Current Affairs 1 August 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

CDAC and Arm Collaborates to Expand Semiconductor Support Under the DLIThe Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) has collaborated with United Kingdom (UK) based semiconductor IP (Intellectual property) company Arm through the “Arm Flexible Access for Startups” (AFAS) program to expand semiconductor support under the Design Linked Incentive Scheme (DLI) and foster the growth of the sector in India during the 2nd day of the conference ‘SemiconIndia 2023’ at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Key points:
i.AFAS program, gives USD $0 license fee access to a broad portfolio of verified Arm IP, tools and training to startups.
ii.With this partnership, a total of seven startups will work towards producing chip and IP cores for the automotive, mobility, and computing sectors.
CDAC and Arm intend to work towards the following objectives: 
i.Startups selected under DLI will qualify for the Arm Flexible Access for Startups program.
ii.Arm will provide the startups with access to processor and system IPs, reference designs, Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Image Signal Processor (ISP), and  artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator IPs, and software development tools.
iii.Arm will provide access to thousands of Artisan physical IP products supporting multiple foundries and process nodes for physical design and implementation.
About Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC):
Director General- Magesh Ethirajan
Establishment- 1988
Headquarters- Pune, Maharashtra
>> Read Full News

Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam 2023 held in New Delhi: Edu Minister  Dharmendra Pradhan delivered Valedictory addressOn 30th July 2023, the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam (ABSS) 2023, an educational event was concluded with a resolution collectively made by the education leaders to transform India into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society. The event’s valedictory address was delivered by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education (MoE).

• Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed that capacity building of teachers is a priority and around 300 institutions including 100 from school education, 100 from higher education, and 100 from skill will be developed as centres of excellence during this academic year.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, introduced the logo, slogan – “Jan Jan Sakshar“, and mobile application of the Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS): Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram during the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam 2023.
On 30th July 2023, the MoE and the MoSDE, signed 106 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with various organizations and institutions on the occasion of the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam (ABSS) 2023.
About the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE):
Union Minister– Dharmendra Pradhan (Rajya Sabha, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS)– Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajya Sabha, Karnataka)
>> Read Full News

MRPL becomes India’s largest single-location PSU refinery
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), a Mangaluru(Dakshina Kannada), Karnataka based Miniratna Central public sector enterprise (CPSE) has become the largest PSU-refinery (single location) in India for 2022-23. MRPL processes 10% of the total crude oil refined by PSU petroleum refineries in India.

• MRPL processed 17.14 million tonnes of crude oil in 2022-23, which was the highest-ever throughput processed by any single-location PSU refinery in India’s petroleum refining history.
• MRPL, after its establishment in 1988 as a joint venture (JV) refinery (promoted by M/s Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)), expanded its operations in two phases to raise its capacity to 15 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA).
• The refinery configuration has a Nelson Complexity Index (NCI) of 11.3, one of the highest complex PSU refineries. Its petrochemical (Petchem) Intensity is 9.5%, and the company aims to reach 15% in the medium term.

Note:

• NCI refers to types of petroleum products an oil refinery can produce, measured on a scale from 1 to 20.
• Petchem intensity refers to the percentage of crude oil that is converted directly into chemicals that are used to make plastic and other material.
• MRPL, a subsidiary of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG).

Status of Tigers: Co-Predators & Prey in India-2022 Report: Tiger population in India estimates to be 3,925Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), released the detailed report of All India Tiger Estimation – 2022 titled “Status of Tigers: Co-Predators & Prey in India-2022” during the event orgnised as a part of the Global Tiger Day (29th July 2023) at Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand.

• According to the report by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Tiger Population in India is estimated to be 3,925 with an annual growth rate of 6.1% per annum.
• India currently retains almost 75% of the world’s wild tiger population.

Background:
i.On 9th April 2022, during the celebration of 50 years of the Project Tiger at Mysusru, Karnataka, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi declared the minimum tiger population of 3167, population estimate from the camera-trapped area.
ii.According to the further analysis of data by the Wildlife Institute of India, from both camera-trapped and non-camera-trapped tiger presence areas ,the upper limit of the tiger population is estimated to be 3925 and the average number is 3682 tigers.
Key Points:
i.Currently, more than 3/4th of the tiger population in India is concentrated within protected areas.
ii.Madhya Pradesh has the largest tiger population with 785 tigers, followed by Karnataka with 563, Uttarakhand with 560, and Maharashtra with 444.
iii.Nearly a 1/4th of the tigers were reportedly outside protected areas.
iv.Tigers in India are largely concentrated in 53 dedicated tiger reserves spread across 75,796 square km, spanning about 2.3% of India’s total land area.
v.The tiger abundance within the Tiger Reserve is highest in Corbett (260), followed by Bandipur (150), Nagarhole (141), Bandhavgarh (135), Dudhwa (135), Mudumalai(114), Kanha (105), Kaziranga (104), Sundarbans (100), Tadoba (97), Sathyamangalam (85), and Pench-MP (77).
vi.Central India and the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains witnessed a notable increases in tiger population, particularly in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra.
vii.Certain regions, like the Western Ghats, experienced localized declines, necessitating targeted monitoring and conservation efforts.

• Some states, including Mizoram, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Arunachal Pradesh, have reported disquieting trends with small tiger populations.

BANKING & FINANCE

Fino Payments Banks’ Board Approves Transition to SFB licence
On 28th July 2023, the board of Fino Payments Bank Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of Fino Paytech Ltd approved the proposal for the transition of the Bank into a Small Finance Bank (SFB) licence. The board has also formed a committee to explore the possibility of group corporate restructuring and evaluate the implications and other considerations.

• The bank received a letter from holding company Fino PayTech Ltd, regarding a group corporate restructuring proposal, following which the board formed a committee.
• The Bank continued its thrust on acquiring new customers and had registered growth  85% year-on-year (YOY) in the net profit of Rs. 19 crore and its revenue in the June quarter of FY24 increased 21% YoY to Rs 348 crore.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

ADB & GoI Signed USD 200 Million Loan Agreement for Expanding Urban Services in RajasthanOn 28th July 2023, The Government of India (GoI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 200 million loan agreement as additional financing for the ongoing Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector Project as additional financing, to expand water supply and sanitation systems and enhance urban resilience and heritage living in selected towns.

• The additional financing will assist the Government of Rajasthan in reducing the basic infrastructure gaps in its secondary towns by expanding water supply and sanitation services and improving livability in selected urban local bodies.
• This initiative includes the reconstruction of water structures with heritage value, integrating nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience for expanding basic urban services.

Key Signatories:
The loan agreement was signed by Mr. Vumlunmang Vualnam, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India (GoI) and Takeo Konishi, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, ADB.
Key Points:
i.The project incorporates nature-based solutions to improve heritage structures besides operating public-private partnerships in the water and sanitation sector of Rajasthan to deepen private sector engagement.
ii.The project in progress, approved in September 2020 has so far laid approximately 1,451 kilometres (Kms) of water supply pipes, 1,110 kms of sewer pipes, and connected 68,098 households in selected secondary towns across Rajasthan.
iii.The additional financing aimed at improving water supply systems in at least 7 towns by converting all groundwater sources to surface water, replacing about 700 km of leaking water pipes, installing 1,400 km of new water supply pipelines, and providing 77,000 households connections with water metres.

• It will also establish 3 new water treatment plants.

iv.The project also plans to create a special purpose vehicle through a public–private partnership to address water security issues in the manufacturing industries of Rajasthan.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines
Established in– 1966

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

PFC Becomes First Member From India To Join Japan’s ATFSGPower Finance Corporation Limited(PFC), a Maharatna Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the Ministry of Power & a leading Non-Banking Financial Corporation(NBFC) in India, became the first member from India to join the Asia Transition Finance Study Group(ATFSG), an initiative by Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) for promoting sustainable transition finance for Asian Countries.

• This was announced during the Bilateral Ministerial Meeting between Raj Kumar Singh, Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy and Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan on the side lines of G20(Group of 20) summit held at Goa.

Key Points:
i.As a member of ATFSG, PLC will play a major role in representing India’s interests and point of view while contributing to the development of the policy considerations for effective energy transition financing.
ii.Joining ATFSG, Asian countires will promote financing for energy transition and net zero targets.
About Asia Transition Finance Study Group(ATFSG)
i.Founded in 2021, the ATFSG was established with the understanding that transition finance will be a critical factor in enabling Asian economies to achieve carbon neutrality. 
ii.This consortium brings together numerous global financial institutions under its banner, aiming to develop guidelines to assist companies considering transition finance.
iii.Additionally, the group provides supplementary advice that complements the existing global frameworks for sustainable finance.
iv.The members and observers of the ATFSG include Japanese banks, major Asian and global financial institutions, development banks, export credit agencies, and government agencies.
v.Mizuho Financial Group(MUFG) is a core member of the ATFSG.
About Power Finance Corporation Ltd(PFC):
Chairman &  Managing Director (CMD)- Parminder Chopra (additional charge)
Incorporated on 16th July 1986
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi           

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

PSLV-C56/DS-SAR Mission: ISRO successfully launched 7 Singapore satellites including DS-SAR into Space

On 30th July 2023, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV-C56/DS-SAR Mission, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV–C56) carrying 7 Singapore Satellites – DS-SAR as primary satellite along with 6 co-passengers, from the First Launch Pad (FLP) Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (AP).

• This is a Dedicated Commercial Mission conducted by ISRO under a contract with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) for ST Engineering, Singapore.
• This marks’s the 58th flight of PSLV and 17th flight of PSLV in core alone configuration.
• This was the 431st foreign satellite launch from India by ISRO and the 4th dedicated PSLV mission for Singapore government.

PS4 De-Orbiting Experiment:
ISRO attempted a unique De-Orbiting Experiment using the PS4, the 4th stage of the PSLV-C56 rocket.
PS4 de-orbited to Low Earth circular orbit in a 295×300 km, using left out propellants to reduce orbital life of spent PS4 stage.  PS4 will re-enters atmosphere in less than 2 months.

About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):
Chairman – Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Establishment– 1969
>> Read Full News

SPORTS

Japan Open 2023: Viktor Axelsen and An Se Young Wins Men’s & Women’s Singles TitleDenmark’s Viktor Axelsen and South Korea’s An Se Young won the men’s singles and Women’s singles titles respectively of Daihatsu Japan Open 2023 Badminton Championships.

• The 40th edition of Daihatsu Japan Open 2023 Badminton Championships held from 25th-30th July 2023 at Yoyogi National Stadium First Gymnasium, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.

i.Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen(World rank 1) won the men’s singles title defeating  Jonatan Christie of  Indonesia in the finals.
ii.An Se Young of South Korea became ranked 1 in the world by winning the women’s singles title against He Bing Jiao of China in the finals.
iii.Lee Yang and Wang Chi Lin of Chinese Taipei(Taiwan) won the men’s doubles title by defeating Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi.
>> Read Full News

F1: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen Wins 3rd 2023 Belgian Grand PrixOn 30th July 2023, Redbull’s racing driver Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgium) won the Formula 1(F1) MSC Cruises Belgian Grand Prix 2023 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot,Belgium.

• Red Bull’s Sergio Perez (Mexican) finished 2nd and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (Monacan) finished 3rd.
• This marks his 8th straight win and 10th win of the season 2023.

Record by Max Verstappen:
i.This marks Red Bull’s record of 13th straight wins.
ii.This is Verstappen’s 3rd consecutive Belgian Grand Prix win including its 2021 and 2022 edition.
iii.This marks Verstappen’s 45th win in F1.
iv.In 2023, Max won the Spanish GP, Monaco GP, Miami GP, Australian GP, Bahrain GP, Canadian GP, Austrian GP, British GP, Hungarian GP and Belgian GP.
F1 2023 Belgian GP Results:

About Belgian Grand Prix:
i.The 7,004-metre-long Spa-Francorchamps circuit is the longest on the F1 calendar.

• First grand prix – 1950
• Number of laps – 44
• Race distance – 308.052km

Torneo del Centenario 2023 : Indian Women’s Hockey Team Wins Title , Indian Men’s Team won Bronze
On 29th July 2023, the Indian women’s hockey team defeated the host Spain at the three-nation Torneo del Centenario 2023 (100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation – International Tournament) by winning the title in Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain

• This was the Indian women’s team’s first win at the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation International Tournament 2023.
• Indian women’s team was led by the goal keeper Savita Punia.

Notable players:
i.Goals from Vandana Katariya, Monika, and Udita helped the Indian Women’s Team remain unbeaten in the tournament.
ii.Lalremsiami scored a hat-trick for India.
Note: In the women’s tournament India, Spain, and England teams played each other over two legs and India after all matches won the trophy in the finals.
About Torneo del Centenario:
The Torneo del Centenario is being played to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Real Federacion Espanola de Hockey – the Spanish hockey federation.
Indian Men’s Hockey team Defeats Netherlands by Securing 3rd Place
On 30th July 2023, the Indian men’s hockey team defeated the Netherlands by securing third place and the bronze medal in the four-nation Torneo del Centenario 2023 in Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain.

• Captain Harmanpreet Singh and Dilpreet Singh scored notable goals(all goals came from penalty corners) in India’s victory.

In the men’s event, the India, England, Netherlands,and Spain teams faced each other in a single-legged round-robin format and the top two teams (England & Spain) faced each other in the final.
Note:
Based on the Elo rating system, in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) rankings, the Indian women’s hockey team is currently ranked 8th while the men’s team is placed 4th.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Union Minister Amit Shah unveils Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam: Memories Never Die book at Rameswaram
On 29th July 2023, Union Minister Amit Shah unveiled the book ‘Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Memories Never Die‘, an English translation of the Tamil book ‘Abdul Kalam: Ninaivugalukku Maranamillai‘, which was co-authored by Dr. APJM Nasima Maraikayar (niece of Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam) and Dr. Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan (Y. S. Rajan), a scientist at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).  

• The book is a tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the late former President (11th President served between 2002 and 2007).
• The book was released in an event organised at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu(TN), during Home Minister’s 2-day visit to Ramanathapuram district of  TN.

L Murugan, Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Annamalai, BJP President of Tamil Nadu were also graced the event.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2023 – July 30The United Nations (UN)’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is annually observed annually on 30th July to raise awareness about the situation of human trafficking victims and to promote and protect their rights.

• The 2023 campaign theme of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is: “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind“.

Background:
i.On 18th December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/68/192 and proclaimed the 30th of July of every year as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
ii.The first-ever World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was observed on 30th July 2014.
About United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
Executive Director– Ghada Fathi Waly
Headquarters– Vienna, Austria
Established in– 1997
>> Read Full News

World Ranger Day 2023 – 31st July World Ranger Day is celebrated annually across the globe on 31st July to commemorate Rangers killed or injured in the line of duty and to celebrate the work Rangers do to protect the planet’s natural treasures and cultural heritage.
World Ranger Day 2023 Theme
i.The 2023 World Ranger Day theme is ’30 by 30‘ based on the 2022 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15), where a Global Biodiversity Framework was agreed upon by world leaders and decision-makers.
ii.Target 3 aims to effectively conserve and manage at least 30 percent of the planet’s areas by 2030 (also known as the ’30 by 30′ target).
Background: 
i.World Ranger Day is an initiative of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) promoted with its official charity, The Thin Green Line Foundation.
ii.IRF was established on 31 July 1992, in Peak National Park, United Kingdom (UK), to raise awareness of the contribution of rangers to conservation and support ranger organizations worldwide.
About International Ranger Federation (IRF):
President- Chris Galliers
Founded- 31st July 1992
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

Jharkhand CM Launches Mobile App to Track Elephant Movement
On 28th July 2023, Jharkhand Chief Minister (CM) Hemant Soren launched Jharkhand elephant Tracker, a mobile application-based elephant movement tracking system on the occasion of the 74th Van Mahotsav in Ranchi to reduce human-elephant conflicts in Ranchi, Jharkhand .

• The mobile app will help villagers and the forest department of Jharkhand to track elephant movements so that precautionary measures could be taken in advance.

Key points:
i.2 applications have been developed by the forest department, one for use by common citizens, and the other for department officials.
ii.Using the app, villagers can view the precise location of an elephant or a herd which  will be fed by the forest department field staff using their internal database.
iii.The elephant movement information will also be spread out through FM (Frequency Modulation)channels.
iv.The app is developed by Bravishmah Infotech Private Limited.

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