ADB strives $25 billion for India’s infra, social and green needs
ADB strives $25 billion for India's infra, social and green needs: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in order to help India fulfil its most pressing development requirements, pledged up to $25 billion.
ADB strives $25 billion for India’s infra, social and green needs
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in order to help India fulfil its most pressing development requirements, pledged up to $25 billion over the course of the next five years to support social development, climate change, and infrastructure development in India under the PM Gati Shakti project.
ADB strives $25 billion for India: Key Points
ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa informed PM Narendra Modi during their discussion that ADB intended to provide $20–25 billion in resources over a five-year period to help the nation achieve its goals of rapid, inclusive, and environmentally friendly growth.
ADB will offer comprehensive support for India’s top priorities, including the crucial infrastructure push under the PM’s Gati Shakti (National Master Plan for Multimodal Connectivity) initiative, the construction of future cities, mobilising domestic resources, and bolstering basic services in underserved areas.
ADB will prioritise assisting in the transition to a circular economy and the decarbonization of transportation as well as the clean energy transition as part of its green growth plan.
President Asakawa noted India’s successful Covid-19 pandemic response and swift post-pandemic recovery, saying India continues to be the fastest-growing major economy with an anticipated 7% growth in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023.
Asakawa discussed ADB attempts to attain yearly regular financing of $4 billion from its sovereign operations in the following few years during his discussion with Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
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About Asian Development Bank ADB
In 1986, ADB began conducting business in India. As of December 31, 2022, ADB had committed $6.75 billion in non-sovereign loan and investment to the nation, in addition to $52.28 billion in sovereign lending.
64 projects totaling $16 billion are currently included in ADB’s India portfolio, which spans the transportation, urban, energy, human development, agricultural & natural resources, and finance sectors.
Following a thorough stakeholder consultation process, ADB is also in the process of finalising the new five-year country partnership plan (CPS) for India for 2023–27.
Eknath Shinde-led Sena Faction Gets ‘Bow and Arrow’ Symbol
The Election Commission recognized the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena and allocated it the bow and arrow symbol.
The Election Commission recognized the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena and allocated it the bow and arrow symbol. In the order, the Election Commission informed that 40 MLAs backing Shinde got nearly 76% of the votes polled in favor of the 55 Shiv Sena candidates who had won their seats in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.
On the other hand, the Uddhav Thackeray faction’s 15 MLAs got 23.5% of the votes polled, the three-member poll body said in a unanimous order. Meanwhile, 13 MPs of the Shinde faction got 73% of the total votes cast in Shiv Sena’s favor in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, while only 27% of the votes went to MPs from the Thackeray camp.
Eknath Shinde-led Sena Faction Gets ‘Bow and Arrow’ Symbol- Key Points
The party had split in June after Eknath Shinde and a group of party MLAs rebelled against the former Maharashtra government – a coalition of the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party, and the Congress.
After more than a week of political depression, the coalition was ousted from power as the Thackeray faction was reduced to a minority in the state Assembly.
Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra on June 30, while the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Devendra Fadnavis took oath as his deputy.
The two factions, led by Thackeray and Shinde had approached the poll body seeking to be recognized as the real Shiv Sena.
In an interim decision, the Election Commission had said that the Shinde will be called the Balasahebanchi Shivsena. The faction had chosen two swords and a shield as its interim symbol.
In its order, the poll body informed that the interim name and symbol will be frozen. The Election Commission also allowed the Uddhav Thackeray faction to keep its interim symbol – the flaming torch – till the completion of the assembly by-polls in the state.
LG Manoj Sinha Inaugurated 33rd Police-Public Mela in Jammu
Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the 33rd Police-Public Mela at Gulshan Ground, Jammu.
Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the 33rd Police-Public Mela at Gulshan Ground, Jammu. LG Manoj Sinha informed that the Police-Public Mela has emerged as a powerful platform for police officers and the public to interact and celebrate the shared heritage.
He commended the Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association (JKPWWA) for carrying out numerous initiatives around the year to address the concerns of the families of martyrs and serving personnel.
LG Manoj Sinha Inaugurated 33rd Police-Public Mela in Jammu- Key Points
The LG while addressing the gathering informed that Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association (JKPWWA) is doing exceptional work in promoting welfare measures for JKP Jawans and their families.
He also paid tributes to the martyrs of J&K Police who devoted their lives to serving and protecting the nation.
The LG noted that the nation will be forever grateful to the Bravehearts and their families who made supreme sacrifices for the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
Later, the LG went around the stalls put up by various Police establishments, Districts, and JKRLM and also interacted with the police families.
