Daily Current Affairs April 22 2023

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

Federal Bank signs agreement with Agri Fintech KiVi as Banking Correspondent    

• Federal Bank has entered into a Banking Correspondent agreement with Chennai-based KiVi, an agri fintech start-up operated by Agrosperity Tech Solutions, with a view to scaling and expanding its agri lending portfolio in Tamil Nadu (TN).
• Federal Bank launched the instant KCC platform in September 2022.
• It is claimed to be the first of its kind in agriculture lending, it offers farmers convenience and turnaround time.

Aim : 

• To provide small-value loans to small and marginal farmers, and is designed to facilitate efficient credit flow to underserved rural populations.
• In the initial phase of this partnership, KiVi aims to serve 10,000 farmers in Tamil Nadu.
• KiVi employs a phygital model that combines features of the lending technology platform and the last-mile channel to serve farmer households and Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) such as input retailers, output aggregators or other village entrepreneurs.

About Kivi : 

• CO, Founder and CEO of KiVi : Joby
• KiVi is a first-of-its-kind technology platform designed for farming as a business enterprise.
• It provides digital solutions and a phygital platform for the farmer to procure input, access credit, implement agronomy practices, and process and market output.

About Federal Bank : 

• Established : April 23, 1931
• Headquarters :  Aluva, Kochi, Kerala.
• MD & CEO : Shyam Srinivasan
• Tagline : Your Perfect Banking Partner

RBI allows AU Small Finance Bank to deal with foreign exchange

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted AU Small Finance Bank  (AU SFB) Licence to act as Authorised Dealer Category-I (AD-I) under section 10 of FEMA, 1999 to deal in foreign exchange.
• Recently, RBI approved the re-appointment of Sanjay Agarwal as managing director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AU Small Finance Bank for a period of 3 years.
• The re-appointment is valid with effect from April 19, 2023 till April 18, 2026.
• Besides, the regulator has also cleared the re-appointment of Uttam Tibrewal as the whole-time director for a period of 3 years.

About RBI :

• Established : 1 April 1935
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy governors : Mahesh Kumar Jain,M. Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Patra and T. Rabi Shankar

About AU Small Finance Bank : 

• Founded : 1996 as AU Financiers (India) Ltd.
• In 2017, AU Financiers (India) Ltd became a small finance bank.
• Headquarters : Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
• Chairman : Raj Vikash Verma
• MD & CEO : Sanjay Agarwal

Bengaluru tops highest digital transactions in 2022

• According to a report tabled by Worldline India, a payment solutions provider, Bengaluru (Karnataka) has topped the list of cities rampantly using digital transactions with a volume of 29 million and a value of Rs 6,500 crore of transactions.
• Bengaluru was followed by New Delhi, Delhi 19.6 million transactions worth USD 50 billion, Mumbai, Maharashtra (18.7 million transactions worth USD 49.5 billion), Pune, Maharashtra (15 million transactions worth USD 32.8 billion), Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN) (14.3 million transactions worth USD 35.5 billion) are among the top 5 cities with the highest digital transactions.
• According to the report, physical merchants like grocery stores, restaurants, clothing and apparel, pharmacy, etc. accounted for over 43% of digital transactions in terms of volume and about 40%  in terms of value.
• Around 85% of digital transactions in terms of volume are related to E-commerce space, gaming, utility and financial services.
• Education, travel and hospitality sector contributed 15% in digital transactions volume and 75% in terms of value.

About Worldline India Private Limited  : 

• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra
• CEO : Ramesh Narasimhan

RBI accepts Rs 5,500-cr bids at switch and conversion auction of govt bonds     

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) accepted bids worth Rs 5,500 crore at an auction for conversion and switching of 5 government of India (GoI) bonds against the notified amount of Rs 11,000 crore.
• As for floating rate bond (FRB) maturing in 2024, for conversion into paper to be redeemed in 2032, it accepted Rs 2,000-crore bids, as against the notified amount of Rs 4,000 crore.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Govt approves National Quantum Mission at a cost of Rs 6,000 cr

