Current Affairs 21st & 22nd March 2021| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Forests and the Tree – Observed on Mar 21

• The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012.
• The themefor 2021 is “Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being”.
• This year’s theme aims to emphasize how restoration and sustainable management of forests can help address climate change and biodiversity crisis.
• According to the official UN website, the Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests.
• On this day, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree-planting campaigns

World Poetry Day – Observed on Mar 21

• World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March, and was declared by UNESCO in 1999, “with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard”.
• If you want to celebrate World Poetry Day, all you can do is either read poemsof well-known poets or simply attempt to write one.
• World Poetry Day 2021: Poetryhas its own way of expressing deep emotions with ease, and it must not be wrong to say that a world without poetry will be hard to survive

International Day of Elimination of Racial Discrimination: Observed on Mar 21

• The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March to remind people about the negative consequences of racial discrimination.
• 2021 Theme: “Youth standing up against racism”.
• The United Nations General Assembly called for the day in 1966 to encourage people to remember their obligation and determination to combat racial discrimination.
• On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid pass laws.

World Puppetry Day: Observed on Mar 21

• The World Puppetry Day is observed every year on March 21,to promote the puppet arts.
• The first celebration was held in 2003.
• The idea of World Puppetry Day was proposed the Iranian puppet theater artist Javad Zolfaghari in 2000 at the XVIII Congress of the Union Internationale de la Marionnette, (UNIMA) in Magdeburg.
• Two years later in June 2002, the date of the celebration was identified by UNIMA.

World Water Day – Observed on Mar 22

• World Water Day is an annual UN observance day that highlights the importance of freshwater.
• The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
• The themeof World Water Day 2021 is “Valuing Water” and has been chosen to highlight the value of water in our daily lives.
• To create awareness regarding the importance of water, the United Nations declared March 22 as World Water Day.
• So whatever water is left for consumption should be valued.
• Lack of conservation and misuse of water is putting a great strain on the supply of freshwater.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

New Nagar Van Scheme to develop Urban forests in cities: Environment Minister

• Union Environment and Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has said that the new Nagar Van Scheme will help in creation of Urban forests in the cities.
• Javadekar noted, the scheme will also fill the gap between the cities and villages in terms of having their own forest cover.
• He cited India’s age old tradition of developing and caring for village forests in the vicinity of almost every rural patch.
• Under the Nagar Van Scheme, Urban forests will be developed in 200 cities in its first phase.
• The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21st March as the International Day of Forests in 2012.
• The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests.

About Nagar Van scheme:

• On the occasion of World Environment Day, the government announced implementation of the Nagar van scheme to develop 200 Urban Forests across the country in next five years with a renewed focus on people’s participation and collaboration between the Forest Department, Municipal bodies, NGOs, Corporates and local citizens.
• World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on 5th June every year.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change celebrates WED focusing on the theme declared by the United Nation’s Environment Programme (UNEP) and organizes several events.
• This year’s theme is ‘Biodiversity’.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurates Advanced High Resolution Microscopy Facility

• Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Science & technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the new Advanced High Resolution Microscopy Facility at National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) and Unveiled the 4 Star GRIHA Certification of Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (CIAB) Lab and Admin Building at Mohali in Punjab.
• Both NABI & CIAB are autonomous institutes under Dept. of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology.
• Following the gathering Dr. Harsh Vardhan urged both the institutes to address the problems of hunger & malnutrition and to bring nutritional revolution in the country.
• Minister emphasized that with government impetus on doubling the farmer’s income by 2022-23, NABI and CIAB’s roles are crucial to achieve this ambitious goal.

PM Modi to launch Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually launch Jal Shakti Abhiyan : Catch the Rain campaign on the occasion of World Water Day.
• The theme of the campaign is ‘Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls’.
• In the presence of the Prime Minister, the signing of the historic Memorandum of Agreement between the Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to implement the Ken Betwa Link Project will also take place.
• This is the first project of the National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers.
• This project involves transfer of water from the Ken to the Betwa River through the construction of Daudhan Dam and a canal linking the two rivers.
• It will provide annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh hactare, drinking water supply to about 62 lakh people and also generate 103 MegaWatt of hydropower.
• The Project will be of immense benefit to the water starved region of Bundelkhand, especially to the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen of Madhya Pradesh and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India take part in Nowruz celebrations at SCO

• India participated in the Nowruz festivities at the SCO Secretariat in Beijing.
• As SCO is celebrating 2021 as ‘Year of Culture’, India showcased performances of Kathak, Yoga, Indian cuisine, artefacts to an audience of more than 500.
• Eighteen countries including all the member countries, dialogue partners and observer countries presented their cultural diversities including their cuisine.
• Ambassador Vikram Misri extended warmest greetings on the occasion and conveyed that Nowruz is an important part of India’s own cultural tapestry and a reflection of diversity, richness and plurality of Indian culture.
• Ambassador also planted a Pine tree sapling on the occasion and said that it symbolizes the nurturing of friendship between India and SCO and the message ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
• A friendship pavilion was also inaugurated at the SCO Secretariat as the atmosphere was full of festivities amid the tunes of local musical instruments.
• Indian pavilion set up by India Tourism Office, Beijing was the centre of attraction for many as it showcased its cultural diversity, cuisine and heritage.
• A demonstration of Yoga was also held.

Indian Embassy in Beijing starts India@75 celebrations

• Indian Embassy in Beijing started India@75 celebrations with belated Vishwa Hindi Diwas celebrations which were attended by the Chinese students studying Hindi in different Chinese universities, their Hindi teachers and members of the Indian community in Beijing.
• Ambassador Vikram Misri read the Prime Minister’s message on Vishwa Hindi Diwas.
• He said that Hindi is one of the top spoken languages in the world and Vishwa Hindi Diwas is an occasion to promote Hindi and celebrate its popularity at global level.
• A video celebrating India’s achievements since Independence was played on the occasion to celebrate the 75 years of India’s Independence – “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
• The celebrations of 75 years of India’s independence – Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav could not have got a better start when Chinese academicians and students joined embassy officials and Indian community to celebrate Vishwa Hindi Diwas.
• Chinese teachers and students termed Hindi as an important medium to understand India’s culture and emphasised on its role in building bridges between India and China.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Haryana CM dedicates various development projects to people

• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal inaugurated and dedicated various development projects worth Rs. 1411 crore to the people of the State through video conference from Chandigarh.
• CM in a state level virtual programme inaugurated and laid foundation stones of as many as 163 projects pertaining to Education, Health, Sports, Roads  Water, Power etc. in 22 districts.
• This includes inauguration of 80 projects worth Rs. 475 crore and laying foundation stones of 83 projects worth Rs. 935 crore.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

Transport Ministry advises depts, organizations to strengthen security

• The Road, Transport and Highways Ministry has received reports from Indian Computer Emergency Response Team – CERT-In regarding targeted intrusion activities directed towards Indian Transport sector with possible malicious intentions.
• The Ministry has advised departments and organizations under the transport sector to strengthen the security posture of their infrastructure.
• It said, National Informatics Centre (NIC), National Highways Authority of India, NHIDCL, State PWDs, Testing agencies and Automobile manufacturers have been requested to conduct the security audit of the entire IT system by CERT-In certified agencies on a regular basis and take all actions as per their recommendations.
• It also said the audit report and the Action Taken Report to be regularly submitted to the Ministry.

Maruti Suzuki India shortlists three new startups by innovation initiative

• Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said it has shortlisted three new startups as part of its Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab (MAIL)
• With an objective to promote innovation in the mobility space, the auto major said it has shortlisted Nable IT, Redbot and Sleeve as part of the fourth cohort of the MAIL programme.
• “The startups are poised to disrupt the consumer technology world.
• The company’s MAIL initiative supports them by co-creating innovative business solutions,” MSI MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said in a statement.
• The three new startups will now engage with the company for paid projects, he added.
• MSI had launched the MAIL initiative in partnership with GHV Accelerator in January 2019.

Adani Green Energy buys 50 MW solar power project in Canada’s SkyPower Global

• Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) said it has signed a share purchase agreement for acquiring 100% stake in a special purpose vehicle (SPV) holding 50 MW operating solar project from Toronto-based SkyPower Global.
• The project located in Telangana was commissioned in October 2017 and has a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana.
• The acquisition helps AGEL raise its operating renewable capacity to 3,395 MW with a total renewable portfolio of 14,865 MW including under-construction and awarded projects.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING NEWS

Piramal Capital and Housing Finance raises Rs.4,050 crore

• Piramal Capital and Housing Finance Ltd (PCHFL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Limited (PEL), has raised 4,050 crore through issuance of long-term, five-year non-convertible debentures (NCDs) in two tranches.
• The first tranche of the NCD issue, amounting to 2,000 crore, opened on March 10 with a pay-in on March 12, 2021.
• The second tranche of the remaining Rs.2,050 crore opened on March 18 with a pay-in on March 19, 2021.
• “CARE Ratings has assigned an ‘AA’ rating for both the issuances,” the company said in a statement.

DHFL deal

• The fund raise comes just weeks after the Reserve Bank of India gave PCHFL the approval to acquire troubled Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL).
• The total consideration for DHFL was 34,250 crore, comprising an upfront cash component of Rs.14,700 crore and a deferred component of Rs.19,550 crore.

National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Bill, 2021 – introduced in Lok Sabha

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha.
• The bill seeks to establish the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development.
• Its objective is to support the development of long-term non-recourse infrastructure financing in India including development of the bonds and derivatives markets necessary for infrastructure financing and to carry on the business of financing infrastructure.
• Besides, in business of the Lok Sabha, the Finance Bill, 2021 and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 are also listed.
• In the Rajya Sabha business schedule, the Appropriation Bill, 2021 is listed for consideration and return.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS and HONOURS

Chief Minister’s Award: Dangamal at Bhitarkanika national parks bags first prize

• Three nature camps were felicitated by the State government with Chief Minister’s Award for best performance in forest protection through nature tourism on the occasion of World Forestry Day.
• The nature camps are Dangamal at Bhitarkanika National Park(ODISHA), Mandasaru in Kandhamal and Daringbadi.
• Dangamal, famous for its boating in mangrove creeks, birding and night stay, drew 3,300 visitors till February generating revenue of Rs 73 lakh.
• Mandasaru and Daringbadi also drew a combined footfall of around 2,900.
• The awards were given to the Eco-Development Committees and Van Suraksha Samitis concerned.
• The first prize carried Rs one lakh, while the second and third carried cash awards of Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000
• Satkosia Sands Resort at Badmul, Kumari Nature Camp in Similipal and Debrigarh were also presented the award for the year 2019-20.

Two awards for Rajan Eye Care Hospital

• Topgallant Media honoured Rajan Eye Care Hospital with two awards on March 19 at an event held in New Delhi.
• It was a ceremony to acknowledge and felicitate the leading contributors who have taken the initiative to bring a pleasant and powerful change in the field of healthcare.
• Rajan Eye Care won the Most Trusted Eyecare Hospital of the Year for their significant contribution to eye cares for the poor and needy during the pandemic, and also for the COVID Slum Relief Project, which has benefited more than 30,000 families till date.
• Prof Dr Mohan Rajan was awarded the Healthcare Personality of the Year Ophthalmology.
• Faggan Singh Kulaste, Union Minister of State for Steel, and Chaudhary Udaybhan Singh, Union Minister of State for Khadi and Village industries, were the chief guests.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Power Grid acquired balance 74% stake in JV Jaypee PowerGrid

