March Current Affair 2021

1.Dollar in demand as worries over European lockdowns, US taxes sap risk appetite.

The dollar index rose to a two-week high at 92.412 early in the Asian session, approaching a four-month top of 92.506 hits earlier this month. The gauge “looks determined to test the top end of a new, higher 91-93 range we think will form in coming weeks,” Westpac strategists wrote in a client note.

2.Government asks vaccine makers to ramp up production.

SII CEO Adar Poonawalla in a meeting held on Friday with an inter-ministerial group formed by the government is also learned to have discussed the challenges Serum is facing regarding the import of raw material from the US.

3.Samir Modi is thrilled about Robot Pepper, wants to use it for work.

Modi uses Digilocker to keep all my official documents handy in one place.

4.SGX Nifty down 35 points; here’s what changed for the market while you were sleeping.

Asian stocks fell in Wednesday’s trade as the cost of the US stimulus and infrastructure plans and new pandemic curbs limited investors’ risk appetite. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index declined 0.6 percent. In Japan, Nikkei tanked 1 per cent. Korea’s Kospi and China’s Shanghai Composite fell 0.2 percent each.

5.Patriots can have their cake, and eat it too.

Keep party-poopers away from unbridled celebrations of the nation.

6.Robinhood, at the heart of the retail trading frenzy, files for its own IPO.

Robinhood allows users to make unlimited commission-free trades in stocks, exchange-traded funds, options, and cryptocurrencies.

7.Stocks in the news: Anupam Rasayan, Rail Vikas Nigam, Airtel & Hero MotoCorp.

The government said it will dilute a 15 percent stake in Rail Vikas Nigam via an offer for sale to raise nearly Rs 750 crore.

8.Gold eases as the dollar jumps on Fed’s inflation reassurance.

The dollar index rose, while Treasury yields fell after Powell told U.S lawmakers on Tuesday he expected inflation to rise over the year but it would be “neither particularly large nor persistent.”

9.Public App raises $41 million, Valuation doubles to $250 million.

The public intends to utilize the capital to scale up infrastructure, grow content, and recruit more people.

10.Policybazaar to team up with Paytm, Ola, and IndusInd Bank for NUE bid.

PolicyBazaar and others have set up an entity called Foster Payment Network which will front the NUE bid under the Reserve Bank of India’s framework.

1.Gram Ujala Program.

On March 19th, Union Energy Minister RK Singh launched the Gram Ujala Program, a plan to provide high-quality LED lighting to villages at affordable prices.

2.Jet Fuel From Food Waste.

Researchers in the United States are attempting to convert leftover food into aviation fuel. According to scientists, the fuel will reduce carbon emissions from planes and greenhouse gas emissions by 165 percent.

3.World Happiness Report 2021 Released: Indian ranked 139, Finland topped.

India ranked 139th out of 149 countries on the list, according to the UN World Happiness Report 2021. Finland ranked first in the list of the World Happiness Report 2021, followed by Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, and Norway.

4.Energy Swaraj Yatra 2021- Energy by Locals for Locals.

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ rode the Energy Swaraj Yatra Bus from his residence to his office. The bus is equipped with solar energy. A professor from IIT Bombay, Dr. Chetan Solanki, designed and built the bus.

5.Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign to be launched by PM Modi on World Water Day today.

‘Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls’ is the theme for this campaign. The campaign will be carried out in both rural and urban areas. It will start from 22 March and continue till 30 November. On this occasion, a Memorandum of Agreement will also be signed between the Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to implement the Ken Betwa Link Project.

6.New Nagar Van Scheme to help in the creation of urban forests in cities.

Union Environment Minister said that the new Nagar Van Scheme would help in the creation of urban forests in cities. In the first phase of the Nagar Van Scheme, urban forests will be developed in 200 cities.

7.Key Facts of NDHM Sandbox Environment.

The central government has planned to evaluate the results of the first phase of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) to expand the project, which had previously spent 118.2 million rupees. Under this task, the “NDHM sandbox environment” was also established to promote innovation and build trust.

8.National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) Price Regulation.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) included 81 drugs in the Price Regulation. NPPA fixed the prices of 81 medicine, including generic antidiabetics, so that patients can enjoy the benefits due to patent expiration.

9.Japan-India Launches Patent Prosecution Highway.

Bilateral Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program launched by India and Japan in November 2019. According to the bilateral agreement between the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Indian Patent Office (IPO), the Indian Patent Office will only receive patent applications related to certain specific technical fields, including computer science, electrical, electronic, Information technology, physics, civil, machinery, textiles, automobiles and metallurgy fields, and JPO may be applied in all technical fields.

10.Ventilation Index Air Pollution Management.

 It is a measure of the volumetric rate of wind transporting air horizontally in the mixed layer per unit distance in the vertical direction. The unit is in square meters per second or knot feet.

1.Shaheedi Diwas was observed in India on 23 March.

Shaheedi Diwas (Martyrs’ Day) was observed in India on 23 March. The day is observed every year. On this day, the martyrs who laid out their lives for the country and its Independence are remembered. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the Martyrs on this day.

2.Mexico Open ATP-500 Tournament.

Alexander Zverev, a German tennis player, has won the Mexico Open ATP-500 tournament. On March 21, Zverev beat Sitsipas (Greece) in the final in Acapulco, Mexico. Zverev has won 14 singles titles in his career. In the tournament’s 28-year history, Zverev became the first German player to win a singles title.

3.Cipla includes LGBTQ and live-in partners under Mediclaim policy.

This initiative is with keeping in mind the changing needs of an evolving workplace and strengthens the company’s commitment towards inclusion and diversity by providing equal benefits to all employees.

4.Digital version of Jack Dorsey’s first tweet sells for a whopping $2.9 mn.

Twitter CEO’s tweet from March 2006 says “just setting up my Twitter”.

5.Lung damage shows coronavirus hasn’t lost sting: Doctors.

Doctors at SevenHills Hospital in Andheri have treated a 40-year-old who went from mildly symptomatic to high oxygen dependence in four days. Intensivist Dr. Rahul Sawalia said she subsequently needed a non-invasive ventilator despite having been detected on the second day of symptoms.

6.Gold price today falls to Rs 44,800; silver cheaper by Rs 300.

Gold futures on MCX were down 0.23 percent or Rs 104 at Rs 44,801 per 10 grams. Silver futures dropped 0.43 percent or Rs 282 to Rs 66,049 per kg.

7.Supreme Court verdict on loan moratorium today: What analysts say.

The Centre had earlier submitted before the top court that if it were to consider waiving interest on all the loans and advances to all categories of borrowers for the six-month moratorium period, the amount foregone would be more than Rs 6 lakh crore.

8.Oscar-winning star Jamie Foxx to play Mike Tyson in the boxer’s biopic series.

The television limited series about ‘Iron Mike’ is in development.

9.Rice, black tea exports to China set to rise in 2021-22, say, industry executives.

China had earlier avoided buying rice from India, citing quality issues, and had traditionally imported rice from Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. However, this year, due to limited supply and a significant increase in the prices of rice in these countries, China started looking elsewhere for rice.

10.Rising virus cases risk denting India’s economic recovery.

Unlike other Covid-hit regions, India has so far been reluctant to reimpose any more harsh restrictions. This time last year, Modi had ordered a strict national lockdown, causing an exodus of millions of laborers back to their villages rather than starve without work — spreading the virus across the country and inflicting deep economic damage.

1.COVID may have doubled poverty in India.

India’s middle class may have shrunk by a third due to 2020’s pandemic-driven recession, while the number of poor people — earning less than ₹150 per day — more than doubled, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. In comparison, Chinese incomes remained relatively unshaken, with just a 2% drop in the middle-class population, it found.

2.States can pass resolutions against Central laws: Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on Friday prima facie found no harm in State Legislative Assemblies, such as those in Kerala and West Bengal, passing resolutions against Central laws like the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act or the controversial new farm laws.

3.Bill to amend GNCTD Act is a rollback of the notion of representative government.

The Centre’s Bill seeking to amend the law relating to the running of the National Capital Territory of Delhi claims that it is aimed at giving effect to the interpretation given by the Supreme Court judgments on Delhi’s governance structure.

4.The message in Alaska, from Washington to Beijing.

A week after the first Leaders’ Summit of the Quadrilateral Framework, held on March 12, the message of the virtual meeting between leaders of Australia-India-Japan-the United States was delivered directly to Beijing, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Yang Jiechi, Chinese Communist Party Politburo member and Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office, accompanied by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi, met in Anchorage, Alaska.

5.New phase of U.S.-China ties comes with tests for India.

A sharp exchange between the top U.S. and Chinese officials in Alaska on Friday played out fully in the eyes of the gathered media, marked the start of a new phase in U.S.-China relations — one that comes with fresh challenges for India.

6.The Taliban should not be allowed to have its way in talks on sharing power in Afghanistan.

The peace conference hosted by Russia in Moscow between the Afghan government and Taliban representatives is the latest example of growing international concern about the future of Afghanistan as the May 1 deadline for the proposed U.S. troops pullout nears. 

7.LS passes the MMDR Amendment Bill.

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a bill to amend the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act) through a voice vote, with Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi stating that the amendments will create jobs and allow private players with enhanced technology into the mining sector.

8.6 tigers missing in Ranthambore.

Six tigers — four adults and two sub-adults — have been unaccounted for since March 2020 in the Ranthambore tiger sanctuary, Rajasthan. However, State forest officials are not willing to label them “missing” and denied reports that they may have been poached.

9.Deadly drug-resistant superbug found in the wild in Andamans.

A deadly hospital pathogen, the Candida Auris, has for the first time been identified in the environment, off the coast of South Andaman district in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

10.Paralympian Madasu Srinivas Rao Passed Away.

Madasu Srinivas Rao, an Arjuna Awardee, Paralympian, and international badminton player, died at the age of 67. In Karimnagar, he worked as a mechanic for the former APSRTC. With his commitment to play sports, Srinivasa Rao made a name for himself in the Karimnagar district.

1.Serious issue if 3 cr. ration cards were cancelled, says SC.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it was a “very serious” matter if the Centre had really cancelled around three crore ration cards, even those of tribal people and the poor, solely because they could not be biometrically linked with Aadhaar.

2.Pulling India’s democracy back from the brink.

