Daily GK Update- 30th May, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Praveen Kumar Srivastava sworn in as Central Vigilance Commissioner: President of India Droupadi Murmu has administered the oath of office to senior administrator Praveen Kumar Srivastava as the next Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). The oath ceremony was attended by PM Narendra Modi and VP Jagdeep Dhankhar. PK Srivastava was already working in the capacity of acting CVC, after the completion of the tenure of incumbent CVC Suresh N Patel in December 2022. He is a 1988-batch IAS officer from Assam-Meghalaya Cadre.

 

2. Naveen Patnaik launches 'Odisha for AI, and AI for Youth' initiative: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has launched the ‘Odisha for AI’ and ‘Artificial Intelligence for Youth’ initiatives. Odisha for AI: A free 4-hour course on AI by Intel on its app/site In the first phase, the initiative will be implemented in Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Cuttack. AI for youth: It is for students (below 18) of 2000 5T schools of phase 1 and Odisha Adarsh Vidyalayas Aim: To create an ecosystem fostering research, innovation, and application across sectors

 

3. Unemployment rate dips to 6.8% in January-March 2023: According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey, released by the National Statistical Office, India's unemployment rate has declined to 6.8% in January-March 2023 (Q4FY23) from 7.2% in Q3FY23. The unemployment rate was 6% for men and 9.2% for women. It was 6.5% and 9.6% for men and women respectively, in October– December 2022. The female labour force participation has increased marginally to 22.7% in Q4FY23 and the male labour force participation stands at 73.5%.

 

4. Goa Raj Bhavan launches first books under Governor’s scheme: Five books published under the Raj Bhavan’s scheme for new writers titled ‘Nayi Pahal’ were released by Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai in a function at Raj Bhavan. The five books released were authored by Sanjay Ramesh Salelkar (Konkani), Pallavi Polekar (Marathi), Manohar Adpaikar (Marathi), and Pachu Menon (two books in English). The five titles are the first of 100 odd books that the Raj Bhavan plans on publishing in 22 different languages through its innovative scheme

 

5. Bandra-Versova sea bridge will be named after Veer Savarkar: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced that Bandra -Versova sea route in Mumbai will be named as Swatantra Veer Savarkar Bandra- Versova Sagari Setu. He was speaking at an event on the 140th birth anniversary of SwatantraVeer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in Mumbai. A new award “The SwatantraVeer Savarkar Shaurya Puraskar” will be given for incredible bravery deeds in the state.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. CAG Girish Chandra Murmu re-elected External Auditor of WHO for four-year: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, Girish Chandra Murmu has been re-elected as the External Auditor of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for a four-year term (2024-2027). The CAG is already holding this position in the WHO for a four-year term (2019-2023). In the election held at the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the CAG was re-elected with a majority of 114 out of 156 votes. Earlier, the CAG was selected as an External Auditor of the ILO.

 

2. Dubai set goals for Zero-Emissions Public Transportation by 2050: The Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai has set a target to achieve zero-emissions public transportation by 2050. Aim: To contribute to climate change mitigation and minimize its carbon footprint across three critical areas (public transportation, buildings and facilities, and waste management) This move aligns with the UAE COP28 preparations and UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative It outlined ten key initiatives, each assigned to various agencies and sectors

 

3. India gets approval to set up 2nd hydroelectric project in Nepal: The Government of Nepal has approved India’s Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVN) to develop the second hydroelectric project in the country. SJVN is currently involved in the development of the Arun-III Hydroelectric Project in eastern Nepal with a capacity of 900 MW. India and Nepal share over 20 transmission lines — ranging from 11 kV, 33 kV to 132 kV — that are used for power exchange between the two neighbours. SJVN Ltd is a joint venture between the central government and the state of Himachal Pradesh. Its subsidiary is already executing a massive project in Nepal — 900 MW Arun-3 Hydro Electric Project — which is slated to be completed in 2024. When completed, it will be Nepal’s largest hydro project.

 

4. Microsoft launched multilingual Jugalbandi Al chatbot: Microsoft has unveiled a new generative AI-driven chatbot called ‘Jugalbandi’, designed for farmers and other users living in rural India. The chatbot is being developed in collaboration with Microsoft Research and the government-backed AI4Bharat – an open-source language AI centre based at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras – and OpenNyAI. The chatbot will operate over the WhatsApp messaging service and it aims to make information on government schemes accessible in multiple languages. Jugalbandi covers 10 of India’s 22 official languages and 171 of a total of approximately 20,000 government programmes.

 

5. 29 May – International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers: The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is observed annually on 29 May. The day highlights the tireless efforts of the UN peacekeepers work to establish and maintain peace in conflict areas. Theme 2023 – Peace begins with me It also serves as a tribute to those who have lost their lives while serving as peacekeepers. May 29, 1948, marks the establishment of the first UN peacekeeping mission.

 

6. 29 May – World Digestive Health Day: World Digestive Health Day is observed every year on 29 May. Objective – To raise awareness about digestive diseases and disorders and highlight the importance of maintaining good digestion Theme 2023 – Your Digestive Health: A Healthy Gut From the Start World Digestive Health Day was established to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the formation of the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO). The WGO was formed on May 29, 1958. World Digestive Health Day was first celebrated in 2004 and is being marked every year since then to promote a healthy lifestyle and a good diet for a healthy gut.

 

7. 29 May – International Everest Day: International Everest Day is observed every year on 29 May. International Everest Day commemorates the 1953 summit of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal. Mount Everest is the tallest peak above sea level and is located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. It has been a popular destination for climbers, mountaineers, and trekkers. The China-Nepal boundary is usually acknowledged to cross via Everest’s highest point, which reaches an elevation of 8,848.86 metres. The normal route, also called the southeast approach in Nepal, and the northern route in Tibet are the two main approaches to the mountain’s top. International Everest Day came into existence in 2008, the year Edmund Hillary died. Since then, Nepal has designated May 29 to honour Edmund Hillary and Tenzin Norgay’s feat.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Chennai Super Kings beat Gujarat Titans to win fifth IPL title: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has defeated defending champions Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets to win its 5th IPL title. The final match of IPL 2023 was held at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on May 29, 2023.

IPL 2023 awards:

·       Orange Cap (Highest Run-Scorer): Shubman Gill (GT) 890 runs

·       Purple Cap (Leading Wicket-taker): Mohammed Shami (GT) 28 wickets

·       Most Valuable Player: Shubman Gill

·       Emerging Players: Yashasvi Jaiswal

·       Fairplay Award: Gujarat Titans

 

2. UP Hockey wins 13th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2023: Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated the Hockey Association of Odisha to win the 13th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2023, held at the iconic Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Odisha. Meanwhile, Hockey Haryana beat Hockey Madhya Pradesh to finish third in the competition. Ujjwal Pal converted three penalty corners, while Rahul Yadav, Ketan Kushwaha, Rahul Rajhbar, and Ajeet Yadav (Team Captain) each scored a goal to secure their victory.

 

3. India clinches title of CAVA Women’s Challenge Cup 2023: India has won the title of the NSC-CAVA Women’s Volleyball Challenge Cup held in Kathmandu, Nepal. India won the title by defeating Kazakhstan in the final at the National Sports Council’s Covered Hall in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu. The event was organized by the Nepal Volleyball Association and is supported by the NSC, eight nations participated in it. In the competition, Kazakhstan became the runner-up, followed by Nepal, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, and Kyrgyzstan.

 

4. Max Verstappen wins Monaco Grand Prix 2023: Red Bull’s driver Max Verstappen has won the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix. The vitory was Verstappen’s fourth of the season. Fernando Alonso finished second, with Esteban Ocon in third. Charles Leclerc retired from the race after a collision with Carlos Sainz.

