NATIONAL NEWS

Maharashtra Launches Pink E Rickshaw Scheme With Kinetic Green

The Maharashtra government has launched the Pink E-Rickshaw Scheme to empower women and make them financially independent.

The Pink E Rickshaw Scheme was officially launched by the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, at a function in Pune on April 21, 2025, where electric three-wheelers were distributed to selected beneficiaries.

The Pink E Rickshaw Scheme is being administered by the state government’s Women and Child Development Department.

The Kinetic Green Energy Company is a partner with the state government in this initiative. The Kinetic Green Company will provide the electric three-wheeler to the beneficiaries.

Preference will be given to women between the ages of 20 and 50, who are widows, divorcees, and from economically weaker backgrounds.

The Maharashtra government will provide a 20% subsidy on the purchase of each e-rickshaw.

The beneficiaries will have to make a down (cash) payment of 10% of the cost of the e-rickshaw

Banks will provide loans to the beneficiaries at low interest rates.

The Kinetic Green company will provide a five-year warranty on the vehicle.

India’s First Prototype-Breeder Reactor in Kalpakkam Set to Be Commissioned

India’s first Prototype-Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is set to be commissioned in 2026 in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, marking a significant milestone in the country’s three-stage nuclear programme.

This reactor aims to recycle spent fuel and reduce radioactive waste, playing a critical role in India’s energy strategy.

The PFBR is a plutonium-based mixed oxide fuel reactor using liquid sodium as coolant.

It will utilise spent fuel from Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), which currently form the backbone of India’s nuclear power generation.

The reactor is being developed by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (Bhavini), while Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) operates nuclear plants in India.

 

BANKING

RBI Simplify Minor Bank Account Operation and Allow Mother As Guardian

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has simplified and updated the rules and regulations for opening and operating minor bank accounts.

It has also allowed mothers to become the guardians of minors for opening and operating the minor's bank account, even if the father of the minor is alive.

The RBI issued the directions on 21 April under sections 35a and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949.

The new guidelines of the RBI are expected to further boost financial inclusion in the country by making bank accounts of minors more accessible to them and their families.

Minors of any age can open a bank account through their natural or legal guardian, including their mother.

The minor can open only a savings account and a term deposit (fixed and recurring) account. They cannot open a current account.

RBI has divided the minors into two groups - one up to 10 years of age and one above 10 years but less than 18 years.

 

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

World’s Best Hospitals 2024

AIIMS Delhi has been ranked 97th in the world by Newsweek and Statista in their World’s Best Hospitals 2024

Mayo Clinic (Minnesota, USA) was ranked 1st with a score of 97.51%.

India’s first indigenous MRI machine was developed and is set to be installed at AIIMS Delhi by October 2025 for trials.

The rankings were compiled by Newsweek, in collaboration with Statista, an international data platform.

The report has been released annually since 2019, with this being the 2024 edition.

For the first time, hospitals from Malaysia and Chile were included in the rankings.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

2025 Laureus World Sports Awards

Swedish Pole vaulter Armand Duplantis and Artistic Gymnast Simone Biles of the United States of America received the 2025 Laureus World Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year award, respectively.

The winners of the 2025 Laureus World Sports awards were honoured in a glittering ceremony in Madrid, Spain, on 21st April 2025.

The Laureus World Sports Award, which was established in 2000, is considered one of the most prestigious Sports awards in the world.

Armada Duplantis is the first athlete to win back-to-back gold medals in the Olympics.

He won the gold medal in pole vault in the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics.

Simone Biles - Artistic Gymnast of the United States of America.

It was the fourth Sportswoman of the Year Award for Simone Biles.

Laureus World Team of the Year Award- Real Madrid of Spain.

The Laureus World Sports Awards were established by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in 2000.

The Laureus Sport for Good is a charitable institution with its headquarters in London, United Kingdom.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat of UIDAI

Senior IAS officer Keshav Kumar Pathak (1990 batch, Bihar cadre) has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat.

He is currently serving as Chairman of the Bihar Revenue Board.

His appointment has been made by temporarily upgrading a vacant Joint Secretary post, as approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Senior bureaucrat Bhuvnesh Kumar has been named as Chief Executive Officer, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

A 1995 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, Kumar is Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeiTY).

Hirdesh Kumar, Deputy Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India, will be Managing Director, Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India.

Roop Rashi, at present Textile Commissioner, Mumbai, has been named as Chief Executive Officer, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Mihir Kumar, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry, has been named Chief Executive Officer, Government e-Marketplace Special Purpose Vehicle, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Jitendra Srivastava, a 2000 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, will be the Chairman & Managing Director, REC Ltd., Ministry of Power.

 

SPORTS

India Finishes 2025 ISSF World Cup Lima Campaign With 7 Medals

Indian shooters concluded their campaign at the ISSF World Cup Lima 2025 with seven medals - two gold, four silver, and one bronze to finish third.

It was the second World Cup of the 2025 ISSF calendar, with the first World Cup being held at Buenos Aires, Argentina from 1-10 April 2025.

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) organised the 2025 ISSF Rifle/Pistol and Shotgun World Cup at Lima 2025.

Gold medal winner

Suruchi Singh in the women’s 10m air pistol event. She had also won the gold at the Buenos Aires event.

Saurabh Chaudhary &Suruchi Singh in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.

Silver Medal winners

Manu Bhaker in the women’s 10m air pistol event. She failed to win a medal at the Buenos Aires event.

Arjun Babuta in the men’s 10m air rifle event

Simranpreet Kaur Brar in the women’s 25m pistol event. It was Simranpreet's first-ever medal at the World Cup.

Rudrannksh Patil & Arya Borse in the 10m air rifle mixed team event.

Bronze medal winner

Saurabh Chaudhary in the men’s 10m air pistol event.

China finished at the top of the medal tally with 13 medals - four gold, three silver, and six bronze.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Earth Day

Every year April 22nd is celebrated as World Earth Day.

World Earth Day was first celebrated in 1969 when a US senator named Gaylord Nelson witnessed the effects of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA.

He called for action on all Americans to take a stand for the environment in 1970 and thousands of colleges and universities across the United Nations organized protests for a healthy sustainable Earth.

In 1968 the US Public Health Service organized the Human Ecology Symposium.

The event invited students to come and listen to scientists talking about the impact of the deteriorating environment on human health.

In 1972 the US government formed the Environmental Protection Agency and passed the Clean Air Act.

This includes air pollution from factories and freeways as well as the loss of habitats for animals and animal extinction.

In 1990 Earth Day went global with more than 140 countries participating in the event.

In 1995 Nelson, the man behind the World Earth Day movement was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.