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Current Affairs Today – 6th March 2020
NEWS AT A GLANCE
- Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has lowered the interest rate on PF deposits to 8.5% for the current financial year 2019-20.
- The Central Government of India imposed temporary prohibition of the activity of the capital-starved Yes Bank and capped withdrawals at Rs50,000 per account after considering an application made by the Reserve Bank of India.
- ICICI Prudential AMC (Asset Management Company), one of the leading mutual fund investment companies in India, has entered into the partnership with Saraswat Co-operative Bank
- Markets regulator Sebi has launched a mobile application ‘Sebi SCORES’ for convenience of investors to lodge grievances in Sebi Complaints Redress System (SCORES).
- Zomato, an Indian restaurant aggregator and food delivery startup has acquired Uber’s food delivery business in India.
- The 4th Edition of the Women Transforming India Awards (WTI) is to be awarded on 8 March 2020, the International Women’s Day.
- The Fourth Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF) will be held at Kochi in Kerala from 16-20 May.
- Chapchar Kut began in all parts of Mizoram on 5 March 2020.
- ‘Namaste Orchha’ festival begins in Orchha, a town in Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh.
- Bangladesh is to add two new land ports for the Bangladeshi citizens travelling to India.
- Janez Jansa, an anti-immigrant politician, was elected as the new Prime Minister of Slovenia.
- “International Conference on Nano Science and Technology” (ICONSAT) is being held from 5-7 March at Kolkata.
- Kobita Utsav, a poetry festival, is being held in Kolkata on 5 March.
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) organized the Fifth National Conference on Economics of Competition Law at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on 6 March 2020.
- Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Dr. Jitendra Singh, inaugurated a workshop on International Women’s Day on 6 March.
- The District Employment and Counseling Centre has organized a Workshop-cum-Awareness Programme on the Skill Development for Unorganized Workers.
- A national level Training Workshop on COVID-19 Management for all the states and hospitals was organized in New Delhi.
- PRAGYAN CONCLAVE 2020, a two-day Indian Army International Seminar being organised by Centre for Land Warfare Studies, commenced at New Delhi.
- Former Indian PM Indira Gandhi and freedom fighter Amrit Kaur was named by the TIME magazine among the world’s 100 powerful women in the last century.
- The desi “Air Force One” will be ready to fly the President or Prime Minister by 2021.
- India and the European Union agreed to work in the Integrated Local Energy System during India’s Smart Utility Week 2020.
- Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) that functions under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs signed MoU with Amazon for e-marketing of products made by Self Help Groups (SHGs) across the country in urban areas.
- The former Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Secretary Bimal Julka was sworn in as the next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) on 5 March.
- Smt Amita Pandove was sworn in as the Information Commissioner, Central Information Commission (CIC).
- Global sports brand PUMA has signed bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan as its new brand ambassador.
- Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the appointment of Ajay Bhushan Pandey as the new Finance Secretary in Ministry of Finance.
- Amrish Rau has been appointed as CEO of Pine Labs, a leading merchant commerce platform company.
- Sports Authority of India (SAI) has announced the first edition of the Khelo India Women’s Hockey League (Under 21) will be held at three different venues across the country in three phases between March-November 2020.
- The Badminton Asia Championships will be held in the capital of Philippines i.e. Manila.
- The Minister of State for Defence, Shripad Naik has been decided to set up two Defence industrial corridors in the country, one in Uttar Pradesh and another in Tamil Nadu.
- Union Minister of Women & Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani released a book, titled “Chronicles of Change Champions” at an event held in New Delhi on 5 March.
- Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the automated facial recognition system (AFRS) for the identification of unrecognized bodies, missing children, and criminals.
- Former UN Chief Javier Perez de Cuellar has passed away at the age of 100.
- Veteran journalist and former editor of Telugu daily Andhra Prabha, Potturi Venkateswara Rao, died at his residence in Hyderabad.
NEWS IN DETAILS
BANKING AND FINANCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
EPFO lowered the interest rate on PF deposits to 8.5 percent
- Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has lowered the interest rate on PF deposits to 8.5% for the current financial year 2019-20.
EPFO’s rate cut:
♦ For the financial year 2018-19, EPFO provided a 6.85% rate of interest on EPF.
♦ The decision was made at the Central Board of Trustees (CBT). The announcement was made by Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar in New Delhi on 5 March 2020.