 

5. Ambati Rayudu announces IPL retirement: Chennai Super Kings’ star batter, Ambati Rayudu has announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League. Ambati Rayudu has been part of the Chennai Super Kings since 2018, and won two titles with the franchise; he had begun his IPL career with Mumbai Indians in 2010. Rayudu tasted first success in the tournament in 2013 when he lifted the title with Mumbai Indians; it was also the first title for the franchise. He scored 14.75 in his debut for CSK and lifted the IPL trophy in 2018. He has scored 602 runs in 16 matches from CSK.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. FDI equity inflows dip 22% to $46 billion in 2022-23: DPIIT data: According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade data, the Foreign direct investment (FDI) into India has declined by 22% to $46 billion in 2022-23. Reason: Lower inflows in computer hardware and software, and the automobile industry The FDI inflows stood at $58.77 billion during 2021-22. Top Investors (April-March 2022-23): Singapore ($17.2 billion), Mauritius, US, and UAE State-wise, Maharashtra received the highest inflows of $14.8 billion.

 

2. Bank of Maharashtra top performer in NPA management during FY23: Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has emerged as the best bank as far as the management of bad loans is concerned with its net non-performing assets (NPAS). The NPA fell as low as 0.25% during the financial year ended March 2023. This is the lowest ratio among all banks having total business above ₹3 lakh crore and not just public sector banks (PSBs). While HDFC Bank’s net NPA fell to 0.27% followed by Kotak Mahindra Bank placed third spot with

 

3. SEBI sets up intermediary advisory panel to be led by S Ravindran: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has constituted an Intermediary Advisory Committee to advise the markets regulator on changes in legal framework and increasing transparency in the functioning of market intermediaries like stock exchanges, depository participants, clearing corporations, among others. The committee will be chaired by former Sebi executive director S Ravindran who in his assignment with the markets regulator handled the charge of Corporation Finance Department. He had also headed departments related to investment management, and foreign institutional investors and custodians. The committee’s role will be to advise on enhanced adoption of technology and cyber security by intermediaries, including in respect of compliances, to suggest measures for improving market safety, efficiency, transparency and integrity, and to advise on simplification and transparency in systems and procedures.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Goan writer Damodar Mauzo conferred with 57th Jnanpith Award: Governor of Goa, P S Sreedharan Pillai has presented the 57th Jnanpith Award, the country's highest literary honor, to Goan writer Damodar Mauzo. 25 books have been published in Konkani and one in English. Many of his books have also been translated into different languages. In 1983, he has conferred the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel 'Karmelin'. He is the second Goan to receive the Jnanpith Award, after Ravindra Kelekar, who received the award in 2008.

 

2. Justine Triet’s ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ wins Palme d’Or at Cannes 2023: Crime drama 'Anatomy of a Fall' (directed by Justine Triet) was conferred with the Palme d’Or, the highest prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. She is the third woman director to win Cannes' top honour. Other awardees:

·       Honorary Palme d’Or: Michael Douglas

·       Best Actress: Merve Dizdar (for About Dry Grasses)

·       Best Actor: Kōji Yakusho (For Perfect Days)

·       Best Director: Tran Anh Hung (For The Pot-Au-Feu)

·       Short Film Palme d’Or: 27 (directed by Flóra Anna Buda)

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Congress MP Suresh Dhanorkar passes away: Congress MP from Chandrapur Lok Sabha constituency of Maharashtra, Balu alias Suresh Dhanorkar passed away. Dhanorkar was born in Yavatmal district on June 4, 1975. In 2014, he was elected as an MLA of Shiv Sena, winning the Warora-Bhadrawati Assembly seat. He resigned from the Shiv Sena in 2019 and was elected as a Congress MP from Chandrapur Vani Arni Lok Sabha constituency. His wife Pratibha Dhanorkar is also a Congress MLA from the Varora constituency.