STATE
DELHI
13th META festival begins
- The opening reception for 13th Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) and Festival was attended by many celebrities at New Delhi.
A short opening act ‘The Cycle’ and a panel discussion on the topic ‘New Writing in Theatre – What is it reflective of?’ was done by Jury members.
ANDHRAPRADESH
Oil majors to invest in AndhraPradesh
- The GAIL, HPCL and ONGC are investing more than 1.10 lakh crore in Andhra Pradesh.CM urged the companies to expedite the projects by sorting out the issues, if any, with the State government. He was particular about the greenfield petrochemical complex proposed at Kakinada. The CMDs of the three PSU oil companies gave presentations to the Vice-President, explaining the details about the ongoing projects in different parts of the country, with a special focus on A.P. Projects with the investment of more than 1.10 lakh crore.
MAHARASHTRA
‘Entire Bullet Train’ operational only by 2023
- A year after the deadline for Bullet Train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai was advanced by a year to 2022, railway board chairman Ashwani Lohani said that the route will be fully operational only by 2023. Only some sections of the corridor will become operational in 2022.
KARNATAKA
885th Basava Jayanti
- The Basava Jayanti Utsav Samiti, with the district administration, will organise a four-day programme to mark the 885th birth anniversary of 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara in Kalaburagi from April 15.
KERALA
Kerala:Social auditing of tribal schemes
- A social audit of over 50 multi-crore tribal welfare projects initiated in recent years in Attappady by the Central and State governments will be conducted by the Palakkad District Legal Services Authority as ordered by the Kerala High Court.
- The projects being audited include the 12-crore Kurumba tribal development project from which 11 crore was diverted for the construction of a road between Chindakki and Anawai. The project was meant for improving the living standards of the most-primitive Kurumba tribe, numbering hardly 2,250 and living in the deep interiors of the forests in Pudur grama panchayat.
‘Hamari Malayalam’ book now has a digital version
- ‘Hamari Malayalam’, the textbook for the Changathi project of the Kerala State Literacy Mission to teach Malayalam to guest workers, has been published as a digital book.The digital format is expected to help the scheme reach out to more guest workers.
UTTAR PRADESH
Smriti Irani launches GNFC Neem Project
- Smriti Irani, Union Cabinet Minister for Textile, Information & Broadcasting, Government of India launched the Uttar Pradesh Neem Project at Kathaura –Jagdishpur, District Amethi Uttar Pradesh initiated by the Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GNFC). Considering large population of Neem trees in Uttar Pradesh, this project will generate significant additional income to rural women.
Scheme launched to help women at state, district level
- Union minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi said that the Union government had launched a new scheme called the “Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra” to empower rural women through community participation.The scheme, which will work at the national, state and district levels to create an environment in which women achieve their full potential, will run from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
NATIONAL
PM opens health centre under Ayushman Bharat and Internet scheme
- Prime Minister inaugurated the first health centre under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.He inaugurated the first phase of the Bastar Internet scheme under which a 40,000-km network of fibre-optics cables would be spread across seven districts of the tribal region. The districts are Bijapur, Narayanpur, Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Sukma and Dantewada.
Seven MoUs signed with Russian original equipment manufacturers
- Seven MoUs were signed at the Defence Expo 2018 by Indian private companies and Russian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to manufacture and develop spares and sub-assemblies of identified Russian-origin platforms in use by the Indian armed forces.The MoUs were signed after the third India-Russia Military Industrial Conference at the Defence Expo 2018.
- The delegations from the two sides deliberated on the need to improve after-sales support of Russian-origin platforms being used by the Indian forces. They also deliberated on facilitating domestic manufacturing of some of the identified spare parts through collaborations between Indian vendors and Russian OEMs.
RUSSIA:
Capital and largest city – Moscow
President – Vladimir Putin
PrimeMinister – DmitryMedvedev
Currency – Russian ruble
Inauguration of Solar Lamp Assembly & Distribution Center; distributes Solar Study Lamp to students
- Shri R K Singh, Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India, on the occasion of 127th Birth Anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar launched, Shri Singh inaugurated Assembly & Distribution Centre for Solar Study Lamps at Mahuli village in Arrah. In this centre, local women Self Help Group (SHG) will assemble Solar Study Lamps and distribute them to underprivileged students who do not have access to electricity. Thus the Centre will not only provide kerosene-free affordable illumination to students, but also empower rural women with the skills to assemble, distribute and repair solar lamps.
President of India Receives first copy of book ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar: Vyakti Nahin Sankalp’
- The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, received the first copy of the book ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar: Vyakti Nahin Sankalp’ from the Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, who formally released it at Rashtrapati Bhavan, to mark Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary.
SCIENCE
Japanese engineer create giant robot
- Japanese engineer Masaaki Nagumo created a giant humanoid inspired by the science fiction franchise.Developed at Sakakibara Kikai, a maker of farming machinery, LW-Mononofu is an 8.5-metre tall, two-legged robot weighing in at more than 7 tonnes. It contains a cockpit with monitors and levers for the pilot to control the robot’s arms and legs.
IASST researchers use smart bandage for faster wound healing
- A smart bandage material that can heal wounds better and faster and has antimicrobial properties has been fabricated by a team of researchers from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati. The bandage is made of cotton patch coated with chitosan-based hydogel that is loaded with curcumin and graphene oxide. The researchers used curcumin as a model drug and the same can be replaced with other antimicrobials.
WORLD
India seeks China’s help for Bengaluru-Chennai rail corridor
- India has sought China’s assistance to speed up the Bengaluru-Chennai railway corridor besides redevelopment of Agra and Jhansi railway stations.The request was made at the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) held here between the two countries.
India to supply soya for china
- India walked with China in its trade row with Washington, and offered to export soya beans, which Beijing may no longer be able to source from the U.S.
- In his opening remarks at the fifth China-India Strategic Economic Dialogue, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said India was ready to step in and supply soya beans to China.Earlier this month, China had announced fresh tariffs on soya bean imports from the U.S, as part of an unresolved trade spat between Beijing and Washington, on items worth over $100 billion.
ECONOMY
Certificate of incorporation would be sufficient proof of PAN or TAN for corporate
- The Income Tax department said the certificate of incorporation issued by the Corporate Affairs Ministry would be considered sufficient proof of PAN or TAN for corporates.The Finance Act, 2018 amended section 139A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 and removed the requirement of issuing PAN in the form of a laminated card.
- PAN and TAN mentioned in the COI issued by MCA shall also be treated as sufficient proof of PAN and TAN for the said company assesses.The Certificate of Incorporation (COI) issued by the MCA contains a mention of both PAN and TAN.
Government to unveil draft air cargo policy
- A policy to provide thrust to air cargo would be drafted soon as it will fuel the growth of the aviation sector and boost the country’s economy.The success of the aviation sector in the country was completely propelled by the participation of private players, adding that infrastructure for the movement of air cargo could be created in the same way.
SPORTS
Commonwealth Games 2018: MC Mary Kom won gold
- India boxer MC Mary Kom won gold in women’s 45-48 kg category at the Commonwealth Games, 2018 in Gold Coast.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Boxer Amit Phangal claims silver in flyweight category
- Boxer Amit Phangal claimed a silver after losing to England’s Galal Yafai in the men’s flyweight category at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
Commonwealth Games 2018:Boxer Naman Tanwar takes 91kg bronze
- India’s first boxing medal of the 2018 Commonwealth Games has come from Naman Tanwar, who was defeated in his 91kg semi-final by Australia’s Jason Whateley to settle for bronze. Mohammed Hussamuddin got another bronze for India in the men’s 56kg.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Mohammed Hussamuddin takes 56 kg bronze
- Mohammad Hussamuddin from Nizamabad has become the first-ever boxer to win an individual medal (bronze in 56 kg) from Telangana in the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast .
Commonwealth Games 2018: Gaurav Solanki claim gold
- Gaurav Solanki (52kg) won gold in boxing at the Commonwealth Games, 2018 in Gold Coast.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Sanjeev Rajput claims gold in 50m rifle
- Sanjeev Rajput won the gold medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event with a games record at the 21st Commonwealth Games.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Wrestler Sumit Malik claims freestyle 125kg gold
- Indian wrestler Sumit Malik claimed the gold medal in the men’s freestyle 125 kg after his opponent, Nigeria’s Sinivie Boltic, was ruled out of the final due to an injury at the 21st Commonwealth Games.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Wrestler Vinesh Phogat wins gold
- India’s Vinesh Phogat won gold in the women’s 50 kilogram wrestling competition at the 21st Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Gold Coast.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Manika Batra strikes gold
- Manika Batra won India’s first-ever gold medal in table tennis event in the Commonwealth Games.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Saurav-Dipika pair settles for silver
- Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal pair in squash won silver medal in commonwealth games.
Commonwealth Games 2018:Boxer Vikas clinches gold medal in 75kg
- Boxer Vikas Krishan clinced gold medal in the men’s 75kg category at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast .
Commonwealth Games 2018:SainaNehwal won gold and sindhu silver
- Saina Nehwal won a second Commonwealth Games women’s singles title in style at the Carrara Sports by defeating sindhu,and sindhu settles with silver.
Commonwealth Games 2018:Srikanth settles for silver
- World No.1 Kidambi Srikanth settle for a silver medal in the 21st Commonwealth Games.
Commonwealth Games 2018:Sharath wins bronze
- Sharath Kamal won the bronze medal in table tennis by beating England’s Samuel Walker.