Daily Current Affairs- 27 May 2024

Daily Current Affairs- 27th May 2024

NATIONAL

Uttar Pradesh tops in addition of Transmission line in 2023-24

• According to the recently released statistics of the Central Electricity Authority, Uttar Pradesh emerged as the number one state in terms of the addition of transmission lines by state transmission companies in 2023-24. In 2022-23 also, Uttar Pradesh topped the list amongst the state utilities.
• In 2023-24, the state government-owned power companies added 6,993 km of transmission lines, which was around 64 per cent of the target. The target for all private and state government companies was 11,002 km of transmission lines, The UPPTCL was the major contributor among the state-run power utility companies, accounting for just over 20 per cent of the total addition by the state sector. 

64 Great Indian Bustard counted in National Desert Park, Jaisalmer

• 64 Great Indian Bustard was spotted during the annual waterhole survey conducted in the National Desert Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. In the last 2022 census, 42 birds were counted using the waterhole technique. No census was conducted in 2023 due to rains caused by the western disturbances.
• The Great Indian Bustard bird, also known as Godawan, is the state bird of Rajasthan. The Great Indian Bustard is a critically endangered species which mainly lives in dry grasslands, It is a terrestrial bird with a black crown on the forehead contrasting with the pale neck and head. These have a brownish body, and the wings are marked with black, brown, and grey. 

SPORTS

KKR Cruise Their 3rd IPL Title beat Sunrises by eight wickets, and more

• Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) bowlers blew the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) away for a record low score of 113 after which Venkatesh Iyer’s unbeaten 52 off 26 balls helped them win their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium Chennai.
• Orange Cap - In the 17th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Virat Kohli won the orange cap with 741 runs in 15 matches. Out of the top five highest run-getters in IPL 2024, Travis Head was the only batter who could overcome Virat Kohli's runs.
• Purple Cap - Punjab Kings' Harshal Patel led the bowler's chart of wicket-takers with 24 scalps in 14 matches. He now has the purple cap. Harshal is followed by Mumbai Indians Jasprit Bumrah, Chakaravarthy and T Natarajan. 

Dipa Karmakar Clinches India’s First-Ever Gold Medal in Women’s Vault at Asian Championships

• Dipa Karmakar scripted history by clinching India’s first-ever gold medal at the Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The 30-year-old Olympian registered an average score of 13.566 in the women’s Vault final, this is the first time that an Indian gymnast has won a gold medal in any event at the Asian Championships. 

SCIENCE &TEHNOLOGY

NASA Launches Small Climate Satellite to Study Earth’s Poles

• NASA successfully launched the first of a pair of small climate satellites on from the Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The mission, dubbed PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment), aims to study heat emissions at the Earth’s poles, shedding light on the intricate interplay between these regions and global climate change.
• The PREFIRE mission consists of two shoebox-sized CubeSats, each equipped with a sophisticated thermal infrared spectrometer capable of measuring the far-infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s coldest and most remote regions. By collecting this crucial data, scientists hope to better predict the impact of climate change on sea ice loss, ice sheet melt, and sea-level rise. 

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

NTPC appoints Akhilesh Singh as new head of Bongaigaon unit

• Shri Akhilesh Singh has been appointed as Project Head of NTPC Bongaigaon, the 750 MW NTPC flagship power station of NTPC in Assam with effect from 27.05.2024. Prior to joining NTPC Bongaigaon, Shri Singh held the position of Head of Project of NTPC Lara, Chhattisgarh generating 1600 MW. Shri Singh has succeeded Shri K. C. Muraleedharan who has been relocated to NTPC Dadri as Head of Project. 

Appointments Committee of Cabinet approves one-month extension of Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande

• The Appointments Committee of Cabinet, on May 26, 2024, approved the extension in service of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj C Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC for a period of one month, beyond his normal age of superannuation (May 31, 2024), i.e. up to June 30, 2024, under Rule 16 A (4) of the Army Rules 1954.
• He was appointed as the COAS on April 30, 2022. He was commissioned in December 1982 in the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers). He held the appointment of Vice Chief of the Army Staff before taking over as the COAS. 

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

E -Rickshaw driver Arti of UP conferred UK’s Women's Empowerment Award

• An 18-year-old woman E-rickshaw driver from the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, Arti, has been conferred with the Amal Clooney Women's Empowerment Award by the King of the United Kingdom, Charles III. The award ceremony was held at Buckingham Palace, London, England. Arti arrived at Buckingham Palace in a Pink E-rickshaw, which she received under the Mission Shakti scheme of the Uttar Pradesh government.
• The Amal Clooney Women's Empowerment Award is named after the famous English Barrister Amal Clooney. The award is sponsored by a British charity, Prince Trust International. The Prince Trust International was set up by King Charles when he was Prince of Wales. 

BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI Imposes Rs 3.1 Lakh Penalty on Hero FinCorp for Regulatory Non-Compliance

• The RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 3.1 lakh on Hero FinCorp Limited for not complying with certain provisions of the fair practices code. The Reserve Bank clarified that the penalty is due to regulatory compliance issues and it does not affect any validity of transaction or agreement Hero FinCorp Limited has with its customers.
• The RBI conducted a statutory inspection of Hero FinCorp Limited based on its financial position as of March 31, 2023. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the company advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the directions. 

Google is all set to invest $350 mn in Flipkart as part of $1 billion funding round

• Tech major Google is investing nearly $350 million in Walmart-owned e-commerce firm Flipkart for a minority share, according to sources. The investment is part of the $1 billion funding round started by Flipkart in 2023.
• The capital will be used to enhance infrastructure, seller support ecosystem, and incorporate advanced technologies like AI and generative AI, Google will also provide its Cloud services to modernize Flipkart’s digital infrastructure, this will bolster Flipkart’s position against competitors such as Amazon, Reliance JioMart, and Tata Digital.