30th APRIL CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. Sikkim's Pawan Chamling becomes longest serving Chief Minister

Sikkim Chief Minister and Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) founder Pawan Kumar Chamling has surpassed the record of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu by becoming the longest serving Chief Minister of any Indian state.

• Veteran communist Jyoti Basu ruled West Bengal for 23 years from June 21, 1977 till November 6, 2000.
• Pawan Kumar Chamling became Chief Minister of the Himalayan state on December 12, 1994 and completed his 24th year in office now.
• He founded SDF in 1993 and formed the state government next year.

2. Meeting of Inter-Governmental Committee between India and Nepal

An India-Nepal Inter Government Committee (IGC) on Trade, Transit and Cooperation to Control Unauthorised Trade, led by Commerce Secretaries of the two Governments, is functioning under the India-Nepal Treaty of Trade and India-Nepal Treaty of Transit.

• A meeting of the IGC was held on 26-27 April 2018 in Kathmandu, Nepal with the Indian delegation led by Ms. Rita Teaotia, Commerce Secretary.
• Both countries agreed to initiate, by July 2018,a comprehensive review of the bilateral Treaty of Trade which governs the bilateral trade and was last revised in 2009.

3. Kavinder Gupta to be new Jammu and Kashmir deputy CM

BJP has decided to replace its Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh in the restive Jammu and Kashmir.

• Speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta is going to be the new deputy chief minister.
• Gupta, a senior BJP leader who represents Gandhi Nagar Assembly constituency of the winter capital city of Jammu, will be sworn in on April, 30.

4. BCCI to honour Diana Edulji with CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award

A three-man BCCI panel has recommended former India women's team captain and current CoA member, Diana Edulji, for the prestigious CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Along with Edulji, former India opener late Pankaj Roy will also be awarded posthumously.
• Diana Edulji is a member of Supreme Court appointed BCCI committee of Administrators.

5. Budgam shortlisted for PM Modi's excellence award

Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district has been shortlisted for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's excellence award for promoting digital payments and cashless economy.

• Under the supervision of District authorities, digital payments facility has been installed at 670 places across the district so far.
• The places include 372 ration shops, 285 fertilizer shops and 13 Revenue (Tehsil) offices across Budgam.

6. Rafael Nadal wins 11th Barcelona Open title

Rafael Nadal continued his clay-court dominance by collecting a record-extending 11th title in Barcelona.

• His 6-2 6-1 victory over Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas enabled the Spaniard to hold onto his world No 1 ranking.
• This is his 19th successive win on clay and he has now won 46 consecutive sets on the red dirt.

7. Lewis Hamilton wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix

 

Lewis Hamilton was handed victory in Azerbaijan Grand Prix during which both Red Bulls sensationally collided with each other.

• A puncture denied Valtteri Bottas his first win of the season. Raikkonen finished second while Perez finished third in the race.

8. Former PM Manmohan Singh launches economist Rao’s book

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released a book titled ‘My Journey from Marxism-Leninism to Nehruvian Socialism’.

• The Book is authored by former Planning Commission and Finance Commission member C H Hanumantha Rao.
• While launching the book, Singh called Rao a most creative thinker, social activist, and distinguished economist.