13th March 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

sponsored links

National Affairs

• With the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) allowing women to join its supervisory combat roles, women can now be inducted as officers in combat roles in all five Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). 
  • The Five forces are, 
  • Border Security Force (BSF), 
  • Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 
  • Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), 
  • Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), 
  • Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
  • Note : The decision was taken by the government in the backdrop of Home Minister Rajnath Singh announcing 33% reservation for women at constable level posts in CRPF and CISF.
• Allahabad High Court is celebrating 150 years of its existence.
• President Pranab Mukherjee was the Chief Guest of the celebrations. 
• Chief Justice of India (CJI) TS Thakur and Union Law Minister DV Sadananda Gowda were some of the dignitaries who attended the function. 
• Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court - Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud
  
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Three railway projects, having an estimated cost of ₹7,200 crore, in Bihar. 
• Those Three projects are,
• Rail-cum-road bridge at Patna over the River Ganga.
• Rail-cum-road bridge at Munger. 
• Additional bridge at Mokama over the River Ganga (double line Railway Bridge).
• The 9th edition of the biennial defence expo, Defexpo India 2016, organised by the Defence Ministry, will be held in South Goa from 28th to 31st March 2016. 
• Note : This is the first time that the expo will be hosted outside Delhi.
• Delhi government is planning to announce an app-based bus service next week, wherein the government will ply the private contract carriage buses with "special permit" to ferry the passengers. 
• The app will let passengers locate and board the buses on their route and pay normal fares fixed by the government. 
• These buses will run on the routes prepared by the transport department.

International Affairs

• The Serbian government has proclaimed a state of emergency as heavy rains are causing extensive flooding and might force thousands to leave their homes.
• More than 50 people died in the deluge and about 700 homes were flooded across the country with 170 people needing to be moved for their safety forcing thousands to leave their homes.

Business & Economy

• Yes Bank, the India’s fifth largest private sector Bank has signed MOU with the India Brazil Chamber of Commerce for cooperation in knowledge sharing, consultancy, skill and technology.
• This MoU emphasizes strategic grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), represents the changing world economic situation.
• State-run telecommunications company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is planning to install 50 'zero base' mobile towers in India. 
• A zero base tower can function as a wi-fi hotspot, street light and camera and has better aesthetics with radio units concealed inside its pole or underneath. 
• BSNL is expected to develop a concept for the same in six months.
• India is going to supply 18 metre-gauge 1350 HP Diesel Electric Locomotives to Myanmar to help the country bolster its railway transportation system. 
• In this regard, RITES (Public Sector Enterprise under Union Ministry of Railways) has signed a contract with Myanmar Railways. 
• The supply contract is a vital project being funded under an existing line of credit (LOC) extended by India to Myanmar. 

Awards & Honors

• Kerala Tourism’s new campaign on responsible tourism has bagged the prestigious 'Golden City Gate Award' at the world’s leading travel trade show ITB in Berlin.
• Note : Titled 'New Worlds', the multimedia campaign containing three short films directed by reputed Malayalam filmmaker Anwar Rasheed won the silver prize of this year’s Das Golden Stadttor or Golden City Gate, dubbed the Oscar of tourism communication, at the Internationale Tourismus-Borse Berlin (ITB-Berlin) 2016.
• Mahindra & Mahindra Chairman and Managing Director (MD) Anand Mahindra was conferred with Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by French Government. 
• He was presented with this award by Francois Richier, Ambassador of France to India in recognition of his outstanding national and international achievements. 

New Appointments

• Justice Ajit Singh, Judge of the Rajasthan High Court, was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court.
• Justice Satish Kumar Mittal was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. 

Sports

• Lin Dan from China has won the prestigious 2016 All England Badminton title in the men’s singles category.
• Vijender Singh knocks out Hungary’s Alexander Horvath to register fourth consecutive win in Pro Boxing.
• With the win, Vijender’s record in Pro Boxing stands at four bouts, four wins and four knockouts.
• French team Paris Saint-Germain won their fourth consecutive and sixth overall Ligue 1 title by beating bottom-placed ESTAC Troyes.
• Services has won the 70th edition of Santosh Trophy Football Championships title 2016 by defeating hosts Maharashtra.

Read more Daily Current Affairs updates from here

sponsored links