Daily GK Update- 19th Mar, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. The c-20 India Inception meeting will be held in Nagpur: The Civil20 India (C-20) Inception meeting will be hosted by Orange City, Nagpur, Maharashtra from 20th to 21st March 2023. It is one of the empowered groups, which provides a platform for Civil Society Organisations to voice the people’s aspirations to the world leaders in G20. The inaugural ceremony will be attended by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and Spiritual leader Mata Amritanandmayi. Focus issues: Health, Lifestyle for Environment, Art and Crafts

 

2. “Women and Men in India 2022” book launched by MoSPI Inderjit Singh Rao: Mos (IC) for MoSPI, Rao Inderjit Singh released the Women and Men in India 2022 report. Highlights: India’s sex ratio is expected to improve from 943 in 2011 to 952 by 2036. The Labor Force Participation Rate (above 15 years) has been increasing since 2017-2018. However, the rate was 77.2% for males and only 32.8% for females in 2021-22. It has also highlighted the gender disparity in wages, with men in rural areas earning more than women in urban areas.

 

3. Agri Legal Aid Clinic inaugurated in Telangana: An Agri Legal Aid Clinic has been inaugurated in the Jangaon District of Telangana to provide benefits to the farmer community. It was inaugurated by Supreme Court Judge Justice V. Ramasubramanian. It is a Joint initiative of Telangana Legal Services Authority with technical support from NALSAR University of Law, and an NGO, Legal Empowerment and Assistance for Farmers Society. Aim: To educate farmers on various agricultural legislations, Welfare Schemes, rights etc.

 

4. Sampanna Ramesh becomes fastest Indian to swim across Palk Strait: Pune based swimmer, Sampanna Ramesh Shelar has become the fastest Indian in under 21 group to swim across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanuskodi in Tamil Nadu. He created this record by completing the distance of 29 Kms in 5 hours and 30 minutes. The previous record was 8 hours and 26 minutes. With this achievement, Mr. Shelar is planning to do solo swims across the English & Catalina Channels soon, to eventually complete swimming across the seven oceans popularly known as the Oceans Seven Challenge.

 

5. Manipur governor inaugurated Int’l Conference on ‘Natural Farming’: Manipur Governor Sushri Anusuiya Uikey has inaugurated three days long an International conference on the theme ‘Natural farming for Revitalizing Environment and Resilient Agriculture’ at Central Agricultural University of Manipur. The conference also exhibited the natural farming products of innovative farmers from Manipur and other North Eastern States Delegates from Bangladesh, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, Germany, England and the U.S. will be participating in the technical sessions in the conference.

 

6. Uttarakhand government approved 10 % reservation for statehood activists: Uttarakhand government has given approval to the 10 percent horizontal reservation to the statehood activists in the government job. The decision on the reservation to Statehood activists assumes significance since the governor had returned the bill granting 10 percent reservation to the statehood activists in the past. The statehood activists are not getting the benefit of reservation in government jobs for the past 12 years. The Cabinet also given approval to new solar policy and to the proposal of increasing MLA Local Area Development Fund from 3 crore 75 lakh to 5 crore per year. The other major decisions taken by the Cabinet include increase in the financial assistance given to Mahila Mangal Dal from 25 lakh rupees to 40 lakh rupees and increase in grant given for the beautification of temples from 25 lakh rupees to 50 lakh rupees.

 

7. President Murmu presents the ‘President’s Colour’ to INS Dronacharya: President Droupadi Murmu presented the President’s Colour to INS Dronacharya in Kochi. The President’s Colour is considered the highest honour that the President bestows on a unit for exceptional service to the nation. INS Dronacharya is the nodal centre for training Sagar Prahari Bal and the Navy’s centre for training several Indian Ocean Region (IOR) nations.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM of Japan Kishida Fumio to be on two-day visit to India: Japan's PM, Kishida Fumio will be on a two-day visit to India from 20th March 2023. He will hold talks with PM Modi and also hold discussions on regional issues of mutual interest and priorities for their respective Presidencies of the G7 and G20. Japan is the fifth largest investor in India The bilateral trade stood at 20.75 billion dollars in 2022 (largest ever) Defense and security cooperation has emerged as one of the most important pillars of the Special Strategic

 

2. India-Bangladesh friendship pipeline inaugurated: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated the India-Bangladesh friendship diesel pipeline. The foundation stone for the construction of this pipeline was laid in September 2018. Since 2015, Numaligarh Refinery Limited has been supplying petroleum products to Bangladesh. IBFP is the first cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh with a capacity to transport 1 MMTPA of High-Speed Diesel to Bangladesh.

 

3. TIME list of World’s Greatest Places of 2023 released: TIME Magazine has released its annual list of the 50 greatest places in the world for 2023. Among the chosen destinations are two locations from India: Ladakh and Mayurbhanj. Ladakh is a high-altitude region, which is famous for its breathtaking landscapes, crystal-clear lakes, and snow-capped mountains. On the other hand, Mayurbhanj is a lesser-known destination located in the eastern state of Odisha. The list also includes Willamette Valley; Río Grande etc.

 

4. Global Terrorism Index 2023 released: According to the tenth Global Terrorism Index (GTI) report, Afghanistan remains the country most impacted by terrorism for the fourth consecutive year, despite the attacks and deaths falling by 75%  and 58%, respectively. Afghanistan followed by Burkina Faso, Somalia, Mali, and Syria. Pakistan has climbed four spots to rank sixth on the index. While India ranked 13th on the index. South Asia remains the region with the worst average GTI score.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Luxor appoints Virat Kohli as its Brand Ambassador: Luxor Writing Instruments Private Limited, a company that makes stationery, has signed cricketer Virat Kohli as its new brand ambassador.The association is expected to strengthen its appeal among young writers and fortify its position as the provider of writing instruments in the country. Luxor also partnered with German pen company, Schneider to bring the best of German engineering to deliver the finest writing performance. Managing Director of Luxor – Pooja Jain Gupta

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank opens INR denominated Nostro A/c in Indian Bank: Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank has opened an Indian rupee-denominated Nostro account in Indian Bank in Mumbai. Aim: To help in setting cross-border transactions using the Indian rupee It enables local customers to enter into transactions denominated in the Indian Rupee and eliminates the need to conduct Trade and Remittance transactions in US dollars. Nostro account: It is a bank account held in a foreign country by a domestic bank, denominated in the currency of that country.

 

2. Cabinet approves listing of IREDA on Stock Exchanges: The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has received approval from the Union Government for listing on the Stock Exchanges. The CCEA decided to approve an Initial Public Offer (IPO) by the part sale of the Government’s stake in the CPSE. Aim: To raise funds through the issue of fresh equity shares Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) will drive the listing process. It will help IREDA in raising a part of its capital requirement.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Bombay Jayashri selected for Sangita Kalanidhi award 2023: Carnatic vocalist, Bombay Jayashri has been selected for the Sangita Kalanidhi award 2023 of the prestigious Music Academy, Chennai. Initially, she was trained under her parents and later under T R Balamani and violin maestro Lalgudi G Jayaraman. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021. While the Nritiya Kalanidhi award 2023 will be conferred to Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer, Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari. The awards will be conferred to awardees in January 2023.

Daily GK Update- 18th Mar, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

G Krishnakumar takes over as the chairman of Bharat Petroleum Corporation: G Krishnakumar has taken over as the new chairman and managing director (MD) of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL). He succeeded Arun Kumar Singh, who retired as chairman in October 2022. He will hold the position of chairman and MD till April 2025 or until any further notice, whichever is earlier BPCL is an Indian central public sector (CPS) undertaking under the ownership of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and operates refineries in Bina, Kochi, Mumbai.

 

GAIL signs MoU with Shell Energy India on ethane sourcing: GAIL (India) has signed MoU with Shell Energy India Private Ltd to explore prospects of importing and handling of ethane and other hydrocarbons. It is primarily used as petrochemical feedstock and is separated from the other components of natural gas in most well-developed gas fields. It will be transported further through 14,830 km of natural gas pipelines to different demand centres. Ethane is mainly used to produce ethylene, which is used for other products.

 

Inter-Services Organization (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023: Inter-Services Organization (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023 has been introduced in Lok Sabha to empower designated military commanders to take charge of soldiers and enforce discipline, regardless of the service they belong to. It came ahead of the impending move to establish integrated or joint commands, where all the manpower and assets will be under the operational control of a single three-star general of the Indian Army, Navy and IAF.

 

Government announced the sites for setting up of 7 PM MITRA Parks: Government has announced the sites for setting up of 7 PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks for the Textile industry in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. PM MITRA will offer the opportunity to create an Integrated Textiles Value Chain right from spinning, weaving, processing/dyeing and printing to garment manufacturing etc. at one location and will reduce logistics cost of the Industry.

 

V V Giri National Labour Institute and ASSOCHAM sign MoU for labour reforms: V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI) signs MoU with Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) to promote professional and organizational development in labour and employment-related areas by jointly identifying and executing developmental initiatives that benefit stakeholders in the sector. It includes policy advocacy, with the organizations working together to advocate for policies.

 

Punjab govt cancels 813 gun licenses in state: Punjab government has cancelled 813-gun licenses in the state to clamp down on the gun culture, along with a review of all licenses issued within 3 months The new rule will also bar the issuance of new licenses for the next 3 months, except in extraordinary circumstances. The ban is on carrying and displaying weapons in public functions, religious places, marriage ceremonies, or any other events in Punjab.

 

Sampanna Ramesh becomes fastest Indian to swim across Palk Strait: Pune based swimmer, Sampanna Ramesh Shelar has become the fastest Indian in under 21 group to swim across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanuskodi in Tamil Nadu. He created this record by completing the distance of 29 Kms in 5 hours and 30 minutes. The previous record was 8 hours and 26 minutes. With this achievement, Mr. Shelar is planning to do solo swims across the English & Catalina Channels soon, to eventually complete swimming across the seven oceans popularly known as the Oceans Seven Challenge.

 

Rajasthan CM announced 19 new districts and three new divisions: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the decision to carve out 19 new districts in the state. The decision to carve out new districts and three new divisions comes months ahead of the high-stakes Assembly polls. With the formation of 19 new districts, the state now has a total of 50 districts.

The new districts are- Anupgarh, Balotra, Beawar, Deeg, Didwana-Kuchaman City, Dudu, Gangapur City, Jaipur North, Jaipur South, Jodhpur East, Jodhpur West, Kekri, Kotputli, Khairthal, Neemkathana, Phalodi, Salumbar, Sanchore, Shahpura (Bhilwara). Banswara, Pali, and Sikar were named as new divisions, taking the total number of divisions in the state to 10

 

Uttarakhand government approved 10 % reservation for statehood activists: Uttarakhand government has given approval to the 10 percent horizontal reservation to the statehood activists in the government job. The decision on the reservation to Statehood activists assumes significance since the governor had returned the bill granting 10 percent reservation to the statehood activists in the past. The statehood activists are not getting the benefit of reservation in government jobs for the past 12 years. The Cabinet also given approval to new solar policy and to the proposal of increasing MLA Local Area Development Fund from 3 crore 75 lakh to 5 crore per year. The other major decisions taken by the Cabinet include increase in the financial assistance given to Mahila Mangal Dal from 25 lakh rupees to 40 lakh rupees and increase in grant given for the beautification of temples from 25 lakh rupees to 50 lakh rupees. The Cabinet also gave approval to the new solar policy and to the proposal of increasing MLA Local Area Development Fund from 3.75 crores to 5 crores per year.

 

Indian Railways to become Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav recently said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha that the Indian Railways is working on a mission mode to become the largest green railway in the world and towards becoming a “net zero carbon emitter” by 2030. Indian Railways has taken several initiatives to reduce carbon emissions which include the use of energy-efficient technologies. Indian Railways is starting production of three phase electric locomotives with regenerative features, use of Head on Generation (HOG) technology, use of LED lights in buildings and coaches, use of star-rated equipment. Indian Railways has adopted an integrated approach to green transport to increase the total share of Indian Railways in land based freight traffic from the present 36 percent to 45 percent by 2030.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

International SME Convention, 2023 to be held in New Delhi: The 3rd annual edition of International SME Convention 2023 (ISC) is to be organized from 19th to 21st March 2023 in New Delhi. It is jointly organized by Ministry of MSME & Ministry of External Affairs, India SME Forum, along with Govt. of Madhya Pradesh as a Key State Partner and Govt. of Uttar Pradesh as Associate State Partner. International partner: International Network for SMEs and World Union of Small and Medium Enterprises Insurance partner: TATA AIA.

 

Global Recycling Day: 18th March: Global Recycling Day is observed every year on 18^th March to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet. It is a day for the world to come together and put the planet first and was created in 2018. Theme of 2023: Creative Innovation.

Every year recyclables saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions, which projected to increase to 1 billion tons by 2030. Brazilian researchers find terrifying plastic rocks on remote island: Scientists have discovered rocks made from plastic debris in Trindade Island which is a remote turtle refuge is sparking alarm. Melted plastic has become intertwined with rocks on the island, located 1,140 km (708 miles) from the southeastern state of Espirito Santo and are made of a mixture of sedimentary granules The pollution on this island comes from fishing nets, which are very common debris on Trinidad Island’s beaches.

 

PM Modi inaugurated the Global Millets Conference: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Global Millets Conference in New Delhi. The two-day global conference will have sessions on the promotion and awareness of millets among producers, consumers, and other stakeholders. Based on India’s proposal, the year 2023 was declared the International Year of Millets (IYM) by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

 

Global Terrorism Index – India ranked 13th, topped by Afghanistan: Afghanistan remains the country most impacted by terrorism for the fourth consecutive year, despite attacks and deaths falling by 75 percent and 58 percent, respectively, the tenth Global Terrorism Index (GTI) report. India ranked 13th on the index, marking only a marginal decrease from the previous year. In spite of being among the 25 worst-hit nations on the index, Indian respondents desisted from selecting war and terrorism as the biggest threat to their daily safety. As per the GTI, Afghanistan recorded 633 fatalities in 2022, despite terrorism-related deaths declining by 866 in 2022. Globally, deaths from terrorism fell by nine percent to 6,701 deaths, marking a 38 percent decrease from its peak in 2015. Pakistan saw a significant increase in terror-related deaths, logging a 120 percent increase from the previous year. Afghanistan and Pakistan remain amongst the ten countries most affected by terrorism in 2022, with deaths in Pakistan rising significantly to 643, a 120 percent increase from 292 deaths in 2021. The deadliest terrorist groups in the world in 2022 were Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates, followed by al-Shabaab, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM)”.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

RBI imposes Rs 5,00,000 fine on HDFC over transfer of deposits: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed Rs 5 lakh monetary penalty on mortgage financier HDFC Ltd for failing to transfer matured deposits of certain depositors to designated bank accounts of such depositors during 2019-20. As per RBI, HDFC was found to be non-compliant with certain provisions of Housing Finance Companies (NHB) Directions, 2010. CEO of HDFC Bank: Sashidhar Jagdishan. Headquarters of HDFC Bank: Mumbai.

 

FSIB recommends Ashwani Kumar as MD and CEO of UCO Bank: FSIB (The headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions) has recommended the name of Indian Bank executive director Ashwani Kumar for the post of managing director of UCO Bank. Prior to joining Indian Bank, Kumar was serving as chief general manager of Mumbai Zone of Punjab National Bank (PNB). FSIB is headed by ex-secretary, Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Bhanu Pratap Sharma.

Daily GK Update- 17th Mar, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. TCS appoints K Krithivasan as CEO designate: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has appointed veteran K Krithivasan as MD & CEO designate with effect from March 16, 2023. He has replaced Rajesh Gopinathan, who resigned recently. Gopinathan completed his six years as CEO and was reappointed as CEO till 2027. He will continue with the company till September 15, 2023, and provide transition and support to K Krithivasan. Before this role, K Krithivasan served as President and Global Head of BFSI Business Group, TCS.

 

2. FSIB recommends Ashwani Kumar as MD of UCO Bank: FSIB has recommended the executive director of Indian Bank, Ashwani Kumar as an MD of UCO Bank. Before Indian Bank, he worked as chief general manager of the Mumbai Zone of Punjab National Bank (PNB). He would succeed Soma Sankara Prasad, whose tenure will be completed on May 31, 2023. The final decision on the FSIB recommendation would be taken by the ACC headed by PM Narendra Modi. Former secretary of DoPT Bhanu Pratap Sharma headed the FSIB.

 

3. Anup Bagchi to head ICICI Prudential Life from June 2023: ICICI Bank's executive director Anup Bagchi will take over as the CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance on June 19, 2023, subject to regulatory and statutory approvals. He will replace the present CEO, NS Kannan, who will superannuate on June 18, 2023. He has been working with the ICICI group since 1992 and was appointed as an executive director of ICICI Bank on February 1, 2017. He worked as the Non-Executive Director of ICICI Prudential Life since October 2018.

 

4. Solar Energy capacity tripled in last 5 years from 21651 to 64380 MW: Union Minister of Renewable Energy & Power, R. K. Singh informed in the Lok Sabha, that Solar projects of an aggregate capacity of 64,380 MW have been installed in the country (as of 28.02.2023). India's solar capacity has increased from 21,651 MW to 64,380 MW, an increase of 197% in the last 5 years. The Government has set a target of achieving 500 GW of installed capacity from non-fossil fuels (including around 270 GW of solar capacity) by 2030.

 

5. National Vaccination Day 2023: 16 March: National Vaccination Day is observed every year on March 16 to spread awareness about the importance of vaccinations for human health. The theme for 2023 has not been announced by the Ministry of Health. The day was first observed in 1995 when the Indian government started the Pulse Polio Immunisation program. It focuses on the relevance of vaccinations in the battle against deadly diseases and appreciates the hard work of healthcare professionals.

 

6. Literacy rate in India: Bihar lowest at 61.8%, Kerala highest at 94%: According to the Ministry of Education, Bihar has the lowest literacy rate in India at 61.8%, followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 65.3% and Rajasthan at 66.1%. Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India at 94%, followed by Lakshadweep at 91.85% and Mizoram at 91.33%. The literacy rate in rural India is 67.77 percent as compared to 84.11 percent in urban India.

 

7. Meghalaya International Film Festival begins in Shillong: The first-ever Meghalaya International Film Festival started in Meghalaya International Film Festival is a five-day event which kicked off in the State Central Library. It was inaugurated by the Meghalaya Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh. Around 40 films will be screened over the next five days across 4 venues. Meghalaya International Film Festival (Megh IFF) is aimed at creating a film culture in the State, especially among its youth. The Festival is expected to attract over 5,000 viewers from across the country and guest countries.

 

8. Atal Innovation Mission launched ATL Sarthi: Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) – NITI Aayog has launched ATL Sarthi. It is a comprehensive self-monitoring framework to strengthen the ecosystem of Atal Tinkering Labs. Atal Innovation Mission has established Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL) in schools to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds. ATL Sarthi is a charioteer and will enable the Atal Tinkering Labs to be efficient and effective. Atal Innovation Mission aims to foster millions of young innovators in India by setting up Atal Tinkering Labs in schools. It will provide a monitoring and evaluation framework to enhance the performance of Atal Tinkering Labs. Mission Director AIM, NITI Aayog – Dr. Chintan Vaishnav

 

9. India joined Sea Dragon exercise 2023: The 3rd edition of the Sea Dragon exercises is being started in the USA from 15-30 March 2023. It is a coordinated multilateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise for long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Ex Sea Dragon 23 will test the capabilities of participating aircraft in tracking simulated and live underwater targets, whilst also sharing mutual expertise. The Exercise would witness representation by an Indian Navy P8I, along with P8A of the US Navy, P1 from the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force, CP 140 from the Royal Canadian Air Force and P3C from the RoKN. The Exercise aims to achieve high levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies, which is based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific.

 

10. 13th edition of Exercise Bold Kurukshetra concluded: The 13th edition of a bilateral armour exercise, EX Bold Kurukshetra, between India and Singapore was concluded at Jodhpur Military Station, India. The ten-day-long joint training that commenced fostered a common understanding of mechanized warfare in emerging threats and evolving technologies. For the first time in the exercise series, both armies participated in a command post Exercise, which involved Battalion and Brigade level planning elements and computer wargaming. Hosted by the Indian Army, the exercise involved soldiers from the 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment, and an Armoured Brigade of the Indian Army.

 

11. Gaganyaan mission allocated Rs 9023 crore to achieve its objectives: The government has allocated a budget of 9023 Crore towards achieving the objectives of the Gaganyaan mission. Objective of Gaganyaan program – To demonstrate human spaceflight capability to Low Earth Orbit and safe return ISRO is also developing indigenous technologies for Human rated launch vehicle, Life Support System, Crew Escape System, Ground Station Network, Crew Training and Recovery.

 

12. 16 March – National Immunisation Day: National Immunization Day is observed every year on 16 March. Objective – To spread awareness about the importance of vaccines in the healthcare system. The day also celebrates India’s triumph over polio. The first dose of the oral polio vaccine was administered on March 16 in India in 1995. Thus, national immunisation day or Vaccination Day celebrates the start of the Pulse Polio Programme of the government which helped eradicate polio from the country.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s KR Parvathy appointed as UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed India's Kavilmadam Ramaswami Parvathy as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan. She has served in leading roles at the World Food Programme in Türkey and Afghanistan. She has more than 30 years of experience in the development and humanitarian sectors, focusing on strategic planning, performance, risk management, people management, conflict analysis, and humanitarian access negotiations.

 

2. Falcon LLM, a rival of ChatGPT launched in Abu Dhabi: The Technology Innovation Institute in Abu Dhabi (UAE) has launched Falcon LLM, a large language model (LLM) with 40 billion parameters. It was trained on one trillion tokens and built by the AI and Digital Science Research Center's AI Cross-Centre Unit. The model outperforms GPT-3 and requires only 75% of its training compute, as well as lower percentages of other large language models' training compute. LLMs have a wide range of applications, including chatbots.

 

3. Delhi ranks 4th on list of world’s most polluted cities: According to the World Air Quality Report prepared by IQAir, Delhi ranked fourth on a list of 50 of the world’s most polluted cities in terms of PM2.5 levels in 2022. Delhi had an average PM2.5 level of 92.6 ug/ m3 in 2022, a little below the average of 96.4 ug/m3 in 2021. The most polluted city in the world was found to be Lahore, followed by Hotan in China, and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan. The average PM2.5 concentration in Bhiwadi was 92.7 μg/m3. Delhi has retained its ranking on this list – it stood fourth in 2021 as well. The WHO guideline for annual PM2.5 levels is 5 μg/m3. A total of 39 Indian cities (including ‘Delhi’ and ‘New Delhi’) are on the list of 50 of the world’s most polluted cities based on annual average PM2.5 levels in 2022. These include cities like Noida, Gurgaon, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Charkhi Dadri, Jind, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Greater Noida. Out of 131 countries, India ranked eighth with a population-weighted average PM2.5 level of 53.3 μg/m3 in 2022. India is behind Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso and Kuwait on this list.

 

4. US recognized McMahon Line as international border: The US has formally recognized the McMahon Line as the international boundary between India’s Arunachal Pradesh and China. The US has also rejected Beijing’s claim that the northeastern state falls under Chinese territory. A bipartisan resolution acknowledged Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India and also supported India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The resolution, titled ‘Reaffirming the state of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and condemning the People’s Republic of China’s provocations in South Asia’.

 

5. Eric Garcetti appointed as US ambassador to India: The United States of America (USA) Senate has approved the appointment of Eric Garcetti as the next US Ambassador to India. The post was vacant for the last 26 months after Ken Juster resigned in January 2021. The appointment of Garcetti, considered a close ally of US President Joe Biden, was confirmed by the US Senate with 52 votes in favour and 42 against. Kenneth Juster was the last occupant of the ambassadorial residence of the US in New Delhi, who stepped down in January 2021

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI and UAE's Central Bank sign MoU for innovation in financial services: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signed an MoU with the Central Bank of the UAE to promote innovation in financial products and services. Both central banks will work together to explore Central Bank Digital Currencies. They will also investigate interoperability between the CBDCs of CBUAE and RBI. They will conduct proof-of-concept and pilot tests of the bilateral CBDC bridge to facilitate cross-border transactions of remittances and trade.

 

2. CRISIL: India’s GDP to grow at 6% in FY24: According to the credit rating agency CRISIL report, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to grow at 6% in 2023-24, slower than the 7% estimated for 2022-23. Report Title: Rider in the Storm: Tracing India’s Growth in a Volatile World It was also estimated that the corporate revenue would continue to grow in double digits, buoyed by strong domestic demand. Retail inflation will average 5% over 2023-24, lower than the 6.8% (averaged in 2022-23).

 

3. Defense ministry approved to buy worth Rs 70,500-crore indigenous arms: An apex body of the defense ministry for clearing weapons procurement, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) met under the chairmanship of DM Rajnath Singh. The DAC has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisitions worth Rs 70,500 crore under Buy Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured) — a new procurement category.

It includes 307 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems and 60 indigenous marine utility helicopters.

4. Digit Insurance launches three new health plans: The Go Digit General Insurance has announced three new plans under the Digit Health Insurance policy. The three plans—Digit Double Wallet, Digit Infinity Wallet, and Digit Global Treatment Aim: To meet Indians’ newly evolved health insurance demands following the pandemic Under the Infinity Wallet and Worldwide Treatment plan for every claim-free year, the policyholders can earn 50% of the sum insured as a cumulative bonus of up to 100% of the SI.

 

5. India signed loan agreement with World Bank for Green NH Corridors project: India has signed an agreement with World Bank to construct the Green National Highway Corridors Project in four States. These States are Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The agreement has been signed for the construction of 781 kilometers in these States, with loan assistance of 500 million dollars. The total project cost is over 7,662 crore rupees. The objective of the Green National Highway Corridors Project is to demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view climate resilience and use of green technologies.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Bengaluru receives 'healthy city' award for smoking laws: Bengaluru won the 'Partnership for Healthy Cities' award and a cash prize of $ 150,000 for effectively enforcing smoke-free laws at a summit held in London. The focused effort from smoke-free Bengaluru resulted in a reduction of public-place smoking from 18.2% (2017) to 13.3% (2021). The display of 'no-smoking' signs in the city also increased from 23.1% (2017) to 75%. The global summit brought together officials from over 50 cities to discuss public health concerns.

 

2. Tamil writer Sivasankari to be awarded Saraswati Samman for 2022: Tamil writer Sivasankari has been selected for Saraswati Samman for the year 2022 for her book Survya Vamsam. This is a book of memoirs in Tamil language and was published in 2019. Tamil writer Sivasankari to be awarded Saraswati Samman for 2022 Sivasankari’s literary career spans over five decades. She is the author of 36 novels, 48 novellas, 150 short stories, 15 travelogues, seven collections of essays and three biographies, including one on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Daily GK Update- 16th Mar, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Govt appoints Deepak Mohanty as PFRDA chairman: Deepak Mohanty has been appointed as the chairman of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). He replaced Supratim Bandyopadhyay, whose term ended in Jan 2023. Before this, Mohanty was a former executive director of the Reserve Bank of India. He was appointed PFRDA member (Economic) in August 2020 for a period of three years or till attaining the age of 62 years. PFRDA was formed in 2003 to promote and develop the pension industry.

