NATIONAL AFFAIRS

NABARD to raise Rs.32000 Cr to meet government’s agri-lending target:

 
NABARD sets to raise Rs.32000 crore this fiscal. From that, Rs.25000 crore is ear-marked for long-term irrigation, Rs.5000 crore for micro-irrigation and Rs.2000 crore for dairy projects.

NABARD is likely to refinance PM Awas Yojana (PMAY) to further rural housing. The proposed refinancing pegged at Rs.7000-10000 crore will be pumped into PMAY’s target of building two crore houses by 2022.

National Hindi Sevi Samman Awards announced:

Central Hindi Institute Director N.K. Pandey announced the names of 26 writers from different categories for the prestigious Hindi Sevi Samman Awards. The awardees will receive Rs 5 lakh each, a citation and a shawl from President Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in May.

    The Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi Award for Hindi journalism will be awarded to Rahul Dev and Baldev Bhai Sharma.

Parliament passes Historic HIV Bill:

 
The parliament passed the “Human Immunodeficiency Virus” (HIV) and “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome” (AIDS), Prevention and Control Bill, 2017.

    This law guarantees equal rights to people living with HIV and AIDS in treatment and in jobs. The bill termed as ‘Historic’, the government stands committed for free treatment of HIV patients.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Malala Yousafzai to become youngest-ever UN Messenger of Peace:

 
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai is set to become the UN’s youngest-ever Messenger of Peace after she was selected by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the highest honour bestowed by the world body on a global citizen. 

India to initiate open-trade talks with Georgia:

    India and Georgia decided to initiate talks on a free-trade agreement (FTA).Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman signed a joint statement to start a feasibility study on a potential FTA. Upon the completion of a joint feasibility study, the two nations may proceed to negotiate on the FTA.

Banking & Business

Cairn India merges into Vedanta group:

 
Vedanta will have a larger proforma market capital of $15.6 billion after Cairn India oil producer has merged into parent company.

This merger consolidates Vedanta’s position as one of the world’s largest diversified natural resources firms, with world-class, low-cost assets in metals and mining and oil and gas.

BIFPCL, a NTPC arm ties up with Bangladesh plant:

 
State-owned power giant NTPC’s joint venture BIFPCL has tied up funds of $1.6 million to set up 1,320 MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Project at Rampal in Bagerhat district of Bangladesh.

Federal Bank crosses $200 mn in IFSC banking:

 
Federal Bank has crossed $200 million in total business at its International Financial Service Centre (IFSC) banking unit in Gift city, Gujarat.

The unit offers various financial services such as funded and non-funded facilities to overseas operations of Indian companies, extending loans to overseas business ventures of non-resident Indians and trade finance solutions to Indian clients.

Manappuram Finance ties with Yes Bank for prepaid credit card:

 
Gold loan firm Manappuram Finance in tie-up with Yes Bank will launches its own co-branded prepaid card on April 15.

The card can be pre-loaded up to a maximum of Rs.50,000 and can be used to withdraw money from all ATMs. It can also use for online transactions as works on MasterCard and Rupay cards.

AWARDS

ICIJ won Pulitzer Prize for reporting Panama papers

 
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has won the Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting for the Panama Papers that uncovered offshore shell company’s ad tax havens based on leaked documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Associate Prof. V.Krishna Nandivada bags Cray’s Abdul Kalam HPC Award:

 
V. Krishna Nandivada, Associate Professor at IIT-Madras has been awarded Cray’s APJ Abdul Kalam HPC Award in the young researcher category.

He belonged to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. He was awarded for his contribution towards High Performance Computing (HPC) that uses parallel processing for running advanced application programs.

Books & Authors

PM releases Lok Shaba Sumitra Mahajan book Matoshree:

 
PM Narendra Modi releases a book Matoshree, penned by LS Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, in Delhi. The book ‘Matoshree’ covers the life and times of legendary Devi Ahilyabai Holker who ruled the Holkar Empire spread over the Malwa region from 1767 to 1795.

Historical Events of the Day

April 11 – National Safe Motherhood Day:

 
April 11th is observed as National Safe Motherhood Day every year. This year the focus is on ensuring that women must have the availability and adequate access to care during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal services.

Quality, Equity and Dignity for Improved Maternal Health is main motto of the year 2017.

April 12 – International Day of Human Space Flight:

 
The United Nations (UN) celebrates the International Day of Human Space Flight on April 12th each year. The day remembers the first human space flight on April 12, 1961 reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in today’s world. Its aims to promote aspirations to explore and maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.

 

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