2020 APR ENG - Online Aavedan

Monthly Current Affair of April, 2020 in English

www.onlineaavedan.com

01-04-2020

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath transferred 611 crore rupees in the accounts of 27.15 lakh

MNREGA labourers. The amount transferred electronically to help the labourers in the situation of Lock

down due to Corona Virus.

CRISIL has slashed the gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for FY2021 (2020-21) to 3.5% from

5.2% expected earlier.

Indian Railways has decided to provide bulk cooked food with paper plates to needy people from the

locations where they have base kitchens of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation-IRCTC.

Centre approved Insurance Scheme under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package for health workers

fighting to contain COVID-19.

Government has constituted 11 different Empowered groups to suggest measures to ramp up

healthcare, put the economy back on track and reduce the misery of people as quickly as possible post

21-day lockdown.

National Book Trust (NBT) will launch Corona Studies Series books to provide relevant reading materials

for all age-groups for the post-Corona readership needs.

Reserve Bank of India has said that the merger of 10 state-run banks into four will come into force from

April 1. The branches of merging banks will operate as of the banks in which these have been

amalgamated.

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has picked ex-India skipper MS Dhoni as captain of his all-time IPL

playing XI.

England women's cricket team captain Heather Knight has joined the National Health Service (NHS) as a

volunteer to help the healthcare system fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

The Republic of North Macedonia has become the 30th member of the North Atlantic Treaty

Organization (NATO).



02-04-2020

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) will provide loans up to Rs 50 lakh to micro and small

enterprises (MSEs) that are manufacturing medical supplies for fighting the novel coronavirus (COVID-

19).

A team of Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati has developed a drone to sanitise large areas such as

roads, parks and footpaths.

Andhra Pradesh State government has set up “Mobile Hand-wash facilities” for the benefit of Slum

Dwellers amidst lockdown in the state. This facility to help them protect themselves.

Gully Boy has won the Best Film Award at Critics’ Choice Film Awards.

Indore, the cleanest city of India in Madhya Pradesh, has deployed drones to sanitize city areas against

the coronavirus outbreak.

Jharkhand govt launches PRAGYAAM app to issue e-passes to everyone associated with delivery of

essential services amid lockdown.

Tamil folk singer and actress Paravai Muniyamma passed away. The acting career of Muniyamma began

in the year 2003 in the film Dhool.

Ranveer Singh Wins Best Actor Award (Gully Boy) At Critics’ Choice Film Awards.

Government of India launched coronavirus tracking app Corona Kavach, it will be available for all

Android phones.

Amidst a minor bureaucratic rejig in the State of Jharkhand, Sukhdeo Singh, a 1987-Batch IAS officer, has

been appointed as the Chief Secretary (CS) to the state government.



03-04-2020

Center has extended the validity of health organisations already empaneled under Central Government

Health Scheme, CGHS. An order issues by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said, this extension

will be valid till 30th June this year or the next date of empanelment whichever is earlier on the same

terms and conditions and rates.

Paytm Money's CEO and MD Pravin Jadhav has resigned from his position due to differences with the

company over ESOPs, annual salary and remuneration.

A ‘Modi Kitchen‘has been set up in the Kovai (Coimbatore), Tamil Nadu. The kitchen which has a

capacity to serve 500 meals per day will remain operational till 14th April 2020.

The Trade and Investment Ministers of the G20 and guest countries have decided to keep their markets

open, and ensure smooth and continued operation of vital medical supplies and logistics networks.

he Centre extended the validity of vehicle documents like driving licenses, permits and registration that

expired since February 1 till June 30.

Ministry of Tourism has launched a portal to help the foreign tourists who are stranded in India amid

coronavirus pandemic.

HDFC Trustee Company Limited, a subsidiary of HDFC Mutual Fund, has bought 3.4 crore shares of

domestic carrier SpiceJet from the open market, which accounts for 5.45 per cent stake in the private

airline.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has approved a fund of ₹45 crore for food, shelter and other

facilities for migrant labourers stranded in Maharashtra due to lockdown.

Sudhir Rajkumar, a senior official from India, has resigned from his position of Representative of the UN

Secretary-General for the investment of the assets of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund

To cater to the requirement of Oxygen supply for multiple patients during the ongoing Covid-19

pandemic, personnel from Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam have designed an innovative ‘Portable Multi-

feed Oxygen Manifold(MOM)’ using a 6-way radial header fitted to a single cylinder.



04-04-2020

The Government has set up over 21 thousand relief camps in various States and Union Territories. These

camps will provide shelter to over 6 lakh people during the lockdown in the wake of the COVID-19

outbreak.

The Centre has defined new domicile rule for Jammu and Kashmir which includes those who have lived

in the Union Territory for 15 years.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has suspended all planned events till June 30 and froze

the world rankings due to the upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The RBI extended the realisation and repatriation period of export proceeds from 9 months to 15

months for exports made up to or on July 31, 2020.

