Current Affairs 26 & 27 January 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Union Cabinet approves Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022On January 24, 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the reworked Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022 that seeks to introduce changes in the governing structure of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), and modify the substantive, procedural and institutional provisions in the current competition law to address the needs of new age market.

• This revamped Bill will be taken up in the upcoming Budget session of Parliament starting on January 31, 2023.

Key Points:
i.The bill was introduced in Parliament on August 5, 2022. Reworking has been done since the Standing Committee on Finance gave its report on the Bill in December 2022.
ii.The Parliamentary Panel headed by Jayant Sinha had made recommendations to the Bill.
iii.This is the first time the government is going in for comprehensive changes to the Competition law since its coming into force in 2009.
Some Key Proposals in the Bill:

• To broaden the scope of anti-competitive agreements
• Reduce the time limit for approval of mergers & acquisitions from the existing 210 days to 150 days
• Provide a limitation period of three years for filing cases relating to anti-competitive agreements and abuse of a dominant position
• Introduce settlement & commitment framework
• Reasonable use of intellectual property rights should be a valid defence against allegations of abuse of dominance.
• Periodic revision of basic deal value threshold of Rs 2,000 crore and its indexation to inflation
• Inclusion of cartels under the proposed Settlement and Commitment framework and the controversial one of requiring the CCI to establish ‘effects’ of anti competitive conduct of dominant undertakings.

Chandigarh’s Administrator Inaugurates North India’s largest floating Solar Project of 2000kWpOn 23rd January 2023, Banwari Lal Purohit, Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, inaugurated North India’s largest floating Solar project of 2000kWp(Kilowatt peak) at Water Works in Chandigarh.

• He also inaugurated a 500kWp floating Solar Project with Fountains at Dhanas Lake in Chandigarh.
• The 2000kWp solar project in the water works of Chandigarh is a unique floating project and it is a one of its kind solar plant in North India.

With this Chandigarh aims to achieve the vision of the Indian government to increase the renewable energy capacity and achieve 100% renewable energy in the future.
About the solar power plants: 
These 2 solar power projects were designed and executed by Chandigarh Renewal Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), Chandigarh.
Capacity: Annually, these projects will generate a minimum of 35 lakh Units (kWh – kilowatt-hour) of solar energy with 20% module efficiency.
Total Cost: The 2000kWp plant at water works has been installed at a total cost of Rs 11.70 crores and the 500kWp plant at Dhanas Lake has been installed at a cost of Rs 3.34 crores. 
Note:

• The Dhanas lake with a fountain was developed and beautified as a part of the efforts of CREST and the Forest and Wildlife Department.
• Banwari Lal Purohit urged the people to install rooftop solar power in residential and commercial buildings. The installation of rooftop solar power is both environmentally beneficial and economically viable.

‘TROPEX 2023’: Indian Navy Conducts Mega Naval Wargame in IORThe Indian Navy is conducting the 2023 edition of “Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise” (TROPEX), a significant biennial maritime exercise, in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).

• TROPEX 23 will take place from January to March 2023 over a three-month period.

In light of China’s rising military intrusions into the IOR, the exercise TROPEX aims to “validate and refine” the Indian Navy’s concept of “operations” and test overall combat capabilities.
Exercise TROPEX 2023:
i.As part of Exercise “TROPEX 2023,” all surface combatants of the Indian Navy, including destroyers, frigates, and corvettes, as well as submarines and aircraft, are subjected to complex maritime operational deployments.

• The maritime exercise also features and facilitates operational-level interaction with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), and Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

ii.The exercise is being conducted in phases, both in harbour and at sea, and includes many aspects of combat operations, including live weapon firings.
iii.This exercise offers the opportunity to assess the combat readiness of combined fleets of the Indian Navy for multi-threat operations.
AMPHEX 2023
i.The Indian Navy also held the biennial tri-service Amphibious Exercise (AMPHEX) 2023 in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, from January 17 to 22, 2023.
ii.The exercise was designed to improve interoperability and synergy by training elements from all three services (Indian Navy, Indian Army & IAF) in various aspects of amphibious operations.
iii.The AMPHEX exercise, the largest of its kind to date, was held for the first time in Kakinada.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India Likely to Surpass China as the Most Populous Country by 2023India, which presently has 1.38 billion people, is on track to overtake China, which currently has 1.4 billion people, as the world’s most populous country in 2023.

• India’s population is expected to reach 1.668 billion in 2050, surpassing China’s 1.317 billion at the time.

This can be attributable to the fact that China’s population began to decline in 2022, for the first time in six decades since 1962.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of China reported that as of the end of 2022, China’s population was 1.41175 billion, a decrease of about 850,000 people from the end of 2021.

• The last time China recorded a decline in population was in 1961, the final year of the Great Famine under former leader Mao Zedong.

About People’s Republic of China:
President – Xi Jinping
Capital – Beijing
Currency – Renminbi (RMB)
>> Read Full News

5 billion People Globally Unprotected from TFA leading to Heart disease: WHO Report
The World Health Organization (WHO) in its 4th annual status report ‘Countdown to 2023 WHO Report on global trans fat elimination 2022’, stated that 5 billion people globally remain unprotected from harmful trans-fatty acids (TFA) resulting in increasing their risk of heart disease and death.
Trans fat elimination target set for 2023 remained unattained:
WHO first called for the global elimination of industrially produced trans fats in 2018, with an elimination target set for 2023. 43 countries have implemented best-practice policies for tackling trans fat in food, with 2.8 billion people protected globally. Despite these efforts, the target remained unattainable leaving 5 billion worldwide at risk from trans fat’s health impacts.
Key Points:
i.Industrially produced trans fat (also called industrially produced trans-fatty acids) is found in packaged foods, baked goods, cooking oils and spreads.
ii.Trans fat intake is responsible for up to global 500 000 premature deaths from coronary heart disease annually.
iii.Currently, 9 of the 16 countries with the highest estimated proportion of coronary heart disease deaths caused by trans fat intake do not have a best-practice policy.

• They are Australia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Nepal, Pakistan and Republic of Korea.

iv.Most trans fat elimination policies to date have been implemented in higher-income countries mainly in the Americas and Europe.

• There is also an increase in middle-income countries implementing or adopting these policies, including Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Paraguay, Philippines and Ukraine. Best-practice policies are also being considered in Mexico, Nigeria and Sri Lanka in 2023.

v.As per WHO, two best-practice policy alternatives in trans fat elimination are:

• Mandatory national limit of 2 grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grams of total fat in all foods;
• Mandatory national ban on the production or use of partially hydrogenated oils (a major source of trans fat) as an ingredient in all foods.

vi.In 2023, WHO recommends countries to focus on four areas viz. adopting best-practice policy, monitoring and surveillance, healthy oil replacements and advocacy.
vii.WHO also encourages food manufacturers to eliminate industrially produced trans fat from their products, aligning with the commitment made by the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA).

Note:

• In December 2020, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) lowered the previous 5% TFA limit in oils and fats to 2% and extended it to cover all foods. 
• As of January 2022, India is implementing a best-practice policy for TFA, protecting an additional 1.4 billion people from the harms of TFA.
• WHO published the report in collaboration with Resolve to Save Lives.

Canada to Commercialise World’s First Photonic-based Quantum Computer

Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau has announced a new federal investment of 40 million Canadian dollars (USD 32 million) that enables Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc., a Toronto-based Canadian quantum computing company, to build and commercialise the world’s first photonic-based, fault-tolerant quantum computer.

• The project is supported through the Canadian government’s Strategic Innovation Fund and with 177.8 million Canadian dollars (USD 142 million), the project is expected to create 530 new highly skilled positions in the high-tech and quantum computing fields.
• Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc., was founded in 2016 with the mission to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere.

BANKING & FINANCE

BOB Financial Solutions Limited launches Vikram Credit Card Dedicated to SoldiersBOB Financial Solutions Limited (BFSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda (BoB), launched ‘Vikram – the contactless RuPay credit card’ dedicated to the Indian defence, paramilitary, and police personnel on the occasion of 74th Republic Day celebrations i.e. January 26, 2023.

• It will be offered as Lifetime Free (LTF) and it comes with reward points and an activation gift of a complimentary OTT (Over-The-Top) subscription.

