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CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

RBI launches Mission ‘Har Payment Digital’ on the occasion of Digital Payments Awareness Week 2023

• The Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Shri Shaktikanta Das launched the Mission ‘Har Payment Digital’ on the occasion of the Digital Payments Awareness Week (DPAW) 2023.
• This is part of RBI’s endeavour to make every person in India a user of digital payments.

About DPAW 2023 :

• DPAW 2023 will be observed from the 6th to 12th of March, 2023.
• The campaign theme is “Digital Payment Apnao, Auron ko bhi Sikhao” (Adopt digital payments and Also teach others).

Key Highlights : 

• “Har Payment Digital” is aimed at reinforcing the ease and convenience of digital payments and facilitating onboarding of new consumers into the digital fold.
• RBI's Regional Offices will take up Jan Bhagidari activities to promote the acceptance and use of digital payments under the G20 theme of promoting digital public infrastructure during Indian presidency.
• The RBI will also initiate a ‘75 Digital Villages’ programme in observance of 75 years of Independence.
• Under this programme, Payment System Operators will adopt 75 villages across the country and convert them into digital payment enabled villages.

About RBI :

• Established : 1 April 1935
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy governors : Mahesh Kumar Jain, M. Rajeshwar Rao,Michael Patra and T. Rabi Shankar

NSE designates 15 stock brokers as Qualified Stock Brokers 

• The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has notified 15 stock brokers as Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs).
• The list includes Zerodha, Angel One, 5paisa Capital, HDFC Securities, ICICI Securities, IIFL Securities, Jainam Broking, Kotak Securities, Motilal Oswal Financial Services, NextBillion Technology, Nuvama Wealth and Investment, Sharekhan, Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers, RKSV Securities, and Globe Capital Market
• This list was announced following a February 2023 direction by the capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

About QSBs : 

• QSBs are stock brokers that cater to the needs of a large number of investors.
• They are entities which can impact investors and the securities market, governance and service standards because of their size and scale of operations.
• They occupy an important position in the Indian securities market because of their size, trading volumes and amount of clients’ funds handled by them.

How are QSBs designated?

• A stockbroker will be classified as a QSB based on 4 factors:

1. The number of active customers
2. Total available assets of clients
3. Trading volumes
4. End-of-day margin obligations

• All stock brokers with a total score greater than or equal to five on these four parameters are identified as QSBs.
• The scores are to be determined annually during the financial year, and the stock exchanges will jointly issue the updated list of QSBs after consulting with SEBI.
• The scores are to be calculated on an annual basis (financial year) and the revised list of QSBs will be released jointly by stock exchanges, in consultation with SEBI.
• Stock brokers which are designated as QSBs are required to meet enhanced obligations.

Max Life & Ujjivan Small Finance Bank collaborates to provide life insurance services

• Max Life Insurance Company Ltd (Max Life) and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) have launched cooperation to provide Ujjivan SFB customers with holistic life insurance options.
• Max Life will offer a variety of savings, protection, retirement, and group life insurance plans to over 73 lakh Ujjivan SFB customers through this cooperation.

Key Highlights : 

• Max Life’s new product offerings include advancements in a variety of consumer sectors, including homemakers, Non Resident Indians (NRIs), and self-employed individuals. 
• The firm has used digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at scale to provide improved customer experiences with frictionless onboarding, risk management, and the creation of a digital enterprise.

About Max Life Insurance Company Ltd : 

• Founded : 2001
• Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi, India
• MD & CEO : Prashant Tripathy
• It is a 80:20 joint venture (JV) between Max Financial Services and Axis Bank.

