Daily Current Affairs PDF
This PAID PDF is provided by AffairsCloud’s dedicated team that works
diligently to provide aspirants with high-quality content. We recommend
you to purchase this PDF subscription and seize the opportunity to learn
efficiently.
Help Us to Grow & Provide Quality Service
Suggestions & Feedback are welcomed
Support@affairscloud.com
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 1
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 2
Daily Current Affairs PDF
AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 3 February 2023 : Headlines
1. MeitY, Meta Announce List of 120 Startups, Innovators for XR Startup Programme
2. IIT Patna signs MoU with Drone Destination to open Bihar’s 1st UAV Training Centre
3. CMIE: Unemployment Rate Falls to 4-Month Low of 7.14% in January
4. India’s 1st Hydrogen Train Will Come by Dec 2023 On Heritage Routes
5. Indore Municipal Corporation Launches Secured Redeemable NCDs of Rs 244 crore
6. Kotak Mahindra Bank Implements RBI’s First Phase of Digital Rupee
7. IDFC First Bank to receive a Rs. 2,200 crore investment from IDFC Ltd
8. KFin Technologies launches in GIFT City
9. PVR Cinemas launches India’s 1st Multiplex within Airport Complex in Chennai
10. 9th Edition of Kalinga Literary Festival: Announces KLF Book Awards 2022
11. Manuela Roka Botey appointed as the 1st Female Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea
12. US Based GA-ASI Initiates 3 Projects in India in AI, Drones & Semiconductors
13. Former Indian Footballer Parimal Dey Passed Away
14. Palagummi Sainath authored a New Book titled “The Last Heroes”
15. World Wetlands Day 2023 – February 2
16. Manish Sisodia, Dy CM of Delhi, launched DCPCR’s WhatsApp Chatbot ‘Bal Mitra’
17. MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Ladli Bahina Scheme to Provide Rs 1,000 Per Month to
Poor Women
18. Gandhisagar Floating Festival 2023, Asia’s 1st floating festival, started in MP
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 3
Daily Current Affairs PDF
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
MeitY, Meta Announce List of 120 Startups, Innovators for XR Startup Programme
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Meta (Meta Platforms, Inc formerly
named Facebook) have announced the list of 120 startups and innovators for the Extended Reality (XR)
Startup Programme in New Delhi, Delhi. The Programme includes an Accelerator and a Grand Challenge,
aiming towards boosting the emerging Tech ecosystem in India.
The programme will discover, nurture, and accelerate XR Technology startups and innovators across
India.
The programme supports 40 early-stage start-ups working in XR technologies with a grant of Rs 20 lakh
each.
• Among the selected startups, more than 30% are from Tier II or Tier III cities across India and
women-led or co-led Startups and Innovators form over 20% of the cohort.
IIT Patna signs MoU with Drone Destination to open Bihar’s 1st UAV Training Centre
Delhi-based Drone Destination Private Limited (DD), one of India’s leading Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
(UAV) training and manufacturing groups, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna (Bihar) to open Bihar’s 1st Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA)-authorized Drone Training Centre.
DD is the drone training partner of Indira Gandhi National Flying Academy (IGRUA) under the Ministry of
Civil Aviation (MoCA) and has several centres across India.
• IIT Patna plans to develop a drone centre of excellence to propel the UAV ecosystem.
• Drone Destination became the 1st Drone Training Organisation to certify more than 1,200
DGCA-certified Drone Pilots in India, along with IGRUA and Sanskardham, the training partners
of DD.
• DD became the National Skill Development Corporation’s (NSDC)’s 1st Drone Training Partner
and plans to jointly open 10 new drone centres.
CMIE: Unemployment Rate Falls to 4-Month Low of 7.14% in January
According to the data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India’s unemployment rate
declined by 7.14% in January 2023, the lowest in 4 months, from 8.30% in December 2022. The
unemployment rate was 8.03% in November 2022, 7.92% in October 2022 and 6.43% in September 2022.
• Rural unemployment was 6.48% in January 2023, and Urban unemployment was 8.55%.
• Jammu and Kashmir had the highest unemployment rate among the states with 21.8%, followed
by Haryana (21.7%), and Rajasthan (21.1 %).
• Unemployment in Delhi in January was at 16.75, in Goa (16.2%), Assam (16.1%) and Tripura
(16%).
• Chhattisgarh is the lowest unemployment rate among the states with 0.5%, followed by Odisha
(1.5%), Tamil Nadu (1.8%), and Madhya Pradesh (1.9%).
India’s 1st Hydrogen Train Will Come by Dec 2023 On Heritage Routes
i.Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that India’s first hydrogen train will be designed
and manufactured in India by December 2023, as the Union Budget 2023–24 focuses on green growth.
• Once operational, the hydrogen train will operate on heritage circuits such as Kalka-
Shimla before being expanded to other places.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 4
Daily Current Affairs PDF
ii.The train’s purpose is to exhibit India’s cultural heritage through trains, which will be updated by adding
new circuits to the list, such as the Guru Kripa circuit.
iii.The Union Budget 2023-24 has an allocation of Rs. 2.41 lakh crore for Railways.
• The “Amrit Bharat Station” scheme will redevelop 1275 stations while also revamping the
production of Vande Bharat trains.
BANKING & FINANCE
Indore Municipal Corporation Launches Secured Redeemable NCDs of Rs 244 crore
Indore municipal corporation has launched secured redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs)
of face value of Rs 1000 each, aggregating up to Rs 122 crore. The issue contains an option to retain over-
subscription up to Rs 122 crores, making the total issue size to Rs 244 crores.
• Rate of return: The issue offers a 8.25% rate of return per annum, payable half yearly.
• Each NCD shall consist of 4 separate transferable and redeemable principal tranches, each
having a face value of Rs 250.
Key Points:
i.The NCDs will be issued from 10 to 14 February 2023 and they are proposed to be listed on the National
Stock Exchange of India Limited.
ii.Rating: The NCDs that are proposed to be issued have been rated ‘IND AA+/Stable’ as per India Ratings
and ‘CARE AA;(Stable)’as per Care Ratings.
iii.The benefits such as interest on NCDs/ any STRPPs (Separately Transferable Redeemable Principal
Parts) that are forming part of the NCD, would be available to the NCD Holders from the Deemed Date of
Allotment.
What are Debentures?
Debentures are financial instruments that a company issues when it wants to raise long-term capital.
About NCDs:
i.Definition: The debentures which cannot be converted into shares or equities are called NCDs.
ii.They have higher rate of return compared to convertible debentures as they are considered a little risky
(due to long term).
iii.The maturity value of the NCDs remains fixed, and they give fixed returns on maturity.
iv.An eligible corporate that is intending to issue NCDs should obtain credit rating for issuance of the NCDs
from one of the rating agencies specified by the Reserve Bank of India.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 5
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Kotak Mahindra Bank Implements RBI’s First Phase of Digital Rupee
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) has announced the implementation of the first phase of the
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), referred to as the “Digital Rupee” (e₹).
• The “Digital Rupee” (e₹) is a legal tender equivalent to bank notes and coins but issued in a
digital form by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The RBI has shortlisted KMBL as one of eight banks to implement a pilot project for the issuance of e-
currencies.
• KMBL launched the CBDC to a Closed User Group (CUG) of customers, including retail customers
and businesses.
Key Points:
i.The Digital Rupee pilot will be launched by KMBL in Mumbai (Maharashtra), Delhi, and Ahmedabad
(Gujarat).
ii.An email or SMS invite to download the Digital Rupee app will be delivered to a select group of KMBL
customers.
iii.The digital rupee wallet, which will be available for download on Android operating system (OS)
smartphones, functions in the same way as a physical wallet.
Background
i.After introducing and testing wholesale CBDC (e ₹-W) in November 2022, the RBI launched a pilot for
the digital rupee in the retail segment (e ₹-R) with four banks in four cities on December 1, 2022.
• It was initially limited to four cities, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru (Karnataka), and
Bhubaneswar (Odisha), but was subsequently extended to nine more cities.
ii.The RBI has shortlisted eight banks to participate in the retail pilot project in phases.
• The first phase featured four banks: The State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, and
IDFC First Bank.
• The other four banks chosen for subsequent participation in the retail pilot were Bank of
Baroda (BoB), Union Bank of India (UBI), HDFC Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited
(KMBL).
iii.The digital currency will be issued in the same denominations and distributed through financial
intermediaries as part of the pilot.
• Users will be able to transact through a digital wallet offered by participating banks.
Reliance Retail Becomes First Retailer to Begin Accepting Digital Rupee for Sales
Reliance Retail has become the first organized retail chain in India to accept the RBI-created and
blockchain-based CBDC [e₹] payments at its gourmet food store, Freshpik.
• All Reliance Retail outlets in India will gradually accept digital rupee payments.
The CBDC is a digital version of fiat money that will coexist with actual cash.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 6
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Background
Innoviti Technologies, a payments-focused financial-tech firm, announced the launch of in-store
payments via digital rupee in the retail segment (e ₹-R) in collaboration with Reliance Retail, ICICI Bank,
and KMBL.
Key Points:
i.The solution was designed by Innoviti Technologies, a technology partner of Reliance Retail, employing
cutting-edge technology that integrates with the cashier billing system.
ii.Customers using the Digital Rupee app from ICICI Bank or KMBL will need to scan the QR code on the
terminal and enter their password to authorize payment through e ₹-R.
Advantages of CBDC
i.A CBDC can play an important role in facilitating access to digital payments without the need for a bank
account, with access facilitated via a central bank-issued digital wallet.
ii.The adoption of e-rupee is projected to improve the efficiency of the interbank market.
iii.Settlement in central bank money would lower transaction costs by eliminating the need for settlement
guarantee infrastructure or collateral to minimize settlement risk.
Recent Related News:
i.In December 2022, Reliance Consumer Products, a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL),
launched its made-for-India Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) brand “Independence” in Gujarat.
• The company will provide a selection of goods under the “Independence” brand in a number of
categories, including staples, processed foods, and other daily essentials.
ii.RRVL, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is the holding company of Reliance Retail
Limited which operates the retail business.
About Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL):
MD & CEO – Uday Kotak
Established – 2003
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline – Let’s Make Money Simple
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 7
Daily Current Affairs PDF
IDFC First Bank to receive Rs. 2,200 crore investment from IDFC Ltd
i.The board of IDFC Limited gave its in-principle approval for an investment of Rs 2,200 crore in IDFC
First Bank, raising its stake in the bank from 36.38% to 40%.
• IDFC Limited, the parent firm, is planning a reverse merger with IDFC First Bank.
ii.Additionally, the IDFC board has approved a special interim dividend of Rs. 11 per share, resulting in a
payout of Rs. 287 crore to the Government of India (GoI), IDFC’s largest shareholder.
iii.In December 2021, the boards of IDFC, IDFC Financial Holding Company, and IDFC First Bank gave their
in-principle approval to the merger of IDFC and IDFC Financial Holding with IDFC First Bank.
• IDFC Ltd. and IDFC Financial Holding have started the merger process with IDFC First Bank.
KFin Technologies launches in GIFT City
i.KFin Technologies Limited (KFintech) has announced the commencement of its operations in Gujarat
International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• KFintech has formally signed deals with 4 GIFT City funds and 2 global funds in GIFT City, while
discussions with other asset managers continue.
ii.KFintech is a top provider of technology-driven financial services that spans all asset classes and offers
comprehensive services and solutions to the Indian capital markets ecosystem.
• It also provides asset managers in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Hong Kong with a
range of investor solutions, such as transaction origination and processing for mutual funds and
private retirement plans.
iii.The Gift City IBU (IFSC (International Financial Services Centre) business unit) of KFintech will meet
the rising demand for portfolio management, private wealth, and alternative investments.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
PVR Cinemas launches India’s 1st Multiplex within Airport Complex in Chennai
PVR Cinemas launched its 5-screen property at PVR Aerohub in Chennai International Airport, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu (TN). this is India’s 1st multiplex housed within an airport complex.
• There are 1155 seats available, and it is outfitted with cutting-edge cinematic technologies
including 2K RGB+ laser projectors, REAL D 3D digital stereoscopic projection for incredibly
clear, razor-sharp, ultra-bright pictures, and advanced Dolby Atmos high-definition immersive
audio.
• PVR Cinemas will have 12 locations in Chennai with 77 screens after this launch, and it will
strengthen its position in TN with 88 screens spread across 14 properties. Its South Indian
screen count would increase to 328 in 53 properties.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
9th Edition of Kalinga Literary Festival: Announces KLF Book Awards 2022
The Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) [9th edition] has announced the KLF Book Awards 2022 in a
variety of categories and languages including English, Hindi, Nepali, Maithili, Odia, and other Indian
languages.
• The awards will be given in a range of categories, including Non-fiction, Fiction Poetry Book,
Book in Hindi language, Book in Translation, Bhasa First Book, Business Book, Environmental
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 8
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Book, Biography/Autobiography, Children Book, Sports Book, Lifestyle and Emerging Trend
Books among others.
• The 9th KLF will take place in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from February 24 to 26, 2023.
The KLF, India’s Largest Festival of Literature Spirit, is an annual literary festival held in Bhubaneswar.
KLF Book Awards 2022: List of Awardees
KLF Non-fiction Book Award 2022:
ENGLISH
Sanjeev Sanyal – ‘Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won its Freedom’ (HarperCollins)
Akshaya Mukul- ‘Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover: The Many Lives of Agyeya’ (Penguin)
HINDI
Kailash Satyarthi – ‘Tum Pehle Kyon Nahi Aaye’ – (Rajakamal Prakashan Samuh)
Akhilesh – ‘AKS’ – (Setu Prakashan Samuh)
KLF Fiction Book Award 2022:
ENGLISH
Navtej Sarna – ‘Crimson Spring’ (Aleph Book Company)
HINDI
Pravin Kumar – ‘Amar Desva (Radhakrishna Prakashan/ Rajakamal Prakashan Samuh)’
KLF Poetry Book Award 2022
ENGLISH
Ranjit Hoskote – ‘Hunchprose’ (Penguin)
HINDI
Pankaj Chaturvedi -’Aakash Mein Ardhachandra’ (Rukh Prakashan)
KLF Business Book Award 2022
Piyush Pandey – ‘Open House’ (Penguin)
KLF First Book Award 2022
Farah Bashir – ‘Rumours of Spring’ (HarperCollins)
Sumit Sharma Sameer – ‘Wake Up Ali…Wake Up Now’ (Fiction, Vitasta)
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 9
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Pradeep Baishakh – ‘Faces of Inequality : Stories of the poor and underprivileged from India’s
grassroots’- (Notion Press)
KLF Women/Dalit/Tribal/Minorities Literature Award 2021-22
Poonam Vasam – ‘Machhliyan Gayengi Ek Din Pandumgeet’ – (Vani Prakashan)
KLF Children Book Award 2022
Zarin Virji – Gopal’s Gully (Penguin)
KLF Lifestyle/Biography/Environment & Emerging Trend Book Award
Bimal Prasad & Sujata Prasad – ‘The Dream of Revolution: A Biography of Jayaprakash Narayan’
(Penguin)
Hindol Sengupta – ‘Sing, Dance and Pray: The Inspirational Story of Srila Prabhupada Founder-
Acharya of ISKCON’ (Penguin)
Satyajit Ray – ‘Satyajit Ray -Miscellany: On Life, Cinema, People & Much More’ (Penguin)
Abhay K- ‘The Book of Bihari Literature’-Edited- (HarperCollins)
Rama Shanker Singh – ‘Nadi Putra’- (Setu Prakashan Samuh)
KLF Book in Translation Award 2022
JADUNAMA: Javed Akhtar’s Journey (English) by Arvind Mandloi Translated by Dr. Rakhshanda Jalil-
(Amaryllis; Manjul)
The Bride: The Maithili Classic Kanyadan By Harimohan Jha Translated by Lalit Kumar
(HarperCollins)
KLF Bhasha Book Award 2022
Nepali: Ranjana Niraula- Anubhuti Ko Awataran – Kathmandu- Nepal (Shikha Books)
Maithili: Mahendra Malangia’s- Dak, Ghagh aa Bhaddari (Malangia Arts), New Delhi
Kannada: SREENIVASA MURTHY N S.’s Shilpakala Devaaalayakke Daari – Kamla Enterprises,
Bangalore
Odia: KamlaKant Mohapatra’s- Bou Hajila O Milia- 4Corners, Bhubaneshwar
Malayalam: KR Meera- Qabar
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
Manuela Roka Botey appointed as the 1st Female Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, appointed Manuela
Roka Botey, deputy minister of education, as the Prime Minister (PM) of Equatorial Guinea. She becomes
the first woman to hold the post of PM in Equatorial Guinea.
• She succeeds Francisco Pascual Obama Asue who served as the PM of Equatorial Guinea, since
2016 for 3rd consecutive term.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 10
Daily Current Affairs PDF
• On 1st February 2023, Manuela Roka Botey, the 1st female PM of Equatorial Guinea, was sworn
in before President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in the Ambassadors Room of the People’s
Palace in Malabo, Bioko, Equatorial Guinea.
Key points:
i. The 3 Deputy Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea has been confirmed in their post.
• Clemente Engonga Nguema Onguene- 1st Deputy PM and Minister of Education.
• Ángel Mesie Mibuy- 2nd Deputy PM and Minister of the Government, charged with Relations
with Parliament and Legal Affairs.
• Alfonso Nsue Mokuy- 3rd Deputy PM and Minister of Human Rights.
ii. The 3 Deputy PMs were invited as veterans to support the newly appointed PM.
About Manuela Roka Botey:
i. Manuela Roka Botey is a native of Bariobe, Baney District, Equatorial Guinea.
ii. Manuela Roka Botey was Vice Chancellor of the National University of Equatorial Guinea and Sister
Militant of the District Monitoring Commission of the PDGE, Convergencia para la Democracia Social
(Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea), in Baney, Equatorial Guinea.
President of Equatorial Guinea:
i. Equatorial Guinea has had only two presidents since its independence from Spain in 1968. The 1st
President of Equatorial Guinea was Francisco Macías Nguema (1968- 1979).
ii. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (80 years old) has been serving as the President since 1979. In
November 2022 he was re-elected as the President for a 6th term with 95% of the vote.
About Equatorial Guinea:
President- Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Capital- Malabo
Currency- Central African Franc (CFA)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
US Based GA-ASI Initiates 3 Projects in India in AI, Drones & Semiconductors
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a major energy and defence corporation based in
the United States (US), has begun 3 significant projects in India in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI),
drones, and semiconductors following the establishment of a landmark India-US initiative on Critical and
Emerging Technology (iCET).
• The US-India Business Council hosted the inaugural meeting under iCET, which was attended by
US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Indian
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, and other senior US and Indian officials.
• These partnerships are in line with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar
India.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 11
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Three Significant Projects
i.GA-ASI has formed a partnership with Bharat Forge Limited (BFL), one of India’s leading forging
companies, in the critical field of aerostructure manufacturing.
ii.In order to create the next generation AI technologies, GA-ASI has partnered with 114ai, an Indian AI
company.
iii.In the field of semiconductors, GA-ASI has partnered with the Indian start-up 3rdiTech.
• 3rdiTech is one of the inaugural winners of the flagship Innovations For Defence Excellence
(iDEX) programme of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
US SIA & India’s IESA Forms Task Force to Strengthen Semiconductor Ecosystem:
i.The US Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and the India Electronics and Semiconductor
Association (IESA) have decided to form a private-sector task force that will strengthen collaboration
between the two countries in the global semiconductor ecosystem.
• The task force will be made of stakeholders from the private sector in both countries.
• Objective: Develop a “readiness assessment” to discover near-term industrial prospects and
support the long-term strategic development of complementary semiconductor ecosystems.
ii.This task force will make recommendations to the Department of Commerce and the India
Semiconductor Mission (ISM) on ways to enhance India’s position within the global semiconductor value
chain, including chip manufacturing, as well as contribute to the US-India Commercial Dialogue.
iii.The task force will also identify and promote opportunities for workforce development, Research and
Development (R&D), advanced packaging, and exchange.
About Bharat Forge Limited (BFL):
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) – Baba Kalyani
Headquarters – Pune, Maharashtra
OBITUARY
Former Indian Footballer Parimal Dey Passed Away
On 1st February 2023, a former Indian footballer Parimal Dey, who was fondly known as “Jangla-da”
passed away at the age of 81. He was born on 4th May 1941 in West Bengal.
About Parimal Dey:
i. Parimal Dey played for India in 5 matches, scoring just one goal for the Indian team, the game-winning
goal against the Republic of Korea in the bronze-medal game of the 1966 Merdeka Cup in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
ii.He has also won the Durand Football Tournament, commonly known as the Durand Cup (1967, 1970),
and the Rovers Cup (1967, 1969, 1973).
iii. He holds the distinction of winning the Calcutta Football League and IFA (Indian Football Association)
Shield thrice in 1966, 1970, and 1973.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 12
Daily Current Affairs PDF
iv. Parimal Dey played for Mohun Bagan Athletic Club only for two seasons. He played for East Bengal in
eight seasons and won Santosh Trophy twice at the domestic level in 1962 and 1969, before retiring in
1973. For East Bengal, he scored 84 goals.
Awards and Honours:
i. In 2018-2019, Parimal Dey was conferred with the ‘Banglar Gourav’ award for football.
ii. He was conferred with the “Banga Bhushan” title by the Government of West Bengal in 2019.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Palagummi Sainath authored a New Book titled “The Last Heroes”
Indian Columnist (Journalist) and author Palagummi Sainath (P Sainath) has authored a new book titled
“The Last Heroes- Foot Soldiers of Indian Freedom” which broadly deals with the history of India’s
freedom struggle written from the perspective of common people. The book was published by India
Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
• P Sainath provides a graphic account of the participation of 15 ordinary persons, men and
women, belonging to rural and tribal society, who were described as “Foot Soldiers of Indian
Freedom.”
• The book highlights the spirit of common people’s resistance and heroic activities against
British rule and the feudal elements working as its collaborators.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Wetlands Day 2023 – February 2
The United Nations (UN)’s World Wetlands Day is annually observed across the globe on 2nd February to
create awareness about the wetlands, a critically important ecosystem on the planet and their vital role in
the lives of the people.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 13
Daily Current Affairs PDF
• The day also marks the date of the adoption of the “Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance” (Ramsar Convention), an intergovernmental treaty adopted on 2nd February 1971,
in the city of Ramsar, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, in Iran.
The theme of World Wetlands Day 2023 is “Wetland Restoration”.
Note:
According to the UN, “Revive and restore degraded wetlands” is the theme of 2023 World Wetlands Day
which highlights the importance of wetland Restoration.
2023 Campaign visual: The Ripple Effect:
Core idea: Our actions have an impact. One small action can trigger a ripple effect.
• The 2023 campaign visual shows a person restoring a wetland through the action of re-planting.
The visual features the outward “Ripple Effect” with the headline “Its Time for Wetland
Restoration”.
Background:
The World Wetlands Day awareness campaign has been organised by the Secretariat of the Convention on
Wetlands since 1997.
• The first World Wetlands Day was celebrated in 1997.
On 30th August 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution
A/RES/75/317 and proclaimed the 2nd February of every year as the World Wetlands day
• The 2nd February 2022 marked the observance of the first-ever UN-recognised World Wetlands
Day.
Convention on Wetlands:
The Convention on Wetlands provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for
the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
The Convention on Wetlands now has a global membership of 172 countries,
officially known as Contracting Parties.
There are currently 2,471 Ramsar Sites around the world. They cover over 256,192,356 Hectares (ha)
(2.5 million square kilometres), an area larger than Mexico.
Wetlands:
Wetlands are land areas that are saturated or flooded with water either permanently or seasonally.
Types of wetlands:
• Inland wetlands: Marshes, lakes, rivers, floodplains, peatlands and swamps
• Coastal wetlands: Saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons and coral reefs
• Human-made wetlands: Fish ponds, rice paddies and salt pans
Wetlands are ecosystems where water is the primary factor controlling the environment and the
associated plant and animal life.
Importance:
The wetlands cover only around 6% of the Earth’s land surface but around 40% of all plant and animal
species live or breed in wetlands.
The wetlands contribute to biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, world
economies, and more.
Wetlands and Climate Change:
The wetlands absorb carbon dioxide(CO2) slowing global heating and reducing pollution. They are often
referred to as the “Kidneys of the Earth”.
Peatlands, the terrestrial wetlands, alone store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined
and the Coastal wetlands also sequester carbon up to 55 times faster than tropical rainforests. But, when
drained and destroyed, wetlands emit vast amounts of carbon.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 14
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Wetlands also provide a buffer against the impacts of floods, droughts, hurricanes and tsunamis, and build
resilience to climate change.
Wetlands in Danger:
Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests and are Earth’s most threatened ecosystem.
Nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s, and we are losing wetlands three
times faster than forests and around 35% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared in the last 50 years.
About Ramsar Convention on Wetlands:
The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands is based at the headquarters of the International Union for
the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Gland, Switzerland.
Secretary General– Musonda Mumba
STATE NEWS
Manish Sisodia, Dy CM of Delhi, launched DCPCR’s WhatsApp Chatbot ‘Bal Mitra’
On 1st February 2023, Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister(Dy CM) of the Government of Delhi, launched
the WhatsApp Chatbot ‘Bal Mitra’ developed by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights
(DCPCR) to enable two-way communication between people and the Commission (child rights panel) and
eliminating the information gap.
• “Bal Mitra” can be accessed by sending a WhatsApp message to DCPCR Helpline No.
9311551393.
• Manish Sisodia termed it as an important initiative to make governance citizen-friendly.
• The technology support for the chatbot was offered by Infobip limited.
‘Bal Mitra’:
Aim:
To make the Commission more accessible, efficient and responsive to the needs of children in distress and
those at high risk.
Benefits:
i. The Chatbot called ‘Bal Mitra’ will enable Children, parents, and concerned citizens to interact with the
Commission more quickly and effectively.
ii. The chatbot’s features include complaint registration, searching information and tracking complaint
status, seeking information on admissions, and more.
iii. The Chatbot will also ensure the confidentiality of the matters reported through it and provide
authentic information on various issues relating to children and their rights.
Key Points:
i. The launch of the Chatbot ‘Bal Mitra’ was followed by the panel discussion on the “Role of technology for
strengthening governance for children”.
• The panel was facilitated by Amee Misra, the Head of Policy at the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP).
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 15
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Additional info:
i. In March 2022, DCPCR launched the ‘Early Warning system’, which assisted the education department in
re-admitting over 50,000 students and reducing the dropout rate.
ii. Early Warning System and the Chatbot ‘Bal Mitra’ will help DoE to disseminate the information related
to the education of children in a better way across Delhi.
About the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR):
The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has been constituted under the Commission
for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
• It is a statutory body of the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi that works
on monitoring and protecting the rights of children.
Chairperson- Anurag Kundu
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Ladli Bahna Scheme to Provide Rs 1,000 Per Month to
Poor Women
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister (CM) of Madhya Pradesh(MP), launched a new scheme ‘Ladli
Bahna’ to provide Rs 1,000 per month to women from financially poor backgrounds in Madhya Pradesh.
• CM noted that a sum of Rs 60,000 crore will be spent on this scheme over a period of 5 years.
• The announcement was made during a programme on the banks of the Narmada River in
Narmadapuram, MP.
About Ladli Bahna Scheme:
i.The Ladli Bahna Scheme for the poor women from lower and middle classes of all sections on the line of
Ladli Lakshmi Scheme.
ii.The beneficiaries of other welfare schemes can also avail the benefits of the new scheme.
iii.Under this scheme women will get financial assistance of Rs 12000 per year(Rs 1000 per month).
Note: He also stated that the government is set to construct a Narmada corridor and Narmada lok on the
line of the Mahakal Lok at the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain.
Gandhisagar Floating Festival 2023, Asia’s 1st floating festival, started in MP
On 1st February 2023, Usha Thakur, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Religious Trust and Endowments,
Government of Madhya Pradesh(MP), inaugurated the Gandhisagar Floating Festival 2023, Asia’s first
floating festival, in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh(MP).
• The unique and first-of-its-kind floating festival will have land, air and water-based adventure
activities.
• The first edition of the 5-day floating festival was inaugurated in Mandsaur.
• After the 5-day festival which concludes on 5th February 2023, the tent city for tourists will
continue for 3 months (till 30th April 2023) and adventure activities will continue for 6 months.
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 16
Daily Current Affairs PDF
About Gandhisagar Floating Festival 2023:
The festival is organised by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) to promote Gandhisagar as a
tourist destination in both the domestic and international markets.
• The Gandhisagar Floating Festival is operated and managed by LJS, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Note:
Gandhi Sagar Dam is one of the 4 major dams constructed on the Chambal River in the Mandsaur district of
Madhya Pradesh.
The Gandhi Sagar Dam is a masonry gravity dam standing 62.17 meters high with a gross storage capacity
of 7.322 billion cubic metres from its catchment area.
Features of the festival:
i.The festival will offer a unique glamping and adventure activities experience to tourists in Mandsaur.
ii.The festival includes live music performances on a floating stage, a floating market, a boat spa, a boat
safari, a silent forest tour, and other such events.
iii.As a part of the festival, adventure activities will be organized near Gandhisagar reservoir.
iv.Various workshops are organised as a part of the festival to promote awareness and understanding of
eco-friendly craftsmanship.
About Madhya Pradesh:
Chief Minister– Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Governor– Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel
National Park– Ghughwa Fossil National Park(Dinosaur Fossil National Park), Vanvihar National Park
Dams– Gandhi Sagar Dam(Chambal River); Bansagar Dam( Sone River)
❖ List of Current Governors in India – AUGUST 2022
❖ List of Current Chief Ministers in India – August 2022
❖ List of Less Important News – Click Here
❖ Click Here View – AC Excluded News
❖ Affairscloud’s Self Analysis for General Awareness Section
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 17
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 18
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 19
Daily Current Affairs PDF
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 20
