Q1. Which International organisation has declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January and a pandemic on 11 March 2020?
United Nations
World Health Organization
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Environment Programme
B. World Health Organization
Q2. The Corona virus is primarily spread between people during close contact, mostly via?
small droplets produced by coughing, sneezing, and talking
air from respiration
skin to skin touches
lipid and Blood transfer
A. small droplets produced by coughing, sneezing and talking
Q3. The World Health Organization (WHO), the specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health, has headquartered in
Geneva, Switzerland
New York, USA
London, USA
VernNew York, USA
A. Geneva, Switzerland
Q4. Which strain of coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory illness?
SARS-CoV-2
SARS-CoV-1
SARS-CoV-2019
ACE-2
A. SARS-CoV-2
Q5. Basic Reproduction Number (R0), the basic reproduction number of an infection can be thought of as the expected number of cases directly generated by one case in a population where all individuals are susceptible to infection, for COVID-19 is 5.7. Which is the following disease is having maximum R0?
Measles
Polio
Covid-19
Influenza
A. Measles
Q6. The index case of Covid-19 in India was reported from
Delhi
Mumbai
Bangalore
Thrissur
D. Thrissur
Q7. The Covid-19 outbreak has been declared an epidemic and provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 have been invoked in India. The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 was first enacted to tackle
Cholera spread in Gujarat
Swine flu spread in North India
Malaria spread in West Bengal
Bubonic plague in Mumbai
D. Bubonic plague in Mumbai
Q8. Which of the following drugs is a medication primarily used to prevent and treat malaria, is now being used in treatment of COVID-19 cases, on emergency basis?
Antihistamines
Temozolomide
Hydroxychloroquine
Cyclophosphamide
C. Hydroxychloroquine
Q9. The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak was identified in December 2019 in of the following place?
Lombardy, Italy
Wuhan, China
Hong Kong
New York, USA
B. Wuhan, China
Q10. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a
Q1. Which International organisation has declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January and a pandemic on 11 March 2020?
United Nations
World Health Organization
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Environment Programme
B. World Health Organisation
Q2. The Corona virus is primarily spread between people during close contact, mostly via?
small droplets produced by coughing, sneezing and talking
air from respiration
skin to skin touches
lipid and Blood transfer
A.small droplets produced by coughing, sneezing and talking
Q3. The World Health Organization (WHO), the specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health, has headquartered in
Geneva, Switzerland
New York, USA
London, USA
VernNew York, USA
A. Geneva,Switzerland
Q4. Which strain of coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory illness?
SARS-CoV-2
SARS-CoV-1
SARS-CoV-2019
ACE-2
A. SARS-CoV-2
Q5. Basic Reproduction Number (R0), the basic reproduction number of an infection can be thought of as the expected number of cases directly generated by one case in a population where all individuals are susceptible to infection, for COVID-19 is 5.7. Which is the following disease is having maximum R0?
Measles
Polio
Covid-19
Influenza
A. Measles
Q6. The index case of Covid-19 in India was reported from
Delhi
Mumbai
Bangalore
Thrissur
D. Thrissur
Q7. The Covid-19 outbreak has been declared an epidemic and provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 have been invoked in India. The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 was first enacted to tackle
Cholera spread in Gujarat
Swine flu spread in North India
Malaria spread in West Bengal
Bubonic plague in Mumbai
D. Bubonic plague in Mumbai
Q8. Which of the following drugs is a medication primarily used to prevent and treat malaria, is now being used in treatment of COVID-19 cases, on emergency basis?
Antihistamines
Temozolomide
Hydroxychloroquine
Cyclophosphamide
C. Hydroxychloroquine
Q9. The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak was identified in December 2019 in of the following place?
Lombardy, Italy
Wuhan, China
Hong Kong
New York, USA
B. Wuhan,China
Q10. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a
Manipuri doctor Thangjam Dhabali Singh conferred ‘Order of Rising Sun’ by Japan
Thangjam Dhabali Singh, doctor from Manipur has been conferred the ‘Order of Rising Sun’ by the Japan government for promoting a better understanding of Japan in India and deepening ties between the two countries.
The ‘Order of the Rising Sun’ is conferred on persons with achievements in international relations, promotion of Japanese culture, environmental preservation, welfare or achievements in their fields. It was constituted by Japanese Emperor Meiji in 1875.
Thangjam Dhabali Singh, an allopathic doctor by profession and founder of the Manipur Tourism Forum (MTF), was conferred the ‘Order of Rising Sun – Gold and Silver Rays’ by the Japan government.
Singh had organised the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Imphal of the Second World War. Several Japanese citizens, including officials from the Embassy of Japan in India, had participated in the event.
With support from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and the Nippon Foundation of Japan, the Imphal Peace Foundation was launched on June 22 last year. The MTF played an important role in giving shape to it during Th Dhabali Singh’s tenure as president of the forum.
The Embassy of Japan in India has paid tributes to Singh’s long years of service in consolidating Japan-India relationship.
Cabinet approves empanelment of 17 IPS officers for ADG posts
The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet approved empanelment of 17 IPS officers of 1991 batch to hold the posts of Additional Director General (ADG) of Police or equivalent level at the Centre.
The 7 IPS officers include G.P. Singh, Praveen Vashista, Shamsher Singh, Rashmi Ranjan Swain, Arun Kumar Choudhary, R.A. Chandra Sekhar, Pratap Reddy, AlokRanjan, Yogesh Mudgal, and A. Sunil Achaya.
The list also has IPS officers Dharam Chand Jain, Amaresh Pujari, K. JayanthMurali, PiyushAnand, Alok Sharma, Nuzhat Hassan and S. Jagannathan.
Justice Datta takes oath as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court
Justice DipankarDatta was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office to the new CJ at a function in Raj Bhavan attended by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Born on February 9, 1965, Chief Justice Datta started his legal practice from November 1989, in the High Court and Supreme Court, fighting constitutional and civil matters
Appointed as a permanent Judge of Calcutta HC in June 2006, over the past 16 years as a judge, he has also served in the high courts of Guwahati, Jharkhand before being appointed the Chief Justice of Bombay HC.
He replaces Chief Justice BhushanDharmadhikari who retired on April 27.
Asian Development Bank approves $1.5 billion loan to India for Covid response
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $1.5 billion loan to the Government of India to help fund its response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The support would also be available for immediate priorities such as disease containment and prevention, as well as social protection for the poor and economically vulnerable sections of the society, especially women and disadvantaged groups.
ADB”s COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) Program will contribute directly to the improvement of access to health facilities and care, as well as social protection for more than 800 million people, including families below the poverty line, farmers, health care workers, women, senior citizens, people with disabilities, low wage earners, and construction workers.
The CARES Program is funded through the COVID-19 pandemic response option (CPRO) under ADB”s Countercyclical Support Facility.
CPRO was established as part of ADB”s $20 billion expanded assistance for developing member countries” COVID-19 response.
The CARES Program will be provided with a $2 million technical assistance grant to support the government to strengthen its operational framework and efficient targeting, delivery, and monitoring and evaluation of its pro-poor economic package, as well as its health sector and social protection interventions.
ADB will support government efforts and coordinate with other development partners to stimulate the economy, build capacity for monitoring and evaluation of government programs, and improve economic resilience against future shocks.
This will include the economic recovery of affected industries and entrepreneurs through better access to finance for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises along with credit enhancement facility for infrastructure projects and the strengthening of public service delivery at national and state levels.
APRIL 30, 2020
J&K govt signs MoU with Tata Tech for two CIIITs
The J&K administrationsigned an MoU with Tata Technologies for setting up two Centres for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training (CIIITs) one each at Government Polytechnic Colleges in Jammu and Baramulla districts.
The MOU was signed in the presence of J&K Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu by Navin Kumar Choudhary, J&K Principal Secretary (Technical Education) and AnandBhade, president of Tata Technologies.
The signing of the MoU will ensure 100 per cent placement for the trainees after completion of various courses.
The partnership would enable efficient, effective, integrated and sustainable service delivery in the implementation of the CIIIT.
The project is aimed at bringing qualitative improvements in the field of technical education and to create a learning environment for training manpower to cater to the industry requirements in J&K and outside.
N. Patel takes oath as Vigilance Commissioner
Eminent banker N. Patel was sworn-in as Vigilance Commissioner. Patel was administered the oath of office by Central Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari on video link.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Vigilance Commissioner Sharad Kumar, the Commission”s Secretary and other senior officers.
Patel was the Managing Director and CEO of Andhra Bank and was an Executive Director in the Oriental Bank of Commerce.
The tenure of Vigilance Commissioner is of four years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years.
The Central Vigilance Commission has a Central Vigilance Commissioner and two Vigilance Commissioners.
Uttar Pradesh govt to amend Epidemic Act
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to ensure stricter punishment for those assaulting corona warriors, including doctors, paramedical staff, police personnel and sanitary workers.
The ordinance with the amendment made by the UP government — Uttar Pradesh Epidemic Disease Covid-19 Regulations, 2020 — will be introduced at the earliest.
It is proposed that the ordinance will have provisions for fine up to Rs 5 lakh and jail term up to seven years.
The ordinance means stern punishment for those who have been insulting and attacking corona warriors, including doctors, health workers, police personnel and sanitary workers involved in the battle against coronavirus. Spitting on corona warriors will also be an offence under this.
IIT Guwahati collaborates with Hester Biosciences to develop COVID-19 vaccine
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) announced that it has joined hands with Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical company Hester Biosciences to develop a vaccine for COVID-19.
The vaccine will be based on recombinant avian paramyxovirus-based vector platform. The recombinant avian paramyxovirus-1 will be used to express the immunogenic protein of SARS-CoV-2.
IITG and Hester Biosciences expect the vaccine to be ready by the end of this year to start animal studies. The work is currently in its early stage of development.
IIT Guwahati’s Associate Professor of the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Dr Sachin Kumar and his team have generated the recombinant avian paramyxovirus-1-based vaccine platform for classical swine fever and Japanese Encephalitis. The role of IIT-G is to produce the recombinant vaccine candidate.
The team at IITG has generated the recombinant avian paramyxovirus-1 based vaccine platform for Classical Swine Fever and Japanese Encephalitis. The role of the institute is to produce the recombinant vaccine candidate.
The recombinant avian paramyxovirus-1 expressing the SARS-CoV-2 protein could be used as a vaccine candidate for further study.
IITG and Hester have collaborated to develop and manufacture a recombinant vaccine against COVID-19 disease as a preventive measure.
Nearly half of global workforce at risk of losing livelihoods due to COVID, ILO reports
Almost 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy, which constitute half of the global workforce, face an immediate danger of losing their livelihoods due to the continued sharp decline in working hours because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Monitor “COVID-19 and the world of work” revealed.
More than 430 million enterprises in hard-hit sectors such as retail and manufacturing risk “serious disruption”.
Globally, there are some 3.3 billion workers. Two billion have jobs in the informal economy, the most vulnerable workers in the labour market and they have suffered massive damage to their capacity to earn a living.
Due to lockdowns or because they work in hard-hit sectors, these workers globally have seen a 60 per cent drop in income during the first month of the crisis.
This translates into a more than 80 per cent decline in Africa and the Americas, 70 per cent in Europe and Central Asia, and 21.6 per cent in Asia and the Pacific.
FACTFILE – International Labour Organization (ILO)
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice through setting international labour standards.
It was founded in 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and oldest specialised agency of the UN.
The ILO has 187 member states: 186 out of 193 UN member states plus the Cook Islands.
It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
The ILO’s international labour standards are broadly aimed at ensuring accessible, productive, and sustainable work worldwide in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity.
The organization is unique in the UN for its tripartite structure: All standards, policies, and programmes require debate and input from governments, employers, and workers.
In 1969, the ILO received the Nobel Peace Prize for improving fraternity and peace among nations, pursuing decent work and justice for workers, and providing technical assistance to other developing nations.
Cachar district introduces ‘Report Crowd’ web to ensure social distancing
In a first, the Cachar district administration has launched a portal to contain and disperse crowd accumulation and enhance social distancing during the nationwide lockdown period meant to restrict the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
The webportal named ‘Report Crowd’ which would be operational along with the official website of the district administration.
The facility will ensure social distancing and enable the administration to disperse crowd across the district with the help of feed in the form of on-the-spot photographs with Geo tagging.
The facility has been introduced with the technical assistance from software firm Clappia based in Bengaluru. The firm is offering free services during the lockdown phase.
This kind of an portal is being introduced for the first time in Assam to ensure that social distancing is being adhered to at all cost.
Anyone who finds a seemingly large assembly of people at one place can simply click a photo, go to cachar.gov.in and upload the photo at the URL cacharreport.clappia.com with little details about the photograph.
