1) India to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France:
--> Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10
April 2015 announced that India has requested France to give 36 Rafale fighter
jets in 'fly-away condition' as quickly as possible.
--> The decision on Rafale jets was
among the several agreements reached between the two countries after a meeting
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with French President Francois Hollande.
--> The major reasons for the direct
purchase of 36 Rafale jets from France are the fast-depleting fighter strength
of the Indian Air Force, unending delays in the Medium Multi-Role Combat
Aircraft negotiations and the steep price rise.
--> PM Modi and French President also
released stamps to mark 50 years of India-French cooperation.
--> Mr. Modi and Mr. Hollande enjoyed a
joint boat cruise on La Seine river here which was described as “Naav Pe
Charcha” (chat on the boat).
2) Renowned cricket commentator Richie Benaud passed away:
--> Former Australian captain and
renowned cricket commentator, Richie Benaud passed away, on 10 April 2015 in
Sydney.
--> The 84-year-old was receiving
radiation treatment for skin cancer since November.
--> Benaud represented his country in 64
Test matches between 1952 and 1964.
--> The all-rounder was the first player
to complete the 2000-run and 200-wicket double in Test cricket. Under his
captaincy Australia did not lose a single Test series.
--> He will certainly be remembered as
one of the greatest cricket commentators of all time.
--> Benaud was inducted into the ICC
Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.
3) Former IAF chief Moolgavkar is dead:
--> Ace pilot and former Chief of Air
Staff, Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar, passed away at the Command
Hospital in Pune on 10 April 2015.
--> Moolgavkar was commissioned in the
Royal Indian Air Force on November 30, 1940.
--> He served in the IAF for 38 years.
--> He took over as Chief of the Air
Staff on February 1, 1976, and took upon himself the task of bringing the IAF's
accident rate under control.
4) EPFO suspended minimum monthly pension scheme:
--> Retirement fund body EPFO has
suspended the Rs 1,000 minimum monthly pension scheme from this month, a
decision which will hit about 32 lakh pensioners.
--> The scheme was launched with effect
from September 2014, hiking the pension amount to a flat Rs 1,000 per month for
those who were getting lower amount earlier.
--> With the suspension of the scheme,
the beneficiaries will get pension at earlier rates.
--> Employees Provident Fund
Organisation (EPFO) said it has decided to suspend the scheme in the absence of
any direction from the government to continue this benefit beyond March 31.
5) Seoul is Global Earth Hour Capital 2015:
--> Seoul city, the capital and largest
metropolis of South Korea, on 9 April 2015 was awarded the title of Global
Earth hour Capital 2015 after it won the Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC) of
World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
6) Thane named India’s Earth Hour Capital:
--> An 11-member international jury has
declared Thane in Mumbai, Maharashtra the National Earth Hour Capital with the
city emerging the winner from India in the Earth Hour City Challenge this year.
--> Thane, Rajkot and Pune were the
finalists from India.
--> Coimbatore was selected as the
National Earth Hour Capital, last year.
7) Arun Kumar Jha appointed as CEO of Khadi and Village
Industries Commission (KVIC):
--> Arun Kumar Jha was on 10 April 2015
appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC), Mumbai.
--> Jha, a 1985-batch officer of Indian
Economics Service, is presently working as Director General, National Institute
of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) under the Ministry
of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
