Daily News

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3 day Combined Commanders' Conference(CCC) at Kevadia, Gujarat.

It is a premier brainstorming event of the Military Commanders from the three Services.Defense Minister,Rajnath Singh held deliberations on Day 2.In a first,valedictory session on the third and final day to be chaired by the PM Narendra Modi.

Did you Know

Last CCC was held in 2018 at the Air Force Station,Jodhpur.

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DRDO successfully conducted flight test of Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Technology from Integrated Test Range,Odisha.

This will enable DRDO to develop long range air-to-air missiles(AAMs).DRDO had conducted successful tests in 2018 and 2019 as well.Ramjet powered missiles provide greater range and a higher average speed compared to missiles powered by solid propellants.

Did you Know

DRDO began developing SFDR first in 2017.

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Haryana Chief Minister announced four welfare schemes on Ravidas Jayanti

Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana (for 1 lakh poorest families),Dr.BR Ambedkar Awas Navinikarn Yojana(assistance of Rs 80,000 to repair house),legal aid to SC/ST increased to Rs21,000 & Sant Mahapurush Vichar Samman and Prasaar Yojana announced.

Did you Know

It was the 644th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas.

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In a first for RRBs,Telangana Grameena Bank(TGB) & Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank(APGVB) launch video-KYC facility

These SBI sponsored RRBs have become first among RRBs to adopt state-of-the-art technologies having full security features for zero contact onboarding of customers, which are at par with commercial banks.It will help increase their CASA portfolio.

Did you Know

Head&HQ:
V.Arvind,Hyderabad(TGB);
Praveen Kumar,Warangal(APGVB)

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Maintaining the inflation target at 4% into the medium-term is appropriate:RBI report.

Under Section 45ZA of the RBI Act,Centre with RBI consultation had fixed the inflation target/Flexible Inflation Target for the period between August 5, 2016 and March 31, 2021, at 4% with upper tolerance of 6% and lower tolerance level of 2%.

Did you Know

Report is RBI's Report on Currency and Finance (RCF) for 2020-21

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Kotak Mahindra Bank appoints agricultural economist Ashok Gulati as additional independent director

The term of Gulati, a keen backer of the recent farm laws who has also been appointed by the Supreme Court to a four-member panel, is for five years starting from 6th March 2021.He is currently the Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at ICRIER.

Did you Know

KMB's non-executive chairman is Prakash Apte.

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ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel strikes $6.9 billion(Rs.50,000 crore) deal with Odisha govt to set up steel plant

It is to set up a 12 million ton integrated steel plant in Kendrapara district. This comes at a time when the Union government is looking to boost investment in sectors such as housing, roads, ports and railways.

Did you Know

ArcelorMittal:
Chairman: Lakshmi Mittal;
CEO:Aditya Mittal

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PNB Housing Finance,Yes Bank sign strategic co-lending pact for retail home loans;homebuyers will get loans at competitive rates

PNB Housing and Yes Bank will co-originate loan at agreed ratio.In 2020, the RBI allowed co-origination of housing finance companies with banks to enable NBFCs and other banking institutions to provide mutually beneficial risk assessment services.

Did you Know

PNB Housing Finance:
MD & CEO: Hardayal Prasad;
HQ:New Delhi.

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Dr. Harsh Vardhan launches CSIR Floriculture Mission;CSIR’s Societal Portal along with the Android App launched as well.

CSIR Floriculture Mission has been approved for implementation in 21 States & UTs. Knowledge base in CSIR Institutes to be utilized to help Indian farmers & industry re-position itself to meet import requirements and create opportunity for entrepreneurship

Did you Know

Indian floriculture market projected to reach Rs 47200cr by 2024

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Estimated 931 mn tonnes of food wasted globally in 2019; India's share 68 mn:Food Waste Index Report 2021

61% per cent of the waste came from households,26% from food service and 13% from retail.17% of total global food production may be wasted.In India,household food waste estimate in per capita per year is 50 kg,US is 59 kg and China is 64 kg.

Did you Know

Report is by UNEP and partner organisation WRAP.

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NPCI ties up with SBI Payments to launch ‘RuPay SoftPoS’ solution

RuPay SoftPoS solution turns NFC (near-field communication)-enabled smartphones into PoS terminals for retailers.With this, merchants will be able to accept contactless payments of up to Rs.5000 through a simple tap & pay mechanism on their smartphones.

Did you Know

SBI Payments:
MD and CEO:Giri Kumar Nair;
HQ:Mumbai

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Muthoot Finance chairman MG George passes away.

He is the son of M George Muthoot, who began the finance business and the grandson of Muthoot Ninan Mathai, the group founder.His eldest son George M George is the executive director of the group and the youngest son Alexander George is the director.

Did you Know

Muthoot Finance is the largest gold loan NBFC in India.

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Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Inaugurates World Skill Centre(WSC) At Bhubaneswar;set up at a budget of nearly Rs.1342.2 Crores

WSC is being modelled around TVET Institute, ITE (Institute of Technical Education) Singapore and seeks inspiration from World Skills,Russia and GIFTS (Global Institute for Transferring Skills), South Korea. Established with assistance from ADB with ITEES.