The employees of State Bank of India have decided to contribute two days' salary to PM Narendra

Modi's PM-CARES Fund to combat coronavirus pandemic.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has announced that he will donate his salary of one year to the

CM's Relief Fund for Covid-19.

Actor and dialect coach Andrew Jack, who appeared in 'Star Wars', has passed away in Britain. He was

76.

World-renowned virologist Gita Ramjee has become the first Indian-origin South African to have died

after contracting the novel coronavirus.

The government reduced the interest rates on Small Savings Schemes by up to 140 bps for the April-

June quarter.

The UN Security Council for the first time approved resolutions remotely due to the coronavirus

pandemic.



05-04-2020

Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an institute of National

Importance of the Department of Science and Technology, has tied up with Wipro 3D, Bengaluru to

jointly build up on a prototype of an emergency ventilator system based on Artificial Manual Breathing

Unit (AMBU), developed by SCTIMST followed by its clinical trial and manufacture.

The government has officially launched its app to track Covid-19 patients in the country. The Aarogya

Setu app is available on both Android and iOS devices.

Naval Dockyard, Mumbai has designed and developed its own handheld IR based temperature sensor

for undertaking screening of large number of personnel at the entry gates of the yard reducing the load

on the security sentries at the gate.

The Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Shri

Narendra Singh Tomar launched new features of National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) Platform to

strengthen agriculture marketing by farmers.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a bio suit to keep the medical,

paramedical and other personnel engaged in combating COVID-19 safe from the deadly virus.

PhonePe has launched a unique coronavirus hospitalization insurance policy named “Corona Care.”

The Ministry of Finance has issued notifications on April 1, 2020, stating that the renewal dates of

Health and Motor insurance policies which fall in the period from March 25, 2020, to April 14, 2020, are

extended till April 21, 2020 due to coronavirus lockdown.

Nirmal Singh Khalsa, a noted singer of Sikh 'Gurbani' hymns, passed away on April 2, 2020 due to

coronavirus. He was detected with the infection just a day before his death.

Lakshminarayanan Duraiswamy has become the new Managing Director of the Sundaram Home

Finance.

The 2021 world athletics championships will be shifted to 2022. The championship was originally

scheduled to hold in Eugene, Oregon from August 6-15, 2021.



06-04-2020

Indian Navy’s Naval Dockyard in Mumbai has designed and developed its own handheld infrared-based

temperature sensor gun for the screening of personnel in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Rajnesh Oswal Becomes The 1st Jammu & Kashmir High Court Judge To Take Oath Under The Indian

Constitution.

The Mumbai Naval Dockyard has designed a low-cost IR based temperature sensor. The sensor is to be

used to check the personnel entering at the gates of the yard.

S&P Global Ratings has further slashed India’s growth forecast to 3.5% from a previous downgrade to

5.2% for the fiscal year 2020-21.

The Director General of Civil Aviation on April 1, 2020 granted special permission to conduct cargo

operations using passenger category aircraft in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

The government has extended the existing foreign trade policy (2015-20) for one year till March 2021.

Tony Lewis, one of the men behind the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method used in weather-affected limited

overs cricket matches, has died aged 78.

State Bank of India has listed green bonds of $100 million (about Rs 750 crore) on BSE’s India

International Exchange (India INX).

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected the new mission, called the Sun

Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE).

PokerStars India has signed former captain of the Indian cricket team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MS

Dhoni), as its new brand ambassador.



07-04-2020

The Central Public Centre Enterprises (CPSEs) under Ministry of Power and Ministry of New &

Renewable Energy have decided to contribute Rs. 925 Crore to ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and

Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund)’ which has been created by PMO to provide relief

to victims of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The official mascots of the 19th Asian Games were unveiled at a digital launch ceremony in Hangzhou,

China. The three robots, which are going to be the mascots for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games are

collectively known as the smart triplets.

The FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup, which was scheduled to be played in India between November

2nd and 21st, has been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued the the guidelines issued regarding lockdown to fight

COVID-19, to exempt shops of agricultural machinery and its spare parts.

Following the assurance given by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi during his video conference

meeting with the Chief Ministers, Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah has approved the

release of Rs 11,092 crores under the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF), to all States.

In the continuing quest for developing indigenous solutions to combat the Corona Virus Pandemic,

Defence research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is ready with technologies for sanitising areas

of different sizes. The Centre for Fire Explosive & Environment Safety (CFEES), Delhi has developed two

configurations of sanitising equipment.

Minister of State Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Human Resource

Development Shri Sanjay Dhotre launched Hack the Crisis – India, an Online Hackathon to find working

solutions for overcoming COVID 19 pandemic.

FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has become India's third most valuable company with a market

capitalisation of ₹4.66 lakh crore, overtaking HDFC Bank.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said that India's GDP growth is likely to slow down to 4% in the

financial year 2020-21, on the back of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mizoram government has launched a mobile application to provide its users all necessary and correct

information in the fight against “mCOVID-19”.



08-04-2020

ICICI Securities (I-Sec) has partnered with IIM Bangalore‘s startup hub N S Raghavan Centre of

Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL) to launch program for fintech startups. As a part of its Corporate

Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, ICICI Securities (I-Sec) is supporting startups in the fintech space via

a structured program.

NASA unveils plan to setup 'Artemis', the first human base camp on Moon's south pole by 2024.

IIT Roorkee develops low-cost face shields for protection of first line healthcare professionals fighting

COVID-19.

Fitch Ratings has slashed India's growth forecast for the current fiscal to a 30-year low of 2 percent, from

5.1 percent projected earlier, as economic recession gripped global economy following the lockdown

due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The National Health Authority (NHA) has signed an agreement with “Uber” to provide transportation

service to public healthcare workers.

Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik has been conferred with ‘Hero to Animals Award’ by animal

rights body PETA India.

The International World Games Association (IWGA) - the organizer of the World Games 2021 have

decided to postpone the mega sporting event by nearly an year to avoid a clash with Tokyo Olympic

Games.

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), has been nominated by the government for the collection of funds of PM-

Cares Fund. Till now only State Bank of India was the nominated bank for the same.

Veteran Canadian actor Shirley Douglas has died at 86.

World renowned virologist Gita Ramjee passed away after contracting the novel coronavirus.



09-04-2020

Officers & staff of Ministry of Finance , Financial Institutions and Public Sector Banks/ Enterprises

Contributed Rs 430 crore towards PM CARES Fund to combat COVID-19 outbreak.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has provided an additional 30-day

grace period for policyholders to pay the premium on life insurance policies.

The EPFO issued revised instructions to its field offices to facilitate PF members to rectify their date of

birth in EPFO records amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Actress-turned-author Patricia Bosworth, aged 86, passed away in New York.

Italian footwear designer Sergio Rossi, aged 84, reportedly passed away due to complications from

coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Punjab government has launched an application that lets people request the delivery of groceries

and other essential goods amid the lockdown due to coronavirus.

Logan Williams, known for playing the young version of protagonist Barry Allen in show 'The Flash',

passed away at the age of 16.

UK's Labour Party has elected its Brexit spokesman and former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Keir

Starmer, as its new leader.

Former Australia Test spinner Stephen O'Keefe has retired from first class cricket after being omitted

from New South Wales' list of contracted players for the next domestic season.

American songwriter, soulful singer, guitarist & 3 time Grammy award winner Bill Withers passed away.



10-04-2020

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the initiative called “Lifeline UDAN” to help India fight against

COVID-19. Under Lifeline UDAN initiative of Ministry of Civil Aviation, 132 cargo flights have been

operated so far across the country to transport medical cargo including remote and hilly areas.

V Safe Tunnel’ has been installed in Telangana to sanitize people. The sanitising tunnel has been

installed at the state Director General of Police’s office.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched ‘Operation Sanjeevani’ and air-lifted 6.2 tonnes of essential

medical supplies to the Maldives via transport aircraft C-130J as assistance in the fight against the COVID

19.

The late Kobe Bryant has been selected as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

He has been selected as the member of the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Indian Railway’s Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, Punjab has developed a low-cost ventilator

prototype named “Jeevan” that is much cheaper than regular ventilators.

Vice-Chairperson Infosys’ chief operating officer, UB Pravin Rao, has been appointed as the new

chairman of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) for the year 2020-

21.

The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance amending the salary, allowances and pension of Members of

Parliament Act, 1954, to reduce the allowances and pension by 30% starting April 1, 2020, for a year.

Senior diplomat Anurag Srivastava took charge as the Spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs.

Veteran American actor Forrest Compton passed away due to COVID-19 complications. Compton was

popular for playing the role of district attorney Mike Karr in the long-running soap opera “The Edge of

Night”.

The Independent Member Federation Sanctions Panel (IMFSP) of the International Weightlifting

Federation (IWF) has banned the Malaysia & Thailand weightlifters from competing in Tokyo Olympics

2020.



11-04-2020

IntelliSmart Infrastructure, which would implement the government''s smart electric metres project

across the country, announced appointment of Anil Rawal as its Chief Executive Officer.

Government of Delhi announced 5T plan to tackle the spread of Corona Virus in the Union Territory. The

5T plan includes Testing, Tracing, Teamwork, Treatment and Tracking.

The HRD Ministry has named DigiLocker as its sole National Academic Depository and ordered the UGC

to implement NAD as its permanent scheme with DigiLocker.

