Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Examinations: March 02, 2023
A part of the question paper for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, IAS, Railway-RRB, UPPSC, UGC NET, SBI, MPPSC, etc., is devoted to the Current Affairs section. Moreover, scoring well in this portion is not difficult if we have a sound preparation plan. Candidates can ace the current affairs section of any exam by using the right tools and daily news analysis.
The most recent events from around the globe have been selected by our specialists at Embibe and are included in this post.
Current Affairs: Days and Events
Important Days on 1st March
Zero Discrimination Day 2023
On Zero Discrimination Day, 1st March, we celebrate the right of everyone to live a full and productive life and live it with dignity.
Zero Discrimination Day highlights how people can become informed about and promote inclusion, compassion, peace and, above all, a movement for change.
Zero Discrimination Day is helping to create a global movement of solidarity to end all forms of discrimination.
Theme:
This year, under the theme “Save lives: Decriminalise”, United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) highlights how decriminalising key populations and people living with HIV saves lives and helps advance the end of the AIDS pandemic.
World Seagrass Day 2023
World Seagrass Day is celebrated annually on 1st March to raise awareness about seagrass and its important functions in the marine ecosystem.
The seagrasses are grass-like plants that live close to the sea. They are the only flowering plants to grow in the marine environment.
There are more than 60 seagrass species in the world. They act as the best carbon sink and provide food for marine life.
World Civil Defence Day 2023
World Civil Defence Day is observed on 1st March to raise awareness about the importance of civil defence measures in protecting people and their property from natural disasters, accidents, and other emergencies.
The day honours the work of several civil defence organisations. The day also recognises the efforts put in by the organisations to protect communities and save lives.
The day also recognises the contribution of civil defence personnel, who work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of their communities.
Theme:
The theme for this year is “Uniting the world’s leading specialists for the safety and security of future generations”.
Question: 1
Which of the following days is not observed on the 1st of March every year?
A. International Child Rights Day
B. World Civil Defence Day
C. World Seagrass Day
D. Zero Discrimination Day
Answer: D
Check out the Highlights of the Economic Survey 2022-23 by clicking on the link given below: Economic Survey 2022-23
Current Affairs: Government schemes and programmes
Three national flagship programmes focused on fisheries launched
Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy Minister Parshottam Rupala inaugurated and launched three national flagship programmes at the ICAR-CIBA campus in Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai.
These programmes include the Genetic Improvement Programme of Indian White Shrimp (Penaeus indicus), the National Surveillance Programme on Fish Diseases, the Aquaculture Insurance Product, and the Genetic Improvement Facility.
Phase-2 National Surveillance Programme on Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD):
Phase-2 is sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana programme (PMMSY).
Phase-1 has been implemented since 2013. The phase-2 will be implemented at the pan-India level, and state fisheries departments to be an integral part.
Envisages development of the National Information System on Aquatic Diseases.
Importance:
This will strengthen farmer-based disease surveillance systems. Help in the reduction of revenue losses due to diseases and will increase exports.
Genetic Improvement Programme of Indian White Shrimp (Penaeus indicus).
Program sanctioned with an outlay of ₹25 crores under PMMSY to establish a National Genetic Improvement Facility for shrimp breeding.
Importance:
The shrimp farming sector mostly depends on one exotic Specific Pathogen stock of Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) species.
The program will help to break single-species dependence and promote indigenous species vis-à-vis exotic shrimp species.
Shrimp Crop insurance product developed by ICAR-CIBA
Product charges a differential premium based on location and requirements of individual farmers from 3.7 to 7.7% of input costs.
Farmers will be compensated to the tune of an 80% loss of input cost in the event of total crop loss (more than 70%).
Importance:
Help in establishing farmers’ access to insurance and institutional credit facilities.
This will help in doubling farmers’ income.
Question: 2
Which of the following is not a part of the recently launched three national flagship programmes focused on fisheries?
A. Common areas Fisheries Development Programme
B. Shrimp Crop Insurance
C. Genetic Improvement Programme of Indian White Shrimp
D. Phase-2 National Surveillance Programme on Aquatic Animal Diseases
Answer: A
Current Affairs: International
Russia suspends its participation in the New START TREATY
Recently, Russia announced suspending its participation in the New START TREATY, the last remaining major military agreement with the United States.
Russia claimed that the USA had not complied with the treaty’s provisions and had attempted to undermine Russia’s national security.
What is the New START treaty?
The New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia (signed in 2010).
It entered into force in 2011.
It replaced the previous START treaty that had expired in 2009.
Objectives of the treaty:
Its objective was to limit and reduce the number of strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems deployed by both countries
It aimed to enhance strategic stability and build mutual trust between the two nations
What were the bindings of this treaty?
Deploying not more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads and a maximum of 700 long-range missiles and bombers
A limit of 800 intercontinental ballistic missiles in deployment
Each side can conduct up to 18 inspections of strategic nuclear weapons sites yearly to ensure the other has not breached the treaty’s limits
In 2021, the United States and Russia agreed to extend the treaty till 2026
What are the implications of the suspension of this treaty?
It disturbs the fragile calculus of nuclear arms controls between the two largest nuclear powers (together hold 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal).
It could also give an opportunity to other nuclear-armed countries, like China, Pakistan, Iran, etc., to increase their arsenals.
Question: 3
Recently, which of the following countries has announced to suspend its participation in the ‘New START TREATY’?
A. China
B. India
C. Russia
D. Japan
Answer: C
Current Affairs: Awards and Recognitions
J&K wins best adventure tourism destination award
The India Today Tourism Survey has chosen Jammu and Kashmir Tourism for the best adventure tourism award. The awards were given away in New Delhi by Union Minister of State for Culture and 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.
Details:
During the last two years, the department has taken several new initiatives to revive tourism at UT quickly.
This winter, besides Gulmarg, the resorts of Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Doodhpathri and others were kept open, and these destinations received considerable footfall.
Besides, new trekking routes, rafting and adventure activities were added to the recreation portfolio to sustain the interest of coming tourists.
This is besides opening new areas like Gurez and other border areas for tourism, which have enhanced the attraction and urge for visiting J&K.
Last year Gurez was adjudged the best offbeat holiday destination in the country.
Question: 4
Which of the following has recently been chosen for the best adventure tourism award by India Today Tourism Survey?
A. Assam
B. Jammu and Kashmir
C. Himachal Pradesh
D. Pondicherry
Answer: B
Check out the Highlights of Union Budget 2023 by clicking on the link given below: Union Budget 2023-24
Current Affairs: Art and Culture
ASI discovers 1,300-yr-old Buddhist Stupa
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stumbled upon a 1,300-year-old stupa right in the middle of a mining site in Odisha’s Jajpur district from where Khondalite stones were supplied for the beautification project around the 12th Century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Details:
The stupa could be 4.5 metres tall, and initial assessment showed it might belong to the 7th or 8th century.
It was found at Parabhadi, which is situated near Lalitagiri, a major Buddhist complex with a large number of stupas and monasteries.
Lalitgiri Buddhist site is believed to be the most sacred among the three sites (Lalitagiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri) as it unearthed a massive stupa where a relic of Buddha was discovered inside a stone casket.
What are the Khondalite Stones?
Khondalite is a type of metamorphic rock that is found in the Eastern Ghats region of India, particularly in the state of Odisha. It is named after the Khondalite Group of rocks, which is believed to have formed around 1.6 billion years ago during the Proterozoic era.
Khondalite is primarily composed of feldspar, quartz, and mica and has a distinct pinkish-grey colouration.
What is Stupa?
Stupas were burial mounds prevalent in India from the Vedic period.
Stupas consist of a cylindrical drum with a circular anda and a harmika and a chhatra on the top.
Different components of Stupas include:
Anda: Hemispherical mound symbolic of the mound of dirt used to cover Buddha’s remains
Harmika: Square railing on top of the mound.
Chhatra: Central pillar supporting a triple umbrella form.
Question: 5
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently unearthed the 1,300-year-old Buddhist Stupa in which of the following states?
A. Odisha
B. Bihar
C. Jharkhand
D. Chhattisgarh
Answer: A
Factbook: 01-March-2023
Kerala temple becomes India’s first to induct robotic elephants for festival and ritual duties
In a first in Kerala, a life-like robotic elephant was recently dedicated to the deity in a temple near here for performing daily rituals from now on, instead of a real pachyderm.
Four Kerala men have designed this robotic elephant to be used in temple festivals.
Iringadanpally Sree Krishna Temple in Thrissur district performed the ‘Nadayiruthal’ ceremony of the mechanical elephant named ‘Irinjadapilli Raman’.
The robotic elephant has a height of almost 11 feet, and four people can sit atop the elephant at the same time.
The elephant has been built at the cost of ₹5 lakh.
The life-sized mechanical elephant, with mounted wheels in its legs, can perform a procession.
India shocks England to win the Women’s Snooker World Cup
India ‘A’, represented by Amee Kamani and Anupama Ramachandran, defeated England ‘A’ 4-3 in the Women’s Snooker World Cup to win the title at Hi-End Snooker Club. Despite being unranked on the tour, the Indian duo exhibited skill and determination, overcoming established players like 12-time world champion Reanne Evans and world number four Rebecca Kenna.
