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 8 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 8 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 – 8 April 2023
Indian Space Policy 2023: Union govt approves Indian Space Policy 2023 to enhance role of Department of Space
Indian Space Policy 2023: The Union Government of India recently approved the Indian Space Policy 2023, which aims to strengthen the Department of Space’s role and expand the activities of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). This policy is a significant step towards strengthening India’s space sector and achieving self-reliance in space technology.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
Indian Space Policy 2023: Aim
The Indian Space Policy 2023 aims to establish a conducive environment for the private sector to participate in space activities, thereby boosting innovation and entrepreneurship in the space sector. It also aims to promote international cooperation in space research and exploration.
The policy acknowledges the importance of space technology in a variety of fields, including communication, navigation, disaster management, weather forecasting, agriculture, and defence. The policy also emphasizes the development of indigenous technologies and capacity-building in the space sector.
Indian Space Policy 2023: Significance:
The Indian Space Policy 2023 is expected to boost the activities of ISRO and enable it to achieve its goals in a more effective and efficient manner. The policy will also lay the groundwork for the development of a robust space industry in India, which will create jobs and contribute to the country’s economic growth.
In conclusion, the Indian Space Policy 2023 is a significant step towards enhancing India’s capabilities in the space sector and achieving self-reliance in space technology. The policy will provide a conducive environment for the private sector to participate in space activities, boost innovation and entrepreneurship, and promote international cooperation in space research and exploration.
Indian Govt Forms Committee to Enhance Pension Benefits
Four-Member Committee to Improve NPS Pension Benefits: The Indian government has formed a committee to explore ways of enhancing the pension benefits of government employees under the National Pension System (NPS). The committee will be chaired by the finance secretary and will include three other members: the secretaries of the Departments of Personnel and Training, the special secretary in the Department of Expenditure, and the Chairman of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). The committee will examine whether any changes are necessary to NPS for government employees and suggest measures to enhance the pension benefits of NPS-covered government employees while maintaining fiscal prudence.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
States’ Move to Old Pension Scheme Raises Concerns
Several state governments have announced their intention to return to the old pension scheme, which offers an assured pension based on the last drawn salary. While this is seen as a populist move, it has raised concerns about the financial burden it may place on state exchequers. The Centre’s decision to revisit the pension issue suggests that it may become an important public policy issue ahead of the national polls early next year.
Committee to Consider Fiscal Implications and Budgetary Space
The finance ministry issued an order outlining the committee’s responsibilities. The committee will examine the NPS for government employees and suggest measures to enhance pension benefits for those covered under the scheme. It will also consider the fiscal implications and the impact on the overall budgetary space to ensure that fiscal prudence is maintained to protect the interests of the common citizens.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Lok Sabha last month of the government’s decision to establish a committee to examine pensions and develop an approach that addresses the needs of government employees while remaining fiscally prudent. The order issued by the finance ministry is in line with this announcement and demonstrates the government’s commitment to exploring ways of enhancing pension benefits for government employees under the NPS.
Indian Gaming Start-ups Leading the Industry with AWS
AWS India Empowering Indian Gaming Start-ups: AWS India’s Head of Start-up Ecosystem, Amitabh Nagpal, has acknowledged that gaming has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment. Indian start-ups are driving the rapid growth of the gaming industry in India, utilising cloud technologies to build and operate high-performance games across all categories. AWS offers Indian gaming start-ups the services and solutions necessary to develop successful games.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
Survey Reveals Preference for Casual Games in India
According to a recent survey, 48% of non-gamers prefer casual games like Ludo King and Candy Crush, while 35% of gamers have increased their gaming time in the last year. According to the report, 64% of paying gamers make in-app purchases, and 57% subscribe to game services. Additionally, 59% of payers began paying for games within the past 12 months. The trend indicates that paying gamers are willing to pay for casual games (50%), followed by mid-core (48%) and hyper-casual and RMG (39%).
Paying Gamers Willing to Spend on Casual Games
The gaming industry has grown in popularity in India, with casual games like Ludo King and Candy Crush being the most popular among non-gamers. Start-ups in India are leading the charge in the gaming industry’s rapid growth, utilising AWS cloud technologies to create high-performance games across all categories. The survey found that paying gamers are willing to pay for casual games (50%), followed by mid-core (48%) and hyper-casual and RMG (39%). The report also showed that paying gamers tend to make in-app purchases (64%) and subscribe to game services (57%). Lastly, 59% of payers began paying for games within the past 12 months.
