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Current Affairs Weekly PDF - March 2019 First Week (1-7)

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INDIAN AFFAIRS

NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission partners with Adobe to enhance creativity in ATL Schools
NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Adobe signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to
collectively drive the charter of developing creative skills and spreading digital literacy across all
Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in India. 100 schools will be adopted by Adobe under the ATL initiative
and will implement its Digital Disha Program in ATLs.
SHREYAS portal launched by Prakash Javadekar for providing industry apprenticeship
opportunities to youth
Union Human Resources Development Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar, launched the Scheme for
Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) with an aim to provide industry
apprenticeship opportunities to the general graduates exiting in April 2019 through the National
Apprenticeship Promotional Scheme (NAPS) in New Delhi.
MSP for Minor Forest Produces issued by Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Van Dhan, a scheme for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) and
Development of Value Chain of MFPs was launched by TRIFED Tribal Cooperative Marketing
Development Federation of Indiaunder Ministry of Tribal Affairs at a National Workshop in New
Delhi.
Thaawarchand Gehlot launched 2nd edition of Indian Sign Language Dictionary
The 2nd Edition of Indian Sign Language (ISL) Dictionary was launched by Minister of Social
Justice and Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot in New Delhi. The Dictionary was developed by
Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC).
‘International Digital Health Symposium’ inaugurated by Anupriya Patel in New Delhi
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, inaugurated the
International Digital Health Symposium and an exhibition on Digital Health as a part of the
Symposium, at New Delhi, where participant countries along with various Government Ministries,
states and other stakeholders showcased key innovations, implementation experiences and
innovative Digital Health Interventions.
India and Sweden intend to increase cooperation on AMR
Swedish Minister for Health and Social Affairs, Lena Hallengren, who was on a visit to India met
with Union Health Minister J P Nadda and discussed about Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) which
poses a dangerous challenge globally. Anti-microbial drugs, when overused, AMR develops as
microorganisms such as bacteria, virus and fungi that become resistant to drugs.

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Tax info exchange agreement inked between India and Brunei


India and Brunei signed a pact for exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection with
respect to taxes in order to curb tax evasion and tax avoidance in New Delhi. The agreement was
signed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Pramod Chandra Mody, and High
Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to India Dato Paduka Haji Sidek Ali.
MoU signed by ICAR and CSIR to collaborate in the field of food and agriculture
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Council of Agricultural
Research (ICAR) andCouncil of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in order to collaborate in
the area of food and agriculture, at ICAR Headquarters, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
Southern Coast Railway: Piyush Goyal Announces New Railway Zone For Andhra Pradesh
Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced a new railway zone for Andhra Pradesh, that is
the Southern Coast Railway and it will be headquartered in Visakhapatnam. It will be the 18th
zone in the country with an outlay of Rs. 205 crore.
Cabinet Approvals On February 28th, 2019
On 28th February 2019, The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given
its approval for following new projects and schemes:
 Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana approved by Cabinet
 Cabinet approvedRs.1450 crore for share capital of RBI in NHB
 CCEA approved construction of 4 lane bridge over River Brahmaputra
 Proposal for setting up of Centre for Disability Sports at Gwalior was approved by Cabinet
 “National Policy on Software Products 2019” was approved by Cabinet
 Cabinet approved National Mineral Policy, 2019
 Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) ordinance 2019 was approved by cabinet
 Agra, Kanpur metro rail projects approved by the Centre
 Cabinet approved joining of IEA Bioenergy TCP by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
 Foreign Investment uptoRs.25,000 crore byVodafone Idea approve
 Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 approved by the Cabinet
 Promulgationof Aadhaar and other Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 was approved by
Cabinet
 Cabinet approved Creation of 2 posts of commissioner for persons with disabilities in the
Central Government
 Cabinet approved Selling up of SPV for Disinvestment of AI, Subsidiaries / JV
 Special Scheme for FAME India Phase II approved by Cabinet
 Cabinet approved inclusion of CSC as Enrolment Agency for PM-SYM
 Cabinet approved laying down procedure and mechanism for asset monetization
 Setting up of new AIIMS at Manethi, Haryana received Cabinet Approval
 Cabinet approves Rs.1236cr investment for Arun-3 Hydro project '
Read full details of cabinet approvals here: https://www.affairscloud.com/cabinet-approvals-on-
february-28th-2019/
Cabinet Approvals with Foreign Countries On February 28, 2019
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 28th February 2019, gave
following approvals to Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs).
 Cabinet apprised of MoU between India and Tajikistan on Cooperation in the field of
Renewable Energy
 Cabinet apprised of MoU between India and the UK on Cooperation in Weather and Climate
Sciences
 Cabinet approved MoU between India and Norway for undertaking non-intrusive
Geological Surveys and Investigations
 Cabinet approved to the MoU between India and Argentina on cooperation in the field of
Medical Products Regulation
 Cabinet approved MoU between India and USA to access tip line reports on Missing and
Exploited Children

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Read full details of Cabinet Approvals with Foreign Countries


here: https://www.affairscloud.com/cabinet-approvals-with-foreign-countries-on-february-
282019/
DEPwD organized conference on Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme in New Delhi
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment has organized a national conference on “Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation
Scheme” (DDRS) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
Dharmendra Pradhan has hand over the 100th Letter of Intent to CBG Entrepreneur
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has handed over the 100th Letter of Intent (LoI) under
SATAT- Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation scheme to Compressed Bio-
Gas (CBG) entrepreneur, which is an waste to wealth venture.
Ban on SIMI extended by the Government
Government decided to extend the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) which
involved in various terror acts in the country for a period of 5 years. Union Home Ministry has
issued the notification for the extension of ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,
1967.
Ban on Jamaat-e-Islami J&K for 5 years by the Government
The Centre banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir under the Unlawful Activities
(Preventions) Act, 1967 for 5 years. It was made on the grounds that they were ‘in close touch’
with militant outfits and is expected to ‘escalate secessionist movement’ in the State.
79th Indian History Congress held in Bhopal
The 79th Indian History Congress (IHC) was held at Barkatullah University in Bhopal, Madhya
Pradesh which saw the presence of over 1,000 delegates including prominent historians. After
2011, this was the second time Madhya Pradesh hosted the event.
‘Jal Amrutha’ scheme launched by Karnataka Government
A water conservation scheme ‘Jal Amrutha’ was launched by Karnataka chief minister H D
Kumaraswamy, in Bengaluru. The scheme is an initiative of state’s Rural Development and
Panchayat Raj department. It plans to make people aware about the importance of conserving
water.
Haryana govt. announces Mukhyamantri Parivar Samman Nidhi Yojana 2019
“Mukhyamantri Parivar Samman Nidhi” scheme was launched by Haryana Chief Minister
Manohar Lal Khattar inChandigarh. It is primarily meant for farmers of the state who cultivate on
land with areas upto five acres and the families with an income of less than Rs. 15,000 per month.
Scheme for Development of Knitting and Knitwear Sector launched by Smriti Irani
Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Irani, launched a comprehensive scheme for Development of
Knitting and Knitwear Sector under PowerTex India in New Delhi where she also interacted with
industry associations related to knit wear sector in three clusters of Kolkata, Tirupur and
Ludhiana through video link.
Govt. working on a new scheme for unorganised food processing sector: Gram Samridhi Yojana
Gram Samridhi Yojana, a Rs 3,000 crore scheme funded by the World Bank and the Government of
India, is being worked upon by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries in order to strengthen
the unorganised food processing sector concentrated in rural areas. World Bank will be giving Rs
1,500 crore and Rs 1,000 crore will be borne by the Centre while state governments will put in Rs
500 crore.
CCEA has approved financial support to Tertiary HealthCare Programmes
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) which was chaired by Narendra Modi has given
its approval to continue the enactment of Tertiary Healthcare programmes for non-communicable
diseases and E-Health up to the year 2020.
Rajkot to get its new Greenfield Airport
Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a New Greenfield Airport at Hirasar in Rajkot,
Gujarat at an estimated cost of Rs. 1405 crore. Rajkot is the fourth largest city of Gujarat and
existing airport of Rajkot is severely land constrained having only 236 acres of land.

