DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: April 17, 2023

Environment Ministers agree to make efforts to reduce vehicle emissions

Tags: Environment

The meeting of G7 (Group of seven) energy and environment ministers ended on 16th April at Sapporo city in Japan.

An overview of the news

• The major focus in the meeting is on reducing the carbon footprint of automobiles.

• The G-7 summit will be hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Hiroshima in May 2023.

Joint Statement of the Meeting

• The ministers agreed to make efforts to reduce vehicle emissions.

• Agreement to halve carbon dioxide levels recorded in 2000 by 2035.

• A major focus was placed on how to reduce the carbon footprint of automobiles.

• Each country will check its progress every year to meet the target.

• The agreement called on countries to help reduce emissions across a wide range of vehicles.

• A new target was also set to prevent ocean pollution by plastic waste by 2040.

About G7

• The G7 is a group of seven major industrialized countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

• The G7 holds annual meetings to discuss various global issues, but these meetings are usually held in different locations each year.

• The 48th G7 summit was hosted by Germany in 2022.

MRF emerges as ‘second strongest tyre brand in the world’

Tags: National News

MRF Ltd has emerged as thesecond-strongest tyre brand in the world according to the latest report by Brand Finance on the 'Most Valuable and Strongest Tyre Brands' in the world.

An overview of the news

• MRF has scored high in almost all parameters and is also recognized as the second fastest growing tire brand in the world.

• It has scored 83.2 out of 100 in brand strength and has been awarded AAA- brand rating.

• MRF scored high in the Sustainability Perception Value and is the only Indian tire manufacturer to feature in the top 10.

• Brand Finance's annual report on the Most Valuable and Strongest Automobile, Auto Component, Tire and Mobility 2023 analyzes the value of brands across these industries.

• Brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would gain by licensing it on the open market.

• A brand's strength is assessed through a balanced scorecard of factors such as marketing investment, stakeholder equity and business performance.

About MRF Ltd

• MRF (Madras Rubber Factory) is India’s No.1 tyre manufacturing company. 

• It was started in 1946 by K M Mammen Mappillai as a small toy balloon unit. 

• In November 1960 it ventured into manufacturing of tyres.

• The company entered into a technical collaboration with Tire & Rubber company, USA.

• Currently MRF exports tyres to over 65 countries including America, Europe, Middle East, Japan, and the Pacific region.

• It has overseas offices in Dubai, Vietnam and Australia.

Union Minister of Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia to inaugurate India Steel 2023 in Mumbai

Tags: Summits Economics/Business National News

Union Minister of Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia will inaugurate India Steel 2023 on 19th April at the Mumbai Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, Mumbai.

An overview of the news

• The Union Ministry of Steel, in association with the Department of Commerce, Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and FICCI is organising India Steel 2023. 

• The conference and International Exhibition on the steel industry will be held from April 19-21. 

• The main objective of the event is to bring together industry leaders, policy makers and experts to discuss the latest developments, challenges and opportunities in the steel industry.

• The India Steel 2023 exhibition will showcase advanced technologies, products and solutions from the Indian steel industry.

• This biennial event will provide a unique platform for attendees to engage with industry leaders, gain insight into future growth prospects and explore collaboration opportunities in the Indian steel industry.

Topics of sessions

• Augmentation of Enabling Logistics Infrastructure.

• Demand Dynamics for Indian Steel Industry.

• Sustainability Goals via Green Steel: Challenges and Way Forward.

• Conducive Policy Framework & Key Enablers for Indian Steel. 

• Technology Solutions for Enhancing Productivity & Efficiency. 

Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)

• It is a business lobby group of top business houses in India which was founded by Ghanshyam Das Birla.

• It was set up in 1927

• It articulates the views and concerns of industry and tries to influence the government to make policy which is in favour of the industry and business.

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• President: Subhrakant Panda

World Hemophilia Day: 17 April

Tags: Important Days

World Hemophilia Day is observed every year on 17 April to mark the birth anniversary of Frank Schnabel, who founded the World Federation of Hemophilia.

The main purpose of this day is to raise awareness and provide information about hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.

An Overview of the News

• The theme for World Haemophilia Day 2023 is "Access for All: Partnership, Policy, Progress - Engaging Governments to Integrate Inherited Bleeding Disorders into National Policy."

• The theme emphasizes the importance of partnership and collaboration between various stakeholders, including governments, in ensuring access to appropriate care and treatment for individuals with hemophilia and other hereditary bleeding disorders.

• The theme also highlights the need to integrate these conditions into national policies to improve the diagnosis, treatment and management of these disorders.

• The first World Hemophilia Day was observed in 1989 with the aim of raising awareness about hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.

• The World Federation of Hemophilia encourages people around the world to wear red on World Hemophilia Day as a symbol of solidarity with those affected by hemophilia.

• Hemophilia is a rare medical condition in which the blood does not clot properly due to a lack of specific clotting factors. This leads to prolonged bleeding, which can be dangerous and life-threatening in some situations.

CII and Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare organises Digital Health Summit 2023

Tags: Summits

The Digital Health Summit 2023 was organized jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 16 April in Goa.

An overview of the news

• The theme of the event was ‘Building One Health together – Improving Health equity’.

• The aim of the summit was to bring together policy makers, industry leaders and global health experts and thought leaders to deliberate on the key issues faced by the digital health sector.

• The event aligns with the agenda of India's G20 health working group on digital health innovations.

• It aims to assist in universal health coverage and improve healthcare delivery for One Earth, One Family, One Future.

• Digital innovations including 3D printing, point-of-care diagnostics, robotics, bioinformatics, genomics are proving to be game changers in exponential medicine.

• The goal of a "citizen-centric" digital health system must remain the same with equal access to high-quality treatments.

About Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

• CII is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation.

• The objective of CII is to achieve a conducive environment for the development of industry and civil society in India.

• It was established in 1895.

• It has over 8,000 members from both the public and private sectors.

• Headquarter : New Delhi

• President : Sanjiv Bajaj

G20 meeting of chief agricultural scientists begins in Varanasi

Tags: National News

The G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) began on 17 April in Varanasi.

An overview of the news

• The three-day meet is being organized by the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

• The theme of the meeting is “Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems for Healthy People and the Planet.’

• Around 80 foreign delegates from G20 member states are participating in the event.

• Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research Dr. Himanshu Pathak told that this is the 100th event related to G20.

• The discussions covered various issues of agricultural research and development including food security and nutrition, climate smart agriculture, digital agriculture, public private partnership etc.

Invited guest countries

• Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, UAE, Vietnam and international bodies like United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Health Organization will participate in the meeting.

• International Solar Alliance, CDR and Asian Development Bank will also be participating as special invitees in the three-day meeting.

Millets and other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative (MAHARISHI)

• This initiative is also proposed for discussion as a G20 initiative during India's chairmanship.

• MAHARISHI aims to advance research collaboration and create awareness about millets and other ancient grains during the International Years of 2023 and beyond.

About the G20

• It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.

• Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.

• The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.

India opens its 16th Visa application center in Bangladesh's Kushtia

Tags: International Relations International News

The High Commission of India opened its 16th Visa application center in Kushtia town of Southwestern Bangladesh on 16th April.

An overview of the news

• The new Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) was inaugurated by High Commissioner Pranya Verma.

• Mahbubul Alam Hanif, MP from Kushtia-3 was also present on this occasion.

• This will provide greater ease and convenience to residents of Kushtia and its surrounding areas seeking visa services to visit India.

• Continuous efforts are being made to improve visa facilities for the people of Bangladesh.

• The new center will further strengthen people-to-people contact.

• It will serve as a new platform to promote tourism, trade and people-to-people exchanges between India and Bangladesh.

• The High Commission of India operates its largest Visa Operations Center in the world in Bangladesh.

• Bangladesh accounts for the largest number of foreign tourists in India, including those availing medical, tourism, business and student visa facilities.

• In the year 2019-20, more than 16 lakh visas were issued in Dhaka.

People’s Republic of Bangladesh 

• Capital: Dhaka 

• Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina Wazed 

• President: Mohammad Shahabuddin

• Currency: Taka 

Sixth meeting of the Steering Committee on the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960

Tags: Summits National News

The sixth meeting of the Steering Committee on matters relating to the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 was held in New Delhi on 17 April.

An Overview of the News

• The purpose of the meeting was to take stock of the ongoing amendment process of the Indus Water Treaty.

• The meeting was presided over by Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Pankaj Kumar.

About Indus Water Treaty (IWT)

• The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, arranged and negotiated by the World Bank, to utilise the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries.

• The treaty was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960by the then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the then Pakistani President Ayub Khan.

• The treaty gives control over the waters of three "eastern rivers' ' – the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej with an average annual flow of 41 billion m3 (33 million acre feet)– while controlling the waters of all three. The "Western Rivers" – the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum, with an average annual flow of 99 billion cubic metres – flow to Pakistan.

• India has about 20% of the total water carried by the Indus system while Pakistan has 80%.

• The treaty allows India to use the waters of the western river for limited irrigation use and unlimited non-consumptive use for applications such as power generation, navigation, floating of assets, fisheries, etc.

Nepal became a founding member of the International Big Cats Alliance

Tags: International News

Nepal has become a founding member of the International Big Cats Alliance launched by India on 13 April.

An Overview of the News

• The alliance was launched under India's initiative, and during the launch event, Nepal's Energy Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet presented a letter indicating Nepal's membership as a founding member to India's Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav. Handed over

• The International Big Cats Alliance aims to conserve seven big cat species including tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars and pumas.

• Nepal's tiger population has seen a significant increase, increasing from 121 in 2010 to 335 in 2022.

• Nepal successfully achieved its target of doubling the tiger population by 2022, as done during the first Tiger Summit in 2010 in St. Petersburg.

About the International Big Cats Alliance

• The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was launched by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi on April 9, 2023, for the conservation of seven big cat species including tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.

• The alliance aims to reach 97 range countries covering the natural habitats of these big cats and strengthen global cooperation and efforts for their conservation.

• Ministers from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kenya, Nepal, Ethiopia and Malaysia expressed their support for India's efforts in alliance and conservation.

About Nepal

The kingdom of Nepal was established by the Shah dynasty.

It is a landlocked country in South Asia.

Prime Minister - Pushpa Kamal Dahal

President - Ram Chandra Paudel

Capital - Kathmandu

Currency - Nepalese Rupee

UAE India's second largest export destination and third largest source of imports

Tags: Economy/Finance National News

According to the annual trade data released by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, UAE is the second most important export destination of India.

An Overview of the News

• The US and the UAE retained their first and second positions, respectively, as India's top export destinations during the financial year 2022-23.

• India's total exports of goods and services grew by six per cent during the fiscal year that ended last month.

• The Netherlands replaced China last year due to higher levels of imports of refined petroleum products through the maritime nation and moved up to the third spot in India's overall export ranking during the same period.

• The commerce ministry also released India's trade data for March 2023, which showed UAE as second only to the US among India's export destinations.

• The UAE ranked third among India's import sources in March 2023, after China and Russia.

About United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• Location: It is located in Western Asia.

• Geographical Boundaries: It shares borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia.

• Maritime Borders: It also has maritime borders with Qatar and Iran in the Persian Gulf.

• Religion: Islam is the dominant religion in the UAE, with the majority of the population being Sunni Muslim.

Capital - Abu Dhabi

Official language - Arabic

Government - Federal Islamic parliamentary elective semi-constitutional monarchy

President/Crown Prince - Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Prime Minister - Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Vice President - Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Buzi Bridge in Mozambique inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar

Tags: International News

On 14 April, India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar virtually inaugurated the Buzi Bridge built by India in Mozambique.

The bridge is part of the 132 km long Tika-Buzi-Nova-Sofala road project and was constructed by India.

An Overview of the News

• The bridge represents the strong bond of friendship and solidarity between India and Mozambique.

• Dr Jaishankar took a train ride from Maputo to Machava in an Indian made train and showcased India's contribution to the development of Mozambique's rail infrastructure.

About Mozambique

• Mozambique is located in southeastern Africa, with the Indian Ocean to the east and several neighbouring countries to the north, northwest, west, and southwest.

• The Portuguese arrived in 1498 and colonised Mozambique for four centuries before the country gained independence in 1975.

• Mozambique descended into a civil war from 1977 to 1992, but has since held multi-party elections and become a relatively stable presidential republic.

• Christianity is the largest religion in Mozambique, with Islam and African traditional religions also present.

Government - Unitary major-party semi-presidential republic

President - Filipe Nyusi

Prime Minister - Adriano Maleiane

Capital - Maputo

Official language - Portuguese

Currency - Mozambican metical

Nandini Gupta crowned Femina Miss India 2023

Tags: Awards Person in news

Nandini Gupta of Rajasthan won the title of Femina Miss India World 2023.

The first runner-up of the competition was Shreya Poonja from Delhi and the second runner-up was Thounaojam Strela Luwang from Manipur.

An Overview of the News

• The 59th edition of India's most prestigious pageant marked the Grand Finale of Femina Miss India World 2023 in a historic ceremony at the Indoor Stadium, Khuman Lampak, Imphal, Manipur.

• Bollywood actors Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday gave a stellar performance at the Femina Miss India 2023 event.

• Nandini Gupta will represent India at the 71st Miss World pageant, which is going to be held in the United Arab Emirates.

About Femina Miss India

• It is a national beauty pageant held annually in India since 1952 and is organized by Femina, a women's magazine published by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

• The winner represents India in the Miss World pageant.

About Rajasthan

• It is a state in northern India and is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population.

• It is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the northeast; Madhya Pradesh in the southeast; and Gujarat in the southwest.

• Rajasthan is also home to three national tiger reserves, Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota.

• The state was formed on 30 March 1949 when Rajputana was merged with the Dominion of India.

Formation - 30 March 1949

Capital- Jaipur

District - 33 

Governor - Kalraj Mishra

Chief Minister - Ashok Gehlot (INC)

State Legislature - Unicameral

Legislative Assembly - Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (200 seats)

Rajya Sabha - 10 seats

Lok Sabha - 25 seats

Symbol of Rajasthan

Bird - Godawan

Flowers - Rohida

Tree - Khejri

G20 Second Digital Economy Working Group meeting begins in Hyderabad

Tags: Summits National News

The G20 Second Digital Economy Working Group meeting began on April 17 in Hyderabad, India, with 140 representatives from member and invited countries and international organisations.

An Overview of the News

• The three-day meet focused on digital public infrastructure, cyber security and skills.

• Highlighted the government's objective of bridging the digital divide and providing broadband facilities to all villages in the country by 2025.

• The meeting stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder participation in creating an inclusive and robust digital economy and the use of digital technologies and the empowerment of vulnerable sections in the digital economy.

• Indian Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology - Dev Singh Chauhan

• Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment - A Narayanaswamy

About Telangana

• It is a state located in south-central India on the high Deccan Plateau.

• It is the eleventh largest state of India by area.

• Telangana was carved out of the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 and became the newly formed state of Telangana with Hyderabad as the capital.

• Telangana is bordered by Maharashtra to the north, Chhattisgarh to the northeast, Karnataka to the west, and Andhra Pradesh to the east and south.

Formed (by split) - 2 June 2014

Capital - Hyderabad

District - 33

Governor - Tamilisai Soundararajan

Chief Minister - K Chandrasekhar Rao (BRS)

State Legislature - Bicameral

Rajya Sabha - 7 seats

Lok Sabha - 17 seats

High Court - Telangana High Court

Second Health Working Group meeting begins in Goa

Tags: Summits National News

The second Health Working Group meeting under the chairmanship of the Indian G20 began in Goa on 17 April and will conclude on 19 April.

An Overview of the News

The meeting was attended by over 180 delegates from 19 G20 member states, 10 invited states and 22 international organisations.

• Prevention, preparedness and response to health emergencies, including strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, were discussed at the second G20 health working group meeting.

• Which will focus on access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medical interventions and digital health innovations and solutions to aid universal health coverage and improve healthcare delivery.

• Cultural programs infused with flavours of Goan culture were planned to showcase the rich diversity and culture of India based on the Indian philosophy of 'Atithi Devo Bhava'.

• Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - Mr. Lav Agarwal

About the G20

• It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.

• Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.

• The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.

About Goa

• It is a state located on the west coast of India, bordering the Arabian Sea.

• It is the smallest state of India by area.

Formation (as a state) - 30 May 1987

Capital - Panaji (Executive Branch)

State Legislature - Unicameral

Accession to the Union - 19 December 1961

Official Animal - Gaur

Official Bird - Yellow Throated Bulbul

Official Sport - Football

Official Tree - Terminalia elliptica

Rajya Sabha - 1 seat

Lok Sabha - 2 seats

High Court - Bombay High Court

Governor - PS Sreedharan Pillai

Chief Minister - Pramod Sawant