IMPORTANT DAYS

International Jazz Day 2024 observed on April 30

• April 30 marks the annual observance of "International Jazz Day," a global celebration of the genre's cultural significance.

• The unifying power of music is celebrated on this occasion. The day aims to raise awareness of the merits of jazz as an educational tool.

• The Moroccan city of Tangier has been chosen as the 2024 global host city of International Jazz Day.

• The 2024 edition of International Jazz Day was celebrated in more than 190 countries on 30 April.

• UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock have greeted the people on the occasion.

• Globally, International Jazz Day originated in 2011.

• In the same year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared this day an opportunity to recognize jazz music and give it a voice by uniting people from all walks of life.

APPOINTMENTS

Justice Dinesh Kumar Appoints as the SAT Presiding officer

• Justice (retired) Dinesh Kumar took charge as the Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) on 29 April 2024.

• The government of India appointed Justice Dinesh Kumar for a four-year term.

• Before taking over as the presiding officer of SAT, Justice Dinesh Kumar was the chief justice of the Karnataka High Court.

• He retired from the post in February 2024.

• The Securities Appellate Tribunal is a statutory body established in 1992 under the provisions of the Securities Exchange Board of India Act 1992.

AWARDS

Pt. Lacchu Maharaj Award

• Renowned Hindi film stars Hema Malini and Saira Banu, alongside other distinguished figures from the realms of art and culture, are set to receive the esteemed Pandit Lacchu Maharaj Award.

• The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on 31st August 2024 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, honoring their significant contributions to their respective fields.

• The decision to confer the awards was made during a meeting convened at Bhatkhande Sanskriti University, Lucknow, under the leadership of the university's vice-chancellor, Prof. Mandavi Singh.

• The Lacchu Maharaj Award, Instituted in memory of the famous kathak exponent Lacchu Maharaj, was not given after 2014.

• Thus, the Pandit Lacchu Maharaj Ballet Foundation has decided to honour 10 personalities this year. No award has been announced for the year 2020 due to COVID-19.

2024 Goldman Environmental Prize

• Chhattisgarh's environmental activist and convenor of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan Alok Shukla has been selected for the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize for his Hasdeo Arand Movement.

• The Goldman Environmental Prize, also popularly known as the Green Nobel Prize, is awarded annually to grassroots environmental champions worldwide.

• Hasdeo Arand forest area of Chhattisgarh is considered to be the lungs of Chhattisgarh.

• The area is rich in coal, and in 2010, the government auctioned two coal blocks to private companies for mining.

• To save the forest area and its ecosystem, Alok Shukla founded Hasdeo Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

Ministry of Mines is organising critical minerals summit in New Delhi from 30 April 2024.

• The Ministry of Mines is set to host a pivotal event, the Critical Minerals Summit, in New Delhi starting from 30th April 2024.

• Themed "Enhancing Beneficiation and Processing Capabilities," this two-day summit aims to foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovation in critical mineral beneficiation and processing.

• Collaborating partners for this significant gathering include the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (Shakti), Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and the Indian Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD).

• Against the backdrop of India's ambitious clean energy objectives and rapid economic expansion, the summit takes on added importance, emphasizing the need for a domestic supply of critical raw materials.

• The event will convene a diverse array of stakeholders, including industry leaders, startups, government officials, scientists, academics, and policy experts, both from India and abroad.

• Through dynamic discussions and strategic exchanges, the summit aims to catalyze action and drive progress in the vital realm of critical mineral beneficiation and processing, aligning with India's sustainable development goals and energy security objectives.

BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCE

China now accounts for 30% of India's imports of industrial goods.

• China's presence in India's industrial goods imports has surged to 30%, up from 21% over the past 15 years, as reported by GTRI.

• A recent study released by the economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) sheds light on India's increasing reliance on Chinese industrial products, including electronics, machinery, and telecommunications.

• Despite India's consistent annual exports to China, hovering around USD 16 billion from 2019 to 2024, China's imports have surged from USD 70.3 billion in 2018–19 to over USD 101 billion in 2023–24.

• This upward trend has contributed to a cumulative trade deficit surpassing USD 387 billion over five years, raising concerns about economic stability and national security.

• The widening trade deficit with China is particularly concerning, with India's imports from all other nations growing at a rate 2.3 times slower than China's exports to India.

• China's substantial contribution to India's total merchandise imports in the fiscal year 2023–24 amounted to USD 101.8 billion, representing 15% of India's total imports.

• China's dominance is evident in specific sectors, such as machinery, where it contributes USD 19 billion, representing 39.6% of India's imports in this category.