Today’s Current Affairs
21st February 2023 Current Affairs are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking, UPSC or other competitive exams. Daily Current Affairs is the complete bag of important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the Top News of the Day for 21st February 2023 to help you prepare the Latest Current Affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.
Here is the Current Affairs 21st February 2023 covering the following news headlines: International Mother Language Day, BAFTA Awards, Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, Chandrayaan-3, CDS Bipin Rawat, NITI Aayog.
National News
1. First nuclear plant of North India to be built in Haryana
The first nuclear power plant in North India would be built in Gorakhpur, Haryana, according to Union Minister Jitendra Singh. He claimed that one of the major accomplishments under Prime Minister Narendra Modadi’s leadership would be the installation of nuclear and atomic energy plants across the nation, which had previously been largely restricted to states in the south like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh as well as western Maharashtra.
International News
2. India – Egypt hold 3rd ‘Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism’ meeting in New Delhi
India has been collaborating with numerous countries and organizations to counter global terrorism at various levels. Egypt is one such country with whom India has constantly worked to combat terrorism. The third meeting of the India-Egypt Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was conducted on February 16, 2023, in New Delhi.
States News
3. Khajuraho Dance Festival is Organized in Madhya Pradesh
The seven-day 49th Khajuraho Dance Festival will begin with Bharatnatyam and kathak at the temple declared as UNESCO heritage. The annual event of the Khajuraho Dance Festival is being organized by Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Evam Kala Akademi and the directorate of culture in association with the tourism department and the Archaeological Survey of India. Bharatanatyam dance will be presented by Janki Rangarajan, whereas Kathak-Bharatnatyam will be presented by Dhirendra Tiwari, Aprajita Sharma, and Kathak by Prachi Shah respectively.
4. Arunachal Pradesh Statehood Day 2023 Celebrations and History
Statehood Day in Arunachal Pradesh is a state holiday observed on 20th February in the Northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Statehood Day in Arunachal Pradesh is celebrated to commemorate the granting of statehood to the state which occurred in the year 1987. Arunachal Pradesh holds a key position in the whole northeastern Indian states, as it served as the general name of the whole region before its statehood. It is full of mountains and situated close to the Himalayas. Arunachal Pradesh shares its international border with China, Myanmar, and Bhutan.
Appointments News
5. Rajesh Rai named as CMD of ITI Limited
Rajesh Rai has been appointed as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITI Ltd), a PSU under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The Central Government has approved his appointment. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Rai for a period of five years with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post, or till the date of his superannuation, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest. Presently, he is serving as General Manager in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).
Important Takeaways For All Competitive Exams:
- ITI Limited Headquarters: Bengaluru;
- ITI Limited Founded: 12 October 1948.
6. Former IAS BVR Subrahmanyam appointed new NITI Aayog CEO
Former IAS officer BVR Subrahmanyam was appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Niti Aayog. The former Commerce Secretary takes over from Parameswaran lyer, who has been named as the Executive Director of World Bank. Subrahmanyam will take over from current CEO Parameswaran Iyer who will join World Bank as executive director in Washington DC. Subrahmanyam’s appointment as NITI Aayog CEO was announced by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Mr. Subrahmanyam’s appointment is for two years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post.
Important Takeaways For All Competitive Exams:
- NITI Aayog Vice Chairman: Suman Bery;
- NITI Aayog Formed: 1 January 2015;
- NITI Aayog Headquarters: New Delhi.
Agreements News
7. Cabinet approves MoUs between ICAI and ICA England & Wales for mutual recognition of qualification, training
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW). The MoU is to provide recognition of the qualification, training of each other’s members and admit the members in good standing by prescribing a bridging mechanism on the prevailing terms and conditions.
8. Ministry of Rural Development Signed MoU with Meesho
Ministry of Rural Development signed an MoU between the ministry and Meesho an e-commerce platform owned by Bengaluru-based Fashnear Technologies Private Limited. As per the agreement, the e-commerce platform will help in the marketing of products made by the Self-Help Groups under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission. Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh informed that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took charge, there were 2.35 crore SHG members, but with a focused approach to empower rural poor women in the last 9 years, the number of SHG members has expanded to more than 9 crores and will touch 10 crores by 2024.
9. Bank of Maharashtra tops list of public sector lenders in loan growth, asset quality
Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has emerged as the top performer among state-owned lenders in terms of loan growth percentage during the third quarter of 2022-23, an analysis of the latest financial results of public sector banks showed. The Pune-based lender recorded a 21.67 per cent increase in gross advances on a year-on-year basis, according to the latest quarterly numbers of the public sector bank (PSB).
10. Unemployment benefits under ESIC extended for 2 years by Labour Ministry
The 190th Meeting of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) was held in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Labor & Employment and Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. Shri Rameswar Teli, Minister of State for Labor & Employment, Petroleum & Natural Gas, was present at the meeting as well. At the 190th meeting of the ESI Corporation, Shri Yadav announced a number of initiatives that will boost Shram Jeevis’ social security and further the goal of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The Atal BeemitVyaktikalyan Yojana benefits are now available for two additional years.
Defence News
11. Bell in honour of late CDS Bipin Rawat placed at Nepal’s Shree Muktinath temple
In commemoration of India’s late Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, a bell has been placed at Nepal’s revered Shree Muktinath Temple. The bell named “Bipin Bell,” has been installed at the revered Hindu temple in Mustang district during the visit of four former Indian army chiefs namely Gen VN Sharma, Gen JJ Singh, Gen Deepak Kapoor and Gen Dalbir Suhag.
Science and Technology News
12. Serum Institute to establish centre of excellence for Infectious Diseases & Pandemic Preparedness in Hyderabad
Serum Institute of India will be setting up Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness in the Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad. The CoE is being set up for providing the community with a centralised location for information, resources, and support during times of public health emergencies. It will be staffed by experienced healthcare professionals and equipped with state-of-the-art technology and resources.
13. Vedanta-Foxconn JV choose Dholera SIR for India’s first semiconductor facility
Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta and manufacturing behemoth Foxconn announced their joint venture’s plans to build a semiconductor and display manufacturing facility in Gujarat’s Dholera Special Investment Zone. In September of last year, the Gujarat government and the Vedanta-Foxconn JV inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the JV to invest 1,54,000 crore to build a semiconductor and display manufacturing facility.
14. India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 accomplishes another achievement
India’s lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3 has successfully underwent EMI-EMC (Electro-Magnetic Interference/ Electro-Magnetic Compatibility). The EMI-EMC test is conducted for satellite missions to ensure functionality of the satellite subsystems in the space environment and their compatibility with the expected electromagnetic levels. The test was conducted between January 31 and February 2 at U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru.
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15. APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission-2023 launched from Tamil Nadu
The Martin Foundation in association with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation and Space Zone India launched the APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission-2023 from the Pattipolam village of Chengalpattu district in Tamil Nadu. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was also present at the event.
Schemes News
16. Govt forms cabinet secretary-led panel to monitor Mission Karmayogi
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba will head a top panel comprising a senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office, seven secretaries, among others, to monitor the implementation of the government’s ambitious Mission Karmayogi programme for training of government employees. The government has recently approved setting up a Cabinet Secretariat Coordination Unit or CSCU as part of the institutional framework under the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) or Mission Karmayogi, officials said, citing an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in this regard.
Awards News
17. Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2023: Check the winners list
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the country’s highest award in the field of cinema. The 2023 winners were revealed by the Directorate of Film Festivals. Mumbai will host the 2023 Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival ceremony. Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor won the Best Actor and Best Actress awards at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards.
Here is the complete list of winners
Category | Winner |
Best Film | The Kashmir Files |
Film Of The Year | RRR |
Best Actor | Ranbir Kapoor (Brahmastra Part One: Shiva) |
Best Actress | Alia Bhatt (Gangubhai Khatiawadi) |
18. 76th BAFTA Awards 2023: Check the complete list of winners
At the Royal Festival Hall in London, England, the 76th British Academy Film Awards, also referred to as the BAFTAs, were presented. The award was hosted by actor Richard E Grant, the star-studded ceremony saw the German ant-war film All Quiet on the Western Front winning seven awards, including the two big wins awards, Best Film and Best Director. Shaunak Sen’s documentary All That Breathes from India was a nominee for the Best Documentary award, which went to Daniel Roher’s Navalny.
Here are the complete list of winners:
Category | Winner |
Best Film | All Quiet on the Western Front |
Leading Actress | Cate Blanchett, Tar |
Leading Actor | Austin Butler, Elvis |
Best Director | Edward Berger, All Quiet on the Western Front |
Best Casting | Elvis |
Important Days
19. International Mother Language Day observed on 21st February
Every year on February 21, the world celebrates International Mother Language Day to encourage linguistic, cultural, and multilingualism variety. The aim of the celebrations is to preserve traditional knowledge and cultures through sustainable methods and support multilingualism in societies. The theme of the 2023 International Mother Language Day, “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education” aligns with recommendations made during the Transforming Education Summit, where an emphasis was also placed on Indigenous people’s education and languages.
Obituaries News
20. Former Gujarat governor O P Kohli passes away at 87
Former Gujarat governor and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Om Prakash Kohli has passed away at the age of 87. He was the 19th governor of Gujarat from 2014 to 2019. While presiding as Gujarat governor, he also served as the governor of Madya Pradesh and Goa. A former Rajya Sabha member and ex-president of BJP in Delhi, he was also a leading academician.
Miscellaneous News
21. World’s Highest Weather Station Rebuilt on Mount Everest
The world’s highest altitude weather station was destroyed due to hurricane-force winds on Mount Everest and a team of scientists and Sherpa have again placed its new version atop Mount Everest. The group has been led by a 31-year-old electrician and mountain guide Tenzing Gyalzen Sherpa. According to the Guinness World Records report, the team of mountaineers and scientists has installed a record-breaking weather station at an altitude of 8,810 meters just 39 meters (128 ft) below Everest’s summit.