Daily Current Affairs For BPSC as on 03.03.2023

NATIONAL:

1. First Women MLAs

Why in news - Two women in Nagaland became the first two women to win the Assembly polls.

Key Points –

• They are –

A. Hekani Jakhalu (Dimapur III seat, NDPP party).

B. Salhoutuonuo Kruse (Western Angami constituency, NDPP party).

• Earlier, Hekani Jakhalu got the Nari Shakti Puraskar from the President of India on International Women’s Day.

• The State of Nagaland was formed on December 1, 1963, as the 16th State of the Indian Union.

2. Supreme Court on ECI Appointments

Why in news - A 5-judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a committee would pick members of the Election Commission (EC).

Key Points –

• A high-power committee must pick the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs).

• High-powered committee members –

1. Prime Minister

2. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (in not available - leader of the largest opposition Party in LS in terms of numerical strength)

3. Chief Justice of India.

• 5 judges - Justice KM Joseph (head), Justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar.

• There is no law on the appointment of the CEC even 70 years after independence.

• Article 324(2) - President may from time-to-time fix and appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament.

• In 2015, PIL was filed by Anoop Baranwal challenging the constitutional validity of the appointment of EC members.

INTERNATIONAL:

1. Battle of Bakhmut

Why in news - Bakhmut town lies in flaming ruins surrounded by hundreds of lines of defensive trenches.

Key Points –

• It is a small mining town in Eastern Ukraine.

• The Bakhmut operations have been led by the Wagner Group, a shadowy private militia financed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a key Putin ally.

• Both Russia and Ukraine see Bakhmut as a symbol of their resolve.

2. ‘Chip 4’ Alliance

Why in news - Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Taiwan have launched ‘Chip 4’ supply chain discussions.

Key Points –

• It is a new U.S.-led framework to help ensure a steady supply of semiconductors.

• The inaugural meeting was held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

• US CHIPS and Science Act 2022 - set aside $39 billion to fund the construction of new and expanded domestic semiconductor manufacturing facilities.

ECONOMY:

1. Adani-Hindenburg Saga

Why in news - The Supreme Court ordered a panel of experts to be set up after a batch of PILs was filed on the recent Adani Group shares crash.

Key Points –

• Crash was triggered by the US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research’s allegations of fraud.

• Objective - to assess whether the larger regulatory mechanism needs changes in view of the “safety of investors” and investigate the Adani issue.

About the Committee –

• 6-member committee.

• Head - Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre (former Supreme Court judge).

• Other members - OP Bhatt, Justice JP Devdhar, Nandan Nilakeni, KV Kamath and Somasekharan Sundaresan.

ENVIRONMENT:

1. World Wildlife Day 2023

Why in news - March 3 is known as World Wildlife Day (WWD).

Key Points –

• Theme - ‘Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation’.

• Mar 3, 1973 - 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

• In India, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (statutory body under MoEFCC) combat organised wildlife crime in the country.

• COP 19 of CITES - Panama City, Panama (Nov 14 - 25, 2022).

About CITES –

• It is an international agreement between governments.

• Aim - to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.

• Protection - to animals and plants including wildlife products derived from them e.g., food products, exotic leather goods, medicines, etc.

• Parties to the convention - 184.

• CITES Secretariat - Geneva, Switzerland. It is administered by UNEP.

How does CITES work –

• The species are listed in 3 Appendices –

A. Appendix I - threatened with extinction. E.g., pangolins, gorillas and lions (from India).

B. Appendix II - Not threatened with extinction, but trade must be controlled to ensure their survival. E.g., Hippopotamuses.

C. Appendix III - Species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade. E.g., Bengal fox or the Golden Jackal from India.

SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:

1. 8th Raisina Dialogue

Why in news - PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 8th edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on Mar 2, 2023.

Key Points -

• Chief Guest - Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.

• Theme 2023 - "Provocation, Uncertainty, Turbulence: Lighthouse in the Tempest.”

• It is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-strategy.

• Organized by - Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with Observer Research Foundation.

APPOINTMENTS:

1. IPS Rashmi Shukla

Why in news - Rashmi Shukla has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Key Points -

• She would replace Anish Dayal Singh.

POINTERS:

• The 3,651 km-long race with total elevation gain of 1895p mts which started from Srinagar will end at which place – Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

• BSNL empaneled which company as a captive non-public network provider - Telecom Consultants India Limited.

• Who took over as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Naval Command - Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.

• Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) discovered a 1,300-year-old stupa right in Jajpur of which state – Odisha.

• MV Ganga Vilas, the world's longest river cruise, completed its maiden voyage in Dibrugarh, Assam, after sailing for 50 days on which date - February 28, 2023.

• The Gujarat assembly passed a bill to make teaching of which language compulsory from classes 1 to 8 in all schools of the state – Gujarati.

• Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of which country called on the President Draupadi Murmu in New Delhi – Denmark.

• The Ministry of Tourism organized the first Snow Marathon on 26 February 2023 in which state - Bhaderwah, J&K.

• Mr. Nitin Gadkari inaugurated 7 national highway projects with an investment of US$ 785 million (Rs. 6,500 crores) at which place in Uttar Pradesh - Chitbada Village, Ballia.

• The government has monetized assets worth how many crores during FY23 against the target of ₹1.6 lakh crore for the current fiscal - ₹26,000 crore.

 

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