Aspirants Zone: Current Affairs April 2019

Showing posts with label Current Affairs April 2019. Show all posts

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Weekly CA Quiz: April 2019 4th week with PDF

Hello Aspirants.
We have chosen the best 55 questions from the Current Affairs of the Fourth Week of April (23 April - 30 April). Take the quiz and excel in your upcoming exams. Take the quiz to check your knowledge. To start the quiz, click on start quiz button below. To end the quiz, click on Quiz-Summary after the last question and then click on finish quiz. Weekly Current Affairs Quiz April 2019 4th Week

Share your marks in the comment section below.

You can take this quiz as many times you want.
Click here to read the April Current Affairs

Note: Those who are using AspirantsZone's Mobile App, please visit here to attempt the quiz
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Saturday, May 4, 2019

Weekly CA Quiz: April 2019 3rd week with PDF

Hello Aspirants.
We have chosen the best 50 questions from the Current Affairs of the Third Week of April (16 April - 22 April). Take the quiz and excel in your upcoming exams. Take the quiz to check your knowledge. To start the quiz, click on start quiz button below. To end the quiz, click on Quiz-Summary after the last question and then click on finish quiz. Weekly Current Affairs Quiz April 2019 3rd Week

Share your marks in the comment section below.

You can take this quiz as many times you want.
Click here to read the April Current Affairs

Note: Those who are using AspirantsZone's Mobile App, please visit here to attempt the quiz
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[WpProQuiz 194]

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Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 30th April, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 30 April 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Mysterious footprints of mythical beast Yeti sighted, claims Indian Army

Indian Army claimed that one of its teams spotted mysterious footprints of mythical creature "Yeti" close to Nepal's Makalu Base Camp. During an expedition, the Mountaineering Expedition team came across mysterious marks measuring 32X15 inches, which the Army believed are of the mythical beast Yeti.

The Army further added it held on to the "photographic evidence" about the Abominable Snowman for about 10 days but then decided that they matched earlier theories.

High alert as Cyclone Fani intensifies

Cyclone 'Fani' intensified into a 'severe cyclonic storm' and is headed towards the Odisha coast. IMD said it could take a shape of an 'extremely severe cyclone', prompting the government to put the National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Coast Guard on high alert.

The NDRF and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on high alert and the fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor no longer listed under BRI umbrella

India’s decision to skip the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) may have led to the exclusion of the Bangladesh- China- India- Myanmar (BCIM) Economic corridor from the list of projects covered by the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) umbrella.

In an annex tagged with the Joint Communique of the Leaders' Roundtable of the BRF, which concluded in Beijing recently, the Chinese foreign ministry website has not listed the BCIM as a project covered by the BRI—the giant connectivity initiative speared by China to revive the ancient Silk Road across Eurasia and Africa.

Citing “sovereignty” concerns, India, for the second time, has not officially participated in the BRF, as CPEC—a flagship of the BRI—passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Japan's emperor Akihito abdicates

Japanese Emperor Akihito abdicated thanking the people for their support over the last three decades and expressing hope for a peaceful future. The popular Akihito, 85, the first monarch to abdicate in two centuries, had sought to ease the painful memories of World War Two and bring the monarchy closer to the people, including those marginalised in society.

The popular Akihito was the first monarch to take the Chrysanthemum Throne under a post-war constitution that defines the emperor as a symbol of the people without political power.

Extra info.:
Japan Capital: Tokyo
Currency: Japanese yen

Drug-resistant diseases could kill 10 million annually by 2050: UN

If no action is taken, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050 and damage to the economy as catastrophic as the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, a new report by United Nations (UN) has warned.

The report released by Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (IACG) recently also finds that by 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty.

BANKING & FINANCE

PNB takes Tarapur Textiles Park to DRT for $13-million loan default

With investigations into Nirav Modi scam in full swing, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has unearthed yet another default from its London branch. The bank has moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) against Tarapur Textiles Park for defaulting an amount worth $13 million.

The case had been filed in the DRT by PNBIL in July last year and the matter is pending in court since then.

Extra info.:
PNB Headquarters: New Delhi
CEO: Sunil Mehta

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Spotify tops estimates with 100 million paid subscribers worldwide

Spotify has reached 100 million paid subscribers, a first for any online music service, adding more customers in the latest quarter than analysts expected and boosting confidence the company has lots of room to grow. Spotify Technology SA took on 4 million customers in the quarter, compared with the 3.3 million forecast by analysts.

Competition from Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and YouTube has done little to slow Spotify’s growth around the world, and the company has relied on its independence from some of the world’s largest companies to its advantage. It has boosted its customer base through promotional deals with Hulu, Samsung and even Alphabet Inc.’s Google (YouTube’s parent company).

Garden Reach Shipbuilders wins Rs 6,311 crore Indian Navy contract

Kolkata-based defence shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) signed a Rs 6,311-crore contract with the defence ministry to build eight anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASWSWCs) for the Indian Navy.

In parallel, Kerala state shipyard, Cochin Shipyard will build another eight ASWSWCs for the same price. These 16 vessels are being built in two shipyard simultaneously to shorten the delivery period.

The first vessel is to be delivered within 42 months from the contract, that is by October 2022. The ASWSWCs are equipped with sophisticated sonar, with an algorithm that differentiates the signals reflected off the enemy submarine from those bouncing off the sea bed.

Google to remove 100 apps from Chinese developer

Suspecting malicious cyber attacks and data breach possibilities, Google is removing apps from a Chinese Android app developer DO Global which holds roughly 100 apps in the Play Store with over 600 million installs and is partly owned by Internet major Baidu.

46 apps from DO Global have already been removed from the Play Store and the company intends to ban DO Global overall with more app removals that would follow.

SPORTS

Bottas wins in Azerbaijan, retakes championship lead

Valtteri Bottas won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to retake the Formula One world championship lead from team mate Lewis Hamilton after a stunning fourth successive one-two finish for Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari was a distant third as the Italian pre-season favourites again failed to convert their promise into a result.

Mercedes are the first two-car team in Formula One's 70-year history to open a season with four straight one-twos. Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

First female Ligue 1 referee takes charge of match

Stephanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a French Ligue 1 match. The 35-year-old Frappart took charge as Amiens hosted Strasbourg, where she was called into action numerous times, handing out yellow cards to the likes of Strasbourg's Ibrahima Sissoko and Ludovic Ajorque.

Frappart is not the first woman to officiate a top-flight men's game in Europe's top leagues. Germany's Bibiana Steinhaus became the first woman to officiate a Bundesliga match in 2017.

India’s Nitendra Singh Rawat finishes 27th in Virgin Money London Marathon 2019

Indian marathon runner, Nitendra Singh Rawat finished 27th in 2 hours 15 minutes and 59 seconds in the men’s Elite race of prestigious Virgin Money London Marathon 2019 at London, the UK which was won by EliudKipchoge of Kenya for record fourth time.

This was the fourth fastest in his career and his second fastest time in this season.

BOOOKS & AUTHORS

Coffee Table book on Architecture & Landscape of Rashtrapati Bhawan presented to UAE Minister

Ambassador Navdeep Suri presented UAE Minister of Tolerance Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan with the coffee Table book titled Work of Beauty : Architecture and Landscape of Rashtrapati Bhawan. The book has been published by Publications Division , Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

UAE Minister of Tolerance had visited the India Pavilion of the ongoing Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2019. India is the ‘Guest of Honour’ at the Book Fair.

The book was commissioned by President's Secretariat and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

AWARDS

Bhullar wins outstanding achievement as player award

Arjuna awardee and star Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar won the outstanding achievement as a player award at the fourth edition of the annual India Golf Industry Association (GIA) awards at the Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi.

The GIA awards were held along with the 8th India Golf & Turf Expo (IGTE), South Asia's largest golf trade show.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Jazz Day

International Jazz Day is an International Day declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2011 "to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe." It is celebrated annually on April 30.

Nearly 200 countries participate in International Jazz Day every year. The idea came from jazz pianist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. Jazz Day is chaired by Hancock and the UNESCO Director-General.

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Daily Current Affairs 29th April, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 29 April 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

IIT Madras researcher develops easy OCR system for Bharati Script

Taking a cue from European languages, several of which have the same (Roman letter–based) script, Srinivasa Chakravathy’s team at IIT Madras has, over the last decade, developed a unified script for 9 Indian languages, named the Bharati script. The team has now gone a step further since developing the script: it has developed a method for reading documents in Bharati script using a multi-lingual optical character recognition (OCR) scheme.

The team has also created a finger-spelling method that can be used to generate a sign language for hearing-impaired persons. The scripts that have been integrated include Devnagari, Bengali, Gurmukhi, Gujarati, Oriya, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil.

RBI proposes stricter rules for current accounts to tackle fund diversion

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is said to have recommended stringent norms on opening and running of current accounts of corporate borrowers in an attempt to check fund diversion. Current accounts can “only be opened” with the main bank in a lending consortium while other lenders having collection accounts will have to transfer funds at the end of the day to the current account with the consortium lead.

The banking regulator has, however, proposed that the norm would apply to accounts of corporates which have borrowed and taken loans of Rs 50 crore or more from the banking system.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Rural revitalisation key to eco growth, says 2019 Global Food Policy

Despite strong economic growth in 2018, undernourishment rose for the third year in a row, with 821 million people in the world now facing chronic food deprivation, says 2019 Global Food Policy Report prepared by US-based International Food Policy Research Institute.

The number of stunted children globally remains very high at 150 million despite a decline of 9 per cent between 2012 and 2017, and other nutrition indicators point to an even more difficult road to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sri Lankan President bans On Face-Covering in Public

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena used his emergency powers to issue an order to ban burqa, veil or covering of face in public places in any manner which prevents anyone from being identified. The order which came into immediate effect explicitly defines that any garment or item which obstructs identification of an individual’s face is barred. It is placed to ensure national security, establish peaceful and cohesive society and not aimed at inconvenience to any community people.

In a bid to help stabilize security situation, some Muslim organisations came forward and suggested a ban on burqa. Even local Muslim clerics urged their women not to cover their faces in escalating fears of backlash after the attacks.

Extra info.:
Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
Prime minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe

BOOKS & AUTHORS

'Politics of Jugaad: The Coalition Handbook', released

The “Politics of Jugaad: The Coalition Handbook” new book authored by journalist Saba Naqvi examines possibility of coalition government after 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It examines coalition government history in India to project possibility at the end of 2019 Lok Sabha election. It questions whether ‘coalitions’ are inevitable even when they have been proved unstable, or whether they hold promise of greater democratization in our diverse nation.

Saba Naqvi is one of India’s renowned journalists, best known author and political analyst. Other books written by her include In Good Faith (2012), Capital Conquest (2015), and Shades of Saffron (2018).

SPORTS

Kvitova beat Kontaveit to win maiden Stuttgart title

World number three Petra Kvitova beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit to win Stuttgart's Porsche Grand Prix for her second title of the year as she prepares for next month's French Open.

Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, broke her opponent to go 4-2 up in the first set and served out the set a little later on the quick indoor clay courts in Stuttgart.

Asian Wrestling championship: India finishes with 16 medals

India wrapped up their campaign at the Asian Wrestling Championships on a resounding note with 16 medals after Greco-Roman grapplers added a silver and a bronze on the concluding day in Xi’an. Harpreet Singh settled for a silver in 82kg while Gyanender won a bronze in 60kg on the final day of competitions.

India’s overall tally of 16 medals included eight- one gold, three silver and four bronze won by men’s freestyle wrestlers, four bronze by women and three silver and one bronze by Greco-Roman wrestlers.

Bajrang Punia to become the first Indian wrestler to fight at Madison

Bajrang Punia is set to become the first wrestler from India to fight at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York. The 25-year-old, who won the gold medal in the 65-kg category at the ongoing Asian Wrestling Championships earlier this week, is the first Indian wrestler to be invited by the American governing body.