The Taiwan government has banned the use of Zoom for communication due to security concerns,

making it the first government to announce a ban on the app.

British actress Honor Blackman, who starred as Pussy Galore in the 1964 James Bond film 'Goldfinger'

and as Cathy Gale in 1960s TV series 'The Avengers', has passed away aged 94.

L&T has signed a contract with the Indian Army for setting up a cloud-based system to operate the

Armed Forces network under the Network of Spectrum.

Google has launched a COVID-19 hub on Google News to keep users updated on reliable information

related to coronavirus pandemic.

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced a ₹50 lakh insurance cover for all those engaged in the

treatment of coronavirus infected persons.

Telugu television actress Srilakshmi Kanakala passed away in Hyderabad.

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra operating under Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute has launched a

door delivery scheme in Kerala.



12-04-2020

Scientists at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an

autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, have designed

and developed a disinfected barrier-examination booth for examining COVID-19 patients.

Forbes has launched the 34th annual world’s billionaires list named as “The Richest in 2020”. The list

titled “The Richest in 2020” has been topped by the Amazon Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jeff

Bezos.

Swashbuckling England all-rounder, Ben Stokes has ended India skipper Virat Kohli's three-year run as

Wisden's leading cricketer of the year after being named for the honour on the back of his stellar show

in 2019.

Italy's former European indoor champion Donato Sabia has died from coronavirus aged 56, the Italian

athletics federation (Fidal) announced.

About 400 million people working in the informal economy in India are at risk of falling deeper into

poverty due to the coronavirus crisis and is expected to wipe out 195 million full-time jobs in the second

quarter of this year, the UN's labour body has warned.

American folk legend John Prine has passed away due to the coronavirus complications. He was 73.

In a significant decision to strengthen industry-academia partnership and to bring qualitative

improvements in Technical Education, Jammu & Kashmir Administration accorded sanction for

establishment of two Centres for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training (CIIIT) in the Union

Territory.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched a training programme in association with

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi for the healthcare staff for managing suspected and

confirmed COVID-19 cases among pregnant women.

D-Mart Founder Radhakishan Damani's net worth has surged 11% this year to $10.7 billion, making him

the biggest gainer among the 12 richest Indians whose wealth is tracked by Bloomberg.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has inaugurated 56 fire tenders in Phase-1 in Lucknow

which will be used for sanitisation work amid the coronavirus pandemic.



13-04-2020

Indian-American journalist, Brahm Kanchibotla, passed away due to coronavirus. He was a former

contributor to the United News of India news agency and was working as New York and UN

correspondent of the United News of India.

Google has banned Zoom video conferencing application from its employees' laptops, citing security

concerns.

Arunachal Pradesh government has launched an app called “COVIDCARE”. The newly developed

“COVIDCARE” app is an effort of the Arunachal Pradesh government to combat COVID-19.

BMW has introduced Contactless Experience, a digital-first purchase experience that aims to prioritise

safety for its customers.

Life Insurance company, Bharti AXA Life Insurance has appointed Parag Raja as managing director and

chief executive officer of the company.

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has collaborated with UNICEF

for developing a digital communication strategy for promoting a digital campaign for Self Help Groups

(SHGs).

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Development Fund (SDF) has allocated $5

million for COVID-19 related projects in its member states.

Former India coach John Wright has been appointed president of the English county side Derbyshire

Cricket Club.

The Karnataka government has unveiled a dedicated COVID website to disseminate authentic

information.

Software major Adobe appointed senior business leader Simon Tate as president of its Asia Pacific

(APAC) operations.



14-04-2020

The Pulitzer Prize-winning American reporter for The Washington Post, Mary Jordan has written a book

titled ‘The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump’. It is published by Simon & Schuster and

is to be released on June 16, 2020.

Anamika Roy Rashtrawar has been appointed as the MD & CEO of IFFCO TOKIO General Insurance

Company with effective from 27th March 2020.

Delhi Government has launched ‘Operation SHIELD’ to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the national

capital. The Operation SHIELD will be implemented in 21 containment zones as a necessary action to

protect the people of Delhi from COVID-19.

Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has partnered with Australia’s Griffith University

to develop the COVID-19 vaccine.

TV actor Shyam Sundar Kalani, who played the role of Sugreev in Ramayan has passed away.

Asian Development Bankassured India of 2.2 billion US dollar support to fight against the COVID-19

pandemic.

The scientists of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) have

designed and developed highly efficient superabsorbent material titled “Chitra Acrylosorb Secretion

Solidification System”.

Genrich Membranes has developed a ‘Membrane Oxygenator Equipment ‘for the treatment of COVID-

19 patients. The device has been developed to treat breathlessness which is one of the critical

symptoms of COVID-19.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden has become the Democratic nominee in the US Presidential race

after Bernie Sanders dropped out.

