YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister inaugurates 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, inaugurated 13 new districts in the state via video conference on Monday, April 4 in Tadepalli, Guntur district. As a result, there will be a total of 26 districts in the state.
The new districts were created using Parliamentary constituencies as a guide. With the addition of 13 new districts, Andhra Pradesh now has a total of 26 districts.
The following is a list of the new districts and their headquarters:
- Alluri Sitharama Raju District – Paderu
- Annamayya District – Rayachoty
- Anakapalli – Anakapalli
- Bapatla – Bapatla
- Eluru – Eluru
- Kakinada – Kakinada
- Kona Seema – Amalapuram
- Manyam District – Parvathipuram
- Nandyal – Nandyal
- NTR District – Vijayawada
- Palnadu – Narsaraopeta
- Sri Balaji District – Tirupati
- Sri Satyasai District – Puttaparthy
As part of the 26 districts of Andhra Pradesh, there will now be 23 revenue divisions. The CM added that people have accepted and liked the decentralised system of government because the initiatives are given straight to their doorstep, and that the same is now being extended to the districts.
The CM further mentioned that previously, one district served 38 lakh 15 thousand people, but today, with the establishment of 26 districts, each district will serve 19 lakh 7 thousand people.
March 2022: GoI had collected an all-time high of Rs 1.42 lakh crores as GST
The greatest ever GST was collected in March, which is a very good for the economy. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection totaled Rs 1,42,095 crore, breaking the previous high of Rs 1,40,986 crore set in January 2022.
KEY POINTS:
- The March 2022 revenues are 15% greater than the same month last year and 46% higher than the March 2020 revenues.
- Revenues from imports of products were 25% higher during the month, while revenues from domestic transactions (including imports of services) were 11% higher than in the same month last year.
- In the month of March 2022, the gross GST revenue collected was Rs 1,42,095 crore, with Central GST at Rs 25,830 crore, state GST at Rs 32,378 crore, integrated GST at Rs 74,470 crore, including Rs 39,131 crore collected on imports of goods, and cess at Rs 9,417 crore, including Rs 981 crore collected on imports of goods.
The government has paid Rs 29,816 crore to the CGST and Rs 25,032 crore to the SGST as normal settlement from the IGST, according to official data. This month, the Centre also settled Rs 20,000 crore of IGST on an ad hoc basis in a 50:50 split between the Centre and the states/Union Territories.
United Nations International Day of Conscience 2022
The United Nations General Assembly has designated 5 April to be observed as an International Day of Conscience every year. The resolution was adopted on 31 July 2019 by the UN General Assembly. The year 2022 marks the third edition of the celebrations. This day serves to remind people to self-reflect, follow their conscience, and do the right things. This Day is observed every year on the 5th of April and the first International Conscience Day was observed in 2020.
Importance of Conscience:
Conscience refers to a person’s inner self that is abstract a virtual entity, but it plays an important role in the actions of a person. A human being cannot ignore the mystic side of his personality that usually becomes the chief motivator behind every action a person performs. Psychologists also confess that human beings are highly influenced by thoughts and feelings. These thoughts are governed by conscience and history proves that the nations who regarded conscience were just and those who did not regard it became cruel. Morality, ethics, and virtue are guided by conscience and conscience stops people and nations from exploiting others. When conscience becomes inactive, people become materialistic, cruel, senseless, and scoundrels. Eventually, jungle law starts prevailing in the society which leads to the absolute damnation of society.
Dharmendra Pradhan releases book titled “Birsa Munda – Janjatiya Nayak”
Union Minister of Education and Skill Development, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan released a book titled “Birsa Munda – Janjatiya Nayak”. The book has been written by Prof. Alok Chakrawal, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. This book is a comprehensive attempt to bring to the fore the struggle of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and the contribution of forest dwellers in the freedom movement.
GoI appoints Vinay Mohan Kwatra as new foreign secretary
The Government of India has appointed IFS Vinay Mohan Kwatra as the new Foreign Secretary of India. He is currently serving as India’s envoy to Nepal, from March 2020. He will replace the current foreign secretary, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who will superannuate on April 30, 2022.