Governments, like the citizens that live under their influence, come in a dizzying array of types, challenging simplistic efforts of classification. In spite of all this variation, what remains constant is this: throughout history, governments wield considerably more power over the governed than the other way around. 

3.Public trust is a key ingredient to successful vaccination programmes.

A little over 392 million doses of vaccine have been administered globally, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker, with India accounting for around 9% of them. In the last week, there has been a flurry of reports from Europe, of blood clots developing in a very small fraction of those vaccinated and leading to a cascade of European countries announcing a temporary halt to their vaccination programmes involving the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine.

4.Aligning a missile deal with destination Manila.

Earlier this month, India and the Philippines signed the “Implementing Arrangement” for “procurement of defence material and equipment procurement”.

5.India, Bangladesh agree to expand cooperation on water resources.

India and Bangladesh have agreed to expand cooperation on issues relating to water resources including a framework for sharing of river waters, the Ministry of Jal Shakti said on Wednesday.

6.Re-evaluating inflation targeting.

As the term of the original agreement between the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on inflation targeting ends on March 31, evaluations of this aspect of monetary policy have begun to emerge in the public domain.

7.Looking beyond privatisation.

In the recent Budget session, the Union government announced its intent to privatise Public Sector Banks (PSBs). While improving efficiency has been cited as the reason for this move, it is not clear whether privatisation brings efficiency or reduces associated risks.

8.The government wants to build highways for growth. It might not work.

This year’s budget has been hailed as an “infrastructure” budget, with its increased expenditure on capital investments in infrastructure rather than on developmental services such as education or on subsidies and support.

9.S. Dhanalakshmi Beats Dutee Chand To Win 100m Gold in Federation Cup Athletics.

Sprinter S Dhanalakshmi beat national record holder Dutee Chand to win women’s 100m sprint final in the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships in Patiala on March 16, 2021.

10.ICC bans UAE cricketers  Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar from all cricket for 8 years.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed eight years ban on former UAE players Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar Butt from all cricket, for trying to fix matches during the T20 World Cup qualifiers in 2019.

1.Responsible AI — the need for ethical guard rails.

Since Czech writer Karel Čapek first mentioned robots in a 1920s play, humans have dreamed about intelligent machines.

2.People’s love for ‘superstar’ tigers and what it can teach us.

THE death of PTRF_84, a three-year-old tigress, at Pench Tiger Reserve last week brings the curtains down on one of the most popular “tiger stories” of recent times.

3.Delhi remains the most polluted capital: report.

Delhi remained the most polluted capital city in the world but India, on the whole, had improved its average annual PM2.5 (particulate matter) levels in 2020 than in 2019, according to a report from IQ Air, a Swiss air quality technology company specializing in protection against airborne pollutants, and developing air quality monitoring and air cleaning products.

4.Cabinet gives a nod to Bill for setting up DFI.

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a bill to set up a Development Finance Institution, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced. The Minister said the government had mentioned in the Budget that it would be setting up a national bank for funding infrastructure and development activity. As of December 2019, she said, there were over 6,000 brownfield and greenfield projects requiring funding.

5.U.K. turns to Indo-Pacific in post-Brexit foreign policy.

Britain wants to expand its influence among countries in the Indo-Pacific region to try to moderate China’s global dominance, a document laying out post-Brexit foreign and defense policy priorities said on Tuesday.

6.A robust economic relationship.

Under the new U.S. administration, the economic relationship with India can be expected to be on the radar as India has enjoyed bipartisan support in the U.S. A closer economic partnership would bring gains to both sides in terms of GDP, employment, and productivity, given the complementary natures of their economies.

7.We need to urgently invest in public health.

The worst pandemic in a hundred years has demonstrated the importance of healthcare and public health in times of a health crisis. The efforts of healthcare personnel, from ASHA workers with only basic training to highly specialized intensive care physicians, have saved countless lives and made India proud.

8.Govt. should sponsor preparatory plans to help fill faculty posts in Central institutions.

A severe deficit in the number of OBC, SC, ST candidates recruited as faculty in Central institutes of higher education has been revealed by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal in Parliament, drawing attention once again to the pallid state of reservation in some of India’s elite institutions.

9.Older IIMs lag behind newer ones in enforcing quota rules.

Although some of the newer Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have made some progress in hiring faculty members from the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, and the Other Backward Classes over the past year, these communities make up less than 10% of the faculty at the older, more prestigious IIMs, according to data obtained through RTI requests by a Ph.D. graduate from IIM-Bengaluru.

10.Come out with a ‘rule curve’ for Mullaperiyar: SC.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary will be “personally responsible” and “appropriate action” will be taken on failure to give information on the ‘rule curve’ for the Mullaperiyar dam to the Supreme Court-appointed Supervisory Committee.

1.Bill to define Delhi L-G’s powers moved in LS.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) moved a Bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday in which it proposed that the “government” in the National Capital Territory of Delhi meant the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi.

2.Supreme Court has boosted independence of SECs in holding local body elections.

Even though more than a quarter-century has elapsed since the Constitution was amended to make urban and rural local bodies a self-contained third tier of governance, it is often agreed by experts that there is inadequate devolution of powers to them. This may somewhat explain their relative lack of autonomy.

