NATIONAL:
1. Hindu New Year 2023
Why in news – It is celebrated on March 22.
Key Points –
• It falls on the first day of the Chaitra month according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar.
• Chaitra is the first month of the year in the Hindu calendar.
• It marks the beginning of the new year of the Vikram Samvat.
National Calendar of India –
• It is based on the Saka calendar along with the Gregorian calendar.
• First month – Chaitra.
• It was adopted on March 22, 1957.
• Kushan King Kanishka ascended the throne in 78 AD and this date is used as the beginning of the Saka calendar era.
2. India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP)
Why in news – PM Narendra Modi and PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated IBFP on March 18, 2023.
Key Points –
• Foundation stone was laid in September 2018.
• First cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh. [2nd pipeline between India and its neighbours. (1st – India and Nepal)].
• Capacity - transport 1 Million Metric ton Per Annum (MMTPA) of High-Speed Diesel (HSD).
• Numaligarh Refinery (Assam) has been supplying petroleum products to Bangladesh since 2015.
• Bangladesh - India’s top-most development partner and its largest trade partner (USD 18 billion) in South Asia.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. World's Largest Semiconductor Manufacturing Base
Why in news – Samsung Electronics to invest 300 trillion won (USD 230 billion) over the next 20 years to build the facility by 2042.
Key Points –
• Location - Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
• Largest semiconductor companies – TSMC (Taiwan) > Intel (USA) > Qualcomm (USA).
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES:
1. PM MITRA Parks
Why in news – Sites for setting up of 7 PM MITRA Parks for the Textile industry were approved.
Key Points –
• 7 sites location - Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• Aim – to help create world-class industrial infrastructure and encourage innovation and job creation within the sector.
• By - Ministry of Textiles.
• 5F vision of PM Modi - Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
• PM MITRA - Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel.
RANKS & INDICES:
1. 10th Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2022
Why in news – The index was released by Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), Sydney.
Key Points –
• India’s rank - 13th (score - 7.175).
• Worst affected – Afghanistan (1st, score -8.822)
• South Asia region - Worst average GTI score.
• Central America and Caribbean – Least affected.
• Deadliest Terror Group (Rank) –
(a) Islamic State (1st),
(b) Communist Party of India (Maoist) (12th).
(c) Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (13th)
(d) Lashkar-e-Taiba (16th).
• Globally, deaths from terrorism fell by 9% (38% decrease since 2015).
• IEP uses data from Terrorism Tracker. It provides event records on terrorist attacks since 1 January 2007.
2. Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022
Why in news – Parshottam Rupala unveiled the Animal Husbandry & Fisheries Department’s annual publication.
Key Points –
• By - Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
• In 2020-21, the share of Livestock at constant prices in the Agriculture Sector and total GVA was 30.13% and 4.9% respectively.
Major highlights (2021-22 data) –
• Milk –
(a) Total production - 221.06 million tonnes (growth - 5.29%).
(b) Major States - Rajasthan (15.05%), Uttar Pradesh (14.93%), Madhya Pradesh (8.06%), Gujarat (7.56%) and Andhra Pradesh (6.97%).
(c) Per-capita availability - 444 gram/day (growth - 17 gram/day).
• Egg –
(a) Total production - 129.60 billion numbers (growth - 6.19%).
(b) Major States - Andhra Pradesh (20.41%), Tamil Nadu (16.08%), Telangana (12.86%), West Bengal (8.84%) and Karnataka (6.38%).
(c) Per-capita availability - 95 Numbers/annum (growth - 5 nos/annum).
• Wool –
(a) Total production - 33.13 thousand tonnes. (decline - 10.30%).
(b) Major States - Rajasthan (45.91%), Jammu and Kashmir (23.19%), Gujarat (6.12%), Maharashtra (4.78%) and Himachal Pradesh (4.33%).
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. World’s Greatest Places of 2023
Why in news – TIME Magazine unveiled its list of the ‘World’s Greatest Places of 2023’.
Key Points –
• From India – Mayurbhanj (Odisha) and Ladakh.
• Mayurbhanj - Only place on earth to spot the exceedingly rare black tiger. E.g., Similipal National Park.
• Ladakh - Alpine landscapes and Tibetan Buddhist culture.
• In 2022, Kerala and Ahmedabad were included.
ENVIRONMENT:
1. Mission LiFE
Why in news – Campaign on “Mission LiFE” concluded in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Key Points –
• Conducted by - Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC).
• Aim - to popularise the concept of ‘Mission LiFE’ or Lifestyle for Environment.
• It ended with a seminar on the topic, ‘Mission Life: Bringing Individual Behaviours at the forefront of the global climate action narrative’.
About Mission LiFE –
• Announced by PM Narendra Modi during UNFCCC at Glasgow in 2021 (COP 26).
• Launched on October 20, 2022.
• India led global mass movement to ensure sustainable development.
• Aim - to mobilize at least one billion Indians and other global citizens to take individual and collective action for protecting and preserving the environment in the period 2022 to 2027.
SCIENCE – TECHNOLOGY:
1. 1st Indigenous Quadrupled Robot
Why in news – Svaya Robotics (Hyderabad) has developed India’s first indigenous quadrupled (four-legged) robot and exoskeleton.
Key Points –
• Currently imported from the US and Switzerland.
• Uses (defence sector) - Walk or run in uneven and rough terrains e.g., Leh where soldiers have to navigate through unfavourable conditions.
BIHAR:
1. Bihar Diwas 2023
Why in news - Bihar formation day is celebrated on March 22.
Key Points –
• Theme 2023 – Yuva Shakti, Bihar ki Pragati.
• State song - Mere Bharat Ke Kanth Haar (Written by Satya Narayan. Adopted in March 2012).
• Bihar State Prayer - Mere raftaar pe suraj ki kiran naaj kare.
• In 2023, it has been 111 years since the formation of Bihar.
• Bihar was carved out of Bengal on March 22, 1912.
National awardees to be felicitated –
• Padma Shri awardees - Subhadra Devi (Madhubani), Kapildev Prasad (Nalanda) and Anand Kumar (Patna).
• National Child Awardees - Dheeraj Kumar (West Champaran), Pal Sakshi (Chhapra) and Jyoti Kumari (Darbhanga).
2. Increase in Pay and Allowances
Why in news – The amendment in the Salary Allowance Pension Rules of Bihar ministers has been approved.
Key Points –
• The salaries and allowances of ministers would increase by Rs 30 to 35 thousand per month.
• New salary – Around 2.65 lakh.
POINTERS:
• Who has been appointed as the CMD of Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) - Lalit Kumar Gupta.
• Who has won the singles title of Indian Wells Masters - Carlos Alcaraz.
• The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has opened the strategic Zojila pass in a record how many days - 68 days.
• Which state's Barda WLS has been proposed as a second home for Asiatic lions – Gujarat.
• Which day is observed all over the world on 22nd March 2023 - World Water Day.
• Which state government is planning to appoint 600 young 'Gajmitras' to protect elephants - West Bengal.
• Who has become the oldest player to win the ATP Masters 1000 title - Rohan Bopanna.
• Who has been appointed as the brand ambassador of “Luxor” - Virat Kohli.
• Organization of Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) has estimated India's growth rate in the financial year 2020-24 to be what percent - 5.9%.
• Which bank has agreed to acquire the troubled Credit Suisse Bank - UBS Bank.