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in

01 Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar

CONTEXT:
 The Prime Minister congratulated the talented youngsters who have been conferred the Ustad
Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar.

About the Award:

 The “Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar” was
started from the year 2006 to be awarded to artists
who have shown/demonstrated conspicuous talent
in the fields of music, dance and drama.
 Eligibility: Young outstanding practitioners upto
the age of 40 years will be eligible to be considered
for Yuva Puraskar every year.
 Yuva Puraskar is given annually and the total number
of Yuva Puraskar in a year shall not exceed 33.
 The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar carries a purse money of Rs 25,000/- (Rupees twenty-five
thousand only), an Angavastram and a plaque.
 The Yuva Puraskar may be given in the following five Fields of activity:
 Music
 Dance
 Theatre
 Other Traditional / Folk/ Tribal/ Dance/ Music/ Theatre and Puppetry
 Contribution / Scholarship in Performing Arts

Ustad Bismillah Khan (1916-2006):

 Bismillah Khan was an Indian musician who popularised the reeded woodwind instrument
‘Shehnai’.
 Khan is recognised with boosting the shehnai’s reputation and introducing it to the concert stage,
despite the fact that it had long been revered as a folk instrument used largely in traditional
ceremonies.
 It is considered that the predecessors of the Bismillah Khan were court musicians and they
accustomed to perform in the Naqqar khana at the princely states of Bhojpur (Currently Bihar).
 He was the great follower of the Saraswati (the Hindu Goddess of wisdom and arts) even he was
from Muslim religion.
 In the All India Music Conference Calcutta in 1937; he gave shehnai the center stage of Indian
music.
 Awards: Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri.

About Shehnai
 Shehnai is a subcontinental instrument belonging to the oboe class.
 It is a double-reed conical oboe of North India.
 The shehnai is made of wood, except for a flaring metal bell attached to the bottom of the
instrument.

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02 Shri Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha

CONTEXT:
 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over the demise of noted
Yakshagana playback singer, Shri Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha.

Journey of Shri Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha:

 Bhagavatha was well-versed in more than ‘100 yakshagana prasangas’.
 He had served in the yakshagana field as a noted Bhagavat for 60 years.
 Bhagavatha, who was born in Padre Village of Kasaragod district on April 13, 1938.
 Bhagavatha had entered the yakshagana field at the age 13. He had created a five-day ‘Devi
Mahatme’ prasanga, which was a significant milestone in the history of Yakshagana literature.

About Yakshagana:
 Yakshagana is a traditional folk dance form
popular in Coastal Karnataka districts.
 It is a rare combination of dance, music, song,
scholarly dialogues and colourful costumes.
 A celestial world unfolds before the audience,
as loud singing and drumming form a backdrop
to dancers clad in striking costumes. Hence the
name Yaksha (celestial) Gana (music).
 This is a night-long event, with elaborately
adorned performers dancing to the beat of
drums in open-air theatres – usually in the
village paddy fields after the winter crop has
been harvested.
 Traditionally, men portray all roles, including
the female ones, though women are now part of Yakshagana troupes.
 A typical troupe consists of 15 to 20 actors and a Bhagavatha, who is the master of ceremonies
and the main storyteller.

Elements of Yakshagana:
 The Act: Each performance typically focuses on a small sub-story (known as ‘Prasanga’) from
ancient Hindu epics of Ramayana or Mahabharata. The show consists of both stage performances
by talented artists and commentary (performed by the lead singer or Bhagavatha) accompanied
by traditional music.
 The Music: Musical instruments used in Yakshagana include Chande (drums), Harmonium,
Maddale, Taala (mini metal clappers) and flute among others.
 The Dress: Costumes used in Yakshagana are very unique and elaborate. Large size head gear,
coloured faces, elaborate costumes all over the body and musical beads on the legs (Gejje).
Performers need great physique to perform with heavy costume for several hours and also strong
voice and acting/dancing skills.
 The Troupes: There are several popular troupes (known as Melas) performing Yakshagana
throughout the year. Saligrama mela, Dharmasthala Mela, Mandarthi Mela, Perduru Mela are
some of the leading names.

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03 Banjara Dharmaguru Santh Sevalal Maharaj Jayanti

CONTEXT
 Government celebrated Banjara Dharmaguru Santh Sevalal Maharaj Jayanti for first time ever.

Who was Banjara Dharmaguru Santh Sevalal Maharaj?

Banjara community
 The Banjara are a class of usually ascribed as nomadic people from the Indian state of Rajasthan,
North-West Gujarat, and Western Madhya Pradesh and Eastern Sindh province of pre-
independence Pakistan.
 They claim to belong to the clan of Agnivanshi Rajputs.
 It is believed that there is a population of around 10 to 12 crore Banjara community across the
country.

 Santh Sevalal Maharaj was born on 15 February 1739 at Surgondankoppa in Shivamogga district
of Karnataka.
 He is considered a social reformer and spiritual teacher of the Banjara community.
 He travelled across the country with his Ladeniya Troup to serve especially the forest dwellers
and nomadic tribes.
 Due to his extraordinary knowledge, excellent skills and spiritual background in Ayurveda and
Naturopathy, he was able to dispel and eradicate myths and superstitions prevalent in the tribal
communities and brought about reforms in their way of life.
 Among such communities, the Banjara community settled across the country with different
names, have permanently abandoned their nomadic lifestyle and settled in their settlements called
Tandas.
 In states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh, Sant Sevalal Maharaj is a revered symbol of every Banjara family.
 In all these states the birth anniversary of Sant Sevalal Maharaj ji is celebrated with great fanfare in
the month of February.

The Samadhi Sthal of Saint Sewalal Ji is situated in Manora Taluka of Washim District of
Maharashtra at Pohradevi which is also known as Banjara Kashi.

04 Siang Unying Festival

CONTEXT
 Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush attended the colourful Siang Unying
Festival.

About:
 The colourful Siang Unying Festival is an important festival of the Adi community at Boleng,
Arunachal Pradesh.
 The festival of Unying is celebrated to herald the season of cultivation, beginning of the Adi

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community’s New Year, arrival of spring seasons as well as a great way to strengthen the bond
among the community.
 In this festival, it is customary for all male members of a family to go on a hunting spree (open
season) and stay in the jungles for one week.
 When they return home they come back with various kills such as deers, birds, squirrels, fish etc.
 The children perform “Yakjong” (house to house) wearing colorful traditional attire and bless the
house where they perform.

