Daily GK Update- 1st March, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Rajesh Malhotra appointed as Principal DG of PIB: Rajesh Malhotra, a 1989-batch IIS officer, has been appointed as the Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), with effect from March 1, 2023. He succeeded Satyendra Prakash, who was superannuated on February 28, 2023. He was associated with the ECI as in-charge of media and communication for 21 years (1996-2017). While Priya Kumar was named the Director General of Doordarshan News (DD News). She will succeed Mayank Agrawal.

 

2. MeitY launched Grievance Appellate Committee: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched a digital platform - Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC). Union MoS Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, established it. It is a faceless dispute-resolution mechanism that would make all platforms (big and small) accountable to digital citizens. In accordance with the modified IT Regulations, 2021, the IT Ministry announced that three GACs must be established.

 

3. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launches VAIBHAV Fellowships: Union MoS (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh has launched the VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme for the Indian Diaspora abroad. Aim: To improve the research ecosystem of India’s Higher Educational Institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between Indian Institutions and the best institutions in the world Eligible applicant: Should be NRI, PIO, or OCI. Must have obtained Ph.D/M.D/M.S degree from a recognized University.

 

4. Purushottam Rupala launched National Surveillance Programme phase 2: Union Minister for fisheries and animal husbandry, Purushottam Rupala, has launched phase 2 of the National Surveillance programme. Reason: For aquatic animal diseases and genetic improvement programme Aim: To help the farmers to identify and report the disease and also offer solutions

The government has allocated 33 Crore rupees for a period of three years for the implementation of the programme. The crop insurance scheme for shrimp-growing farmers was also launched.

 

5. ISRO successfully conducts flight test of cryogenic engine for Chandrayan-3: ISRO has successfully conducted the flight acceptance hot test of the CE-20 cryogenic engine for the Chandrayan-3 mission. The test was successfully conducted on February 24 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The hot test was carried out for a planned duration of 25 seconds at the High Altitude Test Facility. The engine will power the Cryogenic Upper Stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle of the mission. Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third moon mission.

 

6. First Anti-Corruption G20 Working Group meeting organizes in Gurugram: The first Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) meeting of the G20 is being organized in Gurugram, Haryana from 1st - 3rd March 2023. Over 90 delegates from 20 member countries, 10 Invitee countries, and 9 International Organizations joined the ACWG. Aim: To strengthen International Anti-corruption mechanisms G 20 ACWG meetings have one Chair (Presidency country) and one co-chair country. The co-chair for the G20 ACWG 2023 is Italy.

 

7. Kerala temple deploys life-size ‘robotic elephant’ for festival: A Kerala temple, Irinjadappilly Sree Krishna Temple (Thrissur district), has introduced a life-size motorized model of an elephant for performing rituals such as carrying processional deities. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India donated the 11-foot-tall robotic elephant, weighing 800 kg and made of an iron frame and rubber coating. Film actor Parvathy Thiruvothu joined hands with PETA in donating the robotic elephant, which cost 5 lakh rupees.

 

8. PM Modi To Inaugurate 3-Day Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi: The eighth edition of the annual Raisina Dialogue, the flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-strategy, begins in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the annual Raisina Dialogue. The Foreign Ministry is organizing the event in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation from 2nd March to 4th March 2023. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be the chief guest and keynote speaker at its inaugural session

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India and Lithuania agreed to work in the areas of deep tech Start-Ups: India and Lithuania have agreed to work in the areas of deep tech startups and forge lasting ties in the manufacturing of semiconductor chips. Minister Jitendra Singh and Economy and Innovation Vice Minister of Lithuania, Karolis Aemaitis discussed ways and means to revive the 2010 agreement in the area of science and tech. In 2010, a revised Indian counter-draft with a few modifications was formally submitted to the Lithuanian and its formal response is still awaited.

 

2. 8th Edition of Raisina Dialogue to be held on March 2 in New Delhi: The 8th Edition of the Raisina Dialogue will be organized from 2-4 March 2023 in New Delhi. The Dialogue will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi and joined by the PM of Italy, Giorgia Meloni as the Chief Guest. Theme 2023: Provocation, Uncertainty, And And Turbulence: Lighthouse in the Tempest It is a flagship conference of India on geopolitics and geo-strategy. The Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with Observer Research Foundation organizes it.

 

3. Australia’s Deakin The 1st Foreign University To Set Up Campus In India: The International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) on 1 march said it has given approval to Deakin University of Australia to set up its campus in Gujarat’s GIFT City. With this, Deakin became the first foreign university to get a nod to set up its campus in India.

 

4. 1st March: World Civil Defence Day 2023: World Civil Defence Day is observed on 1st March to raise awareness about the importance of civil defence measures in protecting people and their property from natural disasters, accidents, and other emergencies. Theme 2023: Uniting the world’s leading specialists for the safety and security of future generations”.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Jeswin Aldrin Breaks National Record at AFI National Jumps Competition: Tamil Nadu’s Jeswin Aldrin broke the national record in the men’s long jump in the second AFI National Jumps Competition. Jeswin Aldrin, 21-year-old, leaped 8.42 meters to take over the previous mark of 8.36 meters set by India teammate M Sreeshankar at the Federation Cup in Kozhikode in April 2022.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. India's GDP registers growth of 4.4% in Oct-Dec of the current fiscal: According to the Union ministry of statistics, India's Gross Domestic Production (GDP) growth has been registered at 4.4% in the October-December third quarter of the current fiscal (2022-23). GDP in the third quarter of 2022-23 is estimated at Rs 40.19 lakh crore, as against Rs 38.51 lakh crore in the third quarter of 2021-22. The real GDP is estimated to grow at 7% for the current FY compared to 9.1% in 2021-22. While Nominal GDP is estimated to grow at 15.9 percent.

 

2. Credit growth of banks accelerates 16.8% in December quarter: RBI: According to the data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the credit growth of Indian banks has doubled to 16.8% in the October-December quarter (2022-23) from a year earlier. Bank credit had expanded by 8.4% in the quarter that ended December 2021 and 17.2% in the quarter that ended September 2022. The aggregate deposits of banks increased by 10.3% year-on-year in the December quarter. Banks' credit-deposit ratio rose further to 75.9% in the December quarter.

 

3. SBI announces completion of $1 billion Syndicated Social Loan Facility: State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the completion of a $1 billion Syndicated Social Loan Facility. This syndicated transaction is significant for SBI and the Indian ESG financing market since it is the largest ESG loan by a commercial bank in the Asia Pacific and the second-largest social loan globally. Additionally, this is the bank’s inaugural social loan and the first syndicated loan in the past five years. The $1 billion facility was arranged through MLABs, MUFG Bank, and Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank Co. Ltd. MUFG and Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank are Joint Social Loan Coordinators while MUFG is the Lead Social Loan Coordinator for this transaction.

 

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. India wins GSMA Government Leadership Award 2023: India has been awarded the prestigious GSM Association (GSMA) Government Leadership Award 2023 at Mobile World Congress Barcelona on 27 February 2023. Reason: For implementing best practices in telecom policy and regulation Minister for Communications, Ashwini Vaishnaw has also informed that the Right of Way (RoW) permissions which used to take more than 230 days, now get approval within 8 days. More than 85% of mobile tower clearances are now instantaneous.