Daily GK Update: 20th February 2023

 Defense

1. India-Uzbekistan biennial military Ex-DUSTLIK 2023 begins in Uttarakhand

• The 4th edition of the biennial training Ex DUSTLIK 2023, between the Indian Army and Uzbekistan Army is being conducted in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand from 20th February to 5th March 2023
• Aim: To enhance the military capability to undertake multi-domain operations in a Sub Conventional scenario
• The 14th Battalion, the GARHWAL RIFLES, part of Western Command represented the Indian contingent
• The troops of the North Western Military District represented the Uzbekistan Army

 Science & Technology

2. India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 achieves new milestone

• India’s lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3 has successfully underwent Electro-Magnetic Interference/ Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMI-EMC).
• EMI-EMC test: It is conducted for satellite missions to ensure the functionality of the satellite subsystems in the space environment.
• It also ensures compatibility with the expected electromagnetic levels.
• The test was conducted by the ISRO at U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru.
• The performance of the systems was satisfactory.

 Honours & Awards

3. Austin Butler wins the Best Actor award at the 76th BAFTA Awards

• Austin Butler won the 76th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) Awards 2023 in the Best Leading Actor category for Elvis.
• Cate Blanchett won the Best Leading Actress Award for her performance in TÁR.
• A German anti-war drama, ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ won a maximum of seven awards including Best Film and Director.
• This movie is a screen adaptation of the 1928 novel by Erich Maria Remarque.
• ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ and ‘Elvis’ both movies won four BAFTA awards.

 National Affairs

4. North India's first nuclear power plant to be set up in Gorakhpur, Haryana

• Union MoS, Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh announced that North India's first nuclear power plant would be set up in Gorakhpur in Fatehabad district, Haryana.
• The plant will be built on 560 hectares of land.
• Aim: To generate 2800 MW
• The first phase will be completed by 2025 and the second by 2028.
• As the second phase completes, the plant will be fully operational to generate 2800 MW.
• The project will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 20,594 crores.

 Banking & Finance

5. RBI issues final guidelines on interest rate risk in banking book

• The RBI issued the final guidelines on Interest Rate Risk (IRR) in the Banking Book.
• Banks use this to measure, monitor, and disclose their exposure to IRRBB, which may impact the capital base and future earnings of lenders.
• IRRBB: The current or prospective risk to banks' capital and earnings arising from adverse movements in interest rates that affect their banking book positions.
• Excessive IRRBB: Risk to banks' current capital base and/or future earnings

 National Affairs

6. MEA launches 'mPassport Police App'

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has launched the 'mPassport Police App' to streamline and expedite the police verification process for passport issuance.
• The App was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 76th Raising Day Parade of Delhi Police.
• The mPassport Police App will cut the verification time period to 5 days.
• He also dedicated 350 mobile Tablets to personnel of the Delhi Police Special Branch, on the occasion of the force's Raising Day.

 Schemes

7. Govt approves Rs 30.40 cr ‘Sensor-based Smart Agriculture’ project

• Jammu and Kashmir's government has approved Rs 30.40 crore for the Sensor-based Smart Agriculture project.
• It aims to integrate agriculture with technology driven by Artificial Insemination and IoT to automate practices, enhance resource use efficiency, and improve profitability.
• The project would enable the use of Hi-tech poly houses to cultivate cash crops around the year.
• In J&K, over 70% of the economy is based on agriculture.

 Obituaries

8. Actor Nandamuri Taraka Ratna passes away

• Noted Actor and Politician, Nandamuri Taraka Ratna passed away at the age of 39 due to cardiac arrest in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• He was the grandson of the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and founder of the TDP, N.T. Rama Rao.
• He made his debut with Okato Number Kurraadu (2002) followed by Yuva Rathna (2003), Taarak (2003), and Bhadradri Ramudu.
• He was also awarded the Nandi Award 2009 for Best Villain in Amaravathi.

 Honours & Awards

9. Poet V Madhusoodanan Nair receives Jnanappana award 2023

• A noted writer, V Madhusoodanan Nair has been selected for Jnanappana Puraskaram 2023 for his contribution to the field of literature.
• The award consists of a Rs 50,001 cash prize, a 10-gram gold locket with an image of Sree Guruvayoorappan, a citation, and a memento.
• This award was instituted by Guruvayur Devaswom in memory of ‘Poonthanam Namboothiri’, the ardent devotee of Guruvayoorappan, who wrote Jnanappana.
• The award will be presented on February 24, 2023.

 Obituaries

10. Legendary manga artist Leiji Matsumoto passes away

• Legendary manga artist, Leiji Matsumoto passed away at age 85 due to acute heart failure in Tokyo, Japan.
• His manga works Galaxy Express 999 and Space Pirate Captain Herlock were adapted into television anime series in the 1970s and became huge hits in and outside Japan.
• Many of his manga was in the "battlefield comics" genre with more than 150 stories depicting the tragedy of war.
• Mangas are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan.