UPPCS Pattern Current Affairs English Jan 2023

UPPCS Pattern Current
Affairs - Jan 2023
Target PCS Lucknow
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UPPCS Pattern Current Affairs - Jan 2023
Contents
National Polity & Govt Schemes ............................................................................................................. 9
ETHYLENE GLYCOL (QUALITY CONTROL) ORDER, 2022 ...................................................................... 9
ARTICLE 176 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION ..................................................................................... 9
SECTION 6A OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT, 1955 ...................................................................................... 9
MAARG PORTAL ................................................................................................................................ 10
PILGRIMAGE REJUVENATION AND SPIRITUAL HERITAGE AUGMENTATION DRIVE (PRASHAD)....... 10
Aspirational Block Programme (ABP)................................................................................................ 10
Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences...................................................................................... 11
DECADAL CENSUS - DELAYED AGAIN ................................................................................................ 11
Criteria For Scheduling Of Tribes ...................................................................................................... 11
Triple Test Formula for OBC Quota ................................................................................................... 11
'SMART' initiative .............................................................................................................................. 12
‘Didir Suraksha Kawach’ and ‘Didir Doot’ Initiatives......................................................................... 12
New integrated food security scheme .............................................................................................. 12
Chief Minister's Residential Land Rights Scheme ............................................................................. 13
PMSHRI upgrade ............................................................................................................................... 13
'Aarogya Maitri'................................................................................................................................. 13
International News Section................................................................................................................... 14
COMPREHENSIVE MIGRATION AND MOBILITY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT.................................... 14
Kilauea volcano ................................................................................................................................. 14
Groningen gas field ........................................................................................................................... 14
Croatia ............................................................................................................................................... 14
Tel Tsaf .............................................................................................................................................. 14
Samarkand ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Lake Albert ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Suriname ........................................................................................................................................... 15
Eurozone ........................................................................................................................................... 15
Schengen Area .................................................................................................................................. 15
Notice To Air Missions (NOTAM) ...................................................................................................... 16
India-China Trade Relationship ......................................................................................................... 16
Economy News Section ......................................................................................................................... 17
INTEGRATED BANKING OMBUDSMAN SCHEME............................................................................... 17
1ST ADVANCE ESTIMATES ................................................................................................................. 17
Target PCS Lucknow Page 1

BIND Scheme..................................................................................................................................... 17
Utkarsh 2.0 ........................................................................................................................................ 17
Financial Stability Report .................................................................................................................. 18
Business Confidence Index................................................................................................................ 18
Hakku Patra ....................................................................................................................................... 18
Additional Tier 1 Bonds ..................................................................................................................... 19
Open Market Sale Scheme ................................................................................................................ 19
India Adopts T+1 Settlement System ................................................................................................ 19
Short Selling ...................................................................................................................................... 20
Global Economic Prospects ............................................................................................................... 20
National Financial Reporting Authority ............................................................................................ 20
India identifies copper and lithium mines in Argentina.................................................................... 21
Ecology & Environment News Section .................................................................................................. 21
Microplastics ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Siyom River ....................................................................................................................................... 21
South Asian Black Carbon Aerosols .................................................................................................. 22
Viologen-unit grafted organic-framework (iVOFm) .......................................................................... 22
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) ............................................................................................. 22
Gandak River ..................................................................................................................................... 23
Project RE-HAB .................................................................................................................................. 23
Cloud Forest ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Eravikulam National Park .................................................................................................................. 24
SAFAR System ................................................................................................................................... 24
Kelp Forests ....................................................................................................................................... 24
Sustainable Aquaculture In Mangrove Ecosystem (SAIME) Initiative............................................... 24
Green Urban Oases Programme ....................................................................................................... 25
Nalabana Bird Sanctuary ................................................................................................................... 25
Fenthion ............................................................................................................................................ 25
St. Petersburg Declaration ................................................................................................................ 25
Tiger Census 2018 Report ................................................................................................................. 26
Chanakha- Korata Barrage ................................................................................................................ 26
Kanger Valley National Park .............................................................................................................. 26
Silent Valley National Park ................................................................................................................ 26
Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary ............................................................................................................. 27

Deepor Beel ...................................................................................................................................... 27

Science & Technology News Section .................................................................................................... 28
Virovore ............................................................................................................................................ 28
108th Indian Science Congress ......................................................................................................... 28
Dieback Disease ................................................................................................................................ 28
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) ........................................................................................................... 28
Elimination of Kala Azar .................................................................................................................... 28
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) ................................................................................................ 29
American Foulbrood (AFB) ................................................................................................................ 29
C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Comet ..................................................................................................................... 29
New Technique of Corrosion-resistant Nickel Alloy Coatings .......................................................... 29
TOI 700 e ........................................................................................................................................... 30
Local Bubble ...................................................................................................................................... 30
LHS 475 b .......................................................................................................................................... 30
Gonorrhea ......................................................................................................................................... 30
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT)...................................................................................... 30
Planet Parade .................................................................................................................................... 31
Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System......................................................................................... 31
BharOS .............................................................................................................................................. 31
Molecular Clouds .............................................................................................................................. 32
M1 Abrams........................................................................................................................................ 32
Lucy Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 32
Geospatial Technology ...................................................................................................................... 32
Platinum Drugs.................................................................................................................................. 32
African animal Trypanosomosis (AAT) .............................................................................................. 33
DNA Mitochondrial Profiling ............................................................................................................. 33
Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis ................................................................................................ 33
Viscose Fibre ..................................................................................................................................... 33
iKnife ................................................................................................................................................. 34
Doppler Weather Radar Network ..................................................................................................... 34
Halteria.............................................................................................................................................. 34
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) .................................................................................................................... 34
Defence News Section .......................................................................................................................... 35
‘SPRINT’ initiative .............................................................................................................................. 35

Prithvi-II ............................................................................................................................................. 35
Soul of Steel ...................................................................................................................................... 35
Exercise Varuna ................................................................................................................................. 35
Kalashnikov AK-203 ........................................................................................................................... 36
Apache Helicopters ........................................................................................................................... 36
Exercise Cyclone-I ............................................................................................................................. 36
PRALAY exercise ................................................................................................................................ 36
OPS ALERT ......................................................................................................................................... 37
Indian Naval Ship Vagir ..................................................................................................................... 37
AMPHEX ............................................................................................................................................ 37
Aero – India Show ............................................................................................................................. 38
Largest Women Contingent Of Peacekeepers At A UN Mission ....................................................... 38
Abdul Rehman Makki Listed as Global Terrorist ............................................................................... 38
First IAF Woman Fighter Pilot To Participate In Aerial Wargames Abroad ...................................... 38
First Woman Officer Deployed At Siachen ....................................................................................... 39
Important Person Place Events In News ............................................................................................... 39
Ajay Kumar Srivastava....................................................................................................................... 39
Anil Kumar Lahoti .............................................................................................................................. 39
Sundararaman Ramamurthy ............................................................................................................. 39
Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha ...................................................................................................... 39
Surinder Chawla ................................................................................................................................ 40
A.C. Charania ..................................................................................................................................... 40
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber ...................................................................................................................... 40
Pankaj Kumar Singh .......................................................................................................................... 40
Vikram Dev Dutt ................................................................................................................................ 40
Shamalbhai B Patel ........................................................................................................................... 41
Captain Surbhi Jakhmola................................................................................................................... 41
“VIRAASAT”- CELEBRATING 75 HANDWOVEN SARIS OF INDIA ........................................................ 41
PARASNATH HILL AND SHETRUNJAY HILL ......................................................................................... 42
SAGOL KANGJEI ................................................................................................................................. 42
PURPLE FEST...................................................................................................................................... 42
E-SCR PROJECT .................................................................................................................................. 42
KALASA-BANDURI CANAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT........................................................................ 43
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023 ............................................................................................................ 43

HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCING AGENCY (HEFA) ............................................................................ 43

EAT RIGHT STATION .......................................................................................................................... 43
KANGLA NONGPOK THONG .............................................................................................................. 44
OTTAN THULLAL- A SATIRICAL ART FORM ........................................................................................ 44
PARSHURAM KUND FESTIVAL ........................................................................................................... 44
MUSIC IN THE PARK’ SERIES UNDER “SHRUTI AMRUT”.................................................................... 44
THIRUVALLUVAR DAY ....................................................................................................................... 44
Amrit Udyan ...................................................................................................................................... 45
Ramcharitmanas ............................................................................................................................... 45
Savitribai Phule birth anniversary ..................................................................................................... 45
Bhoj Wetland .................................................................................................................................... 46
Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project ..................................................................................................... 46
Joshimath .......................................................................................................................................... 46
Kotia .................................................................................................................................................. 47
International flower show ................................................................................................................ 47
International Year of Millets ............................................................................................................. 47
Ganga Vilas ........................................................................................................................................ 47
Water Vision @ 2047 ........................................................................................................................ 48
National Genome Editing & Training Centre .................................................................................... 48
Startup India Innovation Week ......................................................................................................... 48
26th National Youth Festival ............................................................................................................. 49
National Science Day......................................................................................................................... 49
Bio Energy Summit ............................................................................................................................ 49
National Centre for Drinking Water, Sanitation and Quality ............................................................ 49
School of Logistics, Waterways and Communication ....................................................................... 49
India’s First Centre of Excellence in Online Gaming ......................................................................... 49
Vidisha ............................................................................................................................................... 50
Kollam ............................................................................................................................................... 50
India's Republic Day celebrations ..................................................................................................... 50
Awards Reports & Rankings in News .................................................................................................... 51
The Global Risks Report 2023 ........................................................................................................... 51
Bengaluru top city on startup funding in 2022: Report .................................................................... 51
Voice of Global South Summit .......................................................................................................... 51
Global South...................................................................................................................................... 51

Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion ........................................................................................ 52

‘G20 Digital Innovation Alliance’ and ‘Stay Safe Online’ campaign .................................................. 52
Rural Health Statistics Report 2021-22 ............................................................................................. 52
ASER 2022 ......................................................................................................................................... 52
Cancer in India .................................................................................................................................. 53
Henley Passport Index ...................................................................................................................... 53
List of the top performing global airports of 2022 ........................................................................... 54
Global 500 ......................................................................................................................................... 54
2023 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS ........................................................................................................ 54
World Habitat Awards 2023.............................................................................................................. 54
'Best Sustainable Greenfield Airport' ................................................................................................ 55
Aska police station awarded as number 1 in the country ................................................................ 55
Sports & Books in News ........................................................................................................................ 56
Dexa .................................................................................................................................................. 56
Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium ........................................................................................................... 56
India’s Pranesh M Becomes Youngest Grandmaster at 16 ............................................................... 56
Sania Mirza to Retire from Professional Tennis ................................................................................ 56
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 .................................................................................................. 57
India Create World Record................................................................................................................ 57
Laxman Rawat Clinches NSCI Snooker Open Crown ......................................................................... 57
Fifth Khelo India Youth Games 2022................................................................................................. 57
Hockey World Cup 2023 ................................................................................................................... 58
ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup .................................................................................................... 58
Australian Open 2023 ....................................................................................................................... 58
India Open Badminton title............................................................................................................... 59
BOOKS ............................................................................................................................................... 59
Important Days ..................................................................................................................................... 60
1st January – Global Family Day ....................................................................................................... 60
4th January – World Braille Day........................................................................................................ 60
5th January – Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti ......................................................................................... 60
6th January – World Day of War Orphans ........................................................................................ 60
7th January – Mahayana New Year .................................................................................................. 60
9th January – Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or NRI (Non-Resident Indian) Day ........................................ 61
10th January – World Hindi Day ....................................................................................................... 61

11th January – Death anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri ................................................................ 61

11th to 17th January – National Road Safety Week ......................................................................... 61
12th January – National Youth Day .................................................................................................. 61
13th January – Lohri.......................................................................................................................... 62
14th January – Makar Sankranti ....................................................................................................... 62
15th January – Indian Army Day ....................................................................................................... 62
15th January – World Religion Day ................................................................................................... 62
15th to 18th January – Pongal .......................................................................................................... 62
23rd January – Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti ...................................................................... 63
24th January – National Girl Child Day ............................................................................................. 63
24th January – International Day of Education ................................................................................ 63
25th January – National Voters Day ................................................................................................. 63
25th January – National Tourism Day ............................................................................................... 63
26th January – Republic Day ............................................................................................................. 64
26th January – International Customs Day ....................................................................................... 64
27th January – International Holocaust Remembrance Day ............................................................ 64
28th January – Birth Anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai.......................................................................... 64
28th January – Data Privacy Day ....................................................................................................... 64
29th January – World Leprosy Day ................................................................................................... 65
30th January – Shaheed Diwas ......................................................................................................... 65
Uttar Pradesh Special News Section ..................................................................................................... 66
Agriculture Survey in Uttar Pradesh ................................................................................................. 66
Country’s First Ropeway in Varanasi ................................................................................................ 66
The National Mobile Monitoring System App .................................................................................. 66
New rules for opening of Private Schools ......................................................................................... 66
Chief Minister launched the new website of UPPSC ........................................................................ 67
Self-sustainable model for cow shelter ............................................................................................ 67
Car Safety Model............................................................................................................................... 67
First plant to make coal from waste ................................................................................................. 68
Uttar Pradesh Day Grand Events ...................................................................................................... 68
Subsidy for Web series...................................................................................................................... 68
Country's first spinal injury rehabilitation center ............................................................................. 68
Transport City at Aligarh ................................................................................................................... 68
State Capital Region .......................................................................................................................... 69

Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23 ................................................................................................... 69

'Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman'....................................................................................................... 69
10th Century Idols at Kalinjar Fort ..................................................................................................... 69
Islands of Andaman and Nicobar named after four Paramvir Chakra winners from Uttar Pradesh 70
Laxman and Rani Laxmibai Award .................................................................................................... 70
Padma Vibhushan to Mulayam Singh Yadav..................................................................................... 70
Uttar Pradesh became the state with the highest electricity consumers ........................................ 71
Hospitals to be opened on PPP model.............................................................................................. 71
Gorakhpur’s Paniyala got GI Tag ....................................................................................................... 71
UP Global City’ campaign .................................................................................................................. 72

National Polity & Govt Schemes
ETHYLENE GLYCOL (QUALITY CONTROL) ORDER, 2022

Important points for Prelims
The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
issued a gazette notification titled Ethylene Glycol (Quality Control) Order, 2022
• Recently, Uzbekistan alleged 18 child deaths in Samarkand from the consumption of

medicinal syrup manufactured by an Indian drugmaker (Marion Biotech’s cough syrup DoK 1
Max). The syrup is manufactured containing ethylene glycol.
Under ‘Conformity to standards and compulsory use of the standard mark’, the order stated:
• Certification and enforcement authority: In respect of specific goods or articles, the Bureau
of Indian Standards shall be the certifying and enforcing authority.
• Penalty for contravention: Any person who contravenes the provisions of this Order shall be
punishable under the provisions of the said Act.
• Ethylene glycol is a useful industrial compound found in many consumer products.
• Ethylene glycol’s toxicity mainly results from the accumulation of its toxic metabolites.
Ethylene glycol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant that produces acute effects
similar to those of ethanol.
• If glycerine, a key ingredient in cough syrup, is replaced with toxic industrial solvents
diethylene glycol (DEG) or Ethylene Glycol (EG), the cough syrups become toxic.
ARTICLE 176 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION

The governor-government tussle in Tamil Nadu erupted in the assembly after the CM objected to
the Governor skipping portions of his customary speech to the state legislature and tabled a
resolution against him, prompting the latter to leave the House.
According to Article 176 (Special address by the Governor), the Governor shall address the
Legislative Assembly or both Houses (in the case of a State having a Legislative Council), assembled
together at the
 Commencement of the first session after each general election to the Legislative Assembly
and
 Commencement of the first session of each year
Provision shall be made by the rules regulating the procedure of the House or either House for the
allotment of time for discussion of the matters referred to in such address.
SECTION 6A OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT, 1955


A Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India said it will first take up for preliminary assessment
if Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 suffers from any “constitutional infirmity”.
 Petitions were filed to challenge Section 6A’s “discriminatory” nature in granting citizenship
to illegal immigrants.
 The petitioners said that the special clause violated Article 6 of the Indian Constitution,
which established July 19, 1948 as the threshold for awarding citizenship to immigrants.
 Under Section 6A, foreigners who had entered Assam before January 1, 1966, and been
“ordinarily resident” in the State, would have all the rights and obligations of Indian citizens.
 Those who had entered the State between January 1, 1966 and March 25, 1971 would have
the same rights and obligations except that they would not be able to vote for 10 years.
MAARG PORTAL
Commerce and industry minister will launch the MAARG platform (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance,
Resilience, and Growth) to facilitate mentorship between startups and entrepreneurs across sectors,
stages, and functions.
 The government will also recognize the startups through the ‘National Startup Awards’, the
previous version of 2020 and 2021 had recognized 367 startups as winners and finalists.
PILGRIMAGE REJUVENATION AND SPIRITUAL HERITAGE AUGMENTATION

DRIVE (PRASHAD)
The citizens’ committee to save Chamundi Hills and its environment has resolved to seek permission
from the heritage committee before beginning PRASHAD development work on the hilltop.
 The Chamundi Hills, which are about 3,489 ft. above sea level, is located 13 km east of
Mysore, Karnataka, and the name comes from the Chamundeshwari Temple at the peak.
 Given Chamundi Hills’ environmental sensitivity, there have been calls for its preservation
through projects that are not harmful to the local ecology, such as encouraging the use of
public transportation.
 The Government of India launched the PRASAD scheme in the year 2014-2015 under the
Ministry of Tourism for developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching
the religious tourism experience.
Aspirational Block Programme (ABP)

The Prime Minister of India launched the Aspirational Block Programme (ABP), which is aimed at
improving performance of blocks lagging on various development parameters.
 Launching the ABP, PM underscored the success achieved in various Aspirational Districts in
the country under the Aspirational District Programme (ADP).

 The programme will cover 500 districts across 31 states and UTs initially and over half of
these blocks are in 6 states - Uttar Pradesh (68 blocks), Bihar (61), Madhya Pradesh (42),
Jharkhand (34), Odisha (29) and West Bengal (29).
Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences

The draft National Medical Commission (Amendment) Bill 2022 seeks to introduce a fifth
autonomous body - Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, under the country’s apex medical
education regulator, to conduct the National Exit Test (NExT).
 NExT is a nationwide screening test for doctors before they are registered with the medical
council.
 NExT is a medical licensing exam that is designed to assess the competency of medical
graduates.
DECADAL CENSUS - DELAYED AGAIN

As per the Registrar General of India (RGI), the Census enumeration scheduled to take place in 2021
has been further pushed to 2024-25 until further orders due to the ongoing COVID pandemic.
 RGI has also extended the deadline for freezing administrative boundaries to June 30, 2023.
 As per the norms, the census can be conducted only 3 months after the freezing of boundary
limits of administrative units (e.g., districts, sub-districts, tehsils etc.)
 The origin of the Census in India goes back to the colonial exercise of 1881.
Criteria For Scheduling Of Tribes

An RTI enquiry revealed that the Office of the Registrar-General of India (RGI) is following the old set
of criteria set out by the Lokur Committee nearly 60 years ago to define any new community as a
Scheduled Tribe.
 The Office of the RGI’s nod is mandatory for the inclusion of any community in ST lists, as per
the procedure for scheduling tribes.
 The term 'Scheduled Tribes' first appeared in the Constitution of India. However, the
Constitution does not define the criteria for recognition of Scheduled Tribes.
 As a result, during initial years after independence, the definition contained in 1931 Census
was used to categorise Schedule Tribes.
 Census-1931 termed Schedule tribes as "backward tribes” living in the "Excluded" and
"Partially Excluded" areas.
Triple Test Formula for OBC Quota


The Uttar Pradesh Government set up a five-member commission to conduct surveys and ensure
OBC reservation in the local body is provided based on the triple test. This test will be carried out for
the first time in Uttar Pradesh and its rules will be laid down by the Law department and the Urban
Development department.
 In a landmark judgement in the K.Krishna Murthy & Ors. Vs. Union of India (2010), the
Supreme Court had laid down a triple test for reserving seats in local body polls.
 It was reiterated by the Supreme Court in the case of Vikas Kishanrao Gawali vs. State of
Maharashtra and others in 2021.
'SMART' initiative
The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the Central Council for
Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), the two prominent institutions under the Ministry of Ayush,
Government of India for regulating medical education and conducting scientific research
respectively, have launched 'SMART' (Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research in Teaching
Professionals) program aimed to boost scientific research in priority healthcare research areas
through Ayurveda colleges and hospitals.
 The proposed initiative is conceptualized to identify, support, and promote innovative

research ideas in healthcare research areas, including Osteoarthritis, Iron Deficiency
Anaemia, Chronic Bronchitis, Dyslipidemia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus,
Psoriasis, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
‘Didir Suraksha Kawach’ and ‘Didir Doot’ Initiatives

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, has launched
two initiatives ahead of the panchayat elections this year 'Didir Suraksha Kawach' and 'Didir Doot'
Yojana.
 'Didir Suraksha Kawach,' will see 3.5 lakh party leaders reach every block and cover two
crore families in 60 days, with workers staying in villages to understand the problems faced
by locals and promoting the TMC government's flagship programs.
 The 'Didir Doot' app has also been developed for peopl e to register their problems.
New integrated food security scheme

The scheme would also ensure adequate and uniform implementation of the National Food Security
Act.
 The Central Government of India recently announced the launch of a new integrated food
security scheme, which will provide free food grains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries under the
National Food Security Act (NFSA) for the year 2023.
 Nodal Agency is Department of Food and Public distribution.

 The Cabinet has decided to implement this central sector scheme to fulfill the vision of "One
Nation Ration" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chief Minister's Residential Land Rights Scheme

The Residential Land Rights scheme, or Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu Adhikar Yojana, was launched by
CM Shivraj Singh to give correct land letters to eligible beneficiaries.
 It aims to provide free plots to the poor living in rural areas to build their houses.
PMSHRI upgrade
Union Cabinet approved the Rs 27,360 for the upgradation of 14,500 schools across the country over
the next five years.
 The scheme is expected to benefit 1.8 million students, ensure schools serve as model
institutes, and encapsulate the spirit of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
 Prime Minister launched PM SHRI (PM ScHools for Rising India) on September 5, 2022. It is a
centrally sponsored scheme for the upgradation and development of more than 14500
Schools across the country.
 It aims at strengthening the selected existing schools from amongst schools managed by
Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ l ocal bodies.
'Aarogya Maitri'
PM Modi announced the 'Aarogya Maitri' project to provide essential medical supplies to developing
countries affected by natural disasters or other humanitarian crises
 India unveiled three initiatives to assist the Global South in areas ranging from technology to
health at the concluding session of the Voice of Global South Summit.

International News Section
COMPREHENSIVE MIGRATION AND MOBILITY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

India will sign a Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) with Austria
during the Indian External Affairs Minister’s visit to Vienna.
• This is the first trip to Austria by an Indian Foreign Minister in 27 years.

• Austria was confronted with a sharp increase in illegal migration last year, including over
15,000 illegal migrants from India with practically no chance of asylum.
• The MMPA will regulate: Illegal migration, as it enables the swift return of illegal migrants.
Kilauea volcano
Kilauea volcano, one of the world’s most active volcano, erupted again.
• It is also called Mount Kilauea, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, U.S.A.
• It is a shield volcano which is a type of volcano composed of fluid lava
Groningen gas field

The Netherlands wants to shut down operations of Groningen, due to the risk of earthquake.
• It is the largest natural gas field in Europe.

• Gas extraction resulted in subsidence above the field.
• From 1991 this was also accompanied by earthquakes. This led to damage to houses and
unrest among residents
Croatia
Croatia adopted the euro currency and enter Europe’s passport-free Schengen zone.
• It shares its borders with Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Montenegro.
• Its coast lies entirely on the Adriatic Sea.
• Its capital and largest city is Zagreb.
Tel Tsaf
Nearly 5200 BCE, or 7,200 years old cotton fibres, dyed in blue and other colours, were found in Tel
Tsaf.
• It is a Middle Chalcolithic site, is located in the central Jordan Valley.

• This site is distinguished by its superb preservation of mudbrick architecture, as well as by its
burials, the earliest metal object in the southern Levant, and evidence for large-scale storage
and long-distance trade.
Samarkand
18 children died in Samarkand allegedly after consuming India-manufactured syrup due to ethylene
glycol. It is city in Uzbekistan.
• City is known for its ancient buildings, which principal features are splendid portals,their vast
coloured domes, and their remarkable exterior decorations in majolica, mosaic, marble, and
gold. The historic city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001.
Lake Albert
Uganda is launching a pipeline which will connect the oil fields in Lake Albert to the Tanzanian coast
for easy transport. This lake is located on the border between Congo and Uganda.
• It is Africa's 7th-largest lake, as well as the 2nd biggest of Uganda's Great Lakes.
• Semliki River is a waterway connecting Lakes Edward and Albert, in the Western Rift Valley.
Suriname
At the 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas event, Suriname President suggested setting up a Hindi language
training institutions in Caribbean region.
• It is a country in South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, French Guiana, Guyana
and Brazil. It is the smallest sovereign state in South America.
• The economy is heavily dependent on its large natural resources, namely bauxite, gold,
petroleum, and agricultural products.
Eurozone
All European Union Member States are part of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and coordinate
their economic policy-making to support the economic aims of the EU.
• However, a number of Member States have taken a step further by replacing their national
currencies with the single currency – the euro.
• These Member States form the euro area, also known as eurozone.
• In other words, it is a geographic and economic region that consists of the European Union
countries that have fully incorporated the euro as their national currency.
Schengen Area

Schengen Area signifies a zone where 27 European countries, abolished their internal borders, for
the free and unrestricted movement of people.
• Croatia became the 27th nation in the passport free Schengen zone.
Notice To Air Missions (NOTAM)

Recently, thousands of flights, within, into or out of the United States were delayed or cancelled due
to a technical glitch.
• The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that flights were grounded due to failure
of a key pilot notification system called Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM).
• FAA is the largest transportation agency of the US government that runs a centralised
NOTAM system.
• According to the FAA’s website, “a NOTAM is a notice containing information essential to
personnel concerned with flight operations but not known far enough in advance to be
publicized by other means.
India-China Trade Relationship

According to data released by Chinese customs, the trade between India and China touched an all-
time high of $135.98 billion in 2022. However, India’s trade deficit with Beijing also crossed the $100
billion mark for the first time.
• India’s major imports from China: Electronic goods, engineering goods, chemicals and
related products, other manufactured goods, and textiles.
• India's major exports to China: Engineering goods, agricultural and allied products, ores and
minerals, chemicals and related products, petroleum and crude products.

Economy News Section
INTEGRATED BANKING OMBUDSMAN SCHEME

The volume of complaints received under the Reserve Bank of India’s ombudsman schemes and
consumer education and protection cells showed an increase of 9.39 per cent compared to the
previous year.
 Of the total complaints received in 2021-22, about 42 per cent were related to the digital
modes of payment and transactions, according to the annual report of Ombudsman
Schemes, 2021-22.
 RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme amalgamates three ombudsman schemes of RBI - the
banking ombudsman scheme of 2006, the ombudsman scheme for NBFCs of 2018 and the
ombudsman scheme of digital transactions of 2019.
 The unified ombudsman scheme will provide redress of customer complaints involving
deficiency in services rendered by RBI-regulated entities viz. banks, NBFCs (Non-banking
Financial Companies) and pre-paid instrument players if the grievance is not resolved to the
satisfaction of the customers or not replied within a period of 30 days by the regulated ent
ity.
1ST ADVANCE ESTIMATES

As per NSO’s 1st Advance estimates (under Ministry of Statistics), India’s GDP may grow 7% for
2022-23 1st Advance estimate (1st introduced in 2016-17) is the 1st official advance estimate of
expected GDP growth in the current year.
 Union Finance minister uses this 1st advance estimate to decide the next financial year’s
budget allocations. Structure of under Ministry of Statistics
BIND Scheme
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a central sector scheme
Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) at a cost of Rs 2,539.61 crore up to
2025-26.
• A scheme of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, BIND will focus on infrastructure

development of Prasar Bharati, including All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD).
• The scheme is the means for providing financial support to Prasar Bharati for expenses
related to expansion and upgradation of its broadcasting infrastructure, content
development and civil work related to the organisation.
Utkarsh 2.0

The RBI recently launched Utkarsh 2.0, the second phase of the central bank’s medium-term
strategy for strengthening regulatory and supervisory mechanism.
• Utkarsh 1.0 was for the period 2019-2022

• Utkarsh 2022 is a medium-term strategy in line with the global central banks’ plan to
strengthen the regulatory and supervisory mechanism
Financial Stability Report

RBI in its latest Financial Stability Report (FSR) conducted macro stress tests, to assess the resilience
of banks’ balance sheets.
• FSR is published biannually and includes contributions from all the financial sector
regulators.
• It reflects the collective assessment of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and
Development Council (FSDC) on risks to financial stability
• Macro Stress-testing refers to a range of techniques used to assess the vulnerability of the
banking system to exceptional but plausible (probable) macroeconomic shocks.
Key Findings
• India's banks and non-bank lenders are in a position to withstand even the worst macro-economic
stress originating from global spillovers.
• By September 2022, the gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio had slowly declined to 5% to a
seven-year low.
Business Confidence Index

The latest Business Confidence Index by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the October-
December quarter rebounded to its highest reading in almost two years of 67.6 from 62.2 in the
previous quarter.
• The index is based on the findings of a survey of over 120 firms of varying sizes and across all
industry sectors and regions of the country.
• Despite tightening financial conditions & geopolitical tensions globally, around 73% of the
survey respondents expected only a moderate impact of the global slowdown on Indian
economy.
• This reflects optimism around India being in a 'sweet spot' despite rising global
uncertainties.
Hakku Patra
The Prime Minister distributed Hakku Patra (land title deeds) to families of the Banjara (Lambani)
community, a nomadic Scheduled Caste group, in the Kalaburagi district of Karnataka.

• A title deed is a property ownership document, and the bearer of document owns the land.
Additional Tier 1 Bonds

The Bombay High Court cancelled the write-off of Additional Tier-1 (AT1) bonds worth Rs 8,400 crore
issued by Yes Bank Ltd, bringing relief to investors.
• Additional Tier 1 (AT1) Bonds are unsecured, perpetual bonds with no pre-determined
maturity date issued by financial institutions to fulfil their capital adequacy requirements.
• Like other bonds, AT1 bonds pay a fixed rate of interest (slightly higher) at regular interval.
However, if banks face bankruptcy or capital shortage, they can dismiss the principal amount
and not pay interest.
• AT1 bonds can also be listed and traded on exchanges. So, if an AT1 bond holder needs
money, he/she can sell it in the market.
• AT1 bonds are regulated by RBI. If the RBI feels that a bank needs to be rescued, it can ask
the bank to cancel its outstanding AT-1 bonds without consulting its investors.
Open Market Sale Scheme

The government approved a proposal for the sale of 30 Lakh Metric Tonnes of wheat under the
Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS).
• Wheat will be offered to the flour millers, and bulk buyers through e-auction.
• Wheat will also be offered to State governments and UTs for their schemes without e-
auction.
• Under the OMSS, the government allows state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) to sell
foodgrains, especially wheat and rice, at pre-determined prices in the open market from
time to time to bulk consumers and private traders.
India Adopts T+1 Settlement System

India has transitioned to a market-wide Transaction+1 (T+1) settlement system for equities from the
previous T+2 cycle.
• This is aimed at bringing operational efficiency, faster fund remittances, share delivery, and
ease for stock market investors.
• The shorter trade cycle is good for investors, and encourages trust among them.
• It also shows how well India has grown on the digital journey to ensure seamless
settlements within 24 hours.
• T+1 settlement cycle not only reduces the timeframe but also reduces and frees up capital
required to collateralize that risk.
• Globally, T+2 system is still the most dominant system with most of the developed markets
such as the US, Japan and Germany following the longer settlement cycle.

Short Selling
Hindenburg Research disclosed short positions in Adani Group, alleging stock manipulation and
accounting fraud in its latest investigative report.
• Buy low, sell high is the traditional investment strategy in which one buys a stock or security
at a particular price and then sells it when the price is higher, thereby booking a profit.
• This is referred to as a long position, and is based on the view that the price of the stock or
security will appreciate with time.
• Short selling, or shorting, on the other hand, is a trading strategy based on the expectation
that the price of the security will fall.
• While fundamentally it is based on the buy low, sell high approach, the sequence of
transactions is reversed in short selling — to sell high first and buy low later.
• Also, in short selling, the trader usually does not own the securities he sells, but merely
borrows them.
• In the stock market, traders usually short stocks by selling shares they have borrowed from
others through brokerages.
• When the price of the shares falls to the expected levels, the trader would purchase the
shares at the lower price and return them to the owner, booking a profit in the process.
Global Economic Prospects

The World Bank released its latest Global Economic Prospects.
• Released twice a year, the report examines global economic developments and prospects,
with a special focus on emerging market and developing economies.
• The global economy will come very close to a recession this year, led by weaker growth in all
the world’s top economies — United States, Europe and China.
• India is expected to be the fastest growing economy of the seven largest Emerging Markets
and Developing Economies (EMDEs).
• The Indian economy is projected to grow at a robust 6.6% in 2023-24 (FY24), slowing down
from an estimated 6.9% in 2022-23 (FY23), due to limited spillovers to Asia’s third largest
economy from a projected global slowdown.
National Financial Reporting Authority

In a first-of-its-kind move aimed at improving audit quality, the National Financial Reporting
Authority (NFRA) has published draft requirements regarding preparation and publication of Annual
Transparency Report (ATR) by auditors/audit firms.
• The effort is aimed at enhancing the transparency about management and governance of
audit firms and their internal policy framework to ensure high quality audits and preventing
conflict of interest by maintaining independence.

• The gradual implementation of this filing will start with the statutory auditors of the top
1,000 listed companies by market capitalisation on March 31.
India identifies copper and lithium mines in Argentina

The Government of India sent a geologist team to Argentina to assess and find potential lithium
deposits in November 2022. They have identified a possible source of lithium and copper deposits in
the south American country.
 Lithium is widely used in manufacturing batteries and other electronic products.

 Argentina is the fourth largest producer of lithium. It also has the third largest reserve of
minerals in the world.
 Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (Kabil) will have ownership or leasing rights to the mines.
Ecology & Environment News Section
Microplastics
Scientists from South Korea have developed a new water purification system that can quickly and
efficiently filter out microplastics.
• Microplastics are small plastic pieces less than five millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter.
• It comes from a variety of sources, including larger plastic debris that degrades into smaller
and smaller pieces.
• It can take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose and in the meantime, wreak havoc
on the environment.
• On beaches, microplastics are visible as tiny multi-colored plastic bits in sand.
• In the oceans, microplastic pollution is often consumed by marine animals and it can affect
the food chain.
• Un-Plastic Collective (UPC) was launched by the UNEP-India, Confederation of Indian
Industry and WWF-India, that seeks to minimize externalities of plastics on planet.
• India is a signatory to MARPOL (International Convention on Prevention of Marine
Pollution).
• Global efforts like “Beat Plastic Pollution” to address plastic pollution.
Siyom River
Defence Minister inaugurated 100-metre-long bridge over Siyom river, close to Arunachal’s northern
border with China.

• It is a right bank tributary of Brahmaputra and is a latitudinally flowing river in Arunachal

Pradesh.
• The Mouling National Park (in the Abor Hills) is located on the east bank of the river.
South Asian Black Carbon Aerosols

According to a study, Black carbon aerosols have affected the mass gain of the Tibetan Plateau
glaciers by changing long-range water vapour transport from the South Asian monsoon region.
• The South Asia region adjacent to Tibetan Plateau has among the highest levels of black
carbon emission in the world.
• Black carbon aerosols in South Asia heat up the middle and upper atmosphere, thus
increasing the North-– South temperature gradient.
• Accordingly, the convection activity in South Asia is enhanced, which causes convergence of
water vapour in South Asia.
• Black carbon also increases the number of cloud condensation nuclei in the atmosphere
• These changes in meteorological conditions make more water vapour form precipitation in
South Asia, and the northward transport to the Tibetan Plateau was weakened.
• As a result, the precipitation in the central and southern Tibetan Plateau is reduced during
the monsoon.
• The decrease in precipitation further leads to a decrease of mass gain of glaciers.
Black Carbon Aerosols also called soot, it is part of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5).
Viologen-unit grafted organic-framework (iVOFm)

To tackle the problem of Water contamination, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research
(IISER), Pune came up with iVOFm technique.
• There are carcinogenic pollutants in freshwater sources that are removed using sorbent
materials and ion- exchange techniques, but these techniques are not effective enough.
iVOFm aims to improve this.
• iVOFm is a custom-designed unique molecular sponge-like material, which can swiftly clean
polluted water by soaking up contaminants in it.
• The material employs amalgamation of electrostatics driven ion-exchange combined with
nanometer-sized macropores and specific binding sites for the targeted pollutants.
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)

The Supreme Court has urged legislators and policy experts to ensure that Environment Impact
Assessment (EIA) studies are done before giving the green signal for urban development projects.
• The judgment referred to a publication by the UNEP, which underscored that more than half
of the world’s population is now living in urban areas.

• The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) defines Environment Impact Assessment as a tool

used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to
decision-making.
• It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design,
find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts.
Gandak River
Two shilas (stones), around seven feet long and weighing over 350 tones, from Nepal's Kali Gandaki
River are set to arrive at Ayodhya. It will be used to carve the idol of Lord Ram.
• It is one of the major rivers in Nepal and India.

• It is a north bank tributary of the Ganga River.
• The river is mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata.
• Valmiki National Park & Tiger Reserve is located on the banks of this river.
Project RE-HAB
KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) Chairman distributed live bee colonies, beekeeping
equipment and 200 bee-boxes to the trained beneficiaries in Karnataka under RE-HAB project.
• Project RE-HAB stands for Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees.

• Under this project Bee fences are created. The honeybees thwart elephant attacks in human
territories.
• It is scientifically recorded that elephants are annoyed by honeybees.
• It is a sub-mission of the KVIC’s National Honey Mission.
• This is highly cost effective as compared to erecting fences or digging trenches.
• The project simultaneously increases honey production and increases farmer income.
• It helps in minimizing the loss of lives of both humans as well as elephants.
Cloud Forest
According to a report, Cloud Forest Bonds can help capture the economic value of cloud forests in 25
countries.
• Cloud Forest is rare because the exceptional conditions that create these forests are found
only in tropical areas with high mountains.
• The World Conservation Monitoring Centre has identified 736 cloud forests distributed in 59
countries. Of /these 327 have been classified as protected areas since 2002.
• They are usually characterized by a persistent, frequent and seasonal low-lying layer of mist
and cloud cover usually at the canopy level.
• The trees here are generally shorter and their leaves become thicker, harder, and smaller as
the altitude increases.
• Cloud Forest Bond will incentivize governments to protect their cloud forests.

• It will encourage carbon storage and provide funding to set up sovereign-level carbon
finance schemes as well as payments for ecosystem services.
Eravikulam National Park

Eravikulam National Park (ENP), a natural habitat for the endangered Nilgiri tahr (mountain goat),
has witnessed an early onset of the breeding season with two tahr births.
• It is located in the high range (Kannan Devan Hills) of the southern Western Ghats in Idukki
district, Kerala.
• It hosts the highest peak of South India, Anamudi (2695 m) in its southern region.
SAFAR System
It is an air quality monitoring system, which stands for System of Air Quality Forecasting and
Research.
• It is introduced by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) to provide location specific

information on air quality in near real time and its forecast upto 3 days in India.
• It has been combined with the early warning system on weather parameters.
• It is developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, along with India
Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather
Forecasting (NCMRWF).
Kelp Forests
A study published in the journal Nature revealed that Kelp forests are declining because of climate
change.
• Kelp are large brown algae that live in cool, nutrient-rich relatively shallow waters close to
shore. Because of their dependency upon light for photosynthesis, kelp forests form in
shallow open waters and are rarely found deeper than 49-131 feet.
• They provide underwater habitats to hundreds of species of invertebrates, fish, and other
algae and have great ecological value.
• Water from melting glaciers will reduce salinity and increase turbidity, which affects young
kelp.
• Sea urchins can destroy entire graze kelp forests at a rate of 30 feet per month by moving in
herds.
• The uncontrolled growth of sea urchins because of killing of their main predator, starfish,
has contributed to the 95% decline in the kelp along the northern California coast.
Sustainable Aquaculture In Mangrove Ecosystem (SAIME) Initiative


Started in 2019, it is a community-based initiative of sustainable shrimp cultivation. It is being

conceived by NGO Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS) and Global Nature Fund (GNF),
Naturland Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS).
• Under the initiative, the farmers not only cultivate shrimp but also have come forward to do
their parts to restore the mangrove.
Green Urban Oases Programme

It was Launched in 2021 by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
• It contributes to the FAO Green Cities initiative, which was launched in 2020.
• It aims to improve the resilience of dryland cities by tackling climate, health, food and
economic challenges.
• It will support dryland urban communities in strengthening their policy and technical
capacity to design and implement integrated urban forestry and urban greening strategies.
Nalabana Bird Sanctuary

It is located on Nalabana Island in the Chilika lagoon area in Odisha.
• It was declared a bird sanctuary in 1987.

• The island disappears during the monsoon due to inundation, only to re-emerge after the
monsoon.
• It is home to many native and Migratory Birds and aquatic animals that thrive due to the
endless flow of water in Chilika lake.
Fenthion
It is a synthetic organophosphate acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is used as a pesticide.
• It is characterized as a volatile and persistent colourless or yellow to tan oily liquid with a
slight garlic odour.
• It is very highly toxic to birds. The use of fenthion for control of mosquitos has been
implicated in several bird kills.
• It is also very highly toxic to freshwater, estuarine, and marine invertebrates, and
moderately to highly toxic to fish.
St. Petersburg Declaration

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that India had about 2,967 tigers (approx. 70% of global wild
tiger population) in its wildlife as per the last count in 2018.
• It was revealed by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in an affidavit filed in the
court.

• On International Tiger Day July 29 (2019), a census report of tigers in India was launched.
• It was observed for the first time in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia.
• The summit finalized Global Tiger Recovery Plan known as TX2 (doubling the tiger population
by 2022).
• As per the report, the total population of Tiger in India is 2967.
• There is also another St Petersburg Declaration relating to Explosive Projectiles, 1868 which
prohibited the use of certain weapons in warfare.
Tiger Census 2018 Report

• In 2014, the count was 2,226 which reflected an increase of 741 individuals (aged more than
one year) or 33%, in four years.
• India has achieved the target of doubling the tiger count four years ahead of the deadline of
2022.
• The top Tiger States of India (by Tiger population) - Madhya Pradesh (526); Karnataka (524);
Uttrakhand (442).
• Top states in terms of % increase in Tiger population: MP (71%), Maharashtra (64%),
Karnataka (29%).
• Worst Performing States - Chhattisgarh and Mizoram saw a decline in tiger population.
• The number of tiger reserves has gone up to 53 covering around 76,000 sq km
• A new tiger reserve – Ranipur Tiger Reserve – has been declared in UP.
Chanakha- Korata Barrage

The Inter-State Channaka-Korata (Rudha) Barrage got environmental clearance.
• It is a Telangana-Maharashtra joint project on the Penganga River.

• Penganga River originates in the Ajantha ranges in Aurangabad district in Maharashtra.
• The famous Sahastrakund falls on this river.
Kanger Valley National Park

A rare orange-coloured bat, also known as ‘painted bat’ was spotted in Chhattisgarh’s Kanger Valley
National Park.
• This National Park derived its name from the Kangar river.
• It was established as national park in the year 1982.
• Tirathgarh Waterfall is located in this park.
Silent Valley National Park

A bird survey conducted at the Silent Valley National Park identified 141 species, of which 17 were
new.
• It is located in Kerala, in the Southwestern corner of Nilgiris and declared as a national park
in 1984.

Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary

Nature enthusiasts have voiced their concern over the recent decline in the number of migratory
birds visiting the Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal.
• It is also known as Deer Park and was established in 1977.

• This area lies between two mighty rivers the Damodar and the Ajay.
• It has dense local vegetation of Sal, Akashmoni, Sishoo, Cashewnut, Amlaki, Bahera and
Haritaki.
• It also has a deer conservation park which is home to a large number of deer including
Cheethals (Spotted Deer) and the Blackbucks.
Deepor Beel
Guwahati Wildlife Division of the Assam Forest Department conducted the 2nd Bird Species Count
Exercise in Deepor Beel Wetland.
• It is considered one of the largest freshwater and important riverine wetlands in the
Brahmaputra Valley of lower Assam.
• Due to the richness of avian fauna, it has been selected as one of the Important Bird Area
(IBA) sites by Birdlife International.
• It was designated as a Ramsar site in 2002.

Science & Technology News Section
Virovore
The 1st known virovore has been found in the United States.
 Virovore is an organism that obtains energy and nutrients by consuming viruses.

 Scientists found that a species of Halteria,a microscopic ciliate, can eat huge numbers of
infectious chloroviruses that share their aquatic habitat.
 They’re made up of nucleic acids, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
108th Indian Science Congress

The Prime Minister of India addressed the 108th Indian Science Congress (ISC).
 It is organized by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), an independent body

functioning with the support of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
 It brings together scientists and researchers from the premier institutions, laboratories,
science teachers and professors from colleges and universities.
Dieback Disease
Dieback disease hits Neem trees in Telangana again. Earlier it was seen in 2019.
 It is mainly caused by the fungi Phomopsis Azadirachtae.

 Symptoms include the gradual death of leaves, branches, twigs or roots starting from the
ends.
 The disease was 1st reported in the country during the 1990s near Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

An unexploded artillery shell was found near the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister in
Chandigarh.
 A military ammunition or explosive device that remains unexploded even after it has been
primed and fired is known as Unexploded Ordnance (UXO).
 It can be left over from a war, field firing exercises or even be part of military scrap that is
often exported from one country to another to extract metal.
 All unexploded ammunitions are treated as potentially dangerous and capable of detonating
till proven otherwise by military ammunition experts.
Elimination of Kala Azar


During the high-level meeting, the union Health minister assured the Centre’s complete support in
the fight against eliminating Kala Azar from the country by 2023.
 It is also known as Visceral Leishmaniasis or Black Fever or Dumdum Fever.

 It is caused by a protozoa parasite called Leishmania, which is transmitted through the bite
of female phlebotomine sandflies.
 It attacks the immune system and is almost always fatal if not treated.
 Symptoms may include fever, weight loss and swelling of the spleen or liver.
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

There are rising applications and ethical concerns in Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI).
 It is a cutting-edge technological advancement that utilises machine learning (ML) and AI to

create new forms of media, such as text, audio, video, and animation.
 It works by training a model on a large dataset and then using that model to generate new,
previously unseen content that is similar to the training data.
 Example: DALL.E, a generative image generation service, can generate original imagery to
align with the branding. Many startups are exploring services like DALL.E2 to create their
brand logo.
American Foulbrood (AFB)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted a conditional license for a vaccine
for honeybees to curb American foulbrood (AFB). Honeybee populations are declining sharply,
spurred by habitat loss, pesticide use and the climate crisis.
 American foulbrood (AFB) is a fatal bacterial disease of honeybee brood caused by the spore
forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae.
C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Comet

Astronomers discovered a comet called C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in March 2022 using the Zwicky Transient
Facility's wide-field survey camera at the Palomar Observatory, (California).
 It made an appearance in the night sky for the 1st time in 50,000 years.
 It has an orbit around the sun that passes through the outer reaches of the solar system,
which is why it's taken such a long time to pass nearby Earth again.
New Technique of Corrosion-resistant Nickel Alloy Coatings

Scientists at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials
(ARCI) have developed a process to deposit nanostructured Nickel alloy coatings to replace
environmentally toxic chrome plating.

 The process consists of environment-friendly electrolyte consisting of nickel (Ni) and

tungsten ions (W).
 The pulsed current is applied between the components to be coated, acting as cathode and
non-consumable anode.
TOI 700 e
NASA has discovered an Earth-sized planet called TOI 700 e orbiting in the habitable zone of its star.
 It is probably rocky and is 95% the size of Earth and may contain liquid water.
 It takes 28 days to orbit its star.
Local Bubble
Researchers from the Center for Astrophysics (CfA) have generated a 3D magnetic map of the giant
cosmic cavity called Local Bubble.
 Local Bubble is a great cavity (low-density region) in the interstellar medium (ISM).
 It is about 1,000 light-years wide cavity or a superbubble of our galaxy, the Milky Way,
within which the Sun and many nearby stars reside.
LHS 475 b
The NASA announced that the James Webb Space Telescope has discovered its 1st new exoplanet,
labeling the planet as LHS 475 b. More than 4,400 exoplanets have been discovered till now.
 It is located just 41 light-years away in the constellation Octans.

 It is rocky and almost precisely the same size as Earth.
 The planet orbits very close to a red dwarf star and completes a full orbit in just two days.
Gonorrhea
A strand of antimicrobial-resistant gonorrhoea outbreak has hit Kenya.
 Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria

gonorrhoeae.
 It can affect people of any age or gender, but it’s a particularly common trusted Source
among teens and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24.
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT)

Astronomers have used data from the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune to detect a
radio signal originating from atomic hydrogen in an extremely distant galaxy.

 Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) is an array of 30 fully steerable parabolic radio
telescopes of 45-meter diameter.
 It is operated by the National Center for Radio Astrophysics of the Tata Institute of
Fundamental Research (NCRA-TIFR), Pune.
 It is an indigenous project, and the design is based on the `SMART' concept - Stretch Mesh
Attached to Rope Trusses.
Planet Parade
NASA shared a picture that captures a rare phenomenon: all the planets of our solar system
witnessed from Earth simultaneously in a linear pattern.
 Planet parade is an astronomical phenomenon during which several planets may be

observed in the sky by the naked eye.
 These planets include Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System

DRDO and Naval Group France sign pact to fit indigenous AIP system on Kalvari class submarines.
Submarines are essential of two types:
 Conventional submarine uses a diesel-electric engine and must surface almost daily for
oxygen for fuel combustion.
 AIP is any marine propulsion technology that allows a non-nuclear submarine to operate
without access to atmospheric oxygen.
 It has a force multiplier effect on lethality of a diesel-electric submarine as it enhances the
submerged endurance. If fitted with an AIP system, the submarine will need to take in
oxygen only once a week.
 It decreases the noise levels made by the submarines. This makes it hard to detect
submarines.
 Installing AIP increases the length and weight of the boats, requiring pressurised liquid
oxygen (LOX) storage on board.
 Currently AIP technology does not produce enough energy for higher speeds.
BharOS
Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology tested BharOS.
 BharOS is an indigenous mobile operating system, like Android or iOS.

 It is developed by JandK Operations Private Limited, a non-profit organization incubated at
IIT Madras.
 It is funded by the Department of Science and Technology.
 It can be installed on commercial off-the-shelf handsets.

Molecular Clouds
An international team of astronomers have announced the discovery of different ices in the darkest
and coldest regions of a molecular cloud measured to date.
 Molecular clouds is an accumulation of interstellar gas and dust, also called dark nebula.
 They are generally dark because they contain mainly cold, high-density, opaque gas, as well
as enough dust to quench the light from stars behind them.
 These clouds have very low temperatures of just 10 to 30 kelvin and therefore the hydrogen
is primarily composed of molecular hydrogen (H2).
 These clouds are so important because they are the raw material of stars and planets.
 Stars are born within molecular clouds.
M1 Abrams
United States announced that it would send 31 state-of-the-art M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine
to help its troops push back Russian forces.
 M1 Abrams is the United States main battle tank.

 The 1st tank was manufactured in 1978 and was delivered to the US Army in 1980.
 It can destroy tank-size targets at a range of 2 km while firing on the move.
Lucy Mission
NASA announced that it is adding a new target for the Lucy mission as the spacecraft goes on its
more than 6- billion-kilometre-long journey to study the Jupiter trojan asteroids.
 The new target is a small main-belt asteroid and Lucy will get an up-close view to conduct an
engineering test of the spacecraft’s asteroid-tracking navigation system.
 Lucy Mission is the 1st spacecraft launched by NASA to explore the trojan asteroids, orbiting
in tandem with Jupiter (one group preceding Jupiter and the other trailing behind it)
Geospatial Technology
It is a term used to describe the range of modern tools contributing to the geographic mapping and
analysis of the Earth and human societies (objects, events and phenomena).
 It includes Geographic Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS), and Global
Positioning System (GPS).
Platinum Drugs

The platinum-based anti-cancer drugs, including cisplatin, carboplatin, nedaplatin, lobaplatin and
oxaliplatin are widely used for chemotherapeutic eradication of cancer.
 They are coordination complexes of platinum.

 The side effects of platinum drugs-lack of selectivity, high systemic toxicity, and drug
resistance-seriously limit their clinical application.
African animal Trypanosomosis (AAT)

Also known as nagana/ nagana pest/sleeping sickness, it is a disease of vertebrates.
 It affects cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, dogs and other species.
 It is caused by several species of the genus Trypanosoma, a parasitic protozoan.
 It is transmitted by tsetse flies.
 It can be controlled by reducing tsetse fly populations with traps and insecticides.
 No vaccine is available to prevent trypanosomiasis.
DNA Mitochondrial Profiling

DNA mitochondrial profiling examines biological evidence when nuclear DNA is present in very low
quantities or when bones and hair are degraded.
 Mitochondrial DNA is the circular chromosome found inside the cellular organelles called
mitochondria.
 It can be done where DNA extraction is difficult.
 It determines the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence from samples such as hair, bones,
and teeth.
Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis

Scientists from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali have introduced a new
electrolyte called (NaBF4).
 This electrolyte not only acts as an Nitrogen (N2)-carrier in the medium but also works as a
full-fledged co- catalyst along with active material transition metal-doped nanocarbon
(MnN4) to deliver a high yield of ammonia (NH3).
 It will useful for industries producing green energy or hydrogen.
Viscose Fibre
It is a type of rayon, originally known as artificial silk, in the late 19th century.
 The name viscose is derived from the way this fibre is manufactured; a viscous organic liquid
used to make both rayon and cellophane.

 Viscose is made from tree wood pulp, like beech, pine, and eucalyptus, but can also be made
from bamboo.
iKnife
New research led by the Imperial College of London has recently found an intelligent knife (iKnife),
which can be used to diagnose womb cancer within minutes.
 It uses electric currents on biopsy tissue and then analyses the vapourised aerosols from the
tissue in a mass spectrometer to give real-time information about activity in the tissue.
Doppler Weather Radar Network

It is a system of multiple radar stations that work together to provide comprehensive coverage of a
specific area.
 The system uses the Doppler effect to detect and track moving objects, such as weather
systems, aircraft, and vehicles.
 The Ministry of Earth Science is also preparing to cover the entire Country by the Doppler
weather radar network by 2025 for more accurate forecasts related to extreme weather
events.
 Doppler shift is a phenomenon that is observed whenever the source of waves is moving
with respect to an observer.
Halteria
Researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have reported that a particular species of
plankton, named Halteria, can grow and divide only when given a virus to eat (virovory).
 These microscopic ciliates, a single-celled organism with minuscule hairs populate

freshwater worldwide
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF)

It is commonly known as elephantiasis, a neglected tropical disease.
 It occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected
mosquitos.
 It impairs the lymphatic system and can lead to the abnormal enlargement of body parts,
causing pain, severe disability and social stigma.

Defence News Section
‘SPRINT’ initiative
The Indian Navy has recently announced a collaboration with Sagar Defence Engineering Private
Limited for the development of armed autonomous boat swarms as part of the “SPRINT” initiative.
 Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July of last year, SPRINT (Supporting Pole-
Vaulting in R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence) aims to promote the
development and usage of indigenous defense technologies by domestic companies.
 The task of developing this technology is one of the 75 challenges introduced by the Indian
Navy under the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations.
Prithvi-II
India successfully carried out a test launch of the tactical ballistic missile Prithvi-II from a test range
off the Odisha coast on January 10.
 Prithvi-II is a short-range ballistic missile, with a range of around 350 kilometres.
Soul of Steel
In an effort to test one’s high-altitude endurance, a new challenge called “Soul of Steel” will be
launched in India.
 Spearheaded by venture CLAW Global, which is run by veterans and supported by the Indian
Army, the challenge will take place in the state of Uttarakhand and is similar to the “Ironman
triathlon” long-distance triathlon challenge in Europe.
 The expedition will officially launch on January 14th, and will include 12 Indian participants
and six international teams, with the age group for applicants being between 18 and 30
years.
 The idea behind the “Soul of Steel” challenge, according to Major Vivek Jacob (Retd.) of
CLAW Global, is “pooling of skillsets and creating a challenge that will unlock the human
ability to survive, stabilize and thrive in high altitude areas.”
 The challenge will also provide life skill training, youth development, and global promotion
of adventure tourism in Uttarakhand, in addition to showcasing the skills of veterans.
Exercise Varuna
The 21st edition of the bilateral naval exercise between India and France, Exercise Varuna, has
begun on the Western Seaboard on January 16th, 2023.

 This edition of the exercise will see the participation of the Indian Navy’s indigenous guided
missile stealth destroyer INS Chennai, guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime patrol aircraft
P-8I and Dornier, integral helicopters, and MiG29K fighter aircraft.
 The French Navy will be represented by the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, frigates FS
Forbin and Provence, support vessel FS Marne, and maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique.
Kalashnikov AK-203
The Indo-Russian joint venture for the manufacturing of Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles is a
testament to the strong partnership relations between the two countries.
 The Kalashnikov AK-203 is now being produced in India through a joint venture between
Russia’s Rosoboronexport and India’s government-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)
under the brand name “Kalashnikov India” in Korwa, Amethi, Uttar Pradesh.
 The facility has the capacity to produce 750,000 rifles per yea
 The Kalashnikov AK-203 is a type of assault rifle that is designed and manufactured by the
Kalashnikov Concern, a subsidiary of the Russian Rostec State Corporation.
Apache Helicopters
The Indian Army had ordered six Apache Helicopters with the Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL).
The order was placed under the GoI’s Aatma Nirbhar Bharat initiative.
 And therefore, GoI placed its order with the Hyderabad-based TBAL.
 The TBAL is a joint venture established to make India a global defense exporter.
 Apart from Apache helicopters, the TBAL also manufactures fin structures of Boeing 737.
 TATA is planning to produce EADS CASA C 295 aircraft in Vadodara. These are transport
aircraft.
Exercise Cyclone-I
The Indian and the Egyptian Armies are to conduct the first-ever joint exercise Cyclone-I. It is to be
held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan for 14 days.
 The exercise is the first of its kind as it brings the special forces of the countries to a common
platform.
 Exercise Desert Warrior is held between the Air Forces of the countries.
 India and Egypt manufactured Helen-300 jointly
 2022 marked the 75th year of India-Egypt relations
PRALAY exercise
The Indian Airforce is to conduct a massive military exercise near the Line of Actual Control.

 The PRALAY is to be conducted on the North Eastern border where Chinese infiltrations are
rising these days.
 With PRALAY exercise the Government of India has decided to exhibit its Air Force power in
the region.
 Therefore, PRALAY will be conducted by IAF.
 It is to be noted that India recently deployed S – 400 missiles in the region. PRALAY will see
the participation of India’s leading fighter jets such as the Rafale and Su-30.
 Indian Air Force has moved its drone squadron to the Siliguri corridor to participate in the
exercise.
OPS ALERT
India is to celebrate its 74th republic day on January 26, 2023. Several anti–national elements try to
cause trouble in the country during such nationwide celebrations.
 To put them under control and to increase security at the border, the BSF is conducting a
seven-day long exercise called the “OPS ALERT”.
 During the exercise, the security personnel will hold drills in the India – Pakistan border that
extends between Rann of Kutch and Sir Creek and also in the Barmer district of Rajasthan.
The border is highly vulnerable in these regions.
Indian Naval Ship Vagir

The Indian Naval Ship Vagir is a Kalvari-class submarine.
 The diesel-electric attack submarine was recently commissioned into the Indian Navy. The
Indian Navy placed an order for the submarine in 2005.
 The submarine is named after a Vela Class submarine (diesel driven).
India launched Project 75 to construct six scorpene class submarines. Four have already
been commissioned. They are as follows:
 INS Kalvari
 INS Khanderi
 INS Karanj
 INS Vela
 The INS Vagir was just delivered and INS Vagsheer is to be delivered soon.
AMPHEX
All three defense forces of India, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force participated in AMPHEX
recently.
 AMPHEX is a tri-service exercise and was held in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.

 The 2023 AMPHEX is the largest of all the AMPHEX exercises held so far.
 Several Amphibious ships participated in the exercise. INS Jalashwa, INS Airavat, INS
Shardul, and INS Gharial are some of the amphibious ships of the Indian Navy.
 Amphibious ships are those ships that aid the land forces during an operation
Aero – India Show

The Defence Ministry has been organizing the Aero – India Show since 1996.
 Other organizations such as DRDO, the Indian Air Force, Civil Aviation, and the Department
of Space join the ministry to organize the show.
 Buyers from different countries participate in the show.
 It is to be held at the Yelahanka Air Force Base near Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Largest Women Contingent Of Peacekeepers At A UN Mission

The Indian Army has deployed its largest-ever contingent of women soldiers for UN peacekeeping
operations in the volatile oil-rich Abyei region of Africa.
 Abyei region is situated between northern and southern Sudan and is hotly contested by
both.
 The women platoon will provide relief and assistance to local women and children in one of
the highly operational and challenging conditions under the UN flag.
 Dr Kiran Bedi, UN’s first Police Adviser, Major Suman Gawani and Shakti Devi have made a
mark for themselves in UN Peacekeeping.
Abdul Rehman Makki Listed as Global Terrorist

The ISIL and Al Qaida Sanctions Committee of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) has placed Abdul
Rehman Makki on its sanctions list.
 Makki was a fundraiser and key planner of the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-
Taiba (LeT).
 India and the US had jointly proposed in June, 2022 to list Makki as a global terrorist under
UNSC 1267 Committee.
First IAF Woman Fighter Pilot To Participate In Aerial Wargames Abroad

For the first time, an Indian Air Force (IAF) female fighter pilot, Squadron Leader Avani Chaturvedi,
participated in aerial war games which were held aboard.
 Avani Chaturvedi was also a part of the first batch of women to be commissioned as fighter
pilots in the country’s air force.

 She was part of the Indian contingent for the maiden ‘Veer Guardian 2023’ wargame joint
exercise between India and Japan. This exercise was conducted at the Hyakuri Air Base in
Japan.
First Woman Officer Deployed At Siachen

Captain Shiva Chauhan became the first woman army officer to get operationally deployed on the
Siachen Glacier.
 The Siachen glacier at a height of around 20,000 feet in the Karakoram range is known as the
highest militarised zone in the world.
 The officer was deployed at the Kumar post, located at an altitude of around 15,600 feet in
Siachen.
Important Person Place Events In News
Ajay Kumar Srivastava

Ajay Kumar Srivastava has been elevated as Managing Director and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank
with effect from January 1, 2023 from his current posting as executive director.
 Prior to taking up the new role, Srivastava was serving the city-headquartered bank as its
executive director.
Anil Kumar Lahoti

After the Union Cabinet’s appointment committee approval, the Ministry of Railways (Railway
Board) has appointed Anil Kumar Lahoti as the new Chairman & CEO with effect from January 1.
 Prior to this, Lahoti has worked as Member (Infrastructure), Railway Board.
Sundararaman Ramamurthy
India's leading stock exchnage BSE announced that it has appointed Sundararaman Ramamurthy as
the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective January 4, 2023.
 The new MD and CEO's appointment has been announced by the BSE after market regulator
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved the proposal.
Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha


Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha took over the command of the Western Air Command (WAC).
 An experienced fighter pilot Air Marshal Sinha has more than 4500 hours of flying
experience.
 Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha succeeds Air Marshal S Prabhakaran who superannuated
on 31 December 2022 after putting in more than 39 years of distinguished service in the IAF.
Surinder Chawla
Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) on Sunday received approval from the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) for the appointment of veteran banker Surinder Chawla as its new Managing Director (MD) and
Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
 The term for the appointment is three years.
A.C. Charania
NASA has named Indian-American aerospace industry expert A.C. Charania as its new chief
technologist to serve as principal advisor on technology policy and programs at the agency's
headquarters in Washington.
 He replaces another Indian-American scientist Bhavya Lal, who served as acting chief
technologist prior to the former's appointment.
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber has been appointed as COP 28 President.
 He is the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of UAE.

 Al Jaber has been serving as the country's special envoy for climate change.
 Al Jaber has served as the UAE's Special Envoy for Climate Change since 2010, and has
participated at 10 previous UN COP Summits.
Pankaj Kumar Singh

The centre has appointed former director general of the Border Security Force (BSF) Pankaj Kumar
Singh as the deputy National Security Advisor (Dy NSA) in National Security Council Secretariat for a
period of two years.
 Ex-BSF DG Pankaj Kumar Singh is a 1988-batch IPS Officer of the Rajasthan cadre.
Vikram Dev Dutt


The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Vikram Dev Dutt as
the next Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
 Dutt will take over the charge as the DGCA chief on February 28 after the superannuation of
Arun Kumar, the incumbent DGCA chief.
 Notably, Dutt was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India Ltd last
year.
Shamalbhai B Patel
Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) that markets milk and dairy products
under the Amul brand has announced the appointment of Shamalbhai B Patel as its chairman and
Valamjibhai Humbal as vice chairman.
 GCMMF is made up of 18 member unions covering 33 districts.

 Shamalbhai B Patel is the chairman of Sabarkantha District Cooperative Milk Producers
Union Ltd., Sabar dairy and associated with dairy cooperatives of Gujarat since last 33 years.
Captain Surbhi Jakhmola

Captain Surbhi Jakhmola of the Indian Army's 117 Engineer Regiment will be the first woman officer
to be posted on a foreign assignment at the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
 The officer will be sent to Bhutan as part of Project Dantak.

 The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is an executive road construction force in India that
supports the Indian armed forces
“VIRAASAT”- CELEBRATING 75 HANDWOVEN SARIS OF INDIA

The Ministry of Textiles is organizing the festival second phase of the Sari Festival “VIRAASAT”
• A social media campaign has been launched under the common hashtag #MySariMyPride to
support our handloom weavers. Coinciding with the 75 years of Independence, “Azadi ka
Amrit Mahotsav” there will be an exhibition-cum-sale of Handloom Saris by 75 handloom
weavers.
A series of activities are planned for the visiting public such as:
 Viraasat-Celebrating the heritage: Curated display of handloom saris.

 Viraasat-Ek Dharohar: Direct retail of saris by weavers
 Viraasat Ke Dhage: Live loom demonstration
 Viraasat–kal se kal tak : Workshops and talks on sari and sustainability
 Viraasat–Nritya Sanskriti: Famous Folk dances of Indian culture

PARASNATH HILL AND SHETRUNJAY HILL

Members of the Jain community have been staging protests across the country for the past two
weeks over demands related to two holy sites — Sammed Shikhar on Parasnath hill in Jharkhand and
Shetrunjay hill in Palitana of Gujarat.
• For Sammed Shikharji Temple it is believed that 20 out of 24 Tirthankars (Jain spiritual
leaders) attained salvation at Sammed Shikharji.
• Sammed Shikharji, located on the Parasnath Hills in the Giridih district of Jharkhand, is the
biggest pilgrimage of the Jain community.
• Shetrunjay hill is situated on the banks of the Shetrunji river around 164 feet above sea
level, near Palitana city and are home to 865 Jain temples and a holy place for Shwetambara
Jains.
• In Jharkhand, the issue is about Parasnath hill being declared a tourist spot and an eco-sensit
ive zone, neither the Centre nor the state consulted the main stakeholders.
SAGOL KANGJEI
Home Minister inaugurated a 122-foot-tall statue of a polo player astride a Manipur Pony in Imphal.
• Modern polo is said to have originated from Sagol Kangjei, a sport indigenous to Manipur, in
which players ride horses, specifically the Manipur Ponies, which are referenced in records
dating back to the 14th century.
• Marjing is considered the God of polo and features a pony as his carrier.
• The Lai-Haraoba festival of the state depicts the life and times of Khori-phaba, the polo-
playing god of sports.
PURPLE FEST
The first-of-its-kind inclusive festival in India, ‘Purple Fest: Celebrating Diversity’ in Goa.
• It is first of its kind inclusive festival in India that embraces, expresses and celebrates persons
with disabilities.
• In recent days, purple colour has been associated with disability and denotes the
contribution of a wider community of disabled people workforce.
E-SCR PROJECT
Electronic Supreme Court Reports (e-SCR) project has been launched to provide the digital version of
the SC’s judgements in the manner as they are reported in the official law report ‘Supreme Court
Reports’
• The report aims to provide the entire judgement of SC (from inception in 1950 to date)

• The eCourts Mission Mode Project is a national eGovernance project for Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) enablement of district & subordinate courts of the
country.
KALASA-BANDURI CANAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Recently centre has given approval for the implementation of this project by the Karnataka
government.
• The project will divert water from two tributaries of the Mahadayi River (Mandovi River)-
Kalasa and Banduri to the Malaprabha river.
• The project aims to improve the drinking water supply to four drought-hit districts in
Karnataka-- Belagavi, Bagalkot, Dharwad and Gadag.
• However, the Goa government has been opposing the project.
• The Mahadayi/Mandovi River is described as the lifeline of the Indian state of Goa.
• The Mandovi and the Zuari are the two primary rivers in the state of Goa.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023

The 17th edition of the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ (PBD) convention was held in Madhya Pradesh’s
Indore city.
• The 17th PBD Convention is being organised as a “physical event” after a gap of four years
and the first after the onset of the Covid- 19 pandemic.
• Theme of this year’s PBD is ‘Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal’.
HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCING AGENCY (HEFA)

HEFA has fallen short of the government’s target of mobilizing Rs 1 Lakh crore by 2022
• HEFA was set up by the Centre in 2017 to upgrade the education infrastructure in the higher
education institutions under the Government of India.
• HEFA, which was set up as a non-profit Non-Banking Financing Company (NBFC), is a joint
venture between the Union Ministry of Education and the Canara Bank to finance
infrastructure development in educational institut ions through long-term loans.
• While the premium is paid by the institute, interest is paid by the government.
EAT RIGHT STATION

Indian Railways’ Varanasi Cantt Railway Station has been awarded a 5- star ‘Eat Right Station’
certification for providing high-quality, nutritious food to passengers.
• The ‘Eat Right Station’ certification is awarded by FSSAI to railway stations that set
benchmarks in providing safe and wholesome food to passengers.

• The apex food regulatory body comes under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
KANGLA NONGPOK THONG

The Prime Minister has congratulated the people of Manipur on opening of Kangla Nongpok Thong
in the state. The development came after Union home minister opened the eastern gate of the fort.
• The Nongpok Thong was dismantled by the British after the 1891 Anglo-Manipur War.
• The opening of Kangla Nongpok Thong has a very important cultural significance.
• The Eastern Gate of Kangla is considered to be the pathway to peace, prosperity and
happiness for the people of Manipur.
OTTAN THULLAL- A SATIRICAL ART FORM

Ottan Thullal is a recite-and-dance art form of Kerala, India. It was introduced in the eighteenth
century by Kunchan Nambiar, one of the Prachina Kavithrayam
• Seen at temple festivals and cultural programmes, these performances use elaborate
expressions and stories recited in verses to bring important mythological tales and stories to
life.
PARSHURAM KUND FESTIVAL

The Prime Minister has shared glimpses of Parshuram Kund Festival in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Parshuram Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage on the Brahmaputra plateau in the lower reaches of
the Lohit River dedicated to sage Parshuram
• The project “Development of Parasuram Kund, Lohit District Arunachal Pradesh” was
approved by the Ministry of Tourism in January 2021.
• The project is sanctioned under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation al, Heritage and
SpirituAugmentation Drive’(PRASHAD) Scheme of Ministry of Tourism.
MUSIC IN THE PARK’ SERIES UNDER “SHRUTI AMRUT”

SPIC MACAY organizes its very popular ‘Music in the Park’ series this year under the name “Shruti
Amrut” in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the New Delhi Municipal Council.
• SPIC MACAY- The Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture amongst youth
is a voluntary youth movement that promotes the tangible & intangible aspects of Indian &
world heritage.
THIRUVALLUVAR DAY

The Prime Minister, has paid homage to Thiruvalluvar on Thiruvalluvar Day and recalled his noble
thoughts. He also urged the youth to read the Kural.
• Thiruvalluvar, also called Valluvar, was a Tamil poet-saint.

• He contributed the Tirukkural or ‘Kural’ to the Sangam literature.
• Tirukkural is comprised of 133 sections of 10 couplets each divided into three books: Aram
(virtue), Porul (government and society), and Kamam (love).
Amrit Udyan
The iconic Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan were renamed to ‘Amrit Udyan’.
• The cluster of about 15 gardens will collectively be known as Amrit Udyan.

• Individual gardens within the sprawling Presidential Estate — Herbal Garden, Musical
Garden and Spiritual Garden — will retain their names.
• Edwin Lutyens had finalised the designs of the Mughal Gardens in 1917, but it was only
during the year 1928- 1929 that plantings were done.
• Director of horticulture William Mustoe, who planted the garden, was especially skilled at
growing roses and is said to have introduced more than 250 different varieties of hybrid
roses gathered from every corner of the world.
• Mughal canals, terraces and flowering shrubs are beautifully blended with European
flowerbeds, lawns and private hedges.
Ramcharitmanas
Ramcharitmanas an epic poem written by Goswami Tulsidas was at the centre of a controversy,
when Bihar’s Education Minister claimed that Ramcharitmanas spreads hatred in society.
• The Ramcharitmanas is based on the Ramayana, sage Valmiki’s great epic.

• The poem was written in the 16th century in the Awadhi dialect that is mainly spoken in the
areas that are today’s Lucknow, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya districts.
• It is the holiest book of the Indo-Gangetic region, and among the world’s most read holy
books. By an estimate, Geeta Press (Gorakhpur) has sold almost 7 crore copies.
Savitribai Phule birth anniversary

Recently, 192nd birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule, was celebrated. A pioneer who challenged
oppressive social norms for women’s education, equality and justice, Savitribai Phule is formally
recognised as India’s first woman teacher.
• Married off at the age of 10, her husband Jyotirao Phule is said to have educated her at
home. Later, Jyotirao admitted Savitribai to a teachers’ training institution in Pune.
• At a time when it was considered unacceptable for women to even attain education, the
couple went on to open a school for girls in Bhidewada, Pune, in 1848. This became the
country’s first girls’ school.

• Savitribai Phule also advocated inter-caste marriages, widow remarriage, and eradication of
child marriage, sati and dowry systems, among other social issues.
• In 1873, the Phules set up the Satyashodhak Samaj (‘Truth-seekers’ society’), a platform
open to all, irrespective of their caste, religion or class hierarchies, with the sole aim of
bringing social equity.
• Savitribai Phule published her first collection of poems, called Kavya Phule (‘Poetry’s
Blossoms’), at the age of 23 in 1854.
• She published Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (‘The Ocean of Pure Gems’), in 1892.
Bhoj Wetland
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Madhya
Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) to periodically monitor the activities of a cruise vessel
polluting the Bhoj wetland.
• It consists of two contiguous human-made reservoirs, the upper and lower lakes located in
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• The lakes are very rich in biodiversity, particularly for macrophytes, phytoplankton and
zooplankton.
• It was designated as the Ramsar site in 2002.
Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project

The Central government approved an investment of Rs 2,614 crore for 382 MW for Sunni Dam Hydro
Electric Project in Himachal Pradesh.
• It is a run of the river type development proposes to harness the hydel potential of river
Satluj.
• It will be governed by Indus water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960 as the
project lies in Satluj basin (part of Indus basin)
• The objective behind generating hydroelectric power resources is to produce as much
energy as possible, with minimum cost and fewer negative impacts on the environment.
Joshimath
Due to land subsidence, roads and over 560 houses in Joshimath developed cracks.
• The town fall in high-risk seismic Zone-V of the Chamoli district, Uttrakhand.
• It is traversed by running streams with a high gradient from Vishnuprayag, a confluence of
the Dhauliganga and the Alaknanda rivers.
• It is a gateway to several Himalayan Mountain climbing expeditions, trekking trails (Auli,
Valley of Flowers) and pilgrim centres like Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib.

Kotia
Odisha government has mooted a proposal allowing officers above joint secretaries to reach Kotia,
using flight service to review progress on developmental activities.
• It is a territory claimed by both Odisha and Andha Pradesh.

• The area is reported to be rich in mineral wealth.
International flower show

A profusion of flowers might change the destiny of Wayanad, Kerala's most backward district,
infamous for drought and farmer suicides.
• All arrangements are in place for the seventh edition of 'Poopoli,' an international flower
show and agri fest jointly organized by the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) and the
Department of Agriculture Development and Farmers' Welfare at Ambalavayal in Wayanad
from January 1 to 15.
• The festival takes place on 12 sprawling acres with a profusion of flo wers, water ponds, and
amusement options.
International Year of Millets

The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets after proposed by the
Prime Minister of India, which also accounts for a fifth of the world's millets production.
• In India, millets are primarily a Kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than
other similar staples.
• PM Narendra Modi has also shared his vision to make IYM 2023 a 'People's Movement'
alongside positioning India as the 'Global Hub for Millets.'
• Next in the series, before the yearlong celebration o f 'International Year of Millets (IYM)
2023', the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare hosted a special 'Millet Luncheon'
for the Members of the Parliament at the Parliament house.
• The states will conduct milletcentric activities, including mahotsavs/ melas and food
festivals, training of farmers, awareness campaigns, workshops/ seminars, placement of
hoardings, and distribution of promotional material at critical locations in the state, etc.
Ganga Vilas
The world’s longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas was flagged off by the Prime Minister.
• While it will be managed by private operators, the Inland Waterways Authority of India
(IWAI), under the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways (MoPSW), has supported the
project.

• Besides connecting National Waterway 1 (NW-1) and NW-2, while crossing 27 river systems
and several states, it will end its journey at Dibrugarh in Assam
• The voyage is packed with visits to 50 tourist spots, including World Heritage spots, national
parks, river ghats, and major cities like Patna, Sahibganj, Kolkata, Guwahati and Dhaka
(Bangladesh).
Water Vision @ 2047

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed the 1st All India Annual State Ministers'
Conference on Water.
• Water Vision @ 2047 is an essential dimension of the journey of Amrit Kaal for the next 25
years, and when the public is associated with a campaign, they also get to know the
seriousness of work.
• The theme of the conference is 'Water Vision @ 2047'. The forum aims to bring together
critical policymakers to discuss ways to harness water resources for sustainable and human
development.
National Genome Editing & Training Centre

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurates National Genome Editing & Training Centre (NGETC) at
Mohali, Punjab Why in the news: The genome editing and training center is expected to empower re
searchers by providing them training and guidance about its knowhow and application in crops.
• The Minister also inaugurated a 4 day International Conference on Food and Nutritional
Security 2023: iFANS.
• The 4 day conference will brainstorm how genome editing could enhance the country's food
and nutri tional security in changing climate.
• iFANS2023 was jointly organized by the National Agri Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI),
Centre for Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (CIAB), National Institute of Plant
Biotechnology (NIPB), and International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
(ICGEB) at NABI, Mohali.
Startup India Innovation Week

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry o f Commerce and
Industry is organizing Startup India Innovation Week from January 10, 2023, to January 16, 2023, to
celebrate the Indian Startup Ecosystem as well as National Startup Day (January 16, 2023).
• The events include dedicated workshops for women entrepreneurs, training of incubators,
mentorship workshops, stakeholder round tables, conferences, capacity building workshops,
and startup pitching sessions, amongst others.

26th National Youth Festival

The program is being held on National Youth Day, which is celebrated on the birth anniversary of
Swami Vivekanand, to honor and cherish his ideals, teachings and contributions.
• The National Youth Festival is held annually to expose our talented youth at the national
level, galvanizing them towards nation building.
• This year, the Festival is being held in Hubballi Dharwad in Karnataka from the 12th to the
16th of January, with the theme being "Viksit Yuva Viksit Bharat."
National Science Day

National Science Day is celebrated every year on February 28 to commemorate the discovery of the
'Raman Effect' by Indian physicist Sir C. V. Raman on February 28, 1928.
• Union minister Jitendra Singh released the "National Science Day 2023" theme, "Global
Science for Global Wellbeing."
Bio Energy Summit

The Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep S. Puri, addressed the 11th edition of
the Confederation of Indian Industry's flagship event, the Bio Energy Summit.
• The summit's theme is 'Energy Transition Solution for a Susta inable Tomorrow.'
National Centre for Drinking Water, Sanitation and Quality

The National Centre for Drinking Water, Sanitation and Quality in Kolkata has been renamed as Dr.
Syama Prasad Mookerjee Nationa l Institution of Water and Sanitation
School of Logistics, Waterways and Communication

Union Minister Sonowal and Tripura CM inaugurate School of Logistics, Waterways and
Communication in Agaetala.
• This new institution aims to provide world class education and training to the region's
talented individuals, allowing them to excel in the transportation and logistics industry.
• To unlock the promised economic potential of the Northeast, the School of Logistics,
Waterways, and Communication inaugurated in Agartala will enable the innate capacity of
human resources along our abundant waterways.
India’s First Centre of Excellence in Online Gaming


India’s First Centre of Excellence in Online Gaming to be set up in Shillong
• Digital India Startup Hub shall set up India's first Centre of Excellence in Online Gaming at
Shillong through the Software Technology Parks of India by March 2023
Vidisha
• Vidisha, an aspirational district of Madhya Pradesh, became the first district in India for the
onground deployment of innovative 5G use cases offered by a joint initiative by Vidisha
District Administration and Centre for Development of Telematics (C DOT), Department of
Telecommunications (DoT) under the guidance of Additional Secretary (Telecom) &
Administrator USOF.
Kollam
Kollam is India’s first Constitution literate district
• As part of the Constitution Literacy campaign, around 16.3 lakh people in the district above
ten have been educated on various aspects of the Constitution.
India's Republic Day celebrations

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah ElSisi to be Chief Guest at India's Republic Day celebrations on 26th
January
• India and Egypt are celebrating 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations this year.
• A military contingent from the Egyptian Army will also participate in the Republic Day
parade.

Awards Reports & Rankings in News
The Global Risks Report 2023

The report, published ahead of the Davos summit for the last 17 years, factors the views of 1,200
figures across the private and public sectors.
 It examines risks across five categories: economic, environmental, geopolitical, societal, and
technological.
 This year's edition said that Russia's war in Ukraine and the Covid 19 pandemic had
propelled the energy crisis, food scarcity, and inflation as the most pressing global issues.
 The World Economic Forum Davos summit begins on January 16 with the tagline
"cooperation in a fragmen ted world."
Bengaluru top city on startup funding in 2022: Report

There were 22 unicorns in 2022, compared to 46 in 2021, and average funding before the unicorn
round was around $160 million.
 According to Tracxn, Bengaluru topped the startup funding chart in India with $10.8 billion in
2022, followed by Mumbai at $3.9 billion and Gurugram at a distant $2.6 billion.
Voice of Global South Summit

India hosted the Voice of Global South Summit in virtual mode. It was inaugurated by PM Modi
 Its Theme is “Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose”.

 It is an effort to give “voice to the unheard”, and thereby leverage India’s role as the current
G20 president.
 The initiative is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka
Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayaas, and is underpinned by India’s philosophy of
“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.
 Underlining that the world is in a state of crisis, PM Modi told leaders of developing
countries that “your voice is India’s voice” and “your priorities are India’s priorities”.
 PM Modi gave the mantra of ‘Respond, Recognize, Respect & Reform’ to re-energise the
world.
Global South
The term ‘Global South’ began by loosely referring to those countries that were left out of the
industrialisation era.

• These countries had a conflict of ideology with the capitalist and communist countries,
accentuated by the Cold War. It includes countries that are in Asia, Africa and South
America.
Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion

The first G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) meeting, under G20 India Presidency
was held in Kolkata.
• The meeting focused on topics like digital financial inclusion, reducing remittance costs, and
finance for the SME sector.
• GPFI is an inclusive platform for all G20 countries, interested non-G20 countries and relevant
stakeholders to carry forward work on financial inclusion.
• It also works towards implementation of the G20 Financial Inclusion Action Plan, endorsed
at the G20 Summit in Seoul.
‘G20 Digital Innovation Alliance’ and ‘Stay Safe Online’ campaign

G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (DIA) and ‘Stay Safe Online’ campaign was launched by the Indian
government.
 The DIA and Stay Safe Online campaigns foster the vision of greater digital transformation by
ensuring an innovative and secure cyber environment.
 The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is the nodal Ministry behind
the G20 ‘Digital Economy Working Group’ (DEWG).
Rural Health Statistics Report 2021-22

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), has published the Rural Health Statistics Report
2021-22.
Key Highlights of the 2021-22 Report
 Rural Health Centers – As per norms, each sub center (SC) is supposed to cater to a
population of 3,000-5,000, each Primary Health Centers (PHC) to a population of 20,000-
30,000 and each Community Health Centers (CHC) to a population of 80,000-1,20,000.
 Urban Health Statistics – There is a vacancy of 18.8% of doctors, 16.8% of pharmacists,
16.8% of lab technicians and 19.1% of staff nurses at the U-PHCs (Urban PHCs).
 There has been an over 50% rise in the number of allopathy doctors in primary health
centers since the launch of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005.
 India is reeling under an acute shortage of specialist doctors, with a shortfall of nearly 80%
of the required specialists at CHCs.
ASER 2022

After two years of a Covid-19-induced school shutdown, the recently released 17th Annual Status of
Education Report (ASER) for 2022 contains both good (high enrolment) and bad news (drop in
learning levels).
Findings of ASER 2022 Report
 School enrolment touched a record high: As the pandemic subsided, school enrolment
touched 98.4% in 2022 up from 97.2% in 2018, when the last full pre-pandemic survey was
conducted.
 The proportion of girls not enrolled has also reduced: For girls aged 11-14, this share
dropped from 4.1% in 2018 to 2% in 2022 (which stood at 10.3% in 2006).
 The proportion of 15-16-year-old girls not enrolled has continued to drop, standing at 7.9%
in 2022.
 Between 2014 and 2018, learning levels in terms of foundational skills in reading and
arithmetic had been rising gradually.
 However, the basic reading ability of children in Class 3 dipped by 6.8% points to 20.4% and
the proportion of children in Class 3 who could do at least subtraction fell to 25.9%.
 Clearly, the pandemic has resulted in learning loss. However, the loss is much greater in
reading as compared to arithmetic.
Cancer in India
According to the American Cancer Society, cancer deaths have decreased by 33% since 1991,
resulting in 3.8 million fewer deaths in the United States.
 This success is primarily due to earlier detection, lower smoking rates, and advancements in
cancer treatment.
 Even with advancements in treatment, this trend has yet to be reflected in India, where
cancer incidence and mortality continue to rise.
Henley Passport Index

According to Henley Passport Index, Japanese passport holders can visit 193 of 227 destinations
visafree.
 An Indian passport holder, on the other hand, can visit 59 destinations without a visa.
 According to Henley Passport Index 2023, the Japanese passport is the most powerful
among all passports in the World (for the fifth time), as it allows visa free access to as many
as 193 countries.
 Conversely, India improved its position by two spots from currently ranked 85th on the
index.
 Japan is followed by Singapore and South Korea on the list of the World's most powerful
passports for 2023.

