Current Affairs - Update of 20.04.2020

1. Fitch slashes India's GDP growth forecast to 1.8%

Fitch Solutions has slashed India's economic growth forecast to 1.8% for the financial year 2020-21
Fitch Solutions has lowered India's economic growth forecast from 4.6% stating large-scale loss of income across the economy due to domestic outbreak of COVID-19, causing contracted private consumption
It has also predicted the contraction on fixed investment a capital expenditure has been reduced by businesses to conserve cash amid elevated economic uncertainty.

Switzerland has expressed solidarity with India in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic why projecting the tricolour on the famous Matterhorn mountain in the Swiss Alps
It was done to give 'hope and strength' to all Indians
The Indian flag on the Matterhorn was intended to express solidarity. The Indian Tricolour projected was more than 1000 meters in size.

Featuring India's most revered cricketers, the BCCI on 18 April 2020 uploaded a video to promote wearing masks in public places and help in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic
The 'Team Mask Force' has been created to spread awareness about wearing masks in public places
The video has messages from Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Smriti Mandhana to name a few.

The Home Ministry has extended regular and e-visas of all foreigners who are stranded in India due to the coronavirus lockdown till May 3, 2020 on gratis basis
The visa granted to those foreigners will remain suspended till May 3
Exit to such foreign nationals will also be granted up to 14 day beyond May 3, i.e. May 17, without levy of overstay penalty.

Central Board of Direct Taxes is revising the return forms for Financial Year 2019-20 which shall be notified by the end of April 2020
This is being done in order to enable income tac payers to avail benefit of various timeline extensions upto 30 June 2020 granted by Centre due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Government has launched an online data pool of critical Human Resource for combating and containing COVID-19
Health Ministry has created an online data pool on www.covidwarriors.gov.in of doctors including nurses and other health care professionals
It contains state wise and district wise availability of the large pool of Human Resources from various groups.

A team of researchers at IIT Ropar is aiming to develop a wart that will deliver food and medicine to COVID-19 patients in their isolation ward
The conceptual design is of a bot that can be instructed to receive and deliver food and medicines to every room from a remotely-located control room
The bot will have at least twelve shelves and a carrying capacity of 4 to 5 kg.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals has received approval from the US health regulator to market Alcaftadine Ophthalmic Solution, in the American markets
The company has received tentative approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) Alcaftadine Ophthalmic Solution.

'COVID FYI' is one-stop digital directory containing information of all COVID-19 related services and helplines released by official sources
This platform has been made by an International team of 16 members led by Simran Soni, a student of Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
COVID FYI a one-stOP COVID-19 platform for accessing emergency services from official government sources.

HDFC Bank has started #HDFCBankSafetyGrid campaign encourage social distancing in Public places
The bank has created physical markets of HDFC Bank logo on the ground using the outer grid logo. This campaign helps people waiting in the queue at a shop or an establishment
The Safety Grid will be painted in front of the space leading to various retail outlets such as pharmacies, grocery store, and ATMs. The safety grid distance of 1 metre is prescribed by the World Health Organization.