Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2020

Notes:
The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) said that it will launch Swavalamban Express Train on June 5 this year for budding entrepreneurs.
The Swavalamban Express will travel to 11 cities covering 7,000 km in 15 days. This is a part of its umbrella mission Swavalamban. Under this mission, youths will board the train with an idea and they shall get down with effective business plan after a series of experimental learning

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu K Palaniswami announced in the Assembly that 64,583 sanitary personnel employed by urban and rural civic bodies in the State shall be called ‘cleanliness workers’.
This announcement was made to honour their work in maintaining public health. The state government is already implementing several welfare measures for the workers including building residences, periodic health check-ups, employment camps and skill development for their children.

Notes:
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has launched an initiative called ‘Tech for Tribals’ in partnership with Institutes of National Importance (INIs) to promote entrepreneurship among tribal people.
The initiative, which is supported by Ministry of MSME, aims to impart entrepreneurship skills to tribal forest produce gatherers who are enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri VanDhan Yojana (PMVDY). The programme will be conducted for 30 days.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed former RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi and former banker Ananth Narayan on the board of Yes Bank.
They have been appointed as Additional directors on the board for two years. Ananth Narayan was serving as the regional head of financial markets in the Standard Chartered Bank. R Gandhi was earlier appointed to Yes Bank’s board last year. Prashant Kumar has been appointed Chief Executive of Yes Bank.

Notes:
In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly announced the decade commencing 1 January 2015 and ending on 31 December 2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent. The theme of the international decade is “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development”
Every year, March 21st is celebrated as ‘International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’ across the world.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister of India has recently approved financial assistance to the Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC2.0) Scheme.
The scheme aims at developing world class infrastructure along with common facilities and amenities through Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMCs). The scheme seeks to set up Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMCs) and Common Facility Centers (CFCs). The total outlay of the EMC 2.0 Scheme is Rs. 3,762.25 crore.

Notes:
Recently, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has pledged 5 Million US dollars to the COVID-19 SAARC Emergency fund, which was proposed by Prime minister Narendra Modi.
This Emergency Fund will as a security blanket for the SAARC countries, which can be used by the countries for dealing with issues related to COVID-19. After India made an initial contribution of 10 million US Dollars, other SAARC member countries also started pledging to the fund.

Notes:
India’s largest lender State Bank of India has recently unveiled an emergency credit line to meet liquidity mismatch for its borrowers, amid the coronavirus pandemic scare.
The additional liquidity facility called Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL) will provide credit up to 200 crore rupees. This loan facility will be available till June 30 where the loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a 12-month tenure.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu-based Karur Vysya Bank has launched a pre-paid card called ‘Enkasu’, which can be used both online and offline, in Karur district of the state.
The card aims to reduce the usage of cash in the district of Karur. The cardholder can make tap & go payments for all small purchases to merchants for a minimum of Re. 1/-. The card can be recharged through their mobile App ‘DLite’, UPI, NEFT or through any of their branches. The cards are given to both customers and non-customers after KYC verification.

Notes:
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed on March 25 every year, across the world. The day honours those who suffered and died due to brutal slavery system. It also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice.
The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is also observed on March 25. It marks the anniversary of the abduction of a former journalist named Alec Collett, who worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).