About Adi Tribe

 The Adi people are one of the most populous groups of indigenous peoples in the Indian state
of Arunachal Pradesh.
 The name Adi means 'hill man'. The tribe divides into two main divisions - the Bogum and Onai
- each of which is subdivided.
 Kebang: There is a highly developed system of democracy and all major decisions in a village are
taken by the Kebang (village council) only after full consultation with all members of the tribe.
 They live in a region of the Southern Himalayas which falls within the Indian state of Arunachal
Pradesh and the Mainling, Lhunze, Zayu, Medog, and Nyingchi counties in the Tibet
Autonomous Region, China.

05 ‘Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava’ cultural festival

CONTEXT
 PM Modi Inaugurated ‘Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava’ Festival.

About
 ‘Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava’ cultural festival was organized to celebrate Karnataka’s culture,
traditions and history.
 It is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
 The festival, being held under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, provided an opportunity
to hundreds of artists to showcase Karnataka’s cultural heritage through dance, music, drama, and
poetry.

06 Indo-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise ‘Dustlik’

CONTEXT
 The 4th edition of joint military exercise ‘DUSTLIK’ between the Indian Army and Uzbekistan Army
commenced today in Foreign Training Node, Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand).

About
 The first edition of the exercise was conducted in Uzbekistan in November 2019.
 First edition- Uzbekistan’s Chirchiq Training Area.
 Second edition- Foreign Training Node in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand
 Third edition- Yangiarik, Uzbekistan
 Objective: to enhance cooperation, understanding, and interoperability between the two armies.

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07 India, Singapore launch UPI-PayNow linkage

CONTEXT
 India and Singapore has announced to link their payment apps, namely UPI and PayNow which will
allow instantaneous and low-cost money transfers between the two countries.
 The linkage is set to ease financial transac ons for the Indian diaspora.

 About the move:

Singapore has now become the first country with which cross-border Person to Person (P2P)
payment facilities have been launched.

 Background: UPI payments through QR codes are already taking place in Singapore, though at a
limited number of outlets.
 The announcement was done via a virtual address by both India and Singapore’s Prime minister.
 Aim: This move will aid the Indian diaspora in Singapore, especially students and migrant workers, by
allowing instantaneous and low-cost money transfers between the two countries.

FINTECH or financial technology refers to the technological innovation in the design and delivery
of financial services and products.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI):

 Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a system that powers mul ple bank accounts into a single mobile
application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing &
merchant payments into one hood.
 It also caters to the “Peer to Peer” collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement
and convenience.
 Currently, UPI payments are made using the digital equivalent of existing currency notes. That
means every rupee transferred via UPI is backed by physical currency.

PayNow
 PayNow is a fast payment system in Singapore.
 It enables peer-to-peer funds transfer service, available to retail customers through participating
banks and Non-Bank Financial Ins tu ons (NFIs) in Singapore.
 It allows users to send and receive instant funds from one bank or e-wallet account to another in
Singapore by using just their mobile number, Singapore Na onal Registra on Iden ty Card (NRIC)/
Foreign Iden fica on Number (FIN), or VPA.

Authorities concerned:
 The digital rupee/ currency will be operated by RBI and not by bank intermediaries in the case of
UPI where each bank has a different UPI handler.
 Digital rupee will be settled by RBI instantly, whereas UPI payments were settled by transacting bank
with RBI.

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08 Operation Dost

CONTEXT
 India’s ‘Operation Dost’ campaign, launched after the deadly earthquake wreaked havoc in Turkey
and Syria, has saved dozens of lives.

What is Operation dost?

 India launched Operation Dost to aid in search-and-rescue in Turkey and Syria following deadly
earthquakes that struck on February 6 and claimed over 46,000 lives to date.

Important Evacuation Operations carried out by India:

Year Opera on Brief

It was an evacuaƟon mission to bring back all the Indian
2022 OperaƟon Ganga
ciƟzens from Ukraine.
The mission was launched to bring back Indian ciƟzens
2020 Vande Bharat
stuck in foreign countries.
It was a naval operaƟon to bring home Indian ciƟzens
2020 OperaƟon Samudra Setu
from other countries during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Under OperaƟon Raahat, India evacuated nearly 5,600
2015 OperaƟon Raahat
people from Yemen.
It is the joint relief and rescue operaƟon by the Indian
2015 OperaƟon Maitri government and the Indian Armed forces in the
aŌershock of the 2015 Nepal earthquake.
It was launched to bring back Indian ciƟzens stranded in
2011 OperaƟon Safe Homecoming
conflict-torn Libya.

IFC-IOR signs MoU with Regional Coordination Operations

09
Centre

CONTEXT
 In order to further the existing cooperation in the realm of maritime safety and security, IFC-IOR
signed an MoU with Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC), Seychelles to promote
collaboration between the two Centres towards enhancing maritime domain awareness, information
sharing and expertise development.

About IFC-IOR
 Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), hosted by the Indian Navy, was
established by the Government of India at Gurugram in 2018 to enhance collaborative maritime
safety and security in the Indian Ocean Region in line with India’s vision of Security and Growth
for All in the Region (SAGAR).
 To enable better correlation, compressed information cycles and timely inputs, IFC-IOR also hosts
International Liaison Officers (ILOs) from partner nations.

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 To date the Centre has hosted ILOs from 12 partner nations - Australia, France, Italy, Japan,
Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Singapore, United Kingdom, and the
United States of America.

Maritime Security Architecture

 The Maritime Security Architecture in the Western Indian Ocean, implemented by the Indian Ocean
Commission (IOC) is supported by the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC), the
Regional Operations Coordination Centre (RCOC) and the national centres of the seven signatory
countries (Comoros, Djibouti, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles).

Cabinet approves Air Services Agreement between India and

10
Guyana

CONTEXT
 The Union Cabinet approved the signing of the Air Services Agreement between the Government
of India and the Government of Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

About
 Air Services Agreement (ASA) provides the legal framework for air operations between two countries
which is based on the principles of sovereignty of nations, nationality of carriers and reciprocity in
terms of commercial opportunities for the designated airlines of each side.
 At present there is no Air Services Agreement (ASA) between the Government of India and the
Government of Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
 The signing of Air Services Agreement with Guyana will enable a framework for provision of air
services between the two countries.
 Indians have a sizeable presence in Guyana and are the largest ethnic group comprising about 40%
of the population as per 2012 census.
 In view of the growing aviation market and developments such as liberalization of aviation sector in
India, air services agreement has been signed with many countries for paving way for International
air connectivity.

