Daily Current Affairs 24 April 2019: We have collected the latest current affairs for 24 April 2019 that are important for all competitive exams like bank, ssc, ibps, sbi exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the current affairs on our mobile app.
Current Affairs 24 April 2019
Reserve Bank of India divests its share in NABARD and NHB
- The Reserve Bank of India has announced that it has divested its entire stake in NABARD and NHB on February 26, 2019 and March 19, 2019 respectively. RBI has a share of Rs 20 Crore in NABARD and Rs 1450 Crore in NHB.
- With this, the Government of India now holds 100% stake in both the financial institutions.
- RBI held 100% shareholding in NHB, which was divested on March 19, 2019.
SBI announces India’s first ‘Green Car Loan’
- State Bank of India has launched India’s first ‘Green Car Loan’ (loans for Electric Vehicle) to encourage customers to buy electric vehicles.
- The interest rate in SBI Green car loans will be 20 basis points less than the normal car loan schemes. It will also come with the longest repayment period of up to eight years.
Mudra loans miss target by ₹27,000 crore in FY19
- Loans disbursed under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) have fallen short of the target set for 2018-19. The loans disbursed under PMMY in FY19 was Rs 2.73 lakh crore against the target of Rs 3 lakh crore.
- This is the first time that the target was missed in the last three years.
Assocham Secretary General Uday K Varma Resigns
- Former bureaucrat, Uday Kumar Varma, has resigned from the post of Secretary General of Assocham.
- Varma took over the charge in August 2018 succeeding D S Rawat who held the position for nearly 14 years.
- Currently, Assocham Deputy Secretary General Saurabh Sanyal is the interim secretary general.
- Verma retired from the post of Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on June 30, 2013.
World’s first malaria vaccine launched in Malawi (Africa): WHO
- World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that the world’s first and only malaria vaccine has been launched in the African country of Malawi.
- It has been launched as a pilot program to protect, in particular, hundreds of thousands of children under five against Malaria.
- The name of the vaccine is RTS,S. It is the first, and to date the only, vaccine that has demonstrated it can significantly reduce malaria in children.
Indonesia Releases Commemorative Stamp on Ramayana Theme to Mark 70 Years of Ties with India
- Indonesia has released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana on April 23, 2019, to mark the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties with India.
- The stamp has been designed by renowned Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta.
- It features a scene from Ramayana in which Jatayu valiantly fought to save Sita.
Pakistan Journalist Cyril Almeida wins Press Freedom Hero award by IPI
- Pakistan Journalist at the Dawn Assistant has been named as the 71st World Press Freedom Hero by the International Press Institute (IPI).
- IPI’s World Press Freedom Hero Award honours journalists “who have made significant contributions to the promotion of press freedom, particularly in the face of great personal risk”.
- IPI said that Almeida was recognised for his critical and tenacious coverage of civil-military relation in Pakistan.
Israel Names New Settlement in Golan Heights After US President Donald Trump
- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to name a new community in the occupied Golan Heights after United States President Donald Trump.
- This decision has been taken as an expression of gratitude towards Mr Trump for his historic decision to recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
- Israel captured the Golan from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed the territory in 1981, however, the move was not recognized internationally, until Trump signed a decree recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the strategic plateau.
National Panchayati Raj Day: April 24
- The National Panchayati Raj Day (National Local Self-Government day) is the national day of Panchayati Raj System in India celebrated annually by Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 24 April.
- The Day was declared by the then Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh on 24 April 2010.
- It marks the passing of Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.
UN English Language Day: April 23
- UN English Language Day is observed annually on 23 April.
- The day was established by UN’s Department of Public Information in 2010 to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization”.
- 23 April has been chosen for the English language because it is the date observed as both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare.
- Other dates have been selected for the celebration of the UN’s other five official languages.