♦ The interest rate cut by the Labour Ministry requires concurrence from the Finance ministry. The Ministry will examine the proposal for EPF interest rate cut in order to avoid liability on the account of shortfall in the EPFO income for a fiscal as the Government of India is the guarantor.
♦ Earlier, the Ministry of Finance has been pushing the labour ministry to align the EPF interest rate with other small saving schemes run by the post office saving scheme and public provident fund.
Extra Shots:
Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO): EPFO was formed by the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. It functions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
- Founded on: 4 March 1952
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
- Central Provident Fund Commissioner: Sunil Barthwal
- Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner: Rajesh Bansal
GoI capped Rs 50,000 withdrawal limit on Yes Bank account holder
- The Central Government of India imposed temporary prohibition of the activity of the capital-starved Yes Bank and capped withdrawals at Rs50,000 per account after considering an application made by the Reserve Bank of India.
- The board of Yes Bank has been superseded with immediate effect by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- The RBI also assured the depositors of the bank that their interest will be fully protected and there is no need to panic.
- Former SBI CFO Prashant Kumar has been appointed as administrator of Yes Bank.
- Yes Bank has been grappling with mounting bad loans.
- The latest development comes six months after the regulator did the same with the city-based cooperative lender PMC Bank after a large scam was unearthed.
Extra Shots:
RBI: The Reserve Bank of India is India’s central banking institution, which controls the issuance and supply of the Indian rupee.
- Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
- Deputy Governors: B P Kanungo, M K Jain, N S Vishwanathan
Yes Bank: Yes Bank Limited is an Indian private sector bank, founded by Rana Kapoor and Ashok Kapur in 2004. It primarily operated as a corporate bank, with retail banking and also asset management as subsidiary function.
- CEO: Ravneet Gill
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Tagline: Experience our Expertise
ICICI Prudential AMC inks pact with Saraswat co-op bank to tap rural market
- ICICI Prudential AMC (Asset Management Company), one of the leading mutual fund investment companies in India, has entered into the partnership with Saraswat Co-operative Bank,an urban co-operative banking institution, to distribute its products with the latter’s customers base spread across its 280 branches in 6 states.
Hightlights:
- This partnership will help ICICI Prudential to increase its outreach, especially in smaller villages and cities and also boost the bank’s over 100-year presence in the country.
- It will also help bank’s customers to get the latest products and services like investment options in mutual fund schemes of ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund.
Extra Shots:
Saraswat Co-operative Bank:
- Headquarters: Mumbai,Maharashtra
- Chairman: Gautam Thakur
ICICI Prudential AMC:
- Headquarters: Mumbai,Maharashtra
- Managing Director and CEO: Nimesh Shah
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Sebi launches “Sebi SCORES” mobile app for investors to lodge grievances
- Markets regulator Sebi has launched a mobile application ‘Sebi SCORES’ for convenience of investors to lodge grievances in Sebi Complaints Redress System (SCORES).
- “SCORES’ mobile app will make it easier for investors to lodge their grievances with Sebi, as they can now access SCORES at their convenience of a smartphone.
- The mobile app will encourage investors to lodge their complaints on SCORES rather than sending letters to Sebi in physical mode.
- SCORES is a platform for investors to lodge online complaints with Sebi against listed companies, registered intermediaries and market infrastructure institutions.
- According to Sebi norms, entities against whom complaints are lodged need to file an action taken report with the regulator within 30 days of receipt of the complaint.
Extra Shots:
SEBI: The Securities and Exchange Board of India is the regulator for the securities market in India owned by the Government of India. It was established in 1988 and given Statutory Powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992.
- Founded: 12 April 1992
- Sector: Securities market
- Jurisdiction: India
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Type: Statutory corporation
- Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi
Zomato acquires UberEats India for $206 million
- Zomato, an Indian restaurant aggregator and food delivery startup has acquired Uber’s food delivery business in India.
- Uber Eats for $206 million, where the investment was priced at $171 million, the balance $35 million was received as a reimbursement of goods and services tax (GST) receivable from Zomato.
Highlights:
- In January 2019, Zomato has acquired Uber’s food delivery business in India, Uber Eats in an all-stocks deal for a 9.99 % stake in Zomato.
- However, the two firms had not disclosed the financial terms of the deal.
- Following this acquisition, all of Uber Eats’ customers will be directed to Zomato platform & It will boost Zomato’s position in the food delivery market.
Extra Shots:
Zomato:
- Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana
- CEO: Deepinder Goyal
Uber:
- Headquarters:San Francisco, U.S.
- CEO: Dara Khosrowshahi
NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Minister Rajnath Singh to confer WTI Awards on 8 March
- The 4th Edition of the Women Transforming India Awards (WTI) is to be awarded on 8 March 2020, the International Women’s Day.
- The award ceremony is organized by NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform.
- The Women Transforming India Awards 2019 will be conferred by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
- The WTI recognized 30 finalists for the award.
- Out of which 15 winners will be felicitated.
- The Women Entrepreneurship Platform completes two years since its inception.
Extra Shots:
Women Entrepreneurship Platform:
- The Women Entrepreneurship Platform is bringing together stakeholders to transform the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women.
- It offers information and services that will resolve the existing information asymmetry.
- The platform was formulated on three pillars, namely “Iccha Shakti, Gyan Shakti, and Karma Shakti.”
- The platform also has an aggregator platform for established and aspiring entrepreneurs.
- It provides incubator support, mentorship, funding avenues, compliance and taxation support, and peer learning. Currently, there are over 14,000 registered users in the Women Entrepreneurship Platform.
- The program was initiated with 30 partners.
WTI Awards:
- The Women Transforming India Awards was initiated since 2018.
- The awards are under the support of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform on the theme of “Women and Entrepreneurship.”
- The Women Entrepreneurship Platform identifies inspiring stories of successful women entrepreneurs.
- This process includes a review of applications, jury, and super jury rounds with assistance from mentors and partners of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform.
GAF-2020 festival to be held in Kochi
- The Fourth Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF) will be held at Kochi in Kerala from 16-20 May.
- A curtain raiser event was organized in New Delhi for the GAF on 5 March.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the summit.
- Theme: The theme for the five-day event is “Ayurveda Medical Tourism: Actualizing India’s credibility.”
- Participants:Over 5,000 international delegates and Ayurveda wellness providers from across the world will be participating in the festival.
Agenda:
- GAF is expected to be the largest Ayurvedic event ever to be held anywhere across the world. The festival will witness the largest gathering of experts, stakeholders, and business explorers from the field of Ayurveda.
- Ministry of AYUSH is to hold the first International AYUSH Investment Summit in New Delhi in 2020.
- More than 500 stalls will be showcased at the festival.
- Ethnic food carnivals, exhibitions of rich medicinal plants, and workshops on Panchkarma will be the key highlights of GAF 2020.
- The festival will witness the exhibition of Ayurveda Tourist Centres and Spas giving rejuvenation therapy and their potential curative aspects.
Extra Shots:
Kerala:
- Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
- Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
- Governor: Arif Mohammed Khan
- Festivals: Onam, Vishu, Thrissur Pooram, Nehru Trophy Boat Race
- National Parks: Anamudi Shola National Park, Eravikulam National Park, Mathikettan Shola National Park, Pambadum Shola National Park, Periyar National Park,Silent Valley National Park
- Wildlife Sanctuaries: Aralam WLS, Chimmony WLS, Idukki WLS, Periyar WLS, Wayanad WLS, Peppara WLS, Neyyar WLS, Kurinjimala WLS, Malabar WLS etc
STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Chapchar Kut festival began in Mizoram
- Chapchar Kut began in all parts of Mizoram on 5 March 2020.
- The festival will be held on 5-6 March.
- The festival is celebrated at the Assam Rifles Ground at Aizawl.
- Participants: Diplomats from countries such including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Thailand, Myanmar, Korea, Japan, Nepal, China, the USA, Israel, and the leaders of different tribes of Mizo from different parts of the world are expected to participate in the festival.
Festival Highlights:
- Chapchar Kut is the biggest and most joyous festival of the Mizos.
- The pre-festival was held on 5 March and was graced by Art and Culture Minister R Lalzirliana as “Kut Pa” (Meaning-“father of the festival.”)
- The grand festive is celebrated on 6 March. It was graced by the Chief Minister of Mizoram Zoramthanga.
- The theme of the Chapchar Kut festival is “Mizos’ culture and moral code.”
- The festival is regarded as the most popular spring festival for the people of the state.
- The festival shines through with plenty of dancing and music to keep everyone in good spirits.
- Many people participated in the fun and amusement events being organized during the festival.
- Traditional bamboo dance “Cheraw,” Sarlamkai, Khuallam, and other dances were performed at the festival to attract thousands of people.
- The festival includes an exhibition of painting, photo, handloom, and handicraft will be held in different places in Aizawl.
Extra Shots:
Chapchar Kut:
- Chapchar Kut is believed to have started in 1450-1700 AD in a village called Suaipui. It is a spring festival. The festival was discouraged when the Missionaries came to Mizoram. It was revived in 1973.
Mizoram:
- Statehood day: 20 February 1987
- Governor: P. S. Sreedharan Pillai
- Chief Minister: Zoramthanga
- Capital: Aizawl
- Districts: 11
- Official language: Mizo, English, and Hindi
- Literacy: 91.58%
Namaste Orchha festival begins in Madhya Pradesh
- ‘Namaste Orchha’ festival begins in Orchha, a town in Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh.
- Orchha is a famous tourist destination popular for its Ramaraja temple as well as other historical buildings.
- The festival aims to create new opportunities to promote the rich cultural, natural and architectural heritage, traditions and history of the state.
Extra Shots:
Madhya Pradesh:
- Capital: Bhopal
- Chief Minister: Kamal Nath
- Governor: Lalji Tandon
- National Park: Bandhavgarh NP, Fossil NP, Kanha NP, Madhav NP, Panna NP, Pench NP, Sanjay NP, Satpura NP
INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Two new land ports to be added as entry points for Bangladeshi people
- Bangladesh is to add two new land ports for the Bangladeshi citizens travelling to India.
- It will have the option of two more land port entry points on their visas.
- The announcement was made by the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das.
Highlights:
- Visitors from Bangladesh to India will be able to enter India from Bhomra, and Akhaura side of Bangladesh will connect Gojadanga and Agartala, respectively, on the Indian side.
- Currently, Bangladeshi people can travel to India with a normal visa from only two land ports namely Benapole and Petrpole, apart from the travel by air and rail.
- The decision to allow entry into India from the two additional land ports was agreed during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in October 2018. The move is now in the process of being implemented.
Extra Shots:
Bangladesh (Capital/Currency): Dhaka/Taka
- Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina
Janez Jansa elected as PM of Slovenia
- Janez Jansa, an anti-immigrant politician, was elected as the new Prime Minister of Slovenia.
- Slovenia’s lawmakers backed the selection of Jansa as the new prime minister.
- It paved the way to form a right-leaning government.
- The 90-member parliament voted 52-31 to support Janez Jansa, the leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), as the prime minister-designate.
- PM Marjan Sarec stepped down in January 2020 amid infighting in his minority five-party coalition.
Extra Shots:
Slovenia (Capital/Currency): Ljubljana/Euro
- President– Borut Pahor
SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES
International Conference on Nano Science and Technology is being held in Kolkata
- “International Conference on Nano Science and Technology” (ICONSAT) is being held from 5-7 March at Kolkata.
- It was organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) Nano Mission that functions under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Conference Highlights:
- The conference aims to provide a potential platform for young researchers and students from within the country and abroad.
- It will keep pace with the latest development in the emerging areas of Nano Science and Technology.
- The conference will host an industrial session for the entrepreneurs and start-up companies for enhanced industry-academic interactions.
- The experts will discuss the broad areas under the topics Quantum Materials; Energy materials; Emerging materials for nanoscience and nanotechnology; Nanoelectronics and Nanophotonics, Synthesis, Properties and Application of Nanomaterials; Theory and simulation of nanomaterials; Industrial nanomaterials; Nanotechnology for agriculture, biomaterials, tissue engineering, stem cell technology, etc.
- Scientists of the high caliber of international repute will cover topics in the recent advancement in modern nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Extra Shots:
ICONSAT:
- The series of biennial international conferences “ICONSAT” has been held in India.
- It is organized by DST Nano Mission.
- The event provides a global platform for eminent scientists to bring recent advances in the area of nanoscience and technology.
- ICONSAT was earlier hosted by premier national institutes like CeNS Bengaluru in 2018, IISER-Pune in 2016, INST Mohali in 2014, ARCI Hyderabad in 2012, IIT Bombay in 2010, IIT Madras in 2008, IIT Delhi in 2006 and SINP Kolkata in 2003.
- The conference for the year 2020 is organized by the S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata
Kobita Utsav began in Kolkata
- Kobita Utsav, a poetry festival, is being held in Kolkata on 5 March.
- The festival aims to encourage the reading of Bengali poems among the younger generation. It will be held from 5-8 March.
- The festival was inaugurated by Eminent painter Jogen Choudhury.
