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Daily Current Affairs – 21 April 2023
This post contains the current affairs for 21 April 2023. These current affairs are important for banking exams, insurance exams and other competitive exams like IBPS PO and Clerk, SBI PO and Clerk, RBI Assistant and Grade B, etc. You can also attempt our Current Affairs Quiz after reading our daily current affairs.
National
NHAI to develop 10,000 km of Optic Fibre Cables infrastructure along highways by 2025
- The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) aims to develop around 10,000 kilometres of Optic Fibre Cables (OFC) infrastructure across the country by 2024-2025.
- This initiative will help in providing internet connectivity to remote locations and expediting the roll-out of new-age telecom technologies like 5G & 6G.
- The National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), NHAI’s fully-owned special purpose vehicle, will implement the network of “digital highways” by developing integrated utility corridors along the national highways to develop OFC infrastructure.
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh Government ink deal to end 51-yr old border dispute
- The Government of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to resolve the 51-year-old pending border dispute along the boundaries of both northeastern states.
- The MoU was signed on April 20, 2023 by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and CM of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and union minister for law and justice Kiren Rijiju, who represents Arunachal Pradesh in Lok Sabha.
- Both the states share an 804-km long boundary.
- The border dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh was going on since 1972.
- There was dispute related to 123 border villages, spread across almost the entire boundary length between the two states.
- Read more here
Shillong to get largest multipurpose indoor stadium of Northeast
- The state government of Meghalaya, under Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma is setting up a multipurpose indoor stadium in Shillong, which would be the largest multipurpose indoor stadium in the northeastern region.
- The stadium is being constructed by renovation, upgradation and expansion of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, locally known as Polo Ground, in Shillong.
- It is expected to be completed by December 2023.
- The seating capacity of the renovated stadium would be 30,000.
- The indoor stadium would have facilities for different disciplines such as basketball, squash, badminton, table tennis, volleyball among others.
IIT Madras to set up its first international campus in Tanzania
- The IIT Madras has planned to set up its first International campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
- This will be the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to be set up in an African country.
- IIT Madras observed its 64th Institute Day on April 20, 2023.
Ranking
India has third highest unicorns, United States tops: Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2023
- As per the Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2023, India has retained its position as the third-largest hub for startup unicorns with total 68 unicorns. This is up by 14 compared to previous year.
- The United States has the highest number of unicorns. It is followed by China at second place.
- Israel and Russia are among top five respectively.
- The edtech firm BYJU’S has been named as India’s top unicorn with a valuation worth US$22 billion.
- It is followed by foodtech platform Swiggy and fantasy sports platform Dream11 with a valuation of US$8 bn each.
International
AIIB to Open its first Overseas Office in Abu Dhabi, UAE
- The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has signed a host member agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to officially open its first overseas office in Abu Dhabi.
- AIIB Abu Dhabi will serve as an Interim Operational Hub (the Hub).
- The AIIB Hub in the UAE will give a robust platform to the bank to manage growing investment portfolio, enhance client and member engagement, project monitoring and implementation services across the globe.
Books
Book titled SACHIN@50: Celebrating a Maestro authored by
- Boria Majumdar, one of India’s most influential sports commentators and columnist has come out with a new book on the legendary cricket star Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.
- The book titled “SACHIN@50: Celebrating a Maestro” will be released on April 24, 2023, the day when Sachin will mark his 50th birthday.
- This book is a collection of the remarkable achievements of Tendulkar, the ‘God of cricket’ as a tribute.
Appointment
Madhav Pai appointed WRI India CEO
- The WRI India has appointed Madhav Pai as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the institute on April 19, 2023.
- He will lead and oversee WRI India’s strategy, operations and activities in his new role.
- Pai succeeds former CEO O P Agarwal.
- Read more here
Important Days
World Creativity and Innovation Day 2023: 21 April
- The World Creativity and Innovation Day (#WCID) is celebrated on April 21 every year.
- Theme in 2023: “step out and innovate”
- The World Creativity and Innovation Week is observed from April 15-21.
- The United Nations recognised the day in April 2017.
- The first UN World Creativity and Innovation Day was celebrated on April 21, 2018.
- The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of creativity and innovation in problem solving and encourage creative multidisciplinary thinking at the individual and group levels.
National Civil Services Day 2023: 21 April
- In India, the ‘Civil Services Day’ is celebrated on April 21 every year as a thanks giving day to all the Civil Servants for their service to the society and also for Civil Servants to ‘rededicate themselves to the cause of citizen and renew their commitments to public service’.
- The day April 21 has been chosen to commemorate the day when the first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi.
- In his address, he called Civil Servants, the ‘Steel Frame of India’.