Bajrang Punia will take part in the "Grapple at the Garden -- Beat the Streets" fight night, scheduled to be held on May 6. He is currently the World No.1 in the 65-kg weight category.

OBITUARIES

Former Indian Footballer Pungam Kannan Passes Away

Former India footballer Pungam Kannan, who was facing acute financial crisis, died at a city hospital following prolonged illness. He was 80. A forward, Kannan played 14 matches for India.

He also won Santosh Trophy for Bengal twice in a row (1971-73) and was the top-scorer. Born in Vandavasi in Tamil Nadu, Kannan also played in Bengaluru and Chennai.

Oscar-Nominated ‘Children of A Lesser God’ Writer Mark Medoff passes away

Mark Medoff, a provocative playwright whose 'Children of a Lesser God' won Tony and Olivier awards and whose screen adaptation of his play earned an Oscar nomination, has passed away in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was 79.

Medoff wrote 30 plays and wrote, produced or directed 19 movies. He found his greatest success with 'Children of a Lesser God', the tale of a troubled love affair between a speech teacher and a deaf woman who struggle to overcome the communications gap between their two cultures.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Dance Day

International Dance Day is a global celebration of dance, created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO. The event takes place every year on 29th April, the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre, the creator of modern ballet.

Every year, since its creation in 1982, an outstanding dance personality is selected to write a message for International Dance Day. The theme for this year is “Dance and Spirituality”.

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Monday, April 29, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 28th April, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 28 April 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

NITI Aayog , UNICEF signed a LOI for children Empowerment

Niti Aayogs Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Unicef India signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to provide an open platform to promote participation, skilling and empowerment among young children across different communities. The plan will be implemented through Atal Tinkering Lab initiative to orient the burgeoning innovation ecosystem towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals with a focus on child rights.

The LoI was signed by Yasmin Ali Haque, Unicef representative in India, and Ramanathan Ramanan, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission.

Suresh Mathur Committee to review MicroInsurance Framework

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) set up Suresh Mathur Committee to review regulatory framework on micro insurance, and to recommend measures to increase demand for such products.

It is a 13-member panel chaired by IRDAI’s Executive Director Suresh Mathur, and comprises of representatives from IRDAI, life, general and health insurance companies in public and private sectors and NGOs. It will suggest about if there is any change in distribution structure, including mobile-based and technology driven solutions and on creating effective awareness programmes.

Extra info.:
IRDAI Headquarters: Hyderabad
Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia

Complaints with bank ombudsman surge 25% to 1.63 lakh in FY18: RBI

The banking ombudsman received 24.9% more customer complaints in FY18 over the previous year, said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The 21 offices of the banking ombudsman received 1,63,590 complaints in the year 2017-18 marking an increase of 24.9% over previous year.

The complaint disposal rate stood at 96.5% in FY18, as compared to 92% in the previous year. Of the total number of complaints received, nationalised banks and State Bank of India (SBI) taken together accounted for 63%.

Arunachalam Muruganantham is ranked 45th in Fortune's 2019 list

Arunachalam Muruganantham, known as the maker of low-cost sanitary napkins in India with his invention of cellulose-based pads, has made it to Fortune magazine's 2019 list of the world's greatest leaders. Muruganantham ranks 45th in the list released by the American publication.

Bill and Melinda Gates top the list for the work of their charitable organisation Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who earned much acclaim for her response to Christchurch mosque shootings in February, ranked second while the US special counsel Robert Mueller, who recently submitted his findings of the Donald Trump campaign's collusion with Russia, rounded off the top three.

BANKING & FINANCE

HDFC Bank and Max Bupa launch AnyTimeHealth machines to distribute health insurance products

Max Bupa, one of India's leading standalone health insurance players, and HDFC Bank, one of India's leading private sector banks, announced the launch of 'digital first' propositions for the bank's 40+ million customers, spread across its 5,000+ branches.

Max Bupa is committed to provide the best bespoke and comprehensive health insurance solutions and services to HDFC Bank's customers through a slew of digital touch points like AnyTimeHealth (ATH) machines, deep integration with HDFC Bank Net banking and digital seller apps like InstaInsure.

Extra info.:
HDFC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

RBI extends ombudsman scheme to non-deposit taking NBFCs

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the "ombudsman scheme" for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) to non deposit-taking NBFCs with asset size of at least Rs 100 crore. The decision comes after the central bank in its "Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies" released earlier this month after the monetary policy meet said that it has decided to extend the ambit of the ombudsman scheme.

SPORTS

Papua New Guinea got ODI status after USA and Oman

Papua New Guinea (PNG) gained their ODI status and a place in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 after a comprehensive victory against the already-qualified Oman. PNG national cricket team, nicknamed the Barramundis, needed to beat Oman and hope for the results to go their way in order to achieve the status and the same happened as the team was able to achieve its target with a 145-run victory over Oman.

PNG previously had the ODI status, which they gained by finishing fourth in 2014 World Cup Qualifier. But the Barramundis lost both their ODI and T20I status in March 2018 after they lost a playoff match against Nepal during the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

Extra info.:
Papua New Guinea Capital: Port Moresby
Currency: Papua New Guinean kina

Australia’s Claire Polosak became first female umpire to stand in men’s ODI

Australia's Claire Polosak became the first woman to officiate in a men's one-day international in the World Cricket League Division 2 final match between Namibia and Oman in Windhoek.

The 31-year-old never played cricket but blazed a trail in 2017 when she became the first woman to stand in a men's top-level match when New South Wales played a Cricket Australia XI in a one-day match in Sydney.

APPOINTMENTS

AIFF appoints Romanian Doru Isac as new technical director

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Romanian Doru Isac as its new technical director. Isac, who has nearly three decades of experience in various coaching roles in several countries, last worked as the sporting director of three-times J-league Champions Yokohama Marinos FC.

AIFF president Praful Patel said that Isac, who has worked in France, Japan, United States, Romania, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, would help the 101st-ranked side reach the "next level."

