22nd April 2025

1. Central Railway Launched India’s First Onboard ATM on Panchavati Express
2. Snow Persistence Declines in Ganga, Indus & Brahmaputra Basins: ICIMOD 2025 Report
3. UNESCO: Only 60% countries have Legislations, Standards for Food, Beverages in School
4. Japan to gift Shinkansen E5, E3 series for India’s bullet train project
5. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Unveiled BSE Coin, Logo and Index to Commemorate its 150 Year Legacy
6. PB Fintech gets RBI nod to operate as ‘online PA’
7. SEBI Approves Capitalmind Financial Services to Launch Mutual Fund Business
8. Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Launched Superwoman Term Plan for Women
9. India’s Retail Inflation Drops to 5.5-Year Low at 3.34% in March 2025
10. IISR Developed New Light-colored Turmeric Variety ‘IISR Surya’
11. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri Won F1’s Saudi Arabian GP to Take Overall Lead
12. Pope Francis, 1st Latin American Leader of the Roman Catholic Church Passed Away
13. UN Chinese Language Day 2025 – April 20
14. MP to Launch Krishak Kalyan Mission to Boost Farmer Income
15. India Imposes 12% Tariff on Steel Imports
16. World Earth Day 2025: Date, History, Theme, and Significance
17. India’s Smartphone Export Boom in FY25: A Record-Breaking Leap Beyond ₹2 Lakh Crore
18. Hindi Now Mandatory as Third Language in Classes 1–5 in Maharashtra
19. Laureus World Sports Awards 2025
20. Union Government Appoints Five Special Directors to the Enforcement Directorate (ED)

National News

1. Indian Railways Launches ATM Facility Onboard Trains

• What:
  • Indian Railways has started an ATM facility on trains to help passengers withdraw cash during their journey.
• Why:
  • The purpose is to make travel more convenient by providing banking services to passengers while they are on the move.
• Tell me more:
  • The first onboard ATM was tested on the Mumbai-Manmad Panchavati Express by Central Railway.
  • The Panchavati Express runs daily between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Manmad Junction, taking about 4 hours and 35 minutes for one-way travel.
  • If the pilot is successful, the service may be expanded to more routes and trains, and future versions may include cash deposit facilities and mini bank branches.

Source: TOI

State News

1. Madhya Pradesh Launches Krishak Kalyan Mission

• What:
  • The Madhya Pradesh cabinet approved the Krishak Kalyan Mission to bring all agricultural and allied sector schemes under one umbrella for better coordination and farmer outreach.
• Why:
  • The mission aims to increase farmers’ income, promote climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture, preserve biodiversity, ensure food security, and guarantee fair prices for produce.
• Tell me more:
  • The mission covers departments like agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry, cooperatives, and food and civil supplies.
  • Agricultural productivity in Madhya Pradesh rose from 1,195 kg per hectare in 2002–03 to 2,393 kg per hectare in 2024.
  • Crop production increased from 224 lakh tons in 2002–03 to 723 lakh tons in 2024.
  • The agricultural growth rate grew from 3% in 2002–03 to 9.8% in 2024.
  • The agriculture sector budget increased from Rs 600 crore in 2002–03 to Rs 27,050 crore in 2024.
  • Agriculture contributes 39% to the state’s GDP.
  • Focus areas include crop productivity, high-value crops, quality inputs, skill development, low-interest credit, food processing, value-chain development, and research for regional challenges.
  • An agreement with the National Dairy Development Board aims to expand milk collection to 26,000 villages and increase processing capacity to 50 lakh litres per day.

Source: TOI

International News

1. Japan to Gift Shinkansen Trains for Indian Bullet Train

• What:
  • Japan will gift two Shinkansen train sets to India for trial and inspection on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor.
• Why:
  • The purpose is to use these trains for trial runs and data collection, helping in the development of India’s first high-speed rail line.
• Tell me more:
  • The two train sets, one from the E5 series and one from the E3 series, will arrive in India in early 2026 after being fitted with inspection equipment.
  • The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor will be India’s first high-speed rail line, with a top speed of 320 km/h.
  • The project is being developed by the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC), a subsidiary of Indian Railways.

Source: IT

2. US Seeks Home Addresses, Biometrics for H-1B Visas

• What:
  • US immigration authorities have started asking for home addresses and biometric data from applicants in H-1B and other employment-based immigrant visa cases through Requests for Evidence (RFEs).
• Why:
  • The move aims to clarify and verify information in visa petitions, as the authorities claim to have encountered potentially adverse information about some applicants.
• Tell me more:
  • This is the first time US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has requested such details for these visa types.
  • The H-1B program has an annual cap of about 65,000 new visas, with an extra 20,000 for those with a US master’s degree or higher.
  • Industries like finance and technology are major users of the H-1B program.

Source: ET

Banking and Economy

1. BSE Celebrates 150th Anniversary, Launches New Index

• What:
  • Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) celebrated its 150th anniversary and launched the BSE 150 Index in the presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
• Why:
  • The event aimed to highlight BSE’s role in India’s economic growth and introduce a new benchmark index for investors.
• Tell me more:
  • BSE is Asia’s oldest stock exchange.
  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman praised BSE’s technological advancements and its daily processing of orders worth Rs 1,500 crore.
  • BSE’s market capitalization has reached Rs 400 lakh crore, placing it among the world’s top exchanges.
  • The BSE 150 Index will track the top 150 listed companies based on market capitalization and liquidity.
  • The new index is designed to give a comprehensive view of India’s equity market.

Source: NOA

2. PB Pay Gets RBI Nod to Operate as Payment Aggregator

• What:
  • Reserve Bank of India has given in-principle authorisation to PB Pay, a subsidiary of PB Fintech, to operate as an online payment aggregator.
• Why:
  • The authorisation allows PB Pay to facilitate merchants with digital and offline payment acceptance infrastructure as a payment aggregator.
• Tell me more:
  • PB Pay Private Limited was approved for incorporation by PB Fintech’s board in March 2024 and was incorporated in April 2024.
  • PB Pay aims to operate as a Non-Banking Financial Company – Payment Aggregator (NBFC-PA), handling both domestic and cross-border payments as permitted by RBI.
  • The RBI approval was granted under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
  • The authorisation is subject to compliance with RBI’s guidelines on payment aggregators and gateways issued in March 2020 and clarified in March 2021.

Source: BS

3. Capitalmind Gets SEBI Approval to Launch Mutual Fund

• What:
  • Capitalmind Financial Services Private Limited has received final approval from SEBI to start mutual fund operations under the name Capitalmind Mutual Fund.
• Why:
  • The approval allows Capitalmind to expand its investor-first and data-driven approach to retail investors across India.
• Tell me more:
  • Capitalmind Mutual Fund will begin with active equity mutual funds and later offer debt, hybrid, and multi-asset schemes.
  • The new Capitalmind Asset Management Private Limited (Capitalmind AMC) will offer actively managed mutual funds based on proven PMS strategies.

Source: ET

4. Bajaj Allianz Life Launches Superwoman Term Insurance

• What:
  • Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has introduced a new term insurance plan called Bajaj Allianz Life Superwoman Term, designed exclusively for women.
• Why:
  • The plan aims to provide comprehensive financial security and support women’s independence and stability at different life stages.
• Tell me more:
  • The Superwoman Term plan offers term insurance benefits, critical illness coverage, and optional child care benefits.
  • The critical illness rider covers 60 major illnesses, including breast, cervix, and ovarian cancers.
  • The optional child care benefit ensures a steady monthly income for a child’s education if the policyholder passes away.
  • Complimentary Health Management Services (HMS) are included, offering health check-ups, OPD consultations, pregnancy support, emotional wellness programmes, and nutritionist guidance.

Source: BT

5. Retail Inflation Drops to 4.6% in FY 2024–25

• What:
  • Retail inflation in India, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), declined to 4.6% in FY 2024–25, the lowest since 2018–19.
• Why:
  • The decline shows the success of the Reserve Bank of India’s pro-growth monetary policy and government actions in maintaining price stability with economic growth.
• Tell me more:

Source: PIB

6. India Imposes 12% Safeguard Duty on Steel Imports

• What:
  • India has imposed a 12% safeguard duty on certain steel products to control rising imports.
• Why:
  • The duty aims to protect the domestic steel industry from a sudden and sharp increase in imports that threaten to cause serious injury to local producers.
• Tell me more:
  • The safeguard duty is provisional and will be effective for 200 days from the date of notification unless changed earlier.
  • India was a net importer of finished steel for the second year in 2024/25, with imports reaching a nine-year high of 9.5 million metric tons.
  • The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) recommended the 12% tariff after investigating a surge in imports of ‘Non-Alloy and Alloy Steel Flat Products’.

Source: ET

7. India’s Smartphone Exports Surge

• What:
  • India’s smartphone exports reached ₹2 lakh crore in FY25, with about ₹9,000–10,000 crore coming from parallel (non-official) exports to markets like Russia and Africa.
• Why:
  • The parallel exports are driven by traders seeking to benefit from opportunities in countries where brands like Apple and Samsung have reduced or stopped operations.
• Tell me more:
  • Apple and Samsung led official exports, but 4–5% of exports were parallel, often routed through Dubai.
  • Nearly half of these parallel exports go to Russia, where Apple has stopped and Samsung has reduced operations due to the Ukraine conflict.
  • In FY14, smartphone exports from India were ranked 167, showing rapid growth in recent years.

Source: ET

Reports and Indices

1. Snow Persistence in Himalayan River Basins Drops Sharply

• What:
  • Snow persistence in the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra river basins has declined alarmingly, reaching a two-decade low, as reported by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
• Why:
  • The decline in snow persistence threatens water security and livelihoods for millions who depend on these river basins.
• Tell me more:
  • Snow persistence across the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) is at 23.6 per cent, the lowest in 23 years.
  • This is the third year in a row with below-normal seasonal snow in the region.
  • The Ganga basin saw snow persistence drop to 24.1 per cent below normal, the lowest in 23 years.
  • The Indus basin’s snow persistence is 24.5 per cent below normal, down from a high of 19.5 per cent above normal in 2020.
  • The highest snow persistence was recorded in 2015 at 30.2 per cent above normal.
  • About one-fourth of the total river runoff in the HKH comes from snowmelt, with its share increasing from east to west.
  • The report also noted bigger declines in snow persistence in the Mekong (51.9 per cent), Salween (48.3 per cent), and Tibetan Plateau (29.1 per cent) river basins in South East Asia.

Source: IE

Agriculture and Rural Development

1. IISR Develops New Light-Coloured Turmeric Variety

• What:
  • ICAR – Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR) has developed a new light-coloured turmeric variety named IISR Surya for the masala industry.
• Why:
  • The new variety aims to meet the specific needs of the powdering industry, which prefers lighter-coloured turmeric for high-quality powder production.
• Tell me more:
  • IISR Surya features a light-coloured rhizome, which is suitable for the powdering industry.
  • The variety was developed after extensive research to benefit farmers and improve the quality of turmeric powder.
  • The masala and powdering industry currently uses lighter-coloured varieties like Mydukur and Salem Local, but these are available only in limited quantities.
  • To meet demand, lighter-coloured turmeric is often mixed with regular-coloured turmeric, resulting in blended powder without standardised characteristics.

Source: HBL

Awards

1. Laureus World Sports Awards 2025

• What:
  • The Laureus World Sports Awards 2025 were held in Madrid to recognise outstanding achievements in the world of sports and honour athletes for their exceptional performances.
• Tell me more:

Source: FP

Important Days

1. UN Languages Day

Sports

1. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri Won F1’s Saudi Arabian GP

• Oscar Jack Piastri is an Australian racing driver who competes in Formula One for McLaren (British motor racing team).

Source: CNBC

Appointments

1. Five Special Directors Appointed in Enforcement Directorate

• What:
  • The Union government has appointed five special directors, including four IRS officers and one IPS officer, in the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
• Why:
  • The appointments aim to fill all sanctioned posts of Special Director in the ED for better supervision and coordination of investigations.
• Tell me more:
  • The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the names of Viplav Kumar Choudhry (IPS, 1997-batch, AGMUT cadre), T Sankar (IRS, 2003 batch), N Padmanaban (IRS, 2005 batch), Rajnish Dev Barman (IRS, 1999 batch), and Manu Tentiwal (IRS, 2003 batch).
  • The ED has eight sanctioned Special Director posts, who head regional offices in cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, and special units at the Delhi headquarters.
  • Rahul Navin, a 1993-batch IRS officer, is the current ED Director.
  • The ED works under the Union finance ministry and enforces the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), and civil sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Source: TW

Miscellaneous

1. Pope Francis Passes Away After Nearly 12-Year Papacy

• What:
  • Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88 after serving almost 12 years.
• Tell me more:
  • St. Peter is historically considered the first pope and is said to have had the longest papacy of about 34 years, though the exact dates are not recorded.
  • The Catholic Church recognizes St. Peter as the inaugural pope, and his papacy is symbolic for the religion.

Source: TOI

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