Daily GK Update- 7th Aug, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Nirmala Sitharaman laid foundation stone for Adichanallur museum: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone for an archeological museum at Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu in August 2023 Objective: To focus on establishing the significance of the archaeological sites identified as part of the cultural landscape of the Thamirabarani valley, not limiting to the site of Adichanallur. Adichanallur was one of the five archaeological sites declared to be developed as ‘Iconic Sites’ in the Union Budget 2020-21.

 

2. Tata Play set to expand bandwidth with exclusive capacity on GSAT-24: Direct-to-home (DTH) company Tata Play, formerly known as Tata Sky, plans to increase its bandwidth capacity by 50% by adding 24 new Ku-band transponders on the GSAT-24 communication satellite. Aim: To offer more channels, services, and improve picture quality. The GSAT-24 satellite was launched by NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) in June 2022 to specifically cater to Tata Play’s DTH requirements. NSIL has been tasked with satellite missions on a demand-driven model.

 

3. Keki Mistry appointed as strategic advisor for Cyrus Poonawalla Group's: Cyrus Poonawalla Group appointed Keki Mistry as the strategic advisor to all the financial services ventures spearheaded by Adar Poonawalla in Aug 2023. He has over 4 decades of experience and is one of the most respected professionals in the Indian Financial Services industry. He served as the chief executive officer and vice chairman of the company after it merged with HDFC Bank Ltd

He is also the Non-Executive Chairman of HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company Limited

 

4. Prime Minister launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in 13 railway stations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched work on the redevelopment of 13 railway stations in the State under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Aug 2023. Out of 508, 13 stations are listed in Karnataka. Aims: To transform and modernize 1,309 railway stations across the nation and enhance the overall passenger experience and make them world-class travel hubs. Gov is working to transform the railway stations across the country in line with its vision of ‘Naya Bharat’.

 

5. ISRO transfers satellite bus technology to private firm: The Indian Space Research Organisation announced the transfer of IMS-1 Satellite Bus technology to Alpha Design Technologies, a Bengaluru-based private company. The transfer was facilitated by ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited through an agreement  The IMS-1 satellite bus was developed by the UR Rao Satellite Centre and is a small satellite platform designed to enable low-cost access to space.  This weighs about 100 kilograms and can carry a 30-kg payload.

 

6. Anant Maheshwari appoints as President and CEO of Honeywell High Growth Region: Former Microsoft India Head, Anant Maheshwari has been appointed as the President and CEO of Honeywell High Growth Region, effective from September 4, 2023. In his new role, Maheshwari will oversee operations in China, India, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, and Latin America, driving strategic growth initiatives across these key markets. Maheshwari previously served the company from 2004 to 2016 in various leadership roles and ultimately became President of Honeywell India. Prior to rejoining Honeywell, Maheshwari held the position of Head of Microsoft India for seven years. Puneet Chandok, former Head of AWS India, will be succeeding Maheshwari.

 

7. Government appoints Sanjay Kumar Agarwal as new CBIC Chairman: Union govt has appointed Sanjay Kumar Agarwal as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) after the superannuation of Vivek Johri. Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, a 1988 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) official as the Chairman of CBIC with the status of special secretary to the government of India. Separately, the ministry also appointed Surjit Bhujabal, a 1989 batch Indian Revenue Service official as member of CBIC with the status of special secretary to the government. Bhujabal is currently Principal Director General at the Directorate of GST Intelligence (DGGI) in New Delhi.

 

8. 7 August – National Handloom Day: National Handloom Day is observed across India on August 7 every year. The primary goal of celebrating Handloom Day is to promote handloom and to recognize the efforts as well as skills of the community of weavers engaged in the sector. The National Handloom Day was first observed in 2015 which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The day was initiated with the objective of spreading awareness about the importance of the handloom sector. August 7 was chosen for celebrating National Handloom Day to commemorate the launch of the Swadeshi Movement on the same day in 1905 in Calcutta (now Kolkata). The movement was then led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai. The Swadeshi Movement was initiated to improve the usage of India-made goods which prominently involved handlooms. This movement also played a major role in the Independence of the country during British Rule.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India hands over 450 million for Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity project: India has handed over INR 450 million in advance to Sri Lanka to fund its unique digital identity project in Aug 2023. It is the most crucial step in the island nation's digitalization program being implemented through the Indian grant assistance. Aims: To collect biographic and biometric information which will be stored in a centralised system to issue identification cards as per the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

 