Oxford University vaccine ‘ChAdOX1′ to commence human trials
The UK government announced that the human trial of a potential COVID-19 candidate vaccine being developed by researchers at University of Oxford will begin from April 23.
Earlier, scientists at the University of Oxford promised a super-fast vaccine during a virtual press conference, saying the vaccine will be available by September. According to lead researcher Professor Sarah Gilbert, their ‘ChAdOx1′ vaccine can work against the coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.
The UK government will provide 20 million pounds to the Oxford research team to help fund their clinical trials, with a further 22.5 million pounds for researchers at Imperial College London.
In normal course of time, a vaccine takes anytime between 12-18 months. What probably separates ChAdOx1 – known as recombinant viral vector vaccine – from the rest is the time it promises to take in order to deliver mass quantities.
The vaccine is an adenovirus vaccine vector and was developed at Oxford’s Jenner Institute. Adenoviral vectors are a very well-studied vaccine type, having been used safely in thousands of participants, from 1 week to 90 years of age, in vaccines targeting over 10 different diseases.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) also pitched for the Oxford vaccine, saying ‘ChAdOX1′ is the frontrunner in the race to take on the deadly COVID-19 virus.
UNICEF teams up with Microsoft for remote learning platform “Learning Passport”
Microsoft has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for expansion of a global learning platform to help children and youth affected by COVID-19 continue their education at home.
The platform, called “Learning Passport”, which has been in development for the past 18 months, was due to start as a pilot programme this year.
Now, all countries with a curriculum capable of being taught online will be able to facilitate online learning for children and youth with devices at home.
The content available to schoolchildren includes online books, videos and additional support for parents of children with learning disabilities.
UNICEF’s Learning Passport is uniquely positioned as a scalable learning solution to bridge the digital learning gap for millions of students to bring their classroom into their home during the pandemic.
Children and young people continuing their education online can do so through a country-specific platform, accessed via their country’s learningpassport.unicef.org page.
DRDO lab developes 10,000 face shields for PGI, Chandigarh
The Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) here is developing 10,000 full face protective shields for examining infected COVID-19 patients for the PGI Hospital.
TBRL is a lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The TBRL is also acting as a facilitator for the procurement of bio-suits developed by another DRDO lab for use by healthcare service providers.
The TBRL is involved in development, production, processing and characterisation of different high explosive compositions, fragmentation studies of warheads, captive flight testing of bombs, missiles and airborne systems and ballistics evaluation of protective system like body armour, vehicle armour and helmets.
APRIL 23, 2020
HRD Ministry’s online platform ‘Shodhganga‘ to help research scholars
In a bid to help research scholars amid the nationwide lockdown, the Human Resource Development Ministry has come up with an online platform Shodhganga for them to access information on these and other study material.
The move comes as scholars pursuing higher studies like PhDs and MPhil etc have been hemmed in by lack of research facilities, guides and lectures due to the lockdown.
The platform would enable researchers confined to their respective homes to access study material and theses in vernacular languages, Hindi and international languages.
As many as 2,69,734 Indian theses and 7,500 synopses have been provided for study and reference on the e-platform.
NBRI develops alcohol-based sanitizer
The National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) in Lucknow has developed an alcohol-based herbal sanitizer.
The product has been developed under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR – Aroma Mission as per the World Health Organization”s guidelines.
The herbal sanitizer contains Tulsi essential oil as herbal constituent which is strong and natural anti-microbial agent and 60 per cent of isopropyl alcohol for killing germs.
Director of NBRI, Dr S.K. Barik said, the herbal hand sanitizer has been clinically tested and found to be highly-effective against surface microbes.
Its impact lasts for about 25 minutes and it prevents the skin from dehydrating.
The product will be available in the market very soon under the brand name of ”Clean Hand Gel”.
The technology of the herbal hand sanitizer has been transferred to Lucknow based company Sadguru Biologicals Private Limited.
Union Cabinet approved Rs 15,000 crore for ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package’
The Union Cabinet approved Rs 15,000 crore for what it calls ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package’.
The funds will be utilized in 3 phases while for immediate COVID-19 emergency response, provision of an amount of Rs 7,774 crore has been kept.
The rest of the amount will be used for medium-term support for the next 1-4 years, which will be provided under the mission mode approach.
The key objectives of the package include mounting emergency response to slow and limit COVID-19 in India through the development of diagnostics and COVID-dedicated treatment facilities.
Centralized procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs required for treatment of infected patients, strengthen and build resilient National and State health systems to support prevention and preparedness for future disease outbreaks.
Setting up of laboratories and bolster surveillance activities, biosecurity preparedness, pandemic research and proactively engage communities and conduct risk communication activities.
Ordinance to make acts of violence against healthworker a non-bailable offence
The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance making acts of violence and harassment against healthcare personnel deployed in combating COVID-19 a non-bailable offence, meeting a key demand of health professionals in the wake of recent attacks on them while discharging their duty.
The maximum sentence under the new provision is seven years imprisonment and Rs 5 lakh fine. A person can be sentenced to anywhere between three months and five years of jail, besides a fine between Rs 50,000 and two lakhs, for such crimes.
In cases where injuries caused are serious, the punishment will range from six months to seven years, and carry fine between Rs 1 to 5 lakhs.
The ordinance will amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and the amended law will also be invoked if health care personnel face harassment from their landlords or neighbours over suspicion that they may carry the coronavirus infection due to the nature of their work.
The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, assault on health workers across the country has now become a non-bailable offence and the punishment can come within a year.
This decision brings a change in the epidemic law which has been there since 1897.
Union Cabinet approval to relax Aadhaar seeding in Assam, Meghalaya, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh up to March 31, 2021
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to relax the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar seeding of data beneficiaries of Assam, Meghalaya, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh for release of benefits to them under PM-Kisan Scheme up to March 31, 2021.
The government says the decision was taken to ensure the eligible beneficiaries do not fail to get the benefits for want of non-compliance of Aadhaar seeding of data.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme was launched by Modi on February 24 last year.
The scheme aims to provide income support to all landholder farmer families across the country with cultivable land, subject to certain exclusions.
Under the scheme, an amount of Rs 6,000 annually is released in three 4-monthly installments of Rs 2,000 each, directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. The scheme is effective from December 1, 2018.
Karnataka passed law to punish healthcare warrior’s offenders
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala promulgated an Ordinance to punish offenders of healthcare warriors, fighting the coronavirus pandemic in the southern state.
The Governor passed the Karnataka Epidemic Disease Ordinance, 2020 the state cabinet approved to punish all who attack healthcare warriors in the state, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and Asha women workers treating COVID-19 victims across the state.
The new law empowers the state government to punish the offenders with a 3-year maximum jail term and attachment of their properties for damaging assets.
The cabinet enacted the law a day after unruly mobs attacked doctors, Asha workers and police at Padarayanapura in the city’s south-west suburb when they went to shift secondary contacts of COVID patients to a quarantine centre in the city and similar violent acts on the healthcare warriors in the state.
First instalment for PMGKY beneficiaries released in the state
The State panchayat and rural development department released the first instalment of ex-gratia of Rs 500 to each of 8,51,642 beneficiaries.
Out of these beneficiaries 7,05,022 are old age pensioners, 1,12,040 are widow pensioners and 34,580 beneficiaries are under the disabled pension scheme.
This financial assistance is provided under the special package of the Government of India, rolled out under the Pradhan MantriGaribKalyanYojana (PMGKY) to help the vulnerable section of people in view of the nationwide lockdown.
Under this assistance programme, Rs 1,000 each will be paid in two instalments of Rs 500.
For this, the beneficiaries of old age pension, widow pension and disabled pension under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) will be covered.
Citing an eighty per cent drop in revenue collection in April due to the lockdown, the State Government announced a slew of austerity measures, which included reduction in establishment expenditure, ban on government functions and suspension of industrial exemptions, to “rationalize expenditure and optimize available resources” during the crisis period.
The government, however, did not slash the salaries of employees, but has put on hold new projects and will give priority to complete old ones.
Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the current fiscal situation was a worry for the State government as the revenue collection for the month of April fell to Rs 193 crore (SGST Rs 68 crore, CGST Rs 61 crore, IGST Rs 62 crore and cess Rs 2 crore) as compared to Rs 932 crore (SGST Rs 406 crore, CGST Rs 276 crore, IGST Rs 193 crore and cess Rs 55 crore) in the corresponding month last year.
The revenue collection has dropped by eighty per cent. From tax on foreign liquor, the State got Rs 6 crore in April as compared to Rs 65 crore in March. Similarly, from fuel taxes, the State got Rs 60 crore compared to Rs 360 crore in the previous month.
The committed expenses of the State government – which includes salaries, pension and interest on loan – is around Rs 3,600 crore every month.
Some of the austerity measures taken are
The Administrative Department cannot implement any new SOPD scheme without the approval of the Finance department. Sanctioning power delegated to the Administrative departments relating to the issuance of administrative approval and financial sanction in respect of SOPD Schemes has been withdrawn until further orders.
The Establishment Expenditure for the first quarter of the Financial Year 2020-21 has been capped at 10 per cent of the total budget instead of 20 per cent.
All expenses pertaining to industrial exemptions, subsidies and incentives of various sectors have been suspended until further orders. No reimbursement of GST to industries will be allowed in the first quarter of the current financial year.
Purchase of vehicles has been banned until further orders, except in case of ambulances and vehicles required for police duty. This will, however, be permitted only with the approval of the Chief Minister.
Holding of conferences, workshops, seminars, fairs and functions etc has been totally banned in the first quarter in the physical mode. There will be a ban on holding of meetings and conferences in five star hotels.
No executive class will be allowed except in the case of Governor of Assam, Chief Minister, Chief Justice, other Judges of Gauhati High Court and Chief Secretary.
No officer will be allowed to attend any foreign training course, workshop, seminar outside India for which expenditure has to be borne by the State Government.
Remuneration of Chairman and Vice Chairman of all PSUs/ Corporations/ Boards will be reduced by 25 per cent from May 1.
Release of MLA Area Development Fund will remain suspended in the first four months of the current financial year or until further orders.
MHRD launches academic calendar for upper primary stage
The Union Human Resource Development Ministry launched an alternative academic calendar for upper primary stage which consists of classes 6 to 8. The calendar has been developed by NCERT under MHRD’s guidance.
The calendar contains a week-wise plan consisting of interesting and challenging activities, with reference to theme or chapter taken from syllabus or textbook.
MHRD claims that the calendar would map the themes with the learning outcomes.
The purpose of mapping of themes with learning outcomes is to facilitate teachers and parents to assess the progress in the learning of children and also to go beyond textbooks.
The activities given in the calendar focus on learning outcomes and can thus be achieved through any resource including the textbooks children are using in their state or Union Territories.
The calendar also covers experiential learning activities such as Arts, Education, Physical Exercises, yoga, pre-vocational skills, etc.
It would include activities related to four languages as subject areas, that is Hindi, English, Urdu and Sanskrit along with link for Chapter wise e-content available on the e-pathshala, NROER and DIKSHA portals of government of India.
The calendar however has been designed for four weeks only, but the ministry says it would extend it if needed.
India gifts USD 5 million medical aid to world to combat Covid-19
India has gifted USD 5 million worth of medicines and other Covid-19 related supplies to the world so far as countries continue to combat the global pandemic.
India has sent five million Hydroxycholorquine (HCQ) tablets to countries in the neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean Rim, Africa, Latin America, Central Asia, Eurasia and Western Asia North Africa regions.
The government is also providing 1.32 million paracetamol (PCM) tablets to its neighbouring and other partner countries.
India is also providing a big basket of other medical aid which includes essential drugs and life-saving antibiotics; medical consumable; and other equipment for laboratories and hospitals.
India has approved commercial consignments of around 285 million HCQ tablets to 40 countries and around 500 million PCM tablets for 60 countries have also been cleared.
As part of government’s response to the Covid-19 situation, 11 empowered groups have been set up for an integrated approach.
MEA has been playing a key role in the empowered group that deals with ensuring availability of essential medical equipment and supplies.
APRIL 25, 2020
Rural Development Ministry released Rs 36,000 crore to states in April 2020
The Centre has already released more than Rs 36,000 crore to the states/UTs in the current financial year (FY2020-21) for the development schemes of the villages, said Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar.
Tomar held a meeting with all the rural development ministers and concerned officials of the states and Union Territories via a video conference and urged them to scale up of the works.
Under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan MantriAwaasYojanaGramin (PMAY-G), Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY) and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), in the light of the relaxations granted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in the non-containment areas w.e.f. April 20.
The ministry has sanctioned Rs 33,300 crore under MGNREGA out of which Rs 20,225 crore has been released to liquidate all the outstanding dues of previous years towards wages and materials.
