Weekly Current Affairs April 1 to April 7

NATIONAL AFFAIRS 

• Odisha Day- Utkal Divas
  Utkal Diwas, also known as Odisha Day or Utkala Dibasa, is celebrated on April 1 in Odisha to mark the state's formation April 1, 1936,the first State in India to be formed on a linguistic basis (during British Era).
• Uttar Pradesh leads in Geographical Indication (GI) certified products with 69, surpassing Tamil Nadu, with Varanasi emerging as a leader a leader in GI-tagged goods (30).
• Indian government forms a 14th task force to explore biochar's use in steel production, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability in the steel industry.
• India’s First AI-Based Film ‘IRAH’- Trailer launched.
• Forbes 2024 Billionaires List: Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), sole Indian in top 10, Ambani ranked 9th; Bernard Arnault, owner of the French luxury giant LVMH, tops the list. Nikhil Kamath (Zerodha co-founder) is youngest Indian billionaire at 37.United States of America, highest number of billionaires.
• India and Nepal have jointly initiated a program to promote research and education in Sanskrit.
• Three traditional Tripura products, including Matabari Pera and Rignai Pachara textiles, have recently received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• Paradip Port, Odisha, surpasses Deendayal Port , Kandla, to become India’s leading cargo-handling major port in the fiscal year 2023-24.
• RBI Celebrated 90 Years of Service on Foundation Day 2024.
  RBI Foundation Day - April 1st, 1935. Sir Osborne Smith became the first Governor of the Bank.
• RBI Data Reveals: Credit Cards Breach 100 Million Mark in India.
• On March 29, 2024, PM Narendra Modi received the 'Merchant Navy Flag' and kicked off National Maritime Week celebrations from March 29 to April 5.
• India's engineering exports surged 15.9% year over year in February 2024, hitting a record $9.94 billion for fiscal year 2023–2024.
• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced the ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag‘ norm, from April 1, 2024, the use of a single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking multiple FASTags to a particular vehicle.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launches myCGHS app for iOS on April 3, 2024, enhancing healthcare access for Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries with digital experiences and robust security.
• The President of India, inaugurates NexCAR19, India's first indigenous CAR-T cell therapy for B-cell cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, at IIT Bombay.
• India plans its first privately managed strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) by 2029-30, allowing oil trading, inspired by Japan and South Korea's models. Current strategy involves partial commercialization, with plans for more SPR projects.
• India lifts onion export ban following requests from friendly nations like Bangladesh, UAE, Bahrain, Mauritius, and Bhutan.
• India targets halting urea imports by 2025 by boosting local production and promoting alternatives.
• MEA rescued Indians from cyber slavery in Cambodia, highlighting exploitation and abuse facilitated by technology, often involving forced labor and human trafficking.
• India aims to manufacture carbon fiber for aerospace, civil engineering, and defense, replacing metal. Carbon fiber's strength, lightness, corrosion resistance, and conductivity make it ideal for aircraft, automotive, sports, and medical applications. Currently relying on imports, India seeks self-sufficiency.
• Sonam Wangchuk, an education reformist and climate activist,planned the Pashmina March to draw attention to the threats posed large Indian industrialists and China to the grazing lands of Ladakh. He aimed to protest Chinese incursions and highlight environmental concerns in Ladakh's Changthang Plateau.
• India has asked Israel to ensure the safety of Indian citizens sent as blue-collar workers under a government-to-government G2G agreement. Israel aimed to recruit 100,000 workers to replace Palestinian employees, leading to a recruitment drive in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
• The Union rural development ministry announced the revision of wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme on March 27.
• The Delhi High Court has appointed former judge Najmi Waziri to lead a committee focused on safeguarding the forests in the national capital.
• Bilquis Mir, a canoeist from Jammu and Kashmir to be first Indian woman jury member at Paris Olympics.
• Joyshree Das Verma has taken over as the 41st National President of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) for the year 2024-25.
• Axis Capital has appointed Atul Mehra as the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
• Ms Sheyphali B. Sharan has assumed charge as the Principal Director General, Press Information Bureau, upon the superannuation (retirement) of Shri Manish Desai.
• The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), has appointed Sanjay Nayar as its new President.
• Lieutenant General JS Sidana has taken over as the 33rd Director General of the Department of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (DGEME) and Senior Colonel Commandant of the EME Corps on April 1, 2024.
• Santosh Kumar Jha apponted the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Konkan Railway Corporation.
• Sandeep Jain has been unanimously elected as the President of the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) for the year 2024-25.
• The Election Commission of India (ECI) enlists actor Ayushmann Khurrana to inspire youth for participating in upcoming Lok Sabha elections, promoting voter turnout.
• Tata Group’s global trading and distribution arm, Tata International, has announced the appointment of Rajeev Singhal as its new Managing Director (MD).
• The World Bank Group has appointed former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Rakesh Mohan as a member of its Economic Advisory Panel. This panel will be chaired by Lord Nicholas Stern.
• Dr. Meenesh Shah was unanimously chosen as the new Chairman of the National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India Ltd. (NCDFI),
• Recent Lancet study shows global life expectancy rose by 6.2 years (1990-2021), India notably gaining eight years during this period.
• Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, nestled in the scenic Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu, marks 125 years of studying the celestial body that sustains life on Earth.
• Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has extended its third-party fact-checking initiative in India by partnering with the Press Trust of India (PTI).
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) upcoming ‘Gagan Shakti-2024‘ Gagan Shakti Exercise from April 1-10.
• DRDO starts project in Junput, West Bengal,to establish a test centre for the country’s weapon systems.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and India’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) have successfully conducted a flight test of the new generation ballistic missile called ‘Agni-Prime’.
• Indian Army begins induction of indigenous Akashteer system, automated air defence control and reporting system,by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL),
• Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka emphasize collaboration and interoperability in the trilateral 'Dosti' exercise to address shared maritime security concerns.