Current Affairs Monthly Capsule April 2022 1 A45416a3

Current Affairs Monthly Capsule | April 2022
Index
Art and Culture Current Affairs | April 2022.………………………………….……………….....2
Awards and Honors Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………………4
Banking Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………..…………….........13
Books and Authors Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………………16
Business and Economy Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………….18
Committees and Recommendations Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………29
Defence Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………..…………………31
Government Schemes and Policies Current Affairs | April 2022……………..………………38
Days and Events Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..………………………41
International Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………..……....……52
MoU and Agreements Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………….66
National Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………..………………...83
Appointments Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………..………....153
Person in News Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………..………..165
Obituaries Current Affairs | April 2022………………………………………………………....167
Science and Technology Current Affairs | April 2022……..…………………..…………...…169
Sports Current Affairs | April 2022……………..……………..……………..………………......172
Summits and Conferences Current Affairs | April 2022……………..………………………..183
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Art and Culture Current Affairs

40th edition of Hunar Haat begins in Mumbai on 16 April 2022
 The 40th edition of Hunar Haat began in Mumbai, on 16 April 2022.
 The 12-day event organized by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs is aimed at providing
exposure and employment opportunities to artisans and craftsmen from across the country.
 The tag line for the event is 'Confluence of Craft, Cuisine and Culture'.
Festivals celebrated on 14 April: Baisakhi, Vishu, Rongali Bihu
 Festivals Baisakhi, Vishu, Rongali Bihu, Naba Barsha, Vaisakhadi, and Puthandu-Pirappu are
being observed on 14 April 2022.
 These are the first harvest festivals of the year celebrated in the eastern, northern, and southern
parts of the country.
 Baisakhi is celebrated in Punjab and Haryana.
 Vishu is celebrated in Kerala and parts of Karnataka.
 Bihu is celebrated in Assam.
India to host National Delphic Games for Arts and Cultures in 2023
 The International Delphic Council, based in Berlin, Germany has announced the National
Delphic Games in India to be hosted in 2023.
 25 Indian states have already come together with State Delphic Councils to represent their
unique cultures and arts and eminent personalities.
 The winners will represent India at the International Delphic Games which will be hosted in
2026.
President inaugurates 5-day Madhavpur Ghed fair in Porbandar
 President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated a five-day fair at Madhavpur Ghed village in Gujarat’s
Porbandar district, on 10 April 2022.
 This fair is held to celebrate the wedding of Lord Krishna and Goddess Rukmani at Madhavpur
Ghed, a famous pilgrimage spot.
 The famous Madhavray temple was originally built in this village in the 13th century.
Sarhul festival celebrated in Jharkhand
 Sarhul festival, the most popular tribal celebration across the Jharkhand region, was celebrated
on 4 April 2022.
 It is celebrated by the tribal communities of the local Sarna religion, most notably by the
Munda, Ho, and Oraon tribes.
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 It is celebrated at the beginning of spring every year in the first month of the Hindu calendar, on
the third day of the moon or the fortnight of ‘Chaitra’.
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Awards and Honours Current Affairs

Atal Tunnel receives IBC Best Infrastructure Project award
 Atal Tunnel built in Rohtang of Himachal Pradesh received Indian Building Congress (IBC) ‘Best
Infrastructure Project’ award on 28 Apr'22.
 The tunnel, built using the New Austrian Tunneling Method was dedicated to the Nation by PM
Modi on Oct 3, 2020.
 An emergency tunnel has been integrated into the tunnel cross-section beneath the main
carriageway for evacuation during emergencies.
Max Verstappen wins 2022 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
 Max Verstappen has won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.
 He earned the honor after beating out Lewis Hamilton to claim his first Formula 1 world
championship during the 2021 season.
 Verstappen was announced as the recipient following a dominant victory in Emilia Romagna
Grand Prix.
 Lionel Messi, Roger Federer, and Michael Schumacher are the previous recipients of the awards.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh felicitates 1971 war veterans in Assam
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh felicitated over 300 war-veterans of the 1971 Liberation War of
Bangladesh in Assam on 23 April 2022.
 On the occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also released a book ‘The Bravehearts of 1971’.
 The war was an armed conflict between West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now
Bangladesh).
 It resulted in Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan.
Dr Bina Modi awarded by Indo-American Chamber of Commerce
 Dr Bina Modi, Chairperson of Modi Enterprises was adjudged the 'Woman Transforming India'
Award at the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce 6th Entrepreneur and Leadership Awards
2022.
 She is also the President and MD of Godfrey Phillips India Ltd and CMD of Indofil Industries
Limited.
 She has earlier awarded the Women of the Decade in Business & Leadership 2018 by Women
Economic Forum.
PM Modi receives first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award in Mumbai
 PM Narendra Modi on 24 April 2022 received the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.
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 He was awarded for his selfless service to the country and society at the 80th annual Master
Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards ceremony held in Mumbai.
 The award has been instituted in memory and honour of Lata Mangeshkar who passed away in
Mumbai earlier in 2022.
NMDC wins first position in four categories at PRSI Awards 2022
 The National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (NMDC) won the first position in four
categories at the Public Relations Awards 2022 conferred by Public Relations Society of India
(PRSI).
 NMDC Limited is a government-owned mineral producer.
 It is involved in the exploration of iron ore, copper, rock phosphate, limestone, dolomite, gypsum,
bentonite, magnesite, diamond, tin, tungsten, etc.
Defence expert Vivek Lall to receive Entrepreneur Leadership Award
 Indian-American chief executive of General Atomics Global Corporation Vivek Lall has been
selected for the Entrepreneur Leadership Awards by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce
(IACC).
 IACC is the apex bi-lateral Chamber synergizing India-US economic engagement.
 He has been selected for the “Global Leader in Defence and Aviation Sector” award category.
Babita Singh named as the New Global Peace Ambassador 2022
 Serial entrepreneur Babita Singh has been conferred as a Global Peace Ambassador for
promoting Peace through Education, Sports, Art, Culture, and Diplomacy.
 She was honored at the India International Conclave 2022 held in collaboration with Asia Africa
Consortium (AAC), in April 2022.
 The AAC-Global Peace Ambassador 2022 honor is the highest honour bestowed on a global
citizen.
Churu and Bishnupur districts receive PM's Award for Excellence
 Districts Bishnupur (Manipur) and Churu (Rajasthan) were presented Prime Minister's Award for
Excellence in Public Administration in Khelo India, on 21 April 2022.
 They were awarded for promoting excellence in sports and wellness through the Khelo India
scheme in New Delhi.
 The winners received a trophy, a scroll, and an incentive of Rs 20 lakh for the implementation of
the programme.
IndusInd Bank bags global 'Celent Model Bank' Award
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 IndusInd Bank has been awarded the global 'Celent Model Bank' award under the category
'Payments System Transformation'.
 It has been awarded for building Enterprise Payments Hub (EPH).
 Under the initiative, IndusInd Bank has successfully designed a solution that will cut down on
transaction costs and improve operation as well as customer experience, across all transaction
points.
National Metallurgist Award 2021 presented on 20 April 2022
 The Union Steel Ministry hosted the National Metallurgist Award 2021 in New Delhi on 20 April
2022.
 It was held to recognize the outstanding contribution of metallurgists and engineers in the field
of iron and steel.
 The awards were given under the categories Lifetime Achievement Award, National Metallurgist
Award, Award for R&D in the Iron & Steel Sector, etc.
Imprisoned Ukranian journalist to be honoured by PEN America
 Vladyslav Yesypenko, a Ukranian journalist imprisoned in Crimea, has been chosen as the
recipient of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award.
 He was arrested in 2021 and sentenced to six years in a Russian labor camp for alleged
possession and transport of explosives.
 The PEN award was established in 1987 and is given to writers and artists imprisoned for their
work.
AIMA honours Shoojit Sircar with Director of the Year award
 Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, presented the 2021 AIMA Managing
India Awards (AIMA) in multiple categories in Delhi, in April 2022.
 In the films category, Shoojit Sircar was honoured with the Director of the Year award for
'Sardar Udham'.
 The award recognises an individual "who has exemplified the spirit of filmmaking and created a
masterpiece out of it".
IndusInd Bank's app awarded at the Digital CX Awards 2022
 IndusInd Bank's mobile app for merchants – 'Indus Merchant Solutions' has been awarded the
'Outstanding Digital CX - SME Payments' at the Digital CX Awards 2022.
 The Digital CX Awards is organized by Digital Banker, a globally trusted financial news service
provider.
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 Launched by IndusInd Bank in Nov 2021, the app enables merchants, and retailers to undertake
an array of activities.
Bengali author Amar Mitra awarded O. Henry Prize for 45 year old story
 Bengali author Amar Mitra has been awarded the O.Henry Prize 2022 for a short story he wrote
45 years back.
 The short story titled 'Gaonburo' is a Bengali short fiction written in 1977.
 Mitra was also awarded the Sahitya Academy award in the year 2006.
 Mitra was born in Kolkata and is a well-known writer of Bengali literature.
Prabhat Patnaik selected for Malcolm Adiseshiah Award 2022
 Renowned Indian economist and political commentator Prabhat Patnaik has been selected for
the 2022 Malcolm Adiseshiah Award.
 The award is annually given by the Malcolm and Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust to an outstanding
social scientist selected from nominations received by a specially constituted national jury.
 The award comprises a citation and prize money of ₹2 lakh.
UDAN scheme selected for Prime Minister’s Award
 Civil Aviation Ministry flagship Regional Connectivity Scheme - 'Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik',
UDAN has been selected for Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration
2020.
 It will be awarded under the category Innovation (General) - Central.
 The Ministry of Civil Aviation will receive the award on 21 April 2022, that is, Civil Service Day.
Karnataka CM presents Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar awards
 Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on 14 April 2022 presented the Dr. Bhim Rao
Ambedkar awards.
 He also announced that the SC and ST communities would be provided free power up to 75
units.
 He also informed that a proposed Rs 52 crores ‘Spoorthi Soudha’ would house all the offices
rendering various services for the weaker sections.
Vice President confers International Gandhi Award for Leprosy, 2021
 Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on 13 April 2022 conferred the International Gandhi Award for
Leprosy, 2021 to Dr. Bhushan Kumar of Chandigarh and Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust of Gujarat,
in New Delhi.
 The annual award was instituted by Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation.
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 Both have been working diligently to raise awareness about leprosy and in providing care to
those afflicted with it.
Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayar wins EY Entrepreneur of the Year award
 Falguni Nayar, the CEO of Nykaa, has been named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for 2021.
 A M Naik, group chairman of Larsen & Toubro, was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement
Award.
 Falguni will now represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award on June 9,
2022.
 Earlier, in 2019, she was the recipient of EY Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the start-up
category.
Jnanpith Award presented to Assamese poet Nilamani Phookan
 Eminent Assamese poet Nilamani Phookan has conferred the 56th Jnanpith Award on 11 April
2022, the ceremony of which was held for the first time in Assam.
 He is also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awards.
 Phookan is the third Assamese to receive the Jnanpith Award after novelist Birendra Kumar
Bhattacharya (1979) and Mamoni Raisom Goswami (2000).
NMDC wins two awards at 80th SKOCH Summit 2022
 National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) was awarded one gold and one silver
award at the 80th SKOCH Summit and SKOCH Awards in April 2022.
 The theme for the SKOCH Summit was ‘State of BFSI & PSUs’.
 It also received the 3 SKOCH Order of Merit Awards for its efforts in ensuring seamless
digitalization in Project Kalpataru and Project Safety First in the category Response to COVID.
PM Modi to be honoured with Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award
 PM Narendra Modi will be honored with the first-ever Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.
 The award has been instituted in the memory of the veteran singer who passed away in
February 2022.
 The award ceremony will be held on 24 April 2022 in Mumbai.
 The award will be given annually to a person who has made a path-breaking, spectacular and
exemplary contribution to the nation and its people.
HDFC Bank adjudged Best Performing Bank in SHG linkage by NRLM
 HDFC Bank has been adjudged the Best Performing Bank in SHG Linkage by the National Rural
Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development.
 Notably, HDFC Bank was the only private bank to be felicitated for remarkable work in SHGs.
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 As part of NRLM, HDFC Bank provides access to financial services to over 4.5 lakh individuals in
unbanked and underbanked sections of society.
2022 World Press Photo of the Year announced
 A photo taken next to the former Kamloops Indian Residential School has been chosen as the
2022 World Press Photo of the Year.
 For the 1st time in the contest’s 67-year history, the World Press Photo of the Year is a
photograph without any people in it.
 The photo was taken by Amber Bracken, a photographer from Edmonton, commemorates
children who died at the Kamloops Indian Residential School
'Tomb of Sand' shortlisted for International Booker Prize
 Author Geetanjali Shree's novel 'Tomb of Sand' has become the first Hindi language work of
fiction to be shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.
 The book, translated into English by Daisy Rockwell will compete with five other titles from
around the world.
 The award carries a cash prize of 50,000 pounds literary prize, which is split evenly between the
author and translator.
Sangeet Natak Akademi awards to be presented on 9 April 2022
 43 eminent artists will be presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and Sangeet
Natak Awards for 2018 on 9 April 2022.
 The Lalit Kala Akademi’s Fellowship and National Awards for 2021 will be given to 23 people.
 Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu will present the fellowships and awards.
 The 62nd National Exhibition of Art will also be inaugurated on the same day.
Satyapal Malik honoured with the Sant Namdeo National Award
 Meghalaya Governor Satyapal Malik and former Research and Analysis Wing Director A S Dulat
have been honoured with the Sant Namdeo National Award, for the years 2021 and 2020,
respectively.
 They were awarded by Pune-based non-government organisation Sarhad.
 Sarhad is a social, cultural and educational organisation, dedicated to the welfare of the strife-
hit people in bordering areas of India
Journalist Aarefa Johari wins Chameli Devi Jain Award
 Mumbai-based journalist Aarefa Johari has won the Chameli Devi Jain Award for an
Outstanding Woman Media Person 2021.
 The award was instituted in 1982 and is presented annually.
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 It is a prestigious recognition for women media persons in India who have reported on themes
such as social development, politics, equity, gender justice, health, war and conflict, and
consumer values.
Ramdarash Mishra selected for Saraswati Samman 2021
 Noted poet and litterateur Prof Ramdarash Mishra will be awarded the prestigious Saraswati
Samman, 2021, for his collection of poems ‘Mein to Yahan Hun’.
 Instituted in 1991, Saraswati Samman is given every year to an outstanding literary work written
in any Indian language by an Indian citizen and published within the last 10 yrs.
 It carries a citation, a plaque, and cash prize of ₹15 lakhs.
Ohio State Senate honours Vivek Agnihotri for 'The Kashmir Files'
 The Ohio State Senate has presented a citation to director Vivek Agnihotri in recognition of his
film 'The Kashmir Files'.
 The film depicts the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits from their homeland.
 The film cast includes Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi.
 Ohio State Senator Niraj Atani is the first Indian American and Hindu American State Senator in
Ohio history.
2022 Grammy Awards held on 3 April 2022
 The 2022 Grammy Awards took place on 3 April 2022 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
 'We Are' by Jon Batiste won Album of the Year.
 'I Still Have Faith in You' by ABBA won Record of the Year.
 'Sour' by Olivia Rodrigo won Best Pop Vocal Album.
 'Starting Over' by Chris Stapleton won Best Country Album.
 'Leave the Door Open' by Silk Sonic won Song of the Year.
Indian-American singer Falguni Shah wins Best Children’s Music Album
 Indian-American singer Falguni Shah, who goes by the stage name Falu, won the Best Children’s
Music Album for 'A Colourful World', at the Grammy Awards 2022.
 Love for Sale by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
 Jack Antonoff won Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
 Olivia Rodrigo won Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Drivers License'.
Neeraj Chopra wins ‘Sportstar of the Year (Male) award
 Neeraj Chopra claimed the ‘Sportstar of the Year (Male)’ award at the 2022 Sportstar Aces
Awards in March 2022.
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 Mirabai Chanu, who claimed the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, received the ‘Sportstar of
the Year (Female)’ award.
 Lovlina Borgohain won Sportswoman of the Year (Individual Sports), and Avani Lekhara won
Parathlete of the Year (Female).
Francis Kere becomes first African to win Pritzker Prize
 Architect Diebedo Francis Kere has become the first African to be awarded the Pritzker
Architecture Prize, architecture’s most prestigious honour.
 He has been recognized for his pioneering designs that are sustainable for the earth and its
inhabitants.
 In 2017, he became the first African architect to design the Serpentine Pavilion in London’s Hyde
Park.
HDFC Bank adjudged best performing bank in SHG linkage by NRLM
Livelihood Mission NRLM on 01 April 2022.
 The award was presented by Giriraj Singh, Minister of Rural Development to K Venkatesh, Head
- Sustainable Livelihood Initiative, HDFC Bank.
 Self Help Group (SHG) is a group lending model with a group of small-time women
entrepreneurs coming together for a loan.
Automation Anywhere Announces Winners of its 2022 Global Partner Award
 Automation Anywhere, a global leader in robotic process automation (RPA) announced the
winners of its Global Partner of the Year Awards 2022.
 The annual awards recognize Automation Anywhere partners demonstrating excellence and
commitment to customer success.
 Partner award categories include: Digital Workforce Partner Award, Services Partner Award,
Cloud Sales Partner Award etc.
National Quality and Services Leadership Award 2022 winners announced
 Floraxis Media Group organized the National Quality & Services Leadership Award, 2022 on
March 31, 2022.
 National Quality & Services Leadership Award, 2022 is presented to 20 winners at the National
levels.
 This award is held every year, to celebrate and encourage them all to recognize the efforts of all
business sectors and organizations for their achievement and continued commitment.
Navy presented with ‘Best Marching Contingent’ trophy for Republic Day
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 On 31 Mar'22, the Naval contingent for the Republic Day Parade 2022 was presented the Best
Marching Contingent Trophy by Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval Staff.
 This is the first time that the Indian Navy contingent has been adjudged as the winner.
 In 2013, the Navy was a joint winner with the IAF.
 The contingent comprised 96 sailors and was led by Lt Cdr Aanchal Sharma.
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Banking Current Affairs

BHIM UPI goes live at NEOPAY terminals in UAE
 NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the International arm of the National Payment
Corporation of India has announced that BHIM UPI is now live at NEOPAY terminals, across the
UAE.
 NIPL and NEOPAY, the payment subsidiary of Mashreq bank, partnered last year to create the
acceptance infrastructure in the UAE.
 BHIM UPI appointed Smriti Handa as Chief Human Resources Officer.
World Bank cuts global economic growth forecast to 3.2%
 The World Bank has lowered the global growth forecast for 2022 to 3.2%. Earlier this was
estimated at 4.1%.
 The reason for lowering the projection is that people are facing reduced commercial activity
and trade, and the debt crisis and currency depreciations have placed a heavy burden on the
poor.
Reserve Bank of India capped lending limits of NBFCs
 RBI capped aggregate exposure of NBFCs which are in the upper layer toward one entity at
20% of the capital base. Expandable by another 5% with the board’s approval.
 However, NBFCs that are into infrastructure finance can have exposure of 25 %, with an option
of an additional 5% of Tier I capital to a single counterparty.
Bank of Maharashtra To Divest 4% Stake in ISARC
 Bank of Maharashtra has announced that it will divest its entire stake of 4% in India SME Asset
Reconstruction Company for a cash consideration of Rs 3.92 crore.
 A floor price of Rs 9.80 per equity share has been proposed for the divestment.
 ISARC is India’s first Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC), supported by public sector banks,
focused on NPA resolution of the MSME sector.
ADB Financing to Support Urban Development in Nagaland
 The ADB and the GoI signed an agreement to provide a $2 million project readiness financing
loan to Nagaland to design climate-resilient urban infrastructure, strengthen institutional
capacity, and improve municipal resource mobilization.
 By establishing an urban sector plan and comprehensive engineering designs of chosen
subprojects, the ADB financing will ensure high project readiness.
IFSCA & GVFL signs MoU: strengthening the FinTech ecosystem
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 IFSCA and GVFL Limited have signed an MOU for cooperation and collaboration to support
and facilitate the Financial Technologies ecosystem.
 IFSCA aims to encourage the promotion of FinTech initiatives in financial products
GVFL Limited promoted by the World Bank and the Government of Gujarat is a pioneer of
Venture capital in India.
 President– Mihir Joshi
 Headquarters– Ahmedabad
SEBI sets up panel on governance at bourses
 In the wake of the algorithm scam at the country’s biggest bourse, the Securities and Exchange
Board of India (Sebi) has formed a committee to review governance.
 The six-member panel, headed by G Mahalingam, a former whole-time member of Sebi, has to
suggest measures for strengthening the role played by the governing board and committees of
MIIs.
RBI imposes penalties on Axis Bank, IDBI Bank
 Reserve Bank of India on Friday said it has imposed a penalty of Rs 93 lakh on Axis Bank for
various violations, including those related to KYC guidelines.
 The central bank has also slapped a fine of Rs 90 lakh on IDBI Bank.
 Axis Bank:
o Founded Year – 3 Dec 1993
o CEO & MD – Amitabh Choudhari
o Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Cabinet approves signing of MoU between SEBI and FRC, Mongolia

 The reason behind this MOU was to strengthen the information sharing framework leading to
effective enforcement of securities laws, also establishing a technical assistance program.
 Already, SEBI and FRC are co-signatory to the International Organization of Securities
Commissions’ Multilateral MoU but do not have scope for the provision of technical assistance.
RBI has been conducting Financial Literacy Week
 Every year since 2016 to propagate financial education messages on various themes among
members of the public across the country.
 The theme selected for the current year FLW is “Go Digital, Go Secure” which will be observed
between February 14-18, 2022. This theme is one of the strategic objectives of the National
Strategy for Financial Education 2020-2025.
(11- 15 April) Monetary Policy : By Shaktikanta Das
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 The GDP growth will be lowered to 7.2%.

 Repo rate unchanged at 4%, Reverse repo rate is unchanged at 3.35%.
 Inflation is now projected at 5.7% in 2022-23 with Q1 at 6.3%, Q2 at 5%, Q3 at 5.4%, and Q4 at
5.1%.
 Members: Shri Shaktikanta Das, Dr. M.D. Patra, Mridul K. Saggar, Ashima Goyal, Jayanth R
Varma, Shashanka Bhide.
Kotak Mahindra Bank increases MCLR
 Kotak Mahindra Bank has increased the marginal cost of lending rate (MCLR) by five basis
points across all tenors.
 The overnight MCLR is now 6.65 percent while the one-year MCLR is 7.4 percent.
 Kotak Mahindra Bank Headquarters: Mumbai CM: Uday Kotak and Tagline: Let's make money
simple.
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Books and Authors Current Affairs

Devendra Fadnavis releases book on Amit Shah
 Devendra Fadnavis released a Marathi book on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in April 2022.
 It is titled 'Amit Shah Ani Bhajapachi Vatchal'.
 It documents the life and journey of Shah and his contribution to building the BJP.
 The book, originally written by Dr Anirban Ganguly and Shivanand Dwivedi, has been translated
into Marathi by Dr Jyostna Kolhatkar.
Beijing releases book titled "Missile Life"
 On the occasion of the seventh China Aerospace Day, Beijing released a book titled "Missile
Life", in April 2022.
 It sheds light on the lives of 12 Chinese missile weapon model directors and chief designers for
the first time.
 It was released by the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation
(CASIC) on 24 April 2022.
A new book “The Boy Who Wrote a Constitution” released
 A new book “The Boy Who Wrote a Constitution”, was released on the occasion of Dr BR
Ambedkar’s 131st birth anniversary on 14 April 2022.
 It seeks to inform children of the challenging boyhood and growing up years of India’s first law
minister Dr BR Ambedkar.
 The fact-based drama is written by noted playwright and author Rajesh Talwar.
 It is published by Ponytale Books.
Author Prem Rawat launches his book 'Hear Yourself' in Mumbai
 Prem Rawat, a renowned educator has come up with his book titled “Hear Yourself: How to Find
Peace In A Noisy World”.
 The book was launched on 13 April 2022 at National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA) in
Mumbai by HarperCollins in association with TimelessToday.
 In 2012, he received the Brand Laureate International Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award,
becoming only its 4th recipient.
Dharmendra Pradhan releases a book “Birsa Munda – Janjatiya Nayak”
 Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the book “Birsa
Munda – Janjatiya Nayak” on 5 April 2022.
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 It has been written by Prof. Alok Chakrawal, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya,
Bilaspur.
 The book is a comprehensive attempt to bring to the fore the struggle of Birsa Munda and the
contribution of forest dwellers to the freedom movement.
'Road to 1000' book released at Sportstar Aces Awards 2022
 Sportstar and The Hindu group released a coffee-table book, ‘Road to 1000’, at the 2022
Sportstar Aces Awards, in March 2022.
 The book is a 520-page, special collection with 1000 pictures to commemorate Indian cricket’s
journey.
 It was released by former India cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Syed Kirmani, Dilip Vengsarkar,
Mohammad Azharuddin, Chandrakant Pandit, and Nilesh Kulkarni.
A Book "Crunch Time:Narendra Modi’s National Security Crises" released
 A new book authored by Dr Sreeram Chaulia titled "Crunch Time: Narendra Modi’s National
Security Crises" was released on March 31 by the Minister of State for External Affairs,
Meenakshi Lekhi.
 He is the Dean of the Jindal School of International Affairs of OP Jindal Global University.
 The book emphasises the decision taken during security threats posed by India’s external
adversaries.
HarperCollins India published the Book "The Tiger Of Drass" by Meena N
 On 31 Mar'22, HarperCollins India has published the book "The Tiger of Drass: Capt. Anuj
Nayyar, 23, Kargil Hero" by Meena Nayyar and Himmat Singh Shekhawat.
 The book captures Anuj's journey of barely twenty-three years from a reserved but righteous
child to a gem of a military professional.
 Capt. Anuj Nayyar was awarded India's 2nd-highest gallantry award, the Maha Vir Chakra, in
2000.
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Business and Economy Current Affairs

Pencilton introduces contactless RuPay card in the form of keychain
 Pencilton has launched PencilKey, a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) compliant RuPay
contactless keychain.
 It has been launched in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and
Transcorp.
 Users can activate and manage their PencilKey through the Pencilton app which is also used to
load money, check spends, block/unblock the account, set limits, and so on.
Government finalises disinvestment of Pawan Hans
 The government has finalized disinvestment for helicopter service provider Pawan Hans Ltd.
 An empowered cabinet group picked Star9 Mobility Private Ltd as the winner for buying a 51%
stake in Pawan Hans.
 Pawan Hans provides air transport services for exploration activities of Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation Ltd.
 The federal government has a 51% stake in Pawan Hans, while ONGC holds 49%.
BoB launches new feature for seniors on mobile banking platform
 Bank of Baroda has launched ‘bob World Gold’, a new feature on its mobile banking platform
for senior citizens.
 The new feature on the Bank’s ‘bob World’ mobile banking platform has easy navigation, large
fonts, and clear menus with added features like a ready-to-assist voice-based search service.
 More emphasis has been given to the login dashboard and services such as deposit renewal,
etc.
ICICI Bank launches digital ecosystem for small businesses
 ICICI Bank has launched a digital ecosystem InstaOD Plus for micro, small and medium
enterprises, including customers of other banks.
 It enables customers of any bank to avail of an overdraft instantly through a few clicks either on
the new version of InstaBIZ or corporate internet banking.
 Existing customers of ICICI Bank can activate the overdraft into their current account instantly.
Reliance Industries becomes 1st to hit Rs 19 lakh cr market valuation
 Reliance Industries Limited on 27 April 2022 became the first Indian company to hit the Rs 19
lakh cr market valuation mark.
 The market heavyweight stock jumped 1.85 percent to its record high of Rs 2,827.10 on the BSE.
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 Following the gain, the company's market valuation jumped to Rs 19,12,814 cr in morning trade
on the BSE.
 In March 2022, its market valuation had gone past Rs 18 lakh crore.
Cabinet approves financial support for India Post Payments Bank
 The Union Cabinet has approved financial support of Rs 820 crore for India Post Payments
Bank.
 The support will help the payments bank to penetrate deeper into the country, especially in the
rural area, and work towards financial inclusion.
 IPPB has over five crore accounts at present and operates through 1.36 lakh branches.
 Around 48 percent of its account holders are women.
LIC sets IPO price band at ₹902-949 per share
 India's Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has fixed a price band of ₹902-949 a share for its
₹21,000-crore initial public offering (IPO).
 The LIC IPO price band has been fixed with ₹60 discount for policyholders and ₹45 discount for
retail investors and employees.
 The issue size is expected to be worth ₹21,000 crores, valuing the country's largest insurer at ₹6
lakh crore.
Infosys launches Cobalt cloud for the financial services sector
 Infosys Ltd on 26 Apr'22 launched Cobalt Financial Services Cloud.
 It is an industry cloud platform for enterprises to accelerate business value and innovation in the
cloud across the financial services industry.
 Infosys Cobalt in collaboration with MIT Technology Review Insights has also launched the
Global Cloud Ecosystem Index 2022, which ranks 76 nations and territories.
RBI imposes monetary penalty on Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank Limited
 The RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹12.00 lakh on Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank
Limited, Rajkot.
 It has been fined for non-compliance with the direction issued by RBI on ‘Interest Rate on
Deposits’.
 This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI conferred under section 47 A
(1) (c) read with sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act).
Adani Power market cap tops ₹1 lakh cr, sixth group company to do so
 Adani Power entered the ₹1 lakh cr market cap club on 25 Apr'22.
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 Adani Power, a part of the diversified conglomerate Adani Group, is the largest private thermal
power producer with a capacity of 12,450 MW.
 It has thermal power plants in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.
 It is the sixth Adani Group Company to have a market capitalization of over ₹1 lakh cr.
RBI imposes ₹1.12 cr penalty on Bank of Maharashtra
 RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.12 crore on the Bank of Maharashtra.
 It has been fined for non-compliance with certain directions issued by the central bank,
including those related to Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.
 The Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE) of the bank was conducted by RBI with
reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2020.
Govt announces foodgrain output target of 328 MT for 2022-23
 The government has announced a foodgrain production target of 328 million tonnes for 2022-
23.
 The target was announced at the National Conference on Agriculture: Kharif Campaign 2022 in
April 2022.
 Kharif's foodgrain production target has been fixed at 163.15 million tonnes, while the rabi
foodgrain production target has been kept at 164.85 million tonnes.
RBI imposes Rs 17 lakh fine on Manappuram Finance
 RBI has imposed a fine on Manappuram Financing, a non-banking finance company, of Rs 17
lakh for violating KYC rules and prepaid payment instrument norms.
 The penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under Section 30 of the
Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
 The company was found to be in violation of RBI instructions on KYC and minor PPI standards.
RBI launches quarterly industrial outlook survey
 RBI launched the 98th round of the quarterly industrial outlook survey of the country's
manufacturing sector for the reference period April-June 2022, on 22 Apr'22.
 The survey assesses business sentiment for the first quarter of 2022-23 and expectations for the
ensuing quarter July-September 2022-23 period.
 The survey provides useful insight into the performance of the manufacturing sector.
RBI imposes monetary penalty on Central Bank of India
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹36 lakh on the Central
Bank of India.
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 The bank received a penalty for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on
‘Customer Protection–Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking
Transactions.
 Central Bank of India is headquartered in Mumbai and was founded in 1911.
Two-day business conclave opens in Vizag on April 22, 2022
 A two-day Bizz Buzz Business Conclave is being organized by the Hans India in association with
the World Trade Centre Visakhapatnam, on 22-23 April 2022.
 This is first in the series of such conclaves planned by the Hans Group in Tier-2 cities.
 On the opening day, the Conclave focused on topics like Vizag- A Port for Emerging Tech and
Electronics, etc.
India Post Payments Bank launches ‘Fincluvation’
 India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has announced the launch of Fincluvation.
 It is a joint initiative to collaborate with the Fintech startup community to co-create and
innovate solutions for financial inclusion.
 Fincluvation will allow the start-ups to work with IPPB and Dept of Posts experts to develop
solutions and conduct pilots using the postal network and IPPB’s technology stack.
RBI extends Legal Entity Identifier for larger borrowers of NBFCs, UCB
 RBI has extended the guidelines on Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) to large borrowers of NBFCs and
Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs).
 The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a 20-digit number used to uniquely identify parties to financial
transactions globally.
 As per the timeline, the borrowers having exposure of ₹25 crores are required to obtain LEI by
April 30, 2023.
Fino Payments Bank receives RBI nod to offer Suryoday SFB's services
 Fino Payments Bank has received RBI's approval for commencing referral services of fixed
deposits and recurring deposits as a business correspondent of Suryoday Small Finance Bank
(SFB).
 Fino Bank is a subsidiary of Fino Paytech.
 It had earlier partnered with Suryoday SFB for offering a sweep account facility to its customers,
to address the ₹1 lakh end-of-day deposit limit.
RBI unveils large exposures framework for Upper Layer NBFCs
 RBI has announced a slew of regulatory changes for non-banking lenders by amending the Oct
2021 circulars on scale-based regulations.
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 It issued four circulars in April 2022 including large exposures framework for NBFCs.
 The sum of all the exposure value of an NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company) to a single
counterparty cannot exceed 20% of its available eligible capital base at all times.
Monetary transmission to lending rates gained traction with EBLR
 RBI's endeavour to improve monetary policy transmission by banks has gained traction.
 This was given in an article published in the RBI Bulletin April 2022.
 Monetary policy transmission to lending and deposit rates has improved in the external
benchmark linked lending rate (EBLR) regime in October 2019.
Zomato and Swiggy invest in UrbanPiper’s $24 mn Series B funding round
 UrbanPiper, a restaurant management platform, has raised $24 million in Series B funding round
led by Sequoia Capital India and Tiger Global, along with the participation of Swiggy and
Zomato.
 Founded in 2015 by Saurabh Gupta, Anirban Majumdar, and Manav Gupta in Bengaluru,
UrbanPiper has raised around $15 million in equity financing, excluding the current round.
HDFC to sell 10% stake in HDFC Capital to ADIA
 HDFC Ltd. has entered a binding agreement to sell a 10% stake in wholly-owned subsidiary
HDFC Capital to an arm of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) for ₹184 cr.
 ADIA is also the primary investor in the alternative investment funds managed by HDFC Capital.
 It is aligned with govt's goal to increase housing supply and support the Pradhan Mantri Awas
Yojana - ‘Housing for All’ initiative.
RBI allows RCBs to raise funds from preference shares
 The Reserve Bank of India has allowed Rural Cooperative Banks (RCBs) to raise funds from
people in their area of operation or existing shareholders through a variety of instruments.
 They can also raise funds through debt instruments, including perpetual debt instruments
eligible for inclusion in tier I capital and long-term subordinated bonds eligible for inclusion in
tier II capital.
SBI hikes MCLR across all tenors, loan EMIs to go up
 The State Bank of India (SBI) has hiked the marginal cost of lending rate (MCLR) by 10 basis
points (bps) across all loan tenors.
 One basis point is equivalent to one-hundredth part of a percentage point.
 The hike has come in with effect from 15 April 2022.
 Earlier, the Bank of Baroda (BoB) too raised the marginal cost of funds-based lending rates by 5
bps across tenors.
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SBI raises $500 million through the IFSC Gift City branch
 SBI has raised USD 500 million (over ₹3,800 crore) through its IFSC Gift City branch.
 This is the first offshore USD Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) linked syndicated loan
raised by SBI through its Gift City branch.
 Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Bank of America and JP Morgan were the joint lenders for this
offering whereas Fist Abu Dhabi Bank acted as the facility agent.
M&M to sell entire stake in Mahindra Sanyo Special Steel for Rs 212 cr
 Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has agreed to sell over 34.75 lakh shares, in Mahindra Sanyo
Special Steel Pvt Ltd (MSSSPL), to Japan-based Sanyo Special Steel Co Ltd in a Rs 212 cr deal.
 The automaker will receive Rs 211.99 cr from the stake sale.
 For the year ended March 31, 2021, the turnover of MSSSPL stood at Rs 834.43 cr constituting
1.12% of the consolidated turnover of the company.
Fino Payments Bank to buy 12.19% stake in Paysprint
 Fino Payments Bank's board has approved a minority strategic investment of up to 12.19% in
New Delhi-based fintech Paysprint Pvt Ltd.
 The strategic investment is a first for Fino Payments Bank after its public listing.
 Paysprint is a financial technology company offering next-generation application programming
interfaces (APIs) in the areas of banking, payments, insurance, investment, etc.
KVG Bank launches 1,111-day deposit scheme
 Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB), a regional rural bank headquartered in Dharwad, has
launched a 1,111-day deposit scheme.
 It offers 5.70 per cent interest for the general public and 6.20 per cent for senior citizens.
 A minimum of ₹10,000 and a maximum of ₹2 crores can be deposited under the scheme.
 The bank’s total business stood at ₹30,750 crores during 2021-22.
Government exceeds Financial Year 2022 asset monetisation target
 The Centre has completed asset monetization worth Rs 96,000 crore during FY22, surpassing
the target of Rs 88,000 crore.
 For FY23, it has set itself a goal of Rs 1.62 trillion and already has a pipeline of assets worth Rs
1.6 trillion under advanced stages of implementation.
 The Centre is looking to monetise assets worth Rs 1.79 trillion and Rs 1.67 trillion in FY24 and
FY25, respectively.
Govt enhances authorised share capital of 3 insurance companies
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 The government has enhanced the authorized share capital of three public sector general
insurance companies – National Insurance Company Limited, Oriental Insurance Company
Limited, and United India Insurance Company.
 This will facilitate a capital infusion of ₹5,000 cr in these companies.
 For the National Insurance, authorized capital will now be ₹15,000 cr as against the present
₹7,500 cr.
Godrej Industries announces launch of Godrej Capital
 Godrej Industries Limited (GIL) has announced the launch of Godrej Capital Limited (GCL).
 GCL is a subsidiary of GIL and is the holding entity for Godrej Housing Finance (an HFC) and
Godrej Finance Limited (an NBFC).
 GIL has committed to invest INR 1,500 crore in the capital in GCL.
 Godrej Capital currently has its footprint across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Ahmedabad,
and Pune.
Egypt approves India as wheat supplier
 Egypt, which is one of the largest importers of wheat from Ukraine and Russia, has approved
India as a wheat supplier.
 Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal informed this on 15 April 2022.
 Egypt is looking to import 1 million tonnes of wheat from India and would need 2,40,000 tonnes
in April 2022.
 India's wheat exports increased to USD 1.74 billion in April-January 2021-22.
Paytm becomes official digital payments partner for PMs' museum
 Paytm owner One97 Communications has become an official digital payments partner for the
PMs' museum in Delhi.
 As the official partner for the museum, Paytm is offering its payment gateway, EDC (Electronic
Data Capture) machines and QR code payment options to make way for superfast, convenient
and secure transactions.
 PM Modi was the first person to buy the ticket through EDC machine.
10th and 11th editions of the Status Paper on Govt Debt released
 The central govt on 13 April 2022, released the 10th and 11th editions of the Status Paper on the
Government Debt.
 It provides a detailed analysis of the overall debt position of the Government of India.
 The central government has been bringing-out an Annual Status Paper on Government Debt
since 2010-11.
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 It also includes a chapter on Medium Term Debt Management Strategy of the central govt.
Exports of Indian dairy products top $500-million mark, hit 8-yr high
 The exports of Indian dairy products are estimated at an eight-year high in FY22 on robust
demand, aided by higher global prices.
 Provisional data for the first eleven months, April 2021 to February 2022, indicate that shipments
have touched 1.70 lakh tonnes valued at over $552 million.
 In rupee terms, exports grew to ₹4,115 crore, an year-on-year increase of 94% over ₹2,122 crores.
RBI-regulated markets to start trading at 9 am from 18 April
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reverted back to normal trading timings in markets
regulated by it.
 The trading in RBI-regulated markets, which includes the money market, will start from the pre-
pandemic timing of 9 am and end at 3:30 pm.
 Currently, the market opening is at 10 am.
 The revised timing for the market repo in Government Securities will be 9 am to 2.30 pm.
SEBI unveils 'Manthan' ideathon to promote innovation
 SEBI has launched the ideathon 'Manthan'.
 It is a six-week-long ideathon being organized by SEBI in association with BSE, NSE, and more.
 It will facilitate the creation of a pool of ideas and innovative solutions revolving around the
securities market.
 Interactive knowledge-sharing sessions will be organized for registered participants to facilitate
the submission of innovative ideas.
RBI imposes fines on Axis Bank, IDBI Bank
 Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of Rs 93 lakh on Axis Bank for various violations,
including those related to KYC guidelines.
 The central bank has also imposed a fine of Rs 90 lakh on IDBI Bank.
 IDBI Bank has been penalized for non-compliance with directions on 'frauds - classification and
reporting by commercial banks and select financial institutions.
HDFC offloads 3.08% stake in Bandhan Bank via block deal
 HDFC Ltd has divested a 3.08% stake in Bandhan Bank, garnering Rs 1,522 crore, through an
open market transaction.
 It has sold 7,96,32,349 equity shares representing 4.94% of the paid-up share capital of
Bandhan, which includes the sale of 4,96,32,349 equity shares of the paid-up share capital of
Bandhan done on April 8, 2022.
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 HDFC now holds 4.95% of the paid-up share capital of Bandhan.

Govt releases revenue deficit grant of Rs 7,183 cr to 14 states
 The first monthly instalment of the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) Grant of Rs 7,183.42
cr was released by the government to 14 states.
 The states are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
 The grant was released as per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.
RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 4% and reverse repo rate at 3.35%
 The Reserve Bank of India in its monetary policy review has kept the repo rate unchanged at
4% and reverse repo rate at 3.35%.
 The marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the bank rate remain unchanged at 4.25 per cent.
 Further, it has been decided to restore the width of the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF)
corridor to 50 basis points, the position that prevailed before the pandemic.
Union Bank launches super-app UnionNXT, digital project SMBHAV
 Union Bank of India has launched its super-app named UnionNXT and digital transformation
project SMBHAV.
 It has been launched with an investment outlay of around Rs 1,000 crore for the current
financial year 2022-23 (FY23).
 A banking super-app essentially combines a number of services, such as payments, bill
payments, recharges, investments, loans, and fund transfers, on a single platform.
RBI unveils guidelines for Digital Banking Units
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 7 April 2022 released the guidelines on the “Establishment of
Digital Banking Units (DBUs)".
 This is part of the announcement made in the Union Budget 2022-23 to set up 75 DBUs in 75
districts.
 DBUs are specialized fixed point business units/hubs housing certain minimum digital
infrastructure for delivering digital banking products and services.
Centre allows 10 states to borrow Rs 28,204 crore
 The Union Ministry of Finance has granted additional borrowing permission of ₹28,204 crore to
10 states.
 It is for undertaking stipulated reforms in power sector in 2021-22.
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 Tamil Nadu was allowed to borrow the highest additional amount of ₹7,054 crore, followed by
Uttar Pradesh, which has been allowed to borrow ₹6,823 crore more and Andhra Pradesh,
allowed to borrow additional ₹3,716 crore.
ICICI Securities partners with CoverStack to offer insurance
 ICICIdirect and CoverStack, a digital B2B platform for insurance services, have announced a
partnership to offer insurance products.
 Using CoverStack, ICICIdirect’s customers can now search, customize, compare, and buy the
most suitable insurance plans for health and motor insurance.
 ICICIdirect offers insurance products from various life, general, and health insurance companies.
Union Bank to sell its 8 pc stake in ISARC to Dhansamridhi Finance
 Union Bank of India will sell its 8% stake in India SME Asset Reconstruction Company (ISARC).
 The bank has executed an agreement for the sale of an 8% stake in favour of Dhansamridhi
Finance.
 ISARC is the country's first ARC focused on NPA (non-performing asset) resolution of the MSME
sector.
 The ARC is sponsored by SIDBI, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, and SIDBI Venture
Capital Ltd.
Mahila Money, Visa and Transcorp launch Mahila Money Prepaid Card
 Mahila Money, Visa, and Transcorp have teamed up to launch Mahila Money Prepaid Card.
 It will make it easy for women entrepreneurs to collect payments digitally for their businesses
and help boost their working capital, as loans can be transferred directly into the card.
 Additionally, women will be offered incentives, rewards, and cashback from the Mahila Money
ecosystem of partners.
SBI to set up Innovation, Incubation and Acceleration Centre
 State Bank of India (SBI) will set up an Innovation, Incubation and Acceleration Centre (IIAC) in
Hyderabad.
 This will be done in a bid to build in-house capability to bolster its current performance and
drive higher top-line growth through innovation.
 The centre will be operational within six to nine months of onboarding a consultant.
HDFC Bank to launch 'SmartHub Vyapar Programme' and ‘AutoFirst’ app
 HDFC Bank will launch the 'SmartHub Vyapar programme' and ‘AutoFirst’ app.
 Already in its pilot phase, the SmartHub Vyapar programme, for merchants, is an app that
bundles all payment platforms - cards, UPI, QR code, tap pay, and SMS-based payments.
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 HDFC Bank will also launch an application 'AutoFirst' that will offer fully automated auto loans.
Ergos launches "GrainBank Loyalty Cards for Farmers"
 The Tech platform 'GrainBank' (developed by Ergos) has launched GrainBank Loyalty Cards for
Farmers on 01 April'22.
 This is the first time in India's history that farmers have direct access to a cutting-edge
technology platform 'GrainBank' for getting valuable information on their farm produces.
 Ergos is a Startup from Bihar and operates with a goal to serve over 2 million farmers.
India-Australia sign Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA)
 The Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and Minister for Trade Mr Dan Tehan
signed the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement on 02 April'22.
 The Agreement encompasses cooperation across the entire gamut of bilateral economic and
commercial relations.
 ECTA provides an institutional mechanism to encourage and improve trade between the two
countries.
GST collections crosses all record of Rs 1.42 lakh crore in March 2022
 Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections for March 2022 hit an all-time high of Rs 1.42 lakh
crore breaching its previous record of Rs 1.40 lakh cr
 Of the total, Central GST was Rs 25,830 crore, State GST was Rs 32,378 crore, Integrated GST
was Rs 74,470 crore, and compensation cess was Rs 9,417 crore
 For FY22 total GST collections amounted to Rs 14.83 lakh crore, up 30 per cent from FY21.
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Committees and Recommendations Current Affairs

SEBI restructures its advisory committee on market data
 SEBI has restructured its advisory committee on market data that recommends policy measures
pertaining to areas like securities market data access and privacy.
 The committee is chaired by M S Sahoo, former Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Board of India (IBBI).
 The panel will now have 21 members, as per the latest information with the regulator
SEBI reorganises advisory panel on leveraging regulatory solutions
 SEBI has reconstituted its advisory committee on leveraging regulatory and technology
solutions (ALeRTS).
 The seven-member panel will now be headed by Sunil Bajpai, who is the former Principal
Advisor (Information Technology) at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
 It had set up the committee in December 2021, which was during that time chaired by Madhabi
Puri Buch.
West Bengal forms committee on National Education Policy
 The West Bengal government has constituted a 10-member committee.
 It will examine the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and assess the need for a state-level
policy on education.
 The committee will evaluate steps taken by states such as Maharashtra and Kerala in the
education sector after NEP 2020 was unveiled by the Centre.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting constitutes a task force
 The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has constituted a task force, which will
recommend a national curriculum framework for higher studies in the AVGC segment.
 The AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, and comic) Promotion task force will be headed
by the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
 It will also be responsible for framing a national AVGC policy.
Government appoints advisory committee for semiconductor manufacturing
 The advisory committee for semiconductor manufacturing in India has been formed.
 The committee will be chaired by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Electronics and IT, and will
comprise 17 members including government officials, academicians, domain, and industry
experts.
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 The term of the committee is one year after which it shall be reconstituted with the approval of
the minister.
SEBI forms committee to strengthen governance of MIIS
 SEBI constituted a committee on 4 April 2022 for reviewing and making recommendations for
further strengthening of governance norms at stock exchange and other market infrastructure
institutions (MIIs).
 The six-member committee will be chaired by G Mahalingam, former whole-time member of
SEBI.
 The panel will also review the requirements related to appointment of directors on the board.
India, Australia set up committee to start negotiations
 After the signing of the interim trade agreement between India and Australia, a committee has
been formed.
 Within 75 days after the date of signature of the agreement, the negotiation sub-committee
shall commence negotiations on amendments to this agreement to transform this agreement
into a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
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Defence Current Affairs

Baggavalli Somashekar to take over as Vice Chief of the Army Staff
 Lt Gen Baggavalli Somashekar Raju will take over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff on 1
May'22.
 He was commissioned in the JAT Regiment in 1984.
 He commanded his Battalion during Op Parakram in Jammu & Kashmir.
 He also holds the distinction of commanding the Uri brigade along the Line of Control.
 He has been awarded Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and Yudh Seva Medal.
Aircraft carrier Vikrant to be handed over to Indian Navy by Aug 2022
 The indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant being built by the Cochin Shipyard Ltd will be handed
over to the Indian Navy by August 2022.
 The final sea trial of the IAC will take place in May 2022.
 The yard is also in the process of setting up a new drydock, with a 600-tonne gantry crane,
capable of handling vessels up to Suezmax, and aircraft carriers of 70,000 tonnes displacement.
Anti-ship version of BrahMos missile successfully test-fired
 An anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly
by the Indian Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command, on 27 April 2022.
 The Andaman and Nicobar Command is the only tri-services command of the Indian armed
forces.
 On April 19, 2022, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had also successfully test-fired the BrahMos missile
from a Sukhoi fighter jet.
IAF conducts national-level logistics seminar 'Logisem Vayu 2022'
 A national seminar on logistics management 'Logisem Vayu 2022' was held on 28 Apr'22 at Air
Force Auditorium, New Delhi.
 Chief of the Air Staff VR Chaudhari inaugurated the seminar and delivered the keynote address.
 A document on the logistics philosophy of IAF titled 'Tenets of Logistics' and a book on the
history of Logistics in IAF titled 'Footprints in Sands of Time' were also released.
Defence Acquisition Procedure-2020 amended
 Defence Acquisition Procedure-2020 has been amended to promote ‘Make in India’ in defence.
 All modernisation requirements of the three services and the Indian Coast Guard will be
indigenously sourced irrespective of nature of procurement.
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 Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) will be taken as bid security for all acquisition cases with
Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) cost more than Rs 100 crore.
First edition of Naval Commanders' Conference begins
 The first edition of the Naval Commanders' Conference of 2022 is being held from April 25 to 28,
2022.
 The conference serves as a platform for naval commanders to discuss important maritime
matters at the military-strategic level.
 During the conference, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar will address and interact with the naval commanders.
New vessel 'Urja Pravaha' inducted into Indian Coast Guard
 The Indian Coast Guard Ship (Auxiliary Barge) named Urja Pravaha has been inducted into the
Indian Coast Guard at Gujarat's Bharuch.
 It will be under the operational command of Coast Guard District Headquarters-4 (Kerala and
Mahe).
 Urja Prabha is 36.96 meter long with draft of 1.85 meters.
 It is designed to cargo ship fuel, aviation fuel, and freshwater.
Lt General Manoj Kumar Katiyar to be Indian Army’s new DGMO
 Lt General Manoj Kumar Katiyar has been appointed as the next Director-General of Military
Operations (DGMO).
 He will be taking over the new office on May 1, 2022.
 He is presently the General Officer Commanding of 1 Corps, a strike formation responsible for
offensive operations against both Pakistan and China.
 He was posted as Director of General Staff Duties at Army Headquarters.
DefConnect 2.0 to be organised by iDEX-DIO in New Delhi on 22 April
 Innovations for Defence Excellence, Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO) is organising
DefConnect 2.0 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 22 Apr'22.
 It will be organised under the aegis of Department of Defence Production (DDP).
 It will be inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
 It will provide an opportunity for innovators to showcase their capabilities, products and
technologies.
IAF successfully test-fires BrahMos missile from Su30-MkI fighter jet
 The Indian Air Force (IAF) on 19 April 2022 successfully test-fired a BrahMos supersonic cruise
missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet on the Eastern seaboard.
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 The firing of the missile was carried out in coordination with the Indian Navy.
 BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
 They can be launched from submarines, aircraft, and land platforms.
Vagsheer, the last of six submarines under Project 75, launched
 The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders on 20 April 2022, launched INS Vagsheer, the last of the six
submarines under Project 75.
 The submarine was launched by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar.
 Named after sandfish, a deadly deep water sea predator of the Indian Ocean, the first
submarine 'Vagsheer' was commissioned in December 1974.
 It was decommissioned in April 1997.
Defence Secretary inaugurates two-day ‘NATPOLREX-VIII’ exercise
 Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar inaugurated, on April 19, 2022, the 8th edition of the two-day
National Level Pollution Response Exercise, ‘NATPOLREX-VIII’.
 It is being conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) off Mormugao harbor, Goa.
 The objective of NATPOLREX-VIII is to enhance the preparedness and response capability of all
the stakeholders in combating marine spills.
Army Commanders’ biannual Conference to be held from 18 April 2022
 Army Commanders’ Conference is scheduled for 18 April 2022 in New Delhi.
 It is an apex-level biannual event that is held in April and October every year.
 During the five-day conference, the senior leadership of the Indian Army will review the
operational situation along the active borders, assess threats in the entire spectrum of conflict
and undertake an analysis of capability voids.
38th Siachen Day: 13 April 2022
 Indian Army marks Siachen Day on April 13 every year.
 The day is observed to commemorate the courage of the Indian Army under "Operation
Meghdoot".
 The operation was launched in 1984, under which, the Indian Army gained control over the
heights on the main passes of the Saltoro ridge, Sia La and Bilafond La.
 The Siachen Glacier is the highest battleground on earth.
Trishakti Corps conducts EX Kripan Shakti at Teesta field firing range
 The Trishakti Corps conducted Ex Kripan Shakti, an Integrated Fire Power exercise at Teesta
Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) near Siliguri (WB) on 12 April 2022.
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 It was aimed at orchestrating and synergizing the capabilities of the Indian Army and the
Central Armed Police Forces to fight an integrated battle.
 The firing involved employment and firing of all arms and weapon systems.
Army Chief inducted the first set of indigenously developed QRFV
 General MM Naravane, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) inducted the first set of indigenously
developed Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle Medium (QRFV), Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicle
(IPMV), and Ultra Long Range Observation System.
 They have been developed by Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL).
 They were inducted at a function organised at the Bombay Engineer Group (BEG) on 12 Apr'22 in
Pune.
Indian Navy's P8I aircraft reaches Australia
 Indian Navy's P8I plane reached the Australian city Darwin on 11 April 2022 to participate in
coordinated maritime operations such as anti-submarine warfare.
 The team from the Indian Navy's maritime patrol squadron, Albatross (INAS 312) will engage
with its counterparts from the 92 Wing of the Royal Australian Air Force.
 Australia has P8A aircraft in its fleet.
IAF's Chinook helicopter creates a new unique record
 An Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook heavy-lift chopper has created a flying record by completing
a non-stop helicopter sortie in India, flying from Chandigarh to Jorhat (Assam).
 The 1910 kilometres route was completed in 7 hours and 30 minutes.
 On March 25, 2019, the IAF formally inducted the CH-47 (F) I Chinook heavy-lift helicopter into
its inventory at a ceremony held in Chandigarh.
Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ successfully flight tested
 An Anti-Tank Guided Missile 'HELINA' was successfully launched from an indigenously-
developed helicopter at high-altitude ranges on 11 Apr'22, in Pokhran.
 The flight test was jointly conducted by the teams of scientists from DRDO, Indian Army, and
Indian Air Force.
 The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
 The missile is guided by an Imaging Infra-Red Seeker.
Indigenously developed loitering munitions tested at 15,000 feet
 Indigenously designed and developed, three different types of loitering munitions were
successfully tested in Ladakh in March 2022.
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 The Army Design Bureau facilitated trials at Nubra Valley to rate performance and safety
standards.
 They have been developed by Economic Explosives Ltd in partnership with Bangalore-based
start-up Z Motion Autonomous System Pvt Ltd.
Indian Army, DRDO successfully flight test Pinaka Mk-I system
 Pinaka Mk-I (Enhanced) Rocket System EPRS and Pinaka Area Denial Munition ADM rocket
systems were successfully flight-tested by DRDO and Indian Army in April 2022.
 They were tested at Pokhran Firing Ranges.
 A total of 24 EPRS rockets were fired for different ranges during a period of 2 weeks.
 The Pinaka rocket system has been developed by Armament Research and Development
Establishment.
57th CRPF Valour Day: 9 April 2022
 CRPF Valour Day is celebrated on 9 April each year to commemorate the battle at Sardar Post
in Rann of Kuchh, Gujarat.
 Only 2 companies of CRPF repulsed the attack of a full-fledged Pakistani military brigade on
9th April 1965.
 On that night, the CRPF lost six of its brave soldiers.
 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) came into existence in 1939.
First batch of aircrew of Indian Navy completes training in the US
 The 1st batch of the aircrew of the Indian Navy has completed its training in the US to operate
the MH-60 'Romeo' multi-role helicopters, in April'22.
 The 10-month long course included conversion training and other advanced qualifications on
MH 60R.
 India is procuring 24 MH-60R helicopters as part of around Rs 15,000-crore deal with the US
govt under the framework of foreign military sales.
DRDO successfully flight-tests Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology
 DRDO successfully flight tested the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) booster at the Integrated
Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on 8 April 2022.
 The SFDR-based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at very long range at
supersonic speeds.
 The SFDR has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad.
247th raising day of Army Ordnance Corps: 8 April
 Army Ordnance Corps celebrated its 247th raising day on 8 April 2022.
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 The Corps came into existence with the establishment of the ‘Board of Ordnance’ on 8th April
1775.
 It is entrusted with the task of managing a large and complex inventory and providing logistic
support to the Army.
 Lieutenant General RKS Kushwaha is the Director-General Ordnance Services.
Vice Chief Lt Gen Manoj Pande all set to become new Army Chief
 Army Vice Lieutenant General Manoj Pande is all set to become Chief of the Army Staff.
 Previously, he served as the General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command.
 The incumbent Army Chief General M.M. Naravane will retire by the end of April 2022.
 General Naravane is the front runner for the post of Chief of Defence Staff after the passing of
General Bipin Rawat.
Indian Coast Guard inducts interceptor boat 'C-436' at Karaikal
 The Indian Coast Guard unit has inducted interceptor boat 'C-436', at Karaikal.
 It has been rebased from Andhra Pradesh station to its fleet to improve surveillance along the
coastline of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
 It will have one officer and 12 enrolled personnel as crew and will be deployed in the Area of
Responsibility (AoR) of the Coast Guard Station in Karaikal.
258th raising day of Army Medical Corps: 3 April 2022
 The Army Medical Corps (AMC) celebrated its 258th raising day on 3 April 2022.
 The Corps has the motto of “Sarve Santu Niramaya” meaning “Let all be free from disease and
disability”.
 It is a specialist corps in the Indian Army which primarily provides medical services to all Army
personnel, serving and veterans, along with their families.
Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane on 3-day visit to Singapore
 Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane left for Singapore on a three-day visit from 4-6 April
2022.
 The visit aims to further enhance existing defence relations between India and Singapore.
 He will lay a wreath at the Kranji War Memorial tomorrow.
 He will also visit the Infantry Gunnery Tactical Simulation and Wargame Centre, Regional HADR
Coordination Centre, etc.
IAF’s Surya Kiran aerobatic team carries out flying display in Hyd
 Surya Kiran aerobatic team of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on 01 April 2022 carried out a flying
display in Hyderabad.
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 Surya Kiran's aerobatic team, popularly known as the Ambassadors of the IAF, has the
distinction of being among a handful of nine aircraft formation aerobatic teams in the world.
 They fly the Hawk Mk132 aircraft, license manufactured in India by Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited.
Pokhran: Indian Army carries out airborne drills
 Airborne drills were carried out by the Indian Army's Airborne Rapid Response teams on 01 April
2022.
 The training drill was conducted at Pokaran to validate the Rapid Response capabilities along
the Western Front.
 The Exercise included Combat Free Fall jumps with a Guided Precision Aerial Delivery System
(GPADS).
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Government Schemes and Policies Current Affairs

Govt launches revamped Zero Effect Zero Defect Scheme for MSMEs
 The Ministry of MSME has launched a revamped Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) Certification
Scheme.
 The Scheme is aimed to enable and facilitate MSMEs to adopt Zero Defect Zero Effect practices
besides motivating and incentivizing them for ZED certification.
 The first phase of the revamped scheme will focus on manufacturing MSMEs, the second would
be aimed at the MSMEs in the services sector.
Cabinet approves continuation of PM SVANidhi till December 2024
 Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the continuation of lending under the
PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi beyond Mar 2022-Dec 2024.
 Through the scheme, affordable collateral-free loans are being facilitated to street vendors.
 The approval has increased the loan amount to Rs. 8,100 cr, thereby providing the street
vendors working capital to further expand their business.
Niti Aayog releases a draft battery swapping policy
 Niti Aayog has released a draft battery swapping policy.
 It is aimed at catalyzing large-scale adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by making them more
accessible, affordable, and efficient.
 The draft policy, which will be valid till March 31, 2025, from the date of its notification, is
specifically designed for battery swapping systems to be used for two-wheelers and three-
wheelers.
Tripura unveils revamped industrial scheme to draw investors
 The Tripura government has made massive changes to the Tripura Industrial Investment
Promotion Scheme (TIIPIS) to attract investments and pave the way for faster economic growth
in the state.
 the upper limit to avail state subsidy on MSME investments has been increased to Rs 1 crore.
 Earlier, the cap for subsidy was Rs 60 lakh.
PMGKP insurance scheme extended for 180 days
 The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) has been extended for a further period of
180 days from 19th April 2022.
 It is an insurance scheme for health care workers fighting COVID-19.
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 The PMGKP was launched on 30th March 2020 to provide comprehensive personal accident
cover of Rs. 50 Lakh to 22.12 lakh health care providers including community health workers and
private health workers.
‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ launched in additional 126 cities
 Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched the ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’
program in additional 126 cities across 14 States/ UTs.
 The scheme aims to provide an affordable working capital loan to street vendors.
 It was launched on 4th January 2021 in 125 cities in Phase 1, covering approximately 35 lakh
street vendors and their families.
Haryana govt extending scope of services under PPP scheme
 Haryana government is extending the scope of services under its flagship 'Parivar Pechchan
Patra (PPP)' scheme.
 The state assembly had passed the Haryana Parivar Pehchan Bill in 2021, aimed at creating a
unique identification number for each family.
 Now, 443 services and schemes integrated with 43 departments are active with PPP and 120
services and schemes are under discussion.
Cabinet approves continuation of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan
 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the continuation of Rashtriya Gram
Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) for implementation during the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026.
 It is a revamped Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
 The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs.5911 crore with the central share of Rs.3700 crore
and a state share of Rs.2211 crore.
Union Cabinet approves Policy under Coal Bearing Areas Act
 The Union Cabinet has approved the policy for use of land acquired under the Coal Bearing
Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act - CBA Act, 1957.
 The Act provides for the acquisition of coal-bearing lands and their vesting in a government
company, free from any encumbrance.
 The policy provides for the utilization of such land for the purpose of development relating to
coal and energy.
Centre extends Foreign Trade Policy by another six months till Sept 30
 The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended the existing Foreign Trade Policy
(FTP) (2015-20) by another six months till September 30, 2022.
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 The FTP is an elaborate policy guideline and a strategy to promote the export of goods and
services.
 The existing policy came into force on April 1, 2015, and was valid for five years.
Govt approves scheme to distribute fortified rice under govt programme
 The Cabinet has approved a scheme to distribute fortified rice under government programmes
in three phases.
 In the first phase, fortified rice is being distributed under Integrated Child Development Services
and PM Poshan programmes.
 The entire cost of rice fortification of about Rs 2,700 crore per annum and would be borne by
the central government.
Govt approves ₹433.72 crs for ‘Lakshya Zero Dumpsites’ in Maharashtra
 Government of India has approved proposals for legacy waste remediation in nearly 500 cities.
 To support Maharashtra in effectively managing solid waste, the centre on 30 Mar'22, has
approved ₹433.72 crores to remediate over 3.7 crores MT of waste.
 Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 aims to achieve the vision of ‘Garbage Free Cities’ over the
next five years.
Centre grants Rs 40,000 crore to States/UTs under Jal Jeevan Mission
 The Central government has released over Rs 40,000 crore as grants to states and Union
Territories (UTs) in the financial year 2021-22 under the Jal Jeevan Mission on 31 Mar'22.
 It seeks to ensure tap water connections to households across the country.
 The mission focuses on an assured supply of potable water to every home.
 Jal Jeevan Mission was launched on 15th August 2019.
Delhi Govt launches field task force for homeless children's rehab
 The Delhi government has set up a field task force for the rehabilitation of homeless children in
Delhi on 31 Mar'22.
 The task force will focus on identifying and providing educational, financial and guardianship
support to homeless children.
 On 31 Mar'22, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) launched a project in
collaboration with Salaam Baalak Trust and Youth Reach.
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Days and Events Current Affairs

1st May 2022 celebrated as Ujjwala Diwas
 Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) celebrated 1st May 2022 as Ujjwala Diwas to
celebrate the achievements of PMUY.
 Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is a major step towards social inclusion by providing free
LPG connection to every BPL (below poverty line) household.
 The scheme was launched by PM Modi on 1st May 2016 at Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
World Veterinary Day: 30 April 2022
 World Veterinary Day is observed on the last Saturday of April, every year.
 For 2022 it is on April 30.
 The day aims to spread awareness about animal health care and the steps one should
undertake to curb animal cruelty.
 World Veterinary Day was created in 2000 by the World Veterinary Association.
 The theme for 2022 is 'Strengthening Veterinary Resilience'.
International Dance Day: 29 April
 International Dance Day is observed on April 29 every year to celebrate different dance forms.
 The Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute started celebrating April 29 as
International Dance Day from 1982.
 The day also marks the birthday of the creator of the modern ballet dance form, Jean-Georges
Noverre.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work: 28 April
 World Day for Safety and Health at Work is observed on 28 April every year.
 The day promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
 It also focuses on enhancing social dialogue towards a culture of safety and health.
 The theme for 2022 is “Act together to build a positive health and safety culture”.
World Immunization Week: 24-30 April
 WHO's World Immunization Week is observed from 24-30 April.
 It aims to highlight the collective action needed and to promote the use of vaccines to protect
people of all ages against disease.
 WHO works with countries across the globe to raise awareness of the value of vaccines and
immunization.
 The theme for 2022 is Long Life for All.
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 The first vaccine was developed for smallpox in 1796.

Tamil Nadu to observe Minorities Rights Day annually on December 18
 The Tamil Nadu government will observe December 18, every year, as Minorities Rights Day at
the state level.
 Rs 2.50 lakh will be earmarked for the purpose.
 Further, in order to enable the minority girl students in rural areas to pursue their studies without
any impediments, the govt would provide education aid of Rs 500 to the students of Classes 3
to 5 and Rs 1,000 to the wards of Class 6.
World Intellectual Property Day: 26 April
 World Intellectual Property Day is observed on 26 April.
 The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000.
 April 26th was chosen as the day as it coincides with the date when the convention establishing
the World Intellectual Property Organization came into effect in 1970.
 The theme for 2022 focuses on IP and Youth innovating for a Better Future.
International Delegate’s Day: 25 April
 International Delegate’s Day marks the anniversary of the first day of the San Francisco
Conference, also known as the UN Conference on International Organization.
 On 25 April 1945, delegates from 50 countries came together for the first time in San Francisco.
 Coming together after the devastation of the 2nd world war, their aim was to set up an
organization that would restore world peace.
International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace: 24 April
 The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace is observed on 24 April every
year.
 It was established on 12 December 2018 through a UN resolution and was first observed on 24
April 2019.
 The day acknowledges the use of multilateral decision-making and diplomacy in achieving
peaceful resolutions to conflicts among nations.
World Malaria Day: 25 April
 Every year, World Malaria Day is observed on April 25 to create a global awareness of malaria.
 This day has been observed by the African government since 2001 but was first marked in 2008.
 The 60th session of the World Health Assembly converted Africa Malaria Day to World Malaria
Day.
 The theme for 2022 is ‘Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives.
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English Language Day: 23 April

 English Language day is observed, annually, on April 23.
 The date happens to be the birth and death anniversary of well-known writer William
Shakespeare.
 English Language Day is the result of a 2010 initiative by the Department of Global
Communications.
 It is celebrated internationally as the UN Observance Day to propagate harmonious
communication.
National Panchayati Raj Day: 24 April
 National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 24 April
annually.
 This annual celebration is done in order to commemorate the historic day on which the
Constitution Act (73rd Amendment) was passed in 1992.
 However, it came into existence a year later on April 24, 1993.
 Then PM Manmohan Singh declared the first National Panchayati Raj Day on 24 April 2010.
World Book and Copyright Day: 23 April
 World Book and Copyright Day is an annual event organized by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), on 23 April.
 The event is observed in order to promote reading, publishing and copyright.
 The day marks the death anniversary of prominent authors like William Shakespeare, Miguel de
Cervantes, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.
International Mother Earth Day: 22 April
 Every year, April 22 is celebrated as International Mother Earth Day.
 The day aims to spread awareness about issues, including pollution, deforestation, and global
warming.
 The day was founded in the 1970s by Senator Gaylord Nelson to promote ecology and raise
awareness of the concerns surrounding the earth.
 The theme for the year 2022 is ‘Invest in our Planet.’
World Creativity and Innovation Day: 21 April
 The UN-designated 21 April to be celebrated as the World Creativity and Innovation Day.
 The main idea is to push creative multi-disciplinary thinking among different countries,at both
the individual and group level.
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 The day is part of the World Creativity Week celebrations, which last from 15 to 21 April every
year.
 It was founded in Toronto, Canada by Canadian Marci Segal, on 25 May 2001.
National Civil Services Day: 21 April
 India observes National Civil Services Day on April 21 every year.
 It is celebrated to commemorate the day when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, first Home Minister of
Independent India addressed probationers of Administrative Services Officers at Delhi’s Metcalf
House in 1947.
 PM Modi will confer Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration on the
occasion on 21 April 2022.
UN Chinese Language Day: 20 April
 The UN Chinese Language Day is observed every year on or around April 20.
 The contribution of Chinese literature, poetry and language to world culture is highlighted on
this day.
 The first UN Chinese Language Day was held on November 12, 2010.
 In 2011, the date was moved to April 20.
 The United Nations has 6 official languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and
Spanish.
World Liver Day: 19 April
 World Liver Day is observed on the 19th of April every year to spread awareness about liver
health.
 The liver is a vital organ of the body which helps to flush out the unwanted toxins from the
body.
 It is the second-largest part of the body and is less complex than the brain.
 It is said that it performs almost 500 body functions and holds 13 per cent of the total blood
supply.
World Hemophilia Day: 17 April
 World Hemophilia Day is observed every year on April 17.
 The day marks the birthday of Frank Schnabel who was the founder of the World Federation of
Hemophilia.
 The theme for 2022 is ‘Access for All: Partnership. Policy. Progress. Engaging your government,
integrating inherited bleeding disorders into national policy.’
Easter: 17 April
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 Easter was celebrated on 17 April 2022.

 Easter is believed to have taken place three days after Jesus Christ was crucified by the Romans
on Good Friday.
 The crucifixion of Jesus happened around 30 AD.
 It is believed that he was tortured, beaten, and crucified on the day of Good Friday and was
later buried in a grave after Jesus had his last supper with his disciples on Maundy Thursday.
World Heritage Day: 18 April
 World Heritage Day, also known as International Day for Monuments and Sites, is observed on
April 18.
 The day was first celebrated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) in 1983.
 The aim is to promote awareness about the cultural heritage and diversity on the planet.
 The theme for World Heritage Day 2022 is "Heritage and Climate".
World Voice Day: 16 April
 World Voice Day is celebrated on April 16 every year.
 The day aims to demonstrate the enormous importance of the voice in the daily lives of all
people.
 In 1999, the Brazilian Society of Laryngology and Voice under the chairmanship of Dr Nedio
Steffen first celebrated the day as Brazilian Voice Day on 16 April.
 The theme for the year 2022 is 'Lift your voice'.
Tamil Nadu CM announces celebrating April 14 as ‘Equality Day'
 Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has announced that Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary on 14 April
will be observed as the 'Day of Equality' or ‘Samathuva Naal’.
 He also announced that the selected works of Ambedkar will be translated into Tamil.
 A pledge will also be administered on that day.
 A full-sized bronze statue of Ambedkar will be erected in the Ambedkar memorial in Chennai.
World Art Day: 15 April
 To honour and mark the birthday of the greatest artist of all time, Leonardo da Vinci, UNESCO’s
General Conference in 2012 declared April 15 as World Art Day.
 Vinci’s Last Supper and Mona Lisa are some of the most popular paintings.
 The day was adopted by the International Association of Art and aims to promote the
development, diffusion, and enjoyment of art.
 UNESCO HQ: Paris
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Himachal Pradesh Day: 15 April

 On this day in 1948, Himachal came into existence as a centrally administered province when its
four districts Mandi, Chamba, Mahasu, and Sirmour were merged with 30 princely states.
 In 1951, Himachal was categorized as a ‘C’ state under the Indian Constitution with a combined
population of 9,83,367 people.
 CM : Jai Ram Thakur.
 Governor: Rajendra Arlekar.
Good Friday: 15 April 2022
 Good Friday is being observed on 15 April 2022.
 The day marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.
 According to the Bible, Jesus was caught and put on trial for claiming to be the ruler of the Jews
after being betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas.
 He was sentenced to death by crucifixion and was forced to carry his cross up a hill while
wearing a crown of thorns.
World Chagas Disease Day: 14 April
 April 14 is observed as World Chagas Day every year.
 The disease is also called American trypanosomiasis, silent disease, or silenced disease.
 It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma crizu.
 This parasite is transmitted to humans through the triatomine bug.
 April 14 was chosen to mark the day as the first case of Chagas disease in a human was
reported on this day in 1990.
Mahavir Jayanti: 14 April 2022
 Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated to mark the birthday of the spiritual leader of Jainism, Lord
Mahavir.
 This year, it falls today April 14.
 Lord Mahavir is said to be born on the 13th day of the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar in
599 BC.
 His birthplace is Kundalagrama, Bihar.
 He is also considered the founder of Jainism and was the 24th and last Tirthankar of the faith.
131st birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: 14 April 2022
 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti is celebrated on April 14th every year in India to commemorate the
birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
 He was born on 14 April 1891.
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 He established the Finance Commission of India.