The said sanctioned amount is sufficient to meet the expenses under MGNREGA till June, 2020.
The minister assured the states and UTs that adequate financial resources are available for the rural development programmes.
Tomar also urged the states and UTs to proactively start rural development schemes relating to employment generation, infrastructure creation and strengthening of rural livelihoods while taking all necessary Covid-19 related precautions.
He emphasised that under MGNREGS, the focus should be on water conservation, water recharge and irrigation work in convergence with the schemes of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Department of Land Resources.
Under PMGSY, the focus should on quick awarding of tenders in sanctioned road projects and starting pending road projects.
The contractors, suppliers, workers etc. should be galvanised to quick start the works.
IIT Delhi researchers develop dashboard to predict Covid-19 spread
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi have developed a web-based dashboard to predict the spread of deadly Covid-19 in India.
The mobile-friendly dashboard, named as PRACRITI – PRediction and Assessment of CoRona Infections and Transmission in India, gives a detailed state-wise and district-wise predictions of viral cases in the country.
The projections are given for a three-week period, which is updated on a weekly basis.
The researchers believe that such a platform will be highly useful for healthcare bodies, local and central authorities, to efficiently plan for different future scenarios and resource allocation.
A key parameter of interest on Covid-19 is the basic reproduction number R0 and its countrywide variability. R0 refers to the number of people to whom the disease spreads from a single infected person.
If an active Covid-19 patient infects two uninfected persons, the R0 is two. Hence, reduction of R0 is the key in controlling and mitigating Covid-19 in India.
The model also accounts for the effect of different lockdown scenarios, such as the effect of locking down the district boundaries and implementing different levels of lockdown within a district.
These predictions can help the districts and states having higher R0 to take rigorous measures to control the spread of Covid-19, while for those with low R0 they need to sustain measures and remain very vigilant.
The predictions in the dashboard are based on a newly-developed mathematical model that divides the population into four classes i.e. susceptible, exposed, infected, and removed.
WHO, global partners join forces to develop COVID-19 technologies
The World Health Organization (WHO), together with a group of global partners, launched a groundbreaking collaboration to accelerate both the development and equitable access to new essential technologies for COVID-19.
WHO Director-General TedrosAdhanom Ghebreyesus and other global leaders made an unprecedented commitment to work together to accelerate the development, production and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for COVID-19.
Participants in conference also include leaders from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), GAVI-the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund, UNITAID, the Wellcome Trust, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IFRC) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The group will seek to implement innovative diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines at record speed and at record scale in a bid to defeat COVID-19.
UNICEF for normal resumption of immunisation in most Assam districts
UNICEF expressed hope that the immunisation programme resumes soon in a normal way in most districts of Assam, barring areas classified as ‘red and containment zones’.
In many places, children are missing on critical vaccines due to recommendations and requirements around physical distancing and isolation, or due to reduced access to overstretched health services.
These circumstances are putting children, especially the most vulnerable, at a risk of outbreaks of other diseases such as measles. Immunisation is vital now, more than ever.
UNICEF has advised parents to get children vaccinated as soon as the COVID-19 outbreak is brought under control and routine services resume.
While essential doses for institutional deliveries have continued uninterrupted in the State during the lockdown, Assam is among the few states that resumed routine immunisation last week at the sub-centre level.
According to UNICEF, immunisation is one of the most effective public health interventions.
UNICEF has supported the National Health Mission, Department of Health, Government of Assam, with training of 45,000 ASHA and ANM workers on the COVID-19 outbreak.
The training covered issues around safe practices, community surveillance, home quarantine, using a mask, facts and myths, among other aspects.
UNICEF works on-ground closely with partners including the Government of Assam, other UN agencies and civil society organisations, to ensure availability of vaccines and their access to children, especially the most vulnerable.
The Assam government will allow inter-district movement of nearly one lakh people.
The steps have been taken to facilitate the stranded people in 33 distrcts across Assam to return home, join offices or visit hospitals while strictly adhering to the lockdown norms, including social distancing and hygiene.
Around 50,000 people are expected to use their own vehicles for one-way trip and over 40,000 are likely to be provided free-of-cost public transportation through the Assam State Transport Corporation buses by the state government.
The deputy commissioners of respective districts are issuing one-way passes to the people to travel by their vehicles.
Ministry of Home Affairs allows to open standalone shops
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a clarification saying that only standalone shops are allowed to open as per the directive and that the order does not apply to Covid-19 containment zones or liquor stores.
In urban areas, all standalone/neighbourhood shops & shops in residential complexes are allowed to open.
Shops in markets/market complexes & shopping malls are not allowed to open.
The ministry also clarified that sales by ecommerce companies will continue to be restricted to essential goods only.
It also cleared that liquor stores will be shut as the relaxations do not apply to them.
No shops have been allowed to open in multi-brand or single brand malls.
Shops were allowed outside the city limits except those in malls with 50 per cent workforce while wearing of masks has been made compulsory.
Moody’s slashes India growth forecast to 0.2% for 2020
Moody’s Investors Service slashed India’s growth forecast to 0.2 per cent for the 2020 calendar year from the earlier projection of 2.5 per cent released in March.
Stating that the economic costs of shutdown of the global economy are accumulating rapidly, Moody’s in its Global Macro Outlook 2020-21 (April 2020 Update) projected that all G-20 advanced economies would contract by 5.8 per cent in 2020.
Among the emerging economies in G-20, Moody’s projected India to grow at 0.2 per cent in 2020 and 6.2 per cent in 2021. This compares to 5.3 per cent growth clocked in 2019.
Late last month, the government had announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore stimulus package comprising free foodgrains and cooking gas to poor and cash dole to poor women and elderly. A second package, aimed at industries, is said to be in works and is likely to be announced shortly.
China is projected to grow by 1 per cent in 2020 and 7.1 per cent in 2021, as against 6.1 per cent in 2019.
Moody’s in the report titled ‘Global recession is deepening rapidly as restrictions exact high economic cost’, said there are significant downside risks to its growth forecasts in the event that coronavirus pandemic is not contained and lockdowns have to be reinstated.
India, China and Indonesia are the only 3 G-20 countries which are projected to grow in 2020, while the others will see a contraction, according to the report.
The US economy is projected to contract by 5.7 per cent, the UK by 7 per cent, Italy by 8.2 per cent, Japan by 6.5 per cent and France by 6.3 per cent.
