1. The National civil services day is observed on April 21

• The National civil services day is observed on April 21. The civil service system is the backbone of the administrative machinery of the country. 
• The civil servants are responsible for implementing all the government policies and schemes successfully up to the root level.
• April 21 was chosen to be celebrated as Civil Service Day to commemorate the day when the first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi. 
• In his address, he called Civil Servants, the 'steel frame of India'.

2. HRD Minister reviews National online education platform 'SWAYAM'

• Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' held a detailed review of the National online education platform SWAYAM and the 32 DTH Television Education Channels SWAYAM PRABHA in New Delhi. 
• In the lockdown condition there has been a tremendous increase in demand and the usage of SWAYAM Courses and SWAYAM PRABHA videos.
• The Ministry in a statement said that 1902 courses are available currently in SWAYAM, which have been offered to 1.56 crore students since launch.

Foot notes: About HRD ministry
Founded: 26 September 1985
Minister: Ramesh Pokhriyal
Headquarters: New Delhi

3. Madhya Pradesh Anganwadi workers, Assistants to get benefit of Chief Minister COVID-19 Yoddha Kalyan Yojana

• In Madhya Pradesh, around one lakh Anganwadi workers and Assistants of the state will get the benefit of Chief Minister COVID-19 Yoddha Kalyan Yojana. Under this initiative, they will also get a special health insurance cover of Rs 50 lakhs.
• It is noteworthy that a special insurance scheme has been launched by the Central Government for health workers who are fighting against the COVID-19 epidemic.
• Anganwadi workers are taking risks by conducting door-to-door surveys in every district. Besides, they are also visiting from house to house for provide nutritional food to the children.
• In such a situation, they have contact with many people, which pose a risk of corona infection. Therefore, they should be given the benefit of this insurance scheme.

Foot Notes: About Madhya Pradesh
Capital: Bhopal
Governor: Lalji Tandon
Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

4. Himachal Pradesh to provide free online medical consultation to sick people through e-sanjeevani-opd

• In order to provide health services in the wake of COVID-19 Pandemic, the Himachal Pradesh Health Department has come up with a unique idea of providing free online medical consultation to sick people at their residence through e-sanjeevani-opd. 
• This free online health service has been started throughout the state and now people can consult to take health advice from the doctors of different medical colleges from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM on all working days.
• In view of COVID-19 pandemic sick people were feeling uncomfortable to visit hospitals, hence for this, the state government with the health department has come up with an idea of 'esanjeevaniopd' through which general health advice will be provided to the people at their residence throughout the state. 

Foot Notes: About Himachal Pradesh
Capital: Shimla
Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur

5. World Creativity and Innovation Day is a global UN day celebrated on April 21

• World Creativity and Innovation Day is a global UN day celebrated on April 21.
• The day is observed to raise awareness around the importance of creativity and innovation in problem-solving with respect to advancing the United Nations sustainable development goals, also known as the "global goals". 
• The founder of the day was the Canadian Marci Segal.

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6. New Development Bank's to provide 1 billion dollar emergency assistance to India

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman appreciated efforts of New Development Bank on fast tracking of financial assistance of about five billion dollars to BRICS countries including Emergency Assistance of one billion dollar to India to combat COVID-19 pandemic. 
• The NDB was established by the BRICS countries -Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in 2014. 
• NDB has so far approved 14 indian projects for an amount of 4,183 million dollar. 
• The purpose of the Bank is to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging market economies.

Foot notes: About New Development Bank
Headquarters location: Shanghai, China
President: K. V. Kamath
Founder: BRICS(Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)
Founded: 15 July 2014, Fortaleza, State of Ceará, Brazil

7. US President Trump appointed Indian-American Sudarsanam Babu to country's top science board

• Babu, who is from the prestigious Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has been appointed as a member of the National Science Board for a six-year term.
• Babu would be the third Indian American in this prestigious board. 
• The other two being Sethuraman Panchanathan from Arizona State University and Suresh V Garimella from University of Vermont.

8. Former IAS officer Kapil Dev Tripathi  appointed as the Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind

• Former IAS officer Kapil Dev Tripathi has been appointed as the Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind. 
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of Mr Tripathi for a term co-terminus with the tenure of the President.
• Mr  Tripathi, a 1980 batch IAS officer ( Retired)  of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, is at present the Chairman of Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB).

9. A book titled “How the Onion Got Its Layers” authored by Sudha Murty to release on April 23

• A book titled “How the Onion Got Its Layers” authored by Sudha Murty was published by Puffin. The book is being released in its e-book and audio form for young children.
• The book seeks answers to several questions related to the bulb like its many layers and why it brings tears to the eyes when cut.
• “How the Onion Got Its Layers” marks the first ever audio book by Murty and will be released on World Book Day, ie, April 23, 2020.This is the second book of the Chapter series by Murty, the first being “How the Sea Became Salty”.

10. BMW India CEO Rudratej Singh passes away

• Rudratej Singh, the President and CEO of BMW Group India, passed away. He was 46.
• Rudratej Singh joined BMW Group India on August 1, 2019.  Prior to that, he was serving as the Global President at Royal Enfield. 
• The 46-year-old had also worked with Unilever in India and international markets for more than 16 years.