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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 07 May 2020

::NATIONAL::

Around 40cr people receive financial assistance under various schemes

Around 39 crore poor and needy people received financial assistance of 34 thousand 800 crore rupees under the PradhanMantriGaribKalyan Package, PMGKP so far.
The package was announced by the Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman in March to protect the poor people from the impact of the lockdown imposed due to COVID 19. As part of the package, the Government announced free food grains and cash payment to women, poor senior citizens and farmers.
The implementation of the package is being continuously monitored by Central and State governments to provide relief to the poor people. Fintech and digital technology have been employed for swift and efficient transfer of financial assistance to the beneficiaries.
Under the various components of the package, 16 thousand 394 crore rupees front loaded towards payment of the first instalment of PM-KISAN to 8.19 crore beneficiaries. More than 10 thousand crore rupees credited to 20 crore women’s Jan Dhan account as first instalment.
In addition to it, 9.6 lakh members of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, EPFO has taken benefit of online withdrawal of non-refundable advance from EPFO account amounting to 2,985 crore rupees. 24 per cent EPF contribution transferred to 44.97 lakh employees’ account amounting to 698 crore rupees.
Under the MNREGA scheme, 5.97 crore person’s man-days of work generated and 21 thousand 32 crore released to States to liquidate pending dues. Insurance scheme for health workers in Government Hospitals and Health Care Centres has been operationalised by New India Assurance covering 22.12 Lakh health workers.

Agriculture ministry moots integrated soil management approach

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has called for making integrated soil nutrient management a farmers’ movement.
Reviewing the progress of the Soil Health Programme in New Delhi on Wednesday, Mr Tomar directed for running a mission mode awareness campaigns on increasing use of bio and organic fertilisers and reducing chemical fertilisers strictly based on recommendations of Soil Health Card.
During 2020-21, the major focus of the programme will be on mass awareness programme for farmers in over one lakh villages covering all districts of the country.

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::ECONOMY::.

Study finds COVID-19 to accelerate e-com adoptions

The COVID-19 pandemic could accelerate the adoption of e-commerce in the country, with online sales accounting for over 10% of Indian retail sales in the next 12-18 month period, from 5% currently.
Presently, 95% of India’s retail sales do happen at stores, and online contribute only 5%. However, we expect this order to change dramatically. Online sales will breach the double-digit mark within the next 12-18 months,” PrashobhChandralayam, executive director (Retail), Global Business Services, IBM India/South Asia told.
Talking about changes in shopping experience, Mr.Chandralayam said since safety and security was going to be the single most important thing, he expected end-to-end digitisation at stores to be mandatory.
“The entire product value chain will need to be articulated as part of the product info. Farm to fork and fibre to fashion is what matters. Customers will not shy away from paying extra money for the product information,” he said.
Mr.Chandralayam pointed out that 31% of the world’s GDP is retail and from a digital perspective, 40 petabytes of data is generated every hour in retail. “It’s not just any data, it’s the demand signal for the world. Post COVID-19 era, data signals from retail will provide vital clues on the shape of economic recovery,” he said.

PMGKAY distributes 120lakh tonnes of food grains

About 120 lakh tonnes of food grains are being distributed free to 80 crore individuals during COVID-19 crisis under the PradhanMantriGaribKalyan Anna Yojana.
Consumer Affairs Ministry said, each of the individual will be provided double of their current entitlement during April, May and June this year.
More than 69 lakh tonnes foodgrains have been lifted by States and Union Territories. Five Union Territories have lifted entire three months quota and 18 States and UTs lifted two months' quota. While 14 States have lifted one month quota.
Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution SudhanshuPandey today held a review meeting with the State Food Secretaries and other concerned officers of 24 States and UTs through video conferencing.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Centre asks West Bengal to allow land transportations from Bangladesh

Centre has again directed the West Bengal government to allow cross land border transportation through all Indo-Bangladesh borders without any delay. It has also asked the state government to send a compliance report in this regard.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has written to West Bengal Chief Secretary RajivaSinha that the unilateral action of State government not to allow the cross border transportation will have larger implications for the Indian government with regard to its legally binding international commitments.
The letter said, this act of the State government amounts to violation of the orders issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under Disaster Management Act, 2005.
It said, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, bound for Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points and anumber of drivers returning from Bangladesh have not been allowed to cross the border and are stranded in Bangladesh.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Death of pigs in Meghalaya associated to suspected hog cholera

Suspected hog cholera has killed at least a dozen pigs across two districts of Meghalaya.This coincided with the death of more than 2,900 pigs in Assam due to African swine fever (AFS), a first in the Indian subcontinent.
Officials in Meghalaya have allegedly been silent on a possible outbreak of hog cholera, also known as classical swine fever.But pig farmers said the disease, a fairly common one, has struck a village each in East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts.
The KhasiJaintia Pig Association said it was worried about the possibility of hog cholera spreading.“We have decided to stop selling pork in the eastern part of Meghalaya for two weeks from today (Wednesday),” a member of the association said.
Meanwhile, the Assam government has formed high-level committees in six AFS-hit districts as well as at the State level to deal with the crisis.Farmers have been warned not to dispose carcasses in rivers.
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Atul Bora said, “We have not received reports of fresh pig deaths during the last 24 hours, which is a good sign.”

::SPORTS::

NADA to conduct disciplinary hearings online

The National Anti-Doping Agency’s director-general NavinAgarwal on Wednesday said the body will conduct its disciplinary hearings online from Friday despite the many logistical challenges to ensure cases don’t pile up.
NADA hearings have not been taking place due to the lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will be starting with our online hearings from May 8.“Both Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) and Anti-Doping Appeals Panel (ADAP) hearings will be conducted for the cases which are pending,” Agarwal said.
Listing inconsistent or unavailable internet as one of them, Agarwal said athletes will be allowed to participate via audio calls to ensure that things can be managed smoothly.

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