The value of Current Affairs in Civil Service Examinations is enormous. This is the most critical part of both Prelims and Mains Exam. Aspirants should study in depth to understand the significance of current affairs for the Union Public Service Commission. In fact, all the questions in Civil Service Exams are framed around current affairs. Questions are not asked directly for current news and information in the exam. Questions are framed by combining current affairs with practical knowledge. The primary motive behind this type of strategy is to check the ability of correlation a candidate can make to the fact.
Current Affairs
ITU opens Area Office and Innovation Centre in New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s Area Office and Innovation Centre in India. ITU is the United Nations' specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Headquartered in Geneva, ITU has a network of field offices, regional offices and area offices.
The Prime Minister also unveiled the Bharat 6G Vision Document and launched the 6G R&D Test Bed.
India had signed a Host Country Agreement in March 2022 with ITU for the establishment of Area Office.
Area Office will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Iran, enhancing coordination among nations and fostering mutually beneficial economic cooperation in the region.
ITU’s presence in the region will help the introduction of advanced technologies, improve capacity development, and foster entrepreneurship and partnerships while also responding to leads on the ground from digital services, skills, cyber security and digital inclusion.
India signed a Host Country Agreement in March 2022 with ITU for the establishment of Area Office.
The Area Office in India is also envisaged to have an Innovation Centre embedded in it making it unique among other area offices of ITU.
The Area Office, which is fully funded by India, will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Iran.
5G services have reached to over 125 cities and 350 districts within a short span of 120 days.
Headquartered in Geneva, it has a network of field offices, regional offices and area offices.
Bharat 6G Vision Document is prepared by Technology Innovation Group on 6G (TIG-6G) that was constituted in November 2021 with members from various ministries/departments, research and development institutions, academia, standardization bodies, telecom service providers and industry to develop road map and action plans for 6G in India.
Narendra Modi also launched ‘Call before u dig’ mobile app.
Key Takeaways
- The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies,
- The ITU opened the ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre today in New Delhi, India.
- The new office in India's capital includes ITU's first centre for innovation, positioning it as a hub for promoting advanced technologies within the region and beyond.
- The office is funded by the Government of India
United Nations World Water Development Report 2023
A new report from the UN says about 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
Painting a stark picture of rising global water scarcity, the World Water Development Report 2023 was released right before the first major UN conference on global water scarcity since 1977. The UN 2023 Water Conference is focussing on progress towards water- and sanitation-related goals.
Delineating the huge gap in the availability of water and its usage across different regions, the report underscores the need to meet UN goals to ensure all people have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.
Findings of the World Water Development Report 2023
• Global:
- Globally, two billion people do not have safe drinking water and 3.6 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation
- More than 70% of water consumption takes place in the agricultural sector.
- About 10% of the global population lives in countries where water stress is considered "high or critical."
- The biggest source of water pollution is untreated wastewater.
- The global urban population facing water scarcity is projected to increase from one-third (2016) to nearly half of the global urban population in 2050, with India projected to be the most severely affected.
• India Highlights:
- 80% of people living under water stress lived in Asia; in particular, northeast China, as well as India and Pakistan.
- The report painted a stark picture of the huge gap that needs to be filled to meet UN goals to ensure all people have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.
- About 26% of the global population does not have access to safe drinking water and about 46% of people lack access to safely managed sanitation services, according to a new report by the United Nations.
- The report says about 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project
The report noted that although the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP) is long delayed, its benefits are immense in terms of irrigation and flood control and lessening energy shortages. The project, implemented in a sustainable and equitable manner, has the potential of addressing some of the water scarcity issues facing India and Nepal. provided that it is implemented in a sustainable and equitable manner
Key Takeaways
- The UN has released the World Water Development Report 2023, which paints a stark picture of rising global water scarcity.
- The report says 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to basic sanitation.
- Published by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the report says about 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
Centenary Celebrations of Vaikom Satyagraha
Vaikom Satyagraha was a famed movement for temple entry and abolition of untouchability. This nonviolent protest took place from 30 March 1924 to 23 November 1925 at Vaikom (a part of the then princely state of Travancore) in the Kottayam district of Kerala.
Led by Congress leaders T. K. Madhavan, K. Kelappan, and K. P. Kesava Menon, the protest earned active support and participation by different communities and activists.
The protest was against the rigid and oppressive caste system prevalent in the region, which forbade lower castes, or untouchables, from entering not just the Vaikom Temple but also from walking on the surrounding roads.
Vaikom Satyagraha and Mahatma Gandhi
TK Madhavan was arrested in 1924 for participating in the Vaikom Satyagraha. He sought the help of Mahatma Gandhi who arrived at Vaikom on March 7, 1925 and camped there with TK Madhavan, helping in the successful completion of Satyagraha.
TK Madhavan
TK Madhavan made his contribution in the field of journalism. From 1917 onwards he was the editor of the Malayalam daily Deshabhimani which he started to educate the people of their rights.
He had participated in the Indian National Congress session of Kanpur in 1925.
TK Madhavan died on April 27, 1930.
Key Takeaways
- Vaikom Satyagraha was a movement in Travancore in Kerala against removal of deep-rooted malaise of untouchability in the society.
- Vaikom Satyagraha was a movement to allow temple entry for the avarnas or lower castes
- Vaikom Satyagraha lasted for 18 months during 1924–25,
- On April 1, 2023, the centenary celebrations of Vaikom Satyagraha will begin
- A social reformer and veteran trade union activist, Charles Andrews took active participation in the Vaikom Satyagraha.
World Tuberculosis Day
World Tuberculosis Day is celebrated on 24 March every year to raise awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of Tuberculosis, TB, and its ongoing eradication efforts. TB is a leading cause of death.
The day is observed to commemorate the anniversary of Dr. Robert Koch’s discovery of the tuberculosis-causing bacteria in 1882.
Theme of World TB Day 2023
The theme for World TB Day 2023 is “Yes! We can end TB!” and aims to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increased investments, faster uptake of new WHO recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated action, and multisectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease and is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Treatment for Tuberculosis
Treatment for TB involves taking a combination of antibiotics over several months. It is important to complete the full course of treatment.
Tuberculosis in India
The World Health Organization has set a goal to eliminate the global TB epidemic by 2030. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned the resolution of India to eliminate TB by 2025 as against the global target of 2030. India is on the road to ending TB by 2025
On the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, Prime Minister addressed the One World TB Summit. This summit is organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Stop TB Partnership.
One World TB Summit will provide an opportunity to further deliberate upon the targets as the country moves forward to meet its TB elimination objectives.
It will also be an opportunity to showcase learnings from National TB Elimination Programmes. The summit is being attended by international delegates from over 30 countries.
Founded in 2001, the Stop TB Partnership is an organisation hosted by the United Nations that amplifies the voices of the people, communities, and countries affected by TB.
World Happiness Report 2023
The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network has recently released its annual World Happiness Report.
According to the report, Finland has been named the happiest place in the world for a sixth year running.
The report is based on data from analytics researcher Gallup which asked people in 137 countries to rate their own happiness.
Top 10 Countries in the World Happiness Report
The report ranked the top 10 happiest countries, with Finland topping the chart for the sixteenth term. Denmark, Iceland, Israel, and the Netherlands are the other countries in the top five.
Other European countries such as Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and Luxembourg also made the top 10. New Zealand was the only non-European country to make it to the top 10. The rankings are based on a range of factors such as social support, life expectancy, income, health, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
According to the World Happiness Report 2023 Top 10 happiest countries in the world
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Israel
- Netherlands
- Sweden
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Luxembourg
- New Zealand
Least Happy Countries
Afghanistan was the least happy, according to the report by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Countries such as Zimbabwe, Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been highlighted by the report as being among the unhappiest nations, largely due to factors such as high levels of corruption and low life expectancy.
India’s Position in the World Happiness Report
India has been placed in the 126th position on the list of the countries ranked by the UN World Happiness report 2023.
Though position of India in the World Happiness Report has improved from 136 to 126, the country is still behind its neighboring countries such as China, Nepal and Bangladesh. Despite being the world’s fastest-growing economy, India’s ranking in the report has consistently been low, leading some to question how it can be ranked lower than countries in turmoil.
The World’s Least Happy Countries
The World Happiness Report also highlights the least happy countries, with Taliban-controlled Afghanistan ranking as the unhappiest country out of the 137 nations surveyed. The report also highlighted other nations such as Lebanon, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as being among the unhappiest countries, largely due to factors such as high levels of corruption and low life expectancy.
About the World Happiness Report
The World Happiness Report is a comprehensive analysis of happiness levels across the world based on various criteria, including both domestic and global factors. The report gauges happiness based on feedback from a nationally representative sample of individuals regarding their current life satisfaction levels. The first report was published in 2012 and has been released annually since then, typically in March.
Russia and Ukraine in the World Happiness Report
Despite the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both countries rank higher than India in the World Happiness Report, with Russia ranked 70th and Ukraine ranked 92nd. The report indicates that both countries experienced increased levels of kindness in 2020 and 2021, but in 2022, Ukraine saw a sharp rise in benevolence while it declined in Russia.
AMRUT 2.0
In order to carry forward the objective of universal coverage of water supply from 500 cities covered under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) to all the statutory towns across the country, AMRUT 2.0 has been launched in October 2021 for a period of 5 years i.e., Financial Year 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched in June 2015 by PM Narendra Modi under the Government of India.
It focuses on making the cities ‘self-reliant’ & ‘water secure’ & providing universal coverage of sewerage & septage management in 500 AMRUT cities.
Under AMRUT, 500 cities were selected covering 60% of urban population of the country including all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with a population of one lakh or more as per Census 2011, all other capital cities of States/ Uts, all Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) cities as well as identified cities on the stem of the main rivers, from hill States, islands and tourist destinations.
Under AMRUT, States have been empowered to select, apprise, propose and after approval from Apex Committee of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), implement projects within the broad framework of AMRUT Mission. Mission is being implemented accordingly in all AMRUT cities and has been progressing well.
Sir M Visvesvaraya
Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Chikkaballapur.
Chikkaballapur also comes lauded as a place where Sir M Visvesvaraya was born on September 15 in 1861. Sir Visvesvaraya is known for making innovations and developijng new engineering projects for the farmers and the general populace.
Full name of M Visvesvaraya is Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya who is considered as nation builder. ,
Every year, September 15 is celebrated as Engineer’s Day in the country in recognition of his contribution towards nation building.
Engineers’ Day
On his birthday, September 15, Engineers’ Day is celebrated.
Sir M Visvesvaraya served as the 19th Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 1955.
He designed and constructed several dams in India, including famed the Krishna Raja Sagara dam near Mandya. He earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree from the University of Madras. He later studied at the College of Engineering, Pune.
Visvesvaraya played a pivotal role in the development of the earstwhile Kingdom of Mysore (in present-day Chikkaballapura district state of Mysore), Mysore Iron & Steel Works in Bhadravathi,
Facts about Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya
- Sir M Visvesvaraya was born on September 15 in 1861.
- From 1912 to 1918, M. Visvesvaraya was appointed as the Diwan of Mysore.
- September 15 is celebrated as Engineer’s Day in India to commemorate his contribution towards nation building.
- He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 1955.
Basavanna
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently unveiled the statue of Basavanna or Basava in the premises of the Karnataka State Assembly.
Basava was the founder of Veerashaivism or Lingayatism, an important Shaivite sect. This sect is famous more for its cult and social doctrines than for its theology, which is a “qualified monism”.
Basava was a minister of King Bijala Kalchuri who had founded a new dynasty after usurping the throne of the Chalukyas of Kalyani in A. D. 1156.
Basava opposed idolatry. In Lingayatism the only scared symbol is the linga of Shiva, a specimen of which is always carried on the person of the believer.
Radical in his view, Basava completely rejected the Vedas and authority of the Brahmin class, and priesthood.
Apart from opposing pilgrimage and sacrifice he instituted complete equality among his followers, even to the equality of women who were permitted to remarry on the death of their husbands.
Among other Aryan practices which Basava condemned was cremation, and his followers are still buried.
Their sacred literature of the the Lingayats is mainly in Kannada and Telgu.
