National NEWS
Tamil Nadu Launches Nilgiri Tahr Survey for Conservation:
- Tamil Nadu government initiates three-day survey of Nilgiri Tahr, the state animal, to enhance understanding and conservation efforts.
- Collaboration with Wildlife Institute of India (WII), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to conduct the survey.
- Nilgiri Tahr, endemic to Western Ghats, faces threats like habitat loss and poaching, necessitating conservation measures.
- Conservation initiatives in Eravikulam and Mukurthi National Parks, along with captive breeding programs, demonstrate multi-pronged approach to safeguard the species.
- Collaborative efforts involving state governments, conservation organizations, and research institutions crucial for effective conservation of Nilgiri Tahr and its habitat.
Launch of Integrated Pensioners Portal of Bank of India Facilitates One-Stop Services for Pensioners:
- The Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare (DoPPW) launched the “Integrated Pensioners Portal of Bank of India” on April 26, 2024.
- The initiative aims to integrate the Pension Portals of all 17 Pension Disbursing Banks with the Integrated Pensioners’ Portal of DoPPW to enhance the ease of living for pensioners.
- Pensioners of Bank of India (BOI) will now have access to one-stop services such as pension slip, life certificate submission status, due and drawn statement, and Form-16 through the integrated portal.
- With this launch, a total of five banks are now integrated, offering services from a single window.
- Integration of State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda (BOB), Punjab National Bank (PNB), and Canara Bank with Bhavishya portal has already been completed as part of the integration efforts.
About Bhavishya Portal:
i. Mandatory Implementation: The ‘Bhavishya’ platform, functioning as an integrated online Pension Sanction & Payment Tracking system, was mandated for all central government departments from January 1, 2017.
- Aim: Its primary objective is to ensure the timely payment of all retirement dues and the issuance of Pension Payment Order (PPO) to retiring employees on the day of their retirement.
ii. Integration and Enhancement: Various systems and initiatives such as Centralized Pension Grievances Redress And Monitoring System (CPENGRAMS), ANUBHAV, ANUDAAN, Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP), and pension dashboard were merged with the Bhavishya portal.
About Bank of India (BOI):
- Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)- Rajneesh Karnatak
- Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Founded in 1906
- Tagline- “Relationship Beyond Banking”
Economy NEWS
India’s E-commerce Market Set to Become World’s Third Largest by 2030:
- Invest India predicts India’s e-commerce industry to surge to $325 billion by 2030, aligning with an $800 billion digital economy.
- With 881 million internet users, India is poised to become the third-largest online retail market, with an estimated 500 million online shoppers by 2030.
- Factors driving growth include soaring internet access, expected to reach 87% of households by 2025, particularly driven by mobile internet, and a growing online shopper base in both rural and urban areas.
- India’s affordable data prices play a significant role, fostering greater internet access and e-commerce adoption nationwide.
Goldman Sachs Predicts India’s Services Exports to Reach $800 Billion by 2030:
- Goldman Sachs forecasts India’s services exports to grow to $800 billion by 2030, up from $340 billion in 2023.
- This projected increase is expected to make India’s external sector more resilient to supply-side shocks and decrease rupee volatility.
- India’s foreign trade policy, announced in the previous year, set a target of achieving $1 trillion in service exports by 2030.
International NEWS
Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport Set to Become World’s Largest:
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, announces plans for the world’s largest capacity airport.
- Government approves at Al designs for new passenger terminals Maktoum International Airport.
- Vision includes creating a complete city around the airport in Dubai South, serving as a global center for aviation, trade, and urban development.
India showcases energy innovations at 26th World Energy Congress in Rotterdam:
- The 26th edition of the World Energy Congress took place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, from April , 2024, with the theme ‘Redesigning energy for people and planet’.
- Hosted by the World Energy Council (WEC) and WEC Netherlands, the event was supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy of the Netherlands, City of Rotterdam, and Port of Rotterdam.
- The congress aimed to delve into the role of connected energy societies in driving global energy transitions, given the unpredictable, turbulent, and fast-shifting world context.
