VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE Current Affairs

(A book for TNPSC Examination) MARCHAPRIL - -2021 2021

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www.vetriias.com My Dear Aspirants, Greetings to all of you! “What we think we become” Gautama Buddha. We all have dreams. To make dreams come into reality it takes a lot of determination, dedication, self discipline and continuous effort. We at VETRII IAS Study Circle are committed to provide the right guidance, quality coaching and help every aspirants to achieve his or her life’s cherished goal of becoming a civil servant. The class room coaching at VETRII IAS Study Circle is meticulously planned to equip the aspirants with all the relevant facts and fundamentals of the subjects. M. SHUNMUGAM Further the VETRII IAS Study Circle Study materials Director aim to support the candidate by providing the Vetrii IAS Study Circle. most relevant study material in a comprehensive manner. We also thank other family members of Vetrii for making this effort a reality. We wish the aspirants ALL THE VERY BEST for their journey in Civil Services !

Pages : 68 Size : (240 × 180) mm Price : 40 © All rights reserved with the publisher. No part of this Published by: publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE transmitted in any form or by any F Block New No. 1, 9th Street, means, electronic, mechanical, 1st Avenue Main Road, Chinthamani, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written Anna Nagar (E), Chennai – 102. permission of the publisher, will be Phone : 044-2626 5326 responsible for the loss and may 98844 72636 | 98844 21666 | 98844 32666 be punished for compensation under copyright act. E-mail : [email protected] Web : www.vetriias.com CONTENTS

HISTORY 01

26 POLITICAL SCIENCE

GEOGRAPHY 30

31 ECONOMICS

SCIENCE 35 NATIONAL–DIARY OF EVENT 41

INTERNATIONAL 51 AFFAIRS

TAMILNADU AFFAIRS 54

56 PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. HISTORY 10-04-2021 7-04-2021 5-04-2021 2-04-2021 Date National Maritime Word Day Autism Day World Homeopathy World HealthDay Day Day 1.1 IMPORTANTDAYS ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Highlights: ▪ Roadmap forIntegrativeMedicine”. The theme of the conference is “Homoeopathy – a fairer,healthierworldforeveryone”. The Themeof2021WorldHealthDayis“Building and controlledbytheBritish. shipping historywhensea routes were restricted to theUnited Kingdom, a crucial step for India Navigation Company Ltd., traveled from Mumbai when On thisdayin1919navigationhistorywas created celebrations. The 2021 marks 58th editionoftheannual 5 April,since1964. In India,theNationalMaritimeDayisobservedon during pregnancy. environmental factors.Italsoincludes risk factors Autism is caused by geneticfactorsandalso by seven. Ithasbeenunderobservationsince2008. Days. World Autism Awareness Day is one of There spectrum disorder. that day to raise people's awareness of autism Awareness Day onApril2.Measures will betaken UN memberstatescommemorate World Autism Vetrii IAS Study Circle SS are Loyalty, a total Theme /Remark of the 7 health-specific first ship of The United Scindia Nations Steam 2 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Date Day Theme / Remark

▪ Odisha Fire Service is observing Fire Service Martyr’s Day on 14th April and Fire Service Week from 14th April to 20th April. ▪ On 14th April the Martyr’s das was observed at Odisha Fire and Disaster Response Academy, Firemen observe Bhubaneswar. 14-04-2021 Martyrs’ Day ▪ The fire service personnel of Bombay Fire Service were pressed into the service. ... To pay homage to those brave firefighters and firefighters who lost their lives every year on line duty, Fire Service Martyr's Day is observed on 14th April. Besides, Fire Service Week is also observed from 14th April

to 20th IAS Study Circle Vetrii April.

▪ The theme of 2021 is ONE WORLD MANY 16-04-2021 World Voice Day: VOICES. 17-04-2021 National Fire Service Day ▪ World Heritage Day is observed every year on April 18, to preserve the human heritage and recognize the efforts of the organizations working for it. ▪ World Heritage Day 2021: Theme for this year is 'Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures'. ▪ As an effort to sensitise youth on the multifaceted cultural heritage of the country, an online heritage olympiad is being organized. ▪ The olympiad was conceived with a goal to integrate heritage education in schools and provide a comprehensive test of aspects related to Indian heritage. It is open for schoolchildren in classes V to XII, college students and heritage enthusiasts. 18-04-2021 World Heritage Day ▪ It is hosted by Cultre, an organisation seeking to support cultural awareness and heritage education through technology and UNESCO, New Delhi. UNESCO ▪ UNESCO’s Headquarters are located in Paris and the Organization has more than 50 field offices around the world. ▪ It has 193 Members and 11 Associate Members (As of April 2020) and is governed by the General Conference and the Executive Board.

▪ Three IAS Study Circle Vetrii UNESCO member states are not UN

members: Cook Islands, Niue, and Palestine. ▪ While three UN member states (Israel, Liechtenstein, United States) are not UNESCO members.

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Date Day Theme / Remark

▪ The day April 21 has been chosen to commemorate the day when the first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Civil 21-04-2021 addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Day Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi. ▪ In his address, he called Civil Servants, the ‘Steel Frame of India’. 23-04-2021 World Book and Copyright Day ▪ In India, the National Panchayati Raj Day (National Local Self-Government day) is observed annually on 24 April by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to celebrate the Panchayati Raj System in the country. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

National Panchayati ▪ The first National Panchayati Raj Day was declared 24-04-2021 Raj Day by the then Prime Minister of India Shri Manmohan Singh, on 24 April 2010. ▪ The day marks the passing of Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993. 25-04-2021 World Malaria Day

World Intellectual ▪ 2021 theme is “IP and SMEs: Taking your ideas to 26-04-2021 market.” 2021 theme is “IP and SMEs: Taking your Property Day ideas to market.” ▪ The International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is observed every year on April 26 to raise awareness of the consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and the risks of nuclear International energy in general. 26-04-2021 Chernobyl Disaster ▪ The United Nations (UN) proclaimed the day on Remembrance Day April 26, 2016 that marked 30th anniversary of the 1986 nuclear disaster. ▪ On this day in 1986, a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine with devastating consequences. ▪ The World Immunisation Week is celebrated every year in the last week of April. It aims to promote the use of vaccines. This year, in 2021, the World Immunisation Week is to be celebrated under the following theme: World Immunisation ▪ Theme: Vaccines bring us closer. Week ▪ The WHO has partnered with organisations and

individuals IAS Study Circle Vetrii under theme to achieve the following: ▪ To increase trust and confidence in vaccines. ▪ To increase investment in vaccines and remove barriers. www.vetriias.com 3 4 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle 1.2 DEFENCE, NATIONAL SECURITY AND TERRORISM Three Rafale jets to land in India States during the exercise. ▪ India is set to get three more Rafale from INS Viraat is now Private Property: SC France. ▪ INS Viraat is a Centaur class aircraft carrier. ▪ The first batch of five Rafale jets had arrived It had served in the British Navy as HMS in India on July 28 and was officially inducted Hermes for 25 years (from 1959 to 1984). After on September 10 by the Narendra Modi refurbishment, it was commissioned into the government. Indian Navy in 1987. Indian Army to participate in Achievements: Multinational Military Exercise SHANTIR ▪ It played an important role in Operation Jupiter OGROSHENA 2021 in Bangladesh in 1989 during the Sri Lankan Peacekeeping ▪ A multinational Military Exercise named operation. In the operation, the ship sent

‘SHANTIR OGROSHENA’ 2021 (Front IAS Study Circle Vetrii Indian peacekeeping forces to Sri Lanka. Runner of the Peace) is scheduled to be held in ▪ The ship also performed blockading Pakistani Bangladesh from April 04 to 12, 2021. ports, primarily the Karachi port as part of ▪ The theme of the exercise is “Robust Peace 1999’s Operation Vijay. Keeping Operations” ▪ It was also deployed in Operation Parakram ▪ The exercise is being held to commemorate during 2001-02 following the terror attack on the birth centenary of Bangladesh ‘Father of the Indian Parliament. the Nation’ Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur ▪ The ship is nicknamed as the “Grand Old Rahman and mark glorious 50 years of Lady“. liberation of the country. ▪ Decommissioned in: The aircraft was ▪ The Indian Army is also participating in this decommissioned in March 2017. multinational exercise, along with contingent ▪ INS Viraat is the second aircraft carrier to be of Royal Bhutan Army, Sri Lankan Army and dismantled in India. In 2014, INS Vikrant was Bangladesh Army. dismantled in Mumbai. ▪ USA, UK, Turkey, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, DRDO develops new technology that Kuwait and Singapore will also attend the exercise as Military observers. will protect naval ships from missile attacks India & other Quad nations join France ▪ The Indian Navy recently carried out trials in 3-day naval exercise in eastern of an indigenous technology that will protect Indian Ocean ships from missile attacks, the Ministry of ▪ India and three other Quad member nations Defence. joined France in kick-starting a three-day ▪ The Defence Research and Development mega naval exercise in the eastern Indian Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Ocean, in reflection of their growing strategic Advanced Chaff Technology to safeguard the cooperation in the region. naval ships against enemy missile attack. ▪ The Indian naval ships Satpura and Kiltan ▪ Defence Laboratory Jodhpur (DLJ), a DRDO along with P-8I long range maritime patrol laboratory, has indigenously developed three aircraft are participating in multilateral variants of this critical technology christened exercise ‘La Perouse’. IAS Study Circle Vetrii Short Range Chaff Rocket (SRCR), Medium

▪ The Indian Navy ships and aircraft will Range Chaff Rocket (MRCR) and Long Range exercise at sea with ships and aircraft of navies Chaff Rocket (LRCR). All three met Indian of France, Australia, Japan and the United Navy’s qualitative requirements. 4 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 5

IAF Commanders' Conference for the China commissions three advanced year 2021 naval ships ▪ First bi-annual IAF Commanders' Conference ▪ China has commissioned three main battle for the year 2021 will be inaugurated by warships, including a nuclear-powered Hon'ble Raksha Mantri on 15 Apr 21 at Air ballistic missile submarine, a large destroyer Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan). and the country's largest amphibious assault ▪ Air Force Commanders' Conference is a bi- ship that can carry around 30 helicopters and annual conference held at Subroto Hall, Air hundreds of troops. Headquarters, Vayu Bhawan. The Conference ▪ The ships were commissioned at a ceremony provides a forum to the senior leadership of on Saturday attended by President Xi Jinping the IAF to discuss critical issues pertaining to at Sanya, China's main naval base in the Operations, Maintenance and Administration. disputed South China Sea in Hainan province. The conference is attended by the Air Officers ▪ The vessels commissioned included the Type Commanding-in-Chief of all Commands of 075 amphibious assault ships, which can carry

IAF, all Principal Staff Officers and all Director IAS Study Circle Vetrii an estimated 30 helicopters and hundreds of

Generals posted at Air HQ. troops. It is China's largest amphibious assault 8th Indo-Kyrgyz Special Forces Exercise ship with an estimated displacement of about 40,000 tonnes. ‘Khanjar’ Flags off ▪ The Type 055 is the most powerful destroyer ▪ The 8th Indo-Kyrgyz Joint Special Forces in the Peoples liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Exercise “Khanjar” was inaugurated at the which is equipped with new types of air- Special Forces Brigade of National Guards of defence, missile-defence, anti-ship and anti- the Kyrgyz Republic in Bishkek, the capital of submarine weapons. the host Kyrgyzstan. ▪ Initiated first in 2011, the two-week-long Indian and French Navies start 3-day special operations exercise focusses on high- VARUNA-2021 in Arabian Sea altitude warfare, mountain warfare and ▪ The 19th edition of the Indian and French Navy counter-extremism exercises. bilateral exercise VARUNA-2021 is scheduled ▪ The Indian contingent for the exercise and to be conducted in the Arabian Sea begin. felicitated their role as a bridge in promoting ▪ The three-day exercise will see high tempo- the shared mountain and nomadic heritage of naval operations at sea, including advanced both nations. air defence and anti-submarine exercises. ▪ The Varuna exercise will showcase the DRDO develops Supplemental Oxygen increasing levels of synergy, coordination and Delivery System for Indian Army & Mild interoperability between the two navies. Covid-Patients India Ranks Third Biggest Military ▪ The Defence Research and Development Spender in World in 2020, the US Tops: Organisation (DRDO) has developed a unique system, called “SpO2 – Based Oxygen SIPRI Report Saturation supplemental Oxygen Delivery ▪ India has retained its position as the third System”. biggest military spender in the world in ▪ The automatic system has been launched 2020, according to new data titled ‘SIPRI for the Indian Army soldiers fighting in the Military Expenditure Database’ published by Extreme High Altitudes Areas as well as the Stockholm International Peace Research

moderate COVID-19 patients. IAS Study Circle Vetrii Institute (SIPRI) on April 26, 2021.

▪ The SpO2 has been developed by the Top 5 nations Defence Bio-Engineering and Electro Medical ▪ As per the new report, the top five biggest Laboratory (DEBEL), Bengaluru of DRDO. spenders in 2020 were the United States ($778

www.vetriias.com 5 6 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

billion), China ($252 billion), India ($72.9 the 5th generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile billion), Russia ($61.7 billion) and the United (AAM) from Tejas aircraft, at Goa. Kingdom ($59.2 billion) respectively. ▪ This adds the Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile ▪ These five nations together accounted for 62 (AAM) in the air-to-air weapons package of percent of global military expenditure. India’s indigenously developed Light Combat Global Expenditure Aircraft, Tejas. ▪ Globally, the military spending in 2020 rose to $1981 billion. This value is an increase of 2.6 ▪ The trials also aimed to validate enhanced percent in real terms as compared to 2019. capability of already integrated Derby Beyond DRDO Conducts Maiden Trial of Visual Range (BVR) AAM on Tejas. Python-5 Air to Air Missile Using LCA ▪ Python-5 air-to-air missile (AAM) has been Tejas manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense ▪ The Defence Research and Development Systems of Israel and is one of the most

Organisation (DRDO) , successfully test fired IAS Study Circle Vetrii sophisticated guided missiles in the world.

1.3 WORLD ORGANISATIONS – PACTS AND SUMMITS United Nations Security Council ▪ Its members lie in the littoral and adjacent ▪ United Nations special envoy on Myanmar areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a Christine Schraner Burgener told a session of contiguous regional unity. the UN Security Council that "a bloodbath is ▪ Out of the 7 members, imminent" in the Southeast Asian country as a Five are from South Asia: crackdown on anti-coup protests escalates. ▪ Bangladesh United Nations Security Council ▪ Bhutan ▪ The Security Council was established under ▪ India the UN Charter 1945. It is one of the six ▪ Nepal principal organs of the United Nations. ▪ Sri Lanka ▪ The other 5 organs of the United Nations Two are from Southeast Asia: are—the General Assembly, the Trusteeship ▪ Myanmar Council, the Economic and Social Council, ▪ Thailand the International Court of Justice, and the ▪ Initially, it was formed with four Member Secretariat. States with the acronym ‘BIST-EC’ ▪ Its primary responsibility is to work to (Bangladesh, India, Sri-Lanka and Thailand maintain international peace and security. Economic Cooperation). ▪ The council has 15 members: the five ▪ It became renamed ‘BIMST-EC’ in 1997, permanent members and 10 non-permanent following the inclusion of Myanmar. members elected for two-year terms. ▪ With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan in ▪ The five permanent members are the United 2004, the name of the grouping was changed States, the Russian Federation, France, China to ‘Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and the United Kingdom. Technical and Economic Cooperation’ (BIMSTEC). BIMSTEC

▪ The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi- IAS Study Circle Vetrii India contributes USD 500,000 to UN Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Trust Fund for counter-terrorism (BIMSTEC) is a regional multilateral ▪ India has contributed an additional USD organisation. 500,000 to the United Nations Trust Fund for

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Counter-Terrorism. India elected by acclamation to 3 bodies ▪ With this amount, India’s total contribution to of UN Economic and Social Council for 3 it so far is USD 1.05 million. years from January 2022 UNFCT ▪ India has been elected by acclamation, to three ▪ The UN Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism bodies of the UN Economic and Social Council was established by the Secretary-General in (ECOSOC), for a three-year term beginning 2009. January 1, 2022. These UN Bodies are: ▪ Commission on Crime Prevention and G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting Criminal Justice ▪ India is among the guest countries invited to ▪ Executive Board of the UN Entity for Gender join parts of the G7 Foreign and Development Equality and the Empowerment of Women Ministers' meeting to be hosted by the UK next (UN Women) month. ▪ Executive Board of the World Food Programme. ▪ The meeting in London will be the first in-

person summit of the foreign ministers of the IAS Study Circle Vetrii ECOSOC Group of Seven countries - Canada, France, ▪ It has 54 members, elected by the General Germany, Italy, Japan, US and UK as well as Assembly for overlapping three-year terms. the European Union (EU) and will be held in ▪ It is the UN's central platform for reflection, what has been dubbed a COVID-secure way debate and innovative thinking on sustainable between May 3 and 5. development. ▪ The Foreign Secretary has also invited India, ▪ Each year, ECOSOC structures its work Australia, the Republic of Korea, South around an annual theme of global importance Africa, and the Chair and Secretary-General to sustainable development. This ensures of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations focused attention, among ECOSOC’s array of (ASEAN), to join parts of this year's G7 Foreign partners and throughout the UN development and Development Ministers' meeting as guests. system. G7 ASEAN Envoy to Myanmar ▪ The Group of Seven (G7) is a forum of the ▪ Indonesian President Joko Widodo called world's seven largest developed economies for the creation of an ASEAN special envoy whose government leaders meet annually to to Myanmar to engage with all parties in discuss international economic and monetary the crisis-torn country during a gathering issues. Saturday of Southeast Asian leaders in Jakarta. ▪ The first meeting with all G-7 nations was hosted by the United States which was held in ASEAN Countries Puerto Rico in 1976. ▪ The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional organization which was established Members to promote political and social stability amid ▪ The G7 members are recognized as the seven rising tensions among the Asia-Pacific’s post- wealthiest and most advanced nations in the colonial states. world. The members are: ▪ The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One ▪ France, Identity, One Community”. ▪ Germany, ▪ 8th August is observed as ASEAN Day. ▪ The United Kingdom, ▪ ASEAN Secretariat – Indonesia, Jakarta. ▪ Italy, ▪ 1967 – ASEAN was established with the ▪ The United States of America, IAS Study Circle Vetrii signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by its founding fathers. ▪ Canada, ▪ Founding Fathers of ASEAN are: Indonesia, ▪ Japan Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

www.vetriias.com 7 8 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

WHO unveils global immunization ▪ UNICEF became a permanent part of the strategy to save 50 million lives by United Nations in 1953. 2030 ▪ The name was shortened to United Nations ▪ A UN-led global immunization strategy Children Fund but it is still referred to as was unveiled to reach more than 50 million UNICEF. children who have missed lifesaving jabs ▪ Headquarters: New York City. against measles and other diseases because of ▪ It works in over 190 countries and territories COVID-19 disruption. with 7 regional offices. ▪ WHO, along with UNICEF and the vaccine WHO’s E-2025 initiative alliance Gavi, said their new global strategy has the potential to save 50 million lives within ▪ The World Health Organisation recently less than a decade. identified twenty-five countries with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025. This is WHO called the E-2025 initiative. ▪ Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii Background ▪ Founded: 7 April 1948 ▪ The World Health Organisation launched the ▪ President: Tedros Adhanom E-2020 initiative in 2017. The E-2020 aimed to UNICEF support a group of countries to achieve zero ▪ UNICEF was created in 1946 as International indigenous cases of malaria by 2020. However, Children’s Emergency Fund (ICEF) by UN certain countries are yet to achieve this target. relief Rehabilitation Administration to help Thus, they were identified under the E-2025 children affected by World War II. initiative and new plan is to be launched. 1.4 EMINENT PERSONS Government declares birth anniversary government to cough up Rs 50 lakh as of Dr B R Ambedkar on April 14 as compensation for compelling Narayanan to public holiday from 2021 undergo “immense humiliation”. ▪ The government has declared Ambedkar ▪ The espionage case, which made headlines Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Dr BR in 1994, pertained to allegations of transfer Ambedkar which falls on 14 April every year, of certain confidential documents on India’s as a public holiday with effect from 2021, under space programme to foreign countries by Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, two scientists and four others, including two 1881. Maldivian women. ▪ On 14 April 2021, India will celebrate the 130th Dr.H Balasubramaniyam Passed Away birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar. ▪ He is the winner of sahitya akademi award Madhavan recalls Nambi Narayanan’s winner for Translation and he is the senior member of the Delhi Tamil Sangam. words after Rocketry trailer release ▪ A high-level probe panel appointed by the Ph.D. Thillai Nadarajan Ramachandran Supreme Court to take erring cops to task passed away for causing “tremendous harassment” and ▪ Ph.D. Thillai Nadarajan Ramachandran (18 “immeasurable anguish” to ISRO scientist August 1934 - 6 April 2021) was a Tamil and Nambi Narayanan in the 1994 espionage case English language scholar. Excellent translator. has submitted its report to the apex court. IAS Study Circle Vetrii Tamil vegetarian and vegan ideology, the ▪ The SC had on September 14, 2018 appointed author of several books. Sheikh holds the the three-member panel headed by its former special title of Adipodi. judge D.K. Jain while directing the Kerala 8 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 9

