Current Affairs in English – April 11 2023

National Events:

Global Engagement Scheme:

The Ministry of Culture in India is dedicated to promoting Indian Folk Arts and Culture abroad through various initiatives.
The Global Engagement Scheme is one such initiative that organizes Festivals of India in other countries to showcase the country’s rich culture, including folk art, exhibitions, dance, music, theatre, film, food festivals, and yoga events.
This scheme also highlights the diverse culture of North-East India to the world. The ministry provides grant-in-aid to Indo-Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies to organize programs and activities that promote the country’s culture across the world.

L&T Construction:

L&T Construction is constructing India’s first post office building using 3D printing technology in Bengaluru.
The project is to design and build the 1,000 square feet Halasuru Post Office using 3D Concrete Printing Technology within 45 days. The project scope involves structure, MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing), and finishes.

$125 million funding:

Indusind Bank has informed that Japanese lender JICA has teamed with Citibank to provide $125 million funding line to it. It will utilise the co-finance funding for onlending to the agricultural sector.
The funding includes a JPY 13 billion (approx $97.45 million) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and another $30 million from Citi to Indusind.

UIDAI & IIT-Bombay:

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-Bombay) to develop a touchless biometric capture system that is easy to use and accessible from anywhere.
The collaboration involves joint research between the two organizations to create a mobile fingerprint capture system and a liveness model that is integrated with the capture system.

National Safe Motherhood Day:

On April 11 every year, National Safe Motherhood Day is observed with the objective of promoting the well-being and safety of mothers and expectant mothers by increasing awareness of proper healthcare.
This initiative, launched by the Indian government, aims to decrease the number of maternal and neonatal deaths. In the past, India was recognized as one of the most perilous countries to give birth, responsible for 15% of all maternal fatalities worldwide.

SEEI:

The State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) for 2021-22 indicates that Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Telangana are the top-performing states, with a score of over 60 points on various parameters used to evaluate state-level energy efficiency initiatives.
Union Power Minister R K Singh launched the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22 report.

ECI:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on 10 April 2023 granted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) a national party status.
It also withdrew the national party status of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Communist Party of India (CPI), and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The Voice of the People Party got recognition as a state party in Meghalaya.

“Maratha Udyog Ratna”:

Nilesh Bhagwan Sambare, also known as Appa, the founder of Jijau Educational and Social Foundation or Sanstha, was awarded the “Maratha Udyog Ratna” award on 10 April 2023.
He was awarded during the “Maratha Entrepreneurs Conference 2023” in Nashik, Mumbai. Jijau Sanstha has been providing education, health, employment, and agriculture through self-earning for the past 14 years.

Tamil Nadu Events:

Online Gambling Prohibition Bill:

Online Gambling Prohibition Bill approved by Governor RN Ravi on April 10, 2023.
5000 fine or 3 months imprisonment for playing or gambling on prohibited online gambling sites. This bill was signed by the governor under Article 200 of the Constitution of India.

International Events:

United Nations 2023 Water Conference:

Recently, the United Nations 2023 Water Conference was held in New York.
The United Nations 2023 Water Conference was held after a 46-year gap, coinciding with the review of the implementation of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018-2028). The theme of the conference was “Our watershed moment: uniting the world for water”.

Simulated strikes:

China, on 10 April 2023, began the live-fire drills near Taiwan in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the United States in April 2023.
Chinese fighter jets and warships conducted simulated strikes on Taiwan.Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence on 10 April 2023, detected 70 Chinese military aircraft and 11 naval ships around Taiwan.

United States and the Philippines:

The United States and the Philippines on 11 April 2023 launched their largest combat exercises in decades.
It will involve live-fire drills, including a boat-sinking rocket assault in waters across the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. The annual drills by the longtime treaty allies called Balikatan-Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder will run up to April 28, 2023.

Freedom House:

Global watchdog Freedom House, in April 2023, released its Freedom in the World Index for 2023 which ranks Tibet as the world’s least free country.
In the report, Freedom House ranked Tibet as the “World’s least-free country” along with South Sudan and Syria. According to the report, China is putting an end to the traditional lifestyle of Tibetan nomads who regularly migrate with their yaks.

FEI:

Saudi Arabia received the flag for hosting the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) World Cup Finals 2024. It is the first time the event will be held in the Middle East.
The FEI World Cup Finals 2024 will be held in April 2024 in Riyadh. It is an annual international competition among the world’s best show-jumping horses and riders.

Time Out:

Berlin in Germany has been named the city with the most exceptional public transport system globally, according to a survey conducted by Time Out, a London-based media outlet that specializes in the hospitality industry and identifies itself as a global brand committed to urban life. Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, came in second place.
Mumbai, the top-ranked Indian city, secured the 19th spot in the rankings. Meanwhile, Mumbai boasts a grand suburban railway network that is a boon for the metropolitan region with a population of about 12.5 million.

Sports Events:

D Gukesh:

In the World Chess Armageddon Asia & Oceania event, Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh, who is a teenager, pulled off a major upset by defeating former world rapid champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan in the final.
Gukesh emerged as the winner in a thrilling summit clash that was full of ups and downs.