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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Parliament passes Bureau of Indian Standards bill
The Bureau of Indian Standards bills was passed in the parliament, following its approval from Rajya Sabha. The bill was earlier passed in Loksabha during the winter session last year.
The bill proposes to make BIS, a national standards body, introduce mandatory hallmarking of precious metal, prevent misuse of Standard marks and provide for recall of ISI marked products not conforming to relevant standards.
57 Countries to participate in first Maritime Summit
The first Maritime summit to be held at India is going to witness the participation of 57 countries from the world.
- The maiden Maritime summit is going to be organized in Mumbai, Maharashtra
- The summit is conducted by Union Ministry of Shipping in April,2016
Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Ujjwal Yojana
The cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwal Yojana– a scheme for providing LPG to households Below Poverty Line.
- Pradhan Manri Ujjwal Yojana – a scheme to provide LPG to women of all households below poverty line is approved by the CCEA
- The scheme is estimated at the cost of 8000 crores
Rajya Sabha passes National Waterways Bill
The Upper House of the Parliament passed The National Waterways Bill, 2015, which was tabled in Lok Sabha on May 5, 2015 by the Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, Mr. NitinGadkari.
- Having been passed in the Rajya Sabha, It would be kept before The President for his assent in the bill. The bill comes under Entry 24 of the Union List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
Significance of the Bill:
- Additional 101 waterways as national waterways identified under the bill The Schedule of the Bill also specifies the extent of development to be undertaken on each waterway.
- India currently has five inland waterways as national waterways. These include waterways on Ganga from Haldia to Allahabad and on Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya and others.
- The Waterways Bill revokes the five Acts that declare the existing national waterways. These five national waterways are now covered under the Bill.
- Ministry of Shipping emphasized that China, Europe and Korea channelize over 40% of their passenger and freight traffic, in India the proportion was scanty 3.5%.By this mode of transport it would cost 25 paisa per km, while by railways and road it’s Rs.1.50 and Rs.2.50, respectively.
Cycling event of Indian Army with theme Cycle to Recycle flagged off
To create public awareness about the need of nature and environment conservation, a 10-member army team boarded upon a 1,000-km bicycle journey from Pangsau Pass in the India-Myanmar border.
- The journey organised as part of the Assam Rifles 181st raising day celebrations was flagged off by Brigadier DK Singh, commander of the 25 Sector Assam Rifles
The theme of the Event “Cycle to recycle”
- The Route of the Cycling will be covering several destinations in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya before valedictory function in Shillong on March 16.
Assam Rifles: The Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India, was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy.
National Anthem compulsory in all schools in WB
West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has notified that in order to pursue Government direction it directed to sing the National Anthem during Assembly before the commencement of the School Hour.
- This Decision comes from West Bengal government days after Madras High Court mandated all the Private Schools to Sing National Anthem during morning Assembly.
- In Order ensure that citizens have adequate knowledge of the national anthem and the national flag it is important to sing National Anthem on daily basis.
WEST BENGAL:
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief Minister: Mamta Benarjee
- Governor: Keshari NathTripathi
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Bangladesh and India sign $ 2 billion agreement for Socio economic projects
India and Bangladesh have signed a new $2 billion credit agreement to implement socio-economic development projects in Bangladesh and strengthen bilateral relations
- The interest rate has been fixed at 1 per cent annually with a 20-year repayment term, including a five-year moratorium period
India –Indonesia joint Military exercise- Shakti IV
India and Indonesia are set to begin their Joint Military Exercise Shakti IV from March 10-23 in Indonesia.
- The Joint Military Exercise between India and Indonesia Shakti was started in 2012 in India
- It is conducted on a reciprocal basis with first edition in India ,second edition in Indonesia and so on
UNICEF & UNFPA launch Acceleration Programme to end Child Marriage
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund(UNICEF) jointly launched the Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage.
- The programme is a multi country cooperative and it will help protect the rights of millions of the world’s most vulnerable girls by involving families, communities, governments and young people
34 countries don’t have enough food for their people due to conflicts: UN
UN report says 34 countries, nearly 80 percent of them in Africa, don’t have enough food for their people because of conflicts, drought and flooding.
- The Food and Agriculture Organization’s Crop Prospects and Food Situation report said conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and the Central African Republic.
Pak launches probe into MQM’s alleged ties with RAW
Pakistan Government has initiated probe into Karachi-based Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party‘s Alleged ties with New Delhi based Research Analysis Wing (RAW) to destabilise the country.
- The Allegations levelled against India’s RAW gave money to the MQM party to destabilise Pakistan, India has dismissed the allegations levelled against it.
- The Karachi based MQM party quoted that these allegations are baseless and false.
- Nisar Ali Khan a Pakistani conservative party who serves as the Interior Minister of Pakistan tasked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe various allegations of funding by Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
Research Analysis Wing:
- RAW is India’s Primary foreign Intelligence agency formed in 1968.
- Headquartered in New Delhi headed by Rajinder Khanna.
BANKING & FINANCE
ICICI Bank launches credit-linked subsidy scheme under PMAY
India’s largest private Sector Lender launched a credit-linked subsidy scheme for home loans under the ‘Pradhan MantriAwasYojana.
- This Scheme will benefit the individuals including women borrowers from the economically weaker section low income grouped people.
- They will be able to acquire and construct the first brick-and-mortar (Pucca House) house of the family by paying significantly lower Equated Monthly Instalments (EMIs).
- The bank has inked a MoU with National Housing Bank (NHB) a central nodal agency for the scheme to enable beneficiaries to get credit-linked subsidy.
- All the eligible customers will get the subsidy at 5% per year on a maximum amount of Rs. 6 lakh or the loan amount, whichever is lower, for a maximum tenure of 15 years. The subsidy is calculated on the Net Present Value method.
ICICI Bank:
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- CEO: ChandaKoachhar
BUSINESS
DIPP nods clearances for 12 industrial licenses for Reliance
The Development of Industrial Promotions Board gave its clearance to 12 industrial licenses to Reliance Defence.
- DIPP gave clearance to 12 industrial licenses for Reliance Defence an arm of Reliance Infrastructure for manufacturing of Defence equipments in India and Overseas
Quikr launches service for doorstep pickup & delivery of pre-owned goods
India’s largest E- Classifieds major Quikr has launched its Quikr Doorstep service to offer customer to customer buying and selling in India.
- The services will be available for all categories including mobile phones, electronics, kitchen appliances and household furniture’s with an escrow account which guarantees that transactions are safe for buyers.
- This initiative to facilitate more E-commerce transactions on its platform also brings convenience of ecommerce to classified listings and takes care of end-to-end process of buying and selling.
- Quikr begun testing features for its Doorstep service around six months ago, and its Quikr NXT chat, negotiations and payments solution will play a crucial role.
Make in India model- Baleno introduced in Japan
Maruti Suzuki’s hatchback model Baleno which is a Make in India model is now launched in Japan.
- The MSI manufactures Baleno solely at the automaker’s Manesar facility in Haryana
- Baleno has sold over 38,000 units in India since its launch on October 26, 2015. The company also plans to export the premium hatchback to more than 100 countries
Key points
- MD and CEO of Suzuki Motors Corporation– Kenichi Ayukawa
- India’s ambassador to Japan– Sujan R Chinoy
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Sonakshi Sinha enters Guiness book of records
The famous bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha has entered into the Guiness world book of records for most people painting their nails simultaneously.
- The event was organized by Inglot and Major Brands as a celebration to mark the International Women’s Day
- Actress Sonakshi Sinha along with several other women participated in an initiative to set a record for ‘most people painting their fingernails simultaneously’
- This has been given the Guiness record for most people painting their nails simultaneously.
Key points
- Guiness world records first published in 1955
- Guiness world record founded by Alan Ross McWhirter with his twin brother, Norris
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
Tapan Chand elected AAI chief
In the aftermath of National Governing Council meeting of Aluminium Association of India 
Tapan Kumar Chand has been unanimously elected as the President of the metal governing body.
- Prior to his appointment he was serving chairman and Managing Director of National Aluminium Company.
Aluminium Association of India:
- Aluminium Association of India, was founded in 1981 to cater the needs of Indian Aluminium Industry and to interface with various aluminium industries world over.
- It is the head representing the entire spectrum of Indian Aluminium Industries.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ISRO geared up for launch of its Sixth Satellite
The Indian Space Research Organization is geared up towards launching its Sixth Navigation Satellite today.
- The sixth navigation satellite IRNSS-1F will be launched by the PSLV C-32 at 4 pm today
- The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C32, on its 34th mission, would launch the IRNSS-1Ffrom the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota
ENVIRONMENT
India signs MoU to conserve Birds of Prey
The Union Government signed an important Raptor MoU for the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia.
- This Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Convention of Migratory bird species Secretariat at Abu Dhabi
- The Raptor MoU covers 76 species of birds of prey, of which over 50 occur in India, including the critically endangered vulture
Project ‘Mausam’ of M/O Culture aims to explore Multi-Faceted Indian Ocean ‘World’
Ministry of Culture has initiated Project “Mausam” which is to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and National Museum as associate bodies.
- This initiative is to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean ‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to document the diversity of cultural, in Indian Ocean– extending from East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Subcontinent and Sri Lanka to the Southeast Asian archipelago.
OBITUARY
Brazilian percussionist, Nana Vasconcelos, died
Eminent Percussionist, vocalist and Berimbau player Nana Vasconcelos has died of lung cancer at age 71.He was a master of the single-string percussion instrument.
- Brazil born eight time Grammy Award Winner worked over the decades with Brazilians Milton Nascimento and EgbertoGIsmonti, Americans Don Cherry and Pat Metheny.
Sir George Martin, fifth Beatle, passes away
Legendary Producer Sir George Martin Known as the fifth Beatle has died at 90,He passed away peacefully at his residence in besides Producing he is also an arranger, composer, conductor, audio engineer and musician.
- In his seven decades career ,he was recognized globally as one of music’s most creative talents and a gentleman.
- He worked numerous legends Including Peter Sellers, Shirley Bassey, America, Cheap Trick,Jeff Beck and Celine Dion.But his reputation, and his influence, rests on the seven years he spent with the Beatles, the most successful group in music history.
