1.As a part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan package, what will be the insurance cover per person for frontline health workers involved in managing the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?
a. 10 lakhs
b. 20 lakhs
c. 50 lakhs
d. 30 lakhs
S-c
EXPLANATION-
• Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 50 lakh insurance cover per person for frontline health workers involved in managing the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The announcement was part of a slew of measures announced by the finance minister under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan package.
• The medical insurance scheme would include sanitation staff, doctors, Asha workers, paramedics and nurses.
• It will provide an insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakh for ninety (90) days to a total of around 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers, including community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact and care of COVID-19 patients and who may be at risk of being impacted by this. It will also include accidental loss of life on account of contracting COVID-19.
2. State-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) announced an ex-gratia of how much amount in case of coronavirus-related death of any LPG delivery boy or other personnel involved in the supply chai?
a. Rs 1 lakh
b. Rs 2 lakh
c. Rs 5 lakh
d. Rs 15 lakh
S-c
EXPLANATION-
• State-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh in case of coronavirus-related death of any LPG delivery boy or other personnel involved in the supply chain.
• While the entire country has bee locked down with most confining themselves to homes, cooking gas (LPG) supplies have continued uninterrupted with all the distributors and hundreds of delivery boys providing cylinders to 27.5 crore users on demand.
• Though the LPG distributor agencies and their staff, including delivery boys, are not part of oil company staff, they have been provided with protective gear by the three firms. But, the risk to the delivery boys and other staff remained as the Covid-19 infection spreads.
3. Which of the following was the first State to use geo-fencing to track COVID-19 case?
a. Madhya Pradesh
b. Andhra Pradesh
c. Telangana
d. Kerala
S-d
EXPLANATION-
• Kerala was one of the first States to use geo-fencing to track COVID-19 cases.
• Geofencing technology tracks a person’s location using their mobile phone’s cell tower location and Global Positioning System (GPS).
• The Kerala police has developed a software that will send an alert to designated officials when the location of quarantined person changes. The GPS and mobile tower locations are being made available with the help of mobile service providers.
• Kottayam District Police was the first in the state to implement geofencing for persons under quarantine for COVID-19. The technology is now also being used by police departments of other districts.
4. For how many years the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme has been suspended?
a. Four years
b. Three years
c. Five years
d. Two years
S-d
EXPLANATION-
• The Union Cabinet approved a two-year suspension of the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme so that the amount saved can go to the Consolidated Fund of India to fight COVID-19.
• The consolidated amount of MPLAD Funds for 2 years – Rs 7,900 crores – will go to Consolidated Fund of India.
• The Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) is a programme first launched during the Narasimha Rao Government in 1993, aimed towards providing funds for developmental works recommended by individual MPs.
• The MPs were entitled to recommend works to the tune of Rs 1 crore annually between 1994-95 and 1997-98, after which the annual entitlement was enhanced to Rs 2 crore.
• In 2011-12, the annual entitlement was raised to Rs 5 crore per MP.
5. Which of the following will launch SAFE PLUS?
a. SEBI
b. RBI
c. NABARD
d. FICCI
S-b
EXPLANATION-
• The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) said that it will provide emergency working capital up to Rs 1 crore to the small and medium enterprises(MSMEs) against their confirmed government orders.
• The offered loan - SIDBI Assistance to Facilitate Emergency response against Coronavirus (SAFE PLUS)-will be collateral-free and it will be disbursed to the MSMEs within 48 hours.
• The scheme was launched to provide financial assistance to MSMEs that are involved in making essential items including masks, sanitizers, gloves, head gear, shoe covers, goggles, bodysuits and ventilators that are significant to combat COVID-19 pandemic.
• The SAFE PLUS loan will be offered to the MSMEs as an emergency funding in the wake of the lockdown due to coronavirus outbreak.
• The loans will be provided at an interest rate of five percent. SIDBI further informed that the limit of SAFE loans has been enhanced from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore. The limit has been enhanced for those MSMEs that are eligible under the respective state government's special policy package for interest subsidy, subvention or capital subsidy.
