
eventually to the Moon. It will have the
capacity for a crew of six.
● China plans to send an astronaut to the
Moon in about a decade and then build a
base there.
● The United States is so far the only country
to have sent humans to the Moon. But in its
effort to catch up, China has sent
astronauts into space, satellites into orbit,
and a rover to the far side of the Moon in
2019.
Weekly Current Affairs 18
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

● The satellite will be launched by Soyuz -2,1b

#7 Artika-M
carrier rocket with a frigate booster. The
● Russia will launch the first Arktika-M remote sensing Artika-M will monitor the
satellite for monitoring the Arctic climate meteorological conditions in the polar
this year at the end of the year. region.
About:

● As of now the first satellite is developed and

the launch is planned for 2020.

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 19

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
ENVIRONMENT
#1 Pinanga andamanensis
● A rare palm endemic to the South Andaman
Island is finding a second home at
Thiruvananthapuram-based Jawaharlal
Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and
Research Institute (JNTBGRI).
About:
● JNTBGRI scientists termed the Pinanga
andamanensis “a critically endangered
species and one of the least known among
the endemic palms of the Andaman
Islands”.
● Its entire population of some 600
specimens naturally occurs only in a tiny,
evergreen forest pocket in South
Andaman’s Mount Harriet National Park.
● By conserving the germplasm on the Indian
mainland, JNTBGRI can ensure its
continued survival in the event of its
minuscule original home getting wiped out
by a natural calamity.
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
● This elegant palm holds promise as an
avenue tree for gardens, pavements, and
homesteads.
● The name is derived from ‘Penang’, the
modern-day Malaysian state. Penang itself
has its origins in ‘Pulau Pinang’, which
means ‘Island of the Areca Nut Palm.
#2 Troglodytes twitter
● A new species has just been discovered
using a Twitter image and thus has been
named as Troglodytes twitter.
About:
● Troglodytes twitteri is a type of parasitic
fungus.
● It belongs to an order called Laboulbeniales
— tiny fungal parasites that attack insects
and millipedes. These fungi live on the
outside of host organisms; in this case, on
the reproductive organs of millipedes.
Weekly Current Affairs 20
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
● Laboulbeniales were first discovered in the
middle of the 19th century.
#3 Ecologically Sensitive Area of Western
Ghats
● Union Minister of Environment interacted
with Chief Ministers & State Government
Officers of six states viz, Kerala, Karnataka,
Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu
to discuss issues relating to notification of
Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) pertaining
to the Western Ghats.
About:
● To protect the biodiversity of Western Ghats
while allowing for sustainable development
of the region, the Government of India had
constituted a High-Level Working Group
under the Chairmanship of Dr.
Kasturirangan.
● The Committee had recommended that
identified geographical areas falling in the
six States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa,
Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu may
be declared as Ecologically Sensitive Areas.
● A draft notification was issued in October
2018 mentioning the areas to be notified in
the ESA.
● The states expressed their desire to
expedite early notification while protecting
the interest of ecology and environment.
#4 NDMA issues guidelines for restarting
industrial activities
● In the wake of the gas leak at a factory in
Visakhapatnam, the National Disaster
Management Authority (NDMA) has issued
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
detailed guidelines for restarting industries
after the lockdown and the precautions to
be taken for the safety of the plants as well
as the workers.
About NDMA:
● It is under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
● To coordinate the response to natural or
man-made disasters and for
capacity-building in disaster resiliency and
crisis response.
● NDMA was established through the Disaster
Management Act enacted in 2005.
● The Prime Minister is the ex-officio
chairperson of the NDMA, who chairs a
9-member board. The day-to-day
management of the agency is overseen by
the office of the Vice-Chair.
#5 India CO​2​ emission fall
● According to an analysis by the Centre for
Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA),
for the first time in four decades, emissions
of toxic carbon dioxide have declined in the
country — thanks to an economic
slowdown, growth of clean energy and the
ongoing lockdown.
About:
● According to the analysis, CO2 emissions in
the country fell by around 15% in March, and
are likely to have fallen by 30% last month,
year-on-year.
● Using the latest consumption data for coal,
oil, and gas, the analysts concluded that
CO2 emissions fell by 30 million tonnes in
Weekly Current Affairs 21
STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

the financial year 2019-20 compared to the

previous fiscal.
● Power and transportation sectors are the
major contributors of CO2 pollution in the
country. The fall in the consumption of
fossil fuels has led to a decline in CO2
emissions.
● Power generated from coal-fired plants fell
by 15% in March, and 31% in the first three
weeks of April. In contrast, renewable
energy (RE) generation increased by 6.4% in
March and saw a slight decrease of 1.4% in
the first three weeks of April.
● Not just coal, consumption of oil too has
witnessed a decline. The already-slow
demand in the growth of oil consumption
fell by 18% this March, compared to the
previous year.