• On March 19, 2021, Power Grid Corporation of India signed a share purchase agreement with Jaiprakash Power Ventures (JPVL) for acquisition of 74% stake of JPVL in Jaypee PowerGrid at an aggregate consideration of Rs 351.64 crore.
• The board of Power Grid Corporation of India had approved the acquisition on February 11, 2021.
• JPL-JV has developed a 214 km long EHV power transmission project to evacuate power from Karcham-Wangtoo project in Himachal Pradesh.
• The power transmitted is meant for distribution and consumption in states of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

About PCGI :

• PGCI was established by the Centre as the central transmission utility of India.
• As of December 31, 2020, the Government of India owned 51.34 percent stake in the company.
• Founded: 23 October 1989
• Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana, India
• Comes Under Ministry Of Power
• Chairman & MD : Sreekant

About Jaiprakash Power Ventures :

• Headquarters : India
• Founded : 1994

About Jaypee PowerGrid :

• Located at : New Delhi
• Establishment : April 2012
• Chairman : Shri I.S.Jha

CCI Approves Tata Power’s 51 PerCent Stake Acquisition

• On March18, 2021, The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the acquisition of 51 percent stake in Odisha power utility NESCO from Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO).
• The 51 per cent of the equity share capital of North Eastern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha by Tata Power Company Ltd from Grid Corporation of Odisha Ltd under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002,.
• The equity share capital of NESCO Utility by the TPCL from GRIDCO pursuant to the competitive bidding process initiated by the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) under Section 20 of the Electricity Act, 2003

About NESCO :

• NESCO Utility, incorporated on November 19, 1997, is engaged in the business of distribution and retail supply of power in five districts of Odisha namely Balasore, Bhadrak,Jajpur, Keonjhar and Baripada.
• Headquarters : India

About TPCL :

• It is a part of the Tata group.
• TPCL, incorporated on September 18, 1919, is a public listed company
• TPCL  primarily engaged in the business of power generation, transmission and distribution.

About Grid Corporation of Odisha :

• Founded: 20 April 1995
• Headquarters: Bhubaneswar

About CCI :

• Founded: 14 October 2003
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• First executive: Dhanendra Kumar
• Chairman : Ashok Kumar Gupta

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

To Set Up Space Technology Incubation Centre ISRO & NIT Rourkela Signs MOU

• On March 18, 2021, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Institute of Technology(NIT), Rourkela signed an MoU for setting up a Space Technology Incubation Centre(S-TIC).
• The MoU was signed after ISRO agreed to set up a Space Technology Incubation Centre(S-TIC) at NIT Rourkela.

Benefits :

• This collaboration with ISRO will open up new opportunities for research and development as well as space start-ups.

About Space Technology Incubation Centre(S-TIC) :

• The S-TIC will nurture the young academia with innovative research aptitude for carrying out research and product development in the field of space technology and applications.
• This S-TIC will enable start-ups to build applications and products that could be used in future space missions
• It will also offer a great opportunity for academia to collaborate with industries and contribute in Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan in the Space Technology sector initiated by ISRO.
• ISRO will provide an annual Grant-in-Aid of Rs. 2 crore for 2 years to NIT-R as seed money for setting up of the STIC.

About ISRO :

• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Founder: Vikram Sarabhai
• Director: Kailasavadivoo Sivan
• Establishment : 1969

About NIT Rourkela :

• Director : Prof Animesh Biswas

CURRENT AFFAIRS  APPS & SERVICES

Govt focused to develop, strengthen own mobile app store : Mobile Seva Appstore

• On March 18, 2021, The government, while encouraging private players to host apps, is equally keen to develop and strengthen its own mobile app store.
• India’s first indigenously developed Appstore, ‘Mobile Seva Appstore’
• It hosts more than 965 live apps from various domains and categories of public services, Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad announced.
• According to the Citing India App Market Statistics report 2021, the Minister Mentioned that around 5 percent apps on Android are from Indian Apps developers.

