Daily Current Affairs and GK | 1 April 2021

Topic: Defence

1. National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) launched a two-seater trainer aircraft HANSA-NG.

• National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has launched a two-seater trainer aircraft HANSA-NG (Next Generation), at the Belur campus.
• HANSA-NG (Next Generation) indigenous trainer aircraft has been developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories. It is an upgraded version of HANSA.
• HANSA-NG was certified by the DGCA under the JAR-VLA category. It will help in catering demand for trainer aircraft.
• It is equipped with a digitally controlled Rotax 912 ISC engine, a glass cockpit and IFR compliant avionics.
• An MoU has also been signed between NAL and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy to purchase the five HANSA NG aircraft.
• National Aerospace Laboratories is also developing a 19 seater SARAS aircraft and 100 seater Regional Transport Aircraft.
• National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) was established by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. It is located in Bangalore. It is India’s largest aerospace firm in India.

Topic: Important Days

2. International Transgender Day of Visibility: 31 March

• It was founded by the US-based transgender activist Rachel Crandall.
• It is celebrated every year on 31 March to raise awareness about the discrimination faced by transgender worldwide.
• Apart from this, it is also celebrated to show their contributions to society.
• The first International Transgender Day of Visibility was celebrated on March 31, 2009.
• Transgender around the world are facing the issues like abuse, violence, and the right to live with dignity.
• In 2014, transgender people were granted the legal status of ‘third gender’ in India.

Topic: Important Day

3. Odisha celebrating its 86^th Foundation Day

• Odisha Day, also known as Utkala Divas, is celebrated every year on 1 April.
• It is celebrated in the memory of the formation of Odisha as a separate state in 1936.  It was formed by the partitioning of the Bihar and Orissa Province.
• It is also celebrated in the remembrance of people who made their contribution in the formation of Odisha.
• This year, Odisha is celebrating its 86th Statehood day.
• The 113th Amendment Bill had changed the name of Orissa to Odisha.
• Odisha:
  • It is a state on the Bay of Bengal in the east of India.
  • It is the eighth largest state by area and the eleventh largest by population.
  • It is known for its tribal cultures and many ancient Hindu temples.
  • Its capital is Bhubaneswar.
  • The Chief Minister is Naveen Patnaik and Governor is Ganeshi Lal.
  • Harekrushna Mahatab is the first Chief Minister of Odisha.
  • It has 21 Lok Sabha seats and 10 Rajya Sabha seats.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

4. RBI Foundation Day: 1 April

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is celebrating its 86^th foundation day.
• RBI was established on April 1, 1935, under the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. It was set up on the recommendations of the Hilton Young Commission.
• It is the central bank of India and regulates the banking system in India. It also regulates the monetary policy of India.
• The Reserve Bank of India was nationalised on 1 January 1949.
• The RBI Central Board consists of 21 members, including the Governor and four deputy governors.
• Shaktikanta Das is the current RBI governor.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

5. Notification issued to declare Schistura Hiranyakeshi in Amboli, Sawantwadi, a Biodiversity Heritage Site.

• Under the Biological Diversity Act 2002, notification was issued to declare Schistura Hiranyakeshi in Amboli, Sawantwadi, a Biodiversity Heritage Site.
• Schistura Hiranyakeshi is located in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.
• Schistura Hiranyakeshi is the name of fish species that was for the first time found in the Western Ghats in the local temple pond.
• Schistura is rare species of freshwater loach. This Biodiversity Heritage site is the source of the Hiranyakeshi River.
• Earlier, the state government has declared other biodiversity heritage sites. They are given below.
  • Glory of Allapalli in Gadchiroli district
  • Landor Khori Park in Jalgaon
  • Ganesh Khind in Pune
  • Myristica swamp vegetation in Sindhudurg district
• Under Section-37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the State Government, in consultation with local bodies, may notify areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS).

Topic: Space 

6. NASA shares data of its Mars mission with space agencies of India, China, UAE and with European Space Agency.

• NASA shares data of its Mars mission with space agencies of India, China, UAE and the European Space Agency.
• This step of data sharing has been taken to lower the risk of collision between spacecraft orbiting red planet.
• The first Asian country to successfully send a spacecraft to Mars is India. Its Mangalyaan is orbiting around Mars since 2014. The names of mars mission of other agencies are given next.

• Mars is also known as Red Planet. Its two satellites are Phoebes and Demos.
• NASA:
  • The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent space agency of the U.S. federal government.
  • It was established in 1958 and it is responsible for the space program, and Space research in the USA.
  • Its headquarters is located in Washington, D.C.

Topic: Indian Polity

7. Four labour codes not to be implemented from April 1, 2021.

• Four labour codes (codes on industrial relations, wages, social security and occupational health safety & working conditions) will not be implemented from April 1, 2021.
• Earlier, the Labour Ministry was to implement them from April 1, 2021. It had also finalized rules under the labour codes.
• States have not yet finalized rules under codes. Only some states have finalized rules so the implementation of codes is deferred.
• Labour is a concurrent subject, so both centre and states are required to notify rules under the codes. 

Topic: Indian Economy

8. Government cuts rates on small savings instruments for the first quarter of 2021-22.

• Government has cut rates on small savings instruments for the first quarter of 2021-22.
• With this, the rate of return on Public Provident Fund has come down from 7.1% to 6.4%.
• Quarterly interest rate paid on one-year term deposits was cut from 5.5% in January to March Quarter to 4.4% in this quarter.
• Government usually revises interest rates on small saving instruments every quarter. Currently, retail inflation is crossing 6% mark and government is lowering interest rates to implement its borrowing plans for this year. Government has planned to borrow Rs12.05 lakh crore in 2021-22.
• Government has also cut down the rate of return on the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme, Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme and others as given below.

Topic: Reports and Indices

9. India’s rank in World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021 decreases by 28 places to 140th among 156 countries.

• India’s rank in World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021 has decreased by 28 places to 140^th among 156 countries.
• In Global Gender Gap Report 2020, India was ranked at 112^th among 153 countries.
• As per WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, India has closed 62.5% of its gender gap till date.
• As per the report, India’s gender gap on economic participation and opportunity sub-index widened by 3%.
• India’s gender gap on political empowerment sub-index declined most. The number of women ministers declined from 23.1% in 2019 to 9.1% in 2021.
• Women’s labour force participation rate declined from 24.8% to 22.3%. The share of women in professional and technical roles also declined. Other findings of the report are given next.
  • Estimated earned income of women in India is only one-fifth of men’s estimated earned income.
  • India ranks among the bottom five countries in the health and survival sub-index.
  • More than one in four women has faced intimate violence in her lifetime.
  • India has closed 96.2% of its gender gap on the educational attainment sub-index. However, gender gaps persist in literacy. One third of women are illiterate.
  • Iceland is the world’s most gender-equal country for the 12^th time.
  • India is the third-worst performer in South Asia. Ranks of India’s neighbors are given below.
• Global Gender Gap Report 2020 was the 14^th edition of Global Gender Gap Report. It was released in December 2019. Global Gender Gap Report 2021 is the 15^th edition of Global Gender Gap Report. World Economic Forum publishes it.
• Four key dimensions of Global Gender Gap Report are Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. Filmfare Awards 2021: The winners of the award have been announced.

• The 66th Filmfare Awards 2021 winners have been announced.
• Late actor Irrfan Khan bagged the Best Actor (Male) award for his movie ‘Angrezi Medium’ and was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement award.
• Anubhav Sinha movie ‘Thappad’ won seven awards in the 66 Filmfare Award.
• The movie ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ won six awards in this event.
• The complete list of winners is given below:
  • Best Film: Thappad
  • Best Film (Critics): Prateek Vats (Eeb Allay Ooo!)
  • Best Director: Om Raut (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)
  • Best Actor in a Lead Role (MALE): Irrfan Khan (Angrezi Medium)
  • Best Actor (Critics): Amitabh Bachchan (Gulabo Sitabo)
  • Best Actor in a Lead Role (Female): Taapsee Pannu (Thappad)
  • Best Actress (Critics): Tillotama Shome (SIR)
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male): Saif Ali Khan (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Farrokh Jaffar (Gulabo Sitabo)
  • Best Debut Director: Rajesh Krishnan (Lootcase)
  • Best Debut Female: Alaya F (Jawaani Jaaneman)

Topic: Sports

11. Virat Kohli remained in top position in ODI rankings and Bumrah slipped at the fourth position.

• Indian Team skipper Virat Kohli continued on top position in ICC ODI batsmen rankings with 870 points. Babar Azam is in the second position while Rohit Sharma Ranked third.
• KL Rahul jumped with 31 positions and ranked 27, while Rishab Pant made his place in the top 100 batsmen.
• In ICC Bowler ranking, Jasprit Bumrah slipped at fourth position with 690 points, and Indian Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar jumped nine slots and made his position on rank 11.
• In the T20 ranking, KL Rahul ranked 5^th and Kohli ranked 6^th, and no Indian was included in the top-10 bowler and all-rounder.
• Ravichandran Ashwin remained in the second position in the ICC Test ranking while Australia’s Pat Cummins ranked on top.
• In the ICC test all-rounder’s list, Ravindra Jadeja ranked third, while Ashwin ranked fourth. Kohli ranked 5th in batsmen while Rishab Pant and Rohit Sharma both ranked on 7th position.

Topic: National News

12. Under the UDAN scheme, 22 new routes are inaugurated.

• A total of 22 new flights are inaugurated on 22 routes under the regional connectivity scheme ‘UDAN’ within the 3 days.
• Under the UDAN scheme, the financial incentive has been extended to selected airlines to encourage operations from unserved and underserved airports.
• Total 57 unserved and underserved airports, including five heliports and two water aerodromes, with 347 routes have been operationalized under the UDAN scheme across India till now.
• UDAN Scheme:
  • Full form of UDAN is ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik’.
  • The scheme was launched in April 2017 under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
  • It is a flagship scheme of the central government, which was launched with the objective of connecting regional routes, promoting balanced regional development, and making flights affordable for the common people.
  • The Udan scheme is a major component of the National Civil Aviation Policy.