Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently flagged off the world’s longest river cruise ‘MV Ganga Vilas’, which will cover 3,200 km across 27 river systems in five states in India and Bangladesh in 51 days.
The MV Ganga Vilas vessel is 62 meters in length, 12 meters in width and comfortably sails with a draft of 1.4 meters. It has three decks, 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all the amenities to provide a memorable and luxurious experience for the tourists.
The cruise will begin its journey from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh.
It will cover 5 Indian states: Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, & West Bengal.
The maiden voyage has 32 tourists from Switzerland. Additional Information: Ministry of Culture has organised a grand curtain raiser cultural program ‘Sur Sarita – Symphony of Ganga’ on the eve of the launch of the world’s longest river cruise in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
As per the latest data given by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, there has been a 98.7 percent decline in cases of Kala-azar from 44,533 in 2007 to 834 in 2022 in India. India contributes 11.5 percent of total cases reported globally. India has set a target to eliminate Kala-azar from the country by 2023. Kala-azar:
It is also known as Black Fever disease.
It is a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) caused by a protozoan parasite of genus Leishmania and spread by infected female sandfly bites.
Leishmania donovani is the only parasite causing the disease in India.
It is considered as the second deadliest parasitic killer in world after Malaria.
It is endemic in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
It is a treatable and curable disease.
Union Minister for Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal has recently launched a “Portal for mapping of Industrial Units and Laboratories” on the occasion of the 76th Foundation Day of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in New Delhi.
This is a centralized platform for information on industrial units and laboratories across the country.
This will enable analysis of test facilities in the country and help entrepreneurs in accessing information about testing facilities. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 4 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 He has also launched the Standards National Action Plan (SNAP) 2022- 27, Revision Exercise of National Building Code of India (NBC 2016), and Revised National Electrical Code of India
The joint Air Exercise ‘Veer Guardian-2023’ has been conducted at Hyakuri Air Base, Japan from 12 January 2023 to 26 January 2023 to promote Air Defence cooperation between the countries, India and Japan. Participants:
India: Su-30 MKI, two C-17 & one IL-78 aircraft
Japan: Four F-2 & Four F-15 aircraft The inaugural exercise includes the conduct of various aerial combat drills between the two Air Forces. The exercise fortifies the long standing bond of friendship and enhance the avenues of defence cooperation between the two Air Forces.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has officially visited New York and Washington DC from 9-11 January 2023 to participate in India – US Trade Policy Forum.
He has interacted with CEOs of reputed multinational enterprises, participated in community event, joined roundtable meetings with business leaders and think tank and visited industries in New York.
He has participated in the 13th Trade Policy Forum (TPF) meeting held in Washington DC on 11th January 2023.
He has also participated in the bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Trade Policy Forum (TPF): TPF is a platform for continuous engagement between two countries in the area of trade and to further the trade and investment relations between the two countries. The TPF is chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister from Indian side and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) from the US side. Note: The 12th TPF Ministerial meeting was held on 23 November 2021 after a gap of four years in New Delhi.
The Vice President & Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has inaugurated the 83rd All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) in Jaipur, Rajasthan on 11th January 2023. This is the fourth time that the Conference has been organized in the city of Jaipur. The 83rd AIPOC focusses on following themes of contemporary relevance:
Leadership of India in G-20 as the mother of democracy
The need to make Parliament and Legislature more Effective, Accountable and Productive
Integration of State Legislatures with Digital Parliament Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 5 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
The need to maintain a harmonious relationship between the Legislature and the Judiciary in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution Note: The 82nd AIPOC has been held in 2021 in Shimla. All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC): It is the apex body of the Legislatures in India that completed its 100 years in 2021. The first conference has been held in Shimla in 1921.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated the new Light and Sound Show at Red Fort by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) titled as “Jai Hind”.
The new show is a dramatic presentation of the bravery and the history of India from the 17th century to the present day.
The one-hour long show divided into three parts will bring to life key episodes from India’s history including the rise of the Marathas, the 1857 War of Independence, the rise of the Indian National Army and the INA trials, the fight for Independence and India’s continuing progress over the past 75 years by using all forms of performance art – projection mapping, live action films, light and immersive sound, actors, dancers and puppets.
The 3-part show will be showcased at different monuments inside Red Fort starting with Naubatkhana to Deewan–e- Aam to Deewan-e-Khas.
The show will be showcased to general public in English and Hindi Languages with a seating arrangement of 700 people for a one time watch. Note: ASI has opened 4 Museums namely the Yaad-e-Jallian museum, the Museum on 1857- India’s first war of Independence, Azaadi ke Diwane and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Museum in Red Fort.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Aspirational Block Programme (ABP) during the ‘2nd National Conference of Chief Secretaries’ held in New Delhi.
The ABP aims to improve the performance of blocks lagging on various development parameters.
The focus area will be more specific thus ensuring greater attention to detail.
The programme will cover 500 blocks across 31 states and Union Territories initially.
Over half of these blocks are in 6 states: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
It is on the lines of the Aspirational District Programme that was launched in 2018 and covers 112 districts across the country. Note: The Aspirational Block Programme (ABP) was initially announced in Union Budget 2022-23. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 6 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh has unveiled the theme for the “National Science Day 2023” titled “Global Science for Global Wellbeing” at National Media Centre, Delhi. The theme indicates India’s emerging global role and rising visibility in the international arena. National Science Day (NSD): It is observed annually on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’. Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day (NSD) in 1986. On this day Sir C.V. Raman announced the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) acts as a nodal agency to support, catalyse and coordinate celebration of the National Science Day throughout the country in scientific institutions, research laboratories and autonomous scientific institutions associated with DST.
India has successfully carried out a test launch of a Short-Range Ballistic Missile Prithvi-II from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The missile struck its target with high accuracy. The user training launch has successfully validated all operational and technical parameters of the missile.
Prithvi-II missile is powered by light propulsion twin engines.
It has a range of around 350 km and can carry 500-1,000 kg of warheads.
It uses an advanced inertial navigation system to strike the set target.
It was earlier successfully test-fired during night hours in 2018 and in 2019.
Prithvi was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for three capital acquisition proposals, amounting to Rs.4,276 crore. All the three proposals, two of the Indian Army and one of the Indian Navy, are under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category.
The DAC has accorded AoN for procurement of HELINA Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, launchers and associated support equipment which will be integrated to the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
The DAC has accorded AoN for procurement of VSHORAD (IR Homing) missile system under design and development by DRDO. It is an Indian man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS). It designed for anti-aircraft warfare and neutralizing low altitude aerial threats at short ranges.
The DAC has also accorded AoN for procurement of the Brahmos Launcher and Fire Control System (FCS) for the Shivalik class of ships and Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMVs) for the Navy. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 7 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh has launched the ‘Geospatial Hackathon’ to promote Innovation and Start-Ups in India’s Geospatial ecosystem. The aim of the hackathon is to promote partnerships not only among the public and private geospatial sectors but also to strengthen country’s geospatial Start-Up ecosystem. There will be Two Sets of Challenges- Research Challenge and Startp-Up Challenge to find out 4 winners for the Best Solutions to the Geospatial Select Problem Statements. It will end on 10th March 2023.
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep S. Puri has addressed the 11th edition of “Bio Energy Summit 2023”, a flagship event of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in New Delhi. The theme of the summit is “Energy Transition- Solution for a Sustainable Tomorrow”. The summit provides an opportunity for Innovators and a way forward for Clean & Green Energy Solutions for future. The summit has been addressed by more than 30 speakers across six sessions focussing on compressed biogas, ethanol, financing, and waste to biofuels besides ministerial sessions. Note: India has increased the ethanol blending in petrol from 1.53% in 2013-14 to 10.17% in July 2022.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has recently inaugurated the School of Logistics, Waterways and Communication in Agartala, Tripura.
The school will enable the rich pool of talent of the region to become world class experts in the transportation and logistics sector.
