NATIONAL NEWS

Shivamogga Airport to be Named after BS Yediyurappa

• Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the under-construction Shivamogga airport will be named after former chief minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa.
• The project has been taken up under the Udaan programme. The airport will be inaugurated in December 2022 with international standard facilities.
• The airport would have the second longest runway in Karnataka of 3,299 metres after the Bengaluru airport (Kempegowda International Airport).

HAL and ASSC for Skill Development

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Aviation Sector Skill Council (ASSC) organized a skill development conclave at HAL Management Academy.

• Various topics including India can be a global skills hub in aerospace technology, post-Covid rebound in Indian aviation and carving skills for future, talent resource challenges in drone technology and bridging the gap through skill India were discussed.

• Former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr K. Sivan presented the skill awards to various divisions of HAL.
• The conclave also displays aerospace components manufactured by HAL.

India’s First Pure Green Hydrogen Plant

• India’s First 99.999% pure Green Hydrogen pilot plant, with an installed capacity of 10 kg per day was inaugurated at Jorhat Pump Station in Assam.

• It was commissioned by Oil India Limited (OIL).

• The plant produces Green Hydrogen from the electricity generated by the existing 500kW Solar plant using a 100 kW Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) Electrolyser array.
•  The use of AEM technology is used for the first time in India.
• The company has collaborated with IIT Guwahati to study the blending of Green Hydrogen with Natural Gas and its effect on the existing infrastructure of OIL.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India to Give Fuel Aid to Sri Lanka

• India announced to give Sri Lanka an additional USD 500 million in financial assistance to buy fuel.

• This will be the second USD 500 million India has provided in fuel credit to a Sri Lanka government battling the country's worst financial crisis.
• The first line of credit was given earlier this month after a shipment of 120,000 tons of diesel and 40,000 tons of petrol.
• So far India has provided nearly 400,000 tons of fuel.

BANKING

Fino Payment Bank to Offer Suryoday SFB Service

• Private lender Fino Payments Bank has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to commence the services of Fixed Deposit (FD) and Recurring Deposit (RD) as a business correspondent of a partner bank Suryoday Small Financial Bank.
• Following the RBI nod, Fino Payment Bank shares increased 4.2 per cent in early trade.
• The shares of the bank jumped to Rs 318.35 as against Rs 305.40 during the previous close at the BSE.
• The bank has been reporting incomes and a profit of 116 per cent in the quarter ended December 2021.
• Fino Bank is a subsidiary of Fino Paytech.

Dhanlaxmi Bank Signs MoU with CBDT and CBIC

• Dhanlaxmi Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding with Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for collection of taxes.

• The bank has been authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) based on the recommendation from the Controller General of Accounts for collection of various taxes.

• Under these customers will soon be able to pay their direct taxes and GST payments and other indirect taxes through the branch network and digital platforms of the bank.
• The technical integration required to implement the seamless flow of remittances from the bank’s portal to that of CBDT and CBIC will be completed in order to provide easy access to its customers.

IPPB launches ‘Fincluvation’

• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), a 100% government owned entity under Department of Posts (DoP) announced to launch ‘Fincluvation’ as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotasav.

• It is a joint initiative to collaborate with Fintech Startup community to co-create and innovate solutions for financial inclusion.

• Fincluvation will be a permanent platform of IPPB to co-create inclusive financial solutions with participating start-ups.
• IPPB and DoP collectively serve close to 430 million customers through neighbourhood post office and at their doorsteps.
• Start-ups can apply at Fincluvation page https://www.ippbonline.com/web/ippb/fincluvation.
• Fincluvation invites startups to Participate, Ideate, Develop and Market intuitive and tailored products and services that can be taken to the customers.

SPORTS

Kieron Pollard Announces Retirement

• Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard announced retirement from international cricket.

• He represented West Indies in 123 ODIs and 101 Tests.

• He was a part of the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup winning West Indies squad. He made his ODI debut in 2007.

AWARDS & PRIZES

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2022

• Captain of the Indian Cricket Team Rohit Sharma and bowler Jasprit Bumrah have been placed among the five players in Wisden’s ‘Cricketers of the Year’ in the 2022 edition of the Almanack.

• England pacer Ollie Robinson, New Zealand Batter Devon Conway, and Proteas Women star Dan Van Niekerk also emerged as the Wisden’s ‘Cricketers of the Year’ in the 2022  

• Wisden’s Cricketers Almanack 2022, a cricket reference book published in the United Kingdom.
• Wisden has awarded England’s Joe Root as ‘Leading Cricketer in the World’.
• South African Women Team’s batter Lizelle Lee has been given the title of the ‘Leading Woman Cricketer’.
• ‘Leading T20 Cricketer in the World’ was awarded to Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

DG of Military Operations

• Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar has been appointed as the next Director-General of Military Operations which is effective on May 1.

• He was posted as Director of General Staff Duties at Army Headquarters.

• An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Lieutenant General Katiyar was commissioned in the 23rd Battalion of the Rajput Regiment in June 1986.
• He also commanded an infantry brigade along the Western borders and a mountain division.
• He also served as an instructor in the Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan and at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

Principal Scientific Advisor to GoI

• Ajay Kumar Sood has been appointed as the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Prime Minister, Government of India for a period of 3 years term.

• He will succeed K Vijaya Raghavan.

• Ajay Kumar Sood is currently an Honorary Professor at the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science, IISc Bangalore since 1993.
• Sood is also a member of the Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Sood as Principal Scientific Advisor to the government.
• Sood is the recipient of the highest award of the government of India, the Bhatnagar Prize in Physics in 1999.

New Global Peace Ambasador 2022

• Serial entrepreneur Babita Singh has been conferred as a Global Peace Ambassador for promoting Peace through Education, Sports, Art, Culture & Diplomacy at the India International Conclave 2022 held in collaboration with Asia Africa Consortium (AAC) in Shangrila, New Delhi.

• Babita is an Indian born and raised in Nigeria and moved on to become a Digital Strategist & Reputation Expert in Asia & Africa.

• The AAC-Global Peace Ambassador 2022 honor has been constituted by Asia Africa Consortium and is the highest honour presented by the Secretary General.
• Babita Singh was conferred with this honor for her exemplary contribution for her Peace building initiatives through Sports and Culture.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Civil Services Day

• National Civil Services Day is celebrated every year on 21 April.

• The day is celebrated to commemorate the efforts of civil servants across departments and those who work relentlessly to keep the administrative functions with ease.

• It also serves as a reminder to all the civil servants to keep the service of the nation and people.
• The day was first celebrated in the year 2006 in New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan.
• On this day, the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration is presented to the civil servants for their contribution to the service of the nation and the people.

World Creativity and Innovation Day

• World Creativity and Innovation Day is celebrated every year on 21 April.

• The United Nations designated 21 April as World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID). The aim of the day is to raise awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.

• The theme for the day is ‘Collaboration’.
• The world Creativity and Innovation Week is also observed from 15 April – 21 April, 2022.
• The day also highlights the importance of creativity and innovation for most efficiency with respect to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
• Canadian Marci Segal was the founder the day.