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30th April 2021 Current Affairs



GK Update of thirtieth April 2021 protecting the next information headlines: Reserve Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Finance Secretary, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Ayushman Bharat Diwas.

Banking News

1. RBI joins community for greening monetary system

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has joined the Central Banks and Supervisors Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) as a member.
  • The central financial institution joined the NGFS on April 23, 2021. Green finance assumed significance within the context of local weather change.
  • The RBI expects to profit from the membership of NGFS by studying from and contributing to world efforts on inexperienced finance, which has assumed significance within the context of local weather change.
  • Launched on the Paris One Planet Summit on December 12, 2017, the NGFS is a bunch of central banks and supervisors prepared to share finest practices and contribute to the event of setting and local weather threat administration within the monetary sector, whereas mobilising mainstream finance to assist the transition in the direction of a sustainable financial system.

2. ICICI Bank launches Digital banking Platform ‘Merchant Stack’

  • The ICICI Bank has introduced the launch of a digital and contactless banking platform, particularly for retail retailers.
  • The service, known as ‘Merchant Stack’, is focused on the over 2 crore retail retailers within the nation, protecting grocers, supermarkets, massive retail retailer chains, on-line companies and huge e-commerce corporations.
  • Retail retailers can avail the ‘Merchant Stack’ providers on InstaBIZ, the cellular banking utility of ICICI Bank for companies.
  • The big selection of banking, in addition to value-added providers, will allow retailers to satisfy their banking necessities seamlessly in order that they’ll proceed to serve their clients within the difficult occasions throughout the pandemic.
  • The banking providers below Merchant Stack will embrace zero-balance present account, instantaneous credit score amenities, ‘digital store management’ facility, loyalty programme, and value-added providers like alliances with e-commerce and digital advertising platforms.

3. HDFC Bank high arranger of company bond offers in FY21

  • HDFC Bank has emerged as the highest arranger of company bond offers in 2020-21 (FY21). Axis Bank got here in second, whereas ICICI Bank third. However, for the final quarter of FY21, i.e January- March 2021, Axis Bank was the highest arranger of company bond offers whereas HDFC was second within the final quarter.
  • Axis Bank managed 16 offers price Rs. 106.6 billion whereas HDFC Bank had 19 offers price round Rs 70.4 billion.

Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:

  • Headquarters of HDFC Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
  • MD and CEO of HDFC Bank: Sashidhar Jagdishan(Succeeds Aditya Puri).
  • The tagline of HDFC Bank: We perceive your world.

Appointments News

4. TV Somanathan named finance secretary by ACC

  • The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has authorised the appointment of T V Somanathan as the brand new Finance Secretary. He will change Ajay Bhushan Pandey who superannuated in February 2021.
  • Somanathan, a 1987 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, was at the moment serving because the Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. Earlier, he has served as a joint secretary within the Prime Minister’s Office.
  • Somanathan was awarded the Gold Medal for the Best IAS trainee of his cohort. He holds a PhD in Economics from Calcutta University and is a chartered accountant, chartered administration accountant and chartered secretary.

5. Niraj Bajaj named Bajaj Auto Chairman

  • Bajaj Auto has introduced the appointment of Neeraj Bajaj as its new Chairman of the Board with impact from May 1, 2021. The automaker has additionally introduced Rahul Bajaj as its Chairman Emeritus. This can be taken up on the ensuing annual basic assembly for the approval of the shareholders.
  • Rahul Bajaj, Non-executive Chairman of the Company, having been on the helm of the Company since 1972 and the Group for 5 many years, contemplating his age, has tendered his resignation as a non-executive director and Chairman of the Company with impact from shut of enterprise hours on 30 April 2021.

Defence News

6. NATO army workout routines launched in Albania

  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has launched joint army workout routines “DEFENDER-Europe 21” in Albania with 1000’s of army forces from the United States and different international locations within the first such large-scale drills since World War II within the Western Balkans.
  • Albania is enjoying a important half within the DEFENDER-Europe 21 train with Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore operations going down.
  • DEFENDER-Europe is an annual large-scale U.S. Army-led, multinational train, defensive in nature and targeted on deterring aggression, which this yr focuses on constructing operational readiness and interoperability with NATO and a better variety of allies and companions over a wider space of operations than ever earlier than.
  • Around 28,000 U.S., allied and accomplice forces from 26 nations will conduct practically simultaneous operations throughout greater than 30 coaching areas in additional than a dozen nations from the Baltics and Africa to the important Black Sea and Balkan areas.

Important Days 

7. Ayushman Bharat Diwas: April 30

  • Every yr, the Ayushman Bharat Diwas is widely known on April 30 in India. The Ayushman Bharat Diwas is widely known to realize twin missions.
  • They are to advertise well being and wellness to the poor and in addition to offer insurance coverage advantages to them.
  • The day goals to advertise inexpensive medical amenities in distant areas of the nation based mostly on the Socio-Economic Caste Census database. It may also promote well being and wellness and supply insurance coverage advantages to the poor.

8. International Jazz Day: 30 April

  • The International Jazz Day is widely known on 30 April yearly to spotlight the significance of jazz and its diplomatic function in uniting folks in all corners of the globe. The 2021 celebration marks the tenth Anniversary of International Jazz Day.
  • The day was created on the thought of jazz pianist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock.
  • The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed 30 April as International Jazz Day in November 2011. The day was designated to carry collectively communities, faculties, artists, historians, teachers, and jazz fans from internationally to have a good time and study in regards to the artwork of jazz and its impression.

Important takeaways for all aggressive exams:

  • Director-General of UNESCO: Audrey Azoulay.
  • UNESCO formation: 4 November 1946.
  • UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France.

Obituaries News

9. American Astronaut-Pilot Michael Collins Passes Away

  • The American astronaut, Michael Collins, who was the command module pilot for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, has handed away, after shedding his battle to most cancers.
  • During the three-man Apollo 11 crew mission in 1969, Collins saved the command module flying whereas the opposite two members, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin grew to become the primary people to stroll on the moon.
  • Collins spent seven years of his profession as an astronaut with NASA.

Miscellaneous News

10. Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates India’s first 3D printed home at IIT-M

  • The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman just about inaugurated the primary 3D printed home in India on the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M). The idea of this 3D printed home was conceived by former IIT-M alumni.
  • The single-storey residence has been in-built simply 5 days over an space of about 600 sq. ft utilizing ‘Concrete 3D Printing” expertise.
  • The home is by IIT-Madras based mostly start-up ‘TVASTA Manufacturing Solutions’, throughout the campus, in affiliation with Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Centre for Innovation in Shelter.
  • The 3D Printed House would assist to satisfy the deadline of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s imaginative and prescient of the ‘housing for all’ scheme by 2022.
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