National
Best airport in India and South Asia
Delhi airport has been adjudged the best airport in India and South Asia.
This is according to international air transport rating organisation Skytrax.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has moved up to the 36th position this year from 37th in 2022.
The Skytrax World Airport Awards are based on annual global airport customer satisfaction survey.
Women and Men in India 2022
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released Women and Men in India 2022 report.
India’s sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) is expected to improve to 952 by 2036.
India’s Labour Force Participation Rate for those above 15 years of age has been on the rise since 2017-2018.
The rate was 77.2 for males and 32.8 for females in 2021-22.
The population growth is on a downward trend from 2.2% in 1971 to 1.1% in 2021.
It is projected to fall further to 0.58% in 2036.
The age-specific fertility rate for the 20-24 years and 25-29 years age group between 2016 and 2020 reduced from 135.4 and 166.0 to 113.6 and 139.6 respectively.
The same indicator for the 35-39 years age group increased from 32.7 in 2016 to 35.6 in 2020
International News
Bangladesh commissions its first submarine base
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first submarine base of Bangladesh ‘BNS Sheikh Hasina’ at Pekua in Cox’s Bazar. Hailing the newly inaugurated naval base as an ‘ultra modern submarine base’, Prime Minister called the event a proud chapter in the history of Bangladesh navy. This is the first ever full-fledged submarine base of Bangladesh Navy. Built at a cost of $1.21 billion. The base can accommodate a total of six submarines and eight warships at a time.
State news
Asia’s largest 4-metre liquid mirror telescope inaugurated in Uttarakhand
Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, inaugurated Asia’s largest 4-metre International Liquid Mirror Telescope at Devasthal, Uttarakhand, in the presence of Lt. Gen (Retd.) Gurmeet Singh, the Governor of Uttarakhand.
The Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) has declared that the 4-meter International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) is operational and can now be used to observe the deep celestial sky. The telescope recorded its first light in the second week of May 2022 and is located on the Devasthal Observatory campus of ARIES in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. ARIES is an independent institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Indian Government, situated at an altitude of 2450 meters.
Important days
World water day
The theme for World Water Day 2023 is “Accelerating the change to solve the water and sanitation crisis.” It highlights the urgent need to take action to address the global water crisis and the necessity to go beyond business as usual. The United Nations aims to unite the world around water and kickstart the UN 2023 Water Conference from March 22 to 24 in New York, United States.
