Current Affairs – February 23, 2021 [Today’s News Headlines]

Here are Today’s News Headlines by GK Today for February 23, 2021

INDIA

PM inaugurates several projects in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation INDMAX Unit at Indian Oil’s Bongaigaon Refinery, Oil India Limited’s Secondary Tank Farm at Madhuban, Dibrugarh and a Gas Compressor Station at Hebeda Village, Makum, Tinsukia remotely from Dhemaji in Assam on February 22, 2021. He also inaugurated the Dhemaji Engineering College and laid the foundation stone for Sualkuchi Engineering College in Assam.

PM inaugurates several projects in West Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 22, 2021 inaugurated the 4.1 km extension of Metro Railway from Noapara to Dakshineswar in West Bengal and flagged off the first service on this stretch. He also inaugurated the third line between Kalaikunda and Jhargram.  He dedicated the fourth line between Dankuni and Baruipara and the third line between Rasulpur & Magra and the doubling of Azimganj to Khagraghat Road section which is a part of Howrah-Bandel-Azimganj section of Eastern Railway.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar visits Mauritius

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar handed over one lakh additional doses of commercially procured Made in India COVID vaccines to Mauritius. India had earlier sent one lakh doses vaccines to the island nation. India also signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) with Mauritius. A special 100 million-US Dollar Defence Line of Credit has also been signed which will enable the procurement of defence assets from India as per the needs of Mauritius.

Puducherry CM V. Narayanasamy resigns after losing confidence vote

Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy of Congress and his cabinet colleagues in the union territory resigned on February 22, 2021 after the government lost the confidence vote sought by him in the face of its depleted strength of 11 against opposition’s 14 in the House.

DRDO conducts 2 successful launches of VL-SRSAM developed for Indian Navy

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two successful launches of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM). The launches were carried out on February 22, 2021 from a static vertical launcher from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO for Indian Navy, VL-SRSAM is meant for neutralizing various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets.

Airport in Ayodhya will be named Maryada Purushottam Sriram Airport: UP Govt.

The under-construction airport in Ayodhya will be named Maryada Purushottam Sriram Airport, Ayodhya after Lord Ram and a provision of Rs 101 crore has been made for it in the budget presented in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on February 22, 2021.

Pune International Centre to co-chair Asia Economic Dialogue with MEA in Feb

The Pune International Centre will co-chair this year’s Asia Economic Dialogue that will be addressed by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and his counterparts from Japan, Australia, Maldives, Mauritius and Bhutan. It will bee co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs the Asia Economic Dialogue will be held over three days from February 26 and its theme is ‘The post-COVID global trade and finance dynamics’.

BJP candidates win both Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates Dineshchamdra Jemalbhai Ananvadiya and Rambhai Harjibhai Mokariya won both Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat on February 22, 2021. The seats had fallen vacant following the demise of Congress MP Ahmed Patel and BJP MP Abhay Ganpatray Bhardwaj.

Lt Gen B S Raju to be new Director General of Military Operations of Indian Army

Lt Gen B S Raju, the General-Officer-Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, will be the new Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army. Lt Gen Raju, who has extensive experience in counter-terror operations, will succeed Lt Gen Paramjit Singh who has taken charge as Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (strategy).

Mohan Delkar (58), Lok Sabha MP from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, dies in Mumbai

Mohan Delkar (58), seven-term Lok Sabha member from Dadra and Nagar Haveli Union Territory, was found dead in a Mumbai hotel on February 22, 2021. Delkar is an Independent MP.

Economy & Corporate

State-owned Life Insurance Corp launches new plan Bima Jyoti

Life Insurance Corporation has introduced a new plan which is a non-linked, non-participating, individual, savings plan offering a combination of protection and savings. Bima Jyoti provides a guaranteed lumpsum payment on maturity and financial support to the family in case of untimely death of the policyholder during the policy-term.

World

At least 6 killed as Mexican Air Force plane crashes in eastern region

At least six soldiers were killed when a Mexican Air Force plane crashed on February 21, 2021 in the municipality of Emiliano Zapata in the state of Veracruz. LearJet 45 crashed after taking off from El Lencero Airport.

Sports

Adriatic Pearl Boxing Tournament in Montenegro: Indian women finish on top

Babyrojisana Chanu (51kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (69kg) fetched two more gold medals as Indian women boxers ended with five overall for a top finish in the 30th Adriatic Pearl Tournament in Budva, Montenegro. Alfiya Pathan (+81kg), Vinka (60kg) and T Sanamacha Chanu (75kg) are the other Indian women boxers who secured gold medals earlier in this tournament. Indian women emerged as the top team with 10 medals (five gold, three silver and two bronze).

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2021