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 22

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
SPORTS
#1 India lost top spot in the ICC Test rankings
to Australia
● India lost the top spot in the ICC Test
rankings to Australia on 1 May. It lost the
rank because the 2016-17 record was
eliminated from the annual update as per
rules.
Highlights:
● India dropped in the ladder largely because
the record of 12 Test victories and just one
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
Test defeat in 2016-17 was removed in the
latest chart.
● Australia, the top-ranking country, now has
116 points. It is followed by New Zealand
with 115 points and India with 114 points.
● India yielded the top spot in Test rankings
for the first time since October 2016. It
continues to lead the ICC World Test
Championship.
Weekly Current Affairs 23
● Download NCERT Books for IAS Preliminary Examination
● Download NCERT Books for IAS Main Examination
● डाउनलोड) एनसीईआरट बक
(डाउनलोड ु (NCERT Books in Hindi)
● NEW! ​Gist of NCERT Study Kit For UPSC Exams

● Importance of NCERT BOOKS for UPSC Exams (Why, What, How)

● Why read NCERT Books for UPSC IAS Exams
● Old NCERT Vs New NCERT Books
● NCERT and NIOS Books for IAS Preparations
● आई. ए. एस
आई एस. क तैयार के लए एन
एन. सी
सी. ई. आर
आर. ट . क कताब का मह व
● Printed (Hard) Copy of NCERT Text Books
● Download By Subject & Class
● NEW! ​Download OLD NCERT Books

● Download Subject wise NCERT Books

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ​NCERT BOOKS

http://iasexamportal.com/ncert-books
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
MCQ
Q1. Chak-Hao, which is a black rice variety of
Manipur has been recently awarded the
geographical indication (GI )tag. Which of the
following statements regarding the rice variety
stands true ?
1. Chak-Hao, a scented glutinous rice which
has been in cultivation in Manipur over
centuries, is characterised by its special
aroma. It is normally eaten during
community feasts and is served as
Chak-Haokheer.
2. This rice takes the longest cooking time of
40-45 minutes due to the presence of a
fibrous bran layer and higher crude fibre
content.
3. Chak-Hao has also been used by traditional
medical practitioners as part of traditional
medicine.
a. 1 & 2 only
b. 2 & 3 only
c. 1 & 3 only
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
d. all the above
Q2. “Global terrorism Index 2019” which placed
India in 7th position was published recently by
which of the following organisations?
a. Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
b. Transparency international
c. INTERPOL
d. UN office of counter terrorism (UNOCT)
Q3. With respect to the economic impact
assessment report submitted by CRISIL regarding
India’s economic revival, which of the following
statements stands true ?
1. India may need to grow 8.5 per cent for
three years in succession to be back on
track according to ratings firm Crisil.
2. MSMEs are more vulnerable than larger
players, especially on the liquidity front.
Crisil's research suggests that even in a
relatively milder slowdown than we expect
Weekly Current Affairs 24
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

this fiscal, MSME working capital can March due to significant dip in production of
stretch by over a month. crude oil, natural gas, fertiliser, steel,
3. The most affected are daily-wage earners cement and electricity amid the coronavirus
and those with no job security. In India, lockdown.
casual labourers form almost 25% of the a. 1 & 2 only
workforce and would take the first hit due to b. 2 & 3 only
shutdowns and layoffs. c. 1 & 3 only
a. 1 & 2 only d. all the above
b. 2 & 3 only
c. 1 & 3 only
d. all the above

Q4. The Ministry of Development of the North

Eastern Region directed Arunachal Pradesh
Government to include “Hajong”and “Chakma”
communities in the COVID-19.These are migrants
from which of the following countries ?

a. Myanmar
b. Bangladesh
c. Nepal
d. Bhutan Q6. Which one of the following states have
provided the highest employment to its labourers
Q5. The commerce and industry ministry is under the MGNREGA as per latest reports ?
working to identify certain key sectors -- like
capital goods, leather and chemicals -- with a view a. Maharashtra
to establish India as a manufacturing hub. Which b. Kerala
of the following statements regarding the same c. Chhattisgarh
stands true ? d. Odisha

1. Promoting manufacturing will help in Q7. Members of the Regional Comprehensive

creating more jobs and pushing India's
dwindling exports.
2. Manufacturing sector contributes about 35
per cent in the country's economy and the
government is aiming to increase it
significantly.
3. The output of eight core infrastructure
industries shrank by a record 6.5 per cent in
Economic Partnership have offered India a
package to return to the negotiating table, taking
into account the country’s concerns over tariff
base rates and special trade safeguards. Which of
the following statements regarding the same stand
true ?
1. The RCEP package recognises India’s
preference to use more recent

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 25

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

most-favoured nation tariff rates than the the German word Schweinepest) is a highly
2014 base rates. contagious disease of swine (Old World and
2. The current RCEP consists of members New World pigs). It is mentioned as a
from the Association of Southeast Asian potential bioweapon.
Nations, Australia, China, Japan, Korea and 2. Several days after the onset of clinical
New Zealand. signs, the ears, abdomen and inner thighs
3. Amongst the RCEP members, India has free may show a purple discoloration. However
trade agreements with Australia, China and animals with acute disease survive for
New Zealand. 4-5months after infection.
a. 1 & 2 only 3. The disease is endemic in much of Asia,
b. 2 & 3 only Central and South America, and parts of
c. 1 & 3 only Europe and Africa.
d. all the above a. 1 & 2 only
b. 2 & 3 only
Q8. Honey-hunting is an age-old skill practised by
c. 1 & 3 only
the Sherdukpen tribes (recently in news) residing
d. all the above
in which of the following north eastern states ?
Q10. Which of the following countries recently
a. Mizoram
introduced a new currency named Toman,Gheran
b. Arunachal Pradesh
etc. in order to tackle inflation ?
c. Assam
d. Meghalaya a. Iraq
b. Iran
Q9. Suspected hog cholera has killed at least a
c. Hongkong
dozen pigs across two districts of Meghalaya
d. Egypt
recently. Which of the following statements
regarding the hog cholera stands true ?

1. Classical swine fever (CSF) or hog cholera

(also sometimes called pig plague based on

ANSWER:

1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (D) 4. (B) 5. (C) 6. (C) 7. (A) 8. (B) 9. (C) 10. (B)

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 26

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
Important Article from various newspapers
#1 Don’t force industry to pay wages during
COVID-19 lockdown (Financial Express)
Mains Paper 2: Governance
Prelims level: Disaster Management Act
Mains level: Applicability of the Disaster
Management Act
Context:
● The Centre using the Disaster Management
Act to order all establishments, including
industries, to pay full wages to their workers
regularly for the period they are under
lockdown, apart from restraining landlords
from seeking rent for a period of one month
from workers renting their premises, is a
draconian step.
● State governments have followed suit, with
Delhi talking about action against landlords
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
for insisting on rent from students and
workers, and Maharashtra reiterating the
Centre’s stand on payment of wages.
Objective:
● The intent of limiting the economic pain
from the lockdown for the vulnerable
classes.
Downgrading MSMEs performance:
● The State responsibility to ensure people’s
well-being during a raging pandemic and
seems not to be mindful of the pain of
MSMEs as well as small commercial
establishments.
● Before the corona outbreak, the Indian
economy was not doing too well, and now,
with every likelihood that economic activity
may not be back to the pre-corona normal
Weekly Current Affairs 27
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

for a long time, most experts don’t see signs What can the government do?
of a stable economic recovery any time
● The government must act to ensure that the
soon.
survival of daily-wagers/low-wage earners is
● So, with no money coming in, how are
not imperilled in the middle of the pandemic
shops, MSMEs, etc, to find the money to pay
because of loss of wages.
regular and full wages to their employees?
● The private sector, including small
● Indeed, for many, the wage bill, at a time
establishments and MSMEs, can be
when they are shut or are functioning in a
reasonably expected to pitch in.
very limited manner, could mean the
● Strong-arming MSME players, already
difference between having to close down
impacted by the lockdown, will imperil the
permanently and staging a recovery over a
recovery of the industry that will be crucial
period.
to kick-start growth after the pandemic.
Highlights the Nagreeka petition: ● With even the parliamentary standing
committee on labour saying that employers
● Two firms, Nagreeka Exports Ltd and Ficus
should not be forced to pay full wages
Pax Private Limited, and a Ludhiana-based
during a natural calamity—“which often
association of MSMEs have petitioned the
result in closure of establishments for a
apex court seeking quashing of the Centre’s
considerably long period without the
order.
employer’s fault”—the government must pay
● The order, as the petitions claim, seems to
heed.
violate Articles 14 and 19 of the
Constitution, which relate to the right to Conclusion:
equality before the law and the right to do
● If India is to recover from this crisis, it must
business.
ensure that policies don’t leave the private
● Moreover, as the Nagreeka petition
sector, especially the MSMEs, floundering.
highlights, expecting a business-as-usual
scenario from corporates is inequitable Mains Questions:
when the government is deferring payment
of the entire salaries during Q1. If India is to recover from this crisis, it must
lockdown—Maharashtra and other states ensure that policies don’t leave the private sector,
governments announced this last month. especially the MSMEs, floundering. In this context
● It also points that the clutch of government describe the role and performance of MSMEs to
orders violate Section 25C and 25M of the boost the Indian economy. What can the
Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, which deal government do to revive this sector?
with payment of 50% wages when a worker
is laid off and exception to lay-off workers
during a natural calamity.

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 28

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
#2 PMI: A leading or misleading indicator?
(The Hindu)
Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: Purchase Managers’ Index
Mains level: Reliability by using the Purchase
Managers’ Index data
Context:
● The Purchase Managers’ Index (PMI) is a
widely used economic indicator that gives
an insight into business conditions.
● It is a survey-based diffusion measure
provided by Markit, by compiling responses
of purchasing managers (executives) of 400
companies every month.
● The aggregate final measure is a seasonally
adjusted number on the scale of 0-100,
where values above 50 reflect an increased
expectation of overall business conditions
compared to the previous month, whereas
values below 50 indicate a decline.
What is a PMI?
● PMI or a Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)
is an indicator of business activity -- both in
the manufacturing and services sectors.
● It is a survey-based measure that asks the
respondents about changes in their
perception of some key business variables
from the month before.
● It is calculated separately for the
manufacturing and services sectors and
then a composite index is constructed.
Uses of Purchase Managers’ Index:
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
● The PMI is computed for manufacturing as
well as for the services sector.
● The values are a weighted average of
responses related to questions on new
orders (30 percent), output (25 percent),
employment (20 percent), suppliers’ delivery
(15 percent), and stock of purchases (10 per
cent).
● The PMI is regarded as a proxy for business
conditions as well as a leading indicator of
the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
● While the IIP numbers are revised, a
consensus among economists is that the
IIP and PMI plausibly capture a similar
trend.
● This gives us a reason to empirically
examine if there is a sustained correlation
between the IIP and PMI of the
manufacturing sector.
Mapping the correlation:
● Since the PMI is considered a leading
indicator, we carry out two sets of analyses.
● First, we examine the simple trend by
juxtaposing annual growth of the IIP index
(manufacturing) and the previous month’s
PMI (same results hold with
contemporaneous trend analysis).
● Second, we examine their correlations
during the period March 2014 to February
2020 (latest) over rolling windows.
Reliance on PMI:
● Empirical evidence indeed suggests that the
PMI is not a consistent leading indicator for
industrial production.
Weekly Current Affairs 29
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

● Reliance on such indicators for macro
policy-making is fraught with serious risks.
● One can get an impression about how the
PMI information is used in policy-making
from the discourse of the Monetary Policy
Committee (MPC) of RBI.
● In this regard, to carry out a simple text
analysis and measure the number of
instances where “PMI” appears in the
minutes of the meeting of MPC.
Lack of clarity?
will continue to influence suboptimal policy
outcomes.
● But one wonders if the PMI actually leads or
misleads economic activity in India.
Mains Questions:
Q1. What is the Purchase Managers’ Index? What
are the uses of it? How reliable is the PMI index as
a proxy for business conditions of the
manufacturing sector in India?

