Current Affairs - February 14, 2024 Current Affairs

The state government of Assam has officially declared Kaji Nemu, a unique variety of lemon native to the region, as the 'State Fruit'. This decision, announced by State Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, underscores the fruit's cultural, traditional, and nutritional importance to Assam. Kaji Nemu, renowned for its juicy, aromatic nature and high nutritional value, holds a special place in the state's agricultural heritage.

The Odisha government's recent initiatives reflect its dedication to addressing various socio-economic challenges within the state. Alongside providing a one-time livelihood cash assistance of ₹1,000 to PDS-covered families, it introduced the 'Swayam' scheme, offering interest-free bank loans to rural unemployed youths to kickstart new business ventures. Additionally, the government expanded the KHUSI scheme, now named KHUSI+, to distribute belted sanitary napkins for institutional deliveries and medical termination of pregnancy in government facilities.

India was honoured with the 9th GovTech Prize at the World Government Summit 2024 in the United Arab Emirates for its innovative use of artificial intelligence in enhancing government services, particularly in the field of road safety.

World Radio Day is celebrated worldwide on February 13th each year. This day commemorates the enduring significance of radio as a powerful medium of communication, highlighting its ability to reach remote communities and amplify the voices of the vulnerable.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) achieved a historic milestone by crossing the ₹20-lakh crore market capitalization threshold, making it the first company on Indian stock exchanges to reach this valuation. This achievement underscores RIL's robust performance across its business divisions and favourable market conditions.

NITI Aayog, the premier policy think tank of the Government of India, launched the GROW Initiative for Agroforestry Development, focusing on revitalizing India's wastelands. This initiative aims to utilize advanced technologies for analyzing and transforming underutilized wastelands into productive agroforestry zones.

The National Conference on APAAR: One Nation One Student ID Card was inaugurated by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship, in New Delhi. The conference aimed to highlight the significance of the APAAR ID (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) as a universal student identification document.

Dattajirao Gaekwad, renowned for his resilience, elegance, and sportsmanship, passed away at 95. His legacy in Indian cricket history extends beyond statistics, reflecting the spirit of the game he epitomized.

The Uttar Pradesh government intends to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IIT Roorkee to enhance disaster management efforts. This collaboration aims to minimize casualties and improve disaster preparedness by providing specialized training to personnel and researching disaster root causes.

CA. Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal has been elected as the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for the term 2024-25. This leadership transition signals a new phase for ICAI, reaffirming its commitment to professional excellence and regulatory standards.

The Telangana Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a bill banning hookah parlours in the state. State Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu introduced the bill on behalf of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, highlighting the health hazards associated with hookah smoking compared to cigarettes.

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day is observed annually on February 14, symbolically coinciding with Valentine's Day. This day serves to raise awareness about congenital heart defects and the challenges faced by those affected, emphasizing the need for medical advancements and support.