Current Affairs 26 & 27 February 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

EAC-PM Chairman Bibek Debroy Released the 2nd Edition of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Report Dr Bibek Debroy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) released the second edition of the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) report at the conference ‘TheIndiaDialog’, which was organised by Institute for Competitiveness and US-Asia Technology Management Center, Stanford University, on February 23 & 24, 2023.

• The FLN Index 2022 is an indicator of literacy among children below 10 years of age.
• India’s overall average score in the FLN index 2022 was 44.48 and 18 out of 36 state/UTs have scored above the country average.
• The report has been authored by Amit Kapoor, Chair, Institute for Competitiveness, Natalia Chakma, Researcher, Institute for Competitiveness, and Sheen Zutshi, Research Manager, Institute for Competitiveness.
• In the FLN index, under the large state categories, West Bengal maintained its top position while Uttar Pradesh stood at the bottom. Among smaller states, Punjab was at the top of the index while Telangana was at the bottom. Among UTs Puducherry topped the index while Ladakh was the worst performer.

About Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM):
It is an independent body constituted to give advice on economic and related issues to the Government of India, specifically to the Prime Minister.
Current members: Chairman – Dr. Bibek Debroy; Part-time Members – Rakesh Mohan, Dr. Sajjid Chinoy, Dr. Neelkanth Mishra , Shri Nilesh Shah, Prof. T.T. Ram Mohan and Dr. Poonam Gupta .
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
>> Read Full News

Kerala becomes 1st State to use Robotics Scavengers to Clean ManholesOn 24th February 2023, Roshi Augustine, Kerala’s Minister of Water Resources, launched a robotic scavenger “Bandicoot”, in Guruvayur in Thrissur district, Kerala and noted that the robotic technology would be extended throughout the state. With this, Kerala becomes the 1st state in India to use robotic technology to clean all its commissioned manholes and drainage.

• The Bandicoot was launched under the Guruvayur Sewerage Project by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) as a part of the Kerala Government’s 100-day action plan.

Note: In 2018, KWA started using Bandicoot to clean the manholes in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and later, it was introduced in Ernakulam, Kerala.
Bandicoot:
i. Bandicoot, the world’s 1st robotic scavenger, was developed as a Make in India and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiative by Kerala-based Genrobotics, National Award winning Robotics startup that focuses on developing robotic technologies for solving social issues.
ii. It is already in use in urban bodies across India to replace the practice of sanitation workers physically entering the manholes.
iii. Genrobotics has received the ‘Kerala Pride’ award at the Huddle Global 2022 conclave organised by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) for Bandicoot innovation.
Function:
i. The major component of Bandicoot is the robotic Tron Unit, which enters the manhole and removes sewage with robotic hands that resemble human hands.
ii. Bandicoot has waterproof, High-definition (HD) vision cameras and gas sensors that can detect harmful gases inside the manhole
iii. The launch of a robotic scavenger in Guruvayur Municipality was a significant step towards the usage of technologically advanced manhole cleaning solutions across Kerala.Note: Bandicoot robots are currently deployed across selected cities in 17 States and 3 Union Territories.
About Kerala:
Chief Minister- Pinarayi Vijayan
Governor- Arif Mohammed Khan
Wild Life Sanctuary- Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary; Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary
Tiger Reserve- Periyar Tiger Reserve; Parambikulam Tiger Reserve

NSSO’s 5th Annual Report PLFS 2021-22: Unemployment rate dips to 4.1% in July 2021-June 2022i.On February 24, 2023, the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 5th ‘Annual Report Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)- July 2021 – June 2022’ stating Unemployment rate (UR) at 5-year low of 4.1% in 2021-22. It was 4.2% in July 2020-June 2021.
ii.The pan-India UR for male was 4.4% and for women was 3.3% in July, 2021 – June, 2022.
iii.The UR in both rural and urban areas declined to 3.2% and 6.3%, respectively from 3.3% and 6.7% respectively, in July 2020-June 2021.
iv.The NSSO also released the 17th quarterly PLFS survey for urban India for October-December 2022 quarter. As per it, India’s urban UR in CWS terms for persons aged 15 years and above declined to 7.2% during October-December 2022 from 8.7% a year ago(October-December 2021).
v.The unemployment rate in the July-September 2022 was also 7.2% only.
About Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI):
Minister of State (Independent Charge)– Rao Inderjit Singh (Constituency- Gurugram, Haryana)
Secretary– DR. G P Samanta
>> Read Full News

NMCG Executive Committee Approved 9 Projects worth Rs 1278 crore for pollution abatement in Ganga Basin and Ghat DevelopmentNine projects worth around Rs. 1278 crore were approved at the 47th meeting of the Executive Committee of NMCG (National Mission for Clean Ganga) which was held under the chairmanship of G. Asok Kumar, Director General, NMCG.

• Out of the 9 projects, 7 were related to reducing pollution in the Ganga Basin and 2 were related to ghat development.

Key Points:
i.West Bengal: A project in West Bengal worth Rs 123.02 crore was approved for the creation of a 13 MLD (millions of litres per day) STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) and a 300 KLD (Kiloliters Per Day) decentralized STP at Chakdaha Municipal Town.
ii.Bihar:A project at an estimated cost of Rs. 94.12 crore for the development of two Sewage Treatment Plants (10.91 MLD and 10.66 MLD) for pollution abatement in River Ganga  was approved for Lakhisarai town in Bihar.
iii.Madhya Pradesh: A project costing Rs. 511.15 crore was approved to decrease pollution in Rivers Kahn and Saraswati in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
iv.Uttar Pradesh: Under ghat development, a project worth Rs. 2.84 crore was approved for Nageshwar Dham Ashram ghat in Fatehpur.
About National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG):
NMCG was registered as a society on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860. It acted as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority(NGRBA)
Director General – G Asok Kumar
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
>> Read Full News

Union Minister V. Muraleedharan to Launch New Initiatives at NIT CalicutOn 24th February 2023, V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, visited the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C), Kozhikode, Kerala. V. Muraleedharan launched several new initiatives in light of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP).

• The visit of MoS V. Muraleedharan was organized by the Centre for International Relations and Foreign Languages (CIRFL) of NIT-C.

Key Highlights:
i. V. Muraleedharan also released a brochure of the “Centre for Women’s Welfare and Social Empowerment (CWSE)” at the NIT-C.

• CWSE was established as an inclusive platform to assist women in developing their leadership, communication, and entrepreneurial skills through workshops, training programmes, and mentorship opportunities.

ii. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 calls for several actions to promote the internationalisation of higher education and make India a top study destination.

• NEP 2020 calls for various actions, including facilitating faculty/student exchanges, research and teaching partnerships, and the signing of pertinent (mutually beneficial MOUs with foreign nations).

iii. The Centre for International Relations & Foreign Languages (CIRFL), one of the newly established multidisciplinary centres of the NITC, has actively established the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).
iv. The National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) Level of Training (Level 3-7) Skill Hub is being established by NIT Calicut to support self and wage employment, apprenticeship, etc.

• Skill Hub in NIT Calicut will focus on new-age courses: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, 3D Printing,  Drone, etc.

v. During the Minister’s visit, the new ISSO office was unveiled and the 1st newsletter from CIRFL will be published to highlight its activities and successes from the previous year (2022).
NITC signs MoU with MAGCOM for academic cooperation: 
NIT-C signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kozhikode-based Mahatma Gandhi College of Mass Communication (MAGCOM) for academic cooperation. Under this MoU, both NIT-C and MAGCOM will work together on the role of communication in engineering studies and the role of technology in media studies.
In collaboration with CIRFL and NIT-C, academic courses in the domains of content writing, technical writing, and international media studies are set to be started.