The UN ‘Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2020 forecast India’s GDP for FY21 at 4.8%.



15-04-2020

The Centre enhanced the daily procurement limit of agri-crops from 25 quintals to 40 quintals per

farmer under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) in view of rates dropping below the minimum support

price (MSP) amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

Centre has sanctioned ₹15,000 crore for the 'India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System

Preparedness Package'.

UN Chief Antonio Guterres has suspended the rotation and deployments of the peacekeepers until 30th

of June to mitigate the risk of transmission of the novel Coronavirus.

According to a report by rating agency Crisil, Non-banking finance companies (NBFC) are likely to face

liquidity challenges due to lack of clarity on the applicability of the Reserve Bank's moratorium on their

bank loans and poor collection.

The Haryana government has set up a 24x7 toll free helpline for farmers during the upcoming Rabi

procurement season.

Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has announced a donation worth ₹10 crore

to aid in the fight against the coronavirus.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has picked one Indian cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, in his all-time

XI.

To make typing on computers and smartphones more convenient for the visually impaired, Google has

launched a Braille keyboard named TalkBack.

American actress Jennifer Stone has become a Registered Nurse (RN) to help combat coronavirus

pandemic.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of tenure of all

members and the current part-time chairman of the Bank Board Bureau (BBB) by 2 years.



16-04-2020

In view of the lockdown and closure of educational institutions for an indefinite period, Tripura and

Mizoram governments in innovative steps announced teaching through television channels and online

platforms.

India football team retained its 108th spot in the latest FIFA rankings. While Belgium ranked first and

world champion France is in 2nd place and Brazil is at 3rd spot.

The Centre has exempted the operations of the fishing or marine aquaculture industry, including

harvesting, sale and marketing activities, from the purview of the ongoing nationwide lockdown.

Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has settled 1.37 lakh provident fund withdrawal claims

worth Rs 280 crore to provide relief to subscribers during the lockdown.

Japanese director Nobuhiko Obayashi, aged 82, passed away in Tokyo.

British actress Hilary Heath, known for her role in the 1968 horror film 'Witchfinder General', has passed

away at the age of 74 due to complications from coronavirus.

India will export 90,000 tons of surplus wheat to Afghanistan and Lebanon under government-to-

government (G2G) trading arrangement.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given its approval to the Kerala government to begin

clinical trials of convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19.

University of the Witwatersrand scientists digitally reconstructed 2 cm-long skulls of some of world's

oldest dinosaur embryos in 3D.

The Ola Group has contributed a sum of ₹5 crore towards the PM CARES Fund to fight the coronavirus

pandemic in India.



17-04-2020

Google and Apple collaborate to fight against COVID-19 through contact tracing technology. Both tech-

giants have collaborated to enable the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health

agencies reduce the spread of the Corona Virus, with user privacy and security central to the design.

Jana Small Finance Bank has launched “DigiGen” a digital banking platform where customers can

digitally open a savings account and fixed deposit instantly, anytime, anywhere.

Flipkart Private Limited inks partnership with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited & Go

Digit General Insurance to launched two health insurance policies.

Bharat Biotech in tie-up with the US-based company FluGen and University of Wisconsin Madison to

develop a vaccine named “Coro-Flu” to fight against COVID-19.

The “Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker” has identified India’s response to Covid-19 as

one of the most stringent in the world. This data are based on tracking 73 countries.

The Ministry of Human Resources Development launched a week-long Bharat Padhe Online campaign to

crowd source ideas for improving the online education ecosystem of India.

Goldman Sachs has predicted India’s Real GDP growth projection for FY21 at 1.6%.

Former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, died at age of 79 from the COVID-19.

British motorsports great Sir Stirling Moss has died at the age of 90.

The Reserve Bank of India launched a twitter campaign urging bank customers to adopt digital modes of

payment that are convenient and safe.



18-04-2020

IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva named former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan and 11 others to her external

advisory group to provide perspectives from around the globe on key developments and policy issues,

including responses to the exceptional challenges the world now faces due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Minister for Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has launched a web-portal YUKTI

(Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation) in New Delhi.

Amid the nationwide lockdown, University Grants Commission (UGC) has constituted a committee to

promote online learning.

China’s central bank 'People's Bank of China' has bought 1.01 per cent stake in HDFC.

Peter Bonetti, the former Chelsea and England goalkeeper, has died at the age of 78.

Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister M V Rajasekharan passed away in Bengaluru. He

was 91.

India and other South Asian countries are likely to record their worst growth performance in four

decades this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, the World Bank said.

Bank credit growth fell to a 50-year-low of 6.14% in 2019-20, according to RBI data.

