Current Affairs is the most important area in all competitive exams. But the difficulty level is very high. That’s why; many aspirants get confused, how to select Current Affairs for Preparation of Competitive Examination? In this Post, Daily Current Affairs 12 April 2023, we have tried to cover each and every point and also included all important facts from National/ International news that are useful for upcoming competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, State Govt. etc.
So, here is the Top News of the Day for 12 April 2023 to help you prepare the Latest Current Affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.
Current Affairs for Competitive Exam – 12 April 2023
Recap of the United Nations 2023 Water Conference: Actions Taken and Challenges Faced
In News
Recently, the United Nations 2023 Water Conference was held in New York.
About
- The United Nations 2023 Water Conference was held after a 46-year hiatus, coinciding with a review of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation’s implementation (2018-2028).
- The review was conducted due to the realization that we are not on track to meet SDG No. 6 for water, which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
- The conference’s theme was “Our watershed moment: uniting the world for water.”
- The first water conference was held in Mar de Plata, Argentina, in 1977, and resulted in the first global Action Plan recognizing that all peoples have the right to access drinking water of a quality and quantity equal to their basic needs.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
Actions taken during the conference
- The Water Action Agenda received 700 voluntary commitments.
- The United States pledged an investment of as much as $49 billion to aid in the development of water and sanitation infrastructure and services that can withstand the effects of climate change.
- Japan pledged to contribute 500 billion yen to develop quality infrastructure to address water-related social issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Vietnam committed to establishing policies for major river basin management by 2025 and to providing access to clean running water by 2030.
- The African Union Commission and Continental Africa Investment Programme aim to mobilize at least $30 billion per year by 2030 to close Africa’s water investments gap.
- By 2030, the EU hopes to improve drinking water and sanitation facilities for 70 million people. Switzerland made 5 pledges related to Water Convention and cooperation across international boundaries.
Challenges:
- The commitments made during the conference are not legally binding and today’s water problems are more complex than those 50 years ago.
- Fragmentation is common in the water sector as water problems and their solutions are usually local.
- Global mobilizations may not be as effective in solving water problems compared to other fields.
- The current water problems are no longer just about access, and infrastructure spending does not always result in long-term access to water and sanitation.
- The conference did not tackle the violence and threats faced by communities in protecting depleting water sources.
Ministry of Culture promotes Indian folk arts and culture abroad through Global Engagement Scheme
Ministry of Culture promotes Indian Folk Arts and Culture abroad through Global Engagement Scheme: Through various initiatives, India’s Ministry of Culture is dedicated to promoting Indian Folk Arts and Culture abroad. One such initiative is the Global Engagement Scheme, which organises Festivals of India in other countries to showcase the country’s rich culture, which includes folk art, exhibitions, dance, music, theatre, film, food festivals, and yoga events. This scheme also highlights the diverse culture of North-East India to the world. The ministry provides grant-in-aid to Indo-Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies to organize programs and activities that promote the country’s culture across the world.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
Various cultural schemes applicable to North East India
In addition to the Global Engagement Scheme, several other initiatives apply to North East India. Schemes such as Award to Young Talented Artists, Guru Shishya Parampara, Theatre Rejuvenation, Research & Documentation, Shilpgram, OCTAVE, and National Cultural Exchange Programme are some examples. OCTAVE is a special scheme that caters to North East zones, and the ministry also conducts the Yuva Sangam program.
Yuva Sangam program to promote youth exchange
The Yuva Sangam programme connects 11 higher education institutions from the North East with 14 from other states. This programme organises exposure visits for college/university students and off-campus youth aged 18-30. These visits provide a multi-dimensional exposure to the youth under five broad areas: Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Prodyogik (Technology), and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect).
In conclusion, the Ministry of Culture in India has taken several initiatives to promote Indian folk arts and culture abroad, including North East India. The Global Engagement Scheme, grant-in-aid to cultural societies, and various other schemes such as OCTAVE and Yuva Sangam have been instrumental in highlighting the country’s diverse culture and promoting cultural exchange. These initiatives aim to provide a platform for cultural exchange, enhance mutual understanding, and foster people-to-people connections between India and other countries.
International Day of Human Space Flight 2023 observed on 12 April
International Day of Human Space Flight 2023 observed on 12 April: The International Day of Human Space Flight is observed on April 12th each year to commemorate the beginning of human space exploration and to recognise the significant contribution of space science and technology to the peaceful use of outer space. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on April 7, 2011, designating April 12th as the International Day of Human Space Flight. This day is dedicated to honoring the first human to orbit the Earth, a Russian cosmonaut, on April 12th, 1961.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
International Day of Human Space Flight: Significance
The United Nations acknowledges that outer space offers significant benefits and is of common interest to all humanity. We’ve made strides in many areas thanks to space exploration, including communication, navigation, and weather forecasting. The ongoing efforts of space scientists have also led to the detection of potentially dangerous objects in our solar system and approaching our planet, helping us better prepare for potential threats from space. Additionally, advancements in outer space technologies have made it possible to capture the first image of a black hole.
International Day of Human Space Flight: History
- • Significant milestones have occurred in the history of human space exploration. The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the world’s first man-made satellite, into space on October 4, 1957, ushering in the age of space exploration. This event set off the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.
- On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into outer space aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft, completing a full orbit around the Earth. This historic achievement opened up new possibilities for human exploration of space.
- On June 16, 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to orbit the Earth aboard the Vostok 6 spacecraft, two years later. Her achievement paved the way for more women to participate in space exploration.
- Finally, on July 20, 1969, the United States achieved a major milestone when Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. This accomplishment marked a significant achievement in space exploration and inspired future generations to continue pushing the boundaries of space travel.
Nilesh Sambare honoured with the ‘Maratha Udyog Ratna 2023’ award
‘Maratha Udyog Ratna 2023’ award: The founder of Jijau Educational and Social Foundation, Nilesh Bhagwan Sambre, was recently honoured with the “Maratha Udyog Ratna” award at the “Maratha Entrepreneurs Conference 2023.” The conference was organized by the “Maratha Entrepreneurs Development and Guidance Institute Maharashtra State”. Nilesh Sambre was honoured for his notable achievements in the industry sector as well as his dedicated work in remote areas such as Palghar. Nilesh Bhagwan Sambre, who is also known as Appa, received the award from prominent entrepreneurs from Maharashtra, including Suresh Haware, Purushottam Khedekar, Nirmalkumar Deshmukh, Dr. Sachin Bhadane, and Vijay Ghogare.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
About the Jijau Educational and Social Organization
The Jijau Educational and Social Organization is a non-profit group with a focus on uplifting underprivileged communities in five districts of India, namely Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. Nilesh Sambare founded the organisation in 2008, and it has been providing education, healthcare, employment, and agriculture-related assistance for the past 14 years with its own funds, without accepting donations. The organization is headquartered in Jadpoli and runs two medical camps every day, along with a well-equipped hospital that provides free treatment. Additionally, the organization operates eight CBSE schools for education in Palghar district, 43 competitive examination libraries, and various activities related to employment, agriculture, and women empowerment, all provided free of cost. The Jijau Foundation also runs 20 police academies and offers 10 free ambulance services daily.
IMF cuts India’s FY24 GDP forecast to 5.9%
IMF cuts India’s FY24 GDP forecast to 5.9%: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lowered India’s GDP growth forecast for fiscal year 2023-24 by 20 basis points to 5.9 percent. This latest forecast is slightly below the Reserve Bank of India’s projection of 6.4 percent. Despite the downward revision, India is still projected to be the fastest-growing major economy in the world.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
IMF’s World Economic Outlook report:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recently released its World Economic Outlook report, in which it has revised its forecast for India’s retail inflation and growth rate for the fiscal year 2024-25. The IMF now expects retail inflation in India to be 4.9% in fiscal year 2023-24 and 4.4% in fiscal year 2024-25.
The IMF has also revised its growth forecast for India for the fiscal year 2024-25, lowering it to 6.3% from the earlier projection of 6.8% that was made in January this year. The downward revision in the growth forecast is attributed to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in India, which has led to localized lockdowns and restrictions, affecting economic activity.
India: fastest-growing major economy in the world:
The latest World Economic Outlook figures released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reveal that India remains the fastest-growing economy in the world, despite a significant drop in growth rate projections from 6.8% in 2022 to 5.9% in 2023. In comparison, China’s growth rate is projected to be 5.2% in 2023 and 4.5% in 2024, up from 3% in 2022.
While India’s growth rate projection for the next fiscal year has been lowered, it is still higher than most other major economies in the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted global economic growth, and the IMF has lowered its global growth forecasts, predicting 2.8% growth this year and 3% growth in 2024, both down 10 basis points from its January forecasts.
IIT-Bombay and UIDAI join hands to develop touchless biometric system
IIT-Bombay and UIDAI join hands to develop touchless biometric system: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-Bombay) to develop a touchless biometric capture system that is easy to use and accessible from anywhere. The collaboration entails the two organisations conducting joint research to develop a mobile fingerprint capture system and a liveness model that is integrated with the capture system.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
A new touchless biometric system is being developed that will enable people to authenticate their fingerprints from home, similar to face authentication. The system will have the capability to capture multiple fingerprints simultaneously, resulting in a higher success rate for authentication. It will be an additional feature to the existing facilities available in the Aadhaar ecosystem. The system will use a combination of signal or image processing and machine or deep learning, making it easily accessible to the public with an excellent user experience via a common mobile phone. This development is a significant step towards achieving Universal Authenticator. UIDAI has collaborated with IIT Bombay’s National Centre of Excellence in Technology for Internal Security (NCETIS) to jointly conduct research and development for this new system. NCETIS is a joint initiative by IIT Bombay and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which falls under the Digital India Programme.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chief Executive Officer of Unique Identification Authority of India: Dr. Saurabh Garg;
- Unique Identification Authority of India Founded: 28 January 2009, India;
- Unique Identification Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi
Mumbai among 19 cities with the best public transport in the world
Mumbai among 19 cities with the best public transport in the world: According to a survey conducted by Time Out, a London-based media outlet that specialises in the hospitality industry and identifies itself as a global brand committed to urban life, Berlin in Germany has been named the city with the most exceptional public transportation system in the world. Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, came in second place. Mumbai, the top-ranked Indian city, secured the 19th spot in the rankings. Meanwhile, Mumbai boasts a grand suburban railway network that is a boon for the metropolitan region with a population of about 12.5 million. “81 percent of locals say it’s easy to cross Mumbai by public transport, and the system certainly keeps the metropolis moving, with millions using the city’s buses, rickshaws, metro and taxis on a daily basis.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
According to Time Out, which polled 20,000 people in 50 cities around the world to gauge public opinion on their local transportation systems, Berlin has the most dependable, secure, and comfortable public transportation network, with 97% of its residents praising the system. Among the top 10 cities ranked in the survey, five were in Asia, with Tokyo topping the list at number three. Berlin’s U-Bahn, which includes nine easily accessible lines and a total of 175 stations, received particular praise from respondents for its efficiency.
List of world’s top 10 cities with best public transit system:
1. Berlin
2. Prague
3. Tokyo
4. Copenhagen
5. Stockholm
6. Singapore
7. Hong Kong
8. Taipei
9. Shanghai
10. Amsterdam
Gold Imports Dip 30% To $31.8 Billion in April–February 2023
Gold Imports Dip 30% To $31.8 Billion in April–February 2023: India’s gold imports have declined by about 30% to $31.8 billion during April-February 2023, compared to the same period in the previous year, according to data from the country’s commerce ministry. The decline in gold imports is attributed to several factors, including high customs duty and global economic uncertainties.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
India’s gold imports and country’s trade deficit:
The reduction in India’s gold imports by approximately 30% to $31.8 billion during April-February 2023 has not helped to reduce the country’s trade deficit, which was estimated at $247.52 billion for the same period, compared to $172.53 billion the previous year. The negative trade balance is a cause for concern for the Indian economy, which is heavily dependent on imports of goods and services.
