Current Affairs 21& 22 April 2024
Stay informed with our latest current affairs roundup for April 21 & 22 2024Â .This week’s headlines cover a diverse range of topics, from important national events in India to economic updates. We’ll delve into details surrounding the appointment of the new NSG chief, India’s coking coal import figures, and the observance of National Civil Service Day. Whether you’re preparing for competitive exams or simply want to stay in the know, this blog provides a concise overview of the week’s most noteworthy current affairs.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1) DPE granted Navratna status to National Fertilizers Limited(NFL)
On April 18, 2024, the Department of Public Enterprise (DPE) of the Ministry of Finance gave National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) Navratna status.
In accordance with Regulation 30 and Schedule III of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements (LODR)) Regulations of 2015, the NFL was reclassified from Miniratna-I to the coveted Navratna status. This upgrade signifies a significant improvement for the NFL.
About National Fertilizers Limited(NFL):
- Chairman and Managing Director(CMD)- U Saravanan
- Headquarters- Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- Established in August 1974
Click here to read from source
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
2) CAG of India & Bulgarian National Audit Office signed MoU to Enhance Audit Expertise
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and the Bulgarian National Audit Office (BNAO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Sofia, Bulgaria, to promote international collaboration.
Leading the signing ceremony, Goritsa-Grancharova-Kozhareva, Acting President of the BNAO, and Girish Chandra Murmu, India’s current CAG, signed the agreement between the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) of India and Bulgaria.
About the MoU:
Aim: To improve collaboration and knowledge sharing in the field of auditing between India and Bulgaria.
Significance:
- This MoU will offer a forum for the sharing of information and experience among auditing experts and technical teams through collaboration in training programs and mutual aid in auditing.
- The signing of the MoU is a significant step toward strengthening connections and collaboration between India and Bulgaria’s SAIs.
About Bulgaria:
- President- Rumen Radev
- Prime Minister (PM)- Dimitar Glavchev
- Capital- Sofia
- Currency- Bulgarian Lev (BGN)
Click here to read from source
BANKING & FINANCE
3) IRDAI Celebrates Silver Jubilee on 19th April 2024
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the regulatory authority governing insurance businesses and intermediaries in India, celebrated its Silver Jubilee (25th year) on April 19, 2024.
IRDAI was established as a statutory entity under the IRDAI Act, 1999, and incorporated on April 19, 2000.
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India Removes Age Limits on Health Insurance Purchase
IRDAI has abolished the age limit for purchasing health insurance plans, beginning April 1, 2024. Anyone, regardless of age, may now obtain new health insurance.
About the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI):
- Chairman– Debasish Panda
- Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana
Click here to read from source
4) NBBL and SBI introduce NCMC recharge on Bharat BillPay
NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd. (NBBL), a fully owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has integrated the SBI National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) into its Bharat BillPay platform for the convenience of travelers.
The addition of NCMC Recharge to Bharat BillPay’s biller category would allow clients to recharge or top up their cards online.
Customers may top up their NCMC cards with up to Rs. 10,000 online using Bharat BillPay-enabled portals, which accept prepaid, debit, and credit cards.
SBI NCMC cardholders may quickly and securely top up their wallets using SBI Unipay and any other Bharat BillPay-enabled digital front-end platforms.
Note: In September 2023, SBI will offer the NCMC Prepaid Card, which will allow for convenient digital ticketing fare payments in metros, buses, water ferries, parking, and other locations using one card.
Click here to read from source
5) Aegon Life Insurance Renamed as Bandhan Life by BFHL
Bandhan Bank’s promoter, Bandhan Financial Holdings Limited (BFHL), has rebranded Aegon Life Insurance as Bandhan Life.
The new logo (growing ‘bud’) and slogan ‘Bharat Ki Udaan, Bandhan Se’ have also been introduced.
In February 2024, BFHL finalized the acquisition of Aegon Life Insurance from Aegon India Holding B.V. and Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited (BCCL).
Click here to read from source
6) CRED Receives in-principle Approval from RBI for Payment Aggregator Licence
CRED, a Bengaluru (Karnataka)-based fintech startup, has got preliminary permission from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a payment aggregator (PA) licence.
A corporation typically receives final RBI clearance six months after receiving an in-principle nod.
Payment aggregators provide secure online payment systems and solutions to merchants.
Note: Juspay Technologies Private Limited, Decfin Tech Private Limited, and Zoho Payment Technologies Private Limited all acquired their final PA licenses in February 2024.
Click here to read from source
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
7) ReNew & JERA Partners to Jointly Evaluate Green Ammonia Projects in Odisha
On April 18, 2024, ReNew Energy Global PLC (ReNew) and JERA Co. Inc., Japan’s biggest power generation firm, reached an initial agreement to evaluate a green ammonia manufacturing project in Odisha.
This is consistent with India’s ambitious National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) and Japan’s clean energy transition targets.
India plans to manufacture 5 million tons of renewable hydrogen per year by 2030.
About the Partnership:
- ReNew, through its subsidiary ReNew E-Fuels Private Limited, and JERA will collaborate to examine a green ammonia manufacturing project in Paradip, Odisha.
- To generate green hydrogen, this project will use 500 megawatts (MW) of high-capacity utilisation factor (CUF) renewable energy.
- The project intends to create roughly 100,000 tons of green ammonia per year by 2030.
- Granted permission, JERA will now be able to import this green ammonia for Japan, consequently aiding the country’s clean energy transformation.
Additional info:
- In 2022, ReNew inked a framework deal with the Egyptian government to spend USD 8 billion in a green hydrogen plant in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
- ReNew has formed a joint venture (JV), GH4India Pvt Ltd, with Indian Oil Ltd and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), to launch a green hydrogen company.
About ReNew Energy Global PLC (ReNew):
- Founder, Chairman & CEO– Sumant Sinha
- Headquarter– Gurugram, Haryana
- Establishment– 2011
Click here to read from source
8) IREDA setup new office in GIFT City to promote renewable energy projects in foreign currencies (Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has opened a new office at GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Technology City) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
This will make it easier to finance renewable and green hydrogen projects in foreign currencies, lowering the financial costs associated with these projects.
Significance:
- This new project will be critical in the implementation of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, which seeks to create more than 5 million metric tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2030.
- With an investment of Rs 3.5 lakh crore, India’s storage capacity is expected to reach around 400 GigaWatts-hour (GWh) by 2030-32.
Background :
- The statement was made during a panel discussion at the World Future Energy Summit 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- In February 2024, IREDA gained clearance from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to create a wholly-owned subsidiary at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City, Gujarat.
About Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency(IREDA):
IREDA is Mini Ratna Category-I company which comes under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE).
- Chairman and Managing Director(CMD)- Pradip Kumar Das
- Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
- Established in 1987
Click here to read from source
(Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
9) Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi appointed as 26th Chief of Naval Staff (Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
The Government of India (GoI) has appointed Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar (DK) Tripathi as the 26th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy. He is now serving as Vice Chief of Naval Staff.
He will succeed Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar, the current CNS, who is retiring on April 30, 2024.
Note: R. Hari was appointed as the 25th CNS on November 9, 2021.
About Dinesh Kumar Tripathi:
- Vice Admiral DK Tripathi was born on May 15, 1964, and joined the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy on July 1, 1985.
- Vice Admiral DK Tripathi, a communication and electronic warfare expert, had an illustrious career in the Indian Navy spanning over four decades.
- He has worked as the Western Fleet’s Fleet Operations Officer, Director of Naval Operations, Principal Director of Network Centre Operations, and Principal Director of Naval Plans in New Delhi.
- He has led Indian Naval Ships (INS) Trishul, Vinash, and Kirch. vi.As Rear Admiral of the Indian Navy, he was the Assistant Chief of Navy Staff (Policy and Plans) and Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.
- He served as the Director General (DG) of Naval Operations from July 2020 until May 2021.
- He also served as the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy (INA) in Ezhimala, Kerala.
Awards:
- He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and the Nausena Medal (NM) for his services to the Indian Navy.
- During his tenure at Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, Tamil Nadu (TN), he received the Thimmaiah Medal.
- He received the coveted Robert E Bateman International Prize while enrolled in the Naval Higher Command Course at the United States Naval War College (2007–2008).
Click here to read from source
10) ACC Approves Appointment Nalin Prabhat as DG of NSG & Sapna Tiwari as Special Director of IB (Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has accepted Nalin Prabhat’s appointment as Director-General (D-G) of the National Security Guard (NSG) until his retirement on August 31, 2028.
The ACC has also accepted Sapna Tiwari’s appointment as Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for two years, beginning with her assumption of responsibility and ending with her superannuation on April 30, 2026.
Nalin Prabhat appointed as DG of NSG:
- He is a 1992 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre.
- He is now working as Additional Director General (ADG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
- He will succeed Daljit Singh Chaudhary, who has been serving as NSG’s DG (additional charge) since February 2024, when M A Ganapathy retires.
- Chaudhary is the director-general of Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB).
Sapna Tiwari appointed as Special Director in IB:
- Sapna Tiwari is a 1992 batch IPS officer from Odisha cadre.
- Currently, she serves as the IB’s Additional Director General (ADG).
- She was appointed as Special Director of IB (Level-16 in pay matrix) on a ‘in-situ’ basis, temporarily elevating the job of Additional Director.
National Security Guard(NSG):
NSG is India’s counterterrorism agency, commonly known as Black Cats. It falls under the administrative jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is established by the National Security Guard (NSG) Act of 1986.
- Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
About Intelligence Bureau(IB):
- Director- Tapan Deka
- Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
- Formed in – 1887
Click here to read from source
11) RBI Approves Appointment of Ajith Kumar KK as MD & CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank (Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has accepted Ajith Kumar KK’s appointment as Dhanlaxmi Bank’s Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for a three-year term beginning on the date he takes over.
Having previously approved an extension for J.K. Shivan as Managing Director and CEO until a suitable successor could be identified, the RBI has now given the green light for Ajith Kumar KK to take the helm of Dhanlaxmi Bank. Shivan’s original term was set to expire on January 29, 2024.
Note: The Dhanlaxmi Bank board of directors will host a meeting in due course to officially accept Ajith Kumar K.K.’s appointment, subject to shareholder approval as required by regulations.
About Ajith Kumar KK:
- He is a seasoned banker with over 36 years of experience at Federal Bank Ltd, working in credit, business, human resources, branch banking, and other areas.
- He is now the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of Federal Bank Ltd, reporting to the President.
- In 1987, he began working as a Probationary Agricultural Officer with Federal Bank Limited.
- He is responsible for Human Resources (HR), Corporate Services, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at the Federal Bank.
- In 2019, he was named Additional Director of Federal Operations & Services Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Federal Bank Ltd.He now serves as the Non-Executive Director of Federal Operations & Services Limited.
About Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd:
- MD & CEO– J.K.Shivan (As of 20 April 2024)
- Headquarters– Thrissur, Kerala
- Incorporated in– 1927
Click here to read from source
12) Keki M Mistry Took Charge as New Chairman of HDFC Life Insurance (Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
IRDAI greenlights Keki Mistry’s chairmanship of HDFC Life’s board.
The appointment followed Deepak Parekh’s resignation as HDFC Life’s Chairman and Non-Executive Director.
HDFC Life is a prominent supplier of long-term life insurance solutions in India.
Note: Deepak S. Parekh received the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India (GoI) in 2006 for his contributions to trade and industry.
Other Appointments:
- On April 18, 2024, Venkatraman Srinivasan took over as HDFC Life’s Additional – Independent Director for a five-year tenure.
- SEBI and others find him qualified to be Director, with no disqualifications.
- On April 24, 2024, VK Viswanathan and Prasad Chandran will finish their two consecutive five-year mandates as Independent Directors of HDFC Life.
About Keki M Mistry:
- In 1981, he joined HDFC Ltd, formerly home Development financing Corporation Limited, India’s leading home financing corporation. In 1993, he was named Executive Director.
- Starting at HDFC Ltd in 2000, he was appointed Managing Director (MD). His career progressed steadily as he was then promoted to Vice Chairman & MD in 2007. This was followed by another promotion in 2010, where he assumed the role of Vice-Chairman & CEO of the Corporation.
- Following the merger of HDFC Ltd and HDFC Bank, he transitioned from his role at HDFC Ltd, retiring but remaining involved by being appointed as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of HDFC Bank Ltd.
- In addition to his position as Chairman, he now serves as a Non-Executive Director of HDFC Life.
About HDFC Insurance Company Limited (HDFC Life):
- MD & CEO– Ms. Vibha Padalkar
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Established in– 2000
- Tagline– Sar Utha Ke Jiyo!
Click here to read from source
(Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
13) India delivers First Batch of BrahMos Supersonic Missiles to Philippines (Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
On April 19, 2024, India handed over the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines. This delivery marks a key milestone, following a USD 375 million defense cooperation agreement struck in January 2022 by the two countries.
Key Points:
- The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) of India and the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya joined forces to establish BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, a joint venture, which subsequently manufactures the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
- The Philippines became the first export client for the BrahMos missile under Horizon 2 of the Revised Armed Forces Modernization Programme.
- The arrangement covers three batteries of shore-based, anti-ship BrahMos missiles, as well as operator training and integrated logistics support.
- It has a flying range of 290 kilometers and a maximum speed of 2.8 Mach. The missile’s range has been expanded to 450 kilometers, and attempts are underway to increase it to 600 kilometers.
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) used a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft to ferry the BrahMos missiles to the Philippines.
- In February 2023, 21 Philippine Navy troops received operator training in Nagpur, India, which was completed successfully.
- BrahMos missiles employ Transport Launch Canisters (TLCs) for transit, storage, and launch.
Click here to read from source
14) DRDO Hands Over Indigenous Flight Control Systems for HAL’s LCA Tejas Mk1A (Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has delivered the first batch of indigenous Leading Edge Slat Actuators and Airbrake Control Modules to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for use in LCA Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft.
Hyderabad’s RCI and Bengaluru’s CMTI thus collaborated on developing the components.
Click here to read from source
(Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
IMPORTANT DAYS
15) UN Chinese Language Day 2024 – April 20 (Current Affairs 21&22 April 2024)
The UN annually celebrates Chinese Language Day on April 20th, promoting it as one of its six official languages.
The United Nations commemorated the 15th annual Chinese Language Day on April 20, 2024.
Background: In 2010, the UN Department of Public Information (formerly the Department of Global Communications) launched UN Language Day to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity, calling for equitable use of all six official languages inside the organization.
- The United Nations first marked Chinese Day on November 12, 2010. Subsequently, the observance was shifted to April 20th.
Why April 20?
- Since legend names Cangjie, the Yellow Emperor’s historian, as the creator of characters, April 20th honors him.
- The Gregorian calendar aligns with Guyu, the 6th solar term, when spring rains nurture millet.
Click here to read from source
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