Current Affairs 23 & 24 April 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

SAIL-BSL signs MoU with TCIL to utilize 5G/ IT / Telecom technologies in Steel manufacturingOn April 21, 2023, the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)-Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) to explore potential of application of 5G/ Information Technology (IT)/ Telecom and other wireless communication technologies in SAIL-BSL.

• SAIL BSL includes SAIL’s Mines & Collieries, Central Coal Supply Organization and the SAIL Refractory Unit in Jharkhand.

Signatories:
The MoU was signed B.K.Tiwari, Executive Director (Works), SAIL- BSL; and Ms Alka Selot Asthana, Executive Director (IT & Telecom), TCIL at SAIL’s Bokaro Steel Plant.
Key Points:
i.With this pact, SAIL BSL became the first PSU in India to take initiative for setting up a dedicated 5G network with the help of TCIL which will utilize 5G/ IT / Telecom technologies in Steel manufacturing.
ii.This partnership will also be useful in providing innovative solutions in SAIL Mines and Collieries in Jharkhand, Smart Cities etc.
iii.TCIL has the necessary expertise, experience, and resources to provide solutions for deployment, testing, commissioning, and maintenance of MoU relevant technologies for SAIL-BSL.
About SAIL-BSL:
i.The Plant is hailed as India’s first Swadeshi Steel Plant, built with maximum indigenous content in terms of equipment, material and know-how.
ii.Bokaro Steel Plant. the 4th integrated plant in the Public Sector, was established in 1965 in collaboration with the Soviet Union.
iii.It was originally incorporated as a limited company in 1964 and later merged with SAIL, first as a subsidiary and then as a unit, through the Public Sector Iron & Steel Companies (Restructuring & Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1978.

MoCA launched 5th Phase of Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN 5.0The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has launched the fifth phase of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) or UDAN 5.0, to improve the connectivity of the country’s regional territories, after four successful rounds of bidding.

• On April 21 2023, the MoCA initiated the process of inviting bids from airlines for various routes under the fifth round of bidding for its RCS UDAN 5.0 by releasing a bid document.
• UDAN 5.0 will raise the momentum, and connect new routes, with the target of operationalising 1000 routes and 50 additional airports, heliports, and water aerodromes.

Key Features of UDAN 5.0:
i.Distance: The earlier stage length constraint of 600 km has been eliminated and there are no restrictions on the distance between the origin and destination of the trip in UDAN 5.0, which concentrates on Category-2 (20-80 seats) and Category-3 (>80 seats).

ii. Viability gap funding (VGF): VGF was increased to 600 km stage length for both Priority and Non-Priority areas, which was earlier capped at 500 km.

• Viability Gap Funding is a grant provided to support the scheme that is economically justified but not financially viable.
• MoCA contributes 80% of the VGF amount, while remaining 20% comes from the state governments concerned and in the case of north-eastern states and Union territories, the sharing ratio is 90:10.

iii.Routes: No predetermined routes would be offered under UDAN 5.0, and only Network and Individual Route Proposal proposed by airlines would be considered.

• Airlines are required to commence operations within 4 months of the award of the route. Earlier, this deadline was 6 months.
• The same route will not be awarded to a single airline more than once, whether in different networks or in the same network.
• Under UDAN 5.0, the Novation process for routes from one operator to another is simplified and incentivised.

iv.The airlines will now need to submit an action/business plan after 2 months from the issuance of the Letter of Award (LoA), wherein they submit their aircraft acquisition plan/availability of aircraft, crew, slots, etc., at the time of the Technical Proposal.
v.Exclusivity will be withdrawn if the average quarterly Passenger Load Factor (PLF) is higher than 75% for four consecutive quarters to prevent exploitation of the monopoly on a route.
vii. 25% of the Performance Guarantee to be encashed for each month of delay up to 4 months, to further incentivise quick operationalisation.
viii. A list of airports that are ready for operation or would be ready for operations sooner has been included in the scheme to facilitate quicker operationalisation of routes under the Scheme.

About UDAN scheme:

• It was launched on 27 April 2017 by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi-led government with the goal of making air travel accessible to the common people of the country.
• PM Narendra Modi launched the first aircraft from Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) to Delhi under the UDAN scheme in April 2017.

About the Ministry of Civil Aviation:
Union Minister – Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (Rajya Sabha Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS): General (Retd.) Vijay Kumar Singh (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)

PM Modi to release Rs 100 coin to Commemorate 100 episodes of Mann Ki BaatOn 21st April 2023, the Ministry of Finance announced that the Government will release a new commemorative coin of Rs 100 denomination on 30th April 2023, for the 100th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio show Mann Ki Baat.

About the coin:
Shape : Circular
Diameter : 44 millimetres along with 200 serrations
Weight : 35 grams
Metal and composition: Quaternary alloy composed of 50% silver, 40 % copper, 5 % nickel, and 5 % zinc.
Design – Front Side:
The coin’s obverse side will have the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar at the centre with “Satyamev Jayate” inscribed below it. “Bharat” in Devanagari script and “INDIA” in English will be inscribed on the left and right peripherals, respectively. The coin will also feature the Rupee symbol “₹” and “100” denomination.
Design – Backside:
On the reverse side, the logo for the 100th Episode of Mann Ki Baat will be displayed, featuring a microphone with sound waves and the year “2023” inscribed on it. “Mann Ki Baat 100” will be written above and below the microphone image in Devanagari and English.

Note – Although commemorative coins hold a legal tender status, they are not typically accessible for ordinary circulation.

Background:
On October 3, 2014, PM Modi made his radio debut with “Maan Ki Baat“
(Words from the Heart) which is a monthly radio program aired on All India Radio, at 11 am on the last Sunday of each month.
i. The program has covered a wide range of subjects, including social issues, government policies, and cultural events.
ii. The initiative is a distinctive way for the Prime Minister to connect with the people of India and share his thoughts and ideas with them.
iii.A separate open forum has also been created on MyGov for citizens to share their comments for the forthcoming radio programme.

IGGL completes Asia’s largest underwater hydrocarbon pipelineOn 22nd April 2023, Mr. Ajit Kumar Thakur, CEO of Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL), announced that the company has completed the construction of Asia’s largest underwater hydrocarbon pipeline.
Key Points:
i. This pipeline, with a diameter of 24 inches, has been laid below the Brahmaputra river, connecting Jorhat and Majuli in Assam by using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) method.
ii. The total length of this single HDD crossing is 4,080 metres across the main water channel of the Brahmaputra river, making it the longest river crossing by any hydrocarbon pipeline of size 24-inch diameter and above in Asia and the second longest in the world.
iii. This marks a significant milestone in the construction of the North East Gas Grid (NEGG), which aims to connect North East India to the National Gas Grid.

• NEGG stretches for 1,656 kilometres and connects major cities and demand centres in North East India to the National Gas Grid.

Additional Info:
This unique HDD river crossing was executed using the intersection method, where two HDD rigs simultaneously started drilling from opposite sides of the Brahmaputra river and intersected at 30 metres beneath the river bed.
About  Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL):
IGGL is the joint venture between Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), GAIL (India) Limited, Oil India Limited(OIL) and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL).
CEO –  Ajit Kumar Thakur
Headquarters – Guwahati, Assam
Incorporated in 2018

Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao unveils India’s Tallest Ambedkar Statue of 125-ft in Hyderabad

On the occasion of the 132nd birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji (BR) Ambedkar(14th April 2023), Telangana Chief Minister (CM) K Chandrashekhar Rao unveiled the 125-ft tall bronze statue of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji (BR) Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, in Hyderabad, Telangana. This is the tallest statue of BR Ambedkar in India.

• The stands next to the State Secretariat on the banks of Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagarlake.
• The statue has been sculpted by 98-year-old Padma Bhushan awardee (2016) Ram Vanji Sutar from Maharashtra, Mumbai.
• Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar was invited as the chief guest at the event.

Background:
i. The statue was built using 360 tonnes of stainless steel and 114 tonnes of bronze, at a cost of Rs 146.50 crore.
ii. The statue has been built on a 50-feet high pedestal with a ground floor measuring 172 feet and terrace of 74 feet.
iii. Award:

• Telangana government has decided to introduce an award in the name of Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar which will be presented to the people who excel in public service and render services to the people at the national and state-level every year. 
• The state government plans to deposit Rs 51 crore in the bank and will use the interest of around Rs 3 crore earned on it every year to present the awards.

The Bharat Gaurav Tourist train on Ambedkar Circuit flagged off from New Delhi
On April 14, 2023, on the occasion of the 132nd birth anniversary of social reformer BR Ambedkar, a special tourist train named Bharat Gaurav has been launched by Union Minister of Tourism, G Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), Virendra Kumar.

• Bharat Gaurav tourist train is being operated under the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative which aims to promote domestic tourism and the spirit of “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat”.

Features:
i. IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) in association with the Ministry of Tourism is operating its first tour on the Ambedkar circuit on an 8-day special tour from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, New Delhi, Delhi.

ii.The Ambedkar Circuit or Panchteerth was first proposed in 2016 by the Central Government.

It includes:

• Janma Bhoomi– Ambedkar’s birthplace in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow.
• Shiksha Bhoomi- the place in London where he stayed while studying in the United Kingdom.
• Deeksha Bhoomi– the place in Nagpur (Maharashtra) where he embraced Buddhism.
• Mahaparinirvan Bhoomi– the place of his demise in Delhi.
• Chaitya Bhoomi– the place of his cremation is in Mumbai.

ii. The Bharat Gaurav Tourist train will include a visit to prominent places associated with the life of the social reformer DR.BR Ambedkarsuch as New Delhi in Delhi, Mhow, and Nagpur, and sacred Buddhist sites like Sanchi (Madhya pradesh), Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh), Gaya and Rajgir and Nalanda (in Bihar).

Log9 Materials sets up India’s first Lithium-ion cell facility

Log9 Materials, a Bengaluru (Karnataka) based nanotechnology company backed by Amara Raja Group, inaugurated India’s first lithium-ion cell manufacturing facility at its campus in Jakkur, Bengaluru, Karnataka. Log9’s commercial Li-ion cell production facility will have an initial capacity of 50 Megawatt hours (MWh).

• This facility will cater to LTO (Lithium titanate (LTO) and LFP ((lithium ferrophosphate) cell manufacturing
• The manufacturing line will support the production of large form factor cylindrical cells ranging from 22 Series to 66 Series.
• The production of Log9’s LTO TiB cells will contribute to a carbon emission reduction of 90T per vehicle with a total CO2 reduction of 147 kT every year.
• Log9 will spend around Rs 200 crore on expanding its existing battery pack facility.

Note: Ola Electric had also announced its plans to build battery cells from its greenfield facility by 2023.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

World Bank’s LPI 2023 Report: India Ranked 38; Singapore Topped the Index

According to the World Bank’s (WB) report titled Connecting to Compete 2023: Trade Logistics in an Uncertain Global Economy – the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) and its indicators” released on April 21, 2023, India’s rank increased by 6 places to 38 in the index, from 44 in 2018.

• Singapore topped the ranking followed by Finland at second, and Denmark at third.
• This is the 7th edition of Connecting to Compet, a report that summarize the findings from the new dataset for LPI and its component indicators. 

Key Points:

i.India shares the 38th rank with Lithuania, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye.
ii.GoI (Government of India) had announced a National Master Plan, PM Gati Shakti for multi-modal connectivity, in October 2021 to reduce logistics cost and boost the economy by 2024-25.
About World Bank (WB):
World Bank Group President – David Malpass
Headquarters – Washington, DC, USA
Establishment – 1944
>> Read Full News

BANKING & FINANCE

HDFC Bank gets Relief from RBI on PSL norms; SEBI Approves transfer of Controlling stake of HDFC AMC to HDFC Bank In April 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) provided a relaxation of 3 years for HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector lender, to meet Priority Sector Lending (PSL) requirements after its merger with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Limited.
The RBI has refused to make any exceptions on Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) requirements as sought by HDFC Bank.

• HDFC Bank has to set aside 4.5% of HDFC’s assets as CRR and 18% as SLR after the merger.
• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed ownership change of HDFC Asset Management Company Limited (HDFC AMC), a subsidiary of HDFC Limited and the AMC of HDFC Mutual Fund (HDFC MF).

About HDFC Bank Ltd
MD & CEO – Sashidhar Jagdishan
Establishment – 1994
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline – We Understand Your World
>> Read Full News

Mastercard collaborates with India’s M1xchange to roll out digital invoice discounting for farmers On 20th April 2023, Mastercard has collaborated with M1xchange to offer a digital invoice discounting solution to farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and agri-MSMEs (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) through Farm Pass, its agritech platform.

• This solution is the first of its kind for the agriculture sector and will help lenders in underwriting credit offerings through the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS).

Note: Farm Pass is part of Mastercard’s broader Community Pass platform. Till date, through Farm Pass, Mastercard has achieved the milestone of benefitting over 1 million smallholder farmers
Key Points:
i.As part of the collaboration, M1xchange, an RBI (Reserve Bank of India)-approved facilitator for discounting and sale of receivables to banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), will bring on board its agri-businesses and lenders.
ii.The platform will enable easy access to credit and working capital.
iii.The solution will allow farmers and FPOs to directly connect with buyers, negotiate the best price for their produce with instant payment.
iv.The solution aims to benefit 10 million farmers through an auction based mechanism for selecting the best interest rates against the trade.
About M1xchange:
TReDS platform ‘M1xchange’ was established by Mynd Solutions Private Limited in 2017.
CEO– Sundeep Mohindru
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana

ICICI Bank introduces EMI facility for UPI payments by scanning QR codeOn April 11, 2023, the ICICI Bank introduced an easy first-of-its-kind EMI (Equated Monthly Instalment) facility for UPI (Unified Payment Interface) payments made by scanning QR code.

• To improve convenience of the customers and to provide unique solutions to address their evolving credit needs.

Key Points:
i.Eligibility: Customers who are eligible for PayLater, the Bank’s ‘buy now, pay later’ service can avail of the EMI facility in an instant, easy and seamless manner.
ii.The facility can be availed across different categories such as electronics, groceries, fashion apparels, travel and hotel bookings.
iii.Customers could pay transaction amounts above Rs 10,000 by scanning a QR code for easy instalments in three, six or nine months.
Features:
i.The EMI facility for PayLater will shortly be extended for online shopping as well.
ii.This facility improves the affordability of the Bank’s customers as they could now instantly buy products or services just by scanning the required merchant QR code at a store and making payments in EMIs.
Additional info: ICICI Bank was the first bank to introduce PayLater facility in 2018 to enable customers to buy small ticket items immediately in a completely digital and paperless manner.
About ICICI Bank Ltd.
Establishment – 1994
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO – Sandeep Bakhshi
Tagline – Hum Hai Na Khayal Apka

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Morgan Stanley: India’s GDP to grow at 6.2% in FY24; Inflation to be 5.5% in FY24According to the Morgan Stanley, India’s gross domestic product (GDP) was proposed to grow at 6.2% in FY24 (Financial year 2023-24) due to the contribution of a cyclical recovery in consumption, increased private sector capex (Capital Expenditure), and acceleration on government spending.
i.Inflation:

• The Inflation in India was projected to average around 5.5% in FY24 and it was likely to be below 5% in the Q2 of the calendar year 2024. Inflation for April 2023 is currently tracking at 4.7% YoY (Year-on-Year).
• Inflation is expected to decrease to below 5% Q1 FY24, supported by favourable base effects and moderating commodity prices.

ii.The headline consumer price index (CPI) for March 2023 was expected to be in line with expectations.
iii.On the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) action on repo rate, it expects the rates to be on hold in the calendar year 2023 as inflation will remain below the 6% mark and change in repo rates are expected to occur in Q1 of 2024.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS    

National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme of MoH&FW receives PM’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2022 for Innovation i.On April 21, 2023, the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) received the Prime Minister’s (PM) Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2022 under the innovation (centre) category.
ii.Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, MoH&FW received the award for National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme from PM Narendra Modi at a function organized on the occasion of 16th Civil Services Day at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
iii.Civil Services Day is celebrated annually on April 21 to recognize the contribution of Civil Servants to Society.
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW):
Union Minister– Mansukh Mandaviya (Rajya Sabha- Gujarat)
Minister of State– Bharati Pravin Pawar (Constituency- Dindori, Maharashtra)
>> Read Full News    

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS    

Oliver Dowden appointed as a new Deputy PM of UK after Dominic Raab’s resignationOn April 21, 2023, The British government named Oliver Dowden Deputy Prime Minister(PM), replacing Dominic Raab, who resigned following an inquiry into bullying allegations.

• Prior to this appointment, Oliver Dowden had been serving in Rishi Sunak’s (PM of the United Kingdom) government as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Cabinet Office secretary.

Resignation of Dominic Raab:
Dominic Raab, who was serving as the Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, resigned from the government of Rishi Sunak following the report from the inquiry conducted on bullying allegations.

Other Appointment:
British Lawmaker, Alex Chalk KC MP was appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, following the resignation of Dominic Raab.

• Alex Chalk was serving as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence from October 2022 to April 2023.

Background:
i. An independent investigation into Dominic Raab’s behaviour was launched in November 2022 after eight formal complaints were lodged by at least 24 staff members.
ii. Dominic Raab was appointed by Rishi Sunak after he took power in October 2022.
Note: Dominic Raab’s resignation marks the third dramatic Cabinet departure since Rishi Sunak became the Prime Minister of Britain.

About Oliver Dowden:
i.Oliver Dowden was elected as a Conservative MP for Hertsmere, England, United Kingdom in May 2015.
ii.He served in the Boris Johnson government as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General from 2019 to 2020 and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from 2020 to 2021.
iii.In the 2021 cabinet reshuffle, he was moved to the post of Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party, he resigned from these roles in June 2022, after the party suffered two devastating by-election losses.

About the United Kingdom:
Capital- London
Prime Minister- Rishi Sunak
Currency- Pound sterling (GBP – Great Britain Pound)

Star Sports Signs Indian Cricketer Rishabh Pant as brand ambassador

Star Sports Network India, also known as Star Sports India, owned by Walt Disney Company, has signed Indian Cricketer Rishabh Pant as its brand ambassador.

• Star Sports has also signed Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer as its Believe Ambassadors.
• Star Sports has expanded its roster of 2 ambassadors in 2017 to 6 ambassadors, which also includes former Indian cricket team Captain Virat Kohli.

Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh sworn in as 8th CJ of Tripura HC

On 17th April 2023, Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, Judge, High Court (HC) of Jharkhand has sworn in as the 8th Chief Justice(CJ) of the Tripura High Court.

• Satyadeo Narain Arya, Governor of Tripura, administered the oath of office in a function at Raj Bhavan.

On 11th April 2023, the Department of Justice (Appointments
Division), Ministry of Law and Justice issued the notification regarding the appointment of Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh as CJ of Tripura HC replacing Justice T. Amarnath Goud, senior most puisne Judge of the HC of Tripura, who was serving as the acting CJ of the HC of Tripura since 23rd February 2023.

• The Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, recommended the name of Justice Singh for the post.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS        

CCI approved the acquisition of Emerson Electric Co by BCP Emerald Aggregator LP

On 21st April 2023, The Competition Commission of India (CCI), has approved the acquisition of climate technologies’ business of Emerson Electric Co by BCP Emerald Aggregator LP under the green channel route.

• BCP Emerald Aggregator LP is an affiliate of Blackstone, an alternative asset manager based in the United States of America(USA).

CCI has also approved the proposed investment by Stamford Bridge Investment Pte Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of GIC (Ventures) Private Limited and Platinum Falcon B 2018 RSC Ltd (Platinum), in BCP Emerald Aggregator LP.

