Daily GK Update- 15th Apr, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Sekhar Rao appointed as interim MD and CEO of Karnataka Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Sekhar Rao as interim managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of Karnataka Bank with effect from April 15, 2023. He has been appointed for a period of three months or till the appointment of regular MD and CEO whichever is earlier. He has replaced Mahabaleshwara M S, whose term ended on April 14, 2023. Prior to this role, he was serving as an executive director of the bank.

 

2. PM Modi launched railway projects, methanol plant in Assam: PM Modi has launched a series of railway projects across the Northeast, a methanol plant, and laid the foundation stone for a bridge over the Brahmaputra river. He commissioned a methanol plant at Namrup in Dibrugarh by Assam Petrochemicals Ltd (APL) with 500 tonnes per day (TPD) capacity. He has also witnessed a mega-Bihu dance performance, which has made it to the Guinness World Records, at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Assam.

 

3. NHAI signs MoU with Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve: National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has signed an MoU with the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, spread across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Reason: To facilitate a seamless and efficient entry process for vehicles entering into the forest area. It will provide FASTag based payment system at Forest entry points It will extend the benefit of a collection of Ecosystem Management Coordination fees through FASTag at various entrance points of the Tiger Reserve

 

4. Army Commanders Conference to be organised in hybrid format: Army Commanders’ Conference (ACC) is an apex-level biannual event, is scheduled from 17 to 21 April 2023. It is an institutional platform for conceptual-level deliberations, culminating in making important policy decisions for the Indian Army. For the first time, it is being conducted in Hybrid format exploiting available technology for secure communication. Army Commanders will meet virtually on the first day and then travel to Delhi for balance physical meetings.

 

5. Global Conference on Compressed Biogas to be held in New Delhi: IFGE- CBG Producers Forum will organize a two-day Global Conference on Compressed Biogas in New Delhi from 17 April 2023. Theme: Towards Progressive Policy Framework for a Robust CBG Foundation and Growth. Aim: To apprise the industry regarding the initiatives taken for the development of the compressed biogas industry and to identify the areas where policy modifications are required

Union Minister for Petroleum, Hardeep Singh Puri will also attend the event.

 

6. Telangana CM KCR unveiled 125-ft-tall Ambedkar statue in Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has unveiled India's tallest statue of Ambedkar, a 125-ft tall bronze statue of BR Ambedkar in Hyderabad. Reason: To mark the 132nd birth anniversary of the architect of the Indian Constitution. It stands next to the State Secretariat on the banks of Hyderabad's famous Hussain Sagar Lake. It was built using 360 tonnes of stainless steel and 114 tonnes of bronze, at a cost of Rs 146.50 crore.

 

7. Purushottam Rupala launches Animal Epidemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI): Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala has launched the Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative to address animal pandemics in a holistic manner. This initiative aims at enhancing the country’s preparedness and response to animal pandemics, with a focus on zoonotic diseases that pose a threat to both animal and human health. It will also help to improve veterinary services and infrastructure, disease surveillance capabilities and awareness among farmers through community outreach. Rupala also launched World Bank funded Animal Health System Support for One Health, which aims at creating an ecosystem for a better animal health management system covering five states.

 

8. S Jaishankar inaugurates Buzi Bridge in Mozambique: India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has inaugurated the Buzi Bridge, constructed as part of 132 km Tica-Buzi Nova-Sofala Road project. The bridge has been by built by India. The Buzi Bridge connects the towns of Chibabava and Mafambisse. The project was executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in collaboration with the Mozambique government.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. ESA successfully launches JUICE mission to study Jupiter’s Icy Moons: The European Space Agency (ESA) launched its flagship JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission on April 14, 2023.

The mission was carried by an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. It will take an eight-year journey to reach Jupiter. Aim: To understand whether there are habitable environments among those icy moons and around a Jupiter It will make detailed observations of Jupiter and its three large moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa

 

2. India, Japan and France announce common platform for Sri Lanka creditors: Japan, India, and France have announced a common platform for talks among bilateral creditors to coordinate the restructuring of Sri Lanka's debt. This move is expected to serve as a model for solving the debt woes. Sir Lanka has secured a 2.9 billion dollar programme from IMF to tackle its huge debt burden. But, the middle-income economy could not apply for relief under the G-20’s common framework for debt treatment, which targets only low-income countries.

 

3. MRF emerges as ‘second strongest tyre brand in the world’: MRF Ltd has emerged as the second-strongest tyre brand in the world according to the latest report by Brand Finance on the ‘Most Valuable and Strongest Tyre Brands’ in the world. MRF has scored high in almost all parameters and is also featured as the second fastest-growing tyre brand in the world. It has scored 83.2 out of 100 in brand strength and was awarded a AAA- brand rating.

 

4. Bihu performance in Guwahati creates Guinness World Record: The state of Assam created history by entering the Guinness World Records for “the largest Bihu performance” at a single venue. The grand event of the traditional dance was held at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati.

A total of 11,304 folk dancers presented Bihu Dance and over 2,500 drummers performed with the dancers in the presence of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma at the event. The Bihu performance set two world records, one for the largest traditional dance, and the second record was for the largest musical instrument group. The previous record for the largest traditional dance was for 7,700 participants in China set in 2015. Bihu dance is a traditional folk dance performed especially during Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, the spring festival of Assam that marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year.

 

5. 16 April – World Voice Day: World Voice Day (WVD) is celebrated annually on April 16. Objective – To promote the proper care and training of the human voice, particularly among those who use their voice for professional or recreational purposes The voice is critical to effective and healthy human communication. World Voice Day helps bring global awareness to the need to prevent voice problems, rehabilitate troubled voices, train artistic voices, and research the function and application of the human voice. The concept of dedicating a special day to the voice was first introduced in 1999 by the Society of Laryngology & Voice in Brazil, which selected April 16 as the annual date.

 

6. 15 April – World Art Day: World Art Day is observed every year on 15 April. Objective – To commemorate Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday, recognizing the importance of art in promoting creativity, cultural diversity, and information exchange. World Art Day was officially established on April 15 during the General Assembly of the International Association of Art in 2012. This was the first year of celebration, and the date was chosen in honor of the renowned artist, Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. AIFF announces minimum wage for women players: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided that the top eight participating teams in the Indian Women's League (IWL), have a minimum of 10 Indian players on a fully professional annual contract worth a minimum of Rs 3.2 lakhs. Aim: To revamp and restructure women's football in the country, in line with the Strategic Roadmap Vision 2047. The 2024-25 season will have 10 teams in the top division followed by two other divisions. AIFF President: Kalyan Chaubey

 

2. Kagiso Rabada becomes the fastest player to take 100 wickets in IPL: Punjab Kings paceman Kagiso Rabada has become the fastest bowler to take 100 IPL wickets during the match against Gujarat Titans at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. He became the fastest bowler to reach the mark in terms of matches played. The right-arm pacer completed the milestone in his 64th IPL match with the wicket of Wriddhiman Saha, going well clear of Lasith Malinga, who picked his 100th wicket in his 70th match. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the fastest Indian to scalp 100 wickets in the IPL, is the third quickest to reach the mark overall. Rashid Khan (83), Amit Mishra (83) and Ashish Nehra (83) are tied on fourth position, while Yuzvendra Chahal (84) rounds off the top five.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. YES Bank becomes first Indian company with over 50 lakh shareholders: Private sector lender YES Bank has become the first Indian company to have over 50 lakh shareholders. Tata Power was a far second with 38.5 lakh shareholders, followed by Reliance Industries with 33.6 lakh shareholders, according to the December 2022 shareholding disclosures. The bank had 50.6 lakh shareholders as of March 31, 2023, all of whom were public shareholders. This was an increase from 48.1 lakh shareholders as of December 2022, most likely owing to the end of the three-year lock-in period for shareholders that held equity shares of the bank when it underwent the reconstruction scheme in March 2020.

 

2. Fasal ties up with SBI to help farmers get easy access to loans: Agri-tech company Fasal signed a partnership agreement with the State Bank of India (SBI) to provide farmers with easy access to capital. The partnership will help solve cash-flow constraints during key cycles in farming by providing quick, easy, and collateral-free loans at very competitive rates. These ties will help to fulfill Fasal’s larger objective of solving the many challenges across the entire horticulture value chain. In the 2023 budget, the government announced raising the agriculture credit target by 11% to Rs 20 lakh crore for FY24. The launch of Fasal’s latest financing solution echoes the government’s focused efforts toward increasing financial support for farmers across the country.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Kumar Mangalam Birla received AIMA's 'Business Leader of the Decade' award: Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla has received the AIMA's  Business Leader of the Decade Award 2023. Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, Jyotiraditya M Scindia has presented the 13th AIMA Managing India Awards. AIMA JRD Tata Corporate Leadership: TV Narendran, CEO and MD of Tata Steel Transformational Business Leader: Sanjiv Bajaj, MD of Bajaj Finserv Outstanding Institution Builder: Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. National Award-winning actress Uttara Baokar passes away: Veteran film and television actress Uttara Baokar passed away at 79 in Pune, Maharashtra. In 1984, she won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, India’s National Academy for Acting. She also appeared in Marathi films like Doghi (1995) with Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Renuka Daftardar, Uttarayan (2005), Shevri (2006) and Restaurant (2006), with Sonali Kulkarni. She came in the limelight following her role in Govind Nihlani’s movie Tamas. She has played various roles in different plays such as Padmavati in Mukyhamantri and Mena in Mena Gurjari.

Daily GK Update- 14th Apr, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Festival of Vishu, Rongali Bihu, and Puthandu Pirappu celebrated: The festivals of Vaisakhi, Vishu, Rongali Bihu, Naba Barsha, Vaisakhadi, Meshadi, Naba Barsha, and Puthandu Pirappu are being celebrated in different parts of the country on April 14, 2023. Baisakhi is celebrated with pomp in the North region, especially in Punjab. Rongali Bihu is marked as Assamese New Year.

Poila Baisakh falls on April 15, marking the beginning of the Bengali New Year. Vishu marks the new year in Kerala, while Puthandu marks the Tamil New Year.

 

2. ATL linked with KVK and Agricultural Technology Management Agency: AIM, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Agriculture signed to promote innovation in the agricultural sector among school students across India. The Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and Agricultural Technology Management Agency agreed to connect. KVKs work as a Single Window Agricultural Knowledge Resource and Capacity Development Centre. KVKs, in partnership with ATMA, will collaborate with nearby ATLs to support agricultural-related innovation.

 

3. Tamil Nadu govt formed a panel to assess the functioning of juvenile homes: The Tamil Nadu government has formed a one-man committee to recommend measures for the effective administration of the homes functioning as per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2015. Headed by: Retired judge K. Chandru The committee will look into various aspects including infrastructure, health, and medical facilities, and the qualification of staff. The committee will also provide recommendations to the government for improvement.

 

4. India employment rate increases to 36.9% in the March quarter: According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India's labor market has witnessed an improvement with over 15 million people entering the workforce in the last three quarters. The country's employment rate increased to 36.9% in March 2023 from 36.6% in December 2022. The labor participation rate (LPR) declined from 40.5% in December to 39.8% in March 2023. While the unemployment rate saw a small decrease from 8.3% to 7.8% during this period.

 

5. Maharashtra govt announces Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s birth anniversary as ‘Swatantraveer Gaurav Din’: Maharashtra Government has announced that the birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, which falls on May 28, will be observed as ‘Swatantraveer Gaurav Din’. Various programs will be organised to promote and propagate the thoughts and works of Veer Savarkar on Swatantraveer Gaurav Divas. It aims to highlight Savarkar’s contribution to India’s independence movement, his ideology and his campaigns for social reforms and the eradication of untouchability. Vinayak Savarkar was born in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, on 28th May, 1883. Next month will mark his 140th birth anniversary. Savarkar is credited with establishing the concept of Hindutva, which aimed to create a Hindu nationalist identity for India.

6. Kolkata Metro becomes India’s first metro train to run under river: Kolkata Metro has become the first metro rail in the country to make an under-river journey as its rakes passed through an underwater tunnel below the Hooghly River. The Metro is expected to cover the 520-metre stretch under the river in 45 seconds. This tunnel under the river is 32 metres below the water level. Trial runs on the 4.8-km underground section from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade will soon begin. Esplanade, Mahakaran, Howrah, and Howrah Maidan are the four stations. Once this stretch opens, Howrah will become the country’s deepest Metro station (33 metres below the surface). Commercial services on this stretch are expected to start later this year. India’s first underwater (subaqueous tunnel) rail system connects the Howrah station complex on the western bank of the Hooghly River to Armenian Ghat on the eastern bank.

