Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 11 March 2024 | Download PDF

• India recently signed a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) with four European countries – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. 
• The agreement aims to boost investments in India to $100 billion and create one million jobs within 15 years. 
• This Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) is the second full-fledged FTA signed by India, following the one with the United Arab Emirates. 

Key points:

• The FTA with the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries, separate from the EU, includes significant tariff reductions, increased market access, and simplified customs procedures.
• It also includes a unique chapter on commitments to human rights and sustainable development, a first in such agreements.
• The agreement will come into force after ratification by the EFTA states, expected possibly by the end of the year.
• Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted the investment clauses as a unique achievement, with a goal to invest $100 billion in India from EFTA countries.
• The agreement sets objectives to increase foreign direct investment from EFTA states into India by $50 billion within 10 years and another $50 billion in the next five years, aiming to generate 1 million jobs within 15 years in India.
• If the goals are not met within 15 years, India can temporarily withdraw some trade concessions.

• Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the construction of ISRO’s second rocket launchport.

Why India Needs a New Launchport?

• Increasing Commercial Launches: India expects a surge in commercial launches with the recent policy allowing private players in the space sector.
• Relieving Pressure on Existing Facility: To avoid overloading ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota, a new launchport is essential.
• Diverse Launch Capabilities: The Kulasekarapattinam launchport will handle smaller payloads, allowing SHAR to focus on larger missions like lunar, Venus, and human-flight missions.
• Facilitating Private Players: Private companies can develop space systems, build satellites, and launch vehicles, promoting private sector involvement in space.
• Dedicated Infrastructure: It will provide dedicated launch infrastructure for on-demand commercial launches, ensuring smooth operations.

Why is the New ISRO Launchport in Tamil Nadu?

• Geographical Advantage: Kulasekarapattinam’s coastal location in Tamil Nadu offers a natural advantage.
• Optimized Trajectory for SSLV: The launchport allows a direct southward trajectory, beneficial for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) missions.
• Reduced Fuel Consumption: Kulasekarapattinam’s westward location saves fuel for SSLV missions compared to the eastward trajectory required from SHAR.
• Equatorial Proximity: Located near the equator, both launchports significantly boost payload capacity due to the Earth’s rotational velocity.
• Enhanced Payload Capacity: Proximity to the equator increases velocity due to Earth’s rotation, benefiting geostationary satellites.

A pioneering advancement in education has emerged in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, where a school has introduced India’s first AI teacher robot, Iris.

Key points:

• Powered by Robotics and Generative AI technologies, Iris boasts a dedicated Intel processor and coprocessor for seamless performance.
• Its Android App interface allows users to control and interact with the robot, ensuring a personalized learning experience.
• Not just a passive presence in the classroom, Iris is a dynamic voice assistant and interactive learning tool.
• Acts as an AI voice-controlled assistant, responding to user queries, providing explanations, and delivering educational content.
• Engages users in interactive learning experiences through personalized content generation, quizzes, and interactive activities.
• Equipped with a 4-wheel chassis, Iris can move freely within its environment, facilitating interaction with users and navigating through learning spaces.
• Its hands, featuring 5 DoF each, enable Iris to manipulate objects, perform demonstrations, and engage in hands-on learning activities.
• The robot can teach subjects from nursery to Class 12.
• Currently, Iris speaks three languages – English, Hindi, and Malayalam.
• Created by Maker Labs.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the inaugural National Creators Award at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. 
• The award is being provided across twenty categories including the Best Storyteller Award; The Disruptor of the Year; Celebrity Creator of the Year; Green Champion Award; Best Creator For Social Change; Most Impactful Agri Creator; Cultural Ambassador of The Year; International Creator award; Best Travel Creator Award; Swachhta Ambassador Award; The New India Champion Award; Tech Creator Award; Heritage Fashion Icon Award; Most Creative Creator (Male & Female); Best Creator in Food Category; Best Creator in Education Category; Best Creator in Gaming Category; Best Micro Creator; Best Nano Creator; Best Health and Fitness Creator.

Key points:

• Disruptor of the Year award: Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps)
• Best Creator in Education Category(Male & Female):  Naman Deshmukh
• Best Creator in Tech Category: Gaurav Chaudhary(Technical  Guruji)
• Favourite Travel Creator: Kamiya Jani
• Best Health and Fitness Creator: Ankit Baiyanpuria
• Best Creator in Food Category: Kabita Singh (Kabita’s  Kitchen) 
• Celebrity Creator of the Year: Aman Gupta
• Green Champion’ Category: Pankhti Pandey
• Best Storyteller: Keerthika Govindasamy
• Cultural Ambassador of the Year: Maithili Thakur
• Most Creative Creator Female: Shraddha Jain
• Most Creative Creator Male: RJ Raunac
• Heritage Fashion Icon Award: Jahnvi Singh
• Best Creator for Social Change Award: Jaya Kishori
• Best Micro Creator Award: Aridaman
• Best Creator in Gaming Category Award: Nishchay
• Swachhta Ambassador Award: Malhar Kalambe
• Best International Creator Award: Drew Hicks, Kili Paul, Cassandra Mae Spittmann
• Best Nano Creator Award: Piyush Purohit
• Most Impactful Agri Creator: Lakshay Dabas
• The New India Champion Award: Abhi and Niyu

• The latest survey estimates India’s golden langur population at 7,396.
• Conducted by the Primate Research Centre NE India (PRCNE), Assam Forest Department, Bodoland Territorial Council, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), and Conservation Himalayas.
• The golden langur’s distribution covers the Manas Biosphere Reserve and fragmented forests in western Assam.
• Ripu Reserve Forest and Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary identified as significant habitats for golden langurs.

