Daily GK Update- 20th Mar, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 5th Poshan Pakhwada celebrations begins: The Ministry of Women and Child Development has organized the fifth Poshan Pakhwada from 20th March to 3rd April 2023 with various activities nationwide. Theme 2023: "Nutrition for All: Together Towards a Healthy India" Aim: To raise awareness about the importance of nutrition and promote healthy eating habits through Jan Andolan and Jan Bhagidari Poshan Abhiyaan was launched by PM Narendra Modi on 8th March 2018 to improve nutritional outcomes in a holistic manner.

 

2. ISRO to conduct young scientist programme in Bengaluru: The Indian Space Research Organisation is organizing a young scientist program named Yuva VIgyani Karyakram (YUVIKA).

Aim: To impart basic knowledge on space technology, space science, and space applications to students of Class IX. Registration for the program has been started on March 20, 2023. The YUVIKA program will be conducted between May 15 and 26 at seven centers. Interested students studying in Class 9 as on 1 January 2023 within India are eligible to apply.

 

3. LG Manoj Sinha laid foundation stone for a ₹250-crore mall in Srinagar: J&K LG, Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone for a ₹250-crore mega shopping mall at Srinagar’s Sempora area. This shopping mall will be constructed by Dubai-based Emaar Group. It is the first “foreign direct investment” in the Union territory. It will be constructed over an area of 10 lakh sq. ft. and is expected to be completed by 2026. Later, he also participated in the India-UAE investor meet at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre.

 

4. Government to develop mega textile parks in 7 states under PM MITRA scheme: The Central Government has announced plans to set up mega textile parks in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks for the Textile Industry are a step towards realizing the vision of making India a global hub for textile manufacturing and exports. The step is inspired by the 5F vision of the Prime Minister, which includes, Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign. It is expected that these parks will enhance the competitiveness of the textile industry by helping it achieve economies of scale and attract global players to manufacture in India. The mega parks would “provide state-of-the-art infrastructure for the textiles sector, attract investment of crores and create lakhs of jobs. The parks will receive financial assistance from the Ministry of Textiles in the form of development capital support up to Rs 500 crore (per park). Further, to encourage prompt implementation, entities in PM MITRA Park will also receive Competitive Incentive Support (CIS) up to Rs 300 crore per park.

 

5. 18 March – Ordinance Factories’ Day: Ordnance Factory Day is observed on March 18, annually in India. It is the day on which the first Ordnance factory was set up by the British at Cossipore, Kolkata in 1801, during colonial rule. The day is celebrated by the Ministry of Defence. Theme 2023 – Vinashaya Dushkritam The day is celebrated by displaying the rifles, guns, artillery, ammunition etc in exhibitions all over India. The celebrations start with a parade and the exhibition will also display the photographs of various mountaineering expeditions. Director-General & & Chairman of Ordnance Factories – C S Vishwakarma Headquarters of Ordnance Factory Board – Kolkata, West Bengal.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Africa-India field training exercise, AFINDEX-23 to be held in Pune, India: The 10-day Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX 2023) will be organized in Pune, India from March 21-30, 2023 to strengthen the military ties between the countries. The India-Africa Army Chiefs Conclave will be held in Pune from March 28-29, 2023. The exercise will promote the idea of Africa-India Militaries for Regional Unity (AMRUT). A comprehensive validation exercise on the theme “Humanitarian Mine Actions and Peace Keeping Operations”.

 

2. International Day of Happiness 2023: 20 March: The International Day of Happiness (World Happiness Day) is celebrated every year on March 20 to create a kinder and happier world by urging people to adopt simple, daily practices to be happy. Theme 2023: Be Mindful. Be Grateful. Be Kind On 12th July 2012, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed March 20 as the International Day of Happiness in its resolution 66/281. This day was first celebrates in 2013.

 

3. India on track to achieve energy independence by 2047: According to the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, India can achieve energy independence by its 100th year of independence in 2047. Study title: Pathways to Atmanirbhar Bharat It has been suggested that achieving this goal would result in significant economic, environmental, and energy benefits for India, including USD 2.5 trillion in consumer savings by 2047. It also reduces fossil fuel import expenditure by 90% ($240 billion) annually.

 

4. World Oral Health Day 2023: 20th March: World Oral Health Day is observed globally on March 20 every year with the primary aim of creating awareness about the importance of oral health.