About Mobile Seva App Store :

• Mobile Seva App Store is a mobile application hosting platform which is owned by the government of India.
• The App Store has been created to provide a hosting platform for the Indian mobile application developers.
• It is India’s first indigenously developed App Store.
• It will be based upon service-oriented architecture and cloud-based technologies.
• The Developers can host their mobile application for the delivery of the government and other public services related to health, education, agriculture, online payments, financial, electoral services, social welfare, transport, food and energy.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SPORTS NEWS

Former Ireland Skipper Gary Wilson announces retirement from international cricket

• On March 19, 2021, Former Ireland skipper Gary Wilson announced his retirement from professional cricket.
• He will take up the new full-time role as head coach and pathway manager for North West Warriors.

About Gary Wilson :

• The 35-year-old made his international debut for Ireland in June 2005 against the MCC and appeared 292 times.
• He finishes as Ireland’s second-most successful wicket-keeper in terms of dismissals behind the stumps with 160 catches and 33 stumpings.
• He scored 5,959 runs for Ireland, hitting one century and 30 fifties, his highest score being 113 coming against the Netherlands in 2010.
• He was named T20 captain for Ireland in 2018.

About ICC :

• Chairperson: Greg Barclay
• Deputy Chairman: Imran Khwaja
• CEO: Manu Sawhney
• Founded: 15 June 1909
• Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Prithvi Shaw becomes first player to score 800 runs in single edition

• Mumbai captain Prithvi Shaw became the first player to breach the 800-run mark in a single edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
• Shaw achieved the feat during his 73-run knock against Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing final of Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
• Prithvi Shaw became the first player to score 800 runs in a single edition.
• Mayank Agarwal’s record of 723 runs in the 2017-18 edition.
• Kaushik’s unbeaten 158-run knock is the highest individual score of any batsman in the finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
• Shaw broke Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli’s record of the highest individual score by an Indian batsman in a List A chase.
• Shaw scored a century while playing for Mumbai in the second semi-final against Karnataka, at the Palam A Stadium.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Former Sebi chief Ramakrishna passes away

• G V Ramakrishna, a former chairperson of India’s market regulator, SEBI Passed away.
• He was 91.

About Ramakrishna :

• Ramakrishna, as an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, had five decades of government service, working as a diplomat and policy expert.
• He was IAS in 1952 as an Andhra Pradesh cadre officer.
• Ramakrishna, was popularly known as GVR.
• Ramakrishna worked at the Finance Ministry and Ministries of Industry, Steel, Coal and Petroleum.
• He was adviser in the Planning Commission in 1981 and Member in 1994.
• He was made SEBI Chairman in 1990 and held the post till 1994.
• He became the first chairperson of the Disinvestment Commission in 1996 to manage the government’s exit from state-owned businesses.
• Ramakrishna was the minister of economic affairs at the Embassy in Washington in 1972 and India’s Ambassador to the European Economic Community (European Union) in 1989.

Daily CA On March 20 :

• The International Day of Happiness is celebrated throughout the world on the 20th of March. The theme of International Day of Happinessfor 2021 is “Happiness For All, Forever”
• World Sparrow Dayis celebrated every year on March 20 to raise awareness about the House Sparrow and other common birds to urban environments, and of threats to their populations.Theme of 2021 World Sparrow Day “I LOVE Sparrows”
• The World Oral Health Day is marked every year on March 20.The theme for the next three years, 2021-2023 is: Be Proud Of Your Mouth.
• US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
• The Ministry of AYUSH through its autonomous body- Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi has started a Yoga Volunteer Training Programme on Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) from 1st of February this year.
• Government has said that around 373 Kisan Rail services have operated on 43 routes till date, transporting more than one lakh 20 thousand tonnes of commodities.
• Embassy of India, Seoul launched the ‘Festival of Independence’ India@75 – the 75 Weeks Celebrations.
• Singaporeis building the largest floating solar farm of the world, in a bid to tackle climate change.
• The first high-level U.S.-China meeting in Alaska began on a fiery start, with an acrimonious exchange of words in a rare public display as two powers tried to score over the other.
• Government has set a target to make India the number one tourist destination and focusing on doubling the number of international tourists coming to India by 2024.
• Secretary, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Tuhin Kanta Pandey has said that GAIL buyback of shares have been fully subscribed.
• Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash informed the Rajya Sabha that over 44 thousand Startups have been recognized by the Department for promotion of Industry and Internal trade since the launch of the initiative.
• Lender disburses 23,000 crore under ECLG scheme.
• The Labour Bureau signed a service level agreement with Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited, BECIL for conducting all India surveys on Migrant Workers and All India Quarterly Establishment based Employment Survey.
• On March 19, 2021, The Defence Ministry sealed a deal with state-run Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) to acquire 4,960 anti-tank guided missiles at a cost of 1,188 crore for the Indian Army.
• On March 17, 2021, Data Patterns India Private Limited handed over the indigenously made checkout system to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for its ambitious ‘Gaganyaan’ mission.
• Steeplechaser Avinash Sable was one of the first Indian track and field athletes to make the cut for the Olympics for the fifth time during the ongoing Federation Cup in Patiala.

Daily CA On March 21 & 22 :

• The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012.
• World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March, and was declared by UNESCO in 1999, “with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard”.
• The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March to remind people about the negative consequences of racial discrimination.
• The World Puppetry Day is observed every year on March 21,to promote the puppet arts.
• The United Nations declared March 22 as World Water Day.
• Union Environment and Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has said that the new Nagar Van Scheme will help in creation of Urban forests in the cities.
• Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Science & technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the new Advanced High Resolution Microscopy Facility at National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI)
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually launch Jal Shakti Abhiyan : Catch the Rain campaign on the occasion of World Water Day.
• India participated in the Nowruz festivities at the SCO Secretariat in Beijing.
• Indian Embassy in Beijing started India@75 celebrations with belated Vishwa Hindi Diwas celebrations which were attended by the Chinese students studying Hindi in different Chinese universities, their Hindi teachers and members of the Indian community in Beijing.
• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal inaugurated and dedicated various development projects worth Rs. 1411 crore to the people of the State through video conference from Chandigarh.
• The Road, Transport and Highways Ministry has received reports from Indian Computer Emergency Response Team – CERT-In regarding targeted intrusion activities directed towards Indian Transport sector with possible malicious intentions.
• Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said it has shortlisted three new startups as part of its Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab (MAIL)
• Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) said it has signed a share purchase agreement for acquiring 100% stake in a special purpose vehicle (SPV) holding 50 MW operating solar project from Toronto-based SkyPower Global.
• Piramal Capital and Housing Finance Ltd (PCHFL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Limited (PEL), has raised 4,050 crore through issuance of long-term, five-year non-convertible debentures (NCDs) in two tranches.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha.
• Three nature camps were felicitated by the State government with Chief Minister’s Award for best performance in forest protection through nature tourism on the occasion of World Forestry Day.
• On March18, 2021, The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the acquisition of 51 percent stake in Odisha power utility NESCO from Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO).
• On March 18, 2021, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Institute of Technology(NIT), Rourkela signed an MoU for setting up a Space Technology Incubation Centre(S-TIC).
• On March 18, 2021, The government, while encouraging private players to host apps, is equally keen to develop and strengthen its own mobile app store.
• On March 19, 2021, Former Ireland skipper Gary Wilson announced his retirement from professional cricket.
• Mumbai captain Prithvi Shaw became the first player to breach the 800-run mark in a single edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
• G V Ramakrishna, a former chairperson of India’s market regulator, SEBI Passed away.