6th August 2023 Daily Current Affairs
Obituaries
1. Marathi poet Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor passes away at 80
- Marathi poet, lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor passed away in August 2023.
- He became a popular name in the field of poetry due to his poetry which had essence of nature.
- He also penned several songs for classic Marathi movies like Jait Re Jait, Ek Hota Vidushak and Sarja.
- In the field of literature, he was awarded with the fourth highest civilian award of the country ,Padm Shri.
- He had also been a member of the state legislative council.
National Affairs
2. Dharmendra Pradhan and S. Jaishankar launched Study in India Portal
- Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar jointly launched Study in India (SII) Portal in New Delhi to simplify international students academic journey in India
- Aim: To provide comprehensive information about Indian Higher Education Institutions and to provide an integrated one-stop solution for the student registration and visa application process.
- It will present information about the academic facilities, research support
National Affairs
3. NHAI Launched ‘Rajmargyatra’ Unified Mobile App for National Highway Users
- The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched the ‘Rajmargyatra,’ a citizen-centric unified mobile application.
- Aim: To create a seamless, user-friendly experience for highway users
- The user-centric app marks a substantial advancement in providing travelers with comprehensive information about Indian National Highways
- It provides real-time weather updates, timely broadcast notifications and details about nearby toll plazas, petrol stations and hospitals
Banking & Finance
4. India to grow at average 6.7% per year from FY24 to FY31
- India’s gross domestic product is expected to grow at a rate of 6.7% per year from fiscal year 2024 to FY 2031in Aug 2023
- Growth is projected to elevate India’s GDP from $3.4 trillion in fiscal year 2023 to $6.7 trillion.
- As per S&P Global, the rating agency, the per capita GDP is anticipated to increase to around $4,500.
- The main factor driving Indian growth isa capital accumulation.
- Investment as a proportion of GDP reached a 10-year high of 34% in fiscal 2023.
Defense
5. Russia: exercise Ocean Shield 2023 has started in the Baltic Sea
- The Russian Defense Ministry announced the start of the Ocean Shield 2023 naval exercises in the Baltic Sea.
- The exercises are being conducted under the command of Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolay Evmenov
- Objective: To assess the Russian Navy’s readiness to defend the country’s interests in a critical area, as well as the coordination of the various military forces.
- The drills involve 30 combat ships 30 aircraft of naval aviation and Russia’s Aerospace Forces
Agreement
6. Indian Railways and IIT-Madras jointly signed MoU for 5G testbed
- The Ministry of Railways and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) signed a MoU in Secunderabad in Aug 2023
- Objective: To establish the India 5G testbed at the Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET)
- Aim: To enhance its operational efficiency, passenger experience and overall safety
- It would serve as a cutting-edge facility to conduct comprehensive trials of 5G-enabled applications tailored for Railway operations.
Agreement
7. Gov. of AP signed MoUs with union education ministry
- Arunachal Pradesh government signed two MoUs with the union education ministry, under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan and the Pradhan Mantri e-Vidya in New Delhi in Aug 2023.
- The first MoU is for the implementation of the newly launched PM-USHA, signed on behalf of the state’s higher & technical education directorate
- The second one is the MoU for the launching of PM e-Vidya, signed on behalf of the State Council of Educational Research & Training.
National & International Appointments
8. Microsoft appoints Puneet Chandok to lead India operations
- Puneet Chandok was appointed as the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft India and South Asia by the company in Aug 2023.
- He will be responsible for the seamless integration of Microsoft’s operations across South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
- His focus will be on key industries, employing a customer-centric approach empowered by generative AI technology.
- He was a Partner at McKinsey in India and Asia.
National Affairs
9. Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba gets another one-year extension
- As per a Personnel Ministry order, the government granted Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba a one-year extension in service, extending beyond August 30, 2023.
- This marks his third extension in the same position.
- He is a 1982-batch IAS officer of the Jharkhand and former Union home secretary, in 2019
- He received a one-year extension in 2021, and subsequently, another extension in August of the preceding year.
Sports
10. India won gold in mixed team archery at World University Games 2023
- At the World University Games 2023 in China, Indian archery Aman Saini and Pragati, secured a gold medal in the mixed archery team
- They defeat Korea’s Sua Cho and Seunghyun Park to claim the top spot on the podium.
- Presently, India holds the fourth position in the overall medal standings.
- The bronze medal in the compound team event was secured by Ming-ching Lin and Z-wei Wu from Chinese Taipei.
- Indians won two more medals in archery in men’s and women’s team events
Sports
11. Gukesh D becomes India’s number one chess player, overtakes Viswanathan
- India’s Grandmaster Gukesh D has become as the country’s top chess player, surpassing Viswanathan Anand in Aug 2023.
- He qualified for the third round of FIDE World Cup 2023, secured victory against Azerbaijani Misratdin Iskandarov.
- He holds a live rating of 2755.9 in Classic chess, slightly edging out Anand, whose live rating stands at 2754.0.
- He now holds the 9th position in the live rankings, while the five-time World champion Anand has slipped to 10th place.
National Affairs
12. Sarbananda Sonowal launched Port Health Organisation under Sagar Setu
- The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal launched Port Health Organisation (PHO) module under Sagar Setu – National Logistics Portal (Marine) in Aug 2023
- Aim: To streamline operations, promoting Ease of Doing Business (EODB) and ensuring the health and safety of citizens and port workers
- It would conduct disease surveillance, health inspections, and quarantine measures, leveraging technology to modernize and digitize processes
Banking & Finance
13. SEBI cancels broking license of Metals and Minerals Trading Corp of India
- Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has canceled the registration of Metals and Minerals Trading Corp of India(MMTC) Ltd as a stock broker
- Reason: Its involvement in illegal “paired contracts” in a case pertaining to now defunct National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) in Aug 2023
- While cancelling the licence, Sebi directed MMTC to allow its existing clients to withdraw or transfer their securities or funds held by it within 15 days.
Jammu Srinagar Daily Highway Traffic updates