Current Affairs 19 April 2022

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 19 April 2022, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2022 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Ayushman Bharat – Health & Wellness Centre Scheme Marks 4th year Anniversary

The Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, organised a week-long celebration under the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, marking the fourth anniversary of Ayushman Bharat- Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) from April 16 to April 22.

• The inauguration of the first AB-HWC on 14th April 2018, at Jangla, a serene village in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh. 

Union Health Minister addresses at 4th anniversary celebrations of AB-HWCs
Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Health Minister addressed the fourth anniversary celebration of AB-HWCs in a meeting organised virtually, which saw the participation of more than 1 Lakh AB-HWCs, State Health ministers, senior Officials of all the States and Union Territories, healthcare workers from various hospitals and development partners.
Key Points:-
i.On April 16, 2022, a record of more than 3 lakh teleconsultations were done under the e-Sanjeevani platform of AB-HWCs. This is the highest number of telecommunications done on a single day, surpassing its earlier record of 1.8 Lakh teleconsultations per day.
ii.On the second day, i.e. On April 17, 2022, Yoga sessions were organised in all the AB-HWCs to highlight the integration of health and wellness in service provision at AB-HWCs.
iii.The Third day begins with organising ‘Block Health Melas’ from 18 April to 22 April, in at least one block in each district of the State/Union Territories (UTs). Each Block Health Mela would be for one day and each block in the State/UTs is to be covered.
>> Read Full News

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Extreme poverty in India declined by 12.3 Percentage Points between 2011-2019: WB Research Paper 

In accordance with the World Bank (WB) Policy Research Working Paper, in India, extreme poverty is estimated to have declined 12.3 percentage points between 2011-2019.

• The title of the paper is ‘Poverty in India has Declined over the last decade But Not As Much As Previously Thought’.
• It is jointly authored by economists Sutirtha Sinha Roy and Roy van der Weide.
• The extreme poverty count fell from 22.5% in 2011 to 10.2% in 2019.

Key Points:
i.The reduction in rural poverty was higher at 14.7 percentage points’ drop as compared to a 7.9 percentage during 2011-2019.

• Rural poverty declined by 4.4 percentage points between 2011 and 2015 from 26.3% to 21.9%. It fell more sharply by 10.3 percentage points during the period 2015 to 2019 from 21.9% to 11.6%.
• Urban poverty dropped by 1.3 percentage points from 2011 to 2015 – from 14.2% to 12.9%, followed by a sharper decline of 6.6 percentage points – from 12.9% in 2015 to 6.3% in 2019.
• Notably, urban poverty rose by 2 percentage points in 2016 amid demonetization.

ii.Extreme poverty declined by 3.4 percentage points from 2011 to 2015 to 19.1% from 22.5%. 

• It is reduced by 3.2% percentage points between 2017 and 2018, which was the fastest rate in over two decades.

iii.Poverty saw a sharper fall of 9.1 percentage points between 2015 and 2019 from 19.1% to 10%. 
iv.Since 2011, poverty reduction has slowed down.
v.The rate of poverty reduction between 2004 and 2011 is estimated at approximately 2.5% points per year.
vi.Farmers with small landholding sizes have experienced higher income growth. Real incomes for farmers with the smallest landholdings have grown by 10% in annualized terms between the two survey rounds in 2013 and 2019 compared to a 2 percent growth for farmers with the largest landholding.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI certifies 121 Finance as India’s 1st NBFC-Factor under its Registration of Factors Regulations 2022

i.Jaipur (Rajasthan)-based 121 Finance becomes India’s first fintech led NBFC (non-banking financial company)-Factor to receive the Certificate of Registration (CoR) under Registration of Factors (Reserve Bank) Regulations 2022. That means, it is the first NBFC to convert from an Investment and Credit Company (ICC) to an NBFC-Factor.
ii.Until now, Factoring was offered only to the large corporates.
iii.Under this registration, MSME can sell a receivable invoice to 121 Finance, without any collateral. With this the business can convert these invoices into cash instantly and be free from the management of the receivables. 
About 121 Finance:
Establishment– 1984
Headquarters- Jaipur, Rajasthan
Founder & CEO– Dr Ravi Modani
>> Read Full News

Nexo Card: Nexo launches World’s 1st Crypto-Backed Payment Card with Mastercard & DiPocket

A partnership of London (United Kingdom)-based Nexo with Mastercard, and DiPocket launched the world’s first crypto-backed payment card namely ‘Nexo Card’ in selected European countries.

