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Current Affairs [PDF] - March 16-31, 2020

Highlights
India had set up 10 million USD funds to fight against Corona Virus at the SAARC video Conference. India
has also dispatched supplies such as testing equipment, sanitizers and other medical requests of Maldives
and Bhutan.
Significance
It is important for India to take lead role and strengthen its ties with the SAARC nations. This is because
India currently holds a trade surplus of 15 billion USD with SAARC countries. Given the geographical
location of the SAARC members, for all the members being neighbours, India can derive lot of benefits
through SAARC.
The only irritant for India in strengthening its relations with SAARC is Pakistan.
15th Finance Commission to monitor COVID-19 before second report
On March 19, 2020, the Finance Commission announced that it will monitor situation of COVID-19 before
releasing its second report.
Highlights
The Commission is to set up a committee to review fiscal consolidation of the government. The
commission has recommended grants for health sector under its report. It has recommended setting up of
State Disaster Risk Management Fund and National Disaster Risk Management Fund. This will replace the
existing Disaster Relief Funds both at centre and state level. This is being done to give larger priority to
disaster management, mitigation, relief and response.
Finance Commission
The Finance Commission was set by President of India in 1951 under Article 280. The commission makes
recommendation to distribute taxes between centre and state. It is an autonomous body. The main aim of
the finance commission is to address the vertical and horizontal imbalances between the centre and the
states.
The Finance Commission (Miscellaneous) Act, 1951 defines qualification, disqualification, eligibility, terms
and powers of Finance Commission.
IMD: El Nino to be neutral; Normal Monsoon rains for India
On March 19, 2020, the Indian Meteorological Department announced that the El Nino Weather Phenomenon
is to remain neutral this year between May and July. This will bring in normal rains to India during South
West Monsoon.
The Indian Monsoon is greatly affected by the El Nino and La Nina Weather Phenomenon. The neutral event
of the weather phenomenon is addressed as ENSO Oscillation.
ENSO Neutral: The Usual Weather System in the Pacific
The trade winds that flows from the east to west (from South America to Australia) pushes warm water
from the off coast of South America towards Eastern Australia and Asia. The waters are warmed up as they
are in the tropical zone of the earth receiving direct sun rays. The warm water rises the air and gives
plentiful rainfall in the region of Australia and Asia.
Also, the piling up of warm water in the western Pacific in turn pushes the cold under ocean waters towards
eastern side of the Pacific (towards South America). This is called upwelling. This makes the climate in the
western coast of South America cool.
Monsoon and ENSO
The ENSO phenomenon strengthens the trade winds that give good rains to India during Monsoon. It is the
trade winds that get deflected due to Corolis force and blow as south west monsoon.
The heating up of Himalayas during summer creates a low pressure in the region. This low pressure attracts
the moist high-pressure winds in the equator. They are moist due to the ENSO phenomenon.

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