The theme for 2023 is 'Be Proud of Your Mouth,' which is the same theme used for the past three years. World Oral Health Day was celebrated first on September 12, 2007, by the World Dental Federation (FDI). It is the birth date of Dr. Charles Godon (founder of FDI). 

 

5. India, WFP sign MoU during Global Millet Conference: The Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry has signed an MoU with the World Food Programme (WFP) during the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference. The MoU between WFP and the Government of India for cooperation between 2023-2027 was signed in the presence of Agriculture Minister Tomar. The WFP is working towards promoting food self-sufficiency and supporting governmental and global efforts to ensure long-term solutions to the challenge of hunger.

 

6. Indira Gandhi Airport ranked best airport in South Asia for 5th time: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has received the award for the Best Airport in India and South Asia by International air transport rating organisation Skytrax. Singapore’s Changi Airport is named the World’s Best Airport of 2023 followed by Doha Hamad airport. In 2022, Singapore ranked at No 3 while Doha Hamad had bagged the No 1 position. The Skytrax World Airport Awards are based on annual global airport customer satisfaction survey, which was done during the period from August 2022 to February 2023. As per the release by Skytrax, Delhi airport is the only Indian airport to feature on top 50 airports across the world. In the list of World’s Top 100 Airports 2023, Delhi airport is placed on 36th and moved up from 37th position in 2022.

 

7. India & Sri Lanka inaugurate exhibition ‘Geoffrey Bawa’ in New Delhi: The National Gallery of Modern Art and the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi have inaugurated the exhibition ‘Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential to be There’. The exhibition is scheduled till the 7th of May this year from 11 AM to 6.30 PM, except on Mondays. Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Indo-Lanka Diplomatic Relations, the event will celebrate the Cultural Exchange Programme between both countries. Over 120 documents from the Bawa archives will be on view, including a section on unbuilt work and Bawa’s own photographs from his travels.

 

8. 18 March – Global Recycling Day: Global Recycling Day is observed every year on 18 March. Objective – To raise awareness about recycling and encourage individuals and organizations to reduce waste and protect the environment. Theme 2023 – Creative Innovation. The first Global Recycling Day was celebrated in 2018 and has grown in popularity since then, with events and activities being held around the world. Every year recyclables saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions, which projected to increase to 1 billion tons by 2030. Recycling is an essential tool in reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and oceans, and in conserving natural resources.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Virat Kohli named Luxor's brand ambassador: Luxor Writing Instruments Private Limited has signed cricketer Virat Kohli as its new brand ambassador. He will represent Luxor’s stationery products and help the company increase its appeal among young writers. He will also help to enhance the market position in the country. Luxor International Private Limited is a well-known Indian stationery manufacturer. Managing Director of Luxor: Pooja Jain Gupta

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance launches ‘ICICI Pru Gold': ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has launched ICICI Pru Gold. It is an innovative long-term savings product designed to enable customers to create an additional income stream to meet their diverse income requirements.

Besides receiving guaranteed lifelong income, the life cover component in the product provides financial security to the family. This product is available in three variants i.e. Immediate Income, Immediate Income with Booster, and Deferred Income.

 

2. NCLT approved HDFC, HDFC Bank merger: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the merger of HDFC & HDFC Bank. HDFC Ltd has already received approvals from the Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), PFRDA and Competition Commission of India (CCI) as well as from India’s stock exchanges – BSE and NSE The HDFC-HDFC Bank merger is expected to be completed by the second or third quarter of FY24. NCLT has also given approval for holding a shareholders’ meeting for obtaining approval for the proposed merger. In April 2022, HDFC Bank announced that parent HDFC will merge with the bank to enable seamless delivery of home loans and leverage on the large base of over 68 million customers of HDFC Bank and inter alia improve the pace of credit growth in the economy. The merger is expected to be completed by end of FY24.

 

3. Indian economy likely to grow 6% in FY24: Crisil: 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. CRISIL said consumer inflation is expected to moderate to 5 percent on average in fiscal 2024 from 6.8 percent in fiscal 2023, owing to high-base effect and some softening of crude and commodity prices. A good rabi harvest would help cool food inflation, while the slowing economy should moderate core inflation. Retail inflation will average 5% over 2023-24, lower than the 6.8% (averaged in 2022-23).

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Bengaluru received ‘Healthy City’ award for smoking law: 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.

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.