Current Affairs in English – April 1 2023

April 1, 2023

National Events:

Rudrendra Tandon:

• Rudrendra Tandon was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Greece on 31 March 2023. He is a 1994 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, presently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.
• In September 2020 Rudrendra Tandon assumed charge as India’s Ambassador to Afghanistan. He also served as India’s Ambassador to ASEAN Secretariat in 2018.

NILP:

• The government has introduced a new program called the “New India Literacy Programme” (NILP), which is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme that will be implemented for five years from FY 2022-23 to 2026-27.
• The scheme has a financial outlay of Rs. 1037.90 crore, with the Central government contributing Rs. 700.00 crore and the State governments contributing Rs. 337.90 crore.
• The primary objective of the program is to provide literacy to 5.00 crore individuals in the age group of 15 years and above who are currently unable to read or write.

Rajib Kumar Mishra:

• Rajib Kumar Mishra, who is currently the acting chairman of PTC India or formerly Power Trading Corporation of India Limited, has been given a permanent role in the company, despite facing regulatory issues related to its subsidiary.
• He was also awarded the status of Visiting Scholar by the University of Texas, Austin, in 2008 for his post-doctoral research. Mishra completed his graduation in Electrical Engineering from NIT Durgapur and his post-graduation from NTNU, Norway under NORAD Fellowship.

Odisha Day:

• Odisha Day or Utkal Divas is a significant day for the people of Odisha, India as it marks the formation of the state on April 1, 1936. Every year on this day, the state celebrates with cultural programs, parades, and flag hoisting ceremonies.
• Community leaders and politicians give speeches highlighting the state’s achievements and history.
• This event provides the opportunity for the people of Odisha to come together and celebrate their cultural heritage and progress made by the state.
• Odisha, also known as the Land of Lord Jagannath, is famous for its scenic seas and ancient temples, such as the Jagannath Puri Temple and the Sun Temple of Konark, which attract tourists. This year, on April 1, Odisha will celebrate its 88th foundation day.

Vande Bharat:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the new Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express on April 1, 2023 from the Rani Kamalapati station in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• This is the 11th Vande Bharat Express train which will cover a 708 km distance in around seven hours. The Habibganj railway station was renamed Rani Kamalapati station in November 2021 in honor of the famous Gond queen of Bhopal.

World’s first person:

• A 61-year-old plant mycologist in Kolkata has become the world’s first person to be diagnosed with a fungal disease, that usually affects plants.
• The research published on Science Direct reveals that silver leaf is a fungal disease of trees caused by the fungal plant pathogen Chondrostereum purpureum. The pathogen enters the human body through damaged skin and the respiratory tract.

RBI:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)is India’s central bank and regulatory body responsible for regulation of the Indian banking system. It was founded on 1 April 1935 to respond to economic troubles after the First World War.
• The bank was set up based on the recommendations of the Hilton Young Commission in 1926. The RBI was nationalised on 1 January 1949. Governor: Shaktikanta Das.

School Chalo Abhiyan 2023:

• Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, on 1 April 2023, launched the “School Chalo Abhiyan 2023” in Lucknow.
• It aims to ensure 100 percent enrolment in primary and upper primary schools under the Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Council.
• The state government runs the campaign every year and in 2022 it was launched from the aspirational district Shravasti.

‘Sagar-Setu’:

• Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on 31 March 2023 launched the App Version of National Logistics Portal (Marine) ‘Sagar-Setu’.
• The app will enable features like Login Module, Certification, and Track & Trace, etc. It will provide real-time information on activities that are generally not within reach of the importer, exporter, and customs broker.

WhatsApp Banking:

• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), in collaboration with Airtel, announced the launch of WhatsApp Banking Services for IPPB customers in New Delhi on 31 March 2023.
• It will enable IPPB customers to seamlessly connect with the bank on WhatsApp and effortlessly avail of a host of banking services, including doorstep service requests, locating the nearest Post Office, and much more.

GeM:

• Union government on 31 March 2023 announced that Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has crossed Gross Merchandise Value of Rs 2 lakh crore in 2022-23.
• To create an open and transparent procurement platform for government buyers, GeM started as an online platform for public procurement in the country on August 9, 2016, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

CCTNS:

• Haryana Police was awarded the first position among all major state police in the implementation of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS).
• An Annual Conference on Good Practices in CCTNS/Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) was organized by the National Crime Records Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi to recognize the implementation of CCTNS.

Tamil Nadu Events:

Tamil Nadu is at the top:

• There are 11,858 Post Offices operating at State, District and City level in Tamil Nadu. These Post Offices have various types of savings accounts. Tamil Nadu ranks first in India by opening 3 crore accounts in Postal Savings Scheme.
• Due to the awareness created by the postal department, more accounts have been opened in post offices. Following this, Tamil Nadu is at the top in the country in terms of the number of accounts opened.

International Events:

Donald Trump:

• Former US President Donald Trump was charged over hush money payments made to a porn star just before the 2016 presidential election.
• A grand jury has voted to indict him after investigating a $130,000 pay-out to Stormy Daniels in an attempt to buy her silence over an alleged affair. He is the first serving or former US president to face a criminal charge.

UAE:

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE), on 31 March 2023, won the bid to host the third edition of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels.
• It was announced during the meeting of the Council held at the ICAO headquarters Montreal in Canada. The conference is organized every seven years.

India and the Philippines:

• 4th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting between India and the Philippines was held in New Delhi on March 31, 2023.
• Both nations agreed to reaffirm their commitment to implement the 2006 agreement concerning defence cooperation. Both sides also agreed to initiate measures to enhance cooperation in Defence Industry and Technology domain.

Rajan Gupta:

• Orient Electric Limited on 31 March 2023 announced the appointment of Rajan Gupta as its managing director and CEO. He will succeed Rakesh Khanna.
• He joins Orient Electric from Hathway cable and Datacom where he was the MD and CEO, and chairman of the board. He has over 25 years of experience across various aspects of management, digital transformation, sales, and in marketing.

Amit Kshatriya:

• Amit Kshatriya, an Indian-American engineer with expertise in software and robotics, has been appointed as the inaugural head of NASA‘s newly-established Moon to Mars Programme.
• This programme has been created to establish a long-term presence on the Moon, which is crucial for preparing for future missions to Mars. Kshatriya will serve as NASA’s first head of the office, with immediate effect.
• He will immediately assume the role of leading the office, which will oversee the agency’s human exploration activities on the Moon and Mars. As the head of the office, Kshatriya will be responsible for planning and executing human missions to these celestial bodies for the betterment of humanity.

IMF:

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $15.6 billion support package for Ukraine to assist the country’s economic recovery.
• The loan is part of a broader $115 billion international support package to help the country meet urgent funding needs. Extended Fund Facility is the first major financing program approved by the IMF for a country involved in a large-scale war.

India and Malaysia:

• India and Malaysia have agreed to settle trade in the Indian rupees, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on April 1, 2023.
• The Reserve Bank of India in July 2022 allowed the settlement of international trade in Indian currency. India International Bank of Malaysia (IIBM) has operationalized this mechanism by opening a special Rupee Vostro account through Union Bank of India.

Sports Events:

Sri Lanka‘s attempt:

• Sri Lanka‘s attempt to move up to the eighth spot in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League table has been unsuccessful, as they lost to New Zealand in the third ODI at Hamilton.
• The Super League is being used as a qualification tournament for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, which will feature 10 teams. Seven teams have already secured their spots in the tournament, but Sri Lanka’s loss means they remain outside of the top eight in the Super League standings and must continue to fight for qualification.