Current Affairs Daily Digest – March 01 2020
1. Punjab to reduce government employees retirement age to 58 years
Punjab State government announced major changes in the 2020-21 budget. The budget announcement was made by Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal. He presented a Rs.1,54,805 crore budget in the state Assembly. The state government announced to waive Change of Land Use (CLU) charges for two years for the new industries coming up outside the municipal limits and slash the “mandi” fee on vegetables from 4%-1%.
2. Assam CM awarded 2020 Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee award
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was conferred the Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee award 2020 for Politics on 28 February. The award was conferred by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Speaker of People’s Majlis of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed at the 6th India Ideas Conclave in Gujarat. He was awarded for his work in integrating the nation and to take Mukherjee’s vision and philosophy forward.
3. Zero Discrimination Day is observed on 1 March
Zero Discrimination Day is observed on 1 March. The day promotes diversity and recognizes that everyone counts. The symbol for Zero Discrimination Day is the butterfly. It is used by people to share their stories and photos as a way to end discrimination and work towards positive transformation.
4. World Defence Day is celebrated on 1 March
World Defence Day is celebrated on 1 March 2020. The day is observed to raise awareness of public protection from natural and technogenic disasters and rescue service work.
World Civil Defense Day was instituted by the International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO) General Assembly in 1990. It commemorates the day when the ICDO Constitution came into force as an intergovernmental organization in 1972.
5. Researchers detected biggest explosion since Big Bang
Researchers have detected evidence of a colossal explosion in space which is five times bigger than anything observed before. The huge release of energy is expected to have occurred from a supermassive black hole which is located around some 390 million light-years from Earth. Also, the scientists stated that the explosion might have left a giant dent in the Ophiuchus galaxy cluster.
6. World economy faces worst performance since the past decade
Bank of America Corporation (BofA) economists stated that the world economy is heading for its worst performance since the 2009 financial crisis. The decline is due to the increasing spread of coronavirus across the world. The economists stated that they are expecting 2.8% global growth in 2020, which is the weakest since 2009. The forecast did not include a global pandemic that would basically shut down economic activity in many major cities.
7. Dronacharya awardee athletics coach Joginder Singh Saini passes away
Veteran athletics coach and Dronacharya awardee Joginder Singh Saini, who groomed some of India’s finest track and field stars, died in Patiala today due to age-related problems. He was 90. Saini, who remained the chief national athletics coach for many years from the 1970s to 90s, was not keeping well for the past few days.
8. Former India hockey star and Olympic bronze medallist Balbir Singh Kullar dies
Former India hockey player Balbir Singh Kullar, who was a part of the 1968 Olympics bronze-winning team, has died after suffering a heart attack at his home in Punjab. He died on Friday afternoon at the age of 77. Kullar’s cremation will be conducted on Monday.
9. Muhyiddin Yassin sworn in as Malaysian PM
Mr Muhyiddin Yassin was officially sworn in at Istana Negara as Malaysia’s prime minister on Sunday (Mar 1) morning, following a week of political upheaval in the country.
Dressed in a traditional black outfit, the 72-year-old took the oath of office during an elaborate ceremony. He was accompanied by his wife, Noorainee Abdul Rahman.
10. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla launches ‘Suposhit Maa Abhiyan’ in Kota
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday launched “Suposhit Maa Abhiyan” to provide nutritional support to pregnant women and adolescent girls. Union Minister Smriti Irani also attended the programme at Bhamashah Mandi in Anantpur.
11. MoS Jitendra Singh launches Pension Adalat in Jammu
Union Minister of State (independent charge) Jitendra Singh on Saturday inaugurated the Pension Adalat and National Pension System (NPS) Awareness and Grievance Redressal Programme at the Convention Centre here.
The redressal programme is being conducted by the Department of Pension and Pensioners” Welfare, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India. The minister also launched the “Do You Know” Twitter series on family pension, along with a booklet highlighting case studies with interpretation of pension rules.
12. Khelo India University Games: India’s fastest woman Dutee Chand clinches Gold in 100 meters race
India’s fastest woman Dutee Chand clinched gold in 100 meters dash while long distance runner Narendra Pratap Singh bagged his second title at Khelo India University Games in Bhubaneswar today.
13. Tamil Nadu to set up technical textiles park in Salem
Close on the heels of the Government of India announcing a Rs 1,480-crore National Technical Textiles Mission, the government of Tamil Nadu has decided to set up a ‘technical textiles park’ in Salem.
In an informal chat with BusinessLine on the sidelines of the annual meet of the Tamil Nadu chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the state’s Chief Secretary, Mr K Shanmugam, said that the government has planned two textile parks, in Tuticorin and Salem. The one in Salem would be for technical textiles, he said.
14. Gaurav Gill feted at FMSCI Awards
Rally driver Gaurav Gill took home a special award at the Federation of Motor Sports Club of India (FMSCI) Awards here on Saturday.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju graced the occasion as chief guest and congratulated the national and international champions of Indian motorsports.
15. HDFC Bank launches co-branded credit card with IndiGo
HDFC Bank on Thursday joined hands with the country’s largest airline IndiGoNSE 2.80 % to launch a co-branded credit card, which will effectively work like a loyalty programme for the carrier. Labelled Ka-ching, the card will offer many benefits like complimentary air tickets, lounge access, 5 per cent cashback or reward points on Indigo bookings, and 3 per cent cashback on dining, grocery and entertainment, the companies said.