3.Over 60% OBC, SC posts vacant in IIMs.

More than half of the faculty positions reserved for the OBCs in Central institutions of higher education are vacant while about 40% of those reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes also remain unfilled, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ told the Lok Sabha on Monday in a written response to a question from three Congress MPs.

4.A global leader in the post-Covid era.

By virtue of extensive immunity due to oral vaccination, the last polio case was reported in India in January 2011. Subsequently, India was declared polio-free in 2014.

5.Haryana, T.N. institutes get national importance tag.

The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the National Institutes of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019, that confers the status of national importance on two food technology institutes at Kundli in Haryana and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu.

6.A recent judgment highlights the need to reconsider POCSO’s absolutist approach to adolescent sexuality needs.

A single bench of the Madras High Court recently allowed a petition seeking to quash a case of kidnap, aggravated penetrative sexual assault, and aggravated sexual assault of a minor.

7.A recent judgment highlights the need to reconsider POCSO’s absolutist approach to adolescent sexuality needs.

The maiden Quadrilateral Security Dialogue summit of the leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. on March 12 was a defining moment in Asian geopolitics. That it was a meeting at the highest political level, occasioned a productive dialogue, and concluded with a substantive joint statement is indicative of its immediate significance.

8.Why fuel tax won’t go down.

A taxation is an economic tool that helps the government raise revenue — a scarce resource — for allocation among competing uses. Contrary to popular belief, taxation powers do not come with great responsibility. 

9.‘India’s arms imports down by 33%’.

Arms imports decreased by 33% between 2011–15 and 2016–20 while India continues to remain the second-largest arms importer after Saudi Arabia, according to a report from Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

10.SC bats for Great Indian Bustard.

The Supreme Court on Monday intervened on behalf of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustards over the birds falling dead after colliding with power lines running through their dwindling natural habitats in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

1.Centre likely to allow residents to fill in their NPR details online.

The Centre will allow residents to fill the National Population Register (NPR) form on their own, through the online mode, a month before the door-to-door enumeration by Census officials starts.

2.Centre reconstitutes panel on mythical Sarasvati river.

The Centre has reconstituted an advisory committee to chalk out a plan for studying the mythical Sarasvati river for the next two years after the earlier panel’s term ended in 2019.

3.The Quad broadens India’s interests on its geopolitical horizons further.

The virtual summit that brought together leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, last week, contained both broad substance and deep symbolism. Countering any perception that the Quad is merely a “talk-shop”, the outcomes announced by U.S. President Biden and Prime Ministers Modi, Morrison and Suga include a vaccine initiative and joint working groups to cooperate on critical technology as well as climate change.

4.Approach with caution: cleaning the Afghan mess.

The Americans now want India to be a part of Afghanistan deliberations. US Secretary of State Tony Blinken wrote to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recommending an UN-led deliberation hosted by Turkey and participated in by the US, Pakistan, India, Iran, Russia and China. 

5.Reservation debate: a new, post-myth era.

With the Supreme Court reconsidering the ceiling of 50 per cent for reservations, we can move beyond binaries and ask difficult questions about power-sharing.

6.The job crunch and the growing fires of nativism.

The Haryana government has recently passed legislation that mandates companies in Haryana to provide jobs to local Haryanvi first, before hiring people from outside the State.

7.Policymakers must focus on maintaining price stability given the volatile food and fuel costs.

With just over two weeks left to the March 31 deadline for the government and RBI to complete the quinquennial review of the current inflation target under the monetary policy framework, the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) reading provides a salutary reminder for policymakers to maintain a ceaseless vigil over price stability.

8.Forestalling a cyber Pearl Harbour.

The threat posed to key Indian entities by antagonistic forces such as China is beginning to merit critical attention in all the right quarters. 

9.Future force for future wars.

While addressing the country’s top military leadership in Gujarat’s Kevadia recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the top commanders to develop the military into a future force while taking note of the rapidly changing technological landscape.

10.Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0 launched .

The third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana was launched on January 15, 2021, in 600 districts across all states of India.

1.Scope for scandal.

It is quite regrettable that politicians are often hit by scandals arising from leaked footage purportedly showing them in intimate proximity with women. The latest episode involves former Karnataka Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, who resigned in the wake of visuals allegedly showing him in such a situation.

2.How to make our colleges better.

the global QS are in and we have 12 universities and institutions in the top-100 in particular subjects. With the applause and the spotlight, there couldn’t be a better time to look within, to acknowledge that we have many colleges offering higher education but typically they are not very good and that the road to improvement seems long and hard.

3.PM to attend the first Quad Summit today.

Access to COVID-19 vaccines, cooperation on technology, and climate change are on the top of the agenda as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join U.S. President Joseph Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga for a virtual summit of the Quadrilateral Framework (Quad) on Friday — the first time leaders of the Indo-Pacific grouping are meeting.

4.India, Japan space agencies review ties.

Indian and Japanese space agencies on Thursday reviewed cooperation in earth observation, lunar cooperation, and satellite navigation, and also agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in “space situational awareness and professional exchange program”.

5.China Parliament approves a 5-year plan.