Amee Kamani expressed her pride in making her nation India proud after winning the Women’s Snooker World Cup with her teammate Ramachandran.
Kamani added that she aims to keep winning every world title and that the hard work has paid off.
The duo only decided to enter the team event shortly before the entry deadline, looking to gain valuable match practice ahead of the upcoming World Championship.
The World Women’s Snooker Championship will begin in Thailand on Tuesday and run until 4 March.
Aramane Giridhar gets extension as Defence Secretary
Defence Secretary Aramane Giridhar has been given an extension in service till October 2024.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his extension in service as Secretary, Department of Defence, beyond the age of superannuation for a period up to 31 October 2024.
He was due to retire in June after completing 60 years of superannuation.
As per the notification, Giridhar will remain in his post until 31 October 2024 or till further order, whichever is earlier.
Giridhar is a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre.
He took over as the defence secretary on 1 November last year.
New security mechanism for Aadhaar authentication
The new security uses AI and Machine Learning based security mechanisms using both finger minutia and finger image to check the liveness of the fingerprint captured.
Benefits include validating the genuineness (liveness) of the fingerprint, faster detection of spoofing attempts, ensuring privacy, curbing financial fraud, etc.
UIDAI is responsible for Aadhaar enrolment and authentication, including operation and management of all stages of the Aadhaar life cycle.
It is a statutory authority under the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
One Rank-One Pension (OROP)
Following the Supreme Court’s observations, the defence ministry instructed the Controller General Defence Accounts (CGDA) to release all One Rank-One Pension (OROP) arrears in a single instalment.
OROP means the payment of the same pension to military officers for the same rank for the same length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement. Before OROP, ex-servicemen used to get pensions as per the Pay Commission’s recommendations of the time when they had retired. Uttar Pradesh and Punjab have the highest number of OROP beneficiaries.
The implementation of the scheme was based on the recommendation of the Koshiyari committee formed under the chairmanship of Bhagat Singh Koshiyari.
PM inaugurated Shivamogga airport
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Shivamogga airport at Sogane, Karnataka.
The new airport has a lotus-shaped terminal and has been developed at a cost of around ₹450 crore.
The passenger terminal building of the airport can handle 300 passengers per hour.
Built on 775 acres of land, the airport has a 3.2 km long runway, and the passenger terminal has a built-up area of 4,320 sqft.
The airport can handle aircraft ranging from the ATR 72 to the Airbus 320.
It is considered the second largest airport in the State, after Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
Khushbu Sundar is nominated as a member of the National Commission for Women
Actor-politician Khushbu Sundar from Tamil Nadu has been nominated as a member of the National Commission for Women. She is presently a member of the BJP’s national executive committee.
The order issued by the NCW Director said that the nomination is for three years from the date of assumption of charge or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
Besides Sundar, the Centre has also nominated Mamta Kumari and Delina Khongdup as members of the commission.
After marking a long stint in the acting industry, Khushbu joined politics in 2010.
A semiconductor alliance comprising the world’s top producers of semiconductors— the US, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea has been convened recently.
Serve as an early warning and mutual reminder system to ensure a stable supply chain for chip manufacturers.
Prevent the occurrence of chip shortages and supply chain disruptions.
To reduce the world’s dependence on China.
India has limited fabs, or semiconductor fabrication plants, which manufacture chips and mostly is dependent on imports.
Organ-on-a-Chip technology
The recent US Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act 2.0 has approved computer-based and experimental alternatives to animals to test new drugs.
Although using animals as drug testbeds will continue
What are Organ-on-a-Chips?
They are small devices containing human cells that are used to mimic the environment in human organs, including blood flow and breathing movements, serving as synthetic environments in which to test new drugs.
Benefits:
Boost the research and development of Organ chips
Reduce the cost of R&D of drugs
Animal models often poorly mimic human diseases, which has led scientists to develop alternative models
Reduce the chances of contamination and spread of disease from animals being experimented on.
Organ chips can be used to develop personalised therapies for individual patients
Minimise ethical dilemmas associated with the use of animals for testing (treatment of animal and their well-being)
Researchers in India are also developing organ-on-a-chip models, including a skin-on-chip model, which is being tested for studying skin irritation and toxicity, and a retina-on-chip model.
First Bodoland International Knowledge Festival
The first Bodoland International Knowledge Festival recently began in Assam’s Kokrajhar district.
The festival is being hosted by Bodoland University with support from the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) government.
It seeks to provide a platform for thought leaders, educators, Research scholars, researchers, and practitioners to engage with constituents of Higher Education Institutions in BTR through participation.
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