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Home , 64th Filmfare Awards, After Jimmy, Ausaf Sayeed, Bombay Sisters, Haku Shah, Hasmukhbhai Parekh

GENERAL AWARENESS–CURRENT AFFAIRS MONTH OF MARCH-2019

List of Important Days March 1 - Zero Discrimination Day (Theme – “Act to change laws that Discriminate”) March 4 - National Safety Day (Themes – “Cultivate and Sustain A Safety Culture for Building Nation”) Mar 4-10 - National Safety Week March 7 - Janaushadhi Diwas March 8 - International Women’s Day (Theme – “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”). March 12 - World Day against Cyber Censorship March 12 - 30th anniversary of the World Wide Web (WWW) March 14 - (2nd Thursday of March) World Kidney Day (Theme - “Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere”) March 14 - Pi Day (Pi's value (3.14)) March 15 - World Consumer Rights Day (In this day is celebrated as Viswa Upabhokta Adhikar Diwas). (Theme – “Trusted Smart Products”) March 20 - International Day of Happiness. (Theme – “Happier Together”) March 20 - World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People March 20 - World Sparrow Day. (Theme – “I LOVE Sparrows”) March 21 - International Day of Forests. (Theme “Forests and Education”) March 21 - World Poetry Day March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day March 21 - International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Theme – “Mitigating and countering rising nationalist populism and extreme supremacist ideologies”) March 21 - World Puppetry Day March 22 - World Water Day (Theme – “Leaving no one behind”) March 23 - World Meteorological Day (Theme – “The Sun, the Earth and the Weather”) March 23 - 88th Shaheed Diwas (Martyr’s Day) March 24 - World Tuberculosis (TB) Day (Theme – “It’s time”) March 25 - International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade. (Theme – “Remember Slavery: The Power of the Arts for Justice”) March 26 - of Bangladesh March 27 - World Theatre Day (WTD) March 30 - Diwas

Reserve Bank of India • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has fined ₹1 crore for not complying with its directions about SWIFT, a financial messaging software. • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has fined at least 19 banks including SBI and ICICI Bank over the past few days for not complying with its guidelines on the use of global payments network SWIFT.

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• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has eased business guidelines for white label ATMs allowing companies that manage these machines to source cash directly from the central bank, offer non bank services like bill payments and advertise even non financial products in their premises, increasing the revenue earning scope for these companies. • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has re-categorized IDBI Bank as a Private Sector Lender. − This comes after the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India acquired a 51% stake in the bank, becoming its majority shareholder. • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come out with guidelines to prevent misuse of price-sensitive information by participants in markets for financial instruments. − The RBI said market participants, either acting independently or in collusion, shall not undertake any action with the intention to manipulate the calculation of a benchmark rate or a reference rate. • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has prohibited India's largest mortgage lender HDFC from owning more than the regulatory limit in Bandhan Bank. − HDFC, which will merge its low-cost arm Gruh Finance with Bandhan Bank, can hold 9.9% in the bank, the maximum a non-banking finance company can own in a private bank. HDFC had sought approval to hold 14.96%. • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has turned down IDBI Bank's proposal to change its name following the transfer of 51% stake to LIC. − The lender had sought approval to change its name to either LIC IDBI Bank or LIC Bank. • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das called for a permanent status to Finance Commission and a robust expenditure planning without compromising on fiscal consolidation as fiscal federalism gathers momentum in the era of uniform Goods and Services Tax (GST). • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has postponed the implementation of Indian Accounting Standards by the banks for the second straight year. • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has slapped a penalty of Rs 2 crore on Punjab National Bank (PNB) for non-compliance of regulatory directions with regard to SWIFT operations.

State Bank of India • India's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) announced that it would link its interest rate on savings bank deposits with balance above ₹1 lakh and short-term loans to Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s repo rate. − The new system will come into effect from May 1. − With this, SBI became the 1st Indian bank to do so. − With this move, 40-45% SBI's deposits will be affected by the move.

Other Banks • Fraud-hit Punjab National Bank has been ranked 1st among public sector banks in the implementation of ‘reforms agenda’, followed by Bank of Baroda and State Bank of India (SBI). • Private lender ICICI Bank is going to acquire 9.9% stake in Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) Kisan Finance for nearly ₹18 crore. − Under the transaction, the lender will buy 1.49 crore shares from the NBFC. • The officials of Punjab National Bank (PNB) had issued Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) on behalf of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi's firms over SWIFT without recording them in the bank's internal system. • The Jammu and Kashmir Bank announced that it will sell its 5% stake in PNB MetLife India to Oman India Joint Investment Fund II for ₹185 crore. − The transaction is subject to approval from the IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority).

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• SBI, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank continue to be in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s list of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) for 2018. − D-SIBs are required to maintain higher capital as compared to other banks. • The government has decided to infuse ₹ 5,042 crore into state-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) ahead of its merger with two other public sector lenders, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank. − The merger of the three lenders would be effective from April 1. • Punjab National Bank (PNB) is going to sell a 13% stake in mortgage lender PNB Housing Finance to private equity firms General Atlantic and Varde Partners for ₹1,851 crore. − PNB will continue to hold a strategic stake of about 19.78% in PNB Housing Finance and will stay on as a promoter.

Insurance • The Supreme Court announced that "A disease caused by insect bite in natural course of events wouldn't be considered an accident". − The ruling was given in a matter of insurance cover for a bank employee who died due to malaria from mosquito bite in Mozambique.

Supreme Court • The Supreme Court's Constitution Bench has referred the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute case for court-appointed and monitored mediation for a "permanent solution". − Former apex court judge Justice (retd) F M Kallifulla will head the panel of mediators in the case. − Other members of the panel of mediators include spiritual guru Shri Shri Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu. • The Supreme Court has warned the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) of contempt proceedings for failing to disclose information regarding annual inspection report of various banks under the RTI Act.

High Courts and Sessions Courts • Punjab and Haryana High Court has barred the mentioning of caste in the FIRs. − The court directed its judicial officers and the governments of Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, not mention the caste of the accused, victims or witnesses in any of the proceedings before it.

Election Commission • The Election Commission (EC) announced that the Photo voter slip will no longer be used as a 'stand-alone identification document' during elections. • The General Elections 2019 will be held in 7 phases beginning from 11th April to 19th May 2019. • The Election Commission has announced that during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, all EVMs will carry photographs of candidates to avoid confusion over similar names. • According to a recent report released by the Election Commission, has the maximum number of 1st-time voters, around 20.1 lakh, in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. − With around 16.7 lakh young voters, stood at 2nd spot followed by Madhya Pradesh with 13.6 lakh first-time voters. • The Election Commission issued a notification for the 1st phase of Lok Sabha polls. − Last date for filing of nominations: 25th March 2019 − The counting of votes will be taken up on 23rd of May after the completion of all phases of polling.

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Central Government • Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that the government has approved the proposal of National Investigation Agency (NIA) to open a research cell on terror group Islamic State (ISIS). • The Union Cabinet has approved the National Policy on Software Products 2019. − The policy is aimed at developing India as a Software Product Nation. • The government has approved Adani Power's ₹ 14,000-crore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project in to export power generated to Bangladesh. • The Centre has approved 2 corridors of the Metro project to be executed at an estimated cost of around 12,000 crore rupees. The length of the first corridor - Sarthana to Dream City line - will be 21.61 kilometers and the second - Bhesan to Saroli - will be 18.74 kilometres. • The Centre has allowed state governments to put to "public use" some enemy properties that were left behind by people who migrated to Pakistan since the Partition and to China after the 1962 Sino- Indian war. • The Centre has set up a Multi-Disciplinary Terror Monitoring Group (MDTMG) to ensure synergized and concerted action against terror financing and terror-related activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

States • The State Action Plan on Climate Change, prepared by Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute and The Energy and Resources Institute has classified flower 'Flame Lily' as an endangered species in Karnataka. − The flower, scientifically called Gloriosa superba, is 's state flower. • The government of Karnataka has launched the water conservation scheme Jalamrutha. − The scheme focuses on drought-proofing measures, including protection and rejuvenation of water bodies. • Madhya Pradesh government issued an ordinance to raise the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from 14% to 27%. • The Goa government has approved setting up 2 Information Technology (IT) parks in North Goa, seeking to address the IT sector's future demands. The IT Parks will come up at Chimbel and Penha-de-Franca villages, bordering Panaji. • For the first time, Uttar Pradesh is taking a census of Otters in its protected areas. The exercise that began in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR), will be completed by the end of this month. • was celebrating its 107th foundation day on March 22.

Place in the News • Tashigang, a Himachal Pradesh village at an altitude of 15,256 feet, is now the highest polling station in the world.

Personalities • The Guinness World Records has officially confirmed Kane Tanaka (Japan) as the world's oldest living person. • Former US President Jimmy Carter has become the longest-living President in American history at 94 years 172 days old as of March 22. Carter surpassed ex-President George HW Bush, who died last year.

Defence and National Security • Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) a 3-day ‘Mainamati Maitree Exercise 2019’ as a part of ‘Confidence Building Measures’ between the two border guards.

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− The exercise was named after a hill range situated 8 km west of Comilla township in Bangladesh, which is home to an ancient Buddhist archaeological site in the region. • Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, captured by Pakistan has been handed over to India. − Pakistan has announced that Varthaman was being released as a "gesture of peace". • 'Sampriti', the 8th edition of joint military exercise between the armies of India and Bangladesh began with an impressive ceremony at Bongobondhu Cantonment in Tangail, Bangladesh. • The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced that a reverie section of the Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam will be put under electronic surveillance from March 5. − The project, BOLD-QIT (Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique), is aimed to check illegal immigration and smuggling of arms. • The 3rd edition of the bilateral joint exercise between India and Oman, Al Nagah 2019 was held in March 12 at Jabel Al Akhdar Mountains in Oman. • India sealed a USD 3 billion deal with Russia for leasing of a nuclear-powered attack submarine for the for a period of 10 years. − Under the pact, Russia will have to deliver the Akula class submarine, to be known as Chakra III, to the Indian Navy by 2025. • The indigenously developed Pinaka guided rocket system was successfully test fired at Rajasthan's Pokhran. • With 90 per cent of gravely wounded security personnel succumbing to injuries within a few hours, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO's) medical laboratory has come up with a range of 'combat casualty drugs' that can extend the golden hour till the trooper is shifted to hospital. • has displaced India to become the world's largest importer of weapons with 12% of the global share of arms imported between 2014 and 2018, the data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed. • The United States and India have agreed to strengthen security and civil nuclear cooperation, deciding to build 6 US nuclear power plants in India. − This commitment was made at the 9th round of the India-US Strategic Security Dialogue held in Washington DC. • Australia Start its largest ever defence engagement with Sri Lanka as part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019. − After departing Sri Lanka, Australian Defence exercise team visit India and other regional partners. • AFINDEX-19, a Joint Field Training Exercise between the and 16 African nations will be held at from 18th to 27th March 2019. • The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully test fired the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) being developed for infantry troops of the Army. • India, Pakistan and the other member’s states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will take part in a joint anti-terrorism exercise to be held this year by the grouping. − The decision to hold the joint exercise 'Sary-Arka-Antiterror 2019' was announced during the 34th meeting of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) council held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. • The Indian naval crew has rescued more than 192 people in the Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique in Africa. − 3 Indian ships, INS Sujata, ICGS Sarathi and INS Shardul are undertaking Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief in coordination with local authorities and the High Commission of India, Maputo.

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• (IAF) formally inducted the 4 heavy-lift Chinook helicopters. − Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa announced the induction at a ceremony held at Air Force base in Chandigarh. • The joint training exercise MITRASHAKTI - VI between Indian and Sri Lanka Army was held in Diyatalawa in Sri Lanka. • 3rd Installment of AUSINDEX, Joint Naval Exercise between India and Australia will be held off the coast of Vishakhapatnam from April 2 to 16. • Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba inaugurated the Indian Navy's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Training Facility (NBCTF) at INS Shivaji in Lonavala. − The NBCTF, christened "Abhedya", impenetrable in , will help train personnel of naval ships fitted with nuclear, biological and chemical detection and protection systems. − INS Shivaji is celebrating its platinum jubilee year in 2019-20. • The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully conducted an Anti- Satellite (A-SAT) missile test, Mission Shakti from Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Island in . • In a major fire-power boost for the country, 4 indigenous '' Howitzer guns were inducted to the Indian Army at a ceremony held the Ordnance factory in Jabalpur.

Committees/Commissions • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a Task force to examine issues related to offshore rupee markets and recommend policy measures to ensure stability of the external value of the domestic currency. − Head: Usha Thorat (former RBI deputy governor) • Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will head the National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage, which is being set up to promote clean and sustainable mobility initiatives in the country. • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das has appointed 5-member committee under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani to further deepen digital payments and enhance financial inclusion through Fintech.

Schemes/Initiatives • On the National Science day, the Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Prakash Javadekar launched STARS – Scheme for Translational and Advanced Research in Science to fund science projects. − The ministry has approved funds worth Rs 250 crore for the scheme. • Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani launched a comprehensive programme for the development of knitting and knitwear sector in the country under the PowerTex India scheme. − The programme, the outlay for which is ₹ 47.72 crore, would be in operation till the end of March next year. • The Union Cabinet has approved the “Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana” under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas to provide financial support to Integrated Bio-ethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for AK-47 rifles manufacturing unit at Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. • Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 2nd phase of monorail between Wadala and Jacob Circle. − is the third largest route in the world.

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• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan (PM-SYM) Yojana at Vastral in Gandhinagar, . This scheme will provide monthly pension of 3000 rupees to the employees of unorganized sector after 60 years of age. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 'One Nation One Card' which can be used to pay for travelling on any mode of transportation. Modi said that a 'common mobility card' can also be used to withdraw money and to shop. • Union minister Mahesh Sharma inaugurated 'Azaadi ke Diwane' museum, dedicated to the unsung heroes of the country's freedom struggle, on the Red Fort premises, Delhi. − Built by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the museum is a fifth in the series of recently inaugurated ones. • Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan released the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) in . • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated 4 projects via video conferencing in various fields including Road transport, Health and Education. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the new Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology at Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. • India has launched its 3rd IT corridor in China. − The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) entered into a partnership with China’s Xuzhou city from Jiangsu Province in China to help develop the IT corridor. − The IT industry body has already launched such corridors at Dalian and Guiyang cities to cash in on the burgeoning Chinese IT industry market. • Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohammed, inaugurated the 15th edition of Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition, Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition 2019 (LIMA 2019). INS Kadmatt and India’s indigenous supersonic fighter jet Tejas are taking part in the LIMA 2019. • President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the plaque of the Hall at the Gabriel Rene Moreno University in Santa Cruz during his visit to Bolivia.

