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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Contents
Important Days ........................................................... 1 National News ........................................................... 33
Books And Authors ...................................................... 4 International News .................................................... 51
Awards ........................................................................ 6 Defence ..................................................................... 57
Appointments ........................................................... 11 Science Tech .............................................................. 61
Obituaries .................................................................. 15 Banking ...................................................................... 66
Index.......................................................................... 17 Sports......................................................................... 72
State News ................................................................ 23
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Important Days
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
13 April Jallianwala Bagh Massacre’s The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre took place on April 13, 1919 at Jallianwala
104th Anniversary Bagh in Punjab’s Amritsar.
14 April Ambedkar Jayanti The Day has been observed as an official public holiday throughout India
since 2015.
In 2023, we are marking the 132nd birth anniversary of Babasaheb, who
was born on 14 April 1891.
Dr. Ambedkar is known as the Father (chief architect) of the Indian
Constitution.
He was the first Law and Justice Minister of the country after the
independence.
14 April WHO World Chagas Disease The first World Chagas Disease Day was observed on 14 April 2020.
Day The day has been named after Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas, the
Brazilian doctor who diagnosed the first case on 14 April 1909.
It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma crizu.
This parasite is transmitted to humans through the triatomine bug which
is also known as the kissing bug.
15 April World Art Day Theme: Art is good for the health
First observed in 2012, World Art Day was celebrated to commemorate
the renowned artist Leonardo Da Vinci -- renowned for his incredible
artistic work ‘Mona Lisa’.
16 April Save the Elephant Day Theme 2023 is "Protecting Elephant Habitats for a Sustainable
Tomorrow".
The event was first celebrated on 16 April 2012
17 April World Haemophilia Day 2023 Haemophilia - a rare genetic blood disorder which inhibits the clotting of
blood, leading to significant bleeding during injuries and surgeries.
Theme 2023 is “Access for All: Prevention of Bleeds as the Global
Standard of Care.”
18 April International Day For Approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983.
Monuments and Sites 2023 Theme 2023 – HERITAGE CHANGES.
17 - 21 National Panchayat Awards Theme is Panchayaton ke Sankalpon ki Siddhi ka Utsav (पंचायत' के संक+प'
April Week
क, -स./ध का उ2सव)
21 April World Creativity and Theme in 2023: “step out and innovate”
Innovation Day The first UN World Creativity and Innovation Day was celebrated on April
21, 2018.
21 April National Civil Services Day First Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in 1947 at
Metcalf House, Delhi.
In his address, he called Civil Servants, the ‘Steel Frame of India’.
22 April International Mother Earth Theme 2023 is “Invest in Our Planet”.
Day The day was established in 2009 by the United Nations General Assembly.
23 April World Book and Copyright Day It is organized by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO).
The first World Book Day was celebrated on 23 April in 1995.
Theme 2023 – Indigenous Languages
24 April National Panchayati Raj Diwas 1st National Panchayati Raj day Celebrated in 2010
Balwant Rai Mehta (second Chief Minister of Gujarat) is considered as the
'Architect of Panchayati Raj ‘
24 - 30 World Immunization Week Theme 2023 – The Big Catch-Up
April
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25 April World Malaria Day Theme 2023: Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement
26 April World Intellectual Property Theme 2023 – Accelerating Innovation and Creativity: Women and IP
Day The day was first established by the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) in 2000.
28 April World Day for Safety and 2023 theme: A safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental
Health at Work principle and right at work
It was first observed in 2003 after the ILO declared it an annual
international campaign.
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"Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origin of Empire": Nandini Das
The book explores the cultural and literary exchange between England and Mughal
India in the early modern period.
The book focuses on Thomas Roe's four-year mission as the English ambassador to the
court of the Mughal emperor Jahangir in India in 1615.
Book titled ‘The bee, the beetle, and the money bug- The bank bazaar guide to the
financial wild’ authored by Adhil Shetty and AR Hemant
It has been authored by Adhil Shetty (CEO and Co-founder of Bankbazaar.com) and AR
Hemant (former journalist and now head of communications at Bankbazaar.com).
The book emphasises on the advantage of starting investments at an early age.
It explain the basics of investing, managing money and wealth creation.
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Amitav Ghosh's new book 'Smoke and Ashes' to release in July 2023
Amitav Ghosh’s new book 'Smoke and Ashes: A Writer’s Journey Through Opium’s
Hidden Histories' is all set to be released in India in July 2023.
This book explores the opium trade's effect on world history and how it continues to
hugely impact our lives today.
Other Notable works: The Shadow Lines, The Glass Palace, The Hungry Tide, Gun Island,
and The Great Derangement
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Awards
C.R. Rao wins International Prize in Statistics 2023
Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, an Indian-American statistician, has won the 2023 International Prize
in Statistics.
This award is regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in statistics.
It was established in 2016 and is awarded once every two years to an individual or team “for major
achievements using statistics to advance science, technology and human welfare.”
Rao will be honored with the prize, which carries an $80,000 cash award, at the International
Statistical Institute World Statistics Congress in Ottawa, Canada, in July.
Other notable awards of C.R. Rao - Padma Bhusan, Padma Vibhushan (2001), SS Bhatnagar Prize, Wilks Medal,
National Medal of Science
Wing Commander Deepika Misra becomes 1st woman IAF officer to get Gallantry Award
Wing Commander Mishra, a Rajasthan-based helicopter pilot, has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for
"extraordinary courage" displayed during a flood relief operation in Madhya Pradesh in August 2021. Her efforts
helped in saving 47 lives.
President had conferred Vayu Seva Medal for gallantry on her at Independence Day last year and she received the
medal from Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari at an investiture ceremony held in New Delhi
A total of 58 personnel received gallantry awards from the IAF Chief
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Central University of Kerala awards its first Honorary D.Litt to P.T. Usha
Retired Indian track and field athlete, PT Usha has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of
Letter (D.Litt) by the Central University of Kerala at Sabarmati Hall, Periya Campus.
She has won 33 medals including 19 gold in the Asian Games and Asian Championship
She was the first Indian athlete to win medals in four consecutive Asian Games and also won
six medals including five gold in the Jakarta Asian Athletic Meet in 1985
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The 68th Hyundai Filmfare Awards was held at the Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai
• Best Film: Gangubai Kathiawadi
• Best Film (Critics'): Badhaai Do
• Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male): Rajkummar Rao for Badhaai Do
• Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female): Alia Bhatt for Gangubai Kathiawadi
• Best Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Gangubai Kathiawadi
• Best Music Album: Pritam for Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Prem Chopra
• RD Burman Award for Upcoming Music Talent: Jahnvi Shrimankar for Dholida from Gangubai Kathiawadi
Filmfare Awards were first introduced in 1954
Que:Who has been awarded the prestigious Santokba Humanitarian Award for his
contributions to society?
Ans: Sonam Wangchuk
• Sonam Wangchuk - a notable engineer, innovator, educationist, sustainable
development reformist, and founder-director of the Students’ Educational and
Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL).
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• The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 crore and is presented by Shree Ramkrishna Exports (SRK) and its
philanthropic arm Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF)
• Wangchuk is the inventor of the Ice Stupa technique which creates artificial glaciers used to store winter
water in the form of cone-shaped ice piles and solve the water crisis in Ladakh.