• Government approved National Quantum Mission with a budget outlay of Rs 6003.65 Crores.
• On April 19, National Quantum Mission (NQM) has been approved by the Union Cabinet to accelerate scientific & industrial R&D for quantum technologies.
• National Quantum Mission will be implemented from 2023-24 to 2030-31.
• The mission aims to nurture and develop scientific and industrial R&D in the area of Quantum Technology (QT) and create a vibrant and creative ecosystem related to it.
• It will help in Quantum Technology led economic growth and will make India one of the leading countries in the development of Quantum Technologies & Applications (QTA).
• This mission will help in the development of magnetometers with high sensitivity in atomic systems and Atomic Clocks for precision timing, communications and navigation.
• Under this mission, Four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) will be set up in top academic and National R&D institutes in the fields of Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing & Metrology and Quantum Materials & Devices.
• The T-Hubs will promote R&D in their respective field and will also focus on the generation of new knowledge through basic and applied research.
• This mission will also support the development of Single-photon sources/detectors and entangled photon sources for quantum communications, sensing and metrological applications.
• It will also help in the design and synthesis of quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures and topological materials for the development of quantum devices.
• This mission aims to develop intermediate-sca quantum computers with 50-1000 physical qubits capability.
• National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA) was announced in the 2020 budget.
• National Quantum Mission will be implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST).

Centre approves 8 projects worth ₹638 cr under Namami Gange

• The Jal Shakti Ministry’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) cleared eight projects worth ₹638 crore under the Namami Gange Programme.
• Out of these, four projects were approved for pollution abatement in the Shamli district.
• These projects amounting to around 407 crore rupees were approved with the aim to clean River Hindon, a tributary of River Yamuna.
• One project for the development of seven ghats was approved as part of preparations for the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh in 2025.
• In Bihar, a project to construct three Sewage Treatment Plants was approved.
• These projects will prevent the flow of polluted water into River Kiul, a tributary of the Ganga.
• It is an integrated conservation mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in 2014 with budget outlay of Rs.20,000 Crores.
• It is administered by the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• NMCG is the implementation wing of National Ganga Council (NGC), which replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority.

India Steel Expo 2023 – 19-21 April 2023

• The 5th edition of International Exhibition & Conference on Steel Industry – ‘INDIA STEEL EXPO 2023’ is being organized by the Ministry of Steel, Government of India along with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) from April 19-21, 2023 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India.
• The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India is extending support to the event.
• India Steel Expo 2023 will provide a unique opportunity to International Steel Producers, Technology Companies to showcase their equipment, latest technology and their best practices through Live demonstrations in 12,000 sq. meters of exhibition area and will also provide an excellent platform to buyers, sellers, technology providers, manufacturers, traders, importers, investors and and other allied organizations/ institutions from Steel industry to interact and develop healthy business relationship with Indian steel industry.
• India Steel 2023 is a conference and exhibition on the steel industry.
• It started in Mumbai on 19 April 2023.
• The Steel Ministry, the Commerce Ministry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry are jointly organising it.
• It is being attended by industry leaders, policymakers and experts.
• During the conference, attendees will discuss the topics like logistics infrastructure, demand dynamics and green steel production.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India & Canada agree to work on making defence an important pillar of bilateral relationship  

• India and Canada have agreed to make defence an important pillar of the bilateral relationship.
• Both countries have agreed to work on taking the defence relationship to the next level.

Key Highlights : 

• Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and his Canadian counterpart discussed ways to develop bilateral defence relations.
• Both Ministers also talked about potential areas of defence cooperation from UN peacekeeping training to Defence Industrial Cooperation.
• Rajnath Singh invited Canadian defence companies to invest in India.
• India established diplomatic relations with Canada in 1947.

About Canada : 

• Prime Minister : Justin Trudeau
• Capital : Ottawa
• Currency : Canadian dollar

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Mizoram declared as the happiest state in India                

• According to research conducted by Rajesh K Pillania, a professor of strategy at the Management Development Institute in Gurugram, Mizoram has been declared the happiest state in India.

Key Highlights : 

• The state has attained a 100% literacy rate and provides its students with opportunities to develop their skills and abilities even under challenging conditions.
• The report further noted that Mizoram is the second one in India to have achieved 100% literacy.
• “Mizoram’s happiness index is based on 6 parameters including family relationships, work-related issues, social issues and philanthropy, religion, COVID-19’s effect on happiness, and physical and mental health,” 
• India ranked 126th in the 2023 World Happiness Index and Finland ranked 1st in that index, following Nordic countries, such as Denmark and Iceland.

About Mizoram : 

• Governor : Kambhampati Hari Babu
• Chief Minister : Zoramthanga
• Capital : Aizawl
• National Park : Murlen National Park, Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuary : Dampa Wildlife Sanctuary, Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary

Nagaland receives approval from NMC for setting up its first medical college

• Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMSR) at Kohima will be the first medical college of Nagaland.
• It has received the ‘Letter of Intent’ (LOI) from the National Medical Council (NMC)’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB).
• The medical college will begin from the academic session 2023-24 with 100 MBBS students.
• Out of 100 students, 85 would be from Nagaland while the remaining 15 will be reserved for students from other states.
• Nagaland became the 16th state of India in 1963.
• Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIMPER), Pondicherry is the oldest medical college in India.

About Nagaland : 

• Governor : La. Ganesan
• Chief Minister : Neiphiu Rio
• Capital : Kohima
• National Park : Intanki National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuary : Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, Puliebadze Wildlife Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh to become the first state to have 100% electric vehicles in govt departments

• Uttar Pradesh (UP) will become the first state which will have 100% electric vehicles in government departments.
• The UP government has fixed a target to convert vehicles used in all government departments into Electric Vehicles in a phased manner by 2030.

Key Highlights : 

• The UP government notified the Uttar Pradesh Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy 2022 on 14 October 2022 to encourage electric vehicles in the state.
• Under the policy, an exemption has been provided from tax and registration fees for 3 years on the purchase of Electric Vehicles.
• The exemption will be valid for 5 years on the purchase of Electric Vehicles manufactured in UP.
• The UP government has also relaxed the upper maximum expenditure limit on the purchase of vehicles.
• The government has allowed the purchase of Electric Vehicles through nomination without tender.
• UP government’s exemptions will be separate from the exemptions being granted by the central government.
• A 15% subsidy will be given on the factory price of the Electric Vehicle as per the government policy in UP.

About UP : 

• Governor : Anandiben Patel
• Chief Minister : Yogi Adityanath
• Capital : Lucknow
• National Park : Dudhwa National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuary : Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary, National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary

India’s First Mangrove Pitta Bird Census Conducted In Odisha’s Bhitarkanika           

• The first-ever census of Mangrove Pitta Bird was conducted by the Odisha forest officials in the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary.
• In the first census, 179 mangrove pitta birds were sighted.
• The objective of the census is to record the growth pattern of these birds.

About Mangrove pitta : 

• Mangrove pitta are colourful birds which have black head with brown crown, white throat, greenish upper parts, buff under-parts and reddish vent area.
• It is found in mangrove forests where it feeds on crustaceans, mollusks and insects.
• The habitats of these beautiful birds are confined to mangrove forest areas in Odisha’s Bhitarkanika and Sundarban in West Bengal.
• According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the species has been assessed and classified as “Near Threatened”.
• Bhitarkanika National Park is the 2nd largest Mangrove ecosystems of India. 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

New York City tops the list of world’s wealthiest cities 2023

• New York City topped a new list of the world’s wealthiest cities in 2023, with Japan’s Tokyo and Silicon Valley’s Bay Area claiming the second and third spots.
• Mumbai featured at #21 while Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad too found a mention.
• The list, compiled by London-based consultancy Henley & Partners, ranked the cities by taking into account the number of resident millionaires (rounded off to the neared 1o0) as of December 31, 2022.
• It was dominated by cities in the United States and China — not one European city featuring in the top 10, with the exception of London.
• The report included four US cities in the top 10- New York City, The Bay Area, Los Angeles and Chicago.
• In terms of billionaires, California’s Bay Area won as 63 call the region surrounding Silicon Valley and San Francisco home.
• It was followed by New York, Beijing, Los Angeles and Shanghai.
• Bengaluru got a special mention as one of the fastest-growing cities in the Asia Pacific. The report said: “Also known as the “Garden City” and the “Silicon Valley of India”, Bengaluru has a booming tech sector.”
• The World’s Wealthiest Cities Report 2023 covered 97 cities across the world, using data from wealth intelligence firm, New World Wealth.
• Mumbai 21st, Delhi 36th, Bengaluru 60th, Kolkata 63rd and Hyderabad 65th.