• The MoU was signed by M.S. Shamasundara, Registrar of NIT-C, and A.K. Anuraj, Director of MAGCOM.

MHA approves Renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad

On 24th February 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) approved the renaming of Aurangabad city as “Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar” and Osmanabad city as “Dharashiv” in Osmanabad district, Maharashtra.

• The renaming of Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv was the last Cabinet decision of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray. The demand was first raised by Bal Thackeray, founder of Shiv Sena.

Aurangabad derives its name from the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, while Osmanabad was named for a 20th-century ruler of the princely state of Hyderabad.

• The new name of Aurangabad – ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’, is derived from Chhatrapati Sambhaji, the eldest son of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and 2nd ruler of the Maratha state(1681-1689). Sambhaji Maharaj was executed on Aurangzeb’s orders in 1689.

‘Dharashiv‘, a new name for Osmanabad, is derived from the name of a cave complex near Osmanabad city. According to researchers, Dharashiv dates back to the 8th century.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

US’s International IPR Index 2023 (11th Edition): India ranks 42nd out of 55
According to the International Intellectual Property Rights Index 2023 (11th edition) released by the United States (US) Chamber of Commerce, India ranks 42nd with an overall index score of 38.64% (i.e.,19.32 out of 50) among 55 major global economies across 50 unique indicators.

• According to the index, India is well-positioned to take the lead among developing nations in driving innovation that is IP-driven to transform their economies.
• India was placed 43rd out of 55 countries in 2022 and 40th in the index in 2021, rising just one spot to the 42nd position in 2023.

The index was launched by the Global Innovation Policy Centre of the US Chamber of Commerce and is closely monitored by the Indian government.
International IP Index 2023 (11th Edition)
i.The annual international IP index assesses the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) in 55 of the world’s largest economies, which account for around 90% of global GDP.

• The index found that several domestic and international measures threatened to weaken IPR.

ii.It addresses issues ranging from patent and copyright laws to the ability to monetize IP assets and the ratification of international treaties.
iii.The index seeks to guide countries towards a brighter economic future characterised by increased innovation, creativity, and competitiveness by analysing the IP landscape in global marketplaces.
Click here to read the executive summary of the report.

Bangladesh Govt, ISA Inks Agreement to Enhance Usage of Solar Power in BangladeshThe International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Government of Bangladesh have signed an agreement to enhance the use of solar energy in Bangladesh.

• The agreement was signed by Bangladesh Power Division Secretary Md. Habibur Rahman and ISA Director General Ajay Mathur.

The agreement is scheduled to take effect in December 2026.
Featured Projects under the Agreement

• 12 trolley-mounted solar irrigation systems of 2 kW (kilowatt) each for the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)
• 12 portable 2 kW solar paddy threshers
• 1.5 kW of solar-powered drinking water
• Installation of any one railway rooftop solar project on platforms
• Installation of two rooftop solar projects with a combined capacity of 22 KW

Key Points:
i.By 2041, the Bangladesh government intends to have 40% of its energy generated from renewable sources.
ii.By the year 2030, Bangladesh intends to generate 4000 MW of solar energy through several projects.

• The country is also promoting the use of other renewable energy sources like wind power, energy from waste, and hydropower to help it reach its goals.

iii.Guidelines for net metering rooftop solar installations have also been implemented. Solar energy is also being encouraged in agriculture.
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
i.The ISA is a group of 123 nations that was established to enhance solar energy and solar technology deployment to increase energy security and promote sustainable energy use among member nations.
ii.It was developed as a joint initiative between India and France to mobilize efforts to combat climate change by deploying solar energy alternatives.
iii.It was conceived on the fringes of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris (France) in 2015. All United Nations member states are eligible to join the ISA.
Director General – Ajay Mathur
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana

FATF Suspends Russia’s Membership due to Ukraine War; Added South Africa, Nigeria on ‘grey list’Following its 2nd Plenary under the presidency of T. Raja Kumar of Singapore (22-24 February 2023), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Global financial crime watchdog, updated its statements identifying high-risk and other monitored jurisdictions.

• FATF suspended Russia’s membership stating that Russia’s war in Ukraine violated the FATF’s principles to promote security, safety, and the integrity of the global financial system.
• FATF has also added South Africa and Nigeria to its “grey list“, a list of countries that are failing to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
• FATF has removed Cambodia and Morocco from the grey list.

Key Points:
i.While the membership of Russia has now been suspended, it still remains a member of FATF and the Russian Federation remains accountable for its obligation to implement the FATF Standards and continue to meet its financial obligations.
ii.This decision of FATF indicates to global banks, financial institutions and investors that these countries are not fully compliant with anti-money laundering and terrorist financing standards.

• Ukraine welcomed the decision of FATF and urged FATF to exclude Russia from the list of FATF member countries and to place it on the Blacklist as a high-risk country or jurisdiction.

iii.The addition of South Africa and Nigeria to the grey list means the clients at the  financial institutions in these countries are likely to experience increased due diligence checks in international banking and finance.
South Africa and Nigeria have made high-level political commitments to address the deficiencies it had found.

• The FATF has listed 8 areas that South Africa still needed to work on in order to remove it from the grey list.

Points to note: 
Paris (France) based FATF is an inter-governmental organisation established to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. FATF sets international standards to prevent these illegal activities.
Members: FATF members include 39 countries, which includes, the United States of America(USA), India, China, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom(UK), Germany, and France. Ukraine is not a member of FATF.
Black list: Countries under the FATF blacklist: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(North  Korea), Iran, Myanmar
About Financial Action Task Force (FATF):
President– T. Raja Kumar of Singapore (1 July 2022 to 30 June 2024)
Headquarters– Paris, France

BANKING & FINANCE

NSE Indices launches India’s 1st Municipal Bond Index: Nifty India Municipal Bond IndexIndia’s first ever municipal bond index namely ‘Nifty India Municipal Bond Index’ has been launched by NSE Indices Limited, a subsidiary of National Stock Exchange (NSE). It has a base date of January 1, 2021, and a base value of 1,000.

• It was launched at a Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) workshop on Municipal Debt Securities in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• This index will track the performance of municipal bonds issued by Indian municipal corporations across maturities and having investment grade credit rating.

About Index:
i.Presently, the index has 28 municipal bonds issued by 10 issuers all having credit rating in the AA category.
ii.The index constituents are assigned weights based on their outstanding amount.
iii.The index is computed using the total return methodology including price return and coupon return.
iv.It will be reviewed quarterly.
Key Note:
In 2015, SEBI’s Issue and Listing of Municipal Debt Securities Regulations, 2015 came into effect after which the Indian municipal bond market has seen a resurgence of issuances. Raising money from capital markets incentivises municipal corporations to fund new projects and improve civic infrastructure
About NSE Indices Limited:
The company owns and manages a portfolio of indices under the Nifty brand of NSE
It also maintains fixed income indices based on Government of India securities, corporate bonds, money market instruments and hybrid indices.
CEO– Mukesh Agarwal
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra

PFRDA Launches T+2 Settlement for Partial Withdrawal of NPSThe Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA) has reduced the waiting period for National Pension System (NPS) subscribers for processing partial withdrawal requests to T+2 (after two days of the request) across all Central Record Keeping Agencies (CRAs).

• Formerly, the turnaround time for NPS was T + 4 (after four days of the request).

In September 2022, PFRDA decreased the timeline for processing withdrawal requests from subscribers at the time of exit from T+4 working/settlement days (T being the day of authorization of withdrawal request by Nodal officer/ PoP/ Subscriber) to T+2 days.
Key Points:  
i.The pension regulator, PFRDA, has expanded the services available under T+2 timeframes and has now calculated the turnaround time for all types of withdrawals.
ii.Reduced timelines will be implemented gradually in the future for many more activities in the interest of subscribers.
iii.The intermediaries of PFRDA, namely CRAs, Pension Funds, and Custodians, have improved the system interface and enhanced their IT capabilities as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence.

• This has decreased the timelines of various transactions under the NPS and provided a better subscriber experience to meet their evolving needs.

iv.Assets under management (AUM) reached nearly Rs. 8.75 lakh crore as of February 11, 2023, as India’s pension assets [NPS and Atal Pension Yojana (APY)] continue to rise rapidly.

• Despite challenges like rising inflation and rising interest rates in India, AUM has been growing at a 28–30% rate.

About the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA):
Chairman – Supratim Bandyopadhyay
Establishment – 2003
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

APEDA signs MoU with Lulu Hypermarket for export promotion of millets in GCC Countries

On 21st February 2023, The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lulu Hypermarket LLC to promote the export of millets to the Countries of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
APEDA in association with Lulu Group aims to promote millet products and value-added products around the world.

• The MoU was signed by Tarun Bajaj, Director of APEDA, and VI Saleem, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Lulu Hypermarket LLC, at Gulfood 2023 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the promotion of millets in GCC countries.
• From April to November 2022, India exported millets worth USD 46.05 million. The new MoU will help APEDA to reach its target of exporting millets and its value-added products worth USD 100 million by 2025.     

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS   

Govindaraj Kempareddy becomes 1st Indian to be Nominated as President of FIBA AsiaGovindaraj Kempareddy(K Govindaraj), President of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), was unanimously nominated as the President of FIBA Asia, a zone within the International Basketball Federation (FIBA – Federation Internationale de Basketball Amateur) which contains all 44 Asian FIBA federations. He becomes the 1st Indian to be elected as FIBA Asia President.

• K Govindaraj will replace Qatar’s Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani, who is currently serving his 4th five-year term as President of FIBA Asia. He has been president of FIBA Asia since 2002.
• Indian National Congress activist K Govindaraj is currently serving as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council (KLC) and Vice-President of the Indian Olympic Association(IOA).

Note: FIBA Asia is one of the five regional zones of FIBA: the other 4 zones are FIBA Africa, FIBA Americas, FIBA Europe and FIBA Oceania.
About Govindaraj Kempareddy:
i. Govindaraj Kempareddy started his career as National Basketball Player
ii. He also serves as Secretary of the Karnataka State Basketball Association for the last 25 years and is a member of the Sports Authority of Karnataka for the last 10 years.
iii. He is also a member of the Selection Committee for the prestigious Ekalavya Awards.
iv. He served as the Manager of the Indian team at the Asian basketball championship held in Shanghai (China) in 2001, and as a Manager of the Indian team at the Asian basketball championship held in Jakarta (Indonesia).
v. Presently, Govindaraj Kempareddy serves as the Director of the Indian Cost Accountants Institute, a Government of India Nominee.
About FIBA Asia:
President- Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani
Chairman- Yao Ming
Headquarters- Beirut, Lebanon
Establishment- 1960   

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

First MCA Barge Launched by Indian NavyOn February 24, 2023, the first Missile cum Ammunition (MCA) Barge, Yard 75 (LSAM 7) was launched by Rear Admiral Sandeep Mehta at Guttenedevi, the launch site of SECON, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

• Background: In February 2021, a contract for the construction of 8 Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) barges has been concluded with an MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise) SECON, Visakhapatnam.
• The MCA Barges included in Indian Navy to perform the mission needs for embarking/ disembarking Missile, Gunnery and ASW Ammunition.

Key Points:
i.Being a part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India, all major and auxiliary equipment/systems of the MCA Barge was sourced from indigenous manufacturers.
ii.The Barge was built with a service life of 30 years.
iii.The MCA Barges will support the Operational commitments of the Indian Navy by providing Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles/ammunition to IN (Indian Navy) Ships both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.

Roscosmos launches Soyuz MS-23 Spacecraft to bring back 3 Astronauts stranded on ISSOn 24th February 2023, State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS (Roscosmos), the Russian Space Agency, launched a Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft to bring back 3 astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) due to the coolant leak on their original return capsule, Soyuz MS-22 capsule. The unmanned Soyuz MS-23 was launched from Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan and had been placed in Orbit.

• Soyuz MS-23 will bring back 3 Astronauts: Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, cosmonauts from Russia, and Frank Rubio, a NASA astronaut from the United States of America (USA) who had been due to end their mission in March

Key Points:
i. The 3 astronauts were intended to be on board the International Space Station (ISS) for 6 months when they arrived in September 2022, but their mission was extended when their return Soyuz MS-22 capsule began to leak coolant in December 2022.
ii. US and Russian space officials believe that the leak on MS-22 was caused by a micrometeorite, a tiny particle of space rock.
iii. The three astronauts would return to Earth aboard Soyuz MS-23 in September 2023.

• The damaged MS-22 spacecraft is scheduled to land without a crew in March 2023.

Note: 430 kilogrammes (about 950 pounds) of cargo was sent aboard the replacement craft, including medical equipment, scientific instruments, water, food and cleaning supplies.
About State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS (Roscosmos):
Director-General- Yury Ivanovich Borisov
Headquarters- Moscow, Russia
Establishment- 1992

OBITUARY

Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat, Former President Pratibha Patil’s husband, Passed Away

On 24th February 2023, Renowned educationist Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat, husband of the former President of India Pratibha Patil and former First Gentleman of India (2007-2012), passed away in Pune, Maharashtra, at the age of 89. He was born in 1934.

• Devisingh Shekhawat was an Indian agriculturist and politician He also served as the first gentleman of Rajasthan (2004 -2007) and also as mayor of Amravati (1991–1992). He was a member of the Indian National Congress.
• He served in the Legislative Assembly for the years 1985 to 1990, having been elected from the Amravati constituency to the Maharashtra state assembly.

STATE NEWS

Bihar cabinet approves USD 50,000 for developing fog alert system with US-NCAROn 24th February 2023, the Cabinet of Bihar chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, approved USD 50,000(around Rs 41.41 lakh) to develop an early warning system for dense fog and cold wave conditions in collaboration with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a Federally Funded Research and Development Center of the National Science Foundation, United States of America.

• The proposal to approve USD 50,000 for this project was introduced by the Planning and Development Department, Government of Bihar.

Key Points:
i.USD 50,000 will be utilised to offer technical support for the works that will be jointly carried out by the government of Bihar and NCAR.
ii.Bihar and NCAR are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) in this regard.
About Early warning systems:
i.The Early warning systems will play a major role in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
ii.The aim of the Early warning systems is to avoid or reduce the damages caused by extreme weather conditions.
iii.The Bihar Mausam Seva Kendra(BMSK) under Planning & Development Department, is developing an application which will provide early warning of dense fog and cold wave conditions to the people.

• These information will also be provided to the people through the call centre of the BMSK.

About Bihar:
Chief Minister– Nitish Kumar
Governor– Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
National Park– Valmiki National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary; Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary

Ola Electric to set up World’s largest EV hub in Tamil Nadu with Rs. 7,614 crore investment

Ola Electric Mobility Private Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Tamil Nadu(TN) committing investments worth Rs 7,614 crore in the presence of TN Chief Minister(CM) Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin (M.K. Stalin) and Bhavish Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ola, at the Secretariat in Chennai, TN.

• The investments include setting up of world’s largest  Electric Vehicle (EV) hub with an integrated two-wheeler, electric car and lithium-cell Gigafactories with a capacity of 20 GW in SIPCOT Bargur, Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu
• Ola will invest Rs 5,114 crore for making lithium cells and Rs 2,500 crore for the car plant.
• This will generate employment for around 3111 people in TN.

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