Correct Answer :   Adani Group

---

Adani Group on Tuesday (31st Jan 2023) acquired the strategic Israeli port of Haifa for USD 1.2 billion and vowed to transform the skyline of this Mediterranean city as part of its decision to invest more in the Jewish nation, including opening an artificial intelligence lab in Tel Aviv.

* Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, whose business empire was rocked by allegations of fraud by US short seller Hindenburg Research, appeared alongside Israeli Prime Minister "Benjamin Netanyahu" for signing of the deal to takeover Haifa Port, and spoke of investment opportunities.

* Prime Minister Netanyahu described the Haifa port deal with the Adani Group as an “enormous milestone”, saying it will significantly improve connectivity between the two countries in many ways.

* The Port of Haifa is the second largest port in Israel in terms of shipping containers and the biggest in shipping tourist cruise ships.

* “This is an unequivocal expression of confidence in the Israeli economy,” he said, adding that privatisation of the ports and the entry of new investors strengthen Israel’s economic strength, lowers the cost of living and creates new opportunities for import and export and strengthens ties between India and Israel.

* The Adani group will also develop real estate at the port to transform the Haifa skyline...

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   31st January 2023

---

Senior advocate and former Law Minister "Shanti Bhushan" passed away on Tuesday (31st January 2023) following a brief illness. He was 97.

* A source close to his family said he was not keeping well for some time and died at his home in Delhi.

* Bhushan served as India's law minister from 1977 to 1979 in the Morarji Desai cabinet. He was best known for successfully arguing for setting aside the election of Indira Gandhi in 1975.

* Bhushan represented politician Raj Narain in the historic case against Indira Gandhi.

* Freedom fighter and politician Raj Narain, who had unsuccessfully contested the 1971 Lok Sabha elections from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh against Gandhi, had in his plea accused her of corrupt electoral practices. Gandhi had moved the Supreme Court against the high court verdict.

* It triggered a series of events culminating into the imposition of Emergency on June 25, 1975.

* In his political career, he was a member of the Congress (O) and later of the Janata Party.

* He also served as a Rajya Sabha member from 14 July 1977 to 2 April 1980..

Born : 11 November 1925, Prayagraj

Died : 31 January 2023, Delhi

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   Uttar Pradesh

---

Uttar Pradesh government has launched a campaign to empower girls from the underprivileged class, an official said on Sunday (29th January 2023).

* The "Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan" will work under the Aarohini Initiative Training Programme for the safety and security of girls in 746 Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls Schools in the state.

* Director General of School Education Vijay Kiran Anand said the main objective of the Aarohini programme, which will be implemented in three phases, is gender sensitisation.

* In the first phase, which will start on 1st February 2023, teachers will be trained.

* Two teachers of every Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls’ School will receive the training, who will then educate the students of their respective schools.

* Along with the teachers, the institution will also groom the girls through debates and other activities..

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   1st February

---

Every year, India celebrates the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Day on 1 February. The ICG Day is observed to honor and pay tribute to the Indian Coast Guard Force who play a critical role in protecting the Indian Coasts and enforcing regulations in the maritime zones of India.

* This year (2023), India will observe its 47th Raising Day on 1 Feb 2023.

* Indian Coast Guard is the 4th largest Coast Guard in the world with approximately 158 ships and 70 aircraft in its inventory.

* The Indian Coast Guard has saved more than 11082 lives at sea so far which means they are responsible for saving one precious life at sea every second day.

* The Indian Coast Guard force holds rescue and search operations in the sea to save precious lives, besides protecting the borders of our country against the enemies.

History and Significance of the Indian Coast Guard Day :

The Indian Coast Guard was enacted first time by the Indian Parliament on 18 August 1978. The first Coast Guard was officially launched by Prime Minister Morarji Desai on 19 August 19 1978.

The significance of Indian Coast Guard Day is to aware people about the marvellous contributions of Indian Coast Guard Force in the protection of country against the illegal activities that may harm the national economy...

Source : The Quint

Correct Answer :   February 1 to 7

---

World Interfaith Harmony Week is observed every year in the first week of February, from February 1 to 7. This observation has emerged from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution that seeks a worldwide celebration of interfaith harmony.

The World Interfaith Harmony Week was started in 2010 by HM King Abdullah II and HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan.

The goal of the week-long celebration is to promote harmony between citizens of the world, regardless of their faith. It is a celebration of unity in diversity, and the divine connection between people and their faith.


World Interfaith Harmony Week History :

World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW), conceived to promote a culture peace and nonviolence, was first proposed by King Abdullah II of Jordan at the United Nations in 2010.

This was quickly adopted by the UN General Assembly (resolution A/RES/65/5), declaring the first week of February each year as World Interfaith Harmony week, calling on governments, institutions and civil society to observe it with various programs and initiatives that would promote the aim of the WIHW objectives.

World Interfaith Harmony Week Significance :

World Interfaith Harmony Week provides a platform, where all interfaith groups and other groups of goodwill can showcase to the world what a powerful movement they are. These groups organise thousands of events. But it often goes unnoticed by general public as well as the groups themselves. The week will allow these groups in becoming aware of each other. It will also strengthen the movement by avoiding duplicating each other’s efforts and building ties.