Kwatra is a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, having more than 32 years of experience in foreign service. He has also worked in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office (PMO) from 2015 to 2017, as well as India’s ambassador to France from August 2017 to February 2020.
SBI tie-up with BSF to offer curated benefits through CAPSP Scheme
The State Bank of India (SBI) has tied up a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Border Security Force (BSF) to provide solutions for financial security to BSF personnel through the Central Armed Police Salary Package (CAPSP) Scheme. The MoU will offer a bouquet of benefits to the serving security forces, retired personnel as well as family pensioners.
These may include complimentary Personal and Air Accidental Insurance (Death) cover, additional cover in case of on-duty death, and Permanent Total Disability / Partial Disability cover, support in child education and the marriage of girl children of deceased BSF personnel among other benefits.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- SBI Founded: 1 July 1955;
- SBI Headquarters: Mumbai;
- SBI Chairman: Dinesh Kumar Khara.
The Environment Minister announces the launch of the ‘Prakriti’ green initiative
In the presence of Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, the mascotto ‘Prakriti’ was launched today to raise public awareness about small changes that can be made to our lifestyle for a better environment. As well as various green initiatives taken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to ensure effective Plastic Waste Management (PWM) in the country.
KEY POINTS:
- To combat the problem of plastic pollution, India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, pledged to eliminate single-use plastics (SUPs) by 2022.
- The Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change also administered the ‘Swachh Bharat Harit Bharat Green Pledge’ to the crowd, carrying the momentum forward and emphasising the importance of active citizen engagement.
- Plastic has emerged as one of the most important environmental concerns of our day. India produces over 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, with per capita plastic waste creation nearly doubling in the last five years.
- Our ecosystems are harmed by plastic pollution, which is also linked to air pollution.
The merger of HDFC Bank and HDFC Ltd has been announced
The Boards of Directors of HDFC Ltd. and HDFC Bank Ltd. approved a composite scheme for the amalgamation of HDFC Investments Ltd. and HDFC Holdings Ltd with and into HDFC Ltd; and HDFC Ltd with and into HDFC Bank, as well as their respective shareholders and creditors. As a result, when the scheme takes effect, public shareholders would control 100% of HDFC Bank, while existing HDFC Ltd. shareholders will own 41%.
KEY POINTS:
- Closing conditions for the Scheme and the Proposed Transaction are standard. Multiple approvals are required for the programme to be implemented.
- The subsidiaries/associates of HDFC Ltd. shall become subsidiaries/associates of HDFC Bank once the scheme takes effect.
- Shareholders of HDFC Ltd. as of the record date will receive 42 HDFC Bank shares (each with a face value of 1) in exchange for 25 HDFC Ltd. shares (each with a face value of 2), and HDFC Ltd.’s equity share(s) in HDFC Bank would be extinguished as per the scheme.
Gangaur festival celebrated in Rajasthan
The Gangaur festival is celebrated in Rajasthan and some parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and West Bengal. It is one of Rajasthan’s most important festivals and is observed with great fervour across the state. The women worship Gauri, the wife of Lord Shiva during the period of this festival which is from March to April. This festival celebrates the harvest, spring, childbearing, and marital fidelity.
The unmarried women worship Gauri to seek her blessings for finding a good husband. The married women worship her for health, welfare, happy married life, and long life of their husbands. On the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi, this festival begins and continues for a period of 16 days.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra.
Santosh Trophy: Indian football tournament
Santosh Trophy is an Indian football tournament in which the states of the country along with some government institutions participate. This is held annually since 1941. Bengal was the first winner of the competition held in 1941. The trophy is named after the late Maharaja Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh, now in Bangladesh. Sir Manmatha had been the President of the Indian Football Association.
Types of trophies distributed to Winner & runner-ups:
- Santosh Trophy is given to the winner of the tournament.
- The runners-up trophy is called Kamla Gupta Trophy, which was donated by the late Dr S.K. Gupta, former president of the Indian Football Association, in memory of his wife.
