Current Affairs Pocket PDF – April 2018

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INDIAN AFFAIRS Cabinet Approvals

On April 4, 2018, Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved following initiatives: • Cabinet approves closure of loss making Burn Standard Company Limited - a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) • Cabinet approves rightsizing the Competition Commission of India • Chairperson and Six Members (totalling seven) to One Chairperson and Three Members (totalling four). • Cabinet approves the Protection of Human Rights (Amendments) Bill, 2018 • Cabinet approves revised cost estimates of the scheme of updation of National Register of Citizens, 1951 in Assam.

On April 11, 2018, Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved following bilateral agreement and initiatives. • Cabinet approves revision of pay and allowances of Lieutenant Governors of Union TerritoriesThus, with this approval, pay and allowances of Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories too has been revised from Rs. 80,000/- to Rs. 2,25,000/- per month with effect from January 1, 2016. • Cabinet approves Headquarters (Host country) Agreement between India and the International Solar Alliance. • Cabinet Approval to boost ‘Ease of doing Business’ in Petroleum and Natural Gas sector • Cabinet approves framework for Coal Bed Methane Extraction by Coal India Limited (CIL) and its Subsidiaries

On April 25, 2018, Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved following bilateral agreements and initiatives: • Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding between India and Sao Tome and Principe for Cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy It is to be noted that Indian Government has already signed similar MoUs with Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago, Hungry, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, Mongolia and Iran. • Cabinet approves MoU between India and Sao Tome and Principe on cooperation in the field of Medicinal Plants. • Cabinet apprised of the Memorandum of Agreement between India and World Health Organisation represented by its Regional Office for South-East Asia acting through its Country Office in India • Cabinet approves MoU on cooperation in the field of regulation of medical products for human use amongst the medicine regulatory agencies of the BRICS countries • Cabinet approves Long Term Agreements for supply of iron ore to Japan and South Korea through MMTC Limited • Cabinet approves declaration of Scheduled Areas in respect of Rajasthan under Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India

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On April 25, 2018, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved following initiatives. • Cabinet approves Minimum Support Prices for Raw Jute for 2018-19 season • Cabinet approves restructured National Bamboo Mission. Mission will be implemented in limited States particularly in the North Eastern region and States including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

State Wise National News

Andhra Pradesh • On April 12, 2018, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the IRNSS-1I navigation satellite aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C41.It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre located at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.It is part of Indian satellite navigation system ‘Navigation with Indian Constellation’ (NavIC) that was earlier known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). • State of Andhra Pradesh is constructing a world-class city in its de facto capital Amaravati. Nearly 3840 apartments in 61 towers are under construction in the Amaravati capital region.Towers being built by Shapurji Palonji and L&T are at Nelapadu village while those being built by Nagarjuna Construction Company are at Rayapudi village. • On 23rd April 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Operations Center (APCSOC) in Amaravati.APCSOC is an initiative taken by Andhra Pradesh Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (IT and E&C) ministry. • On 28th April 2018, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) K E Krishnamurthy initiated Andhra Pradesh government's 'Bhu Seva' (land hub) project aimed at offering integrated services related with land.As per the Bhu Seva project, each land parcel will be given a Bhudhar Number. The Bhudhar Number is an 11 digit unique number. Assam • On 7th and 8th April 2018, the Assam Spring Festival was held at the Manas National Park, in Assam.The Festival was organized by Indian Weavers' Association and the Swankar Mithinga Onsai Afat. The aim of the festival is to promote the local food and culture.It covers five districts of Assam: Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Udalguri and Barpeta. Goa • Goa State Government has decided to launch its own app-based taxi service at some key tourist destinations across the state.In which they invite the taxi operators to register with it. All taxi operators, who hold licence to run cabs in Goa, are eligible to register for this application-based transport service. • Union Minister for Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu said that, Central government along with state government and private partners is working to promote Goa as a tourism destination and a cargo hub.He said that, Mopa airport will start operations by September 2020. Dabolim Airport will continue to operate along with Mopa Airport. • On 28th March 2018, a Multi Modal Logistics Park was inaugurated by CMD Konkan Railway Sanjay Gupta and P K Agarwal, Director, Container Corporation at Balli Station on Konkan Railway route, near Madgaon in Goa at a cost of Rs 43 crore. Gujarat • Gujarat is to set up India’s largest 5,000MW solar park .It will be established on 11,000 hectares of land along the Gulf of Khambhat in the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR). Gujarat state government has also planned to set up a 200MW wind park in DSIR. It would attract additional investment of Rs 1,400 crore. • On April 11, 2018, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), in Gujarat launched 6th edition of Heat Action Plan (HAP) aimed at protecting city dwellers from scorching temperatures during 2 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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summer.The plan has been designed and will be implemented in partnership with Gandhinagar- based Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) and US based Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC) along with other groups and NGOs.Ahmedabad is the first city to prepare and implement heat action plan. • On 16th April 2018, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched 'Pocket Cop' project to improve crime detection rate in the state, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.Under the Pocket Cop project, smartphones having data of people with a criminal background will be given to 4,900 police personnel. The smartphone will contain four different applications for passport verification, tracing criminals, finding missing persons and for stolen vehicles. • On World Haemophilia Day (17th April 2018), Gujarat assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi launched 'Haemophilia Jagruti, a magazine to create awareness on haemophilia, an inherited bleeding disorder.It aims to share knowledge and the research done on Haemophilia. Hemophilia affects over 6,000 people in Gujarat. • On April 26, 2018, Swedish-Swiss multinational giant ABB announced commissioning of India’s first industrial solar microgrid at its factory in Vadodara, Gujarat.Microgrids with integrated battery energy storage is primarily setup to ensure continuity of work during planned and unplanned Power outages. • Surat railway station (in Gujarat) will be the third in India to be developed as a world-class facility under Railway Ministry’s station redevelopment programme. Estimated cost for redevelopment of Surat Railway Station is Rs 5000 crore. It is expected to be ready by 2020. India’s two world-class Railway stations — Habibganj (in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh) and Gandhinagar (in Gujarat) — will be ready by the beginning of 2019. Haryana • Central Government’s ‘Gobardhan Yojna’, a scheme for managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste into manure and biogas, will be launched nationally from Karnal, Haryana on April 30, 2018 Under this scheme, bio-gas plants will be set up at individual or community level and also at the level of Self Help Groups and NGOs like Gaushalas. • Haryana State Government has come up with Water ATM Policy to provide clean drinking water to people at public places.Distance between two water ATMs within a city would be 400 metres, which could be adjusted according to convenience of people. • Haryana State Government has approved the slum-in-situ rehabilitation policy in line with Housing for All-2018, under which, urban slum dwellers on Government land will be provided housing facility without relocating them to other areas.As per the policy approved by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Rs 1.67 lakh per dwelling unit will be provided to developer for construction of houses for these urban slum dwellers. • A power plant worth Rs 502 crore will be set up in Bandhwari village of Gurugram district, Haryana, to produce electricity from waste under the Integrated Solid Waste Management Scheme.The plant will be set up by August 2019. It will generate 25 MW of electricity. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar laid the foundation stone of the plant in Bandhwari village on 13th April 2018. • The intra-state e-way bill will come into effect on 20th April 2018 in Haryana.The e-way bill is mandated for intra-state movement of goods also in Haryana. This was announced by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at the inaugural function of new building of excise and taxation.He said the Haryana state government has been expanding e-governance in a planned manner to create an easy and transparent work environment. • On April 30, 2018, Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti launched the GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) - DHAN scheme at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal, Haryana. Ms. Bharti launched this scheme in presence of Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar.This scheme will be run by Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). Click here to read more. Himachal Pradesh • On 27th April 2018, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated the Kanda Pattan-Sarkaghat Water Supply Scheme at Cholthara in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh.The scheme is developed at a cost of Rs 39.65 crore. It will benefit more than 31,000 people of that 3 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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region. • On March 4, 2018, Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Vipin Parmar launched Mother's Absolute Affection (MAA) programme with an aim to promote breastfeeding.Beastfeeding helps in reducing the incidence of infant mortality and early childhood mortality and provides complete nutrition to a child. • Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to introduce free Heli-ambulance services in order to help patients in the far flung and inaccessible areas of the State.The free Heli-ambulance services will be operated by Heli-mission Switzerland with the assistance of Lady Willingdon Hospital, Manali in District Kullu. Kerala • From April 28 to 30 , Kerala will host the India Skills Kerala 2018 in Kochi, as part of the World Skills India 2018. It will help youngsters in the State to show their vocational skills. It aims to generating interest and creating awareness among the general public.It might help training students to get medals at the World Skills Competition Kazan 2019. • On 21st April 2018, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched Pravasi pension scheme.The Pravasi Pension Scheme offers people hailing from Kerala but living outside the state or country, a pension of Rs 2,000 a month.People aged over 60 years are eligible for this scheme. To avail this scheme a person has to pay Rs 100 per month. • In May-June 2018, Kerala State Government will start a 'community radio' to update farmers about the latest developments in the sector. The farm radio will start broadcast from Kuttanad in Alappuzha district of Kerala and will serve farmers in a 20 square kilometre radius in the region. Kuttanand was once popularly known as the 'rice bowl of Kerala. • With an aim to make organ transplants more transparent in the state, Kerala State Government has issued guidelines to be followed to confirm brain death cases. A medical board comprising four doctors, including one in government service, will be the competent authority to declare a patient brain-dead. Madhya Pradesh • President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, visited Madhya Pradesh.On April 28, 2018, President Kovind graced the 27th convocation of Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar. He also attended the Satguru Kabir Saheb Mahotsav, organised on the occasion of 620th Pragatosav of Satguru Kabir in Sagar & the next day he attended an ‘Asangathit Shramik Sammelan’ organised by Government of Madhya Pradesh, in Guna district. In Guna, he also addressed a function related to Mini Smart City Mission of Government of Madhya Pradesh. • Eighth ‘Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific’ was held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh from 10th – 12th April, 2018..Theme of this event was 'Achieving Clean Water, Clean Land and Clean Air through 3R and Resource Efficiency - A 21st-Century Vision for Asia-Pacific Communities' & it is concluded with the signing and adoption of 'Indore 3R Declaration on Achieving Clean Water, Clean Land and Clean Air' in cities. Maharashtra • On 25th April 2018, the Maharashtra government announced the launch of 'Startup Week 2018' from 25th June to 29th June 2018, with an aim to promote entrepreneurial ecosystem.Best three among them (a total of 24) will be awarded work orders of up to Rs 15 lakh from the Maharashtra State Innovation Society. • Maharashtra State Government has announced that, starting from June 2018, cancer patients in the state would be provided free chemotherapy treatment at district hospitals.This facility will be rolled out in phased manner, starting with hospitals in Nagpur, Pune, Gadchiroli, Amravati, Jalgaon, Nashik, Satara, Wardha, Bhandara and Akola. • On April 10, 2018, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched ‘QUEST’, a centre to evaluate and quantify special development budget allocations and their impact on tribal development.’QUEST’ has been initiated by Maharashtra State Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Tribal Welfare, with an objective to bring greater accountability in spending and management of dedicated funds allocated for tribal welfare & Maharashtra became first 4 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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among all Indian states to kick start such initiative. Manipur • On April 22,2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi honoured officials for making Manipur’s Karang the first cashless island of the country, and implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and other priority initiatives of the Centre.The island, a remote and backward region. • Shirui Lily Festival 2018 is being held in Ukhrul district of Manipur from 24th to 28th April, 2018.The festival commemorates the significance of Manipur's state flower, the Shirui Lily.It is celebrated to spread awareness about conservation of the endangered Shirui Lily and promote the district of Ukhrul as a tourist destination in Manipur. Meghalaya • The Meghalaya government has launched 'Mission Lakadong' to achieve a five-fold increase in the production of Lakadong turmeric, an organic variety of turmeric grown in Meghalaya, to at least 50,000 metric tonne per year in the next 5 years. Objective of 'Mission Lakadong' is to improve the livelihood and income of farmers involved in Lakadong turmeric cultivation. Mizoram • A Cancer Screening Mela was organized in Mizoram by the Health Department of Mizoram jointly with Public Foundation of India and National Health Mission under the initiative of Swasth Uttar Purv.Theme of the mela was: 'Come on Mizoram, together let's beat Cancer’.The mela was conducted to create awareness on cancer prevention and early diagnosis, early detection and management. Nagaland • On April 20, 2018, Nagaland launched "Saubhagya, Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana", aimed at electrifying over 90000 households across the state by March 31, 2019.Under this programme, electricity will be provided to 66766 rural households and 24,566 urban households in Nagaland. The programme will be monitored by Rural Electrification Corporation (REC). New Delhi • On 1st April 2018, Delhi is the first city in India which started supplying Ultra-clean Euro-VI or Bharat Stage (BS)-VI grade petrol and diesel from Euro-IV grade petrol and diesel without any additional cost in order to curb air pollution. • On April 25, 2018, Union Human Resource Development Ministry launched Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 in New Delhi.It is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, which seeks to bring in transformational change in rural developmental process by leveraging knowledge base and resources of the Premier Institutions of India. IIT Delhi has been designated as the National Coordinating Institute for this programme. • A first of its kind Israeli Modern Art Exhibition was inaugurated in New Delhi on April 28, 2018.This exhibition titled ‘To the End of Land’ was organised by National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi in collaboration with the Embassy of Israel in India and the Petach Tikva Museum of Art, Israel. • Second edition of World Hindu Congress (WHC)/World Hindu Congress 2018 will be held in Chicago, US from 7th – 9th September, 2018. The theme of World Hindu Congress 2018 is "Sumantrite Suvikrante" – “think collectively, achieve valiantly”.The inaugural World Hindu Congress was held in New Delhi in November 2014. • On April 3, 2018, Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Suresh Prabhu launched digital initiatives by Export Inspection Council (EIC) for ease of export at New Delhi.Three online portals have been developed to make it easier to export farm products from India and reduce transaction costs. • On 5th April 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the 34th annual session of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) in New Delhi.Ms Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank win for

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Banking & Finance Sector • On April 10, 2018, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the two-day “Scientific Convention on World Homeopathy Day” in New Delhi.The two-day convention has been organized by Union Ministry of AYUSH.The theme of this convention is "Innovate: Evolve; Progress: Exploring Science since 40 years". • Union Communications Minister Manoj Sinha has announced that second edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC) will be held in New Delhi from 25th – 27th October. IMC will be hosted by the Department of Telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).First edition of IMC was held in September 2017 in New Delhi. • On 16th and 17th April, 2018, India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) organized a Consultative Workshop in New Delhi for the Delegation from the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Kazakhstan.Interactive discussions on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) & Role of Information Technology (IT) and a Training Programme were conducted during the course of this workshop. • On 18th April 2018, the integration of e-SANAD portal and NAD – National Academic Depository was launched by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. National Academic Depository was launched by the government to digitally store school learning certificates, degrees and other academic awards of institutions of higher education. • In a bid to promote trade between India and Taiwan, Taipei World Trade Centre (TWTC) launched its office at New Delhi on April 19, 2018.Taipei World Trade Centre will serve as a single venue that combines consulting service on trade-related issues, trading partners, suppliers, and markets for international business.The gross volume of the bilateral trade between India and Taiwan currently stands at 6.3 billion. • Third edition of the Annual 5G India Congress 2018 was held on April 20, 2018 in New Delhi.Indian government is planning to roll out 5G by 2020. Besides, as per Global Mobile Operators Association,5G will account for 14 percent of global wireless connections by 2025. According to a recent report on Indian telecom market, the revenue from 5G-enabled digitisation in India will reach USD 25.9 billion by 2026 and 5G-enabled industry revenue is expected to add around $13 billion to operator revenue. • The Four day first International SME (Small,Medium Enterprises) convention 2018 is being held in New Delhi from 22ndto 24th April 2018. The main focus of this convention is on inclusion of MSMEs in the Make in India program & empowering women entrepreneurs. It has been engaged by Minister of MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) with 35 International Trade Development organizations. • On April 24, 2018, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the four-day Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in New Delhi.This four-day regional Workshop (April 24-27, 2018) is the fourth in a series of UNCCD Workshops held around the world and the first one being co-hosted by India. • Two day Secure India Conclave, organised by Global Counter Terrorism Council began in New Delhi on April 24, 2018.The conclave has been organised keeping in view, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘New India : Secure India 2018”.Several sessions on internal security situation on Jammu & Kashmir, Left wing Extremism and cyber security, chaired by eminent personnel will be held during the course of this two day conclave. Odisha • On April 1, 2018, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated World-Class tourist amenities at Konark Sun Temple in Odisha developed by Indian Oil Foundation (IOF), a trust formed by Indian Oil Corporation • On 28th April 2018, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated 'Odisha Skills 2018', the state-level chapter of India Skill competition organised by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in Cuttack, Odisha.Union Petroleum and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also inaugurated a skill-cum-common facility centre for filigree 6 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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craftsman of Cuttack. • Odisha Public e-library set up by Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) and Odisha Society of America (OSA) has started functioning from the Berhampur Town Hall in Odisha. OSA (Odisha Society of America) is an association of Odia people living in the US. OSA had offered Rs 20 lakh for the e-library through chief minister’s relief fund. • On April 15, 2018, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated a 2.5-km-long bridge built over the Ib river in Sambalpur district.This is Odisha’s second longest bridge and has been built at a cost of Rs. 117.50 crore.The bridge has enabled direct road connectivity between Sambalpur and Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district. Sikkim • On 26th April 2018, former footballer Bhaichung Bhutia launched his political party named "Hamro Sikkim" at the Press Club of India, New Delhi.He said that "Hamro Sikkim" will focus on corruption and unemployment in Sikkim. • On 29th April 2018, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling surpassed the record of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu as the longest serving Chief Minister of any Indian state.He is also a poet with pen name ‘Kiran’. He received Bhanu Puraskar award in 2010. Tamil Nadu • On 5th April 2018, the Tamil Nadu government launched Amma Free Wi-Fi zones in 5 cities of Tamil Nadu. Labour Statue at Marina, Chennai,Central Bus stand at Salem,Central Bus stand at Tiruchirappalli,Gandhipuram Bus Stand in Coimbatore,Mattu Thavani Bus Stand in Madurai. • Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief Minister K Palaniswami recently launched ‘Uzhavan’ (meaning - farmer), a mobile application for farmers. This app allows farmers to have access to nine types of services, including details about their crop insurance, information on farm subsidies, book farm equipment and related infrastructure and receiving weather forecast for the next four days. Tripura • On April 7, 2018, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb launched state component of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in Agartala.It is aimed at encouraging aptitude towards employable skills and increasing working efficiency of probable and existing daily wage earners, by providing quality training to them. • On April 12, 2018, Tripura State Government approved Rs 50.67 crore to set up an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Bodhjungnagar, located 15 km away from Agartala. Bodhjungnagar is one of North Eastern region's biggest industrial zones.The institute would be set up on 52.08 acres land and the total project cost would be Rs 128 crore. Uttar Pradesh • On April 7, 2018, Ganga Hariteema Yojana (Ganga Greenery scheme) was launched in 27 districts of Uttar Pradesh, located on the bank of Sangam, the confluence of rivers of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati.It envisages carrying out plantation drives in one-kilometre areas from the banks of river. • On 10th April 2018, Uttar Pradesh cabinet approved construction of an integrated sugar complex in Pilibhit and setting up a Tiger Conservation Foundation in Dudhwa.The cabinet also approved setting up of Dudhwa Tiger Conservation Foundation, as said by central government in 2007. • On April 13, 2018, Union Cabinet Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GNFC’s) Neem Project in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh.Under this project, GNFC intends to collect 8,000 to 10,000 MT Neem seeds from Uttar Pradesh, which in turn will provide additional income of Rs 12-15 crore for over one lakh rural woman from 2,500 villages in the State. • On April 18, 2018, Uttar Pradesh State Government ordered all government hospitals and orphanages to establish SHISHU SWAGAT KENDRA - PALNA and put up cradles in front 7 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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of their buildings so that any person, lady or couple can leave their unwanted child without disclosing their identity.Objective of this setup is to tackle the problem of abandoning the infants at the roadside or other places which may pose a risk of life for the baby. • Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS), Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have come together to make Uttar Pradesh Open Defecation Free (ODF).This is the first training camp, launched as a part of an intense drive towards making India Open Defecation Free (ODF) by October 2019. Uttarakhand • Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a campaign called "Devbhoomi dialogue", calling upon youth to look for self-employment opportunities in their chosen fields.Seeking valuable suggestions from Youth, Mr. Rawat stated that a search for self- employment opportunities can to help check the perennial problem of migration from the remote hill areas. • On 4th April 2018, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a transformation campaign to improve the standard of education in the government schools of Uttarakhand.He said that one model school will be opened in Kumaon and another in Garhwal. • On April 8, 2018, Union Food Processing Industries Minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated Uttarakhand’s second Mega Food Park in Udham Singh Nagar district.It is being set up over an area of 50.14 acres at a cost of Rs 99.96 crore.Uttarakhand’s first Mega Food Park is located at Haridwar and has already become operational. West Bengal • The central government has declared Digambarpur gram panchayat of West Bengal in South 24 Parganas district as the best panchayat in the country.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reminded that state was topped in job creation under the NREGA project. West Bengal has not only topped in rural employment generation, but also been able to reduce the unemployment rate by 40%. • Sunderban Reserve Forest is likely to be declared a Ramsar Site as West Bengal State Government has given approval to its State Forest Department to apply for recognition under the Ramsar Convention. • West Bengal State Government has rolled out Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s dream project "Rupashree" scheme aimed at providing an amount of Rs 25000 marriage assistance to girls coming from economically weaker families whose family income is uoto Rs 1.5 lakh

