March 2021 3rdWeek

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Maharashtra lead in usage of Drip Irrigation : Ministry of Agriculture
According to date taken between 2005-06 to 2020-21 (as on February 3, 2021) presented by the Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) to Lok Sabha, 4 states namely Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka & Maharashtra have more than half of the net cultivated farmlands under micro- irrigation in
India.The data also shows that 27 States (including UTs) have less than 30% micro- irrigation system out of
which 23 have fewer than 15% micro-irrigation.

MG Motor partners with IIT Delhi for Research in Electric, Connected & Autonomous Vehicles On 15th
March, 2021 MG Motor India partnered with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi‟s Centre for
Automotive Research and Tribology (CART) for enhanced research in deployment of Electric, Connected &
Autonomous Vehicles in India‟s Urban landscape.
This partnership for research in CASE mobility (Connected – Autonomous – Shared – Electric) was made
through IIT-Delhi‟s Industrial Interface Organisation, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer
(FITT). MG Motors launched India‟s 1st autonomous Level 1 premium SUV – Gloster.

INS Jalashwa reaches Comoros to deliver 1,000 tonnes of rice:Mission Sagar-IV

On 14 March 2021, Indian Naval Ship(INS) Jalashwa, the largest amphibious ship of Indian Navy
reached Port Anjouan, Comoros to deliver 1,000 Metric Tonnes of rice as part of Mission Sagar-
IV.Mission Sagar was India‟s initiative to deliver Covid-19 related assistance to the countries in the
Indian Ocean region, which was launched on 10 May 2020.
The capital and currency of Comoros is Moroni and Comorian franc respectively.

CSIR-NIO to Launch 90-day Cruise Missile

A 30-member team of Scientists & Researchers from CSIR-NIO (National Institute of Oceanography) will
spend 90 days on the research vessel Sindhu Sadhana travelling over 10, 000 nautical miles in the Indian
Ocean. The aim of the mission is to study about the internal working of the body of the ocean at a cellular
level.

India commissions „INS Dhruv‟ Nuclear Missile Tracking Vessel; Becomes 5th Country in the World
India commissioned its Ocean Surveillance & Nuclear Missile Tracking Vessel called „INS Dhruv‟
(codenamed as VC 11184) and became the 5th country after USA, France, Russia & China to possess such a
Tracking vessel. It was constructed at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Visakhapatnam under the Make in India
initiative at a cost of INR 725 Crores. It is one of the Largest Warships to be built at an Indian
Yard.Developed by Joint Crew of National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), the Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy.

Cabinet Approvals on March 16, 2021

On March 16, 2021, the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi gave approval to
several important proposals. They are
i.Approval for the closure of Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation of India Limited (HHEC).
ii.Approval for Revised Cost Estimates for the strengthening of Transmission & Distribution in Arunachal
Pradesh & Sikkim.
iii. Clearance for Development Finance Institution (DFI) with Capital Infusion of INR 20, 000 Crore.
iv.MoU between India & Maldives on Cooperation in Sports and Youth Affairs…

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Overview of India-Finland Virtual Summit 2021
On March 16, 2021, India-Finland Virtual Summit 2021 was held between India‟s Prime Minister
Narendra Modi & Finland‟s Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
 India & Finland had announced a new partnership in the fields of ICT, Mobile Technology,
Digital Education clean energy investment and evolution of 6G.
 The two sides agreed to focus on 3 key domains namely Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity &
Blockchain Technologies.
 The Two sides are also set to sign an renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between a
consortium of 10 Finnish Universities & 23 IITs in India for cooperation in Higher Education
Sector…

TRIFED Signed MoU with Craft Village for the Development of Tribal Communities
On 16th March 2021, the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) under
the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Craft Village by
ZEPHYR, a social organisation working for the training and promotion of Craft Sector for the overall
development of the tribal communities.
Indian Railways connects 2 ends of arch of „Chenab Bridge‟ – World‟s Highest Railway Bridge Indian Railway
has successfully connected the 2 ends of the main arch of „Chenab Bridge‟ – World‟s Highest Railway
Bridge. It is being built by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) at a cost of INR 12, 000 Crores.The
bridge is 1.315 Kms long and is to be completed by the end of 2021.It is being constructed over the River
Chenab which is 35 Metres higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

India-Bahrain Navies undertake „PASSEX‟ in the Persian Gulf under Operation Sankalp
On March 17, 2021, the Indian Navy & Royal Bahrain Naval Force (RBNF) undertook Passage Exercise
(PASSEX) in the Persian Gulf under Operation Sankalp. From India‟s side „INS Talwar‟ Warship took place
in the exercise, while the RBNF was represented by the Corvette „Al Muharraq‟.It aims to enhance
interoperability, strengthen Maritime cooperation, Reassure safety of Diaspora.

India-US launched U.S. India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) Initiative

On March 17, 2021, Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology stated that,
India & United States (US) has launched the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum‟s U.S. India
Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) Initiative during the launch ceremony organized by Indo-U.S. Science and
Technology Forum (IUSSTF). This initiative will enhance the Science & Technology(S&T) relationship
between India and the United States to solve problems of both countries.

AIM signs SoI with AWS to Strengthen The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem With Cloud
Computing
On March 18, 2021, A Statement of Intent (SoI) was signed between The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM),
NITI Aayog, and Amazon Internet Services Private Limited(AISPL), a local legal Indian entity of Amazon
Web Services(AWS) to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India. As per the SoI,
AIM will leverage AWS Educate and AWS EdStart from AWS (Amazon Web Services).

