Daily Current Affairs 14th March, 2021

Daily Current Affairs 14 March 2021 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Centre announces new scheme for tourist vehicle operators to boost tourism
Under a new central scheme, all-India tourist permits will be provided to operators within 30 days of submitting online applications, the government said.

• The new rules, announced by the ministry of road transport and highways, effective 1 April, seeks to boost tourism.The permits will be issued for three months, or multiples thereof, for up to three years.

HP CM inaugurates Swarnim International Shivratri Fair in Mandi
World famous Swarnim International Shivratri Fair of Mandi began with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur formally announcing the opening of the Mela at historic Paddal ground in Mandi.

• Thousands of people dressed in their traditional attire participated in the procession carrying their local deities dancing all the way upto Paddal ground.
• Over 150 deities participated in the ‘Jaleb’, the traditional Shobha Yatra from almost all parts of the district.

J&K celebrates festival of Shivratri ‘Herath’
In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the festival of Shivratri ‘Herath’ is celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir.

• Festival Mahashivratri locally known as Herath in Kashmir is being celebrated across J&K by Kashmiri Pandit Community with religious fervour by offering “Watak Nath Pooja”.
• The festival assumes colossal importance among the Kashmiri Pandit Community who celebrate it to mark the wedding of “Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati”.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India opens ‘energy office’ in Moscow as Delhi-Moscow increase focus in sector
India has opened an “energy office” in Moscow’s at the 45th floor of the Federation Tower that will have the presence of five top Indian energy PSUs even as Moscow and Delhi increase engagement in the sector.

• The five main Indian energy PSUs who will be present are–ONGC VIDESH Limited, Indian Oil Corp, GAIL (India), Oil India Limited, and Engineers India.
• The key objectives of IEO is to make all-out efforts for supporting the current assets, finding new business opportunities, involved in capacity building, tying for new technologies for skill development, import & export of petroleum products and services.

In world-first trial, Japan-Australia venture starts producing hydrogen from dirty coal
A  Japanese-Australian venture has begun producing hydrogen from brown coal in a A$500 million ($390 million) pilot project that aims to show liquefied hydrogen can be produced commercially and exported safely overseas.

• The plan is to create the first international supply chain for liquefied hydrogen and the next big step will be to ship a cargo on the world’s first liquefied hydrogen carrier. 
• The project is producing hydrogen by reacting coal with oxygen and steam under high heat and pressure in a process that also yields carbon dioxide and other gases.

BANKING & FINANCE

FinMin to infuse Rs 14,500 cr in banks under RBI’s prompt corrective action framework soon
The finance ministry is likely to infuse Rs 14,500 crore mainly in the banks that are under the RBI’s prompt corrective action framework in the next few days to improve their financial health.

• Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank of India and UCO Bank are currently under this framework that puts several restrictions on them, including on lending, management compensation and directors’ fees.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Tata Motors launches ‘Wheels of Love’, a holistic programme to support parenthood
Tata Motors has launched Wheels of Love, a holistic programme that supports new parents in their exciting journey both as a parent and also as a valued employee while promoting a progressive culture of care, inclusion and sensitization within the organization across levels.

• A specially curated book, also aptly titled, Wheels of Love, puts forth various beliefs to enable new and expectant parents to successfully manage the needs of a growing family while also fulfilling their career goals.
• This guide book also provides valuable insights for managers to support their team members as they progress through the various stages of parenthood.

Retail inflation for the month of February climbed to 5.03%, Jan IIP at-1.6%
Retail inflation quickened in February to 5.03%, a three-month high, spurred by higher food and fuel prices, official data showed.

• Food price inflation as measured by the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) accelerated to 3.87% last month, from 1.96% in January. While the prices of oils and fats surged 20.8% from a year earlier, those of pulses and products climbed 12.5%, while meat and fish prices increased 11.3%, eggs (11.1%) and fruits (6.28%).
• Prices of vegetables, which have been softening in recent months, saw the contraction narrow to 6.27%, after falling 15.8% in January.
• Inflation in the transport and communication category was 11.4%, a sharp jump from January’s 9.3%.

APPOINTMENTS

Srimathy assumes charge as Executive Director of Indian Overseas Bank
S Srimathy has assumed charge as Executive Director of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) with effect from March 10.

• Prior to this assignment, she was serving as Chief General Manager (CGM) of Canara Bank. She had been deputed to NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) prior to taking over the present post in Indian Overseas Bank.

Ishraq Ali Khan takes charge as UCO Bank’s executive director
Ishraq Ali Khan has taken over as executive director (ED) of state-owned UCO Bank. He joined the bank on March 10.

• Prior to taking over as the bank’s ED, he was the chief general manager of Union Bank of India.

 BOOKS & AUTHORS 

Kindle Version of Swami Chidbhavananda’s Bhagvad Gita launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Kindle version of Swami Chidbhavananda’s ‘Bhagavad Gita’ via video conferencing.

• The Kindle version was launched to commemorate the sale of more than 500,000 copies of the Swami Chidbhavanandaji’s Bhagavad Gita.

Ranjit Hoskote releases new poetry book ‘Hunchprose’
Poet, cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote released poetry collection titled, ‘Hunchprose.

• The book is named after the poet’s claim that poetry must be heard above the buzz of data, to transform language, broken by history, into music.
• The poems are about the turbulent times we live in and celebrate every aspect of humanity and being human.

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