NATIONAL NEWS
India launches latest communication satellite GSAT-31 onboard European launch vehicle
India's latest communication satellite GSAT-31 was successfully launched from the Spaceport in French Guiana. Blasting off from Kourou Launch Base at Kouro, the Ariane-5 vehicle-injected GSAT-31 into the orbit in a flawless flight.
- Weighing about 2,535 kg, the GSAT-31 will provide continuity to operational services on some of the in-orbit satellites. GSAT-31 is India's 40th communication satellite which is configured on ISRO's enhanced 'I-2K Bus', utilising the maximum "bus capabilities" of this type.
- Along with GSAT-31, the Ariane 5 vehicle (Flight VA-247) also carried Saudi Geostationary Satellite 1/Hellas Sat 4 satellites.
World heritage centre to be set up at Mayapur in WB
A World Heritage Centre housing 'spiritual camps' of 45 countries would be set up at Mayapur, the global headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), in Nadia district. The camp of each country would reflect its culture, dress, lifestyle, food and ambiance.
- The estimated project cost of the proposed centre has been fixed at Rs 3000 crore. The Temple of Vedic Planetarium will come up at the first part of the World heritage centre. It will have one of the biggest domes in the world. The TOVP is expected to be inaugurated in 2022.
6.23 crore connections released under PMUY
Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have released more than 6.23 crore LPG connections under the Scheme across the country as on January 28. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched by the government May 2016. Under the scheme, the government provides a subsidy of Rs 1,600 to state-owned fuel retailers for every free LPG gas connection that they give to poor households.
- Initially launched with a target to give 5 crore connections by March 2019 , the government later raised it to 8 crore connections by 2021 and now envisages giving all households a connection. As per report of OMCs, the number of cases of established irregularities in providing gas connections to poor households under PMUY is few.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) App Launched
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) App has been launched on Google play store. Ayushman Bharat Yojana or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is a centrally sponsored scheme; which was launched in the year 2018, under the Ayushman Bharat Mission of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(MoHFW) in the country.
- National Health Authority (NHA), which runs PM-JAY, was keen to release the app at the earliest so that it would figure at the top of the Google Play store and users can download the right app.
- Extra info.:
MoHFW Headquarters: New Delhi
NTPC inks Rs 2,500 cr loan pact with HDFC Bank
State-run power giant NTPC said it has signed an agreement with HDFC Bank for a Rs 2,500 crore loan to part finance capital expenditure. According to the statement, the loan pact signed, has a door-to-door tenure of 15 years and will be utilised to part finance the capital expenditure of NTPC.
- The loan agreement was signed by A K Gautam, Executive Director (Finance), NTPC and Raveesh Bhatia, Regional Head, Corporate Banking, HDFC Bank.
Facebook launches digital skilling initiative for girls
Focussing on its mission to empower women, social networking giant Facebook launched a digital skilling and mentorship initiative across 5 states in India that would encourage tribal girls to become village-level digital young leaders for their communities.
- Named GOAL (Going Online As Leaders), the initiative will train young girls from West Bengal, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh in digital literacy, life skills, leadership and entrepreneurship for an year.
Punjab govt sets up committee to boost dairy sector
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced setting up a high-powered committee to boost dairy sector for supplementing farmers' income in a result-oriented manner. The committee will consist of the Chairman of the State Farmers Commission, Director Animal Husbandry, Director Dairy Development and a representative of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).
- It will suggest measures to promote diversification of agriculture with an aim of enhancing farmers' income from allied sources.
Maharashtra Sets Up Panel To Review Welfare Schemes For Tribals
The Maharashtra government has set up a committee to review various schemes being implemented for the welfare of tribals in the state. The 17-member committee, headed by former MLA and Shramjeevi Sanghatna president Vivek Pandit, will undertake study of various works done for providing employment opportunities, minimum wages and proper livelihood to tribals, as per a recent government order.
- It will suggest measures to ensure that children in tribal regions were not deprived of education.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Government to borrow additional Rs 36,000 cr in FY19
In order to meet additional expenses, the government has decided to raise additional Rs 36,000 crore through dated securities taking the total borrowing through the instrument to Rs 96,000 crore in the remaining period of the current fiscal.
- It will raise the amount in two tranches of Rs 18,000 crore each next month during March 11-15 and March 18-22. The process of auctioning of bonds was to complete on March 8, including the five tranches of Rs 12,000 crore each in the interim period. With Rs 36,000 crore additional borrowings, the government will now raise a total of Rs 96,000 crore in the remaining period of the fiscal.
- All these auctions will have the facility of non-competitive bidding scheme under which 5 per cent of the notified amount will be reserved for the specified retail investors.
RBI penalises UCO Bank, Axis Bank and Syndicate Bank
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed separate monetary penalties on lenders UCO Bank, Axis Bank and Syndicate Bank over deficiencies in complying with different regulatory norms.
