Daily Current Affairs and GK | 30 May 2024

Topic: Sports

1. Indian Arm Wrestlers won seven medals at the Asian Championship 2024.

• The Indian arm wrestling team performed excellently at the 2024 Asian Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
• The Indian team has won seven medals including one gold and six bronze.
• Shrimant Jha remained the top performer for India. He has competed in two categories.
• He won the gold medal in the left-hand para category and also bagged a bronze medal in the right-hand para category.
• Laxman Singh Bhandari won two bronze medals in the Masters category.
• Ibi Lollen won two bronze medals in the Women’s right and left-hand categories.
• People’s Armwrestling Federation India (PAFI) is the apex Indian organisation affiliated with the Asian Armwrestling Federation (AAF) and the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF).

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

2. Indian economy is likely to grow at 7% in the FY25: RBI Annual Report.

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its annual report on May 30.
• As per this report, the real GDP growth rate for 2024-25 is projected at 7.0%.
• The Indian economy has expanded at a robust pace in 2023-24 with a real GDP growth to 7.6 per cent from 7.0 per cent.
• This will be the third successive year of 7 per cent or above growth.
• India’s GDP growth is robust and is supported by healthy balance sheets of banks and corporates.
• The government is focusing on capital expenditure and prudent monetary, regulatory and fiscal policies.
• Geopolitical tensions, geoeconomic fragmentation, global financial market volatility, international commodity price movements and erratic weather are the main risks to the growth outlook.
• The RBI report also highlighted that the Indian economy would have to tackle challenges posed by the rapid adoption of AI/ML.
• This report covered the working and functions of the Reserve Bank of India for the April 2023-March 2024 period.

Topic: National News

3. India assumed the chairmanship of the “Colombo Process” for 2024-26.

• This is the first time India has assumed the chairmanship of the Colombo Process since its inception.
• India wishes to promote safe, orderly and legal migration.
• The Colombo Process is a regional consultative process of migrant worker origin countries in South and Southeast Asia.
• It serves as a platform for exchange of best practices regarding employment abroad.
• India has been a member of the Colombo Process since its inception in 2003.
• The Colombo Process involves 12 Member States from Asian countries of origin of migrant workers and provides an important forum for consultation on the management of foreign employment and contract labour.
• The process is coordinated through the Permanent Missions of Member States to the United Nations in Geneva.

Topic: MoUs and Agreements

4. An MoU signed by MEA, MeitY and CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd to provide eMigrate services through CSC.

• The Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited signed a MOU.
• The MoU was signed during the conference of the National Workshop on “Powering Transformation through UI/UX for Digital Governance”.
• The objective is to create synergy between CSC SPV and Ministry of External Affairs for providing e-Migrate services through CSCs in the country.
• The e-Migrate project is primarily launched to assist blue-collar workers moving to Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries.
• The project is conceptualised to address the issues faced by migrant workers by making the emigration process seamless online.
• It was launched to bring foreign employers and registered recruitment agents and insurance companies on a common platform to promote safe and legal migration.
• Over the past years, the number of Indians going abroad for employment has increased, and the contribution of remittances sent by them has also been significant.
• Common Service Centres (CSCs) are an integral part of the Digital India Mission.
• CSCs are the leading service delivery centres for providing digital services to citizens, especially in rural and remote areas across the country.
• Currently, more than 5.50 lakh CSCs are providing more than 700 digital services to the citizens.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. ‘Sustainability Champion – Editor’s Choice Award’ presented to REC Limited at Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards 2024.

