Current Affairs April – 24 – Centre plans ‘Single Unified Transport Ministry’:

NATIONAL

Centre plans ‘Single Unified Transport Ministry’:

The Centre is planning to establish a single unified transport ministry by merging the Ministries of Aviation, Railways, Surface Transport and Shipping to ensure greater ease of doing business and boost India’s trade.

The government started establishing a ‘Logistics and Integrated Transport Board’ with the slogan ‘Minimum Government and Maximum Governance’.

Punjab to set 1st 24-hour monitoring cell to save farm land:

Punjab government along with meteorological department announced a 24 hours state-level monitoring cell to monitor growing incidents of fires during the ongoing wheat harvesting season.

The cell would inform farmers about convulsive weather, especially storms. It will have automatic system to switch off the power in such weather for saving farmers from fire incidents.

New satellite port- Goa rejects, Maharashtra accepts:

A satellite port will come up at Vijayadurg in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, following the hold on its decision from Betul in South Goa.

Rajasthan raises Junior Heritage Mistri Programme for masons:

Rajasthan government raises a new class of masons under the ‘Junior Heritage Mistri (mason)’ programme. Rajasthan Skill and Livelihoods Development Corporation (RSLDC) joins to train youths to conserve the State’s rich architectural heritage. The government had partnered with private institution Kaushal Bhaav to train 300 youths.

Haryana launches mobile app to create awareness among pregnant women:

The National Health Mission (NHM) in Haryana launched a mobile-based application “Kilkari” to create awareness among pregnant women, parents and health workers on the importance of ante and post natal care, institutional delivery and immunisation at the ‘State-level Orientation Workshop’. New data elements in the Health Management Information System (HMIS) were also launched at the workshop.

To increase green cover, Maharashtra to plant trees on land near:

    In a bid to expand the green cover, the Maharashtra government signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Railways, under which trees will be planted on the land adjacent to the railway tracks in the state.
In order to increase the state’s forest cover from 20 per cent to 33 per cent, large scale forest and non-forest plantation is necessary.

INTERNATIONAL

Australia proposes LEMOA with India:

Australia has proposed of logistics support agreement with India during this year’s Malabar trilateral naval exercises scheduled to be held in July.

However, India likes to get the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Association (LEMOA) with the U.S. operational first. India and Australia have been expanding their military-to-military cooperation especially in the maritime domain.

Banking & Business

India’s GDP to hit Rs.469L Cr by 2031-32 – Panagriya:   

Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya reported that the Indian economy is expected to witness an over three-fold expansion by 2031-32 growing to Rs.469 lakh crore, considering an average growth rate of 8 per cent over the next 15 years.

Coffee-scented stamp released in Bengaluru:

Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha and Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a ‘commemorative fragrance stamp,’ dedicated to the aromatic coffee. The stamps, being priced at Rs.100, will be made available at the Philately Bureau, Bangalore General Post Office, and all other head post offices.

APPOINTMENTS

Saudi king names son as U.S. Ambassador:

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman named one of his sons, Prince Khaled bin Salman, an air force pilot who has taken part in coalition strikes against the Islamic State(IS) group, as the kingdom’s new Ambassador to the U.S.A

SPORTS

Nadal, First Player to win 10 tournaments at Monte Carlo Masters :

Defending champion Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for an unprecedented 10th time, beating Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-3 in final. He was first to win 10 tournaments at the same venue and the first to reach 50 titles on clay.

Bopanna and Pablo won the Monte Carlo Masters doubles:

In the Monte Carlo Masters doubles final, Rohan Bopanna and Pablo Cuevas beat seventh seeds and reigning Roland Garros champions Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez 6-3, 3-6, [10-4] to win the Monte Carlo Masters doubles title.

Home Minister kicks off “Oorja” Football Campaign:

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh kicked-off the country’s biggest football campaign “Oorja”, an under-19 football tournament for both boys and girls at the India Gate lawns.

Around 12500 players compete in 1200 matches from May 1 to July 25. The event will be a precursor to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup being hosted in India for the first time.

Kenya’s Keitay and Daniel win London Marathon:

Kenya’s Keitany, 35, crossed the finish line on London Marathon in 2:17:1 duration, the second-fastest time in history. Kenyan Daniel Wanjiru (24) won the men’s race in 2:05:56 duration.

Cricket removed from 2018 Asian Games programme:

    One of the sports to miss out from the programme list of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang is cricket. Apart from cricket, skateboarding, sambo and surfing are among the other sports which have been removed from the programme in order to reduce the burden on Indonesian organisers. Its aims to reduce the total number of events from 493 to 431, said by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

AWARDS

Hong Kong International Film Festival, Newton – Best Film:

Amit Masurkar-directed Actor Rajkummar Rao and Anjali Patil starrer, “Newton” has won the Best Film honour at the Hong Kong International Film Festival. It is a political satire.

Moushumi Chatterjee gets BFJA lifetime achievement award:

    Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee has received the lifetime achievement award, while actor Ashish Vidyarthi was honoured for his contribution to Indian Cinema at the 80th Bengal Film Journalists’ Association (BFJA) awards.

Historical Events of the Day

April 24th – National Panchayat Raj Diwas:

National Panchayati Raj Day observed on 24th April.  The CM of UP, Shri Adityanath Yogi will inaugurate the conference in Lucknow. Centre to release more than 2 lakh crore rupees to Gram Panchayat for 5 years to undertake physical and social infrastructure projects in the villages.