We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 18 March 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.
Our Current Affairs March 2020 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Monthly Current Affairs 2020 PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.
Date-Wise Current Affairs March 2020 PDF for Paid Users – Click Here to Know More
Top 15 Current Affairs of 18 March 2020
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Permanent commission to women in Indian Navy: SC
Justice DY Chandrachud directed the Centre to grant permanent commission to serving women officers in Navy within three months with increments.
The judgment follows a verdict by the Apex Court in favour of granting permanent for women in the Indian Army. A permanent commission entitles an officer to serve in the Navy till he/she retires unlike Short Service Commission(SSC), which is currently for 10 years and can be extended by four more years, a total of 14 years.
The Supreme Court said women can sail with the same efficiency as male officers and there should be no discrimination….Click here to Read More.
Haryana’s Amin village renamed as Abhimanyupur
On March 16, 2020, The Central Government approved renaming the Amin village as Abhimanyupur in Kurukshetra district of Haryana as per the request of the State government. The decision has been taken by the Union Home Ministry after getting permission from a few central organisations.
Key Points:
i.The Union Ministry will approve the change of name of any place after taking no-objections from the Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts and Surveys of India.
ii.These organisations have to confirm that there is no such city, town or village in their records with a name similar to the proposed one.
iii.In order to change the name of the village or a town or a city an executive order is needed and for renaming a state requires amendment of the constitution with a simple majority in the Parliament.
iv.Fact: The Central Government has approved renaming at least 25 towns, villages or districts across the country in the last 3 years, including Uttar Pradesh’s (UP) Faizabad as Ayodhya and Allahabad as Prayagraj.
About Haryana:
Capital– Chandigarh.
Chief Minister (CM)– Manohar Lal Khattar.
Governor– Satyadev Narayan Arya.
India to provide NPR 107.01 million to build 3 schools in Nepal
On March 16, 2020, India assured to provide a grant of Nepalese Rupees(NPR) 107 million to construct 3 schools in Nepal & to create better facilities for students. The Embassy of India & the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration(MoFAGA) Nepal signed 2 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs)
Key Points
i.MoU was signed with the Mahakali Municipality, Darchula & the Mukhiyapatti Musharniya Rural Municipality, Dhanusha to build 2 new school buildings under the India-Nepal Development Partnership programme at a total estimated cost of Nepalese Rupees 73.96 million.
ii.Infrastructure to be utilised by Shree Malikarjun Higher Secondary School at Dhap village in Darchula District & Baidyanath Devnarayan Public Higher Secondary School at Tulsiyahi in Dhanusha District.
iii.NPR 33.05 million estimated for the construction of another new school building for Shivahari School, Mahrajgunj Municipality, Kapilvastu.
iv.Indian Embassy handed over a cheque of Nepalese Rupees 8.26 million as the 1st instalment of its total commitment
v.The projects to be monitored by MoFAGA Nepal & the Embassy of India.
About Nepal:
Capital– Kathmandu
President– Bidya Devi Bhandari
Prime Minister-K.P. Sharma Oli
Share of Indian vendors increased in defence contracts from (2015-16) to (2019-20) by over 35%
On March 16, 2020, the government stated that India’s share in contracts awarded by the Union Defence Ministry for the procurement of defence equipment has increased from 39.06%(2015-16) to 75.03%(2019-20).
i.In consideration of the need for operational readiness domestically made equipment are procured to the maximum possible extent
ii.For capital procurement of defence equipment for the Armed Forces, 158 contracts were signed in the last 5 years (2015-16 to 2019-20 till January 2020) with 100 Indian vendors against foreign buyers.
iii.Over the last 5 years, the defence equipment procured from Indian vendors includes helicopters, radars, electronic fuses, bridges, ballistic helmets, bulletproof jackets, rocket launchers & vehicles.
About Ministry of Defence:
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
Defence Minister– Rajnath Singh
Road accidents reduced by 10% after the Motor Vehicles(Amendment) Act 2019
On March 16, 2020, Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari revealed that the number of deaths caused due to road accidents have been reduced by 10% in India after the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019.
Key Points:
i.From 12 states and union territories, Tamil Nadu made notable progress in reducing road accidents by 24% which is the maximum anywhere in the country….Click here to Read More
Government targeted to achieve sales around 70 lakh hybrid & electric vehicles by the end of 2020
On March 16, 2020 The Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change & Minister of Information & Broadcasting & Minister of Heavy industries and Public Enterprises Prakash Javadekar informed that the government has set an ambitious target to achieve sales of around 70 lakh hybrid & electric vehicles by the end of 2020.
Key points:
i.In 2015 as part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan(NEMMP) 2020, Department of Heavy Industry formulated the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) scheme.
ii.It is to promote the manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicle technology & to ensure sustainable growth of the same.
iii.The 1st Phase of FAME India Scheme was implemented by 4 focus areas namely- Demand Creation, Technology Platform, Pilot Project & Charging Infrastructure.
iv.The 2nd Phase is the expansion of 1st phase & aims to generate demand by way of supporting about 7,000Electronic(E)-buses, 5 lakh E- 3 wheelers, 55,000 E-4 wheelers passenger cars & 10 lakh E-2 wheelers.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Microsoft India & NASSCOM Foundation launches ‘Innovate for accessible India campaign’ to empower people with disabilities
On March 17, 2020, Microsoft India Private Limited, a subsidiary of American software company Microsoft Corporation & NASSCOM Foundation, the social arm of the Technology industry body- NASSCOM ( National Association of Software and Service Companies), have jointly launched the ‘Innovate for Accessible India campaign’, a nation-wide innovation challenge aimed at empowering people with disabilities with the new technologies required for better integration into society and access to equal opportunities.
Key Points:
i.The campaign was launched in partnership with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology and National Research and Education Network (NREN).
ii.The key areas of focus that developers are technology solutions using Microsoft Cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI) among other that help meet the gaps faced by people with disabilities, especially in getting services and support in education, skill-building, employment, mobility, etc.
iii.The 10 best solutions that meet main challenges faced by them will be given mentoring support as well as the grants ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
About Microsoft India Private Limited:
Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana
President– Anant Maheshwari
About NASSCOM Foundation:
Headquarters– New Delhi
CEO– Ashok Pamidi
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
Ravinder Singh Dhillon appointed as CMD of Power Finance Corporation
On 16th March 2020, Ravinder Singh Dhillon, was appointed as a Chairman and Managing Director of Power Finance Corporation (PFC) by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet with effect from June 1, 2020.
i.This Appointment Committee of the Cabinet was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be serving in this post till his superannuation on May 31, 2023.
ii.He served as a Director (Projects, Public Grievance) in Power Finance Corporation (PFC) Limited. He also served as an Executive director in PFC, and worked nearly 25 years in PFC and has more than 34 years of experience in the field of power sector.
About Power Finance Corporation (PFC):
Power Finance Corporation has conferred the title of a “Navratna CPSE” in June 2007 and was classified as an Infrastructure Finance Company by the RBI on 28th July 2010.
Headquarters- New Delhi
Ministry– Ministry of Power
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Swiss scientists discover rain of molten iron on distant exoplanet ‘WASP-76b’
On March 11, 2020, A team of Scientists from the Astronomy Department of the University of Geneva (Switzerland) along with the teams in Portugal, Italy and Spain, have detected liquid iron rain on the highly heated exoplanet WASP-76b.
Key Points:
i.Scientists have speculated that the reason for the liquid iron precipitation is due to inclement weather conditions on the exoplanet WASP-76b, which revolves around its star ‘WASP-76’ so closely that the temperature in the daytime is 1000 ° C higher than the night and the temperature reaches around 4,350 degrees Fahrenheit (2400 ° C) during the day.
ii.The observations came from using a new instrument named Echelle Spectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (Espresso) and fitted to the Very Large Telescope (VLT) based at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile’s the Atacama Desert.
iii.The finding has been published in the journal Nature & lead author of the study was David Ehrenreich, a professor at the University of Geneva.
