Mar'23 CA Consolidated

Current Affairs March 2023 www.parchamclasses.
in
Contents
Important Days ............................................................ 1 National News............................................................ 33
Books And Authors....................................................... 4 Banking & Finance..................................................... 47
Awards ......................................................................... 5 International News .................................................... 53
Appointments ............................................................ 11 Defence ...................................................................... 59
Obituaries................................................................... 17 Science Tech .............................................................. 64
Ranking & Index News ............................................... 19 Sports ......................................................................... 67
State News ................................................................. 23
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Current Affairs March 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Important Days
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

1 Mar Zero Theme 2023: “Save lives: Decriminalise”
Discrimination to promote equality before the law and in practice throughout all of
Day the member countries of the UN
1 Mar World Civil Theme 2023: Uniting the world’s leading specialists for the safety
Defence Day and security of future generations”.
3 Mar World Wildlife Theme 2023- "Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation”
Day
4 Mar National Safety Theme 2023: ‘Nurture young minds – Develop safety culture’
Day observed to celebrate the base and foundation of the National Safety
Council in 1972.
and to enhance the safety awareness among people.
7 Mar Jan Aushadhi Theme 2023 – Jan Aushadhi – Sasti bhi Acchi bhi
Diwas The Jan Aushadi Diwas was launched on 7 March 2019, by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi as part of the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya
Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
8 Mar International Theme 2023 - DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender
Women's Day equality
During International Women’s Year in 1975, the UN celebrated its first
official International Women’s Day.
8 Mar No Smoking Day Theme 2023: “Stopping smoking improves your brain health”.
(second
Wednesday of
March)
10 Mar International Day to honour all-female judges who have taken the lead in the fight
of Women Judges against social injustice.
10 Mar CISF Raising Day On this day, in 1969, the CISF was set up. It is directly under the Union
Central Industrial Ministry of Home Affairs. The objective of the CISF is - Better
Security Force protection and security of industrial undertakings in both government
and private sectors
14 Mar Pi Day OR Theme 2023 – Mathematics for Everyone
International Day The day is written in the month and date (MM/DD) format to
of Mathematics represent the value of Pi which is 3.14.
The first Pi Day was celebrated in 1988, by physicist Larry Shaw at
the San Francisco Exploratorium.
14 Mar International Day Theme 2023 – Rights of Rivers
of Action for The first International Day of Action for Rivers was observed in March
Rivers 1997.
15 Mar World Consumer Theme 2023 – Empowering Consumers Through Clean Energy
Rights Day Transitions
The first World Consumer Rights Day was observed on March 15,
1983
16 Mar National The first dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine was administered in 1995 on
Immunisation/ this date, under WHO’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative which had
Vaccination Day begun in 1988.
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18 Mar Ordnance The production of India’s oldest Ordnance Factory, which is at

Factories Day Cossipore of Kolkata, was started on the 18th of March, 1802.The day
(India) is celebrated by displaying the rifles, guns, artillery, ammunition etc in
exhibitions all over India.
18 Mar Global Recycling Theme 2023 is “Creative Innovation”.
Day
20 Mar World Sparrow Theme 2023 is “I Love Sparrows.”
Day
20 Mar International Day Theme 2023 – Be Mindful, Be Grateful, Be Kind
of Happiness The United Nations started the event in 2013
20 Mar World Oral Health Theme (2021 – 2023),'Be Proud of Your Mouth.
Day
20 Mar French Language To celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to

Day promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the
Organization
21 Mar World Down Theme 2023 – With Us, Not For Us
Syndrome Day World Down Syndrome Day was first observed in 2006
21 Mar International Day 2023 theme: Forests and health
of Forests
21 Mar International Day -

for the
Elimination of
Racial
Discrimination
21 Mar International Day Iranian New Year, celebrated by Zorastrians. Nowruz, meaning “new
of Nowruz day”, is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the
renewal of nature. Observed on the day of the astronomical vernal
equinox
22 Mar World Water Day Theme for 2023 is "Accelerating the change to solve the water and
sanitation crisis.”
UNGA adopted World Water Day in 1992.
22 Mar Bihar observed its On this day, the state of Bihar was carved out from the Bengal
111th foundation presidency in 1912.
day Theme of the 2023 event is “Yuva Shakti Bihar ki Pragati”.
23 Mar World 2023 theme: The future of weather, climate, and water across
Meteorological generations
Day Commemorates the establishment of the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO), on March 23, 1950.
23 Mar Shaheed Diwas to honour the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Shivram Rajguru, and
Sukhdev Thapar in 1931.
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24 Mar World Theme 2023: "Yes! We can end TB!".

Tuberculosis Day On March 24, 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis.
25 Mar International Day Theme 2023 – Fighting Slavery’s Legacy of Racism Through
of Remembrance Transformative Education
of the Victims of The day honours and remembers those who suffered and died as a
Slavery and the consequence of the transatlantic slave trade.
Transatlantic Slave
Trade
27 Mar World Theatre Theme 2023 – Theatre and a Culture of Peace
Day
30 Mar Rajasthan Day The State was formed on 30th March 1949 when Rajputana – name as
adopted by British Crown was merged into the Dominion of India
30 Mar International Day Observed for the first time on 30 March 2023 and jointly facilitated by
of Zero Waste UNEP and UN-Habitat, aims to raise awareness of the importance of
zero waste
The day encourages people to adopt practices that minimize waste,
reuse and recycle materials, and reduce the amount of waste
generated.
Quick Recall Test

22 March is observed as ? 30th March is observed as?
• World Water Day • World Down Syndrome Day
• World Tuberculosis Day • Global Recycling Day
• World Consumer Rights Day • International Day of Zero Waste
• National Safety Day • World Tuberculosis Day
World Wildlife Day is observed on which date? What was the theme of the International Day of
• 3 March Mathematics 2023?
• 4 March • Mathematics for a Better World
• 7 March • Mathematics Unites
• 14 March • Mathematics is Everywhere
• Mathematics for Everyone
Which day is observed as Ordnance Factories
Day?
• 14 March
• 15 March
• 16 March
• 18 March
No seed becomes a tree the day it is planted!
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Books And Authors

Que: Who is the author of the book - ‘Bipin: The Man Behind the
Uniform’?
Ans: Rachna Bisht Rawat
Pays tribute to General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff.
The book highlights his life, personality, and principles
Mansukh Mandaviya released book ‘India’s Vaccine Growth Story - From

Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri’
Author - Sajjan Singh Yadav
(Additional Secretary of Finance Ministry
Short Stories collection “The Book of Bihari Literature” by Abhay K

Released by Bihar Minister of Industry, Samir Kumar Mahaseth
Edited by Abhay Kumar, an Indian poet- diplomat
This book would be promoting the rich literature of Bihar across India and the
world.
A book “India’s Struggle for Independence – Gandhian Era” released

• Released by Supreme Court Judge Justice V. Ramasubramanian
• The book is authored by P. Jyothimani (former Judge of Madras High Court), and
G. Balan (former professor of history)
The book 'Mundaka Upanishad: The Bridge to Immortality’ authored by former MP

Dr. Karan Singh
Released by Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar
Karan Singh was the Prince regent (Janpratinidhi) of Jammu and Kashmir till 1952.
He is the son of Maharaja Sir Hari Singh, the last ruler of the princely state of Jammu
and Kashmir, and mother Maharani Tara Devi.
He was the Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University and the University of Jammu
and Kashmir for many years.
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Awards
95th Oscars Winners 2023
Category Winner
Best Picture Everything Everywhere All At Once
Actor In A Leading Role Brendan Fraser (The Whale)
Actress In A Leading Role Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
Costume Design Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ruth Carter)
RRR is the first Indian film to be nominated for Academy Awards in the last two
decades, while 'Naatu Naatu' was the first Indian song to be nominated for an Oscar.
Music director MM Keeravani received the award.
Note - the song 'Jai Ho' from the UK film 'Slumdog Millionaire' directed by Danny Boyle
is the first Hindi song to win an Academy Award in the Best Original Score and Original
Song categories.
Its music was composed by AR Rahman and its lyrics were written by Gulzar.
Rajamouli's RRR has also won the BAFTA 2023 in the Film Not in the English Language
category, the Golden Globe in the Best Original Song category, and the Best Song
award at the 28th edition of the Critics' Choice Awards.
Oscar in the Best Documentary Short Film category

Another Indian entry at the Academy Awards, 'The Elephant Whispers' won the Oscar in
the Best Documentary Short Film category.
This 41-minute short documentary film by filmmakers Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet
Monga explores the bond between Raghu, an orphaned baby elephant, and his
caretakers.
Indian Oscars Recipients Category Year

Bhanu Athaiya Best Costume Design 1983
Satyajit Ray Honorary Award 1992
Resul Pookutty Best Sound Mixing 2009
Gulzar Best Original Song 2009
A R Rahman Best Original Score and Best Original Song 2009
Kartiki Gonsalves Best Documentary Short 2023
MM Keeravani and Chandrabose Best Original Song 2023
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Vinod Kumar Shukla wins PEN/Nabokov Lifetime Achievement Award 2023

• Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla has won the 2023 PEN America award for
lifetime achievement in literature.
• It is one of the most coveted literary prizes worldwide.
• He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi award in 1999 for Naukar Ki Kameez
Tamil writer Perumal Murugan's novel longlisted for International Booker

Prize 2023
This book is a translation of his original Tamil book 'Pukkuli' which tells the story
of an inter-caste couple who elope, setting in motion a story of terrifying
foreboding.
Aniruddhan Vasudevan translated this novel into the English language in 2016.
This is the first time a Tamil book has been nominated for the coveted prize.
Recently Indian author Geetanjali Shree's win at the 2022 International Booker
Prize for her Hindi-language novel Ret Samadhi, or Tomb of Sand.
International Booker Prize is given to an author for their work written in an
international language, then translated into English. Meanwhile, Booker Prize is
awarded to a book/novel written in English.
Gyan Chaturvedi awarded Vyas Samman 2022 for ‘Pagalkhana

Noted Hindi writer Dr. Gyan Chaturvedi’s 2018 satirical novel, Pagalkhana, has
been selected for the 32nd Vyas Samman 2022.
Instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991, the annual Vyas Samman is given to
an outstanding Hindi literary work by an Indian citizen published during the last 10
years. It carries an award money of ₹4 lakh.
The KK Birla Foundation has also instituted Saraswati Samman and Bihari Puraskar.
Tamil writer Sivasankari awarded Saraswati Samman for 2022

For her book Survya Vamsam. This is a book of memoirs in Tamil language and was
published in 2019.
Saraswati Samman carries an amount of ₹15 lakh, given to an outstanding literary
work of an Indian citizen in any of the languages included in Schedule VIII of the
Constitution of India and published during a period of 10 years
Bombay Jayashri selected for Sangita Kalanidhi award 2023

Bombay Jayashri was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021.
Nritiya Kalanidhi award 2023 will be conferred to Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer,
Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari.
Sangita Kalanidhi award:
• It is considered the highest award in the field of Carnatic music.
• The award is conferred by the Madras Music Academy.
• The award comprises a gold medal and a birudu patra (citation).
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Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman honoured with FOSWAL Special literary

award
The Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL) honoured Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with a special literary award for his trilogy - Unfinished
Memoirs, The Prison Diaries and The New China 1952.
About SAARC Writers and Literature Foundation (FOSWAL)

It was established in 1987 as a non-profit organisation with the objective of promoting regional
cooperation and cultural exchange among SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation)
countries through literature and the arts.
Its founding members were writers and poets from SAARC countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives
British Architect David Chipperfield Wins 2023 Pritzker Prize

David Chipperfield is the 52nd winner of the award
Francis Kéré (Germany) was awarded the prize in 2022.
It is the highest international honor for architects
The prize was established in 1979 by J. A. Pritzker is funded by the Pritzker family and
sponsored by the Hyatt Foundation.
Que: Who won the Professional Photographer of the Year award at the 8th National
Photography Awards?
Ans: Shashi Kumar Ramachandran
• Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan presented
the 8th National Photography awards in New Delhi
• Ms Sipra Das was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• The theme for the Professional category was “Life and Water”
Health Ministry received Porter Prize 2023

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry was honored for the government's
strategy in managing COVID-19, its approach, and the involvement of various
stakeholders (involvement of ASHA workers to create PPE Kits).
Porter Prize: This award was named after award-winning economist Michael E.
Porter.
Minister for Health: Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya
Mirabel Chanu won BBC Indian Sportswoman of The Year for 2022
She becomes the first athlete to win the award twice in a row after winning for the
year 2021.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she became the first Indian to win a silver medal in
weightlifting.
Other BBC awards for 2022:
Para Sportswoman: Bhavina Patel (TT Player)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Pritam Siwach (Women Hockey Player)
Emerging Player: Nitu Ghanghas (Boxer)
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Asian Chess Federation confers D Gukesh with Player of the Year award
for clinching the gold medal with a record-breaking score of 9/11 in the 44th Chess
Olympiad at Mahabalipuram last year.
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) bagged the 'Most Active Federation' award
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has been conferred with Man-of-the-Year award
for his effort in the successful hosting of the FIDE Chess Olympiad in August last year
within a short notice of four months.
HDFC Bank’s Sashidhar Jagdishan is ‘Business Standard Banker of the Year 2022
India wins GSMA Government Leadership Award 2023

India has been awarded the prestigious GSM Association (Global System for Mobile
Communications) Government Leadership Award 2023 at Mobile World Congress
Barcelona.
Reason: For implementing best practices in telecom policy and regulation
42 lakh essays on Assam War hero Lachit Borphukan enter Guinness World Record
The compilation of over 42 lakh essays on the brave Ahom General Lachit Borphukan
has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the "Largest Online Photo Album
of Handwritten Notes".
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received a certificate for the Guinness
World Record for the maximum number of essays written on a single person.
Lachit Borphukan
He was born on November 24, 1622 in Charaideo, the first capital of the Ahom kings.
He effectively led his army in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671, which defeated the Mughal army's attempt to
capture Assam.
He also fought the Battle of Alaboi on August 5, 1669 in the Alaboi Hills near Dadara in North Guwahati.
He was inspired to strengthen Indian naval power, revive inland water transport and build infrastructure
related to naval strategy.
He died on April 25, 1672.
NTPC and BHEL conferred with the CBIP Award 2022

NTPC Limited has been honoured with the Central Board Of Irrigation And Power (CBIP)
Award 2022 for Outstanding Contribution in Power Generation
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) awarded the CBIP Award 2022 for ‘Best
Contribution in Solar Energy’
Union Minister of Power, R.K. Singh presented the award.
CBIP awards are conferred for outstanding contribution to the development of water,
power and renewable energy sectors.
Gurdeep Singh - CMD of NTPC
Dr. Nalin Shinghal – CMD of BHEL
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U.S.-Argentine scholar Luis Caffarelli wins Abel Prize for mathematics

Luis Caffarelli, an expert in “partial differential equations” which can explain
phenomena ranging from how water flows to population growth.
The Abel Prize is a prize awarded annually by the King of Norway to one or more
outstanding mathematicians.
It is named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802–1829).
Srinivasa Varadhan, an Indian-American citizen won the Abel Prize in the year 2007
for his valuable contribution in “probability theory and in particular for creating a
unified theory of large deviation”.
Established: 23 August 2001
First awarded: 2003
Nepalese Wicketkeeper-batsman Aasif Sheikh won 2022 CMJ Spirit of Cricket

Award
CMJ - Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket Award.
This award was created in 2013 and is presented every year by Marylebone Cricket
Club (MCC) and the BBC
In memory of former MCC President and BBC Test Match Special commentator
Christopher Martin-Jenkins (CMJ).
RBI's Shaktikanta Das named 'Governor of the Year’ by Central Banking

Reason: For his leadership during difficult periods, such as the failure of a significant
non-banking company, COVID-19 pandemic, and the inflationary effects caused by
Russia's invasion of Ukraine
The National Bank of Ukraine was also awarded the Central Bank of the Year award.
Central Banking is an international economic research journal.
President Draupadi Murmu awarded the President's Color to INS Dronacharya

About President's Color Award
The President's Color is the most prestigious decoration awarded by the President
to a unit for outstanding service to the nation.
Eligibility requires a minimum of 25 years of service and outstanding contribution
to the military community.
It was instituted on May 27, 1951 and is considered one of the most prestigious
military awards.
About INS Dronacharya

INS Dronacharya is a training establishment of the Indian Navy located in Kochi, Kerala.
It was commissioned in 1989 and provides training to naval personnel in various technical fields.
It also conducts research and development activities in the field of marine technology and provides
consultancy services to the Indian Navy and other organisations.
M T Vasudevan Nair awarded Kerala’s highest civilian honour

Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan has presented maiden ‘Kerala Puraskarngal’,
the state awards to the eminent personalities who have made an outstanding
contribution in various spheres of social life.
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The awards were given in three categories namely “Kerala Jyothi”, “Kerala Prabha”
and “Kerala Shri”.
Kerala’s highest civilian honour “Kerala Jyothi” was awarded to writer M T Vasudevan
Nair.
In 2021, the government of Kerala instituted the civilian award “Kerala Puraskarangal”
on the model of the Padma awards.
Sacred Hopi site in Arizona awarded ICOMOS ‘Water and Heritage Shield’ 2023
A site located in Arizona (United States) and sacred to the Hopi Native American
Nation has been awarded a ‘Water and Heritage Shield’ by International
Committee on Monuments and Sites International Science Committee (ICOMOS
ISC)
The Shield was awarded to the Black Mesa Trust (BMT), a Hopi grassroots
organization.
Purpose of Shield: To aware public of the significance of water and indigenous
sacred sites all over the world and the right to cultural and historical memory
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Appointments
IPS officer Rashmi Shukla appointed Director-General of Sashastra Seema Bal
Rashmi Shukla will be the DG of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) till her superannuation
(30.06.2024).
SSB: A border protection force of India deployed along the borders with Nepal and
Bhutan.
SSB Founded: 1963; Headquarters: New Delhi
Director General of CRPF - Sujoy Lal Thaosen
Director General of BSF - Sujoy Lal Thaosen (additional charge)
Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police – Anish Dayal Singh
Lt Gen Suchindra Kumar takes over as Vice Chief of Army Staff

Vice Chief of Navy - Vice-Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh
Vice Chief of IAF- Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh
Chiefs of Indian Defence Services:
Chief of Defense Staff: Lt. Gen. Anil Chauhan (Retd.)
Army: General Manoj Pandey
Navy: Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar
Air Force: Air Marshal VR Chowdhary
Que: Who took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the

Western Naval Command?
Ans: Dinesh K Tripathi
Chief of Eastern Naval Command
Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta
Chief of Southern Naval Command
Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi
Captain Shaliza Dhami becomes first woman to head

frontline combat unit in IAF
Group Captain Dhami will be the first woman officer in the
IAF to command a missile squadron in the Western sector
facing Pakistan.
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Karnataka Bank appoints Abhishek Sankar Bagchi as new CFO

He has replaced Muralidhar Krishna Rao, whose tenure has been completed on 1
March 2023.
Headquarters: Mangaluru
CEO: Mahabaleshwara M. S
Founded: 18 February 1924
RBI approves reappointment of Sumant Kathpalia as MD, CEO of IndusInd Bank

for two years from 24 March 2023.
He has been an MD & CEO of the bank since March 2020.
Owners: Life Insurance Corporation, Hinduja Group
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founded: April 1994, Mumbai
Founder: S. P. Hinduja
Siddhartha Mohanty appointed as the interim chairman of LIC

For three months with effect from March 14, 2023.
The term of incumbent chairman MR Kumar ends on March 13.
Govt appoints two Managing Directors at LIC –
M Jagannath and Tablesh Pandey
Pandey replaced Managing Director B C Patnaik.
Other 2 MDs of LIC - Ipe Mini, Raj Kumar
Govt appoints Deepak Mohanty as PFRDA Chairman

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
He replaced Supratim Bandyopadhyay, whose term ended in Jan 2023.
PFRDA was formed in 2003 to promote and develop the pension industry.
Shailesh Pathak appointed FICCI secretary general

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
FICCI President: Shubhrakant panda
Founded: 1927
Headquarters: New Delhi
Founder: Ghanshyam Das Birla
Rajesh Malhotra appointed as Principal Director General of PIB

Rajesh Malhotra succeeded Satyendra Prakash, who was superannuated
on February 28, 2023.
Priya Kumar named the Director General of Doordarshan News (DD
News).
She succeeded Mayank Agrawal.
Asia's first woman loco pilot, Surekha Yadav now operates Vande Bharat Express
• She operated Vande Bharat Express from Solapur to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal
(CSMT) in Maharashtra.
• She hails from Stara, Maharashtra, and become the country's first female train driver in
1988.
• Union Minister of Railway: Ashwini Vaishnaw
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Tech Mahindra names former Infosys President Mohit Joshi as MD and CEO
Mohit Joshi will take over for a period of five years when CP Gurnani retires on December
19, 2023.
Joshi is currently serving as the Infosys chairman.
Tech Mahindra was established in 1986.
It provides information technology (IT) services and solutions to the telecommunications
sector across the globe.
Hockey India appoints South African Craig Fulton as new Chief Coach of Indian
men's hockey team
Craig Fulton will replace Graham Reid who resigned in January 2023 following India's
poor performance in the World Cup.
SS Dubey takes charge as new Controller General of Accounts

S.S. Dubey, has taken charge as the 28th Controller General of Accounts (CGA) effective
from 6th March 2023.
CGA is ‘the Principal Advisor’ on Accounting matters to the Union Government.
CGA is also responsible for exchequer control and internal audits for the Central
Government.
Conrad Sangma sworn-in as Meghalaya Chief Minister

National People's Party president, Conrad K Sangma, has taken oath as
the chief minister of Meghalaya for the second consecutive term.
Governor Phagu Chauhan has administered the oath
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader Neiphiu Rio took
oath as the Chief Minister of Nagaland for the fifth term.
Governor La Ganesan administered the oath.
Que:Who has taken oath as the First Woman Minister of Nagaland?

Ans: Salhoutuonou Kruse
• For the first time in the 60-year history of Nagaland assembly elections, a woman
legislator has been elected. A total of 13 assembly elections have been held in
Nagaland so far.
Manik Saha sworn in as chief minister of Tripura for second time

• Tripura governor Satyadeo Narain Arya administered the oath
HUL appoints Rohit Jawa as CEO, to succeed Sanjiv Mehta

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) - India's largest FMCG company.
Headquartered in Mumbai.
It is a subsidiary of the British company Unilever.
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Mary Kom, Farhan Akhtar roped in as brand ambassadors of IBA

Women's World Championships 2023
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) also unveiled the title sponsor,
Mahindra Automotive for the event.
The championship was scheduled from March 15 to 26 at the Indira
Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi.
India hosted the Women’s World Championships for the third time and
finished on top of the medals tally, fetching four golds.
President, Boxing Federation of India: Ajay Singh
US Senate confirms Eric Garcetti as Ambassador to India

This key diplomatic position had been vacant for more than two years.
Kenneth Juster was the last occupant of the ambassadorial residence of the US in
New Delhi, who stepped down in January 2021.
TCS appoints K Krithivasan as CEO

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has appointed K Krithivasan as MD & CEO with
effect from March 16, 2023.
He has replaced Rajesh Gopinathan, who resigned recently.
G Krishnakumar takes over as the CMDof Bharat Petroleum Corporation

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL).
He succeeded Arun Kumar Singh, who retired as chairman in October 2022.
He will hold the position of chairman and MD till April 2025 or until any further
notice, whichever is earlier
BPCL is an Indian central public sector (CPS) undertaking under the ownership of
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and operates refineries in Bina, Kochi,
Mumbai.
Cotton Corporation of India appoints Lalit Kumar Gupta as CMD

For a period of five years.
CCI is a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Textiles.
Establishment - 1970
Headquarters -Mumbai
Ratan Tata appointed to 'Order of Australia' for bolstering bilateral ties

Indian industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata has been appointed as an
Honorary Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO), for
distinguished service to Australia-India bilateral relations, particularly trade,
investment and philanthropy.
Ratan Tata is the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, former Chairman of the Tata
Group and one of the world's richest entrepreneurs.
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Que: Who has been enrolled in the Bar Council of the state as the first
transgender lawyer in Kerala?
Ans: Padma Lakshmi
In 2017, Joyita Mondal had become the first transgender woman to be appointed
as judge
Manmeet K Nanda gets an additional charge of MD & CEO of Invest India

She is joint secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal
Trade (DPIIT).
She has replaced Deepak Bagla, who resigned from the post .
Government appoints Chief Justice of Allahabad, Chhattisgarh, and Patna HC

• Justice Pritinker Diwaker has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Allahabad
High Court.
• Justice Ramesh Sinha of Allahabad has been appointed as Chief Justice of
Chhattisgarh High Court.
Justice K Vinod Chandaran of Kerala High Court as Chief Justice of Patna HC.
Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to head panel on pension schemes

FM Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the government has established a
committee to review the New Pension System (NPS).
The panel is headed by finance secretary TV Somanathan.
From January 2004, the government has opted to move to NPS for all new
recruits.
Recently, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, HP, and Punjab have decided to
opt out of NPS.
Prof. Renu Cheema Vig appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Panjab University
Vice-President, Jagdeep Dhankhar appointed Prof (Dr.) Renu Cheema Vig as the
Vice Chancellor of Panjab University for a term of three years.
She is also the first woman to hold the position in the varsity’s 141-year history.
Que:Who has been elected as the Vice President of the International Boxing
Association (IBA)?
Ans: Ajay Singh
Boxing Federation of India (BFI) Chief Ajay Singh has been elected as the International
Boxing Association (IBA) Vice-President.
Singh will stay in the role till 2026 alongside Volodymyr Prodyvus of Ukraine and
Serbia’s Abdulmutalim Abakarov.
Salima Tete appointed as the AHF Athletes Ambassador

From India for a term of two years between 25th March 2023, to 25th March 2025.
The Asian Hockey Federation is the governing body for the sport of field hockey in
Asia. It now has 33 member associations.
Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Formation: 1958
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Jishnu Barua was appointed as the new Chairperson of the

Central Electricity
India’s KR Parvathy appointed as UN Resident Coordinator in
Tajikistan
• Viacom18 announces former captain MS Dhoni as their brand

ambassador
• Luxor Writing Instruments Private Limited, a stationery making

company, has signed cricketer Virat Kohli as its new brand
ambassador.
• Ranveer Singh appointed as the brand ambassador of Pepsi co
• Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed batsman Nitish Rana

as their new captain for this season.
• Srikanth Venkatachari has been appointed as the new Chief
Financial Officer of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) with effect
from June 1.
16
Obituaries
Former Chief Justice of India Justice AM Ahmadi passed away
He was appointed as a judge of the High Court of Gujarat in 1976.
Some notable judgments Ahmadi was part of include Indra Sawhney v. Union of India
and Ismail Farooqui v. Union of India.
Justice Ahmadi served as the Chief Justice of India from 25 October 1994 until his
retirement on 24 March 1997.
Justice Ahmadi was also the third Muslim to serve as CJI.
Current Chief Justice (CJI) – Dr. Justice Dhananjay Yashwant Chandrachud
Former diplomat, Padma Bhushan awardee Chandrashekhar Dasgupta passes away

Chandrashekhar Dasgupta, a former Indian diplomat and the Padma Bhushan Awardee
(2008), passed away at the age of 82. He was born on 2nd May 1940 in Kolkata, West
Bengal.
Chandrashekhar Dasgupta was awarded the 3rd-highest civilian honour, the Padma
Bhushan, for Civil Service (Delhi) in 2008.
Between 1981 and 1984, he served as high commissioner to Singapore, then between
1984 and 1986, he served as Tanzania’s high commissioner.
Japanese Nobel-winning novelist Kenzaburo Oe passes away

• Japanese novelist, Kenzaburo Oe passed away at the age of 88 due to age-related
issues.
• He was known for his pacifist and anti-nuclear views.
• He was honoured with the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1994 for creating "an
imagined world, where life and myth condense to form a disconcerting picture of
the human predicament today".
• His notable works are 'A Personal Matter' and 'The Silent Cry'.
Cheetah died of kidney disease in Kuno National Park

A cheetah named Sasha died on March 27 due to kidney disease.
This female cheetah was four and a half years old.
8 cheetahs (5 females and 3 males) were brought from Namibia in Africa as part of
'Project Cheetah'.
The first batch of cheetahs translocated from Namibia to India were released on 17
September at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
It was the first time in the world that a large carnivore was translocated from one
continent to another.
About Kuno National Park

It is a protected area located in Madhya Pradesh, India, named after the Kuno River.
It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1981 with an initial area of 344.686 km in
Sheopur and Morena districts.
In 2018, the Kuno National Park was given the status of a national park and is part of
the Khathyar-Gir dry deciduous forests eco region.
Kuno National Park was selected as a possible site for the Asiatic Lion Reintroduction
Project, which aimed to establish a second lion population in India.
17
Shravanabelagola Jain mutt seer passes away

Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamy of Jain mutt at Shravanabelgola, a popular Jain
pilgrimage centre in Karnataka, passed away.
During his tenure as head of the mutt, he conducted mahamastakabhisheka, the
grand anointment of the 57-foot tall Gomateshwara statue at Shravanabelagola
four times (1982, 1995, 2007 and 2018).
The ceremony is organized once in 12 years.
The statue at Shravanabelagola is believed to be one of the largest free-standing statues in

the world (at 57 feet), which was built in 983 AD by the minister of the Ganga dynasty,
Chamunda-Raya.
It is carved out of a single block of granite and is located at the top of Vindhyagiri Hill. It is
dedicated to Lord Bahubali - son of lord Rishabhanatha who was the first of the 24 Jain
Tirthankaras.
The most famous thinker of the Jains, Vardhamana Mahavira was born in 540 B.C. in
Kundagram village near Vaishali. He was a Kshatriya prince belonging to the Lichchhavi
clan.
Veteran journalist and Padma Shri awardee (in 2009 )

Abhay Chhajlani passes away
18
Ranking & Index News

India remains world’s largest arms importer: SIPRI Data
• According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, despite an 11%
drop in arms import between 2013-17 and 2018-22, India remained the world’s largest arms
importer for the five-year period between 2018 and 2022, followed by Saudi Arabia.
• Russia accounted for 45% of India’s imports followed by France (29%) and the U.S. (11%).
• But Russia's share of arms imports to India fell from 64% to 45%.
• India was the biggest arms export market to three countries — Russia, France and Israel
India 8th in worst air quality, Lahore most polluted city in subcontinent
• The annual World Air Quality report was published by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir.
• India was ranked 8th out of 131, dropping three places from the previous year,
• Five most polluted countries in 2022 - Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Bangladesh
• India’s annual average PM2.5 level in 2022 was 53.3 μg/m3, more than 10 times the safe limit
• 118 (90%) out of 131 countries and regions exceeded the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline value of 5
µg/m3.
• Just six countries – Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland and New Zealand – met the WHO's
safe limit
• Rajasthan's Bhiwadi was the most polluted city in India, with annual PM2.5 levels of 92.7 μg/m3.
• Lahore was the most polluted city in the world, followed by Hotan in China, and Bhiwadi in
Rajasthan.
• New Delhi is the second most polluted capital city
in the world, with N’Djamena in Chad topping the
list.
• A total of 39 Indian cities (including ‘Delhi’ and
‘New Delhi’) are on the list of 50 of the world’s
most polluted cities based on annual
average PM2.5 levels in 2022.
• The region of Central and South Asia was home to
eight of the world’s ten cities with the worst air
pollution.
World Happiness Report 2023

• Finland world’s happiest country for the sixth year running
• India ranked 126 (out of 137). Last year India’s position was at the 136th spot on the list.
• India is still behind close neighbours like Sri Lanka (112), Pakistan (108) and Nepal (78).
• Afghanistan at the 137th spot (bottom most).
• This is the 10th year of the World Happiness Report which is published by the United Nations
Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
• For the World Happiness Report, countries are ranked on the basis of life evaluations from the last
three years
• Six different factors go into determining a country’s happiness quotient - GDP per capita, social
support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and low corruption.
19
India ranks 108th on V-dem Electoral Democracy Index 2023

• Data of V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy) Institute at Sweden’s University
shows that democratic values in India have eroded significantly in recent
years.
• Electoral Democracy Index: Evaluates election cleanliness and lack of fraud.
• India’s ranking dipped from the 100 in 2022 to 108th in 2023 in this Index.
• Liberal Democracy Index (LDI): Protection of individual and minority rights against State tyranny. It
uses 71 indicators such as free and fair elections, political and civil rights. Denmark ranked 1st.
India ranked 97th in LDI.
Global Terrorism Index – India ranked 13th, topped by Afghanistan

• Tenth Global Terrorism Index (GTI) report produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP).
• Afghanistan remains the country most impacted by terrorism for the fourth consecutive year
• India ranked 13th on the index, marking only a marginal decrease from the previous year.
• Pakistan has climbed four spots to rank sixth on the index.
• Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates were the deadliest terror
group globally for the eighth consecutive year
• Globally, deaths from terrorism fell by 9% since 2015
• South Asia remains the region with the worst average GTI score
World off-track to cut 30 per cent sodium intake by 2025: WHO

• According to the WHO Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction, two
million deaths can be prevented by 2025 and seven million by 2030 if
policies recommended by WHO to reduce sodium intake are implemented.
• The world is off-track to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake
by 30% by 2025.
• The global average salt intake is estimated to be 10.8 grams per day (more than double the WHO
recommendation of fewer than 5 grams of salt per day (one teaspoon)).
• It is an important component of action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target
of reducing deaths from noncommunicable diseases.
• This report shows that most countries are yet to adopt any mandatory sodium reduction policies,
leaving their people at risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health problems,”
Reliance Jio second-strongest telecom brand in world, says