UNDP Launched „Sahi Disha‟ Campaign to Celebrate Women‟s Livelihoods in Rural India United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) launched „Sahi Disha‟ campaign to celebrate the livelihoods and
entrepreneurship of women in rural India. The campaign aims to highlight the issues that affect the rural
women‟s opportunity to access jobs, livelihood and to establish enterprises to become self-reliant. The
Disha initiative is a 5-year partnership between UNDP and IKEA Foundation.

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„UPFPO Shakti Portal‟- UP CM Launches India‟s 1st of its kind FPO Portal
On March 21, 2021, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched UPFPO (Uttar Pradesh Farmer
Producer Organization) Shakti Portal as part of the Kisan Kalyan Mission in Gorakhpur, UP. It is the 1st of its
kind in India.Developers – Department of Agriculture, UP with technical support & Funding Support from Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The initiative is aligned with Prime Minister‟s vision of doubling
farmers‟ income by 2022 & making India a USD 5 Trillion economy by 2024.

PM Modi launches „Jal Shakti Abhiyan:Catch the Rain‟; MoA for Ken Betwa Link Project On the
Occasion of World Water Day (March 22, 2021), Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi
launched/witnessed two key events.Launch of „Jal Shakti Abhiyan:Catch the Rain‟ campaign to
undertake water conservation at grass-root level through people‟s participation.
PM witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the Union Minister of Jal Shakti
& the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for implementation of the Ken Betwa Link
Project (KBLP). It is the 1st project under the National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers.

Government forms 11 Committees to drive India to a Circular Economy

In order to expedite the transition of India from a Linear Economy to a Circular Economy, Government has
formed 11 Committees in 11 focus areas. The committees will be led by the concerned Line ministry and will
comprise officials from MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) & NITI Aayog,
domain experts, academics and industry representatives.The committees will prepare action plans for
transition to Circular Economy in respective focus areas.Circular Economy Circular Economy is a model of
production & consumption which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing & recycling
existing materials and products as long as possible.It intends to change the Linear Economy Model of „Take-
Make-Dispose‟…

Labour & Employment Minister, Santosh Kumar Gangwar Released „Compendium on CPI for Industrial
Workers‟
On 18th March 2021, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Labour
and Employment released Compendium on Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers(CPI- IW) (Volume
I-IV, 1945 to 2020) .This Compendium is a first of its kind publication.It is Compiled by Labour Bureau,
Ministry of Labour and Employment. It was released while Labour Bureau is celebrating the centenary year.
The quantum of information on CPI-IW at one place in the form of this compendium will serve as a reference
for researchers, policy makers, students, etc. interested in understanding price indices and inflation trends.

Bihar Becomes 1st State in India to implement „Ethanol Production Promotion Policy 2021‟ Bihar Cabinet has
approved the state‟s own Ethanol policy called „Ethanol Production Promotion Policy, 2021‟. The approval
has made Bihar as the 1st State in India to implement Ethanol Promotion Policy under the National Policy of
Biofuels, 2018. The policy allows Bihar to directly make ethanol from Maize, Molasses, broken rice & rotten
grains. At present, bioethanol blending in petrol in India stands at 6.2%, India has set a target of 20%
Bioethanol blending of petrol by 2025 (the deadline has been moved from 2030 to 2025).

UNOPS & Denmark partners to provide Technical Support for Jal Jeevan Mission in UP
On 22nd March 2021, the World Water Day, Government of Denmark and the United Nations Office for
Project Services (UNOPS) entered into a partnership to provide strategic technical support for implementing
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Uttar Pradesh.11 water-scarce districts of Bundelkhand & Vindhya regions of
Uttar Pradesh will be assisted with scalable delivery models by UNOPS. This comes as an outcome of Indo-
Danish bilateral cooperation on achieving JJM‟s goals.

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 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

New focus on SDGs needed to rebuild after COVID-19: ADB report

Asian Development Bank(ADB)‟s report titled “ADB‟s Support for the Sustainable Development Goals:
Enabling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through Strategy 2030” states that, a renewed focus
on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be essential as countries seek to rebuild from the
Covid-19 pandemic. The report also highlights ADB projects and programs that help countries achieve the
SDGs.

India‟s Import of arms decreased by 33% due to Indigenisation: SIPRI Report

According to a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India‟s import of arms
decreased by 33% between 2011-15 and 2016-20 due to its increased push for „Make-in-India‟ initiative and
other measures to boost the domestic defence industry. The most affected country due to decline in India‟s
imports was Russia.It was followed by USA. India‟s Top 3 Arms suppliers during 2016- 20 were Russia (49%
imports), France (18%) & Israel (13%).

Asia-Pacific Region to Achieve Just 10% Targets of UN‟s Sustainable Development Goals: UN- ESCAP
Report
On 16th March, 2021, United Nations- Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(ESCAP)‟s report titled “Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report, 2021” states, Asia-Pacific region may
achieve just 10% targets of sustainable development goals(SDGs) by 2030.(i.e.)Only nine out of 140
measurable targets of the SDG will be achieved by 2030. Globally, Asia-Pacific region is too slow in
achieving the half of the SDG goals and many SDG‟s were achieved at levels well below the 2020 Target.

India 3rd Most Polluted Country, Delhi Most Polluted Capital City : IQAir Report
According to the „2020 World Air Quality Report‟ released by IQAir (Swiss Air Technology Company),
India was the 3rd Most Polluted Country in the World in 2020 after Bangladesh & Pakistan. Delhi was the
most polluted Capital City for the 3rd consecutive time it was followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh) &
Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia). In the case of World‟s most polluted cities, Hotan of China came first followed by
India‟s Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) & Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh).