India retains third spot as a unicorn hub: Hurun report

• India has retained its 3rd spot as the country with the highest number of unicorns worldwide after the US and China.
• With 68 new unicorns, India lags behind the US and China, which have 666 and 316 unicorns, respectively.
• India added 14 new unicorns since the pandemic began.
• Despite the rise, none of the start-ups made it to the top 10.
• According to the report, BYJU’s is the top-most unicorn in India, with a valuation of $22 billion, followed by Swiggy and Dream11, valued at $8 billion each.
• The report also mentioned that India and China produce more offshore unicorns than any other country.
• Founders from India co-founded 70 unicorns outside, while China co-founded 32 outside of China, compared with 316 in China.
• San Francisco retained the title of ‘World Unicorn Capital’ with 181 unicorns, up 30. New York is in the second spot with 126 unicorns, up 41.
• With 79 unicorns Beijing was down 12 to the third position, followed by Shanghai with 66.
• London with 42 unicorns was fifth, followed by Bengaluru and Shenzhen with 33 unicorns each.

India to overtake China as world’s most populous country by mid-2023: U.N.

• India will overtake China as the world’s most populous nation by the middle of this year.
• According to the United Nations Population Fund’s World Population Report, India’s population is estimated to be 1.4286 billion by mid-year of 2023, compared to 1.4257 billion for China.
• India’s population will be around 3 million more than its neighbour china.
• The United States will be in third place with an estimated population of 340 million by the end of June.
• China is ahead of India on most socio-economic parameters.
• The average life expectancy for an Indian male was projected at 71.
• The life expectancy at birth for women in India is 74 years, in China it is 82 years.
• As per the International Monetary Fund, China’s per capita income is projected to be 5x India’s ($2,601) in 2023.
• The total population of India was expected to be 1.388 billion in 2023 based on the 2011 census data, according to the report of the Technical Group on Population Projections under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare presented in July 2020.
• The youth population in the age group of 15-24 years is expected to increase from 233 million in 2011 to 251 million in 2021 and then decline to 229 million in 2036.
• Its proportion to the total population is expected to fall from 19.3% in 2011 to 15.1% in 2036.
• It came to light that the world population re ached 8 billion on November 15, 2022.
• And now, it is predicted that by mid-2023, the global population will spike up to 8.045 Billion.
• Eight countries will account for half the projected growth in global population by 2050
• These countries are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania.
• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is trust fund under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Chennai litmus test for Asian Games for India men’s hockey team

• The Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy will take place in Chennai from August 3 to 12.
• India is hosting the event for the first time.
• It will be the seventh edition of the tournament.
• Chennai last hosted an international hockey event in 2007.
• India, South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan and China will take part in the tournament.
• Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said that hosting the tournament will revive hockey in the region.

HSBC India ropes in Virat Kohli as their brand influencer

• HSBC India has roped in Indian cricketer Virat Kohli as their Brand Influencer.
• Virat Kohli will help to amplify HSBC’s purpose of ‘Opening up a world of opportunity’ as it strives to support the ambitions of an aspirational India going global.
• The company mentioned that as part of the association, a multi-media campaign featuring Virat Kohli will also be launched.
• Hitendra Dave, CEO, HSBC India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

HDFC Bank appoints Kaizad Bharucha as Deputy Managing Director & Bhavesh Zaveri as Executive Director      

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as Deputy Managing Director (MD) and Bhavesh Zaveri as Executive Director (ED) of the HDFC Bank for 3 years with effect from April 19, 2023.
• The RBI approval comes upon the recommendation of the bank’s Board of Directors.

• Prior to his elevation as Deputy MD, Bharucha, who was Executive Director, has been with the Bank since 1995.

• Prior to his elevation as Executive Director, Zaveri was Group Head – Operations, Cash Management & ATM Products 

About HDFC Bank Limited : 

• Founded : August 1994
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Sashidhar Jagdishan
• Tagline : We Understand Your World

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Defence forces to acquire 250 more Pralay ballistic missile for China front

• India is planning to buy 250 more Pralay ballistic missiles for the services to strengthen them on the northern borders, further boosting the firepower of the defence forces.
• The use of Pralay tactical ballistic missile will be the first time in the history of the service, as ballistic missiles have been cleared by the government for use in tactical operations.
• The Pralay missile will now be mass-produced and it is expected to be ready for operational service shortly.
• The Pralay missile was successfully tested twice in December 2021.

About Pralay missile:

• It is a quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile.
• It has a range of 150 to 500 kilometres, is propelled by a solid-propellant rocket motor and other novel technologies.
• Capacity: The missile can carry 350-700 kg of high-grade explosives.
• It is developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO)

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NISAR satellite to map Himalayas’ seismic zones

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have jointly developed the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite.
• The forthcoming satellite will map the most earthquake-prone regions in the Himalayas with unprecedented regularity.
• The data it will generate could potentially provide advance warning of landslides, as seen recently in Joshimath, Uttarakhand, as well as pinpoint locations most at risk from earthquakes.

Key Highlights : 

• The cost of the NISAR satellite is expected to be around $900 million (with ISRO contributing about one-tenth).
• It will use two frequency bands: L-band and S-band to photograph the seismically active Himalayan region, creating a “deformation map” every 12 days.
• These 2 frequency bands will simultaneously provide high-resolution, all-weather data from the satellite, which is expected to follow a Sun-synchronous orbit.

About NISAR : 

• NISAR was envisioned by NASA and ISRO in 2014 for the powerful demonstration of the capability of radar as a science tool.
• It will be launched in January 2024 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
• NISAR will be the first radar of its kind in space to systematically map Earth.
• It will provide data and information to manage natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

About NASA : 

• Established : July 29, 1958
• Headquarters : Washington, D.C, United States of America
• Administrator : Bill Nelson

About ISRO : 

• Established : 15 August 1969
• Headquarters : Bangalore, Karnataka, India
• Chairman : S. Somanath

ISRO to launch Singaporean satellite TeLEOS-2 on the PSLV rocket

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to launch a Singaporean Earth Observation satellite named TeLEOS-2 on April 22, 2023.
• The satellite will be launched aboard ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• This launch will be the PSLV’s 55th mission.

What is TeLEOS-2?

• ISRO launched TeLEOS-1 in 2015.
• TeLEOS-1 was the first Singapore commercial Earth Observation Satellite.
• It was developed by ST Engineering and it will provide imagery which will be used for hotspot monitoring and haze management, along with assistance in aviation accidents, search and rescue operations
• TeLEOS-2 is a 750kg earth observation satellite that has synthetic aperture radar capable of providing data in 1-metre resolution.
• It was launched into a low Earth orbit for remote sensing applications.
• It features synthetic aperture radar which can provide data in 1-metre resolution.
• ISRO has till now launched 9 satellites from Singapore.
• The PSLV-C55 is ISRO’s 3rd launch this year.

Biofire Launches World’s First Smart Gun with Fingerprint Unlock                                        

• Biofire Technologies, a Colorado-based company, has launched the world’s first-ever biometric handgun, the Biofire Smart Gun.
• The Biofire Smart Gun is the first and only biometric firearm on the market.

About Biofire Smart Gun : 

• It is a 9mm handgun that uses fingerprint and facial recognition biometrics to ensure only authorised users can fire it.
• Designed for home defense, the Biofire Smart Gun enables firearm owners to defend themselves against external threats while preventing unauthorised access and misuse.
• Identification systems have been integrated with its firing mechanism.
• The smart gun is powered by a battery.
• Some recent models of smart guns were simply based on adding sensors to existing weapons.

