Daily GK Update- 27th Feb, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi to inaugurate Shivamogga airport in Karnataka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Shivamogga airport in Karnataka on 27 February 2023. The airport has been built on 663 acres of land with an investment of ₹449.22 crore. Apart from this, the prime minister has also inaugurated several other development projects in the poll-bound state. The Passenger Terminal Building of the airport can handle 300 passengers per hour. The foundation was laid in June 2020 by former CM B S Yediyurappa.

 

2. PM Modi to release 13th installment of Rs 16,800 crore under PM-KISAN: PM Narendra Modi has released the 13th installment of financial benefits worth Rs 16,800 crore to over eight crore eligible farmers under the flagship PM-KISAN scheme. PM-KISAN refers to Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi . Under this scheme, eligible farmers are provided with a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 each every four months. The fund is directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

 

3. 85th plenary session of the Indian National Congress concludes at Raipur: The 85th plenary session of the Indian National Congress has been concluded at Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The three-day Congress summit was attended by nearly 15,000 delegates from various states and discussed socio-political, political economic, and international affairs. During the meeting, they also adopted six resolutions making the party’s stand clear on issues and laying down a party roadmap for them. Congress president: Mallikarjun Kharge

 

4. Defence Secretary Aramane Giridhar gets extension till October 2024: The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet approved the extension of the Secretary of the Department of Defence - Aramane Giridhar. He will remain in his post until October 31, 2024, or till further order whichever is earlier. This extension is beyond his age of superannuation. He was due to retire in June 2023, after completing 60 years of superannuation. He is a 1988-batch IAS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre.

 

5. 14th edition of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav begins in Bikaner: The 14th Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav commenced at Karni Singh Stadium in Bikaner, Rajasthan. It is organized by the Union Ministry of Culture, was inaugurated with a Shobha Yatra, in which artists from different states of the country participated in traditional dresses. The objective of the festival is to preserve, promote and popularize the rich cultural heritage of the country. Governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra and Union Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal inaugurated the craft fair and various exhibitions. The 9 days long festival is being organized with the support of 7 regional cultural centers and various academies. Performances of about one thousand well-known artists from across the country based on folk dance, folk music, drama and Sufi music will take place during the festival.

 

6. Chatrapati Sambhajinagar hosts Women20 Inception Meeting: The first meeting of the W20 (Women 20) under India’s G20 presidency is being held at Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra on 27-28 February 2023. The theme of the meeting – Pursuit of Gender Equality, Equity and Dignity for Women-led Development More than 150 delegates are expected from the G20 countries to attend the meeting Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani inaugurated the meeting. W20 (Women 20) is an official engagement group under the G20 which was established during the Turkish presidency in 2015.

 

7. Jitendra Singh inaugurated ‘International Biotech Conclave’: Union MoS Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh has inaugurated the ‘International Biotech Conclave’ in Imphal, Manipur. It was held along with the 22nd Congress of the International Society for Ethno-pharmacology and the 10th Congress of the Society for Ethno-pharmacology. The theme for the conclave was “Reimagine Ethnopharmacology: Globalisation of Traditional Medicine”. For the first time since Independence, the North Eastern Region is organizing an event involving over 700 International and national delegates, representing over 35 countries from across the world.

 

8. Ministry of Ayush organized its first ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Assam: The Ministry of Ayush has organized a “Chintan Shivir” for Ayush at Kaziranga National Park, Assam. Union Minister of Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated the event. The event aims to discuss the futuristic improvements in the implementation of existing policies and programs relating to Ayush sectors & traditional medicine. Road map to improve public health, and maximizing the use of technological advancement along with other deliverable are the expected outcomes of the two days deliberation in the “Chintan Shivir.”

 

9. Nitin Gadkari inaugurated Rs 3670 cr Highways projects in Maharashtra: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated National Highway projects worth Rs 3670 crore in Maharashtra. These include five National Highway projects totaling 212 km length at Nanded worth Rs 1,575 crore, three National Highway projects worth Rs 1,058 crore and 75 km length at Parbhani, and a National Highway project worth Rs 1,037.4 crore at Hingoli. These projects are expected to improve the connectivity of the state’s Marathwada region with neighbouring Telangana and Karnataka. The projects will help in improving industrial and agricultural development along with connecting religious places and promoting tourism.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kerala, UN Women sign pact to boost women-friendly activities in tourism: The Kerala government signed an agreement with the UN Women to boost women-friendly activities in the State's tourism sector. Kerala Tourism Director P B Nooh and UN Women India representative Susan Ferguson signed the MoU. Both parties agreed to work towards promoting gender-inclusive tourism sites in the State. It would be implemented by the Responsible Tourism Mission. It will be done by creating modules and capacity-building of relevant stakeholders.

 

2. Ellora Ajanta International Festival begins in Aurangabad: Three-day Ellora Ajanta International Festival 2023 began in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Union Minister of State for Finance Dr. Bhagwat Karad inaugurated this festival. This festival is a celebration of the cultural heritage and diversity of the region and promises to be a feast for the senses. It will feature a range of events, including live music performances, dance shows, art exhibitions, and food festivals. Ajanta and Ellora are two monumental rock-cut caves that define Indian art and architectural accomplishment.

