Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 06 April 2020

::NATIONAL::

Around 50crore beneficiaries to get free treatment and tests under Ayushman Bharat

The Central government has decided to provide free testing and treatment of COVID-19 under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme.This, it notes, will help more than 50 croreAyushman beneficiaries to get free testing and treatment in designated private hospitals across India.
The objective of the decision was to increase the supply of testing and treatment facilities and increase access by roping in the private sector through AB-PMJAY scheme as per the ICMR guidelines, he said.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that “in this unprecedented crisis we have to very actively involve the private sector as a key partner and stakeholder in the fight against COVID-19. Making testing and treatment available under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY will significantly expand our capacities by including private sector hospitals and labs and mitigate the adverse impact of this catastrophic illness on the poor.”
He added that States were in the process of enlisting private sector hospitals that could be converted into COVID-19 only hospitals.
Information on symptoms, testing and treatment for the disease can be accessed from the website of the Health Ministry and by calling the national COVID-19 helpline 1075.

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WCD ministry gives online sessions to anganwadi workers

The Women and Child Development Ministry is regularly holding online interactive sessions with anganwadi workers to ensure the safety of pregnant women and lactating mothers after the 21-day lockdown ends, sources said.
The Ministry has reached out to more than two lakh anganwadi workers through these interactive sessions, the sources said.
On Sunday, digital interactive sessions, including an introduction on the virus, the preventive measures to be taken and the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on women and children, were conducted by the Ministry, sources said.
In a bid to help domestic violence victims, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has decided to form a task force of over 15 NGOs to help women in need, sources in the Commission said.
The move comes a few days after the NCW said that it has received 69 complaints of domestic violence since the imposition of the countrywide lockdown.
Since March 24, 257 complaints related to offences against women were received, of which 69 were of domestic violence, NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said.

::ECONOMY::

RBI reduces timings of currency and debt markets

In view of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Reserve Bank of India has notified a change in market timings. Beginning April 7th, markets dealing with government securities, call/notice/term money, corporate bonds, foreign currency, Indian Rupee Trades, commercial paper and Certificates of Deposit will be working from 10 AM to 2 PM.
In a press release issued from Mumbai today, RBI has said that lockdowns, social distancing,restrictions on movement of staff, work from home arrangements and business continuity plans is posing operational and logistic risks. It further said that thinning out of activity is impacting market liquidity and increasing volatility of financial prices.

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FCI sets record in single transportation of food grains

Food Corporation of India (FCI) has set a new record in single day movement by moving 70 rakes carrying one lakh 93 thousand Metric Tonnes food grains continuously for two days.
Consumer Affairs Ministry said, FCI is ensuring that enough food grain stocks are made available in every part of the country during countrywide lockdown.
During the 12 days since start of lockdown on 25th of last month, FCI has done average movement of one lakh 41 thousand tonnes food grain per day as against the pre-lockdown daily average of about 80 thousand tonnes.
The Ministry said, a total of 605 rakes carrying around 17 Lakh tonnes food grains have been transported across the country during this period. Punjab accounted for about 46 per cent of total food grain movement followed by Haryana, Telangana and Chhattisgarh.
Among the consuming states, maximum induction was done in Uttar Pradesh followed by Bihar, West Bengal and Karnataka. The Ministry said, keeping special focus on North East, one lakh 40 thousand tonnes of food grains have been inducted into the North Eastern states during the lockdown period.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Indian ambassador meets stranded Indian pilgrims at Iran

Indian Ambassador to Iran GaddamDharmendra visited coronavirus-hit Qom where he met the provincial governor and interacted with the stranded Indian pilgrims at a quarantine facility in the city. External Affairs Ministry last month said that over 250 Indians have been infected with coronavirus in Iran and an elderly person aged over 70 years died.
The ambassador also paid a courtesy call on Dr BahramSarmast, the Governor of Qom, and expressed gratitude to him for the support and cooperation extended to all Indian pilgrims presently in Qom, including arrangements for COVID-19 infected pilgrims.
Mr Dharmendra, who was accompanied by senior officials of the embassy during the day-long visit, assured the Governor that all efforts will be made for the early return of the remaining pilgrims to India
The Indian diplomat later visited a quarantine facility specially set up for Indian pilgrims in Qom, the holy city in Iran where the first Coronavirus case emerged in February. He closely interacted with the pilgrims and enquired about their well being.

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Maldives and Srilankan delegates hold discussion on COVID situation

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had a telephonic conversation with Sri Lankan Prime Minister MahindaRajapaksa today to discuss the Covid-19 situation.
The two leaders briefed each other on the impacts of the global crisis on their respective countries and the measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus.
Both President Solih and PM Rajapaksa acknowledged the impacts of international travel restrictions on the tourism sector to both countries. They also emphasized on the need for strong bilateral and regional cooperation to meet the challenge.
Meanwhile, Maldives airlines is organizing flights from Colombo and Cochin tomorrow to evacuate Maldivians stranded in these places. Colombo has a large Maldivian population staying for business and education purpose.
Maldives has also arranged a cargo flight from Male for people to deliver necessary items to Maldivians bases in Colombo. The cargo flight will reach Colombo tomorrow. Maldives has registered 19 cases of COVID 19 so far out of which 4 are active cases in Maldives.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

New low-cost temperature gun developed by Indian Navy

The Mumbai Naval Dockyard has designed a low-cost IR based temperature sensor. The sensor is to be used to check the personnel entering at the gates of the yard.
The instrument was manufactured at less than Rs 1000. The manufacturing cost is fraction of the instruments used in the market.The accuracy of the temperature gun is 0.2 degree Celsius. The temperature gun has a LED display and an infrared sensor.
The Naval Dockyard has more than 20,000 personnel entering every day.Since the outbreak of the virus, temperature guns and non-contact thermometers have become scarce in the country.Thus, this new temperature gun will help the Dockyard to quicken its screening process.
The IR thermometer like the one made by the dockyard uses lens to focus infrared light. It works on a principle called Black body radiation.Any object at temperature above 0 degree Celsius has molecules moving around. The speed of the molecules increases with increase in temperature.
As they move, these molecules emit IR rays. The IR thermometer has a detector that concentrates these IR rays from the hot body.If the rays are more, the detector generates higher current. Higher the current, higher is the temperature of the body.

::SPORTS::

IOA assures support to sporting fraternity during lockdown phase

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president NarinderBatra, on Saturday, assured the sporting fraternity of all help during the ongoing phase of lockdown.
On the role of the administrators, Batra informed, “We have been in touch with all the federations and all athletes through their (respective) federations. We are trying to make sure that everyone is doing well. The athletes and their families are in good state. The local administration, State government, Sports Authority of India are involved fully. Everyone is trying to make sure that things remain in good condition.”
Batra emphasised the athletes need not worry on the financial front. “Most federations in India would only be making a statement if they try to give assurances and not delivering at a later date. All our athletes are employed by the government or private organisations, so no salary cuts have been done. That’s one good assurance”.

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