DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: MARCH 31, 2018

NATIONAL

Prakash Javadekar inaugurates Smart India Hackathon Grand Finale 2018-Software edition

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurates Smart India Hackathon Grand Finale 2018-Software edition.

It aims to build Digital India of country’s dreams and to engage the youth directly with nation-building and it is intended for promoting innovation.

The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has been selected to host this edition.

114th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission begins in New Delhi

The two-day meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) began here today with India and Pakistan expected to discuss various issues under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) during the parleys.

The Indian delegation for the annual meeting comprises India’s Indus Water Commissioner P K Saxena, a representative of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and technical experts.

Pakistan’s six-member delegation for the commission’s 114th meeting is being led by Syed Muham.

NASA to send first mission to study ‘heart’ of Mars

NASA is all set to send the first-ever mission dedicated to exploring the deep interior of Mars, the US space agency.

It is scheduled to launch on May 5, InSight-a stationary lander and it will also be the first NASA mission since the Apollo moon landings to place a seismometer, a device that measures quakes, on the soil of another planet.

CCEA approved proposal of enhancing scope of Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for enhancing the scope of Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY).

The Government of India will now contribute the Employer’s full admissible contribution for the first three years from the date of registration of the new employee for all the sectors including existing beneficiaries for their remaining period of three years.

Assam launches toll-free helpline number in Guwahati for women in distress

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched a toll-free helpline number 189 for women in distress in Guwahati.

The toll free helpline will initially work from 9am to 5.30pm, but will soon be a 24×7 service.

The helpline is part of a scheme under the Union ministry of women and child development to provide 24 hours response to women affected by violence.

INTERNATIONAL

North Korea to take part in 2020, 2022 Olympics: IOC chief

Kim Jong Un is committed to sending North Korean teams to the next two Olympics.

It was announced by the IOC chief Thomas Bach.

Last month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea saw competitors from the two countries march together at the opening ceremony and field a joint women’s ice hockey team.

They announced us that they will definitely participate in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as well at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

Russia tests new nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile Sarmat       

The Russian military has successfully tested its latest intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Defense Ministry announced that it was launched from Plesetsk in northwestern Russia. They tested the Sarmat missile’s performance in the early stage of its flight.

Sarmat is intended to replace the Soviet-designed Voyevoda, the world’s heaviest ICBM known as “Satan” in the West. Sarmat weighs 200 metric tons and has a higher range than Satan, allowing it to fly over the North or the South Poles and strike targets anywhere in the world.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Rivigo ties up with IDFC, YES Bank, for truck loans

Rivigo, a homegrown logistics start-up that owns as well as acts as an aggregator of trucks, is tying up with YES Bank, IDFC and 10 other financial institutions to make cheaper funds available to truck owners and operators on its platform.

The funds will be available at an interest rate of 1-2 per cent per month.

Customers can get the money from the banks for a duration of 30-60 days.

Rivigo’s founder and CEO: Deepak Garg

OBITUARY

Former Manipur CM R K Dorendra Singh passes away

Former Manipur Chief Minister R K Dorendra Singh passed away.

Dorendra Singh had been chief minister of the state four times between 1974 to 1993.

Before becoming the chief minister, he was the Speaker of Manipur Assembly.

SPORTS

Sub-junior National Wushu Championship begins in Jammu

The four-day 17th Sub-junior National Wushu Championship began in Jammu today.The national level sports event is being organised in the winter capital city of Jammu by the the Wushu Association of India in collaboration with J&K State Sports Council at MA Stadium.

The championship was formally declared open by the J&K Youth Services and Sports Minister Imran Raza Ansari.