Current Affairs in English – April 12 2023

April 12, 2023

National Events:

CSR:

• The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur has entered into a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agreement with Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited. Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited is one of the seven new Defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) that were created by converting the Ordnance Factory Board into fully government-owned enterprises.
• The agreement was signed in the presence of dignitaries from IIT Kanpur, SIIC, and Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AW&EIL) at the Ordnance Factory Kanpur.

Food Conclave-2023:

• The Telangana government has scheduled the Food Conclave-2023 on April 28 and 29, which is a yearly gathering of 100 experts in the agri-food industry to discuss and exchange ideas.
• The main aim of the event is to recognize the primary obstacles and prospects for the Indian agri-food sector’s expansion in the current decade.

Cipla & Novartis Pharma AG:

• Cipla, a prominent Indian pharmaceutical company, announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Novartis Pharma AG (Switzerland) to produce and market the Galvus range, which is used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, effective from January 1, 2026.

Greek and Indian Air Forces:

• The Greek and Indian Air Forces will collaborate on a joint training exercise with Su-30, F-16, and Rafale fighter jets for ten days over Greece and the Mediterranean Sea.
• The exercise will be conducted as part of the annual Greek exercise Iniochos 23, led by the Greek Air Force and the Greek Air Tactics Center of the Ministry of Defense. The training is scheduled to begin on April 18th and will conclude on April 28th.

Sanjeevani:

• The economy of Himachal Pradesh is predominantly reliant on agriculture and animal husbandry. The rural households in the state consider livestock care as a crucial aspect, given the livestock population of approximately 4.41 million.
• The state government has initiated a project named Sanjeevani to uplift the livelihood of small dairy farmers and livestock owners.
• The project aims to enhance the lives of farmers by providing them with convenient and high-quality livestock care services at their doorstep, utilizing telemedicine and technology. This will aid in reducing the turnaround time for services and potentially prevent outbreaks.

 ‘Swatantrya Veer Gaurav Din’:

• The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, has declared that May 28, the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, will be celebrated as ‘Swatantrya Veer Gaurav Din’, and several events will be organized to promote the ideas of Swatantra Veer Savarkar on this day.
• The state government will commemorate the occasion by conducting various programs to spread the message of Swatantra Veer Savarkar.
• The announcement was made by the Chief Minister, who stated that the state will celebrate the birth anniversary of Swatantrya Veer Savarkar as ‘Swatantrya Veer Gaurav Din’ and conduct a range of events to promote his ideology.

Greenfield International Airport:

• The foundation stone for the Greenfield International Airport in Bhogapuram is set to be laid on May 3 by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
• The airport, spanning 2,200 acres, will soon commence construction, with the completion of the land acquisition process.
• Minister for Industries and Information Technology Gudivada Amarnath confirmed that the works are likely to be finished within 24-30 months.

‘Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project’:

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on 10 April 2023 launched the ‘Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project’ of Varanasi, during his visit to Uganda’s Kampala.
• From April 13-15, Jaishankar will visit Mozambique. This will be the first-ever visit by an External Affairs Minister of India to the Republic of Mozambique.

RRI & Indian Navy:

• Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the department of science and technology, has joined hands with the Indian Navy to develop secure maritime communications using quantum technologies.
• RRI’s Quantum Information and Computing (QuIC) lab will lead the research efforts towards developing quantum key distribution techniques. The agreement is for a period of five years.

IMF:

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that India’s economy will grow by 5.9% for the current fiscal year April 2023 March 2024. This is a downward revision of 0.2 percentage points since the January forecast.
• The IMF estimated a 6.3% economic growth rate for India for the next fiscal year. Global output growth is projected by the IMF to slow to 2.8% in 2023 (calendar year).

NCRTC:

• The National Capital Regional Transportation Corporation (NCRTC), on 11 April 2023, announced that the rapid rail between Delhi and Meerut will be called RapidX.
• The green leaf symbol is the highlight of the brand’s commitment to decarbonization. It will be 82 km long and NCRTC will commission the entire Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor for the public by 2025.