 He is also known as the father of the Indian constitution.
 He served as the first Minister of Law and Justice of India from August 29, 1947, to January 24,
1950.
Meghdoot".
Jallianwala Bagh massacre 103rd anniversary: 13 April 2022
 103rd anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was observed on 13 April 2022.
 Hundreds of people protesting peacefully against the Rowlatt Acts, which granted the colonial
administration repressive powers, were gunned down by British forces without any provocation,
in 1919.
 It was one of the most brutal instances India witnessed under British rule.
International Day of Human Space Flight: 12 April
 The International Day of Human Space Flight is commemorated to mark the beginning of
mankind's space era.
 The first human-made satellite was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union in 1957.
 Sputnik I was the name of the satellite.
 Yuri Gagarin made the first human space journey on April 12, 1961.
 Gagarin was a Soviet citizen who also served as a pilot and cosmonaut.
World Parkinson's Day: 11 April
 World Parkinson's Day is observed annually on April 11 to spread awareness about the
neurodegenerative disease.
 The disease has a wide range of symptoms from shaking, stiffness, balance and coordination
issues to difficulty in walking.
 The day also marks the anniversary of James Parkinson who wrote the article An Essay on the
Shaking Palsy in 1817, recognizing the disease for the 1st time.
Birth anniversary of Jyotiba Phule: 11 April
 Jyotiba Phule was born on 11 April 1827.
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 He was a social activist from Maharashtra who worked for the abolition of the caste system and
untouchability and for the upliftment of women.
 He started his first school for girls in 1848 in Pune.
 He also founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) to fight for those people
who belonged to the lower castes.
Palm Sunday: 10 April 2022
 Palm Sunday was observed on 10 April 2022.
 It is the Sunday before Easter that begins the holy week.
 The occasion denotes the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem.
 As Jesus rode a donkey into the town of Jerusalem, a large crowd gathered and laid palm
branches and their cloaks across the road, giving Jesus royal treatment.
 People chant 'Hosanna - Hosanna', which means 'Save us Oh! Lord'.
National Safe Motherhood Day: 11 April
 National Safe Motherhood Day is observed on April 11 every year.
 It promotes awareness about the importance of having proper access for pregnant women to
healthcare.
 The campaign was launched by the White Ribbon Alliance (WRAI).
 India was once considered one of the world’s most dangerous countries to give birth as it
contributed to 15% of all maternal deaths globally.
World Homoeopathy Day: 10 April
 World Homeopathy Day is celebrated each year on April 10 to pay tribute to homeopathy and
its contribution to the world of medicine.
 The day is observed on the occasion of the birth anniversary of German physician Dr Christian
Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy.
 Homeopathy was introduced in India approximately two centuries ago.
9th April 1965.
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1775.
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda
 On 7 April, UNESCO commemorates the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide
against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
 The day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2003.
 The date marks the beginning of the genocide perpetrated against members of the Tutsi
minority by the Hutu extremist-led government.
 In just over 100 days, more than 1 million Tutsi were systematically murdered.
World Health Day: 7 April
 WHO observes World Health Day every year on April 7, to spread awareness about the
importance of general health and well-being around the world.
 The World Health Organization (WHO) convened the first World Health Assembly in 1948, which
called for the establishment of this day.
 It was celebrated for the first time in 1950.
 The theme for 2022 is ‘Our planet, our health’.
International Day of Sport for Development and Peace: 6 April
 The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is celebrated on 6 April every year.
 The day recognizes the positive role of sport and physical activity in people’s lives.
 The UN decided to mark the day on 6 April as on this day in 1896, the first-ever modern
Olympics were held.
 The theme for 2022 is, “Securing a Sustainable and Peaceful Future for All: The Contribution of
Sport".
59th National Maritime Day: 5 April 2022
 India celebrates National Maritime Day on April 5 every year.
 The day was first celebrated in the year 1964.
 On this day in 1919, SS Loyalty, the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd.,
journeyed to the UK, a crucial step in India's shipping history when sea routes were controlled by
the British.
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 The day is observed yearly by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
 April 4 is observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
 The day was declared by the UN General Assembly on 8 December 2005.
 The mine action community around the world is led by the United Nations Mine Action Service
(UNMAS).
 The theme for 2022 is “Safe Ground, Safe Steps, Safe Home".
disability”.
World Autism Awareness Day: 02 April 2022
 World Autism Awareness Day is observed on 2 April to raise awareness about autism.
 The annual event aims to spread awareness of autism and emphasizes the resilience of those
affected by the disorder.
 The 2022 theme for World Autism Awareness Day is “Inclusive Quality Education for All”
 World Autism Awareness Day was held for the first time in 2008.
Hindu New Year (Ugadi,Gudi Padwa,Cheti Chand) begins from April 2
 The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu has greeted the people of the nation on the eve of
‘Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Chaitra Sukladi and Cheti Chand’.
 Ugadi is celebrated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in India.
 Maharashtrians celebrate Gudi Padwa.
 Sindhi, Kashmiri, and Manipuri celebrate Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheiraoba.
Union Home Minister attends Sri Shivakumar Swamiji's 115th Jayanti
 Union Minister for Home Amit Shah attended the 115th Jayanthi program of Sri Shivakumara
Swamiji at the Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur on 01 April'22.
 The Siddaganga mutt is a prominent religious centre for the Lingayat community.
 Shivakumara Swami was an Indian humanitarian, spiritual leader and educator.
 He also founded the Sri Siddaganga Education Society.
87th Odisha (Utkal) Day: 01 April 2022
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 Odisha celebrates its 87th foundation day (Odisha Day aka Utkala Dibasa) on 01 April 2022.
 It is celebrated in memory of the formation of the state as a separate state out of Bihar and
Orissa Province on 1 April 1936.
 Under the British rule, Odisha was part of the Bengal presidency, which consisted of the present-
day Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha.
Prevention of Blindness Week 2022 : 1-7 April 2022
 Prevention of Blindness Week 2022 is celebrated by the Government of India from 1st April to
7th of April, to spread awareness about Blindness.
 National Society for the Prevention of Blindness Week was founded in 1960 with Jawaharlal
Nehru and Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur being its founding patrons.
 Prevent Blindness has declared 2022 the “Year of Children’s Vision.”
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International Current Affairs

World Veterinary Day: 30 April 2022
 World Veterinary Day is observed on the last Saturday of April, every year.
 For 2022 it is on April 30.
 The day aims to spread awareness about animal health care and the steps one should
undertake to curb animal cruelty.
 World Veterinary Day was created in 2000 by the World Veterinary Association.
 The theme for 2022 is 'Strengthening Veterinary Resilience'.
Robert Golob elected as Prime Minister of Slovenia
 Robert Golob has been elected as the Prime Minister of Slovenia.
 He is a newcomer to Slovenian politics and had established his party in January 2022.
 He defeated Slovenia’s three-time Prime Minister Janez Jansa in the elections.
 Slovenia is a country in Central Europe with its capital being Ljubljana.
 Borut Pahor is the President of Slovenia.
International Dance Day: 29 April
 International Dance Day is observed on April 29 every year to celebrate different dance forms.
 The Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute started celebrating April 29 as
International Dance Day from 1982.
 The day also marks the birthday of the creator of the modern ballet dance form, Jean-Georges
Noverre.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work: 28 April
 World Day for Safety and Health at Work is observed on 28 April every year.
 The day promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
 It also focuses on enhancing social dialogue towards a culture of safety and health.
 The theme for 2022 is “Act together to build a positive health and safety culture”.
Russia stripped of 2023 world ice hockey championship
 The 2023 ice hockey world championship will be moved from Russia.
 This was informed by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
 The federation had already stripped Russia of the junior world championship for the same
reason.
 The tournament was awarded to Russia in 2018 and was due to be held from May 5-21, 2023 in
Saint Petersburg.
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Beijing releases book titled "Missile Life"

 On the occasion of the seventh China Aerospace Day, Beijing released a book titled "Missile
Life", in April 2022.
 It sheds light on the lives of 12 Chinese missile weapon model directors and chief designers for
the first time.
 It was released by the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation
(CASIC) on 24 April 2022.
Max Verstappen wins 2022 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
 Max Verstappen has won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.
 He earned the honor after beating out Lewis Hamilton to claim his first Formula 1 world
championship during the 2021 season.
 Verstappen was announced as the recipient following a dominant victory in Emilia Romagna
Grand Prix.
 Lionel Messi, Roger Federer, and Michael Schumacher are the previous recipients of the awards.
World Immunization Week: 24-30 April
 WHO's World Immunization Week is observed from 24-30 April.
 It aims to highlight the collective action needed and to promote the use of vaccines to protect
people of all ages against disease.
 WHO works with countries across the globe to raise awareness of the value of vaccines and
immunization.
 The theme for 2022 is Long Life for All.
 The first vaccine was developed for smallpox in 1796.
World's oldest person, Kane Tanaka, dies in Japan aged 119
 Kane Tanaka, the world's oldest person, died in Japan aged 119, in April 2022.
 Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903.
 She became the oldest living person in January 2019 at the age of 116 years and 28 days.
 She is also the second oldest person ever recorded, behind only Jeanne Calment who lived to
the age of 122.
Elon Musk acquires Twitter in 44 billion dollar deal
 Twitter has announced to sell its social media company to the world’s richest man Elon Musk.
 The deal will see Musk acquire the social network for approximately $44 billion with shares
valued at $54.20.
 Musk had announced his takeover bid on April 14, 2022.
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 Twitter is an American microblogging and social networking service which was founded in 2006.
World Intellectual Property Day: 26 April
 World Intellectual Property Day is observed on 26 April.
 The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000.
 April 26th was chosen as the day as it coincides with the date when the convention establishing
the World Intellectual Property Organization came into effect in 1970.
 The theme for 2022 focuses on IP and Youth innovating for a Better Future.
International Delegate’s Day: 25 April
 International Delegate’s Day marks the anniversary of the first day of the San Francisco
Conference, also known as the UN Conference on International Organization.
 On 25 April 1945, delegates from 50 countries came together for the first time in San Francisco.
 Coming together after the devastation of the 2nd world war, their aim was to set up an
organization that would restore world peace.
International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace: 24 April
 The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace is observed on 24 April every
year.
 It was established on 12 December 2018 through a UN resolution and was first observed on 24
April 2019.
 The day acknowledges the use of multilateral decision-making and diplomacy in achieving
peaceful resolutions to conflicts among nations.
Emmanuel Macron re-elected as the President of France
 France has picked Emmanuel Macron for five more years as the country's President.
 This is the first time that a governing leader of the Fifth Republic, which has been the political
system since 1958, has been re-elected.
 He has been serving as the President of France since 2017.
 At the age of 39, he became the youngest President in French history.
World Malaria Day: 25 April
 Every year, World Malaria Day is observed on April 25 to create a global awareness of malaria.
 This day has been observed by the African government since 2001 but was first marked in 2008.
 The 60th session of the World Health Assembly converted Africa Malaria Day to World Malaria
Day.
 The theme for 2022 is ‘Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives.
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English Language Day: 23 April

 English Language day is observed, annually, on April 23.
 The date happens to be the birth and death anniversary of well-known writer William
Shakespeare.
 English Language Day is the result of a 2010 initiative by the Department of Global
Communications.
 It is celebrated internationally as the UN Observance Day to propagate harmonious
communication.
New Zealand pacer Hamish Bennett announces retirement from cricket
 New Zealand pacer Hamish Bennett has announced retirement from all forms of cricket.
 Bennett made his international debut for the Blackcaps in an ODI against Bangladesh in 2010.
 He went on to make 31 appearances for New Zealand across all formats, taking 43 wickets and
was selected in the Blackcaps' squad for the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup in India, Bangladesh,
and Sri Lanka.
Estonia hosts the world’s largest cyber exercise
 The Tallinn-based NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) organised
the Locked Shields 2022, in April 2022.
 It was the largest and most complex annual international live-fire cyber defence exercise in the
world.
 At the exercise, cyber experts practised the protection of national civilian and military IT
systems and critical infrastructure in a large-scale cyber-attack.
Babita Singh named as the New Global Peace Ambassador 2022
 Serial entrepreneur Babita Singh has been conferred as a Global Peace Ambassador for
promoting Peace through Education, Sports, Art, Culture, and Diplomacy.
 She was honored at the India International Conclave 2022 held in collaboration with Asia Africa
Consortium (AAC), in April 2022.
 The AAC-Global Peace Ambassador 2022 honor is the highest honour bestowed on a global
citizen.
Patrick Achi re-appointed as Prime Minister of Ivory Coast
 Patrick Achi has been reappointed as Prime Minister of Ivory Coast.
 He has been serving as the PM since 2021.
 He also earlier worked as the government spokesman for President Alassane Ouattara.
 Ivory Coast is a country on the southern coast of West Arica.
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 Its capital is Yamoussoukro and its currency is West African CFA franc.
Russia tests giant new ballistic missile RS-28 Sarmat
 Russia tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking Europe and the US, in
April 2022.
 The RS-28 Sarmat can reportedly carry a 10-ton payload, including nukes, and target multiple
locations at once.
 The missile is 35.3 meters long and 3 meters in diameter.
 The missile was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk.
International Mother Earth Day: 22 April
 Every year, April 22 is celebrated as International Mother Earth Day.
 The day aims to spread awareness about issues, including pollution, deforestation, and global
warming.
 The day was founded in the 1970s by Senator Gaylord Nelson to promote ecology and raise
awareness of the concerns surrounding the earth.
 The theme for the year 2022 is ‘Invest in our Planet.’
G20 agrees to set up global pandemic preparedness fund
 G20 countries have provisionally agreed to set up a global fund for pandemic preparedness,
likely to be housed at the World Bank.
 The WHO and the World Bank have estimated that the annual gap in pandemic preparedness
funding was $10.5 billion and any preparedness fund needed to be financed over five years,
suggesting a $50 billion ask.
World Creativity and Innovation Day: 21 April
 The UN-designated 21 April to be celebrated as the World Creativity and Innovation Day.
 The main idea is to push creative multi-disciplinary thinking among different countries,at both
the individual and group level.
 The day is part of the World Creativity Week celebrations, which last from 15 to 21 April every
year.
 It was founded in Toronto, Canada by Canadian Marci Segal, on 25 May 2001.
UN Chinese Language Day: 20 April
 The UN Chinese Language Day is observed every year on or around April 20.
 The contribution of Chinese literature, poetry and language to world culture is highlighted on
this day.
 The first UN Chinese Language Day was held on November 12, 2010.
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 In 2011, the date was moved to April 20.

 The United Nations has 6 official languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and
Spanish.
Imprisoned Ukranian journalist to be honoured by PEN America
 Vladyslav Yesypenko, a Ukranian journalist imprisoned in Crimea, has been chosen as the
recipient of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award.
 He was arrested in 2021 and sentenced to six years in a Russian labor camp for alleged
possession and transport of explosives.
 The PEN award was established in 1987 and is given to writers and artists imprisoned for their
work.
Indian-American Navy veteran appointed Kamala Harris's Defence Advisor
 Indian-American US Navy Shanti Sethi has been appointed as Executive Secretary and Defence
Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris.
 She is the first Indian-American commander of a major US Navy combat ship.
 Sethi commanded the guided-missile destroyer, USS Decatur, from December 2010 to May 2012.
 She was also the first female commander of a US naval vessel to visit India.
World Liver Day: 19 April
 World Liver Day is observed on the 19th of April every year to spread awareness about liver
health.
 The liver is a vital organ of the body which helps to flush out the unwanted toxins from the
body.
 It is the second-largest part of the body and is less complex than the brain.
 It is said that it performs almost 500 body functions and holds 13 per cent of the total blood
supply.
US intelligence satellite launched from California
 A classified satellite for the US National Reconnaissance Office was launched into space from
California on 17 April 2022.
 The NROL-85 satellite lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a two-stage
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
 It was the first mission by the NRO to reuse a SpaceX rocket booster.
 The NRO is the government agency in charge of developing US satellites.
World Hemophilia Day: 17 April
 World Hemophilia Day is observed every year on April 17.
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 The day marks the birthday of Frank Schnabel who was the founder of the World Federation of
Hemophilia.
 The theme for 2022 is ‘Access for All: Partnership. Policy. Progress. Engaging your government,
integrating inherited bleeding disorders into national policy.’
World Heritage Day: 18 April
 World Heritage Day, also known as International Day for Monuments and Sites, is observed on
April 18.
 The day was first celebrated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) in 1983.
 The aim is to promote awareness about the cultural heritage and diversity on the planet.
 The theme for World Heritage Day 2022 is "Heritage and Climate".
Bengali author Amar Mitra awarded O. Henry Prize for 45 year old story
 Bengali author Amar Mitra has been awarded the O.Henry Prize 2022 for a short story he wrote
45 years back.
 The short story titled 'Gaonburo' is a Bengali short fiction written in 1977.
 Mitra was also awarded the Sahitya Academy award in the year 2006.
 Mitra was born in Kolkata and is a well-known writer of Bengali literature.
Three Chinese astronauts back on Earth after 183 days in space
 Three Chinese astronauts, the second team sent to orbit for space station construction, returned
to Earth on 16 April 2022 after completing a landmark six-month mission.
 It was the longest stay in space by Chinese astronauts on a single mission.
 The return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship was carrying astronauts Zhai
Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu.
World Voice Day: 16 April
 World Voice Day is celebrated on April 16 every year.
 The day aims to demonstrate the enormous importance of the voice in the daily lives of all
people.
 In 1999, the Brazilian Society of Laryngology and Voice under the chairmanship of Dr Nedio
Steffen first celebrated the day as Brazilian Voice Day on 16 April.
 The theme for the year 2022 is 'Lift your voice'.
World Art Day: 15 April
 To honour and mark the birthday of the greatest artist of all time, Leonardo da Vinci, UNESCO’s
General Conference in 2012 declared April 15 as World Art Day.
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 Vinci’s Last Supper and Mona Lisa are some of the most popular paintings.
 The day was adopted by the International Association of Art and aims to promote the
development, diffusion, and enjoyment of art.
 UNESCO HQ: Paris
World Chagas Disease Day: 14 April
 April 14 is observed as World Chagas Day every year.
 The disease is also called American trypanosomiasis, silent disease, or silenced disease.
 It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma crizu.
 This parasite is transmitted to humans through the triatomine bug.
 April 14 was chosen to mark the day as the first case of Chagas disease in a human was
reported on this day in 1990.
List of the top 10 busiest airports in the world revealed by ACI
 Airports Council International (ACI) World has published the list of the top 10 busiest airports
worldwide for 2021.
 Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) taking the No. 1 spot, followed by
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Denver International Airport.
 The rest two are from China.
 ACI HQ: Montreal, Canada.
Australia's Victoria state to host 2026 Commonwealth Games
 The Australian state of Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
 The 2026 Games will be held in four regional hubs in the towns of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo
and Gippsland.
 The state has confirmed 16 sports for the Games so far, including aquatics, cycling, and
Twenty20 cricket.
 The 2022 Commonwealth Games are due to be held in Birmingham, England, from July 28 to
August 8, 2022.
International Day of Human Space Flight: 12 April
 The International Day of Human Space Flight is commemorated to mark the beginning of
mankind's space era.
 The first human-made satellite was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union in 1957.
 Sputnik I was the name of the satellite.
 Yuri Gagarin made the first human space journey on April 12, 1961.
 Gagarin was a Soviet citizen who also served as a pilot and cosmonaut.
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Elon Musk to not join Twitter board

 Elon Musk has decided not to join the board of Twitter.
 His appointment was due to become effective on 9 April 2022 after revealing that he had
bought a 9.2% stake in the social media platform.
 He however remains Twitter's largest shareholder.
 Elon Musk is the founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer at SpaceX, and also the founder and CEO of
Tesla.
Shehbaz Sharif elected as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister
 Pakistan’s parliament has elected Shehbaz Sharif as the country’s new Prime Minister following
the removal of Imran Khan in a vote of no confidence.
 He will now form a new government that can remain in place until August 2023, when general
elections are due.
 No Prime Minister has ever completed a five-year term in office during the country’s nearly 75-
year history.
World Parkinson's Day: 11 April
 World Parkinson's Day is observed annually on April 11 to spread awareness about the
neurodegenerative disease.
 The disease has a wide range of symptoms from shaking, stiffness, balance and coordination
issues to difficulty in walking.
 The day also marks the anniversary of James Parkinson who wrote the article An Essay on the
Shaking Palsy in 1817, recognizing the disease for the 1st time.
Pakistan successfully conducts test flight of Shaheen-III
 Pakistan's Army on 9 April 2022 conducted a successful flight test of the surface-to-surface
medium-range ballistic missile Shaheen-III.
 It can strike targets up to 2,750 kilometers.
 It is solid-fuelled and equipped with the Post-Separation Altitude Correction (PSAC) system.
 Solid fuel is suited for rapid response capabilities.
 The missile was first tested in March 2015.
Imran Khan loses no-confidence motion, ousted as Pakistan PM
 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government was ousted from power on 9 April 2022
after he failed the no-confidence motion moved against him by the opposition.
 He served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan since 2018.
 He is also a former cricketer.
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 Khan scored 3,807 runs and took 362 wickets in Test cricket and was inducted into the ICC
Cricket Hall of Fame.
World’s largest electric cruise ship makes maiden voyage in China
 The world’s largest electric cruise ship, the Yangtze River Three Gorges 1 completed its maiden
voyage out in China, in March 2022.
 The 100 meters long, zero-emissions ship can haul up to 1,300 passengers at a time and is
powered by batteries totaling 7,500 kWh, equivalent to over 100 EVs.
 The ship was developed by China Yangtze Power, a subsidiary of China Three Gorges Corp.
UNHRC appoints Ian Fry as climate change expert
 The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has appointed an expert on climate change and human
rights for the first time.
 The new position was formally created by UNHRC in October 2021.
 The first to hold the post will be Ian Fry.
 Fry, who teaches environmental policy part-time at an Australian university, was one of 26
candidates for the position.
 The appointment is for three years.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić wins new term
 Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vučić has won the presidential elections and secured a new term.
 He has been serving as the President of Serbia since 2017.
 He also served as the PM of Serbia for two terms, from 2014 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2017.
 Serbia is a country in Southeast Europe with its capital being Belgrade.
 Its currency is the Serbian dinar.
World Homoeopathy Day: 10 April
 World Homeopathy Day is celebrated each year on April 10 to pay tribute to homeopathy and
its contribution to the world of medicine.
 The day is observed on the occasion of the birth anniversary of German physician Dr Christian
Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy.
 Homeopathy was introduced in India approximately two centuries ago.
2022 World Press Photo of the Year announced
 A photo taken next to the former Kamloops Indian Residential School has been chosen as the
2022 World Press Photo of the Year.
 For the 1st time in the contest’s 67-year history, the World Press Photo of the Year is a
photograph without any people in it.
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 The photo was taken by Amber Bracken, a photographer from Edmonton, commemorates
children who died at the Kamloops Indian Residential School
‘Tomb of Sand' shortlisted for International Booker Prize
 Author Geetanjali Shree's novel 'Tomb of Sand' has become the first Hindi language work of
fiction to be shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.
 The book, translated into English by Daisy Rockwell will compete with five other titles from
around the world.
 The award carries a cash prize of 50,000 pounds literary prize, which is split evenly between the
author and translator.
US Senate confirms Ketanji Brown as first Black women to sit in SC
 The United States Senate has confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to sit
in the country's highest court.
 Currently a judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, Jackson will replace retiring Supreme
Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
 Judge Jackson will be just the third Black justice, after Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas,
and the sixth woman.
China successfully launches new satellite for Earth observation
 China successfully launched a new Earth observation satellite on 7 April 2022.
 Gaofen-3 03 was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre by a Long March-4C rocket
and has entered the planned orbit successfully.
 It will be networked with the orbiting Gaofen-3 and Gaofen-3 02 satellites to form a land-sea
radar satellite constellation and will capture synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images.
UN Assembly approves suspending Russia from Human Rights Council
 The United Nations General Assembly has approved a resolution to suspend Russia from the
world body's leading Human Rights Council.
 The US-initiated resolution garnered 93 votes in favour, while 24 countries voted no and 58
countries abstained, including India.
 It is the second-ever suspension of a country from the council.
 The Human Rights Council is based in Geneva.
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda
 On 7 April, UNESCO commemorates the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide
against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
 The day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2003.
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 The date marks the beginning of the genocide perpetrated against members of the Tutsi
minority by the Hutu extremist-led government.
 In just over 100 days, more than 1 million Tutsi were systematically murdered.
World Health Day: 7 April
 WHO observes World Health Day every year on April 7, to spread awareness about the
importance of general health and well-being around the world.
 The World Health Organization (WHO) convened the first World Health Assembly in 1948, which
called for the establishment of this day.
 It was celebrated for the first time in 1950.
 The theme for 2022 is ‘Our planet, our health’.
International Day of Sport for Development and Peace: 6 April
 The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is celebrated on 6 April every year.
 The day recognizes the positive role of sport and physical activity in people’s lives.
 The UN decided to mark the day on 6 April as on this day in 1896, the first-ever modern
Olympics were held.
 The theme for 2022 is, “Securing a Sustainable and Peaceful Future for All: The Contribution of
Sport".
Elon Musk joins Twitter's Board of Directors
 Elon Musk has joined Twitter's Board of Directors.
 He has taken a 9% stake in the social media platform.
 His term will be expiring at Twitter's 2024 annual shareholders' meeting.
 Musk, either alone or as a member of a group, won't be allowed to own more than 14.9% of
Twitter's outstanding stock for as long as he's a board member and for 90 days after.
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Richard Howard passes away
 Richard Howard, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, passed away in April 2022.
 Howard was a professor emeritus at Columbia University.
 He won the poetry Pulitzer in 1970 for "Untitled Subjects" and was a National Book Award
finalist in 2008 for "Without Saying."
 His translation of Charles Baudelaire's "Les Fleurs du Mal" won the National Book Award (then
called the American Book Award) in 1983.
Oscar-winning filmmaker John Zaritsky passes away
 Veteran filmmaker John Zaritsky, well known for winning an Oscar in 1983 for best documentary
feature for 'Just Another Missing Kid', passed away, in March 2022.
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 During a career that spanned 40 years, Zaritsky also directed documentaries on thalidomide,
the notorious drug introduced in Europe in the late 1950s.
 Zaritsky's work has been screened at more than 40 film festivals.
Imran Khan nominates former Chief Justice of Pakistan as caretaker PM
 Imran Khan has been de-notified as the PM of Pakistan, in wake of the dissolution of the
National Assembly by the President.
 He has nominated former Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed for the office of caretaker Prime Minister.
 The Constitution of Pakistan empowers the President to appoint a caretaker PM in consultation
with the PM and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing National Assembly.
Indian-American singer Falguni Shah wins Best Children’s Music Album
 Indian-American singer Falguni Shah, who goes by the stage name Falu, won the Best Children’s
Music Album for 'A Colourful World', at the Grammy Awards 2022.
 Love for Sale by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
 Jack Antonoff won Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
 Olivia Rodrigo won Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Drivers License'.
Viktor Orban wins new term as Hungary’s Prime Minister
 Viktor Orban won a fourth consecutive and fifth overall term as Prime Minister of Hungary on 3
April 2022.
 He is already the longest-serving head of government in the European Union.
 He has been serving as the PM since 2010 and previously held the office from 1998 to 2002.
 Hungary is a country in Central Europe and its capital is Budapest.
International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
 April 4 is observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
 The day was declared by the UN General Assembly on 8 December 2005.
 The mine action community around the world is led by the United Nations Mine Action Service
(UNMAS).
 The theme for 2022 is “Safe Ground, Safe Steps, Safe Home".
Visionary US Astrophysicist Eugene Parker passes away
 Eugene Parker, an American astrophysicist passed away in March 2022.
 Parker was hailed as a visionary who laid the groundwork for the field of heliophysics, the
science of understanding the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system, including
space weather.
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 In 2018, he became the first person to witness the launch of a spacecraft bearing his name,
NASA's Parker Solar Probe.
Serdar Berdimuhamedov becomes Turkmenistan's new President
 Serdar Berdimuhamedov has become Turkmenistan's new President.
 He will take over from his father and outgoing President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
 He was serving as Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Gurbanguly.
 Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia and its capital is Ashgabat.
 Its currency is Turkmenistani manat.
Francis Kere becomes first African to win Pritzker Prize
 Architect Diebedo Francis Kere has become the first African to be awarded the Pritzker
Architecture Prize, architecture’s most prestigious honour.
 He has been recognized for his pioneering designs that are sustainable for the earth and its
inhabitants.
 In 2017, he became the first African architect to design the Serpentine Pavilion in London’s Hyde
Park.
Jim Carrey announces retirement from Acting and Hollywood
 Veteran actor Jim Carrey is renowned for his comic roles.
 He has announced his retirement from his acting carrier on 01 April'22.
 His last movie "Sonic The Hedgehog 2" will be released in November 2022.
 Actor Bruce Willis also announced retirement from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia.
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MoU and Agreements Current Affairs

Skill Ministry signs MoU with ISRO to upskill technical staff
 The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has signed an MoU with the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
 The programme is aimed at creating a formal framework for short-term courses to provide
training for the skill development and capacity-building of the technical staff of ISRO.
 The training will be held at the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI).
Qualcomm India partners with C-DAC to support semiconductor startups
 For 2022, Qualcomm India has announced a collaboration with the C-DAC, an autonomous
scientific society of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
 C-DAC will be an outreach partner for a program and facilitate exposure for the participating
startups.
 Qualcomm plans to initiate and conduct the Qualcomm® Semiconductor Mentorship Program
('QSMP').
ReNew signs 5 solar power purchase agreements
 ReNew Power has signed five solar PPAs with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and
Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
 It has also signed multiple long-term purchase agreements with corporate buyers together
totalling around 2 GW.
 The new solar projects will be located in Rajasthan and have flat tariffs over 25 years.
Tata Power inks MoU with NAREDCO to set up 5,000 EV charging points
 Tata Power has collaborated with the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO),
Maharashtra to install up to 5,000 EV charging points across its member's developer properties.
 The MoU was signed on 28 April 2022 at The Real Estate Forum, 2022 in Mumbai.
 EV owners across NAREDCO's member developers' properties will have access to 24x7 vehicle
charging, monitoring facilities, etc.
Google signs MoU with Telangana government
 Google has signed an MoU with the Telangana government to bring benefits of digital economy
to youth and women entrepreneurs.
 Google will extend scholarships for Google Career Certificates to Telangana's youth and
strengthen the government's school modernisation efforts.
 It will also support the Telangana government's efforts to improve public transportation.
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BHEL, GE Power Conversion ink pact to develop a system for Navy

 Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has inked a pact with GE Power Conversion for the
development of integrated electric propulsion systems for the Indian Navy.
 GE Power Conversion is a world leader in electric propulsion, with equipment installed on some
of the latest platforms of the US Navy and the Royal Navy, including the Queen Elizabeth class
of aircraft carriers.
SatCom Industry Association signs pact with TSDSI
 SatCom Industry Association (SIA-India) has entered into a pact with Telecommunications
Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI).
 It is for cooperation in the development of standards in India and international standards
developing organizations.
 SIA-India represents satellite operators, satellite-based service providers, satellite systems,
launch vehicles, etc.
Netflix and I&B Ministry collaborate for video series
 Information and Broadcasting Ministry has announced its collaboration with OTT platform
Netflix.
 It will launch a short video series documenting the lives of “women change-makers” who have
broken the glass ceiling in different fields.
 By Independence Day 2022, Netflix will release around 30 videos for the I&B ministry that will
showcase the “extraordinary lives” of “women change-makers”.
Bharti Airtel partners Apollo Hospitals, Cisco to create 5G connected
 Bharti Airtel has partnered with Apollo Hospitals and Cisco to create a 5G connected
ambulance.
 It will be equipped with the latest medical equipment, patient monitoring applications, and
telemetry devices that transmit the patient's health data to the hospital in real-time.
 When a critical patient is enroute to the hospital, the 5G connected ambulance acts as an
extension of emergency room.
Cabinet approves signing of MoU between India and Chile
 The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of an MoU between India and Chile for
cooperation in the disability sector.
 MoU provides the mechanism for funding to cover expenses for the activities under it.
 The expenses for such activities will be mutually decided by both the government on a case-to-
case basis subject to the availability of funds and resources.
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ONGC ties up with Norway’s Equinor for clean energy

 Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has signed an MoU with Equinor ASA, the Norwegian
state-owned multinational energy company.
 It has been signed for collaboration in areas of upstream exploration and production,
midstream, downstream and clean energy options.
 The MoU is valid for two years under which both companies have agreed to work together in
the areas identified.
Maruti Suzuki joins hands with Indian Bank
 Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has joined hands with Indian Bank to facilitate easy finance for
customers.
 As part of the partnership, the company's customers can avail loan benefits in over 5,700 plus
branches of Indian Bank at metro, urban, semi-urban and rural locations.
 They can avail loans up to 90 percent of the on-road price of the car.
 The scheme is open till June 30, 2022.
HAL, Bharat Electronics sign deal to make search and track system
 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited
(BEL).
 It has been signed for co-development and co-production of Long Range Dual Band Infra-Red
Search and Track System (IRST) for Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jets.
 The contract was signed under the MAKE-II procedure of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)
2020, as part of the 'Make in India' initiative.
NTPC inks MoU with Energy Vault for gravity-based energy storage tech
 NTPC Ltd has announced signing an MoU with Energy Vault Holdings Inc.
 The objective of the MoU is to collaborate and formalise a long-term strategic partnership for
deployment of Energy Vault’s EVx™.
 EVx™ is a gravity-based energy storage technology and software solutions based on the
outcome of a joint feasibility study.
 The technology also offers beneficial utilization of coal ash.
Prasar Bharati signs MoU with Public Broadcaster of Argentina
 Prasar Bharati has signed an MoU with the Public Broadcaster of Argentina Radio y Television
Argentina for collaboration in the field of broadcasting.
 The MoU encompasses a range of fronts in media and broadcasting that is set to exemplify the
communication and transmission networking of both nations.
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 It will allow both media systems to increase their cooperation by exchanging programs.
DEPwD, SCPwD, Flipkart Internet Private Limited sign a tripartite MoU
 The Dept of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Sector Skill Council for Persons
with Disabilities (SCPwD) and Flipkart Internet Private Limited have signed a tripartite MoU on
26 April 2022.
 The main objective of this MoU is to jointly provide skill training and employment opportunities
for persons with disabilities.
 It also envisages mobilisation of PwDs for skill training.
India and Maldives to establish transmission interconnection
 Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy R. K. Singh met Aminath Shauna,
Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Maldives on 26 Apr'22.
 Both leaders proposed two MoU –one on Energy cooperation and another on transmission
interconnection under One Sun, One World, One Grid.
 Both have proposed to establish transmission interconnection for renewable power transfer.
L&T to collaborate with IIT Bombay to develop green hydrogen tech
 Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has signed an agreement with IIT Bombay, to jointly pursue research and
development work in the green hydrogen value chain.
 They will work together to develop green hydrogen industry in India and to develop next-
generation technology in this emerging field.
 L&T’s engineering expertise and IIT Bombay’s cutting-edge research will help this partnership
accomplish its goal.
NHLML signs MoU with Himachal Pradesh for ropeway projects
 National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) and the Himachal Pradesh
government have signed an MoU.
 It has been signed for seven ropeway projects in the state under the Parvatmala Yojna at a total
cost of Rs. 3,232 cr.
 The project will cover a total length of 57.1 km.
 Parvatmala is a National Ropeways Development Programme proposed to create a modern
system of transportation.
Airtel Payments Bank, IndusInd Bank tie up to offer FDs
 Airtel Payments Bank has announced its partnership with IndusInd Bank.
 The payments bank’s customers can open FDs starting from ₹500 up to ₹1.9 lakh in a few
minutes through a digital process on the Airtel Thanks mobile application.
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 The savings account customers will get a yearly interest rate of up to 6.5% and senior citizens
will get an additional 0.5% on all fixed deposits.
Delhi, Punjab governments sign knowledge sharing agreement
 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Singh Mann, on 26
April 2022 inked a knowledge-sharing agreement.
 A total of 117 schools and mohalla clinics will be developed in Punjab.
 The Punjab government will replicate Delhi's education model in the state where students from
all economic backgrounds will get quality education.
India-UK sign MoUs on nuclear energy, innovation partnership
 Amid the visit of the UK PM Boris Johnson to India, the two countries signed a number of
agreements, in April'22.
 This included two govt-to-govt MoUs on Nuclear Energy Partnership.
 Another MoU on Implementation of Global Innovation Partnership between India’s Ministry of
External Affairs and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office was also signed.
MoU signed between CSIR and iCreate
 An agreement has been signed between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
and iCreate.
 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel presided over the MoU.
 iCreate is the Gujarat government's flagship technology incubator.
 Under the MoU, CSIR and iCreate intend to establish a collaborative support system for
promising tech start-ups.
Ministry of Civil Aviation and Govt of Himachal Pradesh sign MoU
 The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Himachal Pradesh govt signed an MoU on 25 April
2022.
 It has been signed for the development of a Green Field Airport in Nagchala, Mandi District.
 The new greenfield airport is being developed under the Greenfield Airport Policy of MoCA and
a Joint Venture Company between Himachal Pradesh and the Airport Authority of India has
been formed.
Suryoday Small Finance Bank partners with Kyndryl
 Suryoday Small Finance Bank has partnered with Kyndryl, an IT infrastructure services provider.
 It will drive its technology transformation program, improve operational efficiency, and increase
digital banking adoption among its customers as part of a five-year partnership.
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 The bank will leverage Kyndryl’s advisory and implementation services to deploy and support a
new core banking system.
MG Motor India partners with BPCL to bolster EV charging infra
 MG Motor India has partnered with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) to bolster EV
charging infrastructure across the country.
 This collaboration aims to provide innovative EV charging solutions for customer convenience in
India within the next 4-5 years.
 MG is the first passenger car company to tie up with BPCL to rapidly enhance the adoption of
‘green mobility.’
SIDBI signs MoU with WBSIDCL
 Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has entered into an MoU with West Bengal
Small Industries Development Corporation Limited (WBSIDCL).
 It will develop the eco-system for micro and small enterprises in the state.
 Under the MoU, WBSIDCL shall provide a dedicated desk to SIDBI for setting up an MSME
facilitation desk, while the latter shall provide the required resources.
Dhanlaxmi Bank signs MoU with CBDT and CBIC for tax collection
 Dhanlaxmi Bank has signed an MoU with the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Central
Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for the collection of taxes.
 With this, customers will soon be able to pay their direct taxes and GST payments and other
indirect taxes through the branch network and digital platforms of the bank.
Tripura inks MoU with NIXI-CSC to set up International Data Centre
 The Tripura govt has inked an MoU with NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre to establish an
international standard Data Centre.
 National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and CSE e-governance services Ltd, have floated a
joint venture – NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre to set it up.
 The joint venture will invest Rs 150 crore for setting it up while the state got will provide only
space.
Tebma Shipyards Ltd signs agreement with OSL
 Tebma Shipyards Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of public sector Cochin Shipyard Limited has
signed an agreement with Ocean Sparkle Limited (OSL).
 It will build two 62-tonne Bollard Pull Tugs.
 The vessels will be built at the Tebma Shipyards facility at Malpe in Karnataka.
 The vessels will have a length of 33 metres and a breadth of 11.9 metres.
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GAIIS witnesses Letter of Intents worth more than Rs.9000 crore

