Daily Current Affairs and GK | 3 June 2023

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

1. Sanchi will become the first solar city of Madhya Pradesh.

• The UNESCO world heritage site, Sanchi, will soon become the first solar city of Madhya Pradesh.
• The work of developing Sanchi as a solar city has got completed.
• Sanchi is located on the Tropic of Cancer so it is ideal place for soaking the sun’s energy.
• In Sanchi, electricity to every household will be provided through solar energy.
• Two solar stations of 5 megawatts (MW) and 3 MW capacity have been established in Sanchi.
• The MP Urja Vikas Nigam is the nodal agency for the implementation of solar projects in Sanchi.
• The state's corporate social responsibility fund has covered the majority of the cost of constructing the solar city.
• Around 3 million units of energy per year is required for Sanchi town while arrangements are being made to generate 5.6 million units annually.
• Diu is the first city in India to run completely on solar energy during the day.
• Modhera in Gujarat is India’s first village to run completely on solar energy.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

2. A new eel species has been discovered in Odisha.

• Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) scientists have discovered a new species of eel from the Palur canal in Odisha’s Ganjam district.
• This new species has been named Pisodonophis Kalinga after the name of ancient Odisha.
• Its length varies from 560 millimetres to 7 metres. It belongs to the family Ophichthidae and order Anguilliformes.
• The body of this new species is dark olive-brown and pale white colours and both colours meet at the lateral side.
• Researchers conducted a thorough examination and found that this species is different from Pisodonophis boro in several aspects.
• Estuarine Biology Regional Centre of ZSI in association with scientists of Berhampur University and Ravenshaw University, Cuttack discovered this species.
• The detailed characteristics of this new species Pisodonophis Kalinga was published in the international journal Marine Biodiversity.
• Now, a total of three species of Pisodonophis are available in the waters of India.

Topic: National News

3. Education Minister released the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023.

• On 2 June, the University Grants Commission Deemed University Institutions Regulations, 2023 has been released by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi.
• This Regulation will facilitate creation of multiple quality focused Deemed Universities in an objective and transparent manner.
• These regulations will encourage universities to focus on quality and excellence, strengthen the research eco-system and make a lasting impact in transforming our higher education landscape.
• The UGC Act of 1956 empowers the Central Government under Section 2(f) to designate any institution other than a university as a deemed university.
• The UGC Regulations govern various aspects related to declaration of status (General) and de novo, establishment of off-campus centres, minimum eligibility requirements for obtaining the status, governance, and more.
• The initial set of regulations was introduced in 2010 and later revised in 2016 and 2019.
• The new Regulations for institutions deemed to be universities have replaced the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations 2019, aligning with the NEP 2020.
• The regulation is focused on excellence in higher education, research and social change.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. A Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan launched by Union Jal Shakti Minister.

• It will act as a single repository for assessing investment and participation in the biogas/CBG sector on a pan-India basis.
• More importantly, it will streamline the process of setting up biogas plants/CBG in India.
• Any government, cooperative or private entity that intends to set up a Biogas/CBG/Bio CNG plant in India can obtain a registration number by enrolling in this integrated registration portal that has been launched.
• The registration number will enable them to get many benefits and assistance from the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India.
• States have been advised to get their CBG/biogas plant operators registered on the portal on priority basis for availing the existing and future assistance from the Central Government.
• Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (Gobardhan) is a flagship comprehensive initiative of the Government of India, which is based on a whole of government approach and aims to convert waste into wealth towards promoting circular economy.
• The Government of India intends to create a strong ecosystem for setting up Biogas/Compressed Biogas (CBG)/Bio-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) plants to promote sustainable economic growth and promote a circular economy.
• Gobardhan, the nodal division of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, has developed this portal, which can be accessed at https://gobardhan.co.in.
• Gobardhan aims to generate wealth and energy by converting cattle dung, agricultural residues and other organic waste into biogas, CBG and bio-fertilizers.
• The initiative includes a whole gamut of schemes, programmes, policies to promote the conversion of organic waste like animal dung, agro-residues etc. to Biogas/CBG/Bio-CNG.

Topic: Sports

5. India’s Esow Alben won bronze medal in Keirin at Finale Bahnen-Tournee 2023 cycling.

• Indian cyclist Esow Alben won the bronze medal in the Elite Men's Keirin event at the UCI Class 1 Event-Finale Bahnen-Tourne 2023 cycling competition in Dudenhofen, Germany.
• He finished behind world championships medallist Mark Jurczyk of Germany and Sébastien Vigier of France.
• In 2022, the 22-year-old was the first cyclist from India to participate in the UCI Champions League.
• He is the first Indian to win medal at the 2018 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships.

Topic: Important Days

6. World Bicycle Day 2023: 3 June

• Every year on 3 June, World Bicycle Day is observed.
• The theme of the World Bicycle Day 2023 is "Riding Together for a Sustainable Future."
• In April 2018, UN General Assembly declared 3 June as World Bicycle Day.
• The idea behind this is to inform people about the health benefits from cycling.
• Bicycle is an environmentally sustainable means of transport.
• The initiative to establish World Bicycle Day was led by Turkmenistan with the support of several other countries.

Topic: International Appointments

7. UAE has won the Presidency of the World Meteorological Organization.

• A meteorologist of United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, has been elected as the new President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
• Dr Abdulla Al Mandous has been elected for a four-year term from 2023 to 2027.
• Dr Abdulla Al Mandous received 95 votes out of the representatives from 193 member states and territories of WMO.
• The election was held during the 19th session of the World Meteorological Congress organised in Geneva, Switzerland from 22nd May to 2nd June.
• Dr Abdulla Al Mandous will succeed Prof Gerhard Adrian of the German Meteorological Service.
• Prof Gerhard Adrian served as WMO President since June 2019.
• UAE will chair WMO’s upcoming 77th Executive Council Session (EC-77) in Geneva from 5th to 6th June.
• Celeste Saulo of Argentina has become first woman leader of WMO. She has been appointed as the first female Secretary-General of the WMO.
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO):
  • It is a specialized agency of United Nations. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • It was formed in 1950. It is made up of 193 countries and territories.
  • Its mandate covers weather, climate and water resources.

Topic: International Appointments

8. Edgars Rinkevics has been elected as new president of Latvia.

• Edgars Rinkevics will become the first openly gay president in the Baltic nation.
• Edgars Rinkevics will represent the European Union and NATO member nations at NATO’s upcoming summit, which will be hosted by Lithuania in Vilnius on 11-12 July 2023.
• Edgars Rinkevics will serve a four-year term. Rinkevics is likely to be sworn in on July 8.
• Rinkevics received 52 votes from the 100-seat Saeima legislature. The Saeima is the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia.
• The incumbent President Egils Levits assumed office in 2019.
• Latvia:
  • It is a country in Northern Europe's Baltic region. Its currency is Euro. Its capital is Riga. Arturs Krisjanis Karins is current Prime Minister.
  • It is bounded by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, and Belarus to the southeast, and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west.

Topic: National News

9. A massive railway accident occurred in Balasore, Odisha.

• On 2nd June 2023, 10-12 coaches of the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express derailed and fell on an adjacent track at about 7 pm.
• The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express coming on the adjacent track collided with Coromandel Express. A goods train was also involved in this massive accident.
• More than 280 people have died and 900 were injured in a massive train accident.
• A massive rescue operation is underway at the accident site in Bahanaga Bazar near Balasore.
• The injured passengers are being treated at Balasore Medical College and Hospital and other hospitals in nearby areas.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ordered a high-level probe into the incident.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has also deployed Mi-17 helicopters for the evacuation of victims.
• India has one of the largest train networks in the world. India's worst train disaster occurred in 1981 in Bihar.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National Appointments

10. Janardan Prasad becomes the new Director-General of the Geological Survey of India.

• Janardan Prasad has been appointed as the new Director General of the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
• He has taken charge on 1 June in the place of Dr. S. Raju, who was holding the post since April 2022.
• Janardan Prasad has done MSc in Geology from Patna University and joined GSI, Gandhinagar, as a geologist in 1988.
• He earlier served as the Additional Director General and Head of Department (ADG & HoD) for the southern region.
• He was also the chairman of the Technical-cum- Cost Committee (TCC), National Mineral Exploration Trust, New Delhi.
• Geological Survey of India (GSI)
  • It was established in 1851.
  • It functions under the Ministry of Mines, Government of India.
  • It is one of the oldest of such organisations in the world and the second oldest survey in India.
  • It is responsible for conducting geological surveys and studies in India.
  • Its headquarters is located in Kolkata.

Topic: National News

11. India has become a member of the Centralised Laboratory Network (CLN) for testing vaccines.

• CLN presently has 15 partner facilities in 13 countries.
• It works to test vaccines for possible use during a pandemic, or epidemic disease outbreak.
• It is part of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). It is a CEPI-funded network.
• It aims to identify the most effective vaccine candidates quickly and accurately against emerging infectious diseases.
• It is the largest global group having standardised methods and materials for testing of vaccines.
• The new members of the CLN now are:
  • Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV)
  • Institute Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) (Senegal)
  • KAVI Institute of Clinical Research (KAVI ICR)
  • University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (UNITID) (Kenya)
  • Synexa Life Sciences (South Africa)
  • Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) (Uganda)

Topic: National Appointments

12. Amarendu Prakash has assumed charge as the new Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL).

• He has taken charge from 31 May. Earlier, he was the Director (In-charge) of SAIL’s Bokaro steel plant.
• He briefly took on additional charge as Director In-Charge of the Rourkela Steel Plant (Odisha), IISCO and Durgapur Steel Plant, West Bengal.
• Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) was established in 1954. It is the largest steel-producing company in India.
• It is a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Steel. Its headquarters is in New Delhi.

Topic: International News

13. US and Taiwan signed a trade deal amid China’s opposition.

• The United States signed a trade agreement with Taiwan.
• Both governments said that the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade will strengthen commercial ties by improving customs, investment and other regulations.
• The main aim of the agreement is to strengthen and deepen economic and trade relationships.
• The first agreement under the new deal was signed by representatives of the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office.
• The Chinese government demanded that the US should stop contacting the elected government of Taiwan.
• In recent times, American and European politicians have visited Taiwan in support of the elected government of Taiwan.
• After a civil war in 1949, China and Taiwan were separated. The government of the Republic of China moved its capital from Beijing to the city of Taipei in 1949.
• It depicted the victory of Mao Zedong’s Communist forces over Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War.

Topic: State News/ Uttar Pradesh

14. A 15-day mega registration drive for MSMEs has been launched by the Uttar Pradesh government.

• Uttar Pradesh government launched a 15-day registration campaign for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in all 75 districts across the state.
• The registration campaign will be organized across the state from 15 June.
• The main aim of the campaign is to cover around 14 lakh MSMEs that are not yet registered with the MSME Udyam portal.
• It will also help in providing benefits of all government schemes of the state government to MSMEs.
• More than 90 lakh MSMEs are active in the state but only 14 lakh are registered.
• In each district, the Directorate of Industries will organize camps for the registration of MSMEs. MSMEs can also register themselves on the Portal.
• The registration of MSMEs will provide them an identity, which will be essential for their operation.
• Definition of MSME:
  • Micro Enterprises - Investment up to a maximum of 1 crore and annual turnover up to a maximum of 5 crore.
  • Small Enterprises - Investment up to a maximum of 10 crores and annual turnover up to a maximum of 50 crores.
  • Medium Enterprises - Investment up to 20 crores and annual turnover up to 100 crores.