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Daily Current Affairs PDF of 11th March 2020

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

CISF Raising Day

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Raising Day is observed every year on 10 March. The CISF was set up in 1969 under an act of the Parliament of India.
It works under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and it’s headquarter is in New Delhi.

No Smoking Day

No Smoking Day is observed every year on the second Wednesday of March to raise awareness about the harmful health effects of tobacco via smoking and to encourage people all over the world to quit smoking.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

Govt Sets up a committee on Kisan Rail

The Government has set up a committee to work out modalities of Kisan Rail. It comprises of representatives of Agriculture and Railway ministries.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal stated, the committee will also look into cold supply chain for perishables by starting the express and freight trains with refrigerated coaches.
The Minister stated, Railways is planning for installation of solar panels on un-utilized railway land for meeting its energy needs for both traction and non-traction purposes.

About Railway Ministry:

Minister of Railways : Piyush Goyal
Minister of State: Suresh Angadi
Chairman: Vinod Kumar Yadav

Govt suspends e-visa and existing visa’s for France, Germany, Spain in wake of Novel Corona virus

The government has asked people to refrain from travelling to China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan, France, Spain and Issuing additional travel advisory in view of the Novel Corona virus, the Health Ministry advised them to avoid non-essential travel abroad. It stated, more than 100 countries across the world have reported cases of COVID-19. The people travelling to these countries or those who have travelled abroad might come in contact with people affected with COVID-19.
Within these countries, a few countries have reported very large number of cases and deaths putting passengers from these countries particularly at higher risk of infection.
Regular visas including e-Visas granted to all foreign nationals who have travel history to these countries on or after 1st of February and who have not yet entered India also stands suspended.
The advisory further stated that all incoming international passengers returning to India should self-monitor their health and follow required Do’s and Dont’s. Besides, all passengers having travel history to China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Malaysia, France, Spain and Germany are advised to undergo self-imposed quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of their arrival.
With regard to restrictions on visa, besides the already issued instructions, all regular visas which have been granted to nationals of France, Germany and Spain on or before 11th of this month and where these foreigners have not yet entered India, stands suspended.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

UN Security Council unanimously approves US Taliban peace agreement

United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a United States’ resolution on the recent deal between the US and the Afghan Taliban, a rare endorsement of an agreement with a militant group. The US military has begun withdrawing troops as part of the pullout agreed in the February 29 pact with the Taliban.
In the resolution, the Security Council urged the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to advance the peace process, including by participating in intra-Afghan negotiations through a diverse and inclusive negotiating team composed of Afghan political and civil society leaders, including women.
The United States is keen to end its longest-ever conflict and under the terms of a deal signed in Doha last month all foreign forces would quit Afghanistan within 14 months — provided the Taliban stick to their security commitments.
The UN resolution came with Afghanistan in political crisis, following the double swearing-in of President Ashraf Ghani and his rival and former chief executive Abdullah, both of whom claimed victory in last year’s Presidential election.

About United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending that the General Assembly accept new members to the United Nations, and approving any changes to its charter.
Headquarters: New York, United States
Founded: 24 October 1945

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE

FDI inflows recorded highest ever for fiscal year 2018-19

The total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow was over 318 billion US dollars between 2014 and September 2019 representing nearly 50 percent of the cumulative FDI in India since April 2000.
In 2018-19, the FDI inflow stood at a record 62 billion US dollars, highest ever recorded for a fiscal year.
FDI can be one measure to track the growth of Make in India.
The initiative was launched in 2014 for promoting India as an important investment destination and a global hub for manufacturing, design and innovation.

About FDI:

A foreign direct investment is an investment in the form of a controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country. It is thus distinguished from a foreign portfolio investment by a notion of direct control.