 Creating history, India’s first Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) 2022 held
in Gujarat witnessed letters of intents (LoIs) worth more than Rs.9000 crore.
 During the event, a total of 12 MoUs were also signed between the Central Council for Research
in Ayurveda Sciences (CCRAS), the Ministry of Ayush and various prestigious research institutes
in the country.
APEDA inks MoU with National Research Development Corporation
 The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has
signed an MoU with National Research Development Corporation (NRDC).
 It has been signed for the implementation of the Agri Export Policy and to strengthen the export
value chain.
 The key areas of cooperation include developing and improvising farm machinery for low cost,
promoting agri startups, etc.
Kerala govt inks MoU with the Dutch on Cosmos Malabaricus
 The Kerala govt entered into an MoU with the Netherlands on 21 April'22 for the Cosmos
Malabaricus project.
 The project is aimed at shedding further light on the history of Kerala using 18th Century Dutch
documents.
 The Cosmos Malabaricus project is being jointly implemented by the Kerala Council for
Historical Research, the National Archives, and the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.
NTPC collaborates with Delhi Jal Board to convert waste into energy
 NTPC Ltd has come together with Delhi Jal Board to utilize the sludge produced in the sewage
treatment plants (STP) of DJB.
 The torrefied waste sludge was fired from NTPC’s unit 4 Boiler at Dadri.
 This solution is an innovative way to convert STP sludge into energy via environmental friendly
means to reduce CO2 emissions.
 In Delhi NCR alone, STPs produce up to 800 MT of sludge per day.
IIT Delhi partners with Binance to issue NFT tickets
 IIT Delhi has partnered with Binance, a crypto exchange, and blockchain platform.
 It will provide non-fungible token (NFT) tickets and proof of attendance protocol (PoAP) during
its upcoming three-day cultural fest ‘Rendezvous’ to be held 24-26 April 2022.
 Binance will also organize competitions on crypto trading and NFT arts, along with a webinar
‘crypto for all’ on crypto on 1 May 2022.
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NITI Aayog, UNICEF to assess status of India’s children

 NITI Aayog and UNICEF have signed a deal on sustainable development goals with a focus on
children.
 It seeks to formalize a framework of cooperation to launch the first report on the ‘state of India’s
children: status and trends in multidimensional child development.
 Both will study the extent of development and deprivation among children in India, on
parameters like health, education, etc.
OneWeb inks pact with ISRO commercial arm for satellite launches
 Bharti group-backed OneWeb and New Space India Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO, have
entered into an agreement that will help ensure OneWeb completes its satellite launch
programme.
 The first launch with New Space India is expected in 2022 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre
(SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota.
 The launches will add to OneWeb's total in-orbit constellation of 428 satellites.
MoU signed between Indian Navy and Larsen and Toubro
 An MoU was signed on 20 April 2022, between the Indian Navy (IN) and Larsen and Toubro
(L&T).
 The MoU aims to engage L&T as a knowledge partner for nurturing technologies in various
domains, for induction into the Indian Navy.
 The MoU encompasses all the aspects related to electrical, weapon, engineering, machinery and
control, and hull of a naval warship.
Ministry of Defence signs MoUs with Ministry of AYUSH
 Two MoUs have been signed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with the Ministry of AYUSH.
 One is for starting Ayurveda Centres at 37 cantonment hospitals and another is for starting
Ayurveda Centres at 12 Military Hospitals of Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).
 These MoUs were signed during the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit, in
Gujarat, being held from April 20-22, 2022.
Govt inks loan pact with ADB for development projects in Agartala
 The central government has inked a pact with Asian Development Bank for USD 61 million
(around Rs 454 crore) loan to fund development projects in Agartala, Tripura.
 It will help improve livability, harness technology and promote new developments to
accommodate the expanding population in Agartala city.
 The project will construct 23 km of climate-resilient urban roads.
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IFSCA executes MoU with National Insurance Academy (NIA)

 The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has entered into an MoU with the
National Insurance Academy (NIA).
 It has been signed with the objective of capacity building and providing a skilled talent pool in
the insurance sector in IFSCs.
 With the focus to address needs of IFSC Insurance entities, IFSCA had already executed an MoU
with Insurance Institute of India (III).
Tata Steel partners with Thiess to offer mine technical services
 Tata Steel has inked a pact with Australia-based mining services provider Thiess to offer mine
technical services in areas such as exploration, resource evaluation, and mine planning in India
and abroad.
 It will work closely with Thiess India Engineering Hub, which provides technical support to Thiess'
global operations.
 Thiess is a leading mining services provider based out of Brisbane.
College of Air Warfare, Osmania University ink MoU
 The College of Air Warfare (CAW) here entered into an MoU with the Institute of Indo Pacific
Studies, Osmania University.
 It has been signed to award a Master's degree in International Studies to Course Officers of
Higher Air Command Course (HACC) being conducted by the CAW.
 CAW is associated with Osmania University for the last 16 years.
Qatar Airways, IndiGo reactivate codeshare partnership
 Qatar Airways and IndiGo are reactivating their codeshare partnership following India's
decision to resume regular international passenger flights from March 27, 2022.
 In a codeshare partnership, each carrier on its distribution system can sell seats of other's flights.
 IndiGo had in November 2019 signed the codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways.
GE partners with TIDCO to set up centre of excellence in Tamil Nadu
 US-based aircraft engine manufacturer GE has partnered with the Tamil Nadu Industrial
Development Corporation (TIDCO).
 It will set up a centre of excellence in Tamil Nadu on emerging aviation engine technologies.
 It will work towards technology development of aviation engine parts.
 An investment of about Rs 141.26 crore over 5 years was proposed to be funded by TIDCO and
GE in two phases.
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OP Jindal Global University inks MoU with Spanish govt

 The OP Jindal Global University has signed an MoU with the Government of Spain.
 It has been signed under the auspices of the Spanish Agency for International Development
Cooperation (AECID) and the Spanish Ministry of External Affairs (MAEC).
 Jindal School of Languages and Literature (JSLL) will host a native Spanish language lecturer
to teach Spanish language, culture and literature.
IIT Guwahati partners with NTPC to develop energy-efficient tech
 IIT Guwahati has partnered with NTPC to design and develop a highly energy-efficient plant for
CO2 capture from power plants.
 This indigenous technology was developed by Prof. Bishnupada Mandal.
 This project, through its research and education, will support and strengthen the UN's 17
Sustainable Development Goals as well.
 NTPC HQ: New Delhi
 Chairman : Gurdeep Sing
Cabinet approves MoU between SEBI and Manitoba Securities Commission
 The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of a Bilateral MoU between the Securities and
Exchange Board of India and Manitoba Securities Commission, Canada.
 It seeks a formal basis for cross-border cooperation in the area of securities regulations.
 The MoU would also make investors from Manitoba eligible for registration as an FPI with SEBI.
Cabinet approves signing of MoC India and Japan
 The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Cooperation
(MoC) signed between the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR), and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan.
 It has been signed in the area of decentralized domestic wastewater management.
 A Management Council (MC) will be formed to implement the MoC.
ICICI Bank, GIFT SEZ join hands to promote GIFT SEZ
 ICICI Bank and GIFT SEZ (special economic zone) have signed an MoU to promote GIFT SEZ to
Indian as well as global businesses including IT and financial services.
 GIFT SEZ is the country's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) which is being
developed as a global financial services hub.
 It is situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Indian Air Force signs MoU with IIT Madras
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 Indian Air Force and IIT Madras signed an MoU on 13 April 2022 for various developmental
projects to support the requirements of the IAF.
 The partnership aims to accelerate IAF’s indigenization efforts for achieving ‘Atma Nirbhar
Bharat’.
 IAF Rising Day: 8 Oct 1932
SIA, IESA ink pact to boost semiconductor co-operation
 Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), a top trade body representing the US semiconductor
industry, has signed an MoU with India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA).
 It aims to foster collaboration and identify potential opportunities between the two countries in
the semiconductor sector.
 Both will also co-organise joint events to explore potential opportunities.
Bharat Petroleum partners with Microsoft
 Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) has announced a seven-year partnership with
Microsoft to accelerate its digital transformation and enhance customer experience.
 Microsoft will provide infrastructure as a service (IAAS), platform as a service (PAAS), network
and security services on the cloud, IOT and analytics to fuel BPCL's cloud transformation.
Telangana signs pact with Thailand for trade, investment promotion
 Telangana govt and Ministry of Commerce, Thailand have entered into an MoU.
 They will kickstart the cooperation in SMEs and startups through the business incubator and
innovation ecosystem ''T-Hub'' and ''Thaitrade.com'' of Thailand with the ''GlobalLinker'' of
Telangana.
 Both will explore the possibility of potential trade and investments in several key focus sectors.
SJVN signs pact with BHEL, REMC to develop renewable projects
 Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) has inked an MoU with BHEL and REMC Limited to develop
renewable energy projects for Indian Railways.
 This pact will be a step towards meeting SJVN's target of renewable energy as well as Indian
Railways' target of becoming a net-zero carbon emission mission by 2030.
 At present, SJVN has 12 solar power projects of 3,065 MW capacity.
Erisha Agritech Private Ltd. inks MoU with ARAI
 Erisha Agritech Private Ltd has entered into an agreement with the Automotive Research
Association of India (ARAI).
 It has been signed for the design and development of advanced powertrain systems and
components for electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cells.
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 ARAI is a leading automotive R&D organization in the country set up by the automotive industry
with the Government of India.
HAL signs contract with Nigerian Army for Phase II training on Chetak
 The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has signed a contract with Nigerian Army.
 It has been signed for imparting Phase-II flying training on Chetak Helicopter for six officers of
Nigerian Army Aviation.
 This marks the continuation of the contract signed in April 2021 for imparting Phase-I flying
training to six Nigerian Army Aviation officers, which was successfully executed in December
2021.
Tata AIA partners with Common Services Centers (CSC)
 Tata AIA Life Insurance and Common Services Centers (CSC), under the Ministry of Electronics
and IT, have partnered to deliver life insurance protection cover to rural households.
 Tata AIA will augment its reach to around 95% of gram panchayats.
 CSC will offer the Tata AIA Life POS Smart Income Plus plan that provides the dual advantage
of a life cover combined with savings.
ADB, French firm LDC ink pact for $100 mn loan to help small farmers
 ADB and French firm LDC have signed a $100 mn (around Rs 760 cr) loan pact.
 The loan will support Louis Dreyfus Company's (LDC) operations in India, Indonesia, Pakistan,
Thailand, and Vietnam by financing coffee, cotton, and rice inventories for over 50,000
smallholder farmers across these countries.
 This will help secure food supply chains and reliable incomes for smallholder farmers.
OIL signs incubation agreement with Ohm Clean Tech Pvt Ltd
 Oil India Limited (OIL) has signed an incubation agreement with the startup Ohm Clean Tech
Pvt Ltd.
 It has been signed for the design, integration, and development of 9-M Hydrogen Fuel Cell-
powered e-Bus, and a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier solution.
 The startup will be mentored and nurtured under IIT Guwahati.
 OIL has already initiated a pilot project for hydrogen generation and blending
Cabinet approves signing of Bilateral MoU between SEBI and FRC
 Cabinet has approved the proposal for signing a bilateral MoU between Securities and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Financial Regulatory Commission, Mongolia (FRC).
 The MoU would contribute towards strengthening the information sharing framework leading to
effective enforcement of securities laws.
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 FRC is a parliamentary authority mandated to supervise and regulate the non-bank sector.
NRSC inks technical collaboration pact with UIDAI
 The Unique Identification Authority Of India (UIDAI) has signed an MoU with the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Remote Sensing Centre
(NRSC), ISRO.
 It will develop the Bhuvan-Aadhar portal for providing information and locations of the aadhaar
centres across India.
 Bhuvan will facilitate complete geographic information storage for Aadhaar centres.
Delhi govt-run IGDTUW signs pact with Malaysian university
 Delhi government-run Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women has signed a pact
with the Universiti Malaysia Perlis.
 It will promote bilateral research opportunities in the field of science and technology.
 Under the MoU, both universities have a provision for student and faculty exchange along with
bilateral research opportunities, and joint international conferences.
UP govt signs MoU to set up medical colleges in Sambhal, Maharajganj
 The Uttar Pradesh government has signed an MoU for setting up medical colleges in the state's
Sambhal and Maharajganj districts under the public-private partnership mode.
 It is for the first time that the state medical colleges are being set up through the PPP mode.
 The state government has set a target of establishing medical colleges in Maharajganj and
Sambhal districts by 2024.
IFSCA inks MoU with GVFL Limited for strengthening FinTech ecosystem
 The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and GVFL Limited signed an MoU
at IFSCA’s office at Gift City, Gujarat.
 It has been signed for cooperation and collaboration to support and facilitate FinTech
ecosystem in GIFT IFSC.
 IFSCA is a unified regulator responsible for the development and regulation of financial
products, financial services and institutions in the IFSCs.
TSF signs MoU with Jharkhand government to set up ITI at Chandil
 Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) has signed an MoU with the Jharkhand government to set up
Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Chandil in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
 ITI will offer training in technical and vocational courses with an initial intake capacity of 100
students and will begin functioning from session 2023.
 It will offer various technical courses with a duration of two years.
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UP government signs lease agreement with AAI

 The Civil Aviation Department of the Uttar Pradesh government has signed a lease agreement
with the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
 It is regarding the transfer of 317.855 acres of land to AAI on lease for the Maryada Purushottam
Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya.
 19 airports have been made functional in Uttar Pradesh so far.
NEC Laboratories, TNAU team up detect crop diseases
 NEC Laboratories, an entity of NEC Corp India has signed an MoU with Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University (TNAU).
 It will offer solutions for early detection of diseases in crops using artificial intelligence and
machine learning.
 NEC would develop a mobile application with artificial intelligence while TNAU would provide
expert guidance and assist in data collection to detect the diseases.
RITES, IIT-Delhi to collaborate on road design and safety works
 RITES, a leading engineering consultancy corporation has entered into an MoU with IIT Delhi to
explore avenues of mutual collaboration on road design and road safety consultancy projects.
 The collaboration will create a platform to enhance capabilities for carrying out infrastructure
projects and also facilitate exploring consultancy opportunities arising at various govt and semi-
govt bodies.
Delhi Board of School Education signs agreement with Goethe Institut
 The Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE) has signed an agreement with Goethe Institut.
 It has been signed for offering a German language course to students of Delhi government
schools.
 In the pilot phase, the German language will be introduced in 30 schools.
 Students will be trained by faculty from Goethe Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan in communicative
German language.
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NTPC inks pact with Gujarat Gas to blend green hydrogen

 NTPC has inked a pact with Gujarat Gas Ltd, is an initiative to blend green hydrogen with piped
natural gas (PNG) supplied by Gujarat Gas Ltd.
 This first-of-its-kind project in the country is a step towards the decarbonization of the cooking
sector and self-sufficiency for the energy requirements of the nation.
 Initially, the percentage of hydrogen blending in the PNG shall be around 5%.
Meghalaya government inks pact with NLSIU for fellowship
 The Meghalaya government on 4 April 2022 signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based
National Law School of India University (NLSIU) to set up a fellowship.
 The PA Sangma Fellowship for Legal and Policy Research will allow students of NLSIU for
undertaking research activities in Meghalaya.
 PA Sangma was the former Chief Minister of Meghalaya and speaker of Lok Sabha.
IndiGo co-promoter Rakesh Gangwal inks pact with IIT-Kanpur
 IndiGo co-promoter Rakesh Gangwal has signed a pact with IIT-Kanpur to jointly set up School
of Medical Sciences and Technology at its campus.
 He will donate Rs 100 crore to establish the college and will also be joining the Advisory Board
of the school.
 The school will be completed in two phases.
 Phase I of the project will include setting up a 500-bed super-speciality hospital.
Indian Oil, L&T and ReNew to form JV for green hydrogen business
 Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and ReNew Power (ReNew) have announced the
signing of a binding term sheet.
 It is for the formation of a Joint Venture (JV) company to develop the nascent green hydrogen
sector in India.
 Additionally, Indian Oil and L&T have signed a binding term sheet to form a JV to manufacture
and sell electrolyzers used in the production of green hydrogen.
SBI signs MoU with the Border Security Force
 State Bank of India (SBI) has signed an MoU with the Border Security Force.
 It will offer special benefits to the serving and retired BSF personnel and family pensioners
through the Central Armed Police Salary Package (CAPSP) Scheme.
 The retired personnel will be eligible for complimentary Personal Accidental (Death) Insurance,
irrespective of age.
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IIT Madras signs MoU with RNTBCI

 IIT Madras has signed an MoU with the Renault-Nissan Technology and Business Centre, India
(RNTBCI) for organising a one-year-long hackathon.
 Under this, two projects will seek to use technology to reduce road accidents.
 Called ‘Hackcidents’, the programme will facilitate the development of low-cost technologies to
prevent fatalities caused by public buses.
IIT Madras, RBI Innovation Hub join hands to boost fintech startups
 India's leading deep-tech startup hub spearheaded by IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) and
RBI Innovation Hub (RBIH), have signed an MoU.
 Both will jointly provide incubation support and nurture early-stage startups with innovative and
disruptive solutions and accelerate their scale-up journey.
 Select startups incubated will be considered from time to time by RBIH for co-incubation.
PM Modi, Nepal PM Deuba inaugurate cross-border train services, RuPay
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba on 02 April
2022 jointly inaugurated cross-border passenger train services, RuPay payment system in Nepal
and signed several MoUs.
 The leaders also held a delegation-level meeting at Hyderabad House in Delhi.
 Four documents and MoUs were signed and exchanged between India and Nepal in railways
and energy sectors.
PingPong Payments partners with India Sourcing Network (ISN)
 PingPong Payments has partnered with India Sourcing Network (ISN), to make borderless e-
commerce on 01 April 2022.
 The move will bring greater opportunities for U.S. buyers and Indian sellers, by leveraging
PingPong's same-day payments service to create faster payment corridors.
 PingPong Payments was founded in 2015 with the mission of helping global e-commerce sellers.
Smallcase, Gulaq tie-up to launch algorithm-based investment product
 Gulaq has announced partnering with Small case to offer factor-based portfolios for the retail
investors of India on 31 Mar'22.
 Gulaq is a child product of the Estee Advisors Private Limited, a quant-based investment
advisor and a SEBI registered broker.
 Gulaq provides 5 different products according to the risk appetite of the investors.
Woxsen University collaborates with Schindler India
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 Woxsen University partners with Schindler India under Corporate Partnership with a joint vision
of strengthening industry-academia on 31 Mar'22.
 Woxsen University is one of the Top 3 best campuses in India.
 Woxsen University, located in Hyderabad, is one of the first private universities of the state of
Telangana and is Ranked 13, All India Top 150 B-Schools by Times B-School Ranking 2022.
ADB, HSBC tie-up to set up $100M partial guarantee programme for MFIs
 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and HSBC India have partnered to establish a $100 million
guarantee program to support microenterprises in India on 31 Mar'22.
 Through the tie-up, HSBC will expand its lending to microfinance institutions (MFIs) and non-
bank finance companies.
 ADB’s Microfinance Program was launched in 2010, has provided more than $1.8 billion in loans.
Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra to co-develop 5G use cases in India
 Bharti Airtel and Tech Mahindra on 31 Mar'22 announced a strategic partnership to co-develop
and market 5G use cases in India.
 Airtel and Tech Mahindra will set up a joint 5G innovation lab for developing 'Make in India' use
cases for the domestic and global markets.
 Both companies will initially focus on segments such as automobiles, aviation, ports, utilities,
chemicals and oil & gas.
CPWD has signed an MoU with DMRC for Metro Corridor in Central Vista
 The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for a loop corridor in Central Vista.
 DMRC will be responsible for planning and execution of System works of Underground Metro in
Central Vista.
 This Scheme does not cover Supreme Court and High Courts.
 For this Sch. total fund Released:₹ 8758.70 Cr(States/ UTs)
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National Current Affairs

Skill Ministry signs MoU with ISRO to upskill technical staff
 The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has signed an MoU with the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
 The programme is aimed at creating a formal framework for short-term courses to provide
training for the skill development and capacity-building of the technical staff of ISRO.
 The training will be held at the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI).
Shivalik Small Finance Bank appoints Anshul Swami as MD and CEO
 Shivalik Small Finance Bank has announced the appointment of Anshul Swami as its Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 26, 2022.
 Previously, Swami was associated with RBL Bank as Head of Retail and Inclusion, Products.
 He has also held positions with Barclays, Citi Financial, and Britannia.
 Swami has worked across various customer segments like Retail, MSME, etc.
Tata group to merge Air Asia with Air India
 Tata Sons will merge Air India with Air Asia.
 Air India, which was recently acquired by the Tata group, has approached the Competition
Commission of India (CCI) for acquiring a 100 percent stake in Air Asia India.
 Tatas had recently raised its stake in AirAsia India to 83.67 percent in December 2020.
 AirAsia India started flying in June 2014.
Assam gets a cow ambulance service
 An ambulance service for sick and injured cows was inaugurated in Assam's Dibrugarh district,
in April 2022.
 The service, to be run by Gopal Gaushala, was inaugurated by Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner
Biswajit Pegu.
 It is the first cow ambulance service in the entire Northeast.
 The ambulance was brought in from Ahmedabad and is fitted with a hydraulic lift.
1st May 2022 celebrated as Ujjwala Diwas
 Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) celebrated 1st May 2022 as Ujjwala Diwas to
celebrate the achievements of PMUY.
 Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is a major step towards social inclusion by providing free
LPG connection to every BPL (below poverty line) household.
 The scheme was launched by PM Modi on 1st May 2016 at Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
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PM Modi inaugurates Chief Ministers-Chief Justices conference

 PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High
Courts on 30 April 2022.
 The event was being held after a gap of six years.
 The Joint Conference is an occasion for the executive and the judiciary to come together to
create frameworks for simple and convenient delivery of justice and to discuss steps required to
overcome the challenges.
Qualcomm India partners with C-DAC to support semiconductor startups
 For 2022, Qualcomm India has announced a collaboration with the C-DAC, an autonomous
scientific society of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
 C-DAC will be an outreach partner for a program and facilitate exposure for the participating
startups.
 Qualcomm plans to initiate and conduct the Qualcomm® Semiconductor Mentorship Program
('QSMP').
Pencilton introduces contactless RuPay card in the form of keychain
 Pencilton has launched PencilKey, a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) compliant RuPay
contactless keychain.
 It has been launched in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and
Transcorp.
 Users can activate and manage their PencilKey through the Pencilton app which is also used to
load money, check spends, block/unblock the account, set limits, and so on.
Devendra Fadnavis releases book on Amit Shah
 Devendra Fadnavis released a Marathi book on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in April 2022.
 It is titled 'Amit Shah Ani Bhajapachi Vatchal'.
 It documents the life and journey of Shah and his contribution to building the BJP.
 The book, originally written by Dr Anirban Ganguly and Shivanand Dwivedi, has been translated
into Marathi by Dr Jyostna Kolhatkar.
May'22.
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Atal New India Challenge 2.0 (ANIC 2.0) launch
 Atal Innovation Mission launched phase 1 of the 2nd edition of the Atal New India Challenge
(ANIC 2.0) on 28th April 2022.
 Atal New India Challenge is a flagship program of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog.
 The program aims to seek, select, support, and nurture technology-based innovations that solve
sectoral challenges of national importance and societal relevance.
12 national highway projects worth ₹8,000 cr inaugurated in Hyderabad
 Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated 12 national highway
projects totalling 460 Km worth ₹8,000 crores and seven CRIF Projects in Hyderabad, on 29
April 2022.
 These projects will boost inter-state connectivity by enabling seamless travel between
Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
Government finalises disinvestment of Pawan Hans
 The government has finalized disinvestment for helicopter service provider Pawan Hans Ltd.
 An empowered cabinet group picked Star9 Mobility Private Ltd as the winner for buying a 51%
stake in Pawan Hans.
 Pawan Hans provides air transport services for exploration activities of Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation Ltd.
 The federal government has a 51% stake in Pawan Hans, while ONGC holds 49%.
Vijay Sampla appointed NCSC chairperson for second time
 Union minister Vijay Sampla has been appointed as the chairperson of the National
Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) for a second time.
 The official order for his appointment was issued by President Ram Nath Kovind in April 2022.
 Sampla, a prominent Dalit face of Punjab, began his political career in 1998 as the Sarpanch of
Sofipind village in Jalandhar Cantonment.
ReNew signs 5 solar power purchase agreements
 ReNew Power has signed five solar PPAs with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and
Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
 It has also signed multiple long-term purchase agreements with corporate buyers together
totalling around 2 GW.
 The new solar projects will be located in Rajasthan and have flat tariffs over 25 years.
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Govt launches revamped Zero Effect Zero Defect Scheme for MSMEs
 The Ministry of MSME has launched a revamped Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) Certification
Scheme.
 The Scheme is aimed to enable and facilitate MSMEs to adopt Zero Defect Zero Effect practices
besides motivating and incentivizing them for ZED certification.
 The first phase of the revamped scheme will focus on manufacturing MSMEs, the second would
be aimed at the MSMEs in the services sector.
Two new additional Directors appointed at Karnataka Bank
 Mangaluru-headquartered Karnataka Bank has announced the appointment of Jeevandas
Narayan and Kalmanje Gururaj Acharya as Additional Directors after the Board cleared their
appointments.
 Narayan held the post of Managing Director of Manappuram Home Finance Ltd from June 2017
to May 2021.
 Acharya is the senior partner of K.G. Acharya & Co., Chartered Accountants, Bengaluru.
BoB launches new feature for seniors on mobile banking platform
 Bank of Baroda has launched ‘bob World Gold’, a new feature on its mobile banking platform
for senior citizens.
 The new feature on the Bank’s ‘bob World’ mobile banking platform has easy navigation, large
fonts, and clear menus with added features like a ready-to-assist voice-based search service.
 More emphasis has been given to the login dashboard and services such as deposit renewal,
etc.
PM Modi inaugurates Global Patidar Business Summit (GPBS)
 on 29 April 2022, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Patidar Business Summit (GPBS) in
Surat, Gujarat.
 Sardardham is organizing GPBS under Mission-2026 to provide an impetus to the socio-
economic development of Patidar community.
 The Summit is organized every two years.
 The main theme of GPBS-2022 is 'Aatmanirbhar Community to Aatmanirbhar Gujarat and
India'.
Aircraft carrier Vikrant to be handed over to Indian Navy by Aug 2022
 The indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant being built by the Cochin Shipyard Ltd will be handed
over to the Indian Navy by August 2022.
 The final sea trial of the IAC will take place in May 2022.
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 The yard is also in the process of setting up a new drydock, with a 600-tonne gantry crane,
capable of handling vessels up to Suezmax, and aircraft carriers of 70,000 tonnes displacement.
Government to launch open network for digital commerce in five cities
 The Commerce and Industry Ministry will launch the pilot phase of Open Network for Digital
Commerce on 29 Apr 2022.
 The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is an initiative of the government to promote
an open platform for all aspects of the exchange of goods and services through electronic
networks.
 It will be launched in 5 cities Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Shillong, and Coimbatore.
Anti-ship version of BrahMos missile successfully test-fired
 An anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly
by the Indian Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command, on 27 April 2022.
 The Andaman and Nicobar Command is the only tri-services command of the Indian armed
forces.
 On April 19, 2022, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had also successfully test-fired the BrahMos missile
from a Sukhoi fighter jet.
IAF conducts national-level logistics seminar 'Logisem Vayu 2022'
 A national seminar on logistics management 'Logisem Vayu 2022' was held on 28 Apr'22 at Air
Force Auditorium, New Delhi.
 Chief of the Air Staff VR Chaudhari inaugurated the seminar and delivered the keynote address.
 A document on the logistics philosophy of IAF titled 'Tenets of Logistics' and a book on the
history of Logistics in IAF titled 'Footprints in Sands of Time' were also released.
AAI successfully conducts flight trials using LPV approach procedure
 Airports Authority of India (AAI) successfully conducted a flight trial using GAGAN (GPS Aided
GEO Augmented Navigation) based LPV Approach Procedures at Kishangarh Airport,
Rajasthan.
 India is the first country in Asia Pacific Region to achieve such a landmark.
 LPV stands for Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance.
 GAGAN is an Indian Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS).
Atal Tunnel receives IBC Best Infrastructure Project award
 Atal Tunnel built in Rohtang of Himachal Pradesh received Indian Building Congress (IBC) ‘Best
Infrastructure Project’ award on 28 Apr'22.
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 The tunnel, built using the New Austrian Tunneling Method was dedicated to the Nation by PM
Modi on Oct 3, 2020.
 An emergency tunnel has been integrated into the tunnel cross-section beneath the main
carriageway for evacuation during emergencies.
PM Modi to inaugurate SemiconIndia Conference 2022 on 29 April
 PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate SemiconIndia Conference 2022, the three-day event taking
place from April 29th to May 1st, 2022.
 It is the first step towards actualizing the India Semiconductor Mission and making its
aspirations known globally.
 The event will help showcase the current capabilities, technology trends, investment in research
and development, etc.
Giriraj Singh launches 90-day campaign ‘Azadi Se Antyodaya Tak’
 Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh launched ‘Azadi Se
Antyodaya Tak’, on 28 April 2022.
 It is a 90-day campaign with a mission to saturate 75 districts across 28 states/UTs with
beneficiary schemes of 9 central ministries.
 The goal of the campaign is to take up 17 select schemes with direct assistance to beneficiaries
in saturation mode.
1 national record broken in weightlifting at Khelo India Univ. Games
 Maharshi Dayanand University's Komal Kohar won the first gold of the Khelo University Games
2021.
 Participating in the 45kg class weightlifting competition, she broke the record in all 3 categories
(Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Combined).
 Earlier, Ann Mariya had broken the national combined record with a total lift of 231 kg at the
National Weightlifting Championship in Bhubaneswar in March 2022.
ICICI Bank launches digital ecosystem for small businesses
 ICICI Bank has launched a digital ecosystem InstaOD Plus for micro, small and medium
enterprises, including customers of other banks.
 It enables customers of any bank to avail of an overdraft instantly through a few clicks either on
the new version of InstaBIZ or corporate internet banking.
 Existing customers of ICICI Bank can activate the overdraft into their current account instantly.
Tata Power inks MoU with NAREDCO to set up 5,000 EV charging points
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 Tata Power has collaborated with the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO),
Maharashtra to install up to 5,000 EV charging points across its member's developer properties.
 The MoU was signed on 28 April 2022 at The Real Estate Forum, 2022 in Mumbai.
 EV owners across NAREDCO's member developers' properties will have access to 24x7 vehicle
charging, monitoring facilities, etc.
Google signs MoU with Telangana government
 Google has signed an MoU with the Telangana government to bring benefits of digital economy
to youth and women entrepreneurs.
 Google will extend scholarships for Google Career Certificates to Telangana's youth and
strengthen the government's school modernisation efforts.
 It will also support the Telangana government's efforts to improve public transportation.
SatCom Industry Association signs pact with TSDSI
 SatCom Industry Association (SIA-India) has entered into a pact with Telecommunications
Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI).
 It is for cooperation in the development of standards in India and international standards
developing organizations.
 SIA-India represents satellite operators, satellite-based service providers, satellite systems,
launch vehicles, etc.
Netflix and I&B Ministry collaborate for video series
 Information and Broadcasting Ministry has announced its collaboration with OTT platform
Netflix.
 It will launch a short video series documenting the lives of “women change-makers” who have
broken the glass ceiling in different fields.
 By Independence Day 2022, Netflix will release around 30 videos for the I&B ministry that will
showcase the “extraordinary lives” of “women change-makers”.
Former women's hockey team captain Elvera Britto passes away
 Former Indian women's hockey team captain Elvera Britto passed away in April 2022.
 Elvera ruled the domestic circuit from 1960 to 1967, guiding Karnataka to seven national titles.
 She represented India against Australia, Sri Lanka and Japan.
 In 1965, Elvera became only the second woman hockey player to be conferred with the Arjuna
Award after Anne Lumsden (1961).
Mandate Document of National Curriculum Framework (NCF) to be launched
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 Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will be launching the Mandate Document of the
National Curriculum Framework (NCF) on 29 April 2022.
 The Mandate Document describes the development process of the NCF, its expected structure
and objectives.
 The NCF is being drafted through a collaborative and consultative process, starting from district
to state level and then national level.
Former SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar joins Indifi Technologies as Advisor
 Indifi Technologies has announced the appointment of Rajnish Kumar, former Chairman of the
State Bank of India (SBI), as an Advisor.
 He will engage with the management on the company’s growth strategy and provide guidance
in the financial services sector.
 He currently sits on the boards of HSBC Asia Pacific, L&T Infotech, Hero MotoCorp and
BharatPe.
Bharti Airtel partners Apollo Hospitals, Cisco to create 5G connected
 Bharti Airtel has partnered with Apollo Hospitals and Cisco to create a 5G connected
ambulance.
 It will be equipped with the latest medical equipment, patient monitoring applications, and
telemetry devices that transmit the patient's health data to the hospital in real-time.
 When a critical patient is enroute to the hospital, the 5G connected ambulance acts as an
extension of emergency room.
India launches Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) program
 Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V) Program on 27
April 2022.
 It has been launched with an overall aim to enable the creation of microprocessors for the
future in India.
 DIR-V will see partnerships between startups, academia, and multinationals, to make India not
only a RISC-V Talent Hub for the world but also supplier of RISC-V SoC (System on Chips).
Cabinet approves continuation of PM SVANidhi till December 2024
 Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the continuation of lending under the
PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi beyond Mar 2022-Dec 2024.
 Through the scheme, affordable collateral-free loans are being facilitated to street vendors.
 The approval has increased the loan amount to Rs. 8,100 cr, thereby providing the street
vendors working capital to further expand their business.
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Narayan Rane inaugurates “Enterprise India”

 Union Minister for MSME Narayan Rane inaugurated the Ministry’s month-long mega event
“Enterprise India” under the celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, on 27 April 2022.
 It will promote entrepreneurship culture and create awareness about the schemes and initiatives
of the Ministry of MSME.
 Some of the key activities include conferences with Industry Associations, etc.
Centre approves ₹61,000 cr phosphate-based fertiliser subsidy
 Cabinet has approved nearly ₹61,000 cr subsidy for phosphate-based fertilizers for the
upcoming Kharif season.
 This is a part of its efforts to provide soil nutrients to farmers at an affordable price.
 The subsidy approved includes support for indigenous fertilizer (SSP) through freight subsidy
and additional support for indigenous manufacturing and imports of Di-ammonium phosphate
(DAP).
Envision Energy awarded 2000 MW wind turbine contract in India
 Envision Energy has been awarded a 2000 MW wind turbine order in India.
 The 596 wind turbines, all manufactured in Envision’s India factory, will be delivered by the end
of 2023.
 Envision will supply and commission its EN156/3.3 wind turbines for the projects.
 EN 156/3.3 has a 156m rotor - the largest in the country.
 This rotor is coupled with a 3.3MW generator and a hub height of 140m.
CCEA approves 540 MW hydro electric project on Chenab river in J&K
 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the 540 Megawatt (MW) Kwar
Hydro Electric Project located on river Chenab, in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.
 It will have an investment of Rs. 4,526.12 crores.
 The project will be implemented by Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL).
 It will generate 1975.54 million units in a 90% dependable year.
Maruti Suzuki joins hands with Indian Bank
 Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has joined hands with Indian Bank to facilitate easy finance for
customers.
 As part of the partnership, the company's customers can avail loan benefits in over 5,700 plus
branches of Indian Bank at metro, urban, semi-urban and rural locations.
 They can avail loans up to 90 percent of the on-road price of the car.
 The scheme is open till June 30, 2022.
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Reliance Industries becomes 1st to hit Rs 19 lakh cr market valuation

 Reliance Industries Limited on 27 April 2022 became the first Indian company to hit the Rs 19
lakh cr market valuation mark.
 The market heavyweight stock jumped 1.85 percent to its record high of Rs 2,827.10 on the BSE.
 Following the gain, the company's market valuation jumped to Rs 19,12,814 cr in morning trade
on the BSE.
 In March 2022, its market valuation had gone past Rs 18 lakh crore.
Cabinet approves financial support for India Post Payments Bank
 The Union Cabinet has approved financial support of Rs 820 crore for India Post Payments
Bank.
 The support will help the payments bank to penetrate deeper into the country, especially in the
rural area, and work towards financial inclusion.
 IPPB has over five crore accounts at present and operates through 1.36 lakh branches.
 Around 48 percent of its account holders are women.
Meghalaya government launches project to promote music
 The Meghalaya govt has launched a grassroots music project in a bid to recognise and promote
musical talents as well as provide support to artistes for events outside the state.
 It will also provide a platform for street performances at different public spaces.
 CM Conrad K Sangma unveiled the project on 26 April 2022, while conferring the 'Lifetime
Achievement Award' on Lou Majaw.
Palli becomes India’s first ‘carbon neutral panchayat’
 Palli in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district of Samba has become the country’s first ‘carbon
neutral panchayat’.
 PM Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation a 500 KV solar plant, in April 2022.
 In all 1,500 solar panels put up in a total area of 6,408 square metres will provide clean
electricity to 340 houses in the model panchayat under the central government’s ‘Gram Urja
Swaraj’ programme.
HAL, Bharat Electronics sign deal to make search and track system
 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited
(BEL).
 It has been signed for co-development and co-production of Long Range Dual Band Infra-Red
Search and Track System (IRST) for Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jets.
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 The contract was signed under the MAKE-II procedure of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)
2020, as part of the 'Make in India' initiative.
NTPC inks MoU with Energy Vault for gravity-based energy storage tech
 NTPC Ltd has announced signing an MoU with Energy Vault Holdings Inc.
 The objective of the MoU is to collaborate and formalise a long-term strategic partnership for
deployment of Energy Vault’s EVx™.
 EVx™ is a gravity-based energy storage technology and software solutions based on the
outcome of a joint feasibility study.
 The technology also offers beneficial utilization of coal ash.
Niti Aayog releases a draft battery swapping policy
 Niti Aayog has released a draft battery swapping policy.
 It is aimed at catalyzing large-scale adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by making them more
accessible, affordable, and efficient.
 The draft policy, which will be valid till March 31, 2025, from the date of its notification, is
specifically designed for battery swapping systems to be used for two-wheelers and three-
wheelers.
DEPwD, SCPwD, Flipkart Internet Private Limited sign a tripartite MoU
 The Dept of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Sector Skill Council for Persons
with Disabilities (SCPwD) and Flipkart Internet Private Limited have signed a tripartite MoU on
26 April 2022.
 The main objective of this MoU is to jointly provide skill training and employment opportunities
for persons with disabilities.
 It also envisages mobilisation of PwDs for skill training.
Lt Gen Gurmit Singh flagged-off “BRO@63” Multi-Dimensional Expedition
 Governor of Uttarakhand, Lt General Gurmit Singh flagged off the “BRO@63” Multi-Dimensional
Expedition from Dehradun on April 26, 2022.
 The expedition is being organized as part of the events leading to the 63rd Raising Day of the
organization, which is on 7 May 2022.
 The expedition includes four distinct activities, i.e., a mountaineering trek to the 15,000 feet
Pangarchula Peak.
L&T to collaborate with IIT Bombay to develop green hydrogen tech
 Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has signed an agreement with IIT Bombay, to jointly pursue research and
development work in the green hydrogen value chain.
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 They will work together to develop green hydrogen industry in India and to develop next-
generation technology in this emerging field.
 L&T’s engineering expertise and IIT Bombay’s cutting-edge research will help this partnership
accomplish its goal.
NHLML signs MoU with Himachal Pradesh for ropeway projects
 National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) and the Himachal Pradesh
government have signed an MoU.
 It has been signed for seven ropeway projects in the state under the Parvatmala Yojna at a total
cost of Rs. 3,232 cr.
 The project will cover a total length of 57.1 km.
 Parvatmala is a National Ropeways Development Programme proposed to create a modern
system of transportation.
LIC sets IPO price band at ₹902-949 per share
 India's Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has fixed a price band of ₹902-949 a share for its
₹21,000-crore initial public offering (IPO).
 The LIC IPO price band has been fixed with ₹60 discount for policyholders and ₹45 discount for
retail investors and employees.
 The issue size is expected to be worth ₹21,000 crores, valuing the country's largest insurer at ₹6
lakh crore.
Infosys launches Cobalt cloud for the financial services sector
 Infosys Ltd on 26 Apr'22 launched Cobalt Financial Services Cloud.
 It is an industry cloud platform for enterprises to accelerate business value and innovation in the
cloud across the financial services industry.
 Infosys Cobalt in collaboration with MIT Technology Review Insights has also launched the
Global Cloud Ecosystem Index 2022, which ranks 76 nations and territories.
Tata Sons approve Chandrasekaran's reappointment as Chairman
 Tata Sons shareholders have approved the re-appointment of N Chandrasekaran as Chairman
for another 5-year term.
 He took over the reins of Tata Sons in 2017.
 He joined the Tata Sons board in October 2016 and was designated Chairman in January 2017
and took official charge in February 2017.
 He also chairs the boards of operating companies such as Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power,
and TCS.
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SEBI restructures its advisory committee on market data

 SEBI has restructured its advisory committee on market data that recommends policy measures
pertaining to areas like securities market data access and privacy.
 The committee is chaired by M S Sahoo, former Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Board of India (IBBI).
 The panel will now have 21 members, as per the latest information with the regulator
RBI imposes monetary penalty on Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank Limited
 The RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹12.00 lakh on Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank
Limited, Rajkot.
 It has been fined for non-compliance with the direction issued by RBI on ‘Interest Rate on
Deposits’.
 This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI conferred under section 47 A
(1) (c) read with sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act).
Airtel Payments Bank, IndusInd Bank tie up to offer FDs
 Airtel Payments Bank has announced its partnership with IndusInd Bank.
 The payments bank’s customers can open FDs starting from ₹500 up to ₹1.9 lakh in a few
minutes through a digital process on the Airtel Thanks mobile application.
 The savings account customers will get a yearly interest rate of up to 6.5% and senior citizens
will get an additional 0.5% on all fixed deposits.
Delhi, Punjab governments sign knowledge sharing agreement
 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Singh Mann, on 26
April 2022 inked a knowledge-sharing agreement.
 A total of 117 schools and mohalla clinics will be developed in Punjab.
 The Punjab government will replicate Delhi's education model in the state where students from
all economic backgrounds will get quality education.
Defence Acquisition Procedure-2020 amended
 Defence Acquisition Procedure-2020 has been amended to promote ‘Make in India’ in defence.
 All modernisation requirements of the three services and the Indian Coast Guard will be
indigenously sourced irrespective of nature of procurement.
 Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) will be taken as bid security for all acquisition cases with
Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) cost more than Rs 100 crore.
Jamtara becomes country's first district with library in every village
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 Jamtara in Jharkhand has become the only district in the country where all gram panchayats
have community libraries.
 This district with a population of about eight lakh has a total of 118-gram panchayats under six
blocks and each panchayat has a well-equipped library.
 It is open for students from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 Career counselling sessions are also held free of cost here.
Tamil Nadu to observe Minorities Rights Day annually on December 18
 The Tamil Nadu government will observe December 18, every year, as Minorities Rights Day at
the state level.
 Rs 2.50 lakh will be earmarked for the purpose.
 Further, in order to enable the minority girl students in rural areas to pursue their studies without
any impediments, the govt would provide education aid of Rs 500 to the students of Classes 3
to 5 and Rs 1,000 to the wards of Class 6.
MoU signed between CSIR and iCreate
 An agreement has been signed between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
and iCreate.
 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel presided over the MoU.
 iCreate is the Gujarat government's flagship technology incubator.
 Under the MoU, CSIR and iCreate intend to establish a collaborative support system for
promising tech start-ups.
APEDA to co-organise 36th edition of AAHAR 2022 from April 26-30
 Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is organising
Asia’s biggest B2B international food and hospitality fair AAHAR from 26-30 April 2022, in Delhi.
 It is being organized in association with the India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO).
 It will have the theme “Geographical Indication Products”.
Ministry of Civil Aviation and Govt of Himachal Pradesh sign MoU
 The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Himachal Pradesh govt signed an MoU on 25 April
2022.
 It has been signed for the development of a Green Field Airport in Nagchala, Mandi District.
 The new greenfield airport is being developed under the Greenfield Airport Policy of MoCA and
a Joint Venture Company between Himachal Pradesh and the Airport Authority of India has
been formed.
Adani Power market cap tops ₹1 lakh cr, sixth group company to do so
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 Adani Power entered the ₹1 lakh cr market cap club on 25 Apr'22.

 Adani Power, a part of the diversified conglomerate Adani Group, is the largest private thermal
power producer with a capacity of 12,450 MW.
 It has thermal power plants in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.
 It is the sixth Adani Group Company to have a market capitalization of over ₹1 lakh cr.
Suryoday Small Finance Bank partners with Kyndryl
 Suryoday Small Finance Bank has partnered with Kyndryl, an IT infrastructure services provider.
 It will drive its technology transformation program, improve operational efficiency, and increase
digital banking adoption among its customers as part of a five-year partnership.
 The bank will leverage Kyndryl’s advisory and implementation services to deploy and support a
new core banking system.
RBI imposes ₹1.12 cr penalty on Bank of Maharashtra
 RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.12 crore on the Bank of Maharashtra.
 It has been fined for non-compliance with certain directions issued by the central bank,
including those related to Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.
 The Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE) of the bank was conducted by RBI with
reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2020.
MG Motor India partners with BPCL to bolster EV charging infra
 MG Motor India has partnered with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) to bolster EV
charging infrastructure across the country.
 This collaboration aims to provide innovative EV charging solutions for customer convenience in
India within the next 4-5 years.
 MG is the first passenger car company to tie up with BPCL to rapidly enhance the adoption of
‘green mobility.’
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh felicitates 1971 war veterans in Assam
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh felicitated over 300 war-veterans of the 1971 Liberation War of
Bangladesh in Assam on 23 April 2022.
 On the occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also released a book ‘The Bravehearts of 1971’.
 The war was an armed conflict between West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now
Bangladesh).
 It resulted in Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan.
First edition of Naval Commanders' Conference begins
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 The first edition of the Naval Commanders' Conference of 2022 is being held from April 25 to 28,
2022.
 The conference serves as a platform for naval commanders to discuss important maritime
matters at the military-strategic level.
 During the conference, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar will address and interact with the naval commanders.
SIDBI signs MoU with WBSIDCL
 Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has entered into an MoU with West Bengal
Small Industries Development Corporation Limited (WBSIDCL).
 It will develop the eco-system for micro and small enterprises in the state.
 Under the MoU, WBSIDCL shall provide a dedicated desk to SIDBI for setting up an MSME
facilitation desk, while the latter shall provide the required resources.
Dr Bina Modi awarded by Indo-American Chamber of Commerce
 Dr Bina Modi, Chairperson of Modi Enterprises was adjudged the 'Woman Transforming India'
Award at the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce 6th Entrepreneur and Leadership Awards
2022.
 She is also the President and MD of Godfrey Phillips India Ltd and CMD of Indofil Industries
Limited.
 She has earlier awarded the Women of the Decade in Business & Leadership 2018 by Women
Economic Forum.
Tripura unveils revamped industrial scheme to draw investors
 The Tripura government has made massive changes to the Tripura Industrial Investment
Promotion Scheme (TIIPIS) to attract investments and pave the way for faster economic growth
in the state.
 the upper limit to avail state subsidy on MSME investments has been increased to Rs 1 crore.
 Earlier, the cap for subsidy was Rs 60 lakh.
Government raises retirement age for IIM Directors from 65 to 70
 The Centre has extended the retirement age for Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) directors
by five years to 70 years, on a par with that in Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and
universities.
 A notification issued by the Union schooling ministry has allowed for amending the 2018 Indian
Institutes of Management (Amendment) Rules for the aim.
Government approves Rs 1.62 lakh cr proposals from 13 states
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 The govt has approved sanctions of Rs 1.62 lakh cr proposals from 13 states with Revamped
Distribution Sector Scheme.
 Of this, around Rs 88000 crores has been earmarked for smart–metering and around Rs 75,000
crore for infrastructure upgradation
 The top seven states account for over 87% of the approvals in value terms led by UP, Tamil
Nadu, Rajasthan, MP, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.
PM Modi launches projects worth ₹20,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir
 PM Narendra Modi on 24 April 2022 inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple
development projects worth over ₹20,000 crores.
 This also included the opening of the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel to establish all-weather
connectivity between the two regions of the union territory.
 He also laid the foundation stone of the Rattle and Kwar hydroelectric projects, an 850 MW
facility.
PM Modi receives first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award in Mumbai
 PM Narendra Modi on 24 April 2022 received the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.
 He was awarded for his selfless service to the country and society at the 80th annual Master
Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards ceremony held in Mumbai.
 The award has been instituted in memory and honour of Lata Mangeshkar who passed away in
Mumbai earlier in 2022.
Dhanlaxmi Bank signs MoU with CBDT and CBIC for tax collection
 Dhanlaxmi Bank has signed an MoU with the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Central
Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for the collection of taxes.
 With this, customers will soon be able to pay their direct taxes and GST payments and other
indirect taxes through the branch network and digital platforms of the bank.
NMDC wins first position in four categories at PRSI Awards 2022
 The National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (NMDC) won the first position in four
categories at the Public Relations Awards 2022 conferred by Public Relations Society of India
(PRSI).
 NMDC Limited is a government-owned mineral producer.
 It is involved in the exploration of iron ore, copper, rock phosphate, limestone, dolomite, gypsum,
bentonite, magnesite, diamond, tin, tungsten, etc.
Aditya Birla Capital appoints Vishakha Mulye as the next CEO
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 The board of Aditya Birla Capital has appointed Vishakha Mulye as the next Chief Executive
Officer of Aditya Birla Capital.
 Mulye is currently the executive director in charge of corporate banking, proprietary trading,
markets and transaction banking.
 Mulye replaces Ajay Srinivasan who will now take up another role within the Aditya Birla Group.
Govt announces foodgrain output target of 328 MT for 2022-23
 The government has announced a foodgrain production target of 328 million tonnes for 2022-
23.
 The target was announced at the National Conference on Agriculture: Kharif Campaign 2022 in
April 2022.
 Kharif's foodgrain production target has been fixed at 163.15 million tonnes, while the rabi
foodgrain production target has been kept at 164.85 million tonnes.
National Panchayati Raj Day: 24 April
 National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 24 April
annually.
 This annual celebration is done in order to commemorate the historic day on which the
Constitution Act (73rd Amendment) was passed in 1992.
 However, it came into existence a year later on April 24, 1993.
 Then PM Manmohan Singh declared the first National Panchayati Raj Day on 24 April 2010.
RBI imposes Rs 17 lakh fine on Manappuram Finance
 RBI has imposed a fine on Manappuram Financing, a non-banking finance company, of Rs 17
lakh for violating KYC rules and prepaid payment instrument norms.
 The penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under Section 30 of the
Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
 The company was found to be in violation of RBI instructions on KYC and minor PPI standards.
LV Vaidyanathan appointed CEO of P&G India
 Procter & Gamble India has appointed LV Vaidyanathan, who leads the company’s business in
Indonesia, as the new CEO.
 He takes over from Madhusudan Gopalan who will move into a new role at the parent company
as senior vice president – grooming and oral care, P&G Japan and Korea.
 Vaidyanathan has earlier served as the chairman of the Indonesia Chapter of the US ASEAN
Business Council.
165 feet tall Indian National Flag to be installed in Manipur
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 A 165 ft. tall Indian National Flag, the highest in the Northeast region, would be installed at the
Indian National Army Headquarters Complex at Moirang of Manipur.
 Manipur CM N. Biren Singh announced this on the 78th Anniversary of Flag Hoisting Day
observed at INA Martyr’s Memorial Complex, Moirang, in April 2022.
 The pole for 165 feet tall Indian National Flag has already been erected.
Dr Suman K Bery appointed as new Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog
 Dr. Suman K Bery has been appointed new Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog.
 He will take charge as Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog from 1 May 2022.
 Suman K Bery had earlier served as Director-General of the National Council of Applied
Economic Research (NCAER) in New Delhi.
 NCAER is one of the country’s leading independent non-profit policy research institutions.
Tripura inks MoU with NIXI-CSC to set up International Data Centre
 The Tripura govt has inked an MoU with NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre to establish an
international standard Data Centre.
 National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and CSE e-governance services Ltd, have floated a
joint venture – NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre to set it up.
 The joint venture will invest Rs 150 crore for setting it up while the state got will provide only
space.
New vessel 'Urja Pravaha' inducted into Indian Coast Guard
 The Indian Coast Guard Ship (Auxiliary Barge) named Urja Pravaha has been inducted into the
Indian Coast Guard at Gujarat's Bharuch.
 It will be under the operational command of Coast Guard District Headquarters-4 (Kerala and
Mahe).
 Urja Prabha is 36.96 meter long with draft of 1.85 meters.
 It is designed to cargo ship fuel, aviation fuel, and freshwater.
Tebma Shipyards Ltd signs agreement with OSL
 Tebma Shipyards Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of public sector Cochin Shipyard Limited has
signed an agreement with Ocean Sparkle Limited (OSL).
 It will build two 62-tonne Bollard Pull Tugs.
 The vessels will be built at the Tebma Shipyards facility at Malpe in Karnataka.
 The vessels will have a length of 33 metres and a breadth of 11.9 metres.
RBI launches quarterly industrial outlook survey
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 RBI launched the 98th round of the quarterly industrial outlook survey of the country's
manufacturing sector for the reference period April-June 2022, on 22 Apr'22.
 The survey assesses business sentiment for the first quarter of 2022-23 and expectations for the
ensuing quarter July-September 2022-23 period.
 The survey provides useful insight into the performance of the manufacturing sector.
Centre appoints Naresh Kumar as New Chief Secretary of Delhi
 The Ministry of Home Affairs has appointed 1987 batch IAS officer Naresh Kumar as the next
Chief Secretary of Delhi.
 Naresh Kumar is presently posted as the Chief Secretary of the Arunachal Pradesh.
 Rajiv Verma, IAS of 1992 batch has also been appointed as the Chief Secretary of the Union
Territory of Puducherry.
 Verma is posted in Arunachal Pradesh as of now.
SEBI reorganises advisory panel on leveraging regulatory solutions
 SEBI has reconstituted its advisory committee on leveraging regulatory and technology
solutions (ALeRTS).
 The seven-member panel will now be headed by Sunil Bajpai, who is the former Principal
Advisor (Information Technology) at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
 It had set up the committee in December 2021, which was during that time chaired by Madhabi
Puri Buch.
NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar steps down
 NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar has stepped down after being at the helm of the
institution for nearly five years.
 Kumar took charge on September 1, 2017, after his predecessor Arvind Panagariya resigned from
the post.
 The post of the Vice-Chairman of the Aayog is co-terminus with the five-year term of the
institution.
 Suman Bery will succeed him as the third Vice Chairman.
GAIIS witnesses Letter of Intents worth more than Rs.9000 crore
 Creating history, India’s first Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) 2022 held
in Gujarat witnessed letters of intents (LoIs) worth more than Rs.9000 crore.
 During the event, a total of 12 MoUs were also signed between the Central Council for Research
in Ayurveda Sciences (CCRAS), the Ministry of Ayush and various prestigious research institutes
in the country.
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RBI imposes monetary penalty on Central Bank of India

 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹36 lakh on the Central
Bank of India.
 The bank received a penalty for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on
‘Customer Protection–Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking
Transactions.
 Central Bank of India is headquartered in Mumbai and was founded in 1911.
AK Sood appointed as the Principal Scientific Advisor
 The government has appointed AK Sood as the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to it.
 He succeeds Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan who was appointed to the PSA in 2018.
 Dr Sood is a member of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC)
and a physicist known for his work on graphene.
 He is a Distinguished Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates projects in Gujarat
 PM Narendra Modi attended the Adijati Maha Sammelan in Dahod on 20 April 2022 where he
inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development projects worth around Rs
22,000 crore.
 He inaugurated Dahod District Southern Area Regional Water Supply Scheme, constructed in
Narmada River Basin.
 He also inaugurated 66 KV Ghodia substation, Panchayat Houses, and Anganwadis, among
others.
Two-day business conclave opens in Vizag on April 22, 2022
 A two-day Bizz Buzz Business Conclave is being organized by the Hans India in association with
the World Trade Centre Visakhapatnam, on 22-23 April 2022.
 This is first in the series of such conclaves planned by the Hans Group in Tier-2 cities.
 On the opening day, the Conclave focused on topics like Vizag- A Port for Emerging Tech and
Electronics, etc.
APEDA inks MoU with National Research Development Corporation
 The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has
signed an MoU with National Research Development Corporation (NRDC).
 It has been signed for the implementation of the Agri Export Policy and to strengthen the export
value chain.
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 The key areas of cooperation include developing and improvising farm machinery for low cost,
promoting agri startups, etc.
ITC to acquire 10% stake in Blupin Technologies
 ITC will acquire a 10.07% stake in Blupin Technologies Pvt Ltd for up to Rs 39.34 crore.
 The investment will provide the company an early mover advantage in the evolving content-to-
community-to-commerce space.
 Blupin Technologies is a web and app-based content-to-community-to-commerce platform and
offers mother and baby care products and services under the brand name 'Mylo'.
PMGKP insurance scheme extended for 180 days
 The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) has been extended for a further period of
180 days from 19th April 2022.
 It is an insurance scheme for health care workers fighting COVID-19.
 The PMGKP was launched on 30th March 2020 to provide comprehensive personal accident
cover of Rs. 50 Lakh to 22.12 lakh health care providers including community health workers and
private health workers.
Operations (DGMO).
DefConnect 2.0 to be organised by iDEX-DIO in New Delhi on 22 April
 Innovations for Defence Excellence, Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO) is organising
DefConnect 2.0 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 22 Apr'22.
 It will be organised under the aegis of Department of Defence Production (DDP).
 It will be inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
 It will provide an opportunity for innovators to showcase their capabilities, products and
technologies.
India Post Payments Bank launches ‘Fincluvation’
 India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has announced the launch of Fincluvation.
 It is a joint initiative to collaborate with the Fintech startup community to co-create and
innovate solutions for financial inclusion.
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 Fincluvation will allow the start-ups to work with IPPB and Dept of Posts experts to develop
solutions and conduct pilots using the postal network and IPPB’s technology stack.
Churu and Bishnupur districts receive PM's Award for Excellence
 Districts Bishnupur (Manipur) and Churu (Rajasthan) were presented Prime Minister's Award for
Excellence in Public Administration in Khelo India, on 21 April 2022.
 They were awarded for promoting excellence in sports and wellness through the Khelo India
scheme in New Delhi.
 The winners received a trophy, a scroll, and an incentive of Rs 20 lakh for the implementation of
the programme.
NTPC collaborates with Delhi Jal Board to convert waste into energy
 NTPC Ltd has come together with Delhi Jal Board to utilize the sludge produced in the sewage
treatment plants (STP) of DJB.
 The torrefied waste sludge was fired from NTPC’s unit 4 Boiler at Dadri.
 This solution is an innovative way to convert STP sludge into energy via environmental friendly
means to reduce CO2 emissions.
 In Delhi NCR alone, STPs produce up to 800 MT of sludge per day.
IIT Delhi partners with Binance to issue NFT tickets
 IIT Delhi has partnered with Binance, a crypto exchange, and blockchain platform.
 It will provide non-fungible token (NFT) tickets and proof of attendance protocol (PoAP) during
its upcoming three-day cultural fest ‘Rendezvous’ to be held 24-26 April 2022.
 Binance will also organize competitions on crypto trading and NFT arts, along with a webinar
‘crypto for all’ on crypto on 1 May 2022.
RBI extends Legal Entity Identifier for larger borrowers of NBFCs, UCB
 RBI has extended the guidelines on Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) to large borrowers of NBFCs and
Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs).
 The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a 20-digit number used to uniquely identify parties to financial
transactions globally.
 As per the timeline, the borrowers having exposure of ₹25 crores are required to obtain LEI by
April 30, 2023.
HAL, ASSC join hands for skill development
 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Aviation Sector Skill Council (ASSC) organized a skill
development conclave at HAL Management Academy on 20 Apr'22.
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 Various topics, including 'Post-Covid rebound in Indian aviation and carving skills for future',
'talent resource challenges in drone technology and bridging the gap through skill India', were
featured in a panel discussion at the conclave.
OneWeb inks pact with ISRO commercial arm for satellite launches
 Bharti group-backed OneWeb and New Space India Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO, have
entered into an agreement that will help ensure OneWeb completes its satellite launch
programme.
 The first launch with New Space India is expected in 2022 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre
(SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota.
 The launches will add to OneWeb's total in-orbit constellation of 428 satellites.
Shivamogga airport to be named after BS Yediyurappa
 Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai has announced that the under-construction Shivamogga
airport will be named after former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.
 The airport, with international standard facilities, will be inaugurated in Dec 2022.
 The project has been taken up under the Udaan programme.
 It will have the 2nd longest runway in Karnataka after Kempegowda International Airport in
Bengaluru.
Fino Payments Bank receives RBI nod to offer Suryoday SFB's services
 Fino Payments Bank has received RBI's approval for commencing referral services of fixed
deposits and recurring deposits as a business correspondent of Suryoday Small Finance Bank
(SFB).
 Fino Bank is a subsidiary of Fino Paytech.
 It had earlier partnered with Suryoday SFB for offering a sweep account facility to its customers,
to address the ₹1 lakh end-of-day deposit limit.
Wipro appoints Satya Easwaran as Country Head of India
 Wipro has appointed Satya Easwaran as the Country Head for India.
 Satya will be in charge of strengthening Wipro’s business in India across key industry sectors
through strategic consulting, transformation, and modernization engagements.
 Prior to joining Wipro, Easwaran was the Head of Business Consulting and the Telecom, Media &
Technology (TMT) Sector Leader at KPMG India.
Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit inaugurated
 On 20 April 2022, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Ayush Investment & Innovation
Summit 2022 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
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 The three-day summit will witness 5 plenary sessions, 8 roundtables, 6 workshops, and 2
symposiums, with the presence of around 90 eminent speakers and 100 exhibitors.
 The Summit will help uncover investment potential and give a fillip to innovation, R&D, etc.
MoU signed between Indian Navy and Larsen and Toubro
 An MoU was signed on 20 April 2022, between the Indian Navy (IN) and Larsen and Toubro
(L&T).
 The MoU aims to engage L&T as a knowledge partner for nurturing technologies in various
domains, for induction into the Indian Navy.
 The MoU encompasses all the aspects related to electrical, weapon, engineering, machinery and
control, and hull of a naval warship.
India’s first pure green hydrogen plant commissioned in Jorhat
 Oil India Ltd commissioned India’s first 99.99% pure green hydrogen pilot plant at its Jorhat
Pump Station in Assam on 20 Apr 2022.
 It has an installed capacity of 10 kg per day and was commissioned in a record time of 3
months.
 The plant produces green hydrogen from the electricity generated by the existing 500kW Solar
plant using a 100 kW Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) Electrolyser array.
Ministry of Defence signs MoUs with Ministry of AYUSH
 Two MoUs have been signed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with the Ministry of AYUSH.
 One is for starting Ayurveda Centres at 37 cantonment hospitals and another is for starting
Ayurveda Centres at 12 Military Hospitals of Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).
 These MoUs were signed during the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit, in
Gujarat, being held from April 20-22, 2022.
National Civil Services Day: 21 April
 India observes National Civil Services Day on April 21 every year.
 It is celebrated to commemorate the day when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, first Home Minister of
Independent India addressed probationers of Administrative Services Officers at Delhi’s Metcalf
House in 1947.
 PM Modi will confer Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration on the
occasion on 21 April 2022.
RBI unveils large exposures framework for Upper Layer NBFCs
 RBI has announced a slew of regulatory changes for non-banking lenders by amending the Oct
2021 circulars on scale-based regulations.
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 It issued four circulars in April 2022 including large exposures framework for NBFCs.
 The sum of all the exposure value of an NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company) to a single
counterparty cannot exceed 20% of its available eligible capital base at all times.
BharatPe appoints Smriti Handa as Chief Human Resources Officer
 BharatPe has brought on board Smriti Handa as Chief Human Resources Officer.
 This is the first key leadership appointment for the company for 2022.
 Handa has previously worked at organizations like Reckitt, Philips, and Airtel, in global and local
roles.
 Prior to joining BharatPe, she was HR head, Reckitt Hygiene- SoA, before taking over as Global
Talent Acquisition Director.
Monetary transmission to lending rates gained traction with EBLR
 RBI's endeavour to improve monetary policy transmission by banks has gained traction.
 This was given in an article published in the RBI Bulletin April 2022.
 Monetary policy transmission to lending and deposit rates has improved in the external
benchmark linked lending rate (EBLR) regime in October 2019.
Zomato and Swiggy invest in UrbanPiper’s $24 mn Series B funding round
 UrbanPiper, a restaurant management platform, has raised $24 million in Series B funding round
led by Sequoia Capital India and Tiger Global, along with the participation of Swiggy and
Zomato.
 Founded in 2015 by Saurabh Gupta, Anirban Majumdar, and Manav Gupta in Bengaluru,
UrbanPiper has raised around $15 million in equity financing, excluding the current round.
President signs four Acts-Business Journal
 President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to four Acts passed by Parliament during the
budget session.
 They include the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, the Constitution (Scheduled
Tribes) Order (Amendment) Act, the Chartered Accountants, the Cost And Works Accountants
And The Company Secretaries (Amendment) Act and the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act.
Nation’s first portable solar rooftop system unveiled in Gandhinagar
 India's first portable solar rooftop system was inaugurated at Swaminarayan Akshardham
temple complex in Gandhinagar on 18 April 2022.
 The installation of 10 PV Port systems in the temple complex has been supported by the German
development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit.
 The PV Ports have been manufactured by New Delhi-based Servotech Power Systems Ltd.
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IndusInd Bank bags global 'Celent Model Bank' Award

 IndusInd Bank has been awarded the global 'Celent Model Bank' award under the category
'Payments System Transformation'.
 It has been awarded for building Enterprise Payments Hub (EPH).
 Under the initiative, IndusInd Bank has successfully designed a solution that will cut down on
transaction costs and improve operation as well as customer experience, across all transaction
points.
IAF successfully test-fires BrahMos missile from Su30-MkI fighter jet
 The Indian Air Force (IAF) on 19 April 2022 successfully test-fired a BrahMos supersonic cruise
missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet on the Eastern seaboard.
 The firing of the missile was carried out in coordination with the Indian Navy.
 BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
 They can be launched from submarines, aircraft, and land platforms.
Vagsheer, the last of six submarines under Project 75, launched
 The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders on 20 April 2022, launched INS Vagsheer, the last of the six
submarines under Project 75.
 The submarine was launched by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar.
 Named after sandfish, a deadly deep water sea predator of the Indian Ocean, the first
submarine 'Vagsheer' was commissioned in December 1974.
 It was decommissioned in April 1997.
IFSCA executes MoU with National Insurance Academy (NIA)
 The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has entered into an MoU with the
National Insurance Academy (NIA).
 It has been signed with the objective of capacity building and providing a skilled talent pool in
the insurance sector in IFSCs.
 With the focus to address needs of IFSC Insurance entities, IFSCA had already executed an MoU
with Insurance Institute of India (III).
National Metallurgist Award 2021 presented on 20 April 2022
 The Union Steel Ministry hosted the National Metallurgist Award 2021 in New Delhi on 20 April
2022.
 It was held to recognize the outstanding contribution of metallurgists and engineers in the field
of iron and steel.
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 The awards were given under the categories Lifetime Achievement Award, National Metallurgist
Award, Award for R&D in the Iron & Steel Sector, etc.
Delhi's Education Song 'Irada Kar Liya Hai Humne' released
 The Delhi government on 19 April 2022 launched Delhi's Education Song ''Irada Kar Liya Hai
Humne''.
 The song's lyrics have been written by Alok Srivastava and it has been sung by famous singers,
Shan and Sneha Shankar.
 With this song, Delhi becomes the first state in the world to have a song that clearly defines its
aspirations and dedication toward the cause of education for all.
RBI allows RCBs to raise funds from preference shares
 The Reserve Bank of India has allowed Rural Cooperative Banks (RCBs) to raise funds from
people in their area of operation or existing shareholders through a variety of instruments.
 They can also raise funds through debt instruments, including perpetual debt instruments
eligible for inclusion in tier I capital and long-term subordinated bonds eligible for inclusion in
tier II capital.
J&K Chief Secretary launches e-library initiative 'e-Kitab Kosh'
 Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta on 19 April 2022 launched e-Kitab
Kosh.
 It is an online library initiative of the Information Technology Department for providing access
to a repository of learning resources in five languages.
 The languages are English, Hindi, Urdu, Dogri, and Kashmiri.
 The online library can be accessed at www.elibrary.jk.gov.in.
WPI inflation rises to a 4-month high of 14.55% in March 2022
 Wholesale inflation quickened to a four-month high in March 2022.
 The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rose 14.55% in March from 13.11% in February, according to
data released by the Commerce Ministry on 18 April 2022.
 Meanwhile, food inflation accelerated to 8.7% in March from 8.5% in February, led by a jump in
foodgrain, fruits, and milk prices.
College of Air Warfare, Osmania University ink MoU
 The College of Air Warfare (CAW) here entered into an MoU with the Institute of Indo Pacific
Studies, Osmania University.
 It has been signed to award a Master's degree in International Studies to Course Officers of
Higher Air Command Course (HACC) being conducted by the CAW.
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 CAW is associated with Osmania University for the last 16 years.

Chhindwara's oranges get new identity, named Satpuda
 Oranges grown in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district will now have a distinct identity of
their own from the ones produced in Nagpur.
 They will be called Satpuda orange under the ''one district one produce'' scheme of the
government.
 The authorities have also created a QR code for the fruit, which will reveal all the information
about the variety, the moment someone scans the code.
BRO to build world's highest tunnel at 16,580 feet
 The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will construct the world's highest tunnel at Shinku La
Pass, which will connect Himachal Pradesh to Zanskar Valley in Ladakh.
 The tunnel will be constructed at a height of 16,580 feet.
 The Centre has already made 'Project Yojak' of BRO to execute this ambitious project.
 This was informed by BRO Director General Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhary.
ONGC appoints Pomila Jaspal as the Director (Finance) and CFO
 Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has appointed Pomila Jaspal as the Director (Finance)
and Chief Financial Officer with immediate effect.
 Prior to being appointed as the Director (Finance) of ONGC, Jaspal served as the Director
(Finance) at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited.
 She was the first-ever woman Functional Director on the board of MRPL.
83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship begins
 In Meghalaya, the 83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship began on 19 Apr'22 at SAI
Indoor Stadium, NEHU, Shillong.
 The event is being organised by the Meghalaya Table Tennis Associations in collaboration with
the Dept of Sports Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya under the aegis of the Table Tennis
Federation of India.
 Around 450 players from 36 different teams are participating.
Digit Insurance appoints Jasleen Kohli as new MD and CEO
 Digit Insurance has elevated Jasleen Kohli as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of the company with effect from April 20.
 The 42-year-old, Kohli will become one of the youngest CEOs in the insurance industry.
 As the new MD and CEO, Jasleen Kohli will take over from Vijay Kumar who held the position
since the company was founded in 2017.
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President gives assent to Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act

 President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act,
2022.
 The objective of the Act is to authorize for taking measurements of convicts and other persons
for the purposes of identification and investigation in criminal matters and to preserve records.
 The new Act has replaced the Identification of Prisoners Act, of 1920.
Telangana's SpaceTech Framework launched on Metaverse
 The Telangana government on 18 April'22 launched its 'SpaceTech Framework'.
 It will support the participation of private industry in the space tech sector and the framework's
vision is to establish the state as a ''globally recognised one-stop destination'' in the technology.
 The event was held on Metaverse and was the country’s first-ever official event hosted in the
virtual-reality space.
Mobile app for Khelo India University Games-2021 launched
 In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the second edition of Khelo India University Games to be held in
Bengaluru will have its own mobile application.
 The unique 'Khelo India Uni Games 2021' mobile app promises to be a one-stop-shop for all
information regarding the prestigious event scheduled to begin on April 24.
 It is the brainchild of the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES).
Agriculture Minister launches two new portals for agri sector
 Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on 18 April 2022 launched two new portals.
 The portals are CROP (Comprehensive Registration of Pesticides) and PQMS (Plant Quarantine
Management System).
 They will make the process of pesticides registration and documentation process for export-
import simple and transparent.
AIMA honours Shoojit Sircar with Director of the Year award
 Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, presented the 2021 AIMA Managing
India Awards (AIMA) in multiple categories in Delhi, in April 2022.
 In the films category, Shoojit Sircar was honoured with the Director of the Year award for
'Sardar Udham'.
 The award recognises an individual "who has exemplified the spirit of filmmaking and created a
masterpiece out of it".
National Cyber Security Incident Response Exercise held
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 Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor, inaugurated the National Cyber Security Incident
Response Exercise on 18 April 2022.
 National Cyber Exercise (NCX) India will be conducted as a hybrid exercise over a period of ten
days till 29 April 2022.
 The program is being conducted by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) supported
by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
IIT Madras hosts Industry Conclave to showcase research initiatives
 IIT Madras organized the Industry Conclave 2022 on April 16 and 17, 2022.
 It was organized to showcase the research and innovations of the institute to the government,
industry, and corporate firms.
 A virtual exhibition of research projects, start-ups, and projects of the institute’s Center for
Innovation (CFI) and other projects was also created for the occasion.
RailTel Corporation bags work order from Rail Vikas Nigam
 RailTel Corporation of India has received a work order from Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL)
aggregating ₹11.57 crore.
 RailTel will install Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)-Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in 33
locations of RVNL.
 Under the agreement, MPLS VPN networks services will be created and maintained by RailTel at
33 locations of RVNL.
 The services will be provided for 5 years.
Sterlite Power acquires 64.98% stake in MTCIL
 Sterlite Power has acquired a 64.98% stake in Maharashtra Transmission Communication
Infrastructure Limited (MTCIL).
 MTCIL is a joint venture between Sterlite Technologies Limited and Maharashtra State
Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL).
 MTCIL operates a fiber network of 3,162 kms across 35 co-locations, serving telcos, ISPs, and
data centers, in Maharashtra.
Legendary Odia Musician Prafulla Kar passes away
 Legendary Odia singer and music director Prafulla Kar passed away in April 2022.
 He was popular for his numerous songs including 'Kamala Desha Rajakumara'.
 He had received the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2015 and was honoured with Jayadeva
award in 2004.
 He had received the state film award eight times, six times in a row.
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SBI hikes MCLR across all tenors, loan EMIs to go up

