DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: May 26, 2023

'Dream 11' CEO Harsh Jain appointed new chairman of IAMAI

Tags: Person in news

In May 2023, Harsh Jain, CEO of online gaming platform 'Dream11', has been appointed as the new chairman of 'Internet and Mobile Association of India' (IAMAI) for two years (2023-2025).

An Overview of the News:

• Harsh Jain has replaced Sanjay Gupta, Vice President and Country Manager, Google India at IAMAI.
• Along with this, MakeMyTrip co-founder and Group CEO Rajesh Mago has been appointed as IAMAI Vice Chairman and Times Internet Vice Chairman Satyan Gajwani as Treasurer.

Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)

• Establishment : 2004
• IAMAA is a non-profit industrial body registered under the Societies Act, 1896.

Himachal Pradesh to prepare green hydrogen policy

Tags: State News

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu announced on 20 May 2023 that it will formulate a 'Green Hydrogen' policy to promote the use of green hydrogen and establish the state as a leading center for its production.

An Overview of the News:

• State Chief Minister Sukhu said in a statement that the state's abundant renewable energy resources, including ample sunlight, water and wind, make the state an ideal location for generating green hydrogen.
• This initiative of the state will not only contribute to the global fight against climate change but will also make the state a leader in sustainable development.

An agreement with OIL:

• The state government has signed an MoU with Oil India Limited (OIL) for the production of green hydrogen.
• OIL has shown interest in setting up a plant in the state that will produce green hydrogen for ethanol production.
• As per the initiative of the state government, this alternative fuel can be used as a replacement for petrol.

Himachal Pradesh:

• Capital : Shimla
• Governor: Shiv Pratap Shukla
• Chief Minister: Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu
• Seat in Lok Sabha: 4
• Seat in Rajya Sabha: 3
• Seat in the Legislative Assembly: 68

India will open its new consulate in Brisbane

Tags: National News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address at the community event in Sydney during his Australian visit informed that a new consulate will be constructed in Brisbane.

An Overview of the News:

• The main objective of setting up the Consulate in Brisbane is to fulfill the long standing demand of Indian expatriates in Australia.
• This was announced during Prime Minister Modi's address at the Kudos Bank Arena in Sydney, which was attended by over 21,000 people across Australia, along with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
• Meanwhile, Prime Minister Albanese also declared Harris Park as "Little India" during the reception for Prime Minister Modi.
• Harris Park is a center in western Sydney where the Indian community celebrates Indian festivals and events including Diwali and Australia Day.

India-Australia business partnership:

• Australia was the 17th largest trading partner of India in the year 2022 and India is the 9th largest trading partner of Australia.
• Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at US$ 27.5 billion in the year 2021, which is likely to reach around US$ 50 billion in the next five years.
• In this context, both the countries are moving fast in the field of concluding a free trade agreement.

Australia:

• Capital: Canberra
• King: King Charles III
• Prime Minister: Anthony Albanese
• Currency: Australian Dollar

76th World Health Assembly held in Geneva

Tags: International News

The 76th World Health Assembly was inaugurated by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 21 May 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland.

An Overview of the News:

• This ten-day 76th World Health Assembly is being organized from 21 to 30 May 2023.
• In this, India is being represented by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
• It serves as a platform for representatives of all WHO member states to come together and address health issues affecting people around the world.
• Appreciating India's health priorities, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, praised India's progress in chairing the G20 as well as its efforts to advance digital health and traditional medicine.
• Theme of the 76th World Health Assembly: WHO at 75: Saving Lives, Driving Health for All.

World Health Assembly:

• The World Health Assembly serves as the decision-making body of the WHO.
• Its primary functions include key aspects of the organization's operations.
• These set policies that guide global health initiatives. Along with this, it also appoints the Director General.

World Health Organization (WHO):

• It is an inter-governmental organization and works in collaboration with the Ministries of Health of its member states.
• Establishment : 1948
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Members: 194 countries
• WHO started functioning from 7th April, 1948.
• World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7th April.
• WHO has offices in 150 countries as well as six regional offices.

ADB will give $ 141.12 million loan for the development of industrial corridor in Andhra Pradesh

Tags: State News

On 23 May 2023, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $141.12 million loan agreement for the development of an industrial corridor in Andhra Pradesh.

An Overview of the News:

• The agreement has been signed to support the development of high quality indoor infrastructure facilities in three industrial areas in Andhra Pradesh. These are: roads, water supply plants and power distribution systems.
• The loan is the second tranche of a $500 million Multi-tranche Financing Facility (MFF) under the program approved by ADB in 2016.
• With this loan facility, infrastructure facilities will be developed in three industrial clusters under the Visakhapatnam and Srikalahasti-Chittoor areas sanctioned in Andhra Pradesh.

Benefits to Andhra Pradesh from the loan:

• ADB financing will help the state in industrialization to increase the share of the manufacturing sector in the state's GDP as well as enhance competitiveness and increase employment opportunities in the project target areas.
• This project will help in skill development of people from socially and economically weaker sections besides increasing investment in the state.

Andhra Pradesh:

• Capital : Amaravati
• Governor: S. Abdul Nazir
• Chief Minister: Y S Jaganmohan Reddy
• Official Language: Telugu (main language)

Asian Development Bank (ADB):

• Establishment : 19 December 1966
• Headquarters: Manila (Philippines)
• Member countries: 68 (India is a founding member)
• Objective: To promote social and economic development in Asia.

MiG-29K makes night landing on INS Vikrant

Tags: Defence

The Indian Navy achieved a significant milestone on May 24, 2023 by performing the first-ever night landing of a MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant.

An Overview of the News:

• It is noteworthy in this context that the MiG-29K night landing within three months of the first landing on INS Vikrant is a challenging feat.
• INS Vikrant is currently undergoing air certification and flight integration trials with rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft to achieve 'combat ready' status very quickly.
• As part of these trials, the first landing of MiG-29K and indigenous LCA (Navy) took place on 06 February 2023 and since then there has been considerable progress in day and night landing trials of all helicopters of the Indian Navy.

MiG-29K:

• It is capable of flying in any weather.
• This jet is part of the fighter fleet of INS Vikrant.
• It can fly at twice the speed of sound (2000 km per hour).
• It is capable of carrying a load eight times its own weight.
• It can fly at an altitude of 65000 feet.

INS Vikrant:

• The country's first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant has completed extensive sea trials ahead of her maiden voyage on August 4, 2021.
• It was inducted into the Indian Navy on 2 September 2022 in the presence of the Prime Minister.
• It is modeled after INS Ajay, the first indigenous warship built in the country, and INS Nilgiri, the indigenous light warship (frigate).
• Built by : M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited.

Third advance estimate of production of major crops for 2022-23

Tags: National

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar released the third advance estimates of production of major crops for the agricultural year 2022-23. In which food grains production has been estimated at 3305.34 lakh tonnes in the current agricultural year.

An overview of the news: 

• In this, record production of rice, wheat, maize, soybean, rapeseed and mustard and sugarcane has been estimated.
• As per the 3rd Advance Estimates for 2022-23, the estimated production of major crops is as follows:
• Total food grain production: 3305.34 lakh tonnes (record). This is 149.18 lakh tonnes more than the previous year 2021-22.

Main food grains :

• Rice: 1355.42 lakh tonnes, which is 60.71 lakh tonnes more than last year.
• Wheat: 1127.43 lakh tonnes
• Bajra: 111.66 lakh tonnes
• Nutri/Coarse Cereals (Shri Anna): 547.48 Lakh Tonnes
• Maize: 359.13 lakh tonnes
• Total pulses: 275.04 lakh tonnes
• 
  
  • Gram: 135.43 lakh tonnes
  • Moong: 37.40 lakh tonnes
• Oilseeds: 409.96 lakh tonnes
• 
  
  • Groundnut: 102.82 lakh tonnes
  • Soybean: 149.76 lakh tonnes
  • Rapeseed and mustard: 124.94 lakh tonnes
• Cotton: 343.47 lakh bales (170 kg per bale)
• Sugarcane: 4942.28 lakh tonnes

Jute and Mesta: 94.94 lakh bales (180 kg per bale)