Current affairs 23 May 2024

NTPC secured 3rd rank at ATD BEST Awards 2024.

• NTPC secured 3rd rank globally at ATD BEST Awards 2024, marking the highest placement for any Indian company.
• The ATD BEST Awards, established by the Association for Talent Development (ATD), USA, is one of the most esteemed international recognitions in the field of Learning and Development.
• NTPC CMD: Gurdeep Singh.
• PSU status: Maharatna.
• Jurisdiction: Ministry of Power, GoI.

European Union gives final nod to the first worldwide rules on AI.

• The EU member states have given their final approval to the bloc's artificial intelligence (AI) act.
• The AI Act has adopted a risk-based approach, subjecting higher-risk AI applications to stricter regulation.
• The Act bans AI systems involved in cognitive behavioral manipulation and social scoring within the EU.
• EU Founders: Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg.

India stock market hits $5 trillion milestone for the first time.

• India’s stock market reached a (Rs 414.75 lakh crore) $5 trillion milestone, becoming the 5th largest in the world.
• India hit $1 trillion for the first time on 28th May 2007.
• $2 trillion - 16th May 2017.
• $3 trillion - 24th May 2021.
• $4 trillion - 29 November 2023.
• India is expected to become the third-largest economy by 2027, and the market cap is seen as hitting $10 trillion by 2030.

Bank of Maharashtra tops among PSU banks in FY24.

• Bank of Maharashtra recorded the highest growth among PSU banks with a 15.94% increase in total business and a 15.66% rise in deposits in FY24, surpassing top banks like SBI.
• It also topped in low-cost CASA deposits with a 52.73% growth, crucial for reducing fund costs, and reported the lowest gross NPAs at 1.88%.
• BoM led in capital adequacy ratio at 17.38%, indicating strong financial health.

Metabolic health worsens, sugar increased by 50% between 2000-21.

• Metabolic issues related to blood pressure, sugar, and BMI have escalated, impacting health and increasing disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by 50% from 2000 to 2021.
• The research, published in The Lancet, links these health declines to an aging population and lifestyle changes globally.
• Young adults (15-49 years) are particularly at risk, facing heightened vulnerabilities.