SBI cuts marginal cost of lending rate by up to 15 points across tenors

The country’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) stated it has reduced its marginal cost of fund-based lending rate (MCLR) by up to 15 basis points across various tenors, effective March 10.
SBI stated that the bank has reduced its one-year MCLR by 10 basis points to 75 per cent from 7.85 per cent earlier. This is 10th consecutive cut in MCLR by the bank in the current fiscal. Overnight and one-month MCLRs have been reduced by 15 basis points to 7.45 per cent each. Three-month MCLR has been revised to 7.50 per cent from 7.65 per cent.
The new two-year and three-year MCLRs stand reduced by 10 basis points to 7.95 per cent and 8.05 per cent, respectively. Another state-run lender Union Bank of India had announced cut in its MCLR by 10 basis points across all tenors, effective March 11.

About MCLR:

The marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) refers to the minimum interest rate of a bank below which it cannot lend, except in some cases allowed by the RBI. It is an internal benchmark or reference rate for the bank.

About SBI:

Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
Headquarters: Mumbai
Managing director: Anshula Kant
Founded: 1 July 1955

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Rolls-Royce partners with IIT-Madras for joint research programmes

Industrial technology giant Rolls-Royce has collaborated with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) to promote joint research programmes.
Rolls Royce will promote upskilling and professional development of its engineering talent, and facilitate higher education and research. The company will also sponsor select employees keen to pursue Masters and PhD level studies, in partnership with IIT Madras.
To qualify for the programme, employees must first clear IIT-M’s selection process, and their topic should be aligned with Rolls-Royce strategic research priorities and capabilities. Rolls-Royce will also roll out a Technical Higher Study Framework to facilitate higher education for its engineers, in partnership with IIT-M.

About rolls Royce:

Founded: 15 March 1906, Manchester, United Kingdom
Headquarters: Derby, United Kingdom

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

‘NIGHA’ app launched to curb poll irregularities in Andhra Pradesh

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the NIGHA App through which citizens can lodge complaints against leaders who are resorting to Model Code of Conduct violations.
The app was developed by the Panchayat Raj department, in a bid to crackdown on electoral malpractices. Through the app, common citizens can lodge complaints on poll malpractices from any part of the State. Officials stated any citizen can download the NIGHA App in their smart phones.
The photos and videos of distribution of money and alcohol and any other activity that violates Model Code of Conduct can be uploaded through this app.
The complaints registered through this app will be routed automatically to the Central Control Room and the information will be shared with the officials concerned, who will take stringent action against the persons responsible for the violations.

About National Parks and WLS in Andhra Pradesh

Venkateshwara National Park
Papikondalu National Park
Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary
Nagarjunasagar Wildlife Sanctuary
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary
Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary
Rollapadu WLS
Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary

COVA Punjab App Launched To Spread Awareness

Multiple coronavirus cases in India have been confirmed, causing alarm among the people.
Punjab Government launched COVA Punjab App to Spread awareness and provide tips.
A new app dubbed COVA Punjab has appeared on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
The COVA Punjab app aims to sensitize people and spread awareness about the COVID-19. Here, COVA stands for Coronavirus Alert.
The mobile application includes a list of information related to the COVID-19 including awareness, preventive measures, traveling information, and even advisories for precaution.
The new health and fitness app was launched by Punjab Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh.
The COVA Punjab mobile app is developed by the Department of Government Reforms and Public Grievances.

About Punjab

Capital- Chandigarh.
Chief Minister -Captain Amarinder Singh.
Governor- V P Singh Badnore.

Traditional ‘Fagli’ festival celebrated in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur

The traditional ‘Fagli’ festival was celebrated in Yangpa village of Kinnaur districtHimachal Pradesh.
The festival is organised to observe the “victory of good over evil“.
This festival is celebrated to mark the end of winter or the beginning of spring. It is celebrated in the entire valley on the moonless night or Amavasya.

Festivals in Recent News

Bikaner Festival, Rajasthan
Lohri, Punjab, Delhi
Modhera Dance Festival,Gujarat
National Kite Festival, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Pattadakal Dance Festival, Karnataka
Pongal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh

About Himachal Pradesh

Capital- Shimla( Summer) Dharamshala( Winter)
Chief Minister- Jai Ram Thakur
Governor- Shri Bandaru Dattatraya

Odisha to have separate dept for SHGs dedicated to women “Mission Shakti”

Odisha will be the first state to have an exclusive department for Self Help Group (SHGs) called “Mission Shakti” and it will be dedicated to all women of the state, announced Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar.
Focusing on the welfare and development of the women, the state government has introduced an independent Nutrition Budget focusing on Mother-Child nutrition.

32 lakh saplings planted so far under “Green J&K” program

Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department, under the “Green J&K” program, from its given target of one crore saplings, has so far planted 32 lakh saplings of various varieties across the Union Territory. The drive was part of national initiative for enhancing the green cover across the country.
On the occasion, various saplings of Deodar and Kail were planted by the officials of the forest department. It was further informed that by the end of this month, the department will ensure that 18 lakh more saplings are planted to take the total number to 50 lakhs.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Lt Gen KJS Dhillon to take charge as DG DIA, DCIDS

After serving at strategic XV Corps of Army last year, Lt Gen KJS Dhillon will take over the post of Director General Defence Intelligence Agency and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Intelligence)
It is a department that comes under the Chief of Defence Staff in the newly created Department of Military Affairs.
The 57-year-old Lt Gen Dhillon, who is from the 1983 batch of the Indian Military Academy, recently handed over the charge of XV Corps to Lt Gen B S Raju.
Officials in the Defence Ministry stated that the order for Lt Gen Dhillon, who has been credited with several successful people friendly operations in the crucial last year, has been issued and he will assume the charge soon.
He will take charge as DG DIA and DCIDS, an organisation which is responsible for collating technical as well as human intelligence for the three armed forces, they stated.
The DIA was created in 2002 on recommendations of a Group of Ministers which looked into lapses leading to the Kargil intrusion in 1999.
The DIA is a nodal agency for all defence related intelligence which collects information technically as well as through satellites to safeguard the interest of the country.
The DIA also forms part of the Multi Agency Centre (MAC), an umbrella of organisations which looks into infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Telangana agri varsity VC Praveen Rao wins Swaminathan Award

V Praveen Rao, Vice-Chancellor of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), has won the seventh Dr MS Swaminathan Award for the period 2017-2019.
The Selection Committee has decided to select Praveen Rao for the award recognising his contributions in the fields of agricultural research, teaching, extension and administration.
This biennial national award was constituted by Retired ICAR Employees Association (RICAREA) and Nuziveedu Seeds Limited (NSL). It carries a prize of₹2 lakh and a citation.
Praveen Rao, the maiden VC of PJTSAU, handled 13 research and six consultancy projects on micro irrigation in India, Israel and South Africa.

Smart Incubator of the Year’ Award for Maker Village

Maker Village Kochi won the ISGF (India Smart Grid Forum) Award for the best incubator in recognition of its efforts to boost the country’s startup ecosystem and encourage innovation.
Prasad Balakrishnan Nair, CEO of Maker Village, received the ISGF ‘Smart Incubator of the Year’ award from Indian Angel Network co-founder Padmaja Ruparel. The award was presented at the just-concluded India Smart Utility Week (ISUW) in New Delhi.
The 2016-founded Maker Village, which is India’s largest electronic hardware incubator and ESDM facility, won the honour for its performance in the Deep-Tech Incubator segment. The award, according to ISGF which is a public-private partnership initiative of the Union Ministry of Power, is in recognition of the implementation of a comprehensive set of facilities, creation of a vibrant innovation ecosystem and a set of nationally acclaimed startup innovations.

Mangaluru International Airport named ‘best airport by size and region’

Mangaluru International Airport, which is managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), has been adjudged the ‘best airport by size and region’ in the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey for 2019, in the ‘2-5 million passengers per year in Asia-Pacific region category’.
Apart from Mangaluru, two other airports managed by the AAI — Chandigarh and Thiruvananthapuram — have also won the award under the same category.
The ASQ survey is the internationally established global benchmarking programme measuring passengers’ satisfaction with airports, the release stated. Conducted by the Airports Council International (ACI), it recognises airports around the world that deliver the best customer experience in the opinion of their own passengers.
The survey measures passengers’ satisfaction across 34 key performance indicators that include eight major categories such as access, check-in, security, airport facilities, food and beverage, retail, airport environment and arrival services.

About Airports Authority of India (AAI):

Headquarters: New Delhi
Founded: 1 April 1995
Parent organization: Directorate General of Civil Aviation
Key people: Arvind Singh (Chairman), B.S. Bhullar, DGCA (Ex-Officio)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Bollywood writer, filmmaker Tahira Kashyap to launch her book ‘The 12 commandments of Being A Woman’

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, writer-filmmaker Tahira Kashyap announced that she is coming up with her new book, titled “The 12 commandments of Being A Woman”.
“The 12 commandments of Being A Woman” will be published by Juggernaut Books later this year.
Her books are “I Promise”, “Souled Out”
In the year 2015 she co-authored Ayushmann’s biography “Cracking the Code: My Journey in Bollywood”.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE

HAL Mulls Setting Up Logistics Bases In Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia And Sri Lanka To Boost Defence Exports

The state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is planning to set up logistics bases in four nations outside of India.
The four nations where HAL plans to set up bases are Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
The development is likely to help nations to purchase Indian state-of-the-art light combat aircraft Tejas and other military helicopters.
The logistics bases which HAL is planning to set up in these nations will deliver maintenance services for aircraft from Russia, whose serviceability record is very poor, which is an issue also faced by India.
The development is in sync with the goal of achieving $5 billion defence sector exports in the next five years, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

About HAL

Head Quarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka
Chairman and Managing director- R Madhavan

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING

Andhra Pradesh ranked 1st in country for overall implementation of Poshan Abhiyan

Andhra Pradesh ranked 1st in the country for overall implementation of Poshan Abhiyan as per the recent report shared by NITI Aayog.
As part of the programme the State has trained all Angan Wadi Workers on modules created based on lifecycle approach, i.e first 1000 days of life, with the support of incremental learning Approach (ILA).
The State Government has given smart phones to all 55,607 angan wadi workers to improve service delivery and for reporting day to day actions, as well as to council the targeted beneficiaries through video embedded in application.
The focus area of Poshan Pakhwada 2020 is ‘Men for Nutrition – Increasing Male Engagement in POSHAN Abhiyaan toImprove Nutritional Indicators‘
Tamil Nadu tops the list of the states in terms of the number of participants in the programme.

About Poshan Abhiyan

Government is implementing Poshan Abhiyan earlier known as National Nutrition Mission, since 18th December, 2017 to address the problem of malnutrition in the country.
The Abhiyan aims to reduce malnutrition in the country in a phased manner, through a life cycle approach, by adopting a synergized and result oriented approach.

About AP

Capital- Amaravati
Chief Minister– YS Jagan Mohan Reddy
Governor– Biswa Bhusan Harichandan

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

Mohun Bagan are the Hero I-League Champions 2019-2020

Indian football heavyweights Mohun Bagan clinched their second I-League title with a 1-0 win over Aizawl FC at Kalyani, West Bengal .
Their first I-League title came in 2014-15 season.
Senegalese striker Baba Diawara scored the all-important goal for Mohun Bagan in the 80th minute . Bagan lifted the title even when four rounds are still to go in the season.
Mohun Bagan have 39 points from 16 matches. This put Bagan 16 points ahead of second-placed East Bengal who cannot catch up their arch city rivals even if they win all their four remaining matches.

FIDE Women’s Grand Prix: Dronavalli Harika held to draw by Abdumalik in round 7

Indian Grandmaster Dronavalli Harika was held to a draw by Zhansaya Abdumalik of Kazakhstan in the seventh round of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix chess tournament in Lausanne, Switzerland. She remained on four points, half a point behind two Russians.
Russia’s Alexandra Goryachkina and her compatriot Alena Kashlinskaya remained in joint lead after seven rounds, following draws against former world champion Mariya Muzychuk of Ukraine and Stefanova respectively.
World champion Ju Wenjun’s search for her first win in the tournament continued as she settled for her sixth draw against Frenchwoman Marie Sebag, at 2443, the lowest-rated player in the field. She had lost to Harika in the third round.
The Chinese world No. 3 had three points and was lying in 9th place.
The tournament featuring 12 players, including world champion Wenjun, is the third in the series of four Grand Prix from which two with the highest points tally would qualify for the next candidates event.

CFC forward Schembri to retire from professional football

Chennaiyin FC’s Maltese forward Andre Schembri announced his retirement from professional football after the Hero Indian Super League final against ATK FC in Goa on March 14.
The 33-year-old player will be aiming to go out on a high, hopefully by helping CFC win its third ISL title. Schembri, the first Maltese player to feature in ISL, has been an integral part of Chennaiyin’s success this season with five goals and three assists to his name going into the final showdown against ATK next Saturday.
Schembri, a versatile forward, has played club football in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal in his career before arriving in India and Chennaiyin this season.
It was Schembri who scored CFC’s first goal of the 2019-20 season under dramatic circumstances against Hyderabad FC.

DAILY CA 10^TH MAR

Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel to inaugurate an exhibition titled Jallianwala Bagh in New Delhi on 11th March
Govt proposes to create 75 lakh Self Help Groups in two years to support women to earn livelihood
Govt to make sanitary napkin disposal bags mandatory from January 2021
United Nations adopts political declaration on women’s rights
Two new land ports to be added as entry points for Bangladeshis: High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das
FICCI-IBA survey Says Proportion Of Banks Reporting Rise In NPA Levels Increases From 26% To 28% In July to December 2019
Moody’s cuts India growth forecast to 3 per cent for 2020 on dampened domestic demand
CoinDCX launches crypto-referral initiative in India
Kerala to launch digital literacy drive ‘I am also digital’
Delhi Metro to conduct online Customer satisfaction survey
Uttarakhand first state in country to measure Gross Environment Product
Nupur Kulshrestha becomes Indian Coast Guard’s first woman DIG
Ashraf Ghani sworn in as Afghanistan President for second term
Chalasani Venkat Nageswar gets additional charge of deputy MD, CFO of SBI
BusinessLine Changemaker Awards 2020
NITI Aayog organizes the Fourth Edition of the Women Transforming India Awards
Mrs Smriti Zubin Irani inaugurates a National Conference on Women in Police and CAPFs in New Delhi
Gujarat tops in domestic solar rooftop installations
India was world’s second-largest arms importer in 2015-19: Report
Book on Biju babu ‘The Adventures of the Daredevil Democrat’ to inspire kids
Helpline number for women being launched
Vijayan Pillai, Kerala Legislator passed away

DAILY CA 11^TH MAR

CISF Raising Day- 10 March

No Smoking Day- second Wednesday of march
Govt Sets up a committee on Kisan Rail
Govt suspends e-visa and existing visa’s for France, Germany, Spain in wake of Novel Corona virus
UN Security Council unanimously approves US Taliban peace agreement
FDI inflows recorded highest ever for fiscal year 2018-19
SBI cuts marginal cost of lending rate by up to 15 points across tenors
Rolls-Royce partners with IIT-Madras for joint research programmes
‘NIGHA’ app launched to curb poll irregularities in Andhra Pradesh
COVA Punjab App Launched To Spread Awareness
Traditional ‘Fagli’ festival celebrated in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur
Odisha to have separate dept for SHGs dedicated to women “Mission Shakti”
32 lakh saplings planted so far under “Green J&K” program
Lt Gen KJS Dhillon to take charge as DG DIA, DCIDS
Telangana agri varsity VC Praveen Rao wins Swaminathan Award
Smart Incubator of the Year’ Award for Maker Village
Mangaluru International Airport named ‘best airport by size and region’
Bollywood writer, filmmaker Tahira Kashyap to launch her book ‘The 12 commandments of Being A Woman’
HAL Mulls Setting Up Logistics Bases In Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia And Sri Lanka To Boost Defence Exports
Andhra Pradesh ranked 1st in country for overall implementation of Poshan Abhiyan
Mohun Bagan are the Hero I-League Champions 2019-2020
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix: Dronavalli Harika held to draw by Abdumalik in round 7
CFC forward Schembri to retire from professional football

Current Affairs Today 11th March 2020| Current Affairs News