Current Affairs in English – February 4 2023

National Events:

Adani Enterprises:

Adani Enterprises will be removed from sustainability indices by S&P Dow Jones with effect from 7 February 2023. The Indices comprise global sustainability leaders as identified by S&P Global through its Corporate Sustainability Assessment.
It represents top 10% of the largest 2,500 companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria.

‘Pay as You Drive’:

New India Assurance (NIA) has launched a ‘Pay as You Drive’ (PAYD) policy. It offers a comprehensive motor insurance policy that charges a premium based on the usage of the vehicle.
The policy has two components- Third Party cover and own-damage cover. The coverage will continue for the policy’s remaining duration even if the vehicle has been driven beyond the threshold limit.

Digital India Mobile Van:

Digital India Mobile Van launched. It was launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in New Delhi. It’s objective is to spread awareness of Digital India initiatives and also to spread the word about the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG).
Lucknow is the first destination of the van where G20 DEWG’s first meet is being held. It will tour various other cities in the country as well.

Pioneer Investor:

Government has said that the International Seabed Authority has officially designated India as a “Pioneer Investor”.
It was announced during the Secretary General of the International Seabed Authority Michael W. Lodge’s visit to India.
Pioneer Investor is an investor who makes early investment in any new sector or technology. Investment in Polymetallic nodules at ocean bed in this case.

Yaya Tso:

Yaya Tso, known as a birds’ paradise for its beautiful lake has been proposed as Ladakh’s first biodiversity heritage site (BHS).
Yaya Tso is a nesting habitat for a large number of birds and animals, such as the bar-headed goose, black-necked crane, and brahminy duck.
It also has the distinction of being one of the highest breeding sites of the black-necked crane in India.

Bal Mitra:

Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) on Wednesday launched ‘Bal Mitra, a WhatsApp Chatbot to provide communication support to children and parents in Delhi.
Parents can discuss education-related issues like admission issues with DCPCR. It tries to remove communication gap between public and government. Features: Complaint registration, Tracking complaint status etc.

Supreme Court of India:

The Supreme Court of India is going to complete 73 years on 4 February 2023. Chief Justice of Singapore Sundaresh Menon is scheduled to deliver the first annual lecture for the 73rd Foundation Day of SC.
He will give the inaugural lecture on “The Role of the Judiciary in a Changing World.” Justice Sundaresh Menon has been serving as the fourth Chief Justice of Singapore since 2012.

International Surajkund Mela:

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on 3 February 2023, inaugurated the 36th International Surajkund Mela at Faridabad, Haryana.
It is an annual event that is organized on a large scale by the Haryana government from the 04th to the 25th of February 2023.
It is a platform for artists across the globe to showcase their culture and talent. It is the world’s biggest crafts fair.

India Energy Week:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a three-day India Energy Week in Bengaluru in February 2023.
PM Modi will also attend a plenary meeting and hold a round table meeting with CEOS.
The event is estimated to have more than 650 exhibitors and will see participation from 34 ministers from across countries. India target to achieve 20 per cent from earlier 2030 to now 2025-26.

Azad Engineering Private Limited:

Azad Engineering Private Limited has been approved as the first Indian company to supply critical rotating parts for nuclear turbines in February 2023.
It has signed a long-term supply agreement with General Electric (GE) Steam Power for the supply of nuclear turbine parts. These will be assembled on nuclear turbines manufactured in Belfort, France.

GMV:

As on February 1st 2023, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has achieved 1.5 lakh crore of Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in FY23.The total number of transactions on GeM has crossed 1.3 crore.
GeM has over 66,000 government buyer organizations and over 58 lakh sellers and service providers. GeM portal features over 11,000 product categories with more than 29 lakh listed products.

IIT, Madras:

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras will be provided a grant of Rs 242 crore over a period of five years to carry out research on Lab Grown Diamonds (LGD).
It will encourage indigenous production of LGD seeds, and machines and reduce import dependence.
The government has proposed to cut duty on the import of ‘seeds’, used as raw material for lab-grown diamonds.

Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan:

The 96th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan began in the Wardha district of Maharashtra on February 3, 2023. It was inaugurated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and School Education, and Marathi language minister Deepak Kesarkar.
The first Marathi Sahitya Sammelan was held in Pune in 1878 under the chairmanship of Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade.

TWG:

The first Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting will be held at Dhordo in Rann of Kutch in Gujarat from 7th to 9th of February 2023. It will focus on Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, Tourism MSMEs, and Destination Management.
The meeting will be attended by officials from G-20 Countries, invited countries, and representatives of various international organizations.

International Events:

International Day of Human Fraternity: 4 February:

International Day of Human Fraternity was instituted to celebrate the historic document titled “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”, being signed by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, and Pope Francis on Feb 4, 2019.
It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 21, 2020. Motto: Harmony in difference.

World Cancer Day: 4 February:

World Cancer Day is an international day marked on 4 February to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.
World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008. The theme for the year 2023 is “Close the care Gap: Uniting our voices and taking action.”

Australia:

Australia announced that it will erase the British monarch from its banknotes, replacing the late Queen Elizabeth Il’s image on its $5 note with a design honoring Indigenous culture.
The central bank’s decision to leave her successor Charles III off the $5 note means no Britain-based monarch will remain on Australia’s paper currency. The existing $5 note will remain legal tender.

Sports Events:

Saudi Arabia:

Asian Football Confederation announced that Saudi Arabia won the hosting of the 2027 Asian Nations Cup, for the first time in its history, since its inception in 1956.
This was announced during the 33rd Congress of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), 1 February 2023, in the Bahraini capital, Manama.
Saudi Arabia was the only bid presented at the Congress after India’s withdrawal in Dec 2022.