Correct Answer :   23

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During the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2023, twenty-three tableaux - 17 from States/Union Territories and six from various Ministries/Departments - will roll down the Kartavya Path, symbolizing the nation's rich cultural legacy, economic prosperity, and strong internal and external security.

The States/UTs tableaux for the Republic Day parade were chosen on a zonal basis...

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Gujarat

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The Business 20 (B20) inaugural meeting, which is part of the G20, began on January 23, 2023, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The inaugural meeting is attended by Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, India's Sherpa for the G20, Amitabh Kant, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, and a slew of national and international business executives.

Stressing upon sustainable development, Mr. Goyal further said that India wishes to inspire the world to have greater degrees of dialogue and concern for the planet and the future of our children.

 More than 500 delegates including more than 200 International business representatives deliberated upon various global issues including climate change, sustainability, digital transformation, and financial inclusion during several plenary sessions organised today.

State Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai and Industries Minister Balvant Sinh Rajput showcased business and investment opportunities in Gujarat in the special session held today as part of the meet. ..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Narendra Modi

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (19th Jan 2023) launched the ‘Hakku Patra’ (land title deed) distribution drive for over 52,000 nomadic Lambani (Banjara) families in five districts in north Karnataka.

The Prime Minister distributed ‘Hakku Patra’ to five nomadic couples on the occasion.

This Hakku Patra will secure future of thousands of people living in the “Thandas” (Lambani habitats) in Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgiri, Raichur and Vijayapura districts, he noted.

Way back in 1993, it was recommended to give revenue village status to ‘Thandas’ but the political party that remained in power for the longest period used the Lambanis as the vote-bank and never tried to improve the living condition of these backward families, he claimed.

“Those living in Thandas had to wage a long struggle for their rights and face many difficulties. They had to wait for a long time”...

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   Droupadi Murmu

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The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, 2023 on 11 children at an award ceremony held in New Delhi today (January 23, 2023).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that children are the invaluable assets of our country. Every effort made to build their future would shape the future of our society and country.

We should make every effort for their safe and happy childhood and bright future. By awarding the children, we are encouraging and honouring their contribution in nation-building.

The President said that some of the award winners have shown such indomitable courage and valour at such a young age that she was not only surprised but also overwhelmed to know about them. Their examples are inspirational for all children and youth.

The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar are being conferred upon children in the age group 5 – 18 years, for their excellence in six categories - Art and Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Scholastic, Social Service and Sports. 

This year (2023), awards were presented in the categories of Art and Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Social Service and Sports..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   January 23

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Parakram Diwas is celebrated on January 23 to commemorate the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose.

This year (2023) marks the 126th birth anniversary of Bose, fondly known as ‘Netaji’.

Here are ten things to know about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose :

1) The charismatic leader who gave popular slogans like “Delhi Chalo” was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Bengal division, Odisha.

2) His appealing slogan - "Tum mujhe khoon do, mai tumhe azadi doonga (You give me blood, I will give you freedom)”- fuelled Indians with patriotism during the freedom struggle.

3) Born to Jankinath, a prominent lawyer, and Prabhavati, Bose was the 9th child among their 14 children including 8 sons and 6 daughters.

4) He attended Presidency College, Calcutta, till his suspension in 1916 due to nationalist activities. Later he graduated from Scottish Churches College in 1919.

5) To prepare for the Indian civil service examination, he was sent by his parents to England's University of Cambridge.

6) After clearing the examination in 1920, Bose resigned a year later, in April 1921, following news of nationalist turmoil in his homeland and hurried back to India.

7) In India, Bose joined the Indian National Congress, but with time, refuted from Mahatma Gandhi's less confrontational approach.

8) In 1938, he became the president of the Indian National Congress. But resigned a year later despite defeating his rival in reelection.

9) On October 21, 1943, Bose formed ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ and later started Azad Hind radio station in Germany

10) He went missing on August 18, 1945, after a plane crash in Taiwan. Out of three inquiry commissions on the accident, two claimed he died due to the crash while one stated was alive after the tragedy.

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   Election Commission of India (ECI)

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) is hosting the 2nd International Conference on the theme ‘Use of Technology and Elections Integrity’ at New Delhi on 23-24 January, 2023.

* ECI is leading the Cohort on Elections Integrity which was established as a follow up to the ‘Summit for Democracy’ held virtually in December, 2021.

* The first international conference of the Cohort was organized on 31 Oct – 01 Nov, 2022 at New Delhi on the topic ‘Role, Framework and Capacity of Election Management Bodies’ where nearly 50 representatives from the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of 11 countries participated.

* The two-day international conference will be inaugurated by Chief Election Commissioner of India Shri Rajiv Kumar. The concluding session will be chaired by Election Commissioner of India, Shri Anup Chandra Pandey. Shri Arun Goel, Election Commissioner of India will chair the first technical session. ECI, as the lead for the Cohort on ‘Election Integrity’, took a collaborative approach and invited Greece, Mauritius and IFES to be co-leads for the Cohort.

* ECI has invited International Foundation for Electoral Systems and International IDEA, apart from EMBs and Government counterparts dealing with the conduct of elections worldwide.

* Around 43 Participants from 17 Countries/EMBs including Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Chile, Croatia, Dominica, Fiji, Georgia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Mauritius, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines and Suriname and 06 participants from international organisations namely, IFES, International IDEA are expected to join.

* The representatives from a number of foreign missions located at New Delhi are also expected to attend the conference...

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   21

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi named the 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands after Param Vir Chakra awardees in a ceremony on Monday (23rd January 2023) on the occasion of Parakram Diwas.

* PM Modi also unveiled the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, earlier known as Ross Islands.

* Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the ceremony in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

* The largest unnamed island was named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, Major Somnath Sharma, who lost his life in action on November 3, 1947 while fighting Pakistani infiltrators near Srinagar Airport.

* "These islands have been named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, viz. Major Somnath Sharma; Subedar and Hony Captain (then Lance Naik) Karam Singh, MM; 2nd Lt. Rama Raghoba Rane; Nayak Jadunath Singh; Company Havildar Major Piru Singh; Capt GS Salaria; Lieutenant Colonel (then Major) Dhan Singh Thapa; Subedar Joginder Singh; Major Shaitan Singh; CQMH. Abdul Hamid; Lt Col Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore; Lance Naik Albert Ekka; Major Hoshiar Singh; 2nd Lt. Arun Khetrapal; Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon; Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran; Naib Subedar Bana Singh; Captain Vikram Batra; Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey; Subedar Major (then Rifleman) Sanjay Kumar; and Subedar Major Retd (Hony Captain) Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav." ...

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   R K Mathur

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Ladakh Lieutenant Governor "R K Mathur" on Friday (20th Jan 2023) launched the Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) in the Union Territory, with both hill councils of Kargil and Leh welcoming the initiative.

According to officials, the 14-digit ULPIN would help in the digitisation of land records and also reaching a conclusive land titling.

Terming ULPIN as a “game changer” and the next step in ‘SVAMITVA’ for digitisation and computerisation of land revenue records, Mathur stressed the importance of 100 percent coverage of land revenue records in Ladakh and completion of the exercise at the earliest.

R K Mathur emphasized the need for the saturation coverage of not only the ‘Abadi deh’ (inhabited) areas but the entire Ladakh by the administration with the help of both the hill councils through its schemes and funds.

Mathur noted the plans to increase the Abadi deh area in Ladakh, including carving out Abadi deh areas in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in Ladakh.

He also informed that the administration, along with both the hill councils, will work with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to cover the increased abadi-deh areas in the UT.

The UPLIN scheme will prove beneficial in numerous ways, including settling and expediting land-related disputes in court and addressing legacy issues such as putting a check on any unwanted change in land revenue records.

He also said the scheme would prove beneficial to farmers in availing loans from banks and also using drones to spray insecticides and pesticides on the registered lands of the farmers.

The scheme would prove beneficial to collect accurate land records and land areas for hilly land to record the vertical dimension of land.

He also stated that the scheme would be a blessing for industrialists and entrepreneurs and help in the overall development of Ladakh....

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   Himachal Pradesh

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The Himachal Pradesh government intends to make the state as the first "Green Energy State" by the end of 2025 by harnessing hydro, hydrogen and solar energy and switching to green products, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Friday (20th January 2023).

* The state government would also invest in solar plants and will install 500 MW solar projects during the year 2023-24, out of this, 200 MW would be installed by HPPCL for which land has been identified for 70 MW capacity and the rest of the sites will be finalized soon.

* Solar projects up to 150 MW capacity would be installed by HIMURJA through private participation and priority would be given to Himachalis in awarding these projects, he said and added that the capacity of the projects will range from 250 KW to 1 MW.

* The Government of Himachal Pradesh has received a dividend of Rs. 2355 crore against the equity contribution of Rs. 1055 crore and 12 percent free power from Nathpa Jhakri and Rampur hydro power projects amounting to around Rs. 7000 crore so far.

* Thaplan, Solar Power Project (SPP) of 112.5 MW was being set up in district Una. In addition to this, 20 MW SPP Bhanjal and Kadh in Una district, 20 MW in Fatehpur in Kangra district, 30 MW SPP Kolar in Sirmaur district and 12.5 MW in Rajgir in district Kangra were under pre-construction stage....

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   American India Foundation

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The American India Foundation (AIF) has inaugurated India’s first STEM Innovation and Learning Center (SILC) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

* It was inaugurated under the scheme of Vanavil Mandram.

* AIF is an award-winning flagship education Program 'Digital Equalizer (DE)'.

* It has designed the Center to be a one-stop solution for STEM among students and teachers.

* AIF's DE has also launched Drone and Satellite Launch Vehicle (DSLV) Mission on the occasion..

Source : The Print