About Ujjivan SFB : 

• Founded : 1 February 2017
• Headquarters : Bangalore, Karnataka, India
• MD & CEO : Ittira Davis
• Tagline : Build a Better Life
• The bank is licensed under Section 22 (1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to carry out small finance bank business and received Scheduled Bank status from the Reserve Bank of India in August 2017.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

7 Floating Jetties Sanctioned under Sagarmala Program in Karnataka

• The ministry of ports, shipping and waterways has sanctioned seven floating jetty projects situated on Gurupura River and Netravati River in Karnataka.
• These projects are located at Sulthan Bathery, Bandaru ferry, Sandpit Bengre, Northern Sandbar, Old Port, Jeppinamogaru Old Ferry and Kasaba Bengre.
• These projects have been granted 100 per cent funding of Rs 26 crore by the ministry under the Sagarmala programme.
• It will enhance tourism, create employment and generate wealth in a ripple effect across industries throughout the entire geographical region.
• The maritime sector has been the backbone of the country’s trade and has grown manifold over the years.
• To harness India’s 7,500 km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key international maritime trade routes, the government launched the Sagarmala programme, which aims to promote port-led development in the country.
• It was approved by the Union Cabinet on March 25, 2015.
• It holds a vision to reduce logistics cost for both domestic and EXIM cargo with optimal infrastructure investment.
• In May 2022, the government announced expanding the scope of the Sagarmala Programme to 1,537 projects with an estimated cost of Rs 6.5 lakh crore.
• The National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) is the apex body providing policy directions and guidance for Sagarmala projects and reviews its implementation.

Sale of hallmarked gold jewelry or gold artefacts without 6 digit HUID to be prohibited after 31st March 2023

• Bureau of India Standards (BIS) has prohibited the sale of hallmarked gold jewelry or gold artefacts without 6 digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID) after 31st March 2023
• Till date, the old hallmarked jewelry with four marks without HUID was also permitted to be sold by the jewelers along with the 6 digit HUID mark.
• More than a year and 9 months were given to jewellers to clear their stock of their 4 digit hallmarked articles.
• However, the simultaneous sale of two type of hallmarked jewelry by the jewels was creating confusion in the mind of the common consumer.
• Hallmarking scheme for hallmarking of Jewelry was started by BIS in the year 2000. However, Mandatory Hallmarking has been successfully implemented in 288 districts of the country with effect from 23 June 2021 vide Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2022, and its amendment dated 04 March,2022
• At present more than 3 lakh gold articles are being hallmarked with HUID every day.
• At present, 339 districts have at least one AHC.
• Before implementation of 6 digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number, hallmarking of Gold jewelry was consisted of 4 logos viz, BIS logo, purity of the article as well as logo of jeweller and Assaying and Hallmarking Centre.
• 6 digit HUID was introduced from 01 July 2021 and all articles hallmarked post 01 July 2021 have to be hallmarked with HUID only.
• After introduction of HUID, hallmark consisted of 3 marks viz, BIS logo, purity of the article and six-digit alphanumeric HUID.
• Each hallmarked article has unique HUID number which is traceable.
• A consumer can check and authenticate hallmarked gold jewellery items with HUID number using ‘verify HUID’ in BIS CARE app which is available in both android as well as iOS.

About BIS:

• The Bureau of Indian Standards is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India.
• It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 which came into effect on 12 October 2017.
• Founder: Parliament of India
• Founded: 23 December 1986
• Headquarters: Manak Bhawan, Old Delhi

World’s first bamboo crash barrier installed on highway in Maharashtra

• World's first 200-meter-long Bamboo Crash Barrier has been installed on Vani-Warora Highway.
• In Vidarbha, 200-meter-long Bamboo Crash Barrier has been installed on the Vani-Warora Highway.
• This Bamboo Crash Barrier has been named ‘Bahu Balli’.
• It was tested rigorously at various government-run institutions such as the National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX ) in Pithampur, Indore.
• During the Fire Rating Test at the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) in Roorkee, it was rated as Class 1.
• It has been also approved by the Indian Road Congress.
• The recycling value of the bamboo barrier is 50-70 percent while the recycling value of steel barriers is 30-50 percent.
• It is a milestone for the bamboo sector.
• This crash barrier offers a perfect alternative to steel.

