Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 03 MAY 2020

::NATIONAL::

Indian Army, Navy and Air Force today showcased solidarity with country's COVID 19 warriors by a unique series of activities across the nation.
In Delhi this morning, representatives of the three services laid wreaths at the National Police Memorial honouring the efforts of police for their exceptional and heroic efforts in country's fight against the pandemic. Indian Air Force chopper showered petals on the National Police Memorial saluting the efforts of police.
Chief of Defence Staff General BipinRawat had announced on Friday that the three services will carry out a series of activities to thank the corona warriors.
AIR correspondent reports, light rain and overcast skies added magic to the atmosphere even as Indian Air Force showered red hued petals at hospitals across the city including Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, DeenDayalUpadhyay Hospital and LokNayak Jap Prakash Narayan hospital.
Sukhoi 30 MKIs, MiG 29s and Jaguars conducted a flypast over Rajpath, orbited over the city for over half an hour. The jets showering petals could be clearly seen in the sky, and warmed the heart of many a people in these difficult times.

A record sales turnover of Rs 52 crore has been registered by the PradhanMantriBhartiya Jan AushadhiKendras in the last month. This led to total savings of approximately Rs 300 crore as Jan Aushadhi Kendra's medicines are cheaper by 50 to 90 per cent of the average market price.
AIR Correspondent reports, in its fight against COVID-19, government is transforming the face of healthcare system through PradhanMantriBhartiya Jan AushadhiPariyojana that has been providing over 900 quality generic-medicines and 154 surgical equipment at affordable prices.
Presently, more than 6,300 Jan Aushadhi Kendra are functioning across the nation covering 726 districts. With the help of Jan AushadhiSugam Mobile App, people can locate their nearest Jan AushadhiKendras and get the information about the availability of medicine. Over 3 lakh 25 thousand people are using this App.

The government may soon extend the interest equalisation scheme, which lapsed on March 31, to shore up the export sector impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said.
Addressing a Webinar organised by Ficci, Director General of Foreign Trade AmitYadav said, "In the weeks ahead, you would be hearing a good news with regard to the extension of interest equalisation scheme."
"We are ensuring that exports come back on the track. The export data for March is an indicator; the impact of the present crisis could be seen from the export data of March and that for April would also be similar," a Ficci statement quoted Yadav as saying.

MSME Minister NitinGadkari has asked Industries to focus on export enhancement as well as import substitution to replace foreign imports with domestic production.
Mr Gadkari said this while interacting with the representatives of Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, DICCI on impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs owned by SC-ST entrepreneurs. Mr Gadkari said, in order to gain competitiveness in the international markets, the industry must focus on reducing logistic cost, capital cost, power and production cost without compromising with the quality.
During the interaction, the representatives of DICCI expressed concerns regarding various challenges being faced by SC-ST MSMEs amid COVID-19 pandemic and requested support from the government to keep the sector afloat.

Members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership have offered India a package to return to the negotiating table, taking into account the country’s concerns over tariff base rates and special trade safeguards.
Members of the trade bloc urged India to convey its initial response to the package by May 15 as the Indo-Pacific region braces for a post-Covid-19 economic order.
India opted out of the RCEP negotiations last year after the group did not assuage its concerns over getting swamped by imports and putting its domestic industry and agriculture at risk.
The RCEP members “reaffirmed their commitment to continue working with India to address its outstanding issues” at the 29the meeting of the RCEP trade negotiating committee held via video conference on April 20, 22 and 24, according to a joint statement.

It doesn’t require an adult cobra to snuff the life out of you; even hatchlings are capable of it, warn herpetologists.
Snake specialists sounded caution on handling snakes after a video of a Malayalam actor holding the hatchling of a cobra on her palm went viral on social media. The hatchling, a few centimetres in length, could be seen holding its hood up in the video and launching itself forward as if to strike.
It doesn’t require an adult cobra to snuff the life out of you; even hatchlings are capable of it, warn herpetologists.
Snake specialists sounded caution on handling snakes after a video of a Malayalam actor holding the hatchling of a cobra on her palm went viral on social media. The hatchling, a few centimetres in length, could be seen holding its hood up in the video and launching itself forward as if to strike.
Snakes hatch towards the end of summer months and the chance of encountering them were higher during the monsoon period. Most cases of snakebite occurred during monsoon, he said. Ideally, one should stay away from snakes.
If confronted in an unavoidable situation, the movement of the snake could be restrained by covering it with a bucket and then waiting for snake rescuers to arrive.