It has been set up under State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (SIPARD).
The school will facilitate in conducting studies/research, training, workshops/seminars for stakeholders like businesses, exporters/importers, Chambers of Commerce and Industries, local entrepreneurs, tourist operators etc. SIPARD is an autonomous body funded by the Government of Tripura and partially by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved to set up and promote a National Level multi-state seed cooperative society under the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002.
This society will act as an apex organization for production, procurement, processing, branding, labelling, packaging, storage, marketing and distribution of quality seeds; strategic research & development; and to develop a system for preservation and promotion of indigenous natural seeds; through various cooperative societies across the country with support from relevant ministries especially Ministry of Agriculture and Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 8 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 Farmers Welfare, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Seed Corporation (NSC) through their schemes and agencies.
This will promote Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) and Varity Replacement Rate (VRR) and help reduce the yield gaps and enhance productivity. Other cabinet approvals:
Cabinet has also approved to set up a National Level multistate cooperative export society under MSCS Act, 2002 with support from relevant Ministries especially Ministry of External Affairs and Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Cabinet has approved to set up a National Level cooperative society for organic products under MSCS Act, 2002 with support from relevant Ministries especially the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (M/Doner).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD’s) Statement on Climate of India during 2022 stated that the year 2022 is the fifth warmest for India since 1901. The annual mean land surface air temperature is 0.51 degrees celsius above the long-term average which is the mean temperature for the 1981-2010 period.
This is the lower than the highest warming observed in India in 2016 when the average temperature is 0.71 degrees celsius.
During the 2022 winter season, the all-India mean temperatures were normal with an anomaly of -0.04 degrees celsius.
The Government of India has recently honoured 82 Best Agripreneurs who were trained under the Central Sector Scheme – Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business (AC&ABC) of Govt. of India for their significant contribution to farmers through agri-clinic and agribusiness services. They have been honoured on the occasion of National Youth Day (12th January), also known as Vivekananda Jayanti, in New Delhi. Besides, 8 Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs), who impart AC&ABC training efficiently, have also received Awards for their best training, handholding and facilitation activities. Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business (AC&ABC) scheme: It was launched in 2002. It is a mega flagship scheme of the Government of India in collaboration with NABARD. It aims to transform unemployed youth into self-employed Agripreneurs through a 45 days free residential training at different parts of the country with a provision for availing loan and subsidy from the banks. It is being implemented by the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad in different states in the country with a network of 136 Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) spread across all the states. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 9 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers Dr Mansukh Mandaviya has announced that Talcher Fertilizers Project, India’s largest and first coal gasification plant, will be dedicated to India by October 2024. The project will help achieve the stated goal of gasifying 100 MT (Metric Tonnes) of coal by 2030 since it encourages coal gasification.
The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar has virtually addressed the 36th International conference on VLSI Design and the 22nd International conference on Embedded Systems organized in Hyderabad, Telangana. The conference is a premier global conference focusing on the latest advancements in VLSI and Embedded Systems.
Union Ministry of Tourism, in association with the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), UNEP and Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI), has organised the second regional workshop on Development of Sustainable and Responsible Tourist Destinations at Kolkata, West Bengal. The aim is to develop sustainable and responsible tourist destinations and promote sustainable tourism in the country. The workshop has witnessed wide participation of senior Government officials and tourism industry stakeholders from the States/ Union Territory of the Eastern region viz. Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, has recently held a bilateral meeting with Akihiro Nishimura, Minister of the Environment, Japan, in New Delhi. He has also addressed the 1st India – Japan Environment week. In the meeting, both the leaders have discussed a range of issues including G7/G20 collaboration, Mission LiFE, Marine & Plastic Waste, COP-27 and CBD 15. During the meeting, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav has also mentioned about the ‘Furoshiki’.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an untethered multi-copter payload, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), capable of flying with 5 kg payload and even dropping bombs in enemy territories, with an aim to carry out logistic operations in the Himalayan frontier.
The Executive Committee (EC) meeting of National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), Ministry of Mines, under the chairmanship of Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, has approved Rs.154.84 crores projects of mineral exploration and enhancing institutional capabilities in exploration. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 10 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 The mineral exploration project includes Graphite, Iron, Coal, Zinc & associated minerals, Bauxite, Basemetal (Pb, Zn & Cu), Phosphorite/Glauconitic sandstone, PGE & associated minerals (Chromium, Nickel, Cobalt), Tin & associated minerals, Manganese and Limestone to boost the mineral exploration in India.
STATES AFFAIRS
Gangasagar Mela, India’s second largest pilgrimage gathering after Kumbh Mela, is observed annually on the banks of the Ganges at Sagardwip or Sagar Island, West Bengal. Devotees gather at confluence of Ganga and Bay of Bengal to take a sacred dip during Makar Sankranti (mid-January). In 2023, the festival has been observed from 8th January to 17th January 2023. Gangasagar is an island in Ganges delta located on continental shelf of Bay of Bengal roughly 100 kilometres south of Kolkata.
The Osmanabad district of Maharashtra has become the first court to introduce e-system of functioning, under which, all the court-related work including filing, payment, and other court services can be done through mobile app or through online mode.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified comprehensive regulatory standards for Basmati Rice for the first time. The aim is to establish fair practices in the trade of Basmati rice and protect consumer interest, both domestically and globally.
As per these standards, Basmati rice shall possess natural fragrance characteristics of basmati rice and be free from artificial colouring, polishing agents, and artificial fragrances.
These standards also specify various identity and quality parameters for basmati rice such as the average size of grains, maximum limits of moisture, uric acid, and damaged grains.
These standards will be enforced from 1st August 2023.
Talacauvery in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, which is considered the place of origin of the Cauvery River, has emerged as South India’s Hanle, as astronomers are seen hosting “star parties” in the region.
Hanle, which is situated in Ladakh, is famous for its pristine skies and minimal light pollution. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 11 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
The Department of Science & Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science & Technology, announced the establishment of India’s first Dark Sky Reserve at Hanle. Dark Sky Reserve: It is a designation given to regions that have policies in place to ensure that a tract of land or region has minimal artificial light interference. Dark Sky location depends on light pollution which is measured on Bortle Scale.
As per the On-Time Performance Review 2022 released by CIRIUM, the aviation analytics company, Kempegwoda International Airport, Bengaluru, Karnataka and Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi have been listed among the top 10 in the Top Performing Global Airports of 2022.
Kempegwoda International Airport has been ranked 2nd and Indira Gandhi International Airport has been ranked 7th on the list.
The list is topped by Haneda Airport in Japan.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai has been ranked 11th in the list.
India has received its first In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) mobile unit for animals in Amreli in Gujarat. The mobile IVF lab has been inaugurated by the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandary, and Dairying Purushottam Rupala. It is a joint effort of the Government of India (GoI) and Amar Dairy.
Notably, the IVF is a complex series of procedures used to help with fertility and assist with the conception of a child.
In animals, it is an advanced reproductive technology for the multiplication of superior female germplasm at a higher rate.
The Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, India’s biggest hockey stadium in Rourkela, Odisha.
He has inaugurated the World Cup Village at Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium Complex in Rourkela and has announced a reward of Rs.1 crore for each player of the Indian hockey team if they win the Wolrd Cup Hockey.
He has also inaugurated the “Mo Bus” (my bus) services in Rourkela with 30 vehicles to ensure hassle-free movement during the hockey world cup. Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium: The stadium is named after freedom fighter Birsa Munda. It is built over 15 acres of land at the campus of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) in Rourkela. The total capacity of the stadium is over 20,000 and is the largest all-seater field hockey stadium in the world.
The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel has observed the traditional Cherchera festival at Dudhadhari Math in Raipur. The festival is observed on the full moon night of Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 12 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 ‘Paush’ Hindu calendar month in the happiness of taking the crops to their homes after cultivation. According to mythological belief, on this day Lord Shankar begged from Mata Annapurna, so people used to donate green vegetables along with paddy on this day.
Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal has inaugurated the ‘Astro Tourism- A Sky Gazing’ event at India Gate Lawns, Kartavya Path, New Delhi, Delhi.
The event has been organized by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) in association with the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML).
It is a 3-day programme held from 6-8 January 2023.
The event includes various activities like Astro Talks by expert Astronomers, an Exhibition on Astronomy, Storytelling related to celestial objects, an Experience of using the telescope to see the craters of the Moon, Astronomy Activities, a Photographic Panel Exhibition, and Astro-Photography.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur has launched the themes of Y20 summit, logo, and website in the curtain raiser event of Y20 Summit India in New Delhi.
The Y20 is the official youth engagement group for the G20 (Group of 20), the forum for the world’s largest and most advanced economies.
India is hosting the Y20 summit for the first time. The 5 themes of Y20 are: i) Future of Work: Industry 4.0, Innovation & 21 st Century skills ii) Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a way of life iii) Peacebuilding and Reconciliation: Ushering in an era of No War iv) Shared Future: Youth in Democracy and Governance v) Health, Wellbeing & Sports: Agenda for Youth The Y20 Group’s inception meeting will take place in Guwahati, Assam from 6th to 8th February 2023. G20: It is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU). It was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis. The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
The State Commissioner for Persons with Disability, the Department of Social Welfare, along with the Entertainment Society of Goa has organized the first of its kind “Purple Fest: Celebrating Diversity” (Purple Fest 2023), India’s first of its kind inclusive festival for differently abled, in Goa. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 13 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Aim: The fest aims to showcase how to come together to create a welcoming and inclusive world for everyone.
The festival has been held from 6th to 8th January 2023. Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar has inaugurated a 2- day sensitisation workshop in association with the Purple Fest in Goa on “Issues relating to Empowerment of persons with Disabilities”. Divyangjan: The word Viklang was replaced with Divyaang (divine body) to refer to persons with disabilities in 2016.
Parshuam Kund Festival is observed annually in Arunachal Pradesh. It is an annual religious fair where pilgrims come for a holy dip at Parshuram Kund on Makar Sankranti. In 2023, the festival has been observed from 12th to 16th January. Parshuram, son of Sage Jamadagni, was sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Parshuam Kund: Parshuram Kund is a sacred pond located in Tailung area of Mishmi plateau in lower reaches of Lohit River in Lohit District. Kund falls within Kamlang Reserve Forest Area and is surrounded by dense forest of Rudraksha trees of Elaeocarpaceae family.
Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education have organized the “Dhara” on Sangeet and Natya Parampara at SASTRA (Deemed-to-be University) in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu in collaboration with Brhat, Prachyam and Sangam Talks.
Dhara is a series of conferences under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to create awareness, preserve and promote multiple domains of Indian Knowledge Systems.
The aim of the event is to create a Vision Document 2047 to revitalise and popularise our performing art traditions and effectively address the challenges that this ecosystem faces.
A Military Tattoo & Tribal Dance Festival ‘Aadi Shaurya – Parv Parakram Ka’ will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, New Delhi on January 23 & 24, 2023 to mark the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (observed as Parakram Diwas).
The two-day festival will showcase the prowess of the Armed Forces and the ethnic beauty of India’s tribal culture.
The aim of the festival is to remember the sacrifices of the country’s bravehearts and celebrate the rich cultural heritage which makes India so unique and diverse.
The programme comprises a Military Tattoo (Paramotor Gliding, Hot Air Balloon, Horse Show, Motor Cycle Display, Air Warrior Drill, Navy Band) and an hour of traditional dance performances (Khukhri Dance, Gatka, Mallakhamb, Kalaripaytu, Thangta) by tribal artists from across India.
Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Tribal Affairs are jointly organising the event, with Indian Coast Guard being the coordinating agency. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 14 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya has inaugurated the Annex building of ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar in the presence of Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar. The Annex building has been constructed for high end laboratory and administrative purpose. He has also laid the foundation stone for the ICMR School of Public Health and BSL III Laboratory. Additional Information: ICMR-RMRC is one of the 26 research institute of Indian Council of Medical Research, situated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It was established in 1981 under the 6th Five-Year Plan period to undertake research activities in both communicable and non-communicable diseases, human resource development programme and in establishing strong linkage with State Health Department in finding solutions to the regional health problem.
Director: Dr Sanghamitra Pati
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The convention has been organised in partnership with the Madhya Pradesh Government from 08-10 January 2023. The theme of 17th PBD Convention is “Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal”. During the PBD Convention, a Commemorative Postal Stamp ‘Surakshit Jaayen, Prashikshit Jaayen’ has also been released to underline the importance of safe, legal, orderly and skilled migration. The Prime Minister has also inaugurated the first-ever digital PBD Exhibition on the theme “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – Contribution of Diaspora in Indian Freedom Struggle” to highlight the contribution of our diaspora freedom fighters in India’s Independence. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is the flagship event of the Government of India that provides an important platform to engage and connect with overseas Indians and to enable the diaspora to interact with each other.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has observed the 7 th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The day is observed annually on 14th January, as on this day in 1953, the First Indian Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army Field Marshal KM Cariappa, who led the Indian forces to victory in the 1947 war, formally retired from the Service.
This year the event has been observed at nine locations across the country, namely Juhunjhunu, Jalandhar, Panagarh, New Delhi, Dehradun, Chennai , Chandigarh, Bhubaneshwar and Mumbai by three Service Headquarters.
The event at Chennai has been presided over by Defence Minister of State Ajay Bhatt. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 15 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 Key inaugurations:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the ‘Soul of Steel’ Alpine Challenge with an aim to promote tourism in border areas. It is a joint adventure sport initiative of the Indian Army and CLAW Global.
He has flagged off a car expedition from Dehradun to Ghamshali located in the Niti Valley.
He has also dedicated ‘Shaurya Sthal’ in Dehradun Cantonment to the Armed Forces. It is developed by Uttarakhand War Memorial Trust.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 21 development projects worth about Rs.1,311 crore at Moirang, Manipur. These include:
Churachandpur Medical College built at a cost of Rs.46 crore
Marjing Polo Statue built at a cost of Rs.39 crore
Manipur Olympian Park at Sangaithel, Manipur Exhibition Centre in Imphal-East
District Youth Skilling and Employment Centres
Fruit Preservation Factory, Neelakuthi in five districts of the state He has also unveiled the 165-feet tall tricolor at the historic ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ Headquarters at Moirang, which is the tallest national flag in the entire North East region. He has recently inaugurated a 122 feet statute in Imphal, Manipur, which depicts a Sagol Kangjei player.
The Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat has inaugurated the International Kite Festival 2023 at Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The festival has been organized by Gujarat Tourism on the G20 theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future”. The festival has been organized from 8th January to 14th January 2023. This festival promotes India’s G20 presidency and more than 800 kite flyers from across India and the world have participated and displayed their unique creations during the festival. International Kite Festival: It has been held in Ahmedabad annually since 1989 as part of the official celebration of uttarayan. The festival brings together master kite makers and flyers from around the world to showcase their unique creations and demonstrate impressive flying techniques.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 26th National Youth Festival in Hubbali, Karnataka. The festival has been held on National Youth Day (12th January), which is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, to honour and cherish his ideals, teachings and contributions. Theme of the festival: “Viksit Yuva – Viksit Bharat” The festival has been held from 12th to 16th January 2023. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 16 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 During the festival, the competitive events has been held with a vision to provide impetus to local traditional cultures. The festival has been organized by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports in partnership with the Government of Karnataka. National Youth Festival: It is held every year to provide exposure to talented youth at the national level, along with galvanising them towards nation building. It brings diverse cultures from all parts of the country on a common platform and unites the participants in the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.
ReNew Power has installed India’s first 3x platform Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs) in Gadag, Karnataka.
The new WTGs will be a part of India’s first ‘Round the Clock’ renewable energy project, combining wind, solar and a battery energy storage system (BESS).
