CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR UPSC/SSC/BANKING/ALL COMPETETIVE EXAMS (FROM 10-16 April)

The most important events and incidents which occurred in the previous week i.e. from 10th April to 16th April are listed below. These are some must know facts and news which one should read to know what things are happening around him/her. If you are a student and preparing for competitive exams then you should carefully read this post because you can get some question about current affairs in your exam from this post.

All the news are categorized properly, so that one can directly jump to the specific section he/she wants to read.

National Affairs

Political News

• Free travel of 50 KM for Divyang people in buses by Bihar government.
• Tika ustav in india from 11 to 14 April.
• 14 days Mask Abhiyan by Odisha govt.
• Meeting of high level group of ministers chaired by Dr.Harsh vardhan.
• ” Hamari sadak ” & ” Tameer Taraqqi ” App – J & K
• ” SAAMAR ” Campaign – Jharkhand govt. (strategic Action For Alleviation of Malnutrition and Anaemia Reduction)
• Umbrella Scheme of Rastriya Arogya Nidhi can give upto 20 lakh for treatment of Rare disease.
• Asian Development Bank approved a $ 484 million Loan to improve transport & road maintenance in Chennai- Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor
• President of ADB – Masatsugu Asakawa (Manilla – Head quarter )
• Tribal Health Collaborative “Anamaya” Launched by Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
• MSDE will Organise 1st Regional workshop to Understand Provisions of PMKVY 3.0 — at Gangtok.
• Virtual Summit between Modi and Mark Rutte (PM of Netherland).
• ” SARTHAQ ” – Launched by Ramesh Pokhriyal (student’s and Teacher’s Holistic Advancement through Quality Education).
• CCRH – Central council for Research in Homoeopathy Organised a 2 day conference (10 – 11 April) at Vigyan Bhawan (New Delhi).
• Narendra Modi Released Hindi translation of book “Odisha Itihaas ” Written by Harekrushna Mahatab at Ambedkar International Centre.
• “Remdesivir ” injection’s export has been prohibited by India.
• Ramesh Pokhriyal presented AICTE lilavati Awards 2020 on Women empowerment under 6 Sub Categories on 11 th April.
• Narendra Singh Tomar launched “MadhuKranti ” portal to bring transparency on sourcing of honey.
• Also “Honey corner ” Launched in NAFED’s store for sale of Honey.
• Brand ambassador for Punjab’s anti – corona virus Vaccination programme – Sonu Sood.
• Sushil chandra became CEC from 13 April (Chief Election Commissioner). Sunil Arora was previously in this position.
• 6 th edition of Raisina Dialogue was inaugurated by P.M. Modi on 13th April.
• commemorative Postage stamp released by Venkaiah Naidu in memory of Kumaris Rajyo gini Dadi Janko.
• National Highway Authority of India has planted 1 crore plant in past 3 years and geotagged them to monitor them.
• French foreign Minister – Jean Yves Le Drian visited india for 3 days.
• ” 75 ” Series Pension Awarness Launched by Dr. Jitendra Singh.
• Piyush Goyal launched DGFT ” Trade facilitation” Mobile app on 12th April.
• “ Aahaar Kranti “ movement by launched by Dr. Harsh Vardhan. – 13th April.
• CllIT (Centre for Invention, innovation, incubation and Training) inaugurated in J&K.
• 3rd ” Deputy Lokayukta ” in Up – Surendra Kumar Yadav.
• Digital Round Table conference held in Delhi by Environment minister – Gopal Rai on 12 April
• “e- SANTA” inaugurated by Piyush Goyal, it is an electronic market place platform to connect aqua farmers and buyers.
• Kalinga Retna Award 2021 own by Biswa Bhusan Harischandan (CM of Andhra Pradesh). It was given by vice-president Venkaiah Naidu.
• President of World Bank Group – David Malpas and Nirmala Sitaraman met for a meeting virtually on 13 April.
• Top position of National level for successful implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGsY) – Udhampur dist. of J & K.
• A package Rs 5, 476 crore has been announced for weaker section of the people by Maharashtra Govt.
• P.M Modi addressed 95th annual meet of the Association of Indian Universities.- 14th Apr.
• ” Poshan Gyan ” Launched by Ashoka University Under NITI go Aayog in ” Partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• C.M.of Haryan – Manohar Lal .He approved a land of 200 acres for New AllMs building at Rewari.
• Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched Online Grievance Management Portal of National commission for scheduled Castes.
• A shikara Rally of over 50 boats organised on 14 April in Dal lake at Srinagar by Dircedorate of Tourism.
• “Single window clearance system ” for coal sector launched by Amit Shah.
• Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan (principal Scientific Adviser) has launched “ MANAS “ app to promote well being across age groups. MANAS – (Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System).
• Chhattisgarh govt has invoked the Essential services Maintainance Act (ESMA).
• Home Seetcetary of India – Ajay Kumar Bhalla,
• Centre has approved the transfer of Covaxin technology from Bharat Biotech to Haffkine Institute.
• 1st Woman Mayor of Bhatinda Municipal corporations Raman Goyal.
• ” Eat Smart Cities Challenge ” has been launched by Hardeep Singh Puri.
• USA and India will launch a Hydrogen Task Force under the strategic Energy Partnership.
• Winner of E- PanchayatPuraskar 2021- Uttar Pradesh.

Sports News

• 4 sailors from India will participate in Tokyo olympic.
• Chhattisgarh Veerni Award – Dutee Chand.
• Centre of excellence for Rowing discipline inaugurated at Jammu and Kashmir (Srinagar) by Sports and Youth affairs minister-Kiren rijiju.
• Anshu Mallik, Sonam Mallik, Vinesh Phogata- Women to quality for Tokyo olympic in Wrestling.
• BBC Indian Sports women of the year – Koneru Humpy (chess).
• Balbir Singh Junior passes away (hockey Player).
• Sarita Mor has won a gold medal in Asian Wrestling championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Education related News

• (295) Atal tinkering Labs (ATLs) adopted by CSIR ( Council of scientific and industrial research).
• Nano sniffer – World’s 1st Microsensor based Explosive Trace Detector – by Ramesh Pokhriyal (IIT Bombay).
• Sanskrit learning app ” Little Guru ” – will be launched in Bangladesh.
• Soliha Shabir – Youngest writer in J & K to recreate the lifetime of Habba Khatoons poetry.
• NMSHE’S ICAR Team gets rewarded by Agriculture Today Magazine for excellence in dissemination of agricultural practices and technology from lab to farm.
• INS Sarvekshak ‘ – Surevey ship to Mauritius from India.
• ” Pragyan Bharti ” and ” Bhasha Gourav” scheme launched by Assam govt
• 34 th Convocation of IGNOU – 15th April by Ramesh Pokhriyal.
• New Nutrient Rich vegetable Varieties has been released by Punjab Agricultural Universities.
• Suman Chakraborty is the winner of 30th GO Birla Award for scientific research 2021.

Banking sector News

• Development committee plenary of world Bank( video conferencing)- 103rd meeting held.
• SBI and NPCI joined hand for making UPI transaction available to all sections of population.
• SBI Funds Management Private Ltd. become the1st fund house in India to cross 5 lakh Crore of Average Asset Under Management.
• Bharti Axa life and Fincare Small Finance Bank joined hands for bancassurance Partnership.
• 1st chief Election Commissioner of India –Sukumar Sen.
• SBI collects 300 Crore from zero balance account during 2015-16 financial year (report of IIT- Bombay).
• CPP Investments (Canada Pension Plan) and RMZ Corp (Bengaluru) have announced a joint venture to invest $ 210 million.
• “Smart Up Unnati mentoring” Programme “- HDFC Bank.
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a digital initiative PNB @ Ease Across 165 Location.
• Muthoot Finance claims to be the largest gold Loan NBFC (Non – Banking Financial company) in India.
• Paytm – Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) registered over 970 million digital transactions in March 2021 (PPBL is the largest beneficiary bank for UPI transactions and registers highest success rate in Industry).
• Edcil Pays highest even dividend of Rs 12.5 Cr in 2019-20. ( CMD of EdciL – Manoj Kumar).
• The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has secured a loan of 600 Crore from Deutsche Bank (Germany’s largest Bank).
• RBL Bank and Master Cared partnered to launch a mobile based app called as “ The Pay by Bank App”.

Business and companies related News

• “Maithri Aquatech ” has set up the World’s 1st Mobile water from Air Kiosk and Water knowledge Centre in Visakhapatnam.
• Praj industry will set up sugarcane Syrup – based ethanol plant in Karnataka.
• Thomas Cook (India) Ltd entered Jammu market to set its 1st Gold circle outlet.
• Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd company to invest on electric vehicle business in next three year:
• Amazon India has launched “Mentor Connect” programme.
• Fit day, a nutraceutical start – up will invest Rs. 60 crorce in India,over next 2 years.
• Vehicle Scrapyards to be built up in India by TATA Motors Ltd.
• Flipkart partners with ‘ Adani Group.
• Spark Minda (India) partners with Ride vision(israel).
• Nykaa Fashion acquired online jewelry brand Pipa Bella.
• Coforge ‘ Ltd. (IT company) acquire SLK Global Solution.
• NITI Aayog signed an agreement with Dassault Systems Foundation.
• Agriculture Ministry has signed MoU with Microsoft for a pilot project in 100 villages of Six states (UP, MP, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh).
• Oberoi Group has signed MoU with Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL)
• Syska LED has won the tender to supply 10 million LED Bulbs in rural areas under Gram Ujala scheme.
• The competition Commission of India has approved Adani Ports and Special Economic Zones Ltd’s acquisition of an 89.6% stake in Gangavaram Port.
• Second largest IT company of India – Infosys.
• Maruti Suzuki india, has sold 1.57 lakh CNG cars in Financial year 2020-21
• Govt. will sell upto 20 % stake in National Fertilizer Ltd. (NFL) and 10% in Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF).
• Govt. has permitted the export of additional 3,675 tonnes of sugar export to UK.
• IMPCL (Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited) achieved highest even turnover of Rs 164.33 crore in 2020-21.
• TCP (Tata Consumer Products) has announced Puneet Das as president for packaged beverages business in India and South Asia.
• Dabur India Ltd. “ touched Rs. I trillion in market capitalization.
• Wholesale inflation rate rose above 7% in India.
• RS 46,030 crore has been raised through Public issues with a growth rate of 115 %. • Assets under management of mutual fund Industry has increased by 41 %.
• Larsen & Toubro Infotech Ltd. (LTI) has appointed Anil Rander as chief financial oficer.
• GMR group has announced the launch of “Aerocity” at Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.
• Citigroup exit from its Consumer franchises in India.
• Ashok Leyland along with Hinduja Leyland Finance has incorporated a company to take care of the Freight mobility business.
• Amazon India has announced $ 250 million “smbhav Venture Fund ” to invest in startups.
• India’s trade deficit in goods widened to $ 13.93 bilion in March 2021

Miscellaneous section

• India and Netherlands will work on water sector.
• Lt Col.Bharat Pannu – Leh to Manali (35 hrs 25 min cycling record ) Golden Quadriloderal Route (14 days 23 hrs 52 min)
• Rhino population of Nepal has increased by 16.5% in 5 years (from 645 in 2015 to 752 in 2020) (They are listed as ” vulnerable ” on IUCN Red List).
• India became the fastest Vaccinating Country in world.
• Chairman of Airport Authority of India- Sanjeev kumar.
• ” I am No Messiah” -Book of Sonu sood.
• 11th April – Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Jyotiba phule. (He started 1st school for girls in 1848 in Pune).
• Judgement and Orders portal inaugurated by justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud.
• Ugadi- Telgu New Year – 13th April.
• Sputnik-V (India’s 3rd Covid vaccine to get approval)
• New Deputy chief of Indian Army- Upendra Dwivedi.
• India’s 1st Electric Vehicle lithium Battery Plant will be set in state – Karnataka.
• India- Uzbekistan joint militarey excercise is called (DUSTLIK – II).
• India’s Biggest Kidney dialysis hospital- Delhi.
• India’s 1st forest healing centre – Uttarakhand.
• 1st MP to be Captain in Territorial Army- Anurag Thakur.
• Padma Shri Yogesh Praveen passes away. He was an eminent historian and expert on Awadh culture.
• Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh mass acre- (102ndAniiversary)-13th April 1919 ( General Dyer was responsible).
• founder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) – Simon Marandi passes away.
• Rajasthan became 2nd state to administer 1crore vaccine of covid – 19 after Maharastra.
• 36th Siachen Day celebrated on 13 th April.
• Baisakhi celebrated on 13th April – Punjab.
• Ambedkar jayanti – 14th April
• National Safe Mother hood day -11th Apr.
• Private Colleges in Puducherry, are partnering with Health department to check Covid surge.
• 4 books about life of B.R. Ambedkar written by – Kishor Makwana.
• NHAI will deploy (NSV) Network Surevey, Vehicles to enhance the quality of National Highways.
• Indias 1st Solar Electric RORO service will be established in Kerala.
• Facebook signed deal to buy Renewable energy, from a firm Located in Southern Karnataka.
• Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New year) -15th Apr.
• President of Walt Disney Company India and Star India- K. Madhavan.
• Former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha passes away in April.
• CEO of Independent Media Agency Madison Media – Vishal Chinchankar.
• Mc Donald’s India (west & South) Brand ambassador – Rashmika Mandanna.
• Save the Elephant Day – 16 th April.
• Director general of National Anti – Doping Agency -Siddharth Singh Longjam.
• 1st, Floating storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) in Maharashtra.

International Affairs

Trade sector News

• Zydus cadila gets USFDA (US food &drug administratim) approval to market lbrutinib capsule which can treat cancer.
• World Advertising Research Centre (WARC)- Awarded Work for media excellence to Ariel’s.
• Development committee plenary of world Bank( video conferencing)- 103rd meeting held.
• 1st country to implement largest free trade aggreement “RCEP”- SINGAPORE.
• Microsoft to buy Nuance Communications for $ 16 billion which is a speech – recognition firm.
• Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have launched the construction of an internation center for trade and economic Cooperation called “central Asia.”
• One web signs MoU with Kazakhstan government.
• “Qntrl” launched by Zoho Corp to address gap in work flow process management.
• Toshiba Corp’s new CEO – Satoshi Tsunakawa (former CEO – Nobuaki Kurumatani).
• IFC (International Finance Corporation) is partnering with JC flowers and will invest $100 million.
• Apple has announced $ 200 million Restore fund for Carbon removal initiative.

Political News

• New President of Kosovo – Vjosa Osmani.
• PM of Niger – Ouhoumoudov Mahamadov (newly appointed by President of Niger – Mohamed Bazoum).
• President of Seychelles – H.E. Wavel Ram Kalowan.
• A 10 day Multinational military exercise called “ Shantir Ogrosena “ culminated on 12 April in Bangladesh.(Bangladesh, Bhutan & Srilankan army took part in it).
• Vietnam’s new P.M – Minh chinh
• Vietnam’s President – Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
• leader of Hong Kong -Carrie Lam.
• Remaining troops of USA will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by 11 sept 2021.
• U.K. has added Pakistan in its 21 high risk countries list.
• USA imposed Sanction on Pakistan’s – Abid Ali Khan Translational Organisation.
• Denmark has become the 1st country in European Union to drop Astra Zeneca vaccine from covid 19 inoculation program.
• South Africa suspended jhonson & jhonson Vaccine.
• USA has announced to expel 10 Russian Diplomats.
• Haitian P.M. Joseph Jouthe has resigned from his post. (New PM- Claude Joseph).

Sports News

• ” North Korea ” will not participate in Tokyo Olympic.
• 2021 Davis Cup (Tennis) Finals will be held in 3 cities (Madrid, Inns bruck ,Turin).
• Kane Willicenuson Rewarded with Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for 4th time.( Also international Test Player of the year).
• World’s No.1 Odi Batsman – Babar Azam.

Miscellaneous News

• Prince Philip Passes away at the age of 99 (The Duke of Edinburgh) (married elizabeth – 1947) he had 69 years of reign.
• Forbes 35th world’s billionaires list -1st rank by Jeff Bezos.
• Alfred v. Aho Won- AM Turing Award 2020 (known as Nobel prize of Computing.).
• Sinopharm’s third vaccine has been approved for trial by. China Govt.
• Volcano – (La soufriere) in South Caribbean erupted on 9th April 2021.
• World Homoeopathy Day – celebrated on 10th April (Birth Anniversary of Dr. Christian F.S. Hahneman).
• Oldest space craft at Mars – Mars Odyssey space craft by NASA.(20 years in space).
• World Parkinson’s Day -11 April.(Birth Anniversary of James Parkinson). April month is known as Parkinson’s Awareness month.
• ” Nomad land ” won 4 awards of BAFTA .[BAFTA — (British academy of film and television arts)](# Best Actress – Frances Mc Dormand, # Best Director – Chloe zhao, #Best British Film – promising Young Woman)
• Ramesy Clarck (Former US attorney general and Legal activist) passed away.
• 3000 year old ” Lost Golden city ” found – West bank of Nile River in Egypt.
• World Chagas disease Day – 14th April also called as silenced disease.
• Country most affected by “ Seroja Cyclone ” – Australia
• 1st Female Astronaut of UAE.- Nurca Al Matushi.
• Chief Editor of Reuters – Alessandra Gallone from 19th April. (Former – Stephen Adler).
• Fukushina nuclear plant Crippled in year 2011.
• UAE will send rover “Rashid” to moon in 2022.
• CEO of Pfizer Inc. Albert Bourla is honoured by Israel govt. on 14th Apr.
• Bangladesh received $ 1 billion from World Bank to respond to Covid – 19 pandemic.
• Google will provide 2.5 Lakh Covid vaccine across the globe.
• Iran will purchase 60 million covid vaccine from Russia.
• Europe has surpassed 1 million Cavid – 19 death cases.
• 1st Country to bring legislation for climate change is New zealand.