- The RBI imposed a penalty of Rs 2 crore each on UCO Bank and Axis Bank for non-compliance with its circular on 'Collection of Account Payee Cheques - Prohibition on Crediting Proceeds to Third Party Account' and Master Directions on 'Frauds - Classification and Reporting by commercial banks and select FIs'.
- In addition, a separate penalty of Rs 20 lakh was imposed on Axis Bank for contravention of the directions contained in 'Master Circular on Detection and Impounding of Counterfeit Notes' and, the 'Circular on Sorting of Notes - Installation of Note Sorting Machines'.
- The RBI said it has imposed a penalty of Rs 1 crore on the government-owned Syndicate Bank for non-compliance with the directions contained in 'Master Circular on Frauds - Classification and Reporting' and 'Circular on Risk Management Systems in Banks'.
Government expects 7.5% GDP growth in FY20
The finance ministry expects economic growth to accelerate to 7.5 per cent in 2019-20 from 7.2 per cent projected for the current fiscal. The growth was 8.2 per cent in 2016-17. Finance Minister Piyush Goyal in the Budget Speech said that India is solidly back on track and marching towards growth and prosperity.
- We are looking at nominal growth of 11.5 per cent (for 2019-20). Our assumption is 7.5 per cent real growth and 4 per cent inflation. We have been reasonable," Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said.
SPORTS
Ramit Tandon Wins Seattle Open
Indian squash player Ramit Tandon defeated Egyptian Mohamed El Sherbini in the finals to win the Seattle Open, a PSA challenger squash Tour event. The top-seeded Indian, who rose to his career high ranking of 58 in the latest February list, won his first PSA title in the new year and fourth title overall in his career.
APPOINTMENTS
Nilambar Acharya appointed Nepal’s envoy to India
Nilambar Acharya, Nepal’s former law minister, has been appointed as the country’s ambassador to India. The position of the Nepalese ambassador to India was vacant for more than a year after Deep Kumar Upadhyay resigned to join politics.
- President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered oath of office to Acharya at Rastrapati Bhawan at Sheetal Niwas. Acharya is the first Nepalese ambassador to take oath of office and secrecy from the president under a new provision. Earlier, ambassadors were administered oath of office by Supreme Court chief justice.
Air India CMD Pradeep Kharola appointed Civil Aviation Secretary
Chief Managing Director (CMD) of Air India Pradeep Singh Kharola has been appointed the Civil Aviation Secretary. Kharola is a Karnataka cadre IAS officer who has also served as the Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.
AWARDS
K.Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2018 to P.S. Krishnan
K.Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2018 will be conferred on P.S. Krishnan, former Secretary, Government of India. Dravidar Kazhagam leader Veeramani will felicitate the awardee at a function in New Delhi.
- About the award: Periyar International Inc., (USA) gives an annual award for outstanding contributions to Social Justice, which is named his honor.
NFDC Declared Winner For Promotion of SC/ST Entrepreneurs
National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) of India has been selected as Winner under the Miniratna Category (Category II) by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). This has been done as part of an endeavour by Ministry of MSME to felicitate select CPSEs to recognize their exemplary work towards promotion of SC/ST entrepreneurs.
- Extra info.:
NFDC Headquarters: Mumbai
OBITUARIES
Noted freedom fighter Priyanath Dey passes away
Noted freedom fighter and former Odisha MLA Priyanath Dey passed away in Bhubaneswar. He was 97. Dey had joined freedom movement in 1942 and was jailed several times. He was elected to Odisha Legislative Assembly from Jagatsinghpur seat in 1961.
Senior Congress leader Harihar Karan passes away
Senior Congress leader and former minister Harihar Karan passed away at the age of 72. A six-time MLA from Daspalla constituency in Nayagarh district, Karan was elected for the first time in the sixth assembly elections in 1974.
- He was the health and family welfare minister in the J B Patnaik ministry in 1980.
Odisha MP Ladu Kishore Swain passes away
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP from Aska Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha, Ladu Kishore Swain passed away at the age of 71. Swain was member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from 2004 to 2009. He was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha in May 2014.
- Swain also served as member of several committees– Standing Committee on Rural Development, Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes and Consultative Committee of Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Veteran Marathi Actor Ramesh Bhatkar Passes Away
Noted actor Ramesh Bhatkar passed away after battling cancer. The Marathi film and TV actor aged 70, was suffering from cancer for quite a long time. He was diagnosed with lung cancer and was undergoing treatment at Pune and Mumbai.
- Born in 1949, the renowned film and stage actor Ramesh Bhatkar is known for his roles in the TV series Commander(1992), Damini (1990) and Hello Inspector (2002). He has worked for more than three decades in the Marathi and Hindi industry.
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