Summit/Conference • The NITI Aayog and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized the 1st workshop on development of the India Energy Modeling Forum (IEMF), which has been envisaged as a pan-stakeholder platform for debating ideas, scenario-planning & discussing the India's energy future. − The inaugural session of the workshop was chaired by Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog and Mr Mark A. White, Mission Director, USAID India. • British Prime Minister Theresa May is attending the crucial European Council summit at Brussels. • The Government of Nepal was organizing "Nepal Investment Summit 2019" on March 29 -30 in Kathmandu. • NITI Aayog had organized a day-long FinTech Conclave 2019 in New Delhi. The objective of the conclave was to shape India’s continued ascendancy in FinTech, build the narrative for future strategy and policy efforts, and to deliberate steps for comprehensive financial inclusion.

Agreement/Deal/Signed • Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree suspending Russia's participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Putin's move follows the US' decision to withdraw from the treaty, claiming Russia violated the Cold War-era pact.

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• National Institute of Technical Teacher's Training and Research (NITTTRC), Bhopal and Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Gurugram signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further strengthen the skill development facilities provided to the youth. • The Women and Child Development Ministry and Skill Development Ministry signed an MoU for improving women livelihood and empowering them through skill development. • The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has signed a Cooperation Agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group (WBG). − The agreement will enable IFC to assist IBBI to further build the capacity of insolvency professionals, and insolvency professional agencies for the purposes of the Code. • External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Maldivian counterpart Abdullah Shahid signed 3 MOUs. • Italy is going to join China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with the two countries expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during President Xi Jinping's visit to Rome. • The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). − Under the MoU, both sides have agreed to assist and co-operate with each other for the effective implementation of the Code. • Oman has signed an agreement with the United States that allow American ships and warplanes to take advantage of it's ports and airports. • US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights. − Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was with Trump at the White House as he signed the presidential proclamation. • Bank of Baroda has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Agriculture services companies to develop an agriculture digital platform titled Baroda Kisan, which will provide solutions for agricultural requirements. • India and Croatia signed key agreements in the fields of Sports, Tourism and also Establishment of the and Sanskrit Chair at University of Zagreb. • An agreement has been signed between India and the African Union to establish an India-Africa health sciences collaborative platform. • Hyderabad based pharma player Laurus Labs Ltd has entered into a strategic partnership with the Global Fund, an organization working towards ending AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics, for a period of three-and-a-half years. • India and Bolivia have signed 8 MoUs on the second day of President Ram Nath Kovind’s three- day visit to that country. • Wipro Limited, a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on high-impact, industry-focused applied research in the areas of 5G and AI.

Meet/Visit • Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu was visited to Paraguay and Costa Rica on 4th March 2019. − He addresses the prestigious University of Peace, established under the auspices of the United Nations with a specific mandate of furthering the agenda of peace. − Naidu addresses the India-Paraguay business forum and interacts with the Indian Diaspora. • External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the Foreign Minister of Kenya Ambassador Monica K Juma co-chaired India-Kenya Joint Commission Meeting.

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• India will collaborate with Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia to increase the population of three species of Asian rhinos, including the Greater one-horned rhinoceros found in the Indian sub-continent. The five rhino range nations signed a declaration ‘The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019’ for the conservation and protection of the species at the recently held Second Asian Rhino Range Countries meeting. • India and Pakistan talks to discuss and finalize the modalities for the Kartarpur corridor at the Indian side of the Attari-Wagah border on 14th March 2018. • The inaugural India-Japan Space Dialogue was held in New Delhi. The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary for Disarmament and International Security Affairs in Ministry of External Affairs, Indra Mani Pandey. • Saudi Arabia's state minister for Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir was visited to India. • The 1st meeting of the 3-member mediation committee on Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case was held at Ayodhya. • The 1st BRICS Sherpa meeting under the Presidency of Brazil concluded at Curitiba in Brazil. − Indian delegation was led by: T S Tirumurti (Secretary, Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs) • Prime Minister of Guinea Dr. Ibrahima Kassory Fofana was visited to India. He addresses the inaugural session of 14th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Partnership Project in New Delhi. • External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was visit to Maldives. • The meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council is currently underway in New Delhi. − Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is chairing the 34th meeting of the Council through Video Conferencing. • President Ram Nath Kovind visited to Croatia, Bolivia and Chile from 25th of March to 2nd of April. • India's Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale held bilateral talks with his Nepalese counterpart Shanker Das Bairagi in Kathmandu. • Indian Foreign Secretary Gokhale was visited to Nepal.

Bills • Union Cabinet approved the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019. − It'll benefit SCs & STs in promotion in service and extend reservation of up to 10% to Economically Weaker Sections in education and public employment. − Additionally, persons residing near International Border will be brought under the ambit of reservation at par with those in areas adjoining Actual LoC. • The Cabinet also approved the promulgation of an ordinance which allows children to exit Aadhaar on attaining 18 years of age. • The Mizoram Cabinet approved the proposed Mizoram Liquor Prohibition Bill, 2019. Liquor was prohibited in the state from 1997 till January 2015 with the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act in force. • The Mizoram Assembly unanimously passed a bill (The Mizoram Maintenance of Household Registers Bill, 2019) that seeks to detect foreigners illegally residing in the northeastern state, that shares an over 700-km border with Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Fund • The Centre and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a 926 million dollar loan agreement to operationalize two lines of the Rail System. It is the single largest infrastructure project loan in ADB history. CSB, Ch-17, Ph: 044-24333346 GA/March’19/Page-9

• India signed a loan agreement with the World Bank for 96 Million US dollars for additional financing of Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project. • The Centre and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a 26 million dollar loan agreement to provide additional financing for improving drainage infrastructure in Dibrugarh town of Assam. • The World Bank has provided additional financing of $137 million (nearly ₹ 960 crore) for the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) to rehabilitate and modernize over 220 selected large dams in 6 states (Karnataka, , Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand). • Japan has donated $69 million to the United Nations World Food Programme to provide vital aid to 28 countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with the biggest shares of the money being earmarked for and Iraq. • China infused around $2.2 billion in Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves for imports and external debt repayments. − Pakistan has so far received a total of $9.1 billion in financial assistance from friendly countries during the current fiscal year.

Economy • The Finance Ministry has announced the rollout of a new ₹ 20 coin shaped like a "Dodecagon (12- edged polygon)". − The obverse side of the coin will bear Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar while the reverse will have the denominational value "20" with rupee symbol "₹ " above. • Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, who holds the finance portfolio, presented the budget of 2019-20 in the ongoing assembly session with a fiscal deficit of 1323 crore rupees, which is around 3.65 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). • Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that the government exceeded its disinvestment target for the current fiscal by ₹ 5,000 crore and the proceeds have touched ₹ 85,000 crore. − The government set a disinvestment target of ₹ 90,000 crore for the next fiscal year. − It recently raised ₹ 14,500 crore when Power Finance Corporation acquired the government's 52.63% stake in Rural Electrification Corporation. • In it’s Global Economic Outlook report, Fitch Ratings has cut India’s economic growth forecast for the next financial year 2019-20 starting from April 1 to 6.8 per cent from its previous estimate of 7 per cent, on the account of weaker than expected momentum in the economy.

Companies/Industry • Tata Steel has been recognized as one of World’s Most Ethical Companies for the year 2019 by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. • Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered unmanned jet developed in Australia, intended to be sold to global defence customers. − The first flight of the unmanned jet is planned for 2020. • British ultra-luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce has selected Bengaluru-based Infosys as a strategic long-term partner to deliver engineering and digital services to meet its customers' needs for sustainable energy. • E-commerce major Flipkart has deployed over 100 Artificial Intelligence-powered robots to sort customers' packages according to their location at its Bengaluru delivery centre. • State-owned Power Finance Corporation (PFC) is going to acquire the government's entire 52.63% stake in Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) for about ₹14,500 crore.

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• GVK Airport Holdings is acquiring ACSA Global's entire 10% stake in Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) for ₹ 924 crore, thereby taking its holding in the company to 74%. • To boost civic engagement on its platform during the Lok Sabha elections 2019 that commence in April, social Media giant, Facebook has launched 2 new India-specific tools viz. “Candidate Connect” and “Share You Voted”. • American multinational technology company Apple has introduced its own credit card titled 'Apple Card' that is built within the iPhone's Apple Wallet app. • Facebook has banned praise, support and representation of white nationalism and white separatism on its platforms. − This move had a qualified approval from the recent Christchurch mosque shooting.

Exports/Imports • Indian government imposed a complete ban on the import of solid plastic waste. • India again extended its deadline to impose retaliatory customs duties on a number of US imports, including almonds and pulses, from April 1 to May 2.

Taxation/Trade • The European Union expanded its Tax haven blacklist by 10 countries, adding the United Arab Emirates and Bermuda despite the objections of powerful member states such as Italy. − The list, now 15 countries long, was 1st drawn up in 2017 in the wake of several scandals, including the Panama Papers and LuxLeaks, that pushed the EU into doing more to fight tax evasion by multinationals and the rich. − 7 countries (Aruba, Belize, Bermuda, Fiji, Oman, Vanuatu and Dominica) are to be moved back from a grey list because reform commitments had not been met. • Guatemala has dragged India into the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism alleging that India's sugar subsidies to farmers are inconsistent with global trade rules. − This comes weeks after Brazil and Australia challenged India's sugar subsidies at WTO.

Agriculture/Production • The Cabinet approved incentives worth ₹3,300 crore to help sugar mills boost ethanol production capacity. • The Geographical Indications Registry has granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Coorg Arabica Coffee, Wayanad Robusta Coffee, Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee, Araku Valley Arabica Coffee and Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee.

Space • Private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company SpaceX has successfully launched its 1st unmanned Crew Dragon capsule through its Falcon 9 rocket, carrying a test dummy nicknamed 'Ripley' to the International Space Station (ISS). • A 30-member team of IIT Madras students, Team Avishkar Hyperloop, has cleared the final design round of SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition 2019, becoming one of the top 22 teams selected from across the world. • Israel's Beresheet spacecraft on the country's first mission to the Moon has sent back its first selfie. − Launched by Elon Musk-led SpaceX on February 22, the 585-kilogram spacecraft is due to touch down on Moon on April 11. • The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced the launch of the Young Scientist programme, which will train class 9 students in space science and technology and its applications in order to culture a passion for space-related activities.

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• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it will carry out the 1st-ever all-female spacewalk at the International Space Station (ISS) on March 29, with astronauts Christina Koch and Anne McClain. • French space agency CNES announced that a team of ISRO experts will receive training at France's Toulouse Space Centre from this month in the field of human spaceflight. − They will also be trained at CADMOS, the centre for development of microgravity applications and space operations, and the MEDES Space Clinic. • China’s Long March-3B rocket, regarded as the main stay of the country’s space programme since 1970, successfully completed its 300th launch by putting a new communication satellite into orbit. − The Long March carrier rocket series, developed by CASC (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation), is responsible for about 96.4 per cent of all the launch missions in China. • The Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jim Bridenstine announced that the 1st person on Mars is likely to be a woman. • The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee has tied up with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to set up a Space Technology Cell within its campus. • A recently published new study by Chicago University scientists claims Mars had flowing rivers occurring at "hundreds of locations", many of which were twice as wide as those of Earth. − Scientists studied over 200 ancient Martian river beds across the red planet, using satellite images and data from NASA's Curiosity rover. The rover had landed on Mars in 2012.

Science and Technology • A 400-year-old Kyoto-based temple has unveiled a robotic avatar of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Kannon, in an attempt to keep the younger generation connected with Buddhism. − Named 'Mindar', the robot can join its hands and move its eyes and torso while delivering 25- minute-long sermons to worshippers. • IIT Madras has teamed up with sustainable technology company Teerthaa to create a device that can produce potable water from atmospheric air. − The device named 'NERO', that will be powered by solar thermal energy, will produce 4 to 5 litres of potable water per day. • A team of IIT-Kharagpur students has developed the code for a smartphone app that can detect counterfeit currency. • Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has launched smart garbage bins made of stainless steel. − The environment-friendly garbage bins will be made of SAIL SALEM stainless steel. • United States announced that its 1st exascale supercomputer will be functional by 2021 that will be capable of carrying minimum one 'exaFLOPS' or a billion-billion calculations per second. − 'Aurora' supercomputer, combined with artificial intelligence-based abilities, is aimed to be 7 times faster than most powerful system built to date.

Health/Diseases/Drugs • President Ram Nath Kovind launched the Pulse Polio programme for 2019 by administering polio drops to children on the eve of the National Immunization Day (10th March) at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. • The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers put out the list of 390 anti-cancer non-scheduled medicines with Maximum Retail Price reduction up to 87 per cent. • India's 1st holistic LGBTQ clinic and community-based HIV treatment centre was inaugurated in Mumbai on March 11. Started by Humsafar Trust, the centre will also provide for Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), used in treatment of HIV. CSB, Ch-17, Ph: 044-24333346 GA/March’19/Page-12

• The Centre sent a medical team to Malappuram district (Kerala) where a 7-year-old boy tested positive for the West Nile virus. • Health and Family Welfare Ministry have notified the Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019 with an aim to promote clinical research in the country. • From April 1, all alcoholic beverages will have statutory health warnings on their labels.

Energy/Gas/Oil • Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that the Cabinet has approved a plan to revive some stressed thermal power plants to curb power deficit. − New coal-fired power plants would be set up in Bihar (with the cost ₹10,439 crore) and Uttar Pradesh (with the cost ₹11,089 crore). • Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that 7 crore LPG connections have been distributed within the last 34 months under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). • The government has approved a proposal for state-run hydro power giant NHPC to take over debt-laden Lanco's 500 MW Teesta hydro-electric power project in Sikkim. • A consortium of two Indian oil companies, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited have been awarded the exploration rights for Abu Dhabi Onshore Block 1.

Environment • Nations made the 1st global commitment to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics, including plastic bags, bottles and straws, by 2030. • The National Green Tribunal (NGT), has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), to prepare a noise pollution map and remedial action plan to solve the issue across the country. • Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi have been hit by "Idai", a vicious cyclone that has killed nearly 150 people, left hundreds more missing and stranded tens of thousands. • March 26 - 46th anniversary of the Chipko movement. Although the Chipko Movement has its origins in the 18th century Rajasthan, it found momentum in the 1970s as a way to protect forests.

Education • The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the setting up of 50 new Kendriya Vidyalayas under Civil or Defence Sectors across the country. ₹1,579.9 crore will be spent in the next five years on construction and staff salary.

Transport/Cars/Scooters • The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) launched its own digital payment aggregator titled 'IRCTC iPay'. • PM Narendra Modi flagged off the Madurai- Egmore Tejas Express, the fastest train running between the two cities, via video conferencing from Kanyakumari. • Railways Minister Piyush Goyal announced that all mountain railways in India will now have glass-enclosed coaches. • India has banned Boeing 737 Max aircraft from its airspace, following the fatal crash of a plane of the same type in Ethiopia, which killed all 157 people on board. China, Indonesia, South Korea and Mongolia have already grounded their fleets of Boeing's 737 MAX 8 aircraft in response to the Ethiopian Airlines crash. • Indian low-cost airlines SpiceJet has joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA). • Homegrown ride-hailing app Ola has been suspended from operating any vehicles including cars, autos and bikes in for the next 6 months by the Regional Transport Office.

