Daily Current Affairs and GK | 21 and 22 April 2021

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

1. Union Cabinet approved MoU between Competition Commission of India (CCI) and Administrative Council for Economic Defense of Brazil (CADE).

• Union Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Administrative Council for Economic Defense of Brazil (CADE).
• CCI can enter into any agreement with any agency of a foreign country under the provision of Section 18 of the Competition Act, 2002.
• It can sign any agreement with an agency of a foreign country for performing its duty under the Act.
• Competition Commission of India (CCI):
  • It was formed on 14 October 2003 under the Competition Commission Act, 2002.
  • It has a chairperson and six members. It is a quasi-judicial body.
  • It aims to eliminate practices that affect competition in the Indian market and protect the interests of the consumers.
  • Its current chairman is Ashok Kumar Gupta.

Topic: International News

2. Miguel Díaz-Canel to become new head of Cuba’s Communist Party.

• Miguel Díaz-Canel will become the new head of Cuba’s Communist Party. He will take the place of Raúl Castro.
• He has been elected as the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba at the 8^th Congress PCC.
• He is the first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party without the surname of Castro.
• He will have to face the challenges of the economic crisis and US-imposed sanctions.
• The Communist Party of Cuba is the ruling party of the country.
• Cuba:
  • It is an island country located in the northern Caribbean.
  • Its capital is Havana and currency is the Cuban Peso.
  • Miguel Díaz-Canel is the current President and Manuel Marrero Cruz is the Prime Minister of Cuba.

Topic: Personality in News

3. M Narasimham, father of banking reforms passed away.

• Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor M Narasimham died at the age of 94.
• He is also called the father of banking reforms. He headed the two important committees in 1991 and 1998.
• In 1991, he headed the Committee on the Financial System. This committee recommended the improvement in the efficiency and productivity of the Indian financial system.
• It suggested the entry of Private Banks in India. It submitted its report in November 1991.
• The Narasimham-II Committee was formed to review the implementation of the banking reforms since 1992.
• It recommended that in financial institutions like IDBI and ICICI should either convert themselves into banks or non-banking financial companies (NBFCs). It also proposed a three-tier banking structure in India.
• He was the RBI governor from May 2, 1977, to November 30, 1977.
• He worked as Secretary in the Finance Ministry. He also served as Executive Director (ED) in the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
• He has written a famous book titled ‘From Reserve Bank to Finance Ministry and Beyond: Some Reminiscences’.

Topic: Personality in News

4. Renowned Bengali poet Sankha Ghosh passed away.

• Eminent Bengali poet Sankha Ghosh passed away at the age of 89.
• He was conferred Padma Bhusan in 2011 and in 2016 he received the Jnanpith Award.
• He was awarded with the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book ‘Babarer Prarthana‘.
• His famous works include Adim Lata – Gulmomay and Murkha Baro Samajik Nay.
• He was honoured with Desikottama by Visva-Bharati.

Topic: Important Days

5. Civil Services Day: 21 April

• Civil Services Day is observed every year in India on 21 April.
• On this day in 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had addressed the newly appointed Administrative Services Officers at the Metcalf House in Delhi. He referred civil servants as the ‘steel frame of India’.
• The civil servants are responsible for the formation and implementation of the government programmes.
• Civil servants are employees of the Government of India or of the states, but not all employees of government are civil servants. The civil services examination is conducted by the UPSC.
• On this occasion, PM’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration are given to districts/ implementing units for the implementation of programmes and innovation in different categories.
• Lord Cornwallis is called the Father of civil services in India.

Topic: Important Days

6. World Earth Day: 22 April

• World Earth Day is celebrated every year on 22^nd April to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
• Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970. It became an international event in 1990. The year 2021 marks the 51^st anniversary of Earth Day.
• The theme of 2021 World Earth Day is “Restore Our Earth”.
• The main objective of this day is to spread awareness about environmental protection among the people.
• The Paris agreement was signed by more than 200 countries to reduce greenhouse emissions on Earth Day in 2016.
• The United Nations had declared April 22 as ‘International Mother Earth Day’ in 2009.
• On this occasion, seven climate-related events are taking place including the Leaders’ Summit on Climate.
• SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. Cabinet approved a pact between Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

• The Union Cabinet has approved an MoU between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
• The main objective of this MoU is to establish mutually beneficial relationships between members, students, and their organizations.
• The ICAI and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand will establish a mutual co-operation framework for the advancement of accounting knowledge, professional and intellectual development.
• The pact will provide mutual recognition of the qualification of members of other bodies. It will also create more employment opportunities for Indian Chartered Accountants.
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI):
  • It was established as a statutory body by the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949.
  • It regulates the Chartered Accountancy profession in India.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

8. India retained 142^nd rank in the World Press Freedom Index 2021.

• India has been placed at 142^nd position out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index 2021.
• India’s rank depicts that it is one of the worst countries for journalists.
• In the World Press Freedom Index 2021, Norway is on the top position. Finland and Denmark are in second and third position. Eritrea is at the bottom.
• Nepal is at 106^th position while Sri Lanka and Pakistan are in the 127^th and 145^th position.
• According to the 2021 Index, journalism is completely or partially blocked in 73% of the 180 countries. Only 12 countries offer a favourable environment for journalism.
• World Press Freedom Index:
  • It is released by Report without borders.
  • As per World Press Freedom Index 2020, India’s rank is 142 among 180 countries.
  • India’s rank is continuously declining in the World Press Freedom Index.

Topic: Sports

9. Stefanos Tsitsipas won Monte Carlo Masters.

• Stefanos Tsitsipas won the Monte Carlo Masters by defeating Andrey Rublev by 6-3, 6-3.
• It was his first title of this year and sixth overall. He had won his last title at the Open 13 indoor tournament in Marseille.
• Andrey Rublev was playing his first Masters 1000. He had defeated Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals.
• Monte-Carlo Masters is an annual tennis tournament of male professional players. It is part of the ATP Tour Masters 1000. It is played on clay.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

10. Blue Nature Alliance aims to restore 7 million square miles of ocean.

• Blue Nature Alliance has set a target to restore 7 million square miles of ocean in the next five years.
• The Blue Nature Alliance is working with governments and other partners to protect the Oceans.
• Oceans are an integral part of the ecosystem. It covers more than 70% of our planet.
• At present, it will target the seven ocean locations around Antarctica, Fiji, Canada, Seychelles, Palau, the Western Indian Ocean, and Tristan da Cunha.
• It will focus on the conservation work in these areas. It will also establish new marine protected areas (MPAs) in these areas.
• The Blue Nature Alliance is a global partnership. It is founded and led by five core partners: Conservation International, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Global Environment Facility, Minderoo Foundation, and the Rob & Melani Walton Foundation.

Topic: International News

11. India elected to three key bodies of UN economic and social council.

• Recently, India has been elected to the three key bodies of the UN Economic and Social Council.
• India will begin its three-year term of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on 1 January 2022.
• India was also elected to the Executive Board of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) for a three-year term. It will begin its term on 1 January 2022.
• India will begin its three-year term as the Executive Board of the World Food Programme on 1 January 2022.
• Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC):
  • It is one of the main principal organs of the United Nations.
  • It was established by the UN Charter in 1945.
  • It consists of 54 Members of the United Nations.
  • It is responsible for identifying solutions for economic, social, and health problems.
  • It promotes higher standards of living, full employment, and economic and social progress.