• GIC (Ventures) is a subsidiary of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, while Platinum is an affiliate of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO launched 2 Singaporean Satellites under PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 Mission On 22nd April 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched PSLV-C55 with two Singaporean satellites – TeLEOS-2 as the primary satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co-passenger satellite, as a part of the PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission, from Satish Dhawan Space Center(SDSC)-Sriharikota Range(SHAR), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• The 2 satellites, TeLEOS-2 and Lumelite-4 were intended to be launched into an Eastward low-inclination orbit.
• This marks the 57th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV) and the 16th mission using the PSLV Core Alone configuration (PSLV-CA).
• The PSLV-C55 also carried the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-2 (POEM-2).

About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):
Chairman– S Somanath
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
>> Read Full News

Solar Industries bagged the contract to supply 400 Nagastra-1 drones to the Indian ArmyOn April 21, 2023, the Nagpur (Maharashtra)-based Solar Industries India Limited has bagged an order to supply 400 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ‘Nagastra – I’ to the Indian Army. Solar Industries won the contract defeating competitors from Israel and Poland.

• The 1st indigenous man-portable loitering munition (LM), Nagastra-1(a fixed-wing electric UAV), has been designed and developed by Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Solar Industries, in association with Zmotion Autonomous Systems Private Limited(Z-Motion) based in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Key Points:
i.A model of ‘Nagastra -1’ loitering ammunition was displayed in the Army Commanders conference held in New Delhi. It has an indigenous content of more than 75%.
ii.In a ‘Kamikaze mode’ it can neutralize any hostile threat with GPS (Global Positioning System) enabled precision strike with an accuracy of 2 m.
iii.It has an endurance of 60 min with a man-in-loop range of 15 km and autonomous mode range of 30 km.
iv.The loiter ammunition is equipped with a fragmentation warhead to defeat soft-skin targets.
v.In case a target is not detected or if the mission is aborted, the loiter ammunition can be called back and made a soft landing with a parachute recovery mechanism enabling it to be reused multiple times.

• These abort, recover and reuse features make this system superior to similar class of systems developed by advanced countries.

OBITUARY

Former MP Trilochan Kanungo passes away at 83 in Bhubaneswar

Veteran politician and former Member of Parliament(MP) – Lok Sabha Trilochan Kanungo, a member of Biju Janata Dal (BJD), passed away at the age of 83 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He was born on 24th November 1940 at Badamulei village under Kantapada block in Cuttack district, Odisha.

• He was elected to the Odisha Assembly as a Member of the Legislative Assembly(MLA) in 1971, 1974 and 1985.
• In 1999, he was elected to the Lok Sabha (MP) from the Jagatsinghpur constituency on BJD ticket.
• He has also served as the Chairman of Cuttack municipality from 1979-80 and 1992-1995.
• He was also chairman of the second Odisha Finance Commission.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Mother Earth Day 2023 – April 22 The United Nations(UN)’s International Mother Earth Day, also known as “Earth Day” is annually observed across the globe on 22nd April to create awareness about humanity’s relationship with the natural world.  The day highlights the importance of the health of Mother Earth and its effects on Humanity’s health.

• 22nd April 2023 marks the 53rd anniversary of the Earth Day. 

Background:
The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution on 22nd April 2009 and proclaimed the 22nd April of every year as the International Mother Earth Day.
Origin:
The origin of International Mother Earth Day dates back to the 1969 UNESCO Conference held in San Francisco, United States of America (USA), during which, Peace activist John McConnell from the USA, proposed the global observance “Earth Day” to celebrate the Earth’s life and beauty.

• Since 1970, 22nd April has been observed as Earth Day by the EARTHDAY.ORG in more than 190 countries.

WMO released climate report ahead of Earth Day:  Past 8 years ‘warmest on record
According to the State of the Global Climate 2022, the annual report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), released ahead of Earth Day 2023(April 22), the 8 years, 2015-2022 were the warmest in the instrumental record back to 1850, despite the cooling impact of three consecutive years of a cooling La Niña. 2022 was the 5th or 6th warmest year.
>> Read Full News

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