Current Affairs One - Liner : 3rd April 2024

• National:
• Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt Ltd (MASPL) and Airbus Atlantic signed a contract on April 01, 2024. The deal, worth USD 100 million, involves MASPL supplying around 2300 types of metallic components for Airbus’ commercial aircraft family from its India-based manufacturing unit.

• On March 31, 2024, Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Panasonic Energy Company Limited signed a binding term sheet to form a joint venture for manufacturing cylindrical lithium-ion cells in India. This move aims to meet the growing demand for batteries in the Indian market, particularly for two- and three-wheel vehicles and energy storage systems. The partnership will also contribute to India’s transition to clean energy.
• On March 31, 2024, the Bihar Postal Circle celebrated the 250th anniversary of the ‘Copper Ticket’, considered the world’s first postal stamp. A special cover was released to mark this historic event.
• TRAI has released a Consultation Paper for the National Broadcasting Policy-2024. The paper aims to make India a ‘Global Content Hub’ by focusing on promoting Indian content, increasing the sector’s economic contribution, and fostering growth in various segments like OTT platforms, films, and online gaming. Stakeholders can provide written comments by 30th April 2024.
• FSSAI has instructed e-commerce platforms to correctly classify health and energy drinks. The term ‘Health Drink’ is not officially defined, so misclassified products need to be corrected. ‘Energy Drinks’ can only be used for certain products. This is to ensure transparency and clarity for consumers.
• Adani Green Energy Ltd, on April 3, 2024, marked a significant milestone in the renewable energy sector of India. They became the first Indian company to achieve over 10,000 MW of renewable energy capacity. This was accomplished when they commissioned a 2,000 MW solar capacity at the Khavda solar park in Gujarat.
• The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO) on 1 April 2024. This observatory, established on 1 April 1899 by the British, has been a cradle of research in solar astrophysics ever since, with a number of pathbreaking discoveries to its credit.
• Banking:
• The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has indeed revolutionized the way transactions are carried out in India. It’s fascinating to see such a high volume of transactions, worth ₹199 lakh crore, being processed in FY24. This indicates the growing acceptance and usage of digital payments in the country. It also reflects the success of the government’s efforts to promote a digital economy.
• Economy:
• The HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) reached a 16-year high of 59.1 in March 2024, up from 56.9 in February. This improvement was due to stronger growth of new orders, output, and input stocks, as well as renewed job creation. The data was released on the first working day of April 2024.
• Defence:
• On April 1, 2024, India supplied two Dornier 228 planes, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), to the Guyana Defence Force. This was part of a Line of Credit from India, marking a new chapter in the partnership between the two countries.
• Sports:
• Mirabai Chanu, the Olympic silver medallist, competed in the IWF World Cup 2024 in Phuket, Thailand on April 1, 2024. She secured her spot for the 2024 Paris Olympics by finishing third in Group B of the women’s 49kg category. Her total lift was 184kg (81kg snatch + 103kg clean and jerk).
• The 56th National Kho Kho Championship 2023-24 was held in Delhi from March 28 to April 1, 2024. The Maharashtra team emerged as the champions in both the men’s and women’s categories. In the men’s category, they defeated the Indian Railway team, and in the women’s category, they defeated the Airport Authority of India team.
• Reports:
• On April 3, 2024, the World Bank released a report called the “South Asia Development Update”. In this report, it projected that the Indian economy will grow by 7.5% in 2024, an upward revision from its earlier estimate of 6.3%. The report also highlighted that the overall economic growth in South Asia, which includes countries like India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, is expected to be strong at 6.0% in 2024. 
• Appointments:
• Twid, a rewards-based payment network, appointed Monica Jasuja as its Chief Growth and Partnership Officer on April 3, 2024. She will lead the company’s issuer growth strategy and drive expansion through partnerships.
• Rajeev Singhal has been appointed as the Managing Director of Tata International Limited, the global trading and distribution arm of the Tata Group. He took over the new role on April 1, 2024, succeeding Anand Sen, who superannuated on March 31, 2024.
• Dr. Ravi Kota, a 1993-batch IAS officer, has taken charge as the new Chief Secretary of Assam. He succeeded Mr. Paban Kumar Borthakur on March 31, 2024. Before this, he served as the Additional Chief Secretary for the Home & Political Department. He brings over 30 years of leadership experience in various sectors.
• Sanjay Nayar, Founder and Chairman of Sorin Investment Fund, was appointed as the President of ASSOCHAM on April 2, 2024. He succeeds Ajay Singh, the CMD of SpiceJet. Nayar has over three decades of experience in the Global financial markets.
• Lieutenant General JS Sidana has taken over as the 33rd Director General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (DGEME) on April 01, 2024. He has held various important appointments in his career of over 38 years.
• Santosh Kumar Jha, an Indian Railway Traffic Services Officer, has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Konkan Railway Corporation from April 1, 2024. He has an M.Sc. in Geology and an MBA in Marketing.
• Sandeep Jain, an alumnus of IIT-Kanpur and an auto-component manufacturer, has been unanimously elected as the President of the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) for the term 2024-25. His appointment was approved during a meeting of the Central Executive Committee held in New Delhi.
• Obituaries:
• Golden Globe-winning actress Barbara Rush, known for roles in ‘It Came from Outer Space’ and ‘Peyton Place’, passed away at 97. Her daughter, Claudia Cowan, confirmed her passing. She had a significant career in film and television.

Questions:

Q.1 Which Indian company became the first to achieve over 10,000 MW of renewable energy capacity?
a. Tata Power
b. Reliance Power
c. Adani Green Energy Ltd
d. JSW Energy
Q.2 What is the projected growth of the Indian economy in 2024 according to the “South Asia Development Update” report by the World Bank?
a. 5.6%
b. 7.5%
c. 7.6%
d. 8.6%