Current Affairs 21 February 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Aero India 2023 (14th Edition) Held in Bengaluru, Karnataka  – Feb 13- 17, 2023The 14th edition of Asia’s biggest aero show, “Aero India 2023,” a biennial event highlighting India’s indigenous defence capabilities, was launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, who also released a commemorative stamp on the occasion.

• The five-day event took place at Air Force Station Yehlanka in Bengaluru, Karnataka, from February 13 – 17, 2023.
• The theme of the event was “The runway to a billion opportunities.”

The event was organized by the Department of Defence Production of the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Bengaluru.
Aero India 2023 (14th Edition)
The major exhibitors of Aero India 2023 include Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Israel Aerospace Industry, BrahMos Aerospace, Army Aviation, HC Robotics, SAAB, Safran, Rolls Royce, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge Limited, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and BEML Limited.

• Aim: To encourage the export of indigenous aircraft such as the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas, HTT-40, Dornier Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).

Rajnath Singh launches 9th Defence India Start-up Challenge on ‘Cybersecurity’
Union Minister Rajnath Singh, MoD, launched the 9th edition of the Defence India Startup Challenges (DISC 9) on “Cybersecurity” at the “Startup Manthan” at Aero India 2023.
>> Read Full News

12 Cheetahs from South Africa released into enclosures at Kuno National ParkOn February 18, 2023, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Minister (CM) Shivraj Singh Chouhan released 12 cheetahs into the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur, MP. The cheetahs include 7 males and 5 females from South Africa (SA).
While 8 cheetahs were put up in separate quarantine enclosures, 4 others were kept in two bomas in pairs.

• Now, the total number of Cheetahs in KNP has increased to 20.
• KNP is situated on the northern side of the Vidhyachal mountains and is spread across more than 700 square km.

The Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is the world’s fastest mammal. The average life span of a South African cheetah was 8-10 years.
Key Points:
i.This is a continuation of ‘Project Cheetah’ under which eight cheetahs from Namibia were reintroduced in KNP on September 17 2022.

• The cheetahs from Namibia, 5 females and 3 males, are currently in hunting enclosures at the park before their full release into the wild.

ii.The eldest of the 12 cheetahs to be housed in the KNP is an eight-years-and-three-month-old male, while the youngest is a female which has completed two years and four months,
iii.The CM was accompanied by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC); Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW); and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).
Background:
The Indian and South African governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 26, 2023 to translocate more than 100 cheetahs to India over the next decade. The terms of the MoU will be reviewed every five years to ensure it remains relevant.

• The last cheetah in India was killed in Koria district of present-day Chhattisgarh in 1947, and the species was declared extinct in 1952.

This multi-disciplinary international programme is being coordinated by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in collaboration with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), South African National Parks (SANParks), The Cheetah Metapopulation Initiative, the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in South Africa together with the MoEF&CC, the High Commission of India, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)  and Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.

GHAVP: North India’s 1st Nuclear Plant to be set up in HaryanaUnion Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology and the Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra Singh mentioned about the upcoming installation of North India’s 1st Nuclear Plant ‘Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana’ (GHAVP) near Gorakhpur village in Fatehabad, Haryana.

• GHAVP’s two units of 700 MWe capacity each of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) indigenous design is under implementation.
• Out of the total allocated funds of Rs 20,594 Crore an amount of Rs 4,906 Crore has been spent so far. Thus as of the date, the financial progress is 23.8%.

Background:
i.Jitendra Singh has stated about approval given by the centre for the installation of 10 nuclear reactors.
ii.In June 2017 approval was granted for the construction of 10 indigenously developed Pressurised Heavy-Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 700 MegaWatts (MW) each with a total cost of Rs 1.05 Lakh crore.

• Kaiga Atomic Power Plant, Karnataka, Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Praiyonjan, Chutka Madhya Pradesh Atomic Power Project, Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Projects were planned for construction.

iii.To fulfil India’s all energy needs, the department of atomic energy has also been given permission to form joint ventures with Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) for resources to open up atomic energy plants.
In Progress: Main Plant buildings and structures like the fire water Pump House (FWPH), Safety Related Pump House (SRPH), Fuel Oil storage area-1&2 (FOSA-1&2), Ventilation stack, overhead tank (OHT), Switchyard Control Building, Safety related and Non-safety related Tunnel and Trenches, Retaining walls and Garland Drain are under construction.