Kiran Nadar conferred with highest French Civilian Award ‘Knight of the Legion of Honour
Philanthropist and art collector Kiran Nadar, (wife of Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL
Technologies), has been conferred with the highest French civilian award “Chevalier de la
Légion d’Honneur” (Knight of the Legion of Honour).
The award was conferred upon Kiran Nadar for her outstanding contribution in the field
of art, her commitment to providing greater access to culture both nationally and
internationally, and her leading role in fostering Indo-French cultural ties.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Que:Who has recently been conferred with the Order of Australia (AO), the highest civil honour of
Australia in 2023?
Ans: Ratan Tata
Ratan Tata has been awarded with the highest civil honour of Australia, Order of Australia (AO).
He has been awarded for his longstanding commitment to Indo-Australian ties specifically in the areas
of trade, investment, and philanthropy.
Australia’s High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell conferred the honour on Ratan Tata, the titan
of biz, industry and philanthropy.
Ukraine's President awarded Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honour
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was awarded the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's
highest award.
The award was given to him for his exceptional services to protect security, resilience and
human rights.
The Order of the White Eagle is a prestigious and highly regarded decoration of the Republic of
Poland, awarded for outstanding civil and military contributions to the country.
About Ukraine
Capital - Kyiv
Official language - Ukrainian
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Appointments
Justice T.S. Sivagnanam appointed as Chief Justice Calcutta High Court
He had earlier replaced Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava, who retired on March 30, 2023,
as acting Chief Justice. Justice Sivagnanam's tenure as a judge runs till September 2025.
He served as a permanent judge in the Madras High Court for over a decade before
being transferred to the Calcutta High Court in 2018.
Article 126 allows for the appointment of an Acting Chief Justice in the event of the Chief
Justice of India being absent or unable to perform his duties.
The President of India is responsible for the appointment of the Acting Chief Justice in consultation with
the Chief Justice of India.
Que:Who was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court?
Ans: Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan
With effect from April 20, consequent upon the retirement of Smt. Justice Sabina, Acting
Chief Justice, Himachal Pradesh High Court
Supreme Court judges retire at the age of 65, HC judges retire at 62.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh takes charge as Vice Chief of Naval Staff
He succeeds Vice Admiral Satishkumar Namdeo Ghormade who superannuated on April
01, 2023
Que: Who has been appointed as the Military Advisor to the National Security Council
Secretariat (NSCS)?
Ans: Air Marshal Sandeep Singh (Retd.)
He is a former Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force
Vayu Sena Medal in 2006, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2013 and Param Vishisht Sewa Medal
in 2022.
General Anil Chauhan was the military adviser to the NSCS before being appointed chief of
defence staff in September 2022.
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Siddhartha Mohanty has been named as Managing Director (MD) and the first Chief
Executive Officer of LIC.
Siddhartha Mohanty will lead the insurance firm as its Chairman till June 2024, after which
the position will be done away with, and then he will continue as MD & CEO till June 2025.
Founded: 1 September 1956
Headquarters: Mumbai
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The agency follows the same "norms of conduct" as other intelligence agencies in India such as the
Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing.
The agency also conducts research and development of technology to support its intelligence gathering
activities.
Headquarters - New Delhi, India
Government sets up 14-member committee to look into stalled real estate projects;
Head – Amitabh Kant
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has set up a 14-member committee to look
into issues related to completing stalled housing projects, and propose a future course of action to ensure
that buyers receive their homes.
The committee will be headed by Amitabh Kant, former CEO of Niti Aayog and India’s G20 Sherpa. It will
comprise of top central and state government officials.
The panel will suggest ways to complete and hand over the projects to homebuyers in a “time-bound
manner”.
The committee shall submit its report within six months from the date of its first meeting.
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Obituaries
Legendary Indian Test Cricketer Salim Durani passed away at 88
The former India all-rounder cricket player had played in 29 Test matches for
India from 1960 to 1973, scoring 1202 runs.
He is the only Indian Test cricketer to be born in Afghanistan.
He was the first cricketer to be honoured with the Arjuna Award. He was given
this honour in 1961.
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Que:Craig Breen, who passed away recently, was a famous rally driver representing which country?
Ireland’s top rally driver Craig Breen has passed away in an accident, due to a crash while he was driving his
Hyundai i20 N Rally1 rally car in a testing session for the 2023 Croatia Rally.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Index
PM Modi releases Tiger Census figures: Number grows to 3,167 in 2022
• PM inaugurates program ‘Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger’ in
Mysuru, Karnataka. Launches International Big Cats Alliance
• “The focus of the International big cat alliance will be on the conservation of
the world's 7 major big cats”– tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, pumas,
jaguars and cheetahs.
• 5th cycle of India’s Tiger Census revealed that tiger numbers have once again
increased in the country and now stands at 3,167 in the wild as of 2022.
• The 2018 Tiger Census, released in July 2019, had established the presence of
2,967 tigers in India.
• The animal’s population in the country has increased by 200 or 6.7 per cent in
the past four years.
• 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population can now be found in India and tiger reserves in the
country span 75,000 square kilometres.
• “With only 2.4 per cent of global land area, India contributes to 8 per cent of wildlife diversity. India
is the largest tiger range country in the world.
• With nearly 30,000 elephants, we are the largest Asiatic Elephant range in the world
• Project Tiger-an initiative to save tigers, was first initiated in the year April 1, 1973 in Jim Corbett
National Park, Uttarakhand.
• The first Tiger assessment based on this scientific methodology was done in 2006 and subsequently
in 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022.
Centrally Sponsered Scheme under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate
Type
Change (MoEFCC)
Implementing
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) (est. 2005; HQ: New Delhi)
Authority
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Members of Union Minister of the MoEFCC (as Chairperson)+ the Minister of State in the MoEFCC (as
NTCA Vice-Chairperson)+ 3 MPs, Secretary, MoEFCC
• According to the new joint report from the Institute for Energy
Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research and
Analytics, India could become the world’s second-largest solar
photovoltaic manufacturer by 2026, after China.
• India’s cumulative module manufacturing nameplate capacity more
than doubled from 18GW in March 2022 to 38GW in March 2023.
• In terms of upcoming PV manufacturing installations, Gujarat would be the leading state in India.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
• Judiciary
• Prisons
• Legal aid
Shortage of Judges
According to the report, as of December 2022, the high courts were functioning with only 778 judges as against the
sanctioned strength of 1,108.
The subordinate courts were functioning with 19,288 judges as against the sanctioned strength of 24,631 judges.
Delhi IGI Airport ranked 9th busiest airports globally in 2022: ACI Report
• The Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi has been ranked
among the world’s top 10 busiest airports by passengers traffic, as per
Airports Council International (ACI).
• It is the only airport from South and Southeast Asia to feature in ACI’s list of
the 10 busiest airports for 2022.
• The global rank of the Delhi airport is at the ninth spot for 2022.
• In 2021, the airport was ranked at 13th and in 2019, at 17th.
• Top airport – The United States-based Atlanta airport has retained its
position as the world’s busiest airport. It handled 9.37 crore passengers in
2022.
Mumbai is only Indian city on list of world’s best cities for public transport
• India’s financial capital Mumbai is the only Indian city among the list of the world’s 19 best cities for public
transport, as per the report by Time Out.
