Daily Current Affairs 24 March 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
NATIONAL NEWS
BRO opens new bridge over Teesta River in North Sikkim
The BRO opened a 360-foot-long bailey suspension bridge on the Teesta river, in Munshithang near Chungthang in Sikkim, for traffic.
- The 86 Road Construction Company (RCC) of 758 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF), under Project Swastik, commenced the construction of the bridge in October 2019 and completed it in January 2020.
Govt constitutes high level committee of medical experts for prevention & control of COVID-19
The government has constituted a high level technical committee of Public Health Experts for COVID-19 to guide the prevention and control activities in the country.
- The 21 member committee will be headed by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul. Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and Director General Indian Council of Medical Research are the Co-Chair.
- Besides, Director, AIIMS, Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director of National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi Dr Sujeet Singh, Director of Institute of Infectious Diseases, Pune Dr Sanjay Pujari and Additional Chief Secretary of Kerala Dr Rajan Khobragade are among the members of the Task Force.
Gujarat Police first in India to introduce taser guns
By introducing these as part of police arsenal, Gujarat becomes the first state in India to do so, following the footsteps of agencies such as the UK Metropolitan Police, the Los Angeles Police Department and the New York Police Department, amid others.
- The Gujarat Police is now equipped with taser guns as a part of their modernization drive to ensure public safety and security
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
UK confirmed as first co-chair of India-led global climate initiative
The UK has been confirmed as the first co-chair of the governing council of India-led global Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
- The Coalition was established by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is a voluntary international grouping, linking governments, UN agencies, banks, private sector groups, and academia to develop the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks.
- It is co-chaired by India and a representative of another national government nominated by rotation every two years.
BANKING & FINANCE
Karur Vysya Bank launches pre-paid card Enkasu in Karur
Karur Vysya Bank has launched Enkasu, a pre-paid card in Karur. In response to the digital initiative of the Government of India, the bank undertook a Quit Cash Movement in Karur – a movement to reduce the usage of cash in the district of Karur.
- Enkasu works on Near Field Communication Technology in a semi closed loop. The cardholder can make tap & go payments for even small purchases to merchants – as little as Re. 1/-.
- Enkasu cards are unique in that they can be accepted ‘online’ as well as ‘offline’, thereby increasing its utility manifold as internet access is not mandatory for usage.
RBI extends regulatory restrictions on PMC Bank by 3 months till June
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it has extended regulatory restrictions on Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank for three more months till June 22, 2020.
- The RBI had put a six-month regulatory restriction on the bank on September 23, 2019, after finding out certain financial irregularities, hiding and misreporting of loans given to real estate developer HDIL
RBI to inject additional Rs 30,000 cr to maintain financial stability in wake of COVID-19 outbreak
The Reserve Bank of India decided to infuse additional liquidity with a second tranche of bond purchase worth ₹30,000 crores amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
- As part of this endevour, the central bank will conduct purchase of government securities under open market operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of Rs 30,000 crore in two tranches of Rs 15,000 crore each in March. The auctions would be conducted on March 24 and March 30.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Reliance sets up India’s first COVID-19 dedicated hospital in Mumbai
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) said that it has set up India’s first COVID-19 dedicated hospital in Mumbai
- Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has set up a dedicated 100 bedded COVID-19 centre at Seven Hills Hospital, Mumbai for patients who test positive for COVID-19.
Google launches site on COVID-19
After Microsoft, Google also launched a dedicated website to provide information on the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The site, google.com/covid19, provides information on the pandemic, its symptoms, prevention, and treatment, along with useful links to reliable sources such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
First ‘Made in India’ COVID19 Test Kit to diagnose COVID-19 gets the commercial approval
First Made in India Test Kit to diagnose COVID-19 has got the commercial approval by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
- According to the developers, it would cost nearly one-fourth of the current procurement cost and is faster as it screens and detects the infection within 2.5 hours as compared with over 7 hours by others.
APPOINTMENTS
Shivraj Singh Chouhan takes oath as Madhya Pradesh CM for the 4th time
Shivraj Singh Chouhan returned as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for the fourth time, over 15 months after his government was voted out of power.
- The 61-year-old BJP leader was sworn in by Governor Lalji Tandon at Raj Bhawan
AWARDS
2020 Abel Prize winners announced
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has awarded the 2020 Abel Prize jointly to Hillel Furstenberg, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Gregory Margulis, Yale University, ‘for pioneering the use of methods from probability and dynamics in group theory, number theory and combinatorics’.
- The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has awarded the 2020 Abel Prize jointly to Hillel Furstenberg, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Gregory Margulis, Yale University, ‘for pioneering the use of methods from probability and dynamics in group theory, number theory and combinatorics’.
Zoya Akhter honoured with IIFTC Tourism Impact Award 2020
Asia’s largest film tourism event – 8th India International Film Tourism Conclave (IIFTC) honored the cult filmmaker – Zoya Akhter with IIFTC Tourism Impact Award 2020 for her outstanding contribution to the world tourism through her cinema.
- Another big winner at the event was, blockbuster Tamil Director, KS Ravikumar, who in his career spanning over 30 years has directed 43 films with starring megastars including Sarath Kumar, Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth.
- The award evening also saw awards for Cinematic Excellence being presented to the makers of Professor Shanku O El Dorado (Bengali), and the Oscar Goes to (Malayalam), Amar (Kannada), Dev (Tamil), Mannadhudu 2 (Telugu), War (Hindi) and Badla (Hindi) for showcasing global locations as diverse as from Brazil to Portugal to Switzerland to Ukraine to Indian audiences.
OBITUARIES
Famous Actor and Director M. R. Viswanathan passed away
Actor, director and stage artiste M.R. Viswanathan, popularly known as Visu died in the city. He was 75 years old.
- Mr Viswanathan began acting on stage from his school days and then started working in the Tamil film industry. He was part of Y.G. Parthasarathy’s theatre troupe and later went to start his own troupe as well.
- His film Neenga Nalla Irukkanum won the National Award for the Best film on other social issues in 1992.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Tuberculosis Day
Each year, we commemorate World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.
- According to the WHO, the theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2020 is the motto, “It’s time”