Daily Current Affairs | SSC | Banking | Defence | State PSC | UPSC | 26 and 27 April 2020 (2024)

1. Sanjay Kothari sworn in as Chief Vigilance Commissioner

• Recently, Sanjay Kothari has been sworn in as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner.
• President of India Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath to him.
• Sanjay Kothari is a former 1978 batch Indian Administrative Service officer from Haryana.
• Central Vigilance Commission:
  • It is an independent, apex vigilance institute.
  • Advises various officers in central government organizations to plan, implement, review and improve their vigilance work.
  • It was established in February 1964 by the recommendation of K Santhanam committee.
  • In 2003, it was granted statutory status by the Parliament.

2. Senior Congress leader Badruddin Sheikh passed away

• Recently, senior Congress leader Badruddin Sheikh has passed away.
• He was 68.
• He died after a COVID-19 infection.
• He was a counselor in Amdavad Municipal Corporation, Ahmedabad.
• He was active in politics and public life.

3. Central government appointed new secretaries in various ministries and departments

• Recently, the central government appointed new secretaries, special secretaries and additional secretaries in various ministries and departments.
• Information and Broadcasting Secretary Ravi Mittal has been appointed as Sports Secretary.
• Amit Khare, Secretary, Higher Education, has been given the additional charge of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal has been appointed as Secretary of School Education and Literacy.
• Tarun Kapoor has been appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• Tarun Bajaj became the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance.

4. National Thermal Power Corporation Limited invited Global Expression of Interest (GEI)

• Recently the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has invited Global Expression of Interest.
• It aims to provide 10 hydrogen cell based electric buses and an equal number of hydrogen fuel cell based electric cars in Leh and Delhi.
• This is the first project of its kind in the country, in which a complete solution ranging from green energy to fuel cell vehicles will be developed.
• This initiative has been done in collaboration with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• The purpose of launching hydrogen-powered vehicles is to make the vehicle and automobile sector carbon-free.
• National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC):
  • It is an Indian public sector undertaking engaged in the business of power generation and allied activities.
  • It is a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956.
  • NTPC is a Maharatna company.
  • It was founded in 1975.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

5. India supplied Bangladesh with 1 lakh hydroxychloroquine tablets and other emergency medical supplies

• Recently India has supplied 1 lakh hydroxychloroquine tablets and other emergency medical supplies including 50,000 surgical gloves to Bangladesh.
• This material was handed over to Rewa Ganguly Das, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh.
• Earlier, India provided 30 thousand surgical masks and 15,000 head-covers to Bangladesh on 25 March in the first installment of assistance under the COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
• Bangladesh:
  • Located in the east of India on the Bay of Bengal, is a South Asian country.
  • Its capital is Dhaka and the currency is Bangladeshi Taka.

6. Chemicals and petrochemicals sector is the country's top exporter for the first time

• The chemicals and petrochemicals sector has become the country's top exporter for the first time.
• The export of chemicals during April 2019 to January 2020 increased by 7.43% over the same period of the previous financial year.
• Total exports of chemicals reached Rs 2.68 lakh crore during this period, which is 14.35% of the total exports.
• The sustained efforts by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals have enabled the industry to become the most exported segment for the first time.

7. COVID-19 can affect the central nervous system due to loss of smell and taste

• A recent study has shown that COVID-19 can affect the central nervous system due to loss of smell and taste.
• This study has been done by scientists of IIT, Jodhpur.
• According to this study, scientists have been tracing the neuroinvasive nature of the COVID-19 virus, stating that the loss of smell and taste of infected patients has a devastating effect on their entire central nervous system and the underlying structures in the brain.
• For this reason, the person is also at greater risk of viral infection in future.
• The loss of smell or taste is attributed to this fact as the virus enters the body mainly through nose and mouth.

8. Separationists declared self-rule in southern Yemen

• Recently, separatists in southern Yemen have declared self-rule.
• This announcement broke the peace agreement that was signed in November with an internationally recognized government.
• The Southern Transitional Council in Aden announced the state of emergency, saying it would rule the port city and other southern provinces.
• The Southern Transitional Council alleged that the government had failed to perform its duties.
• It is known that the Houthi rebels hold most of the north.
• Yemen:
  • It is a country located at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia.
  • Its capital is Sana and the currency is Yemeni riyal.

9. Replay of dolphins in the Bosphorus Strait

• Recently, dolphin recreation has been observed in the Bosphorus Strait.
• More than 2700 people have died in Turkey due to the Corona Virus infection. Therefore, Turkey had declared a lockdown in the country from 23 April.
• For this reason, due to the reduced movement of ships in the sea, the fish of this region has got the opportunity to travel again uninterruptedly.
• The Bosphorus Strait, which lies between Europe and Asia, is a major habitat of the marine mammal dolphin.
• Turkey:
  • Turkey is a nation bordering Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
  • Its capital is Ankara and the currency is Turkish Lira.

10. 26 April: World Intellectual Property Day

• World Intellectual Property Day is observed every year on 26 April.
• The day encourages intellectual innovation and creativity.
• The theme of World Intellectual Property Day 2020 is "Innovation for a Green Future".
• In the year 2000, WIPO member countries declared 26 April as World Intellectual Property Day, as the World Intellectual Property Convention came into force in 1970 on this day.

Read Daily Current Affairs English PDF - 26 and 27 April 2020

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