Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 8th April 2024

1. Tri-Service Conference ‘Parivartan Chintan’ held in New Delhi 

• Parivartan Chintan, a pioneering Tri-Service Conference aimed at generating new and fresh ideas, initiatives and reforms to propel Jointness and Integration efforts held in New Delhi. 
• It is the first-ever conference of the Heads of all Tri-Services Institutions, the Department of Military Affairs, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and the three Services. 
• Officers from varied service brackets, through their diverse understanding and experience recommended measures to achieve the desired “Joint and Integrated” end state with celerity. 
• The Indian Armed Forces have embarked on a major transformative change in their quest to be ready for the envisaged future wars, initiatives are being undertaken to promote Jointness and Integration as structures are modified to enable Tri- Service multi domain operations. 

2. AGEL to invest ₹1.5 trillion in developing world’s largest RE park in Khavda 

• Adani Green Energy Ltd plans to invest about ₹1.5 trillion through 2030 to develop the world’s largest renewable energy plant with 30-gigawatt capacity at the Khavda renewable energy park in Gujarat.
• The project, part of the Adani Groups renewable energy flagship’s plan to achieve 45 gigawatt (GW) installed renewable energy capacity in the country by 2030, will see 26 GW of solar and 4 GW of wind generation capacity coming up. 
• Currently, AGEL has an operating renewable portfolio of 10.93 GW—7.39 GW solar, 1.4 GW wind, and 2.14 GW of hybrid—across 12 states. 

3. Website ‘Booth Raabta’ launched by Punjab for election-related information 

• In Punjab, under the unique initiative of the District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Malerkotla, Dr. Pallavi, a special website named ‘Booth Raabta’ has been launched to provide election-related information to the people of the district. 
• The website boothraabta.com will be helpful not only to the voters but also to the polling personnel in any circumstances. 
• Deputy Election Commissioner of India Hirdesh Kumar and Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C appreciated this initiative. 

About Punjab

• Capital – Chandigarh 
• Chief Minister – Bhagwant Mann 
• Governor – Banwarilal Purohit 

4. Miraj’s Sitars and Tanpuras awarded GI Tags 

• The sitars and tanpuras of Miraj, a small town in Maharashtra’s Sangli district known for its craftsmanship in making musical instruments, have been awarded the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tags. 
• These instruments made in Miraj are much in demand among some of the prominent artistes, including those renowned in the field of classical music as well as film industry, the makers claim. 
• The tradition of making sitars and tanpuras in Miraj goes back more than 300 years, with over seven generations of craftsmen having worked towards making these string instruments. 

5. EIL conferred with CIDC Vishwakarma Award 

• Engineers India Limited (EIL) has been conferred with the prestigious CIDC Vishwakarma Award by the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) in the category of “Construction Health, Safety & Environment” for Rajasthan Refinery Project, Barmer. 
• The awards were presented during the 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards ceremony held in New Delhi. 
• The Award recognizes EIL’s respect for human life and well-being as reflected in its best practices towards construction safety and occupational health management, especially in complex projects.

6. Raghu Ram received fellowship of American Surgical Association (ASA) 

• The American Surgical Association (ASA) has honoured Dr Raghu Ram with an Honorary Fellowship in Washington DC. 
• This is the highest recognition that the ASA can bestow upon a surgical colleague from a foreign country. 
• Dr Raghu Ram is the third surgeon from South Asia to receive this honour in the 144 years’ history of the United State’s oldest surgical organisation. 

Recent Awards 

• 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards 2024 – SJVN Limited 
• SKOCH ESG Award 2024 in Renewable Energy Financing Category – REC Limited 
• International Culture Award 2024 – Meena Charanda
• Times Power Icon 2024 Award by The Times Group – Vijay Jain 
• Abel Prize 2024 – Michel Talagrand (for work in probability theory and stochastic processes).

7. Max Verstappen wins Japanese Grand Prix 

• Triple world champion Max Verstappen romped to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, leading team-mate Sergio Perez to a dominant one-two finish for Red Bull. 
• Verstappen failed to finish in Australia a fortnight ago but he was in control for the entire race at Suzuka after starting from pole and claimed his third win from four grands prix this season. 
• Carlos Sainz of Ferrari took third place, ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc, who started from eighth on the grid. 
• McLaren’s Lando Norris finished fifth, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was sixth. 

Recent 2024 Grand Prix Winner 

• Australian Grand Prix – Ferrari’s Carlos Saina (Spain) 
• Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands) 
• Bahrain Grand Prix 2- Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands) 

8. 7 April – National Beer Day 

• National Beer Day is celebrated on April 7th each year. 
• This day is celebrated to appreciate the contributions of the brewing industry to the economy and society as a whole. 
• Beer is the world’s most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, and it’s consumed by people in over 150 countries. 
• The history of National Beer Day dates back to 1933, when the Cullen-Harrison Act was signed into law, which reversed the prohibition on the sale of beer in the United States. 

9. 8 April – National Zoo Lovers Day 

• National Zoo Lovers Day is celebrated every year on 8 April. 
• National Zoo Lovers Day encourages us to explore our local zoos. 
• Each year millions of people visit zoos and learn about the many animals that live there. Also known as zoological parks, many of them serve as breeding centers. 
• These facilities are relied upon when species are endangered or at risk of becoming endangered. They also provide education to the public about a broad variety of animals and their habitats. 
• The Vienna Zoo is the oldest existing zoo and was opened to the public in 1765. 

10.This poll season, MSMEs pursue GST reforms with candidates 

• More than six years since the Narendra Modi regime rolled out the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the issue remains a bone of contention in several MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) clusters in different parts of the country. Reduction in GST rates is a core demand for representatives of MSMEs as the country gears up for the Lok Sabha election. 
• According to government data, there are seven crore MSMEs across sectors in the country and an estimated 12 crore people are dependent on it. "If these units do well, all those who depend on it will benefit," Sudhir Jha, national convener, All India Manufacturers Organisation and vice-president of the MSME Development Forum, said. 
• However, over the years, GST slabs have paralyzed many of these units. "MSMEs do not have the resources or understanding of GST mainly because most of these units are run by a single person," he said. Such small units are technically exempted from GST because of low turnover. But they are suppliers to a larger, GST-registered industry and hence are expected to provide at least minimum documentation. 
• Those micro or small- scale units that are unable to do so are losing business, Mr. Jha said. 
• In the MSME clusters in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Ludhiana in Punjab, industrial associations have submitted their demands related to GST to candidates contesting the elections in the respective constituencies. 
• The main demand in Coimbatore is the reduction of GST on labour charges (job work) under-mtaken by the micro and small-scale units in the engineering sector. 

11. 'Sri Lankan PM Siren's call to Indira Gandhi in 1974 saved the Katchatheevu talks from getting derailed 

• A telephone call from Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Si rina R. Bandaranaike to her Indian counterpart, indira Gandhi, in January 1974 may perhaps be consh dered to have saved the bi lateral negotiations on the contentious Katchatheevu islet issue from getting derailed 
• The issue has acquired prominence ahead of the Lok Sabha election, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 31 blaming the Congress for the "vech Lof the islet to Sri Lanka 
• Recounting how the negotiations went over the years, WT. Jyasinghe, who was the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka from 1972 89, in his book Kachchati vio And the Maritime Boundary of Sri Lanka (published by Stamford Lake, Sri Lanka, 2003), merr tioned that when Bandara naike arrived in New Delhi on January 22 for summit and official level discus sons, Sri Lanka's sovereignty over Katchatheevu was "no longer an issue, The neighbor's case had been established through discussion, documentation and correspondence", What was required to be thrashed out was the apportioning of the historic waters in the Palk Strait and Palk Bay, especially the extent of the territorial sea on the west of the islet, The visiting Prime Minister was in India January 3 She was the guests of honor at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 along with the now-disintegrated Yugosla via's President Josip Tito, Though Bandaranaike and indira Gandhi had several meetings, exchanging views on several international developments, their one-to-one talks "however, centered around" Katchatheevu and the status of 1.5 lakh persons of Indian origin who had remained Stateless, Not a swift solution 
• As regards the stateless people, an understanding was reached between the two leaders to absorb them In equal numbers and let fers be exchanged between them on January 27, hit, Ratchatheevu did not prove to be that swift matter. 
• Line, which was drawn up when the British ruled both and had provided the words of India's then External Affairs Minister Swa Ran Singh, "about three or three and a half miles" west of Katchatheevu. It was in 1921 that the bustle of ownership over the islet had also cropped up. 
• Pointing out that Sri Lanka was "prepared to go back from her version of the median line (7 nautical miles from Katchatheevu to 3.8 nautical miles) as a quid pro quo to fodia to withdraw its claim over the Islet, Jayasinghe wrote that his Indian counterpart, Ke wal Singh, suggested a belt of sea in the form of a semicircle with a radius of half a nautical mile as the maritime boundary. This was rejected by the other side as it "would have amounted to no more than a token recognition of Sri Lanka's sovereignty" over 
• The Prime Minister made a phone call to Indira Gandhi, who, in Hun, invited her to her residence. 
• Jayasinghe, who accompanied Bandaranaike, stated that the Indian Prime Minister saw them in the rear verandah of the rest dence. "It was a most informal meeting," he recalled. Broaching the subject again, Bandaranaike told her counterpart that a territorial sea of half a mile would "gravely impede" ef ancient utilization of the islet and suggested a minimum of two nautical miles. The response of Indira Gandhi was that it would be "difficult to carry such a package" with the Tamil Nadu government, the Sri Lankan diplomat recorded in his book. 
• It was at this stage that Bandaranaike wrote a let need mind Gandhi, offer dirt drawal of Ls nautical miles from her ulicy position. There was no immediate response from her counterpart. Jayasinghe had suggested to his Prime Minister to seek a one-to-one discussion with Indira Gandhi, as, he observed, "the entire negotiations were now in jeopardy over this issue". 
• Eventually, the two leaders agreed on drawing the boundary one nautical mile west of Katchatheevu. However, the formal signing of the agreement took place five months later. 

12.Unnecessarily complex' GST needs urgent reform: Kelkar 

• A key architect of India's tax reforms and Chairman of the 13th Finance Commission, Vijay Kelkar has called upon the country's next government to take urgent reforms in the "unnecessarily complex Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. 
• Mr. Kelkar has also mooted the creation of an independent secretariat For the GST Council, the apex decision-making body for the indirect tax rolled out in July 2017, as the current arrangement of the Union government driving the secretariat may be considered problematic by the States. 
• He termed the simplification of the GST structure as a "critically important fiscal reform to take the GST regime to its most natural destination. 
• "The genesis of the current GST frauds lies in the very structure of the GST rates, as high rates of GST make or hacrative for the fraudsters to evade taxes." be stressed after receiving the TIOL Fiscal Award on Saturday, Instead, he suggested that a single GST rate of 12%, with revenues shared equally with all the tiers of the government and Union Territories, be introduced at the earliest. "In most of the developed and emerging market economies as well, there is a policy of single GST or VAT [Value Added Tax) rate on goods and services. The countries having a single rare and simple GST or VAT laws have been successful in optimizing tax revenue and minimizing tax disputes," the former Finance Secretary noted. Of countries with GST or VAT systems, 80% have opted for a single tax rate 
• Stating that a single GST rate is "an unmet goal" in India, he recalled that a single rate of 12% had been recommended by the 13th Finance Commission "very early on in the GST debate". It would simplify the structure, quell almost all classification issues, and help promote manufacturing and exports, he said. 
• "The revolutionary form of introduction of a single GST rate, with additional non-VAT-able taxes such as carbon taxes on a few demerit goods like hydrocarbons, is now essential." Mr. Kelkar asserted. 
• While the Union Finance Ministry providing support to the GST Council during its formative decade is "understandable", Mr. Kelkar cautioned that it is possible that State governments may not always feel that the present administrative arrangement is neutral in terms of its support or the advice it offers to the GST Council. 
• He also pleaded for GST revenues to be shared with the third tier of the government. 
• "Equitable sharing of the GST with the third tien will go a long way in strengthening the fiscal base o our urban government and also to deepen democracy and governance at the grassroot level," Mr. Kelkan said. "To enable this, we will require a Constitutional amendment, firstly to create the consolidated fund for the third tier of government; and secondly, GST reforms, where GST will be shared equitably by the Centre, State, and local governments such as municipal corporations," he underlined. Such an arrangement, he noted, would also bolster the quality of governance as citizens' demand for quality public goods will grow louder. 

13.'U.S., Britain, Australia mulling expansion of AUKUS security pact to counter China’ 

• The U.S., Britain and Australia are set to begin talks on bringing new members into their AUKUS security pact as Washington pushes for Japan to be involved as a deterrent against China, the Financial Times reported. 
• The countries' Defence Ministers will announce discussions on Monday on "Pillar Two" of the pact, which commits the members to jointly developing quantum computing, undersea, hypersonic, artificial intelligence and cyber technology, the newspaper reported on Saturday. 
• They are not considering expanding the first pillar, which is designed to deliver nuclear-powered attack submarines to Australia. AUKUS, formed by the three countries in 2021, is part of their efforts to push back against China's growing power in the Indo-Pacific region. 
• Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. Ambassador in Tokyo, wrote in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that Japan was "about to become the first additional Pillar II partner". 
• U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will likely discuss expanding AUKUS to include Japan when the President hosts the Prime Minister in Washington on Wednesday, a source said. 