China on Thursday formally approved the outline of its 14th five-year plan (2021-25), which highlights a number of key strategic projects to be pursued as a priority, including the first dam in Tibet on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo or the Brahmaputra, a Sichuan-Tibet railway line near the India border, and a push for self-sufficiency in emerging industries such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

6.The secret of the Quad’s renewed viability? India’s manufacturing ability.

The strategic case for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as the Quad, has always been sound. A rising China, with its authoritarian one-party system, is a challenge to the democratic order.

7.Working towards climate justice in a non-ideal world.

The election of Joe Biden as U.S. President has catapulted climate change to the top of the global agenda, allowing him to keep his promise to “lead a major diplomatic push” to increase global climate ambition.

8.Saving the sea giants.

A study reveals the global population of sharks and rays has crashed by over 70% in the past five decades. But a few conservation initiatives in India show that well-crafted policies and awareness programs can make a difference.

9.‘Amrut Mahotsav’ & to Flag off Padyatra from Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad.

According to Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture & Tourism that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ and will flag off the Padyatra from Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad on 12 March 2021.

10.Shri Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated digitization of 4.5 Crore pages of Records.

On the occasion of the 131st Foundation Day of the National Archives, the Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the digitization of 4.5 Crore pages of Records and Exhibition based on “Mahatma Gandhi& the Cooperation Movement” on 11 March 2021.

1.The administration pushes for an interim unity government.

The Joe Biden administration has proposed a new peace plan to the Afghan government and the Taliban, seeking to bring violence to a halt. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has written a letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, detailing the proposal.

2.A case for a revamped, need-based PDS.

The Economic Survey, tabled in Parliament in January, rightly flagged the issue of a growing food subsidy bill, which, in the words of the government, “is becoming unmanageably large.”

3.IDBI Bank out of PCA framework.

According to the RBI, it was noted that as per published results for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, the bank is not in breach of the PCA parameters on regulatory capital, net NPA, and leverage ratio.

4.Cabinet paves way for raising the FDI limit in the insurance sector to 74%.

Raising the foreign investment limit in the insurance sector is expected to improve capital availability and foster competition in the sector.

5.An environmental regulator can work only if governments see the value of nature.

The Supreme Court’s notice to the Centre on a public interest plea to set up a national environmental regulator under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 revives an issue that successive governments have preferred to ignore, in spite of specific orders passed by the same court more than nine years ago.

6.How FPOs can help small and marginal farmers.

One of the reasons for agrarian distress is the declining average size of farm holdings. The average farm size declined from 2.3 hectares (ha) in 1970-71 to 1.08 ha in 2015-16. 

7.Lok Sabha gives approval for National Capital Territory Bill.

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to regularise unauthorized colonies that existed in the National Capital Territory of Delhi as of June 1, 2014, and had seen development up to 50% as on January 1, 2015.

8.Diagnosing gestational diabetes.

Diabetes is a major public health problem in India with an estimated 7 crore adults with diabetes and half as many with prediabetes. Unfortunately, over half remain undiagnosed till late complications set in. 

9.India’s new policy of proactive diplomacy together with strong ground posturing is working.

Things seem to be looking up for India in the neighborhood. China has withdrawn its troops in eastern Ladakh across the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Pakistan has voluntarily come forward for a ceasefire across the Line of Control (LoC). The new U.S. administration has been issuing positive statements.

10.India not part of the Russian meet in Afghanistan.

Close on the heels of U.S. plans for a United Nations regional conference on Afghanistan, Russia has announced it will hold a conference of special envoys from the U.S., China, and Pakistan, along with representatives of the Afghanistan government, Taliban, and other senior Afghan leaders next week.

1.In recent controversies, IIMs and the question of autonomy.

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), for decades the brightest jewel in the country’s higher education set-up, are going through a phase of turmoil.

2.The contours of the endgame in Afghanistan.

The peace process in Afghanistan has reached a critical turning point. As when then U.S. President Barack Obama announced the exit of U.S. forces from Afghanistan (and the Taliban famously exulted – ‘you may have the watches, but we have the time’), and more recently when the Doha Agreement has concluded a year ago between the U.S. Government and the Taliban. Now, a more decisive step is in store.

3.Pursuing the American dream with ‘WFA’.

For companies and workers facing woes dealing with United States immigration, there is good news and a practical solution. Work-from-anywhere.

4.Budget estimates for Environment ministry lowest in 3 yrs, Rs 900 cr additional funds needed: House panel.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Science and Technology, chaired by Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh, on Saturday tabled its report on the demand for grants of the ministry.

5.Haryana’s new ‘75% jobs for locals’ law is a harbinger of doom.

Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya’s assent to a law regulating private-sector hiring portends a potentially perilous slide in India’s investment climate and its socio-economic framework.

6.‘Only half of govt. schools, anganwadis have tap water.

Only half of the government schools and anganwadis have tap water supply, despite a 100-day campaign for 100% coverage being launched by the Jal Shakti Ministry in October 2020, according to information provided to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources.

7.All Helpline numbers of Railways merged into a single number 139.

Indian Railway has integrated all railway helplines into a single number 139 which is Rail Madad Helpline for quick grievance redressal and inquiry during the journey. 

8.Singapore ranked first in Economic Freedom Index by The Heritage Foundation.

