Daily Current Affairs: April 2, 2021

Daily Current Affairs (April 2, 2021) like many other sections is inevitable and this also helps to score in the Banking awareness, Static GK, and Financial Awareness sections. Remember, Banking Awareness, and Static Awareness Questions are asked from the General Awareness section. This will also help you to ride your preparations for the forthcoming exams.

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Important Days

International Children’s Book Day – 02 April

• International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is a yearly event sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), an international non-profit organization.
• Founded in 1967, the day is observed on or around Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, April 2. Activities include writing competitions, announcements of book awards, and events with authors of children’s literature.
• 2021 Theme: “The Music of Words”

World Autism Awareness Day – 02 April

• World Autism Awareness Day is observed every year on 2 April to spread awareness about autism and make people understand the challenges faced by those with developmental disorders.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day from 2008 after the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities came into force.
• 2021 Theme: “Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World”

National News

West Central Railway became the first fully electrified Indian Railways zone

• West Central Railway became the first fully electrified railway zone in the country after CCRS Inspection and Commissioning of electrification of Kota – Chittaurgarh railway section (Srinagar – Jalindri) in the state of Rajasthan.
• The zonal railway now boasts a 3012 Route Km electrified network. Electrification of this railway section will provide various benefits such as saving fuel, reduction in travel time, as well as environmental protection.

Atal Innovation Mission launched ‘AIM-PRIME’ in partnership with BMGF & Venture Center

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog launched ‘AIM-PRIME’ (Program for Researchers on Innovations, Market-Readiness & Entrepreneurship), an initiative to promote and support science-based deep-tech startups & ventures across India.
• In this regard, AIM has joined hands with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to launch this nationwide program, which will be implemented by Venture Center, a non-profit technology business incubator.

Ministry of Steel observed Swachhata Pakhwada from 16^th to 31^st March 2021

• Ministry of Steel and all PSUs under its administrative control like SAIL, NMDC, RINL, KIOCL, MOIL, MECON, MSTC & FSNL observed the ‘Swachhata Pakhwada’ from 16th-31st March 2021.
• During the Swachhata Pakhwada, PSUs under the Ministry have taken up various activities such as administration of swachhata pledge, cleaning up of townships, factories, nearby villages/slums, cleaning up of schools run or adopted by them under Swachh Vidyalaya, awareness program on curbing the use of single-use plastic, etc. Steel Safety Day was observed on 28 March 2021.

Union Education Minister launched “MyNEP2020” platform of NCTE Portal

• Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched the “MyNEP2020” Platform of NCTE Web Portal. The platform seeks to invite suggestions/inputs/membership from the stakeholders for preparing a draft for the development of National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) and National Mission for Mentoring Program membership (NMM).

International News

Indian Army participated in Multinational Military Exercise ‘Shantir Ogroshena -2021’ in Bangladesh

• Indian Army participated in Multinational Military Exercise namely SHANTIR OGROSHENA -2021 in Bangladesh. Indian Army contingent comprising 30 personnel from the Dogra Regiment will participate in the exercise along with contingents of Bhutan, Sri Lankan and Bangladesh Armies. The theme of the exercise is Robust Peace Keeping Operations.

Bangladesh

• Capital: Dhaka
• Currency: Taka
• Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina
• President: Abdul Hamid

India contributed USD 300,000 to UN Women to support gender equality

• India had contributed USD 300,000 to the United Nations agency for gender equality and women empowerment. India contributed to UN Women, the world organisation’s entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Banking and Economy

National Payments Corporation of India sets up its subsidiary called NPCI Bharat BillPay

• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced the formation of its wholly-owned subsidiary firm – NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL). The new entity came into effect from 1 April 2021.
• The brand under the new entity Bharat BillPay offers various recurring payment services to customers.

