APPOINTMENTS

Atul Kumar Chaudhary has been appointed as the Secretary of TRAI.

• Atul Kumar Chaudhary has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), succeeding V. Raghunandan.

• Prior to this role, Atul Kumar Chaudhary served as Deputy Director General (DDG) at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

• The position of Secretary at TRAI became vacant following V. Raghunandan’s retirement on May 31.

• Chaudhary has extensive experience in various roles within BSNL and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), including Personnel, HR, Administration, Licensing, and the Vigilance wing.

• In his new role, Chaudhary will oversee the development of guidelines and policies in collaboration with stakeholders to ensure quality of services.

• Separately, Manoj Jain has taken over as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a position effective from June 20.

INDEX AND RANKINGS

India secured 63rd position in the Energy Transition Index.

• India secured 63rd position on the Global Energy Transition Index, released by the World Economic Forum.

• Sweden topped the Index, followed by Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, and France in the top five positions.

• Out of 120 countries, 107 demonstrated progress in their energy transition journeys over the past decade.

• Over the last decade, populous countries like India and China showed an 8% improvement in the Energy Transition Index.

• India is driving the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and the production of green hydrogen with an annual investment of around $10 billion.

• The World Economic Forum highlighted India's focus on using energy for income generation and supporting microenterprises through the productive use of renewable energy sources.

• India’s efforts in clean energy infrastructure were lauded, with renewable energy and biomass contributing 42% of its power generation capacity.

• The report noted that the momentum of the global energy transition towards a more equitable, secure, and sustainable energy system has slowed due to increasing worldwide uncertainty.

NATIONAL NEWS

India launched the first National Additive Manufacturing Symposium

• India launched the first National Additive Manufacturing Symposium (NAMS) 2024, inaugurated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

• The event saw the release of the Additive Manufacturing Scenario Report and the unveiling of an indigenously developed Additive Manufacturing Machine.

• This symposium marks a significant step towards embracing advanced manufacturing technologies in India.

• NAMS 2024 aims to provide an overview of the additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem in the country.

• The symposium builds on the National Strategy for Additive Manufacturing (NSAM), released in 2022, which seeks to harness the full potential of AM technology to promote industrial development, innovation, and inclusive growth.

• Currently, there are seven centres dedicated to AM technologies operational in India.

• The event saw participation from industry associations such as ELCINA and ICEA, various government ministries, and state representatives, showcasing the involvement of diverse stakeholders.

AWARDS

Global Central Banking Award 2024

• The Global Central Banking Award 2024 for Technology Services was given to IRIS Business Services in London.

• IRIS Business Services Limited is recognized as a leading Global RegTech company.

• The award was presented by 'Central Banking,' a well-known industry publication based in London.

• Over the past two years, this magazine has honored Indian nationals or Indian entities with three awards.

• At the same event, the Reserve Bank of India was named "Risk Manager of the Year."

• In 2023, the Governor of the RBI, Shaktikanta Das, was honored with the 'Governor of the Year' award.

LAW AND AMENDMENTS

The law to curb irregularities in competitive examinations has come into effect.

• A new law to address irregularities in competitive examinations has come into force.

• The law stipulates a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to 1 crore rupees for offenders.

• The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, was passed by the Lok Sabha on February 6 and the Rajya Sabha on February 9.

• President Droupadi Murmu approved the bill on February 12, making it a law.

• This Act aims to prevent cheating in public examinations conducted by UPSC, SSC, National Testing Agency (NTA), Railway Recruitment Board, and banking recruitment bodies, among others.

• The Act mandates a minimum imprisonment of three to five years for cheating offenses.

• For organized cheating crimes, the Act prescribes five to 10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of 1 crore rupees.

• The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued a notification that the Act is effective from June 21, 2024.

• The Act also includes penalties for service providers involved in conducting public examinations, with fines up to ₹1 crore and recovery of examination costs.

• Additionally, service providers found guilty will be banned from conducting any public examinations for four years.