• London-based DiPocket, an electronic money firm is Nexo’s card issuer while New York (United States)-based Mastercard offers various innovative features for this Card
• Available both in virtual and physical form, this card allows users to spend without having to sell their digital assets such as bitcoin, which are used as collateral to back the credit granted.

Key Features of Nexo Card:
i.The card is linked to a Nexo-provided, crypto-backed credit line and can be used at 92 million merchants worldwide where Mastercard is accepted.
ii.It allows investors to spend up to 90% of the fiat value of their crypto assets.
iii.The card requires no minimum repayments, monthly, or inactivity fees. Also, there is no FX (foreign transaction) fee for up to 20,000 euros per month.
iv.Interest: The interest is only paid on the amount of credit actually used.

• Interest remains at 0% for customers who maintain a loan-to-value ratio of 20% or below.

v.2% Crypto Rewards: Every Nexo Card transaction will get instant crypto cashback up to 2%, paid out in Bitcoin or in Nexo’s native NEXO Token. 

Central Govt amends FEMA (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 to Allow 20% FDI in LIC

In exercise of the powers conferred by clauses (aa) and (ab) of sub-section (2) of section 46 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999), the Central Government has amended Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 with Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Amendment) Rules, 2022 allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) upto 20%, and to align with the modified FDI policy.

• The amendment also allows start-ups to issue convertible notes for a maximum period of 10 years from earlier 5 years.
• FEMA stands for Foreign Exchange Management Act.

Key Points:
i.The Central Government is all set to dilute its 5% stake in LIC through the Initial Public Offering (IPO). In this regard, SEBI has also approved the draft prospectus for this stake sale for an estimated Rs 63,000 crore.
ii.On March 14, 2022, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)  amended the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy to facilitate overseas investment in LIC.
iii.Foreign investment in LIC shall be subject to the provisions of the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956, (LIC Act) as amended from time to time and such provisions of the Insurance Act, 1938, as amended from time to time, as are applicable to LIC
iv.The LIC public issue is expected to be the biggest IPO in the history of the Indian stock market. 

• So far, the amount from the IPO of Paytm in 2021 was the largest ever at Rs 18,300 crore, followed by Coal India (2010) at nearly Rs 15,500 crore and Reliance Power (2008) at Rs 11,700 crore.

IMF Creates Resilience and Sustainability Trust to Help Vulnerable Countries

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has decided to create a new facility named the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), which will come into effect on May 01, 2022. 
Objective: To guide low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries in addressing longer-term structural concerns that pose macroeconomic risks, including climate change and pandemics.

• The aim is to establish a trust with at least USD 45.8 billion in resources in order to balance the demands of potential contributors and borrowers.
• The RST requires close coordination with the World Bank and other international financial institutions (IFIs) to operate successfully.

Working of the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST):
i.The RST will increase the impact of the US $ 650 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation, implemented in 2021, by channelling resources from economically stronger members to countries with the greatest needs. 
ii.The RST will become the third pillar of the IMF’s loan portfolio, in addition to the General Resources Account and the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust. 

• To help create resilience against long-term risks to balance of payments stability, the RST will provide policy support as well as affordable longer-maturity financing (with a 20-year maturity and a 10½ -year grace period).

iii. RST financing will be accessible to around three-quarters of the IMF’s 190 member nations, including low-income countries, most middle-income countries, and all small developing countries.

• To gain access to the money, member countries will require a package of high-quality policy initiatives, sustainable debt and adequate repayment capabilities. 

Note: Special Drawing Rights (SDR) – SDR is an international reserve asset created by the IMF to supplement the official reserves of its member countries. A basket of currencies defines the SDR: the US dollar, Euro, Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen, and the British Pound.
About International Monetary Fund (IMF):
Managing Director – Kristalina Georgieva
Establishment – 1944
Headquarters – Washington, D.C, USA  

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS      

MoCA’s UDAN Scheme to Be Awarded with The Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration

UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), a flagship Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has been chosen for the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2020 in the category “Innovation (General) – Central”.

• The award will be presented to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on April 21 – Civil Service Day. On the occasion of “Civil Service Day,” the government of India is set to organise a special event at Vigyan Bhawan, where the representative of the ministry will be honoured.

NOTE: Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik – Let the Common Citizens of The Country Fly.
About Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration:
i.The Government of India established this award in 2006 to honour, recognise, and reward remarkable and innovative work done by Districts and Organizations of State/Government. 
ii.In 2021, the Scheme was revamped with a new approach to encourage Constructive Competition, Innovation, Replication and Institutionalisation of Best Practices.

• Under this approach, emphasis would be on Good Governance, Qualitative achievements, and last mile connectivity rather than only on achievement of quantitative targets.  
• The award includes a trophy, a scroll, and a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs.

About UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme:
i.The UDAN scheme, which was launched in 2016, intends to meet the expectations of the common man by enhancing aviation infrastructure and air connectivity in tier II and III cities, as per the vision of UdeDeshkaAamNagrik.

• Over 92 lakh people have benefited from 415 UDAN routes that connected 66 underserved and unserved airports, including heliports and water aerodromes, in just five years.

ii. New Greenfield Airports were also built as a result of the project, including Pakyong in Gangtok in Sikkim, Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh, and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. The scheme also resulted in a 5% increase in the domestic passenger share of non-metro airports.
iii.The Ministry of Civil Aviation intends to build 100 new airports by 2024 in India, as well as 1,000 new routes under the UDAN RCS scheme by 2026.
iv.It is to be noted that the tableau of the Ministry of Civil Aviation that featured the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (UdeDeshKaAamNagrik) as its central theme, was named as the best central ministry tableau for Republic Day 2022.

IndusInd Bank bags global ‘Celent Model Bank’ Award for its Enterprise Payments Hub (EPH) initiative

The Celent, leading research and advisory firm on Banking Technology, has awarded the global ‘Celent Model Bank’ award for IndusInd Bank for its best-in-class Enterprise Payments Hub (EPH) under the ‘Payments System Transformation’ category.

• The award acknowledges the bank’s efforts in creating a cloud-based central payments hub which is capable of processing high transaction loads originating from all forms of payment instructions and client touchpoints.

About Enterprise Payments Hub (EPH):-
i.The EPH is developed on a micro services stack with each payment having its pod based architecture allowing the bank to minimise outages, reduce transaction cost and improve the customer experience. 
ii.It allows payments to auto scale independently depending on peak transactions and also features capabilities like warehousing of transactions including replay, centralised limit management and reconciliation controls.
About Celent Model Bank award:-
i.The award is given by Celent, a leading research and advisory firm focused on technology for financial institutions globally.
ii.The award recognises best practices of using technology in different areas that are critical for banking.
About IndusInd bank:-
Chief Executive Officer – Sumant Kathpalia 
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline – We Make You Feel Richer  

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS    

Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas Gets 1 year Extension

The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) has approved the extension of service to Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission(AEC), for a period of 1 year beyond 3rd May 2022, i.e., upto 3rd May 2023. 

• This is the 2nd extension for Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas, who has been serving as the Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission since September 2018.  

Background:
In September 2018, ACC approved his appointment as the Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India and Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India, till he attains the age of 64 on 3rd May 2021. 
In May 2021 his term was extended for a period of 1 year, i.e., upto 3rd May 2022.  
About Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas:
i.Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas, a nuclear physicist, qualified as a scientist trainee of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC) in 1979 and joined as a scientist in Fuel Design & Development Section of Reactor Engineering Division of BARC.
ii.He was responsible for design and development of a novel fuel for strategic applications. 
iii.He has also served as the Director of BARC.
Awards:

• Indian Nuclear Society Outstanding Service Award 2011.
• Homi Bhabha Science and Technology Award 2006.
• Department of Atomic Energy(DAE) Excellence Award for outstanding contributions (2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013).
• He is also a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers. 

About Atomic Energy Commission(AEC):
i.AEC was first established in August 1948 in the Department of Scientific Research.
ii.DAE was setup on 3rd August 1954 under the direct charge of the Prime Minister(PM) through a Presidential Order. In accordance with a Government Resolution dated 1st March 1954, the AEC was established in the DAE.
iii.The Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Atomic Energy is ex-officio Chairman of the Commission.
Chairman– Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas 
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Zhongxing-6D – Communication Satellite successfully launched by China

On April 15, 2022, China launched a new satellite named Zhongxing-6D through its Long March-3B rocket carrier, from the Xichang Satellite Launch centre located at China’s Southwest Sichuan Province.
About Zhongxing-6D:-
i.The Satellite system will provide Radio and Television transmission and communication services.
ii.The launch marks the 415th mission for the Long March series rocket carrier.

SpaceX Launches NROL-85 Mission for U.S. National Reconnaissance Office 

On 17th April 2022, A two stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the United States (U.S.) National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)’s NROL-85 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, United States of America(USA). 
This is a US Surveillance satellites with a classified payload code named “NROL-85”.
The slogan of the NROL-85 mission is ‘Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.’

• This was the second launch and landing of this booster (identified as B1071-2), which previously launched the NROL-87 mission.

Key Points:

• This was the 1st mission by the NRO to reuse a SpaceX rocket booster. 
• NRO Launch 85 (NROL-85) was the 148th launch of the Falcon 9 and the rocket’s 14th mission of 2022. 
• NROL-85 is the 4th dedicated Falcon 9 mission that SpaceX will carry out for NRO.
• This is the 20th NRO launch from the Western Range since 1996.

Note: The Falcon’s first stage flew back and landed at the seaside base northwest of Los Angeles, California, USA. 
Additional info:
i.National Reconnaissance Office has described NROL-85 satellite as a “critical national security payload.”
ii.Its launch was one of three awarded by the Air Force to SpaceX in 2019 for a combined fixed price of USD 297 million.
iii.The NRO is the US government agency in charge of developing, building, launching and maintaining U.S. satellites that provide intelligence data to senior policymakers, the intelligence community and the Defense Department.

SPORTS

Indian GM D Gukesh won La Roda International tourney held at spain

The Indian GrandMaster (GM) Dommaraju Gukesh, won the 48th La Roda International Open Chess tournament held at Castilla La Mancha, Spain by defeating Israel GM Victor Mikhalevski in the final round and scoring 8 points from nine rounds.
Key Points:-
i.Gukesh finished with seven wins and two draws. One of the draws came in the sixth round against Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa and another drawn game was against Armenia GM Haik M Martirosyan in round five.
ii.Armenia GM Haik Mikaeli Martirosyan finished second by scoring 7.5 points.
iii.The third place was secured by Indian GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa who scored seven points. 
v.The Fourth and Fifth place was won by Indian GM Raunak Sadhwani and Spain GM Manuel Lopez Martinez Josep respectively.

Tennis: Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece won the Men’s Singles title at Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2022

Stefanos Tsitsipas, a Greek professional tennis player, has won the Men’s Singles title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2022, 115th edition, held at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in Monte Carlo, Monaco, from 10th to 17th April 2022.Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters is the first of three ATP Masters 1000 tournaments played on clay.

• This marks his 8th Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour title as well as his 2nd ATP Masters 1000 (Monte Carlo) title of his career. 
• He defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain to retain his title and became the first repeat champion at Monte Carlo Masters since Rafael Nadal of Spain in 2018
• He became the 6th player to win back to back in Monte Carlo Masters in Open Era, emulating Rafael Nadal, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Thomas Muster, Bjorn Borg and Ilie Nastase.

