Daily Current Affairs 06 January 2024, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

Read the most important current affairs of 06 January 2024. Today Current Affairs covers the headlines on ‘Gunotsav 2024’, ‘Bharat Park’ Trade Zone, Maharashtra’s 1st woman DG of Police, National Birds Day 2024.

Top 20 Current Affairs and News Headlines of 06 January 2024

National News

1.Ayodhya Airport Renamed As ‘Maharishi Valmiki International Airport’; Gains International Status

• The Union Cabinet recently gave its approval to declare Ayodhya Airport as an international airport. The airport will be named “Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham,” reflecting the historical and cultural significance of the region.
• According to the government’s press release, elevating Ayodhya Airport to international status is crucial for realizing the city’s economic potential. Furthermore, it acknowledges Ayodhya’s significance as a global pilgrimage site, with the international status expected to attract foreign pilgrims and tourists.
• The airport’s development will occur in phases. In its initial phase, the airport will have the capacity to handle 10 lakh (1 million) passengers annually. After the second phase of development, Maharishi Valmiki International Airport is expected to cater to a staggering 60 lakh (6 million) commuters annually.

State News

2.Assam Government Initiates ‘Gunotsav 2024’

• The Assam government is gearing up for the fifth edition of ‘Gunotsav 2024,’ a comprehensive state-wide assessment aimed at evaluating the performance of approximately 40 lakh students across government schools.
• The initiative, slated to run from January 3 to February 8, 2024, is poised to play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of education and improving learning outcomes in the state.
• ‘Gunotsav’ emphasizes active participation from all stakeholders, including teachers, students, administrators, and local communities. This holistic engagement is expected to foster accountability and contribute to an overall enhancement of the quality of education in Assam.

Economy News

3.India Plans ‘Bharat Park’ Trade Zone in UAE for Global Showcase

• The Indian government plans to establish ‘Bharat Park,’ a dedicated trade zone in the UAE, featuring showrooms and warehouses to display and store Indian-made goods for a global audience.
• Addressing the future of the textile industry, Goyal underscores the prominence of Man Made Fibre Textiles due to challenges in meeting the increasing demand for cotton.
• He encourages industry players to leverage free trade agreements with Japan, Australia, UAE, and South Korea, expressing concern over underutilization.

4.India’s FY24 GDP Growth Projection at 7.3%: NSO Data

• The National Statistical Office (NSO) has released its first advance estimates projecting a robust 7.3% growth for India’s GDP in the fiscal year 2023-24.
• This surpasses the 7.2% growth recorded in the previous financial year. Notably, the construction sector is expected to lead with double-digit growth at 10.7%.
• Real GDP at Constant Prices in FY24 is projected to reach ₹171.79 lakh crore, compared to the provisional estimate of ₹160.06 lakh crore for FY23.

5.India’s Forex Reserves Surge to $623.2 Billion, Registering a $2.75 Billion Increase

• In the week concluding on December 29, India’s foreign exchange reserves witnessed a substantial uptick, surging by $2.759 billion, reaching a total of $623.2 billion, as reported by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday.
• This follows a previous week’s increase of $4.471 billion, bringing the overall reserves to $620.441 billion. Notably, in October 2021, India’s forex kitty had achieved an unprecedented peak at $645 billion.
• The major contributor to the reserves, FCAs, rose by $1.869 billion to $551.615 billion. These assets are influenced by the fluctuations in the value of non-US units like the euro, pound, and yen.

Important Days News

6.National Birds Day 2024

• The United States of America declares January 5 as National Bird Day to raise awareness of the significance of birds to our ecosystem.
• The day is set apart to make all of us understand that birds are not made to be caught or had as showpieces in our homes, rather, they are nature’s lovely creatures that deserve to live with complete freedom.
• The day was first observed by the Avian Welfare Coalition, which is involved in the cause of promoting awareness about birds that are caught or end up in captivity for either monetary profit or for human entertainment.