▪ The. Na. Ramachandran was hailed as the ▪ In August 1664, Guru Tegh Bahadur was Cheikh Adipodi for his series of lectures on anointed the ninth Guru of the Sikhs. the great myth of the Goddess Cheikh. Britain’s Prince Philip passes away at Creations 99 ▪ T.N Ramachandran has written many ▪ Prince Philip, the longest serving royal consort vegetarian Tamil books in Tamil and English. in British history who was a constant presence Some of them are: at Queen Elizabeth II’s side for decades, died ▪ The shield of the great mythology aged 99, Buckingham Palace. ▪ Bharati Songs Thought Interpretation ▪ Tirumurai the Second Gujarat seer Mahamandaleshwar ▪ Tirumurai The Seventh Bharti Bapu dies at 93 ▪ SAYINGS ▪ Revered Gujarat seer Mhamandaleshwar ▪ UTTERANCES Bharti Bapu died (April 11) at Bharti Ashram ▪ Kaivalya Navaneetham in Sarkhej area of Ahmedabad. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The teachings of Mahamandaleshwar ▪ Brahmmasuthra Siva Advaitha ▪ Chitrakavi Malai Vishwambhar Bharti Ji Maharaj of Junagadh Bharti Ashram will always guide us. ▪ Max Mullar India’s first female cricket commentator Ambedkar Jayanti : 14 April Chandra Naidu passes away ▪ Ambedkar Jayanti (also known as Bhim Jayanti) is an annual festival observed on 14 ▪ Chandra Nayudu, the first woman cricket April to commemorate the birth anniversary commentator of India, has passed away. She of Babasaheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar who was 88. was born on 14 April 1891. ▪ She was the daughter of India’s first Test ▪ The Day has been observed as an official public captain Col CK Nayudu. holiday throughout India since 2015. PM Modi on Guru Tegh Bahadur’s ▪ In 2021, we are marking the 130th birth 400th birth anniversary anniversary of Babasaheb. ▪ The Government had able to celebrate the ▪ Dr. Ambedkar is known as the Father (chief 550th Parkash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev, the architect) of the Indian Constitution. 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur ▪ He was the first Law and Justice Minister of and the 350th Parkash Purab of Guru Gobind the country after the independence. Singh. ▪ Dr. Bhim has been bestowed with the country’s ▪ India will pay a fitting tribute to the great Sri highest civilian honor, Bharat Ratna in 1990 Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji on his 400th Parkash posthumously. Purab. Former Election Commissioner Dr GVG ▪ Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikh religion was beheaded on the orders of Krishnamurthy passes away Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb on 24 November ▪ Former Election Commissioner G.V.G. 1675 in Delhi. Krishnamurthy passed away morning due to prolonged illness. He was 86. Guru Tegh Bahadur Biography ▪ Guru Tegh Bahadur was born on 1 April 1621 ▪ Krishnamurthy passed away about 10 a.m. due in Amritsar and was named Tyaga Mal at to age related ailments. He is survived by his wife Padma Murty, son and senior Supreme birth. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Court advocate G.V.Rao, and daughter Dr ▪ His parents were Guru Hargobind and Mata Radha Bodapati. Nanaki. Guru Hargobind was the sixth Sikh Guru. ▪ Krishnamurty “made exemplary contribution

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during his tenure in the Commission as ▪ Priyanka has also climbed the world's highest Election Commisisoner from October 1, 1993 peak Mount Everest (8,849 metres) in 2013, to September 30, 1996”. Mount Lhotse (8,516 metres) in 2018, Mount Attorney general of India Makalu (8,485 metres) and also Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 metres) in 2016. K.K.Venugopal ▪ The Annapurna region is a diverse and popular Well-Known Kannada, Writer, trekking area. It is a massif in the Himalayas Lexicographer, G Venkatasubbaiah, in north-central Nepal that includes several passes away at 107 peaks. ▪ Veteran Kannada writer Ganjam Padma awardee winning Indian Islamic Venkatasubbiah, who also was a grammarian, editor, lexicographer and literary critic, has Scholar Maulana Wahiduddin passes passed away. He was 107. away of Covid at 97 ▪ G. Venkatasubbaiah was commonly known as ▪ Noted Indian Islamic scholar, spiritual leader a walking encyclopedia of Kannada language IAS Study Circle Vetrii and author Maulana Wahiduddin Khan has and culture, in his literary circles. passed away due to Covid-19 complications. ▪ Professor G Venkatasubbaiah had compiled He was 97. 12 dictionaries and had authored around 60 ▪ Khan has written over 200 books on several books. aspects of Islam and is best known for having ▪ He received the Padma Shri in 2017 for his written a commentary on the Quran and its proficiency in Kannada literature, poetry, translation in English, Hindi and Urdu. essays and translations. Apart from this we was also a recipient of Kannada Sahitya Akademi ▪ He was recipient of several notable honors Award and the Pampa Award among others. like Padma Vibhushan (2021), Padma Bhushan (2000) and the Rajiv Gandhi National Tyagaraja 254th Birth Anniversary Sadbhavna Award (2009). ▪ Tyagaraja was born on 14th May 1767 in the village of Thiruvayaru in the Thanjavur district Accenture’s Menon is chairperson of of Tamil Nadu. Nascom ▪ This is the 254th birth year of the poet and ▪ The National Association of Software and composer deified as a saint, Tyagaraja. He is Services Companies (Nasscom) appointed one of the principal composers of the Carnatic Rekha M. Menon, chairperson and senior MD trinity, and for artistes and practitioners of at Accenture in India, as its chairperson for the most complicated genre of music, this is a 2021-22. historic occasion. M Narasimham “The Father of Banking Maharashtra's Priyanka Mohite Reforms” Passes Away at 94 becomes first Indian woman to scale Mt ▪ The former Governor of Reserve Bank of India Annapurna (RBI), M Narasimham, who was considered as ▪ Priyanka Mohite from Satara in western the “father of banking reforms in India” has Maharashtra has scaled Mt Annapurna, the passed away due to Covid-19 related illness. 10th highest mountain peak in the world, He was 94. becoming the first Indian woman climber to achieve the feat. ▪ He served as the 13th Governor of RBI for a Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii short period of seven months between May

▪ The news of the 28-year-old climbing the peak was shared by her employer Kiran Mazumdar- and November 1977. Shaw, the Executive Chairperson of Biocon ▪ He was the first and only governor to be Limited. appointed from the Reserve Bank cadre. 10 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 11

Doyen of Indian Classical Music Pandit the attention it deserved, Mani took to writing Rajan Mishra Passes Away at 70 biographies of a number of nationalists hailing ▪ Renowned Hindustani Classical singer, from the State, such as G. Subramania Iyer, from ‘Banaras Gharana’ of India, Pandit V.V.S. Iyer and P. Varadarajulu Naidu. Rajan Mishra, has passed away, battling the ▪ In 2001, he received the Bharati award, coronavirus. He was 70. instituted by the State government. Three of ▪ He was a vocalist in the khyal style of Indian his works, including those on Subramania classical singing. Bharati, Subramania Siva and Ramakrishna ▪ Mishra was awarded with Padma Bhushan in Paramhamsa, bagged the awards. the field of art in 2007. ▪ Mani’s book on Brahma Samaj as an important ▪ Pandit Rajan Mishra was also a recipient work. of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Eminent bilingual writer Manoj Das Gandharwa National Award and the National passes away He wrote more than 1,000 Tansen Samman. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii works in Odia and English

Veteran Indian Nuclear Scientist ▪ He was associated with the Sri Aurobindo Krishnamurthy Santhanam Passes away Ashram since his arrival in Piducherry in ▪ Indian nuclear scientist Krishnamurthy 1963. Many of his works were written in Santhanam, who played noteworthy role in Pidhucherry. 1998 nuclear tests at Pokhran, has passed ▪ He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in away. 2020 for his contribution to Odia and English ▪ Santhanam was the field director of Defence literature. Mr.Das was the recipient of Several Research and Development Organization awards, including the Mystic Kalinga Literary during the tests of Pokhran-II. Award in 2020 and the Padma Shri in 2001. ▪ He was deeply associated with ▪ Some of his notable works are the escapist, Defence Research and Development A tiger at twilight, The submerged valley Organization(DRDO), Department of Atomic and other stories, The bridge in the moonlist Energy (DAE) and Institute for Defence night, Cyclones, Mystery of the missing cap Studies and Analyses (IDSA). and Myths, legends, concepts and literary ▪ He was awarded with the Padma Bhushan, antiquities of India. the third highest civilian award, in 1999 by the Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins is Government of India. dead Veteran writer, historian Pe.Su.Mani no ▪ Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, who more piloted the ship from which Neil Armstrong ▪ Born on November 2, 1933, in Pennathur of and Buzz Aldrin left to make their historic first Tiruvannamalai district. steps on the moon in 1969. ▪ In his youth, he got attracted to eminent Tamil ▪ Mr.Collins never set foot on the lunar surface. scholars Ve. Swaminatha Sarma, an author Vaishali Hiwase becomes first women of a number of Tamil works on European officer commander in BRO social and political philosophers, and M. P. ▪ Vaishali Hiwase has made history by becoming Sivagnanam (also known as Ma. Po. Si.), who the first woman officer commander in Border ran a political group, ‘Tamilarasu Kazhagam’. Roads Organisation- BRO. As per BRO, she He had worked as a leader of the group’s West IAS Study Circle Vetrii

will be responsible to provide connectivity Mambalam unit in Chennai. through an Indo-China border road. BRO India ▪ After realising that Tamil Nadu’s contribution was formed in 1960 and has been working to the freedom struggle had not been given under Defence Ministry since 2015. www.vetriias.com 11 12 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

BRO of the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu. ▪ The BRO India was formed on May 07, 1960, ▪ In addition to poetry, his views found and works under the Ministry of Defence since expression in other forms such as plays, film 2015. Initially, it was under the Ministry of scripts, short stories and essays. Road Transport and Highways. ▪ The Government of Puducherry union ▪ The primary role of BRO India is to develop territory has adopted the song of Invocation to and maintain the road networks in the north Mother Tamil, written by Bharathidasan as the and northeast areas near the border. state song of Puducherry.(Tamil Thai Valthu Pavendar Bharathidasan 131st Birth (Puducherry)) Anniversary Awards ▪ Pavendar Bharathidasan 131st Birth ▪ Bharathidasan was conferred with the anniversary celebrated on April 29, 2021. title of "Puratchi Kavingyar" (meaning the Background "Revolutionary Poet") by periyar.

▪ Kanagasabai Subburathnam (29 April 1891–21 IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ He won the Golden Parrot Prize in 1946 for his April 1964) popularly called Bharathidasan, play Amaithi-Oomai (Peace and Dumbness). was a 20th-century Tamil poet and writer He was given the Sahitya Academy rationalist whose literary works handled Award, posthumously in 1970 for his play mostly socio-political issues. Pisiranthaiyar.He died in 1964 but he got this ▪ He was deeply influenced by the Tamil poet award after he died (1970) Subramania Bharati and named himself as ▪ On 9 October 2001, a commemorative stamp Bharathidasan. of Bharathidasan was released by the Postal ▪ His writings served as a catalyst for the growth Department in Chennai.

1.5 PLACES IN NEWS Two tagged migratory birds spotted in Meghalaya villagers oppose dam on salt pans in Manakudy bird reserve Umngot ▪ Two tagged migratory birds a redshank and a ▪ Stiff resistance from at least 12 villages in whiskered tern-were spotted in the salt pans of Meghalaya has cast a cloud on a 210MW Swamithoppu in the Manakudy bird reserve hydroelectric project on Umngot, considered in Kanniyakumari district. India’s clearest river. ▪ Every year, birds from European countries Dolphin boom in Odisha’s Chilika lake visit the reserve for wintering from September to November, ▪ The population of dolphins in Chilika, India’s largest brackish water lake, and along the ▪ This is the first time a whiskered term, marked Odisha coast has doubled this year compared outside the country, is reported from India. with last year. ▪ The whiskered is possibly from European ▪ Growth in the population of endangered countries. Irrawaddy dolphins, which are mostly found ▪ Redshank, and they migrate from the in Chilika lake, jumping from 146 in 2020 to Himalayas, China, Mongolla and the Russian 162 this year. Apart from Chilika, 39 Irrawaddy Far East. dolphins were sighted in the Rajnagar Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ The redshank sported in Kanniyakumari mangrove division, though their number has district is possibly from the subarctic region. come down from 60 in 2020. ▪ The highest growth has been noticed in the case

12 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 13

of humpback dolphins. Only two humpbacks opened for civil and military movement in were sighted in the Rajnagar mangrove in only 110 days after the BRO cleared the heavy 2020. In 2021, however, this population grew snow. Earlier it took 150 days to clear the astronomically to 281. crucial link. ▪ “These humpback dolphins were not part ▪ The strategic pass was thrown open within a of any riverine systems, so they cannot be relatively shorter period as it took an average identified as residential mammals. They were of 150 days in the previous years. spotted travelling along the Odisha coast. ▪ Located at a height of 11,650 feet, Zoji La is a Ladakh’s connectivity, Zoji La opened strategic pass that is a vital link between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh and is critical for up the operational preparedness of the armed ▪ Zoji La, which connects Leh to Srinagar, was forces.

1.6 SPORTS AND IAS Study Circle Vetrii GAMES

Lewis Hamilton Wins 2021 Bahrain ▪ The 2023 edition will be the largest ever FIFA Grand Prix Women’s World Cup with the number of ▪ Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has teams increasing from 24 to 32. won the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix, held on 28 FIFA March 2021. ▪ President- Gianni Infantino ▪ Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing- ▪ Founded on - 1904 Netherlands) came second and Valtteri Bottas ▪ Head Quarters - Zurich , Switzerland (Mercedes-Finland) was third. India names 15-member shooting team Top recongnition for Viswanath, for Tokyo Olympics Tendulkar, Mithali ▪ World Championship silver medallist Anjum ▪ R Viswanath was conferred the Lifetime Moudgil has been deprived of a chance to Achievement Award while Sachin Tendulkar, compete in air rifle in the Tokyo Olympics, and MS Dhoni and Mithali Raj were also honoured the honour has been bestowed on World No.1 in the 2021 Sportstar Aces Awards. Elavenil Valarivan. ▪ India ODI captain Raj credited her support ▪ The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) staff and coaches on winning the Sportswoman opted to swap the quota won by Chinki Yadav of the Decade (Cricket). in women’s 25-metre sports pistol for Moudgil New Zealand, Australia to host 2023 to help her compete in the rifle 3-position event FIFA Women’s World Cup alongside Tejaswini Sawant. ▪ Eden Park in Auckland in New Zealand has The fourth list of Sportstar Aces Awards been selected by FIFA to stage the opening winners match of the ▪ Sportsman of the Decade (Racquet Sports) - ▪ Tournament on July 10, with Stadium Australia Kidambi Srikanth in Sydney chosen to host the final on August 20. ▪ Sportswoman of the Decade (Racquet Sports) - PV Sindhu ▪ Matches are set to be held in Adelaide, Brisbane, ▪ Coach of the Decade - P. Gopichand Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in Australia as IAS Study Circle Vetrii

well as Auckland, Dunedin, Hamilton and ▪ Moment of the Decade – P. V. Sindhu’s World Wellington in New Zealand. Championship win in 2019 and Viswanathan

www.vetriias.com 13 14 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Anand’s 2017 World Rapid triumph after Vishnu Saravanan and the pair of ▪ Inspirational Giant of Indian Sport- Abhinav Ganapathy Chengappa and Varun Thakkar Bindra made the cut for Tokyo at the Asian Qualifiers in Oman. ▪ Sportstar of the Decade – M. C. Mary Kom ▪ This was after Nethra Kumanan became No. 1 Ashleigh Barty repeats as Miami the first Indian woman sailor to qualify for champion the Olympics in the laser radial event in the ▪ Defending champion Ashleigh Barty moved Mussanah Open Championship, which is an into the Miami Open semi-finals with a Asian Olympic qualifying event. battling win over Belarusian seventh seed ▪ It is also the first time that India will compete Aryna Sabalenka. in three sailing events in the Olympics. Hubert Hurkacz, the 2021 Miami Open Charleston Open 2021 champion ▪ Russia's Veronika Kudermetova secured her maiden WTA title s, defeating Danka Kovinic ▪ Hurkacz became the first Polish man to lift an IAS Study Circle Vetrii

ATP Masters 1000 singles title at the Miami of Montenegro in straight sets to claim the Open presented by Itau. The 24-year-old, Charleston clay court title in South Carolina. whose previous best Masters 1000 result was Tamil Nadu’s Manokaran qualifies for a quarter-final run at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open, defeated five consecutive seeded Paralympics qualifiers in Turkey opponents from the third round to collect the ▪ Hailing from Cholavaram, Tiruvallur district biggest title of his career. Manokaran (31). Manokaran, who is visually ▪ Hurkacz overcame Canadians Denis impaired, is a judo player. He has qualified for Shapovalov and Milos Raonic to reach the the Paralympics. But his participation in the quarter-finals. qualifying round has been questioned due to lack of funds. Hima Das, Dutee Chand named in ▪ The qualifying round for the Paralympics is set 4x100m relay team for World Athletics to take place on May 23 in Andalia, Turkey. To Relays participate in this qualifying round, one has to ▪ Star sprinter Hima Das and national record pay Rs 2 lakh to the sports body by April 15. holder Dutee Chand were named in the Indian Sarita Mor bounces back in final to women's 4x100m team for the World Athletics retain 59kg title Relays, an Olympic qualification event, to be held in Poland on May 1 and 2. ▪ Indian wrestler Sarita Mor won gold in the 59kg category after beating Mongolia’s ▪ S Dhanalakshmi, who had beaten Dutee in the Baatarjavyn Shoovdor 10-7 in the final at the final of women's 100m sprint in the Federation Asian Wrestling Championships in Almaty, Cup last month, was also named in the team, Kazakhstan. along with Archana Suseendran, Himashree Roy and AT Daneshwari. ▪ This was Sarita Mor’s second-consecutive Asian championships gold and her third ▪ India will also field teams in the men's 4x400m medal at the meet after a silver in 2017. and women's 4x400m relays in Chorzow, Silesia, in Poland. The top eight teams from Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik and Divya the World Athletics Relays will automatically Kakran win gold medals qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. ▪ Superstar Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat Nethra Kumanan first Indian woman IAS Study Circle Vetrii clinched her maiden gold medal in the sailor to qualify for the Olympics Asian Wrestling Championships in Almaty, dominating a depleted field. It was her seventh ▪ In a historic first for India, four sailors from the podium finish at the Asian Championships as country will compete at this year's Olympics 14 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 15

the Tokyo-bound star showcased her class. Ravi Kumar keeps freestyle title ▪ Meanwhile, teenage sensation Anshu Malik, ▪ World championships bronze medallist who had won her Olympic quota a few days Ravi Kumar Dahiya became the third Indian back at the event, won her maiden Asian male wrestler to secure a second Asian Championships gold medal. championships gold medal in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Divya clinches second Asian gold ▪ Dahiya defeated Iranian Alireza Nosratolah ▪ Divya Kakran emerged as the second Indian Sarlak 9-4 to retain his 57kg freestyle title woman to secure two gold medals in the Asian which he had won in front of his home crowd wrestling championships as women wrestlers in Delhi last year. of the country returned four gold medals in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Mirabai sets a world record in clean ▪ In the continental event marred by the absence and jerk of strong countries China and Japan, three ▪ S. Mirabai Chanu set a new clean and jerk

Indian women — Divya (72kg), Vinesh Phogat IAS Study Circle Vetrii world record on way to the 49kg bronze at (53kg) and Anshu Malik (57kg) — bagged gold the Asian weightlifting championships at medals. Only Rio Olympics bronze medallist Tashkent on Saturday. Mirabai lifted 86kg in Sakshi Malik settled for silver in 65kg. her final snatch. She began her clean and jerk with 113kg and improved it to 117kg before ▪ Divya defeated Tsevegmed Enkhbayar of finishing with 119kg (old record 118kg) on her Mongolia 2-0 and Zhamila Bakbergenova of final attempt. Kazakhstan 8-5. ▪ No other Indian had established a world Wisden Award 2021 announced record before. ▪ To perpetuate the 50th anniversary of the first Jhilli Wins Gold In Asian Weightlifting One-Day International, five ODI cricketers C’ship of the decade have been listed in Wisden Almanack’s 2021 edition. ▪ Promising weightlifter of Odisha Jhili Dalabehera won gold in the Asian Weightlifting ▪ One cricketer has been selected from each Championship in women’s event held at decade between 1971 and 2021, with the Indian Tashkent in Uzbekistan. captain been granted the award for the 2010s. ▪ Jhilli won the gold in 45-kg Clean and Jerk List of winners: event. ▪ India captain Virat Kohli Wisden Almanack’s ODI player of the 2010s. ▪ She lifted a total 154 kg (69 kg in snatch and 88 kg in jerk) to grab the gold. ▪ Sachin Tendulkar is the ODI Cricketer of the 1990s. Srihari Nataraj bags 50m backstroke ▪ Kapil Dev was named as the ODI Cricketer for gold the 1980s. ▪ Ace Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj created ▪ England all-rounder Ben Stokes is ‘Leading a national record in 50m backstroke while Cricketer of the Year’. winning his second gold of the Uzbekistan ▪ Australia’s Beth Mooney is ‘Leading Women’s Open Championship here. Cricketer in the World’. ▪ The 20-year-old clocked 25.11 seconds to bag ▪ West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard was the top prize in the FINA-accredited Olympic adjudged the ‘Leading T20 Cricketer in the qualifying event. World’.

