Current Affairs 18th March 2021| Current Affairs News

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Nitin Gadkari to make statement regarding ‘Vehicles Scrapping Policy’ 

• Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will make a statement regarding ‘Vehicles Scrapping Policy’ in both the Houses of Parliament.
• Besides it, in business of the Lok Sabha, Appropriation Bill, 2021, Discussion and Voting on Demands for Grants in respect of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2021-22 and Demands for Grants on Account in respect of the Union Territory of Puducherry for 2021-22 and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment)
  Bill, 2021 are listed.
• In the business schedule of Rajya Sabha, the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and Discussion on the working of Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Food Processing Industries are listed.

Vehicle scrappage policy in India:

• The vehicle scrappage policyhas been devised to promote sales of new vehicles with improved fuel efficiency and low pollution levels, as well as to slash India’s Rs 10 lakh crore expenditure on crude imports. 
• Around 1 crore aging vehicles are set to be scrapped once the policy is implemented, according to Gadkari.

Kuwait Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah make two day visit to India

• Foreign Affairs Minister of Kuwait Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah arrived in New Delhi for a two-day visit to India.
• He will meet External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.

About Kuwait:

• Capital: Kuwait City
• Currency: Kuwaiti dinar

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Italian Ambassador Vincenzo De Luca meet for ISA

• Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met Italian Ambassador Vincenzo De Luca and welcomed Italy’s accession to International Solar Alliance.
• They also discussed Italy’s G20 Presidency and Vaccine Maitri.

About International Solar Alliance:

• The International Solar Alliance is an alliance of 121 countries initiated by India, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

Purpose of ISA:

• The goal of the ISA is to set the ground rules, norms and standards for solar energy, in order to obtain a rapid and massive deployment in countries that are rich in solar resources but where the risks are still seen as high.
• Headquarters : Gurugram
• Founded: 30 November 2015
• Founded at: Paris, France
• Membership: 121 members of UN
• Director General: Ajay Mathur
• Founders:Narendra Modi, François Hollande

Cabinet nods to shut down Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation

• The Union cabinet gave its nod to shut downloss-making Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corp. of India Ltd (HHEC), and to offer voluntary retirement to all its 65 employees.The corporation has been continuously incurring losses since 2015-16 and not earning sufficient income to meet its running expenses.

About Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation:

• Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation of Indiais an agency of Ministry of Textiles, Government of India established in 1958 with main objectives to undertake exports of handicrafts, handlooms products, khadi and products of village industries from India and to undertake special promotional measures.
• On the 17th of March 2021, the Government of India approved the closure of Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation of India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Italy signs International Solar Alliance – ISA Framework Agreement

• Italy signed the International Solar Alliance under the amended ISA Framework Agreement. 
• The amendments to the Framework Agreement of the ISA entered into force, opening its Membership to all Member States of the UN.
• The External Affairs Ministry said the Framework Agreement was signed by Italy’s Ambassador, Vincenzo De Luca. 
• The signed copies of the Agreement were received by Additional Secretary (ER), as the representative of External Affairs Ministry, which is the depositary of ISA Framework Agreement.
• “The Italian Republic signed the framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) after the amendments to the framework agreement of the ISA entered into force on 8 January 2021, opening its membership to all member states of the UN,” said by

About Italy:

• President: Sergio Mattarella
• Capital: Rome
• Currency: Euro

India-Bangladesh made Water Resources Secretary level meeting in Delhi

• The Secretary-level meeting between Water Resources ministries of India and Bangladesh under the framework of the Joint Rivers Commission was held in Delhi on.
• According to a press release issued by the High Commission of India, both sides noted that India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers which directly impact the livelihood of people of two countries.
• Both sides commended the close cooperation that exists between India and Bangladesh in the matter.
• India and Bangladesh agreed to expand cooperation across an entire gamut of water resources issues including framework for sharing of river waters, mitigation of pollution, river bank protection, flood management and basin management among others.
• A Joint Technical Working Group will provide inputs on the matter, said the press release.
• The Indian delegation was led by Water Resources Secretary Pankaj Kumar while the Bangladesh delegation was led by Kabir Bin Anwar, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources.
• Both sides agreed to schedule the next meeting at Secretary level under JRC framework at Dhaka at mutually convenient dates.

About Bangladesh:

• Capital: Dhaka
• Currency: Bangladeshi taka
• President: Abdul Hamid

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Corporate sector is invited to utilize its CSR funds: Karnataka Health Minister

• Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister, Dr. K Sudhakar has informed that the corporate sector is invited to utilize its CSR funds towards upgrading 2500 Primary Health Centres in the state.
• He said that a favourable window is created by the Central Government by enforcing a policy to spend 25 percent of CSR funds in the health sector.
• He said that IT companies that have major presence in the state will be approached to mobilise CSR funds towards upgradation of the Primary Health Centres in the state.
• On measures to contain the pandemic, the minister said that awareness programmes will be planned, testing and vaccination will be increased and strict vigil will be kept on social gatherings especially in closed environments.

About CSR funds:

• Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) is the funding and grants process under which Non-Profit Organisations (NGOs) can get financial and other support from the corporate sector.
• Under the Companies Act, 2013 it is a mandatory provision to provide a contribution of 2 percent of the average net profits of companies.

About Karnataka:

• Capital: Bengaluru
• Governor: Vajubhai Vala
• Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa

J&K: LG Manoj Sinha inaugurates project “Awaam Ki Baat”

• In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, initiated the project “Awaam Ki Baat” – a Radio program by launching its website at Raj Bhavan, Jammu.
• The half-an-hour long Radio program to be aired every third Sunday of the month (to start from April), is one of the many sequential steps of broader program aimed at disseminating the progressive steps taken by the government and providing the public with a platform to speak, write and interact with the administration, thereby voicing their suggestions, ideas and creative proposals.

About Awaam Ki Baat:

• Awaam Ki Baat is the novel initiative of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir which aims at disseminating the progressive steps taken by the administration and seeks public feedback to make the process interactive, participative and people centric.
• The platform appreciates the heterogeneity of our Union Territory.

About J&K:

• Capital: Summer: Srinagar Winter:Jammu
• Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha

Maitri Cycle Rally reaches at its last stop at Silkore border 

• Giving a fillip to the Indo-Bangla friendship, the Maitri Cycle Rally, organised by BSF, completed its journey and reached its last stop at Silkore border outpost in Mizoram. 
• Director-General of BSF Rakesh Asthana extended greetings to the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the 101th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujubur Rahman.
• He wished that India and Bangladesh maintain their peaceful relations in the coming days too.
• A delegation of Border Guard Bangladesh was also present there to mark the program.
• During the over two months cycle rally, 12 BSF riders toured bordering areas of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
• The rally was started from Panitar BoP in 24 North Pargana of West Bengal on 10th of January. 
• Maitri Cycle Rally is also a mark of paying tribute to the birth anniversary of the Father of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
• The rally is also aimed at enhancing the friendship between BSF and BGB.
• The rally is hoped to bolster the better management of the Indo-Bangla borders, supplement mutual cooperation, coordination and spirit of true friendship.

About Mizoram:

• Capital: Aizawl
• Chief minister: Zoramthanga
• Governor: P. S. Sreedharan Pillai

Govt College for Women at Salaheri renamed as Shaheed Lieutenant Kiran Shekhawat Government College for Women in Haryana

• In Haryana, Government College for Women at Salaheri in Nuh district has been renamed as Shaheed Lieutenant Kiran Shekhawat Government College for Women, Salaheri. 
• This was informed by Haryana Education Minister, Kanwar Pal during the Question Hour during the Budget session of the Vidhan Sabha.
• He further added that Yasin Meo Degree College in Nuh has 1,108 students.

About Haryana:

• Capital: Chandigarh
• Chief minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
• Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

Indian chemicals and petrochemicals industry growing to new heights

• Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers D.V. Sadananda Gowda has said that the Indian chemicals and petrochemicals industry is growing to new heights and an investment of 8 lakh crore rupees is anticipated in the sector by 2025.
• Mr Gowda said this while inaugurating the 11th Edition of India Chem 2021 in New Delhi with the theme ‘India: Global Manufacturing hub for chemicals and petrochemicals’.
• The Minister added that the growth in the chemical and petrochemicals industry is also contributing to the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• He informed that the Government has launched 12 Production Linked Incentive- PLI schemes for different sectors which will directly or indirectly benefit the chemicals sector.
• He also stated that the Government is prioritising the sector and in the Budget 2021-21, the import duty on Naphtha has been reduced from 4 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
• Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Yogendra Tripathi said that India is emerging as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
• He also highlighted the various factors such as development of industrial corridors, commitments in the National Infrastructure Pipeline, competitive wages rates which will give India a competitive advantage.

Doodh Duronto special trains transport 7 crore litres of milk to Delhi –current FY Report

• Doodh Duronto special trains have transported seven crore litres of Milk to National Capital, New Delhi in the current financial year 2020-21, which is the highest ever transportation since its commencement.
• Transportation of Milk from Renigunta of Andhra Pradesh was started in the year 2011-12 and initially Milk Tankers were attached to Regular Superfast trains to serve the purpose.
• Since then, transportation of Milk has been done on a regular basis, transporting around 2 to 3 crore litres in every financial year.
• There has been an increase in demand as the years passed by and in the year 2019-20, 4.4 crore litres were transported.
• But in the month of April 2020, due to Covid lockdown, when all passenger trains came to a halt, Milk transportation was a challenging task to the Zone.

About Doodh Duronto:

• Doodh Duronto specials are run normally with six Milk tankers, each having a capacity of 40,000 liters i.e., totalling to 2.40 lakh liters of milk in a train. 
• So far, around 296 trips of the special trains have been operated with 1,753 milk tankers duly transporting 7 crore liters of milk in the current financial year, which is the highest ever loading in any financial year since inception.

I-T refunds of over Rs 2 lakh crore issued – FY21

• The Income Tax Department said it has issued over 2 lakh crore rupees worth refunds to more than 2.1 crore taxpayers so far this fiscal.
• Of this, personal income tax refunds of 73,607 crore rupees have been issued to over 2.06 crore taxpayers and corporate tax refunds of over 1.3 lakh crore rupees issued in 2.2 lakh cases.

Income tax refund:

• When your income tax paid is more than your income tax liability for a given year, the excess amount paid is refunded by the Income tax department.
• This refunded amount is known as “Income tax refund”

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENT NEWS 

Stop TB Partnership Board appointed Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan as Chairman of its International body

• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan has been appointed as the Chairman of the international body Stop TB Partnership Board.
• He was appointed in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the movement to eradicate Tuberculosis from India by 2025.
• Dr Harsh Vardhan will serve a three-year term, commencing from July this year.

About stop TB partnership:

• The Stop TB Partnership is a unique international body with the power to align actors all over the world in the fight against TB.
• The participation of a wide range of constituencies gives this global body the credibility and the broad range of medical, social and financial expertise needed to defeat TB.
• The Partnership’s vision is a TB-free world.
• The appointment of Dr Harsh Vardhan as the Chair of this prestigious global body is a proud recognition of India’s political commitment to the eradication of TB.
• Established in the year 2000, the ‘Stop TB Partnership’ is mandated to eliminate Tuberculosis as a public health problem.

NSE’s Priya Subbaraman, IAS Sanjeev Kaushik nominated for NSDL top post

• Priya Subbaraman, Chief Regulatory Officer at National Stock Exchange (NSE,) and Sanjeev Kaushik, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, have been shortlisted for the post of MD and CEO of National Share Depository Services Ltd (NSDL), a leading provider of equity demat accounts.
• Current NSDL MD and CEO GV Nagesh Rao has been serving since 2013 and is currently on extension.
• The nomination and remuneration committee (NRC) of NSDL, after a slew of interviews, recommended the two names to market regulator SEBI.

About NSDL:

• National Securities Depository Limited is an Indian central securities depository based in Mumbai.
• It was established in August 1996 as the first electronic securities depository in India with national coverage.
• CEO: G.V. Nageswara Rao (1 Jul 2013–)
• Headquarters: Mumbai

Chirag Gandhi appointed as MD Senior Advisor, Team Head, at Julius Baer India

• Global wealth manager Julius Baer has appointed Chirag Gandhi as MD Senior Advisor, Team Head, based in New Delhi. 
• It has also inducted five senior relationship managers to the India franchise during the calendar year.
• The firm also welcomed a team of bankers from Avendus — Manish Khaitan in Mumbai and Abhinav Kumar in Bangalore — to further strengthen its west and south India coverage, it said in a statement.

Julius Baer Group:

• Julius Baer Group AG, known alternatively as Julius Baer Group Ltd., is a small to medium sized generalist private Banking Corporation founded and based in Switzerland.
• Headquartered in Zürich, it is among the older Swiss banking institutions

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Women’s Forum held Virtually

• On March 16, 2021, The Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Women’s Forum meeting was held virtually.
• The Forum discussed key issues that contribute towards the transformation of women’s lives
• At the end of the conference, a joint declaration was also issued highlighting the shared IBSA goals and commitments for achieving gender equality in all spheres of life.

About IBSA Women’s Forum :

• The India-Brazil-South Africa Trilateral Cooperation Forum is a unique platform which brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents.
• The meeting was led by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India.
• IBSA is committed to inclusive sustainable development, in pursuit of the well-being for their citizens and those from the other developing nations.
• The principles, norms and values underpinning the IBSA Dialogue Forum are participatory democracy, respect for human rights, the Rule of Law and the strengthening of multilateralism. IBSA lays efforts in South-South cooperation beyond the conventional areas of exchange of experts and training.

About India :

• President: Ram Nath Kovind 
• Capital: New Delhi
• PM : Narendra Modi

About Brazil :

• Capital: Brasilia
• President: Jair Bolsonaro
• Currency: Brazilian real

About South Africa :

• Capitals: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
• President: Cyril Ramaphosa

CURRENT AFFAIRS:  ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Tech Mahindra Planned to buy 70% stake in Perigord Asset Holdings 

• On March 15, 2021, Tech Mahindra will acquire a 70 percent stake in Ireland-based Perigord Asset Holdings Ltd for around Rs 182 crore and plans to buy the remaining 30 per cent shareholding over a period of four years.

About the acquisition :

• The acquisition will help in augmenting its expertise in the global pharmaceutical, healthcare and life science sectors.
• The acquisition is a part of Tech Mahindra”s long-term growth plan to build presence across key markets in Ireland, Germany, USA, and India with enhanced global delivery.

About Perigord Asset Holdings Ltd :

• Perigord”s proprietary platform and expertise in the artwork space and life sciences industry will add significant value to our offerings and capabilities.

About Tech Mahindra :

• CEO: P. Gurnani 
• Founder: Anand Mahindra
• Founded: 1986
• Headquarters: Pune

CURRENT AFFAIRS:  ENVIRONMENT

New plant species found in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh- Crotalaria lamelliformis

• A team of botanists has recently stumbled upon a new rattlepod species Crotalaria lamelliformis in the Sadasivakona grove area of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.
• The discovery has been published in the latest edition of the noted international journal ‘Phytotaxa’.
• It was discovered after a critical investigation from July 2018 to November 2020.

About Crotalaria lamelliformis :

• The plant was also found in the nearby Kailasakona and Pudi areas. 
• As the population and distributional range of the species is not clearly known, it has been assigned under ‘data deficient’ category following the IUCN (International Code for Botanical Nomenclature) rules
• The discovery of Crotalaria lamelliformis is an addition to the existing 116 species from India.
• Diversity of Crotalaria species is mostly confined to the peninsular India region.

Team Members :

• Sivaramakrishna-Sri Venkateswara University
• Yugandhar – Sri Venkateswara University
• Lalji Singh, Scientist-E from the Botanical Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar regional centre, came across the species growing in the pasture lands in Sadasivakona.

About AP :

• Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
• Chief minister: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCHEMES

Government forms experts committee for Startup India Seed Fund Scheme

• The government has constituted an experts advisory committee for the overall execution and monitoring of the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme.
• The committee would be chaired by H K Mittal from the Department of Science and Technology.

About the Committee :

• The committee will evaluate and select incubators for allotment of funds under the scheme, monitor progress and take all necessary measures for efficient utilisation of funds towards fulfilment of objectives of the scheme.
• The other representatives would include members from DPIIT, department of biotechnology, science and technology, electronics and IT, Niti Aayog, and expert members from the startup ecosystem.

About SISFS :

• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) has been approved for the period of next four years starting from 2021-22.
• It will be implemented with effect from April 1, 2021.
• Rs 945 crore corpus will be divided over the next four years for providing seed funding to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India.
• The scheme is expected to support about 3,600 startups.

CURRENT AFFAIRS:  RANKING

2020 World Air Quality Report – New Delhi Ranked as World’s most polluted capital city

• New Delhi was the world’s most polluted capital for the third straight year in 2020, according to IQAir.
• A Swiss group that measures air quality levels based on the concentration of lung-damaging airborne particles known as PM2.5.
• The study is based on India’s annual average of particulate matter PM2.5, airborne particles with less than 2.5 microns in diameter.
• Globally, New Delhi is ranked as the 10th most polluted city in the world.
• The topmost polluted city is Xinjiang in China followed by nine Indian cities.
• Ghaziabad is the second most polluted city in the world followed by Bulandshahar, Bisrakh Jalalpur, Noida, Greater Noida, Kanpur, Lucknow and Bhiwari.
• The global cities ranking report is based on PM2.5 data from 106 countries, which is measured by ground-based monitoring stations, most of which is operated by government agencies.
• Notably, India was home to 35 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities in 2020, according to IQAir’s 2020 World Air Quality Report.
• The IQAir report seeks to empower individuals, organizations and communities to breathe cleaner air through information, collaboration and technology solutions.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Dhanalakshmi Beats Dutee Chand To Win 100m Gold- Federation Cup Athletics

• On March 16, 2021, Sprinter S Dhanalakshmi beat national record holder Dutee Chand to win the women’s 100m sprint final in the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships in Patiala.

About Sprinter S Dhanalakshmi :

• The 22-year-old Dhanalakshmi of Tamil Nadu took the gold by clocking 39 seconds.
• Dhanalakshmi to become the fastest woman of the championships.
• Odisha-based Dutee clocked 11.58 seconds to be placed at second place.
• Another Tamil Nadu runner Archana Suseendran was third in 11.76.
• Veteran MR Poovamma, representing Karnataka, took the gold in women’s 400m, winning the final race in 53.57 seconds. Tamil Nadu’s Subha Venkatesan (54.48) and Kiran Pahal of Haryana took the silver and bronze respectively.

In men’s 100m final category :

• Gurindervir Singh of Punjab won gold in 10.32 seconds,
• Second Position : Elakkiyadasan Kannada of Tamil Nadu (10.43) 
• Third Position : Maharashtra’s Satish Krishnakumar (10.56) 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

Lou Ottens, inventor of the cassette tape passes away

• Lou Ottens, the Dutch engineer credited with inventing the cassette tape, passed away.
• He was 94.

About Lou Ottens :

• Ottens, born on 21 June 1926.
• He equipped the device with a directional antenna that he called a “Germanenfilter” because it could avoid the jammers used by the Nazi regime.
• He is playing a major role in the development of the first CD.
• Ottens founded the cassettes in the year 1960s, while he was employed with tech giant Philips.
• Later it led to the invention of the first reel-to-reel walkman in 1963.
• He is also known for helping develop the concept of magnetic tape players and the computer discs (CDs)

1.       1960–1969: Head of Product Development at Philips Hasselt

2.      1969–1972: Director of Philips Hasselt

3.      1972-1979: Director of Philips Audio

4.      1979-1984: Director of Philips Video

Senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed passes away

• Barrister Moudud Ahmed, a standing committee member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has passed away. 
• He was 81.

About Moudud Ahmed :

• Moudud Ahmed was born on May 24, 1940 in Noakhali’s Companigonj upazila.
• Ahmed was a standing committee member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
• He had served as  the

1. Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1988–1989), 
2. Vice President of Bangladesh (1989–1990), 
3. Deputy Prime Minister (1976–1978 and 1987–1988),  
4. Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (2001–2006).

• Moudud Ahmed authored nine books during his lifetime.
• Some of his notable books are Shongshod-e Ja Bolechhi (2006), Democracy and the Challenge of Development: A Study of Politics and Military Interventions in Bangladesh (1995) and Bangladesh: Era of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (1983).
• Moudud Ahmed was one of the founding members of the 33-member Committee for Civil Liberties and Legal Aid, a forum established to protect opposition politicians and members of civil society facing the wrath of the government.

Daily CA On March 17 :

