NATIONAL NEWS
Over Rs. 250 crore sanctioned for augmenting healthcare facilities in NE States: MoS DoNER Dr. Jitendra SinghMinister of State for Development of North Eastern Region, DoNER Dr. Jitendra Singh has said that more than Rs. 250 crore had been sanctioned for augmenting healthcare facilities in the North-Eastern States for effective management of COVID-19.
- Chairing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for Ministry of DoNER in New Delhi, Dr Singh said that fund has greatly helped in developing infrastructure for management of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
The government is planning to invest over one lakh crore rupees this fiscal year to ensure tap water supply to every rural household in the country.
- Ministry of Jal Shakti has informed that this kind of investment is likely to continue over three years to achieve the target.
- Ministry has also informed that the rigorous joint review exercise to finalize the annual action plans is all set to begin from April 10.
- The action plan is prepared by the States and Union territories with an objective to provide 100 per cent households with tap water connections to achieve drinking water security.
Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched an initiative SARTHAQ which will help in the implementation of National Education Policy in the country.
- The students and teachers holistic advancement through quality education, SARTHAQ has been initiated as a part of the Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
- It will pave the way for the children and youths to meet the diverse national and global challenges.
- He said, it will also help them to imbibe 21st century skills, indian tradition, culture and value system as envisioned in National Education Policy.
Railways Minister Piyush Goyal flagged off Godda - New Delhi Humsafar special train from Godda in Jharkhand through video conference.
- Mr Goyal also dedicated Hansdiha-Godda New Line in Jharkhand.
- This new line will benefit in better transportation facility, cost effective and quicker movement of commodities.
- It will give impetus to social-economic development in Dumka and Godda in Jharkhand.
Minister of State in PMO Dr. Jitendra Singh flagged off India Russia Friendship Car Rally 2021.
- The event was organized by International Friendship Car Rally Association, IFCRA in New Delhi.
- The Car rally will take place in Russia from 18th to 20th April. This is the 5th IFCRA edition and there are 14 participants from IFCRA India representing the North East.
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and Centre for Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS) have collaborated to reinforce the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India by developing a database of innovations in public systems for improving public services.
- The CIPS and Atal Innovation Mission signed a Statement of Intent to promote innovation in the area of public system. This is to be achieved with the help of knowledge and experience of AIM and CIPS.
- Collaboration between AIM and CIPS will help startups to access and promote their innovations to grassroot levels by synergizing with the local administration.The challenges faced by the local administration in delivering the services to the citizens can be addressed through the start-ups by drafting a plan of action with the support of CIPS mentors.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar participates in Climate and Development Ministerial meet in run up to COP26Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar participated in the virtual Climate and Development Ministerial meet in the run up to COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference 2021. The meeting was hosted by United Kingdom.
- The ministerial meet, hosted by COP26 president Alok Sharma and UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab, focussed on how to set international agenda in the run-up to COP26 which is to take place in Glasgow in November.
- The summit will seek to galvanizing efforts by the world’s major economies to reduce emissions during this critical decade to keep a limit to warming of 1.5 degree Celsius within reach and mobilize public and private sector finance to drive the net-zero transition.
BANKING & FINANCE
IMF Policy Panel Endorses USD 650 Billion Increase In ResourcesThe International Monetary Fund has authorised a USD 650 billion expansion of the 190-nation lending institution’s resources with the aim of providing more support for vulnerable countries as they battle the coronavirus pandemic.
- IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the USD 650 billion increase in reserves is the largest in IMF history.
- The move will provide badly needed reserves for poor countries struggling with deep recessions caused by the pandemic and the need to obtain and administer millions of doses of vaccines.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
UNDP India, Spices Board India ink MoU for blockchain-powered systemThe Spices Board India has inked a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with UNDP India’s Accelerator Lab to build a blockchain-based traceability interface for Indian spices to enhance transparency in supply chain and trade.
- Under this Memorandum of Understanding, UNDP and Spices Board India are working towards integrating the Blockchain Traceability Interface with e-Spice Bazaar portal developed by Spices Board India for connecting spices farmers with markets.
