Current Affairs 13th March 2020

1. World Bank signs Integrated Project for Source Sustainability & Climate Resilient Rain-Fed Agriculture in Himachal Pradesh

• World Bank signed a $80 million loan agreement to improve water management practices and increase agricultural productivity in selected Gram Panchayats (Village Councils) in Himachal Pradesh.
• It will be implemented in 428 Gram Panchayats in 10 districts.

2. World Health Organization declares Covid-19 as a pandemic

• UN chief Antonio Guterres has urged world governments to urgently scale up their response to the novel coronavirus if they are to stand a chance of stemming its spread.
• WHO Director-General: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

3. Japan unveils $4-b package to prop up economy

• focussing on support to small & mid-sized firms, as concerns mount about risks to the fragile economy.
• Japan’s central bank is Bank of Japan.
• Japanese Prime Minister- Shinzo Abe.

4. US will loan $50 billion to small businesses, defer taxes to fight coronavirus: Trump

• US will give individuals, and small and mid-sized businesses a three-month tax holiday.
• To fight the economic impact of the novel coronavirus.
• It will also give affected companies $50 billion more in low-interest loans.
• Deferring taxes could put another $200-b into the U.S. economy.

5. Measures to prevent coronavirus may dent economic growth by up to 2% points: Barclays

• Barclays warned that preventive measures like mass quarantines can dent the already sagging economic growth by as much as 2% points.
• Barclays estimates that low crude prices will aid growth by as much as 0.5%.
• Barclays is a British brokerage company.

6. UK pledges $39 billion to protect economy from coronavirus

• Britain launched a 30 billion-pound economic stimulus plan just hours after the Bank of England slashed interest rates,
• A  double-barrelled package aimed at warding off the risk of a coronavirus recession.
• Boris Johnson is the British Prime Minister.
• Capital of United Kingdom- London.

7. HSBC appoints Mark Wang as Chief Executive in China

• The latest in a series of senior management changes.
• Mark Wang, head of HSBC’s China investment banking business, will become China CEO.
• HSBC interim group CEO is Noel Quinn.
• HSBC was formed on 3 March 1865.

8. Main national event for International Day of Yoga to be held at Leh

• The event, which is held on the 21st of June every year, will be led by PM Narendra Modi.
• A 45-minute yoga drill based on Common Yoga Protocol is the highlight.
• International Day of Yoga- June 21.

9. Poshan Pakhwada being celebrated in Nagaland from March 8-22

• It’s the second anniversary of POSHAN Abhiyaan, 2020.
• Poshan Pakhwada is being celebrated in Nagaland.
• The focus area of Poshan Pakhwada 2020 is “Men for Nutrition – Increasing Male Engagement in POSHAN Abhiyaan to Improve Nutritional Indicators”.
• POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched on 8 March 2018.

10. RLDA to make New Delhi Railway Station as World Class Station

• RLDA = Rail Land Development Authority.
• Under Public Private Partnership mode.
• Station redevelopment projects at this scale in PPP mode are first of its kind.
• Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry- Piyush Goyal.

11. Mission Zero Accident: SC directs to fix Medical Boxes at all Railway stations & passenger carrying trains

• Supreme Court instructed to provide a Medical Box containing lifesaving medicines, equipment’s, oxygen cylinder etc. at all Railway stations & passenger carrying trains.
• Mission Zero Accident was one of the Missions announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17.
• UMLC and TCAS are the two sub-missions of Mission Zero Accident.

12. Amul to help J&K dairies scale up their operations

• J&K Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu has signed 35 MoUs worth Rs 2,641 crore with Amul
• Amul is Gujarat-based companies and organisations.
• Amul partnered with J&K Milk Producers Cooperative Ltd (JKMPCL).

13. CCI approves acquisition of Teesta Urja Limited by Greenko Mauritius

• Under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.
• Approval relates to the acquisition by Greenko of approximately 35% equity stake in the paid-up equity share capital of TUL.
• Greenko Mauritius is an investment holding company.

14. NIT-Warangal teams up with Pre-Engineered Structures Society

• NIT = National Institute of Technology, Warangal, and Pre-engineered Structures Society have signed a MoU to work together for research & knowledge sharing.
• They will work together and promote new technologies and skill upgradation.
• PSI is fast adopting itself into the construction sector.

15. Govt says Rs 5,275 Cr remains unspent under MPLAD scheme as on March 4, 2020.

• MPLAD = Members of Parliament Local Area Development.
• Under the MPLAD scheme, each MP has the choice to suggest to the District Collector for development works to the tune of Rs 5 Cr/ annum to be taken up in his constituency.

16. SBI waives minimum monthly balance requirement on savings accounts

• At present, savings account holders with SBI are required to maintain an AMB of Rs 3,000, Rs 2,000 & Rs 1,000 in Metro, Semi-Urban and Rural areas, respectively.
• SBI also cuts interest rate on savings accounts to 3%.

17. Maharashtra Assembly gives nod to bill on caste validity certificate

• At present, a candidate will have to submit his/her caste validity certificate at the time of filing of nominations.
• A bill in this regard is passed by the state assembly.

18. Maharashtra approves implementation of “happy hour” for autorickshaws

• A government resolution states that fares will be slashed by 15% between 12 noon and 4 pm.
• The decision will not be applicable to local taxis & app-based taxis.
• Khatua panel recommended the “happy hour”.

19. Amazon rainforest may collapse within decades if critical point is reached: Study

• Large ecosystems, such as Amazon rain forest, may disappear alarmingly quickly,
• According to a study, published in the journal Nature Communications that calls for efforts to protect these habitats.
• Amazon spans across eight rapidly developing countries.

20. World bronze-medallist Manish Kaushik in 63kg category becomes 9th Indian boxer to qualify for Tokyo Olympics

• After a win at the Asian Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan.
• Kaushik beat Commonwealth Games champion, Harrison Garside of Australia for 4-1.
• Vikas Krishan signed off with a silver medal in 69 kg category.

21. World Kidney Day observed on 2nd Thursday of March

• 2020 Theme = “Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere-from Prevention to Detection an Equitable Access to Care”.
• ISN- International Society of Nephrology.

22. IDFC FIRST Bank names Amitabh Bachchan as Brand Ambassador

• His personality resonates IDFC FIRST’s brand persona & values pillars,that of Sincerity, Humility & Contemporariness.
• Mr. V Vaidyanathan, MD & CEO, IDFC FIRST Bank,