 The State Bank of India (SBI) has hiked the marginal cost of lending rate (MCLR) by 10 basis
points (bps) across all loan tenors.
 One basis point is equivalent to one-hundredth part of a percentage point.
 The hike has come in with effect from 15 April 2022.
 Earlier, the Bank of Baroda (BoB) too raised the marginal cost of funds-based lending rates by 5
bps across tenors.
SBI raises $500 million through the IFSC Gift City branch
 SBI has raised USD 500 million (over ₹3,800 crore) through its IFSC Gift City branch.
 This is the first offshore USD Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) linked syndicated loan
raised by SBI through its Gift City branch.
 Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Bank of America and JP Morgan were the joint lenders for this
offering whereas Fist Abu Dhabi Bank acted as the facility agent.
Army Commanders’ biannual Conference to be held from 18 April 2022
 Army Commanders’ Conference is scheduled for 18 April 2022 in New Delhi.
 It is an apex-level biannual event that is held in April and October every year.
 During the five-day conference, the senior leadership of the Indian Army will review the
operational situation along the active borders, assess threats in the entire spectrum of conflict
and undertake an analysis of capability voids.
WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) to be inaugurated
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the WHO Global Centre for
Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in Jamnagar, during his 3-day trip to Gujarat from 18 April 2022.
 GCTM will be the first and only global outpost centre for traditional medicine across the world.
 He will also inaugurate Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit in Gandhinagar.
India's first radio channel for visually-impaired people launched
 The country's first-ever radio channel for the visually impaired, named 'Radio Aksh' has been
launched in Nagpur.
 The Blind Relief Association Nagpur and Samdrushti Kshamata Vikas Avam Anusandhan
Mandal (Saksham) are the pioneers of the concept.
 It will help the visually-impaired gain seamless access to education resources and audiobooks.
IIT Guwahati partners with NTPC to develop energy-efficient tech
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 IIT Guwahati has partnered with NTPC to design and develop a highly energy-efficient plant for
CO2 capture from power plants.
 This indigenous technology was developed by Prof. Bishnupada Mandal.
 This project, through its research and education, will support and strengthen the UN's 17
Sustainable Development Goals as well.
 NTPC HQ: New Delhi
 Chairman : Gurdeep Sing
Skill India International Centre to come up in Odisha
 India’s first Skill India International Centre will be set up in Bhubaneswar for training youths with
an aim to enhance overseas opportunities for the skilled workforce.
 An MoU was exchanged between the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the
Skill Development Institute (SDI) on 16 April 2022.
 A National Academy for Skill Teachers will be set up at the SDI campus.
HDFC Bank board approves re-appointment of Renu Karnad as Director
 HDFC Bank's board of directors has approved the re-appointment of Renu Karnad as Non-
Executive Director for a period of five years with effect from September 3, 2022.
 She is the Managing Director of HDFC Limited since 2010.
 She has been renowned with ‘Top Ten Powerful Women to watch out for in Asia’ by Wall Street
Journal Asia in 2006.
 HDFC Tagline: We Understand Your World
Fino Payments Bank to buy 12.19% stake in Paysprint
 Fino Payments Bank's board has approved a minority strategic investment of up to 12.19% in
New Delhi-based fintech Paysprint Pvt Ltd.
 The strategic investment is a first for Fino Payments Bank after its public listing.
 Paysprint is a financial technology company offering next-generation application programming
interfaces (APIs) in the areas of banking, payments, insurance, investment, etc.
KVG Bank launches 1,111-day deposit scheme
 Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB), a regional rural bank headquartered in Dharwad, has
launched a 1,111-day deposit scheme.
 It offers 5.70 per cent interest for the general public and 6.20 per cent for senior citizens.
 A minimum of ₹10,000 and a maximum of ₹2 crores can be deposited under the scheme.
 The bank’s total business stood at ₹30,750 crores during 2021-22.
Manoj Soni appointed as new UPSC Chairman
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 Dr Manoj Soni has been appointed as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission
(UPSC).
 He is currently a member of the UPSC.
 He served as the country's youngest Vice-Chancellor in 2005, of MS University.
 He also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University in
Ahmedabad between August 2009 to July 2015.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister launches anti-corruption mobile app
 Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami launched an anti-corruption mobile app in April 2022.
 Developed by the Vigilance Department, the '1064 Anti-Corruption Mobile App', makes it easier
for people to lodge graft-related complaints directly with the authorities.
 All complaints will be registered through the app and the data as well as the identity of the
complainant will be protected.
Tamil Nadu CM inaugurates Periyar Memorial Samathuvapuram
 Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin inaugurated the Periyar Memorial Samathuvapuram in
Periyakozhuvaari Panchayat in Vanur taluk of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu, in April 2022.
 100 dwelling units with all basic amenities were built at the cost of 2 crores 88 lakh rupees.
 He also handed over various welfare schemes worth over 42 crore rupees to a total of 10722
beneficiaries.
PM Modi unveils a 108 ft statue of Lord Hanuman statue in Gujarat
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 108 feet statue of Lord Hanuman in Gujarat's Morbi on
16 April 2022.
 The statue is the second of the four statues being built in the four directions across the country,
as part of the 'Hanumanji Char Dham' project.
 The first statue of the series was set up in the north in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla in 2010.
 The third statue would come up at Rameswaram.
40th edition of Hunar Haat begins in Mumbai on 16 April 2022
 The 40th edition of Hunar Haat began in Mumbai, on 16 April 2022.
 The 12-day event organized by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs is aimed at providing
exposure and employment opportunities to artisans and craftsmen from across the country.
 The tag line for the event is 'Confluence of Craft, Cuisine and Culture'.
UDAN scheme selected for Prime Minister’s Award
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 Civil Aviation Ministry flagship Regional Connectivity Scheme - 'Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik',
UDAN has been selected for Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration
2020.
 It will be awarded under the category Innovation (General) - Central.
 The Ministry of Civil Aviation will receive the award on 21 April 2022, that is, Civil Service Day.
NHPC to develop green hydrogen project in Himachal Pradesh
 NHPC Ltd has signed an MoU with the district administration of Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.
 As per the MoU, NHPC shall develop a pilot green hydrogen mobility project including hydrogen
production.
 This project will be executed by NHPC Renewable Energy Limited (NREL), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of NHPC.
 Under the project, a 300-kilowatt solar plant will be set up.
Government exceeds Financial Year 2022 asset monetisation target
 The Centre has completed asset monetization worth Rs 96,000 crore during FY22, surpassing
the target of Rs 88,000 crore.
 For FY23, it has set itself a goal of Rs 1.62 trillion and already has a pipeline of assets worth Rs
1.6 trillion under advanced stages of implementation.
 The Centre is looking to monetise assets worth Rs 1.79 trillion and Rs 1.67 trillion in FY24 and
FY25, respectively.
‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ launched in additional 126 cities
 Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched the ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’
program in additional 126 cities across 14 States/ UTs.
 The scheme aims to provide an affordable working capital loan to street vendors.
 It was launched on 4th January 2021 in 125 cities in Phase 1, covering approximately 35 lakh
street vendors and their families.
Govt enhances authorised share capital of 3 insurance companies
 The government has enhanced the authorized share capital of three public sector general
insurance companies – National Insurance Company Limited, Oriental Insurance Company
Limited, and United India Insurance Company.
 This will facilitate a capital infusion of ₹5,000 cr in these companies.
 For the National Insurance, authorized capital will now be ₹15,000 cr as against the present
₹7,500 cr.
Tamil Nadu CM announces celebrating April 14 as ‘Equality Day'
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 Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has announced that Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary on 14 April
will be observed as the 'Day of Equality' or ‘Samathuva Naal’.
 He also announced that the selected works of Ambedkar will be translated into Tamil.
 A pledge will also be administered on that day.
 A full-sized bronze statue of Ambedkar will be erected in the Ambedkar memorial in Chennai.
IBBI to launch 3rd National Online Quiz on 16 April 2022
 The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) in collaboration with MyGov. and BSE
Investors’ Protection Fund is conducting the ‘3rd National Online Quiz on Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code, 2016’.
 It will promote awareness and understanding of the Code among various stakeholders, across
the country.
 The Quiz is open from 16th April 2022 to 15th May 2022.
IndiGo appoints Vikram Mehta, former IAF Chief BS Dhanoa to its board
 IndiGo has appointed Vikram Singh Mehta and former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa as the
Independent Non-Executive Directors.
 Vikram Singh Mehta is currently Chairman and Distinguished Fellow of CSEP (Centre for Social
and Economic Progress).
 BS Dhanoa served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South-Western Air Command
before taking over as the Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS) in May 2015.
Godrej Industries announces launch of Godrej Capital
 Godrej Industries Limited (GIL) has announced the launch of Godrej Capital Limited (GCL).
 GCL is a subsidiary of GIL and is the holding entity for Godrej Housing Finance (an HFC) and
Godrej Finance Limited (an NBFC).
 GIL has committed to invest INR 1,500 crore in the capital in GCL.
 Godrej Capital currently has its footprint across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Ahmedabad,
and Pune.
Himachal Pradesh Day: 15 April
 On this day in 1948, Himachal came into existence as a centrally administered province when its
four districts Mandi, Chamba, Mahasu, and Sirmour were merged with 30 princely states.
 In 1951, Himachal was categorized as a ‘C’ state under the Indian Constitution with a combined
population of 9,83,367 people.
 CM : Jai Ram Thakur.
 Governor: Rajendra Arlekar.
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India to host Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023

 India will host the Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023.
 Organised by Street Child United and Save the Children India, the Street Child Cricket World
Cup will welcome 22 teams from 16 countries to India.
 In 2019, this championship was held in London where eight teams competed, and Team India
South lifted the cup after beating hosts England.
 This event will take place in September 2023.
Odisha CM unveils logo of 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup
 Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik unveiled the logo of FIH Senior Men’s Hockey World Cup
2023 at Kalinga Stadium on 14 April 2022, in Bhubaneswar.
 The state will organize the tournament both in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from January 13 to
29, 2023.
 In 2024, FIH will be in Muscat, Oman.
 FIH HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland
 Chairman: Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra
A new book “The Boy Who Wrote a Constitution” released
 A new book “The Boy Who Wrote a Constitution”, was released on the occasion of Dr BR
Ambedkar’s 131st birth anniversary on 14 April 2022.
 It seeks to inform children of the challenging boyhood and growing up years of India’s first law
minister Dr BR Ambedkar.
 The fact-based drama is written by noted playwright and author Rajesh Talwar.
 It is published by Ponytale Books.
Paytm becomes official digital payments partner for PMs' museum
 Paytm owner One97 Communications has become an official digital payments partner for the
PMs' museum in Delhi.
 As the official partner for the museum, Paytm is offering its payment gateway, EDC (Electronic
Data Capture) machines and QR code payment options to make way for superfast, convenient
and secure transactions.
 PM Modi was the first person to buy the ticket through EDC machine.
Karnataka CM presents Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar awards
 Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on 14 April 2022 presented the Dr. Bhim Rao
Ambedkar awards.
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 He also announced that the SC and ST communities would be provided free power up to 75
units.
 He also informed that a proposed Rs 52 crores ‘Spoorthi Soudha’ would house all the offices
rendering various services for the weaker sections.
India Pulses and Grains Association appoints Bimal Kothari as Chairman
 India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) has announced the appointment of Bimal Kothari as
the new Chairman with immediate effect.
 Jitu Bheda has stepped down as the current Chairman.
 Bheda was appointed the Chairman of IPGA on 25th April 2018.
 Bimal Kothari has been the Vice Chairman of IPGA since 2011 when it was formed.
 IPGA is the apex body for India's pulses trade and industry.
Govt approves 61 proposals of over Rs 19,000 cr under PLI scheme
 The government has approved 61 applications of companies, including Ginni Filaments,
Kimberly Clark India Pvt ltd, and Arvind Ltd, with an investment potential of over Rs 19,000
crore.
 They have been approved under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for textiles.
 The proposed total investment expected from the applicants is Rs 19,077 crore and a projected
turnover is Rs 184,917 cr.
N Chandrasekaran takes charge as Tata Digital Chairman
 Tata Sons Executive Chairman N Chandrasekaran has formally taken charge as Chairman of
Tata Digital.
 He was reappointed as the Chairman of Tata Sons for another five years in February 2021.
 At present, Tata's digital strategy is being spearheaded by its CEO Pratik Pal along with Mukesh
Bansal, founder of Cultfit.
 Tata Digital announced the launch of its super app Tata Neu in April 2022.
Haryana govt extending scope of services under PPP scheme
 Haryana government is extending the scope of services under its flagship 'Parivar Pechchan
Patra (PPP)' scheme.
 The state assembly had passed the Haryana Parivar Pehchan Bill in 2021, aimed at creating a
unique identification number for each family.
 Now, 443 services and schemes integrated with 43 departments are active with PPP and 120
services and schemes are under discussion.
Sabka Vikas Mahaquiz Series launched by the government
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 The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is organising the Sabka Vikas Mahaquiz
Series.
 The quiz aims to sensitise the participants about the various schemes and initiatives and how to
avail the benefits.
 The first quiz launched on 14 April 2022 is the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana under
the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
UGC releases guidelines for pursuing two academic programmes
 The University Grants Commission on 13 Apr'22 released guidelines for pursuing two academic
programmes simultaneously.
 A student can pursue 2 full-time academic programmes simultaneously in physical mode
provided that class timings for one programme do not overlap with another.
 A student can also pursue 2 academic programmes, one in full-time physical mode and another
in distance learning.
Vice President confers International Gandhi Award for Leprosy, 2021
 Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on 13 April 2022 conferred the International Gandhi Award for
Leprosy, 2021 to Dr. Bhushan Kumar of Chandigarh and Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust of Gujarat,
in New Delhi.
 The annual award was instituted by Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation.
 Both have been working diligently to raise awareness about leprosy and in providing care to
those afflicted with it.
Author Prem Rawat launches his book 'Hear Yourself' in Mumbai
 Prem Rawat, a renowned educator has come up with his book titled “Hear Yourself: How to Find
Peace In A Noisy World”.
 The book was launched on 13 April 2022 at National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA) in
Mumbai by HarperCollins in association with TimelessToday.
 In 2012, he received the Brand Laureate International Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award,
becoming only its 4th recipient.
10th and 11th editions of the Status Paper on Govt Debt released
 The central govt on 13 April 2022, released the 10th and 11th editions of the Status Paper on the
Government Debt.
 It provides a detailed analysis of the overall debt position of the Government of India.
 The central government has been bringing-out an Annual Status Paper on Government Debt
since 2010-11.
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 It also includes a chapter on Medium Term Debt Management Strategy of the central govt.
PM Modi inaugurates Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, buys first ticket
 PM Narendra Modi on 14 April 2022, inaugurated the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, or the Prime
Ministers' museum, the national capital's Teen Murti Bhavan, which has been repurposed as the
Prime Ministers' Museum
 It will be thrown open to the public on April 21, 2022.
 The facility also has as many as 43 galleries, displays on freedom struggle and framing of the
Constitution of India.
NTPC mulls surrendering three non-operational coal mines
 Following the government’s latest directive, NTPC Ltd plans to surrender three non-operational
coal mines- Mandakini-B in Odisha, Banai, and Bhalumuda in Chhattisgarh, to the Coal Ministry.
 The company was allocated ten coal mines, including one mine, under a joint venture with the
Jharkhand government.
 Minister for Coal ministery: Pralhad Joshi.
Exports of Indian dairy products top $500-million mark, hit 8-yr high
 The exports of Indian dairy products are estimated at an eight-year high in FY22 on robust
demand, aided by higher global prices.
 Provisional data for the first eleven months, April 2021 to February 2022, indicate that shipments
have touched 1.70 lakh tonnes valued at over $552 million.
 In rupee terms, exports grew to ₹4,115 crore, an year-on-year increase of 94% over ₹2,122 crores.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj organises a National Conference
 The National Conference on Child-Friendly Village and Women Friendly Village, was
inaugurated on 13 April 2022.
 Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj chaired the inaugural session of it.
 A Compendium of Best Practices on “Child Friendly” initiatives by UNICEF and the Ministry of
Panchayati Raj was released during the event.
 Minister for Panchayati raj: Shri Giriraj Singh
S. Iqbal Singh Lalpura assumes charge as Chairperson, NCM
 The govt has re-appointed retired Punjab-cadre IPS officer Iqbal Singh Lalpura as the
Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities.
 He had earlier retired as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Punjab Police.
 He was first appointed as Chairman in September 2021.
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 He served as the senior superintendent of police of Amritsar Rural, Kapurthala and Tarn Taran
districts.
Cabinet approves continuation of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan
 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the continuation of Rashtriya Gram
Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) for implementation during the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026.
 It is a revamped Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
 The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs.5911 crore with the central share of Rs.3700 crore
and a state share of Rs.2211 crore.
Mahavir Jayanti: 14 April 2022
 Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated to mark the birthday of the spiritual leader of Jainism, Lord
Mahavir.
 This year, it falls today April 14.
 Lord Mahavir is said to be born on the 13th day of the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar in
599 BC.
 His birthplace is Kundalagrama, Bihar.
 He is also considered the founder of Jainism and was the 24th and last Tirthankar of the faith.
131st birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: 14 April 2022
 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti is celebrated on April 14th every year in India to commemorate the
birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
 He was born on 14 April 1891.
 He established the Finance Commission of India.
 He is also known as the father of the Indian constitution.
 He served as the first Minister of Law and Justice of India from August 29, 1947, to January 24,
1950.
Festivals celebrated on 14 April: Baisakhi, Vishu, Rongali Bihu
 Festivals Baisakhi, Vishu, Rongali Bihu, Naba Barsha, Vaisakhadi, and Puthandu-Pirappu are
being observed on 14 April 2022.
 These are the first harvest festivals of the year celebrated in the eastern, northern, and southern
parts of the country.
 Baisakhi is celebrated in Punjab and Haryana.
 Vishu is celebrated in Kerala and parts of Karnataka.
 Bihu is celebrated in Assam.
Union Cabinet approves Policy under Coal Bearing Areas Act
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 The Union Cabinet has approved the policy for use of land acquired under the Coal Bearing
Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act - CBA Act, 1957.
 The Act provides for the acquisition of coal-bearing lands and their vesting in a government
company, free from any encumbrance.
 The policy provides for the utilization of such land for the purpose of development relating to
coal and energy.
Lloyd ropes in Sourav Ganguly as brand ambassador for EIM
 Llyod has roped in former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador for
eastern Indian markets.
 He will endorse Lloyd's range of consumer durables, through promotion, advertising, and
marketing as a part of the association.
 Ganguly is currently the President of BCCI.
 Lloyd's product portfolio comprises air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators and LED
TVs.
ICICI Bank, GIFT SEZ join hands to promote GIFT SEZ
 ICICI Bank and GIFT SEZ (special economic zone) have signed an MoU to promote GIFT SEZ to
Indian as well as global businesses including IT and financial services.
 GIFT SEZ is the country's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) which is being
developed as a global financial services hub.
 It is situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
IIIT Hyderabad hosts first national symposium under QuEST
 IIIT Hyderabad hosted the first national symposium under the Quantum Enabled Science and
Technology (QuEST) program from 11-13 Apr'22.
 It was hosted by IIITH's Centre for Quantum Science and Technology (CQST) with a focus on the
latest research and developments in the areas of Quantum Computing, Quantum Information
Science and Quantum Technology.
Meghdoot".
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Trishakti Corps conducts EX Kripan Shakti at Teesta field firing range

 The Trishakti Corps conducted Ex Kripan Shakti, an Integrated Fire Power exercise at Teesta
Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) near Siliguri (WB) on 12 April 2022.
 It was aimed at orchestrating and synergizing the capabilities of the Indian Army and the
Central Armed Police Forces to fight an integrated battle.
 The firing involved employment and firing of all arms and weapon systems.
Indian Air Force signs MoU with IIT Madras
 Indian Air Force and IIT Madras signed an MoU on 13 April 2022 for various developmental
projects to support the requirements of the IAF.
 The partnership aims to accelerate IAF’s indigenization efforts for achieving ‘Atma Nirbhar
Bharat’.
 IAF Rising Day: 8 Oct 1932
Jallianwala Bagh massacre 103rd anniversary: 13 April 2022
 103rd anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was observed on 13 April 2022.
 Hundreds of people protesting peacefully against the Rowlatt Acts, which granted the colonial
administration repressive powers, were gunned down by British forces without any provocation,
in 1919.
 It was one of the most brutal instances India witnessed under British rule.
Paytm integrates eRaktKosh to track real-time plasma availability
 Paytm has integrated the eRaktKosh which is a centralized blood bank management app set up
by the Indian government.
 The eRaktKosh platform, built by C-DAC, is an initiative to connect, digitize and streamline the
workflow of 2100+ blood banks.
 With the addition of the eRaktKosh feature, Paytm users will be able to track and share real-
time information from a wide range of blood banks.
J&K launches app to help people lodge complaints online
 The Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department of Jammu and Kashmir administration
have launched a mobile application ‘Jan Nigrani’.
 It is an internet based solution for reporting and resolving grievances by the residents of J&K
against various schemes of the department.
 The application has been set at the block level with a seven-day time slot to redress any
particular grievance.
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Haryana launches portal to redress grievances regarding crop insurance

 Haryana Agriculture Minister J P Dalal has launched a portal through which farmers can register
crop insurance-related grievances.
 It is for the redressal of complaints of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
 After registering a complaint, the portal will issue a ticket number to help track its status.
 Under this scheme, barley, maize, cotton, paddy, and bajra are insured in Kharif season.
Ravichandran becomes first player to get retired out in IPL history
 Rajasthan Royals' Ravichandran Ashwin became the first player in IPL history to get retired out
during the clash against Lucknow Super Giants, in April 2022.
 He scored 28 runs from 23 balls.
 Hailed as the new innovation in T20 cricket, retired-out dismissals are made by teams to
maximise each ball.
 If a batter retires during his innings for any reason, he/she is considered retired out.
Amit Shah inaugurates Nadabet ‘Seemadarshan’ project in Gujarat
 Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the ‘Seemadarshan’ tourism project at Nadabet
along the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district, in April 2022.
 The project has several attractions, including the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony.
 A monument, titled ‘Ajay Prahari’, has been erected at the site in the memory of soldiers who
sacrificed their lives while protecting the nation.
Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayar wins EY Entrepreneur of the Year award
 Falguni Nayar, the CEO of Nykaa, has been named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for 2021.
 A M Naik, group chairman of Larsen & Toubro, was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement
Award.
 Falguni will now represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award on June 9,
2022.
 Earlier, in 2019, she was the recipient of EY Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the start-up
category.
Army Chief inducted the first set of indigenously developed QRFV
 General MM Naravane, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) inducted the first set of indigenously
developed Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle Medium (QRFV), Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicle
(IPMV), and Ultra Long Range Observation System.
 They have been developed by Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL).
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 They were inducted at a function organised at the Bombay Engineer Group (BEG) on 12 Apr'22 in
Pune.
"Amrit Samagam", a conference of Tourism ministers, inaugurated
 The Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, inaugurated the
"Amrit Samagam", a conference of tourism and culture ministers of the country, on 12 April 2022.
 Ministry of Culture is organizing it from 12-13 April in New Delhi.
 Union Minister for Tourism, Culture, and DONER G. Kishan Reddy also launched the Utsav Portal
during the event.
First made in India Dornier aircraft flight flagged off
 The Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia flagged off the first flight of Made in India
HAL Dornier Do-228 on 12 April 2022.
 The flight will be operational from Dibrugarh in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh and
finally to Lilabari in Assam.
 Alliance Air had signed an MoU with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to operate Indian-
made Dornier aircraft.
PNB, IDBI Bank get new Directors on their boards
 The government has nominated new directors on the boards of Punjab National Bank and IDBI
Bank.
 Pankaj Sharma has been nominated as a Director of PNB with immediate effect and until
further orders.
 He is presently the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services.
 Manoj Sahay and Sushil Kumar Singh have been nominated as Directors on the board of IDBI
Bank.
Jnanpith Award presented to Assamese poet Nilamani Phookan
 Eminent Assamese poet Nilamani Phookan has conferred the 56th Jnanpith Award on 11 April
2022, the ceremony of which was held for the first time in Assam.
 He is also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awards.
 Phookan is the third Assamese to receive the Jnanpith Award after novelist Birendra Kumar
Bhattacharya (1979) and Mamoni Raisom Goswami (2000).
NMDC wins two awards at 80th SKOCH Summit 2022
 National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) was awarded one gold and one silver
award at the 80th SKOCH Summit and SKOCH Awards in April 2022.
 The theme for the SKOCH Summit was ‘State of BFSI & PSUs’.
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 It also received the 3 SKOCH Order of Merit Awards for its efforts in ensuring seamless
digitalization in Project Kalpataru and Project Safety First in the category Response to COVID.
IAF's Chinook helicopter creates a new unique record
 An Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook heavy-lift chopper has created a flying record by completing
a non-stop helicopter sortie in India, flying from Chandigarh to Jorhat (Assam).
 The 1910 kilometres route was completed in 7 hours and 30 minutes.
 On March 25, 2019, the IAF formally inducted the CH-47 (F) I Chinook heavy-lift helicopter into
its inventory at a ceremony held in Chandigarh.
PM Modi to be honoured with Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award
 PM Narendra Modi will be honored with the first-ever Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.
 The award has been instituted in the memory of the veteran singer who passed away in
February 2022.
 The award ceremony will be held on 24 April 2022 in Mumbai.
 The award will be given annually to a person who has made a path-breaking, spectacular and
exemplary contribution to the nation and its people.
J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha launches portal AVSAR
 J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a portal AVSAR on 11 Apr'22.
 The portal has been launched under the 'Connect to Opportunities Initiative' by Mission Youth.
 As part of the initiative, Mission Youth has signed an agreement with Vision India for providing
jobs to the youth of J&K.
 It aims at connecting various companies with the youth of J&K having skills and employability.
SJVN signs pact with BHEL, REMC to develop renewable projects
 Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) has inked an MoU with BHEL and REMC Limited to develop
renewable energy projects for Indian Railways.
 This pact will be a step towards meeting SJVN's target of renewable energy as well as Indian
Railways' target of becoming a net-zero carbon emission mission by 2030.
 At present, SJVN has 12 solar power projects of 3,065 MW capacity.
CBIC Chairman releases National Time Release Study, 2022
 Vivek Johri, Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, presented a set of Time
Release Studies (TRS) conducted by the department, on 11 April 2022.
 TRS are a performance measurement tool for assessing the cargo clearance process of
international trade, as recommended by the World Trade Organization.
 It covered 15 major customs formations, including four-port categories.
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Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ successfully flight tested

 An Anti-Tank Guided Missile 'HELINA' was successfully launched from an indigenously-
developed helicopter at high-altitude ranges on 11 Apr'22, in Pokhran.
 The flight test was jointly conducted by the teams of scientists from DRDO, Indian Army, and
Indian Air Force.
 The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
 The missile is guided by an Imaging Infra-Red Seeker.
Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery Tournament from 12 Apr
 The Sports Authority of India has approved a total amount of Rs 75 lakh to host the Khelo India
National Ranking Women Archery Tournament over six phases.
 TATA Archery Academy, Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) is set to host the first phase of the
tournament on April 12 and 13, 2022.
 The tournament will be held across the Recurve and Compound events in the senior, junior, and
cadet categories.
JSW Utkal Steel gets environmental nod for Odisha greenfield plant
 JSW Utkal Steel Ltd has received environmental clearance for setting up a greenfield integrated
steel plant of 13.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) crude steel in Odisha.
 JSW Utkal Steel Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Steel Ltd.
 The project was accorded environmental clearance by the Union Ministry of Environment and
Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), after public hearings.
RBI-regulated markets to start trading at 9 am from 18 April
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reverted back to normal trading timings in markets
regulated by it.
 The trading in RBI-regulated markets, which includes the money market, will start from the pre-
pandemic timing of 9 am and end at 3:30 pm.
 Currently, the market opening is at 10 am.
 The revised timing for the market repo in Government Securities will be 9 am to 2.30 pm.
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South-Central Railway launches ‘One station One Product’ initiative
 The South-Central Railway (SCR) has launched the “One station One Product” initiative at 6
major stations in all its six divisions.
 The stalls have also been opened at Secunderabad, Kacheguda, Vijayawada, Guntur, and
Aurangabad stations.
 The Government had announced the new initiative in the General Budget 2022-23 and is
already under trial at Tirupati.
Birth anniversary of Jyotiba Phule: 11 April
 Jyotiba Phule was born on 11 April 1827.
 He was a social activist from Maharashtra who worked for the abolition of the caste system and
untouchability and for the upliftment of women.
 He started his first school for girls in 1848 in Pune.
 He also founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) to fight for those people
who belonged to the lower castes.
Indigenously developed loitering munitions tested at 15,000 feet
 Indigenously designed and developed, three different types of loitering munitions were
successfully tested in Ladakh in March 2022.
 The Army Design Bureau facilitated trials at Nubra Valley to rate performance and safety
standards.
 They have been developed by Economic Explosives Ltd in partnership with Bangalore-based
start-up Z Motion Autonomous System Pvt Ltd.
Andhra Pradesh Cabinet reconstituted, 25 ministers sworn-in
 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on 11 April 2022 reconstituted the state
Cabinet, inducting 13 new faces and re-inducting 11 from his first team.
 Veteran legislator Dharmana Prasada Rao has also been taken into the Cabinet, making him
the senior-most minister.
 Two, including the CM, are from the minority communities, 5 from the SC, and one from the ST.
Gujarat tops NITI Aayog's State Energy and Climate Index
 Gujarat has topped the Niti Aayog's State Energy and Climate Index-Round 1 (SECI) among
larger states.
 Gujarat was followed by Kerala and Punjab.
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 Among the smaller states, Goa topped the Aayog's index, followed by Tripura and Manipur.
 The index is aimed at ranking states and Union territories (UTs) on six parameters including
discoms' performance, energy efficiency, etc.
Meenakshi Lekhi inaugurates INDIA Alumni portal
 Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi on 9 April 2022, inaugurated the INDIA Alumni portal to
facilitate foreign scholars who have studied in the country to remain connected.
 It was launched by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
 Some foreign scholars were also provided with alumni ID cards.
 The portal can be accessed at ''http://www.iccr.almaconnect.com''.
President inaugurates 5-day Madhavpur Ghed fair in Porbandar
 President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated a five-day fair at Madhavpur Ghed village in Gujarat’s
Porbandar district, on 10 April 2022.
 This fair is held to celebrate the wedding of Lord Krishna and Goddess Rukmani at Madhavpur
Ghed, a famous pilgrimage spot.
 The famous Madhavray temple was originally built in this village in the 13th century.
NCPCR to celebrate Pariksha Parv 4.0 from 11 April to 31 May 2022
 The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) will be celebrating Pariksha
Parv- 4.0 from 11 April to 31 May 2022.
 It is an endeavour for providing a platform for students, parents and teachers to share their
thoughts and get guidance and important tips from the experts
 It also includes SAMVEDNA (1800-121-2830), a toll-free tele counselling service of NCPCR to help
students.
Indian Army, DRDO successfully flight test Pinaka Mk-I system
 Pinaka Mk-I (Enhanced) Rocket System EPRS and Pinaka Area Denial Munition ADM rocket
systems were successfully flight-tested by DRDO and Indian Army in April 2022.
 They were tested at Pokhran Firing Ranges.
 A total of 24 EPRS rockets were fired for different ranges during a period of 2 weeks.
 The Pinaka rocket system has been developed by Armament Research and Development
Establishment.
National Safe Motherhood Day: 11 April
 National Safe Motherhood Day is observed on April 11 every year.
 It promotes awareness about the importance of having proper access for pregnant women to
healthcare.
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 The campaign was launched by the White Ribbon Alliance (WRAI).

 India was once considered one of the world’s most dangerous countries to give birth as it
contributed to 15% of all maternal deaths globally.
Tata AIA partners with Common Services Centers (CSC)
 Tata AIA Life Insurance and Common Services Centers (CSC), under the Ministry of Electronics
and IT, have partnered to deliver life insurance protection cover to rural households.
 Tata AIA will augment its reach to around 95% of gram panchayats.
 CSC will offer the Tata AIA Life POS Smart Income Plus plan that provides the dual advantage
of a life cover combined with savings.
Vikas Kumar takes charge as the new Chief of Delhi Metro
 Vikas Kumar took over as the new Managing Director (MD) of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
(DMRC) with effect from April 1, 2022.
 Kumar is taking over the post from Dr Mangu Singh, who was the DMRC MD since January 1,
2012.
 An officer of the 1988 batch of Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), Kumar worked with the
Indian Railways in various capacities before joining DMRC in September 2004.
Centre extends Foreign Trade Policy by another six months till Sept 30
 The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended the existing Foreign Trade Policy
(FTP) (2015-20) by another six months till September 30, 2022.
 The FTP is an elaborate policy guideline and a strategy to promote the export of goods and
services.
 The existing policy came into force on April 1, 2015, and was valid for five years.
UP replaces West Bengal as top vegetables producer
 Uttar Pradesh has reclaimed its position as the top producing state in vegetables replacing
West Bengal.
 On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh remains the top fruit producer.
 Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra are the other leading producers of vegetables,
according to statistics.
 Vegetable production in UP is expected to be 29.58 million tonnes (mt) in the 2021-22 crop year
(July-June).
Mahesh Verma appointed as NABH Chairman
 Dr Mahesh Verma has been appointed the new Chairman of the National Accreditation Board
for Hospitals and Healthcare providers (NABH).
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 He is the Vice-Chancellor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University.

 He is a recipient of Padma Shri as well as the Dr B. C. Roy Award.
 He has also received the National Science and Technology award.
SEBI unveils 'Manthan' ideathon to promote innovation
 SEBI has launched the ideathon 'Manthan'.
 It is a six-week-long ideathon being organized by SEBI in association with BSE, NSE, and more.
 It will facilitate the creation of a pool of ideas and innovative solutions revolving around the
securities market.
 Interactive knowledge-sharing sessions will be organized for registered participants to facilitate
the submission of innovative ideas.
HDFC Bank adjudged Best Performing Bank in SHG linkage by NRLM
Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development.
 Notably, HDFC Bank was the only private bank to be felicitated for remarkable work in SHGs.
 As part of NRLM, HDFC Bank provides access to financial services to over 4.5 lakh individuals in
unbanked and underbanked sections of society.
Community museum inaugurated at Sasoma village in Gya
 In Ladakh, a community museum was inaugurated at Sasoma village in Gya of Leh district, in
April 2022.
 Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, LAHDC, Leh Chairman/CEC Tashi Gyalton
inaugurated it.
 It is a joint collaboration between National Museum Institute, New Delhi and Ladakh
Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh.
 Gya is the first village and oldest inhabitation in Upper Ladakh.
Sarhul festival celebrated in Jharkhand
 Sarhul festival, the most popular tribal celebration across the Jharkhand region, was celebrated
on 4 April 2022.
 It is celebrated by the tribal communities of the local Sarna religion, most notably by the
Munda, Ho, and Oraon tribes.
 It is celebrated at the beginning of spring every year in the first month of the Hindu calendar, on
the third day of the moon or the fortnight of ‘Chaitra’.
Riya Jadon wins 11th DGC Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship
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 Riya Jadon won the 11th edition of the DGC Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship on 7 April
2022.
 She defeated her older sister Lavanya Jadon with a title score of 232 (78, 80, 74).
 Riya also won the junior girls trophy.
 Over a hundred women golfers took part in the tournament, which resumed at the Delhi Golf
Club after a two-year gap.
NSS IIT Roorkee hosts Sustainability Conclave 2022
 National Service Scheme Indian Institute of Technology (NSS IIT), Roorkee on 8 April 2022,
hosted Sustainability Conclave 2022.
 The conclave was organized under the theme "Yearning for Viability".
 Uttarakhand CM, Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the TechSarthi scheme which will focus on
industries to help adopt technically sound solutions, and realize the objective of "Local to
Global".
Govt approves scheme to distribute fortified rice under govt programme
 The Cabinet has approved a scheme to distribute fortified rice under government programmes
in three phases.
 In the first phase, fortified rice is being distributed under Integrated Child Development Services
and PM Poshan programmes.
 The entire cost of rice fortification of about Rs 2,700 crore per annum and would be borne by
the central government.
9th April 1965.
OIL signs incubation agreement with Ohm Clean Tech Pvt Ltd
 Oil India Limited (OIL) has signed an incubation agreement with the startup Ohm Clean Tech
Pvt Ltd.
 It has been signed for the design, integration, and development of 9-M Hydrogen Fuel Cell-
powered e-Bus, and a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier solution.
 The startup will be mentored and nurtured under IIT Guwahati.
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 OIL has already initiated a pilot project for hydrogen generation and blending
supersonic speeds.
Sangeet Natak Akademi awards to be presented on 9 April 2022
 43 eminent artists will be presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and Sangeet
Natak Awards for 2018 on 9 April 2022.
 The Lalit Kala Akademi’s Fellowship and National Awards for 2021 will be given to 23 people.
 Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu will present the fellowships and awards.
 The 62nd National Exhibition of Art will also be inaugurated on the same day.
Cabinet approves extension of Atal Innovation Mission
 The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), till
March 2023.
 It will establish 10000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) and 101 Atal Incubation Centers (AICs).
 The objective of the AIM is to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and
entrepreneurship across the country via interventions at school, university, and industry levels.
Cabinet approves signing of Bilateral MoU between SEBI and FRC
 Cabinet has approved the proposal for signing a bilateral MoU between Securities and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Financial Regulatory Commission, Mongolia (FRC).
 The MoU would contribute towards strengthening the information sharing framework leading to
effective enforcement of securities laws.
 FRC is a parliamentary authority mandated to supervise and regulate the non-bank sector.
RBI imposes fines on Axis Bank, IDBI Bank
 Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of Rs 93 lakh on Axis Bank for various violations,
including those related to KYC guidelines.
 The central bank has also imposed a fine of Rs 90 lakh on IDBI Bank.
 IDBI Bank has been penalized for non-compliance with directions on 'frauds - classification and
reporting by commercial banks and select financial institutions.
NRSC inks technical collaboration pact with UIDAI
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 The Unique Identification Authority Of India (UIDAI) has signed an MoU with the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Remote Sensing Centre
(NRSC), ISRO.
 It will develop the Bhuvan-Aadhar portal for providing information and locations of the aadhaar
centres across India.
 Bhuvan will facilitate complete geographic information storage for Aadhaar centres.
Wipro appoints Anis Chenchah as CEO for APMEA
 Wipro Ltd has appointed Anis Chenchah as a member of the Wipro Executive Board and Chief
Executive Officer, APMEA (Asia Pacific, India, Middle East and Africa).
 Prior to this, he worked with Capgemini as Global CEO of its Business Services and as a member
of the Group Executive Committee.
 He also held various leadership roles in Capgemini Financial Services across Europe and the
Middle East.
HDFC offloads 3.08% stake in Bandhan Bank via block deal
 HDFC Ltd has divested a 3.08% stake in Bandhan Bank, garnering Rs 1,522 crore, through an
open market transaction.
 It has sold 7,96,32,349 equity shares representing 4.94% of the paid-up share capital of
Bandhan, which includes the sale of 4,96,32,349 equity shares of the paid-up share capital of
Bandhan done on April 8, 2022.
 HDFC now holds 4.95% of the paid-up share capital of Bandhan.
UP govt signs MoU to set up medical colleges in Sambhal, Maharajganj
 The Uttar Pradesh government has signed an MoU for setting up medical colleges in the state's
Sambhal and Maharajganj districts under the public-private partnership mode.
 It is for the first time that the state medical colleges are being set up through the PPP mode.
 The state government has set a target of establishing medical colleges in Maharajganj and
Sambhal districts by 2024.
West Bengal forms committee on National Education Policy
 The West Bengal government has constituted a 10-member committee.
 It will examine the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and assess the need for a state-level
policy on education.
 The committee will evaluate steps taken by states such as Maharashtra and Kerala in the
education sector after NEP 2020 was unveiled by the Centre.
RBI projects inflation at 5.7% for financial year 2022-23
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 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected India's inflation to be 5.7% for FY23 from earlier
guidance of 4.5%.
 It has also projected India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 7.2% for 2022-23 from
earlier guidance of 7.8%.
 RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das also raised the CPI inflation forecast to 5.7% for 2022-23
compared with 4.5% in 2021-22.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting constitutes a task force
 The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has constituted a task force, which will
recommend a national curriculum framework for higher studies in the AVGC segment.
 The AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, and comic) Promotion task force will be headed
by the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
 It will also be responsible for framing a national AVGC policy.
Govt releases revenue deficit grant of Rs 7,183 cr to 14 states
 The first monthly instalment of the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) Grant of Rs 7,183.42
cr was released by the government to 14 states.
 The states are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
 The grant was released as per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.
RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 4% and reverse repo rate at 3.35%
 The Reserve Bank of India in its monetary policy review has kept the repo rate unchanged at
4% and reverse repo rate at 3.35%.
 The marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the bank rate remain unchanged at 4.25 per cent.
 Further, it has been decided to restore the width of the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF)
corridor to 50 basis points, the position that prevailed before the pandemic.
1775.
CPRI gets NABCB accreditation to certify certain electrical equipment
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 The Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) has received accreditation from the National
Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies to certify certain electrical equipment.
 Manufacturers who obtain test certificates from CPRI would be able to export their products
without the requirement of retesting or authentication by any other body outside India.
 CPRI comes under the Power Ministry.
Satyapal Malik honoured with the Sant Namdeo National Award
 Meghalaya Governor Satyapal Malik and former Research and Analysis Wing Director A S Dulat
have been honoured with the Sant Namdeo National Award, for the years 2021 and 2020,
respectively.
 They were awarded by Pune-based non-government organisation Sarhad.
 Sarhad is a social, cultural and educational organisation, dedicated to the welfare of the strife-
hit people in bordering areas of India
Union Bank launches super-app UnionNXT, digital project SMBHAV
 Union Bank of India has launched its super-app named UnionNXT and digital transformation
project SMBHAV.
 It has been launched with an investment outlay of around Rs 1,000 crore for the current
financial year 2022-23 (FY23).
 A banking super-app essentially combines a number of services, such as payments, bill
payments, recharges, investments, loans, and fund transfers, on a single platform.
RBI approves re-appointment of Murli Natrajan as MD-CEO of DCB Bank
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Murli M Natrajan as the
MD and CEO of DCB Bank for a period of two years, from April 29, 2022, to April 28, 2024.
 Natrajan has been the MD and CEO of the bank since April 2009.
 In 2024, he will complete 15 years at the helm of the bank.
 RBI has capped the tenure of bank chief executives at 15 years.
India's trade deficit up by 87.5% in FY22: Government data
 India's trade deficit rose 87.55% to USD 192.41 billion in 2021-22 as against $102.63 billion in 202-
2021, according to the government data.
 While total exports increased to a record high of $417.81 billion, imports too soared to $610.22
billion, leaving a trade gap of $192.41 billion.
 India's merchandise import in April 2021-March 2022 was $610.22 billion.
IFSCA inks MoU with GVFL Limited for strengthening FinTech ecosystem
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 The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and GVFL Limited signed an MoU
at IFSCA’s office at Gift City, Gujarat.
 It has been signed for cooperation and collaboration to support and facilitate FinTech
ecosystem in GIFT IFSC.
 IFSCA is a unified regulator responsible for the development and regulation of financial
products, financial services and institutions in the IFSCs.
RBI unveils guidelines for Digital Banking Units
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 7 April 2022 released the guidelines on the “Establishment of
Digital Banking Units (DBUs)".
 This is part of the announcement made in the Union Budget 2022-23 to set up 75 DBUs in 75
districts.
 DBUs are specialized fixed point business units/hubs housing certain minimum digital
infrastructure for delivering digital banking products and services.
Centre allows 10 states to borrow Rs 28,204 crore
 The Union Ministry of Finance has granted additional borrowing permission of ₹28,204 crore to
10 states.
 It is for undertaking stipulated reforms in power sector in 2021-22.
 Tamil Nadu was allowed to borrow the highest additional amount of ₹7,054 crore, followed by
Uttar Pradesh, which has been allowed to borrow ₹6,823 crore more and Andhra Pradesh,
allowed to borrow additional ₹3,716 crore.
Dharmendra Pradhan addresses India Education Summit 2022
 Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan delivered the keynote
address at the India Education Summit 2022, on 6 April 2022.
 The summit is a dialogue platform by Google and Indian Express.
 The two-day summit included discussions on technology intervention in government education,
personalised education, keeping kids safe online and more.
TSF signs MoU with Jharkhand government to set up ITI at Chandil
 Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) has signed an MoU with the Jharkhand government to set up
Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Chandil in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
 ITI will offer training in technical and vocational courses with an initial intake capacity of 100
students and will begin functioning from session 2023.
 It will offer various technical courses with a duration of two years.
UP government signs lease agreement with AAI
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 The Civil Aviation Department of the Uttar Pradesh government has signed a lease agreement
with the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
 It is regarding the transfer of 317.855 acres of land to AAI on lease for the Maryada Purushottam
Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya.
 19 airports have been made functional in Uttar Pradesh so far.
Journalist Aarefa Johari wins Chameli Devi Jain Award
 Mumbai-based journalist Aarefa Johari has won the Chameli Devi Jain Award for an
Outstanding Woman Media Person 2021.
 The award was instituted in 1982 and is presented annually.
 It is a prestigious recognition for women media persons in India who have reported on themes
such as social development, politics, equity, gender justice, health, war and conflict, and
consumer values.
Ramdarash Mishra selected for Saraswati Samman 2021
 Noted poet and litterateur Prof Ramdarash Mishra will be awarded the prestigious Saraswati
Samman, 2021, for his collection of poems ‘Mein to Yahan Hun’.
 Instituted in 1991, Saraswati Samman is given every year to an outstanding literary work written
in any Indian language by an Indian citizen and published within the last 10 yrs.
 It carries a citation, a plaque, and cash prize of ₹15 lakhs.
Parliament passes Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order Bill, 2022
 Parliament has passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
 The Bill amends the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 for the inclusion of a certain
community in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Tripura.
 It also seeks to include Kharwar, Deshwari, Ganjhu, Dautalbandi (Dwalbandi), Patbandi, and
Raut in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand.
Parliament passes Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022
 Parliament has passed the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022.
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 It seeks to allow investigators to collect certain identifiable information of convicts for purposes
of identification and investigation in criminal matters.
 It replaces the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.
 The bill has been brought in to ensure that police and investigators remain two steps ahead of
criminals.
NEC Laboratories, TNAU team up detect crop diseases
 NEC Laboratories, an entity of NEC Corp India has signed an MoU with Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University (TNAU).
 It will offer solutions for early detection of diseases in crops using artificial intelligence and
machine learning.
 NEC would develop a mobile application with artificial intelligence while TNAU would provide
expert guidance and assist in data collection to detect the diseases.
Union Bank to sell its 8 pc stake in ISARC to Dhansamridhi Finance
 Union Bank of India will sell its 8% stake in India SME Asset Reconstruction Company (ISARC).
 The bank has executed an agreement for the sale of an 8% stake in favour of Dhansamridhi
Finance.
 ISARC is the country's first ARC focused on NPA (non-performing asset) resolution of the MSME
sector.
 The ARC is sponsored by SIDBI, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, and SIDBI Venture
Capital Ltd.
Rajnath Singh to release third positive indigenisation list
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will release the third list comprising major equipment/platforms,
which are scheduled to be completely indigenised by December 2025, on 7 April 2022.
 The third list will consist of over 100 items.
 The major items in the first and second list included Light Combat Aircraft, Smart Anti-Field
Weapon System (SAAW) Mk-I, Ultra-Light Howitzer, etc.
Department of Animal Husbandry launches a pilot project in U'khand
 The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has launched a pilot project in Uttarakhand
to implement the One Health Framework by One Health Support Unit.
 The key objective is to develop a national One Health roadmap.
 Inter-ministerial One Health committee under the chairmanship of the Principal Scientific
Adviser to the govt has been established to lead the implementation of the Unit.
DGCs Performance Monitoring System launched by Gajendra Singh
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 Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the ‘Digital Dashboard for
District Ganga Committees (DGCs) Performance Monitoring System’ on 6 Apr'22.
 DGCs were constituted in the districts of the Ganga River basin for putting in place a
mechanism at the district level to ensure people’s participation in management and pollution
abatement in river Ganga and its tributaries.
Railways, India Post join hands for door-to-door delivery of parcels
 A ‘Joint Parcel Product’ (JPP) of India Post and Indian Railways is being developed, wherein first-
mile and last-mile connectivity will be provided by the Department of Posts.
 The intermediate connectivity from station to station shall be done through Railways.
 This will be the first such exercise where freight and parcels will be delivered to the doors of the
receiver.
Government appoints advisory committee for semiconductor manufacturing
 The advisory committee for semiconductor manufacturing in India has been formed.
 The committee will be chaired by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Electronics and IT, and will
comprise 17 members including government officials, academicians, domain, and industry
experts.
 The term of the committee is one year after which it shall be reconstituted with the approval of
the minister.
RITES, IIT-Delhi to collaborate on road design and safety works
 RITES, a leading engineering consultancy corporation has entered into an MoU with IIT Delhi to
explore avenues of mutual collaboration on road design and road safety consultancy projects.
 The collaboration will create a platform to enhance capabilities for carrying out infrastructure
projects and also facilitate exploring consultancy opportunities arising at various govt and semi-
govt bodies.
WUS, an IIT Kanpur start-up selected for the Acceleration Program
 WUS, a SAAS (software as a service) based start-up, has been selected for the Acceleration
program by Citi's Social Innovation Lab.
 WUS is incubated at IIT Kanpur and the National Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity
Technology Development (N-CoE).
 As part of the program, WUS will be receiving mentoring, go-to-market strategy, seed funding,
and network and scaling opportunities.
DLF Chairman Rajiv Singh richest real estate entrepreneur
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 With a wealth of Rs 61,220 crore, DLF Chairman Rajiv Singh has become the wealthiest Indian
real estate entrepreneur, according to GROHE-HURUN India Real Estate Rich List 2021.
 He overtook Mangal Prabhat Lodha of Macrotech Developers.
 DLF is the largest listed real estate company in India, with properties in 15 states and 24 cities.
 Chandru Raheja of K Raheja Corp retained the third spot.
JSW Infrastructure commissions first terminal at NMPT
 JSW Infrastructure has commissioned its first container terminal at New Mangalore Port Trust
(NMPT) in Karnataka.
 The terminal has a current cargo capacity of 2.4 Lakh TEUs.
 It will make a phase-wise investment of Rs 300 crore to expand its capacity to 4 lakh twenty
equipment units (TEU) by FY24.
 JSW Infrastructure is among the top five port companies in India.
Parliament passes Bill to merge three Municipal Corporations of Delhi
 Parliament has passed the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
 The Bill seeks to further amend the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 and proposes to unify
the three existing Municipal Corporations of Delhi into one Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
 It also limits the number of councillors from 272 to the maximum of 250.
A project to come up for setting ‘Hobby Hubs’ in Delhi govt schools
 A project to set up ‘Hobby Hubs’ in govt schools in Delhi with after-school dance, music, arts and
crafts activities during the new academic session is in the works.
 For the 2022-2023 academic session, this project will only be implemented in single shift
government schools.
 Private academies, individuals and NGOs will be roped in to provide free training in fields
selected by the schools.
Parliament passes Accountancy Bill 2022
 Parliament on 5 Apr'22 passed the Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants
and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
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 It will revamp the functioning of the institutes of chartered accountants, cost accountants, and
company secretaries.
 It seeks to amend the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949, the Cost and Works Accountants Act,
1959, and the Company Secretaries Act, 1980.
Three Integrated Clean Energy Material Acceleration Platforms launched
 Three Integrated Clean Energy Material Acceleration Platforms were launched at the MI
(Mission Innovation) Annual Gathering session on 4 April 2022.
 New energy innovation collaborations were also announced at the event.
 The platforms constitute a knowledge network of more than 38 elite institutions and 80 research
personnel working on next-generation low-cost advanced energy materials.
Union Environment Minister launches awareness mascot ‘Prakriti’
 The Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav launched a
mascot ‘Prakriti', on 5 April'22.
 It will spread awareness about various green initiatives taken by the Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change and Central Pollution Control Board to ensure effective plastic
waste management.
 Five green initiatives for plastic waste management were also launched.
Dharmendra Pradhan releases a book “Birsa Munda – Janjatiya Nayak”
 Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the book “Birsa
Munda – Janjatiya Nayak” on 5 April 2022.
 It has been written by Prof. Alok Chakrawal, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya,
Bilaspur.
 The book is a comprehensive attempt to bring to the fore the struggle of Birsa Munda and the
contribution of forest dwellers to the freedom movement.
NTPC inks pact with Gujarat Gas to blend green hydrogen
 NTPC has inked a pact with Gujarat Gas Ltd, is an initiative to blend green hydrogen with piped
natural gas (PNG) supplied by Gujarat Gas Ltd.
 This first-of-its-kind project in the country is a step towards the decarbonization of the cooking
sector and self-sufficiency for the energy requirements of the nation.
 Initially, the percentage of hydrogen blending in the PNG shall be around 5%.
Karnataka hikes Dearness Allowance (DA) for state govt employees
 The Karnataka govt has decided to revise the Dearness Allowance (DA) for the state govt
employees from the existing 24.50% to 27.25% of the basic pay.
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 This is effective from 1 Jan 2022.

 The hike is also applicable for pensioners.
 Earlier, the DA of the central govt employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners was
increased by 3% to 34% of the basic pay with effect from 1 Jan 2022.
Tata Power Solar commissions 160 MW solar project in Rajasthan
 Tata Power Solar has commissioned a 160 MW AC solar project at Jetstar in Rajasthan.
 Around 6,75,000 monocrystalline PV modules were used in this installation and it will produce
387 million units of energy per year.
 The Jetstar project was completed within a period of 15 months and is one of the largest solar
projects in Rajasthan.
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita to be taught in Himachal Pradesh from Class 9
 Shrimad Bhagavad Gita will be taught to all school students from Class 9 in Himachal Pradesh.
 This was informed by state Education Minister Govind Singh Thakur.
 With this, it will become 2nd state after Gujarat to make Gita a part of the school syllabus.
 In March 2022, Gujarat Education Minister Jitu Vaghani had announced that Bhagavad Gita will
be a part of the syllabus for classes 6-12.
Meghalaya government inks pact with NLSIU for fellowship
 The Meghalaya government on 4 April 2022 signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based
National Law School of India University (NLSIU) to set up a fellowship.
 The PA Sangma Fellowship for Legal and Policy Research will allow students of NLSIU for
undertaking research activities in Meghalaya.
 PA Sangma was the former Chief Minister of Meghalaya and speaker of Lok Sabha.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited hands over Gaganyaan hardware to ISRO
 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) handed over the first set of Gaganyaan hardware to ISRO
on 4 April 2022.
 It was handed over during the inauguration of HAL's PS2/GS2 stage integration facility in
Bengaluru.
 The PS2 stage is the second stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) launch vehicle in
which earth storable propellants are used for propulsion.
Union Govt appoints Vinay Mohan Kwatra as new Foreign Secretary
 India’s envoy to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra has been appointed as the new Foreign Secretary,
succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla who will retire at the end of April 2022.
 Kwatra is a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and will take charge on 30 April'22.
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 Before his diplomatic posting to Nepal in 2020, he served as the Ambassador of India to France
from August 2017 to February 2020.
IndiGo co-promoter Rakesh Gangwal inks pact with IIT-Kanpur
 IndiGo co-promoter Rakesh Gangwal has signed a pact with IIT-Kanpur to jointly set up School
of Medical Sciences and Technology at its campus.
 He will donate Rs 100 crore to establish the college and will also be joining the Advisory Board
of the school.
 The school will be completed in two phases.
 Phase I of the project will include setting up a 500-bed super-speciality hospital.
UP CM launches 'School Chalo Abhiyan' from Shravasti district
 UP CM Yogi Adityanath launched the 'School Chalo Abhiyan' in Shravasti district on 4 April 2022
to ensure 100 per cent enrolment in primary and upper primary schools in the state.
 Shravasti has the lowest literacy rate in the state.
 The workers will knock from door to door and ask if there is any child who has been deprived of
going to school.
 That child will be registered to school.
59th National Maritime Day: 5 April 2022
 India celebrates National Maritime Day on April 5 every year.
 The day was first celebrated in the year 1964.
 On this day in 1919, SS Loyalty, the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd.,
journeyed to the UK, a crucial step in India's shipping history when sea routes were controlled by
the British.
 The day is observed yearly by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
SEBI forms committee to strengthen governance of MIIS
 SEBI constituted a committee on 4 April 2022 for reviewing and making recommendations for
further strengthening of governance norms at stock exchange and other market infrastructure
institutions (MIIs).
 The six-member committee will be chaired by G Mahalingam, former whole-time member of
SEBI.
 The panel will also review the requirements related to appointment of directors on the board.
TN CM launches 'Kaaval Uthavi' app for public during emergency
 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on 4 April 2022 launched 'Kaaval Uthavi' app.
 It contains 60 features that will help seek police assistance during any emergency.
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 The app is used to send 'emergency' alert to the police control room, so as to obtain immediate
assistance during any distress.
 It features a facility to dial 112/100/101 to make direct calls with the police control room.
Andhra Pradesh gets a new map with 13 new districts
 Andhra Pradesh on 4 April 2022 got a new map with the creation of 13 new districts, taking the
number of total districts in the state to 26.
 CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy digitally inaugurated them.
 Some of these districts are Manyam district carved out of Vizianagaram district, Anakapalli
district carved out of Visakhapatnam district, Palnadu carved out of Guntur district, and more.
Information and Broadcasting Ministry launches Broadcast Seva Portal
 The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has launched the Broadcast Seva Portal.
 It is a platform aimed at improving the ease of doing business in the broadcast industry.
 This will be an online portal solution for speedy filing and processing of applications of
broadcasters for various kinds of licences, permissions, registrations, and so on.
Chhattisgarh tops states with lowest unemployment rate in country
 Chhattisgarh has been ranked 1st among states with the lowest unemployment rate in the
country.
 According to the latest data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy,
Chhattisgarh has registered an unemployment rate of 0.6% this March 2022, which is the lowest
so far.
 Haryana has the highest unemployment rate followed by Rajasthan.
 The country's unemployment rate stood at 7.6%.
Flipkart Group announces the launch of Flipkart Foundation
 Flipkart Group has announced the launch of the Flipkart Foundation.
 It will facilitate inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth opportunities in India via a
technology-led digital commerce model.
 The Foundation aims to impact 20 million lives directly and indirectly over the next decade in
the country.
 It will work towards skill development, community development etc.
India FY23 GDP growth estimated at 7.4%: FICCI Outlook Survey
 India's annual median GDP growth forecast stood at 7.4% for 2022-23, according to a survey by
the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) released on April 3, 2022.
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 The Economic Outlook Survey estimates a minimum and maximum growth of 6.0% and 7.8%,
respectively.
 The median growth forecast for agriculture and allied activities has been put at 3.3% for 2022-
23.
Indian Oil, L&T and ReNew to form JV for green hydrogen business
 Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and ReNew Power (ReNew) have announced the
signing of a binding term sheet.
 It is for the formation of a Joint Venture (JV) company to develop the nascent green hydrogen
sector in India.
 Additionally, Indian Oil and L&T have signed a binding term sheet to form a JV to manufacture
and sell electrolyzers used in the production of green hydrogen.
HDFC Ltd. to merge with HDFC Bank
 Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd will merge with its subsidiary HDFC
Bank.
 As per the deal, HDFC Ltd with amount of Rs 5.26 trillion will merge with HDFC Bank with a
market cap of Rs 8.35 trillion.
 Shareholders of HDFC Ltd will receive 42 shares of the bank for 25 shares held.
 After the completion of the deal, existing shareholders of HDFC Ltd will own 41% of HDFC Bank.
SBI signs MoU with the Border Security Force
 State Bank of India (SBI) has signed an MoU with the Border Security Force.
 It will offer special benefits to the serving and retired BSF personnel and family pensioners
through the Central Armed Police Salary Package (CAPSP) Scheme.
 The retired personnel will be eligible for complimentary Personal Accidental (Death) Insurance,
irrespective of age.
IIT Madras signs MoU with RNTBCI
 IIT Madras has signed an MoU with the Renault-Nissan Technology and Business Centre, India
(RNTBCI) for organising a one-year-long hackathon.
 Under this, two projects will seek to use technology to reduce road accidents.
 Called ‘Hackcidents’, the programme will facilitate the development of low-cost technologies to
prevent fatalities caused by public buses.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant allocates portfolios
 In his 2nd term as the CM of Goa, Pramod Sawant on 3 April'22, allocated portfolios to his
cabinet colleagues.
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 He himself will hold the charge of Home, Finance, Personnel, Vigilance, and Official languages
departments in the state.
 Vishwajit Rane has been given Health and Town and Country Planning portfolios.
 Ravi Naik has been given Agriculture, Handicrafts, and Civil Supplies portfolios.
Indian Coast Guard inducts interceptor boat 'C-436' at Karaikal
 The Indian Coast Guard unit has inducted interceptor boat 'C-436', at Karaikal.
 It has been rebased from Andhra Pradesh station to its fleet to improve surveillance along the
coastline of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
 It will have one officer and 12 enrolled personnel as crew and will be deployed in the Area of
Responsibility (AoR) of the Coast Guard Station in Karaikal.
disability”.
Anurag Singh Thakur launches new rare chemical Reference Materials
 Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur launched six new and rare Reference
Materials (RMs) on 3 April 2022.
 They have been developed by National Dope Testing Laboratory with the National Institute of
Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Guwahati.
 These are the purest form of chemical required for anti-doping analysis in all WADA-accredited
laboratories across the world.
‘Temple 360’ website launched at IGNCA, New Delhi
 Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi launched the website ‘Temple
360’ on 2 April 2022.
 It was launched at IGNCA Ampitheatre, Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts, New Delhi.
 Temple 360 is a website where one can visit a temple of their choice, anytime and from
anywhere in India.
 It also allows a devotee to perform e-aarti and several other services.
NCW launches Anti-Human Trafficking Cell
 The National Commission for Women has launched an Anti-Human Trafficking Cell.
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 It will improve effectiveness in tackling cases of human trafficking, raising awareness among
women and girls, capacity building and training of Anti Trafficking Units, etc.
 It will conduct Gender Sensitization Training and Workshops in combating human trafficking for
police officers and for prosecutors.
TCS re-appoints Rajesh Gopinathan as MD and CEO for five years
 The board of Tata Consultancy Services has re-appointed Rajesh Gopinathan as the Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer for five years, from 21 Feb 2022 to 20 Feb 2027.
 Rajesh Gopinathan has been the CEO and MD of TCS since 2017.
 The company has also re-appointed N Ganapathy Subramaniam as the Chief Operating Officer
and Executive Director from February 21, 2022, to May 19, 2024.
India’s first rapid rail for Delhi to Meerut corridor unveiled
 India’s first rapid rail for the Delhi to Meerut corridor was unveiled by the National Capital
Regional Transport Corporation (NCRTC) in March 2022.
 The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) train will run on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor
and cover a distance of 82 km in just 55 mins.
 It will also be the first in the country to have a business or ‘premium’ coach on a regional
corridor.
Mahila Money, Visa and Transcorp launch Mahila Money Prepaid Card
 Mahila Money, Visa, and Transcorp have teamed up to launch Mahila Money Prepaid Card.
 It will make it easy for women entrepreneurs to collect payments digitally for their businesses
and help boost their working capital, as loans can be transferred directly into the card.
 Additionally, women will be offered incentives, rewards, and cashback from the Mahila Money
ecosystem of partners.
SBI to set up Innovation, Incubation and Acceleration Centre
 State Bank of India (SBI) will set up an Innovation, Incubation and Acceleration Centre (IIAC) in
Hyderabad.
 This will be done in a bid to build in-house capability to bolster its current performance and
drive higher top-line growth through innovation.
 The centre will be operational within six to nine months of onboarding a consultant.
IIT Madras, RBI Innovation Hub join hands to boost fintech startups
 India's leading deep-tech startup hub spearheaded by IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) and
RBI Innovation Hub (RBIH), have signed an MoU.
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 Both will jointly provide incubation support and nurture early-stage startups with innovative and
disruptive solutions and accelerate their scale-up journey.
 Select startups incubated will be considered from time to time by RBIH for co-incubation.
HDFC Bank to launch 'SmartHub Vyapar Programme' and ‘AutoFirst’ app
 HDFC Bank will launch the 'SmartHub Vyapar programme' and ‘AutoFirst’ app.
 Already in its pilot phase, the SmartHub Vyapar programme, for merchants, is an app that
bundles all payment platforms - cards, UPI, QR code, tap pay, and SMS-based payments.
 HDFC Bank will also launch an application 'AutoFirst' that will offer fully automated auto loans.
'Road to 1000' book released at Sportstar Aces Awards 2022
 Sportstar and The Hindu group released a coffee-table book, ‘Road to 1000’, at the 2022
Sportstar Aces Awards, in March 2022.
 The book is a 520-page, special collection with 1000 pictures to commemorate Indian cricket’s
journey.
 It was released by former India cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Syed Kirmani, Dilip Vengsarkar,
Mohammad Azharuddin, Chandrakant Pandit, and Nilesh Kulkarni.
SankalpTaru Foundation becomes 1st Indian NGO to Launch Blockchain
 SankalpTaru Foundation has become the First Indian NGO in Environmental Conservation
Space to Launch Blockchain on 01 April 2022.
 It also helps to further enhance the trust of its donors that offering them an additional handle to
check the veracity of information.
 SankalpTaru is one of the largest Indian non-profits working on tree plantation activities across
25 states and UTs across India.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands become Covid-19 free
 Andaman and Nicobar Islands has become a Covid-19 free Union Territory on 31 Mar'22.
 This UT has zero active cases.
 No case of Covid-19 was reported on 30 Mar'22, while a single patient recovered.
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 Now, four UTs have achieved the Covid free status.

Doordarshan FreeDish becomes largest DTH platform to reach 43 million
 As per the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, DD FreeDish has become the largest DTH
platform reaching over 43 million households till March 2022.
 Prasar Bharati's DTH service DD FreeDish is the only Free-to-Air service where the viewer
doesn't have to pay.
 It only requires a small one-time investment of about ₹2,000 for purchasing the Doordarshan
FreeDish set-top box.
CJI launched software ‘FASTER’ to transmit court orders swiftly
 Chief Justice of India N.V.Ramana launches ‘FASTER’ software to transmit court orders swiftly
on 31 Mar'22.
 The digital platform FASTER stands for ‘Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records’.
 The platform would be used by the court officials to instantly send e-copies of the orders
through a secured electronic communication channel to the intended parties.
Central Govt announces AFSPA relaxations in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur
 Union Govt has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act
(AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur on 31 Mar'22.
 AFSPA act, 1958 provides certain special powers to a member of the Armed Forces in areas in
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
 The law was first introduced by the Britishers to suppress the Quit India Movement.
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Appointments Current Affairs

Shivalik Small Finance Bank appoints Anshul Swami as MD and CEO
 Shivalik Small Finance Bank has announced the appointment of Anshul Swami as its Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 26, 2022.
 Previously, Swami was associated with RBL Bank as Head of Retail and Inclusion, Products.
 He has also held positions with Barclays, Citi Financial, and Britannia.
 Swami has worked across various customer segments like Retail, MSME, etc.
May'22.
Vijay Sampla appointed NCSC chairperson for second time
 Union minister Vijay Sampla has been appointed as the chairperson of the National
Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) for a second time.
 The official order for his appointment was issued by President Ram Nath Kovind in April 2022.
 Sampla, a prominent Dalit face of Punjab, began his political career in 1998 as the Sarpanch of
Sofipind village in Jalandhar Cantonment.
Robert Golob elected as Prime Minister of Slovenia
 Robert Golob has been elected as the Prime Minister of Slovenia.
 He is a newcomer to Slovenian politics and had established his party in January 2022.
 He defeated Slovenia’s three-time Prime Minister Janez Jansa in the elections.
 Slovenia is a country in Central Europe with its capital being Ljubljana.
 Borut Pahor is the President of Slovenia.
Two new additional Directors appointed at Karnataka Bank
 Mangaluru-headquartered Karnataka Bank has announced the appointment of Jeevandas
Narayan and Kalmanje Gururaj Acharya as Additional Directors after the Board cleared their
appointments.
 Narayan held the post of Managing Director of Manappuram Home Finance Ltd from June 2017
to May 2021.
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 Acharya is the senior partner of K.G. Acharya & Co., Chartered Accountants, Bengaluru.
Former SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar joins Indifi Technologies as Advisor
 Indifi Technologies has announced the appointment of Rajnish Kumar, former Chairman of the
State Bank of India (SBI), as an Advisor.
 He will engage with the management on the company’s growth strategy and provide guidance
in the financial services sector.
 He currently sits on the boards of HSBC Asia Pacific, L&T Infotech, Hero MotoCorp and
BharatPe.
Tata Sons approve Chandrasekaran's reappointment as Chairman
 Tata Sons shareholders have approved the re-appointment of N Chandrasekaran as Chairman
for another 5-year term.
 He took over the reins of Tata Sons in 2017.
 He joined the Tata Sons board in October 2016 and was designated Chairman in January 2017
and took official charge in February 2017.
 He also chairs the boards of operating companies such as Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power,
and TCS.
Capgemini CEO Ashwin Yardi appointed UNICEF's YuWaah board co-chair
 UNICEF's YuWaah' - the Indian chapter of Generation Unlimited - has announced Ashwin Yardi,
the CEO of Capgemini in India, to be its co-chair.
 Yardi will be a co-chair along with Yasumasa Kimura.
 Generation Unlimited or YuWaah is a platform to bring young people together with the private
sector, govts, and international and local organizations to turn them into active and engaged
citizens.
Emmanuel Macron re-elected as the President of France
 France has picked Emmanuel Macron for five more years as the country's President.
 This is the first time that a governing leader of the Fifth Republic, which has been the political
system since 1958, has been re-elected.
 He has been serving as the President of France since 2017.
 At the age of 39, he became the youngest President in French history.
Aditya Birla Capital appoints Vishakha Mulye as the next CEO
 The board of Aditya Birla Capital has appointed Vishakha Mulye as the next Chief Executive
Officer of Aditya Birla Capital.
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 Mulye is currently the executive director in charge of corporate banking, proprietary trading,
markets and transaction banking.
 Mulye replaces Ajay Srinivasan who will now take up another role within the Aditya Birla Group.
LV Vaidyanathan appointed CEO of P&G India
 Procter & Gamble India has appointed LV Vaidyanathan, who leads the company’s business in
Indonesia, as the new CEO.
 He takes over from Madhusudan Gopalan who will move into a new role at the parent company
as senior vice president – grooming and oral care, P&G Japan and Korea.
 Vaidyanathan has earlier served as the chairman of the Indonesia Chapter of the US ASEAN
Business Council.
Dr Suman K Bery appointed as new Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog
 Dr. Suman K Bery has been appointed new Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog.
 He will take charge as Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog from 1 May 2022.
 Suman K Bery had earlier served as Director-General of the National Council of Applied
Economic Research (NCAER) in New Delhi.
 NCAER is one of the country’s leading independent non-profit policy research institutions.
Patrick Achi re-appointed as Prime Minister of Ivory Coast
 Patrick Achi has been reappointed as Prime Minister of Ivory Coast.
 He has been serving as the PM since 2021.
 He also earlier worked as the government spokesman for President Alassane Ouattara.
 Ivory Coast is a country on the southern coast of West Arica.
 Its capital is Yamoussoukro and its currency is West African CFA franc.
Centre appoints Naresh Kumar as New Chief Secretary of Delhi
 The Ministry of Home Affairs has appointed 1987 batch IAS officer Naresh Kumar as the next
Chief Secretary of Delhi.
 Naresh Kumar is presently posted as the Chief Secretary of the Arunachal Pradesh.
 Rajiv Verma, IAS of 1992 batch has also been appointed as the Chief Secretary of the Union
Territory of Puducherry.
 Verma is posted in Arunachal Pradesh as of now.
NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar steps down
 NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar has stepped down after being at the helm of the
institution for nearly five years.
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 Kumar took charge on September 1, 2017, after his predecessor Arvind Panagariya resigned from
the post.
 The post of the Vice-Chairman of the Aayog is co-terminus with the five-year term of the
institution.
 Suman Bery will succeed him as the third Vice Chairman.
AK Sood appointed as the Principal Scientific Advisor
 The government has appointed AK Sood as the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to it.
 He succeeds Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan who was appointed to the PSA in 2018.
 Dr Sood is a member of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC)
and a physicist known for his work on graphene.
 He is a Distinguished Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
Operations (DGMO).
Wipro appoints Satya Easwaran as Country Head of India
 Wipro has appointed Satya Easwaran as the Country Head for India.
 Satya will be in charge of strengthening Wipro’s business in India across key industry sectors
through strategic consulting, transformation, and modernization engagements.
 Prior to joining Wipro, Easwaran was the Head of Business Consulting and the Telecom, Media &
Technology (TMT) Sector Leader at KPMG India.
BharatPe appoints Smriti Handa as Chief Human Resources Officer
 BharatPe has brought on board Smriti Handa as Chief Human Resources Officer.
 This is the first key leadership appointment for the company for 2022.
 Handa has previously worked at organizations like Reckitt, Philips, and Airtel, in global and local
roles.
 Prior to joining BharatPe, she was HR head, Reckitt Hygiene- SoA, before taking over as Global
Talent Acquisition Director.
Indian-American Navy veteran appointed Kamala Harris's Defence Advisor
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 Indian-American US Navy Shanti Sethi has been appointed as Executive Secretary and Defence
Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris.
 She is the first Indian-American commander of a major US Navy combat ship.
 Sethi commanded the guided-missile destroyer, USS Decatur, from December 2010 to May 2012.
 She was also the first female commander of a US naval vessel to visit India.
ONGC appoints Pomila Jaspal as the Director (Finance) and CFO
 Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has appointed Pomila Jaspal as the Director (Finance)
and Chief Financial Officer with immediate effect.
 Prior to being appointed as the Director (Finance) of ONGC, Jaspal served as the Director
(Finance) at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited.
 She was the first-ever woman Functional Director on the board of MRPL.
Digit Insurance appoints Jasleen Kohli as new MD and CEO
 Digit Insurance has elevated Jasleen Kohli as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of the company with effect from April 20.
 The 42-year-old, Kohli will become one of the youngest CEOs in the insurance industry.
 As the new MD and CEO, Jasleen Kohli will take over from Vijay Kumar who held the position
since the company was founded in 2017.
HDFC Bank board approves re-appointment of Renu Karnad as Director
 HDFC Bank's board of directors has approved the re-appointment of Renu Karnad as Non-
Executive Director for a period of five years with effect from September 3, 2022.
 She is the Managing Director of HDFC Limited since 2010.
 She has been renowned with ‘Top Ten Powerful Women to watch out for in Asia’ by Wall Street
Journal Asia in 2006.
 HDFC Tagline: We Understand Your World
Jay Shah appointed as Member Board Representative of ICC Cricket Com.
 BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has been appointed to the ICC Cricket Committee as the Member
Board Representative.
 Mahela Jayawardene was reappointed as the Past Player representative.
 From the 2022-23 season, one neutral and one home umpire in Tests will be allowed.
 It has also been announced that South Africa will host the inaugural ICC U-19 Women's T20
World Cup.
Manoj Soni appointed as new UPSC Chairman
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 Dr Manoj Soni has been appointed as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission
(UPSC).
 He is currently a member of the UPSC.
 He served as the country's youngest Vice-Chancellor in 2005, of MS University.
 He also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University in
Ahmedabad between August 2009 to July 2015.
IndiGo appoints Vikram Mehta, former IAF Chief BS Dhanoa to its board
 IndiGo has appointed Vikram Singh Mehta and former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa as the
Independent Non-Executive Directors.
 Vikram Singh Mehta is currently Chairman and Distinguished Fellow of CSEP (Centre for Social
and Economic Progress).
 BS Dhanoa served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South-Western Air Command
before taking over as the Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS) in May 2015.
India Pulses and Grains Association appoints Bimal Kothari as Chairman
 India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) has announced the appointment of Bimal Kothari as
the new Chairman with immediate effect.
 Jitu Bheda has stepped down as the current Chairman.
 Bheda was appointed the Chairman of IPGA on 25th April 2018.
 Bimal Kothari has been the Vice Chairman of IPGA since 2011 when it was formed.
 IPGA is the apex body for India's pulses trade and industry.
N Chandrasekaran takes charge as Tata Digital Chairman
 Tata Sons Executive Chairman N Chandrasekaran has formally taken charge as Chairman of
Tata Digital.
 He was reappointed as the Chairman of Tata Sons for another five years in February 2021.
 At present, Tata's digital strategy is being spearheaded by its CEO Pratik Pal along with Mukesh
Bansal, founder of Cultfit.
 Tata Digital announced the launch of its super app Tata Neu in April 2022.
S. Iqbal Singh Lalpura assumes charge as Chairperson, NCM
 The govt has re-appointed retired Punjab-cadre IPS officer Iqbal Singh Lalpura as the
Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities.
 He had earlier retired as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Punjab Police.
 He was first appointed as Chairman in September 2021.
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 He served as the senior superintendent of police of Amritsar Rural, Kapurthala and Tarn Taran
districts.
Lloyd ropes in Sourav Ganguly as brand ambassador for EIM
 Llyod has roped in former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador for
eastern Indian markets.
 He will endorse Lloyd's range of consumer durables, through promotion, advertising, and
marketing as a part of the association.
 Ganguly is currently the President of BCCI.
 Lloyd's product portfolio comprises air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators and LED
TVs.
PNB, IDBI Bank get new Directors on their boards
 The government has nominated new directors on the boards of Punjab National Bank and IDBI
Bank.
 Pankaj Sharma has been nominated as a Director of PNB with immediate effect and until
further orders.
 He is presently the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services.
 Manoj Sahay and Sushil Kumar Singh have been nominated as Directors on the board of IDBI
Bank.
Shehbaz Sharif elected as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister
 Pakistan’s parliament has elected Shehbaz Sharif as the country’s new Prime Minister following
the removal of Imran Khan in a vote of no confidence.
 He will now form a new government that can remain in place until August 2023, when general
elections are due.
 No Prime Minister has ever completed a five-year term in office during the country’s nearly 75-
year history.
Vikas Kumar takes charge as the new Chief of Delhi Metro
 Vikas Kumar took over as the new Managing Director (MD) of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
(DMRC) with effect from April 1, 2022.
 Kumar is taking over the post from Dr Mangu Singh, who was the DMRC MD since January 1,
2012.
 An officer of the 1988 batch of Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), Kumar worked with the
Indian Railways in various capacities before joining DMRC in September 2004.
Mahesh Verma appointed as NABH Chairman
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 Dr Mahesh Verma has been appointed the new Chairman of the National Accreditation Board
for Hospitals and Healthcare providers (NABH).
 He is the Vice-Chancellor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University.
 He is a recipient of Padma Shri as well as the Dr B. C. Roy Award.
 He has also received the National Science and Technology award.
Dr Arunabha Ghosh appointed to the UN High-Level Expert Group
 UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Dr Arunabha Ghosh to his new ‘High-
Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities’.
 The group will help in developing stronger and clearer standards for net-zero emissions pledges
by non-state entities.
 Dr Ghosh will be among three Asians (and the only South Asian) serving on the expert group.
UNHRC appoints Ian Fry as climate change expert
 The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has appointed an expert on climate change and human
rights for the first time.
 The new position was formally created by UNHRC in October 2021.
 The first to hold the post will be Ian Fry.
 Fry, who teaches environmental policy part-time at an Australian university, was one of 26
candidates for the position.
 The appointment is for three years.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić wins new term
 Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vučić has won the presidential elections and secured a new term.
 He has been serving as the President of Serbia since 2017.
 He also served as the PM of Serbia for two terms, from 2014 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2017.
 Serbia is a country in Southeast Europe with its capital being Belgrade.
 Its currency is the Serbian dinar.
Wipro appoints Anis Chenchah as CEO for APMEA
 Wipro Ltd has appointed Anis Chenchah as a member of the Wipro Executive Board and Chief
Executive Officer, APMEA (Asia Pacific, India, Middle East and Africa).
 Prior to this, he worked with Capgemini as Global CEO of its Business Services and as a member
of the Group Executive Committee.
 He also held various leadership roles in Capgemini Financial Services across Europe and the
Middle East.
RBI approves re-appointment of Murli Natrajan as MD-CEO of DCB Bank
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 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Murli M Natrajan as the
MD and CEO of DCB Bank for a period of two years, from April 29, 2022, to April 28, 2024.
 Natrajan has been the MD and CEO of the bank since April 2009.
 In 2024, he will complete 15 years at the helm of the bank.
 RBI has capped the tenure of bank chief executives at 15 years.
Elon Musk joins Twitter's Board of Directors
 Elon Musk has joined Twitter's Board of Directors.
 He has taken a 9% stake in the social media platform.
 His term will be expiring at Twitter's 2024 annual shareholders' meeting.
 Musk, either alone or as a member of a group, won't be allowed to own more than 14.9% of
Twitter's outstanding stock for as long as he's a board member and for 90 days after.
Imran Khan nominates former Chief Justice of Pakistan as caretaker PM
 Imran Khan has been de-notified as the PM of Pakistan, in wake of the dissolution of the
National Assembly by the President.
 He has nominated former Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed for the office of caretaker Prime Minister.
 The Constitution of Pakistan empowers the President to appoint a caretaker PM in consultation
with the PM and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing National Assembly.
Union Govt appoints Vinay Mohan Kwatra as new Foreign Secretary
 India’s envoy to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra has been appointed as the new Foreign Secretary,
succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla who will retire at the end of April 2022.
 Kwatra is a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and will take charge on 30 April'22.
 Before his diplomatic posting to Nepal in 2020, he served as the Ambassador of India to France
from August 2017 to February 2020.
Viktor Orban wins new term as Hungary’s Prime Minister
 Viktor Orban won a fourth consecutive and fifth overall term as Prime Minister of Hungary on 3
April 2022.
 He is already the longest-serving head of government in the European Union.
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 He has been serving as the PM since 2010 and previously held the office from 1998 to 2002.
 Hungary is a country in Central Europe and its capital is Budapest.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant allocates portfolios
 In his 2nd term as the CM of Goa, Pramod Sawant on 3 April'22, allocated portfolios to his
cabinet colleagues.
 He himself will hold the charge of Home, Finance, Personnel, Vigilance, and Official languages
departments in the state.
 Vishwajit Rane has been given Health and Town and Country Planning portfolios.
 Ravi Naik has been given Agriculture, Handicrafts, and Civil Supplies portfolios.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah's term as ACC President extended by one year
 BCCI Secretary Jay Shah's tenure as President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has been
extended by a year.
 He took over as the President of the ACC in January 2021 from Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)
President Nazmul Hassan.
 He is the youngest administrator to be re-appointed as ACC President.
 Shah's extension was proposed by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva.
TCS re-appoints Rajesh Gopinathan as MD and CEO for five years
 The board of Tata Consultancy Services has re-appointed Rajesh Gopinathan as the Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer for five years, from 21 Feb 2022 to 20 Feb 2027.
 Rajesh Gopinathan has been the CEO and MD of TCS since 2017.
 The company has also re-appointed N Ganapathy Subramaniam as the Chief Operating Officer
and Executive Director from February 21, 2022, to May 19, 2024.
Serdar Berdimuhamedov becomes Turkmenistan's new President
 Serdar Berdimuhamedov has become Turkmenistan's new President.
 He will take over from his father and outgoing President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
 He was serving as Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Gurbanguly.
 Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia and its capital is Ashgabat.
 Its currency is Turkmenistani manat.
Lt Gen SS Mahal assumes charge of Army Training Command, Shimla
 Lieutenant General SS Mahal assumed charge of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC),
Shimla on April 1.
 Former Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla was appointed as ARTRAC chief on 1 May 2020 and was granted the
charge of looking after training aspects of the force.
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 The Army Training Command (ARTRAC) came into being on 1 October 1991, at Mhow in Madhya
Pradesh. It subsequently shifted to Shimla on Mar 31, 1993.
PharmEasy appoints Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador
 PharmEasy, a consumer healthcare app has launched its latest campaign starring the
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador.
 As the face of the brand, he will also accentuate how medicines, diagnostic tests, and
healthcare products are conveniently available at customers’ fingertips through the
#GharBaitheBaitheTakeItEasy campaign.
 The brand is managed by API Holdings Limited.
Mahindra Manulife Mutual Fund appoints Anthony Heredia as MD and CEO
 Mahindra Manulife Mutual Fund has announced the appointment of Mr Anthony Heredia as the
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer on 1st April 2022.
 Mr Heredia will succeed Mr Ashutosh Bishnoi, who retired on 31st March 2022.
 He has more than 26 years of rich experience in the fund industry throughout his career
handling a variety of leadership roles.
Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar is new NDA Commandant
 Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, AVSM, NM assumed the appointment of Commandant, National
Defence Academy on 01 Apr 2022 from Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor, AVSM, VM.
 Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar was commissioned in the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 1988.
 His other command appointments include INS Kirpan, a missile Corvette and missile vessels
during Operation Parakram.
Dr. S Raju Takes over as DG, Geological Survey of India
 Dr. S Raju has taken over as the Director-General of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on 01
April 2022.
 He succeeds Shri R. S. Garkhal who superannuated on 31st March 2022.
 Prior to assuming the present post, Dr Raju was holding the post of Additional Director General
and National Head, Mission-III & IV at GSI HQ.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Mahindru assumed charge as Dy Chief of Naval Staff
 Vice Admiral Sanjay Mahindru, AVSM, NM assumed charge as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff
on 31 Mar 22.
 Vice Admiral Sanjay Mahindru is an alumni of NDA, Pune.
 He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 85 and is a Submarine and Navigation
Specialist.
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 The Flag Officer was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018, Nau Sena Medal in 2002.
 He succeeded Vice Admiral Ravneet Singh.
Microland names Gopal Sharma as the Chief Information Officer
 Microland, India's leading digital IT transformation company, announced on 01 April'22 the
appointment of Gopal Sharma as its Chief Information Officer.
 Gopal has been a part of the company since 2018 and was responsible to define Microland's
digital transformation.
 Incorporated in 1989 and headquartered in Bengaluru, India, Microland has more than 4,500
digital specialists.
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Person in News Current Affairs

