National
NTPC conferred with CBIP Award 2022
⇒ NTPC Limited, has been honoured with the CBIP Award 2022 for ‘Outstanding Contribution in Power Generation’, attributed to its Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station, the largest power station in the country for its efficiency and high level of generation.
- The award was presented by Shri RK Singh, Union Minister of Power, New & Renewable Energy at a function organized on the occasion of CBIP Day at Scope Convention Centre in New Delhi on 03 March 2023.
- The award was received by Shri Ramesh Babu V, Director (Operations) and Shri Praveen Saxena, Regional Executive Director (NR).
» NTPC stands committed to generating power responsibly and sustainably and occupies the premier position in the Indian energy sector in terms of size and efficiency. The award stands as testimony to NTPC’s enduring contribution to the generation of power in the country.
» The CBIP Awards are conferred to institutions/individuals for their outstanding contributions to the development of water, power and Renewable Energy Sectors.
Advanced Electronic Materials Laboratory at C-MET, Thrissur
⇒ The Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma IAS, has inaugurated the Advanced Electronics Materials Laboratory at the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), in Thrissur on 03 March 2023.
» Speaking on the occasion, Alkesh Kumar said that Advanced materials are critical in developing electronic components and devices for futuristic applications.
- The new facility will help to enhance C-MET’s capabilities in translational research on electronic materials, components and devices for developing commercial ready products in line with the government’s Atmarnirbharata mission.
About C-MET:
- Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) is an autonomous scientific society under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.
- One of the major thrust areas of C-MET, Thrissur is sensors and actuators.
- C-MET has established a Center of Excellence (CoE) in Intelligent IoT sensors along with IIITMK and industrial partners.
- The CoE is focused on the development of innovative products and solutions specifically tuned to cater the industry needs.
Launch of IoT sensor products developed at C-MET, Thrissur
⇒ The Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma launched three IoT sensor-based products developed by C-MET in the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Intelligent IoT sensors on 03 March 2023.
Three IoT Sensors:
- Smart Digital thermometer
- IoT enabled Environmental Monitoring System
- Multichannel data Acquisition System
» The technology transfer of “Multichannel data Acquisition System” to M/s Murata Business Engineering India Pvt Ltd was also carried out in the same function.
» These products are expected to help the Indian industries to explore the global sensor market with indigenous solutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Alkesh Kumar said that Sensors are one of the most widely used components in the industry and C-MET’s efforts through translational research on IoT sensors for developing commercial ready components and devices is in line with the government’s Atmarnirbharata mission.
- Indigenously developed IoT sensor solutions will help to position India as a global hub for sensors and devices.
Other Points:
- With the advent of concepts like Smart cities and intelligent systems, sensors that can detect, feel, respond and send the data to anywhere in the world through Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the electronics market.
- IoT enabled sensors which can be monitored and controlled remotely, through internet connectivity, are the heart of smart devices and systems.
- Centre for materials for Electronic Technology (C-MET), Thrissur an R&D institute under the Ministry of Electronics & IT, Govt of India is a premier institute engaged in the development of electronic materials, components and devices.
International
16th President of Nigeria
⇒ Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in as the 16th President of Nigeria on May 29, 2023. The inauguration took place in the capital Abuja at Eagles Square, with local and foreign dignitaries in attendance.
Presidential Election:
- The 2023 Nigerian presidential election was held on 25 February 2023 to elect the president and Vice President of Nigeria.
- The 71-year-old southerner won the elections with 8.8 million votes, succeeding the 80-year-old Muhammadu Buhari who is also a member of the All-Progressives Congress party (APC). Tinubu only won the elections with 37% of the vote, the lowest share since 1999.
Sir Ben Key First Sea First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Royal Navy visit to India
⇒ Sir Ben Key First Sea First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Royal Navy visited India on a two-day official visit from 02 – 03 March 2023 to participate in Raisina Dialogue at Delhi.
Discussion:
- The discussions encompassed various issues of common interest and included maritime capability development and greater naval cooperation to further enhance the interoperability between the two navies to address emerging threats.
- The discussions emphasized on the significance accorded by both countries for a collaborative approach towards maritime security in Indo-Pacific.
The Visit of the First Sea Lord Sir Ben Key is another noteworthy aspect of the Navy-to-Navy relations and is a consolidation of growing engagements between both the navies.
Background:
- The bilateral relationship between India and UK was upgraded to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2004 and was further strengthened through reciprocal visits by the Prime Ministers of both countries.
- The engagements between Indian Navy and Royal Navy include operational interactions such as the Bilateral Exercise KONKAN and Joint Services Exercise Konkan Shakti, training exchanges and exchange of Maritime Information and Subject Matter Experts in various fields.
Important Day
World Wildlife Day 2023
⇒ World Wildlife Day (WWD) is celebrated every year on 3 March.
World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that their conservation provides to people.
- At the same time, the Day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.
Theme:
World Wildlife Day 2023 celebrated under the theme “Partnerships for wildlife conservation“, honoring the people who are making a difference.
History:
- On 20 December 2013, the Sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly decided to proclaim 3 March as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora.
- The date is the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973, which plays an important role in ensuring that international trade does not threaten the species’ survival. This World Wildlife Day 2023 falls on the 50th Anniversary of CITES coming into being.
- Previously, 3 March had been designated as World Wildlife Day in a resolution made at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP16) held in Bangkok from 3 to 14 March 2013.
- The CITES resolution was sponsored by the Kingdom of Thailand, the Host of CITES CoP16, which transmitted the outcomes of CITES CoP16 to the UN General Assembly.
- The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), in collaboration with other relevant United Nations organizations, facilitates the implementation of World Wildlife Day.
- With 183 Member States, CITES remains one of the world’s most powerful tools for biodiversity conservation through the regulation of trade in wild fauna and flora.