29-30 April 2018 - Daily Current Affairs
Sikkim's Pawan Chamling becomes India’s longest serving CM
- Sikkim Chief Minister ‘Pawan Chamling’(68-year) became the longest-serving Chief Minister in India after India's independence.
- He surpassed the record of Mr. Jyoti Basu.
- Mr. Jyoti Basu was the chief minister of Bengal for five consecutive terms from June 21, 1977, to November 6, 2000.
- Mr. Chamling is the founder president of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which has governed the state for five successive terms (1994, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014) since 12th December 1994.
Five chief ministers Tenure length in India:
| The chief minister in India | Tenure length |
| 1.Pawan Kumar Chamling (Sikkim) | 23 years 4 months 19 days* |
| 2.Jyotirindira Basu (West Bengal) | 23 years 4 months 17 days |
| 3.Gegong Apang (Arunachal Pradesh) | 22 years 8 months 16 days |
| 4.Lal Thanhawla (Mizoram) | 21 years 6 months 19 days* |
| 5.Virbhadra Singh (Himachal Pradesh) | 21 years 18 days |
Gujarati writer Sitanshu Yashaschandra to be conferred 2017 Saraswati Samman
- Eminent Gujarati poet and playwright ‘Sitanshu Yashaschandra’ (77-year) has been selected for the 2017 Saraswati Samman for his collection of verses titled ‘Vakhar’ (published in 2009).
- The awardees are selected by a 13-member Chayan Parishad which includes scholars and writers under the chairmanship of Subhash C Kashyap (former secretary general of the Lok Sabha Secretariat).
- Yashaschandra has also been the recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award, Kabir Samman, and Padma Shri among others.
Note:
- The Saraswati Samman is an annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary works in any Indian language listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.
- The Saraswati Samman was instituted in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation.
- It consists of Rs. 15 lakhs, a citation, and a plaque.
National Affairs
650 branches of India Post Payments Bank to become operation by May
- According to the Union Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha, around 650 branches of the India Post payments bank are likely to be operational across the country by next month.
- The launch of the postal department's payments bank will enable more than 1.5 lakh post offices to become access points for people to avail banking services.
- India Post Payments Bank has already set up two branches at Raipur and Ranchi (on a pilot basis).
- India Post had received permission from the RBI to start a payments bank in January last year,
It will help the government's plans for financial inclusion and direct transfer of benefits in remote areas.
Note:
- The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been incorporated as a public-sector company under the Department of Posts with 100% GOI equity.
- A total of 62,000 out of 1.29 lakh post offices were networked under the Digital Advancement of Rural Post Office for a New India (DARPAN) project.
Dalmia Bharat signs MoU to maintain heritage sites
- Under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project, ‘Dalmia Bharat Limited’ has signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the Tourism Ministry to take up Red Fort (in Delhi) and Gandikota Fort (in Andhra Pradesh).
- The adoption will allow the 'Dalmia' to construct, landscape, illuminate and maintain activities related to provision and development of tourist amenities for the next five years.
- The Dalmia Bharat group has bagged the maintenance contract for Rs. 25 crores.
Note:
- Every year on the Independence Day of India (15 August), the Prime Minister of India hoists the Indian "tricolor flag" at the main gate of the fort and delivers a nationally broadcast speech from its ramparts.
- It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Red Fort Complex.
Maharashtra govt signs MoU with British Council to strengthen educational and cultural cooperation
- The Maharashtra government has signed a MoU with the British Council to strengthen educational and cultural cooperation.
- with this MoU, The British Council hopes to expand its existing work in the state.
- Earlier, British Council has trained more than 100,000 teachers benefitting around five million learners.
- The areas of potential collaboration include developing further initiatives to improve English teaching and enhance employability skills in schools and training institutes.
Former PM Manmohan Singh launches economist Rao’s Book
- Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has released a book titled ‘My Journey from Marxism-Leninism to Nehruvian Socialism’ by former Planning Commission and Finance Commission member C H Hanumantha Rao.
- Currently, Mr. Rao is one of the most creative thinkers, social activist, and distinguished economist in India.
International Affairs
International Buddhist Conference concluded in Lumbini
- The two days International Buddhist Conference concluded in Lumbini (the birthplace of Gautama Buddha), Nepal.
- More than 20 countries including India attended the conference, organized as part of 2562nd Buddha Jayanti celebrations.
- The basic objective of the conference was to disseminate teachings of Gautam Buddha and spread the messages of nonviolence, brotherhood, co-existence, love, and peace to the international community.
Note: Lumbini situated in the Rupandehi district of Nepal was inscribed as “the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha” in UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1997.
Sports
Prajnesh wins the maiden singles title on Challenger circuit
- Prajnesh Gunneswaran (28-year) has clinched his first ever singles tennis title on the ATP Challenger circuit in Kunming Open at Anning, China
- He defeated Egypt's Mohammed Safwat in three sets 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
- Now, India has three players (Yuki Bhambri-83, Ramkumar Ramanathan-115, and Prajnesh is expected to be around 175) inside top-200.
India’s CA Bhavani Devi wins silver at Satellite Fencing Championship
- India's C A Bhavani Devi has won a silver medal in the sabre event of the Tournoi World Cup Satellite Fencing Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland.
- She went down 10-15 to USA's Alexis Browne in the final.
- Earlier, Bhavani Devi had won a gold medal at the Reykjavik tournament to become the first Indian win to do so in an international fencing event.
Rafael Nadal wins 11th Barcelona Open tennis title
- Today, Rafael Nadal (31-year) lifted his 11th Barcelona Open tennis title with a 6-2 6-1 win over Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas.
- Nadal has won 19 successive matches, and 46 consecutive sets, on clay.
- Barcelona Open is an annual tennis tournament (since 1953) for male professional players held in Barcelona, Spain.
- It is Spain's second most important tournament on the ATP tour after the Madrid Open.
