COMPLETE COVERAGE OF MONTHLY CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL 2021 Corp. Office: # 61/3rt, 2nd Floor, SR Nagar, Near Community Hall, Hyderabad, Telangana - 500 038. Main Campus: Padmashali Seva Samajam, Opp: St. Martin's Engg. College, Dulapally Road, Kompally, Hyderabad, Telangana - 500 100. Phone: 7997992479 / 80 / 82 / 83 | Website: igniteias.com APRIL 2021 HISTORY, ART & CULTURE National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 36 Babu Jagjivan Ram 4 Multipronged nationwide mass awareness campaign launched 37 Attingal Revolt 4 National Startup Advisory Council (NSAC) 38 World Heritage day 5 DeenDayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 38 Konyak Community 5 Aahaar Kranti Mission 39 Kumbhmela 5 SWAMITVA scheme 40 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 5 SARTHAQ 40 Poet Sarla das 7 Gender Samvaad 41 GEOGRAPHY Sankalp Se Siddh 42 La Soufriere Volcano 8 ECONOMY China's aggression in Whitsun Reef 8 National Digital Currency in India 43 Red Sea 9 Power Grid Infrastructure Investment Trust (PGInvIT) 45 Valley of the Fallen 9 Madhu Kranti Portal and Honey Corners Initiative 45 Asian desert dust impact on Indian summer monsoon 10 EatSmart Cities Challenge and Transport 4 All Challenge 46 ENVIRONMENT Exclusive subsidy policy for Urea 47 Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing National Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report 11 Industry 48 Draft Amendment to Forest Conservation Act 1980 11 Shaphari Scheme for Aquaculture 48 Earth Day 12 Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 3.0 49 Disk-footed Bat 13 Startup India Seed Fund Scheme 50 Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020 13 4% Inflation target retained by Rbi's Rate Panel 51 National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem 14 Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) Scheme 52 Illegal Trade Of Sturgeon 15 Wholesale Price Index 53 Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve 15 e-SANTA 54 "Pre-Pack Insolvency Resolution" for MSMEs 55 POLITY & GOVERNANCE Index of Industrial Production (IIP) 56 Right to free movement 16 AIM-PRIME 57 Promulgation and re-promulgation of ordinances 17 Currency Manipulator Watchlist 58 NITI Aayog launches Online Dispute Resolution handbook 18 Centre promulgates Tribunals Reforms Ordinance 19 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS National Commission for Women 21 Armenian Genocide 59 CBI Director Appointments and Accountability Issues 23 India-Seychelles High Level Virtual Event 60 Article 244 (A) 24 E9 initiative 61 Central Vigilance Commission's new guidelines on Transfer 17th ministerial meet of the BIMSTEC 62 and Posting 25 Easing of Guidelines for OCI Cardholders 62 Criminalisation of Politics 26 Restoration of e- visa 63 STAR CAMPAIGNERS and Issues 27 Australia Cancels Belt and Road Deals 65 Extradition laws in India 28 EU's Indo-Pacific Strategy 66 National Commissions on Minorities 29 India-Netherlands Virtual Summit 67 Panchayati Raj in India 30 India-France sign agreement for Gaganyaan 68 De-Criminalizing Begging In India 30 UN Food Systems Summit 2021 70 SOCIETY, WELFARE & SCHEMES My Body is My Own 32 Increase in maternal deaths and stillbirths 33 Reforming our Opium Strategy 34 Immunisation Agenda 2030 35 APRIL 2021 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEFENCE & SECURITY NanoSniffer 71 Multilateral Maritime Exercise La Pérouse 83 CHAFF Technology 71 Exercise Shantir Ogroshena 83 First Image of a Black Hole's Magnetic Field 72 Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk III Aircraft 83 X-rays Detected From Uranus 73 NS Sarvekshak 84 Baikal-GVD 73 SIPRI Report in Military Spending 84 Space Debris 74 Exercise Varuna 85 Medical Oxygen 75 Python-5 air-to-air missile 86 Single Crystal Blade Technology 76 Military Farms Service 86 Ultra White Paint 77 Moon-Mars Occultation 77 REPORTS NASA Mars Helicopter Ingenuity 78 Chandler Good Government Index 88 Crew-2 Mission 79 FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge 88 Tianhe Module 80 World Press Freedom Index 2021 89 Aditya-L1 Support Cell 81 Asian Development outlook Report 90 Integrated Solar Dryer and Pyrolysis 82 National climate vulnerability assessment 91 Global Gender Gap Index 92 Page - 4 Babu Jagjivan Ram History, Art & Culture Why in the news? ?Recently, PM Modi paid tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram on his 114th birth anniversary. About Babu Jagjivan Ram ?Administrator and an exceptionally gifted orator. ?Jagjivan Ram had organized a number of Ravidas Sammelans and had celebrated Guru Ravidas Jayanti in different areas of Calcutta (Kolkata). ?In 1934, he founded the Akhil Bhartiya Ravidas Mahasabha in Calcutta and the All India Depressed Classes League. Through these Organizations he involved the depressed classes in the freedom struggle. ?In October 1935, Babuji appeared before the Hammond Commission at Ranchi and demanded, for the first time, voting rights for the Dalits. ?Babu Jagjivan Ram played a very active and crucial role in the freedom struggle. Inspired by Gandhiji, Babuji courted arrest on 10 December 1940. After his release, he entrenched himself deeply into the Civil Disobedience Movement and Satyagraha. ?Babuji was arrested again on 19 August 1942 for his active participation in the Quit India Movement launched by the Indian National Congress. ? He has also served as the deputy prime minister of India. Contributions in freedom struggle ?During India's Independent movement, Babu Jagjivan Ram founded the All-India Depressed Classes League in 1935 that worked towards equality for the 'untouchables'. ?He was extremely proficient in Sanskrit and was invited to join Banaras Hindu University by the founder Madan Mohan Malviya. Attingal Revolt History, Art & Culture Why in the news? ?The observance of the 300th anniversary of the Attingal Revolt of 1721, the first organised rebellion against the English East India Company, began at the Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan . Attingal Outbreak ?Also referred as Anjengo Revolt. ?It refers to the massacre of 140 East India Company soldiers by native Indians and the following siege of Fort Anjengo. ?The Attingal Outbreak is often regarded as the first organized revolt against British authority in Malabar, Cochin and Travancore. ?The main reasons behind the resentment was large scale corruption and the manipulation of black pepper prices by the Company. ?The chief factor at the Anjengo factor, Gyfford refused to hand over the customary gifts meant for the Rani of Attingal to the agents of the local feudal lords (Pillamar) and tried to hand them directly to the Rani at the head of a force of 140 soldiers on 15 April 1721. ?This show of force had the opposite effect and the local people rebelled, attacked and destroyed the entire force and then laid siege to the fort. ?Following the turn of events, the Company and the Rani of Attingal entered into an agreement under which; ?the Company was compensated for all losses sustained during the attack on Anjengo ?was also given the sole monopoly of trade in pepper ?the right to erect factories in places of its choice Page - 5 World Heritage day History, Art & Culture Why in the news? ?Every year, the United Nations marks April 18 as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, in many countries also celebrated as World Heritage Day Theme ?The theme for this year is "Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures". Globally, the day is promoted by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). ?ICOMOS in 1982 had decided to celebrate April 18 as the International Day for Monuments and Sites or World Heritage Day. ?Approved by UNESCO in 1983 during its 22nd General Conference, the day is dedicated to recognising sites of historical importance, raising awareness regarding them, and stressing the need to restore and preserve them. ?The day, thus, promotes cultural importance, while also highlighting the many impediments in doing so. ?Every year, a theme is proposed for the day which guides the celebrations and the many activities that ICOMOS National and International Scientific Committees and by other bodies Konyak Community History, Art & Culture Why in the news? ?Konyaks in Nagaland has declared that it will not pay ¯taxes to the myriad extremist groups in the state unless they unite for the greater cause of the Nagas. Konyaks About Konyaks ?The Konyaks are one of the major Naga ethnic groups. They are known in Arunachal Pradesh as the Wanchos. ?In Nagaland, they inhabit the Mon District—also known as 'The Land of The Anghs'. ?The Anghs/Wangs are their traditional chiefs whom they hold in high esteem. ?Facial tattoos were earned for taking an enemy's head. ?The number of hunted heads indicated the power of a warrior. ?The headhunting expeditions were often driven by certain beliefs, such as code of honour and principles of loyalty and sacrifice. ?Other unique traditional practices that set the Konyaks apart are: gunsmithing, iron-smelting, brass- works, and gunpowder-making. They are also adept in making 'janglaü' (machetes) and wooden sculptures. ?Aoleng, a festival celebrated to welcome the spring and also to invoke the Almighty's (Kahwang) blessing upon the land before seed-sowing, is the biggest festival of the Konyaks. ?'Lao Ong Mo', is another traditional harvest festival celebrated in the months of August/September Kumbhmela History, Art & Culture Why in the news? ?Recently, KumbhMela was held in Haridwar after a gap of 11 years. About kumbh ?KumbhMela is held every four times every 12 years at four different locations across central & northern India. ?It is the largest religious congregation and largest peaceful gathering on planet. ?This vast celebration attracts tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims, including mendicant nagas. ?The first written evidence of the Kumbha Mela is mentioned in Bhagvat Purana. Page - 6 ?Another written evidence of Kumbha Mela is in works of Huen Tsang, who visited India in 629–645 AD, during reign of Harsha. ?The Samudra manthan episode also has mentioned in Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, Mahabharata, and Ramayana. ?Kumbh Mela is held every third year at one of four places by rotation: ?Haridwar on the Ganges in Uttarakhand ?Ujjain on the Shipra in Madhya Pradesh ?Nashik on the Godavari in Maharashtra ?Prayagraj at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati in Uttar Pradesh ?Thus, it is held at each of these four places every twelfth year.