Other Important National Affairs

• As per data released by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), subscriber base of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) stood at 97.05 lakh at the end of the financial year 2017-18.The Yojana is launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 9, 2015. • On April 3, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of the kin of 39 Indians who were killed in Iraq. • On April 2, 2018, Indian Government imposed a 10 per cent duty on import of key smartphone components such as printed circuit board assembly, loaded or stuffed printed circuit boards (for telephones as well as mobile phones), camera module and connectors of cellular mobile phones. • As per data released by Union Commerce and Industry Ministry, Core Sector such as Coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity recorded 5.3% growth in February 2018 on account of a steep rise in output of cement and fertilisers. • The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru has been named the overall best institution in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). It was followed by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in the second position and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in the third spot.

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• Ministry of Tourism along with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has launched “Adopt a Heritage Project”Main focus of the project will be to provide basic facilities like cleanliness, public convenience, drinking water, ease of access for tourists, signage etc. and advanced facilities like Souvenir shop, Cafeteria etc. • The UIDAI has unveiled the beta version of 'Virtual ID', which will soon be accepted by service providers in lieu of Aadhaar number to address privacy concerns related to quoting Aadhaar.All authorised agency/service providers will have to compulsory accept VID for undertaking authentication from June 1, 2018. • On April 5, 2018, Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated first flight from Delhi to Pathankot (in Punjab), at a ceremony held at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. It aims at making flying a reality for common people residing in Tier-II and Tier-III towns by providing air connectivity to currently underserved and unserved airports. • On April 5, 2018, digital payments company PayPal and the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) signed a MoU from which PayPal will work with FIEO to educate SMEs on how to leverage global opportunities, help them receive money in a safe and timely manner with PayPal products and inform them of global best practices. • IndiaFilings.com has launched online income tax filing services for salaried individuals. income tax return using their platform.All income tax returns like ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3, ITR-4, ITR-5, ITR-6 and ITR-7 can be filed online using their platform directly. • On 5th April 2018, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri launched the modernisation of the Government Press.Amount sanctioned for the total project is Rs 338.56 crore. Out of this Rs 100 crore has been allotted for plant and machineries. • On April 5, 2018, Union Minister for Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal launched UTTAM (‘Unlocking Transparency by Third Party Assessment of Mined Coal’)App for Coal Quality Monitoring.It is developed by Union Ministry of Coal and Coal India Limited (CIL). • Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has constituted a five-member working group to examine the taxation aspects related to High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) who are migrating abroad to other jurisdictions.This Working Group will be headed by Pragya Sahay Saksena, a joint secretary with Foreign Tax & Tax Research Division of CBDT. • On April 5, 2018, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) put forth a concept of open architecture-based public Wi-Fi grid to bring down the cost of the internet by 90%. TRAI Chairman R S Sharma believes that Broadband proliferation across the country is an important pillar of Digital India and Wi-Fi is the cheapest option owing to low cost of equipment and free spectrum. • Jammu's first tulip garden has been set up at Sanasar in Ramban district of Jammu region.This is the first tulip garden in Jammu region.The tulip garden was developed by the Floriculture Department. There are no time restrictions for visiting the garden. Also, no fee is charged from visitors. • Union Ministry of Tribal affairs has approved establishment of the first multipurpose “Van Dhan Vikas Kendra” in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh for value addition of Forest Produce.This scheme is for socio economic development of tribals living in forests, for whom, collecting Minor Forest Produce (MFP) is a major source of livelihood. • From 10th to 23rd April, 2018, Indian Air Force (IAF) will conduct exercise ‘Gagan Shakti, 2018’, its biggest ever combat exercise along Pakistan and China borders.Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will be taking part in the exercise for the first time. • Indian Railway has inducted three ‘09-3X Dynamic Tamping Express machines’, the state of the art integrated track maintenance machines. Each new 09-3X- Dynamic Tamping Express machine costs about Rs. 27 Crore. 42 more such machines will be inducted in Indian Railway maintenance fleet over next three years. • On April 6, 2018, Indian Government banned imports of the hormone oxytocin to stop its misuse in the livestock industry.Oxytocin is referred to as "love hormone". It is released naturally during human bonding activities such as sex, childbirth and breastfeeding. 9 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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• NITI Aayog is planning to build National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) to host and analyse huge amount of data which shall be helpful for citizens to understand spend patterns of the government, consumption trends and the success of various government policies.By using artificial intelligence (AI) for in-depth analysis. • On April 8, 2018, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan launched PMUY scheme in Delhi.It was launched in May 2016. The objective of this scheme is to provide deposit-free LPG connections with monetary assistance to women from below poverty line (BPL) households.So far it has transformed the lives of more than 3.5 crore women. • Madhubani railway station in Bihar, which was once considered as a dirty railway station has got a makeover with the traditional Mithila paintings.It is also referred to as Madhubani art.These paintings constitute geometrical patterns drawn with twigs, fingers, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, using natural dyes and pigments. • IHHC (India Home Health Care) has become the first home health care company to create a dedicated ICU simulation lab to train nursing staff, at its Bengaluru facility.Through this, IHHC will introduce critical care at home services. IHHC customers can now enjoy enhanced care service in the comfort of their homes. • Prof Panchanan Mohanty,former dean of the School of Humanities at University of Hyderabad (UoH) has discovered two new languages:Walmiki and Malhar.Walmiki is spoken in Koraput of Odisha and in the bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh.Malhar is spoken in an isolated region 165 km away from Bhubaneswar in Odisha.

Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Oli was on a three-day official visit to India from 6th – 8th April 2018.  Both the Prime Ministers jointly pushed a button to virtually lay the foundation stone of the 900 MW Arun III hydroelectric project, for which Indian Government will provide USD 1.5 billion. This project will be built by Sutlej Jal Vikas Nigam.  The integrated checkpost at Birgunj-Raxaul, the main entry-exit point on the open India-Nepal border, was also remotely inaugurated by both the Prime Ministers.  India to build strategic Railway link between Kathmandu and Raxaul  India, Nepal to enhance Agriculture cooperation & also promotes exchanges between the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC).  India, Nepal decide to develop inland waterways for Cargo Movement  Modi, Oli launched the ground-breaking ceremony of Rs 3.24 billion India-Nepal petroleum products pipeline from Motihari to Amlekhgunj.  Oli Seeks farm expertise for Nepal • 51-day long 8th Theatre Olympics, concluded in Mumbai on April 8, 2018.It was held in India for the first time.It was inaugurated by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu at the Red Fort, Delhi, on February 17, 2018.The theme is “Flag of Friendship”. • The UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) has introduced secure digitally-signed QR Code on e-Aadhaar that will contain photograph of the Aadhaar holder along with demographic details.This has been introduced to enable better offline verification of an individual. • On 9th April 2018, Export Promotion Council for EoUs and SEZs (EPCES) announced that, it has launched a new membership software application. It will also help to reduce delays and paperwork for the members. The new facility allows members to renew their membership, apply for new membership or to download certificates. It is available in https://membership.epces.in • Intra-State E-way (Electronic Way) bill i.e. the E-way bill for movement of goods within the state will be rolled out from April 15, 2018, starting with 5 states namely Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh.In context of this news, it is important to note that

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E-way bill system for moving goods worth over Rs 50000 from one state to another has already been rolled out since April 1, 2018. • On April 10, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled India's first 12000 horsepower electric locomotive from Bihar's Madhepura locomotive factory.With the launch of this locomotive, India has joined the league of countries - Russia, China, Germany and Sweden – that have successfully run 12000 horsepower and above capacity electric Locomotives. • On April 10, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the National Convention of Swachhagrahis (cleanliness ambassadors) at Motihari, in East Champaran district of Bihar. Theme of the centenary celebrations of the Champaran Satyagraha is "Satyagraha se Swachhagrah".PM Modi launched development projects worth over Rs. 6600 crore in Motihari. • On April 10, 2018, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot launched a new Website and Mobile App of the ‘National Commission for Safai Karamcharis’.The new website and Mobile App will help the Commission in addressing the grievances/complaints of petitioners in an efficient manner. • On 9th April 2018, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched 'Project Dhoop', an initiative to shift the school assembly time to noon to make sure maximum absorption of Vitamin D in students through natural sunlight.This initiative has been conceptualised by McCannHealth. It is supported by Kwality (Ltd). • On 10th April 2018, Animal Husbandry Secretary Tarun Shridhar launched a website of Pashu Chikitsak Mahasangh, the topmost body for state veterinary associations.Tarun Shridhar inaugurated the website 'www.pashuchikitsakmahasangh.in'. He dedicated it to veterinarians. • Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs has set up a 12-member panel to review the enforcement of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) provisions under the Companies law and to recommend a uniform approach for its enforcement.The panel is headed by Manmohan Juneja - Regional Director (Western Region) while Seema Rath – Deputy Director (CSR) will be the convener. Other members include Sanjay Shorey - Joint Director (Legal) and N K Dua - Joint Director (Policy) N K Dua. • Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology lab, India’s first-of-its-kind 5G radio laboratory will be inaugurated at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi on April 13, 2018.The Massive MIMO Technology Lab has been set up at the Bharti School of Telecommunication Technology and Management, at IIT Delhi. • On 12th April 2018, Union government announced the formation of a 13-member task force, to develop a roadmap for the implementation of unmanned aerial vehicle technology.The Task Force is headed by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha.It will also focus on research and development, acquisition and commercialisation, application and adoption in specific sectors, the regulatory framework and preference for Make in India. • On 11th April 2018, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) signed an agreement for its first international project as part of the India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Trilateral Highway. India, Thailand and Myanmar are working on the 1,400 km long highway.The project is funded by Ministry of External Affairs, India.The estimated cost for the project is Rs 1,177 crore. • As per data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on April 12, 2018, industrial production grew at 7.1 per cent in February 2018.Growth in industrial production during February 2018 came on account of robust performance of the manufacturing sector and higher offtake of capital goods and consumer durables. • On April 13, 2018, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh launched the web-based application ‘e- FRRO’ (e-Foreigners Regional Registration Office).By using e-FRRO application, foreigners in India would be able to get as many as 27 Visa and Immigration related services from the comfort of their place of stay, through email/post without appearing in person at the FRRO office. • On 10th April 2018, the Supreme Court said that, the provision of Aadhaar Act that seeks to validate the data collected from 2009 to 2016 was "badly drafted".The provision validated all biometric enrolments even before the law was passed with retrospective effect.Section 59 of the Act deems consent in all pre-2016 cases where biometrics were collected without the backing of 11 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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any law. Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that “Section 59 is badly drafted.” • On 13th April 2018, Hardeep Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing & Urban Affairs launched Smart Imprest Cards & e-Measurement Book (e-MB) on PFMS portal for CPWD (Central Public Works Department).This is the first integrated web based module in Civil Ministries to monitor and track both the financial progress - utilization of funds and related physical progress captured through e-MB of various works in CPWD projects.

On April 14, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Chhattisgarh for two-day state visit. During the course of this visit, he will launch various welfare schemes.  PM Modi to inaugurate first health centre under Ayushman Bharat Scheme  PM Modi to visit Jangala Development Hub  PM Modi inaugurated Van Dhan Yojana aimed at empowering tribal communities.  He also flagged off a train between Dalli Rajhara and Bhanupratappur and thereby dedicating the Bhanupratappur-Gudum railway line to the nation.

• On April 13, 2018, Central Government announced extension of phase 1 of the FAME-India scheme by six months till end of September 2018 or till its second phase is approved, whichever is earlier.Announcement in this regard was made through a notification issued by Department of Heavy Industry under Union Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, which is the administrative authority for this scheme. • On April 14, 2018, on the occasion of 127th birth anniversary BR Ambedkar, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan launched Pradhan Mantri Ujwala Yojana (PMUY) in Telangana. PMUY has so far benefited more than 3.5 crore families.Mr. Pradhan stated that by the next year-end, over 20 lakh new gas connections will be provided in Telangana. • On April 15, 2018, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took oath for his new six years term in the Rajya Sabha. Mr. Jaitley took oath in Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu's chamber in Parliament, in presence of Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Ananth Kumar and Leader of Opposition in the Upper House, Ghulam Nabi Azad.He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. He was re-elected for new term in March 2018. • As per World Bank’s bi-annual South Asia Economic Focus report released on April 15, 2018, Indian economy has recovered from the adverse impacts of demonetisation (in November 2016) and roll out of Goods and Services Tax (in July 2017).Owing to recovery from above stated events, Indian economy is projected to grow by 7.3% in 2018 and 7.5% in 2019. • On April 16, 2018, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the 7th edition of Home Expo India 2018 at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida.This three-day fair has been organised by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), which is the nodal export promotion body for handicrafts in India. • In a bid to further boost the consumption of natural gas in the country, Indian Government is planning to set up a Gas Trading Hub/Exchange (GTHE) by October 2018.The GTHE will enable trading in natural gas and supply through a market-based mechanism instead of multiple formula driven prices. • Government of India has decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds 2018-19 – Series-I. These bonds will be issued by Reserve Bank India (RBI) on behalf of the Government of India.Subscription Date: April 16, 2018 to April 20, 2018. Bond Certificate will be issued on May 4, 2018.Denomination: 1 gm multiples.Issue Price: Rs. 3114 per gram. Click here to know more. • Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has designated 14 new sites as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) since 2016.The 14 new sites are wide ranged from oases to rice terraces, wasabi cultivation to raisin production.These places have shaped landscapes into works of art. They have protected sustainable ways of living and producing food.Click here to read more. • On April 16, 2018, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) unveiled the beta version of a website that contains information about mobile tariffs of all operators for all service 12 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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areas.Objective behind unveiling this portal is to allow users to compare tariffs of different telecom operators and thereby enhance transparency in the industry. • On April 17, 2018, Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Suresh Prabhu launched Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO’s) GlobalLinker, a digital platform for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Exporters which is a growing global network, which currently comprises over 140000 SME firms. • The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018. The amended Rules state that, the phasing out of Multilayered Plastic (MLP) is now applicable to MLP that are non-recyclable, or non-energy recoverable, or with no alternate use.Rule 15 of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018 on “explicit pricing of carry bags” has been omitted. • According to latest data released by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Bihar has the highest rate of crimes against Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe population &lowest in West Bengal.Madhya Pradesh reported the highest rate of crime (43.4%) against SCs specifically, while West Bengal had the lowest at 6%.Rajasthan reported the highest rate of crime (12.9%) against STs specifically. • On April 17, 2018, Minister of State for Communications, Manoj Sinha launched DARPAN-PLI App, which will help in collection of premium for Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance policies at Branch Post Offices anywhere in India.This app is a part of Department of Posts endeavour to go digital which will help in providing better after-sales service to customers of PLI and RPLI, particularly to those living in rural areas of India. • On April 18, 2018, Union Minister of External Affairs, Ms. Sushma Swaraj launched ‘Study in India’ portal which is aimed at making India a preferred destination for the foreign students to pursue their education.The 150 institutions are the ones which have a high National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking. • The Finance Ministry might bring up a Rs 10,000-crore follow-on fund offer of the Bharat-22 exchange traded fund (ETF) as it plans to dilute stake in Coal India to meet the minimum public holding norm.PSUs that are part of the new Bharat ETF-22 are ONGC, IOC, SBI, BPCL, Coal India and Nalco. • Intra-State E-way (Electronic Way) bill i.e. the E-way bill for movement of goods within the state will be rolled out in six more states from April 20, 2018.Six states are Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura and Uttarakhand.Karnataka is the only state which had rolled out Intra-State E-way bill system from April 1, 2018. • On 17th April 2018, the Environment Ministry released the draft of National Clean Air Programme aimed to reduce air pollution.Objectives are to augment and develop an effective and a proficient ambient air quality monitoring network throughout India to ensure comprehensive and reliable database & to have efficient data dissemination and a public outreach mechanism for timely measures for prevention and mitigation of air pollution. • In a bid to reduce the digital divide, from May 2018, Chhattisgarh State Government will start distributing free smartphones to over 50 lakh people across the state under theSanchar Kranti Yojana (SKY).On account of this scheme, 13900 villages of Chhattisgarh will get better phone connectivity. • Minister of State of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Giriraj Singh has stated that four technology centres are being established in North Eastern India namely Imphal (Manipur), Dimapur (Nagaland), Tinsukia (Assam) and Agartala (Tripura) for supporting Micro industries in the region. • Karan Johar (referred to as KJo), will soon become first Indian filmmaker to get a wax statue at Madame Tussauds, London.Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar and PM Narendra Modi are some of the other Indian dignitaries who have got a wax statue at Madame Tussauds, London. • On 16th April 2018, the Union Rural Development Ministry said that,due to the need and urgency of rural roads for national development the target date for completion of PMGSY-I has been preponed from 2022 to 2019.To meet this target, the government has sanctioned the order 13 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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for construction of roads to connect 1.66 lakh habitations. • On 18th April 2018, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu launched 'Atal Amrit Abhiyan', a health scheme of Assam government that provides free medical care of up to Rs 2 lakh for every person from Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) families.The scheme has been named after former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. • On April 18, 2018 Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has taken an another effort to increase the privacy level of aadhar details without disclosing the 12-digit Aadhar card number by introducing an updated digitally signed 'QR code' on e-Aadhaar that will now contain the photograph of the Aadhaar user with other non-sensitive details like name, address and birth date. • On 18th and 19th April 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind was on his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.He addressed the sixth convocation of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) at Katra on 18th April 2018. Nearly 880 scholars received degrees and merit certificates at the event & visited the Mubarak Mandi heritage site. • A Group of Ministers constituted by the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry, has recommended a uniform structure of road tax for vehicles across states.The GoM is headed by Rajasthan transport minister Yoonus Khan. For levying tax based on invoice price of the vehicles, GoM has recommended three slabs viz. 8 percent tax on vehicles below 10 lakhs, 10 percent for vehicles costing between 10-20 lakh, and 12 percent for vehicles above 20 lakh. • On April 20, 2018, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Statistics and Programme Implementation, Vijay Goel inaugurated the new office of Central Project Monitoring Unit for the e-Vidhan project of the Government at the Parliament House Annexe.e-Vidhan, a part of Central Government’s Digital India Programme, is a mission mode project to digitize and make the functioning of State Legislatures in India paperless. • Shri. Jagat Prakash Nadda,Union health minister has decided to roll out 'Integrated initiative for prevention & control of viral hepatitis' with a budget of Rs 517.39 crore for three year. This initiative for prevention and control of viral hepatitis has roll out under National Health Mission (NHM). • On April 21, 2018, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh laid foundation for various development projects in Union Territory, Diu.He laid foundation for Construction of a pile jetty in Vanakbara village, first phase of sewerage network, New school buildings at Kamleshwar, Zampa and Ghoghla.Diu has been selected for Central Government’s Smart Cities Mission. • On April 21, 2018, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval for restructured Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).It will help more than 2.55 lakh Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to develop governance capabilities to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through inclusive local governance with focus on optimum utilisation of available resources. • Diu Smart City has become the first city in India to function on 100% renewable energy during daytime.Diu has adopted a two-pronged approach. According to that, a 9 MW solar park has been se t up in 50 hectares and solar panels have been installed on the roof tops on 79 government buildings accounting to 1.3 MW power generation annually. • On April 21, 2018, Union Cabinet stated that India will now maintain a database of sexual offenders to monitor and track those individuals convicted of such crimes.It will be maintained by National Crime Records Bureau.Only eight countries viz. US, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom have sexual offender database. • Taniya Sanyal from Kolkata has become the first woman firefighter appointed by Airports Authority of India (AAI).AAI currently has 3310 fire fighters posted at different airports across India.Physical standards for selection of male firefighters is minimum height of about 1.6 metres and minimum weight of 50 kg. • On 21st April 2018, the central government approved an ordinance to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to provide death penalty for the rape of children below the age of 12 years.

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Rape of women Imprisonment had increased from 7 years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment. Rape of a girl under 16 years of age Imprisonment had increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life. Gang rape of a girl under 16 years of age Imprisonment for rest of life of the convict. Rape of a girl under 12 years Minimum 20 years of imprisonment or imprisonment for rest of life or with death. Gang rape of a girl below 12 years Imprisonment for rest of life or death sentence. • On April 20, 2018, Madras High Court became the first court in south India and eighth in India to introduce e-court fee payment facility.It is an advocate/litigant-centric initiative which enables advocates and litigants to pay court fee online. So far, only Supreme Court and the High Courts in Delhi, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have the e-court fee payment facility. • Two craft forms from Telangana - Adilabad Dokra, an ancient bell metal craft popular in the tribal regions of Adilabad district,its speciality of Adilabad Dokra is that no two pieces are alike in shape as well as in size thus making it impossible to replicate.and Warangal Dhurries, a popular cotton rug - are famous across the world due to the high degree of craftsmanship involved in its creation. Both have been issued the Geographical Indication (GI) Registration Certificate by the GI Registry, Chennai. • Prototype of an intelligent traffic management solution is currently being tested by Bengaluru Smart City jointly with the Electronics City Township Authority (ELCITA), to enhance traffic management.Typical traffic management activities like vehicle detection, traffic density estimation and control of traffic lights will be automated for real-time performance. • On 23rd April 2018, the central government said that, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been removed from Assam, Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal Pradesh, due to remarkable improvement in security situation in those regions.AFSPA was completely withdrawn from all areas of Meghalaya from 1st April 2018. AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir for many decades. In Assam it was introduced in 1990s. • On 24th April 2018, an official announcement stated that, foreign tourists, except those from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, will now be allowed to visit Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. The Home Ministry has decided to relax the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime from Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur for five years with effect from 1st April 2018. • The e-Way Bill system for Intra-State movement of goods is implemented from 25th April 2018 in Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Puducherry. As on 20th April, 2018, e-Way Bill system for Intra-State movement of goods has been rolled-out in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. • The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under the NITI Aayog will launch the Atal New India Challenge on 26th April 2018.Through the Atal New India Challenge, AIM will invite prospective innovators/MSMEs/start-ups to design market-ready products, using advanced technologies or prototypes in 17 focus areas like Climate Smart Agriculture, Smart Mobility, Predictive Maintenance of Rolling Stock, Waste Management etc. • Six countries of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) have suspended their memberships amid differences over who should lead the group they are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru. Owing to this, membership of UNASUR has reduced to half and now only Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela remain in the bloc. • On April 24, 2018, Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons awarded Letters of Intent (LoI) to 9 agencies for 22 monuments under ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ project.Under this scheme, Ministry of Tourism invited private and public sector entities to adopt 15 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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as many as 116 ASI-protected monuments/sites and to take up the responsibility for its maintenance, conservation and development. • On April 25, 2018, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, released a commemorative postage stamp on former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Late Shri Hemvati Nandan BahugunaHemvati Nandan Bahuguna was the 9th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He held office from November 8, 1973 to November 29, 1975. • On 25th April 2018, the third ship of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk-IV project was inducted into the Indian Navy at Port Blair.The ship was commissioned as INLCU L53 by Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, AVSM, ADC, Commander-in-Chief A&N Command.It was designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. • On April 26, 2018, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a mock exercise on earthquake preparedness in three North Eastern States - Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram.Conducting such mock exercise was required as these three states fall under seismic vulnerability zone • On April 14, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Van Dhan Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) during the celebrations of Ambedkar Jayanti at Bijapur, Chattisgarh.This scheme is for socio economic development of tribals living in forests, for whom, collecting Minor Forest Produce (MFP) is a major source of livelihood.Click here to read more. • On April 26, 2018, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched a portal to facilitate import-export of seeds and planting material. This portal will help organisations involved in import-export of seeds to do away with the requirement to submit their applications in 20 copies. • On April 26, 2018, Union Ministry of Tourism launched a 360° Virtual Reality (VR) experience video on Incredible India in collaboration with Google India.It takes through a journey across Hampi, Goa, Delhi and Amritsar. The video covers the site-specific as well as the people-aspect associated with these destinations. • On 27th April 2018, Union Minister Manoj Sinha said that, the Telecom Commission has approved a comprehensive strategy to implement BharatNet in the North East region,mainly in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura will be connected through broadband connectivity on satellite media by December 2018.The estimated cost for this is Rs 733 crore. • A five-day training programme, aimed at enhancing the preparedness of Airport Emergency Handlers (AEHs) to respond to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear emergencies at the airports, concluded on April 27, 2018 at the Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport in Patna, Bihar.During the course of this training, NDMA & NDRF jointly conducted its first-ever full- scale Biological Management Emergency Exercise. • The environment ministry has banned plastics in all protected areas throughout India, declaring them "plastic free zones".Environment secretary C K Mishra said all protected areas and forest reserves will be plastic free zones. This will be mandatorily enforced. He added that, alternatives to plastics will be made available gradually. • NITI Aayog and ITC Ltd will be collaborating in the area of agriculture and allied sectors with an objective to strengthen farming systems.This collaboration will be for a period of four years till April 2022 under which, both the entities will strive to increase net returns from farming through reduction in costs of production and increasing productivity of major crops. • On 26th April 2018, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) set up India’s first Virtual Bronchoscopy Navigation, an advanced facility for diagnosis and treatment of small tumour-like spots in lungs. The VBN system was installed in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders at AIIMS.Apart from India only few countries like China, Singapore besides the US and Europe own this facility. • On April 27, 2018, Expenditure Finance Committee of Union Finance Ministry accepted the proposal of Union Ministry of Water Resources to provide Central Assistance for completion of 8 Major/Medium Irrigation projects and 83 Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) projects in Vidarbha, Marathwada and drought prone areas of rest of Maharastra.Estimated cost for completion of these 16 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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projects is Rs. 13651.61 Crore. • Indian Government will soon launch a uniform and credible national-level disaster database on UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR’s) insistence to implement its commitment to the Sendai Framework.The Database will be a dynamic platform having locally obtained and validated data on nationwide losses of properties and lives occurring due to disasters. • On 27th April 2018, K.J.Alphons, Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology inaugurated the Indian Culinary Institute (ICI) at Noida.ICI offers courses in Diploma, Under Graduation, and Post-Graduation and research in Culinary Arts. • Central Government has started a Pilot Scheme for Procurement of Aggregate Power of 2500 MW on competitive basis for 3 years from generators with commissioned projects but without Power Purchase Agreement.Maximum allotment to a single entity has been capped at 600 MW.PFC Consulting Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of PFC Ltd is the Nodal Agency and PTC India Limited is the Aggregator for this scheme.

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• India’s neighbouring country, Nepal has launched its first accessible trekking trail (for the differently-abled and the elderly) in Pokhara city.The trail was inaugurated as a part of International Conference on Accessible Tourism. • In 2018, China will unveil the world's longest cross-sea bridge, connecting Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China which is 55km-long and six lanes wide, comprising of four tunnels and four artificial islands & will reduce the commute time to half. • On April 3, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched construction of Turkey’s first ever nuclear plant on the Mediterranean coast at Akkuyu.It is being built by Russia's nuclear energy agency, Rosatom. • Qatar has introduced national service for women for the first time as per a law issued by Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. According to the law, women above the age of 18 can volunteer for national service. Men between the ages of 18 and 35 are required to perform compulsory military service, and now the service period has been increased from three months to one year. • Indo-Korean joint anti-piracy, search and rescue exercise 'SAHYOG-HYEOBLYEOG 2018' was held on April 5, 2018 off the Chennai coast.As a part of this exercise, ships of the Indian Coast Guard and Korean Coast Guard ship 'BADARO' jointly undertook tactical manoeuvres and drills to counter piracy and carry out maritime law enforcement tasks. • India has become the ninth most affected country in the world and second most affected country in Asia-Pacific Japan region in cryptojacking activities, as per the ‘Internet Security Threat Report’ presented by Symantec, a security solutions provider.India is one among the top five countries as a source for IoT (Internet of Things) attacks. • On April 8, 2018, Japan activated its Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB), its first marine unit since World War Two.The marine unit has been activated to counter invaders who attempt to occupy Japanese islands along the edge of the East China Sea. Japan fears that those islands are vulnerable to attack by China. • On April 8, 2018, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that India and South Korea will sign a pact to provide Indian seafarers employment on over 500 Korean ships & will also explore partnerships in shipbuilding, waterways and smart transportation.It will be beneficial for both the countries as Korea is a large ship-owning nation & India is a large seafaring nation with over 1.5 lakh seafarers. • United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Malaysia concluded "Desert Tiger 5" joint military exercise aimed at sharing expertise and enhancing joint military actions.It was aimed at improving combat readiness, raising combat efficiency and enhance interoperability of the ground forces of both the countries. • On April 9, 2018, President of India, Ram Nath Kovind concluded his visit to Equatorial Guinea, He was conferred with the 'Condecoracion', the highest honour accorded to a non-citizen by the government of Equatorial Guinea.India and Equatorial Guinea signed three Memorandum of

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Understanding in the fields of AYUSH and traditional medicine; medicinal plants; and an action plan for Information and Communication Technology. • Veena Sahajwalla, an Indian-origin scientist in Australia, has launched the world's first microfactory that can transform the components from electronic waste like smartphones and laptops into valuable materials for re-use. • On April 10, 2018, Vice Foreign Minister of Vietnam, Dang Dinh Quy met Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi and held discussions on India-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership and on ways to further boost ties.It is to be noted that in 2016, India and Vietnam formally upgraded their relationship status (from Strategic Partnership) to "comprehensive strategic partnership. • Officials of Union Commerce Ministry are in Peru for the second round of negotiations for proposed free trade agreement (FTA) to boost two-way commerce between both the countries. Under FTA, the partner countries reduce or eliminate duties on most of the goods traded between them. • On April 10, 2018, India and World Expo 2020 signed participants’ contract for India’s pavilion in the prestigious World Expo 2020.World Expo 2020 will take place in Dubai, UAE for six months beginning October 2020.The India Pavilion, which is to be developed in public-private partnership mode, will focus on country’s advances in Space, Pharma, IT, Renewable Energy, Telecom sectors. • 'Commonwealth Trade Review 2018: Strengthening the Commonwealth Advantage' has been released. India has become the top recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) from within the Commonwealth. It has become the second-most lucrative source of investment within Commonwealth after the UK. • On 8th to 11th April 2018, the 2018 edition of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), also known as Asia's Davos was held in Hainan, China.Theme: The theme for 2018 Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) is: "An Open and Innovative Asia for a World of Greater Prosperity" • Indian President Ram Nath Kovind arrived in Zambia on 10th April 2018. He held delegation-level talks with Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.India and Zambia signed four agreements on:1.double taxation avoidance,2.judicial cooperation,3.mutual visa waivers for officials and diplomats,4.the Entrepreneurship Development Institute that India will build in Zambia • World's first long-distance electric bus line began service on April 12, 2018 in Paris, France. This bus line has been presented by Flixbus, a brand which offers intercity bus service in Europe.It will link Paris to France’s northern city of Amiens, undertaking a 160 kilometres journey within two hours. • President of India, Ram Nath Kovind on Swaziland announced to donate USD 1 million to support Swaziland's national disaster management agency and also expressed commitment to the developmental partnership to create local capacities in Swaziland and across Africa.India and Zambia signed four agreements viz. on double taxation avoidance; on mutual visa waivers for officials and diplomats, on judicial cooperation and on the Entrepreneurship Development Institute that India will build in Zambia. • On April 12, 2018, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a ban on all new offshore oil exploration permits as a part of her Government’s plan to transition towards a carbon- neutral future.The ban on new offshore oil exploration permits has been applied with immediate effect. However, it will not affect existing permits and onshore drilling. • China has introduced China Science and Technology Cloud (CSTC) to provide scientists with accessible, accurate and secure data services to promote research and innovation.China Science and Technology Cloud (CSTC) has been developed by the Computer Network Information Centre of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. • On 13th April 2018, Pakistan's Supreme Court disqualified former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from holding office for life. Nawaz Sharif is 67 years old. He resigned in July 2017 after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding office on an issue over undeclared source of income. • Larsen & Toubro Ltd and joint stock company Rosoboronexper: for underwater platforms of Indian Navy and Heavy Weight Torpedo and future-ready combat vehicles.

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• The state of cooperation between Kazakhstan and India in the energy sector was discussed and analysed at the 16th International Energy Forum held in New Delhi from 10th to 12th April 2018. The talks were focused on "The future of global energy security - transition, technology, trade and investment", and how Kazakhstan and India can improve cooperation in the energy sector within the framework of the IEF and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). • On 13th April 2018, US President Donald Trump launched air strikes on Syria in a combined operation with France and Britain.US, Britain and France have targeted Damascus (capital of Syria) and surrounding areas in response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical attack that killed over 60 people last week • United Nations (UN) has launched a UN Road Safety Trust Fund to spur action that could save lives and prevent the loss of opportunity associated with road accidents.The fund has been launched in wake of tragic road accidents in Canada and India. UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is the secretariat for the trust fund. • Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that India, China and other Asian countries will work together to voice against the "Asian Premium".OPEC sells oil to Asian countries, including India, at a higher price as compared to America and European countries. The price differential is referred to as ‘Asian Premium’. • On April 12, 2018, United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it is reviewing the eligibility of India, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) in response to concerns that these countries are not complying with the programme criterion.In 2017, India benefited to the tune of $5.6 billion under GSP. • On April 16, 2018, New South Wales (NSW), a southeastern Australian state, announced a two-year USD 1.58 million partnership with India to enhance Indian startup ecosystem, technology, and advanced manufacturing sectors.Announcement in this regard was made by New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who is on an official visit to India from 16th – 19th April, 2018. • Bisket Jatra celebration began in Bhaktapur, Nepal on April 14, 2018.It is a nine-day festival, celebrated annually to welcome the spring and the Nepalese New Year.It is believed that the festival started during Malla dynasty, that ruled Kathmandu fom 1201–1769 AD. • On April 18, 2018, China proposed a India-Nepal-China economic corridor with multi-dimensional connectivity through the Himalayas.China has proposed this trilateral economic corridor on basis MoU signed by Nepal to join its multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). • According to a Reuters poll of economists, India will reach the top position among the world's fastest-growing major economies in 2018, but increasing trade tensions between the United States and China might hinder that growth.It has predicted that India's economy will expand 7.4 % in the fiscal year that • As per UK India Business Council (UKIBC’s) report ‘The UK and India: The Bilateral Trade Relationship’, a free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK will help boost two-way commerce and investments between both the countries. • On 18th April 2018, Saudi Arabia unveiled its first cinema in more than 35 years with a private screening of the mega hit Hollywood movie ‘Black Panther’, as a trial run before movie theaters are opened to the public. • On 20th April 2018, India and Afghanistan held bi-lateral talks to discuss issues related to illicit drug trafficking and narcotics abuse, in New Delhi.Discussions were held on cooperation between India and Afghanistan for exchange of ideas, sharing of best practices and enhancing areas of cooperation in the drug crime domain. • On April 19, 2018, king of Swaziland, King Mswati III announced that his country's name has been changed to ‘Kingdom of eSwatini’.The declaration was made during celebrations marking King Mswati III’s 50th birthday as well as 50 years of independence from British colonial rule.In Swazi language, eSwatini means "place of the Swazi". • Syria has returned to France the prestigious Légion d'honneur presented to its President Bashar al- Assad.Syria has returned the award citing the reason that It is no honour for its President to wear the award given by a country that is a ‘slave’ to America.

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• Leaders of 53 Commonwealth countries have unanimously agreed to work closely to evaluate and strengthen their cybersecurity frameworks and response mechanisms by 2020.Announcement in this regard was made through a landmark declaration at the end of 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM), held on 19th and 20thApril, 2018 in London, UK. • On April 19,2018 The Cuban government has selected the country’s 57-year-old first vice-president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, as the country's President, replacing Raúl Castro.He is the first leader outside the Castro dynasty to lead the country since the 1959 revolution. Raúl became Cuba's President in 2008 after taking over from his brother Fidel Castro. • Kyrgyzstan’s new President Sooronbay Jeenbekov has dismissed the republic’s cabinet of ministers headed by Prime Minister Sapar Isakov, the Kyrgyz president’s press service. On April 19 the Kyrgyz MPs voted to express no confidence in the government. The motion was backed by 101 MPs, and five people voted against it. • On April 20, 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Germany after wrapping up his visit to the United Kingdom where he attended the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and held bilateral meeting with British PM Theresa May.Germany is India’s largest trade partner in the European Union. In 2016-17, the bilateral trade between India and Germany stood at USD 18.76 billion. • On 19th and 20th April 2018 , Shri Subhash Chandra Garg, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India led the Indian Delegation to the G-20 Finance Ministers and Central • India and Finland have reached an agreement on the dispute between Indian Income Tax Department and Finnish Telecom firm Nokia, under the Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP).At Nokia India's request, Finland initiated the MAP process under the DTAA in 2013. The process resulted in rectified tax liability of 1600 crore, which Nokia India paid in March 2018, thus bringing an end to the dispute. • On April 23, 2018, Iran banned the use of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies by its banks and financial institutions.Ban has been imposed citing concerns that cryptocurrencies can be used for money-laundering and financing terrorism. • On 22nd April 2018, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland announced that, Canada will host the world's female foreign ministers for talks ahead of this year's UN General Assembly & opened a meeting in Toronto of G7 foreign ministers with a session, co-hosted by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini & said that, she and Federica Mogherini had decided to host talks on 21st and 22nd September 2018 ahead of UN General Assembly just for female foreign ministers. • India is tying up with the United States and Finland to create a pollution-forecast system that will enable anticipation of particulate matter (PM) levels at least two days in advance with a better resolution. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will coordinate this exercise. It has been planned to have the system ready by winter. • “Harimau Shakti”, a joint training exercise between India and Malaysia will be conducted in the forests of Sengai Perdik, Hulu Langat, Malaysia from 30 April 2018 to 13 May 2018.It is aimed to enhance cooperation & coordination between armed forces of India and Malaysia and to share the expertise of both the contingents.Main focus of the exercise will be on tactical operations in jungle warfare. • The Government of Kazakhstan has launched a 72-hour-long transit visa free regime for Indian citizens from 17th April 2018 to 31st December 2018. Kazakhstan's Ambassador to India Bulat Sarsenbayev said that, only citizens of India are eligible for this facility who fly with Air Astana (Kazakhstan's national carrier) or any other Kazakh airline and are transiting through international airports in Astana and/or Almaty to a third country or returning from a third country through Astana and/or Almaty.

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• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held the first-ever informal summit in China’s Wuhan city on 27th and 28th April, 2018 to discuss measures for strengthening bilateral ties between both the countries.This was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fourth visit to China after he came to power in 2014.Click here to read more. • For the first time, India and Pakistan will be part of a multi-nation counter-terror exercise, schedule to be held in Russia in September 2018.This multi nation exercise will be conducted under the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).The exercise has been named ‘Peace Mission 2018’ and almost all SCO member countries including China will be a part of this exercise. • Office of United States Trade Representative (USTR) released 2018 edition of ‘Special 301 Report’. In this report, India has once again been placed in the ‘Priority Watch List’ on account of longstanding challenges in its Intellectual Property (IP) framework and lack of sufficient measurable progress. Besides India,Algeria, Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela are also in ‘Priority Watch List’. • India has been projected as the second fastest growing country in the world for passenger traffic based on traffic forecasts during 2017-40 by the Airports Council International (ACI).Vietnam has topped the list with a 8.5 per cent growth rate. It is followed by India at 7.5 per cent and Iran at 7.3 per cent. China occupies 8th position with 5.9 per cent growth rate. ACI has forecasted that by 2022, passenger traffic in emerging economies like India will beat advanced economies.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI in News • On April 5, 2018, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced First Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement for financial year 2018-19. This time too, the Policy Repo Rate has been kept unchanged. Policy Repo Rate 6.00% Unchanged – since 2nd August 2017 Reverse Repo Rate 5.75% Unchanged – since 2nd August 2017 Marginal Standing Facility Rate 6.25% Unchanged – since 2nd August 2017 Bank Rate 6.25% Unchanged – since 2nd August 2017 Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) 4.00% Unchanged – since 9th February 2013 Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) 19.50% With Effect from 14th October 2017 • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to use Gross Domestic Product (GDP) instead of Gross Value Added (GVA) to measure economic activity in India. GVA gives the picture of the state of economic activity from the producers' side or the supply side. GDP provides the picture from the consumers' side or the demand side. • On April 6, 2018, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in consultation with the Central Government, hiked the foreign portfolio investors (FPI) investment limit in Central government securities The FPI investment limit in G-Sec has been hiked from 5 per cent of outstanding stock now to 5.5 per cent in Financial Year 2018-19 and 6 per cent in Financial Year 2020. • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs. 3 crore on IDBI Bank for non- compliance with the outlined norms related to reporting of bad loans. RBI said that, the penalty was imposed on account of non-compliance with the directions issued on Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms. • On April 12, 2018, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a notification aimed at tightening reporting norms for the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS).Under LRS, all resident Indian individuals, including minors, are allowed to freely remit abroad, up to USD 250000 per financial year for any permissible current or capital account transaction or a combination of both. • According to the weekly data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s foreign exchange reserves touched a life-time high of $424.864 billion in the week to April 6, 2018. As per RBI data, on a week-on-week basis, forex reserves increased by $503.6 million in the week to April 6, 2018. In the previous week, forex reserves rose by $1.828 billion to $ 424.366 billion. • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has placed Mumbai-based City Co-operative Bank under directions, 21 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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owing to which, its customers will not be allowed to withdraw more than Rs. 1000 per deposit account.In addition to withdrawal restrictions, City Co-operative Bank would not be able to accept fresh deposits, disburse loans, make any investment, or borrow funds without RBI approval. • On April 20, 2018, Reserve Bank of India amended its ‘know your customer’ (KYC) guidelines, making Aadhaar mandatory for conducting customer due diligence by banks and finance companies. As per the circular, for the purpose of doing customer due diligence, all RBI regulated entities must obtain Aadhaar number, PAN or Form No. 60 from an individual who is eligible for enrolment of Aadhaar. • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel has stated that India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow at 7.4% in 2018-19.He stated that global demand has been improving, which should encourage exports and boost fresh investments in 2018-19. According to Mr. Urjit Patel, Gross fiscal deficit (GFD) of the Central Government is budgeted at 3.3 per cent in 2018- 19. • On 27th April 2018, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) liberalised External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) Policy by including more sectors in the window, with an aim to enable cheaper access of overseas funds. RBI notified that, it has decided to increase the ECB Liability to Equity Ratio for ECB raised from direct foreign equity holder under the automatic route to 7:1.

Technology in Banking

Name of Entity Technology implemented Points to be noted Indian Bank ‘Bharat QR’ 'Bharat QR' is a mobile payment collection scheme to accept digital payments. Yes Bank ‘Yes GST’ An OD (over draft) facility for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). ICICI Bank 'digital form' It will help open current accounts in a few hours Paytm Payments Bank Paytm KYC centers and 'Paytm-Ka- To accomplish this feat on account of a ATM' constant campaigning highlighting about the benefits of the Know Your Customer (KYC) system HDFC Bank IRA 2.0 Through voice based navigation, IRA will interact with customers, answer bank-related queries, frequently asked questions and will guide them inside the branch.

Loans issued by banks/others

Loan issued by Received by Amount Points to be noted International Bank for Government of US$ 420 To benefit Small and Marginal Reconstruction and Maharashtra million farmers in the Marathwada and Development (IBRD) Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra Asian Infrastructure Government of USD $ 140- This project is co-financed by the Investment Bank (AIIB Madhya Pradesh Million World Bank. It aims to improve the rural road connectivity and management for residents of 22 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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nearly 5,640 villages Asian Development Bank Uttarakhand Rs 1700 crore To give an aid of to which will be (ADB) utilised for creation of infrastructural facilities, sewer treatment plants and water supply facilities in urban areas of Uttarakhand. World Bank Government of $210 million Signed a loan agreement for the Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Rural Connectivity Project World Bank India USD 48 million A loan agreement worth for the "Meghalaya Community - Led Landscapes Management Project (MCLLMP)" National Bank for Uttar Pradesh (UP) Rs 10012 crore To facilitate overall development Agriculture and Rural in the state with special focus on Development (NABARD) agricultural credit. The funds were provided.Rs 8450 crore released to commercial banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks MoU/Agreements in Banking & Finance

• National E-Repository Limited (NERL), a group company of National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX), has empanelled ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank as repository participants.As per the agreement, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank will offer pledge finance against electronic negotiable warehousing receipts (eNWR) created on NERL’s repository platform for commodities stored in warehouses registered with Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA). • On April 24, 2018, India signed a loan agreement with credit of $125 for the “Innovate in India for Inclusiveness Project”.Objective is to encourage indigenous innovation, facilitate local product development and accelerate commercialization process in the sphere of affordable and innovative healthcare products. • On April 20, 2018, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) entered into an agreement with National e- Governance Services Limited (NeSL) for utilizing its Information Utility Services envisaged under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. • On April 23, 2018, Bank of India (BoI) entered into an agreement with National e-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) for utilizing its Information Utility Services envisaged under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. • On April 24, 2018, Government of India signed a Legal Agreement with World Bank for flexible financing arrangements for National Biopharma Mission (NBM).It is the first ever Industry- Academia mission to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in India. This programme has been named Innovate in India (i3).It is a $250 million dollar initiative that includes a $125 million loan from the World Bank. • World Bank has approved $55 million to expand the use of clean renewable energy in rural areas of Bangladesh that do not have access to grid electricity. $55 million has been approved as an additional financing to the Second Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development (RERED II) Project.

Other Important Banking & Finance News

• On 31st March 2018, Allahabad Bank announced that, it has reduced the base rate and benchmark prime lending rate (BPLR) by 45 basis points that is it reduced base rate to 9.15 per cent from

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9.60 per cent. BPLR has been reduced to 13.40 per cent from 13.85%. • On 28th March 2018, a record amount of Rs 71, 633.45 crore was digitally transacted through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) portal.PFMS is implemented by the Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance. • Jio Payments Bank Limited has commenced operations as a payments bank with effect from April 3, 2018.Jio Payments Bank is a 0:30 joint venture between Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and the State Bank of India (SBI). H. Srikrishnan,is MD and CEO of Jio Payments Bank. • On April 4, 2018, IndusInd Bank announced that it has launched a pilot WhatsApp enterprise solution to communicate with its customers.The customers of IndusInd Bank will now be able to check balance, obtain mini statement, check reward points as well as update of Aadhaar through WhatsApp. • On April 6, 2018, global financial messaging cooperative, SWIFT announced that ICICI Bank has become its first Indian client to go live with an improved cross-border payments service.The improved cross-border payments service which is being referred to is the gpi (Global Payment Innovation) Tracker, which has been extended to cover all payment instructions sent across the SWIFT network. • As part of its 'Customer First' initiative, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has launched three ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT)-based customer service initiatives on a pilot basis at one of its branch in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. • India’s largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI) will be investing a total of Rs 80 billion in the 900 megawatt (MW) Arun III hydropower project of Nepal. The contract for constructing this project has been awarded to Sutlej Jal Vikas Nigam (SJVN). • 11 public sector banks have been placed under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework due to non-performing assets.They are 1.Allahabad Bank,2.United Bank of India,3.Corporation Bank,4.IDBI Bank,5.UCO Bank,6.Bank of India,7.Central Bank of India,8.Indian Overseas Bank,9.Oriental Bank of Commerce,10.Dena Bank,11.Bank of Maharashtra.Five more banks are expected to be brought under RBI’s PCA framework. They are,1.Andhra Bank,2.Punjab National Bank,3.Canara Bank,4.Union Bank,5.Punjab & Sind Bank. • Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Bank has launched 'Add on Working Capital GST', a special financing scheme to help the state industry cope with the delay in reimbursement of Goods and Services Tax (GST) under special tax relief.It was launched by J&K Finance Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari in the presence of Minister for Industry and Commerce Chander Parkash Ganga. • On 11th April 2018, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) stated that the Indian economy would expand by 7.3 % in fiscal year (FY) 2018 and 7.6 % in the next fiscal year.In ADB’s Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2018 report, it stated that the reduction in growth to 6.6 % in FY2017 was partially due to demonetization. • On 11th April 2018, NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) announced that, it has aimed to raise its long-term on-lending or refinance portfolio to nearly Rs 80,000 crore in the current fiscal year in a move to improve rural economy. • Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has tied up with Common Service Centre (CSC) to run micro enterprises promotion programme (MEPP) in 115 aspirational districts across India.MEPP is geared towards promoting potential rural entrepreneurs by hand- holding them and also facilitating access to finance for such enterprises from formal banking sector. • On 13th April 2018, Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched new products like pre-approved credit card and UPI solution to mark its 124th foundation day. PNB also announced its UPI partnership with WALNUT, an expense management app, that has features like bill reminders, bill-split and instant paperless loans.The camp was inaugurated at PNB head office in New Delhi by Sunil Mehta, MD and CEO of PNB. • The government has raised the authorised capital of NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) by 6 times to Rs 300 billion, aimed to increase its lending to the rural 24 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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economy, as a part of the initiative to double farmers’ income by 2022.It will help NABARD to expand its business and activities, resulting in promotion of integrated rural development, prosperity of rural areas and generation of more employment. • On 16th April 2018, data from Ministry of Commerce & Industry stated that, India's annual Wholesale Price Inflation (WPI) was at 2.47 % in March 2018, a nine-month low, due to a fall in price of vegetables and other food and beverages.The build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 2.47 percent compared to a build up rate of 5.11 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year. • Bandhan Bank has found a place in the list of the top-50 most valuable companies in terms of market capitalization (m-cap) in India.Bandhan Bank has surpassed Dabur India, Britannia Industries, New India Assurance Company, Tech Mahindra and Bharti Infrastructure in the last 10 trading sessions.Tata Consultancy Services Ltd is the most valuable company in India. It is followed by Reliance Industries Ltd and HDFC Bank Ltd. • On April 17, 2018, India's largest private sector bank, ICICI Bank announced that it has on- boarded over 250 corporates on its blockchain platform for domestic and international trade finance.In August 2016, ICICI Bank became the first bank in India to successfully undertake pilot transactions on its blockchain platform for international trade finance. • On April 16, 2018, market capitalisation of Kotak Mahindra Bank, for the first time surpassed that of State Bank of India.At the end of the trading day on April 16, 2018, Kotak Mahindra Bank’s market capitalisation rose to Rs 2.23 lakh crore compared with SBI’s market cap of Rs 2.22 lakh crore. Kotak Mahindra Bank has become the second-most valuable bank in India after HDFC Bank. • National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced that it has extended total credit support of Rs 14690 crore to Rajasthan during 2017-18.Rajasthan has been one of the biggest beneficiaries under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) of NABARD.Funds sanctioned by NABARD were used for 10 irrigation projects, construction of 1614 roads and two rural drinking water supply projects in the state. • On 17th April 2018, Communications and Railways Minister Manoj Sinha said that, the government aims to empower 1.55 lakh post offices after integration with 650 Payments Banks to offer digital services including financial inclusion.He also launched Digital Advancement of Rural Post Office for a New India or Darpan program with a budget of Rs 1,300 crore. • AU Small Finance Bank has decided to improve its business through crowd-sourcing, involving not only employees but also customers and non-customers using the mobile app named ‘Kamao’ (earn).AU Small Finance Bank has planned to encourage stakeholders to refer prospective customers, who want to open deposit accounts or get loans, on the app and win rewards. • Global Findex Report, 2017 released by the World Bank has acknowledged that rapid increase in financial inclusion has taken place in India in recent years.As per the report, number of account holders in India rose from 35 percent of the adults in 2011 to 53 percent in 2014 and 80 percent in 2017.36 percent of account owners in India are already using their accounts to make or receive digital payments. • Mid-size private sector bank YES Bank has got approval from the Reserve Bank of India to open two international representative offices - in London and Singapore.Offerings at these offices would include ‘Yes First’ and ‘Yes Private Wealth Management’ programme along with Non- Resident External/ Non-Resident Ordinary (NRE/NRO) savings accounts and deposits and similar services. • India’s second largest public sector bank, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has stated that Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confiscated passports of 150 wilful defaulters based on its complaints.In March 2018, Union Finance Ministry asked banks to obtain passport details of those who have borrowed more than Rs 50 crore and ensure swift action in case of fraud in order

