Daily Current Affairs and GK | 6 April 2023

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

1. Delhi airport becomes 9^th busiest airport in the world: ACI

• According to Airports Council International (ACI) list, Delhi Airport with more than 5.94 crore passenger traffic has become the ninth busiest airport in the world in 2022.
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has topped the list with 93.7 million passengers.
• Dallas Fort Worth Airport and Chicago O'Hare Airport are in the second and third positions respectively.
• Dubai Airport is in the fifth spot with 66.1 million passenger traffic.
• Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) is the only airport in the top 10 list from South and South East Asia.
• Delhi Airport was ranked 13th in 2021 and 17th in 2019. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) manages Indira Gandhi International Airport.
• The top 10 airports in the total passenger traffic represent 10 per cent of the global traffic.
• The global passenger traffic in 2022 reached near to 7 billion, with an increase of 53.5 per cent from 2021.

Topic: National News

2. Banarasi Paan receives Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

• Banarasi Langda Mango, Ramnagar Bhanta (Brinjal), and Adamchini Rice have also received GI tags.
• Dr. Rajinikant, a Padma Awardee and GI expert, explained about the four Varanasi-based goods that have received the GI tag.
• With this, the Kashi region now has a total of 22 GI-tagged items.
• During the Covid phase, GI applications for 20 state-based products were received in association with NABARD.
• This year, 11 items have been given GI certification, including seven ODOP and four Kashi area products.
• The remaining nine items will be included by the end of next month.
• Banaras Lal Peda, Banarasi Thandai, Tirangi Barfi and Banaras Lal Bharwa Mirch are among them.
• Before this, the Purvanchal and the Kashi region had 18 GI products. They are given in the following table.

• GI tag has also been granted to Ladakh’s wood carving by the GI Registry in Chennai.
• Ladakh’s wood carving is known for its intricate designs. It is also known for its unique patterns. The patterns are mostly inspired by Buddhist themes and motifs.
• The wood carvings are prepared from local wood like willow and apricot.

Topic: Committees/ Commissions/Taskforces

3. Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has formed a committee to examine issues related to stalled real estate projects.

• The committee has fourteen members. It is headed by former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.
• The committee will also recommend ways for the completion of stalled real estate projects.
• The committee will submit its report within 6 months from the date of its 1st meeting.
• The committee includes top Central and State government officials.
• It includes the Secretary in the Department of Financial Services in the Union Ministry of Finance, and the Principal Secretary of the Housing and Urban Planning Department of Uttar Pradesh.
• It also includes the chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India.
• In April 2022, the Central Advisory Council decided to form a Committee to examine all the issues related to stalled projects.

Topic: Economy/Banking/Finance

4. Monetary Policy Committee has kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.50%. 

• Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has unanimously decided to keep the repo rate unchanged.
• The RBI governor said real GDP growth is expected to have been 7% in FY23.
• It is expected that GDP will be 6.5% in the current financial year.
• It is expected that retail inflation will moderate to 5.2% in FY2023-24.
• Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) would remain unchanged at 6.25%.
• The marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and bank rate would remain at 6.75%.
• In the last 11 months, MPC has raised the repo rate by 250 bps from May 2022.

Topic: International News

5. India elected a member of UN Statistical Commission, the Narcotic Drugs Commission, and UN HIV/AIDS Program Coordinating Board.

• The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has elected India as member to the UN Statistical Commission, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and the UN HIV/AIDS Program Coordinating Board (UNAIDS).
• All three are important subsidiary bodies of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
• The Drug Prevention Commission monitors the implementation of international drug control treaties.
• The United Nations AIDS Program Coordinating Board provides strategic guidelines for the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
• The Statistics Commission is the apex body overseeing international statistical activities and is responsible for setting standards in this field.
• India has been elected to the highest statistical body of the United Nations for a term of 4 years, which will start from 1 January 2024.
• India was last elected a member of this commission in 2004.
• India won a landslide victory in the concluded United Nations Statistical Commission election by securing 46 out of 53 votes, leaving behind rivals South Korea (23), China (19) and the UAE (15).
• United Nations Statistical Commission:
  • It is the apex body of the global statistical system which brings together the chief statisticians of the member states around the world.
  • It was established in 1947.
  • It is the highest decision-making body for international statistical activities, responsible for the creation of concepts and methodologies, as well as their national and international implementation.
  • The commission consists of 24 member countries of the United Nations elected on the basis of equal geographic distribution by the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

6. 7th India-Japan Defense Policy Dialogue was held in New Delhi.

• It was co-chaired by Defense Secretary Shri Giridhar Armane and Deputy Defense Minister for International Affairs of Japan Shri Oka Masami on 05 April 2023 in New Delhi.
• A wide range of issues were discussed during the conference, including Service-level exercises and engagements, regional security issues, and cooperation in defence equipment and technology.
• The Japanese Vice Minister also presented policy updates on the recently released National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy.
• Both countries appreciated the growing cooperation between the services through defense dialogue and exercises.
• Both countries welcomed the conduct of formal combat exercise 'Veer Guardian' between the Indian Air Force and the Japanese Air Self Defense Force in Japan in January 2023.
• The Defense Secretary said that both countries should aim at deepening cooperation between their respective defense industries.
• He also invited Japanese defense industries to look at investment opportunities in India under the 'Make in India' initiative.
• Both sides agreed to diversify cooperation in new and emerging areas such as defence, space and cyber.

(Source: News on Air)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Amazon India signed a collaboration agreement.

• The agreement has been signed to boost India’s creative economy and promote creative talent in the country.
• Under the agreement, Amazon Prime Video will sponsor scholarships for students of the Film and Television Institute of India and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute.
• As part of the agreement, Amazon Prime Video will also create internship programmes and offer job opportunities for students of these institutes.
• Amazon Prime Video and Mini TV will take Prasar Bharati and NFDC's rich archival content to youth across the country and the world.
• National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is a Public Sector Undertaking working under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It was founded in 1975. It is headquartered in Mumbai.

Topic: Sports

8. National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has banned Sanjita Chanu for four years.

• Sanjita Chanu is a two-time Commonwealth Games champion. She won gold medals at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games.
• She tested positive for a banned drug, drostanolone.
• She was tested at the time of the National Games 2022 held in Gujarat in September-October.
• Drostanolone is an anabolic–androgenic steroid. It is banned by the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).
• It is used to treat advanced inoperable cases of breast cancer in women. Athletes often misuse it as a performance enhancer.
• In 2018, International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) banned her.
• At that time, she tested positive for the anabolic steroid testosterone.
• However, IWF dropped doping charges against Sanjita Chanu in 2020.
• In 2022, India’s Tokyo Olympians Shivpal Singh, Kamalpreet Kaur, and Dhanalakshmi Sekar were caught in the doping net.
• Last year, Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Navjeet Kaur Dhillon and India’s long jumper Aishwarya Babu were also caught in the doping net.
• NADA:
  • It was formed in 2005 under Societies Registration Act 1860.
  • It is responsible for promoting, coordinating, and monitoring the doping control program in India.
  • The main objective of NADA is to implement anti-doping rules in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s code.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

9. International Renewable Energy Agency released ‘World Energy Transitions: Outlook 2023’ report.

• This report has highlighted that significant progress has been made in the energy transition, particularly in the power sector.
• According to the report, renewables contributed 83 per cent to the global power additions in 2022.
• As per the report, the deployment of renewables should be increased from 3,000 gigawatt (GW) to 10,000 GW by 2030 to keep the rise of temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• The report pointed out that renewable energy installation is limited to certain parts of the world. Two-thirds of all the renewable energy installation were in China, the European Union and the United States.
• Africa's share of total renewable energy capacity addition in 2022 was only 1 per cent.
• 85 per cent of global renewable energy investment has benefitted less than 50 percent of the world’s population.
• Global investment in energy transition technologies crossed the mark of $1.3 trillion in 2022.
• Around USD 1 trillion of planned annual fossil fuel investment by 2030 must be redirected towards energy transition technologies and infrastructure.
• The Covid-19 pandemic and the effects of the Ukraine crisis have further increased the challenges in the energy transition.
• IRENA outlines three priority pillars of the energy transition, which are as follows:
  • Physical infrastructure
  • Policy and Regulatory enablers
  • Well-skilled workforce
• If Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LT-LEDs) and net-zero targets are fully implemented then carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will reduce by 6 percent by 2030.

Topic: International News

10. Iran appointed UAE ambassador for the first time since 2016.

• Iran appointed Reza Ameri as its ambassador to the UAE. 
• He has served as the Director General of the Iranian expatriates' office in the Foreign Ministry.
• In March 2023, as per the China-brokered deal Saudi Arabia and Iran had agreed to resume diplomatic relations between them.
• Saudi Arabia, Iran and China have also expressed their desire to exert all efforts for enhancing regional and international peace and security.
• The UAE and Iran relations were degraded in January 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran following Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.
• The hostility between Iran and Saudi Arabia had increased instability and insecurity in the Gulf region.
• UAE and Iran have business ties stretching back from more than a century.

Topic: National Appointment

11. FICCI Ladies Organization appointed Sudha Shivakumar as its President.

• On 3 March, FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) has appointed Sudha Shivakumar as its 40th president at the 39th annual session.
• FLO is the oldest women-led and women-centric business chamber of Southeast Asia.
• Under her leadership, FLO will undertake several initiatives to promote greater contribution of women to India's industrial and economic growth story.
• She is a professional lawyer and investment banker.
• She is currently a director at her family run business focused on auto ancillaries.
• In 2016-17, Ms. Shivkumar had served as Chairman of the FLO Chennai Chapter.
• FICCI Ladies Organization:
  • In 1983, FLO was founded as a subsidiary of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), India's premier industry and commerce body.
  • Its head office in New Delhi.
  • Currently, FLO has 18 chapters across India with around 3,000 business women as its members.
  • The organization's aim is to encourage and facilitate women in showcasing their talents, skills, experiences, and energy across sectors and verticals of the economy, in order to achieve a truly inclusive economic growth trajectory.

Topic: State News/ Bihar

12. Bihar's West Champaran's 'Mircha' rice has been awarded the GI tag.

• The shape and appearance of this rice resembles black pepper, hence it is called Mircha or Marcha rice.
• The rice is different because this rice has a unique aroma.
• This rice is famous for its aroma, palatability and quality for making aromatic chura (rice flakes).
• Cooked rice is puffed, non-sticky, sweet and easily digestible with a popcorn-like aroma.
• The application for the GI tag was made by Marcha Dhan Utpadak Pragatisheel Samuh, a registered association of paddy cultivators.
• Geographical Indication (GI) Tag:
  • It is form of intellectual property, a certification or sign or name given to certain goods/products that are unique to a particular geographical region or location.
  • GI Tag is given to the goods by the Geographical Indication Registry (headquartered in Chennai) under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
  • The GI tag is valid for 10 years and after that can be renewed for next 10 years.
  • The first product that was awarded the GI tag in India was Darjeeling Tea in 2004-05.
  • Karnataka has the highest number of GI tags products followed by Tamil Nadu.

(Source: News on Air)

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

13. Karnataka topped among large states in delivering justice.

• Karnataka has achieved the top spot in the India Justice Report 2022.
• Tamil Nadu is on the second position while Telangana is in Third Position.
• Uttar Pradesh ranked 18 among the states with a population of over 1 crore each.
• Gujarat is on the fourth position and Andhra Pradesh is on the fifth spot.
• India Justice Report 2022 is based on four pillars: Police, Judiciary, Prisons, and Legal Aid.
• Sikkim has topped among small states with a population of less than one crore. Arunachal Pradesh is on the second spot while Tripura ranked third.
• The India Justice Report (IJR) was started by Tata Trusts in 2019, and this is the third edition of the report.
• This report is based on 24-month quantitative research.
• The report has highlighted the issue of “vacancy” in the area of police, prison staff, judiciary, and legal aid.
• India has about 20,076 judges for a population of 1.4 billion. 2 per cent of the sanctioned posts are vacant.
• As per the report, only 13% of High Court judges and 35% of Subordinate Court judges are women.
• As per the report, prisons are over-occupied. More than two-thirds or 77.1% of the prisoners are still waiting for the completion of the investigation or trial.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

14. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending by corporates of India has increased to ₹25,715 crore in 2020-2021.

• As per data from Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA), this was higher than the CSR spend of ₹24,955 crore in 2019-20 and ₹20,197 crore in 2018-19.
• In the Companies Act 2013, the government does not spend CSR funds.
• Allocation of CSR funds to the Government is not allowed.
• Companies shall file details of CSR expenditure annually in the MCA21 registry.
• The companies must file CSR details for the financial year 2021-22 on or before March 31, 2023.
• As per Section 135 of the Act, every company have to do CSR if it is having a net worth of ₹500 crore or more, or turnover of ₹1,000 crore or more, or a net profit of ₹5 crore or more during the immediate preceding financial year.
• Such companies should spend at least 2% of the average net profits made over immediate preceding 3 financial years towards CSR.