Daily Current Affairs 2 August 2024, WBPSC Exam Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs for WBPSC Exam

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National

Women Entrepreneurship Program launched by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)

• Significant advancements for women entrepreneurs were announced on July 31, 2024, by Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. This is mostly accomplished through brand-new initiatives like the Women Entrepreneurship Program, which was introduced by Britannia Industries and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

• Its goal is to equip 25 lakh women entrepreneurs with resources, financial grants, expertise, and other assets.
• Through the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), NSDC and the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) will provide free online self-learning courses on entrepreneurship.
• Under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), NIESBUD and SIDH are in charge of offering possibilities for apprenticeship and training.
• A public limited company with no profit objective is NSDC.
• Economic: Job generation (according to NITI Aayog, women-led businesses could generate 170 million jobs),
• GDP growth (50% of women in the workforce may add 1.5% to the GDP, according to the World Bank),
• encourage creative business methods.
• Social: Empowerment (dismantling preconceptions and gender norms); more chances for networking, education, and awareness; etc.
• Political: Promoting strong female agency and advocating for policies.
• Cultural: Engaging in customary arts and crafts can promote India's rich cultural legacy.

Economic

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released its report on currency and finance for 2023–2024

• On July 29, 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) published its "Report on Currency and Finance (RCF) for 2023–2024." The study emphasizes the difficulties that arise from the banking sector's quick adoption of digital technologies inside an economy.

• The RCF 2023–24 report has "India's Digital Revolution" as its theme.
• India's digital economy, which accounts for 10% of GDP presently, is predicted to grow to 20% of GDP by 2026, according to the RCF 2023–24.

• In India, the digital economy is expected to account for one-fifth of GDP by 2026.
• According to a report by the RBI, by 2026, the growing usage of digitalization in the financial markets and payments system—which today makes up a tenth of the GDP—will account for a fifth or 20% of the GDP.
• Although the Internet's coverage was only 55% in 2023, the number of users has climbed by 199 million in the last three years.
• India has one of the highest mobile data consumption rates in the world, with an average per-user monthly consumption of 24.1 GB in 2023. The country also has the lowest cost per gigabyte of data consumed globally, averaging Rs 13.32 ($0.16) per GB.

Digital payment timer 50% increase in volume between FY18 and FY24:

• The paper states that throughout the last seven years (between 2017–18 and 2023–24), digital payments have had a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 50% in volume and 10% in value terms.

• In 2023–2024, digital payments—such as credit and debit cards, NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer), and UPI (Unified Payments Interface)—recorded 164 billion transactions valued at Rs. 2,428 lakh crore.

• Value-wise, NEFT transactions accounted for the largest portion of all retail payments in 2023–2024 (49.4%), with UPI coming in second with a 25.3% share.
• Over the last four years, UPI has experienced a tenfold increase in transactions by volume, from 12.5 billion in 2019–20 to 131 billion in 2023–2024 (or 80% of all digital payment volumes).
• By June 2024, the UPI will have 424 million unique users and record close to 14 billion transactions monthly.
• Between 2005–05 and 2023–24, the average transaction value per capita for all digital payments grew from Rs. 0.4 lakhs to Rs. 16.8 lakhs.

Appointment

Sanjay Shukla assumes charge as managing director of National Housing Bank

• On July 30, 2024, Sanjay Shukla took over as the National Housing Bank's managing director. Sanjay Shukla took up the position after his name was authorized by the Indian government, according to the National Housing Bank.

• Sanjay Shukla held the positions of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Centrum Housing Finance, a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), before joining National Housing Bank as a Managing Director.
• Sanjay Shukla is a chartered accountant who began working at LIC Housing Finance Limited as an official in 1991. He has more than thirty years of experience financing retail and residential assets.

• Founded: 9 July 1988
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India

Defence

Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair assumes charge as Director General of Medical Services (Army)

• On August 1, 2024, Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair took over as the Director General of Medical Services (Army), a move that will further empower women in the armed forces. She is the first woman to occupy this esteemed position in the Medical Services of the Indian Army. Lt General Sadhna Saxena Nair is a third-generation member of a family that has spent the last 70 years serving in the Indian Armed Forces in a variety of roles.