- The design of the blockchain interface is expected to be completed by May 2021, and the project will be piloted with over 3,000 farmers engaged in chilli farming in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
Byju's acquires Aakash Educational Services for about $1 billionByju's has acquired test-prep leader Aakash Educational Services for nearly USD 1 billion (about ₹7,300 crore) as India's biggest online education startup looks to build its position in the brick and mortar segment.
- The acquisition is Byju's biggest and one of the largest ed-tech deals in the world.
- Post the transaction, Blackstone Group and Aakash Educational Services Ltd (AESL) founders will hold a minority stake in Byju's, which is valued at about USD 13 billion.
SPORTS
FIFA Suspends Pakistan, Chad Football associationsFIFA suspended the national football federations of Pakistan and Chad after concerns over the governance of the two member associations.
- FIFA has said that the above-mentioned suspension will come into force with immediate effect and will only be lifted once the football's governing body is convinced that the respective associations of Pakistan and Chad have regained full control for their management and premises.
APPOINTMENTS
Vietnam National Assembly selects Prime Minister, PresidentVietnam's legislature voted to make Pham Minh Chinh, a member of the Communist party with a history as a security official, the country's next Prime Minister. Outgoing Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was appointed the new President.
- The votes of the nearly 500 members of the National Assembly rubber stamped the leadership picks the Communist party made during its national congress in January.
- Mr Chinh, 62, most recently was a member of the Communist party's central committee for personnel and organization. Mr Chinh has had a mixed career in the party apparatus and in the security sector.
The government has appointed S Ramann as Chairman and Managing Director of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
- The appointment is for a period of three years from the date of his assuming the charge or until further orders.
- Ramann, a 1991-batch Indian Audit & Accounts Service officer, is currently the CEO of National E-Governance Services Ltd, India's first Information Utility.
AWARDS
Dutee Chand to receive Chhattisgarh Veerni AwardDutee Chand, the Jakarta Asian Games silver-medalist in 100 and 200 metres, will receive Chhattisgarh Veerni Award. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the inaugural edition of the awards ceremony will be held virtually on April 14.
- The award, instituted by the Chhattisgarh state government, recognises contribution of Indian women in different fields, including sports.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Russia testing new 'super torpedo' that could cause 'radioactive tsunamis'Russia is planning to deploy a nuclear-powered missile to the Arctic next summer that's designed to detonate off the coastlines of enemy countries, CNN reported.
- Satellite images provided to CNN by Maxar, a satellite company, indicated that Russia is testing weapons in the region and building significant military infrastructure in the Arctic - which is increasingly free of ice because of climate change.
- CNN reported that Russia would deploy the Poseidon 2M39 missile to its Arctic region next summer. The missile has been referred to in reports as a "doomsday" device because of its devastating power.
The Supreme Court of India launched its Artificial Intelligence portal: SUPACE (Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Courts Efficiency).
- Through this portal, the SC intends to leverage machine learning to deal with the vast amounts of data received at the time of filing of cases.
- Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde was the first-ever chairman of the Artificial Intelligence Committee. CJI Bobde first spoke of the use of AI to assist the Supreme Court soon after he took oath as the Chief Justice in 2019.
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan virtually launched the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP).
- The new version of IHIP will house the data entry and management for India's disease surveillance program.
- Terming this as the world's biggest online disease surveillance platform, he stated that it is in sync with the National Digital Health Mission and fully compatible with the other digital information systems presently being used in India.
OBITUARIES
Chandra Naidu, the country's first female cricket commentator, passes awayChandra Naidu, the first female commentator of cricket in India, died at the age of 88 after a prolonged illness. She was the daughter of the country’s first Test captain CK Naidu.
- Chandra Naidu was one of the earliest female com- mentators of India. Shee made a commentary for the first time in a 1977 cricket match played in Indore between the teams of National Champions Bombay and MCC.
- However, Chandra Naidu did not remain professionally active as a cricket commentator for a long time.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Modi releases Hindi translation of ‘Odisha Itihaas’ written by Dr Harekrushna MahtabPrime Minister Narendra Modi released the Hindi translation of the book ‘Odisha Itihaas’. The book is written by 'Utkal Keshari' Dr Harekrushna Mahtab.
- Odisha Itihaas', available in Odia and English so far, has been translated into Hindi by Shankarlal Purohit.
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