 

7. Andhra Pradesh’s CM Jagan Mohan Reddy wealthiest CM in India: Report: According to poll affidavits analyzed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a total of 29 of the incumbent chief ministers are crorepatis in India with Andhra Pradesh’s Jagan Mohan Reddy having the highest assets totaling ₹510 crores. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has the lowest total assets of about ₹15 lakh. According to the ADR report, out of the 30 CMs, 13 (43 percent) have declared serious criminal cases including those related to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, and criminal intimidation The top three chief ministers in terms of assets are Andhra Pradesh’s Jagan Mohan Reddy (over ₹510 crore), Arunachal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu (over ₹163 crore), and Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik (over ₹63 crore). The three CMs with the lowest declared assets are – West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee (over ₹15 lakh), Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan (over ₹1 crore), and Haryana’s Manohar Lal (over ₹1 crore). Both Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Delhi’s Arvind Kejriwal own assets worth over ₹3 crore.

 

8. 14 April 2023 – 132nd Ambedkar Jayanti: Ambedkar Jayanti is celebrated on April 14 to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. This year is celebrating the 132nd Birth Anniversary. He was the Chairman of the committee drafting the Constitution of India and served as the first Law Minister of independent India. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891, in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow. Ambedkar belonged to the Mahar caste which was considered untouchable in Hinduism.  He converted to Buddhism in October 1956. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna Award posthumously in April 1990.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. IAF to participate in Multilateral International Exercise Orion in France: An Indian Air Force contingent is participating in the multinational international Exercise Orion, organized at Mont-de-Marsan in France from 17 April to 5 May 2023. The IAF Contingent is joining the exercise with four Rafale, two C-17, two ll-78 aircraft, and 165 air warriors. It would be the first overseas exercise for the IAF's Rafale aircraft. Other participants: France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States of America.

 

2. India and WFP signed MoU for sending wheat to Afghanistan: The Indian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Food Programme (WFP) for sending 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat to the people of Afghanistan. The MoU was signed between the Ministry of External Affairs and the United Nations WFP. This MoU marks the fifth tranche, to be shipped through the Chabahar Port in Iran, of humanitarian food assistance that India committed in 2020. In 2022, India has contributed 40,000 metric tons of wheat.

 

3. World Chagas Disease Day 2023: 14th April: World Chagas Disease Day is observed every year on April 14th to raise awareness about a life-threatening illness that can cause severe heart and digestive problems. It is also known as American trypanosomiasis, silent disease, or silenced disease. It is more common in regions like Central America, Mexico, and South America. The theme for 2023 is Time to integrate Chagas disease into primary health care. World Chagas Disease Day was established in 2020.

 

4. World’s Most Criminal Countries Ranking: India at 77 spot: World of Statistics has shared the ranking of the world’s “most criminal countries”. On the list, Venezuela has been ranked top, followed by Papua New Guinea (2), Afghanistan (3), South Africa (4), Honduras (5), Trinidad (6), Guyana (7), Syria (8), Somalia (9) and Jamaica (10), respectively. India stood at 77 spots while the US and UK were ahead of India in the criminal ranking country. The USA was at 55th number and the UK at 65th rank. Turkey, Germany, and Japan were among the least criminal countries, ranking at 92nd, 100th, and 135th ranks. The total number of crimes of any kind reported is divided by the total population, then multiplied by 100,000, which yields the overall crime rate (because the crime rate is typically reported as X number of crimes per 100,000 people).