Key Points:
i.The credit card also offers an Accidental Death cover of Rs 20 lakh.
ii.Other features include a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, LTF add-ons, EMI (Equated Monthly installments) offers, and periodic merchant offers.
iii.BFSL already has exclusive co-branded credit cards with the Indian Army (Yoddha), Indian Navy (Varunah), Indian Coast Guard (Rakshamah) and Assam Rifles (The Sentinel).
iv.This credit card honours the protectors of our nation for their selfless services.
About Bank of Baroda (BoB):
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Sanjiv Chadha
Headquarters – Vadodara, Gujarat
Establishment – 1908
About BOB Financial Solutions Limited (BFSL):
MD & CEO– Shailendra Singh
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline– Credit Reimagined

PNB & Aadhar Housing Finance Enters into Co-Lending Partnership to offer home loans

Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Aadhar Housing Finance Limited(AHFL) have entered into a co-lending agreement to offer home loans at competitive interest rates. The main aim of this partnership is to reach out to a large section of society including economically weaker, lower, and middle-Income groups for providing easy, convenient, and efficient home finance solutions to customers.

• The agreement was signed in presence of Kalyan Kumar, Binod Kumar, M. Paramasivam, Executive Directors, Sunil Kumar Chugh, Chief General Manager from PNB and Rishi Anand, Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), DK Tripathi, Executive Vice Chairman from Aadhar Housing Finance Limited.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

Visakhapatnam Railway Station receives ‘Green Railway Station Certification’ with Highest Platinum RatingVisakhapatnam railway station of East Coast Railway has been awarded the “Green Railway Station Certification” with the highest Platinum rating by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for adopting green concepts thereby reducing the adverse environmental impact.

• Visakhapatnam station secured 82 out of 100 points in 6 environmental categories, such as sustainable facilities, health, hygiene, energy and water efficiency, smart green initiatives, and innovation and development.

IGBC Green Railway Stations rating system:
i. IGBC Green Railway Stations rating system is the first of its kind holistic rating in India to address environmental sustainability in Indian railway stations.
ii. The Green Railway Station rating system was developed by the Environment Directorate of Indian Railways with the support of the IGBC.
iii. Different levels of certification are as follows.

• ‘Certified’ to recognise best practices
• ‘Silver’ to recognise outstanding performance
• ‘Gold’ to recognise national excellence
• ‘Platinum’ to recognise global leadership

Key Points:
i. The Green Railway Station rating system has addressed national priorities such as water conservation, handling of waste, energy efficiency, reduced use of fossil fuel, lesser dependence on using virgin materials and health and well-being of occupants.
ii. Based on the survey’s findings and the IGBC’s recommendations, the following actions were taken:

• Segregation of Waste by Constructing MRF Shed
• Setting and Operationalization of 500KLD STP for Station & Colony Water
• Setting up of Solar Panels to conserve Power
• Well Developed Passenger Amenities
• 100% fitment of LED Lightings.

About the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC):
Chairman- Gurmit Singh Arora
Headquarters- Hyderabad, Telangana
Establishment- 2001
The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) was formed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS     

Chris Hipkins Becomes 41st Prime Minister of New Zealand; Jacinda Ardern resignedOn 25th January 2023, Chris Hipkins (44 years old), leader of the Labour Party,  was sworn in as the 41st Prime Minister (PM) of New Zealand by the governor-general Cindy Kiro, King Charles representative in New Zealand, during a ceremony in Wellington, New Zealand.

• Chris Hipkins took over the premiership succeeding Jacinda Ardern(42 years old), after she tendered her resignation to Governor-General Cindy Kiro on 25th January 2023.Carmel Sepuloni was also sworn in as the deputy PM, the first time that a person with Pacific Island heritage has taken the role.

Note – The 2023 General Election of New Zealand will be held on 14 October 2023.
Key highlights:
i.Chris Hipkins entered Parliament in 2008 and became the Spokesperson for Education in 2013. He was appointed minister for Covid-19 in November 2020.
ii.On the sidelines, he is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Remutaka, the Minister for National Security and Intelligence, and the Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services.

• He was also the minister for police, education and public service under Jacinda Ardern.