Extra info.:
The All India Football Federation Headquarters: New Delhi

AWARDS

Mizoram Boy Who Tried To Save A Chicken Receives PETA India’s ‘Compassionate Kid’ Award 2019

Accolades continue to pour in for Derek C Lalchhanhima, the six-year-old boy from Mizoram, who recently restored our fledgeling faith in humanity by rushing to the hospital a chicken he had accidentally run over with his cycle.

After social media users turned him into an overnight Internet sensation and his school felicitated him for the act, Derek C Lalchhanhima has now been awarded the 'Compassionate Kid' award by PETA India. The boy’s heartwarming act came to fore after he was clicked at a hospital beseeching, with a 10-rupee note in hand, a nurse to save the life of a chicken he had accidentally run over.

OBITUARIES

Former HP minister Chaudhary Vidyasagar passes away

Former Himachal Pradesh minister and senior BJP leader Chaudhary Vidyasagar passed away at the age of 84 in Kangra near Dharamshala. Chaudhary Vidyasagar was a four-time MLA from Kangra assembly constituency and worked as a minister in the state governments led by Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal.

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Saturday, April 27, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 27th April, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 27 April 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Indian Army signs MoU with NHPC for construction of tunnels on China, Pakistan borders

Indian Army signed an MoU with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) to construct tunnels on borders with China and Pakistan for storage of ammunition and other war-related equipment.

Under the pilot project, three tunnels will be built on China border while one will be built along the Line of Control with Pakistan. The project is meant to bolster the Indian Army's capabilities along the Chinese border where India's infrastructural development is far outpaced by that of China.

RBI Introduces Rs. 20 Banknote In Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series

The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue Rs. 20 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series, bearing the signature of Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India.

The new denomination has the motif of Ellora Caves on the reverse, depicting the country’s cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is Greenish Yellow. The dimension of the banknote will be 63 mm x 129 mm.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Russia Successfully Tests World’s First Floating Nuclear Power Plant

Russia has successfully tested the world’s first floating nuclear power plant (NPP), Akademik Lomonosov, a subsidiary of Rosatom nuclear corporation stated. Reactors of the floating atomic block were launched in November 2018.

Extra info.:
Russia Capital: Moscow
Currency: Russian ruble

ABU Media Summit On Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness Held In Nepal

The 5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness was Kathmandu, Nepal. The theme of this summit is “Media Solutions for Sustainable Future: Saving Lives, Building Resilient Communities”.

Its objective was to address issue of fully utilizing media’s potential of accelerating climate action and disaster preparedness and connect stakeholders to media professionals for collaboration and joint practical projects.

Extra info.:
ABU was established in 1964 and its secretariat (headquarters) is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Aegon Life and MobiKwik launch a smart digital insurance product

In a bid to enable financial inclusion and ease of buying for the Indian masses, Aegon Life Insurance, pioneer of digital insurance in India and MobiKwik, India's leading FinTech Company; have joined hands to launch an Rs 20 smart digital insurance product.

The strategic partners have announced the launch of an assorted insurance product called the Aegon Life Group Term Plus Plan with both death and accidental disability benefit, available exclusively on MobiKwik App. One can purchase this plan by paying as little as Rs 20 in premium for a sum assured of Rs 2 lakhs which includes term insurance and accidental disability.

EIU set to lower India's growth outlook for 2019-20

Indian economy will grow below its potential in 2019-20, said a report from the Hong Kong-based The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) while warning it is set to lower its own current estimate of 7.2 per cent for the country's GDP growth rate in its next forecast round.

Both Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) earlier this month cut their 2019-20 growth projection for India to 7.2 per cent from 7.4 per cent earlier, blaming rising risks to global economic growth as well as weakening domestic investment activity.

SPORTS

Shane Watson announces retirement from Big Bash League

Former Australian player Shane Watson has announced his retirement from the Big Bash League (BBL) as he wants to spend more time with his family.

The 37-year-old played for Sydney Thunder in the BBL and was a part of the team for four years, captaining the side in the past three BBL seasons.

Pooja, Amit bag gold at Asian Boxing C'ship

Boxers Pooja Rani and Amit Panghal gave India two gold medals at the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok. Panghal, who had won the Asian Games gold medal last year, defeated Korea's Kim Inkyu in a unanimous decision, thereby clinching his second gold of the year.

Pooja defeated reigning World Champion Wang Lina in the final to claim top honours in the 81-kg weight category. This was her third medal at this prestigious tournament after a silver in 2012 and a bronze in 2015.

Pankaj Advani Wins Asian Snooker Tour Title

India's ace cueist Pankaj Advani defeated Ehsan Heydari Nezhad of Iran 6-4 to claim the inaugural Asian Snooker Tour title. The Indian had earlier defeated Aung Phyo of Myanmar in the semifinal.

Advani had earlier won the second leg of the Tour in China. He was leading the ranking before the final leg of the Tour in Bengaluru.

OBITUARIES

Veteran Lady Mountaineer Rama Sengupta Paul Passes Away

A pall of gloom descended on the mountaineering fraternity as veteran lady mountaineer of the country Rama Sengupta Paul, who led the first successful all-women expedition to Kedarnath Dome in Garhwal Himalaya, passed away following a cardiac arrest at a city hospital in Kolkata.

A tryst with rock climbing training courses in Sushunia Hill, organized by Pathikrit and thereafter Himalayan Association in 1971 and 1972 led Rama into a world of mountaineering. She was also a member of the pre-Everest expedition to Gangotri peak, organized by IMF in 1982.

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Friday, April 26, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 26th April, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 26 April 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Finance Ministry ratifies 8.65% interest on EPF for 2018-19

The Finance Ministry has approved 8.65 per cent rate of interest on Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) for 2018-19 as decided by retirement fund body EPFO, benefitting more than 6 crore formal sector workers.

The interest rate on EPF was hiked to 8.65 per cent for the last fiscal from 8.55 per cent provided in 2017-18. The EPFO had earlier reduced the interest rate in 2016-17 to 8.65 per cent from 8.8 per cent in 2015-16.

Extra info.:
Employees' Provident Fund Organisation Headquarters: New Delhi

IEPF Authority recovers Rs 1514 Cr of Depositors Money

The Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority has successfully forced the Peerless General Finance and Investment Company Limited to transfer deposits worth about Rs 1,514 crore to IEPF, a statutory body under the ministry of Corporate Affairs. "Depositors' money was pending with the company for the last 15 years.

Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) was established by the central government under Section 125 of Companies Act 2013.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

UAE based Etihad Airways becomes first major airline to operate plastic-free flight

The UAE's flag carrier Etihad Airways has become the first airline in the Gulf region to operate a flight without any single-use plastics on board, in a bid to raise awareness about pollution on Earth Day. According to the Abu Dhabi-based national airline of the UAE, the flight EY484 landed in Brisbane on April 22, Earth Day.

The milestone flight is part of Etihad's pledge to reduce single-use plastic usage by 80 per cent not just in-flight, but across the entire organisation by the end of 2022.

BANKING & FINANCE

State Bank of India Launched India’s First ‘Green Car Loan’

State Bank of India announced the country’s first ‘Green Car Loan’ (Electric Vehicle) to encourage customers to buy electric vehicles. The new scheme will offer loan at 20 basis points lesser than the interest rate on the existing car loan schemes.

The EMI per Rs. 1 lakh will be lower at Rs. 1,468 for 96 months against Rs. 1,622 for 84 months, based on the maximum tenor, in line with the existing scheme.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

RBI sells entire stake in NHB, Nabard to govt for Rs. 1,470 crore

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that it has divested its entire stake in Nabard and National Housing Bank (NHB) for Rs. 20 crore and Rs. 1,450 crore. The divestment, RBI said, was based on the recommendations of the Narasimham Committee-II.

With this, the government of India now holds 100% stake in both the financial institutions.

Wirecard partners RBL Bank to drive financial inclusion

Wirecard, the global innovation leader in digital financial technology, announced an expanded partnership with RBL Bank to promote financial inclusion in India. This partnership will make digital payment and banking transactions more readily accessible to all Indian citizens, including those living in remote areas.

In partnership with RBL, Wirecard will empower its retail agents, who serve as customer service representatives in various areas across the country, to enable the financially under-served to access basic payment and banking services.

SPORTS

Manu Bhaker, Saurabh Chaudhary win India's 2nd gold at ISSF

Young Indian shooters Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary shot gold in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the ISSF World Cup in Beijing. Bhaker and Chaudhary outclassed Jiang Ranxin and Pang Wei of China 16-6 in the final, which was held in the new format wherein top two teams battled for the gold medal.

The pair of Bhaker and Chaudhary had won the gold in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the ISSF World Cup held in February in New Delhi.

USA secure ODI status for first time

The United States of America sealed One-Day International status for the very first time with a third straight victory at the World Cricket League Division Two event in Namibia.

The Americans, whose only previous experience of ODI cricket was at the 2004 Champions Trophy, thrashed Hong Kong by 84 runs to wrap up a top-four place in the six-team competition. The United States will now be able to play 36 ODIs in the next two and a half years.

Oman have also secured their ODI status, leaving Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Canada and Hong Kong to fight it out for the remaining two places.

APPOINTMENTS

Gen.(Retd.) Dalbir Singh Suhag Appointed India High Commissioner To Seychelles

The government announced the appointment of former army chief Dalbir Singh Suhag as India’s next high commissioner to Seychelles. Suhag was the chief of army staff when India conducted surgical raids across the Line of Control into Pakistan-administered Kashmir in 2016 after the terrorist attack on an Indian army camp in Uri.

Extra info.:
Seychelles Capital: Victoria
Currency: Seychellois rupee

AWARDS

Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019

The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 was awarded to author Rana Dasgupta for his 2010 novel “Solo” which is a tale of estrangement and the ultimate failure of material existence. It is the second edition of the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize.

Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize aims to revive poetry and books that can change lives. Indian Poets, novelists and Playwrights writing in officially recognized languages or dialects of the Indian subcontinent, including English.

Bhandarkar, Helen get Deenanath Mangeshkar Award

National Award-winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, popular scriptwriter Salim Khan and yesteryears dancing diva Helen were honoured with the prestigious Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award at a ceremony in Mumbai.

Directorate General of CRPF Vijay Kumar presided over the function and the awards were given away by Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat. This year, the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award for music and art has been given to classical dancer Sucheta Bhide-Chapekar.

Pakistan's Cyril Almeida Named IPI's World Press Freedom Hero

The International Press Institute (IPI) named Cyril Almeida, an assistant editor and columnist at Pakistani daily ‘Dawn’ who is currently facing sedition charges in the country, as the recipient of its 71st World Press Freedom Hero award.

The IPI statement lauded Almeida, a former Rhodes scholar at Oxford University, for his “tenacious coverage of the Pakistani state’s patronage of militant groups”, following which he was charged with sedition.

Benny Antony Conferred With The National IP Award 2019

Benny Antony, Joint Managing Director, the Kochi-based Arjuna Natural Ltd, has been conferred with the National Intellectual Property Award for 2019 in the category of Top Individual for Patents and Commercialization.

Along with the National IP Award, the Intellectual Property Office India and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have jointly conferred the ‘WIPO Medal for Inventors’ also to Antony.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Intellectual Property Day

World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on 26 April. The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to "raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life" and "to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the globe".

The theme of this year is "Reach for Gold: IP and Sports."

Extra info.:
WIPO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

World Malaria Day

World Malaria Day 2019 was on April 25th, this annual event was a worldwide effort, to raise awareness of Malaria and funds for the treatment and prevention of malaria. The day also marked the continuing great achievements in the fight against Malaria.

This year’s theme for World Malaria Day was ‘End Malaria for Good’ and the day is hosted by the World Health Organization.

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Thursday, April 25, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 25th April, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 25 April 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

India to be Guest of Honour country at 29th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

India has been nominated as the “Guest of Honour” country at the 29th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF). Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Singh Suri said that India's selection as the guest of honour reflects the strong relations between the leadership and the people of the UAE and India.

