Daily Current Affairs 2 March 2021 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
NATIONAL NEWS
Saras Aajeevika Mela-2021 Starts at Noida Haat
The Saras Aajeevika Mela 2021 is underway at Noida Haat. The fair was inaugurated by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. It will continue till 14th March.
- The fair remains open from 11 AM to 8 PM daily. More than 300 rural self-help groups and craftsman from 27 states are participating in the Mela which is being by the Ministry of Rural Development.
Nitin Gadkari launches Real-Time Monitoring System of Toll Plazas
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched the Real-Time Monitoring System of Toll Plazas at a function in New Delhi.
- Mr Gadkari said that implementation of FASTag at toll plazas has improved electronic toll collections and facilitated ease of doing business.
- He said, it has also save time and fuel. The government has made FASTag mandatory from the 15th February midnight and any vehicle not fitted with it will be charged double the toll at electronic toll plazas across the country.
Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates the Three-Day Global Bio India 2021
The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the second edition of Global Bio-India-2021 in New Delhi through virtual mode.
- The 3-day event will showcase the strength and opportunities of the India’s biotechnology sector at national level and to the global community.
- The theme for this year is “Transforming lives” with the tag line “Biosciences to Bio-economy”.
Uttarakhand: After Pauri Garhwal, houses in Nainital to have nameplates with daughter’s name
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurated a programme in Naintal district under which nameplates of homes will feature the names of daughters in the family. The nameplates will be designed in local folk art Aipen.
- The initiative is similar to one launched in Pauri Garhwal district in 2020.
- While the programme in Pauri Garhwal was called ‘Ghaur ki pachyan, Nauni ku Nau’, the one launched in Nainital is named ‘Gharaiki Pehchand Chelik Naam’. Both mean ‘Identity of the house, in the name of the daughter’.
Haryana Chief Minister announces four welfare schemes on Ravidas Jayanti
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced four public welfare schemes during a state-level programme organised on the occasion of the 644th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas at his Chandigarh residence.
- Under the Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana, one lakh poorest families of the state would be targeted.
- Every possible effort will be made to increase the family income of such families to at least Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000 per month.
- Khattar announced that the financial assistance of Rs 50,000 being given under the Dr BR Ambedkar Awas Navinikarn Yojana for the repair of the house to Scheduled Caste families living below the poverty line was increased to Rs 80,000.
- The Chief Minister added that the BPL families belonging to any category would be able to avail themselves of the benefits of the scheme. He said from April 1, 2021, the annual income slab of the BPL families would be increased from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh.
- The Chief Minister announced that the legal aid given to the victims of atrocities under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was increased from Rs 11,000 to Rs 21,000.
- An amount of Rs 11 crore has been allocated under the Sant Mahapurush Vichar Samman and Prasaar Yojana. Under the scheme, financial assistance of minimum of Rs 50,000 and maximum of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to the social and religious organisations for organising programmes on the birth anniversaries of great men at the block and gram levels.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
IAF gifts 1971 war helicopter to Bangladesh, gets F-86 fighter as return gift
To mark the Golden Jubilee of 1971 War of Liberation, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria gifted a legacy Alouette III helicopter to the Bangladesh Air Force.
- Bangladesh Air Force chief too gifted an F-86 Sabre aircraft that had been restored by BAF after the 1971 war. Both legacy aircraft will find a place of pride in museums on both sides.
- The exchange of aircraft took place in Dhaka during the four day trip of Bhadauria to Bangladesh where he visited different airbases and interacted with the top military leadership of that country.
India, Pakistan agree to observe 2003 ceasefire
India and Pakistan have agreed to observe the 2003 ceasefire agreements along the Line of Control (LoC) and all other sectors.
- The agreement comes in the wake of over 5000 instances of Cross Fire Violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control (LoC) and other areas in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in 46 fatal casualties in 2020.
- The decision was taken after discussion between the two Director Generals of Military Operations (DGsMO).
BANKING & FINANCE
IRDAI issues guidelines for standard personal accident cover
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has come out with a standard personal accident cover which will allow all general and health insurers to offer covers up to a sum assured of Rs 1 crore.
- The standardized product set to go live from April 1 has been named “Saral Suraksha Bima.” The minimum sum assured has been set as Rs 2.5 lakh.
- The personal accident insurance will have a basic cover under which the policyholder’s family can claim the entire sum assured on the death due to an injury sustained in an accident provided that the death occurs within 12 months from the date of the accident.
SPORTS
2020-21 Indian Women’s League set to be held in Odisha
The All India Football Federation confirmed Odisha as the venue for the 2020-21 edition of the Indian Women’s League. The dates of the tournament will be announced soon.
- This is the fifth edition of the IWL, which began in 2016 and was held in Delhi.
APPOINTMENTS
Jaideep Bhatnagar takes over as Principal DG, PIB
Mr. Jaideep Bhatnagar has taken over as Principal Director General, Press Information Bureau. He takes over from Mr Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia who has superannuated.
- Mr. Bhatnagar is an Officer of the Indian Information Service belonging to 1986 Batch.He has earlier served in Doordarshan as Head of the Commercial, Sales and Marketing Division.
- He also served as Prasar Bharati Special Correspondent in West Asia.
AWARDS
Golden Globe Awards 2021 announced
The Golden Globes 2021 awards were handed out under pandemic conditions The ceremony saw big wins for Netflix and a lot of celebrities in glamorous outfits, at home.
- This was the 78th edition of the annual event, which honoured the best in American television.
Film Awards
- Best Motion Picture — Drama: Nomadland
- Best Director — Motion Picture :Chloé Zhao for Nomadland
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama :Chadwick Boseman for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama :Andra Day for “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
- Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy :Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy :Sacha Baron Cohen for “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion :Rosamund Pike for “I Care A Lot”
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture :Jodie Foster for “The Mauritanian”
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture :Daniel Kaluuya for “Judas and the Black Messiah”
- Best Motion Picture — Animated :Soul
- Best Motion Picture — Foreign Language :Minari- USA
- Best Screenplay — Motion Picture :“The Trial of the Chicago 7”— Aaron Sorkin
- Best Original Score — Motion Picture :“Soul” – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste
- Best Original Song — Motion Picture : “Io Si,” from “The Life Ahead”
Television Awards
- Best Television Series — Drama :The Crown
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Drama :Josh O’Connor — “The Crown”
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Drama” :Emma Corrin — “The Crown”
- Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television :The Queen’s Gambit
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television :Anya Taylor-Joy for “The Queen’s Gambit”
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television :Mark Ruffalo for “I Know This Much is True”
- Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy :Schitt’s Creek
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy : Jason Sudeikis for “Ted Lasso”
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy : Catherine O’Hara for “Schitt’s Creek”
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television : John Boyega for “Small Axe”
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television :
- Gillian Anderson for “The Crown”
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Thaawarchand Gehlot launches “Sugamya Bharat App” & handbook entitled “Access – The Photo Digest”
Minister for Social justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot virtually launch “Sugamya Bharat App” and a handbook entitled “Access – The Photo Digest”.
- It provides for five main features of which four are directly related to enhancing accessibility.
- The handbook is envisaged as a tool and guide to sensitise stakeholders about 10 basic features of accessibility and related good-bad practices in easy to understand pictorial form.
Madagascar President inaugurates advanced digital cobalt therapy machine Bhabhatron-II donated by India
Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina inaugurated Bhabhatron-II, an advanced digital cobalt therapy machine at the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona Hospital (HJRA) in Antananarivo in the presence of Public Health Professor Jean Louis Hanitrala Rakotovao and Indian Ambassador Abhay Kumar.
- The machine has been functional at HJRA since January and has a capacity to treat 50 patients per day.
- Underlining cooperation in the health sector, India has donated an advanced telecobalt machine for cancer treatment, developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Center in the island nation of Madagascar.
Russia launches first Arctic-monitoring satellite to track climate changes
Russia has successfully launched its first satellite to monitor the Arctic’s climate and environment, the country’s space corporation Roscosmos.
- A Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the “Arktika-M” satellite on board blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
- The Arktika-M will provide round-the-clock continuous monitoring of the northern territory of Russia and the seas of the Arctic Ocean.
- The satellite will be able to transmit overview images of the Earth’s northern polar region and the adjacent areas at least every 15-30 minutes.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches 5 online services of WCD, Mission Shakti Dept
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched five online services which aimed at empowering women and providing better childcare facilities.
- The online services include ”Mo Chhatua” app for streamlining supply chain management of ”Take Home Ration” (Chhatua) and ”e-Kalika”, an application for monitoring crches for children under three years of age.
- ”Mo Sishu portal”, a comprehensive web-based information management and monitoring system for child protection services, and ”MAMATA App & MIS” for seamless transfer of cash benefit to pregnant women were also rolled out.
IMPORTANT DAYS
3rd Jan Aushadhi Diwas
The Third Jan Aushadhi Diwas celebrations began. The week-long celebrations will go on till 7th of March. Jan Aushadhi Kendras conducted Health Check-up Camps across the country.
- The health check-up activities include Blood Pressure check-up, Sugar level check-up, free doctor consultation and free medicine distribution.
Zero Discrimination Day
Zero Discrimination Day is observed globally every year on March 1 to promote equality in practice and before the law.
- It also highlights the urgent need to take action against the inequalities in income, age, sex, health status, colour, race, occupation, sexual orientation, religion, gender and ethnicity.
- Zero Discrimination Day 2021 aims at ending inequalities, discrimination existing in the world, especially after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
World Civil Defence Day
World Civil Defence Day is observed on March 1 annually, across the world.
- This day was integrated by the International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO) in 1990.
- Civil Defence Day symbolizes honour and prestige and signifies the importance of civil protection.
- The theme of World Civil Defence Day 2021-Civil Defence and the first aider in every home.