April 2021 TNPSC Monthly Current Affairs Online Test in English

Explanation

• ‘Hola Mohalla’ is a festival celebrated annually in Punjab’s Anandpur Sahib by the people from the Sikh community. The festival is usually celebrated on the second day of lunar month of Chet, which will follow the day of Holi festival.
• This year, the ‘Hola Mohalla’ festival fell on March 10. It is celebrated to symbolise martial bravery and fighting prowess with music.

Explanation

• For the year 2021, the chairmanship of BRICS is vested with India. India has commenced its chairship with the inauguration of 3–day–long Sherpas’ meeting. The meeting was chaired by Secretary (CPV & OIA) of Ministry of External Affairs. During the meet, India introduced to the member countries its themes and priorities for the year 2021.

Explanation

• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced a competency–based assessment framework for classes 6–10 based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• The assessment aims to improve the overall learning outcomes of students mainly covering three subjects namely English (reading), Science, and Maths. British Council along with AlphaPlus as the UK knowledge partner, designed and developed this framework.

Explanation

• India has announced 200,000 doses of COVID–19 vaccines as a gift to the UN peacekeepers. It will be sent on March 27 and will be distributed to the peacekeeping missions. With this, it will be possible to administer the double doses of COVID–19 vaccines to all 85,782 UN peacekeepers serving in 12 peacekeeping operations across the world.

Explanation

• K VijayRaghavan has been given a one–year extension as the principal scientific advisor to the Government of India. As per the order issued by the Personnel Ministry, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension as the PSA for a period of one year. He provides objective advice to the Prime minister and Cabinet on matters related to science, technology and innovation.

• A skyscraper–sized cargo ship MV Ever Given recently stuck in the Suez Canal near Suez, Egypt. As it stuck across the canal, over 150 other vessels which were to pass the waterway were waiting for the obstruction to clear. Ever Given vehicle was carrying cargo between Asia and Europe. The Suez Canal is a narrow, man–made canal that divides continental Africa from the Sinai Peninsula.

Explanation

• GISAT–1 is India’s first agile earth observation satellite that will be placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. The Indian Space Research Organisation has revised the launch schedule of the geo imaging satellite GISAT–1 on board GSLV–F10 launch vehicle. The 2,268 kg satellite is expected to be launched on April 18, this year.

Explanation

• Pakistan has successfully test–fired a nuclear–capable surface–to–surface ballistic missile named Shaheen–1A. The missile has a range of 900 kilometres with sophisticated and advanced guidance system. In February, Pakistan successfully tests–fired a nuclear–capable surface–to–surface ballistic missile which can strike targets up to 290 km.

Explanation

• The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed retaliatory trade actions against India and some other countries for imposing Equalisation levy on e–commerce companies.
• In June 2020, the US initiated an investigation under Section 301 of the US Trade Act, 1974 against the taxation on the digital services or the Equalisation levy by India, Italy, Turkey, UK, Spain and Austria.

Explanation

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released its new assessment recently. It highlighted the pressures faced by the two species of elephants in Africa due to poaching for ivory and human encroachment.
• It announced that the Savanna elephant was “endangered” and the much smaller, lighter forest elephant was “critically endangered”.

Explanation

• The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is on a 2–day official visit to Bangladesh as a part of National Day celebrations in Bangladesh. He has announced the ‘Swarna Jayanti’ scholarships for the youth of Bangladesh to mark half a century ling ties between the two countries. PM has invited 50 entrepreneurs of Bangladesh to visit India and to join India’s start–up and innovation ecosystem.

Explanation

• As per the recent World Development Report by the World Bank, most countries have not implemented the open–data policy, particularly the developing economies. Only 11% low–income countries consistently made their data available with an open license.
• The percentage in lower–middle–income countries was 19%; for upper–middle–income countries is 22% and high–income countries at 44 %.

Explanation

• In a recent research performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), under a contract with NASA and University of Southern California, four strains of bacteria have been discovered at the ISS. The team of Scientists also included a team from India’s University of Hyderabad. One of the strains – Methylobacterium ajmalii, is named after Ajmal Khan, a renowned Indian scientist specialised in biodiversity.

