Ayushman Bharat Diwas 2024 observed

• The Ayushman Bharat Diwas was observed on April 30, 2024. Every year on April 30, people celebrate Ayushman Bharat Diwas to spread awareness of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and its objectives.
• The government created the day to draw attention to the program's goal of improving access to high-quality reasonably priced healthcare services, particularly for the impoverished.
•  The Ayushman Bharat Yojana (PM-JAY), a healthcare initiative introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, provides free health insurance of ₹ 5 lakh annually to around 10.74 crore impoverished and disadvantaged families.
• The program ensures that patients receive complete assistance by covering 15 days of post-hospitalization treatment and three days of pre-hospitalization care.

Workshop with Law-Enforcement Agencies

• In collaboration with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS), a workshop was held in New Delhi on April 30, 2024, for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), startups, and partners in the Fintech ecosystem.
•  The workshop was designed to promote strong cooperation between Fintechs and LEAs in order to support innovations, ensure that current laws and regulations are followed to the letter.
• The LEAs from the States highlighted their best practices on preventing financial fraud and cybercrime, while the Fintech Associations presented the operational procedures and major issues faced by the Fintech enterprises.
•  Through its Citizen Financial Cyber Frauds reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS), I4C brought attention to issues such as Mule Accounts, ATM hotspots, Hotspot Branches, and Fintech Merchant misuse.
• It was emphasized that Fintech companies might create an indigenous transaction monitoring and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) solution that addresses the fraud and crime issue in India.

Coal Phase-Out by 2035 Discussed by G7 Countries

• The G7 energy ministers committed to moving away from fossil fuels and talked about a potential timeline for closing coal-fired power stations during their summit in Turin, Italy, on April 30, 2024.
•  The talks follow the global commitment to abandon coal, oil, and gas during the UN's COP28 climate meeting in December.
• The energy ministers of the G7 are almost ready to agree on a shared goal of closing coal-fired power plants.
• It is suggested that coal power generation be phased out by 2035, or perhaps in the first half of the 2030s.
• According to the most recent G7 draft, coal power generation would be phased out without interruption in the first half of the 2030s or in a timeframe that is consistent with maintaining the 1.5° C temperature rise limit within reach.

Indian Rupee is Best Performing Currency in Asia in 2024 is

• The Indian rupee is currently the best-performing currency in Asia as of April 30, 2024, according to Bloomberg reports, after falling to its lowest level of 83.58 versus the US dollar this month.
• Forex traders claim that the rupee's losses were restrained by a strengthening local equity market and declining crude oil prices.
• Because of the RBI's prompt action, the Indian Rupee ranked third among Asian currencies versus the US Dollar in the fiscal year 2023–24, behind the Singaporean dollar and the Hong Kong dollar.

“Unhealthy Air” Worldwide List

• Kathmandu is The most polluted city in the world, according to IQAir, a group that tracks pollution in 101 locations across the globe in real time, as of April 30, 2024.
• The cities that rank highest in pollution are New Delhi, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, and Dhaka in Bangladesh; these are the other cities in the ranking.
• The effects of air pollution on the heart, blood vessels, lungs, brain, eyes, nose, ears, and throat can be rather serious.
•  It also raises the chance of developing cancer, asthma, and other illnesses. Pregnant women, elderly people, people with chronic illnesses, and children under five are especially vulnerable, and they account for a large percentage of the annual deaths in Nepal caused by air pollution.
• Regrettably, air pollution has caused a 4.1% decline in Nepalese people's average life expectancy.

India Renewed Agreement to Train 1500 Bangladeshi Officers

• The governments of India and Bangladesh have agreed to extend their Memorandum of Understanding for the training of 1,500 Bangladeshi officers from 2025 to 2030, effective from  April 28 – 30, 2024.
•  The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), the Government of India, and the Ministry of Public Administration of Bangladesh signed the agreement.
• During a 3-day visit to Bangladesh (April 28–30, 2024), a 4-member DARPG team headed by Secretary V Srinivas inked the agreement.
• The visit's main focus was on mid-career field administration capacity-building programs for Bangladesh Civil Servants, and it highlighted the Government of India's commitment to working.
• It us to implement these programs in order to prepare the Bangladesh Civil Service for the future and realize Vision Bangladesh@2041 and SMART Bangladesh.

RBI Proposed New Rules for Electronic Trading Platforms

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed a revised regulatory framework for Electronic Trading Platforms (ETPs) on April 30, 2024.
•  It was in response to requests from market makers to access offshore ETPs offering Indian Rupee (INR) products and to the growing integration of the onshore forex market with offshore markets.
• A regulatory framework for ETPs was introduced by the RBI in October 2018 in order to guarantee equitable access, transparency, safety, efficiency, and the avoidance of market abuse.
• Since then, this framework has been used to authorize 13 ETPs run by 5 operators.
•  The onshore and offshore forex markets have become more integrated, technology has advanced, and the range of products offered has expanded.

15-member squad for T20 World Cup 2024 Announced

• The 15-member Indian team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 was revealed by the BCCI on April 30, 2024.
•  The tournament will take place in the USA and the West Indies beginning in June. The team's captain will be Rohit Sharma, with Hardik Pandya selected vice-captain.
•  In 2022, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant returns to the Indian team following his recovery from an automobile accident.
• Among the 15-man roster are hard-hitting batsman Shivam Dube, spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sanju Samson.
• In addition, four reserve players—Shubaman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan—have been selected by the selection panel.
• India's World Cup campaign kicks off in New York on June 5 against Ireland.

