Current Affairs APRIL 2023

Current affairs APRIL 2023
 Finland became the 31st member of NATO
 India Justice Report 2022 : Karnataka tops states
 Skyroot Aerospace test-fires advanced fully 3D-
printed cryogenic engine
 Eravikulam National Park got a fernarium for the
first time
 India, Malaysia can now trade in Indian rupee
 International Mine Awareness Day - 4 April
www.vidyaguru.in / SSC, Bank & Gen. Compt. / Call: 9650549487

Finland became the 31st member of NATO
• Finland has become the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) and Turkey's unanimous vote played a key role in
Finland's acceptance as a NATO member.
• Finland shares a border of more than 1,300 kilometres with Russia,
and their decision to join NATO was based on security concerns
following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
• Sweden's application to join NATO has been rejected by Turkey and
Hungary.
• With the accession of Finland, NATO now includes countries in most of
Europe and North America.

NATO
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO), is a military alliance
between North American and European countries formed in 1949 and
headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
• The founding members of NATO were the United States, Canada, and
ten European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland,
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United
Kingdom.
• NATO Secretary General- Jens Stoltenberg
Finland
• Prime Minister- Sana Marin
• Capital- Helsinki
• Currency- Euro

Chhattisgarh's Nagri Dubraj rice variety gets geographical
indication tag
• The Geographical Indications Registry has granted Geographical
Indication (GI) tag to Nagari Dubraj, a fragrant rice from Chhattisgarh,
to give a unique identity to the brand.
• The Morena and Rewa Mango (both Madhya Pradesh) have also been
given the GI Tag.
• This will give a new identity to these products in the national and
international market.
• Nagri Dubraj Rice
• The origin of Dubraj is believed to be from Shringi Rishi Ashram area of
Sihawa.
• Its reference is found in Valmiki Ramayana.

What is a GI Tag?
• It is an abbreviation of Geographical Indication.
• It is an especial identity of any region, town or state.
• The tag is given in the name of certain products or signs which
symbolize the uniqueness of that particular area.
• Geographical Indication came into force on 15 September 2003.
• Darjeeling tea was given the first GI tag in India in 2004-2005.
• GI tag is given to products related to agriculture, handicrafts, food
items, spirit drinks and industrial products.
• India has more than 300 Geographical Indications as of now.
• The rules and regulations of the GI tag are governed by the World
Trade Organization Agreement on the Trade Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights at the international level.

India Justice Report 2022 : Karnataka tops states, UTs in
providing access to justice
• According to the India Justice Report 2022 released in New Delhi on
April 4, Karnataka tops the list of states and Union Territories in
providing access to justice.
• Parameters- This study relies on overall statistics from four pillars of
justice delivery:
• Police
• Judiciary
• Prisons
• Legal aid

Performance of States
• Karnataka ranks first among 18 large and medium-sized states with a
population of over one crore in terms of delivery of justice, which
includes police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid.
• Tamil Nadu is second and Telangana is third. Uttar Pradesh is at the
18th position, which is at the bottom.
• Among small states, Sikkim topped the list of seven small states with
less than one crore population, followed by Arunachal Pradesh. Goa is
at the bottom, at seventh position.
India Justice Report
• Tata Trusts launched the India Justice Report (IJR) in 2019.
• This is the third edition.

Skyroot Aerospace test-fires advanced fully 3D-printed
cryogenic engine
• In Nagpur, private space vehicle company Skyroot Aerospace test-fired
its 3D-printed Dhawan II engine for a duration of 200 seconds on 4
April.
• This is the second cryogenic rocket that has been successfully test-fired
by Skyroot, following the Dhawan-I engine that was tested in
November 2021.
• The achievement comes after the November 2022 launch of Vikram-S,
making Skyroot the first Indian private company to send a rocket into
space.
• The engine has been developed by the company for its heavy vehicle
Vikram II.

Skyroot Aerospace
• Skyroot Aerospace is a spacetech start-up that aims to address growing
concerns in the global space industry.
• It provides low cost launch solutions to reach space in short time.
• The startup's three launch vehicles - Vikram I, II and III - can carry
payloads ranging from 200 kg to 700 kg to low Earth orbit.
• Currently, the team is testing a 3D printed liquid propellant engine and
a fully composite (carbon fiber) and high-performance solid rocket
motor.
• Headquarters - Hyderabad, Telangana

Banarasi paan among the 4 food items to get GI tag
• Banarasi paan has been awarded the GI tag, which signifies its unique
identity and origin. Three other foods from the Varanasi region,
including Banarasi Langda Mango, Ramnagar Bhanta (Brinjal), and
Adamchini rice, have also received the GI tag.
• Banarasi paan is a popular mouth-freshener made from betel leaves,
betel nut, slaked lime and many other ingredients.
• The inclusion of these four products takes the total number of GI-
tagged products from the Kashi region alone to 22, highlighting the
rich cultural and culinary heritage of the region.

NASA announces four-member team of astronauts to travel to
the Moon
• For the first time in five decades, NASA announced a team of four
astronauts for its human spaceflight mission to the Moon.
• The team of four astronauts will fly around the moon for a 10-day
mission next year.
• These four Artemis 2 astronauts are - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover,
Jeremy Hansen and Christina Koch.
• NASA’s Reid Wiseman will be the commander of the Artemis 2
mission.

For the first time, a woman astronaut,
Christina Koch
black astronaut, Victor Glover

Artemis 2 mission
• The Artemis 1 mission will allow NASA to test the foundation of its
latest human space exploration capabilities.
• This includes the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, the Orion
spacecraft, and all associated ground systems.
NASA
• National Aeronautics and Space Act
• NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Headquarters- Washington D.C.
• Administrator - Bill Nelson

Bahrain Launches Golden License To Make Large-Scale
Investments
• Bahrain launched the Golden License Initiative to encourage
investment and job creation in the country and aims to provide
streamlined services and benefits to local and foreign businesses with
large-scale investment projects in Bahrain.
• The Golden License offers various benefits, including priority land
allotment for investment, infrastructure services, utilities, and
streamlined access to government services such as business licensing
and building permit approval.
• The initiative was launched by Bahrain's cabinet, chaired by Prince
Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of
Bahrain, to attract local and international investment to create job
opportunities.

Bahrain
• It is an island country located in western Asia on the Persian Gulf and
consists of 50 natural islands and 33 artificial islands, of which Bahrain
Island is the largest.
• The capital of Bahrain is Manama, which serves as the commercial and
financial centre of the country.
• The majority of the population is Muslim, with Sunni and Shia
Muslims being the largest groups.

MF Hydra: World's first liquid hydrogen ferry
• Norwegian company Norld launched the world's first ferry to run on
MF Hydra liquid hydrogen.
• The vessel, named MF Hydra, is a hybrid and uses both batteries and
liquid hydrogen fuel cells for power.
• The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) granted approval to
operate the yacht.
• Hydrogen fuel cells produce only clean water as a byproduct, making
them an environmentally friendly option for powering ferries and other
marine vessels.

• The MF Hydra was to be delivered in 2021 and measures 82.4 metres
in length, with a passenger capacity of 300 and a capacity to carry 80
vehicles.
• It uses two 200 kW fuel cells, two 440 kW generators and two Shottel
thrusters to reach a speed of 9 knots.
• The hydrogen system was provided by Linde Engineering, the fuel cell
by Ballard and the battery by Corvus Energy. The ferry was completed
by Westcon and systems integrator SEAM.
Norway
• Capital- Oslo
• Currency- Norwegian Krone
• King- Harald V of Norway

Eravikulam National Park got a fernarium for the first time
• Eravikulam National Park in Munnar, Kerala has a new attraction – a
fernarium and it is the first fern collection set up in a hill station.
• The Fernarium is located within the park close to the Orchidarium and
is accessible to the public from 20 April.
• The objective of the Fernarium is to educate visitors about the
biodiversity of the park and to showcase the flora in a unique way.
• Ferns grow naturally in a soilless environment by absorbing water and
nutrients from trees, making the park an ideal location for a fernarium.

• Anamudi Shola National Park
• Eravikulam National Park
• Karimpuzha National Park
• Mathikettan Shola National Park
• Pampadum Shola National Park
• Periyar National Park
• Silent Valley National Park

India, Malaysia can now trade in Indian rupee
• The Ministry of External Affairs announced on 1 April that India and
Malaysia have agreed to settle trade in the Indian rupee.
• In July 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed settlement of
international trade in Indian currency.
• This step has been taken only after this decision of the RBI.
• Kuala Lumpur-based India International Bank of Malaysia (IIBM) has
introduced this system in India by opening a special Rupee Vostro
account through Union Bank of India.

What is a Vostro Account?
• Vostro is a Latin word meaning "your", hence, Vostro Account means
"your account".
• Vostro account is defined as an account maintained by a
correspondent bank on behalf of another bank.
• For example HSBC's Vostro account is being handled by SBI in India.
Malaysia
• Prime Minister - Anwar Ibrahim
• Capital - Kuala Lumpur
• Currency - Malaysian ringgit
• Official Language - Malay
• Official Religion - Islam

PM Modi invited to France for Bastille Day parade
• France has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Paris as a
guest at the annual Bastille Day parade in July.
• The National Day of France, also known as Bastille Day, is celebrated
every year on 14 July.
• Known in French as La Fête Nationale or Le 14 Juillet, the day is
celebrated with fireworks and parades.

Bastille Day Parade
• The Bastille Day military parade is a French military parade held on the
morning of 14 July each year in Paris since 1880.
• It is one of the oldest regular military parades in the world.
• The fall of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 is widely regarded as the
beginning of the French Revolution.

10th Edition of India - Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime exercise
SLINEX-2023 begins
• The 10th Edition of the annual India - Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime
exercise SLINEX-2023 began in Colombo on the 3rd of April.
• The exercise is being conducted in two phases of three days each, the
harbor phase and the sea phase.
• The Indian Navy will be represented by INS Kiltan and INS Savitri, while
the Sri Lankan Navy will be represented by SLNS Vijayabahu and SLNS
Samudura.
• The 9th edition of this exercise was concluded on 10 March 2022 at
Visakhapatnam, in Bay of Bengal.

Vice Admiral S. J. Singh appointed as the new Vice Chief of the
Indian Navy
• Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh has taken over as the Vice Chief of the
Naval Staff in the Indian Navy on 1 April 2023.
• He is a distinguished Naval Officer and a graduate of the National
Defense Academy, Pune.
• His contribution to the Indian Navy has been recognized with Nao Sena
Medal in 2009 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2020.
Indian Navy
• The Indian Navy was established on 26 January 1950.
• The current Chief of the Naval Staff is Admiral R Hari Kumar.

Sprinter Lashinda Demus was awarded the Olympic gold medal
after a decade
• More than a decade after the 2012 London Games, Lashinda Demus, a
sprinter from the United States, was awarded an Olympic gold medal
at the age of 40, Czechia's Zuzana Hejnova a silver and Jamaica's
Kalisz Spencer a bronze. Medal awarded.
London Olympics 2012
• Held in London, UK from 27 July to 12 August 2012.
• Over 10,000 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees
• United States topped medal table with 104 medals, including 46 gold.
• China finished second with 88 medals, including 38 gold.
• Great Britain finished third with 65 medals, including 29 gold.

Odisha Day or Utkal Day: 1 April
• Odisha Day or Utkala Divas is celebrated on 1st April and this day is
significant for the people of Odisha as it marks the formation of the
state on 1st April, 1936.
• Odisha has its 88th foundation day on 1st April 2023.
Odisha
• Capital- Bhubaneswar
• Governor- Ganeshi Lal
• Chief Minister- Naveen Patnaik

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Foundation day - 1st April
• The Foundation Day of the Reserve Bank of India is celebrated on 1st
April every year.
• RBI was established on 1st April 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India
Act, 1934.
• RBI was nationalised on 1st January 1949.
• The Central Office of RBI was initially established in Calcutta and then
permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937.

• The directors are appointed for a 4 year term by the Government of India
in keeping with the Reserve Bank of India Act.
• The First Governor of RBI was Sir Osborne Smith (1935 – 1937).
• The First Indian Governor of RBI was CD Deshmukh (1943 – 1949).
• The only Prime Minister who was the Governor of RBI was Manmohan
Singh (1982 – 1985).
• The First women deputy Governor of RBI was KJ Udeshi.

A new book "Gandhi: Siasat Aur Sampradaya" written by
Piyush Babele
• A new Hindi book titled Gandhi: Siasat Aur Communalism has been
authored by journalist-turned-author Piyush Babele, who currently
heads the media department of the Madhya Pradesh Congress.
• The book quotes from Dr. Ambedkar's book Pakistan or the Partition
of India and other sources to refer to the events leading up to the
partition of India in 1947.
• The book aims to break the myth spread by the Hindu right wing that
Mahatma Gandhi was responsible for the partition.
• The book is published by New Delhi based Genuine Publications &
Media Private Limited.

Madhya Pradesh
• Establishment - 1 November 1956
• Capital - Bhopal
• Chief Minister - Shivraj Singh Chouhan
• Official Animal - Barasingha
• Official River - Narmada River
• Official Tree - Banyan

Sudha Shivakumar appointed as National President of FICCI
Ladies Organization (FLO)
• Sudha Shivakumar has been appointed as the 40th National President
of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ladies
Organization (FLO), a women-led and women-focused business
chamber from South East Asia.
• She is an investment banker and lawyer and his appointment was
announced on 3 April.
• As National President, Shivakumar's main focus will be on empowering
women by creating an enabling environment that promotes
entrepreneurship, industry participation and economic growth of
women.

Indigenous Anti Tank Guided Missile, Amogha-III tested
successfully
• Bharat Dynamics (BDL) has successfully conducted a field firing test of
its latest 3rd generation man-portable Anti Tank Guided Missile
(ATGM), Amogha-III.
Amogha-III Missile
• The Amogha-III Missile has been developed indigenously under
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• It is a third generation fire-and-forget Anti-Tank Guided Missile.

Bharat Dynamics
• Founded – 1970
• Headquarters – Hyderabad
• Chairman & MD - Siddharth Mishra

International Mine Awareness Day - 4 April
• International Mine Awareness Day is observed every year on 4 April to
raise awareness about the danger of landmines and explosive
remnants of war.
• The day was first celebrated in 2006 after it was established by the
United Nations General Assembly.
• Theme - "Mine Action Can Not Wait".
United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS)
• Headquarters - New York.
• Established - October 1997
• Head - Ileen Cohn

National Maritime Day: 5 April
• National Maritime Day is a part of the National Maritime Week, which
begins on 30 March and ends on 5 April and this year marks the 60th
anniversary of National Maritime Day in India.
• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways started this day in
1964 to commemorate the voyage of SS Loyalty, India's first
commercial vessel.
• Theme - 'Shipping Mein Amrit Kaal', which in English means 'Golden
Era in Shipping‘
• World Maritime Day (WMD) is observed on 29 September.

Current Affairs APRIL 2023

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Current Affairs APRIL 2023