Govt forms Panel led by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to Monitor Mission Karmayogi 

Central Government (Govt) has formed a 12-member Cabinet Secretariat Coordination Unit (CSCU) panel headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to monitor the implementation of the government’s National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) or Mission Karmayogi for training government employees.
Key Points:
i.Members of the CSCU include a nominee of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), secretary (Coordination), cabinet secretariat, DoPT (Department of Personnel and Training) secretary, home secretary, expenditure secretary, Environment, Forest & Climate Change secretary, Higher Education secretary and revenue secretary.
ii.Chief Executive Officer of Karmayogi Bharat and the secretary of the Capacity Building Commission will be the permanent invitees to the panel, the Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary (Training), and DoPT will be the Member Secretary.
iii.The CSCU will monitor the implementation of NPCSCB, oversees the formulation of the National Capacity Building Plan (NCBP) and place it for approval of the Prime Minister’s Human Resource Council (PMHRC), and periodically monitor the implementation of Annual Capacity Building Plans.
iv.The meeting of CSCU was planned to be convened quarterly or as and when deemed appropriate.
Initiatives under the iGOT Karmayogi Platform:
i.As per the latest update, a total of 3,13,367 learners have been onboarded with 5 million learning minutes on the iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training) Karmayogi platform.
ii.As many as 341 courses have been published by 1,532 ministries/departments and their organisations as of January 2023, on the iGOT Karmayogi digital learning platform.
iii.A ‘Karmayogi Talks Series’ was also launched by Karmayogi Bharat, as a forum for all learners on iGOT Karmayogi to engage and interact with renowned experts/professionals across the government, industry and private entities.

India & Nepal inks Pact to Rise 200 MW to Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur Transmission LineIndia and Nepal have signed an agreement to increase the power import and export capacity through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line by 200 MW, increasing it from 600 megawatts (MW) to 800 MW.

• The agreement between India and Nepal was signed on On 18th February 2023, during the 10th India Nepal Energy Secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.

10th India Nepal Energy Secretary-level JSC meeting:
i. The Meeting was co-chaired by Madhu Prasad Bhetwal, Joint Secretary Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal and Alok Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Electricity, India.
ii. During the 10th meeting of Nepal India Energy Secretary-level JSC, the power of existing, projected, and under-construction transmission lines, Arun Third hydroelectric power, was discussed along with related transmission line projects and international power export and import.
Features of the agreement:
i. The agreement was made to increase the capacity to import & export electricity through the 400 KV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line by 200 MW (600 MW-800 MW).
ii. It has also been agreed to set up the necessary mechanisms to use the existing 132 KV transmission line to export electricity from Nepal to Bihar throughout the rainy season.
iii. India and Nepal concurred that the 400 KV new Butwal-Gorakhpur transmission line, the second international transmission line, should be completed by March 2025.
iv. Also, it was decided to construct two more 400 KV international transmission lines between the two nations, namely the Inaruwa-Poornia transmission line by 2027/28 and the New Lamki-Bareli transmission line by 2028/29.
v. India has granted permission for Nepal to export 50 MW of power to Bangladesh through India under export-import guidelines if a specific proposal is submitted.

Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line:
In 2016, the 140 km Muzaffarpur-Dalkebar power transmission line was launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and his then-Nepalese counterpart KP Sharma Oli.

Additional Information:
i. An agreement to import and export 70 to 80 MW of electricity from Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 KV (kilovolt) power transmission was also signed between the two sides.
ii. It has also been agreed to set up the necessary mechanisms to export power from Nepal to Bihar during the rainy season through the existing 132 KV transmission line.

