Daily GK Update: 23rd August 2022

 Defense

1. India's 1st IAC Vikrant to be commissioned on September 2

• As per the official sources, PM Modi will commission the India's first indigenously-built aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant on September 2, 2022.
• The four trial phases of IAC Vikrant was completed on 10th  July 2022.
• The IAC Vikrant was designed by Indian Navy's in-house Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by the Cochin Shipyard Limited.
• The IAC is 262 metres long, 62 metres wide and has a height of 59 metres.
• The construction of IAC Vikrant was began in 2009.

 Banking & Finance

2. ADB to provide $96.3 million loan to Himachal Pradesh

• India has signed USD 96.3 million (Rs 769 crore) loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for safe drinking water and improve water supply and sanitation services in Himachal Pradesh.
• This agreement was signed between the multilateral lending agency and the central government.
• The project will buildup the capacity of the Jal Shakti Vibhag of the Government of Himachal Pradesh and gram panchayat village water and sanitation committees.
• ADB established: 1966

 Summits & Conferences

3. HM Amit Shah chaired the 23rd meeting of Central Zonal Council in Bhopal

• HM Amit Shah has chaired the 23rd edition of Central Zonal Council meeting in Bhopal.
• Issues: connectivity, power, sharing of river water and other matters of common interests
• The meeting was attended by CMs, ministers and senior officers of the member states.
• The Central Zonal Council comprises Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
• Five zonal councils in the country were set up in 1957 under Section 15-22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

 Agreement

4. IREDA signs with MAHAPREIT for green energy projects

• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has signed an agreement with Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology Ltd (MAHAPREIT) to provide loans for green energy projects.
• IREDA will provide financial facilities and techno-financial consultancy to MAHAPREIT for renewable energy.
• MAHAPREIT is a wholly owned subsidiary of MPBCDC (49% of Govt. of India and 51% of Govt. of Maharashtra).
• IREDA Chairman & Managing Director: Pradip Kumar Das

 Agreement

5. Royal Enfield partners with UNESCO to promote cultural heritage of India

• Royal Enfield and UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) have been partnered to promote and safeguard the 'Intangible Cultural Heritage' of India.
• UNESCO has been running a movement to identify, document and preserve the Intangible Cultural Heritage of India.
• India is one of the 178 countries, who had adopted the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, for decades.

 Banking & Finance

6. Muthoot Finance launches Milligram Gold Point programme for customers

• Muthoot Finance has launched Milligram Reward Programme for its customers to strengthen its relationships with customers.
• In this programme, transactions with the company will be rewarded with a certain amount of milligram reward points.
• With this launch, the company has become the first gold loan NBFC to launch a new reward programme.
• Two year long programme, every customer referral transaction with the company will yield 20 mg of gold.
• Muthoot MD: George Alexander

 Arts & Culture

7. India nominates GARBA to be inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list

• India has nominated Garba to inscribe on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list for 2022.
• Last year, Durga Puja was also listed on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage representative.
• India was elected by UNESCO to serve on the distinguished Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in July. 
• Kalbelia dance was listed in UNESCO’s representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

 Sports

8. Indian men's volleyball team wins bronze in 14th Asian U-18 Championship

• Indian men's volleyball team won bronze medal after defeating South Korea by 3-2 in the 14th Asian U-18 Championship in Tehran.
• In the preliminary league round, India defeated Korea but lost to Iran in the semifinal.
• The Indian U-18 team has been qualified along with Japan, Iran, and South Korea for the FIVB World U-19 Men’s Volleyball Championship.
• Japan has secured the gold after beating Iran (Silver) in the final match.

 Banking & Finance

9. Sebi joins RBI account aggregator ecosystem

• SEBI has joined the Account Aggregator framework of RBI, this will boost the regulated financial-data sharing system.
• It will allow customers to share information about their mutual fund and stock holdings with financial service providers.
• The account aggregator (AA) is a licensed by the RBI to enable the flow of data between Financial Information Providers (FIPs) and Financial Information Users (FIUs).
• The user has to give consent while sharing data.

 State Affairs

10. CM Ashok Gehlot unveils Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Advanced Technologies

• Rajasthan's Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot has inaugurated Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Advanced Technologies (R-CAT) in Jaipur and three incubation centres in Kota, Bikaner and Churu that will promote the start-up culture in the state.
• The inauguration ceremony of RCAT was held on DigiFest 2022 at Birla Auditorium.
• RCAT would provide an opportunity for the state's youth to learn advanced and emerging technologies in areas like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing.

 State Affairs

11. Chandigarh Airport to be renamed as Shaheed Bhagat Singh

• The Punjab and Haryana governments have been agreed to rename Chandigarh's international airport after the freedom struggle icon Shaheed Bhagat Singh.
• The collective decision was taken by Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann and Haryana Deputy CM, Dushyant Chautala.
• The terminal building of airport falls in Punjab's Mohali town.
• This airport project is a joint venture of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the governments of Punjab and Haryana.

 State Affairs

12. Uttar Pradesh govt planning to build India’s first education township

• The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to build an education township in the state, will be developed on the idea of 'Single Entry, Multiple Exit' (come like a blank paper and carry multiple skills).
• Aim: To enhance quality education in the state. 
• This will provide high-quality education to the youth and equip them with a variety of professional skills in a single place.
• The similar education township concept has already exist in the city of Pittsburgh, USA.

 Obituaries

13. Veteran producer Abdul Gaffar Nadiadwala passes away

• Veteran filmmaker, Abdul Gaffar Nadiadwala, fondly known as Gaffarbhai, has been passed away at the age of 91 due to cardiac arrest.
• He was known for his films including Mahabharat (1965), Jhutha Sach (1984), Lahoo Ke Do Rang (1997), Hera Pheri (2000), Welcome (2007) & More.
• He had started his film production and media entertainment company in 1953.
• His first film as a producer was the Dharmendra and Rekha-starrer family drama Jhutha Sach.