Correct Answer :   AIIMS-Rishikesh

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The All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Rishikesh on Thursday (16th February 2023) conducted a trial to test the feasibility of drones supplying medicines to primary health centres or smaller hospitals in cases of emergency.

* A Vertiplane X3 drone was used to deliver 2kg package of anti-tubercular drugs to a district hospital in Tehri Garhwal during the trial.

* The aerial distance of nearly 40 kilometres between the helipad at AIIMS and the hospital was covered in 30 minutes.

* The project will calculate the cost of effectiveness of delivering not only medicines but sputum samples to laboratories to support the country’s programme to eliminate TB by 2025.

* Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, “A successful trial of drones delivering medicine was carried out today. Delivery with drones will be especially helpful in hilly areas where a distance of 40 kilometers would have taken 2 hours.”

* In future, the technology might also be used to transport organs between hospitals with time being of essence in such cases.

* Mandaviya added that a similar trial will also be carried out to transport supplies between AIIMS-Delhi and the National Cancer Centre associated with it located almost 50 km away in Jhajjar..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   47th

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India stood at 47th position in Services Trade Restrictiveness Index(STRI) conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the year 2022. However, there was an improvement from last year's ranking by one position.

Due to Russia-Ukraine war, Russia slipped to 48th position in the index.

The report highlighted the privatisation of Air India, elimination of pricing guidelines for transfers of shares between residents and non residents, and restriction of foreign participation in certain services sectors.

A total of 38 OECD member countries and 12 non OECD members including Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam. The index include sectors like air transport, road freight cover, government regulations, etc.

Top 5 : Japan (1), UK, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Chile (5)

Bottom : Indonesia (50), Thailand(49), and Russia (48)

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Third Saturday

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World Pangolin Day is observed annually on the third Saturday in February and takes place on February 18 this year (2023).

Aim : The day aims to celebrate pangolins, raise awareness and recommit international N.G.O.s to the fight against the global capturing of pangolins in Africa and Asia.

An estimated one million of these wonderful animals have been, and continue to be, harvested from the wild in African and Asian countries to meet the high demands for their scale, skin, blood, and even fetuses that are believed to have several different uses both in fashion, traditional medicine, and cooking.

World Pangolin Day  History : Each year, World Pangolin Day is observed annually to raise awareness and recommit international organizations to the fight against the global harvesting of pangolins. The only truly scaly mammals in the world.

* The day is an opportunity for pangolin enthusiasts and the wider human community to join hands in raising awareness about the plight of these unique mammals — pangolin numbers are rapidly declining in Asia and Africa.

* Pangolins are a highly prized commodity, often illegally trapped, trafficked, and killed for its scale by organized crime networks on a large scale to serve the need of the traditional medicine market in Asia where pangolin scales are unfortunately believed to be a cure-all of sorts and pangolin flesh is considered a delicacy.

* In Vietnam and Central and the southern parts of West Africa, pangolins are often offered at restaurants catering to wealthy clients who consider their meat rare and a statement of status.

* When frightened, a pangolin will curl up into a tight ball to protect its tender underside, making it a prime target for illegal poachers.

* From 2016 to 2019, an estimated 206.4 tonnes of pangolin scales or an equivalent of about 360,000 pangolins were intercepted and confiscated from 52 seizures according to a report by the Wildlife Justice Commission — an international foundation set up in the Netherlands with the mission to disrupt and help dismantle organized transnational criminal wildlife trading networks...

Source : National Today

Correct Answer :   Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

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Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) has signed an MoU with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for domestic manufacture and supply of its Long-Range Artillery (LORA) Weapon System for the Indian Tri-services.

* The state-of-the-art strategic weapon system weapon will be manufactured by BEL, as the prime contractor, based on the workshare arrangement with IAI.

* The MoU is an outcome of the growing partnership between India and Israel in the field of high technology strategic defence systems, and is in line with the Government of India’s Make in India initiative for major weapon systems.

* Developed by IAI’s MALAM division, LORA is a sea-to-ground and ground-to-ground system which comprises a long-range ballistic missile, a unique launcher, a command and control system, and a ground/marine support system.

* The LORA system provides ballistic assault capabilities for multiple ranges with a precision level of 10 meters CEP.

* The MoU was signed at the ongoing Aero India 2023 and it is an outcome of the growing partnership between India and Israel in the field of high-technology strategic defense systems.

* It is in line with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative for major weapon systems.

* Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed that India is set to spend 75% of defense capital outlay on procurement from domestic firms...

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Kollam

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The Kollam district panchayat won the Swaraj Trophy for the best district panchayat in the Kerala State for the 2021-22 financial year.

The Kannur district panchayat stood second in the rankings. The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation bagged the trophy for the best corporation.

The Mulanthuruthy grama panchayat won the award for the best grama panchayat in the State and Pappinissery and Marangattupilly grama panchayats won the second and third places.

The award for the best block panchayat went to Perumpadappu, while Kodakara and Nedumangad won the second and third places. Tirurangadi won the award for the best municipality, while Wadakkanchery and Sulthan Bathery won the second and third places.

The Kallikkad grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram won the Mahatma award for the best implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) while the Kollam Corporation won the Mahatma Ayyankali award for the implementation of the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (AUEGS). Wadakkanchery and Vaikom won the award for municipalities.

Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh announced the awards at a press conference here on Wednesday (15th Feb 2023). The awards will be presented at the Local Self-Governance Day celebrations to be held at Thrithala in Palakkad on February 18 and 19, 2023. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the celebrations. .

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   16th February 2023

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Legendary Yakshagana playback singer and scriptwriter Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha passed away at his residence near Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada district on Thursday (16th February 2023). He was 84.

He hailed from Maruru, near Moodbidri, and is survived by sons Madhava, Shashidhara, and Shivashankara who is also a noted Yakshagana playback singer.

His wife, Jayalakshmi, predeceased him. His another son Prasad Balipa, who was also a well-known Yakshagana playback singer, died in April, 2022.

Mr. Narayana Bhagawatha, who had a large fan following, had mastered a unique style of singing which fans had named as “Balipa shaili” (Balipa style). It was distinct from that of other singers. Though many other Yakshagana singers had tried to emulate this, none could master it. Mr. Narayana Bhagawatha had a rich voice and wrote over 30 Yakshagana “prasangas” (scripts).

Mr. Narayana Bhagawatha was born on March 19, 1938 at Padre village in Kasaragod (Kerala) district. His family later shifted to Maruru. He hailed from a family of Yakshagana artists...

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Rajan Amba

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Jaguar Land Rover India, part of Tata Motors, has appointed Rajan Amba, Vice President - Sales, Marketing and Customer Care, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles.

* Amba will be taking up his new position in JLR from 1st March 2023.

* Rajan was a key contributor to the development of the commercial teams, the new zone organization, the network expansion, the improvement of the customer experience, and the growth of TMPV's market share over the past two and a half years.

* He was also actively involved in cross-functional teams that were advancing the agenda for culture and diversity & inclusion programs at Tata Motors.

* Prior to Tata Motors, Rajan has worked with Carat Lane, a subsidiary company of Titan where he worked as a Chief Operating Officer.

* He has been with Titan since 2012, this is his second stint with the company where he was Brand Manager for Titan watch. till 2015 and Head of Sales and Retail for Tanishq till he joined Carat Lane.

* During his tenure in Titan, he has been instrumental in redefining the product design and language for the Titan brand as well as bringing a blend of science and art to the area of product line management.

* Rajan is a graduate in Mechanical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Calicut and Rajan completed MBA in Marketing from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai.

* He started his career in 1990 with FILL and then worked in Nike, Titan Watches and Levi Strauss...

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   6th Phase

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The Sixth (6th) phase of Sujalam-Sufalam Jal Abhiyan has been started in Gujarat on 17th February 2023.

* The state-wide campaign was launched by the Gujarat CM, Bhupendra Patel at Khoraj in Gandhinagar.

* Aim : To raise the groundwater level and maximize the use of rainwater.

* This phase will be held for 104 days and continue till 31st May 2023.

* Developmental works like the deepening of lakes, delisting works of check dams and reservoirs, and cleaning of canals will be carried out across the state..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar

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Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar has been appointed as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff, while incumbent Lt Gen B S Raju will take charge as South Western Army Commander, official sources said on Thursday (16th February 2023).

* Lt Gen Rashim Bali has been appointed as the commander of Leh-based 14 Corps which takes care of security along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the Ladakh sector.

* Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, the current commander of the 14 Corps, will become the new Chief of Staff of Udhampur headquartered Northern Command.

* They said Lt Gen BS Raju, at present serving as the Vice Chief of Army Staff, has been appointed as South Western Army Commander.

* Lt Gen NSR Subramani, currently the Chief of Staff at the headquarters of the Northern Command in Udhampur, has been promoted to the rank of Army Commander and appointed as the next Central Army Commander.

* The sources said Lt Gen Suchindra Kumar too has been promoted as Army Commander and appointed as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff. He is serving as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) in the Army Headquarters at present.

* They said Lt Gen Raju will succeed Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Bhinder when he retires from service by the end of February 2023.

* Lt Gen Subramani will take over as the Central Army Commander from Lt Gen Yogendra Dimri, who also superannuates by the end of this month.

* Lt Gen Kumar, Lt Gen Raju and Lt Gen Subramani will assume their new responsibilities on March 1, 2023.

* Lt Gen Kumar is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into 1 Assam Regiment in June 1985.

* He has commanded the 59 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, an Infantry Brigade, and an Infantry Division on the Line of Control.

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   17th February

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United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution from Jamaica to declare the first-ever Global Tourism Resilience Day on 17th February 2023.

* In an effort to future-proof the sustainability of tourism. The move to mark the day annually was supported by more than 90 countries.

* The UNGA invites everyone to observe February 17 as a day to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable tourism, in accordance with local, regional and national priorities and through education, activities and events. The first Global Tourism Resilience Conference will be held in Jamaica on February 15, culminating on Global Tourism Resilience Day.

Global Tourism Resilience Day History : Global Tourism Resilience Day was proclaimed earlier this month by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in resolution A/RES/77/269. The day calls for the celebration of tourism’s resilience and the promotion of sustainable tourism practices. It was established as a result of Jamaica’s initiatives to promote resilience in international tourism, which included suggesting that February 17 be formally recognised as Global Tourism Resilience Day. More than 90 countries endorsed the idea of the celebration.

The ratification of Global Tourism Resilience Day has made it a part of the ongoing Global Tourism Resilience Conference being hosted by Jamaica. This hybrid conference is an important part of the efforts being made by the Ministry of Tourism and its partners, including the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), to boost the resilience of the global tourism industry. Through this conference, attendees can participate in discussions and share knowledge on how to address challenges facing the tourism industry, including the impacts of crises and disasters.

Global Tourism Resilience Day Significance : The significance of Global Tourism Resilience Day lies in its ability to bring attention to the importance of sustainable tourism practices and their role in creating a more resilient and sustainable world. The tourism industry has been hit hard by a series of crises and challenges over the past few years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and political unrest.

Despite these challenges, the industry has shown remarkable resilience, adapting to changing circumstances and finding new ways to promote sustainable tourism practices. Global Tourism Resilience Day is a way to recognise and celebrate this resilience and to encourage the tourism industry to continue working towards a more sustainable and resilient future..

Source : News9live