14.Wayward elephant Price stability must remain non-negotiable 

• The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee TOP has opted to keep the benchmark policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for a seventh consecutive meeting citing food price pressures that are impeding its efforts to slow inflation to the 4% target on a durable basis. Explaining the rate decision and the MPC's resolve to keep the policy stance focused on the withdrawal of accommodation, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das remarked that the 'elephant in the room inflation', which had hit a peak of 7.8% in April 2022, 'appeared to be returning to the forest after having gone out for a walk". "We would like the elephant to return to the forest and remain there on a durable basis," he said, emphasizing that in the best interest of the economy, it was essential to ensure that retail inflation continued to moderate and aligned to the target on a durable basis. 
• The monetary authority's repeated emphasis on 'a durable basis' underlines its concern that headline inflation and food price inflation in particular have remained stubbornly unpredictable, with the headline Consumer Price Index-based reading stuck above the RBI's 4% target for 53 months through February 2024. Nor are the MPC's projections for price stability in the new fiscal year significantly reassuring in terms of the target: CPI inflation is expected to slow slightly to an average of 4.9% in the current quarter, then decelerate markedly and dip below target to 3.9% in Q2, before quickening again to 4.6% and 4.5% in Q3 and Q4, respectively. 
• The MPC is, however, more confident about the outlook for economic growth in the 12 months through March 2025, with the GDP expected to expand by 7% on average this year. For this it cites a multiplicity of factors: from expectations of a normal south-west monsoon, that it posits will boost agricultural activity and rural demand, to sustained momentum in the manufacturing and services sectors. 
• It also points to the RBI's March round of the consumer confidence survey, which indicates that urban households are less pessimistic about the current situation and anticipate improvements in one year's time on all five key parameters surveyed. Monetary policymakers assert that improving incomes and a rise in readiness to spend on non-essentials augur well for a strengthening in private consumption, which has been struggling for momentum in recent quarters. It is the expectation of strong growth that gives the RBI the policy space to focus on targeting inflation, Mr. Das said. Only too aware that sticky inflation has not only dampened discretionary spending so far but also led to a sharp surge in personal loans for meeting essential expenditure, the RBI chief's determination to send the elephant back to the forest or risk seeing growth lose momentum again is well justified. Price stability can and must be non-negotia became. 

15.According to business environment ranking, Singapore is the best place for business in the world 

• According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's business environment rankings, Singapore, Denmark and the United States are the top three places in the world to do business.
• Germany and Switzerland are ranked fourth and fifth, while Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Finland feature in the world's top 10 best places to do business. 
• "Singapore will remain the best geography in the world to do business, as it has for the last 16 years," Priyanthi Roy, country forecast manager and Europe analyst at the EIU, told CNBC. 
• The EIU's Business Environment Index measures the attractiveness of the business environment in 82 countries and territories, examining 91 indicators spanning 11 different categories. 
• The EIU's ranking is measured based on indicators such as inflation, cost of living, economic growth and fiscal policies. 

India 

• Some notable "big improvers" that scored well on the index were countries such as Greece, Qatar and India. India has been ranked 51st in the overall ranking. 
• India ranks among the top three best investment destinations among the “big reformers”, attributing the country's appeal to the size of its domestic market and workforce potential. 
• EIU expects strong economic growth for India from 2024 to 2028, "India is the only single-country market that offers potential scale comparable to China," the report said. The report said the country's young demographic profile bodes well for its labor force and future demand. 

16.Populist candidate Peter Pellegrini wins Slovakia's presidential election 

• Peter Pellegrini, the populist candidate for the nationalist-left government in Slovakia, has won the presidential election. The proRussian Mr Pellegrini defeated proWestern candidate Ivan Korcok, strengthening pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico's grip on the country. 
• Populist Prime Minister Peter received 53.85% of the vote in the election with ballots from more than 98% of polling stations counted by the Statistics Office, with former Foreign Minister Korçok receiving 46.14%. 
• Pellegrini will replace outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, the country's first female head of state. Pellegrini becomes the sixth president of Slovakia since the country gained independence following the breakup of Czechoslovakia in 1993. 
• Last month, no candidate got 50 percent of the votes in the first round, due to which a second round of voting had to be conducted. The government that came to power in October includes Fico's Smar party, Pellegrini's Halas and the small far-right SNS. He has stopped military aid to Ukraine. 
• Pellegrini was prime minister from 2018 to 2020 after Fico was ousted from his previous term following the murders of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée. 
• The President of Slovakia has the power to ratify international treaties as well as veto laws passed by the Parliament and appoint top judges. The post also serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Pellegrini will be sworn in on June 15, 2024. 

17.World Health Day 2024 celebrated on 7 April 

• World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April to raise global health awareness. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this year's theme as 'My Health, My Right' to address the serious shortage of essential health services for more than half the world's population, i.e. at least 4.5 billion people. 
• According to the World Health Organization, this theme aims to promote the right of everyone, everywhere to access health services, education and information. It also focuses on promoting access to drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions and freedom from discrimination for all sections of society.
• One of the 11 official global health campaigns run by WHO, World Health Day has its origins in 1948 when the first health assembly was organized by the organization where 7th of April, which was also the founding date of WHO, was decided to celebrate as World Health Day.
• World Health Day was first celebrated by WHO in 1950 to mark the establishment of the organization and draw global attention to the importance of health. The WHO Council has found that at least 140 countries recognize health as a human right in their constitutions. Yet countries are not passing or putting into practice laws  to ensure that their populations are entitled to access health services. 

18. 6 April -International Day of Sports for Development and Peace 2024 

• On 6 April, International Day of Sports for Development and Peace is celebrated annually. This year's theme is "Sports to promote peaceful and inclusive societies". 
• In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared that 6 April is to be observed as the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace. 
• The first modern Olympics was held in Athens on 6 April 1896. Since 2014, this day has been celebrated annually across the planet. In 2015, sport was included in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals as it was recognized to play an important role in sustainable development. 

19.6 April – National Library Day 2024 

• National Library Day is celebrated every year on 6th April across the country. The day not only highlights the importance of libraries but also celebrates the countless stories, ideas and knowledge they contain. 
• In India, huge libraries existed in universities like Takshashila and Nalanda since ancient times. Apart from India, great libraries were also found in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and China. 

20.World Economic Forum announces Young Global Leaders Community for the year 2024 

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced the 20th edition of its Young Global Leaders Community: The Class of 2024. The list includes around 90 individuals under the age of 40 from various fields including politics, business, civil society, arts and academia. 
• This year 7 Indians have been selected for the Young Global Leaders Programme. They are: Bhumi Pednekar (Actress, Arts & Culture), Advait Nair (Business, Nykaa Fashion), Arjun Bhartia (Business, Jubilant Group), Priya Agarwal Hebbar (Business, Vedanta Limited) Shashwat Goenka (Business, Goenka Group), Richa Bajpai (social entrepreneur) and Sharad Vivek Sagar (social entrepreneur). 
• WEF's Young Global Leaders Program was launched in 2005 and aims to identify the future generation of leaders who can contribute to tackling the world's most pressing challenges. 
• The World Economic Forum is an international non-profit organization headquartered in Cologne, Switzerland. It was founded in 1971 by Klaus Schwab with the goal of promoting publicprivate collaboration to address global issues. 
• The WEF is known for its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, as well as its research and reports such as the Global Gender Gap Report, the Global Competitiveness Report and the Energy Transition Index. 

21.'Akashteer' command and control system included in Indian Army for air defense 

• The Indian Army has taken the initiative to induct 'Akashteer Control and Reporting System' under 'Project Akashteer' to enhance its air defense capabilities. Developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) as part of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative. 
• The project aims to provide an unprecedented level of situational awareness and control to the force to ensure the safety of friendly aircraft and engage hostile aircraft in contested airspace. 
• The deployment of 'Akashteer' began with the flagging off of the first batch of control centers from BEL-Ghaziabad. By combining radar and communication systems at all levels into an integrated network, 'Akashteer' aims to provide unprecedented levels of situational awareness and control. 
• The system's control centers, which are designed to be vehicle-based and mobile, can maintain operational capabilities even in challenging communications environments. This system will facilitate the achievement of complete automation of air defense operations and significantly enhance India's air defense posture. 
• With 2024 designated as the 'Tech Absorption Year', the induction of Akashteer control centers will meet the present and future requirements of complex air defense operations. 

'Project Akashteer' 

• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and the Defense Ministry had signed a contract in April 2023 to procure automated air defense control and reporting system 'Project Akashteer' for the Indian Army worth Rs 1,982 crore. 
• Project Aakashteer is a new automation initiative under which new systems, mostly indigenous, are being incorporated with new technologies keeping in mind the new realities. 

Junput village of West Bengal - DRDO's new test center 

• The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has launched a project in West Bengal's Junput village to set up a testing center for the country's weapon systems. 
• Like Chandipur in Odisha, Junput, which is known for its Integrated Test Range (ITR), is also located near the Bay of Bengal. Junput is 177 km from Kolkata and 40 km from the popular sea resort town of Digha. 
• Located in the coastal region of West Bengal, this proposed site covers 8.73 acres of land and also meets the requisite safety norms. 
• DRDO means Defense Research and Development Organization. It was established in 1958 by the Government of India under the Ministry of Defense (Ministry of Defence). 

22.According to a report of the Atomic Energy Commission, 1 lakh MW nuclear power capacity will be established by the year 2047. 

• According to a report titled 'Synchronizing Energy Transition towards a Potential Net Zero for India: Affordable and Clean Energy for All', India aims to increase its nuclear power generation from the current level of over 8,000 MW to 1 lakh MW by 2047. Atomic Energy Commission Chairman A.K. Mohanty highlighted this goal while releasing a report on the energy transition. 
• The Department of Atomic Energy is preparing a vision document for the 'Amrit Kaal', which includes a plan to reach a nuclear capacity of about 100 GW by 2047. 
• Fast breeder reactors will contribute 3 GW of nuclear power, while 17.6 GW will come from light water reactors built with international cooperation, and another 40-45 GW will come from pressurized heavy water reactors. 
• The report suggests that if India wants to phase out the use of coal over the next three decades, it should build infrastructure for alternative sources such as nuclear power, and build flexible grid infrastructure to support renewable energy and storage. 
• It also advises that if India continues to depend on coal, it should explore bioenergy with carbon dioxide technologies (CDR), such as carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and CCUS, to realize its long-term potential. 

Plan to end urea import by 2025 

• India is committed to curbing urea imports by 2025 by increasing domestic production and advocating alternative fertilizers, aiming to reduce the dependence on imports that currently satisfies 30%. 
• 30% of demand is still met through imports, with the major sources being Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 
• Encouraging the use of alternative fertilizers like Nano Liquid Urea and Nano Liquid DAP is an important part of the strategy. Initiatives by organizations like IFFCO and Coromandel International Limited are contributing to this effort. 
• The government gives huge subsidy on fertilizers, Rs 1.64 lakh crore has been allocated for fertilizer subsidy in 2024-25. Mandaviya said installed domestic production capacity has increased from 225 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to about 310 lakh tonnes. 
• According to government data, the import of urea has declined to 75.8 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 from 91.36 lakh tonnes last year. 

23.Novak Djokovic becomes the oldest player in the world to achieve number 1 position in ATP ranking history 

• 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic continued to set records on the ATP Tour as he started his 419th week as world No. 1 and extended his massive record. 
• Serbian player Novak will surpass Roger Federer's record as the oldest No. 1 in the history of the ATP rankings on April 8, 2024, when he will be 36 years and 321 days old. Roger Federer was 36 years and 320 days old when he last held the top spot in 2018. 
• Also last week marked his recordextending 419th week as world No. 1, putting him 109 weeks ahead of second-ranked Federer (310 weeks). Only eight players have been ATP No. 1 in their 30s: Djokovic (36), Federer (36), Andre Agassi (33), Rafael Nadal (33), John Newcombe (30), Jimmy Connors (30), Ivan Lendl (30) and Andy Murray (30). 
• The women's record stands at 35 years and 230 days – that of Serena Williams, when she spent her last day at the top of the WTA rankings on May 15, 2017. 
• Only three female players have touched the WTA No. 1 ranking at age 30: Williams (35), Chris Evert (30) and Martina Navratilova (30). Novak first reached the top 10 in March 2007 at the age of 19, and a few weeks later he won his first Masters 1000 title in Miami. Novak has 24 career Grand Slam titles and 40 career Masters 1000 titles. 
• Djokovic initially achieved world No. 1 on July 4, 2011 at the age of 24. In contrast, both of Serbia's leading 'Big 3' competitors, Federer and Rafael Nadal, reached No. 1 for the first time at the age of 22. 
• Djokovic's most recent rival for the top spot, Carlos Alcaraz, became the youngest No. 1 in ATP rankings history in September 2022 at the age of 19.