Daily Current Affairs for Rajasthan State Exams: 13.04.2021

1. Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman participated in 103rd meeting Development Committee Meeting of World Bank-IMF

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman participated in the 103rd Meeting of the Development Committee Plenary via video conferencing on 09 April, 2021.
The main agenda of the meeting was: World Bank Group (WBG) and International Monetary Fund Support for Debt Relief Under the Common Framework and Beyond;
COVID-19 pandemic: World Bank Group Support for Fair and Affordable Access to Vaccines by Developing Countries;
From COVID-19 Crisis Response to Resilient Recovery – Saving Lives and Livelihoods while Supporting Green, Resilient and Inclusive Development.
Note: Sitharaman shared that the Indian Government has announced Aatma Nirbhar Packages of Rs 27.1 trillion, amounting to more than 13% of the GDP.
Facts about World Bank:

Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U. S.

Founded: July 1944

President: David Malpass

MD and CFO: Anshula Kant

Membership: 189 countries (IBRD), 173 countries (IDA)

Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva

Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U.S

Chief Economist: Gita Gopinath

Formation: December 1945

Membership: 190 countries

2. ICCR unveils ‘Little Guru’ app, world’s first Gamified Sanskrit learning App

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) celebrated its 71st Foundation Day at Indian Embassy in Beijing on 09 April, 2021.
On the occasion, the ICCR has unveiled ‘Little Guru’ app, world’s first Gamified Sanskrit learning App which was jointly launched in Beijing by Ambassador Vikram Misri and renowned Chinese scholar on Sanskrit and India studies, Professor Wang Bangwei.
In keeping pace with changing technology in access as well as teaching methods, ICCR has tied up with Gamapp Sportswizz Tech. Pvt. Ltd. to launch ‘Little Guru’, a specialized app for learning Sanskrit.
Note: This year, ICCR has also announced two new fellowships dedicated to music – Bhimsen Joshi fellowship for music and Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan fellowship for Music to encourage research in the field of Indian music.
Facts about Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR):

Founder: Abul Kalam Azad

Founded: 9 April 1950

Headquarters: New Delhi

Director General: Shri Dineshk Patnaik

3. NITI Aayog launches Online Dispute Resolution Handbook

NITI Aayog in association with Agami and Omidyar Network India and with the support of ICICI Bank, Ashoka Innovators for the Public, Trilegal, Dalberg, Dvara, NIPFP launched the first-of-its kind Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) handbook in India.
ODR is the resolution of disputes outside courts, particularly of small and medium-value cases, using digital technology and techniques of alternate dispute resolution (ADR), such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.
Facts about NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog:

Formed: 1 January 2015

Headquarters: New Delhi

Chairperson: Narendra Modi

Vice Chairperson: Rajiv Kumar

CEO: Amitabh Kant

4. CSIR adopts 295 Atal Tinkering Labs established by Atal Innovation Mission nationwide

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog’s flagship 295 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) were officially adopted by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) across the country in an ambitious step towards inculcating scientific research and innovation culture among students.
CSIR with their 36 labs have adopted 295 ATLs and their students across the country.
This partnership with CSIR is a crucial landmark achievement for Atal Innovation Mission spurring STEM research and innovation collaborations with public and private organizations playing a pivotal role.

5. Sports Minister inaugurates Khelo India State Centre of Excellence for Rowing discipline at Water Sports Academy in Srinagar

Union Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju inaugurated Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE) for Rowing discipline at the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council Water Sports Academy in Srinagar on 10th April 2021.
This is one of the two KISCEs from Jammu & Kashmir itself, with the Maulana Azad Stadium for Fencing discipline in Jammu being the other.
Note: There are currently 24 KISCEs across 23 States and Union Territories and each of them focuses on Olympics sports discipline.

6. Sushil Chandra appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Sushil Chandra, the senior-most Election Commissioner, as the Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Sushil Chandra will assume the charge of office of the Chief Election Commissioner with effect from the 13th April, 2021 vice Shri Sunil Arora consequent upon his demitting the Office of the Chief Election Commissioner on the 12th April, 2021.
A 1980 batch Indian Revenue Service Officer, Mr. Chandra took office as an Election Commissioner on February 15, 2019 after retiring as the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes.

7. Nethra Kumanan becomes first Indian woman sailor to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics

Four sailors created history from India by qualifying for this year’s Tokyo Olympics. Vishnu Saravanan and the pair of Ganapathy Chengappa and Varun Thakkar made the cut during the ongoing Asian Qualifiers in Oman.
The 23-year-old from Chennai, Nethra Kumanan, became the first Indian woman sailor to qualify in the laser radial event in the Mussanah Open Championship in Oman.
Note: North Korea will not participate in the Tokyo Olympics to protect its athletes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

8. Union Minister of Education presents AICTE Lilavati Awards 2020 on women empowerment

Union Minister of Education Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' presented the AICTE Lilavati Awards 2020 on women empowerment to the winners in New Delhi.
Mr Pokhriyal welcomed the initiative of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for instituting the Lilawati Awards and stressed that such innovative steps shall be a great motivation for girls to join higher education.
Based on the theme 'Women Empowerment’, AICTE finalized the winners from a total of 456 entries who competed across 6 sub themes, which include, Women's Health, Self-Defense, Sanitation and Hygiene, Literacy, Women Entrepreneurship, and Legal Awareness.
LIST OF AWARDEES:

Sub theme	Name of Team	Name of Institute
Women Entrepreneurship	SWEAT (Sona Women Entrepreneurship and Training)	Sona College of Technology, Tamil Nadu
Sanitation and Hygiene	SKBCOP ECO Club	Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, Mararashtra
Literacy	Digital Literacy	Bharatiya Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship Development, Pune
Women's Health	WIT Women Health Coalition	Walchand Institute of Technology, Maharashtra
Legal Awareness	Radiant Seetha	Thiagarajar Polytechnic College, Tamil Nadu
Self Defense	Paritranas	St. Joseph's College of Engineering, Tamil Nadu