Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) implemented by National Skill Development Corporation.
The Union Budget 2023 aims to give a push to job creation through proposals such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0 and setting up of 30 Skill India international centres to encourage expansion in businesses and industry.

Notes:
Bengaluru -based start-up, Beta Tank Robotics, has developed a robot which can operate in oil tanks in petroleum refineries.
It was incubated at IIT Guwahati, and the project was funded by State-owned Oil India Limited. The robot does the job similar to a vacuum cleaner and thereby eliminates risks to human beings.

Notes:
Union Finance Minister announced an initiative called MISHTI ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes’.
Under the scheme, mangrove plantations will be taken up along the country’s coastline apart from salt pans, wherever feasible, through the convergence of the job guarantee scheme MGNREGS, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund, and other sources.

Notes:
Equatorial Guinea has appointed Manuela Roka Botey as prime minister. She became the first woman in the country to hold the position. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled the country since 1979, made the announcement.
Ms Rotey was previously the education minister and joined the government in 2020. She replaces former premier Francisco Pascual Obama Asue.

Notes:
World Cancer Day is observed every year on February 4, to unite the world in the fight against cancer.
The first Cancer Day was celebrated in Geneva, Switzerland in the year 1933. It was led by the World Health Organisation. The theme for World Cancer day for the last three years – 2022, 2023 and 2024 is “Close The Care Gap”.

Notes:
The Indian military forces concluded a joint training exercise named ‘Trishakti Prahar, which began in North Bengal.
As per defence sources, the aim of the exercise was to practice battle preparedness of the security forces, using latest weapons and equipment in a networked, integrated environment, involving the Army, the Indian Air Force and CAPFs.

Notes:
Ministry of Textiles is implementing ‘Enhancing Circularity and Sustainability’ project in collaboration with United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).
The main objective of the project is to minimize the negative environmental impacts of Indian Textile by promoting sustainable practices and mainstreaming knowledge on circular production based practices in the Textiles and Apparel sectors. Government also approved 20 strategic research projects in the areas of Specialty fibres and geo textiles.

Notes:
National Research Foundation is an autonomous agency that comes under the aegis of Ministry of Science and Technology (DST).
The Union Budget 2023-24 has earmarked Rs.2,000 crore as an outlay for the National Research Foundation to boost research and innovation within India.

Notes:
The eXperiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC) is a newly established research institute in IIT Madras.
It is India’s research and product innovation centre focusing on extended reality and haptics technology. An MoU was signed recently between ISRO and the IIT Madras to develop a training module for the Indian spaceflight programme at the XTIC. It will be developed using the augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality.

Notes:
National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) is an apex government body that comes under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).
It is responsible for development of industrial corridors like Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, Bengaluru – Mumbai Industrial Corridor and others. The Indian Government has sanctioned and approved 8 projects under NICDIT.