Current Affairs 27 April 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Govt amends DAP 2020 to Promote Make in India in Defence Procurement

On the basis of the approvals accorded by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 has been amended to further promote Make in India and Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence; and enable Ease of Doing Business.
The amendments are in respect of the following:
i.All requirements of the three Defence Services and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will be met indigenously. The import of defence equipment or sourcing from Foreign Industry of capital acquisitions will be an exception and undertaken with specific approval of DAC/Union Defence Minister.
ii.Domestic industry will not have to furnish Integrity Pact Bank Guarantee (IPBG)  for acquisitions costing more than Rs 100 crore. This IPBG waiving off is on the recommendations of Ministry of Finance in order to reduce the financial burden on the domestic industry.

• Instead of IPBG, Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) will be used as a bid security for all acquisition cases with Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) cost more than Rs 100 crore. 
• EMD is not required from Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs).

iii.The total order quantities in acquisition situations will be distributed between shortlisted vendors to encourage broader involvement; and a broad base indigenous defence manufacturing sector in the country.

• The Defence services will offer a certificate to technically qualified bidders who have not been awarded a contract, confirming that the product has been successfully trial-tested. This will allow vendors to explore other markets.

iv.The procurement process under DAP 2020’s iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) method has been simplified to allow more startups to contribute. With this simplification, time taken from grant of AoN to signing of contract will be reduced to 22 weeks.
v.The timelines in Make-II procedure will be reduced to 101-109 weeks from an existing total time-period of 122-180 weeks.
Note-India has imposed a phased ban on the import of 310 different weapons and systems during the last two years.

MoU between CSIR and iCreate to harness India’s tech strength

On April 25, 2022, The Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel, presided over the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing between the Gujarat Government’s Technology Incubator, iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) (Government of India’s Premier Research and Development body) intends to foster rapid economic development and help create world class start-ups by harnessing the country’s technological strength.
Key Points:
i.Under the MoU following cooperation were intended –

• iCreate to help establish new start-up incubators at select CSIR labs to boost commercialisation of CSIR’s innovations.
• CSIR provides access to its equipment, facilities as well as scientific manpower to iCreate’s start-ups.
• CSIR and iCreate to jointly work on creating tech innovation-based commercial solutions to address large challenges facing the country.
• CSIR will explore new ways of financially supporting innovative start-ups.     

Dignitaries present: 
i.The event saw the august presence of Rajiv Kumar Gupta, IAS, Chairman, iCreate, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Industries and Mines and Rahul Gupta, IAS, Industries Commissioner, Government of Gujarat.   
About iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology):
It is India’s largest institution for transforming start-ups based on tech innovation into successful businesses. 
Chairman – Rajiv Kumar Gupta, IAS
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Anupam Jalote
Headquarter- Ahmedabad, Gujarat
About Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR):
President – Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
Vice President – Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Science &Technology
Director General- Dr. Shekhar C. Mande; Headquarter – New Delhi, Delhi

Govt Eases Certain Norms under EPCG Scheme to Promote Ease of Doing Business 

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has relaxed certain norms under chapter 5 of Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) Scheme Handbook of Procedures (2015-20) issued under Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2015-20, in order to reduce compliance requirements and facilitate ease of doing business.
i.The Objective of the Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme is to facilitate import of capital goods for producing quality goods and services and enhance India’s manufacturing competitiveness.
What is the Change?
i.Under the EPCG scheme, Capital Goods imports will be allowed duty free provided, the exporter or the authorisation holder has to export finished goods worth six times of the actual duty saved in value terms in six years.
ii.Annual Reporting of Export Obligation (EO) – Exporters have to file the EO before June 30 of each year instead of April 30 of each year. However, a late fee of Rs 5,000 will be attracted if there is any delay.
iii.Request for extension of EO should be filed within six months of expiry instead of the earlier prescribed period of 90 days. However, a late fee of Rs 10,000 per authorisation will be levied to those who file EO after six months and up to six years.
iv.Requests for extension of block-wise EO – should also be filed within six months of expiry orelse a late fee of Rs 10,000 per authorisation will be levied to those who file EO after six months and up to six years.
v.Also the applications made for extension of EO after six years will be subject to a fee of Rs 5,000 per year. Earlier, no specified time limit was prescribed, leading to discretionary interpretations.
vi.Further, the facility to pay customs duty through scrip under Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP), Rebate of State & Central Taxes and Levies(RoSCTL) for default payment under the EPCG scheme has been withdrawn.

