Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2020

Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has notified three incentive schemes to boost electronics manufacturing namely Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI), Electronics Manufacturing Clusters 2.0 (EMC 2.0), Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronics Components and Semiconductors (SPECS).
The schemes which were cleared by the Cabinet last month, include incentives worth more than Rs 48,000 crore. PLI is the largest scheme with an outlay of Rs 40,000 crore which will give incentives of 4-6% on incremental sales on mobile phones and specified electronic components.

Notes:
The Cabinet has recently approved to suspend the MPLAD (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) Fund during 2020-21 & 2021-22, temporarily. Rs 7900 crores, the consolidated amount of MPLAD Funds for 2 years, will be moved to Consolidated Fund of India.
The cabinet also promulgated an ordinance to reduce the salaries, allowances and pensions of Members of Parliament by 30 per cent for one year. The President, Vice President, Governors of States have said to have voluntarily admitted for the reduction in pay.

Notes:
The former Prime Minister of Libya, Mahmoud Jibril passed away recently at the age of 68, after contracting coronavirus.
He was the founder of the National Forces Alliance and the former head of the Libyan rebel government that overthrew the country’s long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. He had also been the interim leader until Libya conducted its first free elections in 2012.

Notes:
The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) recently announced that it will provide emergency loans to small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) named ‘SIDBI Assistance to Facilitate Emergency’ -SAFE PLUS.
Working capital of up to Rs 1 Crore will be provided to small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in manufacturing of medical equipment and products related to Covid-19. The SAFE PLUS collateral-free loans will be disbursed within 48 hours at an interest rate of five per cent. The limit of the loans has been enhanced from 50 lakh rupees to two crore rupees.

Notes:
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) recently announced a collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for a campaign against Covid-19.
The mass media campaign, which has been titled ‘BreakTheChain’ will provide information prevention strategies to the general public to protect themselves against Covid-19. The campaign will focus on three main themes: Social Distancing, Handwashing and Generosity and will be publicized through television, news portals and social media channels.

Notes:
Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched an online portal named ‘Integrated Government Online Training Portal’ for frontline workers fighting coronavirus outbreak.
This training module has been launched in the DIKSHA platform of the HRD Ministry for capacity building of frontline workers including doctors, nurses, hygiene workers, State Government officers, police organisations and other volunteers to efficiently handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notes:
England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been recently named the ‘Leading Cricketer in the World’ in the 2020 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack. He becomes the first English cricketer to win the award since 2005 after Andrew Flintoff.
Ben Stokes replaced the Indian skipper Virat Kohli who had won the award three straight times till last year’s edition. Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry won the leading woman player in the world award. England’s Jofra Archer, South Africa’s Simon Harmer, Australians Pat Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne and Ellyse Perry were named as the five Wisden Cricketers of the year.

Notes:
According to a recent online survey conducted by the technology community website owned by Times Internet-TechGig, most IT professionals prefer Bengaluru as the best city to work for.
Bengaluru has been voted by over 40 per cent of the professionals, mainly for the high living standards, highest appraisal and career growth opportunities it provide. While Hyderabad and Pune secured the second and third spots respectively, Delhi-NCR secured the least votes among the chart.

Notes:
According to a recent report released by the government, India’s fiscal deficit stood at 5.07% of gross domestic product (GDP) in February. Industrial output, measured in terms of Index of Industrial Production (IIP), was also at 4.5% in February.
The Government has revised its fiscal deficit target of 3.8% of GDP for FY20, during the 2020 Union Budget presentation. With a 5.07% fiscal deficit, it is expected that the revised target for the year 2019-20 would be difficult to be achieved.

Notes:
To promote digital banking among the general public amid the nation-wide lockdown resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India has launched a Twitter campaign.
The central bank asked the bank customers to adopt digital modes of payment which are convenient and safe. Through the campaign that was launched in public interest, the RBI highlighted the multiple digital payment options such as NEFT, IMPS, UPI and BBPS that are available 24*7.