3rd APRIL CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. India is now the world’s No 1 almond importer

India has toppled China and Spain to emerge as the world’s largest consumer of Almond in recent times.

•    Almond imports into India rose 7 per cent to worth about Rs 3,900 crore last year against Rs 3,640 crore in 2016.

2. Tibetans to host 'Thank You India' campaign in Delhi

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit will preside over the opening ceremony of the Cultural Festival of Tibet event, a part of the year-long 'Thank You India' campaign organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), in New Delhi.

•    CTA President Lobsang Sangay will also attend the inaugural ceremony that will continue till April 4.

•    Apart from the exhibitions, film screening and performances by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, the festival would also see panel discussion on "India and Tibet: Ancient Ties, Current Bonds".

3. Delhi becomes first city to roll-out Euro VI fuel

With an aim to combat the rising levels of air pollution in Delhi-NCR region, petrol pumps in the capital started supplying ultra-clean Bharat Stage VI grade fuel (both petrol and diesel).

•    This move makes New Delhi the first city in the country to switch from BS-IV grade fuels to BS-VI.

•    Other cities like Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad along with 13 major cities, including  Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune, will also switch over to cleaner BS-VI grade fuel from January 1 next year.

•    However, BS- VI fuel will be rolled out in rest of the country by April 2020.

4. Six monuments in North Eastern States identified for listing under World Heritage Site

As many as 6 monuments/historical sites in the North Eastern states have been identified tentatively for listing under World Heritage Site.

Details of monuments/sites identified/placed under tentative list for listing under world heritage in the north eastern states are given below:

1.    Apatani Cultural Landscape, Arunachal Pradesh

2.    Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India

3.    Moidams – the Mound – Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, Assam

4.    Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh

5.    River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam

6.    Thembang Fortified Village, Arunachal Pradesh

5. SIDBI Celebrates its Foundation day with launch of ' Samridhi’

SIDBI celebrated its foundation day on April 2 as day of Sampark (connect), Sanwad (interaction), Suraksha (security) and Sampreshan (disseminate).

•    Chairman Managing Director of SIDBI Shri Mohammad Mustafa launched a series of initiatives from its Lucknow bank headquarters.

•    Chairman SIDBI also launched Samridhhi- the virtual assistant on banks revamped universal loan portal www.udyamimitra.in.

•    During the day, a ‘Bankability Kit’ (brought in partnership with Bank of Baroda and IDBI Bank) was also launched.

6. Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan-launched

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA), a convergent framework across School Education and Higher Education aiming to encourage children towards learning Science and Mathematics.

•    One of the interventions under RAA is strengthening of school Science and Mathematics laboratories, through the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

•    Under RMSA, an amount of Rs. 179.73 crore has been approved in 2017-18, for in-service training of science and maths teachers.

7. Mamata Banerjee govt rolls out ‘Rupashree’ for marriages of poor women

The West Bengal government has rolled out Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s dream project ‘Rupashree’ which provides one time financial support to the marriages of poor women.

•    ‘Rupashree’ scheme follows the chief minister’s ambitious ‘Kanyashree’ project which has drawn global applause.

•    For the ‘Rupashree’ scheme, a woman has to fill the application form before her marriage and submit it to the Block Development Officer (BDO) or Municipality Office.

•    An amount of Rs 25,000 will be credited to her bank account before her marriage.

•    A sum of Rs 1500 crore has been earmarked for the project.

8. Smooth roll out of e-Way Bill system from 1st April, 2018

As per decision of the GST Council, e-Way Bill system became mandatory from 01stApril, 2018 for all inter-State movement of goods.

•    The implementation of the nationwide e-Way Bill mechanism under GST regime is being done by GSTN in association with the National Informatics Centre (NIC)and is being run on portal namely https://ewaybillgst.gov.in.

•    On day-1, total of 2.59 lakh e-Way Bills were generated on the e-way bill portal.

•    To assist and answer queries of taxpayers and transporters, the Central helpdesk of GST has made special arrangements with 100 agents exclusively dedicated to answer queries related to e-way bills.

•    E-way Bill can be generated through various modes like Web (Online), Android App, SMS, using Bulk Upload Tool and API based site to site integration etc.

•    Consolidated e-way Bill can be generated by transporters for vehicle carrying multiple consignments.

9. Debjani Ghosh assumes charge as Nasscom President

Nasscom said that former Intel executive Debjani Ghosh has taken over as the President of the IT industry association.

•    She succeeds R Chandrashekhar, who is leaving office upon the completion of his term.

•    Ghosh takes office at a time when the Indian IT-BPM industry is playing a leading role in digital transformation of various industries across countries.

10. Mangaluru Airport Adjudged India’s Cleanest

The Mangalore International Airport has been adjudged the cleanest airport in the country.

•    Airport director VV Rao received the award during the 23rd annual day celebrations of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in New Delhi.

•    In the survey conducted across 53 airports in the country by AAI, Mangaluru airport was adjudged the cleanest.

11. President receives copy of special issue of ‘Think India’ journal on Deen Dayal Upadhyay

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, received a copy of a special issue of the ‘Think India’ journal, devoted to the late philosopher-politician Deendayal Upadhyay, at Rashtrapati Bhavan today.

•    The copy was given to the President by Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, MP, in the presence of Shri D P Tripathi, MP, and editor of the special issue.

•    Among others Dr Shashi Tharoor, MP, and Shri Pawan Verma, former MP, were also present.