UPSCGuide e-learning portal has been launched to help UPSC aspirants to study from home during the

COVID-19 pandemic.

GMR Airports Limited will develop & operate Bhogapuram International Airport in Andhra Pradesh.

Government of Andhra Pradesh has issued a “Letter of Award” to GMR Airports Limited for the

Development of Greenfield International Airport at Bhogapuram.



19-04-2020

Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad has added another product to the

portfolio of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to combat Coronavirus (COVID-

19) by developing COVID Sample Collection Kiosk (COVSACK).

WWF (World Wide Fund) India has appointed World chess champion Viswanathan Anand as its

ambassador for the environmental education programme.

With the coronavirus pandemic virtually bringing all tourism-related activities to a grinding halt, the

Ministry of Tourism launched a webinar series “DekhoApnaDesh”.

Former professional golfer Doug Sanders has died at the age of 86.

Birupaksha Mishra has taken over the charge as fourth executive director of Union Bank of India.

India's annual inflation rate, based on wholesale prices, eased to 1 per cent in March from a rise of 2.26

per cent in February, official data showed.

The WHO has launched an interactive chatbot on Facebook Messenger to combat misinformation

surrounding COVID-19 pandemic.

Actor Ranjit Chowdhry, who has worked in nearly 40 films including Rekha’s films ‘Khubsoorat’ and

‘Khatta Meetha’, has passed away.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched the All India Agri Transport Call Centre at Krishi

Bhavan in New Delhi.

India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma has become brand ambassador of 'CricKingdom'.



20-04-2020

The chairman and managing director of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), P. K. Purwar have been

given the additional charge as CMD of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).

Private sector life insurer Max Life Insurance said Yes Bank Ltd. has extended the bancassurance

partnership for next 5 years.

China has approved early-stage human tests for two experimental COVID-19 vaccines.

US government has approved the sale of missiles and torpedoes to India for $155 million.

The International Monetary Fund announced immediate debt relief for 25 poor countries to help them

free up funds to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

India's retail inflation in the month of March grew at a 4-month low pace of 5.91%, government data

revealed.

India will host the Asian Boxing Championships for men and women in November-December this year

for the first time after 17 years.

British comedian-actor Tim Brooke-Taylo has died at the age of 79 due to coronavirus.

Former Attorney General of India and senior advocate Ashok Desai passed away.

Flipkart Co-founder Sachin Bansal has been appointed the managing director of Bengaluru-based Navi

Technologies.



21-04-2020

Feifei” to be the mascot for Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, China. The 4th Asian Para Games are

going to be held from October 9-15, 2022, featuring 22 sports with Taekwondo and Para-Canoe to form

their Games debuts.

Digital payments major Paytm has named Vineet Arora as the managing director and chief executive

officer of Paytm General Insurance Ltd.

Algerian author Abdelouahab Aissaoui has won the 13th International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) with

his novel "The Spartan Court.”. Aissaoui is the first Algerian to win the prize.

American actor Brian Dennehy, who won two Tony awards and a Golden Globe, passed away aged 81.

Former North Korean deputy ambassador to the UK, Thae Yong-ho, has won a constituency seat in

South Korea's parliamentary elections.

Telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, Mobile World Congress (MWC), will be held in Barcelona

until 2024.

Asia is expected to witness zero per cent growth in 2020 due COVID-19 pandemic, its worst growth

performance in almost 60 years, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in's ruling party has won a landslide victory in the parliamentary

elections, which were conducted amid coronavirus pandemic spread.

Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to start pool testing of corona virus samples.

Ajay Mahajan has been appointed as Managing Director & Chief Executive of credit rating agency “CARE

Ratings”.



22-04-2020

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar (Punjab) has developed & designed a ‘WardBot’ to deliver

medicines and food to COVID-19 patients in isolation wards without human intervention.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched YSR Nirman and COVID-19

portals to fight against Coronavirus epidemic.

NASA announced that a SpaceX rocket will send two American astronauts to the International Space

Station on May 27.

Indian-American Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna has been appointed to the White House

coronavirus advisory council.

India's third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor Company has acquired 122-year-old British

brand Norton Motorcycles for ₹153 crore.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved nearly $1.4 billion in emergency aid to Pakistan to help

it weather the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Graeme Smith appointed South Africa's director of cricket till March 2022.

The licence of the Mapusa Urban Co-operative Bank of Goa Ltd. has been cancelled by the Reserve Bank

of India.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has rolled out new products to enable

COVID-19 disinfection process.

The Delhi Government has launched ‘Assess Koro Na’ mobile application.



23-04-2020

The government has launched a new app solely for farmers called 'Kisan Rath Mobile App' to help them

identify transport facilities for the movement of farm produce during COVID-19.

Sri Lanka’s World Cup winning Australian coach Dav Whatmore was appointed Baroda’s Ranji team

coach as well as Director of Cricket.

Freedom fighter R V Bhuskute, who had participated in the Quit India Movement, died in Maharashtra's

Raigadh district. He was 94.

Veteran animator Ann Sullivan, who worked on Disney classics such as 'The Little Mermaid' and 'The

Lion King', has died from complications due to the coronavirus. She was 91.

Gene Deitch, whose film 'Munro' won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1961, has

passed away at the age of 95.

Abba Kyari, chief of staff to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and an ardent supporter of state

intervention in the economy, has died.

Kerala's Pathanamthitta district has launched a vehicle called 'Tiranga' (Total India Remote Analysis

Nirogya Abhiyaan) for rapid screening of COVID-19 symptoms.

A team of Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Cuttack has developed a walk-in kiosk for the

safe collection of samples.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed a second victory in the Formula One Esports Virtual Grand Prix

championship.

The government has launched online data pool of critical human resource for combating and containing

Covid-19.



24-04-2020

Daporijo bridge over Subansiri river has been constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO), keeping

in mind utmost precautions against COVID-19 so as to connect this strategic Line of Communication in

Arunachal Pradesh.

Kapil Dev Tripathi was appointed as the Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind, according to a

Personnel Ministry order.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asked the New Development Bank (NDB) to enhance emergency

facility to $10 billion to deal with the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

The government approved that surplus rice available with Food Corporation of India (FCI) can be

converted into ethanol.

Daporijo bridge over Subansiri river has been constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO), keeping

in mind utmost precautions against COVID-19 so as to connect this strategic Line of Communication in

Arunachal Pradesh.

Rudratej Singh, the President and CEO of BMW Group India, passed away. He was 46.

The Reserve Bank of India's rate-setting panel will meet in June instead of April to assess the macro-

economic situation.

Reserve Bank enhanced the Ways and Means Advances (WMA) limit to Rs 2 lakh crore for the remaining

part of the first half of 2020-21.

US President Donald Trump appointed Indian-American Sudarsanam Babu as a member of the National

Science Board for a six-year term.

Fitch Solutions has cut India's growth forecast for the financial year 2020-21 to 1.8% from 4.6%

projected previously.

Lokomotiv Moscow defender Innokenty Samokhvalov died at the age of 22.



25-04-2020

In view of the lockdown to combat coronavirus, the government has decided to continue the facility of

interest subvention of 2 per cent and prompt repayment incentive of 3 per cent to farmers till May 31,

2020, the RBI said.

India has dropped two places on a global press freedom index to be ranked 142nd out of 180 countries

in the annual Reporters Without Borders analysis released.

Former UK Athletics performance director Neil Black, who defended Mo Farah's involvement with now-

banned coach Alberto Salazar, has died. He was 60.

US social media major Facebook will invest Rs 43,574 crore into Jio Platforms, a unit of Reliance

Industries, for a 9.99% stake.

Venice Film Festival 2020 will reportedly be held as per schedule in September.

Sri Lanka's Chairman of the National Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya has announced that the

parliamentary elections in the country, that were postponed due to the coronavirus spread, will be held

on June 20.

The Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched an interactive platform, COVID

INDIA SEVA to provide solutions to coronavrus queries.

Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had launched the country’s first military satellite,

“Noor," which had gone into orbit.

Sebi extended validity of regulatory approval for launching initial public offering and rights issue by six

months.

TCS iON, a unit of IT major Tata Consultancy Services, has partnered with the Telangana State Council of

Higher Education to prepare college students in the state for future job readiness.



26-04-2020

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has given the green signal for the third edition of his government’s

‘Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan’ amid Coronavirus lockdown. It is a conservation plan to deepen

water bodies in the state before the monsoon.

David Li has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Huawei Telecommunications India. He has

replaced Jay Chen who has been promoted to handle Asia Pacific level business role.

N Kamakodi will be reappointed as the MD&CEO of City Union Bank. He has been reappointed for a

period of three years with effect from May 1, 2020.

The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched an interactive

platform called ‘COVID INDIA SEVA’ to provide real time solutions to Covid-19 related queries.

Facebook has announced the investment of Rs. 43,474 crores in Reliance Jio for 9.99 per cent stake. It is

the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India’s tech sector.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, Himachal Pradesh has developed a high-speed magnetic

Random Access Memory (RAM).

People’s Bank of China (Central Bank of China) has started testing its digital currency named Digital

Currency Electronic Payment, DC/EP.

The Lebanese parliament has passed the legislation to legalize the cannabis cultivation for medical and

industrial purposes.

World Champion PV Sindhu was unveiled as one of the ambassadors for Badminton World Federation's

(BWF) 'I Am Badminton' awareness campaign.

Adam Higginbotham’s book “Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World’s Greatest Nuclear

Disaster” wins the William E. Colby Award.



