Daily Current Affairs and GK | 30 April 2022

Topic: Personality in News

1. Renowned Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang passed away at the age of 86.

• A famous Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang died in a hotel in a southern Chinese city.
• He is famous for his action roles in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, John Woo’s The Killer in 1989, and Rush Hour 2 in 2001.
• Tsang began his acting career after passing from the University of California. He made his debut in 1955.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Books and Authors

2. Devendra Fadnavis released a book titled 'Amit Shah Ani Bhajapachi Vatchal'.

• 'Amit Shah Ani Bhajapachi Vatchal' is originally written by Dr Anirban Ganguly and Shivanand Dwivedi.
• It has been translated into Marathi by Dr Jyostna Kolhatkar.
• This book has documented the life journey of Amit Shah and his contribution in building the BJP.
• Amit Shah has served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party from 2014 to 2020. He is the youngest serving full-time Home Minister.

Topic: National News

3. Government planning to launch an e-commerce network in 100 cities.

• The government plans to launch an indigenously developed online e-commerce network in 100 Indian cities, which will provide millions of Kirana stores and consumers an alternative to multinational platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart.
• The beta launch will unveil the IT applications of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and registry covering a small number of retailers and customers initially in Bengaluru.
• The project is huge because it will provide consumers and retailers with a lot of options, and it will be officially launched after the system has been thoroughly tested.
• The initial trial launch, which began in Bengaluru, will also cover Delhi, Coimbatore, Bhopal, and Shillong.
• The system will have multiple options for both retailers and customers in terms of cataloguing, inventory, warehousing, suppliers, logistics, and payments.

Topic: Corporates / Companies

4. Life Insurance Corporation IPO will open for public from May 4 to 9.

• On the 17th of May, the LIC IPO will be listed on the share markets.
• For its maiden public offering, LIC, the country's largest life insurer, has set a price band of 902 to 949 rupees per Equity Share.
• Investors can apply for a minimum of 15 shares and thereafter in its multiples.
• The LIC has offered a 45 rupees per equity share discount to retail and eligible employees, and a 60 rupees per equity share discount to policyholders.
• The Equity Share's Floor Price is 90.2 times its face value, while the Equity Share's Cap Price is 94.9 times its face value.
• With this IPO, which is through the offer-for-sale (OFS) route, the government will sell its 3.5 percent stake in the insurer by selling 22.13 crore shares.
• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC):
  • It was formed in September 1956. The government of India completely (100%) owns LIC. It is headquartered in Mumbai.
  • Its slogan is yogakshemam vahamyaham (Your welfare is our responsibility).

Topic: State news/ Maharashtra

5. First-of-its-kind gene bank project approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet.

• At a cost of more than Rs 172 crore, the Maharashtra Cabinet approved a gene bank initiative aimed at conserving genetic resources in the state.
• The forest department will execute the Maharashtra Gene Bank project.
• For the project, a special unit will be established under the chairmanship of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
• The cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also accepted the report of a ministerial panel on nomadic tribes and other special backward classes.
• The panel was constituted in October 2020 to study the benefits given to nomadic tribes and other special backward classes.

Topic: Important days

6. International Jazz Day 2022: 30 April

• International Jazz Day is observed on April 30 each year to honour the unifying power of music.
• The aim of the day is to raise awareness of jazz's virtues as an educational tool as well as a force for empathy, dialogue, and improved cooperation among people.
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared 30 April as International Jazz Day in 2011.

Topic: National Appointments

7. LG Baggavalli Somashekar Raju will assume charge as Vice Chief of Army Staff on 01 May 2022.

• He was commissioned into JAT Regiment on 15th December 1984.
• He is an alumnus of Sainik School Bijapur and National Defence Academy.
• He had commanded his battalion during Operation Parakram in Western Theatre and in Jammu and Kashmir.
• He also commanded Uri brigade along the Line of Control and the Chinar Corps in the Kashmir Valley.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. India Pharma and India Medical Devices Awards 2022 presented by Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers.

• The Minister, Bhagwanth Khuba, presented awards during the 7th edition of the International Conference on Pharma and Medical Devices sector 2022.
• The conference was organized in New Delhi. The theme of India Pharma 2022 is India Pharma-Vision 2047: Transformative agenda for future.
• The theme of India Medical Device 2022 is Transforming Healthcare through Innovation and Integrated Services.
• India Pharma and India Medical Devices event is organized annually by Department of Pharmaceuticals in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
• This year, six categories of India Pharma and India Medical Devices Awards were announced by Department of Pharma.
• Zydus Lifesciences Limited has won India pharma CSR Company of year award. The list of winners in different categories is given below.

Topic: International News

9. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a 'global security initiative’.

• Xi Jinping has proposed this initiative on the principle of "indivisible security". This principle is also endorsed by Russia.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping said that it will help in preventing future conflicts.
• Although, he gave no details of how it would be implemented.
• As per the Chinese officials, it has been proposed for countering the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy and the Quad grouping.
• The principle of "indivisible security" means that no country can strengthen its own security at the expense of others.

Topic: National News

10. Government approved the sale of 51 per cent equity in Pawan Hans Limited.

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the selling of 51 per cent stake in helicopter services provider Pawan Hans Ltd (PHL) to Star9 Mobility for Rs 211.24 cr.
• The government had received three bids for the Pawan Hans sale. The government had fixed the Reserve Price of Rs 199.92 crore for the sale of 51 per cent.
• The other two bids were for Rs 181.05 crore and Rs 153.15 crore.
• ONGC had already said that it would give its entire stake to the successful bidder in the strategic disinvestment deal at the same price and terms.
• Pawan Hans Ltd (PHL) is a joint venture of the government of India and ONGC for providing helicopter and aero mobility services.
• The government holds 51 per cent of the shares in the company and ONGC holds the balance 49 per cent shareholding.
• Pawan Hans Limited has a fleet of 42 helicopters, it is incurring losses for the last three financial years.

Topic: Miscellaneous

11. IndiGo becomes first airline to use the indigenous navigation system GAGAN.

• IndiGo’s ATR-72 aircraft landed at the Kishangarh airport in Rajasthan by using GPS-aided geo-augmented navigation (GAGAN).
• GAGAN is used to provide lateral and vertical guidance to aircraft while approaching for landing.
• GAGAN will play a key role in modernizing India’s civil aviation sector and reducing flight delays and improving flight safety.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had given order to fit GAGAN in all aircraft registered in India after 1 July, 2021.
• GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN):
  • It has been developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
  • It is a system of satellites and ground stations that provide GPS signals with better position accuracy.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

12. L&T collaborated with IIT Bombay to develop Green Hydrogen Technology.

• Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay for research and development in the Green Hydrogen value chain.
• Under this agreement, both the institutions will contribute to the development of the Green Hydrogen industry in India.
• IIT Bombay technologists will help in the development of indigenous technologies for Green Hydrogen technology.
• The government has notified the Green Hydrogen policy for boosting the production of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia.
• Green Hydrogen will help in reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.
• India’s National Hydrogen Mission will help in achieving India’s target of becoming net-zero by 2070.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

13. India's first cable bridge- Anji Khad Bridge to be complete by this year.

• India's first cable-stayed bridge- Anji Khad Bridge is being built in the Reasi district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Anji Khad Bridge is situated over the Anji River and it will connect the Katra-Reasi section at the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla route.
• 80 per cent of work on the 272-kilometre long Udhampur-Baramulla Railway Line has been completed.
• 111 km railway line project between Katra and Banihal is the highest altitude railway network in India.
• Indian Railway is using the most advanced technologies for the planning and construction of the Kashmir Railway Project.

Topic: Personality in News

14. Deepika Padukone will be part of the Cannes Film Festival jury.

• Indian Actor Deepika Padukone will be a part of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival jury.
• French actor Vincent Lindon will lead the jury at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
• The jury comprises five men and four women. The jury will announce this year’s winners on 28 May.
• Cannes Film Festival:
  • It was established on 20 September 1946.
  • It is an annual film festival held every year in Cannes, France.
  • It showcases new films of all genres, including documentaries from all over the world.