Moody’s said the economic costs of the coronavirus crisis amid the near shutdown of the global economy are accumulating rapidly. Even with a gradual recovery, 2021 real GDP in most advanced economies is expected to be below pre-coronavirus levels.
Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 to support for environmental protection
Earth Day is celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
In 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and the concept of peace, to first be celebrated on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere.
On Earth Day 2016, the landmark Paris Agreement was signed by 195 nations at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.
An Earth Anthem penned by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay Kumar, which has been translated into 50 languages is used by many schools and organizations across the world to celebrate Earth Day.
APRIL 27, 2020
Governor’s Rule imposed in Bodoland Territorial Council
Governor’s Rule has been imposed in the Bodoland Territorial Council. Principal Secretary to the State Government Rajesh Prasad was appointed as Administrator of BTC.
The term of the general council of BTC expired on 27th April and elections to the council, which were scheduled for April 4, had earlier been deferred on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“… whereas the election in BTC was deferred indefinitely… and whereas the Governor of Assam is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the administration of the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India. Now, therefore, the Governor of Assam, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 16 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India, is pleased to assume to himself, with immediate effect, the administration of the said districts and all functions and powers vested in or exercisable by the BTC,” stated a notification issued by the Governor.
It added the order shall take immediate effect “and shall, unless terminatedearlier or extended further, remain in force for a period of six months.”
It was announced that the Governor “may appoint a person or authority to discharge the functions and powers of the BTC, including the functions and power exercised by the Executive Committee, Chief Executive Member, Deputy Chief Executive member, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Executive Members.”
The Governor has appointed Rajesh Prasad, senior IAS officer and Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, to exercise all the functions and powers exercisable by the BTC and its Executive Committee, Chief Executive Member and other representatives.
University of Hyderabad start-up wins BIRAC funding for Covid-19 project
OncoSeek Bio Pvt Ltd will receive funding support for developing an in vitro Lung Organoid model, from BIRAC which comes under the Union Science and Technology Ministry’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
OncoSeek’s project is one of 16 selected so far from the 500 proposals received for the Covid-19 research consortium.
Under this grant proposal, the company plans to use their novel platform to screen drugs/peptides/molecules/agents/compounds targeted against the virus or the host cell.
It plans to create this capability in the next 6 months.
OncoSeek is a start-up incubated at ASPIRE-BioNEST at UoH since 2019, and works on developing in vitro and in vivo platforms for specific diseases for therapeutics screening.
BioNEST at the University of Hyderabad is a life sciences incubator, set up with the support of the BIRAC, an enterprise under the DBT, to provide a plug-and-play life science ecosystem of incubation.
Tarun Bajaj to be DEA secretary and Rajesh Verma next MCA secretary
The Centre has decided to appoint Tarun Bajaj as the Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), under the Finance Ministry, on AtanuChakrabarty’s retirement on April 30.
Bajaj, a 1988 batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, is the Additional Secretary at Prime Minister’s Office.
A Gujarat cadre officer of the 1985 batch, Chakarborty was appointed the DEA Secretary in July 2019 when then Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg was shifted to the Power Ministry.
Rajesh Verma as the next Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). He will take over on retirement of Injeti Srinivas.
Srinivas, a 1983 batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, will retire on May 31 after over two-year tenure as the Corporate Affairs Secretary.
Verma is the Special Secretary at the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare.
AramaneGiridhar, the Additional Secretary at the Cabinet Secretariat, will take over as the Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as Sanjeev Ranjan will move to the Ministry of Shipping as its new Secretary.
CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwalappointed as Secretary Department of Education
CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal was appointed as Secretary in the Department of Education and Literacy.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Anita’s appointment.
The committee has also extended, by three months, service of Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan. A 1983-batch IAS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, Sudan was to retire on April 30.
Sudan, who has been working on aligning all departments to execute the Narendra Modi government”s policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, will continue to function as Secretary in the Department of Health and Family Welfare of MoHFW during the period.
Free zinc, vitamin tablets for Covid-19 field duty officials in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami announced free zinc and multi-vitamin tablets for government officials who are on Covid-19 field duty to boost their immunity.
Palaniswami said masks, personal protective equipment are given to officials of revenue, health, police and others who are on Covid-19 field duty.
In order to improve their immunity, zinc and multi-vitamin tablets will be provided free of cost for 10 days.
Assam starts implementation of State Policy for Transgenders
Assam State Government has started implementation of the Assam State Policy for Transgenders. Officials of the Social Welfare Department said that from now on, a number of welfare schemes will be come into force for the transgender community under the policy. The policy was a long-pending demand of the transgender community.
India hands over HCQ tablets, emergency medical gear to Bangladesh
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Riva Ganguly Das, handed over emergency medical supplies consisting of one lakh Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) tablets and 50,000 sterile surgical gloves to Bangladesh.
The Indian High Commission in Dhaka said that the second tranche of assistance came from the Covid-19 emergency fund which was created at the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his March 15 video conferencing with the leaders of the SAARC countries.
Bangladesh Health Minister Zahid Maleque appreciated the continued support of India in providing medical supplies, protective gear and capacity building in the fight against Covid-19.
The Indian High Commissioner reiterated India”s continued support to Bangladesh in its fight against Covid-19.
The supplies were dispatched to the Central Medical Stores Depot of Bangladesh government.
The Covid-19 emergency fund was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his video conference with SAARC leaders on March 15. It was set up with an initial contribution of $10 million from India.
IIT Madras startup develops smart bin system to prevent COVID-19 spread
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-incubated Startup Antariksh Waste Ventures has developed an Internet of Things (IoT) enabled smart bin system to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Called AirBin, the system works through waste generated at CVPs (contagion vulnerable points, primarily hospitals, clinics, public bins, quarantine zones).
From waste collection, transport, segregation, disposal to recycling, every process needs to be overhauled quickly and technology will play a vital role in this transformation.
Timely cleaning of bins will be a key priority while faced with a shortage of labour.
The smart bin system can be retrofitted on to existing garbage bins on nearby poles, walls or the bin lids.
The objective is to help rural and urban local bodies clear every bin before it overflows and accelerate sustainability.
The startup aims to clear waste bins before they overflow by digitising waste management processes.
Kerala students win CODE19 hackathon with virtual classroom project
A virtual classroom created by students from Government College of Engineering in Kannur, Kerala, to make learning easier and intuitive in COVID-19 times has won $10,000 (approxRs 7.6 lakh) as winner of the 72-hour online hackathon called CODE19.
