NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Punjab govt makes Punjabi compulsory in all Punjab schools: The Punjab government has made it mandatory for all schools in the state, irrespective of their educational board, to teach Punjabi as a main and compulsory subject.Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced the decision through a fresh notification, applicable immediately.Under the new directive, all schools, whether affiliated with the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), or Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), will be required to include Punjabi in their curriculum.
2. Sarbananda Sonowal unveils ‘One Nation-One Port’ to enhance efficiency with ease of doing business: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has launched a series of major initiatives of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) aimed at modernising India’s maritime infrastructure, strengthening its global trade presence, and to promote sustainability.These initiatives were launched during a stakeholder meeting in Mumbai, to discuss on various possibilities from the major announcements made in the Union Budget for the maritime sector.
Sonowal launched the ‘One Nation-One Port Process (ONOP)’ an initiative to standardise and streamline operations across India’s major ports.The step aims at removing inconsistencies in documentation and processes that led to inefficiencies, increased costs, and operational delays.
Sonowal also launched Sagar Ankalan — the Logistics Port Performance Index (LPPI) for FY 2023-24, as a significant step towards enhancing efficiency and global competitiveness in India’s maritime sector.
3. Rajnath Singh releases first edition of MoD’s bi-annual Hindi magazine ‘Sashakt Bharat’: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has released the first edition of Ministry of Defence’s bi-annual Hindi magazine ‘Sashakt Bharat’ at South Block, New Delhi.The magazine comprises poems on the valour, patriotism and sacrifices of the Armed Forces personnel as well as articles on the policies of the Government written by the personnel of the Ministry, irrespective of their ranks, showcasing inclusivity and unity in diversity.The objective of ‘Sashakt Bharat’ magazine is to highlight the creative talent of the employees of MoD and encourage them to carry out their day-to-day activities in Hindi.
4. RamMohan inaugurates Udan Yatri Cafe at Chennai Airport: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjrappu RamMohan Naidu has inaugurated the Udan Yatri Cafe at Chennai International Airport.This would benefit all passengers as five to six items like water, tea, coffee, snacks and local sweets will be sold at Rs.10 and Rs. 20.The first such cafe inaugurated at Kolkata airport last December has registered Rs. 30 thousand sales per day.
5. Accidental Insurance scheme for School Children in Rajasthan launched: The government of Rajasthan has launched Shiksha Sanjeevani Bima Yojana to provide accidental insurance to schoolchildren in the state.This first-of-its-kind scheme will offer personal accident insurance coverage of Rs 1 lakh to 1.3 lakh to children and their parents enrolled in state government schools. Initially, the scheme will cover schools in the Udaipur Division.The State Education and Panchayati Raj Minister, Madan Dilawar launched the scheme. The scheme was launched at the Shiksha Jeevan Personal Accident Insurance Ceremony organised at the Residency School of Udaipur. The scheme will be gradually expanded to all the schools in the state, benefitting around 1 crore students.Wonder Cement, Zurich Kotak General Insurance and State Bank of India are partners of the Shiksha Sanjeevani Bima Yojana scheme.Wonder Cement will provide money to pay the insurance premium for the insured children in the Udaipur Division while The Zurich Kotak General Insurance Company will be the insurance provider for the scheme.
6. Vice President Dhankhar attended Nyokum Yullo celebration in Arunachal Pradesh: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar attended and addressed the first-ever joint mega Nyokum Yullo Celebration in Boasimla, Kamle District of Arunachal Pradesh.The Nyokum Yullo Celebration is an agrarian festival of the Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.The word Nyokum is derived from Nyok meaning land (earth) and Kum meaning collectiveness or togetherness. The festival is linked with cultivation.The vice president also felicitated Kabak Yano on the occasion. Kabak Yano is the 5th woman from Arunachal Pradesh and the first woman from the Nyishi tribe to conquer the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.The daughter of a casual worker, Kabak Yano climbed Mount Everest on 21st May 2024.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. The Cali Fund launches in the margins of the resumed session of COP16: A new international fund has been created to help protect biodiversity. The ‘Cali Fund’ was launched at the resumed 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Rome.The Cali Fund will receive money from businesses that rely on Digital Sequence Information (DSI). DSI includes genetic data from plants, animals, and microorganisms. Industries like pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, and biotechnology use DSI to develop products.Under this new system, they will now have to contribute a part of their revenue to support biodiversity efforts.The money collected will be used in several ways. It will support biodiversity conservation projects, help developing countries implement their biodiversity action plans, and fund scientific research to improve how genetic data is stored and used.
