Current affairs 25 January 2023

JUICE Space Mission of Europe to be launched in April 2023.

The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) will be launched from the agency’s spaceport in French Guiana in April 2023.
Aim: To explore the large, frigid worlds that orbit Jupiter, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.
Ariane 5 will carry the satellite.
JUICE will be the first satellite from the earth to enter the orbit of Ganymede.
If launched in April 2023, the satellite is expected to enter Jupiter orbit by 2034 and will be deorbited in 2035.

The Governor of Punjab, Banwari Lal Purohit inaugurated North India’s largest floating Solar project of 2000kWp at Water Works in Chandigarh.
He has also inaugurated a 500kWp floating Solar Project with Fountains at Dhanas Lake in Chandigarh.
These projects were designed and executed by CREST (Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society).
It will generate a minimum of 35 Lac Units(kWh) of Solar Energy per year with 20% module efficiency.

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has organized a two-day event, ‘Krishi-Mahotsav: Pradarshani evam Prashikshan’ at Kota, Rajasthan.
It was organized in association with the Department of Agriculture, Government of Rajasthan.
Aim: To make Kota Division advanced and leading in the field of agriculture and rural development.
Through the exhibition, the government can also spread awareness about the schemes of governments.
Rajasthan CM: Ashok Gehlot

President, Droupadi Murmu has conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) 2023 to 11 exceptional children in an award ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan.
The awards are conferred upon children in the age group 5 – 18 years.
This award is given in six categories - Art & Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Scholastic, Social Service, and Sports.
Each awardee of PMRBP is given a medal, a cash prize of Rs.1 Lakh and a Certificate.

Bihar government in association with the Forest Survey of India (FSI) has decided to conduct a 'Trees Outside Forest' (TOF) field survey
Aim: To identify the dominant tree species that are growing outside the recorded forest areas (RFA).
As per the FSI India State of Forest Report, 2021, Bihar has registered an increase of 3.79% in growing stock in RFA and 0.58% in TOF.
The overall tree cover has also increased in the state from 2,003 sq km in 2019 to 2,341 sq km in 2021