C ONTENTS

S.No. Chapter Name Page No .

1. BANKS MERGER IN INDIA: GOOD OR BAD? 1 - 3

2 . International and Bilateral 4 - 6

3 . National 7 - 10

5 . States 11 - 13

6 . Economy and Banking 14 - 20

7. RBI Updates 21 - 25

8 . Schemes 26

9 . Cabinet Approvals 27

10 . Science a nd Technology 28 - 31

11 . Defence 32

12 . Awards and Honours 33

13 . Sports 34 - 35

14 . Persons In News 36

15 . Obituaries 37

16 . Reports, Indices and Ranking 38 - 40

18 . Summits and Conferences 4 1

22. Committees 41

19 . Appointments 42

21. Books and Authors 43 25 . Days And Themes 44 Multiple Choice Questions (Current Affairs) 45 - 56

Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 1. B ANKS M ERGER IN I NDIA : GOOD OR BAD ?

and Corporation Bank into Union Bank of India; he largest ever merger in the public sector banking T and Allahabad Bank into Indian Bank. space in India ha s taken place on April 1, 2020 when six  Punjab National Bank becomes 2nd Largest Bank: Public Sector Banks were merged into four large banks Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank in a bid to make them globally competitive. Customers, merger into Punjab National Bank has created a including depositors of the merging banks, will now be bank with ₹17.95 lakh crore business and 11,437 treated as customers of the banks in which they have branches. merged.  4th Largest Bank – Merger of Canara Bank &  Following the consolidation, there are now seven Syndicate Bank: The merger of Syndicate Bank large public sector banks (PSBs), and five smaller with Canara Bank has created the fourth largest ones. There were as many as 27 PSBs in 2017. public sector bank with ₹15.20 lakh crore business  The total number of public sect or banks in the and a branch network of 10,324. country have come down from 18 to 12 from April  5th Largest Bank: Merger of Andhra Bank and 1, 2020. Corporation Bank with Union Bank of India has  The Banks’ merger dated April 1, 2020 has created India's fifth largest public sector bank with resulted in the creation of seven large PSBs with ₹ 14.59 lakh crore business and 9,609 branches. scale and national reach, with each amalgamated  7th Largest Bank: The merger of Allahabad Bank entity having business of over Rs 8 lakh crore and it with Indian Bank has created the seventh largest has helped to c reate banks with scale comparable to public sector bank with ₹8.08 lakh crore business global banks and capable of competing effectively having strong branch networks in the south, north in India and globally. and east of th e country  As per the mega consolidation plan, Oriental Bank  The exercise assumes significance as it has taken of Commerce and United Bank of India have place at a time when the entire country is under the merged into Punjab National Bank (PNB); grip of COVID - 19 outbreak. It has triggered nation Syndicate Bank into Canara Bank; Andhra Bank wide lockdown to contain the spread of the deadly 1 IACE ( I ndian A cademy of C ompetitive E xams) www.iace.co.in Toll Free: 1800 - 270 - 9975, Ph: 9533200400

Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest virus. Experts are of the opinion that mer ger at this Advantages of Bank Mergers point of time may not be remain a very smooth and • Larger Bank is capable of facing global competition seamless transition. However, heads of the anchor banks have exuded confidence and do not find any • The merger will reduce the cost of banking operation problem as the process has gone as per the plan • Merger will result in better NPA and Risk with certain modification in implementation. management  Th e four anchor banks PNB, Canara Ban k, Union • Merger will help in improving the professional Bank and Indian Bank have postponed some part standards of the implementation and processes due to the lockdown for example like loan process which were • Decisions on High Lending requirements can be taken proposed to be followed earlier. promptly  In addition, consolidation would a lso provide • For the bank, retaining and enhancing its identity as a impetus to merged entities by increasing their larger bank becomes easier. After the merger, benefits ability to support larger ticket - size lending and have of merger are enormous and the biggest is generation of competitive operations by virtue of greater financial a brand new customer base, empowering of bus iness, capacity. increased hold in the market share, opportunity of  Last year, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank were technology upgrade. Thus as a whole it proves to be merged with Bank of Baroda. Prior to this, the beneficial to the overall Economy government had merged five associate banks of SBI and Bharatiya Mahila Bank with the public sector • Provides better efficiency ratio for business operations bank. These were State Bank of Patiala, State Bank as well as banking operations which is beneficial for the of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Mysore, State economy Bank of Travancore and State Bank of Hyderab ad • Minimization of overall risk is there due to mergers effective April 2017. and acquisitions which is always good from the  Six Banks Untouched: The mega merger has left business point of view untouched six other banks out of which two are national banks and the four have regional focus. • Leads to increase in profitability and helps in raising The untouched banks are Bank of India, Central the standard of living which is absolutely crucial for a Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Uco B ank, growi ng economy like India Bank of Maharashtra and Punjab & Sind Bank • Chances of survival of underperforming banks which will continue as separate entities as before. increases hence customer trust remains intact which is  Rs. 55000 Crore Recapitalization Plan With Mega vital for the Economy. The weaker bank gets merged Merger: The Finance Minister of India has also into stronger one and gets the benefit of large scale announced Rs.55,000 Crore recapitalization plan operations for the banks formed after merger. Besides, recapitalization will also be infused to the six other • The objectives of financial inclusion and broadening banks which are not the part of this merger. the geographical reach of banking can be achieved better with the merger of large public sector banks and Fruitful Result of Banks’ Merger leveraging on their expertise.  As per studies conducted, most of the mergers done • With the large scale expertise available in every sphere in the past, have proved to be an overall success for of banking operation, t he scale of inefficiency which is the weaker banks although there are no concrete more in case of small banks, will be minimized parameters to verify this observation. Hence going by the track record merger and acquisition in Indian • The merger will help the geographically concentrated banking have been fruitful for the Indian Economy. regionally present banks to expand their coverage

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest • Larger size of the Bank will help the merged banks to managed with frequent and careful communication it offer more produ cts and services and help in integrated may lead to loss of business which is never good for the growth of the Banking sector Economy. • A larger bank can manage its short and long term • Experts are of the view that Co - existence of the big, liquidity better. There will not be any need for overnight medium and regional banks would be preferable in the borrowings in call money market and from RBI under pr esent scenario. Acco rding to them most acquisitions Liquidity Adjustment Facili ty (LAF) and Marginal in India were borne out of compulsions and over 90 per Standing Facility (MSF) cent of past acquisitions had failed to achieve the • In the global market, the Indian banks will gain greater objectives. recognition and higher rating • Many banks focus on regional banking requirements. • With a larger capital base and higher liquidity, the With the merger the very purpose of establishing the burden on the central government to recapitalize the bank to cater to regional needs is lost. public sector b anks again and again will come down • Large bank size may create more problems also. Large substantially global banks had collapsed during the global financial • Multiple posts of CMD, ED, GM and Zonal Managers crisis while smaller ones had survived the crisis due to will be abolished, resulting in substantial financial their strengths and focus on micro aspects. savings • Wit h the merger, the weaknesses of the small banks • Bank staff will be under single umbrella in regard to are also transferred to the bigger bank. their service conditions and wages inst ead of facing • So far small scale losses and recapitalization could disparities. revive the capital base of small banks. Now if the giant Problems Arising due to Mergers & Acquisitions in shaped bank books huge loss or incurs high NPAs as it Indian Banking ha d been incurring, it will be difficult for the entire banking system to sustain. Most of the problems arising due to mergers and acquisitions are more emotional and social in nature Important But to Remain under Watch than technical or managerial. The major problems • Mergers are important for the consolidation and which arise are: - expansion purposes that is why in today’s scenario • Compliance needed in every decision which might not many private sector banks are genuinely interested in be favorable as thinking perspectives and risk taking mergers and acquisition. They are also crucial for abilities of different organizations are different. It leads Economy as they are most of the times successful in to friction and rift which, if not managed well may lead saving weak banks which fail in meeting expectations. to the downfall of the or ganization as a whole. • Merger creates variety of problems which can cause • Banks are merged only on papers. Their people and great damage if the process of m e rging is not executed culture are difficult to change. It is a recipe for disaster properly. as it leads to poor culture fit not ideal for the • If merging is needed it must be executed in a manner organization or the economy. which leads to an environment of trust and agreement • Risk of failure increases if the executiv es are not among the people of both the organizations. If people, committed enough in bringing the merger platforms work culture and vision are blended together nicely, together for the merging and taking over bank. Such merging will definitely have synergic effects and create failure may prove brutal for the Economy. a win - win situation. • Impact of customers on banking merger or acquisition is often quite emotional. If customer perceptio n is not

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 2 . I NTERNATIONAL AND B ILATERAL WHO map shows Ladak h’s Aksai Chin a s Lebanon becomes 1st Arab nation to part of China legalise cannabis farming  The World Health Organisation map shows the  Lebanon became the 1st Arab nation to legalise Aksai Chin region as a part of China with a dotted cannabis (also known as marijuana) farming for line and colour code. medicinal & industrial use with the aim to boost the  Also marks Pakistan - occupied Kashmir (PoK) with exports & to beat the economic crisis created by the dotted lines, suggesting it as a disputed territory. coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic. Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and the rest of In dia are  Lebanon faces the worst economic crisis due to marked in different colour codes . loc kdown since the 1975 - 1990 civil war.  Pakistan gave China a portion of the PoK in the  Alon g with the above decision, the Parliament of 1960s. China occupies around 37,000 square Lebanon has also approved the re - allocation of $40 kilometer (sq km) in Ladakh, bordering its Xinjiang million from a World Bank (WB) loan to help fight province. COVID - 19.  Aksai Chin is a huge desert of Salt Flat located at  Earlier the Lebanon banned growing, selling and the altit ude of about 5,000 meters above sea level. consuming cannabis.  Its area is about 37,244 square kilometers of the  As per the United Nations (UN), Lebanon is the North Eastern part of the state of Jammu and 3rd largest supplier of cannabis resin in the world Kashmir has been under Chinese occupation since after Morocco and Afghanistan. 1950s. • Lebanon Capital : Beirut • Currency : Lebanese pound • WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland. • President :Michel Aoun • Prime Minister : Hassan Diab • DG: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Saudi Arabia terminates death penalty G20 launches ‘Access to COVID - 19 Tools for minors Accelerator’ Initiative  Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al -  The group of 20(G20) launched “Access to COVID - Saud has abolished the death penalty for crimes 19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator”, an international committed by minors. initiative to accelerate development, production,  The new order states that any individual who has and access to health tools needed to f ight the received a death sentence for crimes committed COVID - 19 pandemic, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. while he or she is a minor will no longer face  ‘ Access to COVID - 19 Tools Accelerator’ initiative execution. Instead of the death sentence, the will be a global platform for action to enhance individual will undergo a prison sentence of no connections and leverage inter - dependencies for longer than 10 years in a juvenile detention collective partnership, problem - solving, mobilising facility. and guiding investments, and driving equitable  Earlier, Saudi Arabia also abolished flogging as access for new COVID - 19 diagnostics, therapeutics punishment, which will be replaced by prison and vaccines. time, fines or community service.  Saudi Arabia, as the Chair of the G20 in 2020, • Saudi Arabia Capital : Riyadh • Currency : Saudi riyal. pledged USD 500 million to support global efforts • President :Michel Aoun • Prime Minister : Hassan Diab to tackle this disastrous outbreak. North Macedonia officially joins NATO as  Spain is a permanent guest invitee to the G20 its 30th member meetings.  The Republic of North Macedonia has inducted • 2020 G20 Presidency theme : Realizing Opportunities of officially as the 30th and newest member of North the 21st Century for All Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

 This membership comes after North Macedonia’s China assumes presidency of UN 2017 deal with Greece under which the former Security Council for March 2020 changed its name from Macedonia (a name same as  China has taken over as president of the United Greek province). After the name change, Greece Nations (UN) Security Council for the month of agreed to drop objections to its NATO and March 2020, to promote solidarity and European Union (EU) membership. cooperation.  North Macedonia was granted a protocol on  The council’s presidency rotates every month accession to NATO membership in February 2019. among its 15 members.China takes the presidency • NATO Headquarter: Brussels, Belgium • Members : 30 fr om Belgium and Dominican Republic will take UK becomes 1st co - chair of India - led over the Presidency from China on April, 2020. global climate initiative ‘CDRI’ • UN Security Council Headquarters : New York, USA  The Government of United Kingdom (UK) has Noor: Iran’s Guards launch its fi rst become the first co - chair of the Governing Council military satellite on the India - led global climate initiative ‘Coalition  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards force stated it had for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). launched the country’s first military satellite which  It was created by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra had gone into orbit. Modi on September 23, 2019 during the UN  The powerful force stated a “Messenger” satellite (United Nations) Climate Summit in New York, carrier was used to launch the Noor (light)satellite, US(United States). The secretariat of the Coalition without going into further detail s o n the technology will be in New Delhi. used.  India will o ffer financial assistance of Rs 480 crore  The launch took place at a time of high tension with to the CDRI to help support research projects, the United States over Tehran’s nuclear and missile establish secretariat and meet the recurring programmes and months after Iranian top military expenditure for a period of 5 - years from 2019 - 20 commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. to 2023 - 24. drone strike in Baghdad on Jan. 3. India joins IOC as its 5th observer to  Iran’s first military satellite, Noor, was launched boost Indo - Pacific vi sion from central Iran in two stages.  India has joined Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)  Noor was now orbiting 425km (264 miles) above as its 5th observer state to strengthen its Indo - Pacific vision and also to boost strategic the Earth’s surface, the Guards stated on their partnership with France, and Vanilla Islands. website.  The decision has been taken during the meeting of • Iran President : Hassan Rouhani • Capital: Tehran the Commission ’s council of ministers in • Currency: Iranian rial Seychell. Donald Trump halts WHO funding over  With this move, India would lead to greater handling of coronavirus security cooperation with countries in East Africa.  US President Donald Trump has announced that he  IOC is an inter - governmental organization that has instructed his administration to stop US funding coordinates maritime governance in the south - for the World Health Organization (WHO), which western Indian Ocean. It consis ts of Comoros, he accused of grossly mismanaging and covering - Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion (France) and up the spread of the novel coronavirus. Seychelles.  Trump noted that the United States contributes to  The Commission has 5 observers - China, EU the WHO 400 - 500 million dollars . (European Union), Malta, International  Trump stated, had the WHO done its job to get Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), and medical experts into China to objectively assess the India. situation on the gro und and to call out China’s lack • Established :1982 • Secretary General : Hamada Madi of transparency, the outbreak could

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest have been contained at its source with very few death s .  World Food Programme amis to a chieve Zero -  The US Presi dent stated WHO’s reliance on Hunger by 2030. initially false data from China regarding the UAE suspends all types of labour permits novelcoronavirus may have caused a 20 - fold  The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and increase in cases worldwide. Emiratisation has suspended the issuance of all  He further added that the United States will types of labour permits, including for drivers and continue to engage with the WHO to see if the do mestic wo rkers, effective from 19 th March 2020, organization can implement meaningful reforms. until further notice. • WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland  The decision however, exempts intra - corporate • Head : Tedros Adhanom • Founded : 7 April 1948 transfer and EXPO 2020 permits. UAE asks to postpone Expo 2020 Dubai,  The UAE government stated the move has been likely to be held in October 2021 taken in coordination with the National Emergency  The United Arab Emirates has officially requested and Crisis and Disast ers Management Authority as to postpone the start of the Expo 2020 Dubai until part of the precautionary measures taken by the October next year due to the coronavirus pandemic, UAE to curb the spread of COVID - 19. the body that oversees the world fa ir stated. South Korea ruling party wins election  Dubai, the glitzy city - state which is part of the  On April 16, 2020, the ruling democratic party of UAE, had hoped to attract some 25 million visits President Moon Jae won the election taking 180 to the multi - billion - dollar, six - month event, which seats. The opposition United Future Party took 103 was scheduled to launch October 20 this year. seats. There are 300 seats in the South Korea  The government of the United Arab Emirates has National Assembly. f ormally requested the postponement of “ World  South Korea was the first country to hold national Expo 2020 Dubai,” the Paris - based Bureau election among the COVID - 19 pandemic. International des Expositions stated in a statement.  The turnout of voting in spite of COVID - 19 crisis  Following consultations with the BIE, participating was the highest in the country since 1962. Around countries and key stakeholders, the UAE has 66.2% of the population voted in the elections. proposed 1 October 20 21 – 31 March 2022 as the  This election was the first time that the 18 year olds new opening dates of Expo 2020 Dubai. were allowed to vote.  The UAE government also requested approval to • South Korea Capital : Seoul continue using Expo 2020 Dubai as the event’s • Currency : South Korean won official name. India - Japan sign Rs 15,295 cr ra il project United Nations warns of “Hunger Crisis”  The JICA (Japanese International Cooperation  The United Nations recently has warned of “hu nger Agency), a funding agency of the Japanese pandemic” due to COVId - 19. Apart from COVID - Government signed an agreement with GoI for 3 19, the other factors that are to contribute to the mega rail infrastructure projects. The project cost crisis include wars in Syria, crisis in Lebanon and has been estimated as Rs 15,295 crores desert locusts destroying crops in East Africa.  According to the agr eements, Rs 8,553 crores have  The UN says that around 300,000 people are been granted by the JICA for phase I of the expected to lose their lives due to lack of food for a Dedicated Freight Corridors to be constructed in period of three months. India. Also, JICA has granted Rs 4,262 crores for  The World Food Programme is currently in need of the Mumbai - Trans Harbour link project. Around Rs 1.9 billion USD in order to stockpile food in 2,480 crores have been granted for the Mumbai countries that are at risk of starving. If not Metro Line Project. addressed, there are possibilities of severe fa mines.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 3 . N ATIONA L

Centre has amended FDI Policy, 2017 for the Malayan tiger ‘Nadia’ in the Bronx zoo of US curbing opportunistic takeovers (United States).  Government amends the extant FDI (Foreign Direct Centre approved Rs.15000 cr f or COVID - Investment) policy for curbing opportunistic 19 Emergency Response and Health takeovers/acquisitions of Indian companies from System Preparedness Package neighboring nations due to the current COVID - 19  Indian Government has approved Rs.15000 crores pandemic. for ‘India COVID - 19 Emergency Response and  In this regard, the Centre has amended para 3.1.1 of Health System Preparedness Package’ to build ex tant FDI policy as contained in Consolidated FDI health infrastructure in states and UTs till March Policy, 2017. 2024. Of the 15,000 crore, Centre would release  As per amended 3.1.1(a) FDI proposals from Rs.7,774 crore for immediate COVID - 19 countries sharing border with India will now be Emergency Response use till June 2020 and the rest able to invest only with government approval. will be set for medium - term support of 1 - 4 years.  India shares its land border with seven countries,  The package will be given to state governments and including China. Union Territories on the basis of their size and  At present this restriction applies only to FDI from number of positive cases. Bangladesh and Pakistan  It is to be provided in three phases — January 2020  - As per amended 3.1.1(b) any change in beneficial to June 2020, July 2020 to March 2021 and from ownership will also require government approval. April 2021 to March 2024.  The above decision will take effect from the date of Indian railways designs mobile doctor FEMA (Fore ign Exchange Management Act) booth called ‘CHARAK’ for zero - conta ct notification. check - ups  The move comes after China’s Central Bank  The West Central Railway’s Coach Rehabilitation recently raised stake in the Housing Development Workshop (CRWS) in Madhya Pradesh’s (MP) Finance Corporation (HDFC) to a little over one per Bhopal city,has created a mobile doctor booth cent. called “CHARAK” to eliminate the possibility of Jim Corbett National Park of U’khand physical contact between the doctor and the becomes India’s 1st quarant ine centre coronavirus (CO VID - 19) infected patient. for animals  A viral barrier chamber has been built in the  Jim Corbett National Park , India’s oldest wildlife railway compartment itself, through which doctors sanctuary located in the Nainital district of will be able to examine patients without direct Uttarakhand, has become India’s 1st quarantine physical contact. centre for animals with symptoms of coronavirus  This system will prove to be very helpful as there is (COVID - 19). a shortage of PPE (Personal protective equipment)  At least 10 quarantine cent ers are being set up and medical staff at this time. The mobile booth can within the complex to handle the corona virus prey be transported to remiote villages and can also be animals & Cameras will be installed in the park to moved by hand with in 500 mtrs. monitor the cold and cough symptoms of animals. HRD Ministry along with AICTE initiated  Background: After humans, the threat of COVID - “Samadhan” challenge for students to 19 is now hovering over wildlife. The N TCA fight c ovid - 19 (National Tiger Conservation Authority) has alerted  The Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Human the officials of country’s sanctuaries, forests and Resources Development and All India Council for zoos after the Coronavirus infection was detected in Technical Education in collaboration with Forge

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest and InnovatioCuris launched a mega online  It was launche d by the Department of Electronics & challenge - SAMADHAN - to test the ability of Information Technology (DeitY) in 2015. students to innovate. Donations for PM - CARES Fund granted The winners of the programme are : 100% tax exemption under IT Act, 1961  Track1 : Ideate - Simulate - Win  The donations made under newly - formed Prime  Winner : Swapnil Shankar Mane , Vishwakarma Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Institute of Technology ,pune. Emergency Situati ons Fund (PM - CARES FUND)  TRACK 2 :Validate - Pitch - Deploy to provide assistance to the persons affected by the  Winner of Student Innovators & Educators COVID - 19 outbreak, are made eligible for 100% category : Livonian, Bannari Amman Institute of deduction under section 80G of the Income Tax Technology ,Tamilnadu (IT) Act, 1961.  Winner of Startups & Professionals category:  For this, the provisions of the IT Act are amended Sensegiz Technologies Pvt Ltd. through the Taxatio n and other Laws (Relaxation of NHAI achieved record 3,979 km Certain Provisions) Ordinance, 2020 which has also highways construction in FY 19 - 20 made the tax features of PM - CARES Fund at par  National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has with Prime Minister National Relief Fund achieved the highest ever highway construction feat (PMNRF). with an accomplishment of 3,979 km of national  It should be noted that the date for claiming highways in the financial Year 2019 - 20. deduction under section 80G of IT Act has been  However, it has completed 88% of highway extended up to June 30, 2020, so the donation made co nstruction against the target of building 4,500 km up to that date will be eligible for deduction from highways in FY - 20. income of FY 2019 - 20.  In the FY 2018 - 19, NHAI constructed 3,380 km of  About PM - CARES : Prime Minister Narendra Modi National Highways. has created assistance and emergency situation • NHAI Chairman: Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu relief fund PM - CARES wh ere people can HRD Ministry has designated DigiLocker contribute and help in the government’s fight as National Academic Depository (NAD) against coronavirus.  DigiLocker, an online document wallet has been  State Bank of India (SBI) is the banking partner of designated as the sole National Academic PM - CARES Depository (NAD) by the Ministry of Human Key Contributions towards PM - CARES: Resource and Development (MHRD) to enable  The Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force as well educational institutions to store digital copies of as employees of the Defence M inistry have decided academic awards, mark sheets an d certificates on to donate one day’s salary totalling around Rs 500 the cloud - based service. crore.  University Grants Commission (UGC) will  Tata Sons and Tata Trusts have pledged to give Rs implement NAD as a permanent scheme within 1,500 crore. Adani Group owner Gautam Adani Digilocker. had also pledged to give Rs 100 crore towards the  UGC will have to ensure that reports on various fund. Bollywood actor Akshay Kuma r donated Rs parameters such as registrations, academic award 25 crore towards the fund, among others. uploads, and verific ation completed are provided to National Book Trust of MHRD Launches MHRD. #StayHome India With Books  Digilocker is an Aadhaar - based cloud - based locker  The National Book Trust (NBT) of Human in which users can store electronic versions of Resource Development HRD Ministry launches important documents like birth certificates, voters #StayHome IndiaWith Books initiative to ID cards, University documents, PAN cards, and encourage people to read books while at home. more.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest  As part of this initiative, it provides select and best - Distribution Companies (DISCOM), Public Sector selling titles for FREE Download of 100+ books, in Enterprises (PSUs), Government Departments etc. PDF format, from the NBT’s website Mumbai Central station to be renamed as https://nbtindia.gov.in. Nana Shankarsheth Mumbai Central  The books are available in Hindi, English, railway station Asamiya, Bangla , Gujarati, Malayalam, Odia,  The Maharashtra Government has approved to Marathi, Kokborok, Mizo, Bodo, Nepali, Tamil, rename the Mumbai Central Station as Nana Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada, Urdu and Sanskrit. Shankarsheth Mumbai Central Railway Station.  The PDFs are read - only, and no unauthorized or  The Mumbai Central Station has been re - named to commercial use is permitted. Nana Shankarsh eth Central Railway Station as his ICMR recommended hydroxychloroquine involvement in the formation of Indian Railway for caregivers of COVID - 19 patients association was pivotal to the country.  The National Task Force for the novel coronavirus  The Bombay Central is designed by British constituted by Indian Council of Medical Research architect Claude Batley. The first railway in India (ICMR) has recommended the use of ran over 21 miles from Bombay to Thane. hydroxychloroquine for healthcare workers or About Nana Shankarsheth: persons staying with and caring for positive  Jagannath (Nana) Shankarsheth is a Maharashtrian COVID - 19 patients. T his protocol has been philanthropist and educationist (1803 - 1865), he approved by the Drug Controller General of India contributed a lot for the development of Mumbai. (DGCI), Dr. V. G. Somani. He was the First Indian to be nominated in the  The protocol has mandated that Legislative Council of Bombay. hydroxychloroquine is to be taken only for WCD ministry notifies new POCSO rules prophylaxis or prevention. Its use is restricted for 2020 with stringent punishments for emergency situations. sexual offences against children  This drug has to be given only on the prescription  In exercise of the powers conferred by section 45 of of a registered medical practitioner. the POCSO Act, 2012, the Ministry of Women and  It is also mandated that it should not be advised for Child Development (WCD), Government of India children below 15 years of age. (GoI), h as notified the new Protection of Children • ICMR Director General : Prof. Balram Bhargava from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Rules, 2020 by • Headquarter : New Delhi replacing the earlier 2012 Rules. Rooftop solar power plants in India  The new rule will able to implement the recent installed at 1,922 MW amendments to this law, under which the provisions  Minister of State Independent Charge (IC) of, New of punishment for sexual exploitatio n of children & Renewable Energy, (MNRE) and Power, have been further made stringent. Minister of State of Skill Development &  The new POCSO rules became effective from Entrepreneurship Raj Kumar(RK) Singh stated till March 9, 2020. March 13, 2020, the rooftop solar plants with an  The State Government’s have been asked to provide aggregate capacity of 1,922 MW are installed in the information about child helpline services through country. toll - free number 1098  Out of the total capacity, 346 MW is installed in the New Delhi Railway Station to be residential sector. converted as World Class Station; a first  Central Financial Assistance (CFA)/ incentives of its kind (including residential sector) of over Rs 1874.39  As part of Modi government’s long - term plan to crore are released towards different implementing upgrade the conditions of the stations, the New agencies namely - State Nodal Agencies, Solar Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) will be converted Energy Corporation of India (SCI) Limited, Power

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest into a world - class railway station with an estimated  Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate out lay of Rs 6500 crore . Chan ge & Minister of Information & Broadcasting  Ministry of Railways has entrusted the work of Prakash Javadekar stated that ,sanitary pad redevelopment of this station to Rail Land manufacturers should mandatorily supply Development Authority (RLDA) under PPP mode. biodegradable bag for disposal of each pad from Station redevelopment projects at this scale in PPP January 2021. mode are first of its kind and complex in natu re  He announced that the sanitation norms for which requires detailed techno - financial feasibility Corporations & munici palities will also be applied studies. to villages with a population of more than 3000.  Already, Railways proposed to initiate 150 MSDE launches Mahatma Gandhi passenger trains through private operators in PPP National Fellowship (MGNF) in IIM - (Public - private partnership) mode on 100 routes by Bengaluru 2022.  Union Minister for Skill Development and India post launches India’s 1st digital Entrepreneurship Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey has p arcel locker service in Kolkata, initiated Mahatm a Gandhi National Fellowship  T he Department of Posts , Kolkata (West Bengal programme (MGNF) in the Indian Institute of circle), has launched free digital parcel locker Management (IIM) Bengaluru in Karnataka. service in 2 post offices (the Nabadiganta IT post  This fellowship is a part of SANKALP (Skills office in Sector 5 of Salt Lake City & at the post Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for office in New Town’s Actio n Area I). Livelihood Promotion) programme of the ministry  This facility is quite popular in European countries to boost skill development at the district level. but is starting for the first time in India.  The Fellowship is implemented by IIM Bangalore  In this digital parcel locker, the parcel will be in collaboration with State Skill Development dropped and the customer will get an OTP (one - Missions (SSDMs). time - password) message along with SMS (Short  Under the pilot project, IIMB will train 75 Messag e Service) intimation. graduates for two years in preparing the District  Customers will be able to get their parcel from the skill plan. Graduates from 75 districts in Uttar locker for the next 7 days after the parcel is Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, dropped. Karnataka and Meghalaya are chosen for the C entral government plans to achieve 75 training. lakh SHGs by 2022 • MSDE Secretary : Praveen Kumar  Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Gujarat tops in domestic solar rooftop Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Rural installation Development and Panchayat Raj, announced that  Gujarat has topped the list in the installations of the Rural Development Ministry plans to add more solar rooftop plants across the country with than 14 lakhs SHGs (Self Help Groups) to achieve about 50,915 systems being fixed on domestic 75 lakh SHGs by the year 2022 to enable more rooftops in the State as on March 2, 2020. women to get livelihood.  Gujarat has adopted ‘Surya G ujarat ’ scheme for  The Minister announced thi s during the programme the implementation of the rooftop installation. on Women’s Empowerment to mark the  Maharashtra stands on the second position with International Women’s Day (March 8) held in New 5,513 installations as on the same dat e. Delhi.  Of 79,950 systems installed across the country, Sanitary napkin disposal bags for each Gujarat has topped with 64 per cent or two - pad, mandatory from January 2021: thirds of total domestic solar rooftop Prakash Javadekar installations.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 4 . S TATES

Karnataka tops in total installed Uttar Pradesh becomes the 1st state renewable capacity: CRISIL Research with a software based in - house facility of report virtual courts  According to a CRISIL Research report, Karnataka  Uttar Pradesh becomes the 1st state with a software retained its 1st position in terms of total installed based in - h ouse facility of virtual courts. renewable capacity in FY20 followed by Tamil  Uttar Pradesh is the first state to have a requisite Nadu(2nd) & Gujarat(3rd). infrastructure in Allahabad High Court and all  Karnataka’s total renewable energy installed district courts of Uttar Pradesh to hear cases capacity stood at 15,232 MegaWatt(MW) as on through video conferencing. March 31, 2020,  The courts can conduct multiple court proceedings  The top 3 states in overall solar energy capacity through virtual courts within the court premises addition are - Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka without any internet connection. & in wind energy - Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Goa become s the first state to integrate Maharashtra A llopathy and Ayurveda to treat COVID - • CRISIL Headquarters : Mumbai. 19 patients MP CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan launches Jeevan  Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that

Shakt i Yojana Goa become s the first s tate to integrate A llopathy  Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Ayurveda to treat COVID - 19 patients and those launched Jeevan Shakti Yojana to enable women in who have been quarantined. urban areas t o earn by making masks at home.  The CM also added that although Ayurveda cannot G overnment will pay them Rs 11 per mask. cure COVID - 19, it will certainly boost patients’  Women who wish to make masks have to register immunity. themselves by calling on the Call Centre number  He also said they have launched a mobile app 0755 - 2700800 through their telephone or mobile. ‘AyurGoaCovid - 19’ in collaboration with the  Following the registration, they will get an order to Union Ayush ministry. make at least 200 masks at a time on their mobiles. The mask must be made of cotton cloth. Ahmedabad railway station becomes first station of IR to install sanitizing AP re - launches zero interest loan tunnel scheme for Women SHGs  The Ahmedabad railway station at Kalupur, Gujarat  Andhra Pradesh CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy re - of Western Railway became the first station of launched zero interest loan scheme for Women Indian Ra ilways (IR) to install a Walk Through Self - Help Groups (SHGs) by releasing a sum of Rs Mass Sanitizing Tunnel to ensure the safety of staff 1,400 crores to 8.78 lakh SHGs (to benefit about 91 and passengers in the view of the COVID - 19. lakh members) for the welfare of women.  The tunnel uses WHO (World Health Organization)  Each SHG w ill receive a sum ranging from Rs approved sanitizer and fitted with a sensor, so that 20,000 to Rs 40,000 towards the interest component when a passenger ap proaches the tunnel entrance it on their loans. starts fogging automatically.  Currently SHG are securing loans from banks at an interest rate of 7 to 13%. Delhi Govt.launched “Operation SHIELD”  The zero interest scheme was first launched by against COVID - 19 Former Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in  Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has launched th e united Andhra Pradesh in 2011. “Operation SHIELD” in 21 identified Containment Areas of the state to control the spread of the coro navirus pandemic. 11 IACE ( I ndian A cademy of C ompetitive E xams) www.iace.co.in Toll Free: 1800 - 270 - 9975, Ph: 9533200400

Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest  It deals with sealing, home quarantine, isolation &  The taser guns (electrical weapon) use compressed tracking, essential supply of commodities, local nitrogen to fire, by sending electricity through sanitisation and door - to - door health checkups. attached wires, which disrupt voluntary control of Acronym of SHIELD muscles. S – Sealing of the immediate area/surroundings after  The taser guns were used in agencies such as the geographic al marking. U K Metropolitan Police, the Los Angeles Police H – Home quarantine of all the people living in the area. Department and the New York Police Department. I – Isolation and tracing of people who have been first Gujarat Government signs an MoU with and second contacts. Dutch Flying car - maker, PAL - V E – Essential supply of commodities is ensured.  A Dutch Flying car - maker, PAL - V (Personal Air L – Local sanitisation of the area by authorities. Land Vehicle) will set up a manufacturing plant in D – Door - to - door health checks of everyone living in the Gujarat. area.  A Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) was Tamil Nadu topped in micro - irrigation signed in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister coverage under PMKSY for FY 2019 - 20 (CM) Vijay Ramniklal Rupani between state  The state of Tamil Nadu has topped the all - India industries Principal Secretary MK Das and Carl level for micro - irrigation, under Pradhan Mantri Maasbommel, Vice President of PAL - V’s Krishi Sinchayee Yojana ( PMKSY), with international business devel opment. coverage of 2,06,853.25 h ectare for the year  he Dutch car company sets up the firm for the first financial year 2019 - 20. time in India and has set a target of commencing  On the other hand, the cumulative total coverage production by 2021. of MI during 2015 - 2020 has been topped by • PAL - V Liberty Headquarters : Netherlands Karnataka (8,15,690.31 hectare) . J&K sets up Socially and Educationally  At the all - India level, 43.71 lakh hectare of la nd Backward Classes Commission were brought under micro irrigation in the last 5  The Jammu and Kashmir Government sets up a years. commission named as “J&K Socially and  PMKSY Initiated in 2015, with an outlay of Educationally Backward Classes Commission” will Rs.5 0,000 crore in five year s. The sch e me aimed be headed by Justice (retired) GD Sharma to at improving on - farm water use efficiency examine the social and educational backwardness through a number of measures such as micro - of various backward classes people, dal its, in the irrigation. Union Territory. Uttar P radesh becomes first state to Meghalaya CM presented Rs 17,375 geotag community kitchens crore budget for FY 2020 - 21  On April 19, 2020, Uttar Pradesh (UP) became the  Meghalaya’s Chief Minister(CM) & Finance first state in the country to geotag its 7,368 minister Conrad Kongkal(K) Sangma presented a community kitchens and community shelters across Rs 17,375 crore budget for the Financial 75 districts which produce 12 lakh food packets a Year(FY)2020 - 21 in the state assembly with the day, due to the sudden onset of COVID - 19 fiscal deficit of Rs 1,532 crore which is around 3.53 lockdown. % of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Gujarat Police becomes first in India to  Megha Health Insurance Scheme enhanced was to introduce taser guns Rs 5 lakh per family with no restriction on family  The Gujarat Police is equipped with taser guns in size.Rs 50 crores allocated for health infrastructure order to ensure safety and security of the public. development in rural areas. Gujarat b ecomes the first state in India to h ave the Nirmala Sitharaman presented budget taser guns as part of police weapons. for J&K, Rs. 1,01,428 cr, for FY20 - 21

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest  Centre has proposed Rs. 1,01,428 crore budge t, • Uttarakhand Governor : Baby Rani Maurya. highest ever budget anticipation, for the Union Ministry of Home Affairs sanctions Rs territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) for the 365 crore for Sabroom ICP in Tripura 2020 - 21 fiscal.  Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned Rs.365  The budget was laid by Minister of State (MoS) for crores for c onstructing New Integrated Check Post Finance Anurag Singh Thakur and presented by (ICP) at Sabroom, Tripura. This is the second Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Integrated Check Post to be built along the Indo -  The proposed budget is premised on the Bangla border. commitment to make the J&K “a model of  This Integrated Check Post will link the bridge of development”. river Feni with Chittagong division of the • J&K Lieutenant Governor : Girish Chandra Murmu neighbouring country. UP cabinet passed Recovery of Damage  The Akhaura Integrated Check Post is the First to P ublic Properties Ordinance 2020 check post built in the Indo - Bangla border at  ‘Recovery of Damage to Public Properties Agartala, Tripura in 2013. Ordinance 2020‘ for recovery of losses due to  Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed that damage to public property during violent protests Tripura will be awarded the fastest - growing state was passed by the Uttar Pradesh cabinet headed by award in the country and Agartala will receive the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. fastest growing city award.  The ordinance will aim at dealing with violent acts • Tripura Governor : Ramesh Bais at public places, controll ing its tenacity and upsurge World Bank to provide USD 80 million to and providing for recovery of damage to public or an integrated project in Himachal private property during hartal, bandh etc. Pradesh  The damages in the violence shall be recovered  The Government of Ind ia, Government of Himachal from the rioters, as per the ordinance. Pradesh(HP) & the World Bank signed a loan Jharkhand becomes the 3rd state in agreement of US$80 million (about Rs 600 crore) India to lau nch ‘Star Rating program’ for to improve water management practices & also to industries increase agricultural productivity in selected Gram  The state government of Jharkhand will launch its Panchayats (Village Councils) in HP. “Star Rating Program” on June 5, 2020, to rate  The Integrated Project for Source Sustainability & industries based on the amount of pollutants Climate Resilient Rain - Fed Agriculture to be generated by them. implemented in 428 Gram Panchayats in 10  With this, it became the 3rd state in India to launch this system for industries after Maharashtra & districts which will benefit over 400,000 Odisha. smallholder farmers, women & pastoral  The program will be implemented by the Jharkhand communities State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) in Hola Mohalla’ festival cele brated at Sri association with the University of Chicago Trust Anandpur Sahib in Punjab (UC Trust).  ‘Hola Mohalla’ the annual Sikh festival is Phool Dei festival was celebrated in celebrated on the following day of the festival Holi Uttarakhand at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Punjab. It is celebrated for 3  Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat celebrated days from March 10 to 12, 2020. The festival aims the traditional harvest festival “Phool Dei”. The to physically strengthen Sikh community by festival also showcases the inner bonding between holding acrobatic military exercises and mock the communities who all are residing in the hills. battles.  Phool Dei Festival is the harvest festival of  Hola Mohalla festival holds an annual fair which Uttarakhand that is celebrated in the month of was initiated by Guru Gobind Singh ji, the 10th Chaitra (March - April) in the Hindu Calendar. sikh guru.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 5 . E CONOMY AND B ANKING

India facilitates $ 150 million foreign and working - class population who are in vulnerable economic condition. currency swap facility to Maldives  ADB also approved a loan worth of $346 million  India has extended $ 150 million foreign currency (around Rs 2,616 crore) for Maharash tra to provide swap support to Maldives to help reduce the impact better power connection in rural areas, where the of the Coronavirus (COVID 19) . labour force is mostly engaged in agriculture  On behalf of India, this facility has been extended activities. under the $ 400 million currency swap agreement • ADB Headquarters : Mandaluyong, Philippines between the two countries signed in July 2019 • Membership : 68 countries  The above decision comes after Prime Minister • President : Masatsugu Asakawa (PM) Narendra Modi interacted with President Solih on April 20, 2020, on the “health and Axis Bank to buy 29% stake in Max Life ec onomic challenges” the COVID - 19 poses to the Insurance for Rs 1,600 crore  Private - sector lender Axis Bank Ltd would acquire island country.  About Foreign Currency Swap: It is an agreement an additional 29% stake in Max Life Insurance to exchange currency between 2 foreign parties, in Company from Max Financial Services Limited which swapping principal and interest payments on (MFS). The dea l will increase Axis Bank ‘s stake in a loan made in one currency for principal and Max Life to 30%. interest payments of a loan of equal value in  However, the bank didn’t reveal the amount it is another currency. paying for the stake. But the bigger deal can be • Maldives Capital :Male • Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa estimated at Rs 1,600 crore (about $209.43 million) which will be paid in two stages. Central Govt. establishes IFSCA to • Axis Bank Headquarters : M umbai regulate all financial services in IFSCs • MD and CEO :Amitabh Chaudhry  The Central government notified that it has • Max Life Insurance Headquarters :New Delhi established International Financial Services Centres • MD and CEO: Prashant Tripathy Authority(IFSCA), a unified body to regulate all financial services in International Financial Chemicals, Petrochemicals contributed Services Centres(IFSCs) in the country . 14.35% of total exports; becomes top  I ts headquarters will be at the Gujarat International exporting sector for 1st time Financial Tec (GIFT) City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.  In a progressive move, the chemical &  IFSC is established through International Financial petrochemical industry became the Indian top Services Centres Authority Bill, 2019. It is a exporting sector for FY 2019 - 20 as the export of jurisdiction that provides financial services to chemicals increased by 7.43% to Rs 2.68 lakh crore resident and non - resident I ndians in foreign during the April - January period of FY 2019 - 2020 in currencies. comparison to the corresponding period of 201 8 - 19. This industry contributed 14.35% of the total Asian Development Bank approves 1.5 exports. billion USD to India to Combat COVID - 19 • Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers : D V  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a Sadananda Gowda loan of 1.5 Billion USD (Rs.11,400 crore) to India to take actions against the novel coronavirus HDFC acquires 6.43% stake in Reliance pandemic. Capital through invocation  The loan is granted to support disease containment  HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation and prevention and social protection for the poor Ltd.)has acquired a 6.43% stake in debt - trapped Reliance Capital by invoking pledged shares.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest  In this regard, HDFC has acquired 25.27 crore  No arrears will be paid from January 1, 2020, to shares of Rs 10 each . T he total value of these shares June 30, 20 21 but, the government to release the is Rs 252 crore. DA and DR due from July 1, 2021 will take into • Reliance Capital Chairman: Anil Dhirubhai Ambani . account the previous hike. Transcorp bec omes the 1st non - bank  In general DA will be revised twice a year in January and July in line with inflation trends. company to receive RBI nod to enter into Govt to suspend 3 sections of IBC, 2016 co - branding arrangements upto 1yr t o avoid insolvency proceedings  The Leading forex and payment solutions provider Transcorp International Ltd (TIL) becomes the 1st amid COVID - 19  Central government has decided to amend the IBC non - bank company to receive RBI nod to enter into (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code), 2016 by co - branding arrange ments for prepaid Instruments. suspending the provisions that results in insolvency  It has also launched its multi - wallet RuPay - proceedings against defaulters, for a period upto powered prepaid cards which allow corporate one year. houses to pay wages, incentives, reimbursements &  This wi ll act as a relief measure for corporate recurring payments to their employees or borrowers affected by the COVID - 19 pandemic as beneficiaries well as pave the way for banks to restructure loans. • Transcorp Headquarters: Jaipur, Rajasthan  In this regard, an ordinance would be promulgated • CEO: Amitava Ghosh to suspend three sections of IBC viz. Section 7, 9 ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund Bharat - 22 and 10 for six months, if the current situation ETF picks shares worth Rs.59 crore in continues beyond April 30, 2020, and the NALCO suspension time can be extended up to one year  The ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund Bharat - 22 ETF based on the economic situation. picked up share of value Rs.59 Crore in the  The effective date of the amendments coming into National Aluminium Company (NALCO) through force would be the date of promulgation of the the open market transaction. ordin ance.  The National Stock Exchange (NSE) said that more  IBC, 2016 was introduced by Late Arun Jaitley. than 1.71 crore shares were bought at an average of Pralhad Joshi sets 710 MT coal R s.34.43 apiece. production target for Coal India Limited  This took the total deal value to Rs.58.9 crore and in FY 20 - 21 the NALCO’s shares ended at Rs.30.95 apiece,  Union Minister of Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi down 8.16% on the NSE. has set the target for Coal India Limited (CIL) to • NALCO Headquarters : Bhubaneswar. produce 710 million tonnes (MT) of coal for FY Government freezed DA & DR for 1.1 2020 - 2021. crore employees & pensioners: COVID - 19  The decision has been taken on the lines of  T he central government has frozen the Dearness achieving 1 billion tonne (BT) coal production by Allowance (DA) & Dearness Relief (DR), an year 2023 - 24 and also the demand of coal will be inflation - linked allowance to its 1.1 crore accelerated after coronavirus lockdown. employees & pensioners respectively due from Special Liquidity Scheme for MSMEs January 1, 2020 to combat the COVID - 19 launched: SIDBI pandemic outbreak.  The Small Industries Development Bank of India  The additional instalment of DA and DR due from (SIDBI) has launched special liquidity schemes to July 1, 2020, and January 1, 2021, will not be paid. support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises  The employees and pensioners will continue to (MSMEs) due to lockdown because of the COVID - receive DA and DR, respectively, at the current rate 19 pandemic outbreak. of 17% till June 30, 2021. Eligibility for both NBFC & MFI

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest  Non - Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) must • Bandhan Bank Headquarters : Kolkata be register ed with the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) • MD & CEO: Chandra Shekhar Ghosh as an Investment and Credit Company (ICC), must Facebook buys 9.99% stake in Rel iance have an asset size of at least Rs 50 crore & Jio, largest FDI in India’s tech sector minimum net worth of Rs 20 crore.  The US tech giant Facebook has bought a 9.99%  Microfinance Institutions (MFI) must be registered stake in the telecom unit of Reliance Industries Ltd as a society, trust, company, Section 8 company and (RIL), Reliance Jio for $5.7 billion, about ( Rs must have a minimum MFI grading of MfR5. 43,574 ) crore.  The schemes will cover all eligible entities with  This is the largest investment for a minority stake investment - grade ratings irrespective of the entity’s by a technology company anywhere in the world size & the quantum of the loans is 90 da ys. and the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in About the schemes the technology sector in India.  1st scheme : To provide liquidity support to MSMEs Paytm Payments Bank partnered with through banks including Small Finance Banks Mastercard to issue virtual and physical (SFBs), NBFC including fintech NBFCs. SIDBI debit cards will provide resource support to NBFCs through  Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) ha s collaborated term loans. with Mastercard to issue virtual and physical debit  2nd Scheme: To provide liquidity support to cards to enable its customers to perform secure MSMEs through MFIs . It is available to lenders online transactions, make payment in stores as well with sizeable outstanding portfolios to micro and as withdraw cash from ATMs. small enterprises (MSEs).  PPBL will issue Mastercard virtual debit cards to its  In case of banks, they must be profit - making and new cus tomers to perform secure online have a minim um net worth of Rs. 100 crores .Their transactions for everyday purchases. non - performing assets must be below 10% and a  After this, Customers will also have an option to minimum capital adequacy ratio of 9%. request a physical card, for contactless in - store • SIDBI Headquarters : Lucknow transactions supported by Mastercard’s chip - based Ashok Leyland acquired 3.36% share in technology. subsidiary Hinduja Leyland Finance  The aim of PPBL is to iss ue over 10 million digital  Hinduja Groups flagship Ashok Leyland Ltd has debit cards in FY 2020 - 21. acquired 1.57 crore sha res of Rs.10 each • PPBL Hq:Noida • CEO & MD : Satish Kumar Gupta constitutive 3.36% of the equity of its subsidiary •Mastercard Hq : New York, • CEO : Ajay Banga Hinduja Leyland Finance Ltd (HLFL). ICICI launched Voice banking services  Whith this the shareholding of Ashok Leyland has on Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant gone up from 65.45% to 68.81% in the Hinduja ICICI bank has launched voice assistanc e - based Finance. banking services on its integrated artificial intelligence • Hinduja Group Headquarters : London (AI) powered multi - channel chatbot iPal with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for its retail banking Singapore ’s Caladium increases stake in customers by which they can access a wide range of Bandhan Bank by 1.1pc to 4.49% banking services like check balance, seek credit card  Caladium Investment Pte Ltd, an affiliate of details & ask queries through voice commands. Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC •ICICI Headquarters : Mumbai (Government of Singapore Investment • MD & CEO : Sandeep Bakhshi Corporation), has raised its stake in India - based TVS M otor acquires 122 - year - old UK - private sector lender Ban dhan Bank by 1.1 percent based firm Norton motorcycles for Rs from 3.39% to 4.49% through secondary market 153 cr operations. After the transaction, GIC will now  TVS (Thirukkurungudi Vengaram Sundram) Motor holds 7.2 crore shares of Bandhan Bank. Company Ltd, an Indian multinational motorcycle

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest company, has acquired the 122 - year - old iconic  It should be noted that their partnership which British company Norton Motorcycle (UK) Ltd for began in February 2005 has about 280,000 Rs 153 crore (£16 million). policies.  TVS now owns some of the UK properties o f  It has settled death claims of more than Rs 70 crore Norton in administration(Norton Motorcycles and offered prote ction worth Rs 34,500 crore to Holdings Ltd and Norton Motorcycles (UK) Ltd ) policy holders and their families. through one of its overseas subsidiaries,TVS Motor • YES Bank Headquarters : Mumbai Singapore Pte. Ltd . • MD & CEO : Prashant Kumar BSNL in partnership with SBI launches India becomes top Hydroxychloroquine Bharat InstaPay a UPI - based payment producer & exporter with 70% annual platform global share  Bharat S anchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in  India has become the largest producer and exporter partnership with the State Bank of India (SBI) has of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the most talked out launched a Unified Payments Interface (UPI) based medicine to curb the COVID - 19 disease, with 70% payment platform, Bharat InstaPay to enable all of annual global production according to the Indian types of channel partners of BSNL to digitize their Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) payment transactions on a round the clock basis/  It should be noted that t he drug is not manufactured real - time basis. in developed nations such as the United States (US)  It will improve BSNL’s credibility among partners because malaria is virtually non - existent there. and w ill help in growth of partners business at a  Originally hydroxychloroquine is an anti - malarial faster pace. drug. Bank credit growth decelerated to 5 - China’s central bank increases its stake to decade low of 6.14% in FY20 1% in HDFC; SAMA also bough t 0.7% stake  In accordance with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)  People’s Bank of China (PBOC) increased its stake data, Bank credit growth declined to five - decade in HDFC to 1.01% from 0.8%on behalf of the low to 6.14% in the fiscal ended March 31, 2020, Chinese sovereign wealth fund SAFE. With this, due to lower demand and risk aversion among now China’s central bank holds 1,74,92,909 crore banks. equity shares in HDFC Ltd in accordance with the  Bank advances growth in FY20 was the slowest quart erly (ending March 2020) shareholding pattern since March 1962. On March 27, 2020, advances disclosure by the latter to the stock exchanges. stood at Rs 103.71 lakh crore as compared to Rs  As per the latest shareholding pattern, foreign 97.71 lakh crore on March 29, 2019. portfolio investors (FPI) hold 70.88% stake in the  On the other hand , bank deposits grew by 7.93% to HDFC Ltd including 3.2% stake of the Government Rs 135.71 lakh crore as against Rs 125.73 lakh of Singapore. crore in 2019.  Similarly, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority  The economic growth of India is 5.6% in the first (SAMA), the central bank of Saudi Arabia has also quarter of the current fiscal i.e. FY 20 - 21. picked up a 0.7% stake in HDFC on behalf of Saudi MaxLifeIns, YES Bank extended sovereign wealth fund. bancassurance tie - up for 5 years • PBOC Headquarter : Beijing, China  Max Life Insurance and YES Bank have extended • SAMA Headquarters : Riyadh, Saudi Arabia their 15 years strategic bancassurance partnership Jana Small Finance Bank launches DigiGen for five more years. In this regard, both the  Jana Small Finance Bank, a scheduled commercial companies d esignated the current financial year i.e. bank, has launched DigiGen, a digital banking FY 2020 - 21 as the “Year of the Customer”. platform which enables the customers to open a savings account and make fixed deposit instantly anyt ime & anywhere digitally .

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

 It is a 3 step process to open an account, where the Airtel Payments Bank joined hands with customers are eligible for 4.5% interest rates on Bharti AXA to offer COVID - 19 insurance savings accounts with no minimum balance and up plans to 7.5% interest on fixed deposits. Customers can  Airtel Payments Bank has collaborated with Bharti deposit upto 1 Lakh in this account before AXA General Insurance to offer financial upgrading to a fu ll KYC account with the bank. protection for COVID - 19 via two different health • Jana Small Finance BankHeadquarters : Bengaluru, insurance plans. The plan named “Bharti AXA • MD&CEO : Ajay Kanwal Group Health Assure Policy”offers a lump sum Flipk art partners with ICICI Lombard and benefit of Rs 25,000 and the other plan “Group Go Digit to offer two COVID - 19 health H ospital Cash”will offer a daily benefit of starting insurance policies Rs 500.  Flipkart Private Limited, an e - commerce Govt nominated IOB & HDFC Bank for marketplace in partnership with ICICI Lombard collecting donations for PM CARES Fund General Insurance Company Limited and Go Digit General Insurance, has launched two health after SBI insurance policies namely – ‘Covid - 19 Protection  After State Bank of India (SBI), now State - owned Cover’ & ‘Digit Illness Group Insurance’ that Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and private lender specifically cover coronavirus (COVID - 19 ) on its Housing Developme nt Finance Corporation platform. (HDFC) Bank have been nominated for the  Both the policies provides an easy claim, collection of donations for Prime Minister’s Citizen hospitalisation, room or intensive care unit (ICU) Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations expenditure, ambulance assistance and Fund (PM - CARES Fund), which was set up on teleconsultation and do not require any medical March 28, 2020 to raise money for providing relief testing at the time of purchase. t o the affected due to Coronavirus outbreak. Apple acquires Dark Sky w eather app Finance Ministry issues Rs 17, 287 crores  Apple has acquired the Dark Sky, a weather app, to states to tackle COVID - 19 which forecasts hyper - local weather predictions.  To deal with the coronavirus epidemic, the Finance Dark Sky ’s iPhone Operating System (iOS) app Ministry has released Rs 17,287.08 crore to the which costs USD 3.99 will not be modified, and the states to consolidate their financial reso urces. Of Android and Wear OS app can’t be downloaded this amount, Rs 11,092 crore has been given to the anymore . States under the State Disaster Response Mitigation  Its Application Programming Interface (API) Fund (SDRMF). service will not accept new signups & will continue  At the same time, the remaining Rs 6,195.08 crore to function through the end of 2021, it has also has been released to 14 states under the distribution updated its branding on its website as ‘Dark Sky by of ‘Revenue Deficit Gran ts’ as per the Apple’. Users will only be able to use them until recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission. they’r e entirely shut down.  The Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah has approved the release of Rs 11,092 crores SIDBI offers emergency working capital to all States under the State Disaster Risk of up to Rs 1 crore to SMEs  The Small Industries Development Bank of India Management Fund (SDRMF) for 2020 - 21 (SIDBI) has announced that it will provide All standard hea lth insurance policies to emergency working capital of up to Rs 1 crore to cover COVID - 19 hospitalization treatment Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). including “Arogya Sanjeevani”: IRDAI  The SIDBI Assistance to Facilitate Emergenc y  The COVID - 19 hospitalization cases are increasing response against coronavirus, (SAFE) loan limit has which posing financial burden on patients or their been increased to 2 crores from Rs 50 lakhs. families due to hospitalization expenses.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest  As a fin ancial relief measure to the COVID - 19  To curb tax evasion, the government through positive cases, Insurance Regulatory and Finance Act 2019 amended the Indian Stamp Act, Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has made 1899. Sp ecific changes were to be effective from the coverage of hospitalization treatment costs of April 1, 2020 while amendments would come into COVID - 19 mandatory under standard health effect from July 1, 2020. insurance product “Arogya Sanjeevani” . Centre reduced small savings schemes  Apart from this, Indemnity based health insurance interest rates for Q1FY20 - 21; PPF products offered by all general and health insurance interest lowered to 7.1% companies will also cover the costs of  Centra l government has decreased the i nterest rates hospitalization treatment on account of covid - 19. on small savings schemes for the first quarter (Q1 -  About Arogya Sanjeevani: IRDAI in January, 2020 April to June) of FY 2020 - 21 by exercising the mandated all health and general insurance powers conferred under Rule 9(1) of the companies to offer a standard product called the Government Saving Promotion General Rules, Arogya Sanjeevani policy starting 1st April 2020. 2018. In this regard 29 general and health Insurance  It should be noted that the i nterest rate on public companies received clearance to market Arogya provident fund (PPF) scheme has been lowered to Sanjeevani. 7.1 % for Q1FY20 - 21 which is the lowest interest • IRDAI Headquarters : Hyderabad, rate offered since 1977 or lowest in 43 years • Chairman : Subhash Chandra Khuntia ICICI Bank launches banking services on SBI lists green bonds of USD 100 million WhatsApp on India INX  ICICI Bank has launched Whatsapp banking to  On April 2, 2020 the State Bank of India (SBI) has assist its customers in meetin g the banking needs listed green bonds of USD 100 million (about Rs from homes during the lockdown. 750 crore) under its USD 10 billion global medium -  Any existing ICICI Bank Savings Account term note programme on India International customer on WhatsApp can access the new service. Exchange Limited’s (INX) Global Securities  The customer who has only an ICICI credit card Market Green Platform (GSM). can use the service to block/ unblock the card.  SBI has adopted the green bond framework with the  The customers need t o save ICICI Bank’s Verified objective of creating a positive impact on the WhatsApp profile number, 9324953001 to their environment & this transaction is con sidered as part contacts and send ‘Hi’ to this number using the of the sustainability journey. mobile number registered with the bank.  The funds raised by green bonds are used to finance ADB commits $ 100 million in Indian green projects that do not discharge toxic elements.

 Green Bond : It is a type of fixed income infrastructure sector through NIIF instrument that is specifically reserved for raising  Asian Development Bank (ADB),a regional money to climate & environmental projects so as to development bank will invest $100 million into the encourage sustainability. National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India Fund of Funds (FoF). With this, the FoF Govt extends implementation of uniform has now received a total of $700 million in stamp duty for capital market commitments. instruments to July 1, 2020 from 1 April  Apart from this ADB signed a loan agreement 2020 worth of $60 million with affordable housing loan  T he Department of Revenue has postponed the provider Aavas Financiers Ltd Jaipur, to provide implementation of the uniform stamp duty on housing finance to women in low - income transfer of shares, debentures, futures, options, communities either as primary borrowers or co - currency and other capital market instruments by 3 borrowers. months to 1 July 2020 from 1 April 2020.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

IMF declared global recession due to support of Rs 42,313crore in the Financial COVID - 19 impact Year(FY) 2019 - 20 for building rural infrastructure.  International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing  Apart from this it has released Rs 10,935 crore for Director Kristalina Georgieva has declared a global Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana Gramin (PMAYG) recession driven by the COVID - 19 pandemic that to provide “housing for all by 2022”& for Swachh could be worse than the 2008 - 09 global financial Bharat Mission to provide clean water and crisis. But recovery is also projected in 2021, if the sanitation facilities. nations succeed in curbing the coronavirus as well • NABARD Headquarters : Mumbai as limiting the economic damage. • Chairman: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala What is Recession? IOC becomes 1st company to begin the  The term recession is a macroeconomics term and supply of BS - VI fuel across country refers to a period of decline in economic activity  Indian Oi l Corporation (IOC), the nation’s biggest lasting more than a few months. It has a n oil firm, began the supply of the world’s cleanest unfavourable impact on real GDP, real income, petrol and diesel across the country. employment, industrial production, and wholesale -  All 28,000 petrol stations of IOC’s across the retail sales country are dispensing BS - VI (Bharat Stage - VI) JICA signs agreement worth Rs 15,295 ultra - low sulphur grade fuel in order to reduce the crore with India: Rail Infrastructure pollution of air due to vehicles .  Japanese government funding agency (JICA) signs • Headquarters : New Delhi. an agreement worth Rs 1 5,295 crore with India to • Chairman : Sanjiv Singh. provide an Official Development Assistance (ODA) SBI Board approved Rs 7,250 cr fund for 3 rail infrastructure projects. infusion into Yes Bank, Stake remains  JICA granted Rs 8,553 crore for Dedicated Freight under 49% Corridor(phase - 1); Rs 4,262 crore for Mumbai  The executive committee of the central board of Trans Harbour Link Project(II) and Rs 2,480 crore State Bank of India has approved an investment of for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 Project(III). Rs 7,250 crore in Yes Bank Ltd. as a part of RBI  Japanese ODA loans are long - term low - interest rate formulated rescue plan titled “Yes Bank Ltd. loans advanced to the developing countries. Reconstruction Scheme, 2020” for the revival of • Japan Prime Minister : Shinzo Abe Yes Bank. YES Bank reconstitutes its BOD with 8  The S BI has not specified its shareholding in the members bank but it will remain under 49% of the paid - up  YES Bank reconstituted its Board of Directors capital of the Yes Bank. (BOD) with 8 members as per ‘Yes Bank Limited  The investment has been made by purchasing 725 Reconstruction Scheme, 2020 ′ notified by the crore equity shares of Yes Bank at a price of Rs 10 Ministry of Finance, Government of India. per share .  The government on March 13, 2020, notified Yes Sri Lanka to Get $400 million Debt Bank Ltd Reconstruction Scheme 2020, where the Facilty from RBI key stakeholders in cluding RBI have taken various  Sri Lanka signs an agreement with Reserve Bank of measures to increase the liquidity of the bank. India for a Bilateral Currency Swap Arrangement  The scheme involves equity infusion of Rs 10,000 worth $400 million. crore by 8 entities, mainly banks led by SBI.  The Cabinet has approved a proposal made by NABARD provides Rs 42,313 crore for Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Finance building rural infrastructure Minister t o enter into an agreement with the RBI for  National Bank fo r Agriculture and Rural the financing facility to meet short - term Development (NABARD) provides financial international liquidity requirements.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 6 . RBI UPDATES risk and should have Board approved policies, RBI opened Rs 50,000 cr Special Liquidity controls and procedures. Facility for MFs from Apr 27 - May 11,2020  In order to ease the liquidity pressures on mutual RBI cancels license of Goa’s oldest funds, impacted by coronavirus crisis, Reserve bank, Mapusa urban co - operative bank of Bank of India (RBI) has initiated a special liquidity Goa Ltd. facility of Rs 50,000 crore namely “Spec ial  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has canceled the Liquidity Facility - Mutual Funds (SLF - MF)”under license granted to the Mapusa Urban Co - operative which RBI will conduct repo operations of 90 days Bank of Goa Ltd., Goa to conduct banking business tenor at the fixed repo rate. which includes acceptance of deposits and  The timeline of the scheme is from April 27, 2020 repayment of deposits as defined in Section 5 (b) to May 11, 2020 or up to utilization of the allocated read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation amount, whichever is earlier. Act, 1949  Under this facility, the RBI will provide funds to • M U Co - op. Bank Headquarters : Mapusa, Goa banks at lower rates. • Managing D irector : Shailendra Sawant RBI increases WMA limit for Central Govt RBI reduces FPI investment limits in G - to Rs 2 lakh cr from 1.2 Lakh cr for H1FY21 secs for FY21; Rises for SDL  RBI has increased the limit for Ways and Means  The Reserve Bank of India has reduced the Advances (WMA) by 66% for Central Governme nt investment limit for general category foreign to Rs 2,00,000 crore from Rs 1,20,000 crore for the portfolio investors’ (FPI) in cen tral government remaining part of first half of the financial year securities (G - secs) to Rs 2.34 lakh crore for FY 20 - 2020 - 21 i.e H1 FY21 to ta ckle the financial crisis 21 from the existing limit of Rs 2.46 lakh crore. arised due to COVID - 19 pandemic. The limits have been brought down by almost $1.5  The continuous overdraft limit for a state increased billion to just above $31 billion. to 21 working days from 14 days.  The long term FPI investment limits in G - secs have  Under Article 293(3) of Constitution of India, the al so been reduced to Rs 1.03 lakh crore from the states are allowed to raise Rs 3.2 trillion during the prevailing limit of Rs 1.15 lakh crore, a reduction of first 9 months of FY21 almost $1.5 billion. RBI instructed its regulated entities to  On the other hand, RBI has increased the general carry out money laundering risk category FPI investment limits in state development assessment periodically loans (SDL) by Rs 3,215 crore to Rs 64,415 crore  Reserve Bank of India instructed its regulated for the first half of FY21. The limits will again rise entities (REs) to carry out money laundering by Rs 3,215 crore to Rs 67,630 crore for the second (ML)and terrorist financing (TF) risk assessment half of FY21. exercise periodically.  The limits for FPI investment in G - secs and SDLs  In this regard RBI has added a new section in the remained unchanged at 6% and 2%, respectively, of Master Directions on KYC (know your customer), outstanding stocks of securities for FY 20 - 21. wh ich has come into force with immediate effect. RBI’s 1st auction under TLTRO 2.0 for Rs  The entities regulated by the RBI include, banks, 25,000 cr on Apr 23; final tranche of Rs 1 All India Financial Institutions, Non - Banking lakh crore TLTRO concluded Financial Companies (NBFCs), and all payment  Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das a system providers. Targeted Long - Term Repo Operations 2.0  REs should apply a Risk Based Approach (RBA) (TLTRO) window of Rs 50,000 c rore was for m itigation and management of the identified announced. Now as a part of it, RBI is all set to

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest conduct the first auction under the TLTRO 2.0 for to operate in the wake of the Covid - 19 pandemic, an amount of Rs 25,000 crore on April 23, 2020. during a press conference in New Delhi.  It is aimed to provide liquidity to small and mid -  Already, RBI has pum ped Rs 1.2 lakh crore of fresh sized corporates, including non - banking financial currency into the system in the last 45 days since companies (NBFCs) and micro finance institutions the COVID - 19 outbreak in the country. (MFIs) impacted by the COVID - 19 crisis. Following table shows the Policy Rates of RBI as of  The funds availed under TLTRO 2.0 shall be April 17, 2020 deployed in investment grade bonds, commercial Rate Policy Rate paper (CPs) and non - convertible debentures Change (NCDs) of NBFCs.  It should be not ed that of the 50% of the total funds Repo Rate 4.40% No change availed, 10% should go for securities issued by MFIs while 15% towards instruments issued by Reverse Repo Rate 3.75% 25 bps NBFCs with asset size of Rs 500 crore and below.

RBI concludes final tranche of Rs 1 lakh Marginal Standing crore TLTRO 4.65% No change  RBI conducted the fourt h and the final tranche of Facility (MSF) Rate the Rs 1 lakh crore TLTRO, announced on March 27, 2020, by infusing Rs 25,000 crore into the Bank Rate 4.65% No change system for three - year tenor at the repo rate (4.40%).  In this regard, RBI received total bids for Rs 61,415 crore. The amount allotted w as Rs 25,009 crore, Inflation could fall below 4% target by indicating a pro - rata allotment percentage of 40.71. RBI in H2 FY21  The lockdown to contain COVID - 19 spread has OBICUS Q4: 2019 - 20: 49th round of posed a serious challenge to the demand of the quarterly survey on manufacturing economy. The inflation could further decline below sector launched by RBI the central bank’s 4% target by the second half of  Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the 49th this fiscal (H2 FY21). RBI has set a mid to long round of quarterly order books, inventories an d term inflation target at 4% with a bias of 2% on capacity utilization survey (OBICUS) of the either side. manufacturing sector which will provide important  The consumer price index based retail inflation has figures and input for monetary policy formulation. fal len by 170 bps from its January 2020 peak. The reference period for this survey is January -  The retail inflation for March fell to a four - month March 2020 (Q4: 2019 - 20). low of 5.91% on cheaper food articles.  Recently on April 3, 2020, RBI released the results of the 48th round of the OBICUS for the quarter RBI to provide Rs 50,000 crore refinance October - December 2019 (Q3: 2019 - 20) under facility to NABARD, SIDBI and NHB which 704 manufacturing companies were covered.  RBI said a special refinance facility for an amount It showed a decline in capacity utilisation (CU) to of Rs 50,000 crores will be provided to premier 68.6% in the third quarter of 2019 - 20 from 69 .1% financing institutions that will further help in in Q2. refinancing small and medium finance institutions RBI Governor announced relief measures to lend money smoothly to businesses. The funding for liquidity in system; Reverse Repo divided as follow s: Rate slashed to 3.7% from 4%  Rs 25,000 cr for National Bank for Agriculture and  (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced much - Rural Development (NABARD) needed relief measures for small and medium - sized  Rs 15,000 cr for Small Industries Development financial organisations which have been struggling Bank of India (SIDBI)

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

 Rs 10,000 cr for National Housing Bank (NHB)  These bonds will fetch a fixed interest rate of  The interest rate for this refinance facility will be 2.50% per annum which will be taxable under charged at repo rate i.e. 4.4 percent. Income Tax Act, 1961. RBI allows banks to maintain lower  On the other hand, capital gains tax arising on redemption of SGB to an individual has been liquidity ratio of 80% upto Sep 30, 2020 exempted.  RBI has reduced the Liquidity Coverage Ratio  It should be noted that SGBs can be used as (LCR) requirement for scheduled commercial banks collateral (security) for loans (SCB) to 80 per cent from 100 per cent with immediate e ffect to help banks maintain sufficient CPI inflation likely to ease from 4.8% in high - quality liquid assets in the wake of the Q1 to 4.4% in Q2: RBI’s MPR economic crisis.  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its monetary policy report (MPR) has projected Consumer price  LCR is the bank’s liquidity risk profile. Banks maintain an adequate stock of unencumbered high - index (CPI) based inflation to decline from 4.8% in quality liquid assets that can be easily and Q1: 2020 - 21 to 4 .4% in Q2, 2.7% in Q3 and 2.4% immediately converted in financial markets, at no in Q4. This MPR is a part of the out - of - turn review or little loss of value. of monetary policy held in March end due to uncertainties arising from the economic lockdown. RBI to put 200 bps penalty on banks if  The downward revision in CPI is due to weaken ing failed to invest TLTRO funds in 30 days demand and it is expected that the demand will  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has instructed weaken further. banks that they need to invest the mandated 50% of  RBI expects inflation for fiscal year 2021 to be in the funds raised through targeted long - term repo the range of 3.6 - 3.8% due to the declining food operations (TLTRO) route, under the first tranche prices, sharp fall in crude prices and normal conducted on March 27, 2020, in corporate bonds monsoon. or specified securities within a month or 30  CPI : It is an index measuring retail inflation in the working days. economy by collecting the change in prices of most  If failed, the interest rate on un - deployed funds will common goods and services used by consumers. incre ase to prevailing policy repo rate plus 200 bps RBI relaxed the norms of State/UT to (basis points) additional penal interests will have to avail overdraft be paid for the number of days such funds remain  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to un - deployed. increase the number of days that a State/UT can  The present policy rate is 4.40%. continue to overdraft t o 21 working days from the RBI to launch Sovereign Gold Bonds current stipulation of 14 working days as they are Scheme 2020 - 21 in H1 F Y21 on behalf of facing cash flow mismatches due to coronavirus. GoI  In addition, the number of days that a State/UT can overdraft in a quarter has also been increased to 50  The Central government after exercising its power conferred under clause (iii) of section 3 of working days from the cur rent stipulation of 36 Government securities Act 2006 has launched a working days , while all other stipulations remain new series of the Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) unchanged. Scheme namely “Sovereign Gold Bond 2020 - 21”  The new arrangement is effective immediately and which is to be issued by Reserve Bank of India is valid until September 30, 2020. If the WMA (RBI) in six tranches from April 2020 to September exceeds 90 days, it would be treated as overdraft. 2020 i.e. in first half of FY 20 - 21. Their sale will be RBI has now extended this overdraft facility by 7 restricted to resident individuals, HUFs, Trusts, days. Universities and Charitable Institutions. RBI has revised norms for appointment & reappointment of MD & CEO

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

 RBI has notified regarding the revision of norms for RBI increased March 26, 2020 repo appointment and reappointment of Managing auction amount to Rs 50,000 cr from Rs Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of private sector & foreign banks. 25,000 cr New Norms  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased the March 26, 2020, variable rate term repo auction  Proposal of re - appointment should be submitted 6 months in advance ( earlier it was 4 months ) amount to Rs 50,000 crore from Rs 25,000 crore due to the disruptive impact of Covid - 19 for the  Proposal for appointment of new MD & CEO or CEO should consist of a panel of at least 2 names in financial sector. Also, the nation has locked down the order of preference(earlier it was 3 names) and for 21 days and to keep the liquidity in the market the proposal have to be submitted at least 4 months stable this decision has been taken. before the expiry of the term of present incumbent  It should be noted that there is no chan ge in the office. auction scheduled for March 31, 2020. Seventh Bi - monthly Monetary Policy RBI: On lending by banks to NBFCs is Statement - 2019 - 20 classified as a priority sector in FY21  Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the  To boost credit disbursement in the targeted Seventh Bi - monthly Monetary Policy Statement, segment like agriculture, Micro, Small & Medium 2019 - 20 Resolution of the Monetary Policy Enterprises (MSME) and housing sector, RBI has Committee (MPC), RBI under which MPC has extended the priority sector classification for bank decided rate changes with immediate effect due to loans to Non - Banking Financial Company (NBFC) the current and evolving macroeconomic situation for on - lending for the FY 2020 - 21. impacted by COVID - 19.  As per the revised norms, on - lending by NBFCs for  Following table showing the policy rate changed in ‘term lending’ component under agriculture will be 7th Bi - monthly Monetary Policy allowed up t o Rs 10 lakh per borrower. Change in  - In the case of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) Previous Policy rate New Rate Basis points the limit will be Rs 20 lakh per borrower. Rate (bps)  - In the housing sector, the limit has been enhanced from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh per borrower for Policy Repo 4.40 % 5.15% 75 classification of the loan as priori ty sector lending. Rate RBI opens Rs 59000cr emergency credit

Reverse line for Yes Bank; a move after 16 years Repo 4% 4.90% 90  After the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Rate reconstruction plan for Yes Bank, the latter has resumed its standard operations. Now, to keep the Marginal liquidity of the ba nk for paying back to its Standing depositors stable, RBI has opened an emergency 4.65% 5.40% 75 Facility line of credit of Rs 59,000 crore. Rate  This liquidity support to Yes Bank is an additional liquidity arsenal provided under Section 17 (4) of Bank 4.65% 5.40% 75 the RBI Act, 1934 as the bank has no solvency Rate problem or any other issue except liquidity.  The move comes after 16 years when a similar CRR 3% 4% 100 credit line was opened for Global Trust Bank in 2004 after which the bank merged with Oriental SLR 18.25% 18.25% – Bank of Commerce.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

RBI outlined Business Continuity Plan for  RBI has reduced the minimum capital requirements smooth functioning national payment (MCR) for PAs at the time of application for the systems licence to Rs 15 crore from Rs 100 crore.  The Reserve Bank of India, for the first time, shared  However, the net worth needs to be increased to Rs its Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to ensure zero 2 5 crore within three years of operations. For disruptions in the national payments systems (NPS) example is PAs apply for authorisation on April 4, due to the coronavirus outbreak. 2020, they need to achieve Rs 25 crore net - worth  The national payment system in cludes National by March 31, 2023, and thereafter. Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), Real Time RBI opens dollar - swap window along with Gross Settlement (RTGS), e - Kuber for government infusion of Rs 1,00,000 crore throu gh LTRO transactions, etc.  There is global instability in financial markets due  In this regard, RBI has created a team of 37 to the spread of COVID 19 (Coronavirus), which officials comprising key personnel from debt may lead to a slowdown in growth. Every economy management, reserve management, monetar y is making efforts to stabilize the financial market operations, and 113 officials from service condition, among them, Re serve Bank of India has providers. opened a six - month dollar sell - buy swap window, and will also inject Rs 1,00,000 crore additional RBI to inject Rs 30k cr into market for Long Term Repo Operations (LTROs) at the policy financial stability amid Covid - 19 repo rate.  The Reserve Bank of India is all set to inject liquidity of Rs 30,000 crore through open market  These measures taken by RBI are to boost liquidity operations (OMOs) on March 24 and March 30, in the foreign exchange market of India and will 2020 to maintain financial stability and liquidity in serve the requirement of U.S. dollars in the market all markets segments during coronavirus outbreak RBI revises exposure limits for urban  The RBI will purchase government securities under cooperative banks to single, group OMOs in two tranches of Rs 15,000 crore each. borrowers OMO is the sale and purchase of government  Reserve Bank of India has revised exposure limits securities and treasury bills by the central bank of for urban cooperative banks (UCBs) of tier - 1 the country. capital to a single borrower to 15% and a group of  Already, RBI infused Rs 10,000 crore through open borrowers to 25%. The revised exposure limits shall market operations. be applicable to all types of fresh exposures taken  RBI will purchase securities with a coupon rate of by UCBs. 6.84 per cent (maturity December 19, 2022); 7.72  The RBI had earlier permitted UCBs to have per cent (May 25, 20 25); 8.33 per cent (July 9, exposures up to 15% and 40% of their capital funds 2026) and 7.26 per cent (January 14, 2029). to a single borrow er and a group of borrowers, respectively. RBI issued new guidelines for payment  UCBs shall have at least 50% of their aggregate aggregators; MCR reduced for new PAs loans and advances comprising loans of not more to Rs 15 crore from Rs 100 crore than Rs 25 lakh or 0.2% of their tier 1 capital,  Reserve Bank of India has issued new guidelines whichever is higher, subject to a maximum of Rs 1 for the payment aggregators (PAs) to provide ease crore, per borrowe r. for payments industry players.  - The RBI also increased the overall priority sector  These are issued under Section 18 read with Section lending (PSL) target for UCBs to 75% of adjusted 10(2) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, net bank credit (ANBC) or credit equivalent amount 2007 and shall come into effect from April 1, 2020. of off - balance sheet exposure (CEOBSE), The new rules are for non - bank PAs. whichever is higher from 40% earlier.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 7 . S CHEMES

Central Govt. provided Rs 1.70 Lakh Cr Central Govt. releases 7,300 crore rupees relief package under PM Garib Kalyan to State & UTs under MGNREGS  The Central Gov t. has released 7,300 crore rupees Yojana for the poor to tackle Corona Virus to the States and Union Territories (UT) under  Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Nirmala Sitharaman has publicized the Rs 1.70 Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to liquidate Lakh Crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri pending dues of last financial year and also the Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), during the Press wages dues for the first fortnight of 2020 - 21. Conference in New Delhi. The motive behind this is  The government states that Rs 1.83 lakh crore is to aid and support the Poverty - stricken peop le to spent under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural fight a battle against Corona Virus. Employment Guarantee Act, (MNREGA) in 2017 - Let’s have a look at the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan 2020. Yojana Package which will provide support under  MGNREGA is an Indian labour law and social various sections. security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘right to  Insurance Cover of Rs 50 Lakh per healthcare work’ and this act was passed in September 2005. worker workers fighting COVID - 19 in Govt  It aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas Hospitals & health centres by providing at least 100 days of wage employment  PM Garib Kalyan Ann ( अ ) Yojana; foodgrain in a financia l year to adult members every entitlement doubled household who are willing to do unskilled manual  Farmers to get the first instalment of Rs 2000 under work. PM KISAN in April 2020 Government increases loss coverage for  Women Jan Dhan account holders to get Rs 500 per micro loan defaults under CGFMU scheme month for the next 3 months  According to the amendment of Credit Guarantee  Increase in MNREGA wage to Rs 202 a day from Fund for Micro Units (CGFMU) scheme as notifie d Rs 182 to benefit 13.62 crore families by the Ministry of Finance states that the coverage  Ex - gratia of Rs 1,000 to 3 crore poor senior of lender’s loss in case of loan default is increased citizen s , poor widows and poor disabled to 75% from earlier 50%.  Central Government has given orders to State  The aim of the amendment is to incentivise lending Governments to use Rs 31000 crore Building and to micro businesses which bear the impact of Constr uction Workers Welfare Fund to provide coronavirus outbreak & the lockdown assistance to Construction Workers. MP launched ‘Chief Minister COVID - 19 PM Modi launches e - Gram Swaraj portal Yoddha Kalyan Yojana’ to benefit and Swamitva Scheme on Panchayati Anganwadi workers & Assistants raj day  The state Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) has  On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day on launched the ‘Chief Minister COVID - 19 Yoddha 24th of April 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Kalyan Yojana’ to benefit the Anganwadi workers Damoda rdas Modi has launched the Swamitva and A ssistants of the state. Under the scheme, the Scheme as a pilot mode in 6 states (Uttar Pradesh, state government will provide a special health Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana insurance cover of Rs 50 lakhs. and Uttarakhand ) as well as an integrated e -  The benefit of this scheme will be given to the Gramswaraj Portal & Mobile app for accelerating warriors under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan the pace of development in I ndia’s villages Yojana (PMGKY), which was launched b y the Central Government

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 8 . C ABINET A PPROVALS

T he Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)  In case of grievous injuries, the accused can be Chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has sentenced from 6 months to 7 years. They can be a pproved the following proposals in April 2020 . penalised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. PM - KISAN: Aadhaar seeding process for 30% cut in salaries of PM, Ministers, MPs benefic iaries of Assam, Meghalaya,J - K and for FY 20 - 21 to manage COVID - 19; Ladakh extended till March, 2021 MPLAD suspended for 2 yrs  The Union Cabinet has given relaxation to Assam,  Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister (PM) Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashm ir, and Ladakh Narendra Modi has approved an ordinance o f 30% regarding the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar cut in the salaries of all Members of Parliament seeding for beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri (MPs) for FY 20 - 21 and a two - year suspension Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM - KISAN) scheme . (2020 - 21 and 2021 - 22) of the MP Local Area  The process has been extended for one more year Development (MPLAD) scheme so that the amount till 31st March 2021 from 31st March, 2020. saved can go to the Consolidated Fund of India to  Aadhaar see ding is a process of linking Aadhaar fight COVID - 19. number with primary bank account number or with  I n regard to the 30% salary cut, the passed Government Official documents like Pan Card etc. ordinance has amended the Salary, Allowances and Rs. 15,000 Crore for India COVID - 19 Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954. The Emergency Response and Health System remuneration cut is effective from April 1, 2020 for Preparedness Package a period of one year.  The Union Cabinet has approv ed Rs. 15,000 crore  It should be noted that only the salaries would be for ‘India COVID - 19 Emergency Response and cut not the pension and allowances of MPs. Health System Preparedness Package’ out of which  President, vice - president, and the governors have Rs. 7,774 Crore will be utilized for immediate also voluntarily decided to forgo 30% of their COVID - 19 Emergency Response and rest for salary for a year. medium - term support (1 - 4 years) under mission  Cabinet had also decided to suspend the MPLAD mode appro ach. This package is to be provided in funds for 2020 - 2021 and 2021 - 2022 for man aging three phases — January 2020 to June 2020, July COVID - 19 crisis. Through this suspension, Rs 10 2020 to March 2021 and from April 2021 to March crore from each MPLAD fund will go to the 2024. Consolidated Fund of India. The amount sa ved Ordinance to protect healthcare personnel from the scheme would be Rs 7,900 crore. from attacks; imprisonment upto 7 years F ixation of NBS rates for P&K fertilizers  Union Cabinet has approved “The Ep idemic for FY 20 - 21; Subsidy on non - urea Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020”to protect fertilisers declined to Rs 22,186.55 crore healthcare service personnel including their  The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs living/working premises against violence during (CCEA) has approved fixation of Nutrient Based epidemics. It will amend the Epidemic Diseases Subsidy (NBS) rates for Phosphatic and Potassic Act, 1897 by making acts of violence against (P&K) Fertilizers for the year 2020 - 21. In this healthcare worke rs as cognizable and non - bailable regard, Centre has marginal ly declined the subsidy offence. on non - urea fertilisers to Rs 22,186.55 crore for FY  A person can be sentenced from three months to 2020 - 21 from last year’s Rs 22,875.5 crore amid five years, and can be fined from Rs 50,000 to Rs the COVID - 19 outbreak. 2 lakh, for crimes under the new provision.  T he annual consumption of P&K fertilisers is around 24 million tonnes.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 9 . S C IENCE A ND T ECHNO LOGY

Scientists at JNCASR develop Berberine require ventilators if their condation is acute or severe. based Alzheimer inhibitor ‘Ber - D’  A team of scientists led by Prof. T. Govindaraju at  IIT Ropar designs ‘WardBot’ to deliver the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre For Advanced food, medicines to COVID - 19 patients Scientific Research (JNCASR), a multidisciplinary  A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of research institute located at Bangalore (Karnataka), Technology (IIT), Ropar in Punjab’s Rupnagar has developed an Alzheimer’s inhibitor called ‘Ber - distric t has come up with a design of an D’, a modified structure of Berberine, a natural and autonomous ‘WardBot’ which can deliver cheap product similar to curcumin, found in Indi a & medicines and food to COVID - 19 patients in China. isolation wards without human intervention.  Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of  The deployment of WardBot in hospitals helps in dementia — a continuous decline in thinking, minimising the risk of the frontline health staf f behavioral and social skills that disrupts a person’s getting infected with the deadly virus (COVID - 19). ability to function independently. CSIR - IICT collaborates with LAXAI Life • JNCASR Locatied at Bangalore, Sciences to reduce dependency for APIs IIT - Roorkee professor develops s oftware to and drug intermediates detect COVID - 19 within 5 seconds using X -  Indian Institute of Chemical Technology(IICT), a ray scan laboratory under the Council of Scientific and  Kamal Jain, professor at Civil Engineering Indus trial Research(CSIR) has collaborated with Department, IIT( Indian Institute of Technology) - LAXAI Life Sciences Private Limited, an Roorkee, Uttarakhand, has developed a software integrated pharmaceutical company, to develop and which can detect COVID - 19 within 5 seconds using manufacture Active pharmaceutical x - ray scan of the suspected patient. ingredients(APIs) and drug intermediates, which  The software will not only reduce testing costs but will help to reduce dependency of the Ind ian will also reduce the risk of expos ure to healthcare pharmaceutical sector on Chinese imports of these professionals. ingredients. Low - cost mechanical ventilator “ Ruhdaar ” • CSIR - IICT Headquarters: Hyderabad • LAXAI Life Sciences Headquarters: Hyderabad developed by a team led by IIT Bombay  A team of engineering students from National 1st ever digital geological map of moon Institute of Technology, Srinagar and Islamic released by US Geological Survey University of Science & Technology (IUST),  Unified Geologic Map of the Moon was released by Jammu and Kashmir led by Indian Institute of the scientists from USGS(United States Geological Technology, Bombay.Under the assistance of Survey) Astrogeology Science Center, in Design Innovation Centre, IUST has developed a collaboration with NASA (National Aeronautics low - cost ventilator named as Rudhaar using and Space Administration) and the Lunar Planetary locally available materials Institute.  The cost of producing the prot otype is around Rs  It will serve as a blueprint for future hum an 10,000 & the cost will be reduced when producing missions and a source of research and analysis for it in lump. the educators and the general public interested in  Importance of Ventilators : According to the lunar geology. Ministry of Health, 80% of people who are infected  S Harrel, a NASA Space Grant student, mapped the will only experience mild illness, about 15% will surface features of the moon . require oxygen support, and th e remaining 5% will 28 IACE ( I ndian A cademy of C ompetitive E xams) www.iace.co.in Toll Free: 1800 - 270 - 9975, Ph: 9533200400

Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

L&T MBDA Missile Systems sets up missile India’s Aarogya Setu becomes world’s integration faci lity in Coimbatore, Tamil fastest app to reach 50 million Nadu downloads in 13 days  L&T (Larsen & Toubro Limited) and European  The National Institution for Transforming India defence major MBDA Missile Systems have set up (NITI Aayog) CEO Amitabh Kant stated that a missile integration facility in Coimbatore, Tamil Centre’s mobile app, Aarogya Setu, which i s Nadu. developed for tracking COVID - 19 patients, has  L&T MBDA Missile Systems (LTMMSL) has set become the world’s fastest app to reach 50 million up the assembly,’inert’ integration (without (5 crore) downloads in just 13 days. explosives) and testing the Missile Subsystems & Weapon launch systems.  The app is developed by the National Informatics  L&T owns 51% of shares in LTMMSL while Center (NIC) under the Ministry of Electronics European Defence MBDA owns 49% of shares. and Information Te chnolo gy (MeitY) in just 4 NASA decommissioned its Spitzer Space days. I t supports 11 languages. Telescope after 16 years ICMR approves use of TB diagnostic  Th National Aeronautics and Sp ace Administration machine for coronavirus (NASA) has decommissioned its Spitzer Space  Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Telescope. apex body in India has allowed the use of a  The telescope which was used to study the universe diagnostic machine used to test drug - resistant TB by detecting cosmic infrared radiation for more than (Tu berculosis) for conducting coronavirus tests. 16 years was first launched in 2003. In this regard, it had recognized the ‘TruenatTM  Spitzer was planned to be decommissioned in 2018 in anticipation of the launch of the James Webb beta COV test on the TruLabTM workstation’ and Space Telescope (JWST), but as JWST launch recommended it as a screening test. mission was postponed spitzer was given 5th and  Currently, India is using RT - PCR (Real Time - final extension till 2020. Polymerase Chain Reaction) test re commended  It detected the most distant galaxies ever detected by the US (United States) and approved by the with the light from some of t he cosmic bodies FDA (Food and Drug Administration). travelling for billions of years to reach the • ICMR Headquarter: New Delhi telescope. • Director General : Prof. Balram Bhargava  It had also found a previously undetected ring around the planet Saturn. Google and Apple ties - up to create NASA Headquarters: Washington, D.C coronavirus contact tracing technology Integrated geospatial platform “SAHYOG” by smartphone  Apple Inc. has partnered with Google LLC have created by Survey of India jointly create a coronavirus (COVID - 19) contact  Department of Science and Technology, tracing technology using Bluetooth signals. Government of India has created an integrated  Both companies are launching a tracing tool for geospatial platform from the available geospatial Google Android phones and Apple iPhones datasets, standards - based services and analytic through which it will be easy to notify people via tools which helps in decision making during the smartphone if they come in contact with any present COVID - 19 outbreak . patient infected with covid - 19.  The mobile application SAHYOG and the web portal (https://indiamaps.gov.in/soiapp/) prepared Centre launched Aarogya Setu IVRS for and managed by Survey of India (SOI), will non - smart phones in collaboration with complement the “AAROGYA - SETU” mobile TN govt and IIT - Madras application launched by the Government of India  After the launch of Aarogya Setu app to tackle for contact tracing, public aware ness & self - COVID - 19 imp act, now Central government , assessment objectives Department of Telecommunication in partnership with Tamil Nadu government and Indian

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has indicators. The ventilator is now awaiting the fina l launched its complementary initiative named clearance from the Indian Council of Medical “Aarogya Setu Interactive Voice Response Research (ICMR). System (IVRS) ”. NASA’s Artemis: First human base camp  It is launched by TN Chief Minister (CM) on Moon’s South Pole by 2024 Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami and Union  National Aeronautics and Space Administration Minister of Electronics and Information (NASA) unveiled its plan to setup ‘Artemis’, the Technology (MeitY) Ravi Shankar Prasad. first human base camp on Moon’ s South Pole by Bharat Biotech ties - up with FluGen & US 2024 through a 13 - page report titled “NASA’s virologists to develop intranasal vaccine Plan for Sustained Lunar Exploration and Development”. for coron avirus ‘CoroFlu’  In view of increasing Coronavirus (COVID - 19)  The report was submitted to the National Space cases rapidly worldwide, Bharat Biotech Council, an advisory group to United States (US) International Ltd, a leading vaccines & bio - President Donald Trump, presided over by Vice therapeutics manufacturers in India, has joined President Mike Pence. • NASA Headquarter : Washington, D.C., U S hands with US (United States) FluGen Inc and virologists at th e University of Wisconsin - Bione launches India’s 1st home Madison in Wisconsin,US , to begin the screening test kit f or COVID - 19 development and testing of a new intranasal  Bengaluru based startup Bione, a genetic and vaccine for COVID - 19 called ‘CoroFlu’. microbiome testing firm has launched India’s 1st • Bharat Biotech Headquarters : Hyderabad home s creening test kit for COVID - 19 and it is approved by Indian Council of Medical Research Centre launches 1st of its kind iGOT e - (ICMR). learning portal on DIKSHA pla tform of MHRD IIT Roorkee in association with AIIMS -  The Centre under Department of Personnel and Rishikesh prepares low - cost portable Training (DoPT) has launched 1st of its kind ventilator ‘Prana - vayu’ Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT)  IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) - Roorkee, e - learning portal on Digital Infrastructure for Uttarakhand in collaboration with AIIMS (All Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) platform of India Institute of Medical Science s ) Rishikesh, Ministry of Human Resource Development Uttarakhand, has developed a low - cost portable (MHRD) to enhance capacity building of front ventilator called ‘Prana - vayu’ costing just line workers to effectively manage the COVID - 19 Rs.25,000. pandemic. IISc Bengaluru develops indigenous  DIKSHA platform is a National platform for ventilator prototype: COVID - 19 crisis teachers, students and parents who engage in  S cientists and students of the Bengaluru Indian learning material relevant to the prescribed school Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a curriculum. The lessons can be easily accessed by prototype of an indigenous ventilator under scanning the QR code from the textbook. project P raana, to help patients with lung damage Indian Railways’ RCF unit developed low - due to COVID - 19 infection as a ventilator is a cost ventilator ‘Jeevan’ to fight COVID - 19 lifeline for the patients.  The Indian Railways has developed a low - cost  T he ventilator is designed using components ventilator ‘Jeevan’ at its premier coach production readily available or made in India, in accordance unit,Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala in with the guidelines issued by the UK Medicines Punjab.The cost of “Jeevan” is around Rs 10,000 and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency & without the compressor and it will not rise over can be used free of cost. Rs 30,000 even after adding a few more

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

Ministry of Tourism launched ‘Stranded in  Rodents are a type of small mammal s with sharp India’ portal to help foreign tourists stuck front teeth which include mouse, squirrel, or in India beaver, hamster etc.  The Ministry of Tourism has launched a portal  However, this is not a new virus and it does not ‘Stranded in India’ as a support network to help spread from person to person. foreign tourists who are stuck in various parts of  The virus was first reported during Korean War India. Its web address is strandedinindia.com. (1951 - 1953).  The portal consists of information around Covid - US successfully tested its first nuclear - 19 helpline numbers and call centres that foreign capable hypersonic missile tourists can reach out for help, information around  In a major development, the United States (US) Min istry of External Affairs (MEA) control Navy and Armyhas successfully tested its centers along with their contact information and common hypersonic glide body (C - HGB), a first information around state - based/regional tourism unarmed prototype of a hypersonic missile support infrastructure. capable of carrying nuclear warheads. First Indian made testing tool “Pathodetect  The test was carried out at the Pacific M issile Covid - 19 Kit” Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii and was  Virologist Minal Dakhave Bhosale from Pune had monitored by Missile Defense Agency (MDA) of headed the designing team for the coronavirus US Department of Defence i.e. The Pentagon. testing kit called ‘Mylab PathoDetect COVID - 19  C - HGB flew at five times the speed of sound, or Qualitative PCR kit’. Mach 5 to a designated impact point.  She is the research and development chief of  It should be noted that hypersonic weapons can Mylab Discovery Solutions in Pune, the first travel much faster than current nuclear - capable Indian company that have received full ap proval ballistic and cruise missiles at low altitudes. to make and sell Covid - 19 testing kits. Pune based ARI scientists develop  Mylab PathoDetect COVID - 19 Qualitative PCR biofortified high - protein wheat variety kit screens and detects the infection within 2.5 ‘MACS 4028’ hours, compared to 7+ hours taken by current  A team of Scientists from Agharkar Research protocols and Mylab could manufacture up to 1 Institute (ARI) in Pune, Maharashtra, have lakh test kits in a week. developed ‘MACS 4028’, a biofortified wheat US launches advanced satellite for variety, which shows high - protein content of communication: AEHF - 6 around 14.7% good nutritional quality having zinc  The United States (US) Space Force launched its 40.3 ppm, and iron content of 40.3ppm and 1st national security mission by sending an ultra - 46.1ppm (parts per million) respectively. secure military communication satellite into orbit  The deve lopment done by the scientist has been called Advanced Extremely High Frequency published in the Indian Journal of Genetics and (AEHF) - 6 from Cape Canaveral, Florida on the Plant Breeding. Atlas V551 rocket.  Fortified varieties are developed to provide the  AEHF - 6 is the 6th & final in the Lockheed Martin crop with the right amount of essential nutrients. AEHF constellation and will join the other 5 Third Party Fact Check System --- BY launched between 2010 & 2019. Facebook and Boom Website After Covid - 19 pandemic “Hantavirus”  Facebook and Indian fact checking website Boom death reported in China has come together to launch a third party fact  After a deadly C oronavirus, now a death has been checking in Bangladesh.The Third - Party Fact reported in China’s Yunnan province due to Check System will be focusing on discouraging Hantavirus infection, a virus spread from rodents. the spread of fake news in Bangla desh via any reviewing and rating of stories, photos or videos.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 10 . D EFENCE

Australia cancelled “Pitch Black 2020” due Block II air - launched missiles, 16 MK 54 All Up to coronavirus Round Lightw eight Torpedoes and three MK 54  Australia has cancelled “Pitch Black 2020” premier Exercise Torpedoes are estimated to cost USD multilateral air combat training exercise between 155 million. India and Australia. IAF airlifts essential drugs to Maldives  Australia takes this decision due to the current and under ‘Operation Sanjeevani’ anticipated impacts of the worldwide pandemic of  The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched COVID - 19. The next edition is scheduled in 2022. ‘Operation Sanjeevani’ and air - lifted 6.2 tonnes of Its last edition was held in 2018. essential medical supplies to the Maldives via CISF launches app ‘e - karyalay’ for transport aircraft C - 130J as assistance in the fight movement of files against the COVID 19.  Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has  India has supplied 6.2 tonnes of essential launched an e - office application named ‘e - medicines to the Maldives . karyalay’. This application helps to enable the Indian army Chief starts ‘Operation movement of files and documents of CISF without Namaste’ to combat COVID - 19 any physical touch. This has been done in order to  Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane has prevent coronavirus infection due to frequent launched ‘Operation Namaste’ to extend touching of files by many persons. assistance to the govt in containing the spread of • Director - General of CISF : Rajesh Ranjan coronavirus and insulate the force from the Indian Navy formed “Air Evacuation Pod” pandemic. Under the operation, the army will help for Cov id - 19 patients the Government of India fight against the deadly  The Indian Navy’s Naval Aircraft Yard (Kochi) has disease. formed “Air Evacuation Pod (AEP)” for the safe DAC approves procurement of Tejas fighter evacuation of COVID - 19 patients from remote aircraft for IAF areas. The pod is made up of aluminium, nitrile  The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has rubber and perspex. It weighs only 32 kg and has approved the procurement of indigenous Tejas in curred a manufacturing cost of Rs 50,000 which fighter aircraft for Indian Air Force. 83 is only 0.1 per cent of the cost of an imported indigenous Tejas fighter aircrafts will be procured equivalent (Rs 59 lakh). for the Indian Air Force.  The pod was designed under the guidance of the  The Defence Acquisition Council has also Principal Medical Officer of the naval air station. approved the acquisition of indigenous defence • Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karam bir Singh. equipments worth Rs 1,300 crore. US approves sale of Anti - ship Missiles & Defence Ministry signs contract with Torpedoes to India Israeli firm for LMG  The United States has approved the sale of  The Ministry of Defence has signed the capital Harpoon air - launched anti - ship missiles and Mark acquisition contract with Israel Weapons 54 lightweight torpedoes to India. The step has Industries for the procurement of Light Machine been taken by the Trump administration to Gun (LMGs). The Acquisition Wing of Ministry en hance India’s deterrent capabilities against of Defence has signed the capital acquisition “regional threats” and also to strengthen its contract of worth Rs 880 crore for the homeland defence. procurement of 16,479 Light M achine Gun  The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has (LMGs). The Light Machine Guns were the long - stated that the sale of 10 AGM - 84L Harpoon standing requirement of Indian Armed Forces.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 11 . A WARDS AND H ONOURS

IIT Madras Professor T Pradeep selected Zoya Akhtar honoured with IIFTC Tourism for Nikkei Asia Prize 2020 Impact Award 2020  An IIT Madras Professor Thalappil Pradeep has  Indian filmmaker Zoya Akhtar has been honoured been selected for the Nikkei Asia Prize 2020. with IIFTC Tourism Impact Award 2020 for her  Professor Thalappil Pradeep will be conferred with outstanding contribution to world tourism through the Nikkei Asia Prize 2020 in the category o f her cinema. She has promoted tourism through her ‘Science and Technology’. films like 2011 ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ which  He would be honoured with the prize for his was shot in Spain, and 2015 comedy - drama pioneering work in nanotechnology - based water ‘DilDhadakne Do’ shot in Turkey. purification.  8th Indi a International Film Tourism Conclave Tata Power wins Edison Award for social (IIFTC) was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra. innovation  Tata Power bags Edison Award for social Arfa Sherwani & Rohini Mohan conferred with Chameli Devi Jain Award innovation. The company bags th e awards for its  Arfa Khanum Sherwani of “The Wire” and ‘Club Enerji #Switchoff2SwitchOn’ campaign. It Bengaluru - based freelancer Rohini Mohan have has brought about 533 participating schools across been jointly awarded Cha meli Devi Jain Award for India, saving over 29.8 million units of power since outstanding woman journalist. its inception in 2007.  Sherwani was chosen for her reporting from  Tata Power is India’s largest integrated power conflict situations in Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh company and has an installed capacity of 10,763 and Mohan’s reportage on the NRC exercise in megawatts together with its subsidiaries and jointly Assam set a new benchmark for investigative controlled entities. journalism.  The Edison Awards honours the world’s best Maharaj a Ranjit Singh named as greatest innovations and innovators. It was established in world leader in BBC Poll  Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 19th - century ruler of the 1987 in the memory of Thomas Alva Edison (1847 - Sikh Empire in India named the “Greatest Leader of 1931). All Time” in a poll conducted by ‘BBC World CM Naveen Patnaik honoured by PETA Histories Magazine’. India for feeding animals  Singh’s name was nominated by Lockwood, who is  Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik has been an assistant professor of history at the University of conferred with ‘Hero to Animals Award’ by animal Alabama, as a modernising and uniting force, rights body PETA India. whose reign “marked a golden age for Punjab and  He has been awarded by People for the Ethical north - west India”. Treatment of Animals (PETA ) for allocating funds V Praveen Rao wins MS Swaminathan to feed community animals in Odisha during the Award lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.  Professor Jayashankar Telang ana State Agricultural  CM approved of Rs 54 lakhs from a relief fund to University Vice - Chancellor V Praveen Rao has feed animals of the community. won the 7th Dr MS Swaminathan Award for the period 2017 - 2019.  The programme is undertaken to feed animals is  The award is in recognition of contributions in the conducted in five municipal corporations and in all fields of agricultural research, teaching, extension 48 municipalities of Odisha. and administration. • PETA Headquarters : Norfolk, Virginia, United States.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 12 . S PORTS

India loses hosting rights of men’s World  A new logo and title has been unveiled for t he 11th edition of World Games which is to be held in Boxing Championships 2021 Birmingham, Alabama, US (United States) the  India lost the hosting rights of the men’s World games are being delayed a year because of the boxing championship 2021 to Serbia. International Coronavirus pandemic. The World Games was Boxing Association (AIBA) has terminated the initially scheduled for July 2021, but it will now be agreement signed by India in 2017 because india held from July 7 to 17, 2022. faild to pay host fee.  India will also have to pay the cancella tion fee BWF sel ects Sindhu as ambassador for ‘I penalty of USD 500. am badminton’ campaign  World Badminton Champion, P V Sindhu has been Jhuma Khatun banned for 4 years for selected as one of the ambassadors for Badminton failing dope test World Federation’s (BWF) “I am badminton”  Indian middle - distance runner, Jhuma Khatun was awareness campaign. The campaign gives a banned for 4 years for using banned p latform for those players, who express their love substances(Steroids) by the Athletics Integrity Unit and respect for badminton by advocating and (AIU) for the doping case of 2018. The sample committing to clean and honest play. from Jhuma Khatun was collected during the National Inter - State Championships in June 2018 in Charles Leclerc wins Chinese Virtual Guwahati meet. Grand Prix  In National Inter - State Championships, Guwahati,  Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc wins the Formula One she won a b ronze each in 1500 m and 5000 m. Esports Chinese Virtual Grand Prix championship. Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, actual PCB bans Umar Akmal over corruption F1 races are not being held. In its place, Formula 1 charges has announced new F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix  The Pakistan Cricket Board has banned Pakistan series. batsman Umar Akmal from all forms of cricket for  The virtual races will run instead of each delayed a period of three years. Grand Prix. The Virtual Gran d Prix series to use the  The Pakistani batsmen has been charged with two official F1 2019 PC video game, developed by breaches of anti - corruption codes of Pakistan Codemasters. Cricket Board after he failed to report details of corrupt approaches made to him ahead of 2020 Feifei” to be the mascot for Hangzhou PSL. 2022 Asian Para Games  “Feifei” to be the mascot for Hangzhou 2022 Asian Former Pakistan skipper Sana Mir Para Games, China. The 4th Asian Para Games are announces retirement going to be held from October 9 - 15, 2022, featuring  Former Pakistan women’s skipper Sana Mir 22 sports with Taekwondo and Para - Canoe to form announced her retirement from international their Games debuts. The mascot helps to bring the cricket. Games t o life for everybody, from the athletes to  She featured in 226 international matc hes for the spectators. Pakistan, including 137 as captain from 2009 to 2017. The 34 - year - old cricketer is currently ranked BCCI suspends IPL 2020 indefinitely due 9th and 41st in the ICC’s ODI and T20I bowlers’ to Covid - 19 lists.  The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) New logo unveiled for World Games has decided that the IPL 2020 Season will b e 2022 edition

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest suspended till “further notice”. This decision is  The working group also postponed FIFA Under - 20 taken in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Women’s World Cup which was scheduled  The IPL was initially scheduled from March 29 to between August and September in Panama and May 24, but it was postponed after a surge of Costa Rica. coronavirus positive cases in India. The Smart Triplets” to be the mascot Tour de France postponed due to 19th Asian Games Coronavirus Pandemic  T he Olympic Council of Asia has announced the  World - famous cycle race tournament “Tour de official mascots of the 19th Asian Games to be held France” has been postponed due to the coronavirus in Hangzhou in 2022. The three robots namely pandemic. The three - week race that was set to start Congcong, Lianlian and Chenchen which are on the 27th of June in the Riviera city, France. collectively known as “The Smart Triplets” will be FIFA’s latest ranking: India retains 108th the official mascots of the 19th Asian Games. slot World Athletics championship postponed  India football team retained its 108th spot in the to 2022 latest FIFA rankings. While Belgium ranked first  The 2021 world athletics championships postponed and world champion France is in 2nd place and to 2022. The championship was originally Brazil is at 3rd spot. In the wake of the coronavirus scheduled to held in Eugene, Oregon from August (Covid - 19) epidemic the qualifier tou rnaments have 6 - 15, 2021. been postponed for the FIFA World Cup and other  The announcement came immediately after the major games at the international level. 2020 Tokyo Olympic G ames postponed because of • Headquarters of FIFA : Zürich, Switzerland. the coronavirus pandemic will now take place from Ben Stokes named Wisden’s Leading July 23 to August 8, 2021. Cricketer in the World 2020 ATK FC wins record 3rd Indian Super  England’s all - rounder Ben Stokes has been named League title as the leading cricketer in the world 2020 by  ATK FC (Football Club) won the ISL (Indian Super Wisden. League) trophy for the 3rd time following a 3 - 1 win  Andrew Flintoff was the last English player to win aga inst Chennaiyin FC in the final match held at the the award in 2005. Fatorda Stadium in Goa.  Ben Stokes was the hero of the Cricket World Cup  Javier Hernandez and Edu Garcia were the goal 2019 final as he guided England to their maiden scorers for ATK FC in the final match. ATK triumph in the 50 - over showpiece tournament at (Atlético de Kolkata) is an Indian professional Lord’s on July 14. football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal.  In Women’s category, Australia’s Ellyse Perry has  The Indian Super League is a football league in been named the Wisden’s Leading Female India, under licence from the All India Football Cricketer in the World. Federation (AIFF). FIFA U - 17 Women’s World Cup postponed Indian shot putter Navin Chikara banned due to Covid - 19 for four years by IAAF  FIFA, the world’s governing body for football  Indian shot - putter Navin Chikara was suspended for announced that it took the decision to postpone the four years by World athle tics body’s (formerly FIFA U - 17 Women’s World Cup tournament due to known as International Association of Athletics the coronavirus pandemic. Federations - IAAF), Athletics Integrity Unit for  The FIFA Under - 17 Women’s World Cup, which failing an out - of - competition dope test in 2018. was scheduled to be played in India betwee n  He has been banned for use of a prohibited n ovember 2nd to 21st. substance and his four - year suspension starts from July 27, 2018.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

13 . PERSONS IN NEWS

Raghuram Rajan named among 12 co nsisting of world’s top 60 inspirational leaders members of External Advisory Group: under three categories viz. Small Molecules, IMF Advanced Medicines, and Biopharmaceuticals.  The International Monetary Fund (IMF)  From India, the list has named Executive Managing Director (MD) Kristalina Georgieva Chairperson of Biocon Ltd Kiran Mazumdar - na med former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Shaw in the world’s top 20 inspirati onal leaders in governor Raghuram Rajan and 11 others to its the field of biopharmaceuticals. new External Advisory Group.  In 1989, she was awarded Padma Shri and in 2005  The group consists of members who have she was conferred by Padma Bhushan by the expertise in high - level policy, market and with Government of India private sector experience which makes the group Chess Legend Viswanathan Anand an ex ceptional & diverse one . named ambassador of WWF India  Raghuram Rajan is currently working as a  The Chess legend Viswanathan Anand was professor at the University of Chicago. named the ambassador of World Wide Fund Jeff Bezos tops Forbes billionaires list India. He has joined the organization for its environment education pro gramme. “The Richest in 2020”  The WWF is an international NGO that was  Forbes has launched the 34th annual world’s founded in 1961. It is the largest conservation billionaires list named as “The Richest in 2020”. organization in th e world with more than 5  A s per the list the Amazon Founder and Chi ef million supporters Executive Officer Jeff Bezos has topped with a net worth of $113 billion. IWF President Tamas Ajan resigns  This was 3rd time in a row that he has to pped the  International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) annual world’s billionaires list released by Forbes. President Tamas Ajan, 81 years old, resigned in the wake of allegations of corruption and doping Byju Raveendran & Gaurav Gupta on WEF’s violations.

Young Global Leaders list  The IWF Executive Board accepted the  Byju Classes’ founder Byju Raveendran and resignation of the IWF president. Ursula Zomato’s co - founder Gaurav Gupta are among Papandrea will be the acting president of IWF. the five Indians named by the World Economi c Indian star cricket er Rohit Sharma Forum (WEF) in its new list of 115 Young Global Leaders. becomes brand ambassador for  Raveendran, who launched Byju’s as a learning “CricKingdom ”  Limited - overs Vice - captain of Indian cricket team app in 2015, calls himself a teacher by choice and Rohit Sharma was named bran d ambassador of an entrepreneur by chance. “CricKingdom” a Dubai - based cricket coaching  Gupta’s Zomato has been a pioneering food academy which provides a platform for online technology start - up, which he launched as a table coaching after the global COVID - 19 pandemic reservation business and then scaled it up across subsides. India, the UAE and Australia.  CricKingdom is the World’s first online platform Biocon’s Mazumdar - Shaw among to connect cricket players, coaches, students, world’s top 20 leaders in Biopharma academies and facilities.  The Texere Publishing Ltd has published its “The Medicine Maker Power List 20 For 2020”

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 14 . O BITUARIES

Padma Shri awardee and famous Indian - American veteran journalist Brahm Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passed away Kanchibotla passed away at 66 due to at 53 coronavirus  Famous Bollywood star Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan,  The Indian - American veteran journalist Brahm whose international movie career included hits such Kanchibotla passed away at 66 due to coronavirus as Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi and the Amazing in a hospital on Long Island in New York, United Spider - man etc., passed away at the age of 53 due States(US). to colon infection in Mumbai, Maharashtra.  H e has been writing for two Indian - American  He had bee n battling neuroendocrine cancer since publications, the Indian Panorama and the South 2018. He was born on January 7, 1967, in Jaipur, Asia Times. Rajasthan.  He was honoured with Padma Shri by the Libya’s former PM Mahmoud Jibril Government of India (GOI) for his significant passed away at 67 due to Coronavirus  Libya ’s former Prime Minister (PM) Mahmoud contribution to arts and cinema. Jibril el - Warfally passed away at the age 67 in Eminent theatre actor Usha Ganguly Cairo, Egypt due to Coronavirus. He was born on passed away at 75 May 28, 1952 in Benghazi, Libya.  Usha Ganguly, was an Indian theatre director - actor  He served as the interim Prime Minister (PM) of and activist, most known for her work in Hindi Libya for almost a year during the Libyan Civil theatre in the 1970s and 1980s, passed away at the War in 2011, chairing the executive board of age of 75 in Kolkata, West Bengal. National Transitional Council and later killed  She was born in J odhpur, Rajasthan in 1945. Moammar Gaddafi in 2011. Padma bhushan awardee and Former Emmy award - winning musician Adam Attorney General Ashok Desai passed Schlesinger passed away at 52 due to away at 77  The former Attorney General and Senior Advocate Coronavirus  Emmy award winner Adam Lyons Schlesinger, an practicing in the Supreme Court of India (SC) American singer - songwriter, record producer and Ashok H. Desai passed away at 77. bassist passed away at the age of 52 due to  He was born on 24t h June 1942,Nagpur, Coronavirus in Poughkeepsie, New York, US Maharashtra (United States).  He was the Solicitor General of India from 18th  He was born on October 31, 1967 in New York December 1989 to 2nd December 1990. City, US. He was the co - founder of the 2000s pop -  Held office as Attorney General of India From 9th rock band “Foundations of Wayne” & known for July 1996 to 6th May 1998. co - writing the band’s 2003 hit “Stacy’s Mom”. Padma Shri classical singer Shanti Indian - origin virologist Gita Ramjee passes Hiranand passed away at 87 away at 63 due to Coronavir us  Shanti Hiranand Chawla, renowned Hindustani  World - renowned virologist Gita Ramjee, 63, passed Classical singer and Padma Shri awardee passed away in Johannesburg, South Africa, due to away at the age of 87 in Gurugram, Haryana. She Coronavirus. She was the stellar vaccine scientist was born in 1932 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP). and an HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus)  T he Government of India (GOI) awarded Shanti prevention research leader. Hiranand, the fourth hi ghest civilian honour of  Gita was born on April 8, 1956, in Kamp ala, Padma Shri in 2007, for her contributions to Uganda . Hindustani music.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 15 . R EPORTS , I NDICES AND R ANKING

APEC region to post 2.7% economic  The list is topped by the University of Auckland, contraction in 2020 due to Covid - 19: New Zealand with a score of 98.5. Report  The rankings are the only global performance tabl es  According to the report ‘APEC in the Epicentre of that assess universities against the 17 United COVID - 19’ released by the APEC Secretariat, the Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Asia - Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 23% decline projected in Migrants region’s growth is expected to decrease by 2.7% in Remittances to India in 2020 due to 2020 due to the impact of the novel coronavirus COVID - 19: World Bank Report (COVID - 19).The contraction compares with a 3.6  Remittances to India are likely to drop by 23% to % growth in 2019 . USD 64 bill ion in 2020 from USD 83 billion in  Apart from this, unemployment rate in APEC 2019 due to COVID - 19 impact. region is estimated to increase to 5.4 % in 2020 as  On the global front, remittances by migrant workers compared to 3.8 % in 2019, means an additional are projected to decline sharply by about 20% due 23.5 million workers in the region being to the economic crisis induced by the COVID - 19 unemployed in 2020. pandemic and shutdown.  Note : India has requested membership in AP EC,  The nationwide lockd own in India has impacted and received initial support from the United States, nearly 40 million internal migrants i.e. migrants Japan, Australia and Papua New Guinea. Officials within the nation which may result in loss of have decided not to allow India to join for various employment. reasons, considering that India does not border the  Remittances to South Asia are projected to decline Pacific Ocean, which all current members do. sharply by 22% to $109 billion in 2020. • APEC Headquarters : Queenstown, Singapore India slipped two places to 142 nd on • Membership : 21 economies global press freedom index 2020; Global military expenditure sees largest Norway tops annual increase in a decade in 2019, US  The rank of India has decreased by two places to tops, India in 3rd position: SIPRI 142nd from 140th position with a score of 45.33 in  According to a new report by the Stockholm the “The World Press Freedom Index 2020” which International Peace Research Institute the total has analysed 180 countries. global military expenditure rose to USD 1,917  The decline in India’s rank is showing an billion in 2019, which represents an annual growth improvement in the security of Indian media as in of 3.6% compared to 2018. 2019 no murders of journalists were recorded as  For the 1st time two Asian countries - China (2nd), against six in 2018. India (3rd) have featured among the top military  The World Press Freedom Index is compiled by spenders afte r the United States - US (1st). Paris - based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), or IIT Kharagpur ranked 57th, University of Reporters Without Borders. Auckland topped in THE’s 2nd edition of  The i ndex has been topped by Norway with a score Impact Rankings 2020 of 7.84 while North Korea stood at last rank of 180  According to Times Higher Education(THE)’s 2nd with a score of 85.82. edition of Impact rankings 2020, which has ranked COVID - 19 could double number facing 766 universities from 85 c ountries, The Indian acute hunger; $350mn needed for Institute of Technology(IIT) Kharagpur is ranked containment: UN GRFC 2020 57th with a score of 87.9 among global universities.  In accordance with the fourth annual Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC 2020) titled “2020 Global

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

Report on Food Crises - Joint Analysis for better Asia to stall at 0% growth in 2020 for 1st decisions” by United Nation’s (UN) World Food time in 60 ye ars: IMF Programme (WFP), the coronavirus pandemic  International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) report titled could nearly double the number of people around ‘COVID - 19 Pandemic and the Asia - Pacific Region: the world facing acute hunger. Lowest Growth Since the 1960s’ stated that Asia  The number of people from 50 countries facing will stall at 0% growth in 2020 for the 1st time in food crisis rose by nearly 10% to 123 million 60 years which includes the Global Financial Cris is people from 112 million in the 2019 edition. (4.7%) and the Asian Financial Crisis (1.3%).  It should be noted that the WEP estimates that Retail inflation lowers to 5.91% in March $350m (£280m) needed immediately, but only 2020 against 6.58% in February 2020 about a quarter of the sum has yet been available.  T he National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of  WFP Headquarters: Rome, Italy Statistics and Programme Implementation has NCAER Business confidence index (N - estimated retail inflation rate, t o a 4 - month low of BCI) declined to 77.3 in Q4 FY20 5.91% for March 2020 which is lower than 6.58%  National Council for Applied Economic Research in February 2020, due to easing prices of kitchen (NCAER) 112th Business Expectations Survey essentials such as vegetables, eggs and meat & is (BES), its quarterly business confidence index (N - measured by All India Inflation Rates based on BCI), covering 600 companies, declined by over Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Consumer Foo d 30% in the last quarter (Q4: Jan - March) of FY 19 - Price Index (CFPI). 20 to 77.3 from 111.2 in the Q3.  T he retail inflation rate was 2.86% in March 2019  Political Confidence Index (PCI) fell from 96.2 per cent in January 2020 to 73.7 per cent in April 2020. Bank credit growth decelerated to 5 -  Th e N - BCI is a part of NCAER’s Business decade low of 6.14% in FY20  In accordance with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Expectations Survey (BES). data, Bank credit growth declined to five - decade India’s subsidies to renewables drops 35 low to 6.14% in the fiscal ended March 31, 2020, per cent from FY17 to FY19: IISD & due to lower demand and risk aversion among CEEW banks.  According to the study, Mapping India’s Energy  On the other hand , bank deposits grew by 7.93% to Subsidies 2020 released by the International Rs 135.71 lakh crore as against Rs 125.73 lakh Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and crore in 2019. the Council on Energy, Environment and Water  The economic growth of India is 5.6% in the first (CEEW), India’s energy subsidies drops 35% from quarter of the current fiscal i.e. FY 20 - 21. Financial Year FY17 to FY19, while its oil and gas Global Trade to fall by 13% - 32% in 2020 subsidies increased by 65% . due to COVID - 19: WTO Exports declined by 34.57% in March &  World Trade Organisation (WTO) has released 4.78% in F Y20; Q1 FY21 remain sluggish Annual Trade Statistics and Outlook Report which  In accordance with the figures released by the has projected that the global trade is to fall by 13% - Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Indian exports 32% due to the COVID - 19 pandemic, as it disrupts of goods decreased by 34.57% to $21.41 billion due the normal economic activity and life around the to COVID - 19 spread which has interrupted the world. production and supply chains. With this, the overall  WTO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland, export s for FY 2019 - 20 declined by 4.78% to India jobless rate hits 23.4% amid $314.31 billion.  This is likely to be the steepest fall in monthly COVID - 19 lockdown: CMIE exports since 2008 - 09, when shipments dipped by  The Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy 33.3% in March 2009. (CMIE) released a data w hich showed that

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest unemployment rate du ring March 30 – April 5,  The United Nations (UN) Department of Economic 2020 ro se to 23.4% from 8.7% for the whole of and Social Affairs (DESA) World Economic March 2020 which reflects the impact of lockdown Forecasting Model estimates that the global due to COVID - 19 pandemic breakdown. economy could shrink by 1% in 2020 due to the  The Labour Participation Rate (LPR) fell to 36%, coronavirus pandemic from an earlier forecast of an all - time l ow from 41.9% in March 2020. 2.5%.  The employment rate fell to 27.7% UN’s 8th edition of the World Happiness COVID - 19 risked 400 mn Indian workers Report 2020 Finland tops, India in 144 th to face poverty: ILO Monitor 2nd edition position Report  The United Nations has released World Happiness  Recently the International Labour Organization Report 2020. The World Happiness Report ranks (ILO) has released a report titled ‘ILO Monitor 2nd 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive edition: COVID - 19 and the world of work - Updated themselves to be. The rep ort is a landmark survey estimates and analysis’ which has also stated that of the state of global happiness. about 400 million people working in the informal  The index has been topped by Finland while India economy in India are at risk of falling deeper into stood at 144 th position. poverty due to the coronavirus crisis .  T here are chances of exp ulsion of 195 million full - India ranked 12th globally in ‘Women On time jobs or 6.7% of working hours globally in the Board 2020’ study  India has been ranked 12th in the world as per study second quarter of 2020. titled ‘Women On Board 2020’. The list was topped India’s 40.59% environment - related crimes by Norway with 40.72% women on board. reported in Rajasthan during 2014 - 16: CAG  A study on ‘Women On Board 2020’ has been done  In accordance with the report by the Comptroller jointly by global recruitment tendering platforms and Auditor General ( CAG) for the year ended MyHiringClub and Sarkari - Naukri. March 31, 2018, 40.59% of the crimes related to the  As per study Around 54% of employees in Asia and environment in the country were committed in 39% in India are women Rajasthan during 2014 - 16.  The major crimes were violation of Forest Andhra Pradesh ranks 1st in overall (Conservation) Act, 1980 and Wildlife Protect Act, implementation of Poshan Abhiyan 1972.  According to the report of NITI Aayog,  A total of 15,723 crimes related to the environment “Transforming Nutrition in India: POSHAN were registered in the country during 2014 - 16 and Abhiyaan”. Andhra P radesh ranked 1st in the the number of cases in Rajasthan during this period country for the overall implementation of POSHAN was 6,382, which is 40.59% ( Prime Minister’s Overreaching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyaan. Dr Jitendra Singh released National  The 2nd anniversary of POSHAN Abhiyaan is Corona Survey conducted in 410 districts recognized by celebrating Poshan Pakhwada from  Dr Jit endra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, 8th - 22nd March 20 20. Tamil Nadu tops the list of Public Grievances and Pensions released the the states in terms of the number of participants in COVID - 19 National Preparedness Survey 2020. the programme. The survey will serve as a benchmark for  Government of India has implemented Poshan policymakers at National and State levels. Abhiyan earlier known as National Nutrition Global economy may shrink by almost Mission, since 18th December 2017 to address the 1 % in 2020: UN - DESA problem of malnutrit ion in the country.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 1 6 . S UMMITS AND C ONFERENCE S

S.No Name Of The Summit&Conference Details  It was hosted by Germany and was co - chaired by United Kingdom. 1 Eleventh Session of Petersberg Climate Dialogue  The session was attended by Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr. Prakash Javadekar.  The session was held through video conference .  The mee ting was chaired by N. K. Singh, chairman of 2 Meeting of 15th Finance Commission 15th Finance Commission  Union Agriculture Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar participated in the G - 20 Agriculture Ministers meeting. 3 G - 20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting  The G - 20 Agriculture Ministers virtual meeting was organized through video conferencing by the Saudi Presidency . 4 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of  Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala New Development Bank Sitharaman attended the 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of New Development Bank (NDB) via video - conference.  President of NDB:K V Kamath HQ:Shanghai, China 5 G20 Virtual Summit  Saudi Arabia hosted the G20 summit for the first time.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in “Virtual Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit 17 . C OMMITTEES Constituted by Purpose Head of the committee NITI Aayog To review coordination between Headquarters: New Delhi various stakeholders for COVID - 19 Amitabh Kant , NITI Aayog CEO Chairman: Narendra Modi related response activities. The High - level technical committee (HLTC) will guide the prevention It is a 21 member committee and is headed by The Union Govt. of India and control activities for COVID 19 NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul. in the country. IRDAI To strengthen its guidelines on It is a 16 - member committee headed by Pravin Chairman: Subhash C. Khuntia corporate governance & will find Kutumbe Headquarters: Hyderabad ways to improve key functions such as risk management and internal audits independent of each other. 15th Finance Commission To review fiscal consolidation road A 8 - member group led by 15th Finance map Commission Chairman Nand Kishore (NK) Singh Ministry of Home Affairs constitutes First committee: Second Committee : two special committees to fasten The first committee will be chaired by The second committee will be headed by the CAPF works the Home Secretary and will deal with Secretary (Border Management) and will solve only issues that need to be decided between the procurement matters the Home Ministry and CAPFs.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 18 . A PPOINTMENTS

S.No Name Appointed as 1 Shikha Sharma Appointed as advisor to Goggle Pay Viewpoint: Shikha Sharma - She is the former Axis Bank CEO and now has been appointed as advisor to Goggle Pay India which is one of the leading UPI Payments adoption in India. 2 TS Tirumurti Appointed as the Next Ambassador or Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations by the Government of India. He succeeds Sayeed Akbaruddin 3 Neeraj Vyas Appointed as the interim Managing Director and CEO of PNB Housing Finance for a tenure of 8 months. He s ucceded Sanjaya Gupta 4 Rajiv Kumar Appointed as the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) for a tenure of 3 years. He succeded Kapil Dev Tripathi, who has now been appointed as Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind 5 J Arunkumar Appointed as the head coach of USA men's national cricket team . 6 Deepak Mittal Appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Qatar.

7 Piyush Srivastava Appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Bahrain. 8 Sanjay Kothari Appointed as the new Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) of India. 9 N Kamakodi Reappointed as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the City Union Bank. 10 Ajay Mahajan Appointed as the new MD and CEO of CARE Ratings. • HQ of Care Ratings: Mumbai. 11 Vineet Arora Appointed as the new MD and CEO of Paytm General Insurance Ltd. 1 2. Birupaksha Mishra Appointed as Executive Director of Union Bank of India 1 3. Mahabaleshwara M S Reappointed as MD and CEO of Karnataka Bank for three years by Reserve Bank of India. 14. Anamika Roy Rashtrawar Appointed as the new MD and CEO of IFFCO Tokio General Insurance. 15. Parag Raja Appointed as MD and CEO of Bharti AXA Life Insurance. He has replaced Vikas Seth. • Bharati AXA Life Insurance HQ: Mumbai 16. UB Pravin Rao Appointed as new Chairman of NASSCOM (National Association of Software and services Companies). He succeded Keshav Murugesh • HQ of NASSCOM: New Delhi 17. Indian origin Lisa Nandy Appointed as UK shadow foreign Minister. 18. Justice Rajnesh Oswal: F irst judge of common Jammu and Kashmir H igh Court and Ladakh High Court who took oath under indian constitution. 19. Dilip Kumar Patel Appointed as Director Human Resource by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). 20. BP Kanungo He is the deputy RBI Governor and now has been given a one - year extension

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest

21. Sameer Aggarwal Appointed as CEO of Best Price, Walmart India 22. Ravinder Singh Dhillon Appointed as CMD of Power Finance Corporation 23. Prashant Kumar Appointed as MD & CEO of YES Bank 24. Sunil Mehta Appointed as Non - Executive Chairman of YES Bank 25. Debasish Panda Central Government nominates as Director central board of RBI 19 . B OOKS AND A UTHORS

Book title Author “Shuttling to the top: The story of PV Sindhu” V.Krishna swamy “How the Onion Got Its Layers” Sudha Murty ‘The art of her Deal: The untold story of Melania Trump’. Mary Jordan (Pulitzer Prize Winner) “The death of Jesus” Nobel Laureate J M Coetzee “Legacy Of Learning” Savita Chhabra “Missing in Action: The Prisoners Who Never Came Chander Suta Dogra Back” ‘Messiah Modi: A Tale of Great expectations’ Tavleen Singh , senior journalist & author

“ An Extraordinary Life: A biography of Manohar Parrikar” Sadguru Patil and Mayabhushan Nagvenkar.

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 20 . D AYS A ND T HEMES

Date Day Description& Theme of 2020 April 28th World day for Safety and Health at Theme of 2020 : Safety and Health at work can save lives Work April 26 th World Intellectual Property Day Theme of 2020: ‘Innovate for a green future’ April 25th World Veterinary Day ( last Saturday of Theme of 2020: ‘Environmental protection for improving April of every year. ) animal and human health.’ April 25th World Malaria Day Theme of 2020: ‘Zero malaria starts with me’ April 24th WHO’s World Immunization Week Theme of 2020: #VaccinesWork for All. to 30th April 23rd World Book and Copyright Day Theme of 2020: KL Baca - Caring through reading April 23rd International Mother Earth Day Theme of 2020: Climate Action April 18th World Heritage Day Theme of 2020: ‘Shared Culture, Shared Heritage and Shared Responsibility’ April 17th World Hemophilia Day Theme of 2020: ‘Get + Involved’ April 10th World Homoeopathy Day Theme of 2020: ‘Linking Research with education and clinical practice: Advancing scientific collaborations’. April 7th World Health Day Theme of 2020: Support Nurses and Midwives April 2nd World Autism Awareness Day Theme of 2020: “The Transition to Adulthood” March 25th The International Day of Theme of 2020: “Confronting Slavery’s Legacy of Racism Remembrance of the Victims of Together” Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade March 24th World Tuberculosis Day Theme of 2020 : ‘It’s time’. March 23rd World Meteorological Day Theme of 2020: “Climate and Water”. March 22nd World Water Day Theme of 2020: “Water and Climate Change”. March 21st International Day of Forests Theme of 2020 : “Forests and Biodiversity”. March 21st World Down s Syndrome Day Theme of 2020: ‘We Decide’ March 2 0th World Sparrow Day Theme of 2020: I LOVE Sparrows. March 20th International Day of Happiness Theme of 2020: “Happiness For All Together” March 16 th National Vaccination Day - March 15th World Consumer Day Theme of 2020: The Sustainable Consumer. March 13th World Sleep Day Theme of 2020: “Better Sleep, Better Life, Better Planet” March 12th World Kidney Day Theme of 2020: Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere - from Prevention to Detection and Equitable access to care

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 21 . PRACTICE BITS ( CURRENT AFFAIRS )

1. Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate 8. The Union labour ministry has declared which Change, Prakash Javadekar participated in the 1st among the following as public utility service (PUS) virtual which is the 11th session of Petersberg for six months till October 21, 2020 under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Climate Dialogue 2020. Name the country which (a) Agriculture (b) Ba nking industry has host ed this dialogue since 2010 (Co - chair - UK). (c) Telcom service (d) Transport service (a) Icel and (b) Spain 9. What is the a mount for which RBI has opened a (c) Germany (d) Netherlands Special Liquidity Facility for Mutual Funds from 2. The GoI has established International Financial Apr 27 - May 11, 2020? Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to regulate all (a) 20,000cr (b) 25,000cr financial services in International Financial Services (c) 50,000cr (d) 10,000cr Centres (IFSCs) in the country. Where will HQ of 10. Name the in dustry which has become the top IFSCA be locate at? exporting sector for the 1st time during the April - Janua ry period of FY 2019 - 2020with the (a) Mumbai (b) Pune contribution of 14.35% of total exports. (c) Gandhinagar (d) Gurugram (a) Food Processing Industry 3. What will be India’s growth forecast for the (b) Textile Industry calendar year 2020 as per a report titled “Global (c) Steel Industry Macro Outlook 2020 - 21 (April 2020 update)” (d) Ch emical & Petrochemical industry released by Moody? 11. Name the private sector bank which has acquired (a) 0.9% (b) 0.2% 6.43% stake in Reliance Ca pital for Rs. 252 Crores. (c) 1.6% (d ) 1.2% (a) ICICI Bank (b) HDFC Bank ( c) IndusInd Bank (d) Axis Bank 4. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has attended 12. Multilateral air combat military exercise Pitch the BRICS foreign minister s summit recently. Who Black 2020 was cancelled. The Pit ch Black is is the current chair of BRICS? conducted by Royal Air F orce of which country? (a) Brazil (b) Russia (a) Algeria (b) Singapor e (c) Indian (d) China (c) India (d) Australia 5. With which app MyGov has partnered to support the 13. Name the Indian institute which has developed a Central Government eff orts against the spread of dashboard named PRACRITI to predict the spread Covid - 19 pandemic. of Covid - 19 in India. (a) IIT Delhi (b) IIT Kanpur (a) VMate (b) HeloApp (c) IIT Bombay (d) IIT Roorkee (c) iMovie (d) TikTok 14. Jhuma Katun who was banned for 4yrs recently, 6. Name the country which will host 2021 men’s world belongs to which sports? boxing championship (Because of termination of (a) Gymnas tics (b) Boxing agreement, India lost hosting rights). (c) Wrestling (d) Athletics - Running (a) Russia (b) Hungary 15. The world intellectual propert y day is observed (c) Georgia (d) Serbia every year on April 26. What is the theme of the day 7. As per the latest World Health Organisation’s for the year 2020? (WHO) map, Aksai Chin is a region in China. Aksai (a) “Powering change: Women in innovation and c reativity” Chin is part of which Indian UT/State? (b) “Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined” (a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Ladakh (c) “Innovate for a Green Future” (c) M anipur (d) Sikkim (d) “Innovation — Improving Lives”

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 16. Usha Ganguly who passed away recently is 25. Noel Quinn has been appointed as the CEO of which ______. multinational bank? (a) Law Maker (b) Painter (a) HSBC Bank (b) BNP Paribas (c) Photographer (d) Theatre Actor (c) Deutsche Bank 17. What are the sections that are suspended by the (d) Standard Chartered Bank government in IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy 26. What is the reduced limit in central government Code), 2016 for 1year to avoid insolvency securities (G - secs) through Foreign Portfolio proceedings? Investment for FY21 as per RBI (existing limit 2.46 (a) Section 7, 8, 9 (b) Section 7, 9, 10 lakh crore)? (c) Section 6, 10, 11 (d ) Section 1, 2, 5 (a) 2.34 lakh crore (b) 2.22 lakh crore 18. Union Health minister Harsh Vardhan has (c) 2.18 lakh crore (d) 2.45 lakh crore participated in virtual interactive sessions with the 27. The 44th session of UNESCO’s (HQ – Paris, health minister of World Health Organisation France) World Heritage committee 2020 which was (WHO) countries. What is the number of member scheduled at Fuzhou is postponed. Fuzhou is a city countries in WHO? in which country? (a) 196 (b) 186 (a) South Korea (b) Japan (c) 194 (d) 189 (c) China (d) North Korea 19. The Union Cabin et has approved “The Epidemic 28. Name the 1st In surance company in India which has Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020”to protect healthcare service personnel against violence during announced additional benefits for its policyholders epidemics. In case of injuries the sentence was upto & agents to support them during the COVID - 19 ____ years. pandemic. (a) 2 (b) 5 (c) 7 (d) 8 (a) Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance Company 20. Which Indian public sector bank ha s launched a (b) DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance Company Working Capital demand Loan for the agriculture (c) Tata AIA life insurance sector (WCDL - Agri)? ( d) Baj aj Allianz Life Insurance (a) Punjab National Bank 29. What is the percentage decline in exports (b) Indian Overseas Bank (amounting to $314.31 billion) in the financial y ear (c) State Bank of India 2019 - 20 in India, as per data of the Commerce and (d) Union Bank of India Industry ministry? 21. Which Indian IT company has partnered with IBM (a) 4.78% (b) 21.45% to set up innovation centres? (c) 19.78% (d) 10.85% (a) Tata Consultancy Services 30. Name the app which is fastest in the world to reach (b) HCL Technologies 5 crore downloads in just 13 days. (c) Tech Mahindra (d) L&T Infotech (a) Geo - fencing (b) AarogyaSetu 22. Find the Indian badminton player who has been (c) Zoom (d) Twitter named as one of the ambassadors of Badminton 31. J Packirisamy the MD of Andhra Bank has been World Federation’s (BWF) ‘I am badminton’ appointed as OSD (Officer on Special Duty) in campaign. Union Bank of India. Mrutyunjay Mah apatra CEO (a) Lakshya Sen (b) PV Si ndhu of Syndicate Bank has been appointed as OSD to (c) Sr ikanth Kidambi (d) Saina Nehwal which bank? 23. What is India’s rank in terms of production of (a) Canara Bank electricity in the world as per International Energy (b) Punjab National Bank Agency (IEA) data in 2019? (c) Indian Bank (a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 3 (d) 2 (d) UCO Bank 24. Which payment bank of India has collaborated with 32. What will be the penalty (in basis points) on banks if Mastercard to issue virtual and physical debit cards? (a) Airtel Payments Bank they fail to invest TLTRO funds in 30 working days (b) Jio Payments Bank as announc ed by RBI? (c) India Post Payments Bank (a) 200bps (b) 150bps (d) Paytm Payments Bank (c) 100 bps (d) 50bps

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 33. What is the interest rate in RBI’s new series of the 43. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has relaxed norms Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) Scheme namely to increase the number of days that a State/UT can “Sovereign Gold Bond 2020 - 21” for 1st half of continue to overdraft to how many days (from 14 FY21? days)? (a) 1.50% (b) 1% (a) 33 days (b) 21 days (c) 2% (d) 2.50% (c) 18 days (d) 24 days 34. What is the r etail inflation rate for the month of 44. Name the Payments Bank which has joined with March 2020 in India as per data of National Bhar ti AXA General Insurance and launched Statistical Office (NSO)? “Bharti AXA Group Health Assure Policy” & (a) 7.46% (b) 8.79% “Group Hospital Cash” insurance plans. (c) 5. 91% (d) 6.58% (a) Jio Payments Bank 35. What is the Bank Rate growth of India for the FY20 (b) India Post Payments B ank as per RBI data? (c) Airtel Payments Bank (a) 4.49% (b) 3.35% (d) Paytm Payments Bank (c) 6.14% (d) 8.97% 45. With Which company Punjab National Bank 36. Central Bank of which country has bought 1.01% Housing Finance (PNBHF) signed an agreement to stake in HDFC Bank? raise USD 75 million fund? (a) Switzerland – Swiss National Bank (a) Shanghai Cooperation Agency (b) UK - Bank of England (b)United States Agency for International (c) USA – Federal Reserve Development (d) China – People’s Bank of China (c) Japan International Cooperation Agency

37. What is the unemployment rate in India during (d) Au stralian Agency for Development March 30 – April 5, 2020 as per Centre for 46. What is the amount released by Home minister Amit Monitoring of Indian Economy (CMIE) data? shah to all states under State Disaster Risk (a) 17.8% (b) 18.6% Management Fund (SDRMF) for 2020 - 21? (c) 21.9% (d) 23.4% (a) 8,963 crores (b) 11,092 crores 38. What is the fiscal deficit (in terms of % of GDP) of (c) 1 0,230 crores (d) 15,851 crores India in February 2020 as per Government of India 47. Under which health insurance product IRDAI has (GoI)? made coverage of hospitalization treatment costs of (a) 6.17% (b) 2.17% COVID - 19 mandatory? (c) 3 .80% (d) 5.07% (a) Arogya Sanjeevani (b) General Health 39. What is the approved amount under ‘India COVID - (c) United Health (d) Universal Health 19 Emergency Response and Health System 48. Gita Ramjee who passed a way in April 2020 is Preparedness Package’ by the Government of India? (a) 5,000 crores (b) 10,000 crores ______. (c) 2 5.000 crores (d) 15,000 crores (a) Graphic Designer (b) Environmentalist 40. The central government has la unched initiative (c) Physician (d) Virologist named “AarogyaSetu Interactive Voice Response 49. Under which section of IT Act, 1961 the Donations System (IVRS)” in collaboration with IIT Madras for PM - CARES fund granted with 100% and which Indian state? exemption? (a) Bengaluru (b) Telangana (a) Section 80A (b) Section 80G (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Kerala (c) Section 80F (d) Sec tion 80C 41. How many people working in the informal sector in 50. Name the person who heads the advisory committee India have a risk of falling into poverty as per which recommends increasing the Ways and Means International Labour Organization (ILO) report? Advances (WMA) limit by 30% from the current (a) 150 million (b) 100 million limit for all states & UTs for the 1st half of FY21? ( c) 400 million (d) 250 million (a) Sudhir Shrivastava (b) TN Manoharan 42. What is the percentage cut in salaries of all MPs, (c) Surjit S Bhalla (d) U K Sinha President, Vice president and Governors for FY 51. Which Indian institute has developed the prototype 2020 - 21 as approved by Cabinet (effect from April for indigenous ventilator under project 1, 2020)? Praana? (a) 25% (b) 15% (a) IIT Kanpur (b) IIT Delhi (c) 10% (d) 30% (c) IISc Bengaluru (d) AIIMS Delhi

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 52. Which Private sector bank of India has launched 62. Name the person who has been appointed as the Banking service in WhatsApp (March 2020)? chairman of National Association of Software and (a) HDFC Bank (b) Axis Bank Services Companies (NASSCOM). (c) ICICI Bank (d) IndusInd Bank (a) Debjani Ghosh (b) UB Pravin Rao 53. Name the person who headed the team which (c) Rek ha M Menon (d) Keshav Murugesh developed corona virus testing kit called ‘Mylab 63. Name the Country which will Host FIFA U17 PathoDetect COVID - 19 Qualitative PCR kit’. women’s World cup in 2020 (postponed). (a) Minal Dakhave Bhosale (a) Germany (b) India (b) Kiran Mazumdar - Shaw (c) Japan (d) C hina (c) Rosemary Joyce 64. Which Indian ministry has designated DigiLocker as (d) Priyamvada Natarajan the sole National Academic Depository (NAD). 54. What is the amount that was offered by World Bank (a) Ministry of Commerce and Industry to India for the proposed COVID - 19 emergency (b) Ministry of Information and Broadcasting response & health systems preparedness project? (c) Ministry of Communications and Information (a) USD 10 million (b) USD 50 million Technology (c) USD 1 Billio n (d) USD 150 million (d) Ministry o f Human Resource and Development 55. Philip Warren Anderson who passed away in April 65. Name the initiative which was launched by Human 2020 is the Nobel laureate in which field? Resource and Development Ministry along (a) Literature (b) Physics with AICTE for students to fight covid - 19. (c) Economics (d) Chemistry (a) Shagun (b) Samrath 56. Name the country which will host the 3rd edition of (c) Samridhhi (d) Samadhan Asian youth games in 2021. 66. Which Organisation/Institute along with Wipro 3D (a) Ja pan (b) India to create full face shield for healthcare personnel (c) Thailand (d) China treating coronavirus patients? 57. When was International Transgender Day of (a) ISRO (b) DRDO Visibility was observed annually? (c ) IIT - Hyderabad (d) IIT - Kanpur (a) March 8 (b) March 31 67. Name the University which has launched world’s 1st (c) February 23 (d) January 18 COVID - 19 Government Response tracker. 58. Name the Indian state which topped all - India level (a) Columbia Univers ity for micro - irrigation (MI), under Pradhan Mantri (b) University of Cambridge Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for FY20 (c) University of Oxford (2019 - 20). (d) Stanford University (a) Punjab (b) Maharashtra 68. How many people working in informal sector in (c) Karnataka (d) Tamil Nadu India have risk of falling into poverty as per 59. Name the person who has been conferred with Hero International Labour Organization (ILO) report? to Animal award given by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) (a) 150 million (b) 100 million (a) Ashok Gehlot (b) Naveen Patnaik ( c) 400 million (d) 250 million (c) Amarinder Singh 69. Name the 1st English player since 2005 to be named (d) Sarbananda Sonowal as Wisden’s leading male cricketer of the world 60. By which year NASA has planned to set up 2020. ‘Artemis’ the first human base camp in South pole (a) Jofra Archer (b) Jonny Bairstow of moon? (c) Eoin Morgan (d) Ben stokes (a) 2024 (b) 2025 70. Which Department has launched 1st of its kind (c) 2023 (d) 2021 iGOT portal in DIKSHA platform of Ministry of 61. What is the amount that was granted as loan by Human Resource and Development? Asian Development Bank (ADB) to Aavas (a) Department of Social Justice and Empowerment financiers to improve women’s access to housing in (b) Department of Personnel and Training India? (c) Department of School Education and Literacy (a) $100 million (b) $80 million (d) Department for Promotion of Industry and ( c) $20 million (d) $60 million Internal Trade

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 71. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) 80. Jim Corbett National park has become India’s 1st has approved to use diagnostic machine of which Quarantine centre for animals . Where does Jim Disease to coronavirus (on April 10, 2020)? Corbett National park located? (a) Malaria (b) Tuberculosis (a) Uttarakhand (b) Odisha (c) Dengue (d) Swine Flu (c ) Madhya Pradesh (d) Rajasthan 72. Name the Indian former RBI governor who has been 81. Name the company which has launched an initiative part of IMF’s 12 - member External Advisory Group. named ‘Pragati’ to drive women entrepreneurship (a) Bimal Jalan and to spread awareness and adoption of technolo gy (b) Y Venugopal Reddy among women in India. (c) C Rangarajan (a) Whatsapp (b) Microsoft (d) Raghuram Rajan (c) Google (d) Facebook 73. With which smartphone company Google ties up to 82. The theme for International Day of Mathematics create coronavirus contact tracing technology using (IDM) 2020 is ‘Mathematics is Everywhere’. When Bluetooth signals? was IDM celebrated annually (1st instance started in (a) Xiaomi (b) Samsung 2020)? (c) Apple (d) Lenovo (a) June 28 (b) Marc h 14 74. Name the 1st Indian state which gets ICMR (c) March 30 (d) June 18 approval to conduct clinical - trial of plasma therapy 83. What is the current reverse repo rate of India as treatment (for SCTIMST) for COVID - 19. announced by RBI (April 17, 2020)? (a) Maharashtra (b) Karnataka (a) 3.5% (b) 3% (c) Telangana (d) Kerala (c) 3.25% (d) 3.75% 75. What is the annual glo bal share of production of 84. Name the company which has launched a new Hydroxychloroquine by India as per Indian virtual Braille keyboard named ‘TalkBack’. Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA)? (a) Apple (b) Google (a) 60% (b) 65% (c) Facebook (d) Microsoft (c) 70% (d) 40% 85. Name the perso n who heads the high - level task 76. Name the 1st state in India which integrates force formed by the central government for vaccine Ayurveda and Allopathy to boost immunity of and drug testing for covid - 19. covid - 19 patients. (a) Vinod Paul (a) Goa (b) Kerala (b) Krishnaswamy VijayRaghavan (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Gujarat (c) Rajiv Garg 77. As per study of which world organisation, only 1/4th (d) Both (a) and (b) of Indians pay for news, but 2/3 rd willing to pay? 86. Name the company which has become the 1st (a) Organisation for Economic Cooperation and member of India’s gas trading platform named Development “Indian Gas Exchange (IGX)”. (b) World Trade Organisation (a) Manikaran Power Ltd (c) World Bank (b) Indane Power Limited (d) World E conomic Forum (c) Reliance Power Limited 78. What is the Theme for International Children’s (d) HP Power Limited Book Day 2020 which was celebrated on April 2 87. Name the private bank in India which has launched (annually)? v oice assistance - based banking services on its (a) Theme: “The small is big in a book” integrated AI chatbot ‘iPal’ with Amazon Alexa and (b) Theme: “A Hunger for words” Google Assistant. (c) Theme: “Let Us Grow With the Book” (a) ICICI Bank (b) HDFC Bank (d) Theme: “Once Upon a time” (c) Axis Bank (d) Yes Bank 79. Under which Article of Indian constitution the 88. Name the person who authored the book titled “How Consolidated fund of India is constituted? the Onion Got Its Layers”. (a) Article 264 (a) (b) Article 265 (a) (a) Su dha Murty (b) Anita Desai (c) Artic le 266 (a) (d) Article 267 (a) (c) Kamila Shamsie (d) Kiran Desai

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 89. RBI has cancelled the license to conduct banking 98. “Noor” is the 1st military satellite of which country? business of which urban cooperative bank (based on (a) Turkey (b) ) Iran Goa). (c) Israel (d) Iraq (a) The Akola Janata Commercial Co - operative 99. Name the 1st Arab nation which is going to legalise Bank cannabis (marijuana) f arming. (b) Mapusa Urban Co - operative Bank (a) Lebanon (b) Yemen (c) TJSB Sahakari Bank (c) Saudi Arabia (d) Oman (d) SBPP Co - operative Bank 100. Name the organisation in its report titled “COVID 90. Noel Quinn has been appointed as the CEO of which 19 Crisis: Through a Migration Lens” projected 23% multinational bank? decline in Migrants Remittances to India in 2020 (a) HSBC Bank (b) BNP Paribas due to COVID - 19. (c) Deutsche Bank (a) International Monetary Fund (d) Standard Chartered Bank 91. With which Public Sector Bank, the government (b) World Bank telecom operator BSNL has partnered to launch (c) World Trade Organisation Bharat InstaPay, UPI - based payment platform. (d) Organisation for Econo mic Cooperation and (a) UCO Bank Development (b) Punjab National Bank 101. Mirabai Chanu and Jeremy Larinnunga who are in (c) State Bank of India news recently belong to which sport ? (d) Allahabad Bank (a) Wrestling (b) Boxing 92. The central government (MoSPI) appointed (c) Shooting (d) Weightlifting committee suggested a complete restructure of how 102. What is the coal production target of the country for s tates collect and compile data for state - level gross the Financial Year 2020 - 21 as per Union Coal and domestic product (GDP) and other estimates. Name Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi? the person who heads the committee. (a) 710 MT (b) 1000 MT (a) V K Paul (b) Tapan Roy (c) 920 MT (d) 65 5 MT (c) Rav indra H Dholakia (d) Amit Khare 103. To which Indian state world bank approved Rs. 585 93. Norway topped “The World Press Freedom Index Crore for upgradation of roads and modernization of 2020’ compiled by Paris - based Reporters Sans public works department (PWD)? Frontieres (RSF) among 180 countries, what is the (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Madhya Pradesh rank of India in the index? (c) Andhr a Pradesh (d) Himachal Pradesh (a) 142 (b) 110 (c) 135 (d) 120 104. What is the name of the high - pressure ventilator 94. Name the tech giant company which has acquired which was developed by US space agency NASA to 9.99% stake in Reliance Jio for Rs. 43,574 crores fight covid - 19? (lar gest FDI in telecom sector). (a) VIRAL (b) I NFECT (a) Facebook (b) Twitter (c) FIGHT (d) VITAL (c) Microsoft (d) Google 105. April 24 - 30 has been observed as World 95. The tropical butterfly conservatory has been Immunization week. What is the theme for the year developed in which Indian state to create awareness 2020? about butterfly and its importance in ecology? (a) Vaccines to save you (a) Karnataka (b) Telangana (b) Vaccines Work for All (c) Kerala (d) Tamil Nadu (c) Close the immunization gap 96. The theme for the 50th edition of Earth day is (d) Vaccines Work “Climate Action”. When was the Earth day 106. Name the first non - bank company w hich gets RBI celebrated annually? nod to enter into co - branding arrangements for (a) March 23 (b) March 28 prepaid Instruments. (c) April 22 (d) June 12 (a) Transcorp International Limited 97. Where is the HQ of International Court of Justice (b) Indian Oil Corporation (ICJ) located? (c) Simpleclick International Limited (a) Hague, Netherlands (b) New Delhi, India (c) R ome, Italy (d) Vienna, Austria (d) Yatra International Limited

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 107. Name the person who has been appointed as the 118. Muhy iddin bin Haji Muhammad Yassin has been Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). appointed as the Prime Minister of which of the (a) Sudhir Bhargava (b) Bimal Julka following country (March 2020)? (c) San jay Kothari (d) Amita Pandove (a) Bangladesh (b) Malaysia 108. What is the rank of India in military spending (c) Sri Lanka (d) Singapore among the world with USD 71.1 Billion, as per 119. Who won the 27th edition of Mexican Open report of Stockholm International Peace Re search (Abierto Mexicano Telcel) held betwee n February Institute (SIPRI)? 24 - 29, 2020 in Men’s singles Category? (a) 3 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 4 (a) Dominic Thiem (Austria) 109. What is the grant that was approved to give to India (b) Novak Djokovic (Serbia) as Loan by Asian Development Bank (ADB) to (c) Roger Federer (Switzerland) combat Covid - 19? (d) Rafael Nadal (Spain) (a) $2 Billion (b) $1 Billion 120. Name the Indian City which is going to host the (c) $1.5 Billion (d) $2.5 Billion 108th Indian Science Congress in 2021 (January 110. Name the IIT which has designed ‘Warbot’ which 3 - 7, 202(a) based on the theme ‘Science and can deliver medicines and food to COVID - 19 Technology for Sustainable Development with patients. Women Empowerment’. (a) IIT Delhi (b) IIT Bombay (a) Hyderabad (b) Cochin (c) IIT Ropar (d) IIT Mandi (c) Pune (d) Ahmedabad 111. Cricketer Umar Akmal who was banned from 121. The person, who has been honored with Dr. Syama International cricket for 3 years for match fixing Prasad Mukherjee Award for Politics in S warajya Awards 2020. belongs to which country? (a) Sarbananda Sonowal (b) Biplab Kumar Deb ( a) Australia (b) South Africa (c) Pr amod Sawant (d) Bhupesh Baghel (c) Afghanistan (d) Pakistan 122. Name the Indian University which topped the medal 112. Suresh N Patel has been appointed as the vigilance tally of 1st Khelo university games held at commissioner in Central Vigilance Commission Bhubaneswar, Odisha (February 22 – March 1, (CVC). He is the former chief of which Bank? 2020). (a) Andhra Bank (b) Allahabad Bank (a) Savi tribai Phule Pune University (c) Canara Bank ( d) Syndicate Bank (b) Anna University 113. Indian women’s team has qualified for the ODI (c) Panjab University women’s world cup 2021. Name the country which (d) Kalinga Institute of I ndustrial Technology is going to host the tournament. University (a) New Zealand (b) South Africa 123. The Central g overnment notified National Chambal (c) Australia (d) England sanctuary as Eco - sensitive zone recently (March 114. Rohtang Pass is located in which Indian state/UT? 2020). The National Chambal sa nctuary is located in (a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Sikkim which Indian state? (c) Nagaland (d) Himachal Pradesh (a) Tamil Nadu (b) Madhya Pradesh 115. Galos are the tribal in which Indian state? (c) Gujarat (d) Odisha (a) Himachal Pradesh (b) Sikkim 124. Which Indian digital payment platform’s subsidiary ( c) Arunachal Pradesh (d) Ladakh has received the Brokerage License from Insurance 116. What is the approved amount under ‘India COVID - Regulatory and Authority of India (IRDAI)? 19 Emergency Response and Health System (a) Phone P e (b) PayU Preparedness Package’ by the Government of India? (c) Paytm (d) BitPay (a) 5,000 crores (b) 10,000 crores 125. Name the Private Sector Bank which ties - up with (c) 2 5.000 crores (d) 15,000 crores online food ordering and delivery app Zomato to 117. What is the revised PPF interest rate for 1st quarter launch co - branded credit card powered by of FY21 (lowest since 1977)? MasterCard? (a) 8% (b) 7.1% (a) RBL Bank (b) ICICI Bank (c) 6.4% (d) 5.2% (c) HDFC Bank (d) CUB Bank

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 126. Jack Welch who passed away recently (March 2020) 135. As per MicroSave Consulting’s (MSC) report titled is the former Chairman and CEO of which ‘The real story of women’s financial inclusion in Multinational Company? India’, women’s ownership of bank accounts under (a) Philips (b) Siemens Pradhan Man tri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is (c) General Electric (d) 3M increased from 43% in 2014 to ______% in 2017. 127. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and (a) 67 (b) 72 (c) 68 (d) 77 Climate Change (MoEFCC) has sanctioned Rs 33 136. Under which section of Banking Regulation Act, Crore financi al assistant to Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, 1949, the Ministry of Finance has imposed under Project Tiger scheme. The Kaziranga National moratorium on Yes Bank (March 5, 2020 till April Park is located in which Indian state? 3, 2020). (a) Maharashtra (b) Assam (a) Section 47 (b) Section 45 (c) Uttarakhand (d) Madhya Pradesh (c) Section 49 (d) Section 36 128. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural 137. Denys Shymgal succeeds Oleksiy Honcharuk to Development (NABARD) h as granted Rs. ______become the Prime Minister o f which of the in the Rural Banking system during the fiscal year following countries ? 2020. (a) Ukraine (b) Georgia (a) 2.32 Lakh crore (b) 1.21 Lakh crore (c) Kazakhstan (d) Armenia (c) 1.46 Lakh crore (d) 1.12 Lakh crore 138. Amrit Kaur has been honored as ‘Women of the 129. Name the food delivery business company which year’ for 1947 in ‘100 women of the year’ project by was acquired by Zomato for $206 million. TIME magazine. Name the person who has been (a) Ub erEats (b) Holachef honored as ‘Women of the year’ for 1976. (c) Foodpanda (d) Cookaroo (a) Pratibha Patil (b) Kalpana Chawla 130. The Union Cabinet approves the amalgamation of (c) Indir a Gandhi (d) Sucheta Kripalani 10 Public Sector Banks into _____ Public Sector 139. Name the Indian Institut e which developed Artificial Banks in effect from April 1, 2020. Intelligence (AI) powered drone to counter ‘Rogue (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 5 (d) 3 Drones’ (Unregulated UAV). 131. Name the Indian state which announced Gairsain (a) IIT - Kharagpur (b) IIT - Madras tow n as summer capital. (c) IIT - Kanpur (d) IIT - Delhi (a) Manipur (b) Uttarakhand 140. Name the Life Insurance company, which is going (c) Arunach al Pradesh (d) Himachal Pradesh to provide football coaching to the un der - privileged 132. Janez Jansa has been appointed as the Prime girls under ‘Bachhpan Ka Rakshakaran’ programme Minister of Slovenia. What is the Capital & in association with ‘Oscar Foundation’. Currency of Slovenia? (a) TATA AIA Life Insurance (a) Zagreb & US Dollar (b) Ljubljana & Euro (b) ICICI Prudential Life Insurance (c) Bud apest & Pound (d) Zagreb & Euro (c) Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance 133. The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has constituted (d) SBI Life Insurance a committee to examine and recommend 141. As per United Nations Global Com pact (UNGC) Community Forest Resources (CFR) Guidelines India stu dy, India’s female labour - force under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA). Who participation declined from 34% in 2006 to heads the Committee? ______% in 2020. (a) TN Manoharan (b) Ta pan Ray (a) 30.6 (b) 24.8 (c) Surjit S Bhalla (c) 32.4 (d) 28.2 (d) Naresh Chandra Saxena 142. Name the person who has become the first player in 134. Javier Perez de Cuellar who passed away recently the world to play 500 T20 matches. (March 2020) is the former Secretary General of (a) Virat Kohli (b) Dwayne Bravo which world Organisation? (c) Chris Gayle (d) Kieron Pollard (a) World Trade Organization (WTO) 143. Indian Coastal Guard 's 9th edition of rescue (b) World Health Organization (WHO) exercise “SAREX - 2019”, conducted at which Indian (c) Unit ed Nations Organization (UNO) state? (d) Organization for Economic Co - o peration and (a) Karnataka (b) Kerala Development (OECD) (c) Goa (d) Tamil Nadu

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 144. Name the Indian state which is 1st in the country to 152. Name the person, who has won the BBC’s poll for own a separate department for Self Help Groups ‘Greatest Leader of All Time’ (March 2020). (SHGs) named ‘Department of Mission Shakti’. (a) Maharaja Ranjit Singh (b) Winston Churchill (a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Telangana (c) Karl Marx (d) Abraham Lincoln (c) Punjab (d) Odisha 153. Name the person who has Authored the Book ‘Lady, 145. Name the person who has been honoured with ‘The You’re the Boss’. World Games Athlete of the year 2019’ award in (a) Kiran Desai (b) Anita Nair Hockey India’s 3rd annual awards 2019. (c) Apu rva Purohit (d) Tahira Kashyap (a) Harmanpreet Singh (b) Rani rampal 154. In which Indian City, the India post launched India’s 1st digital parcel locker service. (c) Manpreet Singh (d) Vivek Sagar Prasad (a) Chennai (b) New Delhi 146. As per the paper “Rethinking Gender Representation (c) Kolkata (d) Ranchi across Value Chains” released during the 3rd 155. Name the world’s 1st Digital solutions exchange Gender Equality Summit 2020, If Women’s labour cloud which was launched in India. force is same as Men’s labour force then it can boost (a) GODIGITAL (b) DIGCLOUD India’s GDP by ______. (c) GOKADDAL (d) CLOUDGO (a) 12% (b) 42% 156. Name the person who has been appointed as 1st ever (c) 27% (d) 19% ambassador of IDFC First bank. 147. The Government of India (GoI) sets up a 12 - member (a) Akshay Kumar (b) Amitabh Bachchan panel to prepare an investigation manual for the ( c) Irrfan Khan (d) Salman Khan Serious Fraud Investigation Office (S FIO). Name 157. As per RBI’s report titled ‘Developments in India’s the person who heads the panel. Balance of Payments during the third quarter (a) AK Gupta (b) Rajiv Gauba (October - December) of 2019 - 20’, the Current (c) Injeti Srinivas (d) G. Sateesh Reddy Account Deficit (CAD) fell to ____ of GDP for Oct - Dec 2019 quarter. 148. Name the person who has been appointed as the (a) $ 1.8 Billion (b) $ 1.4 Billion head of Delimitation Commission for the (c) $ 2.0 Billion (d) $ 0.8 Billion delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary 158. Which of the following, is the portal of MSME constituenci es of J&K (UT) & Assam, Nagaland, minist ry which spreads awareness about the Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur (NE states). Government schemes. (a) Kuldeep Singh (a) OECMS (b) SPICe+ (b) Ranjana Prakash Desai (c) NIPUN (d) Udyam Shaki (c) Arvind Saxena 159. The Cabinet has approved the “Yes Bank Ltd. (d) Kuldip Singh Reconstruction Sch eme, 2020” proposed by RBI for 149. Name the Indian state which topped in the list for Yes Bank. Which among the following banks will domestic solar rooftop installations throughout the lead the proposed bank? country (as on March 2, 2020). (a) ICICI Bank (b) State Bank of India (a) Punjab (b) Maharashtra (c) HDFC Bank (d) Axis Bank (c) Gujarat (d) Tamil Nadu 160. Name the person who has been appointed as the 150. Name the world organization which released the 1st MD&CEO of Yes Bank (March 2020). (a) Prashant Kumar (b) Sunil Mehta edition of ‘Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) (c) Mah esh Krishnamurty (d) Atul Bheda 2020’. 161. WINGS INDIA 2020 an international exhibition and (a) World Bank conference based on the theme “Flying for all’, held (b) International Labour Organization at which Indian city? (c ) UNIDO (d) UNDP (a) Bengaluru (b) New Delhi 151. Name the Technological company, which unveils (c) Pune (d) Hyderabad ‘DigiPivot’ an 18 - week long skill development 162. The RBI has revised the exposure limit for Urban Programme for women. Cooperative Banks (UCBs) of Tier - I capital to a (a) Facebook India (b) Google India group of borrowers from 40% to _____%. (c) T witter India (d) Youtube India (a) 15 (b) 25 (c) 35 (d) 30

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 163. As per Commerce Ministry data, the Gold imports 172. Find the messaging app which launched down by _____% during April – February of Coronavirus information hub in partnership with financial year 2019 - 20. WHO - UNICEF - UNDP and donated $1million to (a) 6.74 (b) 7.84 International Fast - Checking Network (IFCN) to (c) 5.72 (d) 8.86 avoid fake information about the disease. 164. PM Modi has proposed the creation of COVID - 19 (a) Snapchat (b) Telegram Emergency fund in SAARC region during video (c) Whatsapp (d) Skype conference meet of SAARC representatives. Also 173. To which Indian company, RBI has extended the India has offered _____ (USD) for the fund. validity of authorisation for setting up, own and operate WLA (White Label ATMs) till March 31, (a) 100 million (b) 5 million 2021? (c) 10 million (d) 50 million (a) BTI Payments Ltd (b) Vakrangee Ltd 165. The National Vaccination Day is observ ed annually (c) Hitachi Ltd on ______. ( d) Communications solutions Ltd (a) August 24 (b) March 16 174. Name the country which is going to host a virtual (c) December 26 (d) April 15 G20 summit to formulate a coordinated response to 166. What percentage of road accident deaths in India has COVID - 19 pandemic and its human implications. decreased within five months of the enactment of (a) India (b) Nepal the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019? (c) Germany (d) Saudi Arabia (a) 15% (b) 25% 175. The Defence Acquisition council (DAC) has (c) 10% ( d) 50% approved the procurement of 83 Tejas Mark - 1A jets 167. Along with which software company, NASSCOM from which company for the Indian Air Force (IAF) Foundation has launched the ‘Innovative for to boost ‘Make in India’ programme. accessible Indian campaign’ aimed to empower (a) Indian Rotorcraft people with disabilities. (b) Raj Hamsa Ultralights (a) Google India (b) Infosys (c) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (c) Microsoft India (d) Anand Technologies (d) Tata Consultancy Service 176. Name the 1st youngest Indian who climbed the 168. Name the 1 st country in the world which shuts the highest Volcanoes of all the 7 continents and entered Financial market due to COVID - 19 outbreak. into the ‘Limca Book of Records’. (a) Philippines (b) Finland (a) Satyarup Siddhanta (b) Arunima Sinha (c) Switzerland (d) Austria (c) Mohan S ingh Gunjyal (d) Malavath Purna 169. As per RBI’s new guidelines for Payment 177. Name the person who Authored the book ‘Messiah Aggregators (PAs), what is the minimum net worth Modi: A tale of Great expectations’? required for entities to b e set up as PAs (earlier it (a) Andy Marino (b) Tavleen Singh (c) Shashi Tharoor was 100 crore)? (d) Nilanjan Muk hopadhyay (a) 50 Crore (b) 25 Crore 178. The International Day of Forests (IDF) is observed (c) 15 Crore (d) 10 Crore annually on March 21. What is the theme for IDF 170. Adnan al - Zurfi has been appointed as the Prime 2020? Minister of which of the following country? (a) “Forests and Sustainable Cities” (a) Kuwait (b) Iraq (b) “Forests and Energy” (c) Qatar (d) Iran (c) “Forests and Biodiversity” 171. What is the approved fund under Pradhan Mantri (d) “Forests and Education” Awas Yojana (Urban) – PMAY (U) (till March 179. Name the 1st Indian state police in the country to 2020) as per MoHUA? introduce taser guns. (a) 3.89 Lakh Crore (b) 6.16 Lakh Crore (a) West Bengal (b) Tamil Nadu (c) 2.48 Lakh Crore (d) 7.96 Lakh Crore (c) Bihar (d) Gujarat

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 180. Wh ich Bank has introduced the pre paid card 189. The Central government has raised the threshold for ‘Enkasu’? invoking insolvency under IBC from 1 lakh to (a) HDFC Bank (b) ICICI Bank ______. (c) Kar ur Vysya Bank (d) IndusInd Bank (a) 10 Lakh (b) 1 Crore 181. Which is the 1st Bank to launch COVID 19 (c) 25 Crore (d) 50 Crore emergency credit line (CECL) to provide funds to 190. Name the COVID - 19 self - s creening Bot, which was businesses affected by the infectious coronavirus? the product of Microsoft’s Azure Healthcare and US (a) Punjab National Bank (b) Canara Bank CDC foundation. (c) State B ank of India (d) Syndicate Bank (a) Alexa (b) Amy 182. Name the 1st company in India which bega n supply (c) Clara (d) Ross of BS - V I fuel across the country. 191. What is the amount of relief package announced by (a) Gas Authority of India Limited the Finance minister under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana (b) Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited for the poor to tackle C OVID - 19 crisis? (c) Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (a) 1.50 Lakh Crore (b) 1.70 Lakh Crore (d) Indian Oil Corporation (c) 1.25 Lakh Crore (d) 1.66 Lakh Crore 183. The government of India constitutes a 21 - member 192. As per 7th Bi - monthly Monetary Policy Statement, high - level technical committee of public health 2019 - 20, What is the current reverse repo rate in experts to guide the people in preventive & control India? activities of COVID - 19. Name the person who (a) 4.40% (b) 4% heads the committee. (c) 4.90% (d) 5.15% (a) Vivek Pandit (b) Kirit Parikh 193. Name the Wo rld organisation which has launched (c) V K Paul the Policy Tracker to track the policies of (d) Sa chidananda Tripathi governments to combat COVID - 19 pandemic. 184. What is India’s rank in the 26th edition of Econ omic (a) Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Freedom Index 2020 released by Heritage Development Foundation? (b) Commonw ealth (a) 120 (b) 93 (c) 144 (d) 87 (c) World Bank 185. Name the medicine which was recommended by the (d) International Monetary Fund National task force for novel coronavirus constituted 194. What is the amount that was infused into the by ICMR for health care workers who treats banking system to maintain stability in the financial COVID - 19 patients. system during COVID - 19 Crisis as declared by (a) Amoxicillin RBI? (b) Hydroxychloroquine (a) 1.70 lakh crore (b) 3.74 lakh crore (c) Acetaminophen (d) Hydrocodone (c) 2.32 lakh crore (d) 2.48 lakh crore 186. What is the maximum limit of on - lending allowed 195. The Central Government has approved the medical for NBFCs for ‘term lending’ component under insurance scheme for Healthcare workers announced agriculture per borrower as per revised norms of under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package. What RBI? is the amount of insurance provided per health (a) 5 Lakh (b) 15 Lakh worker under the scheme? (c) 10 Lakh (d) 25 Lakh 187. Name the Company, which beca me the 1st Indian (a) 50 Lakh (b) 25 Lakh firm to make a diagnostic test kid for COVID - 19? (c) 10 Lakh (d) 20 Lakh (a) TransIndia (b) Mylab 196. What is the amount tha t was committed to invest in (c) Vitrolab (d) NucliSENS the infrastructure sector through the 0 National 188. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has become the Chief Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) by ADB Minister for the 4th time to which Indian State/UT? in India? (a) Haryana (b) Mizoram (a) $ 250 million (b) $ 200 million (c ) Madhya Pradesh (d) New Delhi (c) $ 50 million (d) $ 100 million

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Current Affairs May 2020 – Digest 197. Which among the following can provide risk free 199. Name the Small Finance Bank which along with simple financial services without seeking RBI nod NPCI launched UPI QR - based loan instalment (in March 2020)? payment facility. (a) Cooperative Bank (a) Ujjivan SFB (b) AU SFB (b) Small Finance Bank (c) Jana SFB (d) Capital SFB 200. Find the operation which was conducted by Indian (c) Payments Bank Air Force (IAF) to transport 6.2 tons of essentials (d) Regional R ural Bank medicines to Maldives. 198. ParavaiMuniyamma who died in March 2020 is (a) Operation Safed Sagar ______. (b) Operation Sanjeevani (a) Politician (b) Folk Singer (c) Operation Vijay (c) S tunt women (d) Social Activist (d) Operation Vanila

Answer Key

1 c 21 c 41 c 61 d 81 d 101 d 121 a 141 b 161 d 181 c 2 c 22 b 42 d 62 b 82 b 102 a 122 c 142 d 162 b 182 d 3 b 23 c 43 b 63 b 83 d 103 d 123 b 143 c 163 d 183 c 4 b 24 d 44 c 64 d 84 b 104 d 124 c 144 d 1 64 c 184 a 5 a 25 a 45 c 65 d 85 d 105 b 125 a 145 b 165 b 185 b 6 d 26 a 46 b 66 b 86 a 106 a 126 c 146 c 166 c 186 c 7 b 27 c 47 a 67 c 87 a 107 c 127 b 147 c 167 c 187 b 8 b 28 c 48 d 68 c 88 a 108 a 128 c 148 b 168 a 188 c 9 c 29 a 49 b 69 d 89 b 109 c 129 a 149 c 169 c 189 b 10 d 30 b 50 a 70 b 90 a 110 c 130 b 150 d 170 b 190 c 11 b 31 a 51 c 71 b 91 c 111 d 131 b 151 b 171 b 191 b 12 d 32 a 52 c 72 d 92 c 112 a 132 b 152 a 172 c 192 b 13 a 33 d 53 a 73 c 93 a 113 a 133 d 153 c 173 b 193 d 14 d 34 c 54 c 74 d 94 a 114 d 134 c 154 c 174 d 194 b 15 c 35 c 55 b 75 c 95 d 115 c 135 d 155 c 175 c 195 a 16 d 36 d 56 d 76 a 96 c 116 d 136 b 156 b 176 a 196 d 17 b 37 d 57 b 77 d 97 a 117 b 137 a 157 b 177 b 197 b 18 c 38 d 58 d 78 b 98 b 118 b 138 c 158 d 178 c 198 b 19 c 39 d 59 b 79 c 99 a 119 d 139 b 159 b 179 d 199 c 20 b 40 c 60 a 80 a 100 b 120 c 140 a 160 a 180 c 200 b

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