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DAILY DOSE 16^TH JAN-2024 CURRENT AFFAIRS

History: 16^th January

National Startup Day

National Startup Day is observed annually on 16 January to appreciate and promote the Indian Startup Ecosystem.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared January 16 as National Startup Day in the year 2021
National Startup Week from January 10 to 16.
Theme “Startups Unlocking Infinite Potential.”

Bernardo Arévalo was officially sworn in as the President of Guatemala on January 15, 2024, overcoming months of political challenges and efforts to derail his inauguration.
Arevalo, a 65-year-old career diplomat and sociologist, is seen as a democracy advocate leading a progressive movement. His presidency is viewed as a watershed moment for Guatemala, aiming to reshape the political landscape and address deep-rooted issues.

About Guatemala :

The Minister of State for Defence recently flagged off the indigenously developed Astra Missiles for supply to the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Bharat Dynamics in Hyderabad.

Astra is a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft.
It is indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
It is the best in its class of weapon systems in the world in the category of air-to-air missiles.

Researchers from Mizoram University’s zoology department have discovered a new species of coral snake in Mizoram.

New coral snake species has been named Sinomicrurus gorei after British Indian doctor Gore.
The reptile is locally known as ‘Rulṭhihna’ due to its striking resemblance to a Mizo traditional amber necklace called ‘Ṭhihna’.
In Mizoram, Sinomicrurus macclellandi is primarily found in hilly or elevated areas, while Sinomicrurus gorei is found in both low-lying and hilly areas.

The state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) recently discovered two significant natural gas reserves in the Mahanadi basin block in the Bay of Bengal.

Mahanadi River Basin is the 8th largest river basin in the country, with a total catchment area of 139681.51 sq. km, which is nearly 4.28% of the total geographical area of the country.
The catchment area of the basin extends over major parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
The basin has a maximum length and width of 587 km and 400 km, respectively.
It is bounded by the Central India hills on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and east, and by the Maikala range on the west.

Kachchhi Kharek, the indigenous variety of dates of Kutch, has become the second fruit of Gujarat to get a geographical indication (GI) tag from the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDT) of India.

The presence of dates in Kachchh (Kutch) is believed to be around 400-500 years old.
It is believed that date palm groves along the north-western border of India have developed from the seeds thrown by the settlers, who used to visit Middle-East countries for Haj.
It is also probable that the Arab gardeners working in the palaces of the former rulers of Kachchh might also have contributed to the import of the date seeds and offshoots from Arab countries.
Dates grown in Kutch are harvested at the khalal stage, the stage when fruits have matured, accumulated sucrose, and have turned red or yellow but are still crisp.
The Kutch date season typically commences on June 15 each year, and the trees are known for their tolerance to salinity and adaptability to extreme drought and heat conditions.

The Indian Science, Technology, and Engineering Facilities Map (I-STEM) is launching the Samavesha project at IISc., Bengaluru.

The project aims to enhance research collaboration in India by improving accessibility to facilities and labs.
The platform allows researchers and industries to connect with institutions that have the required equipment, enabling them to rent it for experiments.
The initiative aims to save capital expenditure for researchers, industries, and startups and prevent duplication of resources at the national level.
The Indian Science, Technology, and Engineering Facilities Map (I-STEM) is a national web portal that helps researchers find the facilities they need for their R&D work.

The Union Budget, as per Article 112 of the Indian Constitution, serves as the financial blueprint of the government, outlining estimated revenue and expenditure for the fiscal year spanning April 1 to March 31.
The 2017-18 Union Budget marked a pivotal moment by shifting the presentation date to the first day of February, integrating the Railway Budget with the Union Budget.
India’s inaugural budget was presented on April 7, 1860, during British colonial rule, by Finance Minister James Wilson. Post-independence, the first Union Budget was introduced on November 26, 1947, by Finance Minister Sir R.K. Shanmugham Chetty amid the challenges of partition.