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• India and Bangladesh are going to start a cruise service that would take passengers through the Sunderbans to Dhaka. • RailTel Corporation of India Limited under the Ministry of Railways has completed the work of turning 1,000 railway stations across India into free WiFi zones. − The Reay Raod station is the 1,000th station to get a free WiFi connection.

Films and Film Festival • Honoring the best Hindi Language films of the year 2018, the 64th Awards 2019 ceremony was held at Jio Garden, BKC, Mumbai. − Best Actor (Popular): , − Best Actress (Popular): , − Best Film (Popular): Raazi − Lifetime Achievement Award: − People's Choice Award for Best Short Film: Plus Minus

Festival • 49 days long Kumbh 2019 the largest religious congregation in the world, concluded in Uttar Pradesh, with over one crore devotees taking the holy dip at Sangam in Prayagraj on the occasion of 'Mahashivratri'. − Branded as 'Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh' (grand Kumbh), the Uttar Pradesh government had made elaborate arrangements to enable the pilgrims as well as other visitors to have a comfortable stay at Kumbh. • Holi was celebrated across the country on March 21.

Appointments/Election (or) Latest who is who? • Eastern Air Command chief Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar was appointed as the new chief of Indian Air Force's sword arm Western Air Command. • Air Marshal R D Mathur assumed charge of the Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force, at Shillong, as its Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief. • The government appointed former Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia as Chairman of state-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB). • Former Deutsche Bank India head Ravneet Gill took charge as the new Managing Director and Chief Exueitive Officer (MD & CEO) of Yes Bank. − He has replaced Rana Kapoor, who has helmed the private sector bank since 2004. • Bhagwan Lal Sahni has been appointed as the Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes. − Kaushalendra Singh Patel and Acharya Talloju have been appointed as the members of the commission. • Indian American Medha Narvekar has been appointed as the Vice President and Secretary of the University of Pennsylvania. • Former Finance Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha has joined as a Member of the 15th Finance Commission. − Jha has been posted in place of Shaktikanta Das who had resigned as a member of the Commission after being appointed the RBI Governor. • The Ministry of Commerce and Industries has approved the re-appointment of P K Bezbaruah as the Chairman of Tea Board for a second tenure. • Former India has been re-appointed as the Chairman of the International Council (ICC) Cricket Committee.

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• 1985-batch IAS officer of Tripura cadre, Sanjeev Ranjan has been appointed as the new Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Ministry. − Nagendra Nath Sinha, who is currently the Managing Director of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), will take additional charge as NHAI Chairman. • Kuwait's Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah has been re-elected President of the powerful Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). • P V Ramesh has been appointed as the Director-general of the National Archives of India. • Mining giant Vedanta it has appointed Ajay Kapur as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its Aluminium and Power businesses. • President Ram Nath Kovind has nominated Justice S A Bobde of the Supreme Court as Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). − Bobde is going to replace Justice AK Sikri who retired on 6th March. • The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has appointed scientist Ajit Kumar Mohanty as its new Director for a period of 3 years. • India has nominated member of Niti Ayog, Ramesh Chandra to head Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).

• Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, presently High Commissioner of India to the Republic of , has been appointed as the next ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia. − He is going to replace Ahmad Javed, who had been serving as envoy to Saudi Arabia since December 2015. • Indian-American television personality and food expert Padma Lakshmi has been appointed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as its newest Goodwill Ambassador, supporting the agency's fight against inequality and discrimination around the world. • Jagdish Mukhi sworn in as the 19th Governor of Mizoram, in addition to his own duties as the Governor of Assam. − He has replaced Kummanam Rajasekharan as the Governor of Mizoram after the latter resigned. • Mumbai-based online drug delivery platform PharmEasy has appointed former Myntra executive Abhinav Yajurvedi as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO). • Mohammad Shtayyeh has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Palestine. − He is going to replace Rami al-Hamdallah, who tendered his resignation from the post 6 weeks ago. • Former finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia has been appointed as the new chancellor of Gujarat Central University for a period of five years. • IDBI Bank announced that it is considering extending the tenure of its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) Rakesh Sharma for a period of 3 years. • Retired IAS officer C Lalsawta becomes the 1st Lokayukta of Mizoram. • The Jammu and Kashmir Governor administration has appointed "Metro Man" E Sreedharan as Principal advisor for two Mass Rapid Transit Corporations (MRTCs) in the state. − The two MRTCs namely, the Jammu Mass Rapid Transit Corporation and Srinagar Mass Rapid Transit Corporation, were recently approved by the J&K government to provide a robust transportation system. • Sanjana Singh, a transgender woman, has been appointed as the Personal secretary to the Director of Madhya Pradesh's Department of Social Justice and Disabled Welfare, Krishna Gopal Tiwari.

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• Zinedine Zidane has been re-appointed as the coach of Spanish football club Real Madrid till 2022. − He has replaced Santiago Solari, who was sacked after less than five months in charge. • Private Sector Lender Axis Bank appointed Rakesh Makhija as Non-Executive Chairman for a period of 3 years. • Defence Ministry has initiated the process to appoint the next Navy Chief and the decision is expected to be announced soon. − The incumbent Navy Chief, Admiral Sunil Lanba, is scheduled to retire on May 31 this year. • Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever promoted Nitin Paranjpe, President of Foods and Refreshment division, to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). − With this, he became only the 2nd Indian after Harish Manwani to be elevated to this role. • The US Senate has voted to confirm Indian-origin Neomi Rao as a Judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. − Rao will replace Brett Kavanaugh who was confirmed to the US Supreme Court in October last year. • The Supreme Court appointed senior advocate P S Narasimha, who is assisting the apex court as an amicus curiae in the BCCI matter, as mediator for resolving various disputes related to cricket administration in the country. • M R Kumar has taken over charge as the new Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). • Retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose has been recommended to be India's 1st Lokpal (Anti-corruption ombudsman of India). • Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker and BJP leader Pramod Sawant was sworn-in as the New Chief Minister of Goa in a late-night ceremony, two days after Manohar Parrikar passed away after his battle with cancer. • Election Commission has appointed two eminent former Civil Servants Shailendra Handa (Maharashtra) and Ms. Mahajan (Tamil Nadu) as Special Expenditure Observers for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. • Hospital chain Fortis Healthcare appointed Ashutosh Raghuvanshi as the new MD & CEO with immediate effect for a period of three years. • Indian-origin Jagmeet Singh has created history in Canada when he made his debut in the House of Commons as the 1st non-white leader of a major opposition party (New Democratic Party) in the country. • The Election Commission of India has appointed transgender social activist Gauri Sawant, as one of the 12 election ambassadors from Maharashtra. • Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sworn in as the new President of Kazakhstan. • American multinational automaker Ford has named 20-year Amazon veteran Tim Stone as its next Chief Financial Officer (CFO). − He is going to replace Ford's present CFO Bob Shanks who is going to retire by this year end. • The government has appointed Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next Chief of Naval Staff. • Supermarket company Future Retail has reappointed Kishore Biyani as its Managing Director for a period of 3 years effective May 2. − Future Retail also appointed Rakesh Biyani, who has been associated with the company for over 23 years, as its Joint Managing Director. • Election Commission has appointed Special Expenditure Observers for six States in view of the forthcoming elections.

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− These states are , Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Nagaland and Telangana. − Gopal Mukherjee - Andhra Pradesh and Telangana − D D Goel - Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland − Shailendra Handa - Maharashtra and Gujarat − Madhu Mahajan - Karnataka and Tamil Nadu • Election Commission of India has appointed former Director General of Border Security Force K K Sharma as a Special Central Police Observer for Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal and Jharkhand. − The poll body also appointed former IPS officer Mrinal Kanti Das as Special Central Police Observer for Tripura and Mizoram. • Comoros President Azali Assoumani was re-elected according to results published by the electoral commission of the Indian Ocean archipelago. • Goa Minister for Tourism and Sports, Manohar Ajgaonkar has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state. • State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Rajnish Kumar has announced the lender is "most likely" to suggest its former chief Arun Kumar Purwar to head the interim board of Jet Airways. • India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki re-appointed Kenichi Ayukawa as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for a period of 3 years effective April.

Resignation/Dismissed/Retired/Quit • South African spinner Imran Tahir has announced that he will quit ODI cricket after the ICC World Cup 2019. • Justice AK Sikri, the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, retired. • Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipilä tendered his government's resignation after a reform of the healthcare system failed. • Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (67) has announced his retirement from football. • South Africa's J P Duminy has announced that he will retire from the ODI format after the ICC World Cup 2019. • After 29 years in power, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan's 1st and only President, announced his resignation. • Tsunekazu Takeda, the head of Japan's Olympic Committee (JOC), is stepping down over corruption allegations relating to the awarding of the 2020 Games to Tokyo. • Chelsea's Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain has retired from the Argentina national team with immediate effect.

Arrests/Jailed • The Supreme Court has set aside the life ban imposed on cricketer Sreesanth by BCCI over his involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal. • A London court issued an arrest warrant against fugitive Nirav Modi, who is accused in ₹13,000- crore PNB fraud case. • Fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi, wanted in the ₹ 14,000-crore PNB scam, has been arrested in London and will be produced in the court later.

Deaths • Sitting judge of Delhi High Court, Justice Valmiki J Mehta (59), passed away.

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• Two-time Golden Globe winning actress Katherine Helmond (89), known for her roles in TV shows like 'Who's The Boss?' and 'Soap', passed away. • Four-time Oscar-winning music composer André Previn (89) passed away. • Zhores Alferov (88), joint winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics and a member of the Russian Parliament, passed away. • Former Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal and Senior leader of ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), Bharat Mohan Adhikari (83) passed away. • Ex-Union Minister V Dhananjay Kumar (67) passed away. • Actor Luke Perry (52), known for his roles in TV shows like 'Riverdale' and 'Beverly Hills, 90210', passed away. • Jerry Merryman (86), one of the three people at Texas Instruments who invented the world's first handheld calculator, passed away. • Veteran Hindi Newsreader Vinod Kashyap (88) has passed away. • Rio Olympic silver medallist and three-time cycling world champion Kelly Catlin (23) passed away. • 1st woman Lingayat 'jagadguru' and Basava Dharma Peetha President, Maate Mahadevi (73)

passed away. • Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar (63) passed away, a year after being diagnosed with a pancreatic ailment. • Former Supreme Court judge Justice Satya Brata Sinha (75) passed away. • Rafi Eitan (92), a Mossad spy who led the Israeli team that captured Holocaust mastermind Adolf Eichmann in Argentina, passed away.

Awards/Honours • PM Modi confers Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes for Science & Tech for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 in New Delhi. − The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize is the most coveted national recognition bestowed upon young scientists and engineers to honour their research and developmental work in India. − A total of 11 scientists were given the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for the year 2016. − The awardees include Dr Rishikesh Narayan of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Dr Amalendu Krishna of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. − 10 scientists got the prize for 2017. − Some of them are, Dr Deepak Gaur of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and Dr S Suresh Babu of Sarabhai Space Centre. − There were 13 prize winners for the year 2018. − Some important names are: Dr Amit Kumar of IIT, Delhi and Dr Nitin Saxena, IIT, Kanpur. • The Tamil Nadu government has announced the awards after a gap of eight years. − The government also announced the ‘Bharathi’ awards in the field of literature, ‘MS Subbulakshmi award’ in music and ‘Bala Saraswathi award’ in dance. − MS Subbulakshmi Award Winners - S Janaki, — C Saroja and C Lalitha, TV Gopalakrishnan − Bharathi award Winners – Pulamaipithan, Subbu Arumugam, Sivasankari − Bala Saraswathi Award – , VP Dhananjayan, CV Chandrasekhar • The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) created the Guinness World Record for 'longest single line bicycle parade (moving)' in Noida. − CISF personnel rode 1,327 bicycles non-stop in a single line, maintaining a uniform distance between the bicycles. CSB, Ch-17, Ph: 044-24333346 GA/March’19/Page-18

• Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019 has been placed in the Guinness World Records in 3 sectors. − Largest traffic and crowd management plan. − The biggest painting exercise of public sites under paint my city scheme. − Biggest sanitation and waste disposal mechanism • India's aerospace scientist and Chief of the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO), G Satheesh Reddy, has been conferred the Missile Systems Award 2019 by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the world's largest and reputed aerospace technical society. − He will share this prize with Rondell J. Wilson, a former Principal Engineering Fellow of Raytheon Missile Systems. • Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman will be honored with the 'Bhagwan Mahavir Ahimsa Puraskar' instituted by the Akhil Bharatiya Digambar Jain Mahasamiti. • The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has bagged the SKOCH Award 2018 for its remarkable achievements in the field of disaster management. • Veteran Marathi poet and writer Vasant Abaji Dahake has been honoured with the prestigious 'Janasthan' award. • President Ram Nath Kovind presented Swachh Survekhshan-2019 Awards in New Delhi. − Indore bagged Award for cleanest city for 3rd straight year in Swachh Survekshan. − New Delhi Municipal Council area gets cleanest small city award. − Uttarakhand's Gauchar was adjudged Best Ganga Town. • TVS Motor Company has bagged the International sustainability award - Green Era Award for Sustainability in Lisbon, Portugal. − The company also won the Quality and Business Excellence Award in acknowledgement of its Endeavour to create new benchmarks in product quality. • The Swedish Academy announced that 2 Nobel Prizes for literature will be awarded this year. • The Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), Bhubaneswar has won the 2018 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) award as the leading airport in size and region. • President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Nari Shakti awards 2018, the highest civilian honour for women in India, in New Delhi on the occasion of International Women's Day. − A total of 41 individuals and 3 institutions were given the award. − (Acid attack victim and social activist) − (Rani Mistri) − Reshma Nilofer Naha (1st woman marine pilot of India) − Dr (India's 1st woman commando trainer) − Brahma Kumari Shivani (Spiritual and motivational speaker) − (Wildlife conservationist) − One Stop Centre of Lucknow − Tamil Nadu State Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Department • Former governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Raghuram Rajan, has been chosen for the ‘Yashwantrao Chavan National Award 2018’ by Yashwantrao Chavan Prathisthan for his contribution to economic development. • Priyanka Dubey, a bilingual correspondent with the BBC at its Delhi bureau, has been named for the Chameli Devi Jain Award for an Outstanding Woman Journalist for the year 2018. • President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Padma awards on prominent personalities at a civil investiture ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan. Padma Bhusan was presented to ( Actor), Pravin Gordhan (South African politician), Jhon Chambers (former Cisco head), Hukumdev Narayan Yadav (Parliamentarian), Kariya Munda ((Parliamentarian), Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (Parliamentarian), and Kuldip Nayar (late journalist). CSB, Ch-17, Ph: 044-24333346 GA/March’19/Page-19

− was conferred on various personalities including (Chess player), Sharat Kamal (Table Tennis player), Bhagirati Devi (Social Worker), Muktaben Dagli (Social Worker), Prabhudeva (Actor), (Music Director), S Jaishankar (former civil servant), Rajkumari Devi (Agriculturist), Babaulal Dahiya (Agriculturist), Dilip Chakravarty (Archaeologist), Mammen Chandy (Hematologist). • Gymnast was honoured by 'Barbie' in celebration of their 60th anniversary and was presented a doll modelled after her. • Vice President Venkaiah Naidu was conferred Honorary Doctorate from the UN established University of Peace. − The university has stated that the degree of “Doctor Honoris Causa”( Doctor of Philosophy) was conferred on the Indian Vice President recognizing his contribution to the Rule of Law, democracy and sustainable development in India. • The Ministry of Tourism has won the 1st Prize in the category of TV Cinema Spot at the prestigious international Golden City Gate Tourism Awards 2019. • To commemorate late scientist Stephen Hawking, who passed on March 14 in the year 2018, UK's Royal has unveiled a 50 pence coin with a black hole on it. − The coin was designed by British engraver and printmaker Edwina Ellis.

• President Ram Nath Kovind conferred 3 Kirti Chakras and 15 Shaurya Chakras to Armed Forces Personnel for displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to duty. • Army Chief General was conferred with the Param (PVSM), the highest military medal award in recognition of peace-time service not accounting to gallantry, by President Ram Nath Kovind. − Major Tushar Gauba of 20 JAT regiment was given by the President. • President Ramnath Kovind awarded National Grassroots Innovators at Grambharti near Gandhinagar in Gujarat. − Prakash Singh Raghuvanshi (Uttar Pradesh) has been awarded Lifetime achievement award for his innovations in new varieties of agriculture crops. − The 1st prize in Veterinary, Herbal medication for coccidiosis was presented to Periyasami Ramasami of Salem, Tamil Nadu. • President Ram Nath Kovind conferred Padma awards on prominent personalities at a civil investiture ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan. − Folk Singer from Chhattisgarh was honored with and Scientist Nambi Narayan was given the Padma Bhusan. − Actor , Cricketer , Basketball player Prashanti Singh, Footballer , mountaineer were among the Padma Shri Awardees. • Swati Shingade of Pune, Maharashtra has bagged the 1st prize of DD Mahila Kisan Award for 2018-19. • Indian Journalist and author Raghu Karnad has been conferred the prestigious Windham- Campbell Prize. − He won the $165,000 Prize in the non-fiction category for his debut book, The Farthest Field: An Indian Story Of The Second World War. − Karnad is one of the eight winners chosen across four categories—fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry. • President Ram Nath Kovind presented Gallantry Awards and Distinguished Service Decorations at the Defence Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. − Kirti Chakras were conferred on Sepoy Vijay Kumar of Indian Army and Constable Pradip Kumar Panda of CRPF posthumously.

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− Uttam was conferred on Lieutenant General for successful counter-terrorist operations conducted under him in Jammu and Kashmir. • Businessline Changemaker Awards 2019: − Changemaker Of The Year Award: Petitioners against Section 377. − Changemaker Of The Year Award: GST Council. − Iconic Changemaker Award: Bezwada Wilson (Safai Karmachari Andoloan). − Social Transformation Award: The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences. − Digital Transformation Award: eNAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market). − Young Changemaker Award: Anju Verma (promoting the education of underprivileged children). − Young Changemaker Award: Kush and Arjun Pandey (developers of ScoutMe app for tapping football talent). • Actress has been named in USA Today's 50 Most Powerful Women In Entertainment list. − American television host Oprah Winfrey, singer Beyoncé, as well as actress Meryl Streep were also among the celebrities named in the list. • University of Texas professor Karen Uhlenbeck has become the 1st woman to win the Abel Prize, a mathematics honour. • Jammu and Kashmir's Irfan Ramzan Sheikh, who fought off three armed terrorists in 2017, when he was 14 years old, was awarded by President Ram Nath Kovind. • has announced 15 winners of the 60th Annual National Academy Awards. • Peter Tabichi, a Kenyan science teacher who donates 80% of his salary to help poor students has won the $1-million 2019 Global Teacher Prize. − He received the prize at a ceremony in Dubai. • President Ram Nath Kovind has been awarded the Grand Order of King Tomislav with Sash and Grand Star by the President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović for his exceptional contribution to the advancement of overall relations and development of mutual cooperation between India and Croatia and for promoting friendship and partnership between the people of both the countries. • The 2018 Turing Award, known as the “Nobel Prize of computing,” has been given to a trio of researchers who laid the foundations for the current boom in artificial intelligence. − Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton, and Yann LeCun — sometimes called the ‘godfathers of AI’ — have been recognized with the $1 million annual prize for their work developing the AI subfield of deep learning. • Nobel laureate Amartya Sen was awarded the Bodley Medal by the University of Oxford for his outstanding contribution in various fields, including literature, culture, science and communication. • Singer-actor unveiled his wax figure at the Madame Tussauds museum in New Delhi, making him the 1st turbaned Sikh to have a statue at the museum. • England football team captain and forward Harry Kane received the MBE award for services to football after leading the English national team to the World Cup semi-final in Russia last year. • President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on a 3 day visit to Bolivia, has been conferred with the Condor de Los Andes en el Grado de Gran Collar (highest State Honour of Bolivia). • Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad has clinched the coveted Best Regional Airport and the Best Airport Staff Service Awards, both in India/Central Asia category in the Skytrax World Airport Awards-2019.

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Sports/Game • Australia won the two-match T20I series against India, registering a whitewash on Indian soil for the first time in history. − Australia were led by Aaron Finch in the series. • The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released Team India jersey bearing Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's name and number one on it as a tribute after his return to the country from Pakistan. • India's Shashank Shekhar won the 10 kilometre race of Nepal's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Open Marathon and Run for Fun held in Kathmandu. • 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships to win his 100th Career Singles' title. − With this, Federer became 2nd man, after Jimmy Connors to claim 100 ATP titles. − Martina Navratilova holds the all-time record having won 167 women's singles crowns during her career. • A Centre for Disability Sports will be set up at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. • Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios defeated world number three Alexander Zverev in the final to win the Mexico Open title. • India's star wrestler has won a Gold medal in 65-kilogram freestyle in Bulgaria. − Pooja Dhanda claimed Gold in women's 59 kg while Sarita Mor won a Silver in the same weight category. − won silver in 65 kg women's freestyle. − In the men's freestyle events, Sandeep Tomar claimed silver in 61kg. • India captain has become the fastest batsman to score 9,000 runs in international cricket as captain, reaching the milestone against Australia in his 159th innings as captain. − The previous record was held by Ricky Ponting (204 innings). • For the first time in 9 years, two India bowlers, and , joined the Top five club in the latest ICC women's cricket rankings for ODI bowlers. − Top 5: Jhulan Goswami (India), Jess Jonassen (Australia), Sana Mir (Pakistan), Megan Schutt (Australia), and Shikha Pandey (India). • One of the most prestigious tournaments of the world, The 2019 All England Open, officially YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships 2019 held in Arena Birmingham, England. • Indian field hockey player Manpreet Singh was named Captain of the 18-member Indian hockey team to play in the 28th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. − The prestigious tournament was held in Ipoh, Malaysia from March 23. • To pay tribute to the CRPF jawans martyred in Pulwama terror attack and the armed forces, team India players are sporting Army-style camouflage caps in the 3rd ODI against Australia in . − M S Dhoni, who holds an honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army, presented the caps to the players and the support staff ahead of the match. • Tamil Nadu's 16-year-old P Iniyan defeated Ukraine's 37-year-old Grandmaster Sergey Fedorchuk in Noisiel Open chess tournament in France to become India's 61st Grandmaster. • The 5th South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), Women's Championship kicks off in Biratnagar, Nepal. − Indian Football team captain: Ashalata Devi • The 38th GeeBee Boxing Tournament was recently concluded at Helsinki, Finland. − India has won 1 Gold, 4 Silver and 3 Bronze medals in the tournament. − Gold - Kavinder Singh Bisht CSB, Ch-17, Ph: 044-24333346 GA/March’19/Page-22

− Silver - Mohammed Hussamuddin, Govind Kumar Sahani, Shiva Thapa, Dinesh Dagar − Bronze - Sachin Siwach, Sumit Sangwan, Naveen Kumar • Special Olympics World Games 2019 began at Abu Dhabi (UAE). • Karnataka defeated Maharashtra in the final to win their maiden Syed Mushtaq AliTrophy title. − Karnataka's Rohan Kadam became the first batsman to score 500 runs in a single edition of the tournament. • India have been awarded the rights to host the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in 2020. • Fabio Cannavaro, who led Italy to the World Cup triumph in 2006, has been named as China's new head coach. − He is going to replace Marcello Lippi, who quit after China's quarter-final exit at the Asian Cup in January. • India's Kamalpreet Kaur clinched Gold medal in women's discus throw event on the opening day of the 23rd Federation Cup. • National record holder Irfan KT became the 1st Indian from athletics to qualify for 2020 Tokyo Olympics. • 18-year-old Diksha Dagar became the 2nd Indian to win an event on Ladies European Tour after clinching South African Women's Open in Cape Town. − Aditi Ashok was the first Indian to win on the Ladies European Tour after clinching Hero Women's Indian Open in Gurugram in 2016. • FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed plans to launch an expanded 24-team Club World Cup in 2021 following a meeting in Miami. − The new tournament is to be staged in June-July 2021 instead of the Confederations Cup. • Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas beat his world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton to clinch the season- opening Australian Formula One Grand Prix. • 2019 (badminton): − Men’s Singles: Shi Yuqi (China) [He defeated India's Sai Praneeth] − Women’s Singles: (China) − Men’s Doubles: and Muhammad Rian Ardianto (Indonesia) − Women’s Doubles: Chang Ye-na and Jung Kyung-eun (South Korea) − Mixed Doubles: Mathias Bay-Smidt and Rikke Soby Hansen (Denmark) • Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu defeated world number four Angelique Kerber to win the BNP Paribas Open and clinch her 1st career title in Indian Wells. • Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has paid Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) approximately $1.6 million (₹11 crore) as compensation after losing the case it filed against the Indian board. • Indian Premier League (IPL) will take place entirely in India in a Lok Sabha election year for the first time. • India have lost the hosting rights of the Junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup after Pakistan closed its airspace in the aftermath of Balakot air strikes. − Both the competitions will now be held in Bangkok, Thailand. • Organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics unveiled a cherry-blossom shaped torch for the Games as the city prepares for the famed flower season to begin in coming days. − Fukushima was chosen as the starting point for the Olympic torch relay. − Japan has dubbed the 2020 Games the "Reconstruction Olympics" and wants to showcase recovery in regions devastated by the disaster.

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• Young Indian shuttlers Lakshya Sen (76th) and Riya Mookerjee (94th) broke into the top-100 among Men’s and Women’s singles players in the latest World Badminton Rankings. − Japan's is leading the men's chart while Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu Ying is topping the women's singles list. • Sheik Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi will host the T10 League for the next 5 years, starting with the 2019 season. • India has clinched the SAFF Women's Championship (football) for the 5th time in a row, defeating hosts Nepal in the final at Biratnagar. • India won 368 medals (85 Gold, 154 Silver & 129 Bronze) at the Special Olympics World Summer Games, which was held at UAE's Abu Dhabi from March 14 to 21. − The next Special Olympic Games are set to take place in Sweden in 2021. • The International Cricket Council (ICC) has allowed Test-playing nations to have the players sport their names and numbers on their jerseys. − The change will be introduced on August 1 for the World Test Championship. • The Indian Premier League 2019 also known as IPL 12, started in March 23. − The money which was due to be spent in the opening ceremony was donated to the martyred jawans in the recent Pulwama attacks. • RCB captain Virat Kohli became the 1st batsman to score 5,000 runs for one team in Indian Premier League (IPL), achieving the feat during his 32-ball 46-run innings against Mumbai Indians. − He is the fastest batsman to reach the 5,000-run mark (157 innings) and second batsman after Chennai Super Kings batsman Suresh Raina to achieve the feat. • The Committee of Administrators, COA running Indian cricket has said that the newly appointed ombudsman by the BCCI, Justice (Retd.) DK Jain will also be its ad-hoc Ethics Officer. • Indian sport shooter Manu Bhaker won a Gold medal in the women's 10-metre Air Pistol event in the 12th Asian Airgun Championships in Taoyuan.

Report • According to a recent report released by the World Bank, only 6 countries give women and men equal legal work rights. − They are: Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg, Sweden − These 6 countries scored 100% in equality, whereas India scored 71.25%. • According to data released by IQAir AirVisual and Greenpeace, 7 of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world are in India. − Top 5: Gurugram (India), (India), Faisalabad (Pakistan), Faridabad (India), and Bhiwadi (India). • According to data compiled by Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India's unemployment rate rose to 7.2% in February, up from 5.9% in February 2018. • The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey, NARSS 2018-19 has found that 96.5 per cent of the households in rural India have access to a toilet. − The survey was conducted by an Independent Verification Agency under the World Bank support project to the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen). • With $50 billion wealth, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani jumped six positions to rank 13th on Forbes World's Billionaires list 2019. − America's 21-year-old Kylie Jenner has become the youngest-ever self-made billionaire overtaking Facebook Co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, who was 23 when he took the title. − Top 5: Jeff Bezos and family (U.S.), Bill Gates (U.S.), Warren Buffett (U.S.), Bernard Arnault & family (France), and Carlos Slim Helu & family (Mexico). CSB, Ch-17, Ph: 044-24333346 GA/March’19/Page-24

• 3 Jharkhand districts Chatra, Sahibganj and Hazaribagh have topped in the ranking of aspirational districts by Niti Aayog for the December 2018-January 2019 period. • Indian lender HDFC Bank Limited (Housing Development Finance Corporation) crossed the ₹ 6 lakh crore market capitalization marks for the 1st time. − With this, the bank has become only 3rd Indian company to achieve the milestone. − Other two are: Reliance Industries (With market value of ₹ 8.50 lakh crore), TCS (With market value of ₹ 7.50 lakh crore). • India, which is the world’s largest consumer of gold, ranked 11th in Gold Holding, according to recently released World Gold Council (WGC) Report 2019. − Top 5: US, Germany, IMF, Italy, France • The World Economic Forum (WEF) announced the 2019 Young Global Leaders list, which included 127 individuals from across the globe. − Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, Xiaomi India head Manu Kumar Jain, Telangana government’s Chief Innovation Officer Phanindra Sama, SaveLife Foundation’s Piyush Tewari and Kaleidofin’s co-Founder Sucharita Mukherjee are the Indians featuring in the list of Young Global Leaders 2019. • Global consulting firm Mercer has released its Annual quality of living survey in which 231 cities across the globe were ranked based on factors such as healthcare, education, public services, recreation, crime, housing and personal freedom. − Top 5: Vienna (Austria), Zurich (Switzerland), Vancouver (Canada), Munich (Germany), Auckland (New Zealand) − Top 3 Indian Cities: Chennai (105), Bengaluru (149), Mumbai (154). • Singapore, Paris and Hong Kong share the title of the world's most expensive city, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Worldwide Cost of Living Survey. − Switzerland's Zurich and Geneva and Japan's Osaka are also among top five most expensive cities. − According to the report, India's Bengaluru, Chennai and New Delhi are among the 10 cheapest locations surveyed. • India has been ranked 140 out of 156 countries in the United Nations' World Happiness Report 2019, dropping 7 positions from last year. − Top 5: Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Netherlands. − Bottom 5: Rwanda (152), Tanzania (153), Afghanistan (154), Cen African Rep (155), South Sudan (156) • Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Dr Harsh Vardhan are among the 7 Indians who have been named in the 'World's 100 Most Influential People in Climate Policy for 2019' for taking steps in order to combat climate change. − The list was published by Apolitical, a global network for government helping public servants find the ideas, people and partners they need to solve the hardest challenges. − Other Indians in the list are: Mukta Tilak, Jyoti Kirit Parikh, Sunita Narain , Vandana Shiva, Upendra Tripathi. • India has moved up two places to rank 76th on WEF Global Energy Transition index 2019. − Sweden remains on the top on this annual list and is followed by Switzerland and Norway in the top three. • The Hinduja family has topped the Asian Rich List 2019 for the 6th successive year with £25.2 billion (over ₹2.3 lakh crore) wealth. − Steel magnates Lakshmi Mittal and his son Aditya Mittal were ranked 2nd with £11.2 billion (over ₹1 lakh crore) wealth. − Petrochemicals billionaire S P Lohia was ranked 3rd with £5.8 billion (over ₹53,000 crore) wealth. CSB, Ch-17, Ph: 044-24333346 GA/March’19/Page-25

National Parties/Regional Parties • Ex-Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Jay Panda has been appointed as the National Vice-President and Spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). • The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen "Modi Hai to Mumkin Hai" as its slogan for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced. • Former IAS officer Shah Faesal, who became the 1st IAS topper from J&K in 2009, has launched a political party named 'Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Movement' at a function in Srinagar.

General - National Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared 'April 2019-March 2020' as Construction-Technology year and stressed on use of advanced technology to meet the increasing demand of housing in the country caused by rapid urbanization. • The Geological Survey of India (GSI) launched 22 permanent global positioning system (GPS) stations across India to identify seismically hazardous zones and encourage mapping activities. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Chennai Central railway station will be renamed after AIADMK founder and former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran. • Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri launched e-Dharti app where all the three modules- Conversion, Substitution and Mutation related to properties have been made online.

− The payment system in Land and Development Office, L&DO has also been completely digitized. • The new visa agreement between Maldives and India has come into force from March 11. • The Marayoor jaggery, the traditional and handmade product from Idukki district, Kerala, has finally received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from central government. • Employees wouldn't require to file employee provident fund transfer claims on changing their jobs from the next fiscal as the process would be made automated. • The 34th edition of Aahar - the International Food and Hospitality Fair commenced in New Delhi. − The 5-day fair, organized by India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO). • The Indian Embassy in Nepal announced 200 scholarships to meritorious Nepali students for continuing various undergraduate courses at colleges and universities. − The Golden Jubilee Scholarship scheme was initiated by the Indian Government in 2002 to mark the completion of 50 years of India-Nepal Economic Cooperation. • For the 1st time in the arecanut sector, ‘Sirsi Supari’ grown in Uttara has received the Geographic Indication (GI) tag. It is cultivated in Yellapura, Siddapura and Sirsi taluks. − Erode Turmeric has also received GI tag from the Geographical Indication Registry after a long and cumbersome process which lasted for about 8 years. • Ministry of Corporate Affairs has released National Guidelines on responsible business conduct. − These guidelines urge businesses to actualize the principles in letter and spirit. − The Ministry has revised the National Voluntary Guidelines on Social, Environmental and Economic Responsibilities of Business, 2011 and formulated the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct. • International workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure was held in New Delhi. • Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai has overtaken China's largest coach manufacturing unit to become the largest rail coach maker in the world. − From April 2018 to February 2019, ICF manufactured 2,919 coaches, while the biggest Chinese firm produces around 2,600 coaches/year.

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• Barely a year after the discovery of the world’s longest sandstone cave Krem Puri in Mawsynram region of Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district, now a cave with the deepest shaft in the country has been discovered. − India's deepest shaft cave Krem Um Ladaw has been discovered in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district. − The discovery was made during the 28th edition of the annual ‘Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Expedition’ that took place between February 3 and 28. • The Home Ministry announced that the next Census of India will be carried out in 2021 with March 1 as the reference date. • India has become the 1st country in the world to have a Blockchain-based Marketplace App for Coffee trading. − Launched by the Coffee Board of India and developed by Eka Software, the platform aims to "premium-ise" coffee, add "bean-to-cup traceability" and cut the role of middlemen.

General - International • Thailand's military-appointed Parliament has unanimously passed a controversial cybersecurity law that will enable surveillance of its citizens. − It could enable internet traffic monitoring and access to private data without a court order. • The UN Security Council has designated Hamza bin Laden (slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin

Laden's son) under its sanctions list and described him as the "most probable successor" of the terror group's current leader Aiman al-Zawahiri. • French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announced that the country is planning to levy 3% digital tax on about 30 Internet giants including Google to ensure "fiscal justice". • The UK has announced £2 million in aid support and established a new taskforce as part of a global campaign to end 'period poverty' to help all women and girls access sanitary products by 2030 and to tackle the stigma around menstruation. • Pakistan's Interior Ministry officially banned 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa and its charity wing Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. • Malaysia has become a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), in a boost for the beleaguered institution at a time it faces growing criticism. • The lower house of the Russian parliament has passed bills banning the disrespect of government or state officials and the spread of fake news. − Disrespecting the authorities, including President Vladimir Putin, and state symbols will carry a fine of up to 300,000 rubles and 15 days in jail for repeat offenders. • Italy bans unvaccinated children from school. • Venezuela's parliament declared a 'state of alarm' as the power outage entered its fifth day. − Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has blamed the US for the blackout, claiming it attacked its main hydroelectric plant in Guri. • The United States has begun building parts for a new ground-launched cruise missile after suspending the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. • China has again blocked the bid to designate Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed Chief Azhar Masood as a global terrorist in the United Nations Security Council 1267 list. − The proposal was moved by France the UK and the US on February 27, on the backdrop of Pulwama Terror Attack. • The UK's Parliament members have voted by 312 to 308 to reject the idea of Britain leaving the European Union (EU) without a deal.

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• The Cabinet approved the proposal for India’s Accession to the Nice, Vienna and Locarno Agreements, that would harmonise the classification systems for examination of trademark and design applications, in line with the systems followed globally. • France has decided to freeze all assets of Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, JeM chief Masood Azhar, in application of the country's Monetary and Financial Code. • Sweden's 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, who encouraged students to skip school and protest for faster action on climate change, has been nominated by Norwegian lawmakers for the Nobel Peace Prize. − The #FridaysForFuture movement went viral and spread over 80 countries. • Two of Germany's largest lenders, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank have begun government- backed discussions on a potential merger. • Hong Kong has set aside $79 billion (half its fiscal reserves) to build several Artificial Islands by 2032. • Kazakhstan's Parliament has voted to rename the country's capital Astana as 'Nursultan', in honour of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev. • New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced an immediate ban on the sale of Assault Rifles and Semi-Automatics nearly a week after the terror attack on mosques in Christchurch that killed 50 people. • France has approached the European Union to designate Masood Azhar as a terrorist. • The United Arab Emirates (UAE) projected Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand Prime Minister)'s image on the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest structure in Dubai, in thanks for her response to last week’s mosque shootings. • Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena handed over a proposal seeking to declare the Theravada Tripitaka, the sacred ure of Buddhists, as a UNESCO World Heritage. • Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated the country's 1st Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system with the aim of easing the traffic congestion in the capital . • The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) backed by the US has defeated the Daesh [ISIS] by capturing the final shred of the territory of Baghouz in Syria. • Norway's capital Oslo will become the world's first city to install wireless induction-based fast- charging systems for electric taxis. • Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan announced that he has authorized $1 billion to build part of the wall sought by President Donald Trump along the US-Mexico border. The amount will go towards building 92 km of 18-foot fencing, improving roads and other measures along the border. • European Parliament adopted controversial copyright reforms championed by news publishers and the media business. Under the reform, European law for the first time would hold platforms legally responsible for enforcing copyright, requiring them to check everything that their users post to prevent infringement. • Pakistan government has approved a proposal to establish a corridor which would allow Hindu pilgrims from India to visit Sharda Peeth in the region of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). • The UN Security Council has unanimously passed the 1st-ever resolution ordering members to enforce laws against terror financing. • Brunei is going to impose Death by stoning as a punishment for gay relationships and adultery under the new sharia law. • The European Parliament has voted for an EU-wide ban on single-use plastic products such as the straws, cutlery and cotton buds that are clogging the world’s oceans.

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Books and Authors • Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot launched the 2nd Edition of Indian Sign Language (ISL) Dictionary in New Delhi. − The dictionary is brought out by Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. • Finance Minister Arun Jaitley released a book titled, 'Mann Ki Baat - A Social Revolution on Radio' in New Delhi. - - × - - TO THE POINTS: MARCH–2019

• Zero Discrimination Day was observed on March 1 every year. Theme - Act to change laws that Discriminate. • World Civil Defence Day was celebrated every year on March 1. Theme - Children's safety, our responsibility. • Assam Government launched a scheme to for making former militants explore self employment avenues. • DBS Bank, foreign bank to operate as wholly-owned subsidiary in India from March 1. • Reserve Bank of India and Bank of Japan have signed a Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA). • Rising India Summit 2019 held in New Delhi. • Indian sports person Deepak Singh is related to Boxing. • Union Minister for Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated new Permanent Campus of Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) in Puthuvype, Kerala. • Shweta Umre from Maharashtra won the 1st position in National Youth Parliament Festival 2019award,presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. • Sanath Jayasuriya has been banned from all forms of cricket for 2 years after admitting breaching two counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.He belongs to Sri lanka. • Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), has launched its own payment aggregator system called “IRCTC iPay”. • West Bengal government inaugurated a web portal, ‘Banglar Shiksha’, which is set to provide real- time data on state-run and aided schools. • Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the 'Titanwala Museum' in Rajasthan. • The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) revised gross domestic product (GDP) estimate for 2018-19 to 7 per cent is at a higher base. • Punjab National Bank has been ranked first among public sector banks in the implementation of ‘reforms agenda’. • Pranay Kumar Verma has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Vietnam. • Ravneet Gill took charge as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of YES Bank for a three-year term. • International Digital Health Symposium’ Inaugurated in New Delhi. • Bengaluru-based Signalchip launched India’s first semiconductor chips for 4G LTE and 5G NR modems. • Software firm Adobe has partnered with Niti Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to collaborate on enhancing digital literacy and creativity skills.

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• India and Brunei signed an agreement for exchange of information in tax matters to curb tax evasion and tax avoidance. • Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was released a book titled, ‘Mann Ki Baat – A Social Revolution on Radio’ in New Delhi. • ‘World Wild Life Day 2019’ was observed on 3 March. Theme – Life below water: for people and planet. • World Hearing Day was globally observed on 3rd March. • PM Narendra Modi flagged off the Madurai-Chennai Egmore Tejas Express, the fastest train running between the two cities. • The Delhi Cabinet has approved a proposal to add 1,000 low-floor AC electric buses to the capital’s public transport fleet. • According to the Moody's report, Indian economy expected to grow at 7.3% in 2019-20. • Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a New Greenfield Airport at Hirasar in Rajkot, Gujarat at an estimated cost of Rs. 1405 crore. • was awarded with the first AB Vajpayee Life Time Award. • Veteran Marathi writer and poet Vasant Abaji Dahake has been honoured with the prestigious

'Janasthan' award. • The 7th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Intersessional Ministerial Meeting was organized in Siem Reap, Cambodia. • Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Summit on Innovation and Governance held in New Delhi. • Khelo India, the mobile application launched by PM Narendra Modi in order to create awareness about sports and fitness in the country. • Ex-Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia appointed as non-executive chairman of Bank of Baroda. • Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi has been been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to New Zealand. • IDBI Bank has appointed Hemant Bhargava as non-executive, non-whole time chairman. • Veteran author Nayantara Sahgal launched new novel The Fate Of Butterflies. • National Safety Day was celebrated in India on 4th March by the National Safety Council of India. Theme - Cultivate and sustain a safety culture for building nation. • Assam launched ‘Rice Knowledge Park’ under Agri-business and Rural Transformation (APART). • IDBI Bank has recently received nod to handle import, exports transactions with Iran. • Former Finance Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha took charge as Member of the 15th Finance Commission. • Bhagwan Lal Sahni has been appointed as Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes. • TVS Motor Company bagged the ‘Green Era Award for Sustainability’ at Lisbon in Portugal. • Indian Bank has bagged the Best Bank Award from the Tamil Nadu government for meeting the needs of women's self-help groups (SHGs). • 'Mainamati Maitree Exercise 2019 held in Tripura. • South African spinner Imran Tahir has announced that he will quit ODI cricket after the ICC World Cup 2019.

