Daily GK Update- 16th Jan, 2024

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurates NACIN Campus in Andhra Pradesh: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics (NACIN) at Palasamudram in Andhra Pradesh. NACIN, spread over 500 acres, is dedicated to capacity building in indirect taxation and narcotics control administration. Mr modi will be interacte with the Officer Trainees of the 74th and 75th batch of IRS Custom and Indirect Taxes) as well as the Officer Trainees of Royal Civil Service of Bhutan.

 

2. National Startup Day 2024:16th January: PM Narendra Modi proclaimed January 16 as National Startup Day 2024, marking a pivotal moment in India's recognition and celebration of its burgeoning startup ecosystem. The day holds immense significance as it provides a dedicated platform to celebrate the triumphs of the startup community. It serves as an occasion for entrepreneurs to share insights, discuss innovations, and reflect on their journey.

 

3. Kerala comes up with Operation AMRITH to tackle AMR: The Kerala Drug Control Department recently launched Operation Amrith (Antimicrobial Resistance Intervention For Total Health) to prevent the overuse of antibiotics in the state. The aim is to conduct surprise raids in pharmacies to detect over-the-counter (OTC) sales of antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription. AMR refers to the ability of bacteria and microbes to resist the drugs used to inhibit or kill them.

 

4. Pench Tiger Reserve: India’s First Dark Sky Park: The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra has been marked as India's first Dark Sky Park and the fifth such park in Asia for protecting the night sky and preventing light pollution, making the facility ideal for astronomy enthusiasts. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) emphasises on the recognition of the intrinsic value of the night sky as a natural, cultural, and historical resource.

 

5. Maharashtra’s Pench Tiger Reserve becomes India’s First Dark Sky Park: The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra has been marked as India’s first Dark Sky Park and the fifth such park in Asia. This prestigious acknowledgment underscores the reserve’s unwavering commitment to protecting the sanctity of the night sky and creating an optimal setting for astronomy enthusiasts. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) emphasizes on the recognition of the intrinsic value of the night sky as a natural, cultural, and historical resource. The IUCN also highlights the need to preserve natural darkness for the sake of nature conservation, ecological integrity in protected areas, and the well-being of communities in healthy cities.

 

6. Maiden National Highway steel slag road on NH-66 Mumbai-Goa inaugurated: V.K. Saraswat has inaugurated the first National Highway Steel Slag Road section on NH-66 Mumbai-Goa. Developed by CSIR-CRRI, converts steel industry waste into a resource, contributing to the construction of robust and eco-friendly national highways. This innovation aligns with the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) efforts to enhance infrastructure sustainability in the country. Under the technological guidance of CSIR-CRRI, JSW Steel has successfully constructed a 1 km long four-lane steel slag road section on the Indapur-Panvel Section of NH-66 Mumbai-Goa.

 

7. Wholesale inflation rises to 0.73% in December: The wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation rose in December at 0.73% mainly due to a sharp rise in food prices. The WPI inflation was in the negative zone from April to October and had turned positive in November at 0.26%. Positive rate of inflation in December 2023 is primarily due to the increase in prices of food articles, machinery & equipment, other manufacturing, other transport equipment and computer, electronics & optical products, etc. Food inflation rose to 9.38% in December from 8.18% in November 2023.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. South Korean firm Simmtech signs MoU for creating semiconductor ecosystem in Gujarat: After US chipmaker Micron and Tata group, South Korean firm Simmtech has signed an MoU with the Gujarat government to set up its plant in Sanand at a cost of Rs1,250 crore as part of creating a semiconductor ecosystem in the state. South Korean firm has been allotted 30 acres of land and the work will start in the next two-three months. The company will need 6-7 months to set up the plants. Simmtech is the world’s biggest manufacturer of semiconductor substrates. The company has been given subsidy under SPECS (Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS) by the centre as well as state government.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Defense Minister Sanctions Insurance Scheme for BRO Workers: India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal to provide insurance cover to casual workers employed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to build infrastructure in remote areas. The scheme will provide INR 10 lakh ($13,500) to the families of casual-paid labourers in the event of death. The insurance scheme will serve as a social security and welfare measure and will go a long way in securing the livelihoods of their families. BRO employs up to one lakh casual workers for infrastructure projects in border areas. BRO has completed around 300 crucial projects during the last three years at a cost of ₹8,000 crore.

 

2. 15 January – Indian Army Day: Indian Army Day is celebrated every year on 15 January. This year, we are celebrating 76th Army Day. This day is celebrated to commemorate the victory of the Indian Army over the British Army. On 15 January 1949, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa became the first Commander-in-chief of the Indian Army and took over the authority from the British Commander-in-Chief General Francis Butcher. Theme 2024 – In Service of the Nation The Indian Army hold its 76th Army Day parade at the 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre in Lucknow — the headquarters of the Army’s Central Command.

 

SPORTS

 

1. Lionel Messi Won The Best FIFA Men's Player 2023: Argentina superstar Lionel Messi won the best men's player award for the second successive year after winning a tie-breaker with Erling Haaland. Spain's Aitana Bonmati was the stand-out winner for the women's best player award.

Pep Guardiola was honoured with the best men's manager award.

 

2. Australian cricketer Shaun Marsh announces retirement: Australian cricketer Shaun Marsh has announced his retirement from professional cricket. With the Melbourne Renegades’ fixture against Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League being his last assignment. Marsh also had a great stint with Australia across formats, scoring more than 5,200 runs and 13 centuries, while his last outing for the Kangaroos was against Sri Lanka at The Oval during the 2019 ODI World Cup.

 

3. Rohit Sharma Become First Men’s Player To Play 150 T20Is: India captain Rohit Sharma has become the first men’s player to play 150 T20Is. Rohit achieved this feat during the second T20I match against Afghanistan at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. Rohit returned to India’s T20I setup for the first time since the end of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022. He led his side to a 6-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the first T20I in Mohali. Rohit also secured another milestone by becoming the first player to win 100 T20I Stirling has played 134 matches in his career. His Ireland colleague, George Dockrell, is third on the list, having played 128 matches.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Yes Bank deploys Veefin’s SmartFin supply chain finance solution: Yes Bank has announced the launch of SmartFin, an end-to-end digital supply chain finance (SCF) platform, powered by Veefin Solutions. The SmartFin platform, through its end-to-end digital offerings, will help us drive the required operational & financial efficiencies for all stakeholders. Veefin continues investing in its SCF product capabilities to see that our clients have the latest SCF technology in the market.

 

2. RBI imposes fine on Dhanlaxmi Bank, ESAF Small Finance Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank over non-compliances: The Reserve Bank has imposed penalties totalling ₹2.49 crore on three banks, including Dhanlaxmi Bank and Punjab and Sind Bank, for contravention of regulatory norms. A penalty of ₹1.20 crore has been slapped on Dhanlaxmi Bank for non-compliance with certain directions on ‘Loans and Advances — Statutory and Other Restrictions’, KYC, and certain norms related to interest rate on deposits. Further, a fine of ₹1 crore has been imposed on Punjab and Sind Bank for non-compliance with certain directions on ‘Loans and Advances — Statutory and Other Restrictions.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. US Air Force officer Madison Marsh crowned Miss America 2024: Madison Marsh( 22-year-old) was crowned the Miss America 2024. Madison, a second lieutenant in the US Air Force and master's student at the Harvard Kennedy School's public policy program, won the beauty pageant in Orlando, Florida. The Miss Colorado 2023 winner is the first-ever active-duty Air Force officer to receive the national title. Ellie Breaux of Texas is the first runner-up in the beauty pageant.