Brand Finance report
• Brand Finance – a UK-based leading brand valuation
company
• Reliance Jio has climbed up to number two rank — up
from fifth place last year — in a list of the top 10
strongest telecom brands in the world.
World Bank Women, Business and the Law 2023 report released
• According to the 9th Women, Business and the Law 2023 report, released by
World Bank, Belgium, Canada, and Denmark topped all eight indicators
• UAE has topped the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region with 82.5
scores out of 100
• India scored 74.4 out of 100.
20
• Indicators: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension
Delhi airport adjudged best airport in South Asia: Skytrax

• Skytrax, a UK-based consultancy, awards airports worldwide with the
prestigious World Airport Awards based on customer surveys.
• For the fifth year in a row, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport
(IGIA) has been declared the best airport in the South Asian region.
• The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital has also moved up to the 36th
position this year from 37th in 2022.
• According to the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2023, Singapore's Changi Airport has pushed Doha's
Hamad International Airport to the second spot, and Japan's capital Tokyo's Haneda Airport is third.
Hurun Global Rich List 2023 released

• According to the 2023 M3M Hurun Global Rich List, released by Hurun India and M3M India, the
Chairman of Reliance, Mukesh Ambani is the only Indian in the world's top 10 billionaires list (rank
9).
• The list is topped by Elon Musk, followed by Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett,
and Sergey Brin.
Indian billionaires list:
• Gautam Adani and family (Rank 23)
• Cyrus S Poonawalla (Rank 46)
• Shiv Nadar and family (Rank 50)
• Lakshmi N Mittal (Rank 76)
Clean Energy Transition : Report

• Prepared by the Institute for Energy
Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) along
with EMBER.
• The report — ‘Indian States’ Energy Transition’
—has analysed 16 states, which together
account for 90% of India’s annual power
requirement.
• Karnataka and Gujarat have emerged as
India’s frontrunners in the transition to clean electricity.
• Gujarat was a little behind Karnataka in terms of decarbonising its electricity sector.
• States like West Bengal, Bihar and UP are lagging far behind in the field.
Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag, Tehri top landslide index: ISRO report

• According to 'Landslide Atlas' report of ISRO's Hyderabad-based National
Remote Sensing Center (NRSC), the two hilly districts of Uttarakhand,
Rudraprayag and Tehri, are most prone to landslides.
• The National Remote Sensing Center has released a list of 147 districts
prone to landslides across the country, in which Rudraprayag is at
number one and Tehri at number two.
21
'Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022' released

• Union Minister Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Parshottam Rupala
unveiled the department’s annual publication, the ‘Basic Animal Husbandry
Statistics 2022’.
• Total milk production in the country during 2021-22 is 221.06 million tonnes.
• In the current year 2021-22, the milk production has registered an annual growth rate of 5.29%.
Top 5 Producing States:
• Milk: Rajasthan (15.05%), UP (14.93%), MP (8.06%), Gujarat (7.56%) and Andhra Pradesh (6.97%).
• Egg: Andhra Pradesh (20.41%), TN (16.08%), Telangana (12.86%), WB (8.84%) and Karnataka
(6.38%)
• The total five major meat producing States are Maharashtra (12.25%), Uttar Pradesh (12.14%),
West Bengal (11.63%), Andhra Pradesh (11.04%), and Telangana (10.82%).
• The top five major wool producing States are Rajasthan (45.91%), Jammu and Kashmir (23.19%),
Gujarat (6.12%), Maharashtra (4.78%) and Himachal Pradesh (4.33%).
Missing Antiquities In India : ASI

• According to an RTI, only 486 antiquities have been reported as missing
(since Independence) from the 3,696 monuments protected and
maintained by the ASI.
• The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act of 1972, which came into effect on
April 1, 1976, defines an “antiquity” as any object or work of art that has
been in existence for at least 100 years.
• For “manuscript, record or other document which is of scientific, historical, literary or aesthetic
value”, this duration is “not less than 75 years.”
Protection Initiative:
Indian:
• In India, Item-67 of the Union List, Item-12 of the State List, and Item-40 of the Concurrent List of
the Constitution deal with the country’s heritage.
• Before Independence, the Antiquities (Export Control) Act was passed in April 1947 to ensure that
no antiquity could be exported without a license.
• The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act was enacted in 1958 to protect
ancient monuments and archaeological sites from destruction and misuse.
Literacy rate in India

• Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India at 94%, followed by Lakshadweep at 91.85% and
Mizoram at 91.33%.
• According to the Ministry of Education, Bihar has the lowest literacy rate in India at 61.8%, followed
by Arunachal Pradesh at 65.3% and Rajasthan at 66.1%.
• The literacy rate in rural India is 67.77 percent as compared to 84.11 percent in urban India.
• women's literacy rate has jumped to 77% while India's male literacy rate stands at 84.7%.
22
State News
Asia's longest ever cycle race flagged off from Srinagar, J&K
• Flagged off from Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar (J&K) and will culminate
at Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu).
• The race will cover the longest highway, National Highway 44
distance of 3651 kilometers, passing through twelve major states
• It has been accorded the status of Asian Ultracycling Championship by the World Ultracycling
Association.
Que: In which district of Jammu and Kashmir the army hoisted the tallest 'Iconic National
Flag’?
Ans: Doda
In Jammu and Kashmir, Army installed the tallest ‘Iconic National Flag’ in the hilly Doda
district on a 100 feet-high pole
UAE’s Emaar first overseas company to start a mega-mall project in Kashmir

• Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone of the mega
Mall of Srinagar to be built by Dubai’s Emaar Group at Sempora area in
Srinagar
• This mega-mall is the first significant Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in
Jammu and Kashmir.
• The mall, a joint venture between Emaar and Delhi-based real estate firm Magna Waves Buildtech,
is likely to be operational by 2026.
Asia’s largest tulip garden in J&K to opened to public on 19 March

• The Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden is Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar
• The garden spread between Dal Lake and Zabarwan Hills.
• Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden was
opened in 2008 by then chief minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state Ghulam Nabi Azad.
HP signs MoU with French Agency to improve drinking water, sanitation

• Himachal Pradesh signed an MoU with the French Development Agency Agence Francaise de
Development (AFD) for Rs 817.12 crore project.
• Objective: To develop better sewerage facilities in five towns of the state -
Manali, Bilaspur, Palampur, Nahan and Karsog.
• The beneficiaries of the project would receive house service connections in
these five cities
• HP CM: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
23
Uttarakhand govt approves 10 % horizontal reservation for statehood activists in state govt jobs
The decision assumes significance since the governor had returned the bill granting 10 per cent reservation
to the statehood activists in the past.
Uttarakhand was formed in November 2000, before that there were agitations
regarding its formation.
About Uttarakhand
• Formation - November 9, 2000 as 27th state of India
• Chief Minister - Pushkar Singh Dhami
• Governor -Gurmit Singh
• Capital – Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer)
• State Animal - Alpine Musk Deer
• State Bird - Himalayan Monal
• State Flower - Brahma Kamal
Asia’s largest 4-metre liquid mirror telescope inaugurated in Uttarakhand

• Union MoS (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra
Singh has inaugurated Asia’s largest 4-meter International Liquid
Mirror Telescope (ILMT) at Devasthal in Uttarakhand.
• It is situated at an altitude of 2450 meters at the observatory, which
lies at the campus of Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational
Sciences.
• The ILMT employs a 4-meter-diameter rotating mirror, which was
made up of a thin layer of liquid mercury, to collect and focus light.
Uttarakhand becomes 1st state to start insurance scheme for sericulturists

• Uttarakhand has become India's first state to launch the Resham Keet Bima
scheme for sericulturists.
• In the first phase of this pilot project, 200 sericulturists from five blocks of
four districts -- Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, and Nainital --
have been insured from the ill effects of climate change, scarcity of water,
and other hazards.
• This scheme will be run under Saral Krishi Beema.
Haldwani to get a sports university

• The international stadium of Haldwani will be upgraded into a sports
university.
The Bumchu Festival was celebrated in the Tashiding Monastery in Sikkim

• Bumchu means “pot of sacred water” in Tibetan.
• The vase is opened during the event, and the water inside is shared among
the worshippers.
• The water is thought to have healing qualities and to grant luck and riches
to those who drink it.
24
• The celebration takes place on the 14th and 15th of the first lunar month,
which often falls in February or March.
First Bodoland International Knowledge Festival : Assam
• The first Bodoland International Knowledge Festival recently began in Assam’s
Kokrajhar district.
• The festival is being hosted by Bodoland University with support from the Bodoland Territorial
Region (BTR) government.
• It aims to draw the best practices from across the world to enhance scientific temperament for the
creation of “Peaceful, Green and Smart Bodoland” in light of the Bodo Peace Accord 2020.
• Bodo Peace Accord 2020 is a tripartite accord signed in 2020 by representatives of Bodo
organizations with the Central and Assam governments.
First SAI 20 Senior Officers Meeting begins in Guwahati

• As part of the G20 summit, the first Supreme Audit Institution 20 (SAI20)
Senior Officers Meeting is being organized in Guwahati on March 13 and will continue till March 15,
2023.
• Theme 2023: Blue Economy’ and ‘Responsible Artificial Intelligence
• Aim: To bring together an ecosystem wherein SAIs are active partners in governance, promoting
transparency and accountability.
• SAI20 meeting was chaired by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India,
Girish Chandra Murmu.
Ministry of Ayush organized its first ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Assam

• Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated North East India’s first-
ever compressed biogas plant project at Sonapur in the Kamrup district of
Assam
Hekani Jakhalu becomes first woman MLA in Nagaland history

• Hekani Jakhalu of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)
Yaoshang festival begins in Manipur

• The Yaoshang festival has begun in Manipur on March 7, 2023, and will
continue for five days.
• The festival is celebrated by the Meetei who are predominantly Hindu and it is celebrated at the
same time as Holi.
• However, during the Yaoshang festival, apart from playing with colour, the festival also witnessed a
number of cultural and religious activities for five days.
Mizoram would export ‘Bird’s eye chilli’ of the state to the United States for the
first time
• 7.5 metric tons of organic bird’s eye chilli would be sent to the US
• Mizoram has obtained geographical identification (GI) tag for bird’s eye chilli or ‘Mizo chilli’.
25
Indian hockey player Rani Rampal became the first woman in the sport to have a
stadium named after her
• The MCF Rae Bareli (U.P.)has renamed the hockey stadium as ‘Rani’s Girls
Hockey Turf’.
• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2020) - Highest Sporting Honour of India.
• Padma Shri (2020) - fourth Highest Indian National Honour
• Arjuna Award - 2016
MP Cabinet approves Ladli Behna Yojana

• Madhya Pradesh cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan,
has approved the Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana to empower women at
every level.
• Under this scheme, Rs 1000 (month) will be deposited in the account of
women, irrespective of their class or caste, whose age is above 23 years.
• The Yojana was launched on March 5, 2023.
President inaugurates 7th International Dharma-Dhamma Conference in Bhopal

• On March 3, 2023, and will continue till March 5, 2023.
• Theme: Eastern Humanism for the New Era
• Aim: To bring together religious, political, and thought leaders from Dharma-Dhamma traditions to
ponder over building a philosophical framework for the emerging new world order
• Organized by: India Foundation in collaboration with Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies
• Delegates from Bhutan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, South Korea,
Mauritius, Russia, Spain, France, USA and UK are participating in the conference.
Mauganj to be 53rd district of Madhya Pradesh

• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to make
Tehsil Mauganj of Rewa district the 53rd district of the state.
• The purpose of this move of the government is to end the discontent
against the government regarding the lack of adequate representation for
the politically important Vindhya region in the state cabinet.
• Mauganj district, bordering Uttar Pradesh, will have four tehsils - Mauganj,
Hanumana, Naigarhi and Devtalab with a population of more than six lakhs.
• There was a long pending demand to make Mauganj a district.
Que: Which state launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vriksh Sampada Yojana’?

Ans: Chhattisgarh
• Chhattisgarh Chief Minister recently launched the Mukhyamantri Vriksh
Sampada Yojana (Chief Minister Tree Wealth Scheme) on the occasion
of World Forestry Day.
• This scheme has been launched with the aim of increasing the income of farmers by promoting
commercial plantation in rural areas.
• Under this scheme, the state government will provide full subsidy for tree plantation on up to 5
acres of land and 50 percent financial subsidy on more than 5 acres.
26
Jharkhand govt launches job portal to ensure 75% local quota in pvt sector
• The Jharkhand government launched ‘Jharniyojan’ portal where all private
establishments have to register themselves.
• Its objective is to fulfill the state government's promise of ensuring 75 percent employment to local
candidates in the private sector of the state.
• Employers using the portal will have to comply with the 'Jharkhand State Employment of Local
Candidates in Private Sector Act, 2021'.
• As per the Act, 75% of jobs in the private sector with a salary of up to Rs 40,000 will be reserved for "locals"
in the state.
• It is applicable to all establishments which are in the private sector and where 10 or more persons are
employed.
• In case local companies face problems in getting skilled manpower locally, a provision has been made under
the Act to provide necessary training to eligible youth.
• Central or state government undertakings will not be covered under the Act.
Gandhamardan Hill Range : Biodiversity Heritage Site

• The state government of Odisha declared the Gandhamardan Hill Range in
Bargarh and Balangir district as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS).
• This ecologically fragile ecosystem is rich in floral and faunal diversity and is
protected under the Odisha Biodiversity Rules – 2012.
• This hill consists of medicinal plants, the hill system is considered the
‘Ayurvedic paradise’ of Odisha.
• The hills have 2 historical monuments (hill shrines) which are major pilgrimage sites of Odisha.
• Nrusinghanath temple is located on the northern slope.
• Harishankar temple on the southern side.
Biodiversity heritage sites:
• These are well-defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems with a high diversity of
wild and domesticated species, the presence of rare and threatened species, and keystone species.
• Gandhamardan hills are the home to 1,200 species of plants and 500 species of animals.
‘Biodiversity heritage site’ recognition will help in the preservation, protection, conservation, and
management of the species that are facing extinction.
Gold reserves found in three districts: Odisha

• Surveys of the Directorate of Mines and Geological Survey Of India
(GSI) revealed the presence of gold reserves in the Deogarh, Keonjhar
and Mayurbhanj districts.
• An estimated 1,685 kg of gold ore has been detected by the GSI
experts along with copper.
• Major minerals found in Odisha - iron ore, Manganese, bauxite,
dolomite (mixture of limestone and magnesium)
Odisha CM unveils Dakota aircraft for public viewing in Bhubaneswar

• Odisha's CM, Naveen Patnaik has unveiled the iconic Dakota aircraft of
legendary leader Biju Patnaik for public viewing at the Bhubaneswar
Airport.
• It was unveiled on the 107th birth anniversary of the former CM of Odisha.
27
• It was brought from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata to Bhubaneswar on
January 18, 2023.
• Before joining politics, Biju Patnaik was an ace pilot and also established Kalinga Airlines having a
fleet of 15 Dakota aircraft.
• The Indonesian government had twice decorated Biju Patnaik with 'Bhumiputra', the highest civilian
award of the country
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has found a 1,300-year-old Buddhist stupa in Odisha’s Jajpur.
• at a Khondalite mining site at Parabhadi which is situated near Lalitagiri, a major Buddhist complex,
having a large number of stupas and monasteries.
• Lalitgiri Buddhist site is believed to be the most sacred among the three sites (Lalitagiri, Ratnagiri
and Udayagiri) .
• Khondalite is a type of metamorphic rock that is found in the Eastern Ghats region of India,
particularly in the state of Odisha.
• It is named after the Khondalite Group of rocks, which is believed to have formed around 1.6 billion
years ago during the Proterozoic era.
• Khondalite is primarily composed of feldspar, quartz, and mica, and has a distinct pinkish-grey
coloration. It is commonly used as a decorative stone in construction and is particularly prized for
its durability and resistance to weathering.
• Khondalite stones were widely used in ancient temple complexes.
Issues around the discovery

• The Khondalite stone is used extensively in the ABADHA scheme. ABADHA is the Augmentation of
Basic Amenities and the Development of Heritage and Architecture scheme.
• With the ASI taking over the sites, the ABADHA scheme implementation will be affected.
• The State Government of Odisha has allocated Rs 3,208 crores for the ABADHA scheme.
West Bengal urged Centre to allow poppy cultivation

• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged the Centre to allow poppy (Posto)
cultivation in the state, insisting that delicacies prepared with its seeds are integral to the Bengali
cuisine.
• Delicacies prepared with poppy seeds are integral to Bengali cuisine and poppy seeds are costly as
it is cultivated only in a few States.
• At present, opium poppy cultivation is permitted in Selected Tracts in three
States namely Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
• Capital – Kolkata
• Chief Minister – Mamata Banerjee
• Governor – C V Ananda Bose
West Bengal CM Banerjee launches flagship road project ‘Pathashree-