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Indian swimmers enjoyed a rich haul of 29

▪ Meanwhile, Jason Holder, Mohammed Rizwan, medals -- 18 gold, seven silver and four bronze Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, and Darren Stevens -- in the meet. have been awarded the Wisden Cricketers of ▪ It was Srihari's third national record in two the Year 2021. www.vetriias.com 15 16 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

days as the Bengaluru swimmer had rewritten India’s Mirabai Chanu creates a the national marks twice in 100m backstroke. new Clean and Jerk world record in Deepak wins 86kg silver Tashkent ▪ World championships silver medallist Deepak ▪ Mirabai Chanu set a new World Record in Punia lost to Iranian superstar and World and the women’s 49kg Clean and Jerk with a Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani in the 86kg massive 119 kg lift at Asian Weightlifting freestyle summit clash at the Asian wrestling Championships in Tashkent. The 26-year-old championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Indian won the bronze medal at the event. ▪ Sanjeet (92kg) secured a medal, a bronze, on ▪ The gold medal went to Hou Zhihui of China the concluding day. India finished with an who created a new world record in snatch. overall tally of five gold, three silver and six Asian Games, held once every 4yrs, is the 2nd bronze medals. largest multi-sport event after Olympics. Tsitsipas claims maiden Masters Arjun Kalyan is India’s 68th GM

▪ Stefanos Tsitsipas crushed Andrey Rublev IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Arjun kalyan became the Country’s 68th 6-3, 6-3 in a one-sided final in the Monte Carlo Grandmaster in the ongoing GM round Masters for his first Masters 1000 title. robin :Rujna Zora-3 2021” tournament at Arandejelovac in Serbia. ▪ The 22-year-old Greek, ranked World No. 5, took one hour and 11 minutes to beat the ▪ The 18-year-old B.Com student defeated GM Russian, ranked eighth, for the best victory in kosic Dragan in Montenegro on the fifth round his career, after his triumph in the year-end to achieve the feat. Masters in 2019.MONTE CARLO. Indian women Punch their way to seven India Clinches 14 medal at 2021 Senior gold medals Asian Wrestling Championship ▪ Indian women boxers, featuring in seven of the ▪ The 2021 Senior Asian Wrestling 10 summit clashes, performed magnificently Championships was held from April 13 to 18, to secure seven crowns in the World youth 2021 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. boxing championships. ▪ The event was the 34th edition of the Asian ▪ Gitika posted a commanding 5-0 win over Wrestling Championships. India won 14 local favourite Natalia Kuczewska to clain the medals to stand in the third spot on the medal 48kg gold medal. table. ▪ Babyrojisana Chanu, an Asian Youth ▪ The medals include 5 Gold, 3 Silver & 6 Bronze Champion, bagged the second gold for Medals. Iran and Kazakhstan topped the the country by upsetting European Junior medal tally with 17 medals each. Championship and taller Russian Valeriia Linkova in the 51kg title clash with a 5-0 Astra Sharma claims first WTA Tour title margin. at MUSC Health Women’s Open ▪ Poonam Poonia beat Prenchwoman Sthelyne ▪ Astra Sharma is a true citizen of the world. Grosy 5-0 in the 57kg final. Born in Singapore to parents of Indian and Chinese heritage, she moved to Australia at ▪ Vinka defeated Zhuldyz Shayakhmetova of 10 and went to college in Nashville, Tenn., at Kazakhstan in the 60kg final. Vanderbilt, where she was the SEC women’s Sachin corners glory tennis player of the year in 2017. ▪ Sachin, the lone male boxer from the country ▪ Sharma won her first WTA Tour singles title IAS Study Circle Vetrii to reach the final, produced another sterling on April 18, knocking off top-seeded Ons performance to beat Kazakhstan’s Yerbolat Jabeur 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 to take the MUSC Health Sabyr and take the men’s 56kg title in the Women’s Open at LTP Daniel Island. World youth boxing championships.

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▪ In a keenly-fought summit clash, Sachin – claim a 12th Barcelona Open title in the ATP’s who beat European junior champion Michele longest match of 2021. Baldassi of Italy in the semifinals – raised his game in the last two rounds to thwart Sabyr’s Atanu and Deepika clinch strong challenge and record a 4-1 win. ▪ Atanu Das and his wife Deepika Kumari won ▪ India gathered 11 medals, including eight the men’s and women’s individual recurve gold and three bronze, to record its best ever gold medals in the Archery World Cup Stage showing in the event. 1 here. ▪ Bishwamitra Chongtham (49kg), Ankit Narwal ▪ Atanu beat Daniel Castro of Spain 6-4, while (64kg) and Vishal Gupta (91kg) bagged bronze Deepika defeated Mackenzie Brown of the medals. USA 6-5 (9-9), via the tie-breaker, in the gold medal matches. Nadal pips Tsitsipas in thriller, clinches 12th Barcelona title ▪ Rafel Nadal saved a championship point to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7(6), 7-5 and IAS Study Circle Vetrii

1.7 BOOKS & AUTHORS Modi releases Hindi translation Constitution Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar of ‘Odisha Itihaas’ written by Dr on his birth anniversary and released four books based on his life, written by Kishor Harekrushna Mahtab Makwana. ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the Hindi translation of the book ‘Odisha Itihaas’. The four books to be released by the prime The book is written by ‘Utkal Keshari’ Dr minister are: Harekrushna Mahtab. ▪ Dr Ambedkar Jivan Darshan, ▪ Odisha Itihaas’, available in Odia and English ▪ Dr Ambedkar Vyakti Darshan, so far, has been translated into Hindi by ▪ Dr Ambedkar Rashtra Darshan, and Shankarlal Purohit. ▪ Dr Ambedkar Aayam Darshan.

▪ Launch of the book, The Dravidian Model - Climate Change Activist-Author “Aakash Interpreting the Political Economy. Ranison” ▪ M. Vijayabaskar, professor, Madras Institute ▪ The climate activist-author Aakash Ranison, of Development Studies, who co-wrote the has come out with a new e-book titled “Climate book with A. Kalaiyarasan, assistant professor, Change Explained – for one and all”, on the MIDS. occasion of Earth Day on April 22, 2021. ▪ S. Narayan, former Economic Adviser to the A new book title “Living Mountain” Prime Minister and author of the book The ▪ “The Living Mountain” is a new story by Dravidian Years. Jnanpith winner and internationally renowned PM Modi released 4 books based on author Amitav Ghosh World. the life of Bhimrao Ambedkar ▪ PM Narendra Modi has paid tribute to India’s first law minister and the architect of the Indian Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 17 18 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle 1.8 AWARDS & HONOURS Noted Marathi writer Dr Sharankumar ▪ Sportswoman of the Decade (Team Sports): Limbale selected for Saraswati Samman Rani Rampal. 2020 ▪ Sportsman of the Decade (Team Sports): ▪ Noted Marathi writer Dr Sharankumar Manpreet Singh. Limbale has been selected for the Saraswati International Forest Ranger Award for Samman, 2020. Ramanathapuram Forest Officer ▪ He has been selected for this prestigious ▪ The Ramanathapuram Forest Officer has been literary award for his book Sanatan, published awarded the International Wildlife Award for in 2018. his efforts to conserve rare marine life in the ▪ Saraswati Samman is a prestigious and highest Gulf of Mannar National Park. literary award in India instituted by K K Birla ▪ The International Forest Service Award is Foundation since 1991. given to ten forest officials who have excelled ▪ The award carries Rs 15 lakh, a citation and a IAS Study Circle Vetrii

in protected forest areas around the world for plaque. more than three years. The award is jointly Odisha State won the best state for the presented by the Switzerland-led International promotion of Sport honour Union for Conservation of Nature, the ▪ The Odisha State government has won the Best World Commission for Protected Areas, State for the Promotion of Sport honour in the the International Rangers Federation, the 2021 edition of the Sportstar Aces Awards. World Wildlife Conservation Center and the ▪ This is the State's third win in a row at the Conservation Federation. Sportstar annual awards, having won the ▪ The award included a special badge to be award in 2019 and 2020 as well. worn on his uniform, with a prize money of US $ 10,000 (Rs. 7.25 lakh) for his development Legendary Actor Rajinikanth to be work in the forest department. honoured with 51st Dadasaheb Phalke ▪ The award was also given to Mahendra Krik, Award the forest ranger of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve ▪ The legendary actor Rajinikanth has been in Uttarakhand. Through this 2 forest officers selected to be honored with the 51st Dadasaheb from India have received this award. Phalke Awards, the highest film honour in India. Indian-origin Business Tycoon Yusuffali MA Honored with Top Civilian Award in ▪ The iconic actor Rajinikanth will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2019 for his UAE stupendous contribution to Indian cinema. ▪ An Indian-origin businessman Yusuffali MA was honored with Abu Dhabi’s top civilian Sushil, Anand, Humpy, Manpreet and award, by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Rani get awards Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on April 09, Third list of Sportstar Aces Awards winners 2021, for his outstanding contribution to Abu ▪ Sportswoman of the Decade (individual non- Dhabi’s business, industry and support to Olympic Sports): Koneru Humpy. various philanthropic initiatives ▪ Sportsman of the Decade (Individual non- ▪ Apart from Yusuffali MA, 11 other individuals Olympic Sports): Viswanathan Anand. received the honour for their noble and charitable contributions to the community. ▪ Best Corporate for Promotion of Sports: Hero IAS Study Circle Vetrii

MotoCorp. ▪ The 65-year-old Yusuffali, who was born in ▪ Giant off the Field (COVID Warriors): Joginder Kerala, is the Chairman and Managing Director Sharma, Akhil Kumar, Ajay Thakur. of Abu Dhabi-based LuLu Group which

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operates hypermarkets and retail companies ▪ American drama ‘Nomadland’ won most in many countries. honours with three awards. Chennai doctor Soosan Jacob among ▪ Chloe Zhao, who directed “Nomadland”, was crowned best director, and with this she top women ophthalmologists in world became the only second woman to claim the ▪ Chennai-based Dr Soosan Jacob has entered title and the first woman of color to win that the ‘Power List 2021’, which includes the top award. 100 influential women ophthalmologists in the ▪ Indian film personalities Irrfan Khan and world. The prestigious Power List is compiled Bhanu Athaiya were honoured in the “In annually by ‘The Ophthalmologist’, a premier Memoriam” montage showcased at the event. international publication dedicated to the field of ophthalmology and selection is based on ▪ Top Award Winners national and international recognition among ▪ Best Picture: Nomadland peers. ▪ Best Director: Chloe Zhao, Nomadland ▪ Best Actress: Frances McDormand, Nomadland

Three social scientists get award IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Reetika Khera, associate professor of IIT Delhi ▪ Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins, The Father and professor Avijit Pathak of the Centre for For Hoplings, a second Oscar cements the Study of Social Systems, School of Social legacy of greatness Sciences, have been selected for the Malcolm ▪ He became the oldest actor in Oscars history to Adiseshiah award. win a competitive award, surpassing the late ▪ The annual award given by Dr. Malcolm Christopher Plummer, who won at age 82. and Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust is presented to social scientists for heir outstanding Krithi Karanth becomes 'Wild Innovator' contributions to the society. They would be ▪ Dr. Krithi K Karanth, Chief Conservation presented citations and a prize money of `1 Scientist at Bengaluru-based Centre for lakh each. Wildlife Studies (CWS), has been chosen as the first Indian and Asian woman for the 2021 93rd Academy Awards (Oscars Awards 'WILD Innovator Award'. 2021) ▪ This award given by the 'WILD ELEMENTS ▪ The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, also Foundation' brings together a coalition of known as Oscars Award, took place in Los innovators, advocates and partners to "disrupt Angeles on April 25, 2021. the status quo and identify solutions to global ▪ The award is presented annually by the sustainability and conservation. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

1.9 CULTURAL PANORAMA Documentary for Kavirippoompattinam ▪ When the Nagapattinam district was ▪ Mayiladuthurai District, Sirkazhi Circle, divided into two and the Mayiladuthurai district was formed, Keezhiyoor village in Keezhiyoor Village, Kavirippoompattinam the revenue department was renamed as have recently been renamed in the Revenue Kavirippoompattinam and the Government of Department documents. Tamil Nadu issued a decree. ▪ This name, which has been celebrated by the IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ The ICBS Division of the Federal Chola kings for about 3,000 years, has not been Department of Science and Technology (a in the state administrative revenue department physics and engineering organization that documents for so long. monitors, controls, integrates and uses the www.vetriias.com 19 20 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Multidisciplinary Communications Center) to experts at the Madurai Kamaraj University is located approximately 30 km southeast of (MKU) for DNA testing. Konthagai is thought present-day Poompuhar. Digitally rebuilding to be the burial site of the Keeladi civilization. a traditional port location submerged in the ▪ Last year, the Tamil Nadu State archaeology sea at a depth of 120 meters in the distance. department signed up with Harvad University ▪ The city of Poompuhar is located 30 km from its and Madurai Kamaraj University, for extensive present location 15,000 years ago. Has been to research of the ancient artefacts unearthed in the east. Then, 11,000 years ago, 10 km. West to the Keeladi cluster. 2nd place. After that, another 10 km 8000 years ago. West has also moved to 3rd place. Finally, Excavation begins in the Manalur (for the 4th time) it was established about 3,000 ▪ Excavations will begin in Manalur as part of years ago at the mouth of the Cauvery River the 7th phase of excavations underway below. (Silappathikaram Poompukar). ▪ Phase 7 excavations began on February 13 ▪ The National Institute of Maritime Technology last year in the lower reaches near the turning point in Sivangai district. Excavations are

in Chennai has discovered a port structure IAS Study Circle Vetrii

such as sea walls and a bridge using “multi underway at three locations, Bottom, Agaram beam echo sounder” data in the area. and Kontagai. The sixth phase of excavations took place at four locations, namely, Assamese New Year Lower, Agaram, Kontagai and Manalu. The ▪ People performing ‘Uruka’ rituals on the Archaeological Survey of India has announced occasion of Rongali Bihu, marking the that the 7th phase of excavations will take beginning of the Assamese New Year, in place at the above four sites. Two months after Tezpur. the commencement of the work, excavation work had not commenced in Manalur alone. Aerial survey on for excavation in ▪ Work has not started in Manalur due to a Gangaikonda Cholapuram disturbance in the demolition of the site. Seven ▪ The State archaeological department launched pits were dug in Manalur during the 6th phase a field study in the vicinity of Gangaikonda excavation and only 39 objects were found Cholapuram in Ariyalur district to commence so the authorities were careful in digging the archaeological excavations next month. The right spot in the 7th phase excavation. study in collaboration with various educational institutes and using unmanned aerial vehicle Iron smelting units unearthed at (UAV) will look for potential places for Kodumanal inearthing the archaeological remains of Chola ▪ ‘Unearthed materials indicate mass industrial dynasty, particularly of emperor Rajendra activity had taken place’ Chola I. ▪ Excavations on the Noyyal river bed at ‘Jabali is birthplace of Lord Hanuman’ Kodumanal village in Chennimalai Union have revealed that iron smelting units were ▪ The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) present in large numbers, as furnaces and has claimed ‘Jabali’, nestled in the Anjanadri other processing materials were unearthed Hills that forms a part of the sacred abode of Lord Venkateswara, as the original birthplace ▪ A team from the State Department of pf Lord Hanuman. Archaeology, Chennai, led by J. Ranjith, Archaeology Officer and Project Director for ▪ ‘Jabali’, popularly known as ‘Jabali theertham’, the Kodumanal excavation and K. Suresh, which was now under the control of the Archeological Officer, has identified two iron

Andhra Pradesh Endowments Department. IAS Study Circle Vetrii smelting furnaces, air blow pipes, iron melting

Seventh phase of excavation at Keeladi pipes, earthen pots, storage containers, huge ▪ A burial urn with skeletons was found in deposits of iron slag, crucible pot, all just in 10 Konthagai excavation site and handed over cm depth. 20 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 21

▪ The team had dug 28 quadrants and unearthed chips, Perforated pottery tile, slightly broken six copper coins, over 1,000 antiquities and red small vase, broken parts of deer antler, graffitis. grindstone and hose, large brick, two pottery ▪ The earlier excavations that were done titles with symbols were found. about 500 metres from the river, the current ▪ Ancient pottery tiles are scattered over an excavation, that began on February 26, is area of about 20 acres in the Kanmani and being done on the river bed to study the earlier farm areas. Archaeologuical excavations have human settlements in the area. uncovered a village dating back to 2,000 years ▪ Furnaces in which iron ore is heated at 1,800 ago. degree Celsius, after which iron melts into ▪ A full brick found here is 29 cm long, 15 cm crucible pots, were found. wide and 7 cm high. Is. It is about size of a Keeladi excavations: Similar graffiti Sangakkala brick dating back to the 1st century found on different urns in Konthagai AD. ▪ Archaelogists at work in Keeladi and ▪ Similar bricks have been found in Peraiyur neighbouring Konthagai in the seventh phase IAS Study Circle Vetrii near Kamuti. The two black and red pottery of excavations have come across similar tiles have the English letters “U, A” and “U” in graffiti on two different urns, sending a wave them. The grindstone is made of red stone and of excitement in them. A graffiti of three lines the pit is made of black stone. was found on two pots (one broken) in an urn ▪ The broken horns of the deer found here are and also a broken pot found in another urn. hollow. Usually deer antlers are used to divide ▪ The first graffiti was found on one of the them into two types, deer and deer. In which two offering pots found inside urn number the horns of the deer are thick inside without three at a depth of 65 cm. Deputy director R a hole. Its horns do not have branches, Deer Sivanantham proclaimed it was a shallow type horns will not germinate gain If they fall down. black and red ware. The pot had 4.5 cm height ▪ But the horns of the deer have inner holes. and was 19.5 cm in diameter. A shallow pot 16 When these fall down, new horns sprout again. cm in height and 14 cm in diameter inside the They have branches on their horns. The fallen same urn also bore similar lines. horned deer antlers will be used as medicine. Discovery of Sangakkala objects near He will use the horns of a deer as a weapon. Mudukulathur ▪ The horned horns found in this town confirm ▪ Items including 2,000-year-old Sangakkala that they are the horns of a dwarf spotted deer, deer antlers and black and red pottery ▪ Also near this town is a village called Uzhaiyur tiles were found at Karungalakurichi near named after Imman. In the Melakodumalur Mudukulathur in Ramanathapuram district. temple inscription, the town is referred to as ▪ In the area where the farmhouse was dig, a the North Sembinadu Uzhayur. fine stone tool, smoothe and coarse black and ▪ Similarly, deer antlers found a few year ago on red pottery tiles, thick and smooth red pottery the surface of the town of Keelachchittai near tiles, floor tiles, earthenware lamps, pipes, Uttarakhand are hollow. Therefore, they are lids, pot and jug watering cans, iron ore, and known as deer antlers. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 21 22 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle 1.10 LATEST HISTORICAL EVENTS 102 years of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre fire their rifles into a crowd of unarmed Indian ▪ The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as civilians in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab. the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April General Dyer, the British India army officer, 1919. This year we commemorate the 102nd felt the people gathering for such a cause was anti-national. anniversary of the terror that shook the entire country to a standstill. ▪ He ordered the 50 of his troops consisting of Sikh, Gurkha, Baluchi, and Rajput to open ▪ The Jallianwalabagh garden has been fire on the unarmed men and women. The converted into a memorial. And thousands of resulting figures would make you go numb as people on this day come to pay their respects 379 men and women were killed for no fault of to the martyred men, women, who were killed theirs and 1100 injured. on that fateful day for the nation. ▪ Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered troops of the British Indian Army to IAS Study Circle Vetrii

1.11 APPOINTMENTS – WHO IS WHO? In a first, private sector specialist of Ajay Seth, a 1987 batch Karnataka-cadre IAS appointed head of PESB officer, as new Economic Affairs Secretary in ▪ With the appointment of Mallika Srinivasan, place of Bajaj. chairman and managing director of Tractors Justice N V Ramana to assume charge and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE), as the as next Chief Justice of India w.e.f April chairperson of Public Enterprises Selection 24 Board, the union government has indicated a ▪ The senior-most Supreme Court judge Justice significant change in its playbook pertaining to Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana has been the appointment of senior levels executives in appointed as the next Chief Justice of India central public sector enterprises. (CJI). ▪ Srinivasan will be the first corporate leader to ▪ Justice Ramana would succeed incumbent CJI assume this position. Sharad Arvind Bobde to take over as the 48th ▪ The PESB consists of one chairperson and three CJI. full-time members. And Sailesh, a 1985-batch ▪ He would assume the charge of the office on IAS officer, has been appointed as a member April 24, 2021, till August 26, 2022. of PESB, according to the personnel ministry order. Appointment of the CJI: ▪ The Chief Justice of India and the Judges of Cabinet Appoints Tarun Bajaj as the Supreme Court (SC) are appointed by the new Revenue Secretary; Ajay Seth as President under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Economic Affairs Secretary Constitution. ▪ The Central Government has approved the ▪ As far as the CJI is concerned, the outgoing CJI appointment of Tarun Bajaj as new Revenue recommends his successor. Secretary under the Ministry of Finance. ▪ The Union Law Minister forwards the ▪ Prior to this, Bajaj, a 1988 batch Haryana- recommendation to the Prime Minister who, Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii in turn, advises the President. cadre IAS officer, was serving as the Economic Affairs Secretary since April 30, 2020. ▪ SC in the Second Judges Case (1993), ruled that the senior most judge of the Supreme Court ▪ The cabinet has also approved the appointment should alone be appointed to the office of the

22 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 23

CJI. ▪ He will hold the post for three years with ▪ The Supreme Court collegium is headed by the effect from the date of his assumption of office. Chief Justice of India and comprises four other Mr.Kumar, who has about 26 years of teaching senior most judges of the court. experience, is serving as the Director of Legal ▪ The collegium system is the system of Studies for seven years. appointment and transfer of judges that Election Commissioner Sushil has evolved through judgments of the Chandra named as next Chief Election Supreme Court (Judges Cases), and not by an Act of Parliament or by a provision of the Commissioner Constitution. ▪ The incumbent Election Commissioner (EC) Sushil Chandra has been named to become the Recent Development: next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of ▪ In 2019, the SC ruled that the office of Chief India. Justice of India (CJI) comes under the purview ▪ Chandra will assume charge with effect from of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. April 13, 2021. He will replace incumbent CEC, Girija Vaidyanathan in NGT IAS Study Circle Vetrii Sunil Arora, who will retire on April 12, 2021.

▪ Former Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan ▪ The Election Commission of India has been appointed Expert Member in the consists of three members, namely Chief Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal Election Commissioner and two Election in Chennai. Commissioners. ▪ Former Additional Chief Secretary K. ▪ The two ECs are Rajiv Kumar and Sushil Satyagopal has been appointed as Expert Chandra. Member in the Western Zone Bench at Pune. Senior IAS officer Ajay Seth takes over NGT as new Economic Affairs Secretary ▪ NGT Established on ▪ 18th October 2010 ▪ Ajay Seth, a 1987-batch IAS officer of Karnataka ▪ NGT Chairman 2021 ▪ Justice Adarsh cadre, assumed charge as Secretary (Economic Kumar Goel Affairs) at a time when the economy which was showing signs of recovery is being threatened ▪ NGT Headquarters ▪ New Delhi by the second wave of COVID-19. ▪ It is a specialized environmental court that ▪ Seth replaces Tarun Bajaj, who moved as deals with cases relating to environmental Revenue Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. protection and the conservation of forests It "Ajay Seth takes charge as the new Secretary has judicial powers that allow it to exclusively of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), decide civil environmental matters. Ministry of Finance, in New Delhi. ▪ The tribunal is guided by principles of natural justice and is not bound by the mainstream Asst Solicitor General code of civil procedure. ▪ R. Rajesh Vivekanandan took charge as Asst Solicitor General of the. Principal Bench of the GRI gets new V-C Madras High Court. ▪ S. Madheswaran is the new Vice-Chancellor of Gandhigram Rural Institute (GRI) - Deemed Tamil Nadu man to head SIDBI to be University. Prior to the appointment as ▪ Sivasubramanian Ramann from Tamil the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Madheswaran was Nadu has taken charge as the Chairman and Director Institute for Social and Economic Managing Director of the Small Industries Change, Bangalore. Development Bank of India (SIDBI), the Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii principal financial institution engaged in Santhosh Kumar is law varsity V-C ▪ N.S. Santhosh Kumar was appointed as the promotion, financing and development the Vice-Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Dr. of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Ambedkar Law University. (MSMEs). www.vetriias.com 23 24 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

India’s CAG appointed as External CREDAI Auditor of OPCW ▪ Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ ▪ India’s Comptroller and Auditor General Associations of India (CREDAI) is the apex (CAG), G C Murmu, on April 21, 2021, body of Private Real Estate Developers got appointed as External Auditor of the Associations. It has launched a mobile Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical application called ‘CREDAI Awaas’, which Weapons (OPCW) at The Hague for a three- aims to facilitate ease of purchase of residential term year starting 2021. properties by homebuyers. About G C Murmu K.Satyagopal named NGT expert ▪ India’s Comptroller and Auditor General member (CAG) ▪ Former Additional Chief Secretary of ▪ G C Murmu, IAS, 1985-batch of the Gujarat Tamil Nadu and Commissioner of Revenue cadre was appointed as the Comptroller and Administration K. Satyagopal has been Auditor General (CAG) of India on August 08, appointed expert member of the Southern 2020. IAS Study Circle Vetrii Bench of the National Green Tribunal.

▪ Murmu replaced Rajiv Mehrishi, IAS, a National Green Tribunal 1978-batch officer of the Rajasthan cadre. National Green Tribunal ▪ Murmu was for the first and former Lt. Governor of Jammu & Kashmir. He had sworn NGT Established on 18th October 2010 in on October 31, 2019. NGT Chairman 2021 Justice Adarsh CAG Kumar Goel ▪ The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) NGT Headquarters New Delhi of India is the Constitutional Authority in No, it is a specialized India, established under Article 148 of the judicial body set up Constitution of India. under the NGT Act, ▪ Article 148 – 151 of the Constitution of India deal with the institution of the CAG of India. 2010. ▪ The former Lt. Governor of UT of Jammu It can be challenged Kashmir G. C. Murmu is the current CAG of before the Supreme India. Court within 90 days ▪ The Chairperson of the National Green Vanita Gupta becomes Associate Tribunal (NGT) is appointed by the Central Attorney General of US Government of India in accordance with the ▪ Vanita Gupta is the first Indian American to Chief Justice of India. become the Associate Attorney General of the US. T V Somanathan named finance secy ▪ The US Senate confirmed Gupta in a narrow ▪ The appointments committee of the cabinet 51-49 vote. President Joe Biden had nominated chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi has her for the role in January 2021. Gupta was approved designating expenditure secretary selected with the final support of Republican in the finance ministry T.V. Somanathan as Senator. finance secretary ▪ Somanathan, disinvestment secretary Tuhin Suresh Krishnan Appointed belongs to Kanta Pandey, banking secretary Debasish Tamil Nadu Panda and economic affairs secretary Ajay Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ Suresh Krishnan takes over as Tamil Nadu at Seth belong to the same 1987 batch of Indian the (CREDAI) President of the Federation of Administrative Service, Somanathan is the Indian Real Estate Developers Associations senior most bureaucrat. Revenue secretary Tarun Bajaj is a civil servant of 1988 carde. 24 www.vetriias.com HISTORY | 25 1.10 INDIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURS Bustard poaching in Pakistan shocks population. The International Union for activists Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ▪ Great Indian Bustard, the State bird of (IUCN), a global authority on species survival, Rajasthan, is considered India’s most critically which categorised the GIBs as “endangered” endangered bird. in 1994, was forced to upgrade the species to the status of “critically endangered” in 2011 ▪ The GIB’s population of fewer than 100 in because of continued threats faced in the Rajasthan accounts for 95% of its total world survival of these large birds. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 25 ▪ scheme ` ▪ ▪ political party If acandidatesetupbyrecognised ▪ 1951 The Representation ofthePeople Act, ▪ ▪ Velalar Act President givesassenttoDevendrakula 2.3 GOVT–WELFARE ORIENTEDGOVTSCHEMES,THEIR UTILITY 25,586 crorepaidout under loan 2.2 POLITICALPARTIESANDSYSTEMININDIA entrepreneurship amongwomen, Scheduled was launched bythegovernmenttopromote Five years after theStand-Up India scheme received at anytimebeforethepublication of dies, and ineithercase, a reportofhis deathis withdrawn his candidature under section 37, scrutiny undersection36andwhohasnot Whose nominationhasbeenfoundvalidon found validonscrutinyundersection36;or for makingnominationsandhisnominationis Dies atanytimeafter11.00A.M.onthelastdate party beforepoll. Death ofacandidaterecognisedpolitical Kalladi, Kadaiyan, Devendrakulathan, Herein, theywillnotbecalled as ‘Devendrakula Velalars’. seven subsectsunderonenomenclatureof (Amendment) Act, 2021thatseekstoput Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order The Presidenthasgivenhisassenttothe 2. POLITICAL 2.1 LATESTCOURTVERDICTS SCIENCE ▪ ▪

▪ Vetrii IAS Study Circle Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, from coastalareasofTirunelveli,Thoothukudi, as forKadaiyan,itwould not applytothose Kudumban, Pallan,Pannadiand Vathiriyan, the nominationofdeceasedcandidate. the scrutinyofallnominationsincluding in acasereferredtoclause(a)exceptafter no orderforadjourningapollshouldbemade Provided that also totheappropriateauthority: report thefacttoElectionCommission and of candidate, by order, announce anadjournment being of his death is received before thecommencement Dies as a contesting candidateand a report of 38; or the listofcontestingcandidatesundersection Tiruvarur andNagapattinamdistricts. Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, community from Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kadaiyan wouldrefertothoseinthe Tiruvarur andNagapattinamdistricts. lakh and As perthescheme, bankloansbetween over 1.14lakhaccounts,the FinanceMinistry. have sanctionedmorethan Castes (SC)&Scheduled Tribes (ST),banks the the satisfied poll poll, ` 1 crorearerouted toatleastone to the about a returning date the to fact be officer notified of ` 25,000 croreto the death shall, later of upon and ` the 10 POLITICAL SCIENCE | 27

SC or ST borrower, and atleast one woman Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin borrower, by each branch of the scheduled ▪ 1.10 crore houses completed under Pradhan commercial banks. Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin. ▪ `25,586 crore has been sanctioned under About PMAY- G: the StandUp India Scheme to over 1,14,322 ▪ Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development. accounts up to 23.03.2021 since its inception,” ▪ The erstwhile rural housing scheme Indira the Ministry. Awaas yojana (IAY) has been restructured About the Stand-Up India Scheme: into Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana –Gramin ▪ Stand Up India Scheme was launched on 5 (PMAY-G) from 01.04.2016. April 2016 to promote entrepreneurship at the ▪ PMAY-G aims at providing a pucca house, grass-root level of economic empowerment with basic amenities, to all houseless those and job creation. households living in kutcha and dilapidated ▪ This scheme seeks to leverage the institutional house, by 2022. credit structure to reach out to the underserved ▪ Target: Construction of 2.95 crore houses with

sector of people such as SCs, STs and Women IAS Study Circle Vetrii all basic amenities by the year 2022. Entrepreneurs. ▪ The objective of this scheme is to facilitate bank Cost sharing: loans between Rs.10 lakh and Rs.1 crore to at ▪ The cost of unit assistance in this scheme is least one SC or ST borrower and at least one- shared between Central and State Governments woman borrower per bank branch for setting in the ratio 60:40 in plain areas and 90: 10 for up a Greenfield enterprise. North Eastern and Himalayan States. ▪ The offices of SIDBI and NABARD shall be More than 28.68 crore loans for designated Stand-Up Connect Centres (SUCC). an amount of Rs 14.96 lakh crore Eligibility under Stand Up India Scheme: sanctioned by Banks, NBFCs and MFIs ▪ SC/ST and/or women entrepreneurs; above since launch of the PMMY 18 years of age. ▪ Ministry of Finance is committed to provide ▪ Loans under the scheme are available for only financial inclusiveness and support to the Greenfield project. marginalized and hitherto socio-economically 92% target achieved in the 1st phase of neglected classes. Financial needs of all Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin stakeholders ranging from the budding ▪ Under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – entrepreneurs to the hard-working farmers Gramin (PMAY-G), a flagship programme has also been catered to through various of the Government of India, 92% target of initiatives. completion has been achieved in the 1st phase ▪ A key initiative towards this is Pradhan of the scheme i.e. from 2016-17 to 2018-19. The Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), which has government is confident that all the houses given wings to the dreams and aspirations of in the Permanent Wait List (PWL) would be millions, along with a feeling of self-worth and completed by the end of Amrut Mahtosava. independence. ▪ In the FY 20-21, a total allocation of Rs 19,269 cr was made available as budgetary support, in PMMY addition, extra-budgetary support of Rs 20,000 ▪ PMMY was launched by the Hon’ble Prime cr has been provided, the overall release of Minister on April 8, 2015 for providing loans Rs 39,269 cr is so far the highest in any year upto Rs.10 Lakh to the non-corporate, non- since the launch of PMAY-G. The expenditure farm small/micro enterprises. As we are incurred by states including state share has IAS Study Circle Vetrii celebrating the sixth anniversary of PMMY, we

also seen an unprecedented increase in the take look at the major aspects of this Scheme current FY amounting to Rs 46,661 cr, which and its achievements so far. is the highest since the launch of the scheme.

www.vetriias.com 27 28 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

▪ Under PMMY collateral free loans of upto Rs. components which are not made in India 10 Lakh are extended by Member Lending presently. Institutions (MLIs) viz Scheduled Commercial ▪ Production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), white goods — Air Conditioners (ACs) and Small Finance Banks (SFBs), Non Banking LED lights — with an outlay of `6,238 crore. It Financial Companies (NBFCs), Micro Finance will be implemented over 2021-22 to 2028-29. Institutions (MFIs) etc. ▪ Support under the scheme will be provided to ▪ The loans are given for income generating companies/entities engaged in manufacturing activities in manufacturing, trading and of components of ACs (such as copper tubes, services sectors and for activities allied to aluminium foil and compressors) and LED agriculture. lights (like LED chip packaging, resistors, ICs, ▪ Mudra loans are offered in three categories and fuses). namely, ‘Shishu’, ‘Kishore’and ‘Tarun’ which signifies the stage of growth or development Covid-19 healthcare workers left with no insurance cover

and funding needs of the borrowers:- IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ Shishu : covering loans upto Rs. 50,000/- ▪ A mid the raging second wave of coronavirus in India, the Centre concluded the Rs 50 lakh ▪ Kishore : covering loans above Rs. 50,000/- insurance scheme for the healthcare workers and upto Rs. 5 lakh who die on Covid-19 duty. ▪ Tarun : covering loans above Rs. 5 lakh and ▪ Since the Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme upto Rs. 10 lakh expires on April 24, the health ministry said ▪ With an objective to promote entrepreneurship the government is in talks with an insurance among the new generation aspiring youth, it company to come up with a new dispensation. is ensured that more focus is given to Shishu ▪ According to the health ministry, the Garib Category loans and then Kishore and Tarun Kalyan Package insurance policy claims of categories. healthcare workers will continue to be settled ‘Aahaar Kranti’ mission launched by till April 24, "thereafter a fresh insurance policy Health Ministry for Covid Warriors will become effective". ▪ Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan has ▪ The PMGKP: insurance scheme for the launched Aahaar Kranti, a mission dedicated healthcare workers fighting Covid-19 was to spreading awareness about nutrition. It is implemented with effect from 30 March 2020, designed to address the peculiar problem initially for a period of 90 days to provide an of hunger and diseases in abundance, being insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to the healthcare faced by India and the world. workers fighting the pandemic, the duration of the scheme was extended up to 24 March ▪ The movement proposes to address the 2021. problem by working to rouse the people to the values and richness of India’s traditional Piyush Goyal launches the Startup India diet, to the healing powers of local fruits and Seed Fund Scheme vegetables and to the miracles of a balanced ▪ Union Minister Piyush Goyal launched the diet. Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) on PLI scheme for ACs, LED lights to April 19, 2021. exclude ‘mere assembly’ ▪ The Fund aims to provide financial assistance ▪ The department for promotion of industry to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry, and internal trade (DPIIT) has notified the PLI IAS Study Circle Vetrii

scheme for ACs and LED lights and said that and commercialization. selection of companies to avail the incentives ▪ Government has approved Rs. 945 Crore would be done to support anufacturing of corpus for the fund, which will be divided

28 www.vetriias.com POLITICAL SCIENCE | 29

over the next 4 years beginning April 01, 2021, PM Modi Launches Extension of for providing seed funding to eligible startups ‘SVAMITVA scheme’ Across India through eligible incubators across India. ▪ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched ▪ The scheme is expected to support an estimated the distribution of e-property cards under the 3,600 startups through 300 incubators. SVAMITVA scheme on National Panchayati ▪ Piyush Goyal is the Union Minister of Raj Day on April 24, 2021, through video Railways, Commerce & Industry, Consumer conferencing. SVAMITVA stands for Survey Affairs and Food & Public Distribution. of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package ▪ The launch marked the rollout of the for 'Corona Warriors' extended for one implementation of the SVAMITVA scheme year across the entire country. About 4.09 lakh ▪ The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package property owners were given their e-property scheme has been extended for one year with cards during the event, in more than 5

effect from April 20, informed Union Health IAS Study Circle Vetrii thousand villages. Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on April 20, 2021. SVAMITVA Scheme Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana: ▪ SVAMITVA stands for Survey of Villages ▪ PMGKAY is a part of Pradhan Mantri Garib and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Kalyan Package (PMGKP) to help the poor Village Areas. fight the battle against Covid-19. ▪ The Swamitva Scheme was launched by Prime ▪ It was announced for a three month period Minister on 24 April 2020 as a Central Sector (April, May and June), covering 80 crore ration Scheme to promote a socio-economically cardholders. It will come to an end on 30th empowered and self-reliant rural India. June 2020. ▪ It was launched on pilot basis in the 6 states, ▪ The scheme aimed at providing each person Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar who is covered under the National Food Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh. Security Act with an additional 5 kg grains ▪ The Scheme will ensure the demarcation of (wheat or rice) for free, in addition to the 5 inhabited land in rural areas. kg of subsidised foodgrain already provided ▪ It will use drones in surveying and mapping through the Public Distribution System (PDS). of properties in villages. ▪ The beneficiaries are also entitled to 1 kg ▪ This will help in reducing disputes over of pulse for free, according to regional property. preferences. ▪ The Scheme will cover around 6.62 Lakh villages of the entire country during 2021-2025. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 29 ▪ Sanctuary Wildlife was recordedneartheNongkhyllem Meghalaya Eudiscopusdenticulus Bat withstickydiscsfoundin ▪ ▪ Kalvarayan hillbirds country to130. the bamboodwelling batwithstickydiscs, taking Meghalaya Chidderi Hills. Kalvarayan Hill,DharmapuriDistrictand live in theplains forest between Salem District, that alargenumberofIndiangrayhornbill A study by theForestDepartmenthas revealed Indian grayhornbilllivesinKalvarayanHills species 3.1 POLICYONENVIRONMENTANDECOLOGY count has of the yielded flying mammal India’s in first the 3. GEOGRAPHY

