Daily & Latest Current Affairs in 2025

Correct Answer :   Agra Fort

---

Correct Answer :   February 19

---

India celebrates Soil Health Card Day on February 19 every year to remember the beginning of the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme and to raise awareness of its advantages. The seventh year from the SHC Scheme’s inception is 2022.

Every two years, all farmers are to receive soil health cards as part of the programme. The Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 19, 2015, at Suratgarh, Rajasthan.

Aim : The scheme aims at issuing soil health cards to farmers every two years so as to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in soil. The scheme ensures additional income to farmers by increase in yields and it also promotes sustainable farming.

Launching the scheme, Prime Minister Modi said, the farmers should know the health status of soil. He said, if soil will not be healthy, the farm production will not increase.
 
Agriculture Secretary "Sanjay Agarwal" termed it a very important scheme and said that in the last five years crop production is continuously increasing due to this initiative.
 
The scheme has been introduced to assist State Governments to issue Soil Health Cards to all farmers in the country. It provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on the appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

During Cycle-I (2015 to 17), 10.74 crore Soil Health Cards and during Cycle-II (2017 to 19), 11.74 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers. The Government has spent more than 700 crore rupees on the SHC scheme.

Nagaland will be observing Soil Health Card Day ON Wednesday in all the 11 districts of the state in coordination with Krishi Vigyan Kendras. The day is being celebrated to create awareness, importance, values and benefits of the scheme.

Source : DD News

Correct Answer :   AIIMS-Rishikesh

---

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

---

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

---

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)

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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