NATIONAL NEWS

MEA Introduces ‘mPassport Police App’

• In order to reduce the time taken for police verification of persons applying for passports in the national capital, the Ministry of External Affairs has introduced the ‘mPassport Police App’, which will now digitize the process of sending the police verification report to the Regional Passport Office (RPO).
• Home Minister Amit Shah made an announcement in this regard at Delhi Police’s 76th Raising Day ceremony.
• Anyone in Delhi who applies for a passport will not need to wait for 15 days for police verification ‘mPassport Police App’, expected to cut the time for police verification of passport applicants to five days.

Indigenously Developed Train Control and Supervision System

• India achieved another milestone by launching the first ever indigenously developed Train Control and Supervision System.

• The i-ATS (Indigenous-Automatic Train Supervision) system has been launched by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on its first corridor.

• With the launch of i-ATS, India becomes the sixth country which has its own ATS products after France, Germany, Japan, Canada and China.

• The i-ATS (Indigenous-Automatic Train Supervision) has been launched from the Operations Control Centre (OCC).

• This project is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ initiatives for the Metro Rail Transit Systems.

21 More Airports Under Krishi Udan Scheme

• The government will soon add 21 more airports under the Krishi Udan scheme, aimed at facilitating faster movement of agricultural produce in north eastern, hilly and tribal regions of the country.

• Currently At least 31 airports are under the Krishi Udan scheme.

• To promote transportation of perishable agricultural produce from the north-eastern, hilly and tribal regions, under the Krishi Udan scheme 2.0 launched in October 2021.

• In August 2021, the civil aviation ministry had notified the norms for drones to provide necessary regulatory framework for their commercial use.
• The main objective of the Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0 is to increase share of air carriage in the modal mix for transportation of Agri-produce, which includes horticulture, fishery, livestock and processed products.

Ministry Of Textiles’ Flagship Event ‘Technotex 2023’

• Textile Ministry will host ‘Technotex 2023’ in Mumbai to boost manufacturing and research in the technical textiles sector.

• ‘Technotex 2023: Envisioning Indian Technical Textiles@ 2047’ will be a three-day exhibition and meet.

• It will begin on February 22.

• Over 150 technical textiles exhibitors and more than 250 buyers from 30 countries are likely to take part.

• Technotex 2023 would help in exemplifying the potential for trade and investment between India and foreign countries in technical textiles sector.
• Presently, Indian technical textiles market is the fifth largest in the world.

India First Hybrid Rocket

• India's first hybrid rocket made by the school students from various states launched as part of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023 from Pattipulam Village in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu.

• The reusable rocket has been made by the selected top 100 students.

• The rocket can be used for research into weather, atmospheric conditions and radiation.

• Martin Foundation in association with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation and Space Zone India successfully completed the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023.

• It is a bipropellant rocket engine that uses propellants that are in two different states.
• These propellants are usually liquid and solid which react to form exhaust gases suitable for rocket propulsion.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Italian PM Meloni Chief Guest at Raisina Dialogue

• Europe’s right-wing poster girl and Italy’s Prime Minister (PM) Giorgia Meloni will be the chief guest in the next Raisina dialogue.

• This will be the 2nd year in a row that a major European leader will attend the talks as chief guest in the midst of the Ukraine war.

• President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen was the chief guest in 2022.

• Meloni, who formed Italy’s most far-right government since the days of Mussolini following his election victory in 2022, is also Italy’s first female prime minister.

• The Raisina Dialogue is India’s premier foreign policy conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.

Air Services Agreement Between India and Guyana

• The Union Cabinet on 22 February approved the signing of the Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and Guyana.

• The Air Services Agreement will come into force after the exchange of Diplomacy Notes.

• The Diplomacy Notes shall confirm that both sides have completed the necessary internal procedures for the entry into force of this Agreement.

• The signing of the Air Services Agreement with Guyana will create a framework for the provision of air services between the two countries.
• The agreement will give a boost to the aviation market and aviation sector in India.

BANKING

RBI Issues Final Guidelines on Interest Rate Risk in Banking Book

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released final guidelines on Interest Rate Risk in Banking Book (IRRBB), which require banks to measure, monitor, and disclose their exposure to IRRBB that may impact the capital base and future earnings of lenders.

• The final guidelines on IRRBB are in alignment with the revised framework issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS).

• RBI will communicate the date of implementation in due course.

• IRRBB refers to the current or prospective risk to banks’ capital and earnings arising from adverse movements in interest rates that affect its banking book positions.

• Excessive IRRBB can pose a significant risk to banks’ current capital base and future earnings.
• As per the guidelines, the Board of the banks has the responsibility for understanding the nature and the level of the bank’s IRRBB exposure.

Angel One Ltd Receives In-Principle Approval from SEBI

• Stock broking company, Angel One has received in-principle approval from Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for sponsoring a Mutual Fund.

• Accordingly, the company would be setting up an asset management company and the trustee company, in accordance with applicable SEBI Regulations and other applicable laws.

• Angel One Limited, formerly known as Angel Broking Limited, is an Indian stockbroker firm.

SPORTS

Ranji Trophy

• Saurashtra defeated Bengal by nine wickets in the final at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

• Saurashtra fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat was declared player of the match.

• Saurashtra has won the Ranji Trophy title for the second time.

• Three years back also Saurashtra won their first title by defeating Bengal.

• In 2022, Madhya Pradesh won its first Ranji Trophy by defeating Mumbai.
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) annually organizes the Ranji Trophy, a domestic first-class cricket match between the country’s state and regional cricket associations.

AWARDS & PRIZES

Sansad Ratna Award

• Sansad Ratna Awards were instituted on the suggestion of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam to honour top performing Parliamentarians.

• A total of thirteen Members of Parliament and two Parliamentary Committees have been honoured with this award.

• The 13th edition of the award ceremony will be held on 25 March 2023 in New Delhi.

• Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lifetime Achievement Award - T K Rangarajan, (Former Rajya Sabha MP for two terms and a Senior CPIM Leader).

• So far, 90 top performing parliamentarians have been honoured and all of them have received the award individually.
• K. Srinivasan is the Founder Chairman of the Sansad Ratna Award Committee and Ms. Priyadarshini Rahul is the Chairman.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Scout Day

• World Scout Day is celebrated every year on 22 February.

• Each year on February 22nd, we honor Robert Baden-birth Powell’s anniversary by celebrating World Scout Day.

• In 1908, ‘Scouting for Boys’ was published by Baden Powell for the first time.

• ‘Scouting for Boys’ has since been deciphered into many distinct vocabularies and lingoes.

• Following this, the boys started to develop Scout Troops across the country.

World Thinking Day

• World Thinking Day is observed every year on the 22 February.

• World Thinking Day 2023 Theme is ‘Our World, Our Thriving Future: The environment and global poverty’.

• In 1926, delegates from across the world met at Camp Edith Macy now named the Edith Macy Conference Center in New York for the 4th World Conference and decided to create a day for guides and girl scouts.

• They selected the joint birthday of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the scout and guide movement, and his wife Olave as the Thinking Day.

• In 1999, during the Dubai Conference, the name of Thinking Day was changed to ‘World Thinking Day.’