Correct Answer :   31 August 2023

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Every year World Sanskrit Day is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu calendar month of Shravan or Sawan month. This year (2023) World Sanskrit Day, which is also known as World Sanskrit Diwas, is being observed on 31 August 2023.

The celebration of the day aims at the awareness and promotion of Sanskrit language. Apart from this, the celebrations also mark the sanctity and divinity of the language, which is also considered the Dev Vani (language of the Gods).

Sanskrit has also been used to write some crucial scriptures in Hinduism like Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. Many believe that Sanskrit was created and passed on by Lord Brahma to rishis.

World Sanskrit Day History :

* The celebration of Sanskrit Day and Sanskrit Diwas was declared by the government of India in 1969. The day was supposed to be a tribute to the work of the renowned Sanskrit scholar Paṇini and his legacy.

* This is why, annually World Sanskrit Day is observed on the birth anniversary of Panini, whose contribution to the evolution of the language stands significant and unmatched till date


World Sanskrit Day Significance :

* The celebration for Sanskrit is significant, as this Indo-Aryan language has successfully left a mark not only in the Indian subcontinent but has also extended to continents like Europe.

* Carrying the most extensive vocabulary, Sanskrit is well known for contribution to languages like Greek and Latin.

Correct Answer :   Uttar Pradesh

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday (30 August 2023) announced to increase the amount given to beneficiaries under the 'Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangla Yojana' from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, according to a government statement. He said that currently Rs 15,000 is given to beneficiaries in six phases under the scheme.

"The double-engine government is going to increase the amount of the Kanya Sumangala scheme from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 from financial year 2024-2025," he told a group of beneficiaries, according to the official release issued here.

"This will make it easier for the daughters of the state to fulfil their dreams and become self-reliant along with being educated," he said. The chief minister stated that today 16.24 lakh daughters in the state are benefiting from this scheme.

"Starting next year, as soon as a daughter is born, an amount of Rs 5,000 will be transferred to her parents' account. When she turns one year old, Rs 2,000 will be transferred; when she enters the first grade, Rs 3,000; on entering the sixth grade, Rs 3,000; on entering the ninth grade, Rs 5,000; and if she pursues a graduate, diploma, or certificate course, then an amount of Rs 7,000 will be transferred to her account,” he said.

Some beneficiaries of the scheme tied 'rakhi' to the chief minister and applied the traditional 'tilak' on his forehead. In return, he presented them gifts and assured them of continued protection. During the program, the chief minister transferred Rs 5.82 crore to the accounts of 29,523 beneficiaries. He also distributed cheques to 10 beneficiary girls and their parents, the release added..

Source : Outlookindia

Correct Answer :   Kashmir

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Miss World 2023 : In an exciting announcement, Julia Eric Morely, the CEO of Miss World, held a press conference in the picturesque region of Kashmir, India.

The occasion marked the anticipation and preparation for the 71st edition of the prestigious Miss World beauty pageant, which is scheduled to be hosted in India. Morely’s words echoed the sentiment of excitement and emotion surrounding the event, saying, “Truthfully, I am so happy. It is emotional for us, to see such beauty.”


A Glimpse into the Future :

CEO Morely expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming event, inviting everyone to witness the grandeur in November, with the final show scheduled for December 8. She extended her gratitude to the people of Kashmir, applauding their warmth and hospitality and conveyed the Miss World organization’s eagerness to return for the event.

Venue Speculations and Clarifications :

Following the press conference, rumors began circulating about the potential location of the pageant in the lush valleys of Kashmir. However, recent reports have clarified that no specific venue has been confirmed yet. Jamid Saidi, Chairman of PME Entertainment, took the opportunity to set the record straight. PME and the Miss World organization officially stated that the venue for the Miss World 2023 will be announced later.


Miss World’s Current Title Holder Expresses Amazement :

The special conference held in Kashmir also featured Karolina Bielwaska, the reigning Miss World title holder. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to experience the beauty of Kashmir, a place she had not expected to visit. Bielwaska shared her astonishment at the breathtaking scenery and the warmth of the welcome they received. She eagerly looked forward to welcoming participants from 140 nations to India, showcasing the diverse wonders of places like Kashmir, Delhi and Mumbai. Bielwaska, who has visited India many times, celebrated the country’s diversity and the common thread of incredible hospitability that runs through every state.

Correct Answer :   Priyan Sain

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Priyan Sain clinched the title of Miss Earth India 2023 during the Miss Divine Beauty 2023 national final held on 26 August 2023 in New Delhi.

The 20-year-old student, dancer, and taekwondo player from Jaipur, Rajasthan succeeds last year’s winner Vanshika Parmar, and will now prepare to represent India at the Miss Earth 2023 pageant in Vietnam this December.