• Chemicals and Fertilizer Minister Sadananda Gowda will inaugurate the 11th edition of India Chem-2021. 
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the Revised Cost Estimate of Comprehensive Scheme for Strengthening of Transmission and Distribution of power in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
• The Union Cabinet has approved a bill to set up Development Finance Institution (DFI) with an initial capital infusion of 20 thousand crore rupees.
• Parliament has passed the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 with the Rajya Sabha approving.
• National Telemedicine Service – eSanjeevani has completed 30 lakh consultations.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be speaking at the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. 
• The first shipment of food products exported from Bangladesh to India using the inland waterways left the Pran Industrial Park from Palash in Narsingdi. 
• The Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Women’s Forum meeting was held virtually.
• Cab aggregator Uber has said that it will give its UK drivers a guaranteed minimum wage, holiday pay and pensions, following a recent court ruling that said they should be classified as workers and entitled to such benefits.
• The government of Bangladesh has decided to rename the Ministry of Information to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• Magma HDI General Insurance Company Ltd, the insurance JV of Magma Fincorp Ltd, has approved capital raise of up to Rs.250 crore by way of preferential issue to third party investors. 
• The United States has surpasses Saudi Arabiaas India’s second biggest oil supplier.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of 2 crore on State Bank of India (SBI) for contravention of certain provisions of Section 10 of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act, 1949 and the central bank’s specific directions issued to the bank on payment of remuneration to employees in the form of commission.
• The Union Cabinet  was approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Union  Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment of  Maldives  for cooperation in Sports and Youth Affairs.
• On March 16, 2021, Indian Army de-commissioned two of its longest serving Artillery systems.
• On March 16, 2021, Indian Army de-commissioned two of its longest serving Artillery systems.
• On March 15, 2021 , The Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari released a digital e-book titled Dawn Under The Dome.
• Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi has published her memoir titled My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future.
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed an eight years ban on former UAE Cricketers Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar from all cricket, for trying to fix matches during the T20 World Cup qualifiers in 2019.
• On March 15, 2021, International Boxing Association (AIBA) announced that Asian Boxing Championships 2021 will be hosted by New Delhi, India from May 21-31. 
• Former Union Minister and BJP leader Dilip Gandhi has passed away.

Daily CA On March 18 :

• Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will make a statement regarding ‘Vehicles Scrapping Policy’ in both the Houses of Parliament.
• Foreign Affairs Minister of Kuwait Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah arrived in New Delhi for a two-day visit to India.
• Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met Italian Ambassador Vincenzo De Luca and welcomed Italy’s accession to International Solar Alliance.
• The Union cabinet gave its nod to shut downloss-making Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corp. of India Ltd (HHEC)
• Italy signed the International Solar Alliance under the amended ISA Framework Agreement. 
• The Secretary-level meeting between Water Resources ministries of India and Bangladesh under the framework of the Joint Rivers Commission was held in Delhi on.
• Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister, Dr. K Sudhakar has informed that the corporate sector is invited to utilize its CSR funds towards upgrading 2500 Primary Health Centres in the state.
• In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, initiated the project “Awaam Ki Baat” – a Radio program by launching its website at Raj Bhavan, Jammu.
• Giving a fillip to the Indo-Bangla friendship, the Maitri Cycle Rally, organised by BSF, completed its journey and reached its last stop at Silkore border outpost in Mizoram. 
• In Haryana, Government College for Women at Salaheri in Nuh district has been renamed as Shaheed Lieutenant Kiran Shekhawat Government College for Women, Salaheri. 
• Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers D.V. Sadananda Gowda has said that the Indian chemicals and petrochemicals industry is growing to new heights and an investment of 8 lakh crore rupees is anticipated in the sector by 2025.
• Doodh Duronto special trains have transported seven crore litres of Milk to National Capital, New Delhi in the current financial year 2020-21, which is the highest ever transportation since its commencement.
• The Income Tax Department said it has issued over 2 lakh crore rupees worth refunds to more than 2.1 crore taxpayers so far this fiscal.
• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan has been appointed as the Chairman of the international body Stop TB Partnership Board.
• Priya Subbaraman, Chief Regulatory Officer at National Stock Exchange (NSE,) and Sanjeev Kaushik, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, have been shortlisted for the post of MD and CEO of National Share Depository Services Ltd (NSDL), a leading provider of equity demat accounts.
• Global wealth manager Julius Baer has appointed Chirag Gandhi as MD Senior Advisor, Team Head, based in New Delhi. 
• On March 16, 2021, The Sixth India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Women’s Forum meeting was held virtually.
• On March 15, 2021, Tech Mahindra will acquire a 70 percent stake in Ireland-based Perigord Asset Holdings Ltd for around Rs 182 crore and plans to buy the remaining 30 per cent shareholding over a period of four years.
• A team of botanists has recently stumbled upon a new rattlepod species in the Sadasivakona grove area of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.
• The government has constituted an experts advisory committee for the overall execution and monitoring of the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme.
• New Delhi was the world’s most polluted capital for the third straight year in 2020, according to IQAir.
• On March 16, 2021, Sprinter S Dhanalakshmi beat national record holder Dutee Chand to win the women’s 100m sprint final in the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships in Patiala.
• Lou Ottens, the Dutch engineer credited with inventing the cassette tape, passed away.
• Barrister Moudud Ahmed, a standing committee member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has passed away.