Daily Current Affairs 20th April 2024, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

National News

PEN Required for Students Starting Academic Year 2024-25

In a move to simplify and streamline the process of students’ transition from one school to another, the School Education Department in the state has made the use of Permanent Education Number (PEN) mandatory from the academic year 2024-25. PEN is a unique identification number assigned to every student by the Union Ministry of Education, through the UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) portal, which covers more than 14.89 lakh schools, 95 lakh teachers, and 26.5 crore children.

Appointments News

Nalin Prabhat Appointed as Director-General of NSG

In a significant move, the appointments committee of the Cabinet has approved two key appointments in India’s premier security agencies. Nalin Prabhat, a 1992 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the Director-General of the National Security Guard (NSG), while Sapna Tewari, a 1992 batch IPS officer of the Odisha cadre, has been appointed as the Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Santosh Viswanathan Appointed India Region Head of Intel

In a strategic move to capitalize on the rapid economic growth in India and fortify its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, Intel Corporation has announced the appointment of new executives for its Sales, Marketing, and Communications Group (SMG). This reorganization is part of the company’s ongoing transformation initiatives.

Banking News

RBI Approves Ajith Kumar KK as Dhanlaxmi Bank’s MD & CEO Amid Capital Raise

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) greenlights Ajith Kumar KK’s appointment as Managing Director & CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank, marking a pivotal moment amidst the bank’s preparations for a ₹300 crore rights issue. The leadership transition follows a series of senior management exits amid internal conflicts.

RuPay Launches ‘Link it, Forget it’ Campaign at IPL 2024 to Promote Credit Card on UPI

RuPay, in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), introduces the ‘Link it, Forget it’ campaign during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This initiative aims to showcase the seamless integration of RuPay credit cards with UPI, emphasizing the convenience of leaving physical wallets behind.

Bandhan Life Insurance Unveils New Identity and Growth Strategy

Bandhan Life Insurance, formerly known as Aegon Life Insurance, has rebranded itself with the tagline ‘Bharat Ki Udaan, Bandhan Se’, reflecting its commitment to empowering the aspirations of India. Under the ownership of Bandhan Financial Holdings, the company is embarking on an aggressive growth strategy, aiming to recruit 1,000 new employees and expand its customer base.

CRED Secures In-Principle Approval for Payment Aggregator License

CRED, the Bengaluru-based fintech start-up, has recently obtained in-principle approval for a payment aggregator license, as reported by the Economic Times. This significant development allows CRED to broaden its services beyond its focus on reward-based credit card payments. With the new license, CRED can now facilitate merchant payments directly, enhancing its role in the digital payments ecosystem.

Airtel Payments Bank Launches NCMC-enabled Debit and Prepaid Cards

Airtel Payments Bank has introduced NCMC-aligned debit and prepaid cards in collaboration with NPCI, powered by RuPay. These cards are designed to support India’s One Nation, One Card initiative. Savings account holders can avail NCMC-enabled debit cards, while wallet users can opt for prepaid cards. Crafted from eco-friendly e-PVC material, these cards offer versatility in payment options, including offline transit transactions, online shopping, and enhanced security with EMV Chip protection.

Defence News

India Delivers First Batch of BrahMos Missiles to Philippines

In a significant move reflecting the deepening military cooperation between India and the Philippines amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, India has successfully delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines. This delivery marks the fruition of a $375 million deal signed in January 2022, making the Philippines the first export customer for this joint venture missile between India and Russia.

Ranks and Reports News

Top Indian Banks in Asia-Pacific Region: S&P Global Report

According to a recent report by S&P Global, three Indian banks—State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank—have secured positions among the top 50 banks in the Asia-Pacific region based on their assets.

Awards News

Deepika Soreng Honoured with Asunta Lakra Award

Deepika Soreng, the promising forward of the India Women’s Hockey Team, has been honoured with the prestigious Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year during the Hockey India 6th Annual Awards 2023. The award recognizes her outstanding performance and immense potential as a rising star in the sport.

Kaushik Rajashekara Honored with International Fellowship by the Engineering Academy of Japan

Kaushik Rajashekara, a distinguished professor at the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering, has been elected as an International Fellow of the prestigious Engineering Academy of Japan. This honour recognizes his outstanding contributions to the field of power conversion and the electrification of transportation.

Science and Technology News

European Astronomers Uncover the Largest Stellar Black Hole in Our Galaxy

European astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery – the largest stellar black hole in our Milky Way galaxy. Named ‘BH-3’, this celestial behemoth has a staggering mass 33 times greater than our Sun and is located a mere 2,000 light-years away from Earth.

Meta Unveils Upgraded AI Assistant Powered by Llama 3

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced the launch of the company’s advanced AI assistant, Meta AI, powered by the state-of-the-art language model Llama 3. The new AI offering is designed to enhance the user experience across Meta’s popular apps, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, while also being available on a dedicated website, meta.ai.

India’s Commitment to Debris-Free Space Missions by 2030

At the 42nd Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) annual meet, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath announced India’s pledge to achieve debris-free space missions by 2030. This commitment aligns with global efforts to ensure the sustainability of space exploration.

Schemes and Committees News

Central Government Committee on LGBTQ+ Community Welfare

In the landmark Supriyo Chakraborty vs. Union Of India Case 2023, the Special Marriage Act of 1954 was challenged for its exclusion of same-sex marriages, citing a violation of Article 14 of the fundamental rights. Despite the Act allowing marriages between individuals of different religions, it did not extend this provision to same-sex couples. The Supreme Court upheld this exclusion, prompting the government to establish a committee to address the concerns of the LGBTQ+ community without legally recognizing their relationships as marriages.

Sports News

Rohit Sharma becomes 2nd player after MS Dhoni to play 250 matches in IPL

Rohit Sharma, the former captain of the Mumbai Indians, etched his name in the annals of Indian Premier League (IPL) history by becoming only the second player to feature in 250 IPL matches. This remarkable milestone was achieved during a match against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, further solidifying Rohit’s status as an IPL legend.

Important Days

National Civil Service Day 2024- Honouring the Steel Frame of India

National Civil Service Day is celebrated annually on April 21st in India. This year, the theme for National Civil Service Day 2024 is yet to be announced, but it is likely to focus on a current challenge or opportunity facing the Indian civil service. The first ever National Civil Services Day in India was celebrated on April 21, 2006. It was recognized to commemorate the first Home Minister of India – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

20th April CURRENT AFFAIRS 2024 | ALL EXAMS IMP. CURRENT AFFAIRS | ASHISH GAUTAM SIR