PM Modi Inaugurates 500 KW Solar Power Plant in Palli; Palli becomes India’s 1st Carbon-Neutral Panchayat

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the 500 KW solar power plant at Palli Village in Samba District, Jammu and Kashmir(J&K), during his visit to Palli Gram Panchayat on the occasion of 13th National Panchayati Raj Day (24th April 2022). 
With this inauguration, Palli becomes India’s first carbon-neutral Panchayat. 
About the 500 KW solar power plant:
i.The project was completed at a cost of Rs 2.75 crore and it was installed in a record time of around 2-3 weeks.
ii.The electricity generated by the plant will be distributed to the village which has a daily demand of 2,000 units. 
iii.The 1500 solar panels placed across an area of 6,408 square meters will provide clean electricity to around 340 houses in the model panchayat under the ‘Gram Urja Swaraj’ programme. 
Other initiatives: 

i.PM Modi has laid the foundation stones for the 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project and 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric project which will be constructed on the Chenab river in Kishtwar District. These projects will ensure to meet the power requirements of the region. 

• The 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project will be constructed at a cost of around Rs 5,300 crore and the 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric project will be built at a cost of around Rs 4500 crore. 

ii.He also inaugurated the 8.45 Km Banihal-Qazigund Road Tunnel built at a cost of over Rs 3100 crores. The tunnel reduces the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km, and the journey time by around 1 and half hours. 
iii.He also laid the foundation stone of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, which is being built at a cost of over Rs 7500 crore.
iv.He also dedicated 108 Jan Aushadhi Kendras to the people of Jammu and Kashmir with an objective to provide quality medicines and surgical items to all at affordable prices.

• 51 of the 108 Kendras under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) are established in Jammu, while 57 are in Kashmir.

v.During the visit, Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development initiatives worth around Rs 20,000 crore.
vi.The PM has also launched the ‘Amrit Sarovar Mission’ and transferred the amount of the National Panchayat Award into the bank accounts of the winning Panchayats, in Samba, J&K.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India’s Military spending is 3rd Highest in World, US tops: SIPRI Report

In accordance with the Sweden based think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, titled ‘Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2021‘, India’s military spending of $76.6 billion is 3rd highest in the world followed by the United States (US)-1st  and China (2nd) .

• The report’s data is based upon the updated SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, which provides military spending data by country for the years 1949–2021.
• The five largest spenders in 2021 were the US, China, India, the UK (United Kingdom) and Russia, together accounting for 62% of expenditure.

Indian Scenario:
i.India’s military spending are increased by 0.9% from 2020 and by 33% from 2012. 
ii.To strengthen the indigenous arms industry, 64% of capital outlays in the military budget of 2021 were earmarked for acquisitions of domestically produced arms.
Global Scenario:
i.In 2021 world military expenditure surpassed the two trillion US dollar mark for the first time, reaching $2113 billion. Global spending in 2021 was 0.7 per cent higher than in 2020 and 12 per cent higher than in 2012.
ii.This was the seventh consecutive year that spending increased.
iii.There was a slowdown in the rate of real-terms growth due to inflation, however, in nominal terms, military spending grew by 6.1%.
iv.In 2021, the global military burden-world military expenditure as a share of world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), fell by 0.1 percentage points, from 2.3% in 2020 to 2.2% in 2021.
Key Points:
i.The US military spending amounted to $801 billion in 2021, a drop of 1.4% from 2020. Its military burden decreased slightly from 3.7% of GDP in 2020 to 3.5% in 2021.
ii.China allocated an estimated $293 billion to its military in 2021, an increase of 4.7% compared with 2020. Its’military spending has grown for 27 consecutive years. 

