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April 14 | Daily Current Affairs 2021

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. Which date will be observed as “Water Day” across India?
A) 13 April
B) 12 April
C) 11 April
D) 14 April
E) 15 April
Answer: D) 14 April

• Birth anniversary of the father of Indian Constitution B R Ambedkar (April 14), will be observed as “Water Day” in the country.
• The idea is to sensitise people about managing precious water resources on birth anniversary of Ambedkar, who, besides being instrumental in framing the country’s Constitution, was also responsible for a definite all-India policy on managing water resources in India.

National Fire Service Day 2021:

• National Fire Service Day on April 14 is a day that is observed every year to pay homage to the incredible commitment and sacrifice by the 71 Fire Service personnel during an unfortunate mishap in 1944 on this day.

History:

• An incident that occurred at freighter SS Fort Stikine at the Victoria Dock in the Bombay Port on that fateful day, witnessed sacrifices made by the 71 Fire Service personnel in their bid to save lives, and assets, selflessly while fighting the fire spread from the explosion.

14 April is World Chagas Disease:

• Chagas disease, also known as “silent or silenced disease”, affects mainly poor people without access to health care or people without a political voice.
• The disease progress slowly and often shows an asymptomatic clinical course.
• Without treatment, Chagas disease can lead to severe cardiac and digestive alterations and become fatal.
• Raising awareness of the disease is essential to improve the rates of early treatment and cure, together with the interruption of its transmission.
• The World Chagas Disease Day was celebrated for the first time in 2020.

Vishu 2021:

Date:

• This year, the festival of Vishu will be celebrated on Wednesday April 14, 2021.

History:

• Celebrated in Kerala from the reign of Sthanu Ravi since 844 AD, Vishu is believed to mark the day when Krishna killed the demon Narakasura.
• Hence, Krishna idols are kept in the Vishu kani.
• Hindus consider Vishnu as the God of Time and so on this festival, Vishnu and his incarnation Krishna are worshipped.

Tamizhp Puththaandu’ being celebrated across Tamil Nadu:

• Tamizhp Puththaandu, the first day of the Chithirai month marks the beginning of the Tamil Calendar.
• It is an auspicious occasion for new projects and new ventures in family and social circles.
• Chithirai is also the summer season of the year where the heat begins to rise above normalcy.

SPORTS

2. Streak banned for eight years for breaching ICC’s anti-corruption code. He was related to which country?
A) Australia
B) Pakistan
C) India
D) England
E) Zimbabwe
Answer: E) Zimbabwe

• Former Zimbabwe Captain Heath Streak was banned for eight years from all cricket after he accepted five charges of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code, including disclosing inside information and facilitating corrupt approaches.
• One of Zimbabwe’s finest fast bowlers, Streak has been under investigation for a host of games between 2017 and 2018 when he served as a coach.
• Streak, Zimbabwe’s highest wicket-taker in Tests and ODIs, was the coach of the national team until early 2018, when he resigned after failing to help the team qualify for the 2019 ODI World Cup.
• He also served as the bowling coach of IPL franchise of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018.

Streak – Ban for eight years for breaching ICC’s anti-corruption code.

OBITUARY

3. G.V.G. Krishnamurty passed away. He served as which position?
A) Director
B) Chairman
C) Chief Election Commissioner
D) Union Minister
E) Governor
Answer: C) Chief Election Commissioner

• Former Chief Election Commissioner G.V.G. Krishnamurty passed away due to age-related ailments.
• He recalled the contribution of Mr. Krishnamurty during his tenure from October 1, 1993 to September 30, 1996

G.V.G. Krishnamurty – Former Chief Election Commissioner.

BANKING AND FINANCE

4. Bangladesh received over how much amount financing from the World Bank to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to build resilience to the future crisis including vaccination against the COVID-19?
A) USD 2 billion
B) USD 1 billion
C) USD 3 billion
D) USD 4 billion
E) USD 5 billion
Answer: B) USD 1 billion

• Bangladesh received over USD 1 billion financing from the World Bank to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to build resilience to the future crisis including vaccination against the COVID-19
• It received USD 500 million under the COVID-19 emergency Response and pandemic preparedness project to vaccinate over 54 million people against the virus.
• The funding will help the government to procure vaccines, expand storage facilities and distribute the vaccines.
• It will also support and strengthen the national health systems to detect, prevent and treat COVID 19 cases and preparedness for future emergencies, said a press release of the World Bank.
• World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Mercy Tembon said that these projects will help vaccinate about one third of the population and help attract direct private investment in SEZs.
• Another instalment of USD 500 million finance under the Private Investment and Digital Entrepreneurship (PRIDE) Project will promote and attract USD 2 billion direct private investments and strengthen social and environmental standards in selected public and private economic zones and software technology parks.
• By creating more jobs and attracting domestic and foreign private investment, including in the IT and ITES sectors, the project will help the economy to rebound from the impact of COVID-19.
• The World Bank has provided USD 40 million financing under the Digitizing
• Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project (DIMAPP).
• It will help Bangladesh expand electronic government procurement (e-GP) to all public procurement entities with new features to respond to the COVID-19 challenges.

Bangladesh:
Capital: Dhaka
Currency: Bangladeshi Taka
President: Mohammad Abdul Hamid
Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina

World Bank:
Founded: 1944
Members: 189 countries (IBRD), 173 countries (IDA)
Hq: Washington D.C, US
Head: David Malpass

Bangladesh – Receive over USD 1 billion financing for vaccination and COVID-19 pandemic response- World Bank.

5. Which organisation has rolled out a ₹10,000-crore ‘Special Refinance Facility-2021’ (SRF-2021) to provide short term refinance?
A) NABARD
B) NHB
C) SEBI
D) IRDAI
E) CCI
Answer: B) NHB

• National Housing Bank (NHB) has rolled out a ₹10,000-crore ‘Special Refinance Facility-2021’ (SRF-2021) to provide short term refinance support to housing finance companies (HFCs) and other eligible Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs).
• This facility is expected to meet the short-term liquidity requirements of the PLIs and will also support them for onward lending to individuals to maintain steady growth in the housing finance sector
• This NHB initiative comes on the heels of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extending fresh support ( in the recent monetary policy review) under another Special Liquidity Facility-2 (SLF-2) of ₹ 10,000 crore to the NHB for one year to support the housing sector.

NHB:
Abbreviation: National Housing Bank
Act: National Housing Bank Act, 1987
Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
Managing Director: Shri Sriram Kalyanaraman

NHB – ₹10,000-crore Special Refinance Facility-SRF 2021.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

6. Who released a book titled ‘Tree Treasure of Chandigarh’?
A) VP Singh Badnore
B) Ramesh Singh
C) Ravi Shankar
D) Ramnath Kovind
E) Narendra Modi
Answer: A) VP Singh Badnore

• UT administrator and Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore released a book titled ‘Tree Treasure of Chandigarh’ at Punjab Raj Bhawan.
• A compilation of the diverse avenue trees of the city, the book has been published by the UT forest and wildlife department and authored by Prof RK Kohli, vice-chancellor of Amity University, SAS Nagar, Vikas Kahol, Dr Navdeep Kahol and Prof HP Singh.
• The book also profiles a number of old and majestic heritage trees.

India on my Mind:

• Prolific writer and former bureaucrat Uday Balakrishnan’s book ‘India on my Mind’ was released by former Secretary to Government of India E.A.S. Sarma and his wife Rani Sarma at their residence, in the presence of former Rector of Andhra University and Director of Centre for Policy Studies A. Prasanna Kumar.
• The book was published by the Centre for Policy Studies, as part of its silver jubilee celebration.

Gautam Sen’s latest book is on India’s historic fascination with automobiles:

• In the Automobile, author Gautam Sen follows the route of the first car to make tracks on Indian shores, going down the years post-Independence when a need to mass produce four wheelers took shape, culminating in the country’s offering in the sportscar sector as recent as 2020.

Cover unveiled for Hillary Clinton-Louise Penny novel ‘State of Terror’:

• For State of Terror, co-written with the popular mystery novelist Louise Penny, the cover features a maze-like four-sided figure, with stark red lines and in one corner an American flag, all set against a black backdrop.
• The novel comes out Oct 12 and will be released jointly by Simon & Schuster, Clinton’s publisher, and St Martin’s Press, which publishes Penny.

VP Singh Badnore – Release a book titled ‘Tree Treasure of Chandigarh’ – Authored by Prof RK Kohli + Dr Navdeep Kahol + Prof HP Singh.

APPOINTMENTS

7. Govt appoints Anil Kumar Sharma on central board of which Bank?
A) UCO Bank
B) IOB
C) BOB
D) PNB
E) SBI
Answer: E) SBI

• State Bank of India said the government has nominated Anil Kumar Sharma, the executive director of the RBI, on its board with immediate effect.

Govt – Anil Kumar Sharma on central board of SBI with immediate effect.

8. NGT forms National Task Force to combat air pollution. How many members in this committee?
A) 9
B) 8
C) 7
D) 5
E) 3
Answer: B) 8

• Noting that about 1.5 million people in India die annually due to air pollution, the National Green Tribunal has formed an eight-member National Task Force (NTF) to monitor remedial steps to improve the status of air quality.
• A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said holistic and coordinated efforts at all levels in the government is dire need of the hour.
• Accountability in terms of adverse entries in the Annual Confidential Reports and recovery of compensation for non-compliance are imperative for fixing accountability.

NGT – National Task Force to combat air pollution – Headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel.

AWARDS

9. Which state has won the “E-Panchayat Puraskar 2021”, ranking first in
Category I?
A) Tamil Nadu
B) Madhya Pradesh
C) Karnataka
D) Andhra Pradesh
E) Uttar Pradesh
Answer: E) Uttar Pradesh

• The Uttar Pradesh government has won the “E-Panchayat Puraskar 2021”, ranking first in Category I.
• It was followed by Assam and Chhattisgarh at the second position, while Odisha and Tamil Nadu stood third.
• Every year, the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj awards those states, which ensure maximum use of information technology to keep a tab on the work done by gram panchayats.

Uttar Pradesh:
Capital: Lucknow
CM: Yogi Adityanath
Governor: Anandiben Patel

Uttar Pradesh – e-panchayat award.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

10. UAE to send rover ‘Rashid’ to the Moon in which year?
A) 2023
B) 2024
C) 2025
D) 2026
E)2022
Answer: E)2022

• Lunar exploration firm iSpace said Wednesday it will transport a United Arab Emirates unmanned rover to the Moon next year, as the Gulf state seeks to expand its space sector.
• The UAE — made up of seven emirates including the capital Abu Dhabi and freewheeling Dubai — announced in September 2020 that it planned to launch the “Rashid” rover by 2024.
• The rover “will be transported to the Moon on iSpace’s lunar lander” during a mission in 2022.
• In September 2019, the oil-rich country sent the first Emirati into space as part of a three-member crew that blasted off on a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan for an eight-day mission.
• Then in February, its “Hope” probe successfully entered Mars’ orbit on a journey to reveal the secrets of Martian weather, making history as the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.
• iSpace, which was founded in 2010, will use Elon Musk’s SpaceX (Falcon 9) rocket for its first mission to launch a lander next year — set to blast off from Florida in the United States
• The Dubai Media Office has said that the 10-kilogramme (22-pound) rover will be an integral part of efforts to build the first settlement on Mars in 2117 — one of the UAE’s most ambitious plans.

UAE:
Capital : Abu Dhabi
Currency : UAE Dirham

UAE – Send rover ‘Rashid’ to the Moon in 2022.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

11. Which organization & Dassault Systemes Fondation Announces Partnership For Seeding Future Innovators And Entrepreneurs?
A) IRDAI
B) NSDC
C) NHAI
D) NTPC
E) Atal Innovation Mission
Answer: E) Atal Innovation Mission

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog today signed an agreement with Dassault Systemes Fondation to jointly work towards providing a digitally rich ecosystem of Innovation in India and promoting STEM based innovation and entrepreneurship among aspiring young minds across the country.
• One of the flagship programs of AIM, the Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) has played a pivotal role in fostering creativity and imagination amongst school children.
• Dassault Systemes Fondation dedicated to transform the future of education and research in India with 3D technologies and virtual universes, is all set to contribute to the ATL program in three broad areas – project based, self-paced learning content, hackathons and challenges and inter-country academia collaborations.

Atal Innovation Mission announces partnership with AICTE to adopt Atal Tinkering Labs and empower, mentor school student innovators across the country through AICTE Institution Innovation councils (IICs):

• On the occasion of Dr. BR Ambedkar Jayanti, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell announced their strategic collaboration to empower Atal Tinkering Lab school students for world class future ready innovation skills across the country.
• The partnership offers to begin with to connect around 7200+ Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) established in schools with 2500+ Institution’s Innovation Councils (IICs) functioning in higher educational institutions spread across all the states and UTs.
• ATLs in schools are equipped with facilities and provide tinkering opportunities to school students to ideate and work on innovative projects and improve their innovation abilities.
• Whereas IICs in HEIs take the institution’s innovation capability and facility to engage students and faculties in innovation and entrepreneurship activities and provide opportunity to ideate, innovate and become entrepreneurs.
• Both ATL and IIC models have proved as efficient and effective institutional mechanisms to unleash the creative potential of youth and engage in entrepreneurial manifestations.
• To make these models stronger and impactful, adoption of ATLs by IICs and continuous mentoring support to ATLs is an integrated ecosystem build up step from AICTE, MIC and AIM, NITI Aayog.
• Moreover, this move is also aligned with the NEP 2020 objective of bridging gap between schools and higher educational institutions. The adoption process will see actions of online mentoring, lecture sessions, group projects, visits of key stakeholders etc. from both sides.

Atal Innovation Mission + Dassault Systemes Fondation – Partnership For Seeding Future Innovators And Entrepreneurs.

12. Tap water connection for all rural households in Haryana by which year?
A) September 2022
B) December 2022
C) August 2022
D) November 2022
E) July 2022
Answer: D) November 2022

• Haryana and Odisha plan to provide tap water connections to all rural households by 1 November 2022, and 2024, respectively.
• This comes in the backdrop of 38% of India’s rural population covered under the marquee Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), with 21.4% such households provided tap water connection since the scheme’s launch in 2019.
• The scheme aims to ensure assured tap water supply or ‘Har Ghar Jal’ to all rural households by 2024.
• Four crore households have been provided with tap water connections since the scheme was announced on 15 August, 2019.
• Several states including Sikkim and Tripura have articulated their commitment to provide tap water connections to all rural households before 2024.

November 2022 – Tap water connection for all rural households in Haryana.

13. IAF inducts specialist vehicles for airbase security against terror attacks. The vehicle can be driven at high speeds up to ____?
A) 90 to 120 km
B) 100 to 130 km
C) 100 to 120 km
D) 110 to 120 km
E) 100 to 150 km
Answer: C) 100 to 120 km

• In a bid to strengthen its capability to tackle terrorists trying to launch attacks inside its air bases like the Pathankot Airbase, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has inducted specialist vehicles that can withstand bullet and grenade attacks.
• The six-tonne vehicle has been designed and developed in a way that its engine remains hidden from the front and rear side and cannot be targeted easily.
• The vehicle has been provided protection by equipping with 6 mm thick armoured protection and a 40 mm windshield, which can withstand AK-47 and sniper rifle bullets.
• The vehicle can be driven at high speeds up to 100 to 120 km and can also be run on flat tires.
• The vehicles can accommodate six fully geared Garud commandos or Quick Reaction Team (QRT) members while the open space in the rear can have more men.

IAF – Induct specialist vehicles for airbase security against terror attacks.

14. Which organisation Launches “Online Grievance Management Portal” for Persons from Scheduled Castes?
A) NCSC
B) NSDC
C) NHAI
D) NTPC
E) EESL
Answer: A) NCSC

• Union Minister for Communication & IT and Law & Justice Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the “Online Grievance Management Portal of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)” in the august presence of Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Rattan Lala Kataria, and Chairman NCSC Shri Vijay Sampla at a function organised by NCSC on the occasion of 130th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
• Shri Arun Halder, Vice Chairman, NCSC, Shri Subhash Ramnath Pardhi, Member NCSC, Dr. Anju Bala, Member NCSC and Shri Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary MEITY also graced the occasion.
• The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) was set up under the Article 338 of the Constitution of India with the objective to investigate and monitor all issues pertaining to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under any law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government of India.
• The Commission also enquires into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes.
• The NCSC renews its commitment to serve the cause of the SC community as mandated in the Constitution and policies of the government.

NCSC – “Online Grievance Management Portal” for Persons from Scheduled Castes.

15. Which Ministry signs MoU with Microsoft for a pilot project in 100 villages of 6 states?
A) Youth Affairs Minister
B) External Affairs Minister
C) Women & Child Development Minister
D) Home Minister
E) Agriculture Minister
Answer: E) Agriculture Minister

• Union Ministry of Agriculture and Microsoft India yesterday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a pilot project in 100 villages of 6 states.
• On this occasion, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Food Processing Industries Shri Narendra Singh Tomar stated that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s idea of digital agriculture is now taking shape.
• After taking over as Prime Minister in 2014, Shri Modi has laid great emphasis on the use of modern technologies in farming sector, so that farmers can get benefitted and enhance their income through it.
• With the use of technology farming will be a profitable venture for the farmers and the new generation will also get attracted towards agriculture.
• The government aims to increase the income of farmers by removing the bottleneck of inconsistent information.
• A number of new initiatives have been launched to achieve this goal.
• A major initiative, in this regard, is the creation of Agri-Funds based on the National Farmers Database.
• The government is preparing a farmer database by linking the land records of farmers across the country.
• The data related to PM Kisan, Soil Health Card and Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme, available with the government, have been integrated and the process of inclusion of other data is going on.
• Union Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar has also issued directives for Geo tagging of all the assets that will be created by the virtue of all schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture.
• Union Ministers of State for Agriculture Shri Parshottam Rupala and Shri Kailash Chaudhary, Agriculture Secretary Shri Sanjay Agarwal, Additional Secretary Shri Vivek Agrawal, President of Microsoft India Shri Anant Maheshwari, Executive Director Shri Navtej Bal, Director (Strategic Sales) Mrs. Nandini Singh, Managing Director of CropData Technology Pvt. Ltd. Shri Sachin Suri, Director Shri Ramakant Jha and other officials attended the function.

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Food Processing Industries:
Minister: Narendra Singh Tomar
Constituency: Morena, Madhya Pradesh

Microsoft:
Founded: 4 April 1975
Headquarters: Redmond, Washington D.C., United States of America
CEO: Satya Nadella

Union Ministry of Agriculture + Microsoft – A pilot project in 100 villages of 6 states.

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