• After completing her studies at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair was commissioned into the Indian Army Medical Corps in December 1985.
• She held the position of Director General of Hospital Services (Armed Forces) before to taking on the role of Director General of Medical Services (Army). In addition, she holds the unique distinction of being the first female director general of hospital services (Armed Forces).
• The Indian Air Force's Training Command and Western Air Command appointed Lt. General Sadhna Saxena Nair as their Principal Medical Officer, making her the first female in both roles.
• A highly skilled officer, Lt General Sadhna Saxena Nair trained in Biological, Chemical, Radiological, and Nuclear Warfare in the Israeli Defense Force.
• In Spiez, Switzerland, she completed training with the Swiss Armed Forces in Military Medical Ethics.
• Throughout her distinguished career, the President of India has bestowed upon her the Vishisht Seva Medal, Western Air Command, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, and Chief of the Air Staff Commendations.

• The government of India set up an Armed Forces Medical Service in 1948.
• Current Director General Armed Forces Medical Services: Lt Gen Daljit Singh

Award

KIIT DU Awarded Prestigious UN ECOSOC Special Consultative Status

• The United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) has awarded the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Deemed to be a University (DU) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Special Consultative Status. This recognition demonstrates KIIT'S commitment to the UN's Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• At the UN Headquarters in New York, the United States of America (USA), on July 23, 2024, during the UN ECOSOC Management Segment Meeting, this acknowledgement was made.

• 19 organizations, including KIIT DU, were chosen for this accolade out of 476 worldwide applications.
• This status permits the President of the General Assembly to participate in special events, ECOSOC, its subsidiary bodies, and UN human rights mechanisms.
• UN Volunteers (UNV) and KIIT have an agreement in place that will allow students to work with a variety of UN organizations.
• As a result, KIIT is now the first private institution in South Asia to obtain UNV status for internships for students.
• As a result, KIIT DU students are eligible to participate in various UN agency development projects as "National University UN Volunteers."
• In addition to receiving a salary, this involvement gives students professional experience in international development.

• Establishment: 1945
• Headquarters: New York, (USA)
• President: Robert Bob Rae (Canada)

Sport

Swapnil Kusale earns third bronze medal for India in shooting

• At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the Indian shooting team won its third medal. At the men's 50-meter rifle 3 Positions final held on August 1, 2024, at the National Shooting Center in Châteauroux, Paris, shooter Swapnil Kusale of Maharstra took home the bronze medal. With a final score of 451.4, he had to settle for a bronze.

• World record holder Liu Yukun of China took home the gold medal with 463.6 points, while Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine took home the silver with 461.3 points. Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine had also taken home the silver medal in the same competition during the Rio Olympics in 2016.

India's third Olympic medal in the rifle competition :

• With his bronze, Swapnil Kusale gave India its third medal in the history of the Olympics in the rifle competition.
• When it came to rifle shooting, Abhinav Bindra took home the first medal for India. In 2008, he took home a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in the 10m air rifle.
• At the 2012 London Olympics, Gagan Narang took home a medal in the 10m air rifle competition.
• In the men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions team event at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games in 2023, 28-year-old Swapnil Kusale took home the gold medal.
• Additionally, Kusale took home three medals from the 2023 World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan—one gold and two silver.
• India's shooters have taken home three medals from the Olympics in Paris thus far. With a maximum of 29 athletes and 21 shooters, India has sent a squad of 117 athletes to the Olympics in Paris.
• From July 26 to August 11, 2024, Paris, France, will host the 33rd Summer Olympics.

Important Day

World Lung Cancer Day 2024 – August 1

• World Lung Cancer Day is observed annually on August 1st, it is dedicated to raising awareness about lung cancer which is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The day serves as a critical event for education, advocacy, and support, emphasizing the importance of early detection, advanced treatment options, and comprehensive care for patients.

• World Lung Cancer Day aims to unite individuals, organizations, and governments in the fight against lung cancer, ensuring that every person has access to the care they need. Here in this article, we will see the objective, history, and significance of World Lung Cancer Day.
• The global theme for World Lung Cancer Day 2024 is ‘Close the care gap: Everyone deserves access to cancer care’. The Lung Cancer Foundation of America (LCFA) is observing World Lung Cancer Day 2024 with the theme “Stronger Together: United for Lung Cancer Awareness.” This theme emphasizes the power of unity and collaboration in the fight against lung cancer.

• World Lung Cancer Day is a crucial event dedicated to raising awareness about lung cancer, one of the most common and deadly cancers globally. The significance of this day lies in its focus on educating the public about lung cancer prevention, risk factors, and the importance of early detection.
• It aims to reduce the stigma associated with lung cancer, support those affected by the disease, and advocate for better policies and increased funding for research and treatment. By highlighting the latest advancements in lung cancer research and treatment, World Lung Cancer Day plays a crucial role in driving global efforts to combat this devastating illness.