Daily GK Update- 28th July, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi to inaugurate Semicon India 2023 conclave in Gujarat: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Semicon India 2023 conclave at Mahatma Mandir in Gujarat. The three-day conclave is being organized by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to showcase India's semiconductor strategy and development in the field of Semiconductors. The theme of the Conference is ‘Catalysing India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem’. Representatives from major companies like Micron Technology, Applied Materials, Foxconn, and AMD have participated.

 

2. 4th Environment & Climate Sustainability Working Group meeting: 4th Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group meeting (ECSWG), a three-day event held in Chennai in July 2023 Objective: To reach a consensus on the Ministerial Outcome and the Presidency Documents, both of which are vital in shaping policies and actions towards addressing environmental and climate challenges.  PM Narendra Modi showcased the importance of environmental protection. Bhupendra Yadav is the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

 

3. Ministry of Earth Sciences celebrates its 17th Foundation Day: The Ministry of Earth Sciences celebrated its 17th Foundation Day 2023 at its Prithvi Bhavan headquarters in New Delhi. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju launched several citizen-centric initiatives to mark this occasion.  He highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions the country becoming a developed nation by 2047. Earth Sciences Ministry is mandated to provide services for weather and climate, ocean and coastal state, hydrology, seismology, and natural hazards.

 

4. President laid foundation of 'Divine Light House' of PBKIVV 2023: The President Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stone for “Divine Light House” of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya (PBKIVV) at Dasabatia in July 2023. Theme: “The Year of Positive Change”  According to the president (PBKIVV) is paving the way for spirituality through a disciplined lifestyle. She appreciated Brahma Kumaris organization’s efforts for making humanity aware and helping people move forward in a positive direction.

 

5. Madhya Pradesh has the highest crime rate against SCs: Madhya Pradesh had the highest crime rate against people belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community in 2021, according to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data. In the same year, Kerala topped the list for crimes against individuals from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, the data shows.

 

6. PM Modi inaugurates new ITPO complex ‘Bharat Mandapam’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the new International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex ‘Bharat Mandapam’ in Delhi. The International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex has been developed at a cost of about ₹2,700 crore. With a campus area of approximately 123 acres, the IECC complex has been developed as India’s largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination. The newly developed IECC complex at Pragati Maidan comprises multiple state-of-the-art facilities including Convention Centre, Exhibition halls, amphitheatres etc. It is a grand architectural marvel, designed to host large-scale international exhibitions, trade fairs, conventions, conferences, and other prestigious events. It is equipped with multiple meeting rooms, lounges, auditoriums, an amphitheatre and a business centre, making it capable of hosting a wide range of events. Its majestic multi-purpose hall and plenary hall have a combined capacity of seven thousand people, which is larger than the seating capacity of the famous Sydney Opera House in Australia. Its magnificent Amphitheatre is equipped with a seating capacity of 3,000 individuals.

The architectural design of the Convention Centre building is inspired by Indian traditions and showcases India’s confidence and conviction in its past while also embracing modern facilities and way of life.

 

7. Rajesh Kannan appoints as President of Tata Motors: Rajesh Kannan has been appointed as President and Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) of Tata Motor. Prior to joining Tata Motors Limited, he was working with Tata Consultancy Services Limited. Kannan has 28 years of experience delivering transformative, end-to-end digital and IT engagements for global organizations across multiple sectors.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. G-20 Conference on Green & Sustainable Growth Agenda for Global Economy: NITI Aayog convened a two-day G20 conference on the Green and Sustainable Growth Agenda for the Global Economy in New Delhi. Aim: To examine prospects and challenges for green and sustainable growth globally.   First day will focus on themes related to energy, climate, policy, and reshaping global finance for sustainable growth.  Second day will focus on several themes related to multilateralism as well as adjustment, resilience, and inclusion in an uncertain world.

 

2. Bengaluru becomes first Indian city to join World Cities Culture Forum: Bengaluru joined the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), in July 2023, and becomes the first Indian city to achieve the feat. Aim: To curate, facilitate and catalyze activities that will enable the citizens and communities of Bangalore to engage better with their city WCCF is a global network of nearly 40 cities, which provides a way for policy makers in these cities to share research and intelligence, and explore the vital role of culture for their future prosperity

 

3. Cambodia PM Hun Sen steps down and hands over power to son: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving leaders, resigned and handed power to his eldest son Hun Manet after almost four decades of hardline rule in 2023 His Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won a landslide victory in an election on Sunday with no meaningful opposition, taking 82 percent of the vote. Cambodia ranks 150th out of 180 in Transparency International's corruption perception index. In Asia, only Myanmar and North Korea rank lower.

 

4. Goa to host the world’s biggest national male pageant: Goa will host the world’s biggest national male pageant “The Rubaru” Mr. India competition. It is the biggest and most respected competition for men in the world. The candidates will undergo several preliminary activities like the formal wear round, the health and fitness round, & the individual interviews. This renowned event will take place this August with the national finals taking place at the Bogmallo Beach Resort on August 5. In the month of August, Goa will welcome 32 of the most handsome, charismatic and talented men from different parts of India for the 19th season of the Rubaru Mr. India competition. The Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, will be at the event as the chief guest.

