NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. AYUSH Ministry sets up interdisciplinary team of experts to explore the potential of Yoga as a productivity enhancing tool: The Ministry of AYUSH has set up a high level interdisciplinary committee to explore various aspects of the Productivity dimension of Yoga. The committee would be chaired by Dr. H. R Nagendra, Chancellor, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA). The main objective to form this committee is to find answer to following questions:
(1) Can yoga be deployed as a productivity
boosting tool at the workplace?
(2) Can its wider adoption have positive
implications on the systematic growth and development of the economy, and hence
the nation?
Other members of this committee will include
representatives from AIIMS New Delhi, IIM Bangalore, IIT Bombay, various
leading Yoga institutions, the corporate sector and the AYUSH Ministry. The
committee will submit its preliminary recommendations by May 2021.
2. UP govt organizes ‘banana festival’ in Kushinagar: Uttar Pradesh government was organised a ‘Banana Festival’ in Kushinagar, which has witnessed the participation of at least 35 farmers and entrepreneurs. The state government had in 2018 organised the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme to promote traditional enterprise. Noting the good cultivation of bananas in Kushinagar, products in the district made from banana fibre were selected in the ODOP scheme. At least 4,000 farmers are linked to banana cultivation and after inclusion in the ODOP scheme, around 500 people are employed in its processing. There are three banana fibre processing units in the district and the construction of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) is also planned.
Note: Uttar Pradesh Capital: Lucknow; Uttar
Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel; Uttar Pradesh Chief minister: Yogi
Adityanath.
3. Education Minister launches more than one hundred comic books: Union Minister of Education has launched 100+ comic books created by teachers and students of CBSE schools and curated by NCERT. It is framed by Depart of School Education and Literacy under New Education Policy 2020 and is aligned to chapters of NCERT textbooks across grades 3-12. This will help in increasing the cultural and social sensitivity in our children while imparting knowledge. These comics can be accessed online on DIKSHA web portal (diksha.gov.in).
4. Govt to roll out GPS based toll collection system: Govt is all set to roll out a GPS based toll collection system and introducing E-Highway from Delhi to Mumbai. Toll collection through fast tag has reached to 93% across the country which has resulted in 10 thousand crore more toll collection in comparison to previous year. Introduction of GPS based toll collection system will facilitate smooth movement of traffic, bring transparency, remove the old mechanism of toll collection system and provide jobs.
5. NHAI to develop world class ‘Wayside Amenities’ at more than 600 locations: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will develop world class ‘Wayside Amenities’ at more than 600 locations across 22 states in 5 years. Out of these, 130 are targeted for development in 2021-22. Wayside amenities will be developed every 30 to 50 km along current and upcoming Highways and Expressways. It will include numerous facilities for passengers such as Fuel Station, Electric Charging Facilities, Food Court, Retail Shops, ATM, Toilets with shower facility etc.
6. Andaman & Nicobar achieves 100% Functional Household Tap Connection coverage under Jal Jeevan Mission: Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lt. Governor Admiral D K Joshi declared that the UT achieved 100 percent Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) coverage in Islands. With this, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands becomes the third state/UT in the country to achieve the target after Goa and Telangana under Jal Jeevan Mission. The connections were provided at 266 villages located in 9 blocks in all the three districts. All the schools, Anganwadi centers and sub-centers have also been covered under this.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Indo-Korean Friendship Park Inaugurated at Delhi Cantonment: India’s First Indo-Korean Friendship Park was jointly inaugurated at Delhi Cantonment by Hon’ble Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, and Hon’ble Minister of National Defence, Republic of Korea Mr Suh Wook. The park has been developed in joint consultation with the Ministry of Defence, the Government of India, the Indian Army, the Delhi Cantonment Board, the Embassy of Korea and the Korean War Veterans Association of India. Besides being a symbol of strong India-South Korea friendly relations, this park will also act as a monument to India’s contributions as part of 21 countries that participated in the Korean war 1950-53, under the aegis of the United Nations.
Note: South Korea Capital: Seoul; South Korea
President: Moon Jae-in; South Korea Currency: South Korean won
2. Dubai International Airport Partners with Magzter to Become World’s First ‘Smart Reading Airport: Customers flying through Dubai International (DXB) now have free access to Magzter’s collection of more than 7,000 leading magazines, newspapers, journals and comics, making DXB the world’s first smart reading airport’. A fully contactless and paperless digital experience – using geo-fencing satellite technology – the Magzter partnership enables customers travelling through DXB to download the latest issues of world-renowned publications on their own devices, to read in the airport and onboard their flights. DXB’s Smart Reading Zone’ can also be accessed by logging onto the airport’s super-fast, free wifi network, which acts as a gateway to Magzter’s extensive collection of publications.