Explanation

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina has recently inaugurated the new passenger train named ‘Mithali Express’. It connects Dhaka Cantonment and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal via Chilahati, a border railway station in Bangladesh. This is the third passenger train after Maitree Express (Dhaka–Kolkata) and Bandhan Express (Khulna–Kolkata).

Explanation

• As per the data released by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Karnataka has the highest number of vehicles which are older than 15 years are plying on roads. The number of such vehicles pan India is more than four crore vehicles and Karnataka has topped the list with 70 lakh vehicles.

Explanation

• India is set to participate in a joint Military Exercise with Bangladesh. The exercise is named “Shantir Ogroshena –2021” and would commence in Bangladesh from 4th April 2021.
• This is a nine–day exercise between the two armies, and the start date of the exercise marks to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangladesh Father of the Nation – Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Explanation

• The Oxford group has selected ‘Aatmanirbharta’ as the Oxford Hindi word of 2020. In Hindi language, it means self–reliance. Previous Hindi words of the year selected by Oxford are ‘Aadhar’ (2017), ‘Nari Shakti’ (2018) and ‘Samvidhaan’ (2019).
• Following the prime minister’s address, there was a significant increase in the usage of ‘aatmanirbharta’ following the Prime minister’s address.

Explanation

• The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) released a report titled Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2021. As per the report, India is estimated to record an economic growth of 7% in 2021–22.

Explanation

• The Supreme Court appointed a four–member committee to study the three new controversial agricultural laws in January 2021.
• It had temporarily suspended the implementation of the three farm laws until further notice. The members include P. K. Mishra, Anil Ghanwat, Ashok Gulati and Bhupinder Singh Mann. The panel has submitted its report to the Supreme Court recently.

Explanation

• The Economic Affairs Secretary announced that the inflation target for the period April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026 under the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934 has been kept at 4 percent with a margin of 2 percent on either side. This is the same target mandated to the RBI by the Government in the previous five years (2016–21).
• RBI was to maintain annual inflation at 4% until March 31, 2021 with an upper tolerance of 6% and a lower tolerance of 2%.

Explanation

• The Government of India had signed the India–Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) on 22nd Feb, 2021. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has notified that all the legal formalities pertaining to the CCEA has been completed and the agreement has come into force on 1st April 2021.

Explanation

• France is set to conduct the joint naval exercise, La Pérouse, in the Bay of Bengal from April 5 to 7. India is set to join its Quad partners — Australia, Japan, and the United States in the exercise.
• Two French Navy ships will be joined by ships from India, Australia, Japan, and the US. India and France will also hold the bilateral naval exercise, Varuna later this month.

Explanation

• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that India holds the world record for fastest road construction.
• India has entered Guinness World Records by building a 2.5 km 4–lane concrete road within 24 hours. It also built 25–km bitumen Solapur–Bijapur road within 24 hours. A record construction of 37 km per day was achieved in financial year 2020–21.

Explanation

• The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has amended the rules pertaining to location of thermal power plants within 10 km of major cities with more than 10 lakh population and the National Capital Region.
• As per the amended rules, certain emission norms have been mandated to be adhered by the thermal power plants latest by the end of 2022.

Explanation

• The UNESCO has recently released a report titled “World 2030: Public Survey Report”. This report is based on surveys conducted around the world from May 2020 to September 2020.
• As per the report, climate change, violence and conflict, loss of biodiversity, discrimination and inequality etc are some of the important challenges affecting a peaceful society.

Explanation

• Under the PM SVANIDHI scheme, urban street vendors are sanctioned with working capital credit facilities upto Rs,10,000 per year by banks. This scheme was launched by the Government of India to provide micro–credit facility to vendors during COVID–19 lockdown. As per a recent data by the Ministry of Home Affairs, out of the total disbursement under the scheme, private banks have contributed only 1.6%.

Explanation

• India has fixed a target of 10% ethanol blending in petrol by the year 2022. Recently, India has achieved more than 7.2 percent of ethanol blending in fuel, for the first four months of ethanol supply.
• Some stated like Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra have achieved 9–9.5% ethanol blending. This shows that India is on track to reach 10% ethanol blend by 2022.

Explanation

• The National Maritime Day is celebrated every year on 5th of April. This year marks the 58th edition of National Maritime Day, while the first such event was celebrated in the year 1964. The National Maritime Day is celebrated on April 5, to commemorate the maiden voyage of the first wholly owned ship of Indians.

Explanation

• The Union Health Ministry has recently approved the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021. This national policy aims to bring down the high cost of treatment for rare diseases.
• This policy has been drafted and approved in consultation with multiple stakeholders of the nation. It is also stated that 40% of beneficiaries covered under PM–JAY will benefit from the policy.

Explanation

• Ajay Seth, a 1987–batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and the Managing director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation, has been appointed as the Department of economic affairs (DEA) secretary. Tarun Bajaj, the present Department of economic affairs (DEA) secretary, has been appointed as the new Revenue secretary.

Explanation

• Israel’s longest–serving leader and the incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a mandate from Israel’s president to form a new government. Israel’s election on March 23, was its fourth in two years and ended with an inconclusive election.
• Netanyahu was in power consecutively since 2009, and now has 28 days to form a new Government.

Explanation

• Gautam Adani’s Adani group of companies has become the 3rd in India to cross $100 billion in market capitalisation, after Tata Group and Reliance Group. The total market capitalisation of Adani group’s 6 listed companies touched Rs.7.84 lakh crore or $106.8 billion, according to stock exchange data.

Explanation

• The Union Minister of state for Education – Sanjay Dhotre represented India in the consultation meeting of Education Ministers of E9 countries. The theme of the meeting was “E9 initiative: Scaling up digital learning to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4”.
• E9 countries consist of Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan.

Explanation

• ShadowPad is a malware that is alleged to be behind the October blackout in Mumbai. It has been linked to Chinese cyberattacks in the past too. It was discovered in the year 2017. It was found injected into software updates by NetSarang, a legitimate software provider.

Explanation

• “International Day of Sport for Development and Peace” is observed across the world on April 6, after the United Nations General Assembly resolution in 2013. It is marked to celebrate the positive contribution of sports towards sustainable development and advancement of human rights. This year’s theme is around recovery from the pandemic and the importance of equity in that recovery.

Explanation

• World Health Day is celebrated across the world annually on April 7. It marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948. It aims to create awareness on a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The theme for this year is “Building a fairer, healthier world”.

Explanation

• India recently hosted the Meeting of BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors 2021. It was co–chaired by Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and RBI governor Shaktikanta Das. Finance Minister addressed the meeting virtually from New Delhi.
• Issues regarding New development bank, social infrastructure, IMF reforms, fintech for SME and financial inclusion, customs cooperation were discussed during the meeting.

Explanation

• Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY–G), 92% target of completion has been achieved in the 1st phase of the scheme. A target of 1 crore houses was set for completion in the 1st phase of the scheme– from 2016–17 to 2018–19. It aims constructing 2.95 crore PMAY–G houses with all basic amenities by the year 2021–22.

Explanation

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to provide a sum of Rs.50,000 crore to the All–India Financial Institutions (AIFIs) namely NABARD, SIDBI and NHB. NABARD would receive Rs.25,000 crore, SIDBI would receive Rs.15,000 crore and NHB would receive a sum of Rs.10,000 crore as refinance credit facility.

Explanation

• The Government has appointed S Raman as the new Chairman and Managing Director of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). Banks Board Bureau had recommended his name for the post and the appointment is for a period of 3 years.
• Ramann is an Indian Audit & Accounts Service officer, is currently the CEO of National e–governance Services Ltd.

Explanation

• Ministry of Commerce and Industry notifies Copyright (Amendment) Rules, 2021. It also added a new provision regarding publication of a copyrights journal, thereby eliminating the requirement of publication in the Official Gazette. In India, the copyright regime is governed by the Copyright Act, 1957 and the Copyright Rules, 2013.

Explanation

• Google introduced a new ‘Women Will’ web platform in India. This program aims to provide guidance to women who want to become entrepreneurs. Google also announced to shut down the Internet Saathi initiative inaugurated at the first Google for India event back in 2015. In the last six years, the initiative has trained over 30 million women across rural India.

