Daily Current Affairs 29th March , 2023

Daily Current Affairs 29 March 2023 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

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NATIONAL NEWS

India hosted SCO-National Security Advisors meeting 
India, the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), is hosting a meeting of National Security Advisors (NSA) and top officials in New Delhi. 

• Pakistan and China are likely to attend the SCO-NSA meeting virtually. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is making the opening remarks at the SCO-NSA meeting.
• Notably, the next important SCO meeting will be the defence ministers’ meeting scheduled to be held in Delhi from April 27-29.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Tanzania confirms first-ever outbreak of deadly Marburg Virus Disease
Tanzania has confirmed its first-ever cases of Marburg, a high-fatality viral hemorrhagic fever with symptoms broadly similar to those of Ebola, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

• The WHO said that the confirmation of the disease by Tanzania’s national public laboratory followed the death of five of eight people in Tanzania’s northwest Kagera region who developed symptoms, which include fever, vomiting, bleeding and renal failure.

BANKING & FINANCE

SJVN gets Rs 915 crore from Japan Bank for International Cooperation
State-owned SJVN Ltd has secured Rs 915 crore ‘GREEN’ finance from Japan Bank for International Cooperation to fund its 90 MW Omkareshwar floating solar project in Madhya Pradesh and 100 MW Raghanesda solar project in Gujarat.

• The SJVN and JBIC virtually inked the ‘Facility Agreement’ under Global action for Reconciling Economic growth and Environmental preservation (GREEN) programme of JBIC.
• The objective of the debt is to finance the 90-MW Omkareshwar Floating Solar Power Project in Madhya Pradesh and 100-MW Raghanesda Solar Power Project in Gujarat having combined estimated cost of Rs 1,288.35 crore.

EPF interest rate fixed at 8.15% for FY 2022-23 by EPFO
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has hiked interest rate on employees’ provident fund (EPF) for 2022-23.

• Retirement fund body has fixed 8.15 per cent rate of interest on EPF deposits for 2022-23 at its meeting. If the expected interest rate is same, then there is a hike in the EPF account interest rate by 0.05% for its about five crore subscribers.
• Last year, the interest rate for EPF account was at an over four-decade low at 8.1 per cent 8.10% for FY 2021-22.

World Bank approves $108 million to improve Assam’s flood, disaster preparedness
The World Bank has given the nod to provide a loan of $108 million (about ₹ 889 crores) to assist Assam in its efforts to improve its disaster preparedness and enhance flood forecasting.

• The multilateral bank has stated that around six million individuals will benefit from this project, which is part of a larger investment program worth $500 million for the state.
• The main aim of the Assam Integrated River Basin Management Project is to build eco-friendly infrastructure in the Beki and Buridehing river basins to lessen the impact of floods and river erosion on the state, ultimately safeguarding around one lakh individuals.

APPOINTMENTS

Indian-origin Sikh woman becomes Connecticut’s first Asian assistant police chief
Lt. Manmeet Colon, who is of Indian origin and a Sikh woman officer, has recently taken up the position of assistant police chief in the state of Connecticut, becoming the first-ever person of Asian descent to hold the position.

• She has been a member of the New Haven Police Department (NHPD) for 15 years and was appointed as the city’s third assistant police chief in an official ceremony.

AWARDS

Kashmir’s Aliya Mir honoured with Wildlife Conservation Award 2023
The Union Territory has awarded wildlife conservationist Aliya Mir for her exceptional efforts in conservation.

• Aliya is the first woman from Jammu and Kashmir to work for Wildlife SOS and is the first woman in the region to receive this honour. She received the award from Lt. Manoj Sinha at the World Forestry Day celebrations hosted by the Jammu and Kashmir Collective Forests.
• Aliya was recognized for her remarkable contributions to wildlife conservation, including rescuing and releasing wild animals, caring for injured animals, and saving bears in Kashmir.

Assam NGO wins Children’s Champion Award 2023
Tapoban, an NGO based in Pathsala, Assam, which focuses on supporting children with special needs and autism, has been honored with the prestigious Children’s Champion Award 2023 in the health and nutrition category.

• This award is presented by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights and acknowledges individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the welfare of children in various areas such as education, justice, health, nutrition, sports, and creative arts.

Bangladesh: Special literary award conferred on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
The Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL) conferred a special literary award on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The award has been conferred for his trilogy- The Unfinished Memoirs, The Prison Diaries and the New China 1952.

• Eminent Punjabi novelist and FOSWAL Founder President Ajeet Cour handed over the award to visiting Bangladeshi writers and researchers Ramendu Majumder and Mofidul Haque at the festival.

‘Ironman’ Krishna Prakash becomes first person to swim from Gateway of India to Elephanta Caves
As part of the ‘Drowning Prevention Awareness’ campaign, Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Krishna Prakash swam from Gateway of India to Elephanta Caves, Mumbai. He completed the expedition of 16.20 kms in just 5 hours 26 minutes and became the first person in history to do so. This is far from the first time the IPS officer broker broke records in sporting competitions.

• In 2017, he completed the Ironman Triathlon, one of the most challenging sports events in the world. This is a three-day event that requires the participants to complete a 3.8-kilometre swim, a 180.2-kilometer bicycle ride, and a 42.2 km run in 16–17 hours.
• This achievement earned Prakash the ‘Iron Man’ title and a mention in the World Book of Records. He was the first Indian Government Servant, Civil Servant, and Uniformed Services Officer, including Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces, to earn this title!

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