She received her crown from reigning Miss Earth from Korea Mina Sue Choi who was invited as a special guest along with Miss Earth Air from Australia Sheridan Mortlock.

Praveena Aanjna Takes the Title of Miss International India 2023 :

At the same event, Praveena Aanjna was named Miss International India 2023 while Pema Choden Bhutia and Tejaswini Shrivastava were both announced as runners-up. Prior to becoming a finalist for Miss Divine Beauty and eventually winning her national title, Priyan participated in Miss Rajasthan 2022 where she finished as first runner-up.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Hosts Glittering Miss India 2023 Pageant :

The Miss India 2023 pageant was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi. Deepak Aggarwal has done the work for this competition. Briyan Sen won the Miss India pageant out of 16 contestants. Brian Chein broke down in emotional tears when Brian was announced as the winner of the Miss India 2023 pageant. As a result of winning the Miss India pageant, she will participate in the Miss World pageant to be held in Vietnam.

Correct Answer :   Maharashtra

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Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) has partnered with Sanyo Special Steel Manufacturing India Private Limited (SSMI) to set up a 28.12-megawatt green energy plant in Maharashtra.

In a statement TPREL, an arm of Tata Power, said it has signed the Power Delivery Agreement (PDA) with SSMI through its Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) TP Alpha Limited.

"TPREL joins hands with SSMI for setting up of 28.125 MW AC (39.375 MWp) captive solar plant in Aachegaon under district Solapur, Maharashtra," the statement said.

The plant is expected to produce 61.875 million units of electricity annually, which would meet the energy requirement of steel manufacturing unit of SSMI.

It will also help to reduce SSMI's carbon footprint by 42,534 tonnes annually.

The project will be commissioned by March 2024, as per the arrangement.

This project aligns with SSMI's long term strategy towards climate change by reducing dependency on fossil fuel-based energy, lower the carbon footprint and manufacture green steel.

Ashish Khanna, ceo of Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited, stated, "These initiatives yield advantages like cost reduction, lower emissions, enhanced energy security, and alignment with sustainability targets. The government's prioritisation of captive power projects, driven by their economic and environmental merits, highlights their significance for various industries."

Dilipkumar Pachpande, Managing Director of Sanyo Special Steel Manufacturing India Pvt Ltd, said, "This collaboration perfectly describes our commitment towards the clean and green energy solutions, which not only aligns with our goals towards climate change and sustainable development but also significantly benefits the steel manufacturing unit by reducing CO2 emissions and costs, enhancing sustainability, and contributing to carbon neutral goals by producing green steel.".

Source : Outlookindia

Correct Answer :   1st

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The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will organize the first edition of the Global IndiaAI 2023 in October 2023.

There will be participation from leading AI players, researchers, startups, and investors in India and worldwide.

The conference is poised to cover a wide spectrum of topics, including Next Generation Learning and Foundational AI models, AI’s applications in healthcare, governance, and next-gen electric vehicles, future AI research trends, AI computing systems, investment opportunities, and nurturing AI talent.

Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar chairs the conference’s steering committee which is entrusted with the task of shaping the contours of the Global IndiaAI 2023. It draws members from MeitY’s Digital Economy Advisory group and other prominent leaders in the field of AI.

Speaking about the conference, MoS Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasized that the Government’s vision is to gather the world’s best and brightest minds under one roof to deliberate the future of AI and its impact in several sectors.

“The Global IndiaAI 2023 conference is tentatively planned for October 14/15 and it will bring together the best and brightest in AI from India and around the world. This summit is expected to evolve and become a must attend event on the annual calendar of the Global AI industry, startups, practitioners, researchers and students.

The huge success of the past two editions of the SemiconIndia conference by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji firmly put India on the global semicon map. This enabled India to become a catalyst for investments and growth within the sector. The Global IndiaAI summit will also catalyze India’s AI landscape and innovation ecosystem,” the Minister said.

The conference will also serve as a showcase for the vibrant IndiaAI ecosystem that comprises key initiatives such as DI Bhashini, India Datasets Program, IndiaAI Futuredesign program for startups, and IndiaAI FutureSkills program dedicated to nurturing world-class AI talent.

Highlighting the comprehensive groundwork behind IndiaAI, MoS Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar pointed out the pivotal role of the working groups that collaborated closely with industry, Startups & academia partners. These groups have presented a holistic framework for the IndiaAI initiative, which revolves around  pillars: AI in Governance, AI Computing & Systems, Data for AI, AI IP & Innovation and Skilling in AI. These pillars will form an integral part of the upcoming conference’s agenda.

“What makes India so attractive for AI is the diversity of it. Our diversity will be an addition to the quality of data sets for any large language model or any AI learning model. What we want is that AI should be responsible so that user harm is curbed and innovation is encouraged. Our primary aim is to ensure a collaborative and participatory approach, steering AI to enhance governance and transforming lives while building global partnerships and actively shaping the world’s technology landscape.”..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

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A momentous collaboration has been cemented as the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25.

This strategic partnership aims to enhance the socio-economic upliftment of Safai Karamcharis, Manual Scavengers, Waste Pickers and their dependants.

NSKFDC is continuously working for empowerment of these most vulnerable and deprived sections of society through its various loan based and non-loan-based schemes like Short Term Skill Development Training Programmes.

It focuses on complete mechanization of Sewer and Septic Tank cleaning operation by providing soft loans at low rates of interest to Sanitation Workers, Urban Local Bodies. Capital subsidy ranging from 50 to 32 percent is provided to sanitation workers taking up mechanized cleaning works under Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY).

Adequate training is provided free of cost to sanitation workers regarding safety precautions, use of PPE kits and operation and maintenance of cleaning machines and equipments.

NSKFDC also provides loans upto Rs.1.00 lacs under its Mahila Samridhi Yojana and Micro Credit Finance Scheme. The overall rate of interest is 4% and 5%, respectively. The other loan schemes are General Term Loan and Green Business Schemes under which loans upto Rs.15.00 lacs and upto Rs.30.00 lacs respectively are provided with rate of interest at 6% and 1% rebate for women beneficiaries.

In FY 2022-23, NSKFDC has disbursed total loans of Rs.261.49 crores covering 43862 beneficiaries. About 80% of the beneficiaries are women.

NSKFDC has set up a target to cover 52634 new beneficiaries in FY 2023-24 and 63161 new beneficiaries in FY 2024-25.

NSKFDC has provided Skill development Training to 20686 sanitation workers and their dependents under SRMS and PM DAKSH Yojana during FY 2022-23.

To strengthen the GOI initiatives for welfare of Safai Karamcharis, NSKFDC as per MoU shall be providing Skill Development Training to 11000 and 12500 beneficiaries in FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25, respectively under PM DAKSH Yojana..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Indian Oil Corporation

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* The IndianOil has appointed Chef Sanjeev Kapoor as the brand ambassador for its Indane XTRATEJ LPG brand.

* This announcement was made at the prestigious Indane XtraTej Hotelier Harmony Meet in Bengaluru.

* The event witnessed the unveiling of the new XTRATEJ TV commercial featuring Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who commended IndianOil's commitment to culinary innovation and efficiency.

* Indian Oil Chairman : Shrikant Madhav Vaidya

Source : iocl

Correct Answer :   Anurag Singh Thakur

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Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has announced that 1000 Khelo India Centres will be established within a year in the country.

* Launching key initiatives on Indian Sports in New Delhi on the occasion of National Sports Day on 29 Aug 2023, the Minister said that it will not only provide employment opportunities to former athletes but also give budding sportspersons a chance to take guidance from the veterans.

* Mr Thakur also informed that the each player will receive five lakh rupees to procure equipments for their centres and per year another five lakh rupees for operational expenses.

* The Minister informed that to commemorate the National Sports Day, over 3500 events were observed across the nation. Appreciating the athletes of the country, he said that India won more medals at World University Games this time than in the sixty years.

* Mr Thakur also lauded the 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the recent Chess World Cup.

* The Minister launched the third edition of the Fit India Quiz, among other initiatives. On the occasion, Mr Thakur also launched an Information booklet on Sports Infrastructure Projects sanctioned under the Khelo India Scheme as well as launched a National Sports Federations portal..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Arjun Munda

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Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on Tuesday (29 August 2023), inaugurated the ‘Awareness Campaign and Training of Trainers’ initiative to educate grassroots workers and enable them to raise awareness about sickle cell anaemia, particularly in tribal regions.

Announced in the 2023-24 budget, the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission targets the eradication of the disease by 2047.

The comprehensive strategy involves public awareness campaigns, the screening of seven crore individuals aged 0-40 in affected tribal areas, and counselling. This collaborative effort will unite central ministries and state governments.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally launched the mission on July 1 in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district. Mr Munda said that the training initiative advances Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a sickle cell disease-free India, driven by community involvement.

He acknowledged both challenges and opportunities in realising the initiative’s success and emphasised the need to engage the community at the grassroots and fostering public participation in a movement to eliminate the disease. Countering misconceptions among the masses and building a collaborative ecosystem are crucial steps, he said.

The minister also underscored the importance of establishing a healthcare database for affected populations to support research and sustainable solutions..

Source : Swachh India