TNPSC Current Affairs May 02, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs May 02, 2020 (02/05/2020)

Topic: Public Awareness and General Administration, Profile of States

One Nation-One Ration Card scheme

Five more States join ration card portability. Bihar, Punjab, UP, Himachal and Daman and Diu have been integrated with the ‘one nation, one ration card’ scheme.

About 60 crore beneficiaries from 17 states and UTs can benefit from the ration card portability and they can purchase the subsidised foodgrains using the existing ration cards.

About the scheme:

One Nation One Ration Card (RC) will ensure all beneficiaries especially migrants can access PDS across the nation from any PDS shop of their own choice.

Topic: Latest Diary of Events, Science and Health

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has fanned fear among the villagers and health officials of Bihar’s Muzaffarpur and neighbouring districts amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown.

At least three children have reportedly died of the disease, locally known as chamki bukhar, in 2020.

About AES:

Acute encephalitis syndrome is a basket term used for referring to hospitals, children with clinical neurological manifestation that includes mental confusion, disorientation, convulsion, delirium, or coma.

Meningitis caused by virus or bacteria, encephalitis (mostly Japanese encephalitis) caused by virus, encephalopathy, cerebral malaria, and scrub typhus caused by bacteria are collectively called acute encephalitis syndrome.

The disease most commonly affects children and young adults and can lead to considerable morbidity and mortality.

How is it related to litchi fruits? How it affects?

In India, AES outbreaks in north and eastern India have been linked to children eating unripe litchi fruit on empty stomachs.

Unripe fruit contain the toxins hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG), which cause vomiting if ingested in large quantities. Hypoglycin A is a naturally occurring amino acid found in the unripened litchi that causes severe vomiting (Jamaican vomiting sickness), while MCPG is a poisonous compound found in litchi seeds.

Topic: International Diary of Events

China’s central bank digital currency

China, which seeks to be the first major economy to launch a digital currency, is to trial a digital yuan in four urban areas – including payments of local government employees’ transportation subsidies.

e- RMB:

The digital currency – known as the e-RMB – “will not be issued in large amounts” for public use in the short term, and the digital currency in circulation would “not lead to an inflation surge”.

Initially it will be tested in three major cities of Shenzhen, Suzhou and Chengdu.

People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the country’s central bank, will be the sole issuer of the digital yuan, initially offering the digital money to commercial banks and other operators.

Public would be able to convert money in their bank accounts to the digital version and make deposits via electronic wallets.

Topic: Profile of States, Latest Diary of Events

GI tag for Kashmir Saffron

The Saffron cultivated in the Kashmir valley has received Geographical Indication Tag. It is long, thick and has natural deep red colour. Also, it has high aroma and is processed without adding any chemicals.

The colour of the saffron is unique due to the high quantity of crocin. The Kashmir Saffron is the only saffron in the world that is grown at an altitude of 1,600 metres.

The saffron available in Kashmir is of three types: Lachha Saffron’, ‘Mongra Saffron’ and ‘Guchhi Saffron’.