National News

98th All India Marathi Literary Conference

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 98th All India Marathi Literary Conference at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on February 21, 2025.
• This three-day conference will be held from February 21 to 23, 2025, during which discussions will take place on the current role of Marathi literature.

Related Facts:

Inauguration of the First Edition of SOUL Leadership Conclave

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first edition of the SOUL Leadership Conclave. On this occasion, Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay was present as the chief guest.
• The SOUL (School of Ultimate Leadership) Leadership Conclave will be held for two days, on February 21-22.

Launch of EPL for Pilots

• Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu launched the Electronic Personnel License (EPL) for pilots.

Related Facts:

International News

S. Jaishankar Meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

• During the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
• The G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on February 20, 2025, and was inaugurated by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

G-20/(Group of Twenty):

Vietnam Approves $8 Billion Rail Link to China's Border

• Vietnam's parliament has approved a $8 billion rail link project from its largest northern port city to the Chinese border, enhancing connectivity and facilitating trade between the two communist-ruled nations.

Vietnam :

India Elected as Vice President of IALA

• The first General Assembly of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) was held in Singapore from February 18-21, 2025, where India was elected as the Vice President.

International Maritime Navigation Aids Organization (IALA):

Banking and Economy

'RBIDATA' Mobile Application

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a mobile application named 'RBIDATA'.
• This app provides access to over 11,000 different economic data series, enabling users to get a comprehensive overview of the Indian economy.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) :

Launch of 'One Man Office' Digital Platform

• The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched a new digital platform called 'One Man Office' (OMO) for its agents and sales associates.

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC):

Report: "Asia-Pacific Outlook: Turmoil Ahead"

• Moody’s Analytics has published a report titled "Asia-Pacific Outlook: Turmoil Ahead".
• The report states that new tariffs and weakening global demand will impact exports, leading to slower economic growth across the region.

Related Facts:

Ranks and Indexes

World Reputation Ranking 2025

• Times Higher Education (THE) has released the World Reputation Ranking 2025, in which four Indian universities have secured a place.
• Among them, the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc) is India's top-ranking institute.

Ranking of Indian Institutions:

Awards and Honours

Nita Ambani Honored with Governor's Citation

• Reliance Foundation’s Founder and Chairperson, Nita Ambani, has been honored with the prestigious Governor’s Citation by Honorable Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts.
• This recognition was awarded for her significant contributions in the fields of education, healthcare, and women’s empowerment.

State Special

Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme Approved in Delhi

• The newly formed BJP government in Delhi has approved the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme in its first cabinet meeting.
• Under this scheme, eligible beneficiaries in Delhi will receive free treatment up to ₹10 lakh, with ₹5 lakh coverage provided by the central government and ₹5 lakh coverage by the Delhi government.

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY):

Uttarakhand Budget 2025-26

• The Uttarakhand government has presented a ₹1,01,175.33 crore budget for the financial year 2025-26.
• This budget focuses primarily on seven key sectors, including agriculture, energy, infrastructure, connectivity, AYUSH, and tourism.

Related Facts:

Odisha Budget 2025-26

• Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has presented a ₹2.90 lakh crore budget for the financial year 2025-26, with a special focus on agriculture and irrigation.
• Since around 48% of the state's workforce depends on agriculture and 80% of the population resides in rural areas, ₹37,838 crore has been allocated for agriculture and related sectors, marking an increase of approximately 12% compared to the previous year.

Related Facts:

Aravalli Safari Park Project

• The ambitious Aravalli Safari Park Project by the Haryana government spans 3,858 hectares (approximately 10,000 acres) and is located in Gurugram and Nuh districts.
• It is being considered the world's largest safari park.

Gujarat Budget 2025-26

• Gujarat Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai has presented a ₹3.70 trillion budget for the financial year 2025-26, including ₹148 crore in tax relief.

Related Facts:

Government scheme

Second Round of PMIS Launched

• The second round of the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) pilot phase has been launched.
• In the first round, over 6 lakh applications were received, and now, more than 1,15,000 internship opportunities are being offered in the second round.

Pradhan Mantri Internship Scheme (PMIS):

Defense News

Contract with BEL for 149 SDR Procurement

• The Ministry of Defence has signed a ₹1,220.12 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru, for the procurement of 149 Software-Defined Radios (SDR) for the Indian Coast Guard.
• These state-of-the-art radios will enable secure and reliable exchange of information through high-speed data and secure voice communication.

Indian Coast Guard (ICG):

Science and Technology

Launch of Intensive NCD Screening Campaign

• The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched a special Intensive Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) screening campaign on February 20, 2025.

Related Facts:

Sports News

Second Fastest Player to Reach 11,000 ODI Runs

• Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma completed 11,000 runs in ODI cricket during the Champions Trophy 2025 match against Bangladesh.
• He achieved this milestone in 261 innings, while Virat Kohli had previously reached it in 222 innings.

Related Facts:

Person in News

Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has extended the tenure of Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran by two years, until March 2027.
• Dr. Nageswaran assumed the role of CEA in January 2022.

Related Facts:

Mohammed Shami

• Mohammed Shami has become the fastest Indian bowler to reach 200 ODI wickets during the ICC Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh.

Related Facts: