Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 December 2023

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

1. As per Mercer’s survey, Hyderabad has the best ‘quality of living’ in India.

• According to the Quality of Living Index 2023 released by Mercer, Hyderabad is in the top spot in terms of ‘quality of living’ in India.
• Hyderabad attained the 153rd spot in the Quality of Living Index 2023.
• Pune has the second-best ‘quality of living’ in India. It has secured the 154th position in Mercer’s Quality of Living City Index.
• Vienna (Austria), Zurich (Switzerland) and Vancouver (Canada) are the top three cities in the Quality of Living Index 2023.
• This index evaluates the quality of life for employees working abroad. It has taken data from more than 500 cities all over the world.
• Quality of Living Index is based on different factors like climate, schools and education, disease and sanitation standards, violence and crime, and physical remoteness.
• In the Quality of Living Index 2022 Pune and Hyderabad both were at the 143rd position.
• In 2022, Mumbai was the most expensive Indian City.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

2. Madhya Pradesh government orders curbs on loudspeakers and meat sales.

• Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav in his first cabinet meeting issued an order to ban loudspeakers/DJs at religious gatherings and public places at a volume more than the prescribed limits.
• The MP government has also decided to form flying squads in all the districts to check noise pollution and the illegal use of loudspeakers.
• These squads will regularly and randomly inspect religious and public places and check the volume of loudspeakers.
• These squads will investigate the matter within a maximum of three days and submit the report to the administration.
• The Madhya Pradesh government has also decided to ban the illegal buying and selling of meat, fish etc. in the open without a licence.
• The government has also discussed guidelines related to the cancellation of the bail granted by the courts for serious crimes.
• The Madhya Pradesh government will also start the initiative of Digi locker for digitisation of mark sheets for students in government and private colleges across the state.
• The government has also increased the price of tendu leaf bags to Rs 3,000.

Topic: National News

3. Orders were given by the Union Home Ministry to enquiry the Parliament security breach incident.

• The Home Ministry, on the request of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, has ordered an enquiry into the incident of the breach in the security of Parliament.
• Under the leadership of CRPF Director General Anish Dayal Singh, an enquiry committee has been formed.
• It also includes members and experts from other security agencies.
• The enquiry committee will investigate the reasons behind the breach in the security of Parliament, besides identifying lapses and recommending further action.      
• This committee will submit its report as soon as possible with suggestions and recommendations to improve the security of Parliament.
• At the same time, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has registered a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the incident of lapse in the security of Parliament.
• A high-level investigation is going on in this matter.
• Haryana Police is also collecting information about the accused so that it can be shared with Delhi Police.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Geography

4. Tropical Cyclone Jasper hit Australia.

• On December 13, thousands of people were affected when Tropical Cyclone Jasper hit northeastern Australia.
• People in coastal areas are living without electricity and facing the crisis of floods.
• The Australian Meteorological Department said that the cyclone has slowly reached some areas.
• Winds with a speed of up to 113 kilometres (70 miles) per hour were recorded as Jasper hit the coast.
• This severe flood may continue for several days to come. The administration has asked people to go to safe places.
• The flood situation in rivers across the region is being monitored and power supply has been stopped in areas where damage is expected.
• Tropical cyclone:
  • A tropical cyclone is a low-pressure system with very high winds moving around it.
  • These cyclones occur in the region between 5-35° latitude north or south of the equator.
  • The tropical cyclone moves in an anticlockwise direction in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
  • Tropical cyclones are called willy-willy in Australia.

Topic: Sports

5. Mohammed Shami has been nominated for the Arjuna Award, while Satwik-Chirag nominated for the Khel Ratna.

• Indian cricket team Pacer Mohammed Shami has been nominated for the Arjuna Award for 2023.
• Men's double badminton pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have been nominated for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for 2023.
• The BCCI had made a special request to the Sports Ministry to include Shami's name, as his name was not originally on the list.
• Shami was the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup with 24 wickets in seven matches.
• Apart from Shami, 16 other players have been nominated for the Arjuna Award.
• There are five nominations for the Dronacharya Award, including Ganesh Prabhakaran (mallakhamb), Mahavir Saini (para athletics), Lalit Kumar (wrestling), RB Ramesh (chess), and Shivendra Singh (hockey).
• Kavita (kabaddi), Manjusha Kanwar (badminton), and Vineet Kumar Sharma (hockey) are nominated for the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award.

Topic: International Appointment

6. Javier Miley has been sworn in as president of Argentina.

• On December 10, Libertarian economist Javier Meili was sworn in as President of Argentina after a landslide election victory.
• In the election, Javier Miley got 55.8% votes and Economy Minister Sergio Massa got 44.2% votes.
• Javier Miley has replaced President Alberto Fernandez.
• Argentina is the third largest economy in Latin America and is struggling with the problems of inflation, increasing recession, and increasing poverty.
• Argentina's annual inflation is expected to reach 200% this year and 40% of citizens live in poverty – they face an “emergency” situation.
• Miley said in a speech that "Argentina has become a bloodbath," and vowed to fight drug traffickers who have "taken over" the streets of its biggest cities.

Topic: State News/Madhya Pradesh

7. The government of Madhya Pradesh will establish PM College of Excellence in all districts of the state.

• One college in every district out of a total of 570 government colleges will be upgraded by the MP government as "PM College of Excellence".
• The government will spend more than Rs 460 crore on the development of these colleges.
• In addition to this, the degree and mark sheets of students in all government and private universities will be uploaded in DigiLocker.
• The tendu leaf collection rate has been increased by the government from Rs 3,000 per bag to Rs 4,000 per bag.
• This will provide additional remuneration of Rs 162 crore to more than 35 lakh tendu leaf collectors.
• In MP, the Council of Ministers has also decided to implement a cyber-tehsil system in all the districts.
• It has also decided to implement a ban on the illegal use of loudspeakers at religious and other places.

