Current Affairs 25th March 2020

1. Shivraj Singh Chauhan takes oath as CM of Madhya Pradesh

• For the fourth time.
• Governor Lalji Tandon administered him the oath of office.
• He will succeed Kamal Nath.
• Chouhan worked as the CM of the state for almost 13 years.

2. Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill, 2020

• The government proposed to spend Rs 30,42,230 Cr in the next FY,
• 12.7% higher than the revised estimate of 2019-20.
• By passing the Bill, these financial proposals have been given effect.
• Government expects that receipts will increase by 16.3%.

3. SBI commits 0.25% of FY20 annual profit to help fight COVID-19

• SBI will provide 0.25% of its annual profit for 2019-20 to fight the coronavirus outbreak in India.
• The government notified spending by companies to deal with the coronavirus outbreak as CSR activity under the company’s law.
• Entities should give at least 2% of their 3-year net profit.

4. Fitch Ratings assigns stable outlook to Tata Chemicals

• TCL is the world’s third-largest soda ash producer.

5. IRDAI asks insurers to provide 1-month grace period for renewal premium payments

• IRDAI = Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India
• IRDAI asked life insurers to provide another month for paying renewal premiums.
• In view of troubles caused by lockdowns.
• Board meetings due till June 30 could be held through videoconferencing.
• IRDAI Chairman : Subhash Chandra Khuntia.

6. United Nations to create global coronavirus fund

• UN will create a fund to prevent the spread of COVID-19 & support the treatment of patients globally.
• Norway suggested to create the global coronavirus fund.

7. Amazon teams up with Bill Gates-backed group to deliver coronavirus test kits

• Amazon.com Inc is teaming up with a research program funded by Bill Gates to pick up and deliver coronavirus test kits in Seattle.
• The Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network is collecting nasal swabs from a sample of people across King County.
• Seattle : Group of medical, health & research organizations.

8. ICMR recommends use of hydroxychloroquine to treat Coronavirus

• The national task force for COVID-19 constituted by Indian Council for Medical Research has recommended hydroxy-chloroquine
• As a preventive medication for high-risk population.
• DGCI approved the recommendation.
• DGCI- Drug Controller General of India.

9. Canada becomes first country to withdraw from 2020 Tokyo Olympic

• Canada became the first major country to withdraw due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
• Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe has admitted for the 1st time that the games could be postponed.
• The games are currently due to begin on 24th July 2020.

10. Veteran Tamil actor, writer and director Visu passed away

• Tamil actor, writer & director Meenakshisundaram Ramasamy Viswanathan, popularly known as Visu, passed away.
• Visu passed away at the age of 75.

11. 24 March: World Tuberculosis Day

• World Tuberculosis Day, falling on 24 March each year, commemorates the day in 1882.
• When Dr Robert Koch astounded the scientific community by announcing that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus.
• 2020 Theme: It’s Time.
• Aim: To raise public awareness about TB epidemic.

12. Cabinet approved extradition treaty between India & Belgium

• The Union cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi,
• The treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Belgium.
• Belgium Capital : Brussels.
• Currency : Euro.

13. Bridge constructed by BRO over Teesta River in North Sikkim opened for traffic

• The BRO opened a 360-feet long bailey suspension bridge over the Teesta river for traffic in Munshithang near Chungthang town.
• BRO = Border Roads Organisation.

14. Singapore tops Economic Freedom Index

• Singapore overtook Hong Kong as the world’s freest economy for the first time since 1995.
• Report has come from the latest Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom.
• The Index was first published in 1995 and Hong Kong has topped the charts ever since; that is until 2020.
• India is at the 120th place among the 186 countries.

15. Karur Vysya Bank launches pre-paid card Enkasu in Karur

• Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) has launched Enkasu, a pre-paid card in Karur.
• In response to the digital initiative of the Government of India,
• The bank undertook a Quit Cash Movement in Karur – a movement to reduce the usage of cash in the district of Karur.
• Enkasu works on Near Field Communication Technology.

16. IOC becomes 1st company to begin supply of BS-VI fuel across country

• BS- VI is the world’s cleanest petrol & diesel.
• All 28,000 petrol stations of IOC’s across India are dispensing BS-VI.
• BS- VI is ultra-low sulphur grade fuel.
• To reduce the pollution from vehicles in the air.
• April 1, 2020 is the deadline for starting supply of Euro- VI.

17. 2020 Abel Prize to Furstenberg and Margulis

• The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has awarded Abel Prize for 2020.
• The Abel Prize for 2020 to Hillel Furstenberg, Hebrew University of Jerusalem & Gregory Margulis, Yale University, USA.
• Due to the corona pandemic there will not be a physical Laureate ceremony.
• Honouring of the Abel Prize Laureates will be announced later.