- Pradip Kumar Das, Chairperson & Managing Director (MD) of Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA), represented India during a panel discussion on ‘The New Interdependencies: Trust, Security and Climate Resilience’.
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) reaffirmed its commitment to a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia-Pacific through Strategy 2030, emphasizing seven priorities: Education, Energy, Finance, Health, Transport, Urban, and Water.
About World Energy Council (WEC):
- Secretary General and CEO- Dr Angela Wilkinson
- Headquarters- London, United Kingdom Establishment-1923
About WEC India: It is a country member of WEC It joined the Council in 1924. WEC India functions under the patronage of Ministry of Power, Government of India and with the support of the Ministries of Coal, New & Renewable Energy, Petroleum & Natural Gas and External Affairs.
- Chairman- Pankaj Agarwal
- Headquarters- New Delhi, DelhiTop of Form
Banking NEWS
RBI Maintains FPI Investment Cap in G-Sec for FY25; Announces Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) maintains the Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) investment limit in Government Securities (G-Sec) at 6% of outstanding security stocks for FY25 (2024-25).
- FPI limits for state government securities (SGSs) and corporate bonds remain unchanged at 2% and 15% respectively.
- All investments in ‘specified securities’ by eligible investors are considered under the Fully Accessible Route (FAR).
- Incremental changes in the G-Sec Limit (in absolute terms) are allocated into two sub-categories, General and Long Term, retained at a ratio of 50:50 for 2024-25.
- The increase in the limit for State Development Loans (SDLs) (in absolute terms) is entirely added to the general sub-category of State Development.
About Reserve Bank of India(RBI):
- Governor- Shaktikanta Das (25th Governor of RBI)
- Headquarter- Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Established on 1 April 1935Top of Form
Award NEWS
India Today’s AI Anchor Sana Wins Global Media Awards:
- Sana, an AI-powered news anchor by India Today Group, secures first prize in ‘Best Use of AI in Customer-Facing Products’ category at INMA Global Media Awards.
- Recognition acknowledges Sana’s pivotal role in revolutionizing newsroom dynamics through the fusion of human expertise and AI innovation.
- Sana also clinches ‘Best in South Asia for AI-Led Newsroom Transformation’ award, showcasing collaborative efforts in driving innovation and excellence in regional media.
Alok Shukla Receives 2024 Goldman Prize for Hasdeo Arand Movement:
- Alok Shukla, Chhattisgarh’s environmental activist and convenor of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, awarded the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize.
- Recognized for his grassroots efforts in protecting the Hasdeo Arand forest, known as the lungs of Chhattisgarh, from coal mining.
- Founded Hasdeo Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti to safeguard the forest area and its ecosystem against government-sanctioned coal mining projects.
- The Goldman Environmental Prize, dubbed the Green Nobel Prize, honors individuals globally for their impactful environmental activism and grassroots initiatives.
Indian Winners of Goldman Environmental Prize: so far
- Medha Patkar – 1992
- M.C. Mehta – 1996
- Rashida Bee and Champa Devi Shukla – 2004
- Ramesh Agarwal – 2014
- Prafulla Samantara – 2017
- Alok Shukla – 2024
About goldman environment award:
- Founders: Richard and Rhoda Goldman established the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1989.
- Purpose: The prize recognizes grassroots environmental leaders, raises awareness about environmental issues globally, and promotes environmental action.
- Inception: The first Goldman Environmental Prize was awarded in 1990.
- Regional Selection: Recipients are chosen from six regions worldwide: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South and Central America, and Islands and Island Nations.
- Announcement: Winners are announced annually on Earth Day.
Hema Malini, Saira Banu, and Others to Receive Pt. Lacchu Maharaj Award:
- Notable Hindi film stars Hema Malini and Saira Banu among those to be honored with the prestigious Pandit Lacchu Maharaj Award.
- Award ceremony scheduled for August 31, 2024, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
- Decision made during a meeting at Bhatkhande Sanskriti University, Lucknow, chaired by the university’s vice-chancellor, Prof. Mandavi Singh.
- Secretary of Pt. Lachhu Maharaj Bellet Foundation and senior disciple of Pandit Lachhu Maharaj, Kumkum Adarsh, also attended the meeting.
10 eminent personalities to be awarded the Lacchu Maharaj award
- The Lacchu Maharaj Award, Instituted in memory of the famous kathak exponent Lacchu Maharaj, was not given after 2014. Thus, the Pandit Lacchu Maharaj Ballet Foundation has decided to honour 10 personalities this year. No award has been announced for the year 2020 due to COVID-19. The awardees are:
| Serial Number | Awardee | Award for Year | Belongs to Place | Exponent of Dance form |
| 1 | Uma Sharma | 2015 | New Delhi | Kathak |
| 2 | Rama Vaidyanathan | 2016 | New Delhi | Kathak |
| 3 | Uma Dogra | 2017 | Jaipur | Kathak |
| 4 | Hema Malini | 2018 | Mumbai | Kathak, Film actress |
| 5 | Saira Banu | 2019 | Mumbai | Kathak, Film actress |
| 6 | Sandhaya Puricha, Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi | 2018 | Mumbai | Bharatanatyam Exponent |
| 7 | Dr. Malabika Mitra | 2021 | Kolkata | Kathak |
| 8 | Prachi Shah | 2022 | Mumbai | Kathak, Film actress |
| 9 | Ashim Bandhu Bhattacharya | 2023 | Mumbai | Kathak |
| 10 | Pandit Rajendra Gangani | 2024 | Jaipur | Kathak |
About Lacchu Maharaj:
- Lacchu Maharaj, born Baij Nath Prasad in 1907 in Lucknow, was a celebrated classical Kathak dancer and choreographer.
- Trained under his uncle, Pandit Bindadin Maharaj, a court dancer of the Nawab of Awadh, Lacchu Maharaj gained renown for his exceptional talent.
- He achieved fame for choreographing Kathak sequences in iconic Bollywood films like Mahal, Mughal-e-Azam, Chhoti Chhoti Baten, and Pakeezah.
- Beyond performances, he contributed significantly to Kathak’s promotion and talent nurturing, founding and directing the Uttar Pradesh government’s Kathak Kendra in Lucknow.
- Lacchu Maharaj’s contributions were recognized with the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1957, honoring his mastery and dedication to Kathak.
Science and Tech NEWS
China Launches Three-Member Crew to Space Station, Eyes Moon Mission by 2030:
- China launched the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft with a three-member crew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
- The launch is part of China’s ambitious space program, aiming to establish a presence on the moon by 2030.
- The spacecraft lifted off atop a Long March 2-F rocket at 8:59 p.m. local time from the Gobi Desert.
- The crew will relieve the Shenzhou-17 team currently stationed at China’s Tiangong space station since October.
China:
- Capital: Beijing
- President: Xi Jinping
Important Days
Global Celebration of International Dance Day 2024 Honours Art of Dance:
- International Dance Day is celebrated annually on April 29th as a tribute to the art of dance worldwide.
- Conceived by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), it highlights the significance of dance in global culture.
- The day commemorates the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727–1810), considered the pioneer of modern ballet.
- ITI, a key partner of UNESCO in the performing arts, promotes the celebration of International Dance Day.
Obituary
Yakshagana Mourns the Loss of Veteran Exponent Subrahmanya Dhareshwar:
- Subrahmanya Dhareshwar, a senior Yakshagana ‘bhagavatha’, passed away in Bengaluru at the age of 66.
- Born on September 5, 1957, in Kirimanjeshwara, Udupi district, Dhareshwar came from a family deeply involved in Yakshagana.
- His father, Lakshminarayana Bhat, was an amateur Yakshagana artiste, nurturing Dhareshwar’s passion for the art form.
- Dhareshwar was a recipient of the prestigious Karnataka Rajyotsava award for his contributions to Yakshagana.
- He served as a professional ‘bhagavatha’ for nearly four decades, performing with renowned Yakshagana melas such as Amrutheswari, Hiremahalingeshwara, Panchalinga, and Perdoor.
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