1. Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Delhi Vedic Heritage Portal
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the Vedic Heritage Portal and Virtual Museum ‘ Kala Vaibhav ‘ built by IGNCA in New Delhi based on 64 arts . The objective of this portal is to assist researchers in understanding Vedic knowledge traditions and to provide general information about ancient texts to the general public. Any information related to Vedic heritage can be obtained from the portal. On this occasion, Union Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy informed that audio-visual recordings of the four Vedas have been uploaded on the Vedic Heritage Portal. He said that 18 thousand mantras of 550 hours duration are available on this portal.
2. Shri Sonowal inaugurates India’s first National Center of Excellence in Green Ports and Shipping
The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MOPSW) and AYUSH, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has said that with the launch of the Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP), India aims to become the ‘ Global Hub of Green Shipping ‘ by 2030 . India’s first National Center of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCOEGPS) Gurugram, Haryana Inaugurating it, he said that the program will start with ‘Green Hybrid Tugs’, powered by Green Hybrid Propulsion System, and will later adopt non-fossil fuel solutions like (Methanol, Ammonia, Hydrogen). The minister said that a target has been set for the initial green tugs to start operations in all major ports by 2025. He said that at least 50 per cent of tugboats are likely to be converted to green tugboats by 2030, which would significantly reduce emissions as the country moves towards achieving the goal of sustainable development.
3. The period for implementation of the Smart City campaign has been extended till June this year
The Center has informed that 86 per cent of the funds have been utilized to complete 69 per cent of the projects under the Smart City campaign . In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore said that under this campaign seven thousand seven hundred 99 projects were asked to be worked on, out of which five thousand three hundred 99 projects would be completed by March 3, 2023. Has been taken. Shri Kishor informed that the Central and State Governments had jointly released Rs 69 thousand 685 crore, out of which Rs 59 thousand 791 crore has been utilised. He informed that the period for implementation of the Smart City campaign has been extended till June this year and all the projects would be completed during this period. Central Government on 25 June 2015 When the Smart Cities campaign was launched, one hundred smart cities were selected through a four-stage competition between January 2016 and June 2016.
4. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched Digiclaim
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched Digiclaim for claim distribution through the National Crop Insurance Portal under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana . With this, insurance claims worth more than Rs 1,260 crore have been paid to the insured farmers of six states. This includes farmers from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Haryana.
5. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 31 road projects worth Rs 13,200 crore in Jharkhand
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 31 road projects worth Rs.13,200 crore in Jharkhand . These projects include the Varanasi-Ranchi Economic Corridor, the double-decker elevated road project in Jamshedpur and the Bokaro-Jaina, More-Gola-Aurmanji Expressway. Shri Gadkari also inaugurated the Ranchi-Jamshedpur road project connecting Ranchi Ring Road for smooth commercial traffic. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gadkari said that before 2024, Jharkhand will be provided with road facilities worth Rs 2 lakh crore. Shri Gadkari laid the foundation stone of 10 road projects from Jamshedpur with a cost of Rs.3800 crore and 21 road projects from Ranchi with a cost of Rs.9400 crore.
6. Gujarat court sentences Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in 2019 criminal defamation case
A court in Surat in Gujarat has convicted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case filed in 2019 over his remarks on Modi’s surname . The court also sentenced him to two years in jail . However, the court of Judicial Magistrate HH Verma has granted bail to Rahul Gandhi and has stayed the sentence for 30 days so that he can appeal in the higher court during this period. After this decision, Rahul Gandhi’s Wayanad parliamentary constituency may also lose his membership of Parliament and by-elections may have to be held there. Rahul Gandhi was also present in the court when the verdict was pronounced. Congress leader from Kolar, Karnataka ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections Had made objectionable remarks on Modi surname while addressing a public meeting. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Purnesh Modi had filed a case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged derogatory remarks.
7. Government has set up National Sports University in Imphal, Manipur
Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has said that the government has set up a National Sports University at Imphal in Manipur . In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, he said that this is the first specialized university of its kind in the country. It has been established to promote sports education in the areas of sports science, technology, management and training, besides acting as a national coach. He said that the National Sports University has been envisaged to provide advanced studies and training in physical education. India’s first National Sports University has been opened in Imphal, Manipur. It was established in the year 2018.
