National
Capacity Building Commission
- The government on 31 March 2021 approved a commission under National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB), also known as ‘Mission Karmayogi’, to train civil servants at all levels.
The approved Capacity Building Commission will coordinate with and supervise all the government offices, training institutes to monitor and evaluate the implementation of plans and create shared resources.
Chairperson & Members:
The Personnel Ministry has appointed the former Quality Council of India (QCI) chief Adil Zainulbhai as the chairperson of this Commission on 01 April 2021.
Ramaswami Balasubramaniam, founder of Swami Vivekenanda Youth Movement and Chairman of Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement has been appointed as a member (HR) of the Capacity Building Commission (CBC). Also, Praveen Pardeshi has been appointed as a member (administration) of CBC.
Collaboration of AIM & CIPS
- The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and Centre for Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS) on 06 April 2021 have announced collaboration. A Statement of Intent (SoI) has been signed between AIM & CIPS.
The purpose of SoI is to jointly work to promote innovation and entrepreneurship especially in the area of public systems by leveraging the knowledge and experience of AIM as well as the reach of CIPS.
'5V Dual Carbon Battery' Developed at IIT Hyderabad
- The Electrochemical Energy Storage Lab at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), has developed a 5V Dual Carbon Battery. It utilizes self-standing carbon fibre mats as both electrodes – cathode and anode.
It has been developed by a team led by Dr Surendra Kumar Martha.
'Byju’s' has acquired 'Aakash Educational Services Ltd'
- Edtech decacorn Byju’s on 05 April 2021 announced that it has acquired Aakash Educational Services Ltd (AESL) for around $1 billion (Rs 7,300 crore). Byju’s said the deal is a strategic partnership with AESL to acquire examination preparation firm.
Animal Shelters in Mumbai by Virat Kohli Foundation
- The Virat Kohli Foundation has collaborated with Vivaldis Animal Health and Awaaz, Voice of Stray Animals, a Mumbai-based NGO, to set up of two ‘animal shelters’ on the outskirts of Mumbai as a part of its animal welfare project.
The animal shelters will be set up in Malad and Boisar. It will be run by ‘Awaaz’ (VOSA).
International
Prime Minister and President of Vietnam
- The Vietnam National Assembly on April 5, 2021 voted to elect new PM. The member of the Communist party, Pham Minh Chinh has become the new Prime Minister of Vietnam. While the outgoing Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has become the new President of the Vietnam.
The Prime Minister and President of Vietnam were sworn in on 05 April 2021.
Sports
Head of the BCCI's 'Anti-Corruption Unit'
- Former Gujarat DGP Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala has taken over from Ajit Singh as the head of the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit. The Ajit Singh’s term as BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit ended on March 31.
Khandwawala, a 1973 batch IPS officer, has been appointed ahead of the IPL beginning April 9.
Important Day
World Health Day 2021
- Since 1950, World Health Day is observed every year on 7 April. The celebration has aimed to create awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the World Health Organization.
Theme:
The theme for World Health Day 2021 was ‘Building a fairer, healthier world’.
In order to celebrate this day, peoples around the world participated in the new campaign to ‘build a fairer, healthier world’ for everyone.
Death
Bollywood Actress, Shashikala
- Veteran Bollywood actress Shashikala died in Mumbai on 04 April 2021. She was 88. She was conferred with the Padma Shri award in 2007.
She worked in over 100 Bollywood films including “Nau Do Gyarah”, “Ayee Milan Ki Bela”, “Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani”, “Chhote Sarkar”, “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham”, “Baadshah” and “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi” etc.
Former International Table Tennis Player, Suhas Kulkarni
- Former International Table Tennis Player, Suhas Kulkarni died, in neighboring Thane on 04 April 2021. He was 68.
He was regularly played in Masters’ Table Tennis tournaments at the National and International level. He won the 26th National Masters’ Table Tennis Championship in Indore in 2019.