Rastashree’
• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the flagship
project named ‘Pathashree-Rastashree’ in Singur
• ‘Pathashree-Rastashree’ project aims to strengthen road infrastructure
and enhance connectivity to villages.
28
• Under this project 12,000 km of roads will be constructed in 22 districts of the

state, using state government’s fund.
Que: Which state has become the first state to pass the Right to Health Bill?
Ans: Rajasthan
• Rajasthan became the first state to pass the Right to Health Bill in the Legislative Assembly.
• Under this, the residents of the state will be able to avail themselves of free OPD services and IPD
services in all public health facilities and in selected private hospitals.
• The bill was introduced in the assembly in September last year, but was sent to a select committee
following objections from the opposition BJP and doctors.
• Presently the Governor of Rajasthan State is Kalraj Mishra and the Chief Minister is Ashok Gehlot.
Parshottam Rupala inaugurates Camel Product Processing, Utilisation & Training Wing in Bikaner
• Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala inaugurated the
‘Camel Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing’ at the ICAR center, Bikaner.
India’s First Behavioural Lab : Jaipur

• The Rajasthan government recently approved the setting up of India’s first Behavioural lab at
Jaipur.
• India’s first Behavioural Lab will be set up at the Patel Bhawan at Harish
Chandra Mathur Rajasthan Institute of Public Administration (HCM-RIPA),
Jaipur.
• The lab will be managed and operated by IIM Udaipur.
• Human behavior will be studied with the help of innovative technology, including ultra-modern
software and hardware.
• International experts will also be involved in conducting experiments and
workshops.
Rajasthan CM announced 19 new districts and three new divisions

• The state will now have a total of 50 districts.
• The new districts are- Anupgarh, Balotra, Beawar, Deeg, Didwana-Kuchaman City, Dudu, Gangapur
City, Jaipur North, Jaipur South, Jodhpur East, Jodhpur West, Kekri, Kotputli, Khairthal,
Neemkathana, Phalodi, Salumbar, Sanchore, Shahpura (Bhilwara).
• Banswara, Pali, and Sikar were named as new divisions, taking the
total number of divisions in the state to 10
International Conference on Trade and Marketing of Coconut Products at

Hyderabad
• The Coconut Development Board in association with the
International Coconut Community (ICC) organised a two-day
International Conference on Trade and Marketing of Coconut
Products at Hyderabad, Telangana.
• The theme of the conference is “Global Coconut Industry - Cruising to the Pinnacle”.
Coconut production in India:
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• According to Dr. Vijayalakshmi Nadendla, CEO of the Coconut Development

Board, India is currently the largest coconut producer with a 30.93% share in
global production and ranks second in terms of productivity - 9,346 nuts per
hectare after Vietnam at 10,547 nuts per hectare.
• With the increase in coconut production, India has been exporting coconut oil to
Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka since April 2017, whereas till March 2017, India used to import
coconut oil.
• Now for the first time India is also exporting desiccated coconut in large quantities to America and
other European countries.
• In India, coconut is cultivated in states including West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Odisha, Goa, Tamil
Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
• World Coconut Day - 2 September
New health programme ‘Arogya Mahila’ launched for women in Telangana

• Under the programme, tests would be conducted for women every Tuesday
initially in 100 health centres and medicines provided to them free of cost.
• Capital – Hyderabad
• Chief Minister – K. Chandrashekar Rao
• Governor – Tamilisai Soundararajan
Karnataka's Byndoor to get country's first marina

• Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai has confirmed, that state will get India's first Marina which will be
constructed at Byndoor in the Udupi district.
• Aim: To promote coastal tourism in the state
• The state government has received permission from the Government of India for the relaxation of
Coastal Regulation Zone rules.
• The government also proposed to build a corridor of ancient temples like Madhukeshwara
(Banavasi) and Dattatreya (Ganagapura) and promote Yatra tourism.
• Marina is a specially designed place of pleasure for small boats and yachts.
PM Modi inaugurated Shivamogga airport in Karnataka

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Shivamogga airport in Karnataka.
• The airport has been built on 663 acres of land with an investment of ₹449.22 crore.
• The foundation was laid in June 2020 by former CM B S Yediyurappa.
• Shivamogga is the home district of Yediyurappa, a four-time Chief Minister.
Nitin Gadkari unveiled first methanol run buses in Bengaluru

• The project is aimed at reducing the level of emissions and the Bengaluru
Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) NITI Aayog, Indian Oil
Corporation (IOC) and Ashok Leyland are conducting the project together.
• The concept of the ‘Methanol Economy’ is being actively pursued by China, Italy, Sweden, Israel,
the US, Australia, Japan, and many other European countries.
• In the pilot project, the BMTC is planning to launch 80 buses that will run on methanol fuel and 20
Ashok Leyland buses will also be introduced in the initial phases. As part of the project, the Indian
Oil Corporation will provide free diesel and methanol for three months.
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• Methanol can be blended with gasoline or used as a standalone fuel in vehicles with modified
engines. It has a high octane rating, which means it can improve engine performance and reduce
harmful emissions.
PM Modi unveils world’s longest railway platform in Hubballi-Dharwad

• With the inauguration of the Hubballi railway platform, the city has
registered its name in the Guinness Book of World Records for having
the longest railway platform in the World at Shree Siddharoodha
Swamiji station.
• The 1,507-metre-long platform has been built at a cost of about ₹20 crore.
• The Hubballi station is an important junction in Karnataka and a major hub of trade and commerce.
PM Modi dedicates various projects to nation in Karnataka

• Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway - Built at a cost of over Rs 8400 crore, 118 km
long, 10-lane Expressway will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and
Mysuru from three hours to about 75 minutes.
• Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Mysuru-Kushalnagar
Highway.
• New campus of IIT Dharwad – PM dedicated to the nation the new campus of IIT Dharwad,
developed at a cost of Rs 850 crore.
• World's longest railway platform- He also inaugurated the world's longest railway platform at
Hubli station.
Pennaiyar River Dispute

• As the three-month deadline set by the Supreme Court for setting up an Inter-State River Water
Disputes Tribunal for the Pennaiyar river has expired, Tamil Nadu is awaiting further action from
the Centre.
• In 2018, Tamil Nadu filed a lawsuit against Karnataka for building
check-dams and diversion structures on the river.
• On November 30, 2019, Tamil Nadu formally requested the
central government to set up a tribunal to settle disputes over
the waters of the river.
• In mid-December 2022, the Supreme Court gave the Center three months to set up a tribunal to
resolve the dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
• Based on Article 262, Parliament has enacted Inter-State River Water Disputes Act (1956) & River
Boards Act (1956).
• According to Article 131 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court, in its original jurisdiction, decides a
dispute between the Government of India and one or more States or between the Government of
India and any State or States or between two or more States on river water disputes.
About Pennaiyar River
• It originates in the Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu
before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
• The major tributaries are Chinnar, Markanda, Vaniyar and Pamban.
• It is the second longest river in Tamil Nadu after Cauvery with a length of 497 km.
• 77% drainage basin of the river lies in Tamil Nadu.
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Current River Water Disputes in various states
Mahadayi river- Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Mahanadi river- Odisha and Chhattisgarh
Vansadhara Water dispute- Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
Krishna Water Disputes- Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal Project- Haryana and Punjab
Tamil Nadu’s 18th wildlife sanctuary to come up in Erode

• The Tamil Nadu Government will notify Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary as
the 18th wildlife sanctuary in the state.
• It is spread over 80,567 hectares in the forest areas of Erode district
• The sanctuary is close to Malai Mahadeshwara wildlife sanctuary, BRT Wildlife
Sanctuary, Cauvery wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka
• It also act as a connecting point between Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and
Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary.
Tamil Nadu inaugurates Keeladi museum, a testimony to the life of ancient Tamils during the Sangam
Age
• Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the Keeladi museum in Sivaganga
district
• The museum has been built on 2 acres at Keeladi at a cost of ₹18.43 crore.
• It houses over 15,000 unique artefacts unearthed between the 4th and 8th
phases of excavations undertaken by the Tamil Nadu State Department of
Archaeology since 2018.
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National News
Education Ministry launches SATHEE Platform

• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the SATHEE platform. It is a collaborative
effort of UGC, the Ministry of Education, and IIT Kanpur.
• SATHEE (Self Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams)
• It will have preparation materials for students in English, Hindi, and in 12 regional languages of
India so that students can prepare for exams like JEE and NEET for free
India’s Proposed Global Initiative ‘MIIRA’ to Promote Millets

• MIIRA - ‘Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness’.
• MIIRA will aim to connect millet research organisations across the world. It is in
line with the UN declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets
• India has introduced a draft to launch a global initiative to encourage the
consumption and production of millet
• Jowar is the most widely grown millet crop; its major producers are the US, China, Australia, India,
Argentina, Nigeria, and Sudan.
• Millets - jowar, bajra, ragi/ mandua, some minor millets such as kangani/ kakun, chena
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has described millets as “Shree Anna”
Govt plans 10 'Clean Plant Centres' to boost fruit crop production

• The Program will be launched for fruit crops like apple, walnut, almond,
avocado, mango, pomegranate, among others, with an outlay of 2,200
crores (in the next 7 years till 2030)
• to boost availability of disease-free, quality planting material for high value horticultural crops.
• The centres will be fully funded by the Centre. It will be implemented in a PPP mode in partnership
as announced by FM Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2023-24.
• These centres will be established for fruit crops with a budget of Rs 2,200 crore in the next seven
years till 2030.
SC ruling on appointment of CEC, ECs

• Appointments to the Election Commission are currently on the central
government’s choice.
• The SC has now given the Opposition and the judiciary a say in the
matter, ruling that the CEC and ECs must be appointed by the President
on the advice of a committee comprising the PM, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and the Chief
Justice of India.
• The Bench headed by Justice K M Joseph. The Bench also comprised Justices Ajay Rastogi,
Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar.
What was the plea before the Supreme Court?

• The public interest petitions sought a law governing the appointment of the CEC and ECs. A first PIL
had been filed in 2015, and the Supreme Court agreed to hear a second PIL on the issue filed in
2018 by Delhi BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyaya, and referred the issues to a Constitution Bench.
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• The court had heard the case in November last year. On the last day of the hearing, the court had
noted that the appointment of Arun Goel as EC had been carried out with “lightning speed”, with
the procedure taking less than 24 hours on November 18 from start to finish.
NTPC commissions India’s first Air cooled condenser

• at the North Karanpura supercritical thermal plant in Jharkhand.
• It would help in water conservation.
• This Air Cooled Condenser (ACC) has almost 1/3rd water footprint as
compared to a conventional Water Cooled Condenser (WCC).
• NTPC is currently meeting 24% of country’s demand through coal, gas,
hydro, solar and wind plants.
UIDAI launched 2 factor authentication

• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has recently launched a new security
mechanism for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication.
• The new mechanism uses 2-factor authentications - a combination of both
finger minutia and finger image to check the liveliness of the captured
fingerprint - further boosting the system’s security.
In general, there may be four layers of authentication:
• Knowledge-based: Uses a password or a security question
• Biometric: Retina scanner, fingerprint scanner
• Location-based: detecting the presence of the individual in a specific pre-loaded location
• Possession: Card or key
What is UIDAI?
• The UDAI is a statutory body that was established by the Indian Government in January 2009. It
comes under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It functions based
on the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, benefits and
services) Act, 2016.
What are the objectives of UIDAI?
• The UIDAI aims to provide efficient and transparent governance. It helps the central government to
develop policies for issuing Aadhaar numbers. It creates rules and regulations in accordance with
the Aadhaar Act.
NADA and NCERT tie up to strengthen value based sports education

• The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the
National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) signed an MoU to strengthen value-
based sports education among school children and teachers.
• The MoU will help in developing an accessible format on sports values and
ethics in e-content.
About NADA
• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) was established on 24 November 2005 as a registered
society under the Societies Registration Act 1860 with a mandate for dope free sports in India.
• Headquarters -New Delhi
• Director General - Ritu Sain
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National Youth Parliament Festival 4th edition

• At the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi.
• Theme "Ideas for a Better Tomorrow: India for the World".
• Its objective is to strengthen democracy and enable the student community to
understand the working of Parliament.
• More than 2.01 lakh youth from 748 districts of all states and union territories participated in it at
150 locations across the country.
First Anti-Corruption G20 Working Group meeting organized in Gurugram

• The co-chair for the G20 ACWG 2023 is Italy.
PM of Italy Giorgia Meloni on 2 day visit to India

• The Italian Prime Minister was the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 8th Raisina Dialogue,
2023.
• Raisina Dialogue is India’s premier foreign policy conference on geopolitics and
geoeconomics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the
global community.
• It is held annually since 2016 in New Delhi
• India & Italy are celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations.
India-UK Young Professionals Scheme

• The UK Government has launched the Young Professionals Scheme. Under the scheme, Indian
nationals of age 18 years to 30 years can live and work in Britain for up to two years
• The names UK, England, and Britain are not the same. They
denote different geographical areas.
• The UK is a country that comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and
Northern Ireland. Britain or Great Britain means England,
Scotland, and Wales. It does not include Northern Ireland.
• So the scheme is not applicable to Northern Ireland
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana

• Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana was launched by the
Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in
November 2008.
• Under the scheme Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras
(PMBKs) are set up and PMBKs have increased to 9,082 as on January
31, 2023.
• Objective: To provide quality medicines at affordable prices for all, particularly the poor, so as to
reduce out-of-pocket expenses in healthcare.
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Que: ‘SAMARTH scheme’, which was seen in the news, is associated with which Ministry?
Ans: Ministry of Textiles
• The SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector) scheme is an
umbrella skilling initiative that aims to provide incentives and create jobs in
the textile industry.
• It will be implemented until March 2024.
• This initiative is part of the steps taken by the government to make the textile
sector worth 250 billion USD by the end of this decade from the present 150-155 billion USD.
No sale of gold jewellery without HUID from April 1

• Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number is a unique 6-digit alphanumeric code consisting of
numbers and letters. It is stamped manually on a piece of
jewellery at the Assaying & Hallmarking centres.
• It ensures the purity and fitness of gold via third-party assurance
to the customers.
• A Hallmark is a certification issued by the Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS), the national standards organisation in India.
• A BIS Hallmark has 3 components- the BIS logo, a symbol
indicating the article’s purity and fineness and the HUID.
What is hallmarking?
• Hallmarking is verifying the purity of gold. Gold is too soft. So some metals like copper are added to
the gold to make it rigid to wear. The 916 mark on the gold says that the jewellery is made of an
alloy that has 91.6% of gold (22-carat gold).
What are the hallmarks of gold allowed in India?
• There are six different gold hallmarks that are allowed in India by the BIS. They are 14 carats, 18
carats, 20 carats, 22 carats, 23 carats, and 24 carats. 24-carat gold is the purest form. No metals are
added to it. 24 carat also means the jewellery has 99.9% of pure gold.
• The 18-carat gold has 75% of gold and 25% of other metals like copper, zinc, etc. The 14-carat gold
has 41.7% of gold. There is 9-carat and 10-carat gold in the international market. However, India
does not provide hallmarking to those.
India proposes to launch global alliance for big cats with investment of $100 million
• India has proposed the creation of a new global alliance called the
International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to protect seven major big cats,
including tigers, lions, and cheetahs.
• The IBCA will be open to 97 countries and organizations interested in
protecting these animals.
• India has committed to provide funding of 100 million USD over 5 years to support the IBCA. The
IBCA will share information about protecting these animals.
First meeting of Central Asia JW Group on Afghanistan held in India

• The first meeting of the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group on
Afghanistan was held in New Delhi.
• The meeting was attended by the Special Envoys and Senior Officials of India,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, & Uzbekistan.
• During the meeting, discussions were held on the current situation in Afghanistan, including the
political, security, and humanitarian situation.
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• Participants also discussed regional threats of terrorism, extremism, radicalization and drug
trafficking and also deliberated on the possibilities to coordinate efforts to counter these threats.
Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Area : CEA Regulations

• The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued Draft Central
Electricity Authority (Construction of Electric Lines in Great Indian
Bustard Area) Regulations, 2023, making mandatory for electric lines
to be underground or overhead through the ‘Great Indian Bustard
(GIB) Area’.
• As per the regulations, all electric lines of 33 kV and below passing through the ‘Great Indian
Bustard Area’ will be underground, while those above 33KV will be overhead lines installed with
bird flight diverters.
• Aim- improving power line visibility for birds and reducing the risk of collision.
The Great Indian Bustard :

• The State bird of Rajasthan, is considered India’s most critically endangered bird.
• It is considered the flagship grassland species, representing the health of the grassland ecology.
• Its population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and Gujarat. Small populations occur in Maharashtra,
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Protection Status:
• IUCN red List: Critically Endangered
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES):
Appendix1
• Convention on Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix I
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
Centre launches MSME Competitive (LEAN) scheme

• Union Minister for MSME Narayan Rane launched the MSME Competitive (LEAN) Scheme.
• It aims to provide a roadmap to global competitiveness for the MSMEs of India.
• The scheme will not only strive to improve quality, productivity and performance, but also change
the mindset of manufacturers and provide them the ability to become world class manufacturers.
• Under this scheme, MSMEs will implement LEAN manufacturing tools like 5S, Kaizen, Kanban, Visual
Workplace, Poka Yoka etc. under the able guidance of trained and competent LEAN consultants to
acquire LEAN levels like Basic, Intermediate and Advanced.
• Lean manufacturing is a production process based on an ideology of maximising productivity while
simultaneously minimising waste within a manufacturing operation.
• Kaizen is a Japanese word that essentially means "change for the better" or "good change.“
• The goal is to provide the customer with a defect free product or service when it is needed and, in
quantity, it is needed.
• Kanban is a popular Lean workflow management method for defining, managing, and improving
services that deliver knowledge work.
• Through this scheme, MSMEs can significantly reduce wastage, increase productivity, improve
quality, expand their markets, operate in a safer manner and ultimately become competitive and
profitable.
• There will be an additional contribution of 5% for the MSMEs which are part of SFURTI clusters,
owned by Women/SC/ST and located in Northeast region.
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• To assist MSMEs, the government will contribute 90 per cent of the implementation cost and
consultancy fee for providing initial support.
• Nodal Agency of the scheme will be the National Productivity Council (NPC).
SCO Supreme Courts Chief Justices’ meet held in New Delhi

• 18th meeting of Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States was held in New Delhi.
• It was held under the Presidency of Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud
with an aim to foster effective judicial cooperation among the Member
States.
• It was a 2-day session wherein all SCO member states had taken part
• India hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Ministers’ Meeting (TMM) on
17th -18th March 2023 in Kashi (designated as the first cultural capital of the SCO).
• India will also host the SCO Food Festival in Mumbai from 13-19 April 2023.
• India is the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
• Founded – 2001
• Headquarters – Beijing, China
• Secretary General – Zhang Ming (China)
• Member Countries – 9 (Iran, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan &
Uzbekistan)
• SCO Summit 2021 – Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
• SCO Summit 2022 – Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
• The founding members (5) of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) were China, Russia,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. India and Pakistan officially joined this organization in 2017
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana

• In NEWS - According to the Mudra portal (as of 27.01.2023), more than
38.58 crore loans have been extended since the inception of the Scheme
• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana was launched in 2015 aims at providing
credit of upto Rs 10 lakh to small entrepreneurs.
• Mudra targets young educated or skilled workers and entrepreneurs
including women entrepreneurs.
• The loans are provided through Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), Micro Financial
Institutions (MFIs), and other financial intermediaries.
3 types of loans (signify the stage of growth and funding needs)
• Shishu- Loans up to Rs.50,000.
• Kishor - Loans above Rs.50,000 and less than Rs.5 lakh.
• Tarun- Loans above Rs.5 lakh and up to Rs.10 lakh
Sundarja mango of Rewa and Gajak of Morena got GI tag

• Sundarja mango is found in abundance in Govindgarh town of Rewa
district of Madhya Pradesh.
• The specialty of Sundarja mango is that it is fiber-free and the type of
sugar found in it is such that it can be consumed even by sugar patients.
• Morena's Gajak is a type of sweet. Gazak making is the main industry of
Morena. When it comes to sweets made of jaggery and sesame, Gajak is considered the best.
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• 'GI Tag' i.e. Geographical Indicator (Geographical Indicator) are issued as per the Geographical
Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act,1999.
• The process of certification of a specific product of a sector was started in the year 2003. The first
GI tag in India was given to Darjeeling Tea of West Bengal in 2004.
• The GI tag is issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, which
operates under the Ministry of Commerce.
• Once a product gets a GI tag, any person or company cannot sell a similar item under that name.
This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.
• The other benefits of GI registration include legal protection for the item, prevention against
unauthorised use by others, and promotion of exports.
Nagari Dubraj got GI Tag

• 'Nagri Dubraj' variety of Nagari paddy of Dhamtari development block of
Chhattisgarh has got GI tag.
• 'Nagri Dubraj' is the second crop of the Chhattisgarh, which has got GI Tag.
Prior to this, the state has got GI tag for Jeera Phool paddy variety.
• Nagari Dubraj is also called Basmati in Chhattisgarh, as this rice is used as a flavored rice in
traditional feasts of Chhattisgarh.
Kangra Tea from Himachal Pradesh gets European Geographical Indication

tag
• This will help promote the sale of the product in the European
market.
• Kangra tea is renowned for its distinctive taste and colour.
• In India, Kangra tea received the Geographical Indication designation in 2005.
• This tea is grown at an altitude of 900 to 1400 metres above sea level. Tea requires annual rainfall
of 270 to 350 cm.
Government identified 1275 railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
• The government has identified 1275 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat
Station Scheme for the development of railway stations in India.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav gave this information in a written reply
to a question in the Lok Sabha on March 29.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
• Amrit Bharat Station Scheme was introduced by the Ministry of Railways in
December 2022
India’s bullet train to run by August 2026: Railway Minister

• The Indian railways is building the country’s first bullet train from
Ahmedabad, Gujarat to Mumbai, Maharashtra over 508-kilometer
route.
• The high-speed train will run at 350 km/hour
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Solar Energy capacity tripled in last 5 years

• Union Minister of Renewable Energy & Power, R. K. Singh informed that
India's solar capacity has increased from 21,651 MW to 64,380 MW, an
increase of 197% in the last 5 years.
• The Government has set a target of achieving 500 GW of installed
capacity from non-fossil fuels (including around 270 GW of solar
capacity) by 2030.
India allows foreign lawyers to practice in India

• The Bar Council of India (BCI) has notified Rules for Registration and
Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India,
2022, allowing foreign lawyers and law firms to practice in India, in
non-litigious matters, on a reciprocal basis
• Non-litigious matters means that they cannot appear in court but they can advise clients on foreign
law and work on corporate transactions such as joint ventures, mergers and
acquisitions, Intellectual Property matters, drafting of contracts and other related matters.
• Entry of foreign law firms will support the ambition of India to be more visible and valuable in a global
context, especially on international trade and commerce.
Lightning Be Declared a Natural Disaster

• Few States have demanded that “lightning” be declared as a “natural disaster”
because deaths caused by it surpass any other disaster in the country
• Each year, lightning claims the lives of more than 2,500 Indians.
• Presently Cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide,
avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, frost, and cold waves are covered under the
State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) which is 75% funded by the Centre.
• Madhya Pradesh had the highest number of lightning-related deaths (162), followed by
Maharashtra (121), Gujarat (72), Bihar (70), Rajasthan (49), and Chhattisgarh (40).
Govt introduces bill in Lok Sabha to strengthen tri-services commanders' powers

• The government has introduced the ‘Inter-Services Organizations (Command, Control and
Discipline) Bill, 2023’ in Lok Sabha to strengthen tri services commenders' power.
• The Bill seeks to empower the Commander-in-Chief or the Officer-in Command of Inter-Services
Organisations in respect of service personnel for the maintenance of discipline and proper
discharge of their duties.
• Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt introduced the Bill.
Ministry of Home Affairs announced 10% reservation for former Agniveers

• 10% reservation for former Agniveers in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and BSF
• The Agnipath scheme has been launched by the central government for recruitment in the Armed
Forces. The Agnipath scheme was approved by the Indian Government in June 2022.
• The scheme aims to induct youth between 17-and-a-half years of age and 21 years of age on a four-
year short-term contractual basis.
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5th Poshan Pakhwada celebrations begins

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development organized the fifth Poshan
Pakhwada from 20th March to 3rd April 2023 with various activities
nationwide.
• Theme 2023: "Nutrition for All: Together Towards a Healthy India“
• Aim: To raise awareness about the importance of nutrition and promote healthy eating habits
through Jan Andolan and Jan Bhagidari
• Poshan Abhiyaan was launched by PM Narendra Modi on 8th March 2018 to improve nutritional
outcomes in a holistic manner.
Government announced the sites for setting up of 7 PM MITRA Parks

• The Central Government has announced plans to set up mega textile
parks in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
• The PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA)
Parks for the Textile Industry are a step towards realizing the vision
of making India a global hub for textile manufacturing and exports.
• The step is inspired by the 5F vision which includes - Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
• It is expected that these parks will enhance the competitiveness of the textile industry by helping it
achieve economies of scale and attract global players to manufacture in India.
India Post partnered with Shiprocket to benefit Startups and MSMEs

• India Post has signed an MoU with Shiprocket to boost last-mile e-commerce
delivery services across India.
• Shiprocket is a leading logistics aggregator company.
• This partnership between India Post and Shiprocket will provide shipping and
last-mile delivery services to Shiprocket’s three lakh strong seller base which includes Startups and
a large number of small and medium businesses.
• Director General, Postal Services - Alok Sharma
India invited to attend G7 Hiroshima summit in Japan

• After a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio
Kishida, India was invited to attend the G7 Hiroshima summit.
• The G7 is a group of seven major industrialised countries, including
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the
United States.
• The 48th G7 summit was hosted by Germany in 2022.
Que: Which Indian company got India's first BIS license to make fire-resistant steel?
Ans: Jindal Steel
• Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) will manufacture India's first fire-resistant steel structures at its
unit in Raigarh, Chhatisgarh.
• The BIS 15103 grade structural steels are designed to withstand
temperatures up to 600 degrees celsius for 3 hours
• The grade is being imported at present.
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Income tax dept launches mobile app AIS for Taxpayers

• Aim: To facilitate the taxpayers to view their information as available in the Annual
Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS)
• In the app, taxpayers can view various information related to TDS, interest, share
transactions, tax payments, Income Tax refunds, and GST Data among others.
PM Modi inaugurates new ITU Area Office and Innovation Center in New Delhi
• ITU - International Telecommunication Union - is the United Nations' specialized agency for
information and communication technologies (ICTs).
• India signed a Host Country Agreement in March 2022 with ITU for the establishment of Area
Office.
• The ITU field office will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan
and Iran, enhancing coordination among nations
• ITU was established in the year 1865 to facilitate international connectivity in communications
networks.
‘Call Before u Dig’ (CBuD) App:

• Prime Minister of India launched the ‘Call Before u Dig’ (CBuD) app, to facilitate
coordination between excavation agencies.
• Call Before u Dig (CBuD) app is to prevent damage to underlying assets like optical
fibre cables that occurs because of uncoordinated digging and excavation, leading
to losses of about Rs 3,000 crore every year.
• The CBuD app will connect excavators and asset owners through SMS/Email notifications and click-
to-call so that there are planned excavations in the country while ensuring the safety of
underground assets.
• It is an initiative of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications.
Govt approves installation of ‘Statue of Knowledge’ dedicated to Dr. Ambedkar

• A 75-feet tall statue of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar will be unveiled on April
13 in Latur city, Maharashtra.
• A team of 35 artists, led by Akshay Halke, has been working to construct
the statue.
• This is the first statue in the world of Dr. Ambedkar to be created in just
20 days and the first of its kind in the state of Maharashtra.
PM Modi addressed 'One World TB Summit' at Varanasi

• Organized by: Health and Family Welfare Ministry and Stop TB
Partnership
• International delegates from more than 30 countries participated in
the event.
• Each year, the World TB Day is celebrated on March 24 and the
theme of this year’s World TB Day is ‘Yes! We can end TB!’.
• During the event, PM launched various initiatives including TB-free Panchayat Initiative
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Government Will Attempt To Open Corridor To Sharda Peeth In PoK For Devotees: Amit Shah
• Home Minister, Amit Shah said that the government will move forward
to open Sharda Peeth on the lines of the Kartarpur corridor.
• Sharda Peeth is an abandoned Hindu temple and ancient centre of
learning, is located in Neelum Valley in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK)
across Teetwal village in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, along
the Line of Control (LoC).
• As a Centre of Learning: Between the 6th and 12th centuries CE, it was
one of the foremost centres of higher learning, hosting scholars such as Kalhana, Adi Shankara.
• It is also said to be where Paṇini and Hemachandra completed and stored their writings on Sanskrit
grammar.
Cabinet approves 4% hike in dearness allowance to central government employees

• With a four per cent increase in dearness allowance, the total DA becomes 42 per cent of the basic
pay.
• Dearness Allowance (DA) is compensation given to employees to offset the
effects of inflation and is calculated as a percentage of an employee's basic
salary. The rate of inflation varies depending on the location, job profile
and policies of the organisation.
• DA is paid in addition to basic pay and is subject to income tax.
Ujjwala Yojana: Union Cabinet extends subsidy of 200 rupees per cylinder for 12
refills annually for beneficiaries for one year
• PM Ujjwala Scheme
• It is a scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas for providing LPG
connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.
• The scheme was originally launched on May 1, 2016, in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh by
the Prime Minister of India with a target of releasing 8 crore connections by
March 2020.
CCEA approves MSP for Raw Jute at 5,050 rupees per quintal for 2023-24
• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Minimum
Support Price (MSP) for Raw Jute at 5,050 rupees per quintal for 2023-24.
• The approval is based on the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices
recommendations.
What is Minimum Support Price (MSP)?

• MSP is the rate at which the government buys food grains from farmers.
• This is based on the calculation of at least one and a half times the cost of production incurred by
the farmers.
• The Government of India fixes the MSP for 24 items twice a year.
• When the market price falls below the declared MSP, the government buys food grains from the
farmers at the MSP rate.
Who decides MSP?
• The MSP price is calculated by an expert committee under the ministry of Agriculture.
• The expert committee is called CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Price).
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• It recommends the MSP to the Agricultural ministry and the ministry announces the MSP.
• However the Agricultural Ministry is not bound to accept the recommendation of the CACP.
MGNREGA wage rates revised by up to 10% for 2023-24

• The Centre has notified a hike in wage rates up to 10% under the rural job
guarantee program, MGNREGA for 2023-24 with Haryana having the
highest daily wage at ₹357 per day and Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
the lowest at ₹221.
• The wage hikes, which range from ₹7 to ₹26, will come into effect from April 1, 2023.
• It is a flagship program aimed at enhancing the livelihood security of households in rural areas by
providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment.
• The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was passed on 23rd August 2005
and it was officially launched on 2nd February 2006.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav launches Aravalli Green Wall Project in Gurugram
• Aravalli Green Wall Project inaugurated at Tikli village in Haryana on the occasion of International
Forest Day.
• The project will increase the green cover and biodiversity of Aravallis through
afforestation, reforestation and restoration of water bodies.
• It will also improve soil fertility, water availability and climate resilience of the
region.
• The project will benefit the local communities by providing them with employment opportunities,
income generation and ecosystem services.
• The objective of this initiative is to green a buffer zone of about 5 km of Aravalli mountain range
spread over five states.
• 75 water sources will be rejuvenated under the project, starting with five water sources in each
district of the Aravalli landscape on March 25.
• The project will also involve massive tree plantation drive and conservation of water resources in
the Aravalli region.
• The project will cover barren land in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Bhiwani, Mahendragarh and Rewari
districts of Haryana.
• The project covers the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi where the Aravalli hills are
spread over an area of 6 million hectares.
30 Years of Project Elephant

• Project Elephant was launched by the Government of India in 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored
Scheme with following objectives:
1. To protect elephants, their habitat & corridors
2. To address issues of man-animal conflict
3. Welfare of captive elephants
• Project elephant (Indian elephant Elephas maximus) is mainly
implemented in 16 States.
• Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand was the first ER. Total ER –
33 (Source: MoEFCC, New Delhi)
• Conservation status of Asian Elephant
• IUCN: Endangered
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.
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PM SHRI scheme
• In NEWS: Education Ministry shortlisted 9000 schools for flagship Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising
India (PM SHRI).
• The institutions were selected based on six broad parameters including curriculum, access and
infrastructure, human resources, and gender equity were assessed.
• About PM SHRI:
• PM Modi announced this scheme on 5th September 2022.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Aim: To upgrade and develop around 14,500 schools
Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (PMJVM) : Update

• The government is providing 15 lakh rupees per Van Dhan Vikas Kendra
(VDVK) under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Vikas Yojna (PMJVM).
• Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Vikas Yojna was launched in 2018.
• It seeks to improve tribal incomes through the value addition of tribal
products.
• The scheme will be implemented through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department.
• Tribal Co-Operative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) will be the Nodal
Agency at the National Level.
Centre approves Rs 800 crore to set up 7432 public EV charging stations

• Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) Scheme
• Phase -2 being implemented and overseen by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public
Enterprises (Mahendra Nath Pandey)
• At present, there are about 6,586 charging stations across the country.
The new installation is expected to be completed by March 2024
• This move will boost the electric vehicle ecosystem in India
• The government has formulated FAME India Scheme in 2015.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh initiates ‘Captive Employment’ initiative

