Daily Current Affairs 26 April 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
NATIONAL NEWS
Assam gov launches new scheme ‘Dhanwantari’ for home delivery of medicines
Assam government has launched a new scheme Dhanwantari under which locally unavailable medicines are provided to patients at home.
- The medicines below 200 rupees will be provided free of cost to patients. The Health workers are delivering medicines for patients who cannot get it within 10 kilometer of their radius
Andhra Pradesh govt re-launches zero interest loan scheme for women SHGs
The Andhra Pradesh government revived the ”zero interest” loan scheme for women self-help groups (SHGs) in the state.
- Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy re-launched the scheme at his residence by releasing a sum of Rs 1,400 crore to 8.78 lakh SHGs.
- Under the scheme, each SHG will receive sums ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 towards the interest component on their loans.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
IIT Kharagpur ranks 57 among global peers for sustainable impact research
The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, has been ranked 57th among global universities for its impact research in areas that help achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) as mandated by the United Nations.
- As per the ranking reports, Anna University (7th) and Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (18th) have also found a place among top 20 positions individual categories like SDG6 — Clean Water and Sanitation alongside IIT Kharagpur. IIT Madras has been placed at 32nd and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (48th) has been placed in top positions under this parameter. “IIT Madras also achieves 16th position for SDG9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure)
- Globally, the University of Auckland in New Zealand has been ranked best in terms of impact research followed by University of Sydney, Western Sydney University and La Trobe University (all three from Australia) and Arizona State University (Tempe) in the US. University of Bologna in Italy, University of British Columbia in Canada, University of Manchester and King’s College London (both in UK) and RMIT University in Australia complete the top 10 best university list.
BANKING & FINANCE
Transcorp gets RBI nod to issue co-branded prepaid cards, wallets
India based payment solution provider Transcorp International has received Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval to issue co-branded prepaid instruments (PPI) cards & wallets to facilitate cashless payments.
- Transcorp can now create API-based co-branded partnerships for digital, physical and contactless cards with select clients on its own bank identification numbers (BINs).
- Transcorp is issuing non-reloadable gift cards with a value up to INR10,000, ‘Min KYC Cards’ up to INR10,000 monthly which are reloadable and issued via OTP and ‘Full KYC Cards’ up to INR100,000 at a time which are reloadable and issued via full KYC.
World Bank in collab with AIMA organises virtual workshop on “Contract Management during Emergency situations”
A virtual workshop on “Contract Management during Emergency situations” was organized by World Bank in collaboration with AIMA (All India Management Association) for Project Management Unit of Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project which is implementing USD 250 Million Flood Recovery Project funded by World Bank in the union territory of J&K.
- The objective of the workshop was to educate participants about the likely adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of the bank funded projects, its possible implications on contract management and to equip them with the various mitigations measures
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
CARE Ratings expects GDP growth at 1.1% in current financial year
CARE Ratings said the country’s GDP growth is likely to decline to 1.1 per cent in the current financial year 2020-21 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The domestic rating agency added that the estimate has a “downward bias“, saying predicting the recovery is very difficult at present.
- However, it said agriculture and government sectors will statistically provide an upward thrust to the economy, which will have many other sectors under pressure.
- Mining and quarrying, manufacturing and construction sectors will contract during this financial year, it said adding that financial services, real estate and professional services will have a muted growth of 0.5 per cent.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
Singapore’s Caladium ups stake at Bandhan Bank by 1% via market purchases
Caladium Investment PTE Ltd, backed by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, has raised stake in Bandhan Bank by 1.1 per cent to 4.49 per cent.
- Caladium Investment PTE Ltd now holds 72 million shares in the Kolkata-based Bandhan Bank. It raised its stake through secondary market operations during the January-March period.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Khattar launches mobile application to help people during coronavirus crisis
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched a mobile application ‘HelpMe’ designed to help the needy in the state during the crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
- The ‘HelpMe’ app aims to provide all the necessary services to the people, including telemedicine, movement passes, assistance in crop procurement and delivery of dry rations, cooked food and education materials
AP launches app to keep track of people buying medicines
The Medical and Health Department of Andhra Pradesh launched ‘Covid Pharma’, a mobile application to keep a track of people purchasing medicines over-the-counter (OTC) for cough, cold and fever from medical stores across the state.
- Using the App, the respective pharmacies will have to take down details of persons, including their mobile number, making OTC purchase of medicines for such common ailments and report to the government.
OBITUARIES
Former Australian all-rounder Graeme Watson passes away
Graeme Watson, the former Australia allrounder who was battling cancer, has died at the age of 75. Primarily a middle-order batsman and a medium-pace bowler, he played five Tests from 1967 to 1972 and two ODIs in 1972.
- He was the first Australian cricketer to play for three sides in the Sheffield Shield – the country’s premier domestic tournament.
- He finished his career with 4,674 runs and 186 wickets from 107 first-class games