IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF APRIL 2nd, 2017

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF APRIL 2nd, 2017

• On 2nd April (2nd April 2017) is World Autism Awareness Day.
• It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution "62/139.
• This day was adopted on 18 December 2007, it was proposed by Qatar, and supported by all UN member states.
• Theme of World Autism Awareness Day 2017 : "Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination"
• Note : It is estimated that more than 80% of adults with autism are unemployed.
• US President Donald Trump has declaredApril to be "National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month" saying that April would be a reminder that "Women, children, and men have inherent dignity that should never be violated".
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razakahead of delegation-level talks in New Delhi On 2nd April. 
• The Malaysian PM, who is on a six-day visit to India, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan earlier in the day.
• Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost has said that Iran is willing to mediate between Pakistan and India over the long-standing issue of Kashmir, if requested. 
• Any conflict or tension between the two countries (Pakistan and India) will hinder the development of both the countries apart from impacting the economies of other regional countries, said Honardoost.
• Haryana government will provide a one-time grant of ₹21,000 to all those families whose third girl child was born after August 24, 2015, under the Aapki Beti, Hamari Beti scheme.
• The eligible families will receive the amount irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, income and number of sons.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi On 2nd April inaugurated India's longest road tunnel– the Chenani-Nashri tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. 
• The ₹3,720 crore-tunnel is 9.28 km long and would reportedly reduce the distance between Jammu and Srinagar by about 30 km and travel time by two hours. 
• It is also expected to result in fuel savings of ₹27 lakh daily    .
• The Maharashtra Assembly On 2nd April passed an amendment to the law, makingthose found guilty of assaulting government officials or elected representatives while discharging their duties, punishable by imprisonment offive years. 
• The offence currently bears a maximum punishment of three years' imprisonment.
• In what is believed to be a first, Karnataka Tourism will organise a surfing festival during 27th to 29th May 2017.
• The festival will be held at the Sasithithlu Beach in Mangalore.
• The government has planned to change security features of ₹2,000 and ₹500banknotes every 3-4 years in accordance with the global standards to keep a check on counterfeiting. 
• The move came after fake currency notes were recovered post demonetisation.
• Quick Review SBI rules applicable from April 1st
• SBI will charge a penalty on non-maintenance of monthly average balance in accounts starting Saturday. 
• Further, cash withdrawals will attract a charge of up to ₹20 after three transactions from different banks' ATMs monthly, and ₹10 after five withdrawals from SBI ATMs.
• There'll be no such charge if account balance exceeds ₹25,000 in SBI ATMs or ₹1 lakh in others.
• Rakesh Sharma flew aboard the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft on this day (2nd April) of the year 1984, to become the first Indian to go to space. 
• Sharma, a joint ISRO-Soviet space programme cosmonaut spent seven days 21 hours and 40 minutes in space. 
• When asked how India looks from outer space by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Sharma recited "Saare Jahan Se Achcha".
• China is going to launch a network of 156 minisatellites to facilitate global broadband coverage and commercial space development. 
• The small low-cost satellites would be placed in an orbit 1,000 km above Earth to form a network to improve internet access.
• The project plans to send the first satellite before 2018, and all 156 satellites by 2025, Chinese news agency reported.
• NASA is planning to build an astronaut-tended space station or "deep space gateway" in the lunar orbit that would help prepare for missions to deep space destinations including Mars.
• The project is scheduled to begin in late 2018. 
• NASA also aims to develop a deep space transport spacecraft for crewed missions to deep space destinations such as Mars, by 2030.
• India won its second ODI World Cup after 28 years on this day (2nd April) in the year 2011, defeating Sri Lanka at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
• With the win, India became the third country to win the World Cup twice and the first to win it on home soil. 
• Captain MS Dhoni was the man of the match for his 91* and last ball six.
• India's women's T20I team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been namedPlayer of the Year by Australia's Women's Big Bash League team Sydney Thunder. 
• Harmanpreet earlier had become the first Indian cricketer to play in Australia's Big Bash League, when she was picked by the team last year. 
• Note : She played 13 matches for the team, scoring 296 runs.