About Nepal:
President- Bidhya Devi Bhandari
Prime Minister- Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Capital- Kathmandu
Currency- Nepalese Rupee

World’s Highest Weather Station Rebuilt on Mount EverestThe World’s Highest Weather Station, which was installed by the National Geographic Society (NatGeo), has been rebuilt on Mount Everest after it was destroyed due to hurricane-force winds on Mt Everest.

• A team of scientists and Sherpa have again placed its new version atop Mt Everest.
• The group has been led by Tenzing Gyalzen Sherpa, a 31-year-old electrician and mountain guide.

Installation of the World’s Highest Weather Station:
i. According to the Guinness World Records report, the team of mountaineers and scientists of NatGeo installed a record-breaking weather station in 2022 at an altitude of 8,810 metres (28,904 ft); just 39 metres (128 ft) below Everest’s summit.

• It was installed to automatically measure various meteorological phenomena.

ii. The station will be fully operated by NatGeo till 2025 before transferring the technology to the Nepal Government in 2026.
Key Points:
i. As part of National Geographic and Rolex’s “Return to Everest Expedition” in May 2022, the crew began reinstalling the world’s highest meteorological station.
ii. Twelve additional Sherpas helped Tenzing, Matthews, and Perry rebuild the weather station on the highest mountain in the world.
iii. The old weather station, which was about 400 metres lower than the current one, was situated on Everest’s “Balcony”.

• It was notable for being the first terrestrial weather station to be positioned over 8,000 metres.

iv. The highest weather station needed to be rebuilt because the data it was gathering could impact the lives of 1.6 billion people who depend on the area’s freshwater supply.
v. The team began cleaning the damaged Balcony’s weather station in May 2022 and assembling its updated version together.

• On 9 May 2022, in the chilly winter at -40°C (-40°F), the team arrived at Bishop Rock carrying several weather station components.

NDDB Mrida Ltd. signs MoU with Sistema.bio & unveils “Gobar Se Samriddhi” programme

NDDB Mrida Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary company of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sistema.bio, India’s leading biogas company, and launched the “Gobar Se Samriddhi” programme in Anand, Gujarat.

• The agreement is signed to collaborate with smallholder dairy farmers and offers sustainable waste-to-energy solutions and creates opportunities for farmers to earn additional income.

Meenesh Shah, Chairman of the NDDB and NDDB Mrida Ltd. and Piyush Sohani, Managing Director (MD) of Sistema.bio India graced the occasion.

• As per the agreement, in the initial phase, 15,000 biogas plants will be installed by the bio company for the farmers in Surat, Kolhapur, and Pune.
• Currently, around 370 farmers have installed biogas plants in Jankharia, Anand, Gujarat.
• The plan is to reach out to more than 25,000 farmers with biogas plants in 2023, with a vision to serve 3,00,000 dairy farms in the coming 2-3 years.

Note: At present, 40,000 farmers use biodigesters developed by Sistema.bio to create value from waste.

Union Minister Parshottam Rupala launches Sagar Parikrama Phase-III from Hazira Port in Gujarat

Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, launched the Sagar Parikrama Phase-III from Hazira Port in Gujarat, and proceeds towards the coastal line of Maharashtra at Satpati, Vasai, Versova, and Parikrama will end at Sasson Dock, Mumbai.

• The main objectives of Sagar Parikrama are to promote responsible fisheries, save marine ecosystems, disseminate information about the various fisheries-related government schemes and programmes, and show solidarity with all fishermen and concerned stakeholders.
• The 3rd phase focuses on finding a sustainable balance between using marine fisheries resources to support coastal fishing communities’ livelihoods and India’s food security.
• It also aims to close gaps between fishing communities and safeguard maritime ecosystems.

BANKING & FINANCE

Bank of Maharashtra tops list of PSBs in Loan GrowthAs per an analysis of the latest financial results of Public Sector Banks (PSBs), Pune (Maharashtra) based Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) tops the list of PSBs in terms of loan growth percentage for the third quarter of FY23 (Q3 FY23).

• It shows a growth of 21.67% in gross advances year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q3FY23.
• BoM is followed by Union Bank with a growth rate of 19.80% in advances.

Highlights:
i.PSBs had a robust profit growth of 65% at Rs 29,175 crore during Q3FY23, with BoM emerging as the top performer in terms of percentage growth in profit. It recorded a 139% jump in profit at Rs 775 crore.

• BoM was followed by UCO Bank which posted a profit of Rs 653 crore, 110% higher than its earnings in Q3FY22.

ii.The State Bank of India (SBI) with a growth rate of 16.91% YoY in lending platforms held the 4th spot. However, in value terms, SBI’s total loan book is at Rs 26,47,205 crore, which is more than 17 times higher than BOM’s lending book of Rs 1,56,962 crore.
Key Points:
i.BoM has maintained the top slot in credit growth in percentage terms consistently for the past 10 quarters despite COVID-19 pressures.
ii.In terms of Retail-Agriculture-MSME (RAM) loans, BoM attained the highest growth of 19.18%, followed by Punjab & Sind Bank with a growth rate of 19.07%, and Bank of Baroda (BoB) with a growth of 18.85% on an annual basis.
iii.In terms of asset quality, BoM and SBI were in the lowest quartile w.r.t. non-performing assets (NPAs) and net NPAs.
iv.As of December 31, 2022, BoM and SBI’s gross NPA were at 2.94% and 3.14% respectively.

• Their net NPAs stood at 0.47% and 0.77%.

v.With regard to deposit growth, BoB topped the charts among PSBs with a growth rate of 14.50%, followed by Union Bank of India which recorded an upside of 13.48% year-on-year. BoM was in the third spot in terms of deposit growth.
vi.In terms of total business growth, Union Bank of India recorded the highest growth of 16.07% during Q3FY23. It was followed by BoM with a 15.77% rise and BoB with a 15.23%.
vii.With regard to Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR), BoM recorded 17.53%, the highest among PSBs, followed by Canara Bank at 16.72% and Indian Bank at 15.74% as on December 31, 2022.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

UAE-India Business Council launched the UAE chapter to Boost Bilateral Trade & InvestmentOn 18th February 2023, UAE-India Business Council-UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) was launched to boost Bilateral Trade and Investment between India and UAE, commemorating the 1st anniversary of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to strengthen economic ties and to make it easier to achieve the shared goal of enhancing bilateral trade and investment.

• UIBC-UC was launched by Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, in the presence of Sunjay Sudhir, the Ambassador of India to the UAE, Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai, and founding members of the UBIC-UC.
• The 2 countries aim to increase bilateral trade to USD 100 billion and attract USD 75 billion in investment from the UAE to India.

Leadership:
i. Chairman of UIBC-UC- Faizal Edavalath Kottikollon (Chairman of KEF Holdings)
ii. Co-Chairman of UIBC-UC- Rizwan Soomar (Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Managing Director (MD) (India Subcontinent) at DP World).
Major General (Retd.) Sharafuddin Sharaf, Chairman of the UIBC India Chapter, will also hold the position of Vice Chairman of UIBC-UC.
>> Read Full News

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS          

UNICEF India appoints Bollywood Actor Ayushmann Khurrana as National Ambassador

On 18th February 2023, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) India announced the appointment of Ayushmann Khurrana, a National Award-winning Bollywood Actor, as a National Ambassador.

• Ayushmann Khurrana joins hands with UNICEF to support ensuring the rights of every child to survive, thrive, and be protected as well as promoting their voice and agency in decisions that concern them.
• In 2020, he was appointed UNICEF India’s Celebrity Advocate to advocate for ending violence against children and the broader child rights agenda.
• He made active participation in international observance of Children, women, child labour and more.

Note: Global, Regional and National Ambassadors are among the most recognizable faces of UNICEF. 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 successfully undergoes EMI/EMC TestAs per the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), between January 31 and February 2, 2023, the ‘Chandrayaan-3’ lander successfully underwent the Electro-Magnetic Interference/Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMI/EMC) test at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

• Under the EMI/EMC test, Launcher compatibility, Antenna Polarization, Standalone auto compatibility tests for orbital and powered descent mission phases, and Lander & Rover compatibility tests for the post landing mission phase were ensured. The performance of the systems was satisfactory.