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI):

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Non-Exe Chairman: Biswamohan Mahapatra
• MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe
• Founded: 2008

Acquisitions and Mergers

Ford and Mahindra ended their collaboration on all projects in India

• Ford Motor Co and Mahindra & Mahindra will not collaborate on any project they had agreed to as part of their abandoned joint venture in India. Ford and Mahindra had proposed a joint venture to develop at least three sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) for India and emerging markets, as well as share suppliers, powertrains, and technology.
• Michigan-based Ford entered India 25 years ago, but it had only a 2% share of a market dominated by Suzuki Motor Corp and Hyundai Motor’s extensive line-up of mainly low-cost cars.

Appointments

Mallika Srinivasan appointed as the chief of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB)

• Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director of Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) Limited has been appointed as the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB).
• This is for the first time that a private sector specialist has been appointed as the head of the PESB, responsible for the appointment of top management posts in the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

Lt General Manjinder Singh took over as the Western Command Chief of Staff

• Lieutenant General Manjinder Singh took over as the Chief of Staff (CoS) of the Western Command. Singh is an alumnus of the Sainik School Kapurthala, National Defence Academy, and the Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned into the 19 Madras regiment on 20 December 1986.

Mukhmeet S. Bhatia appointed as the Director-General of ESIC

• Mukhmeet S. Bhatia took over as the charge of Director General of Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India. He replaces Anuradha Prasad.
• Employees State Insurance Corporation of India is a multidimensional social system tailored to provide socio-economic protection to the worker population and immediate dependent or family covered under the scheme.

Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Director-General: Mukhmeet S Bhatia
• Under Ministry: Ministry of Labour & Employment

Books and Authors

Vice President released a book titled ‘Suparipalana’ authored by retired civil servant Shailendra Joshi

• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu released the Telugu translation of “Echo T Calling: Towards People-Centric Governance,” titled “Suparipalana.”
• Annavarapu Brahmaiah is the translator of the Telugu version and the book was published by Maruthi.
• He emphasised the need for people to elect their representatives based on 4Cs (Character, Conduct, Calibre, and Capacity) and no other considerations.

Rankings

Hyderabad ranked 122^nd globally in annual housing price rise

• According to Knight Frank Hyderabad stood at 122nd position globally in terms of annual appreciation in housing prices for residential properties in the city rose marginally. As per Knight Frank’s Global Residential Cities Index 2020, Bengaluru was at 129th position, Ahmedabad 143rd, Mumbai 144th, Delhi 146th, Kolkata 147th, Pune 148th, and Chennai at the 150th place in the global list.
• Globally, Ankara (Turkey) ranked first with an annual price appreciation of 30.2 per cent, followed by Izmir in Turkey with a 29.4 per cent increase and Istanbul with a 27.9 per cent rise.

Sports News

Lewis Hamilton wins 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix

• Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix. The defending seven-time champion defended with supreme skill over the closing laps in his Mercedes to hold off the Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen, and claim a record-stretching 96^th Formula One victory.
• Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing-Netherlands) came second and Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-Finland) was third.

Nine cities in Australia and New Zealand to host 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

• The 2023 Women’s World Cup of football will be spread across nine cities in Australia and New Zealand. The opening match will take place at Eden Park in Auckland, with Sydney’s Stadium Australia hosting the final.
• It will be the first-of-a-kind World Cup co-hosted by members of different confederations and will also be the first to feature 32 teams up from 24 that participated in the 2019 France world cup.

Kerala’s Aniyan Midhun won gold at the South Asian Wushu championship 2021

• Aniyan Midhun of Kerala won the gold at the South Asian Wushu Championship that concluded in Nepal. The 28-year-old youth represented the country in the 70-kg category in the championship.
• He is the first Wushu player from southern India to reach the Indian team.

Indian Skipper Virat Kohli retained the top spot in ICC ODI rankings

• Team India captain Virat Kohli had retained his top spot in the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen. Kohli has 870 points in his kitty. KL Rahul has moved up from 31^st to 27^th Hardik Pandya has achieved a career-best 42nd position while Rishabh Pant has entered the top 100.

Top three are

1. Virat Kohli
2. Babar Azam
3. Rohit Sharma

Can you score 20/20 in Today’s Current Affairs Quiz? Attempt the Current Affairs Quiz of  April 2, 2021, now from the link given below. 

Daily Current Affairs Quiz – April 2, 2021