Daily Current Affairs and GK | 29 March 2024

Topic: National News

1. Notification issued for the reorganization of the DGQA by the Department of Defence Production.

• To achieve a major reform towards 'Ease of Doing Business' and Aatmnirbharta in the defense sector, a notification has been issued for restructuring of the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) by the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence.
• Its objective is to increase the speed of quality assurance processes and tests and reduce unnecessary delays at various levels of decision-making.
• This restructuring also led to changes in the quality assurance methodology and the modified role of the Directorate General of Quality Assurance after the corporatization of OFB.
• The changes have been brought about by the incorporation of Ordnance factories into new DPSUs and the government's encouragement towards indigenization with increased participation of the private defense industry.
• So, a need was felt to restructure DGQA to provide effective and efficient support to the emerging defense manufacturing industry.
• DGQA is already undertaking various organizational and functional reforms after active consultations with all stakeholders in the defense manufacturing ecosystem.
• Under implementation, the new structure will enable single-point technical support at all levels for the entire equipment/weapon platform and also ensure uniformity in product-based assurance.
• Also, the new structure provides for a separate Directorate of Defense Test and Evaluation Promotion to facilitate the transparent allocation of proof ranges and test facilities.

Topic: Committees/Commissions/Taskforces

2. The report submitted to IFSCA by the expert committee constituted to develop GIFT IFSC as a 'Global Finance and Accounting Hub'.

• A report has been submitted by the expert committee on developing Gujarat International Finance Tech-City International Financial Services Center (GIFT IFSC) as a 'Global Finance and Accounting Hub'.
• On 26th March 2024, this report was submitted to the Chairperson of the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA).
• On January 18, 2024, this expert committee was constituted in compliance with the notification issued by the Finance Ministry.
• Book-keeping, accounting, taxation and financial crime compliance were notified as 'financial services' under Section 3(1)(e)(xiv) of the IFSCA Act, 2019.
• The Expert Committee was chaired by the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
• This committee included experts from industry, academia, and government.
• The expert committee has recommended creating a comprehensive regulatory regime to introduce bookkeeping, accounting, taxation, and financial crime compliance services from IFSC in India.
• Further, the Committee has also made several recommendations to promote and develop GIFT IFSC as a 'Global Finance and Accounting Hub' including measures to enhance the skills and efficiency of the workforce.

Topic: Books and Author

3. S. Raman has authored a Book Titled “From A Car Shed To The Corner Room & Beyond”.

• “From A Car Shed To The Corner Room & Beyond,” is an autobiography of S. Raman.
• This book gives a first-person account of his remarkable journey from a clerk at SBI to becoming the Chairman and Managing Director of Canara Bank and a full-time member of SEBI.      
• This book is an exploration of the intricate dance between integrity on a personal level, professional obstacles, and the structural problems in the financial world rather than just a personal narrative.
• Raman's troubles began in 2018, years after his retirement when the CBI questioned him in connection with a loan given to Winsome Jewelry during his tenure as chairman of the credit committee at Canara Bank.

Topic: International News

4. Off the westernmost coast of Indonesia, the bodies of eleven Rohingya refugees have been found.

• Last week, their boat, which was reportedly carrying 150 people, overturned.
• Approximately 20 kilometers off the western coast of Aceh province, on March 21, an Indonesian search and rescue team saved the lives of 69 individuals.
• The refugees are leaving Myanmar and the relief camps in Bangladesh for safer Southeast Asian nations.
• According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 4,500 Rohingya refugees left via the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal in the previous year.
• Out of them, 569 individuals died or disappeared. This was the greatest death toll since 2014.
• Many Rohingya are taking sea journey to Indonesia and Malaysia. Many do not survive the journey.
• In comparison to 2022, the UNHCR reported a 63% rise in deaths or disappearances last year.
• The report also brought attention to the notable increase of Rohingya arrivals in Indonesia through maritime routes in recent years.
• The growth in this figure from 2021 to 2023 was 1,261%.
• The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is not ratified by Indonesia.
• The Arakan kingdom in Myanmar is the ancestral home of the Rohingya, a minority ethnic community that practices Islam.
• In Myanmar's Rakhine State, the Rohingya people claim to have lived there for generations.
• Their ties have been disputed by the governments in Myanmar, which have declared them to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
• The Rohingya are different from Myanmar's majority Buddhist population in terms of culture and religion.
• Their dialect is Bengali. Compared to the standard Burmese language, their dialect is different.
• Since 1982, Myanmar has denied them citizenship and refused to acknowledge them as an ethnic minority.
• They make up the largest group of stateless people on Earth.
• In 2012, the Rohingya started to leave Myanmar in large numbers.
• This followed a military crackdown brought on by the rape and killing of a Rakhine lady in a region primarily inhabited by Rohingya.
• The largest Rohingya exodus started in August 2017. The majority of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh reside in Cox's Bazar, close to the Myanmar border.
• Cox's Bazar is home to the biggest and densest refugee camps on earth.

Topic: Indian Economy

5. In comparison to the Index of February 2023, the Combined Index of Eight Core Industries grew by 6.7% (provisional) in February 2024.

• In February 2024, there was positive growth in the production of coal, natural gas, cement, steel, crude oil, electricity, and refinery products.
• The Index of Eight Core Industries' final growth rate for November 2023 has been revised to 7.9%.
• Comparing April to February of 2023–24 to the same period in the previous year, the cumulative growth rate of ICI is 7.7% (provisional).
• February 2024 had recorded a 10.2% rise in cement production over February 2023.
• February 2024 saw an 11.6% increase in coal production over February 2023.
• Production of crude oil rose 7.9% in February 2024 compared to February 2023.
• In February 2024, a 6.3% rise and an 11.3% rise has been recorded in electricity generation and natural gas production, respectively over February 2023.
• February 2024 saw a 9.5% decrease in fertiliser production compared to February 2023.
• Production at petroleum refineries and steel production rose 2.6% and 8.4%, respectively in February 2024 compared to February 2023.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

6. According to a report, Indian gaming industry’s annual revenue will increase to $6 billion by 2028 from $3.1 billion in 2023.

• According to the India Gaming Report 2024, there would be 240 million gamers by 2028, up from 144 million gamers in 2023.
• Winzo, an online gaming company, and the Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council jointly released the report.
• According to the report, there are more than 1,400 gaming companies in India, 500 of which are game studios.
• The number of professional players will rise from 500 in 2023 to 2.5 times that number in 2028, according to the report.
• According to the report, game downloads in India increased dramatically from 5.65 billion in 2019 to 9.5 billion in 2023.
• India's percentage of worldwide game downloads increased to a significant 16% in 2023 as a result of this rise.
• With 4.4 billion downloads (7.4% market share) and 4.5 billion (7.6% market share) respectively, India is followed by Brazil and the US.
• In India, mobile gaming accounts for 90% of the total gaming market.
• In the US and China, it makes for roughly 37% and 62% of the market, respectively.
• Of the gaming community, approximately half of the members are between the ages of 18 and 30.
• According to the survey, almost 30% of Indian gamers are on average between the ages of 31 and 45, and they tend to like strategy games.
• According to the report, over the next ten years, the online gaming sector in India is expected to create 2.5 lakh new jobs.
• Presently, it employs 1 lakh skilled gaming professionals directly and indirectly.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

7. Armenian parliamentary delegation and the Indian parliamentary delegation held a bilateral meeting.

• The meeting took place on the sidelines of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) function.
• The Indian parliamentary delegation was led by Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Harivansh.
• Vice President of the National Assembly Hakob Arshakyan led Armenia's parliamentary delegation.
• Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Harivansh met the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Tulia Ackson.
• Tulia Ackson is the Speaker of the National Assembly of the United Republic of Tanzania.
• She was congratulated by Harivansh on taking on the role of IPU President.
• The Indian Parliamentary Delegation is currently in Geneva, Switzerland for the 148th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly.
• There are five Rajya Sabha members in the delegation.
• These members are S Niranjan Reddy, Sujeet Kumar, Ashok Mittal, Prashanta Nanda and Sumitra.
• Inter-Parliamentary Union:
  • It is an international organization of national parliaments. It was established in 1889.
  • It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It has 180 members and 14 associate members.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

8. According to an analysis by energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, over a fifth (20%) of global oil-refining capacity is at the risk of closure.

• The consultancy analysed 465 refining assets. It ranked approximately 21% of 2023 global refining capacity at risk of closure.
• Highest number of high-risk sites are in Europe and China. About 3.9 million barrels per day of refining capacity is in a dangerous position and likely to be lost.
• As per the report, 11 European sites account for 45% of all high-risk plants.
• According to data from industry body Concawe, nearly 30 European refineries have closed since 2009.
• The reasons for closure are competition from newer and more complex plants in West Asia and Asia and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
• Gasoline margins will be reduced by the end of this decade due decline in demand and easing of sanctions on Russia. Expected carbon tax will also start to have a bad effect on it.

Topic: Defence

9. LCA Tejas MK-1A completed its first flight in Bengaluru.

• On March 29, the first Tejas MK-1A aircraft took its maiden flight from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in Bengaluru, and the country can expect its early induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• Following the contract received in February 2021, HAL achieved this significant production milestone with concurrent design and development amid major supply chain challenges in the global geopolitical environment.
• Group Captain KK Venugopal (Retd), chief test pilot of HAL, flew the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) MK-1A for 18 minutes.
• In February 2021, the IAF ordered 83 Mk-1A fighters for Rs 48,000 crore. At a cost of around Rs 67,000 crore, IAF plans to buy 97 more Mk-1A.
• By March 31, the first aircraft was to be delivered to the Indian Air Force, but it has been delayed as some key certifications are still pending, as first reported by HT on March 25.
• Tejas MK-1A will have advanced electronic radar, better combat capabilities, and better maintenance facilities.
• The LCA Mk-1A is an upgraded version of the LCA Mk-1, which is already inducted by the IAF.
• The world's fourth largest air force, the IAF, is expected to operate around 350 LCAs (Mk-1, Mk-1A, and Mk-2 variants), of which a third has already been ordered.
• In October 2023, HAL handed over the first trainer version of LCA Mk-1 to the IAF in Bengaluru.

Topic: State News/ Nagaland

10. AFSPA extended by the Center for six months in eight districts of Nagaland.

• The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 extended by the Central Government to eight districts of Nagaland and 21 police stations in five districts.
• The Central government declared them as 'disturbed areas' for a period of six months with effect from April 1, 2024, unless withdrawn earlier.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced through a notification that the AFSPA has been extended for another six months in Dimapur, Newland, Chumaukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek and Peren districts of Nagaland.
• Additionally, AFSPA has been extended to areas under the jurisdiction of 21 police stations in five districts of Nagaland.
• This includes six police stations each in Zunheboto and Mokokchung districts, five police stations in Kohima, three police stations in Wokha, and Yanglok police station in Longleng district.
• Earlier, the Center had declared Nagaland as a 'disturbed area' for six months from October 1, 2023, in the exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (28 of 1958).
• It included eight districts and 21 Police Stations in five other districts of the state of the state.
• Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA):
  • This is a Parliamentary Act that was introduced in 1958.
  • The Act gives the Armed Forces special powers of search and arrest and many others for the maintenance of public order.

Topic: National News

11. ICMR to release evidence-based norms for prevention, screening, diagnosis, and management of lung cancer.

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is set to launch a systematic review and meta-analyses.
• It will play a key role in the management of lung cancer to guide clinical practice.
• ICMR has released an expression of interest (EoI) for researchers, who are interested in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
• At present, evidence-based guidelines do not exist concerning the prevention, screening, diagnosis, management, and palliation of lung cancer in India.
• Systematic reviews/meta-analyses will be conducted by Prospective applicants using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool.
• Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in India. This accounts for 10% of total cancer deaths in India.
• Lung cancer is a significant public health concern. Smoking tobacco is the primary risk factor for lung cancer.

Topic: National News

12. A database has been launched by India to record crimes against UN peacekeepers.

• This new database has been designed to record crimes against UN peacekeepers and to monitor progress in holding perpetrators accountable.
• The launch of this database was announced at a meeting of the India-led 'Group of Friends' (GOF).
• This database will act as an online repository, which will empower the Secretariat Missions.
• It will help member countries to monitor and address cases of malicious acts against peacekeepers.
• This database has been sponsored by India. It is hosted on the Unite Aware platform.
• In 2022, 'Group of Friends' (GOF) was launched to promote accountability for crimes against the Blue Helmets.
• India, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco and Nepal are co-chairs of the GOF. It has 40 members.

Topic: Space and IT

13. ISRO will launch START 2024 program in April-May.

• Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START)-2024 will be launched by ISRO.
• ISRO has invited Expressions of Interest for the START-2024 program in educational institutes/Universities/Colleges within India.
• The START-2024 program will be conducted during April-May, 2024.
• START is an introductory-level online training in space science and technology for UG and PG students.
• Post-graduate students and final-year under graduate students of physical sciences (Physics and Chemistry) and technology are eligible for this training.
• Educational institutions that want to become part of this ISRO initiative have to apply by April 2, 2024.
• The START programme will be conducted through the ISRO E-CLASS platform.

Topic: International News

14. Thailand poised to become the first Southeast Asia country to allow same-sex marriage.

• Thailand's parliament passed a bill to give a nod to same-sex marriage.
• This bill will amend the Civil and Commercial Code of Thailand and replaced gendered terms like “husband and wife” with gender-neutral language such as “spouses” and “individuals”.
• The bill has been passed with the approval of 400 of the 415 members of the House of Representatives. 10 members voted against the bill.
• The bill has to be passed through the upper house of Thailand’s parliament.
• In December 2023, Thai lawmakers approved four draft bills concerning same-sex marriage.
• Taiwan was the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019.
• In November 2023, Nepal became the first South Asian nation to formally recognise and register a same-sex marriage.