2. China plans to limit smartphone usage by children to two hours: China’s cyberspace watchdog has put forward plans to limit the usage of smartphones by children to no more than two hours a day and to require all tech companies to introduce a “minor mode” to enable restrictions. The Cyberspace Administration of China published the draft guidelines on its site, stating that minors would not be allowed to use most internet services on mobile devices from 10 pm to 6 am and that children between the ages of 16 and 18 would only be able to use the internet for two hours a day. Children between the ages of 8 and 15 would be allowed only an hour a day, while those under 8 would only be allowed 40 minutes. Only certain services, such as apps or platforms that are deemed suitable for the physical and mental development of minors, will be exempted. The CAC did not specify which internet services would be allowed exemptions. In 2019, Beijing limited children’s daily online game time to 90 minutes a day and tightened those restrictions in 2021, allowing children only an hour a day of online gameplay on Fridays, weekends and public holidays.

 

3. 6 August – Hiroshima Day: Hiroshima Day is observed every year on 6 August. Objective – To raise awareness of the catastrophic consequences of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima. On 6 August 1945, a United States warplane dropped the powerful “Little Boy”, the first atomic bomb, over Hiroshima in Japan, killing over 140,000 people. A US B-29 bomber aircraft dropped flew over Hiroshima and dropped the bomb at 8:15 am. Three days later, Nagasaki was bombed after the US dropped, “Fat Man”, another atomic weapon, in its war against imperial Japan. This year commemorated the 76th anniversary of this event.

 

4. 6 August 2023 – Friendship Day: Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August. This year, the day falls on August 6. The day serves as a reminder to acknowledge the relationships that lighten up our burden in so many ways. It is time to embrace the spirit of camaraderie and express gratitude to our friends and let them know how much they mean to us Theme 2023 – Sharing the Human Spirit through Friendship The history of Friendship Day can be traced back to 1958 when Joce Hall, the owner of Hallmark Cards, proposed the idea of celebrating Friendship Day in Paraguay. The International Day of Friendship follows the proposal made by UNESCO. The initiative was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1997. However, it was in 2011 that the United Nations officially declared July 30 as International Friendship Day.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Prarthana bagged doubles title at women's tennis hardcourt event 2023: Prarthana Thombare has bagged the doubles title at the women's tennis hardcourt 2023 event in Spain. Prarthana and Anastasia Tikhonova, defeat France's Estelle Cascino and Latvia's Diana in the final. It is the second title of the year and 26th overall for Prarthana Siddhant Banthia and Sai Karteek Reddy won their second title this season in ITF men’s event 2023 in Kazakhstan. They defeated Estonia’s Daniil and Karl Kiur  to lift the trophy in the hard-court event.

 

2. SAI launches short movie series ‘Halla Bol’: Sports Authority of India (SAI) under the Umbrella Campaign ‘Cheer4India’ has launched a short movie series ‘Halla Bol’ on the journey of Asian Games-bound athletes. Objective – To motivate them for Hangzhou Asian Games and spread awareness about the upcoming Asian Games. According to SAI, a total of 12 short movies will be showcased in the coming weeks. SAI highlighted that the initiative will not only motivate the athletes heading to Asian Games but also youngsters of the country to take up sports A similar movie series, ‘Olympics ki Aasha,’ was launched before the Tokyo Olympics.

 

3. Aditi Swami becomes 1st Indian to win individual World Title at WAC 2023: Indian archer, Aditi Swami has become the first-ever Indian to clinch the individual World Title at the World Archery Championships final 2023 in Berlin. 17-year-old Aditi, became the senior world champion when she defeated Andrea Becerra of Mexico, 149-147 in the summit clash of the compound women’s event. Conversely, India’s Ojas Deotale also created history after defeating Lukasz Przybylski of Poland in a thrilling final to become the new world champion in Men’s Individual compound event. Earlier in the day, Aditi ousted her ‘idol’ Jyothi Surekha Vennam 149-145 in an all-Indian semifinal.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mrunal Thakur honored Diversity Cinema award at Indian Film Festival 2023: Mrunal Thakur was honoured with the Diversity in Cinema Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023.  The recognition comes as she completes a year of having made her debut in South Indian Cinema with Telugu film Sita Ramam (2022) The award is a recognition of her versatile performances across films of different languages.  The actor, who made her film with "Love Sonia", and then featured in movies such "Super 30", "Toofan", "Jersey".

 

2. Tamil Nadu won best State award for organ and tissue transplantation: Tamil Nadu bagged the Best Performing State award 2023 in cadaver organ donation . Unioin Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya presented the Best State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation award to Health Minister Ma Subramanian at the 13th Indian Organ Donation Day function held in New Delhi. Tamil Nadu leads all Indian states in organ donations with 1,705 people donating their organs and saving 6,247 human lives.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Telangana folk singer Gaddar passed away: Renowned folk singer Gaddar passed away in Hyderabad known for his revolutionary songs.  His contribution to people’s movements in the combined Andhra Pradesh during the peak of the Naxal movement fetched him a cult status among the Telugu-speaking population. His role in the Telangana agitation cannot be forgotten and his iconic song – Podustunna Poddu Meeda Nadustunna Kaalama Poru Telanganama – was a must in every meeting of the Telangana agitation. 

Daily GK Update- 6th Aug, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NHAI launches mobile app ‘Rajmargyatra’ for national highway users: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched ‘Rajmargyatra,’ to enhance the highway user experience. A unified mobile application aimed at providing comprehensive information and efficient complaint redressal for national highway users. The app offers real-time weather conditions, timely broadcast notifications, and details about nearby toll plazas, petrol pumps, hospitals, hotels, and other essential services, ensuring a seamless and safe journey on National Highways. Users can report highway-related issues and attach geo-tagged videos or photos for clarity. Complaints will be handled promptly, with system-generated escalations to higher authorities in case of delays. Users can track the status of their grievances for transparency.

 

2. Assam govt to set up National Centre of Excellence for Badminton: Assam government has signed an MoU with the Badminton Association of India to set up the National Centre of Excellence for Badminton in the state. The MoU for the centre will be signed between the Assam government and the Badminton Association of India for 25 years, subject to renewal for a further 10 years. The centre will have world-class facilities to nurture and harness the potential of young badminton players across India. To ensure effective management and administration of the center, a supervisory committee comprising five members will be formed. This committee will be responsible for overseeing the functioning of the center and its activities.

 

3. Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba gets one-year extension: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved extension in service to Rajiv Gauba as Cabinet Secretary for a further period of one year in relaxation of AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958 and Rule 56(d) of the Fundamental Rules.” Before Rajiv Gauba, BD Pande had been the longest serving cabinet secretary from November 2, 1972, to March 31, 1977. Rajiv Gauba, a 1982-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Jharkhand cadre and a former Union home secretary, assumed the country’s top bureaucratic post in 2019, and his tenure was initially set for two years. Subsequently, he received extensions twice, first in 2021 and then in August of the following year. Rajiv Gauba is credited as the primary architect of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. This act led to the division of the erstwhile state into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, following the abrogation of the special status accorded to the region under Article 370 of the Constitution.

 

4. Valid license for import of laptops, personal computers to be required: According to the Gov, a valid License for imports of laptops, tablets, and personal computers will be required from the1st November 2023 The Centre has said that there is no ban on the import of IT Hardware as such devices can be imported after obtaining a valid license by companies or traders. Directorate General of Foreign Trade has prepared a portal, for getting a license by applying online Gov has notified Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 for IT Hardware.

5. August 7 is celebrated as National Handloom Day: National Handloom Day is observed on August 7. Goal: To pay tribute to the huge handloom community in the country for their contribution to carrying on the traditional heritage and ensuring financial stability. Aims:  To preserve India's handloom tradition and to provide more prospects for the people associated with the handloom industry. This Day in India celebrates the Swadeshi Movement that began in Bengal to rely on Indian-made goods and boycott foreign goods.

 

6. Cabinet approves ₹1.39 lakh crore for BharatNet project: Cabinet has approved an outlay of ₹1.39 lakh crore for BharatNet, the government’s project for last-mile connectivity across 6.4 lakh villages in the country in Aug 2023 It is one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world, implemented in a phased manner to all 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in the country for last-mile broadband connectivity Cabinet has approved ₹1,39,579 crore fund for providing last-mile optical fiber-based connectivity to homes in all the villages

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. RVNL, Russian partner to build 120 Vande Bharat trains: A joint venture between public sector company Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) and Russian company Metrowagonmash is on course to manufacture and supply around 120 Vande Bharat trains to Indian Railways, at a cost of ₹120 crore per train. The RVNL wants a larger share of 69%, leaving 26% for Metrowagonmash and 5% for a third partner, Locomotive Electronic Systems Blue-and-white trains, with AC, are expected to be manufactured at a railway factory in Maharashtra.

 

2. Anti-dumping duty on optical fibre imports from China, Korea, Indonesia: The Finance Ministry has imposed a definitive anti-dumping duty on certain optical fibre imports from China, South Korea and Indonesia. Aim: To give some relief to the domestic optical fibre industry reeling under the adverse impact of low-price and low-quality imports.  The anti-dumping duty ranges from $122 per kfkm to $857.23 per kfkm, with the commodity being traded in fkm (fibre kilometres). Optical fibres are used to transmit data in the form of light pulses.

 

3. Iraq eliminates trachoma as a public health problem: World Health Organization has announced, Iraq has now joined the league of 17 other countries that have eliminated trachoma, which is world’s leading infectious cause of blindness in Aug 2023. Iraq established its national trachoma programme in 2012 to coordinate the final domestic push against the disease. A trachoma surveillance system was developed to detect and manage cases within secondary and tertiary eye care facilities, as well as through school pre-enrolment

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. 9th edition of Malabar River Festival opens in Kerala: The ninth edition of the Malabar River Festival opens at Thusharagiri in Kozhikode, Kerala. The three-day event, organised by the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society and the Kozhikode District Tourism Promotion Council will be held at Iruvanjhipuzha and Chalipuzha rivers at Thusharagiri. Besides Indian Kayakers, paddlers from ten countries including the US, UK, Israel, Kazakhstan, and South Africa are participating in the event. The competition will be held in Kayak Slalom, Boardercross, and Down River events. The National Whitewater Kayaking Championship will also be held as part of the Malabar River Festival this year.

 

2. Manoj Tiwary announces retirement from all forms of cricket: India middle-order batter and Bengal veteran Manoj Tiwary announced her retirement from all forms of cricket. The 37-year-old, who last played for India in 2015, was playing domestic cricket as recently as February 2023. The highly-talented West Bengal batter led Bengal in Ranji Trophy and the team made it to the final as well. Manoj Tiwary played 12 ODIs and 3 T20Is for India between 2008 and 2015. He scored a hundred in the 50-over format of the game at the highest level. Tiwary made his international debut against Australia in the 2007–08 Commonwealth Bank Series.

 

3. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated 132nd Durand Cup in Assam: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the opening ceremony of the 132nd Durand Cup today at SAI Stadium which marked the grand beginning of the annual football competition for the first time in the Assamese city. The mega event is being organized by the Indian Army in association with Assam Government and Bodo Territorial Region.  The inaugural ceremony was followed by the opening match of the tournament between Bodoland FC and Rajasthan United FC.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Mcap of seven of top-10 most valued firms erode by Rs 1 lakh cr: The combined market valuation of seven of the top-10 most valued firms eroded by Rs 1,09,947.86 crore in first weak of Aug 2023 State Bank of India taking the biggest hit, with a weak trend in the stock market. The valuation of SBI tumbled Rs 38,197.34 crore to Rs 5,11,603.38 crore. First weak of Aug 2023, the BSE benchmark fell by 438.95 points or 0.66 percent. Tata Consultancy Services, HDFC Bank, and Infosys observed an increase in their market capitalization.

 

2. SBI Posts Highest-Ever Quarterly Profit Of ₹ 16,884 Crore: In the April-June quarter of 2023-24, the financial results of State Bank of India revealed a significant rise in quarterly profit to ₹16,884 crore, compared to ₹6,068 crore in the corresponding quarter of 2022. Net income also more than doubled to ₹18,537 crore from ₹7,325 crore in 2022 Net interest income showed marginal deterioration while loan loss provisions more than doubled, leading to SBI shares tanking nearly 3 per cent on bourses.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mrunal Thakur to be honoured with Diversity in Cinema Award at IFFM: Actor Mrunal Thakur will honoured with Diversity in Cinema Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). The “Sita Ramam” star will be honoured with the award in recognition of “her outstanding performances across diverse roles and languages in the world of Indian cinema. The actor, who made her film with “Love Sonia”, and then featured in movies such “Super 30”, “Toofan”, “Jersey”, will receive the award during the annual gala night on August 11 in the Australian city. The 14th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne will run from August 11 to 20.

Daily GK Update- 5th Aug, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Govt allocates Rs 1,39,579 crore to extend Bharat Net in 6.40 lakh villages: The Communications Ministry informed that the government has allocated 1,39,579 crore rupees to extend Bharat Net in 6.40 lakh villages across the country. The Ministry also informed that the extension project has been decided after the success of a pilot project in 60,000 Gram Panchayat villages across the country in 8 months. The Bharat Net has reached 1.94 lakh villages during the pilot project and 5.67 lakh households have active Bharat Net connections so far.

 

2. Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft successfully injected into lunar orbit: ISRO has informed that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was successfully injected into the lunar orbit. The next operation- reduction of orbit- is scheduled to take place on 6th August 2023 around 11 PM IST. After lunar orbit injection, the spacecraft is slated to orbit the Moon multiple times, gradually approaching the Moon. Once it reaches a 100 km orbit above the lunar surface, the lander and rover will be detached and manoeuvred to soft land on the surface of the moon.

