NATIONAL AFFAIRS

First ever WII-Forest dept survey of dugong numbers:

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Gujarat forest department will soon begin the first ever joint survey to ascertain the exact population of dugongs, a medium sized marine mammal popularly known as “sea cow”. The dugong is in the “vulnerable” category of the IUCN red list, and is a Schedule-I animal.

Gujarat needs 9.78L affordable houses:

The Gujarat state government’s recent housing demand survey, by the Affordable Housing Mission in the state, has estimated that 9.78 lakh affordable houses are needed in the state.

The survey was carried out under the government of India’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The recent state budget allocated Rs 1,340 crore for the various housing schemes. PM Narendra Modi’s tall target of “housing for all by 2022″. Gujarat ranks at the top in implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and has covered all 171 urban areas of municipal corporations, urban development authorities and municipalities.

Dialysis @ Rs 959: Haryana to increase centres across the state:

Haryana Government has decided to expand the network of dialysis centres in the State, so as to provide the facility of dialysis to the patients at an affordable price. Health Minister, Anil Vij told Assembly that initially dialysis centers have been opened in four district hospitals of Panchkula, Gurugram, Jind and Sirsa on Public, Private Partnership (PPP) mode and such 10 more centres are being opened in ten more districts hospitals. The patient will have to pay only Rs 959 for each dialysis as against Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 being charged for the same in market.

Name changing of Tirupati Airport as Sri Venkateswara Airport got approval from Andhra Cabinet:

Andhra Pradesh State Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati took several important decisions, including naming of Gannavaram Airport as NTR Amaravati Airport and Tirupati Airport as Sri Venkateswara Airport. A proposals for renaming the airports would be sent to the Centre for approval.

Air India flies into record books with flight by all-women crew:

India’s national carrier airline Air India made history by taking off the flight ‘AI 173’ – the world’s longest all-women operated and supported flight. Two days prior to the International Women’s Day, the all-women crew flight took the non-stop Delhi – San Francisco route, successfully covering 14,600 kilometres with a ground speed of 1200 kilometres per hour. The total flight route was covered in 17 hours.

India to have largest Muslim population by 2050, says Pew report:

With over 30 crore Muslims, India will have the world’s largest Muslim population by 2050, according to a report by US-based Pew Research Center. Islam is currently the fastest-growing major religion in the world and the Muslim population is projected to increase faster than the world population.

Delhi govt ties up with private hospitals for free surgeries:

The AAP government has tied up with as many as 41 private hospitals in Delhi to facilitate 30 types of surgeries free of cost for patients referred by the national capital’s government hospitals. These hospitals will be compensated at government rates for the complete treatment. It will include pre-surgery consultation, surgery, medicines, and follow-ups for a month after discharge.

Aadhaar must for midday meal cooks, students:

Cook-cum-helpers working under the midday meal scheme as well as the student beneficiaries will now be required to have an Aadhaar card to avail the facility with the HRD Ministry mandating the same. The move, aimed at improving efficiency and transparency, comes after a push from the Centre to link the Aadhaar number with subsidy schemes related to school education.

India to train Myanmar Navy Special:

The Indian Navy will set up meteorological facilities and impart training to the Myanmar Navy. This was agreed upon during a recent visit of a Myanmar delegation to Kochi. Myanmar will soon send a proposal with its requirements. This fits into India’s overall effort to boost strategic cooperation under the ‘Act East’ policy and will help offset increasing Chinese presence in its neighbourhood.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

China launches new Kaituozhe-2 rocket with Tiankun-1 satellite:

China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) successfully flew its first Kaituozhe-2 rocket. It was the country’s third overall launch of the year. The rocket appears to have succeeded in deploying the Tiankun-1 satellite into an elliptical, Sun-synchronous orbit. 

The TK-1 satellite will carry out remote sensing tasks and experimental small satellite operations. The spacecraft is the first to be developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), and is an expansion of the company’s commercial space plans.

13.52 bn US dollar pledged during Nepal Investment Summit – 2017:

A total of 13.52 billion US dollar has been pledged as foreign investment during the Nepal Investment Summit-2017 held in the Capital on March 2-3. China committed highest investment in Nepal with its investment pledge totalling $8.3 billion. Nepali businessmen have also committed to invest $11.5 million during the Summit. 

Sixteen different companies have announced their commitment to invest in Nepal during the conference jointly organised by Ministry of Industry and Investment Board Nepal (IBN).

Australia to introduce world’s first cyber crime university course:

Australia said it will offer the world’s first university course to train intelligence analysts to fight cyber crime, prompted by innovative methods of money transfer among organised crime and militant groups.

BANKING & BUSINESS

GAIL signs time-swap deal with Swiss trader Gunvor to sell US LNG:

State-run gas company GAIL (India) Ltd has signed a time-swap deal with Swiss trader Gunvor to sell some of its U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), as the Indian firm tries to ease the burden of its costly foreign LNG supplies.  It is the first time-swap agreement by GAIL.

Tata-DoCoMo truce may leave Japanese firm with $790 million to invest in India:

India’s Tata Sons will split a dispute settlement payment of $1.18 billion owed to NTT DoCoMo over the Japanese firm’s exit from a telecoms joint venture, leaving it with about two-thirds of the amount to invest in India, a source said. Both companies may approach India’s central bank within 15 days with a plan that will offer to split the payment into two parts, the source, which has direct knowledge of the matter.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

L-G transfers WCD Secretary Dilraj Kaur:

Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal has transferred Women and Child Development Secretary Dilraj Kaur, whose appointment as Member Secretary of the Delhi Commission for Women by his predecessor, Najeeb Jung, was disputed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Ms.Kaur, a 2000-batch IAS officer, has been posted as Additional Commissioner in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). She has been replaced by IAS officer Garima Gupta.

AWARDS

Sri Lanka Wins Most Popular Tourism Destination Award:

Sri Lanka won the “Most Popular Tourism Destination Award” at the Guangzhou International Travel Fair (GITF) in China. The island nation won the prestigious award for the second consecutive year which is a testament to its growing popularity among Chinese travel enthusiasts. China has been Sri Lanka’s second largest source market for tourism since 2014.

SPORTS

Angad Vir Singh Bajwa wins mixed bronze with Haley Dunn:

Angad Vir Singh Bajwa helped the host wind up the shooting World Cup on a bright note as he won the mixed skeet bronze medal with Haley Dunn of the USA, at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad.

Six-time Olympic medallist and former World champion Kimberly Rhode won the gold with Hayden Stewart defeating the brother-sister combination of Federico and Melisa Gil of Argentina 29-26.

Diego Maradona in talks as football advisor to China:

Argentine football great Diego Maradona could accept a position as a national football advisor in China, according to the World Cup winner’s lawyer Matias Morla.

HISTORICAL EVENTS OF THE DAY

National Safety Day:

National Safety Day/Week is a whole week safety campaign which will be celebrated from 4th of March (Saturday) to the 10th of March (Friday) in 2017. National Safety Day/week theme of 2017 is “Keep Each Other Safe”.

OBITUARY

French football great Kopa passes away:

Former France football great Raymond Kopa, who won three consecutive European Cups with Real Madrid from 1957, has died at the age of 85. Kopa, who guided France to third place at the 1958 World Cup and was named the tournament’s best player, is one of four French players to have won the Ballon d’Or award.

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