and Sri Lanka.
West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard announces retirement
 West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard has announced his retirement from international cricket.
 Pollard, who was the captain of West Indies' limited-overs teams played a total of 123 ODIs and
101 T20Is.
 He has been an integral part of the Mumbai Indians team in the IPL for several years.
 The highlight of his international career is hitting six sixes in a T20I.
Boris Johnson becomes first UK PM to visit Sabarmati Ashram
 On 21 April 2022, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first UK PM to visit the
Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat.
 It is the place from where Gandhi Ji led India's struggle for freedom from the British colonial rule
for more than a decade.
 Boris Johnson is also the first British PM to visit Gujarat post-1947.
 Currently, he is on a 2-day visit to India.
Elon Musk to not join Twitter board
 Elon Musk has decided not to join the board of Twitter.
 His appointment was due to become effective on 9 April 2022 after revealing that he had
bought a 9.2% stake in the social media platform.
 He however remains Twitter's largest shareholder.
 Elon Musk is the founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer at SpaceX, and also the founder and CEO of
Tesla.
Imran Khan loses no-confidence motion, ousted as Pakistan PM
 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government was ousted from power on 9 April 2022
after he failed the no-confidence motion moved against him by the opposition.
 He served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan since 2018.
 He is also a former cricketer.
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 Khan scored 3,807 runs and took 362 wickets in Test cricket and was inducted into the ICC
Cricket Hall of Fame.
US Senate confirms Ketanji Brown as first Black women to sit in SC
 The United States Senate has confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to sit
in the country's highest court.
 Currently a judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, Jackson will replace retiring Supreme
Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
 Judge Jackson will be just the third Black justice, after Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas,
and the sixth woman.
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Obituaries Current Affairs

Former women's hockey team captain Elvera Britto passes away
 Former Indian women's hockey team captain Elvera Britto passed away in April 2022.
 Elvera ruled the domestic circuit from 1960 to 1967, guiding Karnataka to seven national titles.
 She represented India against Australia, Sri Lanka and Japan.
 In 1965, Elvera became only the second woman hockey player to be conferred with the Arjuna
Award after Anne Lumsden (1961).
World's oldest person, Kane Tanaka, dies in Japan aged 119
 Kane Tanaka, the world's oldest person, died in Japan aged 119, in April 2022.
 Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903.
 She became the oldest living person in January 2019 at the age of 116 years and 28 days.
 She is also the second oldest person ever recorded, behind only Jeanne Calment who lived to
the age of 122.
Legendary Odia Musician Prafulla Kar passes away
 Legendary Odia singer and music director Prafulla Kar passed away in April 2022.
 He was popular for his numerous songs including 'Kamala Desha Rajakumara'.
 He had received the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2015 and was honoured with Jayadeva
award in 2004.
 He had received the state film award eight times, six times in a row.
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Richard Howard passes away
 Richard Howard, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, passed away in April 2022.
 Howard was a professor emeritus at Columbia University.
 He won the poetry Pulitzer in 1970 for "Untitled Subjects" and was a National Book Award
finalist in 2008 for "Without Saying."
 His translation of Charles Baudelaire's "Les Fleurs du Mal" won the National Book Award (then
called the American Book Award) in 1983.
Oscar-winning filmmaker John Zaritsky passes away
 Veteran filmmaker John Zaritsky, well known for winning an Oscar in 1983 for best documentary
feature for 'Just Another Missing Kid', passed away, in March 2022.
 During a career that spanned 40 years, Zaritsky also directed documentaries on thalidomide,
the notorious drug introduced in Europe in the late 1950s.
 Zaritsky's work has been screened at more than 40 film festivals.
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Visionary US Astrophysicist Eugene Parker passes away

 Eugene Parker, an American astrophysicist passed away in March 2022.
 Parker was hailed as a visionary who laid the groundwork for the field of heliophysics, the
science of understanding the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system, including
space weather.
 In 2018, he became the first person to witness the launch of a spacecraft bearing his name,
NASA's Parker Solar Probe.
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Science and Technology Current Affairs

SpaceX launches 'Crew 4' astronauts on flight to space station
 Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX launched four more astronauts on a flight to the
International Space Station (ISS) for NASA on 27 April 2022.
 The SpaceX launch vehicle, consisting of a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket topped with a Crew
Dragon capsule dubbed Freedom, lifted off from Florida.
 The crew will begin a six-month science mission orbiting some 250 miles (420 km) above Earth.
IIT Madras study finds painkiller effective against Covid-19
 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Indomethacin has shown excellent efficacy in the
treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 patients during the trial.
 It was designed by IIT Madras.
 The study further revealed that Indomethacin works with all variants.
 The study was conducted at Panimalar Medical College and Research Institute and has been
published in Nature Scientific Reports.
China launches Zhongxing-6D satellite
 China successfully launched Zhongxing-6D, a new satellite into space, in April 2022.
 It was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China's Sichuan
Province.
 The satellite, launched by a Long March-3B carrier rocket, entered the planned orbit
successfully.
 The launch of Zhongxing-6D marked the 415th mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.
IIIT Hyderabad hosts first national symposium under QuEST
 IIIT Hyderabad hosted the first national symposium under the Quantum Enabled Science and
Technology (QuEST) program from 11-13 Apr'22.
 It was hosted by IIITH's Centre for Quantum Science and Technology (CQST) with a focus on the
latest research and developments in the areas of Quantum Computing, Quantum Information
Science and Quantum Technology.
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Pixxel launches its first satellite Shakuntala aboard SpaceX
 India's space tech startup Pixxel has successfully launched its first commercial satellite called
'Shakuntala' with SpaceX`s Falcon-9 rocket.
 It hosts one of the highest resolution hyperspectral commercial cameras ever flown to space.
 It is capable of capturing orbital images in more than 150 bands of colour from the visible and
infrared spectrum with a resolution of 10 m per pixel.
China successfully launches new satellite for Earth observation
 China successfully launched a new Earth observation satellite on 7 April 2022.
 Gaofen-3 03 was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre by a Long March-4C rocket
and has entered the planned orbit successfully.
 It will be networked with the orbiting Gaofen-3 and Gaofen-3 02 satellites to form a land-sea
radar satellite constellation and will capture synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images.
supersonic speeds.
Delhi govt-run IGDTUW signs pact with Malaysian university
 Delhi government-run Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women has signed a pact
with the Universiti Malaysia Perlis.
 It will promote bilateral research opportunities in the field of science and technology.
 Under the MoU, both universities have a provision for student and faculty exchange along with
bilateral research opportunities, and joint international conferences.
Jupiter's identical twin discovered about 17,000 light-yrs away
 Jupiter's near-identical twin has been discovered.
 The exoplanet, referred to as K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb, orbits its star at a similar distance from its
star as Jupiter is from the Sun.
 The study has been published as a preprint on ArXiv.org and submitted to the journal Monthly
Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
 The exoplanet is about 17,000 light-years from the Earth.
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Anurag Singh Thakur launches new rare chemical Reference Materials

 Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur launched six new and rare Reference
Materials (RMs) on 3 April 2022.
 They have been developed by National Dope Testing Laboratory with the National Institute of
Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Guwahati.
 These are the purest form of chemical required for anti-doping analysis in all WADA-accredited
laboratories across the world.
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Sports Current Affairs

PV Sindhu wins bronze medal at Asia Badminton Championships
 In Asia Badminton Championships, PV Sindhu won her second Asian bronze medal after losing
to Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the semifinal in Manila, in April 2022.
 PV Sindhu is a two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion.
 This is Sindhu's second medal in the tournament, she had claimed a bronze in the 2014
Gimcheon edition.
Sartaj Singh Tiwana wins gold medal in 50-m rifle at KIUG
 Sartaj Singh Tiwana defeated Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar to win a gold medal in
the finals of the 50-metre rifle three positions event at the Khelo India University Games in
Bengaluru.
 He represented Lovely Professional University.
 In the men's 10-meter pistol final Varun Tomar from CCS Meerut won a gold medal, and
Surinder Singh from Punjabi University won silver.
Siva Sridhar claims seven gold at Khelo India University Games
 At the end of the sixth day of the Khelo India University Games in Bengaluru, the Jain University
won the highest number of medals, on 28 April 2022.
 With 16 gold, five silver, and three bronze medals, it occupies the first place in the medal tally
currently.
 Siva Sridhar was the star performer winning seven gold and two silver medals in swimming.
1 national record broken in weightlifting at Khelo India Univ. Games
 Maharshi Dayanand University's Komal Kohar won the first gold of the Khelo University Games
2021.
 Participating in the 45kg class weightlifting competition, she broke the record in all 3 categories
(Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Combined).
 Earlier, Ann Mariya had broken the national combined record with a total lift of 231 kg at the
National Weightlifting Championship in Bhubaneswar in March 2022.
Russia stripped of 2023 world ice hockey championship
 The 2023 ice hockey world championship will be moved from Russia.
 This was informed by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
 The federation had already stripped Russia of the junior world championship for the same
reason.
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 The tournament was awarded to Russia in 2018 and was due to be held from May 5-21, 2023 in
Saint Petersburg.
Badminton Asia Championships 2022 begin
 Badminton Asia Championships 2022, the biggest on the continent, began on 26 April 2022 in
Manila, Philippines.
 Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will lead India's challenge at the six-day
event.
 The event will end on 1 May 2022 and is the 40th edition of the tournament.
 The winners in each category will earn 12,000 BWF World Ranking points.
Aryan Panchal wins gold medal in Swimming at Khelo India Games
 In the Swimming 200-metre butterfly event, Aryan Panchal won gold medal by clocking a timing
of 2:04:72 minutes, at Khelo India University Games in April 2022.
 In the Mallakhamb team event, the University of Mumbai earned the first position followed by
Savitribai Phule University.
 In the 98-kg senior Weightlifting event, Vaishnav Thakur from Savitribai Phule University, Pune
won gold medal.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
 Formula One champion Max Verstappen won Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on 24 April 2022.
 Verstappen picked up his second win of the season.
 Lando Norris was third for McLaren.
 Lewis Hamilton finished 13th.
 Charles LeClerc finished sixth.
Andrey Rublev wins Serbia Open
 Andrey Rublev defeated world no.1 Novak Djokovic to capture his third tour-level title of the
season on 24 April 2022.
 He defeated Novak Djokovic by 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-0.
 Rublev has now equalled Spaniard Rafael Nadal for the most tour-level titles in 2022, having
also clinched crowns in Marseille and Dubai in February 2022.
Deepak Punia wins silver medal in Asian Wrestling Championships
 Tokyo Olympian Deepak Punia settled for a silver medal in the men’s freestyle 86 kg at the 2022
Asian Wrestling Championships, on 24 April 2022.
 Viky bagged a bronze in the 92 kg category.
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 India finished with a total tally of 17 medals — one gold, five silver and 11 bronze at
Ulaanbaatar.
 Tokyo medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya won the solitary gold in the men’s 57kg weight class.
Govind Sunil Mahajan wins gold at Khelo India University Games
 In Khelo India University Games, weightlifter Govind Sunil Mahajan won gold and Uday Anil
Mahajan won silver.
 Both represented Kaviyatri Bahinabai Chaudhuri North Maharashtra University.
 Maharshi Dayanand University's Komal Kohar won gold in the women's weightlifting 45kg class.
 Over at the shooting range, Delhi University's Paarth Makhija topped the list with 628.6 points.
Khelo India University Games 2021 begin on 24 April 2022
 Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu declared the second Khelo India University Games
2021 open at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Bengaluru on 24 April 2022.
 The games are being hosted by Jain University with support from the Karnataka State
Government and the Sports Authority of India.
 About 3879 competitors from 200-plus universities will be participating in 20 disciplines.
and Sri Lanka.
West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard announces retirement
 West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard has announced his retirement from international cricket.
 Pollard, who was the captain of West Indies' limited-overs teams played a total of 123 ODIs and
101 T20Is.
 He has been an integral part of the Mumbai Indians team in the IPL for several years.
 The highlight of his international career is hitting six sixes in a T20I.
Anshu Malik and Radhika win silver at Asian Wrestling Championships
 At Asian Wrestling Championships at Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, Indian women wrestlers Anshu
Malik and Radhika won silver in the 57kg and 65 kg freestyle categories on 22 April 2022.
 Manisha clinched bronze in the 62 kg women's freestyle category defeating Korea's Hanbit Lee
4-2.
 Anshu had also won a bronze in the 2020 edition and the 57kg class gold in Almaty in 2021.
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Tarini Goyal wins Woman International Master (WIM) norm

 Tarini Goyal bagged the Woman International Master (WIM) norm in Budapest, Hungary, in
April 2022.
 She had already crossed the ELO rating of 2200 in 2016 and earned two WIM norms while
playing in Greece (2018) and Abu Dhabi (2019).
 With this latest norm, Tarini completed the mandatory requirement of three WIM norms and
touched her peak rating of 2226 to bag the WIM title.
Jasprit Bumrah among Wisden's five 'Cricketers of the Year'
 India captain Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah have been named among five players in
Wisden's 'Cricketers of the Year' in the 2022 edition of the Almanack.
 The list also features New Zealand's, Devon Conway.
 England's Joe Root has been named the leading cricketer in the world, while South African
women's team batter Lizelle Lee has been awarded the title of leading woman cricketer.
Indian GM Gukesh wins title at La Roda International tourney
 India's youngest Grandmaster D Gukesh emerged victorious in the 48th La Roda International
Open Chess tournament, scoring eight points from nine rounds.
 He defeated Israel’s Victor Mikhalevski in the final round on 17 April 2022.
 Gukesh’s compatriot R Praggnanandhaa, took the third spot.
 He finished with seven points but won the third prize on the basis of a better tie-break score.
3 Greco Roman Indian wrestlers win bronze medals in wrestling
 Wrestlers of India, including Sunil Kumar, won bronze medals on 19 April 2022 on the first day of
the Asian Wrestling Championship.
 This is for the second time that Sunil has earned a podium finish at the Asian championships,
having won the 87 kg title in the 2020 edition.
 In the 55kg competition, Arjun Halakurki defeated Davaabandi Munkh Erdene to win the bronze
medal.
Haryana wins 12th Senior Men’s National Hockey Championship
 Haryana were crowned the champions of the 12th Senior Men's National Hockey Championship
here, beating Tamil Nadu 3-1 in the shootout after the final ended 1-1 in the regulation time, on
17 April 2022.
 Haryana won the trophy for the first time since 2011.
 Karnataka prevailed over Maharashtra 4-3 in the third/fourth place classification match.
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83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship begins

 In Meghalaya, the 83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship began on 19 Apr'22 at SAI
Indoor Stadium, NEHU, Shillong.
 The event is being organised by the Meghalaya Table Tennis Associations in collaboration with
the Dept of Sports Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya under the aegis of the Table Tennis
Federation of India.
 Around 450 players from 36 different teams are participating.
Senior Asian Wrestling Championship begins in Mongolia
 The senior Asian Wrestling Championship began on 19 April 2022 in Mongolia.
 30 Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia, will participate
in the event.
 A total of 20 wrestlers from the men’s team across the Freestyle and Greco-Roman categories
and 10 from the women’s team are participating in the event.
Mobile app for Khelo India University Games-2021 launched
 In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the second edition of Khelo India University Games to be held in
Bengaluru will have its own mobile application.
 The unique 'Khelo India Uni Games 2021' mobile app promises to be a one-stop-shop for all
information regarding the prestigious event scheduled to begin on April 24.
 It is the brainchild of the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES).
Mandeep Singh wins North India Bodybuilding C'ship in Panchkula
 Mandeep Singh, from Chandigarh, was declared the overall winner in the Bodybuilding North
India and Tricity competition category at the 2nd edition of "NPC North India and Mr Tricity"
bodybuilding and physique championship.
 It was held in Panchkula on 17 April 2022.
 The mega event was organised by the National Physique Committee (NPC) North India.
Sajan Prakash wins gold medal at Danish Open swimming meet
 Sajan Prakash won a gold medal in men's 200m butterfly event at the Danish Open swimming
meet in Copenhagen, Denmark, in April 2022.
 Competing in his first international meet for 2022, Prakash stopped the clock at 1.59.27.
 Shakthi Balakrishnan finished second in the 'B' Final and eight overall in the women's 400m
medley.
 The Danish Open 2022 is being held in Copenhagen from 15-19 April.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar becomes first to scalp 150 wickets in IPL

 Bhuvneshwar Kumar on 17 Apr'22, became the first Indian pacer to reach the milestone of 150
wickets in the Indian Premier League history.
 He achieved the feat while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad during the IPL 2022 match against
Punjab Kings at Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai.
 After Dwayne Bravo (174) and Lasith Malinga (170), Kumar is overall just the third pacer to bag
150 wickets in IPL.
Tamil Nadu wins National basketball Championship
 Tamil Nadu defeated defending champion Punjab 87-69 in the final to win the men's title in the
71st Senior National Basketball Championship in April 2022.
 Karnataka and Railways were at 3rd and 4th position, respectively.
 Indian Railways team won the women's title, beating Telangana 131-82.
 Tamil Nadu and Kerala were in 3rd and 4th place, respectively, in the women's match.
Vedaant Madhavan wins silver medal at Danish Open swimming meet
 Vedaant Madhavan bagged a silver medal in the men's 1500m freestyle event at the Danish
Open swimming meet in Copenhagen, Denmark, in April 2022.
 Vedaant, son of Indian actor R Madhavan, clocked 15.57.86 to finish second in the 10-swimmer
final.
 He had earlier won a bronze medal at the Latvia Open in March 2021, and seven medals at the
Junior National Aquatic Championships.
Cricketer Joe Root steps down from England's Test captaincy
 Joe Root has stepped down as England Test captain.
 He holds the record for the most number of matches and wins as England Test captain.
 His 27 victories put him ahead of Michael Vaughan (26), Alastair Cook, and Andrew Strauss (24
each).
 He took over from Alastair Cook in 2017 as the captain.
 He is currently England's second-highest Test run-scorer of all time.
India to host Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023
 India will host the Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023.
 Organised by Street Child United and Save the Children India, the Street Child Cricket World
Cup will welcome 22 teams from 16 countries to India.
 In 2019, this championship was held in London where eight teams competed, and Team India
South lifted the cup after beating hosts England.
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 This event will take place in September 2023.

Odisha CM unveils logo of 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup
 Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik unveiled the logo of FIH Senior Men’s Hockey World Cup
2023 at Kalinga Stadium on 14 April 2022, in Bhubaneswar.
 The state will organize the tournament both in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from January 13 to
29, 2023.
 In 2024, FIH will be in Muscat, Oman.
 FIH HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland
 Chairman: Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra
R Pragganandhaa wins Reykjavik Open chess tournament
 Young Indian Grandmaster R Pragganandhaa won the prestigious Reykjavik Open chess
tournament with 7.5 points from nine rounds, in April 2022.
 The 16-year-old Pragganandhaa defeated Grandmaster D Gukesh in the final round to emerge
the sole winner.
 He became the youngest international master in 2016 at the age of 10 years, 10 months, and 19
days.
Rohit Sharma becomes 2nd Indian after Virat Kohli to score 10,000 runs
 Rohit Sharma has become the second Indian batter to complete 10,000 runs in T20 cricket for
men.
 He achieved this historic milestone during the match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on 13 April
2022 in Pune.
 With this milestone, Rohit Sharma also became the seventh batsman overall to reach the 10,000
run-mark in T20s.
 Virat Kohli became the first Indian batter to score 10,000 T20 runs in 2021.
Ravichandran becomes first player to get retired out in IPL history
 Rajasthan Royals' Ravichandran Ashwin became the first player in IPL history to get retired out
during the clash against Lucknow Super Giants, in April 2022.
 He scored 28 runs from 23 balls.
 Hailed as the new innovation in T20 cricket, retired-out dismissals are made by teams to
maximise each ball.
 If a batter retires during his innings for any reason, he/she is considered retired out.
Australia's Victoria state to host 2026 Commonwealth Games
 The Australian state of Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
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 The 2026 Games will be held in four regional hubs in the towns of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo
and Gippsland.
 The state has confirmed 16 sports for the Games so far, including aquatics, cycling, and
Twenty20 cricket.
 The 2022 Commonwealth Games are due to be held in Birmingham, England, from July 28 to
August 8, 2022.
Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery Tournament from 12 Apr
 The Sports Authority of India has approved a total amount of Rs 75 lakh to host the Khelo India
National Ranking Women Archery Tournament over six phases.
 TATA Archery Academy, Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) is set to host the first phase of the
tournament on April 12 and 13, 2022.
 The tournament will be held across the Recurve and Compound events in the senior, junior, and
cadet categories.
Charles Leclerc wins Australian F1 Grand Prix
 Charles Leclerc dominated the Australian Grand Prix on 10 April to win for the second time in
2022.
 Sergio Perez finished second and Mercedes’ George Russell finished third.
 Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth and sixth respectively.
 Formula 1 now heads to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on April 24, followed by the
inaugural Miami Grand Prix on May 8, 2022.
India bags 10 medals at the Thailand Open boxing
 Amit Panghal and Ashish Kumar settled for silver medals in the men’s 52kg and 81kg events,
respectively, at the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament 2022 in Phuket on 9 April
2022.
 India finished the tournament with 10 medals – 3 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze.
 Govind Sahani (men’s 48kg), Ananta Pralhad Chopde (men’s 54kg) and Sumit Kundu (men’s
75kg) were the three gold medal winners.
India wins Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles Squash titles in Glasgow
 Dipika Pallikal won the women's doubles and mixed doubles titles with Joshna Chinappa and
Saurav Ghosal, respectively at the World Doubles Squash Championships in Glasgow on 9 April
2022.
 Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal defeated England's Adrian Waller and Alison Waters 11-6, 11-8
in the final at the Scotstoun Leisure Centre.
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 They became India's first-ever World Doubles squash champions.

Riya Jadon wins 11th DGC Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship
 Riya Jadon won the 11th edition of the DGC Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship on 7 April
2022.
 She defeated her older sister Lavanya Jadon with a title score of 232 (78, 80, 74).
 Riya also won the junior girls trophy.
 Over a hundred women golfers took part in the tournament, which resumed at the Delhi Golf
Club after a two-year gap.
Mithun Manjunath wins silver medal in men's singles
 In badminton, Mithun Manjunath won a silver medal after losing to Toma Junior Popov of
France in the men’s singles final of the Orleans Masters 2022 badminton tournament in Orleans,
France.
 The 79th ranked Mithun was defeated by 21-11, 21-19.
 The only other Indian players to reach the semi-finals of the Orleans Masters 2022 were Ashwini
Bhat K. and Shikha Gautam in the women's doubles.
Ann Mariya wins gold medal at National Weightlifting Championship
 Ann Mariya M.T. won the women's +87kg gold medal with a national record-making aggregate
of 231kg on the concluding day of the National weightlifting championships in March 2022.
 The finals were held at the KIIT University campus in Bhubaneswar.
 Gurdeep Singh created snatch (172kg), clean and jerk (221kg) and total (391kg) records to win the
men's +109kg gold medal.
SAI releases Rs 7.22 crore as Out of Pocket Allowance to athletes
 The Sports Authority of India has released a total of Rs 7.22 cr as an Out of Pocket Allowance
(OPA) for 2,509 Khelo India Athletes across 21 disciplines, including for the months of Jan-March
2022.
 Financial assistance of Rs 6.28 lakh is allocated for each residential athlete training at the
accredited academies.
 The funding has been done as per the Khelo India Talent Development Scheme.
ICC Women's World Cup: Australia lifts title for the seventh time
 Australia was crowned the winner of the 2022 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, on 3 April 2022.
 This was their seventh title.
 Australia defeated England in the final by 71 runs at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand.
180 | P a g e
 Alyssa Healy became the first batter in the history of the game to hit a hundred in the semi-final
and the final of World Cup.
FIDE hands over hosting rights to India for FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022
 International Chess Federation (FIDE) President Arkady Dvorkovich officially handed over the
hosting rights to India for the organization of the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 on 01 april 2022.
 In 2022, India secured the bid to host FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 in Chennai.
 The FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 will take place from July 28, 2022, to August 14, 2022, in Chennai.
La'eeb Announced as Official Mascot for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
 FIFA has unveiled La'eeb as the official mascot for this year's FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
 La'eeb is an Arabic word meaning super-skilled player.
 The tournament will take place from November 21 to December 18, 2022.
 La'eeb will be known for his youthful spirit; spreading joy and confidence everywhere.
Dwayne Bravo becomes highest wicket-taker in Indian Premier League
 Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Dwayne Bravo on 31 Mar'22 became the highest wicket-taker
in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with 171 wickets to his name.
 Bravo achieved this feat during the clash against Lucknow Super Giants on 31 Mar'22 here at
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.
 Bravo went ahead of former Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga, who has 170 IPL wickets to his
name.
Union Sports Min launched logo, mascot & anthem of Khelo India 2021
 Governor of Karnataka Shri TC Gehlot and Union Sports Minister Shri Anurag Singh Thakur
launch the logo, jersey, mascot and anthem of Khelo India University Games 2021 in Bengaluru
on 01 April'22.
 Gehlot launched the logo and official mascot of the game Veera.
 While Shri Thakur launched the official jersey of the games as well as the anthem, sung by
Chandan Shetty and Nikhil Joshi.
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Summits and Conferences Current Affairs

PM Modi inaugurates Chief Ministers-Chief Justices conference
 PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High
Courts on 30 April 2022.
 The event was being held after a gap of six years.
 The Joint Conference is an occasion for the executive and the judiciary to come together to
create frameworks for simple and convenient delivery of justice and to discuss steps required to
overcome the challenges.
Russian FM Lavrov holds bilateral talks with S. Jaishankar in Delhi
 On 01 April'22, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also Meets PM Narendra Modi.
 In the Meeting, Russia offers India, a big discount on the purchase of 15 million barrels of oil.
 Russia offers India its flagship Urals grade at discounts of as much as $35 a barrel.
Prime Minister interacts with students: 5th Pariksha Pe Charcha Program
 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, interacted with students on the subject of upcoming
exams in the 5th Pariksha Pe Charcha Programme.
 The programme was organised at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi.
 More than 75000 EMRS students and faculty of about 350 Eklavya Model Residential Schools
attended the session.
 Students of grades 9th to 12th, parents, and teachers interacted with PM.
NDDB organizes National Conclave on 'Production of Bees Wax'
 National Conclave on “Production of Bees Wax” was organized by National Dairy Development
Board (NDDB), Gujarat in collaboration with the National Bee Board (NBB), Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on 30th Mar'22
 The objective of this National Conclave is to create awareness about the production of Bee Wax
 NDDB, NAFED &TRIFED have been identified as implementing agencies under NBHM
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Current Affairs Monthly Capsule | April 2022

Art and Culture Current Affairs

Awards and Honours Current Affairs

Banking Current Affairs

Cabinet approves signing of MoU between SEBI and FRC, Mongolia

 The GDP growth will be lowered to 7.2%.

Books and Authors Current Affairs

Business and Economy Current Affairs

 HDFC now holds 4.95% of the paid-up share capital of Bandhan.

Committees and Recommendations Current Affairs

Defence Current Affairs

Government Schemes and Policies Current Affairs

Days and Events Current Affairs

 The first vaccine was developed for smallpox in 1796.

English Language Day: 23 April

 Easter was celebrated on 17 April 2022.

Himachal Pradesh Day: 15 April

 He established the Finance Commission of India.

International Current Affairs

Beijing releases book titled "Missile Life"

English Language Day: 23 April

 In 2011, the date was moved to April 20.

Elon Musk to not join Twitter board

MoU and Agreements Current Affairs

BHEL, GE Power Conversion ink pact to develop a system for Navy

ONGC ties up with Norway’s Equinor for clean energy

GAIIS witnesses Letter of Intents worth more than Rs.9000 crore

NITI Aayog, UNICEF to assess status of India’s children

IFSCA executes MoU with National Insurance Academy (NIA)

OP Jindal Global University inks MoU with Spanish govt

UP government signs lease agreement with AAI

NTPC inks pact with Gujarat Gas to blend green hydrogen

IIT Madras signs MoU with RNTBCI

National Current Affairs

PM Modi inaugurates Chief Ministers-Chief Justices conference

Narayan Rane inaugurates “Enterprise India”

Reliance Industries becomes 1st to hit Rs 19 lakh cr market valuation

SEBI restructures its advisory committee on market data

 Adani Power entered the ₹1 lakh cr market cap club on 25 Apr'22.

RBI imposes monetary penalty on Central Bank of India

IndusInd Bank bags global 'Celent Model Bank' Award

 CAW is associated with Osmania University for the last 16 years.

President gives assent to Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act

SBI hikes MCLR across all tenors, loan EMIs to go up

India to host Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023

Trishakti Corps conducts EX Kripan Shakti at Teesta field firing range

Haryana launches portal to redress grievances regarding crop insurance

Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ successfully flight tested

 The campaign was launched by the White Ribbon Alliance (WRAI).

 He is the Vice-Chancellor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University.

 This is effective from 1 Jan 2022.

 Now, four UTs have achieved the Covid free status.

Appointments Current Affairs

Person in News Current Affairs

Obituaries Current Affairs

Visionary US Astrophysicist Eugene Parker passes away

Science and Technology Current Affairs

Anurag Singh Thakur launches new rare chemical Reference Materials

Sports Current Affairs

Tarini Goyal wins Woman International Master (WIM) norm

83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship begins

Bhuvneshwar Kumar becomes first to scalp 150 wickets in IPL

 This event will take place in September 2023.