National
• The Public Financial Management System (PFMS) portal has processed record Rs 71,633 crore transactions on a single day. This was a historical record breaking volume of digital transactions achieved by PFMS.
• Government is going to launch Swachh Bharat Summer Internship (SBSI) 2018 aimed at engaging college youth with Swachhata work in villages in coming Summer vacation. The initiative will be launched by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, the convening and coordinating Ministry of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in association with Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• The first National Conclave on Psychological Trauma, Child Protection, and Mental Illnesses held in New Delhi. It was aimed to provide comprehensive synthesis of research, service provision and clinical practice in addressing psychological trauma and subsequent mental illnesses in Indian children and adolescents.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved for continuation of Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme and City Compost Scheme beyond 12th Five Year plan till 2019-20. The proposal was forwarded by Department of Fertilizers.
The CCEA chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved proposal of enhancing scope of Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY). The Central Government will now contribute Employer’s full admissible contribution for first 3 years from date of registration of new employee for all sectors including existing beneficiaries for their remaining period of 3 years. It will benefit the informal sector workers as the will get social safety net and result in more job creation.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved new Integrated Scheme on School Education for period 2018 to 2020 to be formulated by Department of School Education and Literacy. The new scheme will subsume existing schemes related to education such as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
• The Union Cabinet has approved signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and South Asian Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) for cooperation on response to Oil and Chemical Pollution in South Asian Seas Region.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved continuation of Credit Guarantee Fund for Education Loans Scheme. It also approved continuation and modification of Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme for period from 2017 to 20. This will provide education loans to 10 lakh students during this period. The restructuring of scheme is in accordance with policy of Government to make good quality education affordable to all.
• The Union Cabinet has approved proposal for restructuring of National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to strengthen their governance, implementation and monitoring framework.
The Union Cabinet has approved signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and United Kingdom and Northern Ireland regarding cooperation in the field of organised crime. It is exchange of information for purposes of combating international criminality and tackling serious organised crime.
• The Union Cabinet has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Canada to establish bilateral cooperation activities in field of Intellectual Property (IP). The MoU was signed in February 2018 and is intended to promote innovation, creativity and economic growth in both countries.
• The Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD) has approved ‘Study in India’ programme to attract foreign students to pursue higher education in India. Government has approved expenditure of Rs. 150 crores for programme for two years 2018-19 and 2019-20 which will be primarily for brand promotion activities.
• The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has inked line of credit (LoC) agreement with Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) to provide US $500 million credit facility to fund various development projects in 15-member countries of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region in western-south Africa.
• According to National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2017-18, over 93% households in villages who have access to toilets are using them and about 77% homes in rural areas have got toilets. The survey was conducted by Independent Verification Agency (IVA) under World Bank support project to Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G).
The Ministry of Power has partnered with Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship to train the manpower in six states for speedy implementation of its Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojna (Saubhagya Scheme). These six states are Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
• NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has signed Statement of Intent (SOI) with German tech company SAP to promote culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across 100 Atal Tinkering Labs across India.
• The eleventh session of the China-India joint-group on Economic Relations, Trade, Science & Technology was held in New Delhi. The session was co-chaired by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Suresh Prabhu and China’s Minister of Commerce Mr. Zhong Shan.
• Department of Posts under Ministry of Communications has launched Cool EMS Service between India and Japan. It is one-way service from Japan to India which allows customers in India to import Japanese food items for personal use which is allowed under Indian regulations.
• The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Assam government for sustainable development of human settlements at villages in Kamrup district.
• The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India, (TRIFED), under Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched E-Tribes India banners on e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Snapdeal, Paytm & GeM.
• The National Conference on Down Syndrome was held in New Delhi. It was organised by the National Trust under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Down Syndrome is a chromosomal condition associated with intellectual and learning disabilities. It leads to delayed development and behavioural problems in children suffering with it.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is planning to relax the protected area permit (PAP) regime to enable foreign tourists to access border areas. The move is being initiated to promote tourism, create job opportunities for the locals and generate revenue for the states.
The first-ever National Conference on Drug Law Enforcement was held in New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir. The 2-day conference was organized by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ministry of Home Affairs.
• The External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) launched ‘Videsh Aaya Pradesh ke Dwaar’, an engagement programme with regional media in Hyderabad, Telangana. The initiative aims enhance public diplomacy outreach of MEA and its commitment to take objectives of foreign policy to people at grassroot-level.
• The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has launched India’s first Sign Language Dictionary of 3000. The dictionary has been developed by Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre (ISLR&TC) under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). This dictionary is available in both print and video formats. It will help to bring uniformity in sign languages which are used by differently abled people especially people with hearing or speech impairment.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved launch of Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM). The scheme will integrate two on-going centrally sponsored schemes viz. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS).
• The Union Cabinet has approved second and final extension of term of Commission constituted to examine issue of Sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes in Central List for period of twelve weeks upto June, 2018. The Commission was constituted with approval of President under article 340 of Constitution in October, 2017. It is headed by Justice (Retd.) G. Rohini.
The Union Cabinet has approved North East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS), 2017 to promote employment in North Eastern Region states including Sikkim.NEIDS is combination of the incentives covered under the earlier two government schemes with a much larger outlay. It will have financial outlay of Rs. 3000 crores upto March, 2020.
• The Union Cabinet has approved proposal for moving official amendments in Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016. Once the Bill is enacted by Parliament, National Surrogacy Board (NSB) will be constituted at central level. The States/UTs will constitute State Surrogacy Boards (SSBs) and State Appropriate Authorities within 3 months of notification by Central Government.
• The Union Cabinet has approved opening of 18 new Indian Missions in Africa over four year period from 2018-2021. Decision in this regard was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
• The Union Cabinet has given its in principle approval for inclusion of communities, namely ‘Parivara and Talawara’ as synonym of Nayaka at in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) of Karnataka. This approval fulfils long term demand of these communities for granting ST status in Karnataka. With this inclusion, persons belonging to these communities will be eligible to get ST certificate from Karnataka. They will also be eligible for all benefits meant for ST in state.
• The Union Cabinet has given its approval for revision existing Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Qatar. The purpose of revision is for avoidance of double taxation and for prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income. The existing DTAA between India and Qatar was signed in April 1999 and came into force in January, 2000.
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for closure of India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians (IDF-OI).The purpose of closure is to enhance synergies in channelizing contributions of Indian diaspora to Government’s flagship programmes such as National Mission for clean Ganga and Swachh Bharat Mission. It also seeks to enhance synergies, improve efficiencies and avoid duplication of work.
• The Union Ministry of Mines has launched Sand Mining Framework to help states deal with the sand mining issues, including demand supply deficit and illegal extraction. It was launched at the third National Conclave on Mines & Minerals held in New Delhi.
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) approved proposal to grant full autonomy to 62 higher educational institutions which have maintained high standards of excellence under Autonomous Colleges Regulation. These 62 higher educational institutions include 5 central universities, 21 state universities, 26 private universities and 10 other colleges.
• The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) under Ministry of Finance has scrapped export duty of 20% on raw and refined sugar to boost shipments. The removal of export duty will help to export excess sugar output in India for sugar season 2017-18. This will also prevent further price erosion of the domestic sugar prices.
• NITI Aayog and Piramal Foundation have inked Statement of Intent (SoI) to work closely with District Collectors and key officers of ‘Aspirational Districts’ to support their transformation in terms of healthcare, education and nutrition. The collaboration is for four years with the option to continue, based on mutual agreement.
The Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers has approved proposal of setting up of Plastic Park in Deoghar District, Jharkhand. The project will be set up at cost of Rs.120 crores in an area of 150 acres. Moreover, it will also set up Central Institute for Plastic Engineering & Technology (CIPET) and Plastic Recycling unit at Deoghar.
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship have signed MoU to conduct skill development training programmes for agriculture and allied sector. These skill development training programmes will be conducted at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs).
• Indian Railways has formally handed over eighteen 1350 HP AC/DC diesel electric locomotives to Myanma Railways. It was the first project completed in current Indian Line of Credit (LoC).
• Online marketplace and hospitality service provider Airbnb has signed four MoUs to boost tourism North East India. The MoUs were singed under aegis of Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER). They were signed on behalf of North Eastern Council (NEC), North East Tourism Development Council (NETDC), North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) and North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project (NERCORMP).
• President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE) in New Delhi. He also presented Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Awards.
NITI Aayog has released comprehensive roadmaps and detailed timelines for its initiative Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E) project to introduce system-wide Governance Transformation in school education.
• The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has launched its lost and found mobile applcation for passengers at 59 airports across India. It can be downloaded from the website of Ministry of Information and Technology. The CISF guards 59 civil airports across the country.
• The three-day annual Krishi Unnati Mela was held in New Delhi with focus on doubling farmers’ income. The objective of fair was to create awareness among farmers about latest agriculture-related technological developments. In it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone for 25 Krishi Vigyan Kendras and unveil a portal on organic farming. PM Modi also conferred Krishi Karman Award and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhaya Krishi Vigyan Protsahan Puruskar to progressive farmers and states on the occasion.
• Government has inked $120 million loan agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for completion of projects to improve Rail Infrastructure along high-density corridors and operational efficiency of Indian railways.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched LaQshya program aimed at improving quality of maternity care in labour room and maternity Operation Theatre (OT). It is being implemented to ‘fast-track’ interventions for achieving tangible results.
The Lok Sabha has passed Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017 to empower government to fix period of maternity leave and tax-free gratuity amount with an executive order. The Bill seeks to amend the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.
• The Member Countries of World Health Organization-Regional Office for South-East Asia (WHO-SEARO), participating in Delhi End Tuberculosis (TB) Summit have adopted ‘Delhi End TB Summit Statement of Action’.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved continuation of Urea Subsidy Scheme from 2017 upto 2020 and implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for disbursement of fertilizer subsidy. The proposal in these regards was forwarded by Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
• The Union Cabinet has approved Agreement for Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income between India and Iran. The Agreement is on similar lines as entered into by India with other countries.
• The Union Cabinet has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked between India and Sri Lanka for promoting cooperation in field of Information Technology and Electronics (IT&E). The MoU was signed in January 2018 during the visit of Minister of Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad to Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Tuberculosis (TB) Free India Campaign after he inaugurated Delhi End-TB Summit in New Delhi.
• The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and National Aviation University (NAU) to enhance human resource availability in India’s aviation industry.
• The Supreme Court held that foreign law firms cannot set up offices and their lawyers cannot practise in India but they can give legal advice on foreign laws. The ruling was given by apex court on appeal by Bar Council of India (BCI), challenging judgements by Bombay and Madras High Courts. The ruling does not permit globalization of the legal sector as of now but it shifts the onus on Central Government to do so.
• The Supreme Court held that foreign law firms cannot set up offices and their lawyers cannot practise in India but they can give legal advice on foreign laws. The ruling was given by apex court on appeal by Bar Council of India (BCI), challenging judgements by Bombay and Madras High Courts. The ruling does not permit globalization of the legal sector as of now but it shifts the onus on Central Government to do so.
• The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has constituted Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal for adjudication of longstanding disputes between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over sharing of Mahanadi river water. The tribunal was formed under Section 4 of Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 following directives of Supreme Court on January 2018.
The Union Government has approved proposal to institute Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Police Investigation. The award aims to promote high professional standards of Investigation of Crime in State/UT Police and Central Investigating Agencies (CIAs) in the country.
• The National Conference on Counterfeiting and Role of Enforcement Agencies was held in New Delhi. It was organised by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) in collaboration with European Union (EU). It was inaugurated by Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu.
• The 12 out of 14 states/UTs have replied to Home Ministry that capital punishment or death penalty should stay, as it serves to act as deterrent in cases of heinous crimes such as murder and rape. The Home Ministry had forwarded proposal to abolish death penalty to states/UTs based on recommendation of Law Commission of India (LCI). The states/UTs that vetoed abolition of capital punishment were Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Delhi. Only two states, Karnataka and Tripura, want practice to be done away with.
• India, France co-hosted first International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit at Rashtrapati Bhavan Convention Centre in New Delhi. The aim of the summit was to deliberate on finance mechanism for promotion of solar energy in member countries, crowd-funding and technology transfer.
• India’s first national coastal policing academy, National Academy of Coastal Policing (NACP) to train police forces in effectively safeguarding country’s shoreline will start functioning from April 2018. It will be launched from campus of Gujarat’s Fisheries Research Centre located in coastal Okha town in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat.
India won Best Exhibitor Award at ITB–Berlin World Tourist Meet convened at Berlin, Germany. More than 100 countries had participated in the mega meet with their respective Tourism Ministers.
• The first Indo-French Knowledge Summit for university, scientific and technology cooperation was successfully held in New Delhi. The two-day summit was organized by the French Embassy in India and co-hosted by Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) celebrated its 33rd Inception Day on March 11, 2018. On this occasion, “Citizen Services” mobile application developed in-house by NCRB was also released. The application can be used by citizen for various services such as complaint registration and status check, SOS – Stay Safe, View FIR detail, locate police stations, vahan-samanvay, emergency contact list, police stations telephone directory etc.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and African Development Bank (AfDb), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Green climate fund (GCF), and New Development Bank (NDB) signed Joint financial partnership Declarations. The International Energy Agency (IEA) also signed Joint partnership Declaration with ISA. The objective of these agreements is to deepen their cooperation in support of renewable energy. ISA had earlier signed three partnerships with World Bank, European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
• India and France singed 14 key agreements in strategic areas of security, nuclear energy, protection of classified information and also in field of education, environment, urban development and railways.
The Supreme Court (SC) allowed passive euthanasia and right to give advance medical directives or ‘Living Wills’, stating that human beings have the right to die with dignity as part of fundamental right, but made sure to set out strict guidelines that will govern when it is permitted.
• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) and European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed loan agreement for second line of credit (LoC) of Euro 150 million on non-sovereign basis for renewable energy financing in India. The LoC has tenure of 15 years including grace period of 3 years. It will be used for financing Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency projects in India. It will benefit more than 1.1 million households especially from clean energy produced with these funds.
• Diu has become the first and only Union Territory in the country to be fully run on solar energy. The UT generates total of 13 megawatts (MW) of electricity from solar power generating facilities daily. Of this, 3 MW is generated by rooftop solar plants and 10 MW by its other solar power plants.
• The director generals of Border Security Force (BSF), India and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have declared 8.3 km stretch of Indo-Bangladesh border as first ‘crime-free zone’. The stretch covers Gunarmath and Kalyani Border Out Posts (BOPs) in India and Puthkhali and Daulatpur BOPs in Bangladesh across border.
• The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has launched Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) on the occasion of International Women’s day (March 8, 2018). WEP’s theme song ‘ Naari Shakti’ composed and sung by renowned singer Kailash Kher was also released.
The Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers has launched ‘Suvidha’, a 100% Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkin, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). It was launched by Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs Ananthkumar on the occasion of International Woman’s day.
• The Union Government has expanded Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) programme from 161 districts to all 640 districts of the country. The initial focus of BBBP was limited to districts which were either below national average or were worse in their own states in terms of absolute values of Chid Sex Ratio (CSR).
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched National Nutrition Mission (NMM) at event held at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan on the occasion of International Women’s Day. NNM is comprehensive approach towards raising nutrition level in country on a war footing.
• The Ministry of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises launched Udyam Sakhi Portal (www.udyamsakhi.org) for women entrepreneurs on the occasion of International Women’s Day. It was unveiled by Minister of State (Independent Charge) of MSME, Giriraj Singh, in a program held at Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in association with Uttar Pradesh Government had organized Swachh Shakti 2018, a Women’s Convention on occasion of International Women’s Day in Lucknow. This year, Uttar Pradesh had hosted Swachh Shakti 2018, being largest state in country (in terms of population) with massive rural populace.
The Union Housing Ministry has launched I-Metros, an association of all Indian Metro Rail companies for mutual sharing of ideas & experiences for nurturing excellence their performance. It was launched by P K Sinha, Cabinet Secretary at Conference on “Indian Metros: Collaborating for Excellence” held at Metro Bhawan in New Delhi.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed fine of more than Rs. 54 crore on Jet Airways, InterGlobe Aviation and SpiceJet for unfair business practices with respect to fixing fuel surcharge on cargo transport.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Rs. 1,151 crore Central Sector Scheme for in-situ management of crop residue in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi.
• The Union Cabinet has approved two key measures in telecom sector to facilitate investments, consolidation in the sector and enhancing ease of doing business. These include restructuring
1. Deferred payment liabilities of spectrum auction of telecom service providers (TSPs).
2. Revising the limit of the cap for spectrum holding for TSPs.
• The Union Cabinet has apprised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in field of Renewable Energy between India and Hellenic.
The Union Cabinet has approved signing of Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and France. Decision in this regard was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agreement will be signed during forthcoming state visit of French President to India.
• Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has launched Sukhad Yatra mobile application and 1033 Toll-free Emergency number for highway users. It also launched scheme for District Driving Training Centres and will provide grant of financial assistance for Road Safety Advocacy and awards for outstanding work in Road Safety.
• The shareholders of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have given their nod to India’s candidature to international financial institution. With this, India will become the 69th member of EBRD.
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development has sanctioned Rs. 1000 crore for phase II of Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) India programme to boost research and innovation in the country.
• 40 participants of Indian Origin from 9 countries attended 46th edition of Know India Programme (KIP). Madhya Pradesh was partner state of this edition. As part of the initiative participants visited Madhya Pradesh, Parliament House, President’s House and attended orientation programme at the Foreign Service Institute.
India for first time has started process of importing Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) from United States. The development comes on the heels of India’s first import of crude oil from the US in October 2017.
• Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has installed 49 lakh LED street lights in 28 states/UTs under the Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP). This information was given by Minister of State (IC) Power R K Singh in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
• The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released draft Indian National Strategy for Standardisation for standardisation of products and services to provide level playing field to domestic industry and adopt best global practices. The strategy will play an active role and take leadership positions in apex international forums in related areas besides creating response mechanisms to global developments on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment practices that impact market access of Indian goods and services.
• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched #YesIBleed menstrual hygiene campaign on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2018. It is second edition of such campaign that aims to create holistic approach to issue of menstruation, which is experience that transcends culture, class, and caste.
• The dispute settlement body (DSB) of World Trade Organization (WTO) has decided to set up panel to examine whether India has complied with its 2016 ruling in case against US regarding domestic content requirements (DCR) rules for solar cells and modules.
Myanmar has indefinitely deferred signing agreement with India to streamline free movement of people within 16 km along open border between two countries. It has cited domestic compulsions and has asked for more time for the agreement to be sealed.
• India and Vietnam have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in field of atomic energy during official state visit Tran Dai Quang, President of Vietnam to India. It was signed between Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, India (GCNEP) and Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VINATOM). Its purpose is to strengthen technical cooperation in field of atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
• India and Vietnam have signed three agreements including landmark pact on civil nuclear cooperation to boost bilateral relations. These agreements were inked after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with visiting President of Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang in New Delhi. Vietnam is one of India’s closest strategic partners in the ASEAN region.
• India and Vietnam have signed three agreements including landmark pact on civil nuclear cooperation to boost bilateral relations. These agreements were inked after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with visiting President of Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang in New Delhi. Vietnam is one of India’s closest strategic partners in the ASEAN region.
• India, Bangladesh and Russia have signed tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in construction of Rooppur nuclear power plant near Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is first initiative under India-Russia nuclear deal to undertake atomic energy projects in third countries. It will also be India’s first atomic energy venture abroad.
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has approved projects worth Rs 2,919 crore under Nirbhaya Fund for creating eight safe cities. They are Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Lucknow.
• A new train between Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh and Anand Vihar Terminal in the national capital named Arunachal Express was flagged off. This is the second direct train for Arunachal Pradesh and overall 14th for North East to connect with the national capital.
• India and Jordan have 12 agreements covering areas as diverse as defence, mass media, health, culture and tourism. These agreements were signed after the highlevel talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jordanian King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein in New Delhi. Jordanian King was on three days visit to India. It was his only second to India, that too after more than a decade.
• National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi under Ministry of Textiles is going to conduct National Sizing Survey dubbed as Size India to develop comprehensive size chart for ready-to-wear industry based on body measurements of Indian population. So far, 14 countries have successfully completed national sizing surveys that include US, UK, France, Canada, Spain, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, China and Australia.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved proposal to double guarantee to Rs. 19,000 crore from earlier Rs 9,500 crore to National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) for obtaining credit from banks for procurement of pulses and oilseeds at the support price. The regularization and extension is for undertaking procurement operation of pulses and oilseeds under Price Support Scheme (PSS).
The Union Cabinet has approved signing and ratifying Agreement between India and Jordan on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters. It will help in availability of relevant information for prevention and investigation of Customs offences. It is also expected to facilitate trade and ensure efficient clearance of goods traded between countries.
• The Union Cabinet has approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Jordan on cooperation in the field of Health & Medical Science. Working Group will be set up to to oversee the implementation of this MoU and further elaborate the details of cooperation.
• The Union Cabinet has approved signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Jordan for mining and beneficiation of Rock Phosphate and Muriate of Phosphate (MOP). It also approved setting up production facility in Jordan for Phosphoric Acid/NPK/DAP Fertilizers with long term agreement for 100% off-take to India. The MoU will ensure consistent supply of raw material, intermediaries and finish Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers to cater to needs of country at a reasonable price.
International
• Russia has successfully test fired its latest nuclear Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) RS-28 Sarmat. This missile can carry an array of warheads capable of dodging missile defenses.The test was carried out at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, as spaceport in the west of Russia, close to the Arctic Circle. The ICBM Sarmat has the capacity to reach any point in the world. The missile will enter into service by 2021.
• Pakistan Navy successfully test fired indigenously developed Submarine Launched version of Cruise Missile (SLCM)BABUR. The missile was fired from an underwater dynamic platform, which successfully hit its target with sharp accuracy. The missile also met all its flight parameters.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) signed Host Country Agreement in New Delhi. The agreement gives ISA juridical personality an power to contract, acquire and dispose off movable and immovable properties and also to institute and defend legal proceedings.
• The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed every year on March 25 across the world. Observance of this day honours and remembers those who suffered and died as consequence of transatlantic slave trade. It also aims at raising awareness about dangers of racism and prejudice Transatlantic slave trade which had taken place over span 400 years is considered as worst violation of human rights in history in which more than 15 million men, women and children were victims. The 2018 theme was ‘Remember Slavery: Triumphs and Struggles for Freedom and Equality’. It celebrates freedom of African descent people from slavery. It also acknowledges challenges faced by people in movement towards freedom and equality.
• The World Tuberculosis Day (WTD) is observed every year on March 24 to raise public awareness about the global epidemic of Tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease. WTD is observed to commemorate discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, bacillus (bacteria) causing TB on 24th March, 1882 by German microbiologist Robert Koch. This discovery had opened the way towards diagnosing and curing TB.
• The 44 African countries from total 55 members of African Union (AU) have signed agreement to create African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), one of the world’s largest free trade blocs. The agreement was signed at a summit held in Kigali, Rwanda.
The World Water Day (WWD) is observed every year on 22 March to spread message of preservation and rationaal consumption of water. The day puts emphasis on the importance of freshwater and to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It focuses attention on importance of universal access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in developing countries. The theme this year is ‘Nature for Water’. It explores how nature can be used to overcome the water challenges of the 21st century.
• Philippines has announced to withdraw from International Criminal Court (ICC) citing reason of international bias and held that ICC was being utilised as a political tool against it. It will make Philippines only second country to withdraw from the Rome statute, following Burundi in 2017. South Africa attempted to leave in 2016, but its withdrawal was revoked by UN.
• India was ranked 133rd among 156 countries inWorld Happiness Index 2018, recently released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
• The World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is celebrated every year on March 15 to pay solidarity with the international consumer movement and give more attention to promote basic rights of consumers. This year the theme promoted is “Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer”.
• World Health Organization (WHO) has invited pharmaceutical companies around the world to submit proposals to manufacture affordable versions of newer medicines for treatment of drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). It has now requested drug makers to submit Expression of Interest (EoI) for Bedaquiline and Delaminid, two new-generation drugs, recommended for DR-TB. The aim of this proposal is to replicate success of addressing HIV epidemic. Under WHO norms, drugs submitted upon such requests and complying with its standards will be included in list for procurement by UN and other organisations.
• Pakistan has confirmed that it will be added on ‘grey list’ of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June 2018, once an action plan is mutually negotiated. But it has disputed claims of being put on ‘black list’ from ‘grey list’, which are mainly non-cooperative countries. Earlier, Pakistan was on the FATF grey-list from 2012 to 2015.
