World Bank unveiled a $12 billion aid package that will provide fast-track funds to help countries combat the coronavirus outbreak. The funds, some of which are targeted to the world's poorest nations, can be used for medical equipment or health services.
Fund will also include expertise and policy advice.
Leading Indian American health policy consultant Seema Verma has been appointed as one of the key members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force constituted by US President Donald Trump to combat the deadly disease COVID-9 that has infected many people.
Task force Head-Health & Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar.
India has the 3rd-highest trade-related illicit financial flow among over 135 countries with a whopping $83.5 billion escaping the govt's tax net owing to trade-based money laundering tactics, according to a report released by Global Financial Integrity.
China (USD 457.7 billion) has the largest identified value gaps.
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has informed that Rs. 4,807 Cr have been deposited into the bank accounts of 7.65 lakh farmers under the Mahatma Phule farm loan waiver scheme. Over 35 lakh farmers have uploaded their information on the scheme portal.
Accounts are to be linked with Aadhar for the waive off.
Govt has envisaged replacement of all the level crossings on National Highways by Road Over Bridges/ Road Under Bridges under the Setu Bharatam scheme. Road Transport & Highways Ministry is implementing the scheme to ensure safe & smooth flow of traffic.
Scheme also aimed at reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2020.
Women account for over 81 per cent of the total beneficiaries under the 'Stand Up India' scheme with loans worth Rs 16,712 crore sanctioned for them in nearly 4 years’ time, the finance ministry said. The Stand-Up India scheme was launched on 5 April 2016.
International Women's Day is on March 8.
Financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1.51 crore has been sanctioned to Kaziranga National Park during the financial years 2018-19 and 2019-2020 under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), Change Babul Supriyo said.
He is the Minister of Assam for Environment, Forest & Climate.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has infused 1.46 lakh Cr in the rural banking system during the current fiscal. 66,397 Cr Rs have been given in short-term credit and 6,704 Cr Rs in long-term credit to rural cooperative banks.
Short-term refinance is essentially production credit.
Pilot-in-Command may permit the access of Internet services by passengers on board an aircraft in flight, through Wi-Fi on board, when laptop, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, e-reader or a point of sale device is used in flight mode or airplane mode.
Boeing 787-9: 1st aircraft to provide in-flight Wi-Fi services.
Lalit Kala Akademi’s 61st annual awards shall be conferred by the President Ram Nath Kovind to 15 artists at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Lalit Kala Akademi, National Academy of Art, New Delhi was set up as an autonomous body, on 5th August 1954.
The Akademi was given statutory authority in 1957.
An analysis of the top 500 debt heavy private companies by India Ratings showed that around 16% of the existing corporate debt is vulnerable. There is a possibility that these loans, worth around Rs 10.52 lakh Cr, could turn bad over the next 3 years.
An additional Rs 2.54 lakh crore of delinquent debt can occur.
Centre has approved road & highways development projects worth Rs 2,185 Cr for Puducherry. Centre has approved development of highways & introduction of four-way lanes linking the UT with important segments. Nitin Gadkari recently visited Puducherry.
Puducherry Chief Minister- V Narayanasamy.
National Chambal sanctuary has been declared as an eco-sensitive zone by the central government. The decision to declare the area as an eco-sensitive zone will prohibit the construction of hotels or resorts within an area of 0-2 km from the sanctuary.
The Project is managed by the Wildlife wing of UP Forest Dept.
35th edition of AAHAR - the Food and Hospitality fair began in New Delhi. ITPO is organizing the fair, along with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Agriculture & Processed Food Products Development Authority & several apex industry associations.
India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) Chairman- LC Goyal.
The famous Rangotsav began at Barsana in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh- the place which is famous for its colourful Holi festivities. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the ten-day Rangotsav and also participated in the Laddoo Holi.
Chadi Maar Holi & Dau ji ka Aurangabad are part of this.
The Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament has been postponed from April to September in the wake of the COVID-9 outbreak across the world. The event which was scheduled to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia from April 11-18, will now be held from September 24-October 3.
India was not supposed to participate this year.
68th All India Police Athletic Championship-2019 began at Bhanu in Panchkula District of Haryana. Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju declared the meet open at Basic Training Centre of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
Govt aims to bring India in top 10 in the 2028 Olympics.
Indian men's hockey team has gained the 4th position, their highest since the inception of the FIH world rankings in 2003, in the recently released chart. India's excellent form in the 1st 3 rounds of the 2nd edition of FIH Hockey Pro-League is the cause.
Belgium, Australia & Netherlands are at the 1st,2nd & 3rd ranks.
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the designation of Ajay Bhushan Pandey as the new Finance Secretary. Currently, he is the Revenue Secretary under the Union Finance Ministry. He will replace incumbent Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar.
He spent 9 years with Unique Identification Authority of India.
March 4 is commemorated as National Security Day to praise the work of security forces, who ensure that the citizens of India sleep can sleep peacefully, without fretting over the security of the country. Day is also known as Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas.
India has the world's third largest military force.
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has brought back the Model Guidelines for Conservation, Management and sustainable use of Community Forest Resources (CFR Guideline) under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA), four years after it went into cold storage.
NC Saxena heads the committee on CFR guidelines.
Scientists at Institute of Advanced Study in Science & Technology, Guwahati found plant-growth-promoting & antifungal activities of endophyticactino bacteria associated with tea plant & related genera, Eurya to find potent plant growth-promoting strains.
Team isolated 46 endophyticactino bacteria for the study.