India and Guyana are signatories to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago
Convention).

11 W20 (Women 20) for India’s G20 Presidency

CONTEXT
 Aurangabad hosted the W20 Inception Meeting on February 27th -28th, 2023.

About
 W20 (Women 20) is an official engagement group under the G20 which was established during the
Turkish presidency in 2015.
 Its primary objective is to ensure that gender considerations are mainstreamed into G20 discussions

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and translated into the G20 Leaders’ Declaration as policies and commitments that foster gender
equality and women’s economic empowerment.
 W20 India took over the presidency from W20 Indonesia on 12 December 2022.

Focus area of W20, 2023

 W20, 2023 is focusing on removing barriers to women-led development and ensure an enabling
environment and ecosystem for women to realize their full potential, transforming their lives as well
as of others.
 W20, 2023 aims to ensure that the W20 communique is representative and comprehensive and will
provide solutions to enhance the status of women across the globe.
 There are five priority areas of W20 under India’s Presidency which include-
 Women in Entrepreneurship
 Women Leadership at Grassroots
 Bridging the Gender Digital Divide
 Education & Skill Development
 Women & Girls as change makers Climate Resilience Action

12 Qatar lifts ban on frozen seafood from India

CONTEXT:
 Qatar lifted its temporary ban on the import of frozen seafood from India, paving the way for
enhanced export and improved bilateral relations with the West Asian country.

About:
 The ban was imposed in November 2022, just ahead of the FIFA World Cup following alleged
detection of Vibrio cholera from a few consignments from India.
 The Qatari authorities had informed India that the ban was temporary and owing to lack of sufficient
testing laboratories in their country in the run-up to the football event.
 The Department of Commerce under the Government of India along with embassy of India in
Qatar had since been making constant efforts to resolve the issue.
 A rally of discussions with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health had been taken, leading to the
February 16 notification lifting the ban on frozen seafood.
 However, restrictions continue on the ‘export of chilled seafood’.

India’s sea food exports industry:

 Country’s seafood exports are likely to reach an all-time high of US$ 8 billion in FY 2022-23
despite three years of a sluggish global market caused by the pandemic, logistical hurdles and strict
inspections of shrimp consignments.
 As part of the strategy to boost exports in FY 2022-23, MPEDA has organised around 40 Virtual
Buyer Seller Meets (VBSMs) with Japan, China, Russia, the UK, Vietnam, Germany, Malaysia, South
Korea, Oman, Singapore, and Spain.

The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA), the technology standardisation and transfer
wing of MPEDA, is setting up the pilot project of Broodstock Multiplication Centre (BMC) of
Penaeus monodon (tiger prawn), developed from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in Visakhapatnam
with the aid of Department of Fisheries.

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13 ‘G20 Model Meeting’ concludes successfully in New Delhi

CONTEXT:
 India’s G20 Secretariat along with the United Nations India Country Office organised a day-long
“Model G20 Meeting” at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday, 17th February 2023.

Highlights of the meeting:

 The meeting, the first official Model G20 event was a simulation exercise of a G20 meeting
where school students essayed the roles of delegates of G20, Guest countries and international
organisations.
 Participants: The meeting saw participation of a total of 8 schools from Delhi/NCR, viz. British
School, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sector 8 R.K Puram, Lycee Francais International de Delhi, Modern School
Barakhamba Road, Pathways World School Gurugram, Russian Embassy School, Ryan International
School Vasant Kunj and Springdales School Dhaula Kuan.

In total, over 60 high school students, representing 12 nationalities including 10 G20 countries
participated in the meeting.

 Theme of the meeting: “Youth for LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment)”.

 The students discussed and exchanged views on the role of global youth in making LiFE
initiative a mass movement for Climate Action.

The idea of LiFE was introduced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the 26th United Nations
Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow.

About LiFE initiative:

 The LiFE Movement aims to utilise the power of collective action and nudge individuals across the
world to undertake simple climate-friendly actions in their daily lives.
 The LiFE movement also seeks to leverage the strength of Youth and social networks to influence
social norms surrounding climate.
 LiFE plans to create and nurture a global network of individuals, namely ‘Pro-Planet People’ (P3),
who will have a shared commitment to adopt and promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.
 Through the P3 community, LiFE seeks to create an ecosystem that will reinforce and enable
environmentally friendly behaviours to be self-sustainable.
 The theme for the Model G20 event - “Youth for LiFE” was identified keeping in mind the critical
role which the global youth, being the agents of change, could play in Climate Action through the
LiFE initiative.

G20 presidency:
 India is currently a part of the G20 Troika (current, previous, and incoming G20 Presidencies) which
includes Italy, India, and Indonesia.
 During India’s presidency tenure, Brazil and Indonesia would make up the troika.
 For the first time, the troika would be having three developing nations and emerging economies,
providing a strong narrative of the concerns of these economies.

Five action points:

 The G20 Presidency also provides an opportunity to fast-track the processes and commitments that
were started through the UN Food Systems Summit, held by the G20 leadership.

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 The summit created a mechanism focused on five identified action tracks:

 Ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all;
 Shift to sustainable consumption patterns;
 Boost nature-positive production;
 Advance equitable livelihoods, and
 Build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress

14 MHA designates two outfits as terror organisations under UAPA

CONTEXT
 The Central Government declared two organizations as terrorist organizations under the provisions
of the UAPA.

The Terrorist Organization:

 Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF): It is a militant outfit and it aims to revive terrorism in Punjab and challenges
the territorial integrity, unity, national security and sovereignty of India and promotes various acts of
terrorism, including targeted killings in Punjab.
 Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF): It has been found involved in infiltration bids, narcotics and
weapon smuggling and carrying out terror attacks in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
 It draws its cadres from various terrorist organisations, such as Lashker-E-Taiba, Jaish-E-Mohammed,
Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen, Harkat-ul—Jehad-E-Islami etc.
 With this, now there are 54 designated terrorists and 44 designated terrorist organisations under
the 1st Schedule of the UAPA.

How does the government declare a terrorist organisation?

 In furtherance to India’s Zero Tolerance policy towards terrorism, the Central Government amended
the Unlawful Ac vi es (Preven on) Act (UAPA) in August 2019 to include the provision of designating
an individual as terrorist.
 Prior to this amendment, only organizations could be designated as terrorist organization.

Government measures to curb terrorism

 Cons tu on of a Countering Financing of Terrorism Cell (CFT Cell) in the Ministry of Home Affairs
 Constitution of a Terror Funding and Fake Currency Cell in the Na onal Inves ga on Agency
 India organised the third ‘No Money For Terror’ Ministerial Conference in New Delhi.

15 Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI)

CONTEXT
 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the meeting of 41st edition of PRAGATI, the ICT based
multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, involving Centre and
State governments.

About PRAGATI
 PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance And Timely Implementation), as the name suggests, is aimed at
starting a culture of Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation.

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 It is also a robust system for bringing e-transparency and e-accountability with real-time presence
and exchange among the key stakeholders.
 The platform was launched on March 25, 2015.

16 Twenty-second Law Commission of India

CONTEXT
 The Union Cabinet approved the extension of the term of the Twenty-second Law Commission of
India upto 31st August, 2024.

About the Law Commission of India

 The Law Commission of India is a non-statutory body, constituted by the Government of India
from time to time. The Commission was originally constituted in 1955 and is re-constituted from
time to time.
 The tenure of present Twenty-second Law Commission of India ends on 20th February, 2023.
 The various Law Commission have been able to make important contribution towards the progressive
development and codification of Law of the country.
 The Law Commission has so far submitted 277 Reports.
 The Chairperson and Members of the Twenty-second Law Commission have joined office recently and
have taken up several pending projects for examination and report, being the work in progress
 Therefore, the tenure of the Twenty-second Law Commission has been extended upto 31st August,
2024. It will consist of the same composition, which is as under:
 a full-time Chairperson
 four full-time Members (including Member-Secretary)
 Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs as ex-officio Member
 Secretary, Legislative Department as ex officio Member
 Not more than five part-time Members

17 Digi Yatra

CONTEXT
 There has been steady growth in the number of passengers using Digi Yatra, as per the government
data.

About
 Digi Yatra is a biometric boarding system using Facial Recognition Technology to provide a
seamless and hassle-free experience for passengers at airports.
 It enhances passenger experience by eliminating the need for verification of ticket and ID at
multiple touchpoints and provides better throughput through existing infrastructure using a Digital
Framework.
 Digi Yatra is being implemented across airports in a phased manner.
 Digi Yatra is a voluntary facility. In the Digi Yatra process, there is no central storage of passengers
Personally Identifiable Information data.

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 All the passenger’s data is encrypted and stored in the wallet of the passenger’s smartphone and
shared only for a limited time duration with the airport of travel origin where the passenger’s
Digi Yatra ID needs to be validated.
 The data is purged from the system within 24 hours of the flight.

18 Jaipur Declaration

CONTEXT
 The 18th UIC World Security Congress, jointly organized by Railway Protection Force (RPF) and
the International Union of Railways (UIC), concluded with the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration
by the attendees.

What is Jaipur Declaration?

 “Jaipur declaration” outlines an actionable agenda for UIC to explore innovative approaches that
can help global Railway organizations achieve their long-term goal of safety and security.
 The declaration put focus on the commitment of UIC to provide a safer and secure rail network
across the world by fully activating the Asia-Pacific, Latin America and African regional assemblies
by 2025.

About UIC
 The UIC (Union International Des Chemins) or International Union of Railways established in 1922
is headquartered in Paris.
 It is the worldwide professional association representing the railway sector for research,
development & promotion of rail transport.

About Railway Protection Force (RPF)

 Railway Protection Force (RPF) is the prime security and law- enforcement organization in the
field of Railway Security in India.
 Constituted as a federal Force in the year 1957, RPF is responsible for security of railway property,
passenger and passenger zones.

19 TRIFED’s TRIBES India store products tagged with ODOP and GI

CONTEXT
 TRIFED store products were tagged with One District One Product (ODOP) and Geographical
Indication (GI) to enable market outreach and procurement of handlooms and handicrafts, at the
concluded Aadi Mahotsav.

About One District One Product (ODOP) Programme

 The One District One Product (ODOP) programme was launched in 2018, by the Uttar Pradesh
Government, and due to its success, was later adopted by the Central Government.
 This initiative is carried out with the ‘Districts as Exports Hub’ initiative by the Directorate General
of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce. The Department for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade is an important stakeholder.

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 In the scheme, the ODOP product is identified by the state for a district.
 The criteria for ODOP identification are given below:
 Percentage of ODOP produce relative to total agricultural produce of the district
 Perishable nature
 ODOP presence in the district relative to other districts
 Recognisability of the district with the ODOP product
 Processing level for ODOP in that district, other districts and states
 Number of workers engaged in ODOP production and processing
 Marketing linkages
 ODOP processing infrastructure in the district

Geographical Indication (GI)

 GI is a status accorded to a good which is unique to a particular region or area, and are originated
from there.
 These goods have a reputaƟon for their quality. They are associated with a sense of legiƟmacy and trust
simply because they have the tag of belonging to that region.

20 Indian Bureau of Mines’ 75th Foundation Day

CONTEXT
 Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) under the Ministry of Mines organized the 75th “Khanij Diwas” to
mark the Foundation Day on 1st March, 2023 in Nagpur.

About
 The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) came into existence on the 1st March, 1948 based on the
recommendations of the National Mineral Policy Conference.
 From a small beginning as a purely advisory body, over the years IBM has emerged as a premier
national organization dealing with various aspects of the country’s mining and mineral industry;
fulfilling the dual role of enforcing statutory provisions as well as engaging in various development
activities.

21 Saanasad Khel Mahakumbh

CONTEXT:
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the second phase of Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-
23 organised at Shaheed Satyawan Singh Stadium via video conferencing.

Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23:

 During this Khel Mahakumbh, various competitions are organized in both indoor and outdoor
games like Wrestling, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Volleyball, Handball, Chess,
Carrom, Badminton, Table Tennis etc. Apart from these, competitions like Essay Writing, Painting,
Rangoli making are also organized.

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 The first phase of the Khel Mahakumbh was held from December 10 to 16, 2022.
 This MP Sports Mahakumbh is being organized by Basti district MP Harish Dwivedi since 2021.

Key features:
 Khel Mahakumbh is a unique initiative that provides an opportunity and platform to the youth of
the district and surrounding areas to showcase their sporting talent and motivate them to take up
sports as a career option.
 It also seeks to instill discipline, teamwork, healthy competition, confidence and a sense of
nationalism in the youth of the region.
 The Prime Minister appreciated the vastness of the Khel Mahakumbh and hoped that through
such events, India’s traditional expertise in sports will get a new dimension. Around 200 MPs have
already organized such khel Mahakumbh in their respective constituencies.
 The Prime Minister said that the athletes who perform through these games are being selected for
further training under the Sports Authority of India.
 Around 40,000 athletes are participating in the Khel Mahakumbh as compared to last year.
 The Prime Minister informed that financial assistance of Rs 50,000 per month is also being provided
to 2500 athletes through Khelo India.

Events organised:
 About 500 Olympic potential athletes are being prepared under the Target Olympic Podium
Scheme (TOPS).
 Keeping in mind the need for international training, some players have received assistance ranging
from Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 7 crore.
 More than one thousand Khelo India District Centers are being set up across the country, out of
which more than 750 centers have been completed. Geo-tagging of all sports grounds across the
country is also being done so that players do not have any problem in taking training.
 He informed that the government has created a sports university in Manipur for the youth of the
Northeast and another sports university is also being constructed in Meerut, (Uttar Pradesh).

Aadi Mahotsav at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New

22
Delhi

CONTEXT:
 The Prime Minister inaugurated Aadi Mahotsav, the mega National Tribal Festival at Major Dhyan
Chand National Stadium in Delhi.

About Aadi Mahotsav:

 Aadi Mahotsav is an attempt to showcase tribal culture on the national stage and it celebrates the
spirit of tribal culture, crafts, cuisine, commerce and traditional art.
 It is an annual initiative of the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation Limited
(TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

National Tribal Festival:

 Tribals from different parts of India participated in the festival. They exhibited their products in more
than 200 stalls.

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23 ‘Jal-Jan Abhiyan’ by Brahma Kumaris

CONTEXT:
 The Prime Minister addressed the ‘Jal-Jan Abhiyan’ of Brahma Kumaris via video message on 16th
February 2023.

About:
 The Jal-Jan Abhiyan is being launched at a time when water scarcity is being seen as a future crisis
all over the world.
 Need of the initiative: The 21st-century world is realizing the seriousness of limited water
resources on earth and pointed out that water security is a huge question for India due to its large
population.
 In the Amrit Kaal, India is looking towards water as the future.

Government interventions:
 Catch the Rain campaign
 Atal Bhujal Yojana
 Namami Gange campaign

 The steps for water conservation into a mass movement and as that like Jal-Jan Abhiyan of Brahma
Kumaris will give new strength to this effort of public participation.
 Brahma Kumari sisters can play a significant role in the country as well as at the global level.
 The Prime Minister informed that the country is promoting techniques like drip irrigation for
balanced use of water in agriculture and urged the Brahma Kumaris to motivate the farmers on
increasing its usage.

24 KAVACH-2023

CONTEXT:
 Advancing India’s cyber-preparedness, KAVACH-2023, a national level hackathon was launched
to identify innovative ideas and technological solutions for addressing the cyber security and
cybercrime challenges of the 21st century.

About the event:

 KAVACH-2023 is a unique kind of national hackathon jointly conducted by MoE’s Innovation Cell,
AICTE, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D, MHA) and Indian Cyber Crime
Coordination Centre (I4C, MHA).
 Objective: It aims to identify innovative ideas and technological solutions for addressing the cyber
security and cybercrime challenges of the 21st century faced by our Law Enforcement Agencies and
common citizens.
 The Grand finale of KAVACH-2023 will be a 36-hours long mega event, during which selected
youths from educational institutions across the country and registered start-ups will participate to
find robust, secure and effective technological solutions using their knowledge, technical expertise
and innovative skills.

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 Total prize money worth Rs. 20 Lakh will be awarded to the winning teams.
 MoD informed that the concepts so submitted by participants will be evaluated by a group of
domain experts and the most innovative ideas will be selected during the second phase which shall
culminate with Grand Finale; selected participants will be expected to demonstrate their solutions
for ascertaining technical feasibility and implementability of their solutions.
 Best ideas will be declared winners by the jury.

25 International Centre of Excellence for Dams under DRIP Scheme

CONTEXT:
 The Central Water Commission (CWC), Ministry of Jal Shakti entered into a Memorandum
of Agreement for Development of International Centre of Excellence for Dams (ICED) under
externally funded Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project Phase II and Phase III.

About the agreement:

 Formation of International Centre of Excellence for Dams (ICED) will empower ‘Make in India’
in dam safety, plus augment advanced research and developing technologies and application
products.
 The ICED is being set up at a cost of Rs. 109 Crore, being borne by the Department of Water
Resources, Ganga Rejuvenation & River Development, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and Government of
India as non-recurring grant in six tranches.
 ICED, Roorkee will provide specialized technical support in investigations, modelling, research and
innovations, and technical support services to the Indian and overseas dam owners.
 IITR will endeavor to reach a level of self-sufficiency within ten (10) years by generating income
streams through the knowledge and capabilities developed on dam safety & rehabilitation in
general, and in the core areas of reservoir sedimentation and seismic hazard mapping and analysis
in particular
 The Centre will work for agreed dam safety areas to support and provide solutions to various
emerging challenges faced in dam safety through scientific research and latest technological
innovations
 IITR will endeavor to reach a level of self-sufficiency within ten (10) years by generating income
streams through the knowledge and capabilities developed on dam safety & rehabilitation in
general, and in the core areas of reservoir sedimentation and seismic hazard mapping and analysis
in particular

26 Mizoram’s 37th statehood day

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people of Mizoram on the anniversary of its state hood
day.

Brief Background
 Like any other north-eastern state of India, Mizoram was previously part of Assam until 1972, when
it was carved out as Union Territory (UT).

Arunachal Pradesh was also granted statehood on this day in 1987.

 It became the 23rd state of India on 20th February, 1987.

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NHAI to Explore Use of Phosphor-Gypsum in National Highway

27
Construction

CONTEXT
 Keeping its commitment to encourage use of waste material to build ecologically sustainable
National Highway Infrastructure, NHAI along with Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of
Chemicals & Fertilizers is going to take up field trials on NHAI projects for use of Phosphor-
Gypsum in National Highway construction to achieve a circular economy in the use of Gypsum.

About Phosphor-Gypsum
 Phosphor-Gypsum is a by-product of fertilizer production. An Indian fertilizer company has
constructed a road using Phosphor-Gypsum.
 The road was evaluated by Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and based on their report, the
Indian Road Congress (IRC) has accredited neutralized Phosphor-Gypsum waste material for road
construction for a period of three years.
 The fertilizer company and CRRI have been asked to take up field trials on an NHAI project to evaluate
performance of Phosphor-Gypsum on a National Highway and to generate confidence among
various stakeholders on use of Phosphor-Gypsum waste material in Highway construction.

Other ways to construct road:

 Plastic waste: NHAI is also encouraging use of waste plastic in road construction, which has already
been tested very successfully.
 Fly ash: NHAI has used ‘Fly Ash’ - fine residue of coal combustion in the Thermal Power Plants
(TPPs) for construction of Highways and flyover embankments.
 The 135 km long, six lane ‘Eastern Peripheral Expressway’, used 1.2 crore cubic meter of fly-ash
in its construction.

28 Technotex 2023

CONTEXT
 ‘Technotex 2023: Envisioning Indian Technical Textiles @2047’, the 10th International Exhibition and
Conference on Technical Textiles, was concluded recently.

What is Technotex?
 Technotex is a flagship event comprising buyer-seller meets, an international exhibition and
conference.
 Organized by: Union Ministry of Textiles and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce &
Industry (FICCI).

Technical textiles are textiles materials and products manufactured primarily for technical
performance and functional properties rather than aesthetic characteristics.

Important initiatives promoting textile

 PM GATI SHAKTI–National Master Plan: The plan is essentially a digital platform that would bring
16 Ministries including Railways and Roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated

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implementation. The plan presents significant opportunities for technical textiles to be used
extensively.
 National Technical Textiles Mission: The key pillars of NTTM include ‘Research Innovation &
Development’, ‘Promotion and Market Development’, ‘Education, Training and Skilling’ and ‘Export
Promotion’. “The focus of the Mission is for developing usage of technical textiles in various flagship
missions and programmes of the country including strategic sectors”.

29 Exercise Desert Flag VII

CONTEXT
 An Indian Air Force contingent comprising of 110 Air Warriors participated in Exercise Desert Flag
VIII. This is the first occasion when the LCA Tejas shall participate in an international flying exercise
outside India.

About Exercise Desert Flag

 Exercise Desert Flag is a multilateral air exercise.
 Forces from UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, Republic of Korea,
and USA participated in the exercise.
 The aim of the exercise is to participate in diverse fighter engagements and learn from the best
practices of various Air Forces.

30 Exercise Cobra Warrior

CONTEXT
 An Indian Air Force contingent comprising 145 Air Warriors participated in Exercise Cobra Warrior
at the Waddington Air Force Base of the Royal Air Force in United Kingdom.

About
 The Exercise Cobra Warrior is a multilateral Air exercise in which Air Forces from Finland, Sweden,
South Africa, United States of America and Singapore participated alongside Royal Air Force
and IAF.
 The aim of the exercise is to participate in diverse fighter aircraft engagements and learn from the
best practices of various Air Forces.

31 National Science Day 2023

CONTEXT
 Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) celebrated National Science Day 2023
on February 28, 2023.

About
 National Science Day is celebrated on 28th February every year to commemorate the discovery of
‘Raman Effect’ in 1928 by Sir Venkata Raman, which led to the Nobel Prize being awarded to him
in 1930.

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 The purpose of celebrating this day is to enhance scientific temper, popularisation of science and
encouraging innovative activities by infusing scientific temperament in the masses and creating a
positive scientific research culture.

Defence Science Forum (DSF)

 Defence Science Forum (DSF) is a platform of DRDO where scientists of various disciplines interact
to foster fellowship, exchange of ideas with luminaries of different disciplines and feasibility and
planning of all inter-disciplinary projects where expert opinion is required.

IEPFA organises Conference on “Financial Literacy in Amrit Kaal -

32
Empowering Investors”

CONTEXT:
 The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), in
association with the Mizoram Tourism, organised a State-Level Investor Awareness and Financial
Literacy Conference in Aizawl, Mizoram.

About the conference:

 Theme: “Financial Literacy in Amrit Kaal - Empowering Investors”.
 The Conference was inaugurated by Shri Robert Romawia Royte, Minister, Tourism Sports & Youth
Services, I&CT, Govt. of Mizoram.
 Key highlights: During the conference, the following major announcements were made to boost
inverstor awareness: -
 “Niveshak Sarathi”, an investor awareness van was flagged off in Aizawl covering major locations
in Mizoram. This is an initiative by IEPFA to promote financial literacy among people in far-
flung areas by spreading knowledge through dedicated audio-visual and print material through
a specially designed van equipped with a TV display, public announcement system, internet
connectivity etc.
 “75 dedicated IAPs” announced for the State of Mizoram to involve stakeholders of different
segments of society in the caravan of Investor Awareness through Investor Awareness
Programmes. Various districts of Mizoram have shown enthusiastic response for need of IAPs in
their Districts.
 “Niveshak Didi” - Three female Gramin dak Sevaks from Mizoram were given certificates
during the inaugural session of the event to conduct specialised programmes for the women.
 This initiative is being executed in association with India Post Payment Bank with the theme of
financial education by the women for the women.

Events organised:
 An investor awareness bike rally with more than 50 bikers was also flagged off, carrying the
message of financial awareness.
 The conference also had various technical sessions by experts from IEPF Authority, Department of
Tourism, Government of Mizoram & Department of IC&T, Government of Mizoram on various topics
related to financial budgeting, financial well-being, Cyber and Digital Securities and Sustainable
Tourism.
 The conference culminated with various cultural programmes, including Nukaad Natak, Financial
Quiz, Musical drama on financial literacy, Folk Songs and Folk Dances which saw an amalgam of
Investor Awareness Messages with local culture of Mizoram.

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33 First PM GatiShakti NMP Regional Workshop

CONTEXT:
 The first PM-GatiShakti regional workshop for Western and Central Zone was held today in Goa.

About:
 The workshop featured discussions on use cases of National Master Plan (NMP) adoption by
Central Ministries & State Departments for planning and acted as a platform for mutual learning
among the States and Central Ministries/Departments.
 PM GatiShakti will kick start the virtuous cycle of pulling in private investments, increasing
production, employment and growth.
 The GatiShakti NMP was launched to propel the nation towards achieving the goal of Atma Nirbhar
Bharat.
 Need of the initiative: The root cause of many problems faced by the common man is the huge
disconnect between macro level planning and its implementation at the micro level and that the
GatiShakti NMP is huge step towards resolving the same.
 Synergies can be built to ensure integrated planning, synchronized implementation and monitoring
of infrastructure, economic and social sector projects/schemes through this platform.

PM GatiShakti:
 The Prime Minister Gati Shakti – National Master Plan was announced in 2021.
 It is essentially a digital platform to bring 16 Ministries including Railways and Roadways
together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity
projects.
 The multi-modal connectivity will provide integrated and seamless connectivity for movement
of people, goods and services from one mode of transport to another.
 It will facilitate the last mile connectivity of infrastructure and also reduce travel time for people.

34 Centre further reduces the reserve price of wheat

CONTEXT:
 To check inflationary trend in food economy, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD)
has decided to further reduce reserve price of Wheat up to 31st March, 2023.

About:
 The reserve price under Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) {OMSS (D)} has been fixed at
Rs 2150/Qtl (Pan India) for wheat (FAQ) and Rs. 2125 Qtl (Pan India) for wheat (URS) of all crops
including RMS 2023-24 for sale of wheat to private parties.
 States may be allowed to purchase wheat from FCI for their own scheme at above proposed
reserve prices without participating in e-auction.
 Reduction in reserve price will help in reducing market price of wheat and wheat products for
consumers.

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FCI will float 3rd e-auction for sale of wheat at these revised reserve prices which will be opened
on 22.02.2023.

 The Committee of Ministers decided to release 30 LMT wheat from FCI stock through Open Market
Sale Scheme (OMSS) as follows:
 25 LMT be offered through the e-auction route to traders, flour mills, etc. as per the usual
process followed by FCI.
 Bidders can participate in e-auction for a maximum quantity of 3000 MT per region per
auction.
 2 LMT be offered to State Governments for their schemes @10,000 MT/State without
e-auction.
 3 LMT be offered to Govt PSUs/cooperatives/Federations such as Kendriya Bhandar /NCCF/
NAFED etc. without e-auction.

35 ICAR felicitates stakeholders for registration of livestock breeds

CONTEXT:
 Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has mentioned
that there are a large number of indigenous breeds of livestock in the country, which need to be
identified in all regions.
 This will help make the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry sector prosperous.

About:
 ICAR has initiated documentation of all animal genetic resources of the country in ‘Mission
Mode’ in collaboration with all these agencies.
 Significance of Indigenous breeds:
 Applicants of new breeds from different parts of the country were invited.
 These indigenous breeds are unique, which also shows the vastness of diversity present in all
regions.
 Animal husbandry has historically been an integral part of agriculture since the time of
development of human civilizations.
 This is even more relevant in a country like India, where a large section of the society is actively
engaged and dependent on Animal Husbandry.
 Need of the Initiative:
 Our country is rich in animal biodiversity and people have been rearing different types of species
since ages.
 These species have been used for various purposes such as food, fibre, transportation, manure,
agricultural purposes, etc.
 In the past, our farmers have developed many specific breeds of these species, which are adapted
to that climatic condition.
 The whole world is currently looking at India’s grand diversity in the livestock and poultry
sector.
 Efforts to document animal genetic resources in the country and preserve their genetic diversity
have also been lauded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at the international
level.

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36 Global Business Summit 2023

CONTEXT:
 The Prime Minister addressed the Economic Times Global Business Summit in Delhi on 17th
February 2023.

Highlights of the summit:

 The theme of the Global Business Summit 2023 is “Resilience, Influence, Dominance”.
 The two-day Summit is being held on 17-18 February 2023.
 The Global Business Summit is hosted annually by The Times Group.
 It will bring together thought leaders, policy makers, academicians and corporate heads on a
common platform, seeking to provide solutions to key economic challenges.
 Participants: More than 200 business leaders will speak across 40 sessions at the Summit.

Key points:
 The Prime Minister emphasized that India has put forth a new model of development of physical
and social infrastructure before the world where India’s digital infrastructure is a combined example
of this.
 Throwing light on the achievements in the last 9 years, the Prime Minister informed that more than 6
lakh kilometres of optical fiber have been laid in the country, the number of mobile manufacturing
units has increased manifold and the rate of internet data in the country has reduced 25 times, the
cheapest in the world.
 He noted India’s contribution of 2 percent of the global mobile data traffic in 2012, compared to
75 percent contributed by the western market, but in 2022, India had a 21% share of global mobile
data traffic while North America and Europe were restricted to only one-fourth share.
 He further noted that today, 40 percent of the world’s real-time digital payments take place in
India.

37 South Africa Translocates 12 Cheetah to India

CONTEXT
 Twelve cheetahs were departed from South Africa for India (Kuno National Park, Sheopur, Madhya
Pradesh) as part of an initiative to expand the cheetah meta-population. The cheetah joined eight
of the mammals relocated to India’s Kuno National Park from Namibia in September 2022.

How cheetahs went extinct in India?

 The cheetah is the only large carnivore to have gone extinct in India, primarily due to hunting and
habitat loss.
 Maharaja RamanujPratap Singh Deo of Korea, Madhya Pradesh, is widely believed to have killed the
last three recorded cheetahs in India in 1947.
 In 1952, the Indian government officially declared the Cheetah extinct in the country.

What is reintroduction and why reintroduce Cheetah now?

 ‘Reintroduction’ of a species means releasing it in an area where it is capable of surviving.

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 Reintroductions of large carnivores have increasingly been recognised as a strategy to conserve

threatened species and restore ecosystem functions.
 The cheetah is the only large carnivore that has been extirpated, mainly by over-hunting in India
in historical times.
 India now has the economic ability to consider restoring its lost natural heritage for ethical as well
as ecological reasons.

About Cheetah:
 The cheetah, Acinonyxjubatus, is one of the oldest of the big cat species, with ancestors that
can be traced back more than five million years to the Miocene era.
 The cheetah is also the world’s fastest land mammal.
 It is listed as vulnerable in IUCN red listed species.
 The country’s last spotted feline died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. Later, the cheetah — which is the
fastest land animal — was declared extinct in India in 1952.
 The Asiatic cheetah is classified as a “critically endangered” species by the IUCN Red List, and
is believed to survive only in Iran.

38 Sagar Parikrama Phase III Program

CONTEXT
 Department of Fisheries hosted Sagar Parikrama Phase III Program from Gujarat to Maharashtra.

About
 The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government
of India has launched the ‘Sagar Parikrama’ program on the occasion of 75th Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav.
 Sagar Parikrama program is being organized through a pre-decided sea route covering coastal
states/UTs.
 It is an initiative of government, aiming to resolve the issues of the fishers and other stakeholders
and facilitate their economic upliftment through various fisheries schemes and programs being
implemented by the Government of India such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
(PMMSY).

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

 The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched in September 2020 with an
aim to double the income of fish farmers and fishers in the country.
 It focuses on sustainable development of India’s fisheries sector and is a part of the Atmanirbhar
Bharat scheme.

India’s Fisheries Sector

 The Country has a coastline of 8118km, covering 9 maritime States & 4Union Territories and
providing livelihood support to 2.8 million coastal fisher folk.
 India contributes 8% of the global share of fish production and is ranked 3rd largest fish producer
in the world.

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 The total fish production of the nation is 162.48 lakh tonnes, of which 121.21 lakh tonnes are from
inland and 41.27 lakh tonnes from marine.
 The value of fisheries exports stood at INR 57,586.48 crores.
 The sector shows a steady growth rate in GVA accounting for a 6.72% share of Agriculture GDP and
contributing to about 17% of agriculture exports.

39 International Engineering and Technology Fair 2023

CONTEXT:
 The President of India inaugurated the International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF)
2023 in New Delhi on 16th February 2023.

About:
 India has come a long way in the 48 years since the first IETF, and the engineering industry has
achieved new heights during this period.
 Today, it is a robust, multi-level, diversified segment of India’s industry, playing a critical role in
driving growth, creating jobs, and boosting exports.
 The policies adopted in the recent past have given fillip to an unprecedented inclusive growth.
 Rapid digitisation of the economy and its acceptance at the social level has unleashed a new
potential which has created new pathways for high growth.

Key points:
 The mission is to expand its global engagement taking advantage of its excellent manufacturing
experience, high-quality talent and cutting-edge advanced technology attainments.
 There are many critical areas where international collaboration in engineering and technology would
bring about changes to make the world a prosperous and safer place for the posterity.
 The event will feature over 400 companies from 25 countries, including unified pavilion by Ministry
of Ayush, national pavilions supported by the overseas government, Startup pavilion by Incubators,
and the presence of industry leading leaders such as Tata Steel.
 The IETF 2023 covers 11 areas of emerging technologies that are expected to bring about social
change in India and the rest of the world. These areas are:
 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
 Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT)
 Cybersecurity and Data Protection
 Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0
 Electric Mobility and Smart Transportation
 Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Cities
 Robotics and Automation
 Space Technology and Applications
 Sustainable Technologies and Green Energy
 Telecommunications and 5G
 Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR)
 These emerging technologies have the potential to revolutionize various industries and drive
economic growth.
 The IETF provides a platform for showcasing the latest innovations and discussing the opportunities
and challenges associated with these technologies.

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40 North India’s first Nuclear Plant in Haryana

CONTEXT
 North India’s first Nuclear Plant is coming up in Haryana in the town of Gorakhpur, which is about
150 km north of the national capital of New Delhi.

About
 A bulk approval of installation of 10 nuclear reactors has been given a nod by the government.
 The Department of Atomic Energy has also been given permission for forming joint ventures with
PSUs for opening atomic energy plants
 Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana’s (GHAVP) having two units of 700 MWe capacity
each of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) indigenous design is under implementation near
Gorakhpur village in Fatehabad district in Haryana.

India’s policy towards nuclear energy

 India’s nuclear energy self-sufficiency extended from uranium exploration and mining through
fuel fabrication, heavy water production, reactor design and construction, to reprocessing and
waste management.
 The Atomic Energy Establishment was set up at Trombay, near Mumbai, in 1957 and renamed
as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) ten years later.

IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION

Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)

 DAE is a department directly under the Prime Minister of India with headquarters in Mumbai. It
was established in 1954 by a Presidential Order.
 It has been engaged in the development of nuclear power technology, applications of radiation
technologies in the fields of agriculture, medicine, industry and basic research.
 Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)
 AERB was constituted on November 15, 1983, by the President of India by exercising the powers
conferred by the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions
under the Act.
 The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under
the Atomic Energy Act and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Nuclear Power Corp of India Ltd. (NCPIL)

 NCPIL is an Indian public sector undertaking based in Mumbai.
 It is wholly owned by the Government of India and is responsible for the generation of nuclear
power for electricity. It is administered by the DAE.

 Plans for building the first Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) were finalized in 1964,
and this prototype – Rajasthan 1, was built as a collaborative venture between Atomic Energy of
Canada Ltd (AECL) and NPCIL.
 The Indian Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) is the main policy bodyin the country for Nuclear
energy exploration and research.

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www.iasscore.in PIB: 16TH to 28TH FEBRUARY, 2023

 The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is responsible for design, construction,
commissioning and operation of thermal nuclear power plants. Its funding model is 70% equity
and 30% debt
 However, it is aiming to involve other public sector and private corporations in future nuclear power
expansion, notably National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)which is largely government-
owned.

41 INS Sumedha participates in IDEX And NAVDEX 23

CONTEXT
 Indian Naval Ship Sumedha visited Abu Dhabi, UAE to participate in NAVDEX 23 (Naval Defence
Exhibition) and IDEX 23 (International Defence Exhibition).

About INS Sumedha

 INS Sumedha is the third ship of the indigenously built Saryu class Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels
(NOPV) and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 07 Mar 2014.
 Built indigenously at Goa Shipyard Limited, she is fitted with an impressive array of weapons and
sensors, can carry an integral helicopter and boasts of long endurance.
 A highly potent platform that can be deployed for a variety of operational missions, she bears
testimony to the capabilities of the Indian ship building industry.
 Her participation in a marquee event conducted by UAE also highlights the close strategic and
cultural relations between India and UAE.

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