About Jammu and Kashmir Police
The Jammu and Kashmir Police or JKP is the law enforcement agency of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory). JKP was established in 1873 and has primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within Jammu and Kashmir in India.
The first specific Jammu & Kashmir police force came into existence in the year 1873 with one police officer known as Kotwal and 14 Thanedars for Srinagar City. This police force would control crime and take care of law-and-order situations with help of Chowkidars and Harkars, who were paid mandatorily by the residents of Imperial Kashmir Union.
ChatGPT introduces boom in AI-written e-books on Amazon
ChatGPT introduces boom in AI-written e-books on Amazon: Schickler produced a 30-page illustrated children's e-book in a couple of hours using the AI programme on Amazon's self-publishing division.
ChatGPT introduces boom in AI-written e-books on Amazon
Brett Schickler had never before considered the possibility of becoming a published novelist. But, after finding out about the ChatGPT artificial intelligence initiative, Schickler believed he had been given a chance. Schickler produced a 30-page illustrated children’s e-book in a couple of hours using the AI programme, which can produce text blocks from straightforward instructions, and made it available for purchase through Amazon.com Inc.’s self-publishing division in January.
ChatGPT introduces boom: Key Points
After finding a gold coin, Sammy the Squirrel—roughly animated using AI as well—learns from his forest buddies the importance of saving money.
He creates an acorn-shaped piggy bank, makes investments in an acorn trading company, and dreams of one day purchasing an acorn mill.
According to Schickler, the money he made from selling The Wise Little Squirrel: A Story of Saving and Investing, which is available in the Amazon Kindle store for $2.99 or $9.99 for a printed version, was less than $100. Even while it may not seem like much, it gave him the motivation he needed to use the software to write more novels.
Schickler is at the forefront of a movement examining the potential and constraints of ChatGPT, which made its debut in November and has shocked Silicon Valley and beyond with its astounding capacity to produce coherent blocks of text quickly.
The Power of Homework, “How to Write and Generate Content With ChatGPT,” and the poetry collection “Echoes of the Universe” are just a few of the more than 200 e-books that name ChatGPT as an author or co-author on Amazon’s Kindle store as of mid-February. And it keeps growing every day. Books totally authored by ChatGPT on utilising ChatGPT have even become a new subgenre on Amazon.
Yet, because of the nature of ChatGPT and the unwillingness of many authors to reveal their use of it, it is incredibly difficult to determine the exact number of e-books that might have been produced by AI.
Some of the largest technology companies have already expressed concern about the software’s emergence, leading Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) to rapidly introduce new features in Google and Bing.
A few of the largest technology companies have already expressed concern over the software’s emergence, leading Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) to rapidly introduce new AI-infused features in Google and Bing, respectively.
ChatGPT’s quick consumer adoption
ChatGPT’s quick consumer adoption has sparked a frenzy of activity in the tech community as investors pour money into startups with an AI focus and have given technology companies a new purpose in the shadow of large layoffs. After showcasing an integration with ChatGPT, Microsoft, for example, garnered adoring attention this month for their otherwise dormant Bing search engine.
Yet, since ChatGPT learns to write by scanning millions of pages of previous material, there are already doubts about its veracity. Before the tech news site, CNET’s AI experiment produced many corrections and what appeared to be plagiarism. A few of the largest technology companies have already expressed concern over the software’s emergence, leading Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) and Microsoft Corp to rapidly introduce new AI-infused features in Google and Bing, respectively.
ChatGPT a threat to real authors?
When aspiring authors and self-help experts eager to make a quick buck turn to ChatGPT to help develop bot-made e-books and sell them through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing division, the staid book industry now appears ready to be upended. Such debut authors choose to write picture books for kids.
There are hundreds of tutorials showing how to build a book in a few hours on YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit. Get-rich-quick scams, nutrition ideas, software coding assistance, and recipes are among the topics covered.
In a YouTube video, an author who goes by the name Frank White demonstrates how he wrote the 119-page novella “Galactic Pimp: Vol. 1,” which is about alien groups battling over a human-staffed brothel in a distant galaxy, in less than a day.
On Amazon’s Kindle e-book shop, you can get the book for just $1. In the video, White claims that anyone with the means and the time could use AI to produce 300 such books annually.
Because Amazon’s standards do not mandate it, many authors, like White, feel no obligation to mention in the Kindle shop that their great American work was written entirely by a computer.
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Amazon Controls more than 80% Book Indutry
Amazon, which controls well over half of sales in the United States and, according to some estimates, more than 80% of the e-book industry, is by far the biggest seller of both physical and digital books.
With the support of its Kindle Direct Publishing service, a cottage industry of independently published authors has emerged, carving out specific markets for those who enjoy erotica and self-help books.
In order to eliminate the difficulty and expense of finding literary agents or publishing houses, Amazon developed Kindle Direct Publishing in 2007 to enable anybody to sell and market a book from the comfort of their couch.
In general, Amazon permits authors to rapidly publish through the system without any control, dividing any profits.
UAE and India launch the UAE Chapter of the Business Council
The UAE India Business Council - UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) was launched on February 18, 2023 by the UAE’s minister of state for foreign trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.
India and the UAE are celebrating the first anniversary of their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, signed on February 18, 2022. As part of continued efforts to boost bilateral trade, the UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) was launched on February 18, 2023 by the UAE’s minister of state for foreign trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. Others present at the signing of the agreement included India’s ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir, general counsel of India in Dubai Aman Puri, and founding members of the UIBC- UC.
India-UAE: Increasing Economic Cooperation:
India and the UAE are targeting increasing bilateral trade to total $100 billion. The counsel is also keen to attract $75 billion in investments from the UAE to India.
“This includes investments in large infrastructure projects in India, advancements in manufacturing and technology, and providing Indian manufacturers with the ability to use the UAE as a base for their global expansion,” said KEF Holdings’ chairman Faizal Kottikollon, who has been appointed as the chairman of the UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC).
Significance of The UAE India Business Council:
The UIBC-UC is poised to play a crucial role in supporting both governments in achieving these objectives and maximising the potential of the UAE-India relationship.
By leveraging the strong bond between the two nations, the council brings together key partners and stakeholders from both nations and will serve as a valuable source of policy guidance, fostering innovative collaboration between Emirati and Indian businesses.
First PMGati Shakti Workshop Held in Goa for Western & Central Zone
The first Prime Minister GatiShakti regional workshop for the Western and Central Zone was held in Goa. The workshop featured discussions on use cases of National Master Plan (NMP).
The first Prime Minister GatiShakti regional workshop for the Western and Central Zone was held in Goa. The workshop featured discussions on use cases of National Master Plan (NMP) adoption by Central Ministries & State Departments for planning and acted as a platform for mutual learning among the States and Central Ministries/Departments.
Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and senior government officials from Central Ministries and State Governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh were present on the occasion.
First PMGati Shakti Workshop Held in Goa for Western & Central Zone – Key Points
Secretary, DPIIT Anurag Jain while addressing the gathering stated that PM GatiShakti will start the virtuous cycle of pulling in private investments, increasing production, employment, and growth.
He added that the GatiShakti NMP was launched to propel the nation towards achieving the goal of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
He also noted that the root cause of many problems faced by the common man is the huge disconnect between macro-level planning and its implementation at the micro level and that the GatiShakti NMP is a huge step towards resolving the same.
Synergies can be built to ensure integrated planning, synchronized implementation, and monitoring of infrastructure, economic and social sector projects/schemes through this platform, added Secretary Anurag Jain.
Special Secretary, DPIIT Sumita Dawra observed that since the launch of PM GatiShakti on 13th Oct 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several milestones such as the launch of a National Logistics Policy have been achieved.
Tracing the progress made under PM GatiShakti NMP, she added that as of today over 1300 layers have been uploaded.
30 Individual portals of Central Ministries and 36 States/UTs State Master Plan portals have also been developed.
World Scout Day 2023 celebrates on 22nd February
World Scout Day 2023: World Scout Day is observed to honours Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who founded the Boy Scout Movement, on the day of his birthday.
World Scout Day 2023
World Scout Day is observed annually on February 22 by millions of Boy Scouts worldwide. It honours Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who founded the Boy Scout Movement, on the day of his birthday. The day is observed by National Scout Organizations all over the world through events including fundraising campaigns, food drives, and other types of volunteer work.
World Scout Day: Significance
According to the Scout Movement’s official website, there are 172 National Scout Organizations with 57 million members as of 2022. The entire scouting community should take note of this day. Several Boy Scouts renew their commitment to the organization’s principles in honour of the occasion. These institutions’ daily operations are centred on promoting communal wellbeing. Many people do nice things and volunteer in the community.
World Scout Day: History
The Scouting movement began in the United Kingdom in 1907, more than a century ago. Lord Baden-Powell organised the first Boy Scout camp back then with a ragged bunch of 20 kids. The camp, along with the founder’s book “Scouting for Boys,” were both huge successes. The movement quickly spread over the following few years, becoming an international phenomenon.
On February 22, World Scout Day, sometimes referred to as Founder’s Day, is observed to mark Lord Robert Baden-birthday. Powell’s It is especially notable because it is his wife Olave Baden- Powell’s, the World Chief Guide, birthday anniversary.
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