Daily Current Affairs and GK | 27 May 2023

Topic: Environment and Ecology

1. A global tracker has been approved for greenhouse gas emissions.

• The World Meteorological Congress has approved a new greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring initiative.
• This initiative will support urgent action to reduce heat-trapping gases, which are mainly responsible for temperature increase.
• The new global GHG tracker will critical information gaps and provide an integrated and operational framework.
• This framework will bring all space-based and surface-based observing systems as well as modelling and data assimilation capabilities into one place.
• New Global Greenhouse Gas Watch will support Paris Agreement and strengthen the monitoring of CO2.
• As per the WMO, the warming effect due to greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide has increased nearly by 50 per cent.
• Currently, there is no comprehensive and timely international exchange of surface and space-based greenhouse gas observations or modelling products.
• GHG watch will consist of four main components:
  • A set of global high-resolution Earth Systems models representing GHG cycles.
  • Models and data assimilation system that optimally combine the observations with model calculations to generate products of higher accuracy.
  • Prior estimates of the GHG emissions based on activity data and process-based models.
  • A global set of surface-based and satellite-based observations of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations and total column amounts, partial column amounts, vertical profiles and fluxes.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

2. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi will inaugurate the first Mining Start-up Summit in Mumbai.

• On 29th May, the first Mining Start-up Summit will be inaugurated by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in Mumbai.
• The main aim of the summit is to focus on innovation and techniques. These innovative techniques will help in improving performance, and safety and create autonomy in the field of mining and metallurgy.
• The interaction with leading industries in the mineral exploration sector, financial institutions and banks will be a key part of the summit.
• More than 120 start-ups and 20 major industries will participate in the summit.
• Pralhad Joshi will also interact with start-ups in the field of Mining and Metallurgy.
• Minister of State for Mines Raosaheb Patil Danve will chair the concluding session of the summit.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

3. A day-long conclave on 9 years of Modi government inaugurated by Amit Shah.

• On 27 May, a day-long conclave on 'Nine years of Seva, Sushasan, Garib Kalyan' (service, good governance and welfare of poor) has been inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
• It has been organised by Doordarshan. The chief guest of the conference was Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur.
• It featured panel discussions on three themes: India Surging Ahead, Jan, Jan ka Vishwas (peoples' confidence) and Yuva Shakti: Galvanising India.
• On the occasion, a booklet on the achievements of the government led by PM Modi in the last nine years was released.
• On May 26, the Narendra Modi government at the Center has completed nine years.
• On 26 May in 2014, PM Modi took the oath of office and secrecy at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• This is the second term of the BJP-led government which again came to power in 2019.

Topic: International News

4. Australia will set up consulate in Bengaluru.

• On 24 May, PM Anthony Albanese announced that Australia will now open a new Consul-General in Bengaluru in May as part of the efforts of the two countries to enhance bilateral ties.
• The announcement of setting up a new consulate in Bengaluru has been announced after PM Modi said that India will open a consulate in Brisbane.
• Albanese stated that the opening of the new diplomatic mission in Bengaluru will help in connecting India's businesses to fast-growing digital and innovation ecosystem.
• In May, the opening of the Consulate General in Bengaluru will be the fifth diplomatic mission in India.The others are in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
• Currently, India has three consulates in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
• Brisbane currently has an Honorary Consulate of India.
• Both the leaders also exchanged MoUs on Mobility, Migration and Green Hydrogen Task Force.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

5. A USD 141.12-million loan has been signed by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Indian government.

• On 23 May, the agreement has been signed to support the development of high-quality internal infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• The objective of the loan is to support the development of essential infrastructure, such as roads, water supply systems and power distribution networks, in three industrial clusters located in Andhra Pradesh.
• This funding is a portion of a larger $500 million multi-tranche finance facility (MFF) that ADB granted in 2016 to upgrade the infrastructure in the Visakhapatnam and Srikalahasthi-Chittoor nodes.
• ADB also approved a $250 million loan as part of the MFF to support the government's National Industrial Corridor Development Program (NICDP) through October 2021.
• The objective of this financing by the bank is to strengthen the industrial infrastructure in the Visakhapatnam node by developing internal infrastructure in the Rambilli and Nakkapally industrial clusters.
• It also includes improving the Achuthapuram-Anakapalle road, and increasing the approach roads to the Nakkapally cluster.

Topic: State News/ Rajasthan

6. Rajasthan government is promoting manufactured sand as an easy alternative to river sand.

• The government of Rajasthan has made the decision to promote the usage of manufactured sand (M-Sand) as an inexpensive and easy alternative to river sand.
• Additional chief secretary (mines, petroleum and MSME) Veenu Gupta said investors would be encouraged to set up M-sand units in the state.
• In its M-sand policy, the state government had made it mandatory to use at least 25% of it in government constructions.
• In January 2021, the state government had released the M-Sand Policy, 2020.
• Under the policy, 36 units have been set up and the annual production is around 12.5 million tonnes.
• The objective of the policy is to generate employment at the local level as well as to solve the problem of waste generated from the mines.
• The policy was announced in the budget for 2019-20.
• Under this M-Sand units have been given industry status and provisions have been made as per the requirements of the state.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

7. Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh addressed the India Defence Conclave 2023.

• India Defence Conclave 2023 was organised by ETGovernment on 26 May 2023 in New Delhi. BrahMos and MIDHANI were its co-host partners.
• The conclave’s theme was “Propelling Self-Reliance in Aerospace & Defence Sector”.
• Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that the National Quantum Mission (NQM) has been approved by Union Cabinet at a total cost of over 6,000 crore rupees from 2023-24 to 2030-31.
• He said the space has been opened for private participation leading to more than 105 StartUps in the Space sector within just about three years.
• He said five PSLVs are being domestically produced by L&T and HAL.
• Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) is a PSU under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence. It is the only producer of Titanium in India.

Topic: State News/Karnataka

8. In Karnataka, 24 legislators will be inducted into the Cabinet by the Congress government on 27 May 2023.

• Governor Thawarchand Gehlot will administer the oath of office to the legislators.
• On 20 May, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar along with eight other Ministers were sworn in.
• After the swearing-in of 24 legislators, the full Cabinet with 34 Ministers will be functional.
• Some of the 24 legislators are H K Patil, Krishna Byregowda, Dr H C Mahadevappa, Dr. Sharanaprakash Patil, Eeshwar Khandre, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Laxmi Hebbalkar, Madhu Bangarappa and Dr.M C Sudhakar.
• The list includes the names of six Lingayats and four Vokkaligas.
• Three MLAs are from Scheduled Castes and two are from Scheduled Tribes.
• Five are from Other Backward Communities (Kuruba, Raju, Maratha, Ediga and Mogaveera). 

Topic: Agriculture and allied sectors

9. Central government signed an agreement with six states to conduct Digital crop survey.

• The Central government signed an agreement with Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to conduct the Digital crop survey.
• The agreement has been signed at a workshop, which was organized by the Union agriculture ministry to discuss with state governments the implementation plan of the Digital crop survey.
• A manual for a web portal and a mobile application for Digital crop survey has been also launched on this occasion.
• Digital crop survey is part of the government's Agristack or India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture (IDEA).
• Agristack and Krishi-Decision Support System (Krishi-DSS) will help in resolving issues and challenges in the agriculture sector.
• The digital crop survey will give a clear picture of crops being sown across the country during different agriculture seasons.
• The main aim of the project is to create one verified source about the farmer and his/her crop-sown data.
• The digital survey system will use new technology like advanced analytics, GIS-GPS technologies and artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Topic: National Appointment

10. R Dinesh has been elected as the new President of Confederation of Indian Industry.

• R Dinesh, the Executive Vice Chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions, has been elected as the new President of the Confederation of Indian Industry for 2023-24.
• He will take the place of Sanjiv Bajaj, the Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv Limited.
• R Dinesh is a member of the fourth-generation of the TVS family. He founded TVS Supply Chain Solutions (formerly known as TVS Logistics) in 1995.
• TVS has expanded its operation into more than 50 countries under his leadership.
• Sanjiv Puri will assume the role of President-Designate of CII for the year 2023-24.
• Rajiv Memani has been appointed as the Vice President of CII for the year 2023-24.
• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII):
  • It was established in 1895 as a non-governmental trade association.
  • It is a membership-based organization.
  • It is a body registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 of India.
  • CII National Council is the highest governing body of CII.

Topic: National News

11. A nationwide surveillance of milk, milk products will be conducted by FSSAI.

• On 25 May, FSSAI stated that it will conduct nationwide surveillance of milk and milk products to check adulteration.
• The large-scale surveillance would involve collecting samples from both organized and unorganized sectors in all districts across the country.
• Samples of products will also be tested like khoa, chenna, paneer, ghee, butter, curd, and ice cream, as part of the ongoing effort to check adulteration in milk and milk products.
• The survey will assess the samples for compliance with quality and safety standards.
• It will identify hotspots for adulteration of milk and milk products and take corrective action.
• Since 2011, FSSAI has conducted five such surveillances of milk and milk products.
• In 2018, the National Milk Safety and Quality Survey was conducted in all the states and union territories.
• In 2020, a Pan-India Milk Products Survey was conducted by FSSAI to assess the safety and quality of milk products and desserts sold during festivals.
• In 2022, a milk survey was conducted by FSSAI in 12 states, in which Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) was spread in 10 states.

Topic: Government schemes and Initiatives

12. A “SAMARTH” campaign launched to promote digital transactions at Gram Panchayat Level.

• On 25 May, 'Samarth campaign' has been launched by Shri Giriraj Singh to promote digital transactions in 50000 Gram Panchayats under Amrit Mahotsav in Lucknow.
• The Ministry of Rural Development is running this campaign, which was started on 1st February 2023 and will continue till 15 August 2023.
• The major thrust of the Samarth campaign is to promote digital transactions in rural areas, with a special focus on women.
• Shri Giriraj Singh said that the NPA of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) which was 9.58% in 2013, has come down to below 2% now.

Topic: Committees/ Commissions/Taskforces

13. Central government formed a steering committee to review and monitor Cheetah translocation project.

• An 11-member committee will be headed by Global Tiger Forum Secretary General Dr Rajesh Gopal has been formed to review and monitor the Cheetah translocation project.
• The government has form this committee after the death of three cheetah cubs.
• It will also have a four-member consulting panel of international Cheetah experts.
• The committee will advise the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and the National Tiger Conservation Authority. It will also decide the opening of the cheetah habitat for eco-tourism.
• The committee will also suggest ways to involve the local community in the project activities.
• The steering committee will remain in force for two years and will meet at least once every month.
• A total of 20 cheetahs arrived in India in two batches - the first batch of eight cheetahs from Namibia came in September 2022 and 12 more from South Africa came in February.

Topic: National News

14. Government will launch a special commemorative coin of Rs 75 to mark the opening of the new Parliament building.

• A special commemorative of Rs 75 coin will be released on the occasion of the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
• Rs 75 coin will be circular in shape with a diameter of 44 millimetres. It will have 200 serrations.
• The face of the coin will have the Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar in the centre with 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below it.
• It will have 'Bharat' written in Devanagari script on the left and 'India' in English on the right.
• It will be made up of a quaternary alloy with 50 per cent silver, 40 percent copper, 5 per cent nickel, and 5 per cent zinc.
• On the other side of the coin, there will be a picture of Parliament House, above which will be written 'Sansad Sankul' in Devanagari script and 'Parliament Complex' in English below.
• This coin is not legal tender, it will be a commemorative coin.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is responsible for the circulation of coins in India.
• Under the Coinage Act, 1906, the central government has the power of designing and minting of coins.