- Organizing Team: Kobita Utsav is an initiative of Abrittilok Kolkata in association with Bratati Parampara and in collaboration with Sahitya Akademi, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), and Ministry of Culture Government of India.
Kobita Utsav Highlights:
- Kobita Utsav provides a platform to poets in the city and districts of West Bengal.
- The festival will host discussions on poetry, apart from recitals.
- Seven renowned poets, including Binayak Bandyopadhyay, Srijato Bandyopadhyay, Pranab Kumar Mukhopadhyay, and Subhra Bose, will participate in the festival.
- The festival will be hosted at seven venues across the city in Charukala Parshad complex, Rabindra Sadan, Abanindra Sabhaghar, Bangla Akademy, Gaganendra Pradarshanshala, Sisir Mancha, and Ektara Mancha.
- Around 600 poets from Kolkata and various districts will recite their works during the festival.
Extra Shots:
West Bengal:
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief Minister: Mamta Banerjee
- Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar
- National Park: Sundarban National Park, Jaldapara National Park, Gorumara National Park, Neora Valley National Park, Singalila National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve
CCI organized the 5th National Conference on Economics of Competition Law
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) organized the Fifth National Conference on Economics of Competition Law at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on 6 March 2020.
Highlights:
- The Conference included two technical sessions where researchers presented papers on economic issues in competition enforcement and competition issues in digital markets
- A Plenary session on ‘Competition for the Market’ was chaired by Chairperson, CCI, and a Special Session on Economics of Contemporary Antitrust Issues.
- It highlighted the importance of market studies for facilitating an evidence-based approach to antitrust policy.
- The Conference discussed allowing various strategic market interactions in oligopolistic markets, which will help harness innovation for consumer welfare.
Extra Shots:
CCI: Competition Commission of India is a statutory body of the Government of India responsible for enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 throughout India and to prevent activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India. It was established on 14 October 2003.
- Website: cci.gov.in
- Founded: 14 October 2003
- Jurisdiction: India
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- First executive: Dhanendra Kumar
Jitendra Singh inaugurated a workshop on International Womens Day
- Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Dr. Jitendra Singh, inaugurated a workshop on International Women’s Day on 6 March.
Highlights:
- During the workshop, it was announced that New Vistas are opening up for Women under Shri Narendra Modi Government, which has a special preference and sensitivity for women folk in India.
- The workshop was announced by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
- It aims to create reforms pertaining to women.
- They now seek opportunities and excel in administrative jobs and even in forces and defence.
Workshop-cum-Awareness Programme on Skill Development held at Kulgam
- The District Employment and Counseling Centre has organized a Workshop-cum-Awareness Programme on the Skill Development for Unorganized Workers.
- Awareness workshop for the unorganized workers was organized under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PMSYM) Scheme.
- The workshop was held in Kulgam, Jammu & Kashmir.
- The participants were made aware of the various pension schemes run by the government such as Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan (PM- SYM) and Pradhan Mantri Laghu Vyapari Mandhan (Karam Yogi) Pension Yojana (PM-LVMY).
Extra Shots:
PMSYM: Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan is a social welfare scheme launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment of Government of India in February 2019 for poor laborers in the unorganised sector from minimum 18 years of age to maximum 40 years.
Health Ministry organizes workshop to manage COVID-19
- A national level Training Workshop on COVID-19 Management for all the states and hospitals was organized in New Delhi.
- The workshop was organized by the Health Ministry.
- The workshop aims to train the trainers on various aspects to tackle the situation related to novel Coronavirus.
- Aspects on which training will be provided includes infection prevention, hospital preparedness, disinfection and biomedical waste management, community engagement, non-pharmaceutical interventions etc.
- The national level Training Workshop on COVID-19 Management was inaugurated by Health Secretary Preeti Sudan.
- The workshop featured the participation of health officials from all states and hospitals of railways, defence and para-military forces.
Indian Army’s International Seminar Pragyan Conclave 2020
- PRAGYAN CONCLAVE 2020, a two-day Indian Army International Seminar being organised by Centre for Land Warfare Studies, commenced at New Delhi.
- The event brings together cross-domain national and international experts to deliberate on the complex subject of ‘Changing Characteristics of Land Warfare and its Impact on the Military’.
- The seminar provided a platform for deliberations on emerging ideas, perspectives and narratives that define the ‘New Age Warfare’.
Extra Shots:
Indian Army: The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and it is commanded by the Chief of Army Staff, who is a four-star general.
