Daily GK Update: 13th April 2023

 National & International Appointments

1. RBI re-appointed Sanjay Agarwal as Chief of AU SFB for three years

• RBI has approved the reappointment of Sanjay Agarwal as Managing Director (MD) & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank (SFB) for the next three years, till 2026.
• He was first appointed as MD of AU Financiers on 14 February 2008. Later, he became the Managing Director & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank.
• Meanwhile, RBI has also approved the appointment of Uttam Tibrewal as Whole Time Director of AU SFB.
• Uttam Tibrewal joined the board of AU Small Finance Bank in 2005.

 National Affairs

2. Industrial output of the country rises 5.6 percent in February 2023

• According to the data, released by the Ministry of Statistics, the index of industrial production (IIP) has expanded as the manufacturing sector's output increased by 5.3% in February 2023.
• While the mining output increased by 4.6 % and Power generation raised to 8.2%.
• In January 2023, the IIP growth was revised to 5.5% from 5.2 percent.
• The industrial output of the country in February 2023 rose 5.6 percent, on a year-on-year basis.

 National Affairs

3. Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative to launch on 14th April 2023

• Union Minister of Fisheries, Parshottam Rupala will be launched the Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI) on April 14, 2023.
• He will also launch the World Bank-funded Animal Health System Support for One Health (AHSSOH) project.
  • Aim: To create an ecosystem for a better animal health management system using the One Health approach
  • It will be implemented over a five-year as a Central sector scheme with a financial provision of Rs. 1228.70 Cr.

 National Affairs

4. Uttarakhand government launched A HELP Program

• Uttarakhand CM, Pushkar Singh Dhami has launched a program named A-HELP (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production).
• Women have been chosen to strengthen livestock-related activities in remote rural areas, keeping in mind their important role under the A-HELP scheme, envisioned by Govt. of India.
• Trained A-HELPs will help to prevent the various infectious diseases of animals, and artificial insemination under Rashtriya Gokul Mission.

 Banking & Finance

5. RBI to stop banks from capitalizing penal charges on loans defaults

• The RBI has proposed to prohibit the capitalization of penal charges and additional interest levied by banks on customers for loan defaults.
• Aim: To streamline divergent practices followed by lenders
• As per the draft circular on 'Fair Lending Practice - Penal Charges in Loan Accounts', the quantum of penal charges should be proportional to the defaults/non-compliance of material terms and conditions of loan contracts up to a threshold.

 National Affairs

6. NMCG signs agreement with 49 Universities for water conservation

• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has signed an agreement with 49 Universities to inspire youth towards water conservation and river rejuvenation.
• Aim: To bring the student community to the forefront of the mass movement for creating a sustainable ecosystem of rivers.
• This also ensures the cleanliness and purity of River Ganga with the rejuvenation of rivers being the prime objective of the Namami Gange Mission.
• Jal Shakti Minister: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

 National Affairs

7. National Museum of Natural History and State Museum, Lucknow sign MoU

• The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and State Museum, Lucknow signed an MoU to work together toward environmental conservation and education among the masses.
• The multi-dimensional efforts will be made in organizing programs for school and college students to create awareness about nature.
• NMNH was established to portray and promote awareness of the country's Natural Heritage.
• It is an institution devoted to environmental education.

 Obituaries

8. Freedom fighter, public health pioneer Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury passes away

• Veteran Liberation Warfighter and legendary public health activist Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury passed away at 81 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• He was a vascular surgeon and a pioneer in public health.
• He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in the Community Leadership category in 1985 and the Right Livelihood Prize in 1992 for his outstanding work in the public health sector.
• In 1971, he left his medical studies in the UK to join the liberation war of Bangladesh.

 Banking & Finance

9. HDFC Bank signs with Export-Import Bank of Korea for $300 million

• HDFC Bank has signed a "Master Inter Bank Credit Agreement" with the Export-Import Bank of Korea for a USD 300 million line of credit.
• The pact was signed by the two entities at GIFT City in Gujarat's capital Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• It will help bank to raise foreign currency funds which it would extend to Korea-related businesses.
• It can be utilized towards funding requirements of consumers for the purchase of cars manufactured by Korean companies.

 Banking & Finance

10. Karnataka Bank authorized to collect direct and indirect taxes

• RBI has authorized the Karnataka Bank to collect direct and indirect taxes on behalf of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
• The RBI authorized on the recommendation from the Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
• Customers are enjoying seamless online payments for custom duty by selecting Karnataka Bank in the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway 'ICEGATE' portal of CBIC.

 Banking & Finance

11. Canara Bank, Bharat BillPay tie up for cross border bill payments

• Canara Bank and NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) have launched cross-border inward bill payment services for Indians based in Oman.
• NRIs can now leverage the robust platform offered by the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) to make bill payments on behalf of their families through the Musandam Exchange.
• With this, Canara Bank becomes the first public sector bank in India to offer inbound cross-border bill payments through BBPS.

 National Affairs

12. ADR report: Jagan Mohan Reddy is the wealthiest CM

• According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR),  Andhra Pradesh’s CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has the highest assets totaling Rs 510 crore, followed by Arunanchal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu (over Rs 163 crore) and Odisha’s Naveen Pattnaik (over Rs 63 crore).
• While West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee has the lowest total assets of about Rs 15 lakh.
• Out of the 30 CMs analyzed, 29 are crorepatis with the average assets being Rs 33.96 crore for every CM.

 National Affairs

13. India's first semi-high-speed regional rail service named 'RAPIDX'

• India's first semi-high-speed regional rail services have been named 'RAPIDX' by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
• The trains will run on the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors, being implemented to connect key urban nodes across NCR.
• It is a joint venture company of the Union government and Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
• The NCRTC will commission the entire Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor by 2025.