Artificial Synapse Using Water and Salt

• The researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and Sogang University in South Korea developed artificial neurological junctions known as synapses on April 30, 2024, using a mixture of water and salt, the same elements found in the human brain.
• With this advancement, we are one step closer to building sophisticated computers that can replicate the functionality and efficiency of the human brain.
• Artificial synapses are synthetic structures designed to replicate the functions of organic synapses, which are the vital points of connection between brain neurons.
• Recent studies have shown that artificial synapses may be created with salt and water, the same substances that the human brain uses.
• With the help of this advancement, we can get closer to building energy-efficient, cognitive computers that can analyze complex data.

The Indian Space Situational Assessment Report for 2023

• The Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2023, which was prepared by ISRO Chairman S. Somanath and published by ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM), was released on April 30, 2024.
•  It indicates a growing trend in the number of space objects as more were placed in orbit in 2023 than the previous year.
•  Up till December 31, 2023, 127 Indian satellites will have been launched. As of December 31, 2023, the Indian government owned 22 functioning satellites in low Earth orbit and 29 in geostationary orbit.
•  Aditya-L1, Chandrayaan-3 Propulsion Module, and Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter are the three ongoing Indian deep space missions.
•  An essential procedure used by space agencies, such as ISRO, to guarantee the security of its satellites and spacecraft is collision avoidance analysis, or COLA.
• COLA requires evaluating the risk of potential collisions between space objects and taking necessary measures to prevent them.

Indian Navy and IAF Inducted Rampage Missile (Defence)

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy strengthened their combat capabilities on April 30, 2024, with the introduction of the Rampage long-range supersonic air-to-ground missiles.
• The missile has a 250 km striking range and is referred to as the High-Speed Low Drag-Mark 2 by the Indian Air Force.
•  The Rampage missile has been effectively incorporated into the IAF's collection of Russian-built aircraft, which consists of the Jaguar, MiG-29, and Su-30 MKI fighters.
•  In a similar vein, the Indian Navy has welcomed the Rampage missiles into its inventory, especially for the MiG-29K naval fighter aircraft, which will let it to attack valuable targets like radar installations and communication centers.

Humza Yousaf

• Following the dissolution of the SNP's coalition with the Scottish Greens, Humza Yousaf, the First Minister of Scotland, tenders his resignation on April 30, 2024.
• Humza Yousaf stated that despite obstacles including a funding controversy and the exit of former leader Nicola Sturgeon, he would not sacrifice his ideals and values in order to gain political power.
• Humza Yousaf made clear that he would never waver from his moral principles or enter into political transactions with the express intent of holding onto power.
• His tenure was marred by difficulties, which led to his resignation after slightly more than a year in office, despite his abilities as a communicator and his attempts to bring the SNP together.

Goldman Environmental Prize 2024

• Alok Shukla, a well-known environmentalist and organizer of the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, was chosen on April 30, 2024, to receive the esteemed 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize.
• This yearly award, also referred to as the "Green Nobel Prize," recognizes grassroots environmental champions worldwide for their exceptional contributions to environmental preservation.

                                                                           Winner List

Pandit Lacchu Maharaj Award

• Prominent figures were revealed as the recipients of the Pandit Lacchu Maharaj Award 2024 on April 30, 2024.
•  The prize presentation is scheduled for August 31, 2024, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
•  After 2014, the renowned kathak exponent Lacchu Maharaj was remembered with the Lacchu Maharaj Award, which was discontinued.
•  The Pandit Lacchu Maharaj Ballet Foundation has chosen to honor ten individuals this year as a result. Because of COVID-19, no award has been announced for 2020.

                                                                              Winners list

Air Quality of Delhi ‘Good to Moderate’

• Delhi has more "Good" to "Moderate" air quality days in April of this year than it had over the same month in the previous 6 years, beginning in 2018 as of April 30, 2024.
•  According to the Environment Ministry, April 2024's average Delhi AQI was also the 2nd lowest AQI since 2018 when compared to the similar April of 2018.
•  Comparing the 30-day period of April in 2024 to the same time in the previous years, there was a notable decrease in the daily average concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10.
•  The great improvement was credited by the Ministry to favorable weather as well as the continuous, thorough, and coordinated efforts of the Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi NCR and Adjacent areas.

3D Printed Dummy Ballot Unit Introduced by IIT Guwahati

• Together with SVEEP, IIT Guwahati unveiled a 3D-printed mock ballot unit on April 30, 2024, with the goal of empowering people to vote more responsibly and democratically.
•  Through a hands-on experience with voting, the campaign hopes to increase voter knowledge and involvement, especially among new voters and senior residents.
• The purpose of creating the 3D-printed mock ballot unit was to raise public awareness of the difficulties involved in voting, allay anxieties, and promote more voter participation.
• The device creates an engaging experience by integrating features like sound and light indicators, which increases trust in the democratic process.
• With the use of environmentally friendly PLA made from maize starch and state-of-the-art 3D printing technology, researchers at IIT Guwahati have created a sustainable and reusable device.

6900-years Old Crater in Gujarat Captured by NASA

• The Luna crater in Gujarat, India's Banni Plains grassland was created about 6900 years ago by a meteorite impact, according to a geochemical investigation completed on April 30, 2024.
• The crater is 1.8 km (1.1 miles) wide with an outer rim that rises to a height of roughly 6 m (20 feet) above the crater floor.
•  It was named for the nearby community of Luna. The extraterrestrial origin of the crater was suspected by Indian scientists, but confirmation was not obtained until February, 2024.
• On February 24, 2024, NASA's Landsat 8 satellite took a close-up picture of the crater using the Operational Land Imager (OLI).
• A meteorite impact's distinctive characteristics, such as unusual minerals generated under extremely high pressure and temperature and high concentrations, were discovered by geochemical research.