NATIONAL UPDATES:
The SLAF is celebrating its 70th Anniversary
on March 2 and to commemorate the historical event, a Fly Past and an Aerobatic
Display are being organised for the first time in the country at a grand scale.
A total of 23 Indian Air force (IAF) and Indian Navy aircraft will also partake
in the event. Indian High Commission has called the participation indicative of
the growing cooperation, camaraderie and friendship between the armed forces of
the two nations.
Note: Sri Lanka Capitals: Colombo, Sri
Jayawardenepura Kotte; Sri Lanka President: Gotabaya Rajapaksa; Sri Lanka
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee.
2.
Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates Global Bio India 2021: The Union Minister for Science
& Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare Dr Harsh
Vardhan inaugurated the second edition of Global Bio-India-2021 in New Delhi
through virtual mode. The three-day event will be held from March 01 to 03, 2021,
on a digital platform. The purpose of the event is to showcase the strength and
opportunities of the biotechnology sector of India at the national as well as
international level. The Government of India has a target of building a USD 150
billion bio-economy by 2025. The theme of Global Bio-India-2021: “Transforming
lives” with the tag line “Biosciences to Bio-economy”.
The event is co-organised by the Department of
Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science & Technology along with its
Public Sector Undertaking, and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance
Council (BIRAC) in partnership with industry association Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII), Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE) and
Invest India.
3.
Indian Railways reactivates ‘UTS ON MOBILE App’ facility: The Indian Railways has decided
to reactivate the facility of ‘UTS ON MOBILE App’, which allows passengers to
book unreserved train tickets through app. The facility of Unreserved Ticketing
System (UTS) on Mobile app was discontinued by Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways
in 2020, when the novel coronavirus-triggered lockdown was imposed across
India. However, the app is being reactivated by Indian Railways to decongest
ticket booking counters and to ensure smooth compliance of social distancing
norms.
4.
Common Service Centres to be integrated with E-Daakhil portal: The Centre has decided to
integrate the Common Service Centres (CSC) with the E-Daakhil portal for
Consumer grievance redressal. The decision to integrate the Common Service Centres
(CSC) with the e-daakhil portal has been taken because many consumers at Gram
Panchayat level either do not have access to electronic modes of communication
or are unable to use the tools, so they may avail the services of CSCs in
filing their complaints in the Consumer Commission.
What is E-Daakhil portal: The E-Daakhil portal was
launched by National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC), Department
of Consumer Affairs on September 07, 2020. It has been developed and is
maintained by the National Information Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of
Electronics & Information Technology. The portal facilitates e-filing of
consumer complaints in the Consumer Commissions and also has provision of
online payment of the fees from anywhere for the redressal of their complaints.
It also facilitates the consumer commissions to scrutinize the complaints
online to accept, reject or forward the complaint to the concerned commission
for further processing. and online payment of the fees for filing a complaint.
E-Daakhil portal for Consumer grievance redressal is now operational in 15
States/UTs. The portal has been launched under Consumer Protection Act, 2019,
which has come into force from 20th July, 2020.
Note: National Consumer Disputes Redressal
Commission (NCDRC) Headquarter: New Delhi; Head: Justice R K Agrawal
5.
Tenure of PC Mody as CBDT Chairman extended for 3 months: The re-appointment of Pramod
Chandra Mody as Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has been
extended for a further period of three months. He is a 1982-batch Indian
Revenue Service officer, was appointed as the CBDT chief in February 2019. The
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved an extension for a period of
three months with effect from March 1, 2021, to May 31, 2021. Earlier, Mr
Mody’s tenure was last extended in August last year for six months.
Note: Central Board of Direct Taxes
Established: 1924; Central Board of Direct Taxes Headquarters: New Delhi.
6.
Land Ports Authority of India celebrates its 9th Foundation Day: The Land Ports Authority of
India (LPAI) has celebrated its 9th Foundation Day on 01 March 2021. The Land
Ports Authority of India or LPAI is a statutory body working under the Ministry
of Home Affairs, Government of India is responsible for creating, upgrading,
maintaining and managing border infrastructure in India. It manages several
Integrated Check Posts all across Borders of India.
Note: Land Ports Authority of India Chairman:
Aditya Mishra; Land Ports Authority of India Founded: 1 March 2012; Land Ports
Authority of India Parent organization: Ministry of Home Affairs; Land Ports
Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Russia launches first Arctic-monitoring Satellite ‘Arktika-M’: The Russian space corporation
Roscosmos successfully launched its first satellite to monitor the Arctic’s
climate and environment. The satellite called “Arktika-M”, was launched on
February 28, 2021, onboard Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket, from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This satellite will help to collect information to
solve operational meteorology and hydrology problems, and monitoring the
climate and environment in the Arctic region.
Note: Russia President: Vladimir Putin; Russia
Capital: Moscow; Russia Currency: Russian Ruble.
2.
Ghana becomes the world’s first nation to receive COVAX vaccines: Ghana has become the first
country in the world to receive vaccines acquired through the United
Nations-backed COVAX initiative with a delivery of 600,000 doses of the
AstraZeneca vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India. Ghana is among 92
low-and middle-income countries that are receiving vaccines for free through
COVAX. Another 90 countries and eight territories have agreed to pay if they
choose to receive vaccines through COVAX. The vaccines, delivered by UNICEF,
arrived at Accra’s international airport and are part of the first wave of
Covid-19 vaccines being sent by COVAX, an international cooperative program
formed to make sure low- and middle-income countries have fair access to COVID-19
vaccines. COVAX is led by the United Nation’s World Health Organization; Gavi,
a vaccine group; and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or
CEPI.
