Daily GK Update: 2nd June 2023

 Sports

1. India defeated Pakistan to win Junior Men's Asia Cup Hockey in 2023

• The Indian hockey team defeated Pakistan in the final of the Men's Junior Asia Cup 2023, held at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex Stadium in Salalah, Oman.
• This was India’s fourth title at Men's Junior Asia Cup, after winning in 2004, 2008, and 2015.
• With this title win, India has become the most successful country in the history of the Men's Junior Asia Cup.
• While Pakistan is the second-most successful team in the tournament with three titles.

 National Affairs

2. OTT platforms mandated to show anti-tobacco warnings

• The Union health ministry has amended the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2004, to mandate the display of anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers on over-the-top (OTT) platforms.
• India has become the first country to make it mandatory for OTT platforms
• Features:
  • To display anti-tobacco health spots of a minimum of 30 seconds each at the beginning and middle of a program
  • An audio-visual disclaimer of a minimum of 20 seconds on the ill effects of tobacco use

 Agreement

3. NGEL, UPRVUNL collaborate for development of Renewable Energy Power Parks

• NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) signed an MoU in Lucknow.
• Aim: To collaborate in the development of Renewable Energy Parks and Projects
• Signed by: Mohit Bhargava (CEO, NGEL) and Nidhi Kumar Narang (Director (Finance) UPRVUNL)
• NTPC is India’s largest Power Utility, with a total installed capacity of about 72 GW.
• UPRVUNL was constituted to set up and operate Power-generating stations in UP.

 Banking & Finance

4. RBI, IIT Madras to launch voice-banking solution

• Reserve Bank Innovation Hub has partnered with IIT Madras Research Park and Incubation Cell to launch voice-banking solutions to eliminate language barriers
• It will assist the illiterate and the visually impaired in their banking needs.
• Aim: To conduct the basic banking transactions through voice controls in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and English, in the initial stage
• SBI, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra, and IDFC First conducted a code fest on voice banking called ‘Vaulter Voice’

 National & International Organizations

5. India’s GCC market size to hit $60 billion by 2025: Report

• According to the report titled “GCC 4.0 – India Redefining the Globalization Blueprint”, released by NASSCOM – Zinnov, India's Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem will expand with over 1,900 GCCs and a market size of $60 billion by 2025.
• As of FY23, India is home to 1,580 unique GCCs, with several global MNCs opting to establish their first global center outside of their headquarters in India.
• The GCC market size in FY 23 was $46 billion.

 Agreement

6. IIT-Kharagpur partners HCLTech for collaboration in petroleum engineering

• IIT Kharagpur and HCLTech signed an MoU for collaboration in the field of petroleum engineering and earth sciences.
• Aim: To develop innovative and sustainable solutions to address critical challenges of the petroleum industry, which include reduction of carbon footprint, and provide significant sustainable solutions towards net zero
• HCLTech will provide opportunities to IIT-Kharagpur students and research scholars to undertake projects and internships at the company.

 National & International Appointments

7. P Upadhyay INAS takes over as Director General of Naval Armament

• INAS, P Upadhyay assumed charge as Director General of Naval Armament (DGONA) on June 1, 2023, and replaced KSC lyer, who superannuated on 31 May 2023.
• He is an alumnus of the Naval Defence College of NDC-53.
• He belongs to the 1987 batch of the Indian Naval Armament Service.
• He joined the Naval Armament Organization of the Indian Navy in 1989.
• He is specialized in Missile and Torpedo Maintenance besides having vast knowledge of the disposal of ammunition.

 Agreement

8. NHPC, VUCL sign MoU for Phukot Karnali Hydroelectric Project

• NHPC Limited and Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), Nepal signed an MoU in New Delhi for the development of the Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of PM Modi and Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
• The project will use the flow from the Karnali River for power generation and the generated power will be fed into the integrated power system of Nepal.
• The installed capacity of the project shall be 480 MW.

 Defense

9. India conducts successful training launch of Agni-1 ballistic missile

• India successfully launched the Medium-Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-1 from the APJ Abdul Kalam Islands, Odisha.
• It was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command, which is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and nuclear assets
• Agenda: To validate all operational and technical parameters of the missile
• Agni series of missiles includes Agni-1(700km), Agni-2 (2000), Agni-3 (3000), Agni-4 (4000), and Agni-5 (5000)

 National Affairs

10. BIS introduces 31 Indian standards related to Ayush

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has introduced 31 Indian standards related to Ayush, encompassing 30 herbs and one product, the stainless steel neti pot.
• BIS has established an additional department with a dedicated focus on Ayush for strengthening its standardization framework.
• A Working Group on 'Traditional Medicine' established within the ISO/TC-215 'Health Informatics'.
• BIS also initiated efforts to formulate international standards in collaboration with ISO

 National & International Appointments

11. Amarendu Prakash takes charge as SAIL chairman

• Amarendu Prakash has taken charge as a Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) on May 31, 2023.
• Prior to this, he was Director in charge at Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL).
• He is a metallurgical engineer from BIT Sindhri and joined SAIL in 1991 as a Management Trainee (Technical).
• He also took on additional charge as Director In-Charge of the Rourkela Steel Plant, IISCO, and Durgapur Steel Plant.

 Sports

12. India’s Esow Alben wins bronze medal in Bahnen-Tournee cycling 2023

• Indian cyclist Esow Alben has bagged the bronze medal in the elite men's keirin event at a UCI Class 1 Event-Finale Bahnen-Tournee 2023 cycling competition in Germany.
• He has also listed himself in being the first cyclist from India to participate in the UCI Champions League.
• Alben was also the first Indian who won a medal in a cycling world championship.
• Apart from Alben, Indian cyclist Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam finished 10th in the men’s sprint event at Germany meet.

 Schemes

13. Union Minister For Jal Shakti launched portal for GOBARdhan

• The Minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has launched the Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan.
• Aim: One-stop repository to assess investment and participation in the Biogas/CBG sector at the pan India level and streamline the process of setting up CBG/Biogas plants
• GOBARdhan refers to Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan.
• It is an initiative of the Government of India, that aims to convert waste to wealth towards promoting a circular economy.