Business, Economy & Banking
• India has received first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo comprising 1.2 Lakh tones of the Gas from United States. The cargo has landed at the Dabhol regasification terminal in Maharashtra.
• India received its first Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) cargo from United States (US) under long-term supply deal. The first US-sourced LNG shipment was imported by state-owned GAIL on board of its chartered LNG ship ‘Meridian Spirit’ from Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass LNG export facility in Louisiana. It was discharged at GAIL’s Dabhol terminal, Maharashtra after 25 days voyage. The development comes on heels of India’s first import of crude oil from US in October 2017.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved for removal of prohibition on export of all varieties of edible oils except mustard oil. The proposal was forwarded by Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The CCEA has also approved empowering Committee, chaired by Secretary, Department of Food & Public Distribution to review the export and import policy on all varieties of edible oils.
• The SWIFT (Society for World Interbank Financial Telecommunication System) platform has expanded its GPI (Global Payment Innovation) Tracker system to help banks track their global transactions at all times and keep full vigil on payments activity.
• India’s largest commodities exchange platform, Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited (MCX) launched world’s first brass futures contracts. It will facilitate brass stakeholders to hedge their price risk.
• India and Hong Kong have signed agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
The Revenue Department in the Finance Ministry has imposed anti-dumping duty on import of ‘Ofloxacin’, a pharma product used in treatment of certain infections from China. It was imposed for three years following recommendations of Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) to protect domestic producers from below-cost shipments. In its probe DGAD had found that Ofloxacin exported to India from China was below its normal value, resulting in dumping. It had caused material injury to the domestic industry.
• Pune was ranked first among 23 cities across India in terms of quality of urban governance in the fifth edition of Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems (ASICS) 2017 report released by Bengaluru-based non-profit organisation, Janaagraha.
• India was ranked at 78th among 114 countries on World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Energy Transition Index (ETI) released as part of report titled Fostering Effective Energy Transition. The index ranks countries on how well they are able to balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability.
• The US Trade Representative (USTR) has challenged Indian export subsidy schemes at World Trade Organisation (WTO), saying these programmes harm its manufacturing sector and workers by creating an uneven playing field.
• According to data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), India’s factory output, measured by Index of Industrial Production (IIP) recorded overall 7.5% growth in January 2018, indicating early signs of industrial revival.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for increased cooperation in effective implementation of insolvency law. The MoU was singed at time when authorities are working on ways to address huge amount of non-performing assets (NPAs) in banking sector.
• India has attracted reaching US $208.99 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) during April 2014 to December 2017 period. The main sectors that received maximum FDI include services, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, construction, trading and automobile.
• Indian and French companies have exchanged 19 contracts and agreements worth over 13 billion euros in sectors including new and renewable energy, smart grid, nuclear energy, aviation, cement, telecom among others. The agreements were formalised at Indo-French Economic Partnership (IFEP) signing ceremony held in New Delhi in the context of French President Emmanuel Macron’s official state visit to India.
• According to data of Chinese General Administration of Customs, India-China bilateral trade has reached $84.44 billion last year, a historic high with 18.63% year-on-year growth rate.
• According to Indian Steel Association (ISA), proposal by Trump administration to levy steep tariff on steel imports may hit India’s domestic steel market. Recently, US had proposed to impose tariffs of 25% on steel imports and 10% on imported aluminum to protect domestic steel industry from cheap imports. It had clubbed India as steel non-mature country with other steel surplus nations.
Iraq has overtaken Saudi Arabia to become India’s top crude oil supplier by supplying 38.9 million tonnes (MT) crude oil in the current financial year. It was fifth of the India’s oil needs.
• The Union Government has set up 8 member steering committee look into the development and regulation of the financial technology (fintech) sector in India. It will be headed by Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Garg. The move follows an announcement by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Budget.
• The Nikkei India Services Business Activity Index contracted at 47.8 in February 2018 compared with 51.7 in January 2018. A reading above 50 implies an expansion while one below 50 denotes a contraction.
• The state-owned banks have started rationalising overseas operations by consolidating 35 operations and closing down non-viable branches as part of the clean and responsible banking initiative. The consolidation oncludes bank branches, remittance centres and representative offices.
• The Union Cabinet approved establishment of National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) as an independent regulator for the auditing profession. It aims to tighten regulatory oversight over auditors and plug loopholes. It will be independent from those it regulates for enforcement of auditing standards and ensuring quality of audits.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has crossed an important milestone of having signed 200 Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs). It was achieved after it entered into seven more APAs in February 2018.
• Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of Ministry of Commerce and Industry to give focused attention to 12 identified Champion Services Sectors (CSS) for promoting their development and realizing their potential.
• According to index of eight core industries released by Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Core sector growth has grown at faster pace of 6.7% in January 2018 against 3.4% in January 2017. The eight core sectors had grown by 4.2% in December 2017 and 7.4% in November 2017.
