Top Best Current Affairs 12 April 2020 (2)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the Border Security Force (BSF) to enhance vigil along the Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, especially in the non-fenced areas of India. The security of the two borders was reviewed by the Minister. The move comes in the wake of coronavirus outspread. The BSF personnel were directed to ensure that no cross-border movement takes place at these two fronts. The Ministry is to ensure enforcement of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

The policy think tank NITI Aayog recommended to the government that the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act be kept in suspended animation for the next 6 months in view of the COVID-19. The NITI Aayog recommendation was moved by member and agricultural policy expert Ramesh Chand. It also recommended that it should be done across states even if an ordinance is required. The aim of the move is to ease pressure on farmers and ensure a smooth supply of farming goods. The Prime Minister is the Chairperson of the NITI Aayog.

Odisha on April 9, 2020 became the first state to prolong the coronavirus lockdown which has been extended till April 30. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement after a Cabinet meeting.

J&K government released Rs.183 crore to the beneficiaries under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The move is to benefit poor wage seeking households.The amount was transferred electronically into the accounts of beneficiaries within a period of 5-6 days. The move benefitted around 15.50 lakh active workers under MGNREGA in J&K.

Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), is to explore convalescent-plasma therapy for COVID-19. Indian council for medical research (ICMR) has approved to carry out the novel treatment.

The country's foreign exchange reserves declined by USD 902 million to USD 474.66 billion in the week to April 3 due to a fall in foreign currency assets, according to the latest data from the Reserve Bank of India.

Renowned Hindustani classical singer and Padma Shri awardee Shanti Hiranand Chawla passed away in Gurgaon on April 10, 2020at the age of 87. The singer was trained in thumri, dadra and ghazal singing by Begum Akhtar.

The World homeopathy day is celebrated on 10 April. The day is celebrated to honor the birth of the father of the Homoeopathic system of medicines Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. The year 2020, commemorates the 265th birth anniversary of the founder of Homoeopathy. The theme of the 2020 World homeopathy day is "Enhancing the scope of Homoeopathy in Public Health".