- The trophy given to the team finishing third is called the Sampangi Cup, which was presented by the Mysore Football Association (now KFSA) in 1952, in the memory of Sampangi who was a renowned footballer from Mysore.
Format of the tournament:
- The format for the tournament has kept changing over the years. At present, the teams are divided into eight groups, each of which has three or four teams.
- The eight winners from each group are then drawn along with four seeded teams, who do not have to go through the qualifying rounds, and these twelve teams are divided in groups of three each.
- This is the quarter-final stage and from there the semi-final and final.
Final appearances
Bengal has won Santosh Trophy a record 32 times, followed by Punjab who has won it 8 times. Kerala placed at 3rd position with 6 trophies.
| Teams | Wins | Runners-up |
| West Bengal (inc. Bengal) | 32 | 13 |
| Punjab | 8 | 8 |
| Kerala | 6 | 8 |
| Services | 6 | 5 |
| Goa | 5 | 8 |
| Karnataka (inc. Mysore) | 4 | 5 |
| Railways | 3 | 6 |
| Maharashtra (inc. Bombay) | 4 | 12 |
| Andhra Pradesh (inc. Hyderabad) | 3 | 3 |
| Delhi | 1 | 1 |
| Manipur | 1 | 1 |
| Mizoram | 1 | 0 |
President Ram Nath Kovind visits in Amsterdam and names a new yellow tulip variety ‘Maitri’
President Ram Nath Kovind landed in Amsterdam for the final leg of his two-nation journey — his first visit to the Netherlands in 34 years — during which he would hold talks with the Dutch top leadership names a new yellow tulip variety ‘Maitri‘.
KEY POINTS:
- President Kovind arrived from Turkmenistan, where he met with his Turkmen colleague Serdar Berdimuhamedov and pledged to expand bilateral economic and energy cooperation to improve the multifaceted relationship. He is the first Indian President to visit Turkmenistan since its independence.
- President Ram Nath Kovind will meet with King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima, as well as Prime Minister Mark Rutte, during his visit to the Netherlands from April 4 to 7.
- His visit is significant since, in 2022, India and the Netherlands will commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations.
- Later, President Kovind paid a visit to Keukenhof, one of the world’s largest flower gardens, names a new yellow tulip variety ‘Maitri‘, and here washe was met by Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra
- A Strategic Partnership on Water was started in 2021 during the Virtual Summit between the Prime Ministers of the two countries to increase the level of engagement between the two sides in this crucial sector.
Agriculture, health, urban development, science, and technology cooperation are all important pillars of the bilateral relationship. The Netherlands is also an important economic and commercial partner of India since it is the country’s fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment. It is also home to the continent’s largest Indian diaspora.
In Leh villages of Gya – Sasoma, a community museum is established
In Ladakh, a community museum opened in the Gya – Sasoma villages of the Leh district to preserve and promote the region’s rich cultural history. Tashi Gyaltson, Chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, inaugurated the Community Museum. Traditional utilitarian items, fabrics, clothing, and artefacts from Gya-everyday Sasoma’s life are the main attractions of the Museum. The museum is housed in a traditional house with a variety of architectural spaces and features.
KEY POINTS:
- Ladakh culture is predominantly found in its settlements, which are among the world’s highest inhabited. The rich culture is still alive and well in its close-knit communities.
- Gya – Sasoma villagers in Leh have donated a range of artefacts and collections to construct the Community Museum in a typical Ladakhi house, making it the first of its sort in India.
- Gya is thought to be Upper Ladakh’s earliest village and oldest settlement. Along with the Gya-Sasoma villagers, the women’s groups in the villages, the Department of Museology at the National Museum Institute in New Delhi, and the Leh Area Housing Development Corporation (LAHDC) all contributed to the creation of the Community Museum.
- Professor S.K Mehta, Brig Yogesh Sharma, and G B Pant of the University of Ladakh, NIHE Ladakh Centre Director Dr. Subrat Sharma, Hill Council representatives, and other dignitaries are also in attendance.