Explanation

• The fossil of a mammal that lived during the age of dinosaurs has been discovered in Patagonia region of Chile, South America. Named as “Orretherium tzen” meaning ‘Beast of Five Teeth’, it is claimed to have lived lived between 72 and 74 million years ago.
• It is said to have been a herbivore and said to have lived in South America at the end of the Mesozoic era.

Explanation

• The La Soufriere volcano located on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent erupted after several decades of inactivity.
• The volcano was dormant since 1979 and it showed signs of activity in December last year. The Prime Minister had earlier ordered for evacuation of people in the area.

Explanation

• The Directorate of Archives and Archaeology (DAA) of Goa inaugurated the Advanced Antiquities Management System (AAMS). This is said to be the first system in the country for storage of antiquities.
• The AAMS is a software–driven automated storage which is used for the storage of various objects. The system provides information about an antiquity and will ensure safety of the antiquities.

Explanation

• The Finance Ministry has notified changes in Post Office Savings Account Scheme, 2019. As per the notification, a beneficiary of the Government welfare scheme can open a basic savings bank account with a post office. As per the notification, there is no minimum deposit required for opening of such an account.
• There will also be no requirement for maintaining minimum balance. The ministry also reduced fee for not maintain the balance in a savings account.

Explanation

• Hindustan Unilever, Google and MyGov India have collaborated together for conducting a hackathon in the field of agriculture. The three entities have come together to find innovative solutions for water conservation in agriculture and to bring start–ups in designing sustainable solutions for farmers.

Explanation

• Indian Government’s think tank – NITI Aayog has planned to launch a hand book for Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). This book would serve as an invitation to business leaders to adopt ODR in India.
• The book would be published in association with organizations like Agami and Omidyar Network India, ICICI Bank, Ashoka Innovators for the Public etc.

Explanation

• “Historical nihilism” is a phrase used in China which describes public doubt over the description of past events by Chinese Communist Party. Recently, China’s cyber regulator has launched a hotline to report online comments that tend to defame the ruling Communist Party and its history. The Party’s 100th anniversary falls on July this year.

Explanation

• The expert committee recommended the emergency use of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine in India. Now, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) will consider this recommendation and authorise the restricted emergency use in India. The other two vaccines are Covishield by Serum Institute and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech. Sputnik V will be manufactured in India by several companies in India.

Explanation

• The Punjab government has said to the central government that it will pay the Minimum Support Price directly into the accounts of farmers. Earlier, the Arhtiyas (commission agents) used to pay the farmers. 
• Punjab Chief Minister captain Amarinder Singh announced that the State Food Department has amended the procurement software so that the Arhtiyas will continue to be involved in the direct payment process.

Explanation

• The Artemis program is NASA’s manned mission to the moon which is set to be executed in the year 2024. Recently, NASA has stated that it will land the first person of colour on the moon and the first woman on moon as a part of the mission in 2024.

Explanation

• The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), has celebrated its 71st Foundation Day recently. At the celebrations in Swami Vivekanand Cultural Centre at Indian Embassy in Beijing, the foundation day celebrations were accompanied by the launch of ‘Little Guru’ app. This is the world’s first Gamified Sanskrit learning App.

Explanation

• New Zealand has become the first country in the world to introduce a Climate Change law for Financial sector. The law requires banks, insurers and investment managers to report the impacts of climate change on their business. It requires financial firms to explain how they would manage climate–related risks and opportunities.

Explanation

• On 13 April 1984, the Indian Army launched ‘Operation MEGHDOOT’ to secure Bilafond La and other passes on the Saltoro Ridgeline. Siachen Day every year commemorates the courage displayed by troops of the Indian Army in securing Siachen Glacier, the highest and coldest battlefield in the world.

Explanation

• The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is set to deploy Network Survey Vehicle (NSV), to provide better roads to commuters. NHAI has made road condition survey using NSV mandatory at the time of certifying completion of the project and every six months thereafter. 
• This has also been included as a part of the standard bidding document of consultancy services.

Explanation

• The European Commission has proposed to make borrowings amounting 150 billion euros till the year 2026. The proceeds of the borrowing will be used to make its economy greener and more digitalized. The funds are proposed to be raised through auctions and syndication through a primary deal network.