Garuda Aerospace:

• Garuda Aerospace, on 11 April 2023, became the first drone company to receive Agri Drone Subsidy for their agricultural drones. This subsidy is part of the Indian government’s efforts to promote the use of agricultural drones.
• The Kisan Drones were given to 8 farmers under the Agri-drone subsidy. Government is providing subsidies to promote the use of drone technology in the agriculture sector.

ZSI:

• Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of frog from deep inside a cave in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills district.
• The team named the new species as Amolops siju after the cave from where this discovery was made. The team had also discovered three other new species of cascade frog (Amolops) in Arunachal Pradesh.

GI:

• The famous Gond painting of Madhya Pradesh has received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag on 11 April 2023.
• The NRLM (National Rural Livelihood Mission) and NULM (National Urban Livelihood Mission) have decided to bring the painting in a cheap model.
• GI Tag ensures that no one other than the registered authorised user is allowed to use the name of the popular product.

Tamil Nadu Events:

CM Stalin:

• Chief Minister M.K.Stalin inaugurated 2,828 flats built at a cost of Rs.284.32 crore in various districts of Tamil Nadu through video.
• He also inaugurated buildings worth Rs.171.36 crore on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board and office buildings constructed at a cost of Rs.10.88 crore on behalf of the Urban Development Directorate in Salem, Erode and Coimbatore districts and buildings renovated at a cost of Rs.1.35 crore on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Housing Corporation.

International Events:

Germany:

• Germany will shut down its three remaining nuclear plants on April 15, 2023. Sixteen reactors have been closed in Germany since 2003.
• The three final plants provided six percent of Germany’s energy last year, compared with 30.8 percent from all nuclear plants in 1997.
• Meanwhile, Germany produced 46 percent of its energy from renewables in 2022, up from less than 25 percent a decade ago.

Myanmar:

• Myanmar carried out an air strike on 11 April 2023 on a village in which at least 100 people were killed. The people were gathered for the opening of a local office of the country’s opposition movement outside Pazigyi village.
• The People’s Defence Force is the armed wing of the National Unity Government, which calls itself the country’s legitimate government, in opposition to the army.

World Parkinson’s Day:

• World Parkinson’s Day is observed annually on April 11 to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. James Parkinson. He is the first physician to recognize Parkinson’s as a medical condition.
• The European Parkinson’s Disease Association (EPDA) and the World Health Organization established World Parkinson’s Day on April 11th, 1997. The theme for World Parkinson’s Day 2023 is “#Take6forPD”.

Uzbekistan:

• Uzbekistan, on 11 April 2023, announced to organize a referendum in the country on April 30 to reform the Constitution. It will include a proposal to enable President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to run for another term in office.
• Uzbekistan has also invited India’s Election Commission to witness the referendum. It is aimed at creating a strong parliament as well as an independent and fair judiciary.

GCHQ:

• Britain named Anne Keast-Butler as the first female director of its intelligence communications agency GCHQ.
• The agency is tasked with protecting the country from terrorists, cyber-criminals and malign foreign powers. She will take over the role in May 2023, succeeding Jeremy Fleming who is stepping down after a six-year tenure.

International Day of Human Space Flight:

• The International Day of Human Space Flight is observed annually on April 12th to commemorate the beginning of human space exploration and acknowledge the significant contribution of space science and technology in achieving the peaceful use of outer space.
• The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on April 7, 2011, designating April 12th as the International Day of Human Space Flight. This day is dedicated to honoring the first human to orbit the Earth, a Russian cosmonaut, on April 12th, 1961.

Nepal & India:

• Nepal and India are preparing to sign an agreement to allow cross-border digital payments through e-wallets, a move that is expected to boost trade and tourism between the two countries by eliminating currency exchange issues.
• The accord, expected to be signed during Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to India, will allow Indian tourists in Nepal to make digital payments through Indian e-wallets like BharatPe, PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm.
• The two countries have agreed to the deal, and officials from both countries are awaiting signatures.