2. UAE launched 10-Year Blue Residency Visa System: The first phase of the Blue Visa system has been formally launched by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which grants international nationals a 10-year residency visa.By attracting people who support environmental sustainability, this project hopes to strengthen the UAE’s commitment to a more environmentally friendly future.
The UAE Blue Visa: What is it?For professionals and contributors working in the areas of sustainability, environmental protection, and climate change, the New Blue Visa System provides a 10-year resident visa.This UAE Golden Visa is in line with the UAE’s overarching goal of advancing sustainable development and environmentally friendly projects.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Indian Women Football Team finishes 3rd in 2nd Pink Ladies Cup 2025: The Indian senior women football team, popularly known as Blue Tigress, ended their campaign in the 2nd Pink Ladies Cup with a 3-0 defeat to the South Korean side. The Indian team finished third in the Pink Ladies Cup.The 2nd edition of the Pink Ladies Cup was held at the Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.The Pink Ladies Cup is a friendly international football tournament. A team’s win or loss in friendly matches does not affect its standing or ranking in FIFA’s points table.It is usually played before the start of a competitive season to prepare the team for the upcoming football season.The Indian women’s football team used the 2nd Pink Ladies Cup 2025 to prepare for the upcoming AFC Women Asia Cup Qualifiers to be held in May-June 2025.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. DRDO and Indian Navy Successfully Test NASM-SR Missile in Chandipur: The Indian Navy in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted the flight test of the indigenously developed Naval Anti-Ship Missile -Short Range (NASM-SR).The missile was launched from the Indian Navy’s Sea King MK 42B helicopter from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur in Odisha.NASM-SR is the country’s first indigenously developed air-launched anti-ship missile system with a sea-skimming ability. The first test of the missile was conducted in May 2022.
2. 28 February – National Science Day: National Science Day is observed every year on 28 February to mark the discovery of the Raman Effect by physicist CV Raman in 1928.Since 1986, this day has been celebrated across India to recognise scientific achievements and encourage scientific awareness among students and the public.The theme for National Science Day 2025 is ‘Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat’.The first celebration took place on February 28, 1987, marking the beginning of a tradition that continues to inspire generations.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. NSE & Assam Govt ink MoU to skill youth in BFSI sector at Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit : National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Government of Assam signed an MoU to implement a student skilling programme for the youth of Assam in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector at the Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit.Assam is the 4th state after Uttarakhand, Meghalaya and Chhattisgarh to partner with NSE on skilling youth. As part of this understanding, NSE with the support of the Government of Assam, shall implement a student skill building program to increase awareness, build skills and competencies in the BFSI across the State of Assam.This project will enhance employability and self-employment opportunities in the BFSI sector.This programme aligns with Assam government’s objective and aims to empower the youth of the state with essential skills and knowledge in the BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) sector, bridging the skill gap and enhancing their employment opportunities for the future.
2. Muthoot Finance gets RBI approval to open 115 new branches: Finance and insurance corporation Muthoot Finance has received RBI approval to open 115 new branches.The company is also advised to ensure suitable arrangements for security and for storage of gold jewellery, including a safe deposit vault, as envisaged in the extant directions, to the extent applicable.Muthoot Finance recently posted a 21 per cent increase in consolidated PAT in Q3 FY25 at ₹1,392 crore as against ₹1,145 crore in Q3 FY24.
3. Paytm Partners with AI Startup Perplexity to Enhance Financial Literacy with AI-Powered Search: Paytm has partnered with Perplexity AI to help users with real-time financial assistance. The payment gateway will be integrating the AI startup’s search engine to expand access to Paytm’s user base of 100 million active users in the country.Users will be able to ask finance-related questions and topics in their local language to make informed financial decisions.This innovation enhances digital literacy and reinforces Paytm’s commitment to driving technological advancements for a smarter, AI-driven India.
No comments:
Post a Comment