Daily GK Update: 2nd December 2023

Honours & Awards

The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) has been honored with the prestigious SKOCH Gold Award 2023 in recognition of the revolutionary Pugalur Thrissur 2000 MW Voltage Source Converter High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) System that it developed.
PGCIL is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the Ministry of Power.
This award is a notable recognition of the company’s achievement in the power sector.

Banking & Finance

RBI said nearly 97.26 percent of the Rs 2,000 banknotes have been returned to the banking system, and only about Rs 9,760 crore worth of the notes are still with the public.
On May 19, the RBI announced the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 denomination bank notes from circulation.
People can deposit and/or exchange Rs 2,000 bank notes at the 19 RBI offices across the country.
The Rs 2,000 bank notes were introduced in November 2016.

National Affairs

The World's first portable hospital, 'Aarogya Maitri Aid Cube' was unveiled in Gurugram.
Designed indigenously under the Project 'BHISHM', the modular trauma management and aid system is made up of 72 detachable mini-cubes, each being a specialized station for emergency response and humanitarian efforts.
It can handle bullet injuries, burns, head, spinal and chest injuries, minor surgeries, fractures and major bleeding.
It can treat as many as 200 patients.

State Affairs

On December 2, Assam is abuzz with festivities as the state observes ‘Asom Divas’ or Assam Day, commemorating the legacy of Ahom king Su-Ka-Pha.
Su-Ka-Pha(also known as Sukaphaa) was not merely a monarch but the architect of a dynasty that shaped the destiny of Assam.
Born in 1228, his journey over the challenging Patkai Hills marked the beginning of the Ahom dynasty.

Important Dates

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is celebrated on 2 December to raise awareness about various forms of slavery and measures to eradicate it.
Theme 2023: “Fighting slavery’s legacy of racism through transformative education”.
According to the United Nations, around 150 million children are subject to child labour across the world.
More than 40 million people across the globe are victims of modern slavery.

International Affairs

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed announced on Friday the establishment of a $30 billion climate fund for global climate solutions.
The fund is designed to bridge the climate finance gap and aims to stimulate $250 billion of investment by 2030.

National & International Appointments

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has appointed Tarun Bajaj as an Independent Director for a period of five years.
Tarun Bajaj was the Revenue Secretary, Government of India, before superannuating in November 2022.
He also contributed towards a significant increase in revenue collections under GST and Income Tax.

International Affairs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held series of bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the COP-28 Summit in Dubai
PM Modi also met with President of Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, and discussed ways to enhance friendship between India and Maldives across diverse sectors.
He offered to host COP33 in 2028.
He also highlighted India's development model, illustrating a delicate balance between ecology and the economy.

Important Dates

The National Pollution Control Day or National Pollution Prevention Day is observed on December 2 every year in India.
The day is observed to create awareness about pollution which is causing harm to our environment and living beings.
It is nationally observed for the remembrance of an Industrial accident that took place in Bhopal which took thousands of lives in 1984.

Obituaries

Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, whose centrist views and shrewd negotiating skills allowed her to steer the nation’s law for much of her quarter-century tenure, died on at the age of 93.
O'Connor died in Phoenix of complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness.
Chief Justice John Roberts recalled O'Connor as having "blazed an historic trail as our nation’s first female justice."