● To speculate on why the PMI can be a poor

indicator of economic activity in India.
● As per the official website, the PMI is
constructed using the actual changes in the
volume of business output. Hence, the
quality of assessment of the respondents,
and of the ground reality, will drive the
observed pattern of changing correlation
between the PMI and IIP.
● Another possible reason could be that 400
may not be a large enough representative
sample to capture the diverse production
scenarios of all the firms operating in the
manufacturing sector in India.
● Also, it is not clear exactly how many #3 At the edge of a new nuclear arms race
executives respond every month, and if (The Hindu)
there is a panel.
● Research on the effectiveness of the PMI Mains Paper 2: International
tracking manufacturing activity in India Prelims level: Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
within and outside the central bank has Treaty
been quite inadequate. Mains level: Current context on Comprehensive
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Conclusion:
Context:
● Therefore, as long as it gets wide publicity
in the press and policy discourse, the PMI ● A report issued by the United States State
Department on “Adherence to and

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 30

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

Compliance with Arms Control, ● The Cold War had ended and the nuclear
Non-proliferation, and Disarmament arms race was over.
Agreements and Commitments ● The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or
(Compliance Report)” raised concerns that the USSR, had broken up and its principal
China might be conducting nuclear tests testing site, Semipalatinsk, was in
with low yields at its Lop Nur test site, in Kazakhstan (Russia still had access to
violation of its Comprehensive Novaya Zemlya near the Arctic circle).
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) ● In 1991, Russia declared a unilateral
undertakings. moratorium on testing, followed by the U.S.
● The U.S. report also claims that Russia has in 1992. By this time, the U.S. had
conducted nuclear weapons experiments conducted 1,054 tests and Russia, 715.
that produced a nuclear yield and were
Negotiations were often contentious:
inconsistent with ‘zero yield’ understanding
underlying the CTBT, though it was ● France and China continued testing,
uncertain about how many such claiming that they had conducted far fewer
experiments had been conducted. tests and needed to validate new designs
● Russia and China have rejected the U.S.’s since the CTBT did not imply an end to
claims, but with growing rivalry among nuclear deterrence.
major powers the report is a likely harbinger ● France and the U.S. even toyed with the idea
of a new nuclear arms race which would of a CTBT that would permit testing at a low
also mark the demise of the CTBT that threshold, below 500 tonnes of TNT
came into being in 1996 but has failed to equivalent.
enter into force even after a quarter century. ● Civil society and the non-nuclear weapon
states reacted negatively to such an idea
What does CTBT ban mean?
and it was dropped.
● For decades, a ban on nuclear testing was ● Some countries proposed that the best way
seen as the necessary first step towards to verify a comprehensive test ban would be
curbing the nuclear arms race but Cold War to permanently shut down all test sites, an
politics made it impossible. idea that was unwelcome to the nuclear
● A Partial Test Ban Treaty was concluded in weapon states.
1963 banning underwater and atmospheric
Why does it lack authority?
tests but this only drove testing
underground. ● Another controversy arose regarding the
● By the time the CTBT negotiations began in entry-into-force provisions (Article 14) of the
Geneva in 1994, global politics had treaty.
changed. ● After India’s proposals for anchoring the
CTBT in a disarmament framework did not