• According to Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), India’s manufacturing sector activity fell to four-month low in February 2018 as factory output and new business orders rose at slower pace. The monthly PMI fell to 52.1 in February 2018 from 52.4 in January 2018, indicating modest improvement in operating conditions. A reading above 50 on index denotes expansion and less than that indicates contraction in activities.
Government Schemes
• The Public Financial Management System (PFMS) portal has processed record Rs 71,633 crore transactions on a single day. This was a historical record breaking volume of digital transactions achieved by PFMS.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved for continuation of Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme and City Compost Scheme beyond 12th Five Year plan till 2019-20. The proposal was forwarded by Department of Fertilizers.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved new Integrated Scheme on School Education for period 2018 to 2020 to be formulated by Department of School Education and Literacy. The new scheme will subsume existing schemes related to education such as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
• The Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD) has approved ‘Study in India’ programme to attract foreign students to pursue higher education in India. Government has approved expenditure of Rs. 150 crores for programme for two years 2018-19 and 2019-20 which will be primarily for brand promotion activities.
• According to National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2017-18, over 93% households in villages who have access to toilets are using them and about 77% homes in rural areas have got toilets. The survey was conducted by Independent Verification Agency (IVA) under World Bank support project to Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G).
• The Ministry of Power has partnered with Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship to train the manpower in six states for speedy implementation of its Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojna (Saubhagya Scheme). These six states are Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
• Andhra Pradesh Government launched multi-utility vehicle NAIPUNYA RATHAM or World on Wheels to bring technology to remote corners. It was launched at State Secretariat in capital Amaravathi by Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved launch of Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM). The scheme will integrate two on-going centrally sponsored schemes viz. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS).
• The Union Cabinet has approved North East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS), 2017 to promote employment in North Eastern Region states including Sikkim.NEIDS is combination of the incentives covered under the earlier two government schemes with a much larger outlay. It will have financial outlay of Rs. 3000 crores upto March, 2020.
• NITI Aayog has released comprehensive roadmaps and detailed timelines for its initiative Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E) project to introduce system-wide Governance Transformation in school education.
• The Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers has launched ‘Suvidha’, a 100% Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkin, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). It was launched by Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs Ananthkumar on the occasion of International Woman’s day.
• The Union Government has expanded Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) programme from 161 districts to all 640 districts of the country. The initial focus of BBBP was limited to districts which were either below national average or were worse in their own states in terms of absolute values of Chid Sex Ratio (CSR).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched National Nutrition Mission (NMM) at event held at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan on the occasion of International Women’s Day. NNM is comprehensive approach towards raising nutrition level in country on a war footing.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Rs. 1,151 crore Central Sector Scheme for in-situ management of crop residue in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi.
• Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has launched Sukhad Yatra mobile application and 1033 Toll-free Emergency number for highway users. It also launched scheme for District Driving Training Centres and will provide grant of financial assistance for Road Safety Advocacy and awards for outstanding work in Road Safety.
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development has sanctioned Rs. 1000 crore for phase II of Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) India programme to boost research and innovation in the country.
• 40 participants of Indian Origin from 9 countries attended 46th edition of Know India Programme (KIP). Madhya Pradesh was partner state of this edition. As part of the initiative participants visited Madhya Pradesh, Parliament House, President’s House and attended orientation programme at the Foreign Service Institute.
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has installed 49 lakh LED street lights in 28 states/UTs under the Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP). This information was given by Minister of State (IC) Power R K Singh in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
• Odisha Government has launched ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas’ (Our Village, our development) programme to reach out to people in rural areas and involve themselves in developmental activities.
• The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has approved projects worth Rs 2,919 crore under Nirbhaya Fund for creating eight safe cities. They are Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Lucknow.
• The Maharashtra’s first Mega Food Park named as Satara Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd. was inaugurated at Degaon Village in Satara district by Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal. This is overall 12th Mega Food Park operationalized in country so far and 10th operationalized during tenure of present government.
Science & Technology
• Scientists have discovered new organ in human body and have named it as ‘interstitium’. It will be the 80th organ in the human body. It might be might be also the biggest organ in human body.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched GSAT 6A communication satellite on board of GSLV-F08 rocket from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This was overall 12th GSLV flight (and fifth successful) and sixth flight with indigenously built cryogenic upper stage engine.
• NASA will send first-ever mission named as InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) dedicated to exploring the deep interior of Mars.
• China has successfully sent pair of twin Beidou-3MEO satellites – Beidou-30 and Beidou-31 –into space as part of its third and final stage of launching its domestic Beidou (Compass) satellite navigation system.
Scientists using Kepler 2 telescope have discovered hot, metallic, Earth-sized planet named K2-229b orbiting dwarf star located 260 million light years away. They had employed Doppler spectroscopy technique also known as 'wobble method' to discover and characterise this faraway planet.
• NASA has partnered with private space launching company SpaceX to launch Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to search for exoplanets using the transit method.
• The Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) has postponed launch of India’s second lunar mission ‘Chandrayaan-2’ from April 2018 to October-November 2018 as experts have suggested more tests. It will be launched on board of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III (GSLV-F10).