The hackathon was organised by California-based MotwaniJadeja Foundation this month to find solutions to India”s challenges against the new coronavirus pandemic and the foundation awarded $34,000 in total to various teams from across the country.
iClassroom has been created by 19-year-old Abhinand C and 20-year-old Shilpa Rajeev.
With iClassroom, students and teachers can interact with each other, clear their doubts, mentor others and conduct online classes.
Code19 was held in collaboration with Bengaluru-based HackerEarth. The Association of Designers in India (ADI) helped in providing mentors through its network.
The second price worth $5,000 went to TeleVital, a solution for contactless health assessment of a patient created by a 6-student team from Manipal Institute of Technology.
The solution records a patient”s heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, etc. without any contact-based measurement tool.
Three teams won $3,000 each at third place. The projects were SoloCoin from a team from various colleges across India, led by project lead ArbobMehmood of UPES University, Dehradun; Covid19 Fact Checker created by a team from AISSMS College of Engineering, Pune; and Grape Community, created by Ranjoy Sen, a 35-year-old software professional from Bengaluru.
10 best innovative solutions were awarded $1,000 each.
IIT-Kanpur’s corona killer box that sanitizes every thing
Scientists at the IIT-K have come up with a corona killer box that will sanitize all essential commodities that are brought into homes from outside.
Vegetables, fruits, sugar, milk, pulses, mobiles, rupees and keys etc. can be sanitized in the box within minutes.
The ultraviolet rays released from this can kill the bacteria and viruses in objects within minutes.
The sensor-based box also has an alarm which can be set for a specified period of time.
This box has several ultraviolet lights, which range between 240 and 260 nanometers. The approximate price of a box is around Rs 5,000.
The IIT is contacting companies for its manufacture and large-scale production will naturally reduce the cost of the box.
Q1. Recently, which state government has launched a new scheme ‘Dhanwantari’ under which locally unavailable medicines are provided to patients at home?
Bihar
Chhattisgarh
Assam
Maharashtra
C. Assam
Q2. Manabasa Gurubara, Chhau and Ravanachhaya – the three popular cultural practices from which state have been included in the recently-published Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) list by the Union Ministry of Culture?
Arunachal Pradesh
Odisha
Tripura
Meghalaya
B.Odisha
Q3. Which bank has recently launched an exclusive credit facility for agriculture and allied activities?
Indian Overseas Bank
State Bank of India
Union Bank of India
Canara Bank
A. Indian Overseas Bank
Q4. Recently, which organisation has launched a ‘Lockdown Learners’ series of online dialogues with students and educators in India on COVID-19?
WHO
UNODC
UNICEF
UNESCO
B. UNODC
Q5. Which state has become the first state to have the requisite infrastructure in all its courts for hearing cases through video conferencing?
Uttarakhand
Uttar Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Andhra Pradesh
B. Uttar Pradesh
Q6. Which book has won William E. Colby Award 2020?
Midnight in Chernobyl
Army of none
If not now, When?
A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne
A. Midnight in Chernobyl
Q7. Which state government has launched “Apthamitra” helpline with an exclusive toll free number and a mobile app, aimed at providing required medical advice and guidance for those in need?
Andhra Pradesh
Telangana
Karnataka
Himachal Pradesh
C. Karnataka
Q8. Who represented India at the 11th session of “Petersberg Climate Dialogue”?
Prakash Javadekar
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Nitin Gadkari
Ravi Shankar Prasad
A. Prakash Javadekar
Q9. Recently, the students of which IIT has developed low-cost ventilator ‘Ruhdaar’?
IIT Kanpur
IIT Bombay
IIT Ropar
IIT Mandi
B. IIT Bombay
Q10. Which country has the largest military spender in the world, according to a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report?
Q1. Which state government commemorated Khongjom Day at Khongjom War Memorial Complex to pay tribute to war heroes of the state?
Mizoram
Tripura
Nagaland
Manipur
D. Manipur
Q2. PM Narendra Modi recently launched ‘Swamitva Yojana’ on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day 2020, which is related to
Creation of land ownership records
To make Gram Panchayats pollution free
To make Gram Panchayats digital
All of the above
A.Creation of land ownership records
Q3. Which state government has recently launched ‘zero interest’ loan scheme for women self-help groups (SHGs)?
Andhra Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Sikkim
Odisha
A. Andhra Pradesh
Q4. Recently, which state/UT has bagged three national awards under separate categories for outstanding contribution by its Panchayati Raj Institutions towards socio-economic development of Gram Panchayats, adopting child-friendly practices and preparing Gram Panchayat Development Plans at the panchayat level?
Chandigarh
Jammu and Kashmir
Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh
B. Jammu and Kashmir
Q5. Who among the following has been recently appointed as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC)?
Pradeep Kumar
Sharad Kumar
Sanjay Kothari
K V Chowdary
C. Sanjay Kothari
Q6. Name the first ever digital map of the moon recently released by United States Geological Survey (USGS), NASA and the Lunar Planetary Institute?
“Unified Geologic Map of the Moon”
“Geographic Map of the Moon”
“Map of the Moon”
None of the above
A. Unified Geologic Map of the Moon
Q7. Recently, who has been appointed as the head of the National Shipping Board of India?
Bimal Julka
Malini Shankar
Suresh Patel
Abdulgani Serang
B. Malini Sarkar
Q8. Government of which state has recently launched the third edition of scheme Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan’ to prepare the water bodies before the monsoon?
West Bengal
Jharkhand
Gujarat
Goa
C. Gujarat
Q9. Recently, Kerala based innovator Vasini Bai has developed 10 varieties of which flower by cross pollination?
Sweet William
Carnation
Anthurium
Dianthus
C. Anthurium
Q10. Who has been named as the ambassador of BWF’s “I am Badminton” campaign?
Q1. The Chief Minister of which state, has recently inaugurated “strategic bridge” over Subansiri river?
Manipur
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Tripura
B. Arunachal Pradesh
Q2. Which institute has become the first authorized study center in India to carry out plasma research under trial in view of Covid 19?
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Science and Research
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research
B.Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Science and Research
Q3. Recently, which state has become the first state in the country to geotag community kitchens?
Tamil Nadu
Rajasthan
Uttar Pradesh
Assam
C. Uttar Pradesh
Q4. ‘Jeevan Shakti Yojana’ is the initiative of which Indian state/UT to enable women in urban areas to earn by making masks at home?
