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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 13 April 2020

::NATIONAL::

UGC constitutes committee to promote online learning

Amid the nationwide lockdown, University Grants Commission (UGC) has constituted a committee to promote online learning. UGC Chairman DP Singh said it has also formed a committee to look after the examinations and academic calendar in the present circumstances.
He said under the lockdown situation, it is essential to think about how the prescribed syllabus can be completed, what type of examination system would be followed. He said, on the basis of the committee's recommendations, which will be submitted next week,
UGC will issue guidelines for universities in consultation with Union HRD Ministry. He said to maintain social distancing, online learning and e-education is the only way out.
UGC Chairman said online education is need of the hour for students, teachers and education system as a whole.

Home ministry orders all states to comply with SC order on migrant workers

Home Ministry has asked all States and Union Territories to ensure compliance of Supreme Court directions on Welfare of migrant labourers housed at relief camps.
The Ministry has written a letter to all States and Union Territories in this regard to take necessary action, while implementing lockdown measures to fight COVID-19 effectively.
The Court had directed that adequate medical facilities besides proper arrangements for food, clean drinking water and sanitation should be ensured for migrant workers at relief camps across the country.
The Court also observed that the anxiety and fear of the migrants should be understood by the police and other authorities, and they should deal with the migrants in a humane manner.
The State Governments and UTs should endeavour to engage volunteers along with the police to supervise the welfare activities of the migrants.

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::ECONOMY::

NIC facilitates record number of digital payments

National Informatics Centre (NIC) facilitated a record number of digital payments in the country during the last fortnight. The highest number of around 22 million transactions, assisted by the robust system of Public Financial Management System (PFMS) was recorded on the 30th of last month by which transfer of relief fund was made to around 2 crore beneficiaries.
NIC has proven to be Government's strong technological arm since its inception and has emboldened its role as the best medium for channelizing immediate relief to the needy in these testing times.
AIR correspondent reports, at times when people in the country are advised to follow Lockdown and remain indoors there is a team of just 18 strong headed technocrats in the National Informatics Centre, who like any other Covid-Warrior are toiling day in and out to ensure that Government's financial packages reach directly to the beneficiaries and that too without any delay.
Several images from the rural part of the country of people assembling at banks to dispense cash from their banks bears testimony to the untiring efforts put in by this technological arm of the government.
In the last week of the previous financial year around 72 million transactions took place right from the day the 21 day Lockdown was announced across the country which is more than even double the number of transactions during the same period in the preceding year.
These numbers speak volumes of the government's strong and incessant will to dole out relief to maximum people and fortify their spirit against the menace of COVID-19 contagion. While speaking to AIR News, DDG , NIC, Mr.NageshShastri said that this feat could not have been achieved without the cooperation of all stakeholders.

DPIIT calls for resuming industrial activity in key sectors

The Commerce and Industries Ministry has called for far-reaching measures to be taken to mitigate the effects of the lockdown, urging the Home Ministry to allow relaxations of the restrictions on a number of industry sectors.
In a letter to Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Saturday, Industries Secretary GuruprasadMohapatra said “more activities with reasonable safeguards must be allowed” once a final decision was taken on the extension of the lockdown. “These new activities are essential to improve the economic activity and provide liquidity in the hands of the people,” said Dr.Mohapatra who heads the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

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::INTERNATIONAL::

World Bank praises India’s AarogyaSetu app

World Bank has praised the AarogyaSetu app launched by India to curb the Covid-19 pandemic. Citing example of the app, a World Bank report said innovative solutions can greatly help educate and track contagion across the populations at large.
South Economic Focus report of the world Bank said that digital technology can also be used to monitor the spread of Covid-19. It said India recently launched AarogyaSetu app that uses location data from persons' smartphones to tell users if they have been near someone who tested positive for Covid-19.
Global tech majors Apple and Google said on Saturday that they are building a software into smartphones that will help in contact tracing and inform users whether they were in touch with Covid-19 infected persons.
Reacting to the development, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said that India leads the way in contact tracing for Covid-19. In a tweet he said glad to see Apple and Google joining hands to develop contact tracing on the line of AarogyaSetu.

Indian consignment of hrdoxychloroquinereaches U.S

A consignment of hydroxychloroquine from India has arrived in the US, days after New Delhi lifted a ban on export of the anti-malarial drug to some countries on humanitarian grounds.
Earlier this week, India at the request of President Donald Trump cleared the export of 35.82 lakh tablets of hydroxychloroquine to the US along with nine metric tons of active pharmaceutical ingredient required in the manufacturing of the drug.

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::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Study finds marine algae might prevent spread of coronavirus

Marine red algae may hold key to prevent spread of coronavirus as biocompatible compounds extracted from them can be used as a coating material on sanitary items, a new research by scientists at Reliance Industries has concluded.
COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed thousands of lives around the globe, spread without any solid anti-viral antidote. Researchers worldwide are attempting to make antidote for this virus.
"Research carried out indicates sulfated polysaccharides (carrageenan) are selective inhibitors of several enveloped and non-enveloped viruses and act predominantly by inhibiting the binding or internalization of virus into the host cells.
"As evident from the various analysis reports worldwide on antiviral activity of SPs from Porphyridium supported with the immunity boosting property, we can say that this microalga can be a versatile player in the treatment of many viral diseases," the research said in the note.
Sulfated polysaccharides from these algae can be used as a coating material on the sanitary items and also for the production of antiviral drugs, it concluded. "The present review can benefit the researchers to use the SPs from algae and provide an antiviral pharmaceuticalÂ composition suitable for the prevention or treatment of respiratory tract infections caused by coronavirus."

::SPORTS::

Motorcross legend Stirling Moss passes away

Motorsport great Stirling Moss has died aged 90 following a long illness, the British driver’s wife announced on Sunday.
In an era where it was common for drivers to race in different disciplines, a 14-year career that started in 1948 saw Moss win 212 of the 529 races he entered, including the 1955 Mille Miglia, where he set a new course record in the 1,000 mile event.

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