• Astronomers are looking forward to opening a new window on the universe by posting high-resolution telescopes on the moon, and in orbit around it.
• There are numerous proposals to do this from astronomers around the world — including one from India called

ABOUT PRATUSH TELESCOPE:

• Probing ReionizATion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen (PRATUSH) is a radio telescope to be sited on the moon’s far side.
• It is being built by the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru with active collaboration from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• It aims to uncover the Cosmic Dawn of the Universe, answering questions about the formation of the first stars, their nature, and the light they emitted.
• The project focuses on studying the Cosmic Dawn and Epoch of Reionization (EoR) using radiation from neutral hydrogen gas, which emits a signal at a 21-cm wavelength.
• This signal can provide insights into the early Universe’s transition from neutral to ionized states.
• PRATUSH will carry instruments designed to detect this weak signal, operating over a frequency band of 30-250 MHz.
• Its observations will be free from ground-based interference, enabling more accurate measurements.

• The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 5 per cent as retail inflation continues to be above its target of 4 per cent.
• This is the seventh consecutive meeting that the MPC has maintained a status quo on the repo rate.
• This is the first monetary policy statement of the current financial year 2024-25.
• The RBI has maintained India’s fiscal year 2025 GDP growth target at 7%.
• The Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) FY2025 forecast unchanged at 5%.
• Policy Rates:
  • Repo Rate: 6.5%
  • Standing Deposit Facility Rate: 6.25%
  • Marginal Standing Facility Rate: 6.75%
  • Bank Rate: 6.75%
  • Fixed Reverse Repo Rate: 3.35%

ABOUT MPC:

• The Monetary Policy Committee was constituted under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
• MPC is a six-member committee comprising three members from RBI including Governor Shaktikanta Das and three members appointed by the Central government.

• Dinesh Vaghela, one of the founding members of the Aam Aadmi Party, died at his residence in
• He was 72.
• Vaghela, popularly referred to as ‘Babaji’ by colleagues, was a member of the national executive of the Aam Aadmi Party and was among the earliest members to join the party after the ‘India Against Corruption’ that began in

• Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has been roped in by the Election Commission of India to urge the youngsters to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
• The 39-year-old actor features in the ECI’s campaign video that encourages the youth to exercise their franchise in the upcoming elections.
• The Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held in seven phases from April 19. The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

• The International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is observed on April 4, annually to raise public attention towards mine action activities, the land mines, its threats to the safety of mankind and how to work towards its elimination.
• The theme of International Mining Awareness Day 2024 is “Protecting Lives. Building Peace.”
• On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April each year would be observed as the UN Mine Awareness Day. It was first celebrated on 4 April 2006.
• It called for the establishment of national mine-operation capabilities in those countries with the assistance of the United Nations and related organizations.

• Santosh Kumar Jha, an Indian Railway Traffic Services (IRTS) officer of 1992 batch, will take the charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd., (KRCL).

ABOUT KONKAN RAILWAY CORPORATION LTD.

• The company started its full operations of trains on 26 January 1998.
• The first passenger train which ran on Konkan railway tracks on 20 March 1993 between Udupi and
• Konkan Railway Corporation is at the forefront of research and development of new technologies and concepts for Indian railways.

• Former KKR India Chief Executive Sanjay Nayar, a well-known name in the global financial markets, has assumed charge as President of industry chamber Assocham.
• He has replaced Ajay Singh, Co-Founder of low-cost airline SpiceJet, who has completed his tenure at the apex industry chamber.

ABOUT ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF INDIA:

• ASSOCHAM is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group based in New Delhi (headquarters). This organization represents the interests of trade and commerce in India.
• The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India is one of the largest trade associations in India. ASSOCHAM was established in the year 1920 to create value for Indian industry.
• ASSOCHAM has more than 200 chambers and trade organizations across India. It has more than 450,000 members.
• ASSOCHAM has played an important role in shaping the business, commerce and industrial environment of the country.
• At the same time, ASSOCHAM has made a significant contribution in achieving a special place in international trade and the emergence of a new Indian corporate world with global ambitions.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) is being conducting the country’s largest air military exercise in the name of ‘Gagan Shakti-2024’.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

• The exercise is held once in five years.
• It commenced on April 1, 2024, at Pokhran’s field firing range in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan.
• This exercise will continue till April 10 encompassing both western and northern fronts.
• The exercise is supported by the Indian Army, which is facilitating logistical operations to ensure the smooth movement of around 10,000 IAF personnel and ammunition across India.
• Various fighter planes and helicopters such as Tejas, Rafale, Sukhoi 30, Jaguar, Globemaster, Chinook, Apache, and Prachanda are participating in ‘Gagan Shakti,’ validating the operational readiness and effectiveness of the Indian Air Force.
• It was last held in 2018, during which the IAF completed over 11,000 sorties during the two-phase air manoeuvres.

• Tech giants Microsoft and OpenAI have revealed plans to construct an unprecedented artificial intelligence supercomputer known as “Stargate.”
• This ambitious endeavor, estimated to cost a staggering $100 billion, represents a significant leap forward in AI infrastructure and capabilities.
• Microsoft is set to spearhead the financing of the project, with OpenAI contributing its expertise in AI research and development.
• The ambitious Stargate project aims for completion by 2028, marking the culmination of a series of supercomputers envisioned by the collaboration over the next six years.
• Stargate represents the pinnacle of this collaboration, positioned as the fifth and final phase of a meticulously planned endeavor.
• The monumental budget primarily encompasses the acquisition of, a necessity for powering the supercomputer’s advanced capabilities.
• The surging demand for GPUs, driven by the explosive growth of generative AI, has resulted in a market bottleneck.
• Project aims to diversify its chip suppliers to mitigate scarcity and price volatility. Both Microsoft and Nvidia have announced custom-designed computing chips, indicating a strategic move towards self-sufficiency in chip technology and reducing reliance on external suppliers.

• The Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh has received its first Geographical Indication (GI) tag for a farm produce.
• The indigenous farm produce wheat, popularly known as Kathiya Gehu (wheat), has been conferred the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

ABOUT BUNDELKHAND KATHIYA GEHU

• It is Technically classified as “Triticum Durum”.
• This particular wheat has high nutritional value and a high fibre content.
• It is usually sown in the last week of October or first week of November and is harvested between March and April.
• This wheat has several medicinal values.

ABOUT GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION (GI)

• A GI is an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.
• Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.
• It is a mark of authenticity and ensures that registered authorized users or at least those residing inside the geographic territory are allowed to use the popular product names.
• GI tag in India is governed by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 which is issued by the Geographical Indications Registry (Chennai).
• The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years which can be renewed from time to time for further period of 10 years each.
• The first product in India to be accorded with GI tag was Darjeeling tea in the year 2004-05.