8th APRIL CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. World Health Day: 7 April

The World Health Day is a global health awareness day organized globally on 7th April.

• World Health Day is one of the eight official health campaigns which are marked by the World Health Organization.
• The first World Health Day was observed in 1948 by the WHO.
• The theme of World Health Day 2018 is: Universal health coverage: everyone, everywhere.

2. Gram Swaraj Abhiyan on Ambedkar Jayanti

The Prime Minister has announced that on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti  a “Gram Swaraj Abhiyan” would be organised starting from 14th April to 5th May, 2018. 

• This Abhiyan is being undertaken for reaching out to poor households, spreading awareness about government welfare schemes and other people centric initiatives.
• As a special initiative during the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, universal coverage under seven welfare programmes including Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in 21058 identified villages with large number of underprivileged households across the country has been contemplated.
• Highest importance is given to saturate these villages with the benefits of seven welfare programmes.

3. Gobardhan Yojna' to be launched from Karnal on Apr 30

Gobardhan Yojna, a central government scheme for managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste into manure and biogas, will be launched nationally from Haryana's Karnal on April 30.

• Gobar is an acronym for Galvanising Organic Bio Agro Resources.
• Through the scheme, the government aims to ensure cleanliness in villages and generate energy by converting cattle dung and solid agricultural waste into compost and biogas.
• The central and state governments would provide funds in the ratio of 60:40.

4. 4th National Workshop for Training on Autism Started in New Delhi

The three day National Workshop for Training of Master Trainers on AutismTools- INCLEN and ISAA for Diagnosis and Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children has started in VigyanBhawan, New Delhi.

• The Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) , Smt. Shakuntala D.Gamlin, inaugurated the workshop in presence of Dr. K.  K. Pandey, Chairman, National Trust,ShriMukesh Jain, JS & CEO, National Trust, and various stake holders associated.
• The workshop is organised by the National Trust under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with AIIMS, New Delhi.
• The objective of this workshop is to make Doctors from across the country aware about Autism Tools to describe the diagnostic criteria as well as to clinically evaluate a child with suspected autism spectrum disorder using Autism Tools.

5. RBI to set up Data Sciences Lab

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its release said that it has decided to set up Data Sciences Lab to improve its forecasting, surveillance and early warning detection abilities which will aid policy formulation.

• The lab will constitute of experts and budding analysts, internal as well as lateral, who are trained inter alia in Computer Science, Data Analytics, Statistics, Economics, Econometrics and/or Finance. 

6. ICICI Bank: Govt changes its nominee on the Bank Board

The Centre has replaced its nominee on ICICI Bank’s Board with effect from April 5.

• Lok Ranjan, a joint secretary at Department of Financial Services in the Finance Ministry, has replaced Government nominee Amit Agrawal.
• This move comes at a time when this private sector lender is facing a controversy over alleged irregularities in grant of Rs 3,250 crore loan to Videocon group.

7. Federal Bank ties up with Fortune Wealth to offer PIS services

 

Federal Bank Ltd has entered into a partnership with Fortune Wealth Management Company Ltd for providing Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) services to NRIs.

• This will enable non-resident Indian clients to invest in Indian equity markets on repatriable and non-repatriable basis.
• The partnership will also facilitate NRI investment in India’s vibrant equity markets through PIS.

8. Leander Paes becomes most successful player in Davis Cup

India’s Leander Paes created a new world record by becoming the most successful doubles player in Davis Cup history, winning his 43rd such match.

• Paes and Bopanna beat China's Mao-Xin Gong & Di Wu to create history
• Paes was tied on 42 wins with Italian great Nicola Pietrangeli for a long time.

9. CWG 2018: Deepak Lather becomes India’s youngest weightlifting medallist

Deepak Lather became India’s youngest weightlifter to win a Commonwealth Games medal after he won the bronze medal in men’s 69kg weight category at CWG 2018 in Gold Coast.

• Hailing from Haryana, the 18-year-old lifted a total of 295kg (136kg+159kg) to finish third.
• Deepak had won the bronze medal in the Commonwealth Championships in Gold Coast last year.