R K Singh launches voluntary star labelling programme

• Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy R K Singh has recently launched the Voluntary Star Labelling Programme and iDEEKSHA portal.
• Voluntary Star Labelling Programme is formulated by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 to build an energy-efficient economy.
• It covers 34 appliances, including the 4 newly added energy-efficient appliances.
• iDEEKSHA portal will serve as a one-stop platform for all energy efficiency and decarbonisation needs of Indian energy-intensive industries.
• Launched under the Accelerating Smart Power and Renewable Energy (ASPIRE) Technical 1 Assistance Programme.
• ASPIRE is a bilateral program implemented by Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Government of UK with Ministry of Power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• Voluntary Star Labelling Programme will help India to achieve 33% reduction in emission intensity before 2030.
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency: It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Power, Government of India.

President Murmu to launch ‘Catch the Rain-2023’ campaign

• President Droupadi Murmu launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan - Catch the Rain 2023 campaign for the sustainability of drinking water in New Delhi.
• This campaign is an effort to turn conservation of water into a mass campaign in the monsoon season.
• The theme of this year's campaign is ‘Source Sustainability for Drinking Water’.
• President Droupadi Murmu also launched a video on 'Jal Shakti se Nari Shakti' and a commemorative stamp.
• She also released 'Swachh Sujal Shakti Ki Abhivyakti'.
• It is a collection of case stories of the Swachh Bharat Mission - Grameen, Jal Jeevan Mission and National Water Mission.
• President Droupadi Murmu also conferred the Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023.
• The President conferred 36 Awards under Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen, Jal Jeevan Mission and National Water Mission.
• Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman is given to women achievers and leaders in the water sector for their extraordinary contribution.
• Union Jal Shakti Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Devusinh Chauhan were also present at the event.

Shri Parshottam Rupala inaugurates Camel Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing at ICAR-National Research Centre in Bikaner

• Union Minister Parshottam Rupala inaugurated Camel Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing at ICAR-National Research Centre on Camel in Bikaner.
• The main aim of the Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing is to explore the immense opportunities in the camel product processing sector.
• On this occasion, Parshottam Rupala interacted with pastoralists and the pastoral community at the research centre.
• He said that the Animal Husbandry sector has emerged as one of the key pillars of economic growth and rural income.
• Parshottam Rupala also interacted with the dignitaries present at the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav.
• During the event, people from different areas of work came together on one platform and they share their ideas with each other.

About ICAR-National Research Centre on Camel, Bikaner:

• It is a premier Research Centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
• It is focused on camel breeding and health, utilisation of camel milk.
• In 1984, the Government of India established a Project Directorate on Camel at Bikaner (India) under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

India Ranks 108th on Electoral Democracy Index 2023

• India ranks 108th in the Electoral Democracy Index of the V-dem Democracy report 2023.
• India ranks below countries such as Tanzania, Bolivia, Mexico, Singapore and even Nigeria.
• In 2022, India’s ranking was 100th position in Electoral Democracy Index (EDI).
• This report has named India as one of the top 10 autocratising countries in the last 10 years.
• India has been ranked 97th in the Liberal Democracy Index.
• India has been placed in the bottom 50 percent of the LDI index.
• Demark is in the first position with a score of 0.89 in the Liberal Democracy Index.
• Sweden is in the second spot with a score of 0.87 while Norway is in the third spot with a score of 0.86.
• Pakistan slipped to 106th in the LDI and 110th in the EDI.
• Liberal Democracy Index measure both liberal and electoral aspects of democracy based on 71 indicators.
• The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) report is based on the dataset on democracy with over 31 million data points for 202 countries from 1789 to 2022.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

NTPC conferred with the CBIP Award 2022 for ‘Outstanding Contribution in Power Generation

• NTPC received the CBIP Award 2022 for ‘Outstanding Contribution in Power Generation’.
• The award has been presented by Union Minister R.K. Singh.
• Shri Ramesh Babu V, Director (Operations) received the award on the behalf of NTPC.
• NTPC is committed to generate power responsibly and sustainably.
• It plays a key role in the Indian energy sector in terms of size and efficiency.
• OPTCL received the ‘CBIP Award 2022’ for the ‘Best Performing Transmission Power Sector’.
• OPTCL has received the award for the first time for its remarkable Project Execution, Asset Addition, System Availability, Innovative Measures, etc.
• The CBIP Awards is given to institutions/individuals for their outstanding contributions in the development of water, power and Renewable Energy Sectors.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ENVIRONMENT

