07.02.23 Daily [Andhra Pradesh] APPSC Current Affairs

The port city of Kakinadais all set to become the major Growth centre on the east coast and is likely to boost the economy ofAndhra Pradesh.

The KG basin with rich oil and natural gas reserves, and large-scale exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons have accelerated development in the area. Many gas-based industries have already come up and some are in the pipeline.

The 7,440-acre Kakinada SEZ, with 1,589-acre Kakinada Gateway Port land on one side, and the petroleum, chemical and petrochemicals region (PCPIR) on the other, has raised hopes among theindustrialhouses of taking advantage of the situation and setting up industries there.The in-principle approval for Bulk Drug Park in Kakinada by Union ministry of chemicals & fertilisers is seen as a boon for the region. Kakinada will become anindustrial hubon the entire east coast and is destined to guide the future of AP.

The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) has released Indias first national assessment regulator, PARAKH, which will work on setting norms, standards, and guidelines for student assessment and evaluation for all recognized school boards in the country.

The PARAKH regulator aims to set up assessment guidelines for all boards to help remove disparities in the scores of students enrolled with different state boards. PARAKH stands for The Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development. It is established within the education survey division of the NCERT.

PARAKH has been launched as a part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

It has envisaged a standard-setting body to advise school boards regarding the new assessment patterns and the latest research and promote collaboration between them.

PARAKH will work in three major assessment areas including large-scale assessments, school-based assessments, and examination reforms.

An earthquake with a magnitude 7.8 hit Turkey and Syria. More than 4,000 people died in Turkey and Syria as a result of an earthquake. As rescuers search the debris of collapsed buildings for trapped victims in the bitter cold and snow, the death toll is anticipated to grow.

On June 22, 2022, an earthquake of a magnitude of 6.1 killed over 1,100 people in Afghanistan.

On August 14, 2021, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, killing almost 2,200 people.

On September 28, 2018, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck Indonesia, killing almost 4,300 people.

More than 300 people were killed on August 24, 2016, by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in central Italy.

On April 25, 2015, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Nepal killed around 8,800 people.

On August 3, 2014, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake close to Wenping, China, claimed the lives of around 700 people.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has extended a concessional USD 40 million Line of Credit for developing sporting in the Maldives. It is a part of New Delhis efforts to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modis flagship projects such as fit India and Khelo Indiainto the stretch of the Neighborhood First Policy. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is on a visit to the Maldives to further expand bilateral engagement with the key maritime neighbor of India.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has inaugurated the community center with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid.

Sports infrastructure across islands will be developed through the dedicated concessional USD 40 million Line of Credit.