Topic: Indian Polity

8. The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 has been passed in the Parliament.

• Rajya Sabha gave assent to the bill on 13 December 2023. Lok Sabha had already passed the Bill last week.
• The Bill will amend the Central Universities Act, 2009, which sets up central universities for teaching and research in various States.
• The Bill seeks to set up a Central Tribal University in Telangana.
• This will be named ‘Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University’.
• It will offer avenues of higher education and research facilities mainly for the tribal population of India.
• According to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the University will be a centre for research on matters related to Tribal communities of India.
• Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also spoke on dropouts in Higher Education Institutions.
• He said the government has analysed the dropouts in the last five years.
• According to the analysis, 1.53% of students in the General category, 1.51% in the OBC category, 1.47% in SC and 1.29% in the ST category were dropouts in IITs.

Topic: MoUs /Agreements

9. India and ADB signed a $200 million loan for the Uttarakhand climate-resilient power system development project.

• To improve the quality, efficiency, and reliability of power supply in Uttarakhand, India and ADB signed a $200 million loan agreement.
• This project will help to strengthen the power system infrastructure and will help in achieving its goal of providing 24x7 electricity to residents.
• This project will modernize Dehradun city's power network infrastructure and will introduce an advanced and climate-resilient underground cable system.
• It will enhance the current power system by installing upstream substations.
• The project will empower women's self-help groups in rural hilly districts. It will involve nongovernmental organizations in implementing and monitoring livelihood activities.
• The Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific will provide a $2 million grant to support livelihood enhancement, training, and awareness-raising activities of the project.
• ADB will also support the capacity development of the Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. New Delhi Declaration has been adopted at the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence summit.

• All 29 member countries of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit adopted the New Delhi Declaration.
• They agreed to collaboratively develop AI applications in healthcare and agriculture.
• GPAI will be the centre for shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence in terms of innovation and collaboration among partner countries.
• As per the declaration, the GPAI will also focus on countries from the Global South and provide benefits of AI platforms and solutions to all the people of the world.
• GPAI member countries agreed upon using the GPAI platform to create a global framework on AI trust and safety.
• The GPAI summit concluded on 14th December. Its main aim is to bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting research and applied activities on AI-related priorities.

Topic: Important Days

11. National Energy Conservation Day 2023: 14 December

• Every year on December 14, National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated.
• The day is dedicated to raising public awareness about global warming and climate change, as well as encouraging people to save energy.
• National Energy Conservation Day is being celebrated on December 14 since 1991.
• In 2001, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) implemented the Energy Conservation Act.
• The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) organizes the National Energy Conservation Day.
• BEE is a constitutional entity that works under the Government of India and helps in the formulation of energy-saving policies and programs.
• The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) was established on March 1, 2002, by the Government of India under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• On this occasion, the President will also felicitate the winners of the National Energy Conservation Award 2023, National Energy Efficiency Innovation Award 2023, and National Painting Competition 2023 on Energy Conservation.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Environment and Ecology

12. The first-ever deal on reducing the Use of Fossil Fuels agreed at the COP28 Climate Summit.

• On December 13, representatives from nearly 200 countries agreed to begin reducing global consumption of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit.
• They agreed to prevent the worst effects of climate change and it is the first agreement of its kind, signaling the end of the oil era.
• The deal struck in Dubai after two weeks of tough negotiations, was meant to send a powerful signal to investors and policy-makers that the world is now united in its desire to get off fossil fuels.
• Scientists also said that this is the last best hope to avoid climate disasters.
• More than 100 countries had supported the COP28 agreement to "phase out" the use of oil, gas, and coal.
• The proposed deal would specifically call for "transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science."
• It also calls for tripling renewable energy capacity globally by 2030, accelerating coal reduction efforts and accelerating technologies like carbon capture.

Topic: Science and Technology

13. IIT Madras developed ‘AMRIT’ for removing Arsenic and Metal ions from water.

• ‘AMRIT’ (Arsenic and Metal Removal by Indian Technology) uses nano-scale iron oxy-hydroxide. It removes arsenic when water is passes through it.
• This water purifier technology has been developed for both domestic as well as community levels.
• This technology has been recommended by the ‘Standing Committee’ of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation for the examination of the best technologies related to water and sanitation.
• Government is committed to provide safe & potable tap water supply to all rural households.
• Government had launched the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) for the planning, approval, implementation, operation, and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes.
• Government is working with academic institutions such as IITs to resolve issues related to water supply and water quality.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

14. Javed Akhtar will be felicitated with Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Veteran lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar will be honoured with the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival.
• The award ceremony will take place at Rukmini Auditorium in MGM University campus.
• The Padmapani Award selection committee comprising Girish Kasarvall, Ashok Vajpeyi, Latika Padgaonkar, Ashok Rane and Chandrakant Kulkarni.
• Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival:
  • The main of the festival is to showcase the best of film produced recently and in the past.
  • It is organized by Marathwada Art Culture and Film Foundation.
  • It will be organized by 3rd-7th January, 2024.
  • It is a platform to encourage aspiring filmmakers, technicians, artists and young film enthusiasts.