DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: March 8 & 9, 2020

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Daily Current Affairs (March 8 & 9, 2020) like many other sections is inevitable and this also helps to score in the Banking awareness, Static GK and Financial Awareness sections. Remember, Banking Awareness and Static Awareness Questions are asked from the General Awareness section. This will also help you to ride your preparations for the forthcoming exams.

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Important Days

International Women’s Day: March 8

• International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. 

• The theme of International Women’s Day 2020 is, “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”.

• International Women’s Day 2020 campaign theme is “Each for Equal”.

National News

Ranchi University launches its own Community Radio Station KHANCHI 90.4 FM

• Ranchi University launched its own Community Radio Station RADIO KHANCHI 90.4 FM Aap Sabka Radio on International Women’s Day, inaugurated by Governor cum Chancellor Draupadi Murmu. 
• 1st University in the East Zone to be gifted with a CRS by Ministry of I&B.
• Union I&B Minister: Prakash Javadekar

Indian Coast Guard conducts 9th edition of rescue exercise ‘SAREX-2020’ in Goa:

• Indian Coast Guard (ICG), an armed force that protects India’s maritime interests, has conducted a 2-day 9th edition of national level search and rescue exercise ‘SAREX-2020’
• Based on the theme ‘Harmonization of Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue (HAMSAR)’ in the sea at Vasco, South Goa district from March 5-7,2020.

Government to make sanitary napkin disposal bags mandatory from January 2021

• Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has said that Sanitary napkin makers will be asked to supply a biodegradable bag with each napkin from January 2021. 
• Mr. Prakash Javadekar interacted with the members of the women garbage collector’s organization in Pune.

NITI Aayog organizes the Fourth Edition of the Women Transforming India Awards

• NITI Aayog organized the fourth edition of the WTI Awards.
• Since 2018, the Awards have been hosted under the aegis of NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform. 
• 2019 WTI Awards received over 2,300 applications of which the Top 30 were shortlisted.
• Rajnath Singh felicitates 15 winners on Women’s Day.

Smriti Irani inaugurates a National Conference on Women in Police & CAPFs in New Delhi

• Union WCD Minister Mrs Smriti Irani inaugurated a National Conference on Women in Police & CAPFs organized by the Bureau of Police Research and Development, the BPR&D and released a hand-out BPR&D Mirror – Gender Bender as well
• Minister of State WCD Ministry: Debasree Chaudhuri.

MSDE launches Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship programme in Bengaluru:

• Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey launched the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship programme in the Indian Institute of Management in Bengaluru.
• It is launched as part of the SANKALP programme of the MSDE ministry to provide skilled manpower.

Shriram Transport signed a MOU with IOCL to offer fuel credit to its customers digitally

• Shriram Transport Finance Company signed an MOU with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd through which the STFC customers will be offered credit limit to purchase fuel from the pan India outlets of IOCL.

Tamil Nadu tops in Poshan Abhiyan’s participant’s list

• Union Government is implementing the flagship programme Poshan Abhiyan for improving the nutritional status of Indian citizens. 
• It helps children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers by leveraging technology, a targeted approach and convergence.

CBDT names nodal officers to bring PSUs on board ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme

• Central Board of Direct Taxes has named 3 members Seema Patra, PK Dash and Prabhash Shankar as ‘Nodal Officers’ to work with various ministries & ensure that central and state public-sector undertakings come on board Vivad se Vishwas tax amnesty scheme
• CBDT functions under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.

Ladakh: KVIC adopts 4 villages for rural employment generation

• Khadi & Village Industry Commission in consultations with the Hill Council has adopted 4 villages in newly carved Ladakh Union Territory for rural employment generation. 
• Likir is the only supplier to fulfil the demand of pottery, in entire old Ladakh. Likir was adopted by KVIC in 2018.

President of India Confers Nari Shakti Puraskar for 2019

• The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind presented Nari Shakti Puraskar 2019 at a special ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on International Women’s Day. 

• Nari Shakti Puraskar is an initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

• The 2019 awards were conferred on 15 eminent women.

World’s largest religious congregation of women to be held in Thiruvananthapuram:

• Famous Attukal Pongala, one of the largest all-women religious congregations in the world is to be held in Thiruvananthapuram. The Guinness record holder of the largest women gathering in the world.

MoST launches helpline for women scientists, students, researchers

• On March 8th- International Women’s Day, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan launched a helpline number for women students, researchers, entrepreneurs and scientists to get their queries related to the S&T ministry’s programs answered.
• Helpline number is 011-26565285.

“She inspires Us” Indian Army conducts self-defense training for women

• As a conscious to the increasing danger to the safety of women in society, a unit of Indian Army organized a demonstration on Self Defence themed ‘Stronger You Stronger Society’ for the local womenfolk at Dhamdhama Anchlik College in Nalbari District.

• The government reconstructs The National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction appoints Amit Shah as chairman.

Kerala to launch total digital literacy campaign

• Kerala proposes to launch a total digital literacy campaign with a view to ensuring that the gains made by it through its transformation as an inclusive knowledge-based society, percolate down to the grass roots level.
• Titled ‘I am also digital,’ the campaign is being powered by the Kerala State IT Mission under the Department of Information Technology, and the Kerala Literacy Mission.

Rythu Samanvaya Samitis to be renamed Rythu Bandhu Samitis

• Telangana State government has decided to rechristen the Rythu Samanvaya Samitis (farmers’ coordination committees), constituted to organize farmers into a united and strong force as Rythu Bandhu Samitis.

Govt reconstitutes National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) with Amit Shah as Chairman:

• The government reconstructs the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) a multi-stakeholder & multisectoral decision making body on disaster management & appoints Union Home Minister Amit Shah as chairman. 
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh & Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are named as members among others.

Paytm, Hyderabad Metro tie up for QR-based tickets

• Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) in partnership with Paytm has launched a QR-code-based metro ticketing system at Rasoolpura metro station Hyderabad.
• This system will help people book digital tickets easily and it also reduces the ticket congestion at the ticket counters.

UAHS develops Sahyadri Megha, a new red variety of paddy

• University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences (UAHS), Shivamogga developed Sahyadri Megha, a new red variety of paddy, as a part of its initiative to prevent a decline in the area under paddy cultivation. 
• New Paddy is resistant to blast disease. Sahyadri Megha is rich in nutrients.

International News

India’s UHNWI population to increase by 73% in 5 years & Ranks 12th 

• “Wealth Report 2020” released by Knight Frank LLP, a leading International Property Consultant, India had 5,986 UHNWIs Ultra high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) in 2019 and they expected to increase by 73% in the coming 5 years. This will almost double the current count to 10,354.
• According to Knight Frank India ranks 12th.

IIT Madras collaborates with Rolls-Royce for research:

• As part of the MoU, Rolls-Royce and IIT-M will also aim to pursue advanced research in areas of relevance to future technological and programmatic needs of the company.

• As part of its Technical Higher Study Framework, Rolls-Royce will sponsor select employees keen to pursue master’s and PhD level studies, in partnership with IIT Madras.

Fourth International Diabetes Summit 2020 started in Pune

• 4th International Diabetes Summit- 2020 organized by Chellaram Diabetes Institute will be held from March 6-8, 2020 in Pune. 
• In these 3 days, over 2000 delegates are expected to attend the summit. It will help to throw new light on diabetes management.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh named greatest world leader:

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 19th century ruler of the Sikh Empire in India, has named as the ‘Greatest Leader of All Time’ in a poll conducted by BBC World Histories Magazine. Singh was praised for creating a new tolerant empire, by 5,000 voted readers.
• African Independence Fighter Amilcar Cabral is at the second.

India ranked 12th in women member presence on companies’ board globally:

• According to a recent study on ‘Women on Board 2020’ by global recruitment tendering platform MyHiringClub.com and Sarkari-Naukri.info, India ranked 12th worldwide in women member presence on board.
• Norway continued to top the list with 40.72 per cent women on board, followed by Sweden with 30.84 per cent, Finland 29.91 per cent, Germany 29.70 per cent, South Africa 19.84 per cent and the US 20.41 per cent.

