DAILY GK:27 MAR 2021
1.116TH
MEETING OF PERMANENT INDUS COMMISSION
• India
& Pakistan held the 116th Meeting of Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) under
the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) at New Delhi from March 23-24, 2021.
• The
Indian side was led by Pradeep Kumar Saxena, India’s commissioner for IWT &
advisors from Central Water Commission, the Central Electricity Authority and
the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation.
• The
meeting coincided with the Pakistan Day (Pakistan Resolution Day or Republic
Day) being celebrated on March 23, 2021.
Pakistan’s Objections
• During
the meeting, Pakistan raised objections over the designs of 2 Hydroelectric
projects in J&K – Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project & Lower Kalnai
Project.
• Pakal
Dul Hydro Electric Project (1, 000 MW) is proposed on the Marusudar river, a
tributary of the Chenab river, in Kishtwar district in J&K.
• Lower
Kalnai project (48 MW) is proposed in Kishtwar & Doda districts over Chenab
River.
2.SUPREME
COURT RULES OUT EXTENSION OF 6-MONTH MORATORIUM
• Supreme
Court (SC) Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy & MR Shah
rejected the further extension of six-months Loan Moratorium Period (March 1,
2020 to August 31, 2020) offered by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to traders,
Corporate bodies & Big Borrowers.
• SC
also added that no Interest on Interest (Compound Interest) will be charged on
borrowers during the Moratorium period irrespective of the Loan Amount.
• Any
amount collected will be refunded. According to estimates, the refunds are
likely to be in the range of INR 7000-8000 Crore.
• Indian
Government has already refunded the Interest on Interest to all borrowers of
loans below INR 2 Crore.
3.‘FIYAVATHI
HOME FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN’
• Maldives
Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services inaugurated the renovated
‘Fiyavathi Home for Vulnerable Children’ in Hulhumale.
• A
Cash grant of ~ 1.9 Million Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) was allocated for the
completion of this project.
4.JICA
SIGNS 10 BILLION YEN LOAN AGREEMENT WITH TCCL
• Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Loan agreement for a maximum
amount of 10 Billion Japanese Yen (~ INR 66.6 Crore) with Tata Cleantech
Capital Ltd (TCCL), a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) for offering loans
to Indian firms focussing on Clean Energy Projects.
5.ASIAMONEY
BEST BANK AWARDS 2021
• HDFC
Bank, was adjudged the ‘India’s Best Bank for Small and Medium
Enterprises(SMEs)’ at the Asiamoney Best Bank Awards 2021 of Asiamoney for the
transformation of its Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) business.
• HDFC’s
advances to MSMEs as of December 31, 2020, is about Rs2.02 trillion ($28
billion) which is 38% higher than in 2019.
• It
has a compound annual growth rate of 23% for the past six years, making it
India’s second-largest bank for MSME lending.
6.VYAS
SAMMAN 2020
• Established
Hindi writer Professor Sharad Pagare from Madhya Pradesh has been chosen as the
recipient of the prestigious Vyas Samman 2020 for his historic novel titled
“Patliputru ki Samragi”.
• The
2020 Vyas Samman is the 30th Vyas Samman presented by KK Birla Foundation.
The novel – “Patliputru ki Samragi” was
printed in the year 2010.
7.MAHARASHTRA
BHUSHAN AWARD
• A
committee chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced singer Asha
Bhosle has been selected for the Maharashtra Bhushan award for the year 2020,
Maharashtra State highest civilian award for outstanding individual
achievements in their field, The award, instituted in 1996 carries a cash prize
of Rs 10 lakh.
8.‘CENTRAL
SCRUTINY CENTRE’ & IEPFA MOBILE APP
• Nirmala
Sitharaman virtually launched 2 Tech-enabled initiatives of the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs (MCA) – Central Scrutiny Centre (CSC) & Mobile app
of IEPFA (Investor Education &
Protection Fund Authority).
• i.Central
Scrutiny Centre (CSC) – For Scrutinizing
Straight Through Process (STP) Forms filed by the corporates on the MCA 21
registry.
• ii.IEPFA
app – It has been launched to achieve
the goal of financial literacy, spreading investors’ awareness, education and
protection among investors in both rural & urban areas.
9.2021
PARA SHOOTING WORLD CUP
• India
bagged 7 medals (2 Gold, 1 Silver & 4 Bronze) and finished at 3rd Position
in the 2021 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup held at Al Ain, UAE from March
15-25, 2021.
• Ukraine
topped the table with 11 Medals (5 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze), while UAE
finished Second with 5 medals (3 Gold, 2 Silver).
• They
are organized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
• India’s
Singhraj won the Gold Medal in the P1 Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1.
• India’s
Manish Narwal clinched Gold Medal in the P4 mixed 50m Pistol SH1. He set a new
World Record (WR) by finishing with 229.1 points, breaking the previous WR of
Serbia’s Rastko Jokic (228.6).
10.INDIA’S
1ST GOVT. RUN VETERINARY AMBULANCE NETWORK
• Andhra
Pradesh govt. is planning to set-up India’s 1st Government run Mobile Ambulance
Veterinary Clinic network in the state.
• Each
Assembly Constituency in the state will be provided with 1 Ambulance along with
1 veterinary doctor, 1 Para-veterinary worker.
• The
Ambulance is equipped with a ‘Hydraulic Lift’ facility to shift the injured
animal to the hospital.
