Current Affairs – 21 January 2023

Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya Foundation Day

On 21 January, 1972, the states of Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya became full-fledged states under the North Eastern Region (Re-organisation) Act, 1971. Therefore, Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya celebrate their Statehood Day on 21 January.

Egypt president Abdel Fattah El Sisi to be chief guest at Republic Day celebrations

• Egypt President Abdel Fattah El Sisi will be the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations.
• This is for the first time that the president of Egypt has been invited as chief guest on our Republic Day 2023.
• A 180-member strong military contingent from the Egyptian army will also participate in the Republic Day parade.

G20’s First Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group Meeting to be held in Bengaluru

• The first G-20 Environment meeting under the G-20 India Presidency will be held at the Taj West End in Bengaluru during 9 -11 February 2023.
• It has scheduled four meetings of the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG), which will be hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• The G-20 Working Group will focus on Arresting Land Degradation Restoration of Degraded Lands and Enhancement of Biodiversity.
• It will put specific emphasis on the restoration of areas affected by Forest Fire and Mining.
• India will chair the G-20 for one year till 30 November 2023.

India’s deepest metro station to be built at Pune Civil Court

• The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MahaMetro) has announced that the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) will inspect a stretch of the Pune Metro in February, and clearances are expected in March.
• This line features India’s deepest underground station, which will be ready in a few months at the Civil Court and measures 33.1 metres (108.59 feet) in depth.
• It will be used as an interchange facility for an underground station on the Pimpri-Chinchwad-Swargate route and one elevated route on Vanaz-Ramwadi route and Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar line.

LIC launched Jeevan Azad limited premium payment plan

• The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has launched Jeevan Azad (Plan No. 868) to offer an attractive combination of protection and savings.
• It is a limited-period premium payment plan that offers financial support for the family in case of unfortunate death of the life assured during the policy term.
• If the LIC policyholder survives the maturity term, then the plan offers a guaranteed base sum-assured amount.
• The minimum age of entry is 90 days completed and the maximum age at entry is 50 years.

Praveen Sharma was appointed as Director of the National Health Authority

• Praveen Sharma has been appointed as the Director of the National Health Authority (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
• Sharma has been appointed to the post under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years.
• He is a 2005 batch Indian Defense Service of Engineers (IDSE) officer.

Aruna Miller becomes Maryland’s first Indian-American Lt. Governor

• Aruna Miller has become the first Indian-American politician to be sworn in as the Lieutenant Governor in the state of Maryland, USA.
• She is a former delegate to the Maryland House and became the 10th Lieutenant Governor of the Maryland state.