1. Japan invites India to G7 Hiroshima summit
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has formally invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G-7 Hiroshima Summit . Earlier, the two leaders held delegation-level talks in New Delhi, which will further strengthen India-Japan relations. Prime Minister Modi emphasized that this year is unique as India and Japan are chairing the G-20 and G-7 respectively. Shri Modi said that the theme of tourism exchange year 2023 between India and Japan is to connect the Himalayas with Mount Fuji . Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida visit Buddha Jayanti Park in New Delhi . On this occasion, Shri Modi congratulated the Prime Minister of Japan. Presented a sapling of the Bodhi tree .
2. India and Japan sign two agreements on Line of Credit and Japanese Language Cooperation for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project
Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra has said that two documents were signed during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on bilateral issues. In this agreement, notes were also exchanged regarding renewal of Memorandum of Cooperation in Japanese language and three hundred billion yen loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency – JICA for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project .
3. Internet users in China honor Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the unique name of Modi Laosian
There is a deep respect and reverence for Prime Minister Narendra Modi among people who use the Internet in China . A recent report published in a US-based international online news magazine states that Chinese Internet users have given Prime Minister Modi the unique name of Modi Laosian . Laoxian in Chinese means person with unique abilities It happens. This means that Chinese Internet users think Modi is wonderful and even different from other leaders. The author of the report titled How is India’s image in China is a journalist based in Beijing. He has said that Chinese internet users consider PM Modi’s dress and stature similar to Laotian as well as some of his policies as different from the earlier policies of India.
4. Nehru Memorial Museum and Library launches an ambitious project for digitization of research material
Under this project, a target has been set to convert the entire India House collection of the library into digital form . This includes digitization of 40,000 books, reports, periodicals, 5.5 million pages of archival documents and microfilms. Ministry of Culture The Minister said that in order to make these digital contents accessible to any corner of the world, the Government has decided to put them on the Internet through state-of-the-art digital platforms and Open Digital Libraries and Archives. It will allow researchers in modern and contemporary India to search, preview and download documents relevant to their research on payment of a service fee. This will greatly facilitate academic research and dissemination of knowledge about modern and contemporary India, the ministry said.
5. NAFED has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture to support and cooperate with the programs related to coarse cereals.
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has directed NAFED to contribute and promote the International Sree Anna Year 2023 globally . National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India – NAFED, Ministry of Agriculture for supporting and supporting the programs related to coarse grains entered into an agreement with. This includes expansion of marketing linkages by NAFED to Sree Anna focused start-ups, setting up of coarse cereals corners in NAFED market retail stores and installation of vending machines in Delhi and NCR. The Ministry is also setting up an Experience Center at Dilli Haat to promote these nutritious grains and create awareness about the rich history of India through the dishes prepared from them.
6. Ramshay Prasad Yadav took oath as the Vice President of Nepal
Nepal ‘s newly elected Vice President Ramshay Prasad Yadav was administered the oath of office at a special ceremony in Kathmandu. After this he took charge. Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel administered him the oath of office and secrecy at the President’s Office Sheetal Niwas . Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda , Speaker Devraj Ghimire, National Assembly Speaker Ganesh Timilsina, former President Dr. Rambaran Yadav and outgoing Vice President Nand Bahadur Pun were also present at the swearing-in ceremony.
7. International Monetary Fund approves much awaited economic aid package for Sri Lanka
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund has approved nearly $3 billion in financial assistance under the Extended Fund Facility to help debt-ridden Sri Lanka recover immediately from its economic crisis. With the approval of the much-anticipated economic relief package, Sri Lanka will restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability while safeguarding financial stability and pursuing structural reforms to unlock its growth potential. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said that there is a need to make many reforms in Sri Lanka as well. Georgieva said in a statement that swift and timely implementation of the IMF program with strong ownership of reforms is critical for Sri Lanka to recover from the crisis.
8. City Finance Ranking 2022 portal www.cityfinance.in launched
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has asked the urban local bodies to be included in the City Financial Rankings 2022 . This is the first such initiative in the country. Its purpose is to provide information about the current financial status of local bodies in the country and its proper utilization and to reward them according to their work. City Finance Ranking 2022 portal www.cityfinance.in has been launched. The Ministry has said that now the urban local bodies of the country can now participate in this ranking through 100 percent digital medium. The last date to participate is May 31 this year.
9. There are 30 international airports operating in the country
The government has said that there are 30 international airports operating in the country. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Dr VK Singh gave this information in a written reply in Rajya Sabha. He informed the House that at present there are 148 operational airports in the country. These include 137 airports, two water aerodromes and nine heliports. As of March 2017, the Port Authority of India had 96 operational airports.
10. The first session of the meeting of senior officials of the India Gulf Cooperation Council was held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia
The first session of the India Gulf Cooperation Council Senior Officials Meeting was held in Riyadh , the capital of Saudi Arabia . The Indian delegation to the meeting was led by Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Secretary, Commerce, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs. The Indian Gulf Cooperation Council delegation was led by Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Hamad Al-Owaishak, Assistant Secretary-General for Political and Negotiating Affairs. All the six member countries of the India-Gulf Cooperation Council participated in the meeting. The meeting took place in the context of the MoU on the Working Style Consultations of the India-Gulf Cooperation Council signed during the visit of the External Affairs Minister to Riyadh in September last year.
11. ICC issues arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin over Ukraine war crimes
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes committed in Ukraine . In this warrant, Putin has been called responsible for kidnapping and deporting children. On the other hand, Russia has rejected these allegations and compared the arrest warrant to toilet paper. The International Criminal Court is the first international criminal court in the world. It hears four types of cases. The first of which is the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression and war crimes. In the International Criminal Court, action is taken only against the accused and not against any country or any group. The headquarters of ICC is located in The Hague, Netherlands.
12. Noted Tamil writer Sivasankari to be honored with Saraswati Samman 2022
Noted Tamil writer Sivasankari has been conferred with the prestigious Saraswati Samman for the year 2022 . The award is for his book “Suryavansham” , a memoir published in Tamil in 2019. Sivasankari is a prolific writer who has made significant contributions to Tamil literature, and the award is a recognition of his talent and dedication. In 1991, K.K. Saraswati Samman is a prestigious literary award instituted by the Birla Foundation. It is given annually to an outstanding literary work written in any Indian language and published during the last 10 years. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh a citation and a plaque.
13. Literacy rate in India: lowest in Bihar at 61.8% and highest in Kerala at 94%
According to data shared by the education ministry , Bihar (61.8%) has the lowest literacy rate , followed by Arunachal Pradesh (65.3%) and Rajasthan (66.1%). Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India at 94% , followed by Lakshadweep at 91.85% and Mizoram at 91.33%. The literacy rate in rural India is 67.77 percent while in urban India it is 84.11 percent.
14. Urban Extension Road-2 (UER-II) Proposed as Third Ring Road of Delhi
The National Capital Territory of Delhi is one of the most congested cities in India. The city attracts a large amount of traffic not only from within Delhi but also from nearby areas of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh . This high level of traffic has resulted in heavy congestion on the existing Ring Road. To address this issue and decongest Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has developed Urban Extension Road-2 (UER-II) as Delhi’s third ring road. is proposed. UER-II has been proposed in the Delhi Master Plan as the Third Ring Road of Delhi along the western border. The 6-lane access-controlled highway is being developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at a capital cost of Rs 7716 crore as a component of the Delhi Decongestion Plan. UER-II will connect NH-1 to Dwarka and Bahadurgarh and form a ring road along the western border.
15. Government to promote AYUSH treatment through health tourism
‘ Heal in India ‘ is an initiative of the Government of India aimed at promoting medical tourism in the country. The initiative is being led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of AYUSH . Center for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) and Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) Working closely with Ministries to develop a ‘One Step’ Heal in India Portal to promote Medical Value Travel. Ministry of AYUSH signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Ministry of Tourism to work together to promote medical value travel in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine. This partnership will help promote traditional Indian systems of medicine and healing and establish India as a global leader in medical tourism.
16. Asia’s largest Tulip Garden opened for public in Srinagar
In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir , Asia’s largest Tulip Garden was opened to the public in Srinagar . It was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha . Built on the banks of Srinagar’s famous Dal Lake, this Tulip Garden has more than 1.5 million flowers. Manoj Sinha has invited people from all over the world to visit Jammu and Kashmir.
17. Switzerland’s largest bank UBS agrees to acquire troubled Credit Suisse bank
The Swiss National Bank has said that Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) has decided to acquire the Swiss bank Credit Suisse which is heading towards financial crisis. The announcement comes after a weekend of emergency talks between the two banks in Switzerland and the country’s financial regulators. The Swiss National Bank said the deal was the best way to restore confidence in financial markets and manage risks to the economy. Swiss President Alain Berset said the acquisition was the best solution to restore and strengthen market confidence in Credit Suisse and the Swiss financial centre, adding that the Swiss Federal Council welcomed the move.
18. Establishment meeting of Civil-20 India begins in Nagpur
Mata Amritanandamayi Devi , Chairperson, Civil-20 India, at the inaugural session of Civil-20 India 2023 in Nagpur , Maharashtra , said that the future does not belong to single entities, but to those that collaborate and mix and provide universal coverage of inclusiveness to all. The law must be followed. The session was presided over by Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel laureate and founder of the Satyarthi Foundation, was the chief guest.
19. Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi virtually inaugurated the Festival of India in Kuwait on March 17
The program of ” Festival of India ” in Kuwait was virtually inaugurated by Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture on 17 March 2023 . Mrs. Meenakshi Lekhi while addressing the gathering highlighted the strong historical ties between India and Kuwait and also appreciated the ongoing cultural exchange between India and Kuwait. The Indian Embassy in Kuwait organized the Festival of India in Kuwait on 17-18 March 2023 under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. This was the first Festival of India organized abroad by the Ministry of Culture after the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival was supported by the Ministry of Information and Culture, Government of Kuwait and the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), Government of Kuwait.
20. National Thermal Power Corporation Green Energy Limited (NGEL) entered into an agreement with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for undertaking renewable energy projects
National Thermal Power Corporation Green Energy Limited, a wholly administratively controlled subsidiary of NTPC Limited, has taken up renewable energy projects with the objective of ensuring round the clock power availability for the refineries of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. A joint venture agreement has been signed with Indian Oil Corporation Limited to start NTPC Limited through its wholly owned subsidiary NGEL has set an ambitious target of expanding renewable energy generation to 60 GW over the next decade to rapidly scale up its green energy business activities. The signing of this joint venture agreement by the two Maharatna giants will help National Thermal Power Corporation Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited to meet the clean energy goals of the Government of India across all their core business activities.
21. Lalit Kumar Gupta named as CMD of Cotton Corporation of India (CCI)
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Lalit Kumar Gupta as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) . CCI is a public sector company under the Ministry of Textiles.
22. ICICI Bank offers ecosystem banking for Indian startups
ICICI Bank announced that it is offering a comprehensive bouquet of digital and physical solutions to meet all the banking needs of startups at different stages. As part of the ‘ Startup Ecosystem Banking ‘, the Bank has created a dedicated team for startups to service them through a wide network of branches.
23. Deepak Mohanty appointed as PFRDA chairman and Mamta Shankar as whole time member
The Indian government has appointed Deepak Mohanty as the new chairman of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) , replacing Supratim Bandhopadhyay after his term ends in January. Mohanty, former executive director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and has served as a member of the PFRDA. Also, Mamta Shankar has been appointed as the new Whole-time Member (Economics) for a term of three years or till the age of 62 years or until further orders.
24. National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approves merger of HDFC and HDFC Bank
The National Company Law Court (NCLT) approved the merger of HDFC Limited and HDFC Bank , which is considered to be the biggest merger in the history of Corporate India. The merger will create a mega banking entity combining India’s largest housing finance company with the country’s largest private bank. Earlier, HDFC Limited had already obtained approval for the merger from various regulatory bodies and stock exchanges.
25. Global Recycling Day 2023
Every year on March 18 , Global Recycling Day is observed to make people aware of the harmful effects of plastic on the environment. The purpose of this day is to promote recycling as an important concept and encourage people to organize events to spread awareness about the cause around the world. The theme of Global Recycling Day 2023 is “ Creative Innovation ”.
26. India’s Ordnance Factory Day 2023: March 18
Ordnance Factory Day in India is observed every year on 18 March , commemorating the establishment of the first Ordnance Factory at Cossipore in Kolkata by the British during the sub-divisional rule. The Ministry of Defense celebrates this day by hoisting the Indian flag, singing the national anthem and displaying various artillery and military equipment used by the Indian Armed Forces. Ordnance Factories undertake the study, development, testing, production and marketing of arms products for the military.
