23rd March CA

23rd MARCH
IMPORTANT CA:
1. United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) adopted landmark resolution on Artificial

Intelligence (AI)
2. UN World Water Development Report 2024 focused on ‘Water for Prosperity and Peace’
was released
3. Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded Financing Agrochemical Reduction and
Management (FARM) Programme launched
4. Supreme Court Relooks Earlier Directions, considers lifting ban on transmission lines
through Great Indian Bustard (GIB) habitats
5. Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) launched Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS),
2024
6. State Visit of Prime Minister of India to Bhutan
7. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Startup Forum
8. Earth Hour
9. Conference of Parties (COP) Presidencies’ Troika
United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) adopted landmark resolution on Artificial Intelligence
(AI):
• Key highlights of resolution:

• Encourages Member States from all regions and countries within their respective roles
including private sector, civil society, etc. to develop and support regulatory approaches
related to safe AI system.
• Recognizes data is fundamental to development and operation of AI systems.
• Human rights and fundamental freedoms must be respected, protected and promoted
throughout life cycle of AI systems. Encourages continued efforts by international community
to promote inclusive research, mapping and analysis that benefit all parties on potential
applications that AI systems can have in development of existing and new and emerging
technologies.
• Promoting AI systems that advance, protect and preserve linguistic and cultural diversity.
UN World Water Development Report 2024 focused on ‘Water for Prosperity and Peace’ was
released:
• Key highlights of report:

• Agriculture accounts for 70% of freshwater withdrawals.
• Lake Chad has decreased in size by 90% over 60 years.
• While cooperation over shared surface water appears to be gaining momentum,
groundwater resources remain grossly neglected.
• Attaining SDG 6 (water for all by 2030) is challenging.
• 50% of the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity for at least part of the year.
• Northwest India and North China are among world’s top three hotspots of water-related
risks to food production.
• Prevalence of Water–Prosperity Paradox .
• Developed water resource infrastructure can promote growth and prosperity, however, only
richest countries can afford them.
Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management

(FARM) Programme launched:
• Key highlights of FARM:

• About: FARM, a one of the first such concerted efforts on a global scale, is a $379 million
initiative that will realign financial incentives to:
• Prevent the use of harmful inputs in food production.
• Encourage the adoption of low and non-chemical alternatives.
• It will support: Government regulation to phase out persistent organic pollutants (POPs) -
containing agrochemicals and agri-plastics and adopt better management standards.
• Strengthening banking, insurance and investment criteria to improve the availability of
effective pest control, production alternatives and trade in sustainable produce.
• Members: India, Ecuador, Kenya, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Uruguay and Vietnam.
• Implementing Agencies: Led by UNEP and implemented by the ADB, UNDP, and UNIDO
with execution carried out in-country by FAO.
• Tenure: 5 Years.
Supreme Court Relooks Earlier Directions, considers lifting ban on transmission lines through Great
Indian Bustard (GIB) habitats:
• SC constituted an expert committee to examine feasibility and extent of installing overhead

and underground powerlines in GIB habitats.
• In April, 2021, SC had ordered power companies in Rajasthan and Gujarat to make the
high-tension power lines underground so that GIB do not get caught in the web.
• Committee is headed by Director, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun and is required
to submit its report to Court on or before July 31, 2024.
• Rajasthan has the highest population and it is endemic to Indian Sub-continent.
• Important Sites: Desert National Park Sanctuary (Rajasthan), Naliya (Gujarat), Warora
(Maharashtra) and Bellary (Karnataka).
Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) launched Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS), 2024:
• MHI has proposed to implement EMPS 2024 after end of tenure of Faster Adoption and
Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME-II) on 31st March 2024.
• Key highlights of EMPS, 2024:
• Nodal Ministry: MHI.
• Aim: Faster adoption of electric two wheeler (e-2W) and three wheeler (e-3W) to provide
impetus to green mobility and development of Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing
ecosystem in country.
• Tenure: 4 months (1st April 2024 till 31st July 2024).
• Components of Scheme:
• Subsidies: Demand incentives for e-2W and e-3W.
• Administration of Scheme including IEC (Information, Education & Communication) activities
and fee for Project Management Agency.
• Eligibility: Vehicles which are registered as Motor Vehicle as per Central Motor Vehicle
Rules as well as Vehicles fitted with only advanced batteries.
State Visit of Prime Minister of India to Bhutan:
• Key highlights of visit:

• Prime Minister of India became the first foreign government leader to receive Bhutan’s
highest civilian award, ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’.
• India will provide Rs.10,000 crore as financial support to Bhutan over next five years to
bolster cooperation in areas like energy, space etc.
• Establishing two rail links including Kokrajhar-Gelephu and Banarhat-Samtse to improve
connectivity.
• Both sides look forward to commissioning of 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydropower
project in 2024.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Startup Forum:
• 4th edition of the SCO Startup Forum was organized in New Delhi.
• The initiative focused on broadening Startup interactions among the SCO Member States,
Fostering an environment conducive to innovation, Promoting job creation, and inspiring
young talent to develop innovative solutions.
Earth Hour:
• Earth Hour is set to be observed on March 23 from 8.30pm to 9.30pm (IST).

• Earth Hour Earth Hour was famously started as a lights-out event in Sydney, Australia in
2007.
• It is a global event observed annually on the last Saturday of March.
• It is organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
• It is symbolic to raise awareness about climate change and promote energy conservation.
• Beyond the hour, Earth Hour inspires people to take further action for a sustainable future.
Conference of Parties (COP) Presidencies’ Troika:
• COP Presidencies Troika announced to cut emissions in line with limiting global warming to
1.5 degrees Celsius.
• It is aligned with Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs) under Paris Agreement by
early 2025.
• UAE, Azerbaijan, and Brazil are the members of triokia who are the Presidencies of COP28,
COP29 and COP30 respectively.
• Troika will focus on Catalyzing the mobilization and provision of technical and financial
resources to further stimulate ambition in NDCs.

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23rd MARCH

1. United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) adopted landmark resolution on Artificial

• Key highlights of resolution:

• Key highlights of report:

Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management

• Key highlights of FARM:

• SC constituted an expert committee to examine feasibility and extent of installing overhead

State Visit of Prime Minister of India to Bhutan:

• Key highlights of visit:

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Startup Forum:

• Earth Hour is set to be observed on March 23 from 8.30pm to 9.30pm (IST).

Conference of Parties (COP) Presidencies’ Troika:

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