Daily Current Affairs and GK | 9 June 2023

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. Government launched Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR).

• Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR) has been launched by the government to identify emerging technologies in the power sector.
• It has also been launched to indigenously develop emerging technology and deploying them within and outside India.
• Its main aim is to support indigenous research, development and demonstration of the latest and emerging technologies in the power sector.
• The mission will be funded by financial resources of the Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and various Central Public Sector Enterprises.
• The additional funding for the mission will be mobilized from the budgetary resources of the central government.
• The mission will be initially launched for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28. It will follow the technology life cycle approach of Idea to Product.
• This mission will act as a catalyst for achieving goals like Net Zero emissions and will promote initiatives like Make in India and Start-up India.
• This mission will also contribute towards achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Topic: International News

2. PM Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reviewed bilateral relations.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the fields of connectivity, energy, and defence.
• The leaders also exchanged views on various multilateral and global issues of mutual interest.
• Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged his full support during India's G20 chairmanship.
• India- Saudi Arabia relations:
  • India and Saudi Arabia enjoy cordial and friendly relations. Both have old economic and socio-cultural ties.
  • India- Saudi Arabia diplomatic relationship was established in 1947.
  • In 2010, the ‘Riyadh Declaration’ was signed by both countries which elevated their bilateral relationship to a ‘Strategic Partnership’.
  • Saudi Arabia is fourth-largest trading partner of India.
  • During FY22 (Apr-Dec), bilateral trade between both countries was valued at US$29.28 billion.
  • The annual Hajj pilgrimage is another important component of Indo-Saudi bilateral relations.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/ Punjab

3. The three-day Shiksha Mahakumbh started from in Jalandhar on 9 June.

• A three-day national conference on recent advances in school education began at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar.
• This Shiksha Mahakumbh has been organized in collaboration with Sarvhitkari Shiksha Samiti, Punjab, NIT Jalandhar and other premier educational institutions.
• Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur was the chief guest at the inaugural session of Shiksha Mahakumbh.
• In the conference, the implementation of the National Education Policy and the major challenges in implementing educational reforms will be discussed.
• Representatives of premier institutes of the country including IIT, AIIM, IIM, IISER and NIT will attend Shiksha Mahakumbh.

(Source: News on Air)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. Govt said that Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) will be brought under the ambit of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendras.

• There are about one lakh primary agricultural credit co-operative societies across the country.
• To realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of prosperity through cooperation, the Ministry of Cooperation has taken five important decisions.
• These credit societies will be linked to marketing of organic fertilizers, especially Fermented Organic Manure and Liquid Fermented Organic Manure.
• Based on the mapping the societies which are not functioning as fertilizer retailers will be identified and based on feasibility they will be encouraged to function as retailers in a phased manner.
• On 8 June, Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah with Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya have taken these decisions in the meeting in New Delhi.
• These credit societies will also be involved in this supply and marketing chain as wholesalers and retailers.
• These credit societies can also be employed as drone entrepreneurs for spraying fertilizers and pesticides.
• These decisions will increase the income of these committees, as well as increase employment opportunities in rural areas.
• Farmers will also be able to get fertilizers, pesticides, seeds and agricultural machinery at the local level.

Topic: Sports

5. India's Siddharth Chowdhary won gold in the men's shotput event at the U-20 Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea.

• India showed a stellar performance in the Under-20 Asian Athletics Championships in Yecheon, South Korea.
• 16-year-old Rejoana Mallick Heena was the most successful Indian athlete in the competition.
• She won an individual gold medal in the women's 400m race and also won a team gold in the women's 4x400m relay race.
• She was part of India's mixed 4x400m relay team which won bronze.
• Three other players - Shah Rukh Khan in the 3000 meters steeplechase, Shivam Lokhare in the javelin throw and Sushmita in the long jump - won silver medals.
• With six gold, seven silver, and six bronze medals, the Indian contingent finished third in the overall medal tally.
• Japan topped the medal table with a total of 23 medals (14 gold, four silver and five bronze).
• China finished second with a total of 19 medals (11 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals).
• The competition took place at Yecheon Stadium in Yecheon, South Korea from June 4 to 7.
• The 2023 edition was the 20th edition of the international athletics competition for Asian under-20 athletes, organized by the Asian Athletics Association.
• In 2018, the previous edition of the Asian U20 Athletics Championships was held in Japan.
• In 2024, the UAE will host the 21st edition of the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Dubai.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic:  Defence

6. 'Agni Prime' ballistic missile successfully test-fired by DRDO off Odisha coast.

• On June 07, 2023, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully flight tested the new generation ballistic missile 'Agni Prime' from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
• During flight testing, all objectives were successfully demonstrated.
• This was the first pre-induction night launch after three successful development trials of the missile, validating the accuracy and reliability of the system.
• Range instrumentation such as radar, telemetry and electro optical tracking systems were deployed at various locations.
• It consisted of two down-range vessels to capture flight data covering the entire trajectory of the vehicle.
• In October 2022, India had also successfully fired ‘Agni Prime’.
• Its first test was in June 2021, the second six months later in December.
• Agni Prime:
  • Agni Prime is an advanced version of the Agni missiles. It has a range between 1000 and 2000 km.
  • It is a nuclear-capable new-generation missile. It is a two-stage canisterised missile.
  • It can be launched by rail or road and can be transported as per the operational requirements.
  • Its weight is 50% less than the Agni 3 missile and is equipped with the new guidance and propulsion systems.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: International News

7. India and Serbia agreed to set a target for taking bilateral trade from current 320 million euros to 1 billion euros by the end of the decade.

• President Droupadi Murmu and her Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic agreed to set this target.
• President Droupadi Murmu is on a three-day State visit to Serbia from the 7th June to the 9th June.
• President Murmu highlighted the positive outcomes of the delegation-level talks.
• President of Serbia, Mr. Aleksandar Vucic hoped that direct flights between the two countries will begin soon.
• Apart from the delegation-level talks, a high-powered business delegation from India also held talks with a business delegation from Serbia.
• This high-powered business delegation from India consisted of members from ASSOCHAM, FICCI, and CII.
• On 8 June 2023, President Droupadi Murmu laid a wreath at the monument of the unknown heroes at Mount Avala.
• President Droupadi Murmu will return to India on 09 June 2023 after her State visits to Suriname and Serbia from the 4th to the 9th of June, 2023.
• Serbia:
  • It is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. Its capital is Belgrade.
  • Its currency is the Serbian dinar. Its Prime Minister is Ana Brnabic.
  • It shares land borders with Hungary to the north and Romania to the northeast.
  • It shares land borders with Bulgaria to the southeast and North Macedonia to the south.
  • It shares land borders with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the west, and Montenegro to the southwest.

Topic: Reports and Indices

8. Jammu and Kashmir has been ranked at first place in the Union Territory (UT) category in State Food Safety Index 2022-23.

• The Department of Food and Drugs Administration J&K has got first position in UT category for 3rd time in a row for 2021, 2022, and 2023.
• Food Safety Commissioner Shakeel-ul-Rehman received the award from Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
• Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) also won 1st prize for having the maximum number of Eat Right Mela districts in India.
• FSSAI organized an event on 07 June 2023, in honor of World Food Safety Day.
• At the event, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya released the 5th State Food Safety Index (SFSI).
• Among the larger states, Kerala achieved top rank, followed by Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
• Among the smaller states, Goa achieved top rank, followed by Manipur and Sikkim.
• Among the union territories, Delhi and Chandigarh achieved second and third rank, respectively.
• Dr Mansukh Mandaviya announced that 100 Food Streets would be set up across the country.
• He also unveiled Rapid Food Testing Kit (RAFT) portal. RAFT scheme was launched in 2019.
• It was launched to encourage the adoption of advanced technologies for food testing, screening, and surveillance purposes.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) annually releases the Food Safety Index. It is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model.
• State Food Safety Index measures performance of states and UTs on six different aspects of food safety. It was launched in 2018-19.

Topic: International News

9. Eurozone entered into recession as the cost of living increased.

• After official figures have been revised the Eurozone has slipped into recession in the first three months of 2023.
• The EU’s statistical agency data showed that gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.1% in the first quarter of 2023.
• The cost of living people has increased which has affected consumer spending.
• As per the updated figures, a 0.2% contraction was witnessed in the final quarter of 2022.
• After the Russians invaded Ukraine, the households in Eurozone came under pressure due to rising living costs.
• The prices of gas has sharply increased which increases inflation in most of the countries of the Eurozone.
• The EU’s largest economy, Germany, is also facing recession. France recorded close to zero growth.
• Ireland’s GDP has fall down by 4.6% in the first quarter of this year.
• Two consecutive quarters of negative growth is technically defined as recession.
• Eurozone:
  • It is a currency union of 20 countries of the European Union (EU).
  • These countries have adopted the Euro (€) as their primary currency.
  • Croatia became the 20th member of the euro area on 1 January 2023.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. ‘Exploration of Coal and Lignite Scheme’ continuation has been approved by the Union Cabinet.

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the continuation of “Exploration of Coal and Lignite scheme” till 2026.
• The time period of the scheme has been extended from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with an estimated expenditure of Rs 2980 crore.
• Under this scheme, exploration for Coal and Lignite is conducted in two stages:
  • (i) Promotional (Regional) Exploration
  • (ii) Detailed Exploration in Non-Coal India Limited blocks
• Rs 1650 crore has been allocated for Promotional (Regional) Exploration while Rs.1330 crore has been allocated for Detailed Drilling in Non-CIL areas.
• Around 1300 sq. km area will be covered under Regional exploration and 650 sq. km area will be covered under detailed exploration.
• The Geological reports prepared through these explorations will be used for auctioning new coal blocks.
• The main goal of exploring coal and lignite resources is to assess their presence, quantity, and quality within the country.

Topic: Economy/Banking/Finance

11. The global Economic growth cut to 2.1% from 3.1% by the World Bank due to interest rate hike.

• On 6 June, the World Bank (WB) stated that the global economy is in a precarious state and is heading towards a slowdown.
• It is because sharp interest-rate increases has hit activity and stirred the vulnerabilities in lower-income countries.
• In its latest outlook, the World Bank projects that the international economy will grow by only 2.1% in 2023, after expanding by 3.1% in 2022.
• According to the World Bank's 'Global Economic Prospects' report released on 6 June, the new growth forecast for the year 2023 is slightly better than the previous estimate in January.
• The World Bank had said in January that global growth would be only 1.7% this year.
• To combat rising inflation, the Federal Reserve and other central banks have raised interest rates significantly.
• Apart from this, due to Russia's attack on Ukraine, there is also a crisis of energy and food supply. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are also still present.
• Despite this, the World Bank feels that in the year 2024, the global economy will be able to achieve a growth rate of 2.4%.
• The World Bank has projected the Indian economy to grow at 6.3% this year, which is the highest among major countries.
• India's growth rate in the year 2022 was 7.2%.
• The World Bank has predicted a growth rate of 1.1% in the year 2023 for the world's largest economy America.
• The growth rate of the European Union has been projected to be 0.4% for this year.
• The World Bank has raised the growth forecast for China to 5.6%.
• The growth rate in Japan has been estimated to decrease from one percent to 0.8%.

Topic: State News/ Haryana

12. A special campaign will be launched by Haryana to raise awareness about door-to-door waste collection and segregation.

• This is part of the continuous efforts of the government to transform every city in the state into a 'Clean City-Safe City'.
• The camps will be organized at public places to disseminate information to the people.
• On June 6, a review meeting was organized in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Dr. Kamal Gupta.
• Municipal Corporation Commissioners, District Municipal Commissioners, and officers of the Urban Local Bodies Department (ULB) attended the meeting.
• The officers were directed by Dr. Gupta to take concrete measures for the beautification of cities including repair of roads, parks and parking facilities.
• The officers were also directed to ensure proper implementation of the Mukhyamantri Shehri Nikay Swamitva Yojana.
• He said that with the effective implementation of this scheme, the state government can achieve the goal of making 'Clean City-Safe City'.

Topic: State News/ Uttar Pradesh

13. Nand Baba Milk Mission scheme has been launched by the Uttar Pradesh government.

• Uttar Pradesh government launched the Nand Baba Milk Mission scheme with an outlay of Rs 1000 crore.
• It was launched on 6 June 2023 with an aim to provide milk producers the facility of selling their milk at a reasonable price in villages through dairy co-operative societies.
• It will help farmers to get a fair price for their milk and strengthen agri-based infrastructure.
• Under this scheme, Dairy Farmer Producer Organisation will be formed to facilitate the sale of milk in producers’ villages.
• The state government is planning to set up five Dairy FPOs in the FY 2023-24. These FPO will be set up as part of the pilot project.
• In this pilot project, women will also play a major role.
• The office of Nand Baba Milk Mission has been opened at Gomtinagar. A 'Dairy Development Portal' has been also unveiled along with the logo of Nand Baba Mission.
• As per the Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022, Rajasthan has become the highest milk producing state in India, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Topic: Defense

14. India, France and UAE Maritime Partnership Exercise begin in the Gulf of Oman.

• On 07 June, the first edition of India, France and UAE Maritime Partnership Exercise started in the Gulf of Oman. This exercise will run for two days.
• Surface Warfare, Helicopter Cross Deck Landing Operations, Advanced Air Defence Exercise and Boarding operations are part of this exercise.
• INS Tarkash and French Ship Surcouf, French Rafale aircraft and UAE Navy Maritime Patrol Aircraft are participating in the exercise.
• Its main aim is to enhance trilateral cooperation between the navies of participating countries.
• It will also help in adopting measures for resolving traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime environment.
• It will also enhance collaboration for the safety of trade and freedom of navigation at high seas in the region.