BANKING & FINANCE

SBI Card Partners With TCS To Accelerate Its Digital Transformation

In a move towards expanding its strategic partnership, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has signed a deal with SBI Cards and Payments Services Ltd. (SBI Card), India’s largest pure-play credit card issuer, to accelerate SBI Card’s digital transformation journey.

• TCS will continue to digitalize and change online onboarding processes in order to provide a faster and more frictionless experience for customers, resulting in higher customer satisfaction.
• It will also allow SBI Card to increase its e-card issuance, rewarding customers and giving the company a competitive edge in the market.

TCS has been providing services to SBI Card for over a decade since 2008, and the new deal represents an extension of that relationship.
Strategic Partnership between TCS & SBI Card:
i.TCS assisted SBI Card in transforming its primary card sourcing platform and digitising a significant portion of the process in the lead-up to the company’s blockbuster Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2020.

• The flexible, future-ready platform personalised the customer experience, resulting in increased sales and retention.

ii.The integration of touchpoints between the new technologies such as Video KYC, e-sign functionalities and the SBI Card-owned Sales24 platform (used for new account originations) made this entire digitalization process complicated. 

• TCS, as a strategic partner of SBI Card, played a key role in developing high-performing and scalable technology innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in digitizing the core cards sourcing platform, implementing Video KYC, and eSignature features.

About SBI Cards and Payments Services Ltd. (SBI Card):
SBI Card was launched by the State Bank of India and GE Capital and was incorporated as SBI Cards and Payment Services Private Limited (SBICPSL).

• In December 2017, State Bank of India and The Carlyle Group acquired GE Capital`s stake in SBI Card. The company changed its legal name to SBI Cards and Payments Services Limited in August 2019. 
• It aims to offer Indian consumers access to a wide range of world-class, value-added payment products and services.

MD & CEO – Rama Mohan Rao Amara
Founded – 1998
Headquarters – Gurgaon, Haryana.

Suryoday SFB partners Kyndryl for Digital & IT transformation

On April 25, 2022, the Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SSFB) joined hands with New York, United States (US)-based Kyndryl, an IT infrastructure services provider for a period of 5 years.

• Under this partnership, Kyndryl will drive bank’s Information technology (IT)/Digital transformation program, improve operational efficiency, and increase digital banking adoption among bank’s customers.
• Overall, Kyndryl  will modernize the bank’s technology and network connectivity

Key Points:
i.The bank will utilize Kyndryl’s advisory and implementation services to deploy and support a new core banking system 
ii.Kyndryl will manage the bank’s critical core and mobile banking application ecosystem and provide deep expertise in hybrid cloud services, data analytics, among others.
iii.It will also provide security and resiliency services using Kyndryl’s Cyber Resiliency Orchestrator
About Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SSFB):
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer– Baskar Babu Ramachandran
Tagline– A Bank of Smiles
Headquarter– Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra

Airtel Payments Bank & IndusInd Bank Tie Up to Offer FDs Facility

Airtel Payments Bank has teamed up with IndusInd Bank to provide its customers with a Fixed Deposit (FD) facility.

• Customers of the Airtel Payments Bank can open FDs starting at Rs. 500 and up to Rs. 190,000 in a few minutes using the Airtel Thanks mobile application.
• With this collaboration, Airtel Payments Bank’s savings account customers will receive an annual interest rate of up to 6.5%, and senior people will receive an additional 0.5% on all fixed deposits.

Key Points:
i.Customers of the Airtel Payments Bank will be able to book several FDs for a fixed term of one, two, or three years.
ii.Customers can dissolve an FD before its maturity date via the Airtel Thanks app without incurring any penalties or processing fees for early withdrawals.
Within minutes, the invested amount will be paid back to the associated account.
iii. Fixed deposits are a popular investment option since they provide guaranteed returns while also ensuring the safety of the customer’s funds.
iv.This partnership enables IndusInd Bank to provide streamlined application processes to customers across India, as well as provide them with a holistic solution to their investment needs.
About IndusInd Bank:
MD & CEO – Sumant Kathpalia
Establishment – 1994
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline – We Make You Feel Richer
About Airtel Payments Bank:
It is India’s first Payments Bank which was launched in 2017 by Bharti Airtel, India’s largest telecom provider. 
MD & CEO – Anubrata Biswas 
Headquarters – New Delhi,Delhi

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS     

23rd Laureus World Sports Awards 2022 : Max Verstappen & Elaine Thompson-Herah wins Top Honours

The winners of the 23rd Annual Laureus World Sports Awards – 2022 (Laureus22) were announced over a digital ceremony broadcasted from Seville, Spain. 
The 2021 Formula One(F1) World Champion Max Verstappen, a Belgian-Dutch racing driver and the Jamaican Olympic sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah have won the World Sportsman of the year 2022 and Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year 2022 respectively. 

• This marks Max Verstappen’s first Laureus award and his 2nd nomination. 

Host: 
The 2022 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony was hosted by Olympian Lindsey Vonn, the greatest women’s skier of all time. 
>> Read Full News   

Gautam Adani Ranks 5 In Forbes’ Real-time Billionaires List Overthrowing Warren Buffett

As of April 25 2022 ,Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani surpassed Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett to become the fifth richest person in the world, according to the ‘Forbes’ real-time billionaires list’.

The net worth of Gautam Adani is estimated to be United States Dollar (USD) 122.3 billion, where Buffett stands at USD 121.7 billion. The group has seven listed companies such as Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Adani Power, Adani Total Gas, Adani Green Energy, Adani Transmission and Adani Wilmar. 

• The returns have been multibagged from Adani Wilmar, by 235 percent, whereas Adani Power has zoomed 170 percent and Adani Green Energy has also gained 110 percent. 

Sahitya Akademi Awards 2021 Conferred to 24 Writers, Playwrights & Novelists

In March 2022, 24 eminent Writers, Playwrights, Poets and Novelists were conferred with Sahitya Akademi Awards 2021 in New Delhi, Delhi. Dr Chandrashekhar Kambar, President of Sahitya Akademi, has felicitated the awardees and handed over the cheque of Rs 1 lakh, a shawl and memento.

• The awardees include Gujarati Poet Yagnesh Dave (Gandh Manjusha – Poetry); Maithili novelist Jagdish Prasad Mandal (Pangu – Novel); Manipuri writer & critic Thokchom Ibohanbi Singh (Manipurida Punshi Warigee Sahitya – Criticism); and Urdu Poet Chander Bhan Khayal (Taza Hawa Ki Tabishen – Poetry).
• The Sahitya Akademi Awards recognises the best writings in 24 Indian languages.

The winners of the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2021(for 20 languages) were announced in December 2021 and the winners of  Gujarati, Maithili, Manipuri and Urdu were announced in February 2022. 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS     

Liberal newcomer Robert Golob Defeats three-time PM Janez Janša in Slovenian Election

The Liberal Freedom Movement Party’s Robert Golob defeated three-time Prime Minister (PM) Janez Janša belonging to Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) in the Slovenian Parliamentary Elections held on April 24, 2022. 
Stats:
i.According to National Election Commission, with approx. 99 percent of votes counted, the Freedom Movement party led by Robert Golob secured nearly 34 percent of votes, while the Janez Janša belonging to SDS party secured around 24 percent of votes. 
ii.Other Parties such as the New Slovenia–Christian Democrats Party secured around 8 percent of votes followed by the Social Democratic Party scoring more than 6 percent of votes and the Left Party scored around 4 percent of votes polled.
iii.The Freedom Movement Party which won 40 seats out of 90 seats in the Slovenian Parliament will form a coalition with the Social Democratic Party with 7 seats and the Left Party to form Government, creating a broad coalition of left-leaning parties.
About Slovenia:
Capital – Ljubljana, Slovenia
President – Borut Pahor
Currency – Euro     

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS       

Elon Musk acquires Twitter for approx $44 billion

Tesla co-founder and World’s richest person (as of April 26, 2022) Elon Musk has acquired social networking service Twitter Inc. for approximately $44 billion with shares valued at $54.20.  Now the company will be held privately.

