National
8th Vande Bharat Express
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express train connecting Secunderabad with Visakhapatnam via video conferencing on 15 January 2023.
This train is the eighth Vande Bharat Express introduced by Indian Railways and the first one connecting the two Telugu-speaking states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, covering a distance of around 700 km.
About Vande Bharat Express:
- The indigenously designed train set of Vande Bharat Express is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities. It will provide a faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience to rail users.
- Vande Bharat 2.0 is equipped with more advancements and improved features such as reaching a speed of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 52 seconds, and a maximum speed of up to 180 kilometres per hour.
- The improved Vande Bharat Express will weigh 392 tons when compared to the previous version of 430 tons.
- In the new design of Vande Bharat Express, a photo-catalytic ultraviolet air purification system is installed in the Roof-Mounted Package Unit (RMPU) for air purification. As recommended by Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh, this system is designed and installed on both ends of RMPU to filter and clean the air free from germs, bacteria, viruses etc. coming through fresh air and return air.
- The Vande Bharat Express 2.0 is equipped with advanced state-of-the-art safety features including an indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System – KAVACH.
Geospatial Hackathon
⇒ Union Minister of State (I/C) Science & Technology; Minister of State (I/C) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh launched the “Geospatial Hackathon” to promote Innovation and Start-Ups in India’s Geospatial ecosystem on 14 January 2023.
The Union Minister said that StartUps in new emerging technologies are key to India’s future economy. He also said that the Hackathon will promote Innovation and StartUps in India’s Geospatial ecosystem.
About Geospatial Hackathon 2023:
Geospatial Hackathon is to create interest in geospatial tech and specifically build solutions leveraging maps and satellite data for solving India’s problems.
Organised by:
Department of Science and Technology is organising the ‘DST GEOSPATIAL HACKATHON’ program in partnership with TBI at IIIT Hyderabad and Microsoft in order to mobilize and inculcate innovative ideas and applied research in Geospatial domain.
- The program will have Survey of India (SOI) as a knowledge partner in the Geospatial domain, Microsoft as a Corporate Partner, and TBI supported by DST at IIIT Hyderabad –CIE (Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship) as academic and program execution partner.
Two Sets of Challenges:
There were Two Sets of Challenges- Research Challenge and Startp-Up Challenge – to find out 4 winners for the Best Solutions to the Geospatial Select Problem Statements.
- Research challenge- Deep geospatial Problem Statements given by DST/SOI
- Startup challenge – Innovative Geospatial solutions built by startups or student teams and professional developers
» Two awards each with Rs 7.00 Lakh grant prize will be given in both the verticals.
» The “Geospatial Hackathon” ended on 10 March 2023.
Foundation stone of 100 bedded ESIC Hospital at Agartala, Tripura
⇒ Union Minister of Labour& Employment, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav laid the foundation stone of 100 bedded Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital, Tripura from New Delhi in a virtual event held on 15 January 2023.
About Hospital:
- The proposed 100 bedded ESIC hospital to be built in Agartala will be spread over an area of 5 acres. It will be directly run by ESIC.
- The estimated construction cost of this hospital is around 100 crores and will be completed in 3 years.
- The hospital will have all the modern facilities like modular OT, state of the art medical equipment, labs, etc. It will have OPD and IPD services.
- This hospital will cater to and provide medical services to more than 60,000 beneficiaries of Agartala and nearby areas.
SPIC MACAY's 'Music in the Park' Series
⇒ SPIC MACAY organizes its very popular ‘Music in the Park’ series this year under the name “Shruti Amrut” in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the New Delhi Municipal Council.
- The beauty of Indian Classical Music was showcased by eminent artists from across the country.
» In this series, the first event of 2023 was held on 15 January 2023 in Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
About SPIC MACAY:
- SPIC MACAY- The Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture amongst youth is a voluntary youth movement.
- It promotes the tangible & intangible aspects of Indian & world heritage by organizing programs and workshops of Indian Classical, Folk Music and dance, Yoga, meditation, crafts, and other aspects of Indian culture.
- It is a movement started in 1977 and has chapters in over 850 towns across the world.
Sports
Aditya Birla Memorial Polo Cup Championship 2023
⇒ The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar and Dr. Sudesh Dhankhar arrived in Mumbai on 14 January 2023. This was Shri Dhankhar’s maiden visit to the state of Maharashtra after assuming the office of the Vice President.
During the visit, Shri Dhankhar attended the annual ‘Aditya Birla Memorial Polo Cup’ Championship 2023 as the Chief Guest at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai.
- The Aditya Birla Memorial Polo Cup 2023 was organised from January 9 to January 14, 2023.
Organized by:
The ‘Aditya Birla Memorial Polo Cup’ Championship 2023 was organized by the Amateur Riders’ Club and sponsored by Aditya Birla Group.
Winner:
Dynamix Achievers beat Madon Polo to claim the Aditya Birla Memorial Cup 2023, at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse.
Important Day
59th Foundation Day of Food Corporation of India (FCI) 2023
⇒ Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Textiles and Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal delivered the inaugural address on the 59th Foundation Day of Food Corporation of India (FCI) on 14 January 2023.
Shri Piyush Goyal said that the transformation of Food Corporation of India should be done on a fast-track mode so that the organization can continue to help the people, the poor and the farmers of the country.
About FCI:
- Food Corporation of India is a statutory body under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
- The Food Corporation of India or FCI was set up on 14 January 1965.
- Its first District Office was in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu and its headquarters in Chennai. Later the headquarters was moved to New Delhi.
» The Food Corporation of India was setup under the Food Corporation’s Act 1964, in order to fulfill following objectives of the Food Policy:
- Effective price support operations for safeguarding the interests of the farmers.
- Distribution of foodgrains throughout the country for public distribution system.
- Maintaining satisfactory level of operational and buffer stocks of foodgrains to ensure National Food Security.