Current Affairs 23 February 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

‘Jaadui Pitara’: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Launches Learning-Teaching Material for Foundational Years

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched “Jaadui Pitara,” a play-based learning and teaching material for the foundational stage children in the age group of 3 to 8 years as envisioned by the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020).

• “Jaadui Pitara” (magic collection) was created in accordance with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and is available in 13 Indian languages.

The Amrit Generation, as envisioned in the NEP 2020, will benefit greatly from an environment that is more child-centric, lively and joyful for learning and teaching.
What is ‘Jaadui Pitara’?
i.“Jaadui Pitara” is a play-based learning and teaching material designed for children aged 3 to 8 years.

• It is intended to stimulate interest and meet the evolving needs of foundational stage learners.
• It includes playbooks, toys, puzzles, posters, flash cards, storybooks, and worksheets, as well as cultural, social, and linguistic materials.

ii.It will be made mandatory in at least 1,200 union government-run schools starting next academic year.
Backdrop
i.The NEP 2020 envisions a 5+3+3+4 curriculum pedagogical structure.
ii.A National Steering Committee led by Professor K. Kasturirangan has been established by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education (MoE) to develop the NCF for each stage.
iii.The MoE launched the NCF for Foundational Stage (FS) or for early childhood care in October 2022.

• The NCF will have four stages – foundation or early childhood care, and education for preparatory, middle and secondary levels. While the framework of foundation learning has already been launched, the committee is yet to release the frameworks of three other stages.

iv.The National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has developed and collected learning teaching material (LTM) in compliance with the NCF.

• As a result, LTM at the foundational level was introduced, based on the “Jaadui Pitara” concept, for children enrolled in Balvatika, which includes classes in nursery, lower kindergarten (LKG), and upper kindergarten (UKG).

Salient features of “Jaadui Pitara“
i.“Learn through play” is the CORE transformative feature of NCF-FS.
ii.Children learn most efficiently and effectively through play during the foundational stage (ages 3-8).
iii.Research from fields as diverse as Neurosciences to Education
iv.This also applies to Classes 1 and 2 (aged 6-8 years), resulting in a significant shift in which children will learn via play, have fun, and FLN will be addressed.
v.It emphasizes on the Learning and Development of children in 5 domains – Physical Development, Socio-emotional and Ethical Development, Cognitive Development, Language and Literacy Development, Aesthetic and Cultural Development, Positive Learning Habits.

BEL signs MoUs with Cisco, Aeronautical Development Agency Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSB) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA); and for networking and security with Cisco.

• These were signed on the sidelines of Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru (Karnataka) from February 13 to 17.

MoU with ADA:
The first MoU was signed with the ADA for the AMCA program. ADA is an autonomous body under MoD. The AMCA is a 5th generation, multi-role, all-weather fighter aircraft designed with high survivability and stealth capability.

• Under this MoU, BEL and ADA will co-operate for the design, development, qualification, production and supply of Internal Weapon Bay Computer and other Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) for AMCA and provide lifetime product support to the Indian Air Force.

MoU with CISCO:
The second with Cisco is for long-term strategic co-operation in the areas of networking, collaboration and security, among other associated services.  This will give BEL access to Cisco technology, including enterprise networks, advanced wireless technology, security, data centre network, etc.

• As a part of the MoU, Cisco will explore establishing a Cisco Network Training Academy at the BEL Academy for Excellence (Nalanda), Bengaluru.
• This MoU will facilitate joint customization and product lifecycle management for BEL’s various projects.
• This MoU will enable BEL to elevate its relationship with Cisco as a “Strategic Partner”.

The above partnerships with Cisco and ADA are expected to further boost BEL’s capabilities and contribute towards the government’s vision of making India self-reliant in defence technology.
About Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL):
Chairman & Managing Director– Bhanu Prakash Srivastava
Headquarter– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Establishment– 1954

Vedanta-Foxconn Selects Dholera SIR for First Semiconductor Facility in IndiaThe Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) near Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has been chosen by the joint venture (JV) of Indian conglomerate Vedanta and electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn to set up their semiconductor and display manufacturing facility.

• It is India’s first semiconductor manufacturing facility.
• The project is in the advanced stage of evaluation by the Government of India (GoI).

Backdrop
In September 2022, the Gujarat government and the Vedanta-Foxconn JV signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the JV to invest Rs. 1,54,000 crore in the establishment of a semiconductor and display manufacturing facility.

• The MoU was signed in Gandhinagar in the presence of Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Key Points:  
i.The Gujarat government announced the “Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-27” in July 2022.

• The project is set to receive significant subsidies and incentives under the policy, such as zero stamp duty on land purchases and subsidised water and electricity.

ii.Gujarat is the first Indian state to have a specific policy for the semiconductor and display fabrication sectors.
iii.This policy provides eligible projects with a 75% subsidy on the first 200 acres of land they purchase to develop manufacturing units.

• For the first 5 years, eligible projects would be provided with high-quality water at a cost of Rs. 12 per cubic metre.

iv.The Gujarat government has also declared that it will reimburse investors for 100% of the stamp duty that they would pay for the first time when leasing, selling, or transferring land.
About Vedanta Resources Limited (Vedanta):
Vedanta is a leading global natural resources conglomerate operating across India, South Africa, Liberia and Namibia.
Executive Chairman  – Anil Agarwal
CEO – Sunil Duggal
Founded – 1976
Headquarters – London, United Kingdom (UK)

MoRD & Meesho signs MoU to Onboard Rural Women as Online Sellers

The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Meesho, an e-commerce platform owned by Bengaluru (Karnataka)-based Fashnear Technologies Private Limited, to drive digital inclusion of all women registered under State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) and enable them to sell online.

• The MoU was signed in the presence of Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Rural Development.

Charanjit Singh, Additional Secretary (RL-I) of MoRD, and Sanjeev Barnwal, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Meesho, signed and exchanged the MoU.
Key Points:
i. The partnership would help Meesho continue its efforts to support rural women entrepreneurs in various states and enable them to start and expand their businesses online.
ii. The cumulative loan to Self Help Groups (SHGs) was about Rs 80000 crore before 2014. Now, the bank linkage has crossed over 6.25 lakh crore in the last 9 years, with an NPA of just 2.08%.
iii. SHGs are present in 97% of Blocks, and 85% of them have direct connections to the Ministry’s network.
iv. Meesho will offer free support to individual sellers for 100 products and to aggregators for 300 products, as well as training on cataloguing, order management, pricing, and business growth.
v. Meesho currently offers zero commission fees on all products for Rural Livelihood Mission affiliate sellers.
About the Ministry of Rural Development(MoRD):
Union Minister- Giriraj Singh (Constituency- Begusarai, Bihar)
Minister of State (MoS)- Faggan Singh Kulaste (Constituency- Mandla, Madhya Pradesh); Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Constituency- Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh)
About Meesho:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Vidit Aatrey
Headquarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka
Establishment- 2015

BANKING & FINANCE

NSE lists first Green Bonds issued by Indore Municipal CorporationThe Indore Municipal Corporation’s (IMC) Green Bonds have been listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), marking the first-ever green bond issue by a municipal corporation in India.

• The public issue of IMC green bonds was subscribed 5.91 times the issue size.
• This issue will provide momentum for the advancement of green financing and aid in India’s goal of moving towards clean and sustainable energy.

The Green bonds are debt securities designated to finance environment-friendly projects.
Key Points:
i.Municipal bonds provide an alternative means of financing for urban local bodies (ULBs), reducing dependence on Central and State Grants.

• Most urban infra bonds can be categorized as green bonds since the proceeds are primarily directed towards energy, transport, water management, sewage treatment and energy-saving.

ii.Green municipal bonds attract specialized foreign investors who are experienced in sustainable financing with environmental, social and governance considerations.
iii.There is an exponential increase in the global green bond market, which has now surpassed $2 trillion in cumulative green bond issuance.

• From 2019 to 2022, Indian corporations, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and financial institutions have collectively issued green bonds totaling approximately $10.8 billion.

About National Stock Exchange (NSE):
Managing Director & CEO– Ashishkumar Chauhan
Headquartered– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment– 1992 (commenced operations as a stock exchange- 1994)

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Gopalan Aerospace signs Joint Venture with Slovakian Firms to Develop Precision DronesGopalan Aerospace India Pvt Ltd signed a joint venture (JV) with Slovakia-based Magic Trading Corporation, Inc. (MTC), a self-regulatory organization (S.R.O), and DEFSYSTECH S.R.O for the development of precision drones in India.

