PM Modi thanks Bhutan & Nepal for contributing to COVID-19 emergency fund

1.World Meteorological Day: 23 March

World Meteorological Day is observed every year on 23 March.The day was established on March 23, 1950.

This year, World Water Day and World Meteorological Day share the same theme: “Water and Climate Change”.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 193 Member States and Territories.

2.World Water Day 2020: 22 March

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22 every year.It is celebrated to mark the importance of freshwater and spreading awareness for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

World Water day is an opportunity to talk about initiatives and measures to save water

2020 theme: “Water and Climate Change”

3.Martyrs’ Day/Shaheed Diwas: 23 march

Every year on March 23, Shaheed Diwas is celebrated.On this day, those who laid out their lives for us, and our Independence, are remembered.

The day, in particular, pays tribute to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru who died on March 23 in 1931.

They were hanged to death for assassinating John Saunders, a British police officer in 1928.

4.‘Wonderchicken’: oldest fossil of modern bird discovered

The oldest fossil of a modern bird, dating from the age of dinosaurs, has been discovered.The tiny fossil, nicknamed the “wonderchicken,” includes a nearly complete skull hidden inside nondescript pieces of rock, and dates to more than 66 million years ago.

That’s less than 1 million years before the asteroid impact that killed off all the large dinosaurs.

The seagull-size shorebird had features of both ducks and chickens as well as turkeys.

Field describes the skull as a kind of “mash-up” of a chicken and a duck.

The bird’s face likely looked like a modern-day chicken, while from the back, it looked like a duck.

5.Coronavirus test should not cost more than Rs 4500

The government has recommended that the maximum cost for testing samples for COVID-19 or novel coronavirus by private laboratories should not exceed 4,500 rupees.This may include 1,500 rupees as a screening test for suspect cases and  additional 3,000 for confirmation tests.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued guidelines in this regard which were notified by the Union Health Ministry.

All private laboratories which have NABL accreditation for real-time PCR assay for RNA virus will be allowed to conduct COVID-19 tests.

The ICMR has called for ensuring appropriate biosafety and biosecurity precautions while collecting respiratory samples – oropharnygeal and nasal swab from a patient.

All the laboratory staff involved in COVID-19 testing should be appropriately trained in good laboratory practices and performing real-time PCR.

All the biomedical waste should be disposed off in accordance with national guidelines.

6.PM Modi thanks Bhutan & Nepal for contributing to COVID-19 emergency fund

Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Bhutan and Nepal for contributing to the COVID-19 emergency fund to tackle the spread of the deadly virus in the SAARC countries.Addressing the SAARC leaders and representatives on March 15 via video, Modi had proposed the emergency fund with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India for the purpose.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia.

Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Headquarters: Kathmandu, Nepal

7.UP govt seeks Central Grant of Rs 100 cr for Lucknow University & Kashi Vidyapeeth

The Uttar Pradesh Government has sought a Central Grant of 100 crore rupees for Lucknow University and Kashi Vidyapeeth.The Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister of Uttar Pradesh Dr. Dinesh Sharma met Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in Delhi and made the request.

Mr. Sharma said that both the  educational institutions have completed 100 years of their establishment and there is a provision of special grant of Rs 100 crores for these institutions.

8.UP government announces ₹1,000 financial aid to 35 lakh labourers

The Uttar Pradesh government announced that around 35 lakh labourers in the state will get ₹1,000 each as financial aid while free ration for one month will be provided to 1.65 crore construction workers amid the coronavirus outbreak.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials for immediate release of payment to MGNREGA workers in the state and to make food grains available to the poor in cities and villages.

This payment will be sent directly to their accounts through direct bank transfers,” said the statement issued.

Daily wage labourers in urban areas who do not have ration cards will get the document on priority basis.

9.IIT Delhi researchers develop affordable test for COVID-19

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology here have developed a method to detect COVID-19 which can significantly reduce the test cost making it affordable for large sections.The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune is in the process of validating this test on clinical samples.

The central government recommended that the maximum charge for each COVID-19 test by private laboratories should not exceed Rs 4,500.

10.Legendary country music singer Kenny Rogers dies

Legendary country music singer Kenny Rogers, best known for global hits such as “Lucille”, “Lady”, “The Gambler” and “Islands in the Stream”, has passed away.He was elected to the USA’s Music Hall of Fame in 2013.

In a career spanning six decades, Rogers won three Grammys and six CMA Awards.