Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 April 2024

Topic: Environment and Ecology

1. Many glacial lake sizes increased in the Himalayan region: ISRO

• One in every four glacial lakes larger than 10 hectares in area has increased since 1984. It has increased the risk of a glacial lake outburst flood.
• Out of the 2,431 glacial lakes larger than 10 hectares in area identified in 2016–17, 676 glacial lakes have expanded since 1984.
• 601 lakes (89%) of 676 size have doubled in these years. 10 have grown between 1.5 to 2 times, while 65 lakes size increased 1.5 times since 1984.
• 314 lakes are located at 4,000 to 5,000 m, and 296 lakes are above 5,000 m.
• The Gepang Gath glacial lake (Indus River Basin) size has increased from 36.49 to 101.30 hectares between 1989 and 2022.
• 130 of the 676 are within India, with 65, 7, and 58 lakes located in the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra River basins, respectively.
• Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) could have devastating consequences for communities residing downstream.
• The Himalayan Mountains are considered the Third Pole because of their extensive glaciers and snow cover.
• Due to climate change, glaciers shrink in size, and a lake may be formed.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

2. Reliance Jio became the world's largest mobile operator in data traffic.

• Reliance Jio has become the world's largest mobile operator in terms of data traffic by surpassing China Mobile.
• The total traffic on the Jio network has reached 40.9 exabytes, with a 35.2% year-on-year increase.
• Jio has a very strong and wide subscriber base of 481.8 million. It is transforming India with 108 million True 5G customers.
• The monthly per capita data usage has increased from 13.3 GB three years ago to 28.7 GB.
• Jio has also become the first Indian company to cross ₹100,000-crore in pre-tax profits.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

3. Retail Summit (TRS) 2024 held in Dubai, with its agenda built around eight key themes.

• It is a leading global event focused on the future of retail.
• The aim of these themes is to address the key challenges and opportunities facing retailers around the world.
• TRS 2024 focused on areas including Artificial Intelligence, Brick and Mortar Stores, Data, Digital Transformation, Macroeconomics, Supply Chain Management, Sustainability & Ethics, and Talent Acquisition.
• The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is an industry partner of the Retail Summit 2024.
• The Retail Summit is the world's only event, with over 900 participants from over 30 countries that discusses the convergence of retail with technology, experience, and hospitality.
• Some of the world's leading brands participated, including Indian giants like Reliance Group and Myntra.
• This partnership focuses on giving Indian brands in the retail and e-commerce sector a platform for B2B engagement with international brands to showcase their products and services.
• The two-day event concluded on April 24, which was organized in partnership with Dubai Chambers.

Topic: Banking System

4. RBI has banned Kotak Mahindra Bank from some banking activity.

• Kotak Mahindra Bank has been ordered by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to stop adding new customers and issuing new credit cards through its online and mobile banking channels.
• However, RBI said in its order that the bank can provide services to its existing customers including its credit card customers.
• This action has become necessary based on the significant concerns arising from the Reserve Bank's IT audit of the Bank for the years 2022 and 2023 and the Bank's continued failure to address these concerns in a comprehensive and timely manner.
• RBI said serious deficiencies and non-compliance were observed in the areas of IT inventory management, patch, and change management, and user access management at Kotak Mahindra Bank.
• It also includes vendor risk management, data security and data leakage prevention strategies, business continuity and disaster recovery hardening and drills, etc.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

5. On 24 April, the 10^th round of India-Japan consultations on disarmament, non-proliferation, and export controls held in Tokyo.

• Both sides exchanged views on developments in the areas of nuclear, chemical, and biological domains, outer space security, non-proliferation issues, disarmament, and non-proliferation related to conventional weapons and export controls.
• Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary (Disarmament and International Security Affairs), Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation.
• Katsuro Kitagawa, Director General of the Department of Disarmament, Nonproliferation and Science of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Japanese delegation.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

6. World Immunization Week 2024: 24-30 April

• Every year, World Immunization Week is celebrated in the last week of April.
• Its main aim is to promote the use of vaccines to protect people from disease.
• The theme of World Immunization Week 2024 is “Humanly Possible: Saving lives through immunization”.
• Immunization is the process through which the immune system of an individual becomes immunized against disease-causing agents.
• The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was started in 1978. In 1985, it was renamed as Universal Immunization programme.
• The Government of India had launched Mission Indradhanush to increase the coverage of immunization in India.
• Many diseases like smallpox and polio can be controlled by the use of Vaccines.
• This year, World Immunization Week will celebrate 50 years of the Essential Program on Immunization (EPI).

Topic: Environment and Ecology

7. The European Parliament has adopted air pollution limits that are stricter and legally binding.

• These stricter legally-binding air pollution limits must be complied with by 2030.
• Three lakh premature deaths are caused by air pollution in Europe each year.
• This number could be reduced by 70% over the next ten years through tougher EU rules.
• The air quality in Europe has improved over the last decade.
• The countries including France, Poland, Italy and Romania have been guilty of illegal air pollution by the European Court of Justice.
• The target values have been set up for several of the pollutants with a severe impact on human health.
• Those impacted by air pollution may take legal action if the new national regulations are violated. If citizens' health is harmed, they will get compensation.
• The law has been approved by the EU Parliament. To come into force, it still needs to be approved by EU countries, which is typically only a formality.

Topic: National News

8. CSIR has installed and operationalized India’s biggest climate clock on the CSIR headquarters building in Rafi Marg, New Delhi.

• India’s biggest climate clock has been installed and operationalised as a part of the Earth Day celebrations.
• This is a sign of CSIR’s aim to spread awareness about climate change and its ill effects.
• Dr Shailesh Nayak delivered the CSIR AMRIT Lecture (CSIR Accelerating Modern Research, Innovations and Technologies (AMRIT) Lecture).
• Dr Shailesh Nayak is the former Secretary, of the Ministry of Earth Science and Director, of the National Institute of Advanced Studies.
• As part of the CSIR-Energy Swaraj Foundation MoU, many scientists and staff in CSIR have undergone the Energy Literacy Training.
• Climate clocks provided by the Energy Swaraj Foundation have been installed in most CSIR labs.
• Prof Chetan Singh Solanki of IIT, Bombay is the Founder of Energy Swaraj Foundation.

Topic: Indian Economy

9. In the last four years, Rs 1.3 lakh crore have been mobilized by REIT and InvITS.

• A real estate investment trust (REIT) and Infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs) have mobilised 1.3 lakh crore in the past four years.
• The market regulator SEBI has notified regulations for small and medium REITs on March 8, 2024.
• InvIT has raised Rs 2,500 crore through a public issue. InvITs consist of a portfolio of infrastructure assets like highways.   
• Currently, there are 24 registered InvITs and 5 REITs. The first investment trust was registered with Sebi in 2016-17.
• A REIT is made up of a portfolio of commercial real estate assets.
• InvITs are emerging as alternative investment instruments, mainly for high-net-worth individuals.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

10. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been conferred the Outstanding Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Year award.

• At the All India Management Association (AIMA) Managing India Awards ceremony, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) received the Outstanding Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Year award.
• The award was presented by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar in Delhi on April 23.
• In the last financial year, HAL collected the highest-ever revenue of more than ₹29,810 crore from operations.
• It registered a double-digit growth of around 11% as against 9% in the previous financial year.
• It has maintained growth momentum and has achieved an all-round improved performance in diverse areas.
• All India Management Association (AIMA) was established in 1957. It is the apex body of the management profession in India.
• It works closely with industry, government, academia, and students to further the cause of the management profession in India.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL):
  • HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the world.
  • It was established in Bangalore on 23 December 1940 by Walchand Hirachand in association with the then Kingdom of Mysore.
  • It is a government-owned corporation involved in the design, fabrication, and assembly of aircraft, jet engines, and helicopters.
  • Its headquarters is located in Bangalore.

Topic: National News

11. The Supreme Court said the government should take action against FMCG companies using 'misleading' advertisements.

• On April 23, the Supreme Court said the Center should "activate itself" against fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies if they are making "misleading advertisements".
• The Supreme Court said FMCG companies are doing "misleading advertising" about their products, showing misleading advertisements to consumers, especially families with infants and school-going children.
• Misleading advertisements of FMCG deceive the public, especially families, affecting their health.
• Justice Hima Kohli said that the issue also concerns the health of infants and school children”.
• The court expressed its concern amid recent reports alleging high sugar content in Nestle's baby food products sold in India as well as African and Latin American countries.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been asked by the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry to investigate the allegations against the leading FMCG.

Topic: Important Days

12. World Malaria Day 2024: 25 April

• Every year on April 25, World Malaria Day is commemorated.
• It is observed to highlight the need for investment and sustained political commitment to the prevention and control of malaria.
• The theme of World Malaria Day 2024 is “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.”
• African governments have been celebrating Africa Malaria Day since 2001.
• In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted World Malaria Day at the 60th session of the World Health Assembly.
• Malaria:
  • It is spread by the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes spread the Plasmodium parasite.
  • It is a preventable and treatable infectious disease.
  • In 1897, Sir Ronald Ross found that malaria among humans is spread by female mosquitoes. Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

13. 6^th Edition of the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure started in New Delhi.

• The two-day International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure has started at New Delhi's Bharat Mandapam.
• The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Investing today for a more resilient tomorrow’.
• It reflects a proactive approach to disaster management through robust infrastructure development.
• The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure serves as the largest convening and solutions-driven platform focusing on disaster-resilient infrastructure.
• Its main aim is to bring together governments, infrastructure experts, multilateral development banks, and the private sector.
• It was inaugurated virtually by the prime minister. He emphasised the urgent need for resilient infrastructure to reduce the devastating impacts of natural disasters.
• Prime Minister Modi highlighted the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters.
• Prime Minister Modi urged the necessity for collective resilience among nations to reduce the impact of disaster.

Topic: Defence

14. A new version of a medium-range ballistic missile has been successfully launched by India.

• A new version of a Medium-Range Ballistic Missile capable of striking targets at distances exceeding 250 km has been launched by India.
• The performance of the missile was monitored by several Range Sensors like Radar, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and Telemetry deployed by ITR
• This new variant of a Medium-Range Ballistic Missile was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command on April 23, 2024.
• This launch has approved the operational capability of the Command and validated new technologies.
• This new version of Medium-Range Ballistic Missile is not from the 'Agni' family of weapons systems.