• The JV was signed by C Prabhakar, Director, Gopalan Aerospace and Peter Ostromecky, President of DEFSYSTECH S.R.O at Aero India 2023, Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Gopalan Aerospace Ties Up With Omnipol Group of Czech Republic For Passive Radars
Gopalan Aerospace signed a joint venture with Omnipol Group, a partner of the Czech government institution and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the field of defence and security, to integrate Passive Radars for the Indian Defense Industry in border regions.

• The agreement was signed by C Prabhakar and Podpera Jiri, President of Omnipol Group.

About Gopalan Aerospace India Pvt Ltd:
Gopalan Aerospace, a part of Gopalan Group, is a fast-paced, innovative ISO 9001/AS 9100 Rev D 2015 certified, Aerospace components and composites design, development, and manufacturing company.
Gopalan Group CMD– C. Gopalan
Headquarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka
>> Read Full News

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

DPIFF Awards 2023:  Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘The Kashmir Files’ won AwardsIndia’s only independent international film festival, Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) 2023 was held on February 20, 2023 at Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• The winners of DPIFF Awards 2023 under different categories were announced to recognize the outstanding efforts by international and national personalities from cinema.
• Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt received awards in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories for their performances in movies ‘Brahmastra: Part 1‘ and ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi.
• Filmmaker SS Rajamouli’s Telugu Movie, ‘RRR’ received the Film of the year award and Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s Hindi Movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ won the Best Film award.

About Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF):
i.DPIFF,  was founded in 2012 and established in 2016 to carry forward the legacy of Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, The Father of Indian Cinema. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest award in the field of cinema.
ii.It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Founder & MD – Anil Mishra
CEO – Abhishek Mishra
>> Read Full News

13th Sansad Ratna Awards: 13MPs selected for Sansad Ratna Awards for 2023;  T K Rangarajan selected Lifetime Achievement Award On 20th February 2023, the Jury Committee chaired by Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Parliamentary Affairs nominated 13 members of Parliament (MP): 5 from Rajya Sabha and 8 from Lok Sabha for 13th edition of Sansad Ratna Awards (2023).

• In addition, T K Rangarajan, Former Member of Parliament – Rajya Sabha for two terms and a Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist)(CPI-M) Leader has been nominated for the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lifetime Achievement Award. 
• 2 Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSC) were also selected for the Sansad Ratna Awards under special awards category.

About Ministry of Parliamentary Affair: 
Union Minister- Pralhad Joshi (Constituency- Dharwad, Karnataka)
Minister of State– Arjun Ram Meghwal(Constituency- Bikaner, Rajasthan) & V Muraleedharan (Rajya sabha – Maharashtra)
>> Read Full News

INS Nireekshak Receives On-the-Spot Unit Citation for Salvage OperationChief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R. Harikumar presented a “on the spot” unit citation to “Indian Naval Ship (INS) Nireekshak” at Kochi, Kerala, marking the first for the Indian Navy.

• INS Nireekshak was honoured for deep water diving and salvage operations at a depth of 219 metres (m) in the Arabian Sea under the most difficult conditions.
• This is the deepest salvage operation ever performed in Indian waters.

The CNS also awarded commendations to the crew involved in the salvage operation.
INS Nireekshak
i.INS Nireekshak is a dive support and submarine rescue vessel of the Indian Navy.

• The ship was constructed in 1985 by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, entered Navy service in 1989, and was commissioned in 1995.

ii.It has participated in numerous diving operations and holds the record for the deepest dive performed in India, at a depth of 257 m.
iii.INS Nireekshak recently paid tribute to the erstwhile INS Khukri off the coast of Gujarat by laying a wreath at 80 m depth.
iv.During the Indo-Pakistan War in 1971, the Indian Navy frigate INS Khukri was sunk by three torpedoes fired by a Pakistani submarine.

• Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla of the Indian Navy, who was the ship’s commanding officer at the time, was awarded the Mahavir Chakra (posthumously).

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS        

Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra became the 14th chief justice of Jharkhand High Court 

On 20 February 2023, Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra was sworn in as the 14th chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court.

• After the superannuation of Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan on December 19, 2022, the post of chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court became vacant.
• On February 17, 2023, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification regarding the appointment of justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra as the chief justice of the Jharkhand high court.
• Governor CP Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office to Sanjaya Kumar Mishra. Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh read out the warrant of appointment issued by President Droupadi Murmu.
• Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and several judges and senior government officials have participated in the swearing-in ceremony.

About Sanjaya Kumar Mishra:
i.He hails from Odisha and completed LL.B (Bachelor of Law) from Law Faculty Delhi University in 1987.
ii.He worked as District & Sessions Judge, Sundergarh, Dhenkanal, Special Judge (CBI), Bhubaneswar, Odisha and joined as Registrar General of Orissa High Court.
iii.He was elevated as Judge of the Orissa High Court on October 7, 2009.
iv.Later he assumed the charge of the office of Judge of the High Court of Uttarakhand and was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice on December 24, 2021 and held the office till June 28, 2022.
Additional info: According to clause (1) Article 217 of the Constitution of India, Chief Justices of the High Courts are appointed by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the Governor of the State.

ASSOCHAM appoints Sanjay Nayar as New Vice-President

On 21st February 2023, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM), a non-governmental trade association, announced the appointment of Sanjay Nayar, a global financial markets expert, as its new Vice-President.

• Sanjay Nayar is a prominent finance professional in the banking landscape in India and private equity sectors with almost 40 years of experience in both the domestic and international financial markets.
• Currently, he serves as the Founder and Chairman of the Sorin Investment Fund, a fund for early-stage technology companies.
• Sanjay Nayar also serves as a non-executive Director at the e-commerce company Nykaa founded by him and his wife Falguni Nayar.
• He assists in a non-executive capacity in mergers and acquisitions activity as well as overseeing its expansion in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (USA).
• He was recently also appointed as a non-official member of the Centre’s Board of Trade, representing the private sector.

Rajesh Rai appointed CMD of Indian Telephone Industries Ltd for 5 Years

On 20th February 2023, the Union Government approved the appointment of Rajesh Rai for the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITI Limited), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Department of Telecommunication (DoT), for a period of 5 years with an immediate effect.

Rakesh Chandra Tiwari, Director of Marketing, has resigned from the additional charge as Chairman and Managing Director with effect from Feb 21, and will only serve as Director-Marketing.

• Rajesh Rai has more than 30 years of rich experience in the Telecommunication industry.
• Prior to ITI Limited, Rajesh Rai served as the General Manager of Mahanagar Telphone Nigam Limited (MTNL), Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• He also held the prestigious post of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Mahanagar Telephone Mauritius Limited (MTML) in Mauritius for 12 years.      

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

HAL gets ITSO approval from DGCA for Indigenously Developed “Black Boxes” 

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)has received the Indian Technical Standard Order (ITSO) authorisation from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for its indigenously developed Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR), which is popularly known as “Black Boxes”.

• The ITSO is a minimum performance standard for specified materials, parts, processes, and appliances used on civil aircraft.
• Critical flight characteristics and audio environment are recorded using CVR and FDR and then used for the investigation of an aircraft incident or accident.

ENVIRONMENT

Horaglanis populi: New Catfish Species with no Eyes Discovered in Kerala

“Horaglanis populi”, a new species of catfish with no eyes and blood red body was discovered in Kerala by an Indo-German team of researchers, led by Rajeev Raghavan from the University of Kochi, Kerala and Neelesh Dahanukar from Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

• This marks the 4th Horaglanis species endemic to the southern Indian state of Kerala.
• The discovery of Horaglanis populi is reported in a paper in the journal Vertebrate Zoology.

Note:
The other 3 Horaglanis species endemic to Kerala are: Horaglanis abdulkalami; Horaglanis alikunhii and Horaglanis Krishnai.
Significance: 
i.Horaglanis populi belongs to Horaglanis, a genus of rarely-collected, tiny, blind, pigment less, and strictly aquifer-residing catfish.
ii.Horaglanis populi has a blood-red body, four pairs of well-developed barbels, and measures less than 3.2 cm in length.
iii.The fish is blind and pigmentless, and is genetically distinct from the 3 previously known Horaglanis species.
iv.This species is considered to be at high risk of extinction.
Naming: 
The species name populi, genitive of the Latin noun populus which means “people”, honours the contributions by the public of Kerala in documenting the biodiversity of subterranean and groundwater systems, including the discovery of this new species.
Occurrence: 
i.The new species occurs in the lateritic aquifer systems in the Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala.
ii.The specimens were collected from the dug-out wells in the towns of Malapally, Edanadu, and Chengannur, and the nearby village of Thiruvanvandoor.
Discovery: 
i.The biologists team conducted a series of workshops, focus group discussions, and informal conversations with communities at several sites over a period of 6 years.
ii.The team generated data sets with a total of 47 new site detections and 65 new genetic sequences.
iii.This highlights that Horaglanis are endemic to the part of Kerala state south of the Palghat Gap. The mountain pass represents a biogeographical barrier.

