Current Affairs Daily Digest – March 1 2019
1. Assam CM launches Affordable Nutrition & Nourishment Assistance Yojna
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the Affordable Nutrition and Nourishment Assistance (ANNA) Yojna of Food and Civil Supplies Department at the GMCH Auditorium in the city.
“ANNA scheme aims enable the underprivileged people to live a life of dignity with their heads held high. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has propagated the motto of ‘sabka sath sabka vikash’ to empower all sections of the society so that they can receive equal opportunity to grow. This scheme is embodiment of this spirit of equal development.
2. Chapchar Kut Festival 2019 celebrated in Mizoram
Chapchar Kut, which is the biggest festival of the Mizo people, was celebrated with traditional fervour at AR Lammual Ground in Aizawl as well as other districts of Mizoram with the theme, ‘Unity of Zo People’.
Thousands of people wearing traditional attires gathered at AR Lammual Ground and joined the celebration where traditional dances, songs and games were presented with participation of a large number of artistes.
Mizoram Art & Culture Minister R Lalzirliana while speaking about the importance of the festival being celebrated with the theme ‘Unity of the Zo People’ who live in separate states and countries, said, “Though the boundaries between us bring differences in our language and behaviour, this is what makes our Zo culture richer.”
3. AYUSH Minister lays foundation stone for National Institute of Unani Medicine
AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik laid the foundation stone for National Institute of Unani Medicine at Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Naik informed that his Ministry is establishing the Institute in Ghaziabad as a part of its commitment towards provision and promotion of quality education, research and healthcare services through Unani Medicine and other AYUSH systems. this institute would be developed with an approximate cost of 300 crore rupees on 10 acres of land. It would be one of the largest institutes of Unani Medicine in Northern India.
4. Federer 2 wins from 100th title after reaching Dubai semis
In Dubai Tennis Championship, Swiss tennis star Roger Federer moved to within two wins of a 100th career title after a tough win against Marton Fucsovics to reach the semi-finals. The seven-time champion beat his Hungarian opponent 7-6 6-4. The 20-time Grand Slam winner will face Borna Coric today after the Croatian defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 4-6, 6-2, 7-6.
Earlier, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece reached the last four as he defeated Hubert Hurkacz 7-6, 6-7, 6-1 and set up a meeting with Gael Monfils of France.
5. Cabinet approves National Policy on Software Products – 2019
Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the National Policy on Software Products – 2019 to develop India as a Software Product Nation.
The Software product ecosystem is characterized by innovations, Intellectual Property (IP) creation and large value addition increase in productivity, which has the potential to significantly boost revenues and exports in the sector, create substantive employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in emerging technologies and leverage opportunities available under the Digital India Programme, thus, leading to a boost in inclusive and sustainable growth.
Initially, an outlay of Rs.1500 Crore is involved to implement the programmes/ schemes envisaged under this policy over the period of 7 years. Rs1500 Crore is divided into Software Product Development Fund (SPDF) and Research & Innovation fund.
6. Cabinet approves Kanpur Metro Rail Project
The Union Cabinet meeting , chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Kanpur Metro Rail Project having two corridors, which will connect major public nodes and city cluster areas of Kanpur. Implementation of Metro Rail System will result in less vehicular traffic and better movement on the roads leading to reduction in congestion, travel time, cost of journey and pollution.
Highlights of Kanpur Metro Rail Project include-
The length of ITT to Naubasta corridor is 23.785 km, which is partly elevated and partly underground and comprises of 22 Stations (14-Elevated and 8-Underground).
The length of Agriculture University to Barra-8 corridor is 8.60 km comprising of 4 Elevated & 4 Underground stations.
Estimated cost of the project is Rs 11,076.48 Cr. and project will be completed in 5 years.
7. India’s GDP growth slows down to 6.6% in December quarter, fails to meet expectations
India’s GDP growth has slowed down to 6.6 per cent in the December quarter, as per the latest government data. The growth rate is below expectations. A Reuters poll had anticipated a GDP growth of 6.9 per cent.
India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was revised down to 7 per cent from 7.1 per cent in the second quarter ended September 30, 2018, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
The growth in GDP during 2018-19 is estimated at 7 per cent as compared to the growth rate of 7.2 per cent in 2017- 18, the Ministry of Statistics said. Last month, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has projected Indian economy to grow at 7.2 per cent for this fiscal under its first advance estimates.
8. GIMT to host two-day Smart India Hackathon in Guwahati
To solve the problems faced by the common people, MIRI, MIC, AICTE, i4c and Persistent Systems have come together to organise Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2019. The two-day event will be held at Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Management and Technology (GIMT) .
The SIH involves over 1 lakh technical students, more than 3000 technical institutions and 200 plus organizations from across India, said organisers in a statement.
For the first time, SI1-2019 in the series of such events also included problem statements from private sector and non-governmental organisations.
There are 229 problem statements from different organizations which are divided into three categories– complex, complicated and simple with cash prizes of Rs.I, 00,000, Rs.75, 000 and 50,000 respectively
9. Indian economy expected to grow at 7.3% in 2019-20: Moody’s
Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.3 per cent in calendar years 2019 and 2020, the US-based rating agency Moody’s said .
The agency said the country is less exposed to a slowdown in global manufacturing trade growth than other major Asian economies and emerging markets and is poised to grow at a relatively stable pace in the two years.
Moody’s said the announcement in Interim Budget 2019-20 on direct cash transfer programme for farmers and the middle-class tax relief measures will contribute a fiscal stimulus of about 0.45 per cent of GDP.
10. Cabinet approves railway zone at Vishakhapatnam
Union Cabinet approved setting up of a Railway Zone at Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and a new division with headquarter at Rayagada in Odisha by reorganizing the existing South Central Railway and East Coast Railway.
Southern Coast Railway will be 18th Railway zone of the Indian Railways. The new zone will comprise the existing Guntakal, Guntur and Vijayawada divisions that currently fall under the South Central Railway.
11. GST collection in February stands at Rs 97,247 cr
The GST collection in the month of February stood at 97 thousand 247 crore rupees. However, the collection in previous month was over one lakh crore rupees. the total number of GSTR 3B returns filed for the month of January up to 28th February is over 73 lakh.
The Government has settled 19,470 crore rupees to CGST and 15,747 crore to SGST from IGST as regular settlement. The total revenue earned by Central Government and the State Governments after regular settlement in the month of February, 2019 is over 37 thousand crore rupees for CGST and around 40 thousand crore rupees for the SGST.
12. Delhi HC judge Valmiki Mehta dead
Delhi High Court judge Justice Valmiki Mehta passed away morning due to a heart attack. Mehta, born in Mumbai on June 6, 1959, assumed office as Additional Judge, Delhi High Court, on April 15, 2009.
He did his schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Vishakhapatnam, and completed graduation from Sri Venkateshwara College, Delhi, and LL.B. from Campus Law Centre of Delhi University. He started law practice in Delhi High Court in 1982 after which he was enrolled with the Delhi Bar Council.
13. 7TH Guiness Book of World Record created by DEPwD in Bharuch, Gujarat yesterday
A National Conference on “Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)”was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Thaawar chand Gehlot .
The Conference was organised by theDepartment of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri RamdasAthawale, Secretary, DEPwD Smt. ShakuntalaDoleyGamlin, senior officers of the Ministry and about 600 delegates from across the country participated in the conference.
The objective of the conference was to sensitize the stakeholders of the scheme i.e. Programme Implementing Agencies (PIAs), District level officers & State Government officers.
14. PNB RANKS 1ST IN IMPLEMENTATION OF ‘REFORMS AGENDA’
According to BCG-IBA Report – EASE Reforms for Public Sector Banks, released by Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Punjab National Bank (PNB) secured the top spot among all public sector banks in the implementation of ‘Reforms agenda’.
PNB which topped the list with a score of 78.4 out of 100 in the EASE-index was followed by BoB (77.8), SBI (74.6), and Oriental Bank of Commerce (69).
The EASE (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence) report has shown significant enhancement in PSB performance on the back of Government’s 4R’s strategy- recognition, recovery, recapitalisation and reforms. The index has measured Banks on 140 objective metrics across 6 themes including customer responsiveness, credit off-take and digitalization.
