Daily News

Image

DRDO lab develops lightweight Bullet Proof Jacket for requirements of Army.

DRDO lab Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE),Kanpur has developed lightweight Bullet Proof Jacket (BPJ) weighing 9.0 kg, meeting the qualitative requirements of Indian Army. It was tested at Terminal Ballistics Research Lab in Chandigarh.

This technology reduces the weight of the medium sized BPJ from 10.4 to 9.0 kg.

Did you Know

Image

Indian army to participate in multinational exercise 'Exercise Shantir Ogroshena-2021' in Bangladesh.

Exercise Shantir Ogroshena-2021(Front Runner of the Peace) will be held at Bangladesh to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangladesh ‘Father of the Nation’ Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and mark glorious 50 years of liberation.

Indian Army contingent comprising of 30 personnel including Officers, JCOs and Jawans of a Battalion from the Dogra Regiment will participate.

Did you Know

The theme of the exercise is “Robust Peace Keeping Operations”.

Image

Rajinikanth to be honoured with 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shri Prakash Javadekar announced the recipient of the 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award.The award for 2019 will be conferred to legendary actor Shri Rajinikanth.

It will be presented on 3rd May, along with the National Film Awards.

Did you Know

The Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2018 -Amitabh Bachchan.

Image

Subhash Kumar takes additional charge as ONGC CMD

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)’s Director (Finance) Subhash Kumar assumed additional charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD).

Kumar took charge upon the superannuation of incumbent CMD, Shashi Shanker on March 31, 2021.

Did you Know

Image

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) sets up subsidiary NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited(NBBL)

NPCI has transferred all its Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) transaction mandates to a NBBL,effectively hiving off its automated billing business.

All leading banks/aggregators such as SBI,HDFC Bank and BillDesk etc on Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units platform,processing monthly bill payments,have been asked to start accounting their billing transactions under NBBL.

Did you Know

It is effective from April 1.

Image

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Releases Book ‘Suparipalana’ By Retired Civil Servant Dr Shailendra Joshi

The book ‘Suparipalana’ is the Telugu translation of “Echo T Calling: Towards People-Centric Governance”, written by former Telangana Chief Secretary, Shri S K Joshi.

The translator of the book is Shri Annavarapu Brahmaiah and the publisher is Shri Maruthi.

Did you Know

Image

India Keeps Inflation Target Unchanged For The Next Five Years.

The Indian government has kept the inflation target for the next five years unchanged at 4 (+/-2)%.

The inflation target, the first such in India’s monetary policy history, was set in August 2016 and was valid until March 31, 2021.The six-member monetary policy committee,which includes three officials from RBI is entrusted with meeting the inflation target.

Did you Know

No change in either the target band of 2-6% or mid-point at 4%.

Image

West Central Railway becomes first fully electrified Indian Railways zone

On 30 March 2021,after CCRS Inspection and Commissioning of electrification of Kota – Chittaurgarh railway section(Srinagar – Jalindri) in the state of Rajasthan,West Central Railways has become the first fully electrified railway zone in the country.

The zonal railway now boasts 3012 Route Km electrified network.

Did you Know

Image

CBIC notifies ICEGATE as common portal for registration, bills of entry.

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs(CBIC) has specified the portal as the one for facilitating registration,filing of bills of entry, shipping bills,other documents & forms prescribed under Customs Act or any other law, besides duty payments & data exchange with other systems within or outside India.

CBIC has also amended the bill of entry forms for the same.

Did you Know

Image

DPIIT revamps IEM portal to enhance ease of doing business

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has revamped its Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum (IEM) portal offering single IEM for one company that would capture the details of all its locations and sectors.

This has been done with a view to enhancing ease of doing business and transparency.

Did you Know

DPIIT operates the G2B Portal for this purpose.

Image

Area at Amboli in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg named as biodiversity heritage site

A rare freshwater fish species was discovered in the area.

Tejas Thackeray and his team had discovered the new freshwater fish species — Schistura Hiranyakeshi — near Amboli in Sawantwadi tehsil of Sindhudurg district.

Schistura Hiranyakeshi is a rare sub-species of Schistura, a freshwater loach. The fish was named after the Hiranyakeshi river near Amboli village.

Did you Know

Image

World Autism Awareness Day | 2 April

This day is celebrated in order to take measures to raise awareness about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the world.

The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day from 2008 after the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities came into force.

Did you Know

Theme:Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World.

Image

Nine cities in Australia, New Zealand to host 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

The opening match will take place at Eden Park in Auckland,with Sydney's Stadium Australia hosting the final.Two semi-final matches will be split between Australia & New Zealand.

It will be the first-of-a-kind World Cup,co-hosted by members of different confederations and will also be the first to feature 32 teams,up from 24 that participated in the 2019 France world cup.

Did you Know

The US women's national team is the defending champion.

Image

Mukhmeet S. Bhatia takes over the charge of Director General of ESIC

Mukhmeet S. Bhatia took over the charge of Director General of Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under Ministry of Labour & Employment/ Govt. of India at its Headquarters on April 1, 2021 in New Delhi. Bhatia is an IAS Officer of 1990 batch of Jharkhand cadre. Earlier/ he has worked as the Additional Secretary in the Dept. of Economic Affairs.

Did you Know

Image

RBI extends timeline for processing of recurring online transactions by 6 months

RBI has decided to extend the timeline for banks and other institutions to migrate to the framework for processing of e-mandates on recurring online transactions by six months to September 30.

The earlier deadline to migrate to the Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA) ended on March 31.

Did you Know

Image

Mallika Srinivasan appointed chairperson of Public Enterprises Selection Board

She is presently the chairman and managing director of TAFE, a ₹93 billion tractor major incorporated in 1960 in Chennai.

Mallika Srinivasan will be the first private sector executive to be appointed to the position which is effectively responsible for transfers and appointments of officials of central public sector enterprises.

Did you Know

Image

Dal Lake and 5 other lakes in Jammu & Kashmir to be declared protected wetlands

Srinagar's Dal Lake along with five other famous ones in Jammu and Kashmir are to be declared protected wetlands.

The other lakes include Purmandal lake(also called Chotta Kashi),Sanasar,Manasbal in Jammu region and Wular,Dal and Nigeen in Kashmir region.

Did you Know

There are a total number of 3,754 water bodies in the Union Territory.

Image

Ministry of Labour & Employment set up Expert Committees for suggesting standards under the OSH&WC Code, 2020

Expert committees for Factories and Dock Works will be chaired by Dr RK Elangovan,Building & Other Construction Works will be headed by PLN Murthy and Fire Safety committee by DK Shami.

Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code,2020 has been enacted after amalgamating 13 different labour legislations to simplify the laws relating to OSH & WC.

Did you Know

Image

International Children's Book Day | April 2

Since 1967,on or around Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, 2 April,International Children's Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated to inspire a love of reading & to call attention to children's books.

Each year a different National Section of International Board on Books for Young People(IBBY) has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD.This year IBBY US is sponsor.

Did you Know

IBBY is an non-profit organisation that was founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 1953.

Image

Jammu and Kashmir Bank CMD R K Chibber Gets Another Extension For 6 Months

Chairman and Managing Director of Jammu and Kashmir Bank,R K Chibber got yet another extension.This is his seventh extension.

With this Chibber has grown higher in the history of Jammu and Kashmir Bank to be the longest-serving Chief Executive whose services were extended for more than two years.

Did you Know

Image

Former Quality Council of India (QCI) chief Adil Zainulbhai appointed chairman of Capacity Building Commission

Government approved the Capacity Building Commission under National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB),also known as ‘Mission Karmayogi’, to train civil servants at all levels.

Ramaswami Balasubramaniam has been appointed as member (HR) & Praveen Pardeshi as a member(admin).

Did you Know

Mission Karmayogi,the biggest bureaucratic reform initiative,was announced in 2020.

Image

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched “MyNEP2020” platform of NCTE Web Portal

The platform seeks to invite suggestions/inputs/membership from the stakeholders for preparing draft for development of National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) and National Mission for Mentoring Program membership (NMM).

The “MyNEP2020” platform will be operational from 1st April 2021 to 15th May 2021.

Did you Know

Image

CDS General Bipin Rawat operationalises Joint Logistics Node(JLN) in Mumbai

As part of measures to boost tri-service integration and resource optimisation,Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat operationalised the third JLN in Mumbai.

Govt sanction letter for establishment of JLNs in Mumbai,Guwahati and Port Blair was signed on October 12, 2020. Subsequently,JLNs in Guwahati & Tri-Services, ANC,Port Blair were operationalised on Jan 1,2021.

Did you Know

Image

Labour Bureau Launches Two Of The Five All-India Surveys on Migrant Workers and AQEES.

Labour Bureau has been tasked with five surveys by Govt of India. They are the All-India Survey of Migrant Workers,All-India Survey on Domestic Workers, All-India Survey on Employment generated in Transport Sector, All-India Survey of Employment Generated by Professionals and All-India Quarterly Establishment based Employment Survey(AQEES)

Did you Know

Surveys were designed under expert group chaired by Prof S. P. Mukherjee.

Image

Lt Gen Manjinder Singh takes over as 47th Chief of Staff of Western Command

The general is an alumnus of Sainik School Kapurthala, National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned into 19 Madras in December 1986.

He has commanded a battalion in counter-insurgency environment in J&K, an infantry brigade at the Line of Control and an infantry division as part of a Strike Corps.

Did you Know

Image

Government extends Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) to June 30

The government has extended ECLGS by another three months,and widened its scope to issue additional funding up to 40% of outstanding loans as on Feb 29, 2020 as against 20% earlier.

Scheme(ECLGS 3.0),has been extended until June 30, or until Rs 3 trillion is disbursed, due to continuing adverse impact of Covid-19 pandemic on certain services sector.

Did you Know

Tenor of loans granted under ECLGS 3.0 will be 6 years including 2yr moratorium period.

Image

Aniyan Midhun wins gold at south Asian Wushu tourney

Aniyan Midhun of Nattika,Thrissur,Kerala won the gold at the South Asian Wushu Championship that concluded in Nepal on March 31. The 28-year-old youth represented the country in the 70-kg category in the championship.

He is the first Wushu player from southern India to reach the Indian team.

Did you Know

Image

At record high, GST mop-up tops 1L cr-mark for 6th month in a row

In line with the trend of constant recovery in GST revenues over the past five months, the gross goods and services tax (GST) revenue collected in March 2021 stood at a record high of over Rs 1.23 lakh crore.

The total revenues earned for the month are 27% higher than the GST collected in the same month last year.

Did you Know