DAILY GK 17-19 MAR
1.
MOD CONTRACTS WITH HAL TO
ACQUIRE 34 ALH DHRUV MK III
·
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has
signed contracts worth Rs 8073.17 crore with Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the acquisition of 34 Advanced
Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mk III equipped with
Operational Role Equipment for Indian Army/IA (25 ALHs) and Indian
Coast Guard/ICG (9 ALHs).
·
ALH Dhruv Mk III UT
(Utility) is designed for Search & Rescue, Troop
Transportation, Internal Cargo, and Recce/Casualty Evacuation.
2.
SIPRI REPORT 2023: INDIA WORLD’S
LARGEST ARMS IMPORTER
·
According to ‘Trends in International
Arms Transfers, 2023’ released by Swedish think tank, Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India was the world’s
top arms importer for the period 2019-23.
·
India’s imports has increased by 4.7%
compared to the period 2014-18.
·
Saudi Arabia and Qatar were the 2nd and
3rd largest importers.
·
United States (US), France, Russia were
the top 3 largest exporters of arms between
2019-23.
·
Russia remains
India’s top arms supplier at 36%, however, it’s the first time
since 1960–64 that their deliveries comprised less than half of India’s
imports.
·
The 2nd and 3rd main suppliers of India
are France (33%) and the United States of America(USA)
(13%).
3.
INDIA-SINGAPORE SIGNS MOU ON LAW, DISPUTE
RESOLUTION
·
India and Singapore signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation on legal
and dispute resolution services
·
The agreement was signed virtually
4.
GOLDEN BOOK AWARD 2024
·
Wings Publication International
announced the winners of Golden Book Award 2024, which celebrates and
honours the outstanding authors and their literary works.
·
She won Award for her book titled “Breaking Free Embracing Me:
healing from childhood abuse and Toxic Conditioning”.
·
She previously won the award in 2023 for
her 25th book titled “Now You Breathe: Overcoming Toxic Relationships and
Abuse”.
·
The winners of Golden Book Award 2024
includes AnupamKher (Lessons Life Taught Me, Unknowingly: An Autobiography);
Raju S Jha (Drunken Manager); Gaurav Tiwari (Love. That Lasted Forever).
5.
NEW ELECTION COMMISSIONERS
·
Retired Indian Administrative Service
(IAS) officers Gyanesh Kumar and Dr.Sukhbir Singh
Sandhu took charge as the New Election Commissioners(ECs) in the
Election Commission of India(ECI).
·
Gyanesh Kumar and Dr.Sukhbir Singh
Sandhu are of 1988 batch from Kerala & Uttarakhand cadre respectively.
·
The post of ECs were vacant since the
retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey on 14th February 2024 and resignation of
ArunGoel on 8th March 2024.
·
The appointment was made by a
high-powered selection committee chaired by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi. The
committee includes Union Minister Arjun Meghwal, Ministry of Law and Justice
and Leader of Opposition AdhirRanjan Chowdhury.
6.
RANJI TROPHY 2023-2024
·
The Mumbai cricket team led by
AjinkyaRahane won the Ranji Trophy 2023-2024 season by defeating Vidarbha
led by Akshay Wadkar in the finals held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai,
Maharashtra.
·
This marks the Mumbai team’s 42nd
Ranji Trophy and first trophy since 2016.
7.
PRESIDENT DROUPADIMURMU’S VISIT TO
MAURITIUS
·
DroupadiMurmu, President of India, was
on a 3-day state visit to the Republic of Mauritius
·
Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime
Minister (PM) of Mauritius, received her
·
She
attended the 56th National Day celebrations of Mauritius as Chief
Guest on 12th March 2024.
·
She became the 6th Indian President to
attend the Mauritius National Day as Chief Guest since 2000.
·
She
was conferred with the prestigious Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor of Civil
Law by the University of Mauritius.
·
President of India DroupadiMurmu and
Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, PM of Mauritius, jointly e-inaugurated 14 Small
Development India-Assisted Projects.
·
MauritiusCapital–
Port Louis
8.
16 MEMBER COMMITTEE TO REVIEW
AB-PMJAY
·
The Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoH&FW) has constituted a
16-member expert committee to review the implementation of the Ayushman
Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (AB-PMJAY).
·
The committee is headed by Vinod
Kumar Paul, Member (Health) at the National Institution for
Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.
·
PMJAY, the world’s largest health
assurance scheme, aims to provide poor and vulnerable families with a health
cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care
hospitalisation.
9.
ECI NAMED SHEETAL DEVI AS NATIONAL
ICON IN PWD CATEGORY
·
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has
chosen Sheetal Devi, an Indian para-archer and 2023 Arjuna Awardee,
as the National Icon in Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category.
·
The announcement was made at an
Exhibition Cricket which was organised by ECI in association with the Board of
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in New Delhi, Delhi.
10. AGRAY AND AKSHAY,
5TH AND 6TH SHIPS OF ASW SWC PROJECT LAUNCHED
·
Garden Reach Shipbuilders &
Engineers (GRSE) launched ‘Agray’ and ‘Akshay’, the 5th and 6th ships of 8
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Shallow Water Craft (SWC) Project for Indian Navy
(IN) in Kolkata, West Bengal.
11. NATIONAL
VACCINATION DAY 2024 – MARCH 16
·
National Vaccination Day or National
Immunisation Day is annually observed across India on 16 March to
raise awareness of the significance and value of vaccination in human health
·
The 2024 theme of
National Vaccination Day is, “Vaccines Work for All.”
