NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India
is placed at 38th spot on World Bank's Logistics Performance Index: India has improved its ranking in the World Bank's Logistic
Performance Index (LPI) 2023 by six places from 44 in
2018 to 38 in 2023, among 139 countries. LPI is an interactive
benchmarking tool created to help countries identify the challenges and
opportunities on trade logistics and scope of improvement.
· India’s category wise ranking:
· International shipments: 22
· Logistics competence and equality: 48
· Timeline: 17
· Tracking and tracing: 38
2. DRDO
& Indian Navy Conduct Successful Trial of BMD Interceptor: Defence Research and Development Organization
(DRDO) and Indian Navy has successfully conducted a maiden
flight trial of sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the coast of
Odisha in Bay of Bengal
Aim: To
engage and neutralize a hostile ballistic missile threat thereby elevating
India into the elite club of Nations having Naval BMD capability Prior to this,
DRDO has demonstrated land-based BMD system with capability to neutralize
ballistic missile threats.
3. ISRO's
PSLV-C55 successfully places two Singaporean satellites into orbit: Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) has successfully
launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C55 (PSLV-C55)
mission carrying two Singaporean satellites titled, Singapore’s
TeLEOS-2 as the primary satellite and LUMELITE-4 from Satish
Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh They are co-passenger
satellites precisely into their intended 586 km circular orbit PSLV-C55 is a
commercial PSLV mission of NSIL, which is the commercial arm of ISRO.
4. Centre
launches over 250 network towers in border areas of Arunachal: The Centre has launched over 254 network towers to
provide 4G mobile connectivity in border areas of Arunachal Pradesh. It will
provide 4G coverage in uncovered villages of the state, thereby
bringing digital connectivity to 336 villages, including several areas
which have remained unconnected since Independence. Over 70,000
subscribers are expected to benefit from the service.
5. Maharashtra
Govt decides to constitute a new Commission:
The government of Maharashtra has decided to constitute a new
Commission to decide the backwardness of the Maratha Community. Its
government will file a curative petition in the Supreme Court for Maratha
(Social and Economic Backward Class) Reservation. It will ensure all the lapses
in the Maratha Reservation law will be overcome and assured that Candidates
from Maratha Community will be given all the benefits like other communities.
6. Govt
launches fifth round of regional air connectivity scheme 'UDAN 5.0': Government has launched the fifth round of the regional air
connectivity scheme, UDAN 5.0 to further enhance the connectivity to
remote and regional areas. Under this scheme, viability gap funding
(VGF) will be capped at 600 km stage length for both priority and
non-priority areas, which was earlier capped at 500 km. Besides this, no
pre-determined routes would be offered and only network and individual route
proposals by airlines will be considered.
7. Solar
Industries to Supply UAV ‘Nagastra’ To Indian Army: Solar
Industries Nagpur has recently bagged an order to supply the UAV 'Nagastra' to
the Indian Army, beating competitors from Israel and Poland. Nagastra is
India's first indigenous loitering munition which can strike enemy targets with
precision. It has been designed and developed by Economics Explosives Ltd
(EEL), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Solar Industries Nagpur, in association
with Z-Motion, Bangalore. It has an indigenous content of more than 75%
8. NMC approves Nagaland to set up its first medical
college: The National Medical Commission
(NMC) approved the setting up of the Nagaland Institute of Medical
Sciences and Research which will become the first medical college in
the northeastern state of Nagaland. The first medical college will be set up in
the northeastern state since it got statehood 60 years ago in 1963. The
academic session of the medical college will start from 2023-24. The medical
college will have a capacity of 100 seats for MBBS students and 85 seats will
be reserved for Nagaland-origin students, while the remaining 15 seats will be
open for applicants from other states.
9. PFC sanctions Rs 633 crore loan to Gensol Engg for
purchase of Electric Vehicles: Gensol Engineering Ltd (GEL) has been sanctioned a loan worth
Rs 633 crore by Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), a Maharatna
company for the purchase of 5,000 passenger electric vehicles (EVs) and 1,000
cargo EVs. PFC is a leading NBFC in the Indian power sector. The purchased
passenger EVs will be leased to Blusmart Mobility Pvt. Ltd (BMPL) to expand its
fleet of ride-hailing cabs. The first tranche of the loan has already been
disbursed, and the first lot of EV cabs have hit the Delhi roads. 5000
Passenger E4W (Electric Four-Wheelers) funded by PFC are being deployed in
Delhi and will result in CO2 emission reduction. With a view to accelerate
India’s net-zero target, PFC is exploring opportunities in debt financing of
EVs (OEMs and Fleet Acquisition), battery OEMs and EV charging infrastructure,
apart from large-scale renewable energy financing.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Asia-Pacific
Leaders’ Conclave on Malaria Elimination to commence at Delhi: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be organizing Asia
Pacific Leaders’ Conclave on Malaria Elimination in New Delhi on 24th
April 2023, in partnership with Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance
(APLMA) It will be held under the guidance of Union Minister. Aim: to
reaffirm political commitment to galvanize action for malaria elimination by
2030. It will revitalize national and regional momentum towards the goal of an
Asia Pacific Free from Malaria by 2030.