A three-member team from the Publications Division is also participating in the Fair. Books on the life and struggle of Mahatma Gandhi will be on display as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations. An annual fair is a major event in the publishing sector in the Middle East and North Africa. It will conclude on the 30th of April.

Hero Group's clean energy arm to invest $200 million in Rajasthan

Hero Future Energies Global (HFE), the clean energy arm of Hero Group, will invest around $200 million in a solar project in Rajasthan. The project will be supported by International Finance Corporation (IFC), which will invest around $43.3 million (Rs 300 crore).

The project will be developed by Clean Solar Power (Jodhpur), a step-down subsidiary of HFE. Total estimated project cost is approximately $200 million.

Govt extends ban on import of milk products from China

The government extended the ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China till laboratories at ports for testing presence of toxic chemical melamine are upgraded. Food regulator FSSAI had recommended extending the ban until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical.

The ban was first imposed in September 2008 and extended subsequently from time to time. The ban was imposed on apprehensions of presence of melamine in some milk consignments from China. Melamine is a toxic chemical used for making plastics and fertilisers.

BuyUcoin Introduces First Indian Platform for Wholesale Cryptocurrency Trading

BuyUcoin, which is the second oldest Cryptocurrency Exchange in India, announces the launch of a new and unique platform for wholesale cryptocurrency trading which allows its users to trade on a large scale with low price fluctuations. The platform currently works on free trading model i.e. charges zero fee on any trade.

This new feature introduced by BuyUcoin will help to improve the liquidity of cryptocurrency in Indian market and lead to quicker transaction, better prices and market stability.

The platform is aptly described and known as OTC (Over-the-counter) desk. It is preferred by traders who deal with cryptocurrency in bulk and want to resist much price fluctuations during the trade.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Iran, Pakistan to set up border 'reaction force' after militant attacks

Iran and Pakistan have agreed to set up a joint border "reaction force" following a number of deadly attacks by militant groups on their frontier, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced after talks with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The border skirts the volatile southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan which has been the scene of frequent attacks on Iran's security forces.

BANKING & FINANCE

Kotak Bank launches debit card-based e-mandate on NPCI's API

Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) announced the launch of an industry-first debit card-based authentication solution on NPCI’s e-Mandate API platform. Kotak has become the first Destination Bank to go live with both Net Banking and Debit Card-based e-mandate authentication.

This capability will enable Kotak customers to create electronic mandates (similar to the erstwhile eNACH with Aadhaar + OTP) via both the Debit Card and Net Banking channels.

RBI becomes the first APAC (Asia-Pacific) central bank to begin interest rate easing cycle

The Reserve Bank of India is the first central bank in the Asia-Pacific region to begin an explicit interest rate easing cycle buoyed by benign food inflation and easier global financial condition.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), headed by RBI Govenor Shaktikanta Das, cut rates in February and April, citing prospects of benign inflation. In the four months of 2019, the RBI has cut policy interest rates twice by 0.25 per cent each to one-year low of 6 per cent.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Microsoft edges toward $1 trillion valuation, boosted by cloud business

Microsoft Corp.’s cloud computing business fueled quarterly sales and profit that topped analysts’ estimates, boosted by several new deals with large corporate clients. The company’s shares rose as much as 5.1 per cent in New York, briefly pushing its valuation across $1 trillion before pulling back slightly.

The move nosed the software maker ahead of Apple Inc. as the world’s most valuable company. The two tech giants, along with Amazon.com Inc., are all within striking distance of the symbolic $1 trillion mark as their stocks have rallied this year.

Mahindra to deploy 50 electric vehicles on Uber's platform in Hyderabad

Indian automobile company Mahindra & Mahindra announced the deployment of its electric vehicles (EV) on global ride-sharing platform Uber in Hyderabad. Earlier, Mahindra had announced its strategic collaboration with Uber, to explore the deployment of EVs on its platform in several cities across India.

The two companies will be deploying 50 EVs, which include both e2O hatchback and e-Verito sedan models, in a tie-up with taxi partners such as eee-Taxi to begin with in Hyderabad.

Indian retail mall space to rise to 95 million sq ft in 7 cities by 2021

India’s retail mall space is set to rise to 95 million square feet (msf) by 2021 from 75 msf now in the top 7 cities of the country with NCR, Hyderabad and Bengaluru leading the supply, according to a report by Reed Exhibitions India titled 'Malls of India'.

The report said that India was poised to become the third largest consumer market, with consumer spending growing to $ 6 trillion by 2030 from $ 1.5 trillion at present.

India’s Pharmaceuticals export increases 11% to USD 19.2 billion

The country's pharmaceutical exports rose by 11 per cent to USD 19.2 billion in 2018-19, mainly driven by higher demand in regions such as North America and Europe, as per a commerce ministry data.

The pharma exports in 2017-18 stood at USD 17.3 billion and USD 16.7 billion in the previous fiscal. The other important destinations include South Africa, Russia, Nigeria, Brazil and Germany, where exports are registering growth.

Sebi reduces minimum subscription requirement for REITs, InvITs

Markets regulator SEBI has reduced the minimum subscription requirement as well as defined trading lots for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs). REITs have to offer their units in lots worth at least Rs 50,000 in initial and follow on public offers.

The minimum value of a single lot should be Rs 1 lakh in the case of InvITs. Further, leverage limit for InvITs has been increased to 70 per cent from current 49 per cent.

Uber Asia Pacific head Amit Jain resigns

Uber Asia Pacific Head Amit Jain has resigned from the company after a four-year stint at the US-based ride-hailing company. Jain, who was elevated to the APAC position in May last year after serving as the India head, will remain with the company till the end of May.

Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty will take responsibility for Uber's Asia Pacific Rides business in addition to his current role leading Rides teams across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Wipro BFSI president Shaji Farooq resigned

Shaji Farooq, president of Wipro’s banking financial services and insurance (BFSI) business unit, has stepped down from the role five years after he was elevated to it. His direct reportee, Angan Guha, will take over as senior VP and global head of the BFSI unit effective July 1.

