19.04.23 Daily [Uttar Pradesh] UPPSC Current Affairs

The public works department (PWD) ended up surrendering close to Rs 9,000 crore back to the government, which is one-third of itsbudgetof Rs 27,140 crore during the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Though returning the unspent amount iscommonfor various government departments every financial year, in PWDs case the lapsed amount has gone up significantly instead of going down.

During the last fiscal year, PWD was able to exhaust Rs 8,914 crore out of Rs 27,140 crore which translates to 33% underutilisation. Before that during 2021-22 fiscal year out of Rs 23,562 crore that had been provisioned for strengthening and improving road Network, building new bridges and constructing important government buildings and structures, the department was unable to spend about Rs 7,000 crore (30% underutilisation). So, while the overall objective was

to improve road connectivity to bring down the commute time between towns and cities, several works were delayed.

The Indian government recently launched the Ambedkar circuit tourist train under the Dekho Apna Desh initiative, aimed at promoting domestic tourism in the country. This eight-day special tour covers eight significant places associated with Ambedkar i.e., New Delhi, Mhow, Nagpur, Sanchi, Sarnath, Gaya, Rajgir, and . The train is a joint initiative of the Ministries of Tourism and Railways, aimed at attracting not only the wider tourist base but also the Dalit community.

One of the most significant places in the Ambedkar circuit covered by the Bharat Gaurav Tourist train is Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur. It is a sacred monument of Navayana Buddhism where Dr. B.R. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism

with approximately 6 lakh of his followers, mainly Scheduled Caste people, on Ashoka Vijaya Dashami on October 14, 1956.

The famous Cumbum Panneer Thratchai or Cumbum grapes from Nadu have recently been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The Cumbum valley in Tamil Nadu is popularly known as the Grapes City of South India and

is known for cultivating the Panneer Thratchai or Muscat Hamburg variety, which constitutes around 85% of the grape-growing regions in Tamil Nadu

A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is a form of intellectual property right that indicates the origin and quality of a product that is produced in a specific geographic region. The primary objective of a GI tag is to protect the traditional knowledge, cultural heritage, and reputation of the product, as well as to promote its economic value.

Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the YUVA PORTAL in New Delhi, which aims to connect and identify potential young Start-Ups. The minister also introduced the One Week One Lab programme during the event

Dr. Singh emphasized the importance of broad-based stakeholder participation, particularly from the , for the sustainable Growth of Start-Ups.

He highlighted Indias global excellence in technology, innovation, and Start-Ups, stating that

each of the 37 CSIR Labs is dedicated to a unique area of work

The inaugural session of the India-Russia Business Dialogue 2023 took place in New Delhi, and it was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov

Representatives of Russian

and Indian businesses met at the India-Russia Business Dialogue 2023 in New Delhi.

The forum discussed enhancing practical cooperation between Russia and India, including the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC

Russia and the Eurasian Economic Commission are trying to accelerate negotiations on a with India

World Liver Day is observed on April 19 in order to raise awareness about liver-related diseases. The liver is one of the most complex organs in the human body. It plays a pivotal role in our bodys immunity, digestion and Metabolism. Plus, it also carries out the filtration of toxins, stores VITAMINS and

Minerals, and produces bile, among other functions. It is likely that there will be various awareness campaigns, educational programs, and Health initiatives organized around the world on this day to promote liver health and prevention of liver diseases.

The significance

of World Liver Day is to raise awareness about the risk factors and symptoms of liver diseases, as well as the importance of early detection and treatment. This day provides an opportunity to educate the public on lifestyle modifications that can help prevent liver diseases, such as maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, and getting vaccinated against hepatitis.