Current Affairs of 24th April 2021 by Bidyasagar Classes,Bhubaneswar

NATIONAL NEWS

1. JKSLSA launches helpline under ‘Serve-the-Seniors Initiative’ for senior citizens

Jammu and Kashmir State Legal Services Authority (JKSLSA) has launched a helpline under ‘Serve-the-Seniors Initiative’ under the guidance of Justice Gita Mittal, Patron-in-Chief, and Justice Rajesh Bindal Executive Chairman of State Legal Services Authority.
The objective of starting this helpline, comprising is to help and facilitate the senior citizens who live alone and are unable to step out to get medicines, groceries, and other essentials in this hour of crisis.

2. UP becomes the first state with the in-house facility of virtual courts

Uttar Pradesh has become the first state to have the requisite infrastructure in all its courts for hearing cases through video conferencing.
The Allahabad High Court took a number of initiatives to facilitate court proceedings through video conferencing and recently software has been installed in the high court and district courts of the state said high court’s Registrar (Protocol) Ashish Srivastava.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

3. UNODC launches series of online dialogues with students & educators in India on COVID-19

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) has launched a ‘Lockdown Learners’ series of online dialogues with students and educators in India on COVID-19 and its impact on Sustainable Development Goals, peace, and rule of law.
The Lockdown Learners series also provides a platform for students to receive mentorship and knowledge support through activity-based learning, and use their talent and skills to promote awareness and share their ideas and solutions to address some of these problems.

4. India approves US$ 1 million to Antigua as project outlay

India has approved USD 1 million to Antigua as project outlay, with immediate assistance of USD 1,50,000 for medical equipment to combat the coronavirus crisis.
In order to help the world to combat the coronavirus, India has sent medical supplies including hydroxychloroquine tablets to several countries.

BANKING & FINANCE NEWS

5. RBI allows banks to issue electronic cards for overdraft accounts

Relaxing norms, the Reserve Bank of India permitted banks to issue electronic cards to persons having overdraft accounts that are only in the nature of personal loans without any specific end-use restrictions.

6. IOB unveils working capital loans for the agriculture sector

Public sector lender Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has launched an exclusive credit facility for agriculture and allied activities.
Titled WCDL-Agri (working capital demand loan – agriculture), these loans will be available to all existing borrowers enjoying cash credit/OD facilities, from sectors such as agriculture, poultry, dairy, fisheries, and allied activities, said the bank.

7. RBI allows commercial banks to pay up to 50% of pre-Covid dividends

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed commercial banks to pay dividends on equity shares for FY21, from the profits for the fiscal ended March 31, 2021, subject to certain conditions and limits.
The new notification of RBI allows commercial banks to pay dividends not more than 50 percent of the amount determined as per the dividend payout ratio This means that banks may pay dividends up to 50% of what they paid before the Covid scenario.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

8. Ind-Ra Projects India’s GDP Growth Rate at 10.1% in FY22

India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has revised downwards the GDP growth forecast of India in FY22 (2021-22) to 10.1 percent.
Earlier Ind-Ra estimated this at 10.4 percent. The downward revision is due to the second wave of COVID-19 infections and the slower pace of vaccination.

9. Amazon launches programme to enable kirana shops, offline retailers to sell online

E-commerce giant Amazon India launched the ‘Local Shops on Amazon’ programme that will help local shopkeepers and Kirana store owners to sell online.
The company said it has been running a pilot with more than 5,000 offline retailers and local shops over the last six months to bring the benefits of online selling closer to them.

10. SIDBI to provide special liquidity for on-lending to MSMEs

Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi) said it will provide special liquidity to banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), and microfinance institutions for on-lending to micro, small and medium enterprises that are affected by the COVID-19-related disruptions.
The liquidity will be offered to banks, NBFCs, and MFIs as term loans for a tenor of 90 days and for a maximum period of one year.

11. SBI Research Projects India’s GDP Growth Rate at 10.4% for FY22

The State Bank of India (SBI) Research has revised India’s GDP growth rate for FY22 (2021-22) to 4%.
Earlier it estimated this at 11%. The downward projection has been taken in view of the increasing COVID- 19 related curbs across states.

APPOINTMENTS NEWS

12. RBI approves Atanu Chakraborty as HDFC Bank’s part-time chairman

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of former Economic Affairs Secretary, Atanu Chakraborty, as the part-time chairman and additional independent director of the private sector lender HDFC Bank. He retired as Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs in April 2020.

SPORTS NEWS

13. World Games unveil new logo, the title for 2022 edition

The World Games to be held in Birmingham, Alabama — which has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak — have unveiled a new logo and a new title.
With the announcement of The Games shift to July 7-17, 2022, organizers have decided that the international multi-sport event will officially become ‘The World Games 2022′

AWARDS NEWS

14. Rumana Sinha Sehgal won the Nelson Mandela World Humanitarian Award 2021

Rumana Sinha Sehgal, Software engineer turned entrepreneur from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, won the Nelson Mandela World Humanitarian Award 2021 by the Diplomatic Mission Global
She was virtually awarded for her contribution to the field of developing innovative and functional green products by recycling varied materials and non-biodegradable
International Influencer of the year 2021’ at the Influencer Summit in January 2021.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS NEWS

15. Aakash Ranison launches his E-Book “Climate Change Explained – For One And All”

The climate activist-author, Aakash Ranison has come out with a new e-book titled “Climate Change Explained – for one and all”, on the occasion of Earth Day.

OBITUARIES NEWS

16. Music Composer Shravan Rathod of “Nadeem-Shravan” Fame Passes Away

Veteran music composer Shravan Rathod of Nadeem-Shravan fame has passed away due to coronavirus complications. The iconic composer duo Nadeem-Shravan (Nadeem Saifi and Shravan Rathod), were among the most sought-after composers of the
Together they composed some of the iconic hits for movies such as Aashiqui (1990), Saajan (1991), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Pardes (1997), and Raja Hindustani (1996), among others.

17. Veteran Gujarati and Hindi Film Actor Amit Mistry Passes Away

Popular Gujarati and Hindi film actor Amit Mistry, who was last seen in the Amazon Prime Video series “Bandish Bandits”, has passed away. The actor was a prominent face in the Gujarati theatre circuit.

He was also known for his memorable performances in Bollywood films like Kya Kehna, Ek Chalis Ki Last Local, 99, Shor In The City, Yamla Pagla Deewana, and A Gentleman as well as TV-like Tenali Rama, Ssshhh…Koi Hai, Maddam Sir, and Shubh Mangal Savadhan, besides OTT shows.

18. Eminent theatre actor Usha Ganguly passes away at 75

Usha Ganguly, the veteran theatre actor, and director passed away after suffering from a cardiac arrest. She was 75.
She founded the Rangakarmee group in 1976, which is known for non-conformist productions like ‘Mahabhoj’,’Rudali’, ‘Court Martial’ and ‘Antaryatra’.
Usha Ganguly was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Direction in 1998. She was also honored as the best actress for the play Gudia Ghar by the state government of West Bengal.

IMPORTANT DAYS

19. World Veterinary Day 2021: 24 April

The World Veterinary Day is observed on the Fourth Saturday of April every year. In 2021, the day falls on April 24, 2021.
The theme of the 2021 World Veterinary Day is ‘Veterinarian response to the COVID-19 crisis.’

20. International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace: 24 April

The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace observed globally on 24 ‘International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace’ was first observed by the United Nations (UN) on April 24, 2019.

21. National Panchayati Raj Day: 24 April

Nation celebrates National Panchayati Raj Day on 24 April every year. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj organizes the National Panchayati Raj day or the National Local Self Government
India celebrates the first National Panchayati Raj Day or the National Local Government Day in April 2010.
24th April 1993 marks a defining moment in the history of decentralization of power to the grassroots, with the institutionalization of Panchayati Raj, through the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 which came into force with effect from that day.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj commemorates the 24th April of every year as the National Panchayati Raj Day(NPRD), as the 73rd Constitutional Amendment came into force on this date. Rajasthan was the first state that carried the Panchayati Raj System in 1959 during the times of late Prime Minister Jawarharlal Nehru.

22. World Day for Laboratory Animals: 24 April

The World Day For Animals In Laboratories (WDAIL); also known as World Lab Animal Day or World Day for Laboratory Animals, is observed every year on 24
The day was instituted in 1979 by the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS), as an “international day of commemoration” for animals in laboratories.