Singapore topped the global ranking for the second year in a row while India was ranked 121st in the latest Economic Freedom Index published by US conservative think-tank, The Heritage Foundation. The index ranks 12 indicators from property rights to financial freedom under four categories: rule of law, size of government, regulatory efficiency, and open markets.

9.French billionaire MP Olivier Dassault (69) dies in a helicopter crash.

French billionaire Olivier Dassault (69), a politician and scion of the Dassault aircraft-making family, was killed in a helicopter crash on March 7, 2021. 

10.Maharashtra: 1% concession in stamp duty on property transfer in woman’s name.

The Maharashtra government’s budget for 2021-22, presented on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2021, offered one percent concession in stamp duty if the property is transferred only in a woman’s or women’s name. Deputy Chief Minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar presented a budget with a revenue deficit of Rs 10,226 crore in the state Legislative Assembly.

1.GI Tag for Pochampally Ikkat.

Pochampally Ikkat has been granted Geographical Indiaction (GI) Status. Pochampally Ikkat: Pochampally Ikat or resist dyeing involves a sequence of tying and dyeing the bundled yarn parts into a predetermined color scheme before weaving.

2.Smugglers of Red Sanders Was Arrested.

The Kadapa police have arrested an international Red Sanders smuggler from Chennai and seized logs worth about Rs 1 crore. 

3.Municipal Performance Index by Union Ministry.

Municipal Performance Index 2020 has been released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

4.Night Safari Introduced in Madhya Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh has introduced night safari tours in three national parks in Madhya Pradesh on March 4, 2021.

5.Highlights of Food Waste Index Report.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the “Food Waste Index Report 2021”. According to the UNEP report, an estimated 931 million tons of food was wasted worldwide in 2019. 

6.International Day of Women is on 8th March.

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day that celebrates women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. This day also marked a call for action to accelerate gender equality.

7.SC should not allow the outrage industry to shape moves to tighten OTT content regulation.

It is a matter of concern that the Supreme Court chose to convert a routine hearing on a petition for anticipatory bail from an executive of the Amazon Prime Video into an occasion to call for tightening the regulatory norms for over-the-top streaming services in the country. 

8.The government can balance LPG subsidies and ensure clean fuel consumption in poorer households.

Since 2016, PMUY has provided LPG connections to 8 million poor households to reduce women’s drudgery and indoor air pollution. Providing an upfront connection subsidy of ₹1,600, PMUY helped expand LPG coverage to more than 85% of households. In comparison, less than a third of Indian households used LPG as their main cooking fuel in 2011.

9.Doubts about new IT rules are groundless.

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, announced on February 25, establish a soft-touch, progressive institutional mechanism with a level playing field featuring a code of ethics and a three-tier grievance redressal framework for digital news publishers and OTT platforms.

10.‘Urban forests’: Miyawaki technique helps create dense green patches in one year.

Along with manicured gardens, playing arenas, jogging, and cycling tracks, the 57,000-sq m Bhakti Park, located in the city’s industrial ward Chembur/Wadala, hides a nascent forest of nearly 1,100 native plants that were planted a year ago on 230 sq m of area.

1.Dentist’s Day 2021.

Dentist’s Day is observed annually every March 6 and is a day set aside to remind us to say “Thank You” and show appreciation to your dentist. The day is a day to remind everyone about the importance of regular dental checkups and to encourage proper dental care. This day usually celebrated in the US.

2.RailTel has launched prepaid plans for its Railwire Wi-Fi.

RailTel has launched prepaid plans for its Railwire Wi-Fi at 4000 plus Railway stations across India. A passenger can use 30 minutes of free wi-fi per day at 1 Mbps speed at these 4000 plus railway stations. 

3.DRDO successfully carried out a flight demonstration based on SFDR.

Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out a flight demonstration based on Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology.

4.New Delhi World Book Fair Inaugurated by Ramesh Pokhriyal.

New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) organized by National Book Trust, India which is scheduled from 6 to 9 March 2021 as Virtual Edition.

5.Country’s First Indo-French Dual Degree Programme.

Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain unveiled India’s first-ever dual-degree Master’s program in Sports Industry Management in Odisha. The indo-French dual degree program offers an MBA degree from Xavier University in Bhubaneswar and MSc degree from Emlyon Business School in France.

6.Bangladesh Launches National App Portal.

The government of Bangladesh has launched its national app portal bdapps.com. The agreement between the ICT division of the government of Bangladesh and the telecom company Robi was signed in Dhaka. Through this agreement, BDApps will be established as the hub of the ICT division for application developers.

7.Sweden-India Mobility Hackathon 2021.

The 42-hour Sweden-India Mobility Hackathon: Changing the way we move, organized by the Swedish Institute, the Embassy of Sweden, and the Consulate General of Sweden in Mumbai. This was held from February 26 to 28.  Over 500 participants participated in this event.

8.Food Waste Index Report by UNEP.

UNEP and partner organization WRAP has released the Food Waste Index Report 2021. This new UN global report has revealed that more than 930 million tonnes of food are thrown away in waste bins every year.

9.20th National Para-Swimming Championship will be held in Karnataka.

Karnataka Para Swimming Association to host National Para-Swimming Championship from March 20 to 22. This will be the 20th edition of the National Para-Swimming Championship which will be held in Bangalore.