• Mumbai claimed the last spot, that means 19th spot on the list for great public transit, due to its wide-
reaching suburban rail network.
• The Time Out’s world’s best city for public transport went to Berlin in Germany.
• Second position went to Prague in Czech Republic while Tokyo in Japan ranked third.
India’s Forest cover increases by 1,540 sqkm between ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2021: FSI Report
• As per latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, the total forest cover in the country is 7,13,789 square
kilometer. This is 21.71% of the geographical area of India.
• The ISFR report is released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI),
Dehradun, biennially, since 1987 based on forest cover.
• The last survey was done in 2019.
• As per the report, between ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2021, the forest cover
has increased by 1,540 square kilometer.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
• FSI is an organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, founded in June 1981.
• State with largest forest cover in the country – Madhya Pradesh (77,493 sqkm)
• State with largest Percentage of Geographical area under forest – Mizoram (84.53)
• Maximum increase in forest cover witnessed in Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km)
US, China, India, Germany and Russia makes top 5 countries resp. with highest billionaires: 2023 Forbes Ranking
• The Forbes Billionaire List 2023 reveals that 2,640 billionaires of the world listed in the ranking hails
from 77 countries or territories.
• According to Forbes, the United States has topped the list for having the highest number of
billionaire. The US has 735 billionaires in the ranking
• China stood second in terms of the number of billionaires, at 495
• India is on third spot in the rankings with 169 billionaires.
• Germany is on 4th place with 126 billionaires, while Russia with 105 billionaires has 5th highest
billionaires.
Stanford University’s annual AI Index report: India ranked fifth in terms of investments
received by startups offering artificial intelligence (AI)-based products and services last
year.
• India ranked fifth in terms of investments received by startups offering
artificial intelligence (AI)-based products and services last year, according
to Stanford University’s annual AI Index report.
• AI startups in India received a total investment of $3.24 billion, surpassing
countries such as South Korea, Germany, Canada, and Australia.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Que: Which country was the highest source of foreign portfolio investor
(FPI) in India in FY23, as per National Securities Depository?
Ans: United States
• As per the data released by the National Securities Depository,
the overseas FPI inflow into Indian capital markets from
Mauritius witnessed the sharpest decline in FY23.
• The total assets under custody (AUC) from Mauritius declined
nearly 42 percent to Rs 3.25 trillion as of March 2023. This was Rs
5.55 trillion in 2022.
• Overall, FPI AUC fell 4.44 percent in FY23.
• The US was the biggest source for foreign portfolio investor (FPI) flows in India in FY23, with total
AUC of Rs 19.19 trillion.
• Singapore witnessed highest growth in FPI AUC in FY23.
China to be top contributor to global GDP in next five years, India second: IMF
• As per the data by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), China will be the top contributor to
global growth over the next five years, and its share is set to be double than that of the US.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
• The report by Bloomberg, based on the data of World Economic Outlook of IMF, reveals that
China share in the global GDP expansion over the next five years, through 2028, is expected to
represent 22.6% of total world growth.
• India is on second spot, representing 12.9% of the total growth.
• The US will contribute 11.3%, which is half than that of China.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
State News
Que: Which state / UTs Agriculture Production Department has launched the Kisan Sampark
Abhiyan programme in the state?
Ans: Jammu and Kashmir
The Abhiyan has been launched across 3565 panchayats in J&K.
The programme will be launched across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir and will focus on
providing farmers with information, training, and guidance on various aspects of agriculture and
allied activities.
India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge Anji Khad will be ready in May 2023
The bridge is a part of a 326-km rail line connecting Udhampur to Baramulla via Srinagar
It connects Katra and Reasi via tunnels T2 and T3 on the Katra-Banihal section.
Aim: To connect J&K to the rest of the country with all-weather rail
connectivity
The cables weight 848.7 MT and the total length of cable strands involved is
653km.
The asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge crosses the deep gorges of Anji river,
a tributary of river Chenab.
Project cost - ₹400 crore
Total length of the bridge: 725m
Short News
• Jammu & Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated a tulip garden at Sanasar in Ramban district. It is
said to be the Union Territory’s second and Jammu division’s first tulip garden, and will help boost tourism in
the region
• Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju has released the first edition of the Dogri
version of the Constitution of India at University of Jammu.
Que: Which state/UT repealed the ‘Loktantra Prahari Samman Act’ 2021?
Ans: Himachal Pradesh
The Act provides a monthly pension of Rs 20,000 and Rs 12,000 to the people who lodged in jails
during the Emergency from 1975 to 1977.
Que:Which state becomes the first to prepare a DNA database for the identification of
unidentified dead bodies?
Ans:Himachal Pradesh
The process of creating this database had started in April 2022. So far, the database holds
records of 150 DNA samples of unidentified bodies.
Que:Which state government has launched a new project, ‘Sanjeevani” to ensure that livestock is provided quality
treatment in a time-bound manner?
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Que:Which state government has recently given OBC status to the transgender community?
Ans: Madhya Pradesh
The Madhya Pradesh Government has recently added the transgender community to the Other
Backward Classes (OBC) list of the state.
* The state government has taken this decision following the directions of the Supreme Court.
* With this, the transgender community will get the benefit of reservation in state government recruitments.
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Rajgir Festival: It is celebrated every year in the month of October and is a three-day festival which showcases the
cultural heritage of Bihar.
Sama-Chakeva Bihula: Celebrated every year in the month of November.
Malmas Fair: It is held every three years in Bihar, and is considered to be one of the biggest fairs in the state.
Kolkata Metro becomes India's first metro train to run under river
Kolkata Metro reached Howrah from Kolkata through a river tunnel for the first time in India,
carrying only officers and engineers. This tunnel is built across the Hooghly River.
Services on this route of Kolkata Metro will start from this year itself. Once the services start,
Howrah will become the country's deepest metro station (33 meters below the surface).
520 meter long tunnel:
The route from Howrah to Esplanade is about 4.8 km long, of which 520 m will be completed by
tunnelling under the Hooghly river.
The Kolkata Metro tunnel is designed for a service life of 120 years. Not even a drop of water can enter the
tunnels of the river.
Tunnel built on the lines of Eurostar
This tunnel of Kolkata Metro has been built like the Eurostar trains passing through the Channel Tunnel in Europe
between London and Paris.
The work of digging this tunnel was completed by Afcons in four months (April-July 2017).
Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC):
The Kolkata Metro Rail was inaugurated on 24 October 1984 as India's first metro.
General Manager of Kolkata Metro Railway: P Udaya Kumar Reddy
Largest Bihu dance and dhol drum ensemble: Assam CM receives a certificate from Guinness World Records team
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received the official certificate from the
Guinness World Records team for the record-making achievement of the "largest
Bihu dance and largest dhol drum ensemble".
The feat was achieved by 11,304 folk dancers and 2,548 drummers who performed
at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Launching the northeast region’s first All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
near Guwahati.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
• The Government of India started Project Elephant in the year 1992 to protect elephants, their migration
routes and natural habitats.
• Assam has the second largest population of elephants in the country after Karnataka.
Amit Shah unveils 54 feet tall statue of Lord Hanuman at Gujarat's Sarangpur temple
On April 6, 2023 Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a 54 feet tall statue of Lord Hanuman at
Sarangpur temple in Botad district of Gujarat.
The idol is 54 feet tall, making it one of the tallest idols of Lord Hanuman in the country.
Que: ‘Mahila Nidhi’ is the first ever women’s cooperative fund launched by which state/UT?
Ans: Rajasthan
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot approved a proposal for giving 8% interest subsidy on loans obtained by the members of
women’s self-help groups (SHGs) from Mahila Nidhi.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
‘Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi‘ was launched in 2022, and was formed through Rajasthan Rural Livelihood Development
Council (Rajivika), with a sanction of Rs.50 crore grant for the first two years. The scheme facilitates crediting of
loans up to Rs 40,000 within 48 hours, and above Rs 40,000 within 15 days.
Mahila Nidhi is operated entirely by women and acts as a complementary body with the formal banking system.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Prominent books by VD Savarkar - "The Indian War of Independence of 1857", "Six Glorious Ages of Indian
History", and "Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?"
Que:Maharashtra Government has recently announced what percent reservation for Divyang employees in
promotions?
Ans:4 %
• Maharashtra Government has announced a 4% reservation for Divyang employees in promotions.
• The state cabinet has decided that this reservation will apply for those cadres in which the proportion of
recruitment through direct service is not more than 75 percent.
• The Cabinet has further decided that women belonging to the Open and the backward categories will no
longer be needed to produce the non-creamy layer certificate for posts reserved for them.
Que: Which state has installed AI machine to assess food quality for tribal children?
Ans: Maharashtra
• A unique artificial intelligence-based machine has been installed at Todsa Ashram School of Etapalli in
Maharashtra in a bid to improve the nutrition level of tribal children of Gadchiroli.
• The initiative was taken under project Bhamragad and eight government schools are part of it.
• Notably, the machine takes a photo of the student with her/his plate of food and within a few seconds,
without any human intervention, identifies whether the quality of the food is good.
• Capital – Mumbai
• Chief Minister – Eknath Sindhe
• Governor – Ramesh Bais
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Que:The ‘Vote from Home’ Initiative has been introduced for the first time in the Assembly Elections of which state?
Ans: Karnataka
EC first time introduces Vote from Home option in Karnataka Assembly election; 8900 persons above age 80 &
people with disability chose the option
The officials will visit such homes four or five days in advance before the polling day of May 10.
Eravikulam National Park (ENP) in Kerala becomes the first to house a fernarium
It was declared a Sanctuary in 1975 with the intention of protecting the indigenous
population of Nilgiri Tahr (highly endangered mountain goat).
However, in 1978, it was declared as a National Park considering it’s ecological, faunal,
geomorphological and Zoological Significance.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
This is also the land of “Neelakurinji”, the flower that blooms once in twelve years.
What is a Fern?
• Ferns are part of the Epiphytic family. They grow naturally in a soilless condition.
• The plants obtain water and nutrients through leaching from trees.
What are Epiphytes?
An epiphyte is a plant that does not place roots in the ground to grow but on the surface of other plants.
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Short News
• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has launched three online services to digitally empower
people.These online services are Pro-active Divyang Pension Service, ‘Tau se Poochho’ WhatsApp chatbot,
and online booking of government rest houses.
• The Kerala government has launched a project 'One Panchayat, One Playground' project to revive the sports
culture in the State by opening quality playgrounds in every panchayat.
• Bengaluru will soon have India’s first post office constructed using 3D printing technology
• Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved a proposal to set up three new medical colleges in the
state. The three new medical colleges will be established in Pratapgarh, Jalore, and Rajsamand.
• Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has inaugurated its first dedicated Branch for start-ups in Pune, Maharashtra.
• Science-20 Conference under India’s G20 presidency begins in Agartala (Tripura). The theme of the 3 day
conference is ‘Clean Energy for Greener future’.
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National News
Srinagar-Leh’s Z-Morh tunnel inaugurated
The crucial Z-Morh tunnel that connects Gagangir and Sonamarg on the
Srinagar-Leh highway was inaugurated by Minister for Road Transport
and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.
The Z-Morh tunnel is one of the two tunnels between Srinagar and
Kargil, the other being Zoji La tunnel.
Zojila Pass
Asia's longest tunnel at Zoji la would also be ready by 2024.
It is a high mountain pass in Jammu and Kashmir, located on National Highway 1
and connects Srinagar in Kashmir Valley to Leh in Ladakh region.
Under the Zojila Tunnel project, the main Zojila tunnel of 13,153 meters long. This
is known as the 'Icy Storm Pass'.
It has an elevation of about 3,528 metres (11,575 ft), and is the second highest
pass on the Srinagar–Leh National Highway after Fotu La.
The Zojila Tunnel project was started in the year 2018. It is the longest and strategic bi-directional tunnel in Asia.
Jaipur to get India’s 2nd largest cricket stadium named after Anil Agarwal
Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) has signed an MoU with the Rajasthan
Cricket Association for the development of the world’s third-largest cricket
stadium in the village of Chonp in Jaipur.
Vedanta’s HZL will spend INR 300 crore on the stadium, and it would be named
as Anil Agarwal International Cricket Stadium, Jaipur.
The stadium facilities will be spread across 100 acres and have a seating
capacity of over 75,000. In terms of the size of the playing field area this
stadium would be the largest in the world.
Naya Raipur International Cricket Stadium, Raipur (Chhattisgarh, India) – 65,400 sitting capacity
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Union Cabinet approves Indian Space Policy, 2023 to increase private sector participation in space sector
• The Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Indian Space
Policy 2023.
• The policy seeks to institutionalise the private sector participation in the space sector, and channelise the
focus of ISRO on research and development of advanced space technologies.
• The private sector will be able to take part in end-to-end space activities including building satellites,
rockets and launch vehicles, data collection and dissemination.
• The roles and responsibilities of ISRO, space sector PSU NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and Indian National
Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) have also been specified in the new policy.
• As per the policy, ISRO will not do any operational and production work for the space sector. It shall focus on
developing new technologies, new systems and research and development.
• The strategic activities related to the space sector will be carried out by NSIL.
• The INSPACe will be the interface between ISRO and non-governmental entities
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest mountain and the world’s largest free-standing mountain.
It is located in Tanzania, has an elevation of 5,895 meters (19,340 ft)
It is made up of three cones: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira.
The mountain is a snow-capped volcano. Kibo is the tallest of the three volcanic formations which is also a dormant
volcano while the other two are extinct volcanoes.
The Kilimanjaro National park was named a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) World Heritage site in 1987.
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Gond Painting
Gond painting is handprinted unique style art representing gods, goddesses,
nature, trees, the moon, the sun, etc.
The main source of Gond painting has been Dindori district.
Gonds are one of the largest tribal groups in the world.
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Cumbum Grapes
Cumbum Panneer Thratchai, also known as Cumbum grapes
A variety of grapes grown in the Cumbum Valley located at the Western Ghats in Tamil
Nadu, India.
Introduced in Tamil Nadu in 1832 by a French priest, these grapes are rich in vitamins,
tartaric acid, and antioxidants, and reduce the risk of some chronic diseases.
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Of India’s total of 190.4 million rural households, 116 million now have a functioning water tap.
As on date, Gujarat, Telangana, Goa, Haryana, Punjab and the Union territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands,
Daman Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli and Puducherry have achieved 100% coverage.
The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a flagship program of the Government of India, was launched on 15 August 2019, by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Jal Jeevan Mission is one of the largest infrastructure-building programmes in the country, which involves
installing source-to-household water tap connections.
Que:Union government has recently approved the installation of how many nuclear reactors in the country?
Ans:10
• In a significant development towards sustainable energy, the Indian government has approved the
installation of 10 nuclear reactors in the country.
• The nuclear reactors will be installed in four different states, namely, Karnataka (Kaiga), Haryana
(Gorakhpur), Madhya Pradesh (Chutka), and Rajasthan (Mahi Banswara).
• Mahi Banswara will have four reactors, while the other three locations will have two each.
• These reactors are planned to be set up by the year 2031 at a cost of Rs 1,05,000 crores.
Que:What is the name given to India’s first semi-high-speed regional rail services, launched by National Capital
Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC)?
Ans: RAPIDX
‘RAPIDX’ will run on the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors.
RAPIDX is being implemented by NCRTC to connect key urban nodes across the National
Capital Region (NCR).
It is a joint venture company of the Union government and Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and
Uttar Pradesh.
The NCRTC will commission the entire Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor by 2025.
Que:India has become the first country to develop a country-level mathematical model to estimate the prevalence
of cases of which disease?
Ans: Tuberculosis
Using this model, the data regarding TB incidence and mortality estimate for India will be available by March every
year.
The new model has been created based on the natural history of the disease, individual cases of infection,
healthcare-seeking behaviour, missed or correct diagnosis, treatment coverage, and outcome.
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CSIR scientists find rare-earth elements (REEs) in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh
Scientists at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) in Hyderabad have
discovered the presence of rare-earth elements (REEs) in Anantapur district, Andhra
Pradesh.
What are Rare-Earth Elements?
Rare-earth elements (REEs) are a group of 15 elements, including lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium,
yttrium, hafnium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, and scandium.
These elements are widely used in modern electronics, such as smartphones, computers, jet aircraft, and other
products, due to their unique magnetic, optical, and catalytic properties
The discovery was part of a study funded by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under a project
called ‘Shallow subsurface imaging Of India for Resource Exploration’ (SHORE).
Que:The Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre (JCBC) has been set up as the world’s first
conservation and breeding centre for Asian king vulture in which state of India?
Ans: Uttar Pradesh
The JCBC is built in Maharajganj district, located in the Gorakhpur Forest Division of Uttar
Pradesh.
The objective of this centre is to breed king vultures in captivity and release them in the wild to maintain a
sustainable population of the species. The Asian king vulture is critically endangered and protected under the
Wildlife Protection Act.
The state-of-the-art facility is worth around Rs 15 crore and spread over 1.5 hectares area.
Que:The Government of India aims to achieve nearly 9% share of electricity generation from nuclear sources by
which year?
Ans:2047
As per the information by the Union Minister Jitendra Singh
The rising contribution of nuclear power in India’s energy sector will help the country to achieve the commitment of
net zero target by 2070.
The other target laid down by the Department of Atomic Energy is achieving 20 gigawatts (GW) capacity of nuclear
power generation by 2030.
This will make India the third-largest producer of atomic energy in the world after the US and France.
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UIDAI, IIT Bombay join hands to develop touchless biometric capture system
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has joined hands with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
(IIT-Bombay) to develop a robust touchless biometric capture system.
The touchless biometric capture system will allow fingerprint authentication from home alike face authentication.
UIDAI, IIT Bombay join hands to develop touchless biometric capture system
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has joined hands with the Indian
Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-Bombay) to develop a robust touchless biometric
capture system.
The touchless biometric capture system will allow fingerprint authentication from home
alike face authentication.
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Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Peerah-Kunfer Tunnel at Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari today inaugurated Peerah-Kunfer Tunnel at Ramban.
The Union Minister said four more tunnels on Ramban-Banihal stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway will
be completed by next March
He said with these tunnels the distance between Jammu-Srinagar will be completed in about 3.5 hours.
The 924 meters long Tube 1 of the Peeda-Kunfer Tunnel would bypass 2.9 km congested, zigzag, and the accident-
prone area between Nashri and Ramban. The tunnel is a part of the ongoing four-lane project of the National
Highway Authority of India (NHAI) between Udhampur and Ramban on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
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Assam and Arunachal Pradesh Government ink deal to end 51-yr old border dispute
The MoU was signed on April 20, 2023 by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and CM of Arunachal Pradesh Pema
Khandu in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Union minister for law and justice Kiren Rijiju, who represents
Arunachal Pradesh in Lok Sabha.
Both the states share an 804-km long boundary.
The border dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh was going on since 1972.
There was dispute related to 123 border villages. Out of the 123 villages claimed by Arunachal Pradesh, 71 have
been resolved.
Of the remaining 52 villages, the village boundary of 49 villages is to be finalised by the regional committees in the
next six months, while three villages situated inside the IAF bombing range will require rehabilitation.
A detailed survey will be carried out by the Survey of India later in the presence of representatives of both the state
governments to determine the boundaries of both the states.
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India launches Operation Kaveri to evacuate stranded citizens from war hit Sudan
Two C-130J heavy-lift aircraft and the navy ship INS Sumedha were involved to evacuate
Indians.
Kaveri is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
India, Iran and Armenia forms new trilateral to deepen regional relations
The first trilateral political consultation between the ministries of foreign affairs of the three countries was held in
the Armenian capital, Yerevan
It is expected to open up opportunities in energy, transportation, trade, investment, and transportation etc.
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Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates National Technology Center
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the Discovery Campus of the
National Technology Center for Ports, Waterways and Coasts at IITM, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The centre was created under the Sagarmala scheme of the Ministry of Ports,
Shipping and Waterways to enable research and development for the maritime
sector in India, including ocean modelling, sediment transport, and port and coastal
engineering.
For FY 22-23, 37 projects worth Rs 2,500 crore have been approved under the
Sagarmala program
for the development of ports and developing coastal areas to support India's
economy.
India and Russia are also planning to open up ‘Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor’
in order to bolster the maritime trade between the two countries.
The concept of Sagarmala was approved by the Union Cabinet on 25th March 2015.
As part of the programme, a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for the comprehensive development of India’s 7,500
km coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and maritime sector has been prepared which was
released by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, on 14th April, 2016 at the Maritime India Summit 2016.
Que: Name the e-commerce web portal launched by Centre for artisans and weavers, so that they can sell their
handloom and handicraft products directly to customers without any middlemen
Ans: Indiahandmade.com
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• The portal will not charge any commission from sellers. It shall also provide free shipping with a return
option to customers along with multiple payment gateways to pay online.
• Products from more than 35 lakh handloom weavers and 27 lakh handicraft artisans will be displayed on the
portal from options like clothing, home decor, jewellery, accessories, and other products handmade by
skilled artisans.
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Indian Oil, LanzaJet to set up India's first green aviation fuel firm
• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is planning to set up a joint venture with US-based clean energy
technology company LanzaJet Inc and multiple domestic airlines.
• Reason: For the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
• The proposed venture will set up a plant to make SAF with alcohol-to-jet technology at the state-
run company’s Panipat refinery in Haryana at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore.
• IOC will possess a 50% share, while LanzaJet Inc will hold a 25% share.
The G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) was held in Varanasi from 17 to 19 April 2023 which
featured MAHARISHI Initiative.
The theme of the 2023 meeting: Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems for Healthy People and Planet.
The MACS discussed food and nutrition security, resilience to climate change, One Health approaches, digital
agriculture, and public-private partnerships for research, education and extension.
The meeting also featured the MAHARISHI Initiative i.e., Millets and Other Ancient Grains International Research
Initiative.
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Namami Gange
Launched: June 2014.
It was launched to serve the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation
of the national river Ganga.
It is being operated under the Ministry of Water Resources, Department of River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
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medical treatments of over 500 million Indian citizens where more than 40 million have already availed the services
in a cashless and paperless manner resulting in the citizens saving nearly 7 billion dollars.
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International News
NASA astronaut Christina Koch becomes the first woman to go around the moon
• The American space agency, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced the names of
four astronauts, who will venture around the Moon for science and
exploration under Artemis II mission.
• The Artemis II mission is the first crewed voyage around the moon in more
than 50 years. The previous human flight to lunar surface was the Apollo
program in 1972.
• The Artemis II crew members consists of three from NASA and one from CSA.
• They are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch, from NASA and Jeremy
Hansen from CSA.
• Out of these four, Christina Hammock Koch is the first ever female, Victor Glover is the first ever
African American and Jeremy Hansen is the first ever Canadian and first non- American to be sent
on a lunar mission.
Que: Who was appointed as the first chief of NASA's ‘Moon to Mars Program’?
Ans: Amit Kshatriya
• NASA has appointed Amit Kshatriya to head its new Moon to Mars
Program Office.
Israel's former envoy to India Ron Malka appointed as Haifa Port Chairman
• Adani Group has appointed the former envoy of Israel to India, Ron Malka as the
Executive Chairman of the Haifa Port Company.
• He served as the ambassador of Israel to India from 2018-2021.
• It is the second-largest port in Israel in terms of shipping containers.
• The Adani Group officially took over this port in January 2023.
• Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone and Israel's Gadot Group won the tender
in July 2022 to privatize the Port of Haifa for USD 1.18 billion.
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Que: What is ‘Magnaporthe oryzae’ which was seen in the news recently?
Ans: Fungus
• Magnaporthe oryzae’ is a fungus that causes ‘wheat blast’.
• It is currently destroying wheat crops in South America, threatening its food
security in a major scale.
• Magnaporthe oryzae infects wild and cultivated grasses, most notably rice and wheat.
• Scientists have warned that the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae could spread worldwide. Cases of
infection have earlier been reported in Asia in 2016 and Africa in 2018.
Que: Which country has become the first country in the world to approve a new malaria vaccine from
Oxford University, with children under the age of three in line to benefit?
Ans: Ghana
• The mosquito-borne disease kills more than 6,00,000 people each year, most of them children in
Africa, and scientists have been trying for years to develop vaccines.
• This is the first time a major vaccine has been approved first in an African
country before rich nations.
• Capital- Accra
• Currency- Ghanaian Cedi
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Que: In which country the first death case of H3N8 bird flu has been found?
Ans. China
World Health Organisation reported that a very rare type of bird flu in humans had been
detected for the first time in China since last year.
A Chinese woman died from a type of bird flu called H3N8 but the strain has not seen to
spread between people.
The first two cases of H3N8 bird flu were reported in China last year.
H3N8 bird flu:
• H3N8 bird flu is believed to have been circulating with its first case in North American waterfowl
since 2002.
• It infects horses, dogs and seals.
• H3N8 is common in birds but it causes no disease.
• H3N8 bird flu infects other mammals also.
• It is rare in humans and has no history before two years.
Que: Which country has recently launched an initiative to license crypto firms?
Ans: El Salvador
• Central American country El Salvador has started an initiative to license crypto
firms.
• * Cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex has become the first cryptocurrency
company to receive an official license in El Salvador.
• * El Salvador became the first country in the world to accept Bitcoin as a payment option in 2021.
Que: India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar has inaugurated the Buzi Bridge, constructed as part of
132 km Tica-Buzi-Nova-Sofala Road project in which country?
Ans: Mozambique
• The bridge has been by built by India.
• The Buzi Bridge connects the towns of Chibabava and Mafambisse.
• The project was executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
in collaboration with the Mozambique government.
• Mozambique is located in south-eastern Africa, with the Indian Ocean to
the east.
• The Portuguese arrived in 1498 and colonised Mozambique for four
centuries before the country gained independence in 1975.
• Capital - Maputo
• Official language - Portuguese
• Currency - Mozambican metical
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• The Australia Summit will be the fourth Quad leaders’ summit and the
third held in person meet. The previous in-person meeting was hosted by
Japan in Tokyo in 2022.
• QUAD stands for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.
• It was set up in 2017 by the US, Australia, India and Japan to develop a
strategy to keep critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific region free of any
influence.
Que: The ‘Study in India Pavilion’ at the Global Education & Training Exhibition (GETEX) has been
inaugurated in which city?
Ans: Dubai
• The ‘Study in India Pavilion’ at the Global Education & Training Exhibition (GETEX) in Dubai has been
inaugurated by the Consul General of India in Dubai, Dr.
Aman Puri.
• It was organized by the Services Export Promotion
Council with the support of the Department of
Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• The pavilion, spanning over 200 sqm, features more than
30 universities and edtech stakeholders of Indian higher
education.
• The GETEX is a leading education fair in the region for over 30 years.
PRET Initiative:
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the PRET initiative to be better prepared for
future outbreaks of a similar scale and devastation as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Defence
10th Bilateral Maritime exercise SLINEX-2023 conducted in Colombo
The 10th Edition of the annual Indian – Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime exercise, SLINEX-
2023 was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The exercise was conducted in two phases of three days each, the Harbour Phase
followed by Sea Phase.
The Indian Navy represented by INS Kiltan and INS Savitri while Sri Lanka Navy - SLNS
Vijayabahu and SLNS Samudura.
United States and Philippines launch biggest joint drill ‘Balikatan’ in South China Sea
The United States and the Philippines undertook their largest-ever joint military drills,
known as Balikatan, in water across the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
Balikatan means ‘shoulder to shoulder’ in Tagalog (language in Philippines).
The military drills was from April 11 to April 28, 2023.
More than 17,000 Philippine and U.S. soldiers soldiers took part
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Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) Conducts Large Scale Joint Military Exercise ‘KAVACH’
EX-KAVACH began on February 23, 2023, concluded on April 07, 2023.
EX-KAVACH aimed to fine-tune the joint-warfighting capabilities and operational synergy among
the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
The ANC is the first integrated theatre command in India. Its headquarter is in Port Blair.
Amogha-III Missile:
The Bharat Dynamics (BDL) has successfully conducted a field firing test of its latest 3rd
generation man-portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Amogha-III.
Amogha-III is an indigenous missile which has been developed under Integrated Guided
Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
It has a fire-and-forget capability and does not require external intervention after the
launch.
The missile also features dual-mode Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Seeker systems with a range of
200 to 2500 meters.
DRDO and Indian Navy successfully tests sea-based BMD interceptor missile
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy successfully conducted a maiden flight
trial of a sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal.
(Endo-atmospheric missiles operate within the earth's atmosphere at altitudes below 100 kilometres, while exo-
atmospheric missiles can complete missions in the uppermost region of the earth's atmosphere.)
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With this successful test, India has entered an elite club of nations which have the capability to fire a Ballistic Missile
Defense (BMD) interceptor from a naval platform.
Only a few countries like the US, Russia, Israel and China have fully-operational BMD system.
Que:Indian Army has tied up with which university to impart Chinese language training
to military personnel?
Ans: Tezpur University Assam
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Army and
Tezpur University for training the Indian Army personnel in the Chinese language.
Tezpur University established in 1994 by an act of parliament as a central university is
one the pioneers in the North East in the teaching of foreign languages including
Chinese
Que:With whom did the Indian Navy sign an agreement to develop secure maritime communication?
Ans: Raman Research Institute
Quantum technologies will soon be used to develop secure maritime communications in a joint effort by the Raman
Research Institute (RRI) and the Indian Navy.
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Science Tech
ISRO launched Singapore's TeLEOS-2 satellite
PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 is launched successfully on April 22, 2023 from Satish
Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
This is a dedicated commercial mission through NewSpace India Limited with
TeLEOS-2 as primary satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co-passenger satellite.
Both satellites belong to Singapore.
TeLEOS-1, Singapore's first commercial Earth observation satellite, was launched
by ISRO in 2015 and since then, ISRO has launched nine satellites for Singapore.
Que:‘Proba-3 Mission’, which will be launched aboard ISRO’s PSLV, is associated with
which space agency?
Ans: ESA
The European Space Agency’s Proba-3 Mission will be launched aboard the ISRO’s PSLV
in 2024.
Its two satellites will study the Sun’s faint corona and surrounding atmosphere.
The 340-kilogram spacecraft will be deployed by PSLV in a high Earth orbit
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• Capital- Nairobi
• Currency- Kenyan Shilling
• Continent – Africa
• President- William Ruto
• Official languages- Swahili, English
TEMPO slogan is ‘It’s about time,’. It signifies at TEMPO’s ability to provide hourly air pollution data, to help improve
life on Earth by revolutionizing the way scientists observe air quality from space.
Cloned Cow-calf:
The National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal has produced cloned female calves of the desi breed Gir, which
can produce more than 15 litres of milk per day.
Cloned Cow-calf is India’s first cloned Gir female calf named Ganga.
Cloning:
The term cloning describes a number of different processes that can be used to produce genetically identical copies
of a biological entity.
Cloning can be natural or artificial.
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Significance of LIGO-India
The observatory will be the third of its kind, made to the exact specifications of the twin LIGO, in Louisiana and
Washington.
It will significantly enhance global capabilities in the field of gravitational-wave astronomy and astrophysics.
It will provide opportunities for Indian youth to pursue research careers in cutting-edge areas of science and
technology.
LockBit Ransomware:
IN NEWS - LockBit ransomware was found to be targeting Mac devices.
A ransomware is a type of malware that hijacks computer data and then
demands payment (usually in bitcoins) in order to restore it.
LockBit, formerly known as “ABCD” ransomware, is a type of computer
virus that enters someone’s computer and encrypts important files so
they can’t be accessed. The virus first appeared in September 2019 and is
called a “crypto virus”, because it asks for payment in cryptocurrency to
unlock the files.
LockBit has been used to target companies in many different countries,
including the U.S., China, India, Ukraine, and Europe.
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Short News
• Indian Railways completes 100% electrification of Broad Gauge Rail Network of Haryana (1701 route Kms)
• The first quantum computing-based telecom network link has been activated in India and is located
between Sanchar Bhawan and National Informatics Center (NIC) office at CGO Complex in New Delhi.
• Using quantum computing, the telecommunications sector will benefit from faster and more secure
communications, which can lead to improved network reliability and better user experiences.
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Banking
Govt withdraws windfall gains tax on crude oil production
The government has removed the windfall tax on crude oil production to
nil from 3,500 rupees ($42.56) per tonne and on diesel has been slashed to
Rs 0.5 per litre from Re 1 per litre, effective from April 4, 2023.
Windfall tax: It is levied by governments when an industry unexpectedly
earns large profits.
The tax was levied in July 2022 as high energy prices led to soaring profits
for oil producers.
The decision comes at a time when OPEC+ decided to cut production.
OPEC+ is a group of 23 oil-exporting countries which meets regularly to decide how much crude oil to sell
on the world market.
At the core of this group are the 13 members of OPEC (the Organization of the Oil Exporting Countries),
which are mainly Middle Eastern and African countries.
Que:RBI has decided to launch a secured web-based centralised portal to simplify and streamline
application processes. What is the name given to the portal?
Ans: PRAVAAH
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has planned to launch a secured
web-based centralised portal named ‘PRAVAAH’ to simplify and
streamline application process for license / authorisation or
regulatory approvals from the Reserve Bank.
• PRAVAAH stands for Platform for Regulatory Application,
Validation And Authorisation.
• The portal will show time limits for deciding on the applications/approvals sought.
• Currently, the application and approval processes for the same take place in varied online and off-
line modes.
• The new system will bring greater efficiencies into regulatory processes and facilitate ease of doing
business for the regulated entities of RBI.
• The facility will be extended to all types of applications made to RBI across all functions.
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Axis Bank launches India’s first pocket-sized swipe machine ‘MicroPay’, based
on ‘PIN on Mobile technology’
India’s third largest private sector lender Axis Bank has launched ‘MicroPay’,
country’s first pocket-sized swipe machine, for accepting digital payments.
The ‘MicroPay’ has been launched along with Ezetap by Razorpay and MyPinpad
as the technical solution partners.
MicroPay is based on ‘Pin on Mobile’ technology, that converts a merchant’s
smartphone into a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal
Unified rate approved for natural gas pipeline, new rate applicable from April 1
With the ambitious objective of One Nation,One Grid and One Tariff, the Petroleum and Natural Gas
Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has decided to change the Unified Tariff
which will be applicable from 1st April 2023.
PNGRB has notified a levelized Unified tariff of 73.93 rupees per
MMBTU (Metric Million British Thermal Unit).
The rates will be implemented as per three tariff zones in the entire
gas network of the country.
This decision will give a boost to the economic development of all
regions of the country.
1 million BTU ( 1 MMBTU) = 26.8 cubic meters ( m³) natural gas.
This will facilitate the government's vision for the development of gas markets and increase the utilization
of gas in the country.
Three different Tariff Zones:
The rate will be different for a distance of 300 km from the gas source.
The rate will be different for the distance of 300-1200 km from the gas source.
The area of more than 1200 km distance will come in the third zone.
National Gas Grid
It covers Indian Oil Corporation, ONGC, Gail India, Pipeline Infrastructure Limited, Gujarat State Petronet,
Gujarat Gas Limited, Reliance Gas Pipeline, GSPL India Gasnet Limited and GSPL India Trans Limited.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
• Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) are the insurance companies that are considered
“Too Big (or Too Important) to Fail”. i.e its failure will impact the economy and insurance sector
to a great extend.
• IRDAI has chosen these three insurers on the basis of their size, market importance and domestic
and global interconnectedness whose distress or failure would cause significant dislocation in the
domestic financial system.
RBI keep key policy rates unchanged; Projects FY24 GDP at 6.5%
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to
Policy Repo Rate : 6.50%
keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.50 percent.
Other policy rates have also been also kept unchanged. Standing Deposit Facility Rate : 6.25%
RBI has projected the GDP growth rate for FY24 to 6.5 Marginal Standing Facility Rate : 6.75%
percent compared to 6.4 percent estimated in February
2023. Bank Rate : 6.75%
The inflation forecast for FY24 has been lowered to 5.2% Fixed Reverse Repo Rate : 3.35%
from 5.3%
CRR : 4.50%
RBI has also decided to develop a centralised portal to
access details of unclaimed deposits by depositors or SLR : 18.00%
their beneficiaries across various banks.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Canara Bank, Bharat BillPay tie up for cross border bill payments for Indian diaspora in Oman
Canara Bank and NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) have launched cross-border
inward bill payment services for Indians based in Oman.
NRIs can now leverage the robust platform offered by the Bharat Bill Payment
System (BBPS) to make bill payments on behalf of their families through the
Musandam Exchange.
(MUSANDAM EXCHANGE , one of the leading Exchange Houses of the Sultanate of Oman, established
during the year 1982)
With this, Canara Bank becomes the first public sector bank in India to offer inbound cross-border bill
payments through BBPS.
Mission 50K-EV4ECO:SIDBI launches new financing solution for electric vehicle space
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has announced a new
scheme named “Mission 50K-EV4ECO” to boost the electric vehicle (EV)
ecosystem in the country.
Under the scheme, SIDBI will directly provide loans to eligible small and
medium enterprises (SME) for the purchase of EVs and developing
charging infrastructure, including battery swapping.
Significance of the scheme: This scheme is a positive step to support the demand side of EV adoption in
India, especially in light of the Government of India’s FAME 2 scheme coming to an end by March 2024.
SIDBI Founded – 2 April 1990
Headquarters – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Que:Which bank has recently launched India’s 1st Voice Biometric Authentication Banking App?
Ans: City Union Bank / !सट$ य'ू नयन ब*क
• City Union Bank has launched the country’s first voice biometric authentication for logging into
mobile banking app.
• The voice biometric service was developed by Chennai-based deeptech start-up, Kaizen Secure
Voiz Pvt Ltd, under the guidance of the 5G use case lab of the Institute for Development and
Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT).
• Customers have to register their voice once, which will be validated on various parameters.
• The service will prevent fraud based on PIN / OTP and the technology is fool-proof against recorded
or mimicked voices.
• Founded- 1904
• Founders- Santhanam Iyer; S. Krishna Iyer; V. Krishnaswami Iyengar
• Headquarters- Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
Que:The coffee table book named ‘The Banker to Every Indian’ is launched by which bank?
Ans: State Bank of India
The book celebrates 75 years of Indian independence and 200 years of SBI's history.
The book aims to provide a detailed account of the history of SBI since India attained independence.
The Coffee Table Book is a tribute to the spirit of India's independence and SBI's contribution to nation
building.
It is one of the largest and oldest banks in India.
It was established in 1806 as the Bank of Calcutta and later renamed as the Imperial Bank of India.
In 1955, the Government of India nationalised the bank and it became the State Bank of India.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
• It was established on April 12, 1988, and is owned by the Ministry of Finance.
• SEBI was given more power and authority with the SEBI Act following the Harshad Mehta scam in
1992.
• SEBI has focused on protecting investors and promoting market growth over the years.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Sports
Max Verstappen wins 2023 Australian Grand Prix
• Formula One (F1) World Champion Max Verstappen [Red Bull – Netherlands] has won the 2023
Australian Grand Prix, held on April 02, 2023.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Que: The iconic Sydney Cricket Ground unveiled a gate named after which player?
Ans: Sachin Tendulkar
• To honour Sachin Tendulkar on his 50th birthday, the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia has
unveiled a gate named after him.
• Along with him, the SCG also unveiled a gate and named it after another cricketing legend Brian
Lara, who will be sharing the honour with Sachin Tendulkar.
Chennai to host the second edition of the ‘Street Child Cricket World Cup’.
• Organised by Street Child United in partnership with Shree Dayaa
Foundation
• The tournament will take place at Amir Mahal, the official residence of
the Nawab of Arcot from September 20 to 30.
• In 2019, this championship was held in London where eight teams
competed, and Team India South emerged victorious after beating
hosts England.
Argentina becomes number one football team in the world in FIFA rankings 2023
• The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) released the
latest rankings of international football teams
• Argentina topped the FIFA rankings for the first time in six years.
• FIFA is the governing body for association football.
• It was established in 1904.FIFA is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
• The current President of FIFA is Gianni Infantino, who was elected to the
position in 2016.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
India’s Priyanshu Rajawat won his maiden men’s single title at 2023
Orleans Masters badminton tournament
• Priyanshu Rajawat defeated Magnus Johannesen of Denmark, to
win men’s single title at the 2023 Orleans Masters in France.
• It was his maiden BWF World Tour Super 300 title as well as his
first appearance in the final.
• The 21-year-old Priyanshu Rajawat from Madhya Pradesh was a part of the Indian team that
registered an epic win at the 2022 Thomas Cup.
• Winners of 2023 Orléans Masters
• Men’s Single – Priyanshu Rajawat (India)
• Women’s single – Carolina Marín (Spain)
India’s athlete Bhagwani Devi Dagar wins three gold medals at 2023 World Masters Athletics Indoor
Championship in Poland
• India’s 95-year-old player Bhagwani Devi Dagar has won three gold medals for the country at the
9th World Masters Athletics Indoor Championship at Torun in
Poland.
• The veteran athlete from Haryana won the three gold medals in
60m running, shot put and discus throw categories in the 95-99
age division.
• Bhagwani Devi Dagar is nicknamed as “Sprinter Dadi”. Her
athletic career began at the age of 94.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Bollywood actor Rahul Bose gets Odisha’s Rugby Stadium named after him
• Veteran Bollywood actor Rahul Bose inaugurated a rugby stadium in Odisha, named after him.
• Rahul Bose currently serves as the President of the Indian
Rugby Football Union (Rugby India).
• Rugby India is the governing body for sport of rugby union in
India. Its headquarter is situated in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Rahul had been rugby player and represented India in 17
internationals rugby matches.
Que: Which Indian city is set to host the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament ?
Ans: Chennai
• Chennai will host the 7th Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament from
August 3-12, 2023.
• India will be hosting the event for the first time
• The tournament will feature the top six teams from India, Pakistan, South
Korea, Malaysia, Japan and China.
• The game will serve as a precursor to the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September
2023.
Saudi Arabia receives flag to host FEI World Cup Finals 2024
• Riyadh will host FEI World Cup Finals in April 2024.
• It is the first time the event will be held in the Middle East.
• It is an annual international competition among the world’s best
show-jumping horses and riders.
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Current Affairs April 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
• Founded in 1921, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) is the world governing body for
Jumping, Dressage & Para Dressage, Eventing, Driving & Para Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.
• Capital- Riyadh
• Currency- Saudi riyal
• Prime minister- Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud
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