• ‘Captive Employment’ initiative under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), will
pave the way for greater industry participation in skilling rural poor youth
• Captive employers will train Rural Poor Youth and provide employment to trained youth in their
company or subsidiary.
• 19 Captive Employers signed MoU with Ministry of Rural Development for training and placing
more than 31,000 rural youth
• The selected CAPTIVE EMPLOYERS will be providing training to rural poor youth in their respective
industries, namely, hospitality, apparel & textiles, manufacturing, IT/ITeS, telecom, retail, Power
etc.
• Shri Giriraj Singh emphasised that the Captive Employer scheme will bridge the gap between job
seeker and job provider.
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India’s First Bauxite Certified Reference Material:

• National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) have
jointly developed India’s first Bauxite Certified Reference Material (CRM)
named BARC B1201.
• This is the fifth CRM of its kind in the world.
• A Bauxite Certified Reference Material (CRM) is a standardized sample of
bauxite that has been certified to have a known and consistent
composition.
• This new product will act as an import substitution for use by Industries, Research Laboratories and
Academic Institutions
NALCO:
• National Aluminium Company Limited (est. 1981; HQ: Bhubaneshwar) is a Navratna CPSE, under
Ministry of Mines,is country’s leading manufacturer and exporter of alumina and aluminium
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Banking & Finance
RBI initiates 75 digital villages programme

• The RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das has launched the Mission ‘Har Payment Digital’
during the Digital Payments Awareness Week 2023, which was observed from
March 6 to 12, 2023.
• Campaign theme: Digital Payment Apnao, Auron ko bhi Sikhao (Adopt digital
payments and Also teach others)
• RBI has launched a program to adopt 75 villages and convert them into digital payment-enabled
villages.
• Payment system operators (PSOs) will adopt these villages across the country.
IREDA received ‘Infrastructure Finance Company’ status from RBI

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted an ‘Infrastructure Finance Company
(IFC)’ status to Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).
• Earlier, it was classified as an Investment and Credit Company (ICC).
• With IFC status, IREDA will be able to take higher exposure in renewable
energy financing.
• The IFC status will help the company access a wider investor base to raise funds, resulting in
competitive rates for raising funds.
• This will boost investor confidence, enhance brand value and create a positive outlook in the
market.
• With IFC status, IREDA will contribute to the government's target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel
installed capacity by 2030.
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)

• It was incorporated as a Public Limited Company in the year 1987 as a 'Non-Banking Financial
Institution'.
• It is a Miniratna (Category 1) type company functioning under the administrative control of
'Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India.
• Its function is to encourage projects related to new and renewable energy sources and to provide
them financial assistance for their development.
• It has been notified as a 'Public Financial Institution' under section 4'A' of the 'Companies Act,
1956'.
• Chairman and Managing Director - Pradip Kumar Das
New India Assurance becomes second company to offer surety bonds

• New India Assurance has become the second domestic insurance company to
launch surety insurance bonds, after Bajaj Allianz.
• Surety bond insurance acts as a security arrangement for infrastructure
projects and will insulate the contractor as well as the principal.
• These bonds are legally enforceable tripartite contracts that guarantee
compliance, payment, and performance.
• The issuing insurer provides a guarantee, for a premium, in case of a default in the execution of a
project.
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The IRDAI (Surety Insurance Contracts) Guidelines, 2022 will come into effect from 1st April , 2022.
What is a Surety Bond?
• A surety bond is a legally binding contract entered into by
three parties—the principal, the obligee, and the surety.
• The obligee, usually a government entity, requires the
principal, typically a business owner or contractor, to obtain a
surety bond as a guarantee against future work performance.
• Surety bonds are mainly aimed at infrastructure development,
mainly to reduce indirect cost for suppliers and work-
contractors thereby diversifying their options and acting as a
substitute for bank guarantee.
• Surety bond is provided by the insurance company on behalf of the contractor to the entity which is
awarding the project.
IRCTC partners with HDFC Bank to launch India’s most rewarding co-branded travel credit card
• Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC)
• Known as the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card, the newly launched co-
branded card is in a single variant and is available exclusively on NPCI’s
Rupay network.
• It will provide exclusive benefits and maximum savings on bookings of
train tickets booked through the IRCTC’s ticketing website and through
IRCTC Rail Connect app.
• CEO: Sashidhar Jagdishan
• Founded: August 1994, Mumbai
India’s per capita income doubles since 2014-15: NSO

• According to National Statistical Office (NSO), the estimated annual
per capita (net national income) at current prices for 2022-23 is Rs
1,72,000, showing a growth of around 99% from Rs 86,647 in 2014-
15.
• However, after adjusting for inflation (constant prices), the per
capita income has risen by approximately 35% from Rs 72,805 in 2014-15 to Rs 98,118 in 2022-23.
• The average growth of India’s per-capita income in real terms from 2014 to 2019 was 5.6 percent
per annum.
• According to IMF projections, India has overtaken the UK to become the world’s fifth-largest
economy and is now behind only the US, China, Japan, and Germany.
Per Capita Income Per Capita Income
Year
(Nominal Terms) (Real Terms)
2014-15 Rs 86,647 Rs 72,805
2022-23 Rs 1,72,000 Rs 98,118
Bank of Baroda board approves 49% stake divestment in BFSL

• In an exchange filing, the Bank of Baroda has informed that the bank's board has approved
divesting up to 49% stake in subsidiary BoB Financial Solutions Ltd.
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• Currently, BOB holds 100% of the total equity share capital of BFSL.
• BFSL, a registered non-banking financial institution, is primarily involved in credit cards and
merchant-acquiring businesses.
Bank of Baroda
• MD & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha;
• Chairman: Hasmukh Adhia
• BoB HQ: Vadodara
World Bank to lend $1 billion to support India’s health sector

• The lending will be divided into two complementary loans of $500 million each.
• The bank will support India’s flagship Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat
Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) which was launched in
October 2021.
• The loans will prioritize health service delivery in seven States - Andhra
Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar
Pradesh.
• The World Bank is an international financial institution that lends and grants to governments in
low- and middle-income countries to fund capital projects.
• The World Bank is the umbrella term for the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA)
India and World Bank signs loan agreement for Green NH Corridors project
• India and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement to construct the Green National Highway
Corridors Project in four States.
• Four states: HP, Rajasthan, UP, and Andhra Pradesh
• The agreement has been signed to construct 781 kilometers, with loan
assistance of 500 million dollars.
• The total project cost is over 7,662 crore rupees.
• Objective: To demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view
climate resilience and the use of green technologies
IDFC Mutual Fund rebrands itself as Bandhan Mutual Fund

• Its schemes will reflect the new name with effect from
March 13, 2023.
• IDFC Mutual Fund has also unveiled a new logo as the
company was acquired by Bandhan Financial Holdings-led consortium in April 2022
Government imposes surcharge for Google Pay and other payment apps
• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued a circular
suggesting "Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPI)" charges on merchant
transactions on Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
• NPCI has introduced an interchange charge of up to 1.1 per cent on
merchant UPI transactions done using prepaid payment instruments
from April 1.
• It will be levied on UPI payments above Rs 2,000 made to online merchants, large merchants and
small merchants.
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• NPCI has clarified that there will be no charges for UPI payment from bank account to bank account
or normal UPI payment.
Commercial Bank 'first in Qatar' to launch UPI remittance service to India

• Commercial Bank, a digital Bank in Qatar has announced to launch of Unified
Payment Interface (UPI) remittance service to India.
• With this decision, this bank becomes the first bank in Qatar to offer this
service.
• UPI is a convenient payment system that allows customers to transfer money in real time.
NCLT approved HDFC, HDFC Bank merger

• The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the merger of HDFC & HDFC Bank.
• HDFC Ltd has already received approvals from the Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI), PFRDA and Competition Commission of India (CCI) as well as from India’s
stock exchanges – BSE and NSE
• Termed as the biggest transaction in India's corporate history, HDFC Bank agreed to take over the
biggest domestic mortgage lender HDFC in a deal valued at about USD 40 billion.
HDFC Bank
• Founded – August 1994
• Founder – Hasmukhbhai Parekh
• Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
• MD & CEO – Sashidhar Jagdishan
• Chairman – Atanu Chakraborty
• Tagline – We understand your world
Troubled Silicon Valley Bank acquired by First Citizens Bank

• The First Citizens Bank acquired Silicon Valley Bank and assumed control
of all its deposits and loans.
• As part of the deal, North Carolina-based First Citizens Bank has agreed to
purchase $72 billion worth of SVB’s assets at a $16.5 billion discount.
CCI approves Reliance’s acquisition of METRO Cash & Carry India

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Reliance
Industries Ltd to acquire the German firm Metro AG's wholesale
operations in India for ₹2,850 crore.
• German company METRO AG is an international food wholesaler, also
owning retail and department stores, and Reliance Retail has now acquired the Indian arm of the
company, known for its ‘Cash and Carry’ model.
• Metro started operations in India in 2003 as the first company to introduce a cash-and-carry
business format in the country.
Central government abolishes basic customs duty on treatment of rare diseases

• Central government exempted basic customs duty on all drugs and food for special medical
purposes imported for personal use for treatment of rare diseases.
• The import duty exemption will be applicable from April 1, 2023.
• The exempted drugs and food items are listed under the National Rare Disease Policy 2021.
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• To avail this exemption, the individual importer has to submit a certificate from the Central or State
Director Health Services or Civil Surgeon of the district.
• The government has fully exempted pembrolizumab (Keytruda), used in the treatment of various
cancers, from basic customs duty.
• Medicines generally attract a basic customs duty of 10 per cent,
while certain categories of life saving drugs/vaccines attract a
concessional rate of 5 per cent or nil.
What are Rare Diseases?
• The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a rare disease as
one with a frequency of less than 6.5–10 per 10,000 people.
• According to one estimate, there are 7,000 known rare diseases
with an estimated 300 million patients in the world.
Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank opens INR denominated Nostro A/c in Indian Bank
• Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank has opened an Indian rupee-denominated Nostro account in Indian Bank in
Mumbai.
• Aim: To help in setting cross-border transactions using the Indian rupee
• It enables local customers to enter into transactions denominated in the Indian Rupee and
eliminates the need to conduct Trade and Remittance transactions in US
dollars.
• Nostro account: It is a bank account held in a foreign country by a domestic
bank, denominated in the currency of that country.
ICICI Lombard introduces country's first 'anywhere cashless' facility

• ICICI Lombard General Insurance has introduced an industry-first feature for health insurance
policyholders called 'Anywhere Cashless,’
• It allows them to receive cashless facilities at any hospital, regardless of whether or not it is
currently part of ICICI Lombard's hospital network.
• However, the hospital must agree to accept the cashless facility for this feature to apply.
About ICICI Lombard General Insurance

• It is a subsidiary of ICICI Bank Limited, a general insurance company.
• ICICI Lombard is headquartered in Mumbai, India.
RBI has allowed banks from 18 countries to trade in rupee

• RBI has granted approval to foreign banks in 18 countries to open
Vostro accounts to settle international trade in rupees.
• 18 Countries: Botswana, Fiji, Germany, Guyana, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Russia, Seychelles,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and UK
• In July 2022, govt informed that it would set up a mechanism to settle
international trade in rupees.
Moody’s raises GDP growth forecast for India to 5.5% in 2023

• Global rating firm Moody’s Investors Services had raised the growth
projection of India to 5.5% in 2023 from the earlier projection of 4.8
percent in November 2022.
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• Moody's also projected the growth of India at 6.5% in 2024.

• According to Moody’s projection, India’s growth rate in 2023 is the highest among G20 countries.
• It is followed by China (5 %) and Indonesia (4.8%).
S&P keeps India’s economic growth forecast unchanged at 6% in FY24

• S&P Global Ratings has kept its forecast for India's economic growth unchanged at 6% for 2023-24
and 6.9% for 2024-25.
• In the quarterly economic update for Asia-Pacific, S&P highlighted that the inflation rate will be
eased to 5% in 2023-24 from 6.8% in the current financial year (2022-23).
• S&P Global HQ: New York, U.S.
CRISIL: India’s GDP to grow at 6% in FY24

• According to the credit rating agency CRISIL report, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is
estimated to grow at 6% in 2023-24, slower than the 7% estimated for 2022-23.
• Report Title: Rider in the Storm: Tracing India’s Growth in a Volatile World
• Retail inflation will average 5% over 2023-24, lower than the 6.8% (averaged in 2022-23).
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International News
Bola Tinubu elected as the new President of Nigeria
• Nigeria: Capital: Abuja
• Currency: Nigerian naira
Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff elected as new President of NDB

• The board of the New Development Bank (NDB) has appointed former
Brazilian President, Dilma Vana Rousseff as the new President of the Bank,
with immediate effect.
• She has replaced Marcus Troyjo.
• NDB is a multilateral financial institution set up by the five BRICS countries.
Pakistan PM appoints first Ambassador for Kartarpur Corridor

• Pakistan Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora
as the Ambassador-at-Large for Kartarpur Corridor.
• This corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan with the Dera Baba Nanak
shrine in Gurdaspur district, Punjab, India.
Vo Van Thuong elected as new President of Vietnam
Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah re-appointed as Prime Minister of Kuwait

• Crown prince, Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah has been re-appointed as the
Prime Minister of Kuwait.
Ram Chandra Poudel elected as the new President of Nepal

• The tenure of Bidya Devi Bhandari as Nepal's President ended on March 12.
Que: Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has become the new Prime
Minister of which country?
Ans: Qatar
• Capital – Doha
• Currency – Qatari riyal
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Que: Which Indian-American has been appointed as the Assistant Secretary of the US Air
Force?
Ans: Ravi Chaudhary
• United States Senate confirmed Ravi Chaudhary, an Indian-American, as the
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and the Environment.
• He is the first Indian-American to serve in this position.
19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting

• Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh participated in the
19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting hosted by Chair Thailand virtually from Bangkok
• The meeting also approved a draft agreement on the establishment of the BIMSTEC Center for
Weather and Climate in India.
• BIMSTEC whose full form is 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation' is an international organization of seven South Asian and South East Asian countries.
• It was established in 1997 to advance mutual trade, connectivity and cultural, technological and
economic development in the region.
• Out of its 7 member countries, 5 members – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka are
from South Asia and two countries – Myanmar and Thailand are from South-East Asia.
• Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Japan, U.S., South Korea, Taiwan launch ‘Chip 4’ talks for supply chain
• The “Chip 4” semiconductor alliance recently held its first meeting of
senior officials.
• The “Chip 4” or “Fab 4” alliance includes four of the world’s top
producers of semiconductors: the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, and Korea.
• It represents more than 70 percent of the value of the global
semiconductor industry.
• It was first proposed by the US in March 2022 as part of wider plans aimed at enhancing the
"security" and "resilience" of semiconductor supply chains, including by reducing the world's
reliance on chips made in China.
The Windsor framework: The deal between UK and EU

• The ‘Windsor Framework’ will replace the Northern Ireland Protocol.
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What is the Northern Ireland Protocol?

• After the UK left the European Union, Northern Ireland remained its only constituent that shared a
land border with a EU-member, the Republic of Ireland.
• Since the EU and the UK have different product standards, border checks would be necessary
before goods could move from Northern Ireland to Ireland.
• However, the two Irelands have had a long history of conflict, with a hard-fought peace secured
only in 1998 under the Belfast Agreement, also called the Good Friday agreement.
• Fiddling with this border was thus considered too dangerous, and it was decided the checks would
be conducted between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• This was called the Northern Ireland Protocol.
What does the Windsor Framework propose?

• The Windsor Framework Deal proposes two crucial aspects. The first aspect is the introduction of a
green lane and red lane system for goods.
• The green lane system will be for goods that will stay in Northern Ireland.
• The red lane system will be for goods that will go to the EU.
• It allows Northern Ireland lawmakers and London to veto any EU regulation.
• The veto is applicable if they believe that the regulation affects the region adversely.
Que: Which country announced the Indo-Pacific tech envoy?

Ans: UK
• India and UK launched the India-Britain exchange scheme during the G20
Foreign Ministers’ meeting.
• British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also announced the creation of the
UK’s first Tech Envoy to the Indo-Pacific region, which will boost ties with
India as a priority.
UN inks first ‘High Seas Treaty’ in a bid to protect ocean bodies of the world
• For the first time in history, the United Nations signed the 'High Seas Treaty' to
protect the world's oceans located outside national boundaries.
• The treaty is the result of nearly a decade of negotiations on environmental
concerns.
• The last international agreement on ocean conservation was signed 40 years ago in 1982.
•
What is the UN High Seas Treaty?
• The treaty will create a new body to manage the conservation of marine life and establish marine
protected areas in the high seas.
• The treaty brings 30 percent of the world's oceans into
a protected area, spends more on marine conservation,
and sets new rules for ocean mining.
• The treaty aims to protect against potential impacts
such as deep-sea mining.
• The treaty would put restrictions on how much fish could
be caught in the high seas.
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What are High Seas?