Reason behind decline in gold imports:
Industry experts attribute the decline in gold imports to high import duty and global economic uncertainties. The Indian government has raised customs duties on gold imports in order to reduce the country’s reliance on imported gold and address current account deficit concerns. However, this has made gold imports more expensive, leading to a decline in demand for the yellow metal.
India’s Silver Imports:
Silver imports, on the other hand, have risen by 66% to $5.3 billion during April-February 2023. The rise in silver imports is attributed to the increasing demand for the metal in industrial applications, including electronics, solar panels, and batteries.
India: the largest importer of gold:
India is the world’s largest importer of gold, primarily to meet the needs of the jewellery industry. In terms of volume, the country imports 800-900 tonnes of gold per year. The decline in gold imports has also affected the gems and jewellery industry, which saw a 0.3% decline in exports to USD 35.2 billion during the 11 months of the last fiscal.
The government had increased the gold import duty to 15% from 10.75% last year to check the current account deficit (CAD). While this move may have helped reduce the CAD, it has also impacted the demand for gold and the jewellery industry’s exports. Experts have called for a review of the high import duty to boost exports and help the domestic industry. The government may need to strike a balance between reducing the CAD and promoting exports and growth in the economy.
I-T dept notifies Cost Inflation Index for current fiscal
I-T dept notifies Cost Inflation Index for current fiscal: The Income Tax Department has notified the Cost Inflation Index (CII) for the current fiscal beginning April 2023, for calculating long-term capital gains arising from the sale of immovable property, securities, and jewelry.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
CII is used by taxpayers to compute gains arising out of the sale of capital assets after adjusting for inflation. The Cost Inflation Index for FY 2023-24 relevant to AY 2024-25 stood at 348.
It is notified under the Income-tax Act, 1961 every year.
SBI to launch new current accounts and savings accounts in FY24
SBI to launch new current accounts and savings accounts in FY24: SBI is planning to launch new variants of the current a/c (with balances of ₹50,000 and ₹50 lakh) and the “Parivar” (family) savings a/c in FY24.
Aim: To minimize the gap between deposit growth and credit growth.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
Domestic deposits of SBI grew 8.86% year-on-year (y-o-y) by the end of 2022. While domestic advances were up 16.9% y-o-y. SBI also expects that it’s domestic deposits and domestic advances will grow about 12% and 16% y-o-y, respectively, in FY24.
World Bank chief raises 2023 global growth outlook
World Bank chief raises 2023 global growth outlook: World Bank Group President David Malpass has informed that the lender has revised its 2023 global growth outlook slightly upward to 2% from a January 2023 forecast of 1.7%.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
But the slowdown from stronger 2022 growth will increase debt distress for developing countries.
Reason: The upward revision was due to an improved outlook for China’s recovery from Covid-19 lockdowns, with growth now pegged at 5.1% this year compared to 4.3%.
Google fined $32 million in South Korea for anti-competitive behaviour
Google fined $32 million in South Korea for anti-competitive behaviour: In an email statement, Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said that Google tried to block Korean platform competitor One Store Co.’s business development.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
KFTC said that Google bolstered its market dominance and hurt revenue and value of One Store by requiring video game makers to exclusively release their titles on Google Play in exchange for providing in-app exposure between June 2016 and April 2018. Korea’s Fair Trade Commission informed that Google is using its clout in the mobile app market to squeeze out a rival. The Korean regulator has ordered Google LLC, Google Korea, and Google Asia Pacific to cease offering support to mobile game companies in exchange for promises of exclusivity.