• At present, around 289 fish species are known from Subterranean aquatic habitat and only around 10% of them lives in aquifers.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

JP Nadda launches a Book “Modi: Shaping a Global order in flux”

On 22nd February 2023, JP Nadda, President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), launched a book titled “Modi: Shaping a Global Order in Flux” in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, Delhi.

• The book was edited by Sujan Chinoy, Vijay Chauthaiwale, and Uttam Kumar Sinha; and the foreword was written by Dr S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Government of India.
• The publisher of the book is Wisdom Tree.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Thinking Day 2023 – February 22World Thinking Day (WTD) is annually observed across the globe on February 22 by Girl Scouts and Girl Guides in the 152 member organisations across the world. The day aims to collect money for the 10 million girl scouts and guides in over 150 countries to honour sisterhood, solidarity, and women’s empowerment.

• The day is annually observed and organised by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

World Thinking Day 2023 is observed on 22nd February 2023 under the theme “Our World, Our Peaceful Future: The environment, peace, and security”.
Background:
i. In 1926, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts delegates from across the world met in the United States of America (USA) for the 4th World Conference and declare February 22 of every year as Thinking Day, a special day for the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts across the globe.
ii. In 1999, at the 30th World Conference in Dublin, Ireland, delegates from across the globe decided to rename the day from Thinking Day to World Thinking Day.
About the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS):
WAGGGS was formed at the 5th International Conference in Hungary in 1928. It is the world’s largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women.
Chief Executive Officer- Anna Segall
Headquarters- London, the United Kingdom
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

India’s 1st Marine Spatial Planning Framework launched in PuducherryIndia’s first Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Framework was launched in Puducherry as a part of a pact under the Indo-Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative.

• Puducherry and Lakshadweep were chosen as coastlines to pilot the MSP initiative after the 2019 Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Norway that envisaged the collaboration on implementing MSP in Oceanic space.

Lt. Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan along with Chief Minister of Puducherry N. Rangasamy, released ‘The Shoreline Change Atlas of the UT of Puducherry’ during the event.

Key People:
Hans Jacob Frydenlund, Ambassador, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Puducherry Assembly Speaker R. Selvam and M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences graced the event.

Aim:
To achieve growth and sustainability in the management of ocean resources and preservation of coastal environments.
What is MSP?
It is a process of allocating spaces in marine zones for human activities like economic purposes, ecological purposes, or social purposes. MSP is a spatial planning approach based on the principles of ecosystem management.

• It involves analyzing existing and potential ocean and coastal activities to identify suitable areas.

The MSP is an enabler of the blue economy as it helped identify sites for new and emerging uses following an ecosystem-based approach, and it also mitigates inter-sectoral conflicts and creates multi-use spaces for coexistence and synergies.

About Framework:
i.The framework includes ecosystem-based plans, integrated plans, area-based plans, strategic plans, and adaptive and participatory plans.
ii.India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) oversees the implementation of the MSP through National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, the Puducherry Coastal Zone Management Authority and Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Puducherry in collaboration with Norwegian Environment Agency.
iii. Both sides will ensure the sustainable utilization of ocean resources, with the goal of fostering economic and social progress in coastal areas.
iv.After successful implementation of pilot project in Lakshadweep and Puducherry, the framework can be replicated to other coastal regions of the country.

Additional info:
MSP would be a vital governance tool in ensuring the emergence of a blue economy characterised by a sustainable and equitable ocean resource management, instead of an environmentally unsustainable “brown economy.”