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 31

 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
find acceptance, in June 1996, India
announced its decision to withdraw from
the negotiations.
● Unhappy at this turn, the U.K., China and
Pakistan took the lead in revising the
entry-into-force provisions. The new
provisions listed 44 countries by name
whose ratification was necessary for the
treaty to enter into force and included India.
● India protested that this attempt at
arm-twisting violated a country’s sovereign
right to decide if it wanted to join a treaty
but was ignored.
● The CTBT was adopted by a majority vote
and opened for signature.
● Of the 44 listed countries, to date only 36
have ratified the treaty. China, Egypt, Iran,
Israel and the U.S. have signed but not
ratified. China maintains that it will only
ratify it after the U.S. does so but the
Republican dominated Senate had rejected
it in 1999.
● In addition, North Korea, India and Pakistan
are the three who have not signed.
● All three have also undertaken tests after
1996; India and Pakistan in May 1998 and
North Korea six times between 2006 and
2017.
● The CTBT has therefore not entered into
force and lacks legal authority.
Competition is back:
● The key change from the 1990s is that the
U.S.’s unipolar moment is over and strategic
competition among major powers is back.
● The U.S. now identifies Russia and China as
‘rivals’. Its Nuclear Posture Review asserts
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
that the U.S. faces new nuclear threats
because both Russia and China are
increasing their reliance on nuclear
weapons.
● The U.S., therefore, has to expand the role of
its nuclear weapons and have a more
usable and diversified nuclear arsenal.
● The Trump administration has embarked on
a 30-year modernisation plan with a price
tag of $1.2 trillion, which could go up over
the years.
● Readiness levels at the Nevada test site that
has been silent since 1992 are being
enhanced to permit resumption of testing at
six months notice.
Growing technological lead by US:
● Russia and China have been concerned
about the U.S.’s growing technological lead
particularly in missile defence and
conventional global precision-strike
capabilities.
● Russia has responded by exploring
hypersonic delivery systems and theatre
systems while China has embarked on a
modernisation programme to enhance the
survivability of its arsenal which is
considerably smaller.
● In addition, both countries are also investing
heavily in offensive cyber capabilities.
● The new U.S. report stops short of accusing
China for a violation but refers to “a high
level of activity at the Lop Nur test site
throughout 2019” and concludes that
together with its lack of transparency, China
provokes concerns about its intent to
Weekly Current Affairs 32
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
observe the zero-yield moratorium on
testing.
● The U.S. claims that Russian experiments
have generated nuclear yield but is unable
to indicate how many such experiments
were conducted in 2019.
● It suggests that Russia could be testing in a
manner that releases nuclear energy from
an explosive canister, generating suspicions
about its compliance.
● The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
(New START) limits U.S. and Russian
arsenals but will expire in 2021 and U.S.
President Donald Trump has already
indicated that he does not plan to extend it.
● Instead, the Trump administration would
like to bring China into some kind of nuclear
arms control talks, something China has
avoided by pointing to the fact that the U.S.
and Russia still account for over 90% of
global nuclear arsenals.
Current context:
● Both China and Russia have dismissed the
U.S.’s allegations, pointing to the Trump
administration’s backtracking from other
negotiated agreements such as the Iran
nuclear deal or the U.S.-Russia
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)
Treaty.
● Tensions with China are already high with
trade and technology disputes,
militarisation in the South China Sea and
most recently, with the novel coronavirus
pandemic.
● The U.S. could also be preparing the ground
for resuming testing at Nevada.
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
Conclusion:
● The Cold War rivalry was already visible
when the nuclear arms race began in the
1950s. New rivalries have already emerged.
● Resumption of nuclear testing may signal
the demise of the ill-fated CTBT, marking
the beginnings of a new nuclear arms race.
Mains Questions:
Q1. What does CTBT ban mean? Why does it lack
authority?
#4 From Plate to Plough: A Marshall Plan for
East India (Indian Express)
Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: Consumption expenditures in Indian
households
Mains level: Economic challenges faced by eastern
India states and steps to removal the distress
Context:
● A famous line of Tiger in Walt Disney
Productions’ Winnie the Pooh is, “Life is not
about how fast you run or how high you
climb, but how well you bounce”.
● Today’s economy, under siege because of
the coronavirus pandemic, what matters is
not how big a country’s GDP is or how fast it
has been growing; the real challenge is how
best and how quickly a country can bounce
back to a growth rate of 7-8 per cent per
annum.
GDP growth projected by IMF:
● The IMF’s projections for GDP growth for
this year seem to be either in the negative or
Weekly Current Affairs 33
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
below 2 per cent for almost all major
countries of the G-20 group.
● India could do a little better compared to the
other BRICS nations, but its growth will
most likely be below 2 per cent. This, of
course, is under an optimistic scenario.
● Many experts reckon that India could also
go into negative GDP growth this year, if it
does not reboot the economy properly and
in time.
Steps taken by the government:
● The Centre and the Reserve Bank of India
are trying to remove all roadblocks so that
factories and farms can resume operations,
albeit in a regulated manner that ensures
that the virus is contained.
● The focus is largely on the supply side —
how to ease restrictions and how to
increase liquidity in the system for resuming
production.
● Our assessment is that it may not take too
long as the real problem is the collapse in
demand.
● And that demand may not pick up easily as
the virus is likely to stay with us for quite
some time.
● We could have lockdowns again if there is a
surge in infection. This will surely limit our
travel and restrict our shopping for
non-essentials. However, there is one
demand that can easily revive — that of
food.
Consumption expenditures in Indian households:
● The NSSO survey of consumption
expenditures for 2011-12 revealed that
