Daily News

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Sampushta Keralam: Poshan Abhiyaan in Kerala

Pos¬han Abhiyaan, is a multi-ministerial convergence mission with the vision to address malnutrition with a targeted approach by 2022.Under this scheme various activities are being organised in Kerala and are remodelled under the banner ‘Sambushta Kerlam’.

Did you Know

Anganawadis, SHGs, kudumbasree are flag bearers of the mission.

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India was world’s second-largest arms importer in 2015-19: Report

India remained the world’s 2nd largest arms importer during 2015-19, with Russia being the largest supplier though Moscow’s share of the Indian weapons market declined from 72% to 56% as per the Trends in international arms transfers 2019 report of SIPRI.

Did you Know

SIPRI- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

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Moody's again slashes India's growth projection for 2020 to 5.3%

Moody’s Investors revised its baseline growth projections for India from 5.4% to 5.3% in 2020, saying an extensive and prolonged slump as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak will reduce growth in Asia’s third-largest economy to 5% during the calendar year.

Did you Know

Latest revision is part of its Global Macro Outlook.

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Kerala to launch total digital literacy campaign- "I am also digital"

Kerala state proposes to launch a total digital literacy campaign titled ‘’I am also digital" , 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.

Did you Know

The Kerala State IT Mission is powering the campaign.

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GMR-led Hyderabad International Airport-Best Airport by size and region

GMR-led Hyderabad International Airport has emerged as the winner of the coveted Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Departures Awards for the Asia-Pacific region for 2019. It was adjudged the Best Airport by Size & Region.

Did you Know

The category was 15-25 Million Passengers Per Annum.

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Operation Twist: RBI gets bids worth Rs 48,856 crore for Rs 25,000 cr LTRO

Reserve Bank of India has received Rs 48,856 crore of bids in the fourth long-term reverse repo operation (LTROs) conducted for an amount of Rs 25,000 crore with a 3-year tenor. The RBI received 37 bids in the LTRO with a reversal date on March 7, 2023.

Did you Know

Bid to Cover Ratio- Amount of bids received relative to the noti

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Investors' total AT-1 bond exposure to Indian banks at Rs 93,000 crore: ICRA

Investors have total bets of over Rs 93,000 Cr on the additional tier-I bonds in Indian banks & a complete write-down proposed in the Yes Bank restructuring may lead to risk aversion, according to a report by Information & Credit Rating Agency of India.

Did you Know

IndusInd Bank dropped a plan for the issue of the AT-1 bonds.

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United Nations adopts political declaration on women's rights

UN adopted a stripped-down political declaration on women's rights that seeks to preserve gains under threat but does not advocate new ways to ensure progress toward equality. It was adopted during the 64th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

Did you Know

A UN declaration on women is approved every five years.

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Fagu Purnima festival being celebrated in Nepal

In Nepal, Holi, the festival of colours is being celebrated in mountainous and hilly regions including Nepal capital Kathmandu. Holi is also known as Fagu Purnima in Nepal. Every year, the festival of Holi is celebrated with gaiety and enthusiasm.

Did you Know

Nepal President- Bidya Devi Bhandari.

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RBI assures safety of bank deposits in wake of Yes Bank crisis

RBI has assured depositors that there is no concern regarding the safety of their deposits in any bank. The RBI stated that the solvency of banks is internationally based on Capital to Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) and not on market capitalization.

Did you Know

Global norm for CRAR- 8%, Indian bank’s average CRAR- 14.3%.

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Indian Scientists develop Fuel Cell Technology for Disaster Management

Scientists at International Advanced Research for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, an autonomous R&D Centre of Department of Science & Technology have developed Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) for Disaster Management.

Did you Know

PEMFC has an operational capability at low temperatures.

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New facility for EPFO subscribers: PPOs, UAN cards available on DigiLocker

EPFO said that Pension Payment Order (PPO) & Universal Account Number (UAN) numbers are now available on the government's e-locker service DigiLocker. It enables large number of pensioners & PF members to download their documents and avail timely benefits.

Did you Know

PPO number is a unique 12-digit number.

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Paytm, Hyderabad Metro tie up for QR-based tickets

Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd has launched Paytm’s QR-code-based metro ticketing system. The new service will enable commuters to travel seamlessly & avoid queues to buy tokens at the metro stations. They can now simply purchase a QR ticket on their Paytm app.

Did you Know

Paytm plans to extend the service to metro-feeder buses.

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Rolls-Royce, IIT-Madras join hands for research programmes

Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s leading industrial technology companies, collaborated with Indian Institute of Technology, Madras to explore opportunities for joint research programmes. Rolls Royce will also roll out a Technical Higher Study Framework.

Did you Know

Rolls-Royce has an Engineering Centre in Bengaluru.

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Aon to buy Willis in $30-billion insurance mega-deal, antitrust hurdles loom

UK-based Aon Plc will buy Willis Towers Watson for nearly $30 billion in an all-stock deal that creates the world's largest insurance broker but is almost certain to face regulatory hurdles. Willis shareholders would receive 1.08 Aon shares under the deal.

Did you Know

Deal is expected to close in the first half of 2021.

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Amazon launches business selling automated checkout to retailers

Amazon.com Inc is set to announce a new business line selling the technology behind its cashier-less convenience stores to other retailers. The highly anticipated business reflects Amazon's strategy of building out internal capabilities such as warehouses.

Did you Know

Amazon Go has brought shopping without checkout lines.

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6 Indian Boxers qualify for Tokyo Olympics

Indian boxer Amit Panghal in 52 Kg category qualified for his maiden Olympic Games, while Manish Kaushik in 63 Kg category remained in race for a Tokyo ticket despite losing his quarterfinal bout in the Asia/Oceania Qualifiers at city of Amman in Jordan.

Did you Know

Sakshi Chaudhary (57 Kg) failed to secure an Olympic berth.

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Anti-HIV drugs used against COVID-19 for the first time in India

Battling the coronavirus threat, India has for the 1st time, used the Lopinavir/ Ritonavir combination, usually a 2nd line HIV medication, in the treatment of two Italian patients- a couple on a tour of India- who tested positive for COVID-19 in Jaipur.

Did you Know

ICMR has been authorized to research on COVID-19 drugs.

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Gujarat tops in domestic solar rooftop installations

To achieve renewable power generation goals, Gujarat has topped the list in the installations of solar rooftop plants with about 50,915 systems being fixed on domestic rooftops in the State as on March 2, 2020. Maharashtra follows with 5,513 installations.

Did you Know

79,950 systems were installed across the country.

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HAL to set up logistics bases in Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka

State-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is looking at setting up logistics bases in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia & Sri Lanka as part of initiatives to woo the countries to buy India's light combat aircraft Tejas & military helicopters.

Did you Know

Chairman and Managing Director of HAL- R Madhavan.

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Sanitary Napkin Disposal Bags to be made mandatory from 2021: Prakash Javedekar

Centre instructed the sanitary napkin companies to provide bio-degradable disposal bags from January 2020. Prakash Javadekar said cleanliness norms in force in municipal areas will now be applicable to villages having a population of more than 3,000.

Did you Know

Union Environment Minister- Prakash Javedekar.

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Chalasani Venkat Nageswar gets additional charge as 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 with immediate effect till further orders. State Bank of India is the country's largest lender.

Did you Know

SBI Headquarters- Mumbai, Chairman- Rajnish Kumar.

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March 10: CISF Raising Day

The Central Industrial Security Force Raising Day is celebrated on 10th of March every year. The CISF works under Ministry of Home Affairs. It was set up in 1969 under the CISF act, 1968 passed in Parliament of India. It was made as an armed force in 1983.

Did you Know

CISF guard industrial units and infrastructure projects.

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Traditional “Fagli” festival celebrated in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur

Traditional Fagli festival was celebrated in Yangpa village of Kinnaur district with great fervour. Festival is organised to observe the victory of good over evil. Men dressed in traditional attire with masks on their faces were seen dancing in circles.

Did you Know

Fagli is a three-day festival.