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Anthem on ‘plastic-free India’ launched in seven languages by Environment Minister


An anthem ”Plastic Waste-Free India’‘ which has been composed and produced by Pandit
Deendayal Upadhyaya Smriti Manch (PDUSM)– a non-profit organisation which works in the field
of social and environmental issues was launched by Union Minister for Science & Technology,
Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Harsh Vardhan.
PM Inaugurated Construction Technology India 2019 Expo-cum Conference
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the two day Expo-cum Conference on Construction
Technology India 2019 (CTI-2019) in New Delhi. He declared ‘April 2019–March 2020’ as
Construction-Technology year.
President gave assent to Ordinance for voluntary use of Aadhaar as ID proof for bank account and
SIM
President Ram Nath Kovind has given his approval for an Ordinance which allows voluntary use
of Aadhaar as ID proof for opening bank accounts and obtaining mobile SIM.The ordinance gives
effect to the changes in the Aadhaar Act such as giving a child an option to exit from the biometric
ID programme on attaining 18 years of age.
PM Narendra Modi Visited Amethi in UP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Amethi in Uttar Pradesh to address a public meeting and
lay the foundation stone of an Ordnance factory unit in Amethi. He also inaugurated an Indo-
Russian joint venture (JV) Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd,that will manufacture the new Kalashnikov
AK-203 rifle in Korwa, near Amethi (UP).
Narendra Modi chaired the National Security Council in New Delhi
Narendra Modi has chaired a meeting of the National Security Council in New Delhi,which was
followed by heightened tensions with Pakistan. he National Security advisor, Ajit Doval has
advised the prime minister on matters of national security owing to the latest security scenario
after Pulwana attack.
22 GPS stations set by GSI across India
In order to identify seismically hazardous zones and encourage mapping activities, the Geological
Survey of India (GSI) launched 22 permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) stations across
India, which is a part of its objective to establish and maintain a network of continuously
operating 35 permanent GPS stations in a phased manner.
As Per NARSS 2018-19, 96.5% of Indian rural households have access to toilets
An Independent Verification Agency under the World Bank support project to the Swachh Bharat
Mission Grameen (SBM-G) conducted the National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS)
between November 2018 and February 2019, covering 92040 households in 6136 villages across
the country and found that 96.5% of the rural Indian households have access to toilets and they
use it.
HRD Ministry launched Rs 250 crore STARS scheme to fund science projects
Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Prakash Javadekar, on the occasion of
National Science Day, that is 28th February 2019, launched the Scheme for Translational and
Advanced Research in Science (STARS) aimed at funding science projects.
Dr. Mahesh Sharma Inaugurates ‘Azaadi Ke Diwane’ Museum at Red Fort Complex in Delhi
‘Azaadi Ke Diwane’ museum was inaugurated by the Minister of State for Culture (Independent
charge) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mahesh Sharma at the Red Fort Complex in
Delhi. The museum has been dedicated to the freedom fighters of our country. It has been
constructed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated Refurbished Handloom Haat in New Delhi
The refurbished Handloom Haat was inaugurated by Textiles Minister Smriti Irani at Janpath,
New Delhi. The Haat aims to provide infrastructural support to handloom agencies so that they
can enhance their sales of handloom products and provide a platform to display a wide variety of
handloom products that are produced all over the country.

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Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates BOLD-QIT project in Assam


BOLD-QIT which is Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique was
inaugurated by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on India-Bangladesh border in Dhubri, Assam. The
project was brought to life by Information and Technology Wing of BSF- Border Security Force
under Comprehensive Integrated Border Management system.
Shakuntala D. Gamlin laid foundation stone for NIMHR in Sehore, MP
The foundation stone for the ‘National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation’ (NIMHR), the
first-of-its-kind institute in India, was laid down by Shakuntala D. Gamlin, Secretary, Department
of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment at Sherpur Village along Bhopal-Sehore highway, District Sehore, Madhya Pradesh.
The Central Government approved an outlay of Rs 180 crore for the project for an initial period of
three years.
Overview of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Gujarat
On 4th March 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a 2 day visit to Gujarat. He laid
foundation stone for various projects and launched various schemes during his visit including
Pension scheme PM Shram Yogi Maan-dhan Yojana. Read full details of his visit
here: https://www.affairscloud.com/overview-of-prime-minister-modis-visit-to-gujarat/
Govt launched Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) scheme to boost agri exports
Government of India with a view to boost to export of farm commodities to certain countries in
Europe and North America introduced a Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) for providing
financial assistance for transport and marketing of agriculture products.
Model guidelines for development and regulation of retirement homes issued by the Government
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs prepared Model Guidelines for Development and
Regulation of Retirement Homes that address the special needs and protect the rights of senior
citizens and retirees living in Retirement Homes who aspire to spend their retired life
independently in a safe, secure and dignified environment.
NITI Aayog Development ranking topped by 3 districts of Jharkhand
NITI Aayog’s list of aspirational districts for the period of December 2018-January 2019 has been
topped by 3 districts of Jharkhand- Chatra, Sahibganj, and Hazaribagh. These districts are also
said to have performed well in ‘health and nutrition’ parameters.
Piyush Goyal dedicated NTPL’s 1,000-MW thermal power project to the country
Coal Minister Piyush Goyal dedicated to the nation a 1,000-megawatt (MW) thermal power
project of Neyveli Tamil Nadu Power Ltd (NTPL) at Thoothukudi and a 150-MW solar power
projects of NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) at Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar districts in Tamil Nadu.
Odisha govt initiated "Mukhya Mantri Karigar Sahayata" for craftsmen
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the scheme ‘Mukhya Mantri Karigar Sahayata’ for
financial assistance to craftsmen. The nodal department of the scheme is the Directorate of
handicrafts. Craftsmen with 10 years of experience and having annual income below Rs.1 lakh are
eligible to get an assistance of Rs.800 per month.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

3-day “Mainamati Maitree Exercise 2019” between BSF and BGB held in Tripura
Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) took part in the 3-day
‘Mainamati Maitree Exercise 2019’ as a part of ‘Confidence Building Measures’ between India and
Bangladesh, held in a general area of BSF’s Srimantapur border outpost near Agartala, Tripura.
7th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Intersessional Ministerial Meeting
held in Cambodia
The 7th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Intersessional Ministerial
Meeting was organized in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was headed by Chutima Bunyapraphasara,
Acting Minister of Commerce of Thailand and saw participation of ministers from the 16 RCEP

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Participating Countries (RPCs). It was also attended by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry
and Civil Aviation- Suresh Prabhu.
Abu Dhabi hosted Organization of Islamic Corporation (OIC) meeting
Abu Dhabi hosted the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of
Islamic Co-operation (OIC). It was a two-day gathering dedicated to discuss ways to combat hate
speech, extremism and conflict in the region. This is the first time that India participated in the
meeting. Sushma Swaraj attended the meet.
2 day 2019 North Korea – United States Hanoi Summit held in Hanoi, Vietnam
2 day 2019 North Korea – United States Hanoi Summit has abruptly concluded in Hanoi, Vietnam
with no joint agreement after Kim insisted all US sanctions to be lifted on his country. The meeting
was held between North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump.
U.S. and South Korea end military exercises “Foal Eagle 2019” and “Key Resolve”
The United States and South Korea decided to call off their joint exercise “Foal Eagle” and “Key
Resolve” and bifurcate them into smaller exercises to ease tensions with North Korea. “Key
Resolve” will be replaced by “Dongmaeng” while Foal Eagle drills will be replaced by a smaller
battalion-sized exercise.
‘Sampriti-2019’ commenced at Tangail in Bangladesh
The eighth edition of joint military exercise ‘Sampriti-2019’ between the armies of India and
Bangladesh was commenced on 3rd March, 2019, which aimed to increase mutual cooperation
and camaraderie with an impressive ceremony in Tangail, Bangladesh.
Global Consumer Confidence Survey topped by India
India ranked first in the Confidence Board Global Consumer Confidence Survey which was
conducted in collaboration with a global performance management company Nielsen Holdings.
India maintained its 1st position from 3rd quarter and in the 4th quarter of 2018 India’s
Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) score is 133.
Gurgaon became world’s most polluted city in 2018
Gurgaon in the National Capital Region (NCR) emerged as the most polluted region in the world in
2018 as per 2018 World Air Quality Report. As per the report, Delhi is the most polluted capital in
the world. In the list of polluted cities, Delhi ranked 11th.
The 12-day Aerial Exercise Red Flag 2019 began in US
Red Flag 2019, the 12-day long advanced aerial combat training exercise held several times a year
by the US Air Force, has been initiated at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, United States. Air forces
from United States, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, the Netherlands, Singapore and Saudi
Arabia are participating in it.
India offers world’s cheapest mobile data: UK report
India has the cheapest mobile data in the world as per the research by price comparison site
cable.co.uk. The global average was USD 8.53 for 1GB. Compared to global average of about Rs.
600, 1GB is costing just Rs. 18.5(USD 0.26) in India. In the same case countries like UK has USD
12.37 for the same amount of data.
Mumbai become world’s 16th most costly prime residential market: Knight Frank Report
According to a Knight Frank Prime International Residential Index (PIRI 100), Mumbai, the capital
of Maharashtra and the financial capital of India, has become the 16th most expensive prime
residential market in the world and is the only Indian city to feature in the global top 20 list of
expensive prime residential markets recorded in The Wealth Report 2019. The Philippines’
capital Manila topped the global list.
Malaysia joined the International Criminal Court
Malaysia became a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the world’s only permanent
war crimes court which aims to prosecute the worst abuses when national courts are unable or
unwilling. Malaysia is the 124th member of the court since its establishment in 2002.

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BANKING & FINANCE

Bancassurance Agreement signed by IDBI Bank and LIC


IDBI Bank and Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) signed a bancassurance agreement under
which the lender will offer LIC’s insurance products at its branches. As part of the agreement, IDBI
Bank will become the preferred bank for LIC premium payments.
PNB ranks highest in implementation of ‘Reforms agenda’
According to BCG-IBA Report on EASE (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence) Reforms index
released by Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Punjab National Bank (PNB) which is
fraud hit bank, secured the top spot among all public sector banks in the implementation of
‘Reforms agenda’.
ICICI Lombard partnered with ATL to provide insurance cover to its lenders and borrowers
A private sector non-life insurance company in India ICICI Lombard has entered into a strategic
partnership with Hyderabad based peer-to-peer lending platform AnyTimeLoan.in (ATL) to
provide insurance cover for its lenders and borrowers. ICICI Lombard will offer Group Secure
Mind and Group Personal Accident policies to the customers of ATL which will cover the
borrowers of all types of loans on the platform with policy term of 1 to 3 years.
Commemorative notes to be released to mark Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary
A UAE based company will release 12 bank notes of zero value which is the first ever limited
edition commemorative series to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Dubai
based Indian artist Akbar Saheb has designed these special notes.
AIIB approved USD 455 Million loan for the Andhra Pradesh Rural Roads Project
A loan agreement of USD 455 million was signed between the Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank (AIIB) and the Government of India for financing the Andhra Pradesh Rural Roads Project,
which will connect 3,300 habitations with a population of more than 250, and benefit around 2
million people in New Delhi.
DCB Bank launches Open Banking Platform for next generation banking solutions
As part of efforts towards creating a collaborative ecosystem with enterprises, fintechs and app
developers, and enhancing customer-service delivery, DCB (Development Credit Bank)
announced the launch of its Open Banking Platform.
India’s first policy to protect bank locker launched by IFFCO Tokio General Insurance
IFFCO Tokio General Insurance launched ‘bank locker protector policy’, the first stand-alone bank
locker cover offered by any insurance company with a plan to protect the contents of a bank
locker such as jewelry, title documents, and other valuables.
ADB agreed to grant USD 926 Million Loan for Mumbai Metro Rail Project
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a loan agreement of USD
926 Million in order to operationalize two lines for the Mumbai Metro Rail System and is the
Single Largest Infrastructure Project Loan in ADB history.
RBI constituted a panel under Usha Thorat on Offshore Rupee markets
Reserve Bank of India has constituted a task force which will be headed by its former deputy
governor, Usha Thorat to examine issues related to offshore rupee markets and recommend
policy measures.
PSBloansin59minutes.com becomes largest fintech lending platform
PSBloansin59minutes.com has become the largest fintech online lending platform, as quoted by a
report from Credit Suisse. The portal was launched in November 2018 by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. It provides loans amounting up to Rs 1 crore to micro, small and medium
enterprises (MSMEs) in just 59 minutes.
Loan Agreement worth USD 25.2 Million signed between India and the World Bank for
Chhattisgarh Public Financial Management and Accountability Program
A loan agreement worth $25.2 Million was signed between the central government, Chhattisgarh
state government and the World Bank to provide support to reforms for expenditure

