Current Affairs June 2023 MCQs and Notes

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated the construction of the ‘Balidan Stambh’ in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, June 24.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha joined him at the park near Lal Chowk, the commercial center of Srinagar.
This memorial is a part of the Srinagar Smart City project and serves as a tribute to the brave martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
While stringent security arrangements had been put in place for the function, shops in and around the venue were open and traffic remained normal, except when it was briefly stopped at the stretch between Regal Crossing and Lal Chowk till Shah left the venue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed the Artemis Accords during his state visit to the United States, marking India’s commitment to global space cooperation and lunar exploration.
The accords, initiated by NASA and the US Department of State, provide a framework for collaboration in civil space exploration and use, with a focus on returning humans to the Moon and expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond.

The Ministry of Railways in India has entered into an agreement with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to accelerate the progress of eco-friendly energy solutions and encourage the use of electric vehicles.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims to foster cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The objective is to integrate clean energy sources into the operations of Indian Railways.
The collaborating entities will jointly develop a customized energy efficiency policy and action plan for the buildings of Indian Railways.

Ruby Sinha has been appointed as the president of BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry Women’s Vertical (BRICS CCI WE) for a three-year term. Sinha, the founder of SheAtWork and Kommune Brand Communications, will assume the role.
BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry is dedicated to fostering trade, commerce, and entrepreneurship among the BRICS nations and other friendly countries. Sinha succeeds Shabana Nasim, who has transitioned to the position of Executive Director of BRICS CCI and Chief Patron of BRICS CCI WE.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released the annual Gender Gap Report for 2023, which measures the gender disparity in various aspects of society. India has shown progress by moving up eight places to rank 127 out of 146 countries in terms of gender parity.
India’s progress in terms of gender parity is notable. Compared to the previous year, India has improved by 1.4 percentage points and eight positions, now ranking 127th out of 146 countries. In the 2022 edition, India was ranked 135th. The country has closed 64.3% of the overall gender gap.

Lloyds Banking Group, one of the leading financial services organizations in the UK, has announced its plans to establish a technology centre in Hyderabad, India. The centre aims to enhance the group’s digital capabilities and will be operational by the end of 2023.
Lloyds Banking Group, which encompasses renowned brands such as Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland, intends to hire 600 professionals for this new venture.

Apple Inc is planning to launch its credit card in India, also known as Apple Card. The iPhone maker is planning to tie up with HDFC bank to bring its credit card to its Indian customers.
About the Apple Card is in its primitive stage and there has been no concrete decision taken till now. Other than holding discussions with the HDFC Bank CEO, Apple Inc executives have also held discussions with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) related to the legalities of the card, found Monecontrol.

The Indian cabinet has given its approval to US chipmaker Micron Technology’s plan to invest $2.7 billion to set up a semiconductor testing and packaging unit in Gujarat. The cabinet approval comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States.
The government will provide production-linked incentives worth Rs 11,000 crore ($1.34 billion) for the semiconductor plant. The report said Micron Technology’s plans come as the White House presses US chip companies to invest in India with talks ongoing about possible further investments.
The Biden administration wants the US companies to decrease the risks of doing business in China while better integrating the United States economy with that of India, the report added citing US officials.

Ratings agency Fitch has revised its GDP forecast for India, predicting a growth rate of 6.3% for the financial year 2023-24 (FY24). This upward revision from the previous projection of 6% comes as a result of the country’s near-term momentum and a robust performance in the first quarter.
Fitch highlights the broad-based strength of India’s economy, citing various positive indicators such as a 6.1% year-on-year GDP growth in the first quarter, resilient auto sales, PMI surveys, and credit growth in recent months.

China and Pakistan have signed a significant agreement worth USD 4.8 billion to establish a 1,200-megawatt nuclear power plant. This deal reflects the deepening strategic cooperation between the two nations and comes as a welcome development for Pakistan.
Pakistan is determined to enhance its energy sector and overcome its economic difficulties by assuring the prompt initiation of the nuclear power plant project.