Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 18 April 2021

::NATIONAL::

Gender Samvaad aims to establish a shared platform to generate awareness on NRLM’s gender interventions across the country

As part of the AzadikaAmrutMahotsav launched by the Prime Minister of India, the Ministry of Rural Development’s DeendayalAntyodayaYojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE) at LEAD, jointly launched Gender Samvaad on 16 April 2021.
Gender Samvaad, is a unique, joint attempt between DAY-NRLM and IWWAGE to establish a shared platform to generate awareness on NRLM’s gender interventions across the country, with a focus on hearing voices from the states and of SHG members. The virtual launch event brought together over 1,400 participants, including senior MoRD and state government officials, practitioners, gender experts, academia, civil society actors, and members of self-help groups.
At the launch event, ShriNagendraNathSinha, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, remarked, “In 2022, India would be celebrating its 75th year of independence. To celebrate this milestone, thegovernment has organized an AzadikaAmrutMahotsav. The celebration calls for merging the bestof traditions with an AtmanirbharBharat.The self-help group movement is one such tradition.”
At the event a short film was launched by the Joint Secretary, NRLM, Smt. Nita Kejrewal, who highlighted the extensive efforts undertaken by DAY-NRLM in empowering women and creating model institutions to address women’s issues in rural areas. The film showcases DAY- NRLM’s gender strategy and the various pilot interventions underway to set up institutional platforms for rural women to access justice, information and entitlements. According to Smt. AlkaUpadhyaya, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, “DAY-NRLM has empowered women both economically and socially. Strong social protection systems can reduce the vulnerabilities and the multidimensional nature of poverty that affect women and men differently. DAY-NRLM aims to address gender inequality by strengthening women’s institutions.”

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::International::

America will end the limit imposed on refugees

President Joe Biden's administration announced Friday he was scrapping his pledge for a rapid expansion in the number of refugees allowed into the United States, but seemed to backtrack later in the day after fierce blowback from within his Democratic Party.
The outcry came after a senior administration official said Biden would maintain the historically low ceiling of 15,000 people resettled a year, a number set by predecessor Donald Trump who had imposed hardline border policies.
The Biden administration had recently stated it wanted to allow in about 60,000 refugees annually, ramping up to double the following year. That aim had been part of the Democrat's broader promise to end harsh anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiment whipped up by Trump.
Instead, the White House will keep the strict 15,000 limit so that it can "rebuild" a broken program and deal with pandemic-related complications, said the official, who asked not to be identified.
After a top Democrat and refugee aid groups slammed Biden's target as "appallingly low" and "deeply disappointing," the White House issued a statement later Friday saying the number was provisional.

::Economy::

Reserve Bank of India constituted Regulations Review Authority 2.0

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a Regulations Review Authority (RRA 2.0), initially for a period of one year from 1 May to streamline regulations and reduce the compliance burden of regulated entities.
The RRA will review the regulatory prescriptions internally as well as by seeking suggestions from the RBI regulated entities and other stakeholders on their simplification and ease of implementation.
Headed by SBI Managing Director S Janakiraman, the advisory group will assist the RRA by identifying regulations, guidelines, and returns that can be rationalised.
The RRA has constituted an Advisory Group, representing members from regulated entities, including compliance officers, to support the RRA in achieving the objective set forth in the terms of reference of RRA 2.0.
Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor M RajeshwarRao was appointed as the Regulations Review Authority.
Other members of the advisory group are T TSrinivasaraghavan (Former Managing Director and Non-Executive Director, Sundaram Finance), Gautam Thakur (Chairman,Saraswat Co-operative Bank), SubirSaha (Group Chief Compliance Officer, ICICI Bank), Ravi Duvvuru (President and CCO, Jana Small Finance Bank), and AbadaanViccaji (Chief Compliance Officer, HSBC India).

World's slowest growth rate to be recorded in sub-Saharan Africa in 2021: IMF

Sub-Saharan Africa is set to record the slowest economic growth of any world region this year as the continent struggles to bounce back from a pandemic-induced downturn, the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Wealthy countries must step up to ease access to vital vaccines and make financing available to Africa, where the global health crisis and its economic fallout plunged 32 million people into extreme poverty last year, the Fund said.
"Really, how the international community can help the region is by improving access to vaccines," Abebe Selassie, the head of the IMF's Africa Department, said in an interview ahead of Thursday's publication of the regional economic outlook for sub-Saharan Africa.
The continent has fallen behind much of the rest of the world in the vaccination race as countries with the financial means to reserve shots have cornered supplies. Current trends indicate few African countries will be able to make vaccines widely availability before 2023.
Selassie said mechanisms like the World Health Organization-backed COVAX vaccine facility already exist to channel shots to countries in need. "But these need to be matched with financing and investment to massively scale-up the global supply of vaccines as quickly as possible," he said.
After shrinking by 1.9% last year - its worst contraction on record - sub-Saharan Africa's regional economy will grow by 3.4% in 2021, according to the regional outlook. That's well below a forecast for global growth of 5.5%.

::Science and tech::

What is the S-400 Triumf SA-21 Growler?

In view of the standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India had requested Russia to expedite the delivery of S-400 air defence system. Technically it was not possible.
Russia is going to deliver the first regimental set of S-400 Triumf ‘SA-21 Growler’ air defence systems. Sources have confirmed to Financial Express Online, “Though specific month or date has been confirmed yet, the Russian side is going to deliver the first set later this year.”
Financial Express Online had reported earlier quoting Russian officials about the delivery of the first set, in later 2021. In view of the standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India had requested Russia to expedite the delivery of S-400 air defence system. Technically it was not possible.