1. DHARA - Annual Meeting of Members of the River Cities Alliance to be held In Pune
Tags: Summits State News
A first of its kind two-day international conference, DHARA 2023, is being organised in Pune to discuss strategies for managing urban rivers.
An overview of the news
DHARA stands for -Driving Holistic Action for Urban Rivers.
DHARA is the annual meeting of the members of the River Cities Alliance (RCA).
The meeting is being organised by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) from 13 to 14 February in Pune.
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will deliver the keynote address on the inaugural day of the event, while Kaushal Kishor, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, will deliver the concluding speech on the second day.
DHARA 2023 will provide a forum for commissioners, additional commissioners, chief engineers and senior planners of the 95 member river cities in India to discuss management and solutions for local water bodies.
The event has strong synergy with the Urban 20 (U20) initiative under India's G20 Presidency.
River Cities Alliance (RCA)
It was launched in 2021 as a dedicated platform for river cities of India for discussion and exchange of information for sustainable management of urban rivers.
It was started with 30 cities in 2021 and currently has 95 cities as members across India.
It is formed by the successful partnership of the two Ministries - Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
It focuses on three broad themes - networking, capacity building and technical support.
It will enable cities to learn from each other's success and failure and connect people to rivers.
2. Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2023 begins in Mumbai
Tags: Festivals State News
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on 11 February inaugurated the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav- 2023 (RSM) at Azad Maidan, Churchgate in Mumbai.
An overview of the news
The festival has been organised by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India from 11 to 19 February to promote national unity and integrity through cultural exchange.
Minister of Cultural affairs, Forest and Fisheries, Govt of Maharashtra Sudhir Mungantiwar and Minister of Tourism, Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Women and Child development, Govt of Maharashtra Mangal Prabhat Lodha were the guests of honour present for the inaugural function.
The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav conveys the message of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat', which signifies that despite the many diversities in language and cultural expressions, India is united and one.
Around 1000 artists will perform during the Mahotsav for the people of Mumbai.
About 350 folk and tribal artistes from across India along with around 300 local folk artistes, some transgender and differently-abled artistes, renowned classical artists as well as renowned star artists will enthral the audience with their enthralling performances.
On April 14, a special tourist Babasaheb Ambedkar Circuit train will be inaugurated.
3. ADB approves $130 million loan to promote horticulture in Himachal
Tags: State News
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $130 million (over Rs 1,072 crore) loan to enhance agricultural productivity and farmers' income in Himachal Pradesh and promote horticulture agribusiness.
An overview of the news:
ADB aims to benefit Himachal Pradesh, where more than half of its land area is mountainous and 90 percent of its population lives in rural areas dependent on agriculture.
Through this, improving subtropical horticulture in the state will create a lot of economic opportunities for the farming families.
Supporting horticulture value chains will also enhance the contribution of this sub-sector to the development and food security of the country.
Asian Development Bank (ADB):
It is a regional multilateral financial institution focused on countries in the Asia and Pacific region.
It currently has 68 members – of which 49 are from the Asia and Pacific region and 19 from outside.
ADB President: Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters: Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines
4. Rohit Sharma became the first Indian captain to score a century in all three formats of the game
Tags: Person in news State News
Indian captain Rohit Sharma has become the first Indian captain to score a century in all three formats of cricket.
An overview of the news:
Rohit achieved this feat by playing an innings of 120 runs on the second day of the first test of the series being played in Nagpur against Australia.
At the international level, three captains have achieved this feat before Rohit, including former Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, former South African captain Faf du Plessis and Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
This is Rohit Sharma's 9th century in Test cricket.
Rohit has scored three centuries as captain in ODIs and two in T20s. While Rohit has scored a total of 30 centuries in ODI cricket and 4 centuries in T20.
Records of Rohit Sharma:
The player who scored the most runs (264) in a match in One Day International cricket is
He is the only batsman to have scored three double hundreds in ODI history.
Rohit is the player with the most centuries (5) in a single World Cup (2019).
Rohit is the player to hit most sixes (16) in a match.
5. PM flag off two Vande Bharat trains in Mumbai
Tags: State News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off two new Vande Bharat trains from Mumbai on 10 February.
An overview of the news
PM Modi first flagged off the Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
Later, he flagged off the second Vande Bharat Express train connecting Mumbai to the temple town of Sainagar Shirdi in Ahmednagar.
With the commissioning of the two trains, the number of Vande Bharat Express trains running from Mumbai has increased to three, taking the number to 10 in the country.
The first Vande Bharat train in Maharashtra connects Mumbai to Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
Prime Minister Modi also dedicated the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road section and the Kurar underpass to the public.
He also inaugurated the new campus of Aljamia-tus-Saifiyah in Marol, a western suburb of Mumbai.
Aljamia-tus-Saifiya is an educational institution of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community.
About Vande Bharat Express Train
The first Vande Bharat Express was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 February 2019.
These trains have a self-propelled engine that can save diesel and reduce electricity usage by up to 30%.
The first Vande Bharat Express was manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.
It was manufactured under the 'Make in India' program at a cost of around Rs 100 crore.
These trains can attain a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
In the Union Budget for 2022-2023, the government has proposed to develop and manufacture 400 new Vande Bharat trains over the next three years.
Governor of Maharashtra: Bhagat Singh Koshiyari
Chief Minister of Maharashtra; Eknath Shinde
6. UP Government launches 'Family ID' portal
Tags: State News
The UP government has launched an online portal, "Family ID - One Family One Identity" to make access to government schemes easier for the families of the state.
An overview of the news
Its objective is to provide free or subsidised ration to those families who do not have ration cards and are not eligible for the National Food Security Scheme.
Through the portal, families can create their ID and can avail the benefits of the schemes.
For those who already have an ID, the family ID will be the same as the ration card ID.
For others, ID will be generated through the portal and all the families will get a unique identity.
It will create a comprehensive database of households in Uttar Pradesh.
This ID will also be useful for other purposes. For example, a family member can use the ID to determine caste and apply for the same for a birth certificate.
The National Food Security Scheme, which provides free or subsidised ration to people living in Uttar Pradesh, can also be availed through the portal.
7. Kala Ghoda Art Festival 2023
Tags: Festivals State News
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2023 is being organised in Mumbai (Maharashtra) from 4 -12 February.
An overview of the news:
In the Kala Ghoda Festival, dance, art and music, architecture, food, handicrafts, graphics, and many other types of art exhibitions are seen.
Kala Ghoda Kala Mahotsav is an arts festival organised in Mumbai, which was started in 1999 by Kala Ghoda Foundation.
It is named Kala Ghoda because it is held at a place in the South Mumbai area where there is a statue of a black horse.
This festival is organised every year starting from the first Saturday of February till the second Sunday.
Other Festivals of Maharashtra:
Gudi Padwa
This festival is generally celebrated by Maharashtrians as Hindu New Year celebrations.
Pola Festival
It is a harvest festival and is celebrated all over the state of Maharashtra, especially in the rural areas.
Elephanta Festival
Elephanta festival is held every year in February. Elephanta is a small island near Mumbai.
Kalidas Mahotsav
The Kalidas Samaroh is held annually in the month of November in Nagpur's Ramtek area, in honour of the famous Sanskrit poet and dramatist Kalidas.
8. Gujarat government signs deal with OECD to hold PISA test for govt school students
Tags: State News
The Gujarat government 4 February signed an agreement with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to conduct the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test for students of government schools.
An overview of the news
The agreement was signed in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and OECD Paris Director Andreas Schleicher.
This is a significant step towards the objective of achieving grade-appropriate learning outcomes in government schools.
Gujarat is the first state in the country to sign such an agreement.
PISA measures the ability of 15-year-olds to read and apply math and science skills to meet real-life challenges.
It will improve thinking, problem solving and effective communication skills of the students.
This will help in achieving the objective of ensuring quality learning outcomes in government schools.
About Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)
It is an international assessment that measures the maths and science literacy of 15-year-old students every 3 years.
It was first organized in 2000.
This worldwide study is conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in member and non-member nations.
It aims to provide countries with comparative data to improve their education policies and outcomes.
9. 36th Inter-University North Zone Youth Festival at Jammu University
Tags: Festivals State News
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Thakur attends valedictory function as Chief Guest of 36th Inter-University North Zone Youth Festival (Antarnaad) at Jammu University.
An overview of the news
The festival was organized under the aegis of Association of Indian Universities (AIU) at Zorawar Singh Auditorium, Jammu University.
He said India is now the hub of ‘Start-up’ ecosystem in the world, ranking third with 90,000 ‘Start-Ups’, 107 unicorn companies worth 30 billion dollars.
1000 participants from 18 universities across the country participated in the festival.
Competing teams in the festival
University of Jammu,
Dev Sanskriti Vishavidhalya Haridwar Uttarakhand,
GADVASU-Ludhiana,
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology
Doon University Uttarakhand,
University of Kashmir,
Cluster University of Jammu,
Punjabi University Patiala,
CT University Ludhiana,
IK Gujral Punjab Technical University Kapurthala,
Himachal Pradesh University Shimla, GNDU Amritsar,
Lovely Professional University, Chandigarh University, Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana,
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University Bathinda
DAV Jalandhar.
10. LG Manoj Sinha inaugurates SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2023 in Jammu
Tags: Festivals State News
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Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on 4 February inaugurated the SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2023 at Aquaplex Crown at Bagh-e-Bahu, Jammu.
An overview of the news
Women self-help groups from around 25 states and union territories across the country are participating in the fair.
The 11-day fair is the first of its kind in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
This mega event will provide a platform to rural SHG women to sell and promote their self-made products and build marketing tie-ups with various sales platforms.
75 stalls and 10 food courts have been set up at the exhibition venue to display crafts, handicrafts, handlooms and delicacies.
Self Help Groups will display handicrafts, handlooms and natural food items from different rural areas across the country.
It is a national level fair which showcases unique and famous indigenous products from different states and union territories.
SARAS Aajeevika Mela
It is an initiative of the Deen Dayal Dayal Upadhyaya Yojana of the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
It aims to provide an opportunity to rural women self-help groups to showcase their skills, sell products and make direct contact with bulk buyers.
This fair serves as an integrated approach for women empowerment. This has been linked with the Atmanirbhar Bharat approach.
