Government launches ‘Humsafar’ mobile app for doorstep diesel delivery

1.Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claims victory in general elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed victory in the general elections held.With 90% of votes counted, his Likud party and its right-wing allies were on course to win 59 seats.

This election was Israel’s third in less than a year.

Neither of the two main party leaders was able to command a majority in the 120-seat parliament following the last two rounds.

Mr Netanyahu, 70, is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. He is seeking a record fifth term, having been in office from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009.

Israel parliament: Knesset

2.National Safety Day: 04 March

The National Safety Council observes a National Safety Day (NSD) across India annually on March 4.The National Safety Day aims to promote safety guidelines in logistics, production, construction, transport, research, and development and other important aspects of an industry.

The first observance of National Safety Day took place in 1966, on the day when the National Safety Council (NSC) was founded.

Its headquarters is situated in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.

This year’s theme is “Enhance Health & Safety Performance by Use of Advanced Technology”.

3.NABARD infuses Rs 1.46 lakh crore in rural banking system during current fiscal

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has infused 1.46 lakh crore rupees in the rural banking system during the current fiscal.In a statement, NABARD has said that 66,397 crore rupees have been given in short-term credit and 6,704 crore rupees in long-term credit to rural cooperative banks.

Regional rural banks have availed 14,141 crore rupees in short-term credit and 8,417 crore rupees in long-term credit.

While short-term refinance is essentially production credit, long-term refinance is aimed at supporting sectors like dairy, poultry, fishery, farm mechanisation, irrigation, and non-farm sectors, among others.

4.35th edition of AAHAR, Food and Hospitality fair, begins in New Delhi

The 35th edition of AAHAR – the Food and Hospitality fair began in New Delhi.This year, the fair will feature a wide range of food products, machinery, hospitality, Food and Beverage Equipment and Decoration items, and Confectionery items from over 750 participants from India and overseas.

In the foreign category, the fair will witness participation from countries, including Hong Kong, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, UK and UAE.

The event will also offer an insight into operational and food safety concerns and innovations to become energy-efficient, finding budget-friendly raw materials boosting productivity, while still aiming for greater profitability.

5.Famous Rangotsav begins at Barsana in Mathura

The famous Rangotsav began at Barsana in Mathura, the place which is famous for its colourful holi festivities.Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the 10-day Rangotsav and also participated in Laddoo Holi.

For the next ten days, various forms of Holi including Chadi Maar Holi, Falain ki Holi and Dau ji ka Aurangabad will be played at different places in Mathura, Vrindavan.

The Rangotsav will also feature cultural events and the entire town of Barsana will be decorated with flowers and colours.

6.Pune to host 108th Indian Science Congress in 2021

Pune will host the 108th Indian Science Congress in January 2021.This will be the fourth time that the city will host the prestigious meet in the last 100 years.

The event, set to be held at Symbiosis International University’s Lavale campus.

The theme of this event will be ‘Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment’.

Dr Vijay Laxmi Saxena has been elected general president of the Indian Science Congress, 2021.

The science congress had commenced in 1914 from then Calcutta with 105 members.

Currently, the association has more than 60,000 members from various streams of science like agriculture, archaeology, biochemistry, earth system science among others.

7.Government launches ‘Humsafar’ mobile app for doorstep diesel delivery

Housing societies, hotels, and hospitals in the national capital region will soon be able to get diesel delivered at their doorsteps, with the launch of mobile application ‘Humsafar’ by Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar.The app will be used for the fuel delivery services to housing societies, hotels, hospitals, malls, construction sites, industries, banquets and other bulk buyers of diesel in various national capital region cities, including Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, Hapur, Kundli, Manesar, and Bahadurgarh.

The main idea of introducing this service is to help entities such as housing societies, industries and malls avoid the hassle of transporting large amounts of fuel from the fuel station to the desired destination.

The major benefits of diesel delivery service are good quality and quantity of fuel delivered, live tracking of the delivery vehicle, automated billing, delivery within 8 hours and no spillage and wastage of fuel.

Humsafar has 12 bowser tankers in varying capacity from 4 kilo litres to 6 kilo litres and an experienced team of 35 people, excluding bowser crews.

8.Indian-American appointed key member of US coronavirus task force

Indian-American Seema Verma has been appointed as one of the key members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force constituted by US President Donald Trump.The Task Force has been created to combat the deadly disease that has claimed six lives in the country and infected over 90 others.

The task force is led by Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, and is coordinated through the National Security Council.

9.Lalit Kala Akademi’s 61st annual awards conferred by Prez Kovind to 15 artists

Lalit Kala Akademi’s 61st annual awards conferred by President Ram Nath Kovind to 15 artistes at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.The awardees include Anoop Kumar Manzukhi Gopi (Thrissoor, Kerala), David Malakar (Kolkata, West Bengal), Devendra Kumar Khare (Vadodara, Gujarat), Dinesh Pandya (Mumbai, Maharashtra), Faruque Ahmed Halder (24 Parganas, Kolkata, West Bengal), Hari Ram Kumbhawat (Jaipur, Rajasthan).

Lalit Kala Akademi awards are given to recognise the outstanding work in the field of art.

The fifteen artists were selected by an esteemed panel of Jury for the 61st annual awards.

The awardees honoured with a plaque, a shawl and prize money of one lakh rupees during the felicitation ceremony.

10.68th All India Police Athletic Championship kick starts in Haryana

68th All India Police Athletic Championship-2019 began at Bhanu in Panchkula District of Haryana.Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju declared the meet open at Basic Training Centre of ITBP.

Mr Rijiju said that with an aim to bring India in top 10 in the Olympics scheduled in 2028, the government has identified 15,000 plus children and started their training across 284 Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centres across the country.

11.Head of Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha Sanghanayaka Suddhananda Mahathero passed away

The head of the Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha Sanghanayaka Suddhananda Mahathero passed away in Dhaka.He was a revered figure among the Buddhists of Bangladesh.

He is known for running many social service activities particularly the orphanage at Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery which takes care of more than 350 children.

The Government of Bangladesh awarded the Ekushey Award to him in 2012.

According to 2011 census, Buddhism is the third largest religion of Bangladesh constituting 0.6 percent of the population.

Most of the Buddhists live in Chittagong division of Bangladesh.