List of the top performing global airports of 2022

The travel and aviation sector returned to normalcy last year after the restrictions and regulations
imposed due to the COVID 19 outbreak eased.
 Tracking the performance of airports and airlines, Cirium issued a list of the top performing
global airports of 2022, in which Bangalore's Kempegowda International Airport won the
2nd rank.
 In contrast, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport acquired the 7th spot. 2
The top 3 airports, according to Cirium, are:
 Haneda Airport (Tokyo, Japan)

 Kempegowda International Airport (Bangalore, India)
 Salt Lake City International Airport (Utah, US)
Global 500
According to a report published by Brand Finance, Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio is the
strongest brand in India and ranked ninth among the world's strongest brands.
 The report titled 'Global 500 2023' is published annually and ranks the world's most valuable
and strongest brands.
 With a Brand Strength Index of 90.2, Jio is the only brand among the world's strongest 25
brands.
2023 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

SS Rajamouli’s RRR wins Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu Composer MM Keeravani, along with
singers Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj, has won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, for the
track “Naatu Naatu,” which became an anthem of sorts for fans of director SS Rajamouli’s RRR.
 The historical epic has also been nominated in the Best Non-English Language Film category
at the 80th Golden Globes.
World Habitat Awards 2023

Under the leadership of CM Naveen Patnaik, Odisha has won the World's Habitat award for its Jaga
Mission which aims to upgrade slums in the state.
 The Government of Odisha has set itself the ambitious target of becoming the first slum free
state in India.

'Best Sustainable Greenfield Airport'

New Goa Manohar International Airport wins best sustainable greenfield airport award
 The award was presented for initiatives" taken by GGIAL in implementing sustainability as
one of the core concepts.
 GMR Goa International Airport (GGIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports Infrastructure, has won
the 'Best Sustainable Greenfield Airport' award under aviation sustainability and
environment at ASSOCHAM's 14th International ConferencecumThe forum r Awards for Civil
Aviation 2023.
Aska police station awarded as number 1 in the country

The award was given during the DGsP/IGsP Conference 2022, which began in New Delhi.
 Union Home Minister Amit Shah awarded the Aska Police Station of Ganjam, district of
Odisha, as the number one police station in the country

Sports & Books in News
Dexa
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on January 1st that the Dexa bone density
test will be mandatory for Indian players to be selected for the national team. Dexa, also known as
the bone density test, is an X-ray technology that measures bone strength.
 It can help identify if a person has a risk of breaking or losing bones, and can be used to
determine if a player is at risk of fracturing any body parts.
 Dexa can also measure body composition and record body fat and muscle mass.
 The strict measures implemented by the BCCI to ensure player fitness before selection come
as a response to the team’s injury crisis over the past year.
 DEXA, or dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, is a method of determining bone mineral density
using spectral imaging.
Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium

Recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the world’s largest dedicated hockey stadium
in Rourkela, Odisha.
 The BMHS will host 20 of the 44 matches of the Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup, which is set to
begin on January 13. The remaining matches will be held at the Kalinga Stadium in
Bhubaneswar.
India’s Pranesh M Becomes Youngest Grandmaster at 16

India has gained its 79th Grandmaster with the title being awarded to 16-year-old Pranesh M from
Tamil Nadu.
 Pranesh finished in first place, while his compatriot and fellow Grandmaster, R Raja Rithvik,
finished in eighth place with six points.
Sania Mirza to Retire from Professional Tennis

India’s former doubles World No. 1 champion, Sania Mirza, has announced that she will retire from
professional tennis in February at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai.
 The 36-year-old has had a successful career, winning six Grand Slam doubles titles and
becoming the first Indian to win a WTA singles title when she won the Hyderabad event in
2005.

FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023

The 15th edition of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup is set to begin on January 13th in India.
 The tournament, which is held every four years, will feature 16 teams from around the
world competing for the coveted title.
 India, who is the host nation, will be looking to secure a podium finish after a 48-year hiatus.
 The tournament has a rich history, with Pakistan being the most successful team with four
titles, followed by Netherlands and Australia with three titles each, and Germany with two
titles.
India Create World Record

The Indian cricket team achieved a historic victory over Sri Lanka in the third and final match of the
series at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
 India defeated Sri Lanka by 317 runs, breaking New Zealand’s 15-year-old record for the
largest victory margin in ODI cricket.
 The previous record was held by New Zealand, who achieved a win of 290 runs against
Ireland in 2008.
Laxman Rawat Clinches NSCI Snooker Open Crown

Laxman Rawat of PSPB emerged victorious in the ‘Baulkline’ NSCI All India Snooker Open, beating
fellow PSPB challenger Aditya Mehta 9-6 in a best-of-17-frame final.
 This win marked Rawat’s first major title after 2-3 years and he was understandably happy
with his performance.
 The NSCI Snooker Open Crown is a snooker tournament organized by the National Sports
Club of India (NSCI). The tournament is open to players from all over India and features a
best-of-17-frame final.
Fifth Khelo India Youth Games 2022

The Government of India conducts the Khelo India Youth Games every year to hunt talents from
different parts of India.
 The 5th KIYG 2022 was held from January 30 to February 11.
 ‘Hindustan Ka Dil Dhadka Do’ – this is the heart pounding anthem of the Khelo India Youth
Games 2022.
 And cheetah Asha, who was named by PM Narendra Modi is the Games mascot.
 It is to be held in eight cities namely Maheshwar, Balaghat, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ujjain, Indore,
and Bhopal in MP

 Kayaking and Canoeing were introduced for the first time. The Government of India has
been pushing the Kayaking and Canoeing sports recently. A world-class Kayaking Canoeing
academy is being built by the union government in Tehri, Uttarakhand
 Major participants areM.P, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and UP
 From Tripura 13 athletes will participate and it is the smallest contributor
 Abhinav Shaw and Swati Chaudhary are to participate in the event. They are international
pistol shooters
 Other games to be held: Swimming, Wrestling, Boxing, Rowing, Volleyball, Canoeing, Judo,
athletics, and kayaking
Hockey World Cup 2023

 Germany beat Belgium 5-4 in the penalty shootout to win the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup
2023 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India.
ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup

India beat England in the first-ever ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup final in Potchefstroom, South
Africa.
 India U19s Women XI tem includes-- SS Sehrawat, Shafali Verma (Captain), SM Tiwari, G
Trisha, RM Ghosh, HN Basu, TR Sadhu, MS Kashyap, Archana, P Chopra, SM Yadav
 England captain and stellar all-rounder Grace Scrivens has been named Player of the
Tournament after a run of outstanding performances with bat and ball.
 Titas Sadhu of India poses after being named Player of the Match following the ICC Women’s
U19 T20 World Cup 2023 Final match.
Australian Open 2023

The 2023 Australian Open was a Grand Slam level tennis tournament held at Melbourne Park, from
16–29 January 2023.
 It was the 111th edition of the Australian Open, the 55th in the Open Era, and the first major
of the year.
Winners in all categories:
Category Winner Runner-Up

Men’s Singles N. Djokovic (Serbia) Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)
Women’s Singles A. Sabalenka (Belarus) E. Rybakina (Kazakhstan)
Men’s Doubles J. Kubler & R. Hijikata H. Nys (Monaco) & J. Zieliński
(Australia) (Poland)
Women’s Doubles B. Krejčíková & K. Siniaková S. Aoyama & E. Shibahara
(Czechia) (Japan)
Mixed Doubles L. Stefani & R. Matos (Brazil) R. Bopanna & S. Mirza (India)

India Open Badminton title

 Shuttler Kunlavut Vitidsarn from Thailand won the India Open Badminton Championship
2023 by defeating Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in the men’s singles by 22-20, 10-21 and 21-12.
BOOKS
BOOK AUTHOR
Ambedkar: A Life Shashi Tharoor
CM of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma ( Released by

Chief Minister’s Diary No.1
Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi)
K.K. Abdul Gaffar’s autobiography (released by

Njaan Sakshi’ (me as the witness)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni)
Human Anatomy Dr. Ashvini Kumar Dwivedi
Braving A Viral Storm: India’s Covid-19 Vaccine Co-authored by Aashish Chandorkar and Suraj
Story in New Delhi Sudhir
Memoir titled “Spare” Prince Harry
Irrfan Khan: A Life in Movies Shubhra Gupta
COACHING BEYOND: My Days with the Indian

R. Kaushik & R Sridhar
Cricket Team
India’s Knowledge Supremacy: The New Dawn Ashwin Fernandes

Important Days
1st January – Global Family Day

Celebrated every year on January 1, Global Family Day starts the new year with a positive message
of unity to the world.
 Global Family Day One Day of Peace and Sharing, is celebrated every 1st January in the
United States as a global day of peace and sharing.
 Global Family Day grew out of the United Nations Millennium celebration, “One Day In
Peace”.
4th January – World Braille Day

International World Braille Day is celebrated yearly in recognition of the birth of Louis Braille, born
on January 4th, 1809.
 Braille’s gift to the world has brightened the lives of millions of people around the world
who are blind or visually impaired, and they benefit from his work every day.
5th January – Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti

Sikhs commemorate Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti as a holiday.
 The tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, is remembered on this day.
 At places of worship known as Gurudwaras, special prayer gatherings are held on this day.
6th January – World Day of War Orphans

The World Day of War Orphans is observed on January 6 every year.
 The day aims to raise awareness about children who have been orphaned due to wars.
 The objective of the day ensures to voice out the predicament of war orphans and highlight
the emotional, social, and physical challenges children face while growing up.
7th January – Mahayana New Year

Mahayana New Year is celebrated this year on January 7 by Buddhists around the world.
 The term Mahayana encompasses Buddhist ideologies and philosophies.

 Mahayana is one of the two main branches of Buddhism and is mostly practiced in
Northeast Asia — China, Japan, Tibet, Taiwan, Mongolia, and Korea.

 Each region has its own customs and traditions for practicing Mahayana Buddhism.
9th January – Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or NRI (Non-Resident Indian) Day

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a celebratory day observed on 9 January by the Republic of India to mark
the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India.
 The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai on 9
January 1915.
 To remember the favors and contributions made by Non-Resident Indians to the welfare and
development of the nation.
10th January – World Hindi Day

January 10th marks the first World Hindi Conference that took place in 1975, in Nagpur,
Maharashtra.
 In 2006 122 delegates from 30 countries attended, and then Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh declared January 10 as World Hindi Day.
 An objective of the occasion is to present Hindi as an international language.
11th January – Death anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri

He was the second Prime Minister of Independent India.
 He popularised the slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’

 He actively participated in India’s freedom struggle. Due to cardiac arrest, he died on 11
January 1966.
11th to 17th January – National Road Safety Week

Road Safety Week is celebrated from January 11 to January 17 every year.
 Organized by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, it intends to spread awareness
of the importance of road safety, which is a major health concern for authorities and the
government.
12th January – National Youth Day

National Youth Day 2023: It is celebrated on 12 January and is also known as Rashtriya Yuva Diwas.
 The day is observed to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, one of
the greatest philosophers and spiritual leaders.

13th January – Lohri

Lohri is a popular winter Punjabi folk festival celebrated primarily in Northern India.
 The significance and legends about the Lohri festival are many and these link the festival to
the Punjab region.
 It is believed by many that the festival marks the passing of the winter solstice.
14th January – Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti is a Hindu observance
and festival.
 Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the
Sun from the zodiac of Sagittarius to Capricorn.
 To mark the first day of the sun’s transit into Makara rashi.
15th January – Indian Army Day

Indian Army Day is been celebrated annually at all headquarters of the Army Command to honor the
Indian soldiers.
 These brave men set the most outstanding example of selfless service and brotherhood, and
above all, undying love for their country. Indian Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every
year.
 The Indian Army is one of the most powerful troops in the world, competing with
superpowers such as the United States, Russia, and China.
15th January – World Religion Day

World Religion Day or International Religion Day is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of
January.
 This year World Religion Day will be celebrated on January 15.

 On this day, people from all walks of life gather to celebrate and honor the common ground
shared by the world’s many religions.
15th to 18th January – Pongal

Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil community.
 It is a celebration to thank the Sun, Mother Nature and the various farm animals that help to
contribute to a bountiful harvest.

 Celebrated over four days, Pongal also marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai,
which is considered an auspicious month. It usually falls on the 15th to 18th of January each
year.
23rd January – Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti

Netaji Jayanti or Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti, officially known as Parakram Diwas or
Parakram Divas, is a national event celebrated in India to mark the birthday of the prominent Indian
freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
 It is celebrated annually on 23 January.
24th January – National Girl Child Day

India is celebrating National Girl Child Day on Tuesday (January 24).
 It is an initiative undertaken by the ministry of women and child development with the
objective to provide support and opportunities to the girls of India.
 It was initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the
government of India, to spread public awareness about inequities that girls face in Indian
society.
24th January – International Day of Education

International Day of Education is celebrated on 24 January to raise awareness about the importance,
the role of education for peace and development.
 If a country wants to achieve gender equality, and break the cycle of poverty, it is possible
with inclusive, equitable quality education, and lifelong opportunities for all.
25th January – National Voters Day

In order to encourage more young voters to take part in the political process, the Government of
India has decided to celebrate January 25 every year as “National Voters’ Day”.
 It has been started on 25 January 2011 to mark Commission’s foundation day.
25th January – National Tourism Day

India’s National Tourism Day is celebrated on January 25.
 It was established by the Indian government to raise awareness of the importance of

tourism for the country’s economy.

 National policies for the promotion and development of tourism are designed and carried
out by the Ministry of Tourism.
26th January – Republic Day

On this day, on 26th January 1949, the Constitution of India was made and adopted by the Indian
Constituent Assembly.
 This is one of the most important days in January as it is also a gazetted holiday.
 This replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India, thus
turning the nation into a republic separate from British Raj.
26th January – International Customs Day

International Customs Day (ICD) is observed on 26 January every year.
 The day is celebrated to recognize the role of customs officials and agencies and focus on
the working conditions and challenges that customs officers face in their jobs.
 This year, the theme chosen by WCO for ICD is ‘Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by
Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem’.
27th January – International Holocaust Remembrance Day

International Holocaust Remembrance Day was established by the United Nations in 2005 as an
international day of commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
 The United Nations designated 27 January (the liberation of Auschwitz) as International

Holocaust Remembrance Day.
28th January – Birth Anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai

A powerful orator, historian and religious reformer, Lala Lajpat Rai had played a pivotal role in India’s
independence movement.
 Lala Lajpat Rai aka Punjab Kesari was born on January 28th in 1865. He was a prominent
nationalist leader who played an important role in India’s struggle for freedom.
 He also earned the title of ‘Punjab Kesari’ or ‘the Lion of the Punjab’. He initiated the
foundation of the Punjab National Bank.
28th January – Data Privacy Day

Data Privacy Day is an international event that occurs every year on 28 January.

 The purpose of Data Privacy Day is to raise awareness and promote privacy and data
protection best practices.
 It is currently observed in the United States, Canada, Nigeria, Israel and 47 European
countries.
29th January – World Leprosy Day

World Leprosy Day is a celebration of the leprosy community and an opportunity to raise public
awareness of leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease.
 On the last Sunday of January*, the international community advocates for the rights of
people affected by leprosy and joins to combat the medical and social implications of
leprosy.
 World Leprosy Day is celebrated on 29 January 2023.
30th January – Shaheed Diwas

The assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948, and the death of
three heroes Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on 23rd March were prompted by a nationwide
outburst of mourning that was unsurpassed.
 The very worst days in the chronology of India’s battle for independence occurred on this
day.

Uttar Pradesh Special News Section
Agriculture Survey in Uttar Pradesh

Agriculture survey will be done in the state on the lines of Karnataka. Till now, based on estimates in
the state, the data related to the area of Rabi, Kharif and Zaid cultivation, production and loss due to
natural calamity was collected.
 After one year it will be clear that which farmer of which district has how much farming. In
rabi, kharif and Zaid, in how much area did he sow and how much. How much was produced.
All these will now get accurate statistics. They will also be digitized.
 It is known that till now the agriculture and revenue department collects data on the
agriculture and agriculture of the state based on estimates at the district level.
 He said that preparations are being made for satellite mapping in the agricultural sector in
the state.
Country’s First Ropeway in Varanasi

Tourists coming from all over the world in Banaras will now get the facility of ropeway for the
journey from the crowded cantt station to Godaulia, for which a budget of Rs 200 crore has been
approved to implement the country's first public transport ropeway on the ground.
 Stations and 30 towers are to be built at Cantonment, Bharat Mata Temple, Besant
Theosophical Society Rath Yatra, Church and Godaulia intersection.
The National Mobile Monitoring System App

Arrangements are now being made to ensure 100 percent attendance through the National Mobile
Monitoring System App for transparency in MNREGA works in the state.
 The Rural Development Department is making arrangements to ensure 100 percent

attendance through the National Mobile Monitoring System App (NMMS) to bring
transparency in MGNREGA works.
 From this year, 100 percent attendance of MGNREGA workers will be available through this
app.
 It is in accordance to the guidelines of the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of
India.
New rules for opening of Private Schools

Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education has made it mandatory to have 3000 square meters of
land for opening private schools in urban areas, which was earlier 650 square meters.

 Similarly, 6000 square meters of land will be mandatory in rural areas, which was earlier
2000 square meters.
 Apart from this, the heritage amount has also been increased manifold. It has also been
made necessary to have smart class, computer class and various resources.
 These changes i.e. minimum standards are being set for quality education under
the National Education Policy-2020.
Chief Minister launched the new website of UPPSC

On January 3, 2023, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the new website
of UPPSC in Lucknow . The new website will be useful for the youth and there will be better
coordination between the government and the commission.
 The Commission has introduced a system of One Time Registration (OTR), under which the
details recorded in the OTR will be available in digital form from anywhere.
 Apart from this, registration will have to be done only once to apply under different
notifications of government jobs and the information recorded in OTR will be digitally
verified from the recruitment institutions, which will facilitate the candidates.
Self-sustainable model for cow shelter

On January 4, 2023, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the presentation
regarding the large cow shelter in Lucknow and told that there is a need to build an economy for
running cow shelters, for which a self-sustainable model will be created.
 Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that cow shelters should be constructed on PPP mode
and at the same time they should be connected with natural farming, cow dung paint, CNG
and CBG.
 This will make cow shelters financially strong and will be able to bear the expenses incurred
on the maintenance and rearing of cows themselves.
 Destitute cow shelters, participation schemes and one cow scheme for malnourished
families run by the state government are very effective in cow protection.
Car Safety Model

On January 5, 2023, Dakshayani Pandey (17 years), daughter of a poor farmer in Mau district of Uttar
Pradesh, was selected on the basis of her car safety model with a 100% scholarship at Stanford
University in California, USA. She is currently studying in class 12.
 Dakshayani Pandey will leave for the US in September 2023 for bio-engineering and
entrepreneurship on a scholarship.
 They have created a safety setup for 'Mission Protector' cars.
 The specialty of the mission protector is that as soon as the amount of carbon dioxide in the
car increases, it will immediately alert and automatically the glass of the car will go down.

 Dakshayani first showcased her model at the India at 75 National Ideathan-2021 held at IIT
Delhi, in which her model stood first. She will patent her 'Mission Protector'.
First plant to make coal from waste

The first plant to make coal from waste is under construction at Ramna in Banaras.
 After the start of the plant at Ramna in Banaras, 200 tonnes of coal will be produced
from 600 tonnes of waste per day.
 This will be the first plant in the country to make coal from waste, which is being
constructed by NTPC.
 Its successful test was done in October 2022.
Uttar Pradesh Day Grand Events

On January 6, 2023, Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra issued guidelines
regarding grand events to be organized in all districts of the state including Lucknow from January
24 to 26 on the occasion of Uttar Pradesh Day.
 The state-level function will be held at Avash Shilp Gram in Lucknow.

 On the occasion of Uttar Pradesh Day, khadi and village industries, MSMEs and self-help
groups will set up ODOP stalls and sell and promote products.
Subsidy for Web series

On January 5, 2023, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in a meeting with Bollywood film directors
and artists in Mumbai that the UP government is going to work towards a subsidy of up to 50
percent on web series to be produced in the state and up to 25 percent discount on the cost of web
films.
 Uttar Pradesh has got the status of 'Most Film Friendly State' in the 64th and 68th National
Film Awards.
Country's first spinal injury rehabilitation center

Union Health Ministry has given in-principle consent to open the country's first spinal injury
rehabilitation center at BHU Trauma Center.
 With the opening of the country's first Advanced Care and Rehabilitation Center in BHU
Trauma Center, patients suffering from serious diseases of brain, spine and neuro will now
get world-class treatment facility in Kashi itself.
Transport City at Aligarh


Transport Nagar was formally inaugurated at the District Level Investors Summit held at Habitat
Center in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh on January 17, 2023.
 After a long wait of 28 years, Aligarh has been able to get Transport Nagar.
State Capital Region

Work has started on creating a State Capital Region (SCR) on the lines of NCR in the state.
 A development authority will be formed in Barabanki for the formation of the State Capital
Region (SCR). Barabanki is part of the SCR.
 The SCR is being made on the lines of the National Capital Region. Lucknow, Unnao, Rae
Bareli, Barabanki, Kanpur Nagar and Kanpur Dehat districts will be part of it.
Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23

On January 18, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the second phase of Sansad Khel
Mahakumbh 2022-23 held in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh via video conferencing.
 During this Khel Mahakumbh, various competitions are organized in both indoor and
outdoor games like Wrestling, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Volleyball,
Handball, Chess, Carrom, Badminton, Table Tennis etc. Apart from these, competitions like
Essay Writing, Painting, Rangoli making are also organized.
'Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman'

On the lines of the Yash Bharti Award of the Samajwadi Party government of the state, now the state
government will also award 'Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman' to the personalities who have brought
glory to the state in the country and abroad.
 Under this scheme, four personalities will be honored with an amount of Rs. 11 lakh each
respectively.
 The nominee for this honour must be a native of Uttar Pradesh.
10th Century Idols at Kalinjar Fort

Ancient idols of Shivalinga, Ganesh, Lord Vishnu, Mother Lakshmi and many gods and goddesses
have been found from the wall of Koti Tirtha Sarovar of historic Kalinjar Fort in Banda district of the
state.
 There are many small and big lakes and ponds in Kalinjar Fort. One of them is Koti Tirtha
Sarovar, where sculptures and artifacts made of stones have been found, which date back to
the ninth and tenth centuries.

 It is known that Kalinjar is a very ancient fort, where the rule has been from the Gupta
period to the Bundels. Here in the past also such statues have been found during
construction work.
Islands of Andaman and Nicobar named after four Paramvir Chakra winners
from Uttar Pradesh
On January 23, 2022, on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary (Parakram
Diwas), Prime Minister Narendra Modi named 21 major unidentified islands of Andaman and
Nicobar Islands after 21 winners of param Vir chakra, the largest military decoration in India. The list
includes four Paramvir Chakra winners from Uttar Pradesh.
 Three of the four Param Vir Chakra winners from Uttar Pradesh – Company Quarter Master
Havildar Veer Abdul Hameed, Naik Jadunath Singh, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey – have
been awarded Param Vir Chakra posthumously and Honorary Captain Yogendra Singh Yadav
while alive.
Laxman and Rani Laxmibai Award

On 24 January 2023, on the inauguration of Uttar Pradesh Day celebrations, the Governor and The
Chief Minister honored the talents of the state with Laxman and Laxmibai Awards for their
achievements in sports.
On Uttar Pradesh Day celebrations, Laxman Award, Rani Laxmibai Award, Commonwealth Award
winners were honored and Vivekananda Youth Award was given to 16 people.
List of sportspersons to be honoured -
Rani Laxmibai Award
 General Category: Jyoti Shukla (Kanpur, Handball), Neha Kashyap (Meerut, Wushu)
 Year 2020-21 - Veteran Category: Taruna Sharma (Meerut, Judo)
 Year 2021-22 - General Category: Manisha Bhati (Gautam Budh Nagar, Wushu)
Laxman Award
 Year 2020-21 - General Category: Mohit Yadav (Lucknow)

 Year 2020-21 - Veteran category: Rahul Singh (Varanasi, Hockey), Janardan Singh (Ghazipur,
Wrestling)
 Year 2021-22 - Veteran Category: Md. Arif (Gorakhpur, Hockey), Radheshyam Singh
(Azamgarh, Athletics)
 Year 2021-22 - Divyangjan Category: Suhas LY (Para Badminton, Lucknow), Vivek Chikara
(Meerut, Archery), Deependra Singh (Sambhal Shooting).
Padma Vibhushan to Mulayam Singh Yadav


On January 25, 2023, the President announced the country's highest civilian awards 'Padma Awards'
for the year 2023 on the eve of Republic Day.
 Samajwadi Party founder and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has
been posthumously selected for the Padma Vibhushan award for exceptional and
distinguished service in civil affairs.
 The seven personalities from Uttar Pradesh selected for the Padma Shri award are Radha
Charan Gupta, Dilshad Hussain, Arvind Kumar, Manoranjan Sahu, Ritwik Sanyal, Vishwanath
Prasad Tiwari and Uma Shankar Pandey.
 Radha Charan Gupta and Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari have been selected for Padma Shri
award for distinguished service in the field of literature and education, Dilshad Hussain and
Ritwik Sanyal in the field of art, Arvind Kumar in the field of science and engineering,
Manoranjan Sahu in the field of medicine and Uma Shankar Pandey for distinguished service
in the field of social work.
Uttar Pradesh became the state with the highest electricity consumers
Uttar Pradesh has become the state with the highest electricity consumers in the country. Uttar
Pradesh is followed by Maharashtra at number two and Tamil Nadu at number three.
 The number of domestic consumers in Uttar Pradesh is 2.74 crore, about 2.40 crore in
Maharashtra and about 2.20 crore in Tamil Nadu. The total number of consumers in
Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu is said to be around three crores, which is 23 to 25 lakhs less
than Uttar Pradesh.
 A major role in this was played by giving connections under the 'Saubhagya Yojana'.
Hospitals to be opened on PPP model

On the lines of medical colleges in the state, now 50-bed and 200-bed hospitals will also be opened
on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. For this, the Medical and Health Department has
issued a policy.
 Patients will get free treatment in these hospitals. The government will bear the expenses
incurred on the patient. These hospitals will also get the benefit of other schemes including
Ayushman.
Gorakhpur’s Paniyala got GI Tag

Paniyala is also included in the 21 agricultural products which have been allowed for GI tag by the
High-Power Committee of the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
 With the permission of GI tag, the taste of Paniyala produced in Lachhipur and nearby
villages of Gorakhpur will now reach the country and the world.
 The dying Paniyala trees will be preserved, Paniyala gardens will be prepared, and people
will enjoy the sour-sweet taste of its fruit.

 It is known that Paniyala is like Jamun in shape and color and its taste is sour-sweet.
UP Global City’ campaign

The 100day' UP Global City' campaign has been launched in all 762 urban bodies.
 The campaign will focus on urban facilities, improving air quality, cleanliness, and
beautification. It also aims for garbage disposal, garbage installation, etc.
 This move aims to transform the lifestyle of urban bodies of the state on par with global
standards. State Urban Development and Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma launched
the campaign.

UPPCS Pattern Current Affairs English Jan 2023

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UPPCS Pattern Current

Affairs - Jan 2023

Target PCS Lucknow

Whatsapp/Call US@ 7390023092

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Deepor Beel ...................................................................................................................................... 27

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HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCING AGENCY (HEFA) ............................................................................ 43

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Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion ........................................................................................ 52

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11th January – Death anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri ................................................................ 61

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Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23 ................................................................................................... 69

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National Polity & Govt Schemes

ETHYLENE GLYCOL (QUALITY CONTROL) ORDER, 2022

• Recently, Uzbekistan alleged 18 child deaths in Samarkand from the consumption of

ARTICLE 176 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION

SECTION 6A OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT, 1955

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PILGRIMAGE REJUVENATION AND SPIRITUAL HERITAGE AUGMENTATION

Aspirational Block Programme (ABP)

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Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences

DECADAL CENSUS - DELAYED AGAIN

Criteria For Scheduling Of Tribes

Triple Test Formula for OBC Quota

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 The proposed initiative is conceptualized to identify, support, and promote innovative

‘Didir Suraksha Kawach’ and ‘Didir Doot’ Initiatives

New integrated food security scheme

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Chief Minister's Residential Land Rights Scheme

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International News Section

COMPREHENSIVE MIGRATION AND MOBILITY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

• This is the first trip to Austria by an Indian Foreign Minister in 27 years.

Groningen gas field

• It is the largest natural gas field in Europe.

• It is a Middle Chalcolithic site, is located in the central Jordan Valley.

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Notice To Air Missions (NOTAM)

India-China Trade Relationship

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Economy News Section

INTEGRATED BANKING OMBUDSMAN SCHEME

1ST ADVANCE ESTIMATES

• A scheme of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, BIND will focus on infrastructure

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• Utkarsh 1.0 was for the period 2019-2022

Financial Stability Report

Business Confidence Index

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Additional Tier 1 Bonds

Open Market Sale Scheme

India Adopts T+1 Settlement System

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Global Economic Prospects