2. Earth
Day: 22nd April: Earth Day is being celebrated every year
on 22nd April to honor the environmental movement and raise awareness
to protect natural resources. Theme for Earth Day 2023: "Invest in
Our Planet". American senator Gaylord Nelson founded the Earth Day for
environmental education in 1970. Generally, Earth Day is either celebrated on
22nd April or on the day when the spring equinox occurs around the world.
3. IIT Madras to set up its first international campus in
Tanzania: The first Indian Institute of
Technology to be set up in Africa will come up in October in
Tanzania. IIT Madras will set up its first international campus in Zanzibar,
Tanzania, with plans to start the classes by October 2023.
In February
2023, a team of five professors from IIT Madras visited Tanzania and held
discussions with various officials on starting the campus. This information was
shared by IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti at IIT Madras’ 64th Institute Day.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Jyothi
Surekha Vennam clinches two gold medals at Archery World Cup: India has won two gold medals, one each in the mixed team
event and women's individual Compound, at the 2023 Archery World Cup Stage
1 in Antalya, Turkey. Indian mixed team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam and
Ojas Pravin Deotale outclassed Chen Yi Hsuan and Chem Chieh Lun of Chinese
Taipei by 159-154 to win the mixed team gold. The second gold came in the
women's individual Compound event after Jyothi Surekha Vennam defeated Sara Lopez
of Columbia by 149-146.
2. Rohit Sharma Announced as JioCinema’s brand
ambassador: ioCinema, owned by billionaire Mukesh
Ambani’s Viacom18, has signed up Rohit Sharma, captain of the men’s
cricket India, as its brand ambassador. The cricketer will build on the OTT
platform’s vision of making sports viewing synonymous with digital. As part of
this collaboration, Rohit will be working with the JioCinema team to promote
their digital-first approach towards sports viewing.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IIB to open its first overseas office in Abu Dhabi: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a host member agreement to officially
open the bank’s first overseas office, an Interim Operational Hub (the Hub), in
Abu Dhabi. The new foreign office in Abu Dhabi will support the AIIB’s
development agenda by funding sustainable economic development projects,
primarily in areas where it is most needed. The AIIB is a multilateral
development bank that prioritizes financing infrastructure projects focused on
sustainability.
2. Royal Sundaram launches add-on covers for vehicle
insurance policies: Royal Sundaram General Insurance Co. Ltd has introduced three
add-on covers for its vehicle insurance policies – Smart Save, Roadside
assistance, and Return-to-invoice. It has announced a ‘Smart Save’ add-on
cover for private cars. This comes at a zero cost and will help the customer to
get an upfront discount in Own Damage (OD) insurance premium, for repairing
their vehicles at Royal Sundaram’s identified repair shops and garages in the
event of a claim. It has also introduced two add-on covers for two-wheeler
policies. The add-on ‘Roadside Assistance’ will cover 11 emergency
services, which can rescue an immobilized two-wheeler. The services can be
requested for electrical, mechanical, or accidental breakdown. Return to
Invoice’ add-on cover comes with two plans which will seek to protect the
two-wheeler insurance customers to get their invoice value of the vehicle in
case of a total loss, including theft of the vehicle. As per the plan chosen,
road tax, registration charges, and insurance costs are also covered by the
customer.
3. Kaizad Bharucha appointed as deputy MD of HDFC Bank: Reserve Bank of India has approved the
appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as Deputy Managing Director and Bhavesh
Zaveri as Executive Director of the HDFC bank for three years. This
appointment reinforces Bharucha’s position as number two in the bank after
Sashidhar Jagdishan, who was appointed CEO in October 2020. The bank’s board
recommended Jagdishan for another three-year term last month.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Deepika Misra becomes 1st woman IAF officer to get
Gallantry Award: Wing Commander Deepika Misra has
become the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force to be presented a
gallantry award. Wing Commander Mishra, a Rajasthan-based helicopter pilot, has
been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for “extraordinary courage”
displayed during a flood relief operation in Madhya Pradesh. IAF chief Air
Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari presented the Yudh Seva Medal and other awards to
several officers and air warriors at an Investiture Ceremony held at the Air
Force Auditorium in Subroto Park here. While two IAF officers were awarded Yudh
Seva Medal, 13 officers, and air warriors received Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry),
13 officers Vayu Sena Medal and 30 Vishisht Seva Medal. A total of 58 persons,
57 from the IAF and one from the Army received the awards.
2. Shanti Lakra selected as finalist for Global Nursing Award 2023: Shanti Lakra, a nurse from India, has been selected as a finalist for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2023. The winner of the award will receive a cash prize of $25,000 and will be announced in May 2023. The award recognizes and honors exceptional nurses from around the world who have made significant contributions to patient care. Lakra works as a nurse in a hospital in Port Blair.
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