- National:
- The “Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak” is a new medal instituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on February 1, 2024. It was created by merging four existing medals and will be awarded for excellence in various operations to members of Police Forces, Security Organizations, and certain other organizations.
- The Chennai Metro has become the first metro service in India to join the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). This allows passengers to purchase tickets through ONDC Network’s buyer apps. The integration started from February 2, 2024. Other metro services like Kochi Metro, Kanpur Metro, Pune Metro are also preparing to join the network.
- The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) panel in Uttarakhand submitted a 740-page report to the Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami. The report proposes key changes like the prohibition of polygamy, halala, iddat, and child marriage, uniform age for girls’ marriage, equal inheritance rights, and mandatory registration of live-in relationships. The Uttarakhand cabinet approved the draft, which will be presented in a special assembly session. If enacted, Uttarakhand will be the first post-independence state to implement the UCC.
- The Bharat Rang Mahotsav, India’s largest theatre festival, started in Gujarat on February 4, 2024. This 21-day event features over 150 plays, workshops, and discussions. It will be held in 15 cities across India. This year, the festival is celebrating its 25th year and has introduced Rang Haat, an initiative aiming to create Asia’s first global theatre market.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the closing ceremony of Acharya Shri S N Goenka’s 100th birth anniversary via a video message on February 4, 2024. He emphasized the importance of Vipassana in today’s challenging times and advocated for India to take the lead in making Vipassana more acceptable.
- The Government of Maharashtra formed a committee on February 3, 2024, to effectively implement the Sickle Cell Disease Control Programme. The committee’s role is to investigate, treat, and prevent sickle cell disease, especially in rural and tribal areas. The ultimate goal is to eradicate sickle cell disease from India by 2047.
- On February 4, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated development projects worth ₹11,600 crore in Assam. These infrastructure projects, funded by both the State government and the Centre, were unveiled at a function at the Veterinary College Playground in Khanapara, Guwahati. The projects included infrastructure, medical facilities, and roads.
- In 2022, India reported approximately 1.41 million new cancer cases. The most common types were breast cancer, lip and oral cavity cancer, cervix and uterine cancer, lung cancer, and oesophagal cancer. There were also 916,827 cancer deaths reported in the same year.
- Banking:
- The Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has indeed reported the highest growth rate in terms of deposit mobilisation among public sector banks. In the third quarter, BoM reported a 17.89% growth in deposits, which is the highest among public sector banks. This is followed by the State Bank of India (SBI) which reported a growth rate of 12.84%. However, in absolute terms, SBI’s total deposits were about 18.5 times higher than that of BoM.
- On 2nd February 2024, Financial services giant Morgan Stanley bought 50 lakh (5 million) shares of One 97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm, for ₹244 crore (approximately $30 million). This represents roughly a 0.8% stake in the company.
- Economy:
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) raised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY25 to 6.2% on February 5, 2024. The growth for the current year is expected to be 6.7%, but it’s projected to slow down to 6.1% in FY24 due to various challenges. However, services exports and public investment will continue to support the economy.
- The Indian government has increased the windfall tax on petroleum crude to ₹3,200 per tonne from the previous rate of ₹1,700 per tonne. This change is effective from February 3, 2024. The government revises this tax every two weeks. This tax was initially introduced in July 2022 in response to the increasing prices of crude oil.
- The HSBC India Services PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) for January 2024 was recorded at 61.8, up from 59 in December 2023. This is the highest it has been since July 2023. The increase in the PMI indicates a growth in India’s services sector, reaching a six-month high. This growth was driven by a strong upturn in new business, expanding at the fastest rate in six months.
- Mous:
- On February 2, 2024, in Delhi, the National Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (NRLPS) and BRAC International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The aim is to promote economic inclusion and social protection for the poorest women under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). The focus is on the ‘lakhpati didis’ through Samaveshi Aajeevika, an inclusive livelihood programme.
- Index & Ranking:
- London was indeed the most congested city in the world in 2023. Commuters in London spent an average of 37 minutes and 20 seconds in traffic to cover a distance of 10 km. The study was conducted by the Amsterdam-based location technology specialist, TomTom. Following London, the next most congested cities were Dublin, Toronto, Milan, and Lima. Interestingly, two Indian cities, Bengaluru and Pune, also featured in the top 10 list.
- Important Days:
- The 4th of February is celebrated as the National Day of Sri Lanka, also known as Independence Day. This day commemorates Sri Lanka’s political independence from British rule in 1948. The theme for the National Day of Sri Lanka in 2024 is "Let’s stand together".
- International Development Week (IDW) is an annual event held during the first full week of February. In 2024, it took place from February 4 to 10. This event supports international development priorities and highlights the significant contributions made by Canadians at home and abroad. The theme for IDW 2024 was ‘Go for the Goals’, inviting Canadians, civil society organizations, and governments worldwide to take action to achieve the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Awards & Honours:
- Dr. Bina Modi, Chairperson of Modi Enterprises, was indeed honoured with the ‘Outstanding Business Woman of the Year - 2023’ Award. The award was presented to her by Rajnath Singh, the Defence Minister of India, at a prestigious conference by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) on ‘Strengthening Indo-US Relationship in Amrit Kaal-Atma Nirbhar Bharat’, on Tuesday, 30th January, 2024, at Hotel The Leela Palace, Chanakyapuri in New Delhi.
- Priest Ishwari Prasad Namboodiri, the chief priest (Rawal) of the world-renowned Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand, was indeed honored with the Shankar Smriti Award in Kerala. This recognition is a significant acknowledgment of his dedication and service to the spiritual domain, enhancing the rich tapestry of Indian religious practices.
- Appointments:
- Radha Raturi, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1988 batch, has been appointed as the first woman Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand. She replaced Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, whose tenure ended on the same day.
- Justice Pradeep Kumar Srivastava, who had been serving as an Additional Judge, has been appointed as a Permanent Judge of the Jharkhand High Court. The Central government notified his appointment. His oath-taking ceremony took place on Friday, the 2nd day of February 2024.
- On 3rd February 2024, Apurva Chandra, a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Maharashtra cadre, was appointed Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare. This appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
- Books:
- The book KASHMIR: Travels in Paradise on Earth is authored by Romesh Bhattacharji. It’s a non-fiction work about the author’s travels in Kashmir, capturing the region’s beauty and charm. The book was released on 5th February 2024.
- Obituaries:
- Veteran Odia actor and director, Sadhu Meher, passed away at his residence in Mumbai. He was 84 years old. Sadhu Meher was a prominent figure in parallel cinema in the mid-1980s and was critically acclaimed for his acting in ‘Bhukha’, a 1989 Sambalpuri-language film.
- Carl Weathers, best known for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies, passed away at the age of 76. He died peacefully in his sleep on February 1, 2024. His contributions to film, television, the arts, and sports have left an indelible mark and he is recognized worldwide and across generations.
Questions:
Q.1 Which metro service in India is the first to join the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)?a. Kochi Metro
b. Kanpur Metro
c. Chennai Metro
d. Pune Metro
Q.2 Which city was the most congested in the world in 2023?
a. Dublin
b. London
c. Toronto
d. Milan