Note:
Rafael Nadal has won Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 11 times, including an Open-Era record eight successive titles at a single ATP Tour event, between 2005-2012.
About Stefanos Tsitsipas:
i.Stefanos Tsitsipas (World Rank 5) born in Athens, Greece, has won 8 ATP Tour titles including 2022 & 2021 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo. 
ii.He won the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals and became the youngest Nitto ATP Finals champion, year-end champion, since Lleyton Hewitt (20) in 2001 in Sydney.
Winners of Men’s Doubles:
Joe Salisbury, British professional tennis player and Rajeev Ram, American professional tennis player won the Men’s Doubles Title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2022 defeating Juan-Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah of Colombia. 
About Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP):
ATP is the governing body of the men’s professional tennis circuits – the ATP Tour, the ATP Challenger Tour and the ATP Champions Tour. 
Chairman– Andrea Gaudenzi
CEO– Massimo Calvelli

Netherland Won their 4th title at FIH Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup 2021

The Netherlands has won International Hockey Federation (FIH – Fédération Internationale de Hockey) Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2021, 9th edition of the under 22 Womens Outdoor tournaments, held in Potchefstroom, South Africa from 1st to 12th April 2022. 

• This marks the Netherland’s 4th title at the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup, previously Netherland has won the title in 1997, 2009, and 2013. 
• Netherland won the title defeating Germany for 3 -1. Germany has won the silver for the 2nd time. 
• England defeated India and won the bronze and achieved their highest finish at a Junior World Cup. India finished in fourth place.

OBITUARY

Legendary Odia Singer Prafulla Kar Passed Away

Popular Odia singer and music director Prafulla Kar passed away due to age-related ailments in Odisha.He was born on February 16, 1939 in Puri, Odisha
About Prafulla Kar:
i.Kar was a prominent musician, singer, lyricist, writer, and columnist . His elder brother Khetramohan Kar was an accomplished Tabla player.
ii.In 1962, he debuted as a singer in the Odia film Shri Shri Patita Pabana. His song “Kamala Desha Rajakumara” made him famous.
iii. He became a music composer for the film Mamata in 1975, and he has since composed music for a number of other films, including Batighara, Shesha Shrabana, Sindura Bindu, Bandhu Mahanti, Balidaan, and Ram Balaram.
Awards:-

• He received Padma Shri award in the field of art in 2015.
• In 2004, he was presented the Jayadeva award.
• He has won the State Film Award eight times, six of them consecutively.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Author Prem Rawat Launches his Book “Hear Yourself” for India 

Renowned Author Prem Rawat has released his book titled “Hear Yourself: How to Find Peace in a Noisy World” for India in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The book is published by HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

• The book is already available in 58 countries and it is available in 5 languages such as English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese..
• The book aims to help the readers to develop better self understanding and understand their own potential. 

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Hemophilia Day 2022 – April 17 World Hemophilia Day is annually observed across the globe on 17th April to create awareness about Hemophilia, a rare disorder in which the blood doesn’t clot since it does not have enough blood-clotting proteins (clotting factors).
The day is annually organised by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH). 
The theme of World Hemophilia Day 2022 is “Access for All: Partnership. Policy. Progress. Engaging your government, integrating inherited bleeding disorders into national policy”.
Background:
i.World Hemophilia Day was created by the World Federation of Hemophilia(WFH) in 1989. 
ii.WFH chose 17th April as the date for the observance of World Hemophilia Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Frank Schnabel, the founder of WFH. 
About World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH):
CEO– Alain Baumann
Headquarters- Montréal, Québec, Canada
Established in 1963
>> Read Full News

International Day for Monuments and Sites 2022 – April 18 

The International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day, is annually observed across the globe on 18th April to celebrate and spread awareness about the cultural heritage and diversity on the planet.

• The day aims to encourage local communities and individuals throughout the world to consider the importance of cultural heritage to their lives, identities and communities. 
• The day also promotes awareness of the diversity and vulnerability of the heritage sites and the efforts required to protect and conserve them.

The theme of International Day for Monuments and Sites 2022 is “Heritage and Climate”. The theme for activities to be organized is annually proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). 
About International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS):
President– Teresa Patricio (Belgium)
Secretary General– Mario Santana (Canada)
Headquarters– Paris, France
>> Read Full News

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