• The all-cash deal for the same is expected to be completed later this year

Key Points:
i.ELon Musk is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of electric car maker Tesla Inc; and aerospace company SpaceX.
ii.His wishlist for the acquired company include Edit button, Free speech, spam bots, and changes in algorithm.
iii.Under this deal, he secured $25.5 billion of debt and margin loan financing and will provide about $21 billion in equity to fund the deal.
About Twitter:
i.It was created by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams in March 2006, and was launched in July 2006.
ii.The Current Twitter CEO is Parag Agrawal. 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Navy and IAF Successfully Test Fires BrahMos Missile from INS Delhi and Su30 MkI

On April 19, 2022, Indian Navy has successfully test-fired a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the guided-missile destroyer Indian Navy Ship (INS) Delhi. 

• The successful maiden BrahMos firing by INS Delhi from an upgraded modular launcher demonstrated the long-range strike capability of BrahMos while also validating integrated Network Centric Operations from frontline platforms.
• On the same day, the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully tested a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a frontline fighter jet Sukhoi Su30 MkI on the eastern seaboard on the same day.

Earlier, on March 5, 2022, the Indian Navy successfully test-fired an advanced version of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile in the Indian Ocean from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai.

Note : BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

SPORTS

India Secures A Total Of 17 Medals In Asian Wrestling Championships 2022The 30-member Indian contingent participated at the 35th Edition of Asian Wrestling Championships 2022 held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 19 April 2022 to 24 April 2022. In which Indian wrestlers secured a total of 17 medals, that includes (1-Gold, 5-Silver, 11-Bronze medals). 
Gold Medalist:
Ravi Kumar Dahiya is the only Gold medalist representing India, in the men’s 57kg freestyle category, beating Kazakhstan’s Rakhat Kalzhan on technical superiority. 

• Ravi Kumar became the first Indian to win 3 Gold medals in Asian Wrestling Championships which includes 2020 in New Delhi, India,2021 in Almaty, Kazakhstan and 2022 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia respectively.

2022 Asian Wrestling Championships Medals Table:

>> Read Full News

OBITUARY

Former Meghalaya CM J.D. Rymbai Passed Away

The former Chief Minister (CM) of Meghalaya, James Dringwell Rymbai, died at the age of 88 on April 21, 2022. He was born in Meghalaya on October 26th, 1934.

• The Meghalaya Government had declared three days of state mourning from April 21st to April 23, 2022, as a mark of respect for his sad and sudden demise.

There was no official entertainment during the period of state mourning, and the National Flag was flown at half-mast at all government buildings across the state.
About James Dringwell Rymbai:
i.He first entered politics in 1983, when he contested for the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly from the Jirang constituency on an Indian National Congress ticket, and was subsequently appointed Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
ii.In 1993, he was elected to the Meghalaya Assembly as the speaker. He has been in charge of a number of government ministries since 1998.
iii. In 1993, 1998, and 2003, he won three consecutive terms as MLA from the Jirag assembly constituency in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district.
iv.On June 15, 2006, the veteran politician was elected Chief Minister of Meghalaya and served until March 2007.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

HarperCollins India Publishes Roger Faligot’s Book Titled ‘Chinese Spies: From Chairman Mao to Xi Jinping’ 

HarperCollins India has published a new book titled “Chinese Spies: From Chairman Mao to Xi Jinping” authored by French journalist Roger Faligot and translated by writer, editor and translator, Natasha Lehrer. 
The foreword of the book is written by Vikram Sood, the former head of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India’s foreign intelligence agency. 

• The book ‘Chinese Spies’ was originally published in French in 2008 and later translated into English from the updated 4th edition by Natasha Lehrer.

About the book:
i.The book traces the history of the modern Chinese secret service, with segments linked to Chinese espionage and the relationship between the country’s intelligence agencies and party leadership.
ii.The book provides credible and accessible accounts of Chinese intelligence agencies and covers secret operations related to the New Silk Road, the current global economic wars, battles on the internet and Islamist terrorism.
iii.The book covers all major events from the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 to the Covid pandemic of 2020. 
About Roger Faligot:
i.Roger Faligot, an investigative journalist, has authored several books on European and Asian intelligence including ‘The Chinese Mafia in Europe and La Piscine’, the first history of France’s secret service.
ii.He has served as a correspondent for The European, and Far East correspondent for Intelligence Online from 1993 to 2018.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Penguin Day 2022- April 25th

World Penguin Day is annually celebrated on 25th April to celebrate penguins, the unique, aquatic, flightless birds living in the southern hemisphere. The day also aims to create awareness about the threats and challenges faced by the Penguins. 

• According to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition(ASOC), 25th April coincides with the annual northern migration of Adélie penguins, a species of penguin that is native to Antarctica.

>> Read Full News

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day 2022 – April 26

The United Nations(UN)’s International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is annually observed across the globe on 26th April to commemorate the anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster.

• 26th April 2022 marks the 36th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster that took place on 26th April 1986. 

The day also creates awareness of the long-term consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and the risks of nuclear energy.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/71/125 on 8th December 2016 and proclaimed the 26th April of every year, starting from 2017, as the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. 
ii.The first-ever International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day was observed on 26th April 2017.
>> Read Full News

World Intellectual Property Day 2022 – April 26

World Intellectual Property Day (World IP Day) is annually observed across the world on 26th April to inform the general public about the role of Intellectual Property(IP) rights in encouraging innovation and creativity and to increase the general understanding of IP. 
The day also aims to create awareness about the impact of how patents, copyright, trademarks and design affect our daily life.
The theme of World Intellectual Property Day 2022 is “IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future”.
Background:
In 2000, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation, designated 26th April as World Intellectual Property Day. 

• The first-ever World IP Day was observed on 26th April 2001. 

About World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):
WIPO is a self-funding agency of the United Nations. 
Director-General– Daren Tang 
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Member states– 193 
Established in 1967
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

MoCA and Govt. of HP inks MoU for Development of Nagchala Airport in Mandi

On April 25, 2022, The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Government of Himachal Pradesh (HP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a Greenfield Airport with the project cost of Rs 900 crore (excluding land) in Nagchala, Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. 
Dignitaries Present:
i.The Signing Ceremony was honoured by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Civil Aviation Minister and Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister (CM) of Himachal Pradesh along with senior officials from Airport Authority of India (AAI), MoCA and Government of HP.
Key Points:
i.The development of the Greenfield Airport at Nagchala, HP will be through a Joint Venture Company (JVC) between the AAI and Govt. of HP.
ii.The Airport will be developed with the proposed runway of 3,150 metres for which approximately 515 acres of land is required. 
About Ministry of Civil Aviation:
Union Minister – Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia(Constituency – Rajya Sabha Madhya Pradesh); Minister of State (MoS) -Dr. Vijay Kumar Singh(Constituency – Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)
About Himachal Pradesh:
Governor – Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
Wildlife Sanctuaries (WLS) – Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary , Manali Wildlife Sanctuary , Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary
Festival – Phagli Festival, Basant Panchami, Lossar Festival
Note: Himachal Pradesh consists of 3 airports at Shimla, Kullu, and Kangra and 5 heliports at Kangnidhar, Shimla, Rampur, Baddi, and SASE(Manali) that are developed or being developed which would give a massive boost to tourism industry of the state once completed.

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