NATIONAL NEWS
AP CM Reddy releases first tranche of Jagananna Vidya Deevena for 2020-21AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy released the first instalment of fee reimbursement under Jagananna Vidya Deevena scheme amounting to nearly ₹672 crore.
- The money was directly transferred into the bank accounts of the mothers of 10.88 lakh students pursuing higher studies.
- The scheme had been designed to make education accessible to the poor and that education was the real wealth which could be given to the future generations.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
India ranks 87th in global energy transition indexIndia has been ranked at the 87th position among 115 countries in the Energy Transition Index (ETI) that tracks nations on the current performance of their energy systems across various aspects, according to a World Economic Forum (WEF) report released. The report, prepared in collaboration with Accenture, also draws on insights from ETI.
- The top 10 countries in the index are Western and Northern European countries, with Sweden in the first place, followed by Norway and Denmark.
- As per the report, India has targeted improvements through subsidy reforms and rapidly scaling energy access, with a strong political commitment and regulatory environment for the energy transition.
As India and Australia increase engagement under Indo Pacific vision, Canberra (April 19) announced a Rs 8.12 crore-grant under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative(IPOI).
- To apply for the grant, the company or organization should be located in either India or Australia and have partners in either of the two countries.
- Up to $350,00 is anticipated to be available for allocation in 2020-21. All applications will be assessed on a competitive basis.
A US Congress-constituted quasi-judicial body asked the Biden Administration to designate four nations, including India, as "countries of particular concern", alleging that religious freedom conditions there in 2020 continued their negative trajectory.
- The annual report of the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also recommended the State Department to redesignate 10 nations as "countries of particular concern" (CPC).
- These are Burma (Myanmar), China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
- In addition to India, USCIRF in its non-binding report recommended the State Department to add three more countries to the list: Russia, Syria and Vietnam.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in Leaders' Summit on Climate hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Ministry of External Affairs announced.
- The US President has invited world leaders from around 40 countries for the two-day virtual Summit to discuss the climate crisis with the major economies.
- The theme of the summit is mobilisation of private and public sector finance by the major-economies in order to help vulnerable countries with the climate change crisis.
- During the first season of the summit, the Prime Minister made his remarks on "Our Collective Sprint to 2030”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also unveiled a new partnership with the US for investments and collaborations to tackle climate change and told a global summit convened by President Joe Biden that a “back to basics” approach should guide economic recovery in the post-Covid-19 era.
BANKING & FINANCE
Finance ministry widens scope of ECLGS, includes healthcare sectorThe finance ministry expanded the scope of the Rs 3 lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) which will now cover borrowers from the healthcare segment, apart from the 26 sectors identified by the Kamath Committee.
- SMA-1 borrowers in the healthcare sector and 26 other high stress sectors (as identified by the Kamath Committee) are now eligible under ECLGS 2.0.
- Special Mention Accounts (SMAs) are those which are witnessing stress and can become NPAs/stressed assets.
In order to encourage people to get COVID-19 jabs, state-run Central Bank of India has launched a special deposit scheme offering an additional interest rate of 25 basis points above the applicable card rate for those who get vaccinated.
- The new product -- Immune India Deposit Scheme -- has a maturity of 1,111 days.
- The lender has requested citizens to vaccinate against the virus and avail its attractive offer which is for a limited period.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
S&P forecasts 11% growth for India this fiscalStandard and Poor (S&P) Global Ratings has forecast a 11 per cent GDP growth for India in 2021-22 on account of a fast economic reopening and fiscal stimulus. However, S&P has flagged Covid-19 containment measures as key risks for the economy.
- In its report on Asia-Pacific Financial Institutions, S&P said the control of COVID-19 remains a key risk for the economy. New infections have spiked in recent weeks and the country is in the middle of a second pandemic wave.
SPORTS
Qadeer Khan Banned 5 Years for Corruption as ICC Cracks Whip on CorruptionThe ICC banned United Arab Emirates (UAE) player Qadeer Ahmed Khan for five years from all cricket after he admitted breaching the anti-corruption code and also charged Mehardeep Chhayakar on six counts for corruption.Khan was charged in October 2019.
- The ICC said that Khan admitted to six breaches that relates to failing to disclose approaches or invitations received in relation to the Zimbabwe v UAE series in April 2019.
APPOINTMENTS
IDBI Bank appoints Jyothi Biju Nair as new company secretaryIDBI Bank said it has appointed the company's deputy general manager Jyothi Biju Nair as the new company secretary with effect from April 16.He will replace Pawan Agrawal.
- Agrawal would be joining Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) as company secretary with effect from April 16, 2021.
The United States Senate voted 51-49 to confirm Indian-American Vanita Gupta as associate attorney general, making her the first person of colour to occupy the third highest position at the Department of Justice.
- Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski broke away from her party colleagues to support Gupta (46), that gave the Democrats 51 votes to see her through the historic confirmation.
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in appointed former Cabinet Minister Kim Boo-kyum as the new Prime Minister.
- The official succeeds Chung Sye-kyun, who held the top post for only 15 months.
Cape Verde’s ruling party has maintained its control of the legislature after an election dominated by the coronavirus pandemic.
- Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva’s Movement for Democracy (Mpd) won 37 out of 72 seats in the national assembly, giving the party an absolute majority, according to the commission.
- The 58-year-old had already claimed victory after results showed his party had won 36 seats.
Private sector lender HDFC Bank said the Reserve Bank of India has approved appointment of former Economic Affairs Secretary Atanu Chakraborty as the part-time chairman of the bank.
- The appointment will be for a period of three years with effect from May 5, 2021 or the date of his taking charge, whichever is later.
- Once he is appointed as chairperson, HDFC Bank will be the second private sector lender to have a former bureaucrat at the post.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity successfully makes historic first flightNASA’s Mars Ingenuity helicopter made history when the small but intrepid drone became the first powered craft to fly on another world, space agency officials announced.
- Overcoming extreme cold, dangerously thin air and flawed flight software, the $85 million autonomous copter spun its twin carbon fiber rotor blades to rise about 10 feet into the thin Martian air.The flight was the first of five planned for the next 30 days.
OBITUARIES
Vinay Agrawal, CEO of Angel Broking passes awayVinay Agrawal, the Chief Executive Officer of Angel Broking, passed away at the age of 44.
- The first CEO of Angel broking, Agrawal was a Chartered Account by profession holding the executive position since 2015. He had joined the stock broking fir in the year 2000 as a consultant.
Renowned qawwali singer Farid Sabri, of the 'Sabri brothers' duo, passed away. He was 58.
- He crooned the song with legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar for the film 'Heena'.
- The brothers also crooned qawwalis in several films like 'Pardes' and 'Yeh Dil Aashiqanna'.
IMPORTANT DAYS
UN English Language DayEvery year the United Nations marks April 23 as English Language Day. The day is also traditionally known to be the birthday of William Shakespeare.
- The intent of celebrating an official languages day was to highlight ''multilingualism and cultural diversity''. The UN official languages apart from English include Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
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