1. NHAI achieved record 3,979 km highways construction in FY 19-20

• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has achieved the highest ever highway construction feat with an accomplishment of 3,979 km of national highways in the financial Year 2019-20. However, it has completed 88% of highway construction against the target of building 4,500 km highways in FY-20. In the FY 2018-19, NHAI constructed 3,380 km of National Highways.
• The government has initiated a highway development programme in 2015 namely Bharatmala Pariyojana, which includes development of about 65,000 km of NHs. Under Phase-I of the programme, the government has approved implementation of 34,800 km of national highways projects with an outlay of Rs 5.35 lakh crore in a period of five years i.e. 2017-18 to 2021-22.The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been mandated to develop 27,500 km of NHs under Phase-I.

Foot Notes: About NHAI
Establishment– 1995
Administrative control– Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
Chairman– Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
Headquarters: New Delhi
Agency executive: Sanjeev Ranjan 

2. RBI relaxed the norms of State/UT to avail overdraft

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to increase the number of days that a State/UT can continue to overdraft to 21 working days from the current stipulation of 14 working days as they are facing cash flow mismatches due to coronavirus.
• In addition, the number of days that a State/UT can overdraft in a quarter has also been increased to 50 working days from the current stipulation of 36 working days, while all other stipulations remain unchanged.
• The new arrangement is effective immediately and is valid until September 30, 2020.
• It has also increased the Ways and Means Advances (WMA) limit by 30% from the existing limit (Rs 1.20 lakh crore) for all States/UTs which was effective from April 1, 2020 & is valid till September 30, 2020.

Foot Notes: About RBI
Founded: 01 Apr 1935
Headquarters: Mumbai, India
Governor: Shaktikanta Das

3. U.B. Pravin Rao appointed as Chairman & Rekha Menon as vice-chairperson of NASSCOM

• The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) appoints Infosys Chief Operating Officer(COO) UB Pravin Rao as its chairman & chairman and senior managing director of Accenture in India Rekha M Menon as its vice president for 2020-21.
• UB Pravin Rao succeeds Keshav Murugesh, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of World Network Services (WNS) Global Services, who served as chairman of NASSCOM for the year 2019-20. Previously Rao was the vice-chairman of NASSCOM.
• The appointment was announced at the NASSCOM Executive Council meeting through video conference due to lockdown (COVID-19)

Foot Notes: About NASSCOM
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh
President– Debjani Ghosh (1st women president of NASSCOM)
Chairperson: Keshav R Murugesh
Founded: 1 March 1988
Founders: Dewang Mehta, Nandan Nilekani

4. Shafali Verma named as brand ambassador by PepsiCo

• Beverage Major PepsiCo has named Shafali Verma, 16 years old, Indian Women Cricketer, as one of its brand ambassadors for one year. Pepsi will be Shafali’s first contract with a major brand. The beverage firm recently signed Bollywood star Salman Khan as its face for 2 years.
• Shafali Verma hails from Haryana is the explosive top-order Indian batswoman, who played the ICC (International Cricket Council) Women’s T20I (Twenty20 International) World Cup against Australia in Melbourne.
• She also claimed the top spot in ICC T20I rankings and also became the youngest woman cricketer to play for India when she debuted against South Africa.

5. India relaxed ban on exports of paracetamol, hydroxychloroquine drugs

• The Government of India has relaxed a ban on exports of paracetamol and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) that are used to treat COVID-19. The drugs are currently placed in the licensed category. The move came as the US President Donald Trump had threatened India with retaliation if India rejected the US's demand for the supply of hydroxychloroquine. 
• India is one of the biggest manufacturers of the drug across the world. The US along with 30 countries, including South Asian neighbours and key global partners in West Asia, had asked India to lift the ban on the export of hydroxychloroquine drugs.

6. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announces 5T plan to control the spread of  COVID-19

• On April 7, 2020 Delhi Chief Minister(CM) Arvind Kejriwal announced a 5T plan which includes- Testing, Tracing, Treatment, Teamwork & Tracking and monitoring to control the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
• Only through testing, the infected person can be detected & aggressive testing is crucial to prevent the spread of the virus.
• Persons associated with a positive patient are identified and asked for self-quarantine.
• If someone is infected with COVID-19, they will be provided treatment. The virus can be combated & defeated through teamwork.

Foot Notes: About Delhi
Governor:  Anil Baijal
Chief Minister: Arvind Kejriwal

7. Kannada comic actor ‘Bullet’ Prakash passes away  

• Kannada actor “Bullet” Prakash who was known for his comic roles and performances in films like Aithalakkadi and Aryan, passed away. 
• He had been a part of more than 300 films and had recently signed a couple of projects in Kannada. 
• He was also a member of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2015.

8. Former Australia Test spinner Stephen O'Keefe retires from 1st class cricket

• Former Australia Test spinner Stephen O'Keefe has retired from first-class cricket after being omitted from New South Wales' list of contracted players for the next domestic season.
• The 35-year-old left-armer took 35 wickets in nine tests - including 12 in a match against India at Pune in 2017.
• O'Keefe took 16 wickets at 22.25 as New South Wales won the Sheffield Shield four-day title last season, the most by any spinner in the competition.

9. Former Libya interim Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril dies

• Mahmoud Jibril, the former leader of the opposition Libyan government during the civil war that toppled Muammar Gaddafi after 40 years of rule, has died in Cairo after being hospitalised with the coronavirus. 
• The 67-year-old had been quarantined at a hospital in the city since late last month. 
• He was an economic advisor to the Gaddafi government in its final years, before joining the revolution in 2011.
• Jibril had been interim prime minister for about seven months in 2011 and resigned after Gaddafi was captured and killed in the city of Sirte.

Foot notes: About Libya
Capital: Tripoli 
Currency: Libyan dinar
President: Mohammed Magariaf

10. Britannia Industries partners with Dunzo to deliver essential items  

• An online delivery platform, Dunzo has tied up with packaged foods company Britannia Industries to deliver range of products to its customers. Britannia Essentials store have been launched by Britannia Industries, that will be available to Dunzo app users.
• The batch of essential products produced by Britannia Industries will be available at Britannia’s distribution centers and will be sourced by Dunzo from distribution centers to ensure proper handling of goods as well as the availability of these products to the people. 

Foot Notes: About Britannia
Chairman of Industries: Nusli N Wadia.
Managing Director: Varun Berry.
About Dunzo:
Headquarters location: Bengaluru
Founded: July 2014
Chairman: Abhishek Venkateshwara