Geographic Range:

• Limited to Assam, India, and neighboring Bhutan.
• Inhabits an area surrounded by four geographical landmarks: the foothills of Bhutan (north), Manas river (east), Sankosh river (west), and Brahmaputra river (south).

Habitat:

• Occupies moist evergreen and tropical deciduous forests, as well as some riverine areas and savannas.
• Primarily tree-dependent, living in the upper canopy of sub-tropical forests in the south and temperate forests in the north.
• Found at elevations close to sea level in the south and up to 3000 m at the foothills of Bhutan in the north.

Conservation Status:

• IUCN: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Krystyna Pyszkova from the Czech Republic was crowned as the new Miss World 2024 at a grand event in Mumbai, India. The previous Miss World 2022, Karolina Bielawska from Poland, crowned her successor in a magnificent ceremony.

Runners-Up and Continental Winners

• First Runner-Up: Yasmina Zaytoun of Lebanon
• Miss World Asia and Oceania: Yasmin Azaytoun of Lebanon
• Miss World Europe: Krystyna Pyszková of Czech Republic
• Miss World America and Caribbean: Aché Abrahams of Trinidad and Tobago
• Miss World Africa: Lesego Chombo of Botswana

Humanitarian Award

• The Miss World Humanitarian Award was given to Nita Ambani for her work at the Reliance Foundation, a non-profit organization. Julia Morley CBE, the Chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, presented her with the award.

Odisha Regional Specific News

• Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurated India’s first Indoor Athletics Centre and Indoor Aquatic Centre at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. 
• He also laid the foundation stone for an Indoor Diving Centre.
• The new indoor facilities aim to provide athletes with year-round training and competition opportunities, unaffected by external weather conditions.

Features of Indoor Athletics Centre:

• The Indoor Athletics Centre is India’s first venue capable of hosting indoor continental and regional championships.
• It features a 10,000-square-meter track provided by the renowned Italian firm, Mondo SpA, which is used in the Olympics.
• The facility includes designated areas for various athletic activities such as long jump, triple jump, pole vault, and shot-put.
• The centre also offers accommodation with 60 twin-sharing rooms for full-time coaching athletes.

Features of Indoor Aquatic Centre:

• The Indoor Aquatic Centre boasts a temperature-controlled 50m Olympic-size swimming pool and a 25m warm-up pool.
• It has a seating capacity for 1000 spectators and can host international championships.
• Other amenities include fitness center, sports recovery facility, and accommodation with 26 twin-sharing rooms.
• The Odisha Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) HPC, a joint venture with JSW group, will operate from this aquatic center.

• Odisha’s state government plans to establish the Biju Patnaik Aviation Centre (BPAC) at Birasal airstrip in Dhenkanal district.

Key points:

• The state Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has approved this proposal, with the government allocating Rs 562 crore for the project.
• BPAC will offer training for pilots, simulator operators, cabin crew, and other aviation roles, aligning with the state’s Civil Aviation Policy-2022.
• This initiative aims to position Odisha as a key player in the aviation sector, fostering a pool of skilled workers for the industry.
• To address India’s need for 2,000 pilots annually over the next two decades, BPAC aims to produce 500 aviation professionals each year.
• The aviation centre’s establishment is expected to boost the local economy by stimulating tourism, hospitality, and local businesses.

• Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Nilamadhab Niwas affordable housing project for urban slum dwellers in Bhubaneswar. 
• This is the third such initiative by the state government for the city’s slum dwellers before the general elections.

Key points:

• The project is part of the state government’s ‘Housing for All’ Policy.
• 1,200 units will be constructed at Nilamadhab Niwas; 960 units are already completed and handed over to Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) for allotment.
• Presently, 455 beneficiaries have been allotted housing units.

• Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha has initiated a night out programme for visitors.

Key points:

• Following the successful launch of a similar initiative in Bharatpur forests, the Forest department introduced the ‘Night out at Zoo’ in Nandankanan Zoological Park.
• The aim is to educate visitors about nocturnal species.
• Visitors are encouraged to embrace this opportunity for an educational and unique experience.

Nocturnal species

• Nocturnal animals are animals that are active at night. 
• They often have special adaptions for nocturnal living, including large eyes for low-light vision, and heightened senses of hearing and smell. Examples of nocturnal animals include aardvarks, bats, moths, owls, raccoons, Tasmanian devils and wolves.

Diurnal & Crepuscular Animals

• • The opposite of nocturnal is diurnal. 
  • Diurnal animals are animals that are active during the day. 
• Crepuscular animals are active at twilight (i.e. during the dawn and dusk).

• • March 10 is celebrated as National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD).
  • This day highlights the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls, and the importance of prevention, testing, care, and treatment.
• This day was first observed in 2005.

Theme:

• The theme for NWGHAAD 2024 is: “Prevention and Testing at Every Age. Care and Treatment at Every Stage”. 

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