Daily GK Update- 1st Feb, 2024

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launches MoE - AICTE Investor Network: Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched ‘Ministry of Education - AICTE Investor Network’ in New Delhi. The MoE-AICTE Investor Network will strengthen the all-round support ecosystem to dynamic innovators—right from idea generation to successful graduation as a commercially viable start-up. This initiative to be a ground-breaking beginning that will bring students, faculty, investors and the market on one platform to strengthen the culture of innovation.

 

2. Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Inaugurated the UDAN Flight Service: Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia virtually inaugurated a UDAN flight connecting Dehradun and Pithoragarh from New Delhi. Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami also joined the event from Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. The flight connecting the two cities is to be operated by  Fly Big under the RCS UDAN Scheme. Pithoragarh Airport has been developed under the UDAN-RCS scheme, with a cost of Rs 6.68 Crore into a 2B VFR Airport.

 

3. BHU gets automated DNA extractor machine: North India's first human DNA bank is being set up at the Zoology Department of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). These machines are completely indigenous to Make in India. It has been made in such a way that the minimum plastic is used in it, so that there is no harm to the environment. With this machine, DNA can be extracted from any biological material, like blood, saliva, hair or tissue.

 

4. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates 9 highway projects worth Rs. 2,367 crore in MP: Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 9 National Highway projects costing Rs 2,367 crore and total length of 225 km in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Among the projects inaugurated, a 1.5 km long bridge has been constructed on Jamni river on Tikamgarh-Jhansi road at a cost of Rs 43 crore. This will make it easier to reach Orchha, the tourist destination of Rajaram's temple.

 

5. Assam Cabinet approves new bill to develop tourism: The Assam cabinet approved the Assam Tourism Development and Registration Bill 2024 to regulate the tourism sector. Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said that the bill will be introduced in the upcoming budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly. This bill will be introduced in the upcoming budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly. The bill will bring benefits such as ensuring economic growth through the development of tourism.

 

6. PFRDA opens bidding for development of of Technology Architecture project: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has opened bidding for the PFRDA- Tracking Reporting Analytics and Compliance E-Platform (TRACE) RFP as part of Technology Architecture project. The PFRDA is inviting bids for selection of System Integrator (SI) for design, development, implementation and maintenance of PFRDA-TRACE. PFRDA-TRACE will serve as a comprehensive tool for submitting regulatory and supervisory compliance reports by intermediaries.

 

7. Champai Soren to be next Jharkhand CM: Hemant Soren has resigned as Jharkhand’s Chief Minister while the ruling JMM-led coalition proposed the name of senior leader and State Transport Minister Champai Soren as the new Chief Minister. Hemant Soren tendered his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan after about seven hours of questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to a land scam. Champai Soren was unanimously elected as the JMM Legislature Party leader by the ruling alliance in the State.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Qatar inks 15-year deal for Bangladesh gas supply: QatarEnergy and US-based Excelerate Energy signed an agreement to supply 1 million metric tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Bangladesh for 15 years from January 2026. The deal is the latest in a series state-owned QatarEnergy has with European and Asian partners tied to its massive North Field expansion project, which is expected to lift Qatar's LNG production to 126 mtpa by 2027 from 77 mtpa. Qatar is already the largest supplier of LNG to Bangladesh.

 

2. Toyota keeps crown as world’s top-selling automaker in 2023: Toyota Motor sold a record 2 million vehicles in 2023, taking the crown as the world’s top-selling automaker for a fourth straight year. The Japanese automaker reported a 7.2% jump in global group sales last year, including those of truck unit Hino Motors and small-car maker Daihatsu, helped by record overseas sales of 8.9 million vehicles. Sales of Toyota’s parent-only vehicles, which include those of its namesake and Lexus brands, hit a record of 10.3 million vehicles in 2023. Second-ranked German rival Volkswagen Group earlier this month reported a 12% rise in deliveries last year to 9.2 million cars, marking a post-pandemic recovery as supply chain bottlenecks eased.

 

3. India slips 8 places on Transparency International’s corruption perception index: Transparency International (TI) released the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023. India slipped 8 places to 93rd in CPI, as India’s rank in 2022 was 85th. The index prepared by Transparency International ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption drawn from experts and business people. On a scale of 0 to 100 on which countries are judged, 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Coast Guard Day:1st February 2024: India celebrates the Indian Coast Guard Day on February 1st every year, a tribute to the valour, dedication, and service of the personnel safeguarding the country's maritime interests. This year, the Indian Coast Guard Day will be commemorating its 48th Raising Day. Indian Coast Guard, with 152 ships and 78 aircraft in its arsenal, is on track to achieve its targeted force levels of 200 surface platforms and 100 aircraft by 2030.

 

SPORTS

 

1. Khelo India Winter Games 2024 mascot, snow leopard ‘Sheen-e She’ (Shan) reveals: The mascot and logo of Khelo India Winter Games were launched. The first part of the Winter Games, a mouth-watering event for winter sports athletes, will be held in Union Territory of Ladakh for the first time from February 2-6. The second portion is scheduled in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir from February 21-25.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Highlights of Union Budget 2024: The Union Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Interim Union Budget for 2024-2025 in Parliament today. She announced that the capital expenditure outlay for the next year is being increased by 11.1 percent to Rs 11,11,111 crore, which would be 3.4% of the GDP. India’s Real GDP is projected to grow at 7.3 percent. She added For Railways, three major economic railway corridor programmes will be implemented.

 

2. RBI Imposes Major Restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed Paytm Payments Bank to cease all deposits and credit transactions after February 29, 2024. This action stems from persistent non-compliances and ongoing supervisory concerns within the bank, raising questions about the impact on its customers. In exercise of its powers under section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, RBI has directed that no further deposits and credit transactions or top-ups shall be allowed in any customer accounts, prepaid instruments, wallets, and FASTags after the 29th of February, other than any interest, cashbacks, or refunds which may be credited anytime.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Best Republic Day tableaux: Odisha wins 1st prize: Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt gave away the best marching contingents and tableaux awards for the Republic Day Parade. He announced separate results – one by a panel of judges and other through an online public vote conducted by MyGov and congratulated all the winners. Three panels of judges were appointed for assessing the performance of Marching Contingents from three Services, Marching Contingents from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)/other auxiliary forces and tableaux from various States/Union Territories and Ministries/Departments.

 

2. Three Indian Scientists To Be Honored With Prestigious UK Prize In London: The UK has named nine scientists, including three researchers of Indian descent, as recipients of a prestigious award for young scientists who are advancing science and improving the world. The UK’s Blavatnik Awards For Young Scientists honour research in three categories—Chief Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Life Sciences—that is revolutionising technology, medicine, and our understanding of the world.