Today Current Affairs for Competitive Exams
Current Affairs 24th March 2023
Today's History: 24 March 2023
 First long distance telegram message was
opened between Agra and Calcutta at a
distance of 1,300 km, in 1855.
 Anusilan Samiti, a revolutionary organisation,
was formed in Bengal, in 1902.
 British Cabinet Mission came to India
presided by Lord Pethick Lawrence, in 1946.
 The second Indian-made rocket 'Menaka' was
successfully launched at the Thumba station,
in 1968.
Day for Right to the Truth concerning Gross
Human Rights Violations
 Every year on March 24, the International Day
for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross
Human Rights Violations and Victim Dignity is
observed.
 It honours the memory of Monsignor Oscar
Arnulfo Romero, who was assassinated on
March 24, 1980.
 Monsignor Romero was an outspoken
opponent of human rights violations against El
Salvador's most vulnerable citizens.
Ashneer Grover launches cricket fantasy sports
app ‘CrickPe’
 BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover's Third
Unicorn on 23 March 2023 launched a cricket-
focused fantasy sports app called CrickPe.
 It is the only fantasy cricket app in the world
where with every match, the actual playing
cricketers, cricketing bodies, and real team
owners win cash rewards, along with the
fantasy game-winners.
Govt to introduce GPS-based toll system in six
months
 The government is planning to introduce new
technologies including GPS-based toll
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collection systems to replace existing highway
toll plazas in the next 6 months.
 The move is aimed at reducing traffic
congestion and charging motorists for the
exact distance travelled on the highways.
 NHAI's toll revenue is currently Rs 40,000
crore and it is going to soar to Rs 1.40 lakh
crore 2-3 years.
Nasa's James Webb Space Telescope makes new
discovery
 NASA's James Webb Space Telescope made
another out-of-this-world discovery: a giant
red planet outside the solar system.
 The study is published in The Astrophysical
Journal Letters.
 The planet is considered to be a "young
planet" at only 150 million years old and that's
why the sky appeared turbulent.
 It also discovered clear detections of water,
methane, and carbon monoxide.
26% of world's population does not have safe
drinking water: UNESCO
 26% of the world's population does not have
safe drinking water and 46% lack access to
safely managed sanitation, according to a
report published by UNESCO at the UN 2023
Water Conference in New York.
 The global urban population facing water
scarcity is projected to double from 930
million in 2016 to 1.7 to 2.4 billion people in
2050.
Know About: UNESCO
 The United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization is a specialized
agency of the United Nations.
 It is aimed at promoting world peace and
security through international cooperation in
education, arts, sciences and culture.
 It was founded on 16 November 1945
in London, United Kingdom.
 It is headquartered in Paris, France.
PM Narendra Modi visits Varanasi
 PM Narendra Modi visited Varanasi on 24th
March 2023 and addressed the One World TB
Summit.
 He launched TB-Mukt Panchayat Initiative,
shorter TB preventive treatment, and family-
centric care model for TB.
 He also released India's Annual TB Report
2023.
 He also felicitated states/UTs for progress
towards ending TB.
MP CM unveils State Youth Policy and Youth
Portal
 MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the
State Youth Policy and a Youth Portal on 23
March 2023.
 He also informed that the State Level Youth
Commission will be reconstituted by April 5.
 He also announced the implementation of
Mukhya Mantri Yuva Kaushal Earning
Scheme.
 Under this, an amount of at least Rs 8000 will
be given to the youth every month on the
basis of learning and earning.
Know About: Madhya Pradesh
 Madhya Pradesh is the second largest Indian
state by area and the fifth largest state by
population with over 72 million residents.
 Bhopal is its capital while Indore is the largest
city.
 CM: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
 Governor: Mangubhai Patel
 Major rivers: Narmada, Tapti, Shipra, etc.
 Major tribes: Bhil, Gond, Baiga, Korku, etc.
India, UK hold joint maritime exercise 'Konkan'
in Arabian Sea
 Konkan 2023, a joint maritime exercise, was
conducted between the Royal Navy of Britain
and the Indian Navy from the 20-22 March
2023, off the Konkan coast in the Arabian
Sea.