Explanation

• ‘Central Asia’ is the name of an international center for trade and economic cooperation, being constructed by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan at the borders of the two countries.
• The center would have a capacity of accommodating 35,000 people and 5,000 trucks per day in both directions. It would serve as a large industrial, trade and logistics platform for both countries.

Explanation

• The Government of New Zealand has introduced a new legislation, whereby banks, insurers and investment managers operating in the country are required to report the impacts of climate change on their business. New Zealand is the first country to bring such legislation. 
• As per the new legislation, banks with total assets of more than NZ$1 billion and insurers with more than NZ$1 billion in total assets have to make the disclosure.

Explanation

• The National Nursery Portal has been launched by National Horticulture Board. It is a platform which is available both in the form of a web portal and a mobile application. It intends to create an online market place where nurseries and buyers can interact for sale of plants.

Explanation

• Technology and Social media giant Facebook have signed a deal to buy renewable energy in India. This is the first such deal of Facebook in the country. Facebook and CleanMax are working together for supplying renewable power into India’s electrical grid. The 32–megawatt wind power project is located in the state of Karnataka.

Explanation

• The Union Ministry of Agriculture, has entered into an MoU with Microsoft for implementing a pilot project in 100 villages of six states – Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Under the project, Microsoft will develop a farmer interface for smart and well–organized agriculture, which includes post–harvest management and distribution.

Explanation

• The United States of America headed by President Biden has decided to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan over the next few months. The exit of troops is set to be completed by September 11th this year, which marks the 20th year anniversary of Twin tower attacks on the USA by the Taliban.

Explanation

• The season between winter and monsoon, referred to as the ‘forest fire season’, is increasing in India due to climate change and scarce rainfall in the Himalayan regions. The forests of Uttarakhand have not stopped burning in the last six months. There were 470 incidents of fire in Uttarakhand’s forests between November 2020 and January 2021 against the previous year’s count of 39.

Explanation

• The Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) was enacted in 1968, to maintain certain essential services and the normal life of the community. The Act includes a list of essential services in its charter. After the rapid increase in Covid–19 cases, the Chhattisgarh Government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).
• The refusal to work in essential services has been prohibited. It includes health workers, sanitation workers, workers in water and power supply services etc.

Explanation

• The Indian Navy deployed its specialised diving support, INS Nireekshak for the search and rescue of the missing fishermen, off the Mangalore coast. Recently, nine fishermen of a Kerala–registered mechanised fishing boat went missing.
• On account of this issue, the Indian Navy is carrying out deep–sea diving operations using specialised equipment and naval divers.

Explanation

• The National Assembly of France has recently approved the creation of an “ecocide” offence, which seeks to punish acts of environmental damage. The bill will be applied to the most serious cases of environmental  damage at national level, such as the pollution of a river. An offence of endangering the environment is punishable on the lines of endangering life.

Explanation

• Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually launched world’s first affordable and long–lasting hygiene product in the name of “DuroKea Series”. The hygiene product has been launched by IIT Hyderabad researchers. This innovative and long–lasting technologies was developed to combat COVID–19 virus spreading.

Explanation

• Italy has recently launched its first ever mega food park project in India involving food processing facilities. The pilot project “The Mega Food Park” was launched in virtual mode.
• A Letter of Intent was signed between the ICE Office in Mumbai and Fanidhar Mega Food Park, Gujarat.

Explanation

• Israel and Greece have signed their biggest ever defence procurement deal.
• It includes a USD 1.65 bn contract for establishment and operation of a training centre for the Hellenic Air Force by Israeli defence contractor. This deal is expected to strengthen political and economic ties between the countries. The Air Forces of the two countries also launched a joint exercise.

Explanation

• A massive fire, which has been burning along the Table Mountain National Park, South Africa, is said to be damaging buildings. Around 200 firefighters along with four helicopters have been dispatched to put off the massive blaze. Mostert’s Mill, a historic windmill near the University of Cape Town built around 1796, has also been damaged by the fire.

Explanation

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India and GIZ GmbH India on behalf of the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety signed an agreement on Technical Cooperation titled ‘Cities Combating Plastic Entering the Marine Environment’.
• The project’s outcomes are completely in line with the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban focusing on sustainable solid waste management and the target to phase out single use plastic by 2022.