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• India’s food processing ministry is working on a new scheme – Gram Samridhi Yojana to bolster the unorganized food processing sector concentrated in rural areas. • Environment Minister launched Anthem on ‘plastic-free India’ in seven languages. The seven languages – Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Malyalam and Kannada. • Prayagraj Kumbh Mela makes it to the Guinness World Records. • Hailakandi District in Assam became the top aspirational district. • Haryana government announced Mukhyamantri Parivar Samman Nidhi Yojana 2019. • Karnataka launched ‘Jal Amrutha’ scheme in Bengaluru. • Reserve Bank of India has slapped a fine of Rs.1 crore on the Yes bank for non-compliance of directions on Swift messaging software. • State-owned Bank of Baroda cut benchmark lending rate by 0.1 percentage points across all tenors up to one year. • Sebi board approves lowering of fees for brokers, exchanges. Present chairman of SEBI – Ajay Tyagi. • World Bank to provide 250 Million dollar for the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) to help women in rural households develop viable enterprises for farm and non-farm

products. • Abhinandhan Varthaman will be the first recipient of the ‘Bhagwan Mahavir Ahimsa Puraskar’. • Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy is the joint winner of the 2019 Missile Systems Award given by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the US. • Kylie Jenner becomes world's youngest self-made billionaire. • Alastair Cook receives knighthood from Elizabeth II, the Queen of England at the Buckingham Palace, London, England. • Bharti AXA General Insurance, general insurance company wins 'Assocham Non-Life Insurer of the Year Award'. • Tata Steel has been recognised as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, USA. • Sanjeev Ranjan has been named secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). • Anil Kumble was reappointed as ICC Cricket Committee chairman. • The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will provide a loan of USD 455 million to finance the Rural Roads Project in Andhra Pradesh. • India signs deal with Russian firm to produce 7.5 lakh AK-203 rifles. • The third edition of the bilateral joint exercise between India and Oman, Al Nagah 2019 was held in Jabel Al Akhdar Mountains in Oman. • The government introduced a Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) scheme to boost agriculture exports of farm commodities. • Maheshsharma Inaugurated ‘Azaadi Ke Diwane’ Museum at Red Fort in Delhi. • A defence public sector undertaking, presented SWAGAT – the Automatic Fare Collection Gating System is launched by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). • Janaushadhi Diwas was celebrated across the country on March 7.

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• The Centre has transferred the first instalment of two thousand rupees each to over two crore farmers so far under the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme. • The National Green Tribunal slapped a fine of 500 Crore rupees on German auto major Volkswagen for damaging the environment using cheat device in its diesel cars in India. • Malaysia recently has become a member of the International Criminal Court. • Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has launched a common mobility app named ‘One Delhi’ that provides information on public transport systems including buses and the metro. • Tripura government announced ‘Notun Disha’ (New Direction) for assessing the academic level of students in classes III-VIII and then improving their current level. • Chennai Central station to be named after MG Ramachandran, former Chief Minister of the state. • Ancient tribal language Gondi will be taught in tribal districts of Madhya Pradesh. • State Bank of India and Hitachi Payment Services Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd launched their merchant-acquiring joint venture, SBI Payment Services Pvt Ltd (SBIPSPL), in Mumbai, for establishing a digital payments platform for India and other countries in the region. • Indore bagged award for cleanest city for third straight year in Swachh Survekshan 2019. • Google unveiled speech-based ‘Bolo’ app aimed at rural children, to teach them how to read in

English and Hindi. • Kamlesh Patel is the author of recently released book ‘Designing Destiny: The Heartfulness Way’. • Distinguished scientist Ajit Kumar Mohanty has been appointed as Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). • Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah has been re-elected as president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) for an eighth term. • Kaja Kallas appointed as the first female prime minister of Estonia. • The Government of India, the State Government of Chhattisgarh and the World Bank signed $25.2 Million Loan Agreement to support the State’s Reforms in Expenditure Management. • Famous sports person of India Manpreet Singh is related with Hockey. • International Women’s Day was celebrated every year on 8 March. Theme - Think equal, build smart, innovate for change. • The Finance Ministry has announced the rollout of a new Rs. 20 coin shaped like a “dodecagon”, a 12-edged polygon. • Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri launched e-Dharti app where all the three modules- Conversion, Substitution and Mutation related to properties have been made online. • Japan temple has unveiled a robotic avatar of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Kannon. • Ausaf Sayeed appointed as new Ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia. • Padma Lakshmi, Indian-American television personality and food expert who has been appointed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as its newest Goodwill Ambassador. • Kiru Hydro Electric Project is going to come up in Jammu and Kashmir. • Home Minister inaugurated BOLD-QIT (Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique) project in Assam. • Odisha launched the scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Karigar Sahayata’ for financial assistance to craftsmen.

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• United Bank of India has signed a bancassurance deal with private life insurer HDFC Life Insurance Company. • Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and National Health Agency (NHA) will set up a joint working group for better implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). • A 12-day long advanced aerial combat training exercise Red Flag 2019 has started in USA. • Arata Isozaki, prominent Japanese architect renowned for his versatility and transnational approach to design, has won his field’s highest accolade, the Pritzker Architecture Prize. • According to a recent report released by UK, India offers world's cheapest mobile data packs. • West Bengal government launches Yuvashree Arpan under which 50,000 youths will receive financial assistance of Rs. 1 lakh for setting up an their own business initiatives. • Uttarakhand launched a scheme named “Mukhyamantri Anchal Amrit Yojana” for providing free milk to childrens of Anganwadi Centers. • The Maharashtra government has launched the “Atal Aahar Yojana” for construction workers in the state that will provide good quality and hygienic food to construction workers at a highly subsidised rate. • White Labelled ATM allowed to get Source cash directly from RBI. • State Bank of India will soon sign up with the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Transactions’ (SWIFT) Global Payment Interface (GPI) which is set to make cross-border transactions much more secure and transparent. • The Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar has won the 2018 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) award as the leading airport in size and region. • Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan has been chosen for the ‘Yashwantrao Chavan National Award 2018’ for his contribution towards economic development. • According to Knight Frank report – Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, is the 16th most expensive prime residential market in the world. Globally Monaco topped the list. • Anne McClain and Christina Koch, two women astronauts who are scheduled to carry out the first ever all female spacewalk in history on March 29. • Kummanam Rajasekharan, Mizoram governor who has resigned from his post recently. • Soumya Swaminathan has been appointed as the Chief Scientist of the World Health Organisation (WHO). • Subhash Chandra Garg has been appointed as Finance Secretary. • India and ADB sign 26 million dollar loan pact for improving drainage infrastructure in Dibrugarh. • Export-Import Bank of Korea has come forward to extend a loan of Rs. 4,100 crore for the rail project. • Ministries of WCD & Skill Development sign MoU to improve women livelihood. Maneka Gandhi is the current Women and Child Development Ministry. • India Signs USD 3 Billion Deal with Russia to Lease Nuclear Submarine. • P. Iniyan, 16 year old boy who becomes India's 61st Grandmaster. • Pioneer Olympian Daniel Rudhisa Passed away. He belongs to Kenya. • India and Germany signed MOU in Occupational Safety and Health.

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• Virendra Kataria, Governor of Puducherry and former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief, who passed away at the age of 88 years. • National Immunization Day 2019 was observed on March 10th. • 50th Raising Day celebrations of Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF), were held at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. • Kane Tanaka, Japanese women who been honored by the Guinness World Records as the oldest living person in the world. • Marayoor Jaggery, traditional and homemade product manufactured at Marayoor, a place in Idukki district of Kerala, that has bagged Geographical Indication tag. • Country’s first oil museum to come up in Guwahati. • National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation to be set up at Madhya Pradesh. • State Bank of India is going to use the repo rate of RBI as a benchmark to set the savings deposit interest rates and interest rates for short-term loans from May 01, 2019. • Alok Srivastava has been apppointed as the head to committee on Comprehensive Insurance Scheme for Advocates. • Acko General Insurance Limited is the General Insurance Company that has won the Golden

Peacock Innovative Product/Services Award – 2019 under the Insurance Category. • Journalist Priyanka gets Chameli Devi Jain award. She works for BBC channel. • ‘Web Wonder Women’ contest was held in New Delhi. • India bags 1st prize at the international ‘Golden City Gate Tourism Awards 2019’ in ‘TV cinema spot’ category. • ChinaSat 6C, new communications satellite launched by China marking 300th mission. • Ashu Khullar appointed as CEO of Citi Bank. • Mohammad Shtayyeh named as Prime Minister of Palestine. • The book titled ‘Gauri- The Urge to Fly’ authored by Rhythm Wagholikar is set to release on May 12 on the occasion of the Mother’s Day. • HP India has signed an MoU with Andhra Pradesh to build a Center of Excellence (CoE) for additive manufacturing powered by HP’s 3D printing technology. • According to Monster Salary Index Women in India earn 19% less than men. • MOHUA Hardeep Puri launched Indian Urban Observatory and Video wall at New Delhi. • SOV is the digital currency that is going to be launched by Marshall Islands. • Punjab National Bank sanctions loans worth Rs. 689 crore to 1,600 MSMEs via 59-minute loan portal. • Madhya Pradesh government issues ordinance to give 27% quota to OBCs. • Jammu and Kashmir decided to give monthly stipend and jobs for those who Shun militancy. • Mohanlal, Famous Malayalam actor who was confered with . • Harika Dronavalli is related to Chess. • NERO, the device that is going to be developed by The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT- M), to generate potable water from atmospheric air. • IIT Kharagpur created an mobile app to detect fake currency notes.

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• New Delhi hosted the 34th edition of AAHAR - International Food and Hospitality fair. • Anup Kumar Dubey and were appointed as special directors in the Enforcement Directorate. • Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as coach of Real Madrid. • Finland’s entire government has resigned after it failed to reform the country's healthcare system, one of its key policies. • According to SIPRI Report Saudi Arabia become the largest importer of arms in the world. • Famous personality Kelly Catlin passed away. He belongs to Cyclist. • The new visa agreement between Maldives and India has come into force. • India’s first LGBTQ clinic and HIV treatment centre inaugurated in Mumbai. • Delhi Government established high-level committee to reform higher education. Jasmine Shah would be chaired the committee. • Bank of Baroda has become one of the first public sector banks to launch a crèche/child daycare facility for children of its employees. • A K Misra was appointed as new ASRB chief.

• Private sector lender Axis Bank has appointed Rakesh Makhija as its non-executive chairman for a term of 3 years. • C Lalsawta was sworn in as Mizoram’s first Lokayukta chairman. • India, which is the world’s largest consumer of gold, has the 11th largest gold reserve, with the current holding pegged at 607 tonnes, as per the latest report by the World Gold Council (WGC). • Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has partnered with Microsoft to use the platform Project Sangam on its Swachh Bharat e-Learning Portal. • The Japanese government announced a donation of some Rs. 22 lakh ($31,800) to the Rabindra Bharati Museum, in a bid to strengthen historical and cultural ties with India. • Bangalore is going to host the 4th Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress 2019. • Kento Momota becomes the 1st Japanese man to win title in All England Badminton Championships. • Dipa Karmakar was selected as Barbie role model. • Every year second Wednesday of March was observed as No Smoking Day. • World Kidney Day was observed around the globe on March 15. • The 22nd annual International Day of Action for Rivers will take place on March 14, 2019. Theme - Celebration of the role of women in protecting and managing our rivers. • Corporation Bank celebrates 114th Foundation Day on March 12. • Arecanut gets its first GI tag for ‘Sirsi Supari’. The ‘Sirsi Supari’ is majorly grown in Karnataka. • India and the United States have committed to strengthen bilateral security and civil nuclear cooperation, including the establishment of six US nuclear power plants in India. • HDFC Bank crossed the Rs.6 trillion market capitalization for the first time, making it only the country's third firm to achieve the milestone. • State Bank of India has launched ‘Doorstep Banking’ for senior citizen customers over 70 years of age.

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• Sona Yukti has been conferred with the social enterprise network (SEN) sustainability award for education. • has been selected for prestigious "Kusumagraj" national award for literature. • India extends $250 mn dollar to Nepal for reconstruction of infrastructures post earthquake. • Google has stopped all the services of its messaging app ‘Allo’ from March 12, 2019 and shut down the app. • As a part of US-India security partnership, a special force of the US military forces and the Indian National Security Guard (NSG) involved in a joint exercise in Hyderabad. • Abu Dhabi is hosting the Special Olympics World Games 2019. • Every year 15 March was observed as World Consumer Rights Day. • 12 Indian States have banned Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS). • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has re-categorized IDBI Bank as a private sector lender. • Paytm Payments Bank launches dedicated mobile banking app recently. • Bank of India has raised Rs. 660.80 crore by issuing shares to employees under Employee Share Purchase Scheme (ESPS).

• RBI going to infuse $5 billion as long term liquidity into the system through Foreign Exchange swap arrangement with banks for 3 years. • The World Economic Forum has recognized six Indians in its 2019 list of the Forum of Young Global Leaders. • M R Kumar was appointed as the new Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). He will hold the post of the LIC Chairman for five years. • SC appoints PS Narasimha as mediator to resolve disputes of admin in BCCI. • Godaddy partners with ICC as official sponsor for Cricket World Cup 2019. • Indo-Bangladesh joint military exercise ‘Sampriti-2019’ has started in Tangail, Bangladesh. • India was ranked 16th in the world in terms of highest number of impacted species in biodiversity- rich zones (hotspots) due to human actions. • Trophy is related Cricket. • World Sleep Day is held the Friday before Spring Vernal Equinox of each year. Theme - Healthy Sleep, Healthy Aging. • Gandhinagar is hosting Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2019. • Geographical Indications Registry has granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Coorg Arabica Coffee which is grown specifically in Karnataka. • Idai, the Tropical Cyclone that hits Mozambique recently. • Karur Vysya Bank raises Rs. 487 crore through private placement of Tier II bonds. • Bajaj Finserv Chairman and Non-Executive Director Rahul Bajaj has resigned and will take over as the Chairman Emeritus from May. • Kent RO, water puryfying company received the Best Domestic Water Purifier Award 2019. • Power Finance Corporation to lend Rs. 30,000 crore to Telangana irrigation schemes. • India – Africa Joint Field Training Exercise AFINDEX-19 to be held in Pune.

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• The Austria capital Vienna topped the ranking for the 10th year in a row for having the highest quality of living. • Aviva Life Insurance launched Wings to empower women at the workplace. • Amitabh Kant will head the National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage. • Indian Athlet Kamalpreet Kaur is related to Discus Throw. • Duminy to retire from ODIs after ICC World Cup 2019. He plays cricket for South Africa. • India to host U-17 Women's Football World Cup in 2020. • India observes National Immunization Day ( NID ) on 16th March. • Bandhan Bank gets RBI approval for acquisition of Gruh Finance. • The State Bank of India has launched the YONO Cash service for its customers which will allow them to withdraw cash from ATMs without their debit cards. • Swati Shingade was conferred with the DD Mahila Kisan Award for 2018-19. • Arun Jaitley has received Changemaker of the Year Award from ManMohan Singh. • Tata Group listed in the top of Indian brands of 2019 published by Interbrand, part of the Omnicom Media Group.

• Kotak Mahindra Bank has appointed KVS Manian and Gaurang Shah as whole-time directors for a three-year term effective from the date of approval from the Reserve Bank of India. • Santosh Jha was appointed as next ambassador of India to republic of Uzbekistan. • Padmaja has appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Fiji. • Anurag Bhushan was appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Malawi. • Assam topped in the Climate Vulnerability Index released by The Department of Science and Technology (DST). • IIT Roorke collaborates with ISRO to set up Space Technology Cell. • IIT Kharkhpur is getting India's first-of-its-kind supercomputer. • Curitiba hosted the First BRICS Sherpa meeting. • New Delhi hosted the 3rd edition of Namaste Thailand festival. • Vijit, the first Indian Coast Guard ship to visit Indonesia. • National Ordnance Factories Day was observed every year all over India on 18th March. • Global Recycling Day celebrated across the world on March 18th. • Pinaki Chandra Ghose was recommended to be the first Lokpal or anti-corruption ombudsman of India. • i-help, initiative to promote digital electoral literacy, that has been launched in Assam. • ICICI Lombard partners with Mobikiwi wallet company for Cyber Insurance Cover. • Hyundai Motor Group and Kia Motors Corporation announced a strategic partnership to invest 300 million dollars in ride-hailing platform Ola for providing smart mobility solutions. • The Ministry of Human Resource Development has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Afghanistan to work on digital education initiatives.

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• Maldives finance ministry has signed an agreement with India’s Export- Import bank (EXIM) for line of credit (LOC) of 800 million US dollars to finance the new government’s infrastructure projects. • Ola signs MoU with Telangana government to implement smart traffic solutions in Hyderabad. • Pramod Sawant was sworn-in as CM of Goa, two days after Manohar Parrikar passed away after his battle with cancer. • International Day of Happiness is observed every year on 20 March. Theme - Happier Together. • Tata, Indian telecom company announced that it is working with China Telecom Global to launch Internet of Things (IoT) service in the Chinese market. • The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for effective implementation of the new bankruptcy law. • Lakshya Sen is related to Badminton. • Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan President who resigns after nearly 30 years in power. • Gauri Sawant becomes first transgender election ambassador from Maharashtra. • Raghu Karnad wrote the book ‘The Farthest Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War’.

• Karen Uhlenbeck becomes first woman to win Abel Prize for Maths. She belongs to USA. • Mobile Application 'Conquer Exam, Be a Warrior.' developed by IIPH Gandhinagar. • Mi Pay was launched by Xiaomi in India with ICICI Bank. • World Forestry Day of Forests was celebrated every year on March 21 to raise public awareness about the values, significance and contributions of the forests to balance life cycle on the earth. Theme - Learn To Love Forests. • World Down Syndrome Day was observed on 21st March. • Kazakhstan renames its capital to Nursultan after countries ex-President. • Ashis Nandy was honoured with Hans Kilian Award 2019. • Marcelo Gleiser was awarded 2019 Templeton Prize worth $1.4 million for his work on blending science and spirituality. • Leeladhar Jagudi honoured with the Vyas Samman 2018 by the KK Birla Foundation. • ECI appoints Shailendra Handa & Madhu Mahajan as Special Expenditure Observers. • Spice Jet becomes first Indian low- cost airline to join IATA. • Whatsapp partners with NASSCOM to Impart Digital Literacy. • United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was observed annually on 21st March. • On 22 March, World Water Day is observed annually to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Theme - Leaving No One Behind. • Indonesia has hosted the first ever High-Level Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Cooperation (HLD-IPC) in its capital city. • Deutsche Bank is setting up a unit in India to buy and reorganize soured debt as it seeks to profit from an unprecedented bad-loan clean up in the nation with one of the world’s worst non- performing loan ratios.

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• Fitch Ratings cut India’s economic growth forecast for the next financial year starting April 1, to 6.8 per cent from its previous estimate of 7 per cent. • Integral Coach Factory (ICF) becomes largest rail coaches maker in the world. ICF is located at Chennai. • , bollwood actor who was appointed as the Brand Ambassador of financial technology company PhonePe. • Finland has topped a global happiness ranking for the second year in a row. • Asian Development Bank (ADB) has inked an agreement to invest 50 million US dollar in solar energy project developer Avaada Energy Pvt Ltd to help the company scale up rapidly. • Operation Sunrise, military operation carried out by Indian and Myanmar armiesto wipe out insurgent camps who were planning to hit the Indian workers at the Kaladan Transit project. • World Meteorological Day was celebrated on 23rd March every year to attract attention towards weather and climate. Theme – The Sun, the Earth and the Weather. • Every year, March 23rd was observed as ‘Shaheedi Diwas’ in the memories of three freedom fighters – Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. • Educational campus constructed with Government of India’s financial grant of 35.5 million Nepalese rupees was inaugurated in Nepal. • Indian Bank carrying ‘Your Own Bank’ tag. • Aujas Networks Ltd is acquired by NSEIT, the IT-services focused subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange. • Benedict Cumberbatch, actor who signs for MG Motor as India brand ambassador. • Tata Coffee has announced the appointment of Chacko Purackal Thomas as the managing director and chief executive officer. • Tim Stone appointed as CFO of Ford. • Karambir Singh, Vice Admiral who would be the next Chief of Naval Staff. • Shiksha Vani, mobile application that is launched by The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to upload podcast on Class 10, 12 exam evaluation process. • World TB Day was celebrated every year on 24 March annually to commemorate the date when Dr. Robert Koch. Theme – It’s time. • International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims was observed on March 24th. • Project Saamrath, project launched by The Rubber Skill Development Council (RSDC) which is aimed at skilling, upskilling and reskilling 10 lakh personnel involved in the rubber sector, by 2020. • Italy becomes first G7 nation to join China’s ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative. • India’s deepest shaft cave Krem Um Ladaw was discovered recently in Meghalaya. • SBI raises Rs. 1,251.30 crore by issuing Basel III-compliant tier-I bonds. • According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India's foreign exchange (forex) reserves surged to $ 405.638 billion in week to March 15, 2019. • Government extends IGST, compensation cess exemption till March 2020. • was named ‘Sportsperson of The Year’ at the annual Telangana Sports Journalists Association awards function.

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• Peter Tabichi, a maths and physics teacher has won the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019. He belongs to Kneya. • National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is setting up a 25 MW floating solar power plant in its water storage reservoir as part of the company’s efforts to diversify into the solar segment in Simhadri Super Thermal Power Station. • Hongkou has become the world's first district using both 5G coverage and broadband gigabit network as China seeks to establish lead over the US and other countries. • Zuzana Caputova becomes Slovakia’s first female president. • Sankalp, mobile application that is developed by the Bongaigaon district, Assam, administration to particularly reach out to the first-time voters. • A forest guard named Alemba Yimchunger had been conferred with the ‘Earth Day Network Star Award’ by Earth Day Network, an international environmental NGO based in United States. He belongs to Nagaland. • The Peabody Awards board of jurors announced, Rita Moreno receive the 2019 Peabody career achievement award. • ICICI Securities Vijay Chandok appointed as an additional director and as a Managing Director and CEO of the company with effect from May 7, 2019. • Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers became the ‘first Indian shipyard’ to build and deliver 100 warships. • IIT Madras has successfully converted petroleum waste-product toluene into benzoic acid that is used as a food preservative (E210) and medicine for fungal/bacterial infection. - - × - - MODEL QUESTIONS

1. What is the theme of the 2019 National Science Day (NSD)? (1) Science for the People and the People for Science (2) Science for Nation Building (3) Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future (4) Science and Technology for Specially-Abled Persons (5) None of these

2. What is the theme of the 2019 Zero Discrimination Day (ZDD)? (1) Live Up (2) Speak loud for justice (3) Act to change laws that Discriminate (4) A society free of discrimination (5) None of these

3. What is the theme of the 2019 International Women’s Day (IWD)? (1) Women in the Changing World of Work (2) Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change (3) Equality for Women is Progress for All (4) Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality (5) None of these

4. What is the theme of 2019 World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD)? (1) Building a digital world consumers can trust (2) Consumer Justice Now! (3) Trusted Smart Products (4) Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer (5) None of these CSB, Ch-17, Ph: 044-24333346 GA-MCQ/March’19/Page-40

5. What is the theme of the 2019 World Sparrow Day (WSD)? (1) Save Sparrows (2) Protect House Sparrows (3) I Love Sparrows (4) Sparrows: Heroes of the Environment (5) None of these

6. What is the theme of the 2019 International Day of Forests? (1) Forests and Energy (2) Forests and Education (3) Forests and Sustainable Cities (4) Forests and Life (5) None of these

7. What is the theme of the 2019 World Water Day (WWD)? (1) Leaving no one behind (2) Nature for Water (3) Water for All (4) Better Water, Better Jobs (5) None of these

8. What is the theme of the 2019 World Meteorological Day (WMD)? (1) Hotter, drier, wetter (2) The Sun, the Earth and the weather (3) Understanding Clouds (4) Climate Ready, Climate-Smart (5) None of these

9. What is the theme of the 2019 World Tuberculosis Day (WTD)? (1) Gear up to end TB (2) Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world (3) Unite to End TB (4) It's time (5) None of these

10. On which date, the 2019 World Theatre Day (WTD) is observed recently? (1) March 27 (2) March 25 (3) March 28 (4) March 24 (5) None of these

11. RBI have signed a $75 billion Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) with which country’s central Bank? (1) South Korea (2) Japan (3) Israel (4) Indonesia (5) None of these

12. Which of the following banks has launched doorstep banking service for senior citizens over 70 years of age and differently-abled customers? (1) BoI (2) PNB (3) SBI (4) BoB (5) None of these

13. Which of the following banks has been ranked first among public sector banks in the implementation of reforms agenda, as per latest BCG-IBA report? (1) OBC (2) SBI (3) PNB (4) BoB (5) None of these

14. The Supreme Court has recently pulled up which government to an act which allows construction in Aravalli hills? (1) Gujarat (2) Rajasthan (3) Haryana (4) Punjab (5) None of these

15. Tashigang, which is the world's highest polling station, is located in which of the following Indian states? (1) Jammu & Kashmir (2) Arunachal Pradesh (3) Himachal Pradesh (4) Sikkim (5) None of these

16. Which union ministry has released national guidelines on responsible business conduct? (1) Ministry of Corporate Affairs (2) Ministry of Commerce and Industry (3) Ministry of Textiles (4) Ministry of Finance (5) None of these

17. Which state government has recently banned molasses in the state? (1) Karnataka (2) Assam (3) Manipur (4) Tripura (5) None of these

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18. Which state government has launched Notun Disha initiative to provide training to teachers? (1) Nagaland (2) Tripura (3) AP (4) Mizoram (5) None of these

19. Which state government has decided to teach ancient tribal language Gondi in tribal districts? (1) Rajasthan (2) Madhya Pradesh (3) Jharkhand (4) Bihar (5) None of these

20. Marayoor Jaggery, which recently got the GI Tag, is associated to which of the following states? (1) Kerala (2) Odisha (3) Karnataka (4) Tamil Nadu (5) None of these

21. Which state government has recently approved 27% quota for OBCs? (1) Jharkhand (2) Uttar Pradesh (3) Rajasthan (4) Madhya Pradesh (5) None of these

22. The GRAPES-3 experiment, which is in news recently, is located in which of the following sites of India? (1) Leh (2) Ooty (3) Tawang (4) Udaipur (5) None of these

23. Where is the headquarters of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)? (1) Hyderabad (2) New Delhi (3) Kochi (4) (5) None of these

24. Chagos Islands, sometimes seen in news, is the bone of contention between which of the following countries? (1) UK & Mauritius (2) United States & Indonesia (3) Japan & China (4) South Korea & North Korea (5) None of these

25. Hailakandi district, sometimes seen in news, is located in which of the following states? (1) Himachal Pradesh (2) Jharkhand (3) Assam (4) Odisha (5) None of these

26. Golan Heights, sometimes seen in news, is the disputed region between which of the following countries? (1) Iran & Israel (2) Afghanistan & Pakistan (3) Syria & Israel (4) Iraq & Israel (5) None of these

27. Who has been officially named as the world's oldest living person by Guinness World Records? (1) Kane Tanaka (2) Nabi Tajima (3) Violet Brown (4) Chiyo Miyako (5) None of these

28. Jimmy Carter, who is in news recently, is from which country? (1) Russia (2) France (3) Germany (4) United States (5) None of these

29. Indo-Bangladesh joint military exercise 'Sampriti-2019' has started in which of the following locations? (1) Tangail (2) Hooghly (3) Barguna (4) Sylhet (5) None of these

30. BOLD-QIT project, sometimes seen in news, has launched on which of the following borders of India? (1) China (2) Nepal (3) Pakistan (4) Bangladesh (5) None of these

31. Which Indian defence lab has developed ‘combat drugs’ to reduce casualties in Pulwama type attacks? (1) INMAS, Delhi (2) IRDE, Dehradun (3) DTRL, Delhi (4) DRDL, Hyderabad (5) None of these

32. Which country has become the largest arms importer in 2014–18, as per SIPRI’s latest report 'Trends in International Arms Transfers-2018’? (1) Pakistan (2) India (3) Australia (4) Saudi Arabia (5) None of these

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33. Which of the following ships has become the first-ever Coast Guard ship to visit Indonesia? (1) INS Mhadei (2) INS Sumitra (3) INS Vijit (4) INS Tarini (5) None of these

34. Who is the head of the committee to review cases against tribals in naxal-hit areas of Chhattisgarh? (1) Vishweshwar Bhat (2) Kapil Mishra (3) A K Patnaik (4) Bijal Vachharajani (5) None of these

35. Who is the head of the committee to formulate insurance cover for advocates? (1) Alok Srivastava (2) Tushar Mehta (3) Snehlata Shrivastava (4) Pramod Kumar Misra (5) None of these

36. Who heads the high-level committee of the Delhi government to reform higher education? (1) Ranjana Desai (2) Amit Sagar (3) Injeti Srinivas (4) Jasmine Shah (5) None of these

37. Who is the head of the RBI committee to deepen digital payments? (1) Nandan Nilekani (2) Shaktikanta Das (3) Viral Acharya (4) BP Kanungo (5) None of these

38. Which of the following schemes has been launched by Union HRD ministry for providing industry apprenticeship opportunities? (1) Param (2) Shreyas (3) Pariksha (4) Aditya (5) None of these

39. The Ministry of Textile has launched a programme for developing knitwear sector under which scheme? (1) PowerJet India (2) PowerMax India (3) PowerTex India (4) PowerMat India (5) None of these

40. Vastral, from where PM launched 'Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan (PM-SYM) Yojana' is located in which state? (1) Andhra Pradesh (2) Gujarat (3) Odisha (4) Maharashtra (5) None of these

41. Who is the head of the Joint Working Group (JWG) which is formed by the IRDAI & NHA to curb fraud in Ayushman Bharat scheme? (1) Rajiv Kumar (2) Amitabh Kant (3) Suresh Mathur (4) Dinesh Arora (5) None of these

42. Which state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has launched the Enajori initiative for PwD? (1) Kerala (2) Assam (3) Bihar (4) West Bengal (5) None of these

43. The Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress 2019 is scheduled to be held in which of the following cities? (1) Dehradun (2) Indore (3) Bengaluru (4) New Delhi (5) None of these

44. Which IIT has tied up with ISRO for Space Technology Cell? (1) IIT Kanpur (2) IIT Madras (3) IIT Roorkee (4) IIT Bombay (5) None of these

