· Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit conferred with the prestigious Dara Shikoh award by the Indo-Iran Society for her contribution to peace, harmony and brotherhood.
· The Asian Development Bank said that India is poised for an economic growth of 8.2 per cent in 2010 although rising inflation would remain a concern. It expects the economy to expand by 8.7 per cent in 2011.(Go for April Current Affairs Part -1)
· India seems closer to achieving the millennium development goals with infant mortality and maternal mortality rates showing a slight dip and expected to go down further by 2012, thanks to Government's flagship National Rural Health Mission. The infant mortality rate which was 55 per 1,000 in 2005 has reduced to 53 in 2008. There has been a three point decline in rural IMR as against one point in 2008. The IMR is expected to be reduced further to 30 per 1,000 live births by 2012, according to the latest government statistics. The MMR which was 301 per lakh in 2001-03 has reduced to 254 by 2004-06. After the introduction of 'Janani Suraksha Scheme' it is has reduced further.
· Nepal government scrapped a controversial deal with India to print "smart" Nepali passports.
· On a year-on-year basis, bank credit grew by 16.7 per cent or Rs 4,64, 849 crore, exceeding RBI's projected non-food credit growth target of 16 per cent for FY2010. This is the fifth consecutive fortnight in which bank credit has risen. As on March 26, 2010, banks' outstanding credit was Rs 32,40,398.52 crore.
· Gujarat has decided to set up 810 new courts for speedy disposal of pending cases.
· By contributing over 16,000 types of rice, India is biggest contributor to rice biodiversity bank, the Indian representative of Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Dr J K Ladha told.
· India is developing a sub-sonic 1,000-km range cruise missile "Nirbhay" which can be used for a "variety of applications".
· Iran announced the development of a new, more advanced, anti-aircraft system Mersad, or Ambush, air defence system would be able to hit modern aircraft at low and medium altitudes.
· The government has decided to extend the import subsidy on pulses till September 30 2010 to augment domestic supplies and ease pressure on prices. India, the world's largest importer and consumer of pulses, depends on imports, as domestic production is lower than annual demand.
· Israel would discuss the issue of homeland security with West Bengal which is reeling under the brunt of Maoist extremism.
· The Washington Post won four Pulitzer Prizes, the most prestigious awards in U.S. journalism. The Post won for international reporting, feature writing, commentary and criticism. The New York Times won two Pulitzers, for national reporting and explanatory reporting.
· Noted Gandhian and social worker Ravindra Bhai died.
· The Orissa government signed agreements with five independent producers for five coal-fired power projects to generate 4,800 MW at an investment of Rupees 23,203.52 crore. The Orissa government has decided to electrify about 3,000 naxal-affected villages in the state. The naxal-affected villages were not included in Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutkaran Yojana (RGGVY) and Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana (BGJY).
· Prominent India-origin banker Ajay Banga, a Citigroup veteran, has been appointed as the chief executive officer of electronic payment services provider MasterCard.
· India will send two astronauts to space by 2017 in its own spacecraft and the Rs 12,400 project is likely to be approved before the Independence Day, ISRO chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan has said.
· Former senior advisor and a Director at The World Bank, Harinder Kohli said India's average per capita income would jump 22 times from USD 940 to USD 22,000 in 30 years from now.
· India will join the league of top 10 global pharmaceuticals markets in terms of sales by 2020 with the total value reaching USD 50 billion by then, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
