Current Affairs February 10th 2023| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

RBI hikes repo rate to 6.5% & projects GDP growth at 6.4% for 2023-24  

• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiked the repo rate by 25 basis points  (bps) to 6.5%  for FY 2022-23, and 5.3% for the next fiscal.
• Similarly, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate was adjusted to 6.25% from 6%, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 6.75%.
• For the next fiscal, the RBI projected a growth rate of 6.4%.

Key Highlights : 

• The MPC, comprising 3 members from the central bank and 3 external members, raised the key lending rate or the repo rate to 6.50% in a split decision.
• Shashanka Bhide, Rajiv Ranjan, Michael Debabrata Patra and Shaktikanta Das (4 of the 6 members) voted to increase the policy repo rate by 25 basis points & Ashima Goyal and Jayanth R.Varma voted against the repo rate hike.
• This is the 6th time the interest rate has been hiked by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) since May 2022, taking the total quantum of a hike to 250 basis points.
• In the latest Economic Survey of the finance ministry, the growth projection was 6-6.8% for 2023-24.
• FY23 gross domestic product (GDP) growth estimate increased to 7% from 6.8%
• The GDP projections for Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 2023-24 are estimated at 7.8%, 6.2%, 6.0%, and 5.8%, respectively

Other Key Features : 

• RBI has decided to restore market hours for the Government Securities (G-secs) market to the pre-pandemic timing of 9 am to 5 pm.
• The RBI allowed inbound travelers from Group20(G20) nations arriving at select airports to use the popular Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for making payments in the country.
• RBI will launch a pilot project on QR code-based coin vending machines in 12 cities.
• Net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows remain strong at $22.3 billion in April-December 2022.

About MPC : 

• The MPC is a committee constituted by the Central Government and led by the Governor of RBI.
• It is responsible for fixing the benchmark interest rate in India.
• The next meeting of the MPC is scheduled for April 3, 5, and 6, 2023.

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

 PhonePe launches UPI international service in 5 countries    

• Fintech firm PhonePe stated that its users will now be able to pay to international merchant outlets in 5 countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, Mauritius, Nepal, and Bhutan using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system.
• Phonepe Users will be able to make payments in foreign currency directly from their Indian bank like international debit cards

Key Highlights : 

• PhonePe is the first fintech app to launch this feature in India.
• Currently, Indian customers need to use foreign currency, credit, or forex cards to pay at international merchant outlets but with the ‘UPI international’ payments feature, PhonePe can now use their Indian Bank accounts to pay using UPI.
• Also, NPCI in collaboration with NIPL (NPCI International Payments Limited) plans to roll out UPI International to more countries, while also enabling greater merchant acceptance in the regions where this feature is currently live.

About PhonePe : 

• Founded: 2015
• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
• CEO: Sameer Nigam
• PhonePe is an Indian digital payment and financial technology company.

• It has over 43.5 crore registered users.

Airtel Payments Bank launches BizKhata for Small Businesses and Merchants                

• Airtel Payments Bank has launched – BizKhata, a current account with unlimited transactions and instant activation for small merchants and business partners across India.

About Airtel Payments Bank’s BizKhata : 

• It brings all business transactions to one platform and allows them to maintain clear records while enjoying multiple banking benefits.

Benefits : 

• Unlimited transactions – Do Unlimited credit and debit transactions.
• Instant Activation – Customers can start using the account within 5 minutes of opening it.
• Zero Minimum Balance – The account has no minimum balance condition.
• Safe and Seamless Payment digitization– Business owners can receive and make online payment transfers to any bank across India through Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Service (UPI), National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), and IFT.
• In addition, the account comes linked to a QR(Quick Response) code to receive payments from any UPI app.
• Auto Sweep-out – Day-end balance above INR 200,000 will be auto sweep-out to a current account with the partner bank.
• Recently, Delhi Metro and Airtel Payments Bank have partnered to add more comfort and features to the users of Airtel Payments Bank by providing the top-up (recharge) facility of Delhi Metro Smart Cards.

About Airtel Payments Bank : 

• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• MD & CEO : Anubrata Biswas
• It is a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel.
• In January 2022, it was granted the scheduled bank status by the Reserve Bank of India under the second schedule of the RBI Act, 1934

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Vivad se Vishwas-II scheme looks to settle financial disputes only:

• Companies or entities in domestic contractual disputes with the central government and associated bodies only can seek to settle pending matters under the ‘Vivad se Vishwas II’ scheme, if no state government or any other private firm is a party to the case, or if the dispute pertains to pending financial claims, and not any performance claims.
• These are some of the conditions put in the draft scheme for one-time settlement under the Vivad se Vishwas II, put in the public domain by the Finance Ministry.
• Public comments and suggestions on the scheme are invited until March 8.
• Such cases are not only holding back fresh investment but are also reducing the ease of doing business.
• Therefore, after due study of the past cases, the government intends to bring a one-time settlement scheme called “Vivad se Vishwas II (Contractual Disputes)” to effectively settle pending disputes
• Both the schemes shall be monitored through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
• As reported earlier, the Centre is aiming to resolve about 500 cases, involving an estimated Rs 1 trillion, under Vivad se Vishwas II.

Govt expects ₹35,000-cr private sector investments in NRF

• The government expects to get ₹35,000 crores from the private sector for National Research Foundation (NRF).
• The Budget has proposed an allocation of ₹2,000 crores for this.
• It will work under a public-private partnership, and we are expecting a strong response from the private sector.
• NRF aims to address the pressing need for a professional and comprehensive research framework that directs human and material resources toward carrying out well-coordinated research across disciplines and all types of institutions.

Key objectives

• One of the main objectives of NRF is to seed, grow and facilitate research at academic institutions, where research capacity is currently in a nascent stage.
• It will also fund and support high-impact, large-scale, multi-investigator, multi-institution, and, in some cases, interdisciplinary or multi-nation projects in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments, and other governmental and non-governmental entities, especially industry.

About NRF:

• The National Research Foundation is a foundation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the United Arab Emirates.
• Founded: 7 March 2008
• Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Scheme for mini hydro projects in the works

• The Centre is planning to start a program to support small hydropower projects in the country.
• Currently, there is no program to support the sector in India.
• Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, secretary, of the Union of the ministry of new and renewable energy said an initial draft has been prepared for a scheme.
• Currently, the installed capacity of small hydropower projects is 4.9 GW, which accounts for 1.2% of the total power capacity.
• India has an estimated potential of 21.1 GW from 7,133 sites for power generation from small and mini hydro projects, according to the Hydro and Renewable Energy Department (HRED), of IIT Roorkee.
• Hilly states including Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand constitute around half of this potential.
• Other potential states are Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and Kerala.

GeM has achieved a gross merchandise value of ₹1.5 lakh crore in FY23:

• GeM achieved a gross merchandise value of ₹1.5 lakh crore in FY23.
• According to the Commerce and Industry Ministry, GeM is well positioned to surpass its annual target of ₹75 lakh crore.
• Since its start, GeM has exceeded the 3 lakh crore GMV mark.
• The total number of transactions on GeM has also crossed 1.3 crores.
• More than 66,000 government buyer organizations and over 58 lakh sellers and service providers are present on GeM.
• The portal features over 11,000 product categories.
• NTPC has placed the largest order (Rs 20,400 crore) ever placed on GeM till now.
• This order was placed under Mine Development & Operations Service (MDO), a unique category used for the first time on GeM.
• GeM achieved a gross merchandise value of ₹5 lakh crore in FY23.
• According to the Commerce and Industry Ministry, GeM is well positioned to surpass its annual target of ₹75 lakh crore.
• Since its start, GeM has exceeded the 3 lakh crore GMV mark.
• The total number of transactions on GeM has also crossed 1.3 crores.
• More than 66,000 government buyer organizations and over 58 lakh sellers and service providers are present on GeM.
• The portal features over 11,000 product categories.
• NTPC has placed the largest order (Rs 20,400 crore) on GeM.
• This order was placed under Mine Development & Operations Service (MDO), a unique category used for the first time on GeM.

About GeM:

• The Government e-Marketplace is an online platform for public procurement in India.
• The initiative was launched on August 9, 2016, by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India to create an open and transparent procurement platform for government buyers.
• Launched: August 9, 2016; 6 years ago; New Delhi, India

 LiFE initiative of India for the adoption of energy-efficient behavior can save the world $440 billion in 2030

• The ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ or LiFE initiative of India for the adoption of energy-efficient behavior can save the world $440 billion in 2030, according to a report by International Energy Agency (IEA).
• The report titled ‘LiFE lessons from India’ said that the saving would be equivalent to around 5% of all fuel spending across the global economy in that year.
• LiFE measures would also save consumers globally around $440 billion in 2030 through both lower consumption and lower prices, according to the IEA modeling.
• Global energy consumption and the resulting emissions are highly unequal between and within countries.
• Globally, North America is the region with the highest energy consumption per capita, followed by Russia and Central Asia, and the Middle East.
• On the other hand, Africa’s energy consumption is one-third of the world average, while India’s is 35%.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021 to encourage the adoption of sustainable lifestyles to tackle the environment and climate crisis.
• The initiative was further developed and formally launched in October 2022 by the prime minister and the UN Secretary-General António Guterrez as Mission LiFE, a global mass movement led by India to nudge individual and community behavioural change to reduce emissions, protect the environment and conserve resources.
• According to the report, India’s economy is already 10% more energy efficient than both the global and G20 average.
• India took less time to go from half to full electricity access than other major economies.

About IEA:

• The International Energy Agency is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization, established in 1974, that provides policy recommendations, analysis, and data on the entire global energy
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Founded: November 1974
• Executive director: Fatih Birol

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India Plans To Promote Green Tourism & Open Up 50 Tourism Destinations During G20 Presidency

• India plans to promote green tourism, open up to 50 new tourism destinations & launch a publicity campaign in overseas markets during its presidency of the G20 for 2023.

Key Highlights : 

• During the year, India will host more than 200 G20 meetings at over 50 locations including key tourist attractions in Rajasthan, Goa, and Jammu & Kashmir regions, etc.
• India took on the G20 presidency from December 01, 2022, to November 30, 2023.
• The government estimates that foreign tourist numbers could reach 15 million in 2024, contributing more than $30 billion in earnings.
• While presenting the 2023-24 budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated 24 billion rupees ($290 million) for tourism infrastructure, including 2.42 billion rupees for the promotion and branding of tourist destinations.

About G20 : 

• The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU).
• Members:  Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Rajasthan Govt iStart Scheme gives a boost to start-ups                                           

• The Government of Rajasthan’s iStart scheme is proving to be a boon for start-ups in the state.
• Rajasthan has been one of the leading states in the country to start the start-up program.
• The state government made a web portal, which is a one-stop gateway for all the promotions under the start-up policy.

Key Highlights : 

• iStart Rajasthan is the main program of the state government to promote innovation, generate employment, and facilitate investment in Rajasthan.
• So far, there are over 3,110 registrations and more than 2,100 approved start-ups are associated with this.
• In the start-up policy, 2022, announced by the government, start-ups will be given assistance up to Rs 35 lakh.
• Moreover, subsidies of up to Rs 15 lakh will be given under this policy to state government schools and colleges for opening e-cells.

About Rajasthan :

• Governor: Kalraj Mishra
• Chief Minister :  Ashok Gehlot
• Capital: Jaipur
• National Park: Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Machiya Safari Park
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary, Sita Mata WLS

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Canara bank appoints Mr. K Satyanarayana Raju as the new MD & CEO                           

• The Government of India (GoI) appointed Shri. K Satyanarayana Raju as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Director (CEO) of Canara bank.
• He replaced L V Prabhakar who demitted office on December 31, 2022.
• Earlier, he had served Canara Bank as Executive Director since March 10, 2021.

About Canara Bank :

• Established: 1906
• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
• Non Executive Chairman : Vijay Srirangam
• Tagline: Together We Can

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

Naval LCA & MiG-29K carry out maiden landing on INS Vikrant

• The Indian Navy’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) & the MiG-29K undertook their maiden landing onboard the country’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant.
• As part of the aviation trials, the landing of LCA (Navy) and MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant was carried out by Indian Naval Test Pilots.
• It is the first ever indigenously designed and constructed aircraft carrier

About INS Vikrant : 

• The ship has been designed in-house by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited.

