Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2020

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:
A walk-in sample collection kiosk has been installed in a Government Medical College Hospital in Ernakulam district, similar to the testing model of South Korea.
This model of kiosk does not require the usual practice of health workers to wear gloves and protective gear. They have built-in gloves, which can be used by health workers as protective shield while collecting samples of suspected Covid-19 patients. After each patient leaves the kiosks, the gloves and chair are disinfected and reused.

Notes:
In the last financial year 2019-20, Tamil Nadu has topped the micro-irrigation coverage in the financial year 2019-20.
This has been achieved as part of implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). While Tamil Nadu has topped the coverage in the year 2019-20, in the cumulative total coverage under the PMKSY during 2015-2020, Tamil Nadu is in the fourth place, where the list is topped by Karnataka.

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 Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir recently approved the establishment of two Centres for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training (CIIIT) in the Union Territory.
This project will be a joint venture between Government of Jammu & Kashmir and Tata Technologies. This centre will provide skill training to students of Engineering Colleges, Polytechnic Colleges and it is and entrepreneurship training to industry professionals.

Notes:
The Indian government has extended term of board members of the Banks Board Bureau (BBB), for a period of two years beyond April 11 or until further orders whichever is earlier.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has also approved to extend the term of existing part-time chairman B P Sharma. Bank Boards Bureau was constituted in 2016 to recommend appointment of whole-time directors and non-executive chairpersons of public sector banks (PSBs) and financial institutions owned by the government.

Notes:
According to the Digidhan Dashboard, launched by the Electronics and IT Ministry, the total transactions through the digital channels reached ₹4,116.74 crore in 2019-20, which is an increase by over 31 per cent from the last year.
As per the data, BHIM UPI has been the most popular means, with 30.19 per cent share in digital transactions amounting to ₹1,242.98 crore of payment. It was followed by prepaid instruments and debit cards in the second and third place.

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:
E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has launched an exclusive insurance policy to cover COVID-19, in association with ICICI Lombard and Go Digit General Insurance. The two health insurance policies, which provide instant claim benefits, do not require any medical tests at the time of purchase.
The COVID-19 Protection Cover by ICICI Lombard provides ₹25,000 benefit, on positive diagnosis of COVID-19, at an annual premium of ₹159. The cover by Digit Insurance provides hospitalization cover up to a sum assured of ₹1 lakh with an annual premium of ₹511.

Notes:
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given approval to plasma therapy for COVID-19 treatment to Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST).
It is an Institution of National Importance under the Department of Science and Technology, located in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state of Kerala. The treatment called ‘convalescent-plasma therapy’ transfers the antibody from a recovered patient to a sick person, increasing his/her immune power. The Scientists have also discovered Chitra Disinfection Gateway and Chitra UV Based Facemask Disposal Bin.