3. Suez Canal reopens after giant stranded ship is freed: The giant container ship “Ever Given” that blocked traffic in the Suez Canal for the last week resumed its journey, after being successfully refloated. The efforts to float the delinquent Panamanian container ship Ever Given are successful. The 1,400-foot-long cargo ship jammed diagonally across a southern section of the Suez Canal, leaving a total of 367 ships, including dozens of container ships and bulk carriers, unable to use the key trading route.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. India finish 3rd in 2021 Para Shooting World Cup with 7 Medals: India bagged 3rd position at the end of 2021 World Shooting Para Sport competitions with seven medals, held at Al Ain in UAE from 15 to 25 March 2021. India won two gold medals, one silver and four bronze medals at the event. Ukraine topped the medal tally with 11 medals (five gold, five silver and one bronze) followed by host nation UAE which won five medals (three gold and two silver). Manish Narwal and Singhraj were the gold medal winners for India.
2. FIFA collaborates with United Nations to tackle menace of match-fixing: FIFA announced its collaboration with the United Nations on Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to launch the Global Integrity Programme –– a comprehensive international programme aimed at providing all 211 member associations with enhanced knowledge and tools to fight and prevent match manipulation. The FIFA Global Integrity Programme is designed to improve education and build integrity capacity within all 211 member associations by sharing advanced know-how and resources with integrity officers. The programme also reflects the UNODC’s objective of supporting governments and sports organisations in their efforts to safeguard sport from corruption and crime.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. RBI announces special measures for annual closing of govt accounts for current financial year: Reserve Bank of India has announced special measures for annual closing of government accounts for the current financial year. A special clearing will be conducted for collection of government cheques on 31st March 2021. RBI has instructed all agency banks to keep their designated branches open for over the counter transactions related to government transactions up to the normal working hours on 31st March. For reporting government transactions to RBI, the reporting window will be open till the midnight of 31st March. Transactions through NEFT and RTGS can also be carried out up to to midnight on the day.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1. Govt reintroduces clause on 5% withholding tax for FPIs: The Finance Ministry has reintroduced the clause in the Income tax act that provided for preferential 5% withholding tax applicable to foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). As a part of amendments to the Finance Bill 2021 introduced in Lok Sabha on 22 March, the government has put back the deleted clause of Section 151 which referred to the five per cent withholding tax rate for FPIs in case of interest earned from debt securities.
Note: FPIs are big-ticket investors in the
Indian debt market owning assets worth more than Rs 4 lakh crore, depositories
data showed. Withholding tax is a tax that is deducted by the creditor before
paying interest to foreign bond investors.
2. Government exits from Tata Communications, nets Rs 8,846 crore: The government has fully exited Tata Communications Ltd by selling its 26.12% stake and has netted Rs 8,846 crore in the process, the department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM) said Monday. The government has divested its holding through two steps, by selling 16.12% in TCL, previously called VSNL, through an offer for sale at Rs 5,457 crore, followed by sale of 10% stake to strategic partner at offer for sale discovered price for Rs 3,389 crore.
Note: Public sector company VSNL was
privatised in 2002 by disinvesting 25% shareholding along with transfer of
management control to Panatone Finvest Ltd., the strategic partner. Subsequent
to the strategic disinvestment, the name of the company was changed to TCL.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Mahinder Giri, range officer won the International Ranger Award: Mahinder Giri, range officer of Rajaji Tiger Reserve for being the only ranger from Asia to win the prestigious International Ranger Award for his contribution towards conservation. The award has been announced for 10 professionals across the world by the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN and World Commission on Protected Areas WCPA. Developed through a collaboration between the IUCN WCPA, the International Ranger Federation, Global Wildlife Conservation, and Conservation Allies, these awards, created in 2020, aim to highlight and felicitate the extraordinary work that rangers do in protected and conserved areas worldwide.
OBITUARIES
1. Noted journalist and author Anil Dharker passes away: Noted journalist and author Anil Dharker passed away. He was the founder and director of the Mumbai International Literary Festival. He was in his mid-70s, was the editor of several publications including Mid-Day and The Independent and played a vital role in opening the Akashwani Auditorium in south Mumbai as an art movie theatre. Dharker had been the editor of a variety of publications, starting with ‘Debonair’, ‘Mid-Day’; ‘The Independent’ and ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’. He was a columnist for The Indian Express newspaper and has authored ‘The Romance Of Salt’, a book on Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March.
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