- National:
- On February 12, 2024, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the '100 Cube' initiative at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar. This initiative aims to create 100 startups with a valuation of Rs 100 crore each by the 100th anniversary of Odisha in 2036.
- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued guidelines for pilot projects to use green hydrogen in the transport sector under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). These guidelines are in effect from 14th February 2024 to 14th April 2024. This is part of India’s strategy to explore green hydrogen as a sustainable energy source and reduce its carbon footprint. Similar initiatives are being considered for the steel and shipping sectors as well.
- The ‘Patna Declaration’ is an initiative by the Bihar government to enhance bird conservation in the South Asian region. It aims to address illegal hunting and trade of migratory birds, collect data for strategic planning, and enforce wildlife protection laws. It also promotes collaboration between countries and organizations for bird conservation.
- Arunachal Pradesh has indeed become the first North-Eastern state to achieve 100% household tap water connections. This was accomplished under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a program aimed at providing safe drinking water to all. Three districts in Arunachal Pradesh—West Siang, Tirap, and East Siang—have reached the significant milestone of providing 100% piped water connections to every household.
- On February 16, PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for AIIMS in Rewari, Haryana. The project, approved under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), is being developed at a cost of ₹1,650 crore. AIIMS-Rewari will be a 750-bed hospital complex with a medical college, a nursing college, and various other facilities. It will provide patient care services in 17 super speciality and 18 speciality departments.
- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) reconstituted the Expert Committee on 16th February to implement the Indian Accounting Standards. The 13-member committee, led by the Member (Finance and Investment) F&I of IRDAI, will work on the effective implementation of these standards, provide phase-wise timelines, recommend proforma financial statements, and suggest immediate financial disclosures.
- The foundation stone for the construction of Komuraveli Railway Station in Siddipet district, Telangana was indeed laid on 15th February 2024. This event was attended by Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region G. Kishan Reddy and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. The station is being built for the benefit of pilgrims visiting the Mallikarujuna Swamy Temple in the town and is located 3 km from the temple.
- Professor Karan Nathwani from IIT Jammu developed a sound-based anti-drone system. The system, announced on February 14, 2024, detects drones by their unique sound signatures. It’s user-friendly, cost-effective (around ₹ 4 lakh), and can detect drones, aircraft, and birds within a 300-meter range.
- International:
- On February 15, 2024, Greece became the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalize same-sex marriage. The law was passed with a vote of 176-76 and also allows same-sex couples to legally adopt children. However, it does not permit gay men to acquire biological children through surrogate mothers in Greece. This move makes Greece the first country in south-eastern Europe to have marriage equality.
- Banking:
- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has issued draft regulations for “Bima Sugam - Insurance Electronic Marketplace”. This digital platform aims to increase insurance penetration in India, enhance accessibility, and protect policyholders’ interests. The draft regulations were issued on February 13, 2024.
- Economy:
- Wholesale inflation in India indeed dipped to a three-month low of 0.27% in January 2024. This decline was primarily driven by easing food prices, particularly vegetables, along with a continued fall in the prices of manufactured products.
- Mous:
- On 16th February 2024, India and Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Colombia. The MoU aims to share successful digital solutions implemented at population scale for digital transformation. This includes India’s Digital Public Infrastructures, known as India Stack Solutions, which will be shared with Colombia to facilitate their digital transformation. This was signed between India’s Union Minister, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and Colombia’s Minister, Mr. Mauricio Lizcano, for cooperation in IT, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti.
- Sports:
- UK-based club cricketer Rizwan Javed has been banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for 17.5 years due to his involvement in match-fixing attempts during the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 League. He was found guilty of five breaches of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code. The ban was enforced on September 19, 2023.
- Govt. Schemes:
- The ‘Van Mitra’ scheme was launched by the Haryana government on February 15, 2024. It encourages individuals to plant and maintain trees, offering an incentive of ₹30 per tree. The target is 1000 trees per individual.
- Important Days:
- International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed annually on February 15th to raise awareness about childhood cancer and support affected children and their families. In 2024, the ICCD theme was either “Reducing the Survival Gap” or “Unveiling Challenges”, focusing on reducing the survival gap and highlighting the challenges faced by children with cancer.
- Appointments:
- On 15th February, Nand Kishore Yadav, a senior BJP leader and seven-time MLA from Patna Sahib, was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.
- Awards & Honours:
- Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Retail, was honored with the ‘Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year’ special award at the LMOTY 2024. This award recognizes her contributions to Reliance Retail’s growth and her philanthropic activities through the Reliance Foundation.
- City Union Bank won seven awards at the 19th Banking Technology Conference. The awards include Best AI & ML Bank, Best Fintech & Digital Payment Index adoption, Best Financial Inclusion, and four others. The bank’s MD & CEO N. Kamakodi received the awards.
- The 58th Jnanpith Award for 2023 was announced on Saturday, February 17, 2024. The recipients of the award are renowned Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya.
- Obituaries:
- Chef Imtiaz Qureshi, the mastermind behind ITC Maurya’s Bukhara and Dum Pukht, passed away on February 16, 2024. He was 93 years old and was known for reviving the Dum Pukht cooking technique.
- Kavita Chaudhary, known for her role in the TV show ‘Udaan’, passed away at 67 due to a heart attack. She was in Amritsar at the time of her death.
- Suhani Bhatnagar, known for her role in ‘Dangal’, has passed away at 19. She was suffering from Dermatomyositis, a rare disease. She was admitted to AIIMS on February 7 and passed away on February 16 due to complications. Her passing is a great loss to the film industry.
Question:
Q.1 Which is the first North-Eastern state to achieve 100% household tap water connections?a. Assam
b. Manipur
c. Arunachal Pradesh
d. Meghalaya
Q.2 Who were the recipients of the 58th Jnanpith Award for 2023?
a. Rabindranath Tagore and Mirza Ghalib
b. Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya
c. Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Kalidas
d. Mahadevi Verma and Tulsidas