 

3. Health Ministry prohibits sale of Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac: According to a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the production, sale, and distribution of ‘ketoprofen’ and ‘aceclofenac’, along with their formulations, for animal use are prohibited under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The recommendation for this ban was made by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB). DTAB is the apex authority for making statutory decisions on technical drug-related matters in India.

 

4. MASI Portal for Monitoring CHILD CARE HOMES: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has developed an application named MASI for real-time monitoring of the Child Care Institutions. MASI stands for Monitoring App for Seamless Inspection. The effective and efficient functioning of the mechanism for inspection of CCIs provided under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 (as amended in 2021) and synchronous monitoring of the system is the rationale behind developing this comprehensive application.

 

5. President of India inaugurated ‘UNMESHA’ and ”UTKARSH’ festivals in Bhopal: The President of India, Droupadi Murmu has inaugurated ‘Unmesha’ – International Literature Festival and ‘Utkarsh’ – Festival of Folk and Tribal Performing Arts at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Culture Department Madhya Pradesh along with Sangeet Natak Akademi and Sahitya Akademi of the Ministry of Culture is organizing this event from 3rd to 5th August. The international literature festival Unmesh is Asia’s largest literary convention. 15 countries will participate in the Unmesh festival. Literature gave strength to the ideals of our freedom struggle. In every corner of the country, many writers gave expression to the ideals of freedom and renaissance. Novels, stories, poems and plays written in the period of Indian renaissance and freedom struggle are popular even today, and they have a wide influence on our minds.

6. Assam govt to set up National Centre of Excellence for Badminton: Assam government has signed an MoU with the Badminton Association of India to set up the National Centre of Excellence for Badminton in the state. The MoU for the centre will be signed between the Assam government and the Badminton Association of India for 25 years, subject to renewal for a further 10 years. The centre will have world-class facilities to nurture and harness the potential of young badminton players across India. To ensure effective management and administration of the center, a supervisory committee comprising five members will be formed. This committee will be responsible for overseeing the functioning of the center and its activities.

 

7. Bharat Dynamics Limited hands over first Radio Frequency to DRDO: The Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has handed over the first Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker of Akash – the Next Generation Weapon System to Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Seeker is a critical and technology-intensive subsystem used in Surface-to-Air Missiles and Air to-Air Missiles for target tracking in the terminal phase. The RF Seeker has been designed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat, and produced by BDL at its state-of-the-art Seeker Facility Centre set up at BDL, Kanchanbagh Unit in Hyderabad. The establishment of the Seeker Facility Centre at BDL has enabled India to achieve self-reliance in the field of RF seeker production and contribute greatly towards realizing the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Chairman and Managing Director of BDL – A Madhavarao

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. World's oceans hit hottest ever recorded temperature of 20.96C: According to the EU's climate change service report, the oceans have hit their hottest-ever recorded temperature as they soak up warmth from climate change. The average daily global sea surface temperature beat a 2016 record this week as it reached 20.96C. That is far above the average for this time of year. The broken temperature record follows a series of marine heatwaves this year including in the UK, the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Gulf of Mexico.

 

2. Qualcomm India appoints Savi Soin as President: The leading smartphone processor manufacturer, Qualcomm appointed Savi Soin as the President of Qualcomm India. He will be responsible for guiding the company’s strategy in the Indian market. Savi Soin, who has been with Qualcomm for more than two decades, previously served as the head of strategy and business development at Qualcomm Technologies’ semiconductor division. He will replace Rajen Vagadia.

 

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Aditi Swami becomes 1st Indian to win individual World Title at WAC 2023: Indian archer, Aditi Swami has become the first-ever Indian to clinch the individual World Title at the World Archery Championships final 2023 in Berlin. In the final, she defeated Andrea Becerra of Mexico, 149-147 in the summit clash of the compound women's event. Conversely, India's Ojas Deotale also created history after defeating Lukasz Przybylski of Poland in a thrilling final to become the new world champion in Men's Individual compound event.

 

2. SAI launches short movie series ‘Halla Bol’: Sports Authority of India (SAI) under the Umbrella Campaign 'Cheer4India' has launched a short movie series ‘Halla Bol’ on the journey of Asian Games-bound athletes. Aim: To motivate them for Hangzhou Asian Games and spread awareness about the upcoming Asian Games This initiative will also motivate youngsters in the country to take up sports. A similar movie series, 'Olympics ki Aasha,' was launched before the Tokyo Olympics.

 

3. Indian women’s compound team wins historic gold medal: The Indian women’s compound team won a gold medal at the World Archery Championships 2023. The team comprising of Jyoti Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur and Aditi Gopichand Swami secured the nation’s first-ever gold medal in this competition. The Indian women defeated the Mexican team of Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofia, and Hernandez Jeon by 235-229 in the finals to be crowned as the champions. Earlier, the trio had pulled off an exemplary win against the defending champions, Colombia, by a 220-216 margin. World Archery Championship 2023 was held in Berlin, Germany. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, 3 more qualifying tournaments will be taking place in the future, in Asian Games 2023, Asian Championship 2023 and the Antalya World Cup 2024.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Padma Bhushan awardee and IAS officer N Vittal passes away: The Padma Bhushan awardee and IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, 1960 batch, N Vittal passed away in Chennai. He was a former Telecom Secretary and Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). As Chairman of the Telecom Commission, he also initiated the process of liberalization in the telecom sector and played a major role in getting the National Telecom Policy 1994 approved. He authored a book titled Corruption in India - The Roadblock to National Prosperity.

Daily GK Update- 4th Aug, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ministry of Social Justice launched the NAPDDR: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR). Objective: To reach out to the masses and spread awareness about substance use with a focus on higher educational Institutions, university campuses & schools. NMBA was launched on 15th August 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and is being implemented in 372 identified most vulnerable districts.

 

2. Assam CM launches ‘Amrit Brikshya Andolan’ app: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has launched the Department of Forest & Environment’s Amrit Brikshya Andolan web portal/mobile application and the Wood-based Industry (WBI) registration web portal, along with the theme song for the Amrit Brikshya Andolan. It is an initiative aimed at planting a total of 1 crore (10 million) commercially-viable saplings across the State by individuals from various walks of life on coming September 17. Individuals who register on the ‘Amrit Brikshya Andolan’ app or portal and upload their geo-tagged photographs planting saplings will receive a reward of Rs 100 in their bank account, with an aim to encourage more people to participate in the tree plantation drive.

 

3. India’s First Beauty and Lifestyle Festival NYKAALAND debuts In Mumbai: Omnichannel consumer tech company Nykaa has collaborated with Book My Show to give India its first beauty and lifestyle festival Nykaaland. The two-day event will be held in Mumbai on November 5 and 6 at the Royal Western India Turf Club in Mahalaxmi Racecourse. The inaugural beauty and lifestyle festival will see the participation of leading makeup brands, makeup artists, entrepreneurs, dermatologists, beauty experts, and content creators. Owen Roncon, Chief of Business – Live Events, BookMyShow said, “Nykaaland will serve as a platform to celebrate diversity, inspire creativity, and redefine the way India indulges in the world of beauty. The debut edition of the festival will bring together a highly desirable, curated ensemble of unique events and experiences.

 

4. Navi Mumbai to become country’s first septic tank-free city: Navi Mumbai is set to become the first city in the country to be septic tank-free and have toilets in 100% of households soon. The NMMC has laid a network of sewage drains all over the city with 7 state-of-the-art sewage treatment plants being set up with the help of Central government funds. The treated water is being used by industries and watering gardens. As per a survey done in 2015, as many as 5,744 families in the city defecated in the open. The NMMC has constructed 406 public toilets to eradicate the practice. Toilets have provided 4,340 seats for the residents. Toilets in the households in slums are also being constructed.

 

5. Government launched the scheme – Vivad se Vishwas-II: The government has launched the Vivad se Vishwas-2 scheme for settling contractual disputes involving the government and government undertakings. The scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24. The scheme aims to resolve the government’s contractual disputes with private parties, clear the backlog of litigation, and improve the ease of doing business. The deadline for submitting claims under the scheme is 31 October 2023. The scheme will apply to all domestic contractual disputes where one of the parties is either the Government of India or an organization operating under its control. The central government is aiming to resolve approximately 500 cases, involving an estimated Rs 1 trillion, under this new voluntary settlement scheme. The one-time settlement scheme will cover cases where the court order was passed by 30 April 2023, and the arbitral order was given by 30 January 2023.

 

6. Government launched piliot digital crop survey in 12 states: The Union government has launched Digital Crop Survey (DCS) in 12 states on a pilot basis from Kharif 2023 (summer-sown) season of this year for better sowing data collection. DCS reference application has been developed as an open source, open standard, and interoperable public good. The 12 states selected for the pilot on DCS are Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Assam. The states have been selected based on the preparedness in respect of pre-requisite criteria for DCS i.e. geo-referencing of village map and digitized Record of Rights (RoR) with ownership extent. The project aims to create a single and verified source of truth about the crop sown data which is useful for accurate crop area estimation and the development of various farmers-centric solutions.

 

7. Amita Rani appointed additional DG of Military Nurse Service: Major General Amita Rani has been appointed as the Additional Director General of the Military Nursery Service (MNS). The General Officer is an alumnus of the College of Nursing, Army Hospital (R&R), Delhi. Prior to assuming the present appointment, she held the post of Brig MNS, HQ (NC) The General Officer was commissioned into the Military Nursing Service in 1983. In the past, she has held appointments such as DPM CH(EC) Kolkata, Principal Matron at 154 GH, MH Jalandhar, MH Allahabad and Command Hospital Air Force, Bangalore. She has a Six Sigma Green Belt in Health care, and Quality Management from the National Health Care Academy, Singapore.

 

8. Alexander Zverev beats Laslo Djere in Hamburg European Open: Alexander Zverev won the Hamburg European Open for the first time by beating Laslo Djere 7-5, 6-3. It’s the 26-year-old Zverev’s first title since winning in Turin, Italy, in November 2021 and he achieved it without dropping a set at his hometown tournament. Dutch player Arantxa Rus won the women’s title. Dharmendra Pradhan and S. Jaishankar launched Study in India Portal: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar jointly launched Study in India (SII) Portal in New Delhi to simplify international students academic journey in India Aim: To provide comprehensive information about Indian Higher Education Institutions and to provide an integrated one-stop solution for the student registration and visa application process. It will present information about the academic facilities, research support

 

9. NHAI Launched ‘Rajmargyatra’ Unified Mobile App for National Highway Users: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched the 'Rajmargyatra,' a citizen-centric unified mobile application. Aim: To create a seamless, user-friendly experience for highway users The user-centric app marks a substantial advancement in providing travelers with comprehensive information about Indian National Highways It provides real-time weather updates, timely broadcast notifications and details about nearby toll plazas, petrol stations and hospitals

 

10. Indian Railways and IIT-Madras jointly signed MoU for 5G testbed: The Ministry of Railways and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) signed a MoU in Secunderabad in Aug 2023 Objective: To establish the India 5G testbed at the Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET) Aim: To enhance its operational efficiency, passenger experience and overall safety It would serve as a cutting-edge facility to conduct comprehensive trials of 5G-enabled applications tailored for Railway operations.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 4 August – Assistance Dog Day: Assistance Dog Day is celebrated every year on August 4. Dogs are a man’s best friend because of their loyalty and dedication, but assistant dogs take this to a whole new level. Assistance Dog Day is also done to raise awareness and educate the public about how these specially trained dogs are helping so many people in the community. The first guide dog team in the United States arrived in New York in 1928, led by Buddy, the seeing-eye dog, and his owner Morris Frank.

 

2. 4 August 2023 – International Beer Day: International Beer Day is celebrated on the first Friday in August and this year, the occasion falls on August 4. The day is celebrated to try, enjoy, and explore the different types of beer available in the world. Celebrating International Beer Day is an opportunity for beer lovers to gather and spend some quality time with friends, family, and colleagues over a glass of beer. The history of International Beer Day dates back to 2007, during which a group of friends held a beer event in Santa Cruz and since then, the day is observed on global level.

 

3. Russia: exercise Ocean Shield 2023 has started in the Baltic Sea: The Russian Defense Ministry announced the start of the Ocean Shield 2023 naval exercises in the Baltic Sea. The exercises are being conducted under the command of Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolay Evmenov Objective: To assess the Russian Navy's readiness to defend the country's interests in a critical area, as well as the coordination of the various military forces. The drills involve 30 combat ships 30 aircraft of naval aviation and Russia’s Aerospace Forces

 

4. Microsoft appoints Puneet Chandok to lead India operations: Puneet Chandok was appointed as the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft India and South Asia by the company in Aug 2023. He will be responsible for the seamless integration of Microsoft's operations across South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.  His focus will be on key industries, employing a customer-centric approach empowered by generative AI technology.  He was a Partner at McKinsey in India and Asia.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Gukesh D becomes India's number one chess player, overtakes Viswanathan: India's Grandmaster Gukesh D has become as the country's top chess player, surpassing Viswanathan Anand in Aug 2023. He qualified for the third round of FIDE World Cup 2023, secured victory against Azerbaijani Misratdin Iskandarov. He holds a live rating of 2755.9 in Classic chess, slightly edging out Anand, whose live rating stands at 2754.0.  He now holds the 9th position in the live rankings, while the five-time World champion Anand has slipped to 10th place.

 

2. India won gold in mixed team archery at World University Games 2023: At the World University Games 2023 in China, Indian archery Aman Saini and Pragati, secured a gold medal in the mixed archery team They defeat Korea's Sua Cho and Seunghyun Park to claim the top spot on the podium. Presently, India holds the fourth position in the overall medal standings.  The bronze medal in the compound team event was secured by Ming-ching Lin and Z-wei Wu from Chinese Taipei. Indians won two more medals in archery in men’s and women’s team events

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. NABARD sanctions Rs 1974 crore to Rajasthan govt: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 1,974.07 crore to the Rajasthan government under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for 2023-24. Rs 930.44 crore has been sanctioned for three rural drinking water supply projects in Ajmer, Jalore, and Kota districts. Further, Rs 926.48 crore was sanctioned for the construction of 676 rural roads in the desert and tribal areas of the state. Earlier, Rs 117.15 crore had been sanctioned for the construction of 104 veterinary hospitals and 431 sub-centres in all districts of the state. Drinking water supply projects are expected to provide clean and potable water to 2.87 lakh households in 2,500 villages, whereas rural road projects will improve connectivity in 1,229 villages across 12 districts. NABARD is also supporting the state government in bringing 4.28 lakh hectares under micro-irrigation with a support of Rs 740 crore from the Micro Irrigation Fund.

 

2. SIDBI collaborated with CIIE at IIM Ahmedabad: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), the principal financial institution for MSMEs in the country has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A)’s startup incubator CIIE. Through this tie-up, SIDBI will set up a SIDBI Accelerator Fund at the incubator with an initial corpus of Rs 20 crore. Objective: To support startups with meritorious ideas and technologies important for India’s goals for 2047 to become self-reliant. The partnership is part of SIDBI’s new initiative India of Tomorrow under which it collaborates with different incubators in the country to promote deep technologies and science-led innovation by enabling seed funding to startups in exchange for equity. Startups in sectors such as deep tech, hardware/ product startups, energy, clean tech, pharmaceuticals, biotech, defence innovations, rural, social and industrial technologies, high-quality components, chips and others are supported. Last month, SIDBI also launched the NBFC Growth Accelerator Program in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME), a mass entrepreneurship enablement platform to handhold smaller NBFCs that have at least 60 percent of their exposure to MSMEs.

 

3. South Indian Bank launches SIB EXIM Current Account: South Indian Bank (SIB) has launched SIB EXIM Current Account specially curated for customers involved in the import and export business. The current account is available in two variants SIB EXIM Silver and SIB EXIM Gold with the required Quarterly Forex Throughput (QFT) of $15,000 and $50,000 respectively.

SIB EXIM Current Account offers competitive rates in trade finance transactions, free and unlimited NEFT/RTGS transactions through digital channels, unlimited free cash withdrawals from any SIB branches, free cash deposit limit of up to 15 times of previous month AMB, free issuance of international debit card and a lot more transactional benefits to cater the needs of this segment. Earlier, the bank launched “SIB TF Online” a digital banking platform to facilitate trade finance transactions through corporate internet banking 24X7, in a safe and paperless manner. Moreover, South Indian Bank is also authorized by RBI as an Agency Bank for collection of customs duty through the ICEGATE portal.

 

4. India to grow at average 6.7% per year from FY24 to FY31: India's gross domestic product is expected to grow at a rate of 6.7% per year from fiscal year 2024 to FY 2031in Aug 2023 Growth is projected to elevate India's GDP from $3.4 trillion in fiscal year 2023 to $6.7 trillion.  As per S&P Global, the rating agency, the per capita GDP is anticipated to increase to around $4,500. 

The main factor driving Indian growth isa capital accumulation. Investment as a proportion of GDP reached a 10-year high of 34% in fiscal 2023.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Congress leader and former Speaker Vakkom Purushothaman passes away: Veteran Congress leader and former Mizoram Governor Vakkom Purushothaman passed away at the age of 96. The veteran leader was elected to the Kerala Assembly five times from Attingal assembly constituency and became a minister thrice, handling portfolios like agriculture, health and tourism. He was the longest-served Speaker of the Kerala assembly, from 1982 to 1984 and again from 2001 to 2004. He was also elected twice to the Lok Sabha from Alappuzha constituency and served from 1984 to 1991. Purushothaman served as the 6th Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1993 to 1996, the Governor of Mizoram from 2011 to 2014 and Governor of Tripura for two months in 2014.

 

2. Marathi poet Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor passes away at 80: Marathi poet, lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor passed away in August 2023. He became a popular name in the field of poetry due to his poetry which had essence of nature.  He also penned several songs for classic Marathi movies like Jait Re Jait, Ek Hota Vidushak and Sarja.  In the field of literature, he was awarded with the fourth highest civilian award of the country ,Padm Shri.  He had also been a member of the state legislative council.