Guha has been with Wipro for over 25 years and was the vertical head for BFS Americas in his previous role. He is based in New York and will report to Wipro CEO Abidali Neemuchwala.

APPOINTMENTS

Rajendra Kumar Nayak Takes Over as the 52nd CGDA

Rajendra Kumar Nayak has taken charge as the 52nd Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA). Nayak is 1983 batch Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) officer.

During the career span of more than 35 years, Shri Nayak has held important assignments in the Defence Accounts Department and on deputation in the Government of India. He has vast and varied experience in handling Finance, Personnel, Pay & Budget matters of Ministry of Defence.

Karnam Sekar has been appointed as Indian Overseas Bank’s new MD & CEO

Former Dena Bank MD Karnam Sekar is set to take over as the new Managing Director and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank from July 1, 2019. He will take over from R Subramaniakumar, who was instrumental in taking measures to turn around the bank, which has been reporting loses due to high NPA.

Prior to joining as officer on Special Duty and Whole Time Director of IOB in April 2019, Sekar was the MD & CEO of Dena Bank till March 31, 2019.

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Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 24th April, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 24 April 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Indonesia Releases Special Stamp On Theme of Ramayana

Indonesia released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties with India. The stamp, designed by renowned Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuart, features a scene from Hindu epic Ramayana in which Jatayu valiantly fought to save Sita.

The stamp, symbolising the resolve of two peoples in the face of adversity will be on display at the Philately Museum in Jakarta.

Extra info.:
Indonesia Capital: Jakarta
Currency: Indonesian rupiah

India Ranks 19th in Cancer Preparedness Index 2019

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released the 2019 Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP) in which India's overall rank is 19th out of 28 countries, with a score of 64.9. Australia tops the ICP, followed by the Netherlands and Germany. Saudi Arabia, Romania, and Egypt are at the bottom in Index.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), created in 1946, is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group and the world leader in global business intelligence

Extra info.:
EIU Headquarters: London, United Kingdom

Garia Festival celebrated in Tripura

Garia festival is an important festival for the Tripuri tribal community of the state. The Garia dance is very popular among the Tripuris and the Reangs. It is held on the seventh day of the month of Vaishakha. This year's Garia puja was on 21 April.

In Garia puja devotees sacrifice chicken for ritual purpose. It is a three day festival to honour the deity Baba Garia is held annually on the first day of Hindu calender month of 'Vaisakh'.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Israel To Name Town In Golan Heights After Donald Trump

Israel said it would name a new community on the Golan Heights after U.S. President Donald Trump as an expression of gratitude for his recognition of its claim of sovereignty over the strategic plateau.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed it, in a move not recognized internationally. The United States broke with other world powers last month when Trump signed a decree recognizing Israeli sovereignty there.

Extra info.:
Israel Capital: Jerusalem
Currency: Israeli new shekel

World’s first anti-malaria vaccine launched

The world's first malaria vaccine has been launched in Malawi after concerted efforts of over 30 years to protect children from the deadly disease that claims over 435,000 lives globally every year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the Government of Malawi's landmark pilot programme. The launch of the first and only malaria vaccine, known as RTS,S, makes Malawi the first of three countries in Africa where it will be made available to children up to 2 years of age.

BANKING & FINANCE

SBI General Insurance Launches Cyber Defence Insurance For Businesses

SBI General Insurance said it has launched a product to protect businesses from financial and reputational losses due to cyber attacks. In the initial phase, the focus will be on SMEs and mid-market businesses, but later the product can cater to larger business conglomerates as well.

This offers protection against the growing threat of cyber breaches and is designed to protect against major insurable cyber exposures like hacking attacks, identity theft, disclosure of sensitive information and business interruption.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

LSE Names A Professorship After Economist Amartya Sen

With an aim to honour renowned India-born economist Amartya Sen, the London School of Economics and Political Science, has announced a Chair in Inequality Studies in his name. The Nobel laureate served as a professor in the economics department at the institute from 1971-82.

The person holding the position would also serve in the capacity as the Director of the International Inequalities Institute at LSE. The institute aims to acknowledge one of the world’s greatest thinkers on social equity by naming the chair after Amartya Sen.

'Money Loji' launches App that offers loans to salaried professionals within 5 minutes

Money Loji, a modern money lending platform, has launched its App, which offers quickest and the most secure loans to salaried professionals for an immediate requirement with flexible repayment options starting from 7 days to a maximum of 90 days.

They follow a unique three-step process - application, approval, disbursement, which is carried out within 3-4 minutes. The eligibility criterion is a minimum in-hand salary of Rs 20,000 per month and a minimum age of 23 years.

SPORTS

Bajrang Punia Wins Gold In Asian Wrestling Championship

Bajrang Punia opened India’s medal tally at the Asian Wrestling Championships with a gold in the 65kg freestyle category, beating Sayatbek Okassov 12-7 in the final in Xi’an, China. Meanwhile, Praveen Rana settled for silver and Satyavrat Kadian won bronze in 97kg category.

Trailing 2-5 at the end of the first period, World No. 1 Bajrang made a brilliant comeback to beat Okassov from Kazakhstan 12-7 in the final, fetching India’s first medal on Day 1 of the competiton.

APPOINTMENTS

Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna has been named brand ambassador of Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC)

Vikas Khanna, Michelin-star chef named as brand ambassador of Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC), a leading cultural organisation which will organise the annual New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) that would showcase the chef’s film ‘The Last Color‘ and Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer ‘Photograph’.

The New York Indian Film Festival is North America’s longest-running and most prestigious Indian film festival that would be organised from May 7 to 12, 2019. The festival will showcase 30 feature-length films, including 3 documentaries, 30 shorts and 19 regional films.

OBITUARIES

S Muthiah, chronicler of Madras, Passes Away

Renowned city-based chronicler and writer-journalist S Muthiah passed away in Chennai. He was 89. Muthiah was born in 1930 in the erstwhile Madras Presidency, in what is today the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.

He was best known for his popular column in The Hindu, called Madras Miscellany, which arrived with the newspaper every Monday morning.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Panchayati Raj Day

The National Panchayati Raj Diwas (Day) is celebrated every year in India on 24th April. This day marks the passing of Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.

The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010. The enactment of 73rd Amendment Act had led a defining moment in the history of India which helped in decentralization of political power to the grassroots level. In turn it had led to institutionalization of Panchayati Raj (PR) through village, Intermediate and District level Panchayats.

International Mother Earth Day

On 22nd April 2009 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 22nd April as the “International Mother Earth Day”. The term ‘Mother Earth’ implies the interdependent relationship which exists between all the species of planet earth and to acknowledge earth’s role in sustaining them all.

World Earth Day 2019 theme is ‘Protect Our Species’. It will mainly focus on saving species which are on the verge of extinction due to climate change, deforestation, pollution and illegal poaching.
The founder of the Earth Day was Gaylord Nelson.

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Daily Current Affairs 23rd April, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 23 April 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

First edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2019 started

The first edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2019 began in New Delhi. The conference, which would continue till April 25, is the apex forum within the Service for interaction between the Naval Commanders.

The Conference assumes greater significance in the backdrop of Pulwama associated events that have brought country’s defence under sharper focus and would provide the higher naval leadership a forum to discuss the emerging challenges in the maritime domain and fine tune the strategies for responding to the evolving geo-strategic environment.

High-level revamp: Anti-hijack panel to now include PMO brass

The government has revamped its high-level anti-hijack panel to include top officials the Prime Minister’s Office, especially National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who will be empowered to coordinate any immediate military response.

The Committee of Secretaries on Aircraft Hijack (COSAH) will also have Nripendra Mishra, principal secretary to the prime minister and P K Mishra,additional principal secretary as its members.

The panel will continue to be headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha despite presence of senior PMO officials.

Visual aids for disabled CBSE students from 2020

From 2020, the CBSE students with visual impairment will be allowed to use magnifying glasses and portable video magnifiers during the Class X final examination.

The board has also asked all its affiliated school to ensure that the premises are made disabled friendly by 2020 and all educational institutions, including hostels, libraries and laboratories, have barrier-free access.

BEML joined hands with Syndicate Bank for financing Earth Moving and Construction Equipment

Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Syndicate Bank, one of the oldest and leading public sector bank, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for financing Earth Moving & Construction Equipment manufactured by BEML.

Under the MoU, BEML will nominate Syndicate Bank as a preferred financer for financing its customers. The customers under the tie-up arrangement will be provided loans in the range of Rs 20 lakh to Rs 300 lakh and preferential pricing by Syndicate Bank. Financing Equipment of BEML will be covered under 'SPECIAL' scheme of the Bank.

Extra info.:
BEML Headquarters: Bengaluru

BANKING & FINANCE

Deposits in Jan Dhan accounts are set to cross Rs 1 lakh crore mark

The total deposits in bank accounts opened under the Jan Dhan scheme, which was launched about five years ago by the Modi-government, are set to cross Rs 1 lakh crore soon.

The total balance in the Jan Dhan accounts, which has been steadily rising, was at Rs 97,665.66 crore as on April 3, as per the latest government data. The total number of Jan Dhan accounts have crossed 35.39 crore.

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was launched on August 28, 2014 with an aim to provide universal access to banking facilities to all households.

The Authorised capital of Allahabad Bank raised to Rs. 8000 crore by the government

State-owned Allahabad Bank said the government has increased its authorised capital by Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 8,000 crore. The central government after consultation with the Reserve Bank of India has increased the authorised capital of the bank from Rs 3,000 to Rs 8,000 through Gazette Notification.

The increase in authorised capital will help enable the bank to raise further fund up to a maximum ceiling of Rs 8,000 crore.

Extra info.:
Allahabad Bank Headquarters: Kolkata

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

RBI has $43 billion in excess reserves, says BofAML

The Bimal Jalan committee formed to study the RBI's capital structure is likely to identify excess reserves of up to Rs. 3 lakh crore, Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML) said.

Capping overall reserves at 20% from 25.5% will release ₹1.96 lakh crore, it added. There's no restriction which prevents RBI from transferring the money to government, BofAML further noted.

Extra info.:
BofA Securities Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Indian Economy Shrank 31% Due To Global Warming

Global warming has caused the Indian economy to be 31 percent smaller than it would otherwise have been, according to a Stanford study which shows how earth's temperature changes have increased inequalities.

The study showed that growing concentrations of greenhouse gases in earth's atmosphere since 1960s have enriched cooler countries like Norway and Sweden, while dragging down economic growth in warmer countries such as India and Nigeria.

Assocham Secretary General U K Varma resigns

Uday Kumar Varma, a former bureaucrat who took over as the Secretary General of Assocham in August last year, has resigned from the post. Assocham Deputy Secretary General Saurabh Sanyal is discharging the duties of secretary general at present.

Verma retired from the post of Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on June 30, 2013.

AWARDS

Swacchta Pakhwada Awards 2019 awarded to All India Radio

All India Radio, Publication Division and Children’s Film Society of India were given Swacchta Pakhwada Awards-2019 in New Delhi. Secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Amit Khare gave away the awards.

Director General of All India Radio F. Sheheryar and Director General (News) Ms. Ira Joshi received the Award for All India Radio. Press Council of India, Press Information Bureau and Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) were also mentioned during the award ceremony for their efforts during the Swacchta Pakhwada.

Swachhata Pakhwada started in April 2016 with the objective of bringing a fortnight of intense focus on the issues and practices of Swachhata by engaging GOI Ministries/Departments in their jurisdictions.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Book and Copyright Day

World Book and Copyright Day is a celebration to promote the enjoyment of books and reading. Each year, on 23 April, celebrations take place all over the world to recognize the scope of books - a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures.

The 24th edition of World Book and Copyright Day will celebrate literature and reading while focusing particularly on the importance of enhancing and protecting Indigenous languages.