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 INS Trishul, a guided missile frigate, and HMS
Lancaster, a Type 23 guided missile frigate,
participated in this edition.
 The exercises covered all domains of
maritime operations, air, surface, and
subsurface.
Assam Rifles commemorates 188th Raising Day
 Assam Rifles- considered the oldest and most
decorated Para Military Force of the country,
celebrated its 188th Raising Day on 24 March
2023.
 Assam Rifles was raised on March 24, 1835.
 During 2022-23, three battalions received
Chief of the Army Staff Unit Citation and five
Battalions received General Officer
Commanding-in-Chief Unit Citation.
RBI teams wins UTT-84th Senior National and
Inter-State TT C'ships
 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) scripted a 3-2
win over Tamil Nadu in the women’s final of
the UTT-84th Senior National and Inter-State
table tennis championships in Jammu on 23
March 2023..
 Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB)
won 3-1 over Railways in the men’s final for
its 26th title.
 The Tamil Nadu and RBI women played 21
out of 25 games.
PM Modi addresses One World TB Summit at
Varanasi
 PM Narendra Modi addressed the One World
TB Summit in Varanasi on 24 March 2023.
 He also dedicated and laid the foundation
stone of various projects worth more than
1,780 crores rupees on the occasion.
 He laid the foundation stone of the Passenger
Ropeway from Varanasi Cantt station to
Godowlia.
 India will be the third country in the world
where the ropeway is used for public
transport.
Tamil Nadu Assembly re-adopts Bill against
online gambling
 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has re-
adopted the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online
 Gambling and Regulation of Online Games
Bill, 2022 (L.A. Bill No. 53 of 2022).
 The Bill was first adopted in the Assembly on
October 19, 2022.
 This is the second time the Tamil Nadu
Assembly has re-adopted a Bill returned by
the Governor.
World Tuberculosis (TB) Day: 24 March
 World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed
annually on March 24 to raise awareness
about TB and efforts to end the global
epidemic.
 This date marks the day Dr. Robert Koch
discovered the bacterium that causes TB in
1882.
 It is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium
tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs.
 The theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2023
is "Yes! We can end TB!"
Amit Shah to chair Regional Conference on 'Drug
Trafficking' on 24 Mar
 Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the
Regional Conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and
National Security’ in Bengaluru on 24 March
2023.
 It is being organised to curtail drug trafficking
through maritime route and stringent punitive
action on drug traffickers resulting into zero
tolerance.
 Representatives from 5 Southern States &
three Union Territories will also attend the
Conference.
Infosys announces Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw's
retirement from board
 Infosys has announced the retirement of Kiran
Mazumdar-Shaw as Independent Director of
the Board, effective March 22, 2023, upon
completion of her tenure.
 She was appointed to the board as an
independent director in 2014 and as lead
independent director in 2018.
 She also served as the chairperson of the
nomination & remuneration committee of the
Infosys board.
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Indian Army, Air Force conduct joint drills 'Vayu
Prahar' along LAC
 Indian Army and the Air force jointly
conducted a Multi Domain Air-Land Exercise
Vayu Prahar along the Line of Actual Control
(LAC) in eastern command in March 2023.
 The exercise enables coordination and
rehearsal amongst various agencies for quick
mobilization, transportation and deployment of
forces within a theatre that can be executed
across theatres.
India clinches both men and women titles of Asian
Kho Kho Championship
 Indian men's and women's teams defeated
Nepal to clinch the Asian Kho Kho
Championships titles held at Tamulpur in
Assam on 23 March 2023.
 Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary
and minister U G Brahma distributed the
prizes.
 The participating countries were, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal,
Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka and host
India.
MoD inks pact with BEL for Medium Power
Radars ‘Arudhra’ & 129 DR-118
 Ministry of Defence, on March 23, 2023,
signed two contracts with Bharat Electronics
Limited (BEL) worth Rs 3,700 crore, to
enhance the operational capabilities of the
Indian Air Force.
 The first contract is for Medium Power Radars
(MPR) ‘Arudhra’ for the Indian Air Force.
 The second contract, at an overall cost of
approx. Rs 950 crore, relates to 129 DR-118
Radar Warning Receivers (RWR).
Union govt launches 'DigiClaim' for claim
disbursal through NCIP
 Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers
Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar launched
National Crop Insurance Portal’s (NCIP)
digitized claim settlement module 'DigiClaim'
in New Delhi on 23 March 2023.
 It was launched under the ambit of Pradhan
Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
 Under the module, claims will be disbursed
electronically, which will benefit the respective
farmers of six states.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
 It is a crop insurance scheme launched by the
Union Govt in 2016.
 It covers pre-harvest and post-harvest losses
aimed at providing support for the sustainable
production of yield in the agricultural sector.
 It is being administered by the Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
 It replaced the National Agricultural Insurance
Scheme and Modified National Agricultural
Insurance Scheme.
Tourism Min to organize 1st Global Tourism
Investor Summit in May 2023
 Under India’s G20 Presidency, the Ministry of
Tourism will organize the country's 1st Global
Tourism Investors’ Summit (GTIS) in New
Delhi from 17-19 May 2023.
 It will aim to attract investment in tourism
industry such as Hospitality & Lodging, Eco-
Tourism, Rural Tourism and others.
 A 100% Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the
tourism and Hospitality sector is allowed
under automatic route.
Union Min Sarbananda Sonowal launches Digital
Platform 'Sagar Manthan'
 Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and
Waterways Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal on
23 March 2023, launched the Real-time
Performance Monitoring Dashboard ‘Sagar
Manthan’.
 It is a Digital platform having all the integrated
data related to the ministry and other
subsidiaries.
 The dashboard will transform the workings of
various departments by improving well-
coordinated real-time information.
RK Singh to inaugurate National conference on
'Biomass' on 24 March
 Union Power & New and Renewable Energy
Minister R. K. Singh will inaugurate
the “National Conference on Biomass 3P -
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Pellet to Power to Prosperity” in New Delhi on
24 Mar 2023.
 It is being hosted by National Mission on Use
of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants
(SAMARTH).
 The conference aims to foster an enabling
environment to boost co-firing of biomass
pellets in Thermal Power Plants in India.
UP govt and QCI launch Uttar Pradesh Gunvatta
Sankalp in Lucknow
 The Government of Uttar Pradesh and Quality
Council of India, on 23 March 2023, launched
the UP Quality Mission (Gunvatta Sankalp) at
Lucknow, U.P.
 It was inaugurated by Deputy CM of UP
Brajesh Pathak and launched by the Minister
of Cooperation J. P. S. Rathore.
 It aims to contribute to the state's vision of
becoming a knowledge superpower
and adopting transformative digitalisation.
Know About: Quality Council of India
 It is a national body established for raising the
quality and standards related to every aspect
of life.
 It works as a quality infrastructure of Indian
goods and services and leading them easily
to the foreign markets.
 Chairman of QCI is nominated by the Prime
Minister.
 Its current Chairman is Jaxay Shah and the
Secretary General is Dr Ravi P Singh.
 Founded: 1997
 Headquarters: New Delhi
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates 31
road projects in Jharkhand
 Union Road, Transport and Highways Minister
Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inaugurated and
laid the foundation stone of 31 road projects
in Jharkhand worth 13200 crore rupees on 23
March 2023.
 The projects include Varanasi-Ranchi
Economic Corridor, double-decker elevated
Corridor in Jamshedpur, and Bokaro-Jaina
More-Gola-Ormanjhi Expressway were the
few important road links under these
schemes.
Know About: Jharkhand
 It is a state in eastern India.
 Betla National Park is located in the state.
 It is the 15th largest state by area, and the
14th largest by population.
 Hindi is the official language of the state.
 Capital: Ranchi
 Official flower: Sacred Tree
 Chief minister: Hemant Soren
 Formation: 15 November 2000
 Sex ratio (2021): 948/1000
 Governor: C. P. Radhakrishnan
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The UN 2023 Water Conference inaugurated in
New York
 The United Nations 2023 Water Conference is
being held from March 22 to 24 in New York,
USA.
 It is the first summit on water in 50 years and
is being hosted by Tajikistan and the
Netherlands.
 The conference seeks to bring greater focus
on water, which is a critical foundation for
many of the 17 Sustainable Development
Goals, including health, food, gender equity
and the environment.