UN inks first ‘High Seas Treaty’ in a bid to protect ocean bodies of the world

• First 'High Sea Treaty' has been signed by United Nations.
• The treaty has been signed to protect the oceans of the world.
• The treaty is the result of a decade of negotiations on this environmental concern.
• The agreement was reached after 38 hours of talks at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
• Previous talks failed to conclude because of disagreements o ver funding and fishing rights.
• The last international agreement on ocean protection, the ‘UN Convention on the Law of the Sea’, was signed in 1982.
• The UN High Seas Treaty will now protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030.
• It will increase funding for marine conservation, and bring new restrictions for offshore mining.
• The aim of the treaty is to protect oceans against potential impacts, such as deep-sea mining.
• It is the process of collecting minerals from the ocean bed.
• Earlier, these water bodies were open for fishing, shipping and research and only about 1 percent high seas were under protection.
• This left marine life in these waters at high risk of exploitation from threats including overfishing, climate change and shipping traffic.
• According to the Red Data Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), about 10 percent of marine species were found to be at risk of extinction.
• In addition, the IUCN estimates that 41 percent of threatened species are also affected by climate change.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

UAE announces world’s first free zone dedicated to digital and virtual asset companies

• The government of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has announced plans to establish RAK Digital Assets Oasis, the world's first free zone dedicated to digital and virtual asset companies.
• The announcement was made at the Blockchain Life 2023 conference.

Aim:  

• To attract global entrepreneurs by providing them with a supportive, innovative, and quick-to-adapt environment.

Key Highlights : 

• RAK Digital Assets Oasis will be a purpose-built, true innovation-enabling free zone for non-regulated activities in the virtual assets sector.
• It is intended to be the only free zone in the world solely dedicated to digital and virtual assets service providers innovating in new and emerging sectors of the future including metaverse, blockchain, utility tokens, virtual asset wallets, non fungible tokens (NFTs), decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs), decentralised applications (DApps) and other Web3-related businesses.
• RAK Digital Assets Oasis will open for applications in the second quarter of 2023.
• It will offer a unique combination of accessibility and liveability, with Ras Al Khaimah’s business-friendly infrastructure, progressive policies, and an international lifestyle offering.

Note : 

• CEO of RAK Digital Assets Oasis : Dr. Sameer Al Ansari

About UAE : 

• President : Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Capital : Abu Dhabi
• Currency : UAE dirham

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Madhya Pradesh govt launches Ladli Bahna scheme to make women financially independent

• Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Minister (CM) Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched  a unique scheme namely Mukhyamantri Ladli Bahna Yojana at Jamboree Maidan in Bhopal, MP.

Aim : 

• To enhance women's economic independence, improving their health and nutrition status and expanding their influence over family decisions.

About Mukhyamantri Ladli Bahna Yojana : 

• In this scheme, each woman will be given Rs 1000 per month.
• Applications will be filled out for the scheme from March 25 to April 30, 2023 and the distribution of money will start on June 10, 2023.

Who are eligible?

• Women from 23 to 60 years of age who have less than 5 acres of land or an annual income of less than ₹2.5 lakhs are eligible to get the benefits of Laadli Behna yojana.
• In the recently-published ₹3.14 lakh crore Budget, the MP government provisioned ₹1.02 lakh crore for women, up by 22% from the last budget.

About MP : 

• Governor : Mangubhai C. Patel
• Chief Minister : Shivraj Singh Chouhan
• Capital : Bhopal
• National Park : Bandhavgarh National Park, Kanha National Park, Pench National Park
• Tiger Reserve : Satpura Tiger Reserve

G20 delegates visits Sultanpur National Park, Haryana                 

• The Group 20 (G20) delegates visited the Sultanpur National Park, formerly known as Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, located in the Gurgaon district in Haryana which is one of the 75 Ramsar sites in the country.

About Sultanpur National Park : 

• It is spread over 1.42 sq km, comprising mainly wetlands.
• It  is a major habitat for aquatic birds, including migratory and resident birds.
• It was notified as a Ramsar site, a wetland of international importance, in 2021.

About Haryana : 

• Governor : Bandaru Dattatreya
• Chief Minister : Manohar Lal Khattar
• Capital : Chandigarh

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Supreme Court asks president to appoint Chief Election Commissioner &  Election Commissioners upon advice of committee

• A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) should be appointed by the President on the advice of a committee.
• The committee should comprise the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India.
• This Constitution Bench was headed by Justice K M Joseph.
• The Bench also comprised Justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar.
• SC has given this decision on the public interest petitions filed in 2015 to seek a law governing the appointment of the CEC and ECs.

About the Appointments of CEC and ECs : 

• At present, CEC and ECs are appointed by the President on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister(PM).
• According to Article 324(2) of the Constitution, the CEC and ECs shall be appointed by the President, with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, till Parliament enacts a law fixing the criteria for selection, conditions of service and tenure.
• The Constitution has not provided any specific legislative process for the appointment of the CEC and ECs.
• The Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991 states that the EC and CEC can hold the post for 6 years.
• The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) are currently removed through an impeachment process.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

INS Trikand Participates in International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23)

• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Trikand is participating in the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23) being held in the Gulf region from 26 Feb to 16 Mar 23.
• This multinational exercise is organised by the US-led Combined Maritime Forces which is a naval partnership comprising 34 nations.
• While this is the Indian Navy’s 1st maiden IMX participation & it also marks the 2nd occasion where an Indian Naval ship is participating in an exercise conducted by the CMF.
• Participation in exercises like Sea Sword 2 and IMX/CE-23 enables the Indian Navy in strengthening relationships and  enhancing  interoperability and collective maritime capability with maritime partners in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region).

About IMX/CE-23 : 

• IMX/CE-23 is one of the world's largest multinational maritime exercises in the Middle Eastern region.
• Previously, in November 2022, INS Trikand took part in the CMF-led Operation Sea Sword 2.

About INS Trikand : 

• INS Trikand is a Talwar-class frigate of the Indian Navy.
• It is the third and final ship of the second batch of Talwar-class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy.
• It was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
• It was commissioned to Indian Navy service on 29 June 2013.

About Ministry of Defence : 

• Defence Minister : Rajnath Singh
• Minister of State : Ajay Bhatt
• Defence Secretary : Giridhar Aramane

Indian Navy successfully test-fires BrahMos supersonic missile in the Arabian Sea

• The Indian Navy (IN) successfully test-fired the ship-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic missile in the Arabian Sea.

About BrahMos Missile : 

• BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, is a joint-venture(JV) between the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace.
• It produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
• BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
• The anti-ship version of the supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly by the IN and the Andaman and Nicobar Command in April, 2022.
• In January,2023 India sealed a USD 375 million deal with the Philippines for supplying 3 batteries of the missile.

8 aircraft of the Indian Air Force landed at a Royal Saudi Air Force base                            

• In a historic first, 8 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) landed at a Royal Saudi Air Force base heralding a new chapter in the defence relationship between the two countries.
• The Indian contingent comprising 145 Air Warriors with its complement of 05 MIRAGE, 02 C17 and 01 IL 78 tankers had an overnight halt in the Kingdom.
• The Base Commander welcomed the Indian Air Warriors and wished them all the best for the forthcoming Cobra Warrior 23 exercise.
• Defence relations between India and Saudi Arabia have made significant progress in the last few years.
• Recently a large delegation from the Saudi side also participated in the Aero India Show in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

About IAF : 

• Established : 1932
• Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Chief of the Air Staff :  Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari
• Motto : Touch the sky with Glory

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IIM Kashipur’s entrepreneurship event Uttishtha 2023 facilitates ₹5 crore funding for agri start-ups

• The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (FIED) helped facilitate Rs 5 crore funding for 15 agri start-ups at its annual entrepreneurship summit, 7th edition of Uttishtha 2023.
• The initiative was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India (GoI).