27-04-2020

Aimed at empowering people in its fight against coronavirus, the Karnataka government launched

"Apthamitra" helpline with an exclusive toll free number and a mobile app, aimed at providing required

medical advice and guidance for those in need.

President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent for promulgating an ordinance making acts of violence

against healthcare personnel fighting COVID-19 pandemic as cognizable and non-bailable offences.

The Border Roads Organisation has constructed and opened a new permanent bridge on the Ravi river

that connects the Kasowal enclave in Punjab with the rest of the country.

Fitch Ratings slashed India's economic growth projections to 0.8 per cent in the current 2020-21 fiscal.

Former Rajya Sabha member from Odisha Basanta Das died. He was 80.

Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters appointed Mohun Bagan's I-League winning coach Kibu

Vicuna as their head coach for the upcoming season.

India's largest software services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will launch Israel's first fully digital

bank in what is being seen as a trans-formative initiative that can impact the business model of other

sectors as well.

For the first time since World War-II, the prestigious spelling bee tournament has been cancelled for

2020 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

The US Senate approved a bipartisan, $480 billion coronavirus relief package, with funding earmarked

for devastated small businesses, overwhelmed hospitals, and a ramp-up of testing nationwide during

the pandemic.

The National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) in Lucknow has developed an alcohol-based herbal

sanitizer.



28-04-2020

Chitra Magna, an innovative RNA extraction kit, has been developed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for

Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an Institution of National Importance under the

Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, as an innovative technology for isolating RNA

from swabs for COVID 19 tests.

Government has declared banking industry as a public utility service for six months till October 21 under

the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act.

Denmark's ace doubles exponent Mathias Boe, a silver medallist at the 2012 London Olympics and 2013

World Championships, called time on his illustrious career.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has extended the second edition of the FIH Hockey Pro

League till June 2021 due to the ongoing uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 global health

pandemic.

China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced the name of China's first Mars exploration

mission, Tianwen-1, on China's Space Day.

Theatre Actress-Director Usha Ganguli passed away in Kolkata aged 74.

US Food and Drug Agency approved the first "at-home test" for diagnosing COVID-19, said Dr. Stephen

Hahn, who heads the agency.

Britain's Prince Charles launched a new COVID-19 emergency appeal fund for India, Pakistan,

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in his role as the Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust, a diaspora-

led development organisation for South Asia.

NASA engineers have developed a new, easy-to-build high-pressure ventilator tailored specifically to

treat COVID-19 patients.

An IIT-Roorkee professor claims to have developed a software that can detect Covid-19 within five

seconds using X-ray scan of the suspected patient.



29-04-2020

Coronavirus survivor Kanika Kapoor has become the most-searched female celebrity in India amid

lockdown, as per a report by Yahoo India.

Ravi Mittal was appointed the new secretary of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, replacing Radhey

Shyam Julaniya.

Air India Chief Rajiv Bansal has been promoted to the secretary-level rank.

The government-appointed Pradip Kumar Tripathi as Secretary of Steel.

Retired IAS officer Sanjay Kothari took oath as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) at a ceremony

at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Pakistan Navy has successfully test-fired anti-ship missiles in the North Arabian Sea.

Former Pakistan Women skipper Sana Mir has announced retirement from international cricket,

bringing an end to a 15-year-long career.

Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC) has acquired 6.43% stake in Reliance Capital by invoking

pledged shares.

Malayalam actor Ravi Vallathol, has passed away at the age of 67.

Renowned writer and poet Uttam Tupe died in Pune. He was 78.



30-04-2020

Biocon Ltd, an innovation-led global biopharmaceuticals company, announced that âThe Medicine

Maker Power List 2020 has ranked its Executive Chairperson, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, as one of the

world's top 20 inspirational leaders in the field of biopharmaceuticals.

Former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman and commentator Ian Smith has been presented with the

Bert Sutcliffe medal by New Zealand Cricket for "outstanding services to cricket".

Amit Khare, a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Jharkhand cadre, assumed charge as Secretary in the

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for a second time.

Justice Biswanath Somadder was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.

Domestic rating agency CRISIL lowered its estimate of India's 2020-2021 economic growth to 1.8

percent.

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi assumed charge of the administration of the Bodoland Territorial

Council (BTC).

Aiming to ease liquidity pressures on mutual funds, the RBI has announced a special liquidity facility of

₹50,000 crore for mutual funds.

Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has been banned from all forms of cricket for three years over corruption

charges.

PhonePe's Singapore entity PhonePe Pte Ltd has received a fund infusion of $28 million from parent

Flipkart.

US President Donald Trump has nominated senior Indian-American diplomat Manisha Singh as America's

next envoy to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development or OECD.

2020 APR ENG - Online Aavedan

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