Gujarat
Bihar
Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh
D. Madhya Pradesh
Q5. Name the first military satellite which was launched by Iran recently?
Gaofen-12
Noor
Kalam SAT
None of the above
B. Noor
Q6. What is India’s GDP growth rate for FY21 as per ‘Global Economic Outlook (GEO)’ of Fitch ratings?
1%
0.5%
2%
0.8%
D. 0.8% to 2.8%
Q7. Which Indian IT company has partnered with IBM to set up innovation centres?
Wipro
Infosys
Tech Mahindra
HCL Technologies
C. Tech Mahindra
Q8. Which among the following state has recently launched eSanjeevaniOPD?
Maharashtra
Himachal Pradesh
Mizoram
Kerala
B. Himachal Pradesh
Q9. The Hyderabad-based National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) has collaborated with the regional office of which global organisation to train community leaders?
WHO
IMF
UNICEF
WTO
C. UNICEF
Q10. Recently, which organization has released the fourth annual Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC 2020) titled “2020 Global Report on Food Crises-Joint Analysis for better decisions”?
Q1. Recently, which IIT has developed an anti-microbial spray-based coating for personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as a 3D printed ear guard for use in face masks?
IIT Delhi
IIT Dhanbad
IIT Pune
IIT Guwahati
D. IIT Guwahati
Q2. Recently, which state government has launched Electronic format of comic textbooks?
Assam
Manipur
Maharashtra
Karnataka
B. Manipur
Q3. Which country holds the chairmanship of ASEAN bloc 2020?
India
Thailand
Viet Nam
Sri Lanka
C. Viet Nam
Q4. Name the official mascot of 4th Asian Para Games 2022 which was released recently?
Feifei
Kaka
Bhin Bhin
Atung
A. Feifei
Q5. Recently, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the reverse repo rate to how much percent in a bid to inject liquidity in financial markets?
4%
2.5%
3.75%
5%
C. 3.75%
Q6. What is the estimated growth rate of India in 2020-21, as per the World Bank’s South Asia Economic Focus report?
1.55% to 2.8%
3.5% to 4.6%
2.5% to 3.5%
4.8% to 5%
A. 1.55% to 2.8%
Q7. Which state has launched a vehicle called ‘Tiranga’ for rapid screening of symptoms of Coronavirus?
Sikkim
Chhattisgarh
Odisha
Kerala
D. Kerala
Q8. In which city the 11th edition of world games 2022 is going to held?
Birmingham
Mumbai
Tokyo
Jakarta
A.Birmingham
Q9. What is the name of a new webinar series launched by the Ministry of Tourism?
Padharo Apno Desh
Dekho Apna Desh
Apna Desh Mahan
Apna Pyara Desh
B. Dekho Apna Desh
Q10. Name the app which was launched by the Agriculture Ministry recently to facilitate transportation of food grains?
Q1. Recently, which state has launched ‘Food Bank’ initiative with the theme ‘Help End Hunger Today’ for poor and needy people due to coronavirus pandemic?
Assam
Gujarat
Manipur
Bihar
C.Manipur
Q2. Name the new satellite recently launched by NASA which can give early warning signals of Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes?
CIRES
Skylab
Terra
Juno
A.CIRES
Q3. Which country has become the largest producer and exporter of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), with 70% of annual global production as per Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA)?
China
Italy
US
India
D.India
Q4. Name the design software system jointly launched by Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog and National Informatics Centre (NIC) to provide a great platform to students of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across country to create and modify 3d designs with free flow of creativity and imagination?
CollabCAD
NetworkCAD
AtalCAD
None of the above
A.CollabCAD
Q5. Under which scheme, Centre announced free LPG refills to PMUY beneficiaries for three months?
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana
A. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana
Q6. Which country will host Asian Boxing Championships 2020?
Japan
India
Singapore
US
B. India
Q7. In which city, the 2022 Asian Para Games are scheduled to be held?
New Delhi
Cairo
Hangzhou
Osaka
C. Hangzhou
Q8. Recently, who among the following has been appointed as the ambassador of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India’s environment education programme?
P V Sindhu
Viswanathan Anand
Suhas Gopinath
Dilip Shanghvi
B. Viswanathan Anand
Q9. Recently, which among the following company has launched an initiative named ‘Pragati’ to drive women entrepreneurship and to spread awareness and adoption of technology among women in India.
Microsoft
Twitter
Facebook
Google
C. Facebook
Q10. Which is the first state India to start pool testing on Corona virus?
Q1. Which IIT has recently developed a low-cost UVC LED-based disinfection system for sanitising purposes to aid the fight against covid-19?
IIT Delhi
IIT Guwahati
IIT Kanpur
IIT Madras
B.IIT Guwahati
Q2. Under which initiative the union ministry of civil aviation, 152 cargo flights have been operated to transport medical cargo across India?
Lifeline UDAN
UDAN India
Ayush Mission
Janani Suraksha
A.Lifeline UDAN
Q3. Recently, which ministry has launched a web-portal YUKTI (Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation), which will cover various initiatives and efforts of the institutions in academics, research especially related to COVID-19, social initiatives and well-being measures for students?
Ministry of Civil Aviation
Ministry of Human Resource and Development
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
B.Ministry of Human Resource and Development
Q4. Which global organisation has released a report titled “South Asia Economic Focus” where it has estimated India’s growth at 1.5%-2.8% FY 21?
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
World Bank (WB)
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
C. World Bank (WB)
Q5. Which Ministry has recently launched ‘Bharat Padhe Online’ Campaign?
Ministry of Human Resource and Development
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Ministry of External Affairs
A. Ministry of Human Resource and Development
Q6. Which among the following is the first in Indian railways to install sanitizing tunnel?
Chennai Railway Station
Ahmedabad Railway Station
Kanpur Railway Station
Kolkata Railway Station
B. Ahmedabad Railway Station
Q7. TRIFED in Collaboration with which organization for promotion of digital campaign for Self Help Groups (SHGs) to ensure Tribal gatherers carry on their Work Safely?
ILO
UNESCO
UNICEF
WTO
C. UNICEF
Q8. What is India’s rank in the latest FIFA ranking 2020?
106
111
110
108
D. 108
Q9. Which state government has recently launched Annapurna, Supply Mitra portals for citizens’ food needs?
Kerala
Uttar Pradesh
Assam
West Bengal
B. Uttar Pradesh
Q10. ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, a new webinar series has been launched by which ministry which will give information on several destinations and culture and heritage of India?