Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 January 2023

Topic: Environment and Ecology

1. After more than 90 years a rare species of duck has been seen in Loktak Lake of Manipur.

• Greater Scaup, a rare species of duck, was recently sighted near Loktak lake. Greater Scaup is also locally known as Sadangman.
• Greater Scaup belongs to the family of Anatidae. It is a medium-sized diving duck species.
• This duck species were seen by ornithologist Kumam Jugeswor and members of Wildlife Explorers Manipur.
• The last records of killing this species of ducks is of January 25, 1925, and December 1927, by Captain L Gamble of Gurkha Rifles and Indian Civil Service officer JP Mills respectively.
• The Bishnupur Forest Division, Manipur along with Wildlife Explorer Manipur, and Green Brigade Manipur organized a one-day awareness program for waterbird conservation.
• During the winter season various species of birds including endangered species migrate to Loktak lake.
• Loktak Lake is a freshwater lake in Manipur. It is famous for the phumdis floating over it. It is also known as the 'floating lake'.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

2. KBCols Sciences and Hygienity Solutions have won National Startup Award 2022.

• Along with KBCols Sciences and Hygienity Solutions, seven other startups from Maharashtra were conferred with the award.
• KBCols Sciences is a bioprocess tech startup. It was founded in 2018 by Vaishali Kulkarni and Arjun Singh Bajwa.
• Hygienity Solutions is an environment sanitation startup. It was founded in 2021 by Vipul Ganesh Chavan and Adwait Joshi.
• The total number of applications received from startups, incubators, and accelerators from 31 states and union territories across the country was 2,667.
• Over 50 jury members screened and evaluated these applications.
• In the third edition of awards, 41 startups, 2 incubators, and 1 accelerator were recognised as winners in their respective categories.
• The winning startups will be awarded a cash prize of ₹5 lakh each.
• One exceptional Incubator and one Accelerator each will be awarded Rs15 lakhs.
• The National Startup Awards 2022 invited applications across 17 sectors. These sectors were further divided into 50 sub-sectors, and 7 special categories.
• 18 startups based in Karnataka became winners. Karnataka topped the list of states having the maximum number of startup winners.
• Karnataka is followed by Maharashtra (9 winners) and Delhi (4 winners).

Topic: Personality in News

3. Lucile Randon, a French, dies at the age of 118.

• She is believed to be the world’s oldest person. She was a nun known as Sister Andre.
• She was born in France on 11 February, 1904. She was also one of the world’s oldest survivors of COVID-19. 
• The Gerontology Research Group listed her as the oldest known person in the world.
• The Gerontology Research Group validates details of people thought to be 110 or older.
• According to the Gerontology Research Group, the world’s oldest living known person is now American-born Maria Branyas Morera. Morera is now 115 years old.
• Jeanne Calment of France lived 122 years and 164 days. Calment was the oldest known person ever. Calment is the oldest human whose age is documented. She died on August 4, 1997.
• Japan's Kane Tanaka was the oldest known person to die. She died at 119 last year.
• According to Guinness World Records, she died as the world’s second-oldest person ever.

Topic: Indian Economy

4. Government has proposed changes to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

• The Corporate Affairs Ministry has proposed developing an electronic platform.
• As per the proposal, this electronic platform will be able to handle several processes under the Code with minimum human interface.
• The ministry said this e-platform may provide for a case management system, delivery of notices, storage of records of CDs (Corporate Debtors) undergoing the process, and incentivizing participation of other market players in the IBC ecosystem.
• The ministry said this e-platform may provide for automated processes to file applications with the Adjudicating Authority (AA).
• The expansion of the pre-packaged insolvency resolution framework to certain categories of corporate debtors in addition to MSMEs has also been proposed. 
• Approval of only 51% of financial creditors may be needed to start such insolvency proceedings. Currently, the approval of 66% of financial creditors is needed.
• Amendment in the provisions dealing with Fast-Track Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (FIRP) has also been proposed to provide that unrelated Financial Creditors (FCs) of a CD may select and approve a resolution plan through an informal out-of-court process.
• Amendment in the provisions dealing with FIRP has also been proposed to provide that unrelated FCs of a CD may involve the AA only for its final approval.
• The ministry has sought comments on the proposals by 7 February, 2023.
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) came into force in 2016. It provides a consolidated framework that governs insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings for companies, partnership firms, and individuals.