Explanation

• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran started enriching uranium up to 60 %.
• This figure is its highest–ever level of enrichment. The decision to boost uranium enrichment and to install modernized centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear facility was made due to the recent incident damaging the electricity distribution network in Natanz.

Explanation

• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) announced that Sivasubramanian Ramann has taken charge as Chairman and Managing Director of the bank. The appointment is for a period of three years. Prior to this appointment, Ramann was serving as MD and CEO of National E–Governance Services Ltd (NeSL).
• He has also held the position of Executive Director in Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Explanation

• World Press Freedom Index 2021 is published by the international journalism not–for profit body, Reporters Without Borders (RSF). India is ranked 142, same as last year among the 180 countries and the index is topped by Norway followed by Finland and Denmark.
• India is regarded among the countries classified “bad” for journalism and is termed as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists trying to do their jobs properly.

Explanation

• The Government of India has recently extended the insurance scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package for health workers for a period of one year. This insurance scheme convers loss of life due to COVID 19 and accidental death due to COVID related duty. A sum of Rs. 50 lakhs would be paid to the claimant of insured person.

Explanation

• The Startup India Seed Fund has been officially unveiled by the Union Minister for commerce Piyush Goyal. A sum of Rs.945 crore is allocated for the fund and is expected to benefit more than 3600 startups in the country. Also, it is expected to boost the start–up ecosystem in tier–2 and 3 cities.

Explanation

• The International Energy Agency, which is headquartered in Paris (France) has recently released a report, which states that energy related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across the globe have risen by about 1.5 billion tonnes in the year 2021. This is considered to be the largest increase in carbon emission since the year 2010.

Explanation

• The World Economic Forum has recently released the global ‘Energy Transition Index’. The index ranks 115 economies on the current performance of their energy systems and their readiness for transition to secure and sustainable energy systems.
• India has moved up two positions to rank 74th from previous year, and has improved on all key parameters. Sweden has topped the Energy Transition Index (ETI) for the third consecutive year. Switzerland and Finland were ranked in the next two positions.

Explanation

• April 22 is observed as the Earth Day throughout the world. It is an international event celebrated around the world to support for environmental protection. This year marks the 51st anniversary of the annual celebrations. The theme for Earth Day 2021 is ‘Restore Our Earth’. 
• The United Nations designated April 22 as ‘International Mother Earth Day’.

Explanation

• The S&P Global Ratings in its report on Asia–Pacific Financial Institutions, highlighted that the Indian economy is projected to grow at 11% in the current fiscal year. The agency also revealed that some more targeted lockdowns will likely be needed and the impact of broader lockdowns on the economy could be substantial. As per official estimates, the Indian economy contracted 8% in 2020–21 fiscal.

Explanation

• Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre (1919): To protest against the repressive policies of the British Government, the unarmed peaceful people were gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on April 13, 1919.
• To suppress mass agitation, General Dyer ordered his troops to open fire on them without warning. That act of cruelty and barbarism by the britishers in that bagh was known in history as Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre (or Amritsar Massacre).

Explanation

• The National Panchayat Raj Day is celebrated every year in India on April 24 by the Ministry of Panchayat Raj. On this day, in 1993, the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 came into force that has institutionalized Panchayat Raj through the village, Intermediate and District level Panchayats.

Explanation

• The World Malaria Day for the year 2021 was observed on 25th April this year. The theme for this year’s World Malaria Day was “Reaching the zero–malaria target”.
• As per a WHO Report 2019, India represents 3% of the global malaria burden and it has registered a reduction in malaria cases by 49% and reduction in deaths by 50.5% compared with 2017 levels.

Explanation

• World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on 26 April.The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2000 to “raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life” and “to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the globe”. The theme for this year’s World Intellectual Property Day is “IP and SMEs: Taking your ideas to market”.

Explanation

• NASA’s Perseverance mission has extracted oxygen on the Mars planet, using its MOXIE (i.e) Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment. MOXIE has produced 5 grams of oxygen from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere, which is enough for an astronaut to breathe for 10 minutes.
• On Mars, carbon dioxide makes up 96% of the gas in its atmosphere while Oxygen is only 0.13%. MOXIE intakes CO2 and produces O2 from it.

Explanation

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently validated Gambia for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. With this, Gambia became the second country in WHO’s African Region to achieve this milestone.
• World Health Organization launched the 2021–2030 road map for neglected tropical diseases. Côte d’Ivoire was the 1st to achieve this feat.

Explanation

• In the World Youth Boxing Championships held in Kielce, Poland, Indian women boxers created history with seven gold medals. All the women finalists Gitika, Naorem Babyrojisana Chanu, Poonam, Vinka, Arundhati Choudhary, T Sanamacha Chanu and Alfiya Pathan finished on the top of the podium. Three other Indian boxers also won bronze medals.

Explanation

• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) GC Murmu has been selected as the external auditor of Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). He would serve the position for a term of three years. His term as an external auditor commences from the year 2021.
• OPCW is an intergovernmental organisation and the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, which is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.

Explanation

• Every year, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) celebrates the fourth Thursday of April as the International Girls in ICT Day. This year, 22nd April marked the 10th Anniversary of the day and was observed with the theme Connected Girls; Creating Brighter Futures.” 
• The International Telecommunication Union is an UN specialized agency and is headquartered in Geneva.

Explanation

• The Annapurna Mountain Range in the Himalayas is located in north–central Nepal. It is the tenth highest mountain peak in the world, which includes a peak over 8000 metres.
• Recently, Priyanka Mohite from Satara in Maharashtra became the first Indian woman to scale Mt Annapurna. She had earlier summitted several peaks including Mt Everest.

Explanation

• Tissue Chips are small models of human organs that contain multiple cell types that behave similarly to the human body. Four astronauts were recently launched to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a collaboration between NASA and SpaceX under the Commercial Crew Program. Their prime focus during this time will be to carry out a series of Tissue Chips in Space studies.

Explanation

• As per a statement by APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), the export of processed food by India has increased by 26.51 per cent during April–February 2020–21. By value, the increase stood at Rs.43,798 crore. This increase has been achieved despite COVID 19 pandemic prevailing throughout the world.

Explanation

• VARUNA is a multilateral Naval Exercise between India and France. The 19th edition of the bilateral exercise ‘VARUNA–2021’ concluded on 27th April 2021. Conducted in the Arabian Sea, the exercise included advanced air defence and anti–submarine programmes, intense flying operations, surface and anti–air weapon firings and other maritime security operations.

Explanation

• The “World Immunization Week” is observed every year in the last week of April. It aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. This year, the theme of the week is ‘Vaccines bring us closer’. Google also created a Doodle to thank the health workers on the onset of the World Immunization Week 2021.

Explanation

• An oxygen concentrator is a medical device which concentrates oxygen from ambient air. During the COVID–19 pandemic, it is highly needed for treating patients.
• The oxygen concentrator takes in the atmospheric air, which has 78 % Nitrogen and 21 % oxygen, filters it through a sieve, releases the nitrogen back into the air, and works on the remaining oxygen.

Explanation

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 25 countries, with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025 under its ‘E–2025 Initiative’. As per a new report of the WHO–Zeroing in on malaria elimination, these 25 countries including three from Africa will have to work by responding to the dual threat of malaria and COVID–19. The WHO will provide support and technical guidance to these countries.

Explanation

• The American Space Agency – NASA has recently launched a mission named – SHIELDS (Spatial Heterodyne Interferometric Emission Line Dynamics Spectrometer). This mission aims to study light from interstellar particles which have drifted into the solar system.
• The mission was launched using a NASA black Brant IX sounding rocket from Mexico.

Explanation

• The World Book and Copyright Day is observed every year on April 23 to raise public awareness of books and reading and pay tribute to authors in the book industry, professionals or volunteers. The day is being organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing and copyright. It is a symbolic date for world literature.
• In 1616, on this date, Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega died. The day is also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Days. Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, has been designated as the UNESCO World Book Capital – 2021

Explanation

• The country’s very first ‘Oxygen Express’ departed from Andhra Pradesh to supply oxygen to the state of Maharashtra. The Ro–Ro (roll–on, roll–off) service operated by Central Railways is ferrying oxygen from Vishakhapatnam steel plant to meet the sudden surge in oxygen demand in Maharashtra due to COVID–19 pandemic.