 

5. Ghana becomes first country to approve Oxford malaria vaccine for children: Ghana has become the first country in the world to approve a new malaria vaccine from Oxford University, with children under the age of three in line to benefit. The mosquito-borne disease kills more than 600,000 people each year, most of them children in Africa, and scientists have been trying for years to develop vaccines. Childhood vaccines in Africa are typically paid for by international organizations such as Gavi and UNICEF after they have been backed by the World Health Organization (WHO). This is the first time a major vaccine has been approved first in an African country before rich nations.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Aman Sehrawat wins India’s first gold medal at Asian Wrestling C'ships: Indian wrestler, Aman Sehrawat won India’s first gold medal in men’s 57 kg freestyle category at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023, held in Astana, Kazakhstan. He defeated Kyrgyzstan's Almaz Smanbekov 9-4. Among the other Indian wrestlers, Deepak (79kg) won bronze while Deepak Nehra (97kg) lost his bronze medal match. The Greco-Roman wrestlers won four medals while the women’s wrestlers bagged seven.

 

2. India’s Antim Pangal wins silver medal at Asian Wrestling Championships: India’s Antim Panghal won silver at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 after losing to Japan’s Akari Fujinami in the 53-kg category in Astana, Kazakhstan. Fujinami, the reigning world champion, successfully defended her Asian crown in a comfortable fashion. Apart from Pangal’s silver medal, four other Indian wrestlers also won bronze medals: Anshu Malik (57 kg), Sonam Malik (62 kg), Manisha (65 kg) and Ritika (72 kg).

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. YES Bank becomes first Indian company with over 50 lakh shareholders: YES Bank has become the first Indian company to have over 50 lakh shareholders. The bank had 50.6 lakh shareholders as of March 31, 2023, all of whom were public shareholders. While Tata Power was a far second with 38.5 lakh shareholders, followed by Reliance Industries with 33.6 lakh shareholders, according to the December 2022 shareholding disclosures. Since then, the total number of shares held has also more than doubled from 1,255 crores to 2,875 crores.

 

2. Fasal ties up with SBI to help farmers get easy access to loans: Agri-tech company Fasal signed a partnership agreement with the State Bank of India (SBI) to provide farmers with easy access to capital. The partnership will help to solve the cash-flow constraints during key cycles in farming by providing quick, easy, and collateral-free loans at very competitive rates. These ties will help to fulfill Fasal’s larger objective of solving the many challenges across the entire horticulture value chain.

 

3. India's economic growth projected to decelerate to 6% in 2023: UN: According to the United Nations, India's economic growth is projected to decelerate to 6% in 2023 from 6.6% in 2022. The UNCTAD in its latest Trade and Development Report Update released, expects global growth in 2023 to drop to 2.1%, compared to the 2.2% projected in September 2022. UNCTAD expects the South-Asian region to expand at a still fast pace of 5.1 percent in 2023. Recently, IMF lowered India's economic growth projection for the current fiscal to 5.9%.

 

4. SEBI unveils new logo on Its 35th Foundation Day: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has unveiled a new logo on the occasion of the market regulator’s 35th Foundation Day on 12 April. The new logo retains the traditional blue palette but also reflects on a more modern design. Sebi’s new logo seeks to reflect the unique combination of its rich traditions and its new data and technology-based approach in all three areas of its mandate in the securities market–development and regulation of the securities market and investor protection.

Sebi was established on April 12, 1988, under the Ministry of Finance. However, the body was granted statutory powers in 1992. Sebi functions as a quasi-judicial body and is to have more statutory powers than other market regulators like the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) of the United States.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. TIME Most Influential People of 2023 list released: TIME Magazine has published a list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2023, which includes Jennifer Coolidge (Actor), Doja Cat (Recording Artist), Bob Iger (CEO of The Walt Disney Company), and Salman Rushdie (Writer). There is no particular order to the rankings. Six categories: Artists, Icons, Pioneers, Leaders, Titans, and Innovators Indian Actor Shahrukh Khan and Indian Director S.S. Rajamouli were listed in Icon and Pioneer categories, respectively.

 

2. Kumar Mangalam Birla honoured with ‘Business Leader of the Decade’: Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla won the prestigious ‘Business Leader of the Decade’ award at the All India Management Association’s (AIMA) 13th Managing India Awards ceremony. The annual event to facilitate the titans of the industry, held in New Delhi, also recognized contributions of several other leaders and institutions. Tata Steel Chairman T V Narendran was facilitated with ‘AIMA-JRD Tata Corporate Leadership’ award. Leading engineering services company ABB India bagged the ‘MNC in India of the Year’ award.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. National Award-winning actress Uttara Baokar passes away: Veteran film and television actress Uttara Baokar passed away at 79 in Pune, Maharashtra. In 1984, she won India's National Academy for Acting, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. She also appeared in Marathi films like Doghi (1995) with Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Renuka Daftardar, Uttarayan (2005), Shevri (2006), and Restaurant (2006), with Sonali Kulkarni. She has played various roles in different plays such as Padmavati in Mukyhamantri and Mena in Mena Gurjari.

Daily GK Update- 13th Apr, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Industrial output of the country rises 5.6 percent in February 2023: According to the data, released by the Ministry of Statistics, the index of industrial production (IIP) has expanded as the manufacturing sector's output increased by 5.3% in February 2023. While the mining output increased by 4.6 % and Power generation raised to 8.2%. In January 2023, the IIP growth was revised to 5.5% from 5.2 percent. The industrial output of the country in February 2023 rose 5.6 percent, on a year-on-year basis.

 

2. Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative to launch on 14th April 2023: Union Minister of Fisheries, Parshottam Rupala will be launched the Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI) on April 14, 2023. He will also launch the World Bank-funded Animal Health System Support for One Health (AHSSOH) project. Aim: To create an ecosystem for a better animal health management system using the One Health approach It will be implemented over a five-year as a Central sector scheme with a financial provision of Rs. 1228.70 Cr.

 

3. Uttarakhand government launched A HELP Program: Uttarakhand CM, Pushkar Singh Dhami has launched a program named A-HELP (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production). Women have been chosen to strengthen livestock-related activities in remote rural areas, keeping in mind their important role under the A-HELP scheme, envisioned by Govt. of India. Trained A-HELPs will help to prevent the various infectious diseases of animals, and artificial insemination under Rashtriya Gokul Mission.

 

4. NMCG signs agreement with 49 Universities for water conservation: National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has signed an agreement with 49 Universities to inspire youth towards water conservation and river rejuvenation. Aim: To bring the student community to the forefront of the mass movement for creating a sustainable ecosystem of rivers. This also ensures the cleanliness and purity of River Ganga with the rejuvenation of rivers being the prime objective of the Namami Gange Mission. Jal Shakti Minister: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

 

5. National Museum of Natural History and State Museum, Lucknow sign MoU: The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and State Museum, Lucknow signed an MoU to work together toward environmental conservation and education among the masses. The multi-dimensional efforts will be made in organizing programs for school and college students to create awareness about nature. NMNH was established to portray and promote awareness of the country's Natural Heritage. It is an institution devoted to environmental education.

 

6. ADR report: Jagan Mohan Reddy is the wealthiest CM: According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR),  Andhra Pradesh’s CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has the highest assets totaling Rs 510 crore, followed by Arunanchal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu (over Rs 163 crore) and Odisha’s Naveen Pattnaik (over Rs 63 crore). While West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee has the lowest total assets of about Rs 15 lakh. Out of the 30 CMs analyzed, 29 are crorepatis with the average assets being Rs 33.96 crore for every CM.

 

7. India's first semi-high-speed regional rail service named 'RAPIDX': India's first semi-high-speed regional rail services have been named 'RAPIDX' by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). The trains will run on the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors, being implemented to connect key urban nodes across NCR. It is a joint venture company of the Union government and Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The NCRTC will commission the entire Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor by 2025.

 

8. W-20 International meeting begins in Jaipur: The second Women 20 (W20) international meeting was held in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The meeting will bring together 120 women leaders from 18 G20 countries to address gender inequality issues and promote women’s economic empowerment globally. Women 20 is an official G20 engagement group, and the meeting will focus on the theme of “Women-Led Development: Leverage Women’s Untapped Potential to Accelerate Inclusive and Sustainable Future. W20 was established in 2015 under the Turkish Presidency with the primary objective of women empowerment, advocacy of women’s rights and creating a common platform for them to voice their opinion.

 

9. K Krithivasan appointed as CEO of TCS: K Krithivasan has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for a period of five years. He will take over the post on 1 June 2023. He will replace Rajesh Gopinathan. He has been a TCS employee for 34 years. Krithivasan the global head of the company’s BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) business group.

 

10. 13 April – Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day is observed every year on 13 April. On 13 April 1919, a large crowd gathered peacefully at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab to protest the arrest of Dr. Satyapal & Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew. Colonel Reginald Dyer, the Military Commander of Amritsar, surrounded the Bagh with his troops, closed the gates & gave order to shoot at the peaceful congregation. Hundreds were killed & thousands wounded. This incident is known as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day 2023 marks 104 years since the tragic incident that is seen as a turning point in Indian History.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India ranks 5th in countries with most Al investment: According to Stanford University’s annual Al Index report 2023, India ranked fifth in terms of investments received by startups offering artificial intelligence (Al)-based products. Total investments in AI startups in India stood at $3.24 billion in 2022, placing it ahead of South Korea, Germany, Canada and Australia, among others. Those ahead of India in the list are the US, China, the UK and Israel. The report also showed that AI startups in India received total funding of $7.73 billion during 2013-2022, making it the sixth leading country with the most AI investments during the period. Nearly 40% of this investment was made last year. Among Indian AI startups, Chennai-based conversational AI startup Uniphore raised $400  million in a Series E funding round last year at a valuation of $2.5 billion.

 

2. South Korea to conduct first launch of commercial-grade satellite: South Korea plans to conduct its first launch of a commercial-grade satellite aboard a domestically built rocket next month as part of its space development program. It will blast off from the space launch center on a southern island in May 2023. It will carry one main satellite ‘Next Generation Small Satellite 2’ and seven other smaller cube-shaped satellites. In June last year, South Korea conducted its first satellite launch using the Nuri rocket. The main satellite will verify imaging radar technology and observe cosmic radiation in near-Earth orbit.

 

3. 12 April – International Day of Human Space Flight : The International Day of Human Space Flight is celebrated every year on April 12. The United Nations General Assembly in its resolution on April 7, 2011, okayed April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Flight. The day is dedicated to the outset of the space era for mankind, the contribution of space science and technology and ensuring the realization of the conservation of outer space for peaceful purposes. The International Day of Human Space Flight is celebrated on April 12 as this was the day in 1961 that the Russian cosmonaut became the first human to journey into outer space.

 

4. International Conference on Defence Finance and Economics: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated a three-day International Conference on Defence Finance and Economics in New Delhi. The conference aims to give a unique platform to government officials, policymakers and academicians to present their insights and experiences on Defence, Finance and Economics amid present evolving security challenges. Delegates from the USA, UK, Japan, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Kenya participate in the conference.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Nisha Dahiya wins Silver in Asian Wrestling Championship: India wrestler, Nisha Dahiya has secured the silver medal in the women’s 68kg category at the Asian wrestling championships 2023, held in Astana, Kazakhstan. She reached the final but fell to Japan’s Ami Ishii 10-0 and finished as a runner-up. She had defeated China’s Feng Zhou 7-6 in the semi-finals. Another Indian wrestler, Priya Malik, clinched a bronze in the women’s 76kg category after beating Japan’s Mizuki Nagashima in the repechage round.

 

2. Shakib al Hasan wins ICC Player of the Month award for March 2023: Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and Rwandan female cricketer Henriette Ishimwe clinched the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for March 2023. Shakib won the award for the second time after July 2021 for his vital role in Bangladesh’s 3-0 T20I series win against England. Shakib scored 141 runs in the ODI series and nine wickets across the two formats. He also picked up a fifer against Ireland in Bangladesh’s another home series win. Ishimwe, 19, who was part of the Rwandan team at the ICC U-19 World Cup in South Africa, was key to her team’s win over Zimbabwe, claiming four wickets in four balls. She followed that with another scintillating performance in the Nigerian women’s T20I tournament last month, scoring 92 runs and taking nine wickets in March, which included a hattrick. It made her only the second female player from an Associate Member to win the ICC Player of the Month award.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI to stop banks from capitalizing penal charges on loans defaults: The RBI has proposed to prohibit the capitalization of penal charges and additional interest levied by banks on customers for loan defaults. Aim: To streamline divergent practices followed by lenders As per the draft circular on 'Fair Lending Practice - Penal Charges in Loan Accounts', the quantum of penal charges should be proportional to the defaults/non-compliance of material terms and conditions of loan contracts up to a threshold.