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
about 45 per cent of the total expenditure of
an Indian household is on food.
● For the poor, the NSSO reckoned, this figure
was about 60 per cent.
● We do not have information about the
consumption patterns in 2020, but our
guess is that about 35-40 per cent of the
expenditure of an Indian household is on
food and for a poor household, this figure is
around 50 per cent. Herein, lies the scope to
reboot the economy.
Problems of migrant labourers:
● The sudden announcement of the
nationwide lockdown gave them no time to
go back to their families.
● They lost their jobs and incomes, and
having spent whatever little savings they
had, these workers have been reduced to
penury.
● The Centre and states, despite their best
efforts, have not managed to address the
problem of hunger of these workers. Even
civil society has not managed to bridge the
gap.
● The migrant labourers may well have lost
their trust in the state, and once the
lockdown is lifted, most of them are likely to
rush back to their families in villages — as if
freed from jail.
● And, it could be some time before they are
back in the cities — that is, if they return at
all. So, farms and factories, especially
● The MSMEs in the relatively developed
states of western, southern and
north-western India are likely to face labour
shortages.
Weekly Current Affairs 34
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
Challenges in eastern India states:
● However, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha, from
where much of the migrant labour comes,
will face a double challenge.
● Their agriculture, with tiny farm holdings is
already saddled with a large labour force —
this comprises 45 to 55 per cent of the total
labour force of these states.
● Non-farm income from wages and salaries,
through migrant labour, was an important
source of income for households in these
states.
● This is now severely hit. In all probability,
the per capita rural incomes of these states
could shrink, at least in the short run. This
could lead to poverty and increase hunger
and malnutrition.
Reboot the economy:
● A special investment package — like the
Marshall Plan of USA in 1948 — for the
eastern belt of India to build better
infrastructure, agri-markets and godowns,
rural housing, primary health centres,
schools and enhances people’s skills will go
a long way to revive the economy and
augment the incomes of the migrant
workers.
● Rising incomes will generate more demand
for food as well as manufactured products,
giving a fillip to the growth engines of
agriculture as well as the MSME sector.
● Building better supply chains for food
directly from farm-to-fork, led by the private
sector, will enhance the export
competitiveness of agriculture. It will also
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
ensure a higher share of farmers in the
consumers’ rupee.
Address hunger and malnutrition:
● The all India relief package of Rs 1.7 lakh
crore announced by the central government
earlier, which is about 0.8 per cent of the
country’s GDP, is too small to reboot the
economy.
● If India has to bounce back quickly, it needs
a much bigger relief cum stimulus package
— certainly not below 5 percent of GDP.
And, it should focus more on the eastern
belt, where the issue is that of survival.
Conclusion:
● The country could do even more badly on
the indicators of poverty, hunger,
malnutrition, infant mortality and well-being.
● India could get derailed from its course of
attaining the Sustainable Development
Goals by 2030.
Mains Questions:
Q1. What are the major challenges faced by
eastern India states? What are the measures
required to be taken to address the hunger and
malnutrition problem as well as rebooting the
economy?
#5 What’s behind diplomatic tensions in the
South China Sea? (Indian Express)
Mains Paper 2: International Relations
Prelims level: Spratly Islands and Paracel Islands
Mains level: Describe the disputes of Spratly
Weekly Current Affairs 35
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit
Islands and Paracel Islands and also discuss the
recent developments
Context:
● China has been busy increasing its
presence in the South China Sea.
● This past week, Beijing unilaterally renamed
80 islands and other geographical features
in the area, drawing criticism from
neighbouring countries who have also laid
claim to the same territory.
What is the Spratly Islands dispute about?
● There has been an ongoing territorial
dispute between China, Taiwan, Vietnam,
the Philippines, and Malaysia concerning
the ownership of the Spratly Islands
archipelago and nearby geographical
features like corals reefs, cats etc.
● Since 1968, these nations have engaged in
varying kinds of military occupation of the
islands and the surrounding waters, with the
exception of Brunei, that has contained its
objections to the use of its maritime waters
for commercial fishing.
● The Spratly Islands are largely uninhabited,
there is a possibility that they may have
large reserves of untapped natural
resources. However, due to the ongoing
dispute, there have been few initiatives to
explore the scale of these reserves and
hence the amount of natural resources that
the islands may have, are based on
speculation and extrapolation by studying
resources available in nearby islands.
www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM
● In the 1970s, oil was discovered in
neighbouring islands, specifically off the
coast of Palawan.
● This discovery ramped up territorial claims
by these countries.
● US government agencies have claimed that
there is little to no oil and natural gas in
these islands, but these reports have done
little to reduce the territorial dispute.
What is the Paracel Islands dispute about?
● The Paracel Islands located in the South
China Sea, almost equidistant from China
and Vietnam.
● Beijing claimed the Paracel Islands as a part
of China sovereign territory can be found in
14th century writings from the Song
Dynasty.
● Vietnam on the other hand, says that
historical texts from at least the 15th
century show that the islands were a part of
its territory.
● By 1954, tensions had dramatically
increased between China and Vietnam over
the archipelago.
● In January 1974, China and Vietnam fought
over their territorial disputes after which
China took over control of the islands.
● In retaliation, in 1982, Vietnam said it had
extended its administrative powers over
these islands.
● In 1999, Taiwan jumped into the fray laying
its claim over the entire archipelago.
● Since 2012, China, Taiwan and Vietnam
have attempted to reinforce their claims on
the territory by engaging in construction of
government administrative buildings,
Weekly Current Affairs 36
 STUDY MATERIALS FOR IAS Exam
https://iasexamportal.com/study-kit

