Daily GK Update: 1st March 2023

 National & International Appointments

1. Rajesh Malhotra appointed as Principal DG of PIB

• Rajesh Malhotra, a 1989-batch IIS officer, has been appointed as the Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), with effect from March 1, 2023.
• He succeeded Satyendra Prakash, who was superannuated on February 28, 2023.
• He was associated with the ECI as in-charge of media and communication for 21 years (1996-2017).
• While Priya Kumar was named the Director General of Doordarshan News (DD News).
• She will succeed Mayank Agrawal.

 National Affairs

2. MeitY launched Grievance Appellate Committee

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched a digital platform - Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC).
• It was established by Union MoS Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
• It is a faceless dispute-resolution mechanism that would make all platforms (big and small) accountable to digital citizens.
• In accordance with the modified IT Regulations, 2021, the IT Ministry announced that three GACs must be established.

 National Affairs

3. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launches VAIBHAV Fellowships

• Union MoS (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh has launched the VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme for the Indian Diaspora abroad.
• Aim: To improve the research ecosystem of India’s Higher Educational Institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between Indian Institutions and the best institutions in the world
• Eligible applicant:
  • Should be NRI, PIO, or OCI.
  • Must have obtained Ph.D/M.D/M.S degree from a recognized University.

 Agreement

4. India and Lithuania agreed to work in the areas of deep tech Start-Ups

• India and Lithuania have agreed to work in the areas of deep tech startups and forge lasting ties in the manufacturing of semiconductor chips.
• Minister Jitendra Singh and Economy and Innovation Vice Minister of Lithuania, Karolis Aemaitis discussed ways and means to revive the 2010 agreement in the area of science and tech.
• In 2010, a revised Indian counter-draft with a few modifications was formally submitted to the Lithuanian and its formal response is still awaited.

 Agreement

5. NSDC, HTMi sign MoU to empower youth for the hospitality & tourism Sector

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has signed two MoUs with HTMi, and Lamrin Tech Skill University.
• NSDC and HTMi: It aims to provide certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, and certification courses in hospitality trades to aspiring students.
• NSDC, HTMi, and LTSU: LTSU as an implementation partner for the first phase of this partnership,  NSDC & HTMi envisage similar such partnerships as the program gets scaled up. 

 Honours & Awards

6. India wins GSMA Government Leadership Award 2023

• India has been awarded the prestigious GSM Association (GSMA) Government Leadership Award 2023 at Mobile World Congress Barcelona on 27 February 2023.
• Reason: For implementing best practices in telecom policy and regulation
• Minister for Communications, Ashwini Vaishnaw has also informed that the Right of Way (RoW) permissions which used to take more than 230 days, now get approval within 8 days.
• More than 85% of mobile tower clearances are now instantaneous.

 National Affairs

7. Purushottam Rupala launched National Surveillance Programme phase 2

• Union Minister for fisheries and animal husbandry, Purushottam Rupala, has launched phase 2 of the National Surveillance programme.
• Reason: For aquatic animal diseases and genetic improvement programme
• Aim: To help the farmers to identify and report the disease and also offer solutions
• The government has allocated 33 Crore rupees for a period of three years for the implementation of the programme.
• The crop insurance scheme for shrimp-growing farmers was also launched.

 Science & Technology

8. ISRO successfully conducts flight test of cryogenic engine for Chandrayan-3

• ISRO has successfully conducted the flight acceptance hot test of the CE-20 cryogenic engine for the Chandrayan-3 mission.
• The test was successfully conducted on February 24 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
• The hot test was carried out for a planned duration of 25 seconds at the High Altitude Test Facility.
• The engine will power the Cryogenic Upper Stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle of the mission.
• Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third moon mission.

 Banking & Finance

9. India's GDP registers growth of 4.4% in Oct-Dec of the current fiscal

• According to the Union ministry of statistics, India's Gross Domestic Production (GDP) growth has been registered at 4.4% in the October-December third quarter of the current fiscal (2022-23).
• GDP in the third quarter of 2022-23 is estimated at Rs 40.19 lakh crore, as against Rs 38.51 lakh crore in the third quarter of 2021-22.
• The real GDP is estimated to grow at 7% for the current FY compared to 9.1% in 2021-22.
• While Nominal GDP is estimated to grow at 15.9 percent.

 Banking & Finance

10. Credit growth of banks accelerates 16.8% in December quarter: RBI

• According to the data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the credit growth of Indian banks has doubled to 16.8% in the October-December quarter (2022-23) from a year earlier.
• Bank credit had expanded by 8.4% in the quarter that ended December 2021 and 17.2% in the quarter that ended September 2022.
• The aggregate deposits of banks increased by 10.3% year-on-year in the December quarter.
• Banks' credit-deposit ratio rose further to 75.9% in the December quarter.

 Summits & Conferences

11. 8th Edition of Raisina Dialogue to be held on March 2 in New Delhi

• The 8th Edition of the Raisina Dialogue will be organized from 2-4 March 2023 in New Delhi.
• The Dialogue will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi and joined by the PM of Italy, Giorgia Meloni as the Chief Guest.
• Theme 2023: Provocation, Uncertainty, Turbulence: Lighthouse in the Tempest
• It is a flagship conference of India on geopolitics and geo-strategy.
• It is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with Observer Research Foundation.

 Summits & Conferences

12. First Anti-Corruption G20 Working Group meeting organizes in Gurugram

• The first Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) meeting of the G20 is being organized in Gurugram, Haryana from 1st - 3rd March 2023.
• The ACWG was joined by over 90 delegates from 20 member countries, 10 Invitee countries, and 9 International Organizations.
• Aim: To strengthen International Anti-corruption mechanisms
• G 20 ACWG meetings have one Chair (Presidency country) and one co-chair country.
• The co-chair for the G20 ACWG 2023 is Italy.

 State Affairs

13. Kerala temple deploys life-size ‘robotic elephant’ for festival

• A Kerala temple, Irinjadappilly Sree Krishna Temple (Thrissur district), has introduced a life-size motorized model of an elephant for performing rituals such as carrying processional deities.
• The 11-foot-tall robotic elephant, weighing 800 kg and made of an iron frame and rubber coating, was donated by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India.
• Film actor Parvathy Thiruvothu joined hands with PETA in donating the robotic elephant, which cost 5 lakh rupees.