Today's Current Affairs 21st April 2023

NATIONAL

West Bengal tops list of States with most ponds and reservoirs: First-ever water-body census

India has 24.24 lakh water-bodies like ponds, and lakes, with West Bengal accounting for the most (7.47 lakh) and Sikkim the least (134), water-bodies according to the report of the first census of waterbodies released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti recently.

The report states, “24,24,540 waterbodies have been enumerated in the country, out of which 97.1% (23,55,055) are in rural areas and only 2.9% (69,485) in urban areas

The census defines a waterbody as “all natural or man-made units bounded on all sides with some or no masonry work used for storing water for irrigation or other purposes (example industrial, pisciculture, domestic/drinking, recreation, religious, ground water recharge etc)”

Waterbodies are usually of various types known by different names like reservoirs, ponds and bundhies etc. A structure where water from ice-melt, streams, springs, rain or drainage of water from residential or other areas is accumulated or water is stored by diversion from a stream, nala or river will also be treated as water-body, state the report. The waterbodies census was conducted along with the 6th Minor Irrigation Census for 2017-18. The results of the census have been released recently.

Andhra CM Lays Foundation Stone For Rs 4,362 Crore Mulapeta Port In Srikakulam

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation stone for the Rs 4,362 crore Mulapeta greenfield port in Srikakulam district, which is expected to completed within two years.

Besides the port, the Chief Minister also laid the foundations for a fishing harbour at Budagatlapalem, life irrigation project from Gotta barrage to Hira Mandalam reservoir and taking forward the works of Mahendra Tanaya river.

"I am proud to say that these four projects will change the face of Srikakulam district in the coming days," Reddy said addressing a public meeting at Naupada village, adding that the district is endowed with a 193 kilometre long coastline out of the southern state's total 974 km coastline.

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh sign agreement to settle boundary dispute

The governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have signed an agreement for the settlement of an inter-state boundary dispute between the two States.

This important agreement was signed by the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on 20^th April 2023,

Today’s agreement between the two States will end the dispute relating to 123 villages along the border and it has been done keeping in view the historical perspective, demographic profile, administrative convenience, proximity to the border, and the aspirations of the residents. Both the state governments have agreed that this agreement will be final with regard to these disputed villages and neither of the States will make any new claim related to any area or village in the future. After the agreement, a detailed survey will be carried out by the Survey of India to determine the boundaries of both states.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Vodafone Idea reappoints Kumar Mangalam Birla non-executive director

Kumar Mangalam Birla has rejoined the board of Vodafone Idea (Vi) as an additional non-executive director. The company's board of directors approved his appointment, which took effect on April 20. It also accepted the resignation of non-executive director K K Maheshwari from the board.

Birla had stepped down from the post of non-executive chairman of the company in August 2021 barely two months after offering his entire stake to a public sector or a domestic finance company. Birla handed over the reign to group veteran Himanshu Kapania. Ravinder Takkar took charge as non-executive chairman replacing Kapania last August.

Birla’s appointment on the board signals the group’s commitment to the company as it continues its efforts to find an investor. The company which is yet to clear vendor dues has also been in talks with banks for raising fresh capital. Raising funds is crucial for the company to make fresh network investments and arrest subscriber loss. The company also continues to bleed and in Q3 FY 2023 posted a net loss of Rs 7,990 crore.

RBI approves appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as deputy MD of HDFC Bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as the deputy managing director of HDFC Bank for three years from April 19, 2023,

The RBI also approved Bhavesh Zaveri’s appointment as HDFC Bank’s executive director for a period of three years, with effect from April 19.

HDFC Bank, which is India’s largest private sector lender, had recommended the two appointments to the central bank back in November 2022. It is appointing a deputy managing director five years after Paresh Sukthankar resigned.

Bharucha has more than 35 years of experience in banking and he has been associated with HDFC Bank since 1995. Before his new assignment, Bharucha was executive director responsible for wholesale banking. He previously worked at SBI Commercial and International Bank.

Zaveri, before being appointed as executive director, was group head–operations, cash management & ATM product. He joined HDFC Bank in 1998 in an operations function and moved up the ladder. Zaveri worked for Oman International Bank and Barclays Bank before that.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Civil Services Day

National Civil Services Day 2023: It is observed on April 21 every year to acknowledge the work of officers who are engaged in various public service departments in the country. This day is also a reminder for civil servants to run the administrative machinery of the country collectively and with a dedication to serving the citizens. And there is no official theme to celebrate this day. As we know Civil Service is the service that is responsible for the public administration of the government of the country.

Why is 21 April celebrated as National Civil Services Day: Its origin is related to the year 1947 when on 21st April Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Home Minister of Independent India addressed the probationary officers at the All India Administrative Service Training School at Metcalfe House, Delhi. He delivered a powerful speech and empowered the Civil Servants to adopt the true role of national service leaving behind the past experience. In his speech he referred to civil servants as the 'steel frame of India'. The first such function was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 21 April 2006. And from then April 21 has been celebrated as National Civil Service Day.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

13th Joint Trade Committee meeting of India and Thailand

India and Thailand held their 13th Joint Trade Committee meeting in New Delhi, co-chaired by the Director General of the Department of Trade Negotiations from Thailand, Auramon Supthaweethum and the Joint Secretary of the Department of Commerce from India, Indu C. Nair. This physical meeting marked the revival of the JTC after a 17-year hiatus.

Thailand is an important trading partner of India in ASEAN, with a total trade value of USD 16.89 billion in 2022-23, accounting for 13.6% of India’s total trade with ASEAN. India’s gems and jewelry, mechanical machinery, auto and auto components, and agricultural products, especially marine products, are crucial to Thailand.

During the meeting, the co-chairs reviewed the current status of bilateral trade and highlighted the need for identifying new potential products and priority sectors to expand trade between the two countries. They also discussed various market access issues and technical barriers faced by their exporters and agreed to address them through sustained bilateral discussions. India raised the restrictions it faced in exporting marine, poultry, and meat products to Thailand.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

PFC approves 633 crores loan for 5000 passenger EVs and 1000 cargo EVs

Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), a Maharatna company and the leading NBFC in Indian power sector, has sanctioned a loan of ₹633 crores to Gensol Engineering Ltd (GEL) for purchase of 5000 passenger Electric Vehicles (EVs) and 1000 cargo EVs. The passenger EVs will be leased to Blusmart Mobility Pvt. Ltd (BMPL) to expand its fleet of ride-hailing cabs. The first tranche of the loan has been disbursed, and the first lot of EV cabs has hit the roads of Delhi.

The cabs were flagged off by Shri Ajay Tewari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power and Shri Ravinder Singh Dhillon, CMD, PFC at a function yesterday. Rajiv Ranjan Jha, Director (Projects), Shri Manoj Sharma, Director (Commercial), Smt. Simmi R. Nakra, CVO and Shri Anmol Singh Jaggi (CEO and co-founder, Blusmart Mobility) and other Senior Officers were present on the occasion.