5th Volume Of UN‟s Report “State Of The World‟s Indigenous Peoples

On 15th and 16th March 2021, the United Nations(UN) Department of Economic and Social Affairs(DESA)
released the State of the World‟s Indigenous Peoples (SOWIP) volume V entitled “Rights to Lands,
Territories and Resources”. The report examines challenges faced by the indigenous people in asserting their
rights to lands, in the context of agribusiness, extractive industries, development, conservation and
tourism.The preparation of the report was overseen by the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues.
Italy joins ISA under the amended ISA Framework Agreement
On March 17, 2021, Italy joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) (also known as International Agency
for Solar Policy and Application (IASPA)) after signing the amended ISA Framework Agreement. Vincenzo
de Luca, Ambassador of Italy to India signed the Italian membership to the ISA.The new ISA Framework
Agreement came into force on January 8, 2021. The signed copies of the agreement were received by an
additional secretary (ER) as representative of MEA. MEA is the depositary of the ISA Framework
Agreement.

Around 736 Million Almost 1 In 3 Women Across the Globe Face Physical and Sexual Violence: WHO Report
On 9th March 2021, the World Health Organization(WHO) has launched a report titled “Violence Against
Women Prevalence Estimates, 2018”. The report was based on the WHO‟s largest study on the prevalence of
violence against women. The study conducted by WHO on behalf of The United Nations Inter-Agency
Working Group on Violence Against Women Estimation and Data (VAW-IAWGED) states that around 736
million to 852 million women across the globe i.e., 1 in 3 women have faced physical or sexual violence at
least once in their lifetime.

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India to record Largest Increase in Child and Maternal deaths in South Asia in 2020 due to COVID-19:
UNICEF
UNICEF (United Nations International Children‟s Emergency Fund) in partnership with WHO, UNFPA
(United Nations Population Fund) has released a report called „Direct and indirect effects of COVID-19
pandemic and response in South Asia‟. The report has released estimates which anticipate that India will
record the largest increase of deaths among children aged 5 years (15%) & Maternal deaths (18%) among 6
South Asian Countries in 2020 due to pandemic. The 6 South Asian Countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
India, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka.

COVID-19 Crisis best opportunity for Transition from Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy: IRENA report
According to the report „World Energy Transitions Outlook: 1.5° C Pathway‟ released by International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the COVID-19 Crisis is an opportunity for countries across the world to
disengage their economies from Fossil Fuels & accelerate their shift to renewable energy sources. The report
was previewed at the virtual Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD 2021) which took place from March
16, 2021-March 17, 2021. The report states that by 2050, 90% of total electricity needs will be supplied by
renewables, followed by 6% from natural gas & remaining from nuclear.

World‟s Most Dangerous Roads: South Africa Topped, India Ranked 4th; Norway Topped in World‟s
Safest Roads
According to the Study conducted by International driver education company, Zutobi, South Africa was
ranked 1st in the World‟s Most Dangerous Roads study, it was followed by Thailand. United States ranked
3rd.India was ranked 4th in the study. The Study was conducted among 56 Countries. Similarly, The Study
states that, Norway has the World‟s Safest Road & topped in the study in World‟s Safest Roads, it is
followed by Japan in the 2nd place & Sweden in 3rd Place.

Singapore is Building World‟s Largest Floating Solar Farms

Singapore, Asia‟s biggest per capita carbon dioxide emitter, is building one of the world‟s largest
floating solar farms, as part of its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The solar power plant
expands from the coast into the Johor Strait that separates Singapore from Malaysia.This project is being
built by Sembcorp Industries.
India Ranked 139 out of 149 in UN World Happiness Report 2021, Finland Tops
India with a score of 3.819 has been ranked 139 out of 149 countries in the „World Happiness Report 2021‟ a
publication of United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The rankings were topped by
Finland (tops for the 4th time). This is the 9th World Happiness Report and is based on surveys conducted
during the time period of 2018-20.
It ranks the world‟s 149 countries on “how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be”. Apart from
Afghanistan (149), all neighbouring countries ranked higher than India.

PM Addresses 3rd Edition of Annual Conference of ICDRI 2021

PM Narendra Modi addressed the 3rd Edition of the Annual Conference of International Conference on
Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2021 (ICDRI 2021) to strengthen the global discourses on disaster and
climate-resilient infrastructure.The Conference took place virtually and was hosted by Coalition for Disaster
Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). The US announced funds of up to USD 9.2 Million for supporting CDRI.

Ultimate Military Strength Index – Indian Armed Forces 4th Strongest in the World, China No.1 According to a
study „Ultimate Military Strength Index‟ by Defence Website „Military Direct‟, India with 61 Points is the 4th
Strongest Military Force in the World. China (82 Points) was topped followed by the USA (74) & Russia
(69).The index considers factors like – Budgets, number of inactive & active military personnel, total air, sea,
land and nuclear resources, average salaries & weight of equipment. World‟s Biggest Military Spender – USA
(USD 732 Billion per year) followed by China (USD 261 Billion) & India (USD 71 Billion).

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India, Pakistan, China to take part in „Pabbi Antiterror‟2021: 36th Council meeting of RATS SCO
India, Pakistan, China & other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will take part in a
Joint Anti-Terrorism Exercise called „Pabbi-Antiterror-2021‟ scheduled to take place in 2021. The decision to
hold a Joint Anti-Terrorism exercise was taken during the 36th meeting of the Council of RATS (Regional
Anti-Terrorist Structure) of SCO held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on March 18, 2021. RATS, headquartered in
Tashkent is a permanent organ of SCO.

