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CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

National Payments Corporation of India to Reevaluate Decision on 30% Unified Payments Interface Market Share Limit by Year End  

• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will review its decision to implement a 30% cap on the market share of payment players offering Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services by the end of 2024.
• The deadline to introduce the limit remains unchanged: December 2024.
• In March 2024, the NPCI met with new UPI players and discussed how UPI could grow.

Key Highlights :

• Previous Proposal on Market Share Cap:In November 2022, NPCI proposed a 30% volume cap on third-party application providers (TPAPs).
• This requires UPI service providers to limit their market share to 30% within two years.
• UPI Market Share Distribution:As of current data, PhonePe and Google Pay collectively hold about 86% of the UPI market share in terms of transaction volumes, with PhonePe holding 48.3% and Google Pay holding 37.6%.
• Paytm Payments Bank is the third-largest UPI player but has experienced a decline in market share due to restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in January 2023.
• Cred and Axis Bank Apps are the 4th and 5th largest UPI service providers but have a market share of less than 1% each.
• Investment Challenge in UPI Ecosystem:Companies are hesitant to invest in the UPI ecosystem due to transactions being free and the absence of a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR).
• Large fintech companies have invested in UPI as it serves as an effective means to acquire customers.
• Impact of Zero MDR on New Players:The absence of MDR is seen as a barrier for newer players to enter the UPI market or invest in the ecosystem.
• Addressing the MDR issue could potentially facilitate market balance and encourage investment in the UPI ecosystem.
• Introduction of Interchange Fee:In 2023, NPCI introduced an interchange fee on prepaid payment instrument (PPI)-based merchant transactions through UPI.
• PPI issuers are required to pay an interchange fee of up to 1.1% for transactions over Rs 2,000, depending on the type of merchant.
• NPCI clarified that the interchange fee applies specifically to PPI-based merchant UPI transactions.
• UPI Transaction Growth:UPI transactions in India experienced significant growth, with a 56% increase in volume and a 44% increase in value in Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24) compared to the previous year.
• FY24 marked the first time UPI transactions surpassed 100 billion, reaching 131 billion transactions for the financial year.
• There were 84 billion transactions in FY23.
• In March 2024, transaction volume grew by 55% to 13.44 billion, and transaction value increased by 40% to Rs 19.78 trillion compared to March 2023.

Recent News :

• In March 2024, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) authorised One97 Communications Limited (OCL) to function as a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) under a multi-bank model.
• With the NPCI's approval on March 14, 2024, OCL's Paytm began integrating with multiple banks, specifically Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India (SBI), and YES Bank, under the Multi Payment Service Provider API Model.
• In March 2024, the NPCI advised Paytm to complete the migration of all existing handles and mandates to new PSP banks “at the earliest”.
• In February 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had advised NPCI to consider the request of OCL to become a TPAP for continued UPI operation of the app.

About NPCI :

• Founded : 2008
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Dilip Asbe
• The NPCI is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.
• It is an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, to create a robust Payment & Settlement Infrastructure in India.

Reserve Bank of India Grants Cred In-Principle Approval to Operate as a Payment Aggregator                         

• Bengaluru-based fintech unicorn Cred received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for its Payment Aggregation (PA) business.
• Once Cred obtains final approval, it can expand its services beyond credit card bill payments to include merchant payments, joining companies like Razorpay and

Key Highlights :

• Timeline for Approval: Typically, it takes about 6 months after receiving in-principle approval for a company to get the final approval from the RBI.
• Recent PA Licenses: Other payment companies such as CCAvenue, Innoviti Payments, and MSwipe have recently received their final PA licenses.
• Expansion Plans:Cred currently operates Cred Pay in partnership with other payment companies but will be able to settle and transfer funds independently once it receives the final PA license.
• As an online payment aggregator Cred can offer merchant payments to any online seller
• The RBI allows PAs to manage funds through an escrow account and offer value-added services on top of payments.
• RBI's Guidelines for Payment Aggregators:The RBI has issued draft guidelines for payment aggregators (PAs) with strict know-your-customer (KYC) requirements for merchants.
• Development of Offline Payments:Cred is developing an offline payments business with plans to deploy QR code-based "scan and pay" at retail outlets.
• This move is part of Cred's push into UPI-based payments.
• Payment Aggregator-Point of Sale (PA-P) Licence:Cred might need to apply separately for the payment aggregator-point of sale (PA-P) license.
• Final guidelines on PA-P are awaited for more clarity on the application process.
• Recent Acquisitions and Business Growth:Cred acquired Kuvera, entering the wealth management space with around 300,000 affluent customers using its wealth products.
• Cred's revenue from operations in FY23 was ₹1,400 crore, up from ₹393 crore in FY22.
• Its losses grew slightly from ₹1,280 crore in FY22 to ₹1,347 crore in FY23.

About Cred :

• Founded : 2018
• Headquarters : Bangalore, Karnataka, India
• CEO : Kunal Shah

Bank credit records 16% surge in fiscal year, marking fastest growth in a decade                         

• Bank credit grew by 16% during the fiscal year, the highest growth rate in the last 10 years, indicating a stronger appetite for lending among banks.
• This is attributed to improved financial metrics due to the systemic cleansing of balance sheets.

Key Highlights :

• Economic Recovery: The increased credit growth is partly due to the ongoing economic recovery from the pandemic and sustained retail demand for loans.
• RBI Data: According to the Reserve Bank of India's weekly data, bank loans grew by 16.1% year-on-year as of April 5,2024 despite higher interest rates.
• Impact of HDFC Merger: When considering the merger of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) into HDFC Bank, the growth rate reaches 19.9%.
• Investment Outlook: The prospects for fixed investment remain positive, with factors such as business optimism, healthy corporate and bank balance sheets, robust government capital expenditure, and signs of an upturn in the private capex cycle contributing to the positive outlook.
• Monetary Policy: The Monetary Policy Committee noted that domestic economic activity is resilient, driven by strong investment demand, with high-interest rates not significantly dampening business and consumer sentiment.
• Deposit Growth: The banks' aggregate deposit grew 13.2% year-on-year while the growth was recorded AR 13.8% if the merger is considered.

Ashok Leyland and South Indian Bank Entered into Agreement to Offer Financing Solutions to Dealers          

• South Indian Bank has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland Limited for financing their dealers under the Bank’s dealer finance program.
• Under this partnership, the Bank will provide unmatched dealer finance options to the dealers of Ashok Leyland Limited.
• With this tie-up, South Indian Bank aims to help the dealer partners of Ashok Leyland Limited, streamline vehicle inventory funding.
• This arrangement is mutually beneficial for the vehicle manufacturer, their dealers, and for South Indian Bank.

About Ashok Leyland :

• Founded : 7 September 1948
• Headquarters : Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
• Ashok Leyland is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturer, It is now owned by the Hinduja Group.

About South Indian Bank :

• Founded : 1929
• Headquarters : Thrissur, Kerala, India
• MD & CEO : P. R. Seshadri
• Tagline : Experience Next Generation Banking

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Shompen Tribes Of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Cast Vote For First Time

• For the first time in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, seven members of the Shompen tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTGs) of Great Nicobar Islands exercised their voting rights for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the union territory.
• Not only Shompen tribe members exercised their voting rights at polling station 411 named as 'Shompen Hut' built inside the forest staff quarters but also they posed for selfies at a designated cut-out made by the Election Commission of India, which reads - "I vote for sure".
• The Shompen tribes were assisted in their language by an interpreter known as 'Mathiyas' (a Nicobari tribal youth).
• As per the 2011 census the population of the Shompen was 229.

Amara Raja Infra bags 700 MWp solar project from Greenko

• Amara Raja Infra Pvt Ltd has secured a 700 MWp solar project from Greenko in Andhra Pradesh.
• With the latest win, the order book of Amara Raja Infra Private Limited (ARIPL) stands at Rs 1,516 crore at the end of FY24
• ARIPL has achieved a significant milestone in the renewable energy sector by securing a solar BoS project of 500 MW/700MWp from Greenko
• The project spans a 2,200-acre site near Uyyalavada Town in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.
• The work includes Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of the entire balance of system (BoS) for the 700 MWp (Megawatt peak) project, which is part of Greenko's Integrated Renewable Energy Project.

Archer Aviation aims to start electric air taxi trials next year

• Archer Aviation, backed by Stellantis and Boeing, aims to begin trials of its electric air taxi in India next year, ahead of a planned commercial launch in 2026
• U.S.-based Archer last year partnered with InterGlobe Enterprises, which backs India's top airline IndiGo, to launch the air taxis to help people avoid ground traffic in congested cities.
• Archer is working with India's aviation watchdog to get the "appropriate regulatory approvals" before it can begin trials in the country
• For commercial operations, Archer is in final stages of getting approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, which it expects will come through next year, after which it will seek clearances in India.
• It will first launch in New York and India will be its first international market.
• Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), also known as flying taxis, have been touted as the future of urban air mobility.
• The low-altitude aircraft would travel between cities and airports avoiding traffic, but face several challenges before they can become a reality.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Intel Names Santhosh Viswanathan as Head of Its Newly Established India Region

• Intel, a leading United States (US)-based semiconductor company, has appointed Santhosh Viswanathan as the Managing Director for its newly established India region.
• Roles & Responsibilities ; By appointing Viswanathan to this pivotal position, Intel seeks to enhance its responsiveness and efficacy in addressing the evolving needs and challenges specific to India.
• Viswanathan, an Intel veteran of about 21 years, took on his role as Vice President and Managing Director in July 2022 but will now lead the country as a distinct region within Intel's global structure.

Why has India become a separate region?

• Intel designated India as a unique region within its Sales, Marketing, and Communications Group (SMG) in March 2024.
• This strategic move reflects the need to address India's rapid growth and emerging business opportunities.
• By establishing India as a separate region, Intel aims to enhance its focus, engagement, and responsiveness to the local market.

Other Appointments :

• In addition to that appointment, Intel also announced the appointment of Hans Chuang as the General Manager of the Sales, Marketing and Communications Group (SMG) for the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region.

About Hans Chuang :

• Based out of Taiwan, Hans Chuang will oversee Intel's overall business in the APJ region, with responsibilities including driving revenue growth, enabling engagement with the local ecosystem to create new opportunities and strengthening existing customer and partner relationships.

Recent News :

• In March 2024, Intel Corporation announced that Stacy Smith, executive chairman of Kioxia Corporation, formerly Toshiba Memory Corporation, and chair of Autodesk Inc., was appointed to Intel’s board of directors.

About Intel :

• Founded : July 18, 1968
• Headquarters : Santa Clara, California, United States
• CEO : Patrick P. Gelsinger

Reserve Bank of India Approves Ajith Kumar KK as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Dhanlaxmi Bank  

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Ajith Kumar K.K as the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of Dhanlaxmi Bank for 3 years with effect from the date of taking charge.
• Kumar is set to succeed K. Shivan, whose term was set to end on 29 January 2024.
• Earlier in January, the RBI had approved Dhanlaxmi Bank's request to extend Shivan's tenure until a successor was in place.
• The appointment of Kumar comes at a time when the Bank is planning a Rights Issue of up to ₹300 Crore (including premium) to the eligible Shareholders.

About Ajith Kumar K.K :

• Kumar has over 36 years of experience with the Federal Bank in various facets of banking including Credit, Human Resources, Business, Branch Banking etc.
• He is also a director of Federal Operations and Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Federal Bank Limited, on account of his employment.
• Presently, Kumar is the Chief Human Resources Officer in Federal Bank in the cadre of President.
• As of the end of December 2023, the bank’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) stood at 12.37%, just above the regulatory minimum of 11.5%.
• RBI has allowed fresh hiring only after the bank shows improvement in cost to income ratio, which stands at 77.67%,".

About Dhanlaxmi Bank Limited :

• Founded : 14 November 1927
• Headquarters : Thrissur, Kerala, India

OpenAI Appoints Pragya Misra as Its First Employee in India                            

• OpenAI has hired Pragya Misra as its first employee in India, appointing her as the head of government relations.
• This development comes amid the ongoing elections in the country to elect a new government, which will play an important role in shaping regulations concerning artificial intelligence (AI) in the world's most populous nation.
• Role and Responsibilities : Pragya Misra will lead OpenAI's public policy affairs and partnerships in India, focusing on government relations and regulatory frameworks.

About Pragya Misra :

• Pragya Misra led WhatsApp's campaign against misinformation in 2018 and has worked with Ernst & Young as well as the Royal Danish Embassy in Delhi.
• Since July 2021, she has been acting as Director of Public Affairs for Truecaller where she has worked closely with government ministries, key stakeholders, investors and media partners.
• She worked with Meta Platforms Inc for three years before that.
• She also led WhatsApp’s campaign against misinformation in 2018 and worked at Ernst & Young and the Royal Danish Embassy in New Delhi.
• Incidentally, Pragya Misra was also the first employee of WhatsApp in India.
• She is also a podcaster and Instagram influencer with a follower base of 35,000.
• She is a Heartfulness meditation trainer and also hosts the Pragyaan podcast (@pragyaan_podcast) covering topics such as meditation and human consciousness.

About OpenAI :

• Founded : December 11, 2015
• Headquarters : San Francisco, California, United States
• CEO : Sam Altman
• Chairman : Bret Taylor

Narpat Singh (IRTS) Named Railway Adviser at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh                

• The Government has approved the appointment of Narpat Singh from the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) to the post of Railway Adviser in the High Commission of India, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• His appointment comes with a diplomatic status as Counsellor (with RG).
• The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) issued the appointment order.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the Ministry of Railways' proposal for Singh's appointment.
• Singh will serve as Railway Adviser for 3 years from the date he assumes charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
• Previously, he was posted as Director (Traffic Transpiration) in the Railway Board.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Happiest Minds to Acquire Macmillan Group Subsidiary for ₹4.5 Crore                                 

• Ashok Soota-promoted Happiest Minds Technologies has executed a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% equity interest in Macmillan Learning India, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Macmillan Group, USA, for cash consideration of ₹4.5 crore.

Key Highlights :

• Transaction Details : Happiest Minds Technologies will acquire 1,00,000 equity shares of face value ₹1/- each in Macmillan Learning India from its existing shareholders.
• The acquisition is expected to be completed by April 30,2024 and on closure of the transaction, Macmillan Learning India will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Happiest Minds Technologies.
• Macmillan Learning India : This company provides software development services to the Macmillan Group, functioning as an offshore development centre.
• In fiscal 2022-23, the company's turnover was ₹6.9 crore.

About Happiest Minds Technologies Limited :

• Happiest Minds Technologies Limited is a digital transformation information technology (IT) consulting and services company.
• Its segments include Infrastructure Management & Security Services (IMSS), Product and Digital Engineering Services (PDES) and Generative AI Business Services (GBS).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully test fires Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile from Chandipur off Odisha coast

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight test of the Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
• The missile's performance was monitored using several range sensors, including Radar, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS), and Telemetry.
• These sensors were deployed by ITR at various locations to ensure complete coverage of the flight path.
• The flight of the missile was also monitored from the Su-30-Mk-I aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

About ITCM :

• The missile is also equipped with advanced avionics and software to ensure better and more reliable performance.
• The missile is developed by Bengaluru-based DRDO laboratory Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) along with contributions from other laboratories and Indian industries.
• The missile followed the desired path using way point navigation and demonstrated very low-altitude sea-skimming flight.
• This successful flight test has also established the reliable performance of the indigenous propulsion system developed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The test was witnessed by many senior scientists from various DRDO laboratories along with the representatives from the production partner.

About DRDO :

• Established : 1958
• Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Chairman : Samir V Kamat
• The DRDO is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Deloitte collaborates with Yotta Data Services to help clients develop innovative GenAI applications

• Deloitte India has announced an alliance with Yotta Data Services to provide clients access to NVIDIA GPU computing infrastructure and accelerate the development of new AI applications.
• The alliance combines Deloitte’s deep AI experience and top AI talent with Yotta’s GPU cloud platform to help clients quickly build new AI applications that unlock the full value and potential of Generative AI (GenAI).
• Together, Deloitte and Yotta will help businesses and governments in India access the AI services and infrastructure needed to uncover new growth opportunities, accelerate the pace of innovation, enhance productivity, and reduce costs.
• The collaboration will bring world-class AI capabilities to organisations in India, where AI is expected to contribute US$500 billion to India’s GDP by 2025 (10 percent of the country’s US$5 trillion GDP target) and ~US$1 trillion by 2035 (per INDIAai projections).
• The collaboration also aligns with India’s AI mandate, under which the government recently approved a major investment to drive AI innovation in the country.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Balraj Panwar Secures India’s 1st Paris Olympics Quota In Rowing In Men’s Single Scull Event Of 2024 World Asian, Oceanian, Olympic & Paralympic Qualification Regatta

• Balraj Panwar secured India’s first Paris Olympics quota in rowing by securing third position in the men’s single scull event of the 2024 World Asian and Oceanian Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta at Chungju in South Korea.
• The 25-year-old rower from the Indian Army demonstrated remarkable performance by clocking 7 minutes and 1.27 seconds in the 2000-metre race and securing the quota.
• In the men’s single scull category, the top five finishers earn an Olympic berth.

Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, And Reetika Hooda Secured Quotas For the 2024 Paris Olympics

• In wrestling, India’s star woman grapplers, Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, and Reetika Hooda, clinched the Paris Olympics 2024 quota at the Asian Olympic qualifiers in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek.
• Phogat beat Laura Ganikyzy of Kazakhstan, 10-Nil, in the 50 kg category, while Anshu defeated Laylokhon Sobirova of Uzbekistan in the 57 kg category, 11-Nil.
• Reetika defeated Hui T. Chang of Chinese Taipei, 7-Nil, in the 76 kg category.
• The Commonwealth and Asian Games winner, Phogat, won the bout via technical superiority against the Kazakh wrestler. Phogat will now face Aktenge Keunimjaeva of Uzbekistan.
• The 2021 World Championship silver medalist Anshu will take on Kexin Hong of China, while Reetika is scheduled to face Juan Wang of China.
• Another Indian, Mansi Ahlawat, faced a defeat against Hyon G. Mun of North Korea, Nil-6.
• The upcoming World Qualifiers in Turkey on May 9 present the last opportunity for wrestlers to secure quotas for the Paris Games.

Candidates Chess Tournament: India’s D Gukesh Defeats Nijat Abasov In 12-Round

• In the Candidates Chess Tournament, India’s D. Gukesh produced another brilliant victory in the 12th round, defeating the bottom-placed Nijat Abasov at the Great Hall in Toronto, Canada.
• Gukesh now jointly leads the points table of the Open section at 7.5 points, along with Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi and the American Hikaru Nakamura, and set up an exciting finale with two more rounds to go.
• Another Indian R. Praggnanandhaa’s draw against the unbeaten Nepomniachtchi also helped the 17-year-old Gukesh to reach the top of the table.
• Despite playing with white, Nepomniachtchi took no chances against Praggnanandhaa, which resulted in a dead draw.

Key Highlights

• In other matches, Nakamura beat Alireza Firouzja for the second time in the competition while, another Indian, Vidit Gujrathi was unable to withstand the pressure applied by Fabiano Caruana.
• With two rounds remaining, only four players- Gukesh, Nepomniachtchi, Nakamura and the fourth-placed Caruana have a chance to win the event.
• All the Indians in action in round 13 will be operating with white pieces.
• In the women’s 12th rounds, India’s R.Vaishali made it back-to-back wins, after defeating Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine, while her fellow Indian Koneru Humpy finished with a draw against Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia.
• Humpy at six points stands fifth in the points table, while Vaishali at 5.5 points comes in next. Zhongyi Tan of China is in the front on eight points and her compatriot Tingjie Lei, is a half point behind.
• The Candidates Tournament is organized by chess’s international governing body, FIDE, as the final contest to determine the challenger for the World Chess Championship.
• The winner of the double round-robin event earns the right to a match for the World Championship against the incumbent world champion.
• The current world champions are Ding Liren in the Open section and Ju Wenjun in the women’s category, both from China.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Ex England Test batsman Raman Subba Row passed away     

• The former England batter Raman Subba Row passed away at the age of 92.
• At the time of his death, he was England’s oldest living men’s Test cricketer.

About Raman Subba Row :

• Raman Subba Row was born in Streatham, Surrey, England on 29 January 1932.
• He was an English cricketer who played for the national team, Cambridge University, Surrey and Northamptonshire.
• He played first-class cricket for Cambridge University and then joined the powerful Surrey side of the 1950s that won seven successive County Championships.
• The year 1958 also saw Subba Row win the first of his 13 England caps and in 1961 he scored a century in both his first and last Tests against Australia.
• In all, he scored 984 Test runs at an average of over 46.
• In 1961, he was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.
• After retiring to pursue a business career, he was the manager of England’s tour of India and Sri Lanka in 1981.
• Subba Row also served five years as chairman of the Test and County Cricket Board, the forerunner of the ECB, from 1985-90.
• He later became one of the International Cricket Council’s first match referees, overseeing 160 fixtures.
• Subba Row was appointed CBE in the 1991 New Year Honours.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

National Civil Service Day 2024: April 21

• Every year April 21st is celebrated as National Civil Service Day.
• The National Civil Service Day is known as the spine of the administration of the country.
• After India became independent, the first batch of civil servants of the country was addressed by Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.
• In this inspiring speech dedicated to the civil servants of the country, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel referred to them as the steel frame of India.
• In 1947, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel announced that National Civil Service Day would be observed every year to honour the contributions of the civil servants for the country.
• In Vigyan Bhavan, on April 21, 2006. The first National Civil Services Day was observed.
• Since then, the day is observed every year on the same day.

World Earth Day 2024: April 22

• The annual event of World Earth Day falls on April 22.
• The theme for World Earth Day 2024 is Planet vs Plastics.
• The origin of Earth Day can be traced back to 1970.
• The idea behind the event originated from Gaylord Nelson, a US senator, and Denis Hayes, a Harvard student.
• They were both deeply disturbed by the deteriorating environment in the United States and the massive January 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Deeply disturbed by the environmental impacts, he wanted to infuse the energy of student protests into an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution.
• He recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to manage the campus teach-ins and to scale the idea of environment conservation to a broader public.
• They choose April 22, a weekday between Spring Break and Final Exams, to increase student participation. Its immediate success was evident with a massive turnout of 20 million people across the US.
• In 1990 Earth Day went global with more than 140 countries participating in the event.
• In 1995 Nelson the man behind the Earth Day movement was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Daily CA One- Liner: April 21 & 22

• For the first time in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, seven members of the Shompen tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTGs) of the Great Nicobar Islands exercised their voting rights for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the union territory
• Amara Raja Infra Pvt Ltd has secured a 700 MWp solar project from Greenko in Andhra Pradesh
• Archer Aviation, backed by Stellantis and Boeing, aims to begin trials of its electric air taxi in India next year, ahead of a planned commercial launch in 2026
• Deloitte India has announced an alliance with Yotta Data Services to provide clients access to NVIDIA GPU computing infrastructure and accelerate the development of new AI applications.
• Balraj Panwar secured India’s first Paris Olympics quota in rowing by securing third position in the men’s single scull event of the 2024 World Asian and Oceanian Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta at Chungju in South Korea
• In wrestling, India’s star woman grapplers, Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, and Reetika Hooda, clinched the Paris Olympics 2024 quota at the Asian Olympic qualifiers in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek.
• In the Candidates Chess Tournament, India’s D. Gukesh produced another brilliant victory in the 12th round, defeating the bottom-placed Nijat Abasov at the Great Hall in Toronto, Canada
• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will review its decision to implement a 30% cap on the market share of payment players offering Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services by the end of 2024.
• Bengaluru-based fintech unicorn Cred received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for its Payment Aggregation (PA) business.
• Bank credit grew by 16% during the fiscal year, the highest growth rate in the last 10 years, indicating a stronger appetite for lending among banks.
• South Indian Bank has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland Limited for financing their dealers under the Bank’s dealer finance program.
• Intel, a leading United States (US)-based semiconductor company, has appointed Santhosh Viswanathan as the Managing Director for its newly established India region.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Ajith Kumar K.K as the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of Dhanlaxmi Bank for 3 years with effect from the date of taking charge.
• OpenAI has hired Pragya Misra as its first employee in India, appointing her as the head of government relations.
• The Government has approved the appointment of Narpat Singh from the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) to the post of Railway Adviser in the High Commission of India, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Ashok Soota-promoted Happiest Minds Technologies has executed a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% equity interest in Macmillan Learning India, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Macmillan Group, USA, for cash consideration of ₹4.5 crore.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight test of the Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
• The former England batter Raman Subba Row has Passed away at the age of 92.
• Every year April 21st is celebrated as National Civil Service Day.
• The annual event of World Earth Day falls on April 22.