Current Affairs (28th June, 2023)

Current Affairs

The United Nations General Assembly on 6 April 2017 designated 27 June as “Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises Day" to raise awareness of the tremendous contributions of MSMEs to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In India, the theme for MSME Day 2023 is "Future-ready MSMEs for India@100," highlighting the importance of preparing Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) for the future as India progresses towards its centenary milestone.
The Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade is observing the day with the theme "Building a Stronger Future Together," emphasizing the collaborative efforts required to forge a more robust and prosperous future, particularly for MSMEs.
On World MSME Day, Ministry of MSME is celebrating ‘Udyami Bharat-MSME Day’ on 27^th June 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Rajat Verma has been named as the managing director and head of institutional banking in India for the Development Bank of Singapore Limited (DBS) Bank India.
Niraj Mittal, the previous head of institutional banking, has transitioned to a new position as the country head of DBS Bank in Australia.

DBS Bank

DBS Bank Limited, a multinational banking and financial services corporation, is based in Singapore at the Marina Bay Financial Centre in the Marina Bay district.
On 21 July 2003, the bank adopted its current abbreviated name to better represent its global banking operations.
DBS is recognized as one of the prominent "Big Three" banks in Singapore, alongside OCBC Bank and the United Overseas Bank (UOB).

In the ongoing fiscal year, the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has given its approval for capital investment proposals amounting to Rs. 56,415 crores to 16 states.
This substantial allocation comes under the 'Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2023-24' scheme, which aims to facilitate timely acceleration of capital expenditure by the states.
The sanctioned funds will be utilized for various projects in sectors such as healthcare, education, irrigation, water supply, power, transportation infrastructure including roads, bridges, and railways.

About the Scheme

The Union Budget 2023-24 introduced the 'Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2023-24' scheme, which aims to bolster capital expenditure by offering special assistance to State Governments.
This scheme entails granting States a 50-year interest-free loan and has a total budget of Rs. 1.3 lakh crore for the financial year 2023-24.
It comprises eight parts, with Part-I receiving the highest allocation of Rs. 1 lakh crore.
The distribution of funds among the States is determined based on their respective share of central taxes and duties, as per the recommendations of the 15^th Finance Commission.

Parshottam Rupala, the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, inaugurated NANDI (NOC Approvals for New Drugs & Inoculation System).
The NANDI portal has been created with the objective of establishing a robust Animal Health Sector in India by digitizing and simplifying the regulatory approval process.
Its primary purpose is to expedite the assessment and evaluation of veterinary product proposals received by the Department, ensuring the thorough examination of their safety, efficacy, and necessity.

On the outskirts of Hyderabad, specifically in Enikepalli village within Rangareddy district's Moinabad mandal, two square pillars adorned with sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras and inscriptions were discovered in a state of neglect.
Archaeologist E. Sivanagireddy, who serves as the CEO of Pleach India Foundation, conducted an inspection based on the information provided by P. Srinath Reddy.
Two pillars, one was made of granite, while the other was composed of black basalt.
These pillars showcased intricately carved sculptures depicting four revered Jaina Tirthankaras: Adinatha, Neminatha, Parsvanatha, and Vardhamana Mahavira, all depicted in a meditative pose.
The pillars were adorned with Keerthimukhas on the upper side and featured inscriptions in the Telugu-Kannada script on both sides.
A section of the inscription revealed the connection to a prominent Jaina center known as Janina Basadi, which thrived during the Rashtrakuta and Vemulawada Chalukyan periods near Chilukuru.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the leader of Greece's center-right New Democracy party, has been sworn as the country's prime minister for a second term.
Mitsotakis has set forth his objectives to restore Greece's credit rating, generate employment opportunities, increase wages, and enhance state revenues.
New Democracy secured an impressive 158 seats in the 300-seat parliament, surpassing the leftist Syriza party, which held power in Greece from 2015 to 2019.