24th APRIL CURRENT AFFAIRS

24th APRIL CURRENT AFFAIRS

1. National Panchayati Raj Day - APRIL 24th

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is celebrating National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) on 24th April 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi which is observed every year on 24th April.

The day commemorates the enactment of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act,1992 that gave constitutional status and legal recognition to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India.

In 2026 the act marks 33 years of that defining milestone in India's democratic journey.

The 2026 theme is "Sashakt Panchayat, Sarvangeen Vikas".

On this occasion celebration, Report on Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI)-2.0 and 3 books on ‘Meri Panchayat Meri Dharohar’ will be released by the Ministry’s, ‘Panchayat Dharohar Initiative’

the three illustrated publications on rural heritage to be released are: a Monograph on Rural Heritage of Tripura, a Monograph on Rural Heritage of Tirupati and ‘Uttarkashi: Saumya Kashi: The Soul of Himalayan Heritage’.

The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0

It is an upgraded, data-driven tool launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to assess the performance of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across India, based on nine Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) themes.

It simplifies PAI 1.0 by reducing indicators from 516 to 147, focusing on better data quality and actionable insights for local governance.

PANCHAYAT RELATED

vPart - lX & Article (243-243 O)

Schedule -11th schedule

73rd CAA 1992

COMMITTEE ON PANCHAYAT

Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957

Ashok Mehta Committee (1977)

G.V.K. Rao Committee (1985)

L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986)

P.K. Thungan Committee (1988)

Gadgil committee (1988)

3 Tier Panchayat System

2.South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s Visit to India from 19-21 April 2026

Lee Jae Myung, the President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) paid a state visit to India from 19th to 21st April 2026 at the invitation of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, marking the first state visit to India by a South Korean President in eight years.

On 20 April 2026, PM Modi and President Lee held a bilateral meeting at Hyderabad House, New Delhi

key outcomesare:

Establishment of an Industrial Cooperation Committee (ICC);

framework for the India–Korea Digital Bridge focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and Information Technology (IT)

Resumption of negotiations to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA);

cultural exchange Programme for 2026–2030 and cooperation in sports

3. Justice Lisa Gill Appointed Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court

In April 2026, Justice Lisa Gill was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh(AP) High Court, effective April 25, 2026, following the retirement of Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur.

She becomes the first woman Chief Justice of the AP High Court after her recent transfer from Punjab & Haryana High Court.

Appointment Process:

The Supreme Court Collegium recommended Justice Gill’s appointment on February 27, 2026, following the government’s consultation process.

President of India Droupadi Murmu notified her appointment in exercise of powers under Article 217(1) of the Constitution-Appointment of HC Judges

Justice M. Fathima Beevi was the first woman judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court of India, breaking the gender barrier in the nation's highest court in 1989.

Justice Nagarathna is also set to be the first female Chief Justice of India in September 2027, with a tenure of just 36 days

1st Woman Chief Justice of Madras HC: Justice Kanta Kumari Bhatnagar (1992).

4.Srikanth Velamakanni: Appointed as the new Chairman of NASSCOM.

Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-founder and Group Chief Executive of Fractal Analytics, has been appointed as the new Chairperson of NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies)

NASSCOM(National Association of Software and Service Companies)

It is India’s premier non-governmental trade association and advocacy group for the technology industry.

Founded in 1988

nasscom's primary objective is to establish India as a global hub for innovation and digital talent.

Driving Sector Growth: nasscom represents an industry that is projected to cross $315 billion in revenue for FY26. It has successfully advocated for India as a global hub, with exports expected to reach $224 billion.

Scaling Global Capability Centers (GCCs): It has turned India into the "GCC capital of the world,"

5. World’s First Permanent Nuclear Waste Vault

Finland is preparing to operationalise the world’s first permanent underground repository for highly radioactive nuclear waste.

Located beneath Olkiluoto Island, the Onkalo facility is designed to safely store spent nuclear fuel for up to 100,000 years.

Finland’s repository is expected to store around 6,500 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel.

The project marks a major step in solving one of nuclear energy’s biggest long-term challenges—safe disposal of radioactive waste.

Depth is essential for long-term safety. At 400 metres below the surface, the waste remains protected from earthquakes, extreme weather, human interference and environmental changes.

The underground location also limits oxygen and groundwater exposure, reducing corrosion risks.