NEWS 12-03-2023. News For 13th-Mar (Monday) New portals & schemes 1. Union Minister of State announced that the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare has decided to create a new “Integrated Pensioners’ Portal” by combining all pension portals such as Pension Disbursing Bank portals, ANUBHAV, CPENGRAMS, CGHS, etc. at the Bankers Awareness Workshop in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. 2. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a new mission called “Har Payment Digital” as part of its efforts to make every Indian a user of digital payments. The initiative was launched during Digital Payments Awareness Week and aims to reinforce the ease and convenience of digital payments, while also onboarding new users. National news 1. India has proposed the creation of a new global alliance called the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to protect seven major big cats, namely- tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah. The IBCA will be open to 97 countries and organizations interested in protecting these animals. 2. The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has launched the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) in 57 Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) throughout India. This flagship initiative is launched under NEP 2020. It was notified in 2021. It offers a 4-year dual-major undergraduate degree program, preparing teachers for the 4 stages of the new school structure. Defense news 1. FRINJEX-23, the first-ever joint military exercise between Indian Army and French Army. It was between the 7th and 8th of March 2023 at Pangode Military Station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. 2. The International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23) is being organized in the Gulf region from February 26 to March 16, 2023. The exercise aims to enhance maritime security and ensure safe sea lanes for maritime commerce, with over 50 nations.INS Trikand, an Indian Navy ship, is participating in IMX/CE. 3. The Indian Army has proposed the acquisition of an indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) developed by DRDO, to fill critical capability gaps in high-altitude regions. The proposal is expected to be approved by the Ministry of Defence, after which orders can be placed for 310 towed guns. 4. The Indian Navy has received the first fully indigenized fuze YDB-60 for the underwater anti-submarine warfare rocket RGB-60. The fuze was manufactured by the private Indian Industry M/s Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) which is based in Nagpur. Significance of the procurement This marks the first time that the Indian Navy has procured an underwater ammunition International news 1. India has proposed the creation of a new global alliance called the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to protect seven major big cats, namely- tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah. The IBCA will be open to 97 countries and organizations interested in protecting these animals. 2. The preliminary surveys conducted by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) found the presence of lithium reserves in the Madhya district of Karnataka. They indicate the presence of some 1,600 tonnes of the resource in pegmatite rocks. Surveys 1. According to the recently released Women, Business and the Law Index by the World Bank, although most countries have implemented laws to ensure gender equality, there is still a significant gap between men and women in terms of legal rights and provisions. 2. According to the CO2 Emissions in 2022 Report by the International Energy Agency released on March 2, 2023, global energy-related CO2 emissions increased by less than 1% in 2022. This is despite many countries shifting from natural gas to coal as an energy source. Know about India 1. WHAT IS BRAHMOS MISSILE? The BrahMos missile is a type of supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from various platforms like submarines, ships, aeroplanes, or land. It is currently the fastest supersonic missile in the world and was developed by a partnership between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, forming BrahMos Aerospace. < < Back