Daily Current Affairs 6 January 2024 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
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NATIONAL NEWS
MoU signed between Indian Railways and CII to promote and facilitate green initiatives
Indian Railways, a key player in the transportation sector, has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability by renewing its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
- The collaboration aims to reduce energy and water consumption, ultimately lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This marks the third consecutive term of partnership between Indian Railways and CII.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Kyrgyzstan declares Snow Leopard as National Symbol
Kyrgyzstan has officially declared the snow leopard as its national symbol, underscoring its commitment to conservation and ecological balance.
- President Zhaparov also directed the Cabinet of Ministers to recognize the snow leopard as a national symbol, and protect its population and ecosystem. The Cabinet is tasked with developing a logo, exploring symbol usage at different levels, and defining its ideological content.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
India’s Forex Reserves Surge to $623.2 Billion, Registering a $2.75 Billion Increase
India’s forex reserves jumped by $2.759 billion to $623.2 billion in the week ended December 29, the Reserve Bank said. In the previous reporting week, the overall reserves had increased by $4.471 billion to $620.441 billion.
- In October 2021, the country’s forex kitty had reached an all-time high of $645 billion. The reserves took a hit as the central bank deployed the kitty to defend the rupee amid pressures caused majorly by global developments since last year.
- Gold reserves were up by $853 million to $48.328 billion during the week, the RBI said.The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were up by $38 million to $18.365 billion, the apex bank said.
UN report revises India’s GDP projection downward to 6.2% for 2024
The United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects Report 2024 revised India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth estimate for the 2024 calendar year to 6.2 per cent, compared to 6.7 per cent earlier.
- The report stated: “Economic growth in India is projected to remain strong at 6.2 per cent in 2024, following an estimated expansion of 6.3 per cent in 2023, mainly supported by resilient private consumption and strong public investment.”
Google DeepMind Introduces Mobile ALOHA Humanoid Technology
Stanford University has unveiled Mobile ALOHA, a robotic system designed to elevate the capabilities of bimanual mobile manipulation.
- This innovation builds upon the foundation of Google DeepMind’s ALOHA system, taking it to new heights by introducing mobility and dexterity as focal points in robotic learning. Developed in collaboration with Berkeley University and Meta, Mobile ALOHA promises to reshape the landscape of robotics.
APPOINTMENTS
Rashmi Shukla becomes Maharashtra’s first woman Director General of Police
The Maharashtra government appointed 1988 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rashmi Shukla as the Director General of Police. Ms. Shukla became the first woman police officer to hold the top police post in the State.
- She takes over from another 1988 IPS batch officer Rajnish Seth, who retired last week to take charge as chairman of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar has been holding additional charge as Maharashtra DGP Maharashtra since Mr. Seth retired on December 31.
Senior IAS officer Vikas Sheel appointed Executive Director, Asian Development Bank
Senior bureaucrat Vikas Sheel (IAS) was appointed as Executive Director, Asian Development Bank in Manila, according to a Personnel Ministry order. As many as seven civil servants, including Sheel, have been appointed to key posts abroad.
Other appointments:
- Smita Sarangi has been appointed to the post of Adviser to the Executive Director, ADB, Manila, Philippines for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, the order said.
- Senior bureaucrat Kalyan Revella will be Counsellor (Economic) in the Embassy of India, Beijing.
- Parveen Kumar, a 2004 batch Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer will be Adviser to the Executive Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Washington DC, USA
- Tanu Singh, an Indian Trade Service (2012 batch) officer, has been named as First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India (PMI), World Trade Organization (WTO), Geneva for a period of three years.
Sanjiv Aggarwal Appointed CEO and MD of NIIFL
National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited (NIIFL) announced that its board of directors has appointed Sanjiv Aggarwal as chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of the company.
- Aggarwal has significant experience in the infrastructure and energy sectors. He joined Actis, a leading global investor in sustainable infrastructure, in 2008, where he became a partner in 2010. He has recently been responsible for Actis’ energy investments in Asia, including India. Before joining Actis, Aggarwal worked with Citigroup and ANZ Investment Bank in the Indian energy and infrastructure sectors.
Raghuram Iyer appointed as CEO of Indian Olympic Association
The Indian Olympic Association announced the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the sports body.
- Iyer comes with the experience of having served as CEO for Indian Premier League teams Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants and Rising Pune Supergiant. He also worked in that same position for Indian Super League team ATK Mohun Bagan and Ultimate Table Tennis team RPSG Mavericks.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
IIT researchers engineer plant cells to produce drug for cancer
Researchers at the Indian Institutes of Technology Madras and Mandi have metabolically engineered plant cells to increase production of anti-cancer drug camptothecin (CPT).
- The allopathic medicine is produced using Nathapodytes nimmoniana, a native, endangered plant. It requires nearly 1,000 tonnes of plant material to extract 1 tonne of CPT. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has red-listed the plant as in the past decade alone there has been a 20% decline in the plant’s population.