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Sunday 19 April 2020

Current Affairs 19th APRIL 2020

Current Affairs
19th APRIL 2020
April 18: World Heritage Day
  • Every year April 18 is observed as the World Heritage Day. The day is also celebrated as the International Day of Monuments and sites.
Theme: Shared Culture, Shared Heritage and Shared Responsibility
  • The International Council on Monuments and Sites in 1982 announced April 18 as World Heritage Day. It was approved by the UNESCO in 1983. The organization was established based on the principles of Venice Charter framed in 1964.
Automatic Sanitizer Dispensing Unit and Ultra-violate Sensitization Box developed by DRDO to combat COVID-19
  • Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) developed Automatic Mist Based Sanitizer Dispensing Unit and UV Sanitization Box and Hand-held UV device to fight against COVID-19.
Automatic Sanitizer Dispensing Unit:
  • Centre for Fire Explosive & Environment Safety (CFEES), Delhi has developed an automatic mist based sanitizer dispensing unit. It is a contactless sanitizer dispenser that sprays alcohol-based hand rub sanitizer solution for sanitization of hands while entering the buildings/office complexes, etc. It is based on water mist aerator technology, which was developed for water conservation.
  • It operates without contact and is activated through an ultrasonic sensor. A single fluid nozzle with a low flow rate is used to generate aerated mist to dispense the hand rub sanitizer. The sanitizer will sanitize the hands with minimum wastage. Using an atomizer, only 5-6 ml sanitizer is released for 12 seconds in one operation.
Ultra-Violate Sanitization Box:
  • Defense Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences (DIPAS) and Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS) have designed & developed Ultraviolet C Light-based sanitization box and handheld UV-C (ultraviolet light with wavelength 254 nanometers) device.
  • The UV-C will destroy genetic material in COVID-19. The radiation warps the structure RNA which prevents the viral particles from making more copies of themselves. This is environment friendly and is a contact-free effective sanitization method.

DRDODefense Research Development Organization
Formed: 1958
Headquarters: New Delhi
Minister: Rajnath Singh
Agency Executive: Dr. G.Satheesh Reddy
Motto: Strength’s Origin is in Science

67 Indian firms approves by CDSCO for rapid antibody testing kits
  • Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has approved as many as 67 Indian firms for antibody rapid testing kits for testing COVID-19.
  • Out of 67 companies, 5 are using indigenous kits and 62 other companies are importing antibody rapid testing kits from other countries, such as China, South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, and Israel.
  • Out of the total number, 10,477 patients are active cases and 1,489 patients have been cured, discharged and migrated. COVID-19 took a death toll of 414.
CDSCOCentral Drug Standard Control Organization
Headquarters: New Delhi
Minister: Harsh Vardhan
Parent Department: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Delhi Government to begin clinical trial of plasma enrichment technique  
  • Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the Doctors will conduct the clinical trial of plasma enrichment technique to treat severely-ill coronavirus patients soon.
Clinical trial of plasma enrichment technique:
  • Under the method, Plasma from the blood of the people who have recovered from COVID-19 will be collected. It is believed that it might contain antibodies to the virus that causes the disease and might be effective against the infection.
  • If the trial is successful, the method will be implemented to save the lives of serious COVID-19 patients.
  • The method was used in the past to treat diseases such as polio, measles, mumps, 1918 flu epidemic, and in previous outbreaks of respiratory infections namely H1N1 influenza, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
‘Kisan Rath’ Mobile Application launched to facilitate Transportation of food grain
  • Agriculture Ministry launched Kisan Rath Mobile App.
  • Aim: To facilitate transportation of food grains.
  • This application was developed by National Informatics Centre. The central government to ensure farmers and traders can find transport for Agriculture and Horticulture produce.
KISHAN RATH Mobile Application:
  • The Kisan Rath App will greatly facilitate farmers' FPOs and Cooperatives in the country to find a suitable transport facility to transfer their agriculture produce from the farm gate to markets. The Government has exempted random selection of test samples, subsequent batch testing after the expiry validity of test reports, updating of CMVR, COP & Type approval applicable to Tractors, Power Tillers, Combine Harvesters and other self-propelled agricultural machinery till 31.12.2020. 
  • Testing of tractors as per revised BIS Standard IS 12207-2019 and Implementation of new technical critical specifications of 51 agricultural machineries has also been deferred till 31.12.2020.During lock down period, the Government has agreed to extend the validity of the license of Seed dealers which are expired or going to be expired till 30.09.2020.
  • The validity of import permissions till September 2020 after consideration of the requirement of seed/planting material of the importing parties. 
  • They extend the validity of all pack-houses, processing units and treatment facilities whose validity is expiring up to 30th June 2020 for a period of one year without a physical inspection of such facility through a simplified procedure to facilitate the export of agriculture products.
5,204 crore rupee refunds to help MSME by CBDT
  • CBDT informed the Income-tax refunds are obtained over eight lakh small businesses worth over 5,204 crore rupees issued in the last ten days. Income tax refunds will help MSME to carry on their business activities without pay cuts and layoffs in COVID-19 pandemic situations. 
  • Income tax department issued nearly 14 lakh refunds up to five lakh each to date to help taxpayers. CBDT will issue refunds worth of seven thousand 760 crore rupees.
Revised draft of Electricity (Amendment) bill, 2020
  • The Ministry of Power has made changes to the Electricity (Amendment) bill, 2020. This is being done to promote electricity generation from renewable sources.
Main Point of Bill:
  1. Launch of National Renewable Energy Policy.
  2. Electric contract enforcement authority is to be created.
  3. Privatization of discoms using franchises and sub-licenses.
  4. Power Tariff is to be determined without subsidy.
  5. Payment security has been made necessary to schedule distribution of electricity and also to facilitate cross border trade.
Short Notes
  • Home Ministry extended regular and e-visas of all foreigners who are stranded in India due to the coronavirus lockdown till May 3 on a gratis basis. The Home Ministry also said the visa granted to those foreigners, except diplomats and UN officials, who are supposed to come to India, will remain suspended till May 3.
  • Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has announced that it is to finance $500 million projects in India to help the country improve its health care systems. With this, AIIB has doubled its funds under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility.
  • Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief Aide Abba Kyari died of COVID-19 on April 17, 2020.

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