Key features : 

• Displacement: 45,000 tonnes
• Length: 262 m (860 ft)
• Wide: 62 m (203 ft)
• The carrier has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.
• India also joined the elite group of nations – the US, Russia, France, the UK, and China who are capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers.

About LCA : 

• LCA – LCA (Navy) is a prototype of the naval version of the locally made light combat aircraft (LCA).
• The LCA (Navy) was indigenously designed & produced by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Google unveils AI chatbot ‘Bard’ – its answer to ChatGPT

• Google confirmed it will soon start public testing for a new artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot of its own called Bard, based on the company’s Language Model for Dialogue Application (LaMDA) to answer the challenge and threat posed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI and its AI chatbot.

What is ChatGPT?

• Technically, ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) can be categorized as a type of generative AI – a broad label that’s used to describe any type of artificial intelligence (AI) that can be used to create new text, images, video, audio, code or synthetic data.
• It is a complex machine learning model that can carry out natural language generation (NLG) tasks with a very high level of accuracy.
• It is a version of the GPT model trained from the internet with an enormous text dataset.
• It is developed by a San Francisco-based AI and research company, OpenAI, and the final version was launched on November 30, 2022.
• It comes as Microsoft has invested $10 billion this year in OpenAI and is preparing to -Announce an integration of ChatGPT into its Bing Search engine & Offer ChatGPT to its enterprise customers as part of the Azure Cloud services.
• Running these models requires significant computing power (ChatGPT is powered by Microsoft’s Azure Cloud services).

What is Bard?

• Bard is Google’s own conversational AI chatbot.
• Bard is powered by LaMDA which was developed and released by Google in 2021.
• It draws on information from the web to provide fresh, high-quality responses.
• It will give in-depth, conversational, and essay-style answers just like ChatGPT does right now.

Key Highlights : 

• Bard is built on Transformer technology – which is also the backbone of ChatGPT and other AI bots.
• Transformer technology, pioneered by Google and made open-source in 2017, is a neural network architecture, which is capable of making predictions based on inputs.
• Chinese search giant Baidu has also announced that it plans to debut a ChatGPT-style application in March called “Ernie.”

About Google : 

• Founded: September 4, 1998
• Headquarters: California, U.S
• CEO: Sundar Pichai

Jupiter becomes a planet with most moons with 12 newly discovered           

• With the discovery of 12 new moons, Jupiter becomes the planet with the highest number of moons.
• With this, the count of Jupiter’s moons increased to 92 from 80 moons.
• Saturn is in the second position with 83 moons.

About Jupiter : 

• Jupiter is the biggest planet in our Solar System.
• It is mainly made up of hydrogen and helium.

Key Highlights : 

• 9 of the 12 discovered moons are among the 71 outermost Jovian moons, whose orbits are more than 550 days.
• The discovery was made during observations by astronomer Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution for Science and his team.
• These moons have been discovered by using telescopes in Hawaii and Chile in 2021 and 2022.
• These newest discovered moons range in size from 0.6 miles to 2 miles (1 kilometer to 3 kilometers.
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will launch the Europa Clipper mission to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa.
• Uranus has 27 confirmed moons, Neptune has 14, Mars has 2 and Earth has 1 moon. Venus and Mercury don’t have any moons.
• The JUICE mission of the European Space Agency is to be launched in 2024.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

NTPC has bagged “ATD Best Awards 2023”

• NTPC has bagged “ATD Best Awards 2023” for the sixth consecutive year.
• NTPC has been awarded by the Association for Talent Development (ATD), USA.
• NTPC has won this award for demonstrating enterprise success in the field of talent development.

About ATD:

• The Association for Talent Development, USA is the world’s largest association in the field of talent development.
• ATD Best Award is the most prestigious recognition in Learning and Development.