• International water bodies that cross the boundaries of nations are considered high seas.
• They cover about two-thirds of the world's oceans.
• These are water bodies where all countries have the right to fish, sail and conduct research.
• But so far only about 1% of this water – known as the high seas – has been protected.
• These are also important areas for exploration of valuable minerals, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas
reserves.
• According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), about 10% of marine
species are at risk of extinction.
• In addition, 41% of threatened species are affected by climate change.
Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupts, covering villages in ash

• Indonesia, which has about 130 active volcanoes, lies on
the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where the meeting of continental
plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.
• Mount Merapi is a volcanic mountain on the island of Java
in Indonesia and is the most active volcano in Indonesia.
• It was discovered by Mr. Morris in 1754 and is also known
as the 'Mountain of Fire' because of its explosive nature.
Operation Interflex:
• Operation Interflex is the British-led multinational military operation.
• Objective is to train and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• It aims to teach weapon handling, range activity, marksmanship,
fieldcraft basics, field tactics, battle casualty drills, counter explosives,
the laws of armed conflict, first aid, and cyber security awareness.
• The operation is a part of the U.K.’s commitment of £2.3 billion for
military aid and support to Ukraine.
• It is a successor to Operation Orbital (2015–2022).
• Operation Orbital was a British military operation to train and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine
in 2015.
Cyclone Freddy:
• Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit the coast of Southern Africa, bringing its
total death toll to more than 220 people in Malawi, Mozambique
and Madagascar.
• It originated off the northern coast of Australia
• It crossed the entire South Indian Ocean and traveled more than
8,000 kilometers
• Freddy was the first tropical cyclone in the Southern
Hemisphere to undergo six separate rounds of rapid
intensification.
• It also holds the record for all-time accumulated cyclone
energy (ACE) (storm strength during its lifetime) for the
Southern Hemisphere.
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• Freddy is fuelled by the energy provided by the warm ocean surface, consistently sourcing heat and
moisture throughout its lifetime.
Bhutan’s graduation from the UN list of Least Developed Countries

• United Nations Least Developed Countries (LDC) Summit concluded on in
Doha, Qatar
• Bhutan will no longer be on the list of LDCs and will become only the seventh
country to graduate from the list.
• Bhutan was included in the first group of LDCs in 1971. However, over the last few decades, it has
made remarkable progress on a variety of socio-economic metrics.
• Bhutan first fulfilled the requirements for graduation in 2015, and then again in 2018. Bhutan was
therefore scheduled to graduate in 2021.
• Bhutan, a landlocked country in South Asia, is set to be removed from the LDC list on December 13,
2023.
• The UN in the 1960s began to recognise some of the most
vulnerable and disadvantaged countries in the international
community, considering factors such as development
capacity, socio-economic parameters, lack of domestic
financing, and geographical location.
• In 1971, the UN officially established the category of LDCs
to attract particular support for them.
• Currently, 46 countries across Africa, Asia, Caribbean and
the Pacific are categorised as LDCs.
• The LDCs host about 40% of the world’s poor. They account for 13% of the world population but for
only about 1.3% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and less than 1% of global trade and
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Nepal and Bangladesh are also on LDC list.
Egypt officially becomes member of BRICS New Development Bank

• Egypt joined the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) as an official member.
• Egypt is the latest country to join the NDB, following Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, and
Uruguay.
About NDB:
• BRICS' New Development bank was established in July 2014, after an intergovernmental agreement
was signed by the partner nations at the sixth BRICS summit in Fortaleza.
• NDB bank includes India, Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa as member countries.
• The bank is headquartered in Shanghai, China, and has received observer status in the United
Nations General Assembly in 2018.
Denmark, the first country to import CO2 and bury it undersea

• Denmark inaugurates a project to store carbon dioxide 1,800 metres beneath the North Sea, the
first country in the world to bury CO2 imported from abroad.
• The CO2 graveyard, where the carbon is injected to prevent further warming of the atmosphere, is
on the site of an old oil field.
• Led by British chemical giant Ineos and German oil company Wintershall Dea, the “Greensand”
project is expected to store up to eight million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030
• The North Sea is particularly suitable for this type of project, as the region already has pipelines and
potential storage sites after decades of oil and gas production.
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AUKUS Meet 2023:

• Australia, United States, and United Kingdom (AUKUS) Alliance is a
trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific, between Australia, the
UK, and the US (AUKUS).
• It is based on a shared commitment of its three members to deepen
diplomatic, security, and defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
• Australia is all set to get its own nuclear-powered submarine.
The plan was finalised after a year and a half of negotiations
with the United States and the United Kingdom.
• Under the defence deal, America and Britain will help
Australia deploy nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific
region
• A future generation of submarines will be built in the U.K. and
in Australia with U.S. technology and support.
• Known as “SSN-AUKUS” after the strategic partnership among the three countries, they will be built
and used by both the U.K. and Australia.
Short news
• The government has allocated a budget of Rs. 9023 Crore towards achieving the objectives of
Gaganyaan mission. Scope of Gaganyaan program: To demonstrate human spaceflight capability to
Low Earth Orbit and safe return
• ISRO: Chandrayaan 3 and the first solar mission Aditya L1 likely to be launched in mid-2023.
• NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is on the final leg of its two-year journey back to Earth after collecting
samples from the rocky surface of the asteroid Bennu which will touch down in a desert in Utah on
September 24, 2023.
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Defence
Multilateral Naval Exercise La Perouse 2023
• The third edition multi-lateral maritime exercise La Pérouse 2023 held
between the navies of India, Australia, French, Japan, and the United
States in the Indian Ocean Region on 13-14 March 2023.
• It is a biennial exercise, conducted by the French Navy.
• India's INS Sahyadri and fleet tanker INS Jyoti have participated.
• The first edition of this joint exercise was initiated by France in 2019.
13th edition of Exercise Bold Kurukshetra

• The 13th edition of a bilateral armour exercise, EX Bold Kurukshetra, between
India and Singapore was held from 5 to13 March, 2023, at Jodhpur Military
Station, India.
• It involved soldiers from the 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment
and Armoured Brigade of the Indian Army.
Exercise Shinyuu Maitri

• It is a bilateral military exercise between Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self
Defence Force (JASDF).
• The IAF contingent participated in the exercise with one C-17 Globemaster III
• The exercise is being organised on 1 to 2 March on the side-lines of the Indo-
Japan Joint Army Exercise, Dharma Guardian (conducted from 13 February 2023
to 02 March 2023 at Komatsu, Japan).
South Korea and the US hold the ‘Freedom Shield’ and ‘Warrior Shield’ joint exercises, the largest in 5
years
• U.S. flew a long-range B-1B bomber to the Korean Peninsula in a show of
force against North Korea.
• The two countries last conducted Foal Eagle in 2018.
• Recently, both countries have been expanding their joint military
exercises in the face of an evolving North Korean nuclear threat.
• It was conducted from March 13 to 23, 2023.
Maiden joint Indo-French military exercise FRINJEX-23 in Kerala

• A maiden joint military exercise between the Indian and French armies
conducted at the Pangode Military Station.
•
• The theme for the exercise is based on "Humanitarian Assistance and
Disaster Relief Operations in a Contested Environment"
• The exercise is unique in its concept and participation with the largest ever contingent being fielded
by the Thiruvananthapuram based Indian Army troops and the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade
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INS Trikand participates in International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express

• INS Trikand has participated in the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-
23), which was held in the Gulf region from 26 Feb to 16 Mar 23.
• INS exercised with participants from over 50 nations and international
maritime agencies.
• IMX/CE-23 is one of the largest multinational maritime exercises in the
world.
Indian Navy’s largest wargame TROPEX-23 concludes; Also included Ex Sea Vigil & AMPHEX
• With the massive participation of India’s primary naval and coastal security agencies, the Indian
Navy’s largest wargame TROPEX-23 culminated this week in the
Arabian Sea. The theatre-level exercise was conducted over a period of
four months from November 2022 to March 2023.
• TROPEX 2023 also included two major exercises, the Coastal Defence
exercise Sea Vigil and Amphibious Exercise AMPHEX. These exercises
also saw active participation from Indian Army, Indian Air Force and
Indian Coast Guard.
• Over the period of four months, the theatre-level exercise covered the Indian Ocean, the Arabian
Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Spanning over an area of 21 million square nautical miles
India joined Sea Dragon exercise 2023

• The third edition of the Sea Dragon exercises held in the USA (host) from
March 15-30, 2023.
• It is a coordinated multilateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise
• In this exercise, Indian Navy participated with its P8I aircraft
• Apart from India, US Navy with P8A, Japan with P1, Canada with CP 140, and
South Korea with P3C participated.
Other Exercises between India and USA:
• Malabar: India and USA with Japan, Australia participate in the naval war gaming exercise named
Malabar.
• Yudh Abhyas: Military Training Exercise
• VAJRA PRAHAR: Special Forces Exercise
Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy

• Indian Navy's indigenously built Guided Missile Frigate, INS Sahyadri participated
in the Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy (FN) ships in the
Arabian Sea from 10 - 11 March 2023.
• INS Sahyadri is a part of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam.
Africa-India field training exercise, AFINDEX-23 held in Pune, India

• The 10-day Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX 2023) organized in
Pune, India from March 21-30, 2023 to strengthen the military ties between the
countries.
• The exercise will promote the idea of Africa-India Militaries for Regional Unity
(AMRUT).
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• A comprehensive validation exercise on the theme “Humanitarian Mine Actions and Peace Keeping
Operations”.
India, UK hold joint maritime exercise 'Konkan' in Arabian Sea

• The annual bilateral maritime exercise 'Konkan' between the Indian Navy and UK's Royal Navy was
held off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea from March 20-22.
• INS Trishul, a Guided Missile Frigate, and HMS Lancaster, a Type 23
Guided Missile Frigate, participated in 'Konkan 2023’
• The Konkan series of exercises was started in 2004.
Other Exercises between India and UK
• Exercise ‘Indradhanush’ (Air Force Exercise)
• 'Ajeya Warrior' (Joint Military Exercise)
Exercise Cobra Warrior

• The Cobra Warrior Exercise held at Waddington Air Force Base in the UK in
March 2023.
• It is a multinational exercise. Countries like Singapore, Finland, the USA,
South Africa, and Sweden participated in the exercise. India also
participated in the exercise from 06 Mar 23 to 24 Mar 23.
• The IAF participated in the exercise this year with five Mirage 2000 fighters, two C-17 Globemaster
III and an IL-78 mid air refueller aircraft.
• The aim of the exercise is to participate in diverse fighter aircraft engagements and learn from the
best practices of various Air Forces.
Exercise Vayu Prahar

• Exercise Vayu Prahar is a multi-domain air-land exercise jointly conducted
by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
• The special forces also participated along with the Army and the air force
in the 96-hour exercise which was held in the eastern theatre.
Five S-400 regiments expected to be delivered by early-2024

• Deliveries of 5 regiments of S-400 Triumf are expected to be completed
by the end of 2023 or early 2024. The delivery of the third regiment was
completed recently. These missile defence systems are delivered as part
of the India-Russia 5.43 billion USD deal.
• The S-400 Triumf is a surface-to-air missile system that was developed in Russia in the 1990s as an
upgrade to the S-300 family. It is a mobile system that was initially known as the S-300 PMU-3. The
system was first put into service on April 2007. The S-400 Triumf has advanced features such as a
long-range, high-altitude interception capability, and the ability to track multiple targets
simultaneously. It has a range of up to 400 km.
• Countries having the S400 - Belarus, China, India, Turkey, and Russia.
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First edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2023 began onboard India’s first indigenous aircraft
carrier, INS Vikrant
• The first edition of the 2023 Naval Commanders' Conference started on
March 6, 2023, onboard INS Vikrant, in the Arabian Sea off Goa.
• Rajnath Singh addressed the Naval Commanders onboard INS Vikrant.
• This conference serves as a platform for Naval Commanders to discuss
important security issues at the military-strategic level and interact with
senior government functionaries
Defence Ministry, BEL sign MoU to enhance operational capabilities of IAF

• The Defence Ministry signed two separate contracts with Bharat
Electronics Limited (BEL) at a total cost of over Rs 3,700 crore.
• First contract: Worth over Rs 2,800 crore, pertains to the supply of
Medium Power Radars (MPR) ‘Arudhra’ for the IAF.
• Second contract: Worth over Rs 950 crore, relates to 129 DR-118 Radar Warning Receivers (RWR)
• Both projects are under Buy Indian- IDMM category (Indigenously Designed Developed and
Manufactured)
• MPR (Arudhra), radar has been indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) and will be manufactured by BEL.
• the DR-118 Radar Warning Receiver will considerably enhance the Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities of Su-
30 MKI aircraft.
• Bharat Electronics Limited is an Indian Government-owned aerospace and defence electronics company.
• Founded: 1954, Bengaluru
GRSE launched the 'Most Silent Ship' INS Androth

• Indian Navy launched INS Androth, the second in a series of eight indigenous ships
built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) at a Kidderpore yard,
Kolkata.
• It is an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASWSWC).
• The primary role of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) is to
conduct anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low-Intensity maritime
operations (LIMO) and mine-laying operations
• It is a 77.6-meter-long and 10.5-meter-wide vessel, propelled by three diesel-driven water jets
• The ship is capable of a maximum 25 knots speed and will carry lightweight torpedoes, ASW
rockets, and mines.
Centre signs Rs 934 crore deal with HSL to Refit INS Sindhukirti Submarine in
Visakhapatnam
• In a further boost to achieve 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', the Ministry of Defense
signed a contract for General Refit of Sindhukirti Submarine at Hindustan
Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam at a total cost of Rs 934 crore .
• Sindhukirti is the third Kilo class Diesel Electric Submarine.
INS Sindhukirti Submarine

• It is a diesel-electric submarine.
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• It was commissioned on June 7, 1990 and since then has been serving the nation in various
capacities.
• It has a displacement of 1860 tonnes when submerged and is 67.5 metres in length.
• The submarine has a maximum speed of 20 knots (about 37 km per hour) when submerged and can
dive to a depth of 300 metres.
• It is armed with six 533 mm torpedo tubes and can carry up to 18 torpedoes or missiles.
Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL)
• The shipyard 'Hindustan Shipyard Limited' is located in Visakhapatnam.
• It is the country's first shipbuilding yard.
• Establishment - 21 June 1941
PALM-400 Drones : Tested Successfully

• The Indian army has recently tested the prototype version of the PALM-
400 drones successfully.
• The PALM 400 – acronym for ‘Precision Attack Loitering Munition’ is a
long-range, high-precision loitering munition system.
• It is the result of a joint venture between AVision Systems (Israel), UVision Air Ltd, and Aditya
Precitech Private Ltd (APPL).
• Each PALM 400 selects its targets when armored vehicles enter the kill zone and launch an armor-
piercing projectile, penetrating it from the top where there is least protection.
• It can be discharged from a canister and fly 3000-4000 feet
above a kill zone for up to 120 minutes.
• It has a range of more than 100 km and travels at a speed
of 50 to 140 knots (90 to 260 km/h).
• It uses electro-optical/infrared stabilized cameras to detect
and engage targets both during the day and at night.
• It uses complex navigational techniques that enable it to
function even in environments where the GPS has been
disabled.
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Science Tech
ISRO to conduct young scientist programme in Bengaluru
• ISRO is set to organize its annual special programme for school children called Young Scientist
Programme — ‘Yuva Vigyani Karyakram’ (YUVIKA).
• Objective – To impart basic knowledge on space technology, space science, and space applications
to young students in emerging trends in space science and technology.
• The YUVIKA programme was first announced on January 18, 2019, by the then ISRO Chief K Sivan
and was inaugurated four months later on May 17, 2019.
• Founded – 15 August 1969
• Headquarters – Bangalore, Karnataka
• Founder / 1st Chairman – Vikram Sarabhai
• 10th Chairman – S Somanath
• Aryabhata India’s first satellites Launched on 19 April 1975
ISRO launched OneWeb India-2 mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
• Under a commercial agreement with NewSpace India Ltd, ISRO launched 72 satellites of UK-based
Network Access Associates Ltd and place them in low Earth orbit.
• NewSpace is the commercial wing of ISRO.
• The first set of 36 satellites was launched on 23 October 2022 by an
LVM3 M2 launch vehicle.
• The remaining 36 satellites, each weighing approximately 5805 kg,
were placed in a 450 km circular low earth orbit by the LVM3 M3
launch vehicle on 26 March.
• Satellites provide space-based broadband internet services to all corners of the globe.
• After launch, Access Associates Ltd will have more than 600 satellites in space offering internet
from space services to various countries.
• The Launch Vehicle Mark-3, previously referred as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
Mark III, is a three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research
Organisation.
CE-20 Cryogenic Engine:

• ISRO recently conducted a flight test of cryogenic engine for the Chandrayan-3
mission.
• CE-20 cryogenic engine has been designed and developed by the Liquid Propulsion
Systems Centre (LPSC) , a subsidiary of ISRO.
• It is the first Indian cryogenic engine to feature a gas-generator cycle.
• It is one of the most powerful upper-stage cryogenic engines in the world.
• It uses liquid fuels that are cooled to very low temperatures.
IIT Madras researchers develop pocket-friendly device to detect adulteration in milk

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Researchers have
developed a three-dimensional (3D) paper-based portable device that can
detect adulteration in milk within 30 seconds.
• This new technology can be used at home and only one milliliter of liquid
sample is required to test for adulteration.
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• The device can detect various commonly used adulterant agents such as detergent, soap, hydrogen
peroxide, urea, starch, salt, and sodium-hydrogen-carbonate.
ISRO receives Indo-US jointly developed NISAR satellite

• The US Air Force handed over an earth observation satellite, NASA-
ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) to ISRO on March 8, 2023.
• It was jointly developed by NASA and ISRO.
• This satellite will be used by ISRO for a variety of purposes including
agricultural mapping, and landslide-prone areas.
• It is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory.
• It will map the entire globe in 12 days.
ISRO carries out controlled re-entry experiment of decommissioned Megha-

Tropiques-1 (MT-1) satellite
• The final impact region estimated is in the deep Pacific Ocean within the
expected latitude and longitude boundaries.
• The low Earth satellite was launched on October 12, 2011.
• It is a joint satellite venture of ISRO and the French space agency,
CNES for tropical weather and climate studies.
NASA, Italian Space Agency join hands to monitor air pollution

• NASA has partnered with the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) to build and
launch MAIA (Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols) missions.
• Aim: To investigate the health impacts of air pollution in the world’s most populated cities.
• It is the first mission of the agency whose primary goal is to benefit societal health and will launch
before the end of 2024.
• It will consist of the PLATiNO-2 satellite (provided by ASI), and a science instrument (NASA).
H3N2 Outbreak:
• Across India, an outbreak of a respiratory illness with symptoms
of cold, sore throat and fever accompanied by fatigue has been
observed since December 2022 and January 2023.
• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) confirmed that
Influenza Sub-type H3N2 has been causing this illness.
• H3N2 virus is a type of influenza virus called the influenza A virus. It is a respiratory viral infection
that causes illnesses every year. This subtype of influenza A virus was discovered in 1968 in
humans.
• There are four types of seasonal influenza viruses, types A, B, C and D.
• Influenza A and B viruses circulate and cause seasonal epidemics of disease.
• Influenza A viruses are the only influenza viruses known to cause flu pandemics (i.e., global
epidemics of flu disease).
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Ground Station of India-Bhutan Satellite Inaugurated

• The ground station for India – Bhutan Sat at Thimphu was inaugurated.
• This ground station will enable Bhutan to receive data from India-Bhutan SAT, about
its territory, directly from the satellite and process in real-time.
• India-Bhutan Satellite is also known as the ISRO Nano Satellite 2 for Bhutan (INS-2B).
• It was launched on ISRO’s PSLV C54 rocket on November 26, 2022.
• It has been jointly developed by scientists from both countries.
GAIL signs MoU with Shell Energy India on ethane sourcing

• GAIL (India) has signed MoU with Shell Energy India Private Ltd to
explore prospects of importing and handling of ethane and other
hydrocarbons.
• GAIL is planning to import ethane from the US to replace natural gas
and naphtha as feedstock at petrochemical plants.
• GAIL is India’s largest natural gas company. It owns and operates a network of around 14,830
kilometres of natural gas pipelines spread across the length and breadth of the country. It
commands around 68 per cent market share in gas transmission and sells 53 per cent of all gas sold
in the country.
World’s First Sand Battery

• Finland has installed the world’s first sand battery that can
store heat from renewable energy sources for months
• Sand Battery made of sand collected from construction sites,
can solve the problem of round-the-year energy supply.
• Sand can be heated up to 600°C. It also has low heat
conductivity, which reduces energy loss.
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Sports
Mumbai Indians lift inaugural Women's Premier League trophy beating Delhi Capitals
• The team of Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals by seven wickets in the finals at the
Brabourne stadium, Navi Mumbai
Awards of Women's Premier League (WPL)
• Purple Cap Winner: Hayley Matthews (Mumbai Indians)
• Orange Cap Winner: Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals)
• Most Valuable Award: Hayley Matthews (Mumbai Indians)
• Fairplay Award: Mumbai Indians & Delhi Capitals
Australia beat South Africa to lift ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Trophy 2023
• Australian women’s cricket team defeated South Africa by 9 runs to lift the ICC T20 World Cup
Trophy 2023 at Newlands, Cricket Ground in Cape Town, South Africa.
• Australian women’s cricket team has won this title for the sixth time.
• The Indian women's team lost to the Australian team in the semi-final match.
• Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner - ICC Player of the Tournament
• Beth Mooney - Player of the Match
Que: Which Indian Cricketer statue installed inside the iconic Wankhede stadium where he played his last
game for India?
Ans: Sachin Tendulkar
• The statue is expected to be unveiled when Tendulkar turns 50 on April 24, during the 2023 ICC
World Cup. The cricket icon already has a stand named after him at the Wankhede and has a wax
statue of him at Madame Tussauds in London.
• Sachin has been lauded with Arjuna Award in 1994, Khel Ratna in 1997,
Padma Shri in 1998 and Padma Vibhushan (2008) honours.
• He is the only sportsperson to be conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2014.
• His autobiography - 'Playing it My Way'
Irani Cup 2023

• The 2022–23 Irani Cup, also known as Mastercard Irani Trophy due to sponsorship reasons, was the
59th edition of the Irani Cup, a first-class cricket competition in India.
• Rest of India Beat Madhya Pradesh To Win Cup
• At the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior
• Player of the match: Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rest of India)
• The trophy is in the name of Zal Irani, long time treasurer and president
of the Board of Control for Cricket in India
• The first match, played between the Ranji Trophy champions and the Rest of India was played in
1959–60
Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix

• Red Bull's driver, Max Verstappen has won the season-opening Bahrain Grand
Prix 2023, held at Bahrain International Circuit.
• He defeated Red Bull's Sergio Perez
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Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023

• Red Bull driver Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023.
• Max Verstappen came in second position.
Madhya Pradesh women's team wins maiden National Hockey title 2023
• 13th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2023 held in
Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.
• MP defeated Maharashtra by 5-1 in the final.
• Madhya Pradesh’s Pratibha Arya awarded the player of the match
title.
Men’s and Women’s Hockey Teams’ goalkeepers PR Sreejesh and Savita

received the Sportstar ACES 2023 award
• PR Sreejesh - Sportsman of the Year (Team Sports)
• Savita - Sportswoman of the Year (Team Sports).
• Odisha - ‘Best State for Sports Promotion’.
• Shyam Thapa (one of India’s finest football strikers) -
‘Lifetime Achievement Award’.
Guinness Book of World Records certifies Birsa Munda as world’s largest hockey stadium
The stadium can seat 20,011 with uninterrupted viewing experience and boasts of a world-class
infrastructure.
Hockey Cups Trivia:
• Agha Khan Cup
• Beighton Cup
• Bombay Gold Cup
• Dhyan Chand Trophy
• Indira Gold Cup
• Kuppuswamy Naidu Trophy
• Lady Ratan Tata Trophy
• Rangaswami Cup
• Ranjit Singh Gold Cup
• Scindia Gold Cup
Manchester United wins the Carabao Cup title 2023

• Manchester United defeated Newcastle to win the Carabao Cup title in 2023 after six years.
• Newcastle is a Saudi Arabia-backed club.
• The Carabao cup is also known as the EFL cup, a major football trophy played in
England.
• Liverpool is the most successful club in the competition and has won more than
nine championships.
Lionel Messi wins Best Men's Player 2022 at the FIFA awards
• Alexia Putellas (Spain) was awarded the best women's player for a second straight year.
• Other awardees:
• Best men's coach: Lionel Scaloni (Argentina)
• Best women's coach: Sarina Wiegman
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Karnataka won the Santosh Trophy after 54 years by defeating Meghalaya

• Santosh Trophy - National Football Championship
• Finals held at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• This is the first trophy for Karnataka, having previously won four times as
the princely state of Mysore after a gap of 54 years (after 1968–69).
• Most successful team: West Bengal (32 titles)
• Santosh Trophy was founded in 1941 and organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
India to host 2023 SAFF Championship in Bengaluru

• The 2023 edition of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship
will be held in Bengaluru from 21 June to 3 July 2023.
• India will be hosting the tournament for the fourth time. Last in 2015 it was held
in Thiruvananthapuram.
• India are the most successful team in this competition - have won 8 times out of the 12 times
Rohan Bopanna becomes oldest tennis player to win ATP Masters 1000 title
• Rohan Bopanna, 43, and Matthew Ebden, 35, defeated Wesley Koolhof of
the Netherlands and Neil Skupski of Britain in the final in California, United
States.
• Before Bopanna, Canadian Daniel Nestor was the oldest player to win an ATP
Masters 1000 title at the age of 42.
• It was his second title this year after winning the Qatar Open with Ebden last month.
Que:Which player won the title of Qatar Open Tennis 2023?

Ans: Daniil Medvedev
• Daniil Medvedev (Russia) defeated Andy Murray for Doha Crown in the Qatar
Open Finals. This was Medvedev's 17th ATP Tour title.
• Qatar Open 2023 tennis: Rohan Bopanna-Matthew Ebden win doubles title
Carlos Alcaraz wins Indian Wells 2023 to reclaim his World No.1 spot
• Spanish tennis player, Carlos Alcaraz (19) has won his maiden 2023 Indian Wells title after defeating
Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final.
• With this feat, he has also dethroned Novak Djokovic to reclaim World No.1
spot.
• He also become the youngest world number one ever after his triumph and
claimed his third Masters 1000 title.
IBA Women's World Boxing Championship 2023

• Held at the K.D. Jadhav Hall IG Stadium New Delhi.
• Indian boxers won 4 gold medals in the 48, 50, 75 and 81 kg categories:
• Neetu Ghangash gold medal 45-48 kg category.
• Sweety Boora gold medal 75-81 kg category.
• Nikhat Zareen gold medal in the 48-50 kg category.
• Lovlina Borgohain gold medal in the 70-75 kg category
• International Boxing Association (IBA) Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
• President: Umar Kremlev
• Founded: 1946
69
Mary Kom became world champion a total of six times

• Six-time champion MC Mary Kom (2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2018), Sarita Devi (2006).
• Jenny RL (2006), Lekha KC (2006) and Nikhat Zareen (2022) are other boxers who have won world
titles.
Que: In the Spanish Para-Badminton International Tournament, which player won the silver medal in the
Men's Singles event?
Ans: Pramod Bhagat
• Pramod Bhagat, Sukant Kadam win gold in men’s doubles event at Spanish Para-
Badminton International tournament
• Pramod Bhagat is an Indian professional Para-badminton player from Bihar. He is
currently ranked world number 2 in para-badminton men's singles SL3, and won a
gold medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Men's singles SL3.
Que: Who won the Women's Singles Title in National Badminton Championship?
Ans: Anupama Upadhyay
• Mithun Manjunath clinched men’s singles title at the 84th Senior National
Badminton Championship at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune
Indian Duo of Satwik-Chirag wins Swiss Open Super 300 title 2023
• India’s men’s doubles badminton pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag
Shetty won the Swiss Open Super 300 title in 2023, held in Basel, Switzerland.
• They beat China
• Other winners:
• Men's singles: Koki Watanabe (Japan)
• Women's singles: Pornpawee Chochuwong (Thailand)
Sayantan Das becomes India’s 81st Grandmaster

• He is the 11th player from West Bengal to bag the honour
Archana Suseendran clinched double gold in AFI Indian Grand Prix 2

• Tamil Nadu’s Archana Suseendran has clinched two gold medals in 100m and
200m at the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) Indian Grand Prix 2, held in
Kerala
• In the Men's 100m race category Sanjeet from Haryana clinched the gold.
• The AFI Indian Grands Prix 3 and 4 will be held in Bengaluru on April 10 and 15.
Pankaj Advani won the Asian Billiards Championship title

• Asian Billiards Championship title held in Doha, Qatar.
• Pankaj defeated Brijesh Damani (India) to win the title for the second time in a
row and ninth overall.
• In the women's section, China's Bai Yulu won the title beating Panchaya Channoi
of Thailand
70
India wins both men's and women's Asian Kho Kho Championship title 2023
• At Tamulpur in north-central Assam’s Baksa district
• Nepal stood second in both men and women categories
• A total of nine countries participated in the event.
ISSF Shooting World Cup held in Bhopal

• ISSF Shooting World Cup was inaugurated on March 21 in Bhopal
• This is the first ever to be held in India outside the national capital of New Delhi.
• India ended the ISSF World Cup 2023 Bhopal with a total of seven medals - one
gold, one silver and five bronze.
• Sarabjot Singh claimed India’s solitary gold in the men’s 10m air pistol.
•
China topped the medals tally with 12 medals
• The next stage of the ISSF World Cup 2023 for rifle and pistol shooters will be held in Lima, Peru
from April 11 to 24.
71

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Current Affairs March 2023 www.parchamclasses.

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

18 Mar Ordnance The production of India’s oldest Ordnance Factory, which is at

20 Mar French Language To celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to

21 Mar International Day -

24 Mar World Theme 2023: "Yes! We can end TB!".

Quick Recall Test

No seed becomes a tree the day it is planted!

Books And Authors

Mansukh Mandaviya released book ‘India’s Vaccine Growth Story - From

Short Stories collection “The Book of Bihari Literature” by Abhay K

A book “India’s Struggle for Independence – Gandhian Era” released

The book 'Mundaka Upanishad: The Bridge to Immortality’ authored by former MP

Best Picture Everything Everywhere All At Once

Actor In A Leading Role Brendan Fraser (The Whale)

Actress In A Leading Role Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Costume Design Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ruth Carter)

Oscar in the Best Documentary Short Film category

Indian Oscars Recipients Category Year

Vinod Kumar Shukla wins PEN/Nabokov Lifetime Achievement Award 2023

Tamil writer Perumal Murugan's novel longlisted for International Booker

Gyan Chaturvedi awarded Vyas Samman 2022 for ‘Pagalkhana

Tamil writer Sivasankari awarded Saraswati Samman for 2022

Bombay Jayashri selected for Sangita Kalanidhi award 2023

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman honoured with FOSWAL Special literary

About SAARC Writers and Literature Foundation (FOSWAL)

British Architect David Chipperfield Wins 2023 Pritzker Prize

Health Ministry received Porter Prize 2023

India wins GSMA Government Leadership Award 2023

NTPC and BHEL conferred with the CBIP Award 2022

U.S.-Argentine scholar Luis Caffarelli wins Abel Prize for mathematics

Nepalese Wicketkeeper-batsman Aasif Sheikh won 2022 CMJ Spirit of Cricket

RBI's Shaktikanta Das named 'Governor of the Year’ by Central Banking

President Draupadi Murmu awarded the President's Color to INS Dronacharya

About INS Dronacharya

M T Vasudevan Nair awarded Kerala’s highest civilian honour

Lt Gen Suchindra Kumar takes over as Vice Chief of Army Staff

Chiefs of Indian Defence Services:

Chief of Defense Staff: Lt. Gen. Anil Chauhan (Retd.)

Army: General Manoj Pandey

Navy: Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar

Air Force: Air Marshal VR Chowdhary

Que: Who took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the

Captain Shaliza Dhami becomes first woman to head

Karnataka Bank appoints Abhishek Sankar Bagchi as new CFO

RBI approves reappointment of Sumant Kathpalia as MD, CEO of IndusInd Bank

Siddhartha Mohanty appointed as the interim chairman of LIC

Govt appoints Deepak Mohanty as PFRDA Chairman

Shailesh Pathak appointed FICCI secretary general

Rajesh Malhotra appointed as Principal Director General of PIB

SS Dubey takes charge as new Controller General of Accounts

Conrad Sangma sworn-in as Meghalaya Chief Minister

Que:Who has taken oath as the First Woman Minister of Nagaland?

Manik Saha sworn in as chief minister of Tripura for second time

HUL appoints Rohit Jawa as CEO, to succeed Sanjiv Mehta

Mary Kom, Farhan Akhtar roped in as brand ambassadors of IBA

US Senate confirms Eric Garcetti as Ambassador to India

TCS appoints K Krithivasan as CEO

G Krishnakumar takes over as the CMDof Bharat Petroleum Corporation

Cotton Corporation of India appoints Lalit Kumar Gupta as CMD

Ratan Tata appointed to 'Order of Australia' for bolstering bilateral ties

Manmeet K Nanda gets an additional charge of MD & CEO of Invest India

Government appoints Chief Justice of Allahabad, Chhattisgarh, and Patna HC

Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to head panel on pension schemes

Mar'23 CA Consolidated

Mar'23 CA Consolidated