 

2. HDFC Bank signs with Export-Import Bank of Korea for $300 million: HDFC Bank has signed a "Master Inter Bank Credit Agreement" with the Export-Import Bank of Korea for a USD 300 million line of credit. The pact was signed by the two entities at GIFT City in Gujarat's capital Gandhinagar, Gujarat. It will help bank to raise foreign currency funds which it would extend to Korea-related businesses. It can be utilized towards funding requirements of consumers for the purchase of cars manufactured by Korean companies.

 

3. Karnataka Bank authorized to collect direct and indirect taxes: RBI has authorized the Karnataka Bank to collect direct and indirect taxes on behalf of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The RBI authorized on the recommendation from the Controller General of Accounts (CGA). Customers are enjoying seamless online payments for custom duty by selecting Karnataka Bank in the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway 'ICEGATE' portal of CBIC.

 

4. Canara Bank, Bharat BillPay tie up for cross border bill payments: Canara Bank and NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) have launched cross-border inward bill payment services for Indians based in Oman. NRIs can now leverage the robust platform offered by the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) to make bill payments on behalf of their families through the Musandam Exchange. With this, Canara Bank becomes the first public sector bank in India to offer inbound cross-border bill payments through BBPS.

 

5. ICICI Bank introduces EMI facility for UPI payments: ICICI Bank has introduced easy EMI facility for UPI payments made by scanning QR code. Customers eligible for PayLater, the Bank’s ‘buy now, pay later’ service can avail of the EMI facility in an instant, easy and seamless manner. This first-of-its-kind facility enhances the affordability of lakhs of the Bank’s customers as they can now instantly buy products or services just by scanning the required merchant QR code at a store and making payments in EMIs. The facility can be availed across a host of categories such as electronics, groceries, fashion apparels, travel and hotel bookings. Customers can pay transaction amount above ₹10,000 in easy instalments in three, six or nine months. The EMI facility for PayLater will shortly be extended for online shopping as well.

 

6. Retail inflation drops to 5.66% in March 2023: According to National Statistical Office (NSO), India’s annual retail inflation for March 2023 eased to 5.66% from 6.44% in February 2023. The inflation numbers have seen a decline from 6.44% in February and 6.95% in the year-ago period. The food inflation, which accounts for nearly half of the overall consumer price basket, moderated to 4.79%. It was 5.95% in February and 7.68% in the year-ago period. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected retail inflation at 6.5% for 2022-23, with the January-December quarter at 5.7%.

 

7. Sanjay Agarwal reappointed as MD & CEO of AUSF Bank: Sanjay Agarwal has been reappointed as Managing Director & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank (SFB) for a period of three years. The regulator has also cleared the reappointment of Uttam Tibrewal as the whole-time director for a period of three years. AU Small Finance Bank Limited is an Indian Small finance bank, based in Jaipur, India. It was founded as vehicle finance company AU Financiers (India) Ltd.

 

8. RBI re-appointed Sanjay Agarwal as Chief of AU SFB for three years: RBI has approved the reappointment of Sanjay Agarwal as Managing Director (MD) & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank (SFB) for the next three years, till 2026. He was first appointed as MD of AU Financiers on 14 February 2008. Later, he became the Managing Director & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank. Meanwhile, RBI has also approved the appointment of Uttam Tibrewal as Whole Time Director of AU SFB. Uttam Tibrewal joined the board of AU Small Finance Bank in 2005.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Freedom fighter, public health pioneer Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury passes away: Veteran Liberation Warfighter and legendary public health activist Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury passed away at 81 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was a vascular surgeon and a pioneer in public health. He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in the Community Leadership category in 1985 and the Right Livelihood Prize in 1992 for his outstanding work in the public health sector. In 1971, he left his medical studies in the UK to join the liberation war of Bangladesh.

 

2. Former Mahindra Group chairman, Keshub Mahindra passes away : Former Mahindra Group chairman and industrialist Keshub Mahindra passed away at the age of 99. He served as chairman of the conglomerate from 1963 to 2012. He joined the Board of the company in 1948 and was elected chairman in 1963. He was awarded Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Legion d’honneur by the French Government in 1987. He re-entered the Forbes list of India’s Richest Billionaires for 2023 with a net worth of $1.2 billion.