Did you Know

Established under Odisha Skill Development Project.

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Jammu and Kashmir finish top as Khelo India Winter Games conclude in Gulmarg

The UT stood first for the second successive time.They won 11 gold,18 silver and 5 bronze to finish with a tally of 34 medals.More than 1000 athletes from various parts of the country participated in the mega five-day event.In ice hockey ASCB won gold.

Did you Know

Karnataka came 2nd with 5 gold and 4 bronze medals.

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Shooting: Indian women’s trap team win silver medal at ISSF Shotgun World Cup

The trio of Kirti Gupta, Manisha Keer and Rajeshwari Kumari went down 4-6 to Russia in the final of International Shooting Sport Federation(ISSF) Shotgun World Cup in Cairo, Egypt.The men’s Skeet team bagged a bronze medal earlier on in the tournament

Did you Know

ISSF:
President:Vladimir Lisin;
HQ:Munich,Gremany

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Meghalaya govt launches online registration portal for migrant workers

Launched under Meghalaya Identification Registration (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act 2020 enables migrant workers & persons/contractors employing migrant labourers/workers to register them,failing which they will be liable to pay Rs.5000 fine.

Did you Know

Registration through portal can be made from any part of India.

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COVID-19 induced closure of 1.5 million schools affected 25 crore Indian children: UNICEF study

Report stated that online education is not an option for all as only 1 in 4 children has access to digital devices & internet connectivity. Pre-COVID,only a quarter of households(24%) in India had access to internet & there is large rural-urban divide.

Did you Know

Over 6 mn children were already out of school even before COVID.

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MP leads in land record digitisation for 2nd year in a row,Bihar shows most improvement:NCAER’s Land Records and Services Index

NLRSI 2020-21 says that 29 out of 32 states and UTs showed a gradual improvement in their efforts to digitise land records compared to the previous year. West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu followed to round up the top five.

Did you Know

NCAER is a Delhi-based think-tank.

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Mumbai local train:Indian Railways install Mobile Train Radio Communication(MTRC)system, commuters to get real-time updates

MTRC system will monitor,track & aid in communication between trains & control room thereby ensuring smooth movement of railway rakes.System uses lowest time to connect calls i.e 300 milliseconds & it is the first time that MTRC is commissioned in India.

Did you Know

Existing VHF based system, Mobile & CUG had its limitations.

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India to fund Nepali ₹246 million for reconstruction of three Cultural Heritage projects in Nepal.

MoU for restoration and reconstruction were signed for Jestha Varna Mahavihara in Lalitpur, Sulighyang Gumba and Shermathang Gumba located in Sindhupalchowk district.On February 11,India funded NRs 142 mn for restoration of 3 cultural heritage projects.

Did you Know

India is to undertake 28 projects under reconstruction grant.

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Golden Globes 2021 Winners

Nomadland won best director,best drama film;best Musical or comedy by Borat Subsequent Moviefilm;Best actor & actress (Drama)-Chadwick Boseman & Viola Davis;Soul won best score & best animated motion picture and Minari won best foreign language film etc.

Did you Know

The Crown won 4 of its 6 nominations including Best TV series.

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Indian Army begins training Turkmenistan Special Forces in combat capabilities

Turkmenistan’s paratroopers will be trained in 'Combat Free Fall' as a precursor to a series of customised courses which will assist in their capability enhancement.Special Forces Training School in Nahan,Himachal Pradesh is responsible for the training.

Did you Know

Turkmenistan:
Capital:Ashgabat;
Currency:Manat.

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Australia building world's first platypus sanctuary

Taronga Conservation Society Australia & New South Wales State govt will build it at a zoo 391 km (243 miles) from Sydney, by 2022, which could house up to 65 platypuses.Concerns about the platypus going extinct have heightened since the 'black summer'.

Did you Know

Scientists estimate nearly 3 bn animals died in black summer.

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Ladakh,J&K to have separate cell in National Commission for Women(NCW)

In the absence of State Women's Commissions,this is being done.Earlier Ladakh became launching pad for 1st-ever online training programme Empowering Women through Entrepreneurship.NCW with IIM Bangalore & India SME Forum is training 5000 women across India

Did you Know

National Commission for Women Chairperson: Rekha Sharma

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Hurun Global Rich List 2021: Mukesh Ambani 8th richest in world, Elon Musk at top

Ambani recently overtook China's Zhong Shanshan to become the richest person in Asia.He has net worth of $83 billion.Gautam Adani and family ranked 48,Shiv Nadar and family ranked 58,Lakshmi N Mittal at 104 & Cyrus Poonawalla of Serum Institute at 113.

Did you Know

India now has 209 billionaires, of which 177 live in India

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Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda inaugurated GI Mahotsav at LBSNAA,Mussoorie To Sensitize IAS Probationers.

It is an exhibition of GI tagged products & more than 40 GI registered proprietors,authorised users & artisans participated.TRIFED organised it in collaboration with LBSNAA.130th Tribes India Showroom was inaugurated at Velridge Building as well.

Did you Know

TRIFED jackets with geometric Ikat weaving was launched.