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered into Technology Transfer Agreement (TTA) with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to transfer technology for manufacturing space grade Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) cells.
• The Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), an Indore-based unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has developed an instrument called Fluorimeter, to measure traces of uranium in water.
The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) celebrated its sixth Foundation Day. The observance of the day was themed around ‘Sustaining Innovation – A Market Driven Pathway’. The event was attended by large number of dignitaries from scientific and industry sectors both from within country and overseas.
• India’s Department of Space (DoS) and European Union (EU) have signed cooperation agreement related to sharing of earth observation satellite data. The agreement aims to strengthen and stimulate cooperation on earth observation and mutual access to data from EU’s Sentinel series of satellites and from Indian earth observation satellites. The data sharing will provide mutual benefits, in particular in pursuit of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 105th session of Indian Science Congress (ISC) at Manipur Central University in Imphal. The focal theme of 5-day ISC is “Reaching the Unreached Through Science & Technology”.
• The Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) has claimed that India’s first cloned Assamese buffalo male calf named Sach-Gaurav was born in Hisar, Haryana. It was born to Murrah buffalo, at Hi Tech Sach Dairy Farm, 100 kms from cloning laboratory, making it first buffalo calf to be born in field.
• Chinese scientists have developed artificial heart using rocket technology and it is currently undergoing thorough testing experiments on animals. The heart was developed jointly by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) and Teda International Cardiovascular Hospital in North China’s Tianjin.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF’s) has given environmental clearance to India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project to be set up in Bodi West hills in Tamil Nadu. The approval was given by MoEF’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) after taking up INO project issue as special case.
• The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has undertaken development of coded drug AYUSH QOL-2C for improving quality of life in cancer patients. It had conducted clinical studies of the drug in breast cancer patients at St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru and AIIMS, New Delhi and in lung cancer patients at Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Jaipur.
• India-United Kingdom (UK) Joint Team has won Newton-Bhabha Fund for project on Groundwater Arsenic Research in Ganga River Basin. The project was undertaken by Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), UK to find solutions to water challenges faced in pervasively arsenic-affected Ganga River Basin.
• Cybersecurity agencies have detected a new malware called Saposhi that can take over electronic devices and use them for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Saposhi Malware is capable of taking over electronic devices and turning them into bots (device taken over by malware) which can then be used for any purpose, including DDoS attacks which, with enough firepower, can cripple entire industries.
• Researchers have developed silver copper telluride (AgCuTe), a novel compound that exhibits poor thermal conductivity but shows good electrical conductivity. It was developed by researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru.
• Marshall Islands in Pacific Ocean is set to become first country in world to recognize cryptocurrency as its legal tender and adopt transparent crypto monetary system. The parliament of island has passed law to create the digital currency called “Sovereign” with symbol SOV to raise some hard cash to pay bills and boost economy.
Awards & Honors
• Chhattisgarh was awarded National Water Digest Award for Water Conservation-Diversion and increasing the irrigation capacity in the state. The award was presented to Chhattisgarh Water Resources Department (CWRD) on the occasion ‘World Forestry Day’ (observed on March 21) in New Delhi.
• Canadian mathematician Robert P. Langlands (81) has won prestigious Abel Prize 2018 for his visionary programme connecting representation theory to number theory. He will receive the award from Norway’s King Harald V at an award ceremony in Oslo in May 2018.
• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was awarded 2017 Kochon Prize for building tradition of excellence in Tuberculosis (TB) research and development. It had emerged winner from among 18 nominations.
• President Ram Nath Kovind presented Nari Shakti Puraskars 2017 to 30 eminent individuals and 9 distinguished institutions at special ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhavan on occasion of International Women’s Day.
Legendary Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi (90), a pioneer of low-cost housing design has won the prestigious Pritzker Prize, considered architecture field’s Nobel. He is 45th Pritzker laureate and first from India to receive it.
• 40 participants of Indian Origin from 9 countries attended 46th edition of Know India Programme (KIP). Madhya Pradesh was partner state of this edition. As part of the initiative participants visited Madhya Pradesh, Parliament House, President’s House and attended orientation programme at the Foreign Service Institute.
• The 90th Academy Awards commonly referred to as Oscars was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California (US). The award presented in 24 categories by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honouring best films of year 2017.
Sports
• World champions Australia won 27th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah cup 2018 for record 10th time. In the final match held in Ipoh, Malaysia, Australia defeated defending champion England by narrow 2-1 goal margin. Earlier, in the classification match for third place, Argentina defeated host Malaysia by 3-2 goals.
• India B won 45th edition of the Deodhar Trophy 2018 by defeating Karnataka in final match by 6 wickets at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
• Ace wrestler Navjot Kaur won gold medal in the 65kg freestyle wrestling category of Senior Asian Championships held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. With this, she created history by becoming first Indian woman wrestler to win gold medal in Senior Asian Championships. This was also India’s first gold in the ongoing championships. In the final match the women’s 65kg freestyle wrestling category, Navjot defeated Japan’s Miya Imai by 9-1 score.
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