24nd January, 2024 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
The Prime Minister of India has extended greetings to the people of India on Parakram Diwas

It is celebrated on January 23 to commemorate the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose.
This year marks the 127th birth anniversary of Bose, fondly known as ‘Netaji’.
Parakram Diwas aims to instil fearlessness and patriotism, especially among the youth, inspiring them to stand strong in the face of challenges.
n 1920, he passed the civil service examination, but in April 1921, after hearing of the nationalist turmoil in India, he resigned from his position.
He was an Indian nationalist leader who was a key figure in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule.
Bose then joined the Indian National Congress and actively participated in the Indian independence movement.
President of Indian National Congress: Bose was elected president of the Indian National Congress for two consecutive terms but resigned from the post following ideological conflicts with Mahatma Gandhi.
In 1939, he formed the Forward Bloc, an organization aimed at unifying all the anti-British forces in India.
At the outset of the Second World War, he fled from India and traveled to the Soviet Union, Germany and Japan, seeking an alliance with the aim of attacking the British in India.
With Japanese assistance, he reorganized and later led the Indian National Army, formed from Indian prisoners-of-war and plantation workers from Malaya, Singapore, and other parts of Southeast Asia, against British forces.
Also with Japanese monetary, political, diplomatic, and military assistance, he formed the Azad Hind Government in exile, and regrouped, and led the Indian National Army in battle against the allies at Imphal and in Burma.

INTERNTIONAL
India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise KHANJAR has commenced at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh

Recently, India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise KHANJAR has commenced at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.
It was first initiated in December 2011, in Nahan, India.
It is the 11th edition of India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise.
It is an annual event conducted alternatively in both the countries.
The Indian Army contingent comprising 20 personnel is being represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and the Kyrgyzstan contingent comprising 20 personnel is represented by Scorpion Brigade.
Aim of the exercise is to exchange experiences and best practices in Counter Terrorism and Special Forces Operations in Built-up Area and Mountainous Terrain under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter.
The exercise will emphasise on developing Special Forces skills, advanced techniques of insertion and extraction.
The exercise will provide an opportunity for both sides to fortify defence ties while addressing common concerns of international terrorism and extremism.
The exercise will also accord the opportunity to showcase capabilities of cutting edge indigenous defence equipment besides achieving shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations.

Sweden set to become NATO member as Turkey approves its membership bid

Turkey's parliament ratifies Sweden's NATO membership bid, clearing the biggest remaining hurdle to expanding the Western military alliance after 20 months of delay. Turkey's general assembly, where President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling alliance holds a majority, voted 287-55 to approve the application that Sweden first made in 2022. All NATO members need to approve applications from countries seeking to join the alliance.
After Parliament’s verdict, Turkiye President Erdoğan is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming days. The Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, reacted quickly to the news, saying his country is one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO.
Nato’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, welcomed the vote, saying he expected Hungary to ratify Sweden as soon as possible. Sweden's membership would make the entire Baltic coastline NATO territory - with the exception of the Russian coast and that of its enclave Kaliningrad. This would, for example, make the Baltic States easier to defend in the event of a Russian attack. Troops and equipment could be transported much more easily by ship via Sweden to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Also Read: Persons: Weekly Current Affairs Bitbank (January 1 to 7, 2024): Who has recently been appointed as the new President of the All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA)?

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ANDHRA PRADESH
Major breakthrough for Veligonda project, MEIL completes 2nd tunnel excavation

The Poola Subbaiah Veligonda irrigation project crossed a significant milestone on Tuesday. Contractors, the Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), completed the excavation works on the 7.5-km-long second tunnel, using advanced tunnel boring machines (TBMs).
The tunnel excavation works for the mega irrigation project started 15 years ago. The project progressed slowly.
A review was done in 2020 when the YSRC government assigned MEIL to undertake the pending works on both tunnels.
MEIL completed the 3.6-km-long first tunnel in 13 months by January 2021. With the breakthrough for the second tunnel now, the project is on the verge of completion.

About

The Veligonda Project is an irrigation project located in Markapur, Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Krishna river water is stored in a reservoir called 'Nallamala Sagar' with 43.5 Tmcft live storage at 244 m msl full reservoir level and 214.3 m msl minimum draw down level.
When completed, the project will provide irrigational facilities to 459,000 acres and drinking water to 1.5 million people in 29 Mandals of fluoride and drought affected areas in Prakasam district, Nellore district and Kadapa district by diverting 43.5 TMC of floodwater from the Krishna River from foreshore of Srisailam Reservoir near Kollamvagu and proposed to store in Nallamalasagar Reservoir.
The water for the project is drawn through two 18.8 km long tunnels across Nallamala hills. The project has been renamed to the "Poola Subbaiah Irrigation Project".

ENVIRONMENT
The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam has received the addition of two new mammalian species

Recently, the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam has received the addition of two new mammalian species, the elusive binturong (Arctictis binturong) and the small-clawed otter.
It is the largest civet in India colloquially known as the bearcat.
Common names: Asian Bearcat and the Asian Civet.
Scientific name: Arctictis binturong
It is a generally solitary and nocturnal animal that spends the majority of its time moving about slowly and cautiously amongst the trees.
It has scent glands which are located just under its tail. These glands are used to mark trees and foliage to outline an individual’s territory.
It belongs to the same family as other small carnivores including Civets, Genets, Mongooses, and Fossa.
The binturong is one of only two carnivores that has a prehensile tail. (The other is the kinkajou).
The prehensile tail acts almost like another leg helping both with climbing, and gripping onto branches to give the Binturong more stability.
Habitat: It is a medium sized carnivore that is found inhabiting the dense forests of South-East Asia.
Distribution: China, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and on the island of Borneo

SPORTS
India’s Man Singh bags Gold medal at Asian Marathon Championships 2024 in Hong Kong

India’s Man Singh claimed the gold medal at the Asian Marathon Championships 2024 with a personal best timing of two hours 14 minutes and 19 seconds in Hong Kong today. The 34-year-old Indian marathon runner comfortably beat runner-up Huang Yongzheng of China with a time difference of 65 seconds in the men’s event. Kyrgyzstan’s Tiapkin Ilya came third in 2:18:18.
Man Singh’s previous personal best was 2:16:58, clocked at Mumbai Marathon 2023. Man Singh was part of the Indian contingent at the Asian Games 2023 and finished eighth with a timing of 2:16:59 in the marathon event. In the women’s event, India’s Ashvini Jadhav finished eighth in 2:56:42 and Jyoti Gawate finished 11th in 3:06:20. The entry standard for the women’s marathon for the Paris 2024 Olympics is 2:26:50.

Published date : 24 Jan 2024 04:11PM