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to prevent them from fleeing the country. • According to Union Finance Ministry data, total deposits in Jan Dhan accounts crossed Rs. 80000 crore mark as on April 11, 2018. The increase in Jan Dhan deposits was fuelled by increase in number of Jan Dhan account holders, which stood at 31.45 crore as on April 11, 2018 as compared to 26.5 crore at the beginning of 2017.The Slogan of PMJDY is “Mera Khata – Bhagya Vidhaata.” • On 21st April 2018, the World Bank Group approved USD 13 billion increase in paid-in capital, as part of a series of internal reforms.The package approved by the Development Committee of the Board of Governors consists of USD 7.5 billion paid-in capital for International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and USD 5.5 billion paid-in capital for International Finance Commission (IFC), through both general and selective capital increases. • In the 3rd phase of sale, State Bank of India (SBI) has been authorised to issue and encash Electoral Bonds through its 11 Authorised Branches with effect from 01.05.2018 to 10.05.2018.Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 states that, Electoral Bonds can be purchased by a person, who is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India. Electoral Bonds are valid for fifteen days from the date of issue. • India Index Services & Products Limited (IISL), index services subsidiary of National Stock Exchange of India has introduced Nifty Equity Savings Index, which can serve as a benchmark for equity savings funds offered by various mutual fund houses.This index captures the performance of a portfolio having exposure to equity, equity arbitrage and debt instruments. • Global credit ratings agency, Fitch ratings has retained India’s sovereign rating at BBB- with a stable outlook on account of its assessment that upside and downside risks to ratings remains evenly balanced. • As per a report by Deutsche Bank, Indian economy is likely to register Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 7.5 per cent in financial year 2018-19, marks an improvement as compared to the likely 6.7 per cent growth in 2017-18. • As per Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, Indian economy is expected to grow by at least 7.5 per cent in 2018-19.He believes that India’s economic growth in 2018-19 will come on back of improvement in investment cycle and capacity utilisation.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Indian Cellular Association (ICA) with Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, India replaced Vietnam & now became the second largest mobile phone producer in the world after China. • Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) entered into 16 more Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs), taking the total number of APAs to 219 so far.14 are unilateral APAs and 2 are bilateral APAs Unilateral APAs Bilateral APAs Total (Till Date)199 20 219 (In 2017-18) 58 9 67 • IndusInd Bank has received Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI's) approval to buy IL&FS Securities Services Ltd. (ISSL), the securities services arm of IL&FS.IL&FS is the promoter shareholder of IL&FS Securities Services Ltd (ISSL). • SoftBank Group Corp of Japan has planned to launch a $930 million Indian joint solar energy venture with GCL System Integration Technology Co, a Chinese firm, as part of its India solar investment roadmap.Technology support will be provided by GCL and SoftBank will help in obtaining land and regulatory approvals. • Ola has introduced an in-trip insurance programme for all its customers in India starting at just Re 1.This in-trip insurance will cover for loss of belongings, missed flights, and medical expenses up to Rs 500,000 in case of an accident. Ola has partnered with Acko General Insurance and ICICI Lombard General Insurance for this in-trip insurance programme.

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• India has surpassed Japan and has become the world’s second largest producer of crude steel in February 2018, according to Steel Users Federation of India (SUFI). China is the current largest producer of crude steel in the world. • On 5th April 2018, MakeMyTrip Limited, and Flipkart announced that they have entered into a partnership regarding online bookings in the travel segment.Various brands of MakeMyTrip like MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, and redBus, will utilize the customer base of Flipkart to increase online travel bookings. • On 9th April 2018, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (RInfra) said that, it has won a Rs 1,081 crore contract from Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) for work in two units of the Kudankulam project in Tamil Nadu.This project will be commissioned in 56 months. • Tech Mahindra along with Balbix provides intelligent security operations center (iSOC). Using this, cyber-breaches can be predicted and proactively avoided by continuously monitoring IT inventories.The Tech Mahindra and Balbix platform uses deep learning and specialised AI algorithms to predict how attacks can occur and propagate. It offers actionable insights to reduce breach. • Google Home and Home Mini Bluetooth speakers have been launched in India.Google Home and Home Mini can be activated by saying ‘Ok Google’. Google Home works with Android TVs also and can be used to control Netflix. They will answer user’s questions like how long will it take to reach a place, horoscope, weather, etc. • On April 11, 2018, online cab aggregator platform Uber announced the launch of its new partner (driver) app in India.The new app is more simple as compared to previous version, provides a personalised experience, and has been designed to support Uber drivers on every moment of their journey. • On 12th April 2018, Reliance Jio and Sodexo announced their tie-up to accelerate India's digital transformation.Jio Money, the Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) wallet of Jio Payments Bank Ltd., has enabled integration of Sodexo Meal Cards with the Jio Money account of its users. This will allow mobile-based payments through Sodexo Meal Card. • Reliance Jio has signed an agreement to raise nearly Rs 3,250 crore as samurai term loan from Japan- based banks.With exchange rate of 60 paise per Japanese yen, the loan value amounts to nearly Rs 3,248 crore.This deal is said to be the largest samurai loan (low interest loans from Japanese investors) for an Asian corporate company. • Deutsche Post DHL Group, a Global logistics group, is working to connect Indian companies with businesses in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) to enhance India's economic relations with Southeast Asian markets.Alfred Goh, President, said that, they aim to capitalise their presence in high-growth markets and partner businesses on developing cross-border commerce and trade. • On 16th April 2018, Suzlon, a renewable solution provider, said that it has commissioned 626 MW of wind power projects in 2017-18 (FY18), the highest installations by any firm in this fiscal year. • As per latest World Economic Outlook, released by International Monetary Fund (IMF) on April 17, 2018, Indian economy is projected to grow 7.4% in the current fiscal i.e. FY 2018-19 and accelerate further in FY 2019-20 to 7.8%.India’s growth in current and next fiscal will come on back of strong private consumption as well as fading transitory effects of demonetisation and roll out of Goods and Services Tax. • On April 12, 2018, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) stated that India's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow at 7.3-7.7 percent during the 2018-19 financial year. As per CII, agriculture sector is expected to grow at 2.5-3.5 percent, industrial sector to grow at 7.2-7.5 percent and services sector to grow at 8.4-8.7 percent. • On April 20 2018 Telecom giant Vodafone announced the rollout of Voice-over LTE(VoLTE) Services in Chennai, Tamilnadu and confirmed it would expand the service across the State over the next few months.By using the VoLTE services, 4G customers in Chennai can make calls and can access Vodafone VoLTE for no additional charges and all calls would be billed as per existing plan. The company has invested Rs 7,200 crore till date including Rs 450 crore last year. • India’s largest private sector bank ICICI Bank has introduced a 'digital form' which will help open current accounts in a few hours.Through ‘digital form’, ICICI Bank officials would be able to 27 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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capture information about the customer and the business digitally and verify KYC documents in real- time, at the premise of the customer. • Mid-size private sector bank YES Bank has got approval from the Reserve Bank of India to open two international representative offices - in London and Singapore.Offerings at these offices would include ‘Yes First’ and ‘Yes Private Wealth Management’ programme along with Non-Resident External/ Non-Resident Ordinary (NRE/NRO) savings accounts and deposits and similar services. • On April 20 2018 , TCS moved closer to the USD 100 billion mark in market capitalisation as its share price surged nearly 7 per cent , adding about USD 6.2 billion to its valuation.This has taken its market capitalisation (m-cap) to over Rs 6.50 lakh crore or around $98 billion. With this, the IT major emerges as the first Indian company with a market capitalisation of close to $100 billion. • On 22nd April 2018, Mahindra Electric and cab service Meru announced a joint electric vehicle (EV) pilot project in Hyderabad, which will be introduced soon in other cities also.Meru will deploy Mahindra's eVeritos all-electric sedans. • On 23rd April 2018, the World Bank said that, India has retained its position as the top remittances receiving country with its people who have immigrated to various countries sending nearly USD 69 billion back home in 2017. India is followed by China (USD 64 billion), the Philippines (USD 33 billion), Mexico (USD 31 billion), Nigeria (USD 22 billion), and Egypt (USD 20 billion) in the remittance inflow. • On April 24, 2018, The National Stock Exchange (NSE) announced the launch of its e-Gsec platform which will allow retail investors to invest in government securities. Government issues securities in order to borrow money from the market. Auction is held by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on weekly basis, wherein large investors viz. banks, primary dealers, financial institutions, mutual. • According to the Japanese financial services major Nomura, India’s average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is expected to rise to 7.8 per cent in the first half of 2018. Further, Nomura has cautioned that rising oil prices may have a direct bearing on Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation, wherein every USD 10/bbl rise in oil prices will spike the CPI inflation by 30-40 bps and would worsen the current account balance by 0.4 percentage points. • As per data released by Commerce Ministry,India's global trade at $767.9 billion in 2017-18 marks an increase by 16.32 per cent as compared to $660.2 billion in 2016-17. Bilateral trade with Latin American Countries (LAC) including Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Brazil has recorded healthy growth of 19.63 per cent in 2017-18. • Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has granted first licence for Liquid Chlorine on All India basis to M/s Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd.Liquid chlorine is primarily used in paper, pulp, textile bleaching, water sterilization and manufacture of chemicals. As the name indicates, this product is in liquid form, but is used as a gas obtained by evaporating the liquid from a metal container. • Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Research & Development (R&D) centre in Faridabad, Haryana has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with ISKCON Food Relief Foundation (IFRF), Haryana, through which, entire cost of Cooking gas and Delivery Vehicle's CNG incurred under IFRF, Haryana’s midday meal initiative will be borne by IOC. • On 26th April 2018, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) signed an agreement with Macquarie for road projects under the highway monetisation initiative.The agreement has been signed with Macquarie for the first set of highway projects worth USD 1.5 billion. This is one of the highest FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in highways. • One97 Communications Limited, the owner of Paytm, announced the launch of Paytm Tap Card, its offline payments solution to provide easy payments solutions for non-internet customers. The Tap Card utilises Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to enable safe and convenient digital payments, totally offline at Paytm-issued, NFC PoS terminals, within a second. • As per data provided by Union Finance Ministry, Government has collected Rs 7.41 trillion in taxes in the first year of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) ending March 31, 2018. Rs. 7.41 trillion collection includes Rs 1.19 trillion of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST), Rs 1.72 trillion of State Goods and Services Tax (SGST), Rs 3.66 trillion of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) and Rs 620.21 billion of cess for first eight months and Rs 240 billion addition for March 2018

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MoUs MoUs between Countries

On April 4, 2018, Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved following bilateral agreements: No. MoU between Field 1 India and United Arab Emirates Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector 2 India and Canada Foster cross-border partnerships focused on research excellence and industry-academic collaboration 3 India and Afghanistan Or cooperation in the field of food safety and related areas 4 India and Iran The establishment of an expert group on trade remedy measures. 5 India and Eritrea Facilitate a structured dialogue for strengthening bilateral corporation between both the countries 6 India and Morocco Strengthening geological research and evaluation of the potential of mineral resources, development of the geological infrastructure for Geoscience Maps and geochemical maps and promoting exploration and mining through participation of both public & private sector 7 India and United Kingdom and Northern The return of Illegal Migrants Ireland

MoUs – States wise No State MoU with Field/Purpose 1 Maharashtra British Council the to strengthen educational and cultural cooperation 2 Andhra Pradesh MasterCard for top cyber security experts to exchange strategies and solutions to fight the cyber threat issues in India and worldwide

Other MoU/Agreements

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to provide skill training to 500 youth and women at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.The objective is to provide gainful employment (wage and self-employment) to nearly 70 percent of the trained candidates post-training. • On April 10, 2018, India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hyderabad based firm M/s Suraas Impex Pvt. Ltd. for developing a Mega Tourism Destination project in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 550 crore. • SJVN Limited, the operator of one of the largest Hydro Power Plants in India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Union Ministry of Power for the year 2018-19.SJVN Ltd. is a Mini Ratna public sector undertaking under administrative control of Union Power Ministry. SJVN’s Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) target for 2018-19 has been set at Rs. 900 crore. • A MOU was signed between the Indian Culinary Institute (ICI), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tourism, and Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU), Amarkantak.Objective of setting up of ICI was to create a mechanism to support efforts taken to preserve, document, promote and disseminate Indian Cuisine, meet the requirement of specialists in Indian Cuisine, to 29 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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promote Cuisine as a Niche Tourism product. • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) and Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under Union Ministry of Communications have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical knowledge sharing for establishing a nationwide Time Stamping & Time Synchronization network. • On April 29, 2018, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and Indian Yoga Association (IYA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly promote yoga, health and spiritual tourism in the Krishna Circuit in Uttar Pradesh.It is among the thirteen thematic circuits under Swadesh Darshan Scheme. • On April 8, 2018, Singapore and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Beijing to promote greater collaboration between Singapore and Chinese companies in third-party markets along the Belt and Road initiative.The project aims to connect China with Eurasia through land- based "Silk Road Economic Belt" (SREB) and ocean going "Maritime Silk Road" (MSR). • On April 9, 2018, India and Bangladesh signed six pacts including one for the construction of a 129.5 km-long oil pipeline between Siliguri and Parbatipur.Other pacts include, an MoU on cooperation between Prasar Bharati and Bangladesh Betar, agreement between Department of Atomic Energy, India and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and an MoU for setting up an Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Urdu Chair in Dhaka University. • India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Timor-Leste (East Timor) in the field of public health to extend affordable healthcare to its people.This MoU was signed during India’s Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Krishan Pal Gurjar’s four-day visit to Timor Leste from 7th – 10th April 2018. • On 13th April 2018, Indian companies and Russian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) signed 7 MoUs at the DefExpo 2018 held in Thiruvidanthai, Chennai.

On 16th and 17th April 2018, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi visited Sweden on the invitation of Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Lofven.During the visit Narendra Modi held separate bilateral meetings with PM Lars Lokke Rasmussen of Denmark, PM Juha Sipila of Finland, PM Katrin Jakobsdottir of Iceland and PM Erna Solberg of Norway on 17 April 2018.  India - Nordic Council Summit  Sweden India Joint Action Plan (April 17, 2018) o To promote bilateral cooperation, the following Joint Action Plan was decided.They are, Innovation,Trade and investment,Smart Cities and Next Generation TransportSmart, sustainable and renewable energy,Women’s skills development and empowerment,Defence,Space and science,Health and Life Sciences.  List of MOUs and Agreements signed and exchanged on the occasion of the visit of Prime Minister to Stockholm (April 16-17,2018). o Joint Declaration on India-Sweden Innovation Partnership for a Sustainable FutureMOUs/Agreements between India and Denmark. o MOU on Cooperation in the field of Sustainable and Smart Urban Development. o MOU on Cooperation in the fields of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. o MOU on Food Safety Cooperation. o MOU on Cooperation in Agricultural Research and Education. o MOUs/Agreements between India and Iceland. o MOU on the Establishment of the ICCR Chair for Hindi Language • On April 3, 2018, Indian Army and HDFC Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Defence Salary Package.HDFC Bank provides free personal accident death cover and free permanent disability cover of Rs 30 lakhs, free educational cover of upto Rs 1 30 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Lakh per year for four years. • On 23rd April 2018, SAIL (Steel Authority of India Ltd) said that, it has signed a MoU with Airports Authority of India (AAI) for utilisation of airstrips at Rourkela, Bokaro and Burnpur under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN.AAI will operate and manage airport operations for Burnpur, Rourkela and Bokaro airport on behalf of SAIL for three years. • Dalmia Bharat Limited has signed a MoU with the Tourism Ministry to take up Red Fort and Gandikota Fort (Andhra Pradesh) under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project.It is the first corporate to be part of the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project & it will look after the operations and the maintenance of Red Fort and Gandikota Fort for the next five years. • Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed its Annual Performance Contract (APC) for 2018-19 with Ministry of Civil Aviation. The MoU was signed between Secretary (Civil Aviation) R.N. Choubey and Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, AAI, on 27th April 2018. On 13th April 2018, Indian companies and Russian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) signed 7 MoUs at the DefExpo 2018 held in Thiruvidanthai, Chennai.  Larsen & Toubro Ltd and joint stock company Rosoboronexper: for underwater platforms of Indian Navy and Heavy Weight Torpedo and future-ready combat vehicles.  Ananth Technologies and JSC Concern Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRE): for product support for defence systems and upgrade of opto-electric sighting and navigation complex for Su-30MKI aircraft).  Ananth Technologies and Research and Production Corporation: to set up technical and logistic support in India for T90 S&T72 tanks in service with the Indian Army.  Space Era and KRET: to set up technical and logistics support in India.  OSKROSOMARINE and Russian company JSC AGAT: for post-sale support for Fregat radar installed onboard naval frontline warships.  Krasnet Defence Technologies and JSC Concern AGAT: for co-operation in the field of after- sales support of equipment manufactured by JSC AGAT and installed on board Indian ships.  Aviatech Enterprises and JSC AGAT: for co-operation in after-sales support of equipment manufactured by JSCAGAT and installed on board Indian naval ships. • On April 2018, Indian Consortium consisting of IOCL, BPCL and HPCL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to jointly develop and build Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd. (RRPCL), an integrated refinery and petrochemicals complex, in the State of Maharashtra.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

National Name Appointed as Entity/Place Points to be noted Subrata Ambassador of To the Republic of Serbia He is Joint Secretary in the Bhattacharjee India Ministry of External Affairs at present Sripriya Ambassador of To the Republic of Korea She is at present Joint Secretary Ranganathan India in the Ministry of External Affairs Rahul Kulshreshth Ambassador of To Egypt India Sanjay Ambassador of To Turkey Bhattacharya India Ravi Thapar Ambassador of To Nicaragua India

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Rajiv Kumar Nagpal Ambassador of To the Bolivarian Republic of India Venezuela Krishan Kumar Ambassador of To the Kingdom of Norway India Narinder Chauhan Ambassador of To the Czech Republic India Female Brand Measles-rubella shooter Gauri Sheor Ambassador (MR) vaccination campaign an Indian shooter Manu Brand Haryana's Measles and Rubella Bhaker ambassador (MR) vaccination campaign Ban Ki-moon Chairman Boao Forum for Asia His appointment took place at the annual session of the forum named the "Asian Davos" Rishad Premji Chairman Nasscom (National Association Keshav Murugesh, CEO of of Software and Services WNS Group, has been Companies) appointed the vice chairman Secretary Bhanu Chairman Banks Board Bureau (BBB) Other members of the BBB Pratap Sharma are:Vedika Bhandarkar (former MD Credit Suisse India),P Pradeep Kumar (former MD SBI),Pradip P Shah (founder MD Crisil). Suresh Kumar Chairman and Coal India Ltd Managing Director Rajiv Bakshi Chief Marketing Intex Technologies He has headed brand Officer (CMO). development, business transformation, consumer acquisition and digital strategy for long term growth and profitability Mithun Sundar Chief revenue Myntra He will report directly to Chief officer Executive Officer Ananth Narayanan Balram Bhargava Director Indian Council of Medical also appointed the Secretary of General Research (ICMR) the Department of Health Research Lieutenant General Director National Cadet Corps (NCC) P P Malhotra General Rajesh Ranjan Director Central Industrial Security Force He is currently the Special General (DG) (CISF). Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF). Rajasthan DGP, Ajit Head of Anti- Board of Contraol for Cricket in He will replace former Delhi Singh Corruption Unit India (BCCI) Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar Chandra Shekhar Managing Bandhan Bank Ghosh Director and CEO Uday Kotak Managing Kotak Mahindra Bank Director and Chief Executive 32 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Officer

Sanjeev Nautiyal MD and CEO SBI Life Insurance Company He replaces Arijit Basu Limited Debjani Ghosh President NASSCOM (National She is the former MD of Intel Association of Software and South Asia Services Companies) Himanta Biswa President Badminton Association of India He is a Cabinet Minister in Sarma (BAI) Assam T K Rajalakshmi President Indian Women's Press Jyoti Malhotra and Shobhna Corps (IWPC) Jain were declared vice- presidents of IWPC S. Jaishankar President Tata Sons' global corporate He was India's foreign secretary affairs from January 2015 to January 2018.

Aditya Ghosh President and IndiGo whole-time Director Dilip Chenoy Secretary Federation of Indian Chambers He replaces Sanjaya Baru as the General of Commerce and Industry Secretary General of FICCI Vineet Joshi The Director National Testing Agency (NTA) General (DG)

International wise Name Appointed as Entity/Place Points to be noted Julius Maada Bio President Sierra Leone He ruled Sierra Leone as the military head in 1996, along with former foreign affairs minister Kamara Jim Bridenstine 13th Administrator National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mario Abdo Benitez President Paraguay

Other Appointment and Resigns • On 31st March 2018, it was announced that, M L Srivastava has been appointed as the protem chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi.The previous administrator of Lalit Kala Akademi is CS Krishna Setty. • On April 3, 2018, Rubique, an online marketplace for loan, credit card and insurance announced the appointment of Ajay Desai as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).He worked as Senior President and Chief Financial Inclusion Officer in Yes Bank. • On 2nd April 2018, actor Rituparna Sengupta was appointed the chairperson of Shilpi Sansad who replaces Supriya Devi.It provides financial assistance to artistes in times of emergency and for medical treatments. • On 3rd April 2018, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Aashish Kapoor has replaced Venkatesh Prasad in the three-member All-India Junior Selection Committee. Other two members of the Committee are Gyanendra Pandey and Rakesh Parikh.

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• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will also hold the additional portfolio of Information, Public Relations and Languages, now. Earlier this portfolio was held by Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain. • Rakesh Kumar Vats has been given the additional charge of chairman of NPPA (National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority) with immediate effect.He replaces Bhupendra Singh as Chairman of NPPA. Bhupendra Singh has been appointed as chairperson of National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention under the Cabinet Secretariat. • On 9th April 2018, Labour Secretary M Sathiyavathy took charge as a member of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). U P Singh has been given additional charge as secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment. He is a senior IAS officer. He is currently secretary in Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. • On 8th April 2018, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a third consecutive term as Prime Minister.Viktor Orban’s party Fidesz won nearly half of the votes, with 93% of votes counted. Fidesz is expected to win a two-thirds majority in parliament. • Inspector General KR Nautiyal has been appointed as the new Coast Guard Commander (Eastern Seaboard).KR Nautiyal will take over Headquarters Eastern Seaboard from Inspector General KS Sheoran on 12th April 2018. He has been promoted to the rank of Additional Director-General. • On 10th April 2018, Inspector General Vijay Chafekar took charge as the new Flag Officer, Indian Coast Guard (West Region) from IG K.R. Nautiyal.The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) - West consists of an important area that stretches to the outer limits of Exclusive Economic Zone from the coasts of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep. • Former deputy governor at Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Harun Rasid Khan, has joined Bandhan Bank board.He has replaced PK Saha in Bandhan Bank board. He had headed RBI's vision on payment system. He had handled financial market, foreign exchange, financial inclusion, etc. in RBI. He served as deputy governor of RBI from 2011 to 2016. • On 26th April 2018, sources in the Law Ministry said that, the government has cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court, making her the first woman lawyer to become Supreme Court judge.She will be the seventh woman to become a Supreme Court judge. • Mike Pompeo former CIA Director, has been sworn in as the 70th US secretary of state.He is a former Army officer.As soon as he was sworn in as US secretary of state, the State Department said that, he will visit Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel on the weekend after attending a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) meeting in Brussels on 27th April 2018. • On 26th April 2018, Lt Gen Bipin Puri took charge as Senior Col Commandant of the Army Medical Corps.He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017. He was Honorary Surgeon to The President of India (PHS) from June 2016.He was awarded ‘Double Helical's National Health Awards-2017' by Indian Medical Association. • India’s largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI) has reshuffled the roles of its top management.Padmaja Chunduru,will now be in charge of SBI’s global treasury operations while C Venkat Nageswar,will be the new MD & CEO of SBI Capital Markets.PN Prasad,will be the chief risk officer while DA Tambe will be the new chief information officer.Arijit Basu,will now head corporate accounts group while Sanjeev Nautiyal has been appointed as CEO of SBI Life. • On 29th April 2018, Saudi Aramco appointed a woman to its board, by recruiting American Lynn Laverty Elsenhans to its 11-member board.She is a former chief executive and chairperson of US oil refinery Sunoco. She was named as one of the world’s most powerful women in 2008 by Forbes magazine. • On 29th April 2018, Nirmal Singh resigned as Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Kavinder Gupta (Gandhinagar MLA) took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.The following persons took charge as ministers of state:Mohammad Khalil Band (Pulwama MLA),Sat Paul Sharma (BJP's state unit chief),Mohammad Ashraf Mir (Sonwar MLA),Rajiv Jasrotia (Kathua MLA),Devinder Kumar Manyal (Sambha MLA),Shakti Raj (Doda MLA).

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AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Name of Awards Award Winner Field Points to be noted Cleanest airport in Mangalore International Airport V V Rao received the award at the India Airport 23rd annual day function of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in New Delhi

Padma Bhushan Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Achievement in Award Billiards player Pankaj Sports Advani 'World Education Study Khazana, an e-portal For best It Provides education-deprived Summit and Award emerging online aspirants get access to quality 2018’ Education Portal education irrespective of in North India geographical boundaries India Business Chhattisgarh 'State of the Union Information Technology Leader Awards Year' Award and Electronics Minister Ravi (IBLA) in New Shankar Prasad presented the Delhi award to Chhattisgarh Minister Prem Prakash Pandey

Dadasaheb Phalke Anushka Sharma She has been Excellence Award promoting for 2018 content-driven or experimental cinema

The Shorenstein Siddharth Varadarajan the founding Journalism Award editor of The for 2017 Wire

British Academy The production team of BAFTA Special Television Craft "Game of Thrones" drama Award Awards Dada Saheb Phalke Aditi Rao Hydari Best Leading She will be awarded the for excellence award Lady (Critics the for her performance in the 2018 Award) Bollywood movie 'Bhoomi'

Most Film Friendly Madhya Pradesh Announcement in this regard was State Award 2017 made on April 19, 2018 by Ramesh Sippy, Chairman of the jury for selecting the Most Film Friendly State Award 2017 Banco Award Bhuj Mercantile Cooperative Best performing Received the Award Bank cooperative bank from Telangana Chief Minister K

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Chandrashekhar Rao at an award ceremony held recently in Hyderabad Indu Jain, chairman All India Management All India of Bennett, Association’s (AIMA’s) Management Coleman & Co annual award Association’s (AIMA’s) annual award for lifetime ‘1st Print Biennale Arup Kumar Kuity (Andhra The awards of It was hosted by India’s National India 2018’ Pradesh), Satya Narayana Print Biennale Academy of Art, the Lalit Kala Gavara (Andhra Pradesh), India 2018 Akademi Purvi Parmar (Gujrat), Preya Bhagat (Uttar Pradesh) and Sonal Varshneya (Uttar Pradesh). 2018 Press Freedom Egyptian Mahmoud Abu Photojournalist photojournalist Prize awarded by Zeid UNESCO 2018’s 'Martha Nadiya Shafi, a video Contribution to Farrell Award for reporter from Srinagar gender equality Excellence in and leading Women's gender Empowerment' discussion clubs in Srinagar National Council of Scientific and 'Top R&D CSIR has been ranked 9th in the Intellectual Industrial Research (CSIR) Institution/Organ world among 1,207 government Property (IP) isation for institutions Award 2018 Patents and Commercialisati on 11th edition of SAP Moglix, a B2B commerce Sourcing It recognises excellences in IT ACE Awards 2018 company Excellence innovation in various business sectors, bringing a digital impact in India's economy "Sarvashrestha Parijat Industries (India) Pvt Indian The award was given away Suraksha Puraskar" Ltd agrochemical by Santosh Kumar Gangwar, gold award for the company Minister of State in the Ministry of year 2017 Labour and Employment

13th edition of Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO of Contributor to Goafest 2018 Yes Bank the Media and Communication Industry National felicitation National felicitation Central NEIGRIHMS, Shillong was ceremony of ceremony of Kayakalp Government adjudged the winner in Group B Kayakalp awardees awardees (2017-18) Hospitals A category (2017-18) category

Other Awards and Recognitions • On 31st March 2018, Indian women's cricket team captain Mithali Raj was honoured with the 'Sportsperson of the Year' award at the Telangana Sports Journalists Association annual awards for 2017, in Hyderabad, Telangana. 36 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Other awardees: 1.Hockey player N Mukesh Kumar - Lifetime Achievement award 2.Hyderabad Cricket team - 'team of the year' award 3.Gymnast B Aruna Reddy - outstanding achievement award 4. Shuttler Kidambi Srikanth- best senior male athlete 5. Shuttler P V Sindhu- best senior female athlete 6. Pullela Gopichand- best coach of the year. • On 5th to 7th April 2018, Goafest 2018 was held at Grand Hyatt Hotel, in Bambolim, Goa. This is the 13th edition of Goafest. It is organised by the Advertising Club along with the Advertising Agencies Association of India.Social Street won the Creative Agency of the Year award, with three gold, seven silver and seven bronze metals and a score of 94. • Indian Badminton players, PV Sindhu & Kidambi Srikanth have been named 'Sportspersons of the Year' at the inaugural ESPN Multi-Sport Awards.Coach Pullela Gopichand has been adjudged 'best coach'.Indian National Women's Hockey Team got the 'Team of the Year'. • On 13th April 2018, the 65th National Film Awards for 2017 was announced by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.The 65th National Film Awards will be presented by President Ram Nath Kovind on 3rd May 2018.The Feature Film Central panel was headed by Shekhar Kapur. The Non- Feature Film panel was headed by Nakul Kamte and the Best Cinema on Writing jury was headed by Anant Vijay.Click here to view the list of winners. • Veteran actor Dharmendra will be conferred Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement by Maharashtra State Government.Along with Dharmendra, Director Rajkumar Hirani will get the Raj Kapoor Special Contributions Award, veteran Marathi actor Vijay Chavhan will get Chitrapati V Shantaram Jivangaurav Puraskar (Lifetime Achievement Award) and actress-director Mrinal Kulkarni will get Chitrapati V Shantaram Vishesh Yogdaan Puraskar (Special Contributions Award). • The 2018 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXI Commonwealth Games or Gold Coast 2018,which is held in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, between 4 and 15 April 2018.India bagged 66 medals and won third place in 2018 commonwealth Games.Click here to read more. • The prestigious Pulitzer Prizes for achievements in journalism, literature and musical composition were announced on April 16, 2018. This was the 102nd edition of Pulitzer Prizes.Coming as a positive surprise, a comic novel, ‘Less’, written by Andrew Sean Greer has won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.30-year old Kendrick Lamar became the first rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize for music.Click here to read more. • 2018 TIME 100 Most Influential People List, featuring some of the world’s most significant artists, leaders, scientists, activists and entrepreneurs was announced on April 19, 2018.Four Indian who have featured in 2018 TIME 100 are Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, Ola co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal, Bollywood star Deepika Padukone and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. • On Apr. 20 2018 , International Olympic Committee(IOC) president Thomas Bach presented a memento to Indian Olympic medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra and boxer Vijender Singh. • Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Awards 2018, honouring individuals from the entertainment industry for their outstanding contribution towards the growth and development of cinema and/or television were presented on April 21, 2018.This was the fourth edition of Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Awards & the awards were given by a Mumbai-based organisation called Dadasaheb Phalke Foundation.Click here to read the list of winners. • On 23rd April 2018, President and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces Ram Nath Kovind conferred 3 Kirti Chakras and 13 Shaurya Chakras to Armed Forces Personnel for displaying courage and devotion to duty.2 Kirti Chakras and 2 Shaurya Chakras were awarded posthumously. 13 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 2 UttamYudhSeva Medals, 2 Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medals and 26 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals to senior officers of the Armed Forces for distinguished service of an exceptional order. • On 27th April 2018, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (Independent charge) Ministry of Labour & Employment presented the National Safety Council’s (NSCI) Safety Awards’ for 2017 at New Delhi.Parijat Industries (India) Pvt. Ltd., Ambala, Haryana, won the top level award in MSME sector. A total of 70 organizations won awards in four awards categories: Sarva Shreshtha Suraksha 37 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Puraskar, Shreshtha Suraksha Puraskar, Suraksha Puraskar and Prashansa Patra. • K K Birla Foundation has announced that, Gujarati poet Sitanshu Yashaschandra's poetry collection "Vakhar" has been selected for the Saraswati Samman for 2017.The selection for this award is done by a high level named 'Chayan Parishad' (selection committee). It is presided by former secretary general of Lok Sabha, Subhash C Kashyap. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakhs, a citation and a plaque. • Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir has been shortlisted for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's excellence award for promoting digital payments and cashless economy.Digital payments facility has been implemented at 670 places throughout the Budgam district, under the supervision of District authorities.

Conference/Summit in National & International News

No. Name of Summit/Conference Place Facts about the summit /conference 1 the seventh Moscow Conference Russia Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharama is on an official visit to Russia. This visit will reinforce India- Russia bilateral relation 2 Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Azerbaijan's capital Theme of this conference Ministerial Conference city Baku was "Promoting international peace and security for sustainable development". 3 First international conference on Kathmandu, Nepal Objective of this conference is to bring ‘Water, Environment and Climate everyone to discuss and deliberate on Change: Knowledge Sharing and challenges, opportunities and strategies Partnership’ related to water and environmental issues 4 Biannual Indian army commanders' New Delhi That will be discussed are: conference infrastructure development in the Northern borders and other issues. 5 India-Wiesbaden Conference 2018 New Delhi. The Title of the Conference is ‘Securing Global Supply Chains through Government-Industry Partnerships towards Effective Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540’. 6 Conference on “Urban Development: Ahmedabad, Gujarat Issues related to financing, institutional Technological Solutions and and regulatory environment, Governance Challenges” technological options for sustainable future, financial sustainability etc. were discussed in the conference 7 National Kharif Conference 2018 New Delhi Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh addressed in this meeting 8 International Buddhist Conference Lumbini, Nepal Theme of International Buddhist 2018 Conference 2018 was ‘Lumbini Nepal 9 The first African Land Forces Summit Nigerian capital, It is hosted by U.S. Army Africa and (ALFS) Abuja Armed Forces Nigeria 10 Global Logistics Summit New Delhi The Summit was organised by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, along with FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) and the

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World Bank Group

11 Malaria Summit London, UK The summit was hosted by ‘Malaria No More’, a non-profit organization that aims to end death caused by malaria • On 4th April 2018, the presidents of Iran, Turkey and Russia met for their tripartite summit, aimed at speeding up the peace process for Syria and establishing their influence in Syria.The tripartite summit was hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey. • On April 10, 2018, Education Minister of Mauritius, Leela Devi Dookhun Luchoomun released the logo and website of in New Delhi. 11th World Hindi Conference is scheduled to be held in Mauritius from 18th to 20th August 2018.1st World Hindi Conference was held in January 1975 in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

Committee/Meeting in National & International News

• On April 23, 2018, Committee headed by Justice Rajesh Bindal, Judge, High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Chandigarh, submitted its report on legal issues related to inter country removal & retention of children to Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi.It should be chaired by a retired High Court Judge and should have Members from Legal and Social sector background along with representatives from key Ministries. • On April 4, 2018, Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting constituted a 10-member committee to regulate online portals, including news websites, entertainment sites and media aggregators.In India, print and electronic media, both are regulated but online media does not come under the ambit of any regulatory mechanism. • Delhi government will set up ‘Rogi Kalyan Samitis’ in each Assembly constituency and ‘Jan Swasthaya Samitis’ in state-run dispensaries, poly clinics and mohalla clinics in order to provide support to the health institutions in the national capital.As per the order, 'Assembly Rogi Kalyan Samitis' will have an advisory role in assisting health facilities, develop and customise strategies. The 'Jan Swasthaya Samitis' will be set up as its sub-committee. • On April 16, 2018, India won six elections to UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) bodies.By winning these elections, India won places on the executive boards of four UN bodies, three commissions and a committee.In election for the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Committee, within the Asia-Pacific group, India got the highest number of votes (46). India has also been elected to following bodies: Board/Commission Term Executive Board of UN-Women Three-year term starting January 2019 Commission on Population and Development Will start immediately. Term will end in September 2021 Commission for Social Development Four-year term starting immediately Commission on Crime Prevention and Three-year term starting January 2019 Criminal Justice • On 25th April 2018, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj led the delegation at the 6th Joint Committee for Cooperation with Mongolian Foreign Minister Damdin Tsogtbaatar.Various aspects of bilateral relations, particularly in trade and investment, energy, mining, animal husbandry, education and capacity building and tourism were discussed in the meeting. • India-Nepal Inter Governmental Committee (IGC) meeting on Trade, Transit and Cooperation to Control Unauthorised Trade was held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 26th and 27th April, 2018.IGC also takes up issues relating to bilateral trade, transit facilities provided by India to Nepal to facilitate trade with third countries and Indian investment in Nepal. • Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot has been made a member of Congress central election committee.He is a former chief minister of Rajasthan. He was appointed the AICC (All India

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Congress Committee) general secretary in charge of organisation and training of party cadres, recently. • North Korea halts missile and nuclear tests, a pledge made by leader Kim Jong-un ahead of a meeting with Donald Trump. All other countries have welcomed this decision.North Korea has conducted all six of its nuclear tests at Punggye-ri test site in the country’s north-east. It tested its first nuclear weapon in 2006, while its last and most powerful test came last September 2017. • 114th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) took place in New Delhi on 29th and 30th March, 2018 it focused on technical deliberations on various issues related to Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) between India and Pakistan. • India - Japan - United States 9th Trilateral Meeting at Joint Secretary/Director General/Assistant Secretary level was held in New Delhi on April 4, 2018.It is to be noted that the India-Japan-US trilateral was launched in December 2011 during Hillary Clinton’s tenure as US Secretary of State. • On April 6, 2018, Minister of State for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (Independent Charge), Giriraj Singh launched a mobile phone application for locating Khadi stores in the country.The app was launched during 9th meeting of National Board of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in New Delhi. • First meeting of newly constituted ‘NITI Forum for North East’ was held in Agartala, Tripura on April 10, 2018.The meeting was chaired by Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog - Rajeev Kumar and the Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jitendra Singh.It was constituted with an aim to ensure sustainable economic growth of the North Eastern Region (NER) of India and review the development status in the North Eastern region at periodic intervals. • 16th International Energy Forum Ministerial (IEF16) Meeting was held on 10th -12th April 2018 in New Delhi.This meeting was hosted by India and co-hosted by China and South Korea. IEF16 was the largest gathering of Energy Ministers from across the globe. From the Indian side, the ministerial was attended by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. • On 18th April 2018, the first meeting of National Council on India's Nutrition Challenges under POSHAN Abhiyaan was held at Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi.The POSHAN Abhiyaan aims to reduce the level of under-nutrition and other related problems by making sure the convergence of various nutrition related schemes. • Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from G20, (the Group of 20 economies) have agreed to aim for economic growth by promoting trade.Agreement in this regard was arrived at the G20 Spring Meeting held in Washington D.C., US on 19th and 20th April, 2018.The meeting was chaired by Argentina’s Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne. • First meeting of the think tank set up by the government to deliberate on issues related to e- commerce sector and cross-border digital trade was held in New Delhi on April 24, 2018.The meeting is led by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and comprises officials from ministries of finance, corporate affairs, home affairs and electronics and information technology. • On 24th April 2018, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, chaired the third meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA) in Delhi. The Island Development Agency reviewed the work done for preparation of Development Plans for identified Islands (4 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands - Smith, Ross, Long, Avis and five in Lakshadweep - Minicoy, Bangaram, Thinnakara, Cheriyam, Suheli).After implementation of these projects, investment of Rs. 650 crore is expected from private sector. • On 26th April 2018, the 23rd meeting of the Western Zonal Council consisting of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli will be held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. • On 25th April 2018, J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, conducted a high level meeting to review the preparedness of the Ministry for prevention and control of vector borne 40 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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diseases like kalaazar, dengue, malaria and chickungunya in India.He ordered the officials for launching aggressive IEC campaigns to create awareness on prevention and control of vectors before the season starts. • On April 18, 2018 Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in London, United Kingdom (UK) for a four-day official visit, during which, he held bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May and attended Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London on April 19, 2018. • On 19th April 2018, the first meeting of the BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors was held in the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., United States. Major issues discussed in the meeting improving the project pipelines of New Development Bank (NDB) evenly across member countries. • Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting held in Washington D.C.The Main schema of the Meeting was to discuss prospects and vulnerabilities of global economy, harnessing future of work for inclusive growth and take stock of progress made under G20 Compact with Africa Initiative. • On April 20 2018, Prince Charles was confirmed as the successor to Queen Elizabeth as head of the Commonwealth at a meeting of the group’s heads of government in Windsor at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain.The biennial meeting, taking place in Britain for the first time in 20 years . The next summit will be held in Malaysia in 2020.

RANKINGS India in Rankings

Index/Report/Field Position Points to be noted StartupBlink - 37th According to a report released by StartupBlink, the Indian startup ecosystem, during 2017, ranked at number 37 out of 125 countries. United States (US) has topped ‘Internet Security Threat 3rd U.S. has been ranked as the top most vulnerable country. It is Report’ followed by China in the second

2018 Index of Economic 130th Index of Economic Freedom published by the Freedom Heritage Foundation, an American think-tank Commonwealth Innovation 10th First three rankers are UK, Singapore and Canada.The Global Index Innovation Fund (GIF) will work as the delivery partner to host a new Commonwealth Innovation Fund (CIF) 2018 ‘World Press Freedom 138th Released by Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF).Norway topped Index’ in the list. International Monetary Fund’s 6th India has been declared the 6th largest economy in the world World Economic Outlook with a GDP of 2.6 trillion in 2017. India has improved from (WEO) for April 2018 6.7 % in 2017 to 7.8 % in 2018.

Indian states or Cities or Entities in Rankings State or City Index/Report/Field Positio Points to be noted n Patna 4G availability 1 As per a , Patna has ranked No.1 among 20 largest cities in India Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport Council 16th Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) International’s preliminary report on International (IGI) Airport Airpor airport traffic for 2017 has ranked as 16th busiest airport in the world • Bengaluru has emerged as the highest paying city in India, with an average annual cost to company (CTC) for talents through all levels and functions at Rs 11 lakh, as per the report of Randstad 41 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Insights.The report said that professionals from pharma and healthcare industry are paid the highest in Indiaaverage CTC Rs.10 lakh followed by professional services a little more than Rs 9 lakh, FMCG (Fast-moving consumer goods) sector CTC of Rs 9 lakh, IT sector, Infrastructure, real estate & construction sector.

Position Highest Paying City 1 Bengaluru 2 Pune 3 NCR 4 Mumbai 5 Chennai 6 Hyderabad 7 Kolkata

• As per rankings released by Facebook on April 19, 2018, Facebook (FB) page of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the most popular among all other chief ministers of India.With 42 million likes, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most popular Lok Sabha member while legendary cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar is the most popular Rajya Sabha member with over 28 million likes. • With a vision to bring more females into its workforce, United Arab Emirates’ cabinet approved a bill guaranteeing equal pay for men and women.This decision is a part of UAE Government efforts to narrow the gender gap.UAE ranked 120 out of 144 countries overall in the 2017 World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report. • As per Trust Research Advisory’s Brand Trust Report 2018, State Bank of India (SBI) is the most- trusted bank (among both public and private sector banks) in India.Among private sector banks, the list was topped by ICICI Bank.Although SBI has topped the Banking and Financial Services Institutions its overall brand trust index ranking has dropped from 13th in 2017 to 21st this year. • Germany, and the United Kingdom are ahead of India in the ranking. According to TRA's Brand Trust Report 2018, Google is the most trusted Internet brand in India.Facebook has attained the second position on the list. TRA's Brand Trust Report 2018 has said that, Google features 1.2 trillion searches every year.Amazon has ranked third. It is followed by e-Bay in the fourth position. Flipkart has secured 6th position. • Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, owning a fortune of $38 billion, is Asia’s third- richest man and has secured 19th rank in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index .Jeff Bezos has secured the top position globally.He is followed by Bill Gates at the second spot & the third position is occupied by Warren Buffett. • Richest Indian, Mukesh Ambani and human rights lawyer Indira Jaising have featured in Fortune magazine’s 2018 ranking of the 50 Greatest Leaders.Mukesh Ambani has ranked 24th on the list.Indira Jaising, the lawyer who has dedicated her life to battling injustice ranked at 20th.Architect Balkrishna Doshi (43rd rank) is another Indian who has made it to the list. • On 25th April 2018, Randstad Employer Brand Research (REBR) 2018 stated that, Microsoft India is the most attractive employer brand in India this year.It is followed by Amazon India. On a sectoral basis, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) ranked as the top employer brand for the IT industry. Larsen & Toubro was ranked as top employer for infrastructure & construction and Hindustan Unilever for FMCG.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• On 3rd April 2018, ride-hailing service provider Ola announced that, it has acquired Ridlr, a public transport ticketing and commuting app.Ridlr will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of ANI Technologies. ANI Technologies owns Ola brand.

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• HCL Technologies has acquired C3i Solutions for USD 60 million, in a move to enhance HCL’s growth in life sciences and consumer services.C3i Solutions is a wholly owned, independently operated subsidiary of Merck & Co, which is known as MSD outside the US and Canada. • On 16th April 2018, fashion retailer Myntra announced that it has acquired Witworks, a Bengaluru based technology startup, involved in developing smart wearable devices and their underlying software.Witworks launched the Blink Watch wearable device in 2016. It operates on their voice- based platform, Marvin OS. • Zoom, part of the Times Network has announced a partnership with India’s leading online fashion e- tailer, Myntra.This partnership is slated to be one of the biggest-ever brand partnerships in the television history in India.On April 19, 2018, Zoom unveiled its new avatar, ‘Zoom Styled by Myntra’. • On 25th April 2018, Indus Towers and Bharti Infratel Ltd announced that, they have agreed to combine operations in a deal that will create the world's second-largest mobile masts company measured by numbers of towers.The combined company will lag only China Tower. It will still be listed on Indian bourses.

DEFENCE

• A two-day coastal security exercise 'Sagar Kavach' began on April 24, 2018 along Kerala shores.It is being conducted to strengthen and assess the loopholes in the coastal security mechanism along Kerala shores.Along with Coastal Police and Marine Enforcement wing, Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy is also participating in Exercise 'Sagar Kavach'. • Tenth edition of India's mega defence exhibition, DefExpo 2018 began at Thiruvidanthai (on the outskirts of Chennai) on April 11, 2018.This exhibition of weapons and military hardware showcases India's defence manufacturing capabilities to the world. Theme of DefExpo 2018 is “India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub”. • A MoU was signed between the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), India, and the Groupement des Industries Françaises Aeronautiques et Spatiales (GIFAS), France, to promote a sustainable framework for present and future partnerships and cooperative actions between the French aerospace industry and the Indian defence industry. • On April 13, 2018, Union External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj met the Afghan Defence Minister Lieutenant-General Tariq Shah Bahramee in New Delhi and agreed to make efforts in to combat the menace of opium cultivation and drugs trafficking which is the main source of funding terrorism against the people of Afghanistan. • On 11th April 2018, Mahindra Defence Systems signed an agreement with ShinMaywa Industries, Japan, to manufacture and assemble amphibious aircraft ShinMaywa US-2 in India.It has been deployed by Japanese Maritime Self-defence forces. 10th edition of DefExpo is organised by the Ministry of Defence. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai. • On April 11, 2018, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), India's multinational engineering conglomerate, and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a government-owned aerospace and defence company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cater to the needs of evolving domestic and export markets for defence products and systems.Besides, the MoU will also leverage expertise, experience and well-developed supply chain of BEL and L&T to enhance exports in the defence sector. • Indian Government will be setting up a dedicated defence and aerospace small and medium enterprises (SME) fund, registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).Objective for setting up this fund is to channelize investments into the two defence corridors announced by Government of India in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. • In a bid to boost defence cooperation, Indian Government is planning to gift obsolete military equipment to friendly countries.Military platforms that are being considered to be offered as gifts are artillery guns, armoured vehicles, helicopters, naval patrol vehicles and radar systems that are obsolete or nearing obsolescence.

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• On April 27, 2018, Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Union Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman,approved procurement of NAG Missile System (NAMIS) comprising third generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile, the NAG, along with the Missile Carrier Vehicle (NAMICA) & also approved procurement of thirteen 127 mm calibre guns for Indian Navy. • LCA Tejas has achieved another milestone towards FOC certification, after the launch on 27th April 2018, piloted by Wg Cdr Siddharth Singh from the firing range off the coast of Goa.The missile was launched from LCA Tejas. Tejas, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) successfully fired Derby Air-to- Air beyond Visual Range Missile to expand the firing envelope. • On April 14, 2018, Pakistan successfully test fired 'Babur Weapon System-1 (B)', an enhanced version of indigenously-built Babur cruise missile.This enhanced version on Babur, has a strike range of 700 km and can deliver conventional and non-conventional weapons. • On April 1, 2018, United States and South Korea kicked off the annual military exercise ‘Foal Eagle drill’ which will be a low-key event, featuring fewer strategic weapons, as North Korea has proposed to hold summits with the South Korea and US.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Mobile Apps/Portal Launched by Purpose m-Awas Hardeep Puri, Minister of State For allotment of Government for Housing and Urban Affairs accommodations in General Pool (I/C) Residential Accommodation (GPRA) in Delhi under the control of the Directorate of Estates • On April 1, 2018, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) stated that it has lost contact with GSAT-6A, the latest communication satellite which was to provide mobile communication to India through, multi-beam coverage facility which was launched on board Geosynchronous rocket GSLV-F08 on March 29, 2018. • China's Tiangong-1 (English translation - "Heavenly Palace") space station is set to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere between 1st and 2nd April 2018. • On 2nd April 2018, SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched its Dragon spacecraft – SpaceX’s 14th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station (ISS). • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Hubble Space Telescope has discovered 'Icarus', the farthest individual star ever seen. Official name of Icarus is MACS J1149+2223 Lensed Star 1.They found Icarus through a phenomenon called gravitational lensing. • On 6th April 2018, the RH300 sounding rocket was launched from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.The rocket was developed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). This is the 21st launch of RH300 sounding rocket. • The Health Ministry has banned over the counter sale of 14 skin creams and ointments containing steroids.Health ministry said that, a notification has been issued by placing 14 drugs under the Schedule H of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945, based on recommendations of the Drug and Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) under the Drug Controller General of India. • A new class of antibiotics named “Odilorhabdins” has been discovered which can help in fighting drug-resistant or hard-to-treat bacterial infections.Researchers from the University of Illinois (UIC) at Chicago and Nosopharm, a France-based biotechnology company, were involved in this study. • A study by National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded researchers at the University of California (UC), Davis, states that more than a quarter of total available nitrogen is derived from the weathering of Earth's bedrock.The study says that, up to 26 % of the nitrogen in ecosystems is obatined from rocks, and remaining is obtained from atmosphere. • Scientists have successfully completed the first test drive of a DNA 'unicycle' - a tiny machine made of genetic material powered by chemical energy that could perform directed movements. Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany and the University of Michigan in the US

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used structures made of DNA nano rings .The tiny vehicle is only 30 nanometers in size. • US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved marketing of IDx-DR, first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based device to detect certain diabetes-related eye problems.IDx-DR, is a software programme that uses an artificial intelligence algorithm to analyse images of eye taken with a retinal camera.ii. FDA has permitted marketing of IDx-DR to IDx LLC, a medical device company. • On 16th April 2018, China authorities said that, China will launch Fengyun-II 09 satellite, a new meteorological satellite, in 2018 to enhance its weather forecasting capabilities.This is the last in the Fengyun-II series. It will collect meteorological, maritime, and hydrological data to help weather forecast in China and neighbouring regions & will be launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan Province of China. • On April 17, 2018 (as per Indian Standard Time), US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will launch Transit Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a satellite designed to detect more exoplanets.TESS will be launched aboard a SpaceX’s Flacon 9 rocket from Florida, US.TESS will use a detection method called transit photometry. With four sensitive cameras, it will track. • Chinese scientists have developed ‘Artificial Transpiration’, a new device of 3D hollow-cone structure that can greatly increase the solar-thermal conversion efficiency.The device was named by Zhu Jia and his team members in Nanjing University. • Scientists at Northwestern University, USA, headed by an Indian, have developed “Memtransistor”, an electronic device that can mimic the human brain.It combines the functions of a memristor and a transistor. The memtransistor has great potential in Artificial Intelligence (AI).It has been designed by Dr Vinod Kumar Sangwan (Indian), a post-doctoral researcher at Northwestern University and a team of scientists. • Scientists in Britain and the United States have discovered “PETase” an enzyme that can digest some commonly polluting plastics.PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a strong plastic that is commonly used in bottles.Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 is a bacterium that uses the plastic as its major energy source. • Indian scientists have formulated world’s first ayurvedic drug to cure dengue, which is likely to be available in the market by 2019.It has been made with seven herbal ingredients which are in use in Ayurveda system of medicine. • Scientists in the University of Southampton have discovered that, stimulating a specific location on the surface of immune cells can be targeted with antibodies to help in fighting cancer.This discovery is related to a receptor called CD40. CD40 is found on the surface of certain immune cells which regulates their activity. • On 18th April 2018, 'Chandrayaan-2', India's second moon mission, which was planned to be launched in April 2018 has been postponed to October-November 2018.Chandrayaan-2 will comprise a lander and rover probe which will descend on the surface of the moon. It will observe the lunar surface and send back data for analysis of the lunar soil. • On 18th April 2018, NASA’s latest planet-hunting spacecraft TESS on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off from Cape Canaveral, in Florida, United States. It aims to scan 85 % of the skies for cosmic bodies where life might exist.The spacecraft is of the size of a washing machine. • On 17th April 2018, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully launched Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar Spectrograph or CHESS 4 on a NASA Black Brant IX sounding rocket, from the Kwajalein Atoll in The Republic of the Marshall Islands.The CHESS 4 mission will study the interstellar medium (the matter between stars). It focuses on translucent clouds of gas that provide the fundamental building blocks for stars and planets.