Banking and Finance

RBI to extend Rs 10,000 crore under special liquidity facility:

• Reserve Bank of India has decided to extend a loan of Rs10,000 crore immediately under the special liquidity facilty to Yes Bank against government securities, according to two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on conditions of anonymity.
• The 90-day loan will be offered at the current Bank Rate of 5.4% plus 3% to meet the immediate liquidity needs of the bank.

Punjab National Bank announces share exchange ratio for merger with Oriental Bank, United Bank:

• Punjab National Bank has announced the share exchange ratio for the merger with Oriental Bank of Commerce & United Bank of India. 
• The bank also said the board has fixed March 25 as the date for issuing and allotting its equity shares to the shareholders.
• Punjab National Bank MD- S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao.

Appointments

K.M. Mammen re-elected ATMA chief

• Tyre major MRF’s chairman & MD K.M. Mammen has been unanimously re-elected as chairman of Automotive Tyre Manufactures’ Association (ATMA). 
• ATMA Founded in 1975, ATMA represents 11 large tyre companies comprising Indian & international tyre majors.

Anurag Mehrotra was appointed as the Chief Executive officer of Mahindra-Ford venture

• Managing Director of Ford India, Anurag Mehrotra was appointed as the Chief Executive officer for the New joint venture formed by Mahindra and Ford with effect from April 1, 2020.
• This joint venture is formed to develop and sell Ford branded cars in India and other emerging markets. The joint venture created is valued at $275 million (Rs 1,925 crore).

Chalasani Venkat Nageswar gets additional charge of DMD, CFO of SBI:

• State Bank of India said Chalasani Venkat Nageswar has been given additional charge of deputy managing director and chief financial officer (CFO) of the bank.
• “Chalasani Venkat Nageswar, Deputy Managing Director, International Banking Group, has been given additional charge of Deputy Managing Director and CFO.

Indian American Sonia Syngal becomes new CEO of Gap:

• Gap Inc. named its Old Navy leader, Sonia Syngal, as chief executive officer as the apparel retailer looks to reverse falling foot traffic and sales while it pivots to a new strategy.
• Syngal, 49, will take over as of March 23, the company said in a statement. She became CEO of Old Navy in 2016 and her previous roles include executive vice president for global supply chain and product operations at Gap. 

Obituary News

CPI(M) MLA Vijayan Pillai passes away

• N. Vijayan Pillai, CPI(M) MLA representing Chavara constituency, passed away in Kochi at the age of 65. Mr. Pillai started his political career in 1979 & in the 2016 Assembly election.

Sports News

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer announces his retirement

• 42-year old former India opener Wasim Jaffer announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in Mumbai. He’s the only batsman to score 12,000 runs in Ranji Trophy and he also has the highest number of first-class hundreds to his name.

Australia beat India to win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for record fifth time

• Defending champions Australia have won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for record fifth time, outclassing India by 85 runs in the summit clash at Melbourne.
• Australia’s Alyssa Healy was named the player of the Match and Beth Mooney is player of the tournament.

Pooja Rani, Vikas Krishan become first Indian boxers to qualify for Tokyo Olympics:

• Asian champion Pooja Rani in the 75kg category and Vikas Krishan in 69kg category today became the first set of Indian boxers to qualify for Tokyo Olympics 2020. Both boxers advanced to the semifinals of the continental qualifiers at Amman in Jordan.

Indian runner Prachi suspended after dope test positive 

• Indian 400-meter runner Prachi choudhary from Uttar Pradesh was tested out of competition and was provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on March 6,2020, for the presence of anabolic steroid, Oxandrolone.

Can you score 15/ 15 in Today’s Current Affairs Quiz? Attempt the Current Affairs Quiz of March 8 & 9, 2020, now from the link given below. (It took topper to score 15/15 in 7 & 8 minutes 18 seconds, beat that if you can). 

Daily Current Affairs Quiz – March 8 & 9, 2020

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