Aim : 

• To bring socio-economic value in Uttarakhand’s entrepreneur ecosystem by enabling the raw entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams.
• Uttishtha 2023 also hosted over 100 start-ups and nearly 20 venture capitalists to exchange their interests.
• The FIED team has incubated over 140 startups, of which, around 50 startups have crossed the Rs 320 Cr mark with 1200+ employment generation just in the last 7 years.

ISRO successfully conducts flight test of cryogenic engine for Chandrayaan-3 mission     

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the flight acceptance hot test of the CE-20 cryogenic engine.
• The Engine will power the Cryogenic Upper Stage of the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) for the Chandrayaan-3 mission at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu (TN).
• It has been designed and developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) , a subsidiary of ISRO.
• It is the first Indian cryogenic engine to feature a gas-generator cycle.
• It is one of the most powerful upper-stage cryogenic engines in the world.
• This engine develops a nominal thrust of 186.36 kN in vacuum.

Key Highlights : 

• The hot test was carried out for a planned duration of 25 seconds at the High Altitude Test Facility.
• All the propulsion parameters during the test were found satisfactory and closely matched with predictions.
• The cryogenic engine will be further integrated with the propellant tanks, stage structures and associated fluid lines to realise the fully integrated flight cryogenic stage.

About Chandrayaan-3 : 

• Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third moon mission and is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
• Chandrayaan-3 mission has 3 major modules - the Propulsion module, Lander module, and Rover.
• The mission is slated to be launched later 2023 by Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LMV3) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

About ISRO : 

• Established : 15 August 1969
• Headquarters : Bangalore, Karnataka, India
• Chairman : Sreedhara Somanath
• The ISRO is the national space agency of India & it operates under the Department of Space (DOS).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Karnataka beats Meghalaya to clinch Santosh Trophy football

• Karnataka defeated Meghalaya by 3-2 to win the Santosh Trophy football after 54 years.
• Karnataka won the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship.
• It defeated Meghalaya by 3-2 in a final at the King Fahd International Stadium in the Saudi Arabia capital, Riyadh.
• Karnataka last played the senior national championships final 47 years back (1975-76).
• M Sunil Kumar, Bekey Oram and Robin Yadav scored goals for Karnata
• Earlier, Services defeated Punjab in the play-off match held before the final and won third place.
• The semifinals and finals of the Santosh Trophy were played outside the subcontinent for the first time after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) signed an MoU with the Saudi Arabia Football Federation.

About Santosh Trophy

• Santosh Trophy is a state-level national football competition.
• It is played by government institutions and state associations under the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
• The 2022–23 Santosh Trophy is the 76th edition of the Santosh Trophy.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya unveils ‘India’s Vaccine Growth Story’ at World Book Fair 2023:

• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya released the book ‘India’s Vaccine Growth Story - From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri’ authored by Shri Sajjan Singh Yadav, Additional Secretary, Govt of India at the World Book fair 2023, at Pragati Maidan.
• The book elaborates on India’s impressive achievement in developing, producing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines.
• Mandaviya stated that “India administered 2.2 billion doses as a part of the world's largest COVID vaccination drive without any shortages across the nation resulted in saving 3.4 million lives.”
• The Minister also highlighted that when other countries were struggling with vaccine hesitancy, India set an exemplary pro-vaccination Covid management model.
• The book entitled “India’s Vaccine Growth Story- From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri presents World’s largest vaccination drive for COVID-19 conducted by India is elaborately.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Former ASG and Union minister Satyabrata Mookherjee Passed Away                                

• Former union minister and the West Bengal(WB) Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP's) ex-president Satyabrata Mookherjee passed away in Kolkata, WB at the age of 90.

