NATIONAL NEWS
The Environment Minister announces the launch of the ‘Prakriti’ green initiative
In the presence of Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, the mascotto ‘Prakriti’ was launched today to raise public awareness about small changes that can be made to our lifestyle for a better environment. As well as various green initiatives taken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to ensure effective Plastic Waste Management (PWM) in the country. To combat the problem of plastic pollution, India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, pledged to eliminate single-use plastics (SUPs) by 2022. The Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change also administered the ‘Swachh Bharat Harit Bharat Green Pledge’ to the crowd, carrying the momentum forward and emphasising the importance of active citizen engagement.
President Ram Nath Kovind visits in Amsterdam and names a new yellow tulip variety ‘Maitri’
President Ram Nath Kovind landed in Amsterdam for the final leg of his two-nation journey — his first visit to the Netherlands in 34 years — during which he would hold talks with the Dutch top leadership names a new yellow tulip variety ‘Maitri’. President Kovind arrived from Turkmenistan, where he met with his Turkmen colleague Serdar Berdimuhamedov and pledged to expand bilateral economic and energy cooperation to improve the multifaceted relationship. He is the first Indian President to visit Turkmenistan since its independence. President Ram Nath Kovind will meet with King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima, as well as Prime Minister Mark Rutte, during his visit to the Netherlands from April 4 to 7. His visit is significant since, in 2022, India and the Netherlands will commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations. Later, President Kovind paid a visit to Keukenhof, one of the world’s largest flower gardens, names a new yellow tulip variety ‘Maitri’, and here washe was met by Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra. A Strategic Partnership on Water was started in 2021 during the Virtual Summit between the Prime Ministers of the two countries to increase the level of engagement between the two sides in this crucial sector.
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister inaugurates 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, inaugurated 13 new districts in the state via video conference on Monday, April 4 in Tadepalli, Guntur district. As a result, there will be a total of 26 districts in the state. The new districts were created using Parliamentary constituencies as a guide. With the addition of 13 new districts, Andhra Pradesh now has a total of 26 districts. As part of the 26 districts of Andhra Pradesh, there will now be 23 revenue divisions. The CM added that people have accepted and liked the decentralised system of government because the initiatives are given straight to their doorstep, and that the same is now being extended to the districts.
Gangaur festival celebrated in Rajasthan
The Gangaur festival is celebrated in Rajasthan and some parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and West Bengal. It is one of Rajasthan’s most important festivals and is observed with great fervour across the state. The women worship Gauri, the wife of Lord Shiva during the period of this festival which is from March to April. This festival celebrates the harvest, spring, childbearing, and marital fidelity. The unmarried women worship Gauri to seek her blessings for finding a good husband. The married women worship her for health, welfare, happy married life, and long life of their husbands. On the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi, this festival begins and continues for a period of 16 days.
CM of Uttar Pradesh has launched the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ initiative
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath begins the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ in order to secure 100 per cent enrollment in elementary and upper primary schools in Uttar Pradesh. Citing an official announcement, the state government will make an effort to shape the future of primary education and the holistic development of elementary schools. The ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ is being implemented in Shravasti, which has the lowest literacy rate in the state. Bahraich, Balrampur, Badaun, and Rampur are the other districts in Uttar Pradesh with the lowest literacy rate. Under the initiative, students will receive uniforms, shoes, and socks. Government schools must achieve all of the goals of ‘Operation Kayakalp,’ which aims to give schools a facelift, according to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who told officials that not only will public representatives be involved with the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan,’ but that MLAs must also adopt a school each.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Forbes Billionaires 2022: The Richest People In The World
The Forbes billionaires 2022 list is out, which compiles the list of the world’s richest, who this time was hit by the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, coronavirus pandemic and sluggish markets. Elon Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX founder topped Forbes’ list for the first time ever with a net worth of $219 billion. Elon Musk is leading the Forbes billionaires list with a net worth of $219 billion, followed by Amazon chief Jeff Bezos at $171 billion. America has most number of billionaires at 735 worth a collective net worth of $4.7 trillion, including Elon Musk, who tops the World’s Billionaires list for the first time. China (including Macau and Hong Kong) remains number two, with 607 billionaires worth a collective $2.3 trillion. Forbes uses stock prices and exchange rates from March 11, 2022, to calculate net worths.
World Health Day 2022 Celebrates on 7th April
World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated on the 7th April every year. Every year, World Health Day focuses on contemporary health issues that require immediate attention, with varied themes. On World Health Day 2022, World Health Organisation will focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being. The World Health Organization has done its part to raise awareness about health and health-related concerns, as well as how to address them. The theme for World Health Day 2022 is ‘Our Planet, Our Health’. This year’s theme aims to direct global attention toward the well-being of our planet and the humans living in it. The World Health Organization (WHO) convened the first World Health Assembly in 1948, which called for the establishment of a “World Health Day.” The first World Health Day was held on April 7, 1950, and it has been observed on that date every year thereafter. The main goal of the day is to raise awareness about a certain health topic in order to highlight a World Health Organization priority area of concern.
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda is commemorated by UNESCO on April 07, every year. 2022 marks the 28th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, one of the darkest chapters in human history. On April 7th, the date where the genocide against members of the Tutsi began. The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003. The day commemorates the beginning of the genocide perpetrated against members of the Tutsi minority by the Hutu extremist-led government. Within just over 100 days, more than 1 million Tutsi were systematically murdered. Moderate Hutu and others who opposed the massacres were also killed during this period.