Note: Ghana President: Nana Akufo-Addo; Ghana
Capital: Accra; Ghana Currency: Ghanaian cedi.
3. World
Wildlife Day: 3rd March: World Wildlife Day is observed globally on the 3rd of
March every year to celebrate the beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and
flora present on earth. World Wildlife Day also raise awareness about the
benefits that the conservation of wild fauna and flora provides to people
living on earth. The day also reminds us of the need to fight against wildlife
crime and human-induced reduction of species causing various wide-ranging
economic, environmental and social impacts. World Wildlife Day will be
celebrated in 2021 under the theme “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People
and Planet”, as a way to highlight the central role of forests, forest species
and ecosystems services in sustaining the livelihoods of hundreds of millions
of people globally, and particularly of Indigenous and local communities with
historic ties to forested and forest-adjacent areas.
Note: World Wildlife Fund Headquarters:
Gland, Switzerland; World Wildlife FundFounded: 29 April 1961, Morges, Switzerland;
President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund: Carter Roberts.
4. World
Hearing Day: 3rd March: World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year by the
World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness
and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. The theme
of World Hearing Day 2021 is Hearing care for ALL!: Screen, Rehabilitate,
Communicate. World Hearing Day 2021 will mark the launch of the first-ever
World Report on Hearing.
Note: Headquarters of WHO: Geneva,
Switzerland; Director-general of WHO: Tedros Adhanom.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Vinesh Phogat wins gold in Ukraine wrestling event: Star Indian wrestler, Vinesh
Phogat has defeated 2017 world champion Vanesa Kaladzinskay of Belarus to win a
gold medal at the XXIV Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial
tournament, held in Kiev, Ukraine. Haryana’s Bhiwani-based Vinesh won in the
53kg bout with a 10-8 lead. She is the only Indian woman wrestler to have
qualified for the Tokyo Olympics Games in the 53 kg category.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Matam
Venkata Rao assumes Charge as MD & CEO of Central Bank of India: Matam Venkata Rao has
taken charge as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of
Central Bank Of India. Rao till now held the position of Executive Director at
Canara Bank. His appointment is for a period of 3 years with effect from the
date of assumption of office on or after March 1, 2021, or until further
orders, whichever is earlier. Rao is a Certified Associate of the Indian
Institute of Bankers. He is a post-graduate in agriculture from Sri
Venkateshwara Agriculture College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
Note: Central Bank of India Headquarters:
Mumbai; Central Bank of India Founded: 21 December 1911.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1.
Golden Globe Awards 2021 announced: The Golden Globe Awards 2021 was held to
recognise excellence in film, both American and international, and American
television. This was the 78th edition of the annual event, which honoured the
best in American television, as well as film in 2020 and early 2021, as chosen
by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Winners in the Film category:
Best Film – Drama: Nomadland
Best Film – Musical/Comedy: Borat Subsequent
Movie film
Best Director: Chloe Zhao for Nomadland
Best Actress – Drama: Andra Day for The United
States vs. Billie Holiday
Best Actor – Drama: Chadwick Boseman for Ma
Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Actress – Musical/Comedy: Rosamund Pike
for I Care A Lot
Best Actor – Musical/Comedy: Sacha Baron Cohen
for Borat Subsequent Movie film
Best Supporting Actress: Jodie Foster for The
Mauritanian
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya for
Judas And The Black Messiah
Best Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin for The Trial of
the Chicago 7
Best Foreign Language Film: Minari
Best Animated Feature: Soul
Best Original Score: Soul
Best Original Song: ‘Io Si (Seen)’ from The
Life Ahead
Winners in the Television
category:
Best TV Series – Drama: The Crown
Best TV Series – Musical/Comedy: Schitt’s
Creek
Best Limited Series, Anthology or TV Film: The
Queen’s Gambit
Best Actress – Drama: Emma Corrin for The
Crown
Best Actor – Drama: Josh O’Connor for The
Crown
Best Actress – Musical/Comedy: Catherine
O’Hara for Schitt’s Creek
Best Actor – Musical/Comedy: Jason Sudeikis
for Ted Lasso
Best Supporting Actress: Gillian Anderson for
The Crown
Best Supporting Actor: John Boyega for Small
Axe
Best Actress (Limited Series, Anthology or TV
Film): Anya Taylor-Joy for The Queen’s Gambit
Best Actor (Limited Series, Anthology or TV
Film): Mark Ruffalo for I Know This Much Is True
DEFENCE
1.
Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh takes over as ENC chief: Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur
Singh took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of Eastern
Naval Command (ENC). He replaces Vice
Admiral Atul Kumar Jain. Atul Kumar Jain has been transferred to New Delhi to
assume charge as the Vice Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman
Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC). Vice Admiral A.B. Singh inspected the
ceremonial guard and reviewed platoons of naval personnel drawn from various
ships and establishments of the ENC. He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in
2011 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2016.
Note: Eastern Naval Command Headquarter: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh; Eastern Naval Command Founded: 1 March 1968.
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