Daily Current Affairs 22nd February 2023

Current Affairs 22nd February 2023 are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking 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 GK update for 22nd February 2023 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz. 

Here is the Current Affairs 22nd February 2023 covering the following news headlines: Indo-Canadian Afshan Khan, Malabar naval exercise, UAE Chapter of the Business Council, India’s First Agri Chatbot, First PMGati Shakti Workshop.

Top 23 Daily Current Affairs: National & International News:

Here is providing below the top 23 important Daily General Knowledge 2022 updates with national & international news.

                                           International News

1. UN names Indo-Canadian Afshan Khan in Key post for drive to end malnutrition

• Afshan Khan, an Indo-Canadian, has been named the coordinator of the “Scaling Up Nutrition Movement,” according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
• According to Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for the secretary-general at the UN headquarters in New York, the Scaling Up Nutrition or SUN Movement is a country-driven project headed by 65 nations and four Indian states who are committed to ending all types of malnutrition by 2030.
• In her new assignment, Ms Khan will work to ensure the execution of the Scaling Up Nutrition strategy at the global level by building partnerships, and galvanizing engagement and commitment to end malnutrition in all its forms.

2. Australia to conduct Malabar naval exercise for first time this August

• Malabar multilateral naval exercise will be hosted by Australia for the first time this year, which includes participation from India, Australia, Japan, and the United States.
• With Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong slated to visit India in early March, when new defence plans may be unveiled, the high level of bilateral interaction between the two countries will continue. Australia will host Malabar 2023, which is slated to take place in August, according to official sources. “Maybe Perth will host the exercise.
• But, a final decision has not yet been made because the details are still being worked out, according to two different authorities.

3. UAE and India launch the UAE Chapter of the Business Council

• India and the UAE are celebrating the first anniversary of their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, signed on February 18, 2022.
• As part of continued efforts to boost bilateral trade, the UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) was launched on February 18, 2023 by the UAE’s minister of state for foreign trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.
• Others present at the signing of the agreement included India’s ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir, general counsel of India in Dubai Aman Puri, and founding members of the UIBC- UC.

                                               States News

4. India’s First Agri Chatbot Ama KrushAI Launched in Odisha

• Governor of Odisha Prof. Ganeshi Lal launched India’s first AI Chatbot for the Agricultural sector ‘Ama KrushAI’ at the valedictory session of ‘Krushi Odisha 2023’.
• Ama KrushAI chatbot will help the farmers with the best agronomic practices, inform them about government schemes, and loan products from more than 40 commercial and cooperative banks.
• Ama KrushAI will run under a pilot project involving more than 10,000 farmers and will be implemented in full-fledged in the next two months.
• Addressing the gathering, the Governor urged farmers to take advantage of different schemes announced by the state government to promote agriculture and help the state prosper.

5. Eknath Shinde-led Sena Faction Gets ‘Bow and Arrow’ Symbol

• The Election Commission recognized the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena and allocated it the bow and arrow symbol.
• In the order, the Election Commission informed that 40 MLAs backing Shinde got nearly 76% of the votes polled in favor of the 55 Shiv Sena candidates who had won their seats in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.
• On the other hand, the Uddhav Thackeray faction’s 15 MLAs got 23.5% of the votes polled, the three-member poll body said in a unanimous order.
• Meanwhile, 13 MPs of the Shinde faction got 73% of the total votes cast in Shiv Sena’s favor in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, while only 27% of the votes went to MPs from the Thackeray camp.

6. First PMGati Shakti Workshop Held in Goa for Western & Central Zone

• The first Prime Minister GatiShakti regional workshop for the Western and Central Zone was held in Goa.
• The workshop featured discussions on use cases of National Master Plan (NMP) adoption by Central Ministries & State Departments for planning and acted as a platform for mutual learning among the States and Central Ministries/Departments.
• Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and senior government officials from Central Ministries and State Governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh were present on the occasion.

                                              Economy News

7. Ind-Ra anticipates India’s growth to be below 6% in FY24

• IndiaRatings (Ind-Ra) revised its FY24 growth forecast downward to 5.9% from the Reserve Bank of India‘s 6.4%.
• The agency predicts that growth would not surpass 6% in 2023–2024 despite factors such as continuing government capital spending, deleverage corporations, reduced NPAs, the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme, and the expectation that global commodity prices will remain stable.
• While Ind-Ra anticipates services and agriculture to be the major drivers of growth, it thinks industrial growth will remain muted.
• While Ind-Ra anticipates services and agriculture to be the major drivers of growth, it thinks industrial growth will remain muted.

8. ADB strives $25 billion for India’s infra, social and green needs

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in order to help India fulfil its most pressing development requirements, pledged up to $25 billion over the course of the next five years to support social development, climate change, and infrastructure development in India under the PM Gati Shakti project. 
• ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa informed PM Narendra Modi during their discussion that ADB intended to provide $20–25 billion in resources over a five-year period to help the nation achieve its goals of rapid, inclusive, and environmentally friendly growth.
• ADB will offer comprehensive support for India’s top priorities, including the crucial infrastructure push under the PM’s Gati Shakti (National Master Plan for Multimodal Connectivity) initiative, the construction of future cities, mobilising domestic resources, and bolstering basic services in underserved areas.

                                            Business News

9. ChatGPT introduces boom in AI-written e-books on Amazon

• Brett Schickler had never before considered the possibility of becoming a published novelist.
• But, after finding out about the ChatGPT artificial intelligence initiative, Schickler believed he had been given a chance.
• Schickler produced a 30-page illustrated children’s e-book in a couple of hours using the AI programme, which can produce text blocks from straightforward instructions, and made it available for purchase through Amazon.com Inc.’s self-publishing division in January.
• After finding a gold coin, Sammy the Squirrel—roughly animated using AI as well—learns from his forest buddies the importance of saving money.
• He creates an acorn-shaped piggy bank, makes investments in an acorn trading company, and dreams of one day purchasing an acorn mill.

10. Tata Group bags Title sponsorship rights for the Women’s Premier League to 2027

• According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the Tata Group has secured the title sponsorship rights for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for five seasons (BCCI).
• From February 15, 2023, to July 31, 2027, or up until 30 days after the conclusion of the WPL Season 2027, the salt to software conglomerate will hold the title sponsorship rights.
• On January 28, the BCCI published the tender for the purchase of WPL title rights. The bidding paper could only be purchased until February 9; meanwhile, bids had to be submitted by February 11 to be considered.

                                                   Banking News

11. RBI: Introduction of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) related transaction code in NEFT and RTGS Systems

• Reserve Bank of India vide its Circular dated 16^th February, 2023 regarding the introduction of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) related transaction code in NEFT and RTGS Systems.
• Currently, foreign contributions must be received only in the “FCRA account” of State Bank of India (SBI), New Delhi Main Branch (NDMB). The contributions to the FCRA account are received directly from foreign banks through SWIFT and from Indian intermediary banks through NEFT and RTGS systems.
• The donor details such as name, address, country of origin, amount, currency, and purpose of remittance are required to be captured in such transactions and SBI is required to report the same to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on daily basis.

12. Reserve Bank of India appoints Shri Vikramaditya Singh Khichi as a member in the Advisory Committee of M/s Reliance Capital Ltd

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Vikramaditya Singh Khichi to a panel to advise the administrator of debt-ridden Reliance Capital (RCap), he apex bank said in a release.
• Khichi, former executive director of Bank of Baroda, has been appointed to Reliance Capital’s advisory committee following the resignation of Srinivasan Varadarajan from the panel.
• The RBI on December 7, 2021, constituted an advisory committee to advise the administrator in the operations of the financial service providers during the corporate insolvency resolution process of RCap.
• Earlier, RCap was planning to challenge the verdict of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) that ruled Torrent Investment as the highest bidder for the firm in the Supreme Court.

                                            Important Days

13. World Thinking Day observed on 22nd February

• Every year on February 22, the World Organization of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) observes World Thinking Day.
• The goal of the day is to collect money for the 10 million girl scouts and guides who are active in more than 150 countries while also celebrating sisterhood, solidarity, and women’s empowerment.
• On World Thinking Day, female scouts are also encouraged to build enduring bonds with one another that prioritise loyalty and respect.
• ‘Our World, Our Peaceful Future’, the theme for World Thinking Day 2023, explores what one can understand from the ecosystem and how we can cooperate with nature to build a more secure and tranquil future for girls worldwide.

14. World Scout Day 2023 celebrates on 22nd February

• World Scout Day is observed annually on February 22 by millions of Boy Scouts worldwide.
• It honours Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who founded the Boy Scout Movement, on the day of his birthday.
• The day is observed by National Scout Organizations all over the world through events including fundraising campaigns, food drives, and other types of volunteer work.
• According to the Scout Movement’s official website, there are 172 National Scout Organizations with 57 million members as of 2022. The entire scouting community should take note of this day.

                                               Agreements News

15. Bharat Electronics signs MoUs with ADA, DRDO for Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme

• Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) said, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), DRDO, for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
• It also signed another MoU with Cisco for long-term strategic cooperation in the areas of networking, collaboration, and security among other associated services, the BEL said in separate press releases.
• These MoUs were signed during the Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru from February 13 to 17, the PSU said.

                                     Summits and Conferences

16. 18th World Security Congress Begins in Jaipur

• A 3-day long 18th UIC World Security Congress jointly organised by the International Union of Railways (UIC), Paris and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) began on 21 February.
• Theme of this year’s Congress is “Railway Security Strategy: Responses and Vision for Future”.
• The World Security Congress is a globally recognized security platform that brings together representatives from member Railway Organizations, delegates of UIC, policy makers, senior law-enforcement officials from State Polices and Railway Protection Force to discuss the current security challenges and deliberate on innovative solutions in the Railway Sector.
• The UIC (Union International Des Chemins) or International Union of Railways established in 1922 is headquartered in Paris. It is the worldwide professional association representing the railway sector for research, development & promotion of rail transport.

                                              Schemes News

17. Power Minister launches SADUN to modernise power distribution utilities in South Asia

• Power Minister RK Singh launched South Asia Distribution Utility Network (SADUN) which aims to modernise distribution of utilities in South Asia via knowledge sharing among discoms.
• SADUN is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Power, USAID and PFC. Singh said that all the member nations would benefit from the synergy, exchange of experiences and the sharing of vision-enabled by the network.
• United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had conceptualised SADUN in January 2020 based on a consensus among the participants over a need for an initiative which focused on distribution network in the region.

                                            Science and Technology

18. WHO To Set Up mRNA Vaccine Hub in Hyderabad

• Minister for IT and Industries KT Rama Rao informed that the World Health Organisation will set up an mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccine hub in Telangana. mRNA is becoming a promising technology to address a growing number of infectious diseases.
• Minister for IT and Industries KT Rama Rao informed about various steps being taken by the state government to promote the life sciences sector the government has a target of making the industry worth USD 100 billion from USD 50 billion in 2021 and the workforce from the existing four lacks to eight lacks in the next five years.

19. 15th edition of ELECRAMA 2023 inaugurated by RK Singh, Minister of Power

• At ELECRAMA 2023, the largest solo electrical exhibition in the world held at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, the Ministry of Power, Government of India displayed a number of advances in the energy sector.
• In front of Vivek Kumar Dewangan, Chairman & Managing Director, REC Limited, and other REC representatives, the Hon’ble Cabinet Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy R K Singh officially inaugurated the Power Pavilion, ELECRAMA 2023.
• ‘Re-imagining the Future: Metamorphosis of the Power Sector in India’ is the focus theme of the Power Pavilion, ELECRAMA 2023.
• It is created as a metaphorical butterfly to demonstrate how India’s power sector has changed.

                                              Sports News

20. Adidas will sponsor the India cricket team kit as part of a Rs 350 billion deal

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is close to agreeing to a deal with German sporting goods giant Adidas to pay Rs 350 crore as the team’s uniform sponsor.
• Adidas will take the place of Killer Jeans manufacturer Kewal Kiran Clothing Ltd, which stepped in as a temporary sponsor last month after the original sponsor Mobile Premier League Sports (MPL Sports) backed out of the agreement in the middle of it.
• The previous sponsor MPL Sports is an athleisure wear and sports merchandise brand from Galactus Funware Technology Pvt. Ltd. The BCCI-MPL Sports kit deal was to last for three years from November 2020 to December 2023.

21. Vignesh and Visakh NR become India’s first brothers to become Grandmasters

• After winning the 24th NordWest Cup 2023 at Bad Zwischenahn in Germany and defeating German IM Ilja Schneider, Indian chess player Vignesh NR became the 80th Grandmaster of India.
• The Chennai boy reached the milestone after crossing 2500 in the live ratings. Vignesh’s elder brother Visakh NR had become India’s 59th GM in 2019.
• Thus, Visakh and Vignesh become India’s first brothers who are Grandmasters. Vignesh earned his first GM-norm at Qatar Masters in 2015 at the age of 17 years. A little over one and a half years later, he scored his second GM-norm at 24th Abu Dhabi Masters in 2017.

                                              Awards News

22. Jnanappana Prize for 2023 went to poet V Madhusoodanan Nair

• Poet V. Madhusoodanan Nair has been selected for the Jnanappana Award – 2023 instituted by the Guruvayur Devaswom.
• The award carries ₹50,001, a gold locket of Guruvayurappan and a citation. It will be presented to the poet by Minister for Higher Education R. Bindu at a cultural meet to be held at Melpathur Auditorium, Guruvayur. Madhusoodanan was selected for the prestigious award considering the overall contribution he made to the field of literature.
• The award consists of a Rs 50,001 cash prize, 10 gram gold locket with an image of Sree Guruvayoorappan, a citation, and a memento.

                                         Miscellaneous News

23. LG Manoj Sinha Inaugurated 33rd Police-Public Mela in Jammu

• Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the 33rd Police-Public Mela at Gulshan Ground, Jammu.
• LG Manoj Sinha informed that the Police-Public Mela has emerged as a powerful platform for police officers and the public to interact and celebrate the shared heritage.
• He commended the Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association (JKPWWA) for carrying out numerous initiatives around the year to address the concerns of the families of martyrs and serving personnel.

Important Current Affairs of 22nd February 2023