More than 450 Million Children reside in areas of Extremely High-Water Vulnerability: UNICEF report
According to the report „Reimagining WASH:Water Security For All‟ released by UNICEF (United Nations
Children‟s Fund), globally more than 1.42 Billion people, including 450 million children live in areas of high,
or extremely high, water vulnerability.It essentially means that globally, 1 in 5 children worldwide do not
have enough water to meet their everyday needs. South Asia is home to the largest number of children living
in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability – more than 155 Million children.The report is part of
UNICEF‟s „Water Security for All‟ initiative.

AWARDS

63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards (2020): Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish Received Top Honours
On 14th March 2021, The 2021 GRAMMY Awards officially known as the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Award
(2020) was presented and it recognised the recordings released between 1st September 2019 and 31st August
2020. Trevor Noah, an award-winning comedian from South Africa hosted the ceremony at Los Angeles,
United States. The awards were presented under 83 categories and the 63rd Grammy Awards for Best
Immersive Audio Album will be announced next year in addition to the 64th Grammy nominations…

Paris-based duo of Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal Wins the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2021
On 16th March 2021, French architects and educators Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal were
selected as the laureates of the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2021, the highest honour in the field of
architecture. The award was announced by Tom Pritzker, Chairman of The Hyatt Foundation. Anne
Lacaton became the first French female architect to win the prize and the 6th woman to receive the prize
since it was established in 1979.
Amitabh Bachchan Honoured with FIAF Award 2021
Indian Actor Amitabh Bachchan became first Indian to receive the FIAF Award 2021 by the International
Federation of Film Archives (French: Fédération Internationale des Archives du Film, FIAF), an international
organization of film archives and museums across the globe over a virtual award ceremony hosted from
Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Govt conferred Gandhi Peace Prize 2020 to Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and for 2019 to Sultan Qaboos bin
Said Al Said
The Union government conferred Gandhi Peace Prize to the Late Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman
for the year 2019 to recognize his outstanding contributions for social, economic and political
transformation through non-violent. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the “Father of the Nation” of Bangladesh
conferred with Gandhi peace prize 2020 for recognizing his fraternal relations between India and
Bangladesh and, promoting peace and non-violence in the Indian subcontinent. The Jury of Gandhi Peace
Prize is chaired by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi

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 APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Centre Appoints High-Level Team to Review Medical Care Arrangements for Haridwar Kumbh Mela
A 3-member high-level team led by Dr S K Singh, Director of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
has been appointed by the Government of India to review the Medical care and public health
arrangements.The 3-member team will focus on the status of implementation of the Standard Operating
Procedure (SOP) for the Kumbh Mela which was issued by the team in the context of implementing
preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. for the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, Uttarakhand
which will start on 1st April 2021.

Kapil Dev Inducted into PGTI As A Board Member

On 15th March 2021, Former Indian Cricketer Kapil Dev was inducted into the Professional Golf Tour of
India (PGTI) as a board member. Kapil Dev, the captain of the Indian Cricket team that won the 1983 World
Cup, will be working towards the development of Golf in the country. The official inclusion of Kapil Dev was
made while announcing the Prometheus School Delhi-NCR Open Golf Championship 2021, which will be
held from 16th to 19th March 2021 in Gurugram, Haryana.

Dr Harsh Vardhan Appointed as the Chairman of „Stop TB Partnership Board‟

On 17th March 2021, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW)
was appointed as the Chairman of „Stop TB Partnership Board‟ for a term of 3 years starting from July 2021.
The appointment is in recognition of his contribution to the movement to eradicate Tuberculosis(TB) from
India by 2025. He will succeed Dr. Luiz Henrique Mandetta, Minister of Health of Brazil.

NeoGrowth Appointed Ajinkya Rahane as its Brand Ambassador

On March 17, 2021, NeoGrowth Credit Pvt., Ltd announced the appointment of Indian cricketer Ajinkya
Rahane as its brand ambassador for one year. Rahane will feature in a campaign of the company named
“Keeping it simple”.In the campaign, Ajinkya Rahane will talk about the ease of procuring loans through
NeoGrowth for small businesses which will be released in the first week of April.

ACC Appoints MA Ganapathy IPS as DG of NSG & Kuldiep Singh as DG of CRPF

On 16th March 2021, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of
M. A. Ganapathy, as the Director-General(DG) of National Security Guard(NSG).Kuldiep Singh has been
appointed as the DG of Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF). M. A. Ganapathy succeeds outgoing
DG, S S Deswal. Kuldiep Singh succeeds AP Maheshwari.

Samia Suluhu Hassan became Tanzania‟s first woman president

On March 19, 2021, Samia Suluhu Hassan,61 sworn in as Tanzania‟s first woman President by
succeeding John Magufuli (2015-2021) at the State House in Dar es Salaam, which is the country‟s
largest city.She is the sixth President of Tanzania and 2nd female president within the East African
Community. Tanzania‟s Capital – Dodoma and Currency - Tanzanian shilling.

Govt Forms Experts Advisory Committee For Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) Government of India
has constituted an expert advisory committee to execute and monitor the Startup India Seed Fund
Scheme(SISFS). The committee will be chaired by H K Mittal from the Department of Science and
Technology.The total investment of the scheme, Rs.945 core will be divided over next 4 years for providing
seed funding to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India.

Anurag Thakur becomes first serving MP to be appointed captain in Territorial Army

Minister of State (MoS) for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Anurag Thakur has become the first serving
member of parliament (MP) to be appointed as Captain in the Territorial Army.
The four-time BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh‟s Hamirpur was commissioned into the Territorial Army as a
Lieutenant in July 2016.

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NITI Aayog sets up 2 Task Forces to achieve Policy Certainty in Contract Enforcement, Dispute Resolution
NITI Aayog has constituted 2 Task Forces for recommending policy framework for enforcement of
contracts & effective conciliation mechanism.The Task Force for Enforcement of contracts will be
headed by Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog. The Task Force for Effective conciliation
mechanism will be headed by Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Army decommissions 2 Artillery: 130mm Self-propelled Guns & 160mm Mortars
On 16th March 2021, Indian Army decommissioned 2 of its longest serving Artillery – 130mm Self Propelled
M-46 Catapult Guns and the 160mm Tampella Mortars, after making a customary firing of their last salvos in
Mahajan Field Firing Range. The decommissioning event saw the presence of Director General Artillery,
Lieutenant General K Ravi Prasad. It is a hybrid Self-propelled gun developed by DRDO, by merging 2
existing weapons systems – India‟s Vijayanta tank & Russian 130mm M-46 field gun.

KRAS begins Delivery of MRSAM Missile kits to Indian Armed Forces

Kalyani Rafael Advanced System (KRAS), a joint venture of India‟s Kalyani Strategic Systems (KSSL) and
Israel‟s Rafael Advanced Defense System has started the delivery of BARAK-8 Medium Range Surface to
Air Missile (MRSAM) kits to the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. The kits will be delivered from the
Hyderabad plant of KRAS.‟ Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is the custodian of
the missile programme & Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) the integrator.
Designed by RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd (100% Rafael design output & Indigenous content
less than 30%).

CAIT Launches Vendor Onboarding App for its upcoming „Bharat e Market‟
Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) launched a vendor onboarding mobile app for its upcoming e-
commerce portal ”Bharat e-Market”. This application allows businesses and service providers to register on
the portal and create their own “e-dukaan(an online shopping store)”. There will be no charge for creating an
e-dukaan nor any commission on business done on the portal. The other e- commerce portals are charging
commission from 5% to 35% on transactions done on their portal.

Data Patterns delivers „Indigenous Checkout system‟ to ISRO for its „Gaganyaan‟ Mission
On March 17, 2021, Data Patterns India Pvt Ltd handed over the Indigenously developed „Checkout
System‟ to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for its „Gaganyaan‟ Mission (India‟s 1st
Human Space Flight Programme) at Chennai. A checkout system is used for performing health checks on
all cable harness assemblies used in the crew module of „Gaganyaan‟ Mission. ISRO‟s „Gaganyaan‟
mission is scheduled for launch in 2022-23. HSFC (Human Space Flight Centre) is responsible for the
implementation of the Gaganyaan project.

Indigenously Built Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility „L58‟ Commissioned at Port Blair
On March 18, 2021, Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility (LCU) „L58‟, the 8th and last ship of the LCU Mark
IV Class was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The L58
(amphibious ship) has been indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers
(GRSE), Kolkata.LCU 58 will be based at Port Blair and will be under the command of Andaman & Nicobar
Command (which is the sole Joint Services Command of India).

Govt to Develop India‟s First own Mobile Appstore – “Mobile Seva Appstore”
On 18th March 2021, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister, Ministry for Electronics and Information
Technology(MeitY), stated that the government is keen to develop and strengthen India‟s first
indigenously developed mobile app store – “Mobile Seva Appstore”.
According to the India App Market Statistics report 2021, around 5% of the apps on android were
developed by Indian app developers.

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MoD, BDL sign deal for supply of 4, 960 MILAN-2T ATGMs to Indian Army
Acquisition wing of Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed INR 1, 188 Crore deal with Bharat Dynamics
Ltd (BDL) for acquiring 4, 960 MILAN-2T Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) for the Indian Army. The
deal will boost the „Make in India‟ initiative of the Indian Government. The induction of 4, 960 tanks is
expected to be completed in three years. MILAN-2T missiles have a range of 1, 850 meters. They are
capable of being fired from ground as well as vehicle-based launchers.

ENVIRONMENT

Crotalaria lamelliformis: New Species Discovered from Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

A team of Botanists has discovered a new species of Calycinae genus named “Crotalaria lamelliformis” in
the Sadasivakona grove area a part of Southern Eastern Ghats, in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh.The new
species was discovered as a part of the critical investigation from July 2018 to November 2020.The
discovery of “Crotalaria lamelliformis” has been published in “Phytotaxa”, an international journal.
SPORTS

India to host 2021‟s Asian Boxing Championship in May at New Delhi

On 15th March, 2021 International Boxing Association (AIBA) announced that 2021‟s Edition of Asian
Boxing Championship will be held between May 21-31 at New Delhi, India. This will be the 1st boxing
tournament in Asia in 2021, acting towards evaluating boxers‟ readiness for the Olympic games.30th
edition of Asian Amateur Boxing Championships that was held in 2019 saw participation from 34 countries.
2020‟s Event was cancelled on the rise of pandemic, and it is expected to see participants from 32 countries
in the 2021‟s edition.

Mithali Raj becomes 1st Indian & 2nd International Woman Cricketer to score 10, 000 International
Runs
Mithali Raj became 1st Indian Woman Cricketer & 2nd International Women Cricketer (after England‟s
Charlotte Edwards) to score 10, 000 runs in International Cricket across all 3 formats of Cricket.She
achieved the record during the 3rd ODI Between India & South Africa Women‟s team at Bharat Ratna Shri
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. Mithali Raj hails from Rajasthan; she made her
debut for India in June 1999. She became the First Woman Cricketer to complete 7, 000 runs in Women‟s
ODI cricket.

Sharath Kamal Becomes First Indian Paddler To Qualify For The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games On 18th
March 2021, Achanta Sharath Kamal, an Indian table tennis player, win over Muhammad Rameez
(Pakistan) in the Asian Olympic Qualification tournament held in Doha, Qatar and became the first Indian
Paddler to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. This marks the 4th appearance of Kamal at the
Olympic games. Achanta Sharath Kamal was born on 12th July 1982 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Mumbai Cricket Team Wins 2021‟s Vijay Hazare Trophy

Mumbai cricket team won the 2021‟s Vijay Hazare Trophy in the finals against Uttar Pradesh, where the
captain of Mumbai, Prithvi Shaw became the 1st player to score 800 runs in a single edition. Previously,
Mayank Agarwal held the highest run scorer record with 723 runs from the 2018 edition. In the same match,
Uttar Pradesh batsman, Madhav Kaushik, scored 158 runs recording the highest runs scored by a batsman in
the tournament‟s final.

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Overview of Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships 2021
The 2021 All England Open (officially known as the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships
2021) took place at Arena Birmingham in England from March 17-21, 2021. Organized by Badminton
England; Sanctioned by BWF. Malaysia‟s Lee Zii Jia won the Men‟s Singles. Japan‟s Nozomi Okuhara won
the Women‟s Singles.
Winners of the Tournament
Category Winner Runner-up
Men‟s Singles Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia) Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)
Takeshi Kamura &
Yuta Watanabe & Hiroyuki Endo Keigo Sonoda
Men‟s Doubles (Japan) (Japan)
Nozomi Okuhara
Women‟s Singles (Japan) Pornpawee Chochuwong (Thailand)
Yuki Fukushima &
Mayu Matsumoto & Wakana Nagahara Sayaka Hirota
Women‟s Doubles (Japan) (Japan)
Yuki Kaneko &
Yuta Watanabe & Arisa Higashino Misaki Matsutomo
Mixed Doubles (Japan) (Japan)

„Girl Gang‟ announced official song of ICC Women‟s World Cup 2022
A song „Girl Gang‟ by New Zealand singer Gin Wigmore, has been announced as the official song of the 12th
edition of 2022 International Cricket Council(ICC) Women‟s World Cup at Mt Maunganui Beach, New
Zealand.The tournament is set to be hosted in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3, 2022.The song is from
Wigmore‟s fourth album Ivory released in 2017.
OBITUARY

Tanzania President John Magufuli Passed Away at 61

On 17th March 2021, John Pombe Magufuli, the President of Tanzania and leader of the Chama Cha
Mapinduzi party passed away at the age of 61 at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He was born on 29th
October 1959, in Chato, Tanzania. He was the first president of Tanzania to die while holding office.Samia
Hassan Suluhu, the first female Vice President of Tanzania is set to become the First Female President of
Tanzania.

Inventor of Cassette Tape, Lou Ottens, passes away at 94

The Dutch inventor, Lou Ottens, inventor of Cassette tape passed away at the age of 94. He was the one who
invented the 1st Cassette tape that was produced by Philips in 1962. These Cassette tapes were a huge
success worldwide with 100 million sales. The cassette tape was mostly used by Music lovers, until it was
replaced by Compact Disk (CD). Lou Ottens also acted as the supervisor of CD‟s development team.

Former Chairperson of SEBI, G V Ramakrishna passed Away at 91

On 20th March 2021, G V Ramakrishna, former chairperson of Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI), a market regulator of India passed away at the age of 91 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was born in
1930, in Bengaluru, Karnataka.G V Ramakrishna was a 1952 batch IAS officer from Andhra Pradesh cadre.

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 BOOKS & AUTHORS

Former CEO of PepsiCo to Publish her Memoir Titled “My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future”
Padma Bhushan awardee Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo is set to publish her memoir titled “My
Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future”. The book is set to be published by Portfolio books on September
28. The book will feature both the personal and professional life of Indra Nooyi. The book features the life of
Indra Nooyi from her childhood in India to her life at Yale University as an immigrant to her life as a person
of colour in the elite corporate world.

Bhagat Singh Koshyari released the eBook “Dawn Under the Dome”
On 15th March 2021, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the governor of Maharashtra released the ebook “Dawn under
the Dome” on the history of the Mumbai General Post Office(GPO) Building, the grand old heritage
building. The book was authored by Swati Pandey, the PostMaster General of Mumbai in collaboration with
Orchida Mukherjee. Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra and Goa Circle H.C. Agrawal was present
during the release.

Jahnavi Barua Released her 3rd Novel Titled “Undertow”

Jahnavi Barua, Bengaluru based author has released her 3rd Novel titled “Undertow”. The story of the novel
is set in Assam which touches on various themes like home, family, self-love and others. The book was
published by Penguin Viking. The book portrays the story of Loya, a 25-year-old who is on a journey to
discover herself.
Tisca Chopra unveiled the cover of her second book “What‟s up with me”
Bollywood actress and author, Tisca Chopra, unveiled the cover of her second book “What‟s up with me” a
friendly, practical and empathetic guide for pre-teen girls and their parents published by Red Panda. “Her
maiden venture was a book titled “Acting Smart: Your Ticket To Showbiz”.

A book titled “Gandhi in Bombay‟‟ by the authors Usha Thakkar and Sandhya Mehta
On 15th March 2021,The Indiatourism Mumbai, Regional Office of Ministry of Tourism in the Western
Region organized an online book reading session of “Gandhi in Bombay‟‟ by the authors Dr.Usha Thakkar
and Sandhya Mehta , as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (India
@ 75) is a series of events to be organised by the Government of India to commemorate the 75th
Anniversary of India‟s Independence.

Sanjaya Baru‟s “India‟s Power Elite: Caste, Class, and Cultural Revolution”, to be released in April
Sanjaya Baru‟s book named “India‟s Power Elite: Caste, Class, and Cultural Revolution” to be released in
April by Penguin Random House India. The book says about the inside story of India‟s power elite.
Through this book, the author unveils the emerging dynamics of political, economic, and cultural power in
contemporary India.

Dr. Deepak Ravindran Authored A Book Titled “The Pain-Free Mindset”

Dr. Deepak Ravindran, the lead of Pain therapy at Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, United
Kingdom(UK) has authored a book titled “The Pain-Free Mindset: 7 Steps to Taking Control and
Overcoming Chronic Pain”. The book was published by Vermillion, an imprint of Penguin.The book
describes MINDSET as an acronym for Medication, Intervention, Nervous system, Diet, Sleep, Exercise and
Therapies.

Full Spectrum: India‟s Wars 1972-2020 a book authored by Arjun Subramaniam

Full Spectrum: India‟s Wars 1972-2020 is the book authored by retired Air Vice Marshal (Dr) Arjun
Subramaniam about the war and conflict in contemporary India over the past five decades which is published
on 8 October 2020 by HarperCollins India. Arjun Subramaniam is a retired fighter pilot from the IAF (Indian
Air Force) and airpower analyst and strategic commentator who is currently a Visiting Professor at Ashoka
and Jindal Universities.

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A new book, “Saving Us” by Katharine Hayhoe set to launch in September
Katharine Hayhoe, the present Chief scientist at the Nature Conservancy, authored a book on Climate change,
titled “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist‟s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World ” that is set to be
released on 21st September 2021. The book will project the combined perspective of Ms. Hayhoe‟s research &
personal stories to provide overwhelming evidence of climate change. In 2019, she was honoured with the
“Champion of the Earth” award, the highest environmental honor of the United Nations (UN).

General Bipin Rawat releases the new book, “Battle Ready for 21st Century”
On 17th March 2021, India‟s Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat along with Former Chief of the
Army Staff, Gen Deepak released a book, “Battle Ready for 21st Century” at Centre for Land Warfare
Studies (CLAWS). The book was co-edited by Lt Gen AK Singh, Distinguished Fellow CLAWS & Brigadier
Narender Kumar, a visiting Fellow CLAWS.The book methods to strategically manage border conflict in
future in all possible fonts- Land, Air, water, cyber & cognitive domains to avoid war.
M Venkaiah Naidu virtually launches the book “Bringing Governments and People Closer” On the World
Happiness Day, 20th March 2021, Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu virtually launched the
book “Bringing Governments and People Closer”. This is the 10th book authored by
retired IAS officer Dr M Ramachandran.The book discusses the problems faced by common man while
dealing with Government offices in getting certificates, benefits of govt. Schemes, clearances etc.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Happiness 2021 – 20th March

United Nations(UN)‟s International Day of Happiness, annually observed across the globe on 20th March, is
dedicated to the importance of happiness in people‟s life.The first International day of happiness was
observed on 20th March 2013. The theme of the International Day of Happiness 2021 is “Keep Calm. Stay
Wise. Be Kind”. The 2021 International Day of Happiness campaign theme is “Happiness For All Forever”.

International Day of Forests 2021 – March 21

United Nations International Day of Forests is annually observed across the globe on 21st March to create
awareness about the importance of all types of forests.The day is annually organised by the United Nations
Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in collaboration
with Governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and other organizations in the field.The theme
of the International Day of Forests for 2021 is “Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being”.

International Day of Nowruz 2021 – 21st March

United Nations (UN)‟s International Day of Nowruz, is annually observed across the globe on 21st March to
create awareness about Nowruz and to organise annual events to commemorate the festival of Nowruz.The
festival is also known by other names like Navruz, Novruz, Nooruz, Nevruz and Nauryz.
The word Nawruz means “New Day”.The first International Day of Nowruz was celebrated on 21st
March 2010. The festival marks the first day of the spring and it is celebrated on the day of the
astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on 21 March.

World Poetry Day 2021: March 21

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) celebrated, World Poetry Day
every year on March 21 across the globe. It is one of the humanity‟s most treasured forms of cultural and
linguistic expression and identity.The day was observed to recognize the poetry movements nationally as
well as internationally.Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, regarded as the
earliest surviving notable literature and the second oldest religious text, after the Pyramid Texts.

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International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2021 – March 21
The United Nations(UN)‟s International Day for the elimination of Racial Discrimination is annually
observed across the globe on 21st March to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination and to create
awareness about the impacts of racial discrimination.The day aims to support a global culture of tolerance,
equality and anti-discrimination.The theme of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
2021 is “Youth standing up against racism”.
World Water Day 2021 – 22nd March
United Nations(UN)‟s World Water Day is annually observed across the globe on 22nd March to enhance
the focus on the importance of freshwater and to create awareness about the global water crisis. The main
aim of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Water
and Sanitation for all by 2030.The theme of World Water Day 2021 is “Valuing water”. The theme of 2021
is about “What water means to people and its true value and how to protect the water, the vital resource”.

World Meteorological Day 2021 – 23rd March

The United Nations(UN)‟s World Meteorological Day is annually observed across the world on 23rd March
to create awareness about the importance of the role of people and their behaviour in protecting the Earth‟s
atmosphere.The day showcases the contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services
towards the safety and wellbeing of society.World Meteorology Day 2021 is a registered activity of the
United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021- 2030). The theme of World
Meteorological Day 2021 is “The ocean, our climate and weather”.

Shaheed Diwas or Martyr‟s Day observed annually on 23rd March

Government of India, annually observes the 23th of March as Shaheed Diwas or Martyr‟s day to honour the 3
young freedom fighters- Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru. The 90th death anniversary
of the 3 youngsters was observed on 21st March 2021 During their hanging Bhagat Singh made the historic
slogans “Inquilab Zindabad”, which later became the slogan of India‟s armed struggle.30th January, the
death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is also observed as Martyr‟s day.

UN French Language Day 2021 – March 20

United Nations(UN)‟s French Language Day is annually observed across the globe on 20th March to create
awareness among the international community about the history, culture and use of the French language. The
UN annually celebrates the 6-language day for the 6 official languages of the UN, Arabic, Chinese, English,
French, Russian and Spanish.The day is recognised by the International Organization of La Francophonie
(OIF) as the International Day of La Francophonie.The theme of French Language Day 2021 is
“Francophone Women, Resilient Women”.

STATE NEWS

NMCG, UPJN & GA Infra Private Limited sign Tripartite Agreement for Development of STPs in
Moradabad, UP
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam (UPJN) & GA Infra Private Limited-
Lahoti Buildcon Limited have signed an Tripartite Agreement for development of Sewage Treatment Plants
(STPs) at Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.This is to eliminate flow of untreated sewage from Moradabad city into
River Ganga.Cost of the project – INR 99.68 Crore rupees.

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J&K approves Rs. 2 lakhs worth Interest-free Housing loans under PMAY-U
On 14th March, 2021 Jammu & Kashmir‟s (J&K) Administrative Council under the chairmanship of
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, approved to provide additional interest-free loan up to Rs. 2 lakhs for
construction of houses. The loan will be provided to the economically weaker section to the beneficiaries
under Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC) component of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Urban
(PMAY-U).India is targeting to provide “Housing for all” through PMAY-U by 2022.

J&K Govt approved to establish Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation to develop 850 MW HEP on
Chenab River
On 17th March 2021, the Administration Council of Jammu & Kashmir(J&K) under the chairship of
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha approved the incorporation of Ratle Hydro-electric Power Corporation, a
joint venture company(JVC), to implement 850 MW Ratle Hydro-Electric Project (HEP) on river Chenab in
Kishtwar district.The authorised capital of the JVC is Rs 1,600 crore with initial paid- up capital of Rs 100
crore.

Telangana FM Harish Rao presents State Budget for FY 2021-22 with an overlay of INR 2.3 LakhCrore
On March 18, 2021, Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao presented the State Budget for the FY 2021-
22 with an overlay of INR 2, 30, 825 Crore. Major Allocations were made towards Agriculture, Roads,
Transport, Power, Irrigation & other infrastructure development projects.It is a tax-free Budget.Due to the
adverse impact of COVID-19, the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Telangana has declined from
13.5% in 2019-20 to 1.3% in 2020-21.

Chinar Day Observed in Jammu and Kashmir

Chinar Day was celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir on 15th March 2021. As a part of the Chinar Day
celebration, The Urban Forest Division(UFD) of Srinagar organised programmes at the Shuhama Campus of
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) and planted the Chinar
saplings within the SKUAST premises. The government of J&K has launched a drive to protect the Chinars,
the endangered heritage of the oriental plane trees of Kashmir and plant chinar trees, popularly known as
Bune all across the J&K.

Rajasthan Government to launch „Universal Health Scheme‟ from May 1, 2021

Rajasthan Chief Minister (CM), Ashok Gehlot announced to implement Universal Health named
„Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Yojana‟ from May 1, 2021. The scheme will provide free annual medical
insurance of upto INR 5 Lakh for every family in the State. The Universal Health Scheme is worth INR 3,
500 Crore and was announced during the Rajasthan State Budget for the FY 2021-22.

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launched The Mission Gramodaya

On 18th March 2021, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister(CM) of Madhya Pradesh(MP) and Narendra
Singh Tomar, Union Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare jointly launched the Mission
Gramodaya for the development of villages in MP. It aims to provide basic and fundamental infrastructure to
rural areas in the state and to provide housing to the needy.

Jharkhand Launched SAAMAR Campaign to Fight Malnutrition

On 17th March 2021, the Government of Jharkhand launched the SAAMAR (Strategic Action for
Alleviation of Malnutrition and Anemia Reduction) campaign to tackle acute malnutrition in children and
women in the state.The SAAMAR campaign is launched with a target of 1000 days, under which an annual
survey will be conducted to track the progress. For the implementation of the SAAMAR campaign, a
provision of Rs.1 lakh will be given to every panchayat.

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Govt of Karnataka & ITC Signed an MoU to Execute a Watershed Programme
Government of Karnataka signed an MoU with ITC to execute a Watershed Programme covering over one
million acres in the southern state. The Programme will be in effect for 3 years.The MoU was signed under the
ITC‟s Social Investments programme „„Mission Sunehra Kal” & the Karnataka Watershed Development
Department. The agreement was a part of the Karnataka government‟s „Watershed development for drought
proofing‟ programme & it is a part of ITCs Sustainability 2.0 agenda.

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