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management. This loan worth $25.2 Million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), has a 5-year grace period and a final maturity of 10.5 years.
Loan Agreement worth USD 96 Million signed between India and World Bank for Additional
Financing for Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project
A loan agreement worth $96 Million was signed between the World Bank, Government of India
and Government of Uttarakhand to provide financial support to Uttarakhand for adopting post-
disaster recovery plans. The loan amounting to $96 Million, from the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a 5-year grace period and a final maturity of 15
years.
IDBI Bank gets a nod by government to handle import and export transactions with Iran
The government has given a nod to the IDBI Bank to handle import and export transactions with
Iran. This has been done to boost the trade between India and Iran amidst US sanctions on Iran.
Iran is the third largest supplier of oil to India, after Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
World Bank to grant 250 Million dollars for NRETP to boost Rural incomes in India
In order to provide a boost to rural income across 13 states on India, World Bank would provide
$250 million support to the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP). The
agreement was signed between the World Bank and Government of India. The loan has a 5-year
grace period with a final maturity of 20 years.
World Bank to provide Rs 2,200 crores for a healthcare project to Andhra Pradesh
The World Bank has decided to provide a loan of Rs. 2200 crores ($328-million) to Andhra
Pradesh for implementation of the AP Health Systems Strengthening Project (APHSSP). The loan
agreement was signed between the Government of India, Andhra Pradesh and the World Bank.
The loan provided through International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a
six-year grace period and a maturity of 29 years and 6 months.
National Housing Bank proposes stricter regulations for Housing Finance Companies
National Housing Bank (NHB), a mortgage sector regulator and a fully owned subsidiary of the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to impose stricter regulations on the Housing Finance
Companies (HFCs) to prevent them from falling prey to liquidity and credit risks. One of the
regulations is increasing the capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of these companies from 12%to 15%, in
a phased manner by 31st March 2022.
SBI and Hitachi Payment Services launched SBIPSPL to establish digital payments platform in
India
State Bank of India (SBI) and Hitachi Payment Services Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Hitachi Ltd, launched their merchant-acquiring joint venture, SBI Payment Services Pvt Ltd
(SBIPSPL), for establishing a digital payments platform for India and other countries in the region,
in Mumbai.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Moody has projected Indian economy growth at 7.3% for 2019-20


According to the US-based rating agency – Moody’s quarterly Global Macro Outlook which was
released on 1st March, 2019, Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.3 per cent in 2019 and
2020.
India Growth rate falls to 6.6% in Q3
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has estimated the India’s economy to have slowed to 6.6% in
the December quarter (Q3) from 7% in the previous (July-September) quarter which is slowest in
five quarters. This data has revised the country’s 2018-19 GDP forecast to 7% from 7.2%.
Increasing exports can lead to better Jobs and higher wages in India : World Bank – ILO report
A report titled ‘Exports to Jobs : Boosting the Gains from Trade in South Asia’ released by World Bank
and International Labour Organization (ILO) reveals that increasing exports can lead to better Jobs and
higher wages in India.
Ayushman Bharat and Uber ink partnership for providing free healthcare for drivers

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The National Health Authority (NHA), which is the apex body responsible for implementation of
Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Uber– a ride-hailing app to provide free healthcare services to Uber
drivers.
India’s Unemployment Rate shot up to 7.2% in Feb’19: CMIE
The unemployment rate in India rose to 7.2% in February 2019, the highest since September
2016, and up from 5.9% in February 2018, according to data compiled by the Centre for
Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

An overview of National Water Awards 2018


The Union Minister for Water Resources, River development and rejuvenation Nithin Gadkari
presented 82 National Water Awards in 14 categories for the year 2018 at a ceremony held in
New Delhi. The department of geology at Kakatiya University, Warangal Telangana received the
best campus in India in terms of water usage.
‘Sarvashreshtha Suraksha Puraskar’ is awarded by Parijat Industries by NSCI
Parijat Industries, an agrochemical firm has conferred the prestigious ‘Sarvashreshtha Suraksha
Puraskar’ (Bronze trophy) by National Safety Council of India (NSCI) for the year 2018. Ministry
of Labour and Employment presented this award.
First Indian-origin WWII spy, Noor Inayat, to get Blue Plaque in UK
British Indian World War II spy, Noor Inayat Khan, confirmed as the first Indian-origin woman to
be honoured with a Blue Plaque at 4 Taviton Street in Bloomsbury, London (her former home).
She was the daughter of Indian Sufi saint Hazrat Inayat Khan and an agent for Britain’s Special
Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II.
Mukesh Ambani becomes first Indian to join top 10 richest list of Hurun Research
Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani became the first Indian and
the only Asian to enter the Global top 10 richest billionaire list compiled by Hurun Research,
China after a USD 9 billion or 20% surge in his wealth to USD 54 billion.
Union Minister of Steel presented 25th Prime Minister’s trophy in New Delhi
Steel Minister of India has presented the 25th Prime Minister’s Trophy to Tata Steel Limited,
Jamshedpur Works for the year 2016-17. The Steel Minister’s Trophy was conferred upon JSW
Steel Limited – Vijayanagar Works.
Bharti AXA General Insurance claimed the ‘Non-Life Insurer of the Year Award 2019’
ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India), which is one of the
apex trade associations of India has conferred ‘Non-Life Insurer of the Year Award 2019' to Bharti
AXA General Insurance which is a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and French insurance
giant AXA.
Tata Steel recognised as one of World’s Most Ethical Companies
Tata Steel has received an award as one of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies. The award
has been given by Ethisphere Institute, USA. The company was also recognised 7 times previously
(this being the eighth recognition) and is one of the only two awardees in the ‘Metals, Minerals
and Mining’ industry.
Sir Alastair Cook officially receives knighthood from Queen
Alastair Cook– formerly a skipper of the England cricket team was officially awarded the
knighthood for his services to cricket. He is the 11th English cricketer to be awarded knighthood
for services to cricket.
Assam’s Hailakandi became the top aspirational district as per NITI Aayog report
According to the Delta ranking report released by NITI Aayog, Assam’s Hailakandi has become the
top aspirational district among the 112 aspirational districts of the country. For securing first
rank it will be given an allocation of Rs. 10 crore.
OSDMA conferred with 2018 SKOCH Award

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SKOCH award, the highest independent honour in the country, was given to Odisha State Disaster
Management Authority (OSDMA) for its remarkable achievements in the field of disaster
management during the the mega event of 56th SKOCH Summit in New Delhi.
DRDO Chairman honoured with Missile Systems Award by US-based AIAA
Satheesh Reddy, the Secretary of India’s Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of the Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)has been chosen by the American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)as the co-winner of the 2019 Missile Systems Award. The
other co-winner is Rondell J. Wilson who is a former Principal Engineering Fellow of Raytheon
Missile Systems.
Prayagraj Kumbha Mela 2019 makes it to the Guinness World Records
Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019 organised from 15th January 2019- 4th March 2019 in Prayagraj
(formerly Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh has made it to the Guinness World Records in three sectors.
These sectors are:
 The largest traffic and crowd management plan.
 The biggest painting exercise of public sites under “Paint My City” scheme.
 The biggest sanitation and waste disposal mechanism.
Indian Bank receives Best Bank Award from the state government of Tamil Nadu
Indian Bank, a Public Sector Bank (PSB), headquartered at Chennai, Tamil Nadu has been
awarded the Best Bank Award by the Tamil Nadu government for successfully meeting the needs
of women’s self-help groups (SHGs).
Indian-American teenager has been conferred with the 2019 National STEM Education Award
Kavya Kopparapu, an Indian-American teenager residing in Herndon, Virginia has been awarded
the National STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education Award 2019. She has
been awarded for her significant invention in enhancing treatments of glioblastoma– which is the
deadliest form of brain cancer. The prize money for STEM amounts to $10,000.
International Sustainability Award won by TVS Motor
TVS Motor was awarded the ‘Green Era Award for Sustainability’ at Lisbon, Portugal. The
company also won the ‘Quality and Business Excellence Award’ for its unmatched product quality.
The research for the awards was conducted by Otherways Management and Consulting, France.
Historic Guinness World Record in yoga in Hong Kong made by over 1,000 people
A Guinness World Record in Yoga was set by more than a thousand people who performed the
Virabathrasan or the Warrior II Pose for 3 minutes, in Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park, Hong Kong.
Swachh Survekhshan 2019 Awards presented by President Ram Nath Kovind
President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Swachh Survekhshan 2019 Awards in New Delhi and
appreciated those who are taking active part in cleanliness drive in the country. Indore bagged
award for cleanest city for third straight year in Swachh Survekshan.
Japanese architect Arata Isozaki wins Pritzker Prize, the highest honour
Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, who integrated the East and West in his creative designs has
been honoured with Pritzker Architecture Prize 2019. He is the 8th Japanese and 46th Pritzker
laureate to be honoured with this award.
Kylie Jenner becomes world’s youngest self-made billionaire
21 years old Kylie Jenner was declared by Forbes magazine as the youngest ever self-made
billionaire. The credit of this success goes to her company Kylie Cosmetics which introduced the
popular Kylie Lip kit.
Mukesh Ambani ranks 13th richest person with $50 bn net worth in the Forbes Billionaire List
Reliance Industries Chairman, Mukesh Ambani, jumped six positions to rank 13th on Forbes
World’s Billionaires list with USD 50 billion wealth and leads 106 billionaires from India on the
list where Wipro Chairman Azim Premji ranked 36th with USD 22.6 billion wealth. The list was
topped by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos with USD 131 billion wealth.

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APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Ajay Narayan Jha became Member of the 15th Finance Commission


Shri Ajay Narayan Jha joined the 15th Finance Commission as its Member in place of Shri
Shaktikanta Das who had resigned as a Member of the Commission after being appointed as
Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Innovation in Governance Award 2019 presented by Shri Venkaiah Naidu
Vice President Shri M Venkaiah Naidu presented Kalam Innovation in Governance Award 2019, at
the 3rd edition of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Summit on Innovation and Governance held in New Delhi.
There, He initiated 75 new Kalam Digital Libraries across the country.
Air Marshal R D Mathur assumes charge as Air Officer
Air Marshal R D Mathur assumed charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern
Air Command of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2003 and
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014.
Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar appointed as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air
Command
Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar, who is presently the chief of Eastern Air Command, has been
designated as the new chief of Western Air Command (WAC). Rajiv Dayal Mathur has been
appointed as chief of Eastern Air Command.
Pranay Kumar Verma appointed India’s Ambassador to Vietnam
Ministry of External Affairs has appointed Pranay Kumar Verma as the India’s Ambassador to
Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Pranay Kumar Verma is an 1994 cadre Indian Foreign Services
Officer and presently working as the Joint secretary at Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Ex-Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia appointed non-executive chairman of Bank of Baroda
Hasmukh Adhia, the ex-finance secretary was appointed as non-executive chairman of Bank of
Baroda. He has been assigned the post of part-time non-official director and non-executive
chairman by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. He would serve for a duration of 3
years.
Macky Sall elected as Senegal’s President for the second term
Macky Sall has again won the election with 58.27% of votes casted to be the President of Senegal.
This majority votes has handed Macky Sall a second term to be the President without the need for
a second round of voting.
Centre has named Bhagwan Lal Sahni as the Chairman of National Commission for Backward
Classes
Bhagwan Lal Sahni who hails from Muzaffarpur, Bihar has been appointed as the chairman of the
National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC). Other members of the commission are:
Kaushalendra Singh Patel, Sudha Yadav and Achary Talloju.
Sanjeev Ranjan to be designated as Secretary at MoRTH
As a part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the central government according to a
Personnel Ministry order, Senior IAS officer Sanjeev Ranjan has been designated as secretary of
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).He will succeed Yudhvir Singh Malik.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah designated as president of Olympic Council of Asia
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait, who is considered a major power broker in sport
world, is re-elected as president of the powerful Olympic Council of Asia for five-year term until
2024.
Anil Kumble designated as ICC Cricket Committee Chairman
Anil Kumble, a former India captain and great leg spinner was re-appointed ICC (International
Cricket Council) Cricket Committee Chairman for a final 3 year term in a board meeting of cricket
council in Dubai.

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India’s doubles badminton coach Tan Kim Her resigns


India’s doubles badminton coach– Tan Kim Her, a native of Malaysia has resigned from his post
citing personal reasons. His term with Badminton Association of India (BAI) had to come to an
end after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Randhir Singh has been appointed the chairman of Coordination Committee for 2022 Asian
Games
Indian Sports Administrator Randhir Singh appointed as the Chairman of Coordination Committee
of 2022 Asian Games which will be hosted in Hangzhou, China. Randhir Singh is currently an
Honorary Life Vice President Of the OCA and he is a five time Olympian Shooter.
Kaja Kallas appointed as the first female prime minister of Estonia
Kaja Kallas, the leader of the Reform Party has been appointed as the first female Prime Minister
of Estonia, after the liberal Reform Party declared victory in the elections against centre-left
Prime Minister Juri Ratas’s party.
Rakesh Kumar Vats appointed as Secretary-General of the Medical Council of India
Rakesh Kumar Vats, currently Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser, Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare, has been appointed as the new Secretary-General of the Medical Council of India,
as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle by the Central Government.
Venkata Ramesh Babu appointed as the Director General of National Archives of India
P Venkata Ramesh Babu has been appointed as the Director General of the National Archives of
India by the Central government. The National Archives of India comes under the Ministry of
Culture.
2nd Senior-most Judge of SC Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri retired
65-year-old, Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, has
retired. In this reagrd, President Ram Nath Kovind has nominated Justice S A Bobde of the
Supreme Court as executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in place of
Justice Sikri.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

RBI approved merger of DBS Bank’s Indian unit with its wholly owned local subsidiary, DBS Bank
India
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the merger of DBS Bank Ltd.’s Indian business unit
with its wholly owned local subsidiary. DBS Bank’s unit will merge with DBS Bank India with
effect from 1st March 2019.
LICHFL partnered with IMGC for better home loan scheme
Life Insurance Corporation Housing Finance Ltd (LICHFL) partnered with India Mortgage
Guarantee Corporation (IMGC) to offer home buyers enhanced loan eligibility and easy loans and
it will now be in a position to offer extended loan tenure for borrowers till the age of 75 years,
increasing the loan quantum and reducing the burden of monthly EMIs for borrowers.
ICICI Bank acquired 9.9% stake in Kisan Finance for cash consideration of Rs 17.82 crore.
ICICI Bank announced that it will buy 1.49 crore shares to acquire 9.9% stake in the non-banking
finance company (NBFC) Kisan Finance for Rs 17.82 crore. The deal will involve the acquisition of
roughly 1.49 crore equity shares with a face value of Rs 10 per share at a premium of Rs 2 per
share.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India’s first indigenous 4G/5G semiconductor chips unveiled by SIGNALCHIP


Bengaluru based semiconductor company “SIGNALCHIP” unveiled India’s first Indigenous
Semiconductor Chips for 4G/LTE and 5G NR MODEMs at an event in New Delhi which was
addressed by the Secretary, Telecom, Mrs Aruna Sundararajan. It was launched as part of its
SCBM34XX and SCRF34XX/45XX series, code-named ‘Agumbe’.
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Methane Hydrate Discovered in K-G Basin off Andhra Pradesh Coast


Researchers have discovered “methane hydrates“, a potential fuel of the future just two meters
below the sea-floor in the Krishna-Godavari (K-G) basin off the coast of Andhra Pradesh in the Bay
of Bengal. This is the first report on the discovery of an active methane seepage site.
‘Banglar Shiksha’ web portal launched by West Bengal Government
West Bengal Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee unveiled a web portal, “Banglar
Shiksha“(banglarshiksha.gov.in), to provide real-time data on state-run and aided schools. This
portal is first of its kind in the country.
IRCTC iPay: IRCTC’s own payment aggregator launched
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) launched its own payment
aggregator system, IRCTC iPay, a step which will help promote government’s Digital India
initiative. The back-end support will be provided by Delhi based MMAD communications, IRCTC’s
technology partner.
Rice Knowledge Bank- Assam’ launched under World Bank funded project APART
Rice Knowledge Bank-Assam, which is an agriculture web portal is dedicated to magnify
knowledge on rice production technologies and techniques, best production practices and state
agriculture facts, was launched under World Bank funded project – Agri-business and Rural
Transformation (APART).
DotBook: India’s first Braille laptop created by IIT-Delhi Scientists
Pulkit Sapra, 26, from Delhi and Suman Muralikrishnan, 27, from Chennai, former students and
researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi have created a laptop for visually-
impaired called “DotBook”. Claimed to be the first in India, the laptop has an interface in form of
dots or Braille instead of a visual one.
SpaceX launched 1st unmanned Crew Dragon test capsule to space station
With the aim of assuring NASA about astronauts’ safety in future flights, Crew Dragon capsule was
launched by SpaceX for the first time. The name of the mission is ‘Demo-1’ and it was launched on
a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA. The capsule did not consist of
any humans on board, only a dummy called ‘Ripley’.
T.N. declared to be the first state to introduce TAVI in government hospital
Vijaya Bhaskar, State Health Minister of Tamil Nadu stated that Tamil Nadu has become the first
state in the country to introduce Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) in the
government hospitals. TAVI was launched in November 2018 at the Tamil Nadu Government
Multi Super Speciality Hospital (TNGMSSH), Omandurar Estate and two people underwent the
surgery free of cost.
First exoplanet Kepler-1658b confirmed by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope
Ten years after its launch, NASA’s Kepler Mission has discovered and received confirmation for its
first exoplanet Kepler-1658 b. It is recognized as hot jupiter due to very high temperature.
"Bolo App" unveiled by Google to help children in India with reading, comprehension skills
Google India has unveiled an app- Bolo which focuses on improving the reading and
comprehension skills of students, especially the ones in rural areas. Bolo has an in-built reading
companion called ‘Diya’ whose primary task is to encourage, aid, explain and correct the users as
they read aloud.

ENVIRONMENT

India collaborates with four nations to protect Asian rhinos


India decided to collaborate with Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia with an objective to
increase the population of three Asian rhino species – Greater one-horned rhinoceros, Javan rhino
and Sumatran rhino, by signing the New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019 at the recently
held Second Asian Rhino Range Countries, at Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, New Delhi.

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Air pollution from stubble burning costs India USD 30 billion annually
According to a study of US-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Air
pollution due to crop residue burning in northern India causes an estimated economic loss of USD
30 billion (Rs 2 lakh crore) annually, and is a leading risk factor of acute respiratory infections,
especially among children.
SPORTS

Chris Gayle reached 10,000 ODI runs and became 1st batsman in the world to hit 500 sixes
West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle became the first player in the world to hit 500 sixes the 14th
batsman and second from the Caribbean after Brian Lara, to reach the milestone of 10,000 ODI
runs, after scoring 162 off 97 balls against England in the fourth ODI at the National Cricket
Stadium in St George’s, Grenada.
ISSF World Cup 2019
International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup was held in New Delhi, India from 20
February to 28 February 2019. It is the annual edition of the ISSF World Cup which is governed by
International Shooting Sport Federation. It is a qualifier for 2020 Olympic Games. India ranked 1st
in the World Cup along with Hungary.
Retirement from Club Football announced by Mehtab Hossain
Former Kerala Blasters Football Club (FC) and Jamshedpur FC player Mehtab Hossain has
announced his retirement from professional football. He currently plays for Mohun Bagan in the
Hero I-League.
India won the 3-match WODI serie during England Women tour of India 2019
India women’s cricket team clinched the 3-match Women’s One-day International (WODI) series
against England by 2-1 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Smriti Mandhana was named the Player of
the Series.
India claimed 8 medals at the Makran Cup boxing tournament in Iran
At the Makran Cup boxing tournament which was held in Chabahar, Iran, Indian boxers collected a
total of 8 medals, including one gold, five silver and two bronze. The gold was clinched by
Haryana’s Deepak Singh in the (46-49kg) light fly category.
Australia Cricket Team’s tour to India
The cricket team of Australia is currently on a tour to India to play two Twenty20 International
(T20I) and five One Day International (ODI) matches from 24th February to 13th March 2019.
The T20Is were held on 24th and 27th February 2019 and the ODIs will be held from 2nd to 13th
March 2019. Australia won the T20I series 2–0, their first T20I series win against India
British boxer James DeGale announces retirement
James DeGale retired from boxing at the age of 33. He quit after completing 10 years in boxing. He
is Britain’s first boxer to win an Olympic gold medal and become a world champion.
Dubai Tennis Championship 2019
Dubai Tennis Championship 2019 commonly known as Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship concluded
in Dubai, UAE. It was the 27th edition of men and 19th of women. Prize money of ATP (Association of
Tennis Professionals) is $2887895 and for WTA (Women Tennis Association) is $2828000.
 Roger Federer won Men’s Singles title over Stefanos Tsitsipas
 Belinda Bencic won women’s Singles in Dubai Championship
Shashank Shekhar claimed 10 km Nepal’s (COAS) Marathon and Run for Fun
Shashank Shekhar won the 10 kilometer race of Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Open
Marathon and Run for Fun which was held in Nepal’s Capital- Kathmandu. This event is an annual
event organized by the Nepal Army.
Bulgaria wrestling – Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov tournament concluded in Bulgaria
57th International Wrestling Tournament ‘Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov’ conducted from 28 feb-3
Mar 2019 in Ruse, Bulgaria. It was organized by the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation. Pooja
Dhanda won gold in 59 kg women’s freestyle category.

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Chris Gayle surpassed Sammy’s record


Chris Gayle, West Indies opener has signed off his last One Day International in the West Indies
with a record half century against England at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Saint
Lucia on 2nd March, 2019.
Tata Motors’ SUV brand Harrier becomes VIVO IPL 2019’s official partner
Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019’s official partner, TATA Motors, will promote its newly-
launched SUV, Harrier, as its lead brand at the event and showcase the SUV by means of the IPL
platform. The highest batting strike rate will win the Harrier Super Striker Award in every match
and for the season.
Mexican Open 2019: Kyrgios defeated Zverev to win Men’s singles title
Mexican open which is a part of 2019 ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour and
2019 WTA (Women’s Tennis Association)Tour, was held between 25th February and 2nd March
2019 at the Princess Mundo Imperial in Mexico. Australia’s Nick Kyrgios defeated Germany’s
Alexander Zverev in the Men’s Singles final by 6-3, 6-4 to claim the fifth ATP title of his career.
Imran Tahir announced retirement from ODI cricket post 2019 World Cup
39-year-old Pakistan-born South African cricket team’s leg-spinner, Imran Tahir, announced that
he will retire from One Day International (ODI) cricket after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup
2019. He will continue to play in the T20 internationals and participate in the 2020 ICC Men’s T20
World Cup in Australia.
Oceania Nations will participate in 2022 Asian Games
Olympic Council of Asia decided to invite Oceania Nations to compete in 2022 Asian Games for the
first time after a meeting held in Bangkok. Oceania Nations which includes Australia, New Zealand
and a swathe of Pacific islands are expected to Volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, football,
swimming and track cycling events.
ICC imposed 10 years ban on Ex-Zimbabwe Cricket Director Enock Ikope for breaching anti-
corruption code
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned former Zimbabwe Cricket director Enock
Ikope for a period of 10 years for breaching 3 ICC’s anti-corruption codes. In 2018, he had been
suspended after being charged under ICC’s Article 2.4.6 and Article 2.4.7.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports recognises Kudo International Federation India as National
Sport Federation
Kudo International Federation India (KIFI) has been provisionally recognised as National Sport
Federation by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The recognition shall be granted if it
complies with the provisions of National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 and displays
information on the website according to the ministerial guidelines.

OBITUARY

British-Indian, Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya died in London at the age of 78


Academic and Manufacturing expert and founder of Warwick manufacturing Group (WMG), Lord
Kumar Bhattacharyya passed away following a brief illness in London, UK at the age of 78. He was
born in Bangalore, Karnataka.
André Previn, Legendary Composer and Four-Time Oscar Winner, dies aged 89
Legendary composer and pianist Andre Previn, died at the age of 89 at his home in Manhattan,
New York, USA. He was a 10-time Grammy Award winner and had won 4 Oscars.
Russian Nobel Prize winner for physics Alferov dies aged 88
Zhores Alferov who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000 and was also a member of Russian
parliament, died at the age of 88 in St. Petersburg, Russia. He researched in the field of
information technology and his research was the backbone of computers, CD players, mobile
phones etc.

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Former New Zealand batsman Bill Playle passed away in New South Wales
Former New Zealand batsman Bill Playle, passed away in New South Wales, Australia at the age of
80. He was natively from Manawatu, New Zealand.
Former Union minister V. Dhananjaya Kumar dies aged 68
Former Union Minister V. Dhananjaya Kumar died in Mangalore, Karnataka. He was 68 and the
reason of his death has been ascertained due to ailments. He is natively from Venur, Belthangady
taluk in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka.
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal Bharat Mohan Adhikari dies
Bharat Mohan Adhikari, who was the former Deputy Prime Minister and senior Communist leader
of Nepal, passed away at the age of 83 in Kathmandu, Nepal. He is natively from Mahottari district
of Nepal.
Jerry Merryman, co-inventor of the World’s First Handheld Electronic Calculator Dies at 86
Jerry Merryman, one of three people at Texas Instruments (TI) credited with inventing the
world’s first handheld electronic calculator in 1960s, died at the age of 86 years at Dallas, Texas
(also his birth place).
Professional WWE wrestler King Kong Bundy passed away
WWE legend, King Kong Bundy whose real name was Christopher Pallies died at the age of 61. He
belonged to Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Chief adviser of All India Matua Mahasangha, Binapani Devi, dies at age 100
Binapani Devi, popularly known as Boro Maa, died at the age of 100 years, due to age-related
ailments at the SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal. She was born in 1919 in Barishal, now in
Bangladesh.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

The book titled ‘Mann Ki Baat – A Social Revolution on Radio’ released by Arun Jaitley in New
Delhi
Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley released a book titled ‘Mann Ki Baat – A Social Revolution on
Radio’ during a function in New Delhi.The book contains 50 episodes of PM Modi’s sincere talk
with the citizens of India which is broadcasted by All India Radio.
Nayantara Sahgal unveiled her new novel “The Fate Of Butterflies”
“The Fate of Butterflies“, Nayantara Sahgal new novel was unveiled at a function hosted by Namita
Gokhale at Oxford Bookstore, New Delhi. The novel is published by published by Speaking Tiger.
“Designing Destiny: The Heartfulness Way” written by Spiritual teacher Kamlesh Patel launched
The book “Designing Destiny: The Heartfulness Way” which has been written by spiritual teacher
Kamlesh Patel who is famously known as Daaji, was launched recently. The book deals with issues
pertaining to destiny and the way it shapes someone’s life.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Science Day observed on 28th February


The National Science Day is observed to mark the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect‘ by the physicist
Sir Chandrashekhara Venkata Raman, well-known as CV Raman. He was born on 7th November
1888 in Tamil Nadu. He gave the theory of Raman Effect for which he won the Nobel Prize in 1930
and became the first Indian and the first Asian to win the prestigious award.
Zero Discrimination day observed on 1st March
Zero Discrimination Day observed on 1st March is an annual worldwide event that promotes
diversity and recognizes that everyone counts. Theme 2019 was "Act to change laws that
Discriminate"
ICAS Celebrated 43rd “Civil Accounts Day” On 1st March, 2019
The Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) has celebrated 43rd Civil Accounts Day at Mavalankar
Auditorium, Constitution Club of India, Rafi Marg, New Delhi. It showcased the progress of the
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flagship project of the Indian Civil Accounts Organization namely the Public Financial
Management System (PFMS).
World Hearing Day: 3rd March
World Hearing Day is observed on 3rd March every year by Office of Prevention of Blindness and
Deafness of the WHO (World Health Organization). The Theme for this year’s World hearing day is
“Check your Hearing”.
World Wildlife Day observed on March 3
World Wildlife Day is observed on 3rd March every year to spread awareness about wildlife. The
theme for World Wildlife Day 2019 is ‘Life below water: for people and planet’. This is the first
World Wildlife Day in the history which focuses on life below water.
National Safety Day: 4th March
In India, National Safety Day (NSC) is observed on 4th March every year by National Safety
Council of India to make every people safe from issues like Financial Loss, Health problems and
environmental problems. Theme 2019- “Cultivate and Sustain a safety culture for building
nation”.
National Security Day: 4th March
Every year, National Security Day also known as Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas was celebrated on 4th
March to praise the work of security forces such as army officers, para-military, policemen and
commandos.
World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation observed on March 4,2019
The World Day of Fight against Sexual Exploitation is observed on March 4 every year. It aims to
spread awareness about the prevalent sexual exploitation, largely among women and children.
Rare Disease Day: 28th February
Rare Disease Day is observed on the last day of February every year to raise awareness about rare
diseases and their treatment. The Theme of this year’s rare disease day was “Bridging health and
social care”.
March 1, 2019 observed as World civil defence day
World Civil Defence Day is observed on 1st March every year, all over the world. The theme of this
year’s World Civil Defence Day was “Children’s safety, our responsibility”.
March 7 to be observed as "Janaushadhi Diwas" all over India
Union Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilisers, Road Transport & Highways, Shipping,
Mansukh Mandaviya, announced that March 7 will be observed as Janaushadhi Divas across India
to create awareness and provide further impetus to the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi
Pariyojana (PMBJP) scheme. The government plans to have at least one PMBJP Kendra in each
block by 2020.

STATE NEWS

Nagpur hosted Heat Wave 2019 Workshop


Maharashtra govt with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has conducted a two-
day national workshop on Preparedness, Mitigation and Management of Heat Wave in Nagpur.
This was the third annual workshop conducted by NDMA to build a momentum ahead of the start
of the Heat Wave season.
Maharashtra’s interim budget for 2019-20 with Rs 19,784 cr estimated revenue deficit presented
by FM Sudhir Mungantiwar
Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar presented the interim budget for the fiscal
2019-20 with an estimated deficit of Rs 19,784 crore and a provision of special fund for farm loan
waiver at the State Assembly in Mumbai. The Government has made maximum allocation of Rs
8733 crore for irrigation, with a focus on Vidarbha and Marathwada.

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“Notun Disha”initiated by Tripura govt to assess academic level of school students


The government of Tripura announced ‘Notun Disha’ (New Direction) for assessing the academic
level of students in classes III-VIII and then improving their current level. It was launched by state
Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath.
Tribal musician of Tripura, Thanga Darlong, conferred with first AB Vajpayee Life Time
Achievement Award
Thanga Darlong, a musician from Tripura was awarded with the first Atal Behari Vajpayee Life
Time Award at the 37th Agartala Book Fair in Agartala, Tripura. He is the last tribal musician who
plays Rosem which is a flute-like musical instrument made of bamboo.
Ex chief Justice of Gauhati HC Ajit Singh named as first Lokayukta of Odisha
Former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajit Singh has been appointed as the first Lokayukta of
Odisha. He was chosen by a selection committee which was led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
and his name was then approved by Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal.
Welfare Schemes for Dhangars was announced by Maharashtra’s Chief Minister
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis announced various welfare schemes
for the Dhangar community including 10,000 houses, AshramShalas, Scholarships, admission
seats and Hostels for students belonging to this community.
Delhi government launches app ‘One Delhi’ to track bus, metro services
A commute-planning app “ONE Delhi” was launched by Kailash Gahlot, Transport Minister of
Delhi to allow users to plan their travel efficiently across government transport facilities. It was
developed by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS).
New 5 year industrial policy unveiled by Maharashtra CM
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled the State’s new 5 year industrial policy
which will be effective from 1st April, 2019. In Maharashtra the rate of conversion of
Memorandum of Understanding into actual investments after a period of one year from the
agreement is more than 45% in comparison to the national average of 30-35 per cent.

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