UP to become first state to start pool testing of COVID-19 samples

1.Ministry of Tourism launches its “DekhoApnaDesh” webinar series

The Ministry of Tourism has launched its “DekhoApnaDesh” webinar series.The series have been started to provide information on the many destinations and the sheer depth and expanse of the culture and heritage of our Incredible India.

The first webinar which is a part of this series that shall unfold, touched upon the long history of Delhi.

The webinar was titled ” City of Cities- Delhi’s Personal Diary’.

The webinar shall be available in public domain soon on the Ministry’s social media handles- IncredibleIndia on Instagram and Facebook.

The next webinar is on the 16th of April from 11 am to 12 noon and shall take visitors to the amazing City of Kolkata.

2.DRDO develops ‘COVSACK’ kiosk for COVID-19 sample collection

Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has added another product to the portfolio to combat Coronavirus (COVID-19) by developing COVID Sample Collection Kiosk (COVSACK).The COVSACK is a kiosk for use by healthcare workers for taking COVID-19 samples from suspected infected patients.

Patient under test walks into the Kiosk and a nasal or oral swab is taken by a healthcare professional from outside through the built in gloves.

The Kiosk is automatically disinfected without the need for human involvement, making the process free of infection spread.

The shielding screen of the kiosk cabin protects the health care worker from the aerosols/droplet transmission while taking the sample.

The DRDO has designed and developed two units and handed over these to ESIC Hospital, Hyderabad after successful testing.

3.Fit India, CBSE to organise 1st-ever live fitness sessions for School students

Fit India and CBSE will organise first-ever live fitness sessions for school students in the second phase of lockdown.Live sessions will commence from 9:30 in morning and students can get access to these live sessions on Facebook and Instagram handles of Fit India Movement and CBSE.

During the programme guidelines of the Ministry of AYUSH to stay healthy will be shared with students.

The live sessions will cover all aspects of children’s fitness from daily workouts to yoga, nutrition to emotional well-being.

4.Robots to serve food, medicine to COVID-19 patients in Jharkhand

‘COBOT-Robotics’ Robots are serving food and medicine to COVID-19 patients in two hospitals in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district.It is a step to protect doctors and health workers from getting infected with coronavirus.

Developed by District Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC) Aditya Ranjan, the remote-controlled ‘COBOT-Robotics’ will provide food and medicine to patients without human intervention.

5.e-comic Textbooks launched in Manipur

After releasing the country’s first comic textbooks primary classes, the electronic format of comic textbooks for Class III, IV and V respectively was formally launched in Manipur.The electronic format comic textbook for each class comprises three subjects namely Mathematics, Environmental Studies and English Language in a single electronic comic textbook format.

Manipur had topped the list of the best performing smaller states in NITI Aayog’s school education quality Index.

6.UP to become first state to start pool testing of COVID-19 samples

As the number of Covid-19 positive patients in Uttar Pradesh increased, the state government decided to start pool testing of the coronavirus samples.The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) gave permission for pool testing to the state in order to help maximise the testing of samples on a daily basis.

During pool testing, if 10 samples are mixed and tested for Covid-19 and if they test negative, then it will be an indicator that all samples are negative.

But if the test is not negative, then individual testing will be done. This will increase the testing capacity as well as accelerate the process.

The health department at the moment is testing around 2000 samples per day in the state.

7.India, China will register positive growth rate despite Coronavirus pandemic: IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said India and China are the only two major countries, which will register a positive growth rate despite the Coronavirus pandemic.In its latest edition of the World Economy report, IMF has projected India’s GDP growth to be 1.9 per cent in 2020 from 5.8 per cent in January.

For China, it has projected a growth rate of 1.2 per cent.

The IMF said, despite the global economy hitting the worst recession since the Great Depression of 1930s, India and China are likely to bounce back strongly in 2021 with India expected to grow at 7.4 per cent and China at 9.2 per cent.

Most countries in the advanced economy group are forecast to contract this year, including the US, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

8.HDFC Chairman pushes for restructuring of NPA norms

HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh pushed for a one-time restructuring of stressed real estate accounts and relaxation in classification of NPA norms to 180 days from 90 days to help the sector.Unless the stressed accounts are restructured, financial institutions will find it difficult to provide additional liquidity to the sector.

Most of the developers are in a stressful situation and many of them are NPAs or will become NPAs.

Recommendation has already been made to the RBI for the restructuring following which real estate developers can be given additional money.

Under the RBI norms, an account is classified as a NPA if it is not serviced for 90 days.

9.Hindalco closes $2.8-billion acquisition of US-based Aleris Corp

Nearly two years after signing a deal to take over Ohio-based aluminium rolled products maker Aleris Corp, Kumar Mangalam Birla’s Hindalco Industries finally completed the acquisition through its subsidiary Novelis Inc.The enterprise value of the deal, at $2.8 billion, is slightly higher than the initial estimate of $2.58 billion.

With the deal closure, Hindalco is now one of the world’s largest aluminium makers.

Aleris has long-term supply contracts with aircraft makers Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier.

The acquisition will also give Hindalco access to the aluminium supply market for the building and construction segments.

10.Birupaksha Mishra took charge as the Executive Director of Union Bank of India

Birupaksha Mishra has taken over the charge as the executive director of Union Bank of India.Prior to this, Mishra was executive director at erstwhile Corporation Bank, which along with Andhra Bank got amalgamated with Union Bank from April 1.

Mishra has more than 35 years of experience in various administrative and functional capacities at branches, regional offices and also at the corporate office of Corporation Bank.

11.World’s most famous cycling race Tour de France postponed in wake of Coronavirus pandemic

The world’s most famous cycling race Tour de France has been postponed in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.The French newspapers reported that the three-week race that was set to start on 27th of June in the Riviera city of Nice has been set for August.

This year’s event has 21 stages, with the longest of them stretching 218 kilometres (135 miles).

The last time the Tour was not held was in 1946, with the nation still emerging from World War-II. It was also stopped during World War-I.

12.Former Pakistani cricketer Zafar Sarfraz passes away

Former Pakistani first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz became the first professional player in the country to die after contracting the novel coronavirus.Sarfraz, a middle-order batsman, played 15 first-class games in Peshawar and retired in 1994.

Pakistan has recorded more than 5,000 coronavirus cases to date and nearly 100 deaths.

Lack of testing and an underfunded health care sector, however, has raised fears the country is ill-equipped to handle a spike in cases.