45. Who led the Indian delegation at the first-ever India-Japan Space Dialogue in New Delhi? (1) Indra Mani Pandey (2) Desh Deepak Verma (3) Vinod Kumar Yadav (4) K. Vijay Raghavan (5) None of these

46. Fitch Ratings has recently cut India’s GDP growth forecast for FY20 from 7.0% to _____? (1) 6.9% (2) 6.8% (3) 6.6% (4) 6.5% (5) None of these

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47. Which tech giant has launched 'Bolo' app to tutor children to read in Hindi & English? (1) Google (2) Microsoft (3) Facebook (4) Infosys (5) None of these

48. Erode turmeric, which recently got GI tag, is associated to which of the following states? (1) Karnataka (2) Tamil Nadu (3) Andhra Pradesh (4) Maharashtra (5) None of these

49. Sirsi Supari, which recently got GI tag, is associated to which of the following states? (1) Himchal Pradesh (2) Karnataka (3) Jammu & Kashmir (4) Andhra Pradesh (5) None of these

50. Beresheet spacecraft, which is in news recently, is from which country? (1) US (2) China (3) Japan (4) Israel (5) None of these

51. Which space agency has decided to carry out first all-female spacewalk at the International Space Station (ISS)? (1) Roscosmos (2) NASA (3) ISRO (4) JAXA (5) None of these

52. Which space observatory has been used by Indian astronomers to identify a new group of stars in the globular cluster NGC 2808? (1) Euclid (2) AstroSat (3) IXPE (4) Athena (5) None of these

53. Through which telescope, astronomers have discovered 83 supermassive black holes 13 billion light-years away from Earth? (1) Spektr-RG (2) Astrosat (3) Subaru (4) Hitomi (5) None of these

54. Soyuz spacecraft, sometimes seen in news, is associated with which country? (1) Japan (2) US (3) France (4) Russia (5) None of these

55. India has successfully tested its first-ever Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) Missile capability under which of the following missions? (1) Mission Avatar (2) Mission Talwar (3) Mission Nisar (4) Mission Shakti (5) None of these

56. Lignocellulosic biomass, sometimes seen in news, is composed of __? (1) Cellulose (2) Hemicellulose (3) Lignin (4) All of the above (5) None of these

57. The researchers at which university in US have developed a new method to purify water used in oil refinement? (1) Stanford University (2) University of Arkansas (3) Clemson University (4) Purdue University (5) None of these

58. The researchers of which IIT have developed AI based disease detector? (1) IIT-Hyderabad (2) IIT-Kharagpur (3) IIT-Delhi (4) IIT-Bombay (5) None of these

59. The researchers of which country have developed a new automated non-invasive technique for diagnosing eye surface cancer? (1) India (2) Australia (3) Japan (4) China (5) None of these

60. Kiru Hydro Electric Project is located on which of the following rivers? (1) Narmada (2) Ganga (3) Kaveri (4) Chenab (5) None of these

61. The researchers of which country have find cost-effective method for hydrogen fuel production? (1) India (2) US (3) Russia (4) France (5) None of these

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62. The 3rd edition of Namaste Thailand Festival (NTF-2019) was held in which of the following cities? (1) Gangtok (2) New Delhi (3) Imphal (4) Agartala (5) None of these

63. Who has been appointed as the new Chairman of National Book Trust (NBT)? (1) Govind Prasad Sharma (2) Mrinal Mitra (3) Jagdish Joshi (4) Suddhasattwa Basu (5) None of these

64. Which Indian-American personality has been appointed as new UNDP Goodwill Ambassador? (1) Kal Penn (2) Alpana Singh (3) Padma Lakshmi (4) Mira Nai (5) None of these

65. Who has been appointed new director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)? (1) Koppillil Radhakrishnan (2) Ajit Kumar Mohanty (3) Satheesh Reddy (4) P S Murthy (5) None of these

66. Who will chair the National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage? (1) Subhash Chandra Garg (2) Rajiv Kumar (3) Amitabh Kant (4) Sanjay Mitra (5) None of these

67. Who has become the first-ever Thari Hindu woman to be elected to the Senate of Pakistan? (1) (2) Krishna Kumari Kohli (3) Ravi Kalpana (4) (5) None of these

68. Which Indian personality has been named Chief Scientist at WHO? (1) Mylswamy Annadurai (2) Subbiah Arunan (3) Moumita Dutta (4) Soumya Swaminathan (5) None of these

69. Who has been appointed as mediator to resolve disputes of cricket administration in BCCI? (1) P S Narasimha (2) A M Spare (3) S A Bobde (4) D K Jain (5) None of these

70. Who has been named as India’s first anti-corruption ombudsman? (1) Rachit Seth (2) Aradhana Rathore (3) P C Ghose (4) Ashwini M Sripad (5) None of these

71. Pramod Sawant, who took charge as new Goa CM, represents which constituency in the Goa Legislative Assembly? (1) Sankhelim (2) Panaji (3) Fatorda (4) Valpoi (5) None of these

72. Who has been appointed as the first transgender election ambassador in India? (1) Laxmi Narayan Tripathi (2) K Prithika Yashini (3) Madhu Bai Kinnar (4) Gauri Sawant (5) None of these

73. Who has been appointed the next Chief of Naval Staff (India)? (1) R. Hari Kumar (2) M S Pawar (3) G (4) Karambir Singh (5) None of these

74. Who has been appointed as the new BCCI's ad-hoc Ethics Officer? (1) Pradeep Kumar (2) D K Jain (3) K T Joshwa (4) Dipak Misra (5) None of these

75. Vinod Kashyap, who passed away recently, was the veteran personality of which field? (1) Science (2) Journalism (3) Sports (4) Law (5) None of these

76. Maate Mahadevi, who passed away recently, was the spiritual head of which of the following communities? (1) Shaktism (2) Vaishnavism (3) Lingayat (4) Smartism (5) None of these

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77. , who passed away recently, was the renowned personality of which field? (1) Journalism (2) Science (3) Art (4) Sports (5) None of these

78. Prafulla Rajguru, the veteran journalist and academician passed away recently. He was from which state? (1) Assam (2) Odisha (3) Jharkhand (4) West Bengal (5) None of these

79. Which of the following cricketers has officially received the knighthood at Buckingham Palace? (1) Andrew Strauss (2) Alastair Cook (3) Kevin Pietersen (4) Andrew Flintoff (5) None of these

80. Who is the recipient of the 2019 META Lifetime Achievement Award? (1) Mahesh Elkunchwar (2) (3) Girish Karnard (4) Arun Kakade (5) None of these

81. Which Indian sportsperson has been selected as Barbie role model? (1) Saina Nehwal (2) Dipa Karmakar (3) (4) (5) None of these

82. Which Indian economist is the recipient of the Yaswantrao Chavan National Award 2018? (1) D. Subbarao (2) Shaktikanta Das (3) Raghuram Rajan (4) Urjit Patel (5) None of these

83. Which Indian entrepreneur has been honored with the 2019 Commonwealth Youth Award for the Asian region? (1) Padmanaban Gopala (2) Brahma Chellaney (3) Ritesh Agarwal (4) Sanjay Kumaran (5) None of these

84. Greta Thunberg, who has been nominated for 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, is an environmental Activist of which country? (1) Italy (2) Sweden (3) Germany (4) France (5) None of these

85. Which former ISRO scientist is the recipient of the 2019 Padma Bhushan? (1) K. Radhakrishnan (2) Nambi Narayanan (3) Tapan Misra (4) Nandini Harinath (5) None of these

86. Which Indian author has won the 2019 Windham Campbell Prize? (1) Rohinton Mistry (2) Jerry Pinto (3) Raghu Karnad (4) Upamanyu Chatterjee (5) None of these

87. Who is the recipient of the 2019 Abel Prize for mathematics? (1) John Nash (2) Karen Uhlenbeck (3) Robert Langlands (4) Jacques Tits (5) None of these

88. Who is the recipient of the 2018 Vyas Samman? (1) Leeladhar Jagudi (2) Surendra Verma (3) Mamta Kalia (4) Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari (5) None of these

89. Who of the following has /have won the 2018 ACM A.M. Turing Award? (1) Yann LeCun (2) Geoffrey Hinton (3) Yoshua Bengio (4) All of the above (5) None of these

90. Which Indian sports organization has won the Best Sports Federation award by ASSOCHAM? (1) All India Tennis Association (2) All India Football Federation (3) National Rifle Association of India (4) Badminton Association of India (5) None of these

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91. Which Indian personality is the recipient of the Oxford University's Bodley Medal 2019? (1) Amartya Sen (2) Raghuram Rajan (3) Manmohan Singh (4) Arvind Subramanian (5) None of these

92. Which Indian sprinter has won the 10 km race of Nepal's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Open Marathon and Run for Fun held in Kathmandu? (1) Shashank Shekhar (2) Anand Shetty (3) Dharambir Singh (4) RD Murgan (5) None of these

93. Who has become the first-ever player to smash 500 sixes in international cricket? (1) Virat Kohli (2) Jos Buttler (3) Chris Gayle (4) Eoin Morgan (5) None of these

94. Which Indian wrestler has clinched gold in 65kg freestyle at the Dan Kolov-Nikol Petrov tournament in Bulgaria? (1) (2) Sandeep Tomar (3) Bajrang Punia (4) Pawan Kumar (5) None of these

95. Kavinder Singh Bisht is associated with which sports? (1) Wrestling (2) Hockey (3) Football (4) Boxing (5) None of these

96. Which country is hosting the 2019 SAFF Women's Championship? (1) Nepal (2) Bangladesh (3) India (4) Sri Lanka (5) None of these

97. Upamanyu Dutta is associated to which of the following sports? (1) Wrestling (2) Carrom (3) Judo (4) Sailing (5) None of these

98. Who won the men’s singles title at the All England Open Badminton Championships 2019? (1) Parupalli Kashyap (2) Kento Momota (3) (4) (5) None of these

99. Which of the following cricket teams has won the 2019 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy? (1) Odisha (2) Maharashtra (3) Uttar Pradesh (4) Karnataka (5) None of these

100. Irfan KT, who recently qualified for 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is associated with which sports? (1) Weightlifting (2) Racing (3) Wrestling (4) Boxing (5) None of these

101. Who has become the youngest Indian woman to win on Ladies European Tour (LET)? (1) Sharmila Nicollet (2) Gursimar Badwal (3) Tvesa Malik (4) Diksha Dagar (5) None of these

102. Which of the following teams has won the Indian Super League (ISL) title? (1) Mumbai City FC (2) FC Goa (3) Bengaluru FC (4) Kerala Blasters (5) None of these

103. Which country’s team has clinched the 2019 SAFF Women's Championship? (1) Myanmar (2) Bhutan (3) India (4) Nepal (5) None of these

104. Who has become the first batsman to score 5,000 runs in IPL history? (1) Virat Kohli (2) Ajinkya Rahane (3) Suresh Raina (4) Rohit Sharma (5) None of these

105. What is the India’s rank in The Facebook Inclusive Internet Index (3i) 2019? (1) 54th (2) 47th (3) 68th (4) 36th (5) None of these

106. Which city has been adjudged cleanest city in Swachh Survekshan 2019? (1) Indore (2) Mysore (3) (4) Ahmedabad (5) None of these

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107. Which of the following cities has topped the Mercer's 2019 Quality of Living Index? (1) Auckland (2) Zurich (3) Vienna (4) Munich (5) None of these

108. Which country has topped the 2018 report on patents filed by members of the WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)? (1) China (2) US (3) Japan (4) India (5) None of these

109. What is the India’s rank in the 2019 WEF global Energy Transition index? (1) 78th (2) 76th (3) 79th (4) 74th (5) None of these

110. The terms NCMC, AFC and SWEEKAR, which were making news recently, are related to which of the following? (1) Insurance (2) Healthcare (3) Mobility (4) Pension (5) None of these

111. Which country is organizing the 34th edition of Aahar 2019 - the International Food and Hospitality Fair? (1) Nepal (2) Japan (3) India (4) South Korea (5) None of these

112. Which country has officially shuttered its consulate in Jerusalem? (1) Russia (2) US (3) Japan (4) China (5) None of these

113. Rome Statute is related to which of the following organizations? (1) International Criminal Court (2) Food and Agriculture Organization (3) UNIDO (4) World Bank (5) None of these

114. Which of the following international organizations has recently adopted resolutions on single-use plastics and sustainable nitrogen management? (1) WHO (2) UNEA (3) UNICEF (4) UNCTAD (5) None of these

115. Which of the following countries has officially renamed its capital as ‘Nursultan’? (1) Kazakhstan (2) Kyrgyzstan (3) Tajikistan (4) Uzbekistan (5) None of these

116. Which international organisation has passed resolution to combat terrorist financing? (1) World Bank (2) ADB (3) UNSC (4) AIIB (5) None of these

117. Who is the author of the book "Designing Destiny: The Heartfulness Way"? (1) Kamlesh Patel (2) Bikram Choudhury (3) Rajashree Choudhury (4) Arunava Sinha (5) None of these

118. Who is the author of the book “The Great Disappointment: How Narendra Modi Squandered a Unique Opportunity to Transform the Indian Economy”? (1) Raghuram Rajan (2) Amartya Sen (3) Jayati Ghosh (4) Salman Anees Soz (5) None of these

119. Who is the author of the book ‘Every Vote Counts-The Story of India’s Elections’? (1) N Gopalaswamy (2) Sunil Arora (3) Navin Chawla (4) B B Tandon (5) None of these

Ans: 1-1, 2-3, 3-2, 4-3, 5-3, 6-2, 7-1, 8-2, 9-4, 10-1,11-2, 12-3, 13-3, 14-3, 15-3, 16-1, 17-2, 18-2, 19-2, 20-1, 21-4, 22-2, 23-2, 24-1, 25-3, 26-3, 27-1, 28-4, 29-1, 30-4, 31-1, 32-4, 33-3, 34-3, 35-1, 36-4, 37-1, 38-2, 39-3, 40-2, 41-4, 42-2, 43-3, 44-3, 45-1, 46-2, 47-1, 48-2, 49-2, 50-4, 51-2, 52-2, 53-3, 54-4, 55-4, 56-4, 57-4, 58-3, 59-2, 60-4, 61-2, 62-2, 63-1, 64-3, 65-2, 66-3, 67-2, 68-4, 69-1, 70-3, 71-1, 72-4, 73-4, 74-2, 75-2, 76-3, 77-3, 78-1, 79-2, 80-1, 81-2, 82-3, 83-1, 84-2, 85-2, 86-3, 87-2, 88-1, 89-4, 90-3, 91-1,92-1, 93-3, 94-3, 95-4, 96-1, 97-4, 98-2, 99-4, 100-2, 101-4, 102-2, 103-3, 104-3, 105-2, 106-1, 107-3, 108-2, 109-2, 110-3,111-3, 112-2, 113-1, 114-2, 115-1, 116-3, 117-1, 118-4, 119-3. - - × - -

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