Current affairs refer to ongoing events and developments in politics, economy, society, culture, and other areas that are relevant and of interest to the public. Staying updated with current affairs helps individuals understand the world around them, make informed decisions, and engage meaningfully in discussions and debates.

We provide weekly current affairs session and mock tests based on the same.

06 Apr
Current Affairs

Daily current affairs 5 April 2022 :

Headlines:

  1. I&B Ministry Announces Merger of Film Media Units with NFDC
  2. Highlights of Nepalese PM Sher Bahadur Deuba visit to India
  3. Tata Power commissioned 300 MW Solar Plant in Dholera, Gujarat- India’s largest single-axis tracker system
  4. BEZA signs deal with Adani group for Indian Economic Zone in Chattogram, Bangladesh
  5. SBI Signs MoU with The BSF to Provide Curated Benefits
  6. Aegon Life and Ahalia Finforex Partners to Offer Insurance Cover to Unserved Segment
  7. India’s FY23 GDP Growth Estimated at 7.4%: FICCI Economic Outlook Survey
  8. Journalist Aarefa Johari wins Chameli Devi Jain Award for 2021
  9. 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards(2022): Jon Batiste and Olivia Rodrigo Wins Top Honours
  10. Viktor Orban Wins a Fourth Consecutive Term as Hungary’s Prime Minister
  11. HDFC Ltd to merge with HDFC Bank by FY24
  12. Axis Bank to Acquire CitiBank’s India Consumer Business for $1.6 bn
  13. Canara Bank, SBI, PNB & Union Bank Reduced their Stake in IDRCL to 5%
  14. Union Minister Anurag Thakur launches New Rare Chemical Reference Materials to strengthen Anti-Doping Testing
  15. Meenakshi Lekhi Unveiled ‘Temple 360’ Portal to Offer e-darshan at Pilgrimage Centres
  16. Australian Women’s Cricket Team Were Crowned As The Champions Of 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket
  17. Adidas Unveiled ‘Al Rihla’ The Official Ball For 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup
  18. A Book titled Decoding Indian Babudom by Ashwini Shrivastava Launched
  19. International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2022 – April 4
  20. Indian Army Celebrates 258th Raising Day of Army Medical Corps – 3 April 2022
  21. Assam Cabinet approves MoU with French agency for biodiversity conservation among others

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

I&B Ministry Announces Merger of Film Media Units with NFDC
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has transferred the mandate for the production of documentaries and short films, the organization of film festivals and the preservation of films to
the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) working under the ministry.

This resulted in the merger of the four film media units, including the Films Division, the Directorate of Film Festivals, the National Film Archives of India (NFAI) and the Children’s Film Society of India under the NFDC.
• This step is a move towards reducing the overlap of various activities and ensuring better utilization of public resources by bringing all these activities under a single management.
The Central Government has also designated Rs. 1304.52 crore till 2026 for film production and preservation, film festivals, and providing financial incentives for audio-visual productions with foreign countries, which will be managed by the NFDC through its Film Facilitation Office.
Key Points:
i. The ownership of the assets available with these units will remain with the Central government. ii.The Films Division, established in 1948, was the first state film production and distribution unit to produce documentaries and news magazines for publicity of government programmes and cinematic representation of Indian history.
• Its mandate has been completely transferred to the NFDC with effect from April 1, 2022. The Production Vertical for the Production of Documentaries in the NFDC will be named “Films Division.”
iii. The Directorate of Film Festivals was set up by the Centre to organize national and international film festivals and the National Film Awards.
• Some of the major upcoming film festivals to be organized by the NFDC are the Mumbai International Film Festival, the International Film Festival of India at Goa, and the Children’s Film Festival.
iv. Children’s Film Society India was entrusted with the production of children’s films and television programmes in Indian languages under the central government.
v. The National Film Archive of India was established as a media unit to acquire and preserve cinema and to classify, document, and undertake research related to films.
vi. National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is the central agency for film financing, production, and distribution under MIB. It already has the mandate of producing feature films.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

BEZA signs deal with Adani group for Indian Economic Zone in Chattogram, Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) signed a non-binding agreement called term-sheet with Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ Ltd.,) in Mumbai,Maharashtra to establish
an Indian Economic Zone under the government-to- government (G2G) engagement in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) in Mirsarai of Chattogram, Bangladesh.

i. The Indian Economic Zone will provide a range of facilities for Indian investors in Bangladesh.
ii. The agreement was the follow up of June 2015 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an Indian economic zone.
iii. The Indian Economic Zone is being built on 857 acres of land with an estimated cost of Taka 964 crore supported by an Indian Line of Credit worth USD 115 million.
iv. The project involves land development, construction of connecting roads, security system, water supply, telecommunication, and water treatment plant facilities for the Indian companies investing in Bangladesh.
v.Among the Government to Government economic zones being set up in Bangladesh, the Indian Economic Zone is going to be the second largest one after the Japanese Economic Zone.

About Bangladesh:
Capital – Dhaka
Currency – Bangladeshi taka
President – Abdul Hamid
Prime minister –Sheikh Hasina Wazed
About Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited of India(APSEZ Ltd): Managing Director – Rajesh Adani
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Karan Adani

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Journalist Aarefa Johari wins Chameli Devi Jain Award for 2021
A journalist from Mumbai, Aarefa Johari was awarded with the Chameli Devi Jain Award for an Outstanding Woman Mediaperson 2021. It was announced by the Media Foundation.

• Aarefa Johari works for ‘Scroll.in’ in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• In 2020, Neetu Singh got this award. She is associated with ‘Goan Connection’ media house.
• Jury – Nirupama Subramania, Githa Hariharan and Ashutosh
About Chameli Devi Jain Award:
i. It is the annual prestigious recognition in the field of Journalism for women media persons journalist in India who have reported on themes such as social development, politics, equity, gender justice, health, war and conflict, and consumer values.
ii. Chameli Devi Jain was a freedom fighter and a community reformer. She became the first Jain woman to go to prison during India’s independence struggle.
iii. The award was instituted in 1980 by Verghese and the family of Chameli Devi.
Instituted-1981

SPORTS

Australian Women’s Cricket Team Were Crowned As The Champions Of 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket
The 12th edition of the ICC (International Cricket Council) Women’s Cricket World Cup was held in New Zealand from March to April 2022. In which the Australian women’s cricket team were crowned as the champions of the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket by defeating England women’s cricket team in the finals by 71 runs in Hagley Oval, Christchurch, New Zealand.

• The Australian women’s team was awarded 1.32 million United States Dollar (USD) and the Runner-up team (England women’s team) won USD 600,000.
• The Australian women’s team wins ICC world cup for the 7th time, most by any women’s cricket team.
Performer Of The Tournament:
i. Alyssa Healy (Australia) has been named as the ‘Player of the Tournament’ for scoring 509 runs in 9 matches, she is the first player to score 500-plus runs in a single edition of the Women’s One-Day International (ODI) World Cup.
• Rachael Haynes (Australia) scored 497 runs in this tournament, which is the second-highest tally in a 2022 Women’s World Cup.
ii. Also, Alyssa Healy has been named as the player of the match for scoring 170 runs off 138 balls and it stands as the highest score in the final of any ICC Cricket World Cup (in both men’s or women’s) surpassing Adam Gilchrist’s (Australia) 149 runs vs Sri Lanka in 2007.
iii. Sophie Ecclestone (England) was named as the highest wicket-taker for claiming 21 wickets in 9 matches.
Records In The 2022 ICC (International Cricket Council) Women’s World Cup:
i. Alyssa Healy became the first cricketer in history to score a century in the semi-final and final of the same World Cup.
ii. It is the fifth time (2022, 2005, 1997, 1982 and 1978) that the Australian women’s team have lifted the trophy staying undefeated throughout the tournament.
Records By Indian women’s cricket team:
i.Jhulan Goswami (Bowler) of India became the highest wicket-taker in the World Cup Tournament bagging overall of 43 wickets.Indian bowler Jhulan Goswami achieved this with 40 wickets in 31 matches, beating Australia’s Lyn Fullston’s 39 wickets in Women World cup tournaments.
ii. Indian women’s team ODI skipper Mithali Raj broke the record for most matches captained (24 matches) in the ICC Women’s World Cup, surpassing former Australian counterpart Belinda Clark (23 matches).
iii. Mithali Raj became the third cricketer (including men’s and women’s) and the first woman to play in 6 ODI World Cups.

BANKING & FINANCE

SBI Signs MoU with The BSF to Provide Curated Benefits
The State Bank of India (SBI) and the Border Security Force (BSF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide special benefits to serving and retired BSF personnel, as well as family pensioners, through the Central Armed Police Salary Package (CAPSP) Scheme.
This partnership intends to benefit and provide financial security for BSF personnel and their families by providing a variety of specialized benefits through CAPSP, which ensures that they and their family have easy access to banking services.
Features of the MoU:
i. The MoU ensures extensive benefits for the security forces, including complimentary Personal and Air Accidental Insurance (Death) Cover, additional cover in case of on-duty death, and Permanent Total Disability/Partial Disability Cover.
ii. The MoU will support child education and the marriage of girl children of deceased BSF personnel.
iii. Retired personnel will be eligible for complimentary Personal Accidental (Death) Insurance, irrespective of age, whereas family pensioners will be eligible for a bouquet of benefits.
iv. SBI will offer a zero-balance savings bank account with a host of complimentary benefits and a waiver of service charges to the BSF personnel considering their selfless services rendered to nation building.
v. It will also provide attractive interest rates and concessions on processing charges for serving personnel on home, car, education, and Xpress Credit personal loans.

Aegon Life and Ahalia Finforex Partners to Offer Insurance Cover to Unserved Segment Aegon Life Insurance Company(Aegon Life), a digital life insurance company and Ahalia Finforex, a Kerala-based diversified financial services firm has partnered to provide life insurance access to unorganized and unserved segments residing in tier 2, tier 3, and tier 4 towns.

09 Oct
Current Affairs

Memorable Points Current Affairs

  • Winner of three Wimbledon titles in a day, who died at the age of 89– Doris Hart
  • Person who was sworn-in as 19th Governor of Arunachal Pradesh – Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa
  • Former cricketers who were inducted into the BCCI’s newly-constituted cricket advisory committee – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman
  • Football club Copa del Rey also known as Spanish King’s Cup by defeating Athletic Bilbao – Barcelona
  • Person who was appointed as the new Chancellor of the Nalanda University, Bihar– George Yeo, the former Foreign Minister of Singapore
  • The women, who was designated as the new President of the Indian Ocean island nation, Mauritius by its government– Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
  • India and Sweden signed 6 agreements to boost ties and restart the bilateral strategic dialogue in presence of– President Pranab Mukherjee, who was on a state visit to Sweden
  • One of the founders of India’s Information Technology (IT) industry and chairman of Hinditron Group who died – Hemant Sonawala
  • 92 year 65 days old cancer survivor, who became the oldest woman to finish a marathon at San Diego’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon of 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers)– Harriette Thompson
  • President of FIFA who resigned amid the corruption scandal that has engulfed the football’s governing body– Sepp Blatter
  • To attract investment of 1 lakh crore rupees Maharashtra Cabinet approved– a Composite Renewable Energy Policy worth 4156.43 crore rupees
  • Scientists claimed that some female members of a critically endangered species of sawfish are reproducing in the wild without sex, that is, by– Parthenogenesis
  • US President Barack Obama signed the USA FREEDOM Act 2015 in law for Uniting and Strengthening America by– Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015.
  • The former cricket captain of Indian team, who was re-appointed as the Director of Indian cricket team for the Bangladesh tour– Ravi Shastri
  • Sixth city in the country to have metro services; other cities are Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata is– Jaipur  
  • Indian shot putter who won gold medal in men’s shot put event in the 21st Asian Athletics Championships– Inderjeet Singh
  • India and Belarus inked six agreements to boost ties and relationship based on – friendship and mutual benefit
  • Jharkhand Cabinet approved Jharkhand Special Courts Ordinance, 2015 to make Jharkhand– rid of corruption
  • Person who for his contribution towards the development of athletics in Asian continent was was conferred with the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) President’s award – Suresh Kalmadi
  • World Bank Board approved $250 Million support to Jammu and Kashmir for– Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project
  • Name the legendary Telugu writer who died in Hyderabad after a brief illness– Dasaradhi Rangacharya
  • Name the Cyclonic storm that was developed over the Arabian Sea – ASHOBAA
  • Three districts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh that were included in National Capital Region are– Jind, Karnal and Muzaffarnagar
  • ICICI Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, appointed a person as the non-executive chairman for a period of five years is– Mahendra Kumar Sharma
  • City that who’s Municipal Corporation (AMC) announced USE and GET PAID scheme, under which people will be paid one rupees for using public toilets– Ahmadabad
  • Person who was conferred with the prestigious 14th Sant Namdev National Award 2015 at a function in Pune, Maharashtra– Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal
  • Former Indian cricketer who died after a prolonged illness at his residence in Pune, Maharashtra– Hemant Kanitkar
  • Delhi Jal Board vice-chairman who was named as the new Law Minister of Delhi– Kapil Mishra
  • Researchers discovered a trio of mud statuettes inside a reed basket in a building, an important archaeological site, in the ancient city of Vichama in northern Peru is believed to be created about 3800 years ago by– the ancient Caral civilization.
  • HDFC Bank launched a mobile app as a complete digital payment and purchase solution–PayZapp
  • The United Nations (UN) envoy in Burundi crisis, who stepped down from his role as mediator of the crisis after being accused of being biased– Said Djinnit
  • Union Government scrapped customs import duties for drugs and test kits used to treat– AIDS
  • Four Indian languages included in the books of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of UAE which can be chosen while appearing for driving tests here in the UAE from September 2015 includes– Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali
  • Cricketer who became the ninth all-time highest Test wicket-takers by claiming 416 wickets in 102 matches is– Indian off-spin cricketer Harbhajan Singh
  • Person elected as the President of United Nations General Assembly’s 70th session– Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark
  • China unveiled 800-year-old Buddha statue (Qianshou Guanyin) famous for its 1000 hands in– Dazu County in Sichun province
  • First Indian footballer to score 50 international goals – Sunil Chhetri
  • India’s first 100 percent visually-challenged person to be inducted into the Indian Foreign Services (IFS) is– Beno Zephine