- Founded: 1 April 1895, India
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Commander-in-Chief: President Ram Nath Kovind
- Size: 1,237,117 active personnel; 960,000 reserve personnel; 245 manned aircraft
- Role: Ground warfare
- Color: Gold, red and black
RANKS AND INDICES
TIME named 100 historical Women of the Year including Kaur, Indira Gandhi
- Former Indian PM Indira Gandhi and freedom fighter Amrit Kaur was named by the TIME magazine among the world’s 100 powerful women in the last century.
- TIME has named Kaur as ‘Women of the Year’ for the year 1947 and Indira Gandhi for the year 1976.
Extra Shots:
Time is an American weekly news magazine and news website published in New York City. It was founded in 1923 and for many years it was run by its influential co-founder Henry Luce. A European edition is published in London and also covers the Middle East, Africa, and, since 2003, Latin America.
- Editor: Edward Felsenthal
- Total circulation (2018): 2,348,566
- First issue date: 3 March 1923
- Frequency: Weekly
- Category: News magazine
- Companies: Time Inc., WarnerMedia, Meredith Corporation, Limited liability company
- Nominations: GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED
India signs deal with the US for Air Force One
- The desi “Air Force One” will be ready to fly the President or Prime Minister by 2021.
- It is equipped with advanced missile defence measures.
- India has signed around $190 million to deal with the US for two self-protection suites (SPS).
Air Force One:
- The system will be retrofitted on the two custom-built Boeing-777 aircraft, which was earlier acquired for long-haul VVIP travel.
- The system has fully-integrated advanced missile approach warning sensors, defensive electronic warfare systems, infra-red (IR) counter-measures, digital radio frequency jammers, and other such contraptions under the overall SPS.
- It has the capability to serve as an airborne command centre to direct military operations during nuclear, chemical, biological (NBC) attacks.
- The two extended-range B-777s will also have encrypted satellite communication facilities.
- It will replace the almost 30-years-old 747-400 jumbo jets being currently used for VVIP flights.
- The SPS will ensure a robust capability for automated detection and jamming of different kinds of missiles.
Extra Shots:
USA (Capital/Currency): Washington, D.C./ United States Dollar
- President: Donald Trump
- Official languages: English
India-EU to work together on Integrated Local Energy Systems
- India and the European Union agreed to work in the Integrated Local Energy System during India’s Smart Utility Week 2020.
- As per the agreement, the countries will work upon clean energy and climate.
Highlights:
- The partnership will foresee strengthened cooperation in energy research and innovation, especially in renewable energy and its integration in the energy system.
- The collaboration will make energy supply cleaner, more efficient, and affordable to all.
- The Indo-EU flagship call is in line with both the European Union’s and India’s involvement in Mission Innovation (MI). MI is a global initiative of the European Commission and 24 countries. MI committed to reinvigorate and accelerate global clean energy innovation with an aim to make clean energy widely affordable.
- It will also give novel solutions encompassing local integration across various energy vectors and increase renewables share in the energy mix and high energy efficiency.
Extra Shots:
EU: The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
- Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
- Official scripts: Latin; Greek; Cyrillic
- Population: 51.24 crores (2018) Eurostat
- Capital: Brussels (de facto)
- Administrative center: Paris Metropolitan Area
DAY-NULM signs MoU with Amazon for e-marketing of products made by SHGs
- Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) that functions under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs signed MoU with Amazon for e-marketing of products made by Self Help Groups (SHGs) across the country in urban areas.
Provisions:
- The partnership aims to provide access to a wider customer base for products made by SHGs and to strengthen the mission of creating sustainable livelihoods in urban areas.
- It is expected to unleash the innate entrepreneurial potential of urban women.
- The presence of women entrepreneurs on the ‘Amazon.in’ is currently growing, since the inception of its dedicated program Amazon Saheli.
Extra Shots:
National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) is renamed as Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-(DAY-NULM) and in Hindi as – Rashtriya Shahri Aajeevika Mission. Under the scheme urban areas extends the coverage to all the 4041 statutory cities and towns, there by covering almost the entire urban population
APPOINTMENT
Bimal Julka was sworn in as the Chief Information Commissioner on 5 March
- The former Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Secretary Bimal Julka was sworn in as the next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) on 5 March.
- The oath of office was administered by President Ram Nath Kovind.
- Bimal Julka was chosen by a high-level selection panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Also, the appointment of Sanjay Kothari as Chief Vigilance Commissioner is yet to be notified.
Bimal Julka:
- Bimal Julka is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who served as an Information Commissioner.
- He will fill the vacancy created by incumbent Sudhir Bhargava, who retired earlier 2020.
Extra Shots:
Central Information Commission (CIC):
- Central Information Commission was formed on 12 October 2005. CIC was constituted under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. It has jurisdiction over all central public authorities.
Amita Pandove was sworn in as Information Commissioner of CIC
- Smt Amita Pandove was sworn in as the Information Commissioner, Central Information Commission (CIC).
- The oath of office was administered by the Chief Information Commissioner, Shri Bimal Julka.
- With her induction, the total number of Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission, including Chief Information Commissioner, has gone up to 7.
Extra Shots:
Central Information Commission (CIC):
- Central Information Commission was formed on 12 October 2005. CIC was constituted under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. It has jurisdiction over all central public authorities.
Kareena Kapoor becomes new brand ambassador of Puma
- Global sports brand PUMA has signed bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan as its new brand ambassador.
- She will be the face of the sports brand for its studio Collection which involves a low-intensity training apparel collection for yoga, barre and pilates workouts.
- The collaboration of the bollywood actress aims to encourage more women to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle.
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PUMA: Puma SE, branded as Puma, is a German multinational corporation that designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel and accessories, which is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. Puma is the third largest sportswear manufacturer in the world.
- Founder: Rudolf Dassler
- Founded: 1948, Herzogenaurach, Germany
- Parent organization: Artemis S.A
Centre has named Ajay Bhushan Pandey as the new Finance Secretary of FinMin
- Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the appointment of Ajay Bhushan Pandey as the new Finance Secretary in Ministry of Finance.
- He will succeed current Rajiv Kumar, who has retired in February 2020.
- Ajay Bhushan Pandey is a 1984 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Maharashtra cadre who had earlier worked as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
The new one rupee notes will have his bilingual signature of Finance Secretary.
Secretaries of other departments of Finance Ministry:
- Atanu Chakraborty, a 1985 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, is present secretary, Department of Economic Affairs.
- Tuhin Kant Pandey, a 1987 batch IAS officer of Odisha cadre, is secretary of the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management.
- T V Somanathan, a 1987 batch IAS officer from Tamil Nadu cadre, is secretary, Department of Expenditure.
- Debasish Panda is financial services secretary.
Amrish Rau appointed as CEO of Pine Labs
- Amrish Rau has been appointed as CEO of Pine Labs, a leading merchant commerce platform company.
- Rau founded the start up Citrus Pay, which was sold off to PayU,replaces Vicky Bindra who after a two-year stint as CEO is moving back to San Francisco, the company stated in a statement.
- Bindra will continue to be an advisor to the company supporting strategic initiatives, the statement added.
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Pine labs:
- Founded: 1998
- Headquarters: Noida
- Executive Chairman: Lokvir Kapoor
- Chief Executive Officer: Vicky Bindra
SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS
SAI announced first edition of Khelo India Womens Hockey League
- Sports Authority of India (SAI) has announced the first edition of the Khelo India Women’s Hockey League (Under 21) will be held at three different venues across the country in three phases between March-November 2020.
- Organizing Team:Khelo India Women’s Hockey League (Under 21) tournament will be organized by Hockey India.
Highlights:
- Phase 1 will be held from 23-29 March 2020 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh.
- Phase 2 will be held from 13-19 July 2020 at the SAI Center in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- Phase 3 from 22-29 November 2020 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- The government aims to create talent identification platforms for athletes from multiple sports through the Khelo India Scheme.
- Various academies registered under Hockey India and Public Sector Units’ teams will play in the League.
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SAI: The Sports Authority of India is the apex national sports body of India, established in 1984 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of Government of India for the development of sport in India.
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Founder: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
- Founded: 25 January 1984
- Agency executive: Sandip Pradhan Indian Revenue Service, Sports Secretary-cum-Director General
Philippines will host the Badminton Asia Championships
- The Badminton Asia Championships will be held in the capital of Philippines i.e. Manila.
- The Badminton Asia Championship was earlier scheduled to be held in Wuhan, China.
- Due to Novel Coronavirus outbreak in China, the Badminton Asia has took a decision to move the Badminton Asia Championships from Wuhan to Manila.
- The Novel Coronavirus outbreak has caused cancellation, postponement or shifting of the several badminton tournaments as well as other tournaments in recent weeks all over the world.
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Phillippines (Capital/Currency): Manila/Peso
- President: Rodrigo Duterte
DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Tamil Nadu, UP to set up Defence industrial corridors
- The Minister of State for Defence, Shripad Naik has been decided to set up two Defence industrial corridors in the country, one in Uttar Pradesh and another in Tamil Nadu.
- Subsequently, five nodes for Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor – Chennai, Coimbatore, Hosur, Salem and Tiruchirapalli have been identified.
- Investments of approximately Rs 3,100 crore were announced by Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSUs) and private industries in Tamil Nadu corridor.
- Till date, six consultation meetings of stakeholders in Tamil Nadu were organized across its various nodes. Further, the Government has also appointed a consultant for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for these two Defence corridors.
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Uttar Pradesh:
- Capital: Lucknow
- Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
- Governor: Anandiben Patel
- State formed in: 24 January 1950
- Literacy Rate: 67.68%
- Nation Park: Dudhwa National Park
Tamilnadu
- Capital: Chennai
- Chief Minister: Edappadi K.Palanisamy
- Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
- Chief Justice of Madras High Court: Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani
- National Park: Guindy NP,Gulf of Mannar Marine NP, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) NP, Mudumalai NP, Mukurthi NP.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Minister Smriti Irani released a book titled Chronicles of Change Champions
- Union Minister of Women & Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani released a book, titled “Chronicles of Change Champions” at an event held in New Delhi on 5 March.
Chronicles of Change Champions:
- The book is a compilation of 25 innovative initiatives taken at the State and District levels under the Prime Minister’s flagship scheme of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP).
- The book has captured the convergent approach adopted at the grassroots level.
- It also provides insight into the unique manner of community engagement by the District Administration and frontline workers.
- So far, 25 districts commended innovative activities under BBBP that have been published in the compilation.
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Beti Bachao Beti Padhao:
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 January 2015 at Panipat, Haryana.
- The program addressed the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and the related issues of empowerment of women.
- The scheme was expanded in a phased manner and is being implemented in all the 640 districts of the country.
- The scheme aims to accomplish gender equality by promoting and prioritizing the needs and rights of the girl child.
- The scheme was initiated by the Ministries of Women & Child Development, Human Resource Development, and Health & Family Welfare.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
MHA approves Automated Facial Recognition System to identify bodies, missing children, criminals
- Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the automated facial recognition system (AFRS) for the identification of unrecognized bodies, missing children, and criminals.
- It was announced by the Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy.
AFRS Highlights:
- The approval has been accorded for the implementation of AFRS by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
- AFRS will use police records and will be accessible only to law enforcement agencies.
- It is expected to facilitate better identification of criminals, unidentified dead bodies, and missing or found children and persons and will not violate privacy.
- AFRS will use police records and will be accessible only to law enforcement agencies.
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National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB): NCRB functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It collects and analyzes crime data as defined by Special and Local Laws (SLL) and Indian Penal Code (IPC).
- Established on: 11 March 1986
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Director: Ramphal Pawar
- Motto: Empowering Indian Police with Information Technology
- Jurisdiction: India
- Parent department: Ministry of Home Affairs
OBITUARIES
Former UN Chief Javier Perez de Cuellar passes away
- Former UN Chief Javier Perez de Cuellar has passed away at the age of 100.
- He served as the president of the UN Security Council from 1973 to 1974.
- He has also served as United Nations Secretary General from 1981 to 1991.
- He notably led the world body during the Iran-Iraq war and the civil war in El Salvador.
- He was often described as a “pacifist by vocation and nature.”
- Javier Perez de Cuellar was born on 19th January 1920 in Lima Peru.
- He was awarded with the Prince of Asturias Prize for the promotion of Ibero-American cooperation in 1987 and also with the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding.
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UN: The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.
- Secretary general: António Guterres Trending
- Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
- Founded: 24 October 1945, San Francisco, California, United States
- Official languages: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
Veteran Telugu journalist Potturi Venkateswara Rao passes away
- Veteran journalist and former editor of Telugu daily Andhra Prabha, Potturi Venkateswara Rao, died at his residence in Hyderabad.
- He had been battling illness at a private hospital in Banjara Hills in the city.
- He had started his career as a journalist in 1957 at the Andhra Janatha Telugu newspaper.
- Apart from being a journalist, Rao has also authored and co-authored a few books, including one on former Prime Minister, PV Narasimha Rao and had worked as the Chairman of Press Academy in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.
