Daily GK Update: 4th March 2023

National & International Appointments

Hockey India has appointed South African Craig Fulton as the new chief coach of the Indian men's hockey team.
He will succeed Australian Graham Reid who resigned in January 2023.
He has nearly 25 years of coaching experience and earned 195 caps over a span of 10 years for South Africa.
He also played Atlanta and Athens Olympic Games.
He was named the Belgium Coach of the Year after he guided his club KHC Dragons to the Belgium Hockey League title in the 2020-21 season.

Agreement

India has signed an MoU with Mexico on research, technology, and innovation collaborations in New Delhi.
Focus: Key technology areas including Aerospace, Electronics, Earth and Ocean Sciences and Water, Minerals, Clean Energy, Biotech, and Healthcare
Union Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh has assured Mexican Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard that India with CSIR and sister Organizations will provide tangible results in the three priority areas of Water, Lithium and Vaccines

Banking & Finance

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of three crore six lakh sixty-six thousand rupees on Amazon Pay (India) Private Limited.
Reason: For non-compliance with certain directions related to Prepaid Payment Instruments and Know Your Customer.
The action was based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the entity with its customers.

National Affairs

Youth Affairs and Sports and Information and Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Singh Thakur has launched Yuva Utsava - India@2047 from Ropar in Punjab.
He has also launched the Dashboard of Yuva Utsav.
Aim: To promote youth power
In the first phase, Yuva Utsav is being organized in 150 districts across the country till the 31st of March, 2023.
Youth Affairs Ministry is conducting ‘Yuva Utsav India @2047’ under its flagship youth organization Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan.

Important Dates

World Wildlife Day 2023 is marked annually on March 3 to celebrate the unique wild species and create awareness to help conserve them.
Theme 2023: Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation
The 68th session of the UNGA has designated March 3 as World Wildlife Day on December 20, 2013.
- Reason: To raise awareness about the conservation of the world's wild flora and fauna
The formal text of CITES was adopted at a meeting of 80 members of the IUCN on March 3, 1973.

Honours & Awards

Under the Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) program of the Union Ministry for Power, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was awarded as the top performer among all Discoms across the country for energy conservation measures.
The award ceremony was held in New Delhi on March 1.
During PAT cycle II, a total number of 80,686 ‘Energy saving certificates’ (ESCerts) were issued to PSPCL.
PAT is a flagship scheme under the National Mission on Enhanced efficiency.

Obituaries

Former Chief Justice of India, A M Ahmadi passed away at 90 due to a brief illness.
He was the 26th Chief Justice of India from October 1994 to March 1997.
In 1964, he was appointed a civil and sessions judge in Ahmedabad and become the state’s law secretary.
In 1976, he was appointed a judge of the Gujarat High Court and was elevated to the Supreme Court in 1988.
In his tenure in the Supreme Court, he was part of seminal verdicts that changed the course of a polity.

National Affairs

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah has launched the first phase of the Safe City project in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The project is an initiative to ensure the safety and security of residents in Bengaluru, especially women.
Phase-1 of the project features high-resolution cameras, forensic vans, safety islands, and much more.
The city police must maintain maximum reach and speed in addressing emergency situations while using the right technological intervention.

Honours & Awards

NTPC Limited has been honored with the CBIP Award 2022 for Outstanding Contribution in Power Generation, attributed to its Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station (VSTPS).
VSTPS is the largest power station in the country for its efficiency and high level of generation.
Union Minister of Power, R.K. Singh presented the award.
It is conferred to institutions/individuals for their outstanding contributions to the development of water, power, and Renewable Energy Sectors.

Banking & Finance

RBI has imposed a Rs 5,000 cap on withdrawals by individual customers from Tamil Nadu-based Musiri Urban Co-operative Bank.
Reason: It is a part of several restrictions imposed on the lender due to its deteriorating financial condition.
The restrictions on the lender will remain in force for six months from the close of business on March 3, 2023.
Without the approval of the RBI, the cooperative bank cannot grant loans, make any investments, or disburse any payments.