Current affairs 19 April 2023

India saw a record of ₹149.5 trillion UPI, card transactions in 2022.

• According to a report by a French payment and transactional services firm, Bengaluru has topped the list of Indian cities in terms of the highest digital transactions in the year 2022.
• The city recorded 29 million transactions worth ₹6500 crore in 2022.
• Delhi ranked second followed by Mumbai, Pune, and Chennai.
• Report title: India Digital Payments Annual Report
• Payment modes like UPI, Debit and Credit cards processed 87.92 billion transactions.

Kenya launches first operational satellite into space.

• Kenya has successfully launched its inaugural earth observation satellite, Taifa-1 using a SpaceX rocket from the United States
• The satellite was carried by the Falcon 9 rocket, launched from Vandenberg Base in California.
• It was developed over a two-year period at a cost of 50 million Kenyan shillings, with assistance from the Bulgarian aerospace firm Endurosat
• Additionally, under SpaceX’s rideshare initiative, the launch rocket carried 50 payloads from other countries

India to Chair Commonwealth group on Reform of financial architecture.

• Finance ministers from various Commonwealth countries have agreed for India to be the chair of the Finance Ministers Working Group for a Commonwealth Call for Reform of the Global Financial Architecture.
• While Nigeria has been elected as the deputy chair of the Finance Ministers Working Group.
• Their collective call for reform came at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers High-Level Working Group Meeting in Washington DC
• Commonwealth Secretary-General: Patricia Scotland KC

PM Modi to inaugurate first Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi.

• PM Modi will inaugurate the first Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi on April 20, 2023.
• Theme 2023: Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis
• This two-day summit will be hosted by the Ministry of Culture and its grantee body International Buddhist Confederation.
• It will be attended by scholars, Sangha leaders, and Dharma practitioners from all over the world.
• It will also enhance the cultural and diplomatic relationships with other countries.

Tribal Affairs Minister launches PTP-NER scheme in Manipur.

• Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda has launched the Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North-Eastern Region (PTP-NER) scheme in Manipur.
• This scheme has been introduced for the benefit of Scheduled Tribes of the North-Eastern Region.
• Vision: To strengthen the livelihood opportunities for tribal artisans through increased efficiency in procurement, logistics and marketing of tribal products from North Eastern States.