Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of May 01st to 07th May 2024. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2024 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• International Labor Day is celebrated every year on May 1.
• Gujarat Day or Gujarat Foundation Day or Gujarat Sthapana Divasis celebrated every year on 1 May.
• Maharashtra Day, celebrated on May 1st every year, marks the creation of the state of Maharashtra in 1960.
• World Tuna Day, observed annually on May 2 is dedicated to raising awareness about the critical importance of tuna conservation.
• World Press Freedom Day is observed on 3 May every year.
• Every year Coal Miners Day is celebrated on May 4.
• Every year World Laughter Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May and this year World Laughter Day falls on the 5th of May
• Every year World Asthma Day is celebrated on the First Tuesday of May

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is preparing to defend the government’s human rights processes at a meeting in Geneva this week, where a decision on whether India’s human rights body will retain its “A status” is expected to be made
• A group representing telecom operators has sought a ban on the sale of WiFi 6E routers that use the 6 GHz spectrum band for data transmission, requesting as the government has not yet determined the utilisation of the frequencies
• Shyam Benegal’s 1976 feature film “Manthan” has been selected for screening at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, which will be held from May 14
• The Union home ministry has cancelled the Foreign Contribution Registration Act (FCRA) licences of six non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for their alleged violation of the FCRA rules, misuse of foreign grants, and religious conversion, among others.
• The Union health ministry has made a notable change to the CoWIN certificates for Covid-19 vaccinations by removing the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The government has decided to extend benefits under the Remissions of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme for shipments sent abroad via courier or e-commerce channels from sectors like gems and jewellery, pharma, leather, textiles and handicrafts, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced
• India plans to bolster its farm statistics system by undertaking regular digital crop surveys, backed by advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), throughout the country to assess the precise acreage
• Free hospitalisation benefits worth Rs 86,000 crore have been provided to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) since the scheme was rolled out in September 2018.
• Constitution Park, jointly developed by the Indian Army and Punit Balan Group, was inaugurated in Pune.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The United Kingdom (UK) government has introduced "world first" laws requiring all internet-connected smart devices to meet minimum security standards to protect consumers and businesses from hacking and cyber-attacks.
• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has been rebranded as "UN Trade and Development" to mark its 60th anniversary.
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Marrakesh Agreement, a significant milestone in global trade history.

• Energy ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy countries reached a deal to shut down their coal-fired power plants by 2035 at the latest, in a significant step towards the transition away from fossil fuels.
• Dubai has announced plans to build the world's largest airport terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, aiming to revolutionize the aviation industry and solidify Dubai's status as a major global transportation hub.

• To make health insurance more affordable and attractive, the Centre may push for a lower GST tax rate to 12%, compared to 18% now, on health insurance premiums up to Rs 30,000.
• The Centre has given certification to over 20 vehicle OEMs to take part in the short-term e-mobility promotion scheme EMPS.
• BSNL Employees Union, wrote to the Minister of Communication, suggesting that the public sector telco must be allowed to use Vodafone Idea’s 4G network temporarily to provide its own 4G services.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

• The Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority (SLA) for Ayurvedic and Unani Services informed the Supreme Court that it had "suspended with immediate effect" the manufacturing licenses for 14 products of Patanjali Ayurved Limited and Divya Pharmacy due to repeated violations under the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

• State-owned power giant NTPC Group's installed power generation capacity has crossed the 76 GW-mark with the commissioning of a 57-MW solar power energy capacity in Rajasthan.
• Kundan Green Energy has received approval for a 42 MW hydropower project in Okhali, Uttarakhand
• The National Stock Exchange (NSE) announced its plan to sell its digital technology services business NSEIT to Bahrain's Investcorp for Rs. 1,000 crores.
• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a state-owned telecom service provider, has achieved a 4G subscriber base of 800,000 in its initial launch phase across North Indian regions, including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and western Uttar Pradesh.

• Encouraging creative minds, artists and upcoming talent, the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) organized an Art Exhibition cum Painting Competition at SCOPE Social Interaction Centre (SSIC), SCOPE Complex, New Delhi, as part of Public Sector Day celebrations.
• Fertiliser major Iffco, which introduced nano liquid urea and nano liquid DAP, stated the central government has approved its two new products nano liquid zinc and nano liquid copper for the launch.
• The fertilizer subsidy in Fiscal Year 2023-24 (FY24) has exceeded Revised Estimates (RE) by over ₹6,500 crore, latest government data
• The goods and services tax (GST) collections reached a record-breaking high of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April 2024, marking a 4% increase from the previous year.
• The index of mineral production of the mining and quarrying sector for February, 2024 (Base: 2011-12=100) at 139.6 is 0% higher as compared to the level in February, 2023
• Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL), India’s largest and one of the world’s leading renewable energy (RE) companies, announced USD 400 million in financing for its under-construction 750 MW solar projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat by a consortium of five leading international banks
• Avaada Energy has secured Rs 1,190 crore loan for a new solar project in Gujarat from the State Bank of India.
• India’s fossil fuel-based power generation capacity has increased by 2.44% to 243.22 GW in FY24 from 237.27 GW in March 2023.
• Domestic automobile majors Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors have received a record number of patent approvals for a wide spectrum of product and process innovations in the last financial year.
• The UK’s maritime prowess took centre stage as the Littoral Response Group (LRG) made its inaugural stop in Chennai on March 26, 2024, marking the commencement of its deployment to the Indian Pacific region

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND ECONOMY

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the license of Acemoney (India), a Delhi-based non-banking financial company (NBFC), due to irregular lending practices and violation of RBI guidelines.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed a revised regulatory framework for Electronic Trading Platforms (ETPs) due to increased integration of the onshore forex market with offshore markets.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced two key surveys, the 'Inflation Expectations Survey of Households' and the 'Consumer Confidence Survey', to gather data for the upcoming bi-monthly monetary policy.
• Shares of ICICI Bank  surged over 5%, sending its market capitalisation past the `8-trillion mark and into the  league of the top 5 companies by market value.
• As per latest Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) data, National Pension System (NPS) assets under management (AUM) recorded a robust 27.85 per cent y-o-y growth as of April 20, 2024 at ₹ 11.73 lakh crore (₹ 9.17 lakh crore).
• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has implemented a mechanism to make and review regulations, aimed at bringing more transparency and certainty to the rule-making process.

• In April 2024, Unified Payment Interface (UPI) transactions decreased by 0.7% in value and 1% in volume compared to March 2024.
• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) made the nomination optional for jointly-held mutual fund accounts in a bid to promote ease of doing business.
• Financial services platform Groww and digital payment processing company Worldline ePayments have secured a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) licence to operate as online payment aggregators.
• YES Bank has partnered with Bengaluru-based financial services provider ANQ to launch two co-branded credit cards, Pi and Phi.
• Commercial Paper (CP) issuances by non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) reached ₹1.2-lakh crore during January-March 2024, a four-and-a-half-year high since July-September 2019.
• The State Bank of India (SBI) has received government approval to divest its entire 25.02% stake in YES Bank, following the end of a lock-in period in March 2024.
• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has signed an agreement with the Bank of Namibia (BoN) to support them in developing an instant payment system like Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for Namibia.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lifted restrictions on Indian non-banking financial company, Bajaj Finance's 'eCOM' and 'Insta Existing Member Identification card (EMI card)' segments, allowing the company to resume the sanction and disbursal of new loans in these segments.
• Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, a leading private general insurer in India, has launched Prive, an exclusive customer experience program designed to offer exceptional customer service and coverage.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a guidance note on Operational Risk Management and Operational Resilience in line with the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) for regulated entities, which included non-banking finance companies and primary urban cooperative banks, as well as central cooperative banks.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced an 8% interest rate on the Floating Rate Savings Bond (FRSB) 2034.
• Scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) ended FY24 with a higher non-food bank credit growth of 16.3% against 15.4% in FY23.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a draft harmonised prudential framework for lenders’ financing of projects in infrastructure, non-infrastructure and commercial real estate sectors.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed tighter rules to govern lending to projects under implementation.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed standalone primary dealers (SPDs) to borrow in foreign currency from their parent companies and entities it has authorised.
• Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) domiciled at the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) are now permitted to issue offshore derivative instruments (ODIs), commonly known as participatory notes (P-Notes).
• Fundraising by banks through Certificates of Deposit (CDs) declined by 74% in April 2024 compared to March 2024, attributed to eased liquidity tightness in the banking system and moderated demand for loans.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued directives to banks regarding their exposure to the capital markets, emphasizing compliance with prescribed guidelines.
• Ujjivan Small Finance Bank has appointed Carol Furtado as executive director for a 3-year term, effective from May 1, 2024.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Atanu Chakraborty as the Part-Time Chairman of HDFC Bank for a period of 3 years from May 05, 2024 to May 04, 2027 (both days inclusive)
• The central government is likely to receive a dividend of Rs 75,000-85,000 crore from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the current financial year.
• Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank reported a record net profit of Rs 1,767 crore for the fiscal year 2023-24.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has made it compulsory for Portfolio Management Services (PMS) providers to register with the Association of Portfolio Managers in India (APMI).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reported that the market share of the top four credit card issuers in India declined during FY24 in terms of monthly card spends and total cards outstanding.
• The Reserve Bank of India’s Innovation Hub (RBIH) subsidiary collaborated with mysaltapp and the FICCI Ladies Organisation to release a white paper titled "At The Helm: Women Entrepreneurs Transforming Middle India."

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

• Alok Shukla, convener of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan (CBA), will be awarded the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize, also known as the Green Nobel, for his efforts to protect Hasdeo Arand, one of India's largest contiguous stretches of dense forest spanning 170,000 hectares with 23 coal blocks.
• The Hindu’s explainer page on Neeraj Chopra’s craft and success, “The science behind Neeraj’s skills”, published on September 3, 2023, has won three awards at the 6th International Newspaper Design Competition organised by newspaperdesign.in.
• Palestinian journalists covering the Gaza conflict have been named as laureates of the 2024 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, following the recommendation of an international jury of media professionals

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• The Indian Vaccine Manufacturers Association (IVMA) announced Krishna M Ella, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, as the association’s new president for two years from April 2024-2026.
• Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has withdrawn from consideration for another term as leader after his ruling party failed to win a majority in elections, in a potential blow to China’s growing ties with the Pacific nation.

• Justice (retired) Dinesh Kumar has been appointed as the Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT).
• Mukesh Amabni’s new financial services company, Jio Finance Limited., is in talks to appoint Kusal Roy, the current country manager of Standard Chartered Plc India, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of one of its units.

• Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor was appointed as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Training Command (TC) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• KVS Manian, joint Managing Director (MD) at Kotak Mahindra Bank, has stepped down from his position with immediate effect.
• Jeremiah Manele, a former foreign minister, was elected as the new Prime Minister of Solomon Islands by the nation's lawmakers.
• Paytm Money, the wholly-owned subsidiary of One97 Communications, has appointed Rakesh Singh as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) after Varun Sridhar resigned from the role.
• The Central Government has approved the appointment of Bhushan Singh Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) as Secretary (at the Director level) of the National Jute Board, Kolkata under the Ministry of Textiles.
• Sushil Sharma has been given the additional charge as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of SJVN Limited for 3 months or until further orders.
• Raymond's board of directors approved the reappointment of Gautam Hari Singhania as Managing Director for another 5 years, starting July 1, 2024.
• The Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Sanjaya Kumar Mishra, former Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court, as the President of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) for a 4-year term.
• Subodh Kumar (IAS) has been appointed as Director in the Ministry of Ayush.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the appointment of Sanjeev Nautiyal as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• In a significant move towards sustainable development, THDCIL-UJVNL Energy Company Limited (TUECO), a collaboration between THDC India Ltd. & UJVN, has sealed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nagar Nigam Haridwar to establish a Waste to Green Energy Plant, valued at Rs. 140 crores.
• NHPC Limited, the largest organization for hydropower development in India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with M/s Ocean Sun, a Norwegian company operating as a technology provider to the floating solar industry
• Tata Motors has tied up with South Indian Bank to offer financing solutions to its commercial vehicle customers and dealerships
• State-owned engineering firm Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with HIMA West Asia FZE, Dubai (A wholly owned subsidiary of HIMA Paul Hildebrandt GmbH, Germany) for railway signalling business.
• The railways inked an agreement with a tech firm for "exploring and delivering" train collision avoidance system KAVACH implementation projects in India as well as other countries, according to a statement.The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this purpose was signed between RailTel Corporation of India Limited and Quadrant Future Tek Limited.
• India and New Zealand are looking to increase collaboration in goods and services sectors like pharmaceuticals, digital trade, and cross-border payment systems to promote bilateral trade
• Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL) has signed an agreement with state-owned SJVN Ltd to set up a 460 MW Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) project
• India and Nigeria have agreed to an early conclusion of a local currency settlement system agreement to further strengthen economic ties between the two countries

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITION AND MERGERS

• Carlyle Group divested nearly a 2% stake in private sector lender Yes Bank for Rs 1,441 crore through an open market transaction.
• The State Bank of India (SBI) has received government approval to divest its entire 25.02% stake in YES Bank, following the end of a lock-in period in March 2024.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

• India is planning to develop an electric propulsion system for its domestic warships in partnership with the United Kingdom (UK).
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) announced the successful flight test of the Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has deregistered all 54 aircraft leased to the now-bankrupt airline Go First, according to officials.
• India was found to be the third biggest contributor with close to 3 per cent share in global CO2 emissions from aviation, following China at 14 per cent and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at more than 3 per cent.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• China has launched the first of the eight Hangor-class submarines to be built for its all-weather ally Pakistan to provide it with state-of-the-art warships, adding a new dimension to their growing bilateral military cooperation.
• Engineers have partially restored a 1970s-era computer on National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Voyager 1 spacecraft after five months of long-distance troubleshooting, building confidence that humanity's first interstellar probe can eventually resume normal operations.
• China launched the Chang'e-6 lunar probe atop the Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province, China.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR

• On the occasion of the 176th birth anniversary of Ravi Varma, the first true copy of the ‘Indulekha’ painting was released at the Kilimanoor Palace.
• The Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) has filmed the passing of the moon in front of Antares, a bright red star.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced that India will host the 2025 BWF World Junior Championships at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati.
• Australian all-rounder Shane Watson recently launched the book ‘The Winner’s Mindset’ which talks about how to get success even in the darkest period of life.
• Rashmi Kumari outplayed Shainy Sebastian to clinch the women's title in the 6th Asian carrom championship which concluded in Maldives.
• Adrian Newey, regarded as the greatest F1 designer and a chief architect of Red Bull’s dominance, is set to end his Red Bull stay in the “first quarter” of
• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), India concluded the #PlayTrue Campaign, with a turnout of more than 12,133 participants
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the official anthem for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
• World number one Iga Swiatek edged Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) in a gripping and gruelling Madrid Open final to win the title for the first time
• Red Bull's Max Verstappen continued his domination of Formula One, taking pole position for Miami Grand Prix after clinching the sprint race earlier.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

• Paul Auster, the prolific American novelist behind the acclaimed “New York Trilogy," has passed away at the age of 77.
• Bernard Hill, actor known for his roles in "The Lord of the Rings" and "Titanic," passed away at the age of 79.