1) World Art Day observed on 15th April
•World Art Day is observed every year on 15 April globally. This day is being celebrated all over the world to emphasize the importance of art that nurtures creativity, innovation and cultural diversity for all peoples across the globe. The day was declared by the International Association of Art (IAA), an NGO working in official partnership with UNESCO.
2) Himachal Pradesh statehood Day 2022: 15th April
•Himachal Day is observed on the 15th of April in Himachal Pradesh. The state became a full-fledged state on this day. Four districts of Mandi, Chamba, Mahasu and Sirmour were integrated with over two dozen princely states, leading to the formation of Himachal Pradesh as a Union Territory in 1948. Decades later, in 1971, Himachal Pradesh became the 18th state in India with Shimla as its capital.
•It was on this day in 1948 that Himachal Pradesh was created as a province of India. The day is marked with a grand parade in the capital city of Shimla. Local events are also organised in the cities, towns, and villages to mark the day.
3) Vice President Venkaiah Naidu presents International Gandhi Award for Leprosy, 2021
•Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu has presented the International Gandhi Awards for Leprosy, 2021 to Dr Bhushan Kumar of Chandigarh under the Indian nomination (individual) category and Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust, Gujarat under the institutional category. The award was given during a function in New Delhi on April 13, 2022.
4) Union Government crosses its asset monetization target for FY22
•According to the evaluation made at a high-level review meeting, the central government has exceeded its asset monetization target of 88,000 crore for FY22 and has concluded agreements worth 96,000 crore. Roads, power, and coal and mineral mining are among the industries that have made significant contributions to asset monetisation. The Centre has set an asset monetisation target of over 1.6 trillion dollars for FY23, for which proposals from various ministries are in various stages of processing.
5) World Bank Slashes India’s GDP Growth Forecast for FY22-23 to 8 Percent
•The World Bank has slashed the GDP growth forecast for India in FY2022/23 to 8 per cent in its bi-annual “South Asia Economic Focus” report, due to the negative impact of the war in Ukraine on FY23 growth. Earlier in January 2022, the growth forecast for FY23 was estimated at 8.7 per cent.
6) Assamese New Year 2022, Rongali Bohag Bihu Festival
•Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, one of the biggest festivals of Assam, falls in the second week of April every year, marking the beginning of the harvest period. This year Bohag Bihu is being observed from April 14 to April 16. Rongali means joy in Assamese and the festival indeed is the time to rejoice and make merry with family and community.
•The first day of the Hindu solar calendar is celebrated in the states of Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Kerala, Manipur, and West Bengal among others with different names and traditions. Bihu is celebrated thrice a year; apart from Rongali or Bohag Bihu – Kati Bihu or Kongaali Bihu and Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu are celebrated to mark different stages of the harvesting period.
7) Uttarakhand to launch “Him Prahari” scheme for ex-servicemen & youngsters
•The Government of Uttarakhand is set to implement the ‘Him Prahari’ Scheme which is meant for ex-servicemen and youngsters. The Uttarakhand Govt is seeking the cooperation of the Union Government to implement the scheme in areas bordering the Uttarakhand. The scheme will also prioritise settling ex-servicemen in areas bordering the state.
•The scheme is aimed at stopping the migration of people from Uttarakhand and will focus on areas where migration occurs at a rapid phase so that people stay put, and not move out. The estimated expenditure of the scheme is around Rs 5.45 crore. The Him Prahari Scheme was announced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Uttarakhand unit in its 2022 Election Manifesto.
8) 20th India-France Joint Staff Talks Took Place in Paris
•The 20th edition of the India-France Joint Staff talks focused on new initiatives within the framework of the existing bilateral defence cooperation mechanism, as well as improving current defence engagements. The two-day talks took place in a nice, warm, and courteous setting in Paris. The Joint Staff Consultations between India and France are a forum intended to improve defence cooperation between the two countries through frequent talks at the operational and strategic levels.
9) ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ introduced by MoHUA
•In the presence of senior officials from States/UTs and several Central Ministries, Shri Manoj Joshi, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), launched the ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ programme in an additional 126 cities across 14 States/UTs.
10) India will host Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023
•India is ready to host the Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023. This world is organized by Street Child United and Save the Children India, the Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023 will welcome 22 teams from 16 countries to India next year. The Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023 will welcome 22 teams from 16 countries to India next year.
•Countries that will participate this year are Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, England, Hungary, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In addition to the partnership between Street Child United and Save the Children the SCCWC 2023 will also collaborate with World Bank, ICC and the British High Commission.
