International Delegate’s Day: 25 April
International Delegate’s Day observed globally on 25 April every year. This day is observed to raise awareness of the role of the representatives and delegates of the Member States to the United Nations. International Delegate’s Day marks the anniversary of the first day of the San Francisco Conference which is also known as the United Nations Conference on International Organization.
History of International Delegate’s Day:
On 25 April 1945, delegates from 50 countries came together for the first time in San Francisco. The conference happened after the devastation of the second world war. The delegates aimed to set up an organization that would restore world peace and imposes rules on the post-war world order. On 2 April 2019, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 25 April as International Delegate’s Day.
Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana takes oath as 48th CJI
Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana was sworn in as the 48th Chief Justice of India (CJI) on April 24, 2021. Justice Ramana was administered the oath of office by President Ram Nath Kovind at a brief ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He succeeds Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde who demitted office on April 23, 2021. Justice Ramana will serve as the Chief Justice till 26 August 2022.
19th India-Franch Naval Exercise “VARUNA” begins
The 19th edition of the Indian and French Navy bilateral exercise ‘VARUNA-2021’ conducted in the Arabian Sea from 25 to 27 April 2021. During the three day exercise, the units of both the navies will undertake high tempo-naval operations at sea, which will include advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, intense fixed and rotary wing flying operations, tactical manoeuvres, surface and anti-air weapon firings, underway replenishment and other maritime security operations.
Indian Navy:
The Indian Navy will participate with its guided-missile stealth destroyer INS Kolkata, guided-missile frigates INS Tarkash and INS Talwar, Fleet Support Ship INS Deepak, with Seaking 42B and Chetak integral helicopters, a Kalvari class submarine and P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
French Navy
The French Navy will be represented by the Aircraft Carrier Charles-de-Gaulle with Rafale-M fighter, E2C Hawkeye aircraft and helicopters Caïman M and Dauphin embarked, Horizon-class Air defence destroyer Chevalier Paul, Aquitaine-class multi-mission frigate FNS Provence with a Caïman M helicopter embarked and Command and supply ship war.
World Intellectual Property Day: 26 April
World Intellectual Property Day is observed globally on April 26 every year. It was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to “raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life” and “to celebrate creativity and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the world”.
Theme 2021: ‘Intellectual property and small businesses: Taking big ideas to market’.
History of World Intellectual Property Day:
WIPO proclaimed, 26 April was chosen as the date for World Intellectual Property Day because it coincides with the date on which the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization entered into force in 1970.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization: Geneva, Switzerland.
- CEO of World Intellectual Property Organization: Daren Tang.
International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day
The International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is observed every year on April 26 to raise awareness of the consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and the risks of nuclear energy in general. The United Nations (UN) proclaimed the day on April 26, 2016, that marked the 30th anniversary of the 1986 nuclear disaster. On this day in 1986, a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine with devastating consequences.
National Panchayat Awards 2021
The National Panchayat Awards 2021 was conferred by PM Modi. Prime Minister will transfer the award money (as Grants-in-Aid) through the click of a button, ranging from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.50 lakh. The amount will be directly transferred to the bank account of the Panchayats concerned in real-time. This is being done for the first time.
The National Panchayat Awards 2021 are being conferred under the following categories:
- Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar to 224 panchayats,
- Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar to 30-gram panchayats, Gram
- Panchayat Development Plan Award to 29-gram panchayats, Child-friendly Gram
- Panchayat Award to 30 Gram Panchayats and e-Panchayat Puraskar to 12 states.
PM Modi Launches Extension of ‘SVAMITVA scheme’ Across India
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the distribution of e-property cards under the SVAMITVA scheme on National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24, 2021, through video conferencing. SVAMITVA stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas. The launch marked the rollout of the implementation of the SVAMITVA scheme across the entire country. About 4.09 lakh property owners were given their e-property cards during the event, in more than 5 thousand villages.
Swamitva Scheme
- The Svamitva Scheme was launched by Prime Minister on 24 April 2020 as a Central Sector Scheme to promote a socio-economically empowered and self-reliant rural India.
- It was launched on pilot basis in the 6 states, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh.
- The Scheme will ensure the demarcation of inhabited land in rural areas.
- It will use drones in surveying and mapping of properties in villages.
- This will help in reducing disputes over property.
- The Scheme will cover around 6.62 Lakh villages of the entire country during 2021-2025.
Government Extends ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme Deadline till 30 June 2021
The government has once again extended the deadline for making payment under the direct tax dispute settlement scheme ‘Vivad Se Vishwas’ by two months till June 30, 2021 to provide relief to the taxpayers facing hardships amid the pandemic. This is the fourth time that the deadline is being extended by the Ministry of Finance, since the launch of the scheme. The deadline was extended for the first time from March 31, 2020, to June 30, 2020, followed by December 31, 2020, and then again till March 31, 2021.
What is Vivad Se Vishwas scheme?
- The ‘Vivad Se Vishwas’ scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2020, as per which a taxpayer would be required to pay only the amount of the disputed taxes and will get a complete waiver of interest and penalty provided he pays by 31st March 2020.
- Those who avail of this scheme after 31st March 2020 will have to pay a 10% additional penalty and interest amount.
- The scheme provides for settlement of disputed tax, interest, penalty or fees in relation to an assessment or reassessment order on payment of 100 per cent of the disputed tax and 25 per cent of the disputed penalty or interest or fee.
- The taxpayer is granted immunity from levy of interest, penalty and institution of any proceeding for prosecution for any offence under the Income-tax Act in respect of matters covered in the declaration.
RBI cancels licence of Bhagyodaya Friends Urban Co-operative Bank
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the licence of Maharashtra-based Bhagyodaya Friends Urban Co-operative Bank Limited due to inadequate capital. On liquidation, every depositor is entitled to receive deposit insurance claim amount of his/her deposits up to a monetary ceiling of Rs 5 lakhs from the DICGC subject to the provisions of the DICGC Act, 1961.
According to the regulator, the bank with its present financial position would be unable to pay its present depositors in the full and public interest would be adversely affected if the bank is allowed to carry on its banking business any further. The bank has failed to comply with the requirements and the continuance of the bank is prejudicial to the interests of its depositors.
Supreme Court judge MM Shantanagoudar passes away
Supreme Court judge Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar passed away. Justice Shantanagoudar was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on February 17, 2017. He would have remained in office till May 5, 2023.
About the Mohan M Shantanagoudar:
Shantanagoudar was born on May 5, 1958, in Karnataka and got himself enrolled as an advocate on September 5, 1980. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Karnataka High Court on May 12, 2003, and became a permanent judge in the court in September 2004. Later, Justice Shantanagoudar was transferred to the Kerala High Court, where he assumed charge as the acting chief justice on August 1, 2016. He became the chief justice of the Kerala High Court on September 22, 2016, before being elevated as an apex court judge.