About WASP-76b:
It is located about 390 light-years away from our solar system in the constellation Pisces.
It is an ultra-hot giant gaseous planet similar to Jupiter but revolves around its star in a very small orbit (less than two days).
SPORTS
ATK FC won ISL trophy for the 3rd time by defeating Chennaiyin FC
On March 17, 2020, ATK FC (Football Club) won the ISL (Indian Super League) trophy for the 3rd time following a 3-1 win against Chennaiyin FC in the final match held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Margao, Goa.
Key Points:
i.Javier Hernandez and Edu Garcia were the goal scorers for ATK FC in the final match.
ii.About ATK FC: ATK (previously known as Atlético de Kolkata) is an Indian professional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal, that plays in the Indian Super League (ISL) under licence from the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
iii.The Hero I-League, formerly known as National Football League, is one among the two co-existing premier football leagues in India together with Indian Super League (ISL).
iv.Mohun Bagan Athletic Club has won the Hero I-League Champions 2019-20 by defeating Aizawl FC at Kalyani Stadium, West Bengal. Bagan Club lifted the title for the second time, even when four rounds are still to go in the season.
OBITUARY
Veteran journalist, former Rajya Sabha Member Patil Puttappa passes away at 99
On March 17, 2020, Patil Puttappa (99) a veteran journalist, writer, Khadi Activist, and a former Rajya Sabha member passed away at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubballi, Karnataka due to age-related illness.
About Patil Puttappa:
i.He was born on January 14, 1921, at Kurabagond village, Dharwad district, Karnataka. He was also known as PaPu.
ii.He completed his graduation in Law in 1954 in Belagavi and master’s degree in Journalism from California State University in 1949.
iii.He was the first president of the Kannada Watchdog Committee and founder-president of the Border Advisory Committee. He served as a president of Vidyavardhaka Sangha, Dharwad, in 1967.
iv. He published “Vishwavani” daily newspaper in 1959 and weekly newspaper “Prapancha” he also edited Navayuga.
Patil Puttappa awards and honours:
i.He received the Rajyotsava Award, the second-highest civilian honour of Karnataka.
ii.He also received several awards like T.S.R Award, Nadoja award, Basavashree award, Nrupatunga Award is given in Karnataka for the excellence in Kannada literature.
Famous Marathi Actor Jairam Kulkarni passed away at 88
On March 17, 2020, Marathi Actor Jairam Kulkarani passed away at the age of 88 in Pune, Maharashtra due to old-age related illness. He was born in Barshi tehsil in Solapur district, Maharashtra.
Key Points:
i.About Jairam Kulkarni: He had acted in more than 150 films, including “Chal Re Laxya Mumbaila”, “Ashi Hi Banwabanwi”, “Thartharat”, “Rangat Sangat” and his last movie was “Khel Aayushyacha” was released recently.
ii.Kulkarni had worked in Akashwani in Pune where he came into contact with personalities from the fields of literature, theatre and film, before starting on a full-fledged career in acting.
STATE NEWS
M Gopal Reddy appointed as Chief Secretary of MP
On 17th March 2020, Madhya Pradesh(MP) Government appointed M Gopal Reddy as a Chief Secretary of the state replacing Sudhi Ranjan Mohanty with effect from April 1, 2020.
Key Points:
i.M Gopal Reddy is a 1985 batch IAS officer is currently serving as an Officer on Special Duty(OSD) before he takes charge as the state’s new Chief Secretary. He worked as a vice-chairman of the Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) prior to the current position.
ii.Sudhi Ranjan Mohanty is to take charge as a Director-General of RCPV Academy of Administration.
About Madhya Pradesh:
Capital– Bhopal
Chief Minister– Kamal Nath
Governor– Lalji Tandon
ECI appoints Hirdesh Kumar as New Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir
On March 16, 2020, A 1999 batch IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer Hirdesh Kumar appointed as the New Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) by the Election Commission of India (ECI), soon he will replace Shailendra Kumar. Presently Hirdesh serves as the Commissioner Secretary in the School Education Department of J&K.
After Maharashtra & Odisha, J’khand becomes the 3rd state in India to launch ‘Star Rating program’ for industries
The state government of Jharkhand will launch its “Star Rating Program” on June 5, 2020, to rate industries based on the amount of pollutants generated by them.
With this, it became the 3rd state in India to launch this system for industries after Maharashtra & Odisha.
The program will be implemented by the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) in association with the University of Chicago Trust (UC Trust).
Key Points:
i.The rating ranging on one to five scale, with the most polluting industry getting 1 star while the industry with the highest compliance rate with pollution control norms will get 5 stars.
ii.The star rating is based on the emission of particulate matter (or PM-2.5 and PM 10) emissions out of 17 categories of highly polluting industries including Captive Power Plants, Integrated Power Plants, Integrated Steel, Sponge Iron, Cement, Copper Smelter etc.
iii.The rating will be provided after sensing the emission data of industries, which will be calculated through the Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) every 15 minutes.
About Jharkhand:
Capital– Ranchi
Chief Minister– Hemant Soren
Governor– Draupadi Murmu
Flower– Palash
Tree– Sal
AC GAZE
PM Modi participated in the 100th Birth Anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman via Video conference
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken part in the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through video conferencing. Rahman, who is the first President of Bangladesh, was born on March 17, 1920, in Tungipara village in Faridpur district and also referred to as ‘Jatir Pita‘. The capital and currency of Bangladesh are Dhaka and Bangladeshi taka respectively.
MoCA flagged off first-ever Indore-Kishangarh flight under UDAN
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) flagged off the first-ever thrice-weekly flight from Indore (Madhya Pradesh) to Kishangarh (Ajmer, Rajasthan) under the UDAN(Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme of the Government of India. This is the 268th route to be made operational under the UDAN scheme.
*******
[su_table]
| Current Affairs Today(AffairsCloud Today) | |
| S.No | Current Affairs 18 March 2020 |
| 1 | Permanent commission to women in Indian Navy: SC |
| 2 | Haryana’s Amin village renamed as Abhimanyupur |
| 3 | India to provide NPR 107.01 million to build 3 schools in Nepal |
| 4 | Share of Indian vendors increased in defence contracts from (2015-16) to (2019-20) by over 35% |
| 5 | Road accidents reduced by 10% after the Motor Vehicles(Amended) Act 2019 |
| 6 | The government targeted to achieve sales around 70 lakh hybrid & electric vehicles by the end of 2020 |
| 7 | Microsoft India & NASSCOM Foundation launches ‘Innovate for accessible India campaign’ to empower people with disabilities |
| 8 | Ravinder Singh Dhillon appointed as CMD of Power Finance Corporation |
| 9 | Swiss scientists discover rain of molten iron on distant exoplanet ‘WASP-76b’ |
| 10 | ATK FC won ISL trophy for the 3rd time by defeating Chennaiyin FC |
| 11 | Veteran journalist, former Rajya Sabha Member Patil Puttappa passed away at 9 |
| 12 | Famous Marathi Actor Jairam Kulkarni passed away at 88 |
| 13 | M Gopal Reddy appointed as Chief Secretary of MP |
| 14 | ECI appoints Hirdesh Kumar as New Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir |
| 15 | After Maharashtra & Odisha, J’khand becomes the 3rd state in India to launch ‘Star Rating program’ for industries |
| 16 | PM Modi participated in the 100th Birth Anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman via Video conference |
| 17 | MoCA flagged off first-ever Indore-Kishangarh flight under UDAN |
[/su_table]
[su_button url=”https://affairscloud.com/current-affairs/march-2020/” target=”self” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”5″ wide=”no” center=”no” radius=”auto” icon=”” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none” desc=”” download=”” onclick=”” rel=”” title=”” id=”” class=””]Click Here to Read Current Affairs March 2020[/su_button]