Vetrii IAS Study Circle ▪ ▪ Census ofNilgiritahrbeginsinMunnar ▪ area neartheNongkhyllemWildlifeSanctuary. was recorded in the northeastern State’s Lailad The disc-footed bat(Eudiscopus denticulus) noticed 98newbornsatEravikulamalone. during Munnar region.Thisyear, newborns, inthe had counted 723 Nilgiritahrs,including111 During lastyear’scensus,theForestDepartment National Park. region includes the renowned Eravikulam of theKeralaForestDepartmentstarted.This Munnar wildlifedivision forest areaunderthe tahrs inthe Nilgiri The annualcensusofthe a general observation, officials have ▪ 2021 Line GuaranteeSchemetoJune30, Govt furtherextends EmergencyCredit ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ FY22 projection forIndiato7.5%-12.5% World BankraisesGDPgrowth ▪ ▪ during FY23(2022-23). economic growth at5.8percentfor India The multilateral agencyhasalsoprojected (2020-21). 8.5 percentinFY21 the economytocontractby Apart fromthis,theWorld Bankhasforecast at 5.4percentforFY22. Earlier thebankhadpegged theGDPgrowth consumption andinvestmentgrowth. 2021-22, due to strongrebound in private points projections forIndiaby4.7percentage growth The WorldBankhasrevised upward theGDP business purposesandMUDRAborrowers. business enterprises,individualloansfor collateral-free additional Government toprovidefullyguaranteedand Aatma NirbharBharatPackageofCentral The ECLGSwasannouncedaspartofthe facility totheeligiblebeneficiaries. to enabletheavailabilityofadditionalfunding incentive to MLIs (member lending institutions) The schemehasalsointroducedprovidingan economic revival. ECLGS scheme to further contributetowards also Scheme. Additionally, the governmenthas of Rs. 3 lakhcrore is sanctioned under the June 30,2021,ortillsuchtimethatanamount (ECLGS 3.0) byanotherthreemonthstill E The CentralGovernmenthasextendedthe mergency CreditLineGuaranteeScheme introduced to 4.1 NEWECONOMICPOLICY&GOVT.SECTOR 7.5%-12.5% certain for modifications credit toMSMEs, the financial in year the 4. ECONOMICS ▪ ▪ World Bank ▪ Reserve BankofIndia Vetrii IAS▪ Study Circle▪ RBI’s ratepanelfor2021-26 Govt. retains4%inflationtargetfor ▪ ▪ UNESCAP India’s FY22 GDPmaygrowat7%: ▪ Founded on:July1944 President :DavidMalpass Founded on– April1,1935 Bajaj. mentioned Economic level of IndiaAct, 1934, hasbeenkeptatthesame to March 31, 2026,undertheReserveBank The approaching 5years. Committee oftheReserveBankIndiafor Policy Monetary of +/-2sharefactorsforthe inflation the The Centrehasdeterminedtoretain activity. of thepandemic’s impact onnormal business witnessed 7% in2021-22,overacontractionof7.7% estimated torecordaneconomicgrowthof post-COVID-19 resilienteconomies’, is Survey India, according tothe‘Economic andSocial (UNESCAP). Social by theUnitedNationsEconomic and of thecoronaviruspandemic,saidareport out of the vaccine to deal with themenace to remainbelowthe2019leveldespiteroll- India’s economic outputin2021isexpected Head quarters:Washington,D.C inflation as Commission of it target Asia in was target the and of for previous 4%, for the the for AffairsSecretaryTarun the with Pacific previous Asia period fiscal a and tolerance 2021: April five on the Towards account 1, years,” Pacific 2021, band 32 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

▪ Head Quarters : Mumbai compared to the 7.2 per cent growth forecast ▪ Governor : Shaktikanta Das in October 2020. ▪ “Trade growth should then slow to 4 per cent in Core sectors output contracts 4.6% 2022 and the effects of pandemic will continue ▪ The output of eight core sectors declined by 4.6 to be felt as this pace of expansion would still per cent in February, the steepest contraction in leave trade below its pre-pandemic trend,” the last six months which experts announced indicated the WTO’s most recent forecast on could drag the overall industrial production in March 31. the month into the negative territory. ▪ India’s two top export destinations, the US and ▪ The growth rate of the eight infrastructure the EU, likely to see import growth of 11.4% sectors - coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery and 8% respectively. products, fertilisers, steel, cement and WTO electricity - stood at 6.4 per cent in February ▪ President : Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala 2020. ▪ Founded On : January 1, 1995

▪ According to the data, coal production declined IAS Study Circle Vetrii

by 4.4 per cent, crude oil by 3.2 per cent, ▪ Head Quarters : Geneva, Switzerland natural gas by 1 per cent, refinery products by Nobel winner Abhijit Banerjee junks a steep 10.9 per cent, fertilisers by 3.7 per cent, theory steel by 1.8 per cent, cement by 5.5 per cent and electricity by 0.2 per cent in February. ▪ Renowned economist and Nobel laureate Abjijit Vinayak Banerjee has trashed the ▪ Coal, crude oil, natural gas, and refinery ideology that calls for lesser or limited products, witnessed a decline in production. government interventions towards uplifting IMF revises GDP growth forecast of the poor arguing that such freebies make India to 12.5% for FY22 the poor lazy, saying there is no evidence whatsoever proving so. ▪ The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India’s economic growth as given Central govt's indirect tax collection up below: 12% in FY21 ▪ FY22 – 12.5% ▪ The Centre’s indirect tax collection rose by ▪ FY23 – 6.9% more than 12 per cent to Rs 10.71 trillion in ▪ The revised forecast was published in the 2020-21 (FY21) compared to Rs 9.54 trillion in IMF’s World Economic Outlook. the previous year, even as goods and services ▪ India is the only country among major world tax (GST) mop-up declined by 8 per cent. economies that is projected to grow at a ▪ The collection was also 8.2 per cent higher than double-digit rate during FY22. the revised estimate of Rs 9.89 trillion, showed IMF the preliminary figures released by the finance ministry. ▪ Founded on : 194 ▪ This helped the overall tax collection reach ▪ Head Quarters : Washington, D.C. USA Rs 20.16 trillion in FY21, slightly higher than ▪ President : Kristalina Georgieva the Rs 20.05-trillion mop-up in the previous WTO revises upwards its projection for financial year. This was achieved despite a 10 global trade volume growth in 2021 to per cent decline in direct tax collection. 8% ▪ Indirect tax comprises goods and services tax, excise duty, and customs. Customs duty ▪ Painting an optimistic picture for exporters, Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii collection stood at Rs 1.32 trillion during FY21,

the World Trade Organisation has revised representing around 21 per cent growth year- upwards its prediction for global merchandise on-year. The collection from central excise trade volume growth in 2021 to 8 per cent duty and service tax (arrears) was up more

32 www.vetriias.com ECONOMICS | 33

than 58 per cent at Rs 3.91 trillion during 2020- RBI sets up committee to review 21, as against Rs 2.45 trillion in FY20. working of ARCs ▪ The Centre’s mop-up from GST (Central GST, ▪ The RBI set up a committee to undertake Integrated GST, and compensation cess) was a comprehensive review of the working of lower by 8 per cent at Rs 5.48 trillion during asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) in the FY21 compared to Rs 5.99 trillion in the financial sector eco system and recommend previous year. suitable mesures for enabling them to meet the growing requirements. India’s debt to GDP ratio increased ▪ The six-member committee will be headed from 74% to 90%, says IMF by Sudarshan Sen, former executive director, ▪ India’s debt to GDP ratio increased from 74% Reserve Bank of India (RBI). to 90% during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reserve bank of India International Monetary Fund has said, noting ▪ Governor: Shaktikanta Das that it expects this to drop down to 80% as a ▪ Head Quarters : Mumbai result of the country’s economic recovery. IAS Study Circle Vetrii

▪ Founded On : April 1935 ▪ In the case of India, the debt ratio at the end of 2019, prior to the pandemic, was 74 percent ETMONEY launches India’s first of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and at the Aadhaar based SIP payments end of 2020, it is almost 90 percent of GDP said ▪ ETMONEY, an investment app, has launched by Paolo Mauro, Deputy Director, IMF’s Fiscal India’s first Aadhaar-based SIP payments Affairs Department. feature, in line with its aim to make investments more seamless and open to the widest segment U.S Treasury keeps India on currency of Indian society. watch list ▪ With this, anyone can now start a SIP online ▪ India is one of the 11 countries on the U.S. and set up automatic payments using a simple Treasury’s ‘Monitoring List’ with regard to Aadhaar based OTP verification. their currency practices, according to the April Care Ratings lowers FY22 GDP forecast 2021 edition of the semi-annual report, the first from the Biden administration. India was on to 10.2% the list in the December 2020 report as well. ▪ Care Ratings has lowered its India GDP growth forecast to 10.2% for Fy22 following fresh ▪ The report on Macroeconomic and Foreign lockdowns imposed in partsof the country to Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners control the pandemic. of the United States, which is submitted to the U.S. Congress, reviews currency practices ▪ On March 24, it had projected growth for FY22 of the U.S.’s 20 biggest trading partners. to be in the 11-11.2% range based on Gross Value Added (GVA) growth of 10.2%, and Three criteria are used to review partners: a on April 5, a day after Maharashtra imposed significant (at least $20 billion) bilateral trade restrictions, it further lowered it GDP forecast surplus, a material current account surplus, to 10.7-10.9%. and ‘persistent one-sided intervention’ in forex markets. ▪ Earlier this month the RBI had stuck to its FY22 GDP forecast of 10.5% despite the surge ▪ The other 10 countries on the list with India in infections. that merit “close attention to their currency practices” according to the U.S. Treasury are SBI Report: FY22 growth at 10.4% Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

China, Japan, Korea, Germany, Ireland, Italy, ▪ The State Bank of India recently revised the Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Mexico. growth of India for the Fiscal Year 2021-22 All of these, except Ireland and Mexico, were to 10.4%. Earlier, the bank had predicted the on the December 2020 list. growth rate as 11%. SBI has curbed the growth www.vetriias.com 33 34 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

rate of the country due to the increasing India’s processed food products exports COVID-19 crisis. witnesses growth of over 26% Suggestions made by SBI report ▪ India’s processed food products exports ▪ The report says that Government of India has witnessed a growth of over 26 per cent should increase the vaccination efforts instead during April to February in the last financial of lockdowns. year, despite challenges posed by COVID19 ▪ According to the report, the cost of inoculating pandemic. half the population in thirteen major states ▪ Commerce and Industry Ministry said that will be 0.1% of GDP of the country or 15% to the total value of export of processed products 20% of the health budget of the states. These was 43 thousand 798 crore rupees during this estimates have been made assuming that the period. The major processed food products Centre will bear the cost of vaccinating the exported from India include pulses, processed other half of the population. vegetables, fruits and juices, groundnuts, cereals preparations, milled products,

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii alcoholic beverages and oil meals.

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

34 www.vetriias.com ▪ ▪ vaccine foranimals Russia registersworld'sfirstCOVID-19 ▪ Mars' surfaceaheadof flight. NASA's Ingenuityhelicopter droppedon ▪ ▪ watch forthevisuallyimpaired IIT Kanpurdevelopstouch-sensitive ▪ for itsfirstflight. dropped on thesurface of Mars in preparation mini-helicopter hasbeen NASA's Ingenuity Associate att Vishwaraj Srivastavawho isaSeniorProject for FlexibleElectronicsatIITKanpur,and Chemical Engineering and the National Centre Panda, whoisaprofessorattheDepartmentof The prototypes weredeveloped by Siddhartha watches. sizes oftouchsensitive and second,thelarge in watchesthataudiblyannouncethetime challenged of watchesmade for theuseof visually watch makesupfortwoofthedisadvantages learn whattimeitisbytouchingtheface.The watch thatcanhelpvisuallyimpaired people developed atouch-sensitive,tactile,haptic Two researchers from IIT Kanpurhave early asApril. production ofthevaccinemaybelaunchedas for preventingCOVID-19inanimals. The mass It infection forcarnivorousanimals. coronavirus the inactivated vaccineagainst It isasorbate for AnimalHealth. Center developed byRosselkhoznadzor's Federal The vaccine-Carnivak-Cov- has been vaccine foranimals. Russia 5.1 LATESTINVENTIONSONSCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY is currently has registered people: he Centre. the world's first, the world's first the and lack first only of Covid-19 product privacy 5. SCIENCE ▪ ▪ ▪ Agriculture Ministry Madhukranti Portal launched bythe Vetrii IAS Study▪ Circle▪ ▪ ▪ chicken broilerinthecountry Design ofthefirstsolarpowered ▪ ▪ Its 293 millionmile (471 million kilometer) down ontheRedPlanetFebruary18. of thePerseverancerover,whichtouched belly The Tomar launched Madhukranti Portaland The Agriculture MinisterNarendra Singh rural areas. marginal farmerswhoraise morechickensin This machineiswellreceived bysmalland average, 80percentofthechickenarehealthy. incubate up to 100 eggs at a time. On an This incubatorrunsonelectricpower.Can eggs untilthechicksgrowspontaneously. fried chicks until acertainageanddoes not lay can be laid at atime. The hen preserves the farm, only10to15eggs poultry In anatural and poultry farming at low cost to thefarmers. providing modernequipmentforlivestock operates under it, has been designing and Innovation and Equipment Research, which will beoperatinginChennai.TheCenterfor Sciences Tamil NaduUniversityofVeterinary private collegestudents. of VeterinarySciences in collaborationwith the University The SolarIncubator,designedby miles (1,200kilometers)across. impact left behindalargecratersome 750 region ofMars, where anancientmeteorite Jezero CratersitswithintheIsidis Planitia the surfaceofMars. inches (10 centimeter)from the rover's belly to NASAPersevere journey aboard. ultra-light aircraft ended with had the been final fixed drop to of the 4 36 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

NAFED’s Honey Corners to promote the M.S. Swaminathan honey mission in the country. ▪ M.S. Swaminathan was named the first World ▪ The Madhukranti Portal is an initiative of Food Prize Laureate for spearheading the the National Bee Board under the National introduction of high-yielding wheat and rice Beekeeping and Honey Mission. varieties into India during the 1960s when ▪ Indian Bank is the technical and banking that country faced the prospect of widespread partner for the development of the digital famine. platform. A Memorandum of Understanding UAE names first Female Astronaut between the National Bee Board and Indian Bank was also signed for this project. ▪ Noura al-Matroushi was selected as the first female astronaut of UAE from four thousand “NanoSniffer”, World’s First other applicants. She is to be trained with Microsensor based Explosive Trace NASA for future space exploration missions. Detector Noura is to be accompanied by Mohammed al-Mulla. Both astronauts are to be trained ▪ The Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii with Johnson Space Centre of NASA located in

Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched the world’s first Houston, Texas. Microsensor based Explosive Trace Detector (ETD) called “NanoSniffer” on April 09, 2021. First Muslim Woman to enter space ▪ The ETD has been developed by NanoSniff ▪ Noura is the first Arab woman to enter space. Technologies, an IIT Bombay incubated However, the first Muslim woman to enter startup. space was Anousheh Raissyan. She was also the first Iranian woman to enter space. She Key features of NanoSniffer is an Iranian American telecommunications ▪ It is a 100% Made in India product in terms of entrepreneur. research, development & manufacturing. ▪ The affordable device will reduce the Artemis Programme: NASA to land first dependency of the country on imported person of colour on the moon explosive trace detector devices. ▪ The National Aeronautics and Space ▪ The device can detect explosives in less than Administration programme will land the first 10 seconds. person of colour on the moon as a part of its ▪ It also identifies and categorizes explosives Artemis Programme. In addition, NASA will into different classes. also land first woman on the moon under the ▪ NanoSniffer can detect all classes of military, programme. conventional and homemade explosives. ▪ had finalised around 18 astronauts under its ▪ It gives visible & audible alerts with sunlight- Artemis Programme. It included the Indian readable color display. American Raja Chari. M.S. Swaminathan felicitated for work ▪ NASA is yet to announce the first two crew towards TB eradication members of the Artemis programme. NASA has now planned to include a person of colour ▪ Eminent agricultural scientist M.S. in the crew. With this, NASA will be landing Swaminathan was felicitated for his the first person of colour on the moon under contribution towards eradication of the programme. tuberculosis. Artemis Programme ▪ REACH, a Chennai-based non-profit organisation working towards eradicating ▪ Artemis Programme is an international human TB for over two decades, organised a virtual space flight programme funded by the US Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii Government.

event at which Professor Swaminathan, who was its founding chair From the organisation’s ▪ The main objective of the programme is to inception in 1998, was felicitated. launch a manned mission to the south pole region of the moon by 2024.

36 www.vetriias.com SCIENCE | 37

ARIES facility will host the support crescent moon comes directly between Earth centre for Aditya-L1 and Mars, leading to a rare occultation. Around ▪ The Indian programme to study the Sun and 5 pm, sky gazers can notice a tiny shining dot the region between the Sun and the Earth from Mars, very close to the Moon. Within minutes, space – Aditya-L1 – is due to be launched next Mars will disappear, with the Moon hiding it. year. It will carry seven payloads which have This lunar occultation of Mars will be visible been developed by various institutions across in India only, informed Atul Bhat, coordinator the country. Once the mission is launched, of Poornaprajna Amateur Astronomers’ Club, there will be a need for a ground support Udupi. centre to monitor and coordinate the work on NASA Mars helicopter makes first flight its various payloads. This role will be played on another planet by the ARIES facility (short for Aryabhata Research Institute for observational Sciences) ▪ NASA successfully flew its tiny helicopter which is situated near Nainital. ingenuity on Mars the first powered flight on another planet and a feat a top engineer called

▪ Researchers who may not even be associated IAS Study Circle Vetrii “our Wright brothers’ moment.” with core Aditya-L1 team will be able to book a specific payload to conduct observations ▪ The first powered flight on Earth was achieved for a particular time. Any PhD student or by the Wright Brothers in 1903 in North postdoctoral fellow in a research institution Carolina. A piece of fabric from that plane ahs can submit observing proposals through the been tucked inside Ingenuity in honour of that online proposal submission system. “The main feat. aim of this centre is to let every researcher in ▪ Ingenuity travelled to Mars attached to the India perform analysis over scientific data underside pf Perseverance, which touched obtained from Aditya-L1. down on the planet on February 18 on a ▪ “This centre will expand the visibility of mission to search for signs of extra-terrestrial Aditya-L1 beyond India at the international life. level. Also, it will expand its reach within ▪ Ingenuity’s goal, by contrast, is to demonstrate India. It will allow every interested individual its technology works, and it won’t contribute to be able to perform scientific analysis of the to Perseverance’s Science goals. data. Russia plans its own space station in Aries-Devasthal Faint Object Spectrograph 2025 ▪ Aries-Devasthal Faint Object Spectrograph & ▪ The International Space Station (ISS) was Camera (ADFOSC) is an optical spectrograph, launched in 1998 by the Russian and US space which is indigenously designed and agencies and has been hailed for its exemplary developed by Aryabhatta Research Institute of co-operation involving numerous countries. observational sciences (ARIES). ▪ But Russian officials have indicated they could ▪ This low-cost spectroscope, India’s largest pull out of the ISS in 2025. astronomical spectrograph, has been ▪ Russia's Roscosmos space agency says its commissioned on the Devasthal Optical agreement with international partners runs Telescope (DOT). out in 2024. A decision on the ISS' future will ▪ It can locate extremely faint light sources then be made on the condition of its technical from distant quasars and galaxies in a very modules, which have "reached the end of their young universe, regions around supermassive service life", and on Russia's plans for its own black-holes around the galaxies, and cosmic orbital service station. explosions. IAS Study Circle Vetrii SpaceX’s Launch of 4 Astronauts for Rare lunar occultation of Mars NASA ▪ A rare sight awaits astro-enthusiasts when the ▪ NASA and Elon Musk’s commercial rocket www.vetriias.com 37 38 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

company SpaceX launched a new four- Old SpaceX capsule delivers new crew astronaut team on a flight to the International to space station Space Station, the first crew ever propelled ▪ A recycled SpaceX capsule carrying four into orbit by a rocket booster recycled from a astronauts arrived at the International Space previous spaceflight. Station. ▪ The company's Crew Dragon capsule ▪ The Dragon capsule docked autonomously Endeavour, also making its second flight, with the orbiting outpost more than 260 miles (420 kilometers) above the Indian Ocean, a day streaked into the darkened pre-dawn sky atop after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as its nine Merlin Center. engines roared to life from NASA's Kennedy ▪ The new arrivals — representing the U.S., Space Center in Florida. France and Japan — will spend six months ▪ Crew 2 will be welcomed aboard the space at the space station. They’ll replace four station Saturday by the four Crew 1 astronauts astronauts who will return to Earth in their

- three from NASA and one from the Japan IAS Study Circle Vetrii own Dragon capsule.

Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA. Two ▪ It was the first time two SpaceX crew Dragons Russian cosmonauts and a U.S. astronaut who were parked there at the same time — shared a Soyuz flight to the space station are practically side by side. also aboard. Third crew flight ▪ Although this was SpaceX’s third crew flight Making Oxygen for NASA, it was the first to use a vehicle that’s ▪ Nasa has extracted oxygen from the carbon flown before, an essential part of Musk's push dioxide in the thin Martian atmosphere. The to the moon and Mars. The Dragon capsule unprecedented extraction of oxygen on Mars was used for SpaceX’s first crew launch last was achieved by a device called MOXIE May, while the Falcon rocket soaring hoisted aboard Perseverance, a six wheeled science crew two in November. reover. China Launches Robot Prototype ‘NEO- ▪ MOXIE is short for Mars Oxygen In-Situ 01’ Clear Space Debris Resource Utilization Experiment. It produced ▪ The Chinese government has launched a robot about 5 grams of oxygen, equivalent to prototype named as ‘NEO-01’, in the Earth’s roughly 10 minutes’ worth of breathing for low orbit on April 27, 2021 on its Long March an astronaut. This is the first extraction of a 6 rocket. natural resource from the environment of ▪ The 30kg robot prototype has been developed another planet. by Shenzhen-based space mining start-up ‘Origin Space’. Mini black hole ▪ Main Purpose: to observe small celestial ▪ Scientists have discovered what may be the bodies in deep space and to experiment with smallest-known black hole in the Milky Way space debris removal techniques. galaxy and the closest to our solar system. ▪ NEO-01 will use large net to capture debris ‘Nicknamed ‘Unicorn’ the researchers said left behind by other spacecraft and then burn the black hole is roughly three times the mass it using its electric propulsion system. of our Sun, testing the lower limits of size China launches key module for its for these extraordinarily dense objects. A IAS Study Circle Vetrii permanent space station

luminous red giant star orbits with the black ▪ China launched an unmanned module on hole in a so-called binary star system named Thursday containing what will become living V723 Mon. quarters for three crew on a permanent space 38 www.vetriias.com SCIENCE | 39

station that it plans to complete by the end of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman 2022, state media reported. inaugurates India’s first 3D printed ▪ The module, named "Tianhe", or "Harmony house at IIT-M of the Heavens", was launched on the Long ▪ The Union Finance Minister Nirmala March 5B, China's largest carrier rocket, at Sitharaman virtually inaugurated the first 3D 11:23 a.m. (0323 GMT) from the Wenchang printed house in India at Indian Institute of Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Technology Madras (IIT-M), on April 27, 2021. Hainan. ▪ The concept of this 3D printed house was ▪ While smaller than the sprawling International conceived by former IIT-M alumni. Space Station, built by the United States, ▪ The single-storey home has been built in just Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan and five days over an area of about 600 sq. ft using Canada, the Chinese Space Station, or CSS, ‘Concrete 3D Printing” technology. will focus on the same objectives, including microgravity research, Earth observation and ▪ The house is by IIT-Madras based start-up ‘TVASTA Manufacturing Solutions’, within

technology development. IAS Study Circle Vetrii the campus, in association with Habitat for ▪ A Reuters report quickly following the Humanity’s Terwilliger Centre for Innovation successful launch of the Tianhe core module in Shelter. announced that in contrast, the fate of the ageing ISS - in orbit for more than two ▪ The 3D Printed House would help to meet the decades - remains uncertain, as the project is deadline of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s set to expire in 2024, barring funding from its vision of ‘housing for all’ scheme by 2022. partners. Russia said recently that it would quit the project from 2025.

5.2 MASS MEDIA & COMMUNICATION CJI launches top court’s AI-driven ▪ First Women CJI - Justice Fathima Beevi research portal ‘SUPACE’ ▪ Article 124(4) of Constitution of India lays ▪ The Supreme Court of India has launched down the procedure for removal of a judge it’s Artificial Intelligence portal “SUPACE” of Supreme Court which is applicable to chief (Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Courts justices as well. Efficiency). Through this portal, the SC intends Practo launches online consultation with to leverage machine learning to deal with the doctors in 15 Indian languages vast amounts of data received at the time of filing of cases. ▪ Practo, the leading digital healthcare platform, launched online consultations in 15 vernacular ▪ Justice L Nageshwara Rao, who is also the languages. chairman of the SC’s Artificial Intelligence Committee, delivered the opening address ▪ This initiative will allow users to choose during the virtual launch of SUPACE. a doctor who can speak in their preferred language including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, ▪ Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde was the Kannada and Bengali. first-ever chairman of the Artificial Intelligence Committee. Practo ▪ CJI Bobde first spoke of the use of AI to assist ▪ CEO: Shashank ND

the Supreme Court soon after he took oath as IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Founded: 2008

the Chief Justice in 2019. ▪ Headquarters location: Bengaluru Note ▪ First CJI - H. J. Kania

www.vetriias.com 39 40 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Little Guru: World’s First Gamified ▪ e-SANTA aims to raise income, lifestyle, self- Sanskrit Learning Application reliance, quality levels, traceability, of aqua ▪ The Indian Council for Cultural Relations farmers. (ICCR) tied up with the Gamapp Sportswizz ▪ It will act as an alternative marketing tool Tech Private Limited to launch “LITTLE between farmers & buyers by eliminating GURU” application. It is a specialized mobile middlemen. application for learning Sanskrit. ▪ The platform will help the farmers to get About “Little Guru” a better price and the exporters to directly ▪ Little Guru is a gamified application. purchase quality products from the farmers ▪ It teaches Sanskrit in an interactive platform. and enhancing traceability. This makes learning easier. ▪ e-SANTA Portal can be accessed through the ▪ The app was launched during the celebrations following link: https://esanta.gov.in/ of the 71st Foundation Day of ICCR. Government Launches Community ▪ It is world’s first Gamified Sanskrit learning Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii Mental-Health Digital platform

application. ‘MANAS’ ▪ It will help people to learn Sanskrit in an easy manner based on competition, games, peer to ▪ The Principal Scientific Adviser to the peer interactions, etc. Government of India, Prof. K Vijay Raghavan launched a mobile app called “MANAS” to Piyush Goyal Launches “e-SANTA”, cater mental well-being of citizens on scalable, an Electronic Marketplace For Aqua secure and digital platforms. Farmers ▪ MANAS stands for Mental Health and ▪ The Union Minister for Commerce and Normalcy Augmentation System. Industry Piyush Goyal inaugurated e-SANTA, ▪ MANAS is an initiative of the Office of the an electronic marketplace, to provide a Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government platform for connecting aqua farmers and of India. It has been jointly executed by buyers. NIMHANS Bengaluru, AFMC Pune and C-DAC Bengaluru. ▪ e-SANTA stands for Electronic Solution for Augmenting NaCSA farmers’ Trade in ▪ The app MANAS is developed under the Aquaculture. Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), to ▪ The term National Centre for Sustainable promote wellbeing across age groups. Aquaculture (NaCSA) is an extension arm of Marine Products Export Development Authority. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

40 www.vetriias.com WEF’s gendergapindex 2021 WEF’s India ranks140among156nationsin ▪ green towns Bihar becomesfirststatetohavetwo ▪ dubbed as‘Utkala Dibasa’ Odisha celebrates86th statehoodday ▪ ▪ Global GenderGapReport ▪ Top country 10gender-equal ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ as aseparate state on1April1936. state 01 tocommemorate theformationof celebrated alloverthestate ofOdishaonApril Odisha Day, also called as Utkala Dibasa,is education, healthandpoliticalleadership. four dimensions:economicopportunities, 2006 to compare countries’ gender gaps across the WorldEconomicForumin introduced by The edition oftheannualpublicationbyWEF. Gender GapReport2021is15th The Global Rwanda, Sweden,IrelandandSwitzerland. Iceland, Finland,Norway,NewZealand, in thereport. Afghanistan istheworst-performingcountry time. gender-equal countryintheworldfor12th Iceland hastoppedtheindexasmost country inSouthAsia. India emergedasthethird-worstperforming India ranked112thamong153countries. 2021, byWorld Economic Forum. In2020, Report Gender Gap 156 countriesintheGlobal India hasslipped28placestorank140among kind renewableenergyprojectfrom2023. getting Rajgir andBodh Gaya. Thetownswillstart to Bihar have Global is solar set two to green Gender energy become energy through the Gap country’s efficient Index the first was first towns DIARY OFEVENT of state first its in 6. NATIONAL– ▪ ▪ Vetrii▪ ▪ IAS▪ ▪ StudyAbout Assam ▪ ▪ CircleAssam Tribes celebratedtheirfestival ▪ ▪ ▪ Happiness’ atIIMJammu inaugurates ‘Anandam: TheCenterfor Education MinisterPokhriyal ▪ state under British rule on a linguistic basis, under Britishruleonalinguistic state Odisha wascarvedoutasapoliticallyseparate Foundation DayandVishuvaMilan statehood day. Odisha Day is also called Orissa In 2021, Odisha is celebrating its 86th Park. Nameri National Park, theOrangNational National ParkorManas Wildlife Sanctuary, Park, KazirangaNational Park,Manas Nationals Parks–dibru-Saikhowa National Governor –JagtishMukhi Chief Minister–Sarbananda Sonowal Capital –Dispur Rabha-Tribes Historical CulturalDance–HamjaFestival for allthestakeholdersatIIMJammu. encourage andpropagateholisticdevelopment stress andhelpspreadpositivityitwill will helppeopleovercome mental The centre achieving wellbeingofall. alligned withtheNEP 2020 and aims at ‘Anandam’ – theCentreforHappinessis Management (IIM),Jammuvirtually. Happiness” attheIndianInstituteof inaugurated “Anandam:TheCenterfor Union Education MinisterRamesh Pokhriyal districts. districts. Asof1April2019,Odishahas30 The newlyformedOdishaconsisted of six and GanjamfromtheMadrasPresidency. and OrissaProvince with additionofKoraput districts ofBihar comprising Odia-speaking 42 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Federation of Indian Chambers of have been demanding a comprehensive policy Commerce & Industry (FICCI) for the management and prevention of rare ▪ FICCI is a non-government, not-for-profit diseases. organisation established in 1927. ▪ As the cost of treatment of rare diseases is ▪ It is the largest and oldest apex business prohibitively expensive, various High Courts organisation in India whose history is and Supreme Court earlier had expressed closely interwoven with India's struggle for concern about the lack of a national policy for independence, its industrialization, and its the rare diseases in the country. emergence as one of the most rapidly growing ▪ Beneficiaries for such financial assistance global economies. will not be limited only to BPL families but the benefit will also be extended to about 40 India’s biggest floating solar power percent of the population, who are eligible plant to be set up at Ramagundam in under the government’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Telangana Arogya Yojana.

▪ India’s biggest floating solar power plant IAS Study Circle Vetrii Word Highest Bridge: Chenab Bridge with a capacity of 100 MW will be set up at Arch Closure Completed Ramagundam in Telangana. ▪ The Indian Railways recently completed the ▪ The project expected to be opened in May, is arch closure of the world highest railway being set up at Ramagundam thermal power bridge, Chenab bridge. The bridge is a part plant reservoir. of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link ▪ The solar project is commissioned by the project. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). The project, which is estimated to cost Chenab Bridge around 423 crore rupees, will have 4.5 lakh ▪ The Chenab bridge is located in Reasi district photovoltaic panels. of Jammu and Kashmir. The height of the bridge is 359 metres. Amboli Named as Biodiversity Heritage ▪ The deck height, that is, the height above Site Maharashtra the river bed is 359 metres. The length of the ▪ The government of Maharashtra State bridge is 650 metres. announced the establishment of an area in ▪ The construction of Chenab bridge was the Amboli region of the Ghats in the western declared as a national project in 2002. Ghats of Sindhudurg region, where a rare freshwater fish has been discovered as a Voters app and helpline numbers heritage of biodiversity. Cvigil ▪ Election commission of India launched a Health Minister Harsh Vardhan mobile app called cVIGIL. approves National Policy for Rare ▪ A user-friendly and easy to operate Android Diseases application, requires an Android smartphone ▪ The Health Ministry announced on April 3, equipped with a camera, good internet 2021, that the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh connection and GPS access. Vardhan has given approval to the ‘National 1950 Helpline Number Policy for Rare Diseases 2021’. It will reduce ▪ Citizens can call the Voter Helpline, the the high cost of treatment for rare diseases and number is 1950. Now any citizen from any will increase focus on domestic research. part of the country can call on the toll-free in

▪ According to the press statement from Health IAS Study Circle Vetrii English or Hindi with any query or complaint. Ministry, the policy document has been ▪ Developed by: The ICT division of Election uploaded on the health ministry website as Commission of India (ECI). different stakeholders, for quite some time,

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▪ Objective of this mobile application: SANKALP SE SIDDHI launched by TRIFED Developing a culture of electoral engagement ▪ The Tribal Cooperative Marketing and making informed and ethical ballot Development Federation of India (TRIFED) decisions among citizens of the country. operating under Ministry of Tribal Affairs PWD recently launched the “SANKALP SE SIDDHI”. ▪ Election Commission of India has been SANKALP SE SIDDHI constantly focussing on providing better ▪ It is a hundred-day drive. The main aim of services to Persons with Disabilities through the drive is to activate the Van Dhan Vikas various mediu. In the world of technology Kendras located in tribal villages. innovation, the mobile application has taken a front seat. ▪ It aims to cover 1,500 villages in India in hundred days. ▪ In order to facilitate the Persons with Disability, the Election commission of India developed an ▪ Around one hundred and fifty teams have android based mobile application, the PwD been formed to roll out the drive. These teams will identify the locations for clustering them

App. An eligible person with a disability or IAS Study Circle Vetrii

reduced mobility / physical functions can as TRIFOOOD and SFURTI units. get enrolled in electoral roll by declaring ▪ SFURTI is Scheme for Fund for the Regeneration themselves as a person with a disability. Upon of Traditional Industries. receiving the request from PwD electors/ ▪ TRIFOOD is a joint initiative of Ministry of voters, the election commission will ensure Food Processing and TRIFED. It was launched that the booth level officer will reach the in August 2020. The TRIFOOD parks will doorstep delivery of electoral services. produce processed foods from minor forest Voter Portal produce and also from the food gathered by ▪ Voter helpline App with 2.16 crore downloads the tribal people in that region. has taken roots as a major tool for citizen Van Dhan Vikas Kendras empowerment. The application provides an ▪ The Van Dhan Vikas Kendras were established option for voters to search their name in 90- under the Van Dhan Yojana. The Government plus crore electors database, fill forms for new of India provides capacity building training voter registration, migration and corrections, and skill upgradation facilities for the tribal allow downloading of digital photo voter slips, displays the complete information about population in these Van Dhan Vikas Kendras. the contesting candidates and their affidavits ▪ A Van Dhan Vikas Kendra is formed by fifteen and most importantly allows voters to view tribal Self-Help Groups. Each group consists of the real-time results. twenty artisans or tribal food gatherers. ▪ The first Van Dhan Vikas Kendra was Deep dip established in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. ▪ A helicopter fetching water from the Tehri dam to extinguish a fire in the forest areas of Rajasthan becomes the 1st state to Garhwal. provide free health insurance to all Bridging the divide in Dhubri ▪ Rajasthan becomes the first state in the country ▪ The Bogibeel bridge, now India’s longest rail- where the state government is providing free road bridge, across the Brahmaputra. health insurance facility to all the citizens of the state. ▪ Dhubri-Phulbari bridge across the Brahmaputra, to be India’s longest at 19.282 ▪ This plan was announced by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the state budget of 2021-22. km. IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ It will connect three Assembly constituencies – The State began the registration for its cashless Dhubri, Gauripur and South Salmara – and the ‘mediclaim’ scheme Chiranjeevi Health Phulbari Assembly constituency in Meghalaya. Insurance Scheme.

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▪ Each family will get annual health insurance to examinations in particular. The interaction up to 5 lakhs. helps the students to deal with the exam- ▪ Registrations have started for the Chiranjeevi centric anxiety. Health Insurance Scheme from 1 April, while Union Ministers Dr Harsh Vardhan and the scheme will start benefiting the residents Arjun Munda launches Tribal Health after its implementation on May 1. Collaborative ‘Anamaya’ Note ▪ The Union Minister for Health and Family ▪ Shitalakshya river flows in Bangladesh. Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan and the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Shri Arjun Munda Incentives for solar energy sector jointly launched ‘Anamaya’, the Tribal Health ▪ The Union Cabinet approved two production- Collaborative on April 07, 2021 through video linked incentive schemes for white goods conference. (air-conditioners and LED lights) and high- ▪ Anamaya is a multi-stakeholder initiative to efficiency solar photovoltaic modules. enhance the health and nutrition status of the ▪ The Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime IAS Study Circle Vetrii tribal communities of India by converging Minister Narendra Modi, took another step efforts of various Government agencies and towards the vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” organisations. (self-reliant India) with the approval for the ▪ The initiative is supported by Piramal `6,238-crore PLI scheme for air-conditioners Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates and LEDs. Foundation (BMGF). ▪ The scheme would extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales of goods made in ‘Double mutant’ strain named as India for five years. B.1.617 ▪ The scheme was estimated to lead to ▪ The “double mutant” virus that scientists had incremental investment of `7,920 crore over flagged and as having a bearing on the spread five years and lead to production worth `1.68 of the pandemic in India, now has a formal lakh crore, as well as lead to 4 lakh jobs. scientific classification B.1.617. ▪ The Cabinet also approved a proposal of the ‘Iconic’ New India Garden structure Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for a PLI scheme for high efficiency solar PV ▪ The New India Garden is being planned on modules with an outlay of `4,500 crore. a 20.22-acre plot of forested land on the West bank of the Yamuna River. ▪ The scheme was expected to lead to 10,000 MW of additional capacity of solar PV plants and ▪ It was planned by the Ministry of Housing investment of around `17,200 crore in solar PV and Urban Affairs Ministry for the ‘Iconic manufacturing projects. Structure’ and to commemorate 75th Years of Independence. Pariksha Pe Charcha Tika Utsav: COVID-19 Vaccination Drive ▪ It is a contest for students. This initiative was started by the Prime Minister of India ▪ The Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently Narendra Modi in 2018. appealed to the Chief Ministers of the States to organise “Tika Utsav”. ▪ During the event, the Prime Minister interacts with several students, parents and teachers Tika Utsav from entire India. PM share his personal ▪ Tika Utsav is a vaccine festival. It is to be held experiences with the young students. between April 11, 2021 and April 14, 2021. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The main objective of the festival is to vaccinate ▪ During the interaction, he responds to the queries of students, parents as well as as many people as possible. It will also focus teachers. The questions are selected through on zero wastage of COVID-19 vaccine. a competition on a variety of subjects related 44 www.vetriias.com NATIONAL – DIARY OF EVENT | 45

‘Centre, Japan sign loan agreement for Saviour of Manas AIIMS’ ▪ Assam had at least five rhino-bearing areas till ▪ A loan agreement has been signed between the the 1980s. Better conservation efforts helped Government of India and the Government of maintain the population of the one-horned herbivore in Kaziranga, Orang and Pobitora, Japan for setting up an All-India Institute of but encroachment and poaching wiped the Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Madurai, revealed animal out of Manas and Laokhowa Wildlife a reply to a Right to Information Act query Sanctuary. submitted by R.Pandiaraja, a social activist. ▪ Manas, in focus for the near-extinction of the Indus and Ganges river dolphins are pygmy hog, lost the World Heritage Site tag two different species it received in 1985 along with Kaziranga from ▪ “The Ganges dolphin is a Schedule I animal the UNESCO. under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act ▪ “The translocated rhinos helped Manas 1972, and has been included in Annexure National Park get back its World Heritage Site

– I of Convention on International Trade in IAS Study Circle Vetrii status in 2011.

Endangered Species (CITES). Ghaziabad issues India’s first municipal ▪ The Indus and Ganges River dolphins are green bonds both classified as ‘Endangered’ species by ▪ Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam (GNN) has the International Union for Conservation of announced successfully raising and listing Nature (IUCN). India’s first Green Municipal bond issue. GNN Kisan Rail carries mangoes from raised `150 crores at a cost of 8.1 per cent. Telangana to Delhi ▪ Money will be used to clean up dirty water by setting up a tertiary water treatment plant and ▪ The Introduction of the Kisan Rail by the supply piped water through water meters to Indian Railways along with 50 per cent tariff places like Sahibabad. concession provided by the Union Ministry of Food processing Industries under the scheme ▪ Ghaziabad is debt-free and has maintained a “Operation Greens – TOP to Total” revenue surplus position in the last few years, according to India Ratings. Last two rhinos translocated under IRV India, Russia committed to S-400 deal: 2020 Target of attaining a population of envoy 3,000 rhinos in Assam almost achieved as project closes ▪ India and Russia are “committed” to completing their contract for the S-400 missile ▪ The ambitious Indian Rhino Vision 2020 system, due to be delivered to India at the end (IRV2020) came with the release of two rhinos of the year. — an adult male and a female — in Assam’s ▪ The S-400 contract is on track for a delivery of Manas National Park transported from the system in November. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary about 185 km to the east. PM Modi Inaugurates 6th Raisina ▪ Designed in 2005, the IRV2020 is believed Dialogue, Organised in Fully Digital to have achieved its target of attaining a Format population of 3,000 rhinos in Assam. But ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the plan to spread the Rhinoceros unicornis the 2021 “Raisina Dialogue”, through video- across four protected areas beyond Kaziranga conferencing on April 13, 2021. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

National Park, Orang National Park and ▪ Raisina Dialogue is India’s flagship conference Pobitora could not materialise. on geopolitics and geoeconomics, organised annually since 2016.

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▪ The Raisina Dialogue 2021 is the sixth edition Andhra Pradesh. of the annual dialogue, organised from April ▪ The project has been approved for a period of 13 to 16, 2021, in fully digital form for the first one year and both sides inking the MoU will time due to the coronavirus pandemic. bear the cost on their own. ▪ The theme for the 2021 conference is “#ViralWorld: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of NITI Aayog Launches ‘Poshan Gyan’, a Control”. Digital Repository on Health & Nutrition ▪ The four-day dialogue is jointly organised by Information the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the ▪ NITI Aayog launched a national digital think-tank Observer Research Foundation. repository on health and nutrition, called “Poshan Gyan” on April 13, 2021. India’s First Floating LNG Storage ▪ Poshan Gyan has been unveiled by NITI & Regasification Unit Reaches Aayog in partnership with Bill and Melinda Maharashtra Gates Foundation and Centre for Social and

▪ The first “Floating Storage and Regasification IAS Study Circle Vetrii Behaviour Change, Ashoka University.

Unit (FSRU)” in India has reached at JSW ▪ The website can be accessed through eh Jaigarh Port in the Ratnagiri district of following link: https://poshangyan.niti.gov. Maharashtra. in/ ▪ The LNG tanker “FSRU Hoegh Giant” sailed from Keppel Shipyard, Singapore, and was India committed to fight climate change berthed at Jaigarh terminal in Maharashtra on ▪ Observing that underdeveloped countries April 12, 2021. have a right to develop, Union Minister of ▪ FSRU Hoegh Giant is also be the first year- Environment, Forest and Climate Change round Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal Prakash Javadekar announced that India will in Maharashtra. “overachieve” its commitment made in Paris, but not under any pressure. ▪ The FSRU-based LNG terminal is being commissioned by H-Energy Private Limited. ▪ Javadekar made these remarks at the event, H-Energy has hired the FSRU for a 10 year held after his meeting with visiting French period. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. The event was organised by the French Embassy in Ministry of Agriculture signs MoU with India. Microsoft India to improve Farmers ▪ All countries increase their climate income in 100 villages of 6 states commitments by the time the COP26 [2021 ▪ The Union Ministry of Agriculture has inked United Nations Climate Change Conference] a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) takes place in Glasgow, as required by the with Microsoft India for a pilot project, aimed Paris Agreement. at betterment of farmers in the selected 100 ▪ This increase in ambition must include setting villages of 6 states, by creating a vibrant digital new nationally determined contributions by agro-ecosystem in the country. 2030 and also long-term strategies to achieve ▪ To implement the project, Microsoft has joined carbon neutrality. in with its local partner, CropData. India ranks 49th in Inclusive Internet ▪ Besides the MoU, a tripartite agreement has Index 2021 by Facebook-EIU also been signed for the same between the ▪ The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), in three bodies. partnership with Facebook, has released the ▪ The pilot project will be carried out in 100 IAS Study Circle Vetrii

Inclusive Internet Index 2021, which measure villages in 10 districts of 6 states. the extent to which internet is available and ▪ These states are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya affordable by region, and highlights additional Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan and insight into how people around the world are 46 www.vetriias.com NATIONAL – DIARY OF EVENT | 47

using the web. India Inks Agreement with France for ▪ India has been ranked at 49th spot globally. It cooperation on Gaganyaan Mission shares its rank with Thailand. ▪ Indian space agency, ISRO has signed an ▪ The ‘Inclusive Internet Index’ surveyed 120 agreement with the space agency of France countries, representing 98 percent of global CNES for cooperation in its first human space GDP and 96 percent of global population. mission, Gaganyaan. ▪ The overall Index score is based on four ▪ Under the agreement, CNES will provide parameters, which are: Availability, equipment developed by it, tested and still Affordability, Relevance and Readiness operating aboard the International Space categories. Station (ISS) to Indian crews. ▪ The Inclusive Internet Index is commissioned ▪ It will also supply fireproof carry bags made by Facebook and developed by The Economist in France to shield equipment from shocks and Intelligence Unit. radiation. Top 5 Countries ▪ CNES will train Indian flight physicians and Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii CAPCOM mission control teams at French

▪ Sweden facilities. ▪ United States ▪ Spain PM suggests curtailment of Haridwar ▪ Australia Kumbh Mela ▪ Hong Kong ▪ As over 2.3 lakh COVID-19 cases were reported in India Prime Minister Narendra UNFPA’s population report launched Modi sought a curtailment of the Kumbh Mela ▪ The United Nations Population Fund’s in Haridwar. (UNFPA) flagship State of World Population ▪ The Juna akhara, a prominent congregation of Report 2021 titled ‘My Body is My Own’ Hindu seers, announced that it was ending its launched. participation in the event at his behest. ▪ This is the first time a United Nations report ▪ The Kumbh Mela sees lakhs of devotees has focused on bodily autonomy, defined as converge every 12 years and involves many the power and agency to make choices about rituals, including ritual baths in the Ganga on your body without fear of violence or having specific dates. someone else decide for you. ▪ The report shows that in countries where Renewable energy key part of India's data is available, only 55% of women are fully growth programmes empowered to make choices over healthcare, ▪ Union environment minister Prakash contraception and the ability to say yes or Javadekar asserted that India is the only no to sex. It also highlights that only 75% of country to keep its commitments on climate countries legally ensure full and equal access action, despite accounting for only six to seven to contraception. per cent of total carbon emissions in the world. SRIHER ties up with medical e-portal ▪ We have reduced our emission intensity by nearly 26 per cent. We have increased our ▪ The Sri Ramachandra University has tied up share to 38 per cent of renewable energy in with online medical portal RAAonline. our energy capacity mix solar energy and ▪ The Chennai-based RAAonline Medinfo renewable energy all put together, we have provides e-learning facilities in several streams now 136 gigawatt, we're inching towards our of medicine. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii goal of 175 gigawatts by 2022. ▪ It launched apps for multi-dimensional ▪ India has set up a larger target of having 450 medical education, e-learning and NEET GW of renewable energy by 2030. Also, under preparation in English and Tamil. Fame I and II programmes, subsidy to the tune

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of Rs 10,000 crore has been given for deploying cylinder will be of 46.7 litres. 6,500 electrical buses in 65 cities. ▪ IFFCO will also be setting up three more plants ▪ Our per capita consumption per year is 1,200 across the country to help the nation during kilowatts units of electricity. Many countries the pandemic time. - America, Europe has more than 12,000 kilowatts per year. Twitter to expand India engineering team Vande Bharat becomes one of top ▪ Microblogging platform it planned to ramp civilian evacuations up its team across engineering, product, ▪ The Vande Bharat Mission (VBM), which research and design. Twitter also announced started repatriating Indians stranded abroad the appointment of Apurva Dalal as Director due to COVID-19 and the resultant lockdowns of Engineering. since May 7 last, has turned out to be one of the ▪ US-headquartered microblogging platform largest evacuations of civilians by a country. Twitter on Tuesday said it planned to ramp up ▪ Into the middle of Phase 10, the VBM has its team in India across engineering, product, Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

surpassed the large-scale airlift of 1,10,000 research and design, while also announcing people in 1990 at the conset of the Gulf War. the appointment of Apurva Dalal as Director ▪ “Transport bubbles” or “air travel of Engineering. arrangements”, temporary arrangements Punjab All Set to become ‘Har Ghar Jal’ between two countries aimed at restarting State by 2022 commercial passenger services when regular International flights are suspended as a result ▪ Punjab State reiterated the commitment of the of the pandemic, are in place. State to achieve the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ target by 2022 as planned. Punjab has 34.73 lakh rural Vande Bharat Mission household, out of which 25.88 lakh (74.5%) ▪ The Indian nationals stranded overseas due to have tap water supply. the global coronavirus lockdown are expected to return under the Vande Bharat Mission. Henley Passport Index 2021 released ▪ Further, the Indian Navy has also launched ▪ Amid the rising COVID-19 cases and Operation “Samudra Setu” (sea bridge) to subsequent restrictions on travel overseas, repatriate Indian citizens from overseas. when many countries are banning individuals from worst-hit nations, the Henley Passport Operation Samudra Setu Index on April 17 released its list of the most ▪ The program named Samudra Setu by powerful passports. Indian navy entails to bring back around two ▪ India stands at number 84 on the list, as the thousand Indians in two ships during the first Indian citizens can visit Visa-Free or Visa-on- phase of evacuation. Arrival in over 58 places. Japan, Singapore ▪ INS Jalashwa and INS Magar are being and Germany, South Korea stand in Top 3 operated as part of efforts to repatriate Indian respectively. nationals from foreign shores. ▪ The Henley Passport Index releases list which IFFCO to set up oxygen plant in Gujarat measures the world’s most travel-friendly passports. The index ranks the countries based ▪ The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative on how strong their passport is. Limited (IFFCO) will be setting up an oxygen plant with 200 cubic meters per hour capacity Goa-India’s only State to have a in its Gujarat's Kalol unit. Uniform Civil Code ▪ The Oxygen plant will provide free oxygen to IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Recently, Chief Justice of India S A Bobde

hospitals suffering from a shortage of oxygen appreciated the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the wake of an unprecedented spike of of Goa, Goa is the only Indian State to have COVID-19 infections in the country. Each a UCC. The UCC calls for the formulation of

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one law for India, which would be applicable area of pulses. As on 23rd April 2021, the area to all religious communities in matters such as sown under pulses has increased to 12.75 lakh marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption. ha from 6.45 lakh ha, which shows nearly a ▪ Goa Civil Code (also known as Goa Family 100% increase. The increased area is mainly Law) is based on the Portuguese Civil Code reported from the states of Tamil Nadu, which was introduced in 1870. Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, ▪ In Indian Constitution, UCC is placed among Gujarat, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, the non-justiciable Directive Principles of State Karnataka etc. Policy-Article 44. ▪ Oilseeds have increased to 10.45 lakh ha from 9.03 lakh ha, which is an increase of around COVIRAP Technology 16%. The area has been reported from West ▪ The IIT Kharagpur has successfully Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, commercialised the healthcare product Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, COVIRAP. Chhattisgarh etc.

What is COVIRAP? IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Rice has increased to 39.10 lakh ha from 33.82

▪ COVIRAP is a diagnostic technology to detect lakh ha, which is an increase of around 16%. COVID-19 virus. The technology is also Summer rice has been reported from the states capable of testing influenza, dengue, malaria. of West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka, Assam, Tuberculosis and Japanese Encephalitis. Also, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tamil the technology can be used to test other vector Nadu, Bihar, etc. borne diseases. GI tag sought for Vilachery clay toys ▪ The testing cost of the COVIRAP based device ▪ The Kulala Handicraft Artisan Welfare is Rs 500. Association has applied for the Geographical ▪ The device will minimise the need for real time Indication (GI) tag for the famous clay toys PCR machines and also for thermal cyclers. made at Vilachery in Thiruparankundram, ▪ COVIRAP is a cuboid shaped portable testing Madurai. device. ▪ The MSME Intellectual Property Facilitation AREA UNDER SUMMER CROPS Centre and NABARD’s Madurai Agri Business Incubation Forum were the facilitators for this INCREASED BY 21.5% MORE THAN LAST application filed by P. Sanjai Gandhi, advocate, YEAR High Court and IPR attorney. ▪ For the second successive year, as a result of ▪ “The toys are made of clay from the Vilachery meticulous planning and concerted efforts tank and nearby places. All the artisans here of the States and the Central government, make dolls by using mould and paint them by along with the hard work of the farmers, hand,”. the area under summer crops has shown an increasing trend in the country. The Ministry Regional Translation of National of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has taken Education Policy 2020 new initiatives for the scientific cultivation of ▪ The Ministry of Central Education has summer crops such as pulses, coarse cereals, published a translation of the National Nutri-cereals and oilseeds. Education Policy into local languages in 17 ▪ As on 23rd April 2021, summer sowing in the languages . There is no Tamil translation in it. country is 21.5% higher than it was last year ▪ The National Education Policy was first during the corresponding period. The total developed in 1968. Education was then added

summer crop area has increased to 73.76 lakh IAS Study Circle Vetrii to the General List in 1976 under the 42nd hectares from 60.67 lakh hectares a year ago Amendment to the Constitution. during the corresponding period. ▪ Education policy was amended in 1986 and ▪ A noteworthy increase has been seen in the 1992. Then in 2016 the DSR Subramanian

www.vetriias.com 49 50 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Committee made some amendments to the to eventually attaining strong, sustainable, education policy and filed. Meanwhile, a new balanced and inclusive growth in the region.” education policy will be formulated in 2020 based on the education policy submitted by NCW launches helpline for pregnant the Kasturi Rangan Education Committee in women 2019. It was approved by the Union Cabinet ▪ The National Commission for Women (NCW) on July 29 last year. This is what is currently on Thursday launched a message-only helpline being implemented across the country. for providing assistance to expectant mothers. ▪ Initially the National Education Policy was The helpline number is +919354954224, which published only in English and Hindi . While will be functional round-the-clock. Apart from the federal government has announced that the helpline, NCW can also be reached at regional translations will be published, a [email protected] translation of the Education Policy has now been published in 17 regional languages. National Commission for Women ▪ The National Education Policy has been ▪ It was set up as a statutory body in January translated and published in 17 languages IAS Study Circle Vetrii 1992 under the National Commission for

including Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Women Act, 1990. Konkani, Gujarati, Kashmiri, Nepali, Oriya, ▪ Its mission is to strive towards enabling women Assam, Bengali, Bodo, Marathi, Punjabi, Dogri, to achieve equality and equal participation in Maithili, Manipuri and Santali . However, it all spheres of life by securing her due rights does not include a translation for the Tamil and entitlements through suitable policy language. formulation, legislative measures, etc. India, Australia, Japan push for supply ▪ Its functions are to: chain resilience ▪ Review the constitutional and legal safeguards for women. ▪ The Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) formally launched on Tuesday by the Trade ▪ Recommend remedial legislative measures. Ministers of India, Japan and Australia. ▪ Facilitate redressal of grievances. ▪ “The SCRI aims to create a virtuous cycle of ▪ Advise the Government on all policy matters enhancing supply chain resilience with a view affecting women. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

50 www.vetriias.com ▪ ▪ Himachal Pradesh exercise ‘Vajra Prahar2021’heldin India-US SpecialForcesmilitary ▪ ▪ toSeychelles “PS Zoroaster” India giftsRs100crorepatrolvessel ▪ ▪ ▪ Women tosupport genderequality India contributes$300,000toUN Boat Hermes (2016). PS Topaz(2005), PSConstant(2014), Patrol 2005. Theothervesselsgifted byIndiainclude patrol boatdevelopedfor Seychellessince The PS Zoroaster is the fourthmade-in-India President WavelRamkalawan. Indian PM Narendra Modi and Seychelles 08, 2021duringthevirtualsummit between vessel “PS Zoroaster”toSeychelles onApril India formallyhandedoverRs100crorepatrol its supporttoUNWomen. Bhatia thankedIndia for the contributionand Executive DirectorofUNWomenAnita Assistant -Secretary-GeneralandDeputy equality andwomen'sempowerment. the world organisation's entity for gender India made the contribution to UN Women, lauded bytheUNentity. and women empowerment, a contribution United Nations agency for gender equality USD 300,000tothe India hascontributed operational tactics. areas suchasjointmission planning and share thebestpracticesandexperiencesin interoperability betweenthetwoside and of boththecountriesaimedatenhancing the specialforces The jointexercisebetween Bakloh inHimachalPradeshMarch2021. at SpecialForces Training School located at exercise ‘VajraPrahar2021’wasconducted The 11th editionofIndo-US joint special forces 7. INTERNATIONAL ▪ Antarctica launched 40th Indianscientific expedition to ▪ Vetrii▪ IAS Study▪ climate changelawforfinancialfirms CircleNew Zealandintroducesworld’sfirst ▪ communist the first-ever civilianleaderofthe becomes retires MiguelDiaz-canel Cuba getsnewleaderasRaulCastro ▪ ▪ Earth Sciences successfullyreturnedtoCape Antarctica (40-ISEA) hosted by theMinistryof The required Once thelaw ispassed,disclosureswill be climate-related risksandopportunities. will havetodisclosehowthey wouldmanage Under change ontheirbusiness. managers, toreportthe effects ofclimate including banks,insurers and investment legislation in New ever civilianleader,MiguelDiaz-Canel. six of powerfrom the Castroclan,in charge for Cuba marked the end of anera with thetransfer March, 2021. Bharati on27February,2021,and Maitri on8 The teamreached its destinationstation Port ofGoatoAntarcticaon7January,2021. Mormugao their journeyfromthe who began scientists, engineers, doctors, and technicians, Antarctica. The40-ISEA comprised Indian decades This achievementconcludesfoursuccessful days, includingstopovers. of around12thousandnauticalmilesin94 Town on 10 April, after completing a journey the decades, 40th Zealand the world of for law, that Indian to India's financial the to the will has AFFAIRS introduce financial commnunist require become Scientific scientific years firms the a the beginning financial first-of-its-kind Expedition country’s endeavour of first the country country sector, 2022, first- in to 52 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

which means that the first reports will be made ▪ European Commission chief Ursula von der by companies in 2023, and those unable to Leyen proclaimed that Europe will reduce disclose would have to explain their reasons. emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030. It puts ▪ This initiative is in line with the effort to us on a clear path towards climate neutrality achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. in 2050. India and Germany sign agreement on Modi to participate in climate summit ‘Cities combating plastic entering the ▪ Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join other marine environment’ global readers to participate in the Leader’s Summit on Climate, a virtual event which will ▪ The Government of India and Germany reflect the concerns of U.S.President Joe Biden have signed an agreement for Technical regarding climate change. President Biden had Cooperation in enhancing practices to prevent plastic entering the marine environment on called for the summit in March saying that the April 19, 2021, at a virtual ceremony in New event will reflect the “urgency” to stop climate Delhi. change. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Nearly 40 other world leaders are participating ▪ The project titled ‘Cities Combating Plastic Entering the Marine Environment’ will be in the summit. implemented for a period of three and a half ▪ They will represent countries which are years. members of the Major Economies Forum ▪ It will be undertaken at the national level (at (India is a member), and those vulnerable to MoHUA), select states (Uttar Pradesh, Kerala climate change, among others, The leaders will and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) and in the exchange views on climate change, enhancing cities of Kanpur, Kochi and Port Blair. climate actions, mobilising finance towards climate mitigation and adaptation, nature World Press Freedom Index, 2021 based solutions, climate security as well as ▪ The Reporters Without Borders, a not-for- technological innovations for clean energy. profit body recently published the World Press ▪ Mr.Modi will address the summit during Freedom Index, 2021. It ranked 180 countries. the Leaders’ Session 1 and speak on “Our India ranked 142 in the index. India was at the Collective Sprint to 2030”. The April 22- same position in 2020 as well. 23 summit will also feature Prime Minister ▪ Norway topped the index followed by Finland Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, British Prime and Denmark. The index was topped by Minister Boris Johnson, Canadian leader Justin Norway in 2020 as well. Trudeau, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ▪ Eritrea received the last rank in the index. among others. China ranked 177th out of 180 countries. North India Ranks 87th in WEF Global Energy Korea was at rank 179 and Turkmenistan was Transition Index 2021; Sweden Tops at rank 178. ▪ India is placed at the 87th position among 115 India in the ranking countries in the 2021 Energy Transition Index ▪ India was at rank 133 in 2016 and has been (ETI), released on April 21, 2021. sliding positions since then. Amongst the ▪ The report is published by the World Economic Indian neighbourhood, Sri Lanka was ranked Forum (WEF), prepared in collaboration with at 127, Nepal was ranked at 106, Myanmar at Accenture to track nations on the current 140, Bangladesh at 152 and Pakistan at 145. performance of their energy systems across European Union Agrees To Cut various aspects. Emissions By 55% By 2030 IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ Sweden has topped the 10th edition of the index, followed by Norway (2nd) and ▪ EU leaders agreed to set a more ambitious Denmark (3rd), Switzerland (4), Austria (5). target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030. ▪ The top 10 countries in the index are Western 52 www.vetriias.com INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | 53

and Northern European countries: Finland Missing Indonesian Navy Submarine (6), the United Kingdom (7), New Zealand (8), ‘KRI Nanggala’ found split into three France (9) and Iceland (10). parts on seabed ▪ Zimbabwe is the last ranked country in the ▪ The Indonesian navy submarine ‘KRI index. Nanggala (402)’, that went missing on 21 April World Economic Forum 2021, in the waters off the coast of Bali Island, ▪ Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland is reported to be found split into three pieces on the sea bed, at a depth of 850 meters. ▪ Founder: Klaus Schwab ▪ Founded: 24 January 1971 UN treaty force mining companies ▪ Current President: Borge Brende ▪ In June 2020, a statement signed by more than 200 organizations around the world publicly India ranked 49th in CGGI denounced transnational mining companies ▪ India has been ranked 49th in the Chandler for ignoring the threat of the pandemic and Good Government Index (CGGI), which continuing to operate as normal. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

classifies 104 countries in terms of government ▪ The statement, which was based on a report capabilities and outcomes. jointly produced by non-profit and activist ▪ Finland has topped the CGGI list, in which groups from Europe, the US, Canada and each country is measured across over 50 Latin America, criticised the extraordinary open data points. The index focuses on seven measures being taken by some governments pillars: leadership and foresight; robust laws to suppress protests against mining activity, and policies; strong institutions; financial as well as attempts to push through regulatory stewardship; attractive marketplace; global changes in favour of the mining sector. influence and reputation; and helping people rise. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 53 ▪ ▪ T.N setsrecordinjobguranteescheme ▪ ▪ Tamil NaduGovernment No morecleaningstaff, Governmentof ▪ ▪ business promotionactivities Tamil Naduisnumberoneininnovative crore person days for the State.Later,itrevised 2020-21, mark. Itstoodat33.4crore persondays.For generated intheStatecrossed the30-crore- After fouryears,thenumber ofpersondays financial year(2020-21). Scheme (MGNREGS) inthejust-concluded National RuralEmployment Guarantee implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi by COVID-19,hascreatedarecord in the Tamil Nadu,oneoftheStateshithard be called"cleaners". proclamation that allcleanerswould no longer standing demand,theChiefMinisterissued a work been doingcleaningwork.Inhonorofthe year, janitorsinvariousdepartmentshave Rule 110 of the Assembly on March 19 last According to theorder,localbodiesunder cleaners. in localbodies and various departments as staff working cleaning an orderregardingthe The GovernmentofTamilNaduhasissued India. worth Rs.11,000croreandarenumberonein far raised Rs.220 innovation industry activities Chennai IIT Career Promotion Center has so assistance oftheCentralGovernment. innovation ineducationalinstitutionswiththe is one of the leading innovators in promoting Promotion Center, announcedthatTamil Nadu President, IITChennaiInnovationCareer Prof.Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Associate of these the Centre workers had and fixed to fulfill a target their of long- 27 8. TAMILNADU ▪ ▪ MGNREGS ▪ Vetrii▪ IAS Study▪ Maharashtra’ Circleover investments ‘Itreceivedprojectsworth T.N. sees overtwofoldjumpin against theapproved 1.12 crore person days. about 1.24crorepersondays generating of persondayslastyear, target exceeded the Salem was one of those districts that the targetto32crorepersondays. compiled for The Hindu by Projects Today,an compiled for The Hinduby 573 projects worth were announced, tosecond in 2020-21, with 2019-20, when465projects worth Tamil Nadujumpedfromthe ninthpositionin retained thetopspotforasecond yearinarow. outlay, asperaprivatestudy. Maharashtra witnessing thesecond highest investment pandemic-hit 2020-21,withthesouthernState doubled toover Fresh investmentsintoTamilNadumorethan do unskilledmanualwork. household whose adultmembersvolunteer to wage rural areas by providingatleast100days of It aims to enhance livelihood security in Singh. government ofPrimeMinisterDr.Manmohan was passedinSeptember2005undertheUPA aims to guaranteethe'rightwork'.This act labour lawandsocial security measurethat Guarantee Act"orMGNREGA),isanIndian "Mahatma GandhiNationalRuralEmployment Act 2005 (or, NREGA laterrenamed as the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee as 174check-damswerebuilt. water conservationand plantation. As many impressive in naturalresources management, Kancheepuram’s performance was said to be ` 1 lakhcr. in2020-21,trailingonly employment AFFAIRS ` ` in 1,00,000 croreduringthe 1,02,652 crore, as per data a financial year ` 47,833 crore to every TAMILNADU AFFAIRS | 55

independent firm tracking investment projects Ayurvedic drug as Covid-19 cure in the country. ▪ Acting upon a letter from the Ministry of ▪ Some of the major private investments were Ayush, the Joint Commissioner (Ayurved) the `4,629 crore solar photovoltaic modules of Food & Drug Control Administration of ` project by SunEdison Energy India, a 2,500 Gujarat has issued show cause notice to a crore lithium-ion batteries project in Tiruvallur Rajkot based Ayurvedic drugs manufacturer by Lucas-TVS and a `2,300 crore plant being which had made misleading claims for its set up by Daimler India Commercial Vehicles at Oragadam, the tracking firm’s data showed. product AAYUDH advance. ▪ Clevira Ayurvedic Medicine preferred for Prestigious fellowship for T.N. professor Corona by the Apex laboratories Pvt ltd. ▪ M. Lakshmanan, Professor of Eminence, ▪ The company has claimed that its announced Department of Non-linear Dynamics, Bharathidasan University, has been selected product is the ‘first clinically tested medicine for the prestigious fellowship of the National for COVID-19 management and treatment’. Science Chairs instituted by the Department IAS Study Circle Vetrii ▪ The company has further claimed that its

of Science and Technology - Science and product is three times better than Remdisvir Engineering Research Board (SERB), for 2021. and that ‘AAYUDH Advance starts where ▪ The fellowship to promote excellence in vaccines stop’. research and development, entitles Prof. Lakshmanan, a globally renowned expert in Complaint boxes for women police the area of non-linear dynamics, to `1.5 lakh launched per month and an annual personal research ▪ Commissioner of Police Mahesh Kumar ` grant of 25 lakh. Aggarwal on Wednesday launched ▪ This honour is meant for outstanding senior complaint/suggestion boxes at four places in scientists who have superannuated and are the city to redress the grievances of women eminent for their outstanding contributions, personnel. both nationally and internationally. ▪ The boxes had been installed so that they could Integrated initiative by Chennai police seek redressal of their grievances quickly or ▪ The Chennai city police has launched an could pass along any suggestion to improve initiative to help the abandoned elderly and the working conditions of the police force. destitutes with integrated services provided ▪ They could also complain about workplace by the Corporation, the Social Welfare Department, Old age homes and NGOs. sexual harassment. ▪ The initiative named, ‘Kaaval Karangal’, rides ▪ The boxes would be opened once in two weeks, along the importance of - Right to Live Human and action would be taken within a week. Dignity - mentioned in the Article 21 of the Action taken reports would be submitted to Indian constitution. the Commissioner. Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

www.vetriias.com 55 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. (A) SriLanka (C) 140 (A) 131 (C) China (A) US (C) Rajnikanth (A) IrfanKhan (D) KabilSibal (C) IndiraNooyi (B) Sasitharur (A) Dr.SaranKumarLambale (C) Israel (A) Russia (B)Snake (C) Treespidercrab (A) Butterfly (C) Journalist (A) Economist (C) Nepal of theFederationBIMSTEC Countries? Which countryishostingthe 5 Gender GapIndex2021? What istheRankofIndiainWEF’s first COVID-19vaccineforanimals? Which nation has registered theworld’s Dadasaheb PhalkeAward? Who has been honoured with the51 Saraswati samman2020? Which writerhasbeenselectedforthe military exercisewithwhichcountry? India hasconductedVajraPrahaisthebest species ofwhichthefollowing? is a it in newsrecently, Sadasivan’ hasbeen The ‘Nacaduba sinhala ramaswamii who haspassedawayrecently? What wastheprofessionofAnilDharker (B) Bangladesh (D) 145 (B) 137 (D) UK (B) Russia (D) SalmanKhan (B) RishiKapoor (D) Singapore (B) USA (D) Shrubfrog (D) Sportsperson (B) Filmmaker (D) India th Conference st

13. 12. 11. 10. 9. Vetrii16. IAS15. Study Circle14. (C) MadhyaPradesh (A) Maharashtra (C) Shailendra Joshi (A) Nitin Gokhale (C) Tashkent (A) Beijing (C) 750kms (A) 680kms (C) Shewag (A) Ganguli (C) Meghalaya (A) Nagaland (C) Geneva (A) Rome (C) Theoutcaste (A) Sanatan Noted MarathiwriterDrSharankumar formation dayofwhichstate? state Utkala Dibasaiscelebratedasthe Parrikar: BrilliantMind,Simple Life’? Who istheauthorof book Championship tobeheldin whichcity? The 2023Men’sBoxingWorld 2020-2021? Electrification South CentralRailwayCommissioned Aces LifetimeAchievementAward? Who hasbeenhonouredwith2021Sportstar belongs towhichstate? Rabha tribesrecentlyseeninnews they are city? is headquarteredinwhich organization, the world’slargestperformingarts (ITI), The InternationalTheatreInstitute 2020 forhiswhichbook? Limbale willreceiveSaraswatiSamman, QUESTIONS 9. PRACTICE of how

much (D) Odisha (B) UttarPradesh (D) R.N.Kao (D) NewDelhi (B) Kathmandu (D) 800kms (B) 860kms (D) HarbajanSingh (B) Tendulkar (D) Assam (B) Tripura (D) Moscow (B) Paris (D) Akkarmashi (B) Bahujan (B) Shiv Aroor kms of ‘Manohar track in PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 57

17. Nobel Laureate Isamu Akasaki of Japan has 26. C-vigil has been introduced to report passed away recently. He won the Nobel complaints of which sector? Prize in which field? (A) Income tax (A) Medicine (B) Economics (B) Election Commission (C) Chemistry (D) Physics (C) Bond registration 18. A 25-year “strategic cooperation agreement” (D) Department of Transportation has been signed between China and which 27. The world’s tallest railway bridge is being country? built over which river in Jammu and (A) India (B) Australia Kashmir? (C) America (D) Iran (A) Chenab (B) Ravi 19. Indian Air Force has received how many (C) Bias (D) Satlaj Rafales from France so far? 28. What is the Theme of the World Health day (A) 12 (B) 13 2021?

(C) 14 (D) 15 IAS Study Circle Vetrii (A) away from COVID-19

20. The central government has decided to (B) Building a fairer, healthier world for retain what percent of inflation target for everyone 2021-2026? (C) Vaccine for all (A) 2.5% (B) 3% (D) Immediate concern on world (C) 2% (D) 4% population 21. Who is the current India Chief Election 29. N.V Ramana is appointed as ______th Commissioner? chief justice of India? (A) Sathya Prabha Sahoo (A) 40 (B) 42 (B) Sunil Arora (C) 44 (D) 48 (C) Sakthikatha Das (D) Naresh Gupta 30. Recently Bhagwati Singh passed away. She 22. Which state has become the first one to give was related to the which field? health insurance scheme to all its residents? (A) Politics (B) Author (A) Madhya Pradesh (B) Telangana (C) Sports (D) Actress (C) Tamil Nadu (D) Rajasthan 31. Who was appointed as new director general 23. Which nation has registered the world’s of National Council of Applied Economic first-ever COVID-19 vaccine for animals? Research? (A) US (B) China (A) Anish Khare (B) Poonam Gupta (C) Russia (D) India (C) Malvika Bansod (D) Pratyush Shukla 24. Which railway zone has become India’s first electrified railway zone in the country? 32. Who is the Vice Chancellor of Gandhigram Rural University? (A) Northern Zone (B) West Central Zone (A) S. Madheeswaran (C) South Central Zone (B) Narayana Guru (D) East Central Zone (C) Karna Kumar singh (D) Chandra Rajan 25. India’s biggest floating solar plant with 33. Where was the first session of the National 100MW power generation capacity will be IAS Study Circle Vetrii

set up in which state? Green Tribunal held? (A) Telangana (B) Uttar Pradesh (A) Chennai (B) New Delhi (C) Andhra Pradesh (D) Karnataka (C) Kolkata (D) Bhopal

www.vetriias.com 57 58 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

34. Who is the author of book My Mother My 43. Lost Golden City has been discovered in Hero? which nation? (A) Achyuta Sananta (A) Greece (B) Rome (B) Biswa Bhushan (C) Spain (D) Egypt (C) PN Murthy 44. In which year was the target set for the (D) R Gopalakrishnan implementation of the Indias Gaganyaan 35. When was World Bank founded? Mission? (A) 1940 (B) 1942 (A) 2022 (B) 2024 (C) 1944 (D) 1946 (C) 2025 (D) 2026 36. Which of these Sikh gurus compiled the 45. How many Election Commissioners work holy book Adikrantha of Sikhism? with a Chief Election Commissioner in the (A) Hak Kovind (B) Arjun Election Commission of India? (C) Ramdas (A) 2 (B) 3 (D) Guru Govind Singh IAS Study Circle Vetrii (C) 4 (D) 5

37. In which category is the ‘Double Mutant’ 46. Which country has topped the Inclusive corona classified? Internet Index 2021? (A) B.1.617 (B) B.2.617 (A) Australia (B) Sweden (C) B.3.617 (C) Norway (D) China (D) B.1.618 47. India has signed an agreement with which 38. Who among the following has been selected country for cooperation in India’s first for the Chhattisgarh Veerni Award? human space mission, Gaganyaan? (A) Hima Das (B) Dutee Chand (A) Russia (B) Israel (C) Saina Nehwal (D) Mary Kom (C) United States (D) France th 39. Who is the longest serving royal consort in 48. What is the name of 40 Antarctic Scientists the English royal family? Research Committee? (A) Philip (B) Edward (A) Viveganandar (B) Bharathi (C) Johnson (D) John Louy (C) V.O.C Chitharambaram (D) Rabin Hit 40. Who wrote the book titled “Odisha Itihas”? 49. Recently the central government cleared (A) Utkal Kesari `110 cr ROPAX Jetty Project on Dhamra (B) Dharmendra Pradhan river in which state? (C) Barthru Hari (A) Himachal Pradesh (D) Mahadap (B) TamilNadu 41. When is the world homeopathy day (C) Odisha observed? (D) Assam (A) April 9 (B) April 10 50. When was the National Fire and Rescue (C) April 11 (D) April 12 Force day observed? 42. Which of the following institution has (A) April 16 (B) April 17 published the Global Wind Report, 2021? (C) April 18 (D) April 19 (A) International Energy Agency

Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii 51. What is the name of the India satellite for

(B) Global Wind Energy Council studying the Sun? (C) International Renewable Energy Agency (A) Aditya (B) Aditya L1 (D) International Energy Forum (C) Verdamis (D) Aditya C1

58 www.vetriias.com PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 59

52. Which Indian state has attracted the most investments during the period 2020- 21 61. Which is the second largest land animal in during the curfew? the world? (A) Maharashtra (B) Tamil Nadu (A) Horse (B) Elephant (C) Gujarat (D) Uttar Pradesh (C) Hippopotamus 53. Where is the Thwaites Glacier located? (D) None of the above (A) Antarctica (B) Greenland 62. Which Country has ranked first in Henley (C) Norway (D) Finland Passport Index? 54. Which of the following renewable energy (A) Australia (B) Japan sources is targeted to generate Giga watts of (C) Japan (D) Singapore electricity within 2030 India? 63. When is the National Civil Services Day (A) 175 GW (B) 250 GW observed?

(C) 400 GW (D) 450GW IAS Study Circle Vetrii (A) April 20 (B) April 21

(C) April 22 (D) April 23 55. In which state has hoop plate bats been found recently? 64. Which space agency has made history with (A) Nagaland (B) Meghalaya successful flight on Planet Mars? (C) Sikkim (D) Assam (A) NASA (B) ISRO (C) JAXA (D) ESA 56. What is the long period average of monsoon rainfall in India as per IMD? 65. Recently which former RBI governor passed (A) 88 cm (B) 96 cm away in Hyderabad due to Covid 19? (C) 102 cm (D) 86 cm (A) Rakesh Sharma (B) C Rangarajan 57. Hot Springs and Gogra post have been in (C) Viral Achrya news recently, where are they located? (D) M Narasimhan (A) Ladakh (B) Jammu Kashmir 66. According to the report of Care Ratings 2021, (C) Sikkim what will be the Percentage of Economic (D) Arunachal Pradesh Growth in India in 2022? 58. Who has been appointed as the Cuba’s new (A) 10.5% (B) 10.2% leader? (C) 11.5% (D) 11.2% (A) Miguel Diaz Canel 67. Who became the country’s 68th (B) Raul castro Grandmaster? (C) Fidel Constantin (A) Arjun Kalyan (B) Ranveer Karan (D) Robert Castro (C) Kumar Sen 59. Who has been appointed as the SIDBI (D) Soundhar Kumar chairman and Managing director? 68. When is Earth day observed? (A) Rajan sen (B) Navneeth kumar (A) April 21st (B) April 22nd (C) Siva subramaniyam (C) April 23rd (D) April 25th (D) Raman singh 69. Who has been appointed as the chairperson 60. Ravi Kumar Dahiya has won gold for India IAS Study Circle Vetrii of the Nasscom?

in which sports event? (A) Navdeep singh (B) Rogan sen (A) Boxing (B) Weightlifting (C) Rekha M.Menon (C) Shooting (D) Wrestling (D) Anysiya Menon www.vetriias.com 59 60 | Current Affairs, April - 2021 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

70. Which of the following Articles provided 79. Tennager Arjun Kalyan became India’s the Comptroller and Auditor mentioned in 68thChess Grandmaster. He hails from the Constitution of India? which state? (A) 148 (B) 147 (A) Tamil Nadu (B) Kerala (C) 146 (D) 145 (C) Karnataka (D) Telangana 71. Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary is situated 80. Which state released the first instalment of in which state? fee reimbursement under Jagananna Vidya (A) Uttar Pradesh Deevena scheme? (B) Uttarakhand (A) Andhra Pradesh (B) Telangana (C) Meghalaya (C) Uttar Pradesh (D) Haryana (D) Madhya Pradesh 81. When was Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana 72. Which private company has recently sent launched? humans to the International Space Station? (A) 2010 (B) 2015

(A) Space x (B) Sputnik IAS Study Circle Vetrii (C) 2013 (D) 2017

(C) JAXA (D) ISRO 82. Annapurna Mountain is located in which 73. According to the State Bank of India, What country? is India’s economic growth forecast for the (A) India (B) Nepal fiscal year 2022? (C) Bangladesh (D) China (A) 11% (B) 11.5% 83. In which country is the Chernobyl nuclear (C) 10% (D) 10.4% reactor currently located? 74. 7th Phase Keezhadi excavations are being (A) USA (B) England carried out in which of the following (C) Germany (D) Ukraine districts ? 84. When is the World Intellectual Property (A) Madurai (B) Theni Day observed? (C) Sivagangai (D) Dindigul (A) April 25 (B) April 26 75. Who is the author of the e-book ‘Climate (C) April 27 (D) April 28 Change Explained – for one and all’? 85. What is the Purpose of the SWAMITVA (A) Sumaira Abdulali Scheme? (B) Aakash Ranison (A) India’s Mountains Map (C) Disha Ravi (B) India’s Forest Map (D) Kailash Satyarthi (C) India’s Villages Map 76. In which country,the World Youth Boxing (D) India’s Rivers Map Championship 2021 was held? 86. Who is known as the reformer of Indian (A) Thailand (B) Poland banks? (C) Vietnam (D) India (A) Rangarajan (B) M. Narasimman 77. From which planet has NASA recently (C) Raguram Rajan

separated O2 from CO2? (D) Manmohan Singh (A) Mars (B) Moon 87. What is the name of China’s first Mars (C) Mercury (D) Jupiter Rover?

78. How many members are in the Reserve IAS Study Circle Vetrii (A) Shiang (B) Zhurong Bank of India in Monetary policy council? (C) Zhing (D) Huo Xing (A) 4 (B) 5 (C) 6 (D) 7

60 www.vetriias.com PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 61

88. Project DANTAK was established between 95. Who has been appointed as the first women India and which of the following countries? officer commanding in Border Roads (A) Bangladesh (B) Bhutan Organisation? (C) Denmark (D) Afghanistan (A) Vaishali S Hiwase (B) Sayanthani Siwali 89. Recently which famous nuclear scientist passed away who played noteworthy role (C) Neha Gorpade in 1998 nuclear tests at Pokhran? (D) Sakshi Singh (A) LV Prabhakar 96. Which state government has won the (B) VN Narayana “E-Panchayat Puraskar 2021? (C) R Krishnamurthy (A) Assam (B) Bihar (D) K Santhanam (C) Haryana (D) Uttar Pradesh 90. Which country has the Largest spending 97. Tianhe Space Station belongs to which military base in the world? counties?

(A) India (B) USA IAS Study Circle Vetrii (A) Russia (B) France

(C) China (D) Russia (C) China (D) Japan 91. Which country hoped to launch its own 98. Who won the Sahitya Akademi Award for orbital station in 2025? his play Pisiranthaiyarr in 1970? (A) UK (B) Russia (A) Jayakanthan (B) Bharathidasan (C) France (D) China (C) Kannadasan 92. Name the author of the novel “Where (D) Pattukottai Kalyanasudaranaar abouts”? 99. Which country has launched a robot (A) Jhumpa Lahiri (B) Ruskin Bond prototype named as ‘NEO-01’ to clear space (C) Salman Rushdie (D) Amitav Ghosh debris? (A) Russia (B) China 93. When was the moon Apollo 11 mission launched into space by NASA? (C) United States (D) Israel (A) 1959 (B) 1969 100. Kri nangala ship recently seen in news (C) 1979 (D) 1989 which is belongs to which of the following country? 94. Famous writer Monoj Das hails from which (A) Thailand (B) Myanmar state? (C) Indonesia (D) Laos (A) Assam (B) Odisha (C) Jharkhand (D) Uttar Pradesh Vetrii IAS Study Circle Vetrii

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