हिंदी में पढ़ें
National Events & Programmes
1. With which country has the Ministry of AYUSH signed an agreement to promote Ayurveda? – Thailand
- The National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur under the Ministry of AYUSH and the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine of Thailand have signed an MoU for cooperation in Ayurveda and Thai traditional medicine.
- This agreement was reached during the 10th meeting of the India-Thailand Joint Commission held at Hyderabad House, New Delhi.
2. With whom has the Election Commission started the ‘‘Mera Pehla Vote Desh Ke Liye’campaign? – Ministry of Education
- In view of the Lok Sabha elections, to increase the inclination towards voting among the youth who are voting for the first time, the Election Commission in collaboration with the Education Ministry has started the campaign ‘Mera Pehla Vote Desh Ke Liye’.
- Under this, a campaign is being run in higher educational institutions between 28 February and 6 March.
International Affairs
3. Feleti Teo, recently seen in the news, became a new Prime Minister of which country? – Tuvalu
- Former Attorney General Feleti Teo has been chosen as Tuvalu’s new prime minister by parliamentary members after a recent election spotlighted the nation’s ties with Taiwan.
- Teo, the sole nominee, was unanimously elected by 15 lawmakers without a vote.
- Following the January 26 election where the pro-Taiwan predecessor, Kausea Natano, lost his seat, Teo’s swearing-in ceremony and cabinet appointment are scheduled for later this week.
Science & Technology
4. What is ‘Homosep Atom’, recently seen in the news? – Septic tank/manhole cleaning robot
- Solinas, a startup incubated at IIT Madras, developed India’s first septic tank cleaning robot, Homosep Atom, addressing manual scavenging issues.
- The DST-TBI-supported innovation reaches 16 cities, offering end-to-end solutions for sewer cleaning, reducing costs and promoting robotic cleaning.
- Solinas specializes in deep-tech, climate tech solutions, including miniature robots addressing water and sanitation challenges.
- Their technologies, like Endobot and Swasth AI, serve as diagnostic tools, identifying and mitigating water contamination, blockages, and sewer overflows, contributing to societal development and environmental sustainability.
5. In which state was the foundation stone of ISRO’s second spaceport laid? – Tamil Nadu
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently laid the foundation stone of the second spaceport of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu. Rs 950 crore will be spent on this project.
- It is being built on approximately 2,233 acres and is expected to be operational in two years.
Short News
Persons in News
6. Pankaj Udhas, who passed away recently, was associated with which field? – Singing
- Renowned Indian ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas passed away at 72 on February 26 at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, succumbing to a prolonged illness.
- Born on May 17, 1951, in Gujarat, Udhas rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s.
- Beyond his musical accomplishments, he was known for philanthropy, supporting causes like cancer awareness.
Appointments
7. Who was recently appointed as the Chairperson of Lokpal by President Draupadi Murmu? – Ajay Manikrao Khanvilkar
- President Draupadi Murmu has appointed former SC judge Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar as the Chairperson of Lokpal.
- This post was vacant for the last two years.
- The previous Chairman Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh completed his tenure on May 27, 2022.
- Justice Khanwilkar served as a judge of the Supreme Court from 13 May 2016 to 29 July 2022.
8. Who has been appointed as the new CEO for India by the World Gold Council? – Sachin Jain
- The World Gold Council has recently appointed Sachin Jain as the new CEO for India.
- He will assume charge in March 2024.
- He will replace Somasundaram PR.
- The World Gold Council serves as an association of the world’s leading gold mining companies.
Important Days & Weeks
9. When and till when is the ‘Annual Financial Literacy’ week being organized by RBI? – 26 February to 1 March
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is promoting financial literacy among the youth through its annual Financial Literacy Week (FLW) campaign held from February 26 to March 1, 2024.
- This year’s theme is “Make a Right Start – Become Financially Smart”. Presently the Governor of RBI is Shaktikanta Das.
10. When is National Science Day celebrated every year? – 28 February
- National Science Day is celebrated every year on 28 February in India.
- This day is celebrated all over India to give importance to the remarkable work done by Indian scientist Chandrashekhar Venkata Raman in the field of science.
- The theme of National Science Day 2024 is ‘Indigenous Technologies for Viksit Bharat’.
- The first National Science Day was celebrated on 28 February 1987.
11. What is the theme of ‘World NGO Day 2024? – Building a Sustainable Future: The Role of NGOs in Achieving the SDGs
- World NGO Day, celebrated annually on February 27, acknowledges the vital role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) globally.
- Over 89 countries and 6 continents participate.
- The day promotes active engagement in NGOs, advocates for collaboration between NGOs and public-private sectors, and raises awareness among the needy about the impactful work of NGOs.
- The 2024 theme, “Building a Sustainable Future: The Role of NGOs in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” emphasizes their crucial contribution to global sustainability.
State Current Affairs
12. Krishna Raja Sagara reservoir, recently seen in the news, is located in which state? – Karnataka
- Bengaluru, known as the ‘garden city,’ faces its worst domestic water crisis.
- Over 30 localities receive water on a rotational basis every alternate day, with supply lasting only 30-45 minutes.
- The city, once abundant with 262 lakes, now has only 81 due to real estate development. The remaining lakes are at risk, impacting the city’s water supply.
- The reliance on the Krishna Raja Sagara reservoir is strained by a weak monsoon, leading to water shortages and skyrocketing tanker prices.