 

2. Gaganyaan mission allocated Rs 9023 crore to achieve its objectives: The government has allocated a budget of Rs. 9023 Crore towards achieving the objectives of Gaganyaan mission. Scope of Gaganyaan program: To demonstrate human spaceflight capability to Low Earth Orbit and safe return ISRO is also developing indigenous technologies for Human rated launch vehicle, Life Support System, Crew Escape System, Ground Station Network, Crew Training and Recovery. The Union MoS, S&T, Dr. Jitendra Singh informed in Lok Sabha.

 

3. India joined Sea Dragon exercise 2023: The third edition of the Sea Dragon exercises is being started in the USA (host) from March 15-30, 2023. It is a coordinated multilateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise for long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. In this exercise, Indian Navy participated with its P8I aircraft, which arrived at Guam, USA on 14 March 2023. Apart from India, US Navy with P8A, Japan with P1, Canada with CP 140, and South Korea with P3C participated.

 

4. Minister Narender Singh Tomar inaugurates “AgriUnifest” in Bengaluru: Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar has inaugurated a 5-day cultural program“AgriUnifest” in Bengaluru. This program was organized by Bangalore Agricultural University in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It was participated by students from 60 State Agricultural Universities/Deemed Universities/Central Universities participated. Aim: To integrate Indian agriculture by connecting various Indian cultures

 

5. REACHOUT scheme implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences: MoS (I/C) Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh has informed in Lok Sabha that REACHOUT is being implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences for capacity building. REACHOUT: Research, Education, and Training Outreach. It is an umbrella scheme of the following six sub-schemes: R&D in Earth System Science International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography Program for Development of Skilled manpower in Earth System Sciences Outreach and awareness KRCNet BCWC

 

6. 'Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022' released: Union Minister Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Parshottam Rupala unveiled the department’s annual publication, the ‘Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022’. Total milk production in the country during 2021-22 is 221.06 million tonnes. Top 5 Producing States: Milk: Rajasthan (15.05%), UP (14.93%), MP (8.06%), Gujarat (7.56%) and Andhra Pradesh (6.97%). Egg: Andhra Pradesh (20.41%), TN (16.08%), Telangana (12.86%), WB (8.84%) and Karnataka (6.38%)

 

7. Anurag Thakur inaugurated 16th meeting of SCO Youth Council: The 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Youth Council was held in hybrid mode in New Delhi under the chairship of India. Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the meeting of the SCO Youth Council. During the meeting, the SCO Member States shared information on the activities of the SCO Youth Council in 2022-2023. They noted the high level of participation and the interest shown by the youth delegates of the SCO member states in the discussion held during the Conference. They also noted the promising enthusiasm shown by the youth delegates to engage in community development activities for the betterment of the society.

 

8. 3rd Divya Kala Mela inaugurated at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel has inaugurated the 3rd Divya Kala Mela at Bhopal. The government is aiming to achieve holistic and all-round development so that the disabled can participate equally in this process. Goods from across the country, including food items, are exhibited at the fair. Organized by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, this art fair will run till 21 Mar 2023. The four finance corporations under the ministry provide financial assistance to artisans and other beneficiaries.

 

9. OpenAl launched ‘GPT-4’ with higher accuracy: The artificial intelligence research company behind ChatGPT, OpenAI has unveiled its new and more advanced model called GPT-4. The latest version is more creative and accurate in its response and has better problem-solving capabilities than ChatGPT. According to OpenAI, GPT-4 is a “large multimodal model”, which cannot outperform humans in real-world scenarios but can exhibit “human-level performance on various professional and academic benchmarks”.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. US Senate confirms Eric Garcetti as Ambassador to India: The United States of America (USA) Senate approved the appointment of Eric Garcetti as the next US Ambassador to India. His appointment will now fill in the key diplomatic position that had been vacant for more than two years. His nomination was confirmed via a 52-42 vote, which was pending before the US Congress since July 2021. Kenneth Juster was the last occupant of the ambassadorial residence of the US in New Delhi, who stepped down in January 2021.

 

2. NASA unveils new generation of spacesuit for humanity's return trip to Moon: NASA unveiled a new generation of spacesuit for humanity's return trip to the Moon. This spacesuit comes with specialist features to support astronauts as they conduct scientific experiments on the lunar surface. The prototype is said to be a better fit for female space travelers. NASA hopes to have the updated suit ready for the Artemis III mission to the Moon in 2025. A well-fitting suit is crucial to prevent excessive fatigue and at worst, physical harm.

 

3. India and World Bank signs loan agreement for Green NH Corridors project: India and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement to construct the Green National Highway Corridors Project in four States. Four states: HP, Rajasthan, UP, and Andhra Pradesh The agreement has been signed to construct 781 kilometers, with loan assistance of 500 million dollars. The total project cost is over 7,662 crore rupees. Objective: To demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view climate resilience and the use of green technologies

 

4. US recognizes McMahon Line as international border: The US has formally recognized the McMahon Line as the international boundary between India’s Arunachal Pradesh and China. The US has also rejected Beijing’s claim that the northeastern state falls under Chinese territory. A bipartisan resolution acknowledged Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

The resolution, titled ‘Reaffirming the state of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and condemning the People’s Republic of China’s provocations in South Asia'.

 

5. India world’s largest arms importer: SIPRI Report 2023: According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) 2023 report, India will become the world’s leading arms importer in 2022. India remained the world’s largest arms importer from 2018 to 2022 followed by Saudi Arabia. According to this report, between the years 2013-17 and 2018-22, India’s arms imports have decreased by 11 percent. Russia was India’s largest arms supplier in the periods between 2013-17 and 2018-22. But Russia’s share of arms imports to India fell from 64 to 45%. While France emerged as the second-largest arms supplier to India followed by the US. The US had the world’s largest military expenditure, accounting for 40%of the global share, followed by Russia (16%), and France (11%).

 

6. March 15 – World Consumer Rights Day: World Consumer Rights Day is observed every year on 15 March. Objective – to raise awareness about consumer rights and promote consumer protection. The day is also an opportunity to denounce market injustices and celebrate solidarity within the international consumer movement. Theme 2023 – Empowering Consumers Through Clean Energy Transitions The origins of World Consumer Rights Day dates back to March 15, 1962, when US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy addressed the US Congress on the importance of consumer rights. The first World Consumer Rights Day was observed on March 15, 1983, and since then, organizations like Consumer International have celebrated the occasion by holding events and campaigns to safeguard consumer rights.

 

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Commercial Bank 'first in Qatar' to launch UPI remittance service to India: Commercial Bank, a digital Bank in Qatar has announced to launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) remittance service to India. With this decision, this bank becomes the first bank in Qatar to offer this service. Customers can use Commercial Banking digital platforms to initiate UPI payments using UPI-ID. The transactions can be completed within 60 seconds and are available 24/7. UPI is a convenient payment system that allows customers to transfer money in real time.

 

2. Wholesale inflation falls to two-year low of 3.85% in February: Wholesale Price-based Inflation (WPI) has been eased to two years low of 3.85% in February 2023 against 4.73% recorded in January 2023. It will primarily contribute to the fall in the prices of crude petroleum, food products, electronics, chemicals, and electrical equipment. In February, fuel and power rose 14.82 percent as compared to 15.15 percent in January this year and food index stood at 2.76 percent against 2.95 percent in preceding month. Annual retail inflation (CPI) eased to 6.44 percent in February this year, helped by a fall in the price of food items.

 

3. RBI allowed banks from 18 countries to trade in rupee: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted banks from 18 countries to open Special Vostro Rupee Accounts (SVRAs) to settle payments in rupees. These 18 nations include Botswana, Fiji, Germany, Guyana, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Russia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United Kingdom. The SVA process began in 2022 when RBI announced, “it has been decided to put in place an additional arrangement for invoicing, payment, and settlement of exports/imports in INR [Indian rupees.”

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. RBI's Shaktikanta Das named 'Governor of the Year' by Central Banking: The Reserve Bank of India Governor, Shaktikanta Das was awarded the title 'Governor of the Year' for 2023 by Central Banking. Reason: For his leadership during difficult periods, such as the failure of a significant non-banking company, COVID-19 pandemic, and the inflationary effects caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine The National Bank of Ukraine was also awarded the Central Bank of the Year award. Central Banking is an international economic research journal.

 

2. Tamil writer Sivasankari to be awarded Saraswati Samman for 2022: Tamil writer Sivasankari has been selected for Saraswati Samman for the year 2022 for her book Survya Vamsam. This is a book of memoirs in Tamil language and was published in 2019. Saraswati Samman: It was instituted by the K.K. Birla Foundation in 1991. It is recognized as the most prestigious and the highest literary award in the country. It carries an award money of 15 lakh rupees, a Citation, and a Plaque.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran actor Sameer Khakhar passed away: Veteran actor Sameer Khakhar, best known for his role in the 1980s classic Nukkad passed away at 71. He rose to fame with his roles in TV shows ‘Nukkad’ and ‘Circus’. He was also featured in ‘Shrimaan Shrimati’, and ‘Adaalat’. He also played vital roles in films, including ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’, ‘Jai Ho’, and ‘Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi’. He was last seen in the OTT series ‘Farzi’.