Source : National Today

Correct Answer :   Delhi

---

Delhi State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is organising a 5-day ‘Jeevan Vidya Shivir’ for the teachers of Delhi government schools at Thyagaraja stadium.

* Nearly 4,000 teachers from Delhi government schools are expected to participate in this workshop between 28th January to 1st February 2023.

* Jeevan Vidya Shivir is a co-existence workshop based on the Coexistential philosophy of A Nagraj.

* It is a proposal to understand all of Life and provides comprehensive clarity on all aspects of Reality and the Human Being.

* It provides resolutions for our multidimensional dichotomies and problems -via awareness and consciousness development. It offers a new direction for humans to live wholesome, coherent and meaningful lives.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister "Manish Sisodia" participated in the workshop on Saturday and addressed the participant teachers.

* While addressing the teachers Sisodia said, “Many good things are being done in the current education system, but there are still many flaws in it. We need to pay attention to every small issue to improve education in our schools. It is these small flaws that become an obstacle in the way of progress.”

* These 5-day Jeevan Vidya Shivir, he said will help teachers in building their capacity to find those gaps present in the education system and fill them.

* “We need to understand why such an event for teacher training is being organised. Why is there a need for Jeevan Vidya Shivir for our teachers and our education department? We all are working hard to develop some kind of professional abilities in the children.

* Along with this we also want them to be good human beings in the future. How can these two things be brought together? This is the main aim of this 5-day workshop,” added Delhy Deputy CM...

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   Arvind Kejriwal

---

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday (30th Jan 2023) inaugurated a “super site” and a mobile van which will collect pollution data in realtime and tell its constituents.

Delhi would become the first city in the country to get a realtime source segmentation of air pollution that will help in identifying factors responsible for increase in air pollution at any place in Delhi, Delhi Environment minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday (29th Jan 2023).

“The super site facility is located at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya premises near ITO. The project has been initiated by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, and TERI,” Rai said in a statement.

The pollution forecasts will also help the government in taking policy decisions in time, the state Environment minister said.

The launch of the super site is one of the most important aspects of Delhi’s campaign to combat pollution.

Based on the data, this super site will also assist in forecasting air pollution levels enabling the government to deploy its resources to combat pollution..

Source : Theprint

Correct Answer :   Madhya Pradesh

---

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister "Shivraj Singh Chouhan" announced the implementation of "Ladli Bahna Yojana" on the occasion of Narmada Jayanti.

Through Ladli Bahna Yojana scheme, ₹ 1000 per evry month will be given to the sisters of poor and middle class families of Madhya Pradesh.

Scheme Benefits / Eligibility :

* To get the benefit of the scheme, the woman must be a resident of Madhya Pradesh.

* Women of all castes of the state – General, Backward, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes will be able to get the benefit of this scheme.

* The benefits of the scheme will be given to such sisters who are not income tax payers.

* 65% sisters of Madhya Pradesh will be able to get the benefit of this scheme.

* Through the scheme, an amount of ₹ 60000 will be added to each sister's account by the government in 5 years.

Correct Answer :   Puma

---

Sports brand Puma India announced roping in women’s cricket team captain "Harmanpreet Kaur" as its latest brand ambassador.

As part of the partnership terms, Harmanpreet will endorse the brand’s footwear, apparel and accessories throughout the year (2023).

“Harmanpreet was onboarded over a very unique social experiment that uncovered the country’s overall mindset towards gender perception in sports.

This is a major step towards the brand’s commitment to back women in the sports ecosystem,” the company added.

With this, Harmanpreet joins PUMA’s roster of brand ambassadors that include Virat Kohli, football stars Neymar Jr and Sunil Chhetri, boxer MC Mary Kom, cricketer Harleen Deol and Para-Shooter Avani Lekhara.

The 33-year-old batter from Punjab has the record of the fourth fastest women’s T20I hundred in the world to her name and she is also India’s only centurion in the women’s T20I.

Harmanpreet has scored six international hundreds so far in her career, five of them coming in from ODIs. The most capped player in the T20I format has also been conferred the Arjuna award in 2017...

Source : Businessline

Correct Answer :   Assam

---

The Assam Cabinet on Monday (30th Jan 2023) approved a state floriculture mission with an initial investment of Rs 150 crore, covering 20,000 farmers, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

* Several other important decisions were taken at the cabinet meeting, including setting up of an additional CM secretariat at Dibrugarh, a new Raj Bhavan at Tezpur and converting employment exchanges into youth welfare offices.

* A cabinet committee has also been formed to prepare for an event on April 14, marking the Assamese new year, when an attempt will be made to enter record books with the assembly of 10,000 'Bihu' dancers, Sarma said.

* Briefing reporters after the meeting, the CM said in view of the huge demand for flowers in Assam, which is currently met with supply from Kolkata and even Thailand, a State Floriculture Mission has been approved.

* Under it, the area of flower cultivation will be expanded from 2,200 hectares to 3,288 hectares within three years.

* “After paddy and fishery, we are now focusing on achieving self-sufficiency in floriculture,” the chief minister said.

* He also announced a slew of projects and schemes worth around Rs 1,500-2,000 crore for Dibrugarh district...

Source : Outlook India