The Ministry of HRD designated DigiLocker as the sole National Academic Depository (NAD). It directed the UGC to implement NAD as a permanent scheme within DigiLocker without levying user charges through MeitY.
DigiLocker is safe to store electronic versions of documents.
Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has urged students, innovators, researchers, educators and start-ups to come forward and help combat Coronavirus infection by participating in Samadhan Challenge.
The last date for the application is 14th of April.
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) had imposed export restrictions on 26 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and formulations. Now, has relaxed export curbs on 24 pharma ingredients and medicines including vitamin B1 and B12.
Director-General of DGFT: Amit Yadav.
The guidance document lays out three classes of facilities to be set up for various categories of patients. Three types of facilities are COVID Care Centre, Dedicated COVID Health Centre, Dedicated COVID Hospital.
All 3 facilities to have separate areas for different cases.
Swasth Ke Sipahi (Pharmacists) of Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra are delivering essential services & medicine at doorstep of patients & elderly under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana. It is run by Department of Pharmaceuticals under MoCF.
More than 6300 PMJAKs are functioning across 726 districts.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a 5T plan to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. The 5T plan includes testing, tracing, treatment, teamwork and tracking.
Lieutenant Governor of Delhi: Anil Baijal.
Telangana govt deployed an automated COVID-19 monitoring system app to identify & undertake live surveillance, track, monitor & provide real-time analytics to the CM & the health department. It has been developed by the start-up Vera Smart Healthcare.
Telangana Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan.
The Small Industries Development Bank of India will provide emergency working capital of up to one crore rupees to small and medium enterprises(MSMEs). The limit of SAFE loans has been enhanced from 50 lakh rupees to two crore rupees.
SAFE–SIDBI Assistance to Facilitate Emergency. Interest Rate-5%.
RBI relaxed norms for state govt facing short-term mismatches by extending the duration of overdraft facility until 30 September. The number of days for which a state or UT can avail this is extended to 21 working days from the current 14 days.
No. of days for a quarter increased to 50 working days from 36.
Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the acquisition by JSW Energy Limited of GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act. GMR is engaged in generation of power through its coal-based thermal power plant at Odisha.
JSW Head Office: Maharashtra.
CCI approved the proposed acquisition of 80.1% stake by Hitachi in the power grid business of ABB Limited. ABB Management will hold the entire power grid business of ABB. The deal is expected to be complete by the first half of 2020.
Hitachi is headquartered in Japan.
ABB HQ: Switzerland.
Under the partnership, the insurer has rolled out 2 insurance plans: Bharti Axa Group health Assure & Group Hospital Cash offering lumpsum of ₹25,000 & daily benefit of ₹500/day respectively.It can be availed from the Banking Section of the Airtel Thanks.
MD & CEO of Bharti AXA (General): Sanjeev Srinivasan.
HO:Mumbai.
PNBHF partnered with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to raise $75 mn with co-financing of $25mn by CitiBank based on Facility for Accelerating Financial Inclusion in Asia. It will be used for affordable housing to low-income households.
It is JICA’s 1st debt funding in housing finance sector in India
As per a survey released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, a leading business information company, the unemployment rate in India climbed to 23.4% as on April 5, 2020. It estimated the jobless rate for March 2020 as 8.7%.
MD & CEO of CMIE: Mahesh Vyas.
UN estimated loss of 195 mn jobs.
(ICRA)Investment Information & Credit Rating Agency has sharply revised its forecast for India’s growth in the current fiscal to 2% down from a range of 4.7% - 5.2%. It also lowered its estimate for GDP growth in FY20 to 4.4% from 4.7% earlier.
Moody’s Investors Service is ICRA’s largest shareholder.
Honor Blackman, one of the most memorable co-stars of the early James Bond films, has passed away. The actress shot to fame in her late 30s after playing Bond girl in Goldfinger.
She was also well known for TV series: The Avengers.
The American Space Agency NASA has announced that it is working on the Artemis Program.The Mission costs $35 billion from 2020-2024. NASA has dubbed Artemis Base Camp, meant to be a long-term foothold for lunar exploration.
NASA will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024.