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• Researchers from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have discovered a small molecule named “Pep-I” that exhibits good antiviral activity against chikungunya virus. • Scientists have successfully removed sulphur from fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal using novel bacterial strains.They used four bacterial strains: Rhodococcus rhodochrous, Arthrobacter sulfureou, Gordonia rubropertinita and Rhodococcus erythropolis.These bacterial strains use dibenzothiophene (an organic sulphur compound which is a major contaminant of fossil fuel) as an energy source. This eliminates the sulphur content. • In coming months, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be launching a slew of strategically important satellites.In September 2018, ISRO will launch Gsat-7A, for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Gsat-7A will be launched onboard GSLV Mk II rocket and will enable the IAF to interlink different ground radar stations, airbases and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.Risat-2A will be launched by the end of 2018 onboard PSLV rocket. It is an advanced remote sensing satellite and will boost India’s surveillance capabilities. • Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed ‘Bhabha Kavach’, a next-generation bulletproof jacket for the Indian armed forces, which is cheaper and much lighter as compared to the ones which are used currently.It is made using extremely hard boron carbide ceramics (used for first time in India for making jackets), hot-pressed with carbon nano-tubes and composite polymer. It weighs just 6.6 kg in comparison to the 17-kg jackets in use.

ENVIRONMENT

• Rare dinosaur footprints that are 170 million years old have been discovered in the north-east coast of Isle of Skye in Scotland. Majority of the footprints were made by sauropods and theropods. The sauropods & theropods were long-necked and two metres tall. • Researchers from the University College, Kerala, have reported the discovery of “Fimbristylis agasthyamalaensis”, a new plant species from the Western Ghats.The discovery has been published in Phytotaxa. • At least four kingfisher species are thriving in the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh. The species have been identified as White-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), Pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), Black-capped kingfisher (Halcyon pileate) and the Common kingfisher. The birds are thriving there as the sanctuary is an ideal habitation for prey. • Cliff carvings of Buddha that are 1,200 years old have been discovered in eastern Tibet.The regional cultural relics protection research institute said that, the Cliff carvings of Buddha were found in Acur township in Chagyab County of the Qamdo City. • On 9th April 2018, scientists said that, a jawbone fossil found at a beach in southwestern England, belongs to “Ichthyosaur”, one of the biggest marine animals on record.Ichthyosaur appears to be the largest marine reptile discovered so far. It had lived 205 million years ago at the end of the Triassic Period. • Scientists at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, have discovered that the Indian Aedes aegypti mosquito, when infected with the African strain of the Zika virus(ZIKV), can transmit the infection to suckling mice.A study was conducted by scientists from the NIV, the National Jalma Institute of leprosy and other Mycobacterial Diseases, to demonstrate how the Indian Aedes Aegypti mosquito is vulnerable to the Zika virus (ZIKV). • Indian researchers have discovered world’s smallest land fern in the Ahwa forests of the Western Ghats in Gujarat’s Dang district.The new Malvi’s adder’s-tongue fern Ophioglossum malviae is just one centimetre in size. However, the most similar adder’s-tongue fern is 10 cm tall. • Chinese entomologists have discovered a giant mosquito belonging to Holorusia Mikado species, with a wing size of 11.15 cm in Sichuan province of China.These mosquitoes do not feed on blood. • They feed mainly on nectar. The adults have a life span of a few days.It is also known as the crane fly are mainly found in the Chengdu plain of the western parts of Sichuan.

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• ‘Fejervarya goemchi’, a large-sized brown frog, measuring 41 to 46mm, has been discovered in Goa.It has been named after the state Goa, where it was discovered.It has been discovered by scientists of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Pune. It was discovered in Surla, Goa. • Australian researchers have said that, the world’s oldest known spider named “Number 16” has died at the age of 43 in Australia

SPORTS

Sports/Tournament/title Winner Points to be noted Asian Armwrestling Championship Indian arm He also secured a silver medal wrestler Shrimant Jha in Para-Arm Wrestling World Cup in Poland under 80 kg category 56th edition of Belgrade International Gold medal winners,Sumit Indian boxers won three gold, five Boxing Championship at Belgrade in Sangwan(91Kg), Indian silver and five bronze medals at this Serbia woman boxer Nikhat championship Zareen(51 kg), Himanshu Sharma (49 kg). Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco Rafael Nadal 31st Masters title by defeating Japan's Kei Nishikori. Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Jeremy Lalrinnunga Jeremy Lalrinnunga won the silver Championship at Urgench, in youth section and a bronze medal Uzbekistan in the junior section. Barcelona Open tennis title Rafael Nadal 2018 Chinese Grand Prix Red Bull`s Daniel Riccia 2. Valtteri Bottas -Mercedes 3. Kimi Raikkonen – Ferrari 34th edition of the Miami Open also known as 2018 Miami Masters, a professional men and women's tennis tournament, took place in Miami, Florida, United States. 2018 Miami Open – Winners: Category Winner Runners-up Men’s Singles John Isner (United States) Alexander Zverev (Germany) Women’s Singles Sloane Stephens (United Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) States) Men’s Doubles Bob Bryan (United States) and Karen Khachanov (Russia) Mike Bryan (United States) and Andrey Rublev (Russia) Women’s Doubles Ashleigh Barty (Australia) Barbora Krejcikova (Czech and CoCo Vandeweghe Republic) and Katerina (United States) Siniakova (Czech Republic) Cricket

• On April 3, 2018, South African fast bowler Morne Morkel announced his retirement from international cricket at the conclusion of South Africa-Australia test series.. Morne Morkel made his international Test debut against India back in 2006..He also played for Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL). • Virat Kohli and Mithali Raj, captains of Indian men and women’s cricket team respectively found a place in the Wisden’s leading cricketers of the year. Five cricketers were chosen for the ‘Cricketers of the Year Award’ they are Heather Knight, Natalie Sciver and Anya Shrubsole,West Indies batsman Shai Hope and Essex bowler Jamie Porter. Stu Forster of Getty Images took a picture of English fast bowler Katherine Brunt taking a selfie at the cricket world cup final at Lord’s stadium. This has been selected as the Cricket Photograph of the Year.

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Football • FC Goa in collaboration with the Forca Goa Foundation, is introducing “FC Goa Soccer Schools”, a soccer programme for kids.This programme is aimed at developing football in Goa and to provide opportunity to more children to play football. • On 1st April 2018, Kerala defeated West Bengal and won its sixth title in the 72nd Santosh Trophy (Football) at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, West Bengal.West Bengal had won Santosh Trophy title 32 times. • The Mumbai Football Arena, the new hub of Indian football, will play host to the inaugural edition of the four-nation Intercontinental Cup, which is slated to be held from June 1 to June 10, 2018. The Intercontinental Cup has been planned to be an annual event and will thus have representation from the CAF( Confederation of African Football) region in the form of South Africa, New Zealand from the Oceania, and Chinese Taipei from the AFC. • Julio Cesar, 38-year-old former Brazil, Inter Milan and Benfica goalkeeper has retired from football after playing a last match for boyhood club Flamengo.Julio Cesar honoured with five Italian titles and the 2010 Champions League title with Inter, three Portuguese titles with Benfica and the 2004 Copa America with Brazil. • Mohamed Salah, an Egyptian professional footballer who plays for English club Liverpool and the Egypt national team was named the PFA Player of the Year on April 22, 2018.Mohamed Salah is the first Egyptian to win this award. • On 21st April 2018, Barcelona defeated Sevilla 5-0 to and won its fourth straight and 30th overall Copa del Rey title at the Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid.Two goals were scored by Luis Suarez and a goal each by Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Philippe Tennis • German tennis player Alexander Zverev improved to the third spot in the latest ATP men's singles rankings released on 23rd April 2018.The latest ATP top 3 are as follows:1.Rafael Nadal,2.Roger Federer,3.Alexander Zverev. • On 7th April 2018, Leander Paes won Davis Cup and secured his 43rd doubles win of his career in the competition, in Tianjin, China.He has broken the 46-year-old record of Italian player Nicola Pietrangeli and become the Davis Cup's most successful doubles player. Records & Rankings in sport • Indian Table Tennis player Sathiyan Gnansekaran has reached his career-best ranking of 46 in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings.Among Indian Woman Table Tennis Players, Manika Batra continues to rank highest at 58. • Virat Kohli has retained the second position in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings that was released on 4th April 2018.Australian former captain Steve Smith has secured the top spot. New Zealand has surpassed Australia and secured third place in the ICC Test Team Rankings. • Indian badminton player Kidambi Srikanth has emerged as World Number 1 in the latest edition of the BWF rankings that were released on 12th April 2018.Kidambi Srikanth has replaced Denmark's Viktor Axelsen and become World Number 1 in the BWF rankings.He has become the first Indian male player to achieve this mark. Saina Nehwal was the first Indian girl to become world No 1 in 2015. • On 12th April 2018, the latest FIFA rankings were released in which Germany has secured the top position followed by Brazil in the second position. Tunisia has improved nine places and reached 14th place. This is their highest ever position.It is the highest position for any African country, since Ivory Coast obtained 13th rank in July 2013. • Sampanna Ramesh Shelar, a 17-year-old swimmer from Pune has set a world record to double cross the Bangla Channel.Water stretch from Saint Martin's Island Jetty to Teknaf in Bangladesh is known as the Bangla Channel.Sampanna Ramesh Shelar has become the first person to double cross (swim to and fro) the Bangla Channel by completing the journey of 32.2 kilometers in 9 hours and 10 minutes. • On 16th April 2018, Yuki Bhambri entered into the top-100 ATP men’s singles ranking with a rank of rank 83, for the first time since February 2016.This is the best rank an Indian has 48 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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obtained in ATP singles ranking, after Somdev Devvarman reached rank 62 in 2011. Divij Sharan has improved to rank 41. Leander Paes has secured 49th position. Rohan Bopanna is at rank 19. Sania Mirza remains at 24th rank in the women’s ranking. • Indian Badminton player Kidambi Srikanth has lost his World No. 1 rank and has dropped four places to fifth in latest men’s singles rankings released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on April 19, 2018.Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in men’s singles ranking. In women’s singles ranking, India’s PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal retained their positions at third and the 12th rank respectively.Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi has dethroned Taiwan’s Tai Tzu Ying to become the new World No. 1 in women’s singles ranking.

Other Sports news

• On 4th April 2018, the 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games started at Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia.PV Sindhu is the flag-bearer for India at the opening ceremony.The Commonwealth Games is hosted by Australia for the fifth time.This will be the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever with estimated cost around AUS$2billion. • On 18th April 2018, Son of Dreams was unveiled as official Mascot of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019, in Beijing, China.Son of Dreams was born in China on 8th August 2015. Son of Dreams' magical horns give him the power to see in the future, visualizing plays and moves before they happen in real.This first ever 32-team FIBA Basketball World Cup will be held in eight Chinese cities from 31st August to 15th September 2019. • On 21st April 2018, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced two per cent reservation in Telangana state government jobs for sportspersons. • 8th South Asian Judo Championship was held in Lalitpur near Kathmandu, Nepal from 21st- 23rd April, 2018.Six countries – India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan – competed in this Championship.The 13-player Indian contingent won 10 golds and three bronze medals in individual categories. • On 24th April 2018, National Muaythai Federation Cup, a martial arts competition, ended at the Indoor Stadium, Srinagar.It was organised by Jammu and Kashmir Muaythai Association with the support of Muaythai India National Federation together with Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council. It is also known as 'the art of eight limbs' as it is involves the combined use of fists, elbows knees and shins. • On 29th April 2018, Prajnesh Gunneswaran won his first singles title on the ATP Challenger circuit in the Kunming Open in Anning, China.He is currently ranked 260th. He is expected to enter the top-200 with the 125 ATP points obtained from the title. • On 28th April 2018, India's CA Bhavani Devi won a silver medal in the sabre event of the Tournoi World Cup Satellite Fencing Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Book Name Author Other Information ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar President Ram Nath Kovind received the first copy of the book ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Adi Shankaracharya: Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism’s Hinduism’s Greatest Thinker” Greatest Thinker”, from the author Shri Pavan Varma, at Rashtrapati Bhavan

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'Mister M K Gandhi Ki Arvind mohan Released by nitish kumar Champaran Diary' 'Champaran Andolan 1917' Edited by Ashutosh Released by Nitish Kumar Partheshwar 'Pir Muhammad Munis: Kalam Collected and edited by Released by Nitish Kumar Ka Satyagrahi' Srikan Handbook on Prevention of Released by Ashwini Kumar Accidents and Awareness of Choubey, Minister of State First Aid for Health and Family Welfare ‘My Journey from Marxism- Former Planning Commission Former Prime Minister Manmohan Leninism to Nehruvian and Finance Commission Singh released the book Socialism’ member C H Hanumantha Rao

OBITUARY

National Wise Name of the person who Field Points to be noted passed away CV Rajendran Tamil Film Director His popular movies are: Sumathi En Sundari, Vani Rani, Garjanai, Ullasa Paravaigal and Vaazhkai Niranjan Thomas Alva Supreme Court Lawyer Husband of former Rajasthan governor Margaret Alva Munin Barua Assamese Film-Maker He was popularly known as Bhaimon da. He had received National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Assamese in 2005 E N Rammohan Former BSF (Border Security Force) Director General (DG Nihal Singh Journalist He was the Chief Editor of The Statesman, Editor- in-Chief Indian Express and Editor of Khaleej Times. He received the International Editor of the Year Award in New York TVR Shenoy Journalist He was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan award in 2003. Shenoy was a regular contributor to The Indian Express Shakuntala Mahawal former principal She also served as special correspondent at the All information officer India Radio's office in Brussels Bhimsain Khurana Indian animation expert He had won National Award for his animation short film “Ek Anek Ekta”. M S Ravi Chief Editor of leading Malayalam daily Kerala Kaumudi Swedish DJ Avicii World's biggest dance music stars Nabi Tajima World’s oldest person Her town of Kikai is in Kagoshima prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands

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Tony Daniel Technical committee He was the Deputy Competition Manager during chairman of the the Commonwealth Games, Delhi 2010 and Athletics Federation of Competition Director (Athletics) in South Asian India (AFI) Games, Guwahati 2016 International Wise Name of the person who Field Points to be noted passed away Efrain Rios Montt Military dictator Ray Wilkins Ex-England midfielder His nickname was “Butch.” He played for teams like Manchester United, Chelsea and AC Milan. Barbara Bush Former First Lady of She was the wife of former US President George the United States Herbert Walker Bus James Ajongo South Sudan military chief General

IMPORTANT DAYS

Observed Day Other information date/week 1st April Odisha Formation Day also known as Utkal Dibasa or Utkal Divas was celebrated to mark the formation of Odisha as a separate province on 1st April 1936 2nd April World Autism Awareness Day The theme is: "Empowering Women and Girls with Autism". 2nd April SIDBI celebrated its foundation Day of Sampark (connect), Sanwad (interaction), day Suraksha (security) and Sampreshan (disseminate),& they launched the ‘MSME contact programme’,Samridhhi,‘Bankability Kit’ 4th April International Day for Mine 2018 theme - Advancing Protection, Peace and Awareness and Assistance in Development. Mine Action 5th April 55th edition of National maritime The theme for National maritime Day 2018 is: 'Indian Day Shipping - An Ocean of opportunity' 6th April International Day of Sport for Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) Development and Peace of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) has launched the online campaign #PlayforGlobalGoals 7th April World Health Day 2018 theme: Universal health coverage: everyone, everywhere. The slogan is “Health for All”. 8th April International Romani Day It is also known as International Roma Day celebrates Romani culture and creates awareness on issues faced by Romani people 11th April 63rd Railway Week Function of He presented Merit Certificates and Cash Awards to Railway Board officials of Railway Board for their outstanding performances during 2017-18 11th April National Safe Motherhood Day 2018 theme-‘Respectful Maternity Care’ 12th April International Day of Human On 12th April 1961 Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union, Space Flight & World Aviation performed the first manned flight to the space on a and Cosmonautics Day “Vostok-1” spaceship 13th April 99th anniversary Jallianwallah The gathering took place to celebrate the Punjabi Bagh Massacre harvest festival of Baisakhi and to protest against the repressive Rowlatt Act 51 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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14th April B.R.Ambedkar Remembrance He was the architect of Indian Constitution. He is Day known as the "Father of Indian Constitution" 15th April 14th Raising Day Tributes were paid to martyrs of Indian Army at a ceremony at 'Prerna Sthal' in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on the 14th raising day 15th April Himachal Pradesh 71st foundation day 17th April World Haemophilia Day 2018 theme: Sharing Knowledge Makes Us Stronger 18th April World Heritage Day 2018 theme: Heritage for Generations 19th April World Liver Day 2018 theme: "Riding new waves in liver diagnosis, staging and treatment."

21st April World Creativity and Innovation This day will be observed six days after Leonardo da Day Vinci’s birthday and one day before International Mother Earth Day. 21st April Secretaries Day also known as Administrative professionals Day

21st April Civil Services day This date is chosen to honor the day in 1947 when first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers at Metcalf House, Delhi 22nd April Earth Day 2018 theme: 'End Plastic Pollution' 23rd April World Book and Copyright Day The 2018 edition of World Book and Copyright Day is entitled: “READING, it's my right!” 23rd April English Language Day It is observed as both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare 23rd April Khongjom Day It observed in Manipur by paying floral tributes to the martyrs of 1891 at the historic Khongjom War memorial site at Kheba hillock 24th April World Lab Animals Day It marks the birthday of former NAVS president Hugh Dowding 25th April World Malaria Day and Italy 2018 theme: Ready to beat malaria. Liberation Day 26th April World Intellectual Property Day 2018 theme: Powering change: Women in innovation and creativity 28th April World Day for Safety and Health 2018 theme: Occupational safety health (OSH) at Work vulnerability of young workers 29th April International Dance Day It marks the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, the creator of modern ballet 30th April International Jazz Day It is chaired and led by the UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay and jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock • On 23rd April 2018, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 29th Road Safety Week at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. He released a short story collection on road safety theme named “Have a safe journey”. He released a paper on road safety by Indian Road Safety Campaign (IRSC).IRSC organizes an annual road safety championship called Safer India Challenge in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.The Safer India Challenge’18 was also launched at the event.