Daily Current Affairs and GK | 30 April 2025

Topic: Personality in News

1. Famous filmmaker Shaji N Karun passed away at 73.

• Veteran Malayalam filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N Karun passed away in Thiruvananthapuram.
• Shaji N Karun was among the few filmmakers who took the legacy of Malayalam cinema to the international audience.
• His debut film, Piravi (1988), was screened at nearly 70 international film festivals, and his second film, Swaham (1994), was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
• His films have won seven national awards and as many Kerala State Awards.

Topic: State News/ Punjab

2. Punjab Police sets May 31 as deadline to arrest all drug traffickers under ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’ Campaign.

• All the district police chiefs have been instructed to make an action plan to meet the deadline for making a Drug Free State under the campaign launched on March 1st.
• The Punjab Police would deploy anti-drone systems on the Indo-Pak border by September or October to check drone ingression for smuggling drugs, arms and ammunition from Pakistan to India.
• Out of the total 836 decided cases, 744 have been convicted out of whom 144 have been awarded more than 10 years prison under NDPS Act.
• He said 755 drug spots have been identified in the state and many properties of drug peddlers made with drug money after illegally occupying the land have been demolished.
• At the same time, 31 Big Hawala Operators have also been arrested and Rs. 8 crore Hawala money has been seized from them.    

Topic: State News/ Telangana

3. Telangana appoints K. Ramakrishna Rao as new Chief Secretary.

• Telangana state Government has appointed K. Ramakrishna Rao as the Chief Secretary of Telangana in place of A. Santhi Kumari.
• Ramakrishna Rao has been working in the Finance Department since 2014.
• Ramakrishna Rao played a key role in making decisions regarding finances and seeking funds from the Centre.
• Chief Secretary:
  • The Chief Secretary is the highest-ranking executive official and civil servant of the government of a state.
  • He/ She acts as the principal advisor to the chief minister on all matters of state administration.
  • The Chief Secretary acts as an ex-officio secretary to the state cabinet, therefore called "Secretary to the Cabinet".

Topic: State News/ Bihar

4. Two Guinness World Records were set by Bihar in Madhubani Painting and Buddhist Monk Performance.

• In Bihar, two Guinness World Records were achieved in different categories of Madhubani painting and singing bowl ensemble performances by Buddhist monks.

• A large-sized Madhubani painting measuring 18.69 square meters was created at Madhubani Painting Institution under the guidance of famous artist Bauaa Devi and others to offer tributes to Padma Shri Jagdamba Devi.
• Madhubani painting, also known as Mithila painting, is a traditional folk art form of Bihar. Pure colors are used to paint various religious themes and nature-based themes.
• 375 monks from various monasteries spanning from the age of five years to 70 years came together at Bodhgaya and achieved the world record for the biggest gathering of Buddhist monks for a singing bowl ensemble.
• The singing bowl practice is related to Buddhist traditions for meditation, rituals and ceremonies.
• For the first time, the Mahabodhi Temple played host to the largest singing bowl ensemble in history, culminating in a prestigious Guinness World Record.

Topic: Important Days

5. Ayushman Bharat Diwas 2025: 30 April

• In India, Ayushman Bharat Diwas is observed on 30 April.
• The day aims to spread awareness about Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which provides free healthcare services to the poor and needy.
• It also reminds citizens and health workers about the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
• Ayushman Bharat Diwas was first celebrated in 2019.
• Ayushman Bharat Yojana:
  • It was launched by PM Narendra Modi on 23 September 2018.
  • It is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  • It provides secondary and tertiary healthcare services of upto Rs. 5 lakh per family per year.

Topic: MoUs/ Agreements

6. Ministry of Labour signed an MoU with Rapido to increase logistic employment opportunities.

• The Ministry of Labour and Employment signed the MoU in New Delhi to enhance logistics employment opportunities through the National Career Service portal.
• The partnership aims to generate over 50 lakh livelihood opportunities in 1-2 years.
• Through this initiative, 5 lakh job opportunities are targeted for women, promoting female employment in the logistics sector.
• National Career Service portal is a dynamic platform bringing job seekers and employers together across India.
• The platform will provide hyperlocal job matching and support domestic and international placements.
• Rapido was founded in 2015 as theKarrier and is headquartered in Bangalore.

Topic: Indian Polity

7. Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai will be the next CJI wef 14 May 2025.

• Justice Gavai will be the 52nd Chief Justice of India.
• President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Justice Gavai as the next Chief Justice of India.
• He will replace current Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, whose tenure will end on 13 May 2025.
• H. J. Kania was the first Chief Justice of India.
• The Chief Justice of India is appointed by the President of India.
• Conventionally, the most senior judge of the Supreme Court is recommended for the post.
• The appointment is made after consultation with the judges of the Supreme Court as per Article 124(2) of the Constitution.

Topic: International Appointment

8. Mark Carney continues as Prime Minister of Canada.

• Mark Carney will continue as Prime Minister of Canada as Liberal Party has won the election for House of Commons.
• Opposition Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre failed to bring an end to the dominance of the Liberal Party.
• Liberal Party is leading in 168 seats, while they need 172 for a majority government.
• If they get less than 172 seats – as they did under Justin Trudeau in 2021 – they will need the support of other parties.
• Canada:
  • It is a country in North America that shares the world’s longest international land border with the US.
  • Its capital is Ottawa and its currency is the Canadian dollar.
  • It is the world’s second-largest country by total area.

Topic: International Appointment

9. Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be the next Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.

• Her party United National Congress has won the parliamentary election of the twin-island Caribbean nation.
• She has previously served as Prime Minister from 2010-2015.
• She is the only woman ever to have led a Caribbean country.
• Trinidad and Tobago:
  • It is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean.
  • Its capital is Port of Spain.
  • Its currency is Trinidad and Tobago dollar.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

10. Red-Crowned Roofed Turtle returns to the Ganga after three decades under Namami Gange Mission.

• On April 26, 2025, 20 turtles were transferred from the Garhaita Turtle Conservation Center located within and under supervision of National Chambal Sanctuary, UP and released into the Haiderpur Wetland.
• During the monsoon season, the Haiderpur Wetland will completely connect with the main channel of the Ganga, allowing the turtles to disperse at their own pace.
• This is the first attempt at reintroducing this species into the Ganga.
• This important initiative will not only conserve turtle species but will also inspire the improvement of the ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh.
• Red-crowned roofed turtle or Bengal roof turtle (Batagur kachuga) is a species of freshwater turtle endemic to South Asia. Its IUCN status is Critically Endangered.
• Namami Gange Programme:
  • It was launched in June 2014 for a period up to 31st March 2021 but was subsequently extended up to 31st March 2026.
  • It was launched to rejuvenate the River Ganga and its tributaries.
  • It is managed by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.