Current Affairs in English – February 3 2023

February 3, 2022

National Events:

HDFC Bank & NIIT limited:

• HDFC Bank has partnered with NIIT Limited for the training of skilled Virtual Relationship Management professionals for the banking industry.
• The program is designed to build in-demand and advanced sales skills among the learners which will enable them to acquire new customers for multiple services. Any Graduate/Postgraduate with 0-2 years of experience will be eligible for the program.

V Ramachandra:

• The Reserve Bank in February 2023, appointed V Ramachandra, former chief general manager of Canara Bank, as a member of the Advisory Committee of Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited (SIFL) and Srei Equipment Finance Limited (SEFL).
• The RBI had created a three-member advisory council to support the administrator of SIFL & SEFL after replacing the boards of SIFL and SEFL in October 2021.

Hydrogen and electric trains:

• The Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that the Indian Railways will be introducing hydrogen and electric trains to the eight heritage routes in the country by December 2023.
• These hydrogen trains will include the modified version of steam engines, that will be back on tracks, equipped with vintage sirens and green steam vapours.

Arun Kohli:

• Morgan Stanley has appointed Arun Kohli as the new India head in February 2023. With the bank since 2007, Kohli will relocate to Mumbai from London where he headed the Morgan Stanley’s post-Brexit strategy and implemented growth strategies across markets in the region.
• The bank had picked Kamal Yadav and Sachin Wagle as co-heads of investment banking in the country in 2021.

Madrid International Book Fair:

• India will be invited as the focal country at the Madrid International Book Fair in 2025, the Ambassador of Spain to the country Jose Maria Ridao announced on 2 February 2023.
• Spain is the theme country at the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair being held in Kolkata, West Bengal. Started in 1933, Madrid International Book Fair is an annual event held in the Buen Retiro Park in Madrid.

ISA:

• India has welcomed Republic of Congo into International Solar Alliance(ISA) in February 2023. Ambassador of Republic of Congo, Raymond Serge Bale signed the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement in the presence of Indian officials.
• ISA is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization whose primary function is to promote solar development by reducing the cost of financing.

PACS & CSC:

• The Ministry of Cooperation on 2 February 2023, signed an MoU with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, NABARD and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited to enable Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and provide services by Common Service Centers (CSC).
• It will enhance the business activities of PACS and help them to become a self-sustaining economic entity.

MOHUA & EIL:

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA) and Engineers India Limited (EIL) have signed an MoU in February 2023, for construction of waste-to-energy and bio-methanation projects in million plus cities for “Green Growth” of India.
• India has 59 million plus cities and the ministry has decided to set up solid waste processing facilities in these million plus cities.

Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha:

• The Maharashtra government announced the Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha as the state song on 3 February 2023. The song will now be played on official occasions of the state. The song’s two stanzas have a total duration of 1.41 minutes.
• The original lyrics of the song were written by Raja Badhe. The music was composed by Shrinivas Khale and sung by folk singer Krishnarao Sable.

Madhya Pradesh government:

• Madhya Pradesh government announced in February 2023, that Islam Nagar village located in Bhopal district had been renamed Jagdishpur. Islam Nagar village is located about 12 km from Bhopal and is famous for forts.
• Bhopal was founded in 1724 by Dost Mohammad Khan, an Afghan soldier who established his capital at Jagdishpur and named it Islam Nagar (City of Islam).

Dr. Ami Bera:

• Indian-American Dr. Ami Bera has been appointed as a member of the US House committee handling intelligence-related matters. He also serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
• During the 117th Congress, he served as Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Non-proliferation.

Ethanol production:

• Uttar Pradesh government to partner with Denmark for ethanol production. To promote ethanol production in an eco-friendly manner, the Uttar Pradesh government has been holding talks with Denmark to aid the state in adopting new technology for ethanol production.
• E-methanol is produced through the hydrogen gas in the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation process. Denmark is setting up the first project based on this patented technology.

Rakshak: Ek Shaam Gujarat Police Ke Naam:

• Ahmedabad will host a programme dedicated to Gujarat police titled ‘Rakshak: Ek Shaam Gujarat Police Ke Naam’ on February 25, 2023. It is the first-of-its-kind event being organized to recognise the dedication of the Gujarat police force.
• CM Bhupendra Patel will be the chief guest at the event. About 30 districts and 4 police commissionerates of Gujarat have been covered in the programme.

G20:

• First G20 Sustainable Financial Working Group meeting begins. 1st Sustainable Financial Working Group meeting under India’s G20 Presidency began on 2 Feb’23, in Guwahati. Theme: One Earth. One Family. One Future.
• Motto: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Three main agenda of meeting are- Mobilizing timely and adequate resources for climate action; Enabling finance for a sustainable development and Capacity building for entire eco-system of sustainable development.

International Events:

Solomon Islands:

• The United States reopened its embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday after a 30-year, part of a bid to counter China’s growing influence in the South Pacific.
• The United States closed its embassy in the capital Honiara in 1993 after the end of the Cold War. The Solomon Islands, a nation of hundreds of islands is located in the Pacific Ocean. Solomon Islands PM: Manasseh Sogavare.

Manuela Roka Botey:

• Equatorial Guinea has appointed Manuela Roka Botey as prime minister. She became the first woman in the country to hold the position. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled the country since 1979, announced the appointment.
• She was the education minister and joined the government in 2020. She replaces Francisco Pascual Obama Asue, who has been in the position since 2016.

Pramila Jayapal:

• Indian-American US Representative Pramila Jayapal has been named Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity in January 2023.
• She was also the founding co-chair of the We Belong Together campaign. Jayapal is the first immigrant in recorded committee history to serve as either Ranking Member or Chair of this Subcommittee.

US & India:

• US and India expanded their defence cooperation under the inaugural US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (ICET).
• The ICET was announced in May 2022 to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. NSA Ajit Doval and Jake Sullivan co-chaired the meeting of iCET at the White House on January 31, 2023.

Prashant Agrawal:

• Prashant Agrawal has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Presently, he is serving as the High Commissioner of India to Namibia.
• He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1998 and served in India’s Missions in Paris, Port Louis, and Bangkok. IFS officer M Subbarayudu has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Namibia.

Sports Events:

Dutee Chand’s Birthday: 3 February:

• Dutee Chand is an Indian professional sprinter and current national champion in the women’s 100 meters event. She is the first Indian to win a gold medal in a 100m race in a global competition.S
• he is the third Indian woman to ever qualify for the Women’s 100 meters event at the Summer Olympic Games. In 2018, Chand clinched silver in women’s 100m at the Jakarta Asian Games.

Zagreb Open 2023:

• Under-23 world champion Aman Sehrawat of India won a bronze medal in the men’s 57kg at the Zagreb Open 2023 Ranking Series in Croatia, on 1 February 2023.
• Aliabbas Rzazade of Azerbaijan bagged the gold, beating Yuto Nishiuchi of Japan 2-0 in the final.

Sai Sanjay:

• Sai Sanjay won the National champion in the MRF Formula 2000 class, in the MMSC FMSCI Indian National Car Racing Championship in Feb 2023.
• In the other championship classes, Viswas Vijayraj won the LGB F1300 National title while veteran Arjun Balu bagged the ITC crown, his 11th National title.

National Beach Soccer Championships:

• Kerala won the inaugural National Beach Soccer Championships held at Dumas Beach, Surat, on 1 February 2023. Kerala’s goalkeeper Santhosh Kasmeer was awarded the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
• Rajasthan’s Amit Godara was the highest goalscorer, with 27 goals. The best player of the tournament was awarded to Kerala’s Siju S.