7.World Day of War Orphans 2024

• On January 6, 2024, the world will observe the World Day of War Orphans, a day dedicated to highlighting the struggles and needs of the most vulnerable victims of war – the children.
• This day comes amidst ongoing global conflicts, serving as a poignant reminder of the deep and lasting impact war has on the lives of innocent children.
• This year, World Day of War Orphans is marked with two powerful themes: “Orphan Lives Matter” and “Standing Up for War-Affected Children.” These themes are a clarion call for global attention and action to support and protect war-affected children.

Summits & Conferences News

8.Amit Shah Inaugurates 58th DGsP/IGsP Conference 2023 In Jaipur

• Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the 58th DGsP/IGsP Conference 2023 at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur.
• The three-day conference, held in a hybrid mode, brought together top law enforcement officials physically from Jaipur and over 500 police officers from various ranks participating through video conferencing from across the country.
• During the conference, the Union Home Minister distributed Police Medals for Meritorious Service to Intelligence Bureau (IB) officers, recognizing their outstanding contributions.
• The conference aimed to deliberate on various security-related issues of critical importance, including the security of borders, cyber-threats, radicalization, fraudulent issuance of identity documents, and threats emerging from AI.

9.Union Minister Piyush Goyal Unveils Logo and Booklet for Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024

• At a curtain-raiser program in New Delhi, Union Minister Piyush Goyal revealed the logo and booklet for the highly anticipated “Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024.”
• Scheduled from February 1-3, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, the expo boasts over 600 exhibitors from 50+ countries.
• It promises to showcase cutting-edge technologies in various specialized exhibitions, including Auto Show, ACMA Automechanika, large-scale tire exhibition, urban mobility solutions, EV Infra Pavilion, and Battery Tech Pavilion.
• The Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024, an industry-led and government-supported initiative coordinated by the Engineering Export Promotion Council India (EEPC India), will include major battery manufacturers, EV infrastructure services, and a CEO Conclave to discuss the future trajectory of the mobility industry.

Ranks & Reports News

10.UN Report: India’s GDP Growth Forecast at 6.2% for 2024

• In the eagerly awaited United Nations’ World Economic Situation and Prospects 2024 report, India emerges as a key player, projecting a GDP growth of 6.2% in the coming year.
• This slightly trails behind the 6.3% estimate for 2023, a testament to the country’s robust domestic demand and the flourishing manufacturing and services sectors
• South Asia, driven by India’s prowess, is anticipated to witness a GDP surge of 5.2% in 2024 after a commendable 5.3% growth in 2023.

Agreements News

11.Cabinet Approves India-USAID MoU For Railways’ Net-Zero Emission Goal

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the MoU signed between India and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
• The focus of this collaboration is to support Indian Railways in achieving ‘net zero carbon emission’ by the ambitious target year of 2030.
• The primary objectives of this strategic alliance are to facilitate utility modernization, deploy advanced energy solutions and systems, foster regional energy and market integration, encourage private sector participation and engagement, and conduct training sessions and workshops. The focus of these initiatives will be on specific technology areas such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.

12.Indian Railways And CII Ink MoU For 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.
• The collaboration between Indian Railways and CII began in July 2016, with the signing of the first MoU for a period of three years. Following its successful implementation, a second MoU was signed in 2019, leading to significant progress in various green initiatives.

Appointments News

13.Sanjiv Aggarwal Appointed CEO and MD of NIIFL

• The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited (NIIFL) has welcomed Sanjiv Aggarwal as its new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director.
• Aggarwal, formerly a partner at the UK-based private equity firm Actis, brings a wealth of experience in energy investments, particularly in the Asian market, including India.
• Sanjiv Aggarwal’s impressive track record includes successful stints at renowned financial institutions such as Citigroup and ANZ Investment Bank. Notably, his tenure at Actis saw remarkable accomplishments, including the sale of the Indian renewable energy platform Sprng Energy to Shell Plc for an enterprise value of $1.55 billion in April 2022.

14.Senior IAS officer Vikas Sheel appointed Executive Director, Asian Development Bank

• India has appointed seven accomplished civil servants to crucial positions abroad, showcasing the country’s global engagement. Notably, Mr. Vikas Sheel, a seasoned bureaucrat, is now the Executive Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, emphasizing India’s commitment to international development.
• Vikas Sheel, a 1994-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is now the Executive Director at ADB. He brings valuable experience from his current role as Additional Secretary and Mission Director of Jal Jeevan Mission, contributing to India’s representation at this prestigious institution.
• Smita Sarangi has been appointed as Adviser to the Executive Director at ADB in Manila, Philippines. Her expertise will play a vital role in India’s collaboration with ADB on important development initiatives.

15.Raghuram Iyer appointed as CEO of Indian Olympic Association

• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has welcomed a seasoned professional, Raghuram Iyer, as its new CEO, marking a significant development after a meticulous selection process conducted by the nomination committee.
• The appointment, long-awaited and in response to reminders from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), brings a wealth of experience to the forefront.
• Raghuram Iyer, the former CEO of Rajasthan Royals, brings a diverse and rich professional background to his new role. His experience extends to prominent positions with IPL teams such as Lucknow Super Giants and Rising Supergiants.
• Additionally, he has made contributions to ATK Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League and served as the CEO of RPSG Mavericks, a table tennis team.

16.SEBI Names G Ram Mohan Rao As Executive Director For 3 Years

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) recently announced the appointment of G Ram Mohan Rao as Executive Director (ED) for a tenure of three years.
• With over 25 years of experience at SEBI, Rao brings a wealth of expertise to his new role. In his capacity as ED, he will oversee the investigation department and the internal inspection department, reinforcing SEBI’s commitment to maintaining market integrity.
• Having served in various capacities over the years, Rao has supervised portfolios such as inspections, litigation, recovery, investor awareness, and grievance redressal.
• Rao’s tenure as the Regional Director of the Eastern Regional Office showcased his leadership in managing crucial areas like inspections, collective investment schemes, litigation, and recovery, among others.

17.Rashmi Shukla becomes Maharashtra’s first woman Director General of Police

• The Maharashtra government appointed Rashmi Shukla, a distinguished 1988 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, as the Director General of Police (DGP). This appointment is groundbreaking as Ms. Shukla becomes the first woman to hold this prestigious position in the state.
• Ms. Shukla takes over the reins from Rajnish Seth, her batchmate from the 1988 IPS cadre, who recently retired and moved on to become the chairman of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC).
• Prior to her current appointment, Ms. Shukla led the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and served as the Additional Director-General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Science & Technology News

18.ISRO Tests Fuel Cell On PSLV-C58’s POEM3 Platform Successfully

• On January 1, 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone by successfully testing a 100 W class Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell based Power System (FCPS) in its orbital platform, POEM3.
• This remarkable feat took place aboard the PSLV-C58 mission, marking a crucial step in the assessment of fuel cell technology for future space missions.
• The primary objective of the experiment was to evaluate the operation of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cells in the challenging environment of space. Additionally, the mission aimed to gather valuable data to inform the design of power systems for upcoming space endeavors.

19.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.
• Developed in collaboration with Berkeley University and Meta, Mobile ALOHA promises to reshape the landscape of robotics.
• This evolution enables the system to replicate complex mobile manipulation tasks, addressing the limitations of traditional imitation learning often confined to tabletop scenarios.
• The core objective of Mobile ALOHA is data collection, serving as a stepping stone for learning and mimicking a diverse range of bimanual activities.

20.IIT Madras Researchers Engineer Plant Cells To Produce Drug For Cancer

• Researchers from the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras and Mandi have successfully metabolically engineered plant cells to boost the production of the anti-cancer drug camptothecin (CPT).
• CPT, traditionally extracted from the endangered plant Nathapodytes nimmoniana, has been a source of concern due to the plant’s declining population. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has red-listed this species, noting a 20% decrease in its population in the past decade. This development by IIT researchers comes as a critical solution to both medicinal production and plant conservation.

06 JANUARY CURRENT AFFAIRS 2024 | ALL EXAMS IMP. CURRENT AFFAIRS | ASHISH GAUTAM SIR

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