Daily Current Affairs 30th April, 2020

Daily Current Affairs 30 April 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Centre sanctioned Rs 33,000 cr under MGNREGA: Tomar
The Centre has sanctioned Rs 33,300 crore under the MGNREGA in the current financial year so far to liquidate all outstanding dues of previous years and to meet wage expenditure till June said by Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. 

• Rs 20,624 crore has been released to liquidate all outstanding dues of previous years towards wages and material.
• The Centre has already released Rs 36,400 crore in the current financial year to them.

‘Vidya Deevena’ scheme launched in Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched ‘Jagananna Vidya Deevena’, a fee reimbursement scheme that would benefit 14 lakh college students in the State.

• From the 2020–21 academic year, the fee reimbursement amount would be credited directly into the accounts of the mothers instead of that of the students in four instalments.
• The government has released over ₹4,000 crore for the scheme and ₹1,880 crore more towards the pending dues

MP CM launches ‘Jeevan Amrit Yojana’ scheme to boost immunity system of citizens
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Jeevan Amrit Yojana, a unique scheme to boost immunity system of citizens of the state.

• Under this scheme, the State Government will distribute  packet of special Trikut Churna prepared by the AYUSH Department free of cost to the citizens.
• Under Jeevan Amrit yojna, packets of 50 grams each of the kadha have been prepared by Madhya Pradesh Laghu Vanopaj Sangh in collaboration with the Department of AYUSH. This kadha made of peepal, ginger and black pepper is being distributed free of cost to one crore people in rural and urban areas of the state.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Jaishankar attends BRICS FMs’ meet on coronavirus via video conferencing
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated in BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting on coronavirus through video conferencing.

• Russia is the Chair of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) for 2020.
• The meeting was organized to discuss the joint efforts of the five-member states — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — to combat the virus and overcome the financial, economic, and social consequences of the pandemic.

11th Session of Petersberg Climate Dialogue held via video conferencing
The eleventh session of Petersberg Climate Dialogue witnessed India along with 30 other countries deliberating over ways and means to tackle the challenge of reinvigorating economies and societies after COVID-19. It was hosted by Germany, and it was co-hosted by the United Kingdom (UK).

• Representing India in the first virtual Petersberg Climate Dialogue,Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar talked about climate technology that must be available at an affordable cost.

G-20 launches access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator” Initiative
The Saudi G20 Presidency has welcome the launch of “Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator”, a landmark, global and timely collaboration for the accelerated development, production and equitable access to new COVID-19 tools.

• The ACT Accelerator initiative will be a global platform for action to enhance connections and leverage interdependencies for collective partnership, problem-solving, mobilizing and guiding investments, and driving equitable access for new COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.

BANKING & FINANCE

ADB gives $ 346 mn loan for power sector in rural Maharashtra
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it has approved a USD 346 million (around Rs 2,616 crore) loan to Indian government to provide reliable power connection in rural areas of Maharashtra.

• The loan will support the state government’s high voltage distribution system (HVDS) program for new grid-connected rural agricultural customers across the state.

Govt set ups unified regulator for IFSC
The government has established International Financial Services Centres Authority to regulate all financial services in International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in Gandhinagar.

• The unified authority would will be headquartered in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Currently, banking, capital markets and insurance sectors in IFSC are regulated by multiple regulators — the RBI, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai).

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Moody’s slashes India’s growth estimate to 0.2% for 2020 from 2.5%  
Moody’s Investors Service slashed India growth forecast for calendar year 2020 to 0.2 per cent, from 2.5 per cent projected in March. For 2021, the rating agency expects India’s growth to rebound to 6.2 per cent.

• India lost the tag of the fastest-growing major economy to China in 2019, when it grew 5.3 per cent, against China’s 6.1 per cent. The same holds true for 2020 and 2021. China is projected to grow 1 per cent in 2020 and 7.1 per cent in 2021.
• Only China, India, and Indonesia are projected to witness economic growth in 2020 by Moody’s. It expects G20 advanced economies as a bloc to see a fall in its GDP by 4 per cent in 2020.

NTPC launches Hydrogen Fuel bus and car project for Leh and New Delhi 
NTPC Ltd, India’s largest power producer and a central PSU under Ministry of Power, has invited Global Expression of Interest (EoI) to provide 10 Hydrogen Fuel Cell (FC) based electric buses and an equal number of Hydrogen Fuel Cell based electric cars in Leh and Delhi.  The EoI has been issued by NTPC’s wholly owned subsidiary, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) Limited.

• The move to procure Hydrogen Fuel Cell based vehicles is first of its kind project in the country, wherein a complete solution from green energy to the fuel cell vehicle would be developed.

APPOINTMENTS

PNB Housing appoints Neeraj Vyas as interim MD and CEO
PNB Housing Finance said it has appointed Neeraj Vyas as its interim Managing Director and CEO.

• The term of incumbent Sanjaya Gupta comes to an end on May 4.
• Vyas will be in the new role for a period of eight months, effective from April 28, 2020.

Andhra Bank former MD and CEO Patel takes over as vigilance commissioner
Andhra Bank’s former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Suresh N. Patel was sworn in as vigilance commissioner, taking the watchdog to its full strength of three.

• Patel has over three decades of experience in the banking sector. He has also held the post of Executive Director at Oriental Bank of Commerce.
•  He was Member, Management Committee, Indian Banks’ Association; Member, Bankers’ Institute of Rural Development, NABARD; President, State Level Bankers’ Committee, Andhra Pradesh and President, Bankers’ Institute of Rural and Entrepreneurship Development.

Karnataka’s J Arun Kumar appointed coach of US cricket team
J Arun Kumar, the former Karnataka captain and coach, has been appointed as the head coach of USA men’s national cricket team.

• One of the most successful coaches of Karnataka, Arunkumar had guided the team to back-to-back domestic trebles — Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Irani Cup — for two years in succession, in 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. The 45-year-old also worked as the batting coach for Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League.

Former Finance secretary Rajiv Kumar appointed as PESB Chief
Former finance secretary Rajiv Kumar was y appointed as the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), the government’s headhunter for top level posts in public sector undertakings for a period of three years.

• He has been appointed in place of who has recently taken over as the Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind
• Kumar, a 1984 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, retired as finance secretary in February this year.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Durgapur-based CSIR lab develops Hospital Care Assistive Robotic Device
Durgapur-based CSIR lab, Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute has developed Hospital Care Assistive Robotic Device, HCARD which can help frontline health care workers in maintaining physical distance from those infected by corona virus.

• This robot can be controlled and monitored by a nursing booth with a Control Station having such features as navigation, drawer activation for providing medicines and food to patients, sample collection and audio-visual communication.
• The cost of this device is less than five lakh rupees and the weight is less than 80 kilogram

 ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Axis Bank set to acquire 29% stake in Max Life Insurance for Rs 1,592 crore
Private sector lender Axis Bank said it would acquire an additional 29 per cent stake in Max Life Insurance for an estimated price of Rs 1,592 crore, raising its total holding in the life insurer to 30 per cent after the completion of the deal.Max Financial Services will hold the remaining 70 per cent in the joint venture.

• Axis is looking to purchase around 556 million shares of Max Life Insurance at a price of Rs 28.61 per share, but the estimate will change based on the date when the deal is closed. The bank will acquire the shares from Max Financial Services and sign a shareholders’ agreement and a share-purchase agreement.

OBITUARIES

Veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor passes away aged 67
Bollywood’s heartthrob of the 70s’ and acclaimed National Award winning actor Rishi Kapoor passed away at the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. He was 67.

• Rishi Kapoor was awarded with a National Award for his portrayal of the childhood of his father Raj Kapoor in Mera Naam Joker that released in 1970.
• Following Mera Naam Joker, Rishi Kapoor amused one and all in one of the biggest Bollywood hits of the 70s, Bobby (1973) opposite Dimple Kapadia.
• Later he delivered many box office hits such as Rafoo Chakkar, Karz, Prem Rog, Naseeb, Laila Majnu, Amar Akbar Anthony and Damini among others.

Troy Sneed, Grammy-nominated gospel singer, passes away from coronavirus complications
Grammy-nominated gospel singer Troy Sneed has died from complications with the coronavirus at the age of 52.

• Known for gospel radio hits, including “My Heart Says Yes” and “Worked It Out,” Sneed died Monday at a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.
• Sneed earned a Grammy nomination for his work on the Youth For Christ’s 1999 album ‘Higher.’

Michael Robinson, former Liverpool player and broadcaster, passes away 
Former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland striker Michael Robinson has died at the age of 61.

• The former Ireland international, who won a league, League Cup and European Cup treble with Liverpool in the 1983-84 season, also played for Brighton & Hove Albion, Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers before ending his career with Spain’s Osasuna.
• Robinson was capped 24 times by Ireland and scored four goals for them

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Uma Balasubramaniam Newest Book on India’s Unsung Hero
Uma Balasubramaniam’s latest historical epic biography titled, ‘Sayajirao Gaekwad III: The Maharaja of Baroda’ captures the life of a great ruler.The book was published by Rupa Publications

• This book has been written with an intention to enlighten people about one ofIndia’s forgotten kings, who worked assiduously towards building a modernized India and also contributed towards India’s fight for freedom.

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