FIFA Rankings: India’s Football Team Rises to 101
FIFA Rankings: India’s Football Team Rises to 101: According to the latest FIFA rankings, the Indian men’s football team has climbed up five spots and is now ranked at 101. The team’s upward movement in the rankings can be attributed to their recent wins against Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan during the Tri-nation tournament, which helped them secure 8.57 rating points. The victories came in matches held in Imphal last month, with scores of 1-0 and 2-0 against Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan, respectively. The current ranking chart is the first of the year; the previous one was released on December 22.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
The Indian men’s football team has made a remarkable progress in the latest FIFA rankings, moving up by five places to reach the 101st spot, just one spot away from the top-100. The team earned 8.57 rating points after winning two matches against Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan in the Tri-nation tournament held last month in Imphal. With a total of 1200.66 points, India is still ranked 19th out of 46 Asian countries. India’s highest-ever ranking was 94th in 1996, and the team has rarely made it to the top-100, so this achievement is notable.
According to the latest FIFA rankings, Argentina continues to hold the top spot as the world champions, followed by France, Brazil, Belgium, England, Netherlands, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, and Spain in the top 10 positions. Japan holds the highest rank among the Asian countries.
Kalikesh takes charge as NRAI president
Kalikesh takes charge as NRAI president: Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, who held the position of Senior Vice-President, took over as the President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). This change occurred as the previous president, Raninder Singh, went on a long leave after the Sports Ministry issued a directive stating that the heads of national sports federations (NSFs) cannot hold office for more than 12 years, as per the National Sports Code. Following this directive, Raninder Singh, who was re-elected as NRAI president in September 2021, went on leave.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
The Sports Ministry noted last month that Raninder Singh had served as NRAI president for 12 years, from December 29, 2010, to December 29, 2022, and that he could not continue to hold the position under the National Sports Code. Despite being re-elected as NRAI president in September 2021 for a four-year term, he had to go on a leave of absence as he had completed the maximum permissible tenure as the head of the federation.
About the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI)
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is the apex body for shooting sports in India. It was formed in 1951 and is affiliated with the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), the Asian Shooting Confederation (ASC), and the Commonwealth Shooting Federation (CSF). The NRAI is responsible for promoting and governing the sport of shooting in India and organizes various national-level competitions and selection trials for international events. The association also selects and trains shooters for major international competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games.
Shah Rukh Khan tops 2023 TIME100 Reader Poll
Shah Rukh Khan tops 2023 TIME100 Reader Poll: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is basking in the glory of the success of the blockbuster ‘Pathaan’, has proved he is the ultimate king. The actor defeated royal couple Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Argentinian player Lionel Messi, and Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg in the 2023 TIME100 Reader Poll. It is the readers of the magazine who voted for the world-renowned personalities they believe deserve a spot on TIME’s annual list of the most influential people. Securing the lead position in Time Magazine’s poll for its annual TIME100 list, SRK bagged over 1.2 million votes. According to the American publication, the actor received 4% of the vote in the poll.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
Overview of the News
- For the second spot, the readers picked the Iranian women protesting for more freedom in the country’s Islamic regime. They garnered 3 per cent of the vote.
- The protestors were named TIME’s 2022 Heroes of the Year and had won last year’s Person of the Year reader poll too.
- Healthcare workers in the United States came in third with 2% of the vote because they have been at the forefront of the global pandemic since 2020. “By 2020, health-care workers overwhelmingly reported stress, anxiety, burnout, and exhaustion,” according to the TIME report. With 1.9 per cent vote share, Harry and his wife Meghan came third and fourth on the poll. The 38-year-old royal made headlines in January after his memoir ‘Spare’ hit the stands. The Duke of Sussex shared shocking details about Britain’s royal family.
- Soccer star Messi, who helped Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar against France last year, earned his place at the fifth spot. He received 1.8% of the vote. Other notable people and celebrities who voted included Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, former tennis player Serena Williams, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Zuckerberg.
Delhi airport now 9th busiest in world
Delhi airport now 9th busiest in world: According to the Airports Council International (ACI) World, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has been ranked as the ninth busiest airport in the world in 2022, handling approximately 59.5 million passengers every year. This is a significant accomplishment for the IGI Airport, which was ranked 13th in 2021 and 17th in 2019 prior to the pandemic. In a separate statement, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) stated that it is the only airport from South and Southeast Asia to make the top ten list.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
The IGI Airport has been ranked as the ninth busiest airport in the world for 2022, with an annual passenger handling capacity of 59.5 million, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) World. It is the only airport from south and Southeast Asia to feature in the top 10 list. The top 10 airports account for 10% of global traffic and witnessed a 51.7% increase from 2021. However, their overall passenger traffic is still around 85% lower than 2019 figures. ACI also reported that global passenger traffic in 2022 has almost reached 7 billion, representing a 53.5% increase from 2021 or a 73.8% recovery from 2019, due to the resumption of international travel.
According to the ACI report, IGI Airport experienced a 60.2% increase in passenger traffic from the previous year, but the passenger traffic is still 13.1% lower than the 2019 figures. This indicates that although passenger traffic has stabilised, it has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels.
ACI said the list of top 10 busiest airports in the world for 2022
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Dallas Fort Worth Airport
- Denver Airport
- Chicago O’Hare Airport
- Dubai Airport
- Los Angles, US
- Istanbul Airport
- London Heathrow Airport
- Delhi Airport, and
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Tamil Nadu CM inaugurates IIT Madras initiative
Tamil Nadu CM inaugurates IIT Madras initiative: Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. M.K. Stalin today (5th April 2023) inaugurated an initiative of Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) to connect one lakh Government School students in Tamil Nadu studying in rural locations to electronic science.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
As part of this endeavour, he also distributed electronic kits developed by IIT Madras to the Government school students in the presence of Thiru. Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Hon’ble Minister for School Education, Government of Tamil Nadu, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, and other dignitaries, at an event held on IITM Campus.
This outreach programme on STEM, which is part of the ‘Anaivarukkum IITM’ (IITM for all) initiative, aims to connect one lakh rural Tamil Nadu students. The CM also distributed electronic kits to government school students which were developed by IIT Madras.
Addressing the event, Thiru. M.K. Stalin, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, said, “I am happy to announce an important new scheme called ‘Thiranari Thervu Thittam’ during this event. The objective is to encourage and help Tamil Nadu Government schools students to continue their higher education without hurdles. As many as 1,000 students (500 male and 500 female) studying Standard X will be chosen for this scheme. Guidance will be provided to the students by connecting them to higher education insitutions such as IIT Madras. A stipend of Rs. 1,000 will be provided every month until they finish their Class XII. Students selected under this scheme will also get Rs. 12,000 as stipend annually during their under-graduation and post-graduation.”
Cabinet approves revised domestic gas pricing guidelines
Cabinet approves revised domestic gas pricing guidelines: The Union Cabinet approved revised domestic gas pricing guidelines and the price of natural gas will be 10 per cent of the monthly average of the Indian crude basket.
There will be monthly notification to ensure stable pricing in regime and provide adequate protection to producers from adverse market fluctuation.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
The guidelines will ensure a stable pricing regime for domestic gas consumers, provide adequate protection to producers from adverse market fluctuation and provide incentives for enhancing production.
The price of natural gas shall be 10% of the monthly average of Indian Crude Basket and shall be notified on a monthly basis. For the gas produced by ONGC & OIL from their nomination blocks, the Administered Price Mechanism (APM) price shall be subject to a floor and a ceiling.
WTO: Global trade expected to grow 1.7% in 2023
WTO: Global trade expected to grow 1.7% in 2023: According to the Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report, released by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the global merchandise trade volume is expected to grow by 1.7% in 2023 as compared to an earlier estimate of 1% in October 2022.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
The global trade body cautioned that the expected to be ‘subpar’, due to multiple factors, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, stubbornly high inflation, tighter monetary policy and financial uncertainty. With this, the trade growth is below the 12-year average of 2.6 per cent since the trade collapse that followed the global financial crisis in 2008.
It would be lower than 2.7% growth in 2022. The expectation would be ‘subpar’ due to multiple factors, including Russia-Ukraine conflict, high inflation, tighter monetary policy, and financial uncertainty.
WTO DG: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