• Additionally, the “Corporate Social Responsibility Champion Award” presented to Power Finance Corporation Ltd. (PFC) in the NF (Non-Fossil Fuel) business category.
• The Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards 2024, was held in Goa.
• Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) Limited is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power and a leading NBFC.
• Outlook Group in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Goa organised this awards ceremony.
• This award recognizes REC's commitment to sustainability initiatives and its efforts to drive progress towards a greener future.
• The Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards is a premier platform that brings together industry leaders, policy makers and sustainability advocates to promote excellence in sustainable practices.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Important Days

6. International Potato Day 2024: 30 May

• International Potato Day was celebrated for the first time this year on 30 May.
• The theme of International Potato Day 2024 is "Harvesting Diversity, Feeding Hope."
• The General Assembly proclaimed May 30, as International Potato Day in December 2023.
• Potato is one of the top five staple food items consumed throughout the world.
• This day is celebrated to highlight the importance of potatoes originating from the Andean region to the world.
• Originating in the South American Andes region, it’s a thousand-year-old food that reached Europe in the 16th century and then spread around the world.

(Source: United Nations)

Topic: Space and IT

7. Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched Agnibaan’s sub-orbital rocket.

• The IIT-Madras incubated space start-up, Agnikul Cosmos, has made history with the successful launch of Agnibaan rocket from its private launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
• It has been successfully launched after four failed attempts in the last few months.
• Agnibaan Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD) is a single-stage launch vehicle powered by Agnilet engine.
• The Agnilet engine is the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine.
• It can carry a payload of up to 300 kg into orbit of about 700 km.
• The rocket used a semi-cryogenic engine with a mix of liquid and gas propellants. This technology is not used by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in any of its rockets.
• Agnikul Cosmos was established in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran and Moin SPM, along with IIT-Madras faculty member Sathyanarayan R Chakravarthy.
• It is the first Indian company to sign an agreement with ISRO in December 2020.

Topic: National News

8. Summer Fiesta 2024 has been inaugurated by Sanjay Kumar at the National Bal Bhavan.

• The Ministry of Education inaugurated the month-long "Summer Fiesta 2024" at the National Bal Bhavan.
• Summer Fiesta is a month-long camp with more than 30 types of different activities for children aged between 5 to 16 years.
• Summer Fiesta 2024 will be organized from May 29 to June 28, 2024.
• During the Summer Fiesta, special workshops and programs will be conducted weekly.
• Sessions on Odissi dance, Yoga, Calligraphy, Music recitals, Games etc. will also be organized.
• The National Bal Bhavan is an autonomous body under the Department of School Education and Literacy.
• It was established in 1956 with a vision to foster learning through thinking, imagination, creativity, and entertaining activities for children.

Topic: Defence

9. DRDO carried out successful flight test of the RudraM-II air-to-surface missile.

• The missile was fired from a Su-30 MK-I aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) off the coast of Odisha.
• The missile test met all trial objectives. The missile’s performance was validated through data.
• Defence Minister congratulated the IAF, DRDO, and the industry for the successful test flight.
• RudraM-II is a solid-propelled air-launched missile. It is designed for air-to-surface operations.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed the Rudram-II anti-radiation supersonic missile.
• Rudram missile is the first indigenously developed anti-radiation missile.
• It is designed to target enemy ground radars and communication stations in SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defence) missions.   
• The Rudram-II is the latest version after the mark-1 version. The mark-1 version was tested four years ago by Su-30MKI.
• The Rudram-II can be launched from a range of altitudes. It can pick up signals from radars from a range of over 100 km.
• India presently operates the Russian Kh-31. Kh-31 is an anti-radiation missile. The Rudram missiles will replace it.

Topic: Indian Economy

10. S&P Global Ratings has kept India's sovereign rating at "BBB-".

• It has upgraded India’s sovereign rating outlook from "stable" to "positive."
• India's strong economic growth was mentioned by the rating agency as having a positive effect on its credit measures.
• India's strong economic development, notable improvement in the quality of government spending, and political commitment to fiscal consolidation are the main reasons for the positive outlook.
• The benchmark 10-year bond yield decreased three basis points to 6.99% following the increase in outlook, while the Indian rupee appreciated.
• S&P recognised that the country's weak fiscal settings have always been the most vulnerable aspect of its sovereign ratings profile.
• But it pointed out that the government is giving priority to consolidation efforts.
• According to the rating agency, by fiscal 2028, India's general government deficit is expected to have decreased to 6.8% of GDP from 7.9% in fiscal 2025.
• For the following three years, it projects that the Indian economy would grow at a rate of almost 7% a year.
• Despite significant fiscal deficits, this should have a moderating effect on the ratio of government debt to GDP.
• The sustainable nature of government borrowing in India is maintained by the favourable GDP growth to interest rate difference, as observed by S&P.
• It projects that by fiscal 2028, the nation's debt to GDP ratio will drop from the current 85% to 81%.
• S&P anticipates that before the end of the fiscal year 2025, monetary policy will be somewhat easier.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

11. Cold Chain and Logistics Summit organized by FICCI in New Delhi.

• On 29th May, Cold Chain and Logistics Summit: Navigating The Future of Cold Chain Logistics organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
• The aim of the summit is to foster collaboration and innovation in developing an integrated, sustainable, and efficient cold chain ecosystem for India's perishable goods industry.
• The discussions focused on developing sustainable infrastructure to enhance energy efficiency, reduce waste and maintain the integrity and safety of temperature-sensitive goods in supply chain management.
• The summit serves as an active platform to discuss best practices and strategies to understand the technologies and trends shaping the future of cold chain logistics.

Topic: Important Days

12. International Day of UN Peacekeepers 2024: 29 May

• Every year on May 29, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers is celebrated.
• It is celebrated to honour the contributions of both uniformed and civilian people to peacekeeping.
• The theme of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers 2024 is "Fit for the Future: Building Better Together."
• Over two million peacekeepers have participated in 71 missions since 1948, assisting nations in negotiating the challenging path from war to peace.
• Currently, more than 76,000 peacekeepers from more than 120 countries are deployed across 11 global missions.
• UNGA passed a resolution to designate 29 May as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers to mark the establishment of the first UN Peacekeeping mission in 1948.
• India has played a vital role in United Nations peacekeeping operations. In 1960, it sent doctors and nurses to Congo, and in 2008, it sent an all-female team to Liberia.
• The 76th International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers was also celebrated by the Indian Army, paying homage to fallen comrades by laying wreaths at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.

Topic: Space and IT

13. According to a study, Venus appears to be more volcanically active than previously thought.

• According to scientists, Venus appears to be more volcanically active than previously known.
• As per new analysis of decades-old radar images has revealed evidence of volcanic eruptions at two additional sites on Venus.
• Radar images obtained by NASA’s Magellan indicated large lava flows at these two locations in the Venusian northern hemisphere.
• One of the two sites is a volcano called Sif Mons which is situated in a region called Eistla Regio.
• The other site is a large volcanic plain in a region called Niobe Planitia.
• As per the new study, the volcanic vent on Maat Mons in a region called Atla Regio expanded and changed shape during the Magellan mission.
• This new study is based on the previous findings of ongoing Venusian volcanic activity.
• The study of the volcanic activity of Venus will provide a better understanding of a planet’s internal heat and geological processes.
• Venus is the second planet from the sun and has a diameter of about 7,500 miles (12,000 km), slightly smaller than Earth.

Topic: National Appointments

14. Pradip Kumar Tripathi has been appointed as secretary to Lokpal till July 30.

• IAS Pradip Kumar Tripathi has been appointed as Secretary to Lokpal.
• The appointment has been approved by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet.
• IAS Rakesh Ranjan has been also appointed as Chairman of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
• Amit Yadav has been appointed as an Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment department.
• IAS Rajendra Kumar is appointed as Secretary in the Department of Border Management. 
• Lokpal is a multi-member body. It consists of a Chairperson and a maximum of 8 members. 50% of these members should be judicial members.
• Members of the Lokpal are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a selection committee.