1) Nirmala Sitharaman attends the 2nd G20 FMCBG Meeting
Key takeaways of the 2nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting:
•Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the role of Finance Ministers as well as Central Bank Governors to safeguard the lives and livelihood of people, and at the same time, maintaining the macroeconomic stability in a sustainable manner.
•During the meeting, the minister also shared the measures taken by Government of India to facilitate the vulnerable sections with swift, timely and targeted assistance.
•G20 members has also shared an Action Plan to combat COVID-19 in order to protect lives, safeguard people’s jobs and incomes, preserve financial stability, revive growth and recover stronger. The shared action plan also aims to restore the confidence, provide help to countries needing assistance, coordinate on public health and financial measures and minimise disruption to global supply chain.
2) 44th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee postponed
•The Organizing Committee’s bureau members took the decision unanimously to postpone the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO keeping in view the novel coronavirus outbreak. The announcement of the decision was made by China’s Ministry of Education.
3) Andhra Govt launches YSR Nirman and COVID-19 portals
How does YSR Nirman portal work?
•The YSR Nirman is a web platform to assist various departments to acquire cement. The buyers (various government departments) can seek the number of cement required from suppliers for various government projects like Polavaram, housing etc. This portal connects various stakeholders like Cement Manufacturers Association, manufacturing companies and government departments.
How does COVID-19 portal work?
•The AP Industries COVID- 19 portal enables the MSME manufacturers and suppliers within the State to register themselves. The manufacturers and suppliers with UAM and GST can register themselves within the portal for creating and supplying essential items associated with COVID-19, both medical and auxiliary.
4) US approves sale of Anti-ship Missiles & Torpedoes to India
•The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has stated that the sale of 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air-launched missiles, 16 MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes and three MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes are estimated to cost USD 155 million.
•To conduct the anti-surface warfare missions in defence of critical sea lanes, the Harpoon missile system would be integrated into the P-8I anti-submarine warfare aircraft, hence enhancing the inter-operability with the United States and other allied forces. The induction of MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo will enhance India’s capability to conduct anti-submarine warfare missions.
5) DST rolls out Integrated geospatial platform “SAHYOG”
About Integrated Geospatial Platform: SAHYOG
•The Integrated Geospatial Platform “SAHYOG” has been created by the Department of Science and Technology from the available geospatial datasets, standards-based services, and analytic tools. It has been rolled out in the form of mobile application as well as the web portal (https://indiamaps.gov.in/soiapp/). SAHYOG will bolster the public health delivery system of the State as well as Central Governments and facilitate the necessary geospatial information support to citizens and agencies by collecting the COVID-19 specific geospatial datasets via community engagement. This is expected to speed up the response activities by Government of India against the pandemic.
•Hence, the “SAHYOG” platform will support the Nation’s health emergency management in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
6) Vineet Arora becomes new MD & CEO of Paytm General Insurance Ltd
•Paytm has appointed Vineet Arora as new managing director and chief executive officer of Paytm General Insurance Ltd. Prior to this, he has served as managing director and chief executive officer of Aegon Life Insurance Company. The appointment is a step for Paytm to further its journey into the insurance sector with an instantaneous specialise in general insurance.
7) Abdelouahab Aissaoui bags 13th International Arab fiction prize 2020
•‘The Spartan Court’ is a historical novel that relates the power struggle between Ottoman and French colonial powers in Algeria where it interconnects the lives of 5 characters in Algiers at the beginning of the 19th century (1815 to 1833).
8) Tata Power wins Edison Award for social innovation
•Tata Power is India’s largest integrated power company and has an installed capacity of 10,763 megawatts together with its subsidiaries and jointly controlled entities.