This project will produce energy to power over 1 million households in India annually.
The WTGs have a nameplate capacity of 3.3-3.465 MW and are 128-140m in height.
The 14th edition of the World Spice Congress (WSC) will be held in Mumbai, Maharashtra from 16-18 February 2023. The aim is to open up newer opportunities to promote international trade of Indian spices. The theme of the WSC 2023 is “VISION 2030: S-P-I-C-E-S (Sustainability, Productivity, Innovation, Collaboration, Excellence and Safety)”. It will be organized by the Spices Board of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually inaugurated the 7 th edition of ‘Invest Madhya Pradesh-Global Investors Summit’ 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The theme of the twoday summit is ‘Madhya Pradesh-The Future Ready State’.
Guyana President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi have also addressed the meet.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has also addressed the meet virtually. Key objectives of the event: Showcasing industrial ecosystem of the state; promoting the state policies; consultation with industrial organisations to formulate industry-friendly policies; collaboration opportunities; promoting export potential and buyer-seller meets and vendor development. A total of 447 international delegates from 84 countries, 401 international buyers, more than 5,000 industrialists and representatives of various international industry associations, and representatives of all G20 countries have participated in the event. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 17 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has renamed the National Centre for Drinking Water, Sanitation and Quality at Joka, Kolkata as ‘Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation (SPM-NIWAS)’.
The Institute has been set up on 8.72 acres of land at Joka, Diamond Harbor Road , Kolkata, West Bengal.
The Institute is envisaged as a premier institute to develop capacities in states/UTs in the field of public health engineering, drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene through training programmes.
The Institute has been inaugurated by the Prime Minister in December 2022.
Ottanthullal or Thullal is a recite-and-dance art-form of Kerala that is famous for its humour and social satire. It was introduced in the 18th century by legendary poet Kunchan Nambiar.
Thullal performer is supported by a singer who repeats the verses and is accompanied by an orchestra of mridangam or thoppimaddalam (percussions) and cymbals.
It has spawned into three separate versions which include Ottanthullal, Seethankan thullal and Parayan thullal.
The Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma has flagged off 30 Shared School Bus System and unveiled Prime Tourist Vehicles and an agriculture response vehicle scheme at a function held at U Soso Tham Auditorium, Shillong, Meghalaya.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh has launched a 100-day “UP Global City” campaign in advance of the Global Investors Summit and G20 summit. The campaign aims to bring urban areas in the state up to global standards, with a focus on improving urban facilities, air quality, cleanliness, and beautification, as well as proper garbage disposal. The campaign will be implemented in all 762 urban bodies in the state.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated 5 different development works worth Rs.52 crore in Nagaland. These include:
Virtual Reality (VR) laboratories in 42 government higher secondary schools at a cost of about Rs.8 crore.
Atal Tinkering Labs built at a cost of Rs.1 crore 80 lakh in 9 government higher secondary schools.
12.5 megawatt (MW) sub-station at Chiephobozou at a cost of Rs.14 crore.
Trekking and base camp at Mount Saramati, Thanamir village and Kiphire.
Two Lane bridge on Doyang River at a cost of Rs.28 crore near to the Governor’s Camp Lifayan.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has discovered a second Earth-sized planet, called TOI 700 e, within the habitable zone of a star.
The TOI 700 e is a member of the TOI 700 system, 95% the size of the Earth, and most likely rocky.
The TOI 700 system, located around 100 light-years away in the southern constellation Dorado, was first discovered by the TESS mission in 2020. Note: The habitable zone refers to the range of distances from a star where liquid surface water could be present at some point in a planet’s history. Other discovery: The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of NASA has discovered an exoplanet, a planet that orbits another star. The exoplanet formally classified as LHS 475 b, located in the constellation Octans, is reportedly almost the exact size of Earth, clocking in at 99% of Earth’s diameter.
Scientists have discovered a new species of Dwarf Boa, naming it Tropidophis cacuangoae in the Ecuadoran Amazon. This species of snake is 20 centimetres (7.8 inches) long, with skin colouring similar to those of the boa constrictor. The second part of the name honours early 20th century Indigenous rights activist Dolores Cacuango.
The Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recently re-entered Earth’s atmosphere after 38 years orbiting the planet.
ERBS was launched in 1984 aboard space shuttle Challenger.
It carried instruments to measure Earth’s radiative energy budget and stratospheric constituents, including ozone.
Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II) on ERBS collected important data that confirmed ozone layer was declining on a global scale.
The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, USA has recently erupted again. Kilauea volcano is active shield volcano (erupts magma of low viscosity and hence less steep) located on the Hawaiian island. Hawaii is a group of 8 volcanic islands in the central Pacific Ocean stretching in a crescent from Kure Island in west to Hawaii in east. Volcanoes make up 51% of Hawaii Island landmass.
REPORTS & INDICES
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As per the report released by the ICRA Limited, Gross bond issuances by Indian banks have reached a record of Rs.91,500 crores in the first 9 months (April-December) of FY23.
In FY22, banks issued Rs.70000 crore in gross bond issuances.
Bank gross bond issuances are likely to reach Rs.1.3-1.4 lakh crore by the end of FY23, as the banking system’s credit-to-deposit (CD) ratio continues to firm up.
Incremental credit expansion amounted Rs.12.7 lakh crore in FY23, while deposit accretion continued to trail at Rs.8.9 lakh crore.
The credit-deposit gap widens to Rs.5.7 lakh crore (as of December 2022).
It is estimated that the banking system’s credit-to-deposit ratio will increase to 76.3% – 76.5% by March 2023 from 74.8% on 16th December 2022, and will be significantly higher than the lows of 69.6% experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI), has released its First Advance Estimates (FAE) of National Income for the financial year 2022-23 (FY23) at both constant (2011-12) and current prices.
As per the NSO’s first FAE, the Indian economy will grow at a rate of 7.0% in FY23, up from 8.7% in FY22.
The growth in nominal GDP during 2022-23 is estimated at 15.4 percent as compared to 19.5 percent in 2021-22.
Real GDP or GDP at Constant (2011-12) prices in the year 2022-23 is estimated at Rs.157.60 lakh crore as against the Provisional Estimate of GDP for the year 2021-22 of Rs.147.36 lakh crore.
The Net National Income (NNI) of India is projected to rise by 6.6% in FY23 as compared to 8.5% in FY22. However, these are preliminary estimates for 2022-23.
London-based Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm, has recently released the Henley Passport Index 2023. The index includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, providing users with the most comprehensive and reliable information about their global access and mobility. Global:
Japan’s passport has remained the most powerful in the world.
Singapore & South Korea share the second spot, providing visa-free entry to 192 countries.
In terms of the least powerful passport, Afghanistan’s passport ranks 109th, as the world’s worst passport with a visa-free score of 27. India’s performance:
The passport index has ranked India at the 85th position, meaning that Indian passport holders can access 59 countries without needing a visa.
Previously, India was ranked 82nd, 84th, 85th & 83rd in 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2022, respectively. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 20 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
As per OAG’s Punctuality League report, India’s largest airline IndiGo, and Airports Authority of India (AAI)-owned Coimbatore airport are among the 20 most punctual airlines and airports globally with On-Time Performance (OTP) in 2022.
IndiGo has been ranked 15th with OTP of 83.51 percent in 2022, while Coimbatore airport is at the 13th position under the same category.
The list is topped by Garuda Indonesia with an OTP of 95.63 percent, followed by Safair (95.30 percent) and Eurowings (95.26 percent) at the second and third spots, respectively.
In airport, Japan’s Osaka International Airport (Itami) holds the first position with an OTP of 91.45 percent.
Among the 10 most punctual airports in the Asia Pacific region, Coimbatore airport, located in Tamil Nadu, is at 10th place.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has published the 18th edition of the Global Risks Report 2023, which lists the biggest risks for India over the short and medium terms. The report summarises the findings of the latest Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS). Key highlights:
The report has highlighted the cost of living crisis as the biggest short-term risk facing the world right now, with climate change as the biggest long-term threat.
The report states that Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic have propelled the energy crisis, food scarcity, and inflation as the most pressing global issues.
The most-cited two-year term risks included natural disasters, geo-economic confrontation, the erosion of social cohesion, widespread cybercrime, large-scale involuntary migration, and natural resource crises, alongside climate change.
The report states that the world must collaborate more effectively on climate mitigation and adaptation over the next decade to avoid “ecological breakdown” and continued global warming.
In accordance with the “Startup Tracker-CY22” report published by PwC India, funding for Indian startups fell by 33% to USD 24 billion in calendar year 2022 (CY22) as compared to CY21 but was still more than as much as the amount raised in CY20 and CY19 combined together. Startups received a total of USD 13.2 billion in funding in 2019, USD 10.9 billion in CY20, and USD 35.2 billion in CY21.
According to a new study by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health (UNU-INWEH), around 3,700 large dams in India could lose on Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 21 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 average 26% of their initial total storage by 2050 owing to sediment deposition, which might affect future water security, irrigation, and power generation.
China, the country with the most dams in the world, has already lost nearly 10% of its storage and will lose an additional 10% by 2050.
Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Guinea, and Niger will be the 5 least impacted nations by 2050, with losses of less than 15%.
The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which is home to the majority of the world’s dams, is estimated to have lost 13% of its initial dam storage capacity by 2022.
The 3,052 dams in Japan, with an average age of over 100 years, have the greatest loss of storage capacity in the region.
As per the study, by 2050, the 10,358 large dams in the Americas will only be able to store 2,014 billion cubic metres, or 28% of their original capacity.
In addition, Europe’s 6,651 large dams spread across 42 countries will lose 28% of their initial capacity of 895 billion cubic metres.
By 2050, it is anticipated that the 2,349 dams spread across the 44 countries in Africa will lose 24% of their storage capacity.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES & PROGRAMMES
The National Health Authority (NHA) has introduced a new system to measure and grade hospital performance under the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). The objective is to shift the focus of measuring the performance of hospitals from the volume of services provided to the value of healthcare services. The new initiative will introduce the concept of ‘value-based care’, where payment will be outcome-based and providers will be rewarded according to the quality of the treatment delivered. Under value-based care, the performance of AB PM-JAY empanelled hospitals will be measured based on five performance indicators such as:
Beneficiary Satisfaction;
Hospital Readmission Rate;
The extent of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure;
Confirmed Grievances;
Improvement in-patient’s Health-Related Quality of Life National Health Authority (NHA): It is the successor of the National Health Agency, which was functioning as a registered society since 23rd May 2018. It was reconstituted as the National Health Authority on 2nd January 2019. It has been set-up to implement PM-JAY. It also leads the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). It is governed by a Governing Board chaired by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 22 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
CEO: Ram Sewak Sharma
The state government of Kerala, in a first of its kind initiative, has launched a welfare fund board to provide pensions to Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers and the state’s urban job guarantee scheme ‘Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme’. This will facilitate the workers to get a monthly pension from the board once they turn 60. MGNREGS: MGNREGS, under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (2005), guarantees at least 100 days (extendable up to 150 days) of wage employment in a Financial Year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
The Governments of India and the United Kingdom (UK) have recently marked Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 9th January by launching the Young Professionals Scheme.
The scheme allows up to 3,000 degree-holding citizens aged between 18 and 30 to live and work in each other’s countries for a period of two years.
The scheme, which was announced in November at the G20 summit in Bali, is part of the India-UK Migration and Mobility Memorandum of Understanding signed in May 2021.
The Government of India (GoI) has allocated Rs.1037.90 crore for the New India Literacy Programme (NILP), a centrally sponsored programme (CSS), for a 5-year period, from fiscal years 2022-23 (FY23) to 2026-27 (FY27). New India Literacy Programme (NILP):
The total financial outlay of NILP is Rs.1037.90 crore, out of which Rs.700 crore is Central share and Rs.337.90 crore is State share (60:40).
The Foundational Literacy and Numeracy component of NLIP intend to reach 5.00 crore learners during a five-year period.
The programme has five objectives: (i) Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, (ii) Critical Life Skills, (iii) Vocational Skills Development, (iv) Basic Education, and (v) Continuing Education. The NLIP was approved by the Ministry of Education in 2022 to cover all aspects of adult education in accordance with the new National Educational Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) for the next 5 years, from FY23 to FY27.
The Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently approved new Integrated Food Security Scheme for providing free foodgrains to Antodaya Ann Yojna (AAY) & Primary Household (PHH) beneficiaries. New scheme has been named as Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY).
The scheme is effective from 1st January 2023 to December 2023. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 23 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
The scheme provides free food grains to over 81 crore beneficiaries (Antyodaya Ann Yojana (AAY) households and Priority Household (PHH) people) under National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2023.
It is a scheme to strengthen the provisions of NFSA, 2013 in terms of accessibility, affordability and availability of food grains for the poor and the vulnerable section of society.
The scheme combines two current food subsidy schemes of the Department of Food and Public Distribution (a) Food Subsidy to Food Corporation of India (FCI) for NFSA, and (b) Food Subsidy for decentralized procurement states, dealing with procurement, allocation and delivery of free food grains to the states under NFSA.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Goa to promote the development of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the state. Under this MoU, the BSE will look at creating awareness amongst SMEs in the state on the benefits of listing on the exchange.
Neeru Yadav, fondly known as ‘Hockey Wali Sarpanch’ has inked a pact with NABARD to start the Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO) with the assistance of SIIRD (Society of Indian Institute of Rural Development) to support the farmers of Lambi Ahir Village of Rajasthan. The FPO named ‘Sachhi Saheli Mahila Agro Producer Company Limited’ is the 15th such FPO launched by NABARD in Rajasthan. Other related news: Recently, NABARD has raised around Rs.5000 crore via 3 year bonds. The coupon for the 3- year bond is 63 percent.
India & Panama have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the training of diplomats. This MoU has been signed between India’s External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Panama’s Foreign Minister Janaina Tewaney Mencomo during the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention 2023 held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
The Indian Navy has recently inked an agreement with Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt Ltd for acquiring armed autonomous boat swarms under the ‘SPRINT’ initiative. SPRINT: It stands for Supporting Pole-vaulting In R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence (IdeX), Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) and Technology Development Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 24 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 Acceleration Cell (TDAC). It aims at development of 75 indigenous technologies by industry for Navy.
REC Limited (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited), a Navratna company under the Ministry of Power, has signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) during the Madhya Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023 held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
First MoU: It has been signed with the MP Power Management Company Limited (MPPMCL) to extend financial assistance of Rs.15,086 crores for upcoming Sarani and Amarkantak thermal power projects, system improvement works, technology upgradation, renovation & modernization etc.
Second MoU: It has been signed with Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ltd. (RUMSL) to extend financial assistance of Rs.1000 crores for renewable energy projects covering the development of renewable energy parks/projects, and/or associated infrastructure including power evacuation.
Third MoU: REC in partnership with World Bank has designed a financing facility for select state owned electricity distribution companies. As a part of this REC-World Bank program, the total volume of financing available shall be USD 1 billion. Under this, REC committed an amount of Rs.5,000 crores to MP DISCOMs to further strengthen the distribution reforms.
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nascent Info Technologies Pvt Ltd. for technical collaboration for the development of various Geographic Information System (GIS) applications. Under this MoU, Nascent will use its knowledge and resources to study the functional requirements of various stakeholders in a domain of limestone, bauxite, clay, coal etc. Geographic Information System (GIS): It is a computer system that maps and examines changes on Earth by analysing and displaying spatially related data from a range of data sources.
ONGC Tripura Power Company Limited (OTPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) to develop a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Assam at an investment of Rs.2000 crore. The 250 MW/ 500 MW-hour system will be developed in a phased manner by incorporating a joint venture company. OTPC is a joint venture company of ONGC, GAIL, Government of Tripura and India Infrastructure Fund-II.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RITES to strengthen and develop a sustainable future by “Transforming to Green”. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 25 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 The MoU also includes research & development-related works on air quality sensors to address air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste management.
The Indian High Commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sabaragamuwa University to establish a Hindi Chair at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.
The MoU has been signed between High Commissioner Gopal Baglay and Vice Chancellor of Sabaragamuwa University Prof. Udaya Rathnayake.
The Hindi chair will help in familiarizing students with India, its history, and culture as well as pave way for popularising Hindi by deputing Indian faculties.
Garuda Aerospace, India’s drone manufacturing company, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rallis India Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Chemicals in the agriculture industry, for a pilot demonstration and spraying of pesticides on fields through drones mainly in the state of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Indian Army has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Assam government in Guwahati. The MoU will offer Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) at eight medical colleges and hospitals in Assam. The ECHS benefits will be offered at the medical college and hospitals in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Jorhat, Barpeta, Tezpur, Diphu and North Lakhimpur.
ODP Corporation (ODP), a leading provider of products, services and technology solutions through an integrated business-to-business (B2B) distribution platform and omnichannel presence, has selected HCL Tech as its primary IT partner for end-to-end Information Technology (IT) operations and enterprise-wide digital transformation to support ODP’s business strategy in its Office Depot, ODP Business Solutions and Veyer business units.
The Global Tamil Angels platform has been launched at the “Global Startup Investors Summit,” co-organized by the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission and FeTNA International Tamil Entrepreneur Network. The platform, hosted by StartupTN, allows Tamil Nadu-based start-ups to connect with potential investors from the global Tamil diaspora. During the summit, an American Tamil Fund (ATF) has also been announced. The ATF, which is made up of investors from the Tamil diaspora in the USA, has pledged to invest Rs.16 crore (approximately USD 2.2 million) in Tamil Nadu start-ups before December 2023.
BANKING & FINANCE
Axis Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru to establish a Centre for Mathematics and Computing at the Institute. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 26 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 The centre spread over 1.6 lakh square feet will have labs and programmes benefitting faculty and students.
PayRup, India’s fastest payment app, has been launched. It is built by cutting-edge technology of Web 3.0. It provides advanced digital payment experience with outstanding user experience. PayRup users can pay utility bills and landline bills, recharge their mobile, broadband, DTH, and purchase Gift Cards.
PayRup offers 24/7 customer care facilities for help and support for the users.
It ensures the 5 dimensions of service quality.
It follows SERVQUAL standard to provide the best service experience.
PayRup opens 24/7 customer care facilities for help and support for the users.
Its customer service desk utilises cutting-edge Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technologies and adheres to international standards.
The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that Kerala has become the first state in India to go fully digital in its banking service.
The Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) project of the state government, which is almost 90% completed, will reduce the digital divide.
The project is funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), its outlay is Rs.1,028.20 crore. Note: It should be noted that Kerala is the only State in India that has declared ‘the right to Internet’ as a basic right of its citizens.
Axis Bank Limited has partnered with Open Financial Technologies Private Limited, a digital banking firm, to give its customers a fully native digital current account journey. This is Axis Bank’s first collaboration with a fintech company to develop a fully digital current account.
A corporate agreement has been signed between Punjab & Sindh Bank (PSB), a public sector bank, and Pune-based Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company (BALIC) for the distribution of insurance products. The partnership will allow PSB’s new and existing customers to avail a variety of retail life insurance products from BALIC, including term, savings, retirement, and investment options.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the incentive scheme for the promotion of RuPay Debit Cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (Person-to-Merchant) for a period of one year from April 2022.
The approved incentive scheme has a financial outlay of Rs.2,600 crore. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 27 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Under the scheme, acquiring banks will be provided financial incentive, for promoting Point-of-Sale (PoS) and e-commerce transactions using RuPay Debit Cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (P2M) for the current financial year FY 2022-23.
In-line with the objective of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, the scheme will also promote UPI Lite and UPI 123PAY as economical and user-friendly digital payments solutions and enable further deepening of digital payments in the country, across all sectors and segments of the population. Note: Unified Payment Interface (UPI) has achieved a record of 782.9 crore digital payment transactions with a value of Rs.12.82 lakh crore in the month of December 2022.
The Ministry of MSME has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for the operationalization of Formalization Project for bringing Informal Micro Enterprises into the formal ambit. The Formalization Project has been launched by the Union Minister of MSME Narayan Rane by including 8 lakh Informal Micro Enterprises during the 19th meeting of the National Board of MSME (NBMSME) held in New Delhi. The Minister has also released the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) India Report 2021-22. The GEM is a global study conducted by GEM Consortium with the aim to collect internationally comparative primary data on entrepreneurial activity and its related concepts.
The Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed stock exchanges to launch future contracts on corporate bond indices of corporate debt securities rated AA+ and above to enhance liquidity in the bond market and to provide an opportunity to the investors to hedge their positions. Framework for Cash Settled Corporate Bond Index Futures (CBIF):
The value of CBIF shall not be less than Rs.2 lakh at the time of introduction.
There should be at least eight issuers in the index, with no more than a 15% weightage by a single issuer, and not more than 25% by a particular group of issuers.
The stock exchanges may introduce contracts of up to a tenure of three years. SEBI has also allowed portfolio managers under co-investment Portfolio Management Services (PMS) to terminate their services as per the provisions of the agreement signed with the client for early termination.
HDFC Capital, a subsidiary of HDFC Limited, has successfully achieved the initial close of USD 376 million for scheme 2 of HDFC Capital Affordable Real Estate Fund-3 (H-CARE 3) to provide long term, flexible funding across affordable and mid-income housing projects including early-stage funding. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 28 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
The World Bank has projected in its latest (January 2023) Global Economic Prospects that the Indian economy will grow at a robust rate of 6.6 percent in 2023-24 (FY24), down from an estimated 6.9% in FY23 and 8.7% in FY22. According to projections, the global economy will grow by 1.7% in 2023 and 2.7% in 2024.
Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM) has raised USD 1 billion via a 10-year Sustainability Bond issue in the 144A/Reg-S format under its Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Framework. The net proceeds of Sustainability Bond will be used towards eligible projects under its ESG framework.
Clayfin Technologies, a leading provider of Digital Customer Experience solutions for Banks and Financial institutions, and Bandhan Bank have been awarded ‘Best Digital Channel/Platform Implementation: Best Project Implementation’ at International Banking System Intelligence (IBSi) Global FinTech Innovation Awards 2022. This recognition was the basis of the implementation of Corporate Internet Banking (version 5.x) by Clayfin as part of Bandhan Bank’s vision to enhance their digital services to the SME sector.
Axis Bank has entered into a revised pact with Max Financial Services to acquire an additional 7 percent stake in Max Life Insurance at fair market value using discounted cash flow method. The revision in agreement follows the guidance issued by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) in October 2022.
Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kotak Mahindra Bank, has tied up with Clootrack, a Kochi-based start-up for customer experience analytics. This tie-up will empower Kotak Mahindra General Insurance with actionable insights into its non-life insurance products through customer feedback and understand gaps in the market to improve its customer experience.
The South Indian Bank, headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala, has launched a Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) online portal that provides instant online ‘In Principle’ approval of up to Rs.1 crore. This is in line with the government’s efforts to make India a USD 5 trillion economy.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has allowed UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions for non-resident bank accounts linked to mobile numbers of 10 countries. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 29 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
The 10 countries allowed under the facility are Singapore, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, USA, Saudi Arabia, UAE and United Kingdom.
This means Non-Resident Indians (NRI) from these countries can transact through UPI.
RBI IN NEWS
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Surinder Chawla as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL). He is currently serving as Head of Branch Banking at RBL Bank (formerly known as Ratnakar Bank).
BharatPe has received in-principal approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as an online payment aggregator (PA). The approval has been awarded to Resilient Payments Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BharatPe. The final authorisation is subject to fulfilment of certain conditions. Besides BharatPe, Hitachi Payment Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, and fintech startup EnKash have also received RBI’s authorisation to act as a PA. Online Payment Aggregator: It is a third party entity between a merchant (like e-commerce platforms) and its customers. It integrates various options of online payments together and brings them into one place for merchants, hence, bearing the load of all the integrators with various payment providers. It pools the funds received from customers (escrow) and transfers them to merchants after a certain time.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has notified the revised list of accredited Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs) for the purpose of assigning risk weight to assets for capital adequacy purposes by the banks. The six credit rating agencies are: a) Acuite Ratings & Research Limited (Acuite) b) Credit Analysis and Research Limited (CARE) c) CRISIL Ratings Limited d) ICRA Limited e) India Ratings and Research Private Limited (India Ratings) f) INFOMERICS Valuation and Rating Pvt Ltd Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs): The CRAs evaluates and assesses an individual’s or a company’s creditworthiness, means, these agencies consider a debtor’s income and credit lines to analyse the debtor’s ability to repay the debt or if there is any credit risk associated. In India, CRAs are regulated by the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as per the SEBI Regulations 1999 of the SEBI Act 1992. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 30 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the re-appointment of Michael Debabrata Patra as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a period of 1 year with effect from 15th January 2023. He was first appointed to a 3-year tenure as Deputy Governor of RBI on 15th January 2020. Other Deputy Governors of RBI are: T. Rabi Sankar, Mahesh Jain, and M.Rajeshwar Rao
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that the maiden Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) for an aggregate sum of Rs.16,000 crore will be issued in two tranches of Rs.8000 crore each in January and February 2023, with the intention of mobilizing resources for green infrastructure.
The first auction of sovereign green bonds worth Rs 8,000 crore, which will take place on 25th January 2023, includes Rs.4,000 crore worth of 5-year sovereign green bonds and Rs.4,000 crore worth of 10-year sovereign green bonds.
The next auction worth Rs.8,000 crore, which is scheduled 9th February 2023, also consists of Rs.4,000 crore worth of 5-year sovereign green bonds and Rs.4,000 crore worth of 10- year sovereign green debt.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has shortlisted seven global consultancy firms to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) And Machine Learning (ML) to analyse its huge database and improve regulatory supervision over banks and NBFCs. The seven firms are Accenture Solutions Private Limited; Boston Consulting Group (India) Pvt Ltd; Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP; Ernst and Young LLP; KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services LLP; McKinsey and Company; and Pricewaterhouse Coopers Pvt Ltd.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Noted Cuban social worker and human rights advocate Aleida Guevara has been honoured with the first KR Gouri Amma national award 2022 for her efforts to rehabilitate differently abled children and provide debt relief to developing countries.
The award has been presented by the Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
The award is instituted by the K.R. Gouriamma Foundation in memory of the Communist leader K.R. Gouriamma.
The award comprises USD 3,000, a statuette and a citation. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 31 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Veteran Indian actress-director Aparna Sen has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 15th edition of the Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) 2023 held in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
She made her acting debut in Satyajit Ray’s Teen Kanya (1961) and has starred in several films. She made her directional debut in 1981 with the English film “36 Chowringhee Lane” (1981).
She has won 9 National Film Awards which includes: Best Director-36 Chowringhee Lane (1981); Best Feature Film in Bengali-Paromitar Ek Din (2000) & Best Feature film in English15 Park Avenue (2005).
She has been honoured with Padma Shri for Arts in 1987.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has announced the winners of the 80th Golden Globe Awards 2023 at an event held in Los Angeles, California, USA. The award has been annually presented by HFPA since 1974.
Film
Winner
Best Motion Picture – Drama
The Fablemans
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Cate Blanchett for Tár
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Austin Butler for Elvis
Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy
Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Colin Farrell for The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
Angela Bassett For Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
Ke Huy Quan For Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Director – Motion Picture
StevenSpielberg–TheFabelmans
Best Screenplay — Motion Picture
Martin McDonagh For The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Picture — Animated
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Best Picture — Non-English Language
Argentina, 1985
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Justin Hurwitz, Babylon
BestSongMotionPicture
“NaatuNaatu,”RRR
Best Television Series — Drama
House of the Dragon (HBO Max)
Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Best Television Motion Picture
The White Lotus (HBO Max)
Best Actress — Television Motion Picture
Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout
Best Actor – Television Motion Picture
Evan Peters, Dahmer For Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Drama
Zendaya, Euphoria
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Drama
Kevin Costner, Yellowstone
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role on Television
Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role on Television
Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird
Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Serum Institute of India (SII), has been conferred with the first Dr Patangrao Kadam Memorial Award for the contribution to the fight against COVID-19.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) and former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi has launched the book titled “Mukhyamantri Dairy 1”. The book has been authored by Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam. The book explores the daily activities of Himanta Biswa Sarma, during the first year of his tenure as Chief Minister.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex’s, a member of the British royal family, has released his memoir titled ‘Spare’. The book has been written with the assistance of American novelist J.R. Moehringer. The book is published by Transworld Publishers Ltd, a division of Penguin Random House. The book explores the details of Harry’s relationship with his father, King Charles, his elder brother, Prince William, and other members of the royal family.
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has officially launched a book titled “Braving A Viral Storm: India’s Covid-19 Vaccine Story” in New Delhi.
The book is co-authored by Aashish Chandorkar and Suraj Sudhir.
The book is published by Rupa Publications India.
The book is a transcription of India’s success story and will be New India’s history.
Cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni has released the autobiography of the Technoeducationalist, Professor K.K. Abdul Gaffar, ‘Njaan Sakshi’ (me as the witness), at a grand function organized in Kasaragod, Kerala.
PERSON IN NEWS
Jayen Mehta has been named the interim Managing Director (MD) of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF). He has succeeded R.S. Sodhi who has stepped down from his post.
Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Gabon. He has replaced Rose Christaine Ossouka Raponda. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 34 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 Rose Christaine Ossouka Raponda has been appointed as the first-ever female VicePresident of Gabon.
Herbalife International India Pvt Ltd (Herbalife Nutrition) has appointed Indian woman cricketer Smriti Mandhana as its Brand Ambassador. She is the 5th Indian athlete and the 2nd cricketer to join the Herbalife family. Other sports personalities that are associated with the brand are Virat Kohli, Mary Kom, Lakshya Sen, and Manika Batra.
President of India Droupadi Mormu, in exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, has appointed Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, senior-most puisne judge of the Gauhati High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court. He will take charge from 12th January 2023 after incumbent Chief Justice Rashmin Manharbhai Chhaya demits office on 11th January 2023. Note: Gauhati High Court has territorial jurisdiction over four states namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
Indian-American aerospace expert A.C. Charania has been appointed as the new Chief Technologist of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He will serve as principal advisor to Administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programmes. He has replaced fellow Indian-American Bhavya Lal.
A Santhi Kumari has been appointed as the first Woman Chief Secretary of the Government of Telangana for a tenure until April 2025. She will succeed the incumbent Somesh Kumar.
OBITUARIES
Veteran Indian sinologist and translator Janaki Ballabh, who translated a range of Chinese works into Hindi, has passed away in Beijing, China. He was born in 1928 in Dalakot village in Almora in Uttarakhand.
He was recognised with a Peace and Friendship Award by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai for his contributions to cultural exchange between China and India.
He was the first Indian to be granted long-term residency in China. Sinologist: It is a person who studies or is an expert in the academic study of China primarily through Chinese language, literature, and history. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 35 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Indian politician Keshari Nath Tripathi has recently passed away in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. He was born on 10th November 1934 in Allahabad, United Provinces, British India.
He served as Governor of West Bengal from July 2014 to July 2019.
He also had additional charge for short stints as Governor of Bihar, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
He was a member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He was the Speaker of Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly three times, and the President of BJP, Uttar Pradesh. Books written by him: “The Age of Wings” (Prabhat Prakashan), “Sanchayita:Kesharinath Tripathi”(Anamika Prakashan),”Destination Jesus”(Anamika Prakashan), and “The Images”(Anamika Prakashan).
Dr Tehemton E Udwadia, popularly known as the Father of Laparoscopic Surgery in India, has recently passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was associated with Maharashtra government run- JJ Hospital in Byculla for decades.
He conducted India’s first laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) at JJ Hospital on 31st May 1990.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2017.
Professor Abdur Rehman Rahi, a renowned Kashmiri poet, translator, and critic, has recently passed away in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. He was born in Srinagar in 1925. Awards:
He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961 for his poetry collection Nawroz-iSaba.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2000.
He is the first Kashmiri writer to be awarded the Jnanpith Award (for the year 2004) in 2007 for his poetic collection Siyah Rood Jaeren Manz (In Black Drizzle).
He was honoured with Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2000. His works: Sana-Wani Saaz. Sukhok Soda, Nawroz-i-Saba, Kahwat, Baba Fareed, etc.
Constantine II, the former and last King of Greece who ruled Greece before the country became a republic in 1974, has recently passed away in Athens, Greece. He was born of King Paul I, younger brother to King George II of Greece and German aristocrat Princess Frederica of Hannover, Germany, on 2nd June 1940 in Psikhiko near Athens, Greece.
Indian politician Sharad Yadav from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party has recently passed away in Gurugram, Haryana. He was born on 1st July 1947 in Babai village in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh.
He was elected to Lok Sabha seven times and to Rajya Sabha thrice. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 36 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
He became an MP from three states (Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar).
He held various portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between 1999 and 2004.
SPORTS
South African cricketer and all-rounder, Dwaine Pretorius has retired from the international cricket with an immediate effect to focus on Twenty20 International (T20I) and shorter formats of the game.
He has played for South Africa in 30 T20I, 27 One-Day Internationals (ODI), and 3 Tests (took 77 wickets across formats) since making his international debut in 2016.
He now holds the record for South Africa’s best bowling performance in men’s T20Is (5 for 17 against Pakistan in 2021).
The 5th edition of Tata Open Maharashtra 2023 has been organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra.
Dutch Tennis player Tallon Griekspoor has won the men’s singles title at the Tata Open Maharashtra 2023 by defeating Benjamin Bonzi of France at the finals held in Balewadi Stadium in Pune, Maharashtra.
Belgians Sander Gillé and Joran Vliegen have won the doubles championship title by defeating India’s N Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan.
M Pranesh from Tamil Nadu has become India’s 79th Chess Grandmaster (GM) after crossing the 2500 ELO rating and winning the Rilton Cup 2022/23 held in Stockholm, Sweden. The Rilton Cup is the first tournament of the FIDE circuit. He is the 28th Grandmaster (GM) from Tamil Nadu.
Serbian Tennis Player Novak Djokovic has won the men’s singles title at the 2023 Adelaide International 1 by defeating Sebastian Korda of America with 6-7 (8), 7-6 (3), 6-4. This is his 92nd career singles title. In the women’s final at the Adelaide International 1, Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) has won the women’s singles title by defeating Linda Noskova of Czech Republic. This is her 11th WTA Tour singles title.
The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (MP) Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister of State (MoS) Nisith Pramanik, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYAS) have unveiled the Mascots, Smart Torch, and Theme song of the 5th edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2022 during an event held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Mascots: Asha (Female Cheetah) and Mowgli Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 37 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
Torch: Amarkantak (It is named after the place where the Narmada River, considered as MP’s lifeline, originates).
Theme Song: “MP Shor Macha Do, Hindustan Ka Dil Dhadka Do” (Well-known artist Shaan has rendered it). KIYG 2022: It will be hosted by Madhya Pradesh from 30th January to 11th February 2023. It will be held in Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Khargone (Maheshwar). For the first time water sports namely kayaking and canoeing, canoe slalom and rowing, as well as fencing will be part of these games. A total of 27 games will be played across 23 game venues.
Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has retained Chetan Sharma as the Chairman of the 5 members Senior Men’s Selection Committee of BCCI. CAC has named Shiv Sundar Das (Central Zone), Subroto Banerjee (East Zone), Salil Ankola (West Zone), and Sridharan Sharath (South Zone) as the other members of the selection committee.
Hockey India has launched the ‘Hockeyverse’ on their social media platforms ahead of FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. With this launch, Hockey India has become the first national sports federation to enter the world of metaverse. The Hockeyverse will provide a new virtual experience which has unique attractions such as a replica of the newly built Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium.
Kewal Kiran Clothing Limited (KKCL), the retail giant which owns brands like Killer, Integriti, Lawmanpg3, Easies and Desi Belle, has announced plans to enter its flagship brand ‘Killer’ into a strategic partnership with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as the Indian Cricket Team’s “Official Sponsor”. KKCL will put on the brand Killer logo on Team India’s Kit until 31st May 2023.
IMPORTANT DAYS
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has organized the Startup India Innovation Week from 10th January 2023 to 16th January 2023 to celebrate the Indian Startup Ecosystem as well as National Startup Day (16th January 2023).
The week aims to engage startup ecosystem stakeholders across the nation and spur the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in India. Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 38 info@practicemock.com 9319314079
This include Knowledge Sharing Sessions for entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and other enablers, involving relevant stakeholders from the startup ecosystem such as Government officials, incubators, corporates and investors.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has observed the Road Safety Week from 11th to 17th January 2023, under “Swachhata Pakhwada”, to propagate the cause of safer roads for all. The year 2023 marks the observance of the 34th Road Safety Week. During the week, various activities has been organised across India to create awareness among general public and to give an opportunity to all stakeholders to contribute to the cause of road safety. This includes various awareness campaigns related to causes of road accidents and measures to prevent them.
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is observed annually on 11th January to raise awareness about the prevention of illegal practice of human trafficking and slavery. The day was established by the United States Senate in 2007. Note: In 2010, President Obama dedicated the entire month of January to awareness and prevention of human trafficking.
National Youth Day is observed annually on 12th January to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda who always motivated the youth of the country and spoke about the right use of the youth in the development of the country. The year 2023 marks the 26th National Youth Day and the 160th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda (12 January 1863). The decision to celebrate Swami Vivekananda’s birthday as National Youth Day was taken in 1984, and it was first observed on 12th January 1985.
World Hindi Day, also known as Vishwa Hindi Diwas, is observed annually on 10th January to promote the language at the global stage. The day also marks the anniversary of the first World Hindi Conference which was inaugurated on 10th January 1975 in Nagpur, by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The celebration of first World Hindi Day was commenced on 10th January 2006 by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. This was also the first time that the Ministry of External Affairs started celebrating the day abroad.
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has observed its 18th Foundation Day on 12th January 2023. During the occasion, the commission has organized a Weekly Current Affairs January 2023 Week – 02 iia www.practicemock.com 39 info@practicemock.com 9319314079 quiz to create awareness among children about child rights and make Child Rights champions through this Quiz.
Armed Forces Veterans Day is observed annually across India on 14th January to acknowledge and honour the selfless devotion and sacrifice of our veterans in the service of the nation. It is observed as a mark of respect and recognition of the services rendered by Field Marshal KM Cariappa OBE, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces who retired on 14 January 1953. The year 2023 marks the 7 th Armed Forces Veterans Day. The day was first observed in 2016.
Army Day is observed annually across India on 15th January to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country and its citizens. The day is also marked to commemorate the day when General (later Field Marshal) KM Carriappa took over the command of the Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in 1949 and became the first Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army post Independence. The year 2023 marks the 75th Indian Army Day. ‘Shaurya Sandhya’ has been organised in Bengaluru on the occasion of 75th Army Day. The aim is to showcase the valour and adventurous facets of the Indian ArmY.