10.Odisha and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India signed MoU.

ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) and the Odisha government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for setting up a 12 million tonne integrated steel plant. The MoU was signed by Hemant Sharma, principal secretary (industries), and Dilip Oommen, chief executive officer (CEO), AM/NS India, in the presence of Patnaik and ArcelorMittal Executive Chairman L N Mittal.

1.SIDBI and NSE join hands to test the feasibility of the debt capital platform for MSMEs.

SIDBI and NSE have recently(March 2021) joined hands for co-operation in various ongoing MSME-related initiatives and Exploration of the feasibility of a debt capital market platform for MSMEs.

2.SBI Mutual Fund’s first international fund.

SBI Mutual Fund has recently(February 2021) launched its first international fund.

3.Report on Currency and Finance (RCF) for the year 2020-21.

RBI released the ‘Currency and Finance report(RCF) on February 26, 2021.

According to this, India’s inflation target band appropriate for the next five years.

4.New passenger train service to start between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri.

According to an official release by the Bangladesh Rail Ministry issued on 2nd March 2021, the direct train between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri will run through the Chilahati-Haldibari cross-border rail route.

5.Sugamya Bharat App.

The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot on March 2, 2021, virtually launched a crowdsourcing mobile application ‘Sugamya Bharat App’ and a handbook ‘Access-The Photo Digest’ to enhance accessibility.

6.Mercantile Marine Domain Awareness Centre.

On March 2, 2021, during Maritime India Summit 2021, PM Modi launched, The Sagar-Manthan: Mercantile Marine Domain Awareness Centre.

7.NBCC bid to acquire JaypeeInfratech.

NBCC has got approval from the NCLT to acquire debt-laden JaypeeInfratech through an insolvency process.

8.The new chairman of BCCI’s selection committee.

Sunil Joshi has been appointed as the new chairman of BCCI’s selection committee.

9.India’s next Ambassador to Turkey.

Sanjay Kumar Panda has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to Turkey

1.India and Japan back in the new Sri Lanka port project.

Sri Lanka on Tuesday said it will develop the West Container Terminal (WCT) at the Colombo Port, along with India and Japan. The decision comes a month after the Rajapaksa government ejected the two partners from a 2019 tripartite agreement to jointly develop the East Container Terminal (ECT), citing resistance to “foreign involvement”.

2.The anatomy of a spring ceasefire.

In the wake of registering 5,130 ceasefire violations in 2020, guns on either side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) fell silent on the intervening night of February 24-25, 2021. The February ceasefire has triggered widespread speculation about its durability, significance, and implication for bilateral relations in general.

3.Recalibrating relations with the EU.

The Atmanirbhar Bharat program and the Budget 2021-22 have set the tone and tenor to bolster supply chains and achieve self-reliance. A self-reliant India, however, cannot be economically insular. Realizing the vision of a self-reliant India would entail localizing an increasing share of value-added along supply chains through investments and phase-wise reduction of import tariffs with strategic partners such as the European Union (EU).

4.Back to the future.

After two-quarters of a sharp contraction, India’s economy is estimated to have rebounded out of a ‘technical recession’ to record feeble growth in the October-December 2020 period, with GDP rising by 0.4% and GVA by 1%. The overall numbers are not surprising.

5.The Survey as a policy with ideological overtones.

The Economic Survey 2021 (https://bit.ly/2OfqfVQ) does not seem to be a policy document derived straight from the empirical data of the economy or the social compulsions embedded in it.

6.LSTV-RSTV now merged under banner of Sansad TV.

After nearly two years of work, the merger of the Lok Sabha TV (LSTV) and the Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) has been finalized and will be replaced by Sansad TV. On Monday, retired IAS officer Ravi Capoor was appointed its Chief Executive Officer.

7.Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav discuss Bengal poll, no clarity yet on seat sharing.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav Monday discussed the evolving political scenario in poll-bound West Bengal but there was no clarity yet about seat-sharing.

8.Maharashtra: New one-day COVID-19 cases fall below 8,000 after five days.

After reporting more than 8,000 COVID-19 cases for five consecutive days, Maharashtra on Monday witnessed a slight dip in fresh infections with the addition of 6,397 cases, taking the overall tally to 21,61,467, the state Health Department said.

9.BJP reaches out to the Christian community in poll-bound Kerala.

The BJP on Monday reached out to minority Christians in poll-bound Kerala Monday with senior party leader and deputy chief minister of Karnataka C N Ashwath Narayan meeting a senior Catholic priest seeking to “gain the confidence” of the community.

10.Maharashtra govt can cut taxes, reduce fuel prices, says Devendra Fadnavis.

Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the MVA government in the state was misleading people on fuel price hikes as it can cut taxes and provide relief.

1.COVID-19 vaccine registration only on Co-WIN portal, says Health Ministry.

India on March 1, 2021, opened registration and started the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination that aims to cover people above 60 and those above 45 with specific comorbid conditions.

2.Principal Scientific Adviser to GOI launches Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship.

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India under its Waste to Wealth Mission has launched the Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship to recognize students, community workers or Self-Help Groups, SHGs, and municipal or sanitary workers who are engaged in tackling the enormous challenge of waste management, scientifically and sustainably.

3.3rd Janaushadhi Diwas 2021 celebrations being held from March 1 to 7.

The 3rd Janaushadhi Diwas 2021 celebrations commenced on March 1, 2021. It will be a week-long celebration starting from March 1 to 7. As part of the celebrations, Jan Aushadhi kendras conducted more than 1000 Health Check-up Camps across the country on March 1.

4.Nitin Gadkari launches the Real-Time Monitoring System of Toll Plazas.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on March 1, 2021, launched the Real-Time Monitoring System of Toll Plazas at a function in New Delhi.

5.MoRTH releases ratings for 18,668 kms of completed four & six-lane NH.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has released the ratings for 18,668 kilometers of completed four and six-lane National Highway stretches covering 343 toll plazas.

6.Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) celebrates its Foundation Day on March 1.

The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) celebrated its 9th Foundation Day on March 1, 2021, at its headquarters in New Delhi. 

7.Global Bio-India-2021 being held from March 1 to 3 on a digital platform.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and Health & Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan on March 1, 2021, inaugurated the second edition of Global Bio-India-2021 in New Delhi through virtual mode. The three-day event is being held from March 1 to 3 on a digital platform. The theme for this year is “Transforming lives” with the tagline “Biosciences to Bio-economy”.

8.Union Minister Piyush Goyal presides 3rd GCM of BIS.

Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on March 1, 2021, virtually presided over the Third Governing Council Meeting of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). He reviewed the process of making Indian Standards and their implementation with BIS officials, senior officials from different Ministries or Regulators. The Minister said standard testing fees charged by BIS should also be reduced in the initial years for the MSMEs, Start-Ups, and for Women Entrepreneurs.

9.Uganda International Badminton tournament: India wins both singles titles.

India’s Varun Kapur and Malvika Bansod clinched the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at the 2021 Uganda International Badminton tournament in Kampala. Varun beat compatriot Sankar Muthusamy 21-18, 16-21, 21-17 in the men’s singles final. Malvika beat compatriot Anupama Upadhyaya in the women singles summit clash 17-21, 25-23, 21-10.

10.Football: Mumbai City FC win ISL League Winners Shield.

Mumbai City FC scripted a 2-0 triumph over ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on February 28, 2021, to bag the ISL League Winners Shield and the coveted AFC Champions League spot that comes with it. Mumbai and ATKMB finished level on 40 points, but the former claimed first place with a better head-to-head record.

1.ISRO launches 19 satellites including Brazil’s Amazonia 1 using PSLV-C51 rocket.

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C51 (PSLV-C51) rocket loaded with 19 satellites from Brazil, the USA and India lifted off at 10.24 AM on February 28, 2021, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota (AP). After four stages of separation, the rocket launched Brazil’s 637-kilogram Amazonia 1 satellite, its primary passenger.

2.Registration for Covid vaccination on Co-Win 2.0 will open on March 1.

The next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive for people above 60 years and those aged 45 and above with comorbidities will begin from March 1 and registration on the Co-WIN2.0 portal will open at 9 am on March 1, 2021. 

3.Cost of Covid-19 vaccine dose capped at ₹250 in private hospitals.

Private hospitals functioning as COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) may recover a charge subject to a ceiling of ₹250 per person per dose. The Ministry released a list of 20 co-morbidities that enhance the risk of mortality from COVID-19, and now allow beneficiaries in the 45-59 years age bracket to avail of the vaccine.

4.India describes Sri Lanka as a “Priority One” partner in the defence sphere.

India on February 28, 2021, described Sri Lanka as a “Priority One” partner in the defence sphere and said the participation of its military aircraft in the 70th-anniversary celebration of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) is indicative of the growing cooperation, camaraderie and friendship between the two militaries. The SLAF is celebrating its 70th Anniversary on March 2.

5.Indian school students discover 18 new asteroids: International Astronomical Union.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU), an organisation that assigns official names and designations to celestial bodies, has recently confirmed the discovery of 18 new asteroids by Indian students as part of a global science programme.

6.Tenure of Pramod Chandra 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 with effect from March 1, 2021, to May 31, 2021. Mody is a 1982-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, was appointed as the CBDT chief in February 2019.

7.Deepak Kumar wins silver at a boxing tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Deepak Kumar’s fantastic run at the 72nd Strandja Memorial boxing tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria ended with a silver medal, after he lost the flyweight (52kg) final on a split verdict to Bulgaria’s Daniel Asenov, on February 27, 2021. 

8.65% low, lower-middle-income nations slashed education budgets after COVID-19.

Education budgets were cut by 65% of low and lower-middle-income countries after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic while only 33% of high and upper-middle-income countries did so according to the World Bank. 

9.Vinesh Phogat wins gold in a wrestling tournament in Kiev, Ukraine

India’s Vinesh Phogat on February 28, 2021, defeated V. Kaladzinskay of Belarus in the final to win gold in women’s 53 kg freestyle at the Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial tournament at Kiev, Ukraine.

10.Zero Discrimination Day is on 1st March.

On March 1, 2021, the 2021 Zero Discrimination Day will be celebrated globally to challenge the discrimination and inequality faced by women and girls.