8. Shri Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates ‘Sagar Manthan’, a real-time performance monitoring dashboard of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MOPSW)
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and AYUSH Shri Sarbananda Sonowal virtually launched ‘ Sagar Manthan ‘ , a digital platform containing all the integrated data related to the Ministry and other subsidiary companies – real time performance monitoring dashboard of MOPSW . It was inaugurated by Shri Shripad Y. Naik, Minister of State at MOPSW; Done in the presence of Shri Shantanu Thakur and other officials of the Ministry. This dashboard will transform the working of various departments by improving well coordinated real time information. The platform has been efficiently developed by the Ministry in less than one and a half months without any outside help under the guidance of Shri Sudhanshu Pant, IAS and Secretary, MOPSW.
9. UIDAI and SETS join hands for R&D in Deep-Tech including Quantum Computing, IoT Security and Cyber Security
The Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS ), part of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India , agreed to collaborate and conduct joint R&D in the development of tools and products in the deep tech sector . Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), both the organizations will undertake joint research in deep tech and emerging technology areas such as cyber security, IoT security, mobile device security, financial network slice security and hardware security etc.
10. Annual Bilateral Maritime Exercise – Konkan 2023
The annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the British Royal Navy – Konkan 2023 was conducted off the Konkan coast of the Arabian Sea from March 20 to 22, 2023. Guided Missile Frigate INS Trishul and Type 23 Guided Missile Frigate HMS Lancaster participated in the exercise and conducted a series of sea exercises to enhance interoperability and adopt best practices. The exercise covered all areas of maritime operations air, surface and sub-surface. In addition, gunnery shoots on surface inflatable target ‘Killer Tomato’, helicopter operations, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare exercises, visit board search and seizure (VBSS), ship maneuvers and personnel exchanges were also included.
11. Defense Ministry signs Rs 3,700 crore contract with BEL for medium power radar ‘Arudhara’ and 129 DR- 118 radar warning receivers
The Defense Ministry on March 23, 2023 signed two separate contracts worth over Rs 3,700 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force . The first contract, worth over Rs 2,800 crore, pertains to the supply of Medium Power Radar (MPR) ‘ Arudhara ‘ to the Indian Air Force. At the same time, the second contract is about Rs 950 crore, which is for 129 DR-118 radars. The alert is related to the recipient (RWR). Both these projects are under the Buy {Indian – IDMM (Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured)} category. These essentially symbolize the spirit of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and will help the country in realizing the vision of self-reliance in defense manufacturing. The MPR (Arudhara) radar has been indigenously designed and developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and will be manufactured by BEL. The DR-118 Radar Warning Receiver will significantly enhance the Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities of the Su-30 MKI aircraft. Most of its sub-assemblies and parts will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers.
12. Indian industrialist Mr. Ratan Tata has been appointed as an Honorary Officer of the ‘Order of Australia’ for distinguished service to
Indian industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata has been made an Honorary Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) , for distinguished service to Australia -India bilateral relations , particularly trade, investment and philanthropy. appointed as. Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell said that the Governor General of Australia announced his appointment. Ratan Tata is the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, former Chairman of the Tata Group and one of the world’s richest entrepreneurs. Ratan Tata has been a strong and influential advocate of deeper ties between Australia and India, including advocating for an India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, set to be finalized in 2022. Their work includes supporting development and creating opportunities in many areas, including health, nutrition, education, water, agriculture, environment, and energy, social justice and inclusion, digital transformation, disaster relief, and women’s economic empowerment. He has received several international awards and accolades including an honorary Doctor of Business degree from the University of New South Wales.
13. Joe Biden to present 2021 National Humanities Medal to Indian-American Mindy Kaling
The White House announced that US President Joe Biden will present the 2021 National Humanities Medal to Indian-origin actress, comedian and writer Mindy Kalinga , also known as Vera Mindy Chockalingam . The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given by the US government to artists, arts patrons, and groups and honors exemplary individuals and organizations who have advanced the arts in the United States through distinguished achievement, support, or patronage. Has inspired others.
14. Jayanthi Chauhan to head Bisleri
Jayanthi Chauhan, daughter of Ramesh Chauhan, chairman of Bisleri International, will now lead bottled water company Bisleri. Explain that after the acquisition talks with Tata Consumer Products Limited (TCPL) came to an end, the company has decided to hand over the leadership to Jayanti. Bisleri Chairman Ramesh Chauhan has told the media that Jayanti will run the company with our professional team and now we do not want to sell our business.
15. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance appoints Anoop Bagchi as MD
Anoop Bagchi will be the new MD and CEO of private sector life insurance company ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company. Bagchi will replace the current MD and CEO NS Kannan in June, who will complete a five-year term. Bagchi is currently the Executive Director of ICICI Bank and will take charge on June 19, 2023, subject to approval from the insurance regulator.
16. G Krishnakumar appointed as the Chairman of Bharat Petroleum Corporation
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has announced that G. Krishnakumar will take over as the chairman and managing director of the company. As per the official order, Krishnakumar will hold the post of chairman and managing director till April 2025 or until further notice.
17. Terminator Zone on Distant Planets May Have Life: Research
Scientists at the University of California, Irvine, have conducted a study that suggests alien life may exist in the ” terminator zone ” of exoplanets. suggests the possibility of These regions are areas that are not too hot or too cold. Exoplanets are planets that exist outside our Solar System, and many of them are tidally locked. This means that one side of the planet always faces the star it orbits, while the other side is always in darkness. The terminator is the dividing line between the day side and the night side of the exoplanet. Scientists have found that there is a band around these planets, known as the “terminator zone”, where the temperature is just right for liquid water to exist. According to the researchers, the day side of these exoplanets may be scorching hot, while the night side is bitterly cold and possibly covered in ice. Therefore, the best place for life to exist would be in the terminator zone, where the temperature is just right.
18. Perumal Murugan’s novel ‘Pukkuzhi’ nominated for International Booker Prize 2023 long list
Perumal Murugan ‘s novel ‘ Pookkuzhi ‘, also known as ‘ Pyre ‘ in English, has been nominated for the International Booker Prize 2023 longlist . The book created history by becoming the first Tamil novel to receive this recognition . The novel is set in rural Tamil Nadu during the 1980s and explores caste-based violence through the eloping of a young inter-caste couple. Murugan, the author of ‘Pukkuzhi’, is a well-known novelist and professor of Tamil literature. He has written extensively on the daily life of the Tamil rural folk, their traditions and social hierarchy. Through his works, Murugan has criticized the caste system.
19. ISRO’s Yuvika – Young Scientist Program
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched Yuva Vignani Karyakram (YUVIKA) program to encourage students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and develop a passion for space science. Is. Through this programme, ISRO aims to identify and nurture talented students who have a keen interest in science and technology and inspire them to become space scientists of the future. Applications for this program have recently been opened. Yuvika Program 9th class (or equivalent) from all over India Open to students of The program selects three students from each State/UT, and they are invited to participate in a two-week residential training program at various ISRO centers across the country. The objective of this program is to provide an opportunity to young children to know about space science, space applications and space technology.
20. 2023 SAFF Championship to be held in India
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced that the 2023 edition of South Asia ‘s most prestigious international football tournament, the SAFF Championship, will be held in Bengaluru from June 21 to July 3 . The tournament is being held in India for the first time after the 2015 edition held in Thiruvananthapuram. The tournament, which will feature all member associations of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), will see the 13th edition of the competition divided into two groups. Teams will play round-robin league matches in the group stage, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals. The date of the draw will be announced later.
21. Microsoft’s new ChatGPT based tool Co-pilot
Microsoft unveiled its latest artificial intelligence (AI) integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot . Designed to boost workplace productivity, Co-Pilot empowers Microsoft 365 Apps to “unleash the power and creativity of big language models with business data, unlock productivity, and enhance skills,” according to a press statement. adds up. Co-Pilot acts like an assistant and is integrated with popular everyday apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, so that users can access it easily. Additionally, Microsoft has launched Business Chat to enhance the experience and make it easier and faster to work with your Microsoft 365 apps and data such as calendar email, chats, documents, meetings, and contacts.
22. India records highest increase in deforestation in last 30 years: Report
The report “ Deforestation Report ” by the utility bidder revealed that India has seen the highest increase in deforestation in the last 30 years. The country lost 3,84,000 hectares of forests between 1990 and 2000 , but this figure increased to 6,68,400 hectares between 2015 and 2020 . This trend makes India the second largest country in terms of deforestation after Brazil. Makes The report analyzed deforestation trends in 98 countries using data from 1990 to 2000 and 2015 to 2020 from data aggregator Our World In Data. The report states that animal husbandry and oilseed cultivation are the main causes of global deforestation. Cattle rearing alone accounts for an annual loss of 2,105,753 hectares of forests, followed by oilseed cultivation at 9,50,609 hectares. Palm oil cultivation has caused massive deforestation in Indonesia, destroying 650,000 hectares of forest. It ranks third globally in terms of deforestation.