Key Takeaways
- Basava was the founder of Veerashaivism or Lingayatism, an important Shaivite sect.
- Basava opposed idolatry. In Lingayatism the only scared symbol is the linga of Shiva, a specimen of which is always carried on the person of the believer.
- Radical in his view, Basava completely rejected the Vedas and authority of the Brahmin class, and priesthood.
International
Tanzania Reports its First-Ever Outbreak of Ebola-like Marburg Virus
Marburg virus has killed five people in Tanzania's north-western Kagera region, On 21 March 2023, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of the United Republic of Tanzania declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in the country.
Tanzania has recently confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease ((MVD), which killed five people in country’s north-western Kagera region. Marburg is a deadly Ebola-like virus.
The Marburg virus is a cousin of the equally deadly Ebola virus.
According to World Health Organisation, it kills on average half of those infected.
In the African continent hundreds of people have died from the Marburg virus in the past.
The Marburg virus was first identified in 1967 in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany and Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia).
Since then, there have been outbreaks in Guinea, Uganda, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and South Africa, the WHO reports.
Western African country of Equatorial Guinea reported its first outbreak in February.
Symptoms of Marburg disease
High fever is a common symptom of Marburg disease, often followed by bleeding and organ failure.
Patients suffering from the disease experience fever, muscle pains, diarrhoea vomiting, and stomach pain. Also, there is extreme bleeding in severe cases.
• a fever
• severe headache
• muscle pains
• watery diarrhoea
• stomach pain
• nausea
• vomiting
An e-bola-related virus is causing the disease. The Spread of the disease is epidemic; meaning the disease is widespread. The virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats. It spreads between humans through the transmission of bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.
What is the Marburg virus?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Marburg virus is a cousin of the equally deadly Ebola virus. It was first identified in 1967 in:
• Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany
• Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia)
The Egyptian rousette fruit bat often carries the Marburg virus, but African green monkeys and pigs can also harbour it.
How can it be treated?
• There are no specific treatments or a vaccine for the virus. No anti-viral treatments or vaccines have been approved so far to treat the virus.
• But symptoms can be alleviated by giving patients plenty of oral or intravenous fluids and replacing lost blood.
Key Takeaways
• The Marburg virus was first detected in the city of Marburg in Germany in 1967
• Marburg is highly infectious
• The Marburg virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness with symptoms including headache, fever, muscle pains, vomiting blood and bleeding.
• No treatment yet exists for Marburg
• Drinking plenty of water and treating specific symptoms improves a patient's chances of survival.
• The Marburg virus killed more than 200 people in Angola in 2005, the deadliest outbreak on record according to the global health body.
Science & Technology
Universal Acceptance Day: Creating more inclusive and connected Internet
National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) has organised a 2-day event (27-28th March) on Universal Acceptance Day to drive collaborative efforts for an inclusive and multilingual internet in India.
NIXI is a non-for-profit company under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Universal Acceptance (UA
- Universal Acceptance (UA ) day is observed on March 28.
- Universal Acceptance (UA) is a technical requirement that ensures all email addresses and valid domain names, regardless of script, language, or character length, can be equally used seamlessly by all Internet-enabled applications, devices, and systems.
- The first Universal Acceptance Day was celebrated on 28 March 2023. It was organized by the MeitY through the NIXI, in collaboration with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG).
- The day provides an opportunity to rally local, regional, and global communities and organizations to spread UA awareness and encourage UA adoption with key stakeholders.
To promote multilingualism on the Internet
India is home to more than 18,000 dialects. As we move from one city to another, pronunciation and ways of speaking change completely. The country has the most internet users but it must be noted that language barriers also make it a base of the largest numbers of non-users who do not speak English.
It is very important that we not just provide internet services but also create emails and websites in native languages. Providing a multilingual internet user interface is crucial for bridging the current digital divide.
Through Universal Acceptance, we can connect with non-internet users and promote digital inclusion across the country and the world.
Next 1 billion internet users are likely to come from non-English speaking countries, heightening the need towards achieving a multilingual internet to make it accessible for all.
- Full potential of the internet cannot be realized until it becomes multilingual.
Environment
World Meteorological Day
The World Meteorological Organization celebrates World Meteorological Day on March 23rd.
The Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization came into force on 23 March 1950. Hence the celebration.
Theme of World Meteorological Day 2023
Each year, the WMO selects a theme for World Meteorological Day that reflects current weather and climate issues.
WMO Executive Council has selected the following theme for the upcoming celebrations of World Meteorological Day:
- 2023: The Future of Weather, Climate and Water across Generations
This theme aims to highlight the impact of changing weather patterns on the environment and future generations.
WMO’s 150th anniversary
This year the World Meteorological Day takes place during WMO’s 150th anniversary. The predecessor of the World Meteorological Organization is the International Meteorological Organization which was established in 1873.
World Meteorological Day is an important day for weather enthusiasts, meteorologists and anyone interested in weather and climate patterns. This day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of meteorology and weather forecasting and the role of the World Meteorological Organisation in promoting international cooperation in these fields.
Key Takeaways
- The theme of this year's day is 'The Future of Weather, Climate, and Water across Generations.
- World Meteorological Day 2023 takes place during WMO’s 150th anniversary
- The WMO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WMO began operations in 1951.
Gaj Utsav 2023 – 30 Years of Project Elephant
As part of the celebrations of the successful completion of 30 years of Project Elephant, President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate a two-day "Gaj Utsav" on April 7 in Assam's Kaziranga National Park.
A government sponsored initiative, Project Elephant was launched in 1991-92 with a view to promoting elephant conservation, protecting their habitat and corridors, and preventing human-elephant conflicts.
Inauguration and Venue
Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the Gaj Utsav 2023 on April 7 at Kaziranga National Park in Assam. This event is significant as Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the highest density of tigers in the world.
About Kaziranga National Park
Located in the state of Assam, the Kaziranga National Park is an entrancing preserve for the one-horned rhinoceros.
A World Heritage Site, the Kaziranga National Park was proclaimed a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.
It will also ensure the welfare of captive elephants in India.
The Wild Life Preservation Act of 1972 lists elephants as a Schedule I national heritage animal. More than 60% of the world's wild elephant population is in India. They are primarily found in the southern and north-eastern areas of India as well as the east-central and northern regions
Project Tiger
Project Tiger was started in 1973 to promote conservation of the tiger. It is India’s homegrown initiative to protect the tigers’ dwindling numbers.
Key Takeaways
- Project Elephant is a government sponsored initiative.
- The initiative was launched in 1991-92 with a view to promoting elephant conservation, protecting their habitat and corridors, and preventing human-elephant conflicts.
- President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the Gaj Utsav 2023 on April 7 at Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
- The Kaziranga National Park is a World Heritage Site,
Art and Culture
National Gallery of Modern Art will organise “Spring Fiesta” 2023
National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) organised “Spring Fiesta” 2023 to celebrate 69 years of the museum which was inaugurated on March 29, 1954 by the then Indian Vice President Dr. S Radhakrishnan.
Once the palace of maharaja of Jaipur, the National Gallery of Modern Art is a repository of the works of all the great modern Indian artists.
More than 50 stalls were set up for display and sales at the museum lawns by enthusiastic participants from different walks of life who specialise in items such as handicrafts, ceramics, indigenous art, fashion, and so on.
The fiesta is the first of its kind and the audience was captivated by a variety of creative products accessible for purchase at nominal prices. To tickle the taste buds, food stalls will also be available.
This fiesta served as a platform for individuals to showcase their work while also raising exposure and generating interest in locally made, handcrafted, and curated products.
The education and research department of NGMA is constantly working on ideas and projects in order to provide an interactive experience for the visitors so that they can connect more with the museum. NGMA seeks to create more memories of the people with the museum through its engaging and inclusive programmes.
About National Gallery of Modern Art
- Once the palace of maharaja of Jaipur, the National Gallery of Modern Art is a repository of the works of all the great modern Indian artists.
- National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) was inaugurated on March 29, 1954 by the then Indian Vice President Dr. S Radhakrishnan.
- NGMA was established at the Jaipur House in New Delhi.
- The National Gallery of Modern Art has two branches, one at Mumbai and the other at Bengaluru.
- It is a premier art gallery under Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