Jacinda Ardern resigned as Prime Minister of New Zealand
Ms Jacinda Ardern has resigned as the New Zealand Prime Minister (PM) and announced that she will not contest in the general elections set for October 2023.
About Jacinda Ardern: 
i.Jacinda Ardern is the 3rd female prime minister of New Zealand after Jenny Shipley (1997–1999) and Helen Clark (1999–2008).

• She also became the world’s youngest female head of government when she was elected prime minister in 2017 at 37.

ii.In 2018, she became the second elected world leader to ever give birth while in office, after Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto in 1990.
iii.She was re-elected for a second term as Prime Minister in 2020.
About New Zealand:
Prime Minister – Chris Hipkins
Governor General – Cindy Kiro
Capital – Wellington
Currency – New Zealand dollar

Amul: GCMMF re-elects Shamalbhai B Patel as Chairman & Valamji Humbal as Vice ChairmanOn 24th January 2023, Shamalbhai B Patel was re-elected as the Chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the umbrella body of milk cooperatives in Gujarat which owns the brand Amul.

• The election took place at the headquarters of the federation in Anand, Gujarat in presence of the heads of all the district cooperative milk unions.

The board of directors of GCMMF has also re-elected Valamji Humbal as Vice-Chairman of the GCMMF for the 2nd time.
Note: The duo was 1st elected as Chairman and Vice-Chairman in July 2020 for a two and a half years term.
Key Points:
i. The election was conducted by the Deputy Collector of Anand in the presence of 17 out of 18 members who are chairmen representing their district milk unions in Gujarat.
ii. The nomination of Shamalbhai B Patel was proposed by Ashokbhai Chaudhary, Chairman of the Mehsana milk union and supported by Ramsinh Parmar, Chairman of the Kaira milk union.
iii. The nomination of Valamji Humbal was proposed by Mansinhbhai Patel, Chairman of the Surat milk union and supported by Vihabhai Sabhad, Chairman of the Surendranagar milk union.
Shamalbhai B Patel:
i. Shamalbhai B Patel is the Chairman of Sabarkantha District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd., Sabar dairy.

• He was associated with dairy cooperatives of Gujarat for the last 33 years.

ii. The Sabar Union is one of the largest dairy unions in Gujarat with an annual sales turnover exceeding Rs 6,800 crores and farmer membership of 3.85 lakh milk producers.
Valamji Humbal:
i. Valamjibhai Humbal is the Chairman of Kutch District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd., Sarhad Dairy for the last 14 years.
ii. Kutch milk union’s annual sales turnover exceeds Rs. 870 crores and farmer membership of 1 lakh milk producers.
About the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF)-Amul:
GCMMF is the largest food products organisation in India and has annual sales of Rs 46,481 crores during the financial year (FY) 2021-2022.
Managing Director- Jayen Mehta
Headquarters- Anand, Gujarat
Establishment- 1946

GoI Extends tenure of Sangeeta Verma as Acting Chairperson of CCI The Government of India (GoI) has extended the tenure of Sangeeta Verma as acting Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). 
In October 2022, She was appointed as the acting Chairperson of CCI for a period of 3 months following the retirement of Full time chairman Ashok Kumar Gupta on 25th October 2022.

• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) noted that Sangeeta Verma will be the acting Chairperson of CCI until the date on which a new Chairperson is appointed or till any further orders in this regard.

About Sangeeta Verma:
i.Sangeeta Verma, a 1981 batch Indian Economic Service (IES) officer, joined the CCI board as a member in December 2018.
ii.She has wide-ranging experience of over three decades in government, both central and state, as an economist, administrator, regulator, and policymaker.

• She has also served the government in several sectors of the economy, including consumer affairs, industry, agriculture, power, and women and child development.

iii.She was superannuated as Principal Adviser to the GoI in the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) and also served as the Secretary of Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), and Economic Adviser with the Central Electricity Authority, Ministry of Power.
Keynote:
i.The CCI has been without a full-time Chairperson since the retirement of Ashok Kumar Gupta.
ii.A quorum of 3 members with a chairperson is required for the approval of Mergers and acquisitions beyond a certain threshold under the Competition Act, 2022.

• Each member will have a tenure of 5 years or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

iii.Sangeeta Verma & Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi are the members of CCI.

• Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi was appointed in July 2019 for a five year period, and will retire later in 2023.

About Competition Commission of India (CCI):
Chairperson – Sangeeta Verma
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Establishment – 2003

RBI approves appointment of Prabdev Singh as CEO of JP Morgan Chase Bank India

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to name Prabdev Singh as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JP Morgan Chase Bank India for a period of 3-years. He has been serving as the interim CEO of the bank since November 2022, replacing Madhav Kalyan.

• Prior to joining JP Morgan in 2010, he has worked with HSBC Holdings Plc for over a decade JP Morgan Chase & Co is an American multinational financial services company headquartered in New York City, United States of America(USA).      

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS   

NARCL Acquires First Stressed Asset – Jaypee Infratech

The National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL) has acquired its first stressed asset, Jaypee Infratech from lenders led by IDBI Bank. The total exposure of all the banks to Jaypee Infratech was over Rs 9,000 crore, while IDBI Bank’s exposure was Rs 3,750 crore.

• IDBI Bank received Rs. 253 crore, which is 15 percent of the Rs. 1,687.50-crore recovery in cash and Rs. 1,434.5 crore, an 85 percent of the recovery in the form of security receipts.
• The other lenders of the consortium will receive cash and security receipts depending on their exposure to the company.      

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IIT-Madras-Incubated Company Develops Indigenous Operating System “BharOS“

JandK Operations Private Ltd., a company incubated by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, has developed ‘BharOS’, an indigenous mobile operating system (OS).

• It is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T) through its “National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems” (NM-ICPS).

The BharOS is offered to organisations with strict privacy and security requirements, as well as users who handle sensitive information.
BharOS
i.BharOS, a play on the Bharat Operating System, is promoted by IIT-Madras as a contribution to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and can be installed on commercially available mobile devices, creating a secure environment for users.
ii.It gives users access to apps that comply with certain security and privacy standards established by organisations.
iii.BharOS is identical to Android OS in terms of technology, with the primary distinction being that BharOS does not feature Google services.
Significant Features of BharOS
i.The Private App Store Services (PASS) offered by BharOS give users access to reputable apps.

• A PASS grants access to a select group of apps that have undergone extensive verification and adhere to particular organisational security and privacy standards.

ii.No Default Applications (NDA) in BharOS prevent users from being forced to use programmes they may not be familiar with or do not feel trustworthy.

• It gives them more control over the apps and permissions they require.

iii.BharOS provides “Native Over The Air” (NOTA) updates, which are automatically downloaded and installed to maintain the software secure and bug-free.

OBITUARY

Padma Awardee & Renowned Indian Architect Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi Passed AwayOn 24th January 2023, Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi (B.V. Doshi), a renowned Indian Architect and Padma Awardee, passed away in Ahmedabad, Gujarat at the age of 95. B.V. Doshi was born on 26th August 1927 in Pune, Maharashtra.
About Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi:
i. B.V. Doshi is considered the most celebrated practitioner of Indian architecture. He was noted for his contributions to the evolution of architectural discourse in India.
ii. His notable works: Amdavad ni Gufa (Ahmedabad, Gujarat), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Udaipur (Rajasthan), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Delhi, CEPT University, IIM Bengaluru (Karnataka), and the Aranya Low-Cost Housing in Indore (Madhya Pradesh).
iii. He was a follower of Architect legends Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn. He worked closely with noted Architect Le Corbusier on the latter’s projects in Paris, France between 1951 and 1954.
iv. B.V. Doshi established his own practice, Vastushilpa Consultants, in Ahmedabad in 1955 and the Vastushilpa Foundation for Studies and Research in Environmental Design, a research institute affiliated with Vastushilpa Consultants, in 1978.
Awards and Recognitions:  
i. B.V. Doshi was conferred with both the RIBA’s Royal Gold Medal in 2021 and the Pritzker Prize (often referred to as the Nobel Prize for architecture) in 2018 for his outstanding contribution to the field of architecture.

• He was the 1st Indian to receive Royal Gold Medal and Pritzker Prize.

ii. He was conferred with Padma Shri for Science and engineering in 1976 and Padma Bhushan (others) in 2020.
iii. He also received the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2011) and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (1993-1995).

Former Indian Decathlete & Arjuna Awardee Sabir Ali Passed Away

On 22nd January 2023, Former Indian Decathlete & Arjuna Awardee Sabir Ali, known as the ‘Ironman of India’ passed away in New Delhi, Delhi, at the age of 67. Sabir Ali was born in 1955 in Haryana. He won the decathlon gold at the 1981 Asian Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. He became the 3rd Indian to win the Asian Athletics Championships decathlon after VS Chauhan (1974) and Suresh Babu (1975).

• He won 10 gold medals in the decathlon and 2 silver medals in the South Asian Athletics meet held at Kathmandu & Dhaka. He also won 8 consecutive Open National titles between 1979 and 1985. He was declared the best sportsman of India in the year 1981.
• In 1981, he won a bronze and silver at the World Railway meets. He was honoured with the Arjuna award by the Government of India and Bhim award by the government of Haryana in 1981.
• He was captain of the Indian athletics team in the 1983 Asian track and field athletic competition held in Kuwait.
• He worked in Indian Railways till 2015(retired).

Decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of 10 track and field events.

IMPORTANT DAYS

13th National Voters’ Day – 25th January 2023 On 25th January 2023, the Election Commission of India (ECI) celebrated the 13th edition of National Voters’ Day (NVD) across India to spread awareness about the importance of voting, and participating in the electoral process.
The theme of 2023 National Voters’ Day is ‘Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure’.

• The 2023 theme is dedicated to voters conveying individual’s feeling and aspiration towards participation in the electoral process through power of their vote.

Background:
i.National Voters’ Day is annually observed across India on 25th January to mark the foundation day of the ECI.

• ECI is a permanent constitutional body constituted on January 25, 1950 in accordance with the Indian Constitution.
• It grants every Indian citizen the right to vote in the democratic election process of the country.

ii.The first ever National Voters’ Day was celebrated in 2011, to encourage active participation in India’s electoral process.
About Election Commission of India:
Chief Election Commissioner– Rajiv Kumar
Election Commissioner–  Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
>> Read Full News

National Tourism Day 2023 – January 25National Tourism Day is annually observed across India on January 25 to raise awareness and promote tourism for India’s economic and financial growth and development.
Aim:
The day aims to save national heritage and create popular tourist spots across India.
Background:
i. National Tourism Day was initiated by the Indian government in 1948 when the tourist committee was established.
ii. The Ministry of Tourism is responsible for promoting and growing tourism in India, which also involves collaborating with local, national, and international organisations.
About the Ministry of Tourism:
Minister- G. Kishan Reddy (Constituency- Secunderabad, Telangana)
Minister of State (MoS)- Ajay Bhatt (Constituency- Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Uttarakhand); Shripad Yesso Naik (Constituency- North Goa, Goa).
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

India International Science Festival 2022 held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh – 21st to 24th January 2023

The India International Science Festival (IISF) 2022, a 4-day festival, was held from 21st to 24th January 2023 at the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The IISF 2022 marks the 8th edition of IISF since its inception in 2015.
On 21st January 2023, IISF 2022 was jointly inaugurated by Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister (CM) of Madhya Pradesh and Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister for Science & Technology.

• The theme of the IISF 2022 is “Marching towards Amrit Kaal with Science, Technology, and Innovation”.
• IISF is an initiative of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Earth Science, Government of India (GoI), in association with Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA).
• There were 15 important events organised in the 4-day science festival, like the Student Science Village, Mega Start-ups Expo, and NATS Exhibition/ Innovation Showcase.

The 3rd Edition of the Annual Orange Festival held in Kohima, Nagaland- 24th & 25th January 2023

The 3rd edition of the Orange Festival (Orange Festival 2023) was held from 24th to 25th January 2023 in  Rusoma village near Kohima, in Nagaland. The festival was organised under the aegis of Rüsoma Village Council in association with Kohima Smart City Development Limited, Rural Development Department, Horticulture Department, Agriculture Department and Land Resources Department.

• The festival featured several stalls like handicrafts, organic vegetables and fruits, food items, the sale of orange saplings, a workshop on orange and coffee plantations and a campaign on “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao”.
• On 24th January 2023, the festival was inaugurated in the presence of K Neibou Sekhose, Additional Director of Rural Development.

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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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