Title Title Daily Current Affairs Capsule 17th February 2021

Title
Daily Current Affairs Capsule
            Title 2021
     17th February

SpaceKidz India-built Satish Dhawan Nanosatellite to be launched on Feb 28

The Chennai-based SpaceKidz India has developed the nanosatellite called Satish Dhawan Satellite, or SD SAT.

      The SD SAT, a 30x10x10cm cuboid, is an experimental communication satellite, to test the capabilities
       of LoRa (Long range) technology in Space.
      The indigenously designed and developed miniature spacecraft will be launched on February 28 by the
       polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV), C51 rocket of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization).
      Besides its scientific payloads, the nanosatellite will also carry a copy of Bhagavad Gita, a photograph of
       Prime Mister Narendra Modi, and the names of 25,000 common individuals to space.
      SpaceKidz India is an organization dedicated to promoting space science among students.

PM Modi to address NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum, NTLF through
video conferencing.

      The 29th edition of NTLF is being organized from 17th to 19th February.
      It is the flagship event of the National Association of Software and Service Companies, NASSCOM.

   The theme of this year's event is 'Shaping the future towards a better normal'.
      Chairman of NASSCOM: UB Pravin Rao

11th World PetroCoal Congress and World Future Fuel Summit organised in Delhi

The joint conferences of the 11th World PetroCoal Congress and World Future Fuel Summit was organised in
New Delhi on February.

      Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted the increase in LPG coverage
       from 56 per cent to nearly 99.5 per cent in less than seven years.
      He also mentioned that to reduce vehicular pollution, the country leapfrogged from BS-4 to BS-6 emission
       standards from April 2020.

Amazon India to commence manufacturing of electronics products in the country

Amazon India will start manufacturing of electronics products in India.

      To begin with, it is going to start manufacturing Amazon Fire TV sticks from India.
      The announcement came after Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's virtual meeting with
       Amazon’s Global Senior Vice President and Country Head for India Amit Agarwal.
      Amazon will commence its manufacturing efforts with contract manufacturer Cloud Network
       Technology, a subsidiary of Foxconn in Chennai and start production later this year.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launches Pilot Pey Jal Survekshan

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched a Pilot Pey Jal Survekshan under Jal Jeevan Mission- Urban,
JJM-U.

      It will be conducted in cities to ascertain equitable distribution of water, reuse of wastewater and mapping
       of water bodies with respect to quantity and quality of water through a challenge process.
      As a first step, the Ministry has decided to launch the Survekshan in 10 cities- Agra, Badlapur,
       Bhubaneswar, Churu, Kochi, Madurai, Patiala, Rohtak, Surat and Tumkur.
      Jal Jeevan Mission Urban is designed to provide universal coverage of water supply to all households
       through functional taps in all 4,378 statutory towns in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal -
       6.
      The total outlay proposed for JJM (U) is 2 lakh 87 thousand crore rupees which includes 10 thousand
       crore rupees for continuing financial support to AMRUT Mission.

Dr Kiran Bedi removed from post of Puducherry Lieutenant Governor

Dr. Kiran Bedi has been removed from the post of Puducherry Lieutenant Governor.

      Telangana Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan has been given additional charge as Lieutenant
       Governor of Puducherry.

   The development comes in the backdrop of a major shake-up in the Puducherry Assembly after several
       Congress legislators resigned ahead of the Assembly elections due this year.
      Puducherry Social Welfare Minister Kandasamy also said that the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister V.
       Narayanasamy will resign following the resignations.

Indian-origin Preeti Sinha appointed to head United Nations Capital Development Fund

The UN Capital Development Fund has appointed Indian-origin investment and development banker Preeti Sinha
as its Executive Secretary, the highest leadership rank in the institution.

      Sinha will work with a focus on providing micro-finance assistance to women, youth, small and medium-
       sized enterprises in under-served communities.
      The New York-based United Nations Capital Development Fund is an autonomous UN organization
       affiliated with UNDP.

Wicket-keeper batsman Naman Ojha announces retirement from all forms of cricket

Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha has announced his retirement from all formats of cricket.

      Ojha made his first-class debut for Madhya Pradesh in 2000-01.

   The 37-year-old from Madhya Pradesh holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in the
       Ranji Trophy
      Ojha has also represented India in all three formats, featuring in one Test, one ODI and two T20
       Internationals.

Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conferred Skoch Chief Minister of the Year Award

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been conferred the Skoch Chief Minister of
the Year Award.

      The Award has been presented to the CM by Chairman, Skoch group, Sameer Kochhar personally at
       Tadepalli in Andhra Pradesh.
      Jagan was chosen for the award based on a year-long study of governance projects in the state.
      Schemes like YSR Rythu Bharosa Kendras and Cheyuta were focused on bringing in efficiency and
       transparency, besides ensuring inclusive growth and development.

Indo-Pak war veteran retired Major General BK Mahapatra passes away at 87

War veteran Major General (retired) Basant Kumar Mahapatra, who had participated in major battles including
the 1962 Indo-China war, and 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan war, has passed away.

      Hailing from Bhubaneswar in Odisha, Mahapatra was commissioned into armoured corps (Tanks) of the
       Indian Army as a Combat Officer and was popularly known as ‘Tank Man’.
      Mohapatra was conferred with the prestigious Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).

Former Governor of Bihar and Jharkhand M Rama Jois passes away

Former Governor of Bihar and Jharkhand M Rama Jois has passed away after a prolonged illness.

      He also served as the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court
      Retired Justice Rama Jois had also served as a Rajya Sabha member.
      During the Emergency he was imprisoned at Bengaluru along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee.