Daily Current Affairs 04 April 2019: We have collected the latest current affairs for 04 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 04 April 2019
PM Modi Conferred with Zayed Medal, UAE’s Top Civilian Honour
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been honored with the prestigious Zayed Medal by the United Arab Emirates(UAE) on April 4, 2019 for his contribution in boosting bilateral strategic ties between the two countries.
- The aaward was conferred by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
- Zayed Medal is the highest decoration awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states by UAE.
RBI reduces Repo Rate by 25 bps to 6.0% in First MPC 2019-20
- The Reserve Bank of India in its First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2019-20 has reduced the Repo Rate by 25 basis points to 6.0 per cent from 6.25 per cent.
- As a result the reverse repo rate stands at 5.75 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate are 6.25 per cent.
- RBI has revised the GDP growth rate for 2019-20 at 7.2 per cent.
- The revised rate are as under:
- Repo Rate: 6.0%
- Reverse Repo Rate:5.75%
- Marginal Standing Facility Rate:6.25%
- Bank Rate:6.25%
- CRR: 4%
- SLR: 19.5%
Sebi extends deadline for UPI as payment method for retail IPO investors till June 30
- Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has extended the deadline for implementation of the first phase of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as an alternative payment mechanism for retail investors buying shares in a public issue to June 30, 2019 from March 31, 2019.
- In November 2018, SEBI has issued a circular to introduce the use of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as a payment mechanism with Application Supported by Block Amount (ASBA) for applications in public issues by retail individual investors through intermediaries.
52 Advance Pricing Agreements Signed in the Fiscal 2018-19: CBDT
- As per the latest data of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), it has entered into 18 Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) in the month of March 2019, which includes 3 Bilateral APAs (BAPAs).
- Total number of APAs entered into by the CBDT in the year 2018-19 is 52. It includes 11 BAPAs.
- The overall number of APAs entered into by the CBDT till date stands at 271, of which 31 are BAPAs.
Fitch affirms India’s rating for 13th year in a row at BBB-
- Rating agency Fitch has retained India’s sovereign rating at ‘BBB-‘ with stable outlook. BBB- is the lowest investment grade.
- This is the 13th year in a row that global rating agency Fitch has rated India at ‘BBB-‘. GDP growth rate for India as per Fitch in FY20 is 6.8% and for that in FY21 is 7.1%.
Sri Lanka to hold largest ever military exercise – “Exercise — Western Shield,” in July
- The Army of Sri Lanka has informed that it will conduct “Exercise – Western Shield” starting from July 01, 2019 with the participation of over 5,000 soldiers.
- “‘Exercise — Western Shield’ is the biggest ever infantry training module. The exercise will provide an opportunity for army trainees to march through those areas that are inaccessible to others, except forest conservation authorities.
- Exercise Western Shield will extend from Mannar to Puttalam, including Kalpitiya, Wilpattu National Park, Mavillu and Thabbowa Forest Reserves and the Western coastal belt
International Mine Awareness Day: April 4
- The United Nations’ International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is celebrated on April 4 each year.
- 2019 Theme – “United Nations Promotes SDGs – Safe Ground – Safe Home”
- The day was declared by the UNGA on 8 December 2005, to raise awareness about landmines and progress toward their eradication.