Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 8th April 2025

 State News 

1. Tamil Nadu CM announces schemes for fishermen 

•  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday announced special livelihood schemes worth 216.73 crore, besides developing deep-sea fishing harbours in Thangachimadam, Pamban, and Kundikal at a cost of ₹360 crore, for the benefit of fishermen in the districts surrounding Gulf of Mannar. 
•  Making a suo motu statement under Rule 110 of the Assembly, Mr. Stalin told the House that an order had been issued to construct deep sea fishing harbours at a total cost of ₹150 crore in Thangachimadam and Kundikal, respectively, and another fishing harbour in Pamban at a cost of *60 crore. He announced new schemes that will be implemented at a cost of 216.73 crore to improve the livelihood and welfare of fishermen. 
•  Mr. Stalin said the frequent arrests of fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy has become a matter of deep concern. 

Business News 

2. Indian indices plunge as trade war fears grip global markets 

• N lows of the COVID-19 crashes have global markets witnessed such drastic falls. Indian stock markets plunged on Monday anticipating uncertainties that could emerge from the trade war between the U.S. and China, two of the world's largest economies, and the fear of recession. Influenced by global cues, the markets which opened over 5% down from the previous close on Friday gradually recovered during the day with frontline indices closing with a loss of 3% led by falls across the board. 
•  Small and midcap stocks witnessed more losses compared with blue chip stocks. The S&P BSE Sensex closed with a loss of 2,227 points, or 2.95%, at 73,138 points, led by Tata Steel which fell 7.73%, and L&T 5.78%. Tata Motors fell 5.54% after news came in that its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has halted exports to the U.S. 
•  Kotak Mahindra Bank was down 4.33% and M&M fell 4.11%, while Infosys was down 3.75%. 
•  The NSE Nifty-50 index (Nifty), which recovered during the day, closed at 22,162, down 743 points or 3.24%. 
• Meanwhile, the U.S. President Donald Trump threa-tened additional tariffs on imports from China if Beijing did not withdraw its retaliation plans, adding Washington would begin negotiations with other countries if they wish to. 
•  "If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by to-morrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will im-pose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th," Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post, intensifying what appears to be the beginning of an unprecedented trade war. 
• The sombre mood on Dalal Street was also reflected among its peers in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China. 

Economy News

 3. LPG cylinder pricier by ₹50; petrol, diesel excise raised by ₹2

•   The Finance Ministry on Monday raised the price of domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by ₹50 a cylinder, in both subsidised and unsubsidised categories. While it also notified an increase in the excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹2, there will be no impact on retail prices. 
•  The excise duty is now set at 13 and 10 a litre for petrol and diesel respectively. 
•  Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said that the excise duty was raised to compensate oil marketing companies (OMCs) for selling LPG cylinders at a loss, in spite of the steady increase in the gas price over the past few years internationally. 
•  "The excise increase is intended to compensate the oil marketing companies for the ₹43,000 crore that they have incurred as a loss on the gas part [of their businesses]," Mr. Puri said. 
•  The Minister categorically denied that the duty was being increased to prepare fiscally for any "head-winds" as a result of the U.S. tariffs. 

Schemes and Committees News 

4. Foreign funds must be used within four years: Centre 

•  The Union Home Ministry said on Monday that foreign funds obtained through the prior permission route would be valid only for four years. The Ministry said not adhering to the time limit would be a violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, and necessary punitive actions could be taken. 
•  In a communication to all banks, it said that for a prior permission application, "the validity period for receiving foreign contribution shall be three years from the date of approval of the application" and the period for "utilising the foreign contribution shall be four years from the date of approval". "Further, in respect of prior permission applications which have already been approved and where the remaining period of the approved project/activity in the prior permission is more than three years, the above time limit shall be reckoned from the date of issue of this order instead of the date of approval of the application," the Ministry said. 

Infrastructure and Energy News 

5. NCDs can strike early; health risks rise post-menopause, says report 

•  The "Health of the Nation 2025" report by Apollo Hospitals has indicated that non-communicable diseases (NCD) often begin early, sometimes even in childhood or adolescence. 
•  The findings also showed increased health risks for women post-menopause, with significant rise in diabetes, obesity, fatty liver, and hypertension. 
•  The fifth edition of the report was launched on Monday, World Health Day. It provided insights into the rising burden of NCDs and deficiencies in the country. 
•  To identify and recognise NCDs and their onset early on in life, Apollo SHINE Foundation, an initiative of Apollo Hospitals, screened 2.85 lakh students across primary, middle and high school aged between three and 17 as well as students in college across six States and 10 cities. 
•  The results revealed a rise in obesity with age 28% of college students were overweight, compared with 8% of primary school students. The report said 9% of students in high school and 19% of students in college are pre-hypertensive, and 2% of college students had high blood glucose levels. 
•  If not properly managed, the burden of NCDs continues to escalate throughout a person's lifetime, leading to significant health challenges in adulthood, it said. 
•  Highlighting trends in women's health and the impact of menopause, the report showed that diabetes rates spiked from 14% pre-menopause to 40% post-menopause. 
•  Obesity rose sharply from 76% to 86% and prevalence of fatty liver climbed from 54% to 70%. Hypertension rose from 15% to 40%. Concluding that clustering of metabolic and cardiovascular conditions increases post-menopause, the report emphasised the need for comprehensive health management strategies. 
•  Another concern was the rising burden of fatty liver -65% of the 2.5 lakh individuals screened had fatty liver, 85% were non-alcoholic. Fatty liver is now classified as Metabolic Dys-function-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, mainly driven by obesity, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia not alcohol alone. 

Indian Polity News 

6. 'BJP tops list, receives *2,243.947 crore in donations in 2023-24’ 

• The total donations declared by the national parties for the financial year 2023-24 were 2,544.278 crore, out of which 2,243.947 crore was declared by the BJP, says a report by the poll watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). 
• The ADR analysis of data submitted by the parties to the Election Commission (EC) said the total donations increased by 1,693.84 crore, or 199.17%, from those of the previous financial year.
•   The BJP declared a total of ₹2,243.947 crore from 8,358 donations, followed by the Congress, which declared 281.48 crore from 1,994. The donations declared by the BJP are more than six times the aggregate by the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the National People's Party, and the CPI(M). 
•  Big increase 
•  Donations to the BJP increased from ₹719.858 crore in 2022-23 to 2,243.947 crore in 2023-24, marking a 211.72% increase. Similarly, donations to the Congress rose from ₹79.924 crore in FY 2022-23 to ₹281.48 crore in FY 2023-24, reflecting a 252.18% increase.

1. At the ISSF World Cup 2025 Buenos Aires, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil secured gold medal in men’s 10m air rifle shooting. 

• Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil is former world champion. This is his 2nd individual gold medal at an ISSF World Cup. 
• Earlier, he won 10-meter air rifle title at the 2023 Cairo edition. 
•  Marcelo Julian Gutierrez won bronze with 230.1. 
•  India jointly leads the medal tally together with China. 
•  India and China picked up two gold, one silver, and one bronze till now. 
•  USA also won two golds and came at third place. 
• Although Arjun Babuta made to the final, He missed top three in Buenos Aires.
•  India’s Kiran Ankush Jadhav finished sixth. Patil’s victory was India’s fourth medal at the first ISSF World Cup of the season.

 2. Creation of Global Climate Council has been proposed by Brazil ahead of COP 30. 

• As proposed by Brazil, it would be a new international body to accelerate global climate action. 
• This year’s UN climate conference (Conference of the Parties – COP30) is scheduled to be held in Belem, a city in northern Brazil, in November 2025. 
•  Brazil proposed “Climate Change Council” under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 
•  The aim of the council would be to fast-track decisions made at COP meetings. 
•  Its aim would be to better coordinate international efforts, and make climate action more effective. 