CM of Uttar Pradesh has launched the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ initiative
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath begins the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan‘ in order to secure 100 per cent enrollment in elementary and upper primary schools in Uttar Pradesh. Citing an official announcement, the state government will make an effort to shape the future of primary education and the holistic development of elementary schools.
KEY POINTS:
- The ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ is being implemented in Shravasti, which has the lowest literacy rate in the state.
- Bahraich, Balrampur, Badaun, and Rampur are the other districts in Uttar Pradesh with the lowest literacy rate.
- Under the initiative, students will receive uniforms, shoes, and socks.
- Government schools must achieve all of the goals of ‘Operation Kayakalp,’ which aims to give schools a facelift, according to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who told officials that not only will public representatives be involved with the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan,’ but that MLAs must also adopt a school each.
Stand-Up India Scheme completed 6 years
Stand-Up India scheme has completed its six years on 5th April 2022. Under the Stand-Up India Scheme, over 30,160 crore rupees have been sanctioned to more than 1 lakh 33 thousand 995 accounts since the launch of the Scheme. The scheme was launched by PM Modi on 5th April 2016. Stand Up India scheme was extended till 2025.
Out of the total sanctioned accounts, 6,435 accounts belonged to ST borrowers with Rs 1373.71 crore sanctioned and 19,310 accounts belonged to SC borrowers with Rs 3976.84 crore sanctioned. To 1,08,250 women entrepreneurs who held accounts, Rs. 24809.89 crore has been sanctioned. Loan facility between 10 lakh and one crore rupees to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and women.
Hurun Richest Self-Made Women in the World 2022
According to the list of Hurun Richest Self-Made Women In The World 2022 released by the Hurun Research Institute. According to the list, there are 124 Self-Made Women Billionaires in World and China contributes to two-thirds of the world’s self-made women billionaires with 78 followed by the United States with 25 and the United Kingdom with 5.
Top 3 on the list:
- Wu Yajun co-founder of Longfor (China has topped the list)
- Fan Hongwei, Chairman/President, Hengli Petrochemical Co Ltd (China)
- Wang Laichun of Luxshare Precision Industry (China).
Indian Scenario:
- Falguni Nayar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nykaa, is ranked 10th with a wealth of USD 7.6 billion. She is the only Indian among the top 10.
- Radha Vembu, co-founder & product manager of Zoho is the second-richest self-made woman billionaire in India with US$ 3.9 bn & ranked 25th in the global list. Radha Vembu is top in India, and second across the world, in the list of Biggest Risers.
- Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairperson and founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics, is 26th on the list, down two places from last year. She has a wealth of US $3.8 bn.
Journalist Aarefa Johari awarded Chameli Devi Jain Award 2021
A journalist from Mumbai, Aarefa Johari was awarded the Chameli Devi Jain Award for an Outstanding Woman Media person 2021. It was announced by the Media Foundation. Aarefa Johari works for ‘Scroll. in’ in Mumbai, Maharashtra. In 2020, Neetu Singh got this award. She is associated with ‘Goan Connection’ media house. Jury: Nirupama Subramania, Githa Hariharan and Ashutosh.
About the Chameli Devi Jain Award:
Chameli Devi Jain Award is the annual prestigious recognition in the field of Journalism for women media persons journalist in India who have reported on themes such as social development, politics, equity, gender justice, health, war and conflict, and consumer values. The award was instituted in 1980 by Verghese and the family of Chameli Devi.
A new book titled “Decoding Indian Babudom” authored by Ashwini Shrivastava
A new book titled ‘’Decoding Indian Babudom’’ authored by Ashwini Shrivastava and published by Vitasta Publishing Private Limited launched. This is a first-of-its-kind book by a journalist covering the bureaucratic system of India. It highlights India’s administrative system and functioning of governance from a common man’s point of view. The author recommended “15 Sutras” to achieve good and effective governance that can bring in investment by boosting businessmen’s confidence in the administration.