tourism, land reclamation initiatives and by American warships, regional observers

establishing and expanding military expressed concern that the US’s presence
presence on the archipelago. may only serve to heighten tensions.
● The US has no territorial claims in the South
What was the most recent dispute about?
China Sea, but is known to send its naval
● The recent establishment of new force into the waters each time there are
administrative districts on both Spratly and provocative developments in the waters,
Paracel Islands, China’s Ministry of Natural particularly angering China.
Resources and the Ministry of Civil Affairs
Mains Questions:
jointly announced that the Chinese
government had “named” 80 islands, reefs Q1. What are the Spratly Islands and Paracel
and other geographical features around the Islands dispute about? Also discuss the most
two archipelagos with Chinese names. recent dispute among those two islands.
● The last time China had unilaterally engaged
in a similar initiative was in 1983 where 287
geographical features had been renamed in
the disputed chain of islands.
● In the past few years, China has stepped up
military aggression and has created
artificial islands for military and economic
purposes in the South China Sea, drawing
criticism from neighbouring countries and
other western powers.
● A few weeks ago, Vietnam had lodged a
complaint at the UN stating that China had
illegally sunk a fishing trawler near Paracel
Islands, killing eight people on board. In
March, China built two research stations on
territory claimed by the Philippines.

Way ahead:

● China’s renaming of the islands, the US sent

in an assault ship and a guided missile
cruiser into the waters near Spratly and
Paracel Islands, off the coast of Malaysia.
● Chinese and Australian warships also
entered the fray. Following the arrival of

www.IASEXAMPORTAL.COM Weekly Current Affairs 37

Study Material for IAS (UPSC) General Studies Pre. Cum Mains (Combo) English

UPSC - IAS PRE (GS+CSAT) Solved Papers & Test Series English

UPSC सामा अ यन ारं िभक एवं मु परी ा (Combo) Study Kit Hindi

Study Material for IAS Prelims: GS Paper -1 + CSAT Paper-2 English

Study Kit for IAS (Pre) GENERAL STUDIES Paper-1 (GS) English

Study Kit for IAS (Pre) CSAT Paper-2(Aptitude) English

Public Administration Optional for UPSC Mains English

सामा अ यन (GS) ारं िभक परी ा (Pre) पेपर-1 िह ी

आई. ए. एस. (सी-सैट) ांरिभक परी ा पेपर -2 िह ी

Gist of NCERT Study Kit For UPSC Exams English

यूपीएससी परी ा के िलए एनसीईआरटी अ यन साम ी िह ी

COMPLETE STUDY MATERIAL FOR IAS PRELIMS EXAM English

COMPLETE STUDY MATERIAL FOR IAS PRE+MAINS+INTERVIEW EXAM English

UPSC, IAS िसिवल सेवा परी ा संपूण अ यन साम ी ( ारं िभक, मु , सा ा ार) िह ी