About Biofire : 

• Founded : 2016
• CEO and Founder : Kai Kloepfer

Mission : 

• To provide gun owners with advanced tools for keeping their families safe.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

Earth Day 2023: April 22

• Every year April 22nd is celebrated as Earth Day for the past fifty-four years it has been celebrated by billions of people around the globe.
• The Earth Day 2023 theme is “Invest in our planet”.
• Earth Day is first celebrated in 1969 when a US senator named Gaylord Nelson witnessed the effects of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA.
• He called to action on all Americans to take a stand for the environment in 1970 and thousands of colleges and universities across the United Nations organized protests for a healthy sustainable Earth.
• In 1968 the US Public Health Service organized the Human Ecology Symposium the event invited students to come and listen to scientists talking about the impact of the deteriorating environment on human health.
• In 1972 the US government formed the Environmental protection Agency and passed the Clean Air Act.
• This includes air pollution from factories and freeways as well as the loss of habitats for animals and animal extinction.
• These national rallies helped to create the US Environmental protection Agency and passed the Clean Air Act.
• In 1990 Earth Day went global with more than 140 countries participating in the event.
• In 1995 Nelson the man behind the Earth Day movement was awarded the Presidental Medal of Freedom.

Daily CA One- Liner: April 22

• Federal Bank has entered into a Banking Correspondent agreement with Chennai-based KiVi, an agri fintech start-up operated by Agrosperity Tech Solutions, with a view to scaling and expanding its agri lending portfolio in Tamil Nadu (TN).
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted AU Small Finance Bank  (AU SFB) Licence to act as Authorised Dealer Category-I (AD-I) under section 10 of FEMA, 1999 to deal in foreign exchange.
• According to a report tabled by Worldline India, a payment solutions provider, Bengaluru (Karnataka) has topped the list of cities rampantly using digital transactions with a volume of 29 million and a value of Rs 6,500 crore of transactions.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) accepted bids worth Rs 5,500 crore at an auction for conversion and switching of 5 government of India (GoI) bonds against the notified amount of Rs 11,000 crore.
• Government approved National Quantum Mission with a budget outlay of Rs 6003.65 Crores
• The Jal Shakti Ministry’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) cleared eight projects worth ₹638 crore under the Namami Gange Programme.
• The 5th edition of the International Exhibition & Conference on Steel Industry – ‘INDIA STEEL EXPO 2023’ is being organized by the Ministry of Steel, Government of India along with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) from April 19-21, 2023 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India
• New York City topped a new list of the world’s wealthiest cities in 2023, with Japan’s Tokyo and Silicon Valley’s Bay Area claiming the second and third spots
• India has retained its 3rd spot as the country with the highest number of unicorns worldwide after the US and China
• India will overtake China as the world’s most populous nation by the middle of this year
• The Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy will take place in Chennai from August 3 to 12
• HSBC India has roped in Indian cricketer Virat Kohli as their Brand Influencer.
• India and Canada have agreed to make defence an important pillar of the bilateral relationship.
• According to research conducted by Rajesh K Pillania, a professor of strategy at the Management Development Institute in Gurugram, Mizoram has been declared the happiest state in
• Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMSR) at Kohima will be the first medical college of
• Uttar Pradesh (UP) will become the first state which will have 100% electric vehicles in government departments.
• The first-ever census of Mangrove Pitta Bird was conducted by the Odisha forest officials in the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary.
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as Deputy Managing Director (MD) and Bhavesh Zaveri as Executive Director (ED) of the HDFC Bank for 3 years with effect from April 19, 2023.
• India is planning to buy 250 more Pralay ballistic missiles for the services to strengthen them on the northern borders, further boosting the firepower of the defence forces.
• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have jointly developed the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to launch a Singaporean Earth Observation satellite named TeLEOS-2 on April 22, 2023.
• Biofire Technologies, a Colorado-based company, has launched the world’s first-ever biometric handgun, the Biofire Smart Gun.
• Every year April 22nd is celebrated as Earth Day for the past fifty-four years it has been celebrated by billions of people around the globe