Current affairs 22 March 2023

Water stress to hit India’s food production by 2050.

• According to the report, published GCEW, revealed that India will face a reduction of over 16% in food supply due to water and heat stress in 2050.
• However, the report placed China at the top, where food supply would be reduced by 22.4%, followed by South America by 19.4%.
• The water supply availability in India is between 1100-1197 billion cubic meters (bcm).
• In contrast, the demand is expected to grow from 550-710 bcm in 2010 to 900-1,400 bcm in 2050.

World Happiness Report 2023 released, Finland continues to rank No.1 for the sixth time in a row.

• According to the World Happiness Report 2023, published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, India ranked 125 based on the various parameters of happiness.
• India’s neighboring countries such as Nepal, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have a higher ranking than India.
• Finland tops the ranking for the sixth consecutive year with a score of 7.8 followed by Denmark and Iceland.
• Out of the 137 countries, Afghanistan has ranked last.

Nepalese batsman Aasif Sheikh won 2022 CMJ Spirit of Cricket Award.

• Nepalese batsman Aasif Sheikh was declared the winner of the 2022 Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket Award.
• Reason: For his sporting conduct shown in a Men’s T20I between Nepal and Ireland in Feb 2022.
• The Award is presented every year by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), UK in conjunction with the BBC.
• This award was created in 2013 by MCC and the BBC in memory of former MCC President and BBC Test Match Special commentator Christopher Martin-Jenkins (CMJ).

Women employees constitute over 25% in nationalized banks in the country.

• Women employees constitute over 25% of the total workforce on average in the nationalized banks in the country.
• The largest Public Sector Bank-- the State Bank of India (SBI), has 26.7% women employees in their total staff strength.
• While Indian Overseas Bank has a maximum of 36% women staff and the Punjab National Bank has the least 24% women staff strength.
• This data was provided by the Ministry of Finance in the Lok Sabha.

Cotton Corporation of India appoints Lalit Kumar Gupta as CMD.

• The government has approved the appointment of Lalit Kumar Gupta as CMD of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post for a period of five years.
• He was recommended for the post of CMD of CCI by the PESB panel.
• Presently, he is serving as Director (Finance) in the same organization.
• He joined CCI in August 1994 and has a very long association with Cotton Corporation of about 25 years.