About Satyabrata Mookherjee : 

• Mookherjee was born on 8 May 1932 in Sylhet in Assam (now Bangladesh).
• He was popular in both the legal and political circles as “Jolubabu”.
• In the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, Mookherjee was the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers (from September 2000 – June 2002) and then for Commerce and Industry (July 2002 – October 2003).
• Mookherjee served as the 7th president of the BJP's West Bengal unit from 2008 before he was replaced by Rahul Sinha in October 2009.
• He is former Additional Solicitor General of India (ASG).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

International Women’s Day: 8th March

• International Women’s Day 2023 is celebrated on 8th March 2023.
• The International Women’s Day 2023 theme is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”
• International Women's Day celebrates the rejoicing in the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women all over the world. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
• In 1869, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton started the National Women’s Suffrage Association to fight for women's rights
• Clara Zetkin proposes a Women's Day celebration, and International Women's Day is celebrated annually from this point forth that is a day for Women in 1911.
• In 1965, the women’s liberation movement fought for politics, work, the family, and sexuality, and all women are given the right to vote.
• In the 2000s, with the help of the internet, the message of feminism becomes unified with a focused direction.

National No Smoking Day 2023:

• National No Smoking Day, is held every second Wednesday of March.
• This year it will be March 8, 2023.
• The day has been done to urge people to give up smoking and be aware of its harmful effects.
• The first National No Smoking Day was in 1984, and it now takes place on the second Wednesday of March to encourage people over the world to quit smoking.
• According to the researchers, this effort has proven very effective and was observed that at least one in ten people gave up smoking on national No Smoking Day.

Daily CA One- Liner: Mar 8

• The ministry of ports, shipping and waterways has sanctioned seven floating jetty projects situated on Gurupura River and Netravati River in Karnataka
• Bureau of India Standards (BIS) has prohibited the sale of hallmarked gold jewelry or gold artefacts without 6 digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID) after 31st March 2023
• World's first 200-meter-long Bamboo Crash Barrier has been installed on Vani-Warora Highway
• Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy R K Singh has recently launched the Voluntary Star Labelling Programme and iDEEKSHA portal
• President Droupadi Murmu launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan - Catch the Rain 2023 campaign for the sustainability of drinking water in New Delhi.
• Union Minister Parshottam Rupala inaugurated Camel Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing at ICAR-National Research Centre on Camel in Bikaner
• India ranks 108th in the Electoral Democracy Index of the V-dem Democracy report 2023
• NTPC received the CBIP Award 2022 for ‘Outstanding Contribution in Power Generation’
• First 'High Sea Treaty' has been signed by United Nations
• Karnataka defeated Meghalaya by 3-2 to win the Santosh Trophy football after 54 years
• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya released the book ‘India’s Vaccine Growth Story - From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri’ authored by Shri Sajjan Singh Yadav, Additional Secretary, Govt of India at the World Book fair 2023, at Pragati Maidan
• International Women’s Day 2023 is celebrated on 8th March 2023
• National No Smoking Day, is held every second Wednesday of March
• The Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Shri Shaktikanta Das launched the Mission ‘Har Payment Digital’ on the occasion of the Digital Payments Awareness Week (DPAW) 2023.
• The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has notified 15 stock brokers as Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs).
• Max Life Insurance Company Ltd (Max Life) and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) have launched a cooperation to provide Ujjivan SFB customers with holistic life insurance options.
• The government of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has announced plans to establish RAK Digital Assets Oasis, the world's first free zone dedicated to digital and virtual asset companies.
• Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Minister (CM) Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched  a unique scheme namely Mukhyamantri Ladli Bahna Yojana at Jamboree Maidan in Bhopal, MP.
• The Group 20 (G20) delegates visited the Sultanpur National Park, formerly known as Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, located in the Gurgaon district in Haryana which is one of the 75 Ramsar sites in the country.
• A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) should be appointed by the President on the advice of a committee.
• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Trikand is participating in the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23) being held in the Gulf region from 26 Feb to 16 Mar 23.
• The Indian Navy (IN) successfully test-fired the ship-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic missile in the Arabian Sea.
• In a historic first, 8 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) landed at a Royal Saudi Air Force base heralding a new chapter in the defence relationship between the two countries.
• The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (FIED) helped facilitate Rs 5 crore funding for 15 agri start-ups at its annual entrepreneurship summit, 7th edition of Uttishtha 2023.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the flight acceptance hot test of the CE-20 cryogenic engine.
• Former union minister and the West Bengal(WB) Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP's) ex-president Satyabrata Mookherjee passed away in Kolkata, WB at the age of 90.