PM Modi announces special economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore to kick-start economy

1.WHO warns countries for reopening of their economies without setting up strong contact tracing

WHO has warned that countries are essentially driving blind in reopening their economies without setting up strong contact tracing to beat back flare-ups of the coronavirus.The warning came as France and Belgium emerged from lockdowns, the Netherlands sent children back to school, and a number of US states continued to lift their business restrictions.

Robust contact tracing measures adopted by Germany and South Korea provide hope that those countries can detect and stop virus clusters before they get out of control.

WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

Founded: 7 April 1948

Director-General: Tedros Adhanom

2.US’ CDC commits USD 3.6 million to India”s COVID-19 fight

The US” Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has committed USD 3.6 million to assist India’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.The funds will also be used to support the development of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) centres of excellence that can improve the ability of hospital networks to detect COVID-19 and strengthen local health systems through enhanced surveillance and monitoring systems.

The CDC is the national public health institute of the United States.

It is a federal agency under the US” Department of Health and Human Services.

The CDC has a long-standing relationship and technical collaboration with the Indian government’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to control HIV, TB, and malaria, eradicate polio, and prepare responses to influenza and other pandemic diseases.

3.PM Modi announces special economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore to kick-start economy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a special economic package worth 20 lakh crore rupees for an ‘Atma-Nirbhar Bharat’ or self-reliant India.The Prime Minister noted that this package, together with earlier announcements by the government during COVID crisis and decisions taken by RBI, is to the tune of 20 lakh crore rupees.

This is equivalent to almost 10 percent of India’s GDP.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce details of this special economic package.

The package will also focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws.

He said Lockdown-4 will be different and have new rules. He added that new rules will be framed on the basis of recommendations received from states, and the people will be informed about it before May 18.

4.ICCR Releases New Song ‘United We Fight’ To Strengthen India’s Fight Against COVID-19

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has launched a new song to help people stay united and encourage them to think positive amid the coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged havoc across the world.The song ‘United We Fight’ is written and composed by Joe Alvares and is sung by Usha Uthup, Salim Merchant, Shefali Alvares Rashid, Benny Dayal, Sonam Kalra, Chandan Bala Kalyan, Joe Alvares, Salome, and Samira.

The music is created by Tubby, Pandit Ravi Chari, Pandit Rakesh Chaurasiya, and Ustad Faisal Qureshi.

The 3.33 minutes long song features the above-mentioned singers and composers who shot their individual parts from the confinement of their homes which was later created into one single video.

5.UP Postal department creates a record of reaching maximum number of persons in a single day to provide cash at doorstep

Postal department in Uttar Pradesh has made a record of reaching the maximum number of persons in a single day to provide cash at their doorstep.The UP circle of Postal department made a transaction of 30 crore rupees to 2.74 persons in state through Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS).

This is the cash transaction for the highest number of persons in a day.

A mega drive to provide money to the needy persons at their doorstep was launched by the UP circle of postal department.

Total 2.74 lakh persons in the state benefited from it which was the highest number of beneficiaries in a single day in the country.

6.TVS Group, Sundaram Med, IIT-M develop low-cost, automated respiratory assists

The TVS group, Sundaram Medical Foundation and IIT-Madras have jointly developed a low-cost, automated respiratory assist device called ‘The Sundaram Ventago’.This was done in collaboration with hospitals like Kauvery Hospital and the Madras Medical College and with guidance from global educational institutions like MIT-Boston.

It provides respiratory support to patients via the controlled and automated squeezing of a self-inflating or AMBU bag.

It has been functionally validated to international standards and an extensive risk analysis has been performed with the Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre of IIT Madras.

7.Manoj Ahuja appointed as the new CBSE chairman

Odisha cadre IAS Manoj Ahuja has been appointed the new chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).Ahuja is currently working as Special Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Department of Personnel and Training.

Ahuja will replace Anita Karwal as the chairman of the CBSE.

8.SAI forms committee to prepare SOP to resume training post lockdown

Sports Authority of India (SAI) has formed a committee to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure to resume training in all SAI Centres in all sporting disciplines after the lockdown is lifted.All training had been suspended across SAI Centres in view of the on-going Corona pandemic.

A separate committee has been formed to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure for swimming, since the sport requires athletes to train in water and may have different health risks involved, as compared to other sports.

The SOPs will include in detail the guidelines to be followed on entry norms, sanitation guidelines, precautions to be taken in common areas and by athletes while travelling to and from the centre.

SAI Headquarters: Delhi

Founder: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

Founded: 25 January 1984     

Director General: Sandip Pradhan

9.IFF nominates Sandesh Jhingan, Bala Devi for Arjuna Award

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has nominated Sandesh Jhingan and N Bala Devi for this year’s Arjuna Award.Arjuna Award is an honour bestowed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognise the achievement of athletes.

In January this year, Bala became the Indian woman professional footballer to play in Europe.

She was signed by Scottish club Rangers for an 18-month deal.

Also, Bala is the top scorer for the Indian women’s team, netting 52 goals in 58 appearances since 2010.

Jhingan, who made his international debut in football in 2015 and is a regular in the national team.

10.French cyclist Di Gregorio given four-year ban after conclusion of 2018 doping case

French cyclist Rémy Di Gregorio has been banned for four years after the conclusion of a doping case which began in 2018.Di Gregorio was provisionally suspended after testing positive for darbepoetin, a form of the blood booster erythropoietin (EPO).

The substance is often known under the brand name Aranesp.

Di Gregorio, now 34, was arrested by French police at the 2012 Tour de France, leading to his then team Cofidis suspending and withdrawing him from the race.

11.Actor Shafique Ansari Passes Away

Actor Shafique Ansari, who starred in Sony TV’s show Crime Patrol, has died.He was suffering from stomach cancer for a few years and he lost the battle to the deadly disease.

Ansari also worked as an assistant director and writer.

He was among the screenwriters for 2003’s Baghban, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini.

12.Former National Table Tennis Champion Manmeet Singh Walia Dies

Former national table tennis champion Manmeet Singh Walia, who was suffering from rare ALS disease for nearly two years, has died.Manmeet was suffering from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a disease that causes motor neuron degeneration, leading to voluntary muscle impairment.

Manmeet became the national champion in 1989 when he beat S Sriram in the men’s singles final in Hyderabad.

He had represented the country at multiple international events after making his debut at the Asian Championships in 1980 along with eight-time national champion Kamlesh Mehta.