 

5. 28 July – World Hepatitis Day: World Hepatitis Day is celebrated every year on 28 July. Objective – To raise awareness about the disease and make more people take tests and seek treatment for the same. Theme 2023 – We’re not waiting Viral hepatitis is a silent killer that is responsible for numerous deaths every year. The problem is that the symptoms only appear once the disease is advanced. In the Americas, nearly 80,000 new cases of hepatitis B and C arise each year but mostly go undetected which results in about 100,000 hepatitis-related deaths every single year. Dr Baruch Samuel Blumberg, also known as Barry Blumberg, a physician, and geneticist, discovered the hepatitis B virus in 1967 and developed the first vaccine for hepatitis B and was awarded the Nobel Prize for the same. 28 July marks his birthday and has been chosen as World Hepatitis Day to honor his achievements and contributions. In 2008, World Hepatitis Alliance in coordination with different patient groups declared May 19 as the first global World Hepatitis Day but later, a resolution was passed during World Health Assembly in 2010 to change the date to July 28 to commemorate the work of Dr Baruch Samuel Blumberg.

 

6. 28 July – World Nature Conservation Day: World Nature Conservation Day is recognized annually on 28 July. The main purpose of celebrating this day is to create awareness among people about the importance of the natural environment and its resources. Nature plays an essential role in supporting life on Earth, besides maintaining overall balance of the planet. Reckless use of natural resources has raised an immediate need to adopt conservational measures and achieve sustainability.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Anurag Thakur inaugurates Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting 2023: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Greater Noida.  The international event will see the participation of more than 30 Indian weightlifters, including many Khelo India Athletes who won 61 medals at  Weightlifting Commonwealth Championships. More than 15 nations from the Asian region, 200 athletes are participating.  It will conclude on the 5th of August.

 

2. Aditya Samant becomes India's 83rd chess Grandmaster: Aditya Samant became India’s 83rd Grandmaster after earning his third GM norm at the Master Tournament (MTO) in the Biel International Chess Festival 2023 The Maharashtra player had earned his first norm to become a grandmaster at the Abu Dhabi Masters in August  2022 To become a GM, a player has to secure three GM norms and cross the live rating of 2,500 Elo points and his live rating going into the ninth round game is 2525.4.

 

3. Kamaljeet bagged two golds in Junior Shooting World Championships 2023: India’s Kamaljeet clinched Gold Medal in Men’s individual 50-metre Pistol Event at ISSF Junior Shooting World Championship 2023 at Changwon Shooting Range, Korea. India went in with a strong contingent of 90 shooters in the tournament and bagged 17 medals including 6 Golds, 6 Silvers and 5 Bronzes. Over 550 shooters from 44 countries participated in the Championships. China stayed on top with 12 gold, nine silver, and seven bronze medals. In the women’s free pistol, Tiyana Phogat won the silver, one point behind Khanna Aliyeva of Azerbaijan.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Razorpay Launches Account To Save Exporters On Bank Transfers: Razorpay, the payment and banking company, has introduced the MoneySaver Export Account(MSEA), catering specifically to Indian exporters.  The account enables Indian exporters to open a smart account in their preferred foreign country, facilitating local receipt of payments through bank transfers on the Razorpay platform. Aims: To alleviate the burden of high transfer costs, chargebacks, and payment failures, making it a valuable asset for exporters.

 

2. RBI: Digital payments rise 13% YoY at March-end 2023: According to the RBI's index measuring the adoption of online transactions, digital payments in the country witnessed a year-on-year growth of 13.24% until March 2023.  The RBI's Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) showed a rise from 377.46 in September 2022 and 349.30 in March 2022 to 395.57 by the end of March 2023.

The increase in the RBI-DPI index across all parameters indicates substantial growth in payment infrastructure.

 

3. Union Bank of India joins forces with IBM for digital transformation: Union Bank of India has joined forces with IBM India Pvt Ltd to embark on a comprehensive digital transformation and to revolutionize the way customers interact with their financial services. Aims: To establish a Digital Bank equipped with state-of-the-art capabilities, focusing on omni-channel experiences and data-driven hyper-personalization Objective:  To enable smooth digital journeys, offering customers unmatched convenience and efficiency. 

 

4. HDFC Bank partners with Dvara KGFS for microloans: Chennai-based non-banking financial company Dvara KGFS has signed an MoU with private sector lender HDFC Bank to provide credit to micro-enterprises operating primarily in the unorganized sector facing challenges in accessing formal credit sources. Dvara KGFS has entered into a co-lending partnership with HDFC Bank to provide business capital to micro business units operating primarily in rural areas and the unorganized sector across 10 States. Dvara KGFS had launched its enterprise loan vertical in 2020, focusing on three value chains viz., grocery, dairy, and agri. The company has assisted numerous beneficiaries with working capital and business growth loans, improving their livelihood generation capabilities and facilitating their inclusion in the Indian economy.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Veteran journalist Prem Prakash receives Lifetime Achievement Award: Veteran journalist and Asian News International (ANI) founder Prem Prakash was honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to the field of journalism in New Delhi. ANI chairman Prem Prakash has dedicated over 70 years in the world of journalism. Throughout his illustrious career, he has established new dimensions to journalism from time to time and emerged as a great inspiration to society.

 

2. Shankari Chandran Wins Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023: Shankari Chandran has won the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023 for her novel Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens. The novel is set in the Cinnamon Gardens Nursing Home in the suburb of Westgrove, Sydney – populated with residents with colourful histories. Ten years ago, her first novel was rejected by several Australian publishers for not being sufficiently “Australian”. It was published in 2017 in Sri Lanka with the title Song of the Sun God. The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual prize given to “a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases”.