3. Trump confirmed that U.S. and Iran begin direct nuclear talks.

•   On April 7, 2025, US President Donald Trump confirmed that direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran on Iran's nuclear program have officially begun. 
• Trump told reporters the direct talks would begin on April 12. 
• He stressed that Tehran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. 
• Trump also warned that Iran would be in "great danger" if diplomatic efforts to curb its nuclear ambitions failed. 
• During his previous presidency (2017-2021), Trump withdrew the US from the landmark nuclear deal with Iran, which was negotiated during President Barack Obama's administration.
•  The Trump administration had also imposed strict sanctions on Iran, which increased tensions between the two countries. 
•  The US and Iran have had no direct diplomatic relations since 1980.
•  Relations were severed after Iranian revolutionaries stormed the US embassy in Tehran and held 53 diplomat’s hostage for 444 days. 

4. On the completion of 10 years of PMMY, PM Modi interacted with the beneficiaries in New Delhi on 8 April. 

• India celebrated 10 years of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), launched in 2015 to provide collateral-free loans to micro enterprises and small businesses, particularly those without access to formal credit. 
•  Since its inception, PMMY has disbursed over 52 crore loans worth Rs 32.61 lakh crore, helping countless small-scale businesses emerge and grow in rural and urban India. 
•  68% of Mudra loan recipients are women, indicating the important role the scheme plays in promoting women-led enterprises across the country. 
•  Between FY16 and FY25, the PM Mudra Yojana disbursement amount per woman grew by 13% year-on-year to Rs 62,679, while the incremental deposit amount per woman grew by 14% year-on-year to Rs 95,269. 
•  Half of all Mudra accounts are held by SC, ST, and OBC individuals, and 11% by minorities, reflecting the scheme’s inclusive nature and role in bringing socially disadvantaged groups into the financial mainstream. 
•  Credit to MSMEs grew from Rs 8.51 lakh crore in FY14 to Rs 27.25 lakh crore in FY24, and is projected to cross Rs 30 lakh crore in FY2025.
•   The share of MSME loans in the bank's total credit increased from 15.8% in FY 2014 to about 20% in FY24. 
•  The proportion of Kishor loans (₹50,000–₹5 lakh) grew from 5.9% in FY16 to 44.7% in FY25, showing a clear transition from micro to more established small businesses. 
•  Tarun category loans (₹5–₹10 lakh) are also on the rise. 
•  The average size of loans has almost tripled – from Rs 38,000 in FY16 to Rs 72,000 in FY23 and Rs 1.02 lakh in FY25, indicating increasing confidence in borrowers and scaling up of enterprises. 
•  Tamil Nadu leads with loan disbursals of ₹3.23 lakh crore, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Bihar. 
•  Jammu & Kashmir tops among UTs, with ₹45,815 crore disbursed across over 21 lakh accounts. 
•  Under the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA), the scheme provides collateral-free loans up to ₹20 lakh through banks, NBFCs, and MFIs. 
•  It aims to fund the unfunded and build a self-reliant grassroots economy through inclusive finance.

 5. The renovated tribal museum at ITDA headquarters in Bhadrachalam has been formally inaugurated by Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma.

•   Bhadrachalam is a town of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, Telangana. 
•  Governor commended the Bhadrachalam Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) for preserving and showcasing tribal cultural heritage. 
•  He toured the museum. He interacted with tribal individuals.
•   The tribal people displayed their handicrafts in a setting designed to resemble a tribal village.
•   The museum has been renovated by ITDA. 
•  The renovation aims to provide insight into the tribal lifestyle and cultural history.
•   Celestial Coronation (Pattabhishekam) of Lord Rama was carried out at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Temple in Bhadrachalam. 
•  The ceremony took place in Mithila Stadium within the temple grounds. 
• Priests moved the festival deities from the main temple to the mandapam. 
•  Governor Jishnu Dev Varma participated in the Celestial Coronation. 
• He presented Pattu Vastralu to the deity, following temple customs. 
•  Thousands of devotees attended the Celestial Coronation. 
•  Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Rama and located on banks of Godavari River. 
•  It is located in the town of Bhadrachalam in east Telangana, India. It is also revered as Dakshina Ayodhya. 

6. Three-language formula for classes 9 and 10 starting in 2025 has been introduced by Haryana School Education Board, Bhiwani. 

• The board has decided to introduce the three-language formula in classes 9th and 10th in all affiliated government and non-government schools. 
•  The decision will be implemented for class 9 from the 2025-26 academic year. 
•  It will be applied to class 10 from the 2026-27 academic year. 
•  Board Chairman Prof. (Dr.) Pawan Kumar made the announcement that under National Education Policy-2020, students in these classes will now study seven subjects. 
•  Six of these subjects will be compulsory, and one will be optional. 
•  Class 9 students must choose one language from Sanskrit, Urdu, or Punjabi. 
•  This will be chosen as a compulsory language in addition to Hindi and English.
•   Starting in the 2026-27 academic year, class 10 students will also have to take an extra compulsory subject. 
•  The Education Board has sent an official letter about these changes to all District Education Officers in the state.

 7. More than 1,700 Anganwadi-cum-Crèches are currently running across the country under the Palna Scheme. 

•  As per government, 1,761 Anganwadi-cum-Crèches are operating across the country under Palna Scheme. 
•  The Palna Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme. 
•  It provides high-quality crèche services in a safe environment for children aged six months to six years.
•  The funding for this scheme is shared between the central and state governments. 
•  The ratio is 60:40, except in Northeast and special category states. 
•  In Northeast and special category states, the ratio is 90:10. 
•  The scheme includes two types of crèches: standalone crèches and Anganwadi-cum-crèches. 
•  The Maternity Benefit Act has been amended by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. 
•  It now requires all establishments with 50 or more employees to provide a crèche facility. 
•  The Palna Scheme ensures that all mothers can access crèche facilities regardless of their employment status. 
•  As per Ministry of Women and Child Development, 1,284 standalone crèches are operational across India. 
•  The Ministry of Women and Child Development aims to set up 17,000 new Anganwadi-cum-Crèches under the scheme in 2024-25. 
•  So far, 11,395 Anganwadi-cum-Crèches have been approved. 
•  These are located across 34 states and union territories. 
•  In 2022, government reorganized and renamed National Creche Scheme as Palna Scheme under sub scheme ‘Samarthya’ of ‘Mission Shakti’. 

8. Tamil Nadu CM announces schemes for fishermen 

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday announced special livelihood schemes worth 216.73 crore, besides developing deep-sea fishing harbours in Thangachimadam, Pamban, and Kundikal at a cost of ₹360 crore, for the benefit of fishermen in the districts surrounding Gulf of Mannar.
•   Making a suo motu statement under Rule 110 of the Assembly, Mr. Stalin told the House that an order had been issued to construct deep sea fishing harbours at a total cost of ₹150 crore in Thangachimadam and Kundikal, respectively, and another fishing harbour in Pamban at a cost of *60 crore. He announced new schemes that will be implemented at a cost of 216.73 crore to improve the livelihood and welfare of fishermen. 
•  Mr. Stalin said the frequent arrests of fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy has become a matter of deep concern. 

9. Indian indices plunge as trade war fears grip global markets 

•  N lows of the COVID-19 crashes have global markets witnessed such drastic falls. Indian stock markets plunged on Monday anticipating uncertainties that could emerge from the trade war between the U.S. and China, two of the world's largest economies, and the fear of recession. Influenced by global cues, the markets which opened over 5% down from the previous close on Friday gradually recovered during the day with frontline indices closing with a loss of 3% led by falls across the board. 
•  Small and midcap stocks witnessed more losses compared with blue chip stocks. The S&P BSE Sensex closed with a loss of 2,227 points, or 2.95%, at 73,138 points, led by Tata Steel which fell 7.73%, and L&T 5.78%. Tata Motors fell 5.54% after news came in that its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has halted exports to the U.S. 
•  Kotak Mahindra Bank was down 4.33% and M&M fell 4.11%, while Infosys was down 3.75%. 
•  The NSE Nifty-50 index (Nifty), which recovered during the day, closed at 22,162, down 743 points or 3.24%. 
•  Meanwhile, the U.S. President Donald Trump threa-tened additional tariffs on imports from China if Beijing did not withdraw its retaliation plans, adding Washington would begin negotiations with other countries if they wish to. 
•  "If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by to-morrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will im-pose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th," Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post, intensifying what appears to be the beginning of an unprecedented trade war. 
• The sombre mood on Dalal Street was also reflected among its peers in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China. 