What is EMI/EMC test?
It is conducted for satellite missions to ensure the functionality of the satellite subsystems in the space environment and their compatibility with the expected electromagnetic levels.
About Chandrayaan-3:
i.Chandrayaan-3 interplanetary mission has the following three major modules:

• Propulsion module
• Lander module and Rover
• Mission’s complexity calls for establishing radio-frequency (RF) communication links between the modules.

ii.It is India’s 3rd moon mission and a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
iii.It will be launched by GSLV MkIII from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, tentatively in June 2023.
iv.The propulsion module has a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
v.The Lander payloads has Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature.
vi.The Rover payloads have an Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023: India’s 1st hybrid Sounding Rocket made by Students Launched On February 19, 2023,  India’s 1st hybrid sounding rocket made by school students from various states as part of ‘Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023’ was launched from Pattipulam Village in Chengalpattu, Tamilnadu in the presence of Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.
Key Points:
i.The project “Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023” was formed by Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation- House of Kalam, Rameswaram in association with the Space Zone India, Chennai and Martin Charitable Trust.
ii.Around 5000 students from colleges and schools (from Grades VI to XII) across the country were involved in the project. The team included 200 from the fishermen community in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, 100 students from tribal communities across India, and 60 from Tamil Nadu.
iii.Top 100 students were selected under the project which enabled them for designing and developing 150 PICO Satellites research experiment cubes that contained different payloads

• Those 150 PICO satellites were launched through the sounding Rocket from Pattipulam village.
• The rocket can be used for research in weather, atmospheric conditions and radiation.
• Selected students also learnt more about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

100 Femto satellites:
The current project is the continuation of “Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Space Research Payload Cubes Challenge 2021” a project which involved 1347 students from schools who were given training through virtual classes and also hands-on training for designing and developing 100 Femto satellites.

• Those 100 Femto satellites were launched through a single high-altitude scientific balloon from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu on 7th February 2021.

Note – Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation (AKIF) was launched on 11th October 2015 to fulfil his dreams of transforming India.

Delhi Metro Launches first-ever Indigenously Developed Automatic Train Supervision SystemIndia’s first-ever Indigenous Automatic Train Supervision System (i-ATS) was launched in February 2023 for operations on the Delhi Metro’s 1st corridor Red Line (Rithala to Shaheed Sthal) from the Operations Control Centre (OCC) in Shastri Park by Manoj Joshi, Secretary of Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Chairman of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

• It has been developed by a joint team of DMRC and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), under the government of India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives for metro rail transit systems.

DMRC stated about the launch of India’s first virtual shopping app for the metro, ‘Momentum 2.0’, which will allow users to make a variety of purchases and schedule a variety of services.

• It includes features such as instant recharge of Delhi Metro’s smart cards and smart payment options for other utility services.
• The app includes features for e-shopping options with a variety of goods and the ‘brick & click’ store experience will enable shopping for groceries and other essential items at the metro stations.

About Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)
Headquarters – New Delhi
Establishment – 1995
Chairman – Manoj Joshi
Managing Director – Vikas Kumar
>> Read Full News

Rolls-Royce Marine North America signed MoU with KSSL for naval marine propulsorsRolls-Royce Marine North America Inc, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce North America Inc, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited(KSSL), a 100% subsidiary of Bharat Forge limited, to indigenously develop niche naval propulsion technologies and products for the Indian Navy.

• This partnership of Rolls Royce with KSSL will strengthen its defence ecosystem in India.

Note: Rolls-Royce North America Inc is a subsidiary of the multinational corporation Rolls-Royce plc.
Features of the MoU:
i.The MoU aims to enable the creation of a local supply chain ecosystem in India for controllable pitch propellers and shafting.
ii.Under this MoU, the KSSL will explore the options to become an in-country provider for propulsor sales within the Indian market.
iii.This also includes, design and development; licensed manufacturing; pre-sales and sales support; installation, commissioning, testing; and aftermarket services and support.

About Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited(KSSL):
Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd. (KSSL) was established as a defence subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited (BFL), the flagship company of the Kalyani Group.
Chairman– Rajinder Singh Bhatia
Headquarters– Pune, Maharashtra

SPORTS

Indian team won Bronze at Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship 2023 in DubaiThe 3rd edition of Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023/Tong Yun Kai Cup 2023 (official and sponsored title: Blue Ocean Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship Dubai 2023) was held from February 14-19, 2023 at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

• The championship was won by China with Gold medal by defeating South Korea with 3-1.
• With this, South Korea stood at 2nd position with Silver medal.
• The 3rd position or Bronze medal was shared by India and Thailand.

Key Points:
i.India created history by securing its first-ever medal at Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship- 2023. India settled for the Bronze medal after the defeat (2-3) in the Semi-final against China.
ii.This is a continental badminton tournament to crown the best mixed national badminton teams in Asia.

• With this win India makes a direct entry in the Sudirman Cup 2023, which will be held in China later this year.

Participants:
17 teams representing all five regions in Asia
Organizers:
Badminton Asia and United Arab Emirates Badminton Federation.
Official shuttle:
Li-Ning G900

OBITUARY

Legendary Yakshagana Playback Singer Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha Passed Away

Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha, a legendary Yakshagana playback singer, passed away on 16th February 2023 in Moodbidri, Karnataka. He was born on 13 March 1938 in Kasaragod, Kerala.

• Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha was known as the “Bheeshma” of Tenku Thittu school of Yakshagana.
• He was known for the “Balipa style” of singing with his rich voice. He inherited the style from his grandfather who was also Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha
• He had performed in Kateel Yakshagna Mela alone for over four decades.
• Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha was the recipient of the State-level Kannada Rajyotsava Award and the prestigious Parthi Subba Award instituted by Karnataka Yakshagana Academy.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day of Social Justice 2023 -February 20United Nations (UN)’s World Day of Social Justice is annually observed across the globe on February 20 to raise a voice against social injustice.

• The day also aims to eradicate poverty, physical discrimination, gender inequalities, religious discrimination and illiteracy, and create a socially integrated society by bringing together diverse communities worldwide.

World Day of Social Justice 2023 was observed on 20th February 2023 under the theme “Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice”.
Background:
i. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/62/10 on 26th November 2007 and proclaimed February 20 of every year, starting from the 63rd session of UNGA (September 2008 to September 2009), as World Day of Social Justice.
ii. The 1st ever World Day of Social Justice was observed on 20th February 2009.
About the International Labour Organisation (ILO):
Director-General- Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Establishment- 1919
Members- 187 Member States
>> Read Full News

Financial Literacy Week 2023 – 13 to 17 February 2023Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is annually observing the Financial Literacy Week (FLW)  to create awareness about the importance of financial literacy to address demand side barriers and enable customers to make better financial decisions.
The Financial Literacy Week 2023 was observed from 13th to 17th February 2023.

• The theme of FLW 2023 is “Good Financial Behaviour, Your Saviour”. 

Significance of FLW 2023: 
FLW 2023 aims to create awareness about financial education messages on relevant themes including “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)”, “Credit Discipline and Credit from Formal Institutions” and “Digital Financial Literacy” and others.
Background:
In April 2017,  the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to observe one week in a year as ‘Financial Literacy Week’ to emphasise the importance of financial literacy.

• The Financial Literacy Week 2017 was observed from 5th to 9th June 2017.

>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

Wadhwani AI signs MoU with KSDA to promote the welfare of Farmers across Karnataka 

Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Wadhwani AI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Karnataka State Department of Agriculture (KSDA) to improve farmers’ welfare across Karnataka using AI-powered solutions.

• Under this partnership, the KSDA and Wadhwani AI will explore opportunities for the scaled deployment of Wadhwani AI’s AI-powered early pest warning and advice solution for cotton and other crops.
• Wadhwani AI will also conduct capacity-building programmes for ministry personnel on the responsible use of AI and its application to improve agriculture systems in Karnataka and strive to ensure the KSDA is AI-ready.

Note: The Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence was inaugurated in 2018 by Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.

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