About NTPC:

• NTPC is the largest power-generating company in India.
• It is a PSU founded in 1975.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

SSIR and IISc join hands to boost semiconductor R&D in the country:

• Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR) announced a new partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to promote research and development in the field of on-chip Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection.
• The research agreement was exchanged by Balajee Sowrirajan, CVP & MD at Samsung Semiconductor India Research, Bengaluru, and Prof Govindan Rangarajan, Director, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in the presence of delegates from Samsung and IISc.
• The partnership seeks to build cutting-edge ESD device solutions to protect ultra-high-speed serial interfaces in advanced Integrated Circuits (ICs) and system-on-chip (SoC) products.
• The related research will be carried out by Prof Mayank Shrivastava’s group at the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering (DESE), IISc.
• Solutions arising from this research will be deployed in Samsung’s advanced process nodes.
• ICs and SoCs are essential for practically any system, from small to big, that we see around us, but they are very sensitive to ESD failures, especially those developed using advanced nanoscale CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technologies.
• The majority of IC chip failures and field returns are attributed to ESD failures.
• This is also rare expertise and industries holding the art of designing ESD protection devices and interface concepts lead the market.
• Thus, R&D in ESD technology for highly reliable interfaces and SoCs that operate at low power and high speed is an integral part of the semiconductor innovation effort.
• IISc is one of the few institutes in the world leading ESD device research.

MoA&FW signed an MOU with Digital Green to build a national-level digital extension platform.

• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi with Digital Green under a public-private partnership framework to build a national-level digital extension platform.
• The platform will host a digital library of curated multi-format multi-lingual content, help extension workers access and deliver curated content to farmers on time and upskill the vast network of extension workers for agriculture, etc.
• The MOU is with Digital Green, an award-winning social enterprise that is leveraging the power of technology to support small and marginal farmers to enhance their productivity and income, strengthen their agency and build community-level resilience.
• Founded by Rikin Gandhi, a technocrat and social development enthusiast, Digital Green has been working with governments in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, serving over 25 lakhs farmers and having enhanced the capacities of over 4000 front like workers.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

TOPS Weightlifting Development athlete Akanksha becomes champion

• For Maharashtra weightlifter Akanksha Vyavhare, the TOPS weightlifting athlete, who dreams of becoming like Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu, it was a tough and painful Gold at the Khelo India Youth Games.
• Akanksha undoubtedly emerged as the champion in the 45kg category but she had to overcome a tough fight from Silver medallist Asmita Dhone.
• The 14-year-old Akanksha lifted a total of 147 kg just four kilograms more than Asmita (143).
• Akanksha lifted 67 kgs in snatch and 80 kgs in clean and jerk.
• In terms of total weight, Akanksha set the youth national record while Silver medallist Asmita lifted 61 kgs in snatch and 82 kgs in clean and jerk, and Anjali Patel of Uttar Pradesh with a total of 142 kg (snatch 63 kg, clean and jerk 79 kg) walked away with the Bronze medal.

Indian pacer Joginder Sharma from Haryana has announced their retirement

• Indian pacer Joginder Sharma from Haryana has announced their retirement from all formats of cricket.
• The cricketer is known for his exceptional bowling in the T20 World Cup 2007 Final, where India defeated Pakistan to grab the prestigious trophy.
• Joginder Sharma played his first international match in an ODI against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2004.

Anurag Thakur launched the mascot of the third edition of the Khelo India Winter Games

• The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur launched the mascot, theme song, and jersey of the third edition of the Khelo India Winter Games.
• The games will take place in Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The winter games will be played across 9 sports events.
• The Khelo India Winter Games started in 2020.
• Around 1,500 athletes from across the country will participate in the games.
• It is supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• It is organized by the J&K Sports Council as well as the Winter Games association of the J&K.
• Jammu and Kashmir have come on top in both editions of the games so far.
• This year’s mascot is the Snow Leopard which depicts the vibrant heritage of the Himalayas.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

Popular artist B.K.S. Varma passed away                           

• Popular artist Bukkasagara Krishnaiah Srinivas (BKS) Varma died at the age of 74 in Bangalore, Karnataka.

About BKS Varma : 

• Varma was born in 1949 in Karnur, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• He was trained in art by the legendary art teacher A.N. Subbarao at the art and culture institution he founded, Kalamandir, in the 1960s.

• The subject of his paintings was mainly environmental and social issues presented in a surreal form.
• He also specialized in painting pictures in front of a large audience, in a short period, usually for poetry or dance

Awards & Honors : 

• 2001 – Honoured by the Karnataka Government with the prestigious award “Karnataka Rajya Puraskar”.
• 2001 – He received the Rajyotsava award
• 2011 – Honorary Doctorate from Bangalore University

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Pulses Day- Feb 10

• World Pulses Day is celebrated on February 10 every year and recognized Pulses as a global food.
• Pulses, also known as legumes, are the edible seeds of leguminous plants cultivated for food.
• The UN General Assembly in 2019 decided to dedicate a day to Pulses to increase awareness and access to pulses globally known as World Pulses Day.
• The UN General Assembly after recognizing the value of pulses in 2013, adopted 2016 as the International Year of Pulses (IYP).
• The UN, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), increased public awareness of pulses’ nourishing and environmental benefits.
• The International Year of Pulses succeeded Burkina Faso (a landlocked country in West Africa) and proposed the observance of World Pulses Day.
• In 2019, the General Assembly announced February 10 as World Pulses Day.

About FAO:

• The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is an international organization that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
• It was founded on 16 October 1945.
• The FAO comprises 195 members.
• Headquarters: Rome, Italy
• Founded: 16 October 1945, Québec City, Canada

Daily CA One-Liner: Feb 10

• Companies or entities in domestic contractual disputes with the central government and associated bodies only can seek to settle pending matters under the ‘Vivad se Vishwas II’ scheme, if no state government or any other private firm is a party to the case, or if the dispute pertains to pending financial claims, and not any performance claims
• The government expects to get ₹35,000 crores from the private sector for National Research Foundation (NRF).
• The Centre is planning to start a program to support small hydropower projects in the country
• GeM achieved a gross merchandise value of ₹5 lakh crore in FY23.
• The ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ or LiFE initiative of India for the adoption of energy-efficient behavior can save the world $440 billion in 2030, according to a report by International Energy Agency (IEA).
• NTPC has bagged “ATD Best Awards 2023” for the sixth consecutive year.
• Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR) announced a new partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to promote research and development in the field of on-chip Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection.
• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi with Digital Green under a public-private partnership framework to build a national-level digital extension platform.
• For Maharashtra weightlifter Akanksha Vyavhare, the TOPS weightlifting athlete, who dreams of becoming like Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu, it was a tough and painful Gold at the Khelo India Youth Games.
• Indian pacer Joginder Sharma from Haryana has announced her retirement from all formats of cricket
• The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur launched the mascot, theme song, and jersey of the third edition of the Khelo India Winter Games.
• World Pulses Day is celebrated on February 10 every year and recognized Pulses as a global food.
• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiked the repo rate by 25 basis points  (bps) to 6.5%  for FY 2022-23, and 5.3% for the next fiscal.
• Fintech firm PhonePe stated that its users will now be able to pay to international merchant outlets in 5 countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, Mauritius, Nepal, and Bhutan using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system.
• Airtel Payments Bank has launched – BizKhata, a current account with unlimited transactions and instant activation for small merchants and business partners across India.
• India plans to promote green tourism, open up to 50 new tourism destinations & launch a publicity campaign in overseas markets during its presidency of the G20 for 2023.
• The Government of Rajasthan’s iStart scheme is proving to be a boon for start-ups in the state.
• The Government of India (GoI) appointed Shri. K Satyanarayana Raju as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Director (CEO) of Canara bank.
• The Indian Navy’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) & the MiG-29K undertook their maiden landing onboard the country’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant.
• Google confirmed it will soon start public testing for a new artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot of its own called Bard, based on the company’s Language Model for Dialogue Application (LaMDA) to answer the challenge and threat posed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI and its AI chatbot.
• With the discovery of 12 new moons, Jupiter becomes the planet with the highest number of moons.
• Popular artist Bukkasagara Krishnaiah Srinivas (BKS) Varma died at the age of 74 in Bangalore, Karnataka.