 

3. International IP Index: India ranked 42 in 55 countries: the US Chamber of Commerce has ranked India 42 out of 55 countries in the latest International IP Index report. USA ranks first in the 2023 index, followed by the UK and France. According to the report, India’s size and economic influence is growing on the world stage. India has taken steps to improve enforcement against copyright-infringement and provides a best-in-class framework to promote better understanding and use of IP assets. International Intellectual Property Index is an annual report compiled by the US Chambers of Commerce. It evaluates the protection of IP rights in the world’s 55 major economies, which represent approximately 90% of global GDP.

 

4. Indian Air Force to participate in Exercise Desert Flag VIII in UAE: Indian Air Force is participating in Exercise Desert Flag VIII in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 27 February to 17 March 2023. This is the first occasion when the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas shall participate in an international flying exercise outside India. Exercise Desert Flag is a multilateral air exercise in which Air Forces from UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, the Republic of Korea, and the USA would also be participating. The exercise aims to participate in diverse fighter engagements and learn from the best practices of various Air Forces.

 

5. INS Sindhukesari becomes the first Indian submarine to dock in Indonesia: INS Sindhukesari has become the first Indian submarine to dock in Indonesia. The 3,000-tonne conventional diesel-electric submarine made its way to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta to dock after traversing through the nearby Sunda Strait. The exercise was part of INS Sindhukesari’s first operational turnaround. In a bid to strengthen bilateral ties, the Indonesian Navy warmly welcomes the arrival of the Indian submarine INS Shindukesari in Jakarta,” the Indonesian Navy tweeted. It was designed as part of Project 877 and built under a contract between Rosvooruzhenie, Russia, and Ministry of Defence, India.

 

6. 27 February – World NGO Day: World NGO Day is celebrated on February 27 every year. Objective – To inspire people to become more actively involved within non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and encourage a greater symbiosis between NGOs. Theme 2023 – The role and influence of NGOs in advancing human rights The day was first celebrated in 2010 and has since become an annual event that highlights the work of NGOs around the world.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Australia beat South Africa to lift ICC Women's T20 World Cup Trophy 2023: Australian women's cricket team has defeated South Africa by 9 runs to lift the ICC T20 World Cup Trophy 2023 at Newlands, Cricket Ground in Cape Town, South Africa. Australian women's cricket team has won this title for the sixth time. They have completed a ‘three-peat’ under the captaincy of Meg Lanning, winning in 2018, 2020, and 2023. Player of the series: Australia Ashleigh Gardner

Most runs: South Africa Laura Wolvaardt (230)

 

2. Manchester United win the Carabao Cup title 2023: Manchester United defeated Newcastle to win the Carabao Cup title in 2023 after six years. Newcastle is a Saudi Arabia-backed club. The Carabao cup is also known as the EFL cup, a major football trophy played in England. The competition was open to all clubs participating in the Premier League and the English Football League. Liverpool is the most successful club in the competition and has won more than nine championships.

 

3. Indian wrestler Ankit Gulia bags Bronze in Ibrahim Moustafa ranking series: Indian Greco-Roman wrestler Ankit Gulia (19) won a bronze medal in the men’s 72 kg division of the  Ibrahim Moustafa ranking series in Alexandria, Egypt. He lost to Otar Abuladze (Georgia) and got the better of Nurzhigit Keneshbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) in the repechage round. The Indian grappler won the medal after Iranian 67kg Olympic champion Mohammadreza Abdolhamid Geraei withdrew from the bronze medal match due to an injury.

 

4. Madhya Pradesh women's team wins maiden national hockey title 2023: Madhya Pradesh women's hockey team won the 13th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2023 held in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. MP defeated Hockey Maharashtra by 5-1 in the final. MP's Pratibha Arya was adjudged the best defender of the championship. She was also awarded the player of the match title. The team of Hockey Jharkhand secured third place after defeating Hockey Haryana in the third-place match.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. MIT professor Hari Balakrishnan wins 2023 Marconi Prize: Computer scientist, Hari Balakrishnan has been awarded the 2023 Marconi Prize. He is a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Marconi Prize is a top honor for computer scientists and is awarded by the U.S.-based Marconi Foundation. It is given to those who have made a significant contribution to increasing digital inclusivity through advanced information and communications technology.

 

2. J&K won best adventure tourism destination award: India Today Tourism Survey has chosen Jammu & Kashmir Tourism for best adventure tourism award in recognition of its efforts in promoting ‘Gulmarg’ as an adventure destination of international order. Union Minister of State gave the awards away at New Delhi for Culture & Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal. The award has been given to the J&K Tourism Department in recognition of its efforts in promoting ‘Gulmarg’ as an adventure destination of international order. India Today award comes just within a month of South Asian Travel Trade Expo (SATTE) in which the J&K Tourism Department was awarded for its efforts in post-COVID-19 recovery of the tourism sector.