Daily Current Affairs and GK | 26 and 27 January 2023

Topic: National Appointments

1. Naresh Lalwani has assumed charge as the new General Manager of Central Railway.

• He succeeds Ashok Kumar Misra, General Manager of Western Railway.
• Ashok Kumar Misra was holding the additional charge of Central Railway as well.
• Naresh Lalwani was earlier working as Senior Deputy General Manager and Chief Vigilance Officer of Western Railway.
• Naresh Lalwani is an officer of the Indian Railway Engineering Service of the 1985 batch.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

2. Government has announced the Padma Awards for the year 2023 on the eve of Republic Day.

• 106 Padma awards have been approved by the President of India. The list includes 6 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan, and 91 Padma Shri awards.
• Out of the total awardees, nineteen are women. The list includes 7 posthumous awardees.
• Padma Vibhushan awardees are given in the following table.

• Kannada novelist and screenwriter S L Bhyrappa, Industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and Author and Philanthropist Sudha Murthy (chairperson of the Infosys Foundation) will be honoured with Padma Bhushan.
• Composer M.M. Keeravani has also been recognised with the Padma Shri. He recently won the Golden Globe.
• President confers Padma Awards at the ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March and April every year.
• Some important Padma Shri awardees are given in the following table.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

3. 30^th National Child Science Congress started on 27th January 2023 at Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

• It is a five-day long event. It will conclude on 31^st January 2023. It is being organized at Science City.
• Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST), the Gujarat Council of Science City, and SAL Education will host the program.
• Over 1400 delegates will attend the congress. The delegates include child scientists, escort teachers, evaluators, and government officials.
• National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) is a flagship programme of the National Council for Science and Technology Communication.
• It was launched in 1993 for children of 10-17 years of age. The focal theme for NCSC is understanding ecosystem for health and well-being.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. Government launches the U-WIN programme in a pilot mode in two districts of each state and Union Territory.

• The government has launched U-WIN to digitize the universal immunization programme.
• U-WIN platform will register all the routine vaccinations online. It replicates the Covid-19 platform Co-WIN.
• U-WIN will be used to register every pregnant woman. It will be used to vaccinate every pregnant woman and record her delivery.
• It will be used to register every newborn delivery and keep a record of all vaccinations.
• All the information about vaccination will be digitised and processed.
• This platform will be a place that will notify the user about the nearest health centre administering vaccines, and help in booking appointments.
• The U-WIN platform will be able to issue instant digital vaccination certificates once it is fully operational.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

5. Visakhapatnam railway station received ‘Green Railway Station Certification’.

• Visakhapatnam railway station has received the ‘Green Railway Station Certification’, which is the highest Platinum rating.
• The certificate has been awarded by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
• Visakhapatnam railway station has secured 82 out of 100 points in six environmental categories.
• Visakhapatnam railway station has performed well in various categories like– sustainable facilities, health, hygiene, energy and water efficiency, smart green initiatives.
• Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) conducted the survey for the certification.
• Bhagalpur railway station (BGP) received the IGBC ‘Green Railway Station Certification’ with a Silver rating by CII in 2022.
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Station (CSMT) has received the IGBC Gold Certification.
• The Environment Directorate of Indian Railways (IR) has developed the Green Railway Stations Rating System. It assesses the adverse environmental impacts due to station operation, and maintenance.
• The rating system will resolve issues related to water conservation, handling of waste, energy efficiency, reduced use of fossil fuels, etc.

Topic: Miscellaneous

6. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the six-day mega event 'Bharat Parv'.

• Union Minister for Culture G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the Bharat Parv in New Delhi.
• This six-day event will be celebrated as part of the Republic Day Celebrations till 31st January.
• On this occasion, some of the best Republic Day Parade tableaux will be showcased.
• Indian Food Court, folk and tribal dance performances, and Crafts Bazaar will be also set up at the event.
• Branding and promotion of Dekho Apna Desh, Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, G20, and Mission LIFE will be part of the event.
• It is one of the government’s initiatives to commemorate 75 years of independence.
• After a gap of two years, the event is being organized in physical mode.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. Suryakumar Yadav becomes the first Indian player to win the Men's T20 Cricketer of the Year award.

• Suryakumar Yadav created history by becoming the first Indian player to win the ICC Men's T20 Cricketer of the Year award.
• Last year, Suryakumar Yadav has scored 1164 runs in 31 matches. He scored 2 centuries and 9 half-centuries.
• England Test captain Ben Stokes named as the Men's Test Cricketer of the Year award.
• Nat Sciver won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year. She also won the Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year award.

Full list of ICC awards winners are:

Topic: Indian Economy

8. UN cut down India’s economic growth forecast by 20 bps to 5.8% for 2023.

• The United Nations slashed India’s growth forecast to 5.8% for 2023 from earlier 6%.
• The main reason for the cut down is higher interest rates and the risk of recession in the developed world.
• UN’s World Economic Situation and Prospects report has projected that global trade will contract by 0.4% and the world economy will grow by 1.9 % in 2023.
• UN has kept the rates unchanged for the fiscal year 2023-24 for India at 6%.
• The report projected that India’s retail inflation would reduce to 5.5 % in 2023, from 7.1 % in 2022.
• The higher interest rates increase debt-servicing costs for developing countries.
• As per the report, the unemployment rate dropped to 6.4 % in India. Youth employment remained below pre-pandemic levels.
• As per the report, China's economic growth will be 4.8 % in 2023, from 3% in 2022.

(Source: World Economic Situation and Prospects report)

Topic: Art and Culture

9. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival will be organized in Mumbai from 27-31 January.

• SCO Film Festival will be organized by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting through the National Film Development Corporation. It will be organized to mark India’s Presidency at SCO.
• On 27th January, the opening ceremony will be held at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA).
• Tamil film ‘Appatha will be the opening film of the festival.  The festival will act as a bridge between the cultures of various countries of SCO.
• A total of 57 Films from member countries of SCO, including 14 from the competition section, will be showcased during the festival.
• The screenings will take place at the Films Division Complex at Peddar Road and NFDC Theater at Worli.
• The Marathi film ‘Godavari’ and Gujarati Film ‘The Last Film Show’ have been nominated in the competition section.
• Indian films like Sardar Udham, RRR, Gangubai Kathiawadi, Toolsidas Junior, a short film Jugalbandi and five restored classics including Shatranj ke Khiladi have found a place in the non-competitive sections.
• Master classes, in-conversation sessions, country and state pavilions, photo and poster exhibitions, etc. will be also part of the festival.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

10. India and Egypt signed MoUs in various fields.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
• India and Egypt exchanged MoUs in the fields of cyber security, culture, information technology, youth matters and broadcasting.
• India and Egypt have decided to take bilateral relations to a strategic partnership level.
• India - Egypt strategic partnership can play a key role in political, defence and scientific development.
• Both countrie’s have decided to strengthen cooperation between defence industries and to increase the exchange of counter-terrorism information and intelligence.
• Both countries bilateral trade is likely to cross the 12 billion dollars mark in the next five years.
• Both countries also discussed ways to increase Indian companies’ investments in Egypt. Discussions were also held on fighting against terrorism and radicalization.
• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is on a three-day visit to India. He is the Chief Guest on India’s 74th Republic Day.

Topic: Personality in News

11. Renowned Indian architect Dr Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi passed away at the age of 95.

• Dr Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi was an urban planner and a renowned educator for the past seventy years.
• He received Pritzker Prize in 2018, RIBA’s Royal Gold Medal in 2021, and the coveted Padma Shri in 1976.
• His projects include the Shreyas Comprehensive School Campus in Ahmedabad; the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore; and Amdavad ni Gufa, a cave-like art gallery that exhibits the work of artist M F Husain.
• He worked with many renowned architects like Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn. Le Corbusier is famous for his designs for Chandigarh.
• Doshi will be known for his contribution to architecture, art, life, culture and philosophy.

Topic: Committees/ Commissions/Taskforces

12. Government formed G20 task force on digital public infrastructure.

• India’s G20 Task Force on Digital Public Infrastructure for Economic Transformation, Financial Inclusion and Development has been set up by the government.
• The task force will be co-chaired by India’s G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant and Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani.
• The Ministry of Finance has issued an order regarding the setting of the task force on 21 January, 2023.
• The task force will help India in achieving its G20 Presidency agenda related to digital public infrastructure, financial inclusion, digital identity, and innovative technology based services.
• The task force will create a detailed map of India’s digital infrastructure across different sectors like finance, health, education, skilling, data, taxation, digital commerce, mobility, and beyond.
• Secretaries of the department of economic affairs, department of financial services, ministry of electronics and information technology and external affairs ministry will be the other members of this task force.
• In the Sherpa track, the task force’s work will also facilitate the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) working group in G20’s finance track and the Digital Working Group (DEWG).
• The government of India is committed to transforming India into a digitally empowered society.

Topic: Indian Polity

13. Supreme Court judgments will be made available in scheduled languages under the e-SCR project.

• The E-SCR project aim is to provide Supreme Court’s judgement in various Indian scheduled languages from 26 January.
• As part of the e-SCR project, the verdict will be available on the SC court website, its mobile app and on the judgment portal of the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).
• Apart from the e-SCR, 1091 Supreme Court judgements in local languages will be made available on Republic Day.
• Verdicts in some of the scheduled languages will be available in free of cost from 26 January. In the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, there are 22 languages.
• The Electronic Supreme Court Reports (e-SCR) project is an initiative to provide the digital version of Supreme Court Judgement.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

14. Dr Prabha Atre received Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde conferred Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr Prabha Atre.
• Dr Atre received the award at a function at Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan.
• The award includes a citation and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
• On this occasion, a symphony of 90 flautists was performed to mark her 90th birthday.
• In 2022, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan had received the Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Lifetime Achievement Award in Thane.
• Hariprasad Chaurasia:
  • He is famous for playing bansuri in the Hindustani classical tradition.
  • He received the Gansamradni Lata Mangeshkar Award for 2021-22.
  • He is also the founder of the Vrindavan Gurukul in Mumbai.