About Puducherry:
Chief Minister– Natesan Krishnasamy Rangasamy
Lt. Governor– Tamilisai Soundararajan

Manipur CM presents FY24 Budget with Expenditure Proposal of Rs 35,022cri.On February 21, 2023, the Chief Minister (CM) of Manipur Nongthombam Biren Singh who is also the minister in-charge of finance presented the Manipur state budget for 2023-24 with an expenditure proposal of Rs 35,022 crore out of the consolidated fund of the state.
ii.The budget proposals focus on education, health, sports and agriculture.
iii.This was the 3rd sitting of the 3rd session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly which began on February 2, 2023.
iv.The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for 2023-24 is estimated at Rs 45,145 crore.
v.It is proposed to launch the ‘College Fagathansi Mission’ to improve the infrastructure of government colleges.
About Manipur:
Governor – Ms. Anusuiya Uikey
National Park – Sirohi National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary – Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary
>> Read Full News

WB CM Mamata Banerjee Launched Apan Bangla Portal for Non-Resident BengalisOn the occasion of International Mother Language Day(21st February 2023), West Bengal(WB) Chief Minister(CM) Mamata Banerjee launched Apan Bangla (Own Bengal) portal for non-resident Bengalis residing in other Indian states and other countries to communicate with the WB government during emergency.
Features of Apan Bangla portal:
i.Apan Bangla portal will provide the non resident bengalis with a one-stop window to connect with the state government during emergency situations and to get updates about the recent developments in West Bengal.

• The portal will provide ‘Apon Bangla Card’ to the categories of Indians concerned who are from the state WB.
• The portal will also provide a newsletter offering information about the state, will facilitate donations to the ‘NRI (Non Resident Indian) Contribution Fund’, and will offer guidance towards investing in the state.

ii.This portal will also offer a platform for the non residents to virtually participate (online) in state organised programmes like business summit and cultural programmes.
iii.They will also be able to access different forms of the state government for public services.
iv.The portal will also have the option to give their valuable advice to the state government for improvement of services and facilities.

• The platform will enable the preparation of a database of Indians (of the categories mentioned) who are from Bengal and are staying abroad.

About West Bengal:
Chief Minister– Mamata Banerjee
Governor– CV Ananda Bose
National Park– Buxa National Park; Gorumara National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Jorpokhri Wildlife Sanctuary; Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary

Kerala HC became the First in India to Publish Judgements in Regional LanguageOn the occasion of International Mother Language Day (21st February 2023), the Kerala High Court (HC) published 2 of its recent judgments in and became the 1st HC in India to publish its judgments in the regional language.

• The judgements passed by a division bench of Chief Justice S. Manikumar (WA 926/2016) and Justice Shaji P. Chaly (WA 1638/2022) in January 2023 were published in Malayalam on the High Court’s website.

Key Points:
i. Since Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud assumed office in November 2022, there has been a renewed push for the publication of High Court and Supreme Court decisions in regional languages.
ii. On 2023 Republic Day, the supreme court also proposed to release 1,268 of its judgments in 13 Indian languages.

• Translated Judgments in Supreme Court: 1,091 judgments had been translated to Hindi, 21 to Odia, 14 to Marathi, 4 to Assamese, 1 to Garo, 17 to Kannada, 1 to Khasi, 29 to Malayalam, three to Nepali, 4 to Punjabi, 52 to Tamil, 28 to Telugu and 3 to Urdu.

About Kerala:
Chief Minister- Pinarayi Vijayan
Governor- Arif Mohammed Khan
National Park- Anamudi Shola National Park; Periyar National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary- Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary; Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary

International ‘Khajuraho Dance Festival-2023’ Begins in Madhya PradeshThe International Khajuraho Dance Festival-2023 (49th edition) began on February 20, 2023, at the world-famous tourist destination of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh.  

• Vishnu Dutt Sharma, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president and Khajuraho MP (Member of Parliament), officially inaugurated the seven-day event, which will be held till February 26, 2023.

Key Points:
i.The Khajuraho Dance Festival began in 1975.

• Since then, it has been successfully organised by the Ustad Allauddin Khan Music and Arts Academy under the Department of Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh.

ii.Khajuraho is home to an outstanding collection of temples that are part of a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.
iii.On this occasion, the Madhya Pradesh State ‘Rupankar Kala Puraskar 2023’ was presented to 10 artists from various fields.

• The artists were awarded Rs. 51,000 in cash and certificates, and their works will be presented in the State Rupankar Kala Puraskar exhibition.

iv.On February 22–25, 2023, Khajuraho will host the first meeting of the G20 (Group of Twenty) Cultural Working Group (CWG).
About Madhya Pradesh:
Chief Minister – Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Governor – Mangubhai Patel
National Parks – Sanjay National Park; Kanha national park
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Karera Wildlife Sanctuary; Ken Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary

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List of Current Governors in India – AUGUST 2022

List of Current Chief Ministers in India – AUGUST 2022

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