10. LPG cylinder pricier by ₹50; petrol, diesel excise raised by ₹2

•  The Finance Ministry on Monday raised the price of domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by ₹50 a cylinder, in both subsidised and unsubsidised categories. While it also notified an increase in the excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹2, there will be no impact on retail prices.
•  The excise duty is now set at 13 and 10 a litre for petrol and diesel respectively. 
•  Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said that the excise duty was raised to compensate oil marketing companies (OMCs) for selling LPG cylinders at a loss, in spite of the steady increase in the gas price over the past few years internationally. 
•  "The excise increase is intended to compensate the oil marketing companies for the ₹43,000 crore that they have incurred as a loss on the gas part [of their businesses]," Mr. Puri said.
• The Minister categorically denied that the duty was being increased to prepare fiscally for any "head-winds" as a result of the U.S. tariffs.

 11. Foreign funds must be used within four years: Centre 

• The Union Home Ministry said on Monday that foreign funds obtained through the prior permission route would be valid only for four years. The Ministry said not adhering to the time limit would be a violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, and necessary punitive actions could be taken.
•  In a communication to all banks, it said that for a prior permission application, "the validity period for receiving foreign contribution shall be three years from the date of approval of the application" and the period for "utilising the foreign contribution shall be four years from the date of approval". "Further, in respect of prior permission applications which have already been approved and where the remaining period of the approved project/activity in the prior permission is more than three years, the above time limit shall be reckoned from the date of issue of this order instead of the date of approval of the application," the Ministry said. 

12. NCDs can strike early; health risks rise post-menopause, says report 

• 
  
• The "Health of the Nation 2025" report by Apollo Hospitals has indicated that non-communicable diseases (NCD) often begin early, sometimes even in childhood or adolescence. 
•  The findings also showed increased health risks for women post-menopause, with significant rise in diabetes, obesity, fatty liver, and hypertension.
•   The fifth edition of the report was launched on Monday, World Health Day. It provided insights into the rising burden of NCDs and deficiencies in the country. 
• To identify and recognise NCDs and their onset early on in life, Apollo SHINE Foundation, an initiative of Apollo Hospitals, screened 2.85 lakh students across primary, middle and high school aged between three and 17 as well as students in college across six States and 10 cities. 
•  The results revealed a rise in obesity with age 28% of college students were overweight, compared with 8% of primary school students. The report said 9% of students in high school and 19% of students in college are pre-hypertensive, and 2% of college students had high blood glucose levels. 
•  If not properly managed, the burden of NCDs continues to escalate throughout a person's lifetime, leading to significant health challenges in adulthood, it said.
•   Highlighting trends in women's health and the impact of menopause, the report showed that diabetes rates spiked from 14% pre-menopause to 40% post-menopause.
•   Obesity rose sharply from 76% to 86% and prevalence of fatty liver climbed from 54% to 70%. Hypertension rose from 15% to 40%. Concluding that clustering of metabolic and cardiovascular conditions increases post-menopause, the report emphasised the need for comprehensive health management strategies.
•  Another concern was the rising burden of fatty liver -65% of the 2.5 lakh individuals screened had fatty liver, 85% were non-alcoholic. Fatty liver is now classified as Metabolic Dys-function-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, mainly driven by obesity, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia not alcohol alone. 