Topic: Books and Authors

5. Krishnamachari Srikkanth, former Captain of the Indian Cricket team, released the English version of the book Come! Let’s Run.

• Come! Let’s Run is a book by the Minister for Health and Family Welfare of Tamil Nadu, Ma. Subramanian.
• The Tamil version of the same book was released on March 8, 2021. It is titled Odalam Vanga.
• The book was published by Emerald Publishers.
• Its English translation was done by Geeta Padmanaban (a teacher) along with J. Joicy and Sharon.

Topic: International News

6. New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has resigned.

• She said that she won’t seek re-election later this year.
• She was expected to seek a third term at this year’s general election.
• She will remain a member of parliament until April to avoid a by-election.
• Her Labour Party is holding a meeting in Napier, a coastal city on New Zealand's North Island.
• On January 22, the Labour caucus will vote to choose a new leader, with the goal of determining whether one candidate receives two-thirds of the vote.
• If no candidate receives so much support, the contest will be decided by the entire party membership.
• That procedure is expected to be finished no later than February 7.
• A caucus is a group of people within an organization who have a lot of influence in the organization.
• New Zealand:
  • It is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
  • It consists of two main landmasses-the North Island and the South Island.
  • Its government is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Wellington is its capital.

Topic: Important Days

7. National Disaster Response Force Raising Day 2023: 19 January

• National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) celebrated its 18th foundation day on 19 January 2023.
• It is celebrated to highlight the determination and achievements of NDRF personnel.
• This day has been celebrated since 2006 when the rescue force was officially formed.
• NDRF is the world's first dedicated stand-alone Disaster Response Force.
• It has played a vital role in saving lives and property during various disasters. Women are also a part of this force.
• National Disaster Response Force (NDRF):
  • It was established in the year 2006 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
  • It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • Its main objective is to provide immediate assistance in natural and man-made disasters.
  • Its motto is ‘Apda Seva Sadav Sarvatra’.
  • Atul Karwal is the current Director-General of NDRF. 

Topic: Sports

8. Shubman Gill became the youngest player to score a double century in ODIs.

• On 18 January, India's right-handed opening batsman Shubman Gill scored a brilliant maiden double century in the first ODI against New Zealand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
• Gill scored 208 runs in 149 balls, hitting 19 fours and nine sixes, to take India to a score of 349/8.
• Gill (23 years, 132 days) became the youngest player to achieve this feat, leaving behind his teammate Ishan Kishan (24 years, 145 days).
• Gill also became the fastest Indian to reach 1,000 runs in ODIs in 19 innings. He broke the records of Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan.
• Gill has become the fifth Indian batsman to score a double century in ODIs.
• Rohit still has the record for the highest individual score in ODIs with his 264 and has also scored three double centuries in ODIs.
• Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gayle, Fakhar Zaman, and Martin Guptill have scored one double century each.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

9. Network Planning Group formed under PM GatiShakti National Master Plan recommended three projects for implementation.

• The 41st session of the Network Planning Group (NPG) was held in New Delhi. It was chaired by the Special Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• The Network Planning Group (NPG) has recommended three projects, which are given below:
  • 4 Lane Accessed Controlled Greenfield Highway as part of the Nagpur-Vijaywada corridor.
  • New rail connectivity projects connecting Barejadi Nandej to Sanand in Gujarat.
  • Rail connectivity projects between Barbil, Barsuan and Nayagrah in Odisha.
• The 4-lane Greenfield Highway project will improve connectivity to 21 economic nodes. The proposed alignment of the highway will also increase the average speed from 40 kmph to 80 kmph and reduce time travel.
• The proposed Barbil-Barsuan-Nayagarh Railway line of 181 km will connect major iron mines in the region.
• PM GatiShakti National Master Plan:
  • It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
  • The multi-modal connectivity will provide integrated and seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services from one mode of transport to another.

Topic: Defence

10. Captain Surbhi Jakhmola will be the 1st woman officer to be posted on foreign assignment at BRO.

• Captain Surbhi Jakhmola, a member of the 117 Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army, will be the 1st woman officer to be posted on a foreign assignment of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• Captain Surbhi Jakhmola will be part of Project Dantak in Butan.
• Captain Surbhi Jakhmola’s deployment has come just after the Indian Air Force deployed woman fighter pilot Avani Chaturvedi to Japan for the exercise Veer Guardian 2023.
• Recently, Captain Shiva Chauhan has become the first women officer to be deployed at a frontline post in Siachen Glacier.
• The Indian Air Force has the highest proportion of women officers, followed by the Indian Navy and Indian Army.
• Border Roads Organisation (BRO):
  • It is a road construction executive force that provides support to Indian Armed Forces.
  • BRO builds and maintains roads along the borders of India and in friendly neighbouring countries.
  • It works under the Ministry of Defense for improving border connectivity.
  • Gen Rajeev Chaudhary is the current Director-General of BRO.

Topic: International News

11. Russia has become India's fourth largest trading partner.

• The imports from Russia increasing five-times to $32.9 billion during the April-December period.
• Crude oil and fertilizers are the two major contributors to India's imports from Russia.
• The West imposed sanctions on Moscow after the Russia-Ukraine War broke out, limiting its trading opportunities.
• India made a deal with Russia for crude petroleum, which boosted the exports of petrol and diesel.
• US is the third largest source of imports for India.
• For the first time, Russia became India's largest fertiliser supplier in the first half of FY23 by offering discounts on global prices.
• India's fertiliser imports from Russia rose by 371 percent to a record 2.15 million metric tonnes in the first six months, which started on April 1.
• India also wants to increase exports of electronic goods to Russia.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

12. First-ever Federal Bank Literary Award 2022 bagged by Noted writer K Venu.

• On 15 January, K Venu received the award for his autobiography, ‘Oranweshananthinte Katha’.
• At a ceremony organised as part of the ongoing Kerala Literature Festival, he got the award from Balagopal Chandrasekhar, chairman and independent director of Federal Bank.
• There were 10 works shortlisted for the award.
• 'Oranweshananthinte Katha' has been chosen by a panel that included writer and literary critic K C Narayanan, Sunil P Ilayidom, and P K Rajashekharan.
• The Federal Bank has established its first literary award to promote the diversity of contemporary literature and to recognise writers for their cultural contributions.

Topic: National News

13. India’s first national assessment regulator ‘PARAKH’ has been notified by NCERT.

• A new regulator, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), will work for setting norms, standards and guidelines for student assessment.
• Its main aim is to set up assessment guidelines for all boards to remove disparities in the score of students from different boards.
• It will evaluate all recognised school boards in the country.
• PARAKH has been established within the education survey division of the NCERT.
• It has been set up as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020.
• It will advise school boards on new assessment patterns and the latest research.
• PARAKH will mainly work on three major assessment areas, which are given below:
  • Large-scale assessments
  • School-based assessment
  • Examination reforms
• PARAKH will work closely with state directorates of education, state education boards and international organisations.
• It will be responsible for conducting large-scale assessments, including the National Achievement Survey (NAS). It will also give guidance to the State Achievement Survey (SAS).

Topic: Personality in News

14. Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky died in a helicopter crash near Kyiv.

• In a helicopter crash near Kyiv, 16 people, including Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky have died.
• Nine of the people who died were on the helicopter. A helicopter crashed near a kindergarten.
• Mr Monastyrsky became the interior minister in 2021.The Home Minister of Ukraine is responsible for the interior affairs of Ukraine.
• A special commission has been formed to investigate the circumstances of the incident.