APRIL

NATIONAL

Ø  LCA Tejas successfully fired Air-to-Air BVR Missile

Ø  Indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has successfully fired an air-to-air beyond visual range (BVR) missile. With this, Tejas has demonstrated its overall capability as an effective combat jet and inched closer to receive final operational clearance.

Ø  Foreigners can now travel to Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur without permit

Ø  The Home Ministry has decided to relax the six-decade-old Protected Area Permit regime from Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur for five years. Foreign tourists, except those from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, will now be allowed to visit some of the most pristine locations of the country which, so far, were out of bounds for them without a special permit.

Ø  NSE launches E-Gsec platform for bringing Retail Participation in Government Securities

Ø  National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has announced the launch of its “e – Gsec” platform for facilitating the non-competitive bidding in Government of India Dated Securities (G-Sec) and Treasury Bills (T-Bills). This will allow retail investors to invest in Government Securities and hold them in existing demat accounts. The non-competitive bidding facility was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to encourage retail participation in the primary market for Government Securities.

Ø  Diu Smart City becomes first to run on 100% Renewable Energy during daytime

Ø  Diu Smart City has become the first city in India, that runs on 100% renewable energy during daytime setting a new benchmark for other cities to become clean and green. Diu had been importing 73% of its power from Gujarat until last year.

Ø  President signs ordinance to provide death penalty to rapists of girls below 12 years

Ø  President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance that provides for stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years. The ordinance- Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 stipulates stringent punishment for those guilty of rape, particularly of girls below the age of 16 and 12 years. The ordinance also orders death sentence to those guilty of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

Ø  PM flags off India’s first all-electric high-speed train in Bihar

Ø  Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India’s first all-electric high-speed locomotive in Bihar. The addition of all-electric high-speed locomotive in Bihar will be a giant leap in PM Modi’s govt initiative ‘Make in India’.

Ø  Delhi becomes first city to roll-out BS-VI fuel

Ø  In order to combat the rising levels of air pollution, the Delhi-NCR region began supplying ultra-clean Bharat Stage VI grade fuel, both petrol and diesel. With this, Delhi became the first city in the country to switch from BS-IV grade fuels to BS-VI. BS-VI fuel is equivalent to fuel meeting Euro-VI emission norms.