13. 'BJP tops list, receives *2,243.947 crore in donations in 2023-24’ 

• The total donations declared by the national parties for the financial year 2023-24 were 2,544.278 crore, out of which 2,243.947 crore was declared by the BJP, says a report by the poll watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). 
•  The ADR analysis of data submitted by the parties to the Election Commission (EC) said the total donations increased by 1,693.84 crore, or 199.17%, from those of the previous financial year.
•   The BJP declared a total of ₹2,243.947 crore from 8,358 donations, followed by the Congress, which declared 281.48 crore from 1,994. The donations declared by the BJP are more than six times the aggregate by the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the National People's Party, and the CPI(M). 
• Big increase 
• Donations to the BJP increased from ₹719.858 crore in 2022-23 to 2,243.947 crore in 2023-24, marking a 211.72% increase. Similarly, donations to the Congress rose from ₹79.924 crore in FY 2022-23 to ₹281.48 crore in FY 2023-24, reflecting a 252.18% increase. 

14. Over 13,000 sq km of Forest Land Under Encroachment Across India: Govt Report Reveals 

•  Over 13,000 square kilometres of forest area — more than the total geographical area of Delhi, Sikkim and Goa combined — is under encroachment in 25 states and Union territories that have so far submitted data to the Union environment ministry. Ten states are yet to submit data on forest encroachment. 
•  Last year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognisance of a PTI report that cited government data showing 7,50,648 hectares (7,506.48 square kilometres) of forest area — more than five times the size of Delhi — was under encroachment. 
•  The NGT had directed the ministry in April last year to compile the details of encroachment of forest areas in all states and Union Territories in a prescribed format. 
•  In a report submitted to the NGT, the ministry said that as of March 2024, a total of 13,05,668.1 hectares (or 13,056 square kilometres) of forest area was under encroachment in 25 states and Union territories that had provided data. 
•  These states and Union territories are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur.
•  States and Union territories that are still to submit the data and details on forest encroachment are Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, West Bengal, Nagaland, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. 
•  According to the ministry report, Madhya Pradesh had the highest forest encroachment, with 5,460.9 square kilometres affected, as of March 2024. Assam has 3,620.9 square kilometres of forest area under encroachment. 
• A total of 863.08 square kilometres of forest land in Karnataka is under encroachment, followed by 575.54 square kilometres in Maharashtra, 534.9 square kilometres in Arunachal Pradesh, 405.07 square kilometres in Odisha, 264.97 square kilometres in Uttar Pradesh, 247.72 square kilometres in Mizoram, 200.40 square kilometres in Jharkhand and 168.91 square kilometres in Chhattisgarh. 

15. CM Himanta launches Assam’s biggest women entrepreneurship support scheme 

• The Assam Government has launched its biggest women entrepreneurship support scheme, offering `10,000 as seed capital to boost self-employment opportunities for women. 
• The scheme, called ‘Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan,’ was launched by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Behali, Biswanath district, and will be rolled out across the state in phases. 
• Through the new scheme, the government will provide `10,000 as seed capital in the first year, `25,000 (`12,500 as loan and equal amount as government support) in the second year on productive usage of seed capital, and `50,000 in the third stage. 

16. President Droupadi Murmu signs Waqf (Amendment) bill 2025 into law 

• President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament during its budget session. The President also gave her assent to the Mussalman Waqf (Repeal) Bill, 2025, which was also passed by Parliament. 
•  The Rajya Sabha passed the bill with 128 votes in favor and 95 against, while the Lok Sabha cleared the bill after a lengthy debate, with 288 members voting in favor and 232 opposing it.
•   The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, focuses on improving the management of waqf properties, empowering stakeholders relevant to the management of waqf properties, improving the efficiency of the survey, registration, and case disposal process, and developing waqf properties. While the core purpose remains the management of waqf properties, the aim is to implement modern and scientific methods for better governance. The Mussalman Waqf Act of 1923 was also repealed. 
•  The bill, first introduced in August last year, was revised following recommendations by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. It amends the original Waqf Act of 1995, aiming to streamline the administration of waqf properties across India. Key features include improving the registration process and incorporating technology to enhance the efficiency of Waqf board operations. 
•  The bill aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act, enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improve the registration process, and increase the role of technology in managing waqf records. 

17. Bangladesh assumes Chairmanship of BIMSTEC for next two years 

•  Bangladesh assumed the chairmanship of the regional grouping – Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) – for the next two years. 
•  Upon receiving the Chairmanship from the Prime Minister of Thailand, Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus made a statement of acceptance, underscoring an inclusive and action-oriented Bimstec. 
•  Yunus reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to advancing regional cooperation and development. The Bimstec comprises seven countries of the Bay of Bengal region – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

 18. Axis Bank Becomes First to Launch B2B Collections via Bharat Connect 

•  Axis Bank has partnered with a Fortune 500 company to launch India’s first B2B collections solution using NBBL’s Bharat Connect (formerly BBPS), marking a major milestone in digital payment innovation. 
•  The solution enables seamless invoice payments across sectors like FMCG, Pharma, Automotives, and Healthcare, integrating multiple ordering apps and simplifying collections for distributors and retailers. 
•  Developed using Axis Bank’s advanced Corporate API stack, the platform offers a scalable, customizable, and agile system, supported by NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd. (NBBL) to streamline supply chain finance operations.

 19. Thomas Cook India taps Kartik Aaryan as brand ambassador for forex business 

•  Thomas Cook India Limited has appointed Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan as brand ambassador for its foreign exchange business. 
•  The strategic move aims to target India’s millennial and Gen Z travellers, who the company identifies as powerful drivers in the country’s outbound travel growth. 
• The partnership begins with a campaign promoting Thomas Cook’s recently launched Borderless Travel Card, a multi-currency prepaid card designed for international travellers. 

Recent Brand Ambassador 

•  Salman Khan – 10X Zarda King rice 
• Salman Khan – GRM Overseas Wheat Flour 
• Vidya Balan – Federal Bank 
• Shubman Gill – Tyre brand MRFs 
•  Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh – American clothing brand, Levi’s 
•  PV Sindhu – PUMA India 
•  Mo Farah – Tata Mumbai Marathon 

20. President Droupadi Murmu Honoured with Key to City of Lisbon 

•  President Droupadi Murmu attended the ceremony to deliver the city key of honour. The ceremony is being organized by the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Manuel, to present the key of the city in her honour. The Key to the City of Lisbon is the highest honour accorded by the city of Lisbon. 
•  She is visiting Portugal at the invitation of President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The visit is taking place after a gap of 27 years. The last State Visit took place in 1998 when President K R Narayanan visited Portugal.

 21. All Women’s Tri Service Samudra Pradakshina flagged off from Mumbai

•  The first tri-service all-women global circumnavigation expedition “Samudra Pradakshina” on board the IASV (Indian Army Sailing Vessel) Triveni was flagged off from Mumbai. 
• The expedition was flagged off by Lieutenant General AK Ramesh, Commandant, College of Military Engineering, from the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre, Colaba, Mumbai. 
• The 12 crew members of IASV Triveni have been drawn from the Indian Armed Forces- Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. All the crew members were given rigorous training at the Army Adventure Nodal Centre for Blue Water Sailing in Marve, Mumbai. 
•  The expedition will sail to Seychelles and come back to Mumbai, covering the 4,000 nautical mile journey in 55 days. The expedition is part of the armed forces to promote women’s empowerment or Nari Shakti. 
•  Last year, the Indian Navy succesfully launched its all women second Navika Sagar Parikrama expedition to circumnavigate the globe on board the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini or INSV Tarini. It was manned by two women officers of the India Navy. 

22. 6 April – International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

•   The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is observed every year on 6 April, celebrating the transformative power of sport in fostering positive change, bridging divides, and transcending boundaries. 
•  Theme 2025 – Levelling the Playing Field: Sport for Social Inclusion 
•  In August 2013, the UN General Assembly decided to proclaim 6 April as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and it has been celebrated each year since 2014. 23. 7 April – International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda 
•  The International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda is observed every year on 7 April. 
•  This day marks the beginning of one of the darkest chapters in recent history, when in 1994, over 800,000 Tutsi, along with moderate Hutu and others who opposed the genocide, were systematically killed in just 100 days. 
•  Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003, the day serves as a solemn occasion to honor the victims, support the survivors, and reflect on the lessons learned. 
•  This annual observance encourages people globally to stand up against hate speech, discrimination, and violence, and to promote values of peace, human rights, and dignity for all.