DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS: 19 – 20 MARCH 2021

NATIONAL AIM, NITI Aayog, AWS announce.12.2018 new initiatives in india  Atal Innovation Mission,.2018 NITI Aayog, and Amazon Web Services announced new initiatives to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India.  This will be done by.11.2018 empowering school students with cloud computing skills, and enabling entrepreneurs to build innovative education technology solutions on the cloud. Insurance Amendment Bill, 2021 passed in Rajya Sabha – FDI limit increased  The Rajya Sabha has passed the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2021.  It seeks to amend the Insurance Act, 1938 which will increase the limit of foreign investment allowed in Indian insurance companies.  The Bill provides to increase the foreign direct investment limit from existing 49 percent to 74 percent.  It also has a provision for removal of restrictions on ownership and control of the insurance companies.  Replying to a discussion, Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman said, that a higher FDI limit of 74 per cent is not a compulsion for every insurance company, as it sets only an upper limit. US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin visit to India  US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin will arrive in India.  During the visit, he will meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and other senior dignitaries of the government to discuss deepening the India US Major Defense Partnership.  Discussions regarding defence cooperation would also focus on how both countries could consolidate military to military cooperation and defence trade and industry cooperation.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC World Bank to provide USD 200 million to as financial assistance  The World Bank has approved USD 200 million to help Bangladesh to provide support and services to the low-income urban youths impacted by COVID 19 pandemic and the migrants who had to return involuntarily.  The Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE) project of World Bank is aimed to benefit about 75 lakh poor urban youth through training, apprenticeship programme, counselling, micro and self-employment support. Nabard’s Rural Business Incubation Centre sets in Gujarat  In order to boost rural innovation and entrepreneurship in the agri-businesses, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) launched Rural Business Incubation Centre (RBIC) in Gujarat.  The seventh in the country and first for Gujarat, the RBIC is set up at Sardar Krushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, in Banaskantha district.  The centre is being set up with a total project outlay of 10.31 crore of which, the NABARD grant assistance is Rs.7.81 crore over five years, during which it looks to support 140 new start- ups, of which 125 will be graduated and 102 new products/technologies commercialized. Jan Dhan accounts swell to 42 cr with total balance at Rs.1.4-lakh cr  The total number of basic bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has reached 42 crore.  According to the latest data available with the government, the total number of beneficiaries (account holders) stood at 42 crore, with a total deposits of 1,39,864 crore as on March 10, 2021.  RuPay cards have been issued to 85 crore account holders. Through OFS Govt to sell up to 16.12% stake in Tata Communications  On March 15, 2021, The government will sell up to 12 percent stake in Tata Communications Ltd (TCL) through an Offer for Sale starting at the floor price of Rs.1,161 per equity share.  The government is initially offering to sell up to 2.85 crore equity shares representing up to 10 per cent of the total paid up equity share capital of the company.

1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRPF Square, Bhubaneswar-750015 1 Ph. : (0674) 6556677, 8093556677. Web :www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected]

DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS: 19 – 20 MARCH 2021

STATE GOVT NEWS Madhya Pradesh CM along.12.2018 with Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched Mission Gramodaya .2018  In Madhya Pradesh, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.11.2018 have launched the Mission Gramodaya in the state.  Under the Gramodaya mission, besides providing housing facilities in rural areas, basic and fundamental infrastructure will also be expanded.  Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar while addressing the state-level programme of Gramodaya Mission virtually said that rural development schemes, especially Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana are being effectively implemented in Madhya Pradesh. Punjab govt to create integrated technology solution for DBT schemes  Punjab Government has decided to create a robust and integrated technology solution to implement and review the progress of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes in the state to ensure accountability, transparency, and responsiveness.  An in-principle approval to this project was accorded at the maiden meeting of the Advisory Board of the Punjab State DBT Cell, chaired by the Chief Secretary, Ms Vini Mahajan, at Chandigarh.  „Kaushal Mela‟ organized by Dept of Technical Education & Skill development in Kargil  In Kargil the department of Technical Education and Skill development is organizing Kaushal Mela as part of the skill development programme of the government of India.  This Kaushal Mehla will be organized under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) on March 24 and in Leh on 27th of March. Samsung sets up innovation lab at Delhi Technological University  Samsung Electronics set up an innovation lab at Delhi Technological University (DTU) to promote joint research and training on domains such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and computer vision.  It has set up the innovation lab under the Samsung Innovation Campus initiative as part of its new #PoweringDigitalIndia vision.  Samsung now has eight technical labs spread across the country as part of its Samsung Innovation Campus initiative, which was earlier called Samsung Digital Academy.

INTERNATIONAL

Bangladesh PM inagurate Amar Ekushey book fair  Prime Minister inaugurated the Amar Ekushey book fair in Dhaka.  Participating in the inaugural event through video conferencing Prime Minister Hasina urged upon all to develop the habit of book reading.  Prime Minister Hasina also released the book „New China 1952‟ which is the English translation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib‟s book „Amar Dekha Naya Chin‟.  She also distributed prizes among the winners of the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2020. PM Modi to gift ‘Made in India’ vaccines to Jamaica  Legendary Jamaican and West Indies Cricketer Chris Gayle has thanked Prime Minister , people and government of India for the gift of Made In India vaccines to Jamaica.  He said India‟s Vaccine Maitri is very much appreciated.  The Jamaican batsman is the second player from his team after Andre Russell to thank India for sending 50,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines to the Caribbean nation. India contribute 2nd batch of 20,000 litres of Malathion 95% ULV pesticide to Iran  India has supplied a second batch of 20 thousand litres of Malathion 95 percent ULV pesticide to Iran under a Government-to-Government Locust Control Programme.  The consignment reached Chabahar Port and was handed over to the Plant Protection Organization, Iran.

1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRPF Square, Bhubaneswar-750015 2 Ph. : (0674) 6556677, 8093556677. Web :www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected]

DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS: 19 – 20 MARCH 2021

 The External Affairs Ministry said India had approached Iran and Pakistan for a coordinated regional response to.12.2018 the threat to approaching swarms of desert locusts. .2018 AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS Rawalpindi’s KRL Stadium.11.2018 renamed after Shoaib Akhtar  The KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi has been renamed after former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar.  Cricket authorities in Rawalpindi honoured Akhtar for his services to Pakistan Cricket for years.

MISCELLANEOUS Adani Ports acquires 31.5% stake in Gangavaram Port for Rs 1,954 cr  Adani Ports and Special Economic Zones (APSEZ) is acquiring the 5 percent stake held by Windy Lakeside Investment Limited (an affiliate of Warburg Pincus) in Gangavaram Port Limited (GPL) for around Rs 1,954 crore.  The latest acquisition expands its market share to 30 percent across 12 locations in India.  Adani Ports is also in discussions with DVS Raju and Family for their 58.1 per cent stake in GPL. KRAS rolls out first batch of MRSAM missile kits for Indian Army  Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS) has rolled out its first batch of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM).  It is for the Indian Army and the Air Force from its facility located near the Hyderabad international airport.  DRDO is the custodian of the missile programme and Bharat Dynamics (BDL) the integrator.  It was Designed by RAFAEL Advanced Defense System (100% Rafael design output and the indigenous content is not more than 30%.)  It will supply through Rafael to BDL CAIT launches vendor onboarding mobile app for its e-commerce portal ‘Bharat e Market’  CAIT launched a vendor onboarding mobile app for its upcoming e-commerce portal „Bharat e Market‟.  The app will allow businesses and service providers to register on the portal and create their own “e-dukaan”.  It has been engaged in a tirade against foreign e-commerce companies, accusing them of violating the country‟s FDI policy norms

APPOINTMENT NEWS sworn as President of  Tanzania‟s President has passed away at a hospital in Dar es Salaam. He was 61.  Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan said, the President died of a heart ailment that he has battled for over 10 years.  According to the African country‟s constitution, Ms Hassan will be sworn in as the new president and should serve the remainder of Magufuli‟s five-year team which he began last year.  While a date for her swearing in has not yet been announced, she will be Tanzania‟s first female president. Netherlands Prime Minister in Line for 4th Term Following Victory  Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte led his People‟s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) to a fourth victory in a row.  Mark Rutte, one of Europe‟s longest-serving leaders, saw his Party for Freedom and Democracy win big in Dutch elections, setting him up for a fourth term as prime minister of the Netherlands. ONE LINER Tanzanian President John Magufuli passes away at 61  On March 17, 2021, Tanzania‟s President John Magufuli passed away.  He was 61.

1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRPF Square, Bhubaneswar-750015 3 Ph. : (0674) 6556677, 8093556677. Web :www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected]

DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS: 19 – 20 MARCH 2021  The Income Tax Department said it has issued over 2 lakh crore rupees worth refunds to more than 2.1 crore taxpayers.12.2018 so far this fiscal.  Union Minister for .2018 Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan has been appointed as the Chairman of the international body Stop TB Partnership Board.  Priya Subbaraman, .11.2018Chief Regulatory Officer at National Stock Exchange (NSE,) and Sanjeev Kaushik, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, have been shortlisted for the post of MD and CEO of National Share Depository Services Ltd (NSDL), a leading provider of equity demat accounts.  Global wealth manager Julius Baer has appointed Chirag Gandhi as MD Senior Advisor, Team Head, based in New Delhi.  On March 16, 2021, The Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Women‟s Forum meeting was held virtually.  On March 15, 2021, Tech Mahindra will acquire a 70 percent stake in Ireland-based Perigord Asset Holdings Ltd for around Rs 182 crore and plans to buy the remaining 30 per cent shareholding over a period of four years.  A team of botanists has recently stumbled upon a new rattlepod species in the Sadasivakona grove area of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.  The government has constituted an experts advisory committee for the overall execution and monitoring of the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme.  New Delhi was the world‟s most polluted capital for the third straight year in 2020, according to IQAir.  On March 16, 2021, Sprinter S Dhanalakshmi beat national record holder Dutee Chand to win the women‟s 100m sprint final in the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships in Patiala.  Lou Ottens, the Dutch engineer credited with inventing the cassette tape, passed away.  Barrister Moudud Ahmed, a standing committee member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has passed away.  Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will make a statement regarding „Vehicles Scrapping Policy‟ in both the Houses of Parliament.  Foreign Affairs Minister of Kuwait Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah arrived in New Delhi for a two-day visit to India.  Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met Italian Ambassador Vincenzo De Luca and welcomed Italy‟s accession to International Solar Alliance.  The Union cabinet gave its nod to shut downloss-making Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corp. of India Ltd (HHEC)  Italy signed the International Solar Alliance under the amended ISA Framework Agreement.  The Secretary-level meeting between Water Resources ministries of India and Bangladesh under the framework of the Joint Rivers Commission was held in Delhi on.  Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister, Dr. K Sudhakar has informed that the corporate sector is invited to utilize its CSR funds towards upgrading 2500 Primary Health Centres in the state.  In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, initiated the project “Awaam Ki Baat” – a Radio program by launching its website at Raj Bhavan, Jammu.

1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRPF Square, Bhubaneswar-750015 4 Ph. : (0674) 6556677, 8093556677. Web :www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected]