Daily Current Affairs 2 September 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

Read the most important current affairs of 2 September 2023. Today Current Affairs covers the headlines on Moody’s GDP Forecast, World Coconut Day 2023, Hindu Heritage Month, Singapore Presidential Election.

Top 16 Current Affairs and News Headlines of 2 September 2023

National News

1.ASI Launches “Adopt a Heritage 2.0 programme” Indian Heritage app and e-permission portal

• To ensure the preservation and enhancement of India’ rich cultural heritage and its invaluable cultural legacy, the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) is set to launch the “Adopt a Heritage 2.0” programme on September 4, 2023, at the Samvet Auditorium, IGNCA, New Delhi.
• The “Adopt a Heritage 2.0” programme is a revamped and dynamic initiative building on the foundation laid by its predecessor launched in 2017. This program is designed to facilitate corporate stakeholders’ active involvement in improving amenities at heritage sites by utilizing their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
• In conjunction with the “Adopt a Heritage 2.0” programme, a user-friendly mobile app named ‘Indian Heritage’ will be launched on the same day. This innovative app will serve as a digital showcase of India’s rich heritage monuments. It will provide state-wise details of monuments, accompanied by photographs, a list of available public amenities, geo-tagged locations, and a feedback mechanism for citizens.

2.Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Inaugurates Utkela Airport In Odisha

• Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, accompanied by Gen Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd), Minister of State for Civil Aviation, inaugurated Utkela Airport in Odisha on August 31, 2023. This development comes as part of the ambitious UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity across India.
• The key highlight of this inauguration is the introduction of a direct flight route between Utkela and Bhubaneshwar. This air link promises to strengthen regional connectivity and stimulate economic growth within the region.
• Travel between Utkela and Bhubaneshwar will now be remarkably efficient, with the flight covering the distance in just one hour and twenty minutes. Minister Scindia emphasized that this improved connectivity would catalyze economic activities and create employment prospects in the area.

International News

3.Georgia Declares October as ‘Hindu Heritage Month’

• In a significant move, Governor Brian Kemp of the U.S. state of Georgia has officially declared that the month of October will be celebrated as ‘Hindu Heritage Month’ within the state.
• This proclamation aligns Georgia with several other states across the United States that have taken similar steps to honor and commemorate Hindu heritage, culture, values, and traditions.
• Georgia joins a growing list of states that have recognized the importance of Hindu heritage and culture. These states include Texas, Ohio, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Minnesota, Virginia, and others. The declaration of ‘Hindu Heritage Month’ serves as a way to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions and significance of Hinduism in American society.

4.Tharman Shanmugaratnam Wins Singapore Presidential Election

• In a significant political development, Indian-origin economist Tharman Shanmugaratnam has emerged victorious in Singapore’s presidential election. This victory is especially noteworthy as it comes after a gap of ten years, marking the country’s first contested presidential polls since 2011.
• Tharman Shanmugaratnam secured a substantial majority in the presidential elections, receiving a resounding 70.4 percent of the votes. His victory was achieved against two other contenders of Chinese origin, Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian, who garnered 15.7 percent and 13.88 percent of the votes, respectively.

5.Indo-US Task Force Aims to Boost Electronics Trade to $100 Billion by 2033

• In a remarkable endeavor to strengthen trade relations between India and the United States within the electronics sector, the Indian Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) has established a dedicated task force to elevate the current Indo-US electronics trade, currently at $8 billion, to an ambitious $100 billion within the next decade.
• ICEA Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo emphasized that achieving this monumental goal would significantly bolster India’s aspirations to become a global hub for innovation and manufacturing in the electronics sector.
• The Indo-US partnership encompasses policy and regulatory adaptations aimed at encouraging greater technology sharing, co-development, and co-production opportunities between the two countries’ industries.

Business News

6.Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Gets Navratna Status

• The Department of Public Enterprise (DPE) conferred ‘Navratna Status‘ upon Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF). Navratnas constitute a group of public sector firms endowed with the financial independence to invest up to Rs 1000 crore without necessitating approval from the central government. Prior to this, the company had attained ‘Miniratna Status‘ from the Department of Public Enterprise.
• Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. (RCF) is an Indian government-owned enterprise headquartered in Mumbai, primarily engaged in the production of chemicals and fertilizers. It operates under the ownership of the Government of India and falls under the administrative purview of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Chairman & MD of Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) is S. C. Mudgerikar.

7.CCI Clears Air India-Vistara Merger

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has recently given the green light to the merger of Tata SIA Airlines, which operates under the Vistara brand, with Air India, a subsidiary of Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd.
• This landmark merger also involves Singapore Airlines (SIA) and entails the acquisition of shares in the merged entity, Air India, subject to certain voluntary commitments. TSAL (Tata SIA Airlines Limited) is a joint venture between the Tata Group and the Singapore Airlines with the former holding 51% and the latter 49%.

Economy News

8.Moody’s Upgrades India’s 2023 GDP Growth Forecast to 6.7%

• Global rating agency Moody’s Investor Service has revised its economic growth projection for India, providing a positive outlook for the year 2023. The agency has increased its forecast for India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to 6.7 percent, up from the previous estimate of 5.5 percent.
• This adjustment is attributed to the notable performance in the second quarter, driven by robust expansion in services and capital expenditures, resulting in a 7.8 percent real GDP growth compared to the previous year.

9.India’s August GST Collection Surges to ₹1.59 Trillion

• In August, India witnessed a notable surge in Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection, amounting to ₹1.59 trillion, signifying an 11% increase compared to the same period last year. This impressive growth can be attributed to enhanced compliance and anti-evasion measures put in place.
• The moderation in collection is primarily attributed to subdued growth in integrated GST (IGST) and the cess on imports, which increased by only 3% in August. Importantly, both imports and IGST collections have experienced fluctuations in recent months.
• Several major states reported robust growth rates in GST collection. Maharashtra recorded a remarkable 23% increase at ₹23,282 crore, Karnataka’s collection surged by 16% to ₹11,116 crore, and Gujarat’s collection increased by 12% to ₹9,765 crore, as per official data.

Ranks & Reports News

10.All-India House Price Index Surges 5.1% in Q1FY24: RBI’s Latest Data

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has unveiled its latest data, revealing a significant upswing in the All-India House Price Index (HPI). In the April-June quarter of the fiscal year 2023-24, the HPI recorded a robust growth rate of 5.1%. This marks a noteworthy increase compared to the 3.4% growth observed during the same period in the previous year.
• The RBI’s quarterly HPI report draws upon transaction-level data sourced from registration authorities in ten major cities across India. These cities include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Mumbai. Among the cities, Delhi stands out with an impressive annual HPI growth rate of 14.9%. This substantial increase underscores the city’s robust real estate market.

Appointments News

11.Manish Desai Takes Charge of Press Information Bureau (PIB)

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has made significant appointments, including the transfer of Manish Desai, the Central Bureau of Communications (CBC) chief, to lead the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
• Manish Desai, a distinguished officer of the Indian Information Service (IIS) since 1989, has taken on several critical roles in his career. He held the position of CBC chief, overseeing the government’s advertising and public communication arm. His responsibilities encompassed a broad spectrum of communication activities across various media platforms, including print, electronic, outdoor, transit, and new media.

12.R Madhavan Nominated as President of FTII Pune

• Renowned actor R Madhavan has been nominated as the new President of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.
• Additionally, he will serve as the Chairman of the governing council of FTII. Madhavan’s nomination follows the recent success of his film, ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect,’ which earned national recognition. The film secured the prestigious Best Feature Film award during the 69th National Film Awards.

Awards News

13.Shanta Thoutam honoured with World Innovation Award at BRICS Innovation Forum

• Telangana’s Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) Shanta Thoutam has been presented with the World Innovation Award at the first BRICS Innovation Forum hosted at Moscow from August 27 to 29.
• The award is given for outstanding contribution to the Sustainable Development Goal-4 that ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong opportunities for all. There were representations from more than 30 countries at the forum.
• The other two nominees in the category were Fernando Padula Novaes, Municipal Minister of Education of Sao Paulo in Brazil and Saif Al-Hiddabi, Undersecretary of Research and Innovation at Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation in Oman.

14.RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das Rated ‘A+’ In Global Finance Central Banker Report 2023

• In a recent announcement that has garnered international attention, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das has been awarded an ‘A+’ rating in the prestigious Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023. This commendation places him at the pinnacle of central bank governors worldwide. The announcement was made by the RBI through its official communication channel on social media platform ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter).
• This recognition has placed Shaktikanta Das at the top of the list of three central bank governors who have been rated ‘A’. Joining Shaktikanta Das in the elite category of central bank governors who earned an ‘A+’ grade in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023 are Thomas J. Jordan from Switzerland and Nguyen Thi Hong from Vietnam. This recognition solidifies Governor Das’s standing as one of the most influential and effective central bank leaders in the world.

Important Days News

15.World Coconut Day 2023

• Every year, World Coconut Day is celebrated on September 2. The day is celebrated to understand the benefits of this fruit and promote awareness. In India, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh are the main states that grow coconuts.
• World Coconut Day is celebrated by the farmers and the stakeholders in the coconut growing business. World Coconut Day is an important opportunity to celebrate the many benefits of coconuts and to promote sustainable coconut farming practices.
• In 2009, Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) started the initiative of celebrating World Coconut Day on September 2 every year.

Science and Technology News

16.ISRO Aditya L1 Mission Launched

• ISRO Aditya L1 mission was launched successfully on September 2, 2023 at 11:50 AM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. The mission is India’s first dedicated solar mission and will study the Sun’s atmosphere, including the chromosphere and corona. It will also study the solar wind and its interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere.
• The Aditya L1 spacecraft is a 1.5-ton satellite that is equipped with seven payloads. The payloads will study the Sun’s atmosphere using a variety of methods, including remote sensing and in-situ measurements. The spacecraft will be placed in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), which is located about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.
• The Aditya L1 mission is expected to last for five years. During this time, it will collect valuable data about the Sun that will help scientists to better understand its behavior and its impact on Earth.

Important Current Affairs of 2 September 2023

Get all the International, National, Sports, Economy, latest schemes and appointments and current affairs updates with Adda247 Headlines of the day. Adda247 headlines of the day brings you the best accumulation of the daily updates. Stay updated with us!

Check More GK Updates Here