NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launches MoE - AICTE Investor
Network: Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched ‘Ministry of Education -
AICTE Investor Network’ in New Delhi. The MoE-AICTE Investor Network will strengthen the all-round
support ecosystem to dynamic innovators—right from idea generation to
successful graduation as a commercially viable start-up. This initiative to be
a ground-breaking beginning that will bring students, faculty, investors and
the market on one platform to
strengthen the culture of innovation.
2. Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Inaugurated the UDAN
Flight Service: Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia virtually
inaugurated a UDAN flight connecting Dehradun and Pithoragarh from New Delhi. Chief
Minister of Uttarakhand Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami also joined the event from
Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. The flight connecting the two cities is to be
operated by Fly Big under the RCS UDAN Scheme. Pithoragarh Airport has been developed under the UDAN-RCS
scheme, with a cost of Rs 6.68 Crore into a 2B VFR Airport.
3. BHU gets automated DNA extractor machine: North India's first human DNA bank is being set up at the Zoology
Department of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). These machines are completely
indigenous to Make in India. It has been made in such a way that the minimum
plastic is used in it, so that there is no harm to the environment. With this
machine, DNA can be extracted from any biological material, like blood, saliva,
hair or tissue.
4. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates 9 highway projects worth Rs.
2,367 crore in MP: Union Minister Shri Nitin
Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 9 National
Highway projects costing Rs 2,367
crore and total length of 225 km in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Among
the projects inaugurated, a 1.5 km long bridge has been constructed on Jamni
river on Tikamgarh-Jhansi road at a cost of Rs 43 crore. This will make it
easier to reach Orchha, the tourist destination of Rajaram's temple.
5. Assam Cabinet approves new bill to develop tourism: The Assam cabinet approved the Assam Tourism
Development and Registration Bill 2024 to regulate the tourism sector. Assam
Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said that the bill will be introduced in the
upcoming budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly. This bill will be
introduced in the upcoming budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly. The
bill will bring benefits such as ensuring economic growth through the
development of tourism.
6. PFRDA opens bidding for development of of Technology
Architecture project: The Pension Fund Regulatory
and Development Authority (PFRDA) has opened bidding for the
PFRDA- Tracking Reporting Analytics
and Compliance E-Platform (TRACE) RFP as part of Technology
Architecture project. The PFRDA is inviting bids for selection of System
Integrator (SI) for design, development, implementation and maintenance
of PFRDA-TRACE. PFRDA-TRACE
will serve as a comprehensive tool for submitting regulatory and supervisory
compliance reports by intermediaries.
7. Champai Soren to be next
Jharkhand CM: Hemant Soren has resigned as Jharkhand’s Chief Minister while the ruling
JMM-led coalition proposed the name of senior leader and State Transport
Minister Champai Soren as the new
Chief Minister. Hemant Soren tendered his resignation to Governor CP
Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan after about seven hours of questioning by the
Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to a land scam. Champai
Soren was unanimously elected as the JMM Legislature Party leader by the ruling
alliance in the State.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Qatar inks 15-year deal for Bangladesh gas supply: QatarEnergy and US-based Excelerate Energy signed an agreement to supply
1 million metric tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Bangladesh
for 15 years from January 2026. The deal is the latest in a series state-owned
QatarEnergy has with European and Asian partners tied to its massive North
Field expansion project, which is expected to lift Qatar's LNG production to
126 mtpa by 2027 from 77 mtpa. Qatar is already the largest supplier of LNG to
Bangladesh.
2. Toyota keeps crown as world’s top-selling automaker in
2023: Toyota Motor sold a record 2
million vehicles in 2023, taking the crown as the world’s top-selling
automaker for a fourth straight year. The Japanese automaker reported a 7.2%
jump in global group sales last year, including those of truck unit Hino Motors
and small-car maker Daihatsu, helped by record overseas sales of 8.9 million
vehicles. Sales of Toyota’s parent-only vehicles, which include those of its
namesake and Lexus brands, hit a record of 10.3 million vehicles in 2023. Second-ranked
German rival Volkswagen Group earlier this month reported a 12% rise in
deliveries last year to 9.2 million cars, marking a post-pandemic recovery as
supply chain bottlenecks eased.
3. India slips 8 places on Transparency International’s
corruption perception index: Transparency International (TI) released the Corruption
Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023. India slipped 8 places to 93rd in CPI, as India’s rank in 2022 was
85th. The index prepared by Transparency International ranks 180 countries and
territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption drawn from
experts and business people. On a scale of 0 to 100 on which countries are
judged, 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Indian Coast Guard Day:1st February 2024: India celebrates the Indian
Coast Guard Day on February 1st every year, a tribute to the
valour, dedication, and service of the personnel safeguarding the country's
maritime interests. This year, the Indian Coast Guard Day will be commemorating
its 48th Raising Day. Indian Coast Guard, with 152 ships and 78 aircraft in its
arsenal, is on track to achieve its targeted force levels of 200 surface
platforms and 100 aircraft by 2030.
SPORTS
1. Khelo India Winter Games 2024 mascot, snow leopard
‘Sheen-e She’ (Shan) reveals: The
mascot and logo of Khelo India
Winter Games were launched. The first part of the Winter Games, a
mouth-watering event for winter sports athletes, will be held in Union Territory
of Ladakh for the first time from February 2-6. The second portion is scheduled
in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir from February 21-25.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Highlights of Union Budget 2024: The Union Finance Minister Smt
Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Interim Union Budget for 2024-2025
in Parliament today. She announced that the capital expenditure outlay for the
next year is being increased by 11.1 percent to Rs 11,11,111 crore, which would
be 3.4% of the GDP. India’s Real GDP is projected to grow at 7.3 percent. She
added For Railways, three major economic railway corridor programmes will be
implemented.
2. RBI Imposes Major Restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed Paytm
Payments Bank to cease all
deposits and credit transactions after February 29, 2024. This action
stems from persistent non-compliances and ongoing supervisory concerns within
the bank, raising questions about the impact on its customers. In exercise of
its powers under section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, RBI has directed
that no further deposits and credit transactions or top-ups shall be allowed in
any customer accounts, prepaid instruments, wallets, and FASTags after the 29th
of February, other than any interest, cashbacks, or refunds which may be
credited anytime.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Best Republic Day tableaux: Odisha wins 1st prize: Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt gave away the best
marching contingents and tableaux awards for the Republic Day Parade. He
announced separate results – one by a panel of judges and other through an
online public vote conducted by MyGov and congratulated all the winners. Three
panels of judges were appointed for assessing the performance of Marching
Contingents from three Services, Marching Contingents from Central Armed Police
Forces (CAPF)/other auxiliary forces and tableaux from various States/Union
Territories and Ministries/Departments.
2. Three Indian Scientists To Be Honored With Prestigious UK Prize In London: The UK has named nine scientists, including three researchers of Indian descent, as recipients of a prestigious award for young scientists who are advancing science and improving the world. The UK’s Blavatnik Awards For Young Scientists honour research in three categories—Chief Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Life Sciences—that is revolutionising technology, medicine, and our understanding of the world.
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