23. Burundi Declares Its First Polio Outbreak in 30 Years
The landlocked East African country of Burundi has declared its first polio outbreak in 30 years . The outbreak was confirmed after a four-year-old boy in western Burundi’s Islay district was diagnosed with vaccine-associated polio along with two other children who had come in contact. Additionally, poliovirus type 2 was detected in five environmental monitoring samples of wastewater from the field. Poliovirus type 2 is a weakened strain of the virus contained in the oral polio vaccine. The virus can spread among low-immune populations over a long period of time, causing vaccine-associated infections. The WHO notes that type 2 infection can cause acute flaccid paralysis in children.
24. “Groundwater: A Valuable but Diminishing Resource” report released
The report “ Groundwater: A Valuable but Diminishing Resource ” was released by the Standing Committee on Water Resources . It suggested that the Government of India should take measures to reduce the over-exploitation of groundwater . The committee urged the Ministry of Power and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare as well as the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to increase the use of electric pumps by introducing measures such as pre-paid cards for electricity supply and limiting electricity to certain hours. urged to discourage. The report highlights that states like Punjab, Haryana, Telangana and Tamil Nadu provide free electricity to farmers. provide, which contributes to the over-exploitation of groundwater. The committee has recommended that free electricity to farmers should be restricted to reduce the misuse of groundwater. However, the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare have reportedly been unable to persuade states to reduce or stop subsidies for electricity to agriculture.
25. “Pathways to Atmanirbhar Bharat” report released
The study titled “ Pathways to Atmanirbhar Bharat ” was released recently by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and The India Energy and Climate Center (IECC) . According to this report, India has an opportunity to achieve energy independence by 2047 through investments in clean energy technologies . The report highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign, which includes a target to install 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and increase EV sales in India to capture a significant share of the market. Additionally, the government aims to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030.
26. Former Australia captain Tim Paine announces retirement from the game
Tim Paine, the former captain of the Australian Test cricket team, has announced his retirement from his cricket career. He announced the decision after playing his final Sheffield Shield first-class match against Queensland. Penn captained the Australian team in 23 Tests from 2018 to 2021 and played a total of 35 Tests in his career. Steve Smith was stripped of the captaincy following the ball-tampering scandal during Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa and was replaced by Paine.
27. India won titles in both men’s and women’s section of the Asian Kho-Kho Championship at Tamulpur, Assam
India has won both the women’s and men’s titles of the Asian Kho-Kho Championship held at Tamulpur , Assam . In the women’s section, India beat Nepal by an innings and 33 points. In the men’s section too, India won the title by defeating Nepal by an innings and six points. India has been unbeaten in both the categories in the championship. Nine countries participated in the competition. Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly Biswajit Daimary and Minister U G Brahma distributed the prizes to the winners.
28. March 23: Martyr’s Day
Every year, March 23 is observed as Martyr’s Day . The day is celebrated to remember the courage and valor of three great youth leaders Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivram Rajguru . These three great leaders were hanged on this day. It may be noted that on March 23, 1931, the British had hanged Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, the immortal sons of Mother India. Although the court had fixed March 24 as the date for the three to be hanged, the British quietly hanged them in the Lahore Central Jail a day earlier.
29. March 23: World Meteorological Day
World Meteorological Day is celebrated every year on 23 March . The day is also being observed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations. The theme for World Meteorological Day 2023 is “ The Future of Weather, Climate and Water Across Generations ”. March 23 has been chosen because the World Meteorological Organization was founded on that day in 1950. The organization originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), whose idea is rooted in the Vienna International Meteorological Congress of 1873. The WMO was established in 1950 by ratification of the WMO Conference, after which the organization became a specialized agency of the United Nations. The headquarter of WMO is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
30. International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: 21 March
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed every year on 21 March . The day calls for solidarity against racism and racial discrimination. Apart from being a violation of human rights, this racial discrimination also has harmful effects on human health and well-being and hinders social cohesion.
