Daily GK Update- 23rd June, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian Railways, USAID/India Indian sign MoU for Renewable Energy: Indian Railways has signed an MoU with the United States Agency for International Development/India (USAID/India) for collaboration on Renewable energy and Energy Efficiency. It was signed in the presence of the Chairman of the Railway Board, Anil Kumar Lahoti. As Indian Railways is proactively working towards the achievement of Net Zero Carbon Emission by 2030. As part of its commitment to reduce carbon footprints, Indian Railways is taking several initiatives.

 

2. PM-KISAN mobile app introduces face authentification feature : Agriculture Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar has unveiled a new feature on the PM-Kisan mobile app. Farmers can be registered by scanning their faces without a one-time password or fingerprint, by using the "face authentification" feature on the mobile application. Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), eligible farmers are provided with a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 each every four months.

 

3. Defense Minister inaugurates Integrated Simulator Complex ‘Dhruv’: Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Integrated Simulator Complex (ISC) ‘Dhruv’ in Kochi, Kerala. The ISC ‘Dhruv’ hosts modern state-of-the-art indigenously-built simulators which will significantly enhance practical training in the Indian Navy. These simulators are envisaged to give real-time experience in navigation, fleet operations, and Naval tactics. These simulators will also be utilized for training of personnel from friendly countries.

 

4. Milk processing plant in collaboration with NDDB in Kangra: Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed that the Himachal Pradesh government will collaborate with National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to set up a state-of-the-art milk processing plant at Dagwar in Kangra district. The dairy development board’s assistance would be taken for its operation and marketing. The Dagwar plant’s capacity would range from 1 lakh to 3 lakh liters, in which high-quality milk products would also be prepared.

 

5. Centre allocates ₹145 crore to Nagaland for Unity Mall: The Central government has allocated ₹145 crore for the construction of a Unity Mall in Dimapur, Nagaland. Aim: For promoting and showcasing the state’s One District One Product offerings The allocation is part of the Union Budget 2023-24, which has earmarked ₹5,000 crore for the establishment of Unity Malls. The announcement was made during an ODOP Sampark event, which was organized by the DPIIT, Invest India, and the Department of Industries and Commerce, Nagaland.

 

6. Jharkhand government launches panchayat-level medicine scheme: Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has launched the state government’s ambitious panchayat-level drugs shop scheme, aimed at making essential medicines available in remote areas. Hemant Soren inaugurated the scheme in Chatra district by handing over licences to three persons for operating the medicine shops in panchayats. A total of 15 people have been selected for licences in the district so far. Essential medicines will be now be available here, so that villagers living in remote areas do not have to run from pillar to post for medicines The CM also laid foundation of 177 projects worth around Rs 364 crore for Chatra district. He inaugurated 42 projects to the tune of nearly Rs 14.6 crore on the occasion. The programs like ‘Sarkar Aapke Dwar’ will be restarted to establish a “real connection with people

 

7. Mahendra Lodha appointed interim MD & CEO of PFS: Mahendra Lodha has been appointed as interim MD & CEO of PTC India Financial Services Ltd (PFS). The move comes after the current MD & CEO Pawan Singh has been sent on leave. The PFS is an Indian non-banking financial institution promoted by PTC India (PTC) to make principal investments across the energy value chain.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Global Liveability Index 2023 released : According to the Global Liveability Index 2023 published by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), Vienna in Austria has topped the ranking of the most liveable cities. While Copenhagen in Denmark placed second on the list, followed by Melbourne and Sydney. Damascus in Syria and Tripoli in Libya remained at the bottom of the liveability index. From India, New Delhi and Mumbai are at 141st position and Chennai at 144th.

 

2. GE Aerospace, HAL signs MoU to produce fighter jet engines for Tejas Mk2: US-based GE Aerospace has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force. Aerospace's F414 engines will be co-produced in India to power the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk2. The development comes amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US. It is part of an effort to improve defense- and technology-sharing between the India and US.

 

3. International Widows Day 2023: 23rd June: International Widows Day is observed annually on June 23 to spread awareness about the plight of millions of widows facing poverty. 2023 theme: Innovation and technology for gender equality The first-ever International Widows Day was established by The Loomba Foundation back on June 23rd, 2005. In 2010, the UNGA recognized the importance of this day and they officially adopted International Widows Day to share its importance on a global level.

 

4. Eddie Wu named as the new CEO of Alibaba: A Chinese e-commerce company, Alibaba Group Holding, Eddie Wu (the chairman of Alibaba’s core Taobao) will take over as the chief executive of the company. He is one of the co-founders of Alibaba, who first served it as a technology director back in 1999. While Joe Tsai will take over as chairman on September 10th, 2023. He was appointed as the company's CFO until 2013. The present CEO and Chairman Daniel Zhang is planning to step down this year.

 

5. International Women In Engineering Day 2023: 23rd June: International Women in Engineering Day is observed every year on June 23 for improving the participation of young girls in the field of engineering. The theme of the special day this year is ‘Make Safety Seen’. In 2014, the United Kingdom officially dedicated June 23 to lead a national campaign for women in the engineering field. In 2017, UNESCO celebrated this day for the first time, to mark the vigilant efforts of women in the engineering society.

 

6. Surat sets Guinness World Record for largest gathering on Yoga Day: The Yoga Day event organized in Surat city of Gujarat has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest gathering for a yoga session at one place with 1.53 lakh people joining the program. The previous world record was set in 2018 in Kota city of Rajasthan when 1,00,984 people participated in a Yoga Day session in one place. The participants were given wristbands with QR codes for accurate counting. The QR code data confirmed the participation of 1.53 lakh people surpassing the previous record. Nearly 2.20 lakh people registered themselves through an online link created for this purpose.

 

7. Petteri Orpo elected as new PM of Finland: Petteri Orpo, the leader of the conservative party in Finland, has been elected as the country’s prime minister by the parliament. Orpo will replace Sanna Marin of the Social Democrats, who finished third in the polls. Orpo’s election was supported by 107 members of parliament, while 81 opposed and 11 abstained.

 

8. 23 June – United Nations Public Service Day: United Nations Public Service Day is observed every year on 23 June. Commemorated on June 23, this special occasion aims to shine a spotlight on the vital role played by public servants. It also seeks to honor the commendable work of these dedicated individuals and inspire the younger generation to embark on meaningful careers within the public sector. On December 20, 2002, the General Assembly of the United Nations officially designated June 23 as Public Service Day through the adoption of resolution 57/277. In order to enhance the recognition of this important day and highlight the significance of public service, the United Nations launched the UN Public Service Awards (UNPSA) program in 2003. In 2016, the program underwent a review to align its objectives with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

9. 23 June – International Olympic Day: World Olympic Day or International Olympic Day is celebrated all around the world on June 23. The day is celebrated to commemorate the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and promote the values of the Olympic Movement. This day is marked by sports activities such as runs, exhibitions, music, and educational seminars involving athletes from all nations. In 1948, World Olympic Day was established to commemorate 23 June 1894, when the modern Olympic Games were born at the Sorbonne in Paris. The IOC encourages National Olympic Committees (NOCs) around the world to organize events and activities to promote sports and Olympic values on this day.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. CM Yogi unveils the first ticket for the first race of ‘MotoGP India’ 2023: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath has unveiled the first ticket for the first race of MotoGP 2023, to be hosted by Uttar Pradesh. For the first time, the motorbike race is being held in India. The event is scheduled to be held at the Buddha International Circuit in Greater Noida from September 22 to 24, 2023. The event would firmly establish ‘Brand Uttar Pradesh’ at the global level. This is the first time the event is being held outside Europe.

 

2. Cristiano Ronaldo receives Guinness World Record award: Portuguese football player, Cristiano Ronaldo has received the Guinness World Record Award certificate to become the first men’s player to make 200 international appearances. He celebrated the milestone by scoring the winning goal in the 89th minute as Portugal beat Iceland in European Championship qualifying. He received a Guinness World Records certificate before the game. The closest to Ronaldo's tally is Bader Al-Mutawa, who was capped by Kuwait on 196 occasions.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Airtel Payments Bank ties up with Care for health insurance: Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Care Health Insurance to offer health insurance products to its customer via the Airtel Thanks app. The offerings will include coverage for pre-existing ailments and daycare treatment. Customers can opt for health insurance services through the Airtel Thanks app and pay using an APB account. According to the NITI Aayog report, nearly 30% of India's population is devoid of any health insurance backup.

 

2. UK’s Lloyds Banking Group to set up tech center in Hyderabad: The UK-based Lloyds Banking Group has decided to invest in a new technology centre in Hyderabad. The Lloyds Technology Centre is a part of the group’s £3 billion strategic investment over the next three years to transform its digital offering. The group, with over 20 million digitally active users will initially employ around 600 highly skilled specialists in technology, data, and cyber security roles. Lloyds Technology Centre will not provide any banking services but will focus on using technology and digital, data and analytics capabilities to drive innovation and end-to-end product delivery and is a step forward in the group’s approach to international resourcing.

 

3. Axis Bank launches ‘One-View’ feature: Axis Bank has launched the ‘one-view’ feature on its mobile application which enables account management across multiple bank accounts, including non-Axis accounts. The feature has been launched using the open banking principle leveraging the account aggregator (AA) ecosystem—an industry-first initiative. AA or data aggregator platforms provide secure sharing of information while maintaining customer consent and data privacy. Customers can link their non-Axis Bank accounts and get a comprehensive view of their balance, transactions and statements on a real-time basis, thus simplifying the process of managing finances and providing access to multiple bank accounts on one platform. The feature will eliminate the need for multiple mobile banking applications and also allow customers to download and e-mail transaction details from their linked accounts.

 

4. Fitch raises India’s GDP forecast to 6.3% from 6% for FY24: Ratings agency Fitch has raised India’s GDP forecast for the financial year 2023-24 to 6.3 percent from 6 percent. The revision is based on a stronger first-quarter performance and positive momentum in the near term. In FY23, the growth forecast compares with a 7.2% GDP expansion. The economy had a growth of 9.1% in FY22. The growth forecast compares with 7.2 percent GDP expansion in FY23. In the previous fiscal year (FY22), the economy had grown 9.1 percent.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. WHO DG Tedros Ghebreyesus awarded Olympic Order by IOC: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the Olympic Order to Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO). The award was given to Dr. Tedros for his efforts in holding the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Olympic Order was presented to Dr Tedros, for his support of the cooperation agreement between the IOC and the WHO signed in 2020, by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach at the Olympic House here.