- India to host International Competition Network Annual Conference for the first time :-
India to host 17th Annual Conference of International Competition Network 2018 (ICN2018) from 21st to 23rd March 2018 in New Delhi. While addressing the press conference, Competition Commission of India’s Chairperson Shri Devender Singh Sikri said that this is the first time India is hosting the ICN2018 Annual Conference since it joined International Competition Network (ICN) in 2009. CCI Chairperson Shri Sikri said that the ICN is an informal network comprising 138 competition authorities from 125 jurisdictions.
- PM addresses Rising India Summit organized by Network 18 :-
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Rising India Summit, organized by Network 18. He said that when we speak of a rise, in terms of a nation, it has a very broad context. He said that beyond the rise of the economy, he feels that Rising India implies the rise of self-respect among the people of India.
- NITI Aayog to Release SATH-E Roadmaps :-
SATH-E to introduce System-wide Governance Transformation in School Education NITI Aayog will release comprehensive roadmaps and detailed timelines for its initiative ‘Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E)’ project at NITI Aayog on March 17. Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog and the Chief Secretaries of the States of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha will release the forward looking blueprints after a day-long workshop with Principal Secretaries of the States, State Project Directors and other experts and representatives operating in the field.
- More than 17 lakh beneficiaries enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana :-
Number of beneficiaries enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Matru VandanaYojana (PMMVY) has increased to 17,66,423. Every day on an average, around 50, 000 new applications are received for enrolment. So far, Rs. 2048.21 Crores to all 36 States/UTs have been sanctioned under PMMVY out of which Rs. 2042.09 Crores have been released till date. The Government of India has approved Pan-India implementation of PMMVY in all districts of the country from 01.01.2017 under which the eligible beneficiaries get Rs. 5,000/- under PMMVY and the remaining cash incentive as per approved norms towards Maternity Benefit under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) after institutional delivery so that on an average, a woman gets Rs. 6000/-.
- INDIA and ADB Sign $120 Million Loan to Improve Rail Infrastructure :-
Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $120 million loan agreement for completion of works for double-tracking and electrification of railways tracks along high-density corridors to improve operational efficiency of Indian railways. The tranche 3 loan is part of the $500 million multi-tranche financing facility for Railway Sector Investment Program approved by the ADB Board in 2011. The loan amount will be used to complete the ongoing works commenced under earlier tranches.
- Tata Sons head Chandrasekaran elected IISc President :-
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran was elected President of the court of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for three years. Chandrasekaran has been elected as the 8th President of the institute for the period 2018-21 and takes over from K. Kasturirangan. Sir M. Visvesvaraya, J.R.D. Tata and Ratan Tata were among those who occupied the distinguished post of the 109-year-old institute in the past.
- Sangeeta Bahadur appointed Ambassador of India to Belarus :-
Ms. Sangeeta Bahadur (IFS:1987) has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Belarus. She is expected to take up her assignment shortly. Currently, she is Additonal Secretary in Ministry of External Affairs. Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, formerly known by its Russian name Byelorussia or Belorussia is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. Its Capital is Minsk while currency is Ruble. Alexander Lukashenko is the President of Belarus while Andrei Kobyakov is the Prime Minister.
- Rahul is Wisden India Almanack’s Cricketer of the Year :-
KL Rahul is the ‘Cricketer of the Year’ in the sixth edition of Wisden India Almanack, which has just been released. The Almanack pays a tribute to India’s women cricketers, with a wonderful cover picture of celebration at the World Cup. Shantha Rangaswamy, India’s first woman superstar, has been inducted into the Wisden India Hall of Fame alongside Erapalli Prasanna.
- Sri Lanka Cricket releases book ‘A Tribute to Jagu’ :-
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on the occasion of the 70th independence of the island nation, paid a glowing tribute to former BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya by releasing